Briefly stated, the paper presented the history, problems encountered as well as the solutions evolved for meeting these in the planning, establishment and operation of the radioisotope laboratory at the Rizal Provincial Hospital, Pasig, Rizal, Philippines were presented. The problems in a developing country are far more complex compared to those of the more progressive nations in the world. It takes time, efforts, particularly in dealing with local and foreign agencies and especially, a great deal of resourcefulness are needed to meet the problems as they come. (Summary)
Laboratories, Developing Countries, Laboratories, Hospital, Radioisotopes

BACKGROUND: In hospital laboratory using Microscan, the search for an isolate or the analysis for antimicrobial susceptibility rates were obtained by the Data Management System (DMS) software. However, it is hard to convert DMS database to other file formats in addition to some limitation in using the database. We applied BacLink 2 and WHONET 5.1 softwares to convert and analyse DMS database for the utilization of the isolate profiles and the antimicrobial resistance rates. METHODS: Specimen and microbial data were printed as 'Short report form', an ASCII text file, from Microscan DMS. BacLink 2 software was used to convert the printed file to dBASE format file. Statistical analyses were performed using WHONET 5.1 software. RESULTS: Data of isolates were obtained as 'Short report form' in one month intervals. This file could be converted to other database file using BacLink 2 software. The antimicrobial resistant profiles were obtained, and the susceptibility, intermediate resistant, and resistant rates for each isolates could be analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, BacLink 2 and WHONET 5.1 software were successfully applied for the conversion of the database. Analysis of isolate profiles and antimicrobial resistant rates could be performed in other personal computer systems. The database management by BacLink 2 and WHONET 5.1 software could be applicable for the convenient statistical analysis in microbiology laboratories using Microscan.
Laboratories, Hospital ; Microcomputers

We have a step backwards in comparing with the previous 40 years in the education and the organization of medical laboratory examination. While our equipment and techniques have got new great success and the needs have increased. Typically, in clinical briefing, laboratory doctors and technicians have been always absent, it seems that it is due to the leak of a deep knowledge and a large skill of laboratory. Therefore their roles were reduced. An improvement in the programm of formation of laboratory doctors and experts with various branches: biochemia, hematology, blood perfusion was recommend
Outpatient Clinics, Hospital ; Technology, Medical ; Laboratories ; diagnosis ;

Certification ; Laboratories

Serum consists of water (93% of serum volume) and nonaqueous components, mainly lipids and proteins (7% of serum volume). Sodium is restricted to serum water. In states of hyperproteinemia or hyperlipidemia, there is an increased mass of the nonaqueous components of serum and a concomitant decrease in the proportion of serum composed of water. Thus, pseudohyponatremia results because the flame photometry method measures sodium concentration in whole plasma. A sodium-selective electrode gives the true, physiologically pertinent sodium concentration because it measures sodium activity in serum water. Whereas the serum sample is diluted in indirect potentiometry, the sample is not diluted in direct potentiometry. Because only direct reading gives an accurate concentration, we suspect that indirect potentiometry which many hospital laboratories are now using may mislead us to confusion in interpreting the serum sodium data. However, it seems that indirect potentiometry very rarely gives us discernibly low serum sodium levels in cases with hyperproteinemia and hyperlipidemia. As long as small margins of errors are kept in mind of clinicians when serum sodium is measured from the patients with hyperproteinemia or hyperlipidemia, the present methods for measuring sodium concentration in serum by indirect sodium-selective electrode potentiometry could be maintained in the clinical practice.
Electrodes ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; Laboratories, Hospital ; Photometry ; Plasma ; Potentiometry ; Sodium ; Water

BACKGROUND: To prevent medically significant errors, hospital laboratories must perform thorough statistical quality control (QC) procedures. We surveyed the QC status of small laboratories and created new statistical QC software that they can easily use for improving QC. METHODS: A questionnaire on the status of external and internal QC was created and sent to clinics and hospitals with small-scale laboratories. We then created QC software that can be downloaded and installed for free. RESULTS: External quality assessments were performed in 32% of the clinics (22 of 66) and 52% of the hospitals (12 of 23). Seventy-three percent of all institutions (66 of 90) carried out an internal quality assessment based on their own guidelines, mostly using commercialized QC materials. However, only 52% of clinics and 23% of hospitals used their own acceptable range instead of the manufacturer's expected range. In addition, the proportion of manual QC management reached 52% in clinics and 82% in hospitals. The QC software we designed covers all the basic functions of statistical QC and aims to improve the quality of laboratories. CONCLUSIONS: We obtained basic data on the current status of external and internal QC in small-scale laboratories using this survey. Furthermore, we suggested that new QC software may actually help to improve QC of small laboratories.
Laboratories, Hospital* ; Quality Assurance, Health Care ; Quality Control*

In West Germany the Giessen-test (G.T) is one widespread personality test, specially in the stress – related disorders. Giessen-test itself consists of 40 items which is grouped into 6 main scales. 183 healthy students are studied by this test. In comparison the result of G.T in medical students of Ha Noi and in Bulgarian young people, there are significant differences in 4 scales of this test (scale 2; 3; 5; 6). However, the difference in 2 scales (scale 1; scale 4) is uncertain. The difference between male and female students is found insignificantly in our research according to G.T scales. In order to have the result of exact standardization, we must research this test on the population larger with different ages and professions.
Students, Medical ; standards ; laboratories

In 2002, DHF viro-serological surveillance was started in 19 Southern provinces of Vietnam. 247 DEN virus strains (consist of 27 DEN-1, 99 DEN-2, 9 DEN-3 and 112 DEN-4) were isolated from 3318 blood samples. The predominant serotypes were DEN-4 (45.3%) and DEN-2 (40.1%). DEN-2 virus was more positively correlated with severe cases in comparison with other serotypes. However, high rates of virus isolation were obtained from DHF grade I-II patients (49%), and then from DF, viral infection and fever of unknown origin cases (40.1%). These should be main target subjects for the active surveillance of DHF. In addition, MAC-ELISA was done on 7498 DHF serum samples taken in Southern Vietnam with the average positive rate of 44.37%
Dengue ; epidemiology ; Laboratories

This report described a program undertaken with the collaboration of the CDC (Colorado, USA) known as "Active, laboratory-based surveillance for dengue infection in Bien Hoa city in 2002". Results of this study are as follows: The predominant serotype which circulated in Bien Hoa city in 2002 was Dengue-4. The number of children Dengue ; epidemiology ; laboratories

One method to determine the content of chitosan present in Pokysan cream has been developed. Chitosan was separated from Pokysan by dissolving the cream in acidic solution, extracted by chemical mixtures of I and II, which were prepared by laboratory of polymers in medico – pharmacy, and then collecting the precipitate of chitosan in the alkaline medium. This precipitate was then qualified by Lugol reagent and IR spectra. Collected chitosan precipitate was also qualified and quantified. These results proved that chitosan has been included in Pokysan cream and our method is confident
Chitosan ; Evaluation Studies ; Laboratories