bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeted deletion of B2-kinin receptors protects against the development of diabetic nephropathy
Authors: Tan Yan , Keum Joo-Seob , Wang Bing , McHenry M. Brent , Lipsitz Stuart R. , Jaffa Ayad A.
Published: June 2007

Diabetic nephropathy (DN), the leading cause of end-stage renal failure, is clinically manifested by albuminuria and a progressive decline in glomerular filtration rate. The factors and mechanisms that contribute to progression of DN are still undefined. To address the contribution of B2-kinin receptors (B2KR) to the development of DN, we studied B2KR knockout mice (B2KR−/−) and their wild-type littermates (B2KR+/+). Diabetes was induced by daily injections of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg body wt) for 3–5 days. A total of 48 mice divided into 4 groups were used: group 1, wild-type control (B2KR+/+C); group 2, wild-type diabetic (B2KR+/+D); group 3, B2KR knockout control (B2KR−/−C); and group 4, B2KR knockout diabetic (B2KR−/−D). Glucose levels and albumin excretion rate (AER) were measured at predetermined intervals. Half of the mice were killed at 3 mo, and the remaining half, at 6 mo. Plasma glucose levels were markedly elevated in both B2KR+/+D and B2KR−/−D groups of mice compared with their controls. Diabetic B2KR−/−mice displayed reduced AER as well as reduced glomerular and tubular injury compared with diabetic B2KR+/+mice. The renoprotection conferred by deletion of B2KR was associated with increased renal expression of B1-kinin and angiotensin II AT2receptors and decreased expression of connective tissue growth factor. At a cellular level, our findings demonstrate that bradykinin downregulates the expression of AT2receptors in mesangial cells. These findings provide the first evidence that targeted deletion of B2KR protects against the development of DN.
Role of Auditory Cortex in Sound Localization in the Midsagittal Plane
Authors: Bizley Jennifer K. , Nodal Fernando R. , Parsons Carl H. , King Andrew J.
Published: June 2007

Although the auditory cortex is known to be essential for normal sound localization in the horizontal plane, its contribution to vertical localization has not so far been examined. In this study, we measured the acuity with which ferrets could discriminate between two speakers in the midsagittal plane before and after silencing activity bilaterally in the primary auditory cortex (A1). This was achieved either by subdural placement of Elvax implants containing the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol or by making aspiration lesions after determining the approximate location of A1 electrophysiologically. Psychometric functions and minimum audible angles were measured in the upper hemifield for 500-, 200-, and 40-ms noise bursts. Muscimol-Elvax inactivation of A1 produced a small but significant deficit in the animals’ ability to localize brief (40-ms) sounds, which was reversed after removal of the Elvax implants. A similar deficit in vertical localization was observed after bilateral aspiration lesions of A1, whereas performance at longer sound durations was unaffected. Another group of ferrets received larger lesions, encompassing both primary and nonprimary auditory cortical areas, and showed a greater deficit with performance being impaired for long- and short-duration (500- and 40-ms, respectively) stimuli. These data suggest that the integrity of the auditory cortex is required to successfully utilize spectral localization cues, which are thought to provide the basis for vertical localization, and that multiple cortical fields, including A1, contribute to this task.
Development of Chloride-Mediated Inhibition in Neurons of the Anteroventral Cochlear Nucleus of Gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus)
Authors: Milenković Ivan , Witte Mirko , Tureček Rostislav , Heinrich Marco , Reinert Thomas , Rübsamen Rudolf
Published: June 2007

At the initial stages in neuronal development, GABAergic and glycinergic neurotransmission exert depolarizing responses, assumed to be of importance for maturation, which in turn shift to hyperpolarizing in early postnatal life due to development of the chloride homeostasis system. Spherical bushy cells (SBC) of the mammalian cochlear nucleus integrate excitatory glutamatergic inputs with inhibitory (GABAergic and glycinergic) inputs to compute signals that contribute to sound localization based on interaural time differences. To provide a fundamental understanding of the properties of GABAergic neurotransmission in mammalian cochlear nucleus, we investigated the reversal potential of the GABA-evoked currents ( EGABA) by means of gramicidin-perforated-patch recordings in developing SBC. The action of GABA switches from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing by the postnatal day 7 due to the negative shift in EGABA. Furthermore, we studied the expression pattern of the K+-Cl−-extruding cotransporter KCC2, previously shown to induce a switch from neonatal Cl− efflux to the mature Cl− influx in various neuron types, thereby causing a shift from depolarizing to hyperpolarizing GABA action. The KCC2 protein is expressed in SBC already at birth, yet its activity is attained toward the end of the first postnatal week as indicated by pharmacological inhibition. Interruption of the Cl− extrusion by [(dihydroindenyl)oxy] alkanoic acid or furosemide gradually shifted EGABA in positive direction with increasing maturity, suggesting that KCC2 could be involved in maintaining low [Cl−]i after the postnatal day 7 thereby providing the hyperpolarizing Cl−-mediated inhibition in SBC.
Existence Theory for Integrodifferential Equations and Henstock-Kurzweil Integral in Banach Spaces
Authors: Sikorska-Nowak Aneta
Published: June 2007

