Public leisure provision under Compulsory Competitive Tendering: the maintenance of ideological dominance?

Although much has been written about the effect on services of public sector restructuring, little is yet available on public leisure provision. This omission is addressed by considering how the delivery of public leisure services in Britain has been affected by the imposition of Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT). In particular, it focuses on the changing relationship between the central and local levels of government recognising, on the part of local government, a continuum of structural responses to central initiatives which have, in some cases, conspired to reduce the impact of CCT on public leisure provision. The paper concludes that although attempts have been made to protect local services, the outcome of the CCT process has been the regeneration of public leisure provision away from its service roots, but within an enduring ideological paradigm of conservative professionalism.

The Farm-Retail Price Spread in an Imperfectly Competitive Food Industry

Gardner's popular model of perfect competition in the marketing sector is extended to a conjectural-variations oligopoly with endogenous entry. Revising Gardner's comparative statics on the "farm-retail price ratio," tests of hypotheses about food industry conduct are derived. Using data from a recent article by Wohlgenant, which employs Gardner's framework, tests are made of the validity of his maintained hypothesis-that the food industries are perfectly competitive. No evidence is found of departures from competition in the output markets of the food industries of eight commodity groups: (a) beef and veal, (b) pork, (c) poultry, (d) eggs, (e) dairy, (f) processed fruits and vegetables, (g) fresh fruit, and (h) fresh vegetables.

Non-existence of competitive equilibria with dynamically inconsistent preferences

This paper shows the robust non-existence of competitive equilibria even in a simple three period representative agent economy with dynamically inconsistent preferences. We distinguish between a sophisticated and naive representative agent. Even when underlying preferences are monotone and convex, at given prices, we show by example that the induced preference of the sophisticated representative agent over choices in first-period markets is both non-convex and satiated. Even allowing for negative prices, the market-clearing allocation is not contained in the convex hull of demand. Finally, with a naive representative agent, we show that perfect foresight is incompatible with market clearing and individual optimization at given prices.

Hcp2, a secreted protein of the phytopathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000, is required for competitive fitness against bacteria and yeasts

When analysing the secretome of the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000, we identified hemolysin co-regulated protein (Hcp) as one of the secreted proteins. Hcp is assumed to be an extracellular component of the type VI secretion system (T6SS). Two copies of hcp genes are present in the Pst DC3000 genome, hcp1 (PSPTO_2539) and hcp2 (PSPTO_5435). We studied the expression patterns of hcp genes and tested the fitness of hcp knock-out mutants in host plant colonization and in inter-microbial competition. We found that the hcp2 gene is expressed, most actively at the stationary growth phase, and that the Hcp2 protein is secreted via T6SS and appears in the culture medium as covalently linked dimers. Expression of hcp2 is not induced in planta and it does not contribute to virulence or colonisation in tomato or Arabidopsis plants. Instead, hcp2 is required for survival in competition with enterobacteria and yeasts, and its function is associated with suppression of the growth of these competitors. This is the first report on bacterial T6SS-associated genes functioning in competition against yeast. Our results suggest that the T6SS of P. syringae may play an important role in bacterial fitness, allowing this plant pathogen to survive in conditions where it has to compete with other micro-organisms for resources.

The determinants of competitive success in the interwar British radio industry

This article discusses the sources of competitive advantage in the interwar British radio industry. Specifically, it examines why sections of the industry that reaped substantial monopoly rents from the downstream value chain failed to dominate the industry. During the 1920s Marconi (which controlled the fundamental UK patents) had a key cost advantage, as had other members of the ‘Big Six’ electrical engineering firms which formed the BBC and were granted preferential royalties. Meanwhile the valve manufacturers' cartel was also able to extract high rents from set manufacturers. The vertical integration literature suggests that input monopolists have incentives to control downstream production. Yet—in contrast to the gramophone industry, which became concentrated into two huge companies following market saturation in the 1930s—radio retained a much more competitive structure. The Big Six failed to capitalize fully on their initial cost advantages owing to logistical weaknesses in supplying markets subject to rapid technical and design obsolescence. Subsequently, during the 1930s, marketing innovations are shown to have played a key role in allowing several independents to establish successful brands. This gave them sufficient scale to provide strong bargaining positions with input suppliers, negating most of their initial cost disadvantage.

