[Relationship between early maladaptive schemas, attachment quality and fear of darkness]

INTRODUCTION

Although fear of darkness is most common in childhood, it is also a remarkable phenomenon in young adulthood.

AIM

To examine the relationship between fear of darkness, early maladaptive schemas and attachment quality in young adults and assess fear related sex differences.

METHOD

A self-developed scale was used to measure fear of darkness' intensity and frequency. Young Schema Questionnaire - Short Form and two scales that measure attachment dimensions were also applied. 120 university students (68 women, 52 men) filled in the tests.

RESULTS

Fear of darkness' frequency correlated with avoidant attachment, and intensity with independent and anxious attachment. Fear of darkness variables correlated with several early maladaptive schemas. Women reported more frequent and intensive fear of darkness than men.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicated that the elevated level of fear of darkness is related to specific cognitive style and attachment quality. This highlights the potential clinical relevance of fear of darkness.

DYNLL2 dynein light chain binds to an extended linear motif of myosin 5a tail that has structural plasticity

LC8 dynein light chains (DYNLL) are conserved homodimeric eukaryotic hub proteins that participate in diverse cellular processes. Among the binding partners of DYNLL2, myosin 5a (myo5a) is a motor protein involved in cargo transport. Here we provide a profound characterization of the DYNLL2 binding motif of myo5a in free and DYNLL2-bound form by using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray crystallography, and molecular dynamics simulations. In the free form, the DYNLL2 binding region, located in an intrinsically disordered domain of the myo5a tail, has a nascent helical character. The motif becomes structured and folds into a β-strand upon binding to DYNLL2. Despite differences of the myo5a sequence from the consensus binding motif, one peptide is accommodated in each of the parallel DYNLL2 binding grooves, as for all other known partners. Interestingly, while the core motif shows a similar interaction pattern in the binding groove as seen in other complexes, the flanking residues make several additional contacts, thereby lengthening the binding motif. The N-terminal extension folds back and partially blocks the free edge of the β-sheet formed by the binding motif itself. The C-terminal extension contacts the dimer interface and interacts with symmetry-related residues of the second myo5a peptide. The involvement of flanking residues of the core binding site of myo5a could modify the quaternary structure of the full-length myo5a and affect its biological functions. Our results deepen the knowledge of the diverse partner recognition of DYNLL proteins and provide an example of a Janus-faced linear motif.

Machiavellianism and personality disorder: their relationship in the mirror of interpersonal attitudes

Introduction: Social and personality psychologists have described Machiavellianism as a pragmatic, callous-unemotional, exploitative and manipulative attitude towards others. Several former studies linked Machiavellian personality traits and interpersonal problems or personality dysfunction. Aim: The aim of this study was to reveal the connection between Machiavellianism and interpersonal problems that are characteristic of personality disorders. Method: 252 participants (146 females and 106 males, aged 32.46±5.39 years, mean±SD) filled out self-report measures of Machiavellianism and personality disorder related interpersonal problems. Results: There was a medium strength relationships between Machiavellianism and several interpersonal problems. Aggression and ambivalence proved to be significant predictors of Machiavellian personality traits. Conclusions: Results are discussed in relation to the patient–therapist bond. Orv. Hetil., 2014, 155(39), 1584–1588.

[Fear of the dark in adolescence and emerging adulthood: general model, gender and age differences]

INTRODUCTION

In our study we investigated fear of the dark in adolescence and emerging adulthood. First, we define fear and anxiety, which constitute together fear of the dark. We present the cognitive and interactionist models of fear, individual differences that affect the formation and maintenance of fear and the developmental aspects of this topic. The aim of our study was to map the phenomenon in adolescence and emerging adulthood, with respect to gender and age differences, and individual factors that affect the genesis of fear of the dark.

METHODS

83 secondary school (34 females) and 57 university students (29 females) filled our survey package. To measure the frequency of fear of the dark we used a self-developed scale. Our subjects also reported about the content and origin of their fears, and coping strategies applied against these fears. Individual differences were operationalized as trait anxiety, dysfunctional attitudes and self-esteem.

