Data analysis software package for radionuclide standardization with a digital coincidence counting system.

The Nuclear Metrology Laboratory (LMN) - IPEN, São Paulo, Brazil - developed a Digital Coincidence System (DCS), based on the Coincidence Counting Methodology, in order to improve its capabilities in radionuclide primary-standardization. Digital process is implemented in two steps: data-acquisition (a set of measurements) and offline software data-analysis and calculation. The present work shows the basics of the data-acquisition unit (Software Coincidence System - SCS), describes the DCS' data-analysis process and the initial approaches chosen for the implementation of the software package (Coincidence Analyzing Task - CAT). 152Eu standardization, performed for DCS testing, software expansion and validation, is briefly discussed.

Publicaciones sobre hidroxicloroquina y remdesivir: actualización septiembre 2020 / Hydroxicloroquine and remdesivir publications: update September 2020

El debate científico sobre las terapéuticas eficaces y seguras para tratar la Covid-19 desde su comienzo en enero 2020 ha dado lugar a miles de publicaciones con sus implicaciones sociales y económicas respecto a fabricantes farmacéuticos, investigadores clínicos y publicaciones científicas. En este nuevo comentario se resumen las publicaciones de junio a septiembre de 2020 sobre los dos medicamentos más contrapuestos en muchos ámbitos clínicos: hidroxicloroquina y remdesivir

The scientific debate about the effective and safe therapies to treat the COVID-19 from its beginning in January 2020 has led to thousands of publications with their social and economic implications related to pharmaceutical manufacturers, clinical researchers and scientific publications. In this new comment, there are summarized the publications from June to September, 2020 about the two more opposing medications in many clinical settings: hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir

Estado de situación en Europa del Pharmaceutical Care / State of Pharmaceutical Care in Europe

En 2019 la revista Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, editada por ELSEVIER en California, con un factor de impacto de 2,873 para los últimos 5 años, ha publicado los resultados de un estudio sobre implementación de servicios de Atención Farmacéutica en las farmacias comunitarias de Europa en los años 2016-2017. Se realizan dos estudios independientes, ambos mediante envío de cuestionarios a profesionales seleccionados y relacionados con la farmacia comunitaria. El primero intenta conocer qué tipo de servicios cognitivos se ofrecen en cada país y su remuneración. Se publica en Febrero con resultados muy variados. El segundo, publicado en Noviembre, profundiza en la implementación de solo uno de aquéllos servicios: la Revisión de Medicación. Aprovecha la definición y clasificación que PCNE hace en 2016 de ese servicio y con ello consigue establecer un mapa de la implantación real en 34 países de Europa así como sus características profesionales y de remuneración. Parece de interés para España conocer estos datos ahora que algunas leyes autonómicas programan la implementación y coordinación de servicios de AF de acuerdo con las corporaciones farmacéuticas

The scientific magazine Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, edited by ELSEVIER in California, with an impact factor of 2,873 for the last 5 years published in 2019 the outcomes of a study about the implementation of Pharmaceutical Care Services in the community pharmacies of Europe over the years 2016 - 2017. Two independent studies were carried out, both through questionnaires sent to selected professionals linked to the community pharmacy. The first one tried to find out which kind of cognitive services are offered in each country and their remuneration. It was published in February with very varied outcomes. The second one, published in November, deepened in the implementation of only one of those services: the Medication Review. It took advantage of the definition and classification done by PCNE of that service and so it achieved to establish a map of the actual implementation in 34 European countries together with its professional characteristics and its remuneration. It seems interesting for Spain to know these data now that some autonomous laws plan the implementation and coordination of pharmaceutical care services in accordance with the pharmaceutical corporations

The new facility for neutron tomography of IPEN-CNEN/SP and its potential to investigate hydrogenous substances.

A new facility for neutron tomography has been installed at the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor of IPEN-CNEN/SP. A tomography can be obtained in 400 s and the spatial resolution in the image is 263 µm. The neutron dose per tomography, in the video camera used for image capture, is only 21 µSv, assures very few damages in its CCD sensor. Some selected objects were investigated and the obtained 3D images demonstrate the capability of the facility to investigate hydrogenous substances.

The neutron tomography facility of IPEN-CNEN/SP and its potential to investigate ceramic objects from the Brazilian cultural heritage.

