WorldWideScience

Sample records for changing family structures

  1. Family Structure Changes and Children's Health, Behavior, and Educational Outcomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Astrid Würtz

    decreased to 73% in 2005. Hence it is important to improve our understanding of the impact of "shocks" in family structure due to parental relationship dissolution on children. International studies mainly suggest a negative relationship between non-nuclear family structure and child outcomes. There are two...... relation between family structure changes and children's outcomes. Children who have experienced family structure changes during childhood seem to have worse educational outcomes and a higher propensity to being hospitalized and convicted of a crime. The children in the dataset experience up to 13 family...... structure changes during childhood. More family structure changes implies worse outcomes and might actually be more important than the number of years a child has spent in a single parent household. The age at which the family structure change occurs also seems to be important at least for some outcomes....

  2. Family Structure Changes and Children's Health, Behavior, and Educational Outcomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Astrid Würtz

    More and more children do not grow up in traditional nuclear families. Instead they grow up in single parent households or in families with a step-parent. Hence it is important to improve our understanding of the impact of "shocks" in family structure due to parental relationship dissolution...... on children. In this study I empirically test whether children are traumatized both in the short and the long run by shocks in the family structure during childhood. I focus on educational, behavioral, and health outcomes. A population sample of Danish children born in January to May 1983, 1984, and 1985...... is used for the analysis. The empirical cross-sectional analysis indicates a negative relation between the number of family structure changes and children.s educational outcomes. Children experiencing many family structure changes also seem to have worse health outcomes....

  3. Family Structure Changes and Children's Health, Behavior, and Educational Outcomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Astrid Würtz

    More and more children do not grow up in traditional nuclear families. Instead, they grow up in single-parent households or in families with a step-parent. Hence, it is important to improve our understanding of the impact of "shocks" in family structure due to parental relationship dissolution...... on children. In this study I empirically test whether children are traumatized both in the short and the long run by shocks in the family structure during childhood. I focus on educational, behavioral, and health outcomes. A population sample of Danish children born in January to May 1985 is used...... for the analysis. The empirical cross-sectional analysis indicates a negative relation between the number of family structure changes and children.s health, behavior, and educational outcomes. These results are con.rmed by a differences-in-differences analysis of health outcomes. This suggests...

  4. [Changes in structure and function of the family of the adolescent in the last decade (1997-2007)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez Milena, Alejandro; Martínez Fernández, María Luz; Mesa Gallardo, Inmaculada; Pérez Milena, Rafael; Leal Helmling, Francisco Javier; Jiménez Pulido, Idoia

    2009-09-01

    To find out the structure and functioning of the family of the adolescent and its changes in the last decade. Cross-sectional descriptive study using questionnaires. Pupils in obligatory secondary education and high-school in one rural (Granada) and one urban (Jaén) area. Self-administered questionnaire (years 1997-2001-2004-2007) in which details of age, sex, family structure and family-Apgar test were recorded. A total of 1356 adolescents participated, 1271 questionnaires valid (259, 386, 246 and 380 respectively per year). Ages 12-18 years, equality of sexes. The nuclear family structure was predominant (78-84%), followed by single parent family in (7-11%), extended (6-7%) and reconstituted (2%). The family function was mainly normal (70-76%), with 30% dysfunction (slight dysfunction 18-21% and severe dysfunction 5-10%). The structure and family function does not vary by sex or the year of study, it is influenced by age: adolescents 16 years with a higher percentage of family dysfunction in 1997/2001 than the rest of ages, declining in the years 2004/2007 (P family in 1997 had a greater number of adolescents with normal family function (P family structures. The perception of family function in adolescents has changed and now does not depend on sex, age and structure. Family care during adolescence should focus on promoting positive family dynamics, regardless of family structure.

  5. Change in Family Structure and Rates of Violent Juvenile Delinquency

    OpenAIRE

    Fry, Jeannie A

    2010-01-01

    This paper addresses the question: Have the changes in family structure in the U.S. become a catalyst for juvenile delinquency? For this research, I use existing statistics for my three independent variables: divorce rates, rate of working mothers with children under age 18, percent female-headed households. My dependent variable, juvenile violent crime rates, is measured using data from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. My control variables consist of the followin...

  6. Today's Changing Families and their Needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thierman, Susan B.

    This paper discusses the changing concept of the American family, identifying four major trends in family structure: (1) a dramatic increase in two-wage-earner families; (2) more working women; (3) more single-parent families; and (4) restructuring of families through divorces and remarriages. The family has been losing many of its traditional…

  7. Jamaican family structure: the paradox of normalcy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dechesnay, M

    1986-06-01

    The relationship between basic research, theory, and clinical work with families is conceptualized during a discussion of Jamaican family structure and the application of change theory to a clinical case of depression in a Jamaican woman. It was found that three types of family structure are prevalent in Jamaica. The European ideal of a patriarchal-patrifocal structure creates problems for working-class Jamaicans. General system theory provides support for a different model. Change theory is applied to resolve the paradox created by the European model.

  8. Why poverty remains high: the role of income growth, economic inequality, and changes in family structure, 1949-1999.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iceland, John

    2003-08-01

    After dramatic declines in poverty from 1950 to the early 1970s in the United States, progress stalled. This article examines the association between trends in poverty and income growth, economic inequality, and changes in family structure using three measures of poverty: an absolute measure, a relative measure, and a quasi-relative one. I found that income growth explains most of the trend in absolute poverty, while inequality generally plays the most significant role in explaining trends in relative poverty. Rising inequality in the 1970s and 1980s was especially important in explaining increases in poverty among Hispanics, whereas changes in family structure played a significant role for children and African Americans through 1990. Notably, changes in family structure no longer had a significant association with trends in poverty for any group in the 1990s.

  9. Family Structure Changes and Children's Health, Behavior, and Educational Outcomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Astrid Würtz

    More and more children do not grow up in traditional nuclear families. Instead they grow up in single parent households or in families with a step-parent. Hence it is important to improve our understanding of the impact of 'shocks' in family structure due to parental relationship dissolution...... on children. In this study I empirically test whether children are traumatized by shocks in the family structure during childhood. I focus on both educational, behavioral, and health outcomes. A population sample of Danish children born in January to May 1983, 1984, and 1985 is used for the analysis...

  10. F-BAR family proteins, emerging regulators for cell membrane dynamic changes-from structure to human diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Suxuan; Xiong, Xinyu; Zhao, Xianxian; Yang, Xiaofeng; Wang, Hong

    2015-05-09

    Eukaryotic cell membrane dynamics change in curvature during physiological and pathological processes. In the past ten years, a novel protein family, Fes/CIP4 homology-Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (F-BAR) domain proteins, has been identified to be the most important coordinators in membrane curvature regulation. The F-BAR domain family is a member of the Bin/Amphiphysin/Rvs (BAR) domain superfamily that is associated with dynamic changes in cell membrane. However, the molecular basis in membrane structure regulation and the biological functions of F-BAR protein are unclear. The pathophysiological role of F-BAR protein is unknown. This review summarizes the current understanding of structure and function in the BAR domain superfamily, classifies F-BAR family proteins into nine subfamilies based on domain structure, and characterizes F-BAR protein structure, domain interaction, and functional relevance. In general, F-BAR protein binds to cell membrane via F-BAR domain association with membrane phospholipids and initiates membrane curvature and scission via Src homology-3 (SH3) domain interaction with its partner proteins. This process causes membrane dynamic changes and leads to seven important cellular biological functions, which include endocytosis, phagocytosis, filopodium, lamellipodium, cytokinesis, adhesion, and podosome formation, via distinct signaling pathways determined by specific domain-binding partners. These cellular functions play important roles in many physiological and pathophysiological processes. We further summarize F-BAR protein expression and mutation changes observed in various diseases and developmental disorders. Considering the structure feature and functional implication of F-BAR proteins, we anticipate that F-BAR proteins modulate physiological and pathophysiological processes via transferring extracellular materials, regulating cell trafficking and mobility, presenting antigens, mediating extracellular matrix degradation, and transmitting

  11. The family and family structure classification redefined for the current times

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rahul Sharma

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The family is a basic unit of study in many medical and social science disciplines. Definitions of family have varied from country to country, and also within country. Because of this and the changing realities of the current times, there is a felt need for redefining the family and the common family structure types, for the purpose of study of the family as a factor in health and other variables of interest. A redefinition of a ′′family′′ has been proposed and various nuances of the definition are also discussed in detail. A classification scheme for the various types of family has also been put forward. A few exceptional case scenarios have been envisaged and their classification as per the new scheme is discussed, in a bid to clarify the classification scheme further. The proposed scheme should prove to be of use across various countries and cultures, for broadly classifying the family structure. The unique scenarios of particular cultures can be taken into account by defining region or culture-specific subtypes of the overall types of family structure.

  12. Family Structure and Family Processes in Mexican American Families

    OpenAIRE

    Zeiders, Katharine H.; Roosa, Mark W.; Tein, Jenn-Yun

    2011-01-01

    Despite increases in single-parent families among Mexican Americans (MA), few studies have examined the association of family structure and family adjustment. Utilizing a diverse sample of 738 Mexican American families (21.7% single parent), the current study examined differences across family structure on early adolescent outcomes, family functioning, and parent-child relationship variables. Results revealed that early adolescents in single parent families reported greater school misconduct,...

  13. Changing Families, Changing Workplaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianchi, Suzanne M.

    2011-01-01

    American families and workplaces have both changed dramatically over the past half-century. Paid work by women has increased sharply, as has family instability. Education-related inequality in work hours and income has grown. These changes, says Suzanne Bianchi, pose differing work-life issues for parents at different points along the income…

  14. Family therapy, conflicts and change

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Musaeus, Peter

    2007-01-01

    Given the relative lack of sociocultural approaches to therapy, this presentation aims to contribute to a sociocultural understanding of motivation and socio-emotional problems in children and families undergoing family therapy. The study was designed as a case study using semi structured...... will be sketched pertaining to the area of family therapy. The study argues for the importance of a holistic, non-mechanical (Valsiner) approach to motivation for change in understanding how "at risk" or "problematic" children and youth (who are for instance experiencing school absenteeism, domestic violence...... interviews with 15 families undergoing family therapy delivered by a communal agency in Denmark.   Using notions of crisis interlinked with institutions and everyday lives (Hedegaard) framed by historical, contentious struggles (Holland and Lave), a model of conflict, violence, learning and motivation...

  15. Influences of Family Structure Dynamics on Sexual Debut in Africa ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    There is no research on the timing, sequencing and number of changes in family environment and their influences on sexual and reproductive health outcomes in Africa. Using a population-based survey with data on family structure at three points in the life course, this paper examines the influences of these family structure ...

  16. Changing families, changing workplaces.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianchi, Suzanne M

    2011-01-01

    American families and workplaces have both changed dramatically over the past half-century. Paid work by women has increased sharply, as has family instability. Education-related inequality in work hours and income has grown. These changes, says Suzanne Bianchi, pose differing work-life issues for parents at different points along the income distribution. Between 1975 and 2009, the labor force rate of mothers with children under age eighteen increased from 47.4 percent to 71.6 percent. Mothers today also return to work much sooner after the birth of a child than did mothers half a century ago. High divorce rates and a sharp rise in the share of births to unmarried mothers mean that more children are being raised by a single parent, usually their mother. Workplaces too have changed, observes Bianchi. Today's employees increasingly work nonstandard hours. The well-being of highly skilled workers and less-skilled workers has been diverging. For the former, work hours may be long, but income has soared. For lower-skill workers, the lack of "good jobs" disconnects fathers from family obligations. Men who cannot find work or have low earnings potential are much less likely to marry. For low-income women, many of whom are single parents, the work-family dilemma is how to care adequately for children and work enough hours to support them financially. Jobs for working-class and lower middle-class workers are relatively stable, except in economic downturns, but pay is low, and both parents must work full time to make ends meet. Family income is too high to qualify for government subsidized child care, but too low to afford high-quality care in the private market. These families struggle to have a reasonable family life and provide for their family's economic well-being. Bianchi concludes that the "work and family" problem has no one solution because it is not one problem. Some workers need more work and more money. Some need to take time off around the birth of a child

  17. Diverse Family Structures and the Care of Older Persons.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roberto, Karen A; Blieszner, Rosemary

    2015-09-01

    Demographic and social trends lead to a variety of micro-level and internal structural contexts that influence caregiving in families with older members. The results of macro-level changes have received little focused attention in the aging literature, where much of the caregiving research has addressed issues within the context of traditional family structure. Yet the conventional nuclear family model is increasingly uncommon as new, pluralistic models of family life are emerging in contemporary society. The majority of elder care is provided by relatives, albeit with varying patterns of involvement and responsibility across family structures. Both conventional and pluralistic families face challenges in meeting the care needs of their oldest members, leaving some older adults at risk of having unmet needs. Additional research on family risk and resilience related to the care of older relatives is warranted, particularly with respect to pluralistic models of family life.

  18. Changing family roles and marital instability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharchev, A G; Matskovskii, M S

    1981-01-01

    The causes of divorce and its social and ethical consequences in Socialist and capitalist societies are examined in an attempt to improve the effectiveness of research on divorce, with a focus on changes in the family structure and the role of women. The impact of divorce on the institution of marriage, the lives of the divorced partners, the upbringing and character of children, and the reproductive processes of society is explored. Traditional notions and expectations of marriage and of duties within the family are identified. The possibility of changing attitudes in order to adapt to conditions resulting from scientific and technological progress is considered, with emphasis on ways of combining women's employment and the performance of household functions. Problems associated with the application of data obtained in foreign empirical studies to situations in the Soviet Union are addressed, and Western sociological approaches to the study of family dynamics are critically examined.

  19. Hispanic/Latino Adolescents' Alcohol Use: Influence of Family Structure, Perceived Peer Norms, and Family Members' Alcohol Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, Wura; Barry, Adam E.; Xu, Lei; Valente, Thomas W.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Family structure and value system among Hispanic/Latino population are changing. However, very few studies have examined the combination of the influence of family structure, parental and sibling alcohol use, perceived peer norms about drinking, and alcohol use among Hispanic/Latino adolescents. Purpose: This study examined the…

  20. Family and Family Change in Ireland: An Overview

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canavan, John

    2012-01-01

    In Ireland, historically and in the current era, family has been a central concern for society and the State. This article provides a descriptive overview of family life in Ireland and of major family-related changes over the past 40 years. It presents a general framework of analysis within which these changes can be understood, considers the…

  1. Poverty and Family Structure - Phase II | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Understanding the dynamics of change in family structure is critical in poverty diagnosis, ... And, how could public social security be conceived to protect the most vulnerable? ... IDRC invites applications for the IDRC Research Awards 2019.

  2. Family Structure Transitions and Child Development: Instability, Selection, and Population Heterogeneity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Dohoon; McLanahan, Sara

    2015-08-01

    A growing literature documents the importance of family instability for child wellbeing. In this article, we use longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine the impacts of family instability on children's cognitive and socioemotional development in early and middle childhood. We extend existing research in several ways: (1) by distinguishing between the number and types of family structure changes; (2) by accounting for time-varying as well as time-constant confounding; and (3) by assessing racial/ethnic and gender differences in family instability effects. Our results indicate that family instability has a causal effect on children's development, but the effect depends on the type of change, the outcome assessed, and the population examined. Generally speaking, transitions out of a two-parent family are more negative for children's development than transitions into a two-parent family. The effect of family instability is stronger for children's socioemotional development than for their cognitive achievement. For socioemotional development, transitions out of a two-parent family are more negative for white children, whereas transitions into a two-parent family are more negative for Hispanic children. These findings suggest that future research should pay more attention to the type of family structure transition and to population heterogeneity.

  3. Family structure and fertility in Taiwan: an extension and modification of Caldwell's wealth flows theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsuing, P C

    1988-06-01

    Based on the data from a nationwide survey of labor force participation conducted in 1985 by the Office of the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan, Republic of China, this project tries to modify Caldwell's Wealth Flows Theory in order to analyze fertility behavior of married women. Caldwell's Wealth Flows Theory indicates that a patriarchal family has a significant effect on fertility. Unless the patriarchal family structure is replaced by a nuclear family system, he claims, fertility levels will remain relatively high in developing countries. However, he does not discuss social factors which may influence the process of change in the family structure and which factors in the patriarchal family may influence fertility. To make up this shortcoming, this paper shows that female educational level, employment patterns, and occupational prestige brings about change in the family structure. This research also indicates that women with higher education and occupational prestige have lower fertility. In addition, it finds that female occupational status is a main factor to bring about change in the family structure. (author's)

  4. Structuring Formal Requirements Specifications for Reuse and Product Families

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heimdahl, Mats P. E.

    2001-01-01

    In this project we have investigated how formal specifications should be structured to allow for requirements reuse, product family engineering, and ease of requirements change, The contributions of this work include (1) a requirements specification methodology specifically targeted for critical avionics applications, (2) guidelines for how to structure state-based specifications to facilitate ease of change and reuse, and (3) examples from the avionics domain demonstrating the proposed approach.

  5. Changing Work and Work-Family Conflict: Evidence from the Work, Family, and Health Network*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Erin L; Moen, Phyllis; Oakes, J Michael; Fan, Wen; Okechukwu, Cassandra; Davis, Kelly D; Hammer, Leslie; Kossek, Ellen; King, Rosalind Berkowitz; Hanson, Ginger; Mierzwa, Frank; Casper, Lynne

    2014-06-01

    Schedule control and supervisor support for family and personal life are work resources that may help employees manage the work-family interface. However, existing data and designs have made it difficult to conclusively identify the effects of these work resources. This analysis utilizes a group-randomized trial in which some units in an information technology workplace were randomly assigned to participate in an initiative, called STAR, that targeted work practices, interactions, and expectations by (a) training supervisors on the value of demonstrating support for employees' personal lives and (b) prompting employees to reconsider when and where they work. We find statistically significant, though modest, improvements in employees' work-family conflict and family time adequacy and larger changes in schedule control and supervisor support for family and personal life. We find no evidence that this intervention increased work hours or perceived job demands, as might have happened with increased permeability of work across time and space. Subgroup analyses suggest the intervention brings greater benefits to employees more vulnerable to work-family conflict. This study advances our understanding of the impact of social structures on individual lives by investigating deliberate organizational changes and their effects on work resources and the work-family interface with a rigorous design.

  6. Family emotional expressiveness and family structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Čotar-Konrad Sonja

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The present paper scrutinizes the relationship between family emotional expressiveness (i.e., the tendency to express dominant and/or submissive positive and negative emotions and components of family structure as proposed in Olson’s Circumplex model (i.e., cohesion and flexibility, family communication, and satisfaction in families with adolescents. The study was conducted on a sample of 514 Slovenian adolescents, who filled out two questionnaires: the Slovenian version of Family Emotional Expressiveness - FEQ and FACES IV. The results revealed that all four basic dimensions of family functioning were significantly associated with higher/more frequent expressions of positive submissive emotions, as well as with lower/less frequent expressions of negative dominant emotions. Moreover, expressions of negative submissive emotions explained a small, but significant amount of variance in three out of four family functioning variables (satisfaction, flexibility, and communication. The importance of particular aspects of emotional expressiveness for family cohesion, flexibility, communication, and satisfaction is discussed, and the relevance of present findings for family counselling is outlined.

  7. Overview of the family structure in Egypt and its relation to psychiatry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okasha, Tarek; Elkholy, Hussien; El-Ghamry, Reem

    2012-04-01

    The family is the basic unit of any society and culture. The concept, structure, and function of the family unit vary considerably across different cultures; however, its role continues to be imperative to the development of individuals and their psychological make-up. All societies have a concept of 'family', its relative importance, structure, and functions; however, this varies according to the particular culture. In the Arabic culture, as well as other collectivistic cultures, the extended family is often regarded as the basic unit. The family is the foundational and basic social unit that fosters the stability, well-being and sustainability of society. The quality of family relationships shapes and influences the social, psychological, and biological development and functioning of its members. This may be especially relevant to individuals with mental health problems. The people of ancient Egypt valued family life highly, and this is the case even now. They treasured children and regarded them as a great blessing. If a couple had no children, they would pray to the gods and goddesses for help. They would also place letters at the tombs of dead relatives asking them to use their influence with the gods. The importance of family has not changed dramatically even though the structures are beginning to. In this paper we highlight changes in family set-up and the state of family therapy in Egypt.

  8. The impacts of rapid demographic transition on family structure and income inequality in Brazil, 1981-2011.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maia, Alexandre Gori; Sakamoto, Camila Strobl

    2016-11-01

    This study analysed the impact of changing family structure on income distribution. Specifically, it analysed how changes in the proportions of different categories of family in the population contributed to increases in the income of the richest and poorest social strata in Brazil, and the consequent impacts on income inequality. Rural and urban families were compared in order to understand how these dynamics had different impacts on more developed (urban) and less developed (rural) areas. The results emphasize how changes observed in family structure are more pronounced among the richest families, contributing to an increase in (i) the income of the richest families and (ii) income inequality between the richest and poorest families, as well as between urban and rural areas.

  9. Family change and migration in the life course: An introduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadja Milewski

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available This article is an introduction to Special Collection 6 of Demographic Research whose articles investigate the interrelations between the family and migration behaviour of individuals in industrialised countries. We first review the life-course approach and previous research on the interplay between family change and migration. We then describe the contribution of the articles in the collection. This is followed by a discussion of selected issues raised in the papers and an outline of future research avenues. We argue that the life-course approach and event-history analysis offer a fruitful framework to examine how individuals simultaneously structure their family lives and residential trajectories, and thus shape demographic change in society.

  10. The effects of family structure and function on mental health during China's transition: a cross-sectional analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yao; Zhang, Liuyi; Wang, Fang; Zhang, Ping; Ye, Beizhu; Liang, Yuan

    2017-05-05

    Social change, intensified by industrialization and globalization, has not only changed people's work lives but also their personal lives, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to provide evidence and recommendations regarding family structure, function, and mental health to actively respond to rapid social change. A cross-sectional survey was conducted face-to-face and door-to-door from July 2011 to September 2012 in Hubei Province, central China. Family structure comprised alone, couple, nuclear family, and extended family; family function was measured using the family APGAR (Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve) scale, and mental health was measured using the Chinese version of the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The urban-vs-rural difference of family structure among alone, couple, nuclear family, and extended family was statistically significant (5.21% vs 4.62%; 27.36% vs 13.14%; 33.22% vs 27.74%; 34.20% vs 54.50%, respectively; p family function was not statistically significant (8.11 ± 2.13 vs 8.09 ± 2.27, p = 0.9372). The general linear regression showed that the effect of family structure on mental health, whether urban or rural, was not significant, however, the effect of family function was significant, especially regarding better family functioning with better mental health. Combined the effects of family structure and function on mental health, the external form of family (family structure) may not be important; while the internal quality of role (family function) might be key. Improving the residents' family function would be a priority strategy for family practice with their mental health.

  11. The Changing Family in a Changing World: America First?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bronfenbrenner, Urie

    1984-01-01

    The American family has experienced rapid and radical changes since World War II. The effects and possible causes of the increase in the number of single-parent families, entry of mothers into the labor force, and rise in number of families at the poverty level are explored. Implications for changes in policy and practice are discussed. (DF)

  12. Family structure and eating behavior disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mateos-Agut, Manuel; García-Alonso, Isabel; De la Gándara-Martín, Jesús J; Vegas-Miguel, María I; Sebastián-Vega, Carlota; Sanz-Cid, Beatriz; Martínez-Villares, Ana; Martín-Martínez, Esther

    2014-01-01

    The modern way of life, characterized by the cult of individualism, discredited authority, and a proliferation of points of view about reality, has modified family structure. This social structure imbues families and the way that its members become ill, in such a way that eating behavior disorders (EDs) have become a typically postmodern way of becoming ill. The aim is to understand the systemic structure and vulnerability of families by comparing 108 families with members who have ED to 108 families without pathology. A questionnaire administered by an interview with trained personnel was used. Families with ED have a different structure from the families in the control group. They have more psychiatric history and poor coping skills. The family hierarchy is not clearly defined and the leadership is diffuse, with strict and unpredictable rules, more intergenerational coalitions, and fewer alliances. The relationship between the parents is distant or confrontational, and their attitudes towards their children are complacent and selfish, with ambivalent and unaffectionate bonds. In the case of mothers, this is manifested by separation anxiety and dyadic dependence. Their expectations concerning their offspring are either very demanding and unrealistic, or indifferent, and there is less control of their behavior, in addition to poor organization of the family meals. The structural differences between the two groups of families seem to be important for the occurrence and maintenance of EDs, although they may not be the only cause. The results suggest strategies for clinical intervention in EDs.

  13. Families in Bollywood cinema: changes and context.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deakin, Nicholas; Bhugra, Dinesh

    2012-04-01

    With increasing and rapid urbanization and population changes in India, a growing number of people are migrating from rural areas to urban areas, which brings about major changes in support systems. As a result, the portrayal of families has also changed in Hindi cinema over the last 50 years. Recent family melodramas have focused on an idealized version of joint and extended families. In this paper we use some key Hindi films of the 1960s and of the last two decades to compare how films have changed and how, in view of changing audiences, they have created a version of the family which is far from real. Clinicians need to be aware of these changes while dealing with patients and their families (the latter may have unrealistic expectations of their own family members).

  14. Family Structure Transitions and Child Development: Instability, Selection, and Population Heterogeneity

    OpenAIRE

    Lee, Dohoon; McLanahan, Sara

    2015-01-01

    A growing literature documents the importance of family instability for child wellbeing. In this article, we use longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine the impacts of family instability on children’s cognitive and socioemotional development in early and middle childhood. We extend existing research in several ways: (1) by distinguishing between the number and types of family structure changes; (2) by accounting for time-varying as well as time-constan...

  15. Organizational change in family firms

    OpenAIRE

    HENDRIKX, Karolien; VOORDECKERS, Wim; LAMBRECHTS, Frank

    2009-01-01

    Many organizational change efforts don’t live up to their expectations, with inefficiencies in the interaction process between organizational actors as one of the main potential reasons for this failure. Therefore, this paper will focus on the impact of interaction processes on change within the specific organizational context of family firms. Family firms are particularly interesting for organizational change research since they have several unique characteristics that may facilitate or hind...

  16. Racial Inequality Trends and the Intergenerational Persistence of Income and Family Structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloome, Deirdre

    2015-01-01

    Racial disparity in family incomes remained remarkably stable over the past 40 years in the United States despite major legal and social reforms. Previous scholarship presents two primary explanations for persistent inequality through a period of progressive change. One highlights continuity: because socioeconomic status is transmitted from parents to children, disparities created through histories of discrimination and opportunity denial may dissipate slowly. The second highlights change: because family income results from joining individual earnings in family units, changing family compositions can offset individuals’ changing economic chances. I examine whether black-white family income inequality trends are better characterized by the persistence of existing disadvantage (continuity) or shifting forms of disadvantage (change). I combine cross-sectional and panel analysis using Current Population Survey, Panel Study of Income Dynamics, Census, and National Vital Statistics data. Results suggest that African Americans experience relatively extreme intergenerational continuity (low upward mobility) and discontinuity (high downward mobility); both helped maintain racial inequality. Yet, intergenerational discontinuities allow new forms of disadvantage to emerge. On net, racial inequality trends are better characterized by changing forms of disadvantage than by continuity. Economic trends were equalizing but demographic trends were disequalizing; as family structures shifted, family incomes did not fully reflect labor-market gains. PMID:26456973

  17. Family structure and child anemia in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schmeer, Kammi K

    2013-10-01

    Utilizing longitudinal data from the nationally-representative Mexico Family Life Survey, this study assesses the association between family structure and iron-deficient anemia among children ages 3-12 in Mexico. The longitudinal models (n = 4649), which control for baseline anemia status and allow for consideration of family structure transitions, suggest that children living in stable-cohabiting and single-mother families and those who have recently experienced a parental union dissolution have higher odds of anemia than those in stable-married, father-present family structures. Interaction effects indicate that unmarried family contexts have stronger associations with anemia in older children (over age five); and, that the negative effects of parental union dissolution are exacerbated in poorer households. Resident maternal grandparents have a significant beneficial effect on child anemia independent of parental family structure. These results highlight the importance of family structure for child micronutrient deficiencies and suggest that understanding social processes within households may be critical to preventing child anemia in Mexico. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Family boundary structures and child adjustment: the indirect role of emotional reactivity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindahl, Kristin M; Bregman, Hallie R; Malik, Neena M

    2012-12-01

    Structural and system theories propose that disruptions in family subsystem functioning increase risk for youth maladjustment. While there is growing evidence to support this proposition, studies that specifically focus on the larger family system remain relatively rare. Furthermore, the pathways that connect problems in family subsystem alliances to externalizing or internalizing problems in youth are as yet largely unexplored. This study examined youth emotional reactivity (anger and sadness) to family conflict as an indirect pathway of the association between family boundary disturbances and youth adjustment in a sample of two-parent families (N = 270). Observational coding was used to group families into Balanced, Dyadic, or Disengaged family alliance structures and to assess youth emotional reactivity, and parent-report was used to assess youth psychopathology. Structural equation modeling indicated both anger and sadness served as indirect pathways through which family boundary disturbances are linked with youth adjustment. In addition, gender was tested as a moderator and important gender differences were found. Specifically, boys were directly impacted by dyadic disturbances while girls were directly impacted by family disengagement. The findings help target goals for intervention and indicate that worthwhile objectives may include realigning family subsystem boundaries, changing family communication patterns, and improving affective coping skills for youth. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

  19. Family Structure, Residential Mobility, and Environmental Inequality

    Science.gov (United States)

    Downey, Liam; Crowder, Kyle; Kemp, Robert J.

    2016-01-01

    This study combines micro-level data on families with children from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics with neighborhood-level industrial hazard data from the Environmental Protection Agency and neighborhood-level U.S. census data to examine both the association between family structure and residential proximity to neighborhood pollution and the micro-level, residential mobility processes that contribute to differential pollution proximity across family types. Results indicate the existence of significant family structure differences in household proximity to industrial pollution in U.S. metropolitan areas between 1990 and 1999, with single-mother and single-father families experiencing neighborhood pollution levels that are on average 46% and 26% greater, respectively, than those experienced by two-parent families. Moreover, the pollution gap between single-mother and two-parent families persists with controls for household and neighborhood socioeconomic, sociodemographic, and race/ethnic characteristics. Examination of underlying migration patterns reveals that single-mother, single-father, and two-parent families are equally likely to move in response to pollution. However, mobile single-parent families move into neighborhoods with significantly higher pollution levels than do mobile two-parent families. Thus, family structure differences in pollution proximity are maintained more by these destination neighborhood differences than by family structure variations in the likelihood of moving out of polluted neighborhoods. PMID:28348440

  20. Work Role Characteristics, Family Structure Demands, and Work/Family Conflict.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voydanoff, Patricia

    1988-01-01

    Examined relationships between work role characteristics, family structure demands, and work/family conflict, using data from 757 married men and 270 married women. Found that amount and scheduling of work time, job demands, and presence of children in home were related to work/family conflict. Work role characteristics and family structure…

  1. Corporal punishment in rural Colombian families: prevalence, family structure and socio-demographic variables.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, Martha Rocío; Trujillo, Angela; Pereda, Noemí

    2014-05-01

    To reveal the prevalence of corporal punishment in a rural area of Colombia and its correlates to family structure and other socio-demographic variables. A survey about childrearing and childcare was developed for this study, including a specific question about corporal punishment that was developed based on the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS). Family structure was categorized as follows, based on previous literature: 'nuclear family,' 'single parent' family, 'extended family,' 'simultaneous family' and 'composed family.' Forty-one percent of the parents surveyed admitted they had used corporal punishment of their children as a disciplinary strategy. The type of family structure, the number of children living at home, the age of the children, the gender of the parent who answered the survey, and the age and gender of the partner were significant predictors of corporal punishment. Family structure is an important variable in the understanding of corporal punishment, especially in regard to nuclear families that have a large number of children and parents who started their parental role early in life. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Family Structure Experiences and Child Socioemotional Development During the First Nine Years of Life: Examining Heterogeneity by Family Structure at Birth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berger, Lawrence M.

    2018-01-01

    A vast amount of literature has documented negative associations between family instability and child development, with the largest associations being in the socioemotional (behavioral) domain. Yet, prior work has paid limited attention to differentiating the role of the number, types, and sequencing of family transitions that children experience, as well as to understanding potential heterogeneity in these associations by family structure at birth. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and hierarchical linear models to examine associations of family structure states and transitions with children’s socioemotional development during the first nine years of life. We pay close attention to the type and number of family structure transitions experienced and examine whether associations differ depending on family structure at birth. For children born to cohabiting or noncoresident parents, we find little evidence that subsequent family structure experiences are associated with socioemotional development. For children born to married parents, we find associations between family instability and poorer socioemotional development. However, this largely reflects the influence of parental breakup; we find little evidence that socioemotional trajectories differ for children with various family structure experiences subsequent to their parents’ breakup. PMID:28299560

  3. Family Structure Experiences and Child Socioemotional Development During the First Nine Years of Life: Examining Heterogeneity by Family Structure at Birth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bzostek, Sharon H; Berger, Lawrence M

    2017-04-01

    A vast amount of literature has documented negative associations between family instability and child development, with the largest associations being in the socioemotional (behavioral) domain. Yet, prior work has paid limited attention to differentiating the role of the number, types, and sequencing of family transitions that children experience, as well as to understanding potential heterogeneity in these associations by family structure at birth. We use data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study and hierarchical linear models to examine associations of family structure states and transitions with children's socioemotional development during the first nine years of life. We pay close attention to the type and number of family structure transitions experienced and examine whether associations differ depending on family structure at birth. For children born to cohabiting or noncoresident parents, we find little evidence that subsequent family structure experiences are associated with socioemotional development. For children born to married parents, we find associations between family instability and poorer socioemotional development. However, this largely reflects the influence of parental breakup; we find little evidence that socioemotional trajectories differ for children with various family structure experiences subsequent to their parents' breakup.

  4. Going nuclear? Family structure and young women's health in India, 1992-2006.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allendorf, Keera

    2013-06-01

    Scholars traditionally argued that industrialization, urbanization, and educational expansion lead to a decline in extended families and complementary rise in nuclear families. Some have suggested that such transitions are good for young married women because living in nuclear families benefits their health. However, extended families may also present advantages for young women's health that outweigh any disadvantages. Using the Indian National Family Health Survey, this article examines whether young married women living in nuclear families have better health than those in patrilocal extended families. It also examines whether young married women's living arrangements are changing over time and, if so, how such changes will affect their health. Results show that young married women living in nuclear families do not have better health than those in patrilocal extended families. Of eight health outcomes examined, only five differ significantly by family structure. Further, of the five outcomes that differ, four are patrilocal extended-family advantages and only one is a nuclear-family advantage. From 1992 to 2006, the percentage of young married women residing in nuclear families increased, although the majority remained in patrilocal extended families. This trend toward nuclear families will not benefit young women's health.

  5. Children's Self-Concepts as Related to Family Structure and Family Concept.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parish, Joycelyn G.; Parish, Thomas S.

    1983-01-01

    Surveyed 426 children from intact, divorced, and reconstituted families, who responded to the Personal Attribute Inventory for Children to evaluate their families and themselves. Results showed a significant association between children's self-concepts and both their family structure and family concepts. (JAC)

  6. The changing meaning of family support among older Chinese and Korean immigrants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Sabrina T; Yoo, Grace J; Stewart, Anita L

    2006-01-01

    Our objective in this study was to examine how family social-support expectations have changed among older Chinese and Korean U.S. immigrants. Fifty-two Cantonese- and Korean-speaking immigrants older than 60 years participated in eight focus groups. Transcripts were translated into English. Themes were developed based on a coding structure and compared to past research. Participants discussed changed perspectives of family social support and the need to integrate both American and Chinese or Korean culture, thus becoming bicultural. Three distinct perspectives of family emerged: (1) participants felt they had become peripheral family members, (2) parents were no longer authority figures in families, and (3) participants were more independent. Finally, participants described how factors such as a changed economic environment, living alone, and extending their social network beyond family, promoted a move to biculturalism. These results suggest that the integration of two cultures, or biculturalism, is an indicator of successful adaptation to immigration later in life; older Chinese and Korean immigrants are adjusting to living in the United States and blending multiple cultures simultaneously. Thus, acculturation frameworks implying a linear process may not be theoretically valid as ethnic identity, particularly for those who immigrate to different countries, changes over the life course.

  7. NASA Family Science Night: Changing perceptions one family at a time

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchell, Sara E.; Drobnes, Emilie; Sol Colina-Trujillo, M.; Noel-Storr, Jacob

    2008-12-01

    Parents and families have the greatest influence on children's attitudes towards education and career choices. If students' attitudes towards science, particularly the physical sciences, are not influenced positively by parental/familial attitudes, efforts to improve the quality of content and teaching of these subjects in school may be futile. Research shows that parental involvement increases student achievement outcomes, and family-oriented programs have a direct impact on student performance. Based on this premise, the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center started a series of Family Science Nights for middle school students and their families. The program provides a non-threatening venue for families to explore the importance of science and technology in our daily lives by engaging in learning activities that change their perception and understanding of science - making it more practical and approachable for participants of all ages. Family Science Night strives to change the way that students and their families participate in science, within the program and beyond.

  8. Family Structure as a Correlate of Organized Sport Participation among Youth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel McMillan

    Full Text Available Organized sport is one way that youth participate in physical activity. There are disparities in organized sport participation by family-related factors. The purpose of this study was to determine whether non-traditional family structure and physical custody arrangements are associated with organized sport participation in youth, and if so whether this relationship is mediated by socioeconomic status. Data were from the 2009-10 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey, a nationally representative cross-section of Canadian youth in grades 6-10 (N = 21,201. Information on family structure was derived from three survey items that asked participants the number of adults they lived with, their relationship to these adults, and if applicable, how often they visited another parent outside their home. Participants were asked whether or not they were currently involved in an organized sport. Logistic regression was used to compare the odds of organized sport participation according to family structure. Bootstrap-based mediation analysis was used to assess mediation by perceived family wealth. The results indicated that by comparison to traditional families, boys and girls from reconstituted families with irregular visitation of a second parent, reconstituted families with regular visitation of a second parent, single-parent families with irregular visitation of a second parent, and single-parent families with regular visitation of a second parent were less likely to participate in organized sport than those from traditional families, with odds ratios ranging from 0.48 (95% confidence interval: 0.38-0.61 to 0.78 (95% confidence interval: 0.56-1.08. The relationship between family structure and organized sport was significantly mediated by perceived family wealth, although the magnitude of the mediation was modest (ie, <20% change in effect estimate. In conclusion, youth living in both single-parent and reconstituted families experienced significant

  9. Four RNA families with functional transient structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jing Yun A; Meyer, Irmtraud M

    2015-01-01

    Protein-coding and non-coding RNA transcripts perform a wide variety of cellular functions in diverse organisms. Several of their functional roles are expressed and modulated via RNA structure. A given transcript, however, can have more than a single functional RNA structure throughout its life, a fact which has been previously overlooked. Transient RNA structures, for example, are only present during specific time intervals and cellular conditions. We here introduce four RNA families with transient RNA structures that play distinct and diverse functional roles. Moreover, we show that these transient RNA structures are structurally well-defined and evolutionarily conserved. Since Rfam annotates one structure for each family, there is either no annotation for these transient structures or no such family. Thus, our alignments either significantly update and extend the existing Rfam families or introduce a new RNA family to Rfam. For each of the four RNA families, we compile a multiple-sequence alignment based on experimentally verified transient and dominant (dominant in terms of either the thermodynamic stability and/or attention received so far) RNA secondary structures using a combination of automated search via covariance model and manual curation. The first alignment is the Trp operon leader which regulates the operon transcription in response to tryptophan abundance through alternative structures. The second alignment is the HDV ribozyme which we extend to the 5' flanking sequence. This flanking sequence is involved in the regulation of the transcript's self-cleavage activity. The third alignment is the 5' UTR of the maturation protein from Levivirus which contains a transient structure that temporarily postpones the formation of the final inhibitory structure to allow translation of maturation protein. The fourth and last alignment is the SAM riboswitch which regulates the downstream gene expression by assuming alternative structures upon binding of SAM. All

  10. The family in Italy: cultural changes and implications for treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luciano, Mario; Sampogna, Gaia; del Vecchio, Valeria; Giacco, Domenico; Mulè, Alice; de Rosa, Corrado; Fiorillo, Andrea; Maj, Mario

    2012-04-01

    In Italy family is characterized by strong ties and is based on mutual aid of all its members. In the last 20 years, the structure of families has been significantly influenced by demographic, economic and professional changes, determining a transition from a patriarchal to a nuclear family model, with a higher number of single-parent families, single-person households, childless couples, same-sex couples. However, this transition has been slower than that occurring in other countries, probably as an ongoing impact of prevalent Catholic ideology. Major demographic changes in Italian families include, 1) a decrease in the number of marriages, delays in getting married and an high number of civil ceremonies, 2) a reduced birth rate; Italy is becoming one of the European countries with lowest growth rate, and with an increasing number of births out of wedlock, 3) an increased marital instability, with a constantly growing number of legal separations. Like many countries, relatives in Italy are highly involved in the care of patients with physical and mental disorders. There are a number of psychosocial interventions used in Italy including the 'Milan Systemic Approach' and family psycho-educational interventions. However, there are difficulties in implementing these interventions which are highlighted in this paper. We recommend research strategies to identify the best options to involve families in the care of mentally ill patients and to adequately support them.

  11. Family structure and park use among parents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Yingling; French, Simone A; Das, Kirti V

    2012-11-01

    Despite the increasingly diversified family structure in the U.S., little research examines differences in park use between nontraditional and traditional family structures. This study examines family-structure differences in parent park use. It was hypothesized that working single parents and dual-worker parents have lower levels of park use than parents in two-parent, single-worker families. Data from a 2010 park-use survey in three urban neighborhoods in Minneapolis MN (N=261 parents) were analyzed in 2012. Multiple variables of park use were developed, including recalled measures over the past 3 days and over the past year. Family-structure differences in these variables were examined using multivariate regression analyses. After controlling for spatial clustering effects and confounding factors, working single parents reported 32.6% (pparents in two-parent, single-worker families. Dual-worker parents did not report fewer park visits in the past 3 days than parents in two-parent, single-worker families, yet the length of time they spent in parks during these visits was 41.5% (psingle parents and dual-worker parents is needed in descriptive and intervention research aiming to promote park use among families with children. Copyright © 2012 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Social structure, infectious diseases, disasters, secularism, and cultural change in America.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grossmann, Igor; Varnum, Michael E W

    2015-03-01

    Why do cultures change? The present work examined cultural change in eight cultural-level markers, or correlates, of individualism in the United States, all of which increased over the course of the 20th century: frequency of individualist themes in books, preference for uniqueness in baby naming, frequency of single-child relative to multichild families, frequency of single-generation relative to multigeneration households, percentage of adults and percentage of older adults living alone, small family size, and divorce rates (relative to marriage rates). We tested five key hypotheses regarding cultural change in individualism-collectivism. As predicted by previous theories, changes in socioeconomic structure, pathogen prevalence, and secularism accompanied changes in individualism averaged across all measures. The relationship with changes in individualism was less robust for urbanization. Contrary to previous theories, changes in individualism were positively (as opposed to negatively) related to the frequency of disasters. Time-lagged analyses suggested that only socioeconomic structure had a robust effect on individualism; changes in socioeconomic structure preceded changes in individualism. Implications for anthropology, psychology, and sociology are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

  13. Offspring social network structure predicts fitness in families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Royle, Nick J; Pike, Thomas W; Heeb, Philipp; Richner, Heinz; Kölliker, Mathias

    2012-12-22

    Social structures such as families emerge as outcomes of behavioural interactions among individuals, and can evolve over time if families with particular types of social structures tend to leave more individuals in subsequent generations. The social behaviour of interacting individuals is typically analysed as a series of multiple dyadic (pair-wise) interactions, rather than a network of interactions among multiple individuals. However, in species where parents feed dependant young, interactions within families nearly always involve more than two individuals simultaneously. Such social networks of interactions at least partly reflect conflicts of interest over the provision of costly parental investment. Consequently, variation in family network structure reflects variation in how conflicts of interest are resolved among family members. Despite its importance in understanding the evolution of emergent properties of social organization such as family life and cooperation, nothing is currently known about how selection acts on the structure of social networks. Here, we show that the social network structure of broods of begging nestling great tits Parus major predicts fitness in families. Although selection at the level of the individual favours large nestlings, selection at the level of the kin-group primarily favours families that resolve conflicts most effectively.

  14. Family involvement in timely detection of changes in health of nursing homes residents: A qualitative exploratory study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powell, Catherine; Blighe, Alan; Froggatt, Katherine; McCormack, Brendan; Woodward-Carlton, Barbara; Young, John; Robinson, Louise; Downs, Murna

    2018-01-01

    To explore family perspectives on their involvement in the timely detection of changes in their relatives' health in UK nursing homes. Increasingly, policy attention is being paid to the need to reduce hospitalisations for conditions that, if detected and treated in time, could be managed in the community. We know that family continue to be involved in the care of their family members once they have moved into a nursing home. Little is known, however, about family involvement in the timely detection of changes in health in nursing home residents. Qualitative exploratory study with thematic analysis. A purposive sampling strategy was applied. Fourteen semi-structured one-to-one interviews with family members of people living in 13 different UK nursing homes. Data were collected from November 2015-March 2016. Families were involved in the timely detection of changes in health in three key ways: noticing signs of changes in health, informing care staff about what they noticed and educating care staff about their family members' changes in health. Families suggested they could be supported to detect timely changes in health by developing effective working practices with care staff. Families can provide a special contribution to the process of timely detection in nursing homes. Their involvement needs to be negotiated, better supported, as well as given more legitimacy and structure within the nursing home. Families could provide much needed support to nursing home nurses, care assistants and managers in timely detection of changes in health. This may be achieved through communication about their preferred involvement on a case-by-case basis as well as providing appropriate support or services. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. An estimated 5% of new protein structures solved today represent a new Pfam family

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mistry, Jaina; Kloppmann, Edda; Rost, Burkhard; Punta, Marco

    2013-01-01

    This study uses the Pfam database to show that the sequence redundancy of protein structures deposited in the PDB is increasing. The possible reasons behind this trend are discussed. High-resolution structural knowledge is key to understanding how proteins function at the molecular level. The number of entries in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), the repository of all publicly available protein structures, continues to increase, with more than 8000 structures released in 2012 alone. The authors of this article have studied how structural coverage of the protein-sequence space has changed over time by monitoring the number of Pfam families that acquired their first representative structure each year from 1976 to 2012. Twenty years ago, for every 100 new PDB entries released, an estimated 20 Pfam families acquired their first structure. By 2012, this decreased to only about five families per 100 structures. The reasons behind the slower pace at which previously uncharacterized families are being structurally covered were investigated. It was found that although more than 50% of current Pfam families are still without a structural representative, this set is enriched in families that are small, functionally uncharacterized or rich in problem features such as intrinsically disordered and transmembrane regions. While these are important constraints, the reasons why it may not yet be time to give up the pursuit of a targeted but more comprehensive structural coverage of the protein-sequence space are discussed

  16. Structural and Supportive Changes in Couples' Family and Friendship Networks across the Transition to Parenthood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bost, Kelly K.; Cox, Martha J.; Burchinal, Margaret R.; Payne, Chris

    2002-01-01

    Examines patterns of change in family and friend network with parenthood in 137 couples surveyed before the birth of their first child. Husbands and wives who reported larger network sizes and support prior to their first child's birth were more likely to report larger networks after birth. Changes in parents' social systems were related to…

  17. [Long-term changes in availability of domestic nursing care based on family structure changes--a model calculation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinkel, R H; Hartmann, K; Lebok, U

    1997-04-01

    A central hypothesis in German family sociology is the observation of a disruption of family structures. If this disintegration prevails up to highest ages it must, among others, lead to an increasing inability to perform nursing care within families. The most important person in case of a need for nursing care is the spouse. The main topic of this paper is to determine whether demographic and familiar developments in Germany will increase or decrease the share of men and women at higher ages with a living spouse within the next decades. In spite of a slowly increasing share of the never-married and the divorced, on the average elderly men and women will be married to a greater and widowed to a much lesser proportion within the next decade. The Dutch LIPRO-model is used to calculate the exact numerical developments. The surprising result is primarily due to the fact that the actual high shares of the widowed are a consequence of distortions caused by the two World Wars. During the next few decades, these unusual developments will disappear even among the most elderly.

  18. Irregular breakfast consumption in adolescence and the family environment: underlying causes by family structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, Kate A; Kirby, Joanna

    2012-08-01

    Data from the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Scottish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) surveys were analysed using logistic multilevel regression for outcome variable irregular breakfast consumption (IBC). IBC prevalence in Scotland was higher among young people from reconstituted and single parent families, and particularly single father families. Family characteristics, found previously to be associated with breakfast consumption, such as number of siblings, perceived parenting, parental involvement and family affluence, differed by family structure. Family structure inequalities in IBC existed, also after adjustment for year and child's sex, age, grade and ethnicity. Across all family structures, IBC was more prevalent at the older age groups, among those who had difficult communication with their parents, and where household routines were infrequent. Greater number of siblings and lower family affluence were associated with higher odds of IBC in single mother and both parent families, while having a second home was associated with higher odds in reconstituted households. Fair parenting and being close to at least one parent was associated with reduced odds of IBC in single mother households, while being close to all parents was in single father households. In single mother homes, having a working mother was also positively associated with IBC. Family structure differences should be considered when addressing irregular breakfast consumption in adolescence. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Family Structures, Relationships, and Housing Recovery Decisions after Hurricane Sandy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Nejat

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Understanding of the recovery phase of a disaster cycle is still in its infancy. Recent major disasters such as Hurricane Sandy have revealed the inability of existing policies and planning to promptly restore infrastructure, residential properties, and commercial activities in affected communities. In this setting, a thorough grasp of housing recovery decisions can lead to effective post-disaster planning by policyholders and public officials. The objective of this research is to integrate vignette and survey design to study how family bonds affected rebuilding/relocating decisions after Hurricane Sandy. Multinomial logistic regression was used to investigate respondents’ family structures before Sandy and explore whether their relationships with family members changed after Sandy. The study also explores the effect of the aforementioned relationship and its changes on households’ plans to either rebuild/repair their homes or relocate. These results were compared to another multinomial logistic regression which was applied to examine the impact of familial bonds on respondents’ suggestions to a vignette family concerning rebuilding and relocating after a hurricane similar to Sandy. Results indicate that respondents who lived with family members before Sandy were less likely to plan for relocating than those who lived alone. A more detailed examination shows that this effect was driven by those who improved their relationships with family members; those who did not improve their family relationships were not significantly different from those who lived alone, when it came to rebuilding/relocation planning. Those who improved their relationships with family members were also less likely to suggest that the vignette family relocate. This study supports the general hypothesis that family bonds reduce the desire to relocate, and provides empirical evidence that family mechanisms are important for the rebuilding/relocating decision

  20. Multiple Blockholder Structures and Family Firm Performance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fattoum-Guedri, Asma; Guedri, Zied; Delmar, Frédéric

    2018-01-01

    This study examines how multiple blockholder structures affect family firm performance. Building on arguments from both principal–principal agency and familiness perspectives, we suggest that asymmetrical distribution of voting power among family and nonfamily blockholders hurts firm performance....

  1. Family Structure and Long-Term Care Insurance Purchase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Houtven, Courtney Harold; Coe, Norma B.; Konetzka, R. Tamara

    2015-01-01

    While it has long been assumed that family structure and potential sources of informal care play a large role in the purchase decisions for long-term care insurance (LTCI), current empirical evidence is inconclusive. Our study examines the relationship between family structure and LTCI purchase and addresses several major limitations of the prior literature by using a long panel of data and considering modern family relationships, such as presence of stepchildren. We find that family structure characteristics from one’s own generation, particularly about one’s spouse, are associated with purchase, but that few family structure attributes from the younger generation have an influence. Family factors that may indicate future caregiver supply are negatively associated with purchase: having a coresidential child, signaling close proximity, and having a currently working spouse, signaling a healthy and able spouse, that LTC planning has not occurred yet, or that there is less need for asset protection afforded by LTCI. Dynamic factors, such as increasing wealth or turning 65, are associated with higher likelihood of LTCI purchase. PMID:25760583

  2. Family Change and Implications for Family Solidarity and Social Cohesion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ravanera, Zenaida

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available EnglishSocial cohesion can be viewed in terms of common projects and networks of social relations that characterize families, communities and society. In the past decades, the basis for family cohesion has shifted from organic to mechanical or from breadwinner to collaborative model. As in many Western countries, data on family change in Canada point to a greater flexibility in the entry and exit from relationships, a delay in the timing of family events, and a diversity of family forms. After looking at changes in families and in the family setting of individuals, the paper considers both intra-family cohesion and families as basis for social cohesion. Implications are raised for adults, children and publicp olicy.FrenchLa cohésion sociale peut se voir à travers les projets communs et les réseaux desrelations sociales qui caractérisent les familles, les communautés et les sociétés.La base de cohésion familiale est passée d’organique à mécanique, pour utiliserles termes de Durkheim, ou vers un modèle de collaboration plutôt qu’unepartage asymétrique de tâches. Comme dans d’autres sociétés orientales, lafamille au Canada est devenue plus flexible par rapport aux entrées et sortiesd’unions, il y a un délais dans les événements familiaux, et une variété deformes de familles. Après un regard sur les changements dans les familles etdans la situation familiale des individus, nous considérons la cohésion intrafamilialeet la famille comme base de cohésion sociale. Nous discutons desimpacts sur les adultes, les enfants et la politique publique.

  3. Family history and risk of breast cancer: an analysis accounting for family structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brewer, Hannah R; Jones, Michael E; Schoemaker, Minouk J; Ashworth, Alan; Swerdlow, Anthony J

    2017-08-01

    Family history is an important risk factor for breast cancer incidence, but the parameters conventionally used to categorize it are based solely on numbers and/or ages of breast cancer cases in the family and take no account of the size and age-structure of the woman's family. Using data from the Generations Study, a cohort of over 113,000 women from the general UK population, we analyzed breast cancer risk in relation to first-degree family history using a family history score (FHS) that takes account of the expected number of family cases based on the family's age-structure and national cancer incidence rates. Breast cancer risk increased significantly (P trend  history was that combining FHS and age of relative at diagnosis. A family history score based on expected as well as observed breast cancers in a family can give greater risk discrimination on breast cancer incidence than conventional parameters based solely on cases in affected relatives. Our modeling suggests that a yet stronger predictor of risk might be a combination of this score and age at diagnosis in relatives.

  4. Parenting styles, family structure and adolescent dietary behaviour.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pearson, Natalie; Atkin, Andrew J; Biddle, Stuart J H; Gorely, Trish; Edwardson, Charlotte

    2010-08-01

    To examine associations between parenting styles, family structure and aspects of adolescent dietary behaviour. Cross-sectional study. Secondary schools in the East Midlands, UK. Adolescents aged 12-16 years (n 328, 57 % boys) completed an FFQ assessing their consumption of fruit, vegetables, unhealthy snacks and breakfast. Adolescents provided information on parental and sibling status and completed a seventeen-item instrument measuring the general parenting style dimensions of involvement and strictness, from which four styles were derived: indulgent, neglectful, authoritarian, authoritative. After controlling for adolescent gender and age, analysis of covariance revealed no significant interactions between parenting style and family structure variables for any of the dietary behaviours assessed. Significant main effects for family structure were observed only for breakfast consumption, with adolescents from dual-parent families (P parent families and those with one or more brother, respectively. Significant main effects for parenting style were observed for all dietary behaviours apart from vegetable consumption. Adolescents who described their parents as authoritative ate more fruit per day, fewer unhealthy snacks per day, and ate breakfast on more days per week than those who described their parents as neglectful. The positive associations between authoritative parenting style and adolescent dietary behaviour transcend family structure. Future research should be food-specific and assess the efficacy of strategies promoting the central attributes of an authoritative parenting style on the dietary behaviours of adolescents from a variety of family structures.

  5. Family Structure and Adolescent Substance Use: An International Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, John P

    2017-11-10

    Numerous studies indicate that family structure is a key correlate of adolescent substance use. Yet there are some important limitations to this research. Studies have been conducted mainly in the United States, with relatively few studies that have compared family structure and youth substance use across nations. There is also a lack of recognition of the complexity of family types prevalent in contemporary global society. Moreover, there remains a need to consider personal, interpersonal, and macro-level characteristics that may help account for the association between family structure and youth substance use. This study uses data from 37 countries to examine several models that purport to explain the association between family structure and substance use. The data are from the 2005-2006 WHO-sponsored Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children (HBSC) (n = 193,202). Multilevel models, including linear, probit, and structural equation models (SEMs), were used to test several hypotheses. The results suggest that time spent with friends largely accounted for the association between specific types of family structures and frequency of alcohol use and getting drunk, but that cannabis use was negatively associated with living with both biological parents irrespective of other factors.

