bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From risk analysis to effective security management: towards an automated approach
Authors: Tsoumas Vassilis , Tryfonas Theodore
Published: March 2004

Effective and risk‐free operation of modern information systems relies heavily on security practices and overall information security management. Usually, organizations perform risk analysis in order to adjust their security practices and controls to an acceptable level of risk. One of the various outputs of a risk analysis is a set of recommended practices expressed in high‐level statements of a natural language. In order to be applied to the real world, it is necessary to technically implement those requirements tailored to the specific organizational context. This is usually performed by experienced individuals. For this technical implementation and the configuration of the information technology facilities, several formal policy languages exist, which define access control policies, roles and responsibilities. This paper describes requirements for a software tool that could assist in the transition from high‐level security requirements to a formal, well‐defined policy language. Such a tool would provide valuable assistance and support in both policy implementation and overall security management.
Exploring the impacts of P2P networks on the entertainment industry
Authors: Rupp William T. , Smith Alan D.
Published: March 2004

Any solution that will solve the problem the entertainment industry is currently facing will need to address the underlying theme in the decline of self‐policing and morally acceptable behavior in terms of intellectual rights. It has become a norm to download music off the Internet and transfer them onto compact discs (CDs) without compensating the artist who created the music or the firms that created, packaged, promoted, and distributed the music materials. Within the repackaged application will be technology that will allow the consumer to sample the product as well as make a purchase instantly over the Internet. This will benefit the entertainment industry in several ways: expanding the number of distribution channels (providing greater reach); utilizing the P2P‐related networks to their advantage rather than disadvantage (providing greater richness); opening international markets with relative ease; and providing faster delivery times and the ability to provide a much richer content than what is currently offered. Through a succession of models, the basic conclusion is that the Internet plays a much more important role with regards the entertainment industry than currently believed. Although the artists should rightfully be compensated for their artistic talents, it is time that a new model is created to compensate them, since the existing model is not going to work due to the inadequacies of the current distribution channels that are being used by the entertainment industry.
Partnership‐based approaches to learning in the context of restructuring
Authors: Wallis Emma , Stuart Mark
Published: March 2004

The European steel and metal sectors have experienced processes of radical restructuring. Employers within the sector increasingly require employees to have a broader and deeper range of skills, although restructuring has also highlighted the need for workers to gain transferable skills in order to increase their employability. This paper, which draws on research conducted in seven European nations, describes how partnership‐based approaches to learning involving public, private and voluntary sector organisations have emerged in order to meet these needs. It argues that whileit may not be possible to develop a European model for partnership‐based approaches to learning, an examination of a number of particularly innovative and successful partnerships nevertheless facilitates the identification of the constituent elements of good practice with respect to partnership‐based approaches to learning, which may themselves have wider applications.
Breakthrough board performance: how to harness your board’s intellectual capital[1]
Authors: Nicholson Gavin J. , Kiel Geoffrey C.
Published: March 2004

To date, corporate governance research agendas have tended to concentrate on one particular role that a board performs. For instance, agency theory concentrates on the monitoring role, resource dependence theory concentrates on the board providing access to resources and stewardship theory concentrates on the board’s advice‐giving or strategic role. While these approaches provide practitioners with useful guidelines regarding issues such as board independence, we contend that practitioners need to take care not to act on the recommendations from a single theory in isolation from the others. To address this concern, we provide a model of board effectiveness that uses the construct of board intellectual capital to integrate the predominant theories of corporate governance and illustrate how the board can drive corporate performance. We further contend that boards that wish to improve their performance need to review their intellectual capital. We conclude by linking the model to a practitioner‐focused framework that identifies four key areas on which a board must concentrate to develop its intellectual capital.
Impact of top management power on corporate divestiture
Authors: Krishnan Venkat R. , Sivakumar Ranjini
Published: March 2004

This longitudinal study looked at the impact of top managers’ personal power and structural power on divestiture two years later, using a sample of 46 sales and spin‐offs and a set of 46 control firms matched by size and industry in the USA. The impact of divestiture on top managers’ power during the two years following the divestiture was also looked at. Results of pair‐wise matched t‐tests reveal that firms whose top managers have less structural power are more likely to divest one year later. Logistic regression analysis shows that top managers’ structural power continues to predict divestiture one year later, even after controlling for change in net income and change in earnings per share. Divestiture also seems to result in less structural power of top managers during the two years after divestiture.
Shared thinking and interaction in the family business boardroom
Authors: Johnson Phyl
Published: March 2004