A neutron tomography (NT) facility was installed at the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor of the Nuclear and Energy Research Institute IPEN-CNEN/SP. According to the determined operational characteristics, the time spent to obtain a complete tomography is 4,000s at a neutron flux of 1×10(6) ncm(-2)s(-1) and the best achievable spatial resolution in the image is 347 µm. The main objectives of this paper are to describe the facility as well as to demonstrate its potential to investigate ceramic objects from the Brazilian cultural heritage left by Indians.

La revisión de medicación a examen / No disponible

No disponible

Estudio preliminar de los tratamientos de infecciones del tracto urinario registrados en oficinas de farmacia como base para un estudio del impacto de la atención farmacéutica en estos pacientes / Preliminary study of the treatments of urinary tract infections recorded in community pharmacies as the basis for a study of the impact of pharmaceutical care in these patients

Objetivos: Conocer el perfil de los pacientes que acuden a las farmacias para iniciar un tratamiento de la infección del tracto urinario, el tipo de medicamentos prescrito y la presencia de recurrencia en cada paciente. Método: Estudio prospectivo de recogida de datos de las dispensaciones efectuadas en 7 farmacias de Asturias durante 4 meses y siguiendo el procedimiento descrito en FORO 2008. El dato de recurrencia se obtuvo mediante preguntas adicionales a la entrevista-tipo usada en el estudio. Resultados: Se estudiaron 110 casos, de 20 hombres (18,2%) y 90 mujeres (81,8%). La media de edad en los hombres fue de 62,6 años (rango: 23-85) y en las mujeres de 58,7 (rango: 18-94). El 59% de las mujeres tenía más de 50 años y había 4 embarazadas (4,5%). En las mujeres, el 43% de las prescripciónes fueron quinolonas (33% norfloxacino y 10% ciprofloxacino), el 41% fosfocina y el 12% betalactámicos. En los hombres, el 75% de las prescripciones fueron quinolonas (50% ciprofloxacino y 25% norfloxacino), el 15% fosfocina y el 5% amoxicilina-clavulánico. Las pautas fueron homogéneas para cada tipo. De los 110 pacientes entrevistados, el 50% recordaba haber tenido una infección urinaria en los últimos 6 meses o más de una en el último año. No se obtuvo este dato en el 13% de los casos. Conclusiones: El perfil demográfico de los pacientes coincide con el de otros estudios publicados. El patrón de prescripción es muy homogéneo en cuanto a la selección de los principios activos, acorde con la bibliografía publicada desde 2003. Las pautas de prescripción parecen estar más influidas por las presentaciones disponibles en el mercado que por las guías clínicas. La presencia de recurrencias parece elevada, aunque no hay datos cuantitativos disponibles de este problema en nuestro entorno (AU)

Objectives: To collect the demographic data of patients who come to pharmacies to initiate drug treatment for a urinary tract infection (UTI), to and determine the classes of drugs prescribed and the incidence of recurrence in each patient. Method: A prospective study involving the collection of data on the drugs prescribed for UTI dispensed at seven pharmacies in Asturias over a four-month period, following the procedure for drug dispensing described in the FORO 2008 document. The data on recurrence was obtained by including additional questions in the interview employed in the study. Results: We studied 110 cases: 20 men (18.2%) with a mean age of 62.6 years (range: 23-85 years) and 90 women (81.8%) with a mean age of 58.7 (range: 18-94 years); 59% of the women were over 50 years of age. Four of the women were pregnant (4.5%). The kinds of drugs prescribed to women (n=90) were: quinolones (43% [norfloxacin in 33% and ciprofloxacin in 10%]); fosfomycin in 41% and beta-lactams in 12%. For men (n=20) they were: quinolones (75% [ciprofloxacin in 50% and norfloxacin in 25%]); fosfomycin in 15% and betalactams in 5%. Dosing was very similar for each class. Of the 110 patients interviewed, 50% recalled having had another UTI within the preceding six months or at least two over the previous year. Data concerning recurrence was not obtained in 13% of the cases. Conclusions: The demographic profile of the patients is similar to that described in other primary care studies on UTI in the literature. The types of drugs prescribed do not vary widely, following recent indications of clinical guidelines for Primary Care since 2003; not so the dosing, which seems to be more influenced by the presentations available in the pharmaceutical market than by the clinical guidelines. The rate of recurrence seems high, but we have no quantitative reference data on this problem in our region (AU)

Definiciones y conceptos de FORO de Atención Farmacéutica / No disponible

No disponible

[Pharmaceutical care in people who have had acute coronary episodes (TOMCOR study)]. / Atención farmacéutica en personas que han sufrido episodios coronarios agudos (Estudio TOMCOR).

