Showing papers by "Gideon Koren published in 1991"
TL;DR: The number, length, and quality of newspaper reporting on the positive study were greater than news reports on the negative study, which suggests a bias against news reports of studies showing no effects or no adverse effects.
Abstract: Objective. —To assess if the reporting of controversial medical journal articles by newspapers reflects the existence of a bias against negative studies (those showing no effect), we compared the rates of newspaper reporting of two studies, one negative and one positive, published back-to-back in the March 20, 1991, issue of JAMA . Both studies analyzed an area of public health concern, radiation as a risk for cancer. Design. —Seven computerized on-line databases were screened for daily newspapers published in North America during the week following JAMA 's publication of the two studies. These databases had full-text access to 168 daily newspapers. Newspapers identified with reports of the two studies were analyzed for length and quality of the reports. Results. —Seventeen newspapers, publishing 19 reports on the two studies, were identified. Nine reports were dedicated solely to the positive study and 10 reports covered both studies. None of the reports were dedicated to the negative study only. In reports covering both studies, the mean length of the positive reports was significantly longer than the mean length of the negative reports (354±181 words vs 192±178 words; P =.04). The mean quality score of the positive reports was significantly higher than that of the negative reports (10.1 ±3.4 vs 5.9±4.9; P =.02). Conclusions. —The number, length, and quality of newspaper reports on the positive study were greater than news reports on the negative study, which suggests a bias against news reports of studies showing no effects or no adverse effects. ( JAMA . 1991;266:1824-1826)
141 citations
TL;DR: Evidence is provided that pregnant women are more likely to present with early disease because of regular, pregnancy-related obstetric exams and there is an increased risk for stillbirth, which should lead to follow-up of these patients by a high-risk perinatal unit.
Abstract: Invasive carcinoma of the cervix is the most common gynecologic malignancy to occur during the reproductive years. To analyze the effects of pregnancy on the course and survival of invasive cervical cancer, we compared 40 women with invasive cervical cancer to 89 nonpregnant controls matched for age, calendric year of diagnosis, stage, and tumor type. Additionally, we compared the distribution of invasive cervical cancer stages among the 40 pregnant women with that among the 1,963 cases of invasive cervical cancer treated during the same 30 years in women less than 45 years of age registered in the same hospital. To evaluate pregnancy outcome, we compared babies born to women with invasive cervical cancer to babies born of women matched for maternal age and not exposed to known teratogens or reproductive risks during pregnancy. Thirty-year survival of pregnant women with invasive cervical cancer was identical to that of their matched controls. Women having invasive cervical cancer were 3.1 times more like...
137 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that tissue plasminogen activator is effective in inducing clot lysis in children and it is recommended that a dose of 0.1 mg/kg per hour be started and increased gradually if clot dissolution does not occur, with close monitoring for bleeding.
118 citations
TL;DR: Although of the 215 reported pregnancies with C and HC exposure, only seven (3.3%) had congenital abnormalities, the risk associated with antimalarials may be cumulative and further studies are needed to elucidate the safety of this drug later in pregnancy.
Abstract: Although the use of chloroquine (C) and hydroxychloroquine (HC) in the treatment of malaria prophylaxis during pregnancy is probably safe, the use of much higher doses for treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy has been controversial. We analyzed the cases of 24 pregnant women with a total of 27 pregnancies who had taken these drugs during their first trimester of pregnancy. C and HC were given in 11 patients with SLE, three with rheumatoid arthritis, and four for malaria prophylaxis. Most of these women had already been on antimalarial drugs for 1 to 172 months prior to pregnancy (mean, 32.2 months). Of the 27 pregnancies, 14 resulted in normal full-term deliveries, six were aborted due to severe disease activity or social conditions, three were stillbirths, and four pregnancies resulted in spontaneous abortions. No congenital abnormalities were detected in the 14 live births at ages between 9 months and 19 years (mean, 5.3 years). All these children are physically and developmentally normal with no clinical evidence of eye or hearing defects. The seven pregnancies that were associated with fetal loss occurred particularly in patients who had active SLE, although stillbirth and spontaneous abortion occurred also in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in two of the three patients who had been treated prophylactically for malaria. Although of the 215 reported pregnancies with C and HC exposure, including our study, only seven (3.3%) had congenital abnormalities, the risk associated with antimalarials may be cumulative and further studies are needed to elucidate the safety of this drug later in pregnancy.
