Cash holdings of not-for-profit hospitals

Many not-for-profit (NFP) hospitals hold substantial cash reserves. Using a national sample of 608 NFP hospitals over the period 1996-1999, we related theories of cash holdings to NFP hospitals to develop a conceptual framework for understanding cash holdings. We tested whether these hospitals differentially managed operating and strategic cash with respect to establishing target balances and investigated motivations for holding cash. NFP hospitals actively targeted levels of operating cash, but did not target strategic cash balances. Strategic cash balances were positively related to profitability and growth in assets, but negatively associated with the use of debt.     

抗真菌药物的研究II.C-端含氧代赖氨酸二肽的合成及抗白念珠菌活性

引用违法传递概念设计合成了11个C-末端含氧代赖氨酸二肽,进行抗深部致病菌-白念珠菌活性试验,体外实验结果显示极强的抑菌活性,MIC在12.5～0.8μg/disk之间,较母体氧化赖氨酸大50～135倍(克分子比。     

Comparative tumorigenicity of benzo[a]pyrene, 1-nitropyrene and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine administered by gavage to female CD rats

Agents that are ubiquitous in the environment and are knowninducers of mammary cancer in rodents can be regarded as potentialcauses of human cancer and need to be evaluated more completely.Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine underidentical conditions the relative carcinogenic potency in themammary glands of rats of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), 1-nitropyrene(1-NP) and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyidne (PhIP).Thirty-day-old female CD rats were gavaged once weekly for 8weeks with B[a]P, 1-NP or PhIP. Each compound was given at 50µmol/rat/week in 0.5 ml trioctanoin for a total dose of400 µmoul/rat. Forty-one weeks after the last carcinogenadministration, rats were killed. In the 1-NP-treated rats,treatment elicited primarily benign tumors. In contrast, theB[a]P- and PhIP-treated rats developed both malignant and benigntumors. The incidence of adenocarcinomas in rats treated withB[a]P or PhIP was comparable and significantly higher than thatin animals receiving trioctanoin only. The incidence of benigntumors (fibroadenomas, desmoplastic adenomas and adenomas) observedin animals treated with B[a]P or 1-NP was comparable and significantlyhigher than that in animals given PhIP or trioctanoin. Thisis the first report describing the carcinogenic activity ofPhIP, given by gavage, in the mammary gland of CD rats and rankingthe carcinogenic potency observed under identical conditions,of three agents (B[a]P     

Inhibitory effect of aspirin on azoxymethane-induced colon carcinogenesis in F344 rats

Epidemiologic studies suggest that sustained use of aspirinmay reduce the risk of development of and mortality due to coloncancer. Previous preclinical studies have shown that severalnon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs act as potential chemopreventiveagents in experimentally induced colon cancer models. The presentstudy was designed to investigate the chemopreventive effectof 40 and 80% maximum tolerated dose (MTD) levels of aspirinadministered in the diet on azoxymethane (AOM)-induced coloncarcinogenesis in male F344 rats. The MTD of aspirin as determinedin male F344 rats was 500 p.p.m. Beginning at 5 weeks of age,all animals were randomly divided into various experimentalgroups (48 rats/group) and fed one of the semipurified dietscontaining 0, 200 p.p.m. (40% MTD), or 400 ppm (80% MTD) ofaspirin. Two weeks later, all animals (36 rats/group) exceptthe vehicle-treated groups (12 rats/group) were administereds.c. injections of AOM at a dose level of 15 mg/kg body wt,once weekly for 2 weeks. All animals were continued on theirrespective dietary regimen for additional 52 weeks and necropsied.Histopathologic evaluation of colon tumors was performed byroutine procedures. Basal levels and ex vivo production of colonicmucosal and tumor prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) were measured in allgroups. The results indicate that daily oral administrationof 200 and 400 p.p.m. aspirin significantly inhibited the incidence(% animals with tumors) and multiplicity (tumors/animal) ofinvasive adenocarcinomas of the colon as well as the size ofadenocarcinomas. Colonic mucosal and tumor PGE₂ levels (basaland ex vivo production) were significantly reduced in animalsadministered 200 and 400 p.p.m. aspirin. The results of thisstudy support the epidemiologic evidence that ingestion of aspirininhibits colon carcinogenesis. Although the precise mechanismsof aspirin-induced colon tumor inhibition remain to be determined,it is likely that the effect may be mediated through the modulationof prostaglandin synthesis.     

