bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Balloon Aortic Valvuloplasty with or without Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in the Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Era
Authors: Aldalati Omar , Jackson Matthew , Vijayan Seth , Telyuk Pyotr , Hayat Umair , Bashir Shaza , Vahabi Sharareh , McCalmont Gemma , de Belder Mark A. , Muir Douglas , Williams Paul D.
Published: May 2024

Introduction: The role of balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) in the era of transcatheter aortic valve replacement remains a topic of debate. We sought to study the safety and feasibility of combined BAV and percutaneous coronary intervention (BAV-PCI). Methods: Between November 2009 and July 2020, all patients undergoing BAV were identified and divided into three groups: combined BAV-PCI (group A), BAV with significant unrevascularised CAD (group B), and BAV without significant CAD (group C). Procedural outcomes and 30-day and one-year mortality were compared. Results: A total of 264 patients were studied (n = 84, 93, and 87 patients in groups A, B, and C, respectively). The STS score was 10.2 ± 8, 13.3 ± 19, and 8.1 ± 7, p = 0.026, in groups A, B, and C, respectively. VARC-3 adjudicated complications were similar among groups (11%, 13%, and 5%, respectively, p = 0.168, respectively). Thirty-day and one-year mortality were 9.8% (n = 26) and 32% (n = 86) of the entire cohort. The differences among groups did not reach statistical significance. Using univariate Cox regression analysis, group B patients were at higher risk of dying compared to group A patients (HR 1.58, 95% CI: 1.11–2.25, p = 0.010). With multivariate Cox regression analysis, the predictors of mortality were STS score, cardiogenic shock, mode of presentation, and lack of subsequent definitive valve intervention. Conclusion: In high-risk patients with aortic valve stenosis, combined BAV-PCI is safe and feasible with comparable outcomes to BAV with and without significant CAD.
Myocardial Infarction in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Results from the Nationwide Readmission Database
Authors: Ali Elrazi A. , Patel Neel , Khalid Mazin , Kaddoura Rasha , Kalavar Madhumathi , Shani Jacob , Yassin Mohamed
Published: May 2024

Introduction: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a hematological malignancy with an excellent prognostic outcome. After the advancements in CML treatment and the introduction of different tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), the life expectancy of CML patients has become equivalent to that of the general population. As a result, coronary artery disease is anticipated to be the leading cause of death among CML patients. Moreover, TKI use is associated with a risk of endothelial dysfunction, thrombosis, and cardiovascular events, including myocardial infarction. In this study, we compare the outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with CML to their matched non-CML counterparts. Method: This is a retrospective cohort study using the Nationwide Readmission Database from January 2016 to December 2020. Adults with or without CML hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction and underwent PCI were included. The patients were identified using ICD-10 codes. The primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and 30-day readmission rates. The secondary outcomes were PCI complications rates. Results: Out of 2,727,619 patients with myocardial infarction, 2,124 CML patients were identified. A total of 888 CML patients underwent PCI. CML patients were significantly older (mean age: 68.34 ± 11.14 vs. 64.40 ± 12.61 years, p < 0.001) than non-CML patients without a difference in sex distribution. Hypertension (85.45% vs. 78.64%), diabetes (45.48% vs. 37.29), stroke (11.84% vs. 7.78) at baseline were significantly higher in the CML group. Prior myocardial infarction events (20.51% vs. 15.17%) and prior PCI procedure (24.47% vs. 16.89%) were significantly higher in the CML group. CML patients had a significantly longer hospital stay (4.66 ± 4.40 vs. 3.75 ± 4.62 days, p = 0.001). The primary outcomes did not differ between the comparison groups. The risk of post-PCI complications did not differ between the comparison groups in the propensity matched analysis except for coronary artery dissection (odds ratio [OR]: 0.10; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.02–0.65, p = 0.016) and ischemic stroke (OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.14–0.93, p = 0.034) which were lower in the CML group. Conclusion: This analysis showed no statistically significant difference in mortality, 30-day readmission, and post PCI complications rates between CML and non-CML patients. However, interestingly, CML patients may experience lower coronary artery dissection and ischemic stroke events than those without CML diagnosis.
Cenas de um Brasil sem saída: imagens do neossujeito na telenovela Pantanal
Authors: Fischer Sandra , Vaz Aline
Published: May 2024

