Cohesion, satisfaction with family bonds, and emotional well-being in families with adolescents

The present paper investigated whether higher cohesion and satisfaction with family bonds were associated with the daily experience of emotional well-being in varying social circumstances. Using a sample of school-age adolescents (N = 95) and both their parents, data were gathered daily over 1 week using a diary approach in addition to self-report instruments. Multilevel analyses revealed higher cohesion to be associated with well-being in fathers and adolescents, but not in mothers. Parents also reported higher well-being when with friends or colleagues than when alone. Moreover, fathers who scored higher on cohesion reported higher well-being when with family members than when alone, whereas adolescents who scored higher on satisfaction with bonds reported lower well-being when with peers or siblings than when alone.

Novel role of a family of major facilitator transporters in biofilm development and virulence of Candida albicans.

The QDR (quinidine drug resistance) family of genes encodes transporters belonging to the MFS (major facilitator superfamily) of proteins. We show that QDR transporters, which are localized to the plasma membrane, do not play a role in drug transport. Hence, null mutants of QDR1, QDR2 and QDR3 display no alterations in susceptibility to azoles, polyenes, echinocandins, polyamines or quinolines, or to cell wall inhibitors and many other stresses. However, the deletion of QDR genes, individually or collectively, led to defects in biofilm architecture and thickness. Interestingly, QDR-lacking strains also displayed attenuated virulence, but the strongest effect was observed with qdr2∆, qdr3∆ and in qdr1/2/3∆ strains. Notably, the attenuated virulence and biofilm defects could be reversed upon reintegration of QDR genes. Transcripts profiling confirmed differential expression of many biofilm and virulence-related genes in the deletion strains as compared with wild-type Candida albicans cells. Furthermore, lipidomic analysis of QDR-deletion mutants suggests massive remodelling of lipids, which may affect cell signalling, leading to the defect in biofilm development and attenuation of virulence. In summary, the results of the present study show that QDR paralogues encoding MFS antiporters do not display conserved functional linkage as drug transporters and perform functions that significantly affect the virulence of C. albicans.

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, October 2009

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program

Bringing Funds of Family Knowledge to school. The Living Morocco Project (��������������� �������������)

The purpose of the study, grounded in sociocultural theory, is to describe the funds of knowledge of a Moroccan family living in Catalonia (Spain) in order to document how teachers can use these funds of knowledge to make direct links between students' lives and classroom teaching. The funds of knowledge approach is based on a simple premise: regardless of any socio-economical and sociocultural "deficit" that people may or may not have all families accumulate bodies of beliefs, ideas, skills and abilities based on their experiences (in areas such as their occupation or their religion). The challenge consists in connecting these bodies of educational resources with teaching practice in order to connect the curriculum with students' lives. In doing so, qualitative research can be carried out using several techniques such as self portraits, self-definition tasks, assessment of family artefacts, documenting routines through photographs, or the analysis of a person's significant circle. The results in terms of teaching practices illustrate the variety of ways teachers can make connections between home and school in ways that assist learners in their academic development. In this article, we propose using the term funds of identity to complement the concept of funds of knowledge

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, November 2009

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program

M��decine interne g��n��rale ambulatoire: quelques enseignements de la litt��rature en 2005 [Primary care in general internal medicine: relevant information in 2005]

During the year 2005, the chief residents of the University Medical Outpatient Clinic of Lausanne have done a database of useful articles for daily practice, scientifically validated and with excellent didactic quality, from 10 electronic journals. They have used those selected articles in personal meetings between the chief residents on a regular basis and the possibility to access the database by the junior physicians. Six of these articles concerning different topics (depression, tuberculosis detection, anticoagulation at home, cholinesterase inhibitors, insomnia and therapies, transdermal nitroglycerin and tendinopathies) are presented.

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, December 2009

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program

The development of family alliance from pregnancy to toddlerhood and child outcomes at 5��years.

