text:
Minuteman Press of Bellerose
Mon - Fri 9 am - 6:30 pm,
Mon - Fri 9 am - 6:30 pm,
Mon - Fri 9 am - 6:30 pm,
We take great pride in making our clients feel comfortable and confident about their printing jobs during the production process. To help you gain a better understanding of what's happening to your project, we've compiled a glossary of common (and not so common) printing terms.
Author's Correction.
The resistance to scratching of a surface of paper by other paper surfaces or other materials.
The ability of a material to take up moisture.
A type of paper folding in which each fold runs in the opposite direction to the previous fold creating a pleated or accordion effect.
A transparent or translucent plastic sheet material of a variety of colors, used as a basis for artwork and overlays.
The non-colors of black, white and gray.
An acid-proof protective coating applied to metal plates prior to etching designs thereon. Bichromated solutions employed in photoengraving as sensitizers provide acid resist through the action of light on sensitized surface.
A water-soluble polymer used in paints to make them dry both tough and flexible.
Light exposure that affects chemical changes in paper.
In photographic reproduction, the primary colors of red, green and blue which are mixed to form all other colors.
This refers to a manual process whereby an air stream is blown onto paper sheets to create a riffling effect that separates the sheets as they are fed to the printing press.
A type size of 5 1/2 points. Reference: agate line.
In newspaper classifieds, a measurement denoting 1/4 inch depth by one column width. Fourteen agate lines = one column inch.
Large white areas in a design layout.
A compressed air tool that dispenses a fine mist of paint or ink; used in illustration and photo retouching.
A hand operated printing press made of iron.
A wood pulp paper with an antique finish used for pages of photo albums.
A coated paper used in photography; the coating is made of albumen (egg whites) and ammonium chloride.
A surface plate used in the lithography process; it has a photosensitive coating.
The position of elements on a page in relation to a referenced horizontal or vertical line.
Also called reflex blue. A pigment used in carbon black inks and varnishes to improve luster.
The blank space between columns of type, sometimes also called a gutter or column margin.
The measured length (in points) of the lowercase alphabet of a certain size and series of type.
Red-orange acetate used for masking mechanicals when photographing for plates. The amberlith area appears black to the camera, and prints clear on the resulting film.
In "web-fed" printing (printing on rolls of paper as opposed to single sheets), an angle bar is a metal bar that is used to turn paper between two components of the press.
Oil-based solvent (quick drying) used in the preparation process of dyes and inks.
A technique of paper making which hardens the surface by passing the paper through a bath of animal glue or gelatin.
In lithography, a plate manufactured with a barrier of aluminum oxide, which prevents chemical reactions that break down the plate; it provides optimum press performance.
An 11th century Italian script typeface.
Paper with a rough, sized surface used for book and cover stock.
An antioxidant agent used to prevent inks from skinning over in the can.
The white area at the margins of text or illustrations used to form a foldout.
A printing process that uses the recessed areas of the plate; ideal for graded and even tones.
The hand application of transparent water colors onto a printed picture through the use of stencils.
Water soluble plate coatings, which are less toxic and less polluting.
A light source produced by the passing of electric current between two electrodes; used in the production of plates in photolithography.
Those elements of letters that branch out from the stem of a letter, such as in "K" and "Y."
A symbol shaped like an arrowhead that is used in illustration to direct a leader line. Reference: leader line.
A paper evenly coated with a fine clay compound creating a hard smooth surface on one or both sides.
An envelope that is lined with an extra fine paper; can be colored or patterned.
All illustrated material (ornamentation, photos and charts, etc.) that is prepared for reproduction.
A term used for proofs that show the final page positioning of all graphical elements.
Any part of a lower case letter which rises above the main body of the letter such as in "d", "b" and "h."
Film negatives consisting of line and halftone copy which are used to make plates for printing.
In illustration, a term used to describe a view of a drawing in its assembled or whole format.
Changes made after composition stage where customer is responsible for additional charges.
Coated papers that are regarded as exceptional for multi-colored printing jobs.
A printing method whereby the image is hand drawn or etched directly onto lithography plates or stones.
Any photo materials which provide positive images without a negative.
The light blue color used in the nomenclature of "laid" and "wove" papers.
An abbreviation for boldface; used to determine where boldface copy is to be used. Reference: boldface.
The fixing of a material, either paper or cloth, to the back of a book before it is bound. Reference: case binding.
The space between the edge of the type and the folded edge of the paper; also known as the binding margin.
The collation of book signatures according to reference marks which are printed on the back fold of each section.
Print applied to both sides of a sheet of paper.
That portion of the binding which connects the front of the book with the back of the book; also called "back."
The part of a photograph or illustration that appears behind the principal subject; the surface upon which the main image is superimposed.
Any type that tilts to the left or backward direction; opposite of italic type.
Marks printed on signatures that indicate where the final fold will occur. When gathering and initial folding is completed, these marks appear as a stepped sequence.
A term given to the procedure of drying coatings onto papers.
A term used to describe the aesthetic or harmony of elements on a page, whether they are photos, art or copy, within a layout or design.
In an illustration, any line which encircles copy or dialogue.
A thin uncoated stock used for making carbon copies.
A flap where the edges are more rounded; also called a wallet flap.
The primary headline usually spanning the entire width of a page.
A device with two sets of thin metal doors (horizontal and vertical) placed before a light source to control the direction of light.
A coating that is applied onto the non-printing side of paper to add to the opacity of that paper. Reference: opacity.
A coated stock (barium sulfate compound) used for text impressions on typesetting machines.
A three dimensional impression in which the image stands just slightly out from the flat background. Reference: blind emboss.
The support onto which printing plates are fixed.
The foundation material onto which the film positives are stripped for making printing plates. Reference: photomechanical.
This is a term used to describe the imaginary horizontal line upon which stand capitals, lower case letters, punctuation points, etc.
Refers to a standard size of paper stock even though the required size may be smaller or larger.
A design school in Germany where the Sans Serif font was originated.
The adjusting of type spacing in order to correct the line/paragraph justification.
The flat steel table of a cylinder printing press upon which the type sits during the printing process.
A recycled paperboard product used for making folding cartons.
A thin but strong paper used for Bibles and books.
A plate which is used in long print runs; the printing image is copper or brass, and the non-printing area is aluminum or stainless steel.
A heavy paperboard with a cloth covering that is used for hardback binding of books.
Various methods of securing folded sections of paper together and fastening them to a cover to form a book.
The etching process in photoengraving requires the application of an acid; the length of time this acid is left to etch out an image is referred to as its bite. The more bites, the deeper the etched area.
An old style of typeface used in Germany in the 15th century; also referred to as Old English (US) and Gothic (UK).
A black paper used to protect photosensitive materials.
Refers to the film portion of the color separation process that prints black; increases the contrast of neutral tones.
Darkening a portion of a sheet of paper due to the excessive pressure of the calendar roll. Reference: calendar rolls.
Also referred to as black patch; a piece of masking material which is used in layout to mask an area leaving a window into which another element can be stripped.
On offset presses a fabric-reinforced sheet of rubber to transfer the impression from the plate onto the paper.
A printing method in which there are two blanket cylinders through which a sheet of paper is passed and printed on both sides.
Extra inked area that crosses designated trim line; used to allow for variations that occur when the reproduction is trimmed or die-cut.
A design or bas relief impression that is made without using inks or metal foils.
Embossed forms that are not inked or gold leafed.
Page number not printed on page.
A problem that arises in the lithography process when an image loses its ink receptivity and fails to print.
Although seemingly dry, paper does contain approximately 5% moisture. In cases where there is excessive moisture and the paper is passed through a high heat-drying chamber, the moisture within the paper actually boils and causes a bubble or blistering effect.
Illustrations or line art etched onto zinc or copper plates and used in letterpress printing.
To sketch the primary areas and points of reference of an illustration in preparation for going to final design or production.
The resistance of coated papers to blocking. Reference: blocking.
The adhesion of one coated sheet to another, causing paper tears or particles of the coating to shed away from the paper surface.
To mask a section of an art layout before reproduction.
Any enlargement of photos, copies or line art.
Photographic proof made from flats for checking accuracy, layout and imposition before plates are made; also known as a dylux.
The main shank or portion of the letter character other than the ascenders and descenders; a term used to define the thickness or viscosity of printer's ink.
The point size of a particular type character.
Repetitive blocks of type that are picked up and included routinely without recreating them.
Any type that has a heavier black stroke that makes it more conspicuous.
The edges of folded sheets of paper, which are trimmed off in the final stages of production.
A grade of durable writing, printing and typing paper that has a standard size of 17x22 inches.
A printed work which contains more than 64 pages.
A term given the unfinished stage of bookmaking when the pages are folded, gathered and stitched in but not yet cover bound.
A general classification of paper stock used to print books.
A registration problem, usually on copiers, where the image appears to bounce back and forth. A bounce usually occurs in one direction depending on how the paper is passing through the machine.
A pressure sensitive color film that is used to prepare color art.
A lightweight paper used expressly for covering paper boxes.
A glossy coated paper used to cover paper boxes.
A coated paper used on the inside of boxes used for food storage.
A character " }" used to group lines or phrases.
In layout design, the term for dividing or separating the art and copy elements into single color paste-up sheets.
A board paper of various thickness having a smooth finish and used for printing and drawing.
A term given to the fold whereby paper is folded with the short side running with the grain.
A heavily embossed paper.
A pamphlet that is bound in booklet form.
A printing method whereby special ink is applied to sheets and then a powder is applied producing a metallic effect.
A photographic proof made by exposing a flat to UV light creating a brown image on a white background. Also referred to as silverprint.
A portion of the binding machinery having rollers that fold the paper.
A coarse sized cloth used in the bookbinding process.