  6. Structural empowerment and work–family fit in nurses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agnieszka Orłowska

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: The goal of the study was to investigate the relationship between structural empowerment and work–family fit in Polish nurses. Structural empowerment is a strategy for managing by providing the employees with opportunities, information, support and resources essential for the effective performance of work duties. Work–family fit takes 2 forms of relationships between these 2 spheres: conflict (functioning in one role is more difficult because of participation in the other role and facilitation (fulfilling the duties associated with one role enriches filling up the other role. Material and Methods: A total of 159 nurses employed in hospitals took part in the study. The Polish versions of the Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire and the Work–Family Fit Questionnaire were used. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was applied for data analysis. Results: The results show statistically signifficant relationships between structural empowerment and work–family fit in nurses. In the hospital environment, characterized by a high degree of empowerment, nurses experience a lower level of work–family conflict and a higher level of facilitation in both directions. Conclusions: Hospital management strategy based on structural empowerment of nurses favors reconciliation of professional and family roles. Therefore, it is important for hospitals to create appropriate working conditions that allow nurses to effectively deal with demands arising from work and family spheres. Med Pr 2016;67(6:787–800

  7. Effects of structural and dynamic family characteristics on the development of depressive and aggressive problems during adolescence. The TRAILS study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sijtsema, J.J.; Oldehinkel, A.J.; Veenstra, R.; Verhulst, F.C.; Ormel, J.

    2014-01-01

    Both structural (i.e., SES, familial psychopathology, family composition) and dynamic (i.e., parental warmth and rejection) family characteristics have been associated with aggressive and depressive problem development. However, it is unclear to what extent (changes in) dynamic family

  8. Effects of structural and dynamic family characteristics on the development of depressive and aggressive problems during adolescence. The TRAILS study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sijtsema, J. J.; Oldehinkel, A. J.; Veenstra, René; Verhulst, F. C.; Ormel, J.

    Both structural (i.e., SES, familial psychopathology, family composition) and dynamic (i.e., parental warmth and rejection) family characteristics have been associated with aggressive and depressive problem development. However, it is unclear to what extent (changes in) dynamic family

  9. Pathways to Parental Knowledge: The Role of Family Process and Family Structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padilla-Walker, Laura M.; Harper, James M.; Bean, Roy A.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of the current study was (a) to examine the role of family process on child disclosure, parental solicitation, and parental knowledge and (b) to examine how patterns might differ as a function of family structure. Data for this study were taken from the Flourishing Families Project, which consists of 353 two- and 147 single-parent…

  10. Italian Family Business Cultures Involved in the Generational Change

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruggero Ruggieri

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available In family firms, the business and the family are two arenas in which processes significantly overlap and influence management. The present paper investigates the overlap of the family system and the business through the use of culture. Adopting an idiographic approach and recognising the unique psychodynamic process of family business (FB, this study aims to identify the cultural patterns within the FB, starting from what families define as a family, b business and, c the generational change. Twenty-five family firms were considered during the generational change. The results show how and when this overlap takes shape pointing out how the role of family tradition can became a critical or success factor for the business.

  11. Designing Work, Family & Health Organizational Change Initiatives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kossek, Ellen Ernst; Hammer, Leslie B; Kelly, Erin L; Moen, Phyllis

    2014-01-01

    For decades, leaders and scholars have been advocating change efforts to improve work-life relationships. Yet most initiatives have lacked rigor and not been developed using scientific principles. This has created an evidence gap for employer support of work and personal life as a win-win for productivity and employees' well-being. This paper examines the approach used by the U.S. Work Family Health Network (WFRN) to develop an innovative workplace intervention to improve employee and family health. The change initiative was designed to reduce organizationally based work-family conflict in two contrasting contexts representative of major segments of today's U.S. workforce: health care employees and informational technology professionals. The WFRN Intervention (called STAR) had three theoretically based change elements. They were: 1) increase job control over work time and schedule; 2) increase supervisor social support for family and job effectiveness; and 3) improve organizational culture and job design processes to foster results orientation. Seven practical lessons for developing work-life interventions emerged from this groundbreaking endeavor.

  12. Family in the values structure of future preschool teachers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E.R. Kurmaeva

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available We analyze the concept of a “family as a social and cultural value”, its priority in the education of children compared with public institutions. We reveal the research areas of the problem of family values: the family as part of the hierarchy of values in the structure of social consciousness, the traditional ideal of the family as a unity of marriage, parenthood and family relationships, the study of family values in the structure of incentive components of individuals behavior. In the current conditions of the family crisis, we pay special attention to the family values of future teachers, as the regulations and professional activities orient them to work closely with the family. We identified indicators of value relations to family in the future teachers and the factors influencing the formation of values related to the family

  13. Effect of Family Structure on Marital Attitudes of Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganong, Lawrence; And Others

    1981-01-01

    Assesses the effect of exposure to different family structures (single parent families, reconstituted families, intact families) on the marital socialization of 127 males and 194 female adolescents. (Author/CM)

  14. Impact of Family Structure on Parental Attitudes Toward the Economic Support of Adult Children Over the Transition to Adulthood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aquilino, William S.

    2005-01-01

    This research explored the influence of family structure on midlife parents' attitudes toward the economic support of adult children and measured change in those attitudes as their oldest child moved from adolescence to young adulthood. Results suggest that family structure has long-term effects on parents' attitudes toward financial obligations…

  15. Changes of marital behavior and family patterns in post-socialist countries: Delayed, incomplete or specific second demographic transition?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Petrović Mina

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper starts by questioning the theory of second demographic transition (SDT and its universal relevance in the field of marriage behavior and family organization in low fertility context, arguing for more differentiated approaches. With an aim to illustrate the contextual specifics of post-socialist countries in general and of Serbia in particular, the author claims that analyzed changes have not just been delayed or incomplete in comparison to more developed European countries, but shaped by specific modernization processes, which led to rationally developed strategies in overcoming structural risks, although, without ideational changes typical to the theory of SDT. Slow changes in marital behavior and family organization in Serbia are illustrated in recent sociological (empirical research findings. The perceived changes are linked to specific structural risks (war, slow transformation and enduring economic hardships, weak state and low trust in institutions, etc and value characteristics (persistence of materialism and traditionalism, but with increasing ambivalence. The connection between structural and ideational changes is considered through social stratification variable by relying on Coale's model on necessary preconditions for behavioral changes as well as on social deprivation concept. Having in mind upper social strata (more educated and better off, the value changes precede the behavioral that are adapted to economic uncertainty, which still force more traditional marital and family patterns. Therefore, there is a rank of different options, from extended family (for a short period at the beginning of marriage or after divorce to separated leaving (of married partners in parental households (due to refusing the extended family option thus creating quite specific "living apart together" form, combined with dominant strategy of prolonging the marriage. Hence, for upper social strata, marriage is still a universal but negotiable

  16. Family structure and children's television viewing and physical activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagley, Sarah; Salmon, Jo; Crawford, David

    2006-05-01

    This study aimed to examine how physical activity (PA) and television (TV) viewing time of children varied according to family structure. In 2001, 5- to 6-yr-old (N = 296) and 10- to 12-yr-old (N = 919) children and their parents were recruited from 19 state elementary schools in Melbourne, Australia. Children's PA was objectively assessed using accelerometers worn for 8 d. Sociodemographic and family structure information and time spent watching TV was collected via questionnaire completed by parents. ANCOVA revealed that, after controlling for socioeconomic status and age of child, boys without any siblings spent more minutes per day watching TV (153.2 +/- 71.3) compared with those who have siblings (129.0 +/- 64.4, P s sex with PA and between number of siblings and sex with TV viewing. Family structure may be an important source of influence on children's PA and TV viewing time. Aspects of family structure interact differently with PA and TV viewing, suggesting interventions may need to be tailored with consideration of the family structure of children.

  17. Social relationship changes in victim families due to a social disaster: Experiences of student victims' families in the South Korean Sewol ferry disaster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Sun Mi; Jeong, Ansuk; Ha, Jung Hee; Kim, Eun Young

    2017-01-01

    The Sewol ferry incident on April 16, 2014 in South Korea claimed the lives of 304 individuals, including about 250 high school students on a school trip. The majority of South Korean citizens were watching live updates on the capsized Sewol ferry, anxiously watching on TV how the vessel fully sunk over time. They were desperately hoping for the rescue of the survivors inside. However, their anxiety had become shock, anger, and helplessness, and the disaster has become a daunting, collective trauma, not just to the victims and their families, but also to the citizens who were exposed only through the media. In this study, we interviewed victims' families two years after the incident. We explored how they have experienced changes in their social relationships. We conducted semi-structured interviews of 54 family members of the student victims. We qualitatively examined the data applying a thematic analysis. Changes in their social relationships were largely divided into the relationships in the proximal environment and the relationships in distal environments. The former included subcategories such as immediate family, coworkers, friends, relatives, survived students and their parents, and concepts corresponding to each subcategory. The latter involved subcategories such as neighbors, other citizens, the victims' family committee, government, and society, and concepts subject to each subcategory. Based on these findings, rehabilitation plans for trauma victims and their families should take into account the significant changes in their social relationships and the further consequences of those changes.

  18. Social relationship changes in victim families due to a social disaster: Experiences of student victims’ families in the South Korean Sewol ferry disaster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Eun Young

    2017-01-01

    The Sewol ferry incident on April 16, 2014 in South Korea claimed the lives of 304 individuals, including about 250 high school students on a school trip. The majority of South Korean citizens were watching live updates on the capsized Sewol ferry, anxiously watching on TV how the vessel fully sunk over time. They were desperately hoping for the rescue of the survivors inside. However, their anxiety had become shock, anger, and helplessness, and the disaster has become a daunting, collective trauma, not just to the victims and their families, but also to the citizens who were exposed only through the media. In this study, we interviewed victims’ families two years after the incident. We explored how they have experienced changes in their social relationships. We conducted semi-structured interviews of 54 family members of the student victims. We qualitatively examined the data applying a thematic analysis. Changes in their social relationships were largely divided into the relationships in the proximal environment and the relationships in distal environments. The former included subcategories such as immediate family, coworkers, friends, relatives, survived students and their parents, and concepts corresponding to each subcategory. The latter involved subcategories such as neighbors, other citizens, the victims’ family committee, government, and society, and concepts subject to each subcategory. Based on these findings, rehabilitation plans for trauma victims and their families should take into account the significant changes in their social relationships and the further consequences of those changes. PMID:29216210

  19. Social relationship changes in victim families due to a social disaster: Experiences of student victims' families in the South Korean Sewol ferry disaster.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sun Mi Cho

    Full Text Available The Sewol ferry incident on April 16, 2014 in South Korea claimed the lives of 304 individuals, including about 250 high school students on a school trip. The majority of South Korean citizens were watching live updates on the capsized Sewol ferry, anxiously watching on TV how the vessel fully sunk over time. They were desperately hoping for the rescue of the survivors inside. However, their anxiety had become shock, anger, and helplessness, and the disaster has become a daunting, collective trauma, not just to the victims and their families, but also to the citizens who were exposed only through the media. In this study, we interviewed victims' families two years after the incident. We explored how they have experienced changes in their social relationships. We conducted semi-structured interviews of 54 family members of the student victims. We qualitatively examined the data applying a thematic analysis. Changes in their social relationships were largely divided into the relationships in the proximal environment and the relationships in distal environments. The former included subcategories such as immediate family, coworkers, friends, relatives, survived students and their parents, and concepts corresponding to each subcategory. The latter involved subcategories such as neighbors, other citizens, the victims' family committee, government, and society, and concepts subject to each subcategory. Based on these findings, rehabilitation plans for trauma victims and their families should take into account the significant changes in their social relationships and the further consequences of those changes.

  20. Familial identification: population structure and relationship distinguishability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohlfs, Rori V; Fullerton, Stephanie Malia; Weir, Bruce S

    2012-02-01

    With the expansion of offender/arrestee DNA profile databases, genetic forensic identification has become commonplace in the United States criminal justice system. Implementation of familial searching has been proposed to extend forensic identification to family members of individuals with profiles in offender/arrestee DNA databases. In familial searching, a partial genetic profile match between a database entrant and a crime scene sample is used to implicate genetic relatives of the database entrant as potential sources of the crime scene sample. In addition to concerns regarding civil liberties, familial searching poses unanswered statistical questions. In this study, we define confidence intervals on estimated likelihood ratios for familial identification. Using these confidence intervals, we consider familial searching in a structured population. We show that relatives and unrelated individuals from population samples with lower gene diversity over the loci considered are less distinguishable. We also consider cases where the most appropriate population sample for individuals considered is unknown. We find that as a less appropriate population sample, and thus allele frequency distribution, is assumed, relatives and unrelated individuals become more difficult to distinguish. In addition, we show that relationship distinguishability increases with the number of markers considered, but decreases for more distant genetic familial relationships. All of these results indicate that caution is warranted in the application of familial searching in structured populations, such as in the United States.

  1. Familial identification: population structure and relationship distinguishability.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rori V Rohlfs

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available With the expansion of offender/arrestee DNA profile databases, genetic forensic identification has become commonplace in the United States criminal justice system. Implementation of familial searching has been proposed to extend forensic identification to family members of individuals with profiles in offender/arrestee DNA databases. In familial searching, a partial genetic profile match between a database entrant and a crime scene sample is used to implicate genetic relatives of the database entrant as potential sources of the crime scene sample. In addition to concerns regarding civil liberties, familial searching poses unanswered statistical questions. In this study, we define confidence intervals on estimated likelihood ratios for familial identification. Using these confidence intervals, we consider familial searching in a structured population. We show that relatives and unrelated individuals from population samples with lower gene diversity over the loci considered are less distinguishable. We also consider cases where the most appropriate population sample for individuals considered is unknown. We find that as a less appropriate population sample, and thus allele frequency distribution, is assumed, relatives and unrelated individuals become more difficult to distinguish. In addition, we show that relationship distinguishability increases with the number of markers considered, but decreases for more distant genetic familial relationships. All of these results indicate that caution is warranted in the application of familial searching in structured populations, such as in the United States.

  2. The Impact Of Family Structure On Psychosocial Adjustment Of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This paper x-ray the psychosocial adjustment of adolescences based on their families structure, hence families were further revealed to include intact family, divorced family, separated family, psychological and none psychological broken homes, as it influence adolescence generally. Under the definition of terms ...

  3. The Family Isn't Dead--It's Just Changing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodman, Ellen

    1978-01-01

    The biggest social change seen during the 1960s and 1970s has been the increase in working mothers. This is not necessarily a threat to family unity, but requires a changed view of the family. Suggestions are a national day care policy, equal pay for women, and more equitable welfare programs. available from Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota…

  4. Original Paper Floristic and structural changes in secondary forests ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Data from the first inventory in secondary and old-growth forests were ... Structural changes in secondary forests are less known in West Africa, and ... temporal succession from one time spatial ..... s = number of species sampled per hectare; S = species richness of the whole forest; NF = the number of taxonomic families,.

  5. Electrophoretic mobility shift in native gels indicates calcium-dependent structural changes of neuronal calcium sensor proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viviano, Jeffrey; Krishnan, Anuradha; Wu, Hao; Venkataraman, Venkat

    2016-02-01

    In proteins of the neuronal calcium sensor (NCS) family, changes in structure as well as function are brought about by the binding of calcium. In this article, we demonstrate that these structural changes, solely due to calcium binding, can be assessed through electrophoresis in native gels. The results demonstrate that the NCS proteins undergo ligand-dependent conformational changes that are detectable in native gels as a gradual decrease in mobility with increasing calcium but not other tested divalent cations such as magnesium, strontium, and barium. Surprisingly, such a gradual change over the entire tested range is exhibited only by the NCS proteins but not by other tested calcium-binding proteins such as calmodulin and S100B, indicating that the change in mobility may be linked to a unique NCS family feature--the calcium-myristoyl switch. Even within the NCS family, the changes in mobility are characteristic of the protein, indicating that the technique is sensitive to the individual features of the protein. Thus, electrophoretic mobility on native gels provides a simple and elegant method to investigate calcium (small ligand)-induced structural changes at least in the superfamily of NCS proteins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Theories on the beginnings and structure of joint-families ("zadruga"

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Novaković Nada

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper the author has a critical standpoint toward the most known theories on joint family communities. The works of the up-to-now called Yugoslav authors were put in the foreground. The works of foreign authors were placed after. They were classified by a general criterion, by how the authors saw the origins of this form of family. The comprehension of the basic characteristics depends, as a rule, on that, as well as the elements structure, changing processes, adjustment to new conditions and extinction of the joint family community. The first part of this article is devoted to theories about family communities as an institution of the Slavs. In this way its origin is connected with elements of a certain ethnic community. The range and consequences of such beliefs are suggested. The second part is reserved to explaining the family community as an institution which appeared in feudalism. It is a consequence of the tax system role. With its termination, the communities fell apart. This kind of social development determination and this type of family is proven to be ahistorical. It is predominantly stressed that the authors neglected that feudalism was a class society and overemphasized the force factor significance. The third part deals with theories which believe joint-family communities as an institution which arose in the transition from tribal to class society. These researchers stress that it is a general, historically determined conditioned form, which originated before class society and terminated with its development. Elements of its structure are especially important, as well as methods of its transformation in new conditions and termination processes. The essence of this belief is the following: a joint-family is a general historical form of family organization which arose in the transition from tribal to class society. The most important characteristics are: 1 blood relationship among men members; 2 common property; 3

  7. Change in the family food environment is associated with positive dietary change in children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendrie, Gilly; Sohonpal, Gundeep; Lange, Kylie; Golley, Rebecca

    2013-01-07

    The family food environment is an important influence in the development of children's dietary habits. Research suggests that influences of current dietary behaviour and behaviour change may differ. The aims of this paper were to: (1) investigate the association between the food environment at baseline and change in children's saturated fat intake; and (2) to explore whether a change in the food environment was associated with a change in children's saturated fat intake. Secondary analysis of a 12 week cluster randomised controlled trial in 133 4-13 year old children. Families were randomly allocated to parental education regarding changing to reduced-fat dairy foods or a comparison non-dietary behaviour. The interventions were family focused. Parents received education from a dietitian in 3x30 minute sessions to facilitate behaviour change. Parents completed a comprehensive questionnaire capturing three domains of the food environment--Parent knowledge and attitudes; shaping practices; and behaviours and role modelling. Children's dietary intake was assessed via multiple 24-hour recalls at baseline and week 12. Changes in the family food environment and primary outcome (saturated fat) were calculated. Hierarchical linear regression models were performed to explore the association between baseline and change in food environment constructs and change in saturated fat intake. Standardised Beta are presented (pchange in saturated fat. An increase in nutrition knowledge (β=-0.2), perceived responsibility (β=-0.3) and restriction (β=-0.3) from baseline to week 12 were associated with greater reduction in saturated fat intake. The present study was one of the first to quantify changes in the family food environment, and identify a number of factors which were associated with a positive dietary change. Because interventions focus on behaviour change, the findings may provide specific targets for intervention strategies in the future. Australia New Zealand Clinical

  8. The crystal structures of apo and cAMP-bound GlxR from Corynebacterium glutamicum reveal structural and dynamic changes upon cAMP binding in CRP/FNR family transcription factors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philip D Townsend

    Full Text Available The cyclic AMP-dependent transcriptional regulator GlxR from Corynebacterium glutamicum is a member of the super-family of CRP/FNR (cyclic AMP receptor protein/fumarate and nitrate reduction regulator transcriptional regulators that play central roles in bacterial metabolic regulatory networks. In C. glutamicum, which is widely used for the industrial production of amino acids and serves as a non-pathogenic model organism for members of the Corynebacteriales including Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the GlxR homodimer controls the transcription of a large number of genes involved in carbon metabolism. GlxR therefore represents a key target for understanding the regulation and coordination of C. glutamicum metabolism. Here we investigate cylic AMP and DNA binding of GlxR from C. glutamicum and describe the crystal structures of apo GlxR determined at a resolution of 2.5 Å, and two crystal forms of holo GlxR at resolutions of 2.38 and 1.82 Å, respectively. The detailed structural analysis and comparison of GlxR with CRP reveals that the protein undergoes a distinctive conformational change upon cyclic AMP binding leading to a dimer structure more compatible to DNA-binding. As the two binding sites in the GlxR homodimer are structurally identical dynamic changes upon binding of the first ligand are responsible for the allosteric behavior. The results presented here show how dynamic and structural changes in GlxR lead to optimization of orientation and distance of its two DNA-binding helices for optimal DNA recognition.

  9. Family Structure Transitions and Maternal Parenting Stress

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Carey E.; McLanahan, Sara S.; Meadows, Sarah O.; Brooks-Gunn, Jeanne

    2009-01-01

    Data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 4,176) are used to examine family structure transitions and maternal parenting stress. Using multilevel modeling, we found that mothers who exit coresidential relationships with biological fathers or enter coresidential relationships with nonbiological fathers reported higher levels of…

  10. Change in the family food environment is associated with positive dietary change in children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hendrie Gilly

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The family food environment is an important influence in the development of children’s dietary habits. Research suggests that influences of current dietary behaviour and behaviour change may differ. The aims of this paper were to: (1 investigate the association between the food environment at baseline and change in children’s saturated fat intake; and (2 to explore whether a change in the food environment was associated with a change in children’s saturated fat intake. Method Secondary analysis of a 12 week cluster randomised controlled trial in 133 4-13 year old children. Families were randomly allocated to parental education regarding changing to reduced-fat dairy foods or a comparison non-dietary behaviour. The interventions were family focused. Parents received education from a dietitian in 3x30minute sessions to facilitate behaviour change. Parents completed a comprehensive questionnaire capturing three domains of the food environment – Parent knowledge and attitudes; shaping practices; and behaviours and role modelling. Children’s dietary intake was assessed via multiple 24-hour recalls at baseline and week 12. Changes in the family food environment and primary outcome (saturated fat were calculated. Hierarchical linear regression models were performed to explore the association between baseline and change in food environment constructs and change in saturated fat intake. Standardised Beta are presented (p Results After adjustments for child and family demographics, higher levels of perceived food availability (β=-0.2 at baseline was associated with greater reduction in saturated fat intake, where as higher perceived responsibility (β=0.2, restriction (β=0.3 and pressure to eat (β=0.3 were associated with lesser change in saturated fat. An increase in nutrition knowledge (β=-0.2, perceived responsibility (β=-0.3 and restriction (β=-0.3 from baseline to week 12 were associated with greater reduction in

  11. Family transitions and juvenile delinquency.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schroeder, Ryan D; Osgood, Aurea K; Oghia, Michael J

    2010-01-01

    There is a large body of research that shows children from non-intact homes show higher rates of juvenile delinquency than children from intact homes, partially due to weaker parental control and supervision in non-intact homes. What has not been adequately addressed in the research is the influence of changes in family structure among individual adolescents over time on delinquent offending. Using the first and third waves of the National Youth Study, we assess the effect of family structure changes on changes in delinquent offending between waves through the intermediate process of changes in family time and parental attachment. Although prior research has documented adolescents in broken homes are more delinquent than youth in intact homes, the process of family dissolution is not associated with concurrent increases in offending. In contrast, family formation through marriage or cohabitation is associated with simultaneous increases in offending. Changes in family time and parental attachment account for a portion of the family formation effect on delinquency, and prior parental attachment and juvenile offending significantly condition the effect of family formation on offending.

  12. A Structural Approach to Unresolved Mourning in Single Parent Family Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fulmer, Richard H.

    1983-01-01

    Considers the mother's depression as a special problem in therapy of single-parent families, resulting from unresolved mourning maintained by the family system. Offers reasons why the single-parent family's structure seems inherently vulnerable to unresolved mourning. Suggests techniques of Structural Family Therapy to facilitate mourning in such…

  13. Family routines and rituals following separation: continuity and change

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bakker, W.; Karsten, L.; Mulder, C.H.

    2015-01-01

    Separation always changes family life. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the everyday practices of ‘doing family’ after separation. We focus on two central elements of family life: routines and rituals. While in most families both parents are involved in family routines and rituals, this

  14. Evaluations of family by youth: do they vary as a function of family structure, gender, and birth order?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parish, T S

    1990-01-01

    In the present study, 334 youths evaluated their families by responding to the Personal Attribute Inventory for Children. An analysis of variance revealed no significant main effects due to respondents' birth order or gender, but did find a significant main effect due to family structure and a significant two-way interaction effect between respondents' family structure and gender. Specifically, males from divorced remarried families and females from divorced nonremarried families were found to evaluate their respective families significantly more negatively than did their counterparts from other familial configurations. Implications of these findings are discussed.

  15. Family values: Ownership structure, performance and capital structure of Canadian firms

    OpenAIRE

    King, Michael R.; Santor, Eric

    2007-01-01

    This study examines how family ownership affects the performance and capital structure of 613 Canadian firms using a panel dataset from 1998 to 2005. In particular, we distinguish the effect of family ownership from the use of control-enhancing mechanisms. We find that freestanding family-owned firms with a single share class have similar market performance than other firms based on Tobin's q ratios, superior accounting performance based on ROA, and higher financial leverage based on debt-to-...

  16. Integrating motivational interviewing and narrative therapy to teach behavior change to family medicine resident physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oshman, Lauren D; Combs, Gene N

    2016-05-01

    Motivational interviewing is a useful skill to address the common problem of patient ambivalence regarding behavior change by uncovering and strengthening a person's own motivation and commitment to change. The Family Medicine Milestones underline the need for clear teaching and monitoring of skills in communication and behavior change in Family Medicine postgraduate training settings. This article reports the integration of a motivational interviewing curriculum into an existing longitudinal narrative therapy-based curriculum on patient-centered communication. Observed structured clinical examination for six participants indicate that intern physicians are able to demonstrate moderate motivational interviewing skill after a brief 2-h workshop. Participant self-evaluations for 16 participants suggest a brief 2-h curriculum was helpful at increasing importance of learning motivational interviewing by participants, and that participants desire further training opportunities. A brief motivational interviewing curriculum can be integrated into existing communication training in a Family Medicine residency training program. © The Author(s) 2016.

  17. Experiences of Families Transmitting Values in a Rapidly Changing Society: Implications for Family Therapists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akyil, Yudum; Prouty, Anne; Blanchard, Amy; Lyness, Kevin

    2016-06-01

    Intergenerational value transmission affects parent-child relationships and necessitates constant negotiation in families. Families with adolescents from rapidly changing societies face unique challenges in balancing the traditional collectivistic family values that promote harmony with emerging values that promote autonomy. Using modern Turkey as an example of such a culture, the authors examine the transmission process in families that hold more traditional and collectivistic values than their adolescent children. Special consideration is given to generational and cultural differences in the autonomy and relatedness dimensions. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

  18. The Impact of Family Formation Change on the Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Well-Being of the Next Generation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amato, Paul R.

    2005-01-01

    How have recent changes in U.S. family structure affected the cognitive, social, and emotional well-being of the nation's children? Paul Amato examines the effects of family formation on children and evaluates whether current marriage-promotion programs are likely to meet children's needs. Amato begins by investigating how children in households…

  19. Family socioeconomic status, family health, and changes in students' math achievement across high school: A mediational model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barr, Ashley Brooke

    2015-09-01

    In response to recent calls to integrate understandings of socioeconomic disparities in health with understandings of socioeconomic disparities in academic achievement, this study tested a mediational model whereby family socioeconomic status predicted gains in academic achievement across high school through its impact on both student and parent health. Data on over 8000 high school students in the U.S. were obtained from wave 1 (2009-2010) and wave 2 (2012) of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 (HSLS:09), and structural equation modeling with latent difference scores was used to determine the role of family health problems in mediating the well-established link between family SES and gains in academic achievement. Using both static and dynamic indicators of family SES, support was found for this mediational model. Higher family SES in 9th grade reduced the probability of students and their parents experiencing a serious health problem in high school, thereby promoting growth in academic achievement. In addition, parent and student health problems mediated the effect of changes in family SES across high school on math achievement gains. Results emphasize the importance of considering the dynamic nature of SES and that both student and parent health should be considered in understanding SES-related disparities in academic achievement. This relational process provides new mechanisms for understanding the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status and the status attainment process more broadly. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Perceived Child Weight Status, Family Structure and Functioning, and Support for Health Behaviors in a Sample of Bariatric Surgery Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pratt, Keeley J; Ferriby, Megan; Noria, Sabrena; Skelton, Joseph; Taylor, Christopher; Needleman, Bradley

    2018-01-29

    The purpose of this study is to describe the associations between bariatric surgery patients' perspectives of their child's weight status, family support for eating and exercise behavior change, and family structure and functioning. A cross-sectional descriptive design with pre- and postsurgery (N = 224) patients was used. Demographics, perceptions of child weight status, family support for eating habits and exercise, and family functioning were assessed from patients at a University Bariatric Clinic. Patients who perceived their child to be overweight/obese reported more impaired family functioning, less family exercise participation, and more discouragement for eating habit change in the family compared to patients who did not perceive their child to be overweight/obese. Single parents more often perceived their children to be overweight/obese, and had more impaired family functioning, and less support for changing eating habits and family exercise participation. Patients with impaired family functioning reported less support for changing eating habits and family exercise participation. Bariatric patients who perceived their child to be overweight/obese and identified as single parents reported more impaired family functioning and less support for eating habits and family participation in exercise. Assessing pre- and postsurgery measures from parents and children will allow the further identification of relationship variables that can be targeted to promote positive family changes that benefit parents and children long-term. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  1. Family structure and its relationship to travel

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christine Cornell McCreedy; Joseph T. O' Leary; Daniel Fesenmaier

    1992-01-01

    This paper examines the relationship between family structure and travel to further understand what differences exist between family groups. Results indicate that the absence of a husband delays travel for single mothers and that they are not as well-off as their married counterparts. We examine other travel and leisure studies to make comparisons with these data,...

  2. Adolescent Risk Behaviours and Mealtime Routines: Does Family Meal Frequency Alter the Association between Family Structure and Risk Behaviour?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levin, Kate A.; Kirby, Joanna; Currie, Candace

    2012-01-01

    Family structure is associated with a range of adolescent risk behaviours, with those living in both parent families generally faring best. This study describes the association between family structure and adolescent risk behaviours and assesses the role of the family meal. Data from the 2006 Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey were…

  3. The Sociological Study of the Effect of Family Structure on Social Health of Males

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naima Mohammadi

    Full Text Available Social health depends on different social and cultural factors. One of the most important suppliers of individual’s health is family structures and relations. In recent years due to functional changes in polygamous structure, there are threats against social health of men in Sarbaz city. In this research, to compare the rate of social health of men in polygamous and monogamous families in Sarbaz city we use a standard questionnaire of Shapiro & Keyes (2007. The population of this study consisted of 300 males who are residents of this city. They selected by using cluster sampling method. Gathered data were analyzed using SPSS software version 22. Findings from independent T-Test revealed that the average of social Coherence, Integration, Contribution and Actualization between men in polygamous families were significantly lower than monogamous. Based on these findings, we can conclude however a lot of traditional social customs were useful, functional and compatible and provide social acceptance, but today have become dysfunctional and threated social health of family members and community system face with crisis.

  4. Relations between Minuchin's Structural Family Model and Kohut's Self-Psychology Constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perosa, Linda

    1996-01-01

    Examines relationship between structural family model and self-psychology constructs. College women (n=164) completed the Structural Family Interaction Scale-Revised (SFIS-R), the Parental Relations Inventory, and the Goal Instability and Superiority scales from the Self-Expression Inventory. Indicated that women raised in families with strong…

  5. Population estimates of extended family structure and size.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garceau, Anne; Wideroff, Louise; McNeel, Timothy; Dunn, Marsha; Graubard, Barry I

    2008-01-01

    Population-based estimates of biological family size can be useful for planning genetic studies, assessing how distributions of relatives affect disease associations with family history and estimating prevalence of potential family support. Mean family size per person is estimated from a population-based telephone survey (n = 1,019). After multivariate adjustment for demographic variables, older and non-White respondents reported greater mean numbers of total, first- and second-degree relatives. Females reported more total and first-degree relatives, while less educated respondents reported more second-degree relatives. Demographic differences in family size have implications for genetic research. Therefore, periodic collection of family structure data in representative populations would be useful. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. Family Structure as a Correlate of Organized Sport Participation among Youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMillan, Rachel; McIsaac, Michael; Janssen, Ian

    2016-01-01

    Organized sport is one way that youth participate in physical activity. There are disparities in organized sport participation by family-related factors. The purpose of this study was to determine whether non-traditional family structure and physical custody arrangements are associated with organized sport participation in youth, and if so whether this relationship is mediated by socioeconomic status. Data were from the 2009-10 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey, a nationally representative cross-section of Canadian youth in grades 6-10 (N = 21,201). Information on family structure was derived from three survey items that asked participants the number of adults they lived with, their relationship to these adults, and if applicable, how often they visited another parent outside their home. Participants were asked whether or not they were currently involved in an organized sport. Logistic regression was used to compare the odds of organized sport participation according to family structure. Bootstrap-based mediation analysis was used to assess mediation by perceived family wealth. The results indicated that by comparison to traditional families, boys and girls from reconstituted families with irregular visitation of a second parent, reconstituted families with regular visitation of a second parent, single-parent families with irregular visitation of a second parent, and single-parent families with regular visitation of a second parent were less likely to participate in organized sport than those from traditional families, with odds ratios ranging from 0.48 (95% confidence interval: 0.38-0.61) to 0.78 (95% confidence interval: 0.56-1.08). The relationship between family structure and organized sport was significantly mediated by perceived family wealth, although the magnitude of the mediation was modest (ie, reconstituted families experienced significant disparities in organized sport participation that was partially mediated by perceived family wealth.

  7. Childhood Family Structure and Intergenerational Income Mobility in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bloome, Deirdre

    2017-04-01

    The declining prevalence of two-parent families helped increase income inequality over recent decades. Does family structure also condition how economic (dis)advantages pass from parents to children? If so, shifts in the organization of family life may contribute to enduring inequality between groups defined by childhood family structure. Using National Longitudinal Survey of Youth data, I combine parametric and nonparametric methods to reveal how family structure moderates intergenerational income mobility in the United States. I find that individuals raised outside stable two-parent homes are much more mobile than individuals from stable two-parent families. Mobility increases with the number of family transitions but does not vary with children's time spent coresiding with both parents or stepparents conditional on a transition. However, this mobility indicates insecurity, not opportunity. Difficulties maintaining middle-class incomes create downward mobility among people raised outside stable two-parent homes. Regardless of parental income, these people are relatively likely to become low-income adults, reflecting a new form of perverse equality. People raised outside stable two-parent families are also less likely to become high-income adults than people from stable two-parent homes. Mobility differences account for about one-quarter of family-structure inequalities in income at the bottom of the income distribution and more than one-third of these inequalities at the top.

  8. Family structure, family functioning and adolescent well-being: the transcendent influence of parental style.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McFarlane, A H; Bellissimo, A; Norman, G R

    1995-07-01

    This study assessed the association between parental style, family functioning and adolescent well being, contrasting intact families with those of changed configuration. Eight hundred and one grade 10 general level teenagers in 11 high schools of a single educational system were the subjects. Results indicated that the configuration of the family was not the key determinant of effectiveness of family functioning. Instead the style of parenting turned out to be the main determinant of both family functioning and well being of the adolescents. While both "parents" were judged to have contributed to these outcomes cross gender effects were found.

  9. VA Health Care: Processes to Evaluate, Implement, and Monitor Organizational Structure Changes Needed

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-09-01

    their families , such as medallions and markers for headstones that signify veterans’ service. Page 3 GAO-16-803 VHA Organizational ... Research Oversight, and Chief Nursing Page 8 GAO-16-803 VHA Organizational Structure Officer. Also, the Chief Financial Officer and...VA HEALTH CARE Processes to Evaluate, Implement, and Monitor Organizational Structure Changes Needed Report to

  10. Effects of Family Structure and the Experience of Parental Separation: A Study on Adolescents’ Well-Being

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabine Walper

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Large numbers of studies, mostly from the U.S., have addressed the effects of parental separation and divorce, pointing to disadvantages of children and adolescents growing up in separated families. However, evidence on this topic varies across countries and is limited for Germany. Using longitudinal data from waves 1 and 3 of the German Family Panel pairfam, we investigated differences in adolescents’ well-being by comparing stable nuclear families (n = 1968, single mother families (n = 360, and stepfather families (n = 214, as well as an additional smaller group of adolescents whose parents separated between waves 1 and 3 (“prospective separators”; n = 76. Adolescents’ satisfaction with different domains of life (family, education/work, and their general life satisfaction as well as their self-esteem were used as indicators of well-being. A series of multiple regression analyses tested the effects of family structure on well-being at T1 and changes in well-being over time, controlling for various background factors. Furthermore, likely mediation effects of infrequent contact to the non-resident father and economic strain were tested. The findings show (relatively minor effects of parental separation, namely lower well-being among youth1 in single mother families compared to nuclear families. Disadvantages of youth in single mother families could only be partly explained by the higher financial strain generally experienced in these families. Youth in stepfather families reported a similar overall well-being as adolescents in nuclear families, but indicated a greater decrease in family satisfaction over time. Pre-separation disadvantages among prospective separators were limited to greater dissatisfaction with school. Infrequent contact with the non-resident father did not affect adolescents’ well-being. Effects of family structure did not differ between boys and girls, but maternal education moderated the effects of family structure

  11. Analysis of the Problems and Educational Needs of New Family Structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enrique Arranz Freijo

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to identify the concerns and support needs of several family groups corresponding to different family structures. 214 families, matching 6 different family structures, were interviewed. The results show that families are worried about their children’s health and that educational criteria are required to deal with the child-rearing process. Single and step families are worried about the fact that their children have been through processes of conflict. Adoptive families have worry about the normal psychological development of their children and require specific training to deal with the adoption process. Gay and lesbian families are concerned about the social stigma that may fall on their children. Multiple-birth families are worried about the high level of human, educational and economic resources needed to raise their children. Results highlight the need to develop educational and preventive policies aimed at families.

  12. Family Ownership, Firm’s Financial Characteristics and Capital Structure: Evidence from Public Listed Companies in Malaysia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Punitharaja NADARAJA

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Capital structure is identified as one of focal facet in corporate finance branch of learning. It provides comprehension on how firms choose to finance their operations and expansion. The objective of this study is to explore the determinants of capital structure of Malaysian public listed companies. The period of 2001-2006 was selected in this study, which reflected the post Asian financial crisis period. Firm’s financial characteristics consist of size, growth, profitability, liquidity and ability to service debt. Family ownership which was identified as a unique feature in the Malaysian corporate sector was used to measure the effect of corporate governance in capital structure decision. Using panel data approach, this study infers that the role of ownership structure in the form of family ownership though is not significantly related to capital structure, its inclusion in the empirical equation changes the significance of other variables. Except for growth, all other financial characteristics have significant relationships with capital structure.

  13. Poverty and Family Structure - Phase II | CRDI - Centre de ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    In developing countries, and in Sénégal in particular, the makeup of the family is constantly changing as new members arrive (through marriage, placement of children in the family's care, etc.) and others leave (through divorce, migration, placement of children with another family, etc.). Understanding the dynamics of ...

  14. A Crisis Framework Applied to Macrosociological Family Changes: Marriage, Divorce, and Occupational Trends Associated with World War II

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lipman-Blumen, Jean

    1975-01-01

    A typology of crises is developed to be used with critical aspects of the social system to predict both crisis and postcrisis period role changes. The crisis framework is then applied to macro-changes in family structure in response to an archetypal crisis, World War II. Census data generally support the hypotheses. (Author)

  15. Association between Family Structure and Physical Activity of Chinese Adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lijuan Wang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. This study examines the association between family structure and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA of adolescents in China. Methods. The participants included 612 adolescents (317 boys and 295 girls from Shanghai with ages ranging from 10 to 16 years. Accelerometers were used to measure the duration of MVPA of adolescents, and questionnaires on family structure were completed by the parents of these adolescents. Results. Findings suggested that family structure significantly increased the likelihood of adolescents engaging in physical activity (PA and explained 6% of MPVA variance. Adolescents living in single-parent households and step families were more physically active than those living in two-parent homes and with biological parents, respectively. However, adolescents residing with grandparents were less active than those living with neither grandparent. No significant difference was found in MVPA time between adolescents living with one sibling and those without siblings. Conclusion. Family environment may be considered in the development of PA interventions and policies, and adolescents living with their grandparents may be targeted in PA promotion.

  16. Family structure and risk factors for schizophrenia: case-sibling study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lönnqvist Jouko

    2004-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Several family structure-related factors, such as birth order, family size, parental age, and age differences to siblings, have been suggested as risk factors for schizophrenia. We examined how family-structure-related variables modified the risk of schizophrenia in Finnish families with at least one child with schizophrenia born from 1950 to 1976. Methods We used case-sibling design, a variant of the matched case-control design in the analysis. Patients hospitalized for schizophrenia between 1969 and 1996 were identified from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register, and their families from the Population Register Center. Only families with at least two children (7914 sibships and 21059 individuals were included in the analysis. Conditional logistic regression with sex, birth cohort, maternal schizophrenia status, and several family-related variables as explanatory variables was used in the case-sibling design. The effect of variables with the same value in each sibship was analyzed using ordinary logistic regression. Results Having a sibling who was less than five years older (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.29–1.66, or being the firstborn (first born vs. second born 1.62, 1.87–1.4 predicted an elevated risk, but having siblings who were more than ten years older predicted a lower risk (0.66, 0.56–0.79. Conclusions Several family-structure-related variables were identified as risk factors for schizophrenia. The underlying causative mechanisms are likely to be variable.

  17. Attitudes of Slovenian family practice patients toward changing unhealthy lifestyle and the role of family physicians: a cross-sectional study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klemenc-Ketis, Zalika; Bulc, Mateja; Kersnik, Janko

    2011-01-01

    Aim To assess patients’ attitudes toward changing unhealthy lifestyle, confidence in the success, and desired involvement of their family physicians in facilitating this change. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in 15 family physicians’ practices on a consecutive sample of 472 patients (44.9% men, mean age  [± standard deviation] 49.3 ± 10.9 years) from October 2007 to May 2008. Patients were given a self-administered questionnaire on attitudes toward changing unhealthy diet, increasing physical activity, and reducing body weight. It also included questions on confidence in the success, planning lifestyle changes, and advice from family physicians. Results Nearly 20% of patients planned to change their eating habits, increase physical activity, and reach normal body weight. Approximately 30% of patients (more men than women) said that they wanted to receive advice on this issue from their family physicians. Younger patients and patients with higher education were more confident that they could improve their lifestyle. Patients who planned to change their lifestyle and were more confident in the success wanted to receive advice from their family physicians. Conclusion Family physicians should regularly ask the patients about the intention of changing their lifestyle and offer them help in carrying out this intention. PMID:21495204

  18. The Relation between Family Structure and Young Adolescents' Appraisals of Family Climate and Parenting Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurdek, Lawrence A.; Fine, Mark A.

    1993-01-01

    Young adolescents who lived with both biological parents, single divorced mother, single divorced father, mother and stepfather, father and stepmother, or multiply divorced parent appraised dimensions of family climate and dimensions of parenting. Differences among family structures were found on warmth, conflict, permissive parenting, and…

  19. Family Structure, Maternal Dating, and Sexual Debut: Extending the Conceptualization of Instability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zito, Rena Cornell; De Coster, Stacy

    2016-05-01

    Family structure influences the risk of early onset of sexual intercourse. This study proposes that the family structures associated with risk-single-mother, step-parent, and cohabiting-influence early sexual debut due to family instability, including shifts in family structure and maternal dating, which can undermine parental control and transmit messages about the acceptability of nonmarital sex. Previous research has not considered maternal dating as a component of family instability, assuming single mothers who date and those who do not date experience comparable levels of family disruption and transmit similar messages about the acceptability of nonmarital sex. Hypotheses are assessed using logistic regression models predicting the odds of early onset of sexual intercourse among 9959 respondents (53 % female, 47 % male) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Respondents were ages 12-17 at the first wave of data collection and 18-26 at the third wave, when respondents reported the age at which they first had sexual intercourse. Results show that maternal dating is a source of family instability with repercussions for early sexual debut. Parental control and permissive attitudes towards teenage sex and pregnancy link at-risk family structures and maternal dating to early sexual initiation among females, though these variables do not fully explain family structure and maternal dating effects. Among males, the influence of maternal dating on early sexual debut is fully explained by the learning of permissive sexual attitudes.

  20. Families of returned defence force personnel: a changing landscape of challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berle, David; Steel, Zachary

    2015-08-01

    This paper aims to identify the key challenges experienced by the families of defence force personnel following deployment. We undertook a selective review of four post-deployment challenges to the families of defence force personnel: (1) changes to relationships; (2) changes to family member roles and responsibilities; (3) adjustment of children and parenting challenges; and (4) anger, family conflict and violence. Emerging issues in the area of post-deployment adjustment are also discussed. Empirical studies of post-deployment family adjustment are lacking. Each of the reviewed challenges can contribute to psychological difficulties and precipitate contact with mental health services. The challenges faced by defence force personnel when returning from deployment arise within a family context. Clinicians should thoroughly assess these factors in families following deployment, but also recognise family strengths and resilience to these challenges. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

  1. New procedure for declaring changes in family and personal situation

    CERN Multimedia

    2014-01-01

    On taking up their appointment, Members of the Personnel (employed and associated) are required to provide official documents as evidence of their family situation. Any subsequent change in their personal situation, or that of their family members, must be declared in writing to the Organization within 30 calendar days.   As part of their efforts to simplify procedures, the Administrative Processes Section (DG-RPC-PA) and the HR and GS Departments have produced a new EDH form entitled “Change of family and personal situation", which must be used to declare the following changes: birth or adoption of a child; marriage; divorce; entry into a civil partnership officially registered in a Member State; dissolution of such a partnership; change of name; change of nationality or new nationality.   Members of the Personnel must create the form themselves and provide the information required for the type of declaration concerned, indicating, if applicable, any benefit...

  2. Family Structure and Children's Psychosocial Outcomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Zheng; Hou, Feng; Schimmele, Christoph M.

    2008-01-01

    This article examines the influence of family structure on children's short-term psychosocial behavioral outcomes, including emotional disorder, conduct disorder, and prosocial behavior. The analysis uses five waves of data (1994-2003) from Canada's National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth to model how living in a cohabitational…

  3. Professional activity. How is family physicians' work time changing?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodward, C A; Ferrier, B; Cohen, M; Brown, J

    2001-07-01

    To examine hours worked professionally, work preferences, and changes in both of these and their correlates. Repeated surveys done in 1993 and 1999. Ontario family practices. Cohort of physicians certified in family medicine between 1989 and 1991 after family medicine residency who were surveyed in 1993 when they resided in Ontario. Self-reported hours spent weekly on professional activities, desired hours of professional work, and balance between work and other activities. Fifty-three percent (293) of 553 physicians responded to the 1999 survey; 91% had remained family physicians; 85% of these had participated in the 1993 survey. The difference between the hours that family physicians preferred to work professionally and their actual hours of work had increased since 1993. Childless physicians, women physicians with preschool children, and women physicians married to other physicians worked fewer hours professionally than other physicians in 1999. Female physicians and physicians without children worked closer to their preferred hours than other physicians. Reporting a preference to work fewer hours professionally in 1993 was linked with a reduction in professional activities by 1999. Greater attention should be paid in physician resource planning to the family life cycle of female physicians. Lifestyle changes could lead to a reduction in professional activity among these physicians.

  4. Family structure and the intergenerational transmission of educational advantage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin, Molly A

    2012-01-01

    I examine whether the effect of parents' education on children's educational achievement and attainment varies by family structure and, if so, whether this can be explained by differential parenting practices. Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988, I find that as parents' education increases, children in single mother families experience a lower boost in their achievement test scores, likelihood of attending any post-secondary schooling, likelihood of completing a 4-year college degree, and years of completed schooling relative to children living with both biological parents. Differences in parents' educational expectations, intergenerational closure, and children's involvement in structured leisure activities partially explain these status transmission differences by family structure. The findings imply that, among children with highly educated parents, children of single mothers are less likely to be highly educated themselves relative to children who grow up with both biological parents. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Operant Reinforcement with Structural Family Therapy in Treating Anorexia Nervosa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perlman, Lawrence M.; Bender, Sheila S.

    1975-01-01

    The authors successfully treated two families in which the index patients were anorectic adolescent girls by combining structural family therapy with behavioral modification techniques. Phases which appear to be typical of the treatment are described. A discussion of the value of the operant reinforcement procedure in family therapy follows.…

  6. [A Structural Equation Model on Family Strength of Married Working Women].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Yeong Seon; Han, Kuem Sun

    2015-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of predictive factors related to family strength and develop a structural equation model that explains family strength among married working women. A hypothesized model was developed based on literature reviews and predictors of family strength by Yoo. This constructed model was built of an eight pathway form. Two exogenous variables included in this model were ego-resilience and family support. Three endogenous variables included in this model were functional couple communication, family stress and family strength. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire from 319 married working women who were 30~40 of age and lived in cities of Chungnam province in Korea. Data were analyzed with PASW/WIN 18.0 and AMOS 18.0 programs. Family support had a positive direct, indirect and total effect on family strength. Family stress had a negative direct, indirect and total effect on family strength. Functional couple communication had a positive direct and total effect on family strength. These predictive variables of family strength explained 61.8% of model. The results of the study show a structural equation model for family strength of married working women and that predicting factors for family strength are family support, family stress, and functional couple communication. To improve family strength of married working women, the results of this study suggest nursing access and mediative programs to improve family support and functional couple communication, and reduce family stress.

  7. Family structure and family education as the factors for personal development of preschooler

    OpenAIRE

    Golovey L.A.; Vasilenko V.E.; Savenysheva S.S.

    2016-01-01

    This article is devoted to analysis of personal characteristics of preschoolers in relation to the factors of gender, family structure (complete or one-parent, the presence of sibling) and family upbringing (parenting styles, parent-child emotional interaction). The study involved 155 boys, 157 girls and 312 mothers from Saint-Petersburg, Novosibirsk and Arkhangelsk. The age of children — from 4 to 7 years. We used the test and projective techniques. The study revealed that children from sing...

  8. The family structure of the Mucorales: a synoptic revision based on comprehensive multigene-genealogies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoffmann, K; Pawłowska, J; Walther, G; Wrzosek, M; de Hoog, G S; Benny, G L; Kirk, P M; Voigt, K

    2013-06-01

    The Mucorales (Mucoromycotina) are one of the most ancient groups of fungi comprising ubiquitous, mostly saprotrophic organisms. The first comprehensive molecular studies 11 yr ago revealed the traditional classification scheme, mainly based on morphology, as highly artificial. Since then only single clades have been investigated in detail but a robust classification of the higher levels based on DNA data has not been published yet. Therefore we provide a classification based on a phylogenetic analysis of four molecular markers including the large and the small subunit of the ribosomal DNA, the partial actin gene and the partial gene for the translation elongation factor 1-alpha. The dataset comprises 201 isolates in 103 species and represents about one half of the currently accepted species in this order. Previous family concepts are reviewed and the family structure inferred from the multilocus phylogeny is introduced and discussed. Main differences between the current classification and preceding concepts affects the existing families Lichtheimiaceae and Cunninghamellaceae, as well as the genera Backusella and Lentamyces which recently obtained the status of families along with the Rhizopodaceae comprising Rhizopus, Sporodiniella and Syzygites. Compensatory base change analyses in the Lichtheimiaceae confirmed the lower level classification of Lichtheimia and Rhizomucor while genera such as Circinella or Syncephalastrum completely lacked compensatory base changes.

  9. Family Structure and the Intergenerational Transmission of Gender Ideology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, Daniel L.; Knoester, Chris

    2011-01-01

    Using data from the National Survey of Families and Households, this study explores how single-parent, stepparent, and two-parent biological family structures may affect the transmission of gender ideology from parents to their adult children. Results indicate that biological parents' ideologies are strong predictors of their children's…

  10. Children's Home Environments: Understanding the Role of Family Structure Changes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowaleski-Jones, Lori; Dunifon, Rachel

    2004-01-01

    Using data from the 1996 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79) merged mother-child sample, we investigate the impact of two family events, parental divorce and the birth of a sibling, on the cognitive stimulation and emotional support provided to children in the home. We use fixed-effect regression techniques to control for unmeasured…

  11. How job and family demands impact change in perceived stress: A dyadic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smoktunowicz, Ewelina; Cieślak, Roman

    2018-01-07

    The aim of this two-wave study has been to test the spillover and crossover of job and family demands on changes in perceived stress at work and in the family. Specifically, we proposed that demands from one domain (work or family) spilled over to another domain through interrrole conflict (work-family/family-work conflict) and context-specific self-efficacy. Additionally, we hypothesized that changes in perceived stress were impacted not only by a person's own demands through interrole conflict but also by the demands of one's significant other, in the process of crossover. The study was of dyadic design and it was conducted online, among 130 heterosexual couples, at 2 time points separated by 3 months interval. Hypotheses were verified by means of the path analysis. No support was found for the spillover of job and family demands on changes in perceived stress through interrole conflict and self-efficacy, neither for women nor for men. With regard to the crossover, no support was found for the actor effects, i.e., a person's demands did not impact changes in one's own work- and family-related perceived stress but partial support was found for the partner effects, i.e., women's job demands were associated with men's changes in work and family-related stress through women's work-family conflict, and men's family demands were associated with women's change in family-related perceived stress through men's family-work conflict. The study is a longitudinal test of the Spillover-Crossover model and Work-Home Resources model demonstrating that job and family demands are transmitted across domains and across partners in the intimate relationships through the interrole conflict but the nature of this crossover is different for men and women. Int J Occup Med Environ Health 2018;31(2)199-215. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

  12. The Effects of Family Structure on African American Adolescents' Marijuana Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandara, Jelani; Rogers, Sheba Y.; Zinbarg, Richard E.

    2011-01-01

    The relationship between family structure and marijuana use throughout adolescence was assessed among 1,069 African Americans from the NLSY. A model was also tested suggesting that the effects of family structure on marijuana use would be mediated by poverty, neighborhood quality, and adolescents' self-control. As most prior studies have found,…

  13. New families of human regulatory RNA structures identified by comparative analysis of vertebrate genomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parker, Brian J; Moltke, Ida; Roth, Adam; Washietl, Stefan; Wen, Jiayu; Kellis, Manolis; Breaker, Ronald; Pedersen, Jakob Skou

    2011-11-01

    Regulatory RNA structures are often members of families with multiple paralogous instances across the genome. Family members share functional and structural properties, which allow them to be studied as a whole, facilitating both bioinformatic and experimental characterization. We have developed a comparative method, EvoFam, for genome-wide identification of families of regulatory RNA structures, based on primary sequence and secondary structure similarity. We apply EvoFam to a 41-way genomic vertebrate alignment. Genome-wide, we identify 220 human, high-confidence families outside protein-coding regions comprising 725 individual structures, including 48 families with known structural RNA elements. Known families identified include both noncoding RNAs, e.g., miRNAs and the recently identified MALAT1/MEN β lincRNA family; and cis-regulatory structures, e.g., iron-responsive elements. We also identify tens of new families supported by strong evolutionary evidence and other statistical evidence, such as GO term enrichments. For some of these, detailed analysis has led to the formulation of specific functional hypotheses. Examples include two hypothesized auto-regulatory feedback mechanisms: one involving six long hairpins in the 3'-UTR of MAT2A, a key metabolic gene that produces the primary human methyl donor S-adenosylmethionine; the other involving a tRNA-like structure in the intron of the tRNA maturation gene POP1. We experimentally validate the predicted MAT2A structures. Finally, we identify potential new regulatory networks, including large families of short hairpins enriched in immunity-related genes, e.g., TNF, FOS, and CTLA4, which include known transcript destabilizing elements. Our findings exemplify the diversity of post-transcriptional regulation and provide a resource for further characterization of new regulatory mechanisms and families of noncoding RNAs.

  14. The Association between Family Structure and Adolescent Smoking among Multicultural Students in Hawaii.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Yajun; Palmer, Paula H; Sakuma, Kari-Lyn; Blake, Jerome; Johnson, C Anderson

    The purpose of this study was to examine whether the prevalence of smoking was associated with family structure among multicultural adolescents and whether there was gender disparity on the association. Data were collected from a sample of 7 th graders in Hawaii who completed in-class questionnaires in 2004. The final sample included 821 multicultural students from different family structures. Descriptive analyses, Chi-square tests and logistic regression were performed to examine the prevalence of smoking and the association between family structure and smoking prevalence. This sample contained students who lived in intact (61.7%), single-parent (16.5%), step-parent (15.6%), and no-parent (6.2%) families. The overall prevalence of ever/lifetime smoking was 24.0%, and was not significantly different between genders in each family structure ( p >0.05). Compared with living in intact families, living in single-parent, step-parent, or no-parent families was significantly associated with higher odds of ever/lifetime smoking among all students ( p multicultural students. Anti-smoking programs should consider this factor.

