Parental support,coping strategies,and psychological adjustment: An integrative model with late adolescents

The purpose of this study was to apply an Integrative predictive model to examine interrelationships among parental support, adaptive coping strategies, and psychological adjustment among late adolescents. Findings using new measures of parental support and adaptive coping with 241 eighteen-year-old college freshmen supported hypotheses. Social support from both mother and father and a nonconflictual relationship between parents were positively associated with adolescents' psychological adjustment. Adolescents with high parental support were better adjusted and less distressed than were those with low parental support. Additionally, an integrative structural equation model showed that parental support was associated with psychological adjustment both directly and indirectly through a higher percent of approach coping strategies.This work was supported in part by grants from the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health, the University Research Institute, University of Texas at Austin, and the William T. Grant Foundation.Received Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Research interests include stress and coping processes among adolescents and adults and coping with chronic illness.Research interests include adolescent coping and development and anxiety processes.Received Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. Research interests include social ecological perspectives on psychological functioning, health services research and evaluation, depression, and alcoholism.     

Cytomegalovirus-induced pneumonia and myocarditis in three cases of suspected sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS): diagnosis by immunohistochemical techniques and molecularpathologic methods

Immunohistochemical and molecularpathologic techniques have improved the diagnosis of myocarditis as compared with conventional histologic staining methods done according to the Dallas criteria. Additionally, immunohistochemistry and in situ-hybridization are able to demonstrate viral infection, e.g. cytomegaloviruses in salivary glands and lungs, locations both known to be involved in cytomegalovirusinfection. However, in many cases of proved cytomegalovirusinfection the cause of death remains unclear. We report on three children younger than 1-year of age, who died suddenly without prodromal symptoms. Their deaths were attributed to SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). In situ-hybridization, immunohistochemical (LCA, CD45R0, CD68, MHC-class-II-molecules, E-selectine) and molecularpathologic investigations (PCR), however, suggested that death was caused by a cytomegalovirus-induced pneumonia or myocarditis. In the future, these methods should be used for investigating cases with suspicion of SIDS.     

THE VIETNAMESE REFUGEES AT OUR DOORSTEP: POLITICAL AMBIGUITY AND SUCCESSFUL IMPROVISATION

In the spring of 1975, the United States was faced not only with military defeat in Vietnam, but also with the challenge of processing, caring for and eventually resettling more than 130,000 persons fleeing Vietnam.
This paper presents a case study of the operation-"New Life" which evacuated these refugees and cared for them on Guam until they could be resettled. The account focuses on the logistic problems and pragmatic solutions reached in a situation where there existed a wide gap between public policy and i t s application. This discussion is especially instructive in light of the growing national and international problem of refugee relocation.     

Tooth eruption times of permanent teeth in male and female adolescents in Niedersachsen

The aim of this study was to determine the eruption times of permanent teeth, excluding third molars, in a defined area population of a country district in Lower Saxony. The authors investigated 2495 oral findings of 664 patients (male 315, female 349) in a longitudinal study. The minimum age was 3.00 years and the maximum age 24.00 years. The dental findings were collected over a period of about 20 years (1980-2002). The oral findings per child/adolescent were assessed between one and 16 times. The eruption times of teeth in females are earlier than those for the same teeth in males. Further, the permanent dentition in females is completed earlier than in males. The tooth eruption occurs symmetrically in both jaws. The comparison of both jaws revealed a slightly advanced eruption of the lower jaw teeth for both sexes. There is a noteworthy change in the eruption sequence of the teeth. In contrast to other reports we determined that the eruption of the canine proceeds the eruption of the second premolar. We found no acceleration of the dentition when compared to other reports and confirmed the rules of tooth eruption in man. Oral examination of teeth is a simple tool to calculate tooth eruption intervals. This first investigation on a population of Lower Saxony revealed a change in the eruption sequence of permanent teeth. The findings are relevant for dental treatment planning and should be reconfirmed at certain intervals.     

