Hydrous Titanium Oxide as a Concentrator for Trace Nuclides in Seawater

904-90

Functional characterization and discovery of modulators of SbMATE, the agronomically important aluminium tolerance transporter from Sorghum bicolor.

About 50% of the world's arable land is strongly acidic (pH ≤ 5). The low pH solubilizes root-toxic ionic aluminium (Al3+) species from clay minerals, driving the evolution of counteractive adaptations in cultivated crops. The food crop Sorghum bicolor upregulates the membrane-embedded transporter protein SbMATE in its roots. SbMATE mediates efflux of the anionic form of the organic acid, citrate, into the soil rhizosphere, chelating Al3+ ions and thereby imparting Al-resistance based on excluding Al+3 from the growing root tip. Here, we use electrophysiological, radiolabeled, and fluorescence-based transport assays in two heterologous expression systems to establish a broad substrate recognition profile of SbMATE, showing the proton and/or sodium-driven transport of 14C-citrate anion, as well as the organic monovalent cation, ethidium, but not its divalent analog, propidium. We further complement our transport assays by measuring substrate binding to detergent-purified SbMATE protein. Finally, we use the purified membrane protein as an antigen to discover native conformation-binding and transport function-altering nanobodies using an animal-free, mRNA/cDNA display technology. Our results demonstrate the utility of using Pichia pastoris as an efficient eukaryotic host to express large quantities of functional plant transporter proteins. The nanobody discovery approach is applicable to other non-immunogenic plant proteins

A case of subretinal hemorrhage due to choroidal tear in right eye following blunt trauma in a 35 years old female

A 35-year-old Asian Indian female presented to our institute with a history of fall on road and accidental hit by stone over her right eyebrow, grossly no anterior segment abnormality was noted. On dilated fundus examination, a superotemporal choroidal tear was noted which led to choroidal hemorrhage. Patient was managed conservatively by giving oral steroids and tablet vitamin C. After 2 months of treatment there was complete resolution of the lesion with a final best corrected visual acuity of 6/6

Exploring Key Group Counseling Processes: Implications for Group Counselor Training

We studied several processes in a standardized counselor training group. Participants were masters-level counselor trainees (n=100) who took part in eight sessions in an experiential group. Our purpose was to examine the patterns of therapeutic processes and the therapeutic factors that predicted cohesiveness and commitment of the group tasks. Results underscore the interlocking nature of the therapeutic process factors of cohesiveness, altruism, and universality. Analyses reveal the central role of cohesiveness as a process factor in a short-term group. Altruism and engagement consistently predicted cohesiveness. Cohesiveness predicted commitment to the group tasks. The processes in these training groups resemble those of actual counseling groups. Suggestions for structuring training groups, implications for counselor education, and future research recommendations are discussed

Study on Neuropsychology of First Episode Schizophrenia: Characterization and Clinical Correlates.