This paper reports the findings of in‐depth case study research carried out with the board of a UK family business. The research was designed to explore interaction amongst directors seeking to achieve agreement on a key strategic issue in one of their quarterly board meetings. In particular there is a focus on the extent to which there is parity between individual directors’ own opinions and views about this strategic issue, contributions they made in the boardroom and the collective agreement reached.
The influence of emotions and culture on accountability and governance
Authors: Velayutham S. , Perera M. H. B.
Published: March 2004

Accountability has frequently been presented as a rational practice that can and should be implemented in all governance structures including civil society, economic institutions and organizations. In accounting, it has been identified as a primary objective of financial reporting. This paper examines two emotional states, i.e. guilt and shame that are likely to influence accountability. The paper argues that (a) accountability through information disclosure is a cultural practice closely associated with the emotional state of guilt that is common in certain cultures, and (b) in cultures where the emotional state of shame is common, accountability is likely to be weak and, people are likely to be negatively inclined towards information disclosure. Studies in psychology have also shown that “typical” shame experiences were common in collectivistic, large power‐distance and high uncertainty avoidance cultures; while “typical” guilt experiences were more pronounced in individualistic, small power distance and low uncertainty avoidance cultures.
Where the decision‐makers went wrong: from capitalism to cannibalism
Authors: Pech Richard J. , Durden Geoffrey
Published: March 2004

This paper examines the organizational consequences of aberrant decision making processes in terms of the continuum of knowledge management alluded to by T.S. Eliot (1969); namely information acquisition and use, knowledge and, in turn, insight and wisdom. The thesis of the paper is that a raft of recent corporate failures can be explained away in terms of managerial decision‐making processes that have destroyed the integrity of the organizational learning experience for these organizations, through the corrupt and dysfunctional behavior of their respective managerial elite. It is further argued that when viewed from an anthropological perspective this dysfunctional behavior is akin to cannibalism of the body corporate.
Intraspecific variation in movement patterns: modeling individual behaviour in a large marine predator
Authors: Austin Deborah , Bowen W. D. , McMillan J. I.
Published: March 2004

In large marine predators, foraging entails movement. Quantitative models reveal how behaviours can mediate individual movement, such that deviations from a random pattern may reveal specific search tactics or behaviour. Using locations for 52 grey seals fitted with satellite‐linked recorders on Sable Island; we modeled movement as a correlated random walk (CRW) for individual animals, at two temporal scales. Mean move length, turning angle, and net squared displacement (R2n: the rate of change in area over time) at successive moves over 3 to 10 months were calculated. The distribution of move lengths of individual animals was compared to a Lévy distribution to determine if grey seals use a Lévy flight search tactic. Grey seals exhibited three types of movement as determined by CRW model fit: directed movers – animals displaying directed long distance travel that were significantly underpredicted by the CRW (23% of animals); residents – animals remaining in the area surrounding Sable Island that were overpredicted by the model (29% of animals); and correlated random walkers – those (48% of animals) in which movement was predicted by the CRW model. Kernel home range size differed significantly among all three movement types, as did travel speed, mean move length, mean R2n and total distance traveled. Sex and season of deployment were significant predictors of movement type, with directed movers more likely to be male and residents more likely to be female. Only 30% of grey seals fit a Lévy distribution, which suggests that food patches used by the majority of seals are not randomly distributed. Intraspecific variation in movement behaviour is an important characteristic in grey seal foraging ecology, underscoring the need to account for such variability in developing models of habitat use and predation.
Mass‐dependence in the predation risk of unequal competitors; some models
Authors: Ekman Jan
Published: March 2004

Foragers can monitor their survival through the size of body reserves in a starvation/predation risk trade‐off. Energy reserves reduce the risk of energetic shortfall, while survival will be maximised at intermediate reserve levels when there is a cost of carrying mass loads. The size of reserves that will maximise survival may not be identical for unequal competitors, when unequal access to resources will affect the costs and benefits of energy reserves. Here, I evaluate the effect of competitive ability (dominance) for the mass‐dependence in predation risk and how it is affected by (1) attack rate (attack rate effect), (2) distance to the emergence of an unconcealed predator attack (attack distance effect) and (3) distance to cover (cover distance effect). This general model is illustrated by empirical data for parameters specific for birds. The effect of competitive ability for the mass‐dependence in predation risk is ambiguous and depends on how rank is mediated into mass‐dependent predation risk. Dominants pay a lower cost in predation risk for mass loads than sub‐ordinates when competitive ability entails that they feed closer to cover (cover distance effect) and when the exposure to attacks and attack rate is lower than for sub‐ordinates (attack rate effect). In contrast, a shorter distance to the emergence of an unconcealed attack (attack distance effect) implies a lower increase in predation risk with mass for sub‐ordinates. As a consequence of how the cost of mass load varies with conditions there is no unambiguous relationship for how predation risk can be traded off for starvation risk for individuals with different competitive ability.
The effect of thermoregulatory substitution on optimal energy reserves of small birds in winter
Authors: M. McNamara John , Ekman Jan , I. Houston Alasdair
Published: March 2004

