Strong Partner Research Articles

Facilitation of Affiliation and Pair-Bond Formation by Vasopressin Receptor Gene Transfer into the Ventral Forebrain of a Monogamous Vole

Behaviors associated with monogamy, including pair-bond formation, are facilitated by the neuropeptide vasopressin and are prevented by a vasopressin receptor [V1a receptor (V1aR)] antagonist in the male prairie vole. The neuroanatomical distribution of V1aR dramatically differs between monogamous and nonmonogamous species. V1aR binding is denser in the ventral pallidal region of several unrelated monogamous species compared with nonmonogamous species. Because the ventral pallidum is involved in reinforcement and addiction, we hypothesize that V1aR activation in this region promotes pair-bond formation via a mechanism similar to conditioning. Using an adeno-associated viral vector to deliver the V1aR gene, we increased the density of V1aR binding in the ventral pallial region of male prairie voles. These males exhibited increased levels of both anxiety and affiliative behavior compared with control males. In addition, males overexpressing the V1aR in the ventral pallidal region, but not control males, formed strong partner preferences after an overnight cohabitation, without mating, with a female. These data demonstrate a role for ventral pallidal V1aR in affiliation and social attachment and provide a potential molecular mechanism for species differences in social organization.

Apolipoprotein A-I directly interacts with amyloid precursor protein and inhibits A beta aggregation and toxicity.

Amyloid precursor protein (APP) is the source of the neurotoxic amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide associated with Alzheimer's disease. Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I), a constituent of high-density lipoprotein complexes, was identified by a yeast two-hybrid system as a strong and specific binding partner of full-length APP (APPfl). This association between apoA-I and APPfl was localized to the extracellular domain of APP (APPextra). Furthermore, the interaction between apoA-I and APPfl was confirmed by coprecipitation using recombinant epitope-tagged APPextra and purified apoA-I. Several functional domains have been identified in APPextra, and we focused on a possible interaction between apoA-1 and the pathologically important Abeta peptide, because APPextra contains the nontransmembrane domain of Abeta. The binding between apoA-I and Abeta was saturable (K(d) = 6 nM), specific, and reversible. APPextra also competed with apoA-I for binding to Abeta. Direct evidence for this interaction was obtained by the formation of an SDS-resistant Abeta-apoA-I complex in polyacrylamide gels. Competitive experiments with apolipoprotein E (isoforms E2 and E4) showed that apoA-I had a higher binding affinity for Abeta. We also found that apoA-I inhibited the beta-sheet formation of Abeta with a mean inhibitory concentration close to that of alpha2-macroglobulin. Finally, we demonstrated that apoA-I attenuated Abeta-induced cytotoxicity. These results suggest apoA-I binds to at least one extracellular domain of APP and has a functional role in controlling Abeta aggregation and toxicity.

Conquering the Fear of Flying

As a strategy for change, parent involvement stands out as a simple step. But profound parent involvement means sharing leadership - and that, Ms. Nichols-Solomon points out, means sharing knowledge, responsibility, and, most difficult of all, power. THE ROOM just off the main sanctuary would have to do for tonight's meeting. There were a few weathered folding tables of different heights. At least the chairs were all the same size and style. With only two electrical outlets, one at the far end of the room, it became obvious that there were few layout options. In general, it was an adequate space, if a little awkward and uncomfortable. It would have been so much easier if the meeting could have taken place in the school as originally planned. Three days earlier the principal had run into two of the parents in the hallway and used the occasion to inform them that they could not use the building as had been earlier agreed upon. Later, as the parents attempted to relay to the other parents exactly what he had said, they couldn't. The brief meeting with the principal, surrounded by developmentally appropriately noisy students, had been a Kodak moment, much more visual than audible. What they could describe to the other parents was his rigid body language, sparse eye contact, and a partially formed, angry scowl. The image said: I don't trust you. The parents had had to scramble to find a substitute site for the meeting as well as someone to lead the session, since both teachers who had agreed to facilitate had, like the school space, become regrettably unavailable. The setup team, including two grandmothers, was arranging the room. They laid out materials for the grown-ups: sign-in sheets, name tags, copies of the new district standards. For the children who would come in tow, there were activities - and a dictionary, in case someone had to finish homework. Light refreshments for all were arranged on a side table. As they worked, they joked about their situation. Did he think we wouldn't have this meeting? Humph! All that talk about standards, and they won't even let us learn about em. Some kind of partnership! It later came out that the principal did not believe that the parents were meeting to discuss the new standards; he thought they were plotting to get rid of him. The parents had a successful meeting about the new standards. Even though they had had to meet without school personnel, they left the meeting energized and committed both to playing a more important role in their own children's lives and to making a difference for all the students in their school. Building School/Community Partnerships For the last seven years, I have been working in Philadelphia to build partnerships between the schools and the community. The purpose of the partnerships is to give educators what they say they need: help in improving education. My work seeks to galvanize and focus community resources to support the sweeping changes mandated for the Philadelphia Public Schools. It involves facilitating new alliances between schools and key constituencies, including community organizations, institutions of higher education, faith-based institutions, and families. Radical change requires strong, informed, and resourceful partners. Most people believe that schools improve when parents are involved. If you listen in on town meetings with politicians, focus groups with teachers, parent conferences at schools, and leadership opinion polls, the point is always made. Parent involvement is one of the few things in education about which there seems to be universal agreement. In large urban school districts it is considered one of the many musts for improving the academic outcomes for large numbers of mostly low-income African American and Latino students. As a strategy for change - lumped in with such reforms as high standards, small schools, and performance assessment - parent involvement stands out as a simple step. …