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates the effects on coronary patients of a new practice in community pharmacies called Pharmaceutical Care (PhC) as compared to the traditional pattern of pharmacy practice. It attempts to ascertain whether pharmaceutical care is feasible in addition to ascertaining differences in effectiveness for coronary patients' pharmacotherapeutic health outcomes, potentially attributable to PhC. METHODS: A randomized prospective controlled-intervention study was conducted in 83 community pharmacies in the provinces of Asturias, Barcelona, Madrid and Biscay in a one-year monitoring of the drug-use of 735 patients at the start of the study (330 intervention patients and 405 control) and 600 at the end. RESULTS: Differences were fund in favor of the intervention group in: a) the use of health care services as a morbidity indicator such as frequency of hospital emergency room visits 1.27 I (CI95%; 1.10-1.44) and 1.63 C (CI95%; 1.36-1.90) or average length-of-stay in Intensive Care Units 2.46 I (CI95%; 1.56-3.36) and 5.87 C (CI95%; 3.57-8.17), both due to coronary causes; b) health-related quality of life score (physical functioning dimension difference of 4.7 (p < 0.05); c) average patient knowledge of coronary heart disease risk factors having improved by 10% (p < 0002-0.007 depending on dimension); d) patient knowledge of the name and identification of their drugs having improved by 10% (p < 0.001) along with their subjective perception of the antiagregans drugs relative importance having improved by 12% (p < 0.009) and effects of beta-blockers having improved by 25% (p < 0.02); e) average satisfaction with pharmaceutical care service and perception of pharmacist's professional competence having improved by 2% (p < 0.000 to 0.05 depending on dimension). CONCLUSIONS: A decrease in emergency health care demand due to coronary causes, a fewer number of patient hospitalizations and a shorter length-of-stay in Coronary Intensive Care Units due to hospitalization regarding coronary patients on pharmaceutical care would suggest that patients who suffered an acute coronary heart episode made a better use of drugs and would tend to be less ill. Furthermore, coronary patients who received pharmaceutical care services showed a better knowledge of the reasons for their pharmacotherapy and therefore took better advantage of health care resources and improved their health condition.

Fasting followed by vegetarian diet in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review.

Clinical experience suggests that fasting followed by vegetarian diet may help patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We reviewed the available scientific evidence, because patients frequently ask for dietary advice, and exclusive pharmacological treatment of RA is often not satisfying. Fasting studies in RA were searched in MEDLINE and by checking references in relevant reports. The results of the controlled studies which reported follow-up data for at least three months after fasting were quantitatively pooled. Thirty-one reports of fasting studies in patients with RA were found. Only four controlled studies investigated the effects of fasting and subsequent diets for at least three months. The pooling of these studies showed a statistically and clinically significant beneficial long-term effect. Thus, available evidence suggests that fasting followed by vegetarian diets might be useful in the treatment of RA. More randomised long-term studies are needed to confirm this view by methodologically convincing data.

ADP-Ribosyl cyclase in rat vascular smooth muscle cells: properties and regulation.

