bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The challenge of changing federal management processes: implementation barriers relating to strategic planning and the government performance and results act
Authors: Franklin Aimee , Long Edward
Published: November 2017

Getting the most bang for the taxpayer buck by bolstering federal agency accountability continues to be a political theme in the 21st century. The second round of strategic plan development mandated by Congress in the 1993 Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) was recently completed. This article reports the results of empirical research diagnosing the implementation issues in GPRA requirements. This research reports on the efficacy of this process from the perspectives of agency representatives. Implementation issues are grouped into two broad categories; those associated with the organization’s structure and those concerned with the plan development process. This research suggests that the potential for alignment of key management systems is suspect given that institutionalization has not occurred after nearly five years of reform efforts. Reporting on federal agency efforts provides insight into barriers to and opportunities for improving GPRA implementation processes
A taxonomy of the uncertainty sources perceived by public sector managers in hong kong
Authors: Voges Kathleen E. , Priem Richard L. , Shook Christopher , Shaffer Margaret
Published: November 2017

Perceived environmental uncertainty (PEU) is a foundational concept in organization studies. The PEU typologies used in organizational research were developed using private sector managers. But, do public sector managers perceive the same uncertainty sources? We asked public sector managers in Hong Kong to identify and group uncertainty sources facing their organizations. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis yielded classes of uncertainty sources that differ from those developed using private sector managers.
Moderating effect of perceived control on perceptions of organizational politics outcomes
Authors: Poon June M. L.
Published: November 2017

This study examined the moderating effect of perceived control on the relationship between perceptions of organizational politics and two outcome variables: job stress and intent to quit. Survey data from 103 employees of a company in Malaysia were analyzed using moderated multiple regression. The results showed that perceived politics had adverse effects only on employees with low perceived control. Specifically, in a work environment that is perceived to be political, employees with low levels of perceived control reported experiencing more job stress and expressed greater intention to quit their job than did employees with high levels of perceived control. Implications of the findings and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Administrative capacity and welfare reform in North Carolina: does administration matter?
Authors: Daley Dennis M. , Vasu Michael L.
Published: November 2017

This study examines the administrative role played by the state of North Carolina in the provision of welfare. A survey of county professionals was conducted in April 2000 assessing perceptions of how well the state was performing its administrative functions. Fifty-three survey items composed ten indices that were grouped into three categories of resources, leadership and accountability. Logistic regression analyses examined perceptions of the state's Resources, Leadership, and Accountability administrative capacity in relationship to the four Work First Report Card measures of (1) putting people to work, (2) having them stay off of welfare, (3) reducing the number on welfare, and (4) collecting child support. Findings indicate that the state's efforts are not perceived as contributing to the success of welfare reform. Administrative capacity perceptions account for little of the variation explained by the logistic regressions. The state is not perceived as contributing to putting people to work or helping them to stay off of welfare subsequently. It actually is seen as slightly hindering efforts at reducing the welfare rolls. Only in the area of child support collection does state administrative capacity (in leadership and budgeting) improve the odds for success.
Have we neglected hierarchies in the study of public sector leadership?
Authors: Ihrke Douglas M.
Published: November 2017

This article was written to encourage scholars to not forget to include the power of hierarchy in their studies of leadership in public sector organizations. Contemporary theories of leadership too often assume that hierarchy will wither away once the leader imposes his or her will on the organization, an assumption that does not seem to work in reality given the bureaucratic nature of public organizations. Instead it is argued that we can learn about public sector leadership needs by remembering the power of hierarchy and what it demands in terms of leadership from different levels in the organization. The article concludes with speculation as to how future research on leadership might be directed with hierarchy in mind.
Mary parker follett lost and found - again, and again, and again
Authors: Feldheim Mary Ann
Published: November 2017

Coming from a long tradition of Quaker beliefs, Mary Parker Follett advocated for an integrative unity in the organization or state where members work together, consensus is built, and power is shared. She applied her process of integration to management practices in both business and government. Parker Follettŉs communitarian ideas and philosophy of smaller more participative government have often run counter to administration and managementsŉ focus on regulation and centralized power. This has contributed to the benign neglect of Parker Follettŉs work in the administrative and management literature. Parker Follettŉs work has been lost and found repeatedly over the past half century. In the rapidly changing and uncertain times of the new millennium we need once again to rediscover her holistic and healing approach to administration and management.
Marshall Dimockŉs deflective organizational theory
Authors: Stever James A.
Published: November 2017

