bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Composition fluctuations, correlated response, and protein solvation in membranes
Authors: McConnell Harden
Published: May 2010

Membrane composition fluctuations are deduced from the deuterium NMR relaxation data of S. L. Veatch et al. [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 104, 17650 (2007)]. A theoretical model for these fluctuations is used to determine the parameters of a correlation function. A fluctuation-response relation is then derived to infer the response of a lipid bilayer membrane to perturbations, such as the presence of a protein. The energy of the correlated response is shown to decrease as a bilayer miscibility critical point is approached from higher temperatures. Near the critical temperature the low energy of the composition response facilitates the lipid solvation of membrane proteins and minimizes lipid-mediated nonspecific protein-protein interactions. This facilitated lipid solvation of membrane proteins may be the basis of reports that at the growth temperature, the lipids of animal cell membranes have compositions such that they are within ∼10° of a miscibility critical point.
Extraordinary transmission from high-gain nanoaperture antennas
Authors: Kinzel Edward C. , Srisungsitthisunti Pornsak , Li Yan , Raman Arvind , Xu Xianfan
Published: May 2010

This letter describes a bowtie nanoaperture antenna for coupling light to a subdiffraction limited near-field spot (<λ/8). The gain of the antenna is increased using a concentric grating structure to coherently diffract normally incident light toward the aperture. We experimentally demonstrate that the addition of the grating structure enhances the far-field transmission through the aperture by 6.9 times while the intensity at the near-field is increased more than 15 times. The nanoantenna is useful for applications including nanolithography and data storage.
The role of Zn interstitials in cobalt-doped ZnO diluted magnetic semiconductors
Authors: Shi Tongfei , Xiao Zhenguo , Yin Zhijun , Li Xinhua , Wang Yuqi , He Hongtao , Wang Jiannong , Yan Wenshen , Wei Shiqiang
Published: May 2010

Co-doped ZnO samples Zn1−xCoxO and CoyZn1−yO were prepared by the sol-gel and magnetron sputtering methods, respectively. Although the Co K-edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure spectra show that the doped Co ions are located at the Zn substitutional sites for both Zn1−xCoxO (x≤0.05) and CoyZn1−yO (y≤0.05) samples, magnetic measurements show paramagnetism in Zn1−xCoxO (x≤0.05) and high temperature ferromagnetism in CoyZn1−yO (y≤0.05). An experimental and numerical study of the O K-edge x-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra reveals that the incorporation of the Zn interstitials in the lattice is crucial to the appearance of high temperature ferromagnetism in CoyZn1−yO (y≤0.05) samples.
Defect-induced activation of symmetry forbidden infrared resonances in individual metallic nanorods
Authors: Neubrech F. , Garcia-Etxarri A. , Weber D. , Bochterle J. , Shen H. , Lamy de la Chapelle M. , Bryant G. W. , Aizpurua J. , Pucci A.
Published: May 2010

We report on the observation of second-order infrared (IR) plasmon resonances in lithographically prepared gold nanorods investigated by means of far-field microscopic IR spectroscopy. In addition to the fundamental antennalike mode, even and odd higher order resonances are observed under normal incidence of light. The activation of even-order modes under normal incidence is surprising since even orders are dipole-forbidden because of their centrosymmetric charge density oscillation. Performing atomic force microscopy and calculations with the boundary element method, we determine that excitation of even modes is enabled by symmetry breaking by structural deviations of the rods from an ideal, straight shape.
Terahertz emission from a dc-biased two-color femtosecond laser-induced filament in air
Authors: Wang Tie-Jun , Marceau Claude , Chen Yanping , Yuan Shuai , Théberge Francis , Châteauneuf Marc , Dubois Jacques , Chin See Leang
Published: May 2010

The generation of terahertz (THz) emission from a dc-biased two-color femtosecond laser-induced filament in air was systematically investigated. A polarization analysis demonstrated that the THz emission could be the sum of two components: one generated by two-color laser-induced filamentation and the second induced by the external dc electric field. The first component is mostly from four-wave mixing process and a transient transverse electric current under the action of the external dc field could be responsible for the second THz emission.
Quantitatively linking collagen alteration and epithelial tumor progression by second harmonic generation microscopy
Authors: Zhuo Shuangmu , Chen Jianxin , Wu Guizhu , Xie Shusen , Zheng Liqin , Jiang Xingshan , Zhu Xiaoqin
Published: May 2010

