Popular Articles

Genetic Factors Implicated In Survival Gap For Breast, Ovarian Or Prostate Cancer
A new finding reveals that African-American patients with breast, ovarian, and prostate cancer tend to die earlier than patients of other races with these cancers, even when they receive identical medical treatment and when socioeconomic factors are controlled for. The finding, an analysis of almost 20,000 patient records from 35 clinical trials, points to biological or genetic factors as the potential of the survival gap. Dawn Hershman, M.D, M.S., a Columbia University Medical Center oncologist whose research is dedicated to examining racial and ethnic disparities in cancer outcome and in cancer survivorship, was the senior author of the research published online by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).
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Management Insights Study Warns That State Privacy Rules Reduce Electronic Medical Sharing
States that have passed privacy laws restricting the ability of hospitals to disclose patient information have seen the sharing of electronic medical records suffer by more than 24%, according to the Management Insights feature in the current issue of Management Science, the flagship journal of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS®).
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Ethics Review Of Research In The Context Of Humanitarian Relief Work
Two articles published this week in the open-access journal PLoS Medicine
Oncology

Placenta Harmed By Cocaine And Heroin

Cocaine and heroin increase permeability of the placenta. Researchers writing in BioMed Central"s open access journal Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology have shown that exposure to the drugs causes an increase in the passage of some chemicals into the fetus. Antoine Malek led a team of researchers from Zurich University Hospital"s Department of Obstetrics, who used a perfusion technique to study human placental tissue function in the lab. They found that exposure to cocaine and/or heroin in the presence of methadone increased transfer of a test chemical called antipyrine across the organ. Malek said, "As the consumption of illegal drugs, especially cocaine, is increasing in many countries, our results concerning cocaine and heroin causing an increased antipyrine transfer may improve the practical management in monitoring pregnant women". As complete abstinence is impossible for many people addicted to drugs who become pregnant, maintenance treatment with methadone is often used to limit damage to the developing child. However, methadone itself can also be dangerous, too much fetal exposure leading to harmful withdrawal symptoms in the newborn. Malek and his colleagues sought to investigate the effects cocaine and heroin on the placenta. They found that while the narcotics didn"t increase transfer of methadone, they did allow transfer of other test substances. This suggests the barrier function of the placenta may be compromised. According to Malek "More toxic substances or bacteria and viruses may cross the placenta and harm the fetus. Previous studies have reported increased prevalence of infectious diagnoses in cocaine-exposed infants". These results emphasise the fact that pregnant drug users who can"t abstain completely must attempt to exclusively use methadone. Combining it with other drugs could cause extra harm to their child. Notes: The impact of cocaine and heroin on the placental transfer of methadone Antoine Malek, Cristina Obrist, Silvana Wenzinger and Ursula von Mandach Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology (in press) Graeme Baldwin BioMed Central


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