bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of the performance of different hidden Markov models for imputation in animal breeding
Authors: Whalen Andrew , Gorjanc Gregor , Ros-Freixedes Roger , Hickey John M
Published: December 2017

In this paper we review the performance of various hidden Markov model-based imputation methods in animal breeding populations. Traditionally, heuristic-based imputation methods have been used for imputation in large animal populations due to their computational efficiency, scalability, and accuracy. However, recent advances in the area of human genetics have increased the ability of probabilistic hidden Markov model methods to perform accurate phasing and imputation in large populations. These advances may enable these methods to be useful for routine use in large animal populations. To test this, we evaluate here the accuracy and computational cost of several methods in a series of simulated populations and a real animal population. We first tested single-step (diploid) imputation, which performs both phasing and imputation. Then we tested pre-phasing followed by haploid imputation. We tested four diploid imputation methods (fastPHASE, Beagle v4.0, IMPUTE2, and MaCH), three phasing methods, (SHAPEIT2, HAPI-UR, and Eagle2), and three haploid imputation methods (IMPUTE2, Beagle v4.1, and minimac3). We found that performing pre-phasing and haploid imputation was faster and more accurate than diploid imputation. In particular, we found that pre-phasing with Eagle2 or HAPI-UR and imputing with minimac3 or IMPUTE2 gave the highest accuracies in both simulated and real data.
No clear evidence for correlations between handgrip strength and sexually dimorphic acoustic properties of voices
Authors: Han Chengyang , Wang Hongyi , Fasolt Vanessa , Hahn Amanda C , Holzleitner Iris J , Lao Junpeng , DeBruine Lisa M , Feinberg David R , Jones Benedict C
Published: December 2017

Objectives

Recent research on the signal value of masculine physical characteristics in men has focused on the possibility that such characteristics are valid cues of physical strength. However, evidence that sexually dimorphic vocal characteristics are correlated with physical strength is equivocal. Consequently, we undertook a further test for possible relationships between physical strength and masculine vocal characteristics.

Methods

We tested the putative relationships between White UK (N=115) and Chinese (N=106) participants’ handgrip strength (a widely used proxy for general upper-body strength) and five sexually dimorphic acoustic properties of voices: fundamental frequency (F0), fundamental frequency’s standard deviation (F0-SD), formant dispersion (Df), formant position (Pf), and estimated vocal-tract length (VTL).

Results

Analyses revealed no clear evidence that stronger individuals had more masculine voices.

Conclusions

Our results do not support the hypothesis that masculine vocal characteristics are a valid cue of physical strength.
Characterisation of the pathogenicity of strains of Pseudomonas syringae towards cherry and plum
Authors: Hulin M.T. , Mansfield J.W. , Brain P. , Xiangming X. , Jackson R.W. , Harrison R.J.
Published: December 2017

Bacterial canker is a major disease of cherry and other stone fruits caused by several pathovars of Pseudomonas syringae. These are P.s pv. morsprunorum race 1 (Psm R1), P.s pv. morsprunorum race 2 (Psm R2) and P.s pv. syringae (Pss). Psm R1 and R2 were originally designated as races of the same pathovar, however phylogenetic analysis has revealed them to be distantly related. This study characterised the pathogenicity of P. syringae on cherry and plum, in the field and the laboratory. The field experiment identified variation in host cultivar susceptibility to the different pathogen clades. The cherry cultivar Merton Glory exhibited a broad resistance to all clades, whilst cultivar Van showed race-specific resistance. Psm R1 may be divided into a race structure with some strains pathogenic to both cherry and plum and others only pathogenic to plum. The results of laboratory-based pathogenicity tests were compared to results obtained on whole-trees. Only cut shoot inoculations were found to be sensitive enough to detect cultivar variation in susceptibility. Measuring population growth of bacteria in detached leaves reliably discriminated pathogens from non-pathogens. In addition, symptom appearance discriminated Psm races from non-pathogens which triggered a rapid hypersensitive response (HR). The pathogen Pss rapidly induced disease lesions and therefore may exhibit a more necrotrophic lifestyle than hemi-biotrophic Psm races. This in-depth study of pathogenic interactions, identification of host resistance and optimisation of laboratory assays, will provide a framework for future genetic dissection of virulence and host resistance mechanisms.
Gene regulatory network rewiring by an adaptively evolving microRNA cluster inDrosophila
Authors: Lyu Yang , Liufu Zhongqi , Xiao Juan , Chen Yuxin , Wu Chung-I , Tang Tian
Published: December 2017

