Relationship of cognitive function in patients with schizophrenia in remission to disability: a cross-sectional study in an Indian sample

Background: Cognitive deficits in various domains have been consistently replicated in patients with schizophrenia. Most studies looking at the relationship between cognitive dysfunction and functional disability are from developed countries. Studies from developing countries are few. The purpose of the present study was to compare the neurocognitive function in patients with schizophrenia who were in remission with that of normal controls and to determine if there is a relationship between measures of cognition and functional disability. <p/>Methods: This study was conducted in the Psychiatric Unit of a General Hospital in Mumbai, India. Cognitive function in 25 patients with schizophrenia in remission was compared to 25 normal controls. Remission was confirmed using the brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS) and scale for the assessment of negative symptoms (SANS). Subjects were administered a battery of cognitive tests covering aspects of memory, executive function and attention. The results obtained were compared between the groups. Correlation analysis was used to look for relationship between illness factors, cognitive function and disability measured using the Indian disability evaluation and assessment scale. <p/>Results: Patients with schizophrenia showed significant deficits on tests of attention, concentration, verbal and visual memory and tests of frontal lobe/executive function. They fared worse on almost all the tests administered compared to normal controls. No relationship was found between age, duration of illness, number of years of education and cognitive function. In addition, we did not find a statistically significant relationship between cognitive function and scores on the disability scale. <p/>Conclusion: The data suggests that persistent cognitive deficits are seen in patients with schizophrenia under remission. The cognitive deficits were not associated with symptomatology and functional disability. It is possible that various factors such as employment and family support reduce disability due to schizophrenia in developing countries like India. Further studies from developing countries are required to explore the relationship between cognitive deficits, functional outcome and the role of socio-cultural variables as protective factors

Opportunities for CO2 Storage around Scotland; An Integrated Strategic Research Study

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is one of the critical technologies worldwide which will enable reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions arising from large industrial sites. CCS allows the continued use of a diverse mix of energy sources, including fossil fuels, which improves the security of cost-effective electricity supply. Scotland has the opportunity and responsibility to reduce CO2 emissions arising from burning of fossil fuels and their impact on climate change. The EU plans to have 12 CCS plants operating by 2015. In February 2009, the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change stated an aspiration for the UK to have more than one demonstration project in operation enabled by government funding. However, these targets cannot be delivered without the underpinning knowledge from studies such as this. Commitment to large-scale investment in CO2 capture plant will require proven storage capability. This study • presents the first high-level screening of CO2 storage sites available to Scotland • evaluates the means by which CO2 can be transported from power plants and other industrial activities to storage sites, and • investigates the costs and business constraints. This is the most comprehensive and fully integrated study performed in the UK, and was achieved by a collaborative partnership of Scottish Government, research universities and institutes, and a broad base of support from industry and business. The conclusions show that Scotland has an extremely large CO2 storage resource. This is overwhelmingly in offshore saline aquifers (deeply buried porous sandstones filled with salt water) together with a few specific depleted hydrocarbon fields. The resource can easily accommodate the industrial CO2 emissions from Scotland for the next 200 years. There is very likely to be sufficient storage to allow import of CO2 from NE England, this equating to over 25% of future UK large industry and power CO2 output. Preliminary indications are that Scotland's offshore CO2 storage capacity is very important on a European scale, comparable with that of offshore Norway, and greater than Netherlands, Denmark and Germany combined.Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is one of the critical technologies worldwide which will enable reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions arising from large industrial sites. CCS allows the continued use of a diverse mix of energy sources, including fossil fuels, which improves the security of cost-effective electricity supply. Scotland has the opportunity and responsibility to reduce CO2 emissions arising from burning of fossil fuels and their impact on climate change. The EU plans to have 12 CCS plants operating by 2015. In February 2009, the UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change stated an aspiration for the UK to have more than one demonstration project in operation enabled by government funding. However, these targets cannot be delivered without the underpinning knowledge from studies such as this. Commitment to large-scale investment in CO2 capture plant will require proven storage capability. This study • presents the first high-level screening of CO2 storage sites available to Scotland • evaluates the means by which CO2 can be transported from power plants and other industrial activities to storage sites, and • investigates the costs and business constraints. This is the most comprehensive and fully integrated study performed in the UK, and was achieved by a collaborative partnership of Scottish Government, research universities and institutes, and a broad base of support from industry and business. The conclusions show that Scotland has an extremely large CO2 storage resource. This is overwhelmingly in offshore saline aquifers (deeply buried porous sandstones filled with salt water) together with a few specific depleted hydrocarbon fields. The resource can easily accommodate the industrial CO2 emissions from Scotland for the next 200 years. There is very likely to be sufficient storage to allow import of CO2 from NE England, this equating to over 25% of future UK large industry and power CO2 output. Preliminary indications are that Scotland's offshore CO2 storage capacity is very important on a European scale, comparable with that of offshore Norway, and greater than Netherlands, Denmark and Germany combined