The study addresses the Brazilian soap opera Pantanal (2022) from the perspective in which the narrative presents the character Madeleine. The reiteration of aesthetic arrangements made up of elements such as water and checkered domestic environments place the character in images of anesthetic landscapes, making it possible to infer the figurativeness of the neo-subject. Considering the analysis frames of the chapters shown between March 31, 2022 and May 21, 2022 – from the first appearance of the character until the moment of the plane crash that ends the girl’s trajectory in the plot –, it is possible to assume that the investigated scenes, in terms of the produced meaning effects, function as a metaphor and metonymy of a neoliberal apparatus, allowing the audience to perceive itself housed, eventually, in places similar to those that are framed by the telenovela and occupied by the character.
Simultaneous whole-head electrophysiological recordings using EEG and OPM-MEG
Authors: Seedat Zelekha A. , Pier Kelly St. , Holmes Niall , Rea Molly , Al-Hilaly Layla , Tierney Tim M. , Embury Christine M. , Pardington Rosemarie , Mullinger Karen J. , Cross J. Helen , Boto Elena , Brookes Matthew J.
Published: May 2024

Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) non-invasively measure human brain electrophysiology. They differ in nature; MEG offers better performance while EEG (a wearable platform) is more practical. They are also complementary, with studies showing that concurrent MEG/EEG provides advantages over either modality alone, and consequently clinical guidelines for MEG in epilepsy recommend simultaneous acquisition of MEG and EEG. In recent years, new instrumentation—the optically pumped magnetometer (OPM)—has had a significant impact on MEG, offering improved performance, lifespan compliance, and wearable MEG systems. Nevertheless, the ability to carry out simultaneous EEG/OPM-MEG remains critical. Here, we investigated whether simultaneous, wearable, whole-head EEG and OPM-MEG measurably degrades signal quality in either modality. We employed two tasks: a motor task known to modulate beta oscillations, and an eyes-open/closed task known to modulate alpha oscillations. In both, we characterised the performance of EEG alone, OPM-MEG alone, and concurrent EEG/OPM-MEG. Results show that the signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the beta response was similar, regardless of whether modalities were used individually or concurrently. Likewise, our alpha band recordings demonstrated that signal contrast was stable, regardless of the concurrent recording. We also demonstrate significant advantages of OPM-MEG; specifically, the OPM-MEG signal is less correlated across channels and less susceptible to interference from non-brain sources. Our results suggest that there are no barriers to simultaneous wearable EEG/OPM-MEG, and consequently this technique is ripe for neuroscientific and clinical adoption. This will be important in the clinic where simultaneous EEG and OPM-MEG recordings will facilitate better interpretation of OPM-MEG data in patients.
Cotylenchus cleo gen. n., sp. n., a new plant-parasitic nematode (Tylenchida: Anguinidae) parasitising on leaves of western sword fern plants from rainforests in Washington State, USA
Authors: Álvarez-Ortega Sergio , Subbotin Sergei A.
Published: May 2024

A new genus and species of anguinid nematode, Cotylenchus cleo gen. n., sp. n., was recovered from leaves of the western sword fern, Polystichum munitum, growing in rainforests in several locations of Olympic National Park, Washington State, USA. This new anguinid nematode induced distinct necrotic and chlorotic symptoms on fern leaves characterised by yellowing, light to brown areas between veins. The new species is characterised by a long and slender body, six incisures in the lateral field, robust stylet (12.0-13.5 μm) with large and rounded knobs, pyriform to elongate and abutting basal pharyngeal bulb, and long conical tail with pointed terminus; females having posteriorly located vulva (V = 74-80%) and well-developed post-vulval uterine sac (26-59 μm) and males having spicules 20-23 μm long. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial 18S rRNA and the D2-D3 expansion segments of the 28S rRNA genes showed that this anguinid nematode formed a separate evolutionary lineage different from all other Anguinidae taxa. The new species was also characterised by sequencing the ITS rRNA and COI genes.
Feasibility and Normative Penetration
Authors: Lindauer Matthew , Southwood Nicholas
Published: May 2024

An important theme in recent experimental philosophy is that certain judgments (e.g., our judgments involving intentional action and causation) exhibit a kind of normative penetration whereby, in spite of a not-obviously-normative subject matter, they turn out to be sensitive to, and co-vary with, our normative attitudes in interesting and surprising ways. We present the results of several new experimental studies that suggest that our judgments about feasibility also appear to exhibit this kind of normative penetration in at least some cases; that the best explanation of it involves attributing to subjects a certain kind of extensional error that results from conflating the question at hand with another question that is more salient given their normative attitudes; and that these conclusions have significant, though not straightforward, implications for our understanding of both normative penetration and feasibility, respectively.
Optimizing the Microstructure and Properties of Fe–Ni–Cu–Mo–C Sintered Steel by TiB2
Authors: Liu Zenglin , Wang Yankang , Lu Weilong , Liu Feng , Han Wei , He Wuqiang
Published: May 2024