  15. Influence of the Family in Career Decision-Making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chope, Robert C.

    2001-01-01

    Two recently emerging factors are changing the role of family in career decision making: the revolutionary changes in family structure and increased emphasis on interpersonal relationships in work. Career counselors need new protocols in order to work with clients and family members. (SK)

  16. Family structure, parent-child conversation time and substance use among Chinese adolescents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mak Kwok-Kei

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The family plays a vital role in shaping adolescent behaviours. The present study investigated the associations between family structure and substance use among Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. Methods A total of 32,961 Form 1 to 5 (grade 7-12 in the US Hong Kong students participated in the Youth Smoking Survey in 2003-4. An anonymous questionnaire was used to obtain information about family structure, daily duration of parent-child conversation, smoking, alcohol drinking and drug use. Logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratios (OR for each substance use by family structure. Results Adjusting for sex, age, type of housing, parental smoking and school, adolescents from non-intact families were significantly more likely to be current smokers (OR = 1.62, weekly drinkers (OR = 1.72 and ever drug users (OR = 1.72, with significant linear increases in ORs from maternal, paternal to no-parent families compared with intact families. Furthermore, current smoking (OR = 1.41 and weekly drinking (OR = 1.46 were significantly more common among adolescents from paternal than maternal families. After adjusting for parent-child conversation time, the ORs for non-intact families remained significant compared with intact families, but the paternal-maternal differences were no longer significant. Conclusions Non-intact families were associated with substance use among Hong Kong Chinese adolescents. The apparently stronger associations with substance use in paternal than maternal families were probably mediated by the poorer communication with the father.

  17. Trends in family tourism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heike A. Schänzel

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose – Families represent a large and growing market for the tourism industry. Family tourism is driven by the increasing importance placed on promoting family togetherness, keeping family bonds alive and creating family memories. Predictions for the future of family travel are shaped by changes in demography and social structures. With global mobility families are increasingly geographically dispersed and new family markets are emerging. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the trends that shape the understanding of families and family tourism. Design/methodology/approach – This paper examines ten trends that the authors as experts in the field identify of importance and significance for the future of family tourism. Findings – What emerges is that the future of family tourism lies in capturing the increasing heterogeneity, fluidity and mobility of the family market. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the understanding about the changes taking place in family tourism and what it means to the tourism industry in the future.

  18. The Influence of Financial, Human and Social Capital on Japanese Men's and Women's Health in Single- and Two-Parent Family Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bassani, Cherylynn

    2008-01-01

    Large-scale demographic changes have been occurring in Japan over the last few decades. During this time, the proportion of two-parent (nuclear) and single-parent families have doubled. Despite this rapid increase, the health of individuals in these family structures have received limited attention, as the focus has been directed towards the…

  19. The changing relationship between family size and educational attainment over the course of socioeconomic development: evidence from Indonesia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maralani, Vida

    2008-08-01

    Many studies from developed countries show a negative correlation between family size and children's schooling, while results from developing countries show this association ranging from positive to neutral to negative, depending on the context. The body of evidence suggests that this relationship changes as a society develops, but this theory has been difficult to assess because the existing evidence requires comparisons across countries with different social structures and at different levels of development. The world's fourth most populous nation in 2007, Indonesia has developed rapidly in recent decades. This context provides the opportunity to study these relationships within the same rapidly developing setting to see if and how these associations change. Results show that in urban areas, the association between family size and children's schooling was positive for older cohorts but negative for more recent cohorts. Models using instrumental variables to address the potential endogeneity of fertility confirm these results. In contrast, rural areas show no significant association between family size and children's schooling for any cohort. These findings show how the relationship between family size and children's schooling can differ within the same country and change over time as contextual factors evolve with socioeconomic development.

  20. Hegemony in the Roma family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mrhálek, Tomáš; Lidová, Lenka; Kajanová, Alena

    2015-01-01

    This article is intended to describe the current hegemonic masculinity within the Roma family structure in the Czech Republic, with regard to changes related to developments in the majority society and the current socioeconomic situation of the Roma. The theoretical context of this article is based on the paradigm of masculine hegemony as it exists and has existed in the Roma families. Data for the study came from semi-structured interviews with 30 Roma females and 30 Roma males living as couples, in three Czech cities. The main finding reveals a dichotomy between the traditional roles of Roma women, i.e. care for the family and the household, and the present functions, i.e. contributing to the family income through social benefits. We observed a decline in the traditional role of Roma men, who were often unemployed. We related the change in the roles of men to the "non-functionality of the men", contributing to the emerging potential for emancipation of Roma women. However, the traditional patriarchal Roma family is structured such that men are given the main decision making powers, which has slowed changes in marginalized Roma families. Additionally, social pressures against women as well as socially conditioned pressures that act to preserve hegemonic masculinity, have largely prevented the realization of the potential for emancipation of Roma women, or if a woman tries to leave her non-functioning husband.

  1. Family Roles in Transition. In a Changing Military.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-06-18

    and Management and Department of Psychology Dr. Larry Cummings College Park MD 20742 University of Wisconsin-Madison Graduate School of Business Dr. D...Graduate School of Management and Business University of Oregon Eugene OR 97403 Dr. James R. Terborg University of Houston Department of Psychology Houston...AD-A107 348 UNdITED STATES INTERNATIONAL UNIV SAN DIEGO CA FAMILY --ETC PIG 5/1l FAMILY ROLES IN TRANSITION IN A CHANGING MILITARY (U) JUN 81 E J

  2. Childhood-Onset Essential Hypertension and the Family Structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta-Malhotra, Monesha; Hashmi, Syed Shahrukh; Barratt, Michelle S; Milewicz, Dianna M; Shete, Sanjay

    2016-05-01

    The prevalence and effect of single-parent families in childhood-onset essential hypertension (EH) is unknown. Children with EH and age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched controls were enrolled. Family structure data were obtained by in-person interview. A total of 148 families (76 hypertension probands, 72 control probands; median 14 years) were prospective-ly enrolled in the study. Single-parent status was seen in 42% of the families--with and without EH (38% vs 46%, P=.41; odds ratio, 0.7; 95% confidence interval, 0.4-1.4). After multivariable analysis, a statistically significant sociofamilial contributor to the development of childhood-onset EH was not identified. A significant number of single-parent families (42%), the majority with single mothers, were found in our pedigree study. Sociofamilial factors are known to contribute to the expression of adult-onset EH, but findings in our study suggest that they appear to contribute less in the expression of childhood-onset EH. ©2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Does Family Structure Affect Children's Educational Outcomes? NBER Working Paper Series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollak, Robert A.; Ginther, Donna K.

    This paper examines correlations between children's educational outcomes and family structure. Although popular discussions focus on distinctions between two-parent and single-parent families, earlier research shows that outcomes for stepchildren are similar to outcomes for children in single-parent families, and earlier researchers suggested that…

  4. Family quality of life of Chinese families of children with intellectual disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, X; Wang, M; Fei, X

    2012-01-01

    The concepts of quality of life and family quality of life (FQOL) are increasingly being studied in the field of intellectual disabilities (ID) in China as important frameworks for: (1) assessing families' need for supports and services; (2) guiding organisational and service delivery system changes; and (3) evaluating quality family outcomes. The present study focused on exploring the perceptions of Chinese families who have a child with an ID regarding FQOL as well as examining the factor structure of FQOL concept from Chinese families. The Chinese version of the Family Quality of Life Scale was used to survey Chinese families living in the urban and suburban areas of Beijing who have a child with ID. A total of 442 families participated in this study. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the factor structure of FQOL. Multivariate analysis was also used to examine group differences among families in terms of family demographic variables. A five-factor structure of the FQOL construct was found in the Chinese sample, suggesting a similar factor structure found from US families in the literature. Different living conditions (e.g. housing and transportation) tended to affect significantly families' satisfaction ratings of their FQOL. It is also found that family income and severity of disability of the child are predictors of families' satisfaction ratings of FQOL. The preliminary findings of this study suggest a cross-cultural factor structure comparability of FQOL between samples in the USA and China. Results call for further examination of the family-centred service and support as a mediator on the interactive relationship between family characteristics, family needs and FQOL outcomes. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  5. Organisational Structure & Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), 2006

    2006-01-01

    Structural change is seen as a way to meet the challenges of the future that face many organisations. While some writers agree that broad-ranging structural change may not always transform an organisation or enhance its performance, others claim that innovation will be a major source of competitive advantage to organisations, particularly when…

  6. Dignifying Families at Risk: How a change in Caseworker Approach changes user perspective, agency and perception of self

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villumsen, Anne Marie Anker

    2016-01-01

    Through the voices of families at risk, the aim of the presentation is to display how a change in caseworker approach and municipal organization can dignify families at risk and create change in the families’ experiences of collaboration and of self. Qualitative interviews forms the basis...

  7. Family structure as a predictor of screen time among youth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMillan, Rachel; McIsaac, Michael; Janssen, Ian

    2015-01-01

    The family plays a central role in the development of health-related behaviors among youth. The objective of this study was to determine whether non-traditional parental structure and shared custody arrangements predict how much time youth spend watching television, using a computer recreationally, and playing video games. Participants were a nationally representative sample of Canadian youth (N = 26,068) in grades 6-10 who participated in the 2009/10 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Survey. Screen time in youth from single parent and reconstituted families, with or without regular visitation with their non-residential parent, was compared to that of youth from traditional dual-parent families. Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. After multiple imputation, the relative odds of being in the highest television, computer use, video game, and total screen time quartiles were not different in boys and girls from non-traditional families by comparison to boys and girls from traditional dual-parent families. In conclusion, parental structure and child custody arrangements did not have a meaningful impact on screen time among youth.

  8. Family structure as a predictor of screen time among youth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rachel McMillan

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The family plays a central role in the development of health-related behaviors among youth. The objective of this study was to determine whether non-traditional parental structure and shared custody arrangements predict how much time youth spend watching television, using a computer recreationally, and playing video games. Participants were a nationally representative sample of Canadian youth (N = 26,068 in grades 6–10 who participated in the 2009/10 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Survey. Screen time in youth from single parent and reconstituted families, with or without regular visitation with their non-residential parent, was compared to that of youth from traditional dual-parent families. Multiple imputation was used to account for missing data. After multiple imputation, the relative odds of being in the highest television, computer use, video game, and total screen time quartiles were not different in boys and girls from non-traditional families by comparison to boys and girls from traditional dual-parent families. In conclusion, parental structure and child custody arrangements did not have a meaningful impact on screen time among youth.

  9. Family Structure and Functions Identified by Persons Living with HIV/AIDS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong-Wylie, Gina; Doherty-Poirier, Maryanne; Kieren, Dianne

    1999-01-01

    A study looked at the structural and functional aspects of family from the perspective of six people living with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) or human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Results showing how HIV/AIDS affects all members of the sufferer's family have implications for family practitioners. (Author/JOW)

  10. Family policies in the context of low fertility and social structure

    OpenAIRE

    Thomas Fent; Belinda Aparicio Diaz; Alexia Fürnkranz-Prskawetz

    2013-01-01

    In this paper we investigate the effectiveness of family policies in the context of the structure of a society. We use an agent-based model to analyse the impact of policies on individual fertility decisions and on fertility at the aggregate level. The crucial features of our model are the interactions between family policies and social structure, the agents´ heterogeneity and the structure and influence of the social network. This modelling framework allows us to disentangle the direct effec...

  11. Family scents: developmental changes in the perception of kin body odor?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferdenzi, Camille; Schaal, Benoist; Roberts, S Craig

    2010-08-01

    There is increasing evidence that human body odors are involved in adaptive behaviors, such as parental attachment in infants or partner choice in adults. The aim of the present study was to investigate changes in body-odor perception around puberty, a period largely ignored for odor-mediated behavioral changes, despite major changes in social needs and in odor emission and perception. Nine families with two children (8 pre-pubertal, aged 7-10, and 10 pubertal, aged 11-18) evaluated body odors of family members and unfamiliar individuals for pleasantness, intensity, and masculinity, and performed a recognition task. The hypothesized emergence of a parent-child mutual aversion for the odor of opposite-sex family members at puberty was not found, contradicting one of the few studies on the topic (Weisfeld et al., J. Exp. Child Psychol. 85:279-295, 2003). However, some developmental changes were observed, including reduced aversion for odor of the same-sex parent, and increased ability of adults, compared to children, to recognize odor of family members. Sex and personality (depressive and aggressive traits) also significantly influenced odor judgments. Further research with larger samples is needed to investigate the poorly explored issue of how olfactory perception of self and family members develops, and how it could correlate with normal reorganizations in social interactions at adolescence.

  12. Association of family structure with atopic dermatitis in United States children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McKenzie, Costner; Silverberg, Jonathan I

    2018-05-31

    Children from families without two married, biological parents have increased risk of poverty and poor health. The relationship between family structure and atopic dermatitis (AD) has not been elucidated. To determine the prevalence of AD and related outcomes in children from different family structures. Data were analyzed from 13,275 children (≤17 years) and their parents from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey. In multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for socio-demographics, children from single adult households (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.272 [1.050-1.542]), families with ≤2 members (1.413 [1.079-1.852]), families with a mother, but no father present (1.402 [1.179-1.667]), non-biological fathers (1.464 [1.089-1.969]), or unmarried mothers (1.508 [1.017-2.237]) had increased odds of AD. Among children with AD, there were significantly increased odds of having only good/fair/poor vs. very good/excellent overall health (1.545 [1.262-1.893]), greater odds of depression (2.287 [1.523-3.434]), anxiety (2.001 [1.543-2.595]), and stress (2.013 [1.499-2.704]). Cross-sectional study. US children from families with single adults, single mothers, non-biological fathers, or unmarried mothers may have increased odds of AD. Family structures were associated with poorer overall health, depression, anxiety, and stress in children with AD. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Structure-based function prediction of the expanding mollusk tyrosinase family

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Ronglian; Li, Li; Zhang, Guofan

    2017-11-01

    Tyrosinase (Ty) is a common enzyme found in many different animal groups. In our previous study, genome sequencing revealed that the Ty family is expanded in the Pacific oyster ( Crassostrea gigas). Here, we examine the larger number of Ty family members in the Pacific oyster by high-level structure prediction to obtain more information about their function and evolution, especially the unknown role in biomineralization. We verified 12 Ty gene sequences from Crassostrea gigas genome and Pinctada fucata martensii transcriptome. By using phylogenetic analysis of these Tys with functionally known Tys from other molluscan species, eight subgroups were identified (CgTy_s1, CgTy_s2, MolTy_s1, MolTy-s2, MolTy-s3, PinTy-s1, PinTy-s2 and PviTy). Structural data and surface pockets of the dinuclear copper center in the eight subgroups of molluscan Ty were obtained using the latest versions of prediction online servers. Structural comparison with other Ty proteins from the protein databank revealed functionally important residues (HA1, HA2, HA3, HB1, HB2, HB3, Z1-Z9) and their location within these protein structures. The structural and chemical features of these pockets which may related to the substrate binding showed considerable variability among mollusks, which undoubtedly defines Ty substrate binding. Finally, we discuss the potential driving forces of Ty family evolution in mollusks. Based on these observations, we conclude that the Ty family has rapidly evolved as a consequence of substrate adaptation in mollusks.

  14. Family Structure and Home-Leaving: A Further Specification of the Relationship.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aquilino, William S.

    1991-01-01

    Investigated impact of childhood family structure on timing of home-leaving. Data from 1988 National Survey of Families and Households suggest that exposure to nonintact family living during childhood raises likelihood of home-leaving prior to age 19. Adopted children and children who lived in nonparental situations were most likely to leave…

  15. A Longitudinal Study of Family Structure and Size and Adoption Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barth, Richard P.; Brooks, Devon

    1997-01-01

    This follow-up study of international and domestic adoptions, involving participants first studied in 1981, investigated the role of family size and structure, particularly the presence of both biological and adopted children in a family, on adoption outcomes. Data suggested that families who adopt children and have birth children may have less…

  16. The development of structural complexity in the child's concept of family: the effect of cognitive stage, sex, and intactness of family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wedemeyer, N V; Bickhard, M H; Cooper, R G

    1989-12-01

    Twenty-eight boys and 28 girls at each of the Piagetian preoperational, concrete operational, and formal operational cognitive stages were given an interview focusing on their concepts of family. Half of each group were from intact families, and half were from divorced families. Interviews were scored for two structural aspects of the concept of family: conceptual level, and use of dimensions that structure the concept. The complexity of children's concepts was strongly related to cognitive stage and, to a lesser degree, to sex. Frequency of use of concept dimensions was strongly affected by general developmental level, though not specifically cognitive stage, and by intactness of family, but to a lesser degree by sex. Specific information is provided on the effect of these factors on perceptions of family composition, parental roles, and breadth of family activities.

  17. Utilizing a structural meta-ontology for family-based quality assurance of the BioPortal ontologies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ochs, Christopher; He, Zhe; Zheng, Ling; Geller, James; Perl, Yehoshua; Hripcsak, George; Musen, Mark A

    2016-06-01

    An Abstraction Network is a compact summary of an ontology's structure and content. In previous research, we showed that Abstraction Networks support quality assurance (QA) of biomedical ontologies. The development of an Abstraction Network and its associated QA methodologies, however, is a labor-intensive process that previously was applicable only to one ontology at a time. To improve the efficiency of the Abstraction-Network-based QA methodology, we introduced a QA framework that uses uniform Abstraction Network derivation techniques and QA methodologies that are applicable to whole families of structurally similar ontologies. For the family-based framework to be successful, it is necessary to develop a method for classifying ontologies into structurally similar families. We now describe a structural meta-ontology that classifies ontologies according to certain structural features that are commonly used in the modeling of ontologies (e.g., object properties) and that are important for Abstraction Network derivation. Each class of the structural meta-ontology represents a family of ontologies with identical structural features, indicating which types of Abstraction Networks and QA methodologies are potentially applicable to all of the ontologies in the family. We derive a collection of 81 families, corresponding to classes of the structural meta-ontology, that enable a flexible, streamlined family-based QA methodology, offering multiple choices for classifying an ontology. The structure of 373 ontologies from the NCBO BioPortal is analyzed and each ontology is classified into multiple families modeled by the structural meta-ontology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Flavor changing neutral currents and the third family

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reina, L.

    1996-01-01

    We consider a Two Higgs Doublet Model with Flavor Changing Scalar Neutral Currents arising at the tree level. All the most important constraints are taken into account and the compatibility with the present Electroweak measurements is examined. The Flavor Changing couplings involving the third family are not constrained to be very small and this allows us to predict some interesting signals of new physics

  19. Family Instability and Exposure to Violence in the Early Life Course.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavanagh, Shannon E; Stritzel, Haley; Smith, Chelsea; Crosnoe, Robert

    2017-10-11

    Family instability has been linked with a host of outcomes across the early life course. This study extends this literature by connecting instability with violence in the community by examining the associations among family structure, family structure change, and secondary exposure to violence during adolescence across diverse segments of the population. Using longitudinal data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods study, we found that living with a single parent and experiencing family structure changes were associated with secondary exposure to violence. Multiple group models suggest that partner change translated into more exposure for boys than girls. Findings also suggest that family instability may lead to more secondary exposure to violence for African American youth. © 2017 Society for Research on Adolescence.

  20. Comprehensive secondary structure elucidation of four genera of the family Pospiviroidae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tamara Giguère

    Full Text Available Viroids are small, circular, single stranded RNA molecules that infect plants. Since they are non-coding, their structures play a critical role in their life cycles. To date, little effort has been spend on elucidating viroid structures in solution due to both the experimental difficulties and the time-consuming nature of the methodologies implicated. Recently, the technique of high-throughput selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension (SHAPE was adapted for the probing of the members of family Avsunviroidae, all of whom replicate in the chloroplast and demonstrate ribozyme activity. In the present work, twelve viroid species belonging to four different genera of the family Pospiviroidae, whose members are characterized by the presence of a central conserved region (CCR and who replicate in nucleus of the host, were probed. Given that the structures of five distinct viroid species from the family Pospiviroidae have been previously reported, an overview of the different structural characteristics for all genera and the beginning of a manual classification of the different viroids based on their structural features are presented here.

  1. The changing European family: lessons for the American reader.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cherlin, A; Furstenberg Ff

    1988-09-01

    The 7 chapters in this journal discuss the European family, including families in Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, the German Democratic Republic, Italy, and Sweden. The authors feel that observers in the US sometimes resort to peculiarly American explanations (the budget deficit, changes in welfare benefits) to account for recent trends in marriage and fertility. The articles in this issue demonstrate that the pattern of post-WWII family change has been generally similar in North America, Western Europe, and even part of Eastern Europe, suggesting that more global rather than particular national explanations need to be sought. The post-WWII years can be divided into 2 periods: 1) the period from 1945 to 1965 that brought the unexpected marriage rush and baby boom, and 2) the period from 1965 to the present that brought a reversal of those trends in the form of later marriage, a great increase in nonmarital cohabitation, a large rise in divorce, and a sharp fall in fertility to below the replacement level. The similarity of these large-scale trends in North America and Western Europe is striking. The US is most like Britain and, beyond Europe, Canada, and Australia, suggesting that influence of the common culture of the English-speaking Western world. Yet the US has, and probably always has had, higher rates of fertility, marriage, and divorce than most Western European nations. The proportion of single-parent families is unusually large, even though some nations such as Sweden and East Germany have higher proportions of births to unmarried but cohabiting women. The level of cohabitation in the US, although greatly increased, is still moderate by European standards. Concern over the burden of government support for the elderly already has prompted changes in the Social Security program. The ability to support programs for children and for poor families is being questioned, even though the level of government support for the family is relatively low

  2. The Generational Change in Family Businesses: Comparative Analysis between Italy and Peru

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César Cáceres Dagnino

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to understand how family firms in Italy and Peru prepare for generational change, by comparing three companies from each of these countries. After a theoretical analysis, having examined and compared the literature to define the family business, the business family and the generational change, an empirical analysis has been made using a quantitative survey (STEP 2013-2014 and its model, which makes a revision of a set of constructs, to identify if there is transgenerational potential in the business families. From the comparison of the six companies it appears that, contrary to what was initially thought, there are no such relevant differences. They are only diverse approaches to different problems of the same phenomenon. It is concluded that the six companies have an adequate transgenerational potential and are ready for a successful generational change.

  3. Diluting the Cesspool: Families, Home Improvement, and Social Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodsell, Todd L.

    2008-01-01

    In recent years, the process of social change through improvement of residences in decaying neighborhoods--gentrification--has itself changed. Traditional families (married with children) and a broader spectrum of the social class spectrum are more likely to be involved. The present research takes an ethnographic perspective and considers the…

  4. Life Satisfaction and Family Structure among Adolescents in Hong Kong

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwan, Ying-Keung

    2008-01-01

    Relationships between family structure and perceived life satisfaction in overall life and five domains of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale, family life, friendships, school experience, myself, and where I live were examined among 4,502 Chinese adolescent secondary school students in Hong Kong. Bivariate analyses showed…

  5. An integrable coupling family of Merola-Ragnisco-Tu lattice systems, its Hamiltonian structure and related nonisospectral integrable lattice family

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu Xixiang, E-mail: xu_xixiang@hotmail.co [College of Science, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266510 (China)

    2010-01-04

    An integrable coupling family of Merola-Ragnisco-Tu lattice systems is derived from a four-by-four matrix spectral problem. The Hamiltonian structure of the resulting integrable coupling family is established by the discrete variational identity. Each lattice system in the resulting integrable coupling family is proved to be integrable discrete Hamiltonian system in Liouville sense. Ultimately, a nonisospectral integrable lattice family associated with the resulting integrable lattice family is constructed through discrete zero curvature representation.

  6. An integrable coupling family of Merola-Ragnisco-Tu lattice systems, its Hamiltonian structure and related nonisospectral integrable lattice family

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Xixiang

    2010-01-01

    An integrable coupling family of Merola-Ragnisco-Tu lattice systems is derived from a four-by-four matrix spectral problem. The Hamiltonian structure of the resulting integrable coupling family is established by the discrete variational identity. Each lattice system in the resulting integrable coupling family is proved to be integrable discrete Hamiltonian system in Liouville sense. Ultimately, a nonisospectral integrable lattice family associated with the resulting integrable lattice family is constructed through discrete zero curvature representation.

  7. Role and structural characterization of plant aldehyde dehydrogenases from family 2 and family 7.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Končitíková, Radka; Vigouroux, Armelle; Kopečná, Martina; Andree, Tomáš; Bartoš, Jan; Šebela, Marek; Moréra, Solange; Kopečný, David

    2015-05-15

    Aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDHs) are responsible for oxidation of biogenic aldehyde intermediates as well as for cell detoxification of aldehydes generated during lipid peroxidation. So far, 13 ALDH families have been described in plants. In the present study, we provide a detailed biochemical characterization of plant ALDH2 and ALDH7 families by analysing maize and pea ALDH7 (ZmALDH7 and PsALDH7) and four maize cytosolic ALDH(cALDH)2 isoforms RF2C, RF2D, RF2E and RF2F [the first maize ALDH2 was discovered as a fertility restorer (RF2A)]. We report the crystal structures of ZmALDH7, RF2C and RF2F at high resolution. The ZmALDH7 structure shows that the three conserved residues Glu(120), Arg(300) and Thr(302) in the ALDH7 family are located in the substrate-binding site and are specific to this family. Our kinetic analysis demonstrates that α-aminoadipic semialdehyde, a lysine catabolism intermediate, is the preferred substrate for plant ALDH7. In contrast, aromatic aldehydes including benzaldehyde, anisaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, coniferaldehyde and sinapaldehyde are the best substrates for cALDH2. In line with these results, the crystal structures of RF2C and RF2F reveal that their substrate-binding sites are similar and are formed by an aromatic cluster mainly composed of phenylalanine residues and several nonpolar residues. Gene expression studies indicate that the RF2C gene, which is strongly expressed in all organs, appears essential, suggesting that the crucial role of the enzyme would certainly be linked to the cell wall formation using aldehydes from phenylpropanoid pathway as substrates. Finally, plant ALDH7 may significantly contribute to osmoprotection because it oxidizes several aminoaldehydes leading to products known as osmolytes.

  8. Family structure and health, how companionship acts as a buffer against ill health

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kizuki Masashi

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Health and well-being are the result of synergistic interactions among a variety of determinants. Family structure and composition are social determinants that may also affect health behaviours and outcomes. This study was performed to examine the associations between family structure and health and to determine the protective effects of support mechanisms to improve quality of health outcome. Methods Six hundred people, selected by multistage sampling to obtain a representative population of men and women aged 20–60 living in communities in Japan, were included in this study. Data regarding subjective views of one's own health, family structure, lifestyle and social support were collected through structured face-to-face interviews on home visits. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures, height and weight were measured by trained examiners. The associations between family structure and health after controlling for demographics, lifestyle and social support were examined using logistic and linear regression analyses. Results Subjects living alone were significantly more likely to be in ill health, as determined using the General Health Questionnaire, in comparison to those in extended families (OR = 3.14. Subjects living alone or as couples were significantly more likely to suffer from severe hypertension in comparison to those living in extended families (OR = 8.25, OR = 4.90. These associations remained after controlling for the influence of lifestyle. Subjects living only with spouse or in nuclear family had higher probabilities of mental ill health in the absence than in the presence of people showing concern for their well-being. Conclusion The results of this study infers that a support mechanism consisting of companionship and the presence of family or other people concerned for one's well being acts as a buffer against deleterious influence of living in small family that will lead to improved quality of health outcome.

  9. Structural Insight on the Mechanism of Regulation of the MarR Family of Proteins: High-Resolution Crystal Structure of a Transcriptional Repressor from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saridakis, Vivian; Shahinas, Dea; Xu, Xiaohui; Christendat, Dinesh (York); (Toronto); (CG)

    2008-03-31

    Transcriptional regulators belonging to the MarR family are characterized by a winged-helix DNA binding domain. These transcriptional regulators regulate the efflux and influx of phenolic agents in bacteria and archaea. In Escherichia coli, MarR regulates the multiple antibiotic resistance operon and its inactivation produces a multiple antibiotic resistance phenotype. In some organisms, active efflux of drug compounds will produce a drug resistance phenotype, whereas in other organisms, active influx of chlorinated hydrocarbons results in their rapid degradation. Although proteins in the MarR family are regulators of important biological processes, their mechanism of action is not well understood and structural information about how phenolic agents regulate the activity of these proteins is lacking. This article presents the three-dimensional structure of a protein of the MarR family, MTH313, in its apo form and in complex with salicylate, a known inactivator. A comparison of these two structures indicates that the mechanism of regulation involves a large conformational change in the DNA binding lobe. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and biophysical analyses further suggest that salicylate inactivates MTH313 and prevents it from binding to its promoter region.

  10. Family Structure and Female Labour Supply in Mexico City

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gong, X.; van Soest, A.H.O.

    1997-01-01

    This paper investigates labour supply of the wives of the heads of households in Mexico City, with a focus on the impact of family structure. A static neoclassical structural model is used. We assume that each woman chooses her labour supply and corresponding income so that her utility is maximized,

  11. Italy: Delayed adaptation of social institutions to changes in family behaviour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Laura Zanatta

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Considering its very low fertility and high age at childbearing, Italy stands alone in the European context and can hardly be compared with other countries, even those in the Southern region. The fertility decline occurred without any radical change in family formation. Individuals still choose (religious marriage for leaving their parental home and rates of marital dissolution and subsequent step-family formation are low. Marriage is being postponed and fewer people marry. The behaviours of young people are particularly alarming. There is a delay in all life cycle stages: end of education, entry into the labour market, exit from the parental family, entry into union, and managing an independent household. Changes in family formation and childbearing are constrained and slowed down by a substantial delay (or even failure with which the institutional and cultural framework has adapted to changes in economic and social conditions, in particular to the growth of the service sector, the increase in female employment and the female level of education. In a Catholic country that has been led for almost half a century by a political party with a Catholic ideology, the paucity of attention to childhood and youth seems incomprehensible. Social policies focus on marriage-based families already formed and on the phases of life related to pregnancy, delivery, and the first months of a newborn's life, while forming a family and childbearing choices are considered private affairs and neglected.

  12. Caregiver roles in families affected by Huntington's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Røthing, Merete; Malterud, Kirsti; Frich, Jan C

    2013-01-01

    AIM: The objective of this study was to explore family caregivers' experiences with the impact of Huntington's disease (HD) on the family structure and roles in the family. METHODOLOGY: We interviewed 15 family caregivers in families affected by HD, based on a semi-structured interview guide...... for impairments by taking on adult responsibilities, and in some families, a child had the role as main caregiver. The increasing need for care could cause conflicts between the role as family member and family caregiver. The burden of care within the family could fragment and isolate the family. CONCLUSIONS......: Huntington's disease has a major impact on family systems. Caregiver roles are shaped by impairments in the affected family member and corresponding dynamic adoption and change in roles within the family. Making assessments of the family structure and roles, professionals may understand more about how...

  13. School climate, family structure, and academic achievement: a study of moderation effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Malley, Meagan; Voight, Adam; Renshaw, Tyler L; Eklund, Katie

    2015-03-01

    School climate has been lauded for its relationship to a host of desirable academic, behavioral, and social-emotional outcomes for youth. The present study tested the hypothesis that school climate counteracts youths' home-school risk by examining the moderating effects of students' school climate perceptions on the relationship between family structure (i.e., two-parent, one-parent, foster-care, and homeless households), and academic performance (i.e., self-reported [grade point average] GPA). The present sample consisted of 902 California public high schools, including responses from over 490,000 students in Grades 9 and 11. Results indicated that, regardless of family structure, students with more positive school climate perceptions self-reported higher GPAs. Youths with two-parent, one-parent, and homeless family structures displayed stepwise, linear improvements in self-reported GPA as perceptions of climate improved. Foster-care students' positive school climate perceptions had a weaker effect on their self-reported GPA compared with students living in other family structures. A unique curvilinear trend was found for homeless students, as the relationship between their school climate perceptions and self-reported GPA was stronger at lower levels. Overall, the moderation effect of positive school climate perceptions on self-reported GPA was strongest for homeless youth and youth from one-parent homes, suggesting that school climate has a protective effect for students living in these family structures. A protective effect was not found for youth in foster-care. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

  14. Impediments to Media Communication of Social Change in Family ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    AJRH Managing Editor

    media's and consumers' aspirations. (Afr J Reprod Health 2013; 17[3]: ... Keywords: Family Planning, Journalists, Behaviour Change Communication. Introduction ... method approaches, community involvement, as well as building media ...

  15. Soviet women and the autonomous family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Imbrogno, S; Imbrogno, N I

    1989-01-01

    "The USSR family is changing in form from that of a social collectivity, a bedrock conception to socialism, to that of an autonomous family. Autonomy discloses a lack of homogeneity, an independence of choices over life-styles and a flexibility toward an interpretation given to the meaning of a socialistic state. Women are exceedingly active in making greater use of their legal rights to divorce and abortion and demanding equal status with men both in the workplace and in the home. Women are initiating major social changes, are readily adapting to changing relations and patterns in a complex society and are serving to spearhead changes in the family unit. These factors have generated major changes in the normative, behavioral and structural dimensions of marriage and family life in the Soviet Union." excerpt

  16. [Structure and Family Type in Patients With Substance Abuse or Dependence Psychoactive Rehabilitation Center of Addiction in the Municipality of Chia Cundinamarca].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vargas Navarro, Pedro; Parra Vera, Mario Danilo; Arévalo Zamora, Caterín; Cifuentes Gaitán, Luisa Karen; Valero Carvajal, Jaime; Sierra de Jaramillo, Margarita

    2015-01-01

    To determine the family type, family structure in a group of patients with a diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence who were at a rehabilitation center for addiction during the period between August and October 2009. Through a descriptive qualitative-interpretative methodology 10 patients who met inclusion criteria for substance dependence or abuse were studied. The fieldwork and transcripts were made for three months by non-participant observation, non-structured interviews and examination of patients' clinical history. Seven of the families interviewed were single-parent families with an unconventional organization on "gender roles". Single-parent families favored loneliness, difficulty in rule-setting, de-idealization of the place of the father in the family structure and a constant search for complicity. In the analysis by categories, we found that in 10 families in the study of individuals with addictions it is common to find family structure characteristics such as inadequate communication, lack of authority rules and limits, presence of triangulations, the lack of cohesion due to the existence of a disconnected relationship pattern and changed roles compared to conventional gender. The search for the affection of the mother at her emotional overload absence of roles and lack of father, raised by the separation of the couple, was found as an essential aspect underlying the addictive behavior. A pattern of parental abandonment is configured. The findings confirmed what has been mentioned by various authors regarding the characteristics of the family typology structure and personal factors in patients with addictions, in addition to their need for affection combined with the desire for the mother's presence. The family typology does not determine for itself the abuse of psychoactive substances, but the influence of other factors such as family structure, especially deficient affective interactions, which should be considered in the development of

  17. An International Look at the Single-Parent: Family Structure Matters More for U.S. Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woessmann, Ludger

    2015-01-01

    When Daniel Patrick Moynihan raised the issue of family structure half a century ago, his concern was the increase in black families headed by women. Since then, the share of children raised in single-parent families in the United States has grown across racial and ethnic groups and with it evidence regarding the impact of family structure on…

  18. Structure and sociodemographis characteristics of the family climate in Vojvodina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mihić Ivana

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Research presented in this paper aimed to investigate psychometric characteristics and factor structure of Family Climate Inventory (FCI Kurdek et al., 1995, as well as the sociodemographic correlates of the quality of family environment operacionalized by this scale. The research sample consisted of 561 adolescents (average age 16. Four factores were extracted.Total variance explained by these four factors was 62. 29%. First factor has been defined as Acceptance, the second (Autonomy considers the estimated level of independence between family members. The third factor Conflicts implies frequency and influence of conflict situations and relations within the family. The fourth isolated factor- Supervision, was the dimension of original FCI scale, but has shown poor metric characteristics in our sample, and has been excluded from further analysis. The reduced Family Climate Inventory consists of 18 items, and has good psychometric characteristics (Cronbah a =.94. Family climate is assessed as better in dual earning families with egalitarian division of parental roles and household labor. Adolescents from rural families describe their family environment as better in quality.

  19. Work-Family Conflict and the Perception of Departmental and Institutional Work-Family Policies in Collegiate Athletic Trainers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godek, Michelle M.

    2012-01-01

    Employees throughout the United States struggle to balance their work and family commitments, in part because the workforce makeup has changed significantly over the last half century. The evolving family structure also has contributed to this struggle. This research seeks to build on previous work-family literature by incorporating the six…

  20. Children's representations of multiple family relationships: organizational structure and development in early childhood.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schermerhorn, Alice C; Cummings, E Mark; Davies, Patrick T

    2008-02-01

    The authors examine mutual family influence processes at the level of children's representations of multiple family relationships, as well as the structure of those representations. From a community sample with 3 waves, each spaced 1 year apart, kindergarten-age children (105 boys and 127 girls) completed a story-stem completion task, tapping representations of multiple family relationships. Structural equation modeling with autoregressive controls indicated that representational processes involving different family relationships were interrelated over time, including links between children's representations of marital conflict and reactions to conflict, between representations of security about marital conflict and parent-child relationships, and between representations of security in father-child and mother-child relationships. Mixed support was found for notions of increasing stability in representations during this developmental period. Results are discussed in terms of notions of transactional family dynamics, including family-wide perspectives on mutual influence processes attributable to multiple family relationships.

  1. Family structure and family education as the factors for personal development of preschooler

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Golovey L.A.

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This article is devoted to analysis of personal characteristics of preschoolers in relation to the factors of gender, family structure (complete or one-parent, the presence of sibling and family upbringing (parenting styles, parent-child emotional interaction. The study involved 155 boys, 157 girls and 312 mothers from Saint-Petersburg, Novosibirsk and Arkhangelsk. The age of children — from 4 to 7 years. We used the test and projective techniques. The study revealed that children from single parent families had higher indicators of anxiety, insecurity, depressiveness, self-distrust, hostility, feeling of inferiority, conflicts and difficulties in communication. In families with pronounced overprotection and characteristics of an authoritarian style children had lower self- esteem and higher indicators of anxiety and hostility. Children's aggressiveness was more pronounced in the case of permissive style and instability of parenting style. It was shown that emotional well-being in the parent-child relationships can be regarded as a resource for personal development of the child: understanding the causes of child s state, empathy. However we revealed that one third part of mothers had difficulties in emotional interaction with children. The research was supported by the Russian Foundation for Humanities (project №13-06-00480 «The family as a resource of child´s mental development in stable and critical ontogenetic periods».

  2. Molecular Descriptors Family on Structure Activity Relationships 1. Review of the Methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lorentz JÄNTSCHI

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available This review cumulates the knowledge about the use of Molecular Descriptors Family usage on Structure Activity Relationships. The methodology is augmented through the general Structure Activity Relationships methodology. The obtained models in a series of five papers are quantitatively analyzed by comparing with previous reported results by using of the correlated correlations tests. The scores for a series of 13 data sets unpublished yet results are presented. Two unrestricted online access portals to the Molecular Descriptors Family Structure Activity Relationship models results are given.

  3. Biosynthesis and structure-activity relationships of the lipid a family of glycolipids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Xirui; Sankaranarayanan, Karthik; Khosla, Chaitan

    2017-10-01

    Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a glycolipid found in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, is a potent elicitor of innate immune responses in mammals. A typical LPS molecule is composed of three different structural domains: a polysaccharide called the O-antigen, a core oligosaccharide, and Lipid A. Lipid A is the amphipathic glycolipid moiety of LPS. It stimulates the immune system by tightly binding to Toll-like receptor 4. More recently, Lipid A has also been shown to activate intracellular caspase-4 and caspase-5. An impressive diversity is observed in Lipid A structures from different Gram-negative bacteria, and it is well established that subtle changes in chemical structure can result in dramatically different immune activities. For example, Lipid A from Escherichia coli is highly toxic to humans, whereas a biosynthetic precursor called Lipid IV A blocks this toxic activity, and monophosphoryl Lipid A from Salmonella minnesota is a vaccine adjuvant. Thus, an understanding of structure-activity relationships in this glycolipid family could be used to design useful immunomodulatory agents. Here we review the biosynthesis, modification, and structure-activity relationships of Lipid A. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Diagnostic Perspectives on the Family: Process, Structural and Historical Contextual Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levant, Ronald F.

    1983-01-01

    Describes diagnostic perspectives for viewing dysfunctional families. Presents three general types of models (process, structural, and historical) and organized them along a continuum from most descriptive to most inferential. Presented at the 39th Annual Conference of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, October-November…

  5. Changing Workplaces to Reduce Work-Family Conflict: Schedule Control in a White-Collar Organization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Erin L.; Moen, Phyllis; Tranby, Eric

    2011-01-01

    Work-family conflicts are common and consequential for employees, their families, and work organizations. Can workplaces be changed to reduce work-family conflict? Previous research has not been able to assess whether workplace policies or initiatives succeed in reducing work-family conflict or increasing work-family fit. Using longitudinal data…

  6. Structural profiles of human miRNA families from pairwise clustering

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kaczkowski, Bogumil; Þórarinsson, Elfar; Reiche, Kristin

    2009-01-01

    secondary structure already predicted, little is known about the patterns of structural conservation among pre-miRNAs. We address this issue by clustering the human pre-miRNA sequences based on pairwise, sequence and secondary structure alignment using FOLDALIGN, followed by global multiple alignment...... of obtained clusters by WAR. As a result, the common secondary structure was successfully determined for four FOLDALIGN clusters: the RF00027 structural family of the Rfam database and three clusters with previously undescribed consensus structures. Availability: http://genome.ku.dk/resources/mirclust...

  7. Comparison of Family Power Structure and Identity Style Between Delinquent and Non-Delinquent Juveniles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khodabakhshi Koolaee, Anahita; Rahmatizadeh, Masoumeh; Shaghelanilor, Hossein; Pocock, Lesley

    2015-12-01

    Adolescence denotes a time in which youth begins to experience dangerous behaviors like substance use and delinquency. In this study, we investigated the family power structure and identity style in delinquent and non-delinquent juveniles residing in Tehran, Iran. To accomplish the goal of the study, 80 adolescent delinquents of the correction and rehabilitation centers aged between 15 and 18 years were selected with convenience sampling method and 80 students of secondary school age between 15 and 18 years in Tehran, Iran in 2012. They answered the instrument of family power structure (Saidian, 2004) and identity style (ISI-6G: White et al. 1998). The obtained data were analyzed using the independent t-test, chi-square test, and Levene's test. The findings indicated a significant difference between delinquent and non-delinquent juveniles with regard to family power structure, its subscales (P family has a significant effect on deviant behavior and identity style in adolescents. So, family power structure can be considered in therapeutic interventions (prevention and treatment) for adolescent delinquency.

  8. CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE AND ROLES OF SPANISH-AMERICAN FAMILIES OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO.

    Science.gov (United States)

    KNOWLTON, CLARK S.

    DATA FOR THIS PAPER WERE OBTAINED FROM EXAMINATION OF AVAILABLE LITERATURE AND FROM FIELD WORK IN SAN MIGUEL AND MORA COUNTIES OF NORTHERN NEW MEXICO. THE EXTENDED PATRIARCHAL FAMILY WAS THE PRIMARY SOCIAL SYSTEM AMONG THE SPANISH AMERICANS, OFTEN CONSISTING OF MEMBERS OF THREE OR FOUR GENERATIONS HEADED BY THE GRANDFATHER. THIS FAMILY COOPERATED…

  9. Patterns of individual change in a parenting program for child maltreatment and their relation to family and professional environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byrne, S; Rodrigo, M J; Máiquez, M L

    2014-03-01

    In the area of child maltreatment prevention, little is known about the typology of changes that individuals undergo in response to parent-training interventions. In this study, we examined the patterns of change observed in parents immediately after their completion of the Apoyo Personal y Familiar (APF, Personal and Family Support) parenting program. We identified five clusters and classified 496 parents according to two criteria: (a) the amount of pre-post changes (total or partial) as reflected in their self-reports on implicit theories, parental agency and childrearing practices, and (b) the positive, negative or mixed character of these changes. The study also included a follow-up of a subset of 95 participants intended to examine the extent to which the patterns of change identified in the first part of the study might predict the quality of the childrearing environment at home and the successful integration of the APF program into social services structures one year on. In this follow-up study, external evaluators observed families' home environments and collected the parenting program facilitators' self-reports on changes to their work environment. The evaluators found higher-quality childrearing environments and more positive appraisals of the changes to the teams' work with families in those cases where participants had experienced partial or total positive changes as a result of the APF. This approach offers insights into processes of individual change that have practical implications for the successful implementation of parenting programs in child maltreatment prevention services. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Family Environment and Childhood Obesity: A New Framework with Structural Equation Modeling

    OpenAIRE

    Huang, Hui; Wan Mohamed Radzi, Che Wan Jasimah bt; Salarzadeh Jenatabadi, Hashem

    2017-01-01

    The main purpose of the current article is to introduce a framework of the complexity of childhood obesity based on the family environment. A conceptual model that quantifies the relationships and interactions among parental socioeconomic status, family food security level, child’s food intake and certain aspects of parental feeding behaviour is presented using the structural equation modeling (SEM) concept. Structural models are analysed in terms of the direct and indirect connections among ...

  11. Family structure and upbringing as factors of intellectual development of preschool children

    OpenAIRE

    Golovey L.A.; Savenysheva S.S.; Engelgardt E.E.

    2016-01-01

    The paper is devoted to investigation of the influence of the family structure and family attitudes, child-parent relationship, styles of family upbringing on the intellectual develop- ment of pre-school-age children. Attention is paid to the analysis of the influence of parents and children gender. The sample included 150 children, 150 mothers and 75 fathers, all the families live in St. Petersburg. Results of the study reveal a significantly greater influence of the child's parent-child rel...

  12. Observed Family Interactions among Subtypes of Eating Disorders Using Structural Analysis of Social Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphrey, Laura Lynn

    1989-01-01

    Compared observations of family interactions among anorexic, bulimic-anorexic, bulimic, and normal families (N=74 families) consisting of father, mother, and teenage daughter. Benjamin's structural analysis of social behavior methodology differentiated clinical from normal families. Found unique patterns among subtypes of eating disorders which…

  13. New families of human regulatory RNA structures identified by comparative analysis of vertebrate genomes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Parker, Brian John; Moltke, Ida; Roth, Adam

    2011-01-01

    a comparative method, EvoFam, for genome-wide identification of families of regulatory RNA structures, based on primary sequence and secondary structure similarity. We apply EvoFam to a 41-way genomic vertebrate alignment. Genome-wide, we identify 220 human, high-confidence families outside protein...

  14. Family Structure and Social Influence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, Dawn R.

    Regardless of family form, there is a universal belief that one's family is the most powerful agent of socialization. A sample of 38 junior high school students from single parent and nuclear families completed a questionnaire in order to examine the relative effects of peer influence and family influence in single parent and nuclear families.…

  15. Encopresis: A Structural/Strategic Approach to Family Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McColgan, Edgar B.; And Others

    1985-01-01

    Reports treatment of a 9-year-old boy with primary encopresis combining structural and strategic approaches. Describes organizational features of the family, the contextual approach to therapy, individual and collective responses to therapy, and follow-up at 3 months and 1 1/2 years. Discusses effects of therapy on encopresis and on other…

  16. Hitchin Connections for Various Families of Kähler Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rasmussen, Kenneth

    2018-01-01

    In this thesis we study aspects of the mathematical formulation of quantization and more specifically geometric quantization. Our main objective is the construction of a Hitchin connection in settings, that generalise the constructions of Andersen in [And12], which again was a generalisation...... of the original work by Hitchin [Hit90] studying the case of the moduli space of flat connections on a surface. We review the construction by Andersen and this Author in [AR16], where we succeeded in significantly weakening the so called rigidity condition on the family of complex structures, which was required...... for Andersens original construction to work. We also include calculations of the curvature in this so-called weakly restricted case. Afterwards we continue with new work joint with Andersen, where we construct a Hitchin connection for a general family of Kähler structures under certain cohomolog- ical...

  17. Collisional family structure within the Nysa-Polana complex

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dykhuis, Melissa J.; Greenberg, Richard

    2015-05-01

    The Nysa-Polana complex is a group of low-inclination asteroid families in the inner main belt, bounded in semimajor axis by the Mars-crossing region and the Jupiter 3:1 mean-motion resonance. This group is important as the most likely source region for the target of the OSIRIS-REx mission, (101955) Bennu; however, family membership in the region is complicated by the presence of several dynamically overlapping families with a range of surface reflectance properties. The large S-type structure in the region appears to be associated with the parent body (135) Hertha, and displays an (eP,aP) correlation consistent with a collision event near true anomaly of ∼180° with ejecta velocity vej ∼ 285m /s . The ejecta distribution from a collision with these orbital properties is predicted to have a maximum semimajor axis dispersion of δaej = 0.005 ± 0.008AU , which constitutes only a small fraction (7%) of the observed semimajor axis dispersion, the rest of which is attributed to the Yarkovsky effect. The age of the family is inferred from the Yarkovsky dispersion to be 300-50+60 My. Objects in a smaller cluster that overlaps the large Hertha family in proper orbital element space have reflectance properties more consistent with the X-type (135) Hertha than the surrounding S-type family. These objects form a distinct Yarkovsky "V" signature in (aP, H) space, consistent with a more recent collision, which appears to also be dynamically connected to (135) Hertha. Production of two families with different reflectance properties from a single parent could result from the partial differentiation of the parent, shock darkening effects, or other causes. The Nysa-Polana complex also contains a low-albedo family associated with (142) Polana (called "New Polana" by Walsh et al. (Walsh, K.J. et al. [2013]. Icarus 225, 283-297)), and two other low-albedo families associated with (495) Eulalia. The second Eulalia family may be a high-aP , low-eP , low-iP component of the first

  18. Changes in perceived filial obligation norms among coresident family caregivers in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsutsui, Takako; Muramatsu, Naoko; Higashino, Sadanori

    2014-10-01

    Japan introduced a nationwide long-term care insurance (LTCI) system in 2000, making long-term care (LTC) a right for older adults regardless of income and family availability. To shed light on its implications for family caregiving, we investigated perceived filial obligation norms among coresident primary family caregivers before and after the policy change. Descriptive and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine changes in perceived filial obligation norms and its subdimensions (financial, physical, and emotional support), using 2-wave panel survey data of coresident primary family caregivers (N = 611) in 1 city. The baseline survey was conducted in 1999, and a follow-up survey 2 years later. On average, perceived filial obligation norms declined (p family caregivers. In particular, physical support, which Japan's LTC reform targeted, declined significantly among daughters and daughters-in-law (p perceived filial obligation norms after the policy introduction than sons and daughters (p < .01 and p < .05, respectively), controlling for the baseline filial obligation and situational factors. Our research indicates declining roles of daughters-in-law in elder care during Japan's LTCI system implementation period. Further international efforts are needed to design and implement longitudinal studies that help promote understanding of the interplay among national LTC policies, social changes, and caregiving norms and behaviors. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.

  19. Impediments to Media Communication of Social Change in Family ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The media has been employed to increase uptake of Family Planning through behaviour change communication (BCC). Understanding the barriers encountered in effectively undertaking this function would increase the strategy's effectiveness. Sixty journalists from East Africa participated in trainings to enhance their BCC ...

  20. Adolescence and changing family relations in the Central Canadian Arctic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Condon, R G

    1990-04-01

    This paper reports on a ten-year longitudinal study of adolescent development and socialization conducted in the Copper Inuit community of Holman. This research has documented how demographic, social, and economic changes have dramatically altered the patterning and sequencing of traditional Inuit life stages, thus giving rise to a prolonged adolescent life stage which was non-existent in the precontact period. At the same time, Inuit family relations have undergone drastic changes as a result of population increase, population concentration, access to government housing, introduction of formal schooling, and the availability of social subsides. Today, the Copper Inuit family has lost its focus as the primary agent of socialization and learning, and many young Inuit now spend most of their time within the context of a greatly expanded peer group which has gradually acquired the values and aspirations of the southern adolescent sub-culture. This paper will discuss the impact of these changing attitudes upon parent-child relations as well as the social adjustment problems experienced by young Inuit as they strive to find a place in the North's changing social landscape.

  1. A Review of the Structural Characteristics of Family Meals with Children in the United States12

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCullough, Mary Beth; Robson, Shannon M; Stark, Lori J

    2016-01-01

    Family meals are associated with a range of positive outcomes among children and adolescents. There is inconsistency, however, in the way in which studies have defined and measured family meals. Therefore, a systematic review of the literature was conducted to determine how studies describe family meals with the use of structural characteristics. The current review focused on studies in the United States that included children ages 2–18 y. A total of 33 studies were identified that characterized family meals with the use of ≥1 of the following structural features: frequency or mean number of family meals per week, length of family meal, people present at meal, and where meals occurred. No study characterized family meals by using all 4 family meal features, whereas most studies (81%) characterized family meals by using frequency or mean number of meals per week. Findings not only provide an initial understanding of the structural features used to define family meals but also point to the importance of developing a more comprehensive, sensitive assessment that can accurately capture the complex and multidimensional nature of family meals. PMID:27422500

  2. The Likelihood of Parent-Adult Child Coresidence: Effects of Family Structure and Parental Characteristics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aquilino, William S.

    1990-01-01

    Estimated influence of child, parent, and family structural characteristics on likelihood of parents having coresident adult child, based on national sample of 4,893 parents. Results indicated most parents maintained own households and most parents and adult children who coresided lived in parents' home. Family structure was found to exert strong…

  3. Structural insights into the anti-HIV activity of the Oscillatoria agardhii agglutinin homolog lectin family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koharudin, Leonardus M I; Kollipara, Sireesha; Aiken, Christopher; Gronenborn, Angela M

    2012-09-28

    Oscillatoria agardhii agglutinin homolog (OAAH) proteins belong to a recently discovered lectin family. All members contain a sequence repeat of ~66 amino acids, with the number of repeats varying among different family members. Apart from data for the founding member OAA, neither three-dimensional structures, information about carbohydrate binding specificities, nor antiviral activity data have been available up to now for any other members of the OAAH family. To elucidate the structural basis for the antiviral mechanism of OAAHs, we determined the crystal structures of Pseudomonas fluorescens and Myxococcus xanthus lectins. Both proteins exhibit the same fold, resembling the founding family member, OAA, with minor differences in loop conformations. Carbohydrate binding studies by NMR and x-ray structures of glycan-lectin complexes reveal that the number of sugar binding sites corresponds to the number of sequence repeats in each protein. As for OAA, tight and specific binding to α3,α6-mannopentaose was observed. All the OAAH proteins described here exhibit potent anti-HIV activity at comparable levels. Altogether, our results provide structural details of the protein-carbohydrate interaction for this novel lectin family and insights into the molecular basis of their HIV inactivation properties.

  4. Perceived Social Change, Parental Control, and Family Relations: A Comparison of Chinese Families in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the United States

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fung, Joey; Kim, Joanna J.; Jin, Joel; Wu, Qiaobing; Fang, Chao; Lau, Anna S.

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between perceived social change, parental control and family relations in a sample of 419 4th and 5th grade children and their mothers who are of Chinese descent but reside in three different contexts: Los Angeles (LA), Hong Kong (HK), and Beijing (BJ). HK mothers endorsed the highest levels of psychological control and the lowest levels of autonomy support compared to BJ and LA mothers. Perceived social change as measured by mothers’ endorsement of new values and ideologies was associated with increased use of both autonomy support and psychological control. Results of the mediation analyses suggested that perceived social change explained differences between LA and HK mothers in autonomy support, but group differences in psychological control were magnified when perceived social change was accounted for. Finally, whereas autonomy support was associated with higher levels of child perceived acceptance in HK and LA, psychological control was associated with greater family conflict in BJ and LA. Findings suggested that as families undergo urbanization or social change, it may shift the implications of traditional strategies that are intended to socialize the child toward interpersonal attunement. Overall, the study highlights the importance of moving beyond ethnic-group or cross-national comparisons to investigate the role of changing social and economic contexts in understanding differences in the use of parental control and their associations with family relations. PMID:29062285

  5. Perceived Social Change, Parental Control, and Family Relations: A Comparison of Chinese Families in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fung, Joey; Kim, Joanna J; Jin, Joel; Wu, Qiaobing; Fang, Chao; Lau, Anna S

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between perceived social change, parental control and family relations in a sample of 419 4th and 5th grade children and their mothers who are of Chinese descent but reside in three different contexts: Los Angeles (LA), Hong Kong (HK), and Beijing (BJ). HK mothers endorsed the highest levels of psychological control and the lowest levels of autonomy support compared to BJ and LA mothers. Perceived social change as measured by mothers' endorsement of new values and ideologies was associated with increased use of both autonomy support and psychological control. Results of the mediation analyses suggested that perceived social change explained differences between LA and HK mothers in autonomy support, but group differences in psychological control were magnified when perceived social change was accounted for. Finally, whereas autonomy support was associated with higher levels of child perceived acceptance in HK and LA, psychological control was associated with greater family conflict in BJ and LA. Findings suggested that as families undergo urbanization or social change, it may shift the implications of traditional strategies that are intended to socialize the child toward interpersonal attunement. Overall, the study highlights the importance of moving beyond ethnic-group or cross-national comparisons to investigate the role of changing social and economic contexts in understanding differences in the use of parental control and their associations with family relations.