Previous models have predicted the body mass of small birds in winter on the basis of a trade‐off between starvation and predation. Many of these models have assumed that energy expenditure while active increases with body mass. The implications of the fact that the metabolic cost of activity can substitute for internal heat production and help keep the bird warm have not been investigated. In this paper we show that if thermoregulatory substitution occurs then there is a critical level of energy reserves above which an active bird is thermoneutral. This critical level increases as temperature decreases. Below this level, substitution of energy results in higher optimal levels of reserves than would be predicted in the absence of substitution. Our model thus predicts that at low temperatures body mass will be higher when thermoregulatory substitution occurs.
Spatial and temporal variation in patch occupancy and population density in a model system of an arctic Collembola species assemblage
Authors: Ims Rolf A. , Petter Leinaas Hans , Coulson Steve
Published: March 2004

We employed an experimental model system to investigate the mechanisms underlying patterns of patch occupancy and population density in a high arctic assemblage of Collembola species inhabiting a sedge tussock landscape on Svalbard. The replicate model systems consisted of 5 cores of the tussocks (habitat patches) imbedded in a barren matrix. Four of the patches were open so that animals could migrate between them, while there was one closed patch per system to test the effect of migration on extinction rate. There were model systems of two types: one with long and one with short inter‐patch distances to test the effect of patch isolation on colonisation and extinction rates. Each of the four most common collembolan species at the field site were introduced to two open patches per system (source patches), with the other two functioning as colonisation patches for the species. The experiment was run in an ecotrone over three identical, simulated arctic summers separated by winters of 3 weeks. Six replicates of systems with short and long inter‐patch distances were sampled at the end of each summer. The species varied markedly in their performance in both open arenas and closed patches, indicating differential responses to patch humidity, consistent with their differential distribution along the moisture gradient in the field site.

The extinction – colonisation dynamics differed markedly between species as predicted from our field studies. This could partly be ascribed to differential dispersal and colonisation ability, but also to different tolerance to spatially variable patch quality and/or tendency for aggregative behaviour. Three of the species exhibited dynamics that superficially resemble what could be expected from classical metapopulation dynamics. However, there was a striking discrepancy between what would be expected from the effect of migration on the extinction rate of isolated patches (in particular closed patches) and the observed rates. Thus, metapopulation processes, such as stochastic colonisation and extinction events due to demographic stochasticity, were relatively unimportant compared to other sources of spatial variability among which subtle differences in patch quality are probably most important. We discuss the value of combining field studies with model system experiments, in particular when habitat quality cannot easily be measured in the field. However, our field and laboratory studies also emphasise the need for a thorough knowledge of species‐specific life history traits for making biologically sound interpretations based on both observational and experimental data.
The effects of plant population size on the interactions between the endangered plantScorzonera humilis, a specialised herbivore, and a phytopathogenic fungus
Authors: Colling G. , Matthies D.
Published: March 2004

We studied the effects of population size on the interactions betweenScorzonera humilis(Asteraceae), its specialised seed‐feeding flyHeterostylodes macrurus(Anthomyidae) and its specific systemic smut fungusUstilago scorzonerae(Ustilaginales). The number of seeds developing per plant (potential seed production) strongly increased with population size inS. humilis.However, because seed predation by the seed feeding flyH. macrurusand the negative impact of the pathogenU. scorzoneraealso increased, realised seed production was not related to population size. The probability of occurrence ofH. macrurusincreased with the population size of its host plant and its abundance increased more than proportionally. This suggests that Allee effects reduce insect abundance in small populations ofS. humilis. The probability of occurrence of the fungusU. scorzoneraealso increased with plant population size. Within populations, large genets were more likely to be infected than small ones. The systemic pathogenU. scorzoneraereduces the effective population size of its host because all flowers of an infected individual are sterilised. Nevertheless, in most populations the impact of the fly on reproduction was stronger than that of the pathogen, because most genets were not infected. Both parasites were rarer than the host plant itself, supporting the trophic‐level hypothesis of island biogeography. Our results suggest that habitat fragmentation may release plants from parasites and pathogens. These positive effects of isolation and small population size may mask negative effects of fragmentation on, for instance, the quantity and quality of pollination.
Flexible life history responses to flower and rosette bud removal in three perennial herbs
Authors: Hartemink Nienke , Jongejans Eelke , De Kroon Hans
Published: March 2004

