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

A two-colour technique for chromosome in situ hybridization in tissue sections.

By extending non-isotopic in situ hybridization of DNA probes (targeted to metaphase chromosomes or interphase nuclei) to hybridization using tissue sections, additional topological information on the DNA structure and specific alterations can be obtained. We have established a method for the application of two different, chromosome-specific probes labelled with two colour dyes allowing simultaneous detection of two-colour signals. This method was tested in and is applicable to tissue sections of various origins. To demonstrate its sensitivity, prostate carcinomas (either as cryosections or as sections from paraffin blocks) were investigated for the presence or absence of chromosomes 1 and Y. The technique presented here, comparable to immunohistochemical staining, is particularly useful for routine application in diagnostic laboratories and testing of fresh or archival material.

Carcinoma↗

PubMed1992

A non-alphoid repetitive DNA sequence from human chromosome 21.

A non-alphoid repetitive DNA from human chromosome 22, consisting of a 48-bp motif, shows homology to both G-group chromosomes in the gorilla, thus indicating the presence of additional repeat family members on further human chromosomes. Therefore, we screened a chromosome-21-specific cosmid library using this repetitive sequence from chromosome 22 (D22Z3). Some 40-50 cosmid clones were positive in tests for hybridization. One of the clones giving the strongest signals was digested with EcoRI/PstI, which we knew to cut frequently within the repeats; this resulted in fragments containing repeat units only. The fragments were subcloned into plasmid vector pTZ 19. Sequence-analysis of a 500-bp insert showed ten copies of a 48-bp repeat similar to D22Z3, with about 15% sequence deviation from the chromosome 22 consensus sequence. In situ hybridization of the newly isolated recombinant established its chromosome 21 specificity at high stringency. Physical mapping by pulsed field gel electrophoresis placed this new repeat in close vicinity to the chromosome 21 alphoid repeat. No cross-hybridization with other mammalian genomes except for those of apes was observed. The locus has been designated D21Z2 by the Genome Data Base. A gel mobility shift assay indicated that this repetitive motif has protein-binding properties.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Search for putative suppressor genes in meningioma: significance of chromosome 22.

Cytogenetic and molecular studies of various solid tumors have indicated that a series of different chromosomal regions may be deleted in the tumor genome. Usually, losses of heterozygosity are observed and, from this finding, the presence of specific genes acting as tumor suppressors has been deduced. In particular tumors, however, only a single chromosome site appears to be affected. Therefore, we have carried out a study of human meningioma, investigating 7 such putative suppressor regions by applying twelve site-specific DNA markers. In 6 out of 19 tumors, we exclusively found loss of heterozygosity for markers of the long arm of chromosome 22; none of the tumors showed statistically significant additional allelic losses for the regions 1p, 3p, 5p, 5q, 11p, 13q, 17p. Our data support the long-standing observation that only losses of or within chromosome 22 are associated with the development of meningiomas. Other suppressor regions are apparently not involved.

Adult↗

PubMed1991

PhyCor plans stock offering to raise $28 million for group practice acquisitions.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Group Practice↗

PubMed1991

Troubled times for psych hospitals.

Horror stories of patient abuse and unscrupulous practices at some psychiatric hospitals have made the public skittish and prompted a growing number of governmental inquiries. One observer says the industry is in "free fall" while others say it's just a normal bust following the boom of the 1980s. Regardless, the negative publicity and other trends are reshaping the psych-care industry.

Attitude to Health↗

PubMed1991

Mixed views on wound product.

Wound-care management has developed into a $2 billion market, and some hospitals are turning to Procuren, a product that uses a patient's own blood platelets to stimulate healing. However, some physicians are skeptical that it's the wonder drug that it's portrayed to be.

Biological Dressings↗