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Background/Aims: Vitamin D insufficiency drives secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) and is associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). SHPT is poorly addressed by current vitamin D repletion options. The present study evaluated a novel investigational vitamin D repletion therapy: a modified-release (MR) formulation of calcifediol designed to raise serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D in a gradual manner to minimize the induction of CYP24 and, thereby, improve the SHPT control. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial evaluated MR calcifediol in CKD subjects (n = 78) with plasma intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) >70 pg/ml and serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D Results: More than 90% of subjects treated with MR calcifediol achieved serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels ≥30 ng/ml versus 3% of subjects treated with placebo (p < 0.0001). Mean plasma iPTH decreased from baseline (140.3 pg/ml) by 20.9 ± 6.2% (SE), 32.8 ± 5.7 and 39.3 ± 4.3% in the 30, 60 and 90 µg dose groups, respectively, and increased 17.2 ± 7.8% in the pooled placebo group (p < 0.005). No clinically significant safety concerns arose during MR calcifediol treatment. Conclusion: Oral MR calcifediol appears safe and highly effective in treating SHPT associated with vitamin D insufficiency in CKD.

Groundwater investigations conducted since 1988 at a Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Voluntary Oversight and Assistance Program (VOAP) site located in Millington, Tennessee, have defined the lateral and vertical extent of site chemicals of concern (COCs) consisting of tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and associated degradation products. Results of a groundwater remedial investigation determined that aquifer conditions were favorable for anaerobic degradation of COCs through reductive dechlorination. A subsequent groundwater feasibility study determined that monitored natural attenuation (MNA) coupled with long-term groundwater monitoring was the most effective and suitable remedial option for the site. A Record of Decision was issued by the TDEC VOAP approving MNA and long-term groundwater monitoring as the remedial option for the site, a first for such a site in Tennessee involving chlorinated organics. A groundwater fate and transport model (the 1998 model) developed during the RI was used as the basis for the MNA remedy. Analytical data from 1998 to 2008 indicate COCs in former high-concentration areas continue to degrade at rates consistent with or ahead of the 1998 model predictions. Evidence of reductive dechlorination is also supported by the continued presence of breakdown products—specifically, vinyl chloride and ethene (terminal endpoint of PCE breakdown through reductive dechlorination). The continued detection of breakdown products along the flow-path wells also confirms the effectiveness of the MNA remedy at the site. Current analytical data indicate that COC plumes beneath the site are not migrating and are actually retracting. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hermeneutics is essentially the art or science of interpreting the meaning of something. Hermeneutics comes into play when parties to a contract turn to it to try to interpret and understand the meaning of their obligations as set forth in the wording of the contract. This essay outlines how hermeneutic interpretation comes into play in virtually all the major steps in a government procurement and contracting process. It calls into question the foundations of carrying out the work of government through contracts, recognizing that the legitimacy of traditional public administration is changing as more and more nongovernmental actors are performing services for governments and for citizens.

Coal is one of the primary sources of electric power generation in the world. FuelCell Energy is developing a cost-competitive, highly efficient, multi-MW solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power system using coal-derived synthesis gas. Design of the coal-based SOFC plant is to include greater than 90 percent CO2 separation from the coal-derived syngas as a prerequisite to carbon sequestration. Focus of the coal-based SOFC power plant development is on SOFC cell and stack scale-up and optimization, stack manufacturing capacity development, and MW class module engineering design and development. Simultaneously, power plant engineering is being conducted for design of a baseline multi-MW (~400 MWe) power plant with near zero emissions. Currently, scale-up of SOFC cell area and stack size (number of cells) and fuel cell improvements for both performance and longevity in operation are being implemented in the core fuel cell technology. Also, preliminary engineering design and analysis for a 5 MW proof-of-concept SOFC power plant system is being conducted.

(2008). Book Review: The Bureaucratic Experience: The Post-Modern (5th edition) by Ralph P. Hummel. Administrative Theory & Praxis: Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 279-283.

