Expected Wages and Other Labor Market Factors Affecting the Labor Force Decisions of Nurses in the State of Iowa

The Iowa Department of Public Health has undertaken several independent projects to evaluate various aspects of the labor environment affecting Iowa healthcare over the recent past.  This research expands upon the results of these efforts to estimate the effects of a number of wage and nonwage factors on nurses’ decisions regarding where and how much to employment to seek within the nursing sector.  Utilizing data collected through Department of Public Health surveys, average county-level wages for Registered Nurses, Licensed Practical Nurses, and unlicensed practitioners (nursing assistants) are estimated.  Estimated county-level wages for each group are then matched with information on each county’s health care demand environment to estimate the influence of wage and type of employing firm upon nurses’ joint decisions regarding place of work and place of residence.  Finally, average county wage estimates are combined with individual nurse data for 13 counties in North-central Iowa to evaluate the extent to which personal characteristics affect the labor-force decisions of RNs.employment; Wages; income; labor-force; nurse

Chromosome numbers in. Begonia. 2.

The somatic chromosome numbers are presented of 90 Begonia spp. of African, Asian and American origin, including a few of those previously listed [see H.A., 40: 1600] whose nomenclature or chromosome numbers are reconsidered. Sixteen different numbers were found, ranging between 16 and 76. The most common were 28 (26 species), 38 (10 species) and 56 (15 species). [For related work see H.A., 41: 7120.]. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

A translational approach to the genetics of renal disease

De invloed van genetica op het nefrologisch onderzoek is de afgelopen decennia sterk gegroeid. Toch is van progressieve nierfunctieachteruitgang nauwelijks bekend welke genen het ontstaan en de progressie ervan veroorzaken. De oplossing hiervoor ligt in een translationele aanpak. Zowel verkennende als gerichte genetische studies zoeken naar verbanden tussen een eigenschap van nierziekte en genetische variaties. Het is dus essentieel dat de eigenschappen van nierziekte goed gedefinieerd zijn. In grote klinische onderzoeken wordt bijvoorbeeld vaak de geschatte nierfunctie gebruikt. Bij niertransplantatiepatiënten blijkt die niet zo betrouwbaar. De grootte van de systematische afwijking wordt bepaald door leeftijd, geslacht, ware nierfunctie en BMI. Vitamine-D-bindend eiwit in de urine lijkt een goede maat voor verbindweefseling van de ruimte tussen de tubuluscellen, een vergevorderd stadium van veel nierziekten. Normaal wordt dit eiwit, gebonden aan vitamine D, in de tubuluscellen opgenomen, waar het vitamine D geactiveerd wordt. Bij verbindweefseling functioneren de tubuluscellen minder goed en wordt vitamine-D-bindend eiwit niet meer opnomen. Dit mechanisme was overigens geen verklaring voor de prognostische slechte lage vitamine-D-spiegels bij nefrologische patiënten. Een verkennend onderzoek naar eiwitverlies in de urine identificeerde drie DNA-gebieden bij muizen die hierbij een rol spelen. De ziekteveroorzakende genen zijn nog onbekend. Gericht onderzoek identificeerde zeven genetische variaties in het vitamine-D-metabolisme die vaker voorkomen bij niertransplantaatontvangers dan bij nierdonoren. Hoewel er nog veel onderzoek nodig is voordat deze genetische ontdekkingen een klinische toepassing krijgen, bieden de resultaten van dit proefschrift een strategie voor betere integratie van genetica en nefrologie. The influence of genetics on nephrology research has increased in the past decades. Still, the genetic base of progressive renal function loss is hardly known. The solution is a translational approach. Both exploratory and focused genetic studies aim to find associations between a characteristic of renal disease and genetic variation. A precise definition of characteristics of renal disease is therefore essential. Large-scale clinical trials often rely on estimated renal function. In renal transplant recipients this measure lacks precision. Sources of bias are age, gender, BMI and true renal function. Vitamin D binding protein is a promising novel marker for fibrosis of the space between tubular cells, a final common pathway for many renal diseases. Normally this protein, bound to vitamin D, is reabsorbed from the glomerular filtrate into tubular cells, where vitamin D is activated. Fibrosis causes tubular dysfunction and inhibits reabsorption of vitamin D binding protein. This mechanism however, did not explain lower vitamin D levels often seen in renal patients, that are associated with worse prognosis. An exploratory study of urinary albumin loss identified three areas in mouse DNA. The causal genes are still unknown. A focused study identified seven genetic variations in vitamin D metabolism genes that are more prevalent in renal transplant recipients than in kidney donors. Although much research is required before these genetic discoveries prove their clinical relevance, our results provide a strategy for improved integration of genetics and nephrology.

Chromosome numbers in Begonia.

The somatic chromosome numbers of 100 Begonia species were counted, of which 72 have been determined for the first time. Eighteen different numbers have been established, ranging between 22 and 156, fifteen of which could be fitted into a tentative scheme of five polyploid series. The most common numbers were 22 (14 species), 28 (35 species) and 56 (17 species). The species have been grouped into sections according to Irmscher. In some cases these sections appeared to have a characteristic chromosome number whereas in others, e.g. Pritzelia and Begoniastrum, a great diversity in chromosome number was encountered. [For earlier work see H.A., 39: 5182.]-Univ. Wageningen. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission

Chromosome numbers in Begonia.3.

The somatic chromosome numbers are presented of 34 spp. of African, Asiatic and American origin. Many spp. had not previously been investigated cytologically. [For part 2 see HcA 42, 1737.]. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission