bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recent Advancements in the Treatment of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
Authors: O'Dwyer Michael E. , Mauro Michael J. , Druker Brian J.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a clonal hematopoetic stem cell disorder characterized by the Philadelphia chromosome and resultant production of the constitutively activated Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase. Characterized clinically by marked myeloid proliferation, it invariably terminates in an acute leukemia. Conventional therapeutic options include interferon-based regimens and stem cell transplantation, with stem cell transplantation being the only curative therapy. Through rational drug development, STI571, a Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has emerged as a paradigm for gene product targeted therapy, offering new hope for expanded treatment options for patients with CML.
MICROBIAL HYDROLYSIS OF POLYSACCHARIDES
Authors: Warren R. A. J.
Published: July 2002

Microorganisms are efficient degraders of starch, chitin, and the polysaccharides in plant cell walls. Attempts to purify hydrolases led to the realization that a microorganism may produce a multiplicity of enzymes, referred to as a system, for the efficient utilization of a polysaccharide. In order to fully characterize a particular enzyme, it must be obtained free of the other components of a system. Quite often, this proves to be very difficult because of the complexity of a system. This realization led to the cloning of the genes encoding them as an approach to eliminating other components. More than 400 such genes have been cloned and sequenced, and the enzymes they encode have been grouped into more than 50 families of related amino acid sequences. The enzyme systems revealed in this manner are complex on two quite different levels. First, many of the individual enzymes are complex, as they are modular proteins comprising one or more catalytic domains linked to ancillary domains that often include one or more substrate-binding domains. Second, the systems are complex, comprising from a few to 20 or more enzymes, all of which hydrolyze a particular substrate. Systems for the hydrolysis of plant cell walls usually contain more components than systems for the hydrolysis of starch and chitin because the cell walls contain several polysaccharides. In general, the systems produced by different microorganisms for the hydrolysis of a particular polysaccharide comprise similar enzymes from the same families.
Alginate Lyase: Review of Major Sources and Enzyme Characteristics, Structure-Function Analysis, Biological Roles, and Applications
Authors: Wong Thiang Yian , Preston Lori A. , Schiller Neal L.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Alginate lyases, characterized as either mannuronate (EC 4.2.2.3) or guluronate lyases (EC 4.2.2.11), catalyze the degradation of alginate, a complex copolymer of α-L-guluronate and its C5 epimer β-D-mannuronate. Lyases have been isolated from a wide range of organisms, including algae, marine invertebrates, and marine and terrestrial microorganisms. This review catalogs the major characteristics of these lyases, the methods for analyzing these enzymes, as well as their biological roles. Analysis of primary sequence data identifies some markedly conserved motifs that should help elucidate functional domains. Information about the three-dimensional structure of a mannuronate lyase from Sphingomonas sp., combined with various mutagenesis studies, has identified residues that are important for catalytic activity in several lyases. Characterization of alginate lyases will enhance and expand the use of these enzymes to engineer novel alginate polymers for applications in various industrial, agricultural, and medical fields. In this review, we explore both past and present applications of this important enzyme and discuss its future prospects.
PRODUCTION OF HEAVY QUARKONIUM IN HIGH-ENERGY COLLIDERS
Authors: Braaten Eric , Fleming Sean , Yuan Tzu Chiang
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Recent data from the Tevatron collider have revealed that the production rate of prompt charmonium at large transverse momentum is orders of magnitude larger than the best theories of a few years ago had predicted. These surprising results can be understood by taking into account two recent developments that have dramatically revised the theoretical description of heavy-quarkonium production. The first is the realization that fragmentation must dominate at large transverse momentum, which implies that most charmonium in this kinematic region is produced by the hadronization of individual high-pT partons. The second is the development of a factorization formalism for quarkonium production based on nonrelativistic QCD that allows the formation of charmonium from color-octet [Formula: see text] pairs to be treated systematically. This review summarizes these theoretical developments and their implications for quarkonium production in high-energy colliders.
COLOR-SUPERCONDUCTING QUARK MATTER
Authors: Alford Mark
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  I review recent progress in our understanding of the color-superconducting phase of matter above nuclear density, giving particular emphasis to the effort to find observable signatures of the presence of this phase in compact stars.
QUANTUM MONTE CARLO CALCULATIONS OF LIGHT NUCLEI
Authors: Pieper Steven C. , Wiringa R. B.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Accurate quantum Monte Carlo calculations of ground states and low-lying excited states of light p-shell nuclei are now possible for realistic nuclear Hamiltonians that fit nucleon-nucleon scattering data. Results for more than 30 different (Jπ;T) states, plus isobaric analogs, in A ≤ 8 nuclei have been obtained with an excellent reproduction of the experimental energy spectrum. These microscopic calculations show that nuclear structure, including both single-particle and clustering aspects, can be explained starting from elementary two- and three-nucleon interactions. Various density and momentum distributions, electromagnetic form factors, and spectroscopic factors have also been computed, as well as electroweak capture reactions of astrophysical interest.
REGULATION OF THE EXPRESSION OF LIPOGENIC ENZYME GENES BY CARBOHYDRATE
Authors: Towle Howard C. , Kaytor Elizabeth N. , Shih Hsiu-Ming
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Diets high in simple carbohydrates and low in fats lead in the mammalian liver to induction of a set of enzymes involved in lipogenesis. This induction occurs, in part, through transcriptional mechanisms that lead to elevated levels of the mRNA for these enzymes. For most of the lipogenic enzymes, an increase in glucose metabolism is required to trigger the transcriptional response. The intracellular mediator of this signaling pathway is unknown, although evidence suggests either glucose-6-phosphate or xylulose-5-phosphate. Studies to map the regulatory sequences of lipogenic enzyme genes involved in the transcriptional response have been performed for the l-type pyruvate kinase, S14, and acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase genes. These studies have identified the DNA sequences necessary to link the signal generated by carbohydrate metabolism to specific nuclear transcription factors.
DIETARY OXIDATIVE STRESS AND THE POTENTIATION OF VIRAL INFECTION
Authors: Beck Melinda A. , Levander Orville A.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of several viral infections, including hepatitis, influenza, and AIDS. Dietary oxidative stress due to either selenium or vitamin E deficiency increases cardiac damage in mice infected with a myocarditic strain of coxsackievirus B3. Such dietary oxidative stress also allows a normally benign (i.e. amyocarditic) coxsackievirus B3 to convert to virulence and cause heart damage. This conversion to virulence is due to a nucleotide sequence change in the genome of the benign virus, which then resembles more closely the nucleotide sequence of virulent strains. Although it has been known for many years that poor nutrition can affect host response to infection, this is the first report of host nutrition affecting the genetic sequence of a pathogen. Further research is needed to determine whether poor host nutrition plays any role in the emergence of new viral diseases via alterations in the genotype of an infectious agent.
The Binding Site of Aminergic G Protein–Coupled Receptors: The Transmembrane Segments and Second Extracellular Loop
Authors: Shi Lei , Javitch Jonathan A.
Published: July 2002