Collagen alteration is critical for epithelial tumor initiation and progression. Quantitatively linking collagen alteration and epithelial tumor progression is essential for developing an optical endoscopy to evaluate epithelial tumor progression. In this work, we established a quantitative link between collagen alteration and epithelial tumor progression using second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy. It was found that SHG microscopy can provide quantitative features to effectively evaluate epithelial tumor progression, and to locate tumor and determine the margin of tumor regions. These results suggest that SHG microscopy has the potential in offering a noninvasive in vivo imaging tool to quantify epithelial tumor progression.
Terahertz chemical microscope for label-free detection of protein complex
Authors: Kiwa Toshihiko , Kondo Yousuke , Minami Yuji , Kawayama Iwao , Tonouchi Masayoshi , Tsukada Keiji
Published: May 2010

A terahertz (THz) chemical microscope (TCM) has been proposed and developed for label-free analysis of the interactions of proteins, including immune reactions. A SiO2/Si/sapphire plate was fabricated and emitted THz pulses from the sapphire side using a femtosecond laser. The amplitude of a THz pulse depends on the chemical potential of the SiO2 surface. As an initial demonstration, a biotin–avidin complex was analyzed using TCM. Results indicate that biotin concentrations of up to 10−12 mol/l could be detected, suggesting that a high sensitivity immunoassay system can be realized using this method. The distribution of the THz peak amplitude was measured, reflecting the distribution of the biotin–avidin complex on the plate.
From ‘Value-for-Money’ to ‘Values-for-Money’? Ethical Food and Policy in Europe
Authors: Lang Tim
Published: May 2010

The author considers how ethical food raises complex challenges for policy makers. Looking mainly at Europe and developed countries, it is suggested that the notion of ethical food is plastic, but that therein lie its strength and appeal. Civil society movements see it as a rallying point to restructure food systems, from land use to consumption. The mainstream corporate sector sees ethical food as an umbrella term under which many, sometimes even competing, aspirations nestle, but which can be incorporated as additional niche markets. Far from being new, the ethical-food banner in the late 20th century has resurrected some older traditions, including those which contested power relations in the food system. But in the 21st century, with the world's food system under economic, environmental, social, and political stress, the ethical-food umbrella faces an uncertain future. It could be submerged by ‘value-for-money’ consumerism; or it could become a champion of what the author calls an emerging set of ‘omnistandards’, under which fragmented single issues coalesce and articulate a new paradigm.
Role of a Texture Gradient in the Perception of Relative Size
Authors: Tozawa Junko
Published: May 2010

Two theories regarding the role of a texture gradient in the perception of the relative size of objects are compared. Relational theory states that relative size is directly specified by the projective ratio of the numbers of texture elements spanned by objects. Distance calibration theory assumes that relative size is a product of visual angle and distance, once the distance is specified by the texture. Experiment 1 involved three variables: background (no texture, texture gradient patterns), the ratio of heights of the comparison stimulus to a standard (three levels), and angular vertical separation of the standard stimulus below the horizon (two levels). The effect of the retinal length of the comparison stimulus was examined in experiment 2. In both experiments, participants judged both the apparent size and distance of a comparison stimulus relative to a standard stimulus. Results suggest that the cues selected by observers to judge relative size were to some degree different from those used to judge relative distance. Relative size was strongly affected by a texture gradient and the retinal length of a comparison stimulus whereas relative distance perception was affected by relative height. When dominant cues that specify size are different from those which specify distance, relational theory might provide a better account of relative size perception than distance calibration theory.
Edge direction and the structure of networks
Authors: Foster Jacob G. , Foster David V. , Grassberger Peter , Paczuski Maya
Published: May 2010

Directed networks are ubiquitous and are necessary to represent complex systems with asymmetric interactions—from food webs to the World Wide Web. Despite the importance of edge direction for detecting local and community structure, it has been disregarded in studying a basic type of global diversity in networks: the tendency of nodes with similar numbers of edges to connect. This tendency, called assortativity, affects crucial structural and dynamic properties of real-world networks, such as error tolerance or epidemic spreading. Here we demonstrate that edge direction has profound effects on assortativity. We define a set of four directed assortativity measures and assign statistical significance by comparison to randomized networks. We apply these measures to three network classes—online/social networks, food webs, and word-adjacency networks. Our measures (
i
) reveal patterns common to each class, (
ii
) separate networks that have been previously classified together, and (
iii
) expose limitations of several existing theoretical models. We reject the standard classification of directed networks as purely assortative or disassortative. Many display a class-specific mixture, likely reflecting functional or historical constraints, contingencies, and forces guiding the system’s evolution.
Role of Brazilian Amazon protected areas in climate change mitigation
Authors: Soares-Filho Britaldo , Moutinho Paulo , Nepstad Daniel , Anderson Anthony , Rodrigues Hermann , Garcia Ricardo , Dietzsch Laura , Merry Frank , Bowman Maria , Hissa Letícia , Silvestrini Rafaella , Maretti Cláudio
Published: May 2010

