bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Latanoprost on Blood-Retinal Barrier Permeability in Rabbits
Authors: Kitaya Norihiko , Mori Fumihiko , Hikichi Taiichi , Takahashi Junichi , Yoshida Akitoshi
Published: August 2003

Purpose: To investigate the effect of latanoprost (LP) on the inward and outward permeability (Pin and Pout) of the blood-retinal barrier (BRB). Methods: Four New Zealand white rabbits received topical LP (0.005%) once daily for 3 weeks in one eye and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) in the fellow eye (topical group). Five New Zealand white rabbits were injected intravitreously with LP (0.1 ml, 0.005%) in one eye and PBS (0.1 ml) in the fellow eye (injection group). In the injection group, vitreous fluorophotometry (VFP) to estimate the Pin and differential vitreous fluorophotometry (DVF) to estimate the Pout were performed 60 min after LP was injected. After the baseline measurements, VFP and DVF were performed 60 and 180 min after intravenous injection of sodium fluorescein, respectively. Fluorescein (F) and fluorescein monoglucuronide (FG) concentrations were obtained by DVF, and the F/FG ratio was calculated as an index of the Pout. Results: In the topical group, there were no significant differences in the Pin or F/FG ratio between the LP- and the PBS-treated eyes. In the injection group, the Pin in the LP-treated eyes was significantly higher than in PBS-treated eyes (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the F/FG ratio between the two groups. Conclusion: Although we cannot exclude the effect of differences in species, the physiologic effect of LP, which increased the Pin, was seen in experimental studies. Because antiglaucoma drugs are generally used over an extended period, further clinical studies of the effect of LP on the BRB should be performed in patients who have BRB breakdown, such as in uveitis, and in patients who are pseudophakic and aphakic.
Three Novel Mutations in the X-Linked Juvenile Retinoschisis (XLRS1) Gene in 6 Japanese Patients, 1 of Whom Had Turner’s Syndrome
Authors: Sato Masaki , Oshika Tetsuro , Kaji Yuuichi , Nose Harumi
Published: August 2003

We examined the XLRS1 gene for mutations in 6 Japanese patients with X-linked juvenile retinoschisis from a total of three families (5 males and 1 female), and from 3 obligate carrier females. DNA was amplified for all six coding exons of the XLRS1 gene with established primer pairs, and was sequenced directly. Each family had a different mutation, Trp96stop, 522+1g→a, and Lys167Asn in the XLRS1 gene. Affected patients had a hemizygous mutant allele while the obligate carrier females were heterozygotes who had both wild-type and mutant-type alleles. A proband female, who was the offspring of asymptomatic and nonconsanguineous parents, was found to have a chromosomal karyotype (45, X) that was indicative of Turner’s syndrome. These three different mutations in the XLRS1 gene have not been previously reported. Further studies are needed to determine the relationship between these defects in the XLRS1 gene and the phenotypic expression of the disease.
Cells Derived from Regenerated Endothelium of the Porcine Coronary Artery Contain More Oxidized Forms of Apolipoprotein-B-100 without a Modification in the Uptake of Oxidized LDL
Authors: Kennedy Simon , Fournet-Bourguignon Marie-Pierre , Breugnot Christine , Castedo-Delrieu Maria , Lesage Ludovic , Reure Hélène , Briant Cyril , Leonce Stephane , Vilaine Jean-Paul , Vanhoutte Paul M.
Published: August 2003

Increased accumulation of lipoproteins and cholesterol within cells from regenerated endothelium may be responsible for their reported dysfunction. This study compared the presence and uptake of oxidized forms of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in cells derived from native and regenerated endothelium. Four weeks after balloon denudation, primary cultures of native and regenerated endothelial cells were prepared from porcine coronary arteries. Regenerated endothelium stained more strongly using an antibody against oxidized lipoproteins. The increase in oxidized forms of apolipoprotein-B-100 exhibited by cells from regenerated endothelium was not due to an increase in extracellular-induced oxidation of native LDL, measured as the production of thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances, being identical in both cell types. Intracellular cholesterol and cholesterol ester content were unchanged in regenerated cells. Using flow cytometry, accumulation of oxidized LDL was investigated further by quantifying the uptake of a mildly oxidized preparation of 1,1’-dioctadecyl-3,3,3’,3-tetramethyl-indocarbocyanine perchlorate-labelled LDL. The parameters of uptake, EC50 and Emax, were not different between cells from native and regenerated endothelium suggesting that the number of LOX-1 receptors was identical in the two cell types. Moreover, a negative correlation between the increased uptake of acetylated LDL and decreased cGMP production in response to bradykinin was observed in cells from regenerated endothelium. Thus, the increased incorporation of modified LDL and their intracellular oxidation could be responsible for the alteration in NO production. The presence of oxidized forms of LDL may be a marker of endothelium regeneration and could be involved in the endothelial dysfunction of pig coronary arteries 4 weeks after balloon denudation.
Effect of Angiotensin II Receptor Blocker on Plasma Levels of TGF-β1 and Interstitial Fibrosis in Hypertensive Kidney Transplant Patients
Authors: El-Agroudy Amgad E. , Hassan Nabil A. , Foda Mohamed A. , Ismail Amani M. , El-Sawy Essam A. , Mousa Omar , Ghoneim Mohamed A.
Published: August 2003

