bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship Between Neurocognitive Function and Self-Discrepancy After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Beadle Elizabeth Jane , Ownsworth Tamara , Fleming Jennifer , Shum David H. K.
Published: November 2017

Objective:

Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) often make unfavorable comparisons between their preinjury and postinjury selves. Although it is known that negative “self-discrepancy” is related to poorer emotional adjustment, the impact of neurocognitive function on self-discrepancy is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between current neurocognitive function (attention, memory, executive function, and self-awareness) and self-discrepancy after severe TBI.

Design:

Fifty-four adults with severe TBI were recruited from outpatient and community rehabilitation services and completed measures of self-discrepancy (Head Injury Semantic Differential Scale-III) and self-awareness (Awareness Questionnaire) and a battery of standardized tests of attention, memory, and executive functions.

Results:

More negative self-discrepancy was significantly associated with greater self-awareness (r = −0.40, P < .001) and better performance on tests of immediate memory (r = −0.43, P < .01), working memory (r = −0.35, P < .05), and verbal fluency (r = −0.34, P < .05). Self-awareness was the only neurocognitive factor significantly and uniquely related to self-discrepancy, accounting for 8.6% of the variance (P < .05). Furthermore, self-awareness was found to partially mediate the relationship between immediate memory and self-discrepancy.

Conclusion:

Better neurocognitive function is related to more negative self-discrepancy. These findings improve understanding of the process of identity reconstruction following TBI.
Core outcome measurement instruments for clinical trials in nonspecific low back pain
Authors: Chiarotto Alessandro , Boers Maarten , Deyo Richard A. , Buchbinder Rachelle , Corbin Terry P. , Costa Leonardo O.P. , Foster Nadine E. , Grotle Margreth , Koes Bart W. , Kovacs Francisco M. , Lin C.-W. Christine , Maher Chris G. , Pearson Adam M. , Peul Wilco C. , Schoene Mark L. , Turk Dennis C. , van Tulder Maurits W. , Terwee Caroline B. , Ostelo Raymond W.
Published: November 2017

To standardize outcome reporting in clinical trials of patients with nonspecific low back pain, an international multidisciplinary panel recommended physical functioning, pain intensity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as core outcome domains. Given the lack of a consensus on measurement instruments for these 3 domains in patients with low back pain, this study aimed to generate such consensus. The measurement properties of 17 patient-reported outcome measures for physical functioning, 3 for pain intensity, and 5 for HRQoL were appraised in 3 systematic reviews following the COSMIN methodology. Researchers, clinicians, and patients (n = 207) were invited in a 2-round Delphi survey to generate consensus (≥67% agreement among participants) on which instruments to endorse. Response rates were 44% and 41%, respectively. In round 1, consensus was achieved on the Oswestry Disability Index version 2.1a for physical functioning (78% agreement) and the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for pain intensity (75% agreement). No consensus was achieved on any HRQoL instrument, although the Short Form 12 (SF12) approached the consensus threshold (64% agreement). In round 2, a consensus was reached on an NRS version with a 1-week recall period (96% agreement). Various participants requested 1 free-to-use instrument per domain. Considering all issues together, recommendations on core instruments were formulated: Oswestry Disability Index version 2.1a or 24-item Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire for physical functioning, NRS for pain intensity, and SF12 or 10-item PROMIS Global Health form for HRQoL. Further studies need to fill the evidence gaps on the measurement properties of these and other instruments.
Prosthetic Reconstruction for a Patient with Partial Hand Amputation
Authors: Zarezadeh Fatemeh , Mardani Mohammad Ali , Arazpour Mokhtar
Published: November 2017

Introduction

Partial hand amputations are one of the most common types of hand amputation. Provision of an aesthetic prosthesis with adequate performance can reduce negative social and psychological impacts of hand amputation. The aim of this study was to describe the fabrication of a silicone prosthesis for a patient with partial hand amputation.

Materials and Methods

Alginate impression was taken from the residual limb and donor hand. The thumb of the patient on the affected side was covered with a thin layer of silicone so as to not prevent the natural movements of the fingers. A thin layer of wax sculpted on the residual limb plaster mold of the thumb. Four metal wires were put on the residual limb plaster mold. These metal wires are temporary and, after the curing of silicone, are removed from within the final prosthesis to create a suction suspension and lightweight prosthesis.

Result

In this study, the prosthesis was designed and built for a 30-year-old woman who worked in a toy factory and had four fingers of her left hand amputated.