Protected areas (PAs) now shelter 54% of the remaining forests of the Brazilian Amazon and contain 56% of its forest carbon. However, the role of these PAs in reducing carbon fluxes to the atmosphere from deforestation and their associated costs are still uncertain. To fill this gap, we analyzed the effect of each of 595 Brazilian Amazon PAs on deforestation using a metric that accounts for differences in probability of deforestation in areas of pairwise comparison. We found that the three major categories of PA (indigenous land, strictly protected, and sustainable use) showed an inhibitory effect, on average, between 1997 and 2008. Of 206 PAs created after the year 1999, 115 showed increased effectiveness after their designation as protected. The recent expansion of PAs in the Brazilian Amazon was responsible for 37% of the region's total reduction in deforestation between 2004 and 2006 without provoking leakage. All PAs, if fully implemented, have the potential to avoid 8.0 ± 2.8 Pg of carbon emissions by 2050. Effectively implementing PAs in zones under high current or future anthropogenic threat offers high payoffs for reducing carbon emissions, and as a result should receive special attention in planning investments for regional conservation. Nevertheless, this strategy demands prompt and predictable resource streams. The Amazon PA network represents a cost of US$147 ± 53 billion (net present value) for Brazil in terms of forgone profits and investments needed for their consolidation. These costs could be partially compensated by an international climate accord that includes economic incentives for tropical countries that reduce their carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
Physcomitrella patens
mutants affected on heat dissipation clarify the evolution of photoprotection mechanisms upon land colonization
Authors: Alboresi Alessandro , Gerotto Caterina , Giacometti Giorgio M. , Bassi Roberto , Morosinotto Tomas
Published: May 2010

Light is the source of energy for photosynthetic organisms; when in excess, however, it also drives the formation of reactive oxygen species and, consequently, photoinhibition. Plants and algae have evolved mechanisms to regulate light harvesting efficiency in response to variable light intensity so as to avoid oxidative damage. Nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) consists of the rapid dissipation of excess excitation energy as heat. Although widespread among oxygenic photosynthetic organisms, NPQ shows important differences in its machinery. In land plants, such as
Arabidopsis thaliana
, NPQ depends on the presence of PSBS, whereas in the green alga
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
it requires a different protein called LHCSR. In this work, we show that both proteins are present in the moss
Physcomitrella patens
. By generating KO mutants lacking PSBS and/or LHCSR, we also demonstrate that both gene products are active in NPQ. Plants lacking both proteins are more susceptible to high light stress than WT, implying that they are active in photoprotection. These results suggest that NPQ is a fundamental mechanism for survival in excess light and that upon land colonization, photosynthetic organisms evolved a unique mechanism for excess energy dissipation before losing the ancestral one found in algae.
Architecture of Eph receptor clusters
Authors: Himanen Juha P. , Yermekbayeva Laila , Janes Peter W. , Walker John R. , Xu Kai , Atapattu Lakmali , Rajashankar Kanagalaghatta R. , Mensinga Anneloes , Lackmann Martin , Nikolov Dimitar B. , Dhe-Paganon Sirano
Published: May 2010

Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands regulate cell navigation during normal and oncogenic development. Signaling of Ephs is initiated in a multistep process leading to the assembly of higher-order signaling clusters that set off bidirectional signaling in interacting cells. However, the structural and mechanistic details of this assembly remained undefined. Here we present high-resolution structures of the complete EphA2 ectodomain and complexes with ephrin-A1 and A5 as the base unit of an Eph cluster. The structures reveal an elongated architecture with novel Eph/Eph interactions, both within and outside of the Eph ligand-binding domain, that suggest the molecular mechanism underlying Eph/ephrin clustering. Structure-function analysis, by using site-directed mutagenesis and cell-based signaling assays, confirms the importance of the identified oligomerization interfaces for Eph clustering.
Unrestrained Spindle Elongation during Recovery from Spindle Checkpoint Activation incdc15-2Cells Results in Mis-Segregation of Chromosomes
Authors: Chai Chuan Chung , Teh Ee Mei , Yeong Foong May
Published: May 2010

During normal metaphase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, chromosomes are captured at the kinetochores by microtubules emanating from the spindle pole bodies at opposite poles of the dividing cell. The balance of forces between the cohesins holding the replicated chromosomes together and the pulling force from the microtubules at the kinetochores result in the biorientation of the sister chromatids before chromosome segregation. The absence of kinetochore–microtubule interactions or loss of cohesion between the sister chromatids triggers the spindle checkpoint which arrests cells in metaphase. We report here that an MEN mutant, cdc15-2, though competent in activating the spindle assembly checkpoint when exposed to Noc, mis-segregated chromosomes during recovery from spindle checkpoint activation. cdc15-2 cells arrested in Noc, although their Pds1p levels did not accumulate as well as in wild-type cells. Genetic analysis indicated that Pds1p levels are lower in a mad2Δ cdc15-2 and bub2Δ cdc15-2 double mutants compared with the single mutants. Chromosome mis-segregation in the mutant was due to premature spindle elongation in the presence of unattached chromosomes, likely through loss of proper control on spindle midzone protein Slk19p and kinesin protein, Cin8p. Our data indicate that a slower rate of transition through the cell division cycle can result in an inadequate level of Pds1p accumulation that can compromise recovery from spindle assembly checkpoint activation.
A Novel Role of the Yeast CaaX Protease Ste24 in Chitin Synthesis
Authors: Meissner Derek , Odman-Naresh Jothini , Vogelpohl Inga , Merzendorfer Hans
Published: May 2010

