bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Zur Reliabilität und Validität der Elternfassung des “Verhaltensbeurteilungsbogen für Vorschulkinder“ (VBV-EL 3-6) in der klinischen Anwendungspraxis
Authors: Renner Gerolf , Zenglein Cornelia , Krampen Günter
Published: April 2004

Zusammenfassung. Informiert wird über empirische Untersuchungsbefunde zur Reliabilität und Validität des “Verhaltensbeurteilungsbogens für Vorschulkinder“ (VBV 3-6), die auf den Einsatz des VBV 3-6 unter den Routinebedingungen der klinisch-psychologischen Diagnostik eines Sozialpädiatrischen Zentrums zurückgehen. Die Eltern-Version (VBV-EL 3-6) dieses Fremdbeurteilungsverfahrens für Verhaltensauffälligkeiten und personale Ressourcen von Kindern wurde von 236 Eltern bearbeitet, deren Kinder wegen Entwicklungsstörungen und/oder Verhaltensstörungen und emotionalen Störungen mit Beginn in der Kindheit (nach ICD-10) vorgestellt wurden. Neben den Vorstellungsgründen, ICD-10-Diagnosen und soziodemographischen Variablen wurden bei den Kindern parallel Intelligenztestleistungen erfasst (HAWIVA, K-ABC, SON 2½-7 oder SON-R 2½-7). Ein Jahr nach der Ersterhebung konnte für 42 der Kinder mit dem VBV 3-6 eine Wiederholungsmessung durchgeführt werden. Die Koeffizienten der internen Konsistenz der vier VBV-Subskalen genügen ebenso den teststatistischen Anforderungen wie die Profilreliabilität des Verfahrens. Die Validität des VBV 3-6 wird durch positive Befunde zu den Interkorrelationen seiner Subskalen, eine faktorenanalytische Replikation seiner Binnenstruktur, die differentielle Validität der Subskalen für klinische Subgruppen und die diskriminante Validität gegenüber den Intelligenzmaßen bestätigt. Bei signifikanten Retestkorrelationen zeigten sich in der Subgruppe der Kinder mit einer Wiederholungsmessung signifikante Reduktionen in den VBV-Skalen zur Symptombelastung und zum oppositionell-aggressiven Verhalten.
Impact of desert dust on the biogeochemistry of phosphorus in terrestrial ecosystems
Authors: Okin Gregory S. , Mahowald Natalie , Chadwick Oliver A. , Artaxo Paulo
Published: April 2004

Leaching, biomass removal, and partitioning of phosphorus (P) into reservoirs not available to plants can limit the long‐term productivity of terrestrial ecosystems. We evaluate the importance of atmospheric P inputs to the world's soils by estimating the total soil P turnover time with respect to dustborne P additions. Estimated turnover times range from ∼104 to ∼107 years. Our estimates provide a unique perspective on the importance and patterns of aeolian deposition to terrestrial landscapes. Dust source regions are areas of intense soil P cycling on large scales, but are too water‐limited for this rapid cycling to have a major influence on ecosystem dynamics. By contrast, semiarid desert margins receive significant aeolian P from neighboring deserts and are likely influenced by dustborne P additions for the long‐term maintenance of productivity. This is particularly true for the semiarid steppes of Africa and Eurasia. The prevalence of large dust sources in Africa and Eurasia indicates that these areas may generally be more influenced by dustborne P additions than soils in the Americas. Significant western hemisphere exceptions to this pattern occur on very old landscapes, such as the forests of the southeastern United States and the Amazon Basin. The Amazon Basin is highly dependent on aeolian deposition for the maintenance of long‐term productivity. Dust deposition to terrestrial environments has not been constant with time. Variability in past P deposition related to geologically recent climate change may provide the strongest controls on present and future soil P in the Amazon and elsewhere.
Retrieval of global magnetospheric ion distributions from high‐energy neutral atom measurements made by the IMAGE/HENA instrument
Authors: DeMajistre R. , Roelof E. C. , C:son Brandt P. , Mitchell D. G.
Published: April 2004

In this work we present a method for retrieving global magnetospheric ion distributions from energetic neutral atom measurements made by the IMAGE/HENA instrument. The technique itself is based on the well‐established method of constrained linear inversion. In addition to presenting the technique itself, we present a self‐consistent method for its optimization. The combination of the technique itself and the tuning process provides a direct measure of the fidelity of the resulting retrievals. We apply these techniques to a representative HENA image and show that the retrieval indeed quantifies the global magnetospheric ion distributions.
Optimal joint management of a coastal aquifer and a substitute resource
Authors: Moreaux M. , Reynaud A.
Published: April 2004

