Financing the U.S. Health System: Issues and Options for Change

Explores key issues of health reform and options for financing health care -- redirecting funds to more effective uses, rolling back tax cuts, modifying tax exclusions for health benefits, an employer play-or-pay model, and a value-added tax

Excretion of lysine by Micrococcus glutamicus

Analysis of intracellular and extracellular lysine concentration during lysine fermentation by Micrococcus glutamicus AEC RN-13-6/1 indicated that lysine excretion occurs against a concentration gradient towards the end of the fermentation period. The capacity to excrete lysine against a concentration gradient may be a factor contributing to the high yield of lysine

Removal of hexavalent chromium Cr (VI) using activated carbon prepared from mango kernel activated with H3PO4

The present work reported the adsorption of Cr (VI) from aqueous solutions on activated carbon prepared from mango kernel, a seasonal waste from mango fruits. Kernels from dried mango fruit shells were taken out and pulverized in a micro-pulverizing mill. The powder thus obtained was activated with 40% H3PO4 and carbonized at 600 °C for 1 hour in an inert atmosphere. Physico-chemical characteristics such as elemental composition, surface area, functional groups and surface morphology of the activated carbon were analyzed using elemental analyzer, BET surface area analyzer, FTIR spectroscopy and SEM analysis respectively. Batch adsorption experiments were performed to investigate the effects of Cr (VI) concentration, carbon dose, pH, rate of agitation, time and temperature. The maximum adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) was found to be 7.8 mg g−1 at pH 2 and temperature 35 °C. The Langmuir adsorption isotherm best represented the equilibrium data and a pseudo-second order relation represented the adsorption kinetics

Accidental Corrosive Acid Intoxication - a Case Report

Background: Acute poisonings with corrosive substances cause serious chemical injuries to upper gastrointestinal tract, the most common site being the oesophagus and the stomach. The degree and extent of damage depends on several factors like the type of substance, the morphologic form of the agent, the quantity, and the intent. In the acute stage, perforation and necrosis may occur.  Injury to UGI tract due to ingestion of acidic corrosive substances is common in India. Acute corrosive intoxications constitute a major problem in clinical toxicology since the most commonly affected population are the young with psychic disorders, suicidal intent and alcohol addiction.Case Report: We report a fatal case of accidental corrosive acid ingestion with a brief review of literature.Conclusion: Ingestion of a corrosive substance can produce severe injury to the gastrointestinal tract and can even result in death. Stringent legislation is necessary in developing countries to curtail unrestricted access of adults to dangerous corrosive chemicals

Purification and properties of diaminopimelate decarboxylase of Micrococcus glutamicus

Diaminopimelate decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.20) of Micrococcus glutamicus ATCC 13059 was purified to homogeneity. The enzyme had an apparent molecular weight of 191,000 as determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200. At protein concentrations of 20 and 10 μg per ml and in the absence of pyridoxal-5'-phosphate, it dissociated into a species of molecular weight 94,000. The polypeptide chain molecular weight as determined by sodium dodecyl sulphate Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was 100,000. The Km formeso diaminopimelate was 0.5 mM and that for pyridoxal-5'-phosphate was 0.6 μM. Sulphydryl groups and pyridoxal-5'-phosphate were essential for activity and stability. The enzyme was inhibited significantly by L-lysine and DL-aspartic β-semialdehyde

Significance of prescription elements and determination of prescription errors in psychiatry outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital

Background: Prescription is a paper or electronic document issued by licensed medical practitioner detailing the medicine or medicines to be dispensed for an individually named patient. Psychopharmacology is a rapidly growing field and psychiatrists are exposed to lots of newly introduced drugs. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine the Errors in elements of Prescription in Psychiatry Outpatient Department.Methods: A cross sectional descriptive, non-interventional study in OPD of Psychiatry Department for 12weeks, 300 prescriptions was analyzed.Results: Superscription transcription and subscription was included in almost all the prescriptions. In 244 (81.33%) signature was present. Registration number was written in 177 (59.0%) prescriptions. Only 56 (18.70%) prescriptions were written in generic name and 49 (16.34%) in capital letter. The dose was written in 241 (80.34%) of the total prescription. The frequency was written for all the drugs in 273 (91.0%) and some drugs in 46 (15.34%) and none of the drugs in 13 (4.33%) of the total prescriptions. Instructions for use was written for all the drugs in 216 (72.0%) and some drugs in 39 (13.0%) and none of the drugs in 45 (15.0%) of the total prescription. Total quantity to be dispensed was written for all the drugs in 284 (94.66%) and some drugs in 9 (3.0%) and none of the drugs in 7 (2.33%) of the total prescription. Polypharmacy was observed only in a quartile of the total prescriptions.Conclusions: The results of the present study show varied compliance to different elements of prescription writing. Low level of generic prescription observed in this study is a matter of concern. Increased generic prescribing will reduce the cost of medications and promote medication adherence

