Effect on neonatal outcome of pharmacological interventions for attenuation of the maternal haemodynamic response to tracheal intubation: a systematic review.

The primary aim of this systematic review was to assess the effect on neonatal outcome of pharmacological interventions used for attenuation of the haemodynamic response to tracheal intubation in patients undergoing caesarean section under general anaesthesia. A systematic search of randomised controlled trials from 1990 to 2015 was conducted. The primary outcome measure was the Apgar score at five minutes and secondary outcomes were umbilical arterial blood gas parameters and neurological adaptive capacity scores. Twenty-seven randomised controlled trials (1,689 patients) were included in the qualitative synthesis. Only five studies using opioids (383 patients) and five studies using non-opioid analgesics (358 patients) were subjected to meta-analysis. The Apgar score at five minutes was significantly lower in neonates of opioid-treated mothers (mean difference: -0.29, 95% confidence interval -0.56 to -0.02, P-value=0.03) compared to mothers in the control group; the umbilical arterial pH was lower and there was a higher requirement for tactile stimulation in neonates. No difference was seen in Apgar scores of neonates of mothers administered non-opioid analgesics compared to placebo. No difference was observed in other parameters between opioid- or non-opioid-treated mothers. This review suggests that opioid interventions for attenuation of the haemodynamic response to tracheal intubation in pregnant patients under general anaesthesia affect neonatal Apgar scores at five minutes in neonates but the difference did not appear to be clinically meaningful. We were unable to demonstrate any difference in safety.

[Structure and antiviral activity of adamantane-containing polymer preparation]. / Struktura i antivirusnaia aktivnost' adamantansoderzhashchikh polimernykh preparatov.

New water-soluble antiviral chemical agents, containing 10 to 30% of adamantane derivatives (amino-, aminopropyl-adamantane-, aminomethyl- and rimantadine), which were conjugated with polycarboxylic matrixes of the divinyl ether and maleic anhydride copolymers (DIVEMA), were developed. The polymeric drugs exhibited a low cytotoxicity (4 to 10 times less than rimantadine) and a wide spectrum of antiviral activity against influenza viruses, including both the remantadine-resistant strains of A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) and the B/Saint-Petersburg strain/71/77 as well as against herpes viruses of type 1, parainfluenza viruses of types 1 and 3 and RS-virus. A reduction of the viral infection titer in their reproduction in sensitive cells' cultures was more than 2.0 Ig ID50. Complete inhibition of viral-specific syntheses, registered by immune-enzyme assay (IEA) and by hemagglutination test was observed at low infection doses ranging from 1 to 100 ID50. The efficiency of the antiviral effect depends on a drug's molecular weight and a structure of chemical bonds between the adamantane nucleus and the polymeric matrix.

Highly crystalline Zeolite-A from flyash of bituminous and lignite coal combustion.

Flyash is being generated in voluminous amounts by large scale coal combustion process. It poses a serious threat to thermal power industries specifically, in India, wherein the percent of utilisation of flyash is very poor (3-5%). In view of this problem, newer methods of its disposal and utilisation are being explored. The synthesis of zeolite from flyash appears to be one of the most promising alternatives as it has emphasis on value addition to waste material. Flyashes originating from different sources of coal differ in their characteristics and have implications in this work on Zeolite-A production. These factors have been thoroughly investigated and the conditions favourable for formation of Zeolite-A have been delineated. The reactivity of flyash towards zeolite formation is directly dependent on the SiO(2)/Al(2)O(3) ratio, Fe(2)O(3) and CaO content. Amongst the flyashes investigated, so far the sub-bituminous coal based flyash with SiO(2)/Al(2)O(3) ratio of 3.47 appears to be a suitable substrate for Zeolite-A synthesis. These zeolites have been characterised with respect to XRD crystallinity, calcium binding capacity (CBC) and sorption capacity, wherein the crystallinity ranges from 50 to 100%, the CBC ranges from 290 to 560meq/100g and sorption capacity ranges from 16.6 to 23.8%.

Outbreak of trichothecene mycotoxicosis associated with consumption of mould-damaged wheat production in Kashmir Valley, India.

During June to September, 1987, there were reports that a considerable segment of the population of Kashmir Valley, India, were affected by a gastrointestinal disorder. Epidemiological investigations and laboratory based studies indicated that the outbreak was associated with the consumption of bread made from mould-damaged wheat. The disease was not age or sex specific. Evidence of mould damage of wheat consisted of the presence of moulds (such as Fusarium sp, Aspergillus sp), and varying quantities of trichothecene mycotoxins (such as deoxynivalenol, nivalenol, acetyldeoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin) in samples tested. The symptoms were reproduced in dogs fed extracts of contaminated samples. The finding that trichothecene mycotoxins, especially deoxynivalenol trichothecene, cause symptoms in man emphasizes the need for a reappraisal of its safety limits in food.

Synthesis of 2,3-trans-3,4-cis- and 2,3-trans-3,4-trans-2,3,4-triphenyltetrahydrofurans.

PIP: The synthesis of 2,3-trans-3,4-cis- and 2,3-trans-3,4-trans-2,3,4-triphenyltetrahydrofurans was undertaken because these compounds incorportae the essential structural features of certain 2,3-diphenyl-benzofurans and 1,2,3-triphenylalkanones reported earlier to have marked antifertility activity. The synthesis of the 2 tetrahydrofurans was achieved by the cyclization of corresponding 2,3,4-triphenylbutane-1,4-diols upon heating with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The butane 1,4-diols were in turn prepared either by direct litium aluminum hydride (LAH) reduction of methyl 3-benzoyl-2,3-diphenylpropionates or by conversion of these propionates to delta-3,4-butryrolactones followed by LAH reduction. The propionates were prepared from the Fiedel-Crafts reaction of 2,3-diphenylsuccinic anhydride with benzene. Tetrahydrofurans were tested for their antiimplantation activity in rats. 2,3-trans-3,4-cis-2,4-diphenyl-3-p -(beta-pyrrolidinoethoxy) phenyltetrahydrofuran oxalate was found to inhibit implantation completely at 50 mg/kg, but was inefective at a lower dose.^ieng