Retinoids are potent regulators of cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and morphogenesis and are important therapeutic agents in oncology and dermatology. The gene regulatory activity of endogenous retinoids is effected primarily by retinoic acid isomers (all-trans and 9-cis) that are synthesized from retinaldehyde precursors in a broad range of tissues and act as ligands for nuclear retinoic acid receptors. The catabolism of all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) is an important mechanism of controlling RA levels in cell and tissues. We have previously identified two cytochrome P450s, P450RAI-1 and P450RAI-2 (herein named CYP26A1 and CYP26B1), which were shown to be responsible for catabolism of atRA both in the embryo and the adult. In this report, we describe the identification, molecular cloning, and substrate characterization of a third member of the CYP26 family, named CYP26C1. Transiently transfected cells expressing CYP26C1 convert atRA to polar water-soluble metabolites similar to those generated by CYP26A1 and -B1. Competition studies with all-trans, 13-cis, and 9-cis isomers of retinoic acid demonstrated that atRA was the preferred substrate for CYP26C1. Although CYP26C1 shares extensive sequence similarity with CYP26A1 and CYP26B1, its catalytic activity appears distinct from those of other CYP26 family members. Specifically, CYP26C1 can also recognize and metabolize 9-cis-RA and is much less sensitive than the other CYP26 family members to the inhibitory effects of ketoconazole. CYP26C1 is not widely expressed in the adult but is inducible by RA in HPK1a, transformed human keratinocyte cell lines. This third CYP26 member may play a specific role in catabolizing both all-trans and 9-cis isomers of RA.

Although not new, the use of psychoanalysis to study, assess, and work with organizations is certainly not central to the field of public administration. This article argues that psychoanalysis adds value to rational-technical reforms because in addition to addressing the structural and rational aspects of organizations, it focuses on the implicit, unconscious, and often covert influences that can hinder individual and organizational performance. The authors focus on six key issues within public administration—task, autonomy, authority, responsiveness, finances, and accountability—arguing that psychoanalysis helps illuminate the conscious and unconscious dynamics that influence each. The article concludes by supporting the combined use of rational-technical and psychoanalytic approaches in order to help individuals and organizations risk and tolerate change.

Vitamin D insufficiency is prevalent in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) and increased risk of bone and vascular disease. Unfortunately, supplementation of stage 3 or 4 CKD patients with currently recommended vitamin D2 or D3 regimens does not reliably restore serum total 25-hydroxyvitamin D to adequacy (≥30ng/mL) or effectively control SHPT. Preclinical and clinical studies were conducted to evaluate whether the effectiveness of vitamin D repletion depends, at least in part, on the rate of repletion. A modified-release (MR) oral formulation of calcifediol (25-hydroxyvitamin D3) was developed which raised serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and calcitriol levels gradually. Single doses of either bolus intravenous (IV) or oral MR calcifediol were administered to vitamin D deficient rats. Bolus IV calcifediol produced rapid increases in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, calcitriol and FGF23, along with significant induction of CYP24A1 in both kidney and parathyroid gland. In contrast, oral MR calcifediol produced gradual increases in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and calcitriol and achieved similar hormonal exposure, yet neither CYP24A1 nor FGF23 were induced. A 10-fold greater exposure to bolus IV than oral MR calcifediol was required to similarly lower intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH). Single doses of oral MR (450 or 900μg) or bolus IV (450μg) calcifediol were administered to patients with stage 3 or 4 CKD, SHPT and vitamin D insufficiency. Changes in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and calcitriol and in plasma iPTH were determined at multiple time-points over the following 42 days. IV calcifediol produced abrupt and pronounced increases in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and calcitriol, but little change in plasma iPTH. As in animals, these surges triggered increased vitamin D catabolism, as evidenced by elevated production of 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. In contrast, MR calcifediol raised serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and calcitriol gradually, and meaningfully lowered plasma iPTH levels. Taken together, these studies indicate that rapid increases in 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 trigger CYP24A1 and FGF23 induction, limiting effective exposure to calcitriol and iPTH reduction in SHPT. They also support further investigation of gradual vitamin D repletion for improved clinical effectiveness.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "17th Vitamin D Workshop".

