bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Molecular Basis of Lmo2-Induced T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Curtis David J. , McCormack Matthew P.
Published: September 2010

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is commonly caused by the overexpression of oncogenic transcription factors in developing T cells. In a mouse model of one such oncogene, LMO2, the cellular effect is to induce self-renewal of committed T cells in the thymus, which persist long-term while acquiring additional mutations and eventually giving rise to leukemia. These precancerous stem cells (pre-CSC) are intrinsically resistant to radiotherapy, implying that they may be refractory to conventional cancer therapies. However, they depend on an aberrantly expressed stem cell–like self-renewal program for their maintenance, in addition to a specialized thymic microenvironmental niche. Here, we discuss potential approaches for targeting pre-CSCs in T-ALL by using therapies directed at oncogenic transcription factors themselves, downstream self-renewal pathways, and the supportive cell niche. Clin Cancer Res; 16(23); 5618–23. ©2010 AACR.
Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Is Secreted by Rhabdomyosarcoma Cells, Modulates Tumor Metastasis by Binding to CXCR4 and CXCR7 Receptors and Inhibits Recruitment of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts
Authors: Tarnowski Maciej , Grymula Katarzyna , Liu Rui , Tarnowska Joanna , Drukala Justyna , Ratajczak Janina , Mitchell Robert A. , Ratajczak Mariusz Z. , Kucia Magda
Published: September 2010

The overexpression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) has been observed in many tumors and is implicated in oncogenic transformation and tumor progression. MIF activates CXCR2 and CD74 receptors and, as recently reported, may also bind to the stromal-derived factor-1 (SDF-1)–binding receptor CXCR4. Here, we report that human rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) cell lines secrete MIF and that this chemokine (a) induces phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p42/44 and AKT, (b) stimulates RMS cell adhesion, (c) enhances tumor vascularization, but surprisingly (d) decreases recruitment of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). Because RMS cells used in our studies do not express CXCR2 and CD74 receptors, the biological effects of MIF on RMS cells depend on its interaction with CXCR4, and as we report here for the first time, MIF may also engage another SDF-1–binding receptor (CXCR7) as well. Interestingly, downregulation of MIF in RMS cells inoculated into immunodeficient mice led to formation of larger tumors that displayed higher stromal cell support. Based on these observations, we postulate that MIF is an important autocrine/paracrine factor that stimulates both CXCR4 and CXCR7 receptors to enhance the adhesiveness of RMS cells. We also envision that when locally secreted by a growing tumor, MIF prevents responsiveness of RMS to chemoattractants secreted outside the growing tumor (e.g., SDF-1) and thereby prevents release of cells into the circulation. On the other hand, despite its obvious proangiopoietic effects, MIF inhibits in CXCR2/CD74-dependent manner recruitment of CAFs to the growing tumor. Our data indicate that therapeutic inhibition of MIF in RMS may accelerate metastasis and tumor growth. Mol Cancer Res; 8(10); 1328–43. ©2010 AACR.
Screening for a Canine Model of Choroideremia Exclusively Identifies Nonpathogenic CHM Variants
Authors: Robert Lorenne , Sénéchal Audrey , Bocquet Béatrice , Herbin Laetitia , Chaudieu Gilles , Kalatzis Vasiliki , André Catherine , Hamel Christian P.
Published: September 2010

Choroideremia is an X-linked, progressive photoreceptor degeneration disorder due to mutations in CHM. In addition to an atrophy of the outer retina, affected individuals present with a characteristic atrophy of the choroid. To search for a canine model, we screened the CHM gene of 37 dogs (22 breeds) with various forms of retinal dystrophies. We found 21 variations in 13 breeds (17 detected in only one breed and 4 shared by two or more) with 43% segregating in the same pedigree, a Great Dane female and a female offspring. Of particular interest were an exonic missense variation and a 3-bp intronic deletion near a splice acceptor site. However, although not detected in unrelated healthy Great Danes, these variants were nonpathogenic since they did not segregate with the disease phenotype in the pedigree. These results suggest that a CHM dog model may not be viable, as is the case for mouse and zebrafish.
Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis with Prominent Facial Pustules: A Case with Reactivation of Human Herpesvirus 7
Authors: Honma Masaru , Tobisawa Shinichi , Iinuma Shin , Shibuya Takashi , Komatsu Shigetsuna , Takahashi Ichiro , Ishida-Yamamoto Akemi , Iizuka Hajime
Published: September 2010

A 37-year-old Japanese man presented with confluent erythemas and progressive erosive lesions on the almost entire body including the oral mucosa and genitalia. This was accompanied with prominent facial pustules. Although a lymphocyte stimulation test was positive only for acetaminophen, he took other agents including carbamazepine for his depression. He was diagnosed as having toxic epidermal necrolysis with prominent facial pustules and treated by methylprednisolone pulse therapy, which resulted in a good response. During the course, human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) DNA was detected in his peripheral blood. The HHV-7 reactivation might be related to facial pustulosis, which is occasionally observed in drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome/drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms.
Association Study of Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Type 2 M196R and Toll-Like Receptor 2 Arg753Gln Polymorphisms with Acne Vulgaris in a Chinese Han Ethnic Group
Authors: Tian Li-Ming , Xie Hong-Fu , Yang Ting , Hu Yao-Hua , Li Ji , Wang Wei-Zhen
Published: September 2010