Background/Aim: Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is involved in the pathogenesis of chronic allograft nephropathy after kidney transplantation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the angiotensin receptor blocker losartan on TGF-β1 plasma levels and proteinuria in hypertensive transplant recipients. Methods: A total of 162 transplant recipients were included in the study. The patients were randomized into 3 groups: group 1 received losartan; group II received an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (captopril), and group III received a calcium channel blocker (amlodipine). All the parameters were recorded at the time of therapy initiation and at 1, 4 and 12 weeks and 12 months thereafter. Graft biopsy before the start and at the end of the study was done to evaluate histopathological progression. Results: Blood pressure was controlled in the 3 groups; however, the need for other antihypertensive agents was significant in groups I and II. Treatment with losartan significantly decreased the plasma level of TGF-β1, 24-hour urinary protein and serum uric acid (p < 0.05). No significant changes were seen in the hemoglobin or serum potassium levels. The rate of histopathological progression was significantly lower in the losartan group. No patient was discharged from the study due to side effects. Conclusions: After transplantation all drugs were able to control blood pressure with good safety and tolerability. The study demonstrates that ARB significantly decreases the plasma levels of TGF-β1, proteinuria and uric acid. These results could play an important and decisive role in the treatment and prevention of chronic allograft nephropathy.
Heparanase Expression and Angiogenesis in Endometrial Cancer
Authors: Watanabe Minoru , Aoki Yoichi , Kase Hiroaki , Tanaka Kenichi
Published: August 2003

Human heparanase has been shown to function in tumor progression, metastatic spread, and tumor angiogenesis. The aim of the present study was to assess heparanase expression in endometrial cancer in correlation with neovascularization and clinicopathological factors. Forty endometrial cancers were obtained from previously untreated patients (median age 55.5, range 33–78 years). The expression of heparanase mRNA was evaluated using a semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Tumor angiogenesis was assessed using microvessel counting. The Mann-Whitney U test, one-factor ANOVA test, and Spearman’s test were used to determine the relationship between heparanase expression, microvessel density, and clinicopathological parameters. The expression of heparanase mRNA was detected in 20 of 40 (50%) endometrial cancers, and was significantly correlated with FIGO stage IIIc (p = 0.0075), the presence of lymph-vascular space involvement (p = 0.0041), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.0049), and histological tumor grade (p = 0.0030). Microvessel density was also associated with FIGO stage IIIc (p = 0.027), the presence of lymph-vascular space involvement (p = 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.038), ovarian metastasis (p = 0.030) and histological tumor grade (p = 0.0030). Moreover, we found a strong positive correlation between heparanase expression and microvessel density (r2 = 0.475, p = 0.0001). These results suggest that the expression of heparanase may influence different malignant behaviors in endometrial cancer.
The Effects of Sevelamer and Calcium Acetate on Proxies of Atherosclerotic and Arteriosclerotic Vascular Disease in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Chertow Glenn M. , Raggi Paolo , McCarthy James T. , Schulman Gerald , Silberzweig Jeffrey , Kuhlik Amy , Goodman William G. , Boulay Amy , Burke Steven K. , Toto Robert D.
Published: August 2003

Background: We recently determined that in hemodialysis patients, the use of calcium salts to correct hyperphosphatemia led to progressive coronary artery and aortic calcification as determined by sequential electron beam tomography (EBT) while the use of the non-calcium-containing binder sevelamer did not. Whether the specific calcium preparation (acetate vs. carbonate) might influence the likelihood of progressive calcification was debated. Methods: To determine whether treatment with calcium acetate was specifically associated with hypercalcemia and progressive vascular calcification, we conducted an analysis restricted to 108 hemodialysis patients randomized to calcium acetate or sevelamer and followed for one year. Results: The reduction in serum phosphorus was roughly equivalent with both agents (calcium acetate –2.5 ± 1.8 mg/dl vs. sevelamer –2.8 ± 2.0 mg/dl, p = 0.53). Subjects given calcium acetate were more likely to develop hypercalcemia (defined as an albumin-corrected serum calcium ≧10.5 mg/dl) (36 vs. 13%, p = 0.015). Treatment with calcium acetate (mean 4.6 ± 2.1 g/day – equivalent to 1.2 ± 0.5 g of elemental calcium) led to a significant increase in EBT-determined calcification of the coronary arteries (mean change 182 ± 350, median change +20, p = 0.002) and aorta (mean change 181 ± 855, median change +73, p < 0.0001). These changes were similar in magnitude to those seen with calcium carbonate. There were no significant changes in calcification among sevelamer-treated subjects. Conclusion: Despite purported differences in safety and efficacy relative to calcium carbonate, calcium acetate led to hypercalcemia and progressive vascular calcification in hemodialysis patients.
Highly Effective Non-Viral Gene Transfer into Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells of Cultured Resistance Arteries Demonstrated by Genetic Inhibition of Sphingosine-1-Phosphate-Induced Vasoconstriction
Authors: Bolz Steffen-Sebastian , Pohl Ulrich
Published: August 2003

