OBJECTIVE To determine the frequency of smoking among hospitalized patients in a general hospital, and to evaluate their profile. METHODS A random representative sample of 111 patients, classified as nonsmokers, former smokers or smokers, was evaluated. The smokers were submitted to the Fagerström test and measurement of expired carbon monoxide. Expired carbon monoxide higher than 6 ppm was c...

We study optimal patent design with sequential innovation. Firms innovate by undertaking “research” activities to generate new ideas and by undertaking “development” activities to transform these ideas into viable products. We characterize optimal patent policy, in particular, the tradeoff between patent length and breadth in this setting. We identify a “replacement effect” from the social plan...

A personal colorimetric dosimeter for nitrogen dioxide has been developed. Detector strips are prepared by dipping Eastman Chromagram Sheet, Type K301R2, in a solution of diphenylamine and oxalic acid in methanol. When dry, the strips can be used to estimate the concentration-time product to which an individual has been exposed. The strips are sensitive to heat and light. Nitrogen dioxide devel...

Characterization of impurities present in generic antimicrobial agents is not required according to the approval criteria for their sale worldwide. To assess the safety of generics, we conducted a structural estimation of impurities in six piperacillin/tazobactam generics and carried out an in silico analysis. Namely, these generics were compared with the brand name drug by HPLC and LC-MS. The ...

BACKGROUND Not all new drug products are truly new. Some are the result of marginal innovation and incremental patenting of existing products, but in such a way that confers no major therapeutic improvement. This phenomenon, pejoratively known as "evergreening", can allow manufacturers to preserve market exclusivity, but without significantly bettering the standard of care. Other studies specul...

The resolution of a host name to an IP-address is a necessary predecessor to connection establishment and HTTP exchanges. Nonetheless, DNS resolutions often involve multiple remote name-servers and prolong Web response times. To alleviate this problem name servers and Web browsers cache query results. Name-servers currently incorporate passive cache management where records are brought into the...

BACKGROUND Most of the medicine users remain unaware about the disposal of unused or expired medicines. The aim of this study was to know the disposal practices of unused and expired medicines among the general public in Kabul. METHODS This was a descriptive, cross-sectional survey, conducted through face-to-face interviews using prevalidated structured questionnaire. Returned questionnaires ...

In a steady state the rate of removal of COz from the blood into the alveoli equals its rate of removal from alveoli to atmosphere. There is a gradient of COz concentration from mixed venous blood to alveolar gas or arterial blood and then to mixed expired gas. The mixed venous to alveolar (or arterial) difference depends upon cardiac output (Fick) and the alveolar (or arterial) to mixed expire...

The partial effective times of the expiratory spirogram were calculated in 80 normal non-smoking subjects aged from 20 to 69 years and in 30 patients aged from 30 to 58 years with chronic bronchitis. Of these patients, 28 had a normal FEV1/FVC ratio, while the other two had a low ratio. Partial effective times were calculated for 10% segments of the expired FVC from total lung capacity (0% FVC)...

BACKGROUND Perceived milk intolerance is a common complaint, and tests for lactose malabsorption (LM) are unreliable. This study assesses the agreement between diagnostic tests for LM and describes the diagnostic properties of the tests. METHODS Patients above 18 years of age with suspected LM were included. After oral intake of 25 g lactose, a combined test with measurement of serum glucose ...