We prove existence theorems for the integrodifferential equationx'(t)=f(t,x(t),∫0tk(t,s,x(s))ds),x(0)=x0,t∈Ia=[0,a],a>0, wheref,k,xare functions with values in a Banach spaceEand the integral is taken in the sense of HL. Additionally, the functionsfandksatisfy certain boundary conditions expressed in terms of the measure of noncompactness.
Power Consumption and BER of Flip-Flop Inserted Global Interconnect
Authors: Xu Jingye , Roy Abinash , Chowdhury Masud H.
Published: June 2007

In nanometer scale integrated circuits, concurrent insertion of repeaters and sequential
elements into the global interconnect lines has been proposed to support multicycle
communication—a concept known as interconnect pipelining. The design targets
of an interconnect-pipelining scheme are to ensure high reliability, low-power consumption, and
less delay cycles. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of the reliability in terms of bit error
rate (BER) and the power consumption of wire-pipelining scheme. In this analysis,
the dependencies of power consumption and BER on the number of inserted flip-flops,
and the size of repeaters are illustrated. To trade off the design targets (wire delay, BER,
and power consumption), a methodology is developed to optimize the repeater size and
the number of flip-flops inserted which maximize a user-specified figure of merit.
The methodology is demonstrated by calculating optimal solutions for interconnect pipelining
for some International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductor technology nodes.
Pharmacotherapies for Diabetic Retinopathy: Present and Future
Authors: Schwartz Stephen G. , Flynn Harry W.
Published: June 2007

Diabetic retinopathy remains a major cause of worldwide preventable blindness. Measures to avoid blindness include medical management (control of blood sugar, blood pressure, and serum lipids) and ocular management (laser photocoagulation and pars plana vitrectomy). Adjunctive pharmacologic therapies (intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide and anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor agents) have shown early promise in the treatment of both diabetic macular edema and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Other medications under investigation include the fluocinolone acetonide implantable device, extended‐release dexamethasone implant, oral ruboxistaurin, and intravitreal hyaluronidase.
Stress before Puberty Exerts a Sex- and Age-Related Impact on Auditory and Contextual Fear Conditioning in the Rat
Authors: Toledo-Rodriguez Maria , Sandi Carmen
Published: June 2007

Adolescence is a period of major physical, hormonal, and psychological changes. It is also characterized by a significant increase in the incidence of psychopathologies and this increase is gender-specific. Stress during adolescence is associated with the development of psychiatric disorders later in life. In this study, we evaluated the impact of psychogenic stress (exposure to predator odor followed by placement on an elevated platform) experienced before puberty (days 28–30) on fear memories and hormonal response of male and female rats during adolescence and early adulthood. Stress before puberty impacted in a sex- and age-specific way on the responses to auditory and contextual fear conditioning in adolescence and adulthood: (a) increased conditioned fear to the tone in males during adolescence but not during adulthood; (b) impaired extinction to the tone in adult males; and (c) reduced freezing responses to the context in adolescent females. Stress before puberty did not influence the corticosterone levels 30 minutes after an additional stressor given in adulthood. These results indicate that stress experienced prior to puberty can exert a sex-related differential impact on fear-related behaviors displayed by individuals during late adolescence and early adulthood.
Conditional Expectations for Unbounded Operator Algebras
Authors: Inoue Atsushi , Ogi Hidekazu , Takakura Mayumi
Published: June 2007

Two conditional expectations in unbounded operator algebras (O∗-algebras) are discussed. One is a vector conditional expectation defined by a linear map of anO∗-algebra into the Hilbert space on which theO∗-algebra acts. This has the usual properties of conditional expectations. This was defined by Gudder and Hudson. Another is an unbounded conditional expectation which is a positive linear mapℰof anO∗-algebraℳonto a givenO∗-subalgebra𝒩ofℳ. Here the domainD(ℰ)ofℰdoes not equal toℳin general, and so such a conditional expectation is called unbounded.
A Q-Enhanced 3.6 GHz, Tunable, Sixth-Order Bandpass Filter Using 0.18 μm CMOS
Authors: Dinh Anh , Ge Jiandong
Published: June 2007

