Altered metaphase chromosome structure in xrs-5 cells is not related to its radiation sensitivity or defective DNA break rejoining.

The chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell line xrs-5 is a radiation-sensitive derivative of CHO-K1 cells. The xrs-5 cells have a defect in DNA double-strand break rejoining and show alterations in chromosome structure and nuclear morphology. The relationship between radiation sensitivity and metaphase chromosome morphology was examined in 12 'revertant' xrs-5 clones isolated following treatment with 5-azacytidine. nine of the clones were radioresistant while the other three retained xrs-5-like radiation sensitivity. Chromosome morphology reverted to CHO-K1-like characteristics in three of the radioresistant clones and one of the radiosensitive clones suggesting that the over-condensed metaphase chromosome morphology of xrs-5 cells does not underlie its radiation sensitivity. Radiation sensitivity did correlate with DNA double-strand break rejoining ability. The radioresistant clones showing the over-condensed xrs-5-like chromosome morphology were also slightly more sensitive to the topoisomerase II inhibitor etoposide (VP-16) than CHO-K1, suggesting that the over-condensed morphology might be due to alterations in the phosphorylation of chromatin proteins.

Sexual narcissism: a validation study.

Sexual narcissism, an egocentric pattern of sexual behavior, has recently been described in the literature and has been discovered to be associated with cluster B type personality disorders. Although the research seems to have validated sexual narcissism as a characteristic of borderline and histrionic personality disorders, it is yet to be tested with narcissistic personalities. In an effort to further explore this relationship as well as the validity of sexual narcissism, this study systematically compared a sample (ages 24-33 years) of males with narcissistic personality disorder with an adequately matched sample of males without personality disorders. As compared to the control group, narcissistic men were found to have significantly lower self-esteem, more negative attitudes toward sex, greater egocentric patterns of sexual behavior, more conservative or traditional gender-role orientation, and greater sexual preoccupation. Despite these findings, there were no significant differences between the groups on sexual depression and the narcissistic men evidenced significantly higher sexual esteem. Implications for these findings are discussed.

Physical disability and social liminality: a study in the rituals of adversity.

Sociological research on the disabled has for the past 25 years made extensive use of a social deviance model to characterize the status of the physically impaired. The present article, which is based on a three-year anthropological investigation of the social relations of paraplegics and quadriplegics in the New York metropolitan area, argues that there are shortcomings in the deviance model and offers, instead, a model taken from the anthropological study of ritual. The disabled are viewed as being in a 'liminal' state, as in the liminal phases of rites of passages. They are persons having an undefined status: they are neither ill nor well, neither socially alive and active nor socially expunged and removed. The status of the disabled in American society and the symbolism of disability in American culture are reexamined within this framework. This perspective is extended to other types of deep adversity, such as acute loss of income and status or catastrophic illness.