ABSTRACT
Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins are secondary metabolites of the toxic species of phytoplankton. The consumption of shellfish accumulating these toxins can cause neurological symptoms and even death. Within the framework of the surveillance program of seafood safety along the Moroccan littoral environment established by National Institute of Fisheries Research (INRH), a study of PST was conducted from 2004 to 2016 in south Moroccan’s shellfish, mussels from south Agadir region and Razor Shell from Dakhla bay. The surveillance was carried out bi-monthly or weekly using the AOAC official method of analysis (AOAC 959.08) mouse bioassay (MBA). In parallel, monitoring of toxic phytoplankton in water was conducted. With the aim to determine the shellfish toxin profile, ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography with post-column derivatisation and fluorescence detection (HPLC-FD) was performed. The Receptor Binding Assay (RBA) also was used for determination of total toxicity of PSP toxins in Agadir’s mussels.In both regions, the analysis of seawater revealed the presence of the toxic algae Alexandrium spp during toxics events. Along the coast of Agadir, PSP toxins in shellfish were associated with the presence of Alexandrium cf. minutum in seawater. These toxic events were widely distributed in time and space and mainly detected during the summer and fall seasons. In some samples concentrations exceeded the sanitary threshold (ST) of 800 ?g eq STX /kg. HPLC analysis revealed that Saxitoxin and Gonyautoxins dominated the toxin profile. The comparison between different methods showed a strong uphill (positive) linear relationship, with a coefficient correlation of r=0.79 between MBA and HPLC and r = 0.809 between MBA and RBA
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to develop a MD-MBA joint program that will teach doctors professional hospital management and administration skills. METHODS: To assess the demand for hospital management and administration skills in the medical field, information was gathered from community physicians through a questionnaire. Personal interviews were also conducted with doctors having who graduated from a MD-MBA joint program and those working for hospital consulting firms. We visited institutions in developed countries offering this program and conducted literature reviews. Based on the data collected, a tentative plan for the introduction of a MD-MBA program in Korea was developed. RESULTS: The results of this study are as follows. Community practitioners realize the need for basic management skills and feel that hospital management should be part of undergraduate or graduate medical curriculum. In the United States, there is an annual increase in the number of institutions offering MD-MBA programs and in the number of MD-MBA graduates. These programs are run very systematically. It is apparent that the introduction of this program to Korean medical students is imminent. This program can be offered in Korea at the undergraduate level with the School of Business Administration in charge of the program, with the Medical School in charge, or as a cooperative effort between these two schools. CONCLUSION: Most private practitioners and medical professors recognize the necessity for a MD-MBA program. Systemic and experiential research must be done. Support must be given to finances, human resources and equipment in offering this program.