RESULTS

71 per cent of respondents reported to have experienced fear of dark at least rarely. Women - compared to men - indicated imagination as source of their fears, and were more likely to use avoidance, attention detraction and social support as coping. University students - compared to secondary school students - reported negative information as origin of their fears, and preferred avoidance as a mode of coping with them. Contents of fear showed no significant difference between either genders or age groups. In a pathway model we found that gender had a direct effect on the frequency of fear of the dark. Dysfunctional attitudes affected the frequency of fear via trait anxiety and low selfesteem.

CONCLUSIONS

Fear of the dark effects a significant proportion of adolescents and emerging adults even in a non-clinical sample. Our results confirm and supplement former results concerning gender and age differences. The pathway model could prove to be an important empirical base for the treatment of fears and anxieties.

[Investigation of the compulsive and impulsive behavioral addictions among adolescents]

INTRODUCTION

Recently there has been an increase in the number of studies focusing on behavioral addictions. The aim of our research was to examine the behavioral addictions among adolescents and prove their connection with emotion regulation difficulties. Based on the compulsive-impulsive spectrum approach of addictions we hypothesized that the compulsive and impulsive forms of eating disorders (binge eating, emotional eating and restriction) - despite their various symptom structure - share a common motive, i.e. the emotion regulation deficit.

METHODS

Our participants were high-school students (n = 272) between the age of 16 and 17 (128 males and 144 females, mean age: 16,8). We used the impulse- and emotion control subscales on the emotional stability dimension of the Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ), the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21), the Hungarian Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIH-K) and the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS).

RESULTS

We found a strong connection between the uncontrolled eating and the problematic internet use (r = 0,404; p < 0,05). As expected, the individuals' skill of emotion regulation and their impulsiveness are both strongly correlated to these impulsive disorders (see Table 1.) Interestingly the cognitive restriction (r=0,073; p>0,05) and emotional eating (r=0,061; p>0,05) did not correlate with emotion regulation difficulties. There was a connection between the emotional eating and the emotion- (r=-0,264; p<0,05) and impulse control deficit (r=-0,142; p<0,05), however.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of these results we argue that the impulsive behavior of the adolescents (binge eating, problematic internet use) is determined by their impulsivity and their emotion regulation strategy. However, a compulsive behavior such as the cognitive restraint is regarded as a much more conscious and healthy behavior, the core feature of the emotional eating is also assumes a high anxiety level.

[Impact of attachment to God and religious coping on life satisfaction]

INTRODUCTION

Effects of religiosity on satisfaction with life, mental and physical health are highly favored topics of psychology. At the same time, less attention has been directed to how individual differences in religiosity affect believers' satisfaction with life.

AIM

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between attachment to God, religious coping and satisfaction with life.

METHOD

A group of Roman Catholics (n = 94; 49 women and 45 men; age, 30.8±6.2 years) filled in our the survey package. The survey package contained the following measures: Attachment to God Inventory, Brief Religious Coping Scale, and Satisfaction with Life Scale.

RESULTS

Negative religious coping and anxious attachment to God predicted lower satisfaction with life, even if demographic variables were controlled for.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that negative image of God is an important predictor of low satisfaction with life, which in turn can have negative impact on believers' mental and physical health. Orv. Hetil., 154(46), 1843-1847.

