Evidence for identity between the hexokinase-binding protein and the mitochondrial porin in the outer membrane of rat liver mitochondria.

Hexokinase-binding protein and mitochondrial porin were isolated from rat liver mitochondria by different procedures. It was found that the hexokinase-binding protein made lipid vesicles permeable to ADP and formed asymmetric pores in lipid bilayer membranes identical to those obtained from the mitochondrial porin. On the other hand, the mitochondrial porin confers the ability to bind hexokinase.

Identification and characterization of the pore-forming protein in the outer membrane of rat liver mitochondria.

The proteins of the outer membrane from rat liver mitochondria have been subfractionated by means of density gradient centrifugation. The different polypeptides of the membrane were incorporated into asolectin vesicles and black lipid membranes. It was observed that a polypeptide of Mr 32 000 renders asolectin vesicles permeable to ADP and forms pores in bilayer membrane.

How good are the data? Reliability of one health care data bank.

This study investigates the reliability of the Manitoba Health Services Commission data bank from a variety of perspectives. Emphasizing diagnostic and surgical procedures, the research focuses on those areas in which problems exist and in which the data can be relied upon. Computerized comparisons are stressed, since they can provide cost-effective checks on data quality.

The Manitoba longitudinal study on aging: preliminary findings on health care utilization by the elderly.

This research links survey data from a large probability sample of the elderly population of one Canadian province with provincial insurance data documenting all their health care use during the years before and after the interview. The data show that "the elderly" are not high users of the health care system. Instead, a small proportion of those age 65 and older account for a disproportionately of high health-care use and discusses the implications of its findings for health care policy, practice, and research.

High and low surgical rates: risk factors for area residents.

Patterns of surgical practice, the type of operations performed, and risk characteristics of elderly patients brought to surgery are examined in areas with differing surgical rates. This population-based analysis covering Manitoba's 56 rural hospital areas uses discharge claims filed routinely with the provincial Health Services Commission. One and a half times as much surgery was performed in high rate areas (115.

The geriatric long-stay hospital patient: a Canadian case study.

This article examines the use of acute beds by the elderly in Manitoba over the five-year period, 1972--1976. The analysis reveals that transfers of long-stay (greater than 90 day) elderly to long-term care facilities took longer in 1976 than in 1972 despite major provincial initiatives which included construction of additional long-term treatment beds, expansion of home care resources, and extension of universal insurance coverage to long-term institutional and home care. Analyses of means to reduce long hospital stays prior to transfer suggests that building more long-term beds may be the least desirable policy alternative.

Impact of the organization of practice on quality of care and physician productivity.

The association between group practice, on the one hand, and productivity and quality, on the other, is reviewed using data from a universal health insurance system. Although different patterns of practice were observed, only members of very small groups had higher patient volume than did solo practitioners. Diseconomies of scale in large groups are found.

Continuity of care: does it contribute to quality of care?

Continuity of care is defined and measured in terms of care received from a single physician, from several physicians practicing as a group and from physicians seen through referrals. All patients receiving tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T and As) in Manitoba for one year, as well as a group of similar individuals treated with respiratory illnesses but not having T and As, were studied. Several patient and physician characteristics were examined to determine their relationship to continuity of care.

Tonsillectomy in Manitoba: who are the patients? the surgeons? the hospitals?

Although tonsillectomy-adenoidectomy rates are declining across North America, this paper suggests they are not falling fast enough. More than half the cases coming to surgery fail to meet accepted standards regardless of who performs the surgery, or where it takes place. Family surgery is still fairly common and is almost never indicated.

Education and practice location of Canadian diagnostic radiologist.

At the 1977 Annual Meeting of The Canadian Association of Radiologists, a survey of all practicing diagnostic radiologists was made. Information was also obtained from Royal College and Corporation Professionnelle records. The medical school, postgraduate program, and present location of practice were established for over 98% of active radiologists.

Assessing the impact of tonsillectomies.

This paper explores outcomes associated with the tonsillectomy operation using multiple control groups and a large claims-based data bank from the Canadian province of Manitoba. Given the difficulty of conducting large-scale clinical trials of common surgical procedures, the use of multiple methods for evaluating such interventions is both advocated and implemented in this study. When the data are restricted to respiratory diagnoses, the findings suggest that, on the average, tonsil surgery saves between one half and one and a half episodes of illness per patient over the two years after surgery.

The young physician: types of practice.

An inquiry was conducted into the type of practice (whether solo, group or salaried) entered by young physicians graduating from Canadian medical schools in 1970. Twenty-one percent entered solo practice, 57% joined a group practice or partnership, and 22% became salaried physicians in a number of different categories. Surgeons and psychiatrists, more than other types of specialist, were inclined to select solo practice.

Elective surgical rates--do high rates mean lower standards? Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in Manitoba.

We used claims data from the Canadian province of Manitoba to test alternative explanations for regional differences in tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy rates. Respiratory morbidity, standards of selection for operation, and surgical resources were compared with elective surgical rates across geographic areas. Statistically significant correlations were not found.

Proprotionate linear measurements in radiographic cephalometric assessments. A methodological study.

Craniofacial structures were studied by radiographic cephalometry in 10 boys and 10 girls at 9-14 years and 13 years later. The linear distances were measured in mm as well as with indices with the sella-nasion distance as denominator. The index measurements proved to be dependent on age to a rather limited extent.

A new audit prodecure applied to an old question: Is the frequency of T&A justified?

A unique medical audit procedure has been employed to combine the scope of population data with the detail of case histories. All tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&As) in Manitoba for one year were studied. A group of individuals treated for respiratory illness but not having T&As were also identified.

Career and training patterns of students entering Canadian medical schools in 1965.

This paper follows the careers of the 1128 students who entered Canadian medical schools in 1965, most of whom graduated in 1969. The type of career pursued (whether general or specialty practice or some combination thereof), the type of specialty undertaken, the place of internship and residency training and the 1973 practice location of the graduates are examined. The wide variation in careers followed by the 12 schools' graduates provides the major focus of the paper.