The dynamics of possible selves in old age.

Future-oriented motives are thought to be cast off in old age. Transcripts of the hopes and fears of participants in the 4-year longitudinal sample of the Berlin Aging Study (N = 206, 70-100+ years) were coded for central domains and motives (e.g.

The adaptiveness of selection, optimization, and compensation as strategies of life management: evidence from a preference study on proverbs.

Proverbs were used to examine whether laypeople's conceptions of or preferences for life-management strategies are consistent with the model of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC model). The SOC model posits that there are three fundamental processes of life management: selection, optimization, and compensation. In two studies (N = 64; N = 131), young (19-32 years) and older adults (59-85 years) were asked to match proverbs to sentence stems indicative of life-management situations.

Life-management strategies of selection, optimization, and compensation: measurement by self-report and construct validity.

The authors examined the usefulness of a self-report measure for elective selection, loss-based selection. optimization, and compensation (SOC) as strategies of life management. The expected 4-factor solution was obtained in 2 independent samples (N = 218, 14-87 years; N = 181, 18-89 years) exhibiting high retest stability across 4 weeks (r(tt) = .

Multiple forms of U2 snRNA coexist in the silk moth Bombyx mori.

Eight U2 snRNA variants were isolated from several Bombyx mori U2-specific RT-PCR libraries. U2 sequences and secondary structures were generated and examined in terms of potential RNA and protein interactions. Analysis indicated that nucleotide changes occurred in both stem/loop and single-stranded areas.

Sagittal focusing of synchrotron radiation diffracted on the walls of a longitudinal hole drilled into a single-crystal monochromator.

A very simple method of sagittal focusing of X-ray synchrotron radiation is presented. A special ray-tracing program which utilizes the diffraction-refraction effect is developed. It is demonstrated both by ray-tracing simulations and by an experiment whereby a reasonably good sagittal concentration of 8 keV synchrotron radiation may be achieved by diffraction on the walls of a cylindrical hole drilled into an Si crystal.

First observation of meridional focusing of an X-ray beam using diffraction by a crystal with a transverse groove.

The possibility of concentrating a synchrotron X-ray beam using diffraction by a single crystal with a properly designed transverse groove on its surface, suggested earlier, has been studied experimentally. Here, the first experimental demonstration of this effect is reported, performed on beamline BM5 at the ESRF. The experimental result confirms the theoretical model.

Walking while memorizing: age-related differences in compensatory behavior.

This study investigated predictions of the life-span theory of selection, optimization, and compensation, focusing on different patterns of task priority during dual-task performance in younger and older adults. Cognitive (memorizing) and sensorimotor (walking a narrow track) performance were measured singly, concurrently, and when task difficulty was manipulated. Use of external aids was measured to provide another index of task priority.

Methodological comment: temporal stability of older person's spontaneous self-definition.

Open-ended tasks such as the "Who am I?" (Bugental & Zelen, 1950) or the Twenty Statement Test (Kuhn & McPartland, 1954) have facevalidity with regard to assessing content and dimensions of self-definition. Examined in the present study were questions about short-term temporal stability. Theory suggests that measures of the self may better reflect intraindividual variability than personality tests.

Modulation of ara-CTP levels by fludarabine and hydroxyurea in leukemic cells.

The rate of ara-cytosine triphosphate (ara-CTP) accumulation and its retention has been correlated with 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C)-mediated toxicity and clinical outcome in childhood and adult leukemia. We tested to what extent preincubation with the ribonucleotide reductase inhibitors fludarabine (F-ara-A) and hydroxyurea (HU) enhanced ara-CTP levels in two human myeloid (HL-60, CMK) and two lymphoblastic leukemia cell lines (MOLT-4, BLIN-1) and also in blasts from 28 children with acute leukemia (AML: 14, ALL: 14). Incubation experiments carried out with cell lines showed F-ara-A and HU to be equipotent in increasing ara-CTP levels.

[Effect of personal priorities on magnitude of stimulus preference: initial empirical findings].

This study examines whether setting priorities in personal life-investment is reflected in a heightened sensitivity towards thematically related stimuli. Two groups of adults (N = 47; M = 30 years; 53% female) were compared: (1) participants with a parallel goal structure (n = 12) who feel equally committed to the work and the family domain, both in the present and in the future, and (b) participants with a sequential goal structure (n = 24), who currently feel more involved in the work domain, but expect to be more engaged in the family domain in the future. Five tasks were used to assess preference, all of them simultaneously presenting work- and family-related stimuli.

Short-term efficacy of back injury intervention project for patient care providers at one hospital.

A one-year Back Injury Prevention Program was initiated at a 440-bed acute care hospital in 1996 in response to concerns over high incidence and severity of back injuries among nursing staff and others. The program included an ergonomic evaluation of patient handling, pilot testing and purchase of new equipment, a train-the-trainer program, and training of 374 nurses and other patient handling staff (approximately one-half of the nursing staff). An impact evaluation, measured by comparing self-reported knowledge, work practices, and back pain among a subset of trainees and controls revealed an increase in knowledge of risk factors, a marginal increase in the use of mechanical devices to transfer patients, and a significant decrease in repositioning of patients in bed among trained versus control subjects (p = .

