Diagnosis of early human myocardial ischemic damage with electron probe microanalysis

We determined the Na/K x-ray intensity ratio in frozen sections of myocardial tissues obtained at autopsy from patients who died from various causes, using electron probe analysis. We have been able to distinguish between the ischemically injured and normal cells. The method is simple, fast, and dependable even when the duration of ischemia is only 30 minutes.     

Barotrauma and air embolism in hyperbaric oxygen therapy

A 69-year-old woman underwent hyperbaric oxygen therapy because of a nonhealing ulcer of her foot. During decompression, she developed a left-sided hemiplegia and confusion. Recompression resulted in transient neurologic improvement, but she eventually became comatose. Ventricular dysrhythmias developed and she died without regaining consciousness 17 h after onset of symptoms. An autopsy revealed diffuse interstitial pulmonary fibrosis with severe paracicatricial emphysema, chronic interstitial inflammation, and chronic bronchitis with abundant intrabronchial mucus. There was extensive multifocal ischemic injury of the cerebral cortex. The hippocampi, basal ganglia, and cerebellum were spared. Scattered acute myofiber necrosis was present in the heart. Clinical presentation and autopsy findings strongly support the diagnosis of air embolism and illustrate a potential risk of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in patients with preexisting pulmonary disease.     

急性心功能障碍大鼠心肌中BNP的表达

目的研究大鼠急性心功能障碍时心肌组织中脑钠肽(brain natriuretic peptide,BNP)的表达变化,探讨BNP在急性心功能障碍的法医学诊断中的应用价值。方法建立大鼠急性心功能障碍模型,运用免疫组织化学、Western印迹法、实时RT-PCR等技术检测心功能障碍过程中心肌组织BNP蛋白和BNP mRNA的表达变化。结果随心功能障碍持续时间增加,免疫阳性着色不断增强。1～2h主要表现为弱阳性,4～6h心肌细胞主要表现为阳性,10～12h大鼠心肌细胞表现为强阳性。Western印迹法和实时RT-PCR结果均显示,随心功能障碍持续时间增加,BNP明显升高,而且心功能障碍1h即能观察到BNP mRNA显著升高。结论检测心肌组织中BNP蛋白及BNP mRNA的表达能为法医病理学工作者客观评价心功能状态提供一种新的途径。     

School Vouchers and Student Outcomes: Experimental Evidence from Washington,DC

School vouchers are the most contentious form of parental school choice. Vouchers provide government funds that parents can use to send their children to private schools of their choice. Here we examine the empirical question of whether or not a school voucher program in Washington, DC, affected achievement or the rate of high school graduation for participating students. The District of Columbia Opportunity Scholarship Program (OSP) has operated in the nation's capital since 2004, funded by a federal government appropriation. Because the program was oversubscribed in its early years of operation, and vouchers were awarded by lottery, we were able to use the “gold standard” evaluation method of a randomized experiment to determine what impacts the OSP had on student outcomes. Our analysis revealed compelling evidence that the DC voucher program had a positive impact on high school graduation rates, suggestive evidence that the program increased reading achievement, and no evidence that it affected math achievement. We discuss the implications of these findings in light of recent policy developments including the reauthorization of the OSP and the enactment or expansion of more than a dozen school voucher or voucher‐type programs throughout the United States in 2011 and 2012.     

Parteien und die Generosität der Altersrenten in Zeiten permanenter Austerität

Zusammenfassung: Die quantitative Sozialpolitikforschung weist ein doppeltes Defizit auf: Zum einen dominieren Analysen aggregierter Ausgaben(quoten), zum anderen fokussieren die meisten Studien zu Lohnersatzraten auf die Arbeitslosen‐ und Krankenversicherung, während die Rentengenerosität weitgehend ausgespart geblieben ist. Der vorliegende Artikel stößt in diese Lücke, indem er zunächst die theoretischen Besonderheiten der Rente diskutiert und zwei Hypothesen zu deren Rückbau und der Rolle der Parteien dabei formuliert. Im Anschluss an eine Methodendiskussion präsentieren wir die Ergebnisse von (robustheitsgetesteten) Regressionsanalysen der Veränderungen der Lohnersatzraten in 18 entwickelten Demokratien. Es zeigt sich, dass die Kürzungen der Lohnersatzraten im Rentenbereich weitaus geringer ausfallen als in den beiden anderen Bereichen, und dass sich die Parteieneffekte auffallend unterscheiden.