Attachment representation in mothers of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Attachment research so far rarely has focused on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study is the first to examine the distribution of the attachment representation in mothers of children with ADHD. Considering results of clinical attachment studies we formulated the following hypothesis: the prevalence of maternal insecure and unresolved attachment representations increases with the degree of severity of children's ADHD symptoms.

Red wine polyphenols prevent acceleration of neovascularization by angiotensin II in the ischemic rat hindlimb.

Studies in both animals and humans indicate that angiogenesis is implicated in the development of atherosclerotic lesions. Thus, inhibition of angiogenesis may provide a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of atherosclerosis. Because epidemiological studies have indicated an inverse relation between red wine intake and coronary disease, we determined the antiangiogenic potential of red wine polyphenols (RWPs) in the ischemic hindlimb model.

[Mother-infant Interactions with Very Low Birth Weight multiple newborns (< 1500 g). A comparison of mother-multiple and mother-single births].

Background: Assisted reproductive techniques and fertility enhancing therapies have increased the rate of multiple births and, therefore, the risk of prematurity. Our hypothesis is that mothers of preterm multiples are less able to provide such enhancing interactions than mothers of preterm singletons, resulting in a developmental disadvantage for preterm twins and triplets.

Patients And Methods: Of 77 very low birth weight preterms (VLBW) who were examined prospectively with their mothers in a longitudinal study, 35 were multiples and 42 were singletons.

Polyploidisation of metastatic colon carcinoma cells by microtubule and tubulin interacting drugs: effect on proteolytic activity and invasiveness.

When SW620 colon cancer-derived metastatic cells were exposed to nanomolar concentrations of Taxol, colchicine or (Z)-3,5,4'-trimethoxystilbene (R3), huge aneuploid, polynuclear cells survived the treatment. These cells released considerable amounts of the matrix metalloproteinase matrilysin (MMP-7), and tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) into the surrounding culture medium. MMP-7, and other proteolytic enzymes were highly expressed by these cells.

How could aortic arginase activity enhancement be involved in DOCA-salt hypertension?

This study was to examine whether the increase in aortic arginase activity observed in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats is involved in the mechanism of physiological hypertension by participating to vessel hypertrophy and/or to the impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation to acethylcholine. We measured polyamine content and relaxation-response to acethylcholine in aortic rings isolated from control and DOCA-salt treated Sprague-Dawley rats after in vitro modification of arginase activity. Polyamine content was significantly increased in aorta from DOCA-salt hypertensive rats compared with controls.

[Attachment representation of adolescents in residential care].

In this investigation the attachment representations of adolescents in residential care were examined for the first time. 72 adolescents were interviewed by using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). At the same time the degree of adolescent psychopathology was recorded.

[Specificity hypothesis of a theory of mind deficit in early childhood autism].

Objectives: In order to test the hypothesis that a theory of mind deficit is specific for autism, the present study presents the first replication of the Sally-Anne test (Baron-Cohen, Leslie & Frith, 1985) in the German-speaking countries.

Methods: The Sally-Anne test was administered to 16 autistic, 24 probands with Down's syndrome and 20 normal preschool prosands. The intelligence of the autistic group and that with Down's syndrome was measured by the CPM/SPM.

Resveratrol inhibits intestinal tumorigenesis and modulates host-defense-related gene expression in an animal model of human familial adenomatous polyposis.

We studied the effect of oral administration of resveratrol, a natural constituent of grapes, on tumorigenesis in Min mice. Min mice are congenic mice genetically predisposed to develop intestinal tumors as a result of a mutation of the Apc gene. Resveratrol (0.

Suppression of azoxymethane-induced preneoplastic lesions and inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 activity in the colonic mucosa of rats drinking a crude green tea extract.

We determined the effects of a crude green tea extract given as drinking fluid on the promotion/progression phase of colon carcinogenesis in rats after induction of the neoplastic process by azoxymethane. Adult Wistar rats were given azoxymethane (15 mg/kg i.p.

Blood polyamine levels after oral ornithine load, a diagnostic marker of hyperproliferative premalignant and malignant stages in a model of colon carcinogenesis.

This study was performed to determine whether a single oral dose of ornithine (Orn), the substrate of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), increases blood concentrations of polyamines premalignant stage, and whether blood polyamine levels could be used as predictive markers of cancer development. Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups, control and 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-treated rats. DMH (20 mg/kg body weight) was injected intraperitoneally once weekly for 10 weeks.

Nitric oxide synthase inhibition promotes carcinogen-induced preneoplastic changes in the colon of rats.

l-Arginine is metabolized either to polyamines through arginase and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activities or to citrulline and nitric oxide (NO, nitrogen monoxide) through the NO synthase (NOS) pathway. Polyamine levels and ODC activity are high in tumor cells. The aim of this study was to test whether N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), an inhibitor of NOS, modulates colon carcinogenesis.

Promotion of intestinal carcinogenesis by dietary methionine.

The metabolism of the polyamines spermidine and spermine is known to be enhanced in rapidly proliferating cells. Methionine is a precursor of the aminopropyl moieties of these amines. Therefore, it was of interest to study the effects of a methionine supplemented diet on polyamine metabolism and preneoplastic changes occurring in the intestinal tract of rats treated with the chemical carcinogen azoxymethane (AOM).