New miRNAs are evolutionarily important but their impact on existing biological networks remains unclear. We report the evolution of a microRNA cluster,mir-972C, that arosede novoand the subsequently rewired gene regulatory networks inDrosophila. Molecular evolution analyses revealed thatmir-972Coriginated in the common ancestor ofDrosophilawhere it comprises five old miRNAs. It subsequently recruited five new members in themelanogastersubgroup after conservative evolution for at least 50 million years. Population genetics analyses reveal that young and oldmir-972CmiRNAs evolved rapidly under positive selection in both seed and non-seed regions. Combining target prediction and cell transfection experiments, we find that sequence changes in individualmir-972Cmembers resulted in extensive gene regulatory network divergence amongD. melanogaster, D. simulans, andD. virilis, whereas the target pool of the cluster as a whole remains relatively conserved. Our results suggest that clustering of young and old miRNAs at the same locus broadens target repertoires, resulting in the gain of new targets without losing many old ones. This may facilitate the establishment of new miRNAs within existing regulatory networks.
Counterfactual reasoning underlies the learning of priors in decision making
Authors: Zylberberg Ariel , Wolpert Daniel M , Shadlen Michael N
Published: December 2017

Accurate decisions require knowledge of prior probabilities (e.g., prevalence or base rate) but it is unclear how prior probability is learned in the absence of a teacher. We hypothesized that humans could learn base rates from experience making decisions, even without feedback. Participants made difficult decisions about the direction of dynamic random dot motion. For each block of 15-42 trials, the base rate favored left or right by a different amount. Participants were not informed of the base rate, yet they gradually biased their choices and thereby increased accuracy and confidence in their decisions. They achieved this by updating knowledge of base rate after each decision, using a counterfactual representation of confidence that simulates a neutral prior. The strategy is consistent with Bayesian updating of belief and suggests that humans represent both true confidence, that incorporates the evolving belief of the prior, and counterfactual confidence that discounts the prior.
Partially redundant actin genes in Chlamydomonas control flagellum-directed traffic and transition zone organization
Authors: Jack Brittany , Mueller David M. , Fee Ann C. , Tetlow Ashley , Avasthi Prachee
Published: December 2017

Flagella of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii are nearly identical to cilia of mammalian cells and provide an excellent model to study ciliogenesis. These biflagellated cells have two actin genes: one encoding a conventional actin (IDA5) and the other encoding a divergent novel actin-like protein (NAP1). Previously, we described a role for actin in the regulation of flagella-building intraflagellar transport machinery. Here, we probe how actin redundancy contributes to this process using a nap1 mutant Chlamydomonas strain. Disruption of a single actin allows normal or slower incorporation but complete flagellar assembly. However, when we disrupt both actins using Latrunculin B (LatB) treatment on the nap1 mutant background, we find flagellar growth from newly synthesized limiting flagellar proteins is actin-dependent. Upon total actin disruption during flagellar assembly, transmission electron microscopy identified an accumulation of Golgi-adjacent vesicles, suggesting impaired vesicular trafficking may be the mechanism by which actin supports flagellar growth from new flagellar proteins. We also find there is a mislocalization of a key transition zone gating and ciliopathy protein, NPHP-4. Extended (2 hour) treatment with LatB, a condition under which NAP1 is upregulated, restores NPHP-4 localization. This suggests NAP1 can perform the functions of conventional actin at the transition zone. Our experiments demonstrate that each stage of flagellar biogenesis requires redundant actin function to varying degrees, with an absolute requirement for these actins in transport of Golgi-adjacent vesicles and flagellar incorporation of newly synthesized proteins.
Analysis of DNA Methylation in Mammalian Cells
Authors: Lizardi Paul M. , Yan Qin , Wajapeyee Narendra
Published: December 2017

Methylation of DNA, the most experimentally accessible epigenetic alteration of eukaryotic cells, has generated an extensive literature and an abundance of analytical tools. The term “methylome” (referring to the complete set of cytosine modifications in a genome) is appearing with greater frequency in the literature, reflecting the growing number of researchers in the field. Here we introduce a set of robust protocols for methods that can be performed routinely for the elucidation of DNA chemical modifications involving methylation of cytosine. The strengths and limitations of each approach are also discussed.
Modeling bid/no bid decisions using fuzzy fault tree
Authors: Marzouk Mohamed , Mohamed Emad
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Decisions by construction contractors to bid (or not to bid) require the thorough assessment and evaluation of factors relevant to the decision, as well as the quantification of their combined impact, to produce successful bid/no-bid decisions. The purpose of this study is to present a fuzzy fault tree model to assist construction contractors to more efficiently bid for future projects.

Design/methodology/Approach

The proposed model consist of two stages: first, identification of the factors that affect bidding decision using a questionnaire survey after an extensive literature review, and second, usage of the identified factors to build a fuzzy fault tree model to simulate the bidding decision.