This article characterizes the optimal joint management of a coastal aquifer and a costly water substitute. For this purpose we use a mathematical representation of the aquifer that incorporates the displacement of the interface between the seawater and the freshwater of the aquifer. We identify the spatial cost externalities created by users on each other and we show that the optimal water supply depends on the location of users. Users located in the coastal zone exclusively use the costly substitute. Those located in the more upstream area are supplied from the aquifer. At the optimum their withdrawal must take into account the cost externalities they generate on users located downstream. Last, users located in a median zone use the aquifer with a surface transportation cost. We show that the optimum can be implemented in a decentralized economy through a very simple Pigouvian tax. Finally, the optimal and decentralized extraction policies are simulated on a very simple example.
Unsaturated flow and transport through a fault embedded in fractured welded tuff
Authors: Salve Rohit , Liu Hui‐Hai , Cook Paul , Czarnomski Atlantis , Hu Qinhong , Hudson David
Published: April 2004

To evaluate the importance of matrix diffusion as a mechanism for retarding radionuclide transport in the vicinity of a fault located in unsaturated fractured rock, we carried out an in situ field experiment in the Exploratory Studies Facility at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. This experiment involved the release of ∼82,000 L of water over a period of 17 months directly into a near‐vertical fault under both constant positive head (at ∼0.04 m) and decreasing fluxes. A mix of conservative tracers (pentafluorobenzoic acid (PFBA) and bromide (applied in the form of lithium bromide)) was released along the fault over a period of 9 days, 7 months after the start of water release along the fault. As water was released into the fault, seepage rates were monitored in a large cavity excavated below the test bed. After the release of tracers, seepage water was continuously collected from three locations and analyzed for the injected tracers. Observations of bromide concentrations in seepage water during the early stages of the experiment and bromide and PFBA concentrations in the seepage water indicate the significant effects of matrix diffusion on transport through a fault embedded in fractured, welded rock.
On the Popularity of Husayn Vaᶜiz-i Kashifi'sMavāhib-i ᶜaliyya: A Persian Commentary on the Qur’an
Authors: Sands Kristin Zahra
Published: April 2004

Hundreds of Manuscript Copies of the Qur’anic Commentary of Husayn B. ᶜAli Vaᶜiz-i Kashifi (d. 910/1504–05), known as theMavāhib-i ᶜaliyyaorTafsīr-i Husaynī, have been catalogued in libraries and personal collections throughout Iran, Central Asia, Pakistan and India. The enormous popularity of Kashifi's commentary, which was known simply asTafsīr-i Mullā, can be understood primarily by its unique accessibility and literary quality. Although Kashifi himself was well-versed in the many different sciences of commentary, theMavāhibrarely addresses the kind of linguistic, philological, legal and theological issues that would require an extensive background in Arabic and Islamic religious scholarship. Instead, Kashifi combined an explanatory translation of Qur’anic verses in simple, concise Persian with highly selective citations from other works oftafsīrand Sufi poetry and prose, to create a remarkably short work for a commentary addressing the entire Qur’an.
Kashifī'sAsrār-i Qāsimīand Timurid Magic
Authors: Lory Pierre
Published: April 2004

The Work of the Scholar, Moralist and Exegete, Husayn Kashifi, is Fairly well-known, and becomes even more so with the appearance of this special issue ofIranian Studies. On the other hand, the esoteric dimension of Kashifi's work has received far less attention. It represents, however, an integral part of the author's world vision. The goal of the present article is to cast light on the principal ideas and character of Kashifi's work on magic, entitledAsrār-i Qāsimī. This medium-sized book opens like any other, as if it were dealing with a subject as incontestable as pharmacology or astronomy. Its goal, however, is to outline the procedures that enable one to participate in the hidden laws that connect all living things. Kashifi's stated purpose is to make the contents of the voluminous general surveys of the Ancients on esotericism accessible to a wider Persian-speaking audience.
The Contribution of Husayn Vaᶜiz-i Kashifi to the Transmission of Astrological Texts
Authors: Tourkin Sergei , Vesel Živa
Published: April 2004

Iranian Civilization Fostered an Interest in Astrology Starting from Pre-Islamic times. Thanks to the studies of David Pingree and R. Lemay and, more recently, of George Saliba, Charles Burnett, A. Panaino, and E. Raffaelli, we are on firm ground regarding the development of astrological knowledge in the Islamic world, and specifically the contribution to it of pre-Islamic Iranian civilization. As for the Persian texts in the field, even though they have been studied to a much lesser extent than those written in Arabic, they contain rich materials which shed further light on the socio-cultural context of science in the Iranian world during the Islamic period.
Achieving long‐term continuous blood naltrexone and 6‐ß‐naltrexol coverage following sequential naltrexone implants
Authors: Hulse GK , Arnold‐Reed DE , O'Neil G , Chan C‐T , Hansson RC
Published: April 2004