An experimental filter was designed to operate at 3.6 GHz using mainstream
0.18 μm CMOS. In the design, the Q-enhancement technique was used to overcome the low-Q characteristics of the CMOS on-chip inductors. A sixth-order bandpass filter
with a wide passband and a high image rejection was built by cascading three stages
of second-order Q-enhanced filters. A combination of three biquads with offset in center
frequency provides wider tuning frequency and bandwidth. This high-performance filter
provides a 340 MHz tunable center frequency around 3.6 GHz, an image
rejection of 50 dB and a tunable Q from 25 to 50 for a bandwidth adjustment from 95 MHz to 35
  MHz. The filter achieves an
18 dB voltage gain while consuming 130 mW of power at
1.8 V DC supply. The chip occupies an area of 900×900μm2 including all the required bonding pads. The design provides a simple
architecture to simplify tuning scheme for both frequency and bandwidth for practical use.
The tunable ability of the design could be exploited in further study to be used as
a channel-select filter in the gigahertz range.
Role of PPARs and Retinoid X Receptors in the Regulation of Lung Maturation and Development
Authors: Simon Dawn M. , Mariani Thomas J.
Published: June 2007

Understanding lung development has significant importance to public health because of the fact that interruptions in the normal developmental processes can have prominent effects on childhood and adult lung health. It is widely appreciated that the retinoic acid (RA) pathway plays an important role in lung development. Additionally, PPARs are believed to partner with receptors of this pathway and therefore could be considered extensions of retinoic acid function, including during lung development. This review will begin by introducing the relationship between the retinoic acid pathway and PPARs followed by an overview of lung development stages and regulation to conclude with details on PPARs and the retinoic acid pathway as they may relate to lung development.
Icodextrin and Seprafilm® Do Not Interfere with Colonic Anastomosis in Rats
Authors: Baca B. , Boler D.E. , Onur E. , Akca O. , Hamzaoglu I. , Karahasanoglu T. , Erdamar S. , Atukeren P. , Dirican A.
Published: June 2007

Background: Physical barriers and instilled solutions have been studied to prevent intra-abdominal adhesions. However, undesirable side effects of these substances on the healing of intestinal anastomoses may limit their use. This study was designed to compare the effects of antiadhesives on the healing of colonic anastomosis in rats. Methods: Sixty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 3 groups of 20. The animals received isotonic saline and 7.5% icodextrin, intraperitoneally after standard left colonic anastomosis. In group 3, Seprafilm® was wrapped around the anastomosis and also laid over the abdominal viscera. Half of the animals from each group were killed on postoperative day (POD) 4 and the remaining half on POD 21. Adhesion scoring, bursting pressure and tissue hydroxyproline measurements and histopathological assessment were performed. Results: Mean hydroxyproline levels were significantly higher in groups receiving icodextrin and Seprafilm compared with the control group, whereas mean bursting pressures were significantly higher in the group that received icodextrin (p < 0.05). Intraperitoneal administration of icodextrin resulted in significant reduction of adhesion formation on POD 21 (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Seprafilm does not prevent formation of adhesions as much as icodextrin does, but its effect on the healing of colonic anastomoses is similar.
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Function in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Authors: Van Den Eede Filip , Moorkens Greta , Van Houdenhove Boudewijn , Cosyns Paul , Claes Stephan J.
Published: June 2007

There is evidence for a hypofunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in a proportion of the patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), despite the negative studies and methodological difficulties. In this review, we focus on challenge studies and on the role of the HPA axis in the pathogenesis of CFS. Mild hypocortisolism, blunted adrenocorticotropin response to stressors and enhanced negative feedback sensitivity to glucocorticoids are the main findings. Several underlying mechanisms have been proposed. Currently, it is a matter of debate whether these disturbances have a primary role in the pathogenesis of CFS. However, even if the HPA axis dysfunctions are secondary to other factors, they are probably a relevant factor in symptom propagation in CFS.
Hypertensive Intracerebral Hemorrhage in the Very Elderly
Authors: Chiquete Erwin , Ruiz-Sandoval M. Carmen , Álvarez-Palazuelos Lucía E. , Padilla-Martínez Juan J. , González-Cornejo Salvador , Ruiz-Sandoval José L.
Published: June 2007

Background: The number of persons reaching the age 80 years and over is increasing in most populations. Literature focusing on hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) inthis age group is lacking. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the main clinical characteristics of ICH of the advanced old age, in the context of hypertension. Methods: From 1999 to 2003 we studied 56 hypertensive very elderly patients presenting with ICH (50% women; age 80–99 years). As controls, 168 hypertensive gender-matched persons with ICH, aged <80 years, were randomly selected by a 3:1 factor for clinical comparisons. Results: Compared with their younger counterparts, the very elderly patients had a trend for fewer cases of obesity (34 vs. 49%, p = 0.05) and diabetes mellitus (12 vs. 24%, p = 0.06), had lower systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure measures (in all, p < 0.01) and more cases with hematoma extension into ventricles (p = 0.02). Thalamic hemorrhage was more frequent in the very elderly patients than in controls (43 vs. 28%, p = 0.04). In multivariate analysis, age, Glasgow coma scale score at hospital admission, ICH volume and infratentorial location were independent predictors of inhospital mortality, in all persons combined. In the very elderly group exclusively, Glasgow coma scale score was the only factor independently associated with mortality. Conclusions: ICH occurring in hypertensive patients aged ≧80 years has several differences from that seen in younger people; however, these differences do not seem to impact on early outcome.
Effect of the Ca Antagonist Nilvadipine on Stroke Occurrence or Recurrence and Extension of Asymptomatic Cerebral Infarction in Hypertensive Patients with or without History of Stroke (PICA Study)
Authors: Shinohara Yukito , Tohgi Hideo , Hirai Shunsaku , Terashi Akiro , Fukuuchi Yasuo , Yamaguchi Takenori , Okudera Toshio
Published: June 2007