Background: Inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) are the main responsible mediators of inflammatory acne. Factors affecting their production may possibly influence the degree of inflammatory response and hence may account for the clinical severity of acne. However, the roles of TNFR2 and TLR2 in the pathophysiology of acne vulgaris are poorly understood. We therefore investigated the relationship between acne vulgaris susceptibility and the polymorphisms in the TNFR2 M196R as well as TLR2 Arg753Gln gene. Methods: A total of 93 acne vulgaris patients and 90 healthy subjects from the Chinese Han ethnic group were enrolled in the study. The polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was adopted to analyze the single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the TNFR2 M196R and TLR2 Arg753Gln gene, and to examine the association between acne vulgaris and the polymorphisms in the TNFR2 M196R as well as TLR2 Arg753Gln gene. The relationship between different genotypes and the susceptibility to acne vulgaris was analyzed. Results: There is a significant difference in the frequency of TNFR2 M196R genetic polymorphisms between the moderate-acne to severe-acne subgroups and the control group (p < 0.05), and there is also a significant difference in the frequency of TLR2 Arg753Gln genetic polymorphisms between the severe-acne subgroup and control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The 196R allele of TNFR2 M196R as well as the 753Gln allele of TLR2 Arg753Gln are risk factors for acne vulgaris in Chinese Han patients, further supporting the contribution of inflammatory cytokines to the pathogenesis of acne.
Common Charge-Shift Mutation Glu65Lys in K+ Channel β1-Subunit KCNMB1: Pleiotropic Consequences for Glomerular Filtration Rate and Progressive Renal Disease
Authors: Chen Yuqing , Salem Rany M. , Rao Fangwen , Fung Maple M. , Bhatnagar Vibha , Pandey Braj , Mahata Manjula , Waalen Jill , Nievergelt Caroline M. , Lipkowitz Michael S. , Hamilton Bruce A. , Mahata Sushil K. , O’Connor Daniel T.
Published: September 2010

Background: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a heritable trait, and hyperfiltration (GFR increment in remnant nephrons) may accelerate renal functional decline in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Mesangial and vascular smooth myocytes control GFR by contraction, dependent on voltage-gated Ca2+ influx, which is controlled by the regulatory β1-subunit (KCNMB1) of large-conductance heteromeric K+ (‘BK’) channels. KCNMB1 gain-of-function variant Glu65Lys results in generalized vasorelaxation and thus protection against systemic hypertension. Here we asked whether the Glu65Lys variant influences GFR, in the basal state or during progressive renal decline. Methods: We explored Glu65Lys effects on GFR in three populations spanning two ethnicities and two diseases (hypertension and nephrosclerosis). GFR was either estimated (eGFR from serum creatinine) or directly measured (iothalamate clearance). Results: The 65Lys variant was relatively common, occurring on ∼5–10% of chromosomes in different biogeographic ancestry groups, and 65Lys carriers exhibited higher eGFR in two primary care populations: extreme BP values in Kaiser clinics (p = 0.029, accounting for ∼0.2% of trait variance), or treated hypertensives in VA clinics (p = 0.017, accounting for ∼0.9% of trait variance). In blacks with progressive renal disease (NIDDK AASK), 65Lys carriers displayed a steeper slope in GFR chronic decline (p = 0.030, accounting for ∼0.4% of trait variance), and Glu65Lys genotype also predicted time of onset of renal failure (log rank p = 0.019). Conclusions: Common KCNMB1 gain-of-function variant Glu65Lys influences GFR, and 65Lys carriers exhibit not only elevated baseline GFR, but also more rapid GFR decline (and consequent development of renal failure) in CKD. The results suggest that profiling patients at Glu65Lys can assist in gauging renal prognosis as well as selection of rational therapy in hypertension with progressive renal disease.
Clonal Analysis of the Microbiota of Severe Early Childhood Caries
Authors: Kanasi E. , Dewhirst F.E. , Chalmers N.I. , Kent, Jr. R. , Moore A. , Hughes C.V. , Pradhan N. , Loo C.Y. , Tanner A.C.R.
Published: September 2010

