Nurses have saved almost 800 lives in just one year by using iPads, iPods and mobile phones to record patients' vital (至关重要的) signs instead of paper charts.
Death rates at two major hospitals dropped by more than 15% after the nursing stall started using hand-held devices instead of paper notes to monitor (监督) the condition of patients, according to the research published recently.
Nurses recorded patients' blood pressure, pulse, oxygen levels and other indicators on tablets and mobiles. Specialist software, called VitalPAC, automatically told them if the patient was deteriorating. If this is happened the nurse was warned to increase the frequency of their monitoring of the patient and, in some cases, to warn a doctor or a response team.
The introduction of the new system led to a fall of almost 400 patient deaths in just 12 months at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth, and a drop of more than 370 in the same period at University Hospital, Coventry, according to the study in BMJ Quality & Safety. An editorial in the journal described the research as "an important milestone" in improving patient safety and said the lowering of death rate at these two hospitals "represents a truly dramatic improvement".
Data recorded on the hand-held devices is automatically uploaded to a hospital-wide system allowing nurses, doctors and managers to monitor the health of patients across all wards. Staff on ward rounds have instant access to information from any device connected to the hospital network.
The system is now installed in 40 hospitals across England and could eventually be rolled out across the whole of the NHS. The system was developed by doctors and nurses at Portsmouth working together with health improvement company The Learning Clinic.
Dr. Paul Schmidt, of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, one of the leaders of the project, said: "Observing patients and making accurate records provides a safety net to guard against their deterioration. We believed traditional paper charts were not doing the job well enough so we designed an electronic system to support staff. This study shows its introduction was followed by a significant drop in deaths."
1. What can be learned about VitalPAC?| A．It works with the hand-held devices. |
| B．It was applied by all the members of the NHS. |
| C．It can replace the nurses to take care of patients. |
| D．It was designed by The Learning Clinic independently. |
| A．Getting excited. | B．Getting out of order. |
| C．Getting worse. | D．Getting impatient. |
| A．The brief introduction of VitalPAC. | B．The improvement of VitalPAC. |
| C．The rules of operating VitalPAC. | D．The significance of VitalPAC. |
| A．A fashion magazine. | B．A story book. |
| C．A science fiction. | D．A news report. |
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【推荐1】Vaccines (疫苗) may soon make their first film appearance. Led by expert Maria A. Croyle, researchers have developed a thin sheet that preserves vaccines for long periods without refrigeration. This means the carefully cooled small bottles now used to ship vaccines could potentially be replaced by lightweight films that can be mailed in an envelope and stored on a shelf.
Croyle’s laboratory began developing the technology in 2007. Inspired by amber’s ability to preserve the DNA of insects, the researchers set out to create their own version of the substance by mixing “a lot of sugar and a little bit of salt, much like hard candy”, Croyle explains. The vaccine-containing film is administered by mouth — sweet news for many who dislike needles.
The film is tailored to suit each specific vaccine candidate and provide a protective coating. “We’ve learned over time that the key to really stabilizing whatever the film holds is to have it intermixed with all the components,” Croyle says, adding that the process is quick and uses affordable, standard equipment. “We really wanted to come up with something that would be transferable to developing countries.”
Immunization (免疫) programs depend heavily on keeping vaccines cold (2℃ — 8℃) as they are transported, sometimes over thousands of kilometers to far-away locations. Delivery can be difficult and costly, and transport disruptions can cause the vaccines to be ineffective.
But this new product can store live viruses, bacteria and antibodies for several months at 20℃. In a paper published in Science Advances, the scientists show that the live viruses in one vaccine were preserved in the film even after 36 months. They also find that a flu vaccine suspended in their film compares favourably with a traditional flu shot (流感预防针). “The study demonstrates early proof of concept for an exciting platform for vaccine product development,” says Lisa Rohan, a pharmacologist, who was not involved in the study. She also notes that each vaccine type would need a custom formulation (配方) for future stages of development.
