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Contemporary social movement researchers claim that legitimizing elements of social movements can counteract collective action problems and increase the likelihood that self-interested individuals take collective rather than individual action. Their work is insightful and informative, but it rarely uses general theory to describe the processes through which movement elements acquire legitimacy. Nor does it apply general theory to describe the mechanisms or processes through which legitimized elements influence collective action. The laboratory experiments reported in this article test hypotheses derived from a general theory—the multiple-sources, multiple-objects theory of legitimacy. The experiments examine the effects that legitimacy (measured as peer endorsement) and network size have on coalition formation, a form of collective action, and the countervailing of power. The research finds support for the legitimacy arguments. Low-power actors form coalitions more often in networks that highly endorse coalition formation and in smaller networks. Coalitions countervail power, and coalitions in the smallest networks reverse power. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A recent study by Graham and Takis Metaxas [Graham, L., & Takis Metaxas, P. (2002). Of course it is true, I read it on the Internet. Unpublished manuscript, Wellesley College, MA] suggests that many college students at all levels (1) are trusting of Internet sources and (2) often do not verify data by checking multiple references. Thus, the widespread availability of the Internet may intensify the well- established need for instruction in information literacy. At the same time, the familiarity and ease of use of the Internet for today's students may make such instruction seem irrelevant to students. This paper describes a series of short research exercises that address this issue and provide a vehicle for instruction. The approach integrates instruction in information literacy into an existing course and emphasizes active learning and just-in-time tutoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A recent study by Graham and Takis Metaxas [Graham, L., & Takis Metaxas, P. (2002). Of course it is true, I read it on the Internet. Unpublished manuscript, Wellesley College, MA] suggests that many college students at all levels (1) are trusting of Internet sources and (2) often do not verify data by checking multiple references. Thus, the widespread availability of the Internet may intensify the well-established need for instruction in information literacy. At the same time, the familiarity and ease of use of the Internet for today''s students may make such instruction seem irrelevant to students. This paper describes a series of short research exercises that address this issue and provide a vehicle for instruction. The approach integrates instruction in information literacy into an existing course and emphasizes active learning and just-in-time tutoring. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Status characteristics theory predicts the emergence and structure of power and prestige orders in task groups from members’ status attributes. This paper argues that application of the burden of proof assumption, central to the theory, is inconsistent with a key concept, generalized expectation state. A reformulation is proposed that eliminates the inconsistency and gives competing predictions for a wide range of situations. The reformulation predicts that, when not directly relevant to task performance, specific characteristics (e.g., athletic or analytical ability) have less impact than diffuse characteristics (race, gender, or education) on performance expectations. The original formulation predicts equal effects. Critical tests are proposed and the paper concludes with additional comparisons of the two formulations on the grounds of parsimony and implications for intervention in settings characterized by status-based inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Clean Water Act has traditionally preserved the quality and quantity of a region's water by focusing resources on areas with known or anticipated problems. USEPA Region 1 is taking the supplemental, longer-range approach of protecting areas of New England where natural resources are still healthy. As part of Region 1's "New England Resource Protection" approach, stakeholders participate in an open process that identifies healthy ecosystems and characterizes how well they support aquatic life and human health. Since the concerns of stakeholders are usually local, the process also displays areas of nonattainment within individual watersheds and determines their likely causes. One of the most powerful ways to display these types of information on multiple scales is to use a geographic information system (GIS). The case of phosphorus in southern Rhode Island's Tucker Pond illustrates how a GIS can help integrate concerns from the public, data from Clean Water Act monitoring, and information from the New England Resource Protection Project to identify types of environmental assessment questions on scales ranging from states