Agro-industrial wastewater and municipal sewage wereused to restore Frank Lake, a 1246 ha northernprairie marsh in southern Alberta, Canada, to providewaterfowl habitat and improve water quality. Meanannual inflow wastewater nutrient concentrations were17 mg L-1 NH3-N, 30 mg L-1 NO3-Nand 11 mg L-1 SRP. Mean flows greater than 5000 m3 day-1 loaded the marsh with 23 000 kg of P annually. Summer NH3-N, NO3-N andtotal phosphorus (TP) surface water concentrationswere decreased by 76, 87 and 64%, respectively, aswaters flowed through the first basin of the marsh.Winter treatment was less successful, with surfacewater NH3-N, NO3-N and TP reductions of46, –26 (export) and 26%, respectively.Short-circuiting of water flow through the marsh andcold seasonal conditions with ice cover caused spatialand temporal variation in marsh treatment. Continuedhigh loadings to the marsh may lead to sediment saturation, eutrophication or phosphorus export from the marsh.

Retinoids, particularly all- trans -retinoic acid (RA), are potent regulators of cell differentiation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. The role of all- trans -RA during development and in the maintenance of adult tissues has been well established. The control of all- trans -RA levels in cells and tissues is regulated by the balance between its biosynthesis and its catabolism to inactive metabolites. The cytochrome P450 enzyme P450RAI (herein renamed P450RAI-1) is partially responsible for this inactivation of all- trans -RA. In this report, we describe the identification, molecular cloning, and characterization of a second related enzyme, P450RAI-2, which is also involved in the specific inactivation of all- trans -RA. Transiently transfected P450RAI-2 can convert all- trans -RA to more polar metabolites including 4-oxo-, 4-OH-, and 18-OH-all- trans -RA. Competition experiments with other retinoids suggest that all- trans -RA is the preferred substrate. The high level of expression of P450RAI-2, particularly in the cerebellum and pons of human adult brain, suggests a unique role for this enzyme in the protection of specific tissues from exposure to retinoids.

The ability of wetlands to function as sinks for phosphorus (P) has been the subject of much debate. We measured the ability of a 1246 ha restored northern prairie wetland to store P from beef slaughter and municipal sewage wastewater. Sediment cores were collected from the Frank Lake marsh to quantify P accumulation, sedimentation rates and sediment adsorption ability. Approximately 60% of P inputs into the marsh since restoration in 1990 have been stored in the sediments (79 662 kg out of 141 760 kg applied). Sites near the wastewater inflow had greater sedimentation rates (3.0 cm year −1 ) and P burial rates (38.5 g P m −2 year −1 ) than other sites across the marsh (24 g P m −2 year −1 ). Surface sediments from the marsh and reference wetlands were collected and spiked experimentally with 25–500 μg l −1 P (as NaH 2 PO 4 3− ) to determine the ability of the sediments to take up additional P. Sorption isotherms showed that the sediments near the inflow had a limited ability for additional P-sorption. When exposed to 500 μg l −1 P, inflow sites sorbed a maximum of 1000 μg P g sediment −1 . In contrast, the rest of the sites in the marsh sorbed up to 1700 μg P g sediment −1 , while nearby reference wetland sites sorbed more than 2500 μg P g sediment −1 . Approximately 66% of the marsh sediments still had high sorption ability. Inflow sites had a reduced ability for additional P uptake due to the high P loadings applied to that area. Frank Lake has provided effective P retention, however, future treatment efficacy may decrease if the remaining sediments become saturated. Continued high P loading to the marsh may lead to eutrophication problems and downstream P export from the wetland.

