Infants newborn

Owing to the ubiquitous natural occurrence of vitamin K and its production by intestinal bacteria, vitamin K deficiencies are rare. However, they can be caused by certain antibiotics (qv) coupled with a reduced dietary intake. Newborn infants who do not possess the necessary intestinal bacterial population are at danger for vitamin K deficiency. As a result, vitamin K injections are routinely given to the newborn. 

The second method for mixture analysis is the use of specialized software together with spectral databases. We have developed a mixture analysis program AMIX for one- and multidimensional spectra. The most important present applications are the field of combinatorial chemistry and toxicity screening of medical preparations in the pharmaceutical industry. An important medical application is screening of newborn infants for inborn metabolic errors. 

Beneficial effects have also been attributed to PAF. In reproduction, PAF secreted by the fertilized egg is instrumental in the implantation of the egg in the uterine wall. PAF is produced in significant quantities in the lungs of the fetus late in pregnancy and may stimulate the production of fetal lung surfactant, a protein-lipid complex that prevents collapse of the lungs in a newborn infant. 

Inhaled NO has been used for treatment of persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn infants, critical respiratory failure of preterm infants, and acute hypertension of adult cardiac surgery patients. PDE-5 inhibitors such as sildenafil are also effective for treatment of pulmonary hypertension. The combination of PDE-5 and NO inhalation yields additive beneficial effects on pulmonary hemodynamics. On the other hand, measurement of exhaled NO is a noninvasive and reproducible test that is a surrogate measure of airway inflammation in patients with bronchial asthma. 

More complex detective work is required to analyze large biomolecules and drugs. However, fragmentation generally follows predictable patterns, and one compound can be identified by comparing its mass spectrum with those of other known compounds with similar structures. In Fig. 2, we see the spectrum of a sample of blood from a newborn infant. The blood is being analyzed to determine whether the child has phenylketonuria. The presence of the compound phenylalanine is a positive indication of the condition. Some... 

Congenital myotonic dystrophy is a relatively rare condition in which myotonia (defined electrically) is mostly absent in the affected newborn infant, but becomes apparent in the older infant. Histopathology shows a consistent feature of arrested development and maturation of muscle fibers, but there is, currently, no adequate explanation for this phenomenon. Patients with congenital myotonic dystrophy rarely survive without aggressive ventilatory support, and survivors, without exception, are severely multiply handicapped. 

The Newborn Infant, Figure 1 is a photograph showing the appearance of a 2-1/2 kilo premature infant as conqpared to a nurse s hand. This infant is not the smallest infant one has to contend with since premature infants weighing 600 grams with no genetic abnormalities are occasionally seen. 

From the above, derives the fundamental concept that the newborn infant must be maintained in an adequate degree of hydration and in electrolyte balance in order for the infant to thrive. In some cases, where for one reason or other, the infant is not able to take fluids by mouth in the normal manner, one may need to resort to supplementary fluid therapy by vein. For a rational approach to this problem one needs to have available from the clinical chemical laboratory> rapid response in order to continuously monitor changes in electrolyte levels so that fluids can be modified so as to correct these abnormal-ities. 

In addition, the physician with the aid of the clinical chemist, needs to calculate salt and water requirements for the newborn infant. Of prime importance is the determination of how much sodium bicarbonate is required to correct an acidosis, or in rare cases, how much ammonium chloride might be required to correct an alkalosis ( ). 

During the administration of fluids, the newborn infant requires that one periodically assay for the various conq>onents discussed above, so as to see whether the fluids being administered are serving their purpose or need to be changed. The newborn infant does not have the reserve capacity that the adult has in being able to buffer and adjust for various problems which may arise during fluid therapy. For this reason, the newborn infant during acute treatment may require repetitive analyses, at relatively short intervals. Even when the condition is stabilized it is customary for the pediatrician to require analyses for electrolytes at periodic intervals for the security of the patient. 

