Chlamydiae in febrile children with respiratory tract symptoms and age-matched controls, Ghana.

Members of the Chlamydiales order are obligate intracellular pathogens causing acute and chronic infectious diseases. Chlamydiaceae are established agents of community- and zoonotically acquired respiratory tract infections, and emerging pathogens among the Chlamydia-related bacteria have been implicated in airway infections. The role of both in airway infections in Africa is underexplored. We performed a case -control study on the prevalence of Chlamydiaceae and Chlamydia-related emerging pathogens in children with febrile respiratory tract infections in West Africa, Ghana. Using a pan-Chlamydiales broad-range real-time PCR, we detected chlamydial DNA in 11 (1.9%) of 572 hospitalized febrile children with respiratory tract symptoms and in 24 (4.3%) of 560 asymptomatic age-matched controls (p 0.03). Chlamydiaceae were found to be common among both symptomatic and healthy Ghanaian children, with Chlamydia pneumoniae being the most prevalent species. Parachlamydiaceae were detected in two children without symptoms but not in the symptomatic group. We identified neither Chlamydia psittaci nor Simkania negevensis but a member of a new chlamydial family that shared 90.2% sequence identity with the 16S rRNA gene of the zoonotic pathogen Chlamydia pecorum. In addition, we found a new Chlamydia-related species that belonged to a novel family sharing 91.3% 16S rRNA sequence identity with Candidatus Syngnamydia venezia. The prevalence and spectrum of chlamydial species differed from previous results obtained from children of other geographic regions and our study indicates that both, Chlamydiaceae and Chlamydia-related bacteria, are not clearly linked to clinical symptoms in Ghanaian children.

Magnetic moments induce strong phonon renormalization in FeSi.

The interactions of electronic, spin and lattice degrees of freedom in solids result in complex phase diagrams, new emergent phenomena and technical applications. While electron-phonon coupling is well understood, and interactions between spin and electronic excitations are intensely investigated, only little is known about the dynamic interactions between spin and lattice excitations. Noncentrosymmetric FeSi is known to undergo with increasing temperature a crossover from insulating to metallic behaviour with concomitant magnetic fluctuations, and exhibits strongly temperature-dependent phonon energies. Here we show by detailed inelastic neutron-scattering measurements and ab initio calculations that the phonon renormalization in FeSi is linked to its unconventional magnetic properties. Electronic states mediating conventional electron-phonon coupling are only activated in the presence of strong magnetic fluctuations. Furthermore, phonons entailing strongly varying Fe-Fe distances are damped via dynamic coupling to the temperature-induced magnetic moments, highlighting FeSi as a material with direct spin-phonon coupling and multiple interaction paths.

Oscillations of the transepithelial potential of moth olfactory sensilla are influenced by octopamine and serotonin.

The biogenic amine octopamine is known to enhance the sensitivity of male moths to their species-specific pheromones in flight-tunnel experiments. This sensitization of pheromone-guided upwind flight is at least partly due to octopamine-dependent increases in the peak nerve impulse frequency of the pheromone response of olfactory receptor neurons. It is not known, however, whether octopamine exerts its effects directly on the electrical properties of the olfactory receptor neurons or indirectly, via modulation of the accessory cells of the sensillum. In extracellular tip recordings of pheromone-dependent trichoid sensilla on the antennae of male Manduca sexta moths, we investigated the effects of octopamine and serotonin on the transepithelial potential, which is generated by the activity of V-ATPases in sensillar accessory cells. In addition, the action potential activity of unstimulated olfactory receptor neurons was examined in the presence of biogenic amines. Under constant environmental conditions, the transepithelial potential oscillated regularly with periods of 2-8 min and with a 1-25mV peak-to-peak amplitude over periods of several hours. These oscillatory intervals were interrupted by periods of relatively stable transepithelial potential, correlated with flight activity by the moth. Octopamine reduced the amplitude of the transepithelial potential oscillation and decreased the resistance of the sensillum preparation in a dose-dependent manner. Serotonin altered the waveform of the transepithelial potential, but did not change the resistance of the preparation. Thus, both amines affect the accessory cells, but have different targets in the regulation of the transepithelial potential. Neither amine significantly influenced the spontaneous action potential activity of the olfactory receptor neurons.

[Aggression and violence in children in different contexts]. / Uber Aggression und Gewalt bei Kindern in unterschiedlichen Kontexten.

Starting with the hypothesis that children's aggressive and potentially violent behavior is the climax of escalating conflicts that cannot be expressed or showed in any other way, we analyse, in the following article, the conditions from which these behavior pattern arise. We have focused on the following areas; the individual, the family, the school and society, and we have tried to show how the development of children's aggressive behavior is determined by the problem constellations in these different contexts. Insecure and disorganised early bonding experiences and/or dysfunctional family relationship patterns combined with parental upbringing methods that support or condone aggressive behavior, can lead to children having fewer resources or social skills available than their peers in kindergarten and school. This may result in conflict and lack of social integration in these institutions.

[FAUSTLOS--a curriculum for promoting social competence and preventing aggressive and violent behavior in children]. / FAUSTLOS--Ein Curriculum zur Förderung sozialer Kompetenzen und zur Prävention von aggressivem und gewaltbereitem Verhalten bei Kindern.

FAUSTLOS is a curriculum that has been developed for the prevention of aggression and potentially violent behavior in children in nursery and primary school. A lack of social skills is regarded as one of the fundamental causes that deteriorates problem and conflict solving. FAUSTLOS is the German version of an American program called Second Step that has been developed by the Committee for Children in Seattle and has been successfully put into practice in several American states over the last eight years. The project "Kinder und Gewalt" has adapted it for the German speaking countries. FAUSTLOS is at present in its pilot phase. The following is a general survey of the inception, contents and methods of the curriculum and the planning and execution of the pilot phase.