Background: We examined the effect of a Ca antagonist (nilvadipine) on the occurrence or recurrence of symptomatic stroke in hypertensive patients with MRI-defined asymptomatic cerebral infarction (ACI), periventricular hyperintensity (PVH), and deep and subcortical white matter hyperintensity (DSWMH), with or without a history of stroke, and evaluated the effect of long-term treatment on the lesions. Methods: Patients with hypertension and incidental ACI were divided into those with (group B, 235 patients) or without (group A, 181 patients) a history of symptomatic stroke, and were given nilvadipine 4–8 mg/day for 3 years. Primary evaluation points were occurrence of symptomatic ischemic stroke and development or extension of asymptomatic ischemic lesions. Results: Male sex, hyperuricemia, diabetes, maximum diameter of infarction and PVH severity were stronger risk factors for group B. Numbers of cerebral infarctions were 31 ± 28 (group A) and 42 ± 32 (group B) at enrollment (p < 0.001). Infarctions were larger and located more frequently on the internal capsule, putamen, thalamus and brainstem in group B. The severity of PVH and DSWMH paralleled the number of cerebral infarctions in both groups. Conclusion: The study design and status of asymptomatic ischemic brain lesions in hypertensive subjects at enrollment are presented.
New Challenges, New Elites? Changes in the Recruitment and Career Patterns of European Representative Elites
Authors: Best Heinrich
Published: June 2007

Long term changes in the recruitment patterns of European representative elites can be described as the aggregate result of selectorates' responses to a sequence of fundamental problems challenging polities since the emergence of modern representative political institutions in the 19th century. Recent data show that some long-term trends of (Western) European parliamentary recruitment like the increase of MPs with a public sector background have reversed or plateaued since the late 1980s. At the same time a rise in turnover, a decrease of incumbency and a growing diversity of recruitment patterns can be seen in the same group of polities. This paper explores whether and to what extent these changes are linked to changes in the party systems of Western European polities and whether new trends of parliamentary recruitment are emerging. It introduces the proposition that after the 'consensus challenge' of the post Second World War era a 'legitimacy challenge' is now shaping European legislative recruitment, increasing the value of social and cultural assets of candidates that are related to their expert-status and favouring properties signalling their moral integrity.
Noneconomic Factors in the Institutionalization of the Cold War
Authors: Horowitz Irving Louis
Published: June 2007

The problem of converting world-war industry to peacetime enterprise is being seriously posed for the first time since the outbreak of World War II. Thus far, the cen ter of concern has been the economic feasibility of the transition process for an industrial complex. There are also noneco nomic factors which produce a lag between technical know-how for the reconversion process and the practical implementation of steps toward industrial reconversion. Five major noneco nomic deterrents are: absence of consciousness of the problem of conversion; rise of new industrial activities heavily depend ent upon continuation of arms spending; belief in armaments as a bulwark of social solidarity; acculturation to patterns of secrecy and coercion; fear that industrial reconversion would lead to deterioration of the Western alliance. Under critical examination, these factors prove to be insubstantial. How ever, disarmament and conversion to peacetime industrial poli cies would have to be phased in sociologically as well as eco nomically. A policy of heavy arms expenditures has gener ated profound social and political disorientation. No major shifts in the production orientation of American industry will occur until doubts about the future of the American economy are either assuaged or overcome by still greater trepidations about the future of the human community as such.
The Growth of the World Community
Authors: Luard Evan
Published: June 2007

Although the traditional Cold War may now ap pear less menacing than it once did, there remain many conflicts inherent within the existing world scene: the divisions of emerg ing continental groups, of the new nationalism that the end of imperialism has created, and of nation classes at different levels of economic growth. Men have long dreamed of creating a powerful international authority that might subdue such con flicts, but any effective move in this direction must recognize the conditions imposed by the facts of national power and loyalty. What is required is an increase not in the power but in the influence of international bodies. This might be achieved through a more deliberate attempt by these to define and publicize principles of international conduct which international organs could consistently uphold and enforce. International activities in the field of arms control could be extended. The functional services provided by international bodies could be strengthened. Above all, more effective measures of inter national redistribution could be effected. But there must also be adjustments in the attitude and policies of the nations and individuals that constitute the international community. This may be encouraged, on the one hand, by publicity and other activities by international bodies and, on the other, by measures instituted within the national units themselves.
The Political Side of Urban Development and Redevelopment
Authors: Greer Scott , Minar David W.
Published: June 2007

