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As communication and collaboration among international family clinicians and researchers increases, opportunities for cross-cultural family research will also increase. Cross-cultural family research poses many theoretical, methodological, and pragmatic challenges. This article describes issues to be considered in approaching cross-cultural research. To illustrate these issues, the authors draw on their own research with Italian and American families in which intrafamilial child maltreatment is the presenting problem.

Background Obesity is independently associated with coronary endothelial dysfunction. Adiponectin, a protein whose circulating levels are decreased in obesity, has direct effects on vascular function. The aim of this study was to investigate in obese women the effect of sustained weight loss on coronary circulation and circulating adiponectin levels. Methods Coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR), assessed by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography (TTDE), blood pressure, lipid, glucose and insulin, HOMA scores, CRP-protein (CRP), and adiponectin parameters were investigated in forty obese pre-menopausal women and 40 healthy matched normal weight women at baseline and after sustained weight loss. Results At baseline, the obese group had significantly higher fasting glucose ( P P P P P P P P P P P P r =0.47, P r =0.38, P Conclusions In obese women the weight loss improves coronary circulation and increases adiponectin levels. The improvement in coronary circulation is associated with adiponectin levels.