Retinoids, including all-trans-retinoic acid (RA) and its stereoisomer 9-cis-RA play important roles in regulating gene expression, through interactions with nuclear receptors, during embryonic development and in the maintenance of adult epithelial tissues (Chambon, P. (1995) Rec. Prog. Horm. Res. 50, 317–32; Mangelsdorf, D. J., and Evans, R. M. (1995)Cell 83, 841–850; Petkovich, M. (1992) Annu. Rev. Nutr. 12, 443–471). Evidence suggests that 4-hydroxylation of RA inside the target cell limits its biological activity and initiates a degradative process of RA leading to its eventual elimination. However, 18-hydroxylation and glucuronidation may also be important steps in this process. In this paper, we describe the cloning and characterization of the first mammalian retinoic acid-inducible retinoic acid-metabolizing cytochrome P450 (hP450RAI), which belongs to a novel class of cytochromes (CYP26). We demonstrate that hP450RAI is responsible for generation of several hydroxylated forms of RA, including 4-OH-RA, 4-oxo-RA, and 18-OH-RA. We also show that hP450RAI mRNA expression is highly induced by RA in certain human tumor cell lines and further show that RA-inducible RA metabolism may correlate with P450RAI expression. We conclude that this enzyme plays a key role in RA metabolism, functioning in a feedback loop where RA levels are controlled in an autoregulatory manner.

What are the key issues facing information systems managers in the public sector? Most public IS managers surveyed show more concern for agency-wide management issues than for technical ones. They care about what information systems can do for their agencies. They want people in their agencies to understand the importance of managing information and information technology effectively.

The purpose of doctoral education in public administration might seem almost self-evident. If public adminstration were regarded like most other academic fields and disciplines, the traditi...

VIII. Conclusions 423 References 423Contracting for information technology (IT) and outsourcing information services in the public sector is fraught with many financial risks and project failures. This chapter provides an overview of some major issues in contracting and outsourcing IT in public organizations. It examines the risks and failures of large-scale IT projects, and addresses some of the things that management can do to deal with risks and failures in contracting and outsourcing deals.

Long chain fatty acids have recently emerged as critical signaling molecules in neuronal, cardiovascular, and renal processes, yet little is presently known about the precise mechanisms controlling their tissue distribution and bioactivation. We have identified a novel cytochrome P450, CYP2U1, which may play an important role in modulating the arachidonic acid signaling pathway. Northern blot and real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that CYP2U1 transcripts were most abundant in the thymus and the brain (cerebellum), indicating a specific physiological role for CYP2U1 in these tissues. Recombinant human CYP2U1 protein, expressed in baculovirus-infected Sf9 insect cells, was found to metabolize arachidonic acid exclusively to two region-specific products as determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. These metabolites were identified as 19- and 20-hydroxy-modified arachidonic acids by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. In addition to omega/omega-1 hydroxylation of arachidonic acid, CYP2U1 protein also catalyzed the hydroxylation of structurally related long chain fatty acid (docosahexaenoic acid) but not fatty acids such as lauric acid or linoleic acid. This is the first report of the cloning and functional expression of a new human member of P450 family 2, CYP2U1, which metabolizes long chain fatty acids. Based on the ability of CYP2U1 to generate bioactive eicosanoid derivatives, we postulate that CYP2U1 plays an important physiological role in fatty acid signaling processes in both cerebellum and thymus.