A boldface square or dot used before a sentence to emphasize its importance.
A process used in halftone photography that entails the temporary removal of the screen during exposure, increasing the highlight contrast and diminishing the dots in the whites.
A term used in platemaking to describe the amount of plate exposure time.
A term used for the process of "rubbing down" lines and dots on a printing plate thereby darkening those areas.
Creating a polished finish on paper by rubbing with stone or hand smoothing a surface.
A binding technique that entails nicking the backfold in short lengths during the folding process, which allows glue to reach each individual leaf and create a strong bond.
An abbreviation for the four primary colors used in four-color process printing--cyan (a light blue), magenta (a pinkish purple), yellow and black.
A strong paper used to wrap electrical cables
A pigment made from cadmium sulfide and cadmium selenide.
A strong paperboard used for calendars and displays.
A series of metal rolls at the end of a paper machine; when the paper is passed between these rolls it increases its smoothness and glossy surface.
The measurement of thickness of paper expressed in thousandths of an inch or mils.
A dull coated paper, which is particularly useful in reproducing halftones and engravings.
A term given to any copy, artwork etc., that is prepared for photographic reproduction.
A paperboard with a surface of simulated canvas, used for painting.
An imaginary horizontal line running across the tops of capital letters.
Instructions in the typesetting process that indicate the use of a capital letter to start a sentence and the rest of the letters in lower case.
Two sizes of capital letters made in one size of type, which is indicated by the use of a larger capital letter to start a sentence with the rest of the letters being in smaller capitals.
A pigment made of elemental carbon and ash.
A color printing process utilizing pigmented gelatin coatings on paper, which become the resist for etching gravure plates or cylinders.
A chemical pulp paper (calcium carbonate), used mostly for the printing of magazines.
A rough finished paper used for wrapping.
The stiff covers of a hardbound book.
Books bound using hard board (case) covers.
A milk byproduct used as an adhesive in making coated papers.
The process of placing in and adhering a book to its case covers.
A paper that is coated and then pressure dried using a polished roller which imparts an enamel-like hard gloss finish.
A term to describe that period of the printing process where the non-image areas can take on ink or debris.
Lines that appear on laid paper as a result of the wires of the papermaking machine.
A term used to describe the quality of print on paper where the absorption of the paper is so great that it breaks up the ink image creating loose pigment dust.
A 13th century handwriting style which is the roots of italic design.
An aluminum silica compound used in gravure and screen printing inks. Also called kaolin.
The resulting ink pigment attained from the mixture of chrome yellow and iron blue.
A lead chromate yellow ink pigment.
A screen that utilizes a concentric circle pattern as opposed to dots used for halftones to allow the platemaker to set exact screen angles.
A strong, easily folded boxboard with clay coating used for making folding boxes.
Halftone screens commonly used in newsprint; up to 85 lines per inch.
Paper coated with clay, white pigments and a binder. Better for printing because there is less picking.
Printing papers used for printing projects that require a special treatment of detail and shading.
Any paper that has a mineral coating applied after the paper is made, giving the paper a smoother finish.
Any color that moves toward the blue side in the color spectrum.
A variety of inks that are in solid form originally but are melted in a hot press and then solidify when they contact paper.
To gather sheets or signatures together in their correct order. Reference: Gather.
Black step-marks printed on the back of folded sheets, to facilitate collating and checking of the sequence of book signatures.
A printer's or publisher's identifying symbol or emblem.
This term refers to a color test strip, which is printed on the waste portion of a press sheet. It is a standardized GATF (Graphic Arts Technical Foundation) process which allows a pressman to determine the quality of the printed material relative to ink density, registration and dot gain. It also includes the Star Target, which is a similar system designed to detect inking problems.
The processes of separating the primary color components for printing.
A term referring to the relative amount of pigmentation in an ink.
Transparent film containing a positive photographic color image.
Space between two or more columns of type on one page.
Color registration measured within plus or minus one row of dots.
The assembly of characters into words, lines and paragraphs of text or body matter for reproduction by printing.
A narrow, elongated type face.
A print made from contact of a sensitive surface to a negative or positive photograph.
A halftone screen made on film of graded density, and used in a vacuum contact with the film.
Image made of non-discernable picture elements which give appearance of continuous spectrum of grey values or tones.
The degree of tonal separation or gradation in the range from black to white.
Taking a picture with the camera lens facing the light source.
Refers to any typewritten material, art, photos, etc., to be used for the printing process.
A board upon which the copy is pasted for the purpose of photographing.
Marks on a final printed sheet that indicate the trim lines or register indicators.
A term describing a general category of papers used for the covers of books, pamphlets, etc.
When the rubber blanket on a cylinder moves forward due to contact with the plate or paper. Result of added thickness of folded sheets being behind one another in a folded signature. Outer edges of sheets creep away from back most fold as more folded sheets are inserted inside the middle.
To eliminate a portion of the art or copy as indicated by crop marks.
Markings at edges of original or on guide sheet to indicate the area desired in reproduction with negative or plate trimmed (cropped) at the markings.
Elements that cross page boundaries and land on two consecutive pages (usually rules).
Marks of fine lines, which intersect to indicate accurate alignment of art elements.
A term used to describe the effect of ink from an image, rule or line art on one printed page, which carries over to another page of a bound work.
Not lying flat and tending to form into cylindrical or wavy shapes. A term to describe the differences of either side of a sheet relative to coatings, absorbency, etc.; the concave side is the curl side.
A term used in web press printing to describe the point at which a sheet of paper is cut from the roll; usually this dimension is equal to the circumference of the cylinder.
Machine for accurately cutting stacks of paper to desired dimensions; can also be used to crease. Also trims out final bound books' top size (soft cover).
Sharp edged device, usually made of steel, to cut paper, cardboard, etc., on a printing press.
A shade of blue used in the four-color process; it reflects blue and green and absorbs red.
The gap in the cylinders of a press where the grippers or blanket clamps is housed.
Dots Per Inch; the standard measurement of resolution for printers, photo type setting machines and graphics screens. The higher the value, the finer the detail of the finished print.
A dampening system for printing presses which utilizes more alcohol (25%) and less water; this greatly reduces the amount of paper that is spoiled.
An essential part of the printing process whereby cloth covered rubber rollers distribute the dampening solution to the plate.
During the paper making process while the paper is still 90% water, it passes over a wire mesh cylinder (dandy roll), which imparts surface textures on the paper such as wove or laid. This is also the stage where the watermark is put onto the paper.
The rough or feathered edge of paper when left untrimmed.
The etching or removal of any unwanted areas of a plate to create more air or white space on the finished product.
An instruction given to remove an element from a layout.
A term that describes a standard sized printing paper measuring 17.5 x 22.5 inches
An optical device used by printers and photographers to measure and control the density of color.
The lay of paper fibers relative to tightness or looseness which affects the bulk, the absorbency and the finish of the paper.
The degree of tone, weight of darkness or color within a photo or reproduction; measurable by the densitometer. Reference: densitometer.
A term that describes that portion of lowercase letters which extends below the main body of the letter as in "p."
A light-sensitive coal tar product used as a coating on pre-sensitized plates, as well as overlay proofs.
Design, letters or shapes cut into metal (mostly brass) for stamping book covers or embossing. An engraved stamp used for impressing an image or design.
A method of using sharp steel-ruled stamps or rollers to cut various shapes (e.g. labels, boxes or image shapes) either post press or in line. The process of cutting paper in a shape or design by the use of a wooden die or block in which are positioned steel rules in the shape of the desired pattern.
An intaglio process for printing from images engraved into copper or steel plates.
Color separation data is digitally stored and then exposed to color photographic paper, creating a picture of the final product before it is actually printed.
The qualities of paper to stabilize its original size when undergoing pressure or exposed to moisture.
A fine type of paper made specifically for the printing of diplomas, certificates and documents.
A color separation process using a halftone negative made by direct contact with the halftone screen.
Any type that stands out from the rest of the type on a page which attracts attention of the reader.
In the printing process, the rubber coated rollers responsible for the distribution of ink from the fountain to the ink drum.
A term in gravure printing which refers to the knife edge that runs along the printing cylinder; its function is to wipe the excess ink away from the non-printing areas.
Occurs when you fold into a fold (such as a letter fold). At the side of one of the creases you get an indentation. It may look like a small inverted triangle.
The smallest individual element of a halftone.
Darkening of halftone image due to ink absorption in paper causing halftone dots to enlarge. Terms to describe the occurrence whereby dots are printing larger than they should.
A method used by ink makers to determine the color, quality and tone of ink. It entails the drawing of a spatula over a drop of ink, spreading it flat over the paper.
A term that describes any additives to ink which encourages the drying process.
The actual drilling of holes into paper for ring or comb binding.
Page number printed at foot of page.
A shadow image placed strategically behind an image to create the affect of the image lifting off the page.
Pasting with heat-sensitive adhesives.
Process in which a metal plate is etched to a depth of 0.15 mm (0.006 in), making a right-reading relief plate, printed on the offset blanket and then to the paper without the use of water.
The roller between the inking and the dampening rollers.
Any matte-finished paper.
A term used to describe the preliminary assemblage of copy and art elements to be reproduced in the desired finished product; also called a comp.
Resembling finished piece in every respect except that the pages and cover are blank, used by the designer as a final check on the appearance of the book as a guide for the size and position of elements on the jacket.
Color reproduction from monochrome original. Keyplate usually printed in dark color for detail, second plate printed in light flat tints. A two-color halftone reproduction generated from a one-color photo.
Paper which has a different color or finish on each side.
A type of deckle-edged paper originally produced in the Netherlands. Reference: deckle edge.
The process by which an image is printed onto a specially coated paper and from there transferred onto the final media (e.g. a piece of fabric) through the application of heat.