Ste24 is a membrane-integral CaaX metalloprotease residing in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In yeast, the only known substrate of Ste24 is the mating factor a precursor. A global screening for protein–protein interactions indicated that Ste24 interacts with chitin synthesis deficient (Chs)3, an enzyme required for chitin synthesis. We confirmed this interaction by yeast two-hybrid analyses and mapped the interacting cytoplasmic domains. Next, we investigated the influence of Ste24 on chitin synthesis. In sterile (ste)24Δ mutants, we observed resistance to calcofluor white (CFW), which was also apparent when the cells expressed a catalytically inactive version of Ste24. In addition, ste24Δ cells showed a decrease in chitin levels and Chs3-green fluorescent protein localized less frequently at the bud neck. Overexpression of STE24 resulted in hypersensitivity to CFW and a slight increase in chitin levels. The CFW phenotype of ste24Δ cells could be rescued by its human and insect orthologues. Although Chs3 binds to Ste24, it seems not to be a substrate for this protease. Instead, our data suggest that Chs3 and Ste24 form a complex in the ER that facilitates protease action on prenylated Chs4, a known activator of Chs3 with a C-terminal CaaX motif, leading to a more efficient localization of Chs3 at the plasma membrane.
The Palade Symposium: Celebrating Cell Biology at Its Best
Authors: Schmid Sandra L. , Farquhar Marilyn G.
Published: May 2010

A symposium was held at the University of California, San Diego, to honor the contributions of Nobel Laureate, George Palade, to cell biology. The speakers included Günter Blobel, on the structure and function of nuclear pore complexes; Peter Walter, on the unfolded protein response in health and disease; Randy Schekman, on human disease-linked mutations in the COPII machinery; Scott Emr, on the regulation of plasma membrane composition by selective endocytosis; Roger Kornberg, on the structure and function of the transcription machinery; Peter Novick, on the regulation of rab GTPases along the secretory pathway; Jim Spudich, on the mechanism of the enigmatic myosin VI motor; and Joe Goldstein, on the function of the Niemann-Pick C (NPC)-linked gene products, NPC1 and NPC2, in cholesterol transport. Their work showcased the multidisciplinary nature, diversity, and vitality of cell biology. In the words of George Palade, their talks also illustrated “how cell biology could be used to understand disease and how disease could be used to discover normal cell biology.” An integrated understanding of the cellular machinery will be essential in tackling the plethora of questions and challenges posed by completion of the human genome and for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying human disease.
Non‐Tariff Measures in Agri‐Food Trade: What Do the Data Tell Us? Evidence from a Cluster Analysis on OECD Imports
Authors: Disdier Anne‐Célia , van Tongeren Frank
Published: May 2010

Non‐tariff measures (NTMs) play an increasing role in the international trade of agri‐food products. Although well‐recognized, this role has not been extensively analyzed at a disaggregated level. This paper focuses on NTMs enacted by member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development for 777 products. Using a cluster‐analysis, the paper identifies the correlation between the occurrence of NTMs, their trade coverage, and the incidence of trade frictions for these products. The paper relates the statistical findings to the political economy literature on protection to explain cross‐product differences in the occurrence of NTMs and trade frictions.
Optimal Rebuilding of a Metapopulation
Authors: Sanchirico James N. , Wilen James E. , Coleman Conrad
Published: May 2010

A contentious issue in recent fisheries management debates has been how to rebuild overfished marine fish stocks. We investigate the economic and ecological nature of rebuilding plans in a metapopulation system. We find “most rapid approach paths” for system‐wide recovery that differ from prototypical paths that might be chosen when populations are assumed independent. For example, moratoria in some patches may be extended in order to speed the recovery of other patches in the system. We also investigate the costs of second‐best policies that depend on the degree of spatial heterogeneity, the nature of the linkages, and the dispersal rates.
Prediction of protease substrates using sequence and structure features
Authors: Barkan David T. , Hostetter Daniel R. , Mahrus Sami , Pieper Ursula , Wells James A. , Craik Charles S. , Sali Andrej
Published: May 2010

Motivation:Granzyme B (GrB) and caspases cleave specific protein substrates to induce apoptosis in virally infected and neoplastic cells. While substrates for both types of proteases have been determined experimentally, there are many more yet to be discovered in humans and other metazoans. Here, we present a bioinformatics method based on support vector machine (SVM) learning that identifies sequence and structural features important for protease recognition of substrate peptides and then uses these features to predict novel substrates. Our approach can act as a convenient hypothesis generator, guiding future experiments by high-confidence identification of peptide-protein partners.

