Academic Degrees and Clinical Practice Characteristics: The University of Washington Physician Assistant Program: 1969-2000

CONTEXT: The physician assistant profession has been moving toward requiring master's degrees for new practitioners, but some argue this could change the face of the discipline. PURPOSE: To see if there is an association between physician assistants' academic degrees and practice in primary care, in rural areas, and with the medically underserved. METHODS: Surveys were sent to 880 graduates of the first 32 University of Washington physician assistant classes through 2000. Respondents noted their academic degree at program entry and the highest degree attained at any time up to the time of survey. Relationships between practice characteristics and academic degree levels were tested by unadjusted odds ratios and logistic regression after controlling for year of graduation and sex. RESULTS: Of the 478 respondents, 54% worked in primary care, about 30% practiced in nonmetropolitan communities, and 42% reported providing care for the medically underserved. Respondents with no degree (33% of total at entry, 24% at survey) were significantly more likely than degree holders to work in primary care and nonmetropolitan areas. Respondents with no degree at program entry were significantly more likely, and those with no degree at the time of the survey were marginally more likely, to self-report work with the medically underserved. CONCLUSION: Respondents with no academic degree are significantly more likely to demonstrate a commitment to primary, rural, and underserved health care. These findings may inform the national debate about the impact of required advanced degrees on the practice patterns of nonphysician providers.     

MPO和NAT2基因多态性与成人急性白血病易感性

目的研究髓过氧化物酶（MPO）和N-乙酰基转移酶2（NAT2）基因多态性与成人急性白血病易感性的关系.方法用1∶1配对病例-对照研究方法,收集成人急性白血病患者和对照各139例,应用聚合酶链-内切酶片段（PCR-RFLP）方法分析病例组和对照组MPO和NAT2的基因多态性,比较不同基因型与成人急性白血病易感性.结果 MPO-463A等位基因分布频率病例组低于对照组,MPO（G-463A）各基因型在病例组与对照组中的分布差异有统计学意义（χ^2=7.026,P〈0.05,OR=0.505,95%CI=0.325～0.847）.NAT2乙酰化表型频率在病例组与对照组的分布差异无统计学意义（χ^2=2.260,P〉0.05）;但NAT2＊5 481T等位基因和NAT2＊6 590A等位基因分布频率病例组高于对照组（P〈0.05）.结论 MPO与成人急性白血病易感性相关,携带MPO（G-463A）突变基因型（GA/AA）个体可降低白血病的发病风险;NAT2乙酰化表型可能与白血病的易感性无关,但NAT2＊5（C481T）、NAT2＊6（G590A）单核苷酸突变频率病例组明显高于对照组.     

重庆市主要交通干道机动车尾气污染状况

目的：探讨重庆市机动车尾气污染状况,为研究其对人群健康的影响提供依据.方法：测定重庆市主要交通干道空气中铅含量、苯并（a）芘[B（a）P]浓度、总悬浮颗粒、PM10、PM2.5和PM1浓度并进行相关分析.结果：重庆市各主要交通干道尾气污染物浓度均超过国家环境卫生标准.结论：该市应采取措施控制机动车尾气污染环境.     

Inter- and intraobserver variability in sonographic measurement of the lower uterine segment after a previous Cesarean section.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reproducibility of sonographic measurement of the lower uterine segment in pregnant women at term. METHODS: Two independent observers performed transabdominal sonography on 129 women between 36 and 38 weeks of gestation who had had a previous Cesarean section. Sonography was performed when the patients had a full and a half-full bladder; in 100 patients, the measurements were also performed transvaginally, with the patients having an empty bladder. Agreement was quantified by the intraclass correlation coefficient and, using a cut-off of 3.5 mm, by the kappa coefficient. RESULTS: The intraobserver agreement was generally high (intraclass correlation coefficient > 0.90). The interobserver agreement was higher on transvaginal (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.94) compared with transabdominal (0.70 and 0.84, with full and half-full bladder, respectively) ultrasound. The kappa coefficient was 0.75 transvaginally, compared with 0.34 and 0.54 using the transabdominal approach, with full and half-full bladder, respectively. CONCLUSION: The agreement between two observers for sonographic transvaginal measurement of the lower uterine segment can be considered good, compared with poor to moderate agreement using the transabdominal approach.     

Genetic linkage analysis of pulmonary fibrotic response to silica in mice.

Inter-individual variations in the development of silicosis, even within the same environments, have been reported, which suggest the contribution of genetic factors in silicosis aetiology. The aim of the present study was to determine whether there is any significant genetic influence on the development of silicosis. Furthermore, which genetic loci are responsible for the pulmonary response to silica exposure? Eight strains of inbred mice were used to examine the genetic influence on the lung fibrotic response to silica exposure. After intercross-breeding between the most susceptible and most resistant strains, a genome-wide linkage analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL) was performed. Hydroxyproline was applied as an index, and genotypes of 167 marker genes were analysed by fragment analysis using a capillary-type sequencer. There was significant inter-strain difference in the mean concentration of hydroxyproline contents among the eight strains of mice. Breeding studies were conducted between the most susceptible, C57BL/6J, and the most resistant strain, CBA/J. A genome-wide linkage analysis of silica-exposed intercrossed cohorts identified significant QTL on chromosome 4 and suggestive QTL on chromosomes 3 and 18. The present study demonstrates that genetic factors may play a significant role in fibrotic-lung responses to silica; one significant and two suggestive quantitative trait loci were identified.