The linkage of vascular genes to specific functions will lead to a better understanding of cardiovascular pathophysiology. We developed an experimental model that enables the introduction of one or multiple gene(s) into vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) of isolated resistance arteries. Exposure of the arteries to a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-encoding plasmid in combination with the transfectant Effectene® for 20 h resulted in the expression of GFP in virtually all VSMCs in the arterial wall at fully preserved vascular function. For functional validation of the model, plasmids encoding the specific RhoA inhibitors C3 transferase or N19RhoA were transfected. In subsequent functional tests, inhibition of RhoA-dependent constriction induced by sphingosine-1-phosphate was similar to that in arteries treated with exogenous C3 transferase protein or the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632. Responses to norepinephrine remained unaffected. This novel transfection technique enables gene function to be assessed in direct conjunction with signalling pathways in vascular tissue and provides, therefore, a new tool for microvascular proteomics.
Collagen Biomechanics in Cerebral Arteries and Bifurcations Assessed by Polarizing Microscopy
Authors: Rowe Andrea J. , Finlay Helen M. , Canham Peter B.
Published: August 2003

Collagen is the main matrix protein of the artery wall. We have used the known correlation between collagen birefringence and its mechanical properties to assess the wall structural integrity in brain arteries and their bifurcation regions, which are the sites of formation of saccular aneurysms. Segments of 28 brain arteries, including bifurcations, were pressure fixed and sectioned in one of three orthogonal planes. Measurements were taken by polarizing microscopy of the birefringence of collagen fibers at the apex of bifurcations and in the main layers of the artery wall – adventitia, media and intima. Dimensional data were obtained of the layers in order to estimate wall properties. Along the apex of the flow divider we measured a narrow band of collagen (birefringence 30% higher than the adjacent adventitia) providing strength and stiffness in that region. There is a thin cell-free outer layer of the tunica media (mean thickness 11 µm) comprised of densely packed coaligned collagen with high birefringence. From the fiber birefringence and directional alignment of the individual layers we calculated that the adventitia contributes about one third of circumferential and almost all of longitudinal strength of intracranial arteries.
Effect of Isoflurane on Skin-Pressure-Induced Vasodilation
Authors: Fizanne Lionel , Fromy Bérengère , Preckel Marie-Pierre , Sigaudo-Roussel Dominique , Saumet Jean Louis
Published: August 2003

Since general anesthesia has been shown to attenuate endothelium-dependent vasodilation, it was of interest to verify whether general anesthesia would modify skin vasodilation in response to local pressure application, which is endothelium dependent. To study the effect of general anesthesia on pressure-induced vasodilation development, we examined the effects of low- and high-dose isoflurane. Skin blood flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry during 11.1 Pa s–1 increases in locally applied pressure in anesthetized rats treated with low or high doses of isoflurane. Following the administration of low doses of isoflurane, skin blood flow increased from baseline, with increasing local pressure application (+37 ± 10% at 2.0 kPa). The increase in skin blood flow was absent in rats treated with high doses (–20 ± 5% at 2.0 kPa), even when the anesthesia-induced hypotension was corrected by gelofusine infusion (–20 ± 10% at 2.0 kPa). Whereas sodium-nitroprusside-induced vasodilation developed following low and high doses of isoflurane, acetylcholine-induced vasodilation was impaired with high doses compared to low doses. These data show that pressure-induced vasodilation is abolished with high doses of anesthetics. It is not the anesthesia-induced hypotension, but the depth of anesthesia, which can lead to the disappearance of pressure-induced vasodilation by an alteration in endothelial function.
Effects of Erythropoietin-Gene Electrotransfer in Rats with Adenine-Induced Renal Failure
Authors: Ataka Ken , Maruyama Hiroki , Neichi Tomohiro , Miyazaki Jun-ichi , Gejyo Fumitake
Published: August 2003

Background: We previously demonstrated that erythropoietin (Epo) expression increases in five-sixths nephrectomized rats, after muscle-targeted gene transfer by in vivo electroporation, using plasmid DNA expressing rat Epo (pCAGGS-Epo). Here, we apply this method to a rat model with severe anemia associated with chronic renal failure; these rats have hematocrit levels in the 30–35% range, similar to those in humans with end-stage renal disease. Methods: Wistar rats were treated to produce adenine-induced uremia. The uremic rats were then treated with muscle-targeted gene transfer using pCAGGS-Epo. Some uremic rats died from chronic renal failure; one of these was dissected, and the kidneys were histologically examined. For the remaining rats, we measured body weight and blood pressure, and obtained blood samples regularly. Results: The uremic rats showed severe anemia, with hematocrit levels at 32.6 ± 3.3%. Epo-gene transfer increased Epo expression and serum Epo levels, and also increased the hematocrit levels to 64.5 ± 4.8%. The dose of pCAGGS-Epo used in this study did not induce severe hypertension. Conclusions: Continuous Epo-gene expression improves the anemia associated with chronic renal failure, and without severe side effects. Our results support the potential use of gene electrotransfer for human gene therapy applications.
Oxidant Preconditioning Protects Human Proximal Tubular Cells against Lethal Oxidant Injury via p38 MAPK and Heme Oxygenase-1
Authors: Lee H. Thomas , Xu Hua , Ota-Setlik Ayuko , Emala Charles W.
Published: August 2003