The Fe–Ni–Cu–Mo–C powder metallurgy sintered steels with TiB2 reinforced were prepared by the conventional powder metallurgy techniques. This study explored the influence of incremental TiB2 additions, ranging from 0.1 to 0.6 wt.%, on the
microstructure and properties of these steels. The results reveal that the microstructures primarily consist of martensite, Ni-rich austenite, Cu-rich pearlite, TiB2, and Ti–O rich nanoparticles. The latter form via a reaction between TiB2 and free oxygen. Notably,
both the density and impact strength of the steels showed enhancement with increasing TiB2 content. The optimal values, 7.25 g/cm3 for density and 17.23 J/cm2 for impact strength, were observed at a TiB2 concentration of 0.5%. The hardness and ultimate
tensile strength also increased steadily, reaching maxima of 38.7 and 1083.7 MPa at 0.6% TiB2, respectively. However, excessive TiB2 led to the formation of a net-like B-containing eutectic network, adversely affecting the steel properties. Steels with 0.5% TiB2
exhibited excellent wear resistance. At 200 rpm, the dominant failure mode was abrasive wear, which shifted to adhesive wear with oxidation at 400 rpm, followed by abrasive wear.
Exploring the Significance and Cutting-Edge Applications of Terpenes and Terpenoid-Derived Inorganic Nanoparticles
Authors: Mishra Pooja , khan Salman , Rafi Zeeshan , Faruqui Tabrez , Mansoor Shazia , Ahmad Irshad , Ahmad Irfan , Siddiqui Samra , Saeed Mohd
Published: May 2024

Terpenoids are a group of secondary metabolites derived from isoprene and are among the most diverse natural products responsible for crucial role in the metabolism of organisms. They are found in various forms, including terpene hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, carboxylic acids,
ketones, esters, and glycosides. Terpenes have a broad range of medicinal properties and are used to prepare drugs such as artemisinin. Metallic nanoparticles that are formed by plants have garnered significant interest across various fields, including medicine, the environment, food processing,
and agriculture. Using plant extracts to reduce metals is regarded as both eco-friendly and affordable and has recently gained popularity for synthesizing various classes of nanoparticles. In this study, we reviewed plant-derived terpenes (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, sesquiterpenes,
triterpenes, and meroterpenes), their applications in medicine, and for the synthesis of nanoparticles. This review is relevant to researchers interested in combating bacterial infections and cancers and in using terpenoids in the synthesis of nanoparticles.
Assessing the Convective Environment over Irrigated and Nonirrigated Land Use with Land–Atmosphere Coupling Metrics: Results from GRAINEX
Authors: Whitesel Daniel , Mahmood Rezaul , Phillips Christopher , Roundy Joshua , Rappin Eric , Flanagan Paul , Santanello Joseph A. , Nair Udaysankar , Pielke Roger
Published: May 2024

Land-use land-cover change affects weather and climate. This paper quantifies land–atmosphere interactions over irrigated and nonirrigated land uses during the Great Plains Irrigation Experiment (GRAINEX). Three coupling metrics were used to quantify land–atmosphere interactions as they relate to convection. They include the convective triggering potential (CTP), the low-level humidity index (HIlow), and the lifting condensation level (LCL) deficit. These metrics were calculated from the rawinsonde data obtained from the Integrated Sounding Systems (ISSs) for Rogers Farm and York Airport along with soundings launched from the three Doppler on Wheels (DOW) sites. Each metric was categorized by intensive observation period (IOP), cloud cover, and time of day. Results show that with higher CTP, lower HIlow, and lower LCL deficit, conditions were more favorable for convective development over irrigated land use. When metrics were grouped and analyzed by IOP, compared to nonirrigated land use, HIlow was found to be lower for irrigated land use, suggesting favorable conditions for convective development. Furthermore, when metrics were grouped and analyzed by clear and nonclear days, CTP values were higher over irrigated cropland than nonirrigated land use. In addition, compared to nonirrigated land use, the LCL deficit during the peak growing season was lower over irrigated land use, suggesting a favorable condition for convection. It is found that with the transition from the early summer to the mid/peak summer and increased irrigation, the environment became more favorable for convective development over irrigated land use. Finally, it was found that regardless of background atmospheric conditions, irrigated land use provided a favorable environment for convective development.
Flowers and Bees: Spatial Network Effects in the Adoption of a Sharing-Economy Platform
Authors: Stourm Ludovic , Albuquerque Paulo
Published: May 2024

This article empirically analyzes the spatiotemporal diffusion of a car-sharing platform that connects consumers with individual car owners. The authors develop a model of adoption by both consumers and providers that accommodates network effects across locations, as consumers travel to pick up cars, and information asymmetry, as only the providers’ locations are shown on a map. They apply it to data at the earliest stage of the platform and find that proximity and consumer mobility play a significant role in the spatial network effects of existing providers on consumers across locations. Consequently, the impact of additional supply at a destination on consumer adoptions at an origin varies by origin–destination pair and is asymmetric, as certain destinations draw more visitors than others and given differences in local characteristics. In contrast, existing consumers have a limited impact on provider adoptions. Through seeding experiments, the authors investigate how the geographic distribution of initial participants impacts the platform diffusion and find that targeting the supply side in big cities leads to the highest platform growth. They also use their parameter estimates to measure the long-term impact of a local promotional campaign and show that it is mostly local despite spatial network effects.
EXPRESS: Revisiting Scalable Targeted Marketing with Distributed Markov Chain Monte Carlo
Authors: Braun Michael
Published: May 2024

