Globalization: A Brief Primer for Counselors

The concept of globalization elicits a wide range of reactions among the public, policy makers, and academics (Bennhold 2007; Bradsher 2006; Cheng 2005; Dobbs 2004; Friedman 2005; Gilbert 2006; Oppenheimer 2005; Stiglitz 2006; Winestock 2001; World Commission on the Social Dimension of Globalization 2004). Increased understanding of globalization can help counselors recognize their influential role as one of the few groups of professionals that operate in schools, mental health, and career counseling settings. Because the consequences of globalization impact every aspect of life, counselors have a responsibility to understand globalization systemically, including how it impacts the practice of counseling and how to help their clients function effectively in the context of globalization. In this article, which is intended as a primer for continued dialogue, globalization is introduced as an issue to be further studied and responded to by professional organizations around the world. Examples of globalization are offered and a case is made for continued collaboration between quality assurance and membership organizations in addressing globalization.     

Molecular mechanism of pathogenesis of dengue virus: Entry and fusion with target cell

Dengue fever is one of the major health problems in India. Interaction with specific receptor(s) at the cell surface is one of the first events in the pathogenesis of Dengue virus. However, relatively little is known about these receptors. Cellular receptors in human monocytes and mouse neural cells are main target for the viral infection. The envelope protein of the virus (E-protein) plays important role in attachment of virus to target cells and their interaction with cellular receptors. The modulation of receptor gene(s) and/or protein(s) can be used as a method for interfering with virus entry and can thus become a new method for disease prevention. The receptors can be purified by affinity chromatography using E-protein as ligand. It has been reported that addition of highly sulfated heparan sulfate prevents E-protein binding to target cells suggesting that heparan sulfate is utilized by dengue envelope protein to bind to target cells.     

Status of epidermal growth factor receptors family in hormone-dependent carcinomas of the breast and prostate with reference to serum lipids and lipoproteins

There are numerous growing evidences of resemblance between carcinomas of the breast and prostate. A total of 45 cases of these two hormone-dependent cancers along with appropriate controls were subjected for status of epidermal growth factor receptors as well as serum lipid profile. Paraffin embedded tissue sections from aforesald tumours were analysed by immunohistochemical staining for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R), c-erbB-2 oncoprotein, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR). Sera from same individuals were studied for serum lipid profile analysis. The study revealed that immunoexpression of all receptor proteins (EGF-R). c-erbB-2 was significantly higher in breast carcinoma. In addition, mean levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol were found to be significantly elevated while the level of HDL-cholesterol was observed to be lower among patients with breast cancer as compared to matched controls. Further, ER-positive breast cancer cases have significantly higher mean level of HDL-cholesterol when compared with ER-negative breast cancer patients. Contrary to this, no alteration in different serum lipid fractions was noticed among the patients with prostate cancer. However, a positive relationship was noticed between immunoexpressions of EGF-R and c-erbB-2 in prostate cancer.     

Serum ionised calcium in birth asphyxia

Serum total and ionised calcium levels were measured at birth and at 48 hours in 25 term neonates with birth asphyxia (one minute APGAR score of 6 or less) and in 25 normal term neonates (one minute APGAR score of 7 or more). Infants were categorised into two groups TAGA (term appropriate for gestational age) and TSGA (term small for gestational age). Asphyxiated infants had significantly lower serum total and ionised calcium values at birth as well as at 48 hours. Abnormal clinical features were observed in 48% of asphyxiated infants. Low ionised calcium was detected in symptomatic babies, who had otherwise normal total calcium values. Due to hyocalcemia especially ionised calcium in asphyxiated infants and high frequency of functional derangement associated with this hypocalcemioa, serial monitoring of serum isonised calcium levels is necessary.     

Studies on a new antitubercular drug, trifluoperazine: Its effect in combination with conventional antitubercular drugs in tubercular lymphadenitis