Results:The method is benchmarked on the known substrates of both protease types, including our literature-curated GrB substrate set (GrBah). On these benchmark sets, the method outperforms a number of other methods that consider sequence only, predicting at a 0.87 true positive rate (TPR) and a 0.13 false positive rate (FPR) for caspase substrates, and a 0.79 TPR and a 0.21 FPR for GrB substrates. The method is then applied to ∼25 000 proteins in the human proteome to generate a ranked list of predicted substrates of each protease type. Two of these predictions, AIF-1 and SMN1, were selected for further experimental analysis, and each was validated as a GrB substrate.

Availability: All predictions for both protease types are publically available at http://salilab.org/peptide. A web server is at the same site that allows a user to train new SVM models to make predictions for any protein that recognizes specific oligopeptide ligands.

Contact:  craik@cgl.ucsf.edu; sali@salilab.org

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online
DA 1.0: parameter estimation of biological pathways using data assimilation approach
Authors: Koh Chuan Hock , Nagasaki Masao , Saito Ayumu , Wong Limsoon , Miyano Satoru
Published: May 2010

Summary: Data assimilation (DA) is a computational approach that estimates unknown parameters in a pathway model using time-course information. Particle filtering, the underlying method used, is a well-established statistical method that approximates the joint posterior distributions of parameters by using sequentially generated Monte Carlo samples. In this article, we report the release of Java-based software (DA 1.0) with an intuitive and user-friendly interface to allow users to carry out parameters estimation using DA.

Availability and Implementation: DA 1.0 was developed using Java and thus would be executable on any platform installed with JDK 6.0 (not JRE 6.0) or later. DA 1.0 is freely available for academic users and can be launched or downloaded from http://da.csml.org.

Contact:  masao@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Roman Law
Authors: du Plessis Paul
Published: May 2010

The present understanding of Roman law is by and large based on snippets of texts collected in a 6th-century compilation of legal sources known as the Corpus Iuris Civilis, ordered by the Roman emperor Justinian. These fragments, which were stripped of their original context by the drafters of this project, represent the intellectual pinnacle of Roman legal thought of the first three centuries of the Common Era. Since the rediscovery of this compilation toward the end of the 12th century, this collection of texts has provided jurists with a treasure trove of terms and concepts that have been used with great effect to construct much of the private law of Europe and elsewhere. Most modern discussions of Roman law employ the following periodization: Ancient Roman law (753–250 BCE); Republican Roman law (250–27 BCE); Classical Roman law (27 BCE–284 CE); Post-classical Roman law (3rd–5th centuries CE); and Justinianic Roman law (527–565 CE).
Mythology
Authors: Nieto Hernández Pura
Published: May 2010

“Classical mythology” is a modern conceit that presents as a unified and relatively coherent whole what for the ancients themselves were Greek and Roman multiform traditions, which often (especially in Greece) had no unity, but rather many local variations. Indeed, “mythology” itself is an ambiguous term, since it designates both the collection of myths of a certain culture and the scholarly study of those myths. In addition, there is no definition of myth that is universally accepted by scholars and capable of encompassing all cases of known myths. Furthermore, the mythology of Greece and Rome is closely connected with Greek and Roman religion, since the gods and heroes who populate myths were also celebrated in religious rituals. Some scholarly approaches even postulate an intimate connection between myth and ritual (see Myth and Ritual). Hence, important works on Greek and Roman religion need to be consulted also by the student of classical mythology. (“Classical” in this connection is used to mean “Greek and Roman.”) The present bibliography offers some guidance to the reader in the field of mythology. Priority has been given to works that are either recent or of historical importance or enduring value. The bibliography treats all aspects of myth, from the concept of myth itself to studies of individual gods and heroes, from the relationship between myth and ritual to the reception of myth in the modern era. The headings are designed to facilitate consultation on individual subjects and do not represent a particular theoretical view.
Quintilian
Authors: Fantham Elaine , Fairey Emily
Published: May 2010