This article is temporarily under embargo.
Interactive sequences in the mother–baby dyad: a dyadic and longitudinal communication pattern between mothers and babies with extreme and moderate prematurity /Secuencias interactivas en la díada madre-bebé: un patrón de comunicación diádico y longitudinal entre la madre y el bebé con prematuridad extrema y moderada
Authors: González Sarkis Ivette , Anguera M. Teresa , Mitjavila-i-García Mercè , Cortés Cataldo Francisca
Published: May 2024

The goal of this study was to detect communicative sequences in mother–baby dyads according to the degree of prematurity, comparing them in three corrected ages (two, four and six months). The observational methodology was used from the mixed methods perspective, and the design is nomothetic/follow-up/multidimensional. Fifteen mother–baby dyads with extreme prematurity and 15 mother–baby dyads with moderate prematurity participated. An observation instrument was constructed combining an observation instrument and category systems to code the dyads’ behaviours. Fifteen minutes of free interaction were recorded and Type IV data were logged. The programs HOISAN and SDIS-GSEQ/GSEQ were used to analyse the results. The results detected different behavioural patterns related to the interaction in both the expression of communicative behaviours and in the time when they were deployed in the ages evaluated.
Enlarged perivascular spaces in alcohol-related brain damage induced by dyslipidemia
Authors: Liu Han , Meng Lin , Wang Jiuqi , Qin Chi , Feng Renyi , Chen Yongkang , Chen Pei , Zhu Qingyong , Ma Mingming , Teng Junfang , Ding Xuebing
Published: May 2024

Perivascular spaces (PVSs) as the anatomical basis of the glymphatic system, are increasingly recognized as potential imaging biomarkers of neurological conditions. However, it is not clear whether enlarged PVSs are associated with alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD). We aimed to investigate the effect of long-term alcohol exposure on dyslipidemia and the glymphatic system in ARBD. We found that patients with ARBD exhibited significantly enlargement of PVSs in the frontal cortex and basal ganglia, as well as a notable increased levels of total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG). The anatomical changes of the glymphatic drainage system mentioned above were positively associated with TC and TG. To further explore whether enlarged PVSs affects the function of the glymphatic system in ARBD, we constructed long alcohol exposure and high fat diet mice models. The mouse model of long alcohol exposure exhibited increased levels of TC and TG, enlarged PVSs, the loss of aquaporin-4 polarity caused by reactive astrocytes and impaired glymphatic drainage function which ultimately caused cognitive deficits, in a similar way as high fat diet leading to impairment in glymphatic drainage. Our study highlights the contribution of dyslipidemia due to long-term alcohol abuse in the impairment of the glymphatic drainage system.
Six Urban Regime Types: The Effects of State Laws and Citizen Participation on the Development of Alternative Regimes
Authors: Clark Jill
Published: May 2024

This article reviews relevant urban regime theory literature and integrates it with new ideas about local government roles and citizen participation from the social movements and new political culture perspectives. Six regime types are formulated not only from these literatures but also from an examination of state government legislation that has encouraged cities to adopt both supply- and demand-side policies, to require contracts stipulating business obligations to government in return for subsidies, to permit or require citizen referenda on development issues and, in some cases, to target new jobs for minorities or low-income households. Additionally, this analysis relates each regime's formation and maintenance to particular group interests and decision-making institutions. Regimes are classified in terms of governmental and market roles in achieving efficiency and equity goals in economic development policy-making.
The Agency Spokesperson: Connecting Public Administration and the Media
Authors: Lee Mordecai
Published: May 2024

Spokespersons for administrative agencies are the focal point for connecting public administration and the media. However, while significant attention has been paid to spokespersons for elected officials, those for administrative agencies have received less attention. This article reviews the literature on spokespersonship, presents the results of a survey of the chief public information officers in local government agencies, and compares the results to an identical survey of their counterparts in federal agencies. It concludes that spokespersons for all government agencies are becoming increasingly important in public administration due to the rise of the role of the media in modern society.
A Comparative Study of the “Abilene Paradox” and “Groupthink”
Authors: Kim Yoonho
Published: May 2024