  6. Perceived Social Change, Parental Control, and Family Relations: A Comparison of Chinese Families in Hong Kong, Mainland China, and the United States

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joey Fung

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the relationship between perceived social change, parental control and family relations in a sample of 419 4th and 5th grade children and their mothers who are of Chinese descent but reside in three different contexts: Los Angeles (LA, Hong Kong (HK, and Beijing (BJ. HK mothers endorsed the highest levels of psychological control and the lowest levels of autonomy support compared to BJ and LA mothers. Perceived social change as measured by mothers’ endorsement of new values and ideologies was associated with increased use of both autonomy support and psychological control. Results of the mediation analyses suggested that perceived social change explained differences between LA and HK mothers in autonomy support, but group differences in psychological control were magnified when perceived social change was accounted for. Finally, whereas autonomy support was associated with higher levels of child perceived acceptance in HK and LA, psychological control was associated with greater family conflict in BJ and LA. Findings suggested that as families undergo urbanization or social change, it may shift the implications of traditional strategies that are intended to socialize the child toward interpersonal attunement. Overall, the study highlights the importance of moving beyond ethnic-group or cross-national comparisons to investigate the role of changing social and economic contexts in understanding differences in the use of parental control and their associations with family relations.

  7. Alcohol Consumption Patterns among Adolescents are Related to Family Structure and Exposure to Drunkenness within the Family: Results from the SEYLE Project

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erik Rüütel

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available There is expedient evidence showing that differences in adolescent alcohol consumption and other risk-behaviour depend on both family structure and family member drunkenness exposure. Data were obtained among adolescents (N = 12,115, mean age 14.9 ± 0.89 in Austria, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Romania, Slovenia and Spain within the European Union’s 7th Framework Programme funded project, ‘Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE’. The current study reveals how adolescents’ alcohol consumption patterns are related to their family structure and having seen their family member drunk. The results revealed statistically significant differences in adolescent alcohol consumption depending on whether the adolescent lives in a family with both birth parents, in a single-parent family or in a family with one birth parent and one step-parent. The study also revealed that the abstaining from alcohol percentage among adolescents was greater in families with both birth parents compared to other family types. The study also showed that the more often adolescents see their family member drunk the more they drink themselves. There is no difference in adolescent drinking patterns whether they see their family member drunk once a month or once a week. This study gives an insight on which subgroups of adolescents are at heightened risk of alcohol abuse and that decrease of family member drunkenness may have positive effects on the drinking habits of their children.

  8. Collaboration ''Pamir''. 2. Structure of #betta# families and its relation to jet production

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bajburina, S.G.; Borisov, A.S.; Guseva, Z.M.

    1982-01-01

    Experimental data on 212 #betta#-families with the energy of μEsub(#betta#)=100-200 TeV and on 134 families with μEsub(#betta#)=200-400 TeV obtained during the ''Pamir'' experiment are analyzed. Only those electron photon cascades (EPC) in families, which were situated at 15 cm distance from the centre of gravity of the family weighed in energy, are taken into consideration. A class of #betta#-families, in which EPC are grouped into two space-separated groups or streams, is separated from all events. The dependence of the anisotropy (α) parameter on the ER (where E and R is the energy and the distance of the EPC from the center of gravity weighed in energy) is presented for the similar class of events. It is anticipated that there are structural #betta#-families conditioned by the quark-gluon stream generation. A part of such events constitutes 5-10%. Transverse momentum of streams constitute several GeV/c. For the model description of spatial structure of #betta#-families, formation of the considerable number of streams with high transverse momentum should be taken into consideration

  9. Structures of a bi-functional Kunitz-type STI family inhibitor of serine and aspartic proteases: Could the aspartic protease inhibition have evolved from a canonical serine protease-binding loop?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guerra, Yasel; Valiente, Pedro A; Pons, Tirso; Berry, Colin; Rudiño-Piñera, Enrique

    2016-08-01

    Bi-functional inhibitors from the Kunitz-type soybean trypsin inhibitor (STI) family are glycosylated proteins able to inhibit serine and aspartic proteases. Here we report six crystal structures of the wild-type and a non-glycosylated mutant of the bifunctional inhibitor E3Ad obtained at different pH values and space groups. The crystal structures show that E3Ad adopts the typical β-trefoil fold of the STI family exhibiting some conformational changes due to pH variations and crystal packing. Despite the high sequence identity with a recently reported potato cathepsin D inhibitor (PDI), three-dimensional structures obtained in this work show a significant conformational change in the protease-binding loop proposed for aspartic protease inhibition. The E3Ad binding loop for serine protease inhibition is also proposed, based on structural similarity with a novel non-canonical conformation described for the double-headed inhibitor API-A from the Kunitz-type STI family. In addition, structural and sequence analyses suggest that bifunctional inhibitors of serine and aspartic proteases from the Kunitz-type STI family are more similar to double-headed inhibitor API-A than other inhibitors with a canonical protease-binding loop. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  10. Therapeutic Change in Colombian Families Dealing with Violence: Therapists, Clients, and Referring Systems in Conversation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ripoll-Nunez, Karen; Villar-Guhl, Carlos Felipe; Villar-Concha, Eduardo

    2012-01-01

    There is a gap in the Marriage and Family Therapy literature regarding clients', therapists', and family judges' theories of change in relational therapy for family violence. We conducted in-depth interviews with eleven court-referred families, their therapists, and two family judges in Bogota, Colombia. Interviews focused on their expectations of…

  11. European adolescent substance use : the roles of family structure, function and gender

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    McArdle, P.; Wiegersma, Auke; Gilvarry, Eilish; Kolte, Birgitta; McCarthy, Steven; Fitzgerald, Michael; Brinkley, Aoife; Blom, Maria; Stoeckel, Ingo; Pierolini, Anna; Michels, Ingo; Johnson, Rob; Quensel, Stephan

    Objectives The aim or this study was, first, to explore family structure and measures of family functioning in relation to adolescent substance use and seeondly. to establish if these relationships differed according to gender or according to the city of origin of the sample. Design, setting,

  12. Do Family Structure and Poverty Affect Sexual Risk Behaviors of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    AJRH Managing Editor

    Family Structure, Poverty and Sexual Risk Behaviors ... Johannesburg, South Africa; 2Demography and Social Statistics Department, .... to high rate of adolescent sexual promiscuity as a ..... birth control and consequences of premarital sex.

  13. Phylogenetic analysis and protein structure modelling identifies distinct Ca(2+)/Cation antiporters and conservation of gene family structure within Arabidopsis and rice species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pittman, Jon K; Hirschi, Kendal D

    2016-12-01

    The Ca(2+)/Cation Antiporter (CaCA) superfamily is an ancient and widespread family of ion-coupled cation transporters found in nearly all kingdoms of life. In animals, K(+)-dependent and K(+)-indendent Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchangers (NCKX and NCX) are important CaCA members. Recently it was proposed that all rice and Arabidopsis CaCA proteins should be classified as NCX proteins. Here we performed phylogenetic analysis of CaCA genes and protein structure homology modelling to further characterise members of this transporter superfamily. Phylogenetic analysis of rice and Arabidopsis CaCAs in comparison with selected CaCA members from non-plant species demonstrated that these genes form clearly distinct families, with the H(+)/Cation exchanger (CAX) and cation/Ca(2+) exchanger (CCX) families dominant in higher plants but the NCKX and NCX families absent. NCX-related Mg(2+)/H(+) exchanger (MHX) and CAX-related Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger-like (NCL) proteins are instead present. Analysis of genomes of ten closely-related rice species and four Arabidopsis-related species found that CaCA gene family structures are highly conserved within related plants, apart from minor variation. Protein structures were modelled for OsCAX1a and OsMHX1. Despite exhibiting broad structural conservation, there are clear structural differences observed between the different CaCA types. Members of the CaCA superfamily form clearly distinct families with different phylogenetic, structural and functional characteristics, and therefore should not be simply classified as NCX proteins, which should remain as a separate gene family.

  14. Changing Face of Family Planning Funding in Kenya: A Cross ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    USER

    Changing Face of Family Planning Funding in Kenya: A Cross-. Sectional Survey of ... Keywords: Contraception, Expenditure, Budget, Decision-making. Résumé. A mesure ... increasingly receiving attention, including in. Kenya17. In Kenya ...

  15. Family Structure, Race, Gender and Poverty: The Case of Food ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    family structure in Africa where children are increasingly living in single-parent households, either .... of child enrolment in school (Shapiro & Tambashe, 2001), gender inequalities in the ..... The debate about household headship. Central ...

  16. A Review on Structures and Functions of Bcl-2 Family Proteins from Homo sapiens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivakumar, Dakshinamurthy; Sivaraman, Thirunavukkarasu

    2016-01-01

    Cancer cells evade apoptosis, which is regulated by proteins of Bcl-2 family in the intrinsic pathways. Numerous experimental three-dimensional (3D) structures of the apoptotic proteins and the proteins bound with small chemical molecules/peptides/proteins have been reported in the literature. In this review article, the 3D structures of the Bcl-2 family proteins from Homo sapiens and as well complex structures of the anti-apoptotic proteins bound with small molecular inhibitors reported in the literature to date have been comprehensively listed out and described in detail. Moreover, the molecular mechanisms by which the Bcl-2 family proteins modulate the apoptotic processes and strategies for designing antagonists to anti-apoptotic proteins have been concisely discussed.

  17. The Association Between Family Violence and Adolescent Dating Violence Onset: Does it Vary by Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Family Structure?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foshee, Vangie A.; Ennett, Susan T.; Bauman, Karl E.; Benefield, Thad; Suchindran, Chirayath

    2005-01-01

    The authors determine if the associations between family violence (corporal punishment, violence against the child with the intention of harm, and witnessing violence between parents) and adolescent dating violence vary by subgroups based on race, socioeconomic status, and family structure. This study is guided by the theoretical propositions of…

  18. Changes in family functions in patients with secondary premature ejaculation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mustafa Arı

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available We aimed to inverstigate changes in family functions in patients with premature ejaculation.Materials and methods: In the present study, study group were randomly selected from Mustafa Kemal University Medical School Research and Training Hospital Urology Department outpatients clinic. Control group were selected among healthy volunteers. Totally 30 patients were included in the PE group and 30 healthy volunteers were included in the control group. Subjects were examined by the same psychiatrist. Beck Anxiety Inventory and Family Assessment Scale were applied to both groupsResults: Compared with the control group, premature ejaculation patients had significantly higher anxiety scores (p=0.001 and more deterioration in problem solving (p=0.001, communication (p=0.022, affective responsiveness (p=0.011, behavior control (p=0.032, and affective involvement in their families (p=0.011. There were no difference in terms of roles and general functions scores (p>0.05.Conclusion: It can be concluded that there is deterioration in family functions in patients with premature ejaculation, Therefore, approaches targeting family functions may be beneficial in the treatment of these patients.

  19. Changing Workplaces to Reduce Work-Family Conflict: Schedule Control in a White-Collar Organization

    OpenAIRE

    Kelly, Erin L.; Moen, Phyllis; Tranby, Eric

    2011-01-01

    Work-family conflicts are common and consequential for employees, their families, and work organizations. Can workplaces be changed to reduce work-family conflict? Previous research has not been able to assess whether workplace policies or initiatives succeed in reducing work-family conflict or increasing work-family fit. Using longitudinal data collected from 608 employees of a white-collar organization before and after a workplace initiative was implemented, we investigate whether the initi...

  20. Common and distant structural characteristics of feruloyl esterase families from Aspergillus oryzae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Udatha, D B R K Gupta; Mapelli, Valeria; Panagiotou, Gianni; Olsson, Lisbeth

    2012-01-01

    Feruloyl esterases (FAEs) are important biomass degrading accessory enzymes due to their capability of cleaving the ester links between hemicellulose and pectin to aromatic compounds of lignin, thus enhancing the accessibility of plant tissues to cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes. FAEs have gained increased attention in the area of biocatalytic transformations for the synthesis of value added compounds with medicinal and nutritional applications. Following the increasing attention on these enzymes, a novel descriptor based classification system has been proposed for FAEs resulting into 12 distinct families and pharmacophore models for three FAE sub-families have been developed. The feruloylome of Aspergillus oryzae contains 13 predicted FAEs belonging to six sub-families based on our recently developed descriptor-based classification system. The three-dimensional structures of the 13 FAEs were modeled for structural analysis of the feruloylome. The three genes coding for three enzymes, viz., A.O.2, A.O.8 and A.O.10 from the feruloylome of A. oryzae, representing sub-families with unknown functional features, were heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris, characterized for substrate specificity and structural characterization through CD spectroscopy. Common feature-based pharamacophore models were developed according to substrate specificity characteristics of the three enzymes. The active site residues were identified for the three expressed FAEs by determining the titration curves of amino acid residues as a function of the pH by applying molecular simulations. Our findings on the structure-function relationships and substrate specificity of the FAEs of A. oryzae will be instrumental for further understanding of the FAE families in the novel classification system. The developed pharmacophore models could be applied for virtual screening of compound databases for short listing the putative substrates prior to docking studies or for post

  1. Family structure and upbringing as factors of intellectual development of preschool children

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Golovey L.A.

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The paper is devoted to investigation of the influence of the family structure and family attitudes, child-parent relationship, styles of family upbringing on the intellectual develop- ment of pre-school-age children. Attention is paid to the analysis of the influence of parents and children gender. The sample included 150 children, 150 mothers and 75 fathers, all the families live in St. Petersburg. Results of the study reveal a significantly greater influence of the child's parent-child relationship and family atmosphere on the intellectual develop- ment in comparison with its structure. Negative impact of attitudes on the severity, harsh- ness, acceleration the development of the child on the intellectual development is revealed. Influence of parents’ gender on intellectual development of children manifests in the lead- ing role of the father’s relationship in girls IQ results, and mother’s parental attitudes in boys IQ results. The authors of the article reveal the importance of the adequacy of the system of regulation and control, severity of requirements for the development of girls; lack of parental custody and adequacy to meet the needs — for the development of boys. The authors outline the significant role of preschool children perception, especially girls, of the emotional atmosphere in the family in their intellectual development. This work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Humanities (project №13-06-008480 «Family as a resource for mental development of children in stable and critical periods of ontogeny»

  2. Changes in human gut flora with age: an Indian familial study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marathe, Nachiket; Shetty, Sudarshan; Lanjekar, Vikram; Ranade, Dilip; Shouche, Yogesh

    2012-09-26

    The gut micro flora plays vital role in health status of the host. The majority of microbes residing in the gut have a profound influence on human physiology and nutrition. Different human ethnic groups vary in genetic makeup as well as the environmental conditions they live in. The gut flora changes with genetic makeup and environmental factors and hence it is necessary to understand the composition of gut flora of different ethnic groups. Indian population is different in physiology from western population (YY paradox) and thus the gut flora in Indian population is likely to differ from the extensively studied gut flora in western population. In this study we have investigated the gut flora of two Indian families, each with three individuals belonging to successive generations and living under the same roof. Denaturation gradient gel electrophoresis analysis showed age-dependant variation in gut microflora amongst the individuals within a family. Different bacterial genera were dominant in the individual of varying age in clone library analysis. Obligate anaerobes isolated from individuals within a family showed age related differences in isolation pattern, with 27% (6 out of 22) of the isolates being potential novel species based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. In qPCR a consistent decrease in Firmicutes number and increase in Bacteroidetes number with increasing age was observed in our subjects, this pattern of change in Firmicutes / Bacteroidetes ratio with age is different than previously reported in European population. There is change in gut flora with age amongst the individuals within a family. The isolation of high percent of novel bacterial species and the pattern of change in Firmicutes /Bacteroidetes ratio with age suggests that the composition of gut flora in Indian individuals may be different than the western population. Thus, further extensive study is needed to define the gut flora in Indian population.

  3. Sibship size, birth order, family structure and childhood mental disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carballo, Juan J; García-Nieto, Rebeca; Alvarez-García, Raquel; Caro-Cañizares, Irene; López-Castromán, Jorge; Muñoz-Lorenzo, Laura; de Leon-Martinez, Victoria; Baca-García, Enrique

    2013-08-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the role that birth order, sibship size and family structure have as risk factors in the development of common childhood mental disorders. A case-control study design was conducted (N = 16,823). The group under study consisted of all those subjects who had consulted with a psychiatrist/psychologist and had received a clinical diagnosis at public mental health centres within the Region of Madrid (Spain), between 1980 and 2008. A multiple logistic regression was used to explore the independent association with each diagnosis: emotional disorders (ED) with onset specific to childhood, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), conduct disorder (CD), mental retardation (MR), and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). Birth order and family structure significantly predicted the risk of being diagnosed with ED or ADHD. In addition, sibship size and sex predicted the risk of being diagnosed with a childhood mental disorder. We concluded that being the middle child and living with both biological parents appear to be protective factors against the development of ED or ADHD. Living in large families appears to increase the risk of receiving a CD, MR, or PDD diagnosis. Further research is warranted.

  4. The Changing Relationship Between Family Size and Educational Attainment Over the Course of Socioeconomic Development: Evidence From Indonesia

    OpenAIRE

    MARALANI, VIDA

    2008-01-01

    Many studies from developed countries show a negative correlation between family size and children’s schooling, while results from developing countries show this association ranging from positive to neutral to negative, depending on the context. The body of evidence suggests that this relationship changes as a society develops, but this theory has been difficult to assess because the existing evidence requires comparisons across countries with different social structures and at different leve...

  5. The importance of family management, closeness with father and family structure in early adolescent alcohol use.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habib, Cherine; Santoro, Joseph; Kremer, Peter; Toumbourou, John; Leslie, Eva; Williams, Joanne

    2010-10-01

    To examine the importance of family management, family structure and father-adolescent relationships on early adolescent alcohol use. Cross-sectional data was collected across 30 randomly selected Australian communities stratified to represent a range of socio-economic and regional variation. Data were collected during school time from adolescents attending a broad range of schools. The sample consisted of a combined 8256 students (aged 10-14 years). Students completed a web-based survey as part of the Healthy Neighbourhoods project. Family management-which included practices such as parental monitoring and family rules about alcohol use-had the strongest and most consistent relationship with alcohol use in early adolescence. Adolescents reporting higher family management were less likely to have drunk alcohol in their life-time, less likely to drink alcohol in the preceding 30 days and less likely to have had an alcohol binge. Adolescents reporting emotionally close relationships with their fathers were less likely to have drunk alcohol in their life-time and less likely to have had an alcohol binge in the preceding fortnight. Findings indicate that family management practices may contribute to alcohol abstinence in adolescents. Furthermore, emotionally close father-adolescent relationships may also foster abstinence; however, fathers' drinking behaviours need to be considered. © 2010 The Authors, Addiction © 2010 Society for the Study of Addiction.

  6. Family Environment and Childhood Obesity: A New Framework with Structural Equation Modeling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hui Huang

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of the current article is to introduce a framework of the complexity of childhood obesity based on the family environment. A conceptual model that quantifies the relationships and interactions among parental socioeconomic status, family food security level, child’s food intake and certain aspects of parental feeding behaviour is presented using the structural equation modeling (SEM concept. Structural models are analysed in terms of the direct and indirect connections among latent and measurement variables that lead to the child weight indicator. To illustrate the accuracy, fit, reliability and validity of the introduced framework, real data collected from 630 families from Urumqi (Xinjiang, China were considered. The framework includes two categories of data comprising the normal body mass index (BMI range and obesity data. The comparison analysis between two models provides some evidence that in obesity modeling, obesity data must be extracted from the dataset and analysis must be done separately from the normal BMI range. This study may be helpful for researchers interested in childhood obesity modeling based on family environment.

  7. The Application of Family Therapy Concepts to Influencing Organizational Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirschhorn, Larry; Gilmore, Tom

    1980-01-01

    Explores, through an action research project, the possible contributions--in theory, diagnosis, and intervention--of structural family therapy to organizational change. Reports that successful transfer of family therapy techniques to organizations is contingent on understanding four differences between organizations and families. (Author/IRT)

  8. Characterization of macular structure and function in two Swedish families with genetically identified autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdulridha-Aboud, Wissam; Kjellström, Ulrika; Andréasson, Sten

    2016-01-01

    Purpose To study the phenotype in two families with genetically identified autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP) focusing on macular structure and function. Methods Clinical data were collected at the Department of Ophthalmology, Lund University, Sweden, for affected and unaffected family members from two pedigrees with adRP. Examinations included optical coherence tomography (OCT), full-field electroretinography (ffERG), and multifocal electroretinography (mfERG). Molecular genetic screening was performed for known mutations associated with adRP. Results The mode of inheritance was autosomal dominant in both families. The members of the family with a mutation in the PRPF31 (p.IVS6+1G>T) gene had clinical features characteristic of RP, with severely reduced retinal rod and cone function. The degree of deterioration correlated well with increasing age. The mfERG showed only centrally preserved macular function that correlated well with retinal thinning on OCT. The family with a mutation in the RHO (p.R135W) gene had an extreme intrafamilial variability of the phenotype, with more severe disease in the younger generations. OCT showed pathology, but the degree of morphological changes was not correlated with age or with the mfERG results. The mother, with a de novo mutation in the RHO (p.R135W) gene, had a normal ffERG, and her retinal degeneration was detected merely with the reduced mfERG. Conclusions These two families demonstrate the extreme inter- and intrafamilial variability in the clinical phenotype of adRP. This is the first Swedish report of the clinical phenotype associated with a mutation in the PRPF31 (p.IVS6+1G>T) gene. Our results indicate that methods for assessment of the central retinal structure and function may improve the detection and characterization of the RP phenotype. PMID:27212874

  9. Structural brain network analysis in families multiply affected with bipolar I disorder

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Forde, Natalie J.; O'Donoghue, Stefani; Scanlon, Cathy; Emsell, Louise; Chaddock, Chris; Leemans, Alexander; Jeurissen, Ben; Barker, Gareth J.; Cannon, Dara M.; Murray, Robin M.; McDonald, Colm

    2015-01-01

    Disrupted structural connectivity is associated with psychiatric illnesses including bipolar disorder (BP). Here we use structural brain network analysis to investigate connectivity abnormalities in multiply affected BP type I families, to assess the utility of dysconnectivity as a biomarker and its

  10. Structure-Activity Relationships on the Molecular Descriptors Family Project at the End

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lorentz JÄNTSCHI

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Molecular Descriptors Family (MDF on the Structure-Activity Relationships (SAR, a promising approach in investigation and quantification of the link between 2D and 3D structural information and the activity, and its potential in the analysis of the biological active compounds is summarized. The approach, attempts to correlate molecular descriptors family generated and calculated on a set of biological active compounds with their observed activity. The estimation as well as prediction abilities of the approach are presented. The obtained MDF SAR models can be used to predict the biological activity of unknown substrates in a series of compounds.

  11. Structural and Interpersonal Characteristics of Family Meals: Associations with Adolescent BMI and Dietary Patterns

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berge, Jerica M.; Jin, Seok Won; Hannan, Peter; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

    2013-01-01

    The last decade of research has suggested that family meals play an important role in promoting healthful dietary intake in youth. However, little is known about the structural characteristics and interpersonal dynamics of family meals that may help to inform why family meals are protective for youth. The current mixed methods, cross-sectional study conducted in 2010–2011 includes adolescents and parents who participated in two linked population-based studies. Participants included 40 parents (91.5% female) and adolescents (57.5% female) from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area participating in EAT 2010 and F-EAT. The structural (e.g. length of the meal, types of foods served) and interpersonal characteristics (e.g., communication, emotion/affect management) of family meals were described and associations between interpersonal dynamics at family meals and adolescent body mass index (BMI) and dietary intake were examined via direct observational methods. Families were video-recorded during two mealtimes in their homes. Results indicated that family meals were approximately 20 minutes in length, included multiple family members, were typically served family style (70%) and occurred in the kitchen 62% of the time and 38% of the time in another room (e.g., family room, office). Additionally, significant associations were found between positive interpersonal dynamics (i.e., communication, affect management, interpersonal involvement, overall family functioning) at family meals and lower adolescent BMI and higher vegetable intake. These findings add to the growing body of literature on family meals by providing a better understanding of what is happening at family meals in order to inform obesity prevention studies and recommendations for providers working with families of youth. PMID:23567247

  12. Changing Family Practices with Assistive Technology

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sonne, Tobias; Müller, Jörg; Marshall, Paul

    2016-01-01

    Families of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often report morning and bedtime routines to be stressful and frustrating. Through a design process involving domain professionals and families we designed MOBERO, a smartphone-based system that assists families...... in establishing healthy morning and bedtime routines with the aim to assist the child in becoming independent and lowering the parents’ frustration levels. In a two-week intervention with 13 children with ADHD and their families, MOBERO significantly improved children’s independence and reduced parents...... of families of children with ADHD....

  13. Structural, functional and evolutionary characterization of major drought transcription factors families in maize

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mittal, Shikha; Banduni, Pooja; Mallikarjuna, Mallana G.; Rao, Atmakuri R.; Jain, Prashant A.; Dash, Prasanta K.; Thirunavukkarasu, Nepolean

    2018-05-01

    Drought is one of the major threats to maize production. In order to improve the production and to breed tolerant hybrids, understanding the genes and regulatory mechanisms during drought stress is important. Transcription factors (TFs) play a major role in gene regulation and many TFs have been identified in response to drought stress. In our experiment, a set of 15 major TF families comprising 1436 genes was structurally and functionally characterized using in-silico tools and a gene expression assay. All 1436 genes were mapped on 10 chromosome of maize. The functional annotation indicated the involvement of these genes in ABA signaling, ROS scavenging, photosynthesis, stomatal regulation, and sucrose metabolism. Duplication was identified as the primary force in divergence and expansion of TF families. Phylogenetic relationship was developed individually for each TF family as well as combined TF families. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the TF family of genes into TF-specific and mixed groups. Phylogenetic analysis of genes belonging to various TF families suggested that the origin of TFs occurred in the lineage of maize evolution. Gene structure analysis revealed that more number of genes were intron-rich as compared to intronless genes. Drought-responsive CRE’s such as ABREA, ABREB, DRE1 and DRECRTCOREAT have been identified. Expression and interaction analyses identified leaf-specific bZIP TF, GRMZM2G140355, as a potential contributor toward drought tolerance in maize. We also analyzed protein-protein interaction network of 269 drought-responsive genes belonging to different drought-related TFs. The information generated on structural and functional characteristics, expression and interaction of the drought-related TF families will be useful to decipher the drought tolerance mechanisms and to derive drought-tolerant genotypes in maize.

  14. Family Relationships from Adolescence to Early Adulthood: Changes in the Family System following Firstborns' Leaving Home

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whiteman, Shawn D.; McHale, Susan M.; Crouter, Ann C.

    2011-01-01

    This study charted the course of parent-child and sibling relationships from early adolescence to early adulthood and examined how these relationships changed following firstborns' departure from their parents' home for the first time. Data were drawn from a 10-year longitudinal study of family relationships. Participants included mothers,…

  15. Physics of Schottky-barrier change by segregation and structural disorder at metal/Si interfaces: First-principles study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakayama, T.; Kobinata, K.

    2012-01-01

    Schottky-barrier changes by the segregation and structural disorder are studied using the first-principles calculations and adopting Au/Si interface. The Schottky barrier for electrons simply decreases as increasing the valency of segregated atoms from II to VI families, which variation is shown closely related to how the Si atoms are terminated at the interface. On the other hand, the structural disorders (defects) prefer to locate near the interface and the Schottky barrier for hole carriers does not change in cases of Si vacancy and Au substitution, while it increases in cases of Si and Au interstitials reflecting the appearance of Si dangling bonds.

  16. From Genome to Structure and Back Again: A Family Portrait of the Transcarbamylases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dashuang Shi

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Enzymes in the transcarbamylase family catalyze the transfer of a carbamyl group from carbamyl phosphate (CP to an amino group of a second substrate. The two best-characterized members, aspartate transcarbamylase (ATCase and ornithine transcarbamylase (OTCase, are present in most organisms from bacteria to humans. Recently, structures of four new transcarbamylase members, N-acetyl-l-ornithine transcarbamylase (AOTCase, N-succinyl-l-ornithine transcarbamylase (SOTCase, ygeW encoded transcarbamylase (YTCase and putrescine transcarbamylase (PTCase have also been determined. Crystal structures of these enzymes have shown that they have a common overall fold with a trimer as their basic biological unit. The monomer structures share a common CP binding site in their N-terminal domain, but have different second substrate binding sites in their C-terminal domain. The discovery of three new transcarbamylases, l-2,3-diaminopropionate transcarbamylase (DPTCase, l-2,4-diaminobutyrate transcarbamylase (DBTCase and ureidoglycine transcarbamylase (UGTCase, demonstrates that our knowledge and understanding of the spectrum of the transcarbamylase family is still incomplete. In this review, we summarize studies on the structures and function of transcarbamylases demonstrating how structural information helps to define biological function and how small structural differences govern enzyme specificity. Such information is important for correctly annotating transcarbamylase sequences in the genome databases and for identifying new members of the transcarbamylase family.

  17. CURRENT TRENDS OF ROMANIAN RURAL FAMILY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adina IORGA

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The profound changes experienced by the Romanian society had a profound social impact on the structure and functions of the rural family. The paper aims to highlight the main trends recorded using a number of indicators: ruralization rate, birth rate, infant mortality rate, percentage of children born outside marriage, fertility rate, percentage of population aged 65 and over. Statistics from censuses and statistical yearbooks were processed to identify the trends of the Romanian rural family: changes in reproductive behavior, increased aging, declining birth rates.

  18. Effects of structural and dynamic family characteristics on the development of depressive and aggressive problems during adolescence. The TRAILS study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sijtsema, J J; Oldehinkel, A J; Veenstra, R; Verhulst, F C; Ormel, J

    2014-06-01

    Both structural (i.e., SES, familial psychopathology, family composition) and dynamic (i.e., parental warmth and rejection) family characteristics have been associated with aggressive and depressive problem development. However, it is unclear to what extent (changes in) dynamic family characteristics have an independent effect on problem development while accounting for stable family characteristics and comorbid problem development. This issue was addressed by studying problem development in a large community sample (N = 2,230; age 10-20) of adolescents using Linear Mixed models. Paternal and maternal warmth and rejection were assessed via the Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran for Children (EMBU-C). Aggressive and depressive problems were assessed via subscales of the Youth/Adult Self-Report. Results showed that dynamic family characteristics independently affected the development of aggressive problems. Moreover, maternal rejection in preadolescence and increases in paternal rejection were associated with aggressive problems, whereas decreases in maternal rejection were associated with decreases in depressive problems over time. Paternal and maternal warmth in preadolescence was associated with fewer depressive problems during adolescence. Moreover, increases in paternal warmth were associated with fewer depressive problems over time. Aggressive problems were a stable predictor of depressive problems over time. Finally, those who increased in depressive problems became more aggressive during adolescence, whereas those who decreased in depressive problems became also less aggressive. Besides the effect of comorbid problems, problem development is to a large extent due to dynamic family characteristics, and in particular to changes in parental rejection, which leaves much room for parenting-based interventions.

  19. Single Parent Family Structure as a Predictor of Alcohol Use among Secondary School Students: Evidence from Jamaica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oshi, Sarah N; Abel, Wendel D; Agu, Chinwendu F; Omeje, Joachim C; Smith, Patrice Whitehorne; Ukwaja, Kingsley N; Ricketts Roomes, Tana; Meka, Ijeoma A; Weaver, Steve; Rae, Tania; Oshi, Daniel C

    2018-04-23

    The aim of this study was to examine the potential relationship between Jamaican secondary students’ alcohol drinking habits and their family structure. Methods: Data collected from a nationally representative survey of 3,365 students were analysed. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed. Results: Out of the 3,365 students, 1,044 (31.0%) were from single-parent families. Single-parent families, married-parent families and common law-parent families were significantly associated with lifetime use of alcohol (AOR= 1.72, 95% CI= 1.06 - 2.79; AOR= 1.73, 95% CI= 1.07- 2.81, AOR= 1.94, 95%CI= 1.17- 3.21 respectively). However, family structure was not significantly associated with past year and past month alcohol use. Students whose parents “sometimes” knew their whereabouts were significantly less likely to use alcohol in their lifetime compared to students whose parents “Always” knew where the students were. Conclusion: Family structure is an independent predictor of alcohol use among high school students in Jamaica. Being from single-parent families, married-parent and common- law parent families were significantly associated with increased likelihood for lifetime alcohol use. Creative Commons Attribution License

  20. Structural Change in Meghalaya: Theory and Evidence

    OpenAIRE

    Nayak, Purusottam; Mishra, SK

    2009-01-01

    Structural change which is inherent in an evolving economy refers to a long-term widespread transformation of the fundamental relationships among different parts and organic constituents of it, rather than micro scale or short-term change in output and employment. Short-term economic challenges that are managed with fiscal or monetary policies do not form part of the structural change. Structural change rather involves obsolescence of skills, vocations, and permanent changes in spending and p...

  1. Family instability and early initiation of sexual activity in Western Kenya.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldberg, Rachel E

    2013-04-01

    Epidemiological, economic, and social forces have produced high levels of volatility in family and household structure for young people growing up in sub-Saharan Africa in recent decades. However, scholarship on the family to date has not examined the influence of this family instability on young people's well-being. The current study employs unique life history calendar data from Western Kenya to investigate the relationship between instability in caregiving and early initiation of sexual activity. It draws on a body of work on parental union instability in the United States, and examines new dimensions of family change. Analyses reveal a positive association between transitions in primary caregiver and the likelihood of early sexual debut that is rapidly manifested following caregiver change and persists for a short period. The association is strongest at early ages, and there is a cumulative effect of multiple caregiver changes. The results highlight the importance of studying family stability in sub-Saharan Africa, as distinct from family structure, and for attention to dimensions such as age and recency.

  2. Demographic change and marriage choices in one Carib family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, K

    1994-03-01

    The demographic adaptation of a family of Topside Caribs along the Barama River in Guyana was studied. The family history included two grandfather and granddaughter marriages. Jack Raymond's father, who was born in 1870, left Bottomside after the death of his wife in the 1920s and settled above the falls of the Barama River (Topside in Sawari) with the hope of subsistence living off the rain forest. Information on the grandfather generation was made difficult by name changes, general references to all men in the second generation as grandfathers, and the focus on father's and mother's generation. The typical pattern was for brothers to live close by, and intermarry with a family of sisters. Female children married mother's brothers' sons or father's sisters sons. Their children formed their own cluster settlements. The early history indicated economic hardship, loss of wives, and difficulties in remarrying. The Baird chronicles of the reintroduction of gold mining and the ethnography of Gillin indicated that malaria and round worm were diseases affecting the indigenous population during the 1920s and 1930s. The Topside population was supported by the local gold-mining economy, while the Bottomside population suffered economic hardship and high infant mortality. In the Jack Raymond family, remarriage resulted in children marrying cross cousins. The younger daughter married in the 1940s, when subsistence production of cassava and hunting and gold-mining income provided the family's livelihood. The daughter had 10 surviving children, compared to her adoptive mother's two. For the daughter's generation, the first pregnancy occurred between the ages of 18 and 22 years, and birth spacing was 20-30 months for 25 years. Neither polygyny nor monogamy affected the potential for 12 children. In this Baramita Air Strip population in 1971, there were 62 mothers; reproductive histories were available for 59. The changes in reproductive patterns after 1940 were apparent: for

  3. Structuring Roles and Gender Identities Within Families Explaining Suicidal Behavior in South India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lasrado, Reena A; Chantler, Khatidja; Jasani, Rubina; Young, Alys

    2016-05-01

    This paper examines the social structures, culture, gendered roles, and their implications for suicidal behavior in South India. Exploring the cultural process within the structures of family and society to understand suicide and attempted suicide from the perspectives of survivors, mental health professionals, and traditional healers has not been achieved in the existing suicide-related research studies conducted in India to date. This study aimed to explore the cultural implications of attempted suicide by examining the survivors' life stories, their perceptions, and service providers' interpretations of problem situation. A qualitative design was used drawing on constant comparison method and thematic analysis. The analysis was underpinned by the theoretical concepts of Bourdieu's work. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 survivors of attempted suicide, eight mental health professionals, and eight traditional healers from Southern India. The study found interactions among visible and invisible fields such as faith, power, control, culture, family, religion, and social systems to have strengthened the disparities in gender and role structures within families and societies and to have impacted survivors' dispositions to situations. The role of culture in causing suicide and attempted suicide is explained by unraveling the negative impact of interacting cultural and structural mechanisms.

  4. Common and distant structural characteristics of feruloyl esterase families from Aspergillus oryzae.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D B R K Gupta Udatha

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Feruloyl esterases (FAEs are important biomass degrading accessory enzymes due to their capability of cleaving the ester links between hemicellulose and pectin to aromatic compounds of lignin, thus enhancing the accessibility of plant tissues to cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes. FAEs have gained increased attention in the area of biocatalytic transformations for the synthesis of value added compounds with medicinal and nutritional applications. Following the increasing attention on these enzymes, a novel descriptor based classification system has been proposed for FAEs resulting into 12 distinct families and pharmacophore models for three FAE sub-families have been developed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The feruloylome of Aspergillus oryzae contains 13 predicted FAEs belonging to six sub-families based on our recently developed descriptor-based classification system. The three-dimensional structures of the 13 FAEs were modeled for structural analysis of the feruloylome. The three genes coding for three enzymes, viz., A.O.2, A.O.8 and A.O.10 from the feruloylome of A. oryzae, representing sub-families with unknown functional features, were heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris, characterized for substrate specificity and structural characterization through CD spectroscopy. Common feature-based pharamacophore models were developed according to substrate specificity characteristics of the three enzymes. The active site residues were identified for the three expressed FAEs by determining the titration curves of amino acid residues as a function of the pH by applying molecular simulations. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings on the structure-function relationships and substrate specificity of the FAEs of A. oryzae will be instrumental for further understanding of the FAE families in the novel classification system. The developed pharmacophore models could be applied for virtual screening of compound databases for

  5. The effect of family therapy on the changes in the severity of on-line game play and brain activity in adolescents with on-line game addiction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Doug Hyun; Kim, Sun Mi; Lee, Young Sik; Renshaw, Perry F.

    2015-01-01

    We evaluated whether a brief 3-week family therapy intervention would change patterns of brain activation in response to affection and gaming cues in adolescents from dysfunctional families who met criteria for on-line game addiction. Fifteen adolescents with on-line game addiction and fifteen adolescents without problematic on-line game play and an intact family structure were recruited. Over 3 weeks, families were asked to carry out homework assignments focused on increasing family cohesion for more than 1 hour/day and 4 days/week. Before therapy, adolescents with on-line game addiction demonstrated decreased activity as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) within the caudate, middle temporal gyrus, and occipital lobe in response to images depicting parental affection and increased activity of the middle frontal and inferior parietal in response scenes from on-line games, relative to healthy comparison subjects. Improvement in perceived family cohesion following 3 weeks of treatment was associated with an increase in the activity of the caudate nucleus in response to affection stimuli and was inversely correlated with changes in on-line game playing time. With evidence of brain activation changes in response to on-line game playing cues and images depicting parental love, the present findings suggest that family cohesion may be an important factor in the treatment of problematic on-line game playing. PMID:22698763

  6. Do Family Structure and Poverty Affect Sexual Risk Behaviors of ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Using a questionnaire instrument, information was obtained on sexual behaviours of interest such as sexual initiation, multi-partnered sexual activity and condom use. Findings showed a noticeable variation in the relationship between family structure and risky sexual behaviour. Contrary to expectations, students from ...

  7. Intelligence and family marital structure: the case of adolescents from monogamous and polygamous families among Bedouin Arabs in Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elbedour, Salman; Bart, William M; Hektner, Joel

    2003-02-01

    The levels of intelligence among Bedouin Arab adolescents from monogamous and polygamous families living in the Negev region of Israel were examined. A shortened version of the Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM) test (S. Elbedour, T. J. Bouchard, & Y. Hur, 1997; J. Raven, J. C. Raven, & J. H. Court, 1998) was used to assess intelligence. There were no significant test score differences between adolescents from monogamous families and adolescents from polygamous families. In addition, participants with 2 mothers tended to have lower RPM scores than those with 3 or 4 mothers, and participants with related parents tended to have lower RPM scores than participants with unrelated parents. One major finding of this study is that polygamous family marital structures tended not to have deleterious effects on the Bedouin Arab adolescents' RPM test scores.

  8. Impact of family structure and socio-demographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in same-sex parent families: A cross-sectional survey.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crouch, Simon Robert; McNair, Ruth; Waters, Elizabeth

    2016-05-01

    Children with same-sex attracted parents develop well in terms of their health and wellbeing. There are many recognised factors that have an impact on child health, in general, including individual, family and wider social mediators. The aim of this study is to determine the impact of family structure and socio-demographic characteristics on child health and wellbeing in Australian same-sex parent families. A cross-sectional survey of self-identified same-sex attracted parents from across Australia was used to collect information on child health and wellbeing between May and December 2012. Mixed-effects multiple linear regression models were used to identify associations between family structure/socio-demographic characteristics and child wellbeing. Child health outcomes were measured using the Child Health Questionnaire and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. In same-sex parent families, biological relationships, parental gender and parental education were not significantly associated with health and wellbeing. Parental income, rurality and stable parental relationships were associated with health and wellbeing, and living in a single-parent household was associated with poorer wellbeing. Stable dual parent families offer good outcomes for children with same-sex attracted parents. Family processes are most important. This study does not support the assertion that children require both male and female parents, nor that biological relationships are essential to health and wellbeing. This study provides scientific data from a cross-sectional Australian-based study to describe and understand health determinants for children in family contexts that comprise same-sex parent and all family contexts. It recommends equitable, stigma-free family support. © 2016 Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).

  9. The response to selection in Glycoside Hydrolase Family 13 structures: A comparative quantitative genetics approach.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose Sergio Hleap

    Full Text Available The Glycoside Hydrolase Family 13 (GH13 is both evolutionarily diverse and relevant to many industrial applications. Its members hydrolyze starch into smaller carbohydrates and members of the family have been bioengineered to improve catalytic function under industrial environments. We introduce a framework to analyze the response to selection of GH13 protein structures given some phylogenetic and simulated dynamic information. We find that the TIM-barrel (a conserved protein fold consisting of eight α-helices and eight parallel β-strands that alternate along the peptide backbone, common to all amylases is not selectable since it is under purifying selection. We also show a method to rank important residues with higher inferred response to selection. These residues can be altered to effect change in properties. In this work, we define fitness as inferred thermodynamic stability. We show that under the developed framework, residues 112Y, 122K, 124D, 125W, and 126P are good candidates to increase the stability of the truncated α-amylase protein from Geobacillus thermoleovorans (PDB code: 4E2O; α-1,4-glucan-4-glucanohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.1. Overall, this paper demonstrates the feasibility of a framework for the analysis of protein structures for any other fitness landscape.

  10. Polygynous contexts, family structure, and infant mortality in sub-saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith-Greenaway, Emily; Trinitapoli, Jenny

    2014-04-01

    Contextual characteristics influence infant mortality above and beyond family-level factors. The widespread practice of polygyny is one feature of many sub-Saharan African contexts that may be relevant to understanding patterns of infant mortality. Building on evidence that the prevalence of polygyny reflects broader economic, social, and cultural features and that it has implications for how families engage in the practice, we investigate whether and how the prevalence of polygyny (1) spills over to elevate infant mortality for all families, and (2) conditions the survival disadvantage for children living in polygynous families (i.e., compared with monogamous families). We use data from Demographic and Health Surveys to estimate multilevel hazard models that identify associations between infant mortality and region-level prevalence of polygyny for 236,336 children in 260 subnational regions across 29 sub-Saharan African countries. We find little evidence that the prevalence of polygyny influences mortality for infants in nonpolygynous households net of region-level socioeconomic factors and gender inequality. However, the prevalence of polygyny significantly amplifies the survival disadvantage for infants in polygynous families. Our findings demonstrate that considering the broader marital context reveals important insights into the relationship between family structure and child well-being.

  11. Insights into the structure and function of fungal β-mannosidases from glycoside hydrolase family 2 based on multiple crystal structures of the Trichoderma harzianum enzyme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nascimento, Alessandro S; Muniz, Joao Renato C; Aparício, Ricardo; Golubev, Alexander M; Polikarpov, Igor

    2014-09-01

    Hemicellulose is an important part of the plant cell wall biomass, and is relevant to cellulosic ethanol technologies. β-Mannosidases are enzymes capable of cleaving nonreducing residues of β-d-mannose from β-d-mannosides and hemicellulose mannose-containing polysaccharides, such as mannans and galactomannans. β-Mannosidases are distributed between glycoside hydrolase (GH) families 1, 2, and 5, and only a handful of the enzymes have been structurally characterized to date. The only published X-ray structure of a GH family 2 mannosidase is that of the bacterial Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron enzyme. No structures of eukaryotic mannosidases of this family are currently available. To fill this gap, we set out to solve the structure of Trichoderma harzianum GH family 2 β-mannosidase and to refine it to 1.9-Å resolution. Structural comparisons of the T. harzianum GH2 β-mannosidase highlight similarities in its structural architecture with other members of GH family 2, reveal the molecular mechanism of β-mannoside binding and recognition, and shed light on its putative galactomannan-binding site. Coordinates and observed structure factor amplitudes have been deposited with the Protein Data Bank (4CVU and 4UOJ). The T. harzianum β-mannosidase 2A nucleotide sequence has GenBank accession number BankIt1712036 GeneMark.hmm KJ624918. © 2014 FEBS.

  12. Dysfunctional Families of the Student with Special Needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniels-Mohring, Debbie; Lambie, Rosemary

    1993-01-01

    This paper outlines the changes that occur in family systems when a child is diagnosed with special needs and examines the structure of dysfunctional families in which there is a child with physical disabilities, including chronic illness; behavior disorders, including social maladjustment; learning disabilities; or mental retardation. (JDD)

  13. Federal Republic of Germany: family planning, family policy and demographic policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuhlke, W

    1989-01-01

    Decades of social change in West Germany and the emergence of an ideology that stresses individualism have altered dramatically procreative behavioral patterns. At present, West Germany is characterized by a low marriage rate (6.1/1000 in 1986), declining fertility (10.3 birth/1000), rising divorce rates (20.1/1000), and increases in the proportion of single-person households (34%). The relationship between family planning, family policy, and demographic policy is unclear and changing. Family planning practice is viewed as a part of comprehensive life planning and is based on factors such as partnership or marital status, sex roles, the conflict between working in the home and having a career, consumer aspirations, and housing conditions. The Government's family policy includes the following components: child benefits, tax relief on children, tax splitting arrangements for married couples, childcare allowance, parental leave, student grants, tax deductions for domiciliary professional help and nursing assistance, and the provision of daycare. Thus, West Germany's family policy is directed more at encouraging and facilitating parenthood and family life than at a setting demographic goals. There is no evidence, however, that such measures will be successful and divergent influences of other policy areas are often more compelling. Nor is there any way to quantify the fertility-costing impact of individual family policy measures. The indistinct nature of family planning policy in West Germany mirrors political differences between the current coalition government, which maintains a traditional view of the family, and the opposition Social-Democratic and Green Parties, which question whether the equality of men and women can be achieved in the context of old family structures.

  14. Informal Mealtime Pedagogies: Exploring the Influence of Family Structure on Young People's Healthy Eating Dispositions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quarmby, Thomas; Dagkas, Symeon

    2015-01-01

    Families are increasingly recognised as informal sites of learning, especially with regard to healthy eating. Through the use of Bourdieu's conceptual tools, this paper explores the role of family meals within different family structures and the informal pedagogic encounters that take place. How they help to construct young people's healthy eating…

  15. Hospital board structure: changing form and changing issues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tregoning, S

    2000-01-01

    Economic and social pressures are compelling many hospitals to consider their current board structure in an effort to position their hospital to meet changing demands. A national profile of the structures of hospital boards has been compiled from a questionnaire completed by hospital board representatives from both government and non-government sectors. Results show that hospital board structures are a hybrid of both philanthropic and corporate models. New structures may be required to meet future challenges. In developing new structures, consideration should be given to identifying the skills and processes required to undertake board business.

  16. Characterization and global analysis of a family of Poisson structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hernandez-Bermejo, Benito

    2006-01-01

    A three-dimensional family of solutions of the Jacobi equations for Poisson systems is characterized. In spite of its general form it is possible the explicit and global determination of its main features, such as the symplectic structure and the construction of the Darboux canonical form. Examples are given

  17. Characterization and global analysis of a family of Poisson structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hernandez-Bermejo, Benito [Escuela Superior de Ciencias Experimentales y Tecnologia, Edificio Departamental II, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Calle Tulipan S/N, 28933 (Mostoles), Madrid (Spain)]. E-mail: benito.hernandez@urjc.es

    2006-06-26

    A three-dimensional family of solutions of the Jacobi equations for Poisson systems is characterized. In spite of its general form it is possible the explicit and global determination of its main features, such as the symplectic structure and the construction of the Darboux canonical form. Examples are given.

  18. Jamaican families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miner, Dianne Cooney

    2003-01-01

    The study of the family in the Caribbean originated with European scholars who assumed the universality of the patriarchal nuclear family and the primacy of this structure to the healthy functioning of society. Matrifocal Caribbean families thus were seen as chaotic and disorganized and inadequate to perform the essential tasks of the social system. This article provides a more current discussion of the Jamaican family. It argues that its structure is the result of the agency and adaptation of its members and not the root cause of the increasing marginalization of peoples in the developing world. The article focuses on families living in poverty and how the family structure supports essential family functions, adaptations, and survival.

  19. SUCCESSION PROCESS IN A FAMILY BUSINESS: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT OVERCOMING RESISTANCE TO ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia de Sá Freire

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This study examined the perception of a family business’ employees over changes brought about by the company’s succession procsess through the identification of existing problems and the probabilities of overcoming them. The company was classified as a family business organization as per Bernhoeft´s (1991 definition, and the perspectives proposed by Motta (2001 were used as a basis for change analysis. The succession challenges were studied through the knowledge management viewpoint. The methodological approach is characterized as a qualitative descriptive study done through interviews and document analysis. Quantitative data was used, with the application of questionnaires in order to obtain primary data. Data analysis is mainly characterized by its qualitative and descriptive content. After data analysis, the following issues were detected: (1 lack of or inneficient internal communication, (2 the decision making process was either slow or not committed to the desired results and (3 there was either dual leadership or no leadership. It was concluded that in order to achieve the objectives of the changes, it would require a new look into the intraorganizational integration to eliminate features of the family business such as lack of dialogue and unilateral decisions. It is finally suggested the use of strategies for sharing information and knowledge that will pave the way for understanding the entire succession process, overcoming uncertainties and individual resistance. Thus, the inclusion of Knowledge Management in the family business succession process will result in more aware leaders, managers and employees in terms of change of power during the mentioned process.

  20. [Development of a structural equation model for children's adaptation in divorced families].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Sung Hee

    2010-02-01

    This study was designed to develop and test a structural model for children's adaptation in divorced families. The hypothetical model was constructed based on the Family Resilience Model by McCubbin and McCubbin. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from 219 children (3-6th grade) in divorced families. The children attended one of 22 community agencies, 8 after-school programs, 3 elementary schools in three cities in South Korea. The collected data were analyzed using LISREL program to test the hypothetical model. The modified model was constructed by deleting four paths in accordance with the statistical and theoretical criteria. Compared to the hypothetical model, the revised one had a better fit to the data. Self-esteem, and beliefs about parental divorce had direct effects, and family communication and internal control had indirect effects on children's adaptation in divorced families. These variables explained 56% of the variance in children's adaptation. The modified model was supported by empirical data. This model could be applied to family nursing interventions with divorced families or any other suffering family transition. When working with children experiencing parental divorce, it is important for nurses to enhance children's self-esteem, family communication and to decrease children's negative beliefs about parental divorce to help in their adaptation.

  1. Comparison between family power structure and the quality of parent-child interaction among the delinquent and non-delinquent adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khodabakhshi Koolaee, Anahita; Shaghelani Lor, Hossein; Soleimani, Ali Akbar; Rahmatizadeh, Masoumeh

    2014-06-01

    Few studies indicate that most behavioral problems are due to family dysfunction and inappropriate family environment. It seems that the family of the delinquent adolescent is unbalanced in the power structure and parenting style. The present study compares the family power structure and parent-child relationship quality in delinquent and non-delinquent young subjects in Tehran. Eighty students of secondary schools aged between 15 and 18 in Tehran were enrolled with cluster sampling method and 80 delinquent adolescents of the Correction and Rehabilitation Centers aged between 15 and 18 were chosen with a convenience sampling method. They responded to an instrument of family power structure (Child-parents relationship inventory). Data was compared between these two groups by utilizing the independent and dependent t-test and Levene's test. The findings indicated there is a significant difference between delinquent and non-delinquent adolescents in family power structure and its subscales (P quality (P quality (P quality of parent-child relationship (P < 0.001). These results emphasize that an inappropriate decision making process pattern in a family has a significant effect on deviant behavior in adolescents. The fathers' parenting is more strongly linked to their sons' delinquency. So, family power structure and parent-child relationship can be considered in therapeutic interventions (prevention and treatment) for adolescents' delinquency.

  2. Educational level and family structure influence the dietary changes after the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: evidence from the E3N study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mancini, Francesca Romana; Affret, Aurelie; Dow, Courtney; Balkau, Beverley; Bihan, Hélène; Clavel-Chapelon, Françoise; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Bonnet, Fabrice; Fagherazzi, Guy

    2017-08-01

    Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has no cure but can be controlled by medication, diet, and lifestyle changes. It has been suggested that diabetes dietary self-management is more difficult for people with socioeconomic difficulties. The objective of our study was to test the hypothesis that socioeconomic factors impact the change of diet after T2D diagnosis. The 57 304 French women included in the present study answered food frequency questionnaires in 1993 and 2005 and questionnaires on socioeconomic factors, and were free from T2D in 1993. Between 1993 and 2005, 1249 women developed T2D. Linear regression models evaluated whether having T2D diagnosed had an impact on energy and nutrient intakes and whether socioeconomic factors were implicated. T2D was associated with a reduction of energy (β=-312.54 kJ/d, Peducation of T2D patients and whether or not they had a family (having a partner and/or children). The present study provides evidence that socioeconomic factors impact the way people with T2D change their dietary habits after diagnosis. Furthermore, the family plays a crucial role in dietary self-management, probably encouraging T2D patients to follow dietary recommendations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The Theoretical Foundations of Structural Changes in Economy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khaustova Viktoriia Ye.

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The article is aimed at defining the theoretical foundations of structural changes in economy. It has been proved that structural policy of the State is one of the main directions influencing the structure of economy, balancing its proportions, and ensuring progressive development. The components of structural policy have been defined. Genesis of scientific directions of researching the structure of economy was considered. The interpretation of the concept of «structure of economy» in the works of scientists was studied. The classification of particular structures of the national industrial complex was considered. It has been proved that the main role in the analysis of structural changes should be given to the structure of economy (of industrial complex, according to the types of economic activity. The interpretations of the concepts of «structural transformations», «structural shifts», «structural changes», «structural crisis» in the economy have been clarified. The functions of structural crises have been considered. The dynamics of changes in structural shifts were researched. The classification of structural shifts in the economy was considered. An interpretation of progressive structural changes has been suggested.

  4. Changing Workplaces to Reduce Work-Family Conflict: Schedule Control in a White-Collar Organization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Erin L; Moen, Phyllis; Tranby, Eric

    2011-04-01

    Work-family conflicts are common and consequential for employees, their families, and work organizations. Can workplaces be changed to reduce work-family conflict? Previous research has not been able to assess whether workplace policies or initiatives succeed in reducing work-family conflict or increasing work-family fit. Using longitudinal data collected from 608 employees of a white-collar organization before and after a workplace initiative was implemented, we investigate whether the initiative affects work-family conflict and fit, whether schedule control mediates these effects, and whether work demands, including long hours, moderate the initiative's effects on work-family outcomes. Analyses clearly demonstrate that the workplace initiative positively affects the work-family interface, primarily by increasing employees' schedule control. This study points to the importance of schedule control for our understanding of job quality and for management policies and practices.