The X-linked STRs DXS7130 and DXS6803

This paper presents sequence and population genetic data of two new X-linked microsatellite markers, suitable for forensic purposes. Data were obtained from a sample of unrelated German individuals (male and female). Two highly informative markers could be added to the panel of ChrX STRs [J. Edelmann, S. Hering, M. Michael, R. Lessig, D. Deichsel, G. Meier-Sundhausen, L. Roewer, I. Plate, R. Szibor, 16 X-chromosome STR loci frequency data from a German population, For. Sci. Int. 124 (2001) 215-218; J. Edelmann, D. Deichsel, S. Hering, I. Plate, R. Szibor, Sequence variation and allele nomenclature for the X-linked STRs DXS9895, DXS8378, DXS7132, DXS6800, DXS7133, GATA172D05, DXS7423 and DXS8377, For. Sci. Int. 129 (2002) 99-103].     

Eruption times of permanent teeth in children and adolescents of Paderborn, Westphalia, Germany

The eruption times of permanent teeth and the sequence of tooth eruption were investigated in 1535 individuals aged 3 to 24 years. Wisdom teeth were excluded from the evaluation. All individuals were inhabitants of Paderborn, Westphalia, Germany. The results were compared to results of other German studies on tooth eruption of the 20th century. The teeth emerged symmetrically in each jaw. However, teeth erupted earlier in the mandible than in the maxilla. Teeth erupted earlier in females than in males. The sequence of emerging teeth in the maxilla is identical in both sexes: first molar, central incisor, lateral incisor, first premolar, and canine, second premolar, second molar. The sequence of tooth eruption of the mandible is identical in both sexes but differs from the maxillary sequence: first molar, central incisor, lateral incisor, canine, first premolar, second premolar, second molar. Since the fifties of the last century the acceleration of teeth emergence has not increased in German studies on this subject.     

Validation of the X-linked STR DXS6801

This paper presents sequence and population genetic data of the X-linked microsatellite marker DXS6801 (GDB:G00-365-276) which is a tetranucleotide repeat polymorphism representing eight alleles 109-141 bp in length. Data were obtained from a sample of 1146 unrelated German individuals. DXS6801 is located 99.7 cM from Xptel, nearby DXS6809 [Int. J. Legal Med. 117 (2003) 241] and DXS6789 [Forensic Sci. Int. 119 (2001) 42] in Xq21. The new marker could be added to the panel of ChrX STRs, especially usable as a part of the Xq21 linkage group.     

Assignment of a bite-mark on the victim's skin to the dentition of the perpetrator by means of anomalies in the number and position of the frontal teeth

This report is about a bite mark on the breast of a female corpse. The woman had been killed by ligature strangulation at the age of 76 years. The investigation of the dental casts of a suspected man showed some anomalies in the dentition and orthodontic variations. A comparison of the bite mark with these anomalies demonstrated the correspondence of several details. Consequently, the probability that the suspect was responsible for the bite mark was regarded as being very high. During the further investigations the suspect admitted the offence including the bite injury to the breast. The authors emphasize the importance of an exact photographic documentation as an indispensable prerequisite for an odontological comparison.     

Measuring the distance of the wisdom teeth from the occlusal plane as forensic-odontological method for chronological age determination

As part of an epidemiological study on tooth eruption it was attempted to define easily accessible criteria for age estimation in living human beings based on the distance of the wisdom teeth from the occlusal plane. 253 cast models of 149 female and 104 male patients were used for evaluation. Due to the great variability observed in the eruption of the wisdom teeth, only a small fraction of the total number of 10,924 cast models was suitable for investigation. Only teeth with the axis being perpendicular to the plane of occlusion during eruption according to radiological and clinical findings were included. After defining these inclusion criteria, the distance of the wisdom teeth from the plane of occlusion was determined and correlated to the age of the subjects. The results confirmed the known large variability concerning wisdom tooth eruption and did not show any reliable relation between age and distance values. Nevertheless, a remarkable finding that may be relevant for forensic odontostomatology was seen in one case where the lower wisdom teeth were taller than the occlusal plane, although the female patient was younger than 14 years. The upper molars were retained and root development was incomplete.