In a significant, but iconoclastic, approach to Public Administration Marshall Dimock introduced many sprawling concepts, approaches, and arguments to modern organization theory. Dimock, a contemporary of Herbert A. Simon, challenged traditional wisdom with his gradual deflection away from conventional organization and administrative theories. Contrary to Simon's opinions, Dimock linked Public Administration back to classical thought, and rejected the modernistsŉ definition of progress and the growth/decay explanations for organization development.
Phenomenology and public administration
Authors: Waugh William L. , Waugh Wesley W.
Published: November 2017

Phenomenologists are among the strongest opponents of logical positivism. Mostly associated with Edmund Husserl, phenomenology is essentially an analytical method or framework for describing and explaining social relationships and psychological orientations. Phenomenologists attempt to account for the subjective qualities which logical positivists and empiricists assume to be unreal or are mistakenly treated as objective observable phenomena. The authors note that phenomenology has been absorbed into the literature and the language of the field especially in terms of how people do and do not relate to bureaucratic organizations and government programs.
Assessing and improving conflict resolution in multiparty environmental negotiations
Authors: O℉Leary Rosemary , Nabatchi Tina , Bingham Lisa
Published: November 2017

After reviewing the logic and basics of Environmental Conflict Resolution (ECR), this article analyzes the praise for and criticisms of ECR. This article acknowledges the initial successes in the 1970s and 1980s that led to a major period of expansion for ECR, and continues today, but argues that it must do a better job of proving itself. That is, proponents must conduct more rigorous assessments of its utility under different conditions and invest in data collection that goes far beyond present efforts. The article concludes by reviewing the challenges and opportunities facing ECR in the twenty-first century. Singled out for attention is the need for scholars and practitioners to understand ECR interventions as targeted at aggregate rather than dyadic relationships, as complex systems embedded in even larger complex systems, as time-extended phenomena, and as ripe for evaluation for their impact on substantive environmental outcomes.
The challenge of critical theory for those in organization theory and behavior: an overview
Authors: Carr Adrian N.
Published: November 2017

The article questions what is meant by the term critical theory and discusses some common misconceptions that have arisen about the meaning of this term. The dialectic logic that was championed by the group of scholars collectively known as the Frankfurt School is outlined and a number of implications for the field of organization and behaviour are discussed.
Reinventing hong kong’s public service: Same npm reform, different contexts and politics
Authors: Cheung Anthony B. L.
Published: November 2017

Hong Kong’s public sector reform since the 1990s is not just a continuation of an administrative reform trajectory started in colonial years to modernize the civil service. Although concerns for efficiency, productivity and value for money have always formed part of the reform agenda at different times, an efficiency discourse of reform is insufficient for capturing the full dynamics of institutional change whether in the pre-1997 or post-1997 period. During Hong Kong's political transition towards becoming an SAR of China in 1997, public sector reform helped to shore up the legitimacy of the bureaucracy. After 1997, new political crises and the changing relations between the Chief Executive and senior civil servants have induced the advent of a new “public service bargain” which gives different meaning to the same NPM-like measures
The prospects and limitations of civil service reform in korea: Strong initiation, but uncertain sustainability?
Authors: Moon M. Jae , Kim Pan Suk
Published: November 2017

This article examines the rhetoric of recent civil service reform measures in Korea, their initial implementation, and growing concerns about their sustainability. Civil service reform in Korea was initiated by an enthusiasm for New Public Management (NPM) and public calls for reform. The changes initiated by the Korean Civil Service Commission and other government organizations have sought to encourage openness, competition, flexibility, diversity, and performance-based management. Despite the bold rhetoric heralding the reform initiatives, outcomes have fallen short of expectations, and many civil servants are losing their confidence and esprit de corps. Considering both the initial promise and the ultimate reality of Korean civil service reform, this article investigates problems and limitations confronting the sustainability of these reform measures
Perceptions of justice within leader-employee dyads
Authors: Yagil Dana
Published: November 2017

