Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders - an Irish perspective.

The impact of prenatal alcohol exposure is far reaching and transgenerational but is largely under diagnosed. This has been a major public health concern but remains an area that has lacked attention with regards service development and research in Ireland. There is a need for mental health professionals to have a good working knowledge of the range of deficits associated with prenatal alcohol exposure.

Are we following the European charter? Children, parents and staff perceptions.

Background: In 1988, the European Association for Children in Hospital (EACH) established a charter of rights setting out the guiding principles for the treatment of children in hospital. Our aim was to ascertain whether children, parents and staff in a children's hospital believe the European Charter is conformed to.

Methods: A total of 111 parents (response rate = 90%), 50 children (response rate = 100%), 61 nurses (response rate = 55%) and 41 doctors (response rate = 25%) agreed to participate.

Unrehearsed circuit failure during neonatal ECMO: critical trans-heat exchanger pressure.

A newborn infant who could not be weaned from bypass after undergoing corrective surgery for atrioventricular septal defect was placed on arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Thirty-six hours later, a sudden violent gush of water was observed from the heater cooler system at the point where the outlet tubing had become detached from the machine. It was quickly established that this event had been caused by a massive pressure buildup at the integrated ECMO heat exchanger.

Mucinous cystadenoma of the ovary in perimenarchal girls.

Ovarian masses in children are an uncommon occurrence. They represent less than 2% of all tumours in girls less than 16 years of age. Mucinous tumours of the ovary occur principally in middle adult life and are extremely rare prior to menarche.

Angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene is not responsible for familial vesicoureteral reflux.

Purpose: The renin-angiotensin system has an important role in the development of the kidney and ureter. It has been reported that disruption of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2) gene leads to congenital anomalies of the kidney and ureter in mice, including vesicoureteral reflux. In humans a single base A to G transition at position -1332 in intron 1 (A-1332G) of the AT2 gene has been reported to occur significantly more often in patients with ureteropelvic junction obstruction and primary obstructive megaureter than in controls.