The fate of planned urban development and redevelopment largely depends on the political system. In the United States, political and governmental fragmentation has crucial consequences for development in physical, social, and political ways. The federal system, whatever its virtues, raises barriers which impede accommodation. The multiplicity of local units of government, not rationally determined, under mines co-ordination, power, and responsibility. The outcome of diffusion of power and dilution of responsibility is rigidity. Urban renewal is limited by the dichotomy of public and private control, tension between federal and municipal agencies, divi sion of power between different federal agencies, and fragmen tation of power at the local community level. Any change will require some adjustments in perspective. The possibilities for change, however, do not rest upon basic changes in political norms but, rather, on experimentation in their application. In conceptions of community, for example, the units have probably been too small, applying to limited, exclusive groups organized around shared activities. These come together, partially and fortuitously, in the urban scene. In that scene, the only en compassing organization is the political community. The political side of urban development and redevelopment is inescapable.—Ed.
City Schools
Authors: Sexton Patricia Cayo
Published: June 2007

Though other issues exist, the basic issues and problems in city schools arise from a conflict of interests be tween haves and have-nots. Race appears as a subdimension of the larger problem. The major contours of this engagement are seen at the federal level where the power exists to make governing decisions about school financing and in state govern ment where conservative and usually anticity interests domi nate. It is seen in a dimmer but far more explosive form in the city itself where have-nots, mainly Negroes, are pressing demands for school equity. Class lines are somewhat redrawn within liberal city governments and school systems. Negro demands give the illusion that the issue is strictly racial al though, in fact, the educational and political interests of other have-not and liberal leadership groups run parallel and converge more often than they diverge.
From Bossism to Cosmopolitanism: Changes in the Relationship of Urban Leadership to State Politics
Authors: Havard William C.
Published: June 2007

Political bossism in American cities developed as a pragmatic response to the rise of American urbanism. Its political style developed out of a combination of the new direc tions of American society as it entered the age of enterprise and of the existing political system which was geared to a rural, decentralized mode of life. The power structure of bossism was based on a twofold relationship maintained by the city machine: the patron-client relation with blocs of voters—par ticularly ethnic minorities—and a brokerage relationship with business. Relations with state government were directed more toward the maintenance of control over the city than to sub stantive government policy. The appropriate political response to an urban, technological society came with the reorganization of national politics by Franklin Roosevelt and the institution of New Deal economic and social reform. This change affected urban politics by making it increasingly pluralistic and program- oriented. The new style of urban politics may be called a cosmopolitan politics, and it strongly affected, if indeed it did not dominate, state politics in most places. The city of New Orleans is a special case of the development of a cosmopolitan style of urban politics out of an earlier bossism within a state which has not yet assimilated to cosmopolitan politics.
Aid to Families with Dependent Children: The Basic Service
Authors: Wiltse Kermit T.
Published: June 2007

The Aid to Families with Dependent Children program, which began in 1935 with the passage of the Social Security Act, has steadily increased in number of families and children served, reaching nearly a million families, in cluding over three million children, at the beginning of 1964. This program was aimed primarily at the problem of children left dependent by reason of death, incapacity, or continued absence from home of the parent who usually provided the family's means of support. The whole purpose of the program is not served by mere provision of financial aid to families who meet the requirements of eligibility, however. There has always been a concern that receipt of this form of aid have a constructive effect upon the lives of the families and children who are recipients of it. The 1962 amendments to the Social Security Act ushered in a new era of federal leadership and financial contribution to increase the emphasis upon social services to the families receiving this form of public aid. In a very real sense, the AFDC program is becoming the corner- stone of a multifaceted public family and child welfare program of aid and social services that is reaching into every locality of the nation and its territories.
The Leadership of the Universities
Authors: Taylor George E.
Published: June 2007

University initiative in the development of non- Western studies stemmed from a scholarly conviction that long-term academic neglect must be overcome, reinforced by the external challenges of World War II. Even before substantial aid was forthcoming from foundations and the federal government, the academic world had taken basic steps to incorporate the non-Western world within its purview. This was done, often with foundation help, largely under the auspices of the Social Science Research Council and the American Council of Learned Societies. When direct outside assistance came, it left to the universities the fundamental task of evolving appropriate instructional and research procedures. More especially, it left to them the maintenance of scholarly standards. The major challenge confronting non-Western studies today is to be able to develop fruitful interaction with the theoretical aspects of the various disciplines, simultaneously with the introduction of non-Western subject matter into the undergraduate curriculum.
The Negro Protest Against Segregation in the South
Authors: Cothran Tilman C.
Published: June 2007