Findings

A list of 15 factors that affect bid/no-bid decisions was identified. Analysis of factors revealed that the highest-ranking factors were related to financial aspects of the project. A case study is presented to demonstrate the capabilities of the model, and a fuzzy important analysis is performed on the basic events to demonstrate the differences between three contractors’ bid/no-bid decisions. The results reveal that there is variation between the decisions of each contractor based on their willingness to participate. Besides, the influence of evaluation factors on the final decision for each contractor is different.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the body of knowledge on tendering and bidding practices. The proposed model incorporated the fuzzy set theory, which suits human subjectivity. The proposed methodology overcomes the limitations of previous models as it can, using the linear pool opinion principle, combine and weigh the evaluations of multiple experts. In addition, the model is convenient for situations where historical data are not available.
The impact of social influence on the relationship between personality traits and perceived investment performance of individual investors
Authors: Akhtar Fatima , Thyagaraj K.S. , Das Niladri
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationship between an individual investor’s personality trait and his perceived investment performance. It proposes a novel conceptual framework that integrates social influence (as a moderating construct) and outlines the role of personality in determining the perceived investment performance during the investment decision-making process.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to collect responses from 396 individual investors through stratified and quota sampling approach. The collected data were then analysed using both hierarchical regression analysis and structural equation modelling to evaluate the strength of the relationship between the constructs, namely, personality trait, perceived investment performance and social influence.

Findings

This study suggests that social influence positively moderates the relationship between extraversion-perceived investment performance, whereas it negatively moderates the relationship between agreeability-perceived investment performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study has certain limitations. First, this work follows a modelling approach which is more centred towards the prediction of relationships. Second, because of choosing a research approach (since the study has been conducted in one country, i.e. India), the results of the study may lack generalisability. Therefore, further studies could be encouraged to test the proposed hypotheses.

Practical implications

Insights from this study suggest that investors should look in for their personality traits while making an investment decision. In fact, psychologically modified portfolios should be developed as per the personality traits of the investors.

Originality/value

The study, perhaps, is the only study to apply social influence in a framework using Big Five personality traits as a possible factor to understand the individual differences in terms of perceived investment performance.
Foreclosure and dispossession: The case for a feminist critical theory for public administration
Authors: Eagan Jennifer L.
Published: December 2017

Using Marcuse and the 2008 economic crisis as a starting point, this work proposes a feminist critical theory for public administration that could inform how public administrationists can see themselves as defenders of human values against a status quo which favors masculine and market forces. Through an exploration of Marcuse's concepts of one-dimentionality, foreclosure, masculinization, and feminist socialism, this work asserts the need for a feminist critical theory for public administration theory and praxis that responds to current social injustices and explores a more complex analysis of the subject as subjugated and dispossessed. The conclusion proposes some directions that such a theory might take in the future.
Understanding individual experiences of cyberbullying encountered through work
Authors: Heatherington Wayne , Coyne Iain
Published: December 2017

Little research has explored individual experiences of cyberbullying in working contexts. To start bridging the gap in our current understanding, we used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to explore individuals' shared experiences of cyberbullying encountered through work. In-depth interviews, conducted with five cyberbullied workers from the pharmaceutical, charity and university sectors, resulted in five superordinate themes: attributions of causality; crossing of boundaries; influence of communication media richness on relationship development; influence of communication explicitness and openness; and strategies for coping. Overall, some similarities emerged between cyberbullying experiences and traditional bullying research, yet the complexities associated with managing relationships, both virtually and physically, were central to individuals' subjective experiences. Practical implications in developing effective leadership and business policies to support virtual groups and manage behaviours are discussed.
Roles of instrumental and noninstrumental voice in members' reactions toward interorganizational committees
Authors: Magner Nace , Staley A. Blair
Published: December 2017

Interorganizational committees make decisions that apply to various organizations and their members are representatives of these organizations. This paper examines how interorganizational committee membersʼ perceptions of noninstrumental voice, instrumental voice, and decision outcome favorability are related to their committee identification, helping behavior, and perception of go-along-to-get-ahead political behavior. Questionnaire data from 197 Pennsylvania tax collection committee members were analyzed with regression. Of primary interest, perceived instrumental voice had a unique relationship with all three committeereferenced reactions, while perceived noninstrumental voice was not uniquely related to any of them. These results suggest that interorganizational committee members react to voice for instrumental reasons related to perceived influence over other members rather than noninstrumental reasons concerning their committee status.
Codes of ethics, public values, and what public servants offer the bureaucratic compac
Authors: Johnson Bonnie J.
Published: December 2017