The catabolism of retinoic acid (RA) is an essential mechanism for restricting the exposure of specific tissues and cells to RA. We recently reported the identification of a RA-inducible cytochrome P450 [P450RAI(CYP26)], in zebrafish, mouse, and human, which was shown to be responsible for RA catabolism. P450RAI exhibits a complex spatiotemporal pattern of expression during development and is highly inducible by exogenous RA treatment in certain tissues and cell lines. Sequence analysis of the proximal upstream region of the P450RAI promoter revealed a high degree of conservation between zebrafish, mouse, and human. This region of the promoter contains a canonical retinoic acid response element (5'-AGT-TCA-(n)5-AGTTCA-3'), embedded within a 32-bp region (designated R1), which is conserved among all three species. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays using this element demonstrated the specific binding of murine retinoic acid receptor-gamma (RARgamma) and retinoid X receptor-alpha (RXRalpha) proteins. Transient transfection experiments with the mouse P450RAI promoter fused to a luciferase reporter gene showed transcriptional activation in the presence of RA in HeLa, Cos-1, and F9 wild-type cells. This activation, as well as basal promoter activity, was abolished upon mutation of the RARE. Deletion and mutational analyses of the P450RAI promoter, as well as DNase I footprinting studies, revealed potential binding sites for several other proteins in conserved regions of the promoter. Also, two conserved 5'-TAAT-3' sequences flanking the RARE were investigated for their potential importance in P450RAI promoter activity. Moreover, these studies revealed an essential requirement for a G-rich element (designated GGRE), located just upstream of the RARE, for RA inducibility. This element was demonstrated to form complexes with Sp1 and Sp3 using nuclear extracts from either murine F9 or P19 cells. Together, these results indicate that the P450RAI-RARE is atypical in that conserved flanking sequences may play a very important role in regulating RA inducibility and expression of P450RAI(CYP26).

/ A rapid development and approval process was employed by Ducks Unlimited Canada and other stakeholders to restore a 1246-ha (3079-acre) northern prairie wetland in southern Alberta, Canada, with 3640 m3/day (800,000 US gallons) of municipal wastewater and beef processing wastewater. A large nongovernmental organization hastened restoration with a development process that outlined restoration goals and management objectives to satisfy a dual mandate of wastewater treatment and wildlife habitat creation. In 1995, after five years of wastewater additions, the basins had been refilled and the surrounding uplands had been acquired and restored. The Frank Lake Conservation Area currently provides high-quality habitat for a variety of wildlife in a region where many of the native plants and animals species have been lost due to habitat loss and fragmentation. The success of upland and water management strategies is reflected in the increase of target species' abundance and richness: 50 shorebird species, 44 waterfowl species, 15 raptor species, and 28 other new bird species have returned to the marsh since restoration. As well, significant N and P reduction occurs as waters flow through the first basin of the marsh. The management strategies of this project that satisfied a dual mandate serve as a model to guide managers of other large-scale wetland restoration projects.KEY WORDS: Frank Lake; Wetland restoration; Adaptive management; Prairie; Wastewaterhttp://link.springer-ny.com/link/service/journals/00267/bibs/24n1p25.html

(2005). In Remembrance of Petra, Ronald, and Amande. Administrative Theory & Praxis: Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 436-437.

Retinoic acid (RA) metabolites of vitamin A are key regulators of gene expression involved in embryonic development and maintenance of epithelial tissues. The cellular effects of RA are dependent upon the complement of nuclear receptors expressed (RARs and RXRs), which transduce retinoid signals into transcriptional regulation, the presence of cellular retinoid-binding proteins (CRABP and CRBP), which may be involved in RA metabolism, and the activity of RA metabolizing enzymes. We have been using the zebrafish as a model to study these processes. To identify genes regulated by RA during exogenous RA exposure, we utilized mRNA differential display. We describe the isolation and characterization of a cDNA, P450RAI, encoding a novel member of the cytochrome P450 family. mRNA transcripts for P450RAI are expressed normally during gastrulation, and in a defined pattern in epithelial cells of the regenerating caudal fin in response to exogenous RA. In COS-1 cells transfected with the P450RAI cDNA, all-trans-RA is rapidly metabolized to more polar metabolites. We have identified 4-oxo-RA and 4-OH-RA as major metabolic products of this enzyme. P450RAI represents the first enzymatic component of RA metabolism to be isolated and characterized at the molecular level and provides key insight into regulation of retinoid homeostasis.