Any ink that acquires its color by the use of aniline pigments or dyes. Reference: aniline.
The finish of paper surface that resembles an eggshell achieved by omitting the calendar process. Reference: calendar rolls.
The assembly of characters into words, lines and paragraphs of text or body matter with graphic elements in page layout form in digital format for reproduction by printing.
A process of generating a prepress proof in which paper is electronically exposed to the color separation negatives; the paper is passed through the electrically charged pigmented toners, which adhere electrostatically, resulting in the finished proof.
Halftone screens in which the dots are actually elongated to produce improved middle tones.
A unit of measurement equaling 12 points or 4.5mm.
A method of paper finishing whereby a pattern is pressed into the paper when it is dry.
To raise in relief a design or letters already printed on card stock or heavy paper by an uninked block or die. In rubber and plastic plate making the process is usually done by heat.
A light sensitive substance used as a coating for film; made from a silver halide compound.
A term that describes a glossy coating on paper.
Attaching the final sheet of a signature of a book to the binding.
A grade of uncoated book paper with a smooth uniform surface.
A printing process whereby images such as copy or art are etched onto a plate. When ink is applied, these etched areas act as small wells to hold the ink; paper is forced against this die and the ink is lifted out of the etched areas, creating raised images on the paper.
The form used by the printer to calculate the project for the print buyer. This form contains the basic parameters of the project including size, quantity, colors, bleeds, photos, etc.
One who computes or approximates the cost of work to be done.
The process of producing an image on a plate by the use of acid.
The use of smaller-sized capitals at the beginning of a sentence without the use of larger-sized caps.
Type with width greater than normal producing a rectangular effect.
That stage of the photographic process where the image is produced on the light-sensitive coating.
A white pigment added to a colored pigment to reduce its intensity and improve its working qualities.
A term in the binding process referring to folding and gathering.
Paper folding that emulates an accordion or fan, the folds being alternating and parallel.
Type that is quite varied in its use of very thin and very wide strokes.
A cloth conveyor belt that receives papers from the Fourdrinier and delivers it to the drier. Reference: fourdrinier.
The smoother side of paper, usually a soft weave pattern used for book papers. A soft weave pattern used for book papers.
It is the top side of the sheet in the paper making process that does not lie on the fourdrinier. Reference: fourdrinier.
A fault in printing where the ink fills in the fine line or halftone dot areas.
Also called wash coat; any thinly coated paper stock.
The surface quality of paper.
Dull - (low gloss) also matte or matte gloss.
A symbol used in printing to indicate the index; usually seen as a pointing finger on a hand.
The registration of items within a given page.
A term given to the lowest temperature of ignitibility of vapors given off by a substance.
In lithography, the assembly of photographic negatives or positives onto a vinyl acetate or transparent polyester sheet in preparation of making a printing plate. There is one flat created for each printing color.
Paper that is patterned by sizing, and then coated with powders of wool or cotton (flock).
Also called liquid ink; ink with a low viscosity.
A bound book or booklet having the cover trimmed to the same size as the text.
The results of combining a wet ink pigment with a varnish and having the wet pigment mix or transfer over to the varnish.
Lowering density of an image in a specific area usually to make type more legible while still letting image show through.
Papers that have a surface resembling metal.
Markings at top edges that show where folds should occur.
Machine used to fold signatures down into sections.
Numbering of a page at the top or bottom and either centered, flushed left or flushed right.
The characters which make up a complete typeface and size.
The rollers that come into direct contact with the plate of a printing press.
In binding, the process between folding sheets and casing in, such as rounding and backing, putting on headbands, reinforcing backs, etc.
A machine on which paper sheets are formed on a continuous moving wire screen. Water drains from the screen as wet pulp is moved over it and formed into paper sheets.
Any paper that is free from wood pulp impurities.
A sheet of paper printed on one side and folded first vertically and then horizontally to produce a four-page folder where the printing is on the outside of the folds.
A halo that appears around halftone dots.
Colors that lose tone and permanency when exposed to light.
The slurry mixture of fibers, water, chemicals and pigments that is delivered to the fourdrinier machine in the papermaking process. Reference: fourdrinier.
A term for the fibers that project from the paper surface.
Garbage In, Garbage Out.
Group of frames or impositions in the same form of different jobs arranged and positioned to be printed together.
The bundling of two or more different printing projects on the same sheet of paper.
To assemble or collect sections into single copies of complete books for binding.
Assembling sheets of paper and signatures into their proper sequence. Reference: collating.
Sticking on gold leaf to edges of books with a liquid agent and made permanent with burnishing tools.
A strong transparent paper.
Quick drying oil-based inks with low penetration qualities, used on coated stock.
A carved (as opposed to scripted) typeface.
An orange-colored paper with gridlines, used to assemble materials for exposure for platemaking.
An area of image where halftone dots range continuously from one density to another.
The direction of fibers in a sheet of paper; governs paper properties such as increased size changes with relative humidity.
A paper embossed to resemble various textures, such as leather, alligator, wood, etc.
An intaglio or recessed printing process. The recessed areas are like wells that form the image as paper passes through.
A series of metal fingers that hold each sheet of paper as it passes through the various stages of the printing process.
The grippers of the printing press move the paper through the press by holding onto the leading edge of the sheet; this edge is the gripper edge.
Low-cost papers such as newsprint made by the mechanical pulping process as opposed to chemical pulping and refining.
The application of gum arabic to the non-printing areas of a plate.
Space between pages in the printing frame of a book, or inside margin towards the back or binding edge. The blank space or margin between the type page and the binding of a book.
Printing registration that lies within the range of plus or minus one half row of dots. It is the thinnest of the standard printers' rules.
Tone graduated image composed of varying sized dots or lines, with equidistant centers.
A high finish paper that is ideal for halftone printing.
A sheet of film or glass containing ruled right-angled lines, used to translate the full tone of a photo to the halftone dot image required for printing.
The effect in a photograph where a dot has such a small degree of halation that the dot shows quite sharp.
That space which lies between the top of the printed copy and the trimmed edge.
A color separation process developed by Pantone
Imperfections in presswork due to dirt on press, trapping errors, etc.
Paper stock that is comparatively thick in relation to its basis weight.
A halftone that is made utilizing only the highlight tones down through the middle tones.
The highest density of a halftone image.
The lightest tones of a photo, printed halftone or illustration. In the finished halftone, these highlights are represented by the finest dots.
That space on the spine of a case bound book between the block of the book and the case binding.
An adhesive used in the binding process, which requires heat for application.
This is a term that refers to a paper that a printer keeps on hand in his shop.
Inside back cover.
Inside front cover.
That portion of the printing plate that carries the ink and prints on paper.
High resolution, large format device for producing film from electronically generated page layouts.
Arrangement of pages so that they print correctly on a press sheet and the pages are in proper order when the sheets are folded.
Product resulting from one cycle of printing machine. The pressure of the image carrier, whether it be the type, plate or blanket, when it contacts the paper.
A relatively thick paper stock; basis size 25 1/2" x 30 1/2."
Markings pre-printed on mailing envelopes to replace the stamp.
A term used to denote papers such as janitorial, sanitary or heavy packing papers.
The device which stores and meters ink to the inking rollers.
A quality of paper resistant to ink absorption, allowing the ink to dry on the paper surface.
Any threads or filaments which protrude from the main printed letter body of long inks, as seen in newsprint.
The inertial resistance to flow that occurs to ink as soon as it is printed.
A device used to measure the tack of ink.
Extra printed pages inserted loosely into printed pieces.
A proof made by exposing each of the four-color separations to an emulsion layer of primary colors. These emulsion sheets are stacked in register with a white sheet of paper in the background. Types of integral proofs are cromalin, matchprint, ektaflex and spectraproof.
Extra blank pages inserted loosely into book after printing.
A coated stock finished in mother-of-pearl.
Text that is used to denote emphasis by slanting the type body forward (leaning to the right).
The paper cover of hardbound book, sometimes called the "dust cover."
A number assigned to a printing project used for recordkeeping and job tracking. Also used to retrieve old jobs for reprints or reworking by customer.
To vibrate a stack of finished pages so that they are tightly aligned for final trimming.
Vibrating, sloping platform that evens up the edges of stacks of paper.
The narrowing of space between two letters so that they become closer and take up less space on the page.
The printing plate that is used as a guide for the other plates in the color printing process; it usually has the most detail.
The use of symbols, usually letters, to code copy that will appear on a dummy.
Lines that are drawn on artwork that indicate the exact placement, shape and size of elements including halftones, illustrations, etc.
A delicate printed impression, just heavy enough to be seen.
A coarse, unbleached paper used for printing and industrial products.
A clear gloss coating applied to printed material for strength, appearance and protection.
A parallel lined paper that has a handmade look.
A paper cutting technique whereby laser technology is utilized to cut away certain unmasked areas of the paper. The cutting is a result of the exposure of the paper to the laser ray, which actually evaporates the paper.
Edge of a sheet of paper being fed into a printing press.
A rendition that shows the placement of all the elements, roughs, thumbnails, etc., of the final printed piece before it goes to print.
The dots or dashes used in type to guide the eye from one set of type to the next.
Space between lines of type; the distance in points between one baseline and the next.
One of a number of folds (each containing two pages) which comprises a book or manuscript.
A metal die, either flat or embossed, created from the image or copy, which is then heated to a specific temperature which allows the transfer of a film of pigmented polyester to the paper.
A stiff heavy business paper generally used for keeping records.
The optimum length of a filament of ink.
Printing that utilizes inked raised surfaces to create the image.
The addition of space between typeset letters.
Any copy that can be reproduced without the use of halftone screens.
A paper that emulates the look and texture of linen cloth.