Conclusion

The patient was satisfied with the prosthesis in terms of appearance, weight, and color. The thumb function was not limited by the prosthesis. The patient could easily use her thumb while wearing the prosthesis.
Clinicopathologic Features and Prognostic Impact of Lymph Node Involvement in Patients With Breast Implant-associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Ferrufino-Schmidt Maria C. , Medeiros L. Jeffrey , Liu Hui , Clemens Mark W. , Hunt Kelly K. , Laurent Camille , Lofts Julian , Amin Mitual B. , Ming Chai Siaw , Morine Angela , Di Napoli Arianna , Dogan Ahmet , Parkash Vinita , Bhagat Govind , Tritz Denise , Quesada Andres E. , Pina-Oviedo Sergio , Hu Qinlong , Garcia-Gomez Francisco J. , Jose Borrero Juan , Horna Pedro , Thakral Beenu , Narbaitz Marina , Hughes R. Condon , Yang Li-Jun , Fromm Jonathan R. , Wu David , Zhang Da , Sohani Aliyah R. , Hunt John , Vadlamani Indira U. , Morgan Elizabeth A. , Ferry Judith A. , Szigeti Reka , Tardio Juan C. , Granados Rosario , Dertinger Susanne , Offner Felix A. , Pircher Andreas , Hosry Jeff , Young Ken H. , Miranda Roberto N.
Published: November 2017

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BI-ALCL) is a rare T-cell lymphoma that arises around breast implants. Most patients manifest with periprosthetic effusion, whereas a subset of patients develops a tumor mass or lymph node involvement (LNI). The aim of this study is to describe the pathologic features of lymph nodes from patients with BI-ALCL and assess the prognostic impact of LNI. Clinical findings and histopathologic features of lymph nodes were assessed in 70 patients with BI-ALCL. LNI was defined by the histologic demonstration of ALCL in lymph nodes. Fourteen (20%) patients with BI-ALCL had LNI, all lymph nodes involved were regional, the most frequent were axillary (93%). The pattern of involvement was sinusoidal in 13 (92.9%) cases, often associated with perifollicular, interfollicular, and diffuse patterns. Two cases had Hodgkin-like patterns. The 5-year overall survival was 75% for patients with LNI and 97.9% for patients without LNI at presentation (P=0.003). Six of 49 (12.2%) of patients with tumor confined by the capsule had LNI, compared with LNI in 8/21 (38%) patients with tumor beyond the capsule. Most patients with LNI achieved complete remission after various therapeutic approaches. Two of 14 (14.3%) patients with LNI died of disease compared with 0/56 (0%) patients without LNI. Twenty percent of patients with BI-ALCL had LNI by lymphoma, most often in a sinusoidal pattern. We conclude that BI-ALCL beyond capsule is associated with a higher risk of LNI. Involvement of lymph nodes was associated with decreased overall survival. Misdiagnosis as Hodgkin lymphoma is a pitfall.
Pathogen evolution: slow and steady spreads the best
Authors: Parsons Todd L. , Lambert Amaury , Day Troy , Gandon Sylvain
Published: November 2017

The theory of life history evolution provides a powerful framework to understand the evolutionary dynamics of pathogens in both epidemic and endemic situations. This framework, however, relies on the assumption that pathogen populations are very large and that one can neglect the effects of demographic stochasticity. Here we expand the theory of life history evolution to account for the effects of finite population size on the evolution of pathogen virulence. We show that demographic stochasticity introduces additional evolutionary forces that can qualitatively affect the dynamics and the evolutionary outcome. We discuss the importance of the shape of pathogen fitness landscape and host heterogeneity on the balance between mutation, selection and genetic drift. In particular, we discuss scenarios where finite population size can dramatically affect classical predictions of deterministic models. This analysis reconciles Adaptive Dynamics with population genetics in finite populations and thus provides a new theoretical toolbox to study life-history evolution in realistic ecological scenarios.
Tumor-specific Causal Inference (TCI): A Bayesian Method for Identifying Causative Genome Alterations within Individual Tumors
Authors: Cooper Gregory , Cai Chunhui , Lu Xinghua
Published: November 2017