We investigated whether ADP-ribosyl cyclase (ADPR-cyclase) in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) has enzymatic properties that differ from the well-characterized CD38-antigen ADPR-cyclase, expressed in HL-60 cells. ADPR-cyclase from VSMCs, but not CD38 ADPR-cyclase from HL-60 cells, was inhibited by gangliosides (10 micromol/L) GT(1B), GD(1), and GM(3). Preincubation of membranes from CD38 HL-60 cells, but not from VSMCs, with anti-CD38 antibodies increased ADPR-cyclase activity; CD38 antigen was detected both in VSMCs and in HL-60 cells. ADPR-cyclase in VSMC membranes was more sensitive than CD38 HL-60 ADPR-cyclase to inactivation by N-endoglycosidase F and to thermal inactivation at 45 degrees C. The specific activity of ADPR-cyclase in membranes from VSMCs was >20-fold higher than in membranes from CD38 HL-60 cells. Most importantly, VSMC ADPR-cyclase was inhibited by Zn(2+) and Cu(2+) ions; the inhibition by Zn(2+) was dose dependent, noncompetitive, and reversible by EDTA. In contrast, Zn(2+) stimulated the activity of CD38 HL-60 ADPR-cyclase and other known types of ADPR-cyclases. Retinoids act either via the nuclear receptor retinoic acid receptor or retinoid X receptor, including all-trans retinoic acid (atRA), and panagonist 9-cis-retinoic acid-upregulated VSMC ADPR-cyclase; the stimulatory effect of atRA was blocked by actinomycin D and cycloheximide. 1,25(OH)(2)-Vitamin D(3) (calciferol) stimulated VSMC ADPR-cyclase dose dependently at subnanomolar concentrations (ED(50) congruent with 56 pmol/L). Oral administration of atRA to rats resulted in an increase of ADPR-cyclase activity in aorta ( congruent with+60%) and, to a lesser degree, in myocardium of left ventricle (+18%), but atRA had no effect on ADPR-cyclases in lungs, spleen, intestinal smooth muscle, skeletal muscle, liver, or testis. Administration of 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T(3)) to rats resulted in an increase of ADPR-cyclase activity in aorta ( congruent with+89%), but not in liver or brain. We conclude the following: (1) ADPR-cyclase in VSMCs has enzymatic properties distinct from "classic" CD38 ADPR-cyclase, especially sensitivity to inhibition by Zn(2+) and Cu(2+); (2) ADPR-cyclase in VSMCs is upregulated by various retinoids, calcitriol, and T(3) in vitro; and (3) administration of atRA and T(3) increases ADPR-cyclase in aorta in vivo. We suggest that the cADPR signaling system plays an important role in the regulation of VSMC functions in response to steroid superfamily hormones.

gamma-L-glutamyl-L-DOPA inhibits Na(+)-phosphate cotransport across renal brush border membranes and increases renal excretion of phosphate.

BACKGROUND: For treatment of phosphate (Pi) overload in various pathophysiological states, an agent that selectively increases renal Pi excretion would be of major value. Previously, we have shown that dopamine (DA) inhibits Na(+)-Pi cotransport in renal epithelia. However, the administration of DA or its immediate precursor L-DOPA increases DA in multiple tissues. Synthetic dipeptide gamma-L-glutamyl-L-DOPA (gludopa) can serve as an inactive precursor (pro-pro-drug) of DA. This study tested the hypothesis that, because of the unique colocalization of gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma-GT), aromatic amino acid decarboxylase, Na(+)-Pi cotransporter, and Na(+)-L-DOPA cotransporter in brush border membrane (BBM) of proximal tubular cells, gludopa may elicit phosphaturia by action of DA generated within the kidney. METHODS: Thyroparathyrectomized rats were given placebo, or gludopa, or gludopa + gamma-GT inhibitor acivicin. Urinary excretion of Pi, Ca2+, Na+, K+, DA, cAMP, and cGMP was determined, and Na(+)-Pi cotransport was measured in BBM prepared from kidneys of rats at the end of the experiment. RESULTS: The administration of gludopa resulted in: (a) an inhibition of Na(+)-Pi cotransport, but not cotransport of Na(+)-proline and Na(+)-alanine in BBM; (b) an increase (+300%) of fractional excretion (FE) of Pi and a drop (-35%) of plasma Pi, whereas the plasma levels and FEs of Ca2+, Na+, and K+ were unchanged; (c) an increase in urinary excretion of cAMP. but not cGMP; (d) a 1000-fold increase of urinary excretion of DA, without a change in excretion of norepinephrine; and (e) an incubation of gludopa with BBM in vitro, which caused a release of L-DOPA, and the in vivo administration of acivicin, which blocked actions of gludopa to inhibit Na(+)-Pi cotransport and to increase urinary excretions of Pi and DA. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that colocalization of enzymes of biotransformation, BBM transporters, and the autocrine/paracrine DA system in cells of proximal tubules constitutes a cellular basis for the potent and specific phosphaturic action of gludopa.

Retinoic acid and triiodothyronine stimulate ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity in rat vascular smooth muscle cells.

Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) is a nucleotide synthesized from beta-NAD- that can trigger or facilitate Ca2+-release through ryanodine-channels. We investigated the synthesis of cADPR (ADPR-cyclase activity) in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from rat aorta in response to incubation with all-trans-retinoic acid (RA), 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (T3), cortisol, beta-estradiol and 1-dehydrotestosterone. Only RA and T3 caused concentration-dependent (10(-9)-10(-6) M) stimulation of ADPR-cyclase activity in VSMC. Maximum stimulatory responses to RA (+100%) and T3 (+40%) were additive and the stimulatory effects of both hormones on ADPR-cyclase were due to an increase in Vmax without changes in the apparent Km. These observations indicate that in VSMC synthesis of cADPR can be upregulated by RA and T3. We propose that some of the actions of RA on VSMC such as enhancement of contractile competence, differentiation, and anti-proliferative effects might be elicited, at least in part, via upregulation of the cADPR/Ca2+-release signaling system.