The aim of this study was to assess blood free naltrexone and 6‐β‐naltrexol levels with time following treatment with sequential sustained‐release naltrexone preparations. Data were collected from blood samples analysed independently for naltrexone and 6‐β‐naltrexol and from clinical record review at a community heroin treatment clinic in Perth, Western Australia. Five patients received sequential 3.4 g (3.49 ? 0.01 g and 3.36 ? 0.05 g, respectively) naltrexone implants. The second implant was received on average within 131.2 ? 15.67 days of the first implant. The mean length of follow‐up was 307.2 ? 18.28 days of the first implant. Blood naltrexone levels have the potential to remain above 2 and 1 ng/ml for a total of 390 and 524 days, respectively, and blood 6‐β‐naltrexol was maintained above 10 ng/ml for a total of 222 days following insertion of these implants. No patient relapsed to dependent heroin use during the implant coverage period while blood naltrexone concentrations were above 2 ng/ml. Results indicate that blood naltrexone and 6‐β‐naltrexol levels can be maintained above therapeutic levels for prolonged periods following use of sequential 3.4 g naltrexone implants. These extended periods of coverage will offer significant benefits for managing the heroin‐dependent patient.
Analysis of longitudinal metabolomics data
Authors: Jansen Jeroen J. , Hoefsloot Huub C. J. , Boelens Hans F. M. , van der Greef Jan , Smilde Age K.
Published: April 2004

Motivation: Metabolomics datasets are generally large and complex. Using principal component analysis (PCA), a simplified view of the variation in the data is obtained. The PCA model can be interpreted and the processes underlying the variation in the data can be analysed. In metabolomics, often a priori information is present about the data. Various forms of this information can be used in an unsupervised data analysis with weighted PCA (WPCA). A WPCA model will give a view on the data that is different from the view obtained using PCA, and it will add to the interpretation of the information in a metabolomics dataset.

Results: A method is presented to translate spectra of repeated measurements into weights describing the experimental error. These weights are used in the data analysis with WPCA. The WPCA model will give a view on the data where the non-uniform experimental error is accounted for. Therefore, the WPCA model will focus more on the natural variation in the data.

Availability: M-files for MATLAB for the algorithm used in this research are available at http://www-its.chem.uva.nl/research/pac/Software/pcaw.zip
Vision‐based kinematic calibration of an H4 parallel mechanism: practical accuracies
Authors: Andreff Nicolas , Renaud Pierre , Martinet Philippe , Pierrot Franc¸ois
Published: April 2004

Presents the kinematic calibration of an H4 parallel prototype robot using a vision‐based measuring device. Calibration is performed according to the inverse kinematic model method, using first the design model then a model developed for calibration purpose. To do so, the end‐effector pose (i.e. position and orientation) has to be measured with the utmost accuracy. Thus, first the practical accuracy of the low‐cost vision‐based measuring system is evaluated to have a precision in the order of magnitude of 10μ_it;m and 10−3°for a 1,024×768 pixel CCD camera. Second, the prototype is calibrated using the easy‐to‐install vision system, yielding a final positioning accuracy of the end‐effector reduced from more than 1cm down to less than 0.5mm. Also provides a discussion on the use of such a method on commercial systems.
The challenge of metasearching
Authors: Sadeh Tamar
Published: April 2004

The demand for metasearch capabilities – which enable users to simultaneously search heterogeneous information resources – is constantly increasing in the scholarly information environment as the number of available resources grows. To make efficient and accurate metasearching possible, library technology has begun to address several issues. First, information about resources must be accessible to metasearch systems. Such information, called resource metadata, can be made available to metasearch systems in various ways. Second, a metasearch system must be able to convert a unified query as necessary and adapt it to the requirements of each searched resource, retrieve the results, and display them to the end‐user in a comprehensive and friendly manner. Finally, because some repositories are not available to metasearch systems, local indexes can be created to access them. The MetaLib library portal from Ex Libris is used to provide examples where relevant.
The use of undiluted amiodarone in the management of out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest
Authors: Skrifvars M. B. , Kuisma M. , Boyd J. , Määttä T. , Repo J. , Rosenberg P. H. , Castren M.
Published: April 2004

Introduction:  The Resuscitation 2000 Guidelines recommends amiodarone as the antiarrhythmic drug of choice in treatment of resistant ventricular fibrillation (VF) or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT). Amiodarone has been associated with side‐effects and difficulty of administration, due to recommended dilution, rendering it suboptimal for out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest (CA) management. In the present study we report experiences and side‐effects of the use of undiluted amiodarone in CA management in Helsinki Emergency Medical Service (EMS) during a 2‐year period.

Methods:  On October 1, the Resuscitation 2000 Guidelines were put into practice in Helsinki EMS. Thus, in the cardiac arrest treatment protocol, after three ineffective shocks and 1 mg of adrenaline (epinephrine), a bolus of 300 mg of undiluted amiodarone (Cordarone® 50 mg ml−1, Sanofi‐Synthelabo, Helsinki, Finland) was administered into a vein located as centrally as possible. The Helsinki EMS performs systematic data collection according to the Utstein Guidelines. The blood pressure levels, heart rates and the need for vasopressors, of the patients with sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), were collected from the ambulance charts.

Results:  During October 1, 2000 and September 30, 2002, 712 patients were considered for resuscitation and 566 were resuscitated. The initial rhythms were as follows: 32% had VF/VT, 36% had asystole and 32% had pulseless electrical activity (PEA). Of the 180 patients with VF/VT, 75 (42%) received undiluted amiodarone in addition to other resuscitative measures. Of the patients with asystole or PEA, 12 (6%) and 18 (10%), respectively, received amiodarone. The blood pressure levels and the need vasopressors after ROSC and during transportation to the hospital were similar among the patients who received and those who did not receive amiodarone.