Over 100 years ago, the bureaucratic compact and five professions were established: city/county management, city planning, civil engineering, landscape architecture, and architecture. In exchange for merit employment and independence from politics, these professions offered expertise and related values. To understand those values and changes in the compact from the 1900s to today, codes of ethics from the five professions were examined. Anticipated changes were a movement from traditional public values to business values including New Public Management. However, findings show traditional values persisting over time (e.g. public interest), but not many New Public Management values (e.g. innovation). Modern values do appear and expand professionalsʼ responsibilities into environmental protection, sustainability, and human rights, which influence what these professions offer as they seek to uphold their end of the bureaucratic compact.
Organizational justice: Antecedents and consequences of ghanaian industrial workers
Authors: Gyekye Seth Ayim , Haybatollahi Mohammad
Published: December 2017

The study tested a model of the antecedents and consequences of organizational justice among Ghanaian industrial workers (N = 320). Justice perceptions were examined in terms of their socio-cultural properties and demographic variables. These variables were examined in terms of their impact as antecedents and consequences of justice evaluations. Antecedents comprised work-related and personal characteristics. Consequences comprised perceived organizational support, organizational citizenship behavior, organizational safety climate, safety behavior, and accident frequency. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the hypotheses. Mplus-7 indicated a partial mediation effect in a multi-mediation model. Work-related variables strongly and positively correlated with organizational justice, and were generally better predictors of organizational justice than were personal characteristics. The results have implications to organizational behavior.
Connecting the dots: Integrating and reinventing cultural theory, voice and collaboration
Authors: Lau Fion , Williams Adam M.
Published: December 2017

Research on the impact of oneʼs self-perception of voice on their willingness to take part in organizations collaboration has recently been empirically demonstrated. However, in the context of larger, global organizations, research has yet to determine the importance of voice and collaboration. Moreover, the failure to account for influences such as globalization warrants revisiting theoretical explanations of voice and collaboration. This manuscript proposes a new model merging cultural theory and the work on voice and collaboration to describe how global organizations seek to develop a structure and attract personnel that will collaborate to make decisions towards the organizationʼs preferred outcome and ensuing behaviors.
Legislation induced organizational inefficiency: The case of the federal reserve and the dodd-frank
Authors: Johnson Ann M.
Published: December 2017

In 2010 the Dodd-Frank Law was passed in response to the 2008 recession. However, questions arose regarding the federal agenciesʼ ability to regulate the economy in general and the utility of financial regulations in particular. This work examines and discusses the challenges associated with the uncertainty of the administrative environment in which agencies have been drafting regulations in response to Dodd-Frank. A lack of administrative clarity as a result of Congressional politics led to regulatory capture and operational paralysis on the part of federal agencies tasked with implementing the Act. In this type of environment it becomes very difficult for regulatory agencies to be effective and competent when regulations have not all been drafted yet and legislation is continuously changing. This article critically examines the recent proposed changes to the Dodd-Frank Law. Specifically, it delineates the manner in which the legislative instability has impacted the Federal Reserve Bankʼs capacity to effectively implement the necessary rules for mitigating economic risks.
What is newark?
Authors: Wachhaus Aaron
Published: December 2017

Farmer encourages the use of multiple perspectives as a means of developing robust knowledge. He points out that it is impossible to fully know any thing from a single vantage point. Further he encourages us to reflect on how our perspective shapes what and how we see. He also points out that practice is the test of theory. I apply that maxim here, considering how my understanding of the city of Newark, NJ is impacted by the perspective from which I view it, and by exploring how other vantage points may yield different views of the city.
David farmerʼs body of work: A retrospective and prospective view
Authors: White Orion
Published: December 2017

David Farmerʼs work is too often misunderstood, perhaps because of the truly imaginative metaphors that he employs for expressing it, and the seemingly paradoxical prescriptions that it leads to at the level of practical action. This problem is helped by elaborating the grounding in which his work is at least implicitly set (namely, Traditionalism in American public administration) and by considering its congruence and compatibilities with the best of such contemporary organization theory as Demingʼs approach to organizational and management practice. With such clarified understanding, it becomes obvious that his work opens the way to a truly new 21st century model of public administration both in theory and in application.
Decentralization: Operationalization and measurement model
Authors: Morozov Boris
Published: December 2017

Decentralization has been a continual focus of attention of both scholars and practitioners for more than half a century. Even though there is a general agreement on what decentralization is, there is no consensus about how it should be measured. This article builds on the existing body of literature that specifies three major dimensions of decentralization: political, administrative, and economic. The article offers a measurement model that unifies these dimensions in a meaningful manner that allows for comparison across countries. The proposed model is then empirically tested using confirmatory factor analysis of a data set of 37 countries over the period 2000-2009. This factor analysis reveals that there are, in fact, only two dimensions of the decentralization process. The newly developed modelʼs index illustrates that the conceptually challenging processes of decentralization can be accurately measured and analyzed. The index can be used for hypothesis testing of the causality role of decentralization.
Influence of organizational context and followerʼs deposition on the effectiveness of transformational leadership
Authors: Ho Jessie
Published: December 2017