  5. FUNDAMENTAL ECONOMIC STRUCTURE AND STRUCTURAL CHANGE IN REGIONAL ECONOMIES: A METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH

    OpenAIRE

    Sudhir K. THAKUR

    2011-01-01

    Regional economic structure is defined as the composition and patterns of various components of the regional economy such as: produc-tion, employment, consumption, trade, and gross regional product. Structur-al change is conceptualized as the change in relative importance of the aggregate indicators of the economy. The process of regional development and structural change are intertwined, implying as economic development takes place the strength and direction of intersectoral relationships ch...

  6. The impact of family structure on the health of children: Effects of divorce.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Jane

    2014-11-01

    Nearly three decades of research evaluating the impact of family structure on the health and well-being of children demonstrates that children living with their married, biological parents consistently have better physical, emotional, and academic well-being. Pediatricians and society should promote the family structure that has the best chance of producing healthy children. The best scientific literature to date suggests that, with the exception of parents faced with unresolvable marital violence, children fare better when parents work at maintaining the marriage. Consequently, society should make every effort to support healthy marriages and to discourage married couples from divorcing.

  7. Family Transitions and Later Delinquency and Drug Use

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krohn, Marvin D.; Hall, Gina Penly; Lizotte, Alan J.

    2013-01-01

    Changes in the family structure can be very disruptive to adolescents who live in those families. This article examines the impact of the number of family transitions on delinquent and drug-using behavior. Specifically, the effect of family transitions is hypothesized to be mediated by problems within the family, school, and peer settings. A sample of 646 boys (73%) and girls (27%) taken from a longitudinal panel study of high-risk adolescents are used to examine these hypotheses. For girls, little support is found for the direct or the indirect effect of family transitions on delinquent behavior or drug use. For boys, however, both forms of problem behavior are influenced by family transitions directly and indirectly through changes in, and problems with, peer associations. The findings suggest that during times of family turmoil, the friendship network of adolescent male children is also disrupted, leading to an increase in associations with delinquent others and, in turn, an increase in problematic behaviors. PMID:19636758

  8. Cochlear implant: the family's perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, Sheila de Souza; Dupas, Giselle; Chiari, Brasilia Maria

    2018-07-01

    To understand the family's experience of a child who uses a cochlear implant (CI). Specifically, to identify the difficulties, changes, and feelings entailed by deafness and the use of the CI; the coping strategies; and to understand the role of the family for the child with a CI. Qualitative research, using Symbolic Interactionism and Straussian Grounded Theory as the theoretical and methodological frameworks, respectively. Data collection instrument: semi-structured interview. A total of 9 families (32 individuals) participated in the study. The children's ages ranged from 6 to 11 years old (mean = 8.9 years old). Their experience is described in the following categories: Having to fight for results, Coping with difficult situations, Recognizing that you are not alone, Learning to overcome, and Having one's life restored by the implant. Cochlear implantation changes the direction of the child and the family's life by restoring the child's opportunity to hear and to obtain good results in her personal, social, and academic development. Even after implantation, the child continues to experience difficulties and requires the family's mobilization in order to be successful. The family is the principal actor in the process of the child's rehabilitation.

  9. Post-modern changes in marital and family life

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Agata Kozak

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Contemporarily, the traditional model of marriage is no longer the only accepted form of family life; there are many alternatives to that type of relationship. In post-modernity we face a rapid change in the perception of informal relationships as well as their dynamic development and increase in number. However, will cohabitation - which in the times of moral relativism, praise of freedom and individuality and democratisation of all aspects of human life becomes increasingly popular – eventually dominate and replace traditional marriage?

  10. The role of family planning communications--an agent of reinforcement or change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, E C

    1981-12-01

    Results are presented of a multiple classification analysis of responses to a 1972 KAP survey in Taiwan of 2013 married women aged 18-34 designed to determine whether family planning communication is primarily a reinforcement agent or a change agent. 2 types of independent variables, social demographic variables including age, number of children, residence, education, employment status, and duration of marriage; and social climate variables including ever receiving family planning information from mass media and ever discussing family planning with others, were used. KAP levels, the dependent variables, were measured by 2 variables each: awareness of effective methods and awareness of government supply of contraceptives for knowledge, wish for additional children and approve of 2-child family for attitude, and never use contraception and neither want children nor use contraception for practice. Social demographic and attitudinal variables were found to be the critical ones, while social climate and knowledge variables had only negligible effects on various stages of family planning adoption, indicating that family planning communications functioned primarily as a reinforcement agent. The effects of social demographic variables were prominent in all stages of contraceptive adoption. Examination of effects of individual variables on various stages of family planning adoption still supported the argument that family planning communications played a reinforcement role. Family planning communications functioned well in diffusing family planning knowledge and accessibility, but social demographic variables and desire for additional children were the most decisive influences on use of contraception.

  11. Supporting Families of Young Children with Disabilities: Examining the Role of Administrative Structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Epley, Pamela; Gotto, George S., IV; Summers, Jean Ann; Brotherson, Mary Jane; Turnbull, Ann P.; Friend, Anna

    2010-01-01

    This article presents findings from two early intervention agencies examining how administrative structures affect providers' ability to serve families of young children with disabilities. Based on previous research identifying three administrative structures (i.e., vision/leadership, organizational climate, and resources), this article…

  12. Son preference in rural China: patrilineal families and socioeconomic change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, Rachel; Tao, Ran; Lu, Xi

    2011-01-01

    This article draws on a survey conducted in six provinces in summer 2008 to investigate the determinants of son preference in rural China. The analysis confirms the conventional wisdom that son preference is embedded within patrilineal family structures and practices. We extend our analysis by exploring specific aspects of variation within patrilineal family culture. We find that the patrilineal group (clan) composition of villages and family participation in practices such as building ancestral halls and updating genealogies significantly influence son preference. Yet even though son preference is embedded within patrilineal family culture, our analysis suggests that over time the attenuation of son preference is likely. This is because determinants associated with socioeconomic change—for instance, higher levels of education, direct exposure to official policy education materials, higher income (a proxy for rural industrialization), and agricultural mechanization—all attenuate son preference. Being younger and female are also associated with weaker son preference, and both characteristics are likely to interact with education and industrialization to further dilute son preference in the longer term. Nevertheless, our findings suggest that concerted efforts are needed to ameliorate institutional discrimination against rural people in welfare provisioning and in labor markets, and to promote multiple dimensions of gender equality, including in land rights, wage rates, and education.

  13. Structural Model for Antisocial Behavior: Generalization to Single-Mother Families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldwin, David V.; Skinner, Martie L.

    1989-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to replicate the "basic training" structural model in Patterson's (1982) coercion theory, extending its scope to single-mother families with younger (six- to eight-year-old) boys. Significance of the successful replication was seen to lie in implications for the generalizability of the model across family…

  14. Evolution of structural diversity of trichothecenes, a family of toxins produced by plant pathogenic and entomopathogenic fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proctor, Robert H; McCormick, Susan P; Kim, Hye-Seon; Cardoza, Rosa E; Stanley, April M; Lindo, Laura; Kelly, Amy; Brown, Daren W; Lee, Theresa; Vaughan, Martha M; Alexander, Nancy J; Busman, Mark; Gutiérrez, Santiago

    2018-04-01

    Trichothecenes are a family of terpenoid toxins produced by multiple genera of fungi, including plant and insect pathogens. Some trichothecenes produced by the fungus Fusarium are among the mycotoxins of greatest concern to food and feed safety because of their toxicity and frequent occurrence in cereal crops, and trichothecene production contributes to pathogenesis of some Fusarium species on plants. Collectively, fungi produce over 150 trichothecene analogs: i.e., molecules that share the same core structure but differ in patterns of substituents attached to the core structure. Here, we carried out genomic, phylogenetic, gene-function, and analytical chemistry studies of strains from nine fungal genera to identify genetic variation responsible for trichothecene structural diversity and to gain insight into evolutionary processes that have contributed to the variation. The results indicate that structural diversity has resulted from gain, loss, and functional changes of trichothecene biosynthetic (TRI) genes. The results also indicate that the presence of some substituents has arisen independently in different fungi by gain of different genes with the same function. Variation in TRI gene duplication and number of TRI loci was also observed among the fungi examined, but there was no evidence that such genetic differences have contributed to trichothecene structural variation. We also inferred ancestral states of the TRI cluster and trichothecene biosynthetic pathway, and proposed scenarios for changes in trichothecene structures during divergence of TRI cluster homologs. Together, our findings provide insight into evolutionary processes responsible for structural diversification of toxins produced by pathogenic fungi.

  15. Assessing diabetes support in adolescents: factor structure of the Modified Diabetes Social Support Questionnaire (M-DSSQ-Family)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Malik, J.A.; Koot, H.M.

    2011-01-01

    Objectives: To determine the underlying factor structure of diabetes specific support using a modified diabetes family social support questionnaire, the M-DSSQ-Family, in one half of a sample of adolescents with type 1 diabetes, confirm it in the second half, test invariance in factor structure

  16. Structural and Interpersonal Characteristics of Family Meals: Associations with Adolescent BMI and Dietary Patterns

    OpenAIRE

    Berge, Jerica M.; Jin, Seok Won; Hannan, Peter; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

    2013-01-01

    The last decade of research has suggested that family meals play an important role in promoting healthful dietary intake in youth. However, little is known about the structural characteristics and interpersonal dynamics of family meals that may help to inform why family meals are protective for youth. The current mixed methods, cross-sectional study conducted in 2010–2011 includes adolescents and parents who participated in two linked population-based studies. Participants included 40 parents...

  17. Structural insight into dynamic bypass of the major cisplatin-DNA adduct by Y-family polymerase Dpo4

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wong, Jimson H.Y.; Brown, Jessica A.; Suo, Zucai; Blum, Paul; Nohmi, Takehiko; Ling, Hong (OSU); (NINA-Japan); (UNL); (UWO)

    2010-08-23

    Y-family DNA polymerases bypass Pt-GG, the cisplatin-DNA double-base lesion, contributing to the cisplatin resistance in tumour cells. To reveal the mechanism, we determined three structures of the Y-family DNA polymerase, Dpo4, in complex with Pt-GG DNA. The crystallographic snapshots show three stages of lesion bypass: the nucleotide insertions opposite the 3{prime}G (first insertion) and 5{prime}G (second insertion) of Pt-GG, and the primer extension beyond the lesion site. We observed a dynamic process, in which the lesion was converted from an open and angular conformation at the first insertion to a depressed and nearly parallel conformation at the subsequent reaction stages to fit into the active site of Dpo4. The DNA translocation-coupled conformational change may account for additional inhibition on the second insertion reaction. The structures illustrate that Pt-GG disturbs the replicating base pair in the active site, which reduces the catalytic efficiency and fidelity. The in vivo relevance of Dpo4-mediated Pt-GG bypass was addressed by a dpo-4 knockout strain of Sulfolobus solfataricus, which exhibits enhanced sensitivity to cisplatin and proteomic alterations consistent with genomic stress.

  18. The Application of Intensive Longitudinal Methods to Investigate Change: Stimulating the Field of Applied Family Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bamberger, Katharine T

    2016-03-01

    The use of intensive longitudinal methods (ILM)-rapid in situ assessment at micro timescales-can be overlaid on RCTs and other study designs in applied family research. Particularly, when done as part of a multiple timescale design-in bursts over macro timescales-ILM can advance the study of the mechanisms and effects of family interventions and processes of family change. ILM confers measurement benefits in accurately assessing momentary and variable experiences and captures fine-grained dynamic pictures of time-ordered processes. Thus, ILM allows opportunities to investigate new research questions about intervention effects on within-subject (i.e., within-person, within-family) variability (i.e., dynamic constructs) and about the time-ordered change process that interventions induce in families and family members beginning with the first intervention session. This paper discusses the need and rationale for applying ILM to family intervention evaluation, new research questions that can be addressed with ILM, example research using ILM in the related fields of basic family research and the evaluation of individual-based interventions. Finally, the paper touches on practical challenges and considerations associated with ILM and points readers to resources for the application of ILM.

  19. Exploration of the family's role and strengths after a young woman is diagnosed with breast cancer: views of women and their families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coyne, Elisabeth; Wollin, Judy; Creedy, Debra K

    2012-04-01

    This exploratory descriptive study examined the role and strengths of the family when supporting the younger woman (<50 years) after a diagnosis of breast cancer. The perspectives of women and family members were sought. Participants were recruited from oncology outpatient units in Australia. Semi-structured interviews guided by the Family Resiliency Framework were undertaken with 14 young women with breast cancer and 11 family members who reflected on the roles of family. Transcripts were analysed individually and in family groupings. Women with breast cancer and their family members experienced a range of emotions during the treatment period. Roles within the family changed as members responded to their circumstances. Analysis of interview transcripts identified the following primary themes; 'just being there', 'paradox of help' and 'buffer from society'. A secondary theme related to support, specifically 'the changing role of support for family members', highlighting the strengths and experiences of family. Recognition needs to be given to the complexity of changing roles experienced by young women with breast cancer and their families. Young women with breast cancer require unique forms of support because of the nature of their experience. Family roles were shaped through a shared sense of commitment and open communication amongst members. Families may demonstrate a range of strengths but are also vulnerable during this stressful period. Health professionals need to be aware of the possible needs of families, assess their adaptation to changing circumstances, and intervene through the provision of information, and counselling to enhance coping. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Structural insights and ab initio sequencing within the DING proteins family

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elias, Mikael; Liebschner, Dorothee; Gotthard, Guillaume; Chabriere, Eric

    2011-01-01

    DING proteins constitute a recently discovered protein family that is ubiquitous in eukaryotes. The structural insights and the physiological involvements of these intriguing proteins are hereby deciphered. DING proteins constitute an intriguing family of phosphate-binding proteins that was identified in a wide range of organisms, from prokaryotes and archae to eukaryotes. Despite their seemingly ubiquitous occurrence in eukaryotes, their encoding genes are missing from sequenced genomes. Such a lack has considerably hampered functional studies. In humans, these proteins have been related to several diseases, like atherosclerosis, kidney stones, inflammation processes and HIV inhibition. The human phosphate binding protein is a human representative of the DING family that was serendipitously discovered from human plasma. An original approach was developed to determine ab initio the complete and exact sequence of this 38 kDa protein by utilizing mass spectrometry and X-ray data in tandem. Taking advantage of this first complete eukaryotic DING sequence, a immunohistochemistry study was undertaken to check the presence of DING proteins in various mice tissues, revealing that these proteins are widely expressed. Finally, the structure of a bacterial representative from Pseudomonas fluorescens was solved at sub-angstrom resolution, allowing the molecular mechanism of the phosphate binding in these high-affinity proteins to be elucidated

  1. Structural insights and ab initio sequencing within the DING proteins family

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Elias, Mikael, E-mail: mikael.elias@weizmann.ac.il [Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot (Israel); Liebschner, Dorothee [CRM2, Nancy Université (France); Gotthard, Guillaume; Chabriere, Eric [AFMB, Université Aix-Marseille II (France)

    2011-01-01

    DING proteins constitute a recently discovered protein family that is ubiquitous in eukaryotes. The structural insights and the physiological involvements of these intriguing proteins are hereby deciphered. DING proteins constitute an intriguing family of phosphate-binding proteins that was identified in a wide range of organisms, from prokaryotes and archae to eukaryotes. Despite their seemingly ubiquitous occurrence in eukaryotes, their encoding genes are missing from sequenced genomes. Such a lack has considerably hampered functional studies. In humans, these proteins have been related to several diseases, like atherosclerosis, kidney stones, inflammation processes and HIV inhibition. The human phosphate binding protein is a human representative of the DING family that was serendipitously discovered from human plasma. An original approach was developed to determine ab initio the complete and exact sequence of this 38 kDa protein by utilizing mass spectrometry and X-ray data in tandem. Taking advantage of this first complete eukaryotic DING sequence, a immunohistochemistry study was undertaken to check the presence of DING proteins in various mice tissues, revealing that these proteins are widely expressed. Finally, the structure of a bacterial representative from Pseudomonas fluorescens was solved at sub-angstrom resolution, allowing the molecular mechanism of the phosphate binding in these high-affinity proteins to be elucidated.

  2. Evolution of the P-type II ATPase gene family in the fungi and presence of structural genomic changes among isolates of Glomus intraradices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanders Ian R

    2006-03-01

    that structural genomic changes, such as exonic indel mutations and gene duplications are less rare than previously thought and that these also occur within fungal populations.

  3. Aux/IAA Gene Family in Plants: Molecular Structure, Regulation, and Function

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jie Luo

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Auxin plays a crucial role in the diverse cellular and developmental responses of plants across their lifespan. Plants can quickly sense and respond to changes in auxin levels, and these responses involve several major classes of auxin-responsive genes, including the Auxin/Indole-3-Acetic Acid (Aux/IAA family, the auxin response factor (ARF family, small auxin upregulated RNA (SAUR, and the auxin-responsive Gretchen Hagen3 (GH3 family. Aux/IAA proteins are short-lived nuclear proteins comprising several highly conserved domains that are encoded by the auxin early response gene family. These proteins have specific domains that interact with ARFs and inhibit the transcription of genes activated by ARFs. Molecular studies have revealed that Aux/IAA family members can form diverse dimers with ARFs to regulate genes in various ways. Functional analyses of Aux/IAA family members have indicated that they have various roles in plant development, such as root development, shoot growth, and fruit ripening. In this review, recently discovered details regarding the molecular characteristics, regulation, and protein–protein interactions of the Aux/IAA proteins are discussed. These details provide new insights into the molecular basis of the Aux/IAA protein functions in plant developmental processes.

  4. Molecular structure and diversity of PBAN/Pyrokinin family peptides in ants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Man-Yeon eChoi

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Neuropeptides are the largest group of insect hormones. They are produced in the central and peripheral nervous systems and affect insect development, reproduction, feeding and behavior. A variety of neuropeptide families have been identified in insects. One of these families is the PBAN/pyrokinin family defined by a common FXPRLamide or similar amino acid fragment at the C-terminal end. These peptides, found in all insects studied thus far, have been conserved throughout evolution. The most well studied physiological function is regulation of moth sex pheromone biosynthesis through the Pheromone Biosynthesis Activating Neurohormone (PBAN, although several developmental functions have also been reported. Over the past years we have extended knowledge of the PBAN/pyrokinin family of peptides to ants, focusing mainly on the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta. The fire ant is one of the most studied social insects and over the last 60 years a great deal has been learned about many aspects of this ant, including the behaviors and chemistry of pheromone communication. However, virtually nothing is known about the regulation of these pheromone systems. Recently, we demonstrated the presence of PBAN/pyrokinin immunoreactive neurons in the fire ant, and identified and characterized PBAN and additional neuropeptides. We have mapped the fire ant PBAN gene structure and determined the tissue expression level in the central nervous system of the ant. We review here our research to date on the molecular structure and diversity of ant PBAN/pyrokinin peptides in preparation for determining the function of the neuropeptides in ants and other social insects.

  5. A structural model of family empowerment for families of children with special needs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Kuem Sun; Yang, Yunkyung; Hong, Yeong Seon

    2018-03-01

    To explain and predict family empowerment in families of children with special needs. Family empowerment of families of children with special needs can be explained using the Double ABCX model. Although constant stressors such as parenting stress and family demands can have negative effects on family empowerment, family resources and parenting efficacy can mediate the negative effect through effective coping strategies. A cross-sectional research design was employed. A survey was conducted with 240 parents of children with special needs. Upon exclusion of four responses deemed inadequate to the statistics process, 236 responses were selected for the analysis. Based on the items used in the previous research, we used the scale of family demands 38, the scale of parenting stress 24, the scale of parenting efficacy 37, the scale of pattern of organisation 30, the scale of communication process 16 and the scale of family empowerment 32. In families of children with special needs, parenting stress had a negative effect on parenting efficacy and family resources, namely, pattern of organisation and communication process. Family needs had a positive effect on parenting efficacy. Parenting stress and family demands influenced family empowerment through parenting efficacy and family resources (pattern of organisation and communication process), while parenting efficacy contributed to family empowerment. This study empirically analysed the usefulness of the Double ABCX model in predicting family empowerment. Family resource factors (organisation pattern and communication process) and perception or judgement factors (such as parenting efficacy) were found to mediate the negative impact of various stressors experienced by families of children with special needs. The study findings suggest that clinical practice and management should focus on providing efficient intervention methods to lower stress in families of children with special needs. Reinforcing factors contributing to

  6. Families in motion : changes with the arrival of a second child

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Szabó, N.

    2012-01-01

    The aim of the present dissertation was to examine the causes and consequences of the arrival of the second child—from both family systems and evolutionary perspectives. Chapter 2 compared parent–child interaction in dyadic and triadic settings and examined how parental warmth and investment change

  7. The Work/Family Challenge: A Key Career Development Issue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahnweiler, William M; Kahnweiler, Jennifer B.

    1992-01-01

    A few corporations are responding to the impact of family structural changes on workers' ability to balance their roles with flexible benefits and schedules and with training. Work/family issues are an integral part of career and life decision making and must be incorporated into the career development process. (SK)

  8. TRANSFORMATION OF FAMILY IN MODERN RUSSIAN SOCIETY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olga Anatolevna Otradnova

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The article examines concept of family in Russian society, changes in interpretation of family, connected with modern tendencies and processes in different sociocultural spheres.   The article is structured and has accurate limits of introduction, main part and conclusion. The relevance of the research is caused by present-day crisis tendencies connected with suicide actions, atomization and hedonization of society, value depreciation of family.  The object of the research is to analyze the conception of family and its transformation in condition of modern Russian society. The tasks are to determine the term family, to analyze approaches to understanding of the family and its genesis, detect some peculiarities of modern Russian society, research the transformation of interpretation of family in modern society; the matter of investigation is modern Russian society, the subject is the transformation of family structures; the following methods of research are used: historical and cultural approach, typological method, existential method, common logic procedures. The research contains author’s definition of the term family, historical and cultural analysis and typological explication of the approaches to interpretation of the problem, classification of family structures - which have been formed in Russian society- on the base of statistic and sociological data.   Some interweaving of concept family with the most important existential values (love, freedom, responsibility were investigated and some tendencies for further development of family relationship in Russian society were revealed, its problems and prospect were emphasized. The results of the investigation testify that modern types of matrimonial relationship differ in limitation of functionality, mutual responsibility, thereby it is possible to state that interpretation of family in modern Russian society has transformed.

  9. "Doing the Job as a Parent": Parenting Alone, Work, and Family Policy in Ireland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Millar, Michelle; Coen, Liam; Bradley, Ciara; Rau, Henrike

    2012-01-01

    Recent studies of family life in Ireland have focused on changes in "traditional" family structures, including the increase in one-parent families. This article illustrates the impact dominant conceptions in Irish society that privilege the family based on marriage have on one-parent family policy. The authors focus on two key areas of…

  10. Family dynamics and infant temperament in Danish families

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wilson, M.E.; Hall, Elisabeth O.C.; White, M.A.

    1994-01-01

    temperament. A sample of 99 families in Odense, Denmark, completed the Family Dynamics Measure in the third trimester of pregnancy and again when the infant was 8-9 months old. At this second time, the mothers also completed the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire. Overall we found small changes......Transition to parenthood involves the fine balance of family dynamics which both affect, and are affected by, the infant's temperament. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in family dynamics over the transition to parenthood and the relationship of family dynamics to infant......, although always in a negative direction, in family dynamics over this transition. The largest change was an increase in perceived role conflict reported by both mothers and fathers. Mothers reported more role conflict than fathers. Positive family dynamics were related to infant rhythmicity....

  11. Family dynamics and infant temperament in Danish families

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wilson, M.E.; Hall, Elisabeth O.C.; White, M.A.

    1994-01-01

    , although always in a negative direction, in family dynamics over this transition. The largest change was an increase in perceived role conflict reported by both mothers and fathers. Mothers reported more role conflict than fathers. Positive family dynamics were related to infant rhythmicity.......Transition to parenthood involves the fine balance of family dynamics which both affect, and are affected by, the infant's temperament. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in family dynamics over the transition to parenthood and the relationship of family dynamics to infant...... temperament. A sample of 99 families in Odense, Denmark, completed the Family Dynamics Measure in the third trimester of pregnancy and again when the infant was 8-9 months old. At this second time, the mothers also completed the Revised Infant Temperament Questionnaire. Overall we found small changes...

  12. ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY STRUCTURE AND AGE OF SEXUAL DEBUT AMONG YOUNG PERSONS IN JAMAICA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oshi, Daniel C; Mckenzie, Jordan; Baxter, Martin; Robinson, Royelle; Neil, Stephan; Greene, Tayla; Wright, Wayne; Lodge, Jeorghino

    2018-02-26

    There is a high and increasing proportion of single-parent families in Jamaica. This has raised concerns about the potential impact of single-parent families on the social, cognitive and behavioural development of children, including their sexual relationships. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between being raised in a single-parent family and age of sexual debut among young people in Jamaica. The study was cross-sectional in design, and based on a multi-stage sampling procedure. The study was conducted in July/September 2016. The study sample comprised 233 respondents (110 males and 123 females) aged from 18 to 35 years (mean 26.37 years; SD 5.46). Respondents completed a self-administered questionnaire with questions on socio-demographic characteristics, family structure, sexual debut and current sexual behaviour. Ninety-seven (41.7%) respondents grew up in single-parent families. A total of 201 (86.3%) had had sex (102 males and 99 females). Their mean age of sexual debut was 15.51 years (SD 3.41). Sixty-five (32.3%) had early sexual debut (single-parent families were more likely to have had early sexual debut (56.9%; n=37) compared with those from two-parent families (43.1%, n=28; p=0.004). Only 44.6% (n=29) of those who experienced early sexual debut used a condom during their first sexual encounter compared with 73% (n=100) of those who had a later sexual debut (≥16 years; p=single-father family structure was a significant predictor of early sexual debut (AOR 5.5; 95%CI: 1.1-25.8). The study found a significant association between single-parent family structure and age of sexual debut.

  13. Changes in residential, occupational and gender structure of the greater Bangkok in the globalization process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satoshi Nakagawa

    2004-12-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated recent changes in migration and population structure of the Greater Bangkok considering the impact of economic globalization. The spatial policy of the Thai government has lead newer investments for manufacturing to locate away from Bangkok Metropolis and thereby the industrial structure of Bangkok Metropolis has gradually turned into service-dominated, while the region surrounding Bangkok Metropolis has attracted factories mainly owned by foreign capital. Light industry and electronics industry are con-centrated in the adjacent provinces to Bangkok Metropolis and the heavy and petrochemical industry tends to be located in the outer zone of the surrounding region. The service sector and light industry as well as electronics industry prefer female workers and Bangkok met-ropolis and the adjoining provinces have become female-dominated population structure while male workers tend to gather in the outer zone attracted by heavy and petrochemical industry. It is possible to mention accordingly that the unbalanced spatial distribution of sex structure of population which might cause changes in the norm to the family formation in future is one of the consequences of economic globalization of Thailand, which the inves-tment promotion policy of the government did not assume.

  14. Structural and interpersonal characteristics of family meals: associations with adolescent body mass index and dietary patterns.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berge, Jerica M; Jin, Seok Won; Hannan, Peter; Neumark-Sztainer, Dianne

    2013-06-01

    The last decade of research has suggested that family meals play an important role in promoting healthful dietary intake in youth. However, little is known about the structural characteristics and interpersonal dynamics of family meals that might help to inform why family meals are protective for youth. The current mixed methods, cross-sectional study conducted in 2010-2011 includes adolescents and parents who participated in two linked population-based studies. Participants included 40 parents (91.5% female) and adolescents (57.5% female) from the Minneapolis/St Paul, MN, area participating in EAT (Eating and Activity Among Teens) 2010 and F-EAT (Families and Eating and Activity Among Teens). The structural (eg, length of the meal, types of foods served) and interpersonal characteristics (eg, communication, emotion/affect management) of family meals were described, and associations between interpersonal dynamics at family meals and adolescent body mass index and dietary intake were examined via direct observational methods. Families were videorecorded during two mealtimes in their homes. Results indicated that family meals were approximately 20 minutes in length, included multiple family members, were typically served family style (70%), and occurred in the kitchen 62% of the time and 38% of the time in another room (eg, family room, office). In addition, significant associations were found between positive interpersonal dynamics (ie, communication, affect management, interpersonal involvement, overall family functioning) at family meals and lower adolescent body mass index and higher vegetable intake. These findings add to the growing body of literature on family meals by providing a better understanding of what is happening at family meals in order to inform obesity-prevention studies and recommendations for providers working with families of youth. Copyright © 2013 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Factors influencing healthy lifestyle changes: a qualitative look at low-income families engaged in treatment for overweight children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cason-Wilkerson, Rochelle; Goldberg, Shauna; Albright, Karen; Allison, Mandy; Haemer, Matthew

    2015-04-01

    Childhood obesity disproportionately affects low-income minority populations, yet there is a paucity of literature about effective interventions in this population. This study sought to understand the experience of low-income majority Hispanic families engaged in obesity treatment. We conducted six focus groups (2=English, 4=Spanish) with families who completed a community-based, family-oriented obesity treatment program, using standard qualitative focus group interview methods. Transcripts were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for thematic content. Two coders using the software program ATLAS.ti (v.7.0; Scientific Software Development GmbH, Berlin, Germany) coded each transcript independently; reflexive team analysis with three study team members was used to reach a consensus. Participants (n=37) indicated high program satisfaction. Parents reported buying less junk/fast food, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, preparing and eating more meals as a family, and increasing their families' physical activity (PA). Four barrier and facilitator themes emerged. Barrier themes were time and financial cost, parent's lack of time and energy, influence of family members, and challenges regarding physical environment. Facilitator themes were skill building around healthy eating and parenting, family involvement, and long-term health concerns. Unanticipated findings, parents reported, were that changes resulted in children sleeping better, feeling happier, and less irritability. Despite low-income families experiencing barriers to lifestyle changes to manage obesity, they made positive dietary changes and increased PA by learning specific skills and including the whole family in those changes. Additionally, some unexpected benefits were noted, including improved sleep, less irritability, and children appearing happier. Future studies should consider using these parent-identified outcomes as secondary measures of program effectiveness.

  16. The effect of migration on family structures in sub-Saharan Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okoth-ogendo, H W

    1989-06-01

    This paper assesses the effect of migration or family structures in sub-Saharan Africa, especially the effect of emigration on the reproduction, production, and social stability of the family in areas of origin in the predominantly agrarian communities of East and Southern Africa. Migration in precolonial Africa usually occurred for 1 of the following reasons: 1) the search by communities for new habitats and opportunities; 2) as a community response to droughts, floods, environmental degradation, and similar disasters; and 3) as a result of internecine wars, civil strife, and general hostilities. Thus, because of the collective nature of early migrations, the family unit maintained a much greater degree of social cohesion. The effects of the rise of the modern state in Africa on migration include 1) spatial limits of collective migration were frozen, 2) the colonial boundaries did not always correspond to cultural divisions, 3) both migration within colonial boundaries and individual migration became dominant, and 4) cyclical migration began. The end of colonialism resulted in 1) difficulties in creating strong and internally coherent nation states because of the uncertainty of national borders and 2) more cyclical migrants. The effects of migration on reproduction in the family during the colonial period include 17 extremely low fertility rates, 2) widespread domestic instability, and 3) exacerbation of moral decadence. Contemporary patterns of emigration have been far less disruptive, due in part to increased personal mobility and migration of the complete reproductive unit. The effects of migration on production include 1) depletion of labor for production; 2) women had to assume production functions, together with all their other responsibilities; and 3) very little cash or goods were available for remittance to areas of origin. Production and productivity among rural African families will continue to suffer as long as plantations, mines, and urban centers

  17. Crystal structure of a family 16 endoglucanase from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus--structural basis of substrate recognition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ilari, A.; Fiorillo, A.; Angelaccio, S.; Florio, R.; Chiaraluce, R.; Oost, van der J.; Consalvi, V.

    2009-01-01

    Bacterial and archaeal endo-beta-1,3-glucanases that belong to glycoside hydrolase family 16 share a beta-jelly-roll fold, but differ significantly in sequence and in substrate specificity. The crystal structure of the laminarinase (EC 3.2.1.39) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus

  18. REMINDER : Changes in family situation are to be declared promptly

    CERN Multimedia

    HR Department

    2012-01-01

    All changes in the family situation of members of the personnel (employed or associated) have to be declared without delay and in writing to the Organization.   Among the changes that shall be notified within 30 calendar days of their occurrence, the most frequent ones are: • marriage; • divorce; • entering into a partnership officially registered in a Member State; • dissolution of such a partnership; • death of the spouse or partner; and • birth or death of a child. For more information, in particular on how to declare any of the above changes, please see the CERN Admin e-guide. In addition, any change to the health insurance situation, the income or retirement pension of the spouse or partner of any staff member or fellow also has to be declared to the Organization in writing within 30 calendar days of its occurrence. Such changes shall be declared using the EDH “CHIS Declaration of health insurance situation spouse/partner&...

  19. [Problems in the process of adapting to change among the family caregivers of elderly people with dementia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moreno-Cámara, Sara; Palomino-Moral, Pedro Ángel; Moral-Fernández, Lourdes; Frías-Osuna, Antonio; Del-Pino-Casado, Rafael

    2016-01-01

    To identify and analyse problems in adapting to change among the family caregivers of relatives with dementia. Qualitative study based on the methodology of Charmaz's Constructivist Grounded Theory. Seven focus groups were conducted in different primary health care centres in the province of Jaen (Spain). Eighty-two primary family caregivers of relatives with dementia participated by purposeful maximum variation sampling and theoretical sampling. Triangulation analysis was carried out to increase internal validity. We obtained three main categories: 'Changing Care', 'Problems in the process of adapting to change' and 'Facilitators of the process of adapting to change'. Family caregivers perform their role in a context characterized by personal change, both in the person receiving the care and in the social and cultural context. The challenge of adaptation lies in the balance between the problems that hamper adaptation of the caregiver to new situations of care and the factors that facilitate the caregiver role. The adaptation of family caregivers to caring for a person with dementia is hindered by the lack of formal support and under-diagnosis of dementia. The adaptation process could be improved by strengthening formal support in the early stages of care to reduce the stress of family caregivers who must teach themselves about their task and by interventions adapted to each phase in the development of the caregiver role. Copyright © 2016 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  20. [Multidimensional family therapy: which influences, which specificities?].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bonnaire, C; Bastard, N; Couteron, J-P; Har, A; Phan, O

    2014-10-01

    Among illegal psycho-active drugs, cannabis is the most consumed by French adolescents. Multidimensional family therapy (MDFT) is a family-based outpatient therapy which has been developed for adolescents with drug and behavioral problems. MDFT has shown its effectiveness in adolescents with substance abuse disorders (notably cannabis abuse) not only in the United States but also in Europe (International Cannabis Need of Treatment project). MDFT is a multidisciplinary approach and an evidence-based treatment, at the crossroads of developmental psychology, ecological theories and family therapy. Its psychotherapeutic techniques find its roots in a variety of approaches which include systemic family therapy and cognitive therapy. The aims of this paper are: to describe all the backgrounds of MDFT by highlighting its characteristics; to explain how structural and strategy therapies have influenced this approach; to explore the links between MDFT, brief strategic family therapy and multi systemic family therapy; and to underline the specificities of this family therapy method. The multidimensional family therapy was created on the bases of 1) the integration of multiple therapeutic techniques stemming from various family therapy theories; and 2) studies which have shown family therapy efficiency. Several trials have shown a better efficiency of MDFT compared to group treatment, cognitive-behavioral therapy and home-based treatment. Studies have also highlighted that MDFT led to superior treatment outcomes, especially among young people with severe drug use and psychiatric co-morbidities. In the field of systemic family therapies, MDFT was influenced by: 1) the structural family therapy (S. Minuchin), 2) the strategic family theory (J. Haley), and 3) the intergenerational family therapy (Bowen and Boszormenyi-Nagy). MDFT has specific aspects: MDFT therapists think in a multidimensional perspective (because an adolescent's drug abuse is a multidimensional disorder), they

  1. Supporting change in chronic disease risk behaviours for people with a mental illness: a qualitative study of the experiences of family carers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Jacqueline M; Hansen, Vibeke; Wye, Paula M; Wiggers, John H; Bartlem, Kate M; Bowman, Jennifer A

    2018-03-27

    People with a mental illness experience greater chronic disease morbidity and mortality, and associated reduced life expectancy, compared to those without such an illness. A higher prevalence of chronic disease risk behaviours (inadequate nutrition, inadequate physical activity, tobacco smoking, and harmful alcohol consumption) is experienced by this population. Family carers have the potential to support change in such behaviours among those they care for with a mental illness. This study aimed to explore family carers': 1) experiences in addressing the chronic disease risk behaviours of their family members; 2) existing barriers to addressing such behaviours; and 3) perceptions of potential strategies to assist them to provide risk behaviour change support. A qualitative study of four focus groups (n = 31), using a semi-structured interview schedule, was conducted with carers of people with a mental illness in New South Wales, Australia from January 2015 to February 2016. An inductive thematic analysis was employed to explore the experience of carers in addressing the chronic disease risk behaviours. Two main themes were identified in family carers' report of their experiences: firstly, that health behaviours were salient concerns for carers and that they were engaged in providing support, and secondly that they perceived a bidirectional relationship between health behaviours and mental well-being. Key barriers to addressing behaviours were: a need to attend to carers' own well-being; defensiveness on behalf of the family member; and not residing with their family member; with other behaviour-specific barriers also identified. Discussion around strategies which would assist carers in providing support for health risk behaviours identified a need for improved communication and collaboration between carers and health services accessed by their family members. Additional support from general and mental health services accessed by family members is desired to

  2. Continuity and Change in Family's Role in Long-Duration Space Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Phyllis

    As long-duration missions become commonplace, it will be important to consider the effect of the astronaut's career on his/her family, and the role of family in supporting that career. In the short history of the space program, archival information about three long-duration programs- Skylab, Shuttle-Mir, and the International Space Station—-provides valuable information about the astronauts' adjustment to increasingly longer times in space. These sources potentially include the astronaut's views about the role of family in that adjustment. The purpose of this paper is to present a qualitative analysis of the astronauts' views about the role family played in his/her career, as well as the effect of the astronaut career on his/her family. Specifically, what roles did family play, e.g., being there at important events, accepting the importance of the astronaut career? How did astronauts view the effects of separation, risks, and publicity on their family? How much did astronauts emphasize dealing with separation through communication with family? How consistent have astronauts' views remained over the three types of missions which have spanned from 1973 to today? The data base for this qualitative study is the Johnson Space Center oral histories for astronauts who participated in Skylab or Shuttle-Mir, and the Johnson Space Center archives of ISS mission journals and logs, and pre-flight interviews with ISS astronauts. Male astronauts are the main focus of the change-over-time information as only one woman participated in Shuttle- Mir and no women were in the Skylab program. However, qualitative data will be presented about female astronauts on ISS and on Shuttle-Mir for some comparative information by sex for those programs. Skylab preliminary findings: Having a wife and parents who were supportive made all of the difference in the astronaut career. It would not have been possible to maintain some semblance of family life without the wife's managing it. Private

  3. Changing work, changing health: can real work-time flexibility promote health behaviors and well-being?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moen, Phyllis; Kelly, Erin L; Tranby, Eric; Huang, Qinlei

    2011-12-01

    This article investigates a change in the structuring of work time, using a natural experiment to test whether participation in a corporate initiative (Results Only Work Environment; ROWE) predicts corresponding changes in health-related outcomes. Drawing on job strain and stress process models, we theorize greater schedule control and reduced work-family conflict as key mechanisms linking this initiative with health outcomes. Longitudinal survey data from 659 employees at a corporate headquarters shows that ROWE predicts changes in health-related behaviors, including almost an extra hour of sleep on work nights. Increasing employees' schedule control and reducing their work-family conflict are key mechanisms linking the ROWE innovation with changes in employees' health behaviors; they also predict changes in well-being measures, providing indirect links between ROWE and well-being. This study demonstrates that organizational changes in the structuring of time can promote employee wellness, particularly in terms of prevention behaviors.

  4. Transformations of the family – social bond in the 21st century family [Przeobrażenia więzi rodzinno-społecznych w rodzinie XXI wieku

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Urszula GAŁĘSKA

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available The concept of the family (social bond has not been explained and precisely defined so far. The most common definition is known as a dual character of human relationships. Cultural, economic, legal, religious and social factors in which a family lives, influence considerably the typical family bonds. Transformations of the bond in the 21st century family are caused by changes which have occurred and continuue to occur in the structure, functions and organization of the family live. A system of mutually connected elements of the upbringing process in the family, between which all kinds of dynamic associations and interactions are clearly visible. So we should pay our attention to transformations of the family bond in incessantly changing conditions. It is necessary especially in social, economic and cultural areas, where the role of the traditional family is becoming less important.

  5. Responding to Changes in HIV Policy: Updating and Enhancing the Families Matter! Curriculum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Kim S; Winskell, Kate; Berrier, Faith L

    2016-06-01

    The past decade has seen changes in US HIV policy in sub-Saharan Africa in response to a new Administration and far-reaching technical, scientific and programmatic developments. These include: dramatically increased access to life-saving ART and related services; the roll-out of voluntary medical male circumcision; and growing sensitivity to gender-based violence, including child sexual abuse, and to its role in increasing vulnerability to HIV. The Families Matter! Program (FMP) is an intervention for parents and caregivers of 9-12 year-olds that promotes effective parent-child communication about sexuality and sexual risk reduction. FMP was adapted from a US evidence-based intervention in 2003-4 and is now implemented in eight African countries. In 2012-13, the FMP curriculum was updated and enhanced to respond to new US Government priorities. Enhancements to the curriculum drew on the results of Violence Against Children surveys, on a review of existing literature, on feedback from the field on the existing curriculum, and on stories written by young people across Africa for scriptwriting competitions. We updated FMP with scientific content and stronger linkages to services. We also intensified our focus on structural determinants of risk. This contextualisation of sexual risk-taking within structural constraints led us to place greater emphasis on gendered vulnerability and the diverse pressures children face, and to intensify our situation-based pedagogical approach, drawing on the authentic youth-authored narratives. We describe these changes as an illustration of and source of insight into much-needed programmatic adaptation in response to evolving HIV policy.

  6. Forerunners and Laggards in Sweden’s Family Change. Fathers’ uptake of parental leave, 1993-2010

    OpenAIRE

    Ma, Li; Andersson, Gunnar; Duvander, Ann-Zofie; Evertsson, Marie

    2018-01-01

    Sweden is often considered a forerunner in family change and developments towards less gendered patterns of family production. In this study, we focus on recent developments towards more gender equal sharing of parental leave in Sweden. This country was the first in the world to introduce a gender-neutral parental leave scheme. The aim was to promote the combination of work and family, mainly by enabling women’s participation in the labor force. With time, the focus of polic...

  7. Anatomizing the Mechanics of Structural Change

    OpenAIRE

    Alonso Carrera, Jaime; Freire Serén, María Jesús; Raurich, Xavier

    2017-01-01

    We characterize several possible mechanisms of structural change by using a general multisector growth model, where preferences and technologies are not parameterized. In this generic set up, we derive the growth rates of sectoral employment shares at the equilibrium. We find that the economic fundamentals governing structural change in the sectoral employment shares are: (i) the income elasticities of the demand for consumption goods; (ii) the Allen-Uzawa elasticities of substitution between...

  8. In-Home Intervention with Families in Distress: Changing Places to Promote Change

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waisbrod, Nirit; Buchbinder, Eli; Possick, Chaya

    2012-01-01

    This article examines the benefits of in-home family therapy with severely distressed families through the analysis of four cases that demonstrate the creative use of this intervention with families whose children were placed in a full-time day care facility. Although the efficacy of home intervention with distressed families has been documented,…

  9. Seizure disorders and developmental disorders: impact on life of affected families-a structured interview.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spindler, Ulrike Petra; Hotopp, Lena Charlott; Bach, Vivien Angela; Hornemann, Frauke; Syrbe, Steffen; Andreas, Anna; Merkenschlager, Andreas; Kiess, Wieland; Bernhard, Matthias Karl; Bertsche, Thilo; Neininger, Martina Patrizia; Bertsche, Astrid

    2017-08-01

    Seizure disorder and developmental disorder are two of the most common chronic disorders in childhood. Data on perceived parental burden and specific effects on daily life is scarce. We performed a structured interview, consecutively talking to all parents of pediatric outpatients of our university hospital diagnosed with seizure or developmental disorder. Three hundred seven parents (of 317 affected children: 53 with seizure disorder, 44 with specific developmental disorder, 35 with learning disorder, 71 with intellectual disability, 15 with seizure + specific developmental disorder, 23 with seizure + learning disorder, 76 with seizure disorder + intellectual disability) were interviewed. Parents of children with both seizure disorder and intellectual disability stated the highest constraints in daily life, regarding friends, hobbies, emotional pressure, occupation, partnership, habitation, and financial burden. Due to diagnosis of seizure or developmental disorder, 155/307 (51%) parents reduced their working hours/stopped working, 62/307 (20%) changed their habitation, and 46/307 (15%) broke up. As judged by parents, 148/317 (47%) children are being discriminated against, even own family/friends and educators are held responsible. Parents perceive changes in their daily life and discrimination of their children due to their children's seizure and developmental disorders. An intellectual disability combined with seizure disorder caused the highest constraint. What is Known: • Seizure and/or developmental disorders of children may adversely influence quality of life for affected parents. • Caring for a child with special health care needs can take complete attention and own parental needs may therefore be difficult to meet. What is New: • Two out of three parents stated changes of their daily life such as quitting work, change of habitation, or breakup of partnership due to their child's diagnosis. • As judged by the parents, one in two children with

  10. Structural change in the economy of Nigeria:

    OpenAIRE

    Adeyinka, Adedeji; Salau, Sheu; Vollrath, Dietrich

    2013-01-01

    We document that structural change accounts for approximately one-fifth of the total change in labor productivity in Nigeria between 1996 and 2009. Labor moved out of the agricultural and wholesale and retail trade sectors into manufacturing, transportation and communications, business services, and general services. While structural change did occur in this period, significant gains to aggregate labor productivity are still available from further shifts of labor to higher-productivity sector...

  11. Participation of adolescents in the Family Health Strategy from the theoretical-methodological structure of an enabler to participation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira, Roberta Peixoto; Gomes, Sílvia Helena Pereira; Machado, Maria de Fátima Antero Sousa; Bezerra, Italla Maria Pinheiro; Machado, Caroline Antero

    2014-01-01

    to evaluate the participation of adolescents in the Family Health Strategy, from the theoretical-methodological structure of an enabler to participation. a quantitative study, conducted from December of 2010 to March of 2011, with 213 professionals in the FHS in the region of Cariri-Ceará-Brazil. Data were collected through a questionnaire and organized in SPSS 18.0. the level of normative participation becomes manifest beginning with the adolescent search for health services, motivated by disease (77.9%). Normative participation + independence appear when they seek prenatal care and family planning. Emancipatory participation was identified by the frequency of adolescents in group activities, in the schools, and a move in the direction of the level of transformative participation was observed. in this context, it is understood that there exists a need to stimulate the participatory process of the adolescents for a change in health promotion in this group.

  12. UV-induced structural changes in chromatin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lang, H.; Zimmer, C.; Vengerov, Yu.Yu.

    1985-01-01

    UV-induced structural alterations of chromatin were studied by means of CD, electron microscopic, and gel electrophoretic measurements. The results indicate that chromatin undergoes serious structural changes after irradiation even at very low fluences. In the low fluence range the structural transitions from the higher ordered chromatin structure to the unfolded state occur without detectable changes in the content of histone H1 and of the core histones. Histone H1 disappears only at fluences above 10 kJ/m 2 . Furthermore, DNA in chromatin is much more sensitive against UV-irradiation and shows a higher degree of strand scission relative to free DNA. While fragmentation in free DNA occurs at fluences above 15 kJ/m 2 , it occurs even at 5.5 kJ/m 2 in the case of chromatin. The biological meaning of the observed UV-induced structural alterations of chromatin is discussed. (author)

  13. The actin family protein ARP6 contributes to the structure and the function of the nucleolus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitamura, Hiroshi; Matsumori, Haruka; Kalendova, Alzbeta; Hozak, Pavel; Goldberg, Ilya G; Nakao, Mitsuyoshi; Saitoh, Noriko; Harata, Masahiko

    2015-08-21

    The actin family members, consisting of actin and actin-related proteins (ARPs), are essential components of chromatin remodeling complexes. ARP6, one of the nuclear ARPs, is part of the Snf-2-related CREB-binding protein activator protein (SRCAP) chromatin remodeling complex, which promotes the deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z into the chromatin. In this study, we showed that ARP6 influences the structure and the function of the nucleolus. ARP6 is localized in the central region of the nucleolus, and its knockdown induced a morphological change in the nucleolus. We also found that in the presence of high concentrations of glucose ARP6 contributed to the maintenance of active ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription by placing H2A.Z into the chromatin. In contrast, under starvation, ARP6 was required for cell survival through the repression of rDNA transcription independently of H2A.Z. These findings reveal novel pleiotropic roles for the actin family in nuclear organization and metabolic homeostasis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. "For better or for worse:" Can we count on family? | CRDI - Centre de ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Families have different needs and structures as well as various ways of reacting and adapting to changes in their economic environment. As in many developing societies, nuclear families in Senegal are the exception rather than the rule. On average, Senegalese households have eight members of an extended family living ...

  15. Racial Inequality Trends and the Intergenerational Persistence of Income and Family Structure

    OpenAIRE

    Bloome, Deirdre

    2014-01-01

    Racial disparity in family incomes remained remarkably stable over the past 40 years in the United States despite major legal and social reforms. Previous scholarship presents two primary explanations for persistent inequality through a period of progressive change. One highlights continuity: because socioeconomic status is transmitted from parents to children, disparities created through histories of discrimination and opportunity denial may dissipate slowly. The second highlights change: be...

  16. A Review of the Conflicting Theories on the Slave Family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, David Brion

    1997-01-01

    Historians' changing perceptions of the quality of slave family life are reviewed as they developed from World War I to the present day, noting the paternalism that marked historians' thinking in post-War period, and the romanticism that characterizes some later writings. Controversy over slave family structures continues in present-day studies.…

  17. An unconventional family 1 uracil DNA glycosylase in Nitratifractor salsuginis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jing; Chen, Ran; Yang, Ye; Zhang, Zhemin; Fang, Guang-Chen; Xie, Wei; Cao, Weiguo

    2017-12-01

    The uracil DNA glycosylase superfamily consists of at least six families with a diverse specificity toward DNA base damage. Family 1 uracil N-glycosylase (UNG) exhibits exclusive specificity on uracil-containing DNA. Here, we report a family 1 UNG homolog from Nitratifractor salsuginis with distinct biochemical features that differentiate it from conventional family 1 UNGs. Globally, the crystal structure of N. salsuginisUNG shows a few additional secondary structural elements. Biochemical and enzyme kinetic analysis, coupled with structural determination, molecular modeling, and molecular dynamics simulations, shows that N. salsuginisUNG contains a salt bridge network that plays an important role in DNA backbone interactions. Disruption of the amino acid residues involved in the salt bridges greatly impedes the enzymatic activity. A tyrosine residue in motif 1 (GQDPY) is one of the distinct sequence features setting family 1 UNG apart from other families. The crystal structure of Y81G mutant indicates that several subtle changes may account for its inactivity. Unlike the conventional family 1 UNG enzymes, N. salsuginisUNG is not inhibited by Ugi, a potent inhibitor specific for family 1 UNG. This study underscores the diversity of paths that a uracil DNA glycosylase may take to acquire its unique structural and biochemical properties during evolution. Structure data are available in the PDB under accession numbers 5X3G and 5X3H. © 2017 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.

  18. Brief report: Risky sexual behavior of adolescents in Belgrade: association with socioeconomic status and family structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vukovic, Dejana S; Bjegovic, Vesna M

    2007-10-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the association between socioeconomic status and family structure with risky sexual behaviors in adolescents. A total of 1782 15-year-old Belgrade schoolchildren (47.5% boys and 52.5% girls) completed a questionnaire from the WHO study, "Health behavior of schoolchildren". Adolescents with a higher weekly disposable income, those who perceived their family as wealthy, and those with difficulties in communication with their mothers were more likely to have had been sexually active (odds ratios (OR)=2.497, 1.876, and 1.253, respectively). Adolescents with a higher weekly disposable income were more likely to use contraception (OR=0.233), but those who perceived their families as better-off and those living with only one parent were more likely not to use contraception (OR=4.794, 22.295 [living with father], and 6.169 [living with mother], respectively). The perceived family wealth was significantly associated with having sexual intercourse and having sexual intercourse without using contraception. Family structure had a limited independent association with sexual behavior.

  19. Changing the Odds A North Carolina family's search to help those with TBI

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Issue Past Issues Cover Story: Traumatic Brain Injury Changing the Odds A North Carolina family's search to ... his mother, Carolyn. "But we had an unshakable belief that Phillip would have hope and a future." ...

  20. Structure of the first representative of Pfam family PF09410 (DUF2006) reveals a structural signature of the calycin superfamily that suggests a role in lipid metabolism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiu, Hsiu-Ju; Bakolitsa, Constantina; Skerra, Arne; Lomize, Andrei; Carlton, Dennis; Miller, Mitchell D.; Krishna, S. Sri; Abdubek, Polat; Astakhova, Tamara; Axelrod, Herbert L.; Clayton, Thomas; Deller, Marc C.; Duan, Lian; Feuerhelm, Julie; Grant, Joanna C.; Grzechnik, Slawomir K.; Han, Gye Won; Jaroszewski, Lukasz; Jin, Kevin K.; Klock, Heath E.; Knuth, Mark W.; Kozbial, Piotr; Kumar, Abhinav; Marciano, David; McMullan, Daniel; Morse, Andrew T.; Nigoghossian, Edward; Okach, Linda; Paulsen, Jessica; Reyes, Ron; Rife, Christopher L.; Bedem, Henry van den; Weekes, Dana; Xu, Qingping; Hodgson, Keith O.; Wooley, John; Elsliger, Marc-André; Deacon, Ashley M.; Godzik, Adam; Lesley, Scott A.; Wilson, Ian A.

    2009-01-01

    NE1406, the first structural representative of PF09410, reveals a lipocalin-like fold with features that suggest involvement in lipid metabolism. In addition, NE1406 provides potential structural templates for two other protein families (PF07143 and PF08622). The first structural representative of the domain of unknown function DUF2006 family, also known as Pfam family PF09410, comprises a lipocalin-like fold with domain duplication. The finding of the calycin signature in the N-terminal domain, combined with remote sequence similarity to two other protein families (PF07143 and PF08622) implicated in isoprenoid metabolism and the oxidative stress response, support an involvement in lipid metabolism. Clusters of conserved residues that interact with ligand mimetics suggest that the binding and regulation sites map to the N-terminal domain and to the interdomain interface, respectively

  1. The Factors of Changing the Structure of Modern Economy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pelekh O. B.

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The article is aimed at attempting to clarify the essence of structural changes and to define the most important factors that cause structural changes in the economy, as well as researching the mechanism of their influence on the process of change. Economic development is directly related to economic structures and the changes that occur in them. Therefore, it is impossible to fully analyze economic development without taking into consideration structural changes in the economy. The economic system consists of separate branches, departments, production places, enterprises, has a certain structure of production resources and external trade, spatial placement, and is regulated by economic rules and norms. Under the economic structure the author understands the placement of the basic elements of economy and the proportions that have developed between them. Therefore, changes in the structure of economy are a complex system of changes in the interrelated proportions, taking place under the influence of the existing technical basis, social mechanisms of production, distribution and exchange in accordance with public needs, available resources, and the level of the labor productivity achieved. In conditions of modern economy and production, the factors influencing changes of the structure of economy, are divided into three groups: socio-economic, scientific-technological, and institutional. The author presents a list of the most important factors for each group and analyzes the mechanisms of interrelations between them.