Conclusions:  The present study suggests that amiodarone can be administered undiluted without unmanageable haemodynamical side‐effects in the treatment of out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest. This is likely to save time and simplifies the treatment protocol in the prehospital setting.
The Contemporary Presidency: The Changing Leadership of George W. Bush: A Pre‐ and Post‐9/11 Comparison
Authors: Greenstein Fred I.
Published: April 2004

Until the acts of terror against the World Trade Towers and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, George W. Bush struck many political observers as less than impressive in his conduct of his responsibilities. Since then there has been a dramatic transformation in his performance. The differences can be usefully highlighted by contrasting his pre‐ and post‐9/11 performance in the realms of public communication, organizational capacity, political skill, policy vision, cognitive style, and emotional intelligence.
Reasoning about Actions and Planning with Preferences Using Prioritized Default Theory
Authors: Son Tran Cao , Pontelli Enrico
Published: April 2004

This paper shows how action theories, expressed in an extended version of the language , can be naturally encoded using Prioritized Default Theory. We also show how prioritized default theory can be extended to express preferences between rules. This extension provides a natural framework to introduce different types of preferences in action theories—preferences between actions and preferences between final states. In particular, we demonstrate how these preferences can be expressed within extended prioritized default theory. We also discuss how this framework can be implemented in terms of answer set programming.
Visual Skills in Airport-Security Screening
Authors: McCarley Jason S. , Kramer Arthur F. , Wickens Christopher D. , Vidoni Eric D. , Boot Walter R.
Published: April 2004

An experiment examined visual performance in a simulated luggage-screening task. Observers participated in five sessions of a task requiring them to search for knives hidden in x-ray images of cluttered bags. Sensitivity and response times improved reliably as a result of practice. Eye movement data revealed that sensitivity increases were produced entirely by changes in observers' ability to recognize target objects, and not by changes in the effectiveness of visual scanning. Moreover, recognition skills were in part stimulus-specific, such that performance was degraded by the introduction of unfamiliar target objects. Implications for screener training are discussed.
Brains That Are out of Tune but in Time
Authors: Hyde Krista L. , Peretz Isabelle
Published: April 2004

It is estimated that about 4% of the general population may have amusia (or tone deafness). Congenital amusia is a lifelong disability for processing music despite normal intellectual, memory, and language skills. Here we present evidence that the disorder stems from a deficit in fine-grained pitch perception. Amusic and control adults were presented with monotonic and isochronous sequences of five tones (i.e., constant pitch and intertone interval). They were required to detect when the fourth tone was displaced in pitch or time. All amusic participants were impaired in detecting the pitch changes, and showed no sign of improvement with practice. In contrast, they detected time changes as well as control adults and exhibited similar improvements with practice. Thus, the degraded pitch perception seen in the amusic individuals cannot be ascribed to nonspecific problems with the task or to poor hearing in general. Rather, the data point to the presence of a congenital neural anomaly that selectively impairs pitch processing.
Measurement of the abdominal circumference for the detection of intra‐abdominal hemorrhage has no diagnostic value
Authors: Castrén M. , Liukko K. , Nurmi J. , Honkanen E. , Lindgren L.
Published: April 2004

Background:  Measuring the circumference of the abdomen is still commonly used when treating a patient with suspicion of intra‐abdominal bleeding. In the present study the usefulness of this method for a diagnostic purpose is questioned because of the assumed method‐related interindividual variation.

Methods:  The study group consisted of 34 end‐stage renal failure (ERSF) patients treated with peritoneal dialysis. Each patient was measured by the same nurse at the level of the umbilicus and the level of the iliac crest both before and after an infusion of 2000 ml of peritoneal dialysis fluid into the peritoneal cavity. One healthy female served as a control. Her abdominal circumference was measured at the level of the umbilicus by 10 different emergency medical technicians (EMTs), each of whom performed the measurement three times. The measuring tape was blank and the place of the first measurement was marked as performed in clinical practice.

Results:  The mean abdominal circumference at the level of the umbilicus before an infusion of peritoneal fluid was 93.2 ± 9.5 cm (SD), and after filling the peritoneal cavity 96.3 ± 9.5 cm (difference 3.1 ± 1.7 cm). These figures at the level of the iliac crest were 96 ± 8.3 and 97.2 ± 8.4 cm (difference 1.2 ± 1.4 cm) (P < 0.0001), respectively. The mean value between the smallest and largest values when measuring the circumference of a healthy control person was 1.85 ± 1.11 (P < 0.0005). The mean difference in circumference in the peritoneal dialysis patients was smaller than the largest difference among the three measurements taken by the same EMT.

