Faktoren der Gesunderhaltung bei Kindern psychisch belasteter Eltern

Zusammenfassung. Kinder psychisch belasteter Eltern bilden eine Hochrisikogruppe für die Entwicklung psychischer Auffälligkeiten und weisen im Vergleich zur Gesamtbevölkerung eine geringere gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität auf. Für die Entwicklung spezifischer präventiver und therapeutischer Unterstützungsprogramme wurden veränderungssensitive Faktoren der psychischen Gesunderhaltung in einer Stichprobe von psychisch belasteten Eltern und ihren 13- bis 17-jährigen Kindern untersucht. Es wurden signifikante Prädiktoren aus den drei Bereichen personale, familiäre und soziale Ressourcen sowohl für die psychische Gesundheit als auch für die gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität identifiziert. Für psychische Gesundheit waren dies soziale Kompetenz, familiäre Unterstützung und Schulklima, für Lebensqualität Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung, Optimismus, Familienklima und Schulklima. Die Ergebnisse machen deutlich, dass personale, familiäre und soziale Ressourcen für Kinder psychisch belasteter Eltern von großer Bedeutung sind für die psychische Gesunderhaltung. Sie profitieren insbesondere von Ressourcen, die außerhalb der Familie angesiedelt sind, wie einer guten schulischen Integration. Spezifische Interventionsprogramme für Kinder psychisch belasteter Eltern sollten neben der persönlichen und familiären deshalb unbedingt auch die schulische Situation berücksichtigen.

Single centrosome manipulation reveals its electric charge and associated dynamic structure

The centrosome is the major microtubule-organizing center in animal cells and consists of a pair of centrioles surrounded by a pericentriolar material. We demonstrate laser manipulation of individual early Drosophila embryo centrosomes in between two microelectrodes to reveal that it is a net negatively charged organelle with a very low isoelectric region (3.1 +/- 0.1). From this single-organelle electrophoresis, we infer an effective charge smaller than or on the order of 10(3) electrons, which corresponds to a surface-charge density significantly smaller than that of microtubules. We show, however, that the charge of the centrosome has a remarkable influence over its own structure. Specifically, we investigate the hydrodynamic behavior of the centrosome by measuring its size by both Stokes law and thermal-fluctuation spectral analysis of force. We find, on the one hand, that the hydrodynamic size of the centrosome is 60% larger than its electron microscopy diameter, and on the other hand, that this physiological expansion is produced by the electric field that drains to the centrosome, a self-effect that modulates its structural behavior via environmental pH. This methodology further proves useful for studying the action of different environmental conditions, such as the presence of Ca(2+), over the thermally induced dynamic structure of the centrosome.

High mutation rate in dopa-responsive dystonia: Detection with comprehensiveGCHIscreening

Mutations in GTP cyclohydrolase I (GCHI) are found in 50 to 60% of cases with dopa-responsive dystonia (DRD). Heterozygous GCHI exon deletions, undetectable by sequencing, have recently been described in three DRD families. We tested 23 individuals with DRD for the different mutation types by conventional and quantitative PCR analyses and found mutations, including two large exon deletions, in 87%. The authors attribute this high mutation rate to rigorous inclusion criteria and comprehensive mutational analysis.

Sequence and analysis of chromosome 5 of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana

The genome of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana has been sequenced by an international collaboration, The Arabidopsis Genome Initiative. Here we report the complete sequence of chromosome 5. This chromosome is 26 megabases long; it is the second largest Arabidopsis chromosome and represents 21% of the sequenced regions of the genome. The sequence of chromosomes 2 and 4 have been reported previously and that of chromosomes 1 and 3, together with an analysis of the complete genome sequence, are reported in this issue. Analysis of the sequence of chromosome 5 yields further insights into centromere structure and the sequence determinants of heterochromatin condensation. The 5,874 genes encoded on chromosome 5 reveal several new functions in plants, and the patterns of gene organization provide insights into the mechanisms and extent of genome evolution in plants.

Sequence and analysis of chromosome 4 of the plant Arabidopsis thaliana

The higher plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) is an important model for identifying plant genes and determining their function. To assist biological investigations and to define chromosome structure, a coordinated effort to sequence the Arabidopsis genome was initiated in late 1996. Here we report one of the first milestones of this project, the sequence of chromosome 4. Analysis of 17.38 megabases of unique sequence, representing about 17% of the genome, reveals 3,744 protein coding genes, 81 transfer RNAs and numerous repeat elements. Heterochromatic regions surrounding the putative centromere, which has not yet been completely sequenced, are characterized by an increased frequency of a variety of repeats, new repeats, reduced recombination, lowered gene density and lowered gene expression. Roughly 60% of the predicted protein-coding genes have been functionally characterized on the basis of their homology to known genes. Many genes encode predicted proteins that are homologous to human and Caenorhabditis elegans proteins.