Background/Aims: Severe early childhood caries is a microbial infection that severely compromises the dentition of young children. The aim of this study was to characterize the microbiota of severe early childhood caries. Methods: Dental plaque samples from 2- to 6-year-old children were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene cloning and sequencing, and by specific PCR amplification for Streptococcus mutans and Bifidobacteriaceae species. Results: Children with severe caries (n = 39) had more dental plaque and gingival inflammation than caries-free children (n = 41). Analysis of phylotypes from operational taxonomic unit analysis of 16S rRNA clonal metalibraries from severe caries and caries-free children indicated that while libraries differed significantly (p < 0.0001), there was increased diversity than detected in this clonal analysis. Using the Human Oral Microbiome Database, 139 different taxa were identified. Within the limits of this study, caries-associated taxa included Granulicatella elegans (p < 0.01) and Veillonella sp. HOT-780 (p < 0.01). The species associated with caries-free children included Capnocytophaga gingivalis (p < 0.01), Abiotrophia defectiva (p < 0.01), Lachnospiraceae sp. HOT-100 (p < 0.05), Streptococcus sanguinis (p < 0.05) and Streptococcus cristatus (p < 0.05). By specific PCR, S. mutans (p < 0.005) and Bifidobacteriaceae spp. (p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with severe caries. Conclusion: Clonal analysis of 80 children identified a diverse microbiota that differed between severe caries and caries-free children, but the association of S. mutans with caries was from specific PCR analysis, not from clonal analysis, of samples.
Low-Fluoride Acidic Dentifrice: A Randomized Clinical Trial in a Fluoridated Area
Authors: Vilhena F.V. , Olympio K.P.K. , Lauris J.R.P. , Delbem A.C.B. , Buzalaf M.A.R.
Published: September 2010

Background: Low-fluoride dentifrices have been suggested as alternatives to reduce dental fluorosis risk, but there is no consensus regarding their clinical effectiveness, which has been suggested to be increased when their pH is acidic. Aims: This single-blind randomized clinical trial evaluated the caries increment during the use of a low-fluoride acidic liquid dentifrice. Methods: Four-year-old schoolchildren (n = 1,402) living in a fluoridated area (0.6–0.8 ppm F) were randomly allocated to 4 groups differing according to the type of dentifrice used over a 20-month period. Group 1 (n = 345): liquid dentifrice, 1,100 ppm F, pH 4.5. Group 2 (n = 343): liquid dentifrice, 1,100 ppm F, pH 7.0. Group 3 (n = 354): liquid dentifrice, 550 ppm F, pH 4.5. Group 4 (n = 360): toothpaste, 1,100 ppm F, pH 7.0. At baseline and after 20 months, clinical examinations were conducted (dmfs index) and caries increment was calculated. Data were analysed by GLM procedure using classrooms (cluster) as unit of analysis (p < 0.05). Results: The mean ± SD (95% CI) net increments found were as follows. Group 1: 2.06 ± 2.38 (1.8–2.3); group 2: 2.08 ± 2.87 (1.7–2.4); group 3: 2.05 ± 2.79 (1.7–2.4), and group 4: 2.08 ± 2.34 (1.8–2.4). No significant differences were detected among the groups. Conclusion: In a population with high caries risk living in a fluoridated area, as the selected sample, and according to the present protocol, the low-fluoride acidic liquid dentifrice seems to lead to similar caries progression rates as conventional 1,100 ppm F toothpaste.
Bone Marrow Stromal Cell Transplantation Attenuates Cognitive Dysfunction due to Chronic Cerebral Ischemia in Rats
Authors: Shichinohe Hideo , Kuroda Satoshi , Sugiyama Taku , Ito Masaki , Kawabori Masahito
Published: September 2010

Aims: This study was aimed to elucidate if bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) could ameliorate cognitive dysfunction due to chronic cerebral ischemia when transplanted into the brain. Methods: The BMSC were harvested from green fluorescence protein (GFP)-expressing mice. Wistar rats were subjected to bilateral common carotid artery (CCA) ligation. The BMSC (4 × 105 cells) or vehicle were stereotactically injected into the right striatum 24 h after the insult. Cognitive function was evaluated with the Morris water maze task after 3 and 5 weeks. Histological analysis was performed after 6 weeks. Results: Cognitive function was significantly impaired in the vehicle-transplanted animals, when compared with the non-CCA-ligation animals. BMSC transplantation significantly improved it. The BMSC were widely distributed in the ischemic brain, including the neocortex, white matter and hippocampus, and some of them expressed the phenotypes of neurons, astrocytes and endothelium. They also significantly ameliorated white matter damage. Conclusions: These findings strongly suggest that the BMSC may have the potential to attenuate white matter injury and improve cognitive dysfunction due to chronic cerebral ischemia. The present results would shed light on the potential of a novel strategy, cell therapy against ischemia-related cognitive dysfunction.
Single and Multiple Viral Infections in Lower Respiratory Tract Infection
Authors: Gencay Mikael , Roth Michael , Christ-Crain Mirjam , Mueller Beat , Tamm Michael , Stolz Daiana
Published: September 2010