Conclusion:  Measuring the abdominal circumference should not be used as a diagnostic tool when intra‐abdominal bleeding is suspected.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the interferon‐γ and interleukin‐10 genes do not influence chronic hepatitis C severity or T‐cell reactivity to hepatitis C virus
Authors: Abbott William G.H. , Rigopoulou Eirini , Haigh Philip , Cooksley Helen , Mullerova Ivana , Novelli Marco , Winstanley Alison , Williams Roger , Naoumov Nikolai V.
Published: April 2004

Abstract: Background: The mechanisms by which interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) contributes to inter‐individual heterogeneity in the severity of chronic hepatitis C (CH‐C) are unknown. In 116 consecutive patients with CH‐C, we tested the hypothesis that host genetic factors regulating IFN‐γ production and activity influence the severity of liver damage and hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐specific T‐cell reactivity.

Methods: We determined the genotypes of functionally significant polymorphisms in the IFN‐γ gene and in the promoter of interleukin‐10 (IL‐10), a cytokine that counteracts IFN‐γ. We also measured concanavalin A (Con A)‐stimulated IL‐10 and IFN‐γ production, and the frequency of virus‐specific T‐cells, producing IFN‐γ or IL‐10.

Results: The grade of inflammation and the stage of fibrosis of CH‐C showed no associations with either the IFN‐γ or IL‐10 promoter polymorphisms or with Con A‐stimulated IL‐10 or IFN‐γ production. Similarly, there were no associations between HCV‐specific T‐cell frequencies and these host genetic factors. On multivariate analysis, the grade of inflammation and the duration of HCV infection accounted for only 37% of the variance in the stage of CH‐C (P<0.0001). This percentage did not increase by including any genetic variables in the analyses.

Conclusion: Future studies investigating the entire cytokine gene sequences will provide better information regarding genetic variations responsible for inter‐individual differences in the severity of CH‐C.
Efficacy of Cold for Pain: Fact or Fallacy?
Authors: Sauls Jenny
Published: April 2004

(1) A simple and inexpensive therapy, cold application has been accepted for decades as an effective nonpharmacologic intervention for pain management. The purpose of this research synthesis is to explore the literature regarding the physiologic effects of cold, the effectiveness of cold, different modalities used for cold application, and the potential complications associated with the use of cold application. Several studies have shown ice to be effective in pain management associated with orthopedic procedures while other studies have shown contrary evidence. Studies have shown ice to be ineffective in pain associated with abdominal procedures. Studies involving pain associated with injections revealed significant positive findings with adults but not with children. Of the studies reviewed by this author, scientific rigor is often lacking which leaves the validity of the findings in question indicating a need for further investigation into the use of cold for relief of pain. As responsible caregivers, nurses must take the initiative to validate such interventions with a variety of pain experiences with controlled scientific investigations.
An Integrative Review of Patients' Perceptions Regarding Telehealth used in their Health Care
Authors: Thurmond Veronica A. , Boyle Diane K.
Published: April 2004

(1) The rapid changes in technology and communication have had a great impact on the delivery of health care in the United States. Such changes have spurred the growth of an arena in health care known as telehealth. An important medium in telehealth care is the use of video. This paper examines the research that has been undertaken in determining patients' perceptions of the use of a video component in their health care. Ten studies examined used real‐time, interactive video to deliver care, while one evaluated still images. The results of the integrative review tentatively suggest that patients are amenable to the use of video in telehealth interventions. Limitations of the studies reviewed also are discussed.
Synthesis of Research Findings Regarding Alzheimer's Disease: Part I, Assessment/Diagnosis
Authors: Bower Fay L. , McCullough Cyndi S. , Pille Barbara L.
Published: April 2004

(1) Alzheimer's disease (AD) is predicted to strike 14 million Americans by 2050. To date, the only accurate way to diagnose this devastating disease is at autopsy, so the importance of ruling out other diseases and instituting a plan of care for early symptoms is vital. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the knowledge about the assessment and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease so clinicians can understand what is needed to differentiate AD from other diseases/conditions.
Major components of a sea urchin block to polyspermy are structurally and functionally conserved
Authors: Wong Julian L. , Wessel Gary M.
Published: April 2004

Summary One sperm fusing with one egg is requisite for successful fertilization; additional sperm fusions are lethal to the embryo. Because sperm usually outnumber eggs, evolution has selected for mechanisms that prevent this polyspermy by immediately modifying the egg extracellular matrix. We focus here on the contribution of cortical granule contents in the sea urchin block to polyspermy to begin to understand how well this process is conserved. We identified each of the major constituents of the fertilization envelope in two species of seaurchins, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and Lytechinus variegatus, that diverged 30 to 50 million years ago. Our results show that the five major structural components of the fertilization envelope, derived from the egg cortical granules, are semiconserved. Most of these orthologs share sequence identity and encode multiple low‐density lipoprotein receptor type A repeats or CUB domains but at least two contain radically different carboxy‐terminal repeats. Using a new association assay, we also show that these major structural components are functionally conserved during fertilization envelope construction. Thus, it seems that this population of female reproductive proteins has retained functional motifs while gaining significant sequence diversity—two opposing paths that may reflect cooperativity among the proteins that compose the fertilization envelope.
The Hox gene complement of acoel flatworms, a basal bilaterian clade
Authors: Cook Charles E. , Jiménez Eva , Akam Michael , Saló Emili
Published: April 2004