Past research on transformational leadership in organizations has neglected the organizational context in which such leadership is embedded, and the significance of the disposition of followers. The purpose of the present study was to enrich and refine transformational leadership theory by linking it to organizational context and the self-esteem of followers. It was expected that organizational characteristics and subordinatesʼ self-esteem could moderate the effects of transformational leadership behavior on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship behavior. Results revealed that only organizational-based self-esteem (OBSE) significantly moderated the impact of transformational leadership behavior on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Within-and-between-analysis procedures (WABA) were used to determine the appropriate level of data analysis. Research finding suggests that managers should provide individualized performance feedback for high OBSE subordinates and spend more time coaching those subordinates with low OBSE on a one-to-one basis.
Post-1970 "budgetary cooperation" between central and local government in Denmark
Authors: Albæk Erik
Published: December 2017

As the result of a major local government reform in 1970, most welfare functions in Denmark are dealt with at the local level of government, effectively turning the extensive Danish "welfare state" into "welfare communes" as municipalities are called in the Scandinavian languages. With more than half of the country's total public expenditure being spent by local authorities, regulation of local govenment budgets has become a major concern in the economic policy of the Danish central government. Since the early 1980s the realization of the goal of limited growth in Danish local government spending has been quite successful. One explanation for this comparatively successful regulation of local government spending in Denmark can be foundin the combined effects of two factors: 1) Danish local authorities have the independent right to levy taxes, and 2) the regulation of local budgets is the result of a negotiated agreement between central and local government actors, known in Danish as "budgetary cooperation."
Recent developments in public financial management in the european community: a comparative analysis
Authors: Thai Khi V. , Sekwat Alex
Published: December 2017

This article identifies major public financial management developments in the European Community (EC). Despite a certain degree of disparity, the EC member countries have had a number of common developments in public financial management. In general, central governments of most EC member countries were faced with resource constraints, growing spending demands and large budget deficits. Moreover, fiscal changes had to be made in order to reach the single European market goal targeted by 1992. Thus, several fiscal policy and management initiatives were developed including tax reforms, changes in spending programs, improve-ments of government performance, and fiscal harmonization. The results of these initiatives are reflected in the patterns of central government receipts and outlays in the EC member countries.
Municipal budgets: governance, surveillance, and legitimation
Authors: Luehlfing Michael S.
Published: December 2017

This study investigates the effect of institutional controls (governance), accounting controls (surveillance), and legitimation tactics on the size of municipal budgets. Ordinary least squares regression analysis is employed as the primary data analysis technique in this study. Overall, the results suggest that reform approaches to local government have not been as successful as the reformers envisioned. Additionally, while the results suggest that timely reporting is a deterrent to increased expenditures, the results also suggest that, to some degree, the use of legitimation tactics may offset the benefits of timely reporting.
An inquiry into the feasibility of a national accounting policy for public schools
Authors: Garner C. William
Published: December 2017

The reactions to informal surveys conducted by the author about the effort to set a national policy that would include public school districts indicated it was either largely unknown or not understood by many school officials and professors of education administration. Thus, an inquiry was conducted to document the historical basis for creating the double entry method of accounting, the impetus for a national accounting policy, and the relevance to public school districts. The ultimate objective of the inquiries, therefore, was to offer a set of conclusions regarding the current status of accounting and budgeting policies with particular reference to their potential influence on the practices of public school districts.
Democratizing the capital budget planning and project selection process at the local level: assets and liabilities
Authors: MacManus Susan A.
Published: December 2017

Historically, citizen input into the capital budgeting planning and project selection process has been sporadic and often limited to the most politically-attentive, “connected” individuals and groups. The near-sightedness of such an approach has become apparent as the public’s cynicism toward government has intensified, along with its reticence to support bond referenda, and its propensity to file equity-oriented lawsuits criticizing capital project decisions. To combat these problems, local governments across the U.S. are broadening constituent involvement in their capital budget process, especially at the front-end where possible projects are identified and selected for inclusion in the capital improvement plan. This article examines the four major approaches that are being utilized: decentralizing public hearings; using community-wide public opinion surveys to gauge public support for various projects and revenue-raising options; expanding citizen access and input to, and feedback from, government interactive data bases; and creating more formalized roles for citizens on capital budget planning committees. Each of these approaches has its own assets and liabilities which are delineated.
The effect of public versus private decision environment on the use of the net present value investment criterion
Authors: Richardson Keith
Published: December 2017