In a garden experiment we investigated the response to continuous removal of either flower buds or rosette buds in three perennial grassland species (Hypochaeris radicata, Succisa pratensis and Centaurea jacea), which differ in longevity and flowering type. We distinguished two possible responses: compensation for lost buds by making more buds of the same type, and switching towards development of other life history functions. Both responses were demonstrated in our experiment, but bud removal had significantly different effects in each of the three species. The degree of compensation and the expression of trade‐offs between life history functions differed markedly between species and seem related to longevity and developmental constraints. With respect to switching, our results suggest costs of reproduction and a trade‐off between life history functions, at least for Hypochaeris and Succisa. For these species weight of new rosettes increased when resource allocation to flowering was inhibited. In Hypochaeris, we see that both compensation for lost flower buds and switching from lost rosette buds increased production of flower buds, underscoring the pivotal role of sexual reproduction in this short‐lived species. The most prominent response seen in Centaurea is compensation for lost rosette buds, indicating that this long‐lived species with monocarpic rosettes relies on rosette formation. Although Succisa does respond to bud removal, time is an important constraint in this species with long‐lived rosettes and preformed flowering stalks. Trade‐offs in Succisa seem to operate at a larger time scale, requiring long‐lasting experiments to reveal them. We conclude that the response of these species to inflicted damage is likely to be linked to their longevity and developmental constraints.
When can two plant species facilitate each other's pollination?
Authors: S. Feldman Tracy , F. Morris William , G. Wilson William
Published: March 2004

Facilitation occurs when an increase in the density of one species causes an increase in the population growth rate or the density of a second species. In plants, ample evidence demonstrates that one species can facilitate another by ameliorating abiotic conditions, but the hypothesis that pollination facilitation – in which the presence of one flowering species increases pollinator visits to a second species – can also occur remains controversial. To identify the necessary conditions for pollination facilitation to occur, we constructed population models of two plant species that share the same pollinator and compete for establishment sites, and we assumed that heterospecific pollen can interfere with successful seed set. We found that facilitation for pollination occurs only when the pollinator visitation rate is an initially accelerating function of the combined numbers of flowering plants of both species in a patch. The presence of a second species can allow populations of a focal species either to persist for a longer amount of time before going extinct (“weak facilitation”) or to persist indefinitely at a stable equilibrium density (“strong facilitation”). When only a single plant of either species can occupy a site, the plant species with the higher initial density can experience strong facilitation but will eventually out‐compete the other species. However, when site occupancy was not exclusive, strong facilitation sometimes led to coexistence of the two species. Increasing the extent of pollen carryover increased the range of initial population densities leading to strong facilitation. In light of our theoretical results, we discuss the apparent rarity of pollination facilitation in nature.
Dynamic impacts of feral mink predation on vole metapopulations in the outer archipelago of the Baltic Sea
Authors: B. Banks Peter , Norrdahl Kai , Nordström Mikael , Korpimäki Erkki
Published: March 2004

Predation impacts by introduced predators are predicted to be most intense in island ecosystems, and also variable depending on environmental conditions, but large‐scale experimental field testing is rare. In this study we examine the factors that determine the distribution and abundance of vole metapopulations preyed upon by feral American minkMustela visonin the outer Finnish archipelago of the Baltic Sea. Specifically, we follow the dynamics of field volesMicrotus agrestisand bank volesClethrionomys glareoluson 40 small islands under variable rainfall as part of a large‐scale mink removal experiment. For both vole species occupancy rates were negatively influenced by island isolation, as were extinction events for field voles. High summer rainfall in 1998 corresponded to large vole populations where mink were absent, populations that then crashed in 1999 and 2000 when below average rains fell during the summer breeding season. Where mink were present however, vole abundance remained more constant between years with no boom‐bust apparent. We conclude that weather and predation may drive vole abundance whereas habitat patchiness and metapopulation processes more strongly drive vole distributions. There may also be potential for interaction between these factors: because feral mink prevent rapid vole population growth after good summer rains, and vole dispersal is influenced by population size, feral mink may be changing vole dispersal patterns to disrupt the natural metapopulation dynamic. Hence this indirect impact of mink could lead to gradual erosion of vole populations in the outer archipelago by reducing recolonisation processes.
Incorporating territory compression into population models
Authors: Ridley, Jan Komdeur Jo , J. Sutherland William
Published: March 2004