Pleiotropic upregulation of Na(+)-dependent cotransporters by retinoic acid in opossum kidney cells.

All-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) is a regulator of cellular growth and differentiation. We investigated whether atRA can upregulate Na(+)-dependent cotransporters in opossum kidney (OK) cells and thus increase uptake from tubular fluid of several solutes needed for growth during early stages of ontogenesis. In OK cells, incubation with atRA for 24 h increased the Na+ gradient-dependent cotransports of phosphate, L-proline, L-glutamic acid, and SO(4)2- by a similar degree (approximately 40%) that was prevented by pretreatment with actinomycin D. In contrast, activities of other Na(+)-dependent transporters, Na(+)-K(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase, and leucine aminopeptidase, were unchanged by atRA. Cell proliferation determined by [3H]thymidine incorporation was not increased by atRA. The stimulatory effects of atRA and phosphate deprivation on Na(+)-Pi cotransport demonstrated additivity, whereas the combination of atRA and 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine did not. atRA stimulated Na(+)-Pi cotransport in LLC-PK1 cells with an analogous time course and to a similar extent as observed in OK cells. We conclude that atRA stimulates several Na(+)-dependent cotransporters via a genomic mechanism and may represent a synchronous adaptation to nutritional requirements of early phases of ontogenesis.

Opposite paracrine effects of 5-HT and dopamine on Na(+)-Pi cotransport in opossum kidney cells.

Serotonin (5-HT) was recently reported to inhibit cAMP generation in oppossum (OK) cells. We thus investigated the effects of 5-HT upon the Na(+)-Pi cotransport in cultured OK cells and its interactions with dopamine. Incubation of OK cells with 1 nM-10 microM 5-HT resulted in dose-dependent stimulation of Na(+)-Pi contransport (ED50 approximately equal to 8 nM) and also counteracted inhibition of Na(+)-Pi cotransport elicited by dopamine. Pre-incubation with 5-HT decreased cAMP accumulation elicited by forskolin or dopamine and pre-treatment with pertussis toxin abolished both the inhibitory effect of 5-HT upon cAMP levels and stimulation of Na(+)-Pi cotransport. Incubation of OK cells with the 5-HT precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan resulted in time- and dose-dependent accumulation of 5-HT in the medium that also elicited an increase in Na(+)-Pi cotransport. Both the effects of 5-HT and dopamine on Na(+)-Pi cotransport were prevented by carbidopa. The stimulatory effect of 5-HT was specific for the Na(+)-Pi cotransport system since no effects were observed on Na(+)-alanine cotransport. The results indicate that 5-HT stimulates Na(+)-Pi cotransport at least in part via inhibition of cAMP accumulation. We propose that 5-HT and dopamine have opposite actions as paracrine/autocrine regulators of Na(+)-Pi cotransport via opposite effects upon cAMP formation.

Effect of estrogen upon cyclic ADP ribose metabolism: beta-estradiol stimulates ADP ribosyl cyclase in rat uterus.

Cyclic ADP ribose (cADPR) has been shown to trigger Ca2+ release from intracellular stores through ryanodine receptor/channel. In our previous study we observed that all-trans-retinoic acid stimulates cADPR synthesis by ADP ribose cyclase (ADPR cyclase) in cultured epithelial cells. We have now investigated whether cADPR may play a signaling role in action of beta-estradiol (E2), an archetypal steroid superfamily hormone, upon its major target organ, uterus, in vivo. Administration of E2 to gonadectomized rats (0.2 mg/kg per day for 7 days) resulted in an approximately Delta + 300% increase of ADPR cyclase activity in extracts from uterus, but in liver, brain, or skeletal muscle ADPR cyclase was unchanged. Most of the E2-stimulated uterine ADPR cyclase was associated with membranes. The higher ADPR cyclase activity in response to E2 was due to the increase of VMAX without change in Km. Simultaneous administration of estrogen antagonist tamoxifen (8 mg/kg per day) with E2 (0.2 mg/kg per day) prevented an increase in ADPR cyclase. In uterine extracts from E2-treated rats, the rate of cADPR inactivation by cADPR hydrolase and the activity of NADase was increased, but to a much lesser degree than activity of ADPR cyclase. Our results indicate that E2, via action to its nuclear receptors in vivo, increases ADPR cyclase activity in uterus. We propose that some of the estrogen effects, and by extension the effects of other steroid superfamily hormones, upon specialized cellular functions and upon hormone-induced gene expression in target cells, are mediated by cADPR-Ca2+ release pathway.

