OBJECTIVE To analyze the effect of folic acid-fortified foods on the prevalence of neural tube defects in live newborns. METHODS Longitudinal study with newborns from the city of Recife, Northeastern Brazil, between 2000 and 2006. Data analyzed were obtained from the Sistema Nacional de Informações de Nascidos Vivos (National Information System on Live Births). Neural tube defects were define...

This article uses rough set theory to explore spatial decision rules in neural-tube birth defects and searches for novel spatial factors related to the disease. The whole rule induction process includes data transformation, searching for attribute reducts, rule generation, prediction or classification, and accuracy assessment. We use Heshun as an example, where neural-tube birth defects are pre...

BMPs have been shown to play a role in neural tube development particularly as dorsalizing factors. To explore the possibility that BMP2 could play a role in the developing neural tube (NT) beyond the lethality of Bmp2 null embryos, we created Bmp2 chimeras from Bmp2 null ES cells and WT blastocysts. Analysis of Bmp2 chimeras reveals NT defects at day 9.5 (E9.5). We found that exclusion of Bmp2...

BACKGROUND 94% of all birth defects (BD) and 95% of deaths due to the BD occur in low and middle income countries, many of which are preventable. In Tanzania, there is currently a paucity of BD data necessary to develop data informed prevention activities. METHODS A cross-sectional analysis was conducted of deliveries identified with BD in the labor ward registers at four Dar es Salaam hospit...

Neural tube defects, such as spinabifida, craniorachischisis and anencephaly, are some of the most common birth defects in humans. Recent studies in mouse model systems suggest that craniorachischisis is associated with mutations in genes that regulate cell polarity. Using Xenopus as a model system, Wallingford and Harland have now shed light on the mechanism by which these pathways affect neur...

Mutant curly-tail mice are genetically predisposed to produce offspring with neural tube defects. Estimation of alpha-fetoprotein in the amniotic fluid of fetuses of these mutants has shown that the levels are raised in fetuses with exencephaly and open spina bifida. This suggests that these mice are a valid model for studies of the aetiology and genesis of neural tube defects in man.

BACKGROUND In 1998, folic acid fortification of a large variety of cereal products became mandatory in Canada, a country where the prevalence of neural-tube defects was historically higher in the eastern provinces than in the western provinces. We assessed changes in the prevalence of neural-tube defects in Canada before and after food fortification with folic acid was implemented. METHODS Th...

Congenital abnormalities are described as anomalies involving structure, metabolic or endocrine processes, or genetic coding that is present in the newborn at the end of the pregnancy. Neural tube defects are the most common abnormality of the central nervous system, probably second only to cardiac defects when considering major congenital anomalies. Representing a major public health concern, ...