Determinants of Mosaic Chromosomal alteration Fitness

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is characterized by the acquisition of a somatic mutation in a hematopoietic stem cell that results in a clonal expansion. These driver mutations can be single nucleotide variants in cancer driver genes or larger structural rearrangements called mosaic chromosomal alterations (mCAs). The factors that influence the variations in mCA fitness and ultimately result in different clonal expansion rates are not well understood. We used the Passenger-Approximated Clonal Expansion Rate (PACER) method to estimate clonal expansion rate as PACER scores for 6,381 individuals in the NHLBI toPMed cohort with gain, loss, and copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity mCAs. Our mCA fitness estimates, derived by aggregating per-individual PACER scores, were correlated (

Determinants of mosaic chromosomal alteration fitness

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is characterized by the acquisition of a somatic mutation in a hematopoietic stem cell that results in a clonal expansion. These driver mutations can be single nucleotide variants in cancer driver genes or larger structural rearrangements called mosaic chromosomal alterations (mCAs). The factors that influence the variations in mCA fitness and ultimately result in different clonal expansion rates are not well understood. We used the Passenger-Approximated Clonal Expansion Rate (PACER) method to estimate clonal expansion rate as PACER scores for 6,381 individuals in the NHLBI TOPMed cohort with gain, loss, and copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity mCAs. Our mCA fitness estimates, derived by aggregating per-individual PACER scores, were correlated (R2 = 0.49) with an alternative approach that estimated fitness of mCAs in the UK Biobank using population-level distributions of clonal fraction. Among individuals with JAK2 V617F clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential or mCAs affecting the JAK2 gene on chromosome 9, PACER score was strongly correlated with erythrocyte count. In a cross-sectional analysis, genome-wide association study of estimates of mCA expansion rate identified a TCL1A locus variant associated with mCA clonal expansion rate, with suggestive variants in NRIP1 and TERT

Global Chronic Total Occlusion Crossing Algorithm

The authors developed a global chronic total occlusion crossing algorithm following 10 steps: 1) dual angiography; 2) careful angiographic review focusing on proximal cap morphology, occlusion segment, distal vessel quality, and collateral circulation; 3) approaching proximal cap ambiguity using intravascular ultrasound, retrograde, and move-the-cap techniques; 4) approaching poor distal vessel quality using the retrograde approach and bifurcation at the distal cap by use of a dual-lumen catheter and intravascular ultrasound; 5) feasibility of retrograde crossing through grafts and septal and epicardial collateral vessels; 6) antegrade wiring strategies; 7) retrograde approach; 8) changing strategy when failing to achieve progress; 9) considering performing an investment procedure if crossing attempts fail; and 10) stopping when reaching high radiation or contrast dose or in case of long procedural time, occurrence of a serious complication, operator and patient fatigue, or lack of expertise or equipment. This algorithm can improve outcomes and expand discussion, research, and collaboration.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Global Chronic Total Occlusion Crossing Algorithm: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

The authors developed a global chronic total occlusion crossing algorithm following 10 steps: 1) dual angiography; 2) careful angiographic review focusing on proximal cap morphology, occlusion segment, distal vessel quality, and collateral circulation; 3) approaching proximal cap ambiguity using intravascular ultrasound, retrograde, and move-the-cap techniques; 4) approaching poor distal vessel quality using the retrograde approach and bifurcation at the distal cap by use of a dual-lumen catheter and intravascular ultrasound; 5) feasibility of retrograde crossing through grafts and septal and epicardial collateral vessels; 6) antegrade wiring strategies; 7) retrograde approach; 8) changing strategy when failing to achieve progress; 9) considering performing an investment procedure if crossing attempts fail; and 10) stopping when reaching high radiation or contrast dose or in case of long procedural time, occurrence of a serious complication, operator and patient fatigue, or lack of expertise or equipment. This algorithm can improve outcomes and expand discussion, research, and collaboration