  2. Emerging models for mobilizing family support for chronic disease management: a structured review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosland, Ann-Marie; Piette, John D

    2010-03-01

    We identify recent models for programmes aiming to increase effective family support for chronic illness management and self-care among adult patients without significant physical or cognitive disabilities. We then summarize evidence regarding the efficacy for each model identified. Structured review of studies published in medical and psychology databases from 1990 to the present, reference review, general Web searches and conversations with family intervention experts. Review was limited to studies on conditions that require ongoing self-management, such as diabetes, chronic heart disease and rheumatologic disease. Programmes with three separate foci were identified: (1) Programmes that guide family members in setting goals for supporting patient self-care behaviours have led to improved implementation of family support roles, but have mixed success improving patient outcomes. (2) Programmes that train family in supportive communication techniques, such as prompting patient coping techniques or use of autonomy supportive statements, have successfully improved patient symptom management and health behaviours. (3) Programmes that give families tools and infrastructure to assist in monitoring clinical symptoms and medications are being conducted, with no evidence to date on their impact on patient outcomes. The next generation of programmes to improve family support for chronic disease management incorporate a variety of strategies. Future research can define optimal clinical situations for family support programmes, the most effective combinations of support strategies, and how best to integrate family support programmes into comprehensive models of chronic disease care.

  3. Family Structure and Eating Disorders: The Family Environment Scale and Bulimic-Like Symptoms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Carol A.

    1991-01-01

    Family variables derived from the Family Environment Scale are examined using data from 174 college women at a Pacific Northwest university and 2 universities in Houston (Texas) with varying degrees of bulimia. Subjects' self-reports indicate family dysfunctions, but the study illustrates the complexity of the family's role in bulimia. (SLD)

  4. Changing Work, Changing Health: Can Real Work-Time Flexibility Promote Health Behaviors and Well-Being?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moen, Phyllis; Kelly, Erin L.; Tranby, Eric; Huang, Qinlei

    2012-01-01

    This article investigates a change in the structuring of work time, using a natural experiment to test whether participation in a corporate initiative (Results Only Work Environment; ROWE) predicts corresponding changes in health-related outcomes. Drawing on job strain and stress process models, we theorize greater schedule control and reduced work-family conflict as key mechanisms linking this initiative with health outcomes. Longitudinal survey data from 659 employees at a corporate headquarters shows that ROWE predicts changes in health-related behaviors, including almost an extra hour of sleep on work nights. Increasing employees’ schedule control and reducing their work-family conflict are key mechanisms linking the ROWE innovation with changes in employees’ health behaviors; they also predict changes in well-being measures, providing indirect links between ROWE and well-being. This study demonstrates that organizational changes in the structuring of time can promote employee wellness, particularly in terms of prevention behaviors. PMID:22144731

  5. The IQD gene family in soybean: structure, phylogeny, evolution and expression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lin Feng

    Full Text Available Members of the plant-specific IQ67-domain (IQD protein family are involved in plant development and the basal defense response. Although systematic characterization of this family has been carried out in Arabidopsis, tomato (Solanum lycopersicum, Brachypodium distachyon and rice (Oryza sativa, systematic analysis and expression profiling of this gene family in soybean (Glycine max have not previously been reported. In this study, we identified and structurally characterized IQD genes in the soybean genome. A complete set of 67 soybean IQD genes (GmIQD1-67 was identified using Blast search tools, and the genes were clustered into four subfamilies (IQD I-IV based on phylogeny. These soybean IQD genes are distributed unevenly across all 20 chromosomes, with 30 segmental duplication events, suggesting that segmental duplication has played a major role in the expansion of the soybean IQD gene family. Analysis of the Ka/Ks ratios showed that the duplicated genes of the GmIQD family primarily underwent purifying selection. Microsynteny was detected in most pairs: genes in clade 1-3 might be present in genome regions that were inverted, expanded or contracted after the divergence; most gene pairs in clade 4 showed high conservation with little rearrangement among these gene-residing regions. Of the soybean IQD genes examined, six were most highly expressed in young leaves, six in flowers, one in roots and two in nodules. Our qRT-PCR analysis of 24 soybean IQD III genes confirmed that these genes are regulated by MeJA stress. Our findings present a comprehensive overview of the soybean IQD gene family and provide insights into the evolution of this family. In addition, this work lays a solid foundation for further experiments aimed at determining the biological functions of soybean IQD genes in growth and development.

  6. Somali Families in Norway: : A Critical Review of The Changing Socio-structural Situation and it's Consequence for the Family

    OpenAIRE

    Gabowduale, Kassim Gabowduale

    2010-01-01

    An increasing number of Somali families have been flashed out of their homes and forced to migrate as a result of the ongoing conflict in Somalia. With the outbreak of the civil war in Somalia in the late eighties and early nineties, a large exodus of refugees fled the country. There are almost twenty three thousand Somalis living in Norway today; the majority of them settled in and around Oslo according to Statistics Norway (Henriksen 2008). Upon arrival, Somalis, still suffering from the tr...

  7. Early-life family structure and microbially induced cancer risk.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin J Blaser

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Cancer may follow exposure to an environmental agent after many decades. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori, known to be acquired early in life, increases risk for gastric adenocarcinoma, but other factors are also important. In this study, we considered whether early-life family structure affects the risk of later developing gastric cancer among H. pylori+ men.We examined a long-term cohort of Japanese-American men followed for 28 y, and performed a nested case-control study among those carrying H. pylori or the subset carrying the most virulent cagA+ H. pylori strains to address whether family structure predicted cancer development. We found that among the men who were H. pylori+ and/or cagA+ (it is possible to be cagA+ and H. pylori- if the H. pylori test is falsely negative, belonging to a large sibship or higher birth order was associated with a significantly increased risk of developing gastric adenocarcinoma late in life. For those with cagA+ strains, the risk of developing gastric cancer was more than twice as high (odds ratio 2.2; 95% confidence interval 1.2-4.0 among those in a sibship of seven or more individuals than in a sibship of between one and three persons.These results provide evidence that early-life social environment plays a significant role in risk of microbially induced malignancies expressing five to eight decades later, and these findings lead to new models to explain these interactions.

  8. Early-life family structure and microbially induced cancer risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blaser, Martin J; Nomura, Abraham; Lee, James; Stemmerman, Grant N; Perez-Perez, Guillermo I

    2007-01-01

    Cancer may follow exposure to an environmental agent after many decades. The bacterium Helicobacter pylori, known to be acquired early in life, increases risk for gastric adenocarcinoma, but other factors are also important. In this study, we considered whether early-life family structure affects the risk of later developing gastric cancer among H. pylori+ men. We examined a long-term cohort of Japanese-American men followed for 28 y, and performed a nested case-control study among those carrying H. pylori or the subset carrying the most virulent cagA+ H. pylori strains to address whether family structure predicted cancer development. We found that among the men who were H. pylori+ and/or cagA+ (it is possible to be cagA+ and H. pylori- if the H. pylori test is falsely negative), belonging to a large sibship or higher birth order was associated with a significantly increased risk of developing gastric adenocarcinoma late in life. For those with cagA+ strains, the risk of developing gastric cancer was more than twice as high (odds ratio 2.2; 95% confidence interval 1.2-4.0) among those in a sibship of seven or more individuals than in a sibship of between one and three persons. These results provide evidence that early-life social environment plays a significant role in risk of microbially induced malignancies expressing five to eight decades later, and these findings lead to new models to explain these interactions.

  9. Family Food Security and Children’s Environment: A Comprehensive Analysis with Structural Equation Modeling

    OpenAIRE

    Che Wan Jasimah bt Wan Mohamed Radzi; Huang Hui; Nur Anisah Binti Mohamed @ A. Rahman; Hashem Salarzadeh Jenatabadi

    2017-01-01

    Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) has been used extensively in sustainability studies to model relationships among latent and manifest variables. This paper provides a tutorial exposition of the SEM approach in food security studies and introduces a basic framework based on family food security and children’s environment sustainability. This framework includes family food security and three main concepts representing children’s environment, including children’s BMI, health, and school perfor...

  10. Structural and Biochemical Characterization of the Human Cyclophilin Family of Peptidyl-Prolyl Isomerases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Davis, Tara L.; Walker, John R.; Campagna-Slater, Valérie; Finerty, Jr., Patrick J.; Paramanathan, Ragika; Bernstein, Galina; MacKenzie, Farrell; Tempel, Wolfram; Ouyang, Hui; Lee, Wen Hwa; Eisenmesser, Elan Z.; Dhe-Paganon, Sirano (Toronto); (Colorado)

    2011-12-14

    Peptidyl-prolyl isomerases catalyze the conversion between cis and trans isomers of proline. The cyclophilin family of peptidyl-prolyl isomerases is well known for being the target of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin, used to combat organ transplant rejection. There is great interest in both the substrate specificity of these enzymes and the design of isoform-selective ligands for them. However, the dearth of available data for individual family members inhibits attempts to design drug specificity; additionally, in order to define physiological functions for the cyclophilins, definitive isoform characterization is required. In the current study, enzymatic activity was assayed for 15 of the 17 human cyclophilin isomerase domains, and binding to the cyclosporin scaffold was tested. In order to rationalize the observed isoform diversity, the high-resolution crystallographic structures of seven cyclophilin domains were determined. These models, combined with seven previously solved cyclophilin isoforms, provide the basis for a family-wide structure:function analysis. Detailed structural analysis of the human cyclophilin isomerase explains why cyclophilin activity against short peptides is correlated with an ability to ligate cyclosporin and why certain isoforms are not competent for either activity. In addition, we find that regions of the isomerase domain outside the proline-binding surface impart isoform specificity for both in vivo substrates and drug design. We hypothesize that there is a well-defined molecular surface corresponding to the substrate-binding S2 position that is a site of diversity in the cyclophilin family. Computational simulations of substrate binding in this region support our observations. Our data indicate that unique isoform determinants exist that may be exploited for development of selective ligands and suggest that the currently available small-molecule and peptide-based ligands for this class of enzyme are insufficient for isoform

  11. Structural Change in Southern Softwood Stumpage Markets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglas R. Carter

    1998-01-01

    The potential for structural change in southern stumpage market models has impacts on not only our basic understanding of those markets, but also on harvest, inventory and price projections, and related policy. In this paper, we test for structural change in both sawtimber and pulpwood softwood stumpage markets in the U.S. South over the period 1950-1994. Test...

  12. ADAM and ADAMTS Family Proteins and Snake Venom Metalloproteinases: A Structural Overview

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soichi Takeda

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available A disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM family proteins constitute a major class of membrane-anchored multidomain proteinases that are responsible for the shedding of cell-surface protein ectodomains, including the latent forms of growth factors, cytokines, receptors and other molecules. Snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs are major components in most viper venoms. SVMPs are primarily responsible for hemorrhagic activity and may also interfere with the hemostatic system in envenomed animals. SVMPs are phylogenetically most closely related to ADAMs and, together with ADAMs and related ADAM with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS family proteinases, constitute adamalysins/reprolysins or the M12B clan (MEROPS database of metalloproteinases. Although the catalytic domain structure is topologically similar to that of other metalloproteinases such as matrix metalloproteinases, the M12B proteinases have a modular structure with multiple non-catalytic ancillary domains that are not found in other proteinases. Notably, crystallographic studies revealed that, in addition to the conserved metalloproteinase domain, M12B members share a hallmark cysteine-rich domain designated as the “ADAM_CR” domain. Despite their name, ADAMTSs lack disintegrin-like structures and instead comprise two ADAM_CR domains. This review highlights the current state of our knowledge on the three-dimensional structures of M12B proteinases, focusing on their unique domains that may collaboratively participate in directing these proteinases to specific substrates.

  13. Computing the Reverse Eccentric Connectivity Index for Certain Family of Nanocone and Fullerene Structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Gao

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available A large number of previous works reveal that there exist strong connections between the chemical characteristics of chemical compounds and drugs (e.g., melting point and boiling point and their topological structures. Chemical indices introduced on these molecular topological structures can help chemists and material and medical scientists to grasp its chemical reactivity, biological activity, and physical features better. Hence, the study of the topological indices on the material structure can make up the defect of experiments and provide the theoretical evidence in material engineering. In this paper, we determine the reverse eccentric connectivity index of one family of pentagonal carbon nanocones PCN5[n] and three infinite families of fullerenes C12n+2,  C12n+4, and C18n+10 based on graph analysis and computation derivation, and these results can offer the theoretical basis for material properties.

  14. Engaging Youth in Climate Change Issues with Family Science Day Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brevik, Corinne E.; Brevik, Eric C.; Steffan, Joshua J.

    2016-04-01

    Dickinson State University organizes four Family Science Day events each fall during the months of September, October, November, and December. Activities are geared toward elementary-aged children to increase student engagement in the sciences. Offered on Saturday afternoons, each event focuses on a different science-related theme. Families can attend these events free of charge, and the kids participate in a large variety of hands-on activities that center around the event's theme. This year, the November event focused on climate change, including an emphasis on the roles soil plays in the climate system. The timing of this topic was carefully chosen. 2015 has been declared the International Year of Soil by the United Nations, and the Soil Science Society of America theme for the month of November was Soils and Climate. This public outreach event was an amazing opportunity to help the youth in our community learn about climate change in a fun, interactive environment. Climate changes in the past, present, and future were emphasized. Activities including the Farming Game, painting with soils, taking Jello "cores", creating a cloud in a jar, and making a glacier in a bag helped children learn how science is a process of discovery that allows them to better understand the world they live in. In addition to the hands-on activities, a planetarium show focused on climate change was also offered during the event, surrounding the kids and their parents in a fully immersive, 360-degree show that allowed them to personally observe phenomena that are otherwise difficult to visualize. All of the activities at the Family Science Day event were staffed by university students, and this proved to be a very valuable experience for them as well. Some of the students who helped are majoring in a science field, and for them, the experience taught public communication. They learned to break complicated concepts down into simpler terms that young kids could understand. Education

  15. Family Income, Cumulative Risk Exposure, and White Matter Structure in Middle Childhood

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander J. Dufford

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Family income is associated with gray matter morphometry in children, but little is known about the relationship between family income and white matter structure. In this paper, using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics, a whole brain, voxel-wise approach, we examined the relationship between family income (assessed by income-to-needs ratio and white matter organization in middle childhood (N = 27, M = 8.66 years. Results from a non-parametric, voxel-wise, multiple regression (threshold-free cluster enhancement, p < 0.05 FWE corrected indicated that lower family income was associated with lower white matter organization [assessed by fractional anisotropy (FA] for several clusters in white matter tracts involved in cognitive and emotional functions including fronto-limbic circuitry (uncinate fasciculus and cingulum bundle, association fibers (inferior longitudinal fasciculus, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and corticospinal tracts. Further, we examined the possibility that cumulative risk (CR exposure might function as one of the potential pathways by which family income influences neural outcomes. Using multiple regressions, we found lower FA in portions of these tracts, including those found in the left cingulum bundle and left superior longitudinal fasciculus, was significantly related to greater exposure to CR (β = -0.47, p < 0.05 and β = -0.45, p < 0.05.

  16. The family's experience of the child and/or teenager in palliative care: fluctuating between hope and hopelessness in a world changed by losses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misko, Maira Deguer; dos Santos, Maiara Rodrigues; Ichikawa, Carolliny Rossi de Faria; de Lima, Regina Aparecida Garcia; Bousso, Regina Szylit

    2015-01-01

    to understand the family's experience of the child and/or teenager in palliative care and building a representative theoretical model of the process experienced by the family. for this purpose the Symbolic Interactionism and the Theory Based on Data were used. Fifteen families with kids and/or teenagers in palliative care were interviewed, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. after the comparative analysis of the data, a substantive theory was formed "fluctuating between hope and hopelessness in a world changed by losses", composed by: "having a life shattered ", "managing the new condition", "recognizing the palliative care" and "relearning how to live". Hope, perseverance and spiritual beliefs are determining factors for the family to continue fighting for the life of their child in a context of uncertainty, anguish and suffering, due to the medical condition of the child. Along the way, the family redefines values and integrates palliative care in their lives. staying with the child at home is what was set and kept hope of dreaming about the recovery and support of the child's life, but above all, what takes it away even though temporarily is the possibility of their child's death when staying within the context of the family.

  17. The family's experience of the child and/or teenager in palliative care: fluctuating between hope and hopelessness in a world changed by losses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maira Deguer Misko

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: to understand the family's experience of the child and/or teenager in palliative care and building a representative theoretical model of the process experienced by the family.METHODOLOGY: for this purpose the Symbolic Interactionism and the Theory Based on Data were used. Fifteen families with kids and/or teenagers in palliative care were interviewed, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews.RESULTS: after the comparative analysis of the data, a substantive theory was formed "fluctuating between hope and hopelessness in a world changed by losses", composed by: "having a life shattered ", "managing the new condition", "recognizing the palliative care" and "relearning how to live". Hope, perseverance and spiritual beliefs are determining factors for the family to continue fighting for the life of their child in a context of uncertainty, anguish and suffering, due to the medical condition of the child. Along the way, the family redefines values and integrates palliative care in their lives.CONCLUSION: staying with the child at home is what was set and kept hope of dreaming about the recovery and support of the child's life, but above all, what takes it away even though temporarily is the possibility of their child's death when staying within the context of the family.

  18. Changes in the Concept of Family Justice in Japan: The Impact of Modern Egalitarian Attitudes on Family Equality in the Areas of Inheritance and Domestic Violence (Including Murder of an Lineal Ascendant)

    OpenAIRE

    五十子, 敬子

    2008-01-01

    I Family justice in Japan: a brief overviewII Equality in the Japanese inheritance laws since 1947III Equality of treatment in sentencing: the murder of a lineal ascendantIV Changes in the concept of family justice in domestic violence: the Prevention of Spousal Violence and the Protection of Victims Act 2001V Conclusion: key points of change in the concept of family justice

  19. Work and family stress is associated with menstrual disorders but not with fibrocystic changes: cross-sectional findings in Chinese working women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Mei; Wege, Natalia; Gu, Huakang; Shang, Li; Li, Jian; Siegrist, Johannes

    2010-01-01

    To explore the separate and combined effects of work and family stress on menstrual disorders and fibrocystic changes in Chinese working women. Data were obtained from a cross-sectional study of 1,642 female railway workers. The Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire and Family Stress Scale were used to measure work stress and family stress, respectively; the menstrual and breast conditions were evaluated by gynecologic interview and a medical examination. Multivariate log-binomial regression was performed to analyze the associations. Menstrual disorders were found in 59.3% of female workers, and 54.8% had fibrocystic changes. The risk of menstrual disorders was significantly elevated with respect to work and family stress. The highest risk was found in the group with combined exposure to both work and family stress (RR with 95% CI 1.33 (1.18-1.49)). No significant association between stress and fibrocystic changes was observed. Menstrual disorders were associated with stress from work and family life, but not fibrocystic changes, in working women. Tailored intervention measures reducing the burden of stressful psychosocial work and family environment are needed to improve women's reproductive well-being.

  20. Decline of traditional family system and reproductive behaviour in rural Bangladesh.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarker, P C

    1993-01-01

    . The authority structure of the family is also changing from patriarchal or matriarchal to egalitarian.

  1. Multigenerational Perspectives on Family Formation Behaviour

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Loft, Lisbeth Trille Gylling

    2014-01-01

    The transformed opportunity structure individuals have experienced over the course of the 20th century has not only changed family life, but also led to increased educational requirements, higher expectations of social mobility in the labor market, and overall perceived prospects of a healthier...... life. Moreover, presence of generational transmission of family formation behavior such as cohabitation, age at first marriage and childbearing has been widely documented. Thus, it has become more appropriate to approach family life events in a non-linear manner by emphasizing the existence of various...... family formation pathways, and to study these pathways from a generational point of view. Drawing on a life course perspective and by means of rich multigenerational longitudinal data combined with data from the Danish central population registers, this study examines multigenerational transmission...

  2. 'Trying to make it all come together': structuration and employed mothers' experience of family food provisioning in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slater, Joyce; Sevenhuysen, Gustaaf; Edginton, Barry; O'neil, John

    2012-09-01

    This research examined the aetiology of employed mothers' food choice and food provisioning decisions using a qualitative, grounded theory methodology. Semi-structured interviews using the Food Choice Map were conducted with eleven middle-income employed mothers of elementary school-age children. Results demonstrated that the women exhibited conflicting identities with respect to food choice and provisioning. As 'good mothers' they were the primary food and nutrition caregivers for the family, desiring to provide healthy, homemade foods their families preferred at shared family meals. They also sought to be independent selves, working outside the home, within the context of a busy modern family. Increased food autonomy of children, and lack of time due to working outside the home and children's involvement in extracurricular activities, were significant influences on their food choice and provisioning. This resulted in frequently being unable to live up to their expectations of consistently providing healthy homemade foods and having shared family meals. To cope, the women frequently relied on processed convenience and fast foods despite their acknowledged inferior nutritional status. Using Giddens' structuration theory, the dynamic relationships between the women's food choice and provisioning actions, their identities and larger structures including socio-cultural norms, conditions of work and the industrial food system were explored. The ensuing dietary pattern of the women and their families increases the risk of poor health outcomes, including obesity. These results have implications for public health responses to improve population health by shifting the focus from individual-level maternal influences to structural influences on diet.

  3. The actin family protein ARP6 contributes to the structure and the function of the nucleolus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kitamura, Hiroshi [Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Tsutsumidori-Amamiyamachi 1-1, Aoka-ku, Sendai 981-8555 (Japan); Matsumori, Haruka [Department of Medical Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan); Kalendova, Alzbeta; Hozak, Pavel [Department of Biology of the Cell Nucleus, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Vídeňská 1083, 142 20 Prague (Czech Republic); Goldberg, Ilya G. [Image Informatics and Computational Biology Unit, Laboratory of Genetics, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Suite 100, Baltimore, MD 21224 (United States); Nakao, Mitsuyoshi [Department of Medical Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan); Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Agency, Tokyo 102-0076 (Japan); Saitoh, Noriko [Department of Medical Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811 (Japan); Harata, Masahiko, E-mail: mharata@biochem.tohoku.ac.jp [Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Tsutsumidori-Amamiyamachi 1-1, Aoka-ku, Sendai 981-8555 (Japan)

    2015-08-21

    The actin family members, consisting of actin and actin-related proteins (ARPs), are essential components of chromatin remodeling complexes. ARP6, one of the nuclear ARPs, is part of the Snf-2-related CREB-binding protein activator protein (SRCAP) chromatin remodeling complex, which promotes the deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z into the chromatin. In this study, we showed that ARP6 influences the structure and the function of the nucleolus. ARP6 is localized in the central region of the nucleolus, and its knockdown induced a morphological change in the nucleolus. We also found that in the presence of high concentrations of glucose ARP6 contributed to the maintenance of active ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription by placing H2A.Z into the chromatin. In contrast, under starvation, ARP6 was required for cell survival through the repression of rDNA transcription independently of H2A.Z. These findings reveal novel pleiotropic roles for the actin family in nuclear organization and metabolic homeostasis. - Highlights: • ARP6, an actin related protein, is important for nucleolar function and structure. • A population of ARP6 is localized in the center of nucleolus. • Depletion of ARP6 resulted in aberrant shape of the nucleolus. • ARP6 maintains the active rDNA transcription under high glucose. • ARP6 is required for the repression of rDNA transcription under starvation.

  4. The actin family protein ARP6 contributes to the structure and the function of the nucleolus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kitamura, Hiroshi; Matsumori, Haruka; Kalendova, Alzbeta; Hozak, Pavel; Goldberg, Ilya G.; Nakao, Mitsuyoshi; Saitoh, Noriko; Harata, Masahiko

    2015-01-01

    The actin family members, consisting of actin and actin-related proteins (ARPs), are essential components of chromatin remodeling complexes. ARP6, one of the nuclear ARPs, is part of the Snf-2-related CREB-binding protein activator protein (SRCAP) chromatin remodeling complex, which promotes the deposition of the histone variant H2A.Z into the chromatin. In this study, we showed that ARP6 influences the structure and the function of the nucleolus. ARP6 is localized in the central region of the nucleolus, and its knockdown induced a morphological change in the nucleolus. We also found that in the presence of high concentrations of glucose ARP6 contributed to the maintenance of active ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription by placing H2A.Z into the chromatin. In contrast, under starvation, ARP6 was required for cell survival through the repression of rDNA transcription independently of H2A.Z. These findings reveal novel pleiotropic roles for the actin family in nuclear organization and metabolic homeostasis. - Highlights: • ARP6, an actin related protein, is important for nucleolar function and structure. • A population of ARP6 is localized in the center of nucleolus. • Depletion of ARP6 resulted in aberrant shape of the nucleolus. • ARP6 maintains the active rDNA transcription under high glucose. • ARP6 is required for the repression of rDNA transcription under starvation

  5. The family in the social consciousness. What (Who actually forms the family? The social (reconstruction of the definition of the family

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MAŁGORZATA HELENA HERUDZIŃSKA

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available “Everyday life” used to be the kingdom of the standard, the principle, the code. It used to be a home to traditions, heritage, habits, and customs [...] It used to be as it had always been because it probably couldn’t have been different [...]. [...] This is what it used to be like. Today, it has changed. Assuming, firstly, that human beings are the prime movers in the social structure because of their ability to produce, reproduce, create the society and its structures by means of free choices in given boundary conditions, and, secondly, that the contemporary Polish family is facing transformation and not a crisis, the author reflects on the social (reconstruction of the definition of the family. The author begins with reviewing the definitions of the family existing in the Polish legislation, in the literature on the subject as well as the definition of marriage in the Canon Law. It is followed by the reflection on the definition of the nuclear family, which has been deeply rooted in the literature on the subject since the 1960s (the concept is considered to have been developed by the American anthropologist George Peter Murdock and the definition of the family proposed by T. Szlendak, which will make it possible to consider the diverse forms of human relationships existing nowadays and, at the same time, to overcome the limitations of Murdock’s definition. The paper confronts the above definitions with the models and patterns of the family life present in the social consciousness, referring both to the naturally occurring data and empirical material based on the author’s research. In collecting the latter, the author employed several research methods and techniques. The results include a socio-visual narrative created by young people presenting their ideas of the family by means of photographs.

  6. Parentification and Grandparents’ Support from the Perspective of Grandchildren from Families of Various Structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Napora Elżbieta

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to determine the strength of the relationship between a retrospective evaluation of the experienced social support given by grandparents and the material status of the family with the quality of life of the grown-up grandchildren in families of different structures. The formulated expectations have been verified with the Social Support Scale (SSS, Student’s Life Satisfaction Scale (SLSS and an individual personal survey. The obtained results show that in families of single mothers, the emotional and informative support offered by grandparents was a significant factor improving the quality of the life of the grandchildren. In a complete family, however, the significant forms of support from grandparents were esteem support and its other forms, except for informative support. Moreover, the material wealth of the original family was shown to be an important predictor of the evaluation of the quality of life of the grandchildren; it was judged more negatively by adolescent children of single mothers.

  7. Microhabitat and Climatic Niche Change Explain Patterns of Diversification among Frog Families.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moen, Daniel S; Wiens, John J

    2017-07-01

    A major goal of ecology and evolutionary biology is to explain patterns of species richness among clades. Differences in rates of net diversification (speciation minus extinction over time) may often explain these patterns, but the factors that drive variation in diversification rates remain uncertain. Three important candidates are climatic niche position (e.g., whether clades are primarily temperate or tropical), rates of climatic niche change among species within clades, and microhabitat (e.g., aquatic, terrestrial, arboreal). The first two factors have been tested separately in several studies, but the relative importance of all three is largely unknown. Here we explore the correlates of diversification among families of frogs, which collectively represent ∼88% of amphibian species. We assemble and analyze data on phylogeny, climate, and microhabitat for thousands of species. We find that the best-fitting phylogenetic multiple regression model includes all three types of variables: microhabitat, rates of climatic niche change, and climatic niche position. This model explains 67% of the variation in diversification rates among frog families, with arboreal microhabitat explaining ∼31%, niche rates ∼25%, and climatic niche position ∼11%. Surprisingly, we show that microhabitat can have a much stronger influence on diversification than climatic niche position or rates of climatic niche change.

  8. Family Care Responsibilities and Employment: Exploring the Impact of Type of Family Care on Work-Family and Family-Work Conflict

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stewart, Lisa M.

    2013-01-01

    This study compared work-family and family-work conflict for employed family caregivers with disability-related care responsibilities in contrast to employed family caregivers with typical care responsibilities. Using data from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce, a population-based survey of the U.S. workforce, formal and informal…

  9. Structural changes during oxidation of Au(110)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hale, P.; Thurgate, S.; Wilkie, P.; Parker, A.J.

    2000-01-01

    Full text: We have constructed an Ultra High vacuum (UHV) system interfaced to an electro-chemical cell. The UHV system is equipped with Low Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). We have used these techniques to examine the oxidation of the Au(110) surface. The gold (110) single crystal exhibits a (2x1) surface structure when clean, but when immersed in 0.01 M HCIO 4 under potential control, the structure has been found to change. Throughout the double layer region the structure remains as (2x1) but when the potential is increased above 0.9-1.0V vs Ag/AgCI, (the pre-oxidation region) the surface structure changes to a centred rectangular structure found to represent a c(2x2) over-layer. This structure is fairly stable and reproducible. After the initial oxidation the structure prevails until 1.2-1.3V whereupon oxidation occurs on a larger scale and the surface structure becomes (1x1). These structures return to (2x1) after the reduction of the oxide, proving that the structural changes are reversible. XPS of these regions has shown a difference in the chemical state of the oxygen. Adsorbed perchlorate ion is initially the only oxygen component but as the potential increases the peak shifts into the hydroxide region and finally it splits into a hydroxide peak and a metal oxide peak. This study indicates a new way of looking at the structure and composition of the gold surface and provides insight into the nature of the interaction between the surface and the solution

  10. Conservation and divergence of C-terminal domain structure in the retinoblastoma protein family

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liban, Tyler J.; Medina, Edgar M.; Tripathi, Sarvind; Sengupta, Satyaki; Henry, R. William; Buchler, Nicolas E.; Rubin, Seth M. (UCSC); (Duke); (MSU)

    2017-04-24

    The retinoblastoma protein (Rb) and the homologous pocket proteins p107 and p130 negatively regulate cell proliferation by binding and inhibiting members of the E2F transcription factor family. The structural features that distinguish Rb from other pocket proteins have been unclear but are critical for understanding their functional diversity and determining why Rb has unique tumor suppressor activities. We describe here important differences in how the Rb and p107 C-terminal domains (CTDs) associate with the coiled-coil and marked-box domains (CMs) of E2Fs. We find that although CTD–CM binding is conserved across protein families, Rb and p107 CTDs show clear preferences for different E2Fs. A crystal structure of the p107 CTD bound to E2F5 and its dimer partner DP1 reveals the molecular basis for pocket protein–E2F binding specificity and how cyclin-dependent kinases differentially regulate pocket proteins through CTD phosphorylation. Our structural and biochemical data together with phylogenetic analyses of Rb and E2F proteins support the conclusion that Rb evolved specific structural motifs that confer its unique capacity to bind with high affinity those E2Fs that are the most potent activators of the cell cycle.

  11. Quantitative whole-body MRI in familial partial lipodystrophy type 2: changes in adipose tissue distribution coincide with biochemical improvement.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    McLaughlin, Patrick D

    2012-11-01

    OBJECTIVE: Familial partial lipodystrophy type 2 (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man no. 151660) is a systemic disorder characterized by regional lipoatrophy and lipohypertrophy, severe insulin resistance, and early cardiovascular death. At initial presentation, whole-body MRI allows the radiologist to accurately characterize patients with familial partial lipodystrophy and helps differentiate familial partial lipodystrophy from many other subtypes of lipodystophy. We present the findings of serial quantitative MRI analysis in two patients with familial partial lipodystrophy type 2 and outline the objective imaging changes that occur during medical therapy with oral rosiglitazone. CONCLUSION: Cervical adipose volume and visceral adipose area increased by 105% and 60% in the two patients and hepatic fat fraction decreased by 55% during a 21-month period of medical therapy. These changes coincided with a decrease in biochemical indexes of insulin resistance. Whole body quantitative MRI may therefore help to demonstrate the subclinical changes in fat deposition that occur as a result of novel treatment of familial partial lipodystrophy and with continued research may play a role in guiding the choice, duration, and intensity of novel medical therapy.

  12. Changes in residential, occupational and gender structure of the greater Bangkok in the globalization process

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Satoshi Nakagawa

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available This study investigated recent changes in migration and population structure of the GreaterBangkok considering the impact of economic globalization. The spatial policy of the Thaigovernment has lead newer investments for manufacturing to locate away from BangkokMetropolis and thereby the industrial structure of Bangkok Metropolis has gradually turnedinto service-dominated, while the region surrounding Bangkok Metropolis has attractedfactories mainly owned by foreign capital. Light industry and electronics industry are concentratedin the adjacent provinces to Bangkok Metropolis and the heavy and petrochemicalindustry tends to be located in the outer zone of the surrounding region. The service sectorand light industry as well as electronics industry prefer female workers and Bangkok metropolisand the adjoining provinces have become female-dominated population structurewhile male workers tend to gather in the outer zone attracted by heavy and petrochemicalindustry. It is possible to mention accordingly that the unbalanced spatial distribution of sexstructure of population which might cause changes in the norm to the family formation infuture is one of the consequences of economic globalization of Thailand, which the investmentpromotion policy of the government did not assume.

  13. Determinants of family planning acceptance and changing social norms among the tribes of Tamil Nadu – A qualitative exploration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Niranjan Yadav

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: There are very few studies done among tribes that explore the contribution of changing social norms which influences the acceptance of family planning methods. Objective: To discover various changing traditional social norms that influence tribal people to accept contraceptive methods. Methodology: Ten in-depth interviews were conducted among Toda and Irula tribes of Nilagiri district, Tamil Nadu. Family planning acceptors were interviewed and sampling was purposive to get data richness. The interviewed were summarized and themes identified. The themes were used to construct a conceptual framework of social factors influencing family planning acceptance. Results: The important themes that emerged were: (1 Perceived need for development in terms of education and sufficient savings for future. (2 Improved perception on attaining gender equality by women. (3 Lack of bonding between parents and children due to poor attention and poor understanding in large families. (4 Learning from the bad experiences of others with large families was a major reason for adopting small families. Conclusion: The social norms which influenced acceptance of family planning methods seem to be related to perceived financial and economic development of families directly or indirectly. Therefore family planning education programs should emphasize on the financial and economic benefits of family planning.

  14. Patriarchy, family structure and the exploitation of women's labor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heath, J A; Ciscel, D H

    1988-09-01

    The authors present a case for including the patriarchal model into the analysis of female labor force participation in the United States. They argue that only if it is assumed that the division of labor and distribution of goods and services are structured to benefit the male head of the family can various trends be explained, including the low relative income of women compared to men, the increase in female labor force participation without a corresponding increase in household work by men, and the increasing number of divorces initiated by women despite the fact that divorce increases female poverty.

  15. Interventions to Educate Family Physicians to Change Test Ordering

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roger Edmund Thomas MD, PhD, CCFP, MRCGP

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The purpose is to systematically review randomised controlled trials (RCTs to change family physicians’ laboratory test-ordering. We searched 15 electronic databases (no language/date limitations. We identified 29 RCTs (4,111 physicians, 175,563 patients. Six studies specifically focused on reducing unnecessary tests, 23 on increasing screening tests. Using Cochrane methodology 48.5% of studies were low risk-of-bias for randomisation, 7% concealment of randomisation, 17% blinding of participants/personnel, 21% blinding outcome assessors, 27.5% attrition, 93% selective reporting. Only six studies were low risk for both randomisation and attrition. Twelve studies performed a power computation, three an intention-to-treat analysis and 13 statistically controlled clustering. Unweighted averages were computed to compare intervention/control groups for tests assessed by >5 studies. The results were that fourteen studies assessed lipids (average 10% more tests than control, 14 diabetes (average 8% > control, 5 cervical smears, 2 INR, one each thyroid, fecal occult-blood, cotinine, throat-swabs, testing after prescribing, and urine-cultures. Six studies aimed to decrease test groups (average decrease 18%, and two to increase test groups. Intervention strategies: one study used education (no change: two feedback (one 5% increase, one 27% desired decrease; eight education + feedback (average increase in desired direction >control 4.9%, ten system change (average increase 14.9%, one system change + feedback (increases 5-44%, three education + system change (average increase 6%, three education + system change + feedback (average 7.7% increase, one delayed testing. The conclusions are that only six RCTs were assessed at low risk of bias from both randomisation and attrition. Nevertheless, despite methodological shortcomings studies that found large changes (e.g. >20% probably obtained real change.

  16. Power Structure in Family and Coercive Trends Consequence of it Based on Women’s Emotional Energy and Economic Situation in Abdanan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    مریم مختاری

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This research carried out with the purpose of determining role of women’s emotional energy and economic situation in power structure in family and coercive trends consequence of it in Abdanan. Subject of power in family is one of the considered  problems in Sociology. In this way role of two differential factors (emotional energy and economic situation is thinkful. Research method was survey and population were all of married women in Abdanan that were selected 400women as a sample size with performance of multy stage cluster sampling. A researcher-made questionnaire was used for data collection. In this research power structure considered as a mediator variable. Research finging showed that there is significant and direct relation between emotional energy and power structure in family but there isn’t significant relation between economic situation and power structure in family. Relation between variables and coercive trends as a dependent variable is expressive of significant and direct relation between emotional energy and coercive trends. There is significant and reverse relation between economic situation and coercive trends and also significant and direct relation between power structure in family and coercive trends.

  17. Evolutionary relationship and structural characterization of the EPF/EPFL gene family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takata, Naoki; Yokota, Kiyonobu; Ohki, Shinya; Mori, Masashi; Taniguchi, Toru; Kurita, Manabu

    2013-01-01

    EPF1-EPF2 and EPFL9/Stomagen act antagonistically in regulating leaf stomatal density. The aim of this study was to elucidate the evolutionary functional divergence of EPF/EPFL family genes. Phylogenetic analyses showed that AtEPFL9/Stomagen-like genes are conserved only in vascular plants and are closely related to AtEPF1/EPF2-like genes. Modeling showed that EPF/EPFL peptides share a common 3D structure that is constituted of a scaffold and loop. Molecular dynamics simulation suggested that AtEPF1/EPF2-like peptides form an additional disulfide bond in their loop regions and show greater flexibility in these regions than AtEPFL9/Stomagen-like peptides. This study uncovered the evolutionary relationship and the conformational divergence of proteins encoded by the EPF/EPFL family genes.

  18. Family Engagement in Literacy Activities: Revised Factor Structure for the Familia--An Instrument Examining Family Support for Early Literacy Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buhs, Eric S.; Welch, Greg; Burt, Jennifer; Knoche, Lisa

    2011-01-01

    This study evaluated a data-set drawn using "The Familia"--a measure originally developed to evaluate shared-reading activities. A newly developed set of conceptual supports and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were applied to a new factor structure/model. Data were drawn from 219 young children and their families (mean age = 43…

  19. Structure of BT-3984, a member of the SusD/RagB family of nutrient-binding molecules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakolitsa, Constantina; Xu, Qingping; Rife, Christopher L.; Abdubek, Polat; Astakhova, Tamara; Axelrod, Herbert L.; Carlton, Dennis; Chen, Connie; Chiu, Hsiu-Ju; Clayton, Thomas; Das, Debanu; Deller, Marc C.; Duan, Lian; Ellrott, Kyle; Farr, Carol L.; Feuerhelm, Julie; Grant, Joanna C.; Grzechnik, Anna; Han, Gye Won; Jaroszewski, Lukasz; Jin, Kevin K.; Klock, Heath E.; Knuth, Mark W.; Kozbial, Piotr; Krishna, S. Sri; Kumar, Abhinav; Lam, Winnie W.; Marciano, David; McMullan, Daniel; Miller, Mitchell D.; Morse, Andrew T.; Nigoghossian, Edward; Nopakun, Amanda; Okach, Linda; Puckett, Christina; Reyes, Ron; Tien, Henry J.; Trame, Christine B.; Bedem, Henry van den; Weekes, Dana; Hodgson, Keith O.; Wooley, John; Elsliger, Marc-André; Deacon, Ashley M.; Godzik, Adam; Lesley, Scott A.; Wilson, Ian A.

    2010-01-01

    The crystal structure of BT-3984, a SusD-family protein, reveals a TPR N-terminal region providing support for a loop-rich C-terminal subdomain and suggests possible interfaces involved in sus complex formation. The crystal structure of the Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron protein BT-3984 was determined to a resolution of 1.7 Å and was the first structure to be determined from the extensive SusD family of polysaccharide-binding proteins. SusD is an essential component of the sus operon that defines the paradigm for glycan utilization in dominant members of the human gut microbiota. Structural analysis of BT-3984 revealed an N-terminal region containing several tetratricopeptide repeats (TPRs), while the signature C-terminal region is less structured and contains extensive loop regions. Sequence and structure analysis of BT-3984 suggests the presence of binding interfaces for other proteins from the polysaccharide-utilization complex

  20. Mutations of Profilin-1 Associated with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Promote Aggregation Due to Structural Changes of Its Native State.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Del Poggetto, Edoardo; Bemporad, Francesco; Tatini, Francesca; Chiti, Fabrizio

    2015-11-20

    The PFN1 gene, coding for profilin-1, has recently been associated with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS), as three mutations, namely C71G, M114T, and G118V, have been found in patients with familial forms of the disease and another, E117G, has been proposed to be a moderate risk factor for disease onset. In this work, we have purified the four profilin-1 variants along with the wild-type protein. The resulting aggregates appear to be fibrillar, to have a weak binding to ThT, and to possess a significant amount of intermolecular β-sheet structure. Using ThT fluorescence assays, far-UV circular dichroism, and dynamic light scattering, we found that all four variants have an aggregation propensity higher than that of the wild-type counterpart. In particular, the C71G mutation was found to induce the most dramatic change in aggregation, followed by the G118V and M114T substitutions and then the E117G mutation. Such a propensity was found not to strictly correlate with the conformational stability in this group of profilin-1 variants, determined using both urea-induced denaturation at equilibrium and folding/unfolding kinetics. However, it correlated with structural changes of the folded states, as monitored with far-UV circular dichroism, intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy, ANS binding, acrylamide quenching, and dynamic light scattering. Overall, the results suggest that all four mutations increase the tendency of profilin-1 to aggregate and that such aggregation behavior is largely determined by the mutation-induced structural changes occurring in the folded state of the protein.

  1. The family's experience of the child and/or teenager in palliative care: fluctuating between hope and hopelessness in a world changed by losses1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Misko, Maira Deguer; dos Santos, Maiara Rodrigues; Ichikawa, Carolliny Rossi de Faria; de Lima, Regina Aparecida Garcia; Bousso, Regina Szylit

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: to understand the family's experience of the child and/or teenager in palliative care and building a representative theoretical model of the process experienced by the family. METHODOLOGY: for this purpose the Symbolic Interactionism and the Theory Based on Data were used. Fifteen families with kids and/or teenagers in palliative care were interviewed, and data were collected through semi-structured interviews. RESULTS: after the comparative analysis of the data, a substantive theory was formed "fluctuating between hope and hopelessness in a world changed by losses", composed by: "having a life shattered ", "managing the new condition", "recognizing the palliative care" and "relearning how to live". Hope, perseverance and spiritual beliefs are determining factors for the family to continue fighting for the life of their child in a context of uncertainty, anguish and suffering, due to the medical condition of the child. Along the way, the family redefines values and integrates palliative care in their lives. CONCLUSION: staying with the child at home is what was set and kept hope of dreaming about the recovery and support of the child's life, but above all, what takes it away even though temporarily is the possibility of their child's death when staying within the context of the family. PMID:26312639

  2. Family Care Map: Sustaining family-centered care in Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ford, James H.; Wise, Meg; Krahn, Dean; Oliver, Karen Anderson; Hall, Carmen; Sayer, Nina

    2015-01-01

    The study assessed sustainability of the Family Care Map, a family-centered approach to providing care for Veterans with polytrauma-related injuries, in four Department of Veterans Affairs Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers. We applied a mixed-methods approach. Staff surveys used standardized measures of sustainability, commitment to change, information, and participation during implementation. Qualitative inquiry assessed Family Care Map implementation and facilitators and barriers to sustainability. Staff sustainability perceptions had a significant positive correlation with affective commitment to change, participation, and information received about the change process. Family Care Map integration into standard practices and use of its concepts with patients and families related to staff perceptions about sustainability. The degree of use and integration of the Family Care Map in traumatic brain injury/polytrauma care varied among the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Centers. Some successful sustainability strategies included integration into daily workflow and organizational culture. Examples of sustainability barriers included staff awareness and use and outdated information. Some practices, such as measuring and documenting the use of the Family Care Map in treatment plans, may not routinely occur. The focus on family-centered care will require further evaluation of organization-, staff-, and innovation-level attributes that influence sustainability of changes designed to improve family-centered care. PMID:25671632

  3. Tetrahelical structural family adopted by AGCGA-rich regulatory DNA regions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kocman, Vojč; Plavec, Janez

    2017-05-01

    Here we describe AGCGA-quadruplexes, an unexpected addition to the well-known tetrahelical families, G-quadruplexes and i-motifs, that have been a focus of intense research due to their potential biological impact in G- and C-rich DNA regions, respectively. High-resolution structures determined by solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy demonstrate that AGCGA-quadruplexes comprise four 5'-AGCGA-3' tracts and are stabilized by G-A and G-C base pairs forming GAGA- and GCGC-quartets, respectively. Residues in the core of the structure are connected with edge-type loops. Sequences of alternating 5'-AGCGA-3' and 5'-GGG-3' repeats could be expected to form G-quadruplexes, but are shown herein to form AGCGA-quadruplexes instead. Unique structural features of AGCGA-quadruplexes together with lower sensitivity to cation and pH variation imply their potential biological relevance in regulatory regions of genes responsible for basic cellular processes that are related to neurological disorders, cancer and abnormalities in bone and cartilage development.

  4. Family self-tailoring: Applying a systems approach to improving family healthy living behaviors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moore, Shirley M; Jones, Lenette; Alemi, Farrokh

    2016-01-01

    The adoption and maintenance of healthy living behaviors by individuals and families is a major challenge. We describe a new model of health behavior change, SystemCHANGE (SC), which focuses on the redesign of family daily routines using system improvement methods. In the SC intervention, families are taught a set of skills to engage in a series of small, family self-designed experiments to test ideas to change their daily routines. The family system-oriented changes brought about by these experiments build healthy living behaviors into family daily routines so that these new behaviors happen as a matter of course, despite wavering motivation, willpower, or personal effort on the part of individuals. Case stories of the use of SC to improve family healthy living behaviors are provided. Results of several pilot tests of SC indicate its potential effectiveness to change health living behaviors across numerous populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Family Structure and the Well-Being of Immigrant Children in Four European Countries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kalmijn, M.

    2017-01-01

    Data on secondary school children in England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden show that large differences exist in family structure within the minority population: In some groups, father absence is more common than among natives; in others, it is less common. These patterns reflect the

  6. How family interactions about lifestyle changes affect adolescents' possibilities for maintaining weight loss after a weight loss intervention

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eg, Marianne; Frederiksen, Kirsten; Vamosi, Marianne

    2017-01-01

    -loss programme. Three rounds of semi-structured interviews stretching over 5 years (2010-2015) were transcribed verbatim, then analyzed using Kvale and Brinkmann's framework for working with qualitative research interviews. FINDINGS: Five years after the intervention ended, we found that a family's interactions...... support is crucial if adolescents are to benefit from weight-loss intervention. DESIGN: Qualitative research interviews with families who participated in a weight-loss programme. METHODS: The sample consisted of 10 families selected among participants in a 1-year multidisciplinary family-based weight...

  7. Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of the Work-Family Balance Scale in an Urban Chinese Sample

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Huiping; Yip, Paul S. F.; Chi, Peilian; Chan, Kinsun; Cheung, Yee Tak; Zhang, Xiulan

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the factor structure of the Work-Family Balance Scale (WFBS) and examine its reliability and validity in use in the urban Chinese population. The scale was validated using a sample of 605 urban Chinese residents from 7 cities. Exploratory factor analysis identified two factors: work-family conflict and…

  8. The relation between family adversity and social anxiety among adolescents in Taiwan: effects of family function and self-esteem.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yen, Cheng-Fang; Yang, Pinchen; Wu, Yu-Yu; Cheng, Chung-Ping

    2013-11-01

    This study aimed to examine the relationship between three indicators of family adversity (domestic violence, family substance use, and broken parental marriage) and the severity of social anxiety among adolescents in Taiwan, as well as the mediating effects of perceived family function and self-esteem on that relationship, using structural equation modeling (SEM). A total of 5607 adolescents completed the social anxiety subscale of the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children; the Family APGAR Index; the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; and a questionnaire for domestic violence, family substance use, and broken parental marriage. The relation between family adversity and social anxiety, as well as the mediating effects of family function and self-esteem, was examined using SEM. SEM analysis revealed that all three indicators of family adversity reduced the level of family function, that decreased family function compromised the level of self-esteem, and that a low level of self-esteem further increased the severity of social anxiety. The results indicated that, along with intervening to change family adversity, evaluating and improving adolescents' self-esteem and family function are also important clinical issues when helping adolescents reduce their social anxiety.

  9. The changing impact of family size on adolescents' schooling: assessing the exogenous variation in fertility using twins in Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marteleto, Letícia J; de Souza, Laetícia R

    2012-11-01

    Researchers have long been interested in the influence of family size on children's educational outcomes. Simply put, theories have suggested that resources are diluted within families that have more children. Although the empirical literature on developed countries has generally confirmed the theoretical prediction that family size is negatively related to children's education, studies focusing on developing societies have reported heterogeneity in this association. Recent studies addressing the endogeneity between family size and children's education have also cast doubt on the homogeneity of the negative role of family size on children's education. The goal of this study is to examine the causal effect of family size on children's education in Brazil over a 30-year period marked by important social and demographic change, and across extremely different regions within the country. We implement a twin birth instrumental variable approach to the nationally representative 1977-2009 PNAD data. Our results suggest an effect of family size on education that is not uniform throughout a period of significant social, economic, and demographic change. Rather, the causal effect of family size on adolescents' schooling resembles a gradient that ranges from positive to no effect, trending to negative.

  10. Dual-career family as an exampleof egalitarian family

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joanna Ostrouch-Kamińska

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available The economic, cultural, and social transformation, growth of women's economic strength as well as the level of their education, and development of ideas of equal rights of women and men on the labour market and in social life cause changes in gender relation in the family. Poles more and more often declare and support egalitarian family, and a new model of a family appears among existing ones – dual-career family.The main aim of the article is to consider the sources of its rise, description of gender positions in marital relation, the division of tasks and responsibilities, possible dilemmas and conflicts, but also emotional, intellectual and social advantages. The analysis were put into context of changes in defining and describing family, and also in context of different family discourses. One of them was underlined the most – egalitarian one as the most approximate to the way of defining and understanding dual-career family model.

  11. Dynamic Changes in Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Structure in Ventricular Myocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amanda L. Vega

    2011-01-01

    sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR and the sarcolemma where Ca2+ release is activated. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the SR is a structurally inert organelle in ventricular myocytes. Our data suggest that rather than being static, the SR undergoes frequent dynamic structural changes. SR boutons expressing functional ryanodine receptors moved throughout the cell, approaching or moving away from the sarcolemma of ventricular myocytes. These changes in SR structure occurred in the absence of changes in [Ca2+] during EC coupling. Microtubules and the molecular motors dynein and kinesin 1(Kif5b were important regulators of SR motility. These findings support a model in which the SR is a motile organelle capable of molecular motor protein-driven structural changes.

  12. The Strengthening Families Initiative and Child Care Quality Improvement: How Strengthening Families Influenced Change in Child Care Programs in One State

    Science.gov (United States)

    Douglass, Anne; Klerman, Lorraine

    2012-01-01

    Research Findings: This study investigated how the Strengthening Families through Early Care and Education initiative in Illinois (SFI) influenced change in 4 child care programs. Findings indicate that SFI influenced quality improvements through 4 primary pathways: (a) Learning Networks, (b) the quality of training, (c) the engagement of program…

  13. Implementation of Online Promethee Method for Poor Family Change Rate Calculation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lukito Aji Dhady

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This research has been done online calculation of the rate of poor family change rate by using Preference Ranking Method of Organization Of Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE .This system is very useful to monitor poverty in a region as well as for administrative services related to poverty rate. The system consists of computer clients and servers connected via the internet network. Poor family residence data obtained from the government. In addition, survey data are inputted through the client computer in each administrative village and also 23 criteria of input in accordance with the established government. The PROMETHEE method is used to evaluate the value of poverty and its weight is used to determine poverty status. PROMETHEE output can also be used to rank the poverty of the registered population of the server based on the netflow value. The poverty rate is calculated based on the current poverty rate compared to the previous poverty rate. The rate results can be viewed online and real time on the server through numbers and graphs. From the test results can be seen that the system can classify poverty status, calculate the poverty rate change rate and can determine the value and poverty ranking of each population.

  14. Implementation of Online Promethee Method for Poor Family Change Rate Calculation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aji, Dhady Lukito; Suryono; Widodo, Catur Edi

    2018-02-01

    This research has been done online calculation of the rate of poor family change rate by using Preference Ranking Method of Organization Of Enrichment Evaluation (PROMETHEE) .This system is very useful to monitor poverty in a region as well as for administrative services related to poverty rate. The system consists of computer clients and servers connected via the internet network. Poor family residence data obtained from the government. In addition, survey data are inputted through the client computer in each administrative village and also 23 criteria of input in accordance with the established government. The PROMETHEE method is used to evaluate the value of poverty and its weight is used to determine poverty status. PROMETHEE output can also be used to rank the poverty of the registered population of the server based on the netflow value. The poverty rate is calculated based on the current poverty rate compared to the previous poverty rate. The rate results can be viewed online and real time on the server through numbers and graphs. From the test results can be seen that the system can classify poverty status, calculate the poverty rate change rate and can determine the value and poverty ranking of each population.

  15. Getting a High-Speed Family Connection: Associations between Family Media Use and Family Connection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padilla-Walker, Laura M.; Coyne, Sarah M.; Fraser, Ashley M.

    2012-01-01

    The way families have used the media has substantially changed over the past decade. Within the framework of family systems theory, this paper examines the relations between family media use and family connection in a sample of 453 adolescents (mean age of child = 14.32 years, SD = 0.98, 52% female) and their parents. Results revealed that cell…

  16. The effects of Climate Change on Structural Loads

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geurts, C.P.W.; Steenbergen, R.D.J.M.; Bentum, van C.A.

    2010-01-01

    In this paper, the possible impact of climate change on structural safety is discussed. Our work concentrates on possible changes in the structural loads. The work presented is based on the situation for the Netherlands, but conclusions are valid for at least the north west of Europe. The

  17. Structures of the first representatives of Pfam family PF06938 (DUF1285) reveal a new fold with repeated structural motifs and possible involvement in signal transduction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Gye Won; Bakolitsa, Constantina; Miller, Mitchell D.; Kumar, Abhinav; Carlton, Dennis; Najmanovich, Rafael J.; Abdubek, Polat; Astakhova, Tamara; Axelrod, Herbert L.; Chen, Connie; Chiu, Hsiu-Ju; Clayton, Thomas; Das, Debanu; Deller, Marc C.; Duan, Lian; Ernst, Dustin; Feuerhelm, Julie; Grant, Joanna C.; Grzechnik, Anna; Jaroszewski, Lukasz; Jin, Kevin K.; Johnson, Hope A.; Klock, Heath E.; Knuth, Mark W.; Kozbial, Piotr; Krishna, S. Sri; Marciano, David; McMullan, Daniel; Morse, Andrew T.; Nigoghossian, Edward; Okach, Linda; Reyes, Ron; Rife, Christopher L.; Sefcovic, Natasha; Tien, Henry J.; Trame, Christine B.; Bedem, Henry van den; Weekes, Dana; Xu, Qingping; Hodgson, Keith O.; Wooley, John; Elsliger, Marc-André; Deacon, Ashley M.; Godzik, Adam; Lesley, Scott A.; Wilson, Ian A.

    2010-01-01

    The crystal structures of SPO0140 and Sbal-2486 revealed a two-domain structure that adopts a novel fold. Analysis of the interdomain cleft suggests a nucleotide-based ligand with a genome context indicating signaling as a possible role for this family. The crystal structures of SPO0140 and Sbal-2486 were determined using the semiautomated high-throughput pipeline of the Joint Center for Structural Genomics (JCSG) as part of the NIGMS Protein Structure Initiative (PSI). The structures revealed a conserved core with domain duplication and a superficial similarity of the C-terminal domain to pleckstrin homology-like folds. The conservation of the domain interface indicates a potential binding site that is likely to involve a nucleotide-based ligand, with genome-context and gene-fusion analyses additionally supporting a role for this family in signal transduction, possibly during oxidative stress

  18. Structural modelling of economic growth: Technological changes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sukharev Oleg

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Neoclassical and Keynesian theories of economic growth assume the use of Cobb-Douglas modified functions and other aggregate econometric approaches to growth dynamics modelling. In that case explanations of economic growth are based on the logic of the used mathematical ratios often including the ideas about aggregated values change and factors change a priori. The idea of assessment of factor productivity is the fundamental one among modern theories of economic growth. Nevertheless, structural parameters of economic system, institutions and technological changes are practically not considered within known approaches, though the latter is reflected in the changing parameters of production function. At the same time, on the one hand, the ratio of structural elements determines the future value of the total productivity of the factors and, on the other hand, strongly influences the rate of economic growth and its mode of innovative dynamics. To put structural parameters of economic system into growth models with the possibility of assessment of such modes under conditions of interaction of new and old combinations is an essential step in the development of the theory of economic growth/development. It allows forming stimulation policy of economic growth proceeding from the structural ratios and relations recognized for this economic system. It is most convenient in such models to use logistic functions demonstrating the resource change for old and new combination within the economic system. The result of economy development depends on starting conditions, and on institutional parameters of velocity change of resource borrowing in favour of a new combination and creation of its own resource. Model registration of the resource is carried out through the idea of investments into new and old combinations.