110 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that while severe CO poisoning poses serious short- and long-term fetal risk, mild accidental exposure is likely to result in normal fetal outcome and hyperbaric oxygen may decrease fetal hypoxia and improve outcome.
108 citations
TL;DR: A case of a mother treated with clomipramine during pregnancy and the side effects observed in the infant are reported, and the correlation between plasma clomIPramine concentrations in the baby's blood and clinical effects are described.
Abstract: Clomipramine is a chlorinated tricyclic antidepressant commonly used in the treatment of depression (1). The drug is widely prescribed in Europe and Canada and has been recently approved for use in the USA. Its safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding, however, has not been fully established. Very few reports on its effect on the fetus and neonate have been published (2,3). We report a case of a mother treated with clomipramine during pregnancy, and the side effects observed in the infant. The correlation between plasma clomipramine concentrations in the baby's blood and clinical effects are described. Subsequently, we present the pregnancy outcome of five prospectively collected cases.
92 citations
TL;DR: In this article, critical-current measurements for superconducting-normal superconductor junctions were performed using normal metal as the normal metal and showed that the order-parameter decay length is about 120 \AA{} for Tg60 K, and it diverges as the threshold is approached.
Abstract: We report critical-current measurements in all high-${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$ superconducting-normal-superconductor junctions using ${\mathrm{Y}}_{0.6}$${\mathrm{Pr}}_{0.4}$${\mathrm{Ba}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ (with ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}\mathit{N}}$=40 K) as the normal metal. Above ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}\mathit{N}}$, we find a clear exponential dependence of ${\mathit{I}}_{\mathit{c}}$ on the thickness of the barrier which is characteristic of the proximity effect. The order-parameter decay length is about 120 \AA{} for Tg60 K, and it diverges as ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}\mathit{N}}$ is approached. We estimate that ${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{0}$ for this material is 80\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}25 \AA{}.
89 citations
TL;DR: Pregnancy outcome in ten women, mostly health care personnel or patients traveling to endemic areas exposed to the vaccine during the first trimester of pregnancy suggests safe use of the vaccine in early pregnancy.
Abstract: Perinatal transmission of hepatitis B (HB) virus occurs if the mother has had acute HB infection during late pregnancy or in the first months postpartum, or if the mother is a chronic HB antigen carrier. Vertical transmission from chronic carriers exceeds 90% and accounts for up to 40% of the world chronic carriers in endemic areas. Hepatitis in pregnancy is not associated with increased abortion rate, stillbirth, or congenital malformation. However, prematurity seems to be increased if hepatitis is acquired in the last trimester. Sixty percent of pregnant women who acquire acute HB infections at or near delivery will transmit the HB virus to their offspring. Although infection is rarely symptomatic, 70 to 90% of the babies will remain chronically infected into adult life and be prone to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Because of such high risks and the safety and efficacy (seroconversion 90 to 100%) of HB vaccine in preventing HB infection, it is recommended that HB vaccine be given to pregnant women at high risk. However, its safety to the fetus is not well documented. Only one human study reports the safety and efficacy of Heptavax, but only when administered (to 72 pregnant women) in the last trimester of pregnancy when embryopathy cannot occur. We report pregnancy outcome in ten women, mostly health care personnel or patients traveling to endemic areas exposed to the vaccine during the first trimester of pregnancy. No congenital abnormalities were observed and all the infants are physically and developmentally normal for their ages at 2 to 12 months. Although small, this cohort suggests safe use of the vaccine in early pregnancy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
87 citations
TL;DR: Patients' compliance with an orally available chelating agent, 1,2,-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one (L1), that has been demonstrated to induce in vivo iron excretion equivalent to that of desferrioxamine during supervised short term administration, was examined.
