Socio-economic differences in self-esteem of adolescents influenced by personality, mental health and social support

Background: Previous studies indicate that self-esteem is lower among adolescents of low socio-economic status and is associated with a number of intrapersonal, interpersonal and socio-cultural factors. Evidence on the mechanisms by which these factors contribute to the connection between socio-economic status and developing self-esteem is incomplete, however. The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to assess whether personality, mental health and social support contribute to the relationship between socio-economic status and self-esteem. Methods: A sample of 3694 elementary-school students from Slovakia (mean age = 14.3 years, 49% boys) filled out the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the Family Affluence Scale, the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire and the Perceived Social Support Scale. Results: Hierarchical linear regression showed family affluence, personality dimensions of extroversion, emotional stability and openness to experience, as well as mental health subscales and social support from family and significant others to be associated with self-esteem. Results indicate that personality dimensions and mental health subscales contribute to the association between family affluence and self-esteem. Conclusion: The contribution of personality and mental problems in the relation between socio-economic status and self-esteem may have important implications for the design of promotional programs aimed at enhancing self-esteem

Origins left, right and centre: increasing the number of initiation sites in the Escherichia coli chromosome

© 2018 by the authors. The bacterium Escherichia coli contains a single circular chromosome with a defined architecture. DNA replication initiates at a single origin called oriC. Two replication forks are assembled and proceed in opposite directions until they fuse in a specialised zone opposite the origin. This termination area is flanked by polar replication fork pause sites that allow forks to enter, but not to leave. Thus, the chromosome is divided into two replichores, each replicated by a single replication fork. Recently, we analysed the replication parameters in E. coli cells, in which an ectopic origin termed oriZ was integrated in the right-hand replichore. Two major obstacles to replication were identified: (1) head-on replication–transcription conflicts at highly transcribed rrn operons, and (2) the replication fork trap. Here, we describe replication parameters in cells with ectopic origins, termed oriX and oriY, integrated into the left-hand replichore, and a triple origin construct with oriX integrated in the left-hand and oriZ in the right-hand replichore. Our data again highlight both replication–transcription conflicts and the replication fork trap as important obstacles to DNA replication, and we describe a number of spontaneous large genomic rearrangements which successfully alleviate some of the problems arising from having an additional origin in an ectopic location. However, our data reveal additional factors that impact efficient chromosome duplication, highlighting the complexity of chromosomal architecture