Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Many studies have established that a developing organism is susceptible to exogenous and endogenous factors during certain stage of the organism’s development. The effects of ethyl alcohol or ethanol on the developing fetus, which manifest a variety of characteristic abnormalities, are collectively called Fetal alcohol Syndrome. Ethanol exposure to the fetus causes various malformation ranging from the cellular to the organismic levels with the eventual results frequently being different levels of mental retardation (3).
Chick embryo studies provide a relatively good model for defining the effects of ethanol at many organizational levels of neurogenesis, cell death, neuronal migration and differentiation, cell to cell connectivity, and synaptic function When ethanol is administered to embryos on days one to three of development, the cholinergic neuronal phenotypes were markedly decreased possibly in the sparing of catecholaminergic phenotypes which were increased. This differential sensitivity of these two early neuroblast populations to ethanol may also reflect the difference in their ontogenesis: cholinergic elements are reported to be expressed as early as the primitive streak, whereas catecholaminergic elements appear later (3).
Embryos on embryonic day one are most susceptible to the effects of ethanol. Embryonic day one in the chick is marked by an active process of neurogenesis and neuro-organization. The neural tube elements are made during this early embryonic period. Brodie and Vernadakis inspected the effect of ethanol on cholinergic spinal cord neurons during this embryonic period. The neuroblast during this period shows plasticity with respect to neurotransmitter phenotypes, when ex...
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...s in these target organs at critical developmental periods would result in defects of these organs (5).
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Abel, E. and Sokol, R. A Revised Conservative Estimate of the Incidence of FAS and Its Economic Impact. Alcoholism, 0145-6008:514-524 (1991).
Bonthius, D. and West, J. Permanent Neuronal Deficits in Rats Exposed to Alcohol During the Brain Growth Spurt. Teratology, 44:147-163 (1991).
Brodie, C. and Vernadakis, R. Critical Periods to Ethanol Exposure During Early Neuroembryogenesis in the Chick Embryo: Cholinergic Neurons. Developmental Brain Research, 56:223-228 (1990).
Burd, L. and Martsolf, J. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome: Diagnosis and Syndromal Variability. Physiology and Behavior, 46:39-43 (1989).
Keir, W. Inhibition of Retinoic Acid Synthesis and its Implications in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Alcoholism. 15/3:560-564 (1991).
...sends Rat off into the helicopter with comic books in order to give him something to do. While these two scenes do show a newfound humanity in Azar, the scene where Azar and Tim decide to get back at Jorgenson do take him two steps back in the other direction. However, it is still obvious that experiences during Azar’s time in the Vietnam War had a great impact on him.
SUMMARY: Director of the Ethics Institute, Ronald M. Green, in his article “Building Baby from the Genes Up” discusses why he thinks that genetically modifying babies genes is more beneficial than destructive. He begins his article off by mentioning a story of a couple who wishe to genetically modify their baby so that they could make sure the baby would not develop the long family line of breast cancer. Green then notifies the reader that no matter where they stand on the matter, genetically modifying babies is going to become more and more popular. Even the National Institute of Health is beginning to invest in technology that can be used to genetically modify human genes. He then explains how genetically modifying human genes can be beneficial,
When alcohol is consumed, an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase metabolizes the alcohol to acetaldehyde at a rate of one standard drink per hour (Schuckit, 2009). After repeat exposures, tolerance may develop as a result of adaptational changes in the cells of the central nervous system (Merck, 1999). The increased tolerance may cause the patient to consume alcohol in greater quantities than before to achieve the same intoxicating effects. Alcoholics suffer dramatic long-term health damage. The most common forms of specific organ damage in alcoholics are cirrhosis, peripheral neuropathy, brain damage, a...
Women who are pregnant, but drink moderate amounts of alcohol still pose many dangerous threats to their unborn child. A fetal alcohol effect is one of them, with slight deformities, mental retardation, and learning disabilities. Fetal alcohol effected children not only have physical differences from normal children, but also suffer with psychiatric problems and at more apt to get in trouble with the law. Pregnant women who drink not only run the risk of having a baby with fetal alcohol syndrome, but of having a child with alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder. Alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder occurs when children have prenatal exposure to alcohol. These babies have cognitive and behavioral problems that are alcohol-related, without the severe facial or growth deformities babies with fetal alcohol syndrome have. Pregnant women who drink expose their baby to teratogen ethanol- the active ingredient in alcohol. The fetus exposure is longer and more intense compared to the mother who is able to metabolize the teratogen ethanol.
Merrick J, Merrick E, Morad M, Kandel I. (2006). Fetal alcohol syndrome and its long-term effects. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Faculty of Health Sciences Jun;58(3):211-8.
Hoyme, H. E., May, P. A., Kalberg, W. O., Kodituwakku, P., Gossage, J. P., Trujillo, P. M., et al. (2005). A Practical Clinical Approach to Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Clarification of the 1996 Institute of Medicine Criteria. Pediatrics, 39-47.
"The Effects of Alcohol on the Developing Brain." Women's Health Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2014. .
