Development of a Test of Aptitude for Veterinary Medicine

Particularly since the war, schools of veterinary medicine have been able to enroll for training only a relatively small percentage of their applicants. An increased emphasis upon the importance of identifying the best qualified candidates has resulted in a careful reexamination of selection procedures and in recognition of the possible utilization of some sort of veterinary aptitude test

Some Factors in the Academic Superiority of Veteran Students

Veterans of World War II in considerable numbers have now been back on college campuses for several years. Concern over their proper academic and vocational disposition has prompted a substantial number of studies of their differential characteristics as compared with non-veterans. It has, for example, been rather well established through such investigations as those of Clark (1), Gowan (2), Taylor (5), et al, that veterans tend to be superior to non-veterans in academic achievement at the college level. Gowan has, in addition, pointed out that this state of affairs still obtains if scholastic aptitude be held constant. Owens (4), in a study of differential achievement by aptitude levels, has noted that veteran superiority appears to be more marked at the lower aptitude levels than at the upper; that is, that veterans less frequently fail when predicted upon an aptitude basis to do so

Some Social Correlates of Intellectual Changes

As a result of considerable psychological investigation in the field of individual differences, Tyler (3) and others have stated that social factors, such as amount of education, are related to mental abilities. This statement suggested the possibility that social factors may be related to changes in mental abilities over a chronological age span. The knowledge of social correlates, if any, of the changes in mental abilities is an important preliminary step for further research designed to determine causation. Due to the lack of information in the literature concerning this relationship, it was believed worthwhile to conduct a longitudinal study directly concerned with the social correlates of intellectual changes with age. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship, if any, between certain social factors and the changes in mental abilities over a 31-year age span. This was part of a larger study made possible through a grant by the Office of Naval Research, and was under the guidance of Dr. W. A. Owens, Jr. The primary purpose of the larger study was a longitudinal approach to changes in mental abilities as age advances, and it will be made available in written form at a later date

Strategic Implications of COVID-19: Considerations for Georgia’s Rural Health Providers

Whether rural hospitals and providers have seen a surge in COVID-19 cases or a reduction in patients seeking care since the pandemic began, their financial condition has been negatively impacted. Many providers have now received some emergency funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Payroll Protection Program but these are likely only short-term fixes. For many, the crisis has exacerbated already existing problems. Notable among these problems are volume declines, supply chain disruptions, and workforce concerns. While these problems require immediate action, two longer-term systemic changes to rural healthcare delivery are needed to address them. Proactive adoption of telehealth is essential to stake a value-added position in delivery of healthcare. Creating a regional ecosystem that both supports, and receives support from, local businesses and potential workforce members is vital to building and maintaining a thriving organization. Rural healthcare providers must consider these strategies to ensure that they are able to continue delivering their mission of improving the health of the populations they serve

Seven-month developmental outcomes of very low birth weight infants enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of delayed versus immediate cord clamping

Objective: The results from our previous trial revealed that infants with delayed cord clamping (DCC) had significantly lesser intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) and late-onset sepsis (LOS) than infants with immediate cord clamping (ICC). A priori, we hypothesized that infants with DCC would have better motor function by 7 months corrected age. Study Design: Infants between 24 and 31 weeks were randomized to ICC or DCC and follow-up evaluation was completed at 7 months corrected age. Result: We found no differences in the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) scores between the DCC and ICC groups. However, a regression model of effects of DCC on motor scores controlling for gestational age, IVH, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis and male gender suggested higher motor scores of male infants with DCC. Conclusion: DCC at birth seems to be protective of very low birth weight male infants against motor disability at 7 months corrected age