From the fingertip, earlobe or heel prick, one would like to stay within the limits of 100 - 200p 1 as a maximum. If one then draws 100 1 of blood, then one cannot hope to have more than approximately 40pi of plasma, since the hematocrit of newborn infants is relatively high. This volume would be substantially lowered, in the dehydrated infant, with which one is working, normally. 

Meconium The first intestinal discharge or stool of a newborn infant, usually green in color and consisting of epithelial cells, mucus, and bile. 

Effective and safe drug therapy for newborns, infants, and children depends on knowledge of pediatric pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and knowledge of the drug formulation and delivery issues specific to this population. 

J. Aranda, S. MacLeod, K. Renton, and N. Eade, Hepatic microsomal drug oxidation and electron transport in newborn infants, J. Pediatr, 85, 534 (1974). 

Necheles et al. (N4) first reported a genetically determined homozygous GSH-Px deficiency associated with neonatal jaundice and mild hemolysis. Spontaneous recovery from hemolysis was noted 3 months after birth. Thereafter, several cases with GSH-Px deficiency were reported. Newborn infants exhibit significantly lower red blood cell GSH-Px activity and serum selenium concentrations than adult control subjects, and a significantly positive correlation between selenium concentration and GSH-Px activity has been observed. Furthermore, the addition of selenium stimulates, both in vivo and in vitro, the GSH-Px activity. The neonatal red blood cell GSH-Px deficiency may be partially due to insufficient availability of selenium during pregnancy (P9). Therefore, the diagnosis of GSH-Px deficiency in newborn infants must be made carefully. 

Electrochemical Society had asked him to make a fact-finding tour of American electrochemical industries and educational programs, and Haber seized the opportunity to distinguish himself. Even by the standards of the day, leaving his wife with a newborn infant was considered extreme. 

A few studies have reported associations between prenatal lead exposure and changes in heme metabolism. In a study of 294 mother-infant pairs, Haas et al. (1972) reported mean PbB levels of 16.98 pg/dL for mothers and 14.98 pg/dL for newborns. Infant PbB levels and ALA-U were positively correlated. The authors, however, did not report the levels of ALA-secretion in infants and mothers with no lead exposure. In pregnant urban women (Kuhnert et al. 1977), cord erythrocyte lead levels ranged... 

Figure 10, Doses to the bronchial region (solid curves) and to segmental bronchi in newborn infants and children of various ages, relative to values for adults.

A newborn infant is being prepared for surgical repair of a patent ductus arteriosus. Which of the following agents may be administered pre-operatively ... 

Table 36-1 lists some of the mechanisms important in governing the susceptibility of the PNS to disease and injury. Peripheral nerves, although toughened by their high content of collagen, are prone to injury to myelin by compression (e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome and tardy ulnar palsy) and to axons by excessive stretch (e.g. brachial plexopathy in newborn infants following a difficult delivery). Subcutaneous nerves, because of their exposed position, are also vulnerable to cold or heat injury. 

The urea cycle is essential for the detoxification of ammonia 678 Urea cycle defects cause a variety of clinical syndromes, including a metabolic crisis in the newborn infant 679 Urea cycle defects sometimes result from the congenital absence of a transporter for an enzyme or amino acid involved in the urea cycle 680 Successful management of urea cycle defects involves a low-protein diet to minimize ammonia production as well as medications that enable the excretion of ammonia nitrogen in forms other than urea 680... 

Urea cycle defects cause a variety of clinical syndromes, including a metabolic crisis in the newborn infant. 

No major teratogenic effects have been identified with the SSRIs or TCAs. However, evaluations to date suggest a possible association of fluoxetine with low birth weight and respiratory distress. Another study reported a sixfold greater likelihood of the occurrence of persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn infants exposed to an SSRI after the twentieth week of gestation. 

Johnston, R.B., Jr. Function and cell biology of neutrophils and mononuclear phagocytes in the newborn infant, Vaccine, 16, 1363, 1998. 

The special case in kin recognition studies is mutual recognition of mothers and newborn infants. Presumably, olfaction plays a crucial role in the mother-infant first contact and the linking-up of their mutual relationship. 

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