Ischemic preconditioning protects the kidney from subsequent ischemic injury but the signal transduction pathways involved are unknown. Human proximal tubular (HK-2) cells were protected from injury with 2.5 mM H2O2 by preconditioning with a single 15-min exposure to 500 µM H2O2 followed by 16 h of recovery (oxidant preconditioning). To identify the signaling pathways involved in oxidant preconditioning, we utilized inhibitors of several signaling intermediates (MAPK/ERK kinase I, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), protein kinase C and tyrosine kinase). A rapid but transient increase in p38 MAPK was observed following oxidant preconditioning and an inhibitor of p38 MAPK (SB203580) abolished the protection provided by oxidant preconditioning. Oxidant preconditioning was also associated with heat shock protein-27 phosphorylation (by p38 MAPK) and an increased synthesis of heme oxygenease-1 (HO-1). Stimulation or inhibition of HO-1 with hemin or Zn(II) protoporphyrin IX, respectively, mimicked or abolished oxidant preconditioning-mediated cytoprotection. Inhibitors of new protein synthesis (cycloheximide) and gene transcription (actinomycin D) also blocked the cytoprotection by oxidant preconditioning. We conclude that oxidant preconditioning protects HK-2 cells against more severe oxidant injury via activation of signaling pathways that include p38 MAPK and increased synthesis of HO-1.
Late Onset of Diabetic Nephropathy in Spontaneously Diabetic GK Rats
Authors: Sato Nahoko , Komatsu Koji , Kurumatani Hajimu
Published: August 2003

Background/Aim: Prolonged exposure to hyperglycemia is one of the key factors to induce progressive diabetic nephropathy in humans. We examined whether or not the same phenomenon is observed in a nonobese type 2 diabetes model, in Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats. Methods: Urine and serum samples from GK and Wistar rats were collected to measure biochemical parameters of the renal function. The kidneys of these animals were histopathologically and immunohistochemically analyzed. Results: Moderate hyperglycemia was sustained in GK rats during the experimental period. Noticeable morphological changes in the kidneys such as segmental glomerulosclerosis and tubulointerstitial fibrosis were observed only at 24 months of age. The expression of alpha smooth muscle actin and type IV collagen in glomeruli and tubulointerstitium was increased at 12 months of age and later. The macrophage infiltration was increased in parallel with the progression of renal lesions. The excretion of urinary protein in GK rats was increased only at 24 months of age. Moreover, the functional and morphological changes in Wistar rats were less severe than in age-matched GK rats. Conclusions: We conclude that renal changes of GK rats at a late stage were similar to those of progressive human diabetic nephropathy and that prolonged hyperglycemia may play a more crucial role in inducing progressive diabetic nephropathy than aging and obesity.
Effect of High Glucose on Basal Intracellular Calcium Regulation in Rat Mesangial Cell
Authors: Song Joon Ho , Jung Sang Yong , Hong Seong Bin , Kim Moon-Jae , Suh Chang Kook
Published: August 2003

Background: A number of cellular mechanisms are critically dependent on intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis. A sustained increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) is capable of activating a number of potentially harmful processes including phenotype change to secretory type, dysregulated cell proliferation, and cell injury and death. Mesangial cells (MCs) play an important role in the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy. Methods: We evaluated the effect of high glucose on basal [Ca2+]i in the unstimulated state and identified its contributing pathways. MCs were isolated and cultured from Sprague-Dawley rats. [Ca2+]i was measured by fluorometric technique with fura-2AM. Results: In a dose-dependent manner, superfusion of MCs with Tyrode’s solution containing high glucose (30 and 50 mM) induced a delayed spontaneous increase in [Ca2+]i, which was not found in those with normal (5.5 mM) glucose or mannitol. The high glucose-induced increase in [Ca2+]ioccurred through transmembrane influx of extracellular Ca2+ and was blocked by SKF96365, an inhibitor of store-operated Ca2+ influx. Na+-Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) activity, a major channel regulating basal [Ca2+]i, and the clearing ability of intracellular Ca2+ were depressed after MCs were cultured in high-glucose medium. Western blot analysis revealed the decreased expression of a 70-kD NCX protein in MCs cultured in high-glucose medium. Conclusions: A high-glucose concentration induced a spontaneous increase in basal [Ca2+]i of MCs without stimulation. There was a decrease in the activity of NCX in the high-glucose condition, which seems to occur at the level of protein expression. The present results provide a novel insight into the mechanisms of diabetic nephropathy in that intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis is an important secondary messenger and a mediator in hormonal signaling.
Podocyte Biology and the Emerging Understanding of Podocyte Diseases
Authors: Barisoni Laura , Mundel Peter
Published: August 2003