Constructing an NGO Sector in Transitional Contexts:The Reach of NGO-Donor ‘Partnerships’ in Post-Soviet Georgia

Summary This article considers NGO‐donor relationships in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. Both NGOs and aid donors have emerged only recently as meaningful actors in post‐Soviet space. More particularly, they have emerged together: NGOs are essentially the product of donor intervention and are the vehicles of donors' aspirations for the creation of a sustainable and autonomous ‘civil society’ in Georgia. The article explores the NGO‐donor ‘partnership’ this gives rise to, seeing this as a relationship that includes functional linkages and a deeper set of socio‐cultural exchanges. The nature of the partnership, in which donors are much the stronger partners, is shown to pervade NGOs' wider relationships and shape their development to such an extent that it acts in some ways to undermine the achievement of the very outcomes donors most desire. While the NGO sector is rapidly expanding, it is not developing the social, political or economic roots to become sustainable and autonomous in the near future. This indicates the need for a profound re‐think of the NGO‐donor partnership in Georgia, and in particular the need to move towards a deeper and less generalised understanding of the context.

Commercialization of university research brings benefits, raises issues and concerns

New commercial opportunities, patent laws and federal policies, as well as growth in private-sector research and a relative decline in public-sector funding for agricultural research, have contributed to a changing collaborative relationship between universities and industries. While such partnerships have existed for decades, these new relationships, particularly in agricultural biotechnology, are generally more varied, wider in scope, more aggressive and experimental, and more publicly visible. Examples of UC-industry collaborations include Calgene at UC Davis, Ceres, Inc. at UCLA, and the Novartis alliance at UC Berkeley. On the benefits side, such collaboration may bring useful products to market, promote U.S. technological leadership in the world economy and provide funding and “hands-on” opportunities for students. However, concerns have arisen that such collaborations may narrowly redirect research agendas, disrupt long-term research and create conflicts of interest. For these collaborations to be mutually beneficial, the potential negative consequences must be monitored and addressed aggressively with appropriate policies, practices and organizational arrangements. At the same time, adequate investment for public-sector research will be essential for universities to be a strong and complementary partner.

Explaining the Growth of Strategic R&D Allainces by European Firms

This paper first develops an explanation for the increasing popularity of strategic technology alliances, both globally, and by EU firms. It then evaluates, using data over the period 1980-1994, how private, non-subsidised cooperative agreements in R&D by EU firms has evolved, paying particular attention to the growth of intra-EU activity relative to extra-EU agreements (i.e., EU-US and EU-Japan alliances). Essentially, EU firms'' partnering habits reflect the need to seek strong partners regardless of nationality within a given industry, although intra-EU partnering enjoyed a brief popularity during the latter half of the 1980s. (This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Government Support of the Church in the Modern Era

Some scholars, like the New Zealand historian Peter Lineham, have argued that church and state have been bound to each other in an unequal co-dependency throughout New Zealand's history.' In this partnership the state has always been the stronger partner, with the having an increasingly smaller role as time goes on. In other words, the state has become more secular.2 Such a thesis must, however, be qualified. The does continue to have an important role in relationship to the state in contemporary New Zealand, especially in the provision of social services. This, in fact, becomes a particularly significant difference from the relationship the had with the state in the nineteenth and much of the twentieth centuries. State aid for education and even for social services was a sectarian minefield and any support was eschewed by the state. However, while more state support for the in the second half of the century became a significant