In the current chapter, we review approaches to the identification of the residues forming the binding sites for agonists, antagonists, and allosteric modulators in the family of aminergic G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs). We then review the structural bases for ligand binding and pharmacological specificity based on the application of these methods to muscarinic cholinergic, adrenergic, dopaminergic, serotonergic, and histaminergic receptors, using the high resolution rhodopsin structure as a template. Furthermore, we propose a critical role of the second extracellular loop in forming the binding site for small molecular weight aminergic ligands, much as this loop dives down into the binding-site crevice and contacts retinal in rhodopsin.
The Spinal Phospholipase-Cyclooxygenase-Prostanoid Cascade in Nociceptive Processing
Authors: Svensson Camilla I. , Yaksh Tony L.
Published: July 2002

Intrathecal phospholipase A2(PLA2) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), but not COX-1, inhibitors attenuate facilitated pain states generated by peripheral injury/inflammation and by direct activation of spinal glutamate and substance P receptors. These results are consistent with the constitutive expression of PLA2and COX-2 in spinal cord, the spinal release of prostaglandins by persistent afferent input, and the effects of prostaglandins on spinal excitability. Whereas the acute actions of COX-2 inhibitors are clearly mediated by constitutively expressed spinal COX-2, studies of spinal COX-2 expression indicate that it is upregulated by neural input and circulating cytokines. Given the intrathecal potency of COX-2 inhibitors, the comparable efficacy of intrathecal versus systemic COX-2 inhibitors in hyperalgesic states not associated with inflammation, and the onset of antihyperalgesic activity prior to COX-2 upregulation, it is argued that a principal antihyperalgesic mechanism of COX-2 inhibitors lies with modulation of constitutive COX-2 present at the spinal level.
PROTEIN CRYSTALLIZATION
Authors: Durbin S. D. , Feher G.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Crystallization is necessary to obtain the three-dimensional structure of proteins and nucleic acids; it often represents the bottleneck in structure determination. Our understanding of crystallization mechanisms is still incomplete. In this review, we emphasize fundamental aspects of the crystallization process.