Public and private sector managers make investment decisions under uncertainty. Economic efficiency requires that managers who wish to maximize expected utility use NPV. A field test reports that a lower proportion of public managers (20%) utilize NPV than private managers (46%). This difference is significant at p = .01 in both logistic regression and chi-square tests for three competing, but not mutually exclusive, reasons. First, taxpayers are a primary source of capital. Taxation decisions are primarily political events and inefficiency is less likely to be disciplined by capital withdrawal. Second, it is more difficult to estimate expected benefits and costs. Third, investment decisions are often the result of political, not economic, processes. The objective may not be maximization of NPV.
Determinates of irregularities reported by audits of a federal loan program
Authors: Lawrence Janice E.
Published: December 2017

The study examines audit reports of a federal loan program which has a high incidence of reported irregularities. The following research questions are examined: (1) are there characteristics common to projects in which irregularities are reported? (2) Can variables be identified which are significant in differentiating between projects with and without reported irregularities? Projects with reported irregularities are found to be significantly associated with internal control weaknesses, related party transactions, lower net income, smaller cash flow, fewer projects per developer, and an auditor with fewer Farmers Home Administration (FmHA) clients.
A study of the effects of accountability and engagement risk on auditor materiality decisions in public sector audits
Authors: Sinason David H.
Published: December 2017

Public administration theory suggests that increased accountability in the public sector influences the auditor to lower materiality levels; thereby increasing the audit sample size; which decreases the likelihood of an inappropriate opinion. Accounting theory posits that engagement risk leads the auditor to lower materiality levels to decrease the likelihood of rendering an inappropriate opinion, in an effort to avoid litigation. The results of this study indicate, that in public sector entities, accountability guides the auditors’ materiality decisions.
Decentralization of the purchasing function in municipal government: a national survey
Authors: Gianakis Gerasimos A. , Wang XiaoHu
Published: December 2017

Recent public sector management reform efforts have focused on the decentralization of managerial discretion and the empowerment of operational managers. To what extent have purchasing functions been decentralized in municipal governments in the wake of these efforts? What are the organizational factors associated with the decentralization of purchasing? On the basis of a national survey of municipal governments in the United States, this research finds that decentralization of the responsibility for purchasing has been limited. The decentralization that has occurred is associated with decentralization of budgeting and personnel systems, an organization=s analytical capacity to employ administrative and analytical tools, and an organization=s commitment to and support of enhanced performance and accountability.
The production and use of indicators in science, technology and innovation policy-making in Africa
Authors: Manyuchi Albert Edgar , Mugabe John Ouma
Published: December 2017

Purpose

A growing number of African countries are starting to produce science, technology and innovation (STI) indicators. The purpose of this paper is to provide some lessons learnt in the production and use of STI indicators in Malawi and South Africa. It is compares the two countries’ efforts to conduct Research and Development (R&D) surveys and examines whether and how STI indicators are used in policymaking processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The study approach is qualitative. The research methodology encompasses a thorough review of both policy and academic literature as well as some interviews.

Findings

The study demonstrates that South Africa has a relatively developed institutional arrangement for undertaking R&D and innovation surveys and developing related STI indicators. There is evidence that efforts are being made to use STI indicators to inform policymaking in the country. On the other hand, Malawi conducted its first R&D survey under the African Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators Initiative (ASTII) and has not established an institutional mechanism dedicated to producing STI indicators. There is no evidence that indicators are used in, or to inform, policymaking in the country.

Research limitations/implications

Because of significant differences in STI policymaking histories, capacities and cultures of the two countries, it is not really useful to compare the STI production and use. Rather it is important to draw lessons from the efforts of the two countries.

Practical implications

The results suggest that the production of STI indicators should be embedded in policy processes. To be useful and effective, STI indicators production needs to be explicitly linked to policy formulation, evaluation and monitoring activities without necessarily undermining the independence of producing STI indicators.

Social implications

Creating stand-alone programmes or agencies for R&D and innovation surveys without clear articulation with policymaking needs erodes opportunities of having evidence-based STI policy regimes.

Originality/value

Although in 2005 only South Africa and Tunisia had national programmes dedicated to the generation of R&D statistics, by the end of 2010 at least 19 African countries had experimented with conducting R&D surveys under the auspices of the ASTII of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development. These countries accumulated different experiences and consequently build different kinds of institutional capacities. Through the Malawi and South Africa case studies, some important lessons for STI indicators production and use and STI policymaking can be drawn for developing countries in general and African countries in particular.
Stexit?: South East Asian pluralism, statelessness and exclusive identities
Authors: Jonsson Hjorleifur
Published: December 2017