A paper that is coated with a special water-resistant material which is able to withstand the lithographic process.
The process of printing that utilizes flat inked surfaces to create the printed images.
A personalized type or design symbol for a company or product.
The actual weight of 1,000 sheets of any given size of paper.
Paper that has had a coating applied to either one or two of its sides during the papermaking process.
An alternate term for grain direction. Reference: grain.
A paper finish that results from the interaction of the paper with the Fourdrinier process as opposed to post machine embossing. Reference: Fourdrinier.
Black pigments containing black iron oxides, used for magnetic ink character recognition.
Process of adjusting final plate on the press to fine tune or modify plate surface.
Imprinted space around the edge of a page.
To write up instructions, as on a proof sheet.
1) The blocking out of a portion of the printing plate during the exposure process; 2) A photo negative or positive used in the color separation process to color correct.
Photographic proof made from all color flats to form composite proof showing color quality as well as accuracy, layout and imposition before plates are made.
A coated paper finish that goes through minimal calendaring. Reference: calendaring.
The width of type as measured in picas. Reference: picas.
A term used to describe finished artwork that is camera ready for reproduction, including all type, photos, illustrations, etc.
Commonly taken as the area between the highlight and shadow areas of a subject's face in halftone image.
An undesirable halftone pattern produced by the incorrect angles of overprinting halftone screens.
A cotton fabric used on the dampening rollers of a printing press.
An ink pigment made from precipitating lead molybdate, lead sulfate and lead chromate.
A term used to describe spotty or uneven ink absorption.
Coarse muslin glue placed on the back of book or pads for strengthening.
A specific test of tensile paper strength, an important factor if web presses are used for printing.
A term to describe papers that have a color similar to that of wood; also called cream, off-white or ivory.
Film that contains the same images as the original print, except that all colors and shades are reversed. Reference: positive.
A light, low-cost groundwood paper made especially for newspapers. Reference: groundwood.
When the basis weight of paper differs from the actual weight, the term nominal weight is used.
When two-sheet passes on a press are misaligned.
Outside back cover.
Outside front cover.
A term used to describe printed books, catalogs, etc., that are bound on their shorter side; also referred to as album bound.
Any papers made outside the US and Canada.
The most commonly used printing method, whereby the printed material does not receive the ink directly from the printing plate but from an intermediary cylinder called a blanket which receives the ink from the plate and transfers it to the paper.
A complex offset process involving multiple transfers between the gravure plate, the plate cylinder, and a solid rubber plate.
Indirect printing method in which the inked image on the press-plate is first printed onto a rubber blanket, then in turn offsets the inked impression on to the sheet of paper.
A term for uncoated book paper.
A light bond paper used for typing and used with carbon paper because of its thinness.
Quality of papers that defines its opaqueness or ability to prevent two-sided printing from showing through.
A quality of paper that allows relatively little light to pass through.
Ink that completely covers any ink under itself.
Any light-sensitive surfaces that are not sensitive to red.
A cover of a book that extends over the trimmed signatures it contains.
A transparent sheet placed over artwork, in register with the work it covers; this is used to call out other color components of the work, instructions or corrections.
A process of proof making whereby the color separations are individually exposed to light sensitive film. This film is then set in registration with a piece of white paper in the background.
Any printing that is done on an area that has already been printed.
Surplus of copies printed.
Type that is set in excess of the allotted space.
Photomechanical transfer.
Pixels per inch.
One side of a leaf.
The assemblage of all the necessary elements required to complete a page.
Proofs made up from pages.
Films or other photographic materials sensitive to all colors.
Any paper with a thickness (caliper) of 12 points (.3mm) or more.
A high-grade soft paper used for personal stationery because it accepts handwriting well.
A hard finished paper that emulates animal skin; used for documents, such as awards, that require writing by hand.
A sheet that is larger than the cut stock of the same paper.
Any of a variety of compounds used in enhancing the drying properties of printing inks.
An ink having a high level of viscosity.
Markings usually dotted lines at edges showing where perforations should occur.
A term used to describe the binding process where the signatures of a book are held together by a flexible adhesive.
Binding process where backs of sections are cut off, roughened and glued together, and rung in a cover.
Printing both sides of the paper (or other material) on the same pass through the printing machine.
A printing press that prints on both sides of the page in a single pass.
Punching small holes or slits in a sheet of paper or cardboard to facilitate tearing along a desired line.
A blue red pigment used mostly in news inks; not a good ink for lithographers as it bleeds in alcohol and water.
Making printing plates by exposure of line and halftone negatives on sensitized metal, converting the image into an acid resist, and etching the print to the relief required for letterpress printing.
The platemaking process where plates are coated with photosensitive coatings and exposed to photo negatives or positives.
A photographic print creating an image using photography and electrostatic processes; also called a stat.
The main pigment in the manufacture of cyan ink.
Standard of measurement, 1/6 inch. 1 pica = 12 points, 72 points = 1 inch
When the tack of ink is stronger than the surface strength of the paper, some lifting of the paper surface occurs; this is referred to as picking. Or, an occurrence in printing whereby the tack of ink pulls fibers or coating off the paper surface, leaving spots on the printed surface.
A buildup of pigment or paper coatings onto the plate, blankets or rollers.
Using metal pins fitted into preset holes of copy sheets, films, plates and presses that will assure the proper registration.
Failure of printed ink to form a completely continuous film, visible in the form of small holes in the printed areas.
A printing technique where ink is transferred to paper from a flat surface. Lithography and offset printing are a type of planography. Also called surface printing.
A method of binding books whereby holes are drilled on the side closest to the spine and a plastic grasping device is inserted to hold the pages together.
An ink additive that adds flexibility, softness and adhesion.
Reproduction of type or cuts in metal, plastic, rubber or other material, to form a plate bearing a relief, planographic or intaglio printing surface.
The cylinder on a printing press on which the plate is mounted.
Any bond, cover or Bristol stock with an extremely smooth finish achieved by calendaring. Reference: calendaring.
The process of making printing plates, including preparation of the plate surface, chemically sensitizing the plate, exposing it to the flat, developing or processing the plate, and finally the finishing of the plate.
A measurement unit equal to 1/72 of an inch. 12 points to a pica, 72 points to an inch.
Film that contains an image with the same tonal values as the original; opposite of a negative.
Any paper that is considered better than #1 by its manufacturer.
A plate that has been treated with light-sensitive coatings by the manufacturer.
Actual press sheet to show image, tone values and colors, as well as imposition of frame or press-plate.
In printing the four primary colors are cyan (blue), magenta (red), yellow and black.
See Camera Ready
The ability of a paper to show reproduced (printed) images.
Two consecutive pages as they appear on a flat or signature.
Printing inks, usually in sets of four colors. The most frequent combination is yellow, magenta, cyan and black, which are printed one over another in that order to obtain a colored print with the desired hues, whites, blacks and grays.
A high quality specialty lens made for line art, halftone and color photography.
Printing from two or more halftones to produce intermediate colors and shades.
Any proofs made from the separate plates of a multi-plate printing project.
An impression of composed type and illustrations made for the purpose of checking the accuracy of the layout, type and color.
Guide sheet for the positioning of type, blocks, etc.
Papers with a complete or partial content of cotton fibers.
The term given to right-justified type that is uneven on the left.
The term given to left-justified type that is uneven on the right.
A thick, coated paper used for signs; usually waterproof.
Two consecutive pages as they appear in a printed piece.
500 sheets of paper.
The odd numbered pages (right hand side) of books.
A common pigment for paste and liquid red inks.
Any substance that softens and reduces the tack of ink.
The master roll of paper as it comes off the papermaking machine. It is in its original width and is then cut into smaller rolls.
The arrangement of two or more images in exact alignment with each other.
Any crossmarks or other symbols used on layout to assure proper registration.
A term that denotes folds that are 90 degrees to each other.
A web press printing process where the roll of paper is printed and stored on a roll to be shipped.
That stage of printed ink where the maximum dryness is achieved and the ink will not smudge.
A pigment somewhat redder than true magenta.
A term used to describe how well a paper runs on a printing press.
A term given to text that that is adjusted fit around a photograph or illustration.
A title at the top of a page that appears on all pages of a book or chapter of a book.
Stitching where wire staples pass through the spine from the outside and are clinched in the center. Only used with folded sections, either single sections or two or more sections inserted to form a single section.
A paper that shows sign of erasure so that it cannot be altered or tampered with easily.
A smooth, delicately embossed finished paper with sheen.
The enlargement or reduction of an image or copy to fit a specific area.
Impressions or cuts in flat material to facilitate bending or tearing.
The placement of halftone screens to avoid unwanted moire patterns. Frequently used angles are black 45deg, magenta 75deg, yellow 90deg, and cyan 105deg.
A measurement equaling the number of lines or dots per inch on a halftone screen.
A photo print made by using a halftone negative; also called a velox.
Unwanted ink marks in the non-image area.
A cover made out of the same paper stock as the internal sheets.
The lowest density of a halftone image.
To decrease the dot size of the halftone which in turn decreases the color strength.
The printing of two different images on two different sides of a sheet of paper by turning the page over after the first side is printed and using the same gripper and side guides.
Ink that is smooth and creamy but does not flow freely.
A problem that occurs when the printing on one side of a sheet is seen from the other side.
The guides on the sides of the sheet fed press that position the sheet sideways as the paper is led towards the front guides.
Stitching where the wire staples pass through the pile of sections or leaves gathered upon each other and are clinched on the underside.
A group of pages that, having been printed together on one large sheet of paper, are folded, cut and bound, along with the book's other signatures, into a book.
A halftone with the background screen removed.
Reference: brownline proof.
A term to describe the process of the cutting of printed sheets by the cutting wheels of a printing press.
That quality of paper defined by its levelness which allows for pressure consistency in printing, assuring uniformity of print.