Summary Several molecular data sets suggest that acoelomorph flatworms are not members of the phylum Platyhelminthes but form a separate branch of the Metazoa that diverged from all other bilaterian animals before the separation of protostomes and deuterostomes. Here we examine the Hox gene complement of the acoel flatworms. In two distantly related acoel taxa, we identify only three distinct classes of Hox gene: an anterior gene, a posterior gene, and a central class gene most similar to genes of Hox classes 4 and 5 in other Bilateria. Phylogenetic analysis of these genes, together with the acoel caudal homologue, supports the basal position of the acoels. The similar gene sets found in two distantly related acoels suggest that this reduced gene complement may be ancestral in the acoels and that the acoels may have diverged from other bilaterians before elaboration of the 8‐ to 10‐gene Hox cluster that characterizes most bilaterians.
Determinants of Contraceptive Method Choice in Rural Tanzania Between 1991 and 1999
Authors: Chen Susan , Guilkey David K.
Published: April 2004

Four pooled Demographic and Health Survey data sets are used to examine the determinants of contraceptive method choice in rural Tanzania for the period from 1991 to 1999. The individual data are linked to facility surveys conducted in the same communities so that the impact of Tanzania's family planning program can be examined. The focus of the study is an examination of the effect on method choice of the three major components of Tanzania's family planning program: logistical support, trained providers, and communications programs. The statistical methods employed correct for the potential endogeneity of family planning message recall. Simulations are used to quantify the impact of the important policy variables. All three components of the program are shown to have had an impact on modern method choice.
An Interview with Judy G. Barber: Prenuptial Agreements, Intimacy, Trust and Control
Authors: Mendoza Drew S. , Krone Sharon P.
Published: April 2004

A business-owning family and a soon-to-be-wed couple often face two mutually exclusive goals that seem impossible to reconcile. On the one hand, a couple considering marriage wants to believe that love alone will keep them together. On the other hand, statistics today say there is a good chance the relationship will not last. A prenuptial agreement provides the protection an individual or the family may want against a possible divorce, but the process by which the document is introduced and negotiated can deplete the relationship of intimacy.

How can a woman from a wealthy business-owning family express and reinforce the emotional commitment and trust she has for her partner while presenting a prenuptial agreement] How can a son administer a prenuptial agreement to his fiancee without controlling the process or outcome of his spouse's financial welfare] How can a family require a prenuptial agreement without jeopardizing their future relationship with the newlyweds] In the following interview, Judy Barber, a consultant and licensed marriage and family counselor specializing in the psychology of money, outlines several recommendations for families and couples who are considering a prenuptial agreement.
East Meets a West-German-Multinational Family Firm During Reunification and Transition: A Personal Voice
Authors: Welsch Johannes
Published: April 2004

This article is a personal memoir, a tale of East meeting a West-German multinational family firm daring reunification and transition. It is a sharing of experiences from a family-business member who was involved with the purchase of East German enterprises.
A Study of Practice Utilization in Family Businesses
Authors: Leon-Guerrero Anna Y. , McCann Joseph E. , Haley Jonathan D.
Published: April 2004

An exploratory analysis of practice utilization in 231 family businesses in Washington State is presented. The authors argue that the extent of practice utilization varies with multiple measures of business development. Several practice areas are highlighted—mission statements, family- and nonfamily-management practices, and succession planning. During early business development, utilization is higher for family-focused practices (family boards of directors, councils, training, and development). Data suggest that business-focused practices (written job descriptions, incentive compensation, and formal employee reviews) are utilized more in businesses at later development.
Megatrends in Family Business
Authors: Aronoff Craig E.
Published: April 2004

The past decade has brought changes in our understanding of family businesses. This article identifies 10 “megatrends,” which are evolving changes fundamental to understanding and working with family businesses. Identified trends include focusing on generational transitions rather than business succession; team management and ownership as a developing norm; the increasing importance of strategic planning in family business; increasing financial sophistication; increasing managerial professionalism; refining retirement; expanding roles for women; increasing sensitivity of professional service providers to family business; and increasing availability and quality of family business education and consulting.
What Can the Family Contribute to Business? Examining Contractual Relationships
Authors: James Harvey S.
Published: April 2004

The degree to which the family dominates as a form of business organization depends in part on whether a business's operations favor the implicit informal personal relationships of families or the explicit, formal, impersonal contractual relationships, characteristic of market-oriented organizations. In some situations family identity, trust, personal ties, and the monitoring functions that family relationships provide promote greater incentives for success than explicit, formal contracts. In other cases, formal relationships can provide a more effective means of linking workers within the firm, even when the workers are family members.
Conflict Management Strategies Used in Successful Family Businesses
Authors: Sorenson Ritch L.
Published: April 2004

This paper analyzes a survey of 59 family businesses. Findings indicate that in comparison to non-family businesses, family businesses have a more complex set of issues to consider when managing conflict. The integrative conflict strategies of collaboration, accommodation, and compromise produce relatively better outcomes for both family and business. Competitive and avoidance strategies can result in relatively negative outcomes for both business and family. High levels of collaboration contribute to positive outcomes for both family and business, and high levels of compromise and accommodation contribute to positive family outcomes. Based on a comparison of means, this paper identifies conflict management profiles for achieving positive outcomes for both business and family.
The Intermingling of Business and Family Finances in Family-Owned Businesses
Authors: Haynes George W. , Walker Rosemary , Rowe Barbara R. , Hong Gong-Soog
Published: April 2004