In a time of Brexit and Trump, when exclusive national identities are taken for granted, South East Asia's longstanding patterns of inclusive identity and interethnic networks merit our closest attention. However, much of anthropology and related scholarship has viewed ideologies of exclusive identity as normal rather than contingent. This scholarly emphasis has made the negotiation of diversity seem improbable and even detrimental to certain peoples, particularly those in ‘minority’ slots who may in fact need such negotiation the most. In this article, the author triangulates anthropology, South East Asia and the evolution of human society in relation to questions of stateless peoples and the lingering potential of civil pluralism.
Malagasy Judaism: The ‘who is a Jew?’ conundrum comes to Madagascar
Authors: Miles William F.S.
Published: December 2017

With the virtual disappearance of the centuries‐old Jewish community in Ethiopia through wholescale emigration to Israel, African Jewry is in the process of reconstituting itself into new Jewish movements (NJMs). One of these NJMs is emerging in Madagascar. However, the number of Malagasy adherents to normative (i.e. rabbinic) Judaism is eclipsed by those within the larger society who affirm genealogical descent from ancient Israel – and therefore the mantle of ‘Jew’. They do so while practising Christianity. Thus, the longstanding, sensitive question ‘who is a Jew?’ has migrated from Israel, America and Europe to Africa and Madagascar. This article introduces an array of Malagasy ‘Judaizing’ communities – believers in an Israelite Lost Tribe origin, descendants of a Jewish convert to Islam, Leviticus‐like ‘Aaronites’ – before focusing on Malagasies practising normative Judaism. The new Jews of Madagascar extend the cultural and geographic scope of new religious movements literature to greater Africa and, by extension, to societies in the developing world.
The Impacts of the Presence of Disabled Members on Intra‐household Allocation in Older Australian Households
Authors: Gong Xiaodong , Brown Laurie
Published: December 2017

In this article, we investigate the consumption patterns of older Australian households. Our special focus is on the impact of the presence of disabled household members on households’ allocation of their consumption expenditure. The results reveal that for older Australian households, recreation, clothing, and other goods and services are luxury goods, while food and housing are found to be necessities. We find that families with disabled members have to spend more on necessities at the expense of more luxury goods, such as recreation.
The Rising Systemic Importance of Chinese Banks: Should the World Be Concerned?
Authors: Kemal Avkiran Necmi , Mi Lin
Published: December 2017

International regulators use data on systemic importance for additional capital requirements for banks with cross‐jurisdictional operations. Chinese banks’ importance scores have risen significantly and China stands as the world's largest net creditor. Furthermore, commercial banks in China have recorded higher non‐performing loans ratios across 2013–2015. Tracking systemic risk is a core activity in enabling macroprudential regulation. We focus on Chinese commercial banks and rank them as domestic systemically important banks (D‐SIBs). We then identify those high ranking D‐SIBs that are also global systemically important banks (G‐SIBs). We investigate whether high ranking D‐SIB/G‐SIB banks have adequate capital and their interconnectedness.
Where Is the Chinese Economy Going? A Forum on Contemporary Policy and Performance
Authors: Garnaut Ross , Johnston Lauren , Song Ligang
Published: December 2017

China adopted a new model of growth from 2011, requiring substantial structural change. This introductory article presents statistical evidence on progress so far. Change generally is in the required direction, but slow. There has been early but slow progress on re‐orienting domestic demand towards consumption; substantial re‐orientation from reliance on exports towards domestic demand; and rapid change at the margin in the energy mix towards low‐emissions sources. Investment in human capital is proceeding rapidly along lines required by the new model. So far, productivity growth has been slow, raising questions about future progress.
The Impact of WIC on Infant Immunizations and Health Care Utilization
Authors: Bersak Tim , Sonchak Lyudmyla
Published: December 2017

Objective

To test how prenatal participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) impacts health care utilization and immunizations within the first year of an infant's life.

Data Source

We utilize comprehensive South Carolina Medicaid claims data from 2004 to 2013 linked with birth certificates data from 2004 to 2012. These data contain information on WIC participation and all health care utilization within the first year of an infant's life.

Study Design

We employ a maternal fixed‐effects empirical design to control for unobserved factors that influence WIC participation and health care utilization.

Principal Findings

We estimate that WIC participation increases infant health care utilization within the first year of life by 0.20 well‐child visits (95 percent CI 0.16–0.23), by 0.22 vaccinations (95 percent CI 0.17–0.27), and by increasing the probability of receiving care in an emergency room by 2.9 percentage points (95 percent CI 2.0–3.8). Additionally, our results show that WIC participation decreases the average number of days an infant spends in the hospital within his or her first year of life by 0.41 days (95 percent CI 0.22–0.60).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that WIC may increase health care costs in some dimensions while reducing it in others, and more work is needed to fully evaluate the impact of the program on future expenditures.
A Three‐Locus, PCR‐based Method for Forensic Identification of Plant Material
Authors: Srivastava Tushar , Wu Michael , Kakhnovich Julia , Waithaka Bridgit , Lents Nathan H.
Published: December 2017