The understanding of the unique molecular apparatus of the podocyte has increased dramatically in recent years. This new knowledge has improved the diagnosis and classification of the diseases that have been termed podocytopathies. Podocyte injury frequently leads to reorganization of the slit diaphragm and reorganization of the foot process structure. Four major causes of foot process effacement can be identified, with some due to genetic mutations and others due to acquired conditions: (1) impaired formation of the slit diaphragm complex; (2) abnormalities of the glomerular basement membrane or the adhesion of podocytes to the glomerular basement membrane; (3) abnormalities of the actin cytoskeleton and associated proteins, and (4) alterations in the apical membrane domain of the podocyte. The major podocytopathies can also be organized into four categories, including those with a normal glomerular histology, diffuse mesangial sclerosis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and collapsing glomerulopathy.
External Cephalic Version: An Approach with Few Complications
Authors: Skupski Daniel W. , Harrison-Restelli Catherine , Dupont Rebecca B.
Published: August 2003

We performed a retrospective study of all patients referred for external cephalic version (ECV) at ≧36 weeks gestation from 1993 to 2000. Exclusion criteria included ominous fetal heart rate changes, complete or multiple loops of nuchal umbilical cord, extension of the fetal head, oligohydramnios and poorly controlled hypertension. Three groups were compared: spontaneous cephalic version (SCV), ECV attempted (ECV) and ECV not attempted (NoECV). A total of 289 patients were referred. ECV was attempted in 191, 118 by one operator (D.W.S.). ECV was successful in 98/191 (51%) attempts. Spontaneous reversion to breech after successful ECV occurred in 6/98 (6%). There were 4 complications: 1 occult cord prolapse, 2 nonreassuring fetal heart patterns, and 1 placental abruption; all led to nonemergent cesarean delivery (CD). The CD rate (SCV 2/18, 11%; ECV 114/179, 64%; NoECV 49/51, 96%) was highest in the no-attempt group (p = 0.001). The CD rate after successful ECV was 29/91 (32%). Maternal postdelivery complications (SCV 1/16, 6%; ECV 24/161, 15%; NoECV 13/48, 27%) and neonatal complications were not significantly different. With careful attention to contraindications, ECV can be performed with few complications. ECV lowers the CD rate.
Miliary Tuberculous Peritonitis Mimicking Advanced Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Protopapas Athanasios , Milingos Spiros , Diakomanolis Emmanuel , Elsheikh Alexander , Protogerou Athanasios , Mavrommatis Konstantinos , Michalas Stylianos
Published: August 2003

Primary peritoneal tuberculosis is a rare presentation of this disease. It is usually associated with ascites and raised CA-125 levels. Occasionally a pelvic mass may be present making the preoperative differential diagnosis from advanced ovarian cancer extremely difficult. Acid-fast stains and special cultures of the ascitic fluid for Mycobacterium tuberculosis are frequently negative, and confirmation of the diagnosis commonly requires histologic examination of biopsy specimens, in which epithelioid granulomas with central caseous necrosis can be identified. We present a case of unexplained pyrexial ascites in a postmenopausal woman in whom the diagnosis of miliary peritoneal tuberculosis was confirmed laparoscopically. The role of noninvasive tools such as measurement of ascitic fluid adenosine deaminase levels is also discussed.
Network Resources and Job Search in Urban China
Authors: Zang Xiaowei
Published: August 2003

I examine the role of network resources in job search in urban China between 1988 and 2000. Data are from a recent survey in a Chinese city. I show that personal networks still contribute positively to job search in the post-1988 period. Network resources are mobilized to influence both access to job information and assistance in job attainment. However, job seekers without university education have greater incentives than college graduates to use network resources in job search. These findings allow me to reflect upon four issues in network research: (1) the use of social contacts for job search in a competitive labour market, (2) the relationship between the use of network resources and the distribution of such resources in society, (3) the relationship between social status and the use of social contacts, and (4) strong ties and information gathering.
Men Getting Real?
Authors: Singleton Andrew
Published: August 2003

Questions about men's capacity to change the ways they relate to one another have informed recent scholarly and popular discussions about men's relationships. One social context which consistently produces anecdotal claims about changes in men's relationships is dedicated men's groups. This article presents the findings from a qualitative study conducted with participants in two relationally centred men's groups. It discusses the type and quality of relationship change experienced by the participants in both groups and identifies the socio-cultural factors which appear to have facilitated this change. According to the informants, group involvement enabled them to transcend traditional masculine modes of relating and form intimate and trusting relationships with other participants. The interviews indicate that this change is attributable to various immediate contextual factors related to the group itself, rather than to a strident commitment to challenging traditional masculine codes of behaviour.
Changing Conceptions
Authors: White Naomi Rosh
Published: August 2003

Birth-rates are declining in Australia, as well as in many other Western industrialized countries. The decline in birth-rates is explored in relation to young Australians' family formation aspirations. Aspirations were found to be linked to experience in the family of origin, perceptions of work and gender. Underlying young people's perceptions was an individualism expressed through prioritized personal career and financial goals, and the need to establish a consolidated sense of self prior to partnering and parenting.
Occupational Status and a Gradient of Perceived Limitations
Authors: Henry Paul
Published: August 2003

