No abstract

No abstract

Reduced responsiveness to emotions is hypothesized to contribute to the development of conduct disorder (CD) in children and adolescents. Accordingly, blunted psychophysiological responses to emotions have been observed in boys with CD, but this has never been tested in girls. Therefore, this study compared psychophysiological responses to sadness in girls and boys with and without CD, and different clinical phenotypes of CD: with versus without limited prosocial emotions (LPE), and with versus without comorbid internalizing disorders (INT). Nine-hundred and 27 girls (427 CD, 500 controls) and 519 boys (266 CD, 253 controls) aged 9 -18 years participated. Psychophysiological responses were measured while participants watched two validated sad film clips, specifically: heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA; indexing parasympathetic activity), preejection period (PEP; indexing sympathetic activity). Girls and boys with CD showed larger HR responses to sadness than controls. This effect was rendered nonsignificant, however, after controlling for covariates. We observed aberrant RSA responses to sadness in CD compared with controls. Similarly, we found a significant positive association

No abstract

It should be investigated whether or not the current results can be generalized in a larger sample.

Background: Within the spectrum of emotional competencies, callous-unemotional traits are socially discouraged, while empathy is considered a socially much more accepted emotional trait. This holds particularly true for adolescents, who are still building up their social and emotional competencies. The aims of the present study were two-fold: First, longitudinally, to identify traits of behavioral problems and objective sleep dimensions at the age of 5 years to predict callous-unemotional traits and empathy at the age of 14 years. Second, cross-sectionally, to associate callous-unemotional traits and empathy with current insomnia, stress, and mental toughness. Methods: Preschoolers at the age of 5 years were contacted nine years later at the age of 14 years. At 5 years, parents rated their children’s behavior (Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ); in parallel, children underwent a one-night sleep-EEG assessment. At the age of 14 years, adolescents completed a series of questionnaires covering callous-unemotional traits, insomnia, empathy, stress, and mental toughness. Results: A total of 77 adolescents (38.1% females) took part in the present study. Longitudinally, higher scores for hyperactivity at age 5 significantly predicted higher callous-unemotional traits at age 14. A higher score for negative peer relationships at age 5 significantly predicted lower scores for cognitive empathy at age 14. Further, objective sleep-EEG measures showed that a higher sleep efficiency and a shorter sleep latency was associated with lower scores for callousness. Cross-sectionally, higher scores for callous-unemotional traits were associated with higher insomnia and stress, while lower insomnia was associated with higher empathy. Mental toughness was unrelated to callous-unemotional traits and empathy. Conclusions: It appears that hyperactivity traits and negative peer relationships and more unfavorable objective sleep patterns at 5 years predicted socially discouraged callous-unemotional traits and low empathy during adolescence. Further, cross-sectionally at the age of 14, callous-unemotional traits, subjective poor sleep, and higher stress were associated.

Zusammenfassung: Das standardisierte Produkt NeemAzal®‐T/S (1% Azadirachtin A) wird aus den Kernen des tropischen Niembaums (Antelaea azadirachta, syn. Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) hergestellt. In verschiedenen Gemüsekulturen wurden damit sehr gute Wirkungen bei kauend‐beißenden und stechend‐saugenden Schädlingen, insbesondere in Kohlgewächsen, erzielt. Als vorteilhaft stellen sich hier die teilsystemisch bis systemischen Eigenschaften des Präparates heraus, weshalb keine direkte Kontaktwirkung erforderlich ist. Dieses ermöglicht es, auch versteckt sitzende Schädlinge zu erfassen. Es ist zu beachten, dass im Vergleich zu Pyrethrum und anderen neurotoxischen Insektiziden keine sofortige letale Wirkung eintritt, weshalb zur Beurteilung des Wirkungsgrades auf den relativ schnell einsetzenden Fraßstop zu achten ist.
Vorteilhafte Eigenschaften des Präparates liegen weiterhin in der Schonung von Nützlingen und in der allgemeinen Pflanzenverträglichkeit. Vom Hersteller wurde die Wartezeit bei Blatt‐ bzw. Fruchtgemüse bewusst höher veranschlagt als notwendig und mit drei bzw. zwei Wochen angegeben. Unter diesen Bedingungen wird erwartet, dass die Azadirachtin A‐Rückstände im Erntegut deutlich unter der nach der Diätverordnung zulässigen Höchstmenge von 0,01mg/kg bleiben.
Die Zukunft des Präparates liegt schwerpunktmäßig im Ökologischen Landbau. Jedoch sind nach dem neuen Pflanzenschutzgesetz vom 14.05.1998 seit dem 01.07.2001 Applikationen in Gemüsekulturen nicht mehr möglich. Gegenwärtig laufen verschiedene Bemühungen, Zulassungen bzw. Genehmigungen gemäß den Anforderungen des Pflanzenschutzgesetzes. Die bisher mit dem Präparat in verschiedenen Gemüsekulturen gesammelten Erfahrungen werden zusammengefasst und diskutiert.