Abstract: The accurate assessment of patient compliance is especially crucial in evaluating the efficacy of a new treatment. Because of the problems associated with parenteral desferrioxamine, the development of a safe, effective, and convenient iron chelator is of high priority. The high morbidity and mortality associated with iron overload requires careful evaluation of the ability of any new agent to promote long term effective iron chelation. Patients' compliance with an orally available chelating agent, 1,2,-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one (L1), that has been demonstrated to induce in vivo iron excretion equivalent to that of desferrioxamine during supervised short term administration, was examined. Compliance was assessed in seven patients by patient interview, by daily diaries reviewed monthly with each patient, and with the use of the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) standard pill bottles with microprocessors in the cap that record the timing and frequency of bottle openings. L1 was dispensed in MEMS containers to the patients, who, unaware of their significance, recorded compliance using a daily diary. Overall compliance rate (% of prescribed doses taken) measured by MEMS was 88.7 +/- 6.8%. When 'doubling of doses' was accounted for, significantly poorer compliance with L1 was noted by MEMS (91.7 +/- 7.4%) than by patients' diaries (95.7 +/- 5.2%). There was no significant difference in patient compliance recorded between the first and last 30 day period of drug administration. MEMS can eliminate the confounding variable of erratic patient compliance in the evaluation of a new drug's efficacy. As MEMS cannot distinguish a missed dose from one doubled at the next bottle opening, the use of patient diaries is a useful adjunct to the accurate assessment of compliance and should be combined with the use of MEMS.
79 citations
TL;DR: In this article, critical-current measurements in all high-{ital T}{sub {ital c} superconducting-normal-superconductor junctions using Y{sub 0.6}Pr{ sub 0.4}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} were reported.
Abstract: We report critical-current measurements in all high-{ital T}{sub {ital c}} superconducting-normal-superconductor junctions using Y{sub 0.6}Pr{sub 0.4}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} (with {ital T}{sub {ital c}{ital N}}=40 K) as the normal metal. Above {ital T}{sub {ital c}{ital N}}, we find a clear exponential dependence of {ital I}{sub {ital c}} on the thickness of the barrier which is characteristic of the proximity effect. The order-parameter decay length is about 120 A for {ital T}{gt}60 K, and it diverges as {ital T}{sub {ital c}{ital N}} is approached. We estimate that {xi}{sub 0} for this material is 80{plus minus}25 A.
77 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The results suggest that enzymatic pathways involved in antiepileptic drug metabolism tend to be increased during pregnancy as a potential cause for observed lower serum concentrations of these drugs.
Abstract: The pharmacokinetics of antiepileptic drugs may be altered during pregnancy, resulting in decline of serum concentrations and subsequent suboptimal control of seizures. We investigated changes which may occur during pregnancy in hepatic drug handling by comparing metabolic ratios of 15 pregnant epileptic women to 15 nonpregnant epileptic women, as well as 10 pregnant nonepileptic and 10 nonpregnant nonepileptic controls. We used the caffeine test to describe several enzyme activities: P450 1A2, xanthine oxidase, n-acetyltransferase and hydroxylation. For this end, ratios were calculated among a number of metabolites of the main demethylation pathway of caffeine. In addition, we measured D-glucaric acid excretion for specific characterization of antiepileptic drug metabolism. Paired comparison of epileptic women in late pregnancy and six to eight weeks post partum revealed statistically significant decreases in P450 1A2, xanthine oxidase and n-acetyltransferase activities, and a significantly increased hydroxylation activity during pregnancy. Twenty-one of the 30 epileptic women (70%) were found to be fast acetylators, whereas the normal distribution in the nonepileptic control groups was 50%. Excretion of D-glucaric acid was significantly increased in all epileptic patient groups as compared to the matched nonepileptic control groups. Importantly, it was also significantly increased in the pregnant nonepileptic control group as compared to the nonpregnant nonepileptic women. Overall, our results suggest that enzymatic pathways involved in antiepileptic drug metabolism tend to be increased during pregnancy as a potential cause for observed lower serum concentrations of these drugs.