基于受体结构的药物分子设计系统:维甲类分子与其结合蛋白之间相互作用的研究

大分子解剖程序,配体分子契合适配和DOCK程序,以及计算化学的其它程序等,已集成为基于受体结构和分子间相互作用的进行分子设计的软件系统,定名为BIOS(Biomolecularinteractionsandorientationsimulator)。BIOS软件可在普通的微机上运行。使用BIOS分别剥离了细胞浆维甲结合蛋白(CRBP)和副睾维甲酸结合蛋白(E-RABP)两种蛋白的配体结合腔,剥离是围绕配体以同样的分子距离进行的。从而得到了芳香性残基分布相似的两个结合腔,其结合位点的几何排布却有相当差别。揭示出的结合腔已用于一系列的维甲类化合物的DOCK研究。E-RABP的结合腔可做为设计新维甲类分子的模板。     

The contribution of risk factors to the effect of early otitis media with effusion on later language, reading, and spelling

A cohort of 946 children who were screened for otitis media with effusion (OME) from the ages of 2 to 4 were studied for language, reading, and spelling at 7 years of age. The effects of OME in combination with single risk factors and with increasing numbers of risk factors were investigated. An interaction with an additional risk factor was found only for gender and OME, with boys' spelling influenced negatively by a history of OME. OME in combination with preterm birth and low birthweight also appears to put children at risk for later langauage and educational problems. Although a negative linear relation between the number of risk factors and later functioning was found, it is suggested that OME, even when combined with a number of other risk factors, produces only minor effects on later language, reading, and spelling.     

Modulation of responses to optic flow in area 7a by retinotopic and oculomotor cues in monkey

Perception of two- and three-dimensional optic flow critically depends upon extrastriate cortices that are part of the 'dorsal stream' for visual processing. Neurons in area 7a, a sub-region of the posterior parietal cortex, have a dual sensitivity to visual input and to eye position. The sensitivity and selectivity of area 7a neurons to three sensory cues - optic flow, retinotopic stimulus position and eye position - were studied. The visual response to optic flow was modulated by the retinotopic stimulus position and by the eye position in the orbit. The position dependence of the retinal and eye position modulation (i.e. gain field) were quantified by a quadratic regression model that allowed for linear or peaked receptive fields. A local maximum (or minimum) in both the retinotopic fields and the gain fields was observed, suggesting that these sensory qualities are not necessarily linearly represented in area 7a. Neurons were also found that simply encoded the eye position in the absence of optic flow. The spatial tuning for the eye position signals upon stationary stimuli and optic flow was not the same, suggesting multiple anatomical sources of the signals. These neurons can provide a substrate for spatial representation while primates move in the environment.      

Experiences of special gynaecological services for children and adolescents: a descriptive study

Gynaecological examination of girls during childhood is undertaken somewhat infrequently. These genital examinations should not be taboo or a frightening experience for the girl, for her parents or for the physician. Studies of children suspected of sexual abuse have paid attention to the wide variety of gynaecological conditions already present in childhood. In 1988 we founded a special gynaecological outpatient clinic for girls under 16 y of age at a university hospital to develop the special knowledge and skills needed in children's gynaecology. In this gynaecological clinic for children and adolescents we were able to gain and offer expert knowledge of the problems of this age group. In this special clinic for children, gynaecological examination by special techniques and sonography led to a diagnosis in 71% of the patients without any instrumentation. Children and adolescent girls in need of special gynaecological care should be recognized specifically. Particular attention should be paid to the gynaecological care of victims of child sexual abuse and mentally or physically handicapped girls. In good co-operation with the girl, a gynaecological examination can become a positive experience during the development of female identity.