Marcus Fabius Quintilianus was born c. 35 ce in Calagurris in Hispania (modern Calahorra in La Rioja, Spain). His father, a well-educated man, sent him to Rome to study rhetoric early in the reign of Nero. Quintilian evidently adopted as his model Domitius Afer, who died in 59, and listened to him speak and plead cases in the law courts. Sometime after Afer’s death, Quintilian returned to Spain, possibly to practice law in the courts of his own province. However, in 68 he returned to Rome as part of the retinue of the emperor Galba, Nero’s short-lived successor. After Galba’s death, and during the chaotic Year of the Four Emperors that followed, Quintilian opened a public school of rhetoric. Among his students were Pliny the Younger, and perhaps Tacitus. Quintilian received the ornamenta consularia under Domitian, but was not consul. Of his personal life, little is known. In the Institutio oratoria, he mentions a wife who died young, as well as two sons who predeceased him. Quintilian retired from teaching and pleading in 88, during the reign of Domitian. His retirement may have been prompted by his achievement of financial security and his desire to become a gentleman of leisure. The emperor does not appear to have taken offense; in the year 90, Quintilian was made tutor of Domitian’s two grand-nephews and heirs, and he was shortly afterward honored with the privileges of an ex-consul. Otherwise, Quintilian spent his retirement writing his Institutio oratoria. The exact date of his death is not known but is believed to be sometime around 100.
Topography of Rome
Authors: D'Ambra Eve
Published: May 2010

Roman topography is the study of the city of Rome, its monuments, buildings, and open spaces in their physical setting on the seven hills besides the Tiber River. The ancient written sources of Latin literature and history, as well as the corpus of inscriptions and coins, provide evidence for the physical structure of the city and the urban plan. Archaeological excavations, often spurred on by political interventions (as during the Napoleonic era, the Risorgimento of the later 19th century, the Fascist imperial revival in the 1930s, and the Vatican’s Jubilee celebrations in 2000), brought structures to light that confirmed, complemented, or complicated the testimony of the ancient texts. Archaeological fieldwork continues to revise our views of the city of Rome.
Direct Practice in Social Work
Authors: Corcoran Jacqueline
Published: May 2010

Direct practice in social work constitutes one-on-one contact with people at the micro level and is usually identified as working with people directly at the individual, group, or family level. Rather than specifying a particular theory, direct practice is seen as an eclectic process structured by the problem-solving process with the guiding underlying principles of sensitivity to social diversity and promotion of social and economic justice. At the micro level, this most often involves bringing services to and improving the quality of life of people who are vulnerable and oppressed. However, direct practitioners must also be able to assess different systems levels beyond the individual and determine the appropriate intervention and its appropriate level (micro, meso, and macro), and to know when and how to implement various theories. This complex undertaking is not taught in a systematic way but rather is guided by the development of personal awareness, knowledge of social work values and ethics, sensitivity to social diversity, and promotion of social justice.
Conflict Resolution
Authors: Barsky Allan E.
Published: May 2010

Conflict resolution (CR) may be defined as any process used to manage, determine, or settle differences that may arise among individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, nations, or any other social unit. Social conflict may arise because of perceived differences in relation to values, needs, goals, interests, rights, positions, or wishes. Many social work roles require the use of conflict management methods, including negotiation, mediation, advocacy, group facilitation, family group conferencing, healing circles, and evaluation. Although social workers incorporate conflict resolution skills in virtually all contexts of practice, advanced conflict resolution theory, strategies, and skills have only been incorporated into the literature of relatively few contexts of practice, for instance, social advocacy, family and divorce mediation, and contracting with involuntary clients. This entry highlights the books and articles contributed by social work scholars and researchers but also includes core conflict resolution works from experts in related disciplines (especially law, management, criminal justice, psychology, and peace and justice studies).
Health Social Work
Authors: Gehlert Sarah
Published: May 2010

Health social workers provide psychosocial support to individuals, families, and communities that are faced with chronic, acute, or terminal illnesses, such as cancer, epilepsy, or AIDS. They are also active in efforts to prevent illnesses. They advise caregivers, counsel patients and their families and wider social networks, and help plan for needs at multiple levels. Health social workers are key members of cross-disciplinary teams in practice and research. They work closely with community stakeholders in community-based participatory research and other types of community collaborations to promote health. Health social workers may work as practitioners and researchers employed by universities, hospitals, nursing and personal care facilities, individual and family services agencies, or local governments. They also serve as policy makers and advocates. This entry identifies health social work resources with specific reference to social work’s adaptation of clinical practice and social and health care policy in a variety of health care settings. While the identified references are focused on social work applications, relevant ones dealing with clinical and policy-relevant issues that originate in other health professions also are listed.
Mental Health
Authors: Yeager Kenneth R.
Published: May 2010