The Abilene Paradox and Groupthink seem very similar and even some researchers confuse the two concepts. To make this vagueness clear, this article seeks to make distinctions between the two concepts. The differences between the two involve nine point: (1) group cohesiveness; (2) leadership style; (3) stress from external threats; (4) private views vs. group illusion; (5) coerced vs. voluntary; (6) dissatisfaction vs. satisfaction; (7) passive vs. active attitudes; (8) blamer vs. mind guards; and (9) fear of separation vs. cohesiveness. This article concludes that the group in the Abilene Paradox is in a state of “low energy” and the group in Groupthink is in a state of “high energy.”
Reinventing State Government: Managing for Results
Authors: Aristigueta Maria P.
Published: May 2024

This article compares and contrasts the reinvention efforts at the national and state levels of government. Findings include striking similarities in the two reinvention reports while the tone or manner of presenting is different. For example, while they both advocate a new role for the public manager, the Gore report is more entrepreneurial and receptive to privatization than the Winter Commission. The use of commissions for reinvention efforts is discussed, followed by a detailed account of the management components that make up the reinvention efforts at the state level and how these components are linked and aligned. Illustrations are provided from findings in six states' managing for results systems and their linking efforts.
Bureaucracy: Weber'S Or Hammurabi'S? Ideal Or Ancient?
Authors: Alkadry Mohamad G.
Published: May 2024

This article examines the administrative practices of the Babylonian Empire during the Hammurabi era between 1792 and 1750 B.C. The main thesis is that public administration in the First Babylonian Dynasty had many of the characteristics that Max Weber (1946/1987) identifies for the "ideal type" of modern bureaucracy. The article uses transcripts, some going back to 3800 years ago from the Hammurabi administration and legal documents of that era to demonstrate that Weber's type is more ancient than ideal. The article also draws some attention to similarities between Weber's accountability and that of Hammurabi.
Relationship between Organizational and Structural Characteristics and Local Authorities Fiscal Health
Authors: Carmeli Abraham
Published: May 2024

This study explores the fiscal health of local authorities, it: Israel as a function of three factors.: demographic characteristics; residents' socioeconomic status: and perceived organizational reputation. The results showed that each factor was independent to its prediction of the fiscal health of the local authorities examined. When the three factors entered together in the equation, they explained 51.2% of the variance in the fiscal health of the local authorities.

Arab-Druze authorities were found to have inferior fiscal health in relation to Jewish local authorities. A high correlation between residents' socioeconomic status and fiscal health was also found. Finally, it was demonstrated that perceived favorable organizational reputation and fiscal health are highly associated. The results may lead us to a better understanding of why so many Israeli local authorities have been in an inferior financial position compared to others. The findings call for further investigation of the differences between Arab-Druze and Jewish local authorities. The study urges local authority heads to invest their efforts in creating a solid and favorable organizational reputation.
Developing and Applying Analytic Capabilities in Major American Cities
Authors: Ammons David N. , Williams W. Anderson
Published: May 2024

Carefully conducted analyses are prepared regularly by and for U.S. municipalities providing important information on a range of issues facing these governments. A review of selected examples, along with information on the qualifications and training of beginning analysts in 50 large municipalities, suggests that much of the analysis in the field relies heavily on the application of management science techniques and basic descriptive statistics. Less evidence points toward the extensive use of intermediate or advanced social science statistics, despite the potential applicability of these tools and their prominence in graduate curricula.
Selecting and Sustaining Community Programs in Developing Countries
Authors: Andrews Matthew
Published: May 2024

While academics and policymakers are unified in calling for community participation in governance reforms in the developing world, the micro-level manifestation of participation is highly varied and unsatisfactory. Many participatory programs do not empower communities and foster democratic governance and many are also not sustained for long periods of time. Why is this so? This article advances a theory that program selection and sustainability are the result of rational choices by influential social groups. In order to understand participation, academics and policymakers should consider factors shaping influence profiles and the preferences of those enjoying influence over program selection and sustainability decisions in developing countries.
Is There Life before the Cpm? Pre-Cpm and Related Noncredit Certificates in Public Administration
Authors: Lee Mordecai
Published: May 2024

The Certified Public Manager (CPM) program has attracted some attention in the modest published literature on noncredit continuing education in public administration. However, this body of scholarship has not paid comparable attention to noncredit certificates affiliated formally or informally with CPM programs and awarded in the process of earning the full certification. This article presents results of an exploratory survey of these noncredit certificates. The results indicated that about a third of all CPM programs offer at least one midpoint certificate prior to a student's completion of the full certification. There were wide variations in titles, duration and price of the pre-CPM certificates. On the other hand, these certificates usually focused on required workshops rather than elective ones, on grading and on elements of pedagogy besides classroom attendance. Eight noncredit certificates in general public administration were not formally linked to CPM, but about a third of them had an informal relationship to the local CPM program, permitting the transfer of some or all of these workshop hours toward the full CPM certification. The results of this exploratory research indicate that this little-known phenomenon of pre-CPM certificates and other noncredit certificates that often have links to CPM may be emerging as a component of the CPM process and, therefore, might deserve a higher profile from pedagogues.
Complexity, Interdis Ciplinarity and Public Administration: Implications for Integrating Communities
Authors: Meek Jackw , Newell William H.
Published: May 2024

