bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Null Mutations in a Nudix Gene,
ygdP
, Implicate an Alarmone Response in a Novel Suppression of Hybrid Jamming
Authors: Hand Nicholas J. , Silhavy Thomas J.
Published: November 2003

Induction of the toxic LamB-LacZ protein fusion, Hyb42-1, leads to a lethal generalized protein export defect. The
prlF1
suppressor causes hyperactivation of the cytoplasmic Lon protease and relieves the inducer sensitivity of Hyb42-1. Since
prlF1
does not cause a detectable change in the stability or level of the hybrid protein, we conducted a suppressor screen, seeking factors genetically downstream of
lon
with
prlF1
-like phenotypes. Two independent insertions in the
ygdP
open reading frame relieve the toxicity of the fusion protein and share two additional properties with
prlF1
: cold sensitivity and the ability to suppress the temperature sensitivity of a
degP
null mutation. Despite these similarities,
ygdP
does not appear to act in the same genetic pathway as
prlF1
and
lon
, suggesting a fundamental link between the phenotypes. We speculate that the common properties of the suppressors relate to secretion defects. The
ygdP
gene (also known as
nudH
) has been shown to encode a Nudix protein that acts as a dinucleotide oligophosphate (alarmone) hydrolase. Our results suggest that loss of
ygdP
function leads to the induction of an alarmone-mediated response that affects secretion. Using an epitope-tagged
ygdP
construct, we present evidence that this response is sensitive to secretion-related stress and is regulated by differential proteolysis of YgdP in a self-limiting manner.
Identification and Characterization of a Unique Adenosine Kinase from
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Long Mary C. , Escuyer Vincent , Parker William B.
Published: November 2003

Adenosine kinase (AK) is a purine salvage enzyme that catalyzes the phosphorylation of adenosine to AMP. In
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, AK can also catalyze the phosphorylation of the adenosine analog 2-methyladenosine (methyl-Ado), the first step in the metabolism of this compound to an active form. Purification of AK from
M. tuberculosis
yielded a 35-kDa protein that existed as a dimer in its native form. Adenosine (Ado) was preferred as a substrate at least 30-fold (

K
m

= 0.8 ± 0.08 μM) over other natural nucleosides, and substrate inhibition was observed when Ado concentrations exceeded 5 μM.
M. tuberculosis
and human AKs exhibited different affinities for methyl-Ado, with

K
m

values of 79 and 960 μM, respectively, indicating that differences exist between the substrate binding sites of these enzymes. ATP was a good phosphate donor (

K
m

= 1100 ± 140 μM); however, the activity levels observed with dGTP and GTP were 4.7 and 2.5 times the levels observed with ATP, respectively.
M. tuberculosis
AK activity was dependent on Mg
2+
, and activity was stimulated by potassium, as reflected by a decrease in the

K
m

and an increase in
V
max
for both Ado and methyl-Ado. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified enzyme revealed complete identity with Rv2202c, a protein currently classified as a hypothetical sugar kinase. When an AK-deficient strain of
M. tuberculosis
(SRICK1) was transformed with this gene, it exhibited a 5,000-fold increase in AK activity compared to extracts from the original mutants. These results verified that the protein that we identified as AK was coded for by
Rv2202c.
AK is not commonly found in bacteria, and to the best of our knowledge,
M. tuberculosis
AK is the first bacterial AK to be characterized. The enzyme shows greater sequence homology with ribokinase and fructokinase than it does with other AKs. The multiple differences that exist between
M. tuberculosis
and human AKs may provide the molecular basis for the development of nucleoside analog compounds with selective activity against
M. tuberculosis
.
Arginine-Agmatine Antiporter in Extreme Acid Resistance in
Escherichia coli
Authors: Iyer Ram , Williams Carole , Miller Christopher
Published: November 2003

The process of arginine-dependent extreme acid resistance (XAR) is one of several decarboxylase-antiporter systems that protects
Escherichia coli
and possibly other enteric bacteria from exposure to the strong acid environment of the stomach. Arginine-dependent acid resistance depends on an intracellular proton-utilizing arginine α-decarboxylase and a membrane transport protein necessary for delivering arginine to and removing agmatine, its decarboxylation product, from the cytoplasm. The arginine system afforded significant protection to wild-type
E. coli
cells in our acid shock experiments. The gene coding for the transport protein is identified here as a putative membrane protein of unknown function, YjdE, which we now name
adiC
. Strains from which this gene is deleted fail to mount arginine-dependent XAR, and they cannot perform coupled transport of arginine and agmatine. Homologues of this gene are found in other bacteria in close proximity to homologues of the arginine decarboxylase in a gene arrangement pattern similar to that in
E coli
. Evidence for a lysine-dependent XAR system in
E. coli
is also presented. The protection by lysine, however, is milder than that by arginine.
A Novel Family of
Escherichia coli
Toxin-Antitoxin Gene Pairs
Authors: Brown Jason M. , Shaw Karen Joy
Published: November 2003

