Creating Partnerships: A Key Counselor Capability

Counselors who create active partnerships as they implement counseling programs ensure support for their work. This ethnographic case study of an exemplary elementary school counselor details three strategies used in creating partnerships

Heterologously-expressed and Liposome-reconstituted Human Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 4 Channel (TRPM4) is a Functional Tetramer

Mutation, irregular expression and sustained activation of the Transient Receptor Potential Channel, type Melastatin 4 (TRPM4), have been linked to various cardiovascular diseases. However, much remains unknown about the structure of this important ion channel. Here, we have purified a heterologously expressed TRPM4-eGFP fusion protein and investigated the oligomeric state of TRPM4-eGFP in detergent micelles using crosslinking, native gel electrophoresis, multi-angle laser light scattering and electron microscopy. Our data indicate that TRPM4 is tetrameric, like other TRP channels studied to date. Furthermore, the functionality of liposome reconstituted TRPM4-eGFP was examined using electrophysiology. Single-channel recordings from TRPM4-eGFP proteoliposomes showed inhibition of the channel using Flufenamic acid, a well-established inhibitor of TRPM4, suggesting that the channels are functional upon reconstitution. Our characterisation of the oligomeric structure of TRPM4 and the ability to reconstitute functional channels in liposomes should facilitate future studies into the structure, function and pharmacology of this therapeutically relevant channel

Access to side-chain carbon information in deuterated solids under fast MAS through non-rotor-synchronized mixing.

We demonstrate the accessibility of aliphatic 13C side chain chemical shift sets for solid-state NMR despite perdeuteration and fast MAS using isotropic, non-rotor-synchronized 13C-13C mixing. Combined with amide proton detection, we unambiguously and sensitively detect whole side chain to backbone correlations for two proteins using around 1 mg of sample

Long Term Exposure to Malaria and Development: Disaggregate Evidence for Contemporaneous Africa

Malaria afflicts mankind since thousands of years and still imposes serious health impediments and considerable mortality on the affected populations. Empirical investigations of the role of malaria for economic development at the country level deliver mixed findings, however. We study the role of long-term malaria exposure on development today using disaggregate within-country variation for the whole of Africa with 1 × 1 degree cells as units of observation. Local development is measured by light density at night. Based on insights from epidemiology, which documents that genetic and acquired immunities reduce Malaria risk for adults in holoendemic areas, the effect is hypothesized to be nonlinear, with a peak for intermediate rather than high exposure to the pathogen. The empirical findings support this hypothesis. The results also suggest the existence of a significant moderating effect of genetic immunities measured by the prevalence of the sickle cell trait in the population

PREVENÇÃO E POSVENÇÃO DO SUICÍDIO: RELATOS DE PARENTES DE PESSOAS QUE MORRERAM POR SUICÍDIO

This article on suicide prevention and prevention is a case study involving relatives of people who died by suicide. This study aimed to evaluate suicide prevention and prevention strategies. A qualitative approach combined with an interview content analysis applied to 2 people (+18 years old) was used. The interviews were conducted at the participants' homes after being contacted and a free and informed consent form was presented. The results of this research lead us to conclude that after the death of a relative by suicide there are many marks between indignations, couplings, anguish and suffering for the disappearance of the loved one. We also realized that, due to lack of financial conditions, the problems related to grief are managed among family members through a circle of conversations and self-help, which can lead survivors to experience experiences of pain and grief for a long time. To this end, it is suggested to promote psychological care services for bereaved relatives to prevent cases of complicated grief and contagious suicide. To this end, health centers must create cooperation links with legal entities tracking cases of death by suicide for proper follow-up.Este artículo sobre prevención y prevención del suicidio es un estudio de caso que involucra a familiares de personas que murieron por suicidio. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar las estrategias de prevención y prevención del suicidio. Se utilizó un enfoque cualitativo combinado con un análisis de contenido de la entrevista aplicado a 2 personas (+18 años). Las entrevistas se realizaron en los hogares de los participantes después de ser contactados y se presentó un formulario de consentimiento libre e informado. Los resultados de esta investigación nos llevan a concluir que luego de la muerte de un familiar por suicidio hay muchas marcas entre indignaciones, copulaciones, angustias y sufrimiento por la desaparición del ser querido. También nos dimos cuenta de que, por falta de condiciones económicas, los problemas relacionados con el duelo se manejan entre los familiares a través de un círculo de conversaciones y autoayuda, lo que puede llevar a los sobrevivientes a vivir experiencias de dolor y duelo durante mucho tiempo. Para ello, se sugiere promover los servicios de atención psicológica a los familiares en duelo para prevenir casos de duelo complicado y suicidio contagioso. Para ello, los centros de salud deben crear vínculos de cooperación con las personas jurídicas que rastreen los casos de muerte por suicidio para un seguimiento adecuado.O presente artigo com o tema prevenção e posvenção do suicídio é um estudo de caso que envolveu parentes de pessoas que morreram por suicídio. Este estudo objetivou avaliar as estratégias de prevenção e posvenção do suicídio. Foi usada uma abordagem qualitativa combinada por uma análise de conteúdo de entrevista aplicada a 2 pessoas (+18 anos). As entrevistas foram realizadas nas residências dos participantes depois de serem contactados e apresentados termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido. Os resultados desta pesquisa nos levam a concluir que após a morte de um parente por suicídio ficam muitas marcas entre indignações, cuplas, angústia e sofrimento pelo desaparecimento do ente querido. Percebemos ainda que, por falta de condições financeiros, os problemas relacionados com luto são geridos entre os familiares por meio de roda de conversas e autoajuda, o que pode levar aos sobreviventes a vivenciar experiências de dor e o luto por muito tempo. Sugere-se para tal a promoção de serviços de atendimento psicológico aos parentes enlutados para prevenir casos de luto complicado e suicídio por contágio. Para tal, os centros de saúde devem criar laços de cooperação com as entidades jurídicas rastreando casos de morte por suicídio para o devido acompanhamento

