Psychoeducation and the family burden in schizophrenia: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background The majority of patients with schizophrenia live with their relatives in Pakistan, thereby families experience a considerable burden. We aimed to study the impact of psychoeducation on the burden of schizophrenia on the family in a randomised controlled trial. Methods A total of 108 patients with schizophrenia and their family members from the outpatient department of a teaching hospital in Lahore, Pakistan were randomised. Both groups received psychotropic drugs but one group received psychoeducation in addition. Family burden was assessed at the time of recruitment and at 6 months post intervention. Results In all, 99 patients and their relatives completed the treatment. There was significant reduction in burden at post-intervention assessment in the psychoeducation group based on intention to treat analysis. Conclusion Family psychoeducation can be an important intervention for patients with schizophrenia in Pakistan.</p

Analysis of the mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of two basidiomycetes, Coprinus cinereus and Coprinus stercorarius

The mitochondrial and nuclear genomes of Coprinus stercorarius and C. cinereus were compared to assess their evolutionary relatedness and to characterize at the molecular level changes that have occurred since they diverged from a common ancestor. The mitochondrial genome of C. stercorarius (91.1 kb) is approximately twice as large as that of C. cinereus (43.3 kb). The pattern of restriction enzyme recognition sites shows both genomes to be circular, but reveals no clear homologies; furthermore, the order of structural genes is different in each species. The C. stercorarius mitochondrial genome contains a region homologous to a probe derived from the yeast mitochondrial var1 gene, whereas its nuclear genome does not. By contrast, the C. cinereus nuclear, but not mitochondrial, genome contains a region homologous to the var1 probe. Only a small fraction of either the nuclear or mitochondrial genomes, perhaps corresponding to the coding sequences, is capable of forming duplexes in interspecies solution reassociations, as measured by binding to hydroxylapatite. Those sequences capable of reassociating were found to have approximately 15% divergence for the mitochondrial genomes and 7%–15% divergence for the nuclear genomes, depending on the conditions of reassociation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46959/1/294_2004_Article_BF00447385.pd

Cause of death in Washington state veterans hospitalized with acute coronary syndromes in the veterans health administration

Background: In the United States, relatively little is known about cause of death in individuals who die prior to or after hospital discharge for acute coronary syndromes (ACS). The purpose of this report was to compare baseline patient characteristics according to whether the underlying cause of death was cardiac or non-cardiac. Methods: We linked cause of death information from Washington State death records to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) External Peer Review Program ACS registry. From 524 individuals who were hospitalized for ACS in veterans hospitals located in Washington State or Oregon, we identified 136 individuals who according to VA death records died during the years 2003 to 2005. Of these, 117 (86%) were found in Washington State death records. Sociodemographic variables, as well as underlying and secondary causes of death, were obtained from Washington State death records provided by the Washington State Department of Health. Clinical variables, including medical histories, presentation on admission, and in-hospital death were extracted from the VA ACS registry. Results: Somewhat surprisingly, only 52% of veterans died of cardiac causes when only the underlying cause of death was used. However, when secondary causes of death were added to the definition, the proportion that died of cardiac causes increased to 81%. Patient characteristics were similar in the two groups, although small numbers limited the ability to detect statistically significant differences. Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggest that it is important to consider secondary causes as well as the underlying one when classifying deaths as cardiac or non-cardiac.This work was supported by a grant from the Department of Veterans Affairs Quality Enhancement Research Initiative

In vitro synthesis of infectious dna of murine leukaemia virus.

DNA synthesised in vitro by purified virions of murine leukaemia virus is infectious. Neither RNA nor protein is required for infectivity. Transfection with reverse transcriptase product shows a single-hit dose response and results in the production of complete, infectious virus