This study uses data from a national survey of 673 business-owning households to assess factors associated with intermingling business and family finances. Logit analysis indicates that the use of family resources in the business is more likely in sole proprietorships; when the business owes money to financial institutions; and when the business owner is older, more experienced, and without children in the household. Family use of business resources is more likely if the business is incorporated, is located in a rural area or small town, and borrows money.
Predictors of Family Business Tensions and Goal Achievement
Authors: Danes Sharon M. , Zuiker Virginia , Kean Rita , Arbuthnot Jeanette
Published: April 2004

The purpose of this study is to investigate predictors of business tensions and family and business goal achievement within family businesses. Household managers identified higher business tensions and higher goal achievement levels than did business managers. A family health assessment (APGAR) was the highest predictor of business tensions for both household and business managers. Total business tensions was the most significant predictor of business goal achievement for both business and household managers, and family health (APGAR) was the largest contributor to family goal achievement for both managers.
Financial Management Techniques in Family Businesses
Authors: Filbeck Greg , Lee Sharon
Published: April 2004

This paper explores financial management techniques of family businesses. We surveyed family businesses to understand the extent to which they use capital budgeting techniques, risk adjustment techniques, and working capital management techniques. We found that more established, larger family businesses that have either an outside board of directors or a nonfamily member in the financial decision-making role are more likely than their smaller counterparts to employ sophisticated financial management techniques.
Network Marketing: An Effective Business Model for Family-Owned Businesses?
Authors: Gibb Dyer W.
Published: April 2004

Network marketing organizations (NMOs) are among the most successful organizations in the 1990s. Sales in the NMO industry grew from $30 billion to almost three times that figure by the year 2000. This paper considers the questions, What is network marketing] How do network marketing companies achieve success] and How might leaders of family-owned companies use network marketing to grow their businesses]
Family Business Succession in Portugal: An Examination of Case Studies in the Furniture Industry
Authors: Howorth Carole , Assaraf Ali Zahra
Published: April 2004

This paper explores the transferability of theoretical constructs developed in an Anglo-American culture to Portugal. Cultural effects on succession are examined within three Portuguese family firms, which were selected for their ability to generate theory. Much of the extant literature appears to be valid in this context. Notable exceptions include difficulties in applying stages models of the succession process with more than one predecessor and successors at varying stages. Harmonious rather than contentious relationships were commonplace. Daughters were more highly educated than sons and less likely to enter the family firm. Sons joined the family firm with little or no outside work experience and low levels of education. These facts are highlighted as concerns regarding the ability of Portuguese family firms to compete in the new economy. A conceptual framework is presented as a basis for further research.
Family FIRO Model: An Application to Family Business
Authors: Danes Sharon M. , Rueter Martha A. , Kwon Hee-Kyung , Doherty William
Published: April 2004

This study applies the Family FIRO model, one of interpersonal dynamics and change, to family businesses (specifically, to family farming couples). It empirically tests the developmental sequence of three dimensions of the model: inclusion, control, and integration. Findings indicate that both a sense of inclusion in a family business and the manner in which control issues are managed have important influences on family business integration. Because inclusion predicts control dynamics, effective control may not be diminished without adequate levels of inclusion. The study offers practitioners a theory-based approach to working with the complex dynamics within family businesses. Family businesses will remain more resilient in times of change if the leaders understand and reassess patterns of inclusion when change is initiated.
Socialization Patterns of Successors in First- to Second-Generation Family Businesses
Authors: García-Álvarez Ercilia , López-Sintas Jordi , Saldaña Gonzalvo Pilar
Published: April 2004

This paper focuses on the socialization of potential successors in family business and attempts to relate this process to values that founders intend to convey to the next generation. We found that founders' values condition potential successors' socialization and that there are two different phases common to all socialization processes. The first stage, characterized by family socialization and common to all founders' descendants, comprises value transmission and training. The second stage is characterized by business socialization and reserved only for the founder's potential successors. We also identified two models of socialization that pursue two different aims: (a) the Founder Homosocial Reproduction Model and (b) the New Leader Development Model. These socialization models are consistent not only with values that the founder intends to convey to potential successors but also with the founder's own business perception. We present and explain the distribution of these two models according to each group of founders. Finally, we reveal the content of what we call the founder's dependence paradox and the effect on the next-generation socialization process.
Where Do We Go from Here? Strategic Answers for University-Based Family Business Programs
Authors: McCann Greg
Published: April 2004

This article argues that family business centers need to align themselves with their universities' missions through strategic planning. It further argues that in most cases this means building the program on an academic base of either teaching or research. Part of establishing that base includes analyzing the balance among teaching, research, and service (i.e., using the “Holistic Model”). Without this approach, the risk of failure greatly increases. The experience discussed throughout this article is that of a small, private, liberal arts university that, using the approach recommended, built its center on the foundation of teaching. Many of these issues warrant further research.
Differential Regulation of DAP12 and Molecules Associated with DAP12 during Host Responses to Mycobacterial Infection
Authors: Aoki Naoko , Zganiacz Anna , Margetts Peter , Xing Zhou
Published: April 2004