The ideal despotic distribution, whereby the lifetime reproductive success a territory's owner achieves is unaffected by population density, is a mainstay of behaviour‐based population models. We show that the population dynamics of an island population of Seychelles warblers (Acrocephalus sechellensis) cannot be modelled with an ideal despotic distribution, and suggest the effects of both territory shrinkage and territorial disputes on reproductive success must be included to adequately model the population dynamics of this species. To do this we introduce two different approaches. The first is reductionist, using data on how population density affects individuals’ reproductive success to predict population growth rates. Because such a model is mechanistic, it can be used to predict population dynamics in novel environments, making it a desirable long‐term solution. However, because territorial populations are typically tightly regulated, birth and death rate data at low population densities are often unavailable. Hence, our second approach statistically infers the relationship between population density and per territory reproductive success, and thus provides a stop‐gap solution for the shorter term. Our analysis indicates that although the Cousin population of Seychelles warblers is highly resilient to environmental stochasticity, the degree of resilience is considerably underestimated by approaches that ignore intrinsic regulation through territory shrinkage and territorial disputes.
Scale‐dependence of movement rates in stream invertebrates
Authors: Englund Göran , Hambäck Peter A.
Published: March 2004

We used analytical models and random walk simulations in a one‐dimensional habitat to study the scale‐dependence of migration rates in stream invertebrates. Our models predict that per capita migration rate is inversely proportional to patch length when patches are large compared to the scale of movements. When patches are small the scale‐dependence is weaker and primarily determined by the length of individual movements (steps) relative to patch size. Laboratory experiments using isopods (Asellus aquaticus L.) and mayfly nymphs (Baetis sp.) confirmed that the strength of the scale‐dependence decreased with increasing step length.

For the case when step length distributions follow an exponential probability distribution, which is often the case for stream organisms, we provide a simple model that allows the scale‐dependence to be predicted from the mean step length. We fitted this model to published field data on drift densities at different downstream distances from a net that blocks the drift from upstream areas. Agreement between model and data was excellent in most cases. We then used already published data on the length of induced drift movements to predict the scale‐dependence that was observed in block experiments performed in the same system. Predicted and observed scale‐dependence showed very close agreement.

We conclude that our models and published data on drift distances can be used to calculate the expected scale‐dependence of per capita emigration rates for a large number of taxa under a wide range of environmental conditions.
Combined effects of intraspecific competition and parasitoid attacks on the dynamics of a host population: a stage‐structured model
Authors: Spataro Thierry , Bernstein Carlos
Published: March 2004

Although it is well known that intraspecific competition affects host‐parasitoid dynamics, previous studies have adopted oversimplified descriptions of competition. We developed and analysed a host‐parasitoid stage‐structured model in which host intraspecific competition is accounted for by a flexible density dependence function. We focused particularly on the influence of two factors generally neglected in previous studies: the strength of competition and possible differences in the effect of intraspecific competition between healthy and parasitized hosts. We showed, by means of a combination of analytical studies and simulations, that the presence of parasitoids in the system markedly changes the effects of competition on population dynamics. In particular, position in the “contest”‐“scramble” spectrum, which plays a crucial role in single‐population dynamics, may have a smaller effect in populations subjected to parasitism. We also showed that stability is increased when healthy hosts are more susceptible to competition than parasitized hosts. The effects of host intraspecific competition and its characteristics on dynamics strongly depend on the characteristics of parasitism and on the distribution of attacks in particular. Moreover, interactions between top‐down (parasitism) and bottom‐up (intraspecific competition) effects may be crucial for the regulation of host‐parasitoid systems.
Profile Parsimony (PP): an analysis under Implied Weights (IW)
Authors: Arias J. Salvador , Miranda‐Esquivel Daniel Rafael
Published: March 2004

Faith and Trueman [Syst. Biol. (2001) 331] recently proposed “Profile Parsimony” (PP) as a new form of phylogenetic analysis, but it is equivalent to the Implied Weights (IW) method when certain functions are used. The PP method cannot accommodate missing/inapplicable cells and/or multistate characters. Finally we demonstrate that, as defined, PP scores are not random, and there is no need to generate random trees as proposed by Faith and Trueman.
Abstracts of the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Willi Hennig Society
Authors: Stevenson Dennis Wm.
Published: March 2004

The 22nd annual meeting of the Willi Hennig Society was held at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, New York from July 20–24. There were 154 participants representing 15 countries and a total of 65 talks, 16 posters, and four software presentations. There were five symposia ranging from sequence alignment to worm biology to biogeography. As with Hennig 21 at Helsinki, there was strong student participation. Student posters represented 13 of the total 16 posters and 23 of 65 oral presentations were by students. Student presentations were part of all symposia. The strength and future of the Willi Hennig Society resides in the students and recent meetings indicate a healthy society for the future.