Structural insights into the Trp-cage folding intermediate formation

The 20 residue long Trp-cage is the smallest protein known, and thus has been the subject of several in vitro and in silico folding studies. Here, we report the multistate folding scenario of the miniprotein in atomic detail. We detected and characterized different intermediate states by temperature dependent NMR measurements of the (15)N and (13)C/(15)N labeled protein, both at neutral and acidic pH values. We developed a deconvolution technique to characterize the invisible--fully folded, unfolded and intermediate--fast exchanging states. Using nonlinear fitting methods we can obtain both the thermodynamic parameters (ΔH(F-I), T(m)(F-I), ΔC(p)(F-I) and ΔH(I-U), T(m)(I-U), ΔC(p)(I-U)) and the NMR chemical shifts of the conformers of the multistate unfolding process. During the unfolding of Trp-cage distinct intermediates evolve: a fast-exchanging intermediate is present under neutral conditions, whereas a slow-exchanging intermediate-pair emerges at acidic pH. The fast-exchanging intermediate has a native-like structure with a short α-helix in the G(11)-G(15) segment, whereas the slow-exchanging intermediate-pair presents elevated dynamics, with no detectable native-like residue contacts in which the G(11)-P(12) peptide bond has either cis or trans conformation. Heteronuclear relaxation studies combined with MD simulations revealed the source of backbone mobility and the nature of structural rearrangements during these transitions. The ability to detect structural and dynamic information about folding intermediates in vitro provides an excellent opportunity to gain new insights into the energetic aspects of the energy landscape of protein folding. Our new experimental data offer exceptional testing ground for further computational simulations.

[Teachers' knowledge about suicide and its connection to burn-out and avoidant coping]

INTRODUCTION

Priority of suicide prevention is so-called "gatekeepers" ("helper professionals'") training on suicidology. Teachers' knowledge concerning suicide was examined mainly in search for the answer to the question whether poor knowledge of suicidology is just a result of lack of information. Assuming that the extent of suicidology knowledge is a complex issue, ignorance might be related to burnout and avoidant coping.

METHODS

Teachers participating in compulsory postgradual training were tested (N = 102). Hungarian version of the short form of Hubbard McIntosh's suicide questionnaire, Maslach's burnout questionnaire for teachers and Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS-48) were used.

RESULTS

Our results show that teachers' knowledge concerning suicide is somewhat worse than that of helpers, but better than the that of the average population. Avoidant coping style was more typical of teachers having poorer knowledge about suicide; and education professionals with less task oriented coping style reported greater knowledge of this subject. Authors therefore suggest a link between avoidant coping and the extent of knowledge concerning suicide. Relationship of avoidant coping with burnout was not confirmed, but a mediational model could be set up regarding male participants.

CONCLUSION

Suicide prevention trainings are definitely of high importance and utility among teachers. Based on our results it seems equally important to help them overcome the cultural taboos related to the topic, to provide them with psychological support and to enable them to discuss their own suicide-related experiences and personal involvement in professional-led groups.

[The effect of prostitution on the stability of romantic relationships. Empirical testing of an evolutionary model]

OBJECTIVES

Until now prostitution has only been explained from two evolutionary points of view. According to the short-term mate choice strategy approach motives for seeking prostitutes are to be found in the nature of male sexuality. Another theory - the evolutionary interpretation of female promiscuity's motivational base - indirectly completes the understanding of prostitution. This theory emphasizes the adaptive benefits of female promiscuity under certain circumstances. The aim of our study was to test a third idea (Adaptive Support Theory), according to which women in long-term relationships support their partners' (husbands') sexual relations with prostitutes.

METHODS

University female students (n=208, age mean±SD=23.55±7.13, min=18, max=50) completed our questionnaire.

RESULTS

Female participants are presumed to recognize the advantages and threats of their partners' sexual relations with prostitutes compared to other possible forms of betrayal. Hence it is hypothesized that women overtly support the possibility of their partners' relations with prostitutes. Our results show that women are able to assess the favorable and unfavorable effects of their partners' relations with prostitutes. At the same time they do not directly support this form of betrayal over other possibilities. However, female participants were more approving of their partners' relations with prostitutes (in a thought- experiment), than they guessed their partner would demand such services.

CONCLUSIONS

According to our model women living in long-term relationship are adaptively interested in their partner's cheating on them with a prostitute (rather than engaging in other kinds of sexual relations), because this finance based external sexual liaison is the least threatening for the stability of the long-term relationship.