This article presents a longitudinal study of the development of "family alliance" from pregnancy to toddlerhood in a community sample, as well as its links with the emotional and cognitive development of the child at age 5��years. Family alliance is defined as the quality of the interactive coordination between family members. We consider that the alliance constitutes a context for the child to learn emotion regulation and to develop an understanding of inner states. Family interactions (N��=��38) were observed at the 5th month of pregnancy and at 3, 9, and 18��months after birth in a standardized situation of observation (Lausanne Trilogue Play). Marital satisfaction and child temperament were assessed through self-reported questionnaires. Several outcomes of the child at age 5��years were measured: theory of mind performances, predominant emotional themes in pretend play, internalized and externalized symptoms. Results show that (a) three patterns of evolution of family alliance occur: "high stable" (n��=��19), "high to low" (n��=��10), and "low stable" (n��=��9); (b) a high stable alliance is predictive of better outcomes in children at age 5��years, especially regarding theory of mind; (c) the temperament of the child is predictive of child outcomes; and (d) an interaction effect occurs between family alliance and temperament. These results highlight the importance of both family-level and individual-level variables for understanding individual differences in the social and cognitive development of children.

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein family members recruit the coactivator CREB-binding protein and trigger its phosphorylation.

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) family members are transcription factors involved in important physiological processes, such as cellular proliferation and differentiation, regulation of energy homeostasis, inflammation, and hematopoiesis. Transcriptional activation by C/EBPalpha and C/EBPbeta involves the coactivators CREB-binding protein (CBP) and p300, which promote transcription by acetylating histones and recruiting basal transcription factors. In this study, we show that C/EBPdelta is also using CBP as a coactivator. Based on sequence homology with C/EBPalpha and -beta, we identify in C/EBPdelta two conserved amino acid segments that are necessary for the physical interaction with CBP. Using reporter gene assays, we demonstrate that mutation of these residues prevents CBP recruitment and diminishes the transactivating potential of C/EBPdelta. In addition, our results indicate that C/EBP family members not only recruit CBP but specifically induce its phosphorylation. We provide evidence that CBP phosphorylation depends on its interaction with C/EBPdelta and define point mutations within one of the two conserved amino acid segments of C/EBPdelta that abolish CBP phosphorylation as well as transcriptional activation, suggesting that this new mechanism could be important for C/EBP-mediated transcription.

The young infant's triangular communication in the family : access to threesome intersubjectivity ? Conceptual considerations and case illustrations

During these last decades, the notion of primary intersubjectivity has gained acceptance among developmentalists and clinicians. But a new challenge is put out to our models by recent findings on the triangular competence of the very young infant, or her capacity to simultaneously communicate with two partners at a time. This discovery raises the question of a collective form of intersubjectivity. Findings on the triangular competence of the 3- to 4-month-old interactions with father and mother in different contexts of the Lausanne trilogue play situation are reviewed and illustrated, with a view to examine whether it is based on a dyadic or triangular program and whether conditions for a threesome form of primary intersubjectivity are fulfilled. The discussion focuses on the revisions of the theory of intersubjectivity, of developmental theory, and of clinical practice these findings call for, pointing toward a three -person psychology too.

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, January 2010

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program

PH01 gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana and Physcomitrella patens