TL;DR: Findings suggest self‐induction of LI metabolism or decreased absorption during long‐term therapy, because of the concentration‐dependent iron excretion, patients may need increasing doses to achieve negative iron balance.
Abstract: Single-dose and steady-state pharmacokinetics of the new oral iron chelator, l,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-pyrid-4-one (LI) were studied in 14 patients with thalassemia and correlated with iron excretion. Food prolongs the rate of absorption of LI, but it does not affect significantly the extent of absorption measured by the area under the plasma concentration–time curve. Similarly, it does not affect the chelation potential of the drug. The mean elimination half-life of the drug is 3 hours, suggesting that a divided dose every 8 hours may assure better chelation. Our steady-state studies reveal that urinary iron excretion is independently influenced by body iron load (measured by ferritin levels) and by steady-state trough concentrations of the drug. While patients were receiving an unchanged regimen of 75 mg/kg/day, we have detected a gradual and significant decrease in trough concentrations in the presence of unchanged patients' compliance monitored by the Medication Event Monitoring System, diaries, and pill count. These findings suggest self-induction of LI metabolism or decreased absorption during long-term therapy. Because of the concentration-dependent iron excretion, patients may need increasing doses to achieve negative iron balance.
Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1991) 50, 294–298; doi:10.1038/clpt.1991.139
TL;DR: Iron is an esssential element for body homoeostasis, but there is no effective mechanism for elimination of an excess of this mineral, so deferoxamine (desferrioxamine) is currently the treatment of choice for iron overload states from both acute iron intoxication and transfusion-dependent anaemias.
Abstract: Iron is an essential element for body homoeostasis, but there is no effective mechanism for elimination of an excess of this mineral. Deferoxamine (desferrioxamine) is currently the treatment of choice for iron overload states from both acute iron intoxication and transfusion-dependent anaemias. The pharmacokinetics of deferoxamine are confounded both by its ability to chelate endogenous and exogenous iron and by the laboratory techniques used for its determination. Its iron-complex (ferrioxamine) has different pharmacokinetic properties. Because of its effectiveness, the use of deferoxamine is becoming more common, involving long term and high dose regimens. As a result of this, more and more toxicities that were not known in the past have been described and characterised. The most serious of these include hypotension, renal insufficiency, neurotoxicity, growth retardation and opportunistic infections: some of these side effects may be attributed to or aggravated by ferrioxamine. The pharmacological and toxicological literature on deferoxamine, and possible mechanisms for its toxicity, are reviewed and discussed.
TL;DR: In this article, the temperature dependence of the resistivity of PrBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ (δ ≤.04) was measured and it was shown that variable range hopping is the dominant conduction mechanism in this material.
Abstract: Measurements of the temperature dependence of the resistivity of PrBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ (δ ≤ .04) show that variable range hopping is the dominant conduction mechanism in this material below room temperature. This result was found for epitaxial as well as for ceramic samples of this material. The dimensionality of the process could not as yet be determined.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: There was a significant increase in urine volume during DFO therapy and these changes are consistent with the previous observation in humans and dogs receiving high dose i.v. DFO, albeit milder.
Abstract: To assess the effects of deferoxamine (DFO) on the kidneys, we studied 27 patients with thalassemia major on chronic subcutaneous (s.c.) DFO therapy. In 41% of the patients glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values were above the normal range. In a previous study similar findings were reported for thalassemia patients who did not receive DFO. The subcutaneous administration of DFO was associated with a clinically significant decrease in GFR in 40% of the patients and in a mild decrease in another 40%. In all cases of severe decreases in GFR, it tended to return to baseline values upon discontinuation of DFO. There was a significant increase in urine volume during DFO therapy. These changes are consistent with our previous observation in humans and dogs receiving high dose i.v. DFO, albeit milder.
TL;DR: Special consideration and attention should be given when counseling pregnant women exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation, as their misperception of teratogenic risk may lead them to unnecessary termination of their pregnancy.