Protein-protein contacts in crystals are complex, involving a delicate balance of specific and nonspecific interactions. Depending on solution conditions, these interactions can lead to nucleation of crystals or to amorphous aggregation; this stage of crystallization has been successfully studied by light scattering. Post nucleation crystal growth may proceed by mechanisms involving crystal defects or two-dimensional nucleation, as observed by atomic force and interference microscopy. Cessation of growth has been observed but remains incompletely understood. Impurities may play important roles during all stages of crystallization. Phase diagrams can guide optimization of conditions for nucleation and subsequent crystal growth; a theoretical understanding relating these to the intermolecular interactions is beginning to develop.
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS AT LIQUID-LIQUID INTERFACES
Authors: Benjamin Ilan
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  The structural, dynamical, and electrical properties of the interface between two immiscible liquids are described. The adsorption of solute molecules and the processes of ion transfer across the interface and of electron transfer at the interface are discussed. The microscopic perspective is emphasized by focusing on selected recent experimental results and on results obtained from molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo computer simulations. The validity of some of the existing models of the interface is examined. A proper account of the molecular structure of the interface is important for understanding solvation and charge transfer processes at the interface.
PROTON-COUPLED ELECTRON TRANSFER
Authors: Cukier Robert I. , Nocera Daniel G.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) is an important mechanism for charge transfer in a wide variety of systems including biology- and materials-oriented venues. We review several areas where the transfer of an electron and proton is tightly coupled and discuss model systems that can provide an experimental basis for a test of PCET theory. In a PCET reaction, the electron and proton may transfer consecutively (ET/PT) or concertedly (ETPT). The distinction between these processes is formulated, and rate-constant expressions for the two reaction channels are presented. Methods for the evaluation of these rate constants are discussed that are based on dielectric continuum theory. Electron donor hydrogen-bonded-interface electron acceptor systems displaying PCET reactivity are presented, and the rate-constant expressions corresponding to the ETPT and ET/PT channels for several model reaction complexes are evaluated.
OPTICAL STUDIES OF SINGLE MOLECULES AT ROOM TEMPERATURE
Authors: Xie X. Sunney , Trautman Jay K.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Recent developments in optical studies of single molecules at room temperature are reviewed, with an emphasis on the underlying principles and the potential of single-molecule experiments. Examples of single-molecule studies are given, including photophysics and photochemistry pertinent to single-molecule measurements, spectral fluctuations, Raman spectroscopy, diffusional motions, conformational dynamics, fluorescence resonant energy transfer, exciton dynamics, and enzymatic turnovers. These studies illustrate the information obtainable with the single-molecule approach that is hidden in ensemble-averaged measurements.
Surface Plasmon Resonance Imaging Measurements of Ultrathin Organic Films
Authors: Brockman Jennifer M. , Nelson Bryce P. , Corn Robert M.
Published: July 2002

