A DOSE OF YOUR OWN MEDICINE? DRUG TESTING ON CHILDREN AND LABELING DRUGS FOR PEDIATRIC USE--ESSENTIAL NEEDS

Children are not just miniature adults; a child metabolizes and absorbs drugs differently than adults, making drug testing and labeling regarding pediatric use essential. This paper first addresses these needs in more detail. The histories of drug testing on children and labeling drugs for pediatric use are next addressed. Then this paper considers the current conditions of, and regulations on, drug testing and pediatric labeling. Finally, an analysis of what needs to be done to make drugs more safe and effective for use in children is given

Synthesis, Characterization and Magnetic Susceptibility of the Heavy Fermion Transition Metal Oxide LiV_{2}O_{4}

The preparative method, characterization and magnetic susceptibility \chi measurements versus temperature T of the heavy fermion transition metal oxide LiV_{2}O_{4} are reported in detail. The intrinsic \chi(T) shows a nearly T-independent behavior below ~ 30 K with a shallow broad maximum at about 16 K, whereas Curie-Weiss-like behavior is observed above 50-100 K. Field-cooled and zero-field-cooled magnetization M measurements in applied magnetic fields H = 10 to 100 G from 1.8 to 50 K showed no evidence for spin-glass ordering. Crystalline electric field theory for an assumed cubic V point group symmetry is found insufficient to describe the observed temperature variation of the effective magnetic moment. The Kondo and Coqblin-Schrieffer models do not describe the magnitude and T dependence of \chi with realistic parameters. In the high T range, fits of \chi(T) by the predictions of high temperature series expansion calculations provide estimates of the V-V antiferromagnetic exchange coupling constant J/k_{B} ~ 20 K, g-factor g ~ 2 and the T-independent susceptibility. Other possible models to describe the \chi(T) are discussed. The paramagnetic impurities in the samples were characterized using isothermal M(H) measurements with 0 < H <= 5.5 Tesla at 2 to 6 K. These impurities are inferred to have spin S_{imp} ~ 3/2 to 4, g_{imp} ~ 2 and molar concentrations of 0.01 to 0.8 %, depending on the sample.Comment: 19 typeset RevTeX pages, 16 eps figures included, uses epsf; to be published in Phys. Rev.

The causes of stalling fertility transitions

An examination of fertility trends in countries with multiple DHS surveys found that in the 1990s fertility stalled in mid-transition in seven countries: Bangladesh, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Kenya, Peru, and Turkey. An analysis of trends in the determinants of fertility revealed a systematic pattern of leveling off or near leveling in a number of determinants, including contraceptive use, the demand for contraception, and wanted fertility. Findings suggest no major deterioration in contraceptive access during the stall, but levels of unmet need and unwanted fertility are relatively high and improvements in access to family planning methods would therefore be desirable. No significant link was found between the presence of a stall and trends in socioeconomic development, but at the onset of the stall the level of fertility was low relative to the level of development in all but one of the stalling countries

Effectiveness of dietary interventions among adults of retirement age: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background Retirement from work involves significant lifestyle changes and may represent an opportunity to promote healthier eating patterns in later life. However, the effectiveness of dietary interventions during this period has not been evaluated. Methods We undertook a systematic review of dietary interventions among adults of retirement transition age (54 to 70 years). Twelve electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating the promotion of a healthy dietary pattern, or its constituent food groups, with three or more months of follow-up and reporting intake of specific food groups. Random-effects models were used to determine the pooled effect sizes. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were used to assess sources of heterogeneity. Results Out of 9,048 publications identified, 68 publications reporting 24 studies fulfilled inclusion criteria. Twenty-two studies, characterized by predominantly overweight and obese participants, were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, interventions increased fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake by 87.5 g/day (P <0.00001), with similar results in the short-to-medium (that is, 4 to 12 months; 85.6 g/day) and long-term (that is, 13 to 58 months; 87.0 g/day) and for body mass index (BMI) stratification. Interventions produced slightly higher intakes of fruit (mean 54.0 g/day) than of vegetables (mean 44.6 g/day), and significant increases in fish (7 g/day, P = 0.03) and decreases in meat intake (9 g/day, P <0.00001). Conclusions Increases in F&V intakes were positively associated with the number of participant intervention contacts. Dietary interventions delivered during the retirement transition are therefore effective, sustainable in the longer term and likely to be of public health significance