The results suggest that it would be unlikely for second-generation antipsychotics to raise the risk of major malformations more than 10-fold beyond that observed in the general population or among control groups using other psychotropic medications. If the estimate stabilizes around the null with ongoing data collection, findings may be reassuring for both clinicians and women trying to make risk-benefit treatment decisions about using atypical antipsychotics during pregnancy. These findings are timely given the renewed focus of regulatory agencies on reproductive safety.

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Background The border zone of healing myocardial infarcts is an arrhythmogenic substrate partly due to structural and functional remodeling of the ventricular gap junction protein, Connexin43 (Cx43). Cx43 in arrhythmogenic substrates is a potential target for antiarrhythmic therapy. Methods and Results We characterized Cx43 remodeling in the epicardial border zone (EBZ) of healing canine infarcts, 5 days after coronary occlusion and examined whether the gap junction specific agent, Rotigaptide, could reverse it. Cx43 remodeling in the EBZ was characterized by a decrease in Cx43 protein, lateralization and increased Cx43 phosphorylation at serine (S) 368. Rotigaptide partially reversed the loss of Cx43 but did not affect the increase in S368 phosphorylation nor did it reverse Cx43 lateralization. Rotigaptide did not prevent conduction slowing in EBZ nor did it decrease the induction of sustained ventricular tachycardia (SMVT) by programmed stimulation, although it did decrease the EBZ effective refractory period (ERP). Conclusions We conclude that partial reversal of Cx43 remodeling in healing infarct border zone may not be sufficient to restore normal conduction or prevent arrhythmias.

These data regarding the safety of fetal exposure to quetiapine in a small sample of well-characterized participants are reassuring given that the confidence interval does not exceed a fivefold increased risk of major malformations relative to psychiatric control subjects. Future analyses based on ongoing data collection will produce more precise estimates.

Cidea and Cidec play an important role in regulating triglyceride storage in liver and adipose tissue. It is not known if the Cidea and Cidec genes respond to a high fat diet (HFD) or exercise training, two interventions that alter lipid storage. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of a HFD and voluntary wheel running (WR) on Cidea and Cidec mRNA and protein expression in adipose tissue and liver of mice. A HFD promoted a significant increase in Cidea and Cidec mRNA levels in adipose tissue and liver. The increase in Cidea and Cidec mRNAs in adipose tissue and liver in response to a HFD was prevented by WR. Similar to the changes in Cidea mRNA, Cidea protein levels in adipose tissue significantly increased in response to a HFD, a process that was, again, prevented by WR. However, in adipose tissue the changes in Cidec mRNA did not correspond to the changes in Cidec protein levels, as a HFD decreased Cidec protein abundance. Interestingly, in adipose tissue Cidea protein expression was significantly related to body weight (R=.725), epididymal adipose tissue (EWAT) mass (R=.475) and insulin resistance (R=.706), whereas Cidec protein expression was inversely related to body weight (R=-.787), EWAT mass (R=-.706), and insulin resistance (R=-.679). Similar to adipose tissue, Cidea protein expression in liver was significantly related to body weight (R=.660), EWAT mass (R=.468), and insulin resistance (R=.599); however, unlike adipose tissue, Cidec protein levels in liver were not related to body weight or EWAT mass and only moderately associated with insulin resistance (R=-.422, P=0.051). Overall, our findings indicate that Cidea is highly associated with adiposity and insulin resistance, whereas Cidec is related to insulin sensitivity. The present study suggests that Cide proteins might play an important functional role in the development of obesity, hepatic steatosis, as well as the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.

Infants exposed to benzodiazepines during pregnancy had an increased risk of NICU admissions and small head circumferences. Confounding from psychiatric symptoms and other variables cannot be ruled out as contributors to these findings.

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