Effect of the introduction of diagnosis related group systems on the distribution of admission weights in very low birthweight infants.

Background: Admission weight to neonatal intensive care units is used in several diagnosis related group (DRG) systems to assess reimbursement by health insurance programs for premature infants. Modifications of admission weights could significantly affect reimbursement in either direction.

Objective: Whether the introduction of the German DRG system in 2004 influenced the distribution of admission weights of premature infants was investigated.

Positioning of nucleosomes in satellite I-containing chromatin of rat liver.

The location of nucleosomes on rat satellite I DNA has been investigated using a new approach. Nucleosome cores were prepared from rat liver nuclei with micrococcal nuclease, exonuclease III and nucleases S1. From the total population of core DNA fragments the satellite-containing fragments were isolated by molecular cloning and the complete sequence of 50 clones was determined.