Precision medicine for cancer involves identifying and targeting the somatic genome alterations (SGAs) that drive the development of an individual tumor. Much of current efforts at finding driver SGAs have involved identifying the genes that are mutated more frequently than expected among a collection of tumors. When these population-derived driver genes are altered (perhaps in particular ways) in a given tumor, they are posited as driver genes for that tumor. In this technical report, we introduce an alternative approach for identifying causative SGAs, also known as “drivers”, by inferring causal relationships between SGAs and molecular phenotypes at the individual tumor level. Our tumor-specific causal inference (TCI) algorithm uses a Bayesian method to identify the SGAs in a given tumor that have a high probability of regulating transcriptomic changes observed in that specific tumor. Thus, the method is focused on identifying the tumor specific SGAs that are causing expression changes that are specific to the tumor. Those SGAs that have a high probability of regulating transcriptomic changes related to oncogenic processes are then designated to be the putative drivers of the tumor. In this paper, we describe in detail the TCI algorithm and its implementation.
Statistical power of clinical trials has increased whilst effect size remained stable: an empirical analysis of 137 032 clinical trials between 1975-2017
Authors: Lamberink Herm J. , Otte Willem M. , Sinke Michel R.T. , Lakens Daniël , Glasziou Paul P. , Tijdink Joeri K. , Vinkers Christiaan H.
Published: November 2017

Background

Biomedical studies with low statistical power are a major concern in the scientific community and are one of the underlying reasons for the reproducibility crisis in science. If randomized clinical trials, which are considered the backbone of evidence-based medicine, also suffer from low power, this could affect medical practice.

Methods

We analysed the statistical power in 137 032 clinical trials between 1975 and 2017 extracted from meta-analyses from the Cochrane database of systematic reviews. We determined study power to detect standardized effect sizes according to Cohen, and in meta-analysis with p-value below 0.05 we based power on the meta-analysed effect size. Average power, effect size and temporal patterns were examined.

Results

The number of trials with power ≥80% was low but increased over time: from 9% in 1975–1979 to 15% in 2010–2014. This increase was mainly due to increasing sample sizes, whilst effect sizes remained stable with a median Cohen’s h of 0.21 (IQR 0.12-0.36) and a median Cohen’s d of 0.31 (0.19-0.51). The proportion of trials with power of at least 80% to detect a standardized effect size of 0.2 (small), 0.5 (moderate) and 0.8 (large) was 7%, 48% and 81%, respectively.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that sufficient power in clinical trials is still problematic, although the situation is slowly improving. Our data encourages further efforts to increase statistical power in clinical trials to guarantee rigorous and reproducible evidence-based medicine.
Tracking the dynamic functional connectivity structure of the human brain across the adult lifespan
Authors: Xia Yunman , Chen Qunlin , Li Mengze , Gong Weikang , Qiu Jiang
Published: November 2017

The transition from early adulthood to older is marked by pronounced functional and structural brain transformations that impact cognition and behaviour. Here, we use dynamic functional network connectivity method to examine resting state functional network changes over aging process. In general, the features of dynamic functional states are generally varying across ages, such as the frequency of expression and the amount of time spent in the certain state. Increasing age is associated with less variability of functional state across time at rest period. From age point of view, examining the age-related difference of topology index revealed 19-30 age range has the significant largest global efficiency, largest local efficiency of default-mode network (DMN), cognitive control network (CCN) and salience network (SN). As for functional states, one state displayed the whole positive connectivity, in the meantime, it has the largest global efficiency and local efficiency of three subnetworks. Besides, the frequency of another state was negatively correlated to the box block (The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale subset, which is thought to evaluate fine motor skills, processing speed, and visuospatial ability), while positively correlated with age, and the box block was inversely correlated to age. The results suggested that cognitive aging may be characterized by the dynamic functional network connectivity. Taken together, these findings suggested the importance of a dynamic approach to understanding cognitive aging in lifespan.
Thalamocortical Projectional Divergence Leads to Complexity in Functional Organizations in Mouse Auditory Cortex
Authors: Ohga Shinpei , Tsukano Hiroaki , Horie Masao , Terashima Hiroki , Nishio Nana , Kubota Yamato , Takahashi Kuniyuki , Hishida Ryuichi , Takebayashi Hirohide , Shibuki Katsuei
Published: November 2017

Frequency-related topological projections from the ventral division of the medial geniculate body (MGv) relay the tonotopic organization found in primary auditory cortex (A1). However, relaying circuits of the functional organization to higher-order, secondary auditory field (A2) have not been identified so far. Here, using tracing, we found that A2 receives dense topological projections from MGv in mice, and that tonotopy was established in A2 even when primary fields including A1 were removed. These indicate that thalamic inputs to A2 are sufficient for generating its tonotopy. Moreover, neuronal responses in the thalamocortical recipient layer of A2 showed wider bandwidth and greater heterogeneity of the best frequency distribution than those of A1, which was attributed to larger divergence of thalamocortical projections from MGv to A2 than those from MGv to A1. The current study identifies that the functional organization in the auditory cortex can be determined by the structure of thalamocortical input.

