[A quantitative analysis of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in renal adenocarcinoma]

A quantitative analysis of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) in renal adenocarcinoma is proposed. The NORs have been evaluated on paraffin sections by a silver staining methods. A series of 19 renal adenocarcinoma is tested. A significant statistical difference (P less than 0.001) is found between normal and neoplastic tubules and between different stages of neoplasia. The authors suggest that this method if supported by authors date, may be a new prognostic index.

Personnel time and preparation costs for compounded versus premixed intravenous admixtures in three community hospitals

Personnel time requirements and costs associated with the ordering, preparation, and administration of manually compounded versus premixed i.v. admixtures were determined at three for-profit community hospitals. The three hospitals, all owned by one corporation, ranged in size from 160 to 239 beds. At each hospital, pharmacists or technicians manually compounded admixtures in glass bottles or plastic bags. Work flow descriptions of the activities involved in the preparation and administration of admixtures were created, and time-motion and work-sampling techniques were used to observe three to five pharmacists or technicians in each hospital over a seven-day period. Drug waste also was monitored. At the conclusion of the baseline study, each hospital switched to the premixed products that they had chosen to evaluate; admixtures of cefazolin sodium, cefoxitin sodium, gentamicin sulfate, and potassium chloride were available. After a two-week acclimation period, the seven-day study was repeated. Average total labor time ranged from 5.6 to 9.1 minutes per compounded admixture to 4.1 to 7.7 minutes per premixed admixture. The percentage of total labor time devoted to compounding, delivering, stocking, and other physical handling of materials decreased by 64% for admixtures of gentamicin or potassium chloride and by 67% for admixtures of cefazolin or cefoxitin. The average reduction in annual costs for accessories, labor time, wasted drugs, and inventory at each hospital was +15,000. Additional savings were realized from overall lower acquisition costs for the premixed products at the study hospitals. The use of premixed i.v. admixtures reduced preparation time and labor and material costs in three small- and medium-sized community hospitals.

Saliva calcium and potassium concentrations in the detection of digitalis toxicity

Stimulated whole saliva was collected from 118 subjects: 36 were not receiving digitalis; 40 received digitalis but were nontoxic; 14 were digitalis-toxic; 24 had impaired renal function; and four subjects were followed during the administration of digitalis. Saliva calcium and potassium products in the digitalis-toxic group were significantly higher than in the nontoxic group. Subjects with impaired renal function had a significantly higher saliva calcium and potassium product than those with normal renal function. The subjects followed during the administration of digoxin showed an apparent correlation between electrocardiogram changes and an elevated saliva calcium and potassium product. This study has demonstrated that a whole-saliva calcium and potassium product over 300 in subjects on digoxin with normal renal function correlates with a diagnosis of digitalis toxicity.