Behavioral and experiential patterns of avoidantly and securely attached women across adulthood: a 31-year longitudinal perspective

Attachment patterns of women avoidantly or securely attached at age 52 were studied using a 31-year longitudinal design and multiple perspectives, including life outcomes, observer descriptions of behavioral and personality characteristics, and self-reports of working models collected at ages 21, 27, 43, and 52. Findings from these diverse data sources provide evidence for the continuity of the behavioral and experiential patterns associated with attachment styles across adulthood. Avoidant compared with secure participants (a) experienced diverging relationship trajectories that were less happy and less steady, (b) showed a consistent pattern of behavioral and personality characteristics, including interpersonal distance, defensiveness, and vulnerability, as assessed by observers, (c) reported distinct and longitudinal consistent internal working models characterized by distrustful self-reliance and interpersonal and emotional distance, and (d) had childhood environments that afforded fewer opportunities for developing close interpersonal ties.

Interaction of H(+)-ions with alpha-crystallin: solvent accessibility of ionizable side chains and surface charge

Interaction of H(+)-ions with alpha-crystallin from goat lens has been studied at three different ionic strengths using the potentiometric titration method. Titrations have also been carried out in the presence of 1.5 M and 6 M GuHCl (guanidine hydrochloride). The isoionic pH of the protein in water and the effect of KCl on it have been determined. Titration curves have been found to be reversible between pH 3 to 9.25 at all ionic strengths. To aid in the data analyses, the reactivities of alpha-crystallin lysine residues to trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid have been determined in this work. For alpha-crystallin aggregate, 130 +/- 2 histidine side chains out of a total of 300 and about 134 +/- 4 lysine side chains out of 310 have been found to be inaccessible to the solvent in the native condition. The remaining titratable side chains determine the surface charge of the native protein. In 1.5 M GuHC1, however, the nontitratable histidine side chains are found to be available for titration as are the nontitratable lysine and tyrosine side chains in 6M GuHC1. The theoretical titration curve computed on the basis of Linderstrøm-Lang model is found to fit quite comfortably with the experimental one between pH 4.6 and 9.25. The pKint value for beta gamma-carboxyl side chains has been found to be 5.18 which is somewhat higher than usual indicating that the carboxyl groups in the protein are probably in some constrained condition which is released in the presence of a denaturant. Below pH 4.6, there begins a conformational change in the alpha-crystallin aggregate as is corroborated from the circular dichroism studies. The value of electrostatic interaction factor w which remains more or less constant between pH 4.6 and 9.25 is also found to gradually fall off below pH 4.6.

Behavioral and experiential patterns of avoidantly and securely attached women across adulthood: a 31-year longitudinal perspective

Attachment patterns of women avoidantly or securely attached at age 52 were studied using a 31-year longitudinal design and multiple perspectives, including life outcomes, observer descriptions of behavioral and personality characteristics, and self-reports of working models collected at ages 21, 27, 43, and 52. Findings from these diverse data sources provide evidence for the continuity of the behavioral and experiential patterns associated with attachment styles across adulthood. Avoidant compared with secure participants (a) experienced diverging relationship trajectories that were less happy and less steady, (b) showed a consistent pattern of behavioral and personality characteristics, including interpersonal distance, defensiveness, and vulnerability, as assessed by observers, (c) reported distinct and longitudinal consistent internal working models characterized by distrustful self-reliance and interpersonal and emotional distance, and (d) had childhood environments that afforded fewer opportunities for developing close interpersonal ties.

Chemical modifications and dissociation characteristics of tyrosine and tryptophan residues in alpha-crystallin

A quantitative estimation of surface accessibility of aromatic residues in alpha-crystallin from goat lens has been accomplished by chemical modifications using different specific reagents having varying sizes. Results of modification of tyrosine residues with N-acetylimidazole and tetranitromethane when combined with those of ionization studies carried out with hydroxyl ions having the smallest size reveal different classes of tyrosine residues in the native protein: 78 +/- 2 residues have been found to be easily available for modification; among the rest, 94 +/- 2 residues appear to be comparatively less exposed to the reagents while 28 +/- 2 residues are found to be completely unavailable for modification in the native protein and are modified only when the protein is denatured. Modification of tryptophan residues with H2O2 also indicates different classes of these residues available for oxidation at different concentrations of the oxidant. 34 +/- 2 residues of tryptophan are found to be easily oxidized at a lower concentration of H2O2 during the first phase of the reaction. The remaining tryptophan residues appear to be less exposed to the reagent. This is also corroborated from the studies of reactivities of these residues towards another specific but bulkier reagent, 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide. These surface exposed aromatic residues in alpha-crystallin may be considered to be vulnerable to in vivo oxidative modifications forming insoluble aggregates which may finally contribute to the formation of cataract.

Identification and characterization of some PR-proteins induced by kitazin and Rhizoctonia solani causing sheath blight of rice

Significant reduction (68.38%) in sheath blight disease of rice was noticed when foliar spray of a systemic fungicide, kitazin (480 micrograms mg-1), was applied twice at an interval of 2 days before inoculation. SDS-PAGE analysis of proteins of Rhizoctonia-infected rice leaf sheaths revealed the presence of 16 proteins ranging from 20 to 90 kDa (approx.). Six were identified as constitutive defense proteins (increased after infection), 6 as secondary defense proteins (formed de novo) and the rest 4 appeared non-defense proteins. Non-inoculated kitazin-treated leaf sheaths showed 15 proteins of which 5 were constitutive and 4 secondary defense proteins (both are PR-proteins). Among the PR-proteins, five beta-1,3-glucanases and one chitinase was identified and characterized. One rice chitinase (MW 20 kDa) and 2 glucanases (60 & 69 kDa) showed serological relationships with tobacco chitinase (32 kDa) and tobacco glucanase (33 kDa) respectively. The implications of results have been discussed in relation to biotic and abiotic induction of PR-proteins in rice.

Histidine residues in alpha-crystallin are not all available for chemical modification and acid-base titration

We have determined the number of histidine residues available for chemical modification with the specific reagent diethylpyrocarbonate in both bovine and goat alpha-crystallins. Results indicate that there are two distinctly different classes of histidine residues in the native protein. Out of 300 total histidine residues in the protein (on the basis of 800-kDa protein molecular weight) about 170 +/- 2 residues have been found to be modified by the reagent. The remaining 130 +/- 2 residues are modified when the protein is partially denatured in 1.5 M guanidine hydrochloride. The H(+)-titration behavior of the histidine residues in the protein corroborates this result. The observed differential accessibility of histidine residues may be important in maintaining the surface hydrophobicity of the aggregate as well as in stabilizing its quaternary structure.

Does catheter traction reduce post-transurethral resection of the prostate blood loss?

OBJECTIVE

To determine if traction on a catheter after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) reduces post-operative bleeding.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This prospective trial included 115 consecutive patients undergoing TURP. After resection patients were randomly selected to have either traction (57) or no traction (58) on the catheter for 30 min. Blood loss was measured during and for 2 h after the operation. A simple method for applying constant traction is described.

RESULTS

Catheter traction reduced post-operative bleeding while applied, but had no further effect after the removal of traction.

CONCLUSION

Catheter traction is a useful technique to aid the control of post-TURP bleeding.

Contagious hysteria in a West Bengal village

This article reports on the phenomenon of contagious hysteria in a village in West Bengal. The psychosocial and psychodynamic aspects are discussed.