Finding partners to mass-produce for clinical trials is the researchers’ most pressing problem, Croyle says. They are also exploring packaging methods to keep their films stable up to 40℃.
Size is a major advantage — a letter-sized sheet of the film can carry more than 500 doses (剂) of vaccine, about 1/900 the weight of the same amount of traditional doses. By making it easier and cheaper to ship and preserve vaccines efficiently, Croyle says, the technology could vastly improve immunization rates the world over, particularly in middle- to low-income countries.
1. What can we learn about the film?| A．It contains animal’s DNA. | B．It will replace vaccines. |
| C．It comes in different flavours. | D．It can hold bio-products. |
| A．advise personalizing vaccines |
| B．suggest the product is promising |
| C．prove the study is supported widely |
| D．stress the functions of a new platform |
| A．Advertising the film worldwide. | B．Improving the film’s capacity. |
| C．Reducing the shipping cost. | D．Seeking ideal manufacturers. |
【推荐2】Healthcare professionals in four Canadian provinces can now prescribe (开处方) their patients passes to National Parks thanks to a new program, PaRX, which stresses the health benefits of spending time in nature in helping to manage physical and mental health.
PaRx was founded by the B. C. Parks Foundation in November 2020 and was officially supported by Parks Canada last month. Health professionals who register (注册) with the program can offer their patients a Parks Canada Discovery Pass, making it the country’s “first national nature prescription program”. The Parks Discovery Pass typically costs about $57 per adult per year.
“We’re really asking doctors to prioritize patients who live close to Parks Canada sites so they’ll have more access and can make it part of their everyday lives, and also those for whom the cost of a pass might be a barrier to nature access,” said Melissa Lem, president-elect of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment.
Studies have shown that spending time in nature has a range of health benefits—from lowering blood pressure and improving heart health to reducing stress and anxiety. PaRx recommends that patients spend at least two hours per week in the great outdoors, and at least 20 minutes each time, to get the most benefit.
The program is currently available in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. It will eventually spread to every province.
PaRx also has benefits outside of the national parks, with many gardens offering free admission to visitors who show their prescriptions.
“There’s almost no medical condition that nature doesn’t make better. Rediscovering nature and then realizing how important it is to us has really shown that nature-health connection,” Lem said.
1. What do we know about the Parks Discovery Pass?| A．It is low priced. | B．It is designed for poor families. |
| C．It is well received. | D．It is owned by registered doctors. |
| A．Improve its service quality. | B．Carry it out all over the country. |
| C．Do further research on its effect. | D．Make it available free of charge. |
| A．Nature matters a great deal to our health. |
| B．Not all patients can get treated by doctors. |
| C．People should learn to change their lifestyle. |
| D．People should place health above everything. |
| A．Canadians Are Living in Harmony with Nature |
| B．Canadians Are Trying to Get Away from Hospitals |
| C．Canadian Doctors Are Prescribing National Park Visits |
| D．Canadian Doctors Are Leading the Way in Medical Research |
【推荐3】When colds and flu hit, many people automatically turn to over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to push through and treat their symptoms. Although these medicines are easily accessible and widely used, it might come as a surprise to many people to learn that they are not risk-free. A study estimated that every year, 26,735 people went to the emergency room for harmful events related to OTC cold and cough medicines.
When two or more drugs are used together, their interactions can sometimes produce unexpected harmful effects. Physicians are typically knowledgeable about potential drug interactions, so it is very important for patients to ask their healthcare providers which OTC medicines are safe for them to use.
It is also important to read the package ingredients of OTC medicines closely to avoid duplication of doses (剂量重复). Cold medicines are typically made up of multiple ingredients. A person who takes a single-ingredient medicine paired with one of these multi-ingredient medicines can receive an unsafe dose of that ingredient.
