The ethical motivation in public service

This paper discusses the role of ethics in public administration practice, and considers the probability of adding an ethical dimension to the public service motivation (PSM) construct. Several scholars have linked PSM with ethical behavior in government. Together theory and research have shown that public servants, when compared to ordinary citizens, are more concerned about ethical considerations at both the individual (personal honesty and integrity) and collective (social justice and fairness) levels in the United States. It may thus be possible for ethics to play a fundamental role in scholarly efforts to define and measure PSM. This paper considers the probability of adding an ethical dimension to public administration construct and helps to clarify the role of ethics in PSM discourse and research

An approach to the evaluation of the effectiveness of management information systems with particular application to public utilities and other organisations in nationalised industries within the United Kingdom

The major objectives of this study are: (1) to develop a practical approach for evaluating, periodically and in quantitative terms, the effectiveness of management information systems; (2) to develop an evaluative device to check the results produced by the suggested approach. A modified semantic differential is developed and used for this purpose; and (3) to test the practicability and validity of the suggested approach by applying it on a sample of organisations for the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of their management information systems. The foundation for the suggested approach is synthesised from the relevant literature. Specifically, a survey is undertaken of the literature in management information systems, accounting and psychology. The suggested approach assumes that users' satisfaction with the information provided by an information system indicates that the information is useful and consequently the system is effective. The approach takes also into consideration the views of both the providers of information and the persons affected by the decisions taken which are based, among other things, on the information provided by the system. A set of information criteria is developed to measure information utility and consequently the effectiveness of a management information system can be determined. To express the effectiveness in quantitative terms, a point scoring model is used so that the results can be compared from one period to the next. Also an operational framework of the suggested approach is developed. To evaluate the results produced by the suggested approach, the semantic differential is modified, based on the views of a sample of users of information and individuals involved in the preparation of management information, and is used as an evaluative device. As no similar research conducted on the effectiveness of management information systems in nationalised industries was found, it may be useful to test the suggested approach in this field. This application achieves two purposes: (1) primarily, to test the practicability and validity of the approach; and (2) to fill a gap in knowledge concerning the effectiveness of management information systems in nationalised industries. The results of this empirical study are based on the views of 198 individuals involved in the preparation of management information, who use the information and are affected by the decisions taken, which are based, among other things, on information

The Relationship Between Prostate Volume, Prostate-Specific Antigen and Age in Saudi Men with Benign Prostatic Conditions

Objectives: To assess the relationship between prostate volume (PV), prostate specific antigen (PSA) and age in a cohort of Saudi men from the Urology Department, King Abdul Aziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Methods: Medical records of 447 Saudi men aged 20-89 years with benign prostatic conditions seen between January 2003 and June 2009, were reviewed, retrospectively. Cases with PSA >10 ng/ml, proven prostate cancer, previous prostate surgery or those who received 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) were excluded. The study population was categorized into seven successive age groups (20-89 years). The variables of age, PV and PSA were examined. Using mean PV of the 20-29 years age group and mean PSA of the 40-49 years age group as reference points, percentage differences in mean PV and mean PSA in subsequent age groups were determined. A p-valu

Assessment of immune function in Down syndrome patients

In Down syndrome (DS), trisomy 21 leads to overexpression of gene coding for specific enzymes. This overexpression translates directly into biochemical aberrations that affect multiple interacting metabolic pathways which culminates in cellular dysfunction and contributes to the unique pathogenesis of DS. The aim of this study is to evaluate parameters of immune response in terms of cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) and interlukin-2 (IL-2)] together with the quantitative expression of cystathionine beta synthase (CBS), whose transsulfuration pathway generates cysteine and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). H2S is known to boost host defense at physiological concentrations and to display cytotoxic activity at higher concentrations. Calcineurin activity (CAN) was also measured as its dysregulation has been shown to cause immune  suppression. Subjects were 60 DS patients vs. 30 age and socioeconomic matching healthy controls. In their blood, the cytokines: TNF-a and IL-2, together with CBS and its by product H2S as well as CAN activity, were measured. Results showed that CBSmRNA relative expression (0.56± .06 vs. 0.32 ± .02), plasma H2S (72 ±8.5 vs. 50.8 ± 4.1) and TNF-a (8.11 ± .01 vs. 3.6± 0.9) were significantly higher among DS patients compared to controls, while CAN (0.27 ± 0.1 vs. 0.45 ±0.2 units), was significantly decreased in blood of DS patients compared to controls. IL-2 (36.4 ± 2.6 vs. 37.4 ±0.9) showed no significant difference between DS patients and controls. Accordingly it can be concluded that excessive synthesis of multiple gene products derived from overexpression of the genes present on chromosome 21 may be the cause for decreased immunity in DS patients compared to controls