After demonstrating that trifluoperazine (TFP) possesses invitro antitubercular activity against drug (single and multidrug) resistantMycobacterium tuberculosis, we initiated preliminary clinical studies in a few patients of tubercular lymphadenitis. Effect of TFP was assessed by testing the antitubercular activity of the serum of patients receiving TFP in addition to regular therapy. Patients were divided into two groups of 30 each. For ethical considerations, patients of both groups were treated initially for one month with antitubercular therapy (ATT) consisting of isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide and TFP was tried for 15 days only. Patients of group1 were given a single dose of TFP (5mg/day) daily from days 31 to 45 in addition to ATT, while those in group 2 received ATT only. Assessment of the antitubercular activity of the serum (testedin vitro in Youmans and Karlson’s liquid medium) revealed that the serum of patients (collected on 45th day) of group1 (ATT+TFP treated) possessed much higher antitubercular activity than that of group 2 (ATT only treated) patients. Clinical examination indicated that overall improvement was seen much earlier in group1 (ATT+TFP) patients than in group 2 (ATT alone) patients. At the end of the follow up period of 6 months with ATT from 46th day onwards to both groups, there were no side effects due to TFP. Hematology and liver function tests were normal in both the groups. We suggest that TFP has good potential and therefore deserves further studies either in combination with other drugs of ATT or as one of the drugs of ATT, for the treatment of tuberculosis due to MDR strains to find a suitable effective dose without side effects.     

Induced charge electro osmotic mixer: Obstacle shape optimization

Efficient mixing is difficult to achieve in miniaturized devices due to the nature of low Reynolds number flow. Mixing can be intentionally induced, however, if conducting or nonconducting obstacles are embedded within the microchannel. In the case of conducting obstacles, vortices can be generated in the vicinity of the obstacle due to induced charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) which enhances mixing of different streams: the obstacle shape affects the induced zeta potential on the conducting surface, which in turn influences the flow profile near the obstacle. This study deals with optimization of the geometric shape of a conducting obstacle for the purpose of micromixing. The obstacle boundary is parametrically represented by nonuniform rational B-spline curves. The optimal obstacle shape, which maximizes the mixing for given operating conditions, is found using genetic algorithms. Various case studies at different operating conditions demonstrated that the near right triangle shape provides optimal mixing in the ICEO flow dominant regime, whereas rectangular shape is the optimal shape in diffusion dominant regime. The tradeoff between mixing and transport is examined for symmetric and nonsymmetric obstacle shapes.     

Antitubercular activity of garlic (allium sativum) extract on combination with conventional antitubercular drugs in tubercular lymphadenitis

Based on our demonstration earlier that ethanol extract, water extract and a compound purified from garlic possessedin vitro antitubercular activity against drug resistant and susceptibleMycobacterium tuberculosis, we tried the effect of garlic extract in 30 patients of tubercular lymphadenitis. For ethical considerations, two groups of patients, 30 each, were given antitubercular therapy (ATT) consisting of isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide for 30 days. For the next 15 days (31 to 45 days) group 1 patients received 3–6 garlic pearls per day in addition to ATT while group 2 patients received ATT only. From 46th day onwards both the groups received ATT only for 6–8 months. Antitubercular activity of the serum samples collected on 45th day was assessed by its effect on the growth ofM. tuberculois. The serum of group 1 patients showed significantly much higher antitubercular activity than that of group 2 patients. Further, there was relief of dyspeptic symptoms caused by ATT therapy in patients of group 1 with garlic plus ATT therapy but no change in group 2 patients with ATT only. Liver function and hematological tests were normal in both the groups after 6 months of therapy. Garlic extracts or compounds have a good potential as antitubercular(s) drug if given as a supplement to ATT.     

Utility of serum LDH isoforms in the assessment of mycobacterium tuberculosis induced pathology in TB patients of Sahariya tribe

The present study was carried out in the Sahariya tribe of Central India, which reportedly have high prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis. Total serum LDH and its tissue specific isoforms were estimated in TB patients and matched healthy controls to test the utility of LDH as diagnostic marker for tuberculosis. About 210 sputum positive cases and 328 age and sex matched sputum negative controls were recruited. The spectrophotometeric and densitometric analysis of each LDH isoform was carried out in both cases and controls. The mean values of serum LDH were estimated and compared for each class by t-test. The statistical comparisons were made between sputum negative controls and sputum positive cases by Mann-Whitney’s U test. The spectrophotometric estimation of serum LDH revealed significant (P=0.0016) increase in its level in cases (290 IU/L) as compared to controls (248 IU/L). The densitometric analysis of individual LDH isoforms in cases and controls demonstrated significant elevation in LDH1 (P>0.05), LDH2 (P>0.05) and LDH3 (P<0.005) in sputum positive cases in comparison to sputum negative controls. Our study revealed a positive correlation between serum LDH level and the presence of mycobacteria and their load, suggesting utility of LDH as an important diagnostic marker of tuberculosis induced stress, at least in tribal areas lacking access to modern clinical tests.