The Negro protest against segregated public ac commodations and facilities is a reform social movement which seeks total desegregation of all facets of American life. The protest is analyzed in terms of ideology, tactics and strategy, leadership, and membership. Basic conclusions are that, al though nonviolent direct action was a successful means of mass nonco-operation with segregation, tactics were dictated by ex pediency and not by a master plan of strategy; that protest organizations conflict over tactics and credit; that biracial com mittees have become an important tactic for diminishing racial tension; that all social classes are potential sources of members for protest organizations; and that Negro leaders no longer re quire white support. While the Civil Rights Act altered the structural basis of segregation, programs to improve the indi vidual Negro are needed. Changes in the race relations pattern depend upon interracial communication, leadership unity in the white versus the Negro community, the willingness of Negroes to protest, and the racial climate within the community.
Parental Overprotection and Political Distrust
Authors: Pinner Frank A.
Published: June 2007

Comparisons of Belgian, Dutch, and French high school and university students show that Belgian and French young people exhibit more political distrust and disaffection than do the Dutch high school and university students. Also the Belgian young people show signs of parental overprotec tion while the Dutch youth have more freedom. Parental overprotection is here defined as family practices which make the world outside the family appear as hostile and treacherous. Thus, the overprotection pattern may well account for distrust of political processes and institutions. Correlational analyses within each of the nations show statistically significant but fairly low relationships between overprotection and political distrust. The interplay between individual and cultural ori entations is discussed.
The Need to Be Liked and the Anxious College Liberal
Authors: Lane Robert E.
Published: June 2007

From the material in twenty-four autobiographi cal student accounts of their political beliefs, a particular mo tivational syndrome is isolated consisting of: (1) a strong need to be liked as a person, (2) frustration induced by certain feel ings of inferiority and self-consciousness, (3) a flight into intel lectuality and drives for rational mastery. The consequent social anxiety and impaired interpersonal relations seem to produce a kind of anxious liberalism through the following mechanisms: the drive for rational mastery encourages prob lem-solving reformism; interpersonal discomfort with dominant elite figures encourages a kind of compensating identification, but not necessarily empathy, with underdogs; the need to be liked makes an ingratiating approach to distant, and often only symbolic, others attractive; and personified government is en couraged to behave, like the subjects themselves, in an ingrati ating manner.
Asian Nonalignment
Authors: Gupta Sisir K.
Published: June 2007

Asian nonalignment originated in the attitudes of Asian nationalists toward inter-European conflicts. As long as the West refused to accept nonalignment as a viable policy for the new nations of Asia, the inherent differences of attitudes and emphases in policy among them remained subdued. With the gradual acceptance of nonalignment by the great powers, the differences among the nonaligned have become manifest. A new challenge is posed to the foreign policies of the new na tions of Asia by the emergence of China as a major power. In the changed situation, the erstwhile attitudes remain only partly relevant; there is a greater awareness of the inevitable role of power in international politics. The search in Asia today is for an independent Asian balance of power. In so far as the extent of the role of non-Asian great powers in this balance re mains undetermined, a new problem exists of getting Asian non alignment accepted by outside powers.
Violent Crimes in City Gangs
Authors: Miller Walter B.
Published: June 2007

The urban street gang plays a central role in the imagery of violence currently being disseminated by the mass media. Testing the reality of this image requires careful empirical studies of actual gangs. A study involving 150 gangs in "Midcity," a slum district of an eastern metropolis, and focusing on seven gangs subject to intensive field observation, reveals marked differences between the public imagery and research-derived findings. While members of slum street gangs engaged in violent crime to a greater degree than middle- class adolescents, violence was not a central preoccupation of the gangs, and most "violent" crimes were of the less serious variety. Cruel or sadistic violence was rare; violence was seldom "senseless" or irrational. Property damage was rela tively uncommon. Participation in violent crimes had little to do with race, but was directly related to sex, age, and social status; most active were males of lower social status during late adolescence. The control of gang violence is seen to in volve techniques for altering motivations similar to those which undergird national wars.
The Escalation of Violence through Legitimation
Authors: Westley William A.
Published: June 2007

A review of the way extreme forms of violence develop reveals that it involves a three-stage process of escala tion from initial support by the public for mild violence by a special group, through support for this special group for extreme forms of violence, to the actual practice of the ex treme forms by a small number of people who enjoy it. This paradigm of the development of violence is applied to crowds, to the police, and to the concentration camp.
French National Character in the Twentieth Century
Authors: Virtanen Reino
Published: June 2007

