Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do NPM-Type Reforms Lead to a Cultural Revolution Within Public Sector Organizations?

Abstract Agencification and granting public sector organizations managerial autonomy in particular is believed to change organizational cultures, away from traditional compliance- and detail-oriented bureaucratic cultures and towards organizational cultures which are more oriented towards external customers. There is however very little empirical information on the relationship between managerial autonomy and organizational culture. Using a unique data set on public agencies in Flanders, we not only test how managerial autonomy affects the strength of a customer-oriented culture within public sectors but also examine whether this culture becomes dominant over traditional public administration culture. Analysis shows that managerial autonomy positively affects a customer-oriented culture; however, it does not make it a dominant culture.
Fostering Intersectoral Partnering: A Guide to Promoting Cooperation Among Government, Business, and Civil Society Actors

Addressing issues such as health care, low-income housing, and economic development often involves building intersectoral partnerships (ISPs) -relationships between organizations based in the state, market and civil society sectors. But because of the substantial differences between these sectors, building these relationships is a difficult and lengthy process with many unusual problems. Reviewing international experiences brings to light some valuable lessons about building successful ISPs. This paper looks at inter-organizational partnerships in general, and then ISPs in particular through five stages of ISP development: (1) identifying preconditions for ISPs, (2) convening actors and defining problems, (3) setting shared directions, (4) implementing joint action strategies, and (5) expanding and institutionalizing success. It concludes with nine lessons to guide ISP formation. DEFINITIONS AND KEY CONCEPTS Intersectoral Partnerships, or ISPs, is a term that refers to activity that involves collaboration between organizations based in three sectors: the state (government), the market (business), and civil society (NGOs, non-profits, etc.). Many large and complex issues, such as housing for the urban poor, grassroots economic development, and health care, require such a range of resources and abilities that ISPs are an important approach to effectively address them. ISPs can help reduce duplication of effort and activity that works at cross-purposes; they can also stimulate innovation and unusually creative solutions if the diverse goals of participants can be addressed. In effect, ISPs can produce activities in which “the whole is more than the sum of the parts”. However, building ISPs often takes more time and effort than other forms of partnership. To better understand the process of building ISPs, it is useful to first understand inter-organizational collaborating in general. Then ISPs, which are a subset of this broader field, can be described more specifically. This includes a description of more specific actions that will support the development of ISPs through five stages of development. Inter-Organizational Partnerships “Partnership” is a term that can be applied to a wide variety of inter-organizational forums where information and resources are shared and exchanged to produce outcomes that one partner working alone could not achieve. In their broadest sense they include everything from informal forums, such 1
Mainstreaming action on climate change through participatory appraisal

Climate change is a complex phenomenon. Responses in the form of decisions and actions on mitigation and adaptation measures, what balance among these should be preferred and how preferred options might be implemented are needed across many different levels in the governance structure and across many contexts of application. These will have to be developed from a very low starting position, often in conditions of ignorance of the urgency of the issues, uncertainty and dispute. If society is to respond effectively, climate change will need to be 'mainstreamed' into routine forward planning and decision-making activities. We argue that this calls for a generic 'capacity' that would be applicable across scales and contexts to explore responses. Most usefully, this should be built around principles of participation, experimentation and social learning, with appraisal conceptualised as an active process used instrumentally to transform the prospects for responding effectively to climate change.
Do Democracies Breed Rent‐seeking Behavior?

Abstract Using objective institutional historical data for the case of Uruguay, we test the link between rent‐seeking behavior in democracies using time‐series and panel data approaches. We find three main results. First, democratic regimes are negatively linked with rent‐seeking actions. Second, the longer the duration of democracy, the less rent seeking in a society. Third, legislation enacted more transparently is negatively correlated with rent‐seeking behavior. Our results are robust to the use of different econometric methods and basic robustness tests and are consistent with prevailing theory.
Using Nonlinear Tests to Examine Integration Between Real Estate and Stock Markets

In this study we present an alterntive approach to test whether the real estate and equity markets are cointegrated. We develop a nonlinear test which allows for a stochastic trend term as opposed to a deterministic drift term. This is a reasonable approach, because if the real estate market is related to the equity market then it is desirable to incorporate the stochastic nature of the equity market into the model. We compare the results of the nonlinear model to the results obtained using conventional cointegration tests. The cointegration results supports the view that the real estate and equity markets are segmented, whereas the nonlinear model support the view that the markets are fractionally intgrated. A possible reason for this apparent dicrepancy between the results could be due to the underlying assumption of a linear relationship between the variables for the cointegration. It is possible that the tests of cointegration will reject that the two variables are related even though the relationship may be nonlinear.
Posterior Parietal Cortex Drives Inferotemporal Activations During Three-Dimensional Object Vision