  19. Introduction to the CEA family: structure, function and secretion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Von Kleist, S

    1992-01-01

    Due to the phenomenal progress in the field of tumor immunology that took place during the last twenty years, we dispose today of highly specific and sensitive techniques and reagents like monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). In this context the discovery in human carcinomas of tumor-associated antigens, such as CEA, was of primary importance, especially since the latter was found to have clinical relevance as a tumor marker. Based on animal models, a new in vivo technology for the detection of tumors and metastases was developed in recent years, that uses anti-CEA MAbs, or fragments of them, coupled to radio-isotopes. This technique, called radio-immunodetection (RAID), also paved the way for immunotherapeutic procedures, where again CEA served as the target-antigen. This new technique holds great promise, provided the epitope-specificity of the MAbs is well-controlled: it has been shown that CEA belongs to a large gene-family of at least 22 members, which can be subdivided into two subgroups (i.e., the CEA- and the PSG-subgroup) and which in turn belongs to the immunoglobulin-supergene family. Great structural similarities render the distinction of the various cross-reactive molecules by immunological means rather difficult.

  20. Structural basis for the inhibition of M1 family aminopeptidases by the natural product actinonin: Crystal structure in complex with E. coli aminopeptidase N.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ganji, Roopa Jones; Reddi, Ravikumar; Gumpena, Rajesh; Marapaka, Anil Kumar; Arya, Tarun; Sankoju, Priyanka; Bhukya, Supriya; Addlagatta, Anthony

    2015-05-01

    Actinonin is a pseudotripeptide that displays a high affinity towards metalloproteases including peptide deformylases (PDFs) and M1 family aminopeptidases. PDF and M1 family aminopeptidases belong to thermolysin-metzincin superfamily. One of the major differences in terms of substrate binding pockets between these families is presence (in M1 aminopeptidases) or absence (in PDFs) of an S1 substrate pocket. The binding mode of actinonin to PDFs has been established previously; however, it is not clear how the actinonin, without a P1 residue, would bind to the M1 aminopeptidases. Here we describe the crystal structure of Escherichia coli aminopeptidase N (ePepN), a model protein of the M1 family aminopeptidases in complex with actinonin. For comparison we have also determined the structure of ePepN in complex with a well-known tetrapeptide inhibitor, amastatin. From the comparison of the actinonin and amastatin ePepN complexes, it is clear that the P1 residue is not critical as long as strong metal chelating head groups, like hydroxamic acid or α-hydroxy ketone, are present. Results from this study will be useful for the design of selective and efficient hydroxamate inhibitors against M1 family aminopeptidases. © 2015 The Protein Society.

  1. Testing for change in structural elements of forest inventories

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melinda Vokoun; David Wear; Robert Abt

    2009-01-01

    In this article we develop a methodology to test for changes in the underlying relationships between measures of forest productivity (structural elements) and site characteristics, herein referred to as structural changes, using standard forest inventories. Changes in measures of forest growing stock volume and number of trees for both...

  2. Variables and equations in hybrid systems with structural changes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Beek, van D.A.

    2001-01-01

    In many models of physical systems, structural changes are common. Such structural changes may cause a variable to change from a differential variable to an algebraic variable, or to a variable that is not defined by an equation at all. Most hybrid modelling languages either restrict the kind of

  3. Systematic Changes in Families Following Prevention Trials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patterson, Gerald R.; DeGarmo, David; Forgatch, Marion S.

    2004-01-01

    A selective prevention design was applied to 238 recently separated families. Of these, 153 mothers randomly assigned to the experimental (E) group participated in 14 group sessions focused on Parent Management Treatment (PMT). Prior analyses showed that, over time, the group of families in the untreated group deteriorated in both parenting…

  4. Divorce, Single Parenthood and Stepfamilies: Structural Implications of These Transactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulman, Gerda L.

    1981-01-01

    Focuses on change in the family structure during divorce as well as stages of single parenthood and the reconstituted family. Special characteristics of these families and tasks to be undertaken to enable the new unit to function are discussed. Suggests family therapy is helpful during the crisis stage. (Author)

  5. Upgrade and Design of Coastal Structures Exposed to Climate Changes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørgaard, Jørgen Quvang Harck

    This thesis "Upgrade and Design of Coastal Structures Exposed to Climate Changes" evaluates the performance of existing types of structures when exposed to climate changes. This includes also the potential of using cost‐sharing multipurpose structures for protection against the effects of future...... climate changes. The thesis consists of three parts. The first part evaluates the performance of existing design formulae for estimation of wave actions on structures, especially in shallow water since these structures are most vulnerable to the rising sea water levels caused by climate changes. Existing...... of coastal protection structures, which are extended to a wider range of wave conditions, and which can be used to more accurately estimate the influence from climate changes. In the second part of the thesis, the extended and modified formulae are used in case studies to evaluate the influence from climate...

  6. Evolutionary relationship and structural characterization of the EPF/EPFL gene family.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naoki Takata

    Full Text Available EPF1-EPF2 and EPFL9/Stomagen act antagonistically in regulating leaf stomatal density. The aim of this study was to elucidate the evolutionary functional divergence of EPF/EPFL family genes. Phylogenetic analyses showed that AtEPFL9/Stomagen-like genes are conserved only in vascular plants and are closely related to AtEPF1/EPF2-like genes. Modeling showed that EPF/EPFL peptides share a common 3D structure that is constituted of a scaffold and loop. Molecular dynamics simulation suggested that AtEPF1/EPF2-like peptides form an additional disulfide bond in their loop regions and show greater flexibility in these regions than AtEPFL9/Stomagen-like peptides. This study uncovered the evolutionary relationship and the conformational divergence of proteins encoded by the EPF/EPFL family genes.

  7. The relations among child quality, family structure, and the value of the mother's time in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leppel, K

    1982-10-01

    A model of the determinants of child quality and of the value of a woman's time is developed and tested using data from the Malaysian Family Life Survey of 1976-1977. Child quality is measured by educational attainment; factors influencing the value of the mother's time include size and age composition of household, family income, education, and hours worked. The results indicate that size and age composition of household affect a woman's asking wage. However, more data are needed before the effects of family structure on schooling can be measured with confidence.

  8. Perceived parenting styles and tobacco, alcohol and cannabis use among French adolescents: gender and family structure differentials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choquet, Marie; Hassler, Christine; Morin, Delphine; Falissard, Bruno; Chau, Nearkasen

    2008-01-01

    To assess associations between parental control or parental emotional support and current tobacco, alcohol or cannabis use among 12-18-year-old students, according to gender and family structure (intact family, reconstituted family, single-parent family). A cross-sectional survey was conducted in a national representative sample in France (2003) of 6-12th grade students (N = 16,532), as a part of the ESPAD study (European Study Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs). The self-administered questionnaire included questions on last 30 days' consumption of alcohol, tobacco and cannabis as well as on socio-demographic characteristics, school characteristics, and some simple questions on parental control and parental emotional support. Logistic modelling was carried out and (adjusted Odds Ratio) Ora calculated, adjusted for age, parental educational and characteristics of the school. A negative relationship exists between parental control and substance use, but this relationship is more marked for tobacco (OR a between 1.8 and 5.6 according to level of control, family status and gender) and cannabis (OR between 1.5 and 6.4) than for alcohol (OR a between 1.0 and 2.7). Parental control is more markedly related to substance use in girls than in boys. These tendencies were observed for intact families as well as for single-parent families or reconstituted families. Parental control has a greater impact than emotional support. Among girls, emotional support has a greater impact than among boys. There is a gradient relationship between parental control and current consumption, especially among girls. Thus, there may be a need for parental control, whatever the family structure.

  9. Pressure-induced drastic structural change in liquid CdTe

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kinoshita, T.; Hattori, T.; Narushima, T.; Tsuji, K.

    2005-01-01

    We investigate the structure of liquid CdTe at pressures up to 6 GPa by synchrotron x-ray diffraction. The structure factor, S(Q), and the pair distribution function, g(r), change drastically within a small pressure interval of about 1 GPa (between 1.8 and 3 GPa). The S(Q),g(r), and other structural parameters, such as the average coordination number, CN, and the ratios of peak positions in S(Q) or g(r), reveal that the change originates from the pressure-induced modification in the local structure from the zinc-blende-like form into the rocksaltlike one. The liquid CdTe shows a high-pressure behavior similar to that in the crystalline counterpart in terms of the sharpness of the structural change and the high-pressure sequence in the local structure

  10. Sonneratiaceae (concluded). Sonneratiaceae and other mangrove-swamp families, anatomical structure and water relations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Reinders-Gouwentak, C.A.

    1948-01-01

    The question whether tidal and non-tidal members of a family have a separate wood anatomical structure would be examined best in such genera as embrace both types. The sequel to this examination, whether any such differences are connected with peculiarities in the water relations of the plants,

  11. The Family as a Value Orientation among Students in Serbia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V Miltojević

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The processes of globalization, liberalization and transition will inevitably lead to changes in the value systems of certain societies, shaping the elements of their structure. Thus, the above mentioned processes directly affect the family as the primary social group and a basic unit of society. This results in a number of positive and negative changes and consequences in the family. Apart from positive changes that are primarily related to the democratization of husband-wife and parents-children relations, there are often many negative changes and effects (depletion, domestic violence, weakening of the emotional bond and alienation, etc.. Despite all these numerous changes within and around the family, it has always been and remains the primary social group which plays a significant role in forming the personality, leaving a deep mark on individual lives. In the whirlwind of globalization and transition, the Serbian family is faced with many difficulties and problems while carrying out its functions. The youth in Serbia increasingly postpone getting married and starting a family, the frequency of divorce is higher and the birth rate of children is lower, etc. This paper analyzes the data obtained in the research project “Value orientations among students in Serbia”, carried out in Belgrade, as part of the extensive research project organized in the capitals of China, Russia and the Czech Republic.

  12. Family-centred care during midface advancement with a rigid external device: what do families need?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bredero-Boelhouwer, H; Joosten, K F M; van Veen-van der Hoek, M; Mathijssen, I M J

    2013-08-01

    Midface advancement with distraction osteogenesis using the rigid external device (RED) is an effective but invasive treatment to correct the hypoplastic midface. This study draws up an inventory of the stressors, needs and coping strategies of families during this treatment, to determine the best conditions for family-centred care. Data were collected by reviewing the patients' files and administering semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using the software program Atlas.ti and were re-analysed by an independent researcher. Parents and patients were interviewed separately. Fourteen families participated. Four patients had an absolute indication for surgery. All families were eager to have the patient's facial appearance improved. Nevertheless, despite psychological counselling, they experienced stress when confronted with the changed facial appearance. Another stressor was weight loss. Six patients were in a state of acute malnutrition and needed supplementary feeding. We conclude that the best conditions for family-centred care should be aligned to the different phases of treatment. Leading up to surgery it is important to screen families' expectations regarding aesthetic, functional and social outcomes and to assess their capacity to cope with the long treatment and effects of changed facial appearance. Peer contact and psychosocial training to increase self-esteem are tools to enhance co-operation and satisfaction. During the distraction and stabilisation phase, we advise the monitoring of nutritional intake and weight. During all phases of treatment easy accessibility to the team is recommended. Copyright © 2013 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Work-family life balance: future trends and challenges

    OpenAIRE

    Fagnani, Jeanne

    2011-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to offer a holistic forward-looking, and multi level analysis of pressing contemporary topics related to work/life balance policies for families with smaller children and to show how they interact with parents' attitudes and practices. The paper is structured as follows: the first chapter presents a brief overview of current trends in the work/family life related areas. Then the main key drivers of change over the last decade are identified and described. Emphasis is ...

  14. Relationship Between Family Power Structure, Marital Conflicts, and Mental Health in Male Retirees of Alborz Province Department, Iran Ministry of Education

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maryam Soleimani

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion: The results of the research indicate that power structure of family and marital conflicts can affect mental health of male retirees. And more unequal power structure of family and more marital conflicts can lead to decrease in mental health of male retirees.

  15. Structural Change Accounting with Labor Market Distortions

    OpenAIRE

    Wenbiao Cai

    2014-01-01

    This paper quantifies the relative importance of sectoral productivity and labor market distortions for structural change. I use a model in which labor productivity is the product of TFP and human capital in each sector, but distortions generate wedges in wage per efficiency worker across sectors. I calculate human capital by sector using micro census data, and use the model to infer TFP and distortions such that it replicates structural change in the US, India, Mexico and Brazil between 1960...

  16. The role of family factors in explaining the women’s conflict of work and family roles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    سیدعلیرضا افشانی

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This research aimed to investigate the relationship between family factors including socioeconomic status, family support, family attachment, family role overload, and family power structure with conflict of work and family roles among female employees in Yazd city. Research method was descriptive and correlational; and 323 female employees were selected by cluster sampling method. The work-family roles conflict scales, the perception of social support from family, the family involvement questionnaire, the family roles overload scale, and the scale of power structure in family were used in this study. Data were analyzed by SPSS and AMOS. The Findings indicated that socioeconomic status, family support to employed member, family attachment and family power structure had significant and negative relationship with work and family roles conflict. In contrast there were significant and positive relationships between family role overload with work and family roles conflict. Thus, family factors have a very significant role in amount of work and family roles conflict and also can play an effective role in reducing the conflict-induced pressure and stress.

  17. A randomized controlled pilot study into the effects of a restricted elimination diet on family structure in families with ADHD and ODD

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Pelsser, L.M.; Steijn, van D.J.; Frankena, K.; Toorman, J.; Buitelaar, J.K.; Rommelse, N.N.

    2013-01-01

    Behavioural improvements of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) following a restricted elimination diet (RED), may be due to concurrent changes in family environment. Methods: Twenty-four children with ADHD, were randomized to either

  18. The Changing Impact of Family Size on Adolescents’ Schooling: Assessing the Exogenous Variation in Fertility Using Twins in Brazil

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Souza, Laetícia R.

    2015-01-01

    Researchers have long been interested in the influence of family size on children’s educational outcomes. Simply put, theories have suggested that resources are diluted within families that have more children. Although the empirical literature on developed countries has generally confirmed the theoretical prediction that family size is negatively related to children’s education, studies focusing on developing societies have reported heterogeneity in this association. Recent studies addressing the endogeneity between family size and children’s education have also cast doubt on the homogeneity of the negative role of family size on children’s education. The goal of this study is to examine the causal effect of family size on children’s education in Brazil over a 30-year period marked by important social and demographic change, and across extremely different regions within the country. We implement a twin birth instrumental variable approach to the nationally representative 1977–2009 PNAD data. Our results suggest an effect of family size on education that is not uniform throughout a period of significant social, economic, and demographic change. Rather, the causal effect of family size on adolescents’ schooling resembles a gradient that ranges from positive to no effect, trending to negative. PMID:22810834

  19. Recommendation 1074 on family policy, 3 May 1988.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1988-01-01

    This document contains a 1988 Recommendation of the Council of Europe on family policy in which the Council recognizes the profound changes which have occurred in family structure and the increased tensions within families caused by such factors as poverty and crime. The Council notes, however, that the family remains a popular institution for young people and that some changes, such as the replacement of the marriage-alliance with the marriage-partnership, have been positive. Also the family is the best place for nurturing human relationships and caring for children and the elderly. Both "legitimate" and "de facto" families must be recognized, and the emancipation of women requires a democratization of the family which implies equality and protects the exercise of free choice among its members. After drawing attention to earlier Recommendations, the Council recommends that the governments of member states base their preparation of family policy on specific proposals: 1) legislation should protect equality between the sexes and children's rights, pay attention to the problems encountered by spouses of different nationalities, contain policies on adoption and reproductive technologies, and be directed to eliminating domestic violence; 2) working life should have greater flexibility, including parental leave; 3) separate taxation should be enacted for spouses, a flat-rate child allowance should be introduced instead of tax reductions, and costs of caring for preschool-age children should be tax deductible; 4) social security should recognize the value of housework and child care, a minimum guaranteed income should be explored, individual rights should be established, people should be credited for time spent giving care to dependents, and the European Convention on Social Security should be ratified; 5) housing needs of families should be met and the infrastructures of towns should meet the needs of inhabitants, social infrastructure should help families care for

  20. Changes in the impact assessment family 2003-2014 : Implications for considering achievements, gaps and future directions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vanclay, Francis

    2015-01-01

    Over 150 forms of impact assessment can be identified using Google searches, with several new forms appearing since 2003. Since then, the popularity of the various members of the impact assessment family has changed, partly in response to legislative and regulatory changes, and general trends in

  1. Methodological decisions and the evaluation of possible effects of different family structures on children: The new family structures survey (NFSS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schumm, Walter R

    2012-11-01

    Every social science researcher must make a number of methodological decisions when planning and implementing research projects. Each such decision carries with it both advantages and limitations. The decisions faced and made by Regnerus (2012) are discussed here in the wider context of social science literature regarding same-sex parenting. Even though the apparent outcomes of Regnerus's study were unpopular, the methodological decisions he made in the design and implementation of the New Family Structures Survey were not uncommon among social scientists, including many progressive, gay and lesbian scholars. These decisions and the research they produced deserve considerable and continued discussion, but criticisms of the underlying ethics and professionalism are misplaced because nearly every methodological decision that was made has ample precedents in research published by many other credible and distinguished scholars. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. The Reconstituted Family

    OpenAIRE

    Talbot, Yves

    1981-01-01

    The reconstituted or step-family is becoming more prevalent. The physician who cares for families should be acquainted with the different aspects of such family structure and family functioning. This will enable professionals to better understand and assist their patients, by anticipating the different stresses related to the new family formation, and supporting their adaptation.

  3. Theories of attitude change and the "beyond family planning" debate: the case for the persuasion approach in population policy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crawford, T J

    1977-01-01

    The proposed abandonment of the persuasion approach in the area of population policy may be premature; the application of recent developments in attitude theory to family planning programs might refute the current pessimism concerning the power of persuasion in population policy. Persuasion and positive incentives are realistic and viable alternative in terms of Berelson's 6 criteria - scientific readiness, political viability, administrative feasibility, economic capability, ethical acceptability, and presumed effectiveness. Communication and persuasion programs that attempt to change behavior should direct their attention to changing intentions to engage in specific family planning behaviors within a given period of time rather than at changing global evaluations of "birth control" or "large families." There needs to be 1) an emphasis upon changing intentions to perform specific behaviors within a fixed time period, 2) a functional analysis of the relative importance of the 3 general needs served by attitudes as they influence behavioral intentions, 3) focus on what appear to be situationally engaged and behavior-relevant beliefs and attitudes, and 4) a change in both anticipated and actual situational determinants to behavior.

  4. The family medicine curriculum resource project structural framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stearns, Jeffrey A; Stearns, Marjorie A; Davis, Ardis K; Chessman, Alexander W

    2007-01-01

    In the original contract for the Family Medicine Curricular Resource Project (FMCRP), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Division of Medicine and Dentistry, charged the FMCRP executive committee with reviewing recent medical education reform proposals and relevant recent curricula to develop an analytical framework for the project. The FMCRP executive and advisory committees engaged in a review and analysis of a variety of curricular reform proposals generated during the last decade of the 20th century. At the same time, in a separate and parallel process, representative individuals from all the family medicine organizations, all levels of learners, internal medicine and pediatric faculty, and the national associations of medical and osteopathic colleges (Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine) were involved in group discussions to identify educational needs for physicians practicing in the 21st century. After deliberation, a theoretical framework was chosen for this undergraduate medical education resource that mirrors the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) competencies, a conceptual design originated for graduate medical education. In addition to reflecting the current environment calling for change and greater accountability in medical education, use of the ACGME competencies as the theoretical framework for the FMCR provides a continuum of focus between the two major segments of physician education: medical school and residency.

  5. A novel mutation in MIP associated with congenital nuclear cataract in a Chinese family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kai Jie; Li, Sha Sha; Yun, Bo; Ma, Wen Xian; Jiang, Tian Ge; Zhu, Si Quan

    2011-01-08

    To identify the underlying genetic defect in a Chinese family affected with autosomal dominant congenital nuclear cataract. A four-generation Chinese family with inherited nuclear cataract phenotype was recruited. Detailed family history and clinical data were recorded. All reported nuclear cataract-related candidate genes were screened for causative mutations by direct DNA sequencing. Effects of amino acid changes on the structure and function of protein were predicted by bioinformatics analysis. All affected individuals in this family showed nuclear cataracts. Sequencing of the candidate genes revealed a heterozygous c.559C>T change in the coding region of the major intrinsic protein (MIP), which caused a substitution of highly conserved arginine by cysteine at codon 187 (p.R187C). This mutation co-segregated with all affected individuals and was not observed in unaffected family members or 110 ethnically matched controls. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the mutation was predicted to affect the function and secondary structure of MIP protein. This study identified a novel disease-causing mutation p.R187C in MIP in a Chinese cataract family, expanding the mutation spectrum of MIP causing congenital cataract.

  6. The U.S. Air Force Transformed Approach to Military Family Housing: An Organizational Routine Case Study in Change and Learning

    OpenAIRE

    Medeiros, John Stephen

    2016-01-01

    In 1996, the U.S. Congress initiated a change to the Department of Defense (DOD) military family housing program. Applying organizational learning and change theories, this study of the Department of the Air Force (AF) reveals how the AF used $617 million of federal funds and $8.3 billion of matching private investment to significantly upgrade or construct and manage 53,323 AF family housing units. Using an outcome-oriented process tracing methodology, I examine the process changes, organizat...

  7. Family Structure and Childhood Obesity, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study ? Kindergarten Cohort

    OpenAIRE

    Chen, Alex Y.; Escarce, Jos? J.

    2010-01-01

    Introduction Little is known about the effect of family structure on childhood obesity among US children. This study examines the effect of number of parents and number of siblings on children's body mass index and risk of obesity. Methods We conducted a secondary data analysis of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study ? Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), which consists of a nationally representative cohort of children who entered kindergarten during 1998-1999. Our analyses included 2 cross-sectio...

  8. Flavor changing effects in theories with a heavy Z' boson with family nonuniversal couplings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Langacker, Paul; Pluemacher, Michael

    2000-01-01

    There are theoretical and phenomenological motivations that there may exist additional heavy Z ' bosons with family nonuniversal couplings. Flavor mixing in the quark and lepton sectors will then lead to flavor changing couplings of the heavy Z ' , and also of the ordinary Z when Z-Z ' mixing is included. The general formalism of such effects is described, and applications are made to a variety of flavor changing and CP-violating tree and loop processes. Results are described for three specific cases motivated by a specific heterotic string model and by phenomenological considerations, including cases in which all three families have different couplings, and those in which the first two families, but not the third, have the same couplings. Even within a specific theory the results are model dependent because of unknown quark and lepton mixing matrices. However, assuming that typical mixings are comparable to the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix, processes such as coherent μ-e conversion in a muonic atom, K 0 -K(bar sign) 0 and B-B(bar sign) mixing, ε, and ε ' /ε lead to significant constraints on Z ' bosons in the theoretically and phenomenologically motivated range M Z ' ∼1 TeV. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society

  9. Teaching Case: Initial Public Offering and Implementation of a Corporate Governance System in a Family Business

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Isaac Gezer Silva de Oliveira

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Prime Hospitality Group (PHG is a family-owned company, which was founded 17 years ago by Mr. Milton Albuquerque, with hotels and resorts scattered in different regions of Brazil. Recently, the company decided to go public in BM&FBOVESPA. Conducting an IPO, however, requires many changes in the company’s structure. These changes generate costs and change the view of family members and different stakeholders involved in the process. This case proposes an assessment of the impact caused by the implementation of a corporate governance mechanism after the completion of an IPO of a family-run company.

  10. Structural and evolutionary adaptation of rhoptry kinases and pseudokinases, a family of coccidian virulence factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background The widespread protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii interferes with host cell functions by exporting the contents of a unique apical organelle, the rhoptry. Among the mix of secreted proteins are an expanded, lineage-specific family of protein kinases termed rhoptry kinases (ROPKs), several of which have been shown to be key virulence factors, including the pseudokinase ROP5. The extent and details of the diversification of this protein family are poorly understood. Results In this study, we comprehensively catalogued the ROPK family in the genomes of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Eimeria tenella, as well as portions of the unfinished genome of Sarcocystis neurona, and classified the identified genes into 42 distinct subfamilies. We systematically compared the rhoptry kinase protein sequences and structures to each other and to the broader superfamily of eukaryotic protein kinases to study the patterns of diversification and neofunctionalization in the ROPK family and its subfamilies. We identified three ROPK sub-clades of particular interest: those bearing a structurally conserved N-terminal extension to the kinase domain (NTE), an E. tenella-specific expansion, and a basal cluster including ROP35 and BPK1 that we term ROPKL. Structural analysis in light of the solved structures ROP2, ROP5, ROP8 and in comparison to typical eukaryotic protein kinases revealed ROPK-specific conservation patterns in two key regions of the kinase domain, surrounding a ROPK-conserved insert in the kinase hinge region and a disulfide bridge in the kinase substrate-binding lobe. We also examined conservation patterns specific to the NTE-bearing clade. We discuss the possible functional consequences of each. Conclusions Our work sheds light on several important but previously unrecognized features shared among rhoptry kinases, as well as the essential differences between active and degenerate protein kinases. We identify the most distinctive ROPK-specific features

  11. Structural and evolutionary adaptation of rhoptry kinases and pseudokinases, a family of coccidian virulence factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talevich, Eric; Kannan, Natarajan

    2013-06-06

    The widespread protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii interferes with host cell functions by exporting the contents of a unique apical organelle, the rhoptry. Among the mix of secreted proteins are an expanded, lineage-specific family of protein kinases termed rhoptry kinases (ROPKs), several of which have been shown to be key virulence factors, including the pseudokinase ROP5. The extent and details of the diversification of this protein family are poorly understood. In this study, we comprehensively catalogued the ROPK family in the genomes of Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Eimeria tenella, as well as portions of the unfinished genome of Sarcocystis neurona, and classified the identified genes into 42 distinct subfamilies. We systematically compared the rhoptry kinase protein sequences and structures to each other and to the broader superfamily of eukaryotic protein kinases to study the patterns of diversification and neofunctionalization in the ROPK family and its subfamilies. We identified three ROPK sub-clades of particular interest: those bearing a structurally conserved N-terminal extension to the kinase domain (NTE), an E. tenella-specific expansion, and a basal cluster including ROP35 and BPK1 that we term ROPKL. Structural analysis in light of the solved structures ROP2, ROP5, ROP8 and in comparison to typical eukaryotic protein kinases revealed ROPK-specific conservation patterns in two key regions of the kinase domain, surrounding a ROPK-conserved insert in the kinase hinge region and a disulfide bridge in the kinase substrate-binding lobe. We also examined conservation patterns specific to the NTE-bearing clade. We discuss the possible functional consequences of each. Our work sheds light on several important but previously unrecognized features shared among rhoptry kinases, as well as the essential differences between active and degenerate protein kinases. We identify the most distinctive ROPK-specific features conserved across both active

  12. Beliefs about family-school relationships. Changes in pre-service teachers after receiving specific training

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Vázquez

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Teachers’ beliefs about family-school relationship vary in a continuum according to the role that parents and teachers have, and the power that they hold. Pre-service teachers also have beliefs about this relationship and their own competence to develop it. Two groups of pre-service teachers (second year students participated in this study. One group received specific training on family-school relationship and its improvement (116 students attending a degree in Early Childhood Education, who constituted the experimental group, EG. The other group was not trained (92 students attending a degree in Primary Education, who made up the control group, CG. The Beliefs about family-school Questionnaire (CCR was developed and applied before and after the EG was trained. Results show that students in the EG increased their beliefs about family-school collaboration in the post-test and decreased their beliefs about parental subordination to teachers’ authority and parents’ carelessness. Students in the CG kept their beliefs unchanged, which were significantly more prone to support teachers’ authority and parental subordination and parents’ carelessness compared to the EG.. Perceived competence for family-school relationship did not change significantly in either group. However, significant correlations between beliefs and perceived competence were found, pointing out the importance of working pre-service teachers’ beliefs about family-school collaboration.

  13. Neighborhood Disorder and Children’s Antisocial Behavior: The Protective Effect of Family Support Among Mexican American and African American Families

    Science.gov (United States)

    Conger, Rand D.; Conger, Katherine J.; Martin, Monica J.; Brody, Gene; Simons, Ronald; Cutrona, Carolyn

    2012-01-01

    Using data from a sample of 673 Mexican Origin families, the current investigation examined the degree to which family supportiveness acted as a protective buffer between neighborhood disorder and antisocial behavior during late childhood (i.e. intent to use controlled substances, externalizing, and association with deviant peers). Children’s perceptions of neighborhood disorder fully mediated associations between census and observer measures of neighborhood disorder and their antisocial behavior. Family support buffered children from the higher rates of antisocial behavior generally associated with living in disorderly neighborhoods. An additional goal of the current study was to replicate these findings in a second sample of 897 African American families, and that replication was successful. These findings suggest that family support may play a protective role for children living in dangerous or disadvantaged neighborhoods. They also suggest that neighborhood interventions should consider several points of entry including structural changes, resident perceptions of their neighborhood and family support. PMID:22089092

  14. Parenting, family functioning and anxiety-disordered children: Comparisons to controls, changes after family versus child CBT

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jongerden, L.; Bögels, S.M.

    2015-01-01

    We examined (1) whether families of clinic-referred anxiety-disordered children are characterized by anxiety-enhancing parenting and family functioning, compared to control families; (2) whether family cognitive-behavioral therapy (FCBT) for anxiety-disordered children decreases anxiety-enhancing

  15. Changing state structures: Outside in

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krasner, Stephen D.

    2011-01-01

    In explaining the development of institutional structures within states, social science analysis has focused on autochthonous factors and paid less attention to the way in which external factors, especially purposive agent-directed as opposed to more general environmental factors, can influence domestic authority structures. For international relations scholarship, this lacunae is particularly troubling or perhaps, just weird. If the international system is anarchical, then political leaders can pursue any policy option. In some cases, the most attractive option would be conventional state to state interactions, diplomacy, or war. In other instances, however, changing the domestic authority structures of other states might be more appealing. In some cases, domestic authority structures have been influenced through bargaining, and in others through power. Power may reflect either explicit agent-oriented decisions or social processes that reflect the practices, values, and norms of more powerful entities. PMID:22198756

  16. Bequeathing Family Continuity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spanier, Graham B.

    1989-01-01

    Notes that many children who experience abuse, family disruption, or poverty reach adulthood with a strong commitment to family life. Questions whether changes in American families are indicators of pathology, deterioration, and instability; and asks how dysfunctional families transmit commitment to the concept of family to succeeding generations.…

  17. Using a Family Science Day Event to Engage Youth in Climate Change Issues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brevik, C.; Brevik, E. C.

    2015-12-01

    Each fall, Dickinson State University organizes four Family Science Day events for elementary-aged children to increase their engagement in the sciences. Offered on Saturday afternoons, each event focuses on a different science-related theme. Families can attend these events free of charge, and the kids participate in a large variety of hands-on activities which center around the event's theme. This year, the November event focused on climate change and the roles soil plays in the climate system. The timing of this topic was carefully chosen. 2015 has been declared the International Year of Soil by the United Nations, and the Soil Science Society of America theme for the month of November was Soils and Climate. This public outreach event was an amazing opportunity to help the youth in our community learn about climate change and soil in a fun, interactive environment. The activities also helped the children learn how science is a process of discovery that allows them to better understand the world they live in. In addition to the hands-on activities, a planetarium show focusing on climate change was also offered during the event. The fully immersive, 360-degree show allowed the kids and their parents to personally observe phenomena that are otherwise difficult to visualize. All of the activities at the Family Science Day event were staffed by university students, and this proved to be a very valuable experience for them as well. Some of the students who helped are majoring in a science field, and for them, the experience taught public communication. They learned to break complicated concepts down into simpler terms that young kids can understand. Education majors who participated practiced communicating science concepts to children, and students in other majors who helped with this event gained experiences that reinforced various concepts they had learned in their general education science courses.

  18. Probing structural changes of self assembled i-motif DNA

    KAUST Repository

    Lee, Iljoon; Patil, Sachin; Fhayli, Karim; Alsaiari, Shahad K.; Khashab, Niveen M.

    2015-01-01

    We report an i-motif structural probing system based on Thioflavin T (ThT) as a fluorescent sensor. This probe can discriminate the structural changes of RET and Rb i-motif sequences according to pH change. This journal is

  19. Upgrade and Design of Coastal Structures Exposed to Climate Changes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørgaard, Jørgen Quvang Harck

    This thesis “Upgrade and Design of Coastal Structures Exposed to Climate Changes” evaluates the performance of existing types of structures when exposed to climate changes. This includes also the potential of using cost‐sharing multipurpose structures for protection against the effects of future...... climate changes. The thesis consists of three parts. The first part evaluates the performance of existing design formulae for estimation of wave actions on structures, especially in shallow water since these structures are most vulnerable to the rising sea water levels caused by climate changes. Existing...... of coastal protection structures, which are extended to a wider range of wave conditions, and which can be used to more accurately estimate the influence from climate changes. In the second part of the thesis, the extended and modified formulae are used in case studies to evaluate the influence from climate...

  20. Structure and mechanism of dimethylsulfoxide reductase, a molybdopterin-containing enzyme of DMSO reductase family

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McEwan, A.G.; Ridge, J.P.; McDevitt, C.A.; Hanson, G.R.

    2001-01-01

    Full text: Apart from nitrogenase, enzymes containing molybdenum are members of a superfamily, the molybdopterin-containing enzymes. Most of these enzymes catalyse an oxygen atom transfer and two electron transfer reaction. During catalysis the Mo at the active site cycles between the Mo(VI) and Mo(IV) states. The DMSO reductase family of molybdopterin-containing enzymes all contain a bis(molybdopterin guanine dinucleotide)Mo cofactor and over thirty examples have now been described. Over the last five years crystal structures of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) reductase and four other enzymes of the DMSO reductase family have revealed that enzymes of this family have a similar tertiary structure. The Mo atom at the active site is coordinated by four thiolate ligands provided by the dithiolene side chains of the two MGD molecules of the bis(MGD)Mo cofactor as well as a ligand provided by an amino acid side chain. In addition, an oxygen atom in the form of an oxo, hydroxo or aqua group is also coordinated to the Mo atom. In the case of dimethylsulfoxide reductase X-ray crystallography of the product-reduced species and Raman spectroscopy has demonstrated that the enzyme contains a single exchangeable oxo group that is H-bonded to W116

  1. The structural properties of sustainable, continuous change

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Håkonsson, Dorthe Døjbak; Klaas, Johann Peter; Carroll, Timothy

    2013-01-01

    this relationship by exploring what structural properties enable continuous change in inertia-generating organizations and what their performance consequences are in dynamic environments. The article has three main findings: First, employing managers who anticipate change is not enough to generate continuous change......; it is also necessary to raise both the rate of responsiveness and desired performance. Second, continuous change increases average organizational performance and reduces its variation. Third, organizations’ capacity for continuous change is counterintuitively limited by the organizations’ capacity to build...

  2. Non-family manager in family businesses: Evidence from the Czech Republic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zuzana Fraňková

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This article presents selected results of a pilot survey of the project “The Business Processes in Relation to Selected Aspects of The Business Environment“. This project is focused on the processes in a company and looks at a company from three selected aspects: an organizational structure, ownership and a relationship to the environment. This article concerns the ownership aspect, concretely family ownership in the relation with an organizational structure of the company. In framework of these aspects, the article shows the difference between family and non-family companies. Next, it describes presence of an external manager in the family firm and how this fact influences selected variables. The results show that there is the difference between family firms with an external manager and these with only family members in the management.

  3. Modeling the Dynamical Structure of the Haumea Family

    Science.gov (United States)

    Proudfoot, Benjamin; Ragozzine, Darin

    2018-04-01

    Collisions are known to be critical in explaining the full story of the outer Solar System. The dwarf planet Haumea provides a unique empirical view into this, as Haumea is the only known example of a collisional family in the Kuiper Belt. Although there have been many Haumea formation hypotheses presented in the literature, none are fully self-consistent. In particular, it is challenging to explain the low ejection velocity of the family. With the addition of many new Haumea family members (Maggard & Ragozzine 2018, in prep.), we further investigate how we can use collision models to recreate the current dynamical distribution of Haumea family members in (proper) a-e-i-dv-H space. Using synthetic families created using different collision models, we use a Bayesian methodology to infer the posterior distribution of our model parameters that best matches the current family. Our newest results continue to exclude the planar distribution of family members that would result from a ‘graze-and-merge’ type collision (e.g., Leinhardt et al. 2010) based on a lack of a-e-i correlation (Proudfoot & Ragozzine, DPS 2017, DDA 2017). We present here our results from more models. We have also validated a statistical method for automatically and self-consistently identifying interlopers from the background population.

  4. Management of Change in Tourism - The Problem of Family Internal Succession in Family Tourism SMEs

    OpenAIRE

    Zehrer, Anita; Haslwanter, Julia

    2010-01-01

    “World-wide, the family business constitutes the most prevalent form of business or-ganization” (Poutziouris et al. 2004, p. 7). Alpine tourism is also dominated by small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME), among which family firms represent the majority (Astrachan and Shanker 2003). Family firms are urged to perform business, strategic, and succession planning for their survival (Knight 1993). Planning for the integration of the younger generation into the family firm is an issue of strateg...

  5. Structure-function relationships of family GH70 glucansucrase and 4,6-α-glucanotransferase enzymes, and their evolutionary relationships with family GH13 enzymes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Meng, Xiangfeng; Gangoiti, Joana; Bai, Yuxiang; Pijning, Tjaard; Van Leeuwen, Sander S; Dijkhuizen, Lubbert

    2016-01-01

    Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are known to produce large amounts of α-glucan exopolysaccharides. Family GH70 glucansucrase (GS) enzymes catalyze the synthesis of these α-glucans from sucrose. The elucidation of the crystal structures of representative GS enzymes has advanced our understanding of their

  6. Structural changes in brain substance in children with epilepsy (MRI findings)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaduk, Je.G.

    2000-01-01

    The structural changes in the brain substance and the parameters of liquor-containing spaces in children with epilepsy are studied. Structural morphological changes in the brain were found in 30, 7 % of cases. In 27, 7 % MRI findings did not differ from the control. The number of porencephalic changes in the both groups was similar (4, 2 - 4, 3 % of cases). Hypotrophy of cortical and subcortical structures, dysgenesis of the colossal body were observed in the group of local epilepsy. Typodense changes of pervantricular structures were more frequent in the patients will local disease. Hypodense changes of the periventricular structures were more frequent in the patients with local disturbances

  7. An integrated framework for assessing vulnerability to climate change and developing adaptation strategies for coffee growing families in Mesoamerica.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Baca

    Full Text Available The Mesoamerican region is considered to be one of the areas in the world most vulnerable to climate change. We developed a framework for quantifying the vulnerability of the livelihoods of coffee growers in Mesoamerica at regional and local levels and identify adaptation strategies. Following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC concepts, vulnerability was defined as the combination of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity. To quantify exposure, changes in the climatic suitability for coffee and other crops were predicted through niche modelling based on historical climate data and locations of coffee growing areas from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. Future climate projections were generated from 19 Global Circulation Models. Focus groups were used to identify nine indicators of sensitivity and eleven indicators of adaptive capacity, which were evaluated through semi-structured interviews with 558 coffee producers. Exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity were then condensed into an index of vulnerability, and adaptation strategies were identified in participatory workshops. Models predict that all target countries will experience a decrease in climatic suitability for growing Arabica coffee, with highest suitability loss for El Salvador and lowest loss for Mexico. High vulnerability resulted from loss in climatic suitability for coffee production and high sensitivity through variability of yields and out-migration of the work force. This was combined with low adaptation capacity as evidenced by poor post harvest infrastructure and in some cases poor access to credit and low levels of social organization. Nevertheless, the specific contributors to vulnerability varied strongly among countries, municipalities and families making general trends difficult to identify. Flexible strategies for adaption are therefore needed. Families need the support of government and institutions specialized in impacts of

  8. Changes in Attitude towards Gender Inequality in the

    OpenAIRE

    Vakil Ahmadi

    2013-01-01

    Introduction Gender inequality stems from social factors in each society. In theories of gender inequality, it has been assumed that family role in reproduction of gender inequality is of crucial importance (Bourdieu 2001, Chaftez 1999, dyson 2001). Demographic transition is one of the factors in the structure of family changes in recent century. Demographic transition is applied to changes from high levels of mortality and fertility to low levels (Lucas & meyer 2002). Demographic transit...

  9. Queering the Family: Fantasy and the performance of sexuality and gay relations in French cinema 1995-2000

    OpenAIRE

    Ince, Kate

    2002-01-01

    This paper looks in detail at the representation of sexuality in the family in three films of the mid to late 1990s, Balasko’s Gazon maudit, Berliner’s Ma Vie en rose, and Giusti’s Pourquoi pas moi? Its double focus is the changing structure of the French family at the end of the twentieth century, considered against key political developments such as the pacte civil de solidarité (PaCS) of November 1999, and the cinematic fantasies in which these structural changes are envisioned. Fable, fan...

  10. Impediments to media communication of social change in family planning and reproductive health: experiences from East Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kagurusi, Patrick T

    2013-09-01

    The media has been employed to increase uptake of Family Planning through behaviour change communication (BCC). Understanding the barriers encountered in effectively undertaking this function would increase the strategy's effectiveness. Sixty journalists from East Africa participated in trainings to enhance their BCC skills for Family Planning in which a qualitative study was nested to identify barriers to effective Family Planning BCC in the region's media. The barriers were observed to be insufficient BCC skills, journalists' conflict of interest, interests of media houses, inaccessible sources of family planning information, editorial ideologies and absence of commercially beneficial demand. Coupled with the historical ideologies of the media in the region, the observed barriers have precipitated ineffective family planning BCC in the regions media. Effective BCC for family planning in the regions media requires capacity building among practitioners and alignment of the concept to the media's and consumers' aspirations.

  11. Structural Analysis of Lunar Subsurface with Chang'E 3 Lunar Penetrating Radar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yi; Lai, Jialong; Tang, Zesheng

    2015-04-01

    Geological structure of the subsurface of the Moon provides valuable information for our understanding of lunar evolution. Recently, Chang'E 3 has utilized lunar penetrating radar (LPR), which is equipped on the lunar rover named as Yutu, to detect the lunar geological structure in Northern Imbrium (44.1260N, 19.5014W) for the first time. As an in-situ detector, Chang'E 3 LPR has higher horizontal and vertical resolution and less clutter impact compared to spaceborne radars such as Chandrayaan-1 and Kaguya. In this work, we analyze the LPR data at 500 MHz transmission frequency to obtain the shallow subsurface structure of the landing area of Chang'E 3 in Mare Imbrium. First, filter method and amplitude recover algorithms are introduced for data processing to alleviate the adverse effects of environment and system noises and compensate the amplitude losses during signal propagation. Next, based on the processed LPR data, we present the methods to determine the interfaces between layers. A three-layered structure of the shallow surface of the Moon has been observed. The corresponding real part of relative dielectric constant is inverted with deconvolution method. The average dielectric constants of the surface, second and third layer is 2.8, 3.2 and 3.6, respectively. The phenomenon that the average dielectric constant increases with the depth is consistent with prior art. With the obtained dielectric constants, the thickness of each layer can be calculated. One possible geological picture of the observed three-layered structure is presented as follows. The top layer is lunar regolith with its thickness ranging from 0.59 m to 0.9 m. The second layer is the ejecta blanket of the nearby impact crater, and the corresponding thickness is between 3.6m to 3.9m, which is in good agreement with the model of ejecta blanket thickness (height) as a function of distance from the crater center proposed by Melosh in 1989. The third layer is regarded as early lunar regolith with 4

  12. The Changing Workforce. Comparison of Federal and Nonfederal Work/Family Programs and Approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    General Accounting Office, Washington, DC. General Government Div.

    The tremendous growth in the number of women in the labor force has dramatically changed the world of work. Traditional human resources policies were not designed for this new workforce. Federal regulations prohibit federal workers from using any of their sick leave to care for a child or a parent. To learn about nonfederal work/family efforts,…

  13. FGF: A web tool for Fishing Gene Family in a whole genome database

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zheng, Hongkun; Shi, Junjie; Fang, Xiaodong

    2007-01-01

    to efficiently search for and identify gene families. The FGF output displays the results as visual phylogenetic trees including information on gene structure, chromosome position, duplication fate and selective pressure. It is particularly useful to identify pseudogenes and detect changes in gene structure. FGF...

  14. Family Structure, Parent-Child Communication, and Adolescent Participation in Family Consumer Tasks and Decisions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lachance, Marie J.; Legault, Frederic; Bujold, Neree

    2000-01-01

    A study of adolescents from single-mother (n=171) and two-parent (n=1,029) families showed that the former were more involved in family consumer tasks and decisions. The conceptual parenting style was associated with higher adolescent participation. The social style had greater impact on participation in single-parent families. (Contains 88…

  15. A family of integrable differential–difference equations, its bi-Hamiltonian structure and binary nonlinearization of the Lax pairs and adjoint Lax pairs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu Xixiang

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We deduce a family of integrable differential–difference equations. ► We present a discrete Hamiltonian operator involving two arbitrary real parameters. ► We establish the bi-Hamiltonian structure for obtained integrable family. ► Liouvolle integrability of the obtained family is demonstrated. ► Every equation in obtained family is factored through the binary nonlinearization. - Abstract: A family of integrable differential–difference equations is derived by the method of Lax pairs. A discrete Hamiltonian operator involving two arbitrary real parameters is introduced. When the parameters are suitably selected, a pair of discrete Hamiltonian operators is presented. Bi-Hamiltonian structure of obtained family is established by discrete trace identity. Then, Liouville integrability for the obtained family is proved. Ultimately, through the binary nonlinearization of the Lax pairs and adjoint Lax pairs, every differential–difference equation in obtained family is factored by an integrable symplectic map and a finite-dimensional integrable system in Liouville sense.

  16. Growth, Employment and Structural Change

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aggarwal, Aradhna

    2016-01-01

    This paper studies the decomposition of GSDP growth per capita in Punjab via-a-vis 15 other states in India during 1993–94 and 2011–12 in terms of employment and productivity growth. Specifically, it focuses on the role of employment growth and structural change in employment on economic growth...... but structural shifts have paid off well in terms of diversification of the economy and their contribution to labour productivity especially for manufacturing. Overall employment effect had been negative but this was essentially due to contraction in the labour force; the employment rate effect turned out...

  17. Caregiving experiences predict changes in spiritual well-being among family caregivers of cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adams, Rebecca N; Mosher, Catherine E; Cannady, Rachel S; Lucette, Aurelie; Kim, Youngmee

    2014-10-01

    Although enhanced spiritual well-being has been linked to positive mental health outcomes among family caregivers of cancer patients, little is known regarding predictors of spiritual well-being in this population. The current study aimed to examine caregiving experiences as predictors of change in family caregivers' spiritual well-being during the initial months following the patient's cancer diagnosis. Seventy family caregivers of newly diagnosed cancer patients (74% female, mean age = 59 years) participated in this longitudinal survey. Caregivers completed baseline questionnaires shortly before staying with the patient at an American Cancer Society Hope Lodge. Baseline questionnaires assessed caregiving experiences (i.e., self-esteem related to caregiving, family support for providing care, impact of caregiving on finances, and impact of caregiving on one's schedule). In addition, caregivers' spiritual well-being (i.e., meaning in life, peace, and faith) was assessed at baseline and 4-month follow-up. In univariate analyses, all caregiving experiences studied were associated with one or more aspects of spiritual well-being at 4-month follow-up. However, in the multivariate analysis, the only caregiving experience associated with aspects of spiritual well-being at 4-month follow-up was caregivers' perceptions of family support. Specifically, lack of family support was associated with lower levels of meaning and peace. Findings point to the importance of family support in facilitating the search for meaning and peace shortly after a loved one's cancer diagnosis and suggest that interventions targeting caregivers' support system may enhance their spiritual well-being. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. The Case for Family-Friendly Work Practices in the Australian Construction Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valerie Francis

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Although significant changes at the social, demographic, technological and workforce levelshave transformed the relationship between family and work, these changes have notbeen reflected in the employment practices of many construction companies. Many of thejob and organisational factors found to be negatively associated with family functioning arepertinent to construction professionals. Staff are expected to work long hours in demandingroles and this, combined with job insecurity and frequent relocation, means that familylife and individual well-being can be compromised. A growing body of research has foundthat the implementation of family-friendly work policies and practices can lead to greaterproductivity, lower attrition rates and higher morale in the workplace. In addition providinga work environment that is supportive of workers' family roles can help to alleviate workrelatedmental health problems.This paper outlines the changing demographic trends and societal attitudes that are makingindividuals and organisations question current work cultures and structures. Optionsfor making the construction industry a more family-friendly work environment are considered.All professionals, regardless of their age, gender and family responsibilities, canbenefit from these initiatives. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of theseissues for construction companies and future research work.

  19. work-family-conflict and family-work-conflict as correlates of job

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    User

    The above nature of conflicts that employees often try to strike role balance is tagged in organizational ... Therefore, women that assume multiple roles result in work-family conflict because time and energy are ... traditional single-income family to a double-income family. The new family structure calls for multiple roles to.

  20. Plant Invasions Associated with Change in Root-Zone Microbial Community Structure and Diversity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard R Rodrigues

    Full Text Available The importance of plant-microbe associations for the invasion of plant species have not been often tested under field conditions. The research sought to determine patterns of change in microbial communities associated with the establishment of invasive plants with different taxonomic and phenetic traits. Three independent locations in Virginia, USA were selected. One site was invaded by a grass (Microstegium vimineum, another by a shrub (Rhamnus davurica, and the third by a tree (Ailanthus altissima. The native vegetation from these sites was used as reference. 16S rRNA and ITS regions were sequenced to study root-zone bacterial and fungal communities, respectively, in invaded and non-invaded samples and analyzed using Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology (QIIME. Though root-zone microbial community structure initially differed across locations, plant invasion shifted communities in similar ways. Indicator species analysis revealed that Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs closely related to Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Ascomycota increased in abundance due to plant invasions. The Hyphomonadaceae family in the Rhodobacterales order and ammonia-oxidizing Nitrospirae phylum showed greater relative abundance in the invaded root-zone soils. Hyphomicrobiaceae, another bacterial family within the phyla Proteobacteria increased as a result of plant invasion, but the effect associated most strongly with root-zones of M. vimineum and R. davurica. Functional analysis using Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt showed bacteria responsible for nitrogen cycling in soil increased in relative abundance in association with plant invasion. In agreement with phylogenetic and functional analyses, greater turnover of ammonium and nitrate was associated with plant invasion. Overall, bacterial and fungal communities changed congruently across plant invaders, and support the hypothesis that

  1. The relationship between family orientation, organization context, organization structure and firm performance

    OpenAIRE

    Joris Meijaard; Lorraine Uhlaner

    2004-01-01

    This study focuses on the prediction of three firm performance indicators, sales growth, innovation performance and profitability, on a sample of small and medium-sized firms in the Netherlands. Predictions from agency theory and the resource based view of organizations lead to alternate hypotheses regarding the direct and indirect effects of family ownership and management on firm performance. Other variables in the analysis include various organization structure variables including standard...

  2. Structural change and agricultural diversification since China’s reforms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lihua Li

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Structural change is considered the major engine in fostering a country’s growth. In the agricultural sector, diversification is the commonly used development strategy to increase rural sector’s flexibility, and to respond to improving technologies and market conditions. This study examined agricultural development and transformation during China’s socio-economic reforms. In particular, it empirically investigated whether the change of China’s agricultural structure is consistent with structural change theory and observed outcomes from other countries. The degree of agricultural diversification was quantitatively measured at a regional scale using the Herfindahl index. An underdeveloped province in northwest China was studied to provide insights into the interaction among structural change, agricultural diversification, and implemented development policies. Aggregate-level analyses suggest that China’s agricultural transformation pattern is consistent with those of other developing countries. A specific provincial-level analysis shows that environmentally and economically disadvantaged regions are slower to diversify their economy than better endorsed regions.

  3. Fertility and Family Policies in Central and Eastern Europe after 1990

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tomas Frejka

    2016-06-01

    For the first time ever an overview and analysis of CEE family policies is conceptualized in this paper. It demonstrates that fertility trends and family policies are a matter of serious concern throughout the region. The following family policy types have been identified: comprehensive family policy model; pro-natalist policies model; temporary male bread-winner model; and conventional family policies model. The majority of family policies in CEE countries suffer from a variety of shortcomings that impede them from generating enhanced family welfare and from providing conditions for cohort fertility to increase. The likely further decline of cohort fertility, or its stagnation, may entail long-term demographic as well as other societal consequences, such as continuous declines in total population numbers, changes in age structures, as well as implications for health and social security costs.

  4. [Social representation of family support for diabetic patients in users of a family medicine unit in Chalco, State of Mexico].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodríguez, Alejandra; Camacho, Esteban Jaime; Escoto, María Del Consuelo; Contreras, Georgina; Casas, Donovan

    2014-08-27

    The goal of this study is to compare and interpret the meaning of family support for diabetic patients and their families using social representations according to a structural approach of Abric's theory. The study was carried out in a Family Medicine Center of the Chalco Municipality in Mexico State. The population studied comprised ten diabetic patient-family pairs. The first part of the study was a simple word association test that aimed to find terms or statements related to the concept of "family support", as well as its frequency of appearance and range of association. Once the terms or statements were obtained, they were categorized according to their "support" capabilities. A semi-structured interview for each category was conducted as well as a graphic analysis of Friedman's meanings. The discourse of diabetic patients was compared to that of the families in order to find similarities and differences. Evocation of terms was done in the first part of the study, and it was found that the emotional domain was central to the discourse. However, in the second part of the study, when categorization and analysis of discourse is performed, there are differences in the centrality of terms and statements. The family tends to center in the active domain, whereas the patient centers in the emotional domain. This study brings up the emotional needs of the patient as essential components of support efforts. This promotes reflection about changing strategies in the design of public healthcare programs in that they may include family support from the viewpoint of otherness.

  5. Does family structure matter? Comparing the life goals and aspirations of learners in secondary schools

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eugene Lee Davids

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to compare the goals and aspirations of learners from single- and two-parent families. The study used a quantitative methodology with a cross-sectional comparative group design. The sample consisted of 853 Grade 11 learners from secondary schools in the Northern, Southern and Metro Central education districts in the Western Cape. The data were collected using the Aspirations Index and a short biographical questionnaire. The results suggest that there was a significant main effect of family structure on certain goals and aspirations of learners in secondary schools. These goals and aspirations included wealth, image, personal growth, relationships, and health. Furthermore, learners in single-parent families placed more emphasis on intrinsic goals.

  6. Self-management by family caregivers to manage changes in the behavior and mood of their relative with dementia: an online focus group study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huis In Het Veld, Judith; Verkaik, Renate; van Meijel, Berno; Verkade, Paul-Jeroen; Werkman, Wendy; Hertogh, Cees; Francke, Anneke

    2016-05-03

    Self-management is important for family caregivers of people with dementia, especially when they face changes in their relative's behavior and mood, such as depression, apathy, anxiety, agitation and aggression. The aim of this study is to give insight into why these changes in behavior and mood are stressful for family caregivers, what self-management strategies family caregivers use when managing these changes and the stress they experience. A qualitative study was conducted using four online focus groups with 32 family caregivers of people with dementia living in the Netherlands. Transcripts of the focus group discussions were analyzed using principles of thematic analysis. Managing changes in the behavior and mood of their relative with dementia is stressful for family caregivers because of constantly having to switch, continuously having to keep the person with dementia occupied and distracted, the fact that others see a different side to the relative, and the fact that caregivers know what to do, but are often not able to put this into practice. Caregivers use calming down and stimulation as self-management strategies for influencing the changes in the behavior and mood of their relative. Furthermore, caregivers describe three self-management strategies that let them manage their own stress and keep up the care for their loved ones: looking for distractions, getting rest, and discussing their feelings and experiences. Behavior and mood changes of a person with dementia are stressful for family caregivers. They use several self-management strategies to positively affect the mood and behavior changes, and also to manage their own stress.