Abstract: We quantified the perception of teratogenic risk in women attending the Motherisk program for counseling about diagnostic radiation in pregnancy (n = 50) and compared it with a control group of women exposed to nonteratogenic drugs and chemicals (n = 48). Before receiving known information about the specific exposure, women exposed to radiation assigned themselves a significantly higher teratogenic risk compared with the control group (25.5 +/- 4.3% versus 15.7 +/- 3.0% for major malformations, P less than 0.01). The post-consultation perception of teratogenic risk did not differ between the two groups. Special consideration and attention should be given when counseling pregnant women exposed to low-dose ionizing radiation, as their misperception of teratogenic risk may lead them to unnecessary termination of their pregnancy.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Viability of the placental preparation was validated by measuring the rates of glucose and oxygen consumption, lactate production and synthesis of the protein hormone, chorionic gonadotropin, and support the relevance of using the in vitro placental perfusion model to obtain information regarding placental drug transfer in humans.
Abstract: The cardiac glycoside, digoxin, is clinically used to treat fetal tachyarrhythmias and congestive heart failure. The time course of digoxin transfer across the human placenta was studied by dually perfusing an isolated lobule of the human placenta in vitro. Viability of the placental preparation was validated by measuring the rates of glucose and oxygen consumption, lactate production and synthesis of the protein hormone, chorionic gonadotropin. Following administration of 5 ng/ml digoxin to the maternal circulation, digoxin appeared in the fetal circulation within 5 min. The disappearance of digoxin from the maternal circulation was biexponential and best fit a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model. Mean calculated volume of the central compartment (257 +/- 6.3 ml) was consistent with the actual volume of the in vitro maternal circulation (246 +/- 7.4 ml). The half-life of the distribution phase was 9.7 +/- 3.3 min, and half-life of the terminal elimination phase was 362 +/- 83 min. After 30 min of perfusion, the amount of digoxin leaving the maternal circulation and appearing in the fetal circulation was constant at a fetomaternal mass ratio of 0.36 +/- 0.04. This ratio was maintained through to the end of the 3-hr experiment. All of the digoxin leaving the maternal circulation could be accounted for either in the fetal circulation or bound to placental tissue. The time to achieve equal concentrations on both sides of the placenta was estimated to be 268 +/- 34 min. These data are consistent with in vivo data obtained in humans, and support the relevance of using the in vitro placental perfusion model to obtain information regarding placental drug transfer in humans.
TL;DR: In this paper, a multistep laser ablation deposition process was used to produce thin-film YBa2Cu3O7 edge junctions of 0.4×10 μm2 cross section.
Abstract: Thin‐film YBa2Cu3O7‐YBa2Cu3O7 edge junctions of 0.4×10 μm2 cross section were prepared in situ by a multistep laser ablation deposition process. The fabrication time was about 3 h and the yield of good devices was 50%. Typical junctions reached zero resistance at 72 K and had a critical current density Jc of 300 A/cm2 at 70 K. Their Jc as a function of temperature increased slowly with decreasing temperature down to 65 K and much faster below it. In the region of low Jc we observed suppression of the critical current by a magnetic field. Under microwave radiation clear Shapiro steps were observed whose magnitude versus the microwave field agreed qualitatively with the resistively shunted junction model of a current biased junction.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: Both an organic anion (probenecid) and cations (quinidine, cimetidine, ranitidine) significantly decreased renal clearance of free CDDP without affecting GFR.
Abstract: Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cisplatin CDDP) is an extremely potent chemotherapeutic agent. Its efficacy, however, is hindered by the cumulative dose-dependent nephrotoxicity which can lead to permanent renal impairment. The mechanisms of the renal transport of cisplatin are not clear. As a first step towards understanding the renal handling of cisplatin we studied its renal clearance in dogs, as well as the effects of organic anion and cation administration on cisplatin. Our results document net tubular secretion of cisplatin. Both an organic anion (probenecid) and cations (quinidine, cimetidine, ranitidine) significantly decreased renal clearance of free CDDP without affecting GFR.
TL;DR: During the acute phase of Kawasaki disease, children had an average twofold increase in free salicylate compared with normoalbuminemic control subjects, and a nomogram has been devised to derive free salingylate levels from the known total saliylate and serum albumin concentrations.