Mental illness can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, race, or income. These disorders are caused by complex interactions among physical, psychological, social, cultural, and hereditary influences. The effects of mental illness may be temporary or long lasting. Conservative estimates suggest 25 percent of the world population will be affected by some form of mental illness. Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans age eighteen and older—about one in four adults—suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. When applied to the 2004 United States census residential population estimate for age eighteen and older, this figure translates to 57.7 million people. Compared to other illnesses, mental illness is nearly as prevalent as heart disease (61 million) and more prevalent than diabetes (23.6 million) or cancer (11.1 million). When treated, recovery rates vary depending on the type and severity of illness. Unfortunately studies indicate that many individuals with severe mental illness remain untreated.
Restorative Justice
Authors: van Wormer Katherine
Published: May 2010

“Restorative justice,” as defined in the Social Work Dictionary is “a non-adversarial approach usually monitored by a trained professional who seeks to offer justice to the individual victim, the offender, and the community, all of whom have been harmed by a crime or other form of wrongdoing” (Washington, DC: National Association of Social Workers, 2014. p. 367). This emerging model for resolving conflict and righting a wrong focuses on repairing the harm done by an offense by involving the victim, the offender, and the community. This entry identifies resources on restorative justice theories and strategies with relevance to social workers, mental health professionals, and school and correctional counselors. At the micro level, restorative justice is played out as conferencing between victims and offenders, for example, by way of family group conferences and healing circles. At the macro or societal level, restorative justice takes the form of reparations or truth commissions to compensate for the harm that has been done. The magnitude of the situations covered ranges from interpersonal violence to school bullying to mass kidnappings to full-scale terrorism and warfare. Since in the United States restorative justice has only recently been given formal recognition by the profession of social work, included for the first time the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Encyclopedia of Social Work in 2008, books and articles that specifically relate restorative justice to social work are scarce, and most are of recent vintage. Accordingly many of the listings in this entry are drawn from criminal justice, legal, and international sources, especially from Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
Counseling Female Offenders
Authors: van Wormer Katherine
Published: May 2010

Gender-specific programming is viewed as essential to effective work with girls and women in the juvenile justice and criminal justice systems. Gender-specific programming can be defined as treatment that is especially designed to meet the needs of persons based on biological, psychological, and social needs unique to one’s gender. Regarding female offenders, the three strongest arguments for gender specific programming are women’s unique biology, cultural role expectations and vulnerabilities, and gendered pathways into crime. This entry identifies resources that pertain to working with girls and women who are in the criminal justice system, some confined in institutions, others participating in community correctional programs. There are few books and articles specific to social work in this specialized field, and most of the material derives from the criminal justice and feminist literature. Although there is extensive literature on recommended treatment for female offenders, the gap between theory and practice is large. Some of the literature in this entry derives from Canadian and British sources—a fact reflective of the research being done in progressive correctional counseling—and concerns treatment innovations in the system and writings on deficiencies in the treatment. That girls and women in trouble with the law have special needs is a major theme throughout all the literature. Helpful therapeutic strategies that are contained in the listings in this article are restorative justice, transcendental meditation, and strengths-based and trauma-informed practices. Because of the heavy involvement of girls and women with substance use and mental disorders in the criminal justice system, whole sections on these topics are included as well as a section on co-occurring disorders. Where possible, the selected readings contain material related to treatment interventions with female offenders.
Race and Racism
Authors: Soydan Haluk
Published: May 2010

In many societies the social work profession operates in a racialized social and psychological environment. Racism is an important factor that has been associated with a range of negative outcomes, including unemployment, stigmatization, substance abuse, and limited access to education. Furthermore, because members of a “racial group” tend to develop collectively shared value systems, behavioral patterns, and lifestyles, they stand out as a group with specific characteristics relating to sex roles, peer relationships, marriage, childbearing, nutrition, physiological changes, and dealing with social, psychological, health, and mental health problems. Thus, social workers have to work in an environment affected by complex factors associated with race as a social construct. Historically, the idea of different races is based on the assumption that there are distinct genetic differences between groups of human beings. However, it is not meaningful to categorize individuals in race groups on the basis of biological and genetic characteristics. Racial categories are constructed by a group itself or others for the purpose of defining social boundaries and the domination of one (racial) group over other (racial) groups, resulting in racism. Typically, social work literature is dedicated to exploring whether racial groups have specific needs and how these needs can be met by the social care services. In the literature and colloquial language, “race” is closely positioned to “ethnicity,” and “ethnicity” is closely positioned to “culture.” Therefore it is recommended that one view all three concept areas for a better understanding of how these concepts relate to each other.
Social Work Profession
Authors: Hopps June Gary , Lowe Tony , Robinson-Dooley Vanessa
Published: May 2010