The capture of carbon dioxide (C02), one of the greenhouse gases, was analytically studied for 12 different fuel cell power systems. The impact of capturing C02 was evaluated in terms of overall cycle efficiency and cost of electricity (COE). The results of this study are compared to data for other power cycles found in the literature. The fuel cell power cycles have unique characteristics that make them a favored technology should the capture of CO, become necessary. Fuel cell power cycles operate with high efficiency and are the only pratical power technology thai has the ability to keep the fuel exhaust separate from the oxidant exhaust stream after the power conversion process. This allows CO, to be removed from a low volume, high concentration spent fuel stream, making it less costly to recover.

Introduction The traditional view of doctoral education, borrowed from the social sciences, is the reproduction of the professoriate to ensure continued knowledge development through research and the dissemination of knowledge through teaching. In other words, the traditional purpose of doctoral education is the creation of a new generation of scholars who will pursue careers in academe. This is clearly not the reality of doctoral education in public administration as it has evolved. Consider the following facts based on more than ten years of research in the doctoral education field. 1. The vast majority of people obtaining the doctoral degree never publish anything that contributes to the knowledge base of the field. 2. Only a minority of doctoral graduates enters careers in academe. The majority of graduates appear to remain in professional positions. 3. The quality of dissertation research has been viewed as questionable by any standards of quantitative or qualitative research. 4. Many faculty positions are being filled by individuals trained in other fields. The Purpose of Doctoral Education in Public Administration What is the purpose of doctoral education in public administration? We can begin to answer this question by addressing the motives of students entering doctoral programs. Research suggests that only a handful of students are interested in pursuing traditional academic careers involving research, teaching, and service. On average, according to recent National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) surveys, at least 250 students graduate each year with a doctoral degree in public administration or public affairs. While there certainly are not that many open faculty positions in any given year, we note that many programs are hiring faculty from other disciplines (e.g., political science, economics, policy studies, social work, business, management, etc.). These hires are not from the 250+ average number of public administration graduates. This disparity in hiring also suggests that public administration programs are not producing enough graduates who are competitive and interested in the academic marketplace. This seems ironic in light of our suspicion that there is indeed a demand for doctoral graduates in public administration, as evidenced by regular multiple listings in the Public Administration Times and the Political Science Recruiter. Indeed, some institutions have had considerable difficulty hiring qualified new faculty members in certain core subfields. We believe that the majority of doctoral students in public administration are pursuing the degree for nontraditional purposes. We can speculate on five of those purposes: 1) to enhance one's professional practice in administrative or policy settings; 2) to inflate one's ego; 3) to gain a promotion or be retained in a position; 4) to enhance the likelihood of getting consulting grants or contracts; 5) because it may be advantageous to say, very loosely, that one is a "candidate" for or is "pursuing" the doctoral degree, even while lacking sufficient motivation to ever complete the degree. The first purpose is certainly justified, and we suspect that many of our colleagues would agree (see: Clayton, 1995; Sherwood, 1996; and Hambrick, 1997). The other four purposes are, in our opinion, simply not legitimate and waste scarce educational resources. Indeed, the 10:1 ratio of doctoral enrollees to graduates argues, somewhat disturbingly, for the fifth possibility. Public administration at the doctoral level can be both an academic and a professional degree. It has served the purposes of future academicians and continuing professionals for many years. There is a rationale for serving the interests of continuing professionals, and by providing them with knowledge and skills beyond the Master's level we add some value to the practice of public administration. …