Successful Physician Partnering in a Rapidly Changing Healthcare Environment

I am very pleased write this commentary for two reasons. One reason is that the Baylor Health Care System (BHCS) and I personally have been participants in the Center for Health Management Research directed by Dr. Howard Zuckerman, as well as the Center for Organized Delivery Systems directed by Dr. Stephen Shortell, for the past five years. The other is that the main theme of this article-physician partnering-is a major strategy being used by in its effort become a sustainable integrated delivery system (IDS). Much of the information and research shared by Dr. Zuckerman et al. in this article parallels the findings and conclusions that has drawn in adopting specific strategies best align our physician partners with the healthcare system. Therefore, this commentary will concentrate on sharing what has been BHCS's approach physician partnering. While many of the concepts and principles that have been put forth by the author will match BHCS's, strategies for physician partnering still must meet a specific local healthcare market's requirements, particularly the needs of the local physicians who may wish align with a local healthcare organization or system. By way of background, the Dallas-based Baylor Health Care System, a $1.2 billion not-for-profit corporation, includes nine owned hospitals, one leased facility, five affiliated hospitals and 34 primary care delivery sites. There are 2,467 physicians who have medical staff membership at one or more of the hospitals within the System. The mission of is to operate as an integrated healthcare system which exists serve people as an extension of the Christian ministry of healing by offering a continuum of quality services with a commitment patient care, medical education, research and community service. Four cornerstones of integration-vertical, horizontal, clinical, and physician integration-have been identified in BHCS's effort become a fully integrated system. Figure 1 shows these cornerstones in detail. The first of five objectives adopted by further development of the IDS model is create and enhance alliances with physicians. Building on a more than 90-year history of being doctor friendly and a strong commitment partner with physicians, the system adopted specific guiding principles achieve this objective: the partnership must be based on shared vision, trust, and communication; there must be meaningful involvement of physicians in management and governance; the partnership must allow for aligned economic incentives, including accepting and managing risk; there must be a mutually beneficial partnership (win-win!); and the ultimate focus must ensure the highest level of quality care for the patient. It was determined that these principles must be continually updated, validated, and shared with all physicians associated with the system. The definition chosen for the System's objective on creating and enhancing alliances with physicians reflect these guiding principles states that BHCS and physicians will together design and offer a menu of win-win alliances that enhance trust, strengthen one another and provide increased access patients throughout the eight-county metropolitan area served by BHCS. The specific strategies that are a part of this objective are to: Personalize physicians through coordinated communications that explain physician leadership opportunities and business strategies while increasing mutual trust. Develop multiple arrangements with 1,400 primary care physicians and extenders. Identify and establish sustainable specialty physician arrangements that align economic and patient care objectives and satisfy market needs. Support physicians in establishing relationships with quality alternative healthcare providers that help meet the needs of customers. Metrics are tied these strategies, enabling the System measure its progress in meeting this objective: the actual number of physicians aligned with BHCS; and overall physician satisfaction with BHCS, based on a survey of the System physician partners. …

The European airline industry. A banker's view

For those institutions which finance the aerospace industries, it is useful to estimate what the consequences will be of the present liberalisation process which has beset the European airline industry. Consequently ABN AMRO Bank is in the process of developing a model which analyses those factors which are crucial to the survival of an airline. These so called critical success factors appeared to be: financial strength, cost structure, domestic market, size of operations, internationalisation and political support. When we applied these factors to the European airline industry, we found that only a limited number of airlines stand a fair chance of surviving the anticipated restructuring process as an independent carrier. Several carriers will either have to merge with stronger partners or they face bankruptcy. Based on the critical success factors, the larger northern carriers enjoy the strongest positions. From amongst the southern airlines, those with a large domestic market and strong political support have a chance to survive, provided they will be able to adjust their cost structure in time.

Does Space Matter? International Comparisons of the Prices of Tradables and Nontradables

One view of the consequence of trade among countries is that it tends to equalize prices of tradable goods in different countries. This paper reexamines this view when both geographic proximity and trade flows are taken into account. Two hypotheses are presented. The first is that distance is more strongly associated with countries' relative prices than the extent of trade between them. The second hypothesis is that, at given income levels, countries that are strong trading partners will have more similar prices. In both cases, this appears to be true for nontradables and even more so for low income countries. Additionally, much of the nontradable price difference can be captured by geographic variables. The implication is that a spatial component would enhance conventional approaches to the study of prices and incomes at the national level, particularly studies that include nontradable goods and services.

