Short Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) for Clients with Complex and Enduring Difficulties within NHS Mental Health Services:A Case Series

Short Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) has been demonstrated as an effective treatment for several mental health difficulties. However, its implementation in secondary mental health services in the National Health Service (NHS) is scarce. The aim of this study was to bridge the gap between controlled trials and practice-based evidence, by exploring an initial estimate of the therapeutic effects of this intervention as well as its safety in a secondary care NHS community mental health setting. Method: The study followed a quantitative case series design. Eight clients with complex, enduring mental health difficulties, supported by a community secondary mental health service received a course of STPP. They completed outcome measures at the start, at the end and eight-weeks following completion of therapy. Results: All participants but one completed the therapy and attendance rates were high (>75%). No adverse effects were reported. All participants but two reported improvement in the CORE-OM, BSI and the PHQ-9 and these were maintained at follow-up. Conclusions: The results suggested that STPP was a safe and acceptable intervention, that may have contributed to clinical and reliable improvement for 4 participants, non-reliable improvement for 2 and non-reliable deterioration for one participant who finished the treatment

NMR structure and dynamics of the Specifier Loop domain from the Bacillus subtilis tyrS T box leader RNA

Gram-positive bacteria utilize a tRNA-responsive transcription antitermination mechanism, designated the T box system, to regulate expression of many amino acid biosynthetic and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase genes. The RNA transcripts of genes controlled by this mechanism contain 5′ untranslated regions, or leader RNAs, that specifically bind cognate tRNA molecules through pairing of nucleotides in the tRNA anticodon loop with nucleotides in the Specifier Loop domain of the leader RNA. We have determined the solution structure of the Specifier Loop domain of the tyrS leader RNA from Bacillus subtilis. Fifty percent of the nucleotides in the Specifier Loop domain adopt a loop E motif. The Specifier Sequence nucleotides, which pair with the tRNA anticodon, stack with their Watson–Crick edges rotated toward the minor groove and exhibit only modest flexibility. We also show that a Specifier Loop domain mutation that impairs the function of the B. subtilis glyQS T box RNA disrupts the tyrS loop E motif. Our results suggest a mechanism for tRNA–Specifier Loop binding in which the phosphate backbone kink created by the loop E motif causes the Specifier Sequence bases to rotate toward the minor groove, which increases accessibility for pairing with bases in the anticodon loop of tRNA

Divalent Metal Ions Tune the Self-Splicing Reaction of the Yeast Mitochondrial Group II Intron Sc.ai5γ

Group II introns are large ribozymes, consisting of six functionally distinct domains that assemble in the presence of Mg2+ to the active structure catalyzing a variety of reactions. The first step of intron splicing is well characterized by a Michaelis–Menten-type cleavage reaction using a two-piece group II intron: the substrate RNA, the 5′-exon covalently linked to domains 1, 2, and 3, is cleaved upon addition of domain 5 acting as a catalyst. Here we investigate the effect of Ca2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Pb2+, and [Co(NH3)6]3+ on the first step of splicing of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae mitochondrial group II intron Sc.ai5γ. We find that this group II intron is very sensitive to the presence of divalent metal ions other than Mg2+. For example, the presence of only 5% Ca2+ relative to Mg2+ results in a decrease in the maximal turnover rate k cat by 50%. Ca2+ thereby has a twofold effect: this metal ion interferes initially with folding, but then also competes directly with Mg2+ in the folded state, the latter being indicative of at least one specific Ca2+ binding pocket interfering directly with catalysis. Similar results are obtained with Mn2+, Cd2+, and [Co(NH3)6]3+. Ni2+ is a much more powerful inhibitor and the presence of either Zn2+ or Pb2+ leads to rapid degradation of the RNA. These results show a surprising sensitivity of such a large multidomain RNA on trace amounts of cations other than Mg2+ and raises the question of biological relevance at least in the case of Ca2+