Background: Lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) often leads to hospitalization, and it was indicated that causative viral infections are underestimated. Objectives: It was our aim to compare the frequency of 8 relevant viruses in 109 hospitalized LRTI patients and 144 healthy controls. Methods: Virus infection was determined by seroconversion and ELISA for anti-virus antibodies in repeated serum samples. Bacterial infection was diagnosed in respiratory specimens, blood cultures and urine. Results: The LRTI patient cohort consisted of 49 patients with community-acquired pneumonia, 30 patients with acute bronchitis and 30 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with acute exacerbation. Viral infection was detected in 89 (82%) LRTI patients compared with 32 (22%) in healthy controls (relative risk 3.42, 95% confidence interval 2.48–4.72; p < 0.0001). The most frequent viral pathogens were: influenza B (23%), adenovirus (16%) and parainfluenza virus 3 (12%). Importantly, infections with more than 1 virus were detected in 63% (n = 57) of LRTI patients with viral infection, which represents 52% of all LRTI patients. No multiple virus infection was detected in the healthy controls. Patients with community-acquired pneumonia were more often infected with adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus as compared with the other LRTI patients (p = 0.046 and 0.0009, respectively). Conclusions: There is a high incidence of single and multiple viral infections in LRTI patients requiring hospitalization. The data indicate the need for regular virus diagnosis and the development of point of care tools that enables a fast diagnosis of the most common viruses and bacteria. The data also imply the need to consider antiviral therapy in positive LRTI cases.
Forecast Impact of Targeted Observations: Sensitivity to Observation Error and Proximity to Steep Orography
Authors: Irvine E. A. , Gray S. L. , Methven J. , Renfrew I. A.
Published: September 2010

For a targeted observations case, the dependence of the size of the forecast impact on the targeted dropsonde observation error in the data assimilation is assessed. The targeted observations were made in the lee of Greenland; the dependence of the impact on the proximity of the observations to the Greenland coast is also investigated. Experiments were conducted using the Met Office Unified Model (MetUM), over a limited-area domain at 24-km grid spacing, with a four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4D-Var) scheme. Reducing the operational dropsonde observation errors by one-half increases the maximum forecast improvement from 5% to 7%–10%, measured in terms of total energy. However, the largest impact is seen by replacing two dropsondes on the Greenland coast with two farther from the steep orography; this increases the maximum forecast improvement from 5% to 18% for an 18-h forecast (using operational observation errors). Forecast degradation caused by two dropsonde observations on the Greenland coast is shown to arise from spreading of data by the background errors up the steep slope of Greenland. Removing boundary layer data from these dropsondes reduces the forecast degradation, but it is only a partial solution to this problem. Although only from one case study, these results suggest that observations positioned within a correlation length scale of steep orography may degrade the forecast through the anomalous upslope spreading of analysis increments along terrain-following model levels.
A Time for Change and a Candidate’s Voice: Pragmatism and the Rhetoric of Inclusion in Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential Campaign
Authors: Jenkins Keith B. , Cos Grant
Published: September 2010

The lens of presidential rhetorical studies provides a solid foundation for understanding Barack Obama’s campaign rhetoric. This study analyzes Barack Obama’s strategies to create a pragmatic moral voice for the presidency. The authors argue that Obama’s inclusive rhetorical campaign incorporated a rhetorical pragmatism. Rhetorical pragmatism is understood as discourse that negotiates uncertainty, generates knowledge based on human interest, expresses individualism (pluralism), and builds communities. The ends of this discourse are the means for achieving all of these. The authors found that the uncertainty of the nation’s political, social, and rhetorical situations constituted the foundation on which all Obama’s claims were staged. The ends of his campaign rhetoric were the traditional concern of constituting and reconstituting community. The authors believe, to fully appreciate Obama’s campaign rhetoric, scholars need to observe how he reconstituted an American moral voice. In uncertain times, Americans could know that there were core ideals that they could hold up and live under. They could understand the individual stories and, with the help of an adept rhetor, connect their known experience to others to reassert the meaning of America.
Sexual Objectification of Women: Advances to Theory and Research 1ψ7
Authors: Szymanski Dawn M. , Moffitt Lauren B. , Carr Erika R.
Published: September 2010

Objectification theory provides an important framework for understanding, researching, and intervening to improve women’s lives in a sociocultural context that sexually objectifies the female body and equates a woman’s worth with her body’s appearance and sexual functions. The purpose of this Major Contribution is to advance theory, research, practice, and training related to the sexual objectification of women. The purpose of this article is to introduce readers to objectification theory and related research, extend objectification theory to our understanding of women’s substance use and/or abuse and immersed forms of sexual objectification via sexually objectifying environments, and provide an overview of this Major Contribution on Sexual Objectification of Women.
Sexual Objectification of Women: Clinical Implications and Training Considerations
Authors: Szymanski Dawn M. , Carr Erika R. , Moffitt Lauren B.
Published: September 2010

This article focuses on the implications of theory and empirical research on the sexual objectification of women. Drawing largely from the American Psychological Association’s 2007 Guidelines for Psychological Practice With Girls and Women, the 2007 Report of the American Psychological Association’s Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, key feminist therapy texts, and the findings from empirical research on Fredrickson and Robert’s (1997) objectification theory, the authors provide suggestions for practice with female clients struggling with issues related to sexual objectification and ideas for the training of psychologists.
Joint Kinetics and Muscle Activity While Walking on Ballast
Authors: Wade Chip , Redfern Mark S. , Andres Robert O. , Breloff Scott P.
Published: September 2010

Objective: This study examined the impact of two common sizes of ballast on gait biomechanics. The terrain was designed to simulate a railroad work setting to investigate the variation in gait kinetics and muscle activation while walking.