The primate visual system consists of a ventral stream, specialized for object recognition, and a dorsal visual stream, which is crucial for spatial vision and actions. However, little is known about the interactions and information flow between these two streams. We investigated these interactions within the network processing three-dimensional (3D) object information, comprising both the dorsal and ventral stream. Reversible inactivation of the macaque caudal intraparietal area (CIP) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) reduced fMRI activations in posterior parietal cortex in the dorsal stream and, surprisingly, also in the inferotemporal cortex (ITC) in the ventral visual stream. Moreover, CIP inactivation caused a perceptual deficit in a depth-structure categorization task. CIP-microstimulation during fMRI further suggests that CIP projects via posterior parietal areas to the ITC in the ventral stream. To our knowledge, these results provide the first causal evidence for the flow of visual 3D information from the dorsal stream to the ventral stream, and identify CIP as a key area for depth-structure processing. Thus, combining reversible inactivation and electrical microstimulation during fMRI provides a detailed view of the functional interactions between the two visual processing streams.
Rethinking internal communication: a stakeholder approach

Purpose – Effective internal communication is crucial for successful organisations as it affects the ability of strategic managers to engage employees and achieve objectives. This paper aims to help organisations improve internal communication by proposing theory with the potential to improve practice.Design/methodology/approach – This paper identifies gaps in the academic literature and addresses calls for discussion and definition of internal communication, for theory on its mandates, scope and focus and to counteract the tendency to treat employees as a uni‐dimensional “single public”. To address these gaps, internal communication is defined and positioned within the corporate communication school of thought.Findings – The paper proposes an Internal Communication Matrix which could be used to supplement other forms of internal situational analysis and as an analytical tool which may be applied to the strategic analysis, planning and evaluation of internal communication.Practical implications – Strategi.
Comparative evaluation of two subgingival irrigating solutions in the management of periodontal disease: A clinicomicrobial study

Context: Local administration of antimicrobial agents offer a “site-specific” approach to the periodontal therapy and it has several benefits. Aim: The present study was aimed to assess the clinical and microbial changes by subgingival irrigation using different subgingival irrigants in periodontitis patients and also to assess the mechanical effect of different local irrigation devices; if any. Settings and Design: Split-mouth design was employed on ten individuals. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 10 individuals in whom full-mouth scaling and root planing was performed and subgingival irrigation therapy was instituted for an experimental period of 30 days. The clinical as well as microbiological parameters were evaluated. Statistical Analysis Used: To calculate baseline data with day thirty data,paired t-test was used. Intergroup comparison was carried out using one-way ANOVA. Multiple comparisons among groups were carried out using post hoc Tamhane's T2 test. Results: Among the different subgingival irrigants used, 0.2% chlorhexidine gluconate is most effective followed by ozonated water, whereas saline was found to be ineffective when compared to the other two subgingival irrigants. Subgingival irrigation using pulsated device may not have any additive effect in alteration of the subgingival microflora. Conclusion: Within the limits and scope of the study, it can be safely concluded that 0.2% chlorhexidine may be used as an adjunct to mechanical therapy for achieving a significant reduction in inflammatory periodontal changes and also reduction in periodontopathogenic microflora.
GROWTH ACCOUNTING AND PRODUCTIVITY MEASUREMENT

This paper compares the growth accounting approaches to aggregate productivity measurement and analysis of three major researchers: E. F. Denison, D. W. Jorgenson, and J. W. Kendrick. The investigetors are compared in terms of their treatment of a number of crucial elements, including measurement of output and of capital and labor inputs (including composition or quality changes), total factor productivity growth, economies of scale, and intensity of demand (for output). Judged by the standard of the neoclassical economic theory of production‐the only generally accepted basis for input aggregation‐Denison departs significantly from the production theory framework in his measurement of output and capital input, Kendrick to some degree in his measure of capital input, and Jorgenson not at all. The effects of these departures are illustrated with reference to the recent productivity slowdown. The probable near‐term future utility of growth accounting methods for productivity analysis is assessed, and some related econometric modeling issues are noted.
A Critical Assessment of Measures of Central Bank Independence