Social work literature discusses how the profession’s history was organized in an effort to address problems related to poverty and individual and family problems. The problems related to swift industrial growth included, but were not limited to, poverty, individual and family problems, child welfare, immigration and emigration, and racial and gender disparities. These problems continue to challenge the country despite major policy and practice interventions. The profession’s caring or helping thrust is well covered; however, a component of social control also exists. Major national events helped shape the social welfare policies that social work professionals implement. There were internal debates relative to a working definition, professionalization, licensure, stronger evidence for best practice, and boundary maintenance. There has been growth in social welfare and its professional arm, social work, since the beginning of the 20th century. However, the United States is called a reluctant welfare state. The entry reviews social work’s first professional century, including its origins, present context, trends, and challenges for the future.
Social Justice and Social Work
Authors: Hutchison Elizabeth D.
Published: May 2010

Social justice is recognized as a core value of social work, and justice-oriented social work has roots in the early history of the profession. However, controversies exist about the meaning of social justice and the most appropriate theoretical approach for justice-oriented social work. There are also challenges in translating conceptualizations of social justice into practice. Although social research was a method of promoting social justice in the early settlement houses, contemporary guidance is limited on using social work research as a tool for promoting social justice. There are also controversies about the best pedagogy for teaching about social justice in social work education programs. In recent years social work scholars have expanded the conversation about social justice to include environmental justice and global social justice.
Psychosocial Framework
Authors: Goldstein Eda G.
Published: May 2010

This entry describes the psychosocial framework and its resources. It is important to differentiate the psychosocial framework, which is a distinctive practice model, from the psychosocial or person-situation perspective that informs social work practice generally. The psychosocial framework originated in the early history of the social work profession and evolved greatly over time in response to new theoretical and practice developments. It exerted a major influence on social work practice, particularly from the 1940s to the 1960s, when it was the dominant social casework approach, particularly on the East Coast. Its goals were to restore, maintain, and enhance the personal and social functioning of individuals through mobilizing strengths; supporting coping capacities; building self-esteem; modifying dysfunctional patterns of thinking, feeling, and relating to others; linking people to necessary resources; and alleviating environmental stressors. Although it originally incorporated Freudian and ego psychological concepts, it has always drawn on both psychological and social theories. As new practice models developed in the 1960s, the psychosocial framework waned in importance, but it later underwent a resurgence. It continued to occupy an important place among an expanded repertoire of approaches and contributed to the generation of some of the newer practice models, such as crisis intervention. In recent years there have been numerous extensions to the psychosocial framework, which continues to be used widely by social work practitioners, particularly those who consider themselves to be clinical social workers. It may be more accurate today to describe the psychosocial framework as a perspective that guides practice rather than as a discrete practice model. Nevertheless, it does rely on a core of theoretical concepts and practice principles.
Ecological Framework
Authors: Kemp Susan P.
Published: May 2010

Ecology, the study of the relationships between organisms and their environments, is a vibrant interdisciplinary field encompassing both the natural and the social sciences. In the social sciences, ecological theories, research, and intervention models focus on the complex, dynamic, and reciprocal relationships between human organisms and a range of environmental contexts, from family and immediate milieu to larger sociocultural, political, and institutional arrangements. Conceptually, the ecological framework is a broad, overarching paradigm or metatheory, bridging several fields of theory and research, and orienting practitioners and researchers to the importance of integrative, multilevel, and multidimensional approaches to person-environment relationships. Despite concerns that it is overly abstract and difficult to operationalize and use systematically in practice, the ecological (or ecological systems) framework has been widely influential, informing a range of practice and research applications and a growing interdisciplinary body of research literature. In social work, three lines of ecological inquiry have been particularly influential: sociological and community psychological approaches to community research and human ecology, theories and models grounded in general systems and ecological theories, and applications of Urie Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecological theory. Recently, interest has been growing in holistic, justice-centered, and non-Western ecological frameworks. This bibliographic summary provides guidance on theoretical and applied work in these four areas, focusing primarily on developments since the 1970s. In addition to social work resources, materials are included that point readers to promising developments in ecological science in neighboring disciplines, including community, developmental, and environmental psychology; public health; geography; urban planning; and landscape architecture.
Management and Administration in Social Work
Authors: Jaskyte Kristina
Published: May 2010

In human service organizations, administrative and managerial positions often overlap and require skills from both domains, and so it is important to have a clear understanding about what each concept entails. Administration is concerned more with determination of organizational policies, coordination of finances, service provision, and setting the direction of the organization, whereas management is concerned with the execution of policies set up by the administration and the supervision of subordinates. Administrators perform policy and decision-making functions at the executive level, and managers implement those policies and decisions to achieve the organization's goals and objectives (see Kettner 2002 in Introductory Works). Management activities can be grouped into five components: planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating, and controlling. Because 33 percent of social workers work for government and 66 percent for nonprofit and for-profit private organizations, this entry provides resources for social work managers working in public, nonprofit, and private organizations. Additionally, because social work management can occur at different organizational levels, this review discusses not only upper-level social work management and administration but also middle-level management, or supervision.