1996 outlook: systems, for-profit chains, medical groups, religious healthcare, managed care, post-acute care, finance, purchasing, info systems, labor, legal, construction

It's put-up-or-shut-up time for healthcare providers in 1996. Two years ago, everyone talked about fixing the healthcare system. Not much happened. Last year, providers and politicians concentrated on squeezing medical costs. According to some of Modern Healthcare's key beat reports, this year it's back to the basics of running a business.     

机体代谢变化与晕船的关系

目的　探讨晕船对血清铁、铜、锌、尿素氮、肌酐、乳酸脱氢酶、肌酸激酶的影响。方法　以 3 0名 2 0～ 2 2岁男学员为研究对象 ,测定出航前与晕船发生后的血清铁、铜、锌和尿素氮、肌酐、乳酸脱氢酶、肌酸激酶的变化。结果　出航前、后受试者血清锌、铁、尿素氮、肌酐的含量分别为 (10 60± 0 3 3 ) μmol/L ,(2 0 48± 0 96) μmol/L ,(4 2 9±0 18)mmol/L ,(88 13± 3 0 3 ) μmol/L和 (11 98± 0 44 ) μmol/L ,(9 68± 0 66) μmol/L ,(7 11± 0 3 0 )mmol/L ,(10 8 5 9± 3 90 ) μmol/L ,差异有显著性 (P <0 0 1) ;血清铜、乳酸脱氢酶、肌酸激酶在航行前后分别为 (14 2 9± 1 10 ) μmol/L、(12 9 3 3± 4 12 )U/L、(2 17 13± 40 0 4)U/L和 (13 67± 0 5 6) μmol/L、(146 63± 9 2 2 )U/L、(148 0 7± 9 94)U/L ,无显著性差异。结论　晕船对血清微量元素和尿素氮、肌酐含量有显著影响 ,表现为血清锌、尿素氮、肌酐显著升高 ,血清铁显著下降 ,而对血清铜、乳酸脱氢酶、肌酸激酶无明显影响     

Vitamin C—Sources,Physiological Role,Kinetics, Deficiency,Use, Toxicity,and Determination

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) has been known as an antioxidant for most people. However, its physiological role is much larger and encompasses very different processes ranging from facilitation of iron absorption through involvement in hormones and carnitine synthesis for important roles in epigenetic processes. Contrarily, high doses act as a pro-oxidant than an anti-oxidant. This may also be the reason why plasma levels are meticulously regulated on the level of absorption and excretion in the kidney. Interestingly, most cells contain vitamin C in millimolar concentrations, which is much higher than its plasma concentrations, and compared to other vitamins. The role of vitamin C is well demonstrated by miscellaneous symptoms of its absence—scurvy. The only clinically well-documented indication for vitamin C is scurvy. The effects of vitamin C administration on cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and infections are rather minor or even debatable in the general population. Vitamin C is relatively safe, but caution should be given to the administration of high doses, which can cause overt side effects in some susceptible patients (e.g., oxalate renal stones). Lastly, analytical methods for its determination with advantages and pitfalls are also discussed in this review.     

International standards and international reference preparations: amphotericin B, vancomycin, capreomycin, cefalotin, demethylchlortetracycline, gentamycin, gramicidin S, kanamycin and kanamycin B, lincomycin, lymecycline, methacycline, paromomycin, rifamycin SV, ristocetin and ristocetin B, spiramycin, and triacetyloleandomycin

Each of the preparations described here was obtained and evaluated at the request of a WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardization. Unless otherwise stated, a standard procedure was used to distribute the material into individual ampoules. The procedure was as follows. Upon receipt by the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), London, materials were stored temporarily in the dark at a temperature of -10°C or lower, and protected from moisture. At a convenient time they were brought back to room temperature, mixed, and distributed into individual neutral glass ampoules so that each ampoule contained 50-100 mg of powder. If it was known that the material was light-sensitive non-actinic glass ampoules were used. After exhaustive drying in vacuum over phosphorus(V) oxide, the ampoules were either constricted (up to 1963) or fitted with capillary leak plugs, dried for a further period under the same conditions, filled with dry nitrogen, and sealed by fusion of the glass. The total drying period varied from 8 to 38 days according to the nature of the material. After they had been tested for leaks, the ampoules were stored in the dark at -20°C.     

高血压患者血清锌、铜、钙、钴、镉、镁、镍、铬、钛的测定

本文应用直流等离子体原子发射光电直读光谱仪测定了60例正常人,45例高血压患者血清锌、铜、钙、钴、镉、镁、镍、铬、钛含量。结果表明,正常人血清锌19.70±3.75μmol/L(1.2876±0.2457μg/ml),铜17.23±3.48μmol/L(1.0945±0.2213μg/ml),钙2211.09±430.72μmol/L(104.6523±17.2634μg/ml),钴2.87±1.05μmol/L(0.3694±0.0616μg/ml),锅0.44±0.27μmol/L(0.0491±0.0300μg/ml),镁783.71±294.29μmol/L(19.0520±7.1543μg/ml),镍0.42±0.27μmol/L(0.0252±0.0156μg/ml),铬0.28±0.24μmol/L(0.0148±0.0123μg/ml),钛0.82±0.50μmol/L(0.0391±0.0243μg/ml),与文献报道值类似。高血压患者血清锌16.45±2.85μmol/L(1.0754±0.1863μg/ml),钙2308.32±276.29μmol/L(92.5175±11.0738μg/ml),钴2.23±0.62μmol/L(0.1316±0.0368μg/ml)和钛0.61±0.31μmol/L(0.0292±0.0147μg/ml),均低于正常对照组(分别为p<0.001,p<0.05)。镉0.85±0.40μmol/L(0.0951±0.0452μg/ml),镁1022.20±399.91μmol/L (24.8497±9.721 8μg/ml)和镉/锌比值高于正常对照组(P<0.001)。而铜17.58±3.11μmol/L(1.1169±0.1973μg/ml),镍0.39±0.01μmol/L(0.0231±0.0045μg/ml),铬0.31±0.12μmol/L(0.0163±0.0     

Arsenic,cadmium, cobalt,copper, lead,mercury, molybdenum,selenium and zinc concentrations in liver,kidney and muscle in Australian sheep

Matched muscle, liver and kidney samples from 152 sheep in different states of Australia were analysed for trace elements. Mean levels found in muscle, livers and kidneys were 0.010, 0.010 and 0.011 mg kg⁻¹ (fresh weight) for arsenic; 0.0035, 0.280 and 0.853 mg kg⁻¹ for cadmium; 0.006, 0.060 and 0.044 mg kg⁻¹ for cobalt; 0.74, 66.0 and 2.72 mg kg⁻¹ for copper; 0.007, 0.040 and 0.057 mg kg⁻¹ for lead; 0.0025, 0.0034 and 0.0061 mg kg⁻¹ for mercury; 0.014, 1.05 and 0.44 mg kg⁻¹ for molybdenum; 0.09, 0.31 and 0.95 mg kg⁻¹ for selenium; and 40.4, 37.2 and 20.8 mg kg⁻¹ for zinc. The lead, mercury and arsenic concentrations in meat and organs may be regarded as low, but the concentrations of cadmium in kidney and livers are sometimes relatively high. Apart from cadmium, lead and selenium, tissue trace element concentrations were not related to the age of the investigated animals. Differences in essential and non-essential trace element accumulation in sheep reared in different regions (states and territories) of Australia were also evaluated. Cadmium, lead and selenium were the only elements that appeared to show significant regional differences. Overall the results show that concentrations of the elements considered are within current acceptable ranges.