The purpose of doctoral education and research in public administration might seem almost self-evident. If public administration were thought of like most other social science disciplines, the traditional purpose of the doctorate - the development and dissemination of knowledge relevant to the field and preparation of the professoriate - would hold for public administration as well. Most academics in public administration may continue to think of the doctorate in our field in precisely that way. However, the evidence simply does not support this view. Indeed, the public administration doctorate appears to advance knowledge and theory development in the field only to a rather limited degree. Doctoral education and research is one aspect of the larger debate in public administration concerning the status and nature of research in the field, and more broadly, the question of knowledge and theory development in public administration. A number of studies in recent years have focused on the research issue (White and Adams, 1994); some of these have discussed doctoral research (Adams and White, 1994; Cleary, 1992; McCurdy and Cleary, 1984; Stallings, 1986; and White, 1986b), and some have examined the kinds of research manifested in journal publications (Houston and Delevan, 1990; Perry and Kraemer, 1986; Stallings and Ferris, 1988). Another group of studies has addressed the broader philosophical issues related to the generation of knowledge and the development of theory in the field (Adams, 1992; Balfour and Mesaros, 1994; Box, 1992; Hummel, 1991; and White, 1986a). We examine the publication records of the 1981 through 1987 classes of public administration doctorate recipients and assess their contribution to knowledge and theory development in the field, as measured by publication in refereed journals. These findings are compared with other data on publication rates of public administration doctorate recipients, and then, we take a closer look at the class of 1987. These data on publications are contemplated in light of the research on the quality of dissertation scholarship. Taken together, evidence from these two streams of research renders the traditional view of doctoral education and research untenable for public administration and also shows that doctoral education and research appear not to be making significant contributions to knowledge and theory development in the field, at least as measured by publication in scholarly, peer-reviewed journals. Finally, we offer some suggestions for improving the condition of the public administration doctorate. However, we are unable to paint an optimistic portrait of what appears to be a doctorate with multiple, and possibly conflicting, purposes. Recent Research on the Doctorate Published assessments of doctoral education and research in public administration in the 1980s and 1990s have raised serious questions for those who hold that the doctorate should advance knowledge and theory in the field. In 1984, McCurdy and Cleary examined public administration dissertations and found that the majority lacked a central focus on the field, addressed relatively unimportant questions, and failed to meet the standards of mainstream social science research. White (1986b) agreed with them in a replication of their research. He also found that much of the nonmainstream research lacked methodological rigor according to the standards of interpretive or critical research. Stallings (1986) has also raised several significant questions about the scope and role of the doctorate in our field. In the 1990s, Cleary's research concluded that the quality of dissertations had improved somewhat (Cleary [1992] replicated his previous research with McCurdy). Unfortunately, the amount of improvement has been modest at best (Adams and White [1994] replicated White's earlier research). Indeed, the majority of the dissertations studied lacked a theoretical framework, were methodologically unsound, and tended to address questions of moderate to low interest to the field. …

How does dissertation research in public administration compare with cognate fields in terms of method and quality? Guy B. Adams andJay D. White compare the dissertation researchfrom 1992 in public administration, criminology, management, planning, social work and women 's studies. Comparativefindings are presented on methods used, on the general characteristic of the dissertations, and on quality. The lack of theoretical research, or

This article relates the logic of literary interpretation to the logic of administrative action theory. It offers criteria for validating interpretations of administrative action. It shows how action theory can be rescued from misplaced claims of subjectivism by locating the meaning of an act with the intention of the actor. It also points out that both the meaning and the significance of an administrative action are related to interpretations and critiques of social situations. Interpretation and critique are then seen as prerequisites for planned social change.

Many new energy technology development programs have potentially significant but poorly understood water resources impacts. Two such technologies currently in the advanced stages of planning and demonstration are oil shale development in the Rocky Mountain region and enhanced gas recovery in the Appalachian region. The paper describes these two energy technologies and their respective water resources impacts. The analysis of western oil shale development focuses on groundwater quality and quantity impacts resulting from mining and in situ retorting activities. The examination of enhanced gas recovery development focuses on sediment load and other impacts resulting from widespread drilling and construction-related land surface modifications. Information and data from current technology demonstrations are integrated into the impact descriptions.

In response to Michael Urban's article, "Bureaucratic Ideology in the United States and the Soviet Union: Some Empirical Dimensions," this commentary argues that three modes of knowledge acquisition: the explanatory, the interpretive, and the critical, may be employed by those seeking an explication of our general adherence to hierarchical principles. However, an understanding of the specific purposes to be served by each of these modes is a necessary prerequisite to their use in specific cases.