Significant Statement

Although peripheral input patterns to the primary auditory cortex (A1) of the brain are well understood, how tonal information is relayed to higher-order regions such as the secondary auditory field (A2) remains unclear. This work revealed a new source of auditory information to A2; the tonal map in mouse A2 is primarily produced by orderly projections from the primary auditory thalamus. We also found that the complex behaviour and organization of neurons in A2 is generated by divergent projections from the primary thalamus that converge on neurons in A2. Our findings indicate that thalamocortical projections constitute a major factor that determines the regional properties and functional organization of mouse A2.
Alternative mating tactics and tactical deception: Is the common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) nothing but a common cheat?
Authors: Cooke Gavan M , Johnson Claire , Reed Tony , Jackson Andrew C
Published: November 2017

Alternative mating tactics (AMTs) are common in the animal kingdom, yet much work remains before their evolution and role in driving sexual selection is fully understood. Utilizing features of citizen science, we present compelling evidence that a third species in the cuttlefish genusSepia(Cephalopoda) possess males who use sneaky mating and female mimicry as alternative strategies to conspicuous signalling and fighting. We also present new evidence of large aggregations (n~30) in this species that possibly drive alternative mating strategies. Lastly, we provide footage of an opportunistic sneaky copulation in this species. We believe that alternative mating tactics may be more common in this genus than previously recorded (based on observations presented here and a search of the literature for similar life history, environmental and behavioural factors found in other species within theSepiagenus), and as much of their captive husbandry is well known, they could an ideal system for studying the evolution of alternative reproductive strategies.
Caudal counter-represses Hunchback to regulateeven-skippedstripe 2 expression in Drosophila embryos
Authors: Vincent Ben J. , Staller Max V. , Lopez-Rivera Francheska , Bragdon Meghan D.J. , Wunderlich Zeba , Estrada Javier , DePace Angela H.
Published: November 2017

Hunchback is a bifunctional transcription factor that can activate and repress gene expression in Drosophila development. We investigated the regulatory DNA sequence features that control Hunchback function by perturbing enhancers for one of its target genes,even-skipped. While Hunchback directly represses theevestripe 3+7 enhancer, we found that in theevestripe 2+7 enhancer, Hunchback repression is prevented by Caudal binding—this relationship is called counter-repression. We found evidence that this relationship is conserved by comparing predicted binding sites for Hunchback and Caudal across orthologousevestripe 2 enhancers. These results alter the textbook view ofevestripe 2 regulation wherein Hb is depicted as a direct activator. Instead, to generate stripe 2, Hunchback repression must be counteracted by Caudal binding. We discuss the implications of this interaction forevestripe 2 regulation and evolution.
Practice induces a qualitative change in the memory representation for visuomotor learning
Authors: Huberdeau David M. , Krakauer John W. , Haith Adrian M.
Published: November 2017

Adaptation of our movements to changes in the environment is known to be supported by multiple learning processes which act in parallel. An implicit process recalibrates motor output to maintain alignment between intended and observed movement outcomes (“implicit recalibration”). In parallel, an explicit learning process drives more strategic adjustments of behavior, often by deliberately aiming movements away from an intended target (“deliberate re-aiming”). It has long been established that people form a memory for prior experience adapting to a perturbation through the fact that they become able to more rapidly adapt to familiar perturbations (a phenomenon known as “savings”). Repeated exposures to the same perturbation can further strengthen savings. It remains unclear, however, which underlying learning process is responsible for this practice-related improvement in savings. We measured the relative contributions of implicit recalibration and deliberate re-aiming to adaptation during multiple exposures to an alternating sequence of perturbations over two days. We found that the implicit recalibration followed an invariant learning curve despite prolonged practice, and thus exhibited no memory of prior experience. Instead, practice led to a qualitative change in re-aiming which, in addition to supporting savings, became able to be expressed rapidly and automatically. This qualitative change appeared to enable participants to form memories for two opposing perturbations, overcoming interference effects that typically prohibit savings when learning multiple, opposing perturbations. Our results are consistent with longstanding theories that frame skill learning as a transition from deliberate to automatic selection of actions.
A linear-time algorithm to sample the dual-birth model
Authors: Moshiri Niema
Published: November 2017

The ability to sample models of tree evolution is essential in the analysis and interpretation of phylogenetic trees. The dual-birth model is an extension of the traditional birth-only model and allows for sampling trees of varying degrees of balance. However, for a tree with n leaves, the tree sampling algorithm proposed in the original paper is 𝒪(n log n). I propose an algorithm to sample trees under the dual-birth model in 𝒪(n), and I provide a fast C++ implementation of the proposed algorithm.
The chain of effects from brand personality and functional congruity to stages of brand loyalty
Authors: Nikhashemi S.R. , Valaei Naser
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the impacts of brand personality and functional congruity on various components of brand loyalty (i.e. cognitive, affective, and conative) by examining the moderating role of gender.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model is examined by considering car as a product brand stimulus. Using a self-structured questionnaire, 263 usable responses are considered for data analysis by applying the structural equation modelling method.