The path to competitiveness: Strategies for investment in Central Europe

The author, who has consulted widely on investing in Central Europe over the past 10 years, is upbeat on the prospects for investors in the region, provided they bear in mind several caveats. The most important requirement, he contends, is to find strong local support and partners for any enterprise. In this article, the author takes a close look at two post-privatization companies and finds that some of Central Europe's industries are more adaptive to the market environment than others. The privatized Borsodi brewery in Bôcs, Hungary has grown profitable as the beneficiary of Western marketing savvy since its acquisition by the Belgian Interbrew, S.A., the world's fourth largest brewer. But the Polish Star truck company has failed to adapt its trucks to wider markets since private investors took an equity position in the company. The author finds that the main failures were due to poor partner selection. Weak foreign leadership, failure to create a strong collaborative climate with local target companies and lack of training have also plagued many investments in the region. The success of foreign investors, he argues, also lies in granting the proper respect to the nationalism that is prevalent in Central Europe.

Barriers and Opportunities in Singapore

The strategic situation of American-based food-service chains in Singapore provides a microcosmic view of the Asian market as a whole. Several American chains have done well in Singapore, notably McDonald's, KFC, and Tony Roma's. Others either have withdrawn from the market or never tried to enter it. Singapore offers attractions to U.S.-based chains while at the same time it presents barriers to entry. The attractions are a stable government, a prosperous economy, and a cachet for American brands. Barriers are the need to find a strong partner, occupancy costs ranging up to 20 percent of sales, and finding sufficient qualified workers. Accommodating local food preferences is also an issue for some chains.

Vibrational energy transfer from four levels below 410 cm−1 in S1 p-difluorobenzene. I. A strong collision partner dependence in state-to-state transfer by monatomics

Collision-induced vibrational energy transfer has been studied from four levels [302 (Evib=240 cm−1), 82 (Evib=361 cm−1), 271 (Evib=403 cm−1) and 61 (Evib=410 cm−1)] in S1 p-difluorobenzene in supersonic free jet expansions of He, Ne, Ar, and Kr at ∼30–40 K. In broad terms the trends are similar to those observed previously in studies of aromatics: the transfer is highly selective, and one quantum changes in the low frequency modes are preferred. However, a significant collision partner dependence is observed, whereby changing from He through to Kr causes a substantial increase in multiple quanta (‖Δυ‖≳1) transfer. SSH-T calculations fail to capture this trend. The preference for ‖Δυ‖≳1 transfer appears to be enhanced as the interaction time and attractive force on the collision partner increase. Consequently, it is predicted that (i) differences in the state-to-state branching ratios between collision partners will increase as the temperature is lowered; (ii) for a particular collision partner there will be an increase in ‖Δυ‖≳1 transfer with decreasing temperature; and (iii) ‖Δυ‖≳1 transfers will be most important for collision partners with small velocities (i.e., large masses), large intermolecular potential well depths (ε) and size (σ). The nearly isoenergetic 271 and 61 levels have virtually identical state-to-state branching ratios for Ar and small differences are observed for He. This suggests that the branching ratios are not particularly sensitive to the initial vibrational motion. Relaxation of 61 and 271 is inefficient compared with relaxation from 302 and 82.

Specialty care at the crossroads: Electrophysiology practice in the managed-care era

The economics of the managed-care era have declared that there is an over supply of specialists. Especially vulnerable to the changing marketplace are electrophysiologists whose technology is poorly understood by managed-care plans. To be successful, electrophysiology (EP) practices must develop strategies to contend with the new reality. Over the past decade, electrophysiologists at Good Samaritan Hospital (Los Angeles, CA) have worked with the leadership of a large managed-care organization (Family Health Plan [FHP]) to develop guidelines for clinical EP procedures that optimize clinical outcome and cost for EP procedures. The important elements of a successful guideline are that it be a distillation of the best current medical literature and that it be carefully followed and routinely improved. Using the guidelines developed for radiofrequency ablation, FHP found that it was cheaper ($21,166 v $26,448) for FHP patients drug-resistant to supraventricular tachycardia to undergo ablation than to be treated medically. This was for 14 months of care. In addition to the development and implementation of guidelines, a number of factors are important in developing a successful managed-care approach. The physicians should be the “high quality-low cost” provider, with demonstrable excellent clinical outcomes, low complication rates, and competitive pricing. In addition, there must be an efficient short-stay system, with a premium on personal service to the patient and family. Also important is a strong hospital partner as well as sophisticated marketing and contracting support. A new marketplace paradigm is upon us that calls for a change in practice style from that of a decade ago if electrophysiologists are to survive in the managed-care marketplace.