An excessively large halo around a dot in a photograph that causes a fringe that diminishes the dot intensity.
Back edge of a book.
A binding whereby a wire of metal or plastic is spiraled through holes punched along the binding side.
Small area printed in a second color.
A film image that is larger than the original image to accommodate ink trapping. Reference: trapping.
To bind a series of pages with wire staples such that the staples enter from the front and back simultaneously with neither side being long enough to exit the opposite side.
The quality of paper to maintain its original size when it undergoes pressure and moisture changes.
A process of cutting many sheets from the same parent sheet in which the smaller sheets have different grain directions; also called dutch or bastard cutting.
The Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF) has established various quality control images; the star target appears along with the color bar and helps the pressman detect any irregularity in the ink spread. Reference: Color bars.
A device on a printing press that minimizes the amount of static buildup on paper as it passes through the press.
A process of generating multiple exposures by taking an image and stepping it according to a predetermined layout.
A proofreader's symbol that is usually written in the copy margin. It indicates that the copy, which was marked for correction, should be left as it was.
A term for unprinted paper or other material to be printed.
To add an element, such as copy that is shot separately, and then stripped into place on a goldenrod flat.
Originally, the removal of the photographic emulsion with its image from individual negatives and combining them in position on a glass plate. Now the use of stripfilm materials, and the cutting, attachment and other operations for assembling. The positioning of positives and negatives on the flat before proceeding to platemaking.
Impressing book covers, etc., by means of hot die, brass types or blocks.
A machine procedure that produces a high finished paper surface that is extremely smooth and exceptional for printing.
Any petroleum-based waterproof papers with a high tensile strength.
The adhesive quality of inks.
A dense, strong paper stock.
A paper's ability to withstand pressure.
1) The main body matter of a page as opposed to any headlines or captions; 2) A type of high quality printing paper.
A printing process whereby slow drying ink is applied to paper and while the ink is still wet, is lightly dusted with a resinous powder. The paper then passes through a heat chamber where the powder melts and fuses with the ink to produce a raised surface.
A slower drier that dries the ink throughout without forming a hard crust.
Envelopes used mostly for holding theater tickets.
A halftone screen that contains all the same sized dots.
A bright white pigment (opaque) used for printing on metal and flexible packaging.
A red pigment with poor bleed resistance.
The rough surfaced finish of papers such as vellum or antique.
Inks that do not block out the colored inks that they print over, but instead blend with them to create intermediate colors.
The process of printing wet ink over printed ink which may be wet or dry.
Marks placed on the sheet to indicate where to cut the page.
Fourdrinier papermaking machines with two wires, instead of a wire and felt side. This assures higher quality when two sides are used for printing.
The difference in feel and appearance of either side of a sheet of paper due to the papermaking process having a felt and wire side.
Papers that are not smoothed by going through the calendaring process.
A term used to describe how many similar sheets can be produced on a larger sheet; two up, four up, etc.
A term given to books bound on the longer dimension.
Also called a contact frame; used in the platemaking process to hold materials in tight contact during exposure.
Brown print.
A clear shiny ink used to add gloss to printed pieces. The primary component of the ink vehicle. Reference: vehicle.
A combination of varnish, waxes, dryers, etc., which contains the pigment of inks and control the flow, the drying and the adhesion of the pigments to the printed surface.
A finish of paper that is rough and bulky, and has a degree of tooth.
A term given to papers that are coated with an adhesive and then flock dusted.
A photographic print which is made from a negative.
A term given to the left-hand or even-numbered pages of a book.
Fade to white or a small decorative design or illustration. A photo or illustration in which the tones fade gradually away until they blend with the surface they are printed on.
An abbreviation for work and back. Reference: sheetwise.
An abbreviation for work and turn.
A term given to the occurrence of plate deterioration of the image area during the printing process; usually occurs on long runs.
The procedure of cleaning a particular ink from all of the printing elements (rollers, plate, ink fountain, etc.) of a press.
A translucent logo that is embossed during the papermaking process while the paper slurry is on the dandy roll. Reference: dandy roll.
The roll of paper that is used in web or rotary printing.
A tear in a web roll during the printing process.
Cylinder printing machine in which the paper is fed from a continuous reel, as opposed to sheet fed.
The term given to the tension or pull exerted by the web press on the web roll.
A soft paper that is thick and holds up well under embossing.
The ability of an ink film to accept subsequent ink films.
A single word or two left at the end of a paragraph, or a part of a sentence ending a paragraph, which loops over to the next page and stands alone. Also, the last sentence of a paragraph which contains only one or two short words.
A plate onto which is applied a light sensitive coating; usually the first step in platemaking.
That side of the paper which lies on the wire screen side of the papermaking machine.
To fasten together sheets, signatures or sections with wire staples; methods include saddle stitching, side stitching and stabbing.
A smooth paper made on finely textured wire that gives the paper a gentle patterned finish.
The unevenly dried surface of printed inks.
Another name for bond paper.
Papers made to work well in copy machines and laser printers.
The actual amount of force needed to start an ink flowing.


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Vitae library of resources
The Vitae library of resources includes downloadable packaged programmes (available to Vitae members), which contain all the information and materials you will need to run the session (such as a programme leader manual, slides and handouts), and short sessions and supporting materials that can be adapted for use within your existing programmes.
Some training resources have been developed to run with a specific group (e.g. research staff) but may be adaptable for use with other groups. Other resources have been developed around a specific theme, and can be used with mixed audiences.
Our programmes have gone through a rigorous development process including testing and improvements in response to feedback. Read the overview of our current resources offer. Follow the links to find out more or contact us if you can't find what you're looking for.
About Vitae's researcher development programmes
Background and overview of Vitae's researcher development programmes for staff supporting researchers
Library of resources for researcher developers
A library of professional development resources to download and use with your researchers

subset: commoncrawl


text:
HelpContents > HelpForDevelopers
MoinMoin would be missing a lot of features without the help of its users and developers. MoinMoin is written in Python1 and uses the Mercurial2 version control system. Information on the MoinMoin source code and other developer issues can be found on MoinDev (main wiki) and its subpages. Here is what you can do to help improve MoinMoin:
If something looks broken first check if the bug is already reported on MoinMoinBugs. If it's a new bug then report it on the same page.
If something looks like it is missing make a FeatureRequest (also search before writing a new).
Develop new extensions: Create macros, actions, or parsers (MoinMoinExtensions)
Help with Development Version: Help test and develop MoinMoin (MoinDev).
Create Patches: Fix bugs and write patches (HelpOnPatchCreation).
Help Translating: Translate MoinMoin to new languages (MoinDev/Translation)
Design Themes: Create styles and icons (MoinDev/ThemeDevelopment)
Build packages: HelpOnPackageInstaller
Python Homepage: http://www.python.org/ (1)
Mercurial Homepage: http://www.selenic.com/mercurial/ (2)


text:
Topic Overview
What is preeclampsia?
Preeclampsia is high blood pressure after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Protein in the urine is a common sign of the disease. Preeclampsia usually goes away after you give birth. But symptoms may last a few weeks or more and can get worse after delivery. Rarely, symptoms of preeclampsia don't show up until days or even weeks after childbirth.
Not all high blood pressure is preeclampsia. In some women, blood pressure goes up very high in the second or third trimester. This is sometimes called gestational hypertension, and it can lead to preeclampsia. Women who have high blood pressure before 20 weeks of pregnancy or before they are pregnant can also get preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia can be dangerous for the mother and baby. It can keep the baby from getting enough blood and oxygen. It also can harm the mother's liver, kidneys, and brain. Women with very bad preeclampsia can have dangerous seizures. This is called eclampsia.
What causes preeclampsia?
Experts don't know the exact cause.
Preeclampsia seems to start because the placenta doesn't grow the usual network of blood vessels deep in the wall of the uterus. This leads to poor blood flow in the placenta.
If your mother had preeclampsia while she was pregnant with you, you have a higher chance of getting it during pregnancy. You also have a higher chance of getting it if the mother of your baby's father had preeclampsia.
Already having high blood pressure when you get pregnant raises your chance of getting preeclampsia.
What are the symptoms?
Mild preeclampsia usually doesn't cause symptoms.
But preeclampsia can cause rapid weight gain and sudden swelling of the hands and face.
Severe preeclampsia causes symptoms such as a very bad headache and trouble seeing and breathing. It also can cause belly pain and decreased urination.
How is preeclampsia diagnosed?
Preeclampsia is usually found during a prenatal visit.
This is one reason why it's so important to go to all of your prenatal visits. You need to have your blood pressure checked often. During these visits, your blood pressure is measured. A sudden increase in blood pressure often is the first sign of a problem.
You also will have a urine test to look for protein, another sign of preeclampsia.
If you have high blood pressure, tell your doctor right away if you have a headache or belly pain. These signs of preeclampsia can occur before protein shows up in your urine.
How is it treated?
The only "cure" for preeclampsia is having the baby.
You may get medicines to lower your blood pressure and to prevent seizures.
You also may get medicine to help your baby's lungs get ready for birth.
Your doctor will try to deliver your baby when the baby has grown enough to be ready for birth. But sometimes a baby has to be delivered early to protect the health of the mother or the baby. If this happens, your baby will get special care for premature babies.
Health Tools
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
Experts don't know the exact cause of preeclampsia.
But it may start with a poorly developed placenta that doesn't circulate blood normally. What causes this placenta problem isn't yet clear. Experts also don't know why the mother's body then develops high blood pressure.
Immune system response
Preeclampsia occurs most often in women who are pregnant for the first time and in women who have been pregnant before but now have a first pregnancy with a different man.
