The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.”
“Objective: To evaluate the prescribing patterns of the first antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) course in our tertiary referral centre from 2005 until 2010.

Study design: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including all women who received ACS between 24(+0) and 34(+0) weeks of gestation. Main outcome measure was the number of women who delivered within 7 d after ACS administration. The time interval from administration to delivery was compared between women with different indications. Furthermore, all women delivering between 24(+0) and 34(+0) weeks of gestation who did not receive ACS were identified.

Results:

1008 women received ACS, 15 (1.5%) women were lost to follow up. Main indications were suspected preterm labour, preterm prelabour rupture of membranes, maternal AZD9291 manufacturer indication, foetal indication and vaginal blood loss IWR-1-endo purchase (VBL). Overall, 447

(45.4%) women delivered <= 7 d after ACS administration. This percentage was 13.6% in women with VBL and 61.5% in women with maternal indication. During the study period, 1267 women delivered before 34 weeks of gestation, 126 (9.9%) women did not receive ACS.

Conclusions: The time interval from ACS administration to delivery differs per indication. Women with VBL are most often over treated. The timing of the first ACS course should be improved.”
“Historical (PU)-P-239 activity concentrations and Pu-240/Pu-239 atom ratios were determined in skeletons of dated modern corals collected from three locations (Chuuk Lagoon, Ishigaki

Island and Iki Island) to identify spatial and temporal variations in Pu inputs to the Northwest Pacific Ocean. The main Pu source in the Northwest Pacific is fallout from atmospheric nuclear weapons testing which consists of global fallout and close-in fallout from the former US Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) in the Marshall Islands. PPG close-in fallout dominated the Pu input in the 1950s, as was observed with higher Pu-240/Pu-239 atom ratios (>0.30) at the Ishigaki KU-57788 manufacturer site. Specific fallout Pu contamination from the Nagasaki atomic bomb and the Ivy Mike thermonuclear detonation at the PPG were identified at Ishigaki Island from the Pu-240/Pu-239 atom ratios of 0.07 and 0.46, respectively. During the 1960s and 1970s, global fallout was the major Pu source to the Northwest Pacific with over 60% contribution to the total Pu. After the cessation of the atmospheric nuclear tests, the PPG again dominated the Pu input due to the continuous transport of remobilised Pu from the Marshall Islands along the North Equatorial Current and the subsequent Kuroshio Current. The Pu contributions from the PPG in recent coral bands (1984 onwards) varied over time with average estimated PPG contributions between 54% and 72% depending on location. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.