to subwatersheds. By involving the public at all stages of the process and better informing them about their watersheds, this new approach makes them better stewards of their environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global atmosphere is changing. Anthropogenic activities are increasing the concentrations of greenhouse gases and releasing synthetic compounds that deplete stratospheric ozone and increase UV-B radiation. Changes of temperature in the Northern Hemisphere during the past century strongly suggest that we are now in a period of rapid global warming relative to the past millennium. Increased concentrations of greenhouse gases are absorbing outgoing infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere, warming the troposphere and cooling the lower stratosphere. Research is beginning to indicate that losses of stratospheric ozone and increases of greenhouse gases are interdependent. Increased greenhouse gases have been implicated in the observed strengthening of stratospheric wind vortices around both poles, in turn setting the stage for further depletion of ozone and increases in UV-B radiation. Although the uncertainties are still large enough to make it difficult to assess health and ecological risks, decisions must be made. Research on indicators of risks to human health and the environment can help reduce the uncertainties in these risks and shorten the time between recognizing the risks of atmospheric change and taking concrete mitigative and adaptive actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Clean Water Act has traditionally preserved the quality and quantity of a region's water by focusing resources on areas with known or anticipated problems. USEPA Region 1 is taking the supplemental, longer-range approach of protecting areas of New England where natural resources are still healthy. As part of Region 1 's “New England Resource Protection” approach, stakeholders participate in an open process that identifies healthy ecosystems and characterizes how well they support aquatic life and human health. Since the concerns of stakeholders are usually local, the process also displays areas of nonattainment within individual watersheds and determines their likely causes. One of the most powerful ways to display these types of information on multiple scales is to use a geographic information system (GIS). The case of phosphorus in southern Rhode Island's Tucker Pond illustrates how a GIS can help integrate concerns from the public, data from Clean Water Act monitoring, and information from the New England Resource Protection Project to identify types of environmental assessment questions on scales ranging from states to subwatersheds. By involving the public at all stages of the process and better informing them about their watersheds, this new approach makes them better stewards of their environment. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The global atmosphere is changing. Anthropogenic activities are increasing the concentrations of greenhouse gases and releasing synthetic compounds that deplete stratospheric ozone and increase UV-B radiation. Changes of temperature in the Northern Hemisphere during the past century strongly suggest that we are now in a period of rapid global warming relative to the past millennium. Increased concentrations of greenhouse gases are absorbing outgoing infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere, warming the troposphere and cooling the lower stratosphere. Research is beginning to indicate that losses of stratospheric ozone and increases of greenhouse gases are interdependent. Increased greenhouse gases have been implicated in the observed strengthening of stratospheric wind vortices around both poles, in turn setting the stage for further depletion of ozone and increases in UV-B radiation. Although the uncertainties are still large enough to make it difficult to assess health and ecological risks, decisions must be made. Research on indicators of risks to human health and the environment can help reduce the uncertainties in these risks and shorten the time between recognizing the risks of atmospheric change and taking concrete mitigative and adaptive actions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The new millennium opens the third decade of work on network exchange theory. During two decades of continuous growth, the program has been tested as intensively and extensively as any in sociology. This article summarizes existing research and describes new directions. First, we describe basic network connections and recently discovered structural power conditions that sharply affect exchange ratios. Then we show how game theory enhances understanding of collective action in exchange networks. Two new research programs link network exchange theory to status characteristics theory: the first demonstrates that power produces status, and the second shows how status value produces power. Finally, we discuss how questions about network dynamics, complexity, and legitimation define paths for future theory growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suppressive effects of fish oil on mesangial cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Background. Mesangial cell proliferation is a characteristic feature of IgA nephropathy and many other forms of glomerulonephritis. Recent clinical studies have shown that dietary fish oil supplementation retards renal disease progression in patients with IgA nephropathy. The mechanism by which this effect occurs is unknown. Methods. The anti-Thy 1.1 (ATS) model of mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis was employed to test the hypothesis that dietary fish oil supplementation reduces mesangial cell proliferation following acute injury. Subcultured rat mesangial cells were used to determine the in vitro effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the primary components of fish oil, on proliferation. Results. Following antithymocyte serum (ATS) administration, proteinuria was significantly decreased in animals treated with fish oil compared with sesame oil-treated controls. In ATS rats given fish oil, there was less mesangial cell and matrix expansion, mesangiolysis, or basement membrane disruption (Δ% = -40%). ATS rats receiving fish oil had less glomerular cell proliferation (PCNA-Δ% = -50%) and a reduction of α-smooth muscle actin expression (Δ% = -27%) by mesangial cells. In subcultured rat mesangial cells, DHA, but not EPA, significantly inhibited proliferation. Conclusions. Fish oil inhibits mesangial cell activation and proliferation in ATS glomerulonephritis, reduces proteinuria, and decreases histologic evidence of glomerular damage. In vitro, the antiproliferative effects of fish oil are more likely related to the action of DHA. We suggest that orally administered fish oil, or purified DHA, may have a suppressive effect in acute phases or relapses of glomerulopathies by inhibiting activation and proliferation of mesangial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This research replicates and extends Thomas, Walker, and Zelditch's (1986) work on legitimacy and collective action. We find, as they did, that validity significantly reduces attempts to change an inequitable structure. But contrary to their speculation, our data suggest that validity has two direct effects on propriety: (1) It increases an actor's sense that a structure possesses propriety, and (2) it acts to prevent erosion of propriety when substantial inequity is introduced into the structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper we explore the constitutive effects of a legitimate order on the mobilization of collective action. We distinguish between validity (the collective orientation to a binding rule) and propriety (an individual's approval of the rule). Legitimacy theory suggests that validity has direct effects on attempts to mobilize which are independent of propriety, power, and social control. A laboratory study is used to isolate these direct effects: when change in a communication network would damage collective purpose, fewer attempts at change are made. Further results reveal that validity also affects nonmobilizing alternatives. Moreover, validity indirectly influences propriety: individuals act out commitment to the constitutive rules and then bring propriety into line with that action. We conclude by noting implications of the structural effects of legitimacy on collective action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Intuition and formal theories of legitimacy suggest that endorsement of a social order should have important effects on compliance to and the stability of that order. Evidence from experimental and nonexperimental research fails to offer consistent support for that argument. This article contends that investigators have generally failed to recognize acts as objects of legitimation and entirely neglect variation in the sources of legitimacy. As a result, models of legitimation processes are not properly specified and the effects of endorsement are generally confounded with the effects of other uncontrolled sources of variation. We identify three objects of legitimation--persons, positions, and acts--and three sources of legitimacy--propriety, endorsement, and authorization--and argue that each is important to a proper analysis of legitimation processes. The laboratory investigation which we report minimizes uncontrolled variation from those additional independent variables and we demonstrate that endorsement of an experimental task structure delays or prevents approximately 38 percent of change which occurs in task structures which are not endorsed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes research on gender and processes of power and prestige in task groups. We depart from standard analyses and use a measure of opinion change to describe leadership on power and prestige orders. We use data from laboratory studies of single-gender and mixed-gender groups to test gender-role socialization, status characteristic, and legitimation arguments. We find that all-female and all-male groups are equally likely to develop power and prestige orders. Among initially leaderless, mixed-gender groups, males are five times more likely than females to exercise opinion leadership. Gender differences vanish, however, when