DAP12 and its associating molecules MDL-1, TREM-1, and TREM-2 are the recently identified immune regulatory molecules, expressed primarily on myeloid cells including monocytes/macrophages, dendritic cells, NK cells, and neutrophils. However, little is known about the regulation of their expression during host antimicrobial responses. We have investigated the effect of pulmonary mycobacterial infection and type 1 cytokines on the expression of these molecules both in vivo and in vitro. While DAP12 was constitutively expressed at high levels in the lungs, the MDL-1, TREM-1, and TREM-2 molecules were inducible during mycobacterial infection. Their kinetic expression was correlated with that of the type 1 cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ). In primary lung macrophage cultures, high constitutive levels of DAP12 and TREM-2 were not modulated by mycobacterial or type 1 cytokine exposure. In contrast, expression of both MDL-1 and TREM-1 was markedly induced by mycobacterial infection and such induction was inhibited by concurrent exposure to IFN-γ. On mycobacterial infection of TNF-α−/−and IFN-γ−/−mice in vivo or their lung macrophages in vitro, TNF-α was found to be critical for mycobacterially induced MDL-1, but not TREM-1, expression whereas IFN-γ negatively regulated mycobacterially induced MDL-1 and TREM-1 expression. Our findings thus suggest that DAP12 and its associating molecules are differentially regulated by mycobacterial infection and type 1 cytokines and that MDL-1- and TREM-1-triggered DAP12 signaling may play an important role in antimicrobial type 1 immunity.
Leishmania majorAmastigotes Induce p50/c-Rel NF-κΒ Transcription Factor in Human Macrophages: Involvement in Cytokine Synthesis
Authors: Guizani-Tabbane Lamia , Ben-Aissa Khadija , Belghith Meriam , Sassi Atfa , Dellagi Koussay
Published: April 2004

Invasion of a host by pathogens is frequently associated with activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), which is implicated in various aspects of immune function required for resistance to infection. However, pathogens may also subdue these mechanisms to secure their survival. Here we describe the effect ofLeishmania majorinfection on NF-κB transcription factor activation in both promonocytic human cell line U937 and fresh human monocytes. Infection byL. majoramastigotes blocked nuclear translocation of a phorbol-12 myristate-13 acetate (PMA)-induced p50/p65 NF-κB complex in PMA-treated differentiated U937 cells and triggered expression of p50- and c-Rel-containing complexes in both U937 cells and fresh human monocytes. These p50/c-Rel complexes, triggered by direct cell-parasite interactions, were detectable within 30 min after the interaction and were transcriptionally active. The NF-κΒ inhibitor caffeic acid phenethyl ester inhibited production of both tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-10 (IL-10) induced byLeishmaniaamastigotes in differentiated U937 cells. Similar results for IL-10 induction were observed with amastigote-infected human monocytes. Our results indicate thatL. majoramastigotes activate NF-κB by specifically inducing p50- and c-Rel-containing complexes which are likely involved in the regulation of cytokine synthesis.
Down-Modulation of Lung Immune Responses by Interleukin-10 and Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) and Analysis of TGF-β Receptors I and II in Active Tuberculosis
Authors: Bonecini-Almeida M. Glória , Ho John L. , Boéchat Neio , Huard Richard C. , Chitale Sadhana , Doo Howard , Geng Jiayuan , Rego Lorena , Lazzarini Luiz Claudio Oliveira , Kritski Afrânio L. , Johnson Warren D. , McCaffrey Timothy A. , Silva José R. Lapa e
Published: April 2004

Immune factors influencing progression to active tuberculosis (TB) remain poorly defined. In this study, we investigated the expression of immunoregulatory cytokines and receptors by using lung bronchoalveolar lavage cells obtained from patients with pulmonary TB, patients with other lung diseases (OLD patients), and healthy volunteers (VOL) by using reverse transcriptase PCR, a transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) bioactivity assay, and an enzyme immunoassay. TB patients were significantly more likely than OLD patients to coexpress TGF-β receptor I (RI) and RII mRNA, as well as interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA (thereby indicating the state of active gene transcription in the alveolar cells at harvest). In contrast, gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and IL-2 mRNA was seen in both TB and OLD patients. Likewise, significantly elevated pulmonary steady-state protein levels of IL-10, IFN-γ, and bioactive TGF-β were found in TB patients versus those in OLD patients and VOL. These data suggest that the combined production of the immunosuppressants IL-10 and TGF-β, as well as coexpression of TGF-β RI and RII (required for cellular response to TGF-β), may act to down-modulate host anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosisimmunity and thereby allow uncontrolled bacterial replication and overt disease. Delineating the underlying mechanisms ofM. tuberculosis-triggered expression of these immune elements may provide a molecular-level understanding of TB immunopathogenesis.