Intermodule cooperativity in the structure and dynamics of consecutive complement control modules in human C1r: structural biology

The modular C1r protein is the first protease activated in the classical complement pathway, a key component of innate immunity. Activation of the heteropentameric C1 complex, possibly accompanied by major intersubunit re-arrangements besides proteolytic cleavage, requires targeted regulation of flexibility within the context of the intramolecular and intermolecular interaction networks of the complex. In this study, we prepared the two complement control protein (CCP) modules, CCP1 and CCP2, of C1r in their free form, as well as their tandem-linked construct, CCP1CCP2, to characterize their solution structure, conformational dynamics and cooperativity. The structures derived from NMR signal dispersion and secondary chemical shifts were in good agreement with those obtained by X-ray crystallography. However, successful heterologus expression of both the single CCP1 module and the CCP1CCP2 constructs required the attachment of the preceding N-terminal module, CUB2, which could then be removed to obtain the properly folded proteins. Internal mobility of the modules, especially that of CCP1, exhibited considerable changes accompanied by interfacial chemical shift alterations upon the attachment of the C-terminal CCP2 domain. Our NMR data suggest that in terms of folding, stability and dynamics, CCP1 is heavily dependent on the presence of its neighboring modules in intact C1r. Therefore, CCP1 could be a focal interaction point, capable of transmitting information towards its neighboring modules.

Peptide models XLV: Conformational properties of N-formyl-L-methioninamide and its relevance to methionine in proteins

The conformational space of the most biologically significant backbone folds of a suitable methionine peptide model was explored by density functional computational method. Using a medium [6-31G(d)] and a larger basis set [6-311++G(2d,2p)], the systematic exploration of low-energy backbone structures restricted for the "L-region" in the Ramachandran map of N-formyl-L-methioninamide results in conformers corresponding to the building units of an extended backbone structure (betaL), an inverse gamma-turn (gammaL), or a right-handed helical structure (alphaL). However, no poly-proline II type (epsilonL) fold was found, indicating that this conformer has no intrinsic stability, and highlighting the effect of molecular environment in stabilizing this backbone structure. This is in agreement with the abundance of the epsilonL-type backbone conformation of methionine found in proteins. Stability properties (DeltaE) and distinct backbone-side-chain interactions support the idea that specific intramolecular contacts are operative in the selection of the lowest energy conformers. Apart from the number of different folds, all stable conformers are within a 10 kcal x mol(-1) energy range, indicating the highly flexible behavior of methionine. This conformational feature can be important in supporting catalytic processes, facilitating protein folding and dimerization via metal ion binding. In both of the biological examples discussed (HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and PcoC copper-resistant protein), the conformational properties of Met residues were found to be of key importance. Spatial proximity to other types of residues or the same type of residue seems to be crucial for the structural integrity of a protein, whether Met is buried or exposed.

Paraquat (gramoxone) poisoning in south-west Hungary, 1977-1984. Toxicological and histopathological aspects of group intoxication cases

Fifty-six cases of paraquat poisoning were examined during the 8 years 1977-1984. The ratio of cases of accidental to intentional ingestion of the poison was 1:1; 23.2% of the total (13/56) survived several months or years. In 1983, 11 subjects accidentally drank 10-30 ml of gramoxone; eight of 11 died in 2 weeks. Toxicological investigations demonstrated rapid elimination of poison from the blood, as well as prolonged fixation of paraquat in the lung, kidney, liver, and spleen tissues. Histological examinations showed multiorgan failure from renal tubular necrosis and pulmonary hemorrhage with alveolar epithelial injury. Pulmonary proliferative changes were present in only two cases who survived 7 and 10 days and in which artificial ventilation was utilized.

[Demonstration of hypnotic agents in bone tissue]

Investigating the skeletons of 25 suicide victims the authors have found that the toxic materials taken can rather comfortably and safely be detected in the compactbony substance. Especially important that the poisonous drug residues can remain in the bones for a long time, even for years after death.