Ambiguity leads to uncertainty: ambiguous demands to blood donors

Blood donors must respond to standard control questions and comply to certain demands before donating blood, to exclude possible recent contamination. This study investigates whether donors had adequate knowledge about 'the immunological window period', and whether the standard questionnaire in use was understandable and clear. It was found that nearly 40% of the donors had inadequate knowledge about 'the immunological window period' and that 10-40% of the donors would respond in various ways to different interpretations of the formulations of the questionnaire, indicating that the questionnaire was ambiguous. It was concluded that these factors could increase the risk of donating on wrong conditions. Demands and control questions posed to donors must be void of ambiguous formulations and take proper account of actual human sexual behaviours and life styles. Finally, it is suggested that blood banks must offer practical solutions (such as a 'fake donation') for temporarily rejected donors in order to respect their private integrity.     

Home treatment as an alternative to inpatient admission: characteristics of those treated and factors predicting hospitalization

In response to the NHS Plan, crisis and home treatment teams will be developed across the UK in order to provide intensive home treatment as an alternative to inpatient admission for individuals with severe, acute mental health problems. This study describes aspects of the work of two teams in Hertfordshire. A total of 293 individuals were taken on for intensive home treatment in a 12-month period. A range of social and demographic variables was recorded at the point of initial assessment regarding each individual, as well as two rating scales: the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale and the Scale for Suicide Ideation. Sixty-two individuals (21.1%) required admission to hospital after a median period of home treatment of 11 days. The most frequently recorded reason for admission taking place was 'risk to self' (n = 33, 53.2%). Two variables were identified by logistic regression analysis as being predictive of an increased risk of hospitalization: high suicidal ideation at initial assessment (P < 0.01) and previous hospital admission (P < 0.01). Although statistically significant, these variables were only weakly predictive of whether admission would actually take place.     

Models of standard and intensive outpatient care in substance abuse and psychiatric treatment

Intensive outpatient mental health programs are proliferating rapidly. However, findings suggest that intensive treatment may be no more effective than standard treatment. This study compared standard to intensive outpatient programs, within both the psychiatric and substance abuse systems of care, on organization, staffing, and treatment orientation; clinical management practices; and services. A total of 723 (95% of those eligible) Department of Veterans Affairs programs were surveyed nationwide. Psychiatric intensive programs have responded appropriately to their more severely ill patients in terms of the amount and orientation of care, and having a rehabilitation focus. However, the relative lack of basic psychiatric services in psychiatric intensive programs, and the overall similarity of substance abuse standard and intensive programs, may explain why intensive programs have not yielded patient outcomes that are superior to those of standard programs. Mental health system planners should consider differentiating intensive programs using broader criteria and methods.     

AT1 antagonism by eprosartan lowers heart rate variability and baroreflex gain

INTRODUCTION: Blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) by ACE inhibitors has been demonstrated to reduce total mortality in cardiovascular diseases. This advantage was attributed in part to changes of autonomic cardiovascular control, exemplified by an increase of heart rate variability (HRV) and baroreflex gain (BRG). We sought to assess the effects of the angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptor blocker eprosartan on HRV and BRG. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a double-blind randomized cross-over design 25 young males took eprosartan (600 mg/day) and placebo each for a period of 7 days with a wash-out period of at least 4 weeks in between. At the end of the intake phases simultaneous recordings of arterial blood pressure (AP; Finapres) and electrocardiogram (ECG) were taken. Power spectra of HRV and arterial blood pressure variability (APV) were calculated by fast Fourier transform (FFT) and served to calculate BRG. Ang-II levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Eprosartan tended to lower mean AP, it slightly increased heart rate (HR) (p<0.05), and markedly increased circulating Ang-II levels (p<0.01). Eprosartan diminished the total power of HRV (p<0.05) and the BRG (p<0.01). The low/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio of HRV and the APV were not altered. CONCLUSIONS: AT1 antagonism by eprosartan lowers heart rate variability and baroreflex gain. We speculate that these findings are due to the marked increase in circulating angiotensin II (Ang II). Further studies are needed to clarify whether angiotensin type 1 (AT1) blockers with potential actions inside the blood-brain barrier (BBB) may have different effects on HRV and BRG.     

