Mindestmengen

BACKGROUND: Consequences of the volume outcome relationship are controversial. Objectification based on data analysis is strongly needed. The aim of this publication was to analyse the effects of volume outcome reallocations based on German inpatient data. METHOD: The analysis based on inpatient data of the Krankenhauszweckverband Koeln, Bonn und Region (Hospital Association of the Cologne and Bonn Region) of 2002 and 2005. Relevant data sets were identified according to the effects of current German regulations on volume outcome on the special fields liver transplant, kidney transplant, complex pancreatic surgery, and complex oesophageal surgery. RESULTS: The effects of current German regulations on volume outcome results differed greatly between the four surgical specialities. There were fewer effects on kidney transplant, but due to an already very high level of centralisation 34% (oesophagus) and 8% (pancreas) of the hospitals stopped related surgery. This affected 8.9% (oesophagus) and 2.2% (pancreas) of related cases. CONCLUSION: Concentration and the formation of specialised medical centres are results of the implementation of volume outcome relationships. The quality of medical treatment does not automatically improve from this development. It is necessary to analyse any correlation between quality and frequency of treatment or other criteria such as know-how, structure and process management, and multidisciplinarity.     

Pneumothorax and other lung diseases: effect of altered resolution and edge enhancement on diagnosis with digitized radiographs

Prior studies have shown that pneumothorax is one of the more difficult entities to diagnose with digitized radiography. This study was designed to test whether increasing resolution from 1.25 to 2.5 line pairs per millimeter (lp/mm) and image processing (edge enhancement from unsharp masking) would increase accuracy and confidence in the diagnosis of pneumothorax, as well as normal cases and other forms of lung disease. Conventional radiographs were digitized with use of a laser reader and then reformatted as film hard copy. Eleven observers read 35 cases reformatted in three different ways (1.25 lp/mm, 2.5 lp/mm, 1.25 lp/mm unsharp mask). The images with finer resolution (2.5 lp/mm) and unsharp mask images were superior to those with coarser resolution (1.25 lp/mm) for the diagnosis of pneumothorax. There was no difference in diagnostic accuracy for normal patients. For abnormalities other than pneumothorax, the unsharp mask images were significantly worse. Confidence in the diagnosis of pneumothorax and other abnormalities was highest with the finest resolution (2.5 lp/mm).     

High-affinity antagonists of the locust neuronal octopamine receptor

The pharmacological antagonistic properties of the invertebrate specific octopamine receptor were investigated using a conventional radio-receptor assay with [3H]octopamine as the radioligand. Among the antagonists with highest affinity of the locust (Locusta migratoria L.) neuronal octopamine receptor were tetracyclic substances like mianserin (K1 = 1.2 nM), some of its derivatives (8-hydroxymianserin; K1 = 1.68 nM), and maroxepine, which is the antagonist with the highest affinity ever reported (K1 = 1.02 nM) to this octopamine receptor class. Among the other antagonists tested only phentolamine (K1 = 19 nM) and promethazine (K1 = 31.2 nM) had high-affinity properties.     

导数光谱系数倍率法测定多组分体系感冒清胶囊中盐酸吗啉胍的含量

This paper provides a basic principle and experimental technique of derivative signal multiplier spectrophotometry in multicomponent mixture. A microcomputer was used to process the spectral data measured on a manual spectrophotometer (UV-7520) for the determination of moroxydine hydrochloride in Gan Mao Qing capsules. Quantitative analysis of multicomponent mixture can be done without sample separation. The selection of optimal wavelength pairs is performed through the program with a computer. The method needs no special spectrophotometer and is simple, rapid and easy to operate. The mean recovery was 99.98 +/- 0.53% (n = 12).     

Application of reflectance spectroscopy to the estimation of uric acid, urea and glucose: an evaluation of the Ames Seralyzer

An original approach to the measurement of analytes in clinical chemistry has now become available, in which dry reagent strip technology is linked to measurement by reflectance spectroscopy. The present studies have evaluated the performance of the first of these test systems—for uric acid, urea and glucose, in serum—by comparison with conventional liquid chemistry methods. Satisfactory performance in terms of both precision and accuracy was obtained for all three test systems, the current “state-of-the-art” performance criteria being met; the Seralyzer system proved reliable and easy to use in the hands of trained operators. It should find a place as a “Stat” analyser in the laboratory, in specified wards and in Health Centres.