While everyone could potentially experience adverse effects from cold and flu medicines, some groups—including older adults, children and pregnant women—may be at greater risk. Older people who are using prescribed drugs to treat multiple health conditions may have a higher risk of drug interactions because of the higher number of medicines being used at the same time to treat different conditions. The aging body is not as expert at absorbing, distributing and clearing medicines as younger bodies are. This can put older adults at higher risk for an overdose and drug-to-drug interactions with some medicines.
The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention do not recommend giving cold medicines to children under age 4. Because of a variety of factors, young children have a higher risk of an accidental overdose and adverse events that could lead to death.
1. What does the author convey in the first paragraph?| A．People don’t care about their health at all. |
| B．OTC medicines may also exist some risks. |
| C．OTC medicines are extremely harmful to our health. |
| D．Few people are aware of the dangers of drug addiction. |
| A．Take drugs as early as possible. | B．Buy medicines from official hospitals. |
| C．Overlook the package ingredients of drugs. | D．Seek instructions and advice from doctors. |
| A．Beneficial. | B．Indifferent. | C．Unfavorable. | D．Effective. |
| A．Tips for taking OTC medicines. | B．OTC medicines may be unsafe. |
| C．How to deal with an OTC drug overdose. | D．Should OTC medicines be available? |
【推荐1】On the morning of June 17, three Chinese crew（机组）members blasted into the sky, flying to China’s space station, Tiangong, which is being built. Powered by the giant Long March-2F rocket, their Shenzhou-12 capsule（太空舱）successfully docked（对接）at the space station’s core module（核心舱）, Tianhe, after just a few hours.
After the ship docked with the space station, the astronauts opened four different hatches（窗口）to access the Tianhe core module, which was sent into orbit（轨道）on April 30. Tianhe has living rooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, dining area, exercise area, and work stations spread over 110 square meters. With only the American-led International Space Station for competition, Tiangong might have the best food available in space. There are more than 120 kinds of different food on board, all prepared to the astronauts’ tastes and health requirements. Among them are classic Sichuan dishes kung pao chicken and yuxiang shredded pork. Both dishes are surprisingly well-suited for space consumption（消耗）: when wrapped（包裹）up in a pancake, they are easy to eat without making a mess; they contain a rich variety of ingredients（原料）; there are no scraps like bones or skin to dispose（除掉）of; and they contain lots of calories. Plus, they’re delicious.
During their stay, the astronauts are scheduled to complete two spacewalks. The crew will use robotic arms to move around the ship and carry out repair tasks, as well as various experiments and tests on the Tiangong’s equipment（设备）. But high on the crew’s to-do-list is to open the packages of supplies delivered by the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft less than three weeks ago. The 6.8 tons of supplies include two specialized（专门的）spacesuits for spacewalks, oxygen tanks, food, water, propellant（推进燃料）, and other supplies. At the end of the mission, the crew will ride the Shenzhou-12’s descent（降落）vehicle back to Earth, and land at the Dongfeng landing site in the Badain Jaran Desert in the western part of Inner Mongolian.