The study examined respective perceptions of justice within leader-employee dyads. Questionnaires were administered to 152 such dyads in a variety of organizational settings. Employees’ perceptions of interactional justice were found to mediate the relationship between the leader’s evaluation of the relationship (i.e., equity and the quality of the relationship), on the one hand, and the employee’s evaluation of the relationship and perception of procedural justice, on the other. Both procedural justice and interactional justice were related to job satisfaction through a partial mediation of the employee’s perception of the quality of the relationship. The results are discussed in regard to the effect of the leader-member social exchange on perceptions of justice
Comparing appreciative inquiry to a diagnostic technique in organizational change: The moderating effects of gender
Authors: Sekerka Leslie E. , Brumbaugh Anne M. , Rosa José Antonio , Cooperrider David
Published: November 2017

Organizational development and change may be initiated from two different starting points. A diagnostic approach begins with an examination of problems to assess and correct dysfunction. In contrast, the Appreciative Inquiry approach begins by identifying an organization’s strengths as resources for change. An experimental study was conducted to compare the processes and outcomes that arise during the first phase of each approach. Results show that both approaches lead to different but favorable and complementary outcomes. Both participant gender and the gender construction of the dyads in which individuals participated moderate these effects in unexpected ways. The implications for understanding the processes by which both methods work, and the potential for combining them, are discussed
Administrative decentralization in Bangladesh: Theory and practice
Authors: Mollah Md. Awal Hossain
Published: November 2017

Administrative Decentralization seeks to redistribute authority, responsibility and financial resources for providing public services among different levels of government. Administrative Decentralization is the transfer of responsibility for the planning, financing and managing of certain public functions from the central government and its agencies to field units of government agencies. This paper will search for a common theoretical framework of decentralization, then analyzes and assesses the initiatives for decentralization of administration that have been constructed after the emergence of Bangladesh. The major issues and problems of implementation of the decentralization policies in Bangladesh are also discussed suggesting policy measures. This paper is analytical in nature.
Leadership, working environment and workplace bullying
Authors: O’Moore Mona , Lynch Jean
Published: November 2017

A postal National Survey of the workforce in Ireland (N = 1057) found that six per cent of respondents claimed to have been bullied frequently, with a further 17 per cent bullied occasionally, over the previous 12 months. Of those who had been bullied, 67 per cent described the style of leadership in their organizations as autocratic, 15 per cent as laissez-faire, and 18 per cent as democratic. Whilst 72 per cent of non-bullied respondents reported that their working environment was friendly, only 47 per cent of bullied respondents reported that their working environment was friendly. Furthermore, 39 per cent of bullied respondents claimed to work in a hostile environment. There were significant differences between bullied and non-bullied respondents with regard to working conditions, with the exception of the level of challenge, and significant differences in all aspects of the perceived working climate, with the exception of a variable atmosphere.
How the west was won: an inside view of the seiuʼs strategies and tactics for organizing home care workers in oregon
Authors: Mareschal Patrice M.
Published: November 2017

Using participatory action research, this paper explains how the Service Employees International Union and community groups collaborated to organize home care workers in Oregon. The tactics used include policy borrowing and tinkering, a ballot initiative, coalition building, lobbying, and legislative politics. This approach to organizing low-wage human service providers has important implications for other unions. Home care workers are similar to many other human service providers because the funding stream for their jobs is public. In essence, they are quasi-public sector employees. The tactics employed by the SEIU may serve as a “handle” for organizing other human service workers, who are employed by nongovernmental organizations, but are paid through federal, state, and local government funds.
Institutional change of the agri-environmental governance in Finland
Authors: Kröger Laura
Published: November 2017

On joining the EU in 1995 Finland had to adopt its national agricultural policies to follow the principles of the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), its accompanying measures and the environmental legislation of the EU. This led to changes in the national decision making processes, administrative procedures and operational practices. In this paper institutional analysis is used to describe and interpret these changes and the significance of these changes for policy development. The results show that learning is a key for successful policy process.
Incorporating institutional power into the disparate stakeholder management approach: a case study of wildlife management in the southern greater yellowstone area
Authors: Koontz Lynne , Hoag Dana L.
Published: November 2017