Different thermostabilities of sarcoplasmic reticulum (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPases from rabbit and trout muscles.

Trout and rabbit (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPases from sarcoplasmic reticulum were compared for differences in thermal inactivation and susceptibility to trypsin digestion. The trout ATPase is more heat-sensitive than the rabbit ATPase and is stabilized by Ca2+, Na+, K+ and nucleotides. Solubilization of both ATPases shows that the two ATPases have different protein-intrinsic inactivation kinetics. When digested by trypsin, the two ATPases display different cleavage patterns. The present results indicate that the trout and rabbit ATPases have dissimilarities in protein structure that may explain the differences in thermal inactivation kinetics.

[The new pharmacy practice: can pharmaceutical intervention improve therapeutical efficiency]. / La nueva atención farmacéutica: puede la intervención farmacéutica mejorar la eficiencia terapéutica?

BACKGROUND: The pharmaceutical activity has experienced over the last 50 years an important evolution in terms of concepts and contents affecting not only pharmacists but the whole health professionals. The subject of this study were the characteristics and implications of that change. METHODS: We review the main conditions leading to this change and characteristics of the new pharmaceutical activity focused mainly on the filtrate and alert about drug related problems and the professional intervention facing a proper resolution. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Some preliminary results from an investigation about the mentioned conditions are presented supporting the idea that this new proposed pharmaceutical intervention model can actually improve benefits on therapeutical effectiveness and save resources.

The Ca(2+)-transporting ATPases of rabbit and trout exhibit different pH- and temperature-dependences.

The phosphorylation of the trout sarcoplasmic-reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase by Pi differs in its temperature- and pH-dependence from the rabbit ATPase. In the trout enzyme, the apparent affinity for Pi and maximum phosphoenzyme values do not vary over a pH and temperature ranges that have a pronounced effect on the rabbit enzyme. The lack of temperature-dependence for phosphorylation is observed at pH 6.8. At pH 8.0, the temperature profile for phosphorylation of the trout enzyme resembles that of the rabbit at pH 6.8. The rabbit ATPase is no longer phosphorylated by Pi after solubilization with the detergent C12E9. In contrast, the trout enzyme can be phosphorylated by Pi after solubilization with C12E9, and the same levels of phosphoenzyme were obtained with the soluble and membrane-bound ATPase at both 0 degrees and 25 degrees C. In the range of 0-20 degrees C, the rates of ATP synthesis and of Ca2+ uptake by the trout ATPase are less temperature-dependent than for the rabbit enzyme. However, both isoenzymes catalyse ATP hydrolysis with similar temperature-dependences. The results raise the possibility that protonation of specific amino acid residues may contribute to the lack of temperature-dependence for phosphorylation of the trout Ca(2+)-ATPase.

[Detection of prescription errors in drug dispensing: incidence and typology]. / Detección del error de prescripción en la dispensación farmacéutica: incidencia y tipología.

OBJECTIVE: Description and quantification of the types of prescribing errors during dispensing activities at community pharmacies. DESIGN: Descriptive transversal study carry out along four weekly periods. SITE. Eighteen pharmacies from six of the spanish autonomous regions dispensing prescription orders mainly issued by the National Health Service. PATIENTS AND OTHER TAKING PART: 37,321 prescriptions of specialties dispensed by the mentioned pharmacies along the four week period. MAIN MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: An unstructured questionnary was applied to all persons asking for one of the mentioned prescriptions. When an error was suspected, a second structured questionnary was applied by the pharmacist to the order bearer and the answers plus the information contents at the prescription form was collected on a data-sheet. Data were processed on a dBase and SPSS programs. Incidence detected error of 1.35%. Types of error classified into five categories. Study of the variability of error detection by week and by pharmacy. Analysis and comparison with references of the "order author" data and "prescriptor" data. CONCLUSIONS: Our global incidence of detected error was lower in relation with other studies. We found short differences by weeks and large by pharmacies. Inadequate definition of the drug was the most frequent type of error. The detection frequency of posology error was higher following the use of the new prescription order model. The number of orders from different prescriptor/author was larger in our study in relation to the notified by other studies.