Background: Research and epidemiology suggest a potential link between walking surface characteristics and injury. However, few studies have investigated the impact of ballast surfaces, which is a surface of interest in the railroad and construction industries, on gait dynamics.

Method: For this study, 20 healthy adult men walked along three distinct pathways (no ballast [NB], walking ballast [WB], and mainline ballast [MB]). WB and MB consisted of rock with an average size of 0.75 to 1 in. and 1.25 to 1.5 in., respectively. Full-body motion, ground reaction forces, and electromyographic (EMG) signals from lower extremity muscles were collected, and three dimensional joint moments were calculated. Parameters of interest were moment trajectories and ranges, EMG activity, and temporal gait measures.

Results: Joint-specific differences indicate significant variations between surface conditions. Joint moment ranges were generally smaller for MB and WB compared with NB. EMG activity, in particular, co-contraction levels, was found to be significantly greater on ballast compared with NB. Temporal gait parameters were significantly different for MB than for either WB or NB.

Conclusion: Walking on ballast increases muscle activation to control the moments of the lower extremity joints.

Application: The results suggest that ballast has an effect on muscles and joints; thus, the findings provide insight to improve and develop new work practices and methods for injury prevention.
Animals in the administrative zoo: organizational change and agency autonomy in Germany
Authors: Bach Tobias , Jann Werner
Published: September 2010

Although Germany does not figure among the ‘forerunners’ of managerial reforms of the public sector, it has a long tradition of agencies and non-departmental bodies at the federal level. Over time, the federal administration has developed into a highly differentiated ‘administrative zoo’ with a large number of species, questioning the image of a well-ordered German bureaucracy. The article addresses organizational changes among non-ministerial agencies during the past 20 years and ministry—agency relations, drawing on data from a comprehensive survey of the federal administration. The structural changes we observe are neither comprehensive nor planned; they are much more evolutionary than revolutionary, driven by sectoral policies and not by any overall agency policy, supported more by regulatory than by managerial reforms, and most of the changes are horizontal mergers or successions of existing organizations, while we find almost no evidence for hiving-off from ministries to agencies. At the same time, federal agencies report a lot of bureaucratic discretion, whereas they perceive substantial levels of ‘red tape’ due to administrative regulations. We also find that traditional, hierarchical modes of ministerial oversight are still dominating; only few agencies have performance agreements with measurable goals.

Points for practitioners

The article will be of interest to practitioners concerned about the nature and direction of organizational change within government, especially about processes of horizontal and vertical differentiation and steering. It demonstrates that even in a highly developed and classical bureaucratic administrative system such as Germany there is and has for a long time been a large variety of governmental agencies that enjoy a considerable amount of autonomy. At the same time there is continuous change and adaptation to new circumstances, even though all this has very little to do with international modernization trends such as New Public Management or comprehensive agencification.
Impact of IPSAS on reforming governmental financial information systems: a comparative study
Authors: Christiaens Johan , Reyniers Brecht , Rollé Caroline
Published: September 2010

The diversity in reformed governmental financial information systems created a need for harmonized international accounting standards, resulting in the elaboration of the IPSAS (International Public Sector Accounting Standards). By means of a survey on experts, this study examines the extent to which European governments adopt IPSAS accrual accounting and how the differing levels of adoption can be explained. The study reveals diversity in the adoption process of IPSAS and accrual accounting. Some governments still use cash based accounting. Only a minority apply IPSAS. The majority of local and central governments apply accrual accounting disregarding IPSAS. The trend toward accrual accounting can be explained by the need for transparency and efficiency. The fact that the IPSAS are unique and offer specific know-how is the main argument for making use of them. However, a number of jurisdictions do not adopt IPSAS because they transfer their own local business accounting rules.

Points for practitioners

The transition to business accounting is an important element of New Public Management in that modernized governmental management needs useful financial information, and business accounting is supposed to accomplish this need. An important characteristic of the IPSAS accounting standards is that governments are not obliged to adopt them and thus their adoption depends on a free choice. Therefore, it is clear that the success of IPSAS strongly depends on setting out its strengths and highlighting the necessary conditions to be met. Based on this article, an important condition is that practitioners keep in mind that in governments business accrual accounting rules are not a substitute for IPSAS.
Improving public accountability by aligning reporting to organizational changes in public service provision - an empirical Internet study of all Austrian, German and Swiss towns and states from an agency-theory perspective
Authors: Papenfuß Ulf , Schaefer Christina
Published: September 2010

Consolidation of public sector budgets, fulfilment of fiscal policy requirements and reforms in the provision of public services have made cooperation increasingly important on the international stage. From the perspective of agency theory, this has led to greater information asymmetries and has altered reporting requirements. However, representative empirical studies concerning the provision of information on the Internet on the types of cooperation under which public activities are performed are still not available. A census conducted for 498 websites at local, state and federal government levels for Germany, Austria and Switzerland shows that the reporting requirements have not been met in practice. At the local level in Germany, of the 414 towns with more than 30,000 inhabitants, cooperation reports were available online for 143, which corresponds to 34.5 percent. During the period of the investigation, no cooperation report was provided on the Internet by any town in Austria or Switzerland. Four main recommended actions are formulated for practical application.