Platelet indices and their correlation with HbA1c and association with microvascular complications in type-2 diabetes mellitus

Background: Depending on the aetiology of the DM, factors contributing to hyperglycaemia include reduced insulin secretion, decreased glucose utilization, and increased glucose production. Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) are important, simple, effortless, and cost-effective tools measured by hematology analyser which assess the volume and function of platelets. Analysing the platelet parameters can act as an alarm for progression of complications of DM. Hence, we studied the platelet parameters in diabetic patients with good and poor glycaemic control and their association in microvascular complications. Methods: This study was conducted on 100 patients having diabetes mellitus. All the patients were subjected to detailed history regarding age, sex, occupation, socioeconomic status, GPE and systemic examination. Results: Out of 100 cases, 29 patients had a good glycemic control (HbA1c<7%) and 71 had poor glycemic control (HbA1c>7%). Mean FBS was 118.59±19.36 mg/dl in good control group and 158.79±29.21 mg/dl in poor control (p<0.001). Mean PPBS was 159.86±37.78 mg/dl in good control group and 235.80±53.28 mg/dl in poor control group (p<0.001). Good glycemic control group had mean MPV of 7.89±0.63 fl and poor glycemic control group had mean MPV 10.06 fl (p<0.001). Mean PDW was 12.32±1.94 in good control group and 13.81±2.25 in poor control group. Conclusions: Our study indicates that MPV and PDW are increased in diabetic patients, more so in patients with microvascular complications than in those without complications. Hence, they can be used as markers in predicting the microvascular complications in diabetes mellitus.

Aspartokinase of a lysine producing mutant of Micrococcus glutamicus

Aspartokinase from Micrococcus glutamicus AEC RN-13-6/1 [a homoserine requiring, S-(2-aminoethyl)-L-cysteine resistant, lysine producing strain] was purified 71 fold. The partially purified enzyme was inhibited by L-lysine. L-threonine, L-methionine, L-isoleucine, L-valine and L-phenylalanine activated the enzyme and reversed the inhibition by L-lysine. Aspartokinase activity was not derepressed by growth-limiting concentrations of L-threonine and/or L-methionine. It was not repressed by an excess of L-lysine (20 mM) and/or L-isoleucine (15.3 mM). The degree of activation or inhibition by amino acids was dependant on the composition of the growth medium. This observation is in contrast with the enzyme from the original (non-lysine-producing) strain which was inhibited by lysine or threonine and in a concerted manner by threonine plus lysine

Response of bio-regulators to yield and quality of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czernj. and Cosson) under different irrigation environments

A field study was conducted during rabi seasons of 2008 and 2009 to evaluated of productivity of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) by foliar spray of bio-regulators under different irrigation environments. Amongst treatments, the application of sufficient irrigation water (four irrigations) recorded the highest number siliqua per plant, higher number of seeds per siliqua, 1000 seed weight and yields as compared to all other irrigation treatments. Results show that an increased in seed yield of 92.40 and 39.37 % under sufficient irrigation and limitedwater condition in 2008 and 93.34% and 40.31% in 2009, respectively over deficient irrigation conditions, foliar sprays of 100 ppm thioglycollic acid at initiation of branching were recorded highest yield attributes and yields. Similarly, 500 ppm of thiourea at initiation of branching and flowering stages also gave second best highest yield attributes and yields as compared to all other bio-regulators spray stages. However, bio-regulators sprays were not recorded any significant effect on oil and protein content. The results were concluded that economic feasibility to improve productivity of Indian mustard with four irrigations levels and sprays of 100 ppm thioglycollic acid and 500 ppm of thiourea at initiation of branching and flowering stages under hyper arid environment