Concomitant changes in polyamine pools and DNA methylation during growth inhibition of human colonic cancer cells.

The effects of CGP 48664 and DFMO, selective inhibitors of the key enzymes of polyamine biosynthesis, namely, of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), were investigated on growth, polyamine metabolism, and DNA methylation in the Caco-2 cell line. Both inhibitors caused growth inhibition and affected similarly the initial expression of the differentiation marker sucrase. In the presence of the AdoMetDC inhibitor, ODC activity and the intracellular pool of putrescine were enhanced, whereas the spermidine and spermine pools were decreased.

[Adoption: psychiatric risk and/or protective factor?].

Epidemiologic studies reveal that adoptees are overrepresented in referrals to child psychiatric facilities as well as show more often psychiatric disturbances compared with their nonadopted peers. Therefore the adoptive status is indicating a psychiatric risk. To explain the underlying mechanisms it seems useful to comprehend the adoption as a process.

Nitric oxide and the digestive system in mammals and non-mammalian vertebrates.

The focus of the presentation will review the distribution of nitric oxide (NO)-producing sites in the digestive system in mammals and nonmammalian vertebrates and will center on the roles that NO plays in modulating physiological and pathophysiological functions in digestive system.

Preventive administration of ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate improves intestinal mucosal repair after transient ischemia in rats.

Objectives: To investigate whether the preventive enteral administration of a polyamine precursor, such as ornithine alpha-ketoglutaiate (OKG), has a beneficial effect on the repair process of the intestinal mucosa after transient mesenteric vascular occlusion.

Design: A controlled laboratory study.

Setting: A research laboratory facility at the Research Institute for Digestive Cancer.

Suppression of preneoplastic changes in the intestine of rats fed low levels of polyamines.

Administration for 7 days of an enteral diet that is naturally deficient in polyamines strikingly reduces the preneoplastic changes observed in the intestines of adult Wistar rats previously treated with the carcinogen 1,2-dimethylhydrazine. On the contrary, supplementing the enteral diet with spermidine favors preneoplastic development. The effects of the low-polyamine diet included a 40% decline in the putrescine content of the intestinal mucosa, a significant decrease in the turnover rate of the epithelial cells from the crypts to villus tip in the ileum, and a 2-fold reduction in the number of abnormal colonic crypts.

Prophylactic administration of L-arginine improves the intestinal barrier function after mesenteric ischaemia.

Background: Ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) of the intestine causes mucosal injury associated with a high death rate in rats.

Aim: To investigate whether nitric oxide (NO) might be implicated in the recovery of the intestinal mucosa after ischaemic insult.

Methods: Wistar rats were subjected to mesenteric artery occlusion for 90 minutes.

Intestinal absorption of calcium in vivo is dependent on endogenous nitric oxide.

This study examines the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the regulation of calcium absorption in the small intestine. Calcium absorption was quantified by measuring 45Ca++ transport from lumen to blood in an intestinal segment (duodenum and 20 cm of the proximal jejunum) perfused by both intraluminal and vascular routes in anesthetized rats. When administered i.

Blood pressure effects of calcium intake in experimental models of hypertension.

Calcium intake has been implicated as being an important factor in the development and treatment of hypertension. The mechanisms underlying the relationship between calcium and blood pressure are not yet clearly defined. Experimental studies have documented an inverse association between calcium intake and blood pressure level.

Endogenous nitric oxide is not involved in acute parathyroid hormone-induced hypotension in rat: effect of hypertension and hypoparathyroid status.

The present study investigated the acute hypotensive effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in anesthetized adult spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats. Furthermore, in order to determine the possible contribution of nitric oxide (NO), a mediator of endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation, hypotensive responses to PTH were obtained in the presence of NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), an inhibitor of NO synthesis. The hypotensive effect of PTH (expressed as % of baseline blood pressure) was similar for the two strains.

Beneficial effects of L-arginine on intestinal epithelial restitution after ischemic damage in rats.

The polyamines are involved in repair processes after intestinal ischemia. Arginine and ornithine, both precursors of polyamines were therefore expected to exert beneficial effects on mucosal barrier dysfunction. Arginine may also generate NO and there is support for the view that NO may be beneficial after an ischemic insult.

Endothelium is a target organ of parathyroid secretions in genetic hypertensive rats.

We investigated the relationships between vascular endothelium and parathyroid function. Blood pressure (BP), circulating endothelins (ETs) and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and BP responses to parathyroid hormone (PTH) and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) were measured in parathyroidectomized (PTx), PTx and fed a Ca2+ enriched diet (PTx-HCa) and sham SHR.22 weeks after surgery, BP was significantly decreased in PTx and PTx-HCa, plasma ETs levels were increased, whereas ANP levels were decreased.

[The child of divorce as collusive partner substitute].

For children the parental divorce creates a risk for their psychological development. When referred to the child psychiatrist because of their conduct disorder these children are often compared by their custodial parents with the absent parent. As a clinically useful concept the concept of collusive partner substitute can explain the underlying intrapsychic as well as the interpersonal defense mechanisms.