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Reconciliation refers to the process through which two or more independent forward translations are merged into one single translation. This critical step in the translation process is difficult to formalize. The purpose of this review is to analyze how reconciliation is specified in leading guidelines for the translation of quality-of-life questionnaires and other patient-reported outcome forms with regard to the number and qualifications of individuals involved, the processes followed, as well as the criteria applied. In general, relatively little attention has been paid to characterizing the process in detail. Based on these findings, we specify criteria to be followed.

Quality of life has become an important end point in clinical trials and academic studies. The questionnaires developed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Group are widely used to measure quality of life in cancer patients. The expanding geographical coverage of current studies and trials implies a continuous rise in requests for new language versions of the questionnaires. Together with normal linguistic problems in translation, cultural differences come into play, especially in translations into non-European languages. Two types of such problems can be differentiated: first, specific issues related to culturally dependent activities or phenomena; second, topical issues related to taboos. These translation challenges have to be carefully addressed to ensure the equivalence and validity of the final questionnaires.

The prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time with kaolin, and thrombin clotting time of plasma derived from healthy human volunteers were unaltered after in vitro addition of therapeutic concentrations (20-90 ng ml-1) of ivermectin. No difference in these coagulation tests, relative to untreated controls, was observed after 12 hours' incubation with the drug.

The social interactions of male mice with subclinical congenital Toxoplasma infection towards their uninfected counterparts was assessed using a procedure based on the subdivision of behaviour into element groups. Infection had no effect on behavioural elements not directly associated with interaction. However infection was found to increase companion investigation as well as a number of elements directly associated with aggression. There was a complementary decrease in elements associated with flight behaviour. These findings suggest that congenital infection with Toxoplasma renders mice less cautious towards uninfected conspecifics and increases the tendency of adult male mice towards territorial aggression.

An observational study using video recordings and computer assisted data analysis showed that infection with Toxocara canis larvae had a marked effect on five readily and reliably differentiable categories of murine behaviour. The infection was also associated with an increase in the number of shorter bouts of each behavior. These results indicate that infection with T. canis renders mice hyperactive, and would appear to justify a complete reappraisal of the role of this neurotropic parasite as a cause of behavioural abnormalities such as hyperactivity in children.