COURTESY OF THE PIERPONT MORGAN LIBRARY, NEW YORK, THE GLAZIER COLLECTION
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
gender gap ► General Mills I 745
titioned is much larger, with distinct categories for things such as plants, animals, and tools, though, as with nouns in Romance and Germanic lan¬ guages, assignment of most nouns to classes is semantically arbitrary.
gender gap Difference in opinions or attitudes between men and women concerning a variety of public and private issues, including politi¬ cal candidates, parties, or programs. Until the 1980s men and women in the U.S. exhibited similar voting habits. Since then, however, women have been more likely than men to support the Democratic Party and liberal policies, particularly on issues such as equal employment opportunity, child care, and gun control. In contrast, in western Europe women his¬ torically have been more likely than men to support conservative politi¬ cal parties.
gene Unit of heredity that occupies a fixed position on a chromosome. Genes achieve their effects by directing protein synthesis. They are com¬ posed of DNA, except in some viruses that contain RNA instead. The sequence of nitrogenous bases along a strand of DNA determines the genetic code. When the product of a particular gene is needed, the portion of the DNA molecule that contains that gene splits, and a complementary strand of RNA, called messenger RNA (mRNA), forms and then passes to ribosomes, where proteins are synthesized. A second type of RNA, transfer RNA (tRNA), matches up the mRNA with specific amino acids, which combine in series to form polypeptide chains, the building blocks of proteins. Experiments have shown that many of the genes within a cell are inactive much or even all of the time, but they can be switched on and off. Mutations occur when the number or order of bases in a gene is dis¬ rupted. See also genetic engineering, genetics, Hardy-Weinberg law, Human Genome Project, linkage group.
gene flow Introduction of genetic material (by interbreeding) from one population of a species to another, thereby changing the composition of the gene pool of the receiving population. The introduction of new char¬ acteristics through gene flow increases variability within the population and makes possible new combinations of traits. In humans, gene flow usually comes about through human migration.
gene therapy or gene transfer therapy Introduction of a nor¬ mal gene into an individual in whom that gene is not functioning, either into those tissue cells that normally express the gene (curing that indi¬ vidual only) or into an early embryonic cell (curing the individual and all future offspring). Prerequisites for each procedure include finding the best delivery system (often a virus) for the gene, demonstrating that the trans¬ ferred gene can express itself in the host cell, and establishing that the procedure is safe. Diseases for which gene-therapy research is advanced include cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease, and familial hypercholester¬ olemia; research continues on its application for Alzheimer’s disease,
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breast and other cancers, and diabetes. Some aspects of gene therapy, including genetic manipulation and selection, research on embryonic tis¬ sue, and experimentation on human subjects, have aroused ethical con¬ troversy.
genealogy Study of family origins and history. It is found in most parts of the world and is international in scope. Originally concerned with trac¬ ing royal, aristocratic, or clerical lines, genealogy has broadened its scope over the centuries, and many ordinary people now pursue it as a hobby. In preliterate cultures genealogical information was transmitted orally, usually as a list of names; later generations recorded this information. Divine origins were often ascribed to kings and heroes. Modem genealo¬ gists use artifacts, including ancient records, coins, deeds, tapestries, paintings, and monuments, to help them in their work.
Genee, Dame Adeline orig. Anina Margarete Kirstina Petra Jensen (b. Jan. 6, 1878, Hinnerup, Den.—d. April 23, 1970, Esher, Sur¬ rey, Eng.) Danish-bom British dancer, choreographer, and teacher. She made her debut in Norway at age 10. In 1897 she was engaged at the Empire Theatre in London, where she became one of the leading figures of the Edwardian theatre. After 1909 she occasionally performed in bal¬ lets she herself produced, including La Danse (1912), which addressed the history of ballet. In 1920 she established an organization that in 1936 became the Royal Academy of Dancing. She was made a Dame of the British Empire in 1950.
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) Set of mul¬ tilateral trade agreements aimed at the abolition of quotas and the reduc¬ tion of tariff duties among the signing nations. Originally signed by 23 countries at Geneva in 1947, GATT became the most effective instrument in the massive expansion of world trade in the later 20th century. By 1995, when GATT was replaced by the World Trade Organization (WTO), 125 nations had signed its agreements, which governed 90% of world trade. GATT’s most important principle was trade without discrimination, in which member nations opened their markets equally to one another. Once a country and its largest trading partners agreed to reduce a tariff, that tariff cut was automatically extended to all GATT members. GATT also established uniform customs regulations and sought to eliminate import quotas. It sponsored many treaties that reduced tariffs, the last of which, signed in Uruguay in 1994, established the WTO.
General Dynamics Corp. Major U.S. defense contractor. Its fore¬ runner, the Electric Boat Co., was founded in 1899 and built the Holland, the first submarine purchased by the U.S. Navy. After World War II it diversified into military aircraft, armoured vehicles (including the M-l battle tank), and natural gas tankers. The company was incorporated under its present name in 1952, and in 1954 it launched the Nautilus, the first nuclear-powered submarine; it later produced the Trident submarines. Its Gulfstream Aerospace subsidiary manufactures business jet aircraft.
General Electric Co. (GE) Major U.S. corporation and one of the largest companies in the world. Its products include electrical and elec¬ tronic equipment, plastics, aircraft engines, medical imaging equipment, and financial services. The company was incorporated in 1892, acquiring all the assets of the Edison General Electric Co. (founded as Edison Elec¬ tric Light Co. by Thomas Alva Edison in 1878) and two other electrical companies. The company established a research laboratory in 1900, and many of its later products, including various home appliances, were devel¬ oped by in-house scientists. In 1986 GE purchased the RCA Corp., includ¬ ing its television network, NBC. GE’s headquarters are in Fairfield, Conn.
General Foods Corp. Former U.S. manufacturer of packaged gro¬ cery and meat products. It was incorporated in 1922, having developed from the earlier Postum Cereal Co. founded by C.W. Post. It soon began acquiring other companies and products: Jell-0 Co. (1925), Swans Down flour and Minute Tapioca Co. (1926), Log Cabin (1927), Maxwell House and Calumet (1928), Birdseye (1929), Sanka coffee (1932), Gaines dog food (1943), Kool-Aid (1953), Burpee seeds (1970), Oscar Mayer & Co. (1981), and Entenmann’s bakery products (1982). In 1985 it was bought by Philip Morris Companies Inc.
General Mills, Inc. Leading U.S. producer of packaged foods, flour, breakfast cereals, snacks, and prepared mixes. General Mills was incor¬ porated in 1928 to acquire Washburn Crosby Co. and four other milling companies. Specializing in cereals and flour products, the company intro¬ duced Wheaties and Cheerios breakfast cereals. Gold Medal flour, and Bisquick baking mix, as well as the Betty Crocker line of products. It
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746 i General Motors Corp. ► genetic drift
diversified into industries such as toys and fashion in the 1960s but by the 1990s was again dealing exclusively with consumer foods. General Mills acquired one of its chief rivals, Pillsbury Co., in 2001. Its head¬ quarters are in Minneapolis.