Natural resource management decisions are complicated by multiple property rights, management objectives, and stakeholders with varying degrees of influence over the decision making process. Underlying institutional factors will give certain stakeholders a greater level of influence over the policy outcome. How a stakeholder uses their influence can greatly effect the decision making process. We utilized the Legal Institutional Analysis Model to account for stakeholdersʼ political power in the decision making process. We then extended the use of this model by integrating concepts from decision analysis and public choice economics into a single, comprehensive approach called Disparate Stakeholder Management. We demonstrate this new approach in this report through a case study concerning elk and bison management in the Southern Greater Yellowstone Area.
Self-discrepancy and impulse buying: an exploratory study
Authors: Luna-Arocas Roberto
Published: November 2017

Nowadays, consumer behavior is more sophisticated and complex than before. In this study, I attempt to analyze the relationship between impulse buying (consumerʼs emotional side of the consumption) and an individualʼs self-discrepancy (the difference between what one is and what one would like to be). I propose that a consumer uses impulse buying to lift oneʼs self up and remove oneʼs self-discrepancy. Results from a sample of consumers in Spain established that a consumer experienced self-discrepancy was likely to have impulse buying. Moreover, the larger the self discrepancy, the more one was dissatisfied with oneʼs consumption. Finally, symbolic meanings of products to the consumer were associated with the different areas of self-discrepancy. Clothing is associated with not only oneʼs image in front of others but also oneʼs self-esteem. Therefore, impulse buying in clothing is positively related to oneʼs self-discrepancy in the emotional side of self.
The future of aspa: meeting the needs of tomorrowʼs public administrators
Authors: Carlson Peter M. , Dunning Pamela T. , Atkinson Jamie N.
Published: November 2017

This article addresses whether ASPA, the primary association of public servants, is able to effectively meet the needs of those who rely upon the organization for professional development, networking, and for currency in the field. This article follows up on a 2003 survey of members of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), and asks a random group of 2007 members what the major challenges of public service are today and if ASPA is contributing to their ability to deal with these issues. The results of the current survey indicate that the challenges remain remarkably similar, and highlight the need for ASPA to modify their approach if the association is to remain relevant and a premier professional society
The normalized bureaucrat
Authors: McGinn Kathleen A.
Published: November 2017

This article uses Michel Foucaultʼs theoretical work in examining relations of power within the unique context of street-level bureaucracies (Lipsky, 1980). Through Foucaultʼs techniques of discipline (1995), it analyzes how employees and managers are both objectified and selfproduced within collective bargaining agreements from street level organizations. Findings show that ‘managers’, ‘employees’ and ‘union representatives’ are produced but also constrained within these documents. These collective bargaining agreements also serve to ‘fix’ relationships discursively affirmed as unequal. Constrained by this ‘reality’, any potential for changing relationships between managers and employees through prescriptions that ask street-level bureaucrats to be ‘leaders’; “responsible choice-makers” (Vinzant & Crothers, 1998, p. 154) rather than policy implementers simply carrying out management directives are largely futile.
An examination of the municipal 311 system
Authors: Schwester Richard W. , Carrizales Tony , Holzer Marc
Published: November 2017

Government accountability and responsiveness are foundational concerns of public managers, citizens, the media, and advocacy organizations. Technologies provide viable alternatives for increasing citizen access to government and improving governmentʼs responses to the issues of greatest concern to citizens, and the implementation of non-emergency 311 systems have shown tremendous potential in this regard. This paper, therefore, examines municipal 311 systems in terms of accountability and responsiveness functions, namely usability, services provided, internal operations, and measurable outputs. A survey of fourteen municipalities with 311 systems throughout the United States results in the identification of best practices in each of the four research categories.
Validating the relevance of leadership in public administration
Authors: Holmes Maja Husar
Published: November 2017

The pillars of public administration rest on balancing the triumvirate of traditions, managerial, political, and legal, in developing and implementing public policy. The normative concept of leadership has consistently surfaced as an important dimension in the policy process. However, scholarship exploring the importance and relevance of leadership in public administration has been sporadic and limited in scope. This article elucidates the disconnect between the study of leadership and public administration. To validate the relevance of leadership in public administration, future empirical studies must embrace the long-view, heuristic inquiry, and the lifecycle of leadership.
Social defense structures in organizations: how A lack of authorization keeps managers from moving to transformational leadership
Authors: van Eeden René , Cilliers Frans
Published: November 2017