Points for practitioners

Citizens must have opportunities to obtain with minimum effort information on the organizational status quo of public service provision. Moreover, a clear and transparent view of the organizational structure of the public authority, including its types of cooperation, is essential to enable a basis for decision-making for people such as politicians and professionals in administrations to guarantee the sustainable, effective and efficient provision of public sector activities. A cooperation report is a proven management tool in the private sector, and practitioners can gain rewarding cross-national insights if the general public has access to the required information. This could offer helpful approaches for many countries with comparable challenges.
Introduction: Administrative reforms and mergers in Europe - research questions and empirical challenges
Authors: Cole Alistair , Eymeri-Douzans Jean-Michel
Published: September 2010

This special issue originated with two workshops held by the Comparative Public Administration Working Group (Groupe Science politique comparée des administrations-SPCA) of the French Political Science Association (AFSP) in April and September 2008. Our workshops focused on a rather under-researched dimension of comparative public administration: namely administrative mergers and bureaucratic reorganizations as a dimension of contemporary reforms. We started from the observation that, in recent years, there has been a rich literature on the role of agencies and other forms of organizational decentralization, but much less on organizational and professional mergers within public administrations. Participants were invited to address a set of linked questions designed to try and elucidate the nature and scope of administrative reorganizations in the European countries under observation. Among these questions were the following: under which conditions and to what extent do mergers and other forms of administrative reorganization have sustainable effects on the state apparatus? How does the multi-level structure of government, especially within federal states (Germany, Belgium), regionalized (Spain) or ‘dual’ states (United Kingdom) influence administrative reforms? What policy narratives are mobilized to justify and legitimize these reorganizations, and especially how important is the discourse of New Public Management (NPM) in that respect? Finally, what are the consequences of such reforms on civil servants’ careers, professional identities and administrative cultures? The issue brings together a range of country-specific articles whose remit is, broadly, to address these questions and to contribute to enriching the comparative and empirically rooted reflection about the dimensions and forms of state reforms in the NPM era.
Merging to survive? Institutional legitimacy and material considerations in the light of the reorganization of corps within the French civil service
Authors: Gervais Julie
Published: September 2010

The article sets out to examine the mergers of corps of top technical civil servants in France from two angles: their institutional and material dimensions. Its findings are based on archive material relating to the negotiations that marked the reform processes and on interviews with the protagonists of the reform within the ministries, cabinets, professional associations and trade unions of the corps in question. Rather than consider the top civil servants simply as the instruments of change, affected (or otherwise) by it, or even as obstacles to the reforms under examination, the article looks at their capacity to take action, to defend their interests and their privileges and to accompany the reform in order to ensure their long-term survival. One of the central questions raised by this study into the mergers is whether they make it possible to maintain and reproduce the models of domination of the great corps on the machinery of government. Continuity in and through change is at the heart of the debate.

Points for practitioners

The idea of merger was prompted by the decision to drastically reduce the number of corps in France. In the light of an in-depth empirical study and several first-hand accounts, this article looks at the issues raised by these kinds of mergers at two levels. On the one hand, from the point of view of the changes they can trigger in the relationship between a corps of the State and the Ministry to which it is answerable, and, on the other hand, from the point of view of the purely material dimension of the negotiations involved. It would therefore seem that the reforms that set out to make economies of scale first of all need to take a good look at the efforts agreed to by those very corps that they are supposed to target.
The role of Spanish central government in a multi-level State
Authors: Parrado Salvador
Published: September 2010

The Spanish polity has made the transition in the last three decades from a centralized system to a quasi-federal one characterized as having features of a shared power model with overlapping powers among levels of government. The new system has implied a change in the functions of central government from service delivery to planning and policy design. Enquiring beyond the hierarchy—non-hierarchy role of central government of intergovernmental studies, this article applies control concepts of oversight, mutuality, competition and contrived randomness from grid & group cultural theory in order to empirically examine the evolution of the role of central government in intergovernmental relations. Although the institutional features of the Spanish polity are expected to foster cooperative intergovernmental relations and a brokerage role of central government fostering mutual (peer) relations of the regions, the text suggests that institutional praxis and the ‘youth’ of the Spanish decentralization process are accountable for the direction taken by the Spanish polity. The system is characterized by central government still embedded in the inertia of oversight (with examples of fostering mutuality at times and in some policy fields) and by the regions seeking unilateralism through contrived randomness.