  7. Abuse and neglect in adolescents of Jammu, India: The role of gender, family structure, and parental education

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Charak, R.; Koot, H.M.

    2014-01-01

    The present study aimed to assess the factor structure of the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ; Bernstein & Fink, 1998), and use it to describe the prevalence of abuse and neglect in Indian adolescents, and its associations with gender, family structure (nuclear vs. joint), and level of parental

  8. Changing Set: Teaching Family Therapy from a Feminist Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leslie, Leigh A.; Clossick, Michelle L.

    1992-01-01

    Notes that feminist writings in family therapy have critiqued models and offered alternative methods for family interventions. Attempts to expand current application of feminist perspective to family therapy by examining implications for training. Three areas are considered: implications of a feminist perspective for training, strategies for…

  9. Structural basis for antagonizing a host restriction factor by C7 family of poxvirus host-range proteins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Xiangzhi; Krumm, Brian; Li, Yongchao; Deng, Junpeng; Xiang, Yan

    2015-12-01

    Human sterile alpha motif domain-containing 9 (SAMD9) protein is a host restriction factor for poxviruses, but it can be overcome by some poxvirus host-range proteins that share homology with vaccinia virus C7 protein. To understand the mechanism of action for this important family of host-range factors, we determined the crystal structures of C7 and myxoma virus M64, a C7 family member that is unable to antagonize SAMD9. Despite their different functions and only 23% sequence identity, the two proteins have very similar overall structures, displaying a previously unidentified fold comprised of a compact 12-stranded antiparallel β-sandwich wrapped in two short α helices. Extensive structure-guided mutagenesis of C7 identified three loops clustered on one edge of the β sandwich as critical for viral replication and binding with SAMD9. The loops are characterized with functionally important negatively charged, positively charged, and hydrophobic residues, respectively, together forming a unique "three-fingered molecular claw." The key residues of the claw are not conserved in two C7 family members that do not antagonize SAMD9 but are conserved in distantly related C7 family members from four poxvirus genera that infect diverse mammalian species. Indeed, we found that all in the latter group of proteins bind SAMD9. Taken together, our data indicate that diverse mammalian poxviruses use a conserved molecular claw in a C7-like protein to target SAMD9 and overcome host restriction.

  10. Evolutionary Relationship and Structural Characterization of the EPF/EPFL Gene Family

    OpenAIRE

    Takata, Naoki; Yokota, Kiyonobu; Ohki, Shinya; Mori, Masashi; Taniguchi, Toru; Kurita, Manabu

    2013-01-01

    EPF1-EPF2 and EPFL9/Stomagen act antagonistically in regulating leaf stomatal density. The aim of this study was to elucidate the evolutionary functional divergence of EPF/EPFL family genes. Phylogenetic analyses showed that AtEPFL9/Stomagen-like genes are conserved only in vascular plants and are closely related to AtEPF1/EPF2-like genes. Modeling showed that EPF/EPFL peptides share a common 3D structure that is constituted of a scaffold and loop. Molecular dynamics simulation suggested that...

  11. Redefining the PF06864 Pfam family based on Burkholderia pseudomallei PilO2(Bp S-SAD crystal structure.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patricia Lassaux

    Full Text Available Type IV pili are surface-exposed filaments and bacterial virulence factors, represented by the Tfpa and Tfpb types, which assemble via specific machineries. The Tfpb group is further divided into seven variants, linked to heterogeneity in the assembly machineries. Here we focus on PilO2(Bp, a protein component of the Tfpb R64 thin pilus variant assembly machinery from the pathogen Burkholderia pseudomallei. PilO2(Bp belongs to the PF06864 Pfam family, for which an improved definition is presented based on newly derived Hidden Markov Model (HMM profiles. The 3D structure of the N-terminal domain of PilO2(Bp (N-PilO2(Bp, here reported, is the first structural representative of the PF06864 family. N-PilO2(Bp presents an actin-like ATPase fold that is shown to be present in BfpC, a different variant assembly protein; the new HMM profiles classify BfpC as a PF06864 member. Our results provide structural insight into the PF06864 family and on the Type IV pili assembly machinery.

  12. Structural changes in the polyethylene after ion implantation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Proskova, K.; Svorcik, V.

    1999-01-01

    This work deals with the study of structural changes of the polyethylene after ion implantation. There were used the polyethylene film with thickness 15 μm, and Ar + ions with energy 63 keV and Xe + ions with energy 156 keV with doses 1·10 13 - 3·10 15 cm -2 for experiments. For the study of structural changes of polymer were used methods UV-VIS spectrometry, ESR, Rutherford back scattering

  13. Temperature-induced structural changes in fluorozirconate glasses and liquids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sen, S.; Youngman, R.E.

    2002-01-01

    The atomic structure and its temperature dependence in fluorozirconate glasses and supercooled liquids have been studied with high-resolution and high-temperature 19 F and 23 Na nuclear-magnetic-resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The 19 F NMR spectra in these glasses show the presence of multiple F environments. Temperature dependence of the 19 F magic-angle-spinning NMR spectra indicates a progressive change in the average F coordination environment in the glass structure, besides motional narrowing due to substantial mobility of F - ions. The observed change in the average 19 F NMR chemical shift is consistent with progressive breaking of the Zr-F-Zr linkages in the glass structure with increasing temperature. The onset of such a change in F speciation is observed at temperatures well below T g . This result is evidence of changes in the average equilibrium structure in an inorganic glass-forming liquid at T g , albeit on a local scale. The 23 Na NMR spectra indicate that the cations in these glasses become significantly mobile only at temperatures T≥T g , which allows for the onset of global structural relaxation and viscous flow

  14. The moderating effects of peer substance use on the family structure-adolescent substance use association: quantity versus quality of parenting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eitle, David

    2005-06-01

    This study examines the association between family structure and adolescent substance use, specifically focusing on the potential conditioning effects of the level of exposure to substance-using peers. Using data from a statewide study of Florida students, tobacco, alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drug use was regressed on measures of family structure, exposure to deviant peers, family process variables (including supervision, attachment, and discipline), and an array of salient predictors of adolescent substance use. Logistic regression analyses revealed that the level of exposure to substance-using peers moderates the relationship between family structure and substance use for three of the four dependent variables. The core finding is that living with two natural parents serves as a protective factor against using tobacco, alcohol, or other illicit drugs, but only under conditions when exposure to deviant peers is lowest. Under conditions when exposure to deviant peers is highest, teens residing in a traditional two-parent family are most likely to report substance use. However, some evidence suggests that this latter finding may be due to differences in the duration of exposure to deviant peers. These findings reinforce the need to continue to explore how the quantity of parenting may provide additional protection against adolescent substance use beyond quality of parenting factors.

  15. Conflict transformation, stigma, and HIV-preventive structural change.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Robin Lin; Reed, Sarah J; Francisco, Vincent T; Ellen, Jonathan M

    2012-06-01

    Over the prior decade, structural change efforts have become an important component of community-based HIV prevention initiatives. However, these efforts may not succeed when structural change initiatives encounter political resistance or invoke conflicting values, which may be likely when changes are intended to benefit a stigmatized population. The current study sought to examine the impact of target population stigma on the ability of 13 community coalitions to achieve structural change objectives. Results indicated that coalitions working on behalf of highly stigmatized populations had to abandon objectives more often than did coalitions working for less stigmatized populations because of external opposition to coalition objectives and resultant internal conflict over goals. Those coalitions that were most successful in meeting external challenges used opposition and conflict as transformative occasions by targeting conflicts directly and attempting to neutralize oppositional groups or turn them into strategic allies; less successful coalitions working on behalf of stigmatized groups struggled to determine an appropriate response to opposition. The role of conflict transformation as a success strategy for working on behalf of stigmatized groups is discussed.

  16. A systematic review of risk and protective factors associated with family related violence in refugee families

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Timshel, Isabelle; Montgomery, Edith; Dalgaard, Nina Thorup

    2017-01-01

    and protective factors an ecological model was used to structure the findings. At the individual level, parental trauma experiences/mental illness, substance abuse and history of child abuse were found to be risk factors. Family level risk factors included parent-child interaction, family structure and family...... families is a result of accumulating, multiple risk factors on the individual, familial, societal and cultural level. The findings suggest that individual trauma and exile related stress do not only affect the individual but have consequences at a family level. Thus, interventions targeting family related...

  17. Family Structure and Youths' Outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Painter, Gary; Levine, David I.

    2000-01-01

    National Education Longitudinal Study data were used to examine whether parents' divorce/remarriage or existing family disadvantages caused such outcomes as teens' lower educational attainment or higher rates of parenthood. Neither divorce nor remarriage during a youth's high school years was strongly correlated with preexisting characteristics of…

  18. Structural analysis of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 glycoside hydrolase from CAZy family GH105

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Germane, Katherine L.; Servinsky, Matthew D.; Gerlach, Elliot S.; Sund, Christian J.; Hurley, Margaret M.

    2015-01-01

    The crystal structure of the protein product of the C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824 gene CA-C0359 is structurally similar to YteR, an unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase from B. subtilis strain 168. Substrate modeling and electrostatic studies of the active site of the structure of CA-C0359 suggests that the protein can now be considered to be part of CAZy glycoside hydrolase family 105. Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 gene CA-C0359 encodes a putative unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase (URH) with distant amino-acid sequence homology to YteR of Bacillus subtilis strain 168. YteR, like other URHs, has core structural homology to unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolases, but hydrolyzes the unsaturated disaccharide derivative of rhamnogalacturonan I. The crystal structure of the recombinant CA-C0359 protein was solved to 1.6 Å resolution by molecular replacement using the phase information of the previously reported structure of YteR (PDB entry (http://scripts.iucr.org/cgi-bin/cr.cgi?rm)) from Bacillus subtilis strain 168. The YteR-like protein is a six-α-hairpin barrel with two β-sheet strands and a small helix overlaying the end of the hairpins next to the active site. The protein has low primary protein sequence identity to YteR but is structurally similar. The two tertiary structures align with a root-mean-square deviation of 1.4 Å and contain a highly conserved active pocket. There is a conserved aspartic acid residue in both structures, which has been shown to be important for hydration of the C=C bond during the release of unsaturated galacturonic acid by YteR. A surface electrostatic potential comparison of CA-C0359 and proteins from CAZy families GH88 and GH105 reveals the make-up of the active site to be a combination of the unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase and the unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolase from Bacillus subtilis strain 168. Structural and electrostatic comparisons suggests that the protein may have a slightly different substrate

  19. Structural analysis of Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 glycoside hydrolase from CAZy family GH105

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Germane, Katherine L., E-mail: katherine.germane.civ@mail.mil [Oak Ridge Associated Universities, 4692 Millennium Drive, Suite 101, Belcamp, MD 21017 (United States); Servinsky, Matthew D. [US Army Research Laboratory, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783 (United States); Gerlach, Elliot S. [Federal Staffing Resources, 2200 Somerville Road, Annapolis, MD 21401 (United States); Sund, Christian J. [US Army Research Laboratory, 2800 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi, MD 20783 (United States); Hurley, Margaret M., E-mail: katherine.germane.civ@mail.mil [US Army Research Laboratory, 4600 Deer Creek Loop, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD 21005 (United States); Oak Ridge Associated Universities, 4692 Millennium Drive, Suite 101, Belcamp, MD 21017 (United States)

    2015-07-29

    The crystal structure of the protein product of the C. acetobutylicum ATCC 824 gene CA-C0359 is structurally similar to YteR, an unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase from B. subtilis strain 168. Substrate modeling and electrostatic studies of the active site of the structure of CA-C0359 suggests that the protein can now be considered to be part of CAZy glycoside hydrolase family 105. Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 gene CA-C0359 encodes a putative unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase (URH) with distant amino-acid sequence homology to YteR of Bacillus subtilis strain 168. YteR, like other URHs, has core structural homology to unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolases, but hydrolyzes the unsaturated disaccharide derivative of rhamnogalacturonan I. The crystal structure of the recombinant CA-C0359 protein was solved to 1.6 Å resolution by molecular replacement using the phase information of the previously reported structure of YteR (PDB entry (http://scripts.iucr.org/cgi-bin/cr.cgi?rm)) from Bacillus subtilis strain 168. The YteR-like protein is a six-α-hairpin barrel with two β-sheet strands and a small helix overlaying the end of the hairpins next to the active site. The protein has low primary protein sequence identity to YteR but is structurally similar. The two tertiary structures align with a root-mean-square deviation of 1.4 Å and contain a highly conserved active pocket. There is a conserved aspartic acid residue in both structures, which has been shown to be important for hydration of the C=C bond during the release of unsaturated galacturonic acid by YteR. A surface electrostatic potential comparison of CA-C0359 and proteins from CAZy families GH88 and GH105 reveals the make-up of the active site to be a combination of the unsaturated rhamnogalacturonyl hydrolase and the unsaturated glucuronyl hydrolase from Bacillus subtilis strain 168. Structural and electrostatic comparisons suggests that the protein may have a slightly different substrate

  20. Family environment and emotional and behavioural symptoms in adolescent Cambodian Refugees: influence of time, gender, and acculturation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rousseau, Cécile; Drapeau, Aline; Platt, Robert

    2004-01-01

    For young refugees, the turmoil of adolescence is exacerbated by the acculturation process that sometimes places them at odds with the traditional culture of their ethnic group. The family environment can affect how adolescents cross that pivotal period. This paper focuses on the influence of family environment, gender and acculturation on the mental health of young refugees from early to mid-adolescence. Sixty-seven Cambodian adolescents were followed up from early to mid-adolescence. The effects of the youths' acculturation level, gender, and family environment and structure on internalising and externalising symptoms were analysed through linear regression analyses. Family conflict tends to increase from early to mid-adolescence. The association between family environment and mental health changes over time and, overall, family environment is associated with externalisation whereas gender, acculturation level, and family structure influence internalisation. Cambodian girls and boys cope differently with the challenges of adolescence in the host country, adopting traditional strategies and borrowing new ones from the host culture. Family therapy may help the parents and their adolescents address this process of change, which is both a source of vulnerability and of fulfilment, and enhances the ability of the family to negotiate between the cultural worlds of the home and of the host countries.

  1. 7 CFR 3560.405 - Borrower organizational structure or ownership interest changes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... Servicing § 3560.405 Borrower organizational structure or ownership interest changes. (a) General. The requirements of this section apply to changes in a borrower entity's organizational structure or to a change in... organizational change. The request must document that the proposed changes will not adversely affect the program...

  2. A multifunctional mannosyltransferase family in Candida albicans determines cell wall mannan structure and host-fungus interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mora-Montes, Héctor M; Bates, Steven; Netea, Mihai G; Castillo, Luis; Brand, Alexandra; Buurman, Ed T; Díaz-Jiménez, Diana F; Jan Kullberg, Bart; Brown, Alistair J P; Odds, Frank C; Gow, Neil A R

    2010-04-16

    The cell wall proteins of fungi are modified by N- and O-linked mannosylation and phosphomannosylation, resulting in changes to the physical and immunological properties of the cell. Glycosylation of cell wall proteins involves the activities of families of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi-located glycosyl transferases whose activities are difficult to infer through bioinformatics. The Candida albicans MNT1/KRE2 mannosyl transferase family is represented by five members. We showed previously that Mnt1 and Mnt2 are involved in O-linked mannosylation and are required for virulence. Here, the role of C. albicans MNT3, MNT4, and MNT5 was determined by generating single and multiple MnTDelta null mutants and by functional complementation experiments in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. CaMnt3, CaMnt4, and CaMnt5 did not participate in O-linked mannosylation, but CaMnt3 and CaMnt5 had redundant activities in phosphomannosylation and were responsible for attachment of approximately half of the phosphomannan attached to N-linked mannans. CaMnt4 and CaMnt5 participated in N-mannan branching. Deletion of CaMNT3, CaMNT4, and CaMNT5 affected the growth rate and virulence of C. albicans, affected the recognition of the yeast by human monocytes and cytokine stimulation, and led to increased cell wall chitin content and exposure of beta-glucan at the cell wall surface. Therefore, the MNT1/KRE2 gene family participates in three types of protein mannosylation in C. albicans, and these modifications play vital roles in fungal cell wall structure and cell surface recognition by the innate immune system.

  3. Familial Cortical Myoclonic Tremor with Epilepsy and Cerebellar Changes: Description of a New Pathology Case and Review of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sarvi Sharifi

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Over 60 Asian and European families with cortical myoclonic tremor and epilepsy have been reported under various names. Cerebellar changes may be part of the syndrome. In this study, we report the neuropathology findings in a new Dutch familial cortical myoclonic tremor with epilepsy case and review the literature on this syndrome.Methods: Neuropathological investigations were performed for a third case of the Dutch pedigree. In addition, we searched the literature for pedigrees meeting the criteria for benign familial myoclonic tremor and epilepsy.Results: Our third Dutch case showed cerebellar Purkinje cell changes and a normal cerebral cortex. The pedigrees described show phenotypical differences, cerebellar symptoms and cerebellar atrophy to a variable degree. Japanese pedigrees with linkage to chromosome 8q have been reported with milder disease features than members of Italian pedigrees with linkage to chromosome 2p. French pedigrees (5p possibly show even more severe and progressive disease, including cognitive changes and cerebellar features.Discussion: Currently, familial cortical myoclonic tremor is not listed by the International League Against Epilepsy, although it can be differentiated from other epileptic syndromes. Genetic heterogeneity and phenotypical differences between pedigrees exist. Cerebellar changes seem to be part of the syndrome in at least a number of pedigrees.

  4. Blockholder structures and power mechanisms in family firms

    OpenAIRE

    Cacciotti, Gabriella; Ucbasaran, Deniz

    2018-01-01

    We extend the work of Fattoum-Guedri, Guedri, and Delmar (in press) by suggesting that the number of family blockholders moderates the relationship between the distribution of voting power between family and nonfamily blockholders and firm performance. Building on power and negotiation theories, we argue that the participation of multiple generations of family members in the firm’s ownership leads to greater diversity of perspectives that generates potential conflict over the distribution of ...

  5. Structural analysis of lunar subsurface with Chang'E-3 lunar penetrating radar

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Jialong; Xu, Yi; Zhang, Xiaoping; Tang, Zesheng

    2016-01-01

    Geological structure of the subsurface of the Moon provides valuable information on lunar evolution. Recently, Chang'E-3 has utilized lunar penetrating radar (LPR), which is equipped on the lunar rover named as Yutu, to detect the lunar geological structure in Northern Imbrium (44.1260N, 19.5014W) for the first time. As an in situ detector, Chang'E-3 LPR has relative higher horizontal and vertical resolution and less clutter impact compared to spaceborne radars and earth-based radars. In this work, we analyze the LPR data at 500 MHz transmission frequency to obtain the shallow subsurface structure of the landing area of Chang'E-3 in Mare Imbrium. Filter method and amplitude recovery algorithms are utilized to alleviate the adverse effects of environment and system noises and compensate the amplitude losses during signal propagation. Based on the processed radar image, we observe numerous diffraction hyperbolae, which may be caused by discrete reflectors beneath the lunar surface. Hyperbolae fitting method is utilized to reverse the average dielectric constant to certain depth (ε bar). Overall, the estimated ε bar increases with the depth and ε bar could be classified into three categories. Average ε bar of each category is 2.47, 3.40 and 6.16, respectively. Because of the large gap between the values of ε bar of neighboring categories, we speculate a three-layered structure of the shallow surface of LPR exploration region. One possible geological picture of the speculated three-layered structure is presented as follows. The top layer is weathered layer of ejecta blanket with its average thickness and bound on error is 0.95±0.02 m. The second layer is the ejecta blanket of the nearby impact crater, and the corresponding average thickness is about 2.30±0.07 m, which is in good agreement with the two primary models of ejecta blanket thickness as a function of distance from the crater center. The third layer is regarded as a mixture of stones and soil. The

  6. [Family. Public health workshop of the Centro de Investigaciones en Psicologia Social].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanchez Maria Felix, B; Leon, M J

    1993-04-01

    An abbreviated primer on the sociology of the family is presented. The work defines family, describes different types of family structure, outlines the family life cycle, and discusses the functioning of families. Human beings in all societies require membership in a family of some type for reproduction and socialization. One of the most basic human needs is for a mother who will feed, protect, and instruct her offspring. Families have always changed in response to societal changes. The functions of a family are devoted to two different sets of objectives, the internal ones of psychosocial protection of the members and the external ones of accommodation to and transmission of a culture. Families in all cultures provide their members with a sense of identity. Families must respond to internal and external changes and should be capable of transforming themselves to adjust to new circumstances without losing continuity. Family systems differentiate themselves to carry out their functions through their subsystems. Individuals and dyads such as maternal-child or husband-wife are the subsystems. The family life cycle entails a series of stages: courtship, marriage, the birth and growth of children, separation of the children, retirement, old age. Each stage has its own pitfalls and challenges. Each family has a hierarchy of status and power, although in some cases the proper hierarchies are inverted, and the children carry out functions that should be completed by the parents. A series of explicit and implicit, rigid and flexible rules guide the functioning of the family. Various roles are carried out, including parental, marital, and sibling roles, as well as roles of authority, administration, and messenger.

  7. A Model of Family Background, Family Process, Youth Self-Control, and Delinquent Behavior in Two-Parent Families

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, So-Hee; Eamon, Mary Keegan

    2009-01-01

    Using data from a national sample of two-parent families with 11- and 12-year-old youths (N = 591), we tested a structural model of family background, family process (marital conflict and parenting), youth self-control, and delinquency four years later. Consistent with the conceptual model, marital conflict and youth self-control are directly…

  8. Outlook for activity and structural change

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1992-01-01

    The level of energy-using activities is continuing to increase throughout the world, but the rates of likely growth differ among regions. Over the next 20 years, manufacturing production is expected to grow at a rapid pace in parts of the developing world, and moderately in the OECD countries. In the Former East Bloc, it seems likely to stagnate or decline for much of the 1990s, but could then grow at a moderate pace if the transition to a market economy is successfully managed. Domestic passenger travel seems likely to increase everywhere, and growth in international travel will be especially strong. Freight transport activity is difficult to evaluate in the aggregate, since the composition of goods changes over time, but increase is expected in all regions, especially in the developing countries. Structural change within sectors will have significant impacts on energy use. In manufacturing, faster growth in light industry will lead to lower energy intensity in the OECD countries and especially in the Former East Bloc. The outlook in the LDCs suggests somewhat higher growth in energy-intensive industries, but this trend will vary among countries. In passenger travel, structural change is pointing toward higher energy intensity in most of the world as the role of automobiles and air travel continues to grow. Increase in the use of trucks is pushing in a similar direction in freight transport. In the residential sector, structural change will have only a moderate impact in the OECD countries, where per capita levels of home services are already high, but will push energy use significantly upward in the LDCs, and to a lesser extent, in the Former East Bloc. 17 refs., 4 figs., 1 tab

  9. Assets among low-income families in the Great Recession.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valentina Duque

    Full Text Available This paper examines the association between the Great Recession and real assets among families with young children. Real assets such as homes and cars are key indicators of economic well-being that may be especially valuable to low-income families. Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 4,898, we investigate the association between the city unemployment rate and home and car ownership and how the relationship varies by family structure (married, cohabiting, and single parents and by race/ethnicity (White, Black, and Hispanic mothers. Using mother fixed-effects models, we find that a one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate is associated with a -0.5 percentage point decline in the probability of home ownership and a -0.7 percentage point decline in the probability of car ownership. We also find that the recession was associated with lower levels of home ownership for cohabiting families and for Hispanic families, as well as lower car ownership among single mothers and among Black mothers, whereas no change was observed among married families or White households. Considering that homes and cars are the most important assets among middle and low-income households in the U.S., these results suggest that the rise in the unemployment rate during the Great Recession may have increased household asset inequality across family structures and race/ethnicities, limiting economic mobility, and exacerbating the cycle of poverty.

  10. Assets among low-income families in the Great Recession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duque, Valentina; Pilkauskas, Natasha V; Garfinkel, Irwin

    2018-01-01

    This paper examines the association between the Great Recession and real assets among families with young children. Real assets such as homes and cars are key indicators of economic well-being that may be especially valuable to low-income families. Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 4,898), we investigate the association between the city unemployment rate and home and car ownership and how the relationship varies by family structure (married, cohabiting, and single parents) and by race/ethnicity (White, Black, and Hispanic mothers). Using mother fixed-effects models, we find that a one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate is associated with a -0.5 percentage point decline in the probability of home ownership and a -0.7 percentage point decline in the probability of car ownership. We also find that the recession was associated with lower levels of home ownership for cohabiting families and for Hispanic families, as well as lower car ownership among single mothers and among Black mothers, whereas no change was observed among married families or White households. Considering that homes and cars are the most important assets among middle and low-income households in the U.S., these results suggest that the rise in the unemployment rate during the Great Recession may have increased household asset inequality across family structures and race/ethnicities, limiting economic mobility, and exacerbating the cycle of poverty.

  11. Assets among low-income families in the Great Recession

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garfinkel, Irwin

    2018-01-01

    This paper examines the association between the Great Recession and real assets among families with young children. Real assets such as homes and cars are key indicators of economic well-being that may be especially valuable to low-income families. Using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (N = 4,898), we investigate the association between the city unemployment rate and home and car ownership and how the relationship varies by family structure (married, cohabiting, and single parents) and by race/ethnicity (White, Black, and Hispanic mothers). Using mother fixed-effects models, we find that a one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate is associated with a -0.5 percentage point decline in the probability of home ownership and a -0.7 percentage point decline in the probability of car ownership. We also find that the recession was associated with lower levels of home ownership for cohabiting families and for Hispanic families, as well as lower car ownership among single mothers and among Black mothers, whereas no change was observed among married families or White households. Considering that homes and cars are the most important assets among middle and low-income households in the U.S., these results suggest that the rise in the unemployment rate during the Great Recession may have increased household asset inequality across family structures and race/ethnicities, limiting economic mobility, and exacerbating the cycle of poverty. PMID:29401482

  12. Reanalysis of Asteroid Families Structure Through Visible Spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mothé-Diniz, T.; Carvano, J.; Roig, F.; Lazzaro, D.

    In this work we re-analyse the presence of interlopers in asteroid families based on a larger spectral database and on a family determination which makes use of a larger set of proper elements. The asteroid families were defined using the HCM method (Zappalà et al. 1995) on the set of proper elements for 110,000 asteroids available at the Asteroid Dynamic Site (AstDyS http://hamilton.dm.unipi.it/astdys )). The spectroscopic analysis is performed using spectra on the 0.44-0.92 μ m range observed by the SMASS Xu et al. 1995, SMASSII (Bus and Binzel, 2002) and 3OS2 (Lazzaro et al. 2002) surveys, which together total around 2140 asteroids with observed spectra. The asteroid taxonomy used is the Bus taxonomy (Bus et al. 2000). A total of 22 two families were analysed . The families of Vesta, Eunomia, Hoffmeister, Dora, Merxia, Agnia, and Koronis were found to be spectrally homogeneous, which confirms previous studies. The Veritas family, on the other hand, which is quoted in the literature as an heterogeneous family was found to be quite homogeneous in the present work. The Eos family is noteworthy for being at one time spectrally heterogeneous and quite different from the background population. References Bus, S. J., and R. P. Binzel 2002. Phase II of the Small Main-Belt Asteroid Spectroscopic Survey - The Observations. Icarus 158, 106-145. Bus, S. J., R. P. Binzel, and T. H. Burbine 2000. A New Generation of Asteroid Taxonomy. Meteoritics and Planetary Science, vol. 35, Supplement, p.A36 35, 36 +. Lazzaro, D., C. A. Angeli, T. Mothe-Diniz, J. M. Carvano, R. Duffard, and M. Florczak 2002. The superficial characterization of a large sample of asteroids: the S3OS2. Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society 34, 859 +. Xu, S., R. P. Binzel, T. H. Burbine, and S. J. Bus 1995. Small main-belt asteroid spectroscopic survey: Initial results. Icarus 115, 1-35. Zappala, V., P. Bendjoya, A. Cellino, P. Farinella, and C. Froeschle 1995. Asteroid families: Search of a 12

  13. UPF201 Archaeal Specific Family Members Reveals Structural Similarity to RNA-Binding Proteins but Low Likelihood for RNA-Binding Function

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rao, K.N.; Swaminathan, S.; Burley, S. K.

    2008-12-11

    We have determined X-ray crystal structures of four members of an archaeal specific family of proteins of unknown function (UPF0201; Pfam classification: DUF54) to advance our understanding of the genetic repertoire of archaea. Despite low pairwise amino acid sequence identities (10-40%) and the absence of conserved sequence motifs, the three-dimensional structures of these proteins are remarkably similar to one another. Their common polypeptide chain fold, encompassing a five-stranded antiparallel {beta}-sheet and five {alpha}-helices, proved to be quite unexpectedly similar to that of the RRM-type RNA-binding domain of the ribosomal L5 protein, which is responsible for binding the 5S- rRNA. Structure-based sequence alignments enabled construction of a phylogenetic tree relating UPF0201 family members to L5 ribosomal proteins and other structurally similar RNA binding proteins, thereby expanding our understanding of the evolutionary purview of the RRM superfamily. Analyses of the surfaces of these newly determined UPF0201 structures suggest that they probably do not function as RNA binding proteins, and that this domain specific family of proteins has acquired a novel function in archaebacteria, which awaits experimental elucidation.

  14. LGBT Family Lawyers and Same-Sex Marriage Recognition: How Legal Change Shapes Professional Identity and Practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumle, Amanda K

    2018-01-10

    Lawyers who practice family law for LGBT clients are key players in the tenuous and evolving legal environment surrounding same-sex marriage recognition. Building on prior research on factors shaping the professional identities of lawyers generally, and activist lawyers specifically, I examine how practice within a rapidly changing, patchwork legal environment shapes professional identity for this group of lawyers. I draw on interviews with 21 LGBT family lawyers to analyze how the unique features of LGBT family law shape their professional identities and practice, as well as their predictions about the development of the practice in a post-Obergefell world. Findings reveal that the professional identities and practice of LGBT family lawyers are shaped by uncertainty, characteristics of activist lawyering, community membership, and community service. Individual motivations and institutional forces work to generate a professional identity that is resilient and dynamic, characterized by skepticism and distrust coupled with flexibility and creativity. These features are likely to play a role in the evolution of the LGBT family lawyer professional identity post-marriage equality.

  15. FAMILY THOUGHT IN THE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE MODEL OF THE WORLD: HISTORY OF THE VALUABLE RELATION TO A FAMILY ACCORDING TO RUSSIAN

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. S. Samoylova

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The article consider the structure of a word meaning a family in diachronic aspect. The valuable attitude towards concept «family» is characteristic of the entire periods in the history of Russian, and transformation of semantics of the word concept is insignificant. The central idea in definition of a family in modern Russian is the idea of spiritual proximity of people, the close emotional relations. The word is actively used in figurative sense for expression of estimated meanings. In a different way there is a history of values of the terms of relationship entering a theme group «family». In modern Russian these words cease to express a positive emotional assessment at the use in relation to not relatives. According to authors, it demonstrates change of valuable reference points in a modern language picture of the world.

  16. Some structural aspects of language are more stable than others: a comparison of seven methods.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan Dediu

    Full Text Available Understanding the patterns and causes of differential structural stability is an area of major interest for the study of language change and evolution. It is still debated whether structural features have intrinsic stabilities across language families and geographic areas, or if the processes governing their rate of change are completely dependent upon the specific context of a given language or language family. We conducted an extensive literature review and selected seven different approaches to conceptualising and estimating the stability of structural linguistic features, aiming at comparing them using the same dataset, the World Atlas of Language Structures. We found that, despite profound conceptual and empirical differences between these methods, they tend to agree in classifying some structural linguistic features as being more stable than others. This suggests that there are intrinsic properties of such structural features influencing their stability across methods, language families and geographic areas. This finding is a major step towards understanding the nature of structural linguistic features and their interaction with idiosyncratic, lineage- and area-specific factors during language change and evolution.

  17. Protein Structural Change Data - PSCDB | LSDB Archive [Life Science Database Archive metadata

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available List Contact us PSCDB Protein Structural Change Data Data detail Data name Protein Structural Change Data DO...History of This Database Site Policy | Contact Us Protein Structural Change Data - PSCDB | LSDB Archive ...

  18. Family structure and dynamics in DePalma's horror films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, N G

    1983-01-01

    An analysis of the familial relationships in Brian DePalma's five major horror films reveals a persistent unconscious fantasy formation involving the nuclear family. These single-parent, only-child families are all tragically destroyed because of an inability to adequately mourn the absent parent. Although the asexual young adults in the films are spared the completely disastrous effects of madness and violence, they are still psychologically traumatized. This hidden subtextual theme involving the family parallels DePalma's bleak view of authority figures outside the home, as well as American society in general. Adequate identity formation requires that people both inside and outside the family accept the adolescent as a separate person. The grim psychological truth threading its way throughout DePalma's horror films is that these young adults are psychically devastated by the effects of a primitive, fused symbiotic relationship in interaction with a society that does not provide an adequate role for the developing person. Consequently, their attempt to psychologically move outside the family, which includes the maturation of their sexuality, results in the destruction of the family itself.

  19. Family pediatrics: report of the Task Force on the Family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schor, Edward L

    2003-06-01

    cultural beliefs about how society and family life ought to be. The process of formulating recommendations for pediatric practice, public policy, professional education, and research requires reaching consensus on some core values and principles about family life and family functioning as they affect children, knowing that some philosophic disagreements will remain unresolved. The growing multicultural character of the country will likely heighten awareness of our diversity. Many characteristics of families have changed during the past 3 to 5 decades. Families without children younger than 18 years have increased substantially, and they are now the majority. The average age at marriage has increased, and a greater proportion of births is occurring to women older than 30 years. Between 1970 and 2000, the proportion of children in 2-parent families decreased from 85% to 69%, and more than one quarter (26%) of all children live with a single parent, usually their mother. Most of this change reflects a dramatic increase in the rate of births to unmarried women that went from 5.3% in 1960 to 33.2% in 2000. Another factor in this change is a slowly decreasing but still high divorce rate that is roughly double what it was in the mid-1950s. Family income is strongly related to children's health, and the financial resources that families have available are closely tied to changes in family structure. Family income in real dollars has trended up for many decades, but the benefits have not been shared equally. For example, the median income of families with married parents has increased by 146% since 1970, but female-headed households have experienced a growth of 131%. More striking is that in 2000, the median income of female-headed households was only 47% of that of married-couple families and only 65% of that of families with 2 married parents in which the wife was not employed. Not surprising, the proportion of children who live in poverty is approximately 5 times greater for

  20. Crystal Structure of a Plant Multidrug and Toxic Compound Extrusion Family Protein.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Yoshiki; Iwaki, Shigehiro; Tsukazaki, Tomoya

    2017-09-05

    The multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) family of proteins consists of transporters responsible for multidrug resistance in prokaryotes. In plants, a number of MATE proteins were identified by recent genomic and functional studies, which imply that the proteins have substrate-specific transport functions instead of multidrug extrusion. The three-dimensional structure of eukaryotic MATE proteins, including those of plants, has not been reported, preventing a better understanding of the molecular mechanism of these proteins. Here, we describe the crystal structure of a MATE protein from the plant Camelina sativa at 2.9 Å resolution. Two sets of six transmembrane α helices, assembled pseudo-symmetrically, possess a negatively charged internal pocket with an outward-facing shape. The crystal structure provides insight into the diversity of plant MATE proteins and their substrate recognition and transport through the membrane. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Globalization, structural change, and productivity growth:

    OpenAIRE

    McMillan, Margaret; Rodrik, Dani

    2012-01-01

    Large gaps in labor productivity between the traditional and modern parts of the economy are a fundamental reality of developing societies. In this paper, we document these gaps and emphasize that labor flows from low-productivity activities to high-productivity activities are a key driver of development. Our results show that since 1990 structural change has been growth-reducing in both Africa and Latin America, with the most striking changes taking place in Latin America. The bulk of the di...

  2. Family-friendly policy in Central European countries [Polityka rodzinna w krajach Europy Środkowej

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirosław ZDULSKI

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The demographic changes in Central Europe which started in the 80s of the 20th century began to resemble the changes which were noticed earlier in the countries of Western Europe. Fertility gradually decreased, sometimes even below the simple reproduction rate, the number of marriages dropped and the age when they were made was changing. The model of the family underwent transformations which caused changes in family structures. What followed was a fast change from the so called traditional reproduction to modern reproduction. Demographers are looking for the causes of the above mentioned changes in the influence of economic factors and changes the world view. They also emphasised the need for a family-friendly policy. An important influence on the type of policy of a given country is tradition, the implemented socio-economic policy (e.g., conservative, liberal, the economic situation and public opinion. In a narrower sense it is defined as benefits and services for people with children and single parents. Such an approach means the readiness and constant support in the form of financial transfers made to the families, tax relief for families with children, maternity leaves, the creation and maintenance of institutions which offer child care and family law. In a broad sense, familyfriendly policy covers all areas of social policy which can potentially have an influence on the good of the family (subsidies towards children’s travel costs, education, safety, housing, etc.. The aim of this paper is to describe the changes in the field of demography which took place after 1989 and their effects on families, as well as the policies implemented in the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary in order to increase reproduction and the number of marriages.

  3. Changes in host-parasitoid food web structure with elevation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maunsell, Sarah C; Kitching, Roger L; Burwell, Chris J; Morris, Rebecca J

    2015-03-01

    Gradients in elevation are increasingly used to investigate how species respond to changes in local climatic conditions. Whilst many studies have shown elevational patterns in species richness and turnover, little is known about how food web structure is affected by elevation. Contrasting responses of predator and prey species to elevation may lead to changes in food web structure. We investigated how the quantitative structure of a herbivore-parasitoid food web changes with elevation in an Australian subtropical rain forest. On four occasions, spread over 1 year, we hand-collected leaf miners at twelve sites, along three elevational gradients (between 493 m and 1159 m a.s.l). A total of 5030 insects, including 603 parasitoids, were reared, and summary food webs were created for each site. We also carried out a replicated manipulative experiment by translocating an abundant leaf-mining weevil Platynotocis sp., which largely escaped parasitism at high elevations (≥ 900 m a.s.l.), to lower, warmer elevations, to test if it would experience higher parasitism pressure. We found strong evidence that the environmental change that occurs with increasing elevation affects food web structure. Quantitative measures of generality, vulnerability and interaction evenness decreased significantly with increasing elevation (and decreasing temperature), whilst elevation did not have a significant effect on connectance. Mined plant composition also had a significant effect on generality and vulnerability, but not on interaction evenness. Several relatively abundant species of leaf miner appeared to escape parasitism at higher elevations, but contrary to our prediction, Platynotocis sp. did not experience greater levels of parasitism when translocated to lower elevations. Our study indicates that leaf-mining herbivores and their parasitoids respond differently to environmental conditions imposed by elevation, thus producing structural changes in their food webs. Increasing

  4. Investigating Shifts in Diverse Family Structures in Newbery Award and Honor Books Utilizing U.S. Census Data, 1930-2010

    Science.gov (United States)

    Despain, Shannon M.; Tunnell, Michael O.; Wilcox, Brad; Morrison, Timothy G.

    2015-01-01

    Newbery Award and Honor books are a representation of children's literature, but family structures portrayed in them have not previously been studied. This prescriptive content analysis considered 87 contemporary realistic fiction Newbery winners and runners-up since the 1930s that portray families in English-speaking, Western settings. The family…

  5. ocial representation of family support for diabetic patients in users of a family medicine unit in Chalco, State of Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandra Rodríguez Torres

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE The goal of this study is to compare and interpret the meaning of family support for diabetic patients and their families using social representations according to a structural approach of Abric’s theory. METHODS The study was carried out in a Family Medicine Center of the Chalco Municipality in Mexico State. The population studied comprised ten diabetic patient-family pairs. The first part of the study was a simple word association test that aimed to find terms or statements related to the concept of “family support”, as well as its frequency of appearance and range of association. Once the terms or statements were obtained, they were categorized according to their “support” capabilities. A semi-structured interview for each category was conducted as well as a graphic analysis of Friedman’s meanings. The discourse of diabetic patients was compared to that of the families in order to find similarities and differences. RESULTS Evocation of terms was done in the first part of the study, and it was found that the emotional domain was central to the discourse. However, in the second part of the study, when categorization and analysis of discourse is performed, there are differences in the centrality of terms and statements. The family tends to center in the active domain, whereas the patient centers in the emotional domain. CONCLUSIONS This study brings up the emotional needs of the patient as essential components of support efforts. This promotes reflection about changing strategies in the design of public healthcare programs in that they may include family support from the viewpoint of otherness.

  6. Structure of a Berberine Bridge Enzyme-Like Enzyme with an Active Site Specific to the Plant Family Brassicaceae

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Daniel, Bastian; Wallner, Silvia; Steiner, Barbara

    2016-01-01

    Berberine bridge enzyme-like (BBE-like) proteins form a multigene family (pfam 08031), which is present in plants, fungi and bacteria. They adopt the vanillyl alcohol-oxidase fold and predominantly show bi-covalent tethering of the FAD cofactor to a cysteine and histidine residue, respectively....... The Arabidopsis thaliana genome was recently shown to contain genes coding for 28 BBE-like proteins, while featuring four distinct active site compositions. We determined the structure of a member of the AtBBE-like protein family (termed AtBBE-like 28), which has an active site composition that has not been...... be exploited for catalysis. The structure also indicates a shift of the position of the isoalloxazine ring in comparison to other members of the BBE-like family. The dioxygen surrogate chloride was found near the C(4a) position of the isoalloxazine ring in the oxygen pocket, pointing to a rapid reoxidation...

  7. Spousal Support and Work--Family Balance in Launching a Family Business

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gudmunson, Clinton G.; Danes, Sharon M.; Werbel, James D.; Loy, Johnben Teik-Cheok

    2009-01-01

    This study examines whether emotional spousal support contributes to business owners' perceived work-family balance while launching a family business. Hobfoll's Conservation of Resources theory of stress is applied to 109 family business owners and their spouses. Results from structural equation models support several hypotheses. First, reports of…

  8. Changes and continuities in families with migrant parents who have returned to Antioquia and the Colombian coffeegrowing region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jair Eduardo Restrepo Pineda

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This article carries out an approach to the families immersed in a migratory process of international return of their fathers and mothers, allowing to make visible the modification and reconfiguration of their dynamics and how these affect the relations, cohabitation and functioning of family life. Aspects such as authority and decision-making, gender roles and economic supply are the ones that demonstrate greater changes for every member of the family unit. As regards the continuities, it is highlighted the fact that the carer role is still being inherently bound to the women. The return is a dynamic process in which communication, care and economic supply prepare the migrants’ way towards their reincorporation into family life.

  9. Dimensions of Family Functioning: Perspectives of Low-Income African American Single Parent Families

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mccreary, Linda L.; Dancy, Barbara L.

    2004-01-01

    Family functioning is influenced by socio-economic status, culture, family structure, and developmental stage, and is assessed primarily using instruments developed for middle-income European American two-parent families. These instruments may not validly assess low-income African American single-parent families. This qualitative study was…

  10. Effect of family structure and TPH2 G-703T on the stability of dysregulation profile throughout adolescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nobile, Maria; Bianchi, Valentina; Monzani, Dario; Beri, Silvana; Bellina, Monica; Greco, Andrea; Colombo, Paola; Tesei, Alessandra; Caldirola, Daniela; Giorda, Roberto; Perna, Giampaolo; Molteni, Massimo

    2016-01-15

    Two different polymorphisms (TPH2 G-703T and 5-HTTLPR) involved in the serotonergic pathway have been reported to play a role, both alone and in interaction with the environment, in early and adult emotion regulation. As most of these studies are cross-sectional, we know little about the impact of these polymorphisms over time, particularly during adolescence. Because we were interested in the effects of these polymorphisms and environment (i.e., family structure) at different time-points on the emotional dysregulation profile, we performed a path analysis model in a general adolescent population sample of a five-year follow-up study. We found a high stability of Dysregulation Profile problems independently from the examined allelic variants. We also found that early family structure directly influences the levels of dysregulation problems in early adolescence, both alone and in interaction with TPH2, suggesting the presence of a gene-environment interaction effect. Furthermore, we found that in adolescents homozygous for the TPH2 G allele, the effect of the early family structure remains active during late adolescence, albeit mediated by earlier emotional problems. The high attrition rate, the use of only one source on behavioral problems of adolescents, and the focus on a single polymorphism in the investigated genes could limit the generalizability of the present results. These results suggest that early family structure could play a significant role in the development and maintenance of emotional and behavioral problems not only in early adolescence but also in late-adolescence, although this effect was mediated and moderated by behavioral and genetic variables. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Gene structure, expression pattern and interaction of Nuclear Factor-Y family in castor bean (Ricinus communis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yue; Xu, Wei; Chen, Zexi; Han, Bing; Haque, Mohammad E; Liu, Aizhong

    2018-03-01

    Nuclear Factor-Y transcription factors, which function in regulating seed development (including storage reservoir accumulation) and responding to abiotic stresses, were identified and characterized in castor bean. Nuclear Factor-Y (NF-Y) transcription factors in plants contain three subunits (NF-YA, NF-YB and NF-YC), and function as a heterodimer or heterotrimer complex in regulating plant growth, development and response to stresses. Castor bean (Ricinus communis, Euphorbiaceae) one of the most economically important non-edible oilseed crops, able to grow in diverse soil conditions and displays high tolerance to abiotic stresses. Due to increasing demands for its seed oils, it is necessary to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of growth and development. Based on the available genome data, we identified 25 RcNF-Y members including six RcNF-YAs, 12 RcNF-YBs and seven RcNF-YCs, and characterized their gene structures. Yeast two-hybrid assays confirmed the protein-protein interactions among three subunits. Using transcriptomic data from different tissues, we found that six members were highly or specifically expressed in endosperms (in particular, two LEC1-type members RcNF-YB2 and RcNF-YB12), implying their involvement in regulating seed development and storage reservoir accumulation. Further, we investigated the expression changes of RcNF-Y members in two-week-old seedlings under drought, cold, hot and salt stresses. We found that the expression levels of 20 RcNF-Y members tested were changed and three RcNF-Y members might function in response to abiotic stresses. This study is the first reported on genomic characterization of NF-Y transcription factors in the family Euphorbiaceae. Our results provide the basis for improved understanding of how NF-Y genes function in the regulation of seed development and responses to abiotic stresses in both castor bean and other plants in this family.

  12. Structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv2714, a representative of a duplicated gene family in Actinobacteria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Graña, Martin; Bellinzoni, Marco; Miras, Isabelle; Fiez-Vandal, Cedric; Haouz, Ahmed; Shepard, William; Buschiazzo, Alejandro; Alzari, Pedro M.

    2009-01-01

    The crystal structure of Rv2714, a protein of unknown function from M. tuberculosis, has been determined at 2.6 Å resolution using single-wavelength anomalous diffraction methods. The gene Rv2714 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which codes for a hypothetical protein of unknown function, is a representative member of a gene family that is largely confined to the order Actinomycetales of Actinobacteria. Sequence analysis indicates the presence of two paralogous genes in most mycobacterial genomes and suggests that gene duplication was an ancient event in bacterial evolution. The crystal structure of Rv2714 has been determined at 2.6 Å resolution, revealing a trimer in which the topology of the protomer core is similar to that observed in a functionally diverse set of enzymes, including purine nucleoside phosphorylases, some carboxypeptidases, bacterial peptidyl-tRNA hydrolases and even the plastidic form of an intron splicing factor. However, some structural elements, such as a β-hairpin insertion involved in protein oligomerization and a C-terminal α-helical domain that serves as a lid to the putative substrate-binding (or ligand-binding) site, are only found in Rv2714 bacterial homologues and represent specific signatures of this protein family

  13. Structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv2714, a representative of a duplicated gene family in Actinobacteria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Graña, Martin; Bellinzoni, Marco [Institut Pasteur, Unité de Biochimie Structurale, URA CNRS 2185, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris (France); Miras, Isabelle; Fiez-Vandal, Cedric; Haouz, Ahmed; Shepard, William [Institut Pasteur, Plate-forme de Cristallogenèse et Diffraction des Rayons X, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris (France); Buschiazzo, Alejandro; Alzari, Pedro M., E-mail: alzari@pasteur.fr [Institut Pasteur, Unité de Biochimie Structurale, URA CNRS 2185, 25 Rue du Dr Roux, 75724 Paris (France)

    2009-10-01

    The crystal structure of Rv2714, a protein of unknown function from M. tuberculosis, has been determined at 2.6 Å resolution using single-wavelength anomalous diffraction methods. The gene Rv2714 from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which codes for a hypothetical protein of unknown function, is a representative member of a gene family that is largely confined to the order Actinomycetales of Actinobacteria. Sequence analysis indicates the presence of two paralogous genes in most mycobacterial genomes and suggests that gene duplication was an ancient event in bacterial evolution. The crystal structure of Rv2714 has been determined at 2.6 Å resolution, revealing a trimer in which the topology of the protomer core is similar to that observed in a functionally diverse set of enzymes, including purine nucleoside phosphorylases, some carboxypeptidases, bacterial peptidyl-tRNA hydrolases and even the plastidic form of an intron splicing factor. However, some structural elements, such as a β-hairpin insertion involved in protein oligomerization and a C-terminal α-helical domain that serves as a lid to the putative substrate-binding (or ligand-binding) site, are only found in Rv2714 bacterial homologues and represent specific signatures of this protein family.

  14. Structure-guided functional characterization of DUF1460 reveals a highly specific NlpC/P60 amidase family.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Qingping; Mengin-Lecreulx, Dominique; Patin, Delphine; Grant, Joanna C; Chiu, Hsiu-Ju; Jaroszewski, Lukasz; Knuth, Mark W; Godzik, Adam; Lesley, Scott A; Elsliger, Marc-André; Deacon, Ashley M; Wilson, Ian A

    2014-12-02

    GlcNAc-1,6-anhydro-MurNAc-tetrapeptide is a major peptidoglycan degradation intermediate and a cytotoxin. It is generated by lytic transglycosylases and further degraded and recycled by various enzymes. We have identified and characterized a highly specific N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase (AmiA) from Bacteroides uniformis, a member of the DUF1460 protein family, that hydrolyzes GlcNAc-1,6-anhydro-MurNAc-peptide into disaccharide and stem peptide. The high-resolution apo structure at 1.15 Å resolution shows that AmiA is related to NlpC/P60 γ-D-Glu-meso-diaminopimelic acid amidases and shares a common catalytic core and cysteine peptidase-like active site. AmiA has evolved structural adaptations that reconfigure the substrate recognition site. The preferred substrates for AmiA were predicted in silico based on structural and bioinformatics data, and subsequently were characterized experimentally. Further crystal structures of AmiA in complexes with GlcNAc-1,6-anhydro-MurNAc and GlcNAc have enabled us to elucidate substrate recognition and specificity. DUF1460 is highly conserved in structure and defines another amidase family. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Changes in structure and composition of evergreen forests on an altitudinal gradient in the Venezuelan Guayana Shield

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lionel Hernández

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available There have been several ecological studies in forests of the Guayana Shield, but so far none had examined the changes in structure and composition of evergreen forests with altitude. This study describes and analyzes the structure, species composition and soil characteristics of forest stands at different altitudinal zones in Southeastern Venezuelan Guayana, in order to explain the patterns and the main factors that determine the structure and composition of evergreen forests along the altitudinal gradient. Inventories of 3 948 big (>10cm DBH and 1 328 small (5-10cm DBH woody stems were carried out in eleven plots, ranging from 0.1 to 1.0ha, along a 188km long transect with elevations between 290 and 1 395masl. It has been found that 1 hemiepihytes become more dominant and lianas reduce their dominance with increasing altitude and 2 the forest structure in the study area is size-dependent. Five families and 12 genera represented only 9% of the total number of families and genera, respectively, recorded troughout the gradient, but the two groups of taxa comprised more than 50% of the Importance Value (the sum of the relative density and the relative dominance of all measured stems. Moreover, the results suggest that low species richness seems to be associated with the dominance of one or few species. Stand-level wood density (WD of trees decreased significantly with increasing elevation. WD is an indicator of trees’life history strategy. Its decline suggests a change in the functional composition of the forest with increasing altitude. The Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA indicated a distinction of the studied forests on the basis of their altitudinal levels and geographic location, and revealed different ecological responses by the forests, to environmental variables along the altitudinal gradient. The variation in species composition, in terms of basal area among stands, was controlled primarily by elevation and secondarily by rainfall

  16. Family Structure, Family Processes, and Adolescent Delinquency: The Significance of Parental Absence versus Parental Gender

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demuth, Stephen; Brown, Susan L.

    2004-01-01

    One third of all children are born to unmarried mothers and over one half of children will spend some time in a single-parent family. In fact, single-father families are the fastest growing family form. Using data from the 1995 National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent Health, the authors extend prior research that has investigated the effects of…

  17. The Contemporary Postmodern Family and the Division of Work Inside the Family

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eleonóra Mendelová

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available In accordance with changes in social conditions, family life experiences its own development and as a result of it, the traditional family changed into the modern family and then to the postmodern family. The article presents descriptions of the current postmodern family, which form a basis for the analysis of the work division inside the family. The aim of the paper is to present the current state of patrimonial division of work inside the family and to detect the participation of men and women in everyday duties and work in the household and participation in child care, based on the empirical findings (with emphasis on Slovak and Czech research. The next aim is to analyse opinions and expectations of people in the area of parental roles and get an answer to the question, whether equal relationships exist in current families or there is a continuation of specific gender divisions of work in the household.

  18. Structural brain network analysis in families multiply affected with bipolar I disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forde, Natalie J; O'Donoghue, Stefani; Scanlon, Cathy; Emsell, Louise; Chaddock, Chris; Leemans, Alexander; Jeurissen, Ben; Barker, Gareth J; Cannon, Dara M; Murray, Robin M; McDonald, Colm

    2015-10-30

    Disrupted structural connectivity is associated with psychiatric illnesses including bipolar disorder (BP). Here we use structural brain network analysis to investigate connectivity abnormalities in multiply affected BP type I families, to assess the utility of dysconnectivity as a biomarker and its endophenotypic potential. Magnetic resonance diffusion images for 19 BP type I patients in remission, 21 of their first degree unaffected relatives, and 18 unrelated healthy controls underwent tractography. With the automated anatomical labelling atlas being used to define nodes, a connectivity matrix was generated for each subject. Network metrics were extracted with the Brain Connectivity Toolbox and then analysed for group differences, accounting for potential confounding effects of age, gender and familial association. Whole brain analysis revealed no differences between groups. Analysis of specific mainly frontal regions, previously implicated as potentially endophenotypic by functional magnetic resonance imaging analysis of the same cohort, revealed a significant effect of group in the right medial superior frontal gyrus and left middle frontal gyrus driven by reduced organisation in patients compared with controls. The organisation of whole brain networks of those affected with BP I does not differ from their unaffected relatives or healthy controls. In discreet frontal regions, however, anatomical connectivity is disrupted in patients but not in their unaffected relatives. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Families and family therapy in Hong Kong.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tse, Samson; Ng, Roger M K; Tonsing, Kareen N; Ran, Maosheng

    2012-04-01

    Family therapy views humans not as separate entities, but as embedded in a network of relationships, highlighting the reciprocal influences of one's behaviours on one another. This article gives an overview of family demographics and the implementation of family therapy in Hong Kong. We start with a review of the family demographics in Hong Kong and brief notes on families in mainland China. Demographics show that the landscape has changed markedly in the past decade, with more cross-border marriages, an increased divorce rate, and an ageing overall population - all of which could mean that there is increasing demand for professional family therapy interventions. However, only a limited number of professionals are practising the systems-based approach in Hong Kong. Some possible reasons as to why family therapy is not well disseminated and practised are discussed. These reasons include a lack of mental health policy to support family therapy, a lack of systematic family therapy training, and a shortage of skilled professionals. Furthermore, challenges in applying the western model in Chinese culture are also outlined. We conclude that more future research is warranted to investigate how family therapy can be adapted for Chinese families.

  20. Changing Places: A Cross-Language Perspective on Frequency and Family Size in Dutch and Hebrew

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moscoso del Prado Martin, Fermin; Deutsch, Avital; Frost, Ram; Schreuder, Robert; De Jong, Nivja H.; Baayen, R. Harald

    2005-01-01

    This study uses the morphological family size effect as a tool for exploring the degree of isomorphism in the networks of morphologically related words in the Hebrew and Dutch mental lexicon. Hebrew and Dutch are genetically unrelated, and they structure their morphologically complex words in very different ways. Two visual lexical decision…