This study examined the relationship between occupational status, as measured by the ANU3_2 scale, and selected psychological dispositions. The results, drawn from a sample of 490 subjects across the Sydney metropolitan area, found systematic difference for four dispositions. A negative relationship was found between occupational status and preference for stability/regularity, stress/challenge avoidance, and lack of future focus/confidence. A positive relationship was found between status and emphasis placed on striving towards stand-out achievement. The possible sources of development and the reinforcers of these dispositions are discussed. The conclusion is that these dispositions are associated with distinctive behavioural tendencies that act to constrain those further down the scale.
Preference and Perceived Danger in Field/Forest Settings
Authors: Herzog Thomas R. , Kutzli Glenn E.
Published: August 2003

The authors investigated preference, perceived danger, and fear for a sample of 70 field/forest settings. Predictor variables included perception-based variables (visual access, penetration, movement ease), information-based variables (mystery, concealment, refuge), and variables thought to intervene between concealment and danger (entrapment, rearview concern). All variables were rated by independent groups. Danger and fear were strongly positively correlated for these settings, but preference and danger had a more modest negative correlation. Factor analysis of the strongly intercorrelated predictor variables yielded two factors, interpreted as Visibility and Locomotor Access. Both factors were positive predictors of preference and negative predictors of danger. Further analyses suggested feelings of entrapment could mediate the positive relation between concealment and danger and that after controlling for other indicators of visibility, mystery has a positive relation to preference. In general, the role of visual and locomotor access in accounting for preference or danger reactions is highlighted by these findings.
The Limits of Environmental Responsibility
Authors: Syme Geoffrey J. , Nancarrow Blair E. , Jorgensen Bradley S.
Published: August 2003

The motivation for concern about the environment beyond one’s neighborhood is still relatively poorly understood. This article examines the determinants of feelings of responsibility at a regional watershed level. Using demographic, attitudinal, self-reported behavior and neighborhood mapping measures from four cities in Australia, five hypotheses were derived. These were that wider environmental concerns would depend on (a) the physical and social characteristics of the respondents’ neighborhoods, (b) the size of their perceived neighborhoods, (c) the length of residence at their localities, (d) educational level and attitudes toward environmental moral responsibility (and the interaction between them), and (e) the level of reported environmentally friendly behavior. Support was gained for all hypotheses except length of residence and the role of general moral attitudes toward the environment. It is concluded that to explain community action at the regional level, it is important to include both spatial and psychological insights and methodologies in research.
Motivating Residents to Conserve Energy without Financial Incentives
Authors: McMakin Andrea H. , Malone Elizabeth L. , Lundgren Regina E.
Published: August 2003

Given the aim to motivate people to conserve energy in homes, we need to understand what drives people’s energy use behavior and how it can be influenced. This article describes applied energy conservation campaigns at two U.S. military installations where residents do not pay their own utility bills. Customized approaches were designed for each installation based on a broad social-psychological model. Before-and-after energy use was measured, and residents were surveyed about end use behaviors. Residents said they were motivated by the desire to do the right thing, set good examples for their children, and have comfortable homes. For sustained change, respondents recommended continued awareness and education, disincentives, and incentives. Findings support some aspects of a social-psychological model, with emphasis on altruistic and egoistic motives for behavioral change. These studies may have implications for situations where residents are not billed for individual energy use, including other government-subsidized facilities, master-metered apartments, and university dormitories.
Peace History: An Introduction
Authors: van den Dungen Peter , Wittner Lawrence S.
Published: August 2003

In this introduction to the special issue on peace history, the emergence of this sub-field of both history and peace research is briefly described, and some of its organizational aspects as well as scholarly achievements are highlighted. The increasing breadth of peace history since its establishment in the 1960s is illustrated, particularly through its focus on grass-roots peacemaking and attention to topics that in the past have been frequently marginalized by mainstream history (with its concentration on traditional diplomatic history and elite foreign policy decisionmaking). The growth of civil society and citizens' increasing involvement in issues concerning war and peace are providing a rich source for historical analysis. A summary is included of the six case studies which follow. They deal with such subjects as women's anti-war campaigning in the 1930s, conscientious objectors in the 1940s and the anti-nuclear movements of the 1970s and 1980s. Spanning the 20th century and drawn from three continents, these studies show the potential as well as the difficulties inherent in popular peace advocacy.
Japan, Germany and the Idea of the Hague Peace Conferences
Authors: Schlichtmann Klaus
Published: August 2003