Alliances and the pattern of comparative advantages: a sectoral analysis

The pattern of sectoral comparative advantages between the EC, US and Japan is linked to the sectoral distribution of Triad alliances to disentangle different motives and problems of alliances. In addition the impact of comparative advantages on partner selection is examined. It is found, among others, that, contrary to the US and Japan, the EC takes a more defensive stance in industries where it holds a comparative advantage, but it is more actively engaged in alliances in industries where it lacks a comparative advantage. But these weak EC partners are least likely to team up with a strong partner, as compared to US and Japanese companies.

Forging a Community Health Partnership: Hillsborough County, Florida-Reply

In Reply. —The partnership described by Dr Penzell and colleagues clearly illustrates one of our central points: as managed care (particularly when capitation is a central feature) becomes an increasingly prominent form of medical care financing, private clinicians can succeed ultimately only if governmental public health agencies are strong partners. A central driving force for the new partnership is derived from a shared vision of people in healthy communities. In this regard, we must emphasize a key point about which Penzell et al are silent. The improvement of community health status will occur only partly as a result of improved access to clinical care by a larger percentage of the population. Even more critical are the maintenance and enhancement of those essential public health services designed to protect and promote the health of the community as a whole (eg, communitywide health status assessment systems, tuberculosis case management), which are

A strong collision partner dependence for vibrational energy transfer in benzene and benzene- d6. He versus D 2

State-to-state branching ratios are reported for vibrational energy transfer in benzene and benzene- d 6 due to collisions with D 2 and with He in a supersonic free jet expansion. In both the benzene and benzene- d 6 experiments the initial vibrational level pumped was 6 1. The state-to-state branching ratios are different for D 2 compared with He in C 6H 6 and in C 6D 6. In particular, there is a significant increase in transfer to the 0 0 level for D 2 compared with He. It is postulated that this may be due to the small moment of inertia of D 2, which makes V→R transfer an important mechanism for this collision partner.

The Dissemination and Implementation of the National Standards: A View from the Local Level

Abstract Soon local school districts will be facing standards in geography, history, civics and government, and the social studies. This complexity presents states and local districts with major problems when developing and implementing a local curriculum based on the National Geography Standards. Thus, implementation of the National Geography Standards must address both the practical and political issues. To accomplish this, the geography community needs strong partners including teachers' unions and educational organizations.

An interview with Aldo Palmeri of Benetton: The return as CEO

After seven years as CEO of Benetton, Aldo Palmeri left the Company, having transformed the organisation from a successful local Italian apparel retailer into an international distributor and retailer with powerful brands. Following an absence of two-and-a-half years, Palmeri accepted an invitation from the Benetton family to return as CEO in the late autumn of 1992. Earlier disagreements over strategy had been resolved, and Palmeri was ready to introduce his earlier ideas on globalising the group of companies with a turnover now topping US$2.5 billion. In an interview with Werner Ketelhöhn of IMD Lausanne, Palmeri explains the Benetton system of globalising — through agents or by finding strong local partners. He also points to his new role in the company as ‘ consiglieri ’ in the matter of the family succession, and his personal wish to improve the quality of political management in Italy through the impact of Benetton's development on the Italian economic system.

Developing strategic alliances: A conceptual framework for successful co-operation

Due to dramatically increasing global competition and in the light of Europe '92, companies have to concentrate on their particular competitive advantages and on those business activities they know well. The market, however, asks for an ever increasing range of products and services. ‘System deals’ include — along with a product — attractive sideline services, like project management, system implementation or supply of related products. In many cases, entering these markets or achieving technological breakthroughs is only possible with a strong partner. These recent developments forced corporations to consider alternative company structures. The failure of many strategic alliances, however, has clearly shown that understanding the development process of the alliance is critical for success. Christoph Bronder and Rudolf Pritzl present a structured procedure for developing strategic alliances that outlines four critical phases: strategic decision for an alliance, alliance configuration, partner selection, and alliance management.