TL;DR: There is no convincing evidence that working with organic solvents within safety regulations would harm a fetus, in contradistinction to detrimental fetal effects of solvent abuse.
TL;DR: In this paper, the peak responsivity of thin films of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 was measured as 0.5 V/W at a temperature of 90.3 K using a chopped cw-CO 2 laser at 10.6 μm.
Abstract: Microbridges of thin films of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 were used to make infrared bolometers. Using a chopped cw-CO 2 laser at 10.6 μm, the peak responsivity of these films was measured as 0.5 V/W at a temperature of 90.3 K. The present experimental data agree well with a bolometric response of the irradiated films and calculations are presented to support this conclusion.
TL;DR: It is possible that longer retention of captopril in the plasma, evidence by larger AUC, may reflect lessCaptopril available to modulate renin activity in the kidney, which is the major site ofcaptopril's pharmacological action.
Abstract: We studied blood pressure response, plasma renin activity (PRA) and captopril pharmacokinetics in 8 children receiving orally 0.7 mg/kg of the drug. The drug increased PRA in all patients, in 5 to abnormally high levels. Peak captopril concentrations were achieved between half an hour and 2 h, and ranged between 100 and 547 ng/ml. Mean elimination half-time (T1/2) was 1.5 h, ranging between 0.98 and 2.3 h. There was a significant positive correlation between the area under the curve (AUC) and elimination T1/2 of the drug. There was a significant inverse correlation between AUC or elimination T1/2 and percent change in diastolic blood pressure; the 2 children who had no change in diastolic blood pressure had the largest AUC and the lowest apparent clearance of captopril. The kidney is the major site of captopril's pharmacological action. It is possible that longer retention of captopril in the plasma, evidence by larger AUC, may reflect less captopril available to modulate renin activity in the kidney.
TL;DR: The effective ness of clinical pharmacists in preventing a substantial number of potentially fatal prescribing incidences in The Hospital for Sick Children is described.
Abstract: Tenfold medication errors (misplacement of the decimal point) are serious iatrogenic problems that are well known to healthcare practitioners. Such incidences are more likely to occur in pediatric practice because misplacing a decimal point as a result of erroneously calculating a dose from stock solution still yields a \"reasonable\" volume of fluid. For drugs that have a narrow margin of safety (e.g., digoxin, theo phylline, neostigmine), a tenfold dosage increase may result in serious morbidity or mortality. A variety of strategies have been suggested to im prove physicians' and nurses' ability to avoid tenfold medication errors. These include independent checking of calculations, development of tables that convert dos ages into volumes of stock solutions, and routine testing of calculation competency for staff acuTiinistering drugs. However, there is no evidence of fewer serious acci dents in recent years. Most efforts to prevent tenfold medication errors have focused on the role of the ward staff. The ability of clinical pharmacists to prevent such catastrophes has not been explored. There is evidence that clinical phar macists make fewer calculation errors than nurses when a clinically relevant test is administered. Moreover, in many hospitals, clinical pharmacists have become an in tegral part of the ward staff. We describe the effective ness of clinical pharmacists in preventing a substantial number of potentially fatal prescribing incidences in The Hospital for Sick Children.
TL;DR: A rapid, accurate, and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography method is described for measuring L1 in human plasma using a Hypercarb 7 microns column and monitoring the column eluent by ultraviolet absorption at 280 nm.
Abstract: 1,2-Dimethyl-3-hydroxypyridin-4-one (CP020 or L1) is a novel oral iron chelator that has proved to be effective in animals and humans. A rapid, accurate, and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography method is described for measuring L1 in human plasma using a Hypercarb 7 microns column and monitoring the column eluent by ultraviolet absorption at 280 nm. CP020 and the internal standard (CP094) were extracted into dichloromethane (2 x 5 ml) from plasma at neutral pH [0.25 ml of plasma + 0.75 ml of 60 mM 3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid buffer, pH 7.4]. The method proved to be linear (r2 = 0.998) in the clinical range of 0.5-50 micrograms/ml when 0.25 ml of plasma was used, with the coefficient of variation less than 10% even at the lower concentration range.