The methodology of measuring central bank independence suggested by Bade and Parkin three decades ago and inverse correlations between the measures and inflation have been widely accepted. The measurement literature has made important contributions identifying elements of institutional design that establish the relationship between the central bank and the government and the measurements from an ordinal perspective provide some useful insights about the major institutional redesigns of central banks during the past several decades. At the same time, the measurement literature is problematic. First, a dummy variable bifurcating central banks into groups of independent and less independent central banks can duplicate the standard correlations suggesting the information content of the specific measures is limited; second, the correlations between inflation and measures of independence are not as stable as claimed; and most important, the measurements are subject to classification problems that have not been fully appreciated. Review of the institutional design and history of the Bank of Korea, Bank of Japan, and the Federal Reserve provide evidence the classification problems are important. The measures of independence are more appropriately regarded as ordinal rankings of central bank independence rather than considered cardinal measures suitable for econometric modeling.
Association of Mitotic Regulation Pathway Polymorphisms with Pancreatic Cancer Risk and Outcome

Background: Mitosis is a highly regulated process that serves to ensure the fidelity of cell division. The disruption of mitotic regulators leading to aneuploidy and polyploidy is commonly observed in cancer cells. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in regulators of mitosis may promote chromosome missegregation and influence pancreatic cancer and/or survival. Methods: Thirty-four SNPs, previously associated with breast cancer risk, from 33 genes involved in the regulation of mitosis, were investigated for associations with pancreatic cancer risk in 1,143 Caucasian patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and 1,097 unaffected controls from the Mayo Clinic. Associations with survival from pancreatic cancer were also assessed using 1,030 pancreatic cancer cases with known outcome. Results: Two SNPs in the APC (rs2431238) and NIN (rs10145182) loci, of 34 examined, were significantly associated with pancreatic cancer risk (P = 0.035 and P = 0.038, respectively). Further analyses of individuals categorized by smoking and body mass index identified several SNPs displaying significant associations (P < 0.05) with pancreatic cancer risk, including APC rs2431238 in individuals with high body mass index (≥30; P = 0.031) and NIN rs10145182 in ever smokers (P = 0.01). In addition, survival analyses detected significant associations between SNPs in EIF3S10 and overall survival (P = 0.009), SNPs from five genes and survival in resected cancer cases (P < 0.05), and SNPs from two other genes (P < 0.05) and survival of locally advanced cancer cases. Conclusion: Common variation in genes encoding regulators of mitosis may independently influence pancreatic cancer susceptibility and survival. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(1); 251–7
The transformation of human resource management in Indonesian state-owned enterprises since the Asian Crisis

Indonesia is facing a rapid institutional change arising from the 1997 Asian Crisis, and state-owned enterprises (SOEs) were forced to undertake a transformation to survive in the increasing market competition and to revive their roles as the engine of economic growth. This included measures to tackle the increasingly vital human-related issues, namely human resource management (HRM). This research focuses on the dynamic relationships between the SOEs and their internal and external stakeholders in the post-1997 Asian Crisis. It addresses three main issues. First is to investigate the change within the Indonesian institutions and the influence on the firms. Second is to examine the response of the firms as captured in their firms' transformation initiatives in the area of HRM. Third is to elaborate the implications for theory and practices regarding transitional economy in general and HRM changes in particular. The results indicate that the transformation of SOEs has been determined by the firms' relationships with both their internal and external stakeholders. Following the Asian Crisis, Indonesia witnesses a drastic change of the HR practices toward greater market orientation and the pervasiveness of ‘best practices’.
Taxes and Tariffs and the Evaluation of the Benefit from Foreign Investment

This paper contains a framework for the estimation of the tax revenues gained by a country because it has access to foreign investment. Both private direct and indirect investment are considered along with foreign borrowing by the host country's government. This framework is used to evaluate the tax benefit received by Canada from this source for the period from 1965 to 1974. By 1974 the tax benefit from foreign investment had grown to between $2.2 and $3.4 billion annually. This is equivalent to between 1.5 and 2.5 per cent of Canada's gross national product.
Corporate News Structure and the Managerial Revolution

Critics contend that corporate news organizations are destroying democracy because they place more emphasis on profits than on information diversity and other nonprofit goals considered crucial for creating or maintaining a political democracy. Research shows that corporate news organizations tend to be more profitable than entrepreneurial news organizations; however, they actually place less emphasis on profits and more on product quality and other nonprofit goals. More importantly, the "critical corporate model" appears to contain a logical flaw, the "approved contradiction," which claims that professional managers should maximize profits more than the owners. This claim contradicts the managerial revolution hypothesis that expects corporate organizations to place less emphasis on profits as power and control in modern organizations shifts from the owners to professional managers and technocrats. This article reviews the managerial revolution hypothesis and concludes that attempts to dismiss it outright are premature.
Racial Microaggressions: The Schooling Experiences of Black Middle-Class Males in Arizona’s Secondary Schools

* Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Quaylan Allen, University of Northern Colorado, Email: quaylan.allen@gmail.com The literature on Black education has often neglected significant analysis of life in schools and the experience of racism among Black middle-class students in general and Black middle-class males specifically. Moreover, the achievement gap between this population and their White counterparts in many cases is greater than the gap that exists among working-class Blacks and Whites. This study begins to document the aforementioned by illuminating the racial microaggressions experienced by Black middle-class males while in school and how their families’ usage of social and cultural capital deflect the potential negative outcomes of school racism.
Molecular hydrogen regulates the expression of miR-9, miR-21 and miR-199 in LPS-activated retinal microglia cells.