we make a pretask assignment of leaders to mixed-gender groups. These findings are most consistent with status characteristic and legitimation theories, which correctly predict the outcomes of three out of four studies. Gender-role arguments predict only one outcome out of four. Finally, our analyses of sociometric data provide evidence of gender bias in peer evaluations of female and male members of mixed-gender groups. We conclude by discussing the implications of our research for additional work on gender and leadership processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tim F. Liao's article published in 1990 proposes a tripartite approach to the construction and development of theory. The three foci of his approach are confirmation or falsification, scope, and theoretical paradigms. After discussing those aspects of theory development, he uses the three-dimensional framework to review fertility theory, tracing its development through six iterations. It is possible that Liao's framework has some utility for his thinking about substantive work in sociology. As if often the case, however, when a writer proposes to share a heuristic device which has been personally effective, the resulting statement does not fully communicate its efficacy to others. Liao argues that the path to better sociological theories is marked by three guideposts. First, theorists must construct theories that withstand rigorous tests of a falsificationist nature. He asserts that the more often a theory is confirmed or not falsified by such a test, the greater a hypothetical value the theory has. Second, theorists are asked to set or adjust the scope of their theories. Finally, theorists are invited to conceive theories that might have the potential to induce paradigm shifts or scientific revolutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses cause probability and law in sociological explanation. The author argues that sociologists who seek to discover laws are guided by a particular interpretation of a set of metatheoretical principles. The author suggests that the formulation of probabilistic laws based on statistical analyses does not resolve the fundamental problem. As a result, statistical analyses can not lead to the development of a nomic sociology. Finally, the author propose an alternate methodological position as the first element of a strategy of research which has the development of a nomic sociology as its primary objective. It is not unreasonable to assume that sociological laws are probabilistic if the relationships among sociological constructs are inconstant. Under that assumption the sociologist's task is to improve the predictive capability of "theoretical models." The motivating premise is that the researcher can employ models with good fit to infer the underlying lawful probabilities.

Sociology faces a peculiar paradox: Every general sociological proposition is both true and false. On the one hand, one can easily find exceptions to most of the propositions which are advanced as genera! sociological principles. Yet, there are many instances in which genera! sociological principles are supported by empirical findings. As a consequence, it is not clear when some sociological principle is to be counted as false. This paper argues that a proper assessment of the state of sociological knowledge and the possibility of cumulative growth in sociology depends on resolving the true-false paradox. We argue that the paradox can be resolved if sociologists make the scope of their theories explicit. We offer a formulation of scope restrictions, demonstrate how the formulation resolves the true-false paradox, and illustrate the differences between the method proposed here and other strategies for making sociological theories conditional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesangial cell (MC) mitogenesis is regulated through "negative cross talk" between cAMP- PKA and ERK signaling. Although it is widely accepted that cAMP inhibits mitogenesis through PKA-mediated phosphorylation of Raf- 1, recent studies have indicated that cAMP-mediated inhibition of mitogenesis may occur independently of Raf-1 phosphorylation or without inhibiting ERK activity. We previously showed that MCs possess functionally compartmentalized intracellular pools of cAMP that are differentially regulated by cAMP phosphodiesterases (PDE); an intracellular pool directed by PDE3 but not by PDE4 suppresses mitogenesis. We therefore sought to determine whether there was a differential effect of PDE3 vs. PDE4 inhibitors on the Ras-Raf-MEK- ERK pathway in cultured MC. Although PDE3 and PDE4 inhibitors activated PICA and modestly elevated cAMP levels to a similar extent, only PDE3 inhibitors suppressed MC mitogenesis (-57%) and suppressed Raf- 1 kinase and ERK activity (-33 and -68%, respectively). Both PDE3 and PDE4 inhibitors suppressed B-Raf kinase activity. PDE3 inhibitors increased phosphorylation of Raf-1 on serine 43 and serine 259 and decreased phosphorylation on serine 338; PDE4 inhibitors were without effect. Overexpression of a constitutively active MEK-1 construct reversed the antiproliferative effect of PDE3 inhibitors. PDE3 inhibitors also reduced cyclin A levels (-27%), cyclin 0 and cyclin E kinase activity (-30 and -50%, respectively), and induced expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p21 (+90%). We conclude that the antiproliferative effects of PDE3 inhibitors are mechanistically related to inhibition of the Ras-Raf-MEK-ERK path- way. Additional cell cycle targets of PDE3 inhibitors include cyclin A, cyclin D, cyclin B, and p21. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface sediment samples from 24 sites within eleven back-barrier lagoons of Rhode Island and Massachusetts (USA) contain abundant (200–6000 cysts cm−3) and diverse (up to 40 taxa) dinoflagellate cyst assemblages. The lowest cyst concentrations and diversity are observed in lagoons with low salinity (<10). The pattern of spatial distribution of dinoflagellate cysts in these shallow estuarine environments is described. We assessed the relationship between the available multi-year water quality data and the composition of the dinoflagellate cyst assemblages using canonical correspondence analysis. Temperature and salinity are found to be the primary abiotic factors influencing cyst distribution in the coastal lagoons. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many proofs of concept have demonstrated the potential of microfluidics in cell biology. However, the technology remains inaccessible to many biologists, as it often requires complex manufacturing facilities (such as soft lithography) and uses materials foreign to cell biology (such as polydimethylsiloxane). Here, we present a method for creating microfluidic environments by simply reshaping fluids on a substrate. For applications in cell biology, we use cell media on a virgin Petri dish overlaid with an immiscible fluorocarbon. A hydrophobic/fluorophilic stylus then reshapes the media into any pattern by creating liquid walls of fluorocarbon. Microfluidic arrangements suitable for cell culture are made in minutes using materials familiar to biologists. The versatility of the method is demonstrated by creating analogs of a common platform in cell biology, the microtiter plate. Using this vehicle, we demonstrate many manipulations required for cell culture and downstream analysis, including feeding, replating, cloning, cryopreservation, lysis plus RT-PCR, transfection plus genome editing, and fixation plus immunolabeling (when fluid walls are reconfigured during use). We also show that mammalian cells grow and respond to stimuli normally, and worm eggs develop into adults. This simple approach provides biologists with an entrée into microfluidics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the role of proinflammatory cytokines and hormonal agents on ADP-ribosyl cyclase in mesangial cells (MC). Expressions of ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in MC; Functional significance of RyRs; Factors causing calcium release from RyRs.

Investigates whether adenosine diphosphate-ribosyl cyclase (cADPR) in mesangial cells (MC) is modulated by proinflammatory cytokines and by hormonal agents. Expression of ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in MC; Role of cADPR in the release of calcium through RyRs; Functional significance of RyRs in MC.

An abstract of the article "Stability of Oncolytic Measles Viruses during Storage and Clinical Preparation," by Troy R. Wegman, Kirsten K. Langfield, Henry J. Walker, Guy E. Griesmann, Julie A. Sauer, Sharon A. Stephan and Mark J. Federspiel is presented.

Global nutrient cycles have been altered by the use of fossil fuels and fertilizers resulting in increases in nutrient loads to aquatic systems. In the United States, excess nutrients have been repeatedly reported as the primary cause of lake water quality impairments. Setting nutrient criteria that are protective of a lakes ecological condition is one common solution; however, the data required to do this are not always easily available. A useful solution for this is to combine available field data (i.e., The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Lake Assessment (NLA)) with average annual nutrient load models (i.e., USGS SPARROW model) to estimate summer concentrations across a large number of lakes. In this paper we use this combined approach and compare the observed total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TN) concentrations in Northeastern lakes from the 2007 National Lake Assessment to those predicted by the Northeast SPARROW model. We successfully adjusted the SPARROW predictions to the NLA observations with the use of Vollenweider equations, simple input-output models that predict nutrient concentrations in lakes based on nutrient loads and hydraulic residence time. This allows us to better predict summer concentrations of TN and TP in Northeastern lakes and ponds. On average we improved our predicted concentrations of TN and TP with Vollenweider models by 18.7% for nitrogen and 19.0% for phosphorus. These improved predictions are being used in other studies to model ecosystem services (e.g., aesthetics) and dis-services (e.g. cyanobacterial blooms) for ~18,000 lakes in the Northeastern United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]