The surface-sensitive optical technique of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging is used to characterize ultrathin organic and biopolymer films at metal interfaces in a spatially resolved manner. Because of its high surface sensitivity and its ability to measure in real time the interaction of unlabeled biological molecules with arrays of surface-bound species, SPR imaging has the potential to become a powerful tool in biomolecular investigations. Recently, SPR imaging has been successfully implemented in the characterization of supported lipid bilayer films, the monitoring of antibody-antigen interactions at surfaces, and the study of DNA hybridization adsorption. The following is included in this review: (a) an introduction to the principles of surface plasmon resonance, (b) the details of SPR imaging instrumental design, (c) a short discussion concerning resolution, sensitivity, and quantitation in SPR imaging, (d) the details of DNA array fabrication on chemically modified gold surfaces, and (e) two examples that demonstrate the application of the SPR imaging technique to the study of protein-DNA interactions.
RECENT PROGRESS IN INFRARED ABSORPTION TECHNIQUES FOR ELEMENTARY GAS-PHASE REACTION KINETICS
Authors: Taatjes Craig A , Hershberger John F
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Sensitive and precise measurements of rate coefficients, branching fractions, and energy disposal from gas-phase radical reactions provide information about the mechanism of elementary reactions as well as furnish modelers of complicated chemical systems with rate data. This chapter describes the use of time-resolved infrared laser absorption as a tool for investigating gas-phase radical reactions, emphasizing the exploitation of the particular advantages of the technique. The reaction of Cl atoms with HD illustrates the complementarity of thermal kinetic measurements with molecular beam data. Measurements of second-order reactions, such as the self-reactions of SiH3 and C3H3 radicals, and determinations of product branching fractions in reactions such as CN + O2 rely on the wide applicability of infrared absorption and on the straightforward relationship of absorption to absolute concentration. Finally, investigations of product vibrational distributions, as in the CN + H2 reaction, provide additional insight into the details of reaction mechanisms.
GENETIC DISEASES AND GENE KNOCKOUTS REVEAL DIVERSE CONNEXIN FUNCTIONS
Authors: White Thomas W. , Paul David L.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Intercellular channels present in gap junctions allow cells to share small molecules and thus coordinate a wide range of behaviors. Remarkably, although junctions provide similar functions in all multicellular organisms, vertebrates and invertebrates use unrelated gene families to encode these channels. The recent identification of the invertebrate innexin family opens up powerful genetic systems to studies of intercellular communication. At the same time, new information on the physiological roles of vertebrate connexins has emerged from genetic studies. Mutations in connexin genes underlie a variety of human diseases, including deafness, demyelinating neuropathies, and lens cataracts. In addition, gene targeting of connexins in mice has provided new insights into connexin function and the significance of connexin diversity.
Structure and Function of Dendritic Spines
Authors: Nimchinsky Esther A. , Sabatini Bernardo L. , Svoboda Karel
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Spines are neuronal protrusions, each of which receives input typically from one excitatory synapse. They contain neurotransmitter receptors, organelles, and signaling systems essential for synaptic function and plasticity. Numerous brain disorders are associated with abnormal dendritic spines. Spine formation, plasticity, and maintenance depend on synaptic activity and can be modulated by sensory experience. Studies of compartmentalization have shown that spines serve primarily as biochemical, rather than electrical, compartments. In particular, recent work has highlighted that spines are highly specialized compartments for rapid large-amplitude Ca2+ signals underlying the induction of synaptic plasticity.
CHEMORECEPTION IN PLANT PARASITIC NEMATODES
Authors: Perry Roland N.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  The role and functioning of the anterior chemosensory organs of plant parasitic nematodes is examined, with particular emphasis on the amphids. The morphology of the amphids is discussed primarily in the context of the changes in the ultrastructure associated with different life stages. The involvement of amphidial secretions in chemoreception and the behavioral and electrophysiological analyses of nematode responses to semiochemicals are discussed with special reference to research on sex pheromones. These research techniques, combined with the use of lectins and antibodies, provide information on nematode sensilla that may lead to novel control strategies for economically important plant parasitic nematodes based on perturbing nematode sensory perception to prevent host or mate location.
GENETICS OF RESISTANCE TO WHEAT LEAF RUST
Authors: Kolmer J. A.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Leaf rust (caused by Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici) is the most widespread and regularly occurring rust on wheat. Genetic resistance is the most economical method of reducing yield losses due to leaf rust. To date, 46 leaf rust resistance genes have been designated and mapped in wheat. Resistance gene expression is dependent on the genetics of host-parasite interaction, temperature conditions, plant developmental stage, and interaction between resistance genes with suppressors or other resistance genes in the wheat genomes. Genes expressed in seedling plants have not provided long-lasting effective leaf rust resistance. Adult-plant resistance genes Lr13 and Lr34 singly and together have provided the most durable resistance to leaf rust in wheat throughout the world. Continued efforts to isolate, characterize, and map leaf rust resistance genes is essential given the ability of the leaf rust fungus to overcome deployed resistance genes.
THE PINEWOOD NEMATODE:Regulation and Mitigation
Authors: Dwinell L. David
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  In North America, the native pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, kills exotic pines. When inadvertently introduced to Japan and other Asian countries, PWN became a destructive pest of pines. The PWN has been intercepted in pine shipments from North America to Europe, where there is concern that it may also kill pines and other conifers. To protect their forests from the PWN and other pests, the European Union and other countries now regulate the import of all coniferous chips, sawn wood, and logs. Several species of Bursaphelenchus have a phoretic relationship with Monochamus spp., which carry them to recently felled logs and dead or dying conifers, particularly pines. As a result, species of Monochamus, Bursaphelenchus, or both may be found in chips, unseasoned lumber, and logs. During the past decade, procedures to disinfest transported unprocessed wood have been investigated. These mitigation measures include prevention, host selection, and treatment by fumigation, irradiation, chemical dips, and elevated temperatures.
THE TOMATO–CLADOSPORIUM FULVUM INTERACTION: A Versatile Experimental System to Study Plant-Pathogen Interactions
Authors: Joosten MHAJ , de Wit PJGM
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Over the past 20 years, the interaction between the biotrophic fungal pathogen Cladosporium fulvum and tomato has developed into a versatile experimental system for molecular plant pathology and resistance breeding. This interaction provided the resources for cloning of fungal avirulence genes for the first time and interesting clues on recognition of their extracellular products by tomato, as well as mechanisms employed by the fungus to circumvent this recognition. A wealth of information has become available on the structure and genomic organization of Cf resistance genes. The occurrence of many clustered Cf homologues allows the generation of new genes with additional recognitional specificities by reshuffling. It is anticipated that potentially all proteins secreted by C. fulvum are recognized by one or more individuals in a population of tomato genotypes, a hypothesis that has been experimentally confirmed. The future challenge will be to elucidate the mechanisms of perception of avirulence factors and the subsequent signaling eventually leading to activation of host defense responses.
BIOCONTROL WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF SOIL MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES: A Substrate-Dependent Phenomenon
Authors: Hoitink HAJ , Boehm MJ
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Broad spectrum biological control of diseases caused by soilborne plant pathogens such as Pythium, Phytophthora, and Rhizoctonia solani requires the introduction into or presence of edaphic sources of organic nutrients in soil for sustenance of biocontrol agents. The decomposition level of organic matter critically affects the composition of bacterial taxa as well as the populations and activities of biocontrol agents. Competition, antibiosis, parasitism, and systemic induced resistance are all affected. Highly stabilized sources of Sphagnum peat consistently fail to support sustained biological control, even when inoculated with biocontrol agents. Composts, on the other hand, can serve as an ideal food base for biocontrol agents and offer an opportunity to introduce and establish specific biocontrol agents into soils, which in turn leads to sustained biological control based on the activities of microbial communities.
Control of Virulence and Pathogenicity Genes of Ralstonia Solanacearum by an Elaborate Sensory Network
Authors: Schell Mark A.
Published: July 2002