Introduction: Cognitive abnormalities were noted by early investigators of schizophrenia. In the original clinical descriptions of schizophrenia made by Kraepelin, he Commented "Mental efficiency is always diminished to a considerable degree. The Patients are distracted, inattentive . . . , they `cannot keep the thought in mind.' " "My whole mental power has disappeared; I have sunk intellectually below The level of a beast"(a patient with schizophrenia, quoted by Kraepelin, 1919, p. 25). Study of cognitive deficits evolved from the traditional ‘lesion’-based Approach in neuropsychology, which is, inferring regional brain dysfunction based On poor performance on putatively localising neuropsychological tests. On the Basis of such an approach, various authors have concluded that schizophrenia is Characterized by cognitive test profiles indicative of dysfunction of the frontal lobe, Temporal lobe, left or right hemisphere, basal ganglia, etc. (Blanchard & Neale, 1994). This lack of consensus may reflect the heterogeneity of schizophrenia, and May also be a result of the relatively poor localizing ability of many standard Neuropsychological instruments. In general, the strongest camps to emerge have Been those that claim a disproportionate impairment of memory functioning (mckenna, 1991; Saykin et al, 1994) and those arguing for a relatively selective Executive dysfunction (Weinberger et al, 1986). Others have reported more Widespread neuropsychological dysfunction (Buchsbaum, 1990). An extreme case Is put by Meehl who stated: "I conjecture that whatever is wrong with the schizotaxic CNS is ubiquitous, a Functional aberration present throughout, operating everywhere from the sacral Cord to the frontal lobes" (Meehl, 1990, p. 14). Many current workers would agree with Shallice et al (1991) who proposed that From a neuropsychological perspective, an attempt to understand the nature of the Information-processing impairment of schizophrenia should precede an attempt to Localise it. Heinrichs & Zakzanis (1998) carried out a large-scale comprehensive Quantitative meta-analysis of cognitive impairment in schizophrenia, which Involved comparisons of patients with schizophrenia v. Controls. The greatest Impairment is observed in global verbal memory functioning. Palmer et al (1997) Recently posed "Is it possible to be schizophrenic yet neuropsychologically Normal?" They gave a comprehensive neuropsychological battery to 171 outpatients With schizophrenia and compared them with 63 healthy controls. Only 27% of the patients with schizophrenia were classified as neuropsychologically ‘normal’. It is interesting that Goldberg et al (1993), who reported symptomatic Improvement with clozapine treatment, with no associated improvement in Neuropsychological functioning, concluded: "This suggests that certain cognitive deficits are relatively independent of Psychotic symptoms in schizophrenia, and are probably central and enduring Features of the disorder. Cognitive disability appeared to have been rate-limiting in The sample's rehabilitation" (p. 43). Concepts have, therefore, moved from a Position where cognitive impairment was not considered to be particularly Important in schizophrenia, to the current view, that it may be a central and ratelimiting Feature in terms of rehabilitation. Cognitive deficits can manifest as an Inability accurately to recognise social cues or to retrieve appropriate responses. Consequently, patients have difficulty acquiring social and interpersonal skills. It is Understandable that, during periods of increased arousal such as psychosocial crisis Or relapse, this capacity becomes limited and cognitive functions can worsen. Are cognitive deficits a trait or a state marker? If they are a trait marker one Would expect that they remain stable in spite of treatment. Various studies have Shown that cognitive dysfunction does remain stable from the acute phase to Follow-up after clinical stabilisation, suggesting that these deficits are indeed trait Markers. This trait deficiency may exist in addition to state-related cognitive Impairments (Saykin et al, 1994). The exact timing of onset of cognitive impairment during the early phase of Schizophrenic illness and its progress and course after the first episode are unclear. Furthermore, the clinical significance of cognitive impairment in first-episode Psychosis is not well understood, and there is evidence to suggest that it pre-dates The onset of illness (O’Carroll, 2000). Numerous studies (e.g. Bilder et al, 1996; Heinrichs & Zakzanis, 1998) have reported deficits in attention, memory and Executive functioning that are now thought to be strongly related to clinical Outcome, perhaps more than positive and negative symptoms (Hoff & Kremen, 2003).Some studies suggest that the cognitive impairment in first-episode Psychosis differs from that in chronic schizophrenia only in terms of degree of Severity (Saykin et al, 1994). In the West London study, Joyce et al(2002) Identified a profile of executive impairment in first-episode psychosis that they Suggested differs from previous findings in chronic schizophrenia. A lack of clear Understanding of neural and neuropsychological substrates makes it difficult to Know whether the cognitive problems that occur are isolated deficits or whether They reflect a more global impairment (Bilder et al, 2000). Drug-free patients with schizophrenia demonstrate significant cognitive Impairment. (e.g. Blanchard & Neale, 1994; mccreadie et al, 1997; Saykin et al, 1994). Although drugs may make a contribution, they do not account for the Cognitive impairment that is observed in schizophrenia. Negative features and Neuropsychological impairments can cause the greatest problems in terms of Rehabilitation and are generally considered to be minimally responsive to Conventional neuroleptics. The recent development of novel antipsychotics raised The hope that these may help alleviate both negative symptoms and Neuropsychological deficits. However, Hawkins et al (1999) state: "Despite some reports of positive findings, the grounds for thinking that the novel Antipsychotics will exert direct and significant effects on neurocognition Nevertheless remain inferential, and infirmly so" (p. 6). The importance of research in this area is of many fold, such that it provides Us clues into the biological underpinnings and nature of the possible Pathophysiological mechanisms that results in cognitive impairment and secondly From a clinicians view the relevance of cognitive deficits in the course and Outcome of the disease is crucial, from another practical point of view any Significant cognitive deficit is likely to affect the individual in daily activities with Poor coping skills, particularly in terms of setting appropriate goals, goal directed Behaviours, self regulation and decision making ultimately ending up with socio Occupational difficulties and increasing the burden of the disease. With this background my study aims to assess neurocognitive functions of I Episode Schizophrenia patients and to compare them with normal healthy control Population, and to note the relationship between the test performance and various Socio demographic and clinical variables

Predictors of Counseling Self-Efficacy: Examining Counselor Trainee’s Perception of Supervisory Interaction Style

Abstract: The present research examined the relationship between perceived supervisory autonomy support and counseling self-efficacy (CSE) of counselor trainees. We explored whether this relationship was mediated by autonomous work motivation using the framework of self-determination theory (SDT; Ryan & Deci, 2017) . Participants were master’s level mental health counseling interns (n = 182) enrolled in field internships. Mediational analyses showed that autonomous work motivation partially mediated the relationship between perceived autonomy support from supervisor and counselor trainees’ CSE. Results underscore the importance of adopting autonomy-supportive styles of clinical supervision for enhancing counselor trainees’ counseling self-efficacy. What is the public significance of this article?: This study suggests that when clinical supervisors provide an environment that supports counselor trainees’ autonomy, trainees experience increased autonomous motivation, which further enhances their counseling self-efficacy

Predictability of prescription drug expenditures for Medicare beneficiaries

MCBS data are used to analyze the predictability of drug expenditures by Medicare beneficiaries. Predictors include demographic characteristics and measures of health status, the majority derived using CMS\u27 diagnosis cost group/hierarchical condition category (DCG/HCC) risk-adjustment methodology. In prospective models, demographic variables explained 5 percent of the variation in drug expenditures. Adding health status measures raised this figure between 10 and 24 percent of the variation depending on the model configuration. Adding lagged drug expenditures more than doubled predictive power to 55 percent. These results are discussed in the context of forecasting, and risk adjustment for the proposed new Medicare drug benefit