Findings

The findings indicate that all hypotheses on the relationships between brand personality, functional congruity, and stages of brand loyalty are supported except for the relationship between brand personality and conative loyalty, whereby brand personality indirectly have impacts on conative brand loyalty via functional congruity. The outcome of the multi-group analysis shows that the impact of brand personality and functional congruity on cognitive, affective, and conative brand loyalty varies across gender groups.

Practical implications

The results indicate that if marketing managers are willing to create cognitive, affective as well as conative brand loyalty among consumers, they ought to tally their consumers’ purchasing and evaluation criteria with the functional and symbolic attributes. If the target consumers were motivated to purchase the product based on the symbolic attributes (as preferred by females in the present study), more attention should be focussed on communicating and delivering the symbolic attributes during their marketing campaign; on the other hand, if the consumers were inclined to buy product based on the utilitarian functions (as preferred by males in the current study), more emphasis should be placed on the functional values and attributes.

Originality/value

This study is the first to utilise self-congruity and the elaboration likelihood model to explain the influence of brand personality and functional congruity on each component of brand loyalty within the automobile industry’s context. This study on the moderating role of gender shows that the effect of brand personality and functional congruity is different across gender groups. The findings can help marketers to design an effective brand positioning and marketing strategies in order to stay competitive.
The nature of publicly funded innovation and implications for regional growth
Authors: Brooks Chay , Gherhes Cristian , Vorley Tim , Williams Nick
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to unpack the nature of business innovation and understand the impact on regional innovation and competitiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a qualitative study of Advanced Manufacturing and Advanced Materials businesses in the Sheffield City Region (UK). Interviews were conducted with 23 firms in exploring how innovation in the firm translates to innovation-led regional economic growth.

Findings

The paper demonstrates that there is a tendency of owner managers to focus on innovation in terms of the development of new products, processes and/or services. Many of the businesses interviewed were technologically innovative, yet there was little evidence of wider business model innovation. This, the authors conclude, stymies regional innovation and with it regional economic growth.

Research limitations/implications

This study is based on a case study of the Sheffield City Region and is not generalizable, but offers insights into the nature of business model innovation which are valuable in generating questions for further research.

Practical implications

The paper highlights the need to think of innovation in broader terms and the scope of business model innovation to not only improve the performance of firms but also regional economic growth.

Originality/value

Business model innovation is a growing domain of the literature, and this paper highlights how narrow interpretations of innovation may serve to limit growth business growth, and with it regional economic growth.
Effects of governance on entrepreneurship: European Union vs non-European Union
Authors: Rodríguez-Gulías María Jesús , de Sousa Gabriel Vítor Manuel , Rodeiro-Pazos David
Published: November 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effect of six governance indicators on the rate of creation of new companies between countries that are members of the European Union (EU) and those that are not. H1 states that the various dimensions of governance help to explain the immediate creation of new businesses in European and non-European countries. H2 states that the various dimensions of governance help to explain the deferred creation of new businesses in European and non-European countries.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses two types of analyses: firstly, univariate analysis, which is a descriptive statistics of the dependent, independent and control variables, and the results of a t-test; and secondly, multivariate analysis, which estimates using the fixed-effects estimator under the specifications previously raised for the subsample of 28 EU countries and for the subsample of 103 non-EU countries during the period 2004-2014.

Findings

The results show that the variables of governance are not significantly higher in the EU, although the density of the enterprises is. Within the governance indicators, government effectiveness is significant in the EU. The results obtained for the EU confirmed H1and H2, with a significant positive effect of government effectiveness on entrepreneurship, while the other governance variables were not significant in the EU subsample. The results obtained for non-EU countries suggest no significant immediate effects (H1) and a slightly significant delayed effect of rule of law on the entrepreneurship (H2) concerned.

Research limitations/implications

Future research in this area could consider introducing another regional division or other types of methodology as variables affect models.

Practical implications

Governance can be defined as the ability of a government and its public institutions to provide services and design, and implement rules, which is a factor that affects the creation of new companies. However, the effect of governance could differ depending on the country and its economic environment. This paper analyses the effect of six governance indicators on the rate of creation of new companies considering two different geographic regions as countries are presumably heterogeneous. Therefore, these results indicate that the effect of governance variables on entrepreneurship differs according to the region.