Exposure to an antigen from the father (in the growing placenta or fetus, for example) may trigger an immune response in the woman's body. This immune response—the body's way of fighting infection—may result in narrowing of the blood vessels throughout the body, causing higher blood pressure and other problems.
Although you may have other symptoms, you will not be diagnosed with preeclampsia unless you also have one or both of the following:
- Your systolic blood pressure (the top number of your blood pressure reading) is over 140, or your diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) is over 90, or both, for two measurements taken at least 4 hours apart.
- A urine test shows that you have too much protein in your urine.
Other symptoms of mild preeclampsia may include:
- Swelling of the hands and face that doesn't go away during the day. (If you have no other symptoms of preeclampsia, this swelling is probably a sign of normal pregnancy.)
- Rapid weight gain—more than2 lb (0.9 kg) a week or6 lb (2.7 kg) a month.
- Bleeding from a cut or injury that lasts longer than usual.
Severe preeclampsia
In severe preeclampsia, systolic blood pressure is over 160, or diastolic blood pressure is over 110, or both.
As blood circulation to the organs decreases, more severe symptoms can develop, including:
- A severe headache that will not go away with medicine such as acetaminophen.
- Blurred or dimming vision, spots in the visual field, or periods of blindness.
- Decreased urination—less than 2 cups (500 mL) in 24 hours.
- Lasting belly pain or tenderness, especially on the upper right side.
- Problems breathing, especially when lying flat.
- HELLP syndrome. This is a life-threatening liver disorder. It is usually related to preeclampsia. Get emergency medical treatment if you have several symptoms of HELLP syndrome, such as headaches, vision problems, fatigue, or belly pain.
When preeclampsia leads to seizures, it is called eclampsia.
Eclampsia is life-threatening for both a mother and her baby. During a seizure, the oxygen supply to the baby is drastically reduced.
Call 911 any time a pregnant woman has a seizure.
What Happens
Preeclampsia can be mild or severe. It may get worse gradually or rapidly. It affects your blood pressure, placenta, liver, blood, kidneys, and brain.
It's very important to get treatment, because both you and your baby could suffer life-threatening problems involving your:
- Blood pressure. The blood vessels increase their resistance against blood flow, increasing blood pressure. Very high blood pressure keeps your baby from getting enough blood and oxygen. Also, blood volume doesn't increase as much as it should during pregnancy. This can affect the baby's growth and well-being.
- Placenta. The blood vessels of the placenta don't grow deep into the uterus as they should. And they don't widen as they normally would. This makes them unable to provide normal blood flow to the baby.
- Liver. Poor blood flow to the mother's liver can cause liver damage. Liver impairment is related to the life-threatening HELLP syndrome, which requires emergency medical treatment.
- Kidneys. When affected by preeclampsia, the kidneys can't work as well as they should to remove waste and extra water.
- Brain. Vision impairment, persistent headaches, and seizures (eclampsia) can develop. Eclampsia can lead to maternal coma and fetal and maternal death. This is why women with preeclampsia are often given medicine to prevent eclampsia.
- Blood. Low platelet levels in the blood are common with preeclampsia. In rare cases, a potentially life-threatening blood-clotting and bleeding problem develops along with severe preeclampsia.footnote 1 This condition is called disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). After delivery, DIC goes away. In the meantime, you may be given a medicine (clotting factor), blood transfusion, or platelet transfusion.
Delivery of the baby and placenta is the only "cure" for preeclampsia. If your condition becomes dangerous enough that delivery is necessary but you don't go into labor, your doctor will induce labor or deliver the baby with surgery (cesarean section). Symptoms of preeclampsia may last a few weeks or more and can get worse after delivery. Rarely, symptoms of preeclampsia don't show up until days or even weeks after childbirth.
Unless you have chronic high blood pressure, your blood pressure should return to normal in a few days or weeks. In severe cases, this can take 6 or more weeks.
After having preeclampsia, you have a higher-than-average risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. This may be because the same things that cause preeclampsia also cause heart and kidney disease. To protect your health, work with your doctor on living a heart-healthy lifestyle and getting the checkups you need.
The infant
The earlier in the pregnancy that preeclampsia begins and the more severe it becomes, the greater the risk of preterm birth, which can cause problems for the newborn.
An infant born before 37 weeks may have difficulty breathing because of immature lungs (respiratory distress syndrome).
A newborn affected by preeclampsia may also be smaller than normal. This is because of inadequate nutrition from poor blood flow through the placenta.
What Increases Your Risk
Risk factors (things that increase your risk) for preeclampsia include:
- Chronic (ongoing) high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, or diabetes.
- High blood pressure in a past pregnancy, especially before week 34.
- Personal history of preeclampsia.
- Family history of preeclampsia.
- Being very overweight at the time of conception.
- Being pregnant with more than one baby (such as twins or triplets).
- First pregnancy ever or first-time pregnancy with current partner.
- Age younger than 21 or older than 35.
When should you call your doctor?
Someone must call 911 or other emergency services immediately if you are having a seizure (eclampsia). Eclampsia can lead to a coma. It is life-threatening to both you and your baby.
If you are pregnant and have preeclampsia, your family and friends should know how to help during a seizure.
Seek medical care immediately if you are pregnant and begin to have symptoms of preeclampsia, such as:
- Blurred vision or other vision problems.
- Frequent headaches that are becoming worse or a persistent headache that does not respond to nonprescription pain medicine.
- Pain or tenderness in your belly, especially in the upper right section.
- Weight gain of 2 lb (0.9 kg) or more over a 24-hour period.
- Shoulder, neck, and other upper body pain (this pain starts in the liver).
If you have mild high blood pressure or mild preeclampsia, you may not have any symptoms. It is important to see a health professional regularly throughout your pregnancy.
Symptoms such as heartburn or swelling in the legs and feet are normal during pregnancy. They usually aren't symptoms of preeclampsia. You can discuss these symptoms with your doctor or nurse-midwife at your next scheduled prenatal visit. But if swelling occurs along with other symptoms of preeclampsia, contact your doctor right away.
Who to see
If you get preeclampsia during pregnancy, you can be treated by:
- An obstetrician.
- A family medicine doctor who is experienced in obstetric care.
- A perinatologist.
- A certified nurse-midwife supervised by an obstetrician or a perinatologist.
Exams and Tests
Preeclampsia is usually found during regular prenatal checkups.
Routine prenatal tests
Certain tests are given at each prenatal visit to check for preeclampsia. These include a:
- Blood pressure reading. Blood pressure is always monitored closely during pregnancy.
- Urine test to check for too much protein in the urine. This is a sign of kidney damage caused by preeclampsia.
- Weight measurement. Rapid weight gain can be a sign of preeclampsia.
Tests for women considered high-risk for preeclampsia
Other tests may also be used to check for signs of preeclampsia, including:
- Blood tests to check for problems such as HELLP syndrome and kidney damage. (Too much uric acid in the blood is often the earliest sign of preeclampsia.)
- Creatinine clearance test to check kidney function. This requires both a blood sample and a 24-hour urine collection.
- 24-hour urine collection test to check protein in the urine.
Tests for women who have preeclampsia
If results from one or more of the above tests suggest that you have preeclampsia, you and your baby will be closely monitored for the rest of your pregnancy.
Testing is more frequent and extensive when preeclampsia is severe and the pregnancy is less than 37 weeks.
You may have a physical exam to check for signs that preeclampsia is getting worse.
You may also have:
- Blood tests to check for blood abnormalities and kidney damage.
- A creatinine clearance test.
Tests for women who have eclampsia
If you have a seizure (eclampsia), one or more of the following tests may be done after delivery:
- A CT scan or MRI to check organs and internal body structures.
- An electroencephalogram (EEG) to measure the brain's electrical activity.
Tests for the baby
If you get preeclampsia, the baby's health also will be closely watched. The more severe your condition, the more often you'll need testing, ranging from once a week to daily.
Tests commonly used include:
- Electronic fetal heart monitoring. It records the baby's heart rate.
- Fetal ultrasound to check the baby, the placenta, and the amount of amniotic fluid.
- Doppler ultrasound. This test checks how well the placenta is working.
Treatment Overview
Mild preeclampsia
For mild preeclampsia that is not rapidly getting worse, you may only have to reduce your level of activity, monitor how you feel, and have frequent office visits and testing.
Moderate to severe preeclampsia
For moderate or severe preeclampsia, or for preeclampsia that is rapidly getting worse, you may need to go to the hospital for expectant management. This typically includes bed rest, medicine, and close monitoring of you and your baby.
Severe preeclampsia or an eclamptic seizure is treated with magnesium sulfate. This medicine can stop a seizure and can prevent seizures. If you are near delivery or have severe preeclampsia, your doctor will plan to deliver your baby as soon as possible.
Life-threatening preeclampsia
If your condition becomes life-threatening to you or your baby, the only treatment options are magnesium sulfate to prevent seizures and delivering the baby.
If you are less than 34 weeks pregnant and a 24- to 48-hour delay is possible, you will likely be given antenatal corticosteroids to speed up the baby's lung development before delivery.
A vaginal delivery is usually safest for the mother. It is tried first if she and the baby are both stable.
If preeclampsia is rapidly getting worse or fetal monitoring suggests that the baby cannot safely handle labor contractions, a cesarean section (C-section) delivery is needed.
After childbirth
If you have moderate to severe preeclampsia, your risk of seizures (eclampsia) continues for the first 24 to 48 hours after childbirth. (In very rare cases, seizures are reported later in the postpartum period.) So you may continue magnesium sulfate for 24 hours after delivery.footnote 2
Unless you have chronic high blood pressure, your blood pressure is likely to return to normal a few days after delivery. In rare cases, it can take 6 weeks or more. Some women still have high blood pressure 6 weeks after childbirth yet return to normal levels over the long term.
