Xeromammographic automatic exposure termination

A method of automatic exposure termination (AET) for xeromammography has been devised, significantly reducing the rate of repeat exposures due to poor choice of manual exposure factors. AET images are of good quality and are reliably produced. The concept of AET is based on the existence of an optimal transmitted exposure to the selenium plate, which is easily determined experimentally. In routine clinical xeromammography, a repeat rate of 20% was eliminated by the use of AET.     

Admission hyperglycemia as a prognostic indicator in trauma

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the utility of two levels of hyperglycemia as predictors for mortality and infectious morbidity in traumatically injured patients. METHODS: All patients >or= 17 years old presenting to a Level I trauma center as a "trauma alert" or a "trauma code" from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2000, were reviewed. Hypoglycemic patients (glucose concentration < 70 mg/dL) were excluded (n = 4). Patients were considered hyperglycemic with an admission glucose concentration > 200 mg/dL (moderate hyperglycemia) or an admission glucose concentration in the upper quartile for the group (mild hyperglycemia [glucose concentration > 135 mg/dL]). RESULTS: Seven hundred thirty-eight patients were included in the study. Hyperglycemia was associated with increased mortality among both patients with moderate hyperglycemia (34.1% vs. 3.7%, p < 0.01) and those with mild hyperglycemia (15.5% vs. 2%, p < 0.01) compared with corresponding normoglycemic groups. Hyperglycemia proved to be an independent predictor of mortality and of hospital and intensive care unit length of stay after multiple logistic regression while controlling for age, Injury Severity Score, Revised Trauma Score, and gender. Infectious complications, including pneumonia (9.4% vs. 2%, p = 0.001), urinary tract infections (6.6% vs. 1.4%, p = 0.001), wound infections (4.9% vs. 0.6%, p = 0.039), and bacteremia (5% vs. 1.1%, p = 0.004), were significantly increased in patients with elevated glucose concentrations. Hyperglycemia is an independent predictor of increased infectious morbidity controlling for age, gender, and Injury Severity Score in multiple logistic regression models. CONCLUSION: Hyperglycemia independently predicts increased intensive care unit and hospital length of stay and mortality in the trauma population. It is associated with increased infectious morbidity. These associations hold true for mild hyperglycemia (glucose concentration > 135 mg/dL) and moderate hyperglycemia (glucose concentration > 200 mg/dL).     

Decision support in psychiatry – a comparison between the diagnostic outcomes using a computerized decision support system versus manual diagnosis

Background  

Correct diagnosis in psychiatry may be improved by novel diagnostic procedures. Computerized Decision Support Systems (CDSS) are suggested to be able to improve diagnostic procedures, but some studies indicate possible problems. Therefore, it could be important to investigate CDSS systems with regard to their feasibility to improve diagnostic procedures as well as to save time.     

Does the amniotic fluid protein absorption contribute significantly to the fetal weight?

Objective : This study was carried out to evaluate the significance of amniotic fluid protein ingestion and absorption on fetal growth.
Methodology : Neonates with small bowel atresia during a 30 year period were studied retrospectively.
Results : There were 56 patients enlisted, 17 with duodenal atresia, 18 with jejunal atresia and 21 with ileal atresia. The percentage of mothers with polyhydramnios and the percentage of premature babies decreases as the intestinal atresia becomes more distal. The mean gestational age and the mean birthweight increase as the intestinal atresia becomes more distal. On the other hand, the percentage of the neonates with birthweight below the 50th and the 10th percentiles do not differ significantly as the intestinal atresia becomes more distal.
Conclusions : It appears that the variation of birthweights in babies with different levels of small bowel atresia may be due to the difference in gestation caused by polyhydramnios. The effect of amniotic fluid protein absorption on fetal bodyweight could not be demonstrated clinically in this study.