AIM To explore the potential mechanism of molecular hydrogen in the regulation of miRNA expression and signal-modulating activities. METHODS Retinal microglia cells were activated by Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and then treated with hydrogen-saturated medium or normal medium without hydrogen. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression difference in miR-9, miR-21 and miR-199 between these two groups. Moreover, the expression of LPS-induced signaling proteins, including Myd88, IKK-β, NF-κB, and PDCD4, were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS The results demonstrated a marked down-regulation of miR-9 and miR-21 and up-regulation of miR-199 by hydrogen treatment; the expression of Myd88 and IKK-β was decreased after hydrogen treatment, whereas PDCD4 was increased, and there was no significant change in NF-κB expression. CONCLUSION The results in the present study indicate that miR-9, miR-199 and miR-21 play an important role in the anti-inflammatory regulation of LPS-activated microglia cells by molecular hydrogen, which will help to explain the protective mechanism of molecular hydrogen against inflammatory injury.
Information Density as a Factor for Variation in the Embedding of Relative Clauses

In German, relative clauses can be positioned in-situ or extraposed. A potential factor for the variation might be information density. In this study, this hypothesis is tested with a corpus of 17th century German funeral sermons. For each referent in the relative clauses and their matrix clauses, the attention state was determined (first calculation). In a second calculation, for each word the surprisal values were determined, using a bi-gram language model. In a third calculation, the surprisal values were accommodated as to whether it is the first occurrence of the word in question or not. All three calculations pointed in the same direction: With in-situ relative clauses, the rate of new referents was lower and the average surprisal values were lower, especially the accommodated surprisal values, than with extraposed relative clauses. This indicated that in-formation density is a factor governing the choice between in-situ and extraposed relative clauses. The study also sheds light on the intrinsic relation-ship between the information theoretic concept of information density and in-formation structural concepts such as givenness which are used under a more linguistic perspective.
“A Remarkable Experience of God, Shaping Us as a Family”: Parents’ Use of Faith Following Child's Rare Disease Diagnosis

A child's chronic illness can lead parents to utilize different types of coping, including religious beliefs and practices. Previous studies have generally focused on life-shortening diagnoses. The present study explored parental use of faith when the diagnosis was not life-shortening, using grounded-theory qualitative methodology. Data were collected using semi-structured telephone interviews with N = 12 parents of children diagnosed with Neuroendocrine Hyperplasia of Infancy (NEHI); approximately 50% of the diagnosed population in the United States at the time of the interview. Participants used faith to cope and make meaning in five ways: parents believed NEHI happened for a reason; beliefs provided resilience; parents were sustained by faith communities; beliefs affected parents’ behavior; and beliefs developed over time. The results suggest that chaplains develop means for universal screening for spiritual struggle; educating congregational clergy how to support families in which a child has a chronic illness; and assisting parents construct meaning of their experience.
Cost and profit efficiencies in transition banking: the case of new EU members

This paper analyses cost and profit efficiencies in commercial banking in the eight Central and Eastern European countries that became new members to the European Union. Common stochastic cost and profit frontiers with country-specific variables are employed in order to take into account macro-economic and financial sector conditions that vary over time and across countries. The impact of foreign ownership on performance is also examined. The results indicate a wide range of cost and profit inefficiency scores across countries and across different size groups. All banking systems in the sample display significant levels of cost and profit inefficiency and there does not seem to be any continuous improvement in performance over time. There is also some evidence that foreign banks perform, on average, better than domestic banks.
Consensus on extra‐hepatic portal vein obstruction

Abstract: The Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver (APASL) had set up a working party on portal hypertension in 2002 with a mandate to develop consensus on various aspects of portal hypertension. The first of these consensuses has been developed on extra‐hepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO). It was discussed and prepared by the experts in this field from the Asian region and was presented at the annual meeting of the APASL, at Bali in August 2005. This article summarizes all the consensus statements approved by the APASL on various aspects of EHPVO.