If your blood pressure is still high after delivery, you may be given a blood pressure medicine. You will then have regular checkups with your doctor.
After having preeclampsia, you have a higher-than-average risk of heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. This may be because the same things that cause preeclampsia also cause heart and kidney disease. To protect your health, work with your doctor on living a heart-healthy lifestyle and getting the checkups you need.
Lowering your blood pressure helps to prevent preeclampsia. If you have chronic high blood pressure, you can lower your blood pressure before pregnancy by:
- Exercising.
- Eating a diet low in sodium and rich in fruits and vegetables.
- Staying at a healthy weight.
When you are pregnant, regular checkups are key to early detection and treatment. Prompt treatment is vital to preventing the development of severe and possibly life-threatening preeclampsia.
To reduce your risk for preeclampsia, your doctor may recommend that you take low-dose aspirin during the second and third trimesters of your pregnancy.
Home Treatment
Expectant management
If you develop signs of preeclampsia early in pregnancy, your doctor or nurse-midwife may prescribe something called expectant management at home, possibly for many weeks.
This may mean you are advised to stop working, reduce your activity level, or possibly spend a lot of time resting (partial bed rest). Although partial bed rest is considered reasonable treatment for preeclampsia, experts don't know how well it works to treat mild preeclampsia or high blood pressure.footnote 3 It is known that strict bed rest may increase your risk of getting a blood clot in the legs or lungs.
Whether you are required to reduce your activity or have partial bed rest, expectant management limits your ability to work, remain active, take care of children, and fulfill other responsibilities. It may be helpful to follow some tips for dealing with bed rest.
Daily monitoring
You may be required to monitor your own condition on a daily basis. If so, you or another person (such as a trained family member or a visiting nurse) will:
- Monitor your blood pressure at home.
- Check your urine for protein.
- Check your weight. Before checking your weight, you should empty your bladder, take off your shoes, and wear about the same amount of clothing each time.
- Monitor fetal movements or kick counts.
Keep a written record of your results, including the dates and times you checked. Take this record with you when you visit your doctor or nurse-midwife.
Social support
Worry and reduced activity are difficult parts of having preeclampsia. It often helps to talk with women who are or have been in the same situation.
Medicine for preeclampsia may be used to:
- Control high blood pressure. Lowering high blood pressure doesn't prevent preeclampsia from getting worse. That's because high blood pressure is only a symptom of the condition, not a cause. Your doctor may recommend blood pressure medicine if your blood pressure reaches high levels.
- Prevent seizures. Magnesium sulfate is usually started before delivery and continued for 24 hours after delivery for women with pregnancy-related seizures (eclampsia) and those who have moderate to severe preeclampsia.
- Speed up fetal lung development. When possible, steroid medicine is given to the mother prior to a premature birth. This medicine matures the baby's lungs over a 24-hour period, which lowers the risk of breathing problems after birth.
Blood pressure medicines
Medicines used to control chronic high blood pressure during pregnancy include:
- Labetalol.
- Methyldopa.
- Nifedipine.
Some high blood pressure medicines are dangerous during pregnancy.footnote 4 If you take high blood pressure medicines, talk to your doctor about the safety of your medicine. Discuss this before you become pregnant or as soon as you learn you are pregnant. Make sure that your doctor has a complete list of all medicines that you take.
Other blood pressure medicines that may be used include hydralazine. This is an intravenous medicine used to quickly lower severely high blood pressure during pregnancy.
Lowering blood pressure too much or too fast can reduce blood flow to the placenta, causing problems for the baby. So medicine is reserved for preventing severely high blood pressure levels that may be life-threatening to you or your baby.
There is no surgical treatment for preeclampsia.
A cesarean section delivery is used when:
- A rapid delivery is medically needed for the mother's or baby's well-being or survival.
- Induction of labor has not been successful, usually after 24 hours.
- There are medical reasons, such as placenta previa, that make vaginal delivery dangerous.
- Roberts JM, Funai EF (2009). Pregnancy-related hypertension. In RK Creasy, R Resnik, eds., Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice, 6th ed., pp. 651–688. Philadelphia: Saunders.
- Roberts JM, Funai EF (2009). Pregnancy-related hypertension. In RK Creasy, R Resnik, eds., Creasy and Resnik's Maternal-Fetal Medicine: Principles and Practice, 6th ed., pp. 651–688. Philadelphia: Saunders.
- Sibai BM (2003). Diagnosis and management of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 102(1): 191–192.
- Cooper WO, et al. (2006). Major congenital malformations after first-trimester exposure to ACE inhibitors. New England Journal of Medicine, 354(23): 2443–2451.
Other Works Consulted
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (2014). Low-dose aspirin use for the prevention of morbidity and mortality from preeclampsia: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspsaspg.htm. Accessed September 16, 2014.
Current as of: May 29, 2019
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:Sarah Marshall MD – Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD – Family Medicine & Kathleen Romito MD – Family Medicine & Elizabeth T. Russo MD – Internal Medicine & William Gilbert MD – Maternal and Fetal Medicine
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. Learn how we develop our content.


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There's plenty of fodder for deficit hawks in a new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. In short, the future looks grim.
The 2013 Long-Term Budget Outlook finds that although in the short term the deficit is expected to decline, it will grow again — and, ultimately, in a big way.
First, the good news: The CBO projects the deficit will shrink to $378 billion in 2015, or 2.1 percent of the size of the overall U.S. economy. Compared with just a few years ago when the budget gap ballooned as a result of the recession, this marks a nearly unprecedented improvement in the deficit picture. It's a rapid decline in budget shortfalls not seen since the end of World War II. The national debt will bottom out in 2018, at 68 percent of GDP.
The bad news: From there, the picture gets decidedly less rosy. Budget deficits gradually rise, "mainly because of increasing interest costs and growing spending for Social Security and the government's major health care programs (Medicare, Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, and subsidies to be provided through the health insurance exchanges)," says the report. By 2038, the national debt will reach 100 percent of GDP.
"With such large deficits, federal debt would be growing faster than GDP, a path that would ultimately be unsustainable," the report says.
There's actually not a lot new here. The CBO has been projecting long-term debt problems for some time now. Interestingly, the rise in health care costs has slowed recently, but that improving picture was offset by the permanent tax changes put in place by the fiscal cliff deal.
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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A question of part dimensions …
C 50 U | Kusters Precision Parts | Metal Products
With 5-axis machining know-how, mutually complementary machine working areas and an elevated level of automation, perpetually facing stiff competition and on the path to success.
"Experts in precision parts" for more than 40 years with this philosophy – and the range of machining technologies associated with it, as well as assembly-related services – Kusters Precision Parts with headquarters in Oss, Netherlands is one service provider that is more in demand now than ever, having developed over the years from the conventional extended workbench to manufacturing technology partner. Change of scene: A good 10 years ago a user report on the forward-looking topic "New dimensions in 5-axis milling" examined the company, then operating under the name Kusters Metaalbewerking Oss bv. Even then the son of the company founder and current Managing Director, Jan Kusters, reported that he would also be building on the competence and knowhow of long-time machine supplier Berthold Hermle AG from Gosheim D-78559 in 5-axis technology. Consequentially the machine park, which comprised only 17 CNC milling and turning centres in 2003/2004, already counted 11 from Hermle. That included CNC universal milling machines and especially the innovative C series CNC machining centres from Hermle for economical and highly accurate 4- and 5-axis machining. When the new C 40 U 5-axis high-performance machining centre was introduced in fall 2002, Jan Kusters and his colleagues saw "that the time had come for a whole new dimension of milling" as they phrased it then, and became involved in the technology with that same C 40 U 5-axis high-performance machining centre. This acquisition proved to be a decisive step for the future success of the company. Kusters Precisions Parts has developed continuously over the past 10 years, with 40 skilled employees now compared to 25 then, working today with 20 Hermle machining centres compared to 11 earlier, and offering today's customer a range of manufacturing technologies that includes milling, turning and electrical discharge machining as well as grinding, supplemented by measurement technology and assembly.
New dimensions or: "Shoebox-sized" workpieces were yesterday …
Milling takes up the main part, literally in all dimensions. While Kusters concentrated earlier on workpieces no larger than shoebox size (J.Kusters, quoted in 2004), component dimensions up to roughly 1000 x 1100 x 700 mm pose no special challenges today. This is evident from the current machine park, which has not only been modernised and expanded again and again in the last 10 years, but has also grown in terms of working ranges and hence workpiece dimensions. The same can be said of the level of automation in single-part, small and medium series production. Jan Kusters has always been very aware that he must offer his customers the latest technologies and good prices as well, because he wants to continue to do well in business in the future. Jan Kusters explains: "Our customers demand reproducible precision from us as well as on-time delivery plus creative and above all economical solutions, and finally capacity to manufacture individual parts quickly and for JIT-oriented batch manufacturing. Requirements have risen steeply, not least due to the enormous functional integration in mechatronics, which results in much more complex workpieces, and also due to the trend towards tools that are integrated into the functionality, which require high levels of complexity and accuracy now in the µ range. That applies equally to small and large parts, and we have therefore aligned our machine park to 5-axis/5-sided/complete/ simultaneous machining based on Hermle machines."