Bacterial toxin-antitoxin protein pairs (TA pairs) encode a toxin protein, which poisons cells by binding and inhibiting an essential enzyme, and an antitoxin protein, which binds the toxin and restores viability. We took an approach that did not rely on sequence homology to search for unidentified TA pairs in the genome of
Escherichia coli
K-12. Of 32 candidate genes tested, ectopic expression of 6 caused growth inhibition. In this report, we focus on the initial characterization of
yeeV
,
ykfI
, and
ypjF
, a novel family of toxin proteins. Coexpression of the gene upstream of each toxin restored the growth rate to that of the uninduced strain. Unexpectedly, we could not detect in vivo protein-protein interactions between the new toxin and antitoxin pairs. Instead, the antitoxins appeared to function by causing a large reduction in the level of cellular toxin protein.
SoxRS-Regulated Expression and Genetic Analysis of theyggXGene ofEscherichia coli
Authors: Pomposiello Pablo J. , Koutsolioutsou Anastasia , Carrasco Daniel , Demple Bruce
Published: November 2003

Genomic studies with bacteria have identified redox-responsive genes without known roles in counteracting oxidative damage. Previous transcriptional profiling showed that expression of one such gene,yggX, was activated by superoxide stress inEscherichia coli. Here we show that this activation could be mimicked by artificial expression of the regulatory protein SoxS. Northern analysis confirmed the transcriptional activation ofyggXby oxidative stress or SoxS expression but not in response to the related MarA or Rob proteins. Northern analysis showed thatmltC, which codes for a peptidoglycan hydrolase and is positioned immediately downstream ofyggX, was also regulated by oxidative stress or ectopic expression of SoxS. Purified SoxS protein bound to the predictedyggXpromoter region, between positions 223 and 163 upstream from theyggXtranslational start site. Within this region, a 20-bp sequence was found to be necessary for oxidative stress-mediated activation ofyggXtranscription. AyggXdeletion strain was hypersensitive to the redox-cycling agent paraquat, and a plasmid expressing YggX complemented the sensitivity of the deletion strain. Under exposure to paraquat, theyggXdeletion strain showed a deficiency in aconitase activity compared to the isogenic wild-type strain, while expression of YggX from a multicopy plasmid increased the aconitase levels above those of the wild-type strain. These results demonstrate the direct regulation of theyggXgene by the redox-sensing SoxRS system and provide further evidence for the involvement ofyggXin protection of iron-sulfur proteins against oxidative damage.
The Product of a Developmental Gene,
crgA
, That Coordinates Reproductive Growth in
Streptomyces
Belongs to a Novel Family of Small Actinomycete-Specific Proteins
Authors: Del Sol Ricardo , Pitman Andrew , Herron Paul , Dyson Paul
Published: November 2003

On solid media, the reproductive growth of
Streptomyces
involves antibiotic biosynthesis coincident with the erection of filamentous aerial hyphae. Following cessation of growth of an aerial hypha, multiple septation occurs at the tip to form a chain of unigenomic spores. A gene,
crgA
, that coordinates several aspects of this reproductive growth is described. The gene product is representative of a well-conserved family of small actinomycete proteins with two C-terminal hydrophobic-potential membrane-spanning segments. In
Streptomyces avermitilis
,
crgA
is required for sporulation, and inactivation of the gene abolished most sporulation septation in aerial hyphae. Disruption of the orthologous gene in
Streptomyces coelicolor
indicates that whereas CrgA is not essential for sporulation in this species, during growth on glucose-containing media, it influences the timing of the onset of reproductive growth, with precocious erection of aerial hyphae and antibiotic production by the mutant. Moreover, CrgA subsequently acts to inhibit sporulation septation prior to growth arrest of aerial hyphae. Overexpression of CrgA in
S. coelicolor
, uncoupling any nutritional and growth phase-dependent regulation, results in growth of nonseptated aerial hyphae on all media tested, consistent with a role for the protein in inhibiting sporulation septation.
Starvation Survival Response of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Parish Tanya
Published: November 2003

The ability of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
auxotrophs to survive long-term starvation was measured. Tryptophan and histidine auxotrophs did not survive single-amino-acid starvation, whereas a proline auxotroph did. All three auxotrophs survived complete starvation. THP-1 cells were also able to restrict the growth of the tryptophan and histidine auxotrophs.
Secretion Defects That Activate the Phage Shock Response of
Escherichia coli
Authors: Jones Susan E. , Lloyd Louise J. , Tan Kum K. , Buck Martin
Published: November 2003

The phage shock protein (
psp
) operon of
Escherichia coli
is induced by membrane-damaging cues. Earlier studies linked defects in secretion across the inner membrane to induction of the
psp
response. Here we show that defects in
yidC
and
sec
secretion induce
psp
but that defects in
tat
and
srp
have no effect. We have also determined the cellular location of PspB and PspD proteins.
Translocon “Pulling” of Nascent SecM Controls the Duration of Its Translational Pause and Secretion-Responsive
secA
Regulation
Authors: Butkus Martha E. , Prundeanu Lucia B. , Oliver Donald B.
Published: November 2003