Ralstonia solanacearum causes a lethal bacterial wilt disease of diverse plants. It invades the xylem vessels of roots and disseminates into the stem where it multiplies and wilts by excessive exopolysaccharide production. Many of its key extracytoplasmic virulence and pathogenicity factors are transcriptionally controlled by an extensive network of distinct, interacting signal transduction pathways. The core of this sensory network is the five-gene Phc system that regulates exopolysaccharide, cell-wall-degrading exoenzymes, and other factors in response to a self-produced signal molecule that monitors the pathogen's growth status and environment. Four additional environmentally responsive two-component systems work independently and with the Phc system to fine-tune virulence gene expression. Another critical system is Prh which transduces plant cell-derived signals through a six-gene cascade to activate deployment of the Type III secretion pathway encoded by the hrp pathogenicity genes. Here I summarize knowledge about the regulated targets, signal transduction mechanisms, and crosstalk between Phc, Prh, and other systems. I also provide insight into why R. solanacearum has evolved such a sophisticated sensory apparatus, and how it functions in disease.
GENDERING RESEARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
Authors: Lovenduski Joni
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  The examination of feminist research on political representation, public policy, and political institutions indicates that a shift in emphasis from the dichotomous variable of sex to the concept of gender is taking place. The shift is incomplete partly because many feminists believe both concepts are necessary to good research design. While mainstream political scientists have become more willing to use sex as a background variable in their research, they have not come to terms with notions of gender, a reluctance that may cause them to make important mistakes in their analysis of politics. Gender is a concept that suggests another major reexamination of what we think about political life. Its implications are insistent and far-reaching, offering a productive means of understanding politics.
POLITICAL PARTIES AND DEMOCRACY
Authors: Stokes S. C.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  A central claim of democratic theory is that democracy induces governments to be responsive to the preferences of the people. Political parties organize politics in every modern democracy, and some observers claim that parties are what induce democracies to be responsive. Yet, according to others, parties give voice to extremists and reduce the responsiveness of governments to the citizenry. The debate about parties and democracy takes on renewed importance as new democracies around the globe struggle with issues of representation and governability. I show that our view of the impact of parties on democratic responsiveness hinges on what parties are—their objectives and organization. I review competing theories of parties, sketch their testable implications, and note the empirical findings that may help adjudicate among these theories. I also review debates about the origins of parties, about the determinants of party-system size and characteristics, and about party competition.
AUDITORY PSYCHOPHYSICS AND PERCEPTION
Authors: Hirsh Ira J. , Watson Charles S.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  In this review of auditory psychophysics and perception, we cite some important books, research monographs, and research summaries from the past decade. Within auditory psychophysics, we have singled out some topics of current importance: Cross-Spectral Processing, Timbre and Pitch, and Methodological Developments.

Complex sounds and complex listening tasks have been the subject of new studies in auditory perception. We review especially work that concerns auditory pattern perception, with emphasis on temporal aspects of the patterns and on patterns that do not depend on the cognitive structures often involved in the perception of speech and music.

Finally, we comment on some aspects of individual differences that are sufficiently important to question the goal of characterizing auditory properties of the typical, average, adult listener. Among the important factors that give rise to these individual differences are those involved in selective processing and attention.
SOCIAL, COMMUNITY, AND PREVENTIVE INTERVENTIONS
Authors: Reppucci N. D. , Woolard J. L. , Fried C. S.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  Psychology can and should be at the forefront of participation in social, community, and preventive interventions. This chapter focuses on selective topics under two general areas: violence as a public health problem and health promotion/competence promotion across the life span. Under violence prevention, discussion of violence against women, youth violence, and child maltreatment are the focal points. Under health and competence promotion, attention is paid to the prevention of substance abuse and HIV/AIDS. We highlight a few significant theoretical and empirical contributions, especially from the field of community/prevention psychology. The chapter includes a brief overview of diversity issues, which are integral to a comprehensive discussion of these prevention efforts. We argue that the field should extend its role in social action while emphasizing the critical importance of rigorous research as a component of future interventions.
The Environmental Psychology of Capsule Habitats
Authors: Suedfeld Peter , Steel G. Daniel
Published: July 2002