胡矾口腔膜的质量标准

目的建立胡矾口腔膜的质量标准.方法采用薄层色谱法鉴别胡矾口腔膜中苦参、当归及冰片;用高效液相色谱法测定胡矾口腔膜中胡椒碱含量.结果TLC鉴别方法准确,专属性强;胡椒碱的线性范围为2.5～80μg·ml-1(r=0.9996),平均回收率为98.7%,RSD为1.8%n=5).结论所建立的方法可靠、准确、专属性强,可有效控制胡矾口腔膜的质量.     

生物安全实验室的管理与安全

人为意外事故或违规操作而造成的实验室感染事件，可以通过生物安全知识的掌握、防护技术的加强、安全设备的正确使用和标准的操作规程最大限度地减少，且对于防止大多数实验室感染的发生十分有效。     

慢性汞中毒的临床分析

目的探讨慢性汞中毒的临床特征。方法以首次驱汞后的尿汞测定值代替自然排泄的尿汞值，对2000年1月-2006年12月住院确诊的10例职业性慢性轻度汞中毒患者（中毒组）进行临床分析，并随机选择住院10例汞吸收者作为吸收组，20例非接触汞的后勤人员作为对照组。结果中毒组驱汞治疗后以及第1—4疗程的尿汞含量显著高于吸收组（P〈0．05），而第5疗程之后的尿汞含量虽高于吸收组，但差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。中毒组各种症状发生率与吸收组比较，仅失眠的发生率高于对照组（P〈0．05或P〈0．01），其余症状发生率差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。中毒组IgM含量显著低于吸收组和对照组（P〈0．05）。中毒组肌电图有神经性损害1例，蛋白尿1例。结论慢性轻度汞中毒主要临床特征为尿汞含量增高、神经衰弱综合征、口腔疾病和手指震颤。汞中毒的诊断标准中的轻度中毒诊断指标，应列入肌电图神经性损害和蛋白尿的肾损害。     

Health claims for food made in Australian magazine advertisements

Aim: The aim was to describe the level of health claims being used in magazine advertisements, the categories of foods carrying health claims, and the types of benefits being claimed for particular foods or food ingredients. Data were compared with similar studies of food labels and Internet sites to reflect the impact of rule governance of the different media and highlight implications for the current proposed changes in food standards legislation. Methods: From January to June 2005, a survey of all print advertisements for food in Australia's 30 top‐selling magazines was undertaken. The results were compared with those from a 1996 survey of health claims in Australian magazines and more recent surveys of claims for food on product labels and on Internet sites. Results: The survey found that 29.5% of 390 advertisements for food carried a health claim. Many of the claims were high‐level claims (29%) or therapeutic claims (8%), which are not permitted by current food standards. The most common benefits being promoted related to cardiovascular disease, energy, cancer and weight control, and most claims referred to the effect of the whole food, rather than specific ingredients. Results were similar to previous studies of food labels and Internet sites. Conclusion: Health claims are being used widely in the print advertising of food products in Australia. Moreover, the presence of high‐level and therapeutic claims in this media bears significant implications for the implementation of rules governing health claims on foods across the different media.     

构建以电子健康档案为核心的全民健康信息化保障体系

目的构建以电子健康档案为核心的全民健康信息化保障体表。方法1）以生命周期为主钱，构建关键健康事件核心数据结构，进行数据建模，以XSD方式实现；2）构建地市一级健康档案数据中心；3）利用Webservice等技术，实现相关健康事件数据自动上传至数据中心并整合；4）基于数据中心的相关诊疗规范的制定。结果1）地市一级的健康档案数据中心的数据结构及存储模型的实现。2）实现数据自动整合与自然积累的架构体系。结论依托信息技术，实现以健康档案为核心、以生命周期为主线、以数据中心为载体、以地市一级为单位的全民健康信息化保障体系。在此基础上追行诊疗规范等的制定，提高全民健康保障水平。