Plant residue is currently an underutilized resource in forensic investigations despite the fact that many crime scenes, as well as suspects and victims, harbor plant‐derived residue that could be recovered and analyzed. Notwithstanding the considerable skill of forensic botanists, current methods of species determination could benefit from tools for DNA‐based species identification. However, DNA barcoding in plants has been hampered by sequence complications in the plant genome. Following a database search for usable barcodes, broad‐spectrum primers were designed and utilized to amplify and sequence the rbcL, trnL‐F, and rrn18 genetic loci from a variety of household plants. Once obtained, these DNA sequences were used to design species‐targeted primers that could successfully discriminate the source of plant residue from among the 21 species tested.
Lactate ≥2 mmol/L plus qSOFA improves utility over qSOFA alone in emergency department patients presenting with suspected sepsis
Authors: Shetty Amith , MacDonald Stephen PJ , Williams Julian M , van Bockxmeer John , de Groot Bas , Esteve Cuevas Laura M , Ansems Annemieke , Green Malcolm , Thompson Kelly , Lander Harvey , Greenslade Jaimi , Finfer Simon , Iredell Jonathan
Published: December 2017

Objective

The Sepsis‐3 task force recommends the use of the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) score to identify risk for adverse outcomes in patients presenting with suspected infection. Lactate has been shown to predict adverse outcomes in patients with suspected infection. The aim of the study is to investigate the utility of a post hoc lactate threshold (≥2 mmol/L) added qSOFA score (LqSOFA(2) score) to predict primary composite adverse outcomes (mortality and/or ICU stay ≥72 h) in patients presenting to ED with suspected sepsis.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study was conducted on a merged dataset of suspected or proven sepsis patients presenting to ED across multiple sites in Australia and The Netherlands. Patients are identified as candidates for quality improvement initiatives or research studies at respective sites based on local screening procedures. Data‐sharing was performed across sites of demographics, qSOFA, SOFA, lactate thresholds and outcome data for included patients. LqSOFA(2) scores were calculated by adding an extra point to qSOFA score in patients who met lactate thresholds of ≥2 mmol/L.

Results

In a merged dataset of 12 555 patients where a full qSOFA score and outcome data were available, LqSOFA(2) ≥2 identified more patients with an adverse outcome (sensitivity 65.5%, 95% confidence interval 62.6–68.4) than qSOFA ≥2 (sensitivity 47.6%, 95% confidence interval 44.6– 50.6). The post hoc addition of lactate threshold identified higher proportion of patients at risk of adverse outcomes.

Conclusions

The lactate ≥2 mmol/L threshold‐based LqSOFA(2) score performs better than qSOFA alone in identifying risk of adverse outcomes in ED patients with suspected sepsis.
Serum fetuin‐B is positively associated with intrahepatic triglyceride content and increases the risk of insulin resistance in obese Chinese adults: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Wang Dongmei , Liu Yijie , Liu Suhuan , Lin Lin , Liu Changqin , Shi Xiulin , Chen Zheng , Lin Mingzhu , Yang Shuyu , Li Zhibin , Li Xuejun
Published: December 2017

Background

Fetuin‐B impairs insulin action in myotubes and hepatocytes and causes glucose intolerance in mice. This study explored the correlation between serum fetuin‐B and intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) content, and the association between fetuin‐B and the risk of insulin resistance in the general adult population.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study of 1318 obese adults who underwent serum fetuin‐B testing and hepatic ultrasonography was conducted in Xiamen, China. The IHTG content was determined in 428 subjects by magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Results

Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease prevalence was significantly higher in those with the highest serum fetuin‐B concentrations and the highest IHTC content (Tertile 3) than in subjects in Tertiles 1 and 2 (62.6% vs 60.7% and 54.3%, respectively [P = 0.032], and 15.3% vs 12.8% and 12.7%, respectively [P = 0.049]). There was a significant association between increasing serum fetuin‐B tertiles and both increasing fasting insulin concentrations (mean [± SD] 11.9 ± 6.8, 12.7 ± 7.6, and 13.3 ± 6.4 mIU/L in Tertiles 1, 2 and 3, respectively; P = 0.006) and prevalence of insulin resistance (54.4%, 58.9%, and 64.5% in Tertiles 1, 2 and 3, respectively; P = 0.010). In linear regression analysis, IHTG content was independently and positively correlated with serum fetuin‐B (regression coefficient 0.015; P = 0.045). With adjustment for potential confounders, serum fetuin‐B was independently associated with increased risk of insulin resistance, with an adjusted odds ratio per standard deviation increase in fetuin‐B of 1.14 (95% confidence interval 1.01–1.30; P = 0.031).

Conclusions

The results demonstrate the role of fetuin‐B linking liver fat accumulation to insulin resistance in humans.