Capsule habitats make it possible for human beings to survive and function in environments that would otherwise be lethal, such as space, the ocean depths, and the polar regions. The number of people entering capsules in the course of their work or for purposes of recreation is constantly increasing. However, long-term living in such habitats imposes physical and psychological risks as well as offering opportunities and benefits. This paper reviews what is known about the environmental, social, and personality aspects of adaptation to capsules, including sources of stress, selection criteria, obstacles to and facilitators of adequate coping, changes in group interaction, the role of temporal factors, and post-mission consequences.
Disrespect and the Experience of Injustice
Authors: Miller Dale T.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  This review analyzes research and theory pertaining to the psychology of injustice, using as its organizing theme the role that the perception of disrespect plays in the experience of injustice. The analysis focuses primarily on the links between disrespect and anger, disrespect and injustice, and anger and injustice. Determinants of the intensity of people's reactions to injustices are also reviewed. In addition, the review examines the goals of retaliation as well as the forms that retaliation can take. Parallels between justice reactions to those acts of disrespect directed toward the self and those directed toward others are noted. Finally, the review discusses the implications of justice research for understanding the specific and general entitlements that people believe are their due.
Effects of Smoking Restrictions in the Workplace
Authors: Brownson Ross C. , Hopkins David P. , Wakefield Melanie A.
Published: July 2002

▪ Abstract  The health hazards caused by exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) are well established. Workplace exposure to ETS is strongly influenced by the types of workplace and smoking policy—total bans on smoking have become common in many countries. Blue-collar and service workers are more likely than other types of workers to be exposed to ETS in the workplace. Smokers who are employed in workplaces with smoking bans are likely to consume fewer cigarettes per day, are more likely to be considering quitting, and quit at an increased rate compared with smokers employed in workplaces with no or weaker policies. Despite substantial progress in protecting workers from ETS, additional efforts are needed in areas that include attention to exposure among blue-collar and service workers; policies in workplaces with a limited number of employees; and studies of enforcement, effects on smoking cessation in multiple settings, and cost-effectiveness.
The Changing Organizational Context of Professional Work
Authors: Leicht Kevin T. , Fennell Mary L.
Published: July 2002

Our paper represents an attempt to stimulate continued sociological interest in professional work. Our review suggests that understanding professional work is central to understanding larger workplace changes in the late twentieth century. Some researchers have documented the increasingly diverse arrangements for the delivery of professional services, even as others point to a convergence of professional control around accountability and cost containment issues. Claims of diverging interests across work settings are often confounded by greater racial, gender, and ethnic diversity among professionals. We suggest that the study of professional careers provides an avenue for studying the diversification of professionals and work settings. Future research should also follow changes in the prestige rankings of different organizational arrangements from the viewpoint of professionals, professional associations, and clients. Finally we warn researchers that managerial groups seeking control of professional work have professional agendas of their own which constrain the possibilities for sweeping change.
Identity Construction: New Issues, New Directions
Authors: Cerulo Karen A.
Published: July 2002

The study of identity forms a critical cornerstone within modern sociological thought. Introduced by the works of Cooley and Mead, identity studies have evolved and grown central to current sociological discourse. Microsociological perspectives dominated work published through the 1970s. Sociologists focused primarily on the formation of the “me,” exploring the ways in which interpersonal interactions mold an individual's sense of self. Recent literature constitutes an antithesis to such concerns. Many works refocus attention from the individual to the collective; others prioritize discourse over the systematic scrutiny of behavior; some researchers approach identity as a source of mobilization rather than a product of it; and the analysis of virtual identities now competes with research on identities established in the copresent world. This essay explores all such agenda as raised in key works published since 1980. I close with a look toward the future, suggesting trajectories aimed at synthesizing traditional and current concerns.
Women's Employment and the Gain to Marriage: The Specialization and Trading Model
Authors: Oppenheimer Valerie Kincade
Published: July 2002

This chapter critically examines the hypothesis that women's rising employment levels have increased their economic independence and hence have greatly reduced the desirability of marriage. Little firm empirical support for this hypothesis is found. The apparent congruence in time-series data of women's rising employment with declining marriage rates and increasing marital instability is partly a result of using the historically atypical early postwar behavior of the baby boom era as the benchmark for comparisons and partly due to confounding trends in delayed marriage with those of nonmarriage. Support for the hypothesis in multivariate analyses is found only in cross-sectional aggregate-level studies, which are poor tests of an individual-level behavioral hypothesis and which also present difficulty in establishing the appropriate causal direction. Individual-level analyses of marriage formation using longitudinal data and hazard modeling uniformly fail to support the hypothesis, while analyses of marital dissolution yield mixed results. Theoretically, the hypothesis also has severe limitations. The frequent tendency to equate income equality between spouses with women's economic independence and a lowered gain to marriage fails to distinguish between situations where high gains to marriage may be the result of income equality from situations where the result is a very low gain to marriage. Focusing on income ratios alone also tends to distract attention from the underlying causes of these ratios and their structural determinants. Finally, the independence hypothesis is based on a model of marriage that views the gain to marriage as a result of gender-role specialization and exchange. Historical evidence on the family indicates that this is a high risk and inflexible family strategy for independent nuclear families and one that is in strong contrast to contemporary family patterns.
Socialism and the Transition in East and Central Europe: The Homogeneity Paradigm, Class, and Economic Inefficiency
Authors: Fuller Linda
Published: July 2002

