Ubiquitin,proteasomes, and the aging brain

Ubiquitinated proteinaceous inclusions are the hallmark of many neurodegenerative diseases. Inefficient proteolysis might lead to the accumulation and ultimate deposition of potentially toxic entities as inclusions within neurons or glial cells. This hypothesis is supported by genetic evidence both from patient populations and from engineered mutations in genes that encode ubiquitin/proteasome components in mice. The appearance of similar inclusions in the brains of elderly individuals of normal and subclinical conditions begs the question of whether there is a general age-related decline in the ability of the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway (UPP) to recognize and eliminate abnormal proteins, and whether such a decline would be reflected by changes in the abundance or activity of some or all components of the UPP. Here we describe alterations in the aging mammalian brain that correlate with a decline in the function of the UPP and review the evidence for age-related changes in specific UPP components. These alterations are discussed within the context of prevalent theories of aging.     

ENRICHMENT OUTCOME RESEARCH:A META-ANALYSIS OF PREMARITAL, MARITAL AND FAMILY INTERVENTIONS

The findings from a meta-analysis of 85 studies of premarital, marital, and family enrichment, representing 3,886 couples or families are presented. Metaanalysis is a method for statistically aggregating and evaluating empirical findings. Findings from the study are discussed in terms of overall enrichment effectiveness as well as salient program, subject, design, measurement, and analysis characteristics. The enrichment studies yielded an average effect size of .44, which indicates that the average person who participates in enrichment is better off following intervention than 67% of those who do not. The most powerful factors related to outcome were measurement variables rather than those related to program content, structure, leadership, or participant characteristics. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Gambling attitudes and participation: A midwestern survey

In the last few years there has been a tremendous expansion of legalized gambling in the midwest. Multiple forms of gambling are now easily accessible. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent of gambling in a midwestern state and to assess differences in gambling attitudes and behavior between men and women, in various income groups, living in rural and urban areas. In addition, because of the rapid increase in gambling in this region, respondents were also asked their opinions about legalized gambling. Results indicated that gambling was pervasive in all segments of this midwestern sample; however, men spent more than women and urban residents wagered more than rural residents. The poor spent a greater proportion of their income on gambling than those with middle incomes. Both the gamblers, and many of the non-gamblers, would like to see more gambling opportunities in their communities as most view gambling as a benign recreational activity. One in every ten that gambled, however, did report family problems related to gambling.     

Avoiding type III error in program evaluation : Results from a field experiment

A common, yet questionable assumption underlying many evaluations of service intervention programs is that program clients uniformly receive the services purportedly available. The authors draw upon the experience of a randomized field experiment to point out the hazards of that assumption. They found marked differences among clients in the amount of actual service received during participation in the program evaluated. Moreover, the data suggest that program outcomes varied as a function of the amount of service received. These findings are offered as a cautionary note to other evaluators; the amount of service actually received by clients should be accurately recorded and incorporated into the analyses of program outcomes.     

Estimates of early twentieth-century U.S. homicide rates: An econometric forecasting approach

Bureau of the Census death registration records, as reported in Mortality Statistics, are a primary source for early twentieth-century U.S. homicide statistics. Those data appear to show a massive rise in homicide during the first decade of the century, with a continuing increase through 1933. This increase is quite at variance with the trend away from violence in other industrialized societies. During the first one-third of the century, however, death registration was incomplete; it occurred only in an expanding “registration area” that was composed, in the earlier years, primarily of states with typically low rates of homicide. Further, in the first decade of the century homicides within the registration area often were reported as accidental deaths. As a result, apparent increases in rates of homicide in the United States between 1900 and 1933 may be illusory. I use a two-step process to address these problems. Drawing on internal evidence and commentaries in early volumes of Mortality Statistics, I use GLS regression to estimate the prevalence of undercounts. Then I create a series of GLS models that use registration area data to estimate early twentieth-century national rates. These estimates call into question the extent of homicide change early in the century.     

Implementing a social norms approach to reduce alcohol abuse on campus: Lessons learned in the shadow of ‘The World's Largest Six-Pack’

Many institutions of higher education are struggling with the problem of excessive alcohol consumption by students. Colleges and universities want to be ‘good neighbors’ in their communities and must limit legal and social risks that result from excessive alcohol consumption by students. At the same time, colleges and universities operate in an increasingly challenging marketplace where many prospective students seek out institutions with a ‘party school’ reputation. Thus, higher education institutions are finding it difficult to define and carry out alcohol reduction measures that satisfy all constituents. This article discusses the approach taken at the University of Wisconsin—La Crosse. UW-L is an institution that identified a serious alcohol consumption problem and had to address the problem in a community where high levels of alcohol consumption are socially and culturally condoned. The article profiles the UW-L community and discusses the campaign model and strategy chosen. Quantitative and qualitative measures of success are discussed, along with lingering issues of resistance. The article ends with a summary of current issues and future directions being taken by the campaign.     

A RESPONSE TO JEFFREY ALEXANDER'S THEORETICAL LOGIC IN SOCIOLOGY CONCERNING THE ALLEGED UNIDIMENSIONALITY OF MARXIAN THEORY

In the second volume of his Theoretical Logic in Sociology (1982b), Jeffrey Alexander argues that Marxian theory is predicated on a unidimensional model of human action. That means that Marxian theory overlooks the normative dimension of action, thereby portraying human action as entirely egoistic and deterministic. This article argues that Alexander's criticisms of Marxian theory are unfounded, and, more fundamentally, that Alexander's unfounded criticisms reveal that his whole neo-Parsonian project is based on an underlying conception of human action that is seriously mistaken. A major objective of this article is to present a more tenable conception of action.     

Teaching Family Therapy: A Program Based on Training Objectives

This paper presents a set of specific training objectives which constitute a base for a one-year clinical training program at the Institute for Juvenile Research in Chicago. The training objectives include three categories of skills: observational, conceptual, and therapeutic. The training objectives and the program in which they are implemented are described.     

A comparative analysis of strike models during periods of rapid inflation: 1967–1977

This paper examines the ability of the existing strike literature, as typified by the strike models of Ashenfelter and Johnson (1969) and Shalev (1980), to explain the pattern of strike activity in the United States in the period 1967 to 1977. After demonstrating the limited ability of these models to explain the strike activity during this period, an alternative model is proposed which is related to the “Pure Bargaining Theories” that stress the role of economic forces in terms of their effect on uncertainty in the bargaining process.