Despite a long history as a political entity, France cannot be said to have developed a distinctive national charac ter much before the seventeenth century—a peasant, artisan, bourgeois type of character, sociable but not hospitable, pre ferring a settled existence, and inclined to fall into routine. But this is only one pole of French character. There is the opposite pole of the aristocracy, with its penchant for glory. Memories of grandeur can still be revived, although modern conditions make a return to days of grandeur impossible. Salvador de Madariaga wrote one of the most suggestive analyses of French character, showing how the French tenden cies toward rationalism, abstraction, and codification have been manifest in all fields of social life. These tendencies have been seen in the "stalemate society" of the first part of the present century. There are many signs that the national character is undergoing basic modifications. The old emphasis on status is gradually changing. Even the traditional rationalism is be coming more flexible.
Japanese Character in the Twentieth Century
Authors: Haring Douglas Gilbert
Published: June 2007

The study of Japanese personality is a character istic emphasis of postwar social sciences in Japan. H. Minami describes basic traditions of submission to the powerful and of duty as fixed obligations toward statuses, not to individuals. The family hierarchy still is the model for social relations. Obedience is the highest virtue, and clever persons manipulate obedience to private advantage. L. T. Doi described the psy chotic syndrome of amaeru that originates in a frustrated need for love from a powerful person: this disturbance is consistent with the socially imposed need for a patron. Distrust of hap piness is traditional; Minami's term for it is "Japanese maso chism." W. Caudill has shown how crowded living stresses simple pleasures: bathing, child care, and sleeping in one room; persons who cannot exclude sexual feeling from these situa tions repudiate the simple pleasure and turn to nihilism or psy chosis. Traditional giri (duties toward statuses) denies indi viduality ; the ethics of respect for individuals conflicts with submission, rejects impersonalism, and accepts happiness. In contrast with Japan's technological florescence, revision of patterns of human relations proceeds slowly.
Urban Conditions: General
Authors: Moynihan Daniel P.
Published: June 2007

Solving United States urban problems is an increasingly important concern of the public and of govern ment officials. Social science can make an important contribu tion to solutions by providing urban social indicators. Three general propositions concerning this process are: (1) Social scientists must be prepared for accusations of betrayal from proponents of causes which they have previously supported, if data conflict with objectives of such causes. (2) How indi cators are developed will influence at what level problems are resolved. (3) Social indicators will be developed by profes sors and government executives whose judgments will be based on a value-background different from that of the urban masses being measured. In the light of these propositions, four guidelines for social indicators are suggested: (1) They should be in the realm of disaggregation and correlation. (2) As they cannot be apolitical, they must be pan-political. (3) They should be concerned with the future as well as the present. (4) They should provide comparisons of local, national, and "best practice" data. The indicators should report urban conditions in three categories: (1) people as individuals— numbers, distribution, density, mobility, employment, income, behavior, health, and participation rates; (2) f amilies—un— employment and welfare statistics' correlations and "poverty neighborhood" studies; and (3) institutions—public service and voluntary organizations, business, mass media, education, and urban ecology.—Ed.
Science, Technology, and Change
Authors: McHale John
Published: June 2007

Science and technology are major change agen cies now operating on a global scale. The narrowing interval between scientific discovery, technological implementation, and social use has increased the general rate of change. Our moni toring and accounting procedures for the differential rates of such changes in various sectors of society, and for their short- and long-term consequences, are presently inadequate. The available indicators in these areas tend to be quantitative rather than qualitative. To provide more positive measures of social progress, and earlier warning of the social and en vironmental effects of new scientific-technical developments, we need to redesign our present indicator procedures. Such extended and qualitative indicators will further require inte gration, and interpretation, within a comprehensive system of social accounting.
Sexual Deviance in Contemporary America
Authors: Gagnon John H. , Simon William
Published: June 2007

Sexual deviance was traditionally seen within the framework of a society's definition of morality and sin; today it is being viewed from the vantage point of the soci ety's definition of mental health and emotional disturbance. A typology of categories of sex deviance is suggested, using three variables: incidence or frequency, the level of invoked sanctions, and the existence of a specialized social structure that may arise out of the deviant behavior or may be neces sary to support it. It is suggested that the deviant sub cultures do not attain their new adherents by recruitment, but rather by enlistment. Several shifts in the patterns of deviant behavior are noted.
Timidity, Conformity, and the Search for Personal Identity
Authors: Martindale Don
Published: June 2007

Throughout America's historical development to the 1930's, Americans were repeatedly characterized as outgoing, optimistic, and self-confident. The Great Depression brought a dependence on the collective which modified these qualities. Despite the affluence of the postwar period, there has been no return to the old type of individualism. Timidity, conformity, and uncertainty as to personal identity have characterized increasing numbers of Americans in the post-depression era. The crisis in the self-concept of Americans is traced to various structural changes dramatized by the crisis of the 1930's and associated with the rise of the mass society: the destruction of local autonomy; the rise of mass industry; the changed position of youth; and the role of the individual in large-scale organizations.
Changing Styles in Art and Entertainment
Authors: Heckscher August
Published: June 2007