The homogeneity (mass-elite) paradigm exerts inordinate influence over social research on East and Central European socialism and its transition. I explore the epistemological and methodological underpinnings of this paradigm and argue that it has masked the importance of class relations for grasping the dynamics of these societies. I help retrieve class in general, and the working class in particular, from the analytic obscurity to which the homogeneity paradigm has relegated them by juxtaposing workers' and intellectuals' perceptions of economic inefficiency. Finally, I suggest ways that inattention to class under socialism has retarded understanding of the political struggles that have accompanied its demise.
Obesity Accelerates the Progression of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Young Men
Authors: McGill Henry C. , McMahan C. Alex , Herderick Edward E. , Zieske Arthur W. , Malcom Gray T. , Tracy Richard E. , Strong Jack P.
Published: July 2002

Background

—

Obesity is a risk factor for adult coronary heart disease and is increasing in prevalence among youths as well as adults. Results regarding the association of obesity with atherosclerosis are conflicting, particularly when analyses account for other risk factors.

Methods and Results

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The Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth (PDAY) study collected arteries, blood, and other tissue from ≈3000 persons aged 15 to 34 years dying of external causes and autopsied in forensic laboratories. We measured gross atherosclerotic lesions in the right coronary artery (RCA), American Heart Association (AHA) lesion grade in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), serum lipid concentrations, serum thiocyanate (for smoking), intimal thickness of renal arteries (for hypertension), glycohemoglobin (for hyperglycemia), and adiposity by body mass index (BMI) and thickness of the panniculus adiposus. BMI in young men was associated with both fatty streaks and raised lesions in the RCA and with AHA grade and stenosis in the LAD. The effect of obesity (BMI>30 kg/m
2
) on RCA raised lesions was greater in young men with a thick panniculus adiposus. Obesity was associated with non-HDL and HDL (inversely) cholesterol concentrations, smoking (inversely), hypertension, and glycohemoglobin concentration, and these variables accounted for ≈15% of the effect of obesity on coronary atherosclerosis in young men. BMI was not associated with coronary atherosclerosis in young women although there was trend among those with a thick panniculus adiposus.

Conclusions

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Obesity is associated with accelerated coronary atherosclerosis in adolescent and young adult men. These observations support the current emphasis on controlling obesity to prevent adult coronary heart disease.
Cardiovascular Effects of Nasal and Transdermal Nicotine and Cigarette Smoking
Authors: Benowitz Neal L. , Hansson Anna , Jacob Peyton
Published: July 2002

The purpose of this study was to compare circadian blood pressure and heart rate patterns and other cardiovascular effects of nicotine delivered rapidly (via nasal spray, NNS), slowly (transdermal nicotine, TDN), by cigarette smoking (rapid delivery of nicotine plus other smoke toxins), and placebo NNS. Twelve healthy cigarette smokers were studied on a research ward when they smoked cigarettes (16 per day) or used TDN (15 mg/16 h), NNS (24 1-mg doses per day), or placebo NNS, each for 5 days. There were no significant differences in systolic blood pressure, but diastolic blood pressure was slightly increased during cigarette smoking. Plasma epinephrine, β-thromboglobulin, and fibrinogen levels were higher during cigarette smoking than with TDN. For most measurements, NNS values were intermediate between and not significantly different from those of cigarette smoking and TDN. We conclude that, at recommended doses, TDN and NNS have fewer effects on biomarkers of cardiovascular risk than does cigarette smoking.
Genomewide Linkage Scan of Resting Blood Pressure
Authors: Rice Treva , Rankinen Tuomo , Chagnon Yvon C. , Province Michael A. , Pérusse Louis , Leon Arthur S. , Skinner James S. , Wilmore Jack H. , Bouchard Claude , Rao Dabeeru C.
Published: July 2002

The purpose of this study was to search for genomic regions influencing resting systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure (BP) in sedentary families (baseline), and for resting BP responses (changes) resulting from a 20-week exercise training intervention (post-training–baseline) in the Health, Risk Factors, Exercise Training, and Genetics (HERITAGE) Family Study. A genome-wide scan was conducted on 317 black individuals from 114 families and 519 white individuals from 99 families using a multipoint variance-components linkage model and a panel of 509 markers. Promising results were primarily, but not exclusively, found in the black families. Linkage evidence (
P
<0.0023) with baseline BP replicated other studies within a 1-logarithm of odds (LOD) interval on 2p14, 3p26.3, and 12q21.33, and provided new evidence on 3q28, 11q21, and 19p12. Results for several known hypertension genes were less compelling. For response BP, results were not very strong, although markers on 13q11 were mildly suggestive (
P
<0.01). In conclusion, these HERITAGE data, in conjunction with results from previous genomewide scans, provide a basis for planning future investigations. The major areas warranting further study involve fine mapping to narrow down 3 regions on 2q, 3p, and 12q that may contain “novel” hypertension genes, additional typing of some biological candidate genes to determine whether they are the sources of these and other signals, multilocus investigations to understand how and to what extent some of these candidates may interact, and multivariate studies to characterize any pleiotropy.
Young Adult Bone Marrow–Derived Endothelial Precursor Cells Restore Aging-Impaired Cardiac Angiogenic Function
Authors: Edelberg Jay M. , Tang Lilong , Hattori Koichi , Lyden David , Rafii Shahin
Published: July 2002