1. Which of the following did Shenzhou-12 capsule get power from?| A．The space station. | B．Long March-2F rocket. |
| C．Shenzhou-12 capsule itself. | D．The space station’s core module. |
| A．The housing conditions in the space station. |
| B．The food in the space station is delicious. |
| C．Astronauts’ living conditions in the space station. |
| D．The Tianhe core module was sent into orbit. |
| A．The food on Tiangong can’t meet the astronauts’ health requirements. |
| B．It is easy to eat without a mess to wrap the dishes up in a pancake. |
| C．There is no place for astronauts to do exercise. |
| D．The food astronauts cat contains few calories. |
| A．To carry out repair tasks. |
| B．To do various experiments. |
| C．To use robotic arms to move around the ship. |
| D．To open the packages of supplies delivered by the Tianzhou-2 cargo spacecraft. |
 · Do an anonymous (匿名的) act of kindness for someone. · Leave a smile card behind to encourage them to pay-it-forward. · Share your story here to spread the inspiration. · hanged the world, one kind act at a time. ORDER SMILE CARDS To request Smile Cards, please fill out the form below. A volunteer will mail you an order of ten cards within two weeks. Smile Cards are offered to anyone who requests them on a pay-it-forward basis. That means there is no charge for a set of cards. Someone before you has paid for your cards, and you are invited to keep the chain going and pay-forward whatever you wish for the next person! For special events or circumstanced, you can also place a large quantity of request. Note: When using a Smile Card, remember not to just hand it out by itself. The idea is to do something kind for someone and then leave the Smile Card behind, so that they know someone reached out to them, and that they are invited to pay-forward the kindness and keep the rippled going! Country: *-select - Name: * ________ There is a daily maximum order for each country. Please select a country first to make sure we have not exceeded the quota(定额) for the day. Address: *________ City: * ________ State: *- select- Email address: * ________ Inspiration: * ________ Please tell us what inspired you to order Smile Cards, and give us an example of a kind act you'd like to do using them. PLACE smile CARD ORDER NOW ABOUT US Kind Spring is a place to practice small acts of kindness. For over a decade the Kind Spring user community has focused on inner transformation, while collectively changing the world with generosity, gratitude, and trust. The site is 100 % volunteer-run and totally non-commercial. It is a shared labor of love. |
| A．Your friend's birthday is approaching. | B．Your classmate has won the first prize. |
| C．You've ordered lunch for a poor friend. | D．You find your classmate in low spirits. |
| A．pay for them in advance | B．place a big quantity of request |
| C．mail some necessary information | D．tell what favor you will do for others |
| A．spread kindness | B．become volunteers |
| C．advertise for Kind Spring | D．pay others' kindness back |
【推荐3】Underwater travel is difficult and dangerous, but many people have reasons to stay deep under the ocean. Soldiers in submarines travel long distances underwater. Companies looking for oil and other resources stay underwater, too. Humans have come up with a few designs of vehicles to move around under the ocean. But what if there was a better way to travel?
Hilary Bart-Smith, an engineer at the University of Virginia, thinks a vehicle that travels like a man ta ray would be able to operate for long periods at sea as if it were a living organism. Manta rays, a type of cartilaginous (软骨的) fish, can grow up to 29 feet long, which are found throughout the world in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters. Manta rays are some of the most efficient swimmers in the ocean. Different from animals and people pushing against water in order to swim, the manta ray swims by moving through the water with wing-like movements of their fins (鳍). Efficiency means using less energy to move farther and causing less pollution.
Bart-Smith and other engineers at the University of Virginia had to find out what manta rays looked like on the inside to better understand how they move. They took x-rays to find out how a manta ray’s fins are built. They found that a web of cartilage, which is the same kind of material that your ears and nose are made from, stretches across each fin.
Once the engineers knew how a manta ray’s fin was constructed, they could build one of their own. They made a long row of metal struts with many hinges to imitate the manta ray’s web of cartilage, acting like your finger, which can bend as one long line, or bend in many places to make a curve. The engineers put their design inside a flexible cover, shaped like a manta ray’s fin. Then they tested it in the university swimming pool. They were happy to see that it swam just like a manta ray in the ocean.
Engineers and scientists are still learning and experimenting with how to imitate these amazing animals. Perhaps someday engineers will be able to build manta ray robots that are big enough to transport people. For now, engineers study their movement and learn from the most efficient swimmers in the ocean.
1. Why does the author raise a question in the first paragraph?| A．To lead to the main topic. | B．To ask for a correct answer. |
| C．To suggest exploring the sea. | D．To summarize people’s views. |
| A．It can grow at least 29 feet long. | B．It swims with much less energy. |
| C．It can inhabit all kinds of waters. | D．It swims by pushing against water. |
| A．The engineers failed to build a man ta ray’s fin. | B．Artificial “manta rays” remain to be improved. |
| C．The experiments were carried out in the ocean. | D．Vehicles like manta rays have been put into use. |
| A．Unclear. | B．Doubtful. | C．Negative. | D．Optimistic. |