Complex systems theory offers a useful way to conceptualize the position of public administrators; interdisciplinary theory provides them with a process as well as pragmatic suggestions for functioning effectively in that position. The usefulness of these theories is demonstrated by applying them to issues emerging from the debate over community participation in public administration
The Costs and Benefits of Mail, Fax, and Mixed-Mode Surveys in Organizational Research
Authors: Schreckhise William D.
Published: May 2024

This article examines the use of a new technology for collecting survey data for organizational research. Results are presented from a mail-and-fax mixed-mode study sent to 487 state and federal administrative law judges. Comparisons are made between the modes' response rates, financial costs, and results. No significant differences were detected in response choices and only minor differences were found in the characteristics of individuals who responded to each of the survey modes. The fax survey was found to impose a smaller financial cost on the researcher, suggesting the fax and mail-and-fax mixed-mode surveys to be promising modes of data collection.
Council Member Perceptions regarding Representational Effectiveness: Does Bureaucracy Make A Difference?
Authors: Ihrke Douglas M. , Lombardo Salvatore
Published: May 2024

Local governments are under increasing pressure to effectively represent various political interests within communities. This study attempts to measure and explain city council member perceptions of local government representational effectiveness for a sample of communities in New York state. The authors hypothesize that variables from seven categories are related to representational effectiveness. Using survey methodology and regression techniques, the authors find, for example, that female council members rate their local governments lower in representational effectiveness than their male counterparts, and also that council members perceive a strong relationship between program/service delivery and representational effectiveness.
Performance-Based Contracting for Human Services: A Proposed Model
Authors: Martin Lawrence L.
Published: May 2024

This article presents a proposed model of performance-based contracting for human services. The model uses an expanded systems framework as an organizing theme, is based on the actual practices of a small purposeful sample of state human service agencies, and includes contractor financial risk and contractor data needs components. The purpose of the model is to provide a conceptual framework that can be used by government human service agencies to assess the various approaches to performance-based contracting and their implications. As prologue, a brief history of contracting for human services is presented. The historical review demonstrates that the current interest with performance-based contracting is the result of evolutionary changes in the concept of “accountability” in human service contracting that have occurred over the past 25 years.
Towards A Strong Republic: Enhancing the Accountability of the Philippine State
Authors: Carino Ledivina V.
Published: May 2024

Democracy, autonomy and capacity are the standards of accountability of a strong republic, which is what the Philippine state aspires to be. The liberalization agenda, including regulatory governance, privatization, public-private partnerships, public enterprises, local regulation, and civil society involvement, and non-economic reforms, are assessed against these standards. While some reforms result in greater democracy, autonomy and capacity, weak institutionalization and haphazard enforcement, amidst continued elite privilege and societal acceptance and involvement in corruption, hamper attempts at accountability enhancement. The Philippines has a long way to go before it truly qualifies as a strong republic.
An Action Learning Failure in a Dutch Municipality
Authors: de Loo Ivo
Published: May 2024

Action learning publications mostly focus on success stories, in which applications that went exceptionally well are discussed. These applications often look at profit-oriented business organizations. This paper describes an application in a government setting that went wrong. Albeit a single case, the results of which cannot be generalized, it does provide valuable insights into how an action learning program may be structured. The theoretical underpinnings of the approach provided by its founder, the late British astrophysicist Reg Revans, form the background of the analysis. We conclude with lessons learned from the case.
Assessing Public Sector Performance Reforms and the Plight of Disadvantaged Citizens
Authors: Patrick Barbara , Rollins Aaron
Published: May 2024

Performance management proposes to use market reforms to enhance the quality of public services provided to vulnerable citizens. However, the ability to accomplish this goal is largely unsubstantiated. In the field of education, the No Child Left Behind Act mandated the development of performance reform guidelines that held educators accountable for disadvantaged students outcomes. This research assesses the quality of states’ NCLB provisions that targeted minority and vulnerable student performance as well as change in outcomes. It reveals that performance reforms holding educators accountable while also enhancing performance is limited by organized employee groups and enhanced by past performance, political affiliation, preexisting voluntary performance reforms.
Functional Decentralization in Portuguese Local Governments
Authors: Ballesteros Beatriz Cuadrado , Ferrero Jennifer Martãnez , da Conceição Marques Maria
Published: May 2024