After the `opening' of Japan in 1853-54, the international system began to change from the limited, traditional European `concert of nations' to a `comity of nations', proclaiming universal norms and values. Participants in the first Hague Peace Conference - called by the Russian Tsar, Nicholas II - therefore included the USA, China, Japan, Persia, Siam (Thailand) and Turkey. The conference marked the early stages of today's International Court of Justice and the United Nations Organization. Although for the Japanese in 1899 the revision of the unequal treaties had priority, they also placed hope in the conferences. Japan was ready, if the Western powers would agree among themselves, to join efforts for disarmament and the peaceful settlement of international disputes, including obligatory arbitration - major subjects discussed at the conferences. Unlike Germany, which had almost boycotted the conferences from the start, the Japanese foreign ministry, in spite of its reserve, took the proceedings very seriously, and was prepared to participate fully. Not least in view of the economic, social and political consequences of war, and alerted by politicians, diplomats, international law scholars, and a broad and active peace movement, nation states considered adopting legal process instead of the traditional call to arms to resolve their differences. Publications like those of Jean de Bloch about the costs and effects of future wars were received in Japan also. A comparison of these trends and contemporary records in the Japanese archives shows that Japan was a conscientious participant that clearly recognized the merits of the ideas discussed at The Hague.
`Women's Unarmed Uprising Against War': A Swedish Peace Protest in 1935
Authors: Andersson Irene
Published: August 2003

During the summer of 1935, approximately 20,000 Swedish women mobilized in a peaceful action - the Women's Unarmed Uprising Against War. The manifestation was a protest against rearmament and, in particular, against a militarization of everyday life that might result from a civil defense buildup. Thus, in a spirit of solidarity, women were encouraged to refuse to use gas masks or evacuate into cellars and air-raid shelters in the event of an air raid. Only then would men realize their responsibility, lay down their weapons, and solve the conflict at the negotiating table. The action was connected to a radical pacifistic tradition in which male conscientious objectors, among others, and the example of Gandhi were prominent. Liberal and Social Democrat women and members of the Swedish section of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) carried out the action. The action was formulated in such a manner that women across the country were asked to vote for those who could serve in a women's parliament. The goal was to create an international uprising among women by influencing the League of Nations' delegates and the women's organizations in Geneva. In the same year, the central body of WILPF had decided to support an international peace plan, the People's Mandate to End War. The mandate's aim was to present demands for disarmament to governments in different countries. This article examines why the Swedish women assumed a more radical position than that stated in the people's mandate; what kinds of peace efforts in Sweden made such a radical, pacifistic women's action possible; and what went on when the initiators attempted to influence WILPF, on an international level, into incorporating the radical protest into the people's mandate campaign.
`Free American Political Prisoners': Pacifist Activism and Civil Liberties, 1945-48
Authors: Bennett Scott H.
Published: August 2003

After World War II, the Committee for Amnesty led a three-year campaign to obtain amnesty for the 6,000 US conscientious objectors (COs) sentenced to prison for their refusal to participate in the war. In addition, the Committee for Amnesty sought to win freedom for those COs who remained in prison long after the war ended. As convicted felons, prison COs were `second-class citizens' deprived of their full civil rights, including the right to vote. During World War II, social actionist COs staged dramatic work and hunger strikes to protest racism, censorship, conscription, and the myriad policies that dehumanized prison and gutted the original vision of Civilian Public Service, a program of alternative nonmilitary service. After the war, these radicalized COs applied the techniques of Gandhian nonviolent direct action, developed in prison and Civilian Public Service camps, to advance peace and justice - most notably in the anti-war, civil rights, environmental, anti-nuclear, and civil liberties movements. The amnesty campaign, which was initiated by prison COs and their friends and relatives, represented one of the first examples of this militant postwar CO activism. The Committee for Amnesty demonstrates the impact of World War II COs on the War Resisters League and the postwar radical pacifist movement. These COs - militant, absolutist-orientated, creative, and committed to direct action - shaped the methods and goals of the amnesty campaign, dividing the War Resisters League in the process. The amnesty campaign illustrates the postwar grass-roots social activism of World War II COs, their contribution to civil liberties and social reform movements, and their impact on the postwar radical pacifist movement.
The Forgotten Years of the World Nuclear Disarmament Movement, 1975-78
Authors: Wittner Lawrence S.
Published: August 2003

The great upsurge of anti-nuclear activism during the early 1980s is usually traced to either the dangerous Soviet-US nuclear confrontation of that era, or to NATO's December 1979 decision to deploy cruise and Pershing II missiles in Western Europe. In reality, however, the nuclear disarmament campaign began in the preceding years. Despite two earlier waves of anti-nuclear agitation, the once-vigorous citizens' movement for nuclear disarmament was dormant by the early 1970s. But, from 1975 to 1978, a variety of factors converged to awaken disarmament activists from their torpor, and to spark their return to anti-nuclear agitation. These included: the end of the Vietnam War, which enabled peace activists to turn their attention elsewhere; the rise of environmental concerns, especially the growing fear of nuclear power; the 1978 UN Special Session on Disarmament, which focused movement and popular attention upon the nuclear arms race; and the erosion of Soviet-US détente. Significantly, this blend of factors included a number that went beyond the reviving Soviet-US nuclear arms race of the 1970s. In this context, the nuclear disarmament movement began to emerge as a political force once again in Western Europe, North America, and the Pacific. It also showed stirrings of life in Eastern Europe and elsewhere. Consequently, although the movement would grow far larger and more effective subsequently, by late 1978 it had created much of the structure that enabled it, in the early 1980s, to pose a substantial challenge to the nuclear policies of the great powers.
The Race to Tip the Scales: Nuclear Paradox for the Eastern Bloc
Authors: Wernicke Günter
Published: August 2003

