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Objective This study aims to determine whether fetal meconium passage is associated with autism. Study design This retrospective birth cohort analysis of 9 945 896 children born in California 1991 to 2008 linked discharge diagnosis and procedure codes for prenatal stressors, meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF) and meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) with autism diagnoses for 47 277 children through 2012. We assessed the relative risk of autism by meconium status using logistic regression, adjusting for demographic and clinical features. Results Children exposed to meconium (MSAF and MAS) were more likely to be diagnosed with autism in comparison with unexposed children (0.60% and 0.52%, vs 0.47%, respectively). In adjusted analyses, there was a small increase in autism risk associated with MSAF exposure (adjusted relative risk (aRR) 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12 to 1.25), and a marginal association that failed to achieve significance between MAS and autism (aRR 1.08, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.20). Conclusion Resuscitation of neonates with respiratory compromise from in utero meconium exposure may mitigate long-term neurodevelopmental damage.

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravenous and oral ofloxacin monotherapy in the treatment of laparoscopically documented acute pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).Methods: This study was conducted as an open-label, phase-III, uncontrolled, multicenter study. Patients identified with laparoscopic findings of salpingitis were treated with 400 mg of intravenous ofloxacin every 12 hours followed by 400 mg of oral ofloxacin every 12 hours for 10 to 14 days. Patients were evaluated five times for clinical and microbial efficacy. Since laparoscopy was performed only at admission, pathogens identified laparoscopically were presumed eradicated if they were present on the laparoscopic culture and the patient was clinically cured or improved at final evaluation.Results: Of the 70 patients evaluable for safety (intent-to-treat population), the mean age was 25.6 years. Sixty-one of 70 patients (87%) were cured, one improved, one did not improve, and seven were unevaluable because they discontinued study participation. Fifty-one were evaluable for clinical efficacy: 50 (98%) were cured and one did not improve. Sixteen were evaluable for expanded microbiological efficacy: three had documented Neisseria gonorrhoeae; 12, Chlamydia trachomatis; and one, a mixed infection of both organisms. All cervical, laparoscopic, and endometrial cultured pathogens, including N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis, were eradicated or presumed eradicated at the posttherapy visit. No serious or unexpected adverse events occurred.Conclusions: Ofloxacin monotherapy was effective and well tolerated in the treatment of laparoscopically proven PID in a geographically diverse population. Future studies are necessary to evaluate long-term outcomes and sequelae of PID treatment with single agent therapy. Infect. Dis. Obstet. Gynecol. 7:138–144, 1999.

Receiver instrumentation for the UA/MPIfR Submillimeter Telescope (SMT) is being assured through three different mechanisms. (1) There will be standard facility instruments. Initially, these include 460 GHz and 345 GHz Schottky waveguide frontends, a bolometer, and two AOS backends (supplied by the MPIfR). (2) The MPIfR and UA are both, independently, working on supplementary instrumentation. These instruments are more experimental in nature. And (3) arrangements have been made (and encouraged) with other institutions to bring unique instruments. In this paper, we will describe submillimeter instrumentation developments underway at Steward Observatory.

Corrosion-related problems in oil production and gas-processing operations result in millions of dollars each year in down time, lost production and damaged equipment. Through the use of accepted corrosion-monitoring techniques, these corrosion-related costs can be reduced by assessing potential failures before they occur and monitoring the progress of corrosion control programs. This paper defines several of the monitoring techniques that have been used successfully by Sun Exploration and Production Company and illustrates their application with various case histories.