As a result of the dramatic growth in functional decentralization processes in Portuguese municipalities, this study examines public services delivery in the 308 Portuguese local governments existing in 2011. By using Biplot analyses, the aim of this study is to analyse the Portuguese functional decentralization processes by population ranges and service type. The results show that functional decentralization is more often used in the largest cities, mainly because of the need to meet citizens’ demands and moreover, the opportunistic use by politicians since they could transfer part of the expenditure and debt to these newly created agencies. In addition, the results show that water, urban planning, cultural and economic services are the most decentralized. By contrast, decentralized agencies are not used for the provision of health services in any municipality, and protection, social and environment services are decentralized in very few municipalities.
Millennials and Public Service Motivation: Findings from A Survey of Master's Degree Students
Authors: Einolf Christopher
Published: May 2024

This paper used a sample of 194 students at public service graduate schools in the United States to compare Millennial students with Generation X students on public service motivation and its antecedents, prosocial behaviors, perceptions of the three sectors, and career plans. It found few differences between Millennial and Generation X students. Millennials reported higher levels of parental education and more volunteer work in college, but were less involved in religion and politics than older students. There were few differences in the generations’ opinions of the non-profit and public sectors. While scholars have found differences between Millennials and older generations in the general population, this survey shows that there are few differences between Generation X and Millennial students who choose to pursue a Master's degree in a public service career.
Millennials and Public Service: An Exploratory Analysis of Graduate Student Career Motivations and Expectations
Authors: Henstra Daniel , McGowan Rosemary A.
Published: May 2024

Canada's public service workforce is aging, and all levels of government will experience a large number of retirements in the coming years. In an increasingly competitive labour market, governments face challenges in attracting and retaining new recruits, particularly among the “Millennial generation,” who are entering the workforce, and whose outlook on work appears to differ significantly from previous generations. What motivates Millennials to pursue a public service career? What are their expectations concerning the benefits of a career in the public sector? This study explores these questions through a qualitative analysis of written statements of Canadian Master's students seeking a career in the public service. The findings demonstrate that Millennials are motivated both by perceived intrinsic benefits, such as the opportunity to make a difference in society, as well as extrinsic rewards, such as opportunities for career advancement. In addition, many identify a public service career as a “calling”—a sense of obligation to contribute to the public interest— and the analysis reveals various events and experiences that inspire this “call to serve.” Implications for public sector recruitment and retention of Millennials are presented.
Performance Management: Confronting the Challenges for Local Government
Authors: Hall Jeremy L.
Published: May 2024

Performance management, the use of performance information in strategic daily decision making, has not infiltrated local governments to the same degree as state or federal agencies. This article uses the capacity/performance paradigm as a framework to build a theoretical synthesis of the obstacles to local government use of performance management. It identifies and elucidates a series of challenges local governments face in successfully implementing performance-based management approaches. Among the obstacles identified are: insufficient administrative capacity, limited fiscal resources, insufficient economies of scale, absence of comparable entities for benchmarking, inadequate use of strategic planning, complex implementation environments (intergovernmental, intersectoral, cooperative, and collaborative), strings attached to state or federal grant awards, the illusion of control created by proximity to decision makers and citizens, task simplicity, and the cacophony of reform expectations (strategic planning, program evaluation, performance measurement and management, evidence-based practice). Because of these challenges, these small local governments are less likely to encounter demands for performance information, or to develop an a priori appreciation for its value to day-to-day administration. The essay concludes with a look at what can be done to inspire increased attention to performance in local government administration.
The Importance of Being A Policy Implementer
Authors: Natesan Sarabjeet Dhody , Marathe Rahul R
Published: May 2024

Public policy is used to tackle market imbalances, failures and also restore societal requirements of equity and justice. Research on policy implementation has been substantial and there is enough literature to support its importance. There is no guarantee however, that selected policy prescriptions will be implemented efficiently. This study has attempted to understand the factors affecting implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (MGNREGA) synthesizing variables and constructs from policy implementation literature and analyzing survey responses data obtained from mid-level implementers in the south Indian state of TamilNadu. This paper focuses on the implementing stakeholders and investigates their role in policy implementation and endeavours to achieve a deeper understanding of the factors governing implementation of a welfare oriented public policy scheme over ‘networks and processes'. The results pointed to ‘administration factors’ defined by accountability, process clarity and power devolution to the implementer, as important to implementation. Resources were also significant to implementation. Surprisingly governance and planning were not found to be significant. And perhaps therein lies the disconnect between implementers and implementation - the central idea of this paper.
Authentic Participatory Engagement: Community Action and the Foundational Principle of Maximum Feasible Participation
Authors: Bland J. Travis
Published: May 2024

