Surfactant

Scientists here have developed an artificial lung substance that in animal tests prevented respiratory distress syndrome--a significant killer of adults and premature babies, according to a study published today in a scientific journal. Researchers have labored for years to develop a synthetic form of the substance, called surfactant. Each year about 39,000 premature babies are born without surfactant and develop respiratory distress syndrome, an inability to keep air sacs open in the lungs.

Scientists here have developed an artificial lung substance that in animal tests prevented respiratory distress syndrome--a significant killer of adults and premature babies, according to a study published today in a scientific journal. Researchers have labored for years to develop a synthetic form of the substance, called surfactant. Each year about 39,000 premature babies are born without surfactant and develop respiratory distress syndrome, an inability to keep air sacs open in the lungs.

Premature or low-birth-weight infants with breathing problems do much better without the aggressive use of respirators, drugs and other invasive procedures, a Harvard study has found. In a related finding, the researchers also said an experimental fluid called surfactant, derived from cows' lungs, appears to greatly increase the survival of premature infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome. Results of both studies were published in the journal Pediatrics.

Scientists at Scripps Research Institute have developed an artificial lung substance that in animal tests prevented respiratory distress syndrome, a major killer of premature babies, according to a study published today. Researchers have tried for years to develop a synthetic form of the substance, called surfactant. Each year, about 39,000 premature babies are born without surfactant and develop respiratory distress syndrome, an inability to keep the lungs' air sacs open.

Union Carbide Corp. said it intends to purchase BP Chemicals' silicone surfactant business and expects a final agreement soon. Silicone surfactants are used mainly in the manufacture of urethane foam for furniture, insulation, carpeting, bedding and automotive seating. The purchase includes production facilities in Antwerp, Belgium, and Hythe, United Kingdom, and research and development labs in Meyrin, Switzerland.

Scientists at Scripps Research Institute have developed an artificial lung substance that in animal tests prevented respiratory distress syndrome, a major killer of premature babies, according to a study published today. Researchers have tried for years to develop a synthetic form of the substance, called surfactant. Each year, about 39,000 premature babies are born without surfactant and develop respiratory distress syndrome, an inability to keep the lungs' air sacs open.

New tests of 100 "natural" and "organic" soaps, shampoos and other consumer products show that nearly half of them contained a cancer-causing chemical that is a byproduct of petrochemicals used in manufacturing. Many items that tested positive for the carcinogen are well-known brands, including Kiss My Face, Alba, Seventh Generation and Nature's Gate products, sold in retail stores across the nation. The findings of the Organic Consumers Assn.

Stepan Co. said it bought the specialty surfactant business of Westvaco Corp. for an undisclosed amount of cash.

Doctors reported that premature or low-birthweight babies with breathing problems do much better without the aggressive use of respirators, drugs and other invasive procedures. The Harvard Medical School research group also said that an experimental treatment using surfactant from cows' lungs appears to increase the survival rate of low-birthweight infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome.

A new technique for treating premature babies with a substance extracted from amniotic fluid can dramatically improve the survival rate of infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome, researchers reported today. The researchers, working at UC San Diego and the University of Helsinki, found that treatment with surfactant improved the survival rate for infants by two-thirds over that of babies receiving the standard treatment.

Union Carbide Corp. said it intends to purchase BP Chemicals' silicone surfactant business and expects a final agreement soon. Silicone surfactants are used mainly in the manufacture of urethane foam for furniture, insulation, carpeting, bedding and automotive seating. The purchase includes production facilities in Antwerp, Belgium, and Hythe, United Kingdom, and research and development labs in Meyrin, Switzerland.

Premature or low-birth-weight infants with breathing problems do much better without the aggressive use of respirators, drugs and other invasive procedures, a Harvard study has found. In a related finding, the researchers also said an experimental fluid called surfactant, derived from cows' lungs, appears to greatly increase the survival of premature infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome. Results of both studies were published in the journal Pediatrics.

Rory Clark still gets goose bumps talking about a moment two years ago when he heard the news: His daughter Jennifer, a premature baby with respiratory disease syndrome (RDS), had been chosen for a new treatment with a rare and experimental substance. Doctors "were literally drawing names out of a box," Clark said. Then one came "waving a card saying 'She's going to get it! She's going to get it!'

Rory Clark still gets goose bumps talking about a moment two years ago when he heard the news: His daughter, Jennifer, a premature baby with respiratory disease syndrome (RDS), had been chosen for a new treatment with a rare and experimental substance. Doctors "were literally drawing names out of a box," Clark said. Then one came "waving a card saying 'She's going to get it! She's going to get it!'