Genetic Counseling Services and Training of Genetic Counselors in Israel: An Overview

Genetic counseling services have existed in Israel since 1964 and are available in almost all the major hospitals. Given the socialized healthcare system and small country size, genetic services are generally accessible and often free. The existence of founder mutations in various communities in Israel makes genetic testing easier to perform. Yet, the ethnic, cultural and religious diversity of the population has major implications on the design of the screening programs and the use of genetic services. The Israeli Association of Genetic Counselors (IAGC) was established in 2008 and had existed informally since 1989. There are two Master level genetic counseling training programs (6 students/class, 2 year program): Hebrew University‐Hadassah Medical School (established in 1997) and the Technion (established in 2009). Genetic counselors’ clinical training is largely observational and 2 years of supervised counseling sessions post degree are required for board exam eligibility. Genetic counselors are licensed and lead counseling sessions individually, but currently must work under medical geneticist supervision. This is the first article to summarize the history and training of Master level genetic counselors in Israel. Genetic services, coverage and regulations are also described.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/147065/1/jgc40890.pd

Do Newton's G and Milgrom's a_0 vary with cosmological epoch ?

In the scalar tensor gravitational theories Newton's constant G_N evolves in the expanding universe. Likewise, it has been speculated that the acceleration scale a_0 in Milgrom's modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND) is tied to the scale of the cosmos, and must thus evolve. With the advent of relativistic implementations of the modified dynamics, one can address the issue of variability of the two gravitational ''constants'' with some confidence. Using TeVeS, the Tensor-Vector-Scalar gravitational theory, as an implementation of MOND, we calculate the dependence of G_N and a_0 on the TeVeS parameters and the coeval cosmological value of its scalar field, \phi_c. We find that G_N, when expressed in atomic units, is strictly nonevolving, a result fully consistent with recent empirical limits on the variation of G_N. By contrast, we find that a_0 depends on \phi_c and may thus vary with cosmological epoch. However, for the brand of TeVeS which seems most promising, a_0 variation occurs on a timescale much longer than Hubble's, and should be imperceptible back to redshift unity or even beyond it. This is consistent with emergent data on the rotation curves of disk galaxies at significants redshifts.Comment: 9 pages, RevTe

Ramsey-like measurement of the decoherence rate between Zeeman sub-levels

Two-photon processes that involve different sub-levels of the ground state of an atom, are highly sensitive to depopulation and decoherence within the ground state. For example, the spectral width of electromagnetically induced transparency resonances in $\Lambda-$type system, are strongly affected by the ground state depopulation and decoherence rates. We present a direct measurement of decay rates between hyperfine and Zeeman sub-levels in the ground state of $^{87}$Rb vapor. Similar to the relaxation-in-the-dark technique, pumping lasers are used to pre-align the atomic vapor in a well defined quantum state. The free propagation of the atomic state is monitored using a Ramsey-like method. Coherence times in the range 1-10 ms were measured for room temperature atomic vapor. In the range of the experimental parameters used in this study, the dominant process inducing Zeeman decoherence is the spin-exchange collisions between rubidium atoms.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

Antigen and Thapsigargin Promote Influx of Ca2+ in Rat Basophilic RBL-2H3 Cells by Ostensibly Similar Mechanisms That Allow Filling of Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate-Sensitive and Mitochondrial Ca2+ Stores

In single, Fura 2-loaded RBL-2H3 cells, antigen and thapsigargin depleted the same intracellular pool of Ca2+ in the absence of external Ca2+; provision of external Ca2+ induced immediate increases in levels of free Ca2+ ([Ca2+](i)). These increases were dependent on the presence of external Ca2+ and, presumably, on influx of Ca2+ across the cell membrane. Both stimulants enhanced intracellular accumulation of 45Ca2+ through ostensibly similar mechanisms because accumulation was blocked to similar extents by various multivalent cations or by depolarization with K+. Because thapsigargin blocked reuptake of Ca2+ into inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate sensitive stores, uptake occurred independently of the refilling of these stores. Uptake was dependent instead on sequestration of 45Ca2+ in a pool of high capacity that was insensitive to thapsigargin, caffeine, GTP and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate but sensitive to ionomycin and mitochondrial inhibitors. The existence of an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-insensitive pool was also apparent in permeabilized cells; at 0.1 μM [Ca2+](i), uptake of 45Ca2+ was largely confined (\u3e 80%) to the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive pool, but at 2 μM [Ca2+](i) uptake was largely (\u3e 60%) into the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-insensitive pool. Provision of mitochondrial inhibitors along with thapsigargin to block uptake into both pools, did not impair the thapsigargin-induced increase in [Ca2+](i) or influx of Ca2+, as indicated by changes in Fura 2 fluorescence, but did block the intracellular accumulation of 45Ca2+. The studies illustrate the utility of simultaneous measurements of [Ca2+](i) and 45Ca2+ uptake for a full accounting of Ca2+ homoeostasis as exemplified by the ability to distinguish between influx and mitochondrial uptake of Ca2+

Kajian Faktor-faktor Penyebab Ketidakefektifan Kinerja Terminal Bus Haumeni Kota Soe Kabupaten Timor Tengah Selatan

Terminal Haumeni yang terletak di Kota Soe adalah salah satu contoh prasarana transportasi yang kinerjanya tidak efektif karena angkutan umum lebih banyak melakukan aktifitasnya di luar terminal. Berdasarkan pengamatan, persimpangan dekat lokasi terminal yang dijadikan sebagai terminal bayangan. Kajian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi ketidakefektifan kinerja terminal bus Haumeni dengan statistik Skala Likert. Dari hasil analisis, berdasarkan persepsi pengguna jasa, faktor-faktor yang mempengaruhi ketidakefektifan kinerja terminal bus Haumeni adalah tidak adanya bus yang masuk ke terminal dengan persentase sikap penumpang 68,60 %, lokasi terminal yang kurang strategis dengan persentase penumpang 57,91 %, pengemudi 76,84 %, fasilitas terminal yang kurang efektif dengan persentase penumpang 76,74 %, pengemudi 62,11 %, kurangnya pelayanan petugas terminal dengan persentase penumpang 58,14 %, pengemudi 74,74 %, tidak adanya peraturan yang berlaku bagi pengguna jasa dengan persentase penumpang 63,26 %, tidak ada pengawasan dari pihak keamanan dengan persentase penumpang 65,58 %, pengemudi 66,32 %, parkir yang tidak teratur dengan persentase penumpang 62,79 %, pengemudi 65,26 %. Haumeni terminal which is located in the city of Soe is one example of a transport infrastructure that performance is not effective because the public transport is turns more to do it outside the terminal. Based on the observation, the intersection near the location of the terminal that serve as a shadow terminal. This study aims to determine the factors that affect the performance of ineffectivenes Haumeni bus terminal using descriptive statistical analysis of the Likert Scale. From the analysis based on the user perception of services, the factors that affect the performance of the bus terminal Haumeni ineffectiveness is the lack of buses to load passenger in terminal with a percentage of 68.60% of passenger attitudes, less strategic terminal locations with a percentage of 57.91% attitude passengers, driver 76.84%, terminal facilities were less effective with the percentage of 76.74% and the attitude of the driver's passenger 62.11%, the lack of service personnel attitude passenger terminal with the percentage 58.14% and 74.74% driver, the absence of regulations for service user with a percentage attitude 63.26% passenger, there is not oversight of the security forces with the percentage of 65.58% attitude passenger and the driver 66.32%, irregular parking arrangement with the percentage of 62.79% and the attitude of the driver's passenger 65.26%