The Student Awards Committee consisted of Jonathan A. Coddington, Arnold G. Kluge and Gunilla Ståhls. The winners were Taran Grant, the Hennig Prize ($1000) for “Insertions and deletions in the evolution of equal‐length DNA fragments”; Johannes Bergsten, the Brundin Prize ($500) for “Acilius Phylogeny (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae), Problems with Long‐branch attraction and Morphological Intersexual Coevolution”; and A. R. Lindgren, the Rosen Prize ($250) for “A New Phylogeny of the Cephalopoda Using Total Evidence”.
Investigations into the phylogenetic position of Micrognathozoa using four molecular loci
Authors: Giribet Gonzalo , Sørensen Martin V. , Funch Peter , Kristensen Reinhardt Møbjerg , Sterrer Wolfgang
Published: March 2004

Micrognathozoa is the most recently discovered higher metazoan lineage. The sole known species of the group, Limnognathia maerski, was originally reported from running freshwater in Disko Island (Greenland), and has recently been recorded from the subantarctic region. Because of the presence of a particular type of jaws formed of special cuticularized rods, similar to those of gnathostomulids and rotifers, the three metazoan lineages were considered closely related, and assigned to the clade Gnathifera. A phylogenetic comparison of four molecular loci for Limnognathia maerski and other newly generated sequences of mainly acoelomate animals showed that Micrognathozoa may constitute an independent lineage from those of Gnathostomulida and Rotifera. However, the exact position of Micrognathozoa could not be determined due to the lack of support for any given relationships and due to the lack of stability in the position of Limnognathia maerski under analysis of different loci and of different parameter sets for sequence comparison. Nuclear loci tend to place Micrognathozoa with the syndermatan/cycliophoran taxa, but the addition of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I favors a relationship of Micrognathozoa to Entoprocta.
Total evidence phylogeny of Gasterosteidae: combining molecular, morphological and behavioral data
Authors: Mattern Michelle Y. , McLennan Deborah A.
Published: March 2004

Genealogical relationships among Gasterosteidae (Teleostei: Gasterosteiformes) were tested with 84 morphological, 48 behavioral, and 2879 molecular characters. Phylogenetic analysis of the combined data set identified a single (CI = 0.735) best‐supported hypothesis (Spinachia(Apeltes((Pungitius+Culaea)(Gasterosteus aculeatus+G.wheatlandi)))). This hypothesis is identical to previous phylogenetic propositions proposed on the basis of behavioral, and behavioral plus morphological data. Our hypothesis, however, differed from a molecular‐based phylogeny in the placement ofApeltes. This analysis highlights the importance of combining all available evidence in order to produce the best‐supported proposition of genealogical relationships.
Identification of two novel single nucleotide polymorphisms in the promoter of the human interleukin‐18 receptor α
Authors: Cardoso S. P. , Keen L. , Bidwell J.
Published: March 2004

Single‐strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) was used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region of the human interleukin‐18 receptor α (IL‐18Rα). Two SNPs were identified at positions −69 and −638 relative to the transcriptional start site. Two‐way comparison of the two SNPs revealed strong linkage disequilibrium (χ2 = 63.45, P < 0.001). Three haplotypes were identified, namely C−69C−638, T−69C−638 and C−69T−638, with frequencies of 0.26, 0.39 and 0.35, respectively.
Impact of diverticular disease on hospital costs and activity
Authors: Papagrigoriadis S. , Debrah S. , Koreli A. , Husain A.
Published: March 2004

Background  Diverticulosis is very common in the UK and patients with clinically significant diverticular disease present regularly to departments of surgery as acute emergencies or chronic problems. There are no national data on the hospital prevalence, clinical implications or financial impact of diverticular disease hence the extent of the clinical problem is as yet not quantified.

Aim  To detect the prevalence, clinical implications and financial impact of diverticular disease over a one year period in a large district hospital.

Methods  Retrospective review of all patients treated for diverticular disease during one financial year. Clinical and cost analysis of inpatient and outpatient investigations, treatment and hospitalization.

Results  A total of 148 patients were treated of whom 83 were admitted for more than 1 day, 55 of those were emergency admissions. Five of 83 admitted patients died (in‐patient mortality 6%, peri‐operative mortality 26.3%). There was a total number of 982 hospitalization days of which 94 Intensive Care Unit days and 68 High Dependency Unit days. Nineteen operations were performed (16 sigmoid colectomies, 1 oversewing of perforated sigmoid, 2 reversal of colostomy). The investigations generated were 48 colonoscopies, 77 flexible sigmoidoscopies, 77 Barium enemas, 2 CT scans and 34 ultrasound scans. A total number of 410 clinic appointments were generated. One year after discharge 134/148 (90.5%) patients were alive. The total cost of this activity was £465263 or 5.3% of the total annual budget for General Surgery. Seventy percent of the cost was bed‐days expenses with ICU hospitalization accounting for 25% of the total cost.