SecA is an ATPase and motor protein that drives protein translocation across the bacterial plasma membrane. In
Escherichia coli
SecA levels are regulated by the secretion needs of the cell utilizing
secM
, which encodes a secreted protein. Previous studies demonstrated that this regulation requires a translational pause within
secM
, whose duration regulates the accessibility of the
secA
Shine-Dalgarno sequence on
secM secA
mRNA. Here we provide evidence that translocon “pulling” of nascent SecM is what regulates the duration of the
secM
translational pause, and thus
secA
expression levels, thereby providing direct support for this model.
aadAConfers Streptomycin Resistance inBorrelia burgdorferi
Authors: Frank Kristi L. , Bundle Sharyl F. , Kresge Michele E. , Eggers Christian H. , Samuels D. Scott
Published: November 2003

To enhance genetic manipulation of the Lyme disease spirocheteBorrelia burgdorferi, we assayed theaadAgene for the ability to confer resistance to the antibiotics spectinomycin and streptomycin. Using the previously described pBSV2 as a backbone, a shuttle vector, termed pKFSS1, which carries theaadAopen reading frame fused to theB.burgdorferi flgBpromoter was constructed. The hybridflgBpromoter-aadAcassette confers resistance to spectinomycin and streptomycin in bothB.burgdorferiandEscherichia coli. pKFSS1 has a replication origin derived from the 9-kb circular plasmid and can be comaintained inB.burgdorferiwith extant shuttle vector pCE320, which has a replication origin derived from a 32-kb circular plasmid, or pBSV2, despite the fact that pKFSS1 and pBSV2 have the same replication origin. Our results demonstrate the availability of a new selectable marker and shuttle vector for genetically dissectingB.burgdorferiat the molecular level.
Exponentially fitted spline approximation method forsolving selfadjoint singular perturbation problems
Authors: Kadalbajoo Mohan K. , Patidar Kailash C.
Published: November 2003

A numerical method based on cubic spline with exponential fitting
factor is given for the selfadjoint singularly perturbed two‐point
boundary value problems. The scheme derived in this method is
second‐order accurate. Numerical examples are given to support
the predicted theory.
Dynamics of Deterministic and Stochastic Paired Excitatory—Inhibitory Delayed Feedback
Authors: Laing Carlo R. , Longtin André
Published: November 2003

We examine the effects of paired delayed excitatory and inhibitory feedback on a single integrate—and—fire neuron with reversal potentials embedded within a feedback network. These effects are studied using bifurcation theory and numerical analysis. The feedback occurs through modulation of the excitatory and inhibitory conductances by the previous firing history of the neuron; as a consequence, the feedback also modifies the membrane time constant. Such paired feedback is ubiquitous in the nervous system. We assume that the feedback dynamics are slower than the membrane time constant, which leads to a rate model formulation. Our article provides an extensive analysis of the possible dynamical behaviors of such simple yet realistic neural loops as a function of the balance between positive and negative feedback, with and without noise, and offers insight into the potential behaviors such loops can exhibit in response to time-varying external inputs. With excitatory feedback, the system can be quiescent, can be periodically firing, or can exhibit bistability between these two states. With inhibitory feedback, quiescence, oscillatory firing rates, and bistability between constant and oscillatory firing-rate solutions are possible. The general case of paired feedback exhibits a blend of the behaviors seen in the extreme cases and can produce chaotic firing. We further derive a condition for a dynamically balanced paired feedback in which there is neither bistability nor oscillations. We also show how a biophysically plausible smoothing of the firing function by noise can modify the existence and stability of fixed points and oscillations of the system. We take advantage in our mathematical analysis of the existence of an invariant manifold, which reduces the dimensionality of the dynamics, and prove the stability of this manifold. The novel computational challenges involved in analyzing such dynamics with and without noise are also described. Our results demonstrate that a paired delayed feedback loop can act as a sophisticated computational unit, capable of switching between a variety of behaviors depending on the input current, the relative strengths and asymmetry of the two parallel feedback pathways, and the delay distributions and noise level.
Analysis of Convergence of an Evolutionary Algorithm with Self-Adaptation using a Stochastic Lyapunov function
Authors: Semenov Mikhail A. , Terkel Dmitri A.
Published: November 2003