Styles in art change; for art is not a search for abstract beauty but bears a relation to the times of which it is born. Unlike science, it does not embody the idea of progress, contenting itself with giving coherence and form to a particular epoch. Our own epoch is marked by complexity, discontinuity, movement. And our art is what it is through an expression of these qualities. Contemporary art is particularly responsive to the values and influences of the day. For it is essentially a public art. It may be obscure or vulgar, but it reflects, and it in turn shapes, a vital social order.
Budgeting for Federal Responsibilities
Authors: Zwick Charles J.
Published: June 2007

The budget is one of the government's most important documents. It presents the President's recom mendations for the programs and financial plans of the federal government for the coming year. Above all, the budget re flects a series of difficult choices. It is the Congress' respon sibility to take these recommendations, to consider them, and to accept, reject, or modify them. For the Congress to do its job, the budget document must be understandable and must contribute to the public dialogue necessary for making intel ligent policy. The new budget format introduced this year should lead to clearer understanding of the President's financial plans. As it matures, the Planning-Programming-Budgeting System (PPBS) should help to achieve a more systematic approach to the decision-making involved in putting together and evaluating the President's financial plans. The executive branch in the last few years has taken important steps in an effort to improve its performance in budget-formulation. Congress, by employing budgetary ceilings, has demonstrated that it, too, is searching for new means to exercise its respon sibilities. But recent practice has diluted the congressional role. It seems inevitable, therefore, that Congress will evolve new ways to consider the President's budget recommendations.
The Need for a Reappraisal of American Tax Policies
Authors: Kriz Miroslav A.
Published: June 2007

American tax policies are in need of reappraisal and reform. The ratio of our total taxes to the gross national product (GNP) is lower than the ratio of many other leading nations, but we place an unduly high responsibility on personal and corporation income taxes for revenue. Other nations commonly rely much more heavily on indirect taxes. Not only do the countries of western Europe draw upon indirect taxes to a greater extent than we do; they also provide tax conces sions to European business firms which give them a tax ad vantage over American firms. Here personal income tax imposes serious burdens on the middle- and upper-income population; income tax is levied at high rates which burden business; depreciation and investment allowances are com paratively low. The wisdom of income tax reductions as a spur to economic growth was demonstrated by the Kennedy- Johnson tax-abatement programs. Now we are faced with tax increases to meet the challenge of war finance and infla tion. In such a situation, we should keep in mind our long- range needs and the desirability of income tax cuts to strengthen our competitive position in world trade and to im prove our investment climate. We should also consider the economic advantages of a form of indirect taxation which is spreading over Europe. This is the value-added tax.
The Problems We Face: An Introductory Comment
Authors: Kohler Foy D.
Published: June 2007

During the next decade, the United States will be facing new global problems unimaginable a few years ago. In attempting to foresee these problems, there are two uncertain factors: (1) the extent of domestic problems' effects on our international role and (2) the extent of isolationist trends engendered by the waning "devil" theory of communism and by the frustrations resulting from the Vietnam war. The realities of the 1970's should include: a continued bipolar world; attempts by the two superpowers to alter international power relationships; greater co-operation between them in areas where neither has an overriding interest; further narrowing of the gap between the superpowers and the secondary powers; greater influence of China in Asia, counterbalanced by her internal struggles and the influence of Japan and India; gravitation of the regional alliances toward politico-economic rather than military objectives; proliferation of nuclear weapons, increasing world instability; widening of the gap between the developed and less-developed nations, with resultant tensions and population problems; increased multilateral aid, accompanied by self-help; and intensified trade and balance-of-payments difficulties. Great change, with potential dangers, will be the keynote of the next decade, but change and opportunity go hand-in-hand. Bold, effective leadership will be needed to deal with the challenges of the 1970's.—Ed.
Foreign Policy and Diplomatic Initiative in Washington
Authors: Lazorchick Daniel C.
Published: June 2007

The formulation of foreign policy and much diplomatic initiative in Washington are shifting perceptibly from the Department of State to various other agencies of the executive branch, including some with only secondary responsibilities in the field of foreign affairs. This is a development with serious implications for a nation having world-wide leadership responsibilities which can be neither shifted nor shirked. The principal cause of this development is the 1954 reform providing that the vast majority of officer positions within the Department of State be manned on a rotational basis by Foreign Service officers. A combination of administrative and "human" considerations militates against the effective implementation of the reform and undermines the policy-formulation process in ways apparently not foreseen by the Wriston Task Force or fully appreciated by those charged with the over-all responsibility of directing the affairs of the Department of State.