This was the goal: To produce 168 hours a week in manned and unmanned operation
The latest acquisitions in the machine park of Kusters Precision Parts, pointing the way to things to come, are two Hermle machining centres for large parts type C 50 U and C 50 UP respectively and also a Hermle 5-axis high-performance machining centre type C 22 UP designed for small and medium-size workpieces. While the C 50 U 5-axis high-performance machining centre is designed as a standalone system for universal/flexible and manned machining of large format workpieces, the second C 50 UP 5-axis high-performance machining centre is equipped for lightly manned operation with a pallet changer. The same applies to the smaller C 22 UP 5-axis machining centre, which has a type PW 150 pallet changer with 11 pallet spaces. The C 22 UP 5-axis high-performance machining centre features compact dimensions and a spacious working area measuring 450 x 600 x 330 mm (X/Y/Z). It holds 65 tools in the integrated tool magazine and another 87 tools in the additional magazine and has a swivelling rotary table with a diameter of 320 mm. The C 50 U and C 50 UP 5-axis machining centres feature working areas measuring 1000 x 1100 x 700 mm (X/Y/Z). They hold up to 60 tools in the tool magazine and another 41 each in the additional magazine and are equipped with swivelling rotary tables 700 mm in diameter for pallets 800 x 800 mm. Together with working ranges of the Hermle machining centres mentioned above, Kusters Precision Parts now covers workpiece dimensions from a few millimetres to almost 1 m³. This gives them great flexibility in responding to all imaginable customer requirements. Jan Kusters believes his change of strategy has been absolutely confirmed and notes in conclusion: "Our main strengths earlier were in prototype and single part manufacturing. Thanks to the higher level of automation, today we have that same strength in 5-axis machining and workpiece handling, as well as small and medium-sized series manufacturing. With the possibility pf working economically and with short throughput times, highly flexibly with stand-alone machines and automated milling systems at µ accuracy, we offer many advantages for our customers, of which a good 25% come from Germany, by the way, which we can better server with expanded capacities. With the Hermle machines we have relied on for 25 years now, we are able to machine almost everything to customer specification and also substitute conventional technologies now and again, for example replacing electrical discharge machining with 5-axis milling, or carbide milling with coordinate grinding, thereby achieving further cost optimisation."


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KILLEEN, Texas — Guns are wall-to-wall at the Guns Galore shop near Fort Hood, and so are posters: No Idiots Allowed. This Isn't a Place for Children to Play. Firearm Trafficking is Illegal.
But now that a second mass shooting at the Texas military base has been linked to guns bought at the squat brick store, which promises "3,000 Guns In Stock," the message Guns Galore clerks are emphasizing is don't blame them.
Fort Hood officials say Guns Galore, perched along the main road to the nation's largest Army post, is where Spc. Ivan Lopez bought the .45-caliber pistol used to kill three people and wound 16 others this week. It also sold a semi-automatic pistol, laser sights and high-capacity magazines in 2009 to Nidal Hasan, who then killed 13 people and wounded more than 30 others in a base rampage.
Lt. Gen. Mark Milley, the senior officer at Fort Hood, said Lopez bought the gun on March 1, about a month before Wednesday's attack. Hasan also bought his FN 5.7 tactical pistol not long before his rampage in November 2009.
Lopez turned the gun on himself after being confronted by police Wednesday. Before the attack, he was being treated for depression and anxiety while being evaluated for post-traumatic stress disorder. Milley said investigators believe Lopez's unstable mental health condition may be an underlying cause of the shooting.
Greg Ebert, a longtime salesman at Guns Galore, said the store couldn't comment on Lopez. But he bristled at anonymous angry callers and emails the store has been receiving, which he said included some asking if they're now happy more people are dead.
"We had nothing to do with what happened out here," said Ebert, emphasizing that he was speaking for himself and not the store. "If you want to blame somebody, go to the FBI and to the government at Fort Hood, and ask them why someone who was being psychologically evaluated wasn't flagged."
The 34-year-old truck driver from Puerto Rico seemed to have a clean record, but investigators are now pouring through Lopez's personal history.
Federal law generally prohibits selling guns to people who've been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility or have been ruled by a court to be a danger to themselves or others. Gun control advocates say that leaves a gaping loophole during computer background checks.
Ladd Everitt, spokesman for the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, called Lopez's rampage another example of the gun industry profits taking precedence over safety. But he also cut Guns Galore a break.
"I can't possibly lay any blame at their door. Dealers are in this to make money," Everitt said. "So I don't think we should count on gun dealers to be psychiatrists or law enforcement officers. We need better laws on the books."
Business was steady at Guns Galore a day after the latest attack at Fort Hood.
Uniformed soldiers brushed past other customers between narrow rows of display cases packed tightly with handguns and old cellphones shot up by bullets. Long-barreled assault and hunting rifles stood on racks behind the main counter, where clerks in 2009 let Hasan videotape on his phone a lesson on how to reload, according to employees who testified in his trial last fall.
Guns Galore is about 2 miles outside Fort Hood, and it's the only place in the area other than pawn shops to buy firearms.
Ebert, a former police officer in Killeen, said the store counts local law enforcement agencies among its customers and said the store has a strong record complying with federal regulations.
Ebert also said he has turned away gun buyers before.
"We've refused to sell to a handful of people based on their mannerisms, their overhaul behavior — left you with the uncomfortable feeling that I'd rather not sell a firearm to this person," Ebert said.
Guns Galore is also where a soldier accused of planning to bomb Fort Hood troops at a restaurant in 2011 bought gunpowder and ammunition. The store later called police about Pfc. Naser Jason Abdo, saying they got a bad feeling about him, and Abdo was arrested the next day.
"I can only control what goes on inside this facility," Ebert said. "Once a person leaves a door, it's beyond me."
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text:
These are entries to a Washington Post competition asking for a rhyme with the most romantic first line, but the least romantic second line:
I thought that I could love no other Until, that is, I met your brother. Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you. But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl's empty, and so is your head. Of loving beauty you float with grace. If only you could hide your face. Kind, intelligent, loving and hot. This describes everything you are not. I want to feel your sweet embrace, But don't take that paper bag off of your face. I love your smile, your face, and your eyes. Damn, I'm good at telling lies! My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife: Marrying you really screwed up my life. I see your face when I am dreaming. That's why I always wake up screaming. My love, you take my breath away. What have you stepped in to smell this way? My feelings for you no words can tell Except for maybe "Oh! Go To Hell." Love may be beautiful, love may be bliss, But I only slept with you, because I was pissed. What inspired this amorous rhyme? Two parts vodka, one part lime.


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Breyan Harris, a lifelong non-smoker who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer, posses at her home in Fair Oaks, Calif., Monday, June 16, 2014. Harris, 33, hopes to enroll in a new cancer drug test that starts Monday in hundred of hospitals around the country. Like a medical version of speed dating, doctors will sort through multiple potential drugs and match patients to the one most likely to succeed based on each person's unique tumor gene profile.(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) By MARILYNN MARCHIONE
The Associated Press A bold new way to test cancer drugs started Monday in hundreds of hospitals around the U.S. In a medical version of speed dating, doctors will sort through multiple experimental drugs and match patients to the one most likely to succeed based on each person's unique tumor gene profile. It's a first-of-a-kind experiment that brings together five drug companies, the government, private foundations and advocacy groups. The idea came from the federal Food and Drug Administration, which has agreed to consider approving new medicines based on results from the study. Its goal is to speed new treatments to market and give seriously ill patients more chances to find something that will help. Instead of being tested for individual genes and trying to qualify for separate clinical trials testing single drugs, patients can enroll in this umbrella study, get full gene testing and have access to many options at once. The study, called Lung-MAP, is for advanced cases of a common, hard-to-treat form of lung cancer — squamous cell. Plans for similar studies for breast and colon cancer are in the works. "For patients, it gives them their best chance for treatment of a deadly disease," because everyone gets some type of therapy, said Ellen Sigal, chairwoman and founder of Friends of Cancer Research, a Washington-based research and advocacy group that helped plan and launch the study. "There's something for everyone, and we'll get answers faster" on whether experimental drugs work, she said. Cancer medicines increasingly target specific gene mutations that are carried by smaller groups of patients. But researchers sometimes have to screen hundreds of patients to find a few with the right mutation, making drug development inefficient, expensive and slow. One of the leaders of the Lung-MAP study — Dr. Roy Herbst, chief of medical oncology at the Yale Cancer Center — said he once screened 100 patients to find five that might be eligible for a study, and ultimately was able to enroll two. "It's just going to be impossible, in rare subgroups, for companies to find enough" people to try out a new medicine, said Dr. Richard Pazdur, cancer drugs chief at the FDA. He and others at the FDA suggested the Lung-MAP trial design to speed new treatments to market and "minimize the number of patients exposed to ineffective therapies," he said. Everyone in the study will be screened for mutations in more than 200 cancer-related genes, rather than a single mutation as in conventional studies. Then they will be assigned to one of five groups based on what these tumor biomarkers show. Each group will test a particular experimental medicine. Drugs can be added or subtracted from the study as it goes on, based on how each performs. The initial round of testing involves Amgen, Genentech, Pfizer, AstraZeneca PLC, and AstraZeneca's global biologics partner, MedImmune. Up to 1,000 patients a year can be enrolled in the study. It will cost about $150 million. The National Cancer Institute is paying $25 million, and the rest will come from foundations, charities and others in the public-private partnership. About 500 hospitals that are part of a large cancer treatment consortium around the country will take part, and some private groups want to join as well, Herbst said. "Nothing like this has ever been done before," where such comprehensive testing will be done to match patients to experimental drugs, he said. Breyan Harris, a 33-year-old nurse from Sacramento, hopes to enroll. She's a lifelong non-smoker who was diagnosed with lung cancer on June 3. "Since then I've pretty much been on the phone, seeing doctors, trying to figure out how do I get rid of this," she said. Harris expects to have one lung with a large tumor removed, "but if it comes back in my other lung I'm in real trouble," so finding a drug to attack any remaining, hidden cancer is crucial, she said. Online: Study sites and info: http://tinyurl.com/ovv4cnl and http://www.Lung-MAP.org Marilynn Marchione can be followed at http://twitter.com/MMarchioneAP Copyright 2014 The Associated Press Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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