Social implications

The effect of governance variables on entrepreneurship according to the region is also known.

Originality/value

This study applied panel data analysis to two samples of countries during the period 2004-2014, one formed by 28 countries of the EU and the other by 103 non-EU countries. No other paper considers this number of countries for this period. To assess the impact of governance on the creation of new companies, this paper considered the existence of immediate and deferred effects of governance on entrepreneurship.
Factors influencing users’ subjective well-being: an empirical study based on shared bicycles in China
Authors: Zhang Xin , Ma Liang , Wang Gao Shan
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Bike sharing becomes suddenly hot up in China since the end of 2016. However, few studies have focused on shared bicycle users’ behavior. To fill this research gap, this paper aims to develop an integrated model to investigate factors that affect shared bicycle users’ subjective well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

A field survey with 220 shared bicycle users is conducted to test the research model and hypotheses.

Findings

The highlights are that perceived value has positive effect on users’ life satisfaction. Specially, it is interesting to find that hedonic value has the greatest impact on users’ life satisfaction, followed by social value and utilitarian value. Perceived risks which including privacy risks, financial risks and functional risks act as a moderating role between perceived value and users’ life satisfaction.

Originality/value

First, the authors clear factors that affect users’ subjective well-being from the perspective of perceived value. The results deepen our understanding about the effect of perceived value on users’ subjective well-being. Second, the current researches have ignored the effect of perceived risks on users’ subjective well-being. The authors filled that gap and found that perceived risks which including privacy risks, financial risks and functional risks act as a moderating role between perceived value and users’ subjective well-being.
Modeling geo-homopholy in online social networks for population distribution projection
Authors: Zhang Yuanxing , Li Zhuqi , Bian Kaigui , Bai Yichong , Yang Zhi , Li Xiaoming
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Projecting the population distribution in geographical regions is important for many applications such as launching marketing campaigns or enhancing the public safety in certain densely populated areas. Conventional studies require the collection of people’s trajectory data through offline means, which is limited in terms of cost and data availability. The wide use of online social network (OSN) apps over smartphones has provided the opportunities of devising a lightweight approach of conducting the study using the online data of smartphone apps. This paper aims to reveal the relationship between the online social networks and the offline communities, as well as to project the population distribution by modeling geo-homophily in the online social networks.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors propose the concept of geo-homophily in OSNs to determine how much the data of an OSN can help project the population distribution in a given division of geographical regions. Specifically, the authors establish a three-layered theoretic framework that first maps the online message diffusion among friends in the OSN to the offline population distribution over a given division of regions via a Dirichlet process and then projects the floating population across the regions.

Findings

By experiments over large-scale OSN data sets, the authors show that the proposed prediction models have a high prediction accuracy in characterizing the process of how the population distribution forms and how the floating population changes over time.

Originality/value

This paper tries to project population distribution by modeling geo-homophily in OSNs.
What matters to health care executives? Assessing the job attributes associated with their staying or leaving
Authors: Fottler Myron D. , Shewchuk Richard M. , OʼConnor Stephen J.
Published: November 2017

A total of 522 affiliates of the American College of Health Care Executives were surveyed to determine job attributes which might be considered in their decisions to remain in, or leave, their current position. Both decisions were highly influenced by intrinsic job attributes such as freedom in decision-making, opportunities for personal growth / self-development, caliber of the management team, and opportunities for advancement / promotion. There was a high degree of correlation between the rankings of attributes affecting both the retention and the recruitment decisions. However, financial attributes such as salary and the financial condition of the organization were more influential in the recruitment decision than in the retention decision. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Facing the challenges of eu accession: development of coordination structures in Estonia
Authors: Viks Külli , Randma-Liiv Tiina
Published: November 2017

The article analyzes the ‘Europeanization’ of public administration in Estonia with a specific focus on the development of coordination structures. The decentralized approach to European Union-related matters increases the need for well-functioning coordination practices. The authors conclude that the coordination mechanism established for the accession as well as its impact on the broader coordination culture have been successful and can serve as the role model for the rest of public administration. The broader administrative problems yet to be solved include democratic deficit, insufficient engagement of civil society organizations, potential implementation gap between formal regulations and their practice, as well as poor policy analysis which may become particularly problematic after joining the EU.
Enlargement and normative reform in the European Union: the example of flexibility
Authors: Warleigh Alex
Published: November 2017

