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This article contributes to the consolidation and synthesis of scholarship on collaborative governance by expanding our knowledge of how the term is used in the academic literature and policy documents in a range of European countries. It adds value to the existing reviews of the field by conducting a systematic literature review on a corpus of over 700 article abstracts and a traditional literature review identifying five key analytical dimensions. The article also provides an exploratory analysis of grey literature hitherto outside the purview of researchers and considers the linguistic and cultural connotations that alter the meaning of the term when translated into new contexts in ten EU/EFTA countries. Findings indicate heterogeneity and fuzziness in the way the concept is used. The article argues that explicit positions with respect to five main analytical dimensions and taking into account the national connotations that the term carries across political systems would inject more clarity into the academic discourse. This, in turn, will help policymakers to make informed use of the concept, especially in multi-national policy-making arenas.

The article investigates how local cross-border cooperation organizations reacted to re-bordering policies since 2015, with focus on the re-bordering related to the migration of 2015 and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. The article compares the reaction of cross-border cooperation organizations at three European borders, using a typology of resistance, support and acceptance. The findings demonstrate how local actors were constrained by complex geopolitical and national interest narratives, and that local responses could take a variety of formats. The article suggests that further research should focus on understanding politicaladministrative relations within multi-level systems to explain this variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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To assess the possible impacts of climate change and plan the necessary adaptation measures, countries need to analyze complex and multilayered information. Data often belongs to different disciplines and institutions and is hard to interpret for policy making in its raw form. Boundary organizations have a pivotal role in facilitating discussion between academic and political actors and producing tools to assist in decision-making processes. Hungary, an Eastern European country, faces climate change effects ranging from changes in precipitation patterns to increasing frequency of weather extremities. This article examines the establishment of a boundary organization, the National Adaptation Centre, and its decision support tool, which aims to assist the territorial planning of the country. Through this, we identify the extent to which the National Adaptation Geo-Information System (NAGiS) tool has had an impact on collaboration pattern designs and policy making. The study finds that NAGiS supports policy development at different levels of governance. At the same time, the introduction of this information and communication technology tool was not sufficient to create a breakthrough or counteract other factors such as the low salience of the issue at the national level. Furthermore, the introduction of NAGiS did not change formal structures or procedures. However, it did have an impact on attitudes toward data sharing, which in turn shaped collaborative practices. The organizations involved generally evaluated the effects of the tool on their collaboration as positive and lasting beyond the development phase of the project. Changed attitudes may prove important for enhanced internal collaborative governance down the line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Including the voices and knowledge of service users is essential for developing recovery-oriented and evidence-based mental health services. Recent studies have however, suggested that challenges remain to the legitimization of user knowledge in practice. To further explore such challenges, a co-production study was conducted by a team of researchers and representatives from user organizations in Sweden. The aim of the study was to explore the barriers and facilitators to the legitimacy of user knowledge, as a central factor in sustainably implementing user influence in mental health practice. A series of workshops, with representatives of mental health services and user organizations were conducted by the research team to explore these issues. The analysis built on the theoretical framework of epistemic injustice, and the underlying aspects, testimonial, hermeneutic and participation-based injustice, were utilized as a framework for a deductive analysis. Results suggest that this is a useful model for exploring the complex dynamics related to the legitimacy of user knowledge in mental health systems. The analysis suggests that the legitimacy of user knowledge is related to the representativeness of the knowledge base, the systematic formulation of this knowledge in applicable methods, access to resources and positions within the mental health system and participation in the process of integrating this knowledge-base in mental health contexts. Legitimizing user knowledge in practice additionally challenges mental health systems to support readiness for change in working environments and to address the power and role issues that these changes involve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butterfly fish may be reliable bio-indicators in assessing the quality of habitat structure in Sri Lanka. Species diversity and population sizes have been studied, and coral reefs in sanctuaries when compared with areas suffering habitat destruction show fewer depauperate fauna with higher densities and diversity. Use of butterfly fish for habitat assessment remains controversial, and may not be globally applicable.