This paper analyses the convergence of evolutionary algorithms using a technique which is based on a stochastic Lyapunov function and developed within the martingale theory. This technique is used to investigate the convergence of a simple evolutionary algorithm with self-adaptation, which contains two types of parameters: fitness parameters, belonging to the domain of the objective function; and control parameters, responsible for the variation of fitness parameters. Although both parameters mutate randomly and independently, they converge to the floptimumfl due to the direct (for fitness parameters) and indirect (for control parameters) selection. We show that the convergence velocity of the evolutionary algorithm with self-adaptation is asymptotically exponential, similar to the velocity of the optimal deterministic algorithm on the class of unimodal functions. Although some martingale inequalities have not be proved analytically, they have been numerically validated with 0.999 confidence using Monte-Carlo simulations.
Redundant Representations in Evolutionary Computation
Authors: Rothlauf Franz , Goldberg David E.
Published: November 2003

This paper discusses how the use of redundant representations influences the performance of genetic and evolutionary algorithms. Representations are redundant if the number of genotypes exceeds the number of phenotypes. A distinction is made between synonymously and non-synonymously redundant representations. Representations are synonymously redundant if the genotypes that represent the same phenotype are very similar to each other. Non-synonymously redundant representations do not allow genetic operators to work properly and result in a lower performance of evolutionary search. When using synonymously redundant representations, the performance of selectorecombinative genetic algorithms (GAs) depends on the modification of the initial supply. We have developed theoretical models for synonymously redundant representations that show the necessary population size to solve a problem and the number of generations goes with O(2kr/r), where kr is the order of redundancy and r is the number of genotypic building blocks (BB) that represent the optimal phenotypic BB. As a result, uniformly redundant representations do not change the behavior of GAs. Only by increasing r, which means overrepresenting the optimal solution, does GA performance increase. Therefore, non-uniformly redundant representations can only be used advantageously if a-priori information exists regarding the optimal solution. The validity of the proposed theoretical concepts is illustrated for the binary trivial voting mapping and the real-valued link-biased encoding. Our empirical investigations show that the developed population sizing and time to convergence models allow an accurate prediction of the empirical results.
Recollecting Forms in the Phaedo
Authors: Dimas Panos
Published: November 2003

According to an interpretation that has dominated the literature, the traditional interpretation as I call it, the recollection argument aims at establishing the thesis that our learning in this life consists in recollecting knowledge the soul acquired before being born into a body, or thesis R, by using the thesis that there exist forms, thesis F, as a premise. These entities, the forms, are incorporeal, immutable, and transcendent in the sense that they exist separately from material perceptibles, which in turn are related to them through participation and by being caused by them in some sense. But the properties of transcendence, immutability and incorporeality are sufficient to signal forms, and so the thesis that there exist forms claims that there exists entities with at least these three properties. In the first section of this paper, I argue that strong textual and more general exegetical reasons suggest that the traditional interpretation is mistaken. Furthermore, this interpretation, as I argue in the second section, fails to credit Plato with a proper argument for recollection. In section III, I present an alternative account of the argument for R in the Phaedo. At the same time I defend a more general interpretation according to which the metaphysical doctrine Plato offers in the Phaedo represents a natural continuation of the philosophical position that stands at the centre of the dialectical conversations we find in the shorter Socratic dialogues.
False Pleasures, Appearance and Imagination in the Philebus
Authors: Delcomminette Sylvain
Published: November 2003

This paper examines the discussion about false pleasures in the Philebus (36 c3-44 a11). After stressing the crucial importance of this discussion in the economy of the dialogue, it attempts to identify the problematic locus of the possibility of true or false pleasures. Socrates points to it by means of an analogy between pleasure and doxa. Against traditional interpretations, which reduce the distinction drawn in this passage to a distinction between doxa and pleasure on the one hand and their object on the other, it is argued that, rather, Socrates distinguishes between the mere fact of having a doxa or a pleasure, on the one hand, and the content of these acts, on the other hand. Consequently, the possibility for a pleasure to be false does not concern its relation to an object, but the affective content which defines it. In order to show how the affective content of a pleasure can be false, it is necessary to examine the three species of false pleasures described by Socrates in their relation to appearance and imagination. Appearance is not identical with perception for Plato: it consists in a mixture of perception and doxa. As for imagination, it consists in "illustrating" a doxa present in the soul by means of a "quasi-perception". It is the presence of a doxa in each of these processes which makes it possible for them to be true or false, while mere perception cannot be either true or false. It is then argued that according to the Philebus pleasure can be false precisely because its affective content is not a mere perception, but either an appearance or an imagination.
Examining the Links between Strain, Situational and Dispositional Anger, and Crime
Authors: Mazerolle Paul , Piquero Alex R. , Capowich George E.
Published: November 2003

Past research testing General Strain Theory has relied on trait-based, static indicators ofang er, assuming that “anger people” develop angry emotional states (i.e., situational anger) when exposed to strain. Here, the authors explore whether the relationship between strain, anger, and deviant outcomes varies as a function of whether trait-based or situational-based measures ofang er are used. Additionally, using structural equation modeling, they examine whether individuals with high levels of trait anger have an increased likelihood ofe xperiencing strain, becoming angry due to strain, and responding with deviance. The results reveal that relying on trait-based static indicators ofang er is problematic. The findings demonstrate that the relationship between anger and deviant outcomes is attenuated when trait-based measures of anger are used. Moreover, results also reveal that trait anger increases deviant outcomes independent ofthe effects ofstr ain or situational anger, which suggests that different mechanisms are operating.
Multiple Hypothesis Testing Based on the Ordinary Least Squares Regression Estimator when there is Heteroscedasticity
Authors: Wilcox Rand R.
Published: November 2003