Effects of Placental Transfusion on Neonatal and 18 Month Outcomes in Preterm Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To assess the effect of delayed cord clamping (DCC) vs immediate cord clamping (ICC) on intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), late onset sepsis (LOS), and 18-month motor outcomes in preterm infants. Study Design: Women (n = 208) in labor with singleton fetuses (\u3c32 weeks gestation) were randomized to either DCC (30-45 seconds) or ICC (\u3c10 seconds). The primary outcomes were IVH, LOS, and motor outcomes at 18-22 months corrected age. Intention-to-treat was used for primary analyses. Results: Cord clamping time was 32 ± 16 (DCC) vs 6.6 ± 6 (ICC) seconds. Infants in the DCC and ICC groups weighed 1203 ± 352 and 1136 ± 350 g and mean gestational age was 28.3 ± 2 and 28.4 ± 2 weeks, respectively. There were no differences in rates of IVH or LOS between groups. At 18-22 months, DCC was protective against motor scores below 85 on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Third Edition (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.10-0.90, P = .03). There were more women with preeclampsia in the ICC group (37% vs 22%, P = .02) and more women in the DCC group with premature rupture of membranes/preterm labor (54% vs 75%, P = .002). Preeclampsia halved the risk of IVH (OR 0.50, 95% CI 0.2-1.0) and premature rupture of membranes/preterm labor doubled the risk of IVH (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-4.3). Conclusions: Although DCC did not alter the incidence of IVH or LOS in preterm infants, it improved motor function at 18-22 months corrected age

BAP1 regulates epigenetic switch from pluripotency to differentiation in developmental lineages giving rise to BAP1-mutant cancers

The BAP1 tumor suppressor is mutated in many human cancers such as uveal melanoma, leading to poor patient outcome. It remains unclear how BAP1 functions in normal biology or how its loss promotes cancer progression. Here, we show that Bap1 is critical for commitment to ectoderm, mesoderm, and neural crest lineages during Xenopus laevis development. Bap1 loss causes transcriptional silencing and failure of H3K27ac to accumulate at promoters of key genes regulating pluripotency-to-commitment transition, similar to findings in uveal melanoma. The Bap1-deficient phenotype can be rescued with human BAP1, by pharmacologic inhibition of histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity or by specific knockdown of Hdac4. Similarly, BAP1-deficient uveal melanoma cells are preferentially vulnerable to HDAC4 depletion. These findings show that Bap1 regulates lineage commitment through H3K27ac-mediated transcriptional activation, at least in part, by modulation of Hdac4, and they provide insights into how BAP1 loss promotes cancer progression.Fil: Kuznetsov, Jeffim N.. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Agüero, Tristán Horacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas; Argentina. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Owens, Dawn A.. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Kurtenbach, Stefan. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Field, Matthew G.. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Durante, Michael A.. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Rodriguez, Daniel A.. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: King, Mary Lou. University of Miami; Estados UnidosFil: Harbour, J. William. University of Miami; Estados Unido

Georgia\u27s Critical Access Hospitals: Financial Performance and Process Improvement

Background: Georgia’s Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) are in crisis. Within the last 2 years, four CAHs have closed their doors due to failed financial and operational performance. Evidence points to the risk that several more are on the brink of closure. CAH closures have far-reaching impact on residents. Negative impacts include the extra distance that patients must travel to seek care, the displacement of health professionals and the unravelling of the entire fabric of the communities these hospitals serve. We hope to help participants understand the financial and operational challenges of CAHs, and to identify realistic strategies to enhance the resilience of these hospitals. Methods: The Georgia Southern team worked with a cohort of CAHs across the state of Georgia to identify financial and operational best practices. Year 1 of this project focused on data collection, analysis and benchmarking. Year 2 is currently focused on performance improvement through Lean Six Sigma. Results: CAHs face financial constraints due to factors such as low volume, declining market share, unfavorable payer mix, challenges relating to collections, and difficulties in recruiting providers. CAHs in Georgia performed more poorly on the financial indicators assessed, in comparison to respective national medians. Many CAHs in our cohort are better organized to deal with crises – utilizing strong executive and bureaucratic structures – than to pursue ongoing improvement through employee empowerment and a process focus. Conclusions: Improvements in the operational and financial management practices of Georgia’s CAHs may significantly improve performance. Evidence-based strategies for operational and financial improvement are vital to sustainability. Opportunities exist for collaboration between public health systems and rural hospitals, including CAHs in assuring healthcare access for rural populations

Beewild' bundleflower, a new summer-growing perennial legume for central and south Texas and Mexico

Last updated: 10/19/201