Determination of ambient noise levels in the medical and surgical intensive care units and adult ward of the Makati Medical Center

Objective@#To measure the levels of environmental noise in the medical intensive care unit, surgical intensive care unit, and adult ward of the Makati Medical Center for the morning, afternoon, and evening shifts, on weekdays and weekends, and to compare noise levels across shifts, and between weekdays and weekends. @*Methods@#Design: Environmental Noise Survey. Setting: Tertiary Private Training Hospital. Participants: None. @*Results@#The overall mean environment noise levels in all the areas surveyed (medical intensive care unit, surgical intensive care unit and adult ward) exceeded World Health Organization recommendations by more than 20 dB across different working shifts on both weekdays and weekends. There was no significant difference in noise levels between weekdays and weekends across shifts in all areas, except for the afternoon shift in the Medical ICU. Using Repeated Measures ANOVA, results showed that there is no sufficient evidence to conclude that at least one shift has significantly different mean noise level in any of the 3 areas (MICU: F(2)=4.73, p-value=.1124; SICU: F(2)=7.91, p-value=.0540; WARD: F(2)=2.73, p-value=.1948) @*Conclusion@#The overall environmental noise levels in the different areas of MICU, SICU and Adult ward exceeded the WHO recommendation. It is recommended that a change in strategy is needed for prevention of environmental noise, setting guidelines and policies to assure quality health care and noise control. Further investigations to ascertain exact sources may give rise to feasible solutions.

Analysis on components exposing in rat plasma after oral administration of Baoerkang Powder / 中草药

Objective: To analyze the components exposing in rat plasma after oral administration of Baoerkang Powder, and to study the mechanism of Baoerkang Powder and pharmacokinetic behavior. Methods: Components absorbed in rat plasma after oral administration of Baoerkang Powder to rats were analyzed by UPLC tandem High-resolution mass spectrometer. The structures of Baoerkang Powder in rat plasma identified by comparing the retention time, molecular weight, and CID fragmentation patterns with their corresponding compounds reported in the literatures. Results: Twenty-three components in rat plasma were identified after oral administration of Baoerkang Powder to rats for 1 h, including five components confirmed by comparing retention time and information of mass with their reference substances, components confirmed were vitexin, liquiritigenin, hesperetin, glycyrrhetic acid, and ursolic acid. Conclusion: It is suggested that the method could be applied to quick analysis of the components exposing in rat plasma after oral administration of Baoerkang Powder, which is beneficial to studying its mechanism and pharmacokinetic behavior.

Concentrações séricas de metais e suas implicações para a saúde pública / Serum metal concentrations and its implications for public health

Pesquisar níveis séricos de metais em uma amostra da população dos municípios que compõem a Baía de Sepetiba. Métodos -Realizou-se um estudo de corte transversal (seccional) para determinação de Pb, Hg, Cd, Cu, Zn, Al e As. O sangue foi obtido de 909 doadores voluntários entre 18 e 65 anos, de janeiro a novembro de 2011. Resultados - Hg apresentou-se acima do valor de referência (VR) no sexo masculino na faixa de 18-39 anos com 9,29 ug/l e de 5,40 ug/l na faixa de 40-65 anos. Teores de Cd estiveram acima do VR na faixa etária 18-39 anos do sexo masculino com 0,17 ug/l e de 0,11 ug/l na faixa etária de 40-65 anos. Na faixa etária de 18-39 anos do sexo feminino a concentração foi também acima do VR com 0,06 ug/l e de 0,04 ug/l na faixa de 40-65 anos. Nível elevado desses metais proporciona o aparecimento de problemas hepáticos, renais, respiratórios, Alzheimer e câncer. Teores de Pb, Cu, Al, Zn e As apresentaram-se abaixo do VR. Conclusão - Devido aos potenciais efeitos adversos causados pela exposição a metais e da inexistência de legislação de exposição para além do nível ocupacional, frente aos dados encontrados, há necessidade de programas de acompanhamento da população, bem como inspeções ambientais, com monitoramento sistemático dos efluentes, e em paralelo, subsidiando ações essenciais para que a população obtenha condições de saúde e o ambiente reflita qualidade...

To research serum metal levels in human blood sample among a population sample of Baía de Sepetiba. Methods - It was conducted a cross-sectional study for determination of Pb, Hg, Cd, Cu, Zn, Al and As serum levels. Blood was obtained from 909 volunteer donors between 18 and 65 years, from January to November 2011. Results - Hg presented levels beyond reference value (RV) within male participants with 18-39 years with 9.29 ug/l and 5.40 ug/l in 40-65 years. Cd levels showed elevated levels up the RV in male 18-39 years with 0.17 ug/l and 0.11 ug/l in 40-65 years. In the female age group at 18-39 years the levels were also up the RV with 0.06 ug/l and 0.04 ug/l in 40-65 years. High levels of these metals lead to the appearance of hepatic, kidney, and respiratory problems, Alzheimer, and cancer.Pb, Cu, Al, Zn and As concentrations were below the RV. Conclusion - Due to the potential adverse effects caused by exposure to metals and the absence of legislation for beyond the occupational level, compared to the data found, there is need of programs for population monitoring and environmental inspections, and in parallel, subsidizing essentials actions for the population to obtain health and the environmentreflects quality...