Delivery of young bone marrow–derived stem cells offers a novel approach for restoring the impaired senescent cardiac angiogenic function that may underlie the increased morbidity and mortality associated with ischemic heart disease in older individuals. Recently, we reported that alterations in endothelial cells of the aging heart lead to a dysregulation in the cardiac myocyte platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-B–induced paracrine pathway, which contributes to impaired cardiac angiogenic function. Based on these results, we hypothesized that cellular restoration of the PDGF pathway by bone marrow–derived endothelial precursor cells (EPCs) could reverse the aging-associated decline in angiogenic activity. In vitro studies revealed that young murine (3-month-old) bone marrow–derived EPCs recapitulated the cardiac myocyte–induced expression of PDGF-B, whereas EPCs from the bone marrow of aging mice (18-month-old) did not express PDGF-B when cultured in the presence of cardiac myocytes. Transplantation of young, but not old, genetically marked syngeneic bone marrow cells into intact, unirradiated aging mice that populated the endogenous senescent murine bone marrow incorporated into the neovasculature of subsequently transplanted syngeneic neonatal myocardium. Moreover, the young bone marrow–derived EPCs restored the senescent host angiogenic PDGF-B induction pathway and cardiac angiogenesis, with graft survival and myocardial activity in the aging murine host (cardiac allograft viability: 3-month-old controls, 8/8; 18-month-old controls, 1/8; 18-month-old donors receiving bone marrow from 3-month-old mice, 15/16; or 18-month-old mice, 0/6;
P
<0.05). These results may offer a foundation for the development of novel therapies for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease associated with aging. The full text of this article is available at http://www.circresaha.org.
[
3
H]Muscimol Binding to γ-Aminobutyric Acid
A
Receptors Is Upregulated in CA1 Neurons of the Gerbil Hippocampus in the Ischemia-Tolerant State
Authors: Sommer Clemens , Fahrner Alexander , Kiessling Marika
Published: July 2002

Background and Purpose

—

Excitotoxic activation of glutamate receptors is currently thought to play a pivotal role in delayed neuronal death (DND) of highly vulnerable CA1 neurons in the gerbil hippocampus after transient global ischemia. Postischemic degeneration of these neurons can be prevented by “preconditioning” with a short sublethal ischemic stimulus. The present study was designed to test whether ischemic preconditioning is associated with specific alterations of ligand binding to excitatory glutamate and/or inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
A
receptors compared with ischemia severe enough to induce DND.

Methods

—

With the use of quantitative receptor autoradiography, postischemic ligand binding of [
3
H]MK-801 and [
3
H]α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) to excitatory
N
-methyl-
d
-aspartate (NMDA) and AMPA receptors as well as [
3
H]muscimol to inhibitory GABA
A
receptors in hippocampal subfields CA1, CA3, and the dentate gyrus were analyzed in 2 experimental paradigms. Gerbils were subjected to (1) a 5-minute ischemic period resulting in DND of CA1 neurons and (2) a 2.5-minute period of ischemia mediating tolerance induction.

Results

—

[
3
H]MK-801 and [
3
H]AMPA binding values to excitatory NMDA and AMPA receptors showed a delayed decrease in relatively ischemia-resistant CA3 and dentate gyrus despite maintained neuronal cell density. [
3
H]Muscimol binding to GABA
A
receptors in CA1 neurons was transiently but significantly increased after preconditioning but not after global ischemia with consecutive neuronal death.

Conclusions

—

Downregulation of ligand binding to glutamate receptors in relatively ischemia-resistant CA3 and dentate gyrus neurons destined to survive suggests marked synaptic reorganization processes despite maintained structural integrity. More importantly, upregulation of binding to inhibitory GABA
A
receptors in the hippocampus indicates a relative shift between inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmission that we suggest may participate in endogenous postischemic neuroprotection.
International Human Rights Law and Practice in Latin America
Authors: Lutz Ellen L. , Sikkink Kathryn
Published: July 2002

Human rights practices have improved significantly throughout Latin America during the 1990s, but different degrees of legalization are not the main explanation for these changes. We examine state compliance with three primary norms of international human rights law: the prohibition against torture, the prohibition against disappearance, and the right to democratic governance. Although these norms vary in their degree of obligation, precision, and delegation, states have improved their practices in all three issue-areas. The least amount of change has occurred in the most highly legalized issue-area—the prohibition against torture. We argue that a broad regional norm shift—a “norms cascade”—has led to increased regional and international consensus with respect to an interconnected bundle of human rights norms, including the three discussed in this article. These norms are reinforced by diverse legal and political enforcement mechanisms that help to implement and ensure compliance with them.