Consider the regression model Y i = β0 + β1 X i1 +...+ β p X iP + λ( X i1,..., X ip)ε i, where the function λ is used to model heteroscedasticity. Assume that the ordinary least squares estimator is used. This note addresses the problem of testing H0:β j = 0 for each j ( j =1,..., p), with the goal of controlling the probability of at least one Type I error. Based on published results dealing with the special case p = 1, there is an obvious guess regarding a general strategy aimed at accomplishing this goal: use in part a modification of the percentile bootstrap method. This note reports simulation results indicating that a simpler approach performs well for p ≤ 2. In particular, use a basic (unmodified) percentile boot-strap method in conjunction with the Bonferroni inequality.
Public Participation in Election Management
Authors: Hall Thad E.
Published: November 2003

The 2000 presidential election brought to the fore many problems that have existed in the administration of elections. This article examines the importance of public involvement in the management of elections, especially as it pertains to serving the needs of voters for whom English is not their first language. The Los Angeles County Community Voter Outreach Committee is a model of community participation that demonstrates the benefits to both administrators and to voters of public participation in election management. Analysis of this model also illustrates the broader implications of this method of management for serving other special populations of citizens, an issue that will become more critical to managers as the nation’s population becomes more diverse and has a larger number of citizens with special needs.
Solving Problems and Transforming Relationships
Authors: Mareschal Patrice M.
Published: November 2003

Mediation is rapidly becoming the dispute resolution technique of choice in public administration. This researche xamines the ways in whichfeder al mediators approachdis pute resolution in labormanagement relations. The analyses are based on semistructured interviews that were conducted with 15 mediators at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS). Mediators’descriptions of the mediation process are evaluated withr espect to three models: problem solving, transformative, and bifocal. Given the success of the FMCS at mediating a widening variety of disputes, the results of this study should generalize to other dispute resolution contexts. Practical implications of this research are as follows: (a) Mediators should adopt a bifocal approach, simultaneously attending to overarching relationship issues as well as the concrete, immediate issues in dispute; (b) the parties to a dispute must be actively engaged in the mediation process; (c) conflict resolution and collaborative problem solving is a long-term affair; and (d) public administrators involved in dispute resolution and collaborative problem solving should be prepared to take small steps.
The Relationship between Dependent Care Responsibility and Employee Promotions
Authors: Purcell Margaret A. , Baldwin J. Norman
Published: November 2003

This article presents the results of a path analysis examining the relationship between promotions and dependent care responsibility, dependent care accommodation norms, and dependent care accommodation policies. It examines the relationship between these variables as mediated by occupationally segregated jobs and employee choices to emphasize family or career roles. The findings indicate that number of dependents and administrative occupation have substantial direct relationships with number of promotions under current and past working conditions in Alabama state agencies. Weekly hours spent caring for dependents also has a small direct relationship with promotions, and occupational segregation is the only variable that mediates the relationship between promotions and several independent variables.
Humor
Authors: Pasquali Elaine Anne
Published: November 2003

It has been more than 2 years since the terrorist attacks of September 11, and the emotional fallout is still being felt. Nurses need to understand the crisis presented by terrorism and explore ways of dealing with it. The purpose of this article is to discuss humor as a means of facilitating coping with terrorism. Terrorism is a humanly caused disaster that threatens the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects of one’spersonhood. The effects of humor strengthen these dimensions of self. In trying to deal with a terrorist event, people pass through several phases of emotional adjustment. Humor is a holistic, noninvasive strategy that may facilitate that adjustment and may be used effectively to heal both survivor-clients and disaster personnel who are working with them. Awareness of the phases of emotional adjustment, associated humor styles, and ways to incorporate therapeutic humor into crisis management approaches are essential for effectively using humor as an antidote for terrorism.
Testing the Implementation, Board Performance, and Organizational Effectiveness of the Policy Governance Model in Nonprofit Boards of Directors
Authors: Nobbie Patricia Dautel , Brudney Jeffrey L.
Published: November 2003

This article presents an empirical study of the relationships between implementation of thepolicy governance model in nonprofit organizations, board performance, and organizational effectiveness.An implementation measure of the policy governance model was created to investigate these relationships.Data were gathered from three samples: organizations that have implemented policy governance, a matched sample of randomly selected nonprofit organizations, and nonprofit organizations that had received board development from the National Center for Nonprofit Boards.Analysis yielded several positive, significant relationships between the extent of implementation of policy governance board behaviors, perceptions of improvement in board performance following implementation of policy governance, and some aspects of organizational effectiveness.
Requestioning, Reimagining, and Retooling Philanthropy
Authors: Bailin Michael A.
Published: November 2003