Conclusion  Diverticular disease is a major cause of morbidity in a large district hospital and a significant burden on resources. More research should be done on prevention of complications and management in the community. The current methods of management do not appear to be cost‐effective and attempts should be made to produce protocols for evidence‐based, cost‐efficient management of the disease. A UK national audit should be undertaken.
Increased expression of minichromosome maintenance protein 2 in active inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Davies R. J. , Scott I. S. , Morris L. S. , Rushbrook S. M. , Bird K. , Vowler S. L. , Arends M. , Miller R. , Coleman N.
Published: March 2004

Objective  Minichromosome maintenance protein 2 (Mcm2) is an accurate indicator of cell cycle entry in tissue samples, but its expression in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not previously been investigated. We have used immunohistochemistry to assess the expression of Mcm2, in comparison to the existing proliferation marker Ki‐67, in active IBD and IBD without inflammatory activity.

Materials and methods  For this experimental study, sections from colonic biopsy and resection specimens of 48 patients with IBD (5 inactive/quiescent Crohn's disease (CD), 13 active CD, 19 inactive/quiescent ulcerative colitis (UC) and 11 active UC) and 15 normal controls were immunostained with antibodies to Mcm2 and Ki‐67. The percentage of immunopositive epithelial nuclei was determined by calculating a labelling index (LI) for entire glands and for gland thirds (superficial, middle and basal).

Results  The Mcm2 LI was significantly increased in the superficial third of glands in active vs. inactive/quiescent UC (P < 0.0001) and active vs. inactive/quiescent CD (P = 0.001). The Mcm2 LI was significantly greater than the Ki‐67 LI in active IBD, both in entire glands (P < 0.0001) and in the superficial third of glands (UC, P = 0.001; CD, P = 0.0002). Mcm2 LIs for entire glands were significantly higher in UC (all cases) compared to CD (all cases) (P = 0.032).

Conclusions  There is increased cell cycle entry, as indicated by expression of Mcm2 and to a lesser extent Ki‐67, in the superficial third of colonic glands in active IBD compared to inactive/quiescent IBD. Detection of Mcm2 may contribute to improved histological assessment of small tissue biopsies and may enable the development of a direct stool‐based test for detection of active IBD and potentially for assessment of disease activity.
Just How Do I Love Thee?: Marital Relations in Urban China
Authors: Pimentel Ellen Efron
Published: March 2004

Marriage quality is much studied, but mostly in the West. This study applies such research to a large, representative sample of couples from urban China using a multidimensional measure of marriage quality. Characteristics unique to Chinese families—the importance of parental approval of mates and the importance of marriage type—continue to exert a strong influence on the pattern of marriage quality. However, results also support Western feminist arguments that egalitarian behaviors—division of chores and decision making—and attitudes strongly impact marriage quality, but in sometimes unique ways for each gender. As in the West, children are associated with lower marriage quality, partly through increasing domestic inequality, but only in certain types of marriages.
Sexual Infidelity Among Married and Cohabiting Americans
Authors: Treas Judith , Giesen Deirdre
Published: March 2004

Virtually all American couples, married or cohabiting, expect sexual exclusivity of one another. This article asks why some people are sexually exclusive while others have sex with someone besides their mate. Previous research has linked personal values, sexual opportunities, and quality of the marital relationship to extramartial sex. This paper integrates these findings in a multivariate model that incorporates factors informing sexual decision making as well as demographic “risk factors.” Nationally representative survey data show higher likelihood of sexual infidelity among those with stronger sexual interests, more permissive sexual values, lower subjective satisfaction with their union, weaker network ties to partner, and greater sexual opportunities. With these factors controlled, gender differences are substantially reduced or eliminated, although racial effects persist.
Self‐Report and Observational Assessment of Couples' Conflict: The Concordance Between the Communication Patterns Questionnaire and the KPI Observation System
Authors: Hahlweg Kurt , Kaiser Andrea , Christensen Andrew , Fehm‐Wolfsdorf Gabriele , Groth Thomas
Published: March 2004

The purpose of the study is to provide a cross‐cultural replication of the correspondence between the Communication Patterns Questionnaire (CPQ) Constructive Communication Subscale and an observational measure of constructive communication. Eighty‐one couples in two German cities completed the CPQ, a self‐report measure of couples' conflictual communication, and participated in a 15‐minute, videotaped interaction in which they discussed a current problem. A microanalytic coding system, the Kategoriensystem fuer Partnerschaftliche Interaktion (KPI), was used to classify each unit of behavior in the videotaped interactions. Correlations were computed between subscales on the CPQ and summary categories on the KPI. The correlations were generally supportive of the CPQ as a measure of couples' communication. In particular, the Constructive Communication Subscale of the CPQ and a summary measure of constructiveness on the KPI were correlated at .51.
Studying Postmodern Families: A Feminist Analysis of Ethical Tensions in Work and Family Research
Authors: McGraw Lori A. , Zvonkovic Anisa M. , Walker Alexis J.
Published: March 2004

