Verläufe von Traumafolgen bei ehemaligen politisch Inhaftierten der DDR: Ein 15-Jahres-Follow-up

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund: In einer Mitte der 1990er Jahre untersuchten Stichprobe ehemaliger politisch Inhaftierter der DDR wurden im 15-Jahres-Follow-up die Veränderungen der Diagnose- und Symptomprävalenzen der posttraumatischen Belastungsstörung (PTBS) sowie anderer psychischer Störungen untersucht. Zudem wurden die durch Kliniker erhobenen Diagnosenverläufe mit den retrospektiven subjektiven Einschätzungen der Studienteilnehmer verglichen. Methode: Dreiundneunzig ehemals politisch inhaftierte Personen nahmen an der Folgestudie teil (85% Wiederteilnahme), ihr mittleres Alter betrug 64Jahre. Diagnosen und Symptome wurden mittels strukturierter klinischer Interviews sowie Fragebögen erfasst. Die retrospektiven subjektiven Verlaufseinschätzungen der Teilnehmer wurden mittels eines PTBS-Symptomindex basierend auf 4Symptomgruppen (Intrusionen, Vermeidung, Numbing, Hyperarousal) errechnet. Ergebnisse: Eine aktuelle PTBS lag bei 33% vor (1997: 29%). Nur ca. in der Hälfte der Fälle lag diese schon 1994 vor, bei der anderen Hälfte handelt es sich um neu-inzidente bzw. remittierte Fälle. Nächsthäufige Diagnosen waren Major-Depression, Episode (26%), Panik (mit oder ohne Agoraphobie: 24%) sowie somatoforme Störungen (19%). Im PTBS-Symptomprofil nahmen Intrusionen, Flashbacks bzw. Entfremdungsgefühl im Zeitverlauf ab, Reizbarkeit und Schreckreaktionen hingegen zu. Die subjektive Selbsteinschätzung der PTBS-Symptomverläufe durch die Studienteilnehmer ergab im Vergleich mit den Diagnostikern häufiger ein resilientes ("nie PTBS") oder verzögertes und seltener ein remittiertes Verlaufsmuster. Schlussfolgerung: Die Ergebnisse sprechen für eine traumabezogene Langzeitmorbidität, die allerdings instabiler ist als bisher angenomme

Lead content and isotopic composition in submound and recent soils of the Volga upland

Literature data on the historical reconstructions of the atmospheric lead deposition in Europe and the isotopic composition of the ores that are potential sources of the anthropogenic lead in the atmospheric deposition in the lower Volga steppes during different time periods have been compiled. The effect of the increasing anthropogenic lead deposition recorded since the Bronze Age on the level of soil contamination has been investigated. For the first time paleosol buried under a burial mound of the Bronze Age has been used as a reference point to assess of the current contamination level. The contents and isotopic compositions of the mobile and total lead have been determined in submound paleosols of different ages and their recent remote and roadside analogues. An increase in the content and fraction of the mobile lead and a shift of its isotopic composition toward less radiogenic values (typical for lead from the recent anthropogenic sources) has been revealed when going from a Bronze-Age paleosol to a recent soil. In the Bronze-Age soil, the isotopic composition of the mobile lead is inherited from the parent rock to a greater extent than in the modern soils, where the lead is enriched with the less radiogenic component. The effect of the anthropogenic component is traced in the analysis of the mobile lead, but it is barely visible for the total lead. An exception is provided by the recent roadside soils characterized by increased contents and the significantly less radiogenic isotopic composition of the mobile and total lead

Thymus-Associated Parathyroid Hormone Has Two Cellular Origins with Distinct Endocrine and Immunological Functions

In mammals, parathyroid hormone (PTH) is a key regulator of extracellular calcium and inorganic phosphorus homeostasis. Although the parathyroid glands were thought to be the only source of PTH, extra-parathyroid PTH production in the thymus, which shares a common origin with parathyroids during organogenesis, has been proposed to provide an auxiliary source of PTH, resulting in a higher than expected survival rate for aparathyroid Gcm2−/− mutants. However, the developmental ontogeny and cellular identity of these “thymic” PTH–expressing cells is unknown. We found that the lethality of aparathyroid Gcm2−/− mutants was affected by genetic background without relation to serum PTH levels, suggesting a need to reconsider the physiological function of thymic PTH. We identified two sources of extra-parathyroid PTH in wild-type mice. Incomplete separation of the parathyroid and thymus organs during organogenesis resulted in misplaced, isolated parathyroid cells that were often attached to the thymus; this was the major source of thymic PTH in normal mice. Analysis of thymus and parathyroid organogenesis in human embryos showed a broadly similar result, indicating that these results may provide insight into human parathyroid development. In addition, medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) express PTH in a Gcm2-independent manner that requires TEC differentiation and is consistent with expression as a self-antigen for negative selection. Genetic or surgical removal of the thymus indicated that thymus-derived PTH in Gcm2−/− mutants did not provide auxiliary endocrine function. Our data show conclusively that the thymus does not serve as an auxiliary source of either serum PTH or parathyroid function. We further show that the normal process of parathyroid organogenesis in both mice and humans leads to the generation of multiple small parathyroid clusters in addition to the main parathyroid glands, that are the likely source of physiologically relevant “thymic PTH.

Genetic Variation in Jasmonic Acid- and Spider Mite-Induced Plant Volatile Emission of Cucumber Accessions and Attraction of the Predator Phytoseiulus persimilis

Cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.) respond to spider–mite (Tetranychus urticae) damage with the release of specific volatiles that are exploited by predatory mites, the natural enemies of the spider mites, to locate their prey. The production of volatiles also can be induced by exposing plants to the plant hormone jasmonic acid. We analyzed volatile emissions from 15 cucumber accessions upon herbivory by spider mites and upon exposure to jasmonic acid using gas chromatography—mass spectrometry. Upon induction, cucumber plants emitted over 24 different compounds, and the blend of induced volatiles consisted predominantly of terpenoids. The total amount of volatiles was higher in plants treated with jasmonic acid than in those infested with spider mites, with (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, (E,E)-α-farnesene, and (E)-β-ocimene as the most abundant compounds in all accessions in both treatments. Significant variation among the accessions was found for the 24 major volatile compounds. The accessions differed strongly in total amount of volatiles emitted, and displayed very different odor profiles. Principal component analysis performed on the relative quantities of particular compounds within the blend revealed clusters of highly correlated volatiles, which is suggestive of common metabolic pathways. A number of cucumber accessions also were tested for their attractiveness to Phytoseiulus persimilis, a specialist predator of spider mites. Differences in the attraction of predatory mites by the various accessions correlated to differences in the individual chemical profiles of these accessions. The presence of genetic variation in induced plant volatile emission in cucumber shows that it is possible to breed for cucumber varieties that are more attractive to predatory mites and other biological control agents

Revenge phenomena and posttraumatic stress disorder in former East German political prisoners

To date, psychological revenge phenomena have not been investigated systematically as factors potentially contributing to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This follow-up study (1995: N = 146; 2008: N = 93) assessed the predictive power of revenge phenomena for current PTSD symptoms in a sample of former East German political prisoners some four decades after traumatization. As the results of multiple hierarchical regression analyses have revealed, revenge feelings and cognitions significantly contributed to the prediction of both self-reported and clinician-rated PTSD symptoms above and beyond standard predictor variables. In contrast, revenge intentions did not contribute to the prediction of current PTSD. The findings suggest that revenge feelings and cognitions may be a maintaining factor for longtime PTSD. Identification and therapeutic modification of dysfunctional revenge phenomena may therefore enhance the effectiveness of psychotherapy for persistent PTSD