The quest for effectiveness in American philanthropy is a work in progress with inconclusive results. The best way to answer the question of how philanthropy can improve its chances for creating important social impacts is by asking a series of questions.Foundation leaders who question their institutional strategies and assumptions are best positioned to improve their own institutions and the wider field. Based on his own work as a foundation president, the author reflects on a series of critical questions—about theory of change, grantee-grantor relations, and institutional change—that prompted a radical redesign in the foundation’s strategy and practices.
Deconstructing Autobiographical Accounts of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Some Critical Reflections
Authors: Crossley Michele L.
Published: November 2003

Much of the literature on ‘surviving’ childhood sexual abuse has traditionally relied on approaches which assume a reflective transparency between the original experience and retrospective accounts of trauma. In recent years, however, social constructionist approaches have encouraged the deconstruction of personal accounts of childhood sexual abuse as a means of explicating the cultural narratives underlying the constitution of such experiences. Drawing on the author’s previous ethnomethodological/discourse analytic work in this area, this article develops a critical orientation towards such approaches, arguing that they tend to lose sight of human agency and personal subjectivity. A detailed consideration of these issues leads to a critical evaluation of the utility of such approaches with regard to the investigation of traumatizing experiences.
Absences that Matter: Constructions of Sexuality in Studies of Young Women’s Friendships
Authors: Griffin Christine
Published: November 2003

This article reviews recent research on young women’s friendship groups in western societies, arguing that much of this work has relatively little to say about the sexual and erotic dimension of such relationships and the construction of young women’s sexualities. Research on young women’s lives often overlooks the possibility of same-sex female desire, and also lesbian (or bisexual) existence, thereby assuming that young women are always already heterosexual by default. The article ends by arguing that feminist youth research could engage more fully with debates on the social, psychological and cultural processes involved in the construction of female sexualities, whether lesbian, bisexual, heterosexual or queer. ‘Adolescence’ is a crucial moment in which young women (and men) must be ‘won’ for the (heterosexual) patriarchal system, so these debates have important political implications for feminism.
Saying No: Women’s Experiences with Reproductive Refusal
Authors: Morell Carolyn
Published: November 2003

The experiences of intentionally childless heterosexual women are often misunderstood and misnamed. Women who purposefully do not have children are not taken on their own terms but are measured by the idealized standard of motherhood and thus found deficient. Guided by the assumptions of a feminist poststructuralism, two contradictory experiences that are predictable for many non-mothers are redescribed. One experience, the ‘wavering no’, has to do with unexpected and short-lived disturbances in women’s otherwise comfortable relationship with childlessness. The other has to do with childless women’s subjective experiences of openness and freedom, the ‘saving no’ feelings that are related to the generation and perpetuation of a life without children. The article ends with reflections on the importance of reproductive diversity as a political goal.
Motherhood and Infertility: Viewing Motherhood through the Lens of Infertility
Authors: Ulrich Miriam , Weatherall Ann
Published: November 2003

This research was motivated by the need to develop positive feminist discourses about women who are infertile and who pursue medical interventions to achieve motherhood. This study analysed how 19 women who wanted children but who could not easily have them constructed their desire for children, motherhood and their infertility. Reasons for wanting children included motherhood as ‘natural instinct’, as ‘a stage in the development of a relationship’ and as ‘social expectation’. These were used to construct motherhood as physical, psychological and social completeness and fulfilment for women. Consequently, infertility was experienced as guilt, inadequacy and failure, reinforced by the language used to describe infertility. Women also discussed their desire for children in terms of reproductive decision-making, emphasizing notions of agency, becoming a parent as a stage in a relationship and infertility as a disruption of life plans. Our analysis argues for a broader definition of motherhood and a wider variety of culturally sanctioned roles for women.
Feminism, Psychology and Social Policy: Constructing Political Boundaries at the Grassroots
Authors: Burns Diane
Published: November 2003

Dominant ideologies of motherhood, reproduction and the family powerfully pervade public policies and are perhaps influential enough to define aspects of everyday life. Ideology and how best to challenge it therefore constitute important issues for psychology, social policy and feminism. In this article I argue for a feminist psychology of resistance that departs from a feminist critique of mainstream psychology or academic politics based on voice. Drawing on my experiences as a researcher involved in social activism around reproduction and motherhood, I aim to highlight the dilemmas and possibilities of making challenges through the genre of ‘voice’ (that is, as problematized through the politics of experience and representation). I argue that such dilemmas should not simply be reconciled in a textual way, but that we must use the spaces they create to forge connections between those researching social issues and those who have experience in their everyday lives of resistance and challenge.
‘Muslim Brothers, Black Lads, Traditional Asians’: British Muslim Young Men’s Constructions of Race, Religion and Masculinity
Authors: Archer Louise
Published: November 2003