Rock and coral reefs in Sri Lanka are affected by a range of factors. The coral reefs were made of nearly 50% live coral cover, while rock reefs contained sparse colonies of different coral species and were dominated by rocky outcrops and large boulders. Those reefs nearest shore have been significantly altered by reef walking, boating, fishing, snorkeling, sedimentation and pollution.

Many scholars have considered when and why collaboration between government agencies and societal actors occurs. This article argues that a simple but largely overlooked answer to these questions is that a formal legal or administrative requirement to do so is in place. Therefore, the objective is to substantiate whether there are legal requirements to collaborate and in what type of source and context this obligation applies in ten European countries. The main finding is that collaboration is underpinned by an extensive range of legal requirements in Europe, although imposing these requirements is generally not the main objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European Groupings of Territorial Cooperation (EGTC) are a legal instrument intended to facilitate institutional cross-border cooperation. Launched in 2006, EGTC creation was particularly swift in East Central Europe, albeit with significant variation between different border regions. The article adopts an organizational ecology perspective to explain this variation and argues that the level of organizational density inside a cross-border ecological niche is crucial for EGTC creation. The analysis draws on policy documents and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders from four border areas in East Central Europe. It finds that lower levels of organizational density in unitary states constitute a favourable organizational environment for EGTC creation. However, rather than enhancing autonomous decision-making in the border region, we find evidence that unitary state support for EGTC creation reflects a political strategy to centralize control over cross-border cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article identifies a hitherto understudied element of local food communities, namely their potential as counter-movements to nationalist discourses, practices and policies. This potential should be particularly valuable in Eastern Europe, where European integration has been severely contested over the past years by political elites. We support our argument by a closer qualitative inquiry into two cases; one with urban-rural dimensions in the metropolitan area of Budapest and one in a more sparsely populated cross-border region at the Slovak-Hungarian border. Based on 18 interviews with coordinators, producers and consumers, numerous visits to both sites, and studying the organisations' documents we conclude that the growth of local food communities contributes to strengthened solidarity in local communities. Although nationalist discourses on buying domestic are rarely contested explicitly, the lack of any reference to national movements and discourses testifies to the primary importance of the local. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of increased healthcare access, universal aging, and infallible therapy demands, synergistically drive the need for the development of biomaterial technologies that mitigate the challenge of biomaterial-associated infections (BAI). Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus account for the majority of BAI due to their ability to accumulate in adherent multilayered biofilm. This investigation details the development of gene expression assays to evaluate the genetic processes of attachment, accumulation, maturation, and dispersal phases of biofilms on biomaterials in vitro, while abiding by the Minimum Information for Publication of Quantitative Real-Time PCR Experiments (MIQE) guidelines. The biofilm formation of S. epidermidis on polyurethane (PU) central venous catheters and S. aureus on machined titanium (Ti) was examined in terms of gene expression at early and late time points. The results provided insight into how each stage of biofilm formation is orchestrated over time on these biomaterials in vitro. Furthermore, the results suggested that mechanical RNA extraction, organic solvents, elimination of genomic DNA, and preamplification are advisable strategies to implement for biofilm gene expression analysis. It is concluded that this method can be employed for the assessment of biofilm-biomaterial interactions at the molecular level. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 3400-3412, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis of the implant-tissue interface is important for an understanding of the cellular response to biomaterials with different surface characteristics. However, inaccessibility to the site has restricted the detailed evaluation of the tissue surrounding the implant. Laser microdissection enables the isolation of specific cells and tissues for subsequent DNA, RNA, or protein analysis. The present experimental study employed laser microdissection to analyze tissue-specific differences in gene expression in cells around infected or control titanium implants 72 h after subcutaneous implantation in a rat model. Three different tissue zones located 0-800 μm away from the implant-tissue interface were analyzed. Implant sites challenged with a dose of 106 CFU Staphylococcus epidermidis demonstrated higher gene expression of selected markers for inflammation (TNF-α, IL-6), cell recruitment (MCP-1, IL-8, IL-8 R), infection (TLR2), and tissue remodeling (MMP-9) compared with control implants. Furthermore, the gene expression analysis of the three extracted tissue zones revealed marked spatial differences, depending on the distance to the implant. Control implants continuously induced higher cell gene expression in the implant-tissue interface compared with cells 200-800 μm away from the implant, whereas the sites inoculated with S. epidermidis resulted in high gene expression further away from the implant as well. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that laser microdissection is an interesting tool, revealing both gene- and site-specific gene expression patterns in the implant-tissue interface. The technique provides an opportunity for detailed molecular dissection of the biological events related to the implant but occurring at different distances from the implant. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2210-2217, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims:To investigate how training intensity influences HRQoL in people classified as obese, if HRQoL changes are related to changes in weight or aerobic capacity, and to define minimal clinically important difference (MCID). Methodology:Participants (BMI ≥35 kg/m2) randomized into high-intensity training (n = 49), moderate intensity training (n = 39), or no training (n = 22), completed the SF-36 questionnaire, performed a maximal exercise test, and were weighed, before and after a 16-week intervention. Major findings:High-intensity training showed a significantly greater increase in Physical Summary Scale (PCS), Physical Functioning (PF) and General Health (GH) compared to control, and in Vitality (VT) compared to moderate intensity. Within-group analysis showed that high-intensity training improved PCS 2.0 (0.0–4.4) points (mean (95%CI)), significantly improved mental summary scale (MCS) 3.8 (1.0–6.4) points (mean (95%CI)), PF, GH, VT, mental health, aerobic capacity, and reduced body weight. Moderate intensity training significantly increased PF, GH, aerobic capacity, and reduced weight. No correlations were found between changes in HRQoL and changes in weight or changes in aerobic capacity. Conclusion:High-intensity training improved HRQoL evaluated with SF-36. HRQoL changes were not correlated with changes in weight or aerobic capacity. Proposed MCIDs are 1.3 points for PCS and 2.0 points for MCS. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses the determinants of local government contact networks within cross-border cooperation organizations (Euroregions). Relying on social capital theory, a combination of social network and qualitative analytical tools are applied on data from two Scandinavian and two East Central European cases. The analysis reveals that, even in favourable circumstances, contact networks are thin and Euroregions fail to develop into truly integrated political spaces. The analysis also shows that contact patterns on one side of the border, determined primarily by inter-municipal cooperation, will matter for how contact networks are formed across the border. The findings are important, as membership in a Euroregion is expected to foster cross-border political relationships that could have possible spillover effects in terms of encouraging policy cooperation outside the framework of the Euroregion, which in turn would enhance the likelihood of well-functioning cross-border governance spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores how the notion of European integration at the local level can be conceptualized and measured. Based on a process-oriented inclusive understanding of integration and using relational datasets that maps both domestic and cross-border communication ties among political representatives in four Euroregions along the borders of Hungary–Slovakia and Sweden–Norway, we begin by applying and theoretically dissecting network-analytical metrics based on frequency of ties. Despite finding that such measures capture analytically relevant properties of political cross-border networks, we argue that they are less than ideal for capturing the notion of political integration. Instead, with inspiration from the blockmodeling tradition in network analysis, we propose two novel metrics—cross-border connectivityandintegrational overfitting. These metrics not only enrich our understanding of political integration in cross-border settings but also can serve as useful mapping tools for policy-makers. A software client enabling the analysis of these measures supplements this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection constitutes a major risk for implant failure, but the reasons why biomaterial sites are more vulnerable than normal tissue are not fully elucidated. In this study, a soft tissue infection model was