Mediating Solidarity

With the apparent increase in the number of alternative political media, political pluralists are again faced with the question: does the proliferation of subaltern counter-publics lead to a multiplication of forces? Fragmentation in political culture is fuelled by the rise of identity politics that focuses on consumption not production. Party allegiances and class alliances give way to more fluid and informal networks of action. Postmodern theorists celebrate fragmentation because it allows the recognition of diversity in political desires, acknowledges difference between individuals and debunks the myth of homogenous political units leading ultimately to liberation. But for political efficacy there must be more than the apparent freedom that comes with embracing difference and diversity. This article argues that if we accept the description of society as fragmented, in order to create a viable political community then solidarity is crucial. In a global economy, solidarity can be mediated through new communication technologies but the challenge is to articulate the politics online with actual movements and struggles on the ground

Targeted sequencing of the Paget's disease associated 14q32 locus identifies several missense coding variants in RIN3 that predispose to Paget's disease of bone

Paget's disease of bone (PDB) is a common disorder with a strong genetic component characterized by increased but disorganized bone remodelling. Previous genome-wide association studies identified a locus on chromosome 14q32 tagged by rs10498635 which was significantly associated with susceptibility to PDB in several European populations. Here we conducted fine-mapping and targeted sequencing of the candidate locus to identify possible functional variants. Imputation in 741 PDB patients and 2699 controls confirmed that the association was confined to a 60 kb region in the RIN3 gene and conditional analysis adjusting for rs10498635 identified no new independent signals. Sequencing of the RIN3 gene identified a common missense variant (p.R279C) that was strongly associated with the disease (OR = 0.64; P = 1.4 × 10(−9)), and was in strong linkage disequilibrium with rs10498635. A further 13 rare missense variants were identified, seven of which were novel and detected only in PDB cases. When combined, these rare variants were over-represented in cases compared with controls (OR = 3.72; P = 8.9 × 10(−10)). Most rare variants were located in a region that encodes a proline-rich, intrinsically disordered domain of the protein and many were predicted to be pathogenic. RIN3 was expressed in bone tissue and its expression level was ∼10-fold higher in osteoclasts compared with osteoblasts. We conclude that susceptibility to PDB at the 14q32 locus is mediated by a combination of common and rare coding variants in RIN3 and suggest that RIN3 may contribute to PDB susceptibility by affecting osteoclast function

Strategic and operational choices for small subcontracting firms: Empirical results and an interpretative model

Based on empirical research, presents an interpretative model of the dynamics occurring in the subcontracting relationships between large purchasers and small subcontractors. Shows that the small units often supply a product that is not sufficiently differentiated and technologically advanced; are for the most part dependent on a few large purchasers; find it increasingly difficult to follow the contractor's quality and reliability requirements; have an adequate amount of machinery but neglect other forms of investment (i.e. in data processing equipment, education and training); and have problems with the introduction of innovations especially due to the lack of a skilled workforce. Illustrates the subcontracting behaviour of small businesses by means of a model which considers two aspects: the ''strategic positioning'', evaluated in terms of kind and object of subcontracting; and the ''operational positioning'', regarding the introduction of innovations into the operations. The different areas of strategic and operational positioning are discussed in terms of competitive and earning success. Indicates a possible strategic-operational development pathway leading towards more qualified subcontractors/large purchaser relationships