To what extent are EU steel companies susceptible to competitive loss due to climate policy?

In recognition of their competitive vulnerability, a set of special rules have been devised for managing sectors such as steel and cement within the EU ETS. These rules basically seek to set sector specific performance benchmarks and reward top performers. However, the steel sector as a whole will receive the vast majority of its allowances for free in Phase III. Perceptions of competitive vulnerability have been largely based on inherently hypothetical analyses which rely heavily on counterfactual scenario and abatement cost estimates often provided by firms themselves. This paper diverges from these approaches by providing a qualitative assessment of the two key reasons underpinning the competitive vulnerability argument of the EU Steel Companies based on interviews and case study involving the three largest producers of steel within the EU – AcerlorMittal, Corus, and ThyssenKrupp. We find that these arguments provide only partial and weak justifications for competitive loss and discriminatory treatment in the EUETS. This strategy is difficult to counter by governments due to information asymmetry; and it appears to have proved very successful insofar as it has helped the industry to achieve free allocation in Phases I-III of EU ETS by playing up the risk of carbon leakage.

Competitive exclusion by Bacillus subtilis spores of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis and Clostridium perfringens in young chickens

Cost effective control of avian diseases and food borne pathogens remains a high priority for all sectors of the poultry industry with cleansing and disinfection, vaccination and competitive exclusion approaches being used widely. Previous studies showed that Bacillus subtilis PY79(hr) was an effective competitive exclusion agent for use in poultry to control avian pathogenic Escherichia coli serotype O78:K80. Here we report experiments that were undertaken to test the efficacy of B. subtilis PY79(hr) in the control of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis and Clostridium perfringens in young chickens. To do this, 1-day-old and 20-day-old specific pathogen free (SPF) chicks were dosed with a suspension of B. subtilis spores prior to challenge with S. Enteritidis (S1400) and C. perfringens, respectively. For both challenge models, a single oral inoculum of 1 x 10(9) spores given 24 h prior to challenge was sufficient to suppress colonisation and persistence of both S. Enteritidis and C perfringens. In particular, the faecal shedding of S. Enteritidis, as measured by a semi-quantitative cloacal swabbing technique, was reduced significantly for the 36 days duration of the experiment. B. subtilis persisted in the intestine although with decreasing numbers over the same period. These data add further evidence that B. subtilis spores may be effective agents in the control of avian diseases and food borne pathogens.

In vivo characterization of Lactobacillus johnsonii FI9785 for use as a defined competitive exclusion agent against bacterial pathogens in poultry

Aims: To test the efficacy of Lactobacillus johnsonii FI9785 in reducing the colonization and shedding of Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis, Escherichia coli O78:K80 and Clostridium perfringens in poultry. Methods and Results: Specific pathogen-free chicks (1 day old) were dosed with a single oral inoculum of 1 x 10(9) CFU. Lactobacillus johnsonii FI9785 and 24 h later were challenged in separate experiments with S. Enteritidis (S1400, nal(r)) and E. coli O78:K80 (EC34195, nal(r)). There were no significant effects against S. Enteritidis whereas colonization of the small intestine by E. coli O78:K80 was reduced significantly. Both S. Enteritidis and E. coli colonized the caeca and colon to levels equivalent to control birds and there was no reduction in shedding as assessed by a semi-quantitative cloacal swabbing technique. Specific pathogen-free chicks (20 day old) were dosed with a single oral inoculum of 1 x 10(9) CFU L. johnsonii FI9785 and 24 h later were challenged with C. perfringens. A single oral dose of L. johnsonii FI9785 was sufficient to suppress all aspects of colonization and persistence of C. perfringens. Conclusions: Lactobacillus johnsonii FI9785 may be given to poultry for use as a competitive exclusion agent to control C. perfringens. Significance and Impact of the Study: Lactobacillus johnsonii FI9785 may be a valuable tool to control the endemic disease of necrotic enteritis, thereby reducing economic losses associated with reduced use of antimicrobials in the poultry industry.