developed, allowing the analysis of cellular and molecular responses in each of the sub-compartments of the implant–tissue interface (on the implant surface, in the surrounding exudate and in the tissue). Smooth and nanostructured titanium disks with or without noble metal chemistry (silver, gold, palladium), and sham sites, were inoculated with Staphylococcus epidermidis and analysed with respect to number of viable bacteria, number, viability and gene expression of host cells, and using different morphological techniques after 4 h, 24 h and 72 h. Non-infected rats were controls. Results showed a transient inflammatory response at control sites, whereas bacterial administration resulted in higher recruitment of inflammatory cells (mainly polymorphonuclear), higher, continuous cell death and higher gene expression of tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, Toll-like receptor 2 and elastase. At all time points, S. epidermidis was predominantly located in the interface zone, extra- and intracellularly, and lower levels were detected on the implants compared with surrounding exudate. This model allows detailed analysis of early events in inflammation and infection associated to biomaterials in vivo leading to insights into host defence mechanisms in biomaterial-associated infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibacterial peptides of the innate immune system combat pathogenic microbes, but often have additional roles in promoting inflammation and as growth factors during tissue repair. Midkine (MK) and pleiotrophin (PTN) are the only two members of a family of heparin-binding growth factors. They show restricted expression during embryogenesis and are up-regulated in neoplasia. In addition, MK shows constitutive and inflammation-dependent expression in some non-transformed tissues of the adult. In the present study, we show that both MK and PTN display strong antibacterial activity, present at physiological salt concentrations. Electron microscopy of bacteria and experiments using artificial lipid bilayers suggest that MK and PTN exert their antibacterial action via a membrane disruption mechanism. The predicted structure of PTN, employing the previously solved MK structure as a template, indicates that both molecules consist of two domains, each containing three antiparallel β-sheets. The antibacterial activity was mapped to the unordered C-terminal tails of both molecules and the last β-sheets of the N-terminals. Analysis of the highly conserved MK and PTN orthologues from the amphibian Xenopus laevis and the fish Danio rerio suggests that they also harbor antibacterial activity in the corresponding domains. In support of an evolutionary conserved function it was found that the more distant orthologue, insect Miple2 from Drosophila melanogaster, also displays strong antibacterial activity. Taken together, the findings suggest that MK and PTN, in addition to their earlier described activities, may have previously unrealized important roles as innate antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nanotopographic noble metal (Ag, Au, Pd) coating has been applied on commercial urinary catheters and used in more than 80,000 patients, with good clinical results. We have previously evaluated the biocompatibility of different variations of this coating, showing high cellular viability and function in vitro. However, the reasons for good clinical and preclinical behavior are not known. This in vivo study aimed to investigate the soft tissue peri‐implant reaction to five coatings with systematically altered noble metal ratios after 1, 3, and 21 days of implantation in rats. The results show that coatings of silver only, or silver with medium amounts of gold and low‐medium palladium content were superior to other tested coatings. Such surfaces were during the first days after implantation associated with a decreased recruitment of inflammatory cells to implant close exudates, a lower percentage of neutrophils, higher cell viability, and lower production of monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1), compared to the other coatings and uncoated silicone (PDMS) control. In contrast, the addition of higher concentrations of gold and palladium to silver induced a thicker soft tissue capsule. Coatings with high concentration of palladium induced the thickest fibrouscapsule after 21 days of implantation. The study demonstrates that by varying the noble metal ratio at implant surfaces it is possible to modulate inflammation and fibrosis in soft tissue. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2010 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A reliable and efficient protocol for the synthesis of 2 '-([1,2,3]triazol-1-yl)-2 '-deoxyadenosine derivatives from vidarabine is presented. Vidarabine was converted to 2'-azido-2'-deoxy-3',5-O-(tetraisopropyldisiloxane-1,3-diyl)-adenosine. This azide was used as the starting material for the CuI-catalyzed parallel synthesis of 1,2,3-triazoles using a variety of alkynes. The reactions proceeded in good yield and gave almost exclusively the 1,4-disubstituted 1,2,3-triazoles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]