Recognizing that poverty and powerlessness are inextricably linked, the Community Action Program (CAP) adopted the foundational principle of maximum feasible participation (MFP). This principle represented an audacious experiment in extending the democratic principle of local, participatory self-governance to socially disadvantaged, poor populations. Although declared a failed experiment in the 1970s and 1980s, this article offers a detailed analysis of the 21st century CAP and provides some strong evidence that this declaration was premature and inaccurate. Despite the many struggles or barriers to authentic participation described by the local leaders interviewed for this study, this study offers a number of examples of how the CAP has met the spirit of MFP. For others interested in rectifying social inequities, this article highlights the substantive importance of adopting a foundational principle or operating norm that values authentic participation.
Local Property Tax Limits in Nebraska: Within-State Variations in Effects
Authors: Park Sungho , Maher Craig S. , Ebdon Carol
Published: May 2024

Tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) have been widely imposed on state and local governments. A substantial amount of research has been conducted on the effects of TELs, however, most have assumed that a TEL is equally binding on every local government in the state. This may not be the case; the degree to which a TEL constrains a jurisdiction is dependent on its position and context at the time of the TEL implementation, and, further, the responses of these governments might then be expected to be different over time. This study uses data for counties and special purpose districts in Nebraska, where property tax limits became effective in FY1999; we consider a variety of intended and unintended consequences over the 15 years under the limit. Our findings show the fiscal responses to and effects of the limits and how they vary between county governments that were more versus less restricted.
Governmental Accounting and the Md&A Section: An Exploratory Study of Understandability
Authors: Stalebrink Odd J.
Published: May 2024

This exploratory research applied an experimental design to gain insight into the success by which well-crafted MD&As allow laymen to extract meaningful information about a government's financial performance. The findings indicate that laymen generally perceive high quality MD&As to be understandable and that this understandability is contingent on the extent to which the MD&A follows the spirit of a high quality MD&A. The results of the study also indicate that well-crafted MD&As are relatively successful in transmitting key information about a government's financial performance to laymen, regardless of their prior exposure to financial statement analysis. The findings of the study are important because they show that well-crafted MD&As can play an important role in allowing a broader audience to directly access information about a government's financial performance. However, they also raise some concerns about the success by which high quality MD&As are able to communicate content specific information to laymen.
P-Values are not Sufficient but they are Necessary: Probing the Role and Application of Statistical Significance Testing in Public Administration Research
Authors: Charbonneau Étienne , St-Amant Pier-André Bouchard
Published: May 2024

P-values are important to assert the relevance of findings. They should be reported in statistical studies. Although presented differently, they rely on the same sufficient statistics as confidence intervals, and they provide more information. They are a necessary, but not sufficient, condition to communicating practical significance. Effect size, or magnitude analysis, is missing in current Public Administration studies and should be at the core of ensuing discussions. Practitioners should indeed be able to know if the effects on the dependent variable are important in magnitude, but also if they can be acted upon through a cause-to-effect relationship. As we have yet to fight the old battle of p-values, Public Administrationists might be repeating the same errors that led psychologists and economists to delay their use of sound experimental designs instead of reported results from underpowered studies. In other words, the methodological turn that we should discuss and (we hope) embrace is the combined use of proper identification strategies and larger sample sizes.
Process and Politics Surrounding the Redevelopment of a Municipal Parking Deck Site in Houghton, Michigan
Authors: Douglas Christopher C. , Merz Erin L. , Merz Thomas E.
Published: May 2024

A proposal to redevelop 1.7 acres of publicly owned downtown waterfront property located in Houghton, Michigan involved a private developer replacing a decaying municipal parking deck with mixed-use taxable construction. The city’s redevelopment process and the developer’s vision for the site met opposition from a small, but well-organized, group calling for a halting of the process and the defeat of incumbent councilors in the subsequent election. Our analysis of the ballots found that challengers received more strategic votes than incumbents and that straight ticket and Election Day voters disproportionately skipped the city council race on their ballots. These results are consistent with collective action theory and rational ignorance theory.
Exploring the Impact of Board Member Financial and Time Contributions on Nonprofit Fiscal Performance
Authors: Klein Alexander , Blau Gary , Hill TL
Published: May 2024

We analyzed two samples representing two very different types of nonprofits to explore the under-researched relationship between fiscal performance and board members’ contributions of money and time. The first sample featured survey responses from 72 presidents and board chairs from associates-degree granting colleges. It showed that board members’ time contribution was significantly and positively related to fiscal performance, but that board members’ financial contribution was not, although it exhibited a negative relationship. The second sample was extracted from a database of survey responses from 834 community-based performing arts nonprofits. The analysis found that board members’ time contribution was positively associated with fiscal performance, and that the percentage of overall donations made by board members showed a negative relationship with fiscal performance. These converging results from samples drawn from two different types of nonprofits suggest that board involvement (time contributed) is associated with improved fiscal performance whereas overreliance on boards for funding could undermine nonprofits’ financial sustainability.