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.     

Spatial,Ecologic, and Clinical Epidemiology of Community-Onset,Ceftriaxone-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae,Cook County,Illinois, USA

We performed a spatial and mixed ecologic study of community-onset Enterobacteriaceae isolates collected from a public healthcare system in Cook County, Illinois, USA. Individual-level data were collected from the electronic medical record and census tract–level data from the US Census Bureau. Associations between individual- and population-level characteristics and presence of ceftriaxone resistance were determined by logistic regression analysis. Spatial analysis confirmed nonrandom distribution of ceftriaxone resistance across census tracts, which was associated with higher percentages of Hispanic, foreign-born, and uninsured residents. Individual-level analysis showed that ceftriaxone resistance was associated with male sex, an age range of 35–85 years, race or ethnicity other than non-Hispanic Black, inpatient encounter, and percentage of foreign-born residents in the census tract of isolate provenance. Our findings suggest that the likelihood of community-onset ceftriaxone resistance in Enterobacteriaceae is influenced by geographic and population-level variables. The development of effective mitigation strategies might depend on better accounting for these factors.     

Human rabies--California, Georgia, Minnesota, New York, and Wisconsin, 2000

On September 20, October 9, 10, 25, and November 1, 2000, persons who resided in California, New York, Georgia, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, respectively, died of rabies. This report summarizes the case investigations.     

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.