Despite the growth of academic interest in masculinity, issues around black masculinity remain largely undertheorized. British Muslim men are noticeably absent in the literature, despite their increasing representation in public discourses as fundamentalist, ‘ultimate Others’ (Phoenix, 1997). This article uses a critical feminist approach to explore young Muslim men’s construction of racialized, gendered identities. Discussion groups were conducted with 24 young British Muslims, aged 14-15 years. Half of the groups were conducted by the white, British, female author, and the other half by a British-Pakistani female researcher. Particular attention is given to the young men’s use of discourses of hegemonic masculinity in their negotiations between ‘Muslim’, ‘black’ and ‘Asian’ masculinities. Issues are also raised with regard to the role of the researcher(s) and the interaction of ‘race’ and gender between interviewers and participants in the production of research.
Defining Normal: Constructions of Race and Gender in the DSM-IV Casebook
Authors: Cermele Jill A. , Daniels Sharon , Anderson Kristin L.
Published: November 2003

This article explores the ways in which the DSM-IV Casebook constructs gender and race/ethnicity in depictions of individuals with mental illness. Analyses indicated that the case studies were gendered in accordance with socially sanctioned descriptions of women and men, with women more likely to be described negatively and in terms of physical attractiveness, and that women of color in particular were more likely to be sexualized. We argue that the studies in the Casebook contribute to a gendered and raced conceptualization of mental illness, and that these explicit definitions of pathology reflect implicit definitions of normalcy.
Russian and USA University Students’ Attitudes toward Female Social Roles
Authors: Popova Ludmila V.
Published: November 2003

In Russia a declared equality of women together with a general negative attitude toward feminism (which were instilled in the former USSR) coexist with the present indefinite federal policy with regard to women, with absence or inactivity of laws against women’s discrimination and sexism in mass media. The study aimed at finding how the situation had influenced attitudes toward female social roles of Russian students in comparison with their USA peers. They rated 25 items of the questionnaire ‘Attitude to Female Roles’ by Slade and Jenner (1978). Differences in attitudes toward female roles in child care, status within marriage and age of retirement were discovered, with the Russian students being more traditionally oriented and the USA students demonstrating high agreement with each other and with profeminist values. The results are important as a base for work with Russian students targeted at changing their attitudes toward feminism, getting them aware of sexism and ways to withstand it.
Data Analysis and Modeling Longitudinal Processes
Authors: Chan David
Published: November 2003

This article presents a nontechnical overview of the major data analysis techniques for modeling longitudinal processes, with an explicit focus on their advantages and disadvantages as tools for drawing inferences about different specific aspects of change over time. It is argued that traditional longitudinal analysis techniques offer limited ways of addressing many specific questions about change. Recent advances in latent variable techniques, when adequately driven by theory, design, and measurement, offer a unified and flexible framework for addressing such questions.
Injury-Induced Neurogenesis in the Adult Mammalian Brain
Authors: Parent Jack M.
Published: November 2003

The persistence of neurogenesis in the adult mammalian forebrain suggests that endogenous precursors may be a potential source for neuronal replacement after injury or neurodegeneration. Limited knowledge exists, however, regarding the normal function of neurogenesis in the adult and its alteration by brain injury. Neural precursors generate neurons throughout life in the mammalian forebrain subventricular zone (SVZ)-olfactory bulb pathway and hippocampal dentate gyrus. Accumulating evidence indicates that various brain insults increase neurogenesis in these persistent germinative zones. Two brain injury models in particular, experimental epilepsy and stroke in the adult rodent, have provided significant insight into the consequences of injury-induced neurogenesis. Studies of dentate gyrus neurogenesis in adult rodent epilepsy models suggest that seizure-induced neurogenesis involves aberrant neuroblast migration and integration that may contribute to persistent hippocampal hyperexcitability. In contrast, adult rat forebrain SVZ neurogenesis induced by stroke may have reparative effects. SVZ neural precursors migrate to regions of focal or global ischemic injury and appear to form appropriate neuronal subtypes to replace damaged neurons. These findings underscore the need for a better understanding of injury-induced neurogenesis in the adult and suggest that the manipulation of endogenous neural precursors is a potential strategy for brain reparative therapies.
Serotonin 2C Receptors: Suicide, Serotonin, and Runaway RNA Editing
Authors: Schmauss Claudia
Published: November 2003