Selected wheat seed defense proteins exhibit competitive binding to model microbial lipid interfaces

Puroindolines (Pins) and purothionins (Pths) are basic, amphiphilic, cysteine-rich wheat proteins that play a role in plant defense against microbial pathogens. We have examined the co-adsorption and sequential addition of Pins (Pin-a, Pin-b and a mutant form of Pin-b with Trp-44 to Arg-44 substitution) and β-purothionin (β-Pth) model anionic lipid layers, using a combination of surface pressure measurements, external reflection FTIR spectroscopy and neutron reflectometry. Results highlighted differences in the protein binding mechanisms, and in the competitive binding and penetration of lipid layers between respective Pins and β-Pth. Pin-a formed a blanket-like layer of protein below the lipid surface that resulted in the reduction or inhibition of β-Pth penetration of the lipid layer. Wild-type Pin-b participated in co-operative binding with β-Pth, whereas the mutant Pin-b did not bind to the lipid layer in the presence of β-Pth. The results provide further insight into the role of hydrophobic and cationic amino acid residues in antimicrobial activity.

Pro-competitive price beating guarantees: experimental evidence

We report experimental results on duopoly pricing with and without price beating guarantees (PBG). In two control treatments, price beating is either imposed as an industry-wide rule or offered as a business strategy. Our major finding is that when price beating guarantees are imposed as a rule or offered as an option, effective prices are equal to or lower than those in a baseline treatment in which price beating is forbidden. Also, when price beating is treated as a business strategy, less than 50% of subjects adopted the guarantee, suggesting that, subjects realize the pro-competitive effects of the guarantee.

Toxin-allelopathy among phytoplankton species prevents competitive exclusion

Toxic or allelopathic compounds liberated by toxin-producing phytoplankton (TPP) acts as a strong mediator in plankton dynamics. On an analysis of a set of phytoplankton biomass data that have been collected by our group in the northwest part of the Bay of Bengal, and by analysis of a three-component mathematical model under a constant as well as a stochastic environment, we explore the role of toxin-allelopathy in determining the dynamic behavior of the competing phytoplankton species. The overall results, based on analytical and numerical wings, demonstrate that toxin-allelopathy due to the TPP promotes a stable co-existence of those competitive phytoplankton that would otherwise exhibit competitive exclusion of the weak species. Our study suggests that TPP might be a potential candidate for maintaining the co-existence and diversity of competing phytoplankton species.

Competitive fitness in coronaviruses is not correlated with size or number of double-membrane vesicles under reduced-temperature growth conditions

Positive-stranded viruses synthesize their RNA in membrane-bound organelles, but it is not clear how this benefits the virus or the host. For coronaviruses, these organelles take the form of double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) interconnected by a convoluted membrane network. We used electron microscopy to identify murine coronaviruses with mutations in nsp3 and nsp14 that replicated normally while producing only half the normal amount of DMVs. Viruses with mutations in nsp5 and nsp16 produced small DMVs but also replicated normally. Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed that the most strongly affected of these, the nsp3 mutant, produced more viral RNA than wild-type virus. Competitive growth assays were carried out in both continuous and primary cells to better understand the contribution of DMVs to viral fitness. Surprisingly, several viruses that produced fewer or smaller DMVs showed a higher relative fitness compared to wild-type virus, suggesting that larger and more numerous DMVs do not necessarily confer a competitive advantage in primary or continuous cell culture. For the first time, this directly demonstrates that replication and organelle formation may be, at least in part, studied separately during positive-stranded RNA virus infection.

Temperament and self-based correlates of cooperative, competitive and individualistic learning preferences

People vary in the extent to which they prefer cooperative, competitive or individualistic achievement tasks. In the present research, we conducted two studies designed to investigate correlates and possible roots of these social interdependence orientations, namely approach and avoidance temperament, general self-efficacy, implicit theories of intelligence, and contingencies of self-worth based in others’ approval, competition, and academic competence. The results indicated that approach temperament, general self-efficacy, and incremental theory were positively, and entity theory was negatively related to cooperative preferences (|r| range from .11 to .41); approach temperament, general self-efficacy, competition contingencies, and academic competence contingencies were positively related to competitive preferences (|r| range from .16 to .46); and avoidance temperament, entity theory, competitive contingencies, and academic competence contingencies were positively related, and incremental theory was negatively related to individualistic preferences (|r| range from .09 to .15). The findings are discussed with regard to the meaning of each of the three social interdependence orientations, cultural differences among the observed relations, and implications for practicioners.