TL;DR: In this paper, an all-in- situ laser ablation deposition process was used, with the barriers formed by a plasma discharge in CF4 gas, to avoid possible laser induced damage to the films.
Abstract: a‐b plane YBa2Cu3O7‐YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) edge junctions with improved properties were prepared by the use of SrTiO3 instead of BaF2 as an insulating layer in the c‐axis direction. The junctions were fabricated in an all in situ laser ablation deposition process, with the barriers formed by a plasma discharge in CF4 gas. Photolithographic rather than laser ablation patterning of the junctions was used, to avoid possible laser induced damage to the films. The normal resistance of the junction decreased with T for T≳40 K, and increased at lower temperatures, indicating that carrier localization takes place in the barrier. At 80 K, a pronounced diffraction pattern of the voltage across the junction versus magnetic field was observed. Critical currents persisted up to 84 K, and under microwave radiation many Shapiro steps were observed.
TL;DR: A 34-year-old woman who had used amantadine to prevent relapse of her multiple sclerosis throughout two of her pregnancies who subsequently delivered two normal infants is reported.
TL;DR: H2 antagonists are widely prescribed medications and are often consumed by women who are unaware of being pregnant, but data suggest that cimetidine and ranitidine may not be teratogenic risk in humans.
Abstract: H2 antagonists are widely prescribed medications and are often consumed by women who are unaware of being pregnant. In 23 cases reported to the Motherisk program there were two spontaneous abortions, two therapeutic abortions, 18 normal births, and one infant with a large hemangioma of the upper right eyelid. The hemangioma was removed without incident. Our data suggest that cimetidine and ranitidine may not be teratogenic risk in humans.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The misperceptions of risk documented in this survey reflect a tendency in the popular literature to assign risks to drugs such as aspirin that are not proven to have adverse effects on a developing fetus.
Abstract:
Administration of the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to 80 women who presented to the Canadian organization, Motherisk, in 1986 revealed an exaggerated perception of risk of teratogenic effects among women exposed to drugs and chemicals in early pregnancy. The 69 exposed to nonteratogenic agents assigned a mean risk of 24% for major malformations in the initial interview; after counseling, however, the risk was perceived to be only 14.5%. On the other hand, the mean risk score assigned by the 11 women exposed to known teratogenic agents remained unchanged at 36% after counseling. There was no association between estimation of risk and the number of preparations consumed, age, parity, or socieconomic status. The misperceptions of risk documented in this survey reflect a tendency in the popular literature to assign risks to drugs such as aspirin that are not proven to have adverse effects on a developing fetus. This is an important area for counselors to address, given the impact of risk perception on the decision to continue or terminate pregnancy. A follow-up study of 78 Motherisk clients who had indicated at presentation (prior to counseling) a greater than 50% inclination to terminate their pregnancy revealed that 61 decided, on the basic of counseling, to continue with the pregnancy; 57 of these women delivered normal, healthy infants, while the remaining 4 miscarried.
TL;DR: By using the same product in a double-blind manner, it is shown that this woman has undetectable testosterone levels when ingesting Siberian ginseng and normal levels when swallowing placebo, postulate that it contains a compound that acts like, and suppresses, endogenous testosterone.
Abstract: In Reply.— We find it interesting that Dr Awang doubts whether, in our patient, "in fact Siberian ginseng was taken." The label of the drug claims that it contains "pure Siberian ginseng." The drug is supposed to be under the control of his section, and he says that there are straightforward chromatographic methods to identify ginsenosides and eleutherosides. So why doesn't he do that? Isn't that what a regulator is supposed to do in protecting the public? As to the measured hormonal effects, by using the same product in a double-blind manner we have just shown that this woman has undetectable testosterone levels when ingesting Siberian ginseng and normal levels when ingesting placebo. We postulate that it contains a compound that acts like, and suppresses, endogenous testosterone. Dr Fleiss shows us how unfortunate it is when breast-feeding turns into ideology. This child had severe androgenization. The mother was not ready