Flexibility (enhanced cooperation) has arisen in the European Union (EU) agenda as a function of recent enlargement rounds and is now one of the key issues in the construction of the EU polity with respect to diversity management. Whether enlargement has provoked normative reform in the EU, taking flexibility as an example is the focus of this article. The author argues that the flexibility case indicates that pressures of enlargement have not produced radical normative change in the EU. Tracing the evolution of enhanced cooperation from the 2000 Treaty of Nice onwards, the evidence points towards the continued existence of the traditional ‘frame’ of the integration process rather than its rejection in favour of more radical and innovative solutions to the EU's governance problems.
Multi-party environmental negotiations: perspectives from democratizing nations in latin america
Authors: Lybecker Donna L. , Horan Jennifer E.
Published: November 2017

This research examines environmental negotiations in two countries, Mexico and Ecuador, currently undergoing democratic transition. We examine the ability of democratizing political systems to respond to the pressures intrinsic to emerging pluralism. Using a comparative case study approach we examine environmental policy making for conservation. Mexico and Ecuador are at different stages in the democratization process with Mexico being more advanced than Ecuador. We conclude that Mexico’s approach to communicative forums and its management of environmental decision making in a pluralist context is more systematized and less prone to corruption given the stronger set of democratic institutions. In comparison we find that Ecuador’s political institutions remain weak and subject to informal pressures from emerging environmental groups as well as from established interests from the pre-democracy era.
Responding to A natural disaster: how japanese government’s responses to the great hanshin-awaji earthquake were mirrored in the eye of the media
Authors: Ainoya Nobuyuki , Myrtle Robert C.
Published: November 2017

When a natural disaster occurs, the media directs the public’s attention to the key elements of disaster management and provides accounts of how effective the government is in responding to it. This study analyzed 80 reports contained in 21 stories published in three international newspapers and 35 editorial statements from 21 editorials obtained from two national papers regarding the Japanese government’s responses to the great Hanshin-Awaji earthquake. Issue clusters for different levels of government responding to the crisis were identified. The lack of systematic reactions to the crisis provoked the most media scrutiny. The legitimacy of the government’s behaviors in this area were perceived more negatively by the media than were the inappropriate behavior of elected officials or the lack of care expressed towards the victims by local officials.
Critical social science and conflict transformation: opportunities for citizen governance
Authors: Meyer-Emerick Nancy
Published: November 2017

Critical theory has rarely articulated an agenda for social change linking theory to practice. This paper provides several examples of “critical theory in practice” and focuses specifically on Fay’s Critical Social Science (CSS) model. The methods of conflict transformation are then applied to CSS in order to accomplish two goals. First, political conflicts resulting from decision making can be used to transform both individuals and systems. Second, CSS more adequately accounts for some of the non-rational aspects of human nature, such as our resistance to change, thus improving its catalytic validity as a critical social theory. Together, the processes of CSS and conflict transformation provide a framework for enhancing the potential for citizen governance.
New public management as a template for reforms in low-income countries: Issues and lessons from ghana
Authors: Larbi George A.
Published: November 2017

This article presents findings and conclusions from a study of the application of “new public management” type reforms in a low-income country context, Ghana. Using case study data from the health and water sectors, including interviews and documentary analysis, it argues that reforms tend to put more emphasis on issues of what to implement and less on issues of how to implement. The evidence provided suggests that some progress has been made in downsizing, decentralizing, contracting-out, and performance contracting in the health and water sectors. In spite of this, the implementation of reforms has been patchy due to capacity constraints. Reforms are fragile and yet to be embedded
Emerging features of public administration in mozambique: sustainable democratic governance challenges
Authors: Sampson Charles
Published: November 2017

This research attempts to identify and observe emerging features of public administration (PA) in Mozambique, Africaʼs newest democracy. Mozambiqueʼs public administration has had to assume a significant role in the process of promoting sustainable human development. Public administration in the country is challenged by Napoleonic character of Constitutional arrangements for administering public policy, shortage of skilled human capital and the apparent absence of human development plans that would facilitate a more engaged civil society.
Propensity to trust as a moderator of the relationship between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction
Authors: Poon June M. L. , Mohd Salleh Aliah Hanim , Senik Zizah Che
Published: November 2017

This study examined the relationship between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction as well as the moderating effect of propensity to trust on this relationship. White-collar bank employees (N=108) were surveyed. The results of multiple regression analyses on the data collected showed that perceived organizational support was positively related to job satisfaction. The relationship between perceived organizational support and job satisfaction, however, was stronger among employees with a low propensity to trust than among those with a high propensity to trust. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed
Assessing new governance strategies for watershed planning
Authors: Ryan Clare M. , Bidwell Ryan D.
Published: November 2017