Drawing widely on archive material and recently published documents from both German states on the 1980s, the article examines the impact on a divided Germany of the nuclear arms spiral, from the end of the 1970s up to the collapse of socialist states East Germany and the Soviet Union. Drawing on personal reflections and talks with witnesses, the author describes contradictory attitudes in the World Peace Council and its East German counterpart towards the new European nuclear disarmament movement around the European Nuclear Disarmament Campaign (END). The Cold War dictated rules and defined the scope for the fight to end the nuclear arms race and avert the constant threat of an atomic inferno. In the state-socialist system centred on the USSR, ideology determined the struggle for nuclear disarmament and, in turn, the foreign and security policy principles of the Soviet system. This objective and subjective framework imposed limits of its own, was influenced by the hegemonic objectives of the Soviet system, and contradictory in itself. Inevitably, therefore, East German attempts at containing damage after the double-track decision were restricted.
Working for Peace While Preparing for War: The Creation of the United States Institute of Peace
Authors: Montgomery Mary E.
Published: August 2003

Drawing upon US government and other sources, this article discusses the prolonged debate over the creation of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in the 1980s. In examining the arguments presented by members of Congress, academicians, the media, religious leaders, and international observers, this article illustrates how the US government and the presidential administration of Ronald Reagan created the USIP as a reluctant concession to forces with a more genuine interest in peace. An overview of the historical initiatives to create a government-sponsored institute for peace establishes that the campaign is as old as the nation itself. US forays into civil war, national aggrandizement, and world wars derailed 19th- and 20th-century progress on the creation of a peace department. The academy concept re-emerged after World War II, only to find new competition in the Cold War. This article also considers the 1981-83 legislative attempts toward a United States Peace Academy, the work of the resulting exploratory commission, and the ensuing hearings and debate. The testimony of witnesses before the Commission and during congressional hearings traversed a wide continuum, from support to derision for the Peace Academy. Would the academy symbolize a peace commitment to the world community, or suggest that the United States had gone soft, unwilling or unable to win the Cold War? Was the study of peace a cozy yet unviable liberal ideal, or was peace and conflict resolution studies a meritorious, `teachable' discipline? Did a Peace Academy represent a positive cost-benefit ratio with regard to US weapons expenditures, or were peace initiatives no substitute for military deterrence? While these debates ended with the 1984 creation of the USIP, the backlash of the Reagan administration plagued the institution's start-up and funding, and suggested that the administration would merely pay lip service to peace, while continuing to prepare for war. The conclusion provides an overview of the challenges and successes of the USIP since its official opening in 1986.
The UK Economy
Authors: Barrell Ray , Kirby Simon , Riley Rebecca
Published: August 2003

Economic growth has been disappointing in the first half of 2003. The economy expanded by 0.1 per cent in the first quarter. Based on our monthly estimates of GDP we estimate that economic growth accelerated to around 0.4 per cent in the second quarter, remaining below trend. The weakness in the first quarter of the year came as a result of little growth in household consumption expenditure at a time when the corporate sector remained weak. We expect this pattern to have continued in the second quarter, although our forecast for growth in household consumption expenditure is not as weak as recorded at the beginning of the year. Our forecast of quarterly GDP growth (chart 1) shows the economy expanding more rapidly in the second half of the year. Growth in the second half of the year is supported by government investment and consumption expenditure, and a gradual recovery of growth in export volumes and business investment. Growth in export volumes is helped by the depreciation of the sterling effective exchange rate in the first half of this year, although there has been some rebound in the index over the summer. Conditions for business investment have also improved. Equity prices have risen in the second quarter of the year, monetary policy has been eased and the increase in geopolitical uncertainty that probably dampened investment in the first half of the year has subsided.
Changing the Inflation Target
Authors: Barrell Ray , Kirby Simon , Riley Rebecca
Published: August 2003

Since May 1997, when the Bank of England was given operational independence to set monetary policy, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has been responsible for setting short-term interest rates to ensure that the Government's inflation target is met. The target is currently 2.5 per cent and the target measure is the Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments (RPIX). If RPIX inflation deviates more than 1 per cent from the central target, the Governor of the Bank of England is expected to provide a written explanation to the Chancellor of the Exchequer as to why the inflation target has been missed.
Benchmarks and Targets Under the SGP: Evaluating Safe Deficit Targets Using NiGEM
Authors: Barrell Ray , Hurst Ian
Published: August 2003

Fiscal pacts and automatic stabilisers are widely discussed in the policy debate. Pacts put bounds on borrowing, and the bounds have to be evaluated. We use our model, NiGEM, to set safe targets for European deficits. Although there are many issues to consider, we conclude that cyclically adjusted target deficits of 1 per cent of GDP would ensure that governments seldom had to borrow more than 3 per cent of GDP, especially if they stood ready to raise taxes when the deficit deteriorated either for reasons separate from cyclical developments or because supply shocks had occurred. Offsetting the automatic stabilisers when supply shocks occur is shown to help stabilise output volatility.