Staphylococcus cornubiensis sp. nov., a member of the Staphylococcus intermedius Group (SIG)

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Microbiology Society via the DOI in this recordWe here describe a novel species in the Staphylococcus intermedius Group (SIG) which is phenotypically similar to Staphylococcus pseudintermedius but is genomically distinct from it and other SIG members, with an average nucleotide identity of 90.2 % with its closest relative S. intermedius. The description of Staphylococcus cornubiensis sp. nov. is based on strain NW1T (=NCTC 13950T=DSM 105366T) isolated from a human skin infection in Cornwall, UK. Although pathogenic, NW1T carries no known virulence genes or mobilizable antibiotic resistance genes and further studies are required to assess the prevalence of this species in humans as well as its potential presence in companion animals.This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust (grant WT 098051). We acknowledge BBSRC/MRC funding (grant MR/N007174/1) enabling discounted sequencing through the microbesNG program

Effect of live-storage period and temperature on oxygen consumption rate in the cold-water sea cucumber Parastichopus tremulus

Sea cucumbers are of great significance in marine ecosystems all over the world. The red sea cucumber Parastichopus tremulus is also considered commercially interesting but very little information is available on its ecology and physiology. This study aimed at investigating this North Atlantic species` oxygen demand in relation to live-storage period and temperature in an attempt to deliver some physiological puzzle pieces useful in a potential aquacultural context. Oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was measured in P. tremulus stored in a flow-through system for up to one year, and in recirculation systems at different temperatures (4, 8 and 12°C) for up to four weeks. Throughout the experimental period, biometric data were collected from the different treatment groups and a condition index (CI) calculated. The results showed that long-term storage affected OCR and CI, which increased and decreased with time, respectively. Storage at 4°C resulted in significantly lower OCR and higher CI compared to 8 and 12°C after four weeks, suggesting that 4°C may be best for maintaining body mass during short-term storage, whereas storage at 8 and 12°C may require supplementary feeding to avoid biomass loss. Data presented in this study may be useful for a range of applications, for example in a prospective aquaculture setting, for optimizing live seafood storage, but also for impact assessment and management of wild stocks

Digestibility in selected rainbow trout families and modelling of growth from the specific intake of digestible protein

The experiments aimed to clarify variations in digestibility of dietary nutrients in rainbow trout. Furthermore, the objective was to study how differences in digestibility might be related to growth and feed utilisation at various growth rates. When comparing the results from the experiments it appeared that particularly protein digestibility was closely related to specific growth rate and feed conversion ratio at high growth rates. As a tool to visualise the relationship between protein digestibility and growth of rainbow trout a growth model was developed based on the specific intake of digestible protein, and general assumptions on protein content and protein retention efficiency in rainbow trout. The model indicated that increased protein digestibility only partly explained growth increase and that additional factors were important for growth increment

Selenium toxicity but not deficient or super-nutritional selenium status vastly alters the transcriptome in rodents

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Protein and mRNA levels for several selenoproteins, such as glutathione peroxidase-1 (Gpx1), are down-regulated dramatically by selenium (Se) deficiency. These levels in rats increase sigmoidally with increasing dietary Se and reach defined plateaus at the Se requirement, making them sensitive biomarkers for Se deficiency. These levels, however, do not further increase with super-nutritional or toxic Se status, making them ineffective for detection of high Se status. Biomarkers for high Se status are needed as super-nutritional Se intakes are associated with beneficial as well as adverse health outcomes. To characterize Se regulation of the transcriptome, we conducted 3 microarray experiments in weanling mice and rats fed Se-deficient diets supplemented with up to 5 μg Se/g diet.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was no effect of Se status on growth of mice fed 0 to 0.2 μg Se/g diet or rats fed 0 to 2 μg Se/g diet, but rats fed 5 μg Se/g diet showed a 23% decrease in growth and elevated plasma alanine aminotransferase activity, indicating Se toxicity. Rats fed 5 μg Se/g diet had significantly altered expression of 1193 liver transcripts, whereas mice or rats fed ≤ 2 μg Se/g diet had < 10 transcripts significantly altered relative to Se-adequate animals within an experiment. Functional analysis of genes altered by Se toxicity showed enrichment in cell movement/morphogenesis, extracellular matrix, and development/angiogenesis processes. Genes up-regulated by Se deficiency were targets of the stress response transcription factor, Nrf2. Multiple regression analysis of transcripts significantly altered by 2 μg Se/g and Se-deficient diets identified an 11-transcript biomarker panel that accounted for 99% of the variation in liver Se concentration over the full range from 0 to 5 μg Se/g diet.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study shows that Se toxicity (5 μg Se/g diet) in rats vastly alters the liver transcriptome whereas Se-deficiency or high but non-toxic Se intake elicits relatively few changes. This is the first evidence that a vastly expanded number of transcriptional changes itself can be a biomarker of Se toxicity, and that identified transcripts can be used to develop molecular biomarker panels that accurately predict super-nutritional and toxic Se status.</p