Selection, optimization, and compensation as strategies of life management: correction to Freund and Baltes (1998).

Because of a scoring error, the data reported in Freund and Baltes (1998) were reanalyzed. Except for finding a lower positive manifold involving the 3 components of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC), the outcome of this reanalysis supports the major findings previously reported: Old and very old participants of the Berlin Aging Study reporting SOC-related behaviors also reported higher levels of well-being and aging well. Corrected versions of Tables 3, 6, and 7 are presented.

All-trans-retinoic acid increases cytosine arabinoside cytotoxicity in HL-60 human leukemia cells in spite of decreased cellular ara-CTP accumulation.

Background: Accumulation of the cytosine arabinoside (ara-C) metabolite ara-C-triphosphate (ara-CTP) in leukemic blast cells is considered to be the main determinant of ara-C cytotoxicity in vitro and in vivo. Retinoids such as all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) have been shown to increase the sensitivity of acute myelogenous leukemic (AML) blast cells to ara-C. To investigate the mechanism of this sensitisation, the hypothesis was tested that ATRA augments cellular ara-CTP levels in human-derived myelogenous leukemia HL-60 cells.

Content and function of the self-definition in old and very old age.

Spontaneous self-definition was investigated in a heterogeneous sample of N = 516 participants of the Berlin Aging Study, aged between 70 and 103 years. The content of the self-definition revealed that old and very old persons view themselves as active and present-oriented. The self-definition also reflected an inward orientation, and central themes of life-review, health, and family.

Selection, optimization, and compensation as strategies of life management: correlations with subjective indicators of successful aging.

The usefulness of self-reported processes of selection, optimization, and compensation (SOC) for predicting on a correlational level the subjective indicators of successful aging was examined. The sample of Berlin residents was a subset of the participants of the Berlin Aging Study. Three domains (marked by 6 variables) served as outcome measures of successful aging: subjective well-being, positive emotions, and absence of feelings of loneliness.

Augmentation of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C) cytotoxicity in leukaemia cells by co-administration with antisignalling drugs.

The ribonucleotide reductase inhibitors hydroxyurea (HU), arabinosyl-2-fluoroadenine (F-Ara-A) and 2-chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA) and the antisignalling drugs all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), staurosporine and quercetin have been reported to enhance the cytotoxicity of 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C). We tested the hypothesis that the ara-C-sensitising potency of the antisignalling agents is equipotent with that of the ribonucleotide inhibitors. The cytotoxicity, determined by the 3-(4,5 dimethylthiazol-2-yl-)5 diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, of combinations of ara-C with the agents named above was compared in the leukaemia cell lines HL-60, ara-C-resistant HL-60 (HL-60/ara-C) and U937.

Frequencies of the butyrylcholinesterase K mutation in Brazilian populations of European and African origin.

The frequency of the butyrylcholinesterase K mutation was calculated on the basis of data obtained by polymerase chain reaction primer-introduced restriction analysis (PCR-PIRA). The population sample was composed of 177 Brazilians: 95 whites of predominantly European ancestry and 82 admixed individuals (European and African origin). The frequencies--18.

Bilateral oedema of the basal ganglia in an echovirus type 21 infection: complete clinical and radiological normalization.

A 4-year-old girl with bilateral striatal oedema in association with an echovirus type 21 infection is reported. In the course of a prolonged upper respiratory-tract infection, the patient developed muscular hypotonia, resting tremor, ataxia, sleepiness, hyperaesthesia, and indistinct speech. T2-weighted cranial MRI revealed bilateral oedema of the basal ganglia and the cerebellar peduncles.

[Tuberculous meningitis in a 13-month-old boy: a case report].

We present the case of a 13-month old Turkish boy of Kurdish origin with tuberculous meningitis. Fever of unknown origin and neurologic symptoms (loss of ability of walking and free sitting, cerebral seizures, central paresis of the VII. cranial nerve, coma) led to the diagnosis.

The Y1 antagonist BIBP 3226 inhibits potentiation of methoxamine-induced vasoconstriction by neuropeptide Y.

We investigated the interaction of neuropeptide Y (NPY) with the alpha 1-adrenoceptor agonist, methoxamine, in control of mean arterial pressure, renovascular resistance and mesenteric vascular resistance in anaesthetized rats. Infusion of 3.0 but not 0.

A hypermedia tutorial for cross-sectional anatomy: HyperMed.

Modern imaging techniques like computer tomography (CT) and nuclear magnetic resonance (MR) imaging have become essential in clinical diagnostics and also in teaching gross anatomy to medical students. As a consequence, special classes in (cross)-sectional anatomy are being added to the curriculum in many anatomical institutions. Since institutional budgets often do not allow extensive supervision beyond the very limited time frame of traditional courses in gross anatomy, a computer-based hypermedia tutorial (HyperMed) was created and integrated into the teaching program of the Institute of Anatomy at Essen University.

[Pediatric characteristics of adult respiratory distress syndrome: a meta-analysis].

A meta-analysis of the literature is carried out in order to present the current knowledge of ARDS in childhood (0-15 years). This might be helpful for planning controlled studies on new therapeutic measures (e.g.