Over the last decade, new governance-style, collaborative approaches to environmental management have increased exponentially. What is not well known is how the structure of these partnerships, particularly the policies that foster their development, may contribute to theʼ ability to achieve either procedural or substantive policy goals. Our study investigated efforts in the States of Washington and Oregon to encourage the development of collaborative watershed management institutions. Thirtyfive watershed partnerships were examined to understand how the planning groups implement policy objectives and how partnerships are creating or modifying institutions for planning and implementation. Our findings suggest that both States face similar challenges in important respects. Challenges include obtaining adequate participation, developing and sustaining organizational capacity, and planning implementation. Together, these findings demonstrate that new governance strategies are not a panacea for water management.
“Born again“ governmentality: the faith-based initiative as administrative agent
Authors: Newswander Chad B. , Newswander Lynita K.
Published: November 2017

A careful study demonstrates that President Bush has implemented the faith-based initiative as a method of governmentality, one which appears to be biased toward Christianity. This paper examines the definition of Foucaultʼs governmentality as it relates to the ever-expanding structure of contemporary American governance and justifies the categorization of faith-based initiatives as an example of pastoral power. Ultimately, these arguments characterize the current state of governmentality as “born-again,” and call specific attention to what appears to be a strong affiliation of “charitable choice” with evangelical Christianity. By relying on evangelical Christianity to govern, the pastoral-panopticon coupled with governmental resources has brought back an older method of regulation which is less obvious in its intrusion, and more dangerous for it.
Why myth could matter (but probably shouldn’t) in public administration
Authors: Abel C. F.
Published: November 2017

Against the various literatures asserting that myths serve administrators well in varying ways, this paper takes a decidedly skeptical stance. While myth is a tool that may be well or poorly used, its use to fashion administrative theory, or to construct an administrative order, or to enhance administrative thought is most often a poor use indeed. What serves Public Administration best involves the much more difficult effort of constructing theories of historical causation that derive directly from the experiences that practitioners have with the problems they find it necessary or desirable to solve.
Three paradigms in management: American, japanese and indian
Authors: Sharma Subhash
Published: November 2017

This paper presents an evolutionary journey of management thought through four phases viz. scientific management, human side, ethics and values and spirituality in management. Further, it presents three paradigms of management viz. American, Japanese and Indian in term of three key ideas viz. Kola (derived from Cola), Kaizen and Knowledge. It suggests that Indian paradigm is rooted in the spiritual view of human beings and there is a need to bring this view to management and leadership literature. This paper also makes a comparative analysis of three paradigms in terms of vision of life, influencing thinkers, dominant ethos and foundational theories. For future direction of management thinking, an integration of these three paradigms in terms of a holistic approach to corporate management is suggested.
Revisiting yoga sutras for innovative paradigms in od or creating human model for organizations
Authors: Kapadia Mala
Published: November 2017

As we stand on threshold of 3E crisis of economics, ecology and emotions, organizations need innovative approach to replace the business model of last era. The business model has reduced humans to either consumers or resources to produce. My research is based on startling employee survey results of non-engagement, lack of “heart” and “values” at work, observing employees and management in different organizations as human resources head in mindless chasing of profits and devaluing human potential. My personal journey of practicing Yoga and research of Patanjali Yoga Sutras have revealed insights, shown the Pathway and given practices of how human beings can participate in personal evolution creating shift in organizations’ mindset. Inner compass of ethics through self-governance, truth, non-violence, non-stealing and self- learning as organization development interventions can create culture of the organization.
Psychological contracts, careerism, and goal orientations
Authors: Braekkan Kristian F. , Tunheim Katherine A.
Published: November 2017

Psychological contracts are subjective perceptions about exchange agreements between employees and employers. Through surveys of 256 graduating college seniors with recently accepted job offers, beliefs regarding employment obligations were investigated. Consistent with findings by Rousseau (1990), new hires’ perceptions of employee and employer obligations were interrelated and consistent with either transactional or relational contracts. Further, while expected tenure with the first employer was related to relational contracts, “careerism” was negatively related to new hires’ beliefs in a relational contract and positively related to a transactional contract with an employer. The results also revealed that goal orientations moderate the relationship between relational contracts and careerism. Specifically, the results indicate that the relationship was more strongly negative in individuals with high mastery orientation. The findings in this study therefore indicate that new hires' attitudes are shaped by both explicit and implicit promises and by individual characteristics such as goal orientations.