The Institute of Medicine Report to Congress (1996) described Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) as the following: “Of all the substances of abuse, including heroin, cocaine, and marijuana, alcohol produces by far the most serious neurobehavioral effects in the fetus”. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) was first introduced in the United States in 1973 by Drs. Kenneth Jones and David Smith, two pediatric dysmorphologists (Jones & Smith, 1973). Even with these ancient references, it wasn’t until relatively modern times that the medical profession took notice of the connection between prenatal maternal alcohol consumption and developmental difficulties in children. Among the first well known historical references to the connection between prenatal maternal alcohol consumption and the development of children was during the gin epidemic in England during the 1700’s. During this time period the price of gin dropped dramatically and in 1714 the annual consumption was about two million gallons of gin. By 1750 gin consumption was increased to 11 million gallons (Jones & Smith, 1973). Drs. Smith and Jones published their initial findings in Lancet. A second Lancet article that same year provided the characteristics pattern of physical and mental characteristics with a name Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. It is only in recent history that the disorders on the spectrum were given names much less were studied with rigorous scientific methods.
Alcohol, also known as ethanol, is a legal substance, which causes a person to become relaxed and “care-free”. Once alcohol is consumed, it is released into the bloodstream, which causes the brain to react, causing side effects. When a woman drinks alcohol while being pregnant, it can cause some physical and mental damage to the fetus. When a fetus is affected by alcohol exposure, it is called Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). If the affects are severe, it is then termed Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). The abnormalities occur in the central nervous system, facial structure, growth, and neurobehavioral development of the child. Severity of the damage depends on the amount of consumption, frequency, and timing of the consumption (Ungerer, Knezovich and Ramsay, 2013). Approximately 1 in 100 births have FASD effects. In the United States, 2-7 out of 1000 births are affected by FAS. 2-5% of young children in the United States and Western Europe are affected by FASD, while in Italy, the rate of FASD is 20.3-40.5 per 1000 births (Riley, Infante, Warren, 2011). These results are happening because 10-20% of women in the United States, 40% in Uruguay, and 50% of Italy consume alcohol while pregnant (Valenzuela, Morton and Diaz, 2012).
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome has several symptoms such as a small head, below average height and weight, hyperactivity, lack of focus, poor coordination, poor judgement, heart problems, deformed limbs and fingers, mood swings, and etc. They don’t really have a treatment for fetal alcohol syndrome but
The concept of organizational cultures was first raised in 1970s, and soon became a fashionable topic. Organizational culture is the shared beliefs, values and behaviours of the group. Theorists of organizations believe that organizational culture represents the pattern of behaviours, values, and beliefs of an organization. Hence, studies around organizational culture have been seen as great helpful and essential for understanding organizations and their behaviours. Additionally, organizational culture has been considered to be an important determinant of organizational success. Therefore, leaders and managers pay more than more attentions on this topic, focusing on constructing and managing organizational cultures.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) are identified as a category of birth disorders caused by prenatal alcohol exposure. These can include physical or intellectual anomalies, such as cardiac, skeletal, visual, aural, and fine or gross motor problems. (Callanan, 2013) Prevention would involve alcohol use prevention programs for women who are pregnant, and treatment for FAS and FASD would be aimed at helping those affected realize their full potential through both family and individual interventions. While there is no cure for FAS or FASD, appropriate treatments can aide individuals with these diagnoses to minimize the effects.
“I brought you into this world, and I can take you out!” A child has most likely heard that phrase at some point in their life. Although, it is not ethical or legal for a mother to “take her kid out of this world”, it does bring up a good point that it was through her body, that the child was born. One of the most important responsibilities in this world is a mother carrying a child in the womb. There are many divine processes that take place during gestation, but there are also many contributing factors from the mother that can affect the developing human. These factors may include what a woman ingests and exposes her embryo or fetus to. Sadly, alcohol use during pregnancy is an ongoing problem that can have detrimental affects on the fetus, including Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Choosing to drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy is a choice, a risky choice. Unfortunately some women don’t even know they are making a risky choice by consuming alcohol because it is in the early stages of pregnancy. It is common for a female to not find out they are pregnant until at least the fifth or sixth week after fertilization. In 2006, 49% of all pregnancies in the United States were reported unintended on a national survey.1 The highest rate of preventable birth defects and mental retardation is due to alcohol use.2 In this paper, I will further discuss FAS, the potential effects of binge drinking during the embryonic stage of gestation, and what actions need to be taken in order to reduce the incidences of alcohol related birth defects.
Johnson, Nuala (1995). Cast in stone: monuments, geography and nationalism, in John Agnew (ed.) (1997). Political Geography: A Reader, Arnold: London, pp. 347-364.
Organizational culture can be defined as the glue that holds an organization together through a sharing of patterns of meaning. The culture focuses on the values, beliefs, and expectations that members come to share (Siehl& Martin, 1984). Organizational culture helps to contribute towards achieving the organizational goals, decision making processes, job satisfaction, employee motivation etc. It helps in uniting the employees of an organization.