Three years ago, when the biotech clot-buster Activase was introduced, its $2,200-per-dose price tag sent shock waves through hospital budget circles. Those waves could seem like mere ripples as new genetically engineered pharmaceuticals hit the market. While the drugs perform unprecedented feats, they also carry unprecedented feats, they also carry unprecedented prices, posing new challenges for executives.

Biotechnology↗

PubMed1992

Economics slow to decide oximeter sensor debate.

Reusing pulse oximeter sensors is more economical for hospitals, but making the switch from disposables won't be easy. Personnel are used to the convenience of one-use sensors, and there's been some concern about the possibility that blood-borne diseases could be transmitted. But economics may win out--one industry executive says hospitals could save $100 million annually by going with reusables.

Disposable Equipment↗

PubMed1992

Sensitive detection of RNAs in single cells by flow cytometry.

A rapid and sensitive fluorescent in situ hybridization method has been developed to probe RNA contents of individual cells by flow cytometry. Fixed cells in suspension were hybridized with 5' end-fluorophore-labeled oligodeoxynucleotides complementary to defined regions of the RNA of interest and analyzed by flow cytometry. With this method, we monitored combinations of histone H4 mRNA, 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA levels in synchronized HeLa S3 cells by multicolor analysis. A fluorescence signal equivalent to 1800 copies of histone H4 mRNA per cell was detected with signal-to-background ratio of 5.4. If non-specific binding of the fluorophore-labeled probe can be reduced, as few as 100 copies of mRNA of the size of H4 could be detected in individual cells by flow cytometry.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1992

IG to investigate VA bidding practices.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Competitive Bidding↗

PubMed1992

1992 healthcare business outlook.

Whether it's with apprehension or expectation, most of us are wondering what the new year will hold. With that question in mind, Modern Healthcare staff writers and healthcare industry leaders offer their short- and long-range forecasts for all sectors and on a variety of all-encompassing issues. Some key questions: Will presidential politics pressure healthcare reform efforts? How will investor-owned companies fare under another year of regulatory scrutiny? What awaits hospitals and physicians under the new fee schedule and other Medicare rule changes?

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed1992

Structure and thermodynamic properties of nanocrystalline metals.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1992

Localization of the steroid 1-dehydrogenase in Rhodococcus erythropolis IMET 7030 by immunoelectron microscopy.

The steroid 1-dehydrogenase of Rhodococcus erythropolis IMET 7030, an active steroid-transforming strain, was localized by immunogold labelling both in cells induced with 17-alpha-methyl-testosterone and in noninduced cells. The labelling intensity was much higher in induced cells than in noninduced cells, indicating increased enzyme production in the case of induction. Using the postembedding procedure, the main portion of the enzyme was found in the peripheral region of the cytoplasm. A considerable amount was bound in clusters to the inner side of the cytoplasmic membrane. The enzyme was also detected in channels connecting the cytoplasm with the cell surface. By means of the preembedding labelling, a few gold clusters could be detected on the cell surface. The significance of this observation was discussed.

Cytoplasm↗

PubMed1992

Overexpression of a Rhodococcus erythropolis protein in Escherichia coli with immunological identity to the Rhodococcus steroid 1-dehydrogenase. Immunoelectron microscopic localization and electrophoretic studies.

The recombinant Escherichia coli K-12 strain chi 6060 harbouring the plasmid pYA 1201 with a gene from Rhodococcus erythropolis IMET 7030 overexpressed a protein which reacts with a monospecific antiserum against the steroid 1-dehydrogenase (Sdh) from the same Rhodococcus strain. It was shown previously that this recombinant protein exhibits no enzymatic activity. By immunogold labelling the protein was localized on ultrathin sections of the recombinant E. coli strain. After cultivation at 37 degrees C it was found within large cytoplasmic compartments (inclusion bodies). The inclusion bodies occupied 40% to 75% of the sectioned cell area. The highest amount of protein was observed after induction of the culture with isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside. Approximately 20% of the induced cells became enlarged (up to 5-fold of the normal size) and deformed; multiplication of the Rhodococcus protein producing cells was inhibited. After ultrasonic cell disintegration the inclusion bodies were found only in the fraction of the sedimented cell debries and did still react with anti-Sdh. When recombinant E. coli cells were cultivated at 28 degrees C, inclusion bodies appeared very seldom and the immunoreactive protein was distributed throughout the whole cytoplasm.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Spirometric and endoscopic evaluation of airway collapse in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

We evaluated eight infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) at ages from 2 to 13 months who had repeated episodes of clinical respiratory deterioration associated with agitation. These episodes limited further weaning from ventilation or necessitated recurrent intubation and reinstitution of ventilation. All infants underwent spirometric evaluation and six also had endoscopic examination during simulated agitation episodes (elicited by toe pinching). All babies were found to have a very prolonged near zero expiratory airflow pattern, accompanied by vigorous diaphragmatic and abdominal muscle activity and rapid development of hypoxia. Six patients had endoscopically documented tracheal collapse under the same simulated circumstances. The episodes ceased with calming or sedation of the infants.

Airway Obstruction↗

PubMed1992

Omission of exon 12 in cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene transcripts.

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mRNA transcripts isolated from both expressing and "non-expressing" cell types of normal individuals exhibit differential splicing to a variable extent in a region encoding the putative nucleotide binding fold of the CFTR polypeptide. Sequence analysis of the aberrant fragments obtained after cDNA polymerase chain reaction amplification confirmed the in-frame joining of exons 11 and 13. The proportion of alternative splicing is reproducible and constant in a given individual. The omission of exon 12 in a significant proportion of transcripts supports the hypothesis that a minimal amount of correctly expressed CFTR is sufficient for the maintenance of a clinically normal phenotype.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Interaction of the yeast pleiotropic drug resistance genes PDR1 and PDR5.

The network of genes which mediates multiple drug resistance in yeast includes, among others, the PDR1 gene, which encodes a putative regulator of gene expression, and PDR5, a locus whose amplification leads to resistance. We demonstrate that disruption of PDR5 causes marked hypersensitivity not only to cycloheximide but also to sulphometuron methyl and the mitochondrial inhibitors chloramphenicol, lincomycin, erythromycin and antimycin. Genetic analysis of double mutants containing an insertion in PDR5 (pdr5:Tn5), which renders cells hypersensitive to cycloheximide, and a pdr1 mutation, which confers resistance to this inhibitor, indicates that the expression of resistance requires a functional PDR5 gene. The same interdependency is observed for chloramphenicol, but not for oligomycin, lincomycin, erythromycin or sulphometuron methyl. Northern analysis of PDR1 and PDR5 transcripts reveals that the 5.2 kbp PDR5 transcript is overexpressed in pdr1 (resistant) mutants, but underexpressed in a disruption of PDR1. These observations provide strong experimental support for our former proposal that the PDR5 gene is a target for regulation by the PDR1 gene product.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