The systems psychodynamic perspective was used to explore the functioning of a management team at one of the plants of a South African production company experiencing change. The focus was on the impact of social defenses on the leadership style being exercised. During a day long consultation session with the team a dynamic of control and dependency was observed. The transactional culture that can be regarded as “normal,” in this environment, actually became part of a defense strategy, resulting in dependency and a lack of authorization that limited the use of transformational leadership. A lack of clarity in terms of role and boundary definitions furthermore resulted in a struggle in terms of interrelatedness and a lack of interdependent functioning at a system's level.
Pop-management: tales of passion, power and profit
Authors: de Paula Ana Paula Paes , Wood Jr. Thomaz
Published: November 2017

This paper analyzes the phenomenon of popular management literature, proposing a reflection about its role in the managers’ subjectivity. Pop-management literature comprises books and magazines produced by the business media for fast consumption. Adopting the psychoanalytical approach to fairy tales as a perspective, we conducted a content analysis of two success stories published in the business media. We observed that the structure and key elements of fairy tales are present in these stories. We argue that the success stories help to reduce tensions and mitigate frustrations, supposedly offering answers for anxieties and professional problems. We also argue that continued access to these texts might keep individuals linked to their power fantasies and therefore might affect their development and maturing processes.
Tea parties, whigs and compromise: the historical roots of u.s. government-business relations
Authors: Bartle John R.
Published: November 2017

This article reviews the politics of government-business relations in the US from 1776 to the present. It argues that two major political interests, the agrarian democrats and the nationalist Whigs, created the context for discussion of economic policy that continues today. At times, pragmatic compromises have resolved the differences between these interests. The lessons from this history are instructive for today, and suggest potentially viable policies and coalitions to address business issues.
Lean and mean: an assessment of contract cities
Authors: Ni Anna Ya
Published: November 2017

Ever since the colonial era, the US government has been influenced by a market-orientated intellectual tradition. Under such a tradition, an ideal social structure is a lean government in contrast to a robust private sector. The recent surge of neoliberalism has advanced the development of a market model of governance, which distinguishes itself from the traditional state-centered bureaucracy in fundamental dimensions. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the contract city, which has pursued many of the market principles to an extreme. The article traces the evolution of contract cities in California, examines closely the structure, operation, and management of contract city using the City of Highland as an example, and discusses the implications of this new form of governance for public management, organizational theory, and American political economy.
Fighting corruption in africa: the anticorruption system in cameroon
Authors: Nguemegne Jacques P.
Published: November 2017

Past studies on corruption and anticorruption efforts in Africa lacked the systemic perspective. Yet, efforts of a constellation of state and non - state anticorruption institutions tends to yield not less but more corruption. Focusing on Cameroon (West Africa), this study is a holistic attempt at an institutional appraisal of the scope and effectiveness of the anticorruption system. It is based on a thorough description and a critical analysis of essential structures, functions and processes of the system, with an emphasis on their missions, goals, activities, structures as well as their actual outcomes and limitations. The researcher suggests that, because of the numerous structural and functional weaknesses, Cameroon’s anticorruption system has failed. Clear suggestions for effective reform of the system and rapid corruption minimization are made.
Monsterous or educative: the hegemonic mythology of virtual organizations in global cyberspace
Authors: Thorne Kym
Published: November 2017

This paper examines virtual organizations, operating in global cyberspace. This paper uses Armstrong’s (2005) conceptual orientation that mythmaking is fundamental to humanity and Warner's (1994) Neo-Barthesian (Barthes, 1957) methodology of distinguishing between “monster myths” which conceal political motives and secretly circulate ideological positions and her contrasting notion of “educative” myths which are not always delusions but are vigorous ways of leading one to "make sense of universal matters" (Warner, 1994, p. xiii) to recover the purposeful illusions behind the beguiling spells cast by the “modern myths” of virtual organizations. This paper finds that virtual organizations are impractical organizations involving a visible myth that masks the invisible purposes of the hegemonic (Torfing, 1999) control narratives