Telomerase activity and apoptosis genes as parameters of lymphocyte aging in Down syndrome patients

AbstractIt is hypothesized that Down syndrome (DS) patients are associated with abnormalities of the immune system. Accordingly, this study was conducted to measure replicative aging and apoptosis in lymphocytes, which play an important role in the immune system, before and after being biostimulated with He:Ne laser. Replicative aging was measured in terms of telomerase activity, and ETS-2 gene relative expression. Apoptosis was measured in terms of DNA fragmentation and apoptosis genes (Fas, FasL and Bax) and antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Results showed that Telomerase activity, ETS-2 mRNA expression, plasma DNA fragmentation, Fas and FasL were significantly higher among DS patients compared to controls: Telomerase activity (1.5±0.5 vs. 0.9±0.4, p<0.001); ETS2 mRNA expression (0.6±0.1 vs. 0.43±0.04, p<0.0001); plasma DNA fragmentation (0.45%±0.12 vs. 0.2%±0.1, p<0.0001); Fas protein (5.3±1.2 vs. 2.3±0.2, p<0.0001); FasL mRNA relative expression (0.37±0.05 vs. 0.24±0.01, p<0.001); Bax mRNA relative expression (0.9±0.1 vs. 0.5±0.1, p<0.00001). Bcl-2 protein was significantly low in DS patients compared to controls (8.6±1.3 vs. 10±2.1, p<0.01). He:Ne laser biostimulation applied to evaluate lymphocytes’ response significantly increased the former parameters in DS patients compared to their level before irradiation, except for Bcl-2, which was significantly decreased. In conclusion: increased telomerase activity associated with increased activity and overexpression of ETS-2 on chromosome 21 in DS patients may contribute to the increased rate of early senescence in circulating lymphocytes, which consequently contributes to the abnormalities of the immune system observed in DS. Increased apoptosis is due to increased oxidative stress, which induces an increase in the apoptotic genes Bax, Fas and FasL accompanied by a decrease in the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2

Caveolin 3 gene and mitochondrial tRNA methionin gene in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Background: It was recently reported that Duchene muscular dystrophy(DMD) patients and mdx mice have elevated levels of caveolin-3 expression in their skeletal muscles. However, it remains unknown whether this increased caveolin-3 levels contribute to the pathogenesis of DMD. Also mitochondrial DNA mutation in the tRNA methionin (tRNA Met) gene has been shown to be associated with muscle weakness, severe exercise intolerance, lactic acidosis and growth retardation. Since DMD is X-linked maternally inherited disease, mitochondrial mutation in tRNA (Met) gene can be suspected to be the cause for the inefficient splicing of dystrophin gene during its expression and can be implicated as the cause of dystrophin inactive protein. Aim of the Work: The aim of the present study is to investigate whether mutations in caveolin gene leads to its increased expression and/or mutation in the tRNA (Met) gene can be associated with DMD pathogenesis. Patients and Methods: Expression of caveolin mRNA by RT-PCR and mutations in caveolin gene and tRNA (Met) gene were measured in 28 patients presented with DMD symptoms using the single strand conformation polymorphism assay (SSCP). Results: Results gave further proof to decreased expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA, which leads to increased expression in caveolin3 mRNA in lymphocytes of DMD patients compared to controls. However using SSCP, there was no evidence for tRNA (Met) gene mutation among DMD patients and only one patient presented a mutation in the caveolin gene compared to controls. Conclusion: There is an inverse relation between iNOS and Caveolin 3 in lymphocytes of DMD patients compared to controls. However, Caveolin 3 gene mutation is excluded as the main cause of increased caveolin gene expression. Also, there was no evidence for tRNA (Met) gene mutation among DMD patients.Keywords: mRNA, duchene muscular dystrophy (DMD), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA, mitochondrial DNA