Summary Inorganic phosphate (Pi) is a main limiting nutrient to the growth and production yield of plants in many agro-ecosystems. Plants have evolved a series of metabolic and developmental adaptations to cope with low Pi availability. PH01 has been identified as a protein involved in the loading of Pi into the xylem of roots in Arabidopsis. In this study, the PHO1 gene family in both higher plant Arabidopsis and lower plant Physcomitrella was characterized. Additional ten PHO1 homologues in Arabidopsis and three homologues in Physcomitrella were identified. All proteins harbor a SPX tripartite domain in the N-terminal hydrophilic portion and an EXS domain in the highly conserved C-terminal hydrophobic portion. RT-PCR analysis of the Arabidopsis PHO1 genes revealed a broad pattern of expression in leaves, roots, stems, and flowers for most genes, although two genes are expressed exclusively in flowers, indicating their potential roles not only in Pi transport but also in Pi homeostasis within the Arabidopsis plant. The regulation of gene expression by different nutrient-starvations showed that some genes are strongly up-regulated by elements other than Pi, e.g. by NO3, Mg, and Zn starvation. Northern blot and RT-PCR analysis showed distinct expression patterns of the three Physcomitrella PHO1 genes. The investigation of Pi starvation effects on some Pi-deprivation responsive genes demonstrates that Physcomitrella has evolved a similar mechanism as higher plants to respond to Pi deficiency. Promoter activity analysis for the Physcomitrella PHO1 family genes using promoter-GUS fusions revealed their expression in protonemata and gametophores but at different levels and with different patterns, suggesting these genes may play distinct roles in Pi transport and/or Pi homeostasis in the moss plant. Single knockout mutants of the three genes were generated by gene targeting and one of them displayed a reduced Pi content in the protonemata under Pi starvation. The evolution of the PHO1 family in land plants was also discussed. Together, these findings indicate that the PHO1 family genes, present in a broad range of plant species from lower plants to flowering plants, play important roles in Pi transport and homeostasis. R��sum�� Le phosphate inorganique (Pi) est un nutriment essentiel �� la croissance des plantes et au rendement de la production v��g��tale. Dans beaucoup d'agro-��cosyst��mes, ce nutriment est limitant. Les plantes ont d��velopp�� des adaptations m��taboliques et d��veloppementales pour palier �� la faible disponibilit�� du Pi. Il a ��t�� d��montr�� que la prot��ine PHOI est indispensable au transfert du Pi dans le xyl��me des racines d' Arabidopsis. Cette ��tude porte sur la famille de g��nes d��finie par PHO1 ; ceci, dans deux organismes mod��les : la plante Arabidopsis pour les v��g��taux sup��rieurs, et la mousse Physcomitrella pour les v��g��taux inf��rieurs. Dix homologues �� PHOI dans Arabidopsis et trois homologues dans Physcomitrella ont ��t�� identifi��s. Toutes les prot��ines encod��es pr��sentent un domaine tripartite SPX dans leur partie N terminale hydrophile et un domaine EXS dans la partie C terminale hydrophobe hautement conserv��e d'entre eux. L'analyse par RT-PCR de l'expression des g��nes PHO1 dans Arabidopsis r��v��le une expression ectopique pour la plupart, �� l'exception de deux g��nes dont l'expression est uniquement florale ; ceci sugg��re l'implication de cette famille non seulement dans le transport mais aussi dans l'hom��ostasie du Pi dans Arabidopsis. L'observation de l'expression de ces g��nes en fonction de l'absence de diff��rents nutriments montre que certains g��nes sont fortement r��gul��s lors de carences en NO3, Mg et Zn. L'analyse par northern blot et RT-PCR met en ��vidence des profils d'expression distincts pour les trois g��nes de Physcomitrella. Les effets de la carence en Pi sur Physcomitrella ont ��t�� ��tudi��s par le biais de g��nes d��pendants connus pour Arabidopsis, les r��sultats sugg��rent un mode de r��ponse �� cette carence conserv�� entre les v��g��taux inf��rieurs et sup��rieurs. La localisation tissulaire de l'expression de la famille PHO1 dans la mousse a ��t�� ��tudi��e au moyen du g��ne rapporteur GUS fusionn�� aux diff��rents promoteurs. Ceci a r��v��l�� leur expression dans les protonemata et les gametophores, mais �� des intensit��s et avec des profils diff��rents, ce qui sugg��re des implications distinctes dans le transport et/ou l'hom��ostasie du Pi dans la mousse. Des simples mutants knockout ont ��t�� g��n��r��s pour chaque g��ne de mousse ; l'un d'eux pr��sente une diminution du contenu protonemal en Pi lorsque soumis �� une carence en Pi. L'��volution de la famille PHO1 dans les plantes terrestres est ��galement discut��e. Ensemble, ces r��sultats indiquent que les g��nes de la famille PHO1 sont pr��sents dans une large gamme de plantes allant des v��g��taux inf��rieurs aux sup��rieurs, et cette ��tude d��montre que leur conservation se justifie potentiellement par le fait qu'ils sont probablement impliqu��s dans des m��canismes conserv��s de transport et d'hom��ostasie du Pi.

A-1 Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program, February 2010

A-1 - Monthly Public Assistance Statistical Report Family Investment Program

Variations in fathers' discourse on fatherhood and in family alliances during infancy

The aim of this pilot study is to analyse the discourse of fathers of toddlers concerning fatherhood and the link between some particularities in the discourse and family alliance. The sample consists of 13 Swiss first time fathers (5 fathers of girls and 8 of boys). In order to evaluate the paternal discourse, the fathers were given a semi-structured interview, which was later analysed using the research package Alceste. The family alliance, i.e., the degree of coordination among the partners when executing a task together, was assessed through the Lausanne Trilogue Play (Fivaz-Depeursinge & Corboz-Warnery, 1999). The main results indicated an interesting link between classes of paternal discourse grouped around the following themes "affective relationship", "daily routine" and "educational goals", and the family alliance (defined in two major categories; functional and problematic alliances). Finally, clinical perspectives on links between paternal representations and family functioning at an interactive level are discussed