Transcripts of the gene encoding the serotonin 2C receptor are modified by RNA editing, a posttranscriptional process that converts adenosines to inosines. This editing changes up to three genomically encoded amino acids located in the second intracellular loop of the G-protein-coupled receptor. Compared with nonedited receptors, extensively edited receptor isoforms activate G protein less efficiently. Studies on mice revealed that 5-HT2C pre-mRNA editing is regulated in a serotonin-dependent manner, and postmortem studies on brain tissues of patients with schizophrenia and major depression found distinct site- specific alterations of this editing in the prefrontal cortex, a brain region expressing a large number of differently edited 5-HT2C mRNA isoforms. At present, the most complex alterations in 5-HT2C pre-mRNA editing were found in brains of depressed suicide victims. In these brains, 5-HT2C receptor isoforms with reduced function are expressed at significantly increased levels, suggesting that the regulation of editing by synaptic serotonin is defective.
Gender Identity Disorder in Young Boys: A Parent- and Peer-Based Treatment Protocol
Authors: Meyer-Bahlburg Heino F. L.
Published: November 2003

Gender identity disorder (GID) as a psychiatric category is currently under debate. Because of the psychosocial consequences of childhood GID and the fact that childhood GID, in most cases, appears to have faded by the time of puberty, we think that a cost-effective treatment approach that speeds up the fading process would be beneficial. Our treatment approach is informed by the known psychosocial factors and mechanisms that contribute to gender identity development in general, and focuses on the interaction of the child with the parents and with the same-gender peer group. To minimize the child’s stigmatization, only the parents come to treatment sessions. A review of a consecutive series of 11 families of young boys with GID so treated shows a high rate of success with a relatively low number of sessions. We conclude that this treatment approach holds considerable promise as a cost-effective procedure for families in which both parents are present.
Mental Health Problems among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youths Ages 14 to 21
Authors: D’augelli Anthony R.
Published: November 2003

The mental health problems of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (lgb) youths were studied using a sample of 542 youths from community settings. Information about the development of sexual orientation, problems related to sexual orientation, parents’ reactions, and victimization based on sexual orientation was related to mental health symptoms and suicidality. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths were found to demonstrate more symptoms than a comparison group of adolescents. Over one- third of the sample reported a past suicide attempt. More symptoms were related to parents not knowing about youths’ sexual orientation or with both parents having negative reactions to youths’ sexual orientation. More than three-quarters had been verbally abused because of their sexual orientation, and 15 percent reported physical attacks. More than one-third said they had lost friends because of their sexual orientation. Youths who had experienced more victimization and who had lost friends reported more mental health symptoms. Mental health professionals are urged to attend to the distinct problems of these youths, especially dealing with conflicts with families and peers.
Clinical Themes in Gay- and Lesbian-Parented Adoptive Families
Authors: James Steven E.
Published: November 2003

When gay and lesbian people choose to create families by adoption, there is a complex intersection of issues relevant to the work of clinicians treating such families, especially their children. This article identifies identity and responsibility as two clinical themes emergent in the confluence of these issues and gives special attention to those themes’ importance to clinical work with children and adolescents in families, as they form and continue through their post-adoption years. The changing face of gay and lesbian parenting demands that researchers, educators, clinicians, and policy makers explore the issues of gay and lesbian adoptive parents and their children in their own right, not assuming that they are necessarily the same as those faced by other lesbian and gay families.
‘Oh No He Doesn’t!’, ‘Oh Yes He Does!’: Comparing Parent and Teacher Perceptions in Tourette’s Syndrome
Authors: Christie Deborah , Jassi Amita
Published: November 2003

Tourette’s syndrome is a complex and distressing condition characterized by vocal and motor tics. It is also associated with attentional and obsessional difficulties, which may be of greater concern than the tics to the child and their family. Parents attending specialist clinics report that attentional and learning difficulties are their greatest concern. Teachers are also concerned with attentional problems. However, overall, they report fewer behaviours as being of concern and rate those that they do report as less severe than parents. This can lead to conflict, with parents often feeling blamed and criticized for poor parenting. The article emphasizes the need for comprehensive and systemic assessment of children incorporating multiple perspectives. The need for a combination of treatment approaches, including the provision of educational material to help teachers understand the complex nature of Tourette’s syndrome, is described.
Men’s Role and Fatherhood in French Caribbean Families: A Multi-Systemic ‘Resource’ Approach
Authors: Brunod Régis , Cook-Darzens Solange
Published: November 2003

In Western societies, mothering and fathering are generally conceptualized as distinct social roles, marriage being considered as the institution which provides the best framework for child-rearing (nuclear family model). Yet it is important that health-care practitioners recognize that children can be successfully raised in very diverse types of family organizations, including extended female-headed families. Although at first sight this type of family structure appears to be lacking in male models and therefore seems to be defective, we stress the following points, using three case illustrations from French Caribbean families: (i) Functional extended matrifocal Caribbean families can resourcefully respond to the child’s fundamental socialization needs, and the paternal role is often adequately fulfilled in a variety of ways (by fathers as well as other persons) in these families; and (ii) when Caribbean families’ ability to ‘father’ the child is disrupted (through social isolation, migration or specific psychological/developmental problems), mental health professionals working with these families should base their interventions on treatment models that promote the (re)construction of a functional extended family network and apply more flexible concepts of ‘fatherhood’ than those dictated by the nuclear family model.