Points for practitioners

This text tries to unveil two distinct aspects of central government’s role in intergovernmental relations. First, it crosses the traditional axis (hierarchy and autonomy) between central/federal government and the regions/states when examining intergovernmental relations by including cases of competition and collegiality among the constituent parts. Second, it assumes that early stages of intergovernmental relations are likely to be conflictual regardless of the formal (cooperative) institutional design of the system. By acknowledging this, promoters of decentralization should be aware not only of the formal aspects of cooperation, but also of the informal mechanisms for building up cooperative practices.
The Making of an Outsider: Growing Up in Poverty in Northern Ireland
Authors: Horgan Goretti
Published: September 2010

The young people who are the focus of this article grow up in communities ravaged by poverty and conflict. School is where they spend most of their time, but their experience of school is, generally, not motivating and increases their feelings of social exclusion; almost one in ten young people whose family depends on benefits leaves school with no educational qualifications and the future they see is bleak. Small wonder, then, that so many suffer from emotional and mental health problems and engage in self-harming behavior. This article will use qualitative data from two studies carried out over the past 5 years to explore the experiences of young people growing up in poverty in Northern Ireland and look at the extent of their exclusion from the norms of society. It will argue that this exclusion is such that some of them feel “outsiders” even within their own, disadvantaged, community, and this is dangerous in a society which is still emerging from conflict.
Tourism Destination Brand Equity Dimensions
Authors: Gartner William C. , Ruzzier Maja Konecnik
Published: September 2010

This article investigates the concept of customer-based brand equity for a tourism destination, which has been introduced into the tourism literature only a few years ago. Specifically, it investigates whether differences between renewal and repeat tourists exist in their evaluation of a tourism destination. A theoretically proposed model, encompassing the dimensions of awareness, image, quality, and loyalty, was empirically verified for the European tourism destination Slovenia from the perspective of German tourists. The results imply that the dimensions of image and quality play the most important role in tourists’ evaluation of a destination, regardless of whether they are first-time visitors or repeaters. Results also reveal differences in importance for the dimensions of awareness and loyalty between renewal and repeat tourists. Drawing on the results, the article offers some implications for tourism organizations in developing and implementing destination marketing strategies in foreign markets.
An Integrative Model of Place Image
Authors: Elliot Statia , Papadopoulos Nicolas , Kim Samuel Seongseop
Published: September 2010

To advance place image theory, this study combines elements from two areas that have explored place image more than any others: tourism destination image (TDI) and product-country image (PCI). Key constructs from each are measured simultaneously in an Integrative Model of Place Image. The model test uses consumer survey data from South Korea to compare image measures of the United States and Japan using structural equation modeling. The results reveal that cognitive country image has greater influence on product factors than on destination factors, while affective country image has greater influence directly on receptivity than indirectly on beliefs. In addition, consumer beliefs exhibit a strong crossover effect between product beliefs and destination receptivity. Newly tested relationships point to a number of directions for future research in place image and branding, and provide empirical evidence of the need for place marketers to move toward greater integration between product- and tourism-oriented place image campaigns.
How to Discredit an Inconvenient Exorcist: Origin and Configuration of the Synoptic Controversies on Jesus’ Power as an Exorcist
Authors: Miquel Esther
Published: September 2010

This article uses the ethnological research of M. Lewis on possession and exorcism as a methodological tool to solve some exegetical problems related to the interpretation, historical origin, and literary pre-synoptic development of the “Beelzebul controversies” (Mark 3:22-30; Matthew 12:22-32; Luke 11:14-23).
Forgiveness in “My Brothers” of Matthew 28:10 and Its Significance for the Matthean Climax (28:16-20)
Authors: Bronn William R.
Published: September 2010

Matthew climaxes his Gospel (28:16—20) with the risen Lord, among other things, forgiving the Eleven and, subsequently through baptism, all who would come to believe in him, for their sins, (re)establishing fellowship or brotherhood with himself. Matthew signals this intention by Jesus expressing solidarity with his Eleven, referring to them as “my brothers” (28:10). Brothers alludes to the Genesis story of Joseph pardoning his Eleven brothers (45:1—15). This allusion is confirmed by the perfect correspondence between Genesis 45:1—15 and Matthew 28:16—20 in every element of their commissioning forms and material substance.
Conversation and Identity: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman
Authors: Matthews Victor H.
Published: September 2010

This study is intended to serve as a methodological illustration of how an embedded dialogue such as that found in John 4:1—26 can be analyzed using a variety of social scientific techniques. Each method will be briefly introduced prior to the exegesis of the passage to provide a theoretical foundation for drawing conclusions. The subsequent analysis of the successive stages in the dialogue makes it clear that identity is the central focus of this narrative. It also becomes clear that the author is employing socially/culturally understood conventions of dialogue to make the characters and the setting plausible to the audience.
The Use of Psalm 69:9 in Romans 15:3: Shame as Sacrifice
Authors: Rulmu Callia
Published: September 2010