Through dialogue and reflexivity, feminist researchers aim to create knowledge that is emergent from people in relationship with one another. Reflexivity is a process whereby researchers place themselves and their practices under scrutiny, acknowledging the ethical dilemmas that permeate the research process and impinge on the creation of knowledge. Guided by these tenets, we analyzed the relations among our research practices, our participants, and ourselves to understand and reduce the ethical tensions we encountered in a multimethod research project designed to investigate work and family processes. Our reflective efforts underscore both the active nature of research participants and the importance of the sociopolitical contexts within and around the research process. We make suggestions for more ethical research.
Changes in Housework After Retirement: A Panel Analysis
Authors: Szinovacz Maximiliane E.
Published: March 2004

Grounded in family systems theory and based on panel data from the National Survey of Families and Households, this study shows that retirees spend more time with housework both in their own and their partner's domain than do continuously employed spouses. Moreover, husbands and wives spend less time with female chores if their partner retires. The data further reveal that the effect of changes in paid labor on housework time is contingent on the other spouse's employment as well as on gender roles and marital dependence. These findings are consistent with assumptions of interdependence among system parts and the hierarchical nature of transformation rules.
Nonstandard Work Schedules and Marital Instability
Authors: Presser Harriet B.
Published: March 2004

Based on subsample of 3,476 married couples drawn from two waves of the National Survey of Families and Household, this study examines the extent to which working evening, night, or rotating schedules and weekends affects the likelihood of marriages ending in separation or divorce within approximately 5 years. Logistic regression analysis revealed that this relationship depends on the presence of children and is specific to the type of nonstandard schedule, the gender of the spouse, and the duration of marriage. Among men with children, married less than 5 years at Wave 1, working fixed nights made separation or divorce some six times more likely relative to working days. Among women with children, married more than 5 years at Wave 1, working fixed nights increased the odds by three times, and might have had an effect during the earlier years of marriage as well (although not statistically significant). These findings are evident when controlling for the number of hours worked as well as for demographic variables, and when considering, in addition, the husband's and wife's gender ideologies and the extent to which couples spent time alone together. The question of whether spouses in troubled marriages are more likely to move into night or rotating shifts was explored, but this did not seem to be the case.
“Swapping” Families: Serial Parenting and Economic Support for Children
Authors: Manning Wendy D. , Smock Pamela J.
Published: March 2004

The claim that fathers “swap” families when they form new ones—that is, they shift allegiances from nonresident children to new residential children (e.g., Furstenberg, 1995)—has not been directly evaluated empirically. Drawing on data from the two waves of the National Survey of Families and Households, we test Furstenberg's argument in terms of child‐support transfers to nonresidential children, and we also test an elaboration of his approach that distinguishes between resident biological children and stepchildren. Using static‐score models, our findings indicate that fathers do swap families but only when the trade‐off is between new biological children living inside fathers' households and existing biological children living outside fathers' households. Even though our analytic sample is small, our findings have important implications for child well‐being, child‐support policy, and the meaning of fatherhood.
Perceived Paternal and Maternal Acceptance and Rural African American and European American Youths' Psychological Adjustment
Authors: Veneziano Robert A.
Published: March 2004

This study explores the following question: Are rural African American and European American youths' experiences of paternal and maternal acceptance equally related to their self‐reported psychological adjustment, or do youths' experiences of paternal acceptance account for an independent portion of the variance in psychological adjustment, over and above the portion of variance explained by their experiences of maternal acceptance? This study also explores possible social‐class, age, gender, and paternal‐residence differences in perceived paternal and maternal acceptance and youths' psychological adjustment. The research is based on a proportional, stratified, random sample of 281 African American and European American families in a poor, rural, biracial county of Georgia, U.S.A. Results of multiple regression analyses indicate that only perceived paternal acceptance is significantly related to European American youths' self‐reported psychological adjustment when controlling for the influence of perceived maternal acceptance. In African American families, both perceived paternal acceptance and perceived maternal acceptance are significantly related to youths' self‐reported psychological adjustment. Finally, results of analyses indicate that relationships between perceived paternal and maternal acceptance and youths' psychological adjustment within the ethnic groups are not related significantly to youths' age, gender, paternal residence, or social class.