Learning from Technology Transfer in the Greek Context: The Case of Digital Telecommunication Switches

This paper examines the process of technology transfer and associated learning effects experienced by the Greek telecommunication equipment manufacturer INTRAKOM as a result of its involvement in public procurement processes and the technological shift towards software-driven digital switching and transmission systems. Drawing upon the role of Government procurement as an instrument for industrial policy and the learning potential of a technology transfer process, the paper argues that the Public sector's industrial policy considerations, exercised through the procurement practices of the Greek Public Telecommunication Operator (OTE), as well as INTRAKOM's own timely focus in establishing a long-term collaboration agreement with a leading international vendor (ERICSSON) played a catalytic role in the accumulation of domestic capabilities in the manufacturing of selected telecommunication equipment products.     

Reassessing the WIC effect: evidence from the Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System.

Recent analyses differ on how effective the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is at improving infant health. We use data from nine states that participate in the Pregnancy Nutrition Surveillance System to address limitations in previous work. With information on the mother's timing of WIC enrollment, we test whether greater exposure to WIC is associated with less smoking, improved weight gain during pregnancy, better birth outcomes, and greater likelihood of breastfeeding. Our results suggest that much of the often reported association between WIC and lower rates of preterm birth is likely spurious, the result of gestational age bias. We find modest effects of WIC on fetal growth, inconsistent associations between WIC and smoking, limited associations with gestational weight gain, and some relationship with breastfeeding. A WIC effect exists, but on fewer margins and with less impact than has been claimed by policy analysts and advocates.     

Operationalizing Strategy Content: An Example from the Transit Industry

While models of organizational strategy saturate private sector research, public sector research lags behind. The model created by Boyne and Walker (2004) is an exception. The main objective of this study is to operationalize this model using a unique data set from the US transit industry. Through a survey of 103 local transit agencies, we developed separate strategy profiles for each agency that help us answer important questions about organizational strategy. We find that not only do the organizations adopt a mix of strategic stances through the action areas; they also have distinct profiles, which vary greatly between agencies.     

Functional Actorness? Border Security in the EU and Turkey

The European Union (EU) has fortified its external borders using a number of measures including the creation of new institutions and networks such as FRONTEX and EUROSUR. In non-EU countries such as Turkey, border security is being reorganized with EU support and cooperation. By combining the literature on EU actorness and neo-functionalism, I provide a theoretical toolkit to critically unpack these new developments through conceptualizing multiple dimensions of what I call functional actorness. The contribution analyzes how the functional transformation of EU and Turkish border security has produced a number of side effects which are critically appraised.     

Can Needs-Based Grants Improve Local Transit Performance? Varying Effects by Level of Control

Needs-based grant programs are budgeting systems that tie grant dollars to the needs of the grantees as determined by objective indicators. Although performance improvement is not an explicit goal of such grants, the associated awards could work as incentives for grantees to meet the grant criteria. In other words, grantees seek to improve their performance to fulfill the criteria, even though the grant-makers intend such grants to support the existing operational needs of the grantees. This study tests these assertions in the context of the small transit intensive cities (STIC) grant that was established as a needs-based grant system by the federal government to support small local transit agencies operating with unusually high service demands. This study argues that these systems would have a stronger impact on indicators over which grantees have more control. This study tests these assertions using a difference-in-differences analysis of 290 transit agencies over 17 years. The findings show that STIC is effective in improving grantee performance, at least on the indicators which are more amenable to control.     

Atherosclerotic and Hypertensive Cardiovascular Disease are Associated with Death at Sublethal Carboxyhemoglobin Levels: A Postmortem Study

Residential fires are a significant cause for morbidity and mortality in the United States. Death is often the result of soot and smoke inhalation causing carbon monoxide (CO) toxicity. The approximate lethal level of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in healthy adults has been well described. However, a significant number of medical examiner cases involve infirmed decedents, often elderly, with complex cardiovascular disease burdens. It is well known that death in these cases will occur at sublethal levels of COHb; however, increased lethality has been largely documented via anecdotal experience and lacks quantification. Fifty-five cases were identified where death resulted from smoke and soot inhalation suffered in a residential fire. The control group, with no cardiovascular disease, had an age-adjusted mean COHb level of 61.6% at the time of death. Presence of hypertensive cardiovascular disease showed a 30% reduction in COHb (age-adjusted mean 43.2%), atherosclerotic disease showed a 33% reduction (age-adjusted mean 41.5%), and combined disease presentation accounted for 41% reduction (age-adjusted mean 36.3%). When controlling for age, atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular diseases were each associated with statistically significant decreases in COHb (p < 0.01). Increasing age was associated with decreased COHb levels at 2.8% per 10 years of life (p < 0.01), even when modeled with hypertensive and atherosclerotic disease. These findings carry important public health significance, as well as practical significance for the medical examiner when interpreting COHb levels in cases of suspected deaths due to smoke and soot inhalation.     

RNA cell typing and DNA profiling of mixed samples: Can cell types and donors be associated?

Forensic samples regularly involve mixtures, which are readily recognised in forensic analyses. Combined DNA and mRNA profiling is an upcoming forensic practice to examine donors and cell types from the exact same sample. From DNA profiles individual genotypes may be deconvoluted, but to date no studies have established whether the cell types identified in corresponding RNA profiles can be associated with individual donors. Although RNA expression levels hold many variables from which an association may not be expected, proof of concept is important to forensic experts who may be cross examined about this possible correlation in court settings. Clearly, the gender-specificity of certain body fluids (semen, vaginal mucosa, menstrual secretion) can be instructive. However, when donors of the same gender or gender-neutral cell types are involved, alternatives are needed. Here we analyse basic two-component mixtures (two cell types provided by different donors) composed of six different cell types, and assess whether the heights of DNA and RNA peaks may guide association of donor and cell type. Divergent results were obtained; for some mixtures RNA peak heights followed the DNA results, but for others the major DNA component did not present higher RNA peaks. Also, variation in mixture ratios was observed for RNA profiling replicates and when different donor couples gave the same two body fluids. As sample degradation may affect the two nucleic acids and/or distinct cell types differently (and thus influence donor and cell type association), mixtures were subjected to elevated temperature or UV-light. Variation in DNA and RNA stability was observed both between and within cell types and depended on the method inducing degradation. Taken together, we discourage to associate cell types and donors from peak heights when performing RNA and DNA profiling.