Addressing the internal conflict between the “weak” and the “strong” affecting the church of Rome, Paul attempts to provide a solution to the problem that is consistent with “his gospel.” Central to Paul’s argument is his quotation, in Romans 15:3, of Psalm 69:9 (LXX 68:10), which he interprets and presents here from a Christological perspective: Jesus appears as the one upon whom fall the offenses and insults addressed by some people to God. First, Paul reads that text typologically, as referring to Christ, the sin-bearer. Second, but equally important, Paul reads it as a paradigm of his own experience and as a typos of the experience of the church. The offenses between Christians are equated with casting blame upon God himself, and the shame associated with this blame is in turn extended to all those who claim to love and serve God. Paul’s admonition to the “strong”—to endure criticism and to forego any reactive attempt to vindicate their honor—must have been perceived as unnatural behavior for those who belonged to a culture permeated with shame and honor values. Nevertheless, Paul encourages his fellow believers in Rome to accept shame as a sacrifice for the sake of a higher good, i. e., the upbuilding and edification of the Christian community.
“Vanilla Thrillas”: Modern Boxing and White-Ethnic Masculinity
Authors: Cooley Will
Published: September 2010

From 2002 to 2004, Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward fought three boxing matches. The Ward—Gatti bouts produced a discourse that was never monolithic and oftentimes contradictory, yet many fight fans and journalists asserted that the match-ups hearkened back to a time when “White-ethnic” fighters ruled the ring. The manner in which these contests captured the imagination of even casual boxing fans revealed how modern conversations about race and masculinity operated not only within boxing circles but in American society as well. Though some critics charged that the fights were excessively violent, most boxing fans saw the contests as fantastic theater and urged the sport’s authorities to reward the pugilists. For White fans, the “vanilla thrillas” provided symbolic affirmations of collective masculinity that simultaneously indicated lingering racial resentments.
Sport, Race, and Bio-Politics: Encounters With Difference in “Sport for Development and Peace” Internships
Authors: Darnell Simon C.
Published: September 2010

This article analyzes young Canadian volunteer interns’ encounters with sociocultural difference within the Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) movement. Using Foucauldian bio-power, Third Wave, or transnational feminism and Hardt and Negri’s Empire, it examines how interns interpreted difference as markers of underdevelopment which secured the focus of the SDP movement on the underdevelopment of others. Following the Empire framework, this bio-political regulation centered on the corporeal and the somatic, key elements of the sporting experience, and drew on social interpretations of race and its intersections with gender and class. While interns offered some critical perspectives, the results corroborate recent analyses of international development in which neoliberal logic sustains the focus of development on the “conduct of conduct” and largely at the expense of attending to broader issues of inequality.
A graphic symbol tool for the evaluation of communication, satisfaction and priorities of individuals with intellectual disability who use a speech generating device
Authors: Valiquette Christine , Sutton Ann , Ska Bernadette
Published: September 2010

This article reports on the views of individuals with learning disability (LD) on their use of their speech generating devices (SGDs), their satisfaction about their communication, and their priorities. The development of an interview tool made of graphic symbols and entitled Communication, Satisfaction and Priorities of SGD Users (CSPU) is described in detail. The tool was used to support comprehension and to elicit the opinions of eight individuals with LD who had severe communication disorders. Most participants reported that they did not use their SGDs in situations in which they needed them in order to communicate effectively. The participants’ parents corroborated these statements but they identified priorities that were different from their child’s. The results emphasize the necessity of permitting individuals with severe communication disorders to take part in decision-making by indicating their satisfaction and priorities for intervention. Methodological issues and future use of the evaluation tool in research and in clinical settings are discussed.
Social capital theory: A cross-cutting analytic for teacher/therapist work in integrating children’s services?
Authors: Forbes Joan , McCartney Elspeth
Published: September 2010

Reviewing relevant policy, this article argues that the current ‘integration interlude’ is concerned with reformation of work relations to create new forms of ‘social capital’. The conceptual framework of social capital has been used by government policy-makers and academic researchers to examine different types, configurations and qualities of relationships, including professional relations, and how these may function as resources. Focusing on the co-work of teachers and speech and language therapists, this analysis introduces social capital as a means of understanding the impact of integrating children’s services on professional practitioner groups and across agencies. Social capital theory is compared to alternative theoretical perspectives such as systems and discourse theories and explored as an analytic offering a multi-level typology and conceptual framework for understanding the effects of policy and governance on interprofessional working and relationships. A previous application of social capital theory in a literature review is introduced and analysed, and instances of the additionality provided by a social capital analysis is offered. The article concludes that amongst the effects of current policy to redesign children’s services are the reconstruction of professionals’ knowledge/s and practices, so it is essential that such policy processes that have complex and far-reaching effects are transparent and coherent. It is also important that new social capital relations in children’s services are produced by groups representative of all involved, importantly including those practitioner groups charged in policy to work differently together in future integrated services.