Teaching psychiatric ethics

In the last decade, we have witnessed a burgeoning of interest in ethical issues amongst psychiatrists. Teaching of the subject, however, remains at a rudimentary stage. Various approaches to such instruction are available, particularly modelling (students observe their experienced counterpart), the case method (examining specific clinical situations which involve a need for ethical decision-making), and the seminar approach (trainees are exposed to a core body of knowledge, mainly theoretical in nature). Faced with these different teaching models, the University of Oxford Department of Psychiatry has opted for a blend of all three approaches, which incorporates two goals: an increase in the trainees' sensitivity to the many intricate moral dilemmas facing the psychiatric profession; and their familiarity with salient concepts in moral philosophy which constitute a basis for ethical reasoning and which have a bearing on clinical practice. The teaching programme comprises the following: a pair of trainees prepares a presentation on an aspect of psychiatric ethics under the supervision of a senior psychiatrist. A moral philosopher assumes the role of discussant of the ethical problems raised by the trainees; this is followed by a general discussion. Topics have included involuntary hospitalization, dual loyalty, suicide, psychiatric diagnosis, and ethical issues in various spheres of psychiatric practice such as sex therapy, psychotherapy and child psychiatry. The approach has worked effectively and proved rewarding to all participants involved.     

Gestion des risques et choix de maintenance à l'hôpitalRisks management and maintenance choices at the hospital

Regulations evolve and risks management becomes one of the biomedical engineers' preoccupations. Thus, risks are various, and consequently it is difficult to identify, to manage and to bring them under control. Furthermore, regulations exist for sectors like healthcare technology monitoring, but it is not the same thing for instance for the risks linked to the maintenance. Thus regulation in the sector of maintenance evolves and the decree of the 1^st July law of health safety is going to modify the biomedical environment. The goal of this work is to study the tools and the methods of risks management that have been used for several years in the industrial field and to use them for some biomedical equipment like monitors or IV pumps. These methods adapted to these equipment will allow us to determine some appropriate rules of maintenance.     

Cytochrome P-45011 beta in rat brain

The presence of cytochrome P-45011 beta in rat brain was studied by immunohistochemistry using polyclonal rabbit antibodies raised against purified bovine adrenocortical P-45011 beta, which is involved in the steroid 11 beta-hydroxylation and glucocorticoid formation. The results showed that cytochrome P-45011 beta immunoreactivity is selectively localized to the tracts of myelinated fibers throughout the brain. The specificity of immunohistochemical stainings with P-45011 beta antibodies was established by control tests including nonimmune rabbit immunoglobulin Gs and P-45011 beta antibodies absorbed with purified antigen. Western immunoblots of homogenates from different brain areas with P-45011 beta antibodies, together with biochemical enzymatic assays for cytochrome P-45011 beta monooxygenase activity in these homogenates, confirmed the selective localization of this enzyme observed with immunohistochemistry. Cytochrome P-45011 beta and 11 beta-hydroxylase activity were detected in a homogenate from the cortical white matter (brain area rich in myelinated fibers) as in that from the rat adrenal, but were not detectable in a homogenate from the cerebral cortex (brain area poor in myelinated fibers). Furthermore, quantitation of the P-45011 beta bands on the immunoblots by the areal density revealed that the cortical white matter contains approximately 1.4 pmol of cytochrome P-45011 beta/mg of tissue protein, the value of which was about one sixth of the corresponding value estimated in the rat adrenal. This relatively high content of cytochrome P-45011 beta was also reflected in a relatively high level of 11 beta-hydroxylase activity measured in a homogenate of this brain area by biochemical enzymatic assays using [4-14C]-11-deoxycorticosterone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A follow‐up study of electromagnetic interference of cellular phones on electronic medical equipment in the emergency department

Objective: Considering the growing use of cellular phones and the fast appearance of new phone models, the electromagnetic interference of currently popular cellular phones on electronic medical equipment was tested. Methods: Three Personal Communication System cellular phones were put at different distances from multiple electronic medical devices, the interference effect was observed and the electromagnetic field strength measured with a spectrum analyser. Results: Only two small pieces of equipment, the CO₂ airway adapter and the haemoglucostix meter were affected and then only when the phone was in very close proximity. Conclusion: Compared to the results of our study in 1997 testing Global System for Mobile Communication phones, the Personal Communication System phones generated less electromagnetic interference. However a much larger scaled study and an accurate international electromagnetic interference standard are recommended before any change in the current restrictive hospital policy on mobile phone usage could be recommended.     

以军事斗争卫勤准备为牵引 努力提高海上医疗救护能力

作者总结了医院开展海上卫勤战备训练的做法，在针对海上医疗救护的使命任务不断增强做好卫勤准备的责任感，紧扣海上医疗救护平台的特殊要求努力提高医院船医疗队救治能力，突破海上医疗救护技术的瓶颈制约积极开展海战伤救治技术及应用研究等方面，取得了明显效果。     

Developing a model for clinical and basic science teaching skills

This report describes a model for identifying sets of teaching abilities considered to be effective for medical school teaching staff, based on roles teachers assume and functions they are expected to perform as instructors. The specification of these teaching abilities was the first step in the development of a comprehensive course on Medical Instruction at the Basic Institute of Medical and Agricultural Biology of the State University of Sao Paulo, Botucatu, Brazil, where the senior author is employed. The work was based on the assumption that medical school teachers are expected to assume a variety of teaching roles and that identification and specification of the abilities that define their roles can result in more effective and efficient teaching.     

Active production of anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) IgM antibody in HTLV-I-associated myelopathy

We investigated the presence of anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) IgM in sera and cerebrospinal fluid from patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM) by Western blot analysis. Analyses of 36 serum samples revealed that most patients (31/36; 86.1%) had anti-HTLV-I IgM, whereas only four of 23 (17.4%) HTLV-I carriers had it. In studies of cerebrospinal fluid, anti-HTLV-I IgM was detected in 24 of 36 (66.7%) HAM patients, whereas none was detected in nine HTLV-I carriers. The differences were statistically significant (p less than 0.01). These results suggest that persistent active replication of HTLV-I occurs in the central nervous system as well as in the peripheral blood of HAM patients, and may contribute to the development of HAM.     

重视医学信用伦理的研究与开发

医疗行业市场化是必然趋势。在医疗行业市场化进程中，医学伦理道德除了道德价值之外，还含有积极的经济内涵。医学伦理道德也是重要的医疗资源，通过参与医疗市场资源的配制和运作，也可以产生经济效益，转化为医疗资本。医疗行业要重视医学伦理道德资源的开发。信用伦理是在市场经济条件下形成的，这是医学伦理学所面临的新课题。笔者认为，不说谎、不期诈，兑现承诺，保证医疗质量，发扬医学人道主义，是医学信用伦理的四项基本标准。     

基于医疗伦理观的医疗质量成本计量与决策分析

医疗质量成本是建立在医疗伦理基础上的决策过程中或医疗服务决策时所必须考虑的一个重要因素。基于医疗伦理观的医疗信誉成本的正确计量及决策分析是医疗卫生机构提升医疗服务价值的关键所在。     

从产业组织学角度看中国医疗广告

随着医疗卫生体制改革的全面推行,医疗行业竞争日趋激烈,众多医院采取不同的策略组合以提高其核心竞争力,而广告正是其主要的营销策略之一.本文在对医疗广告特性、类别、作用进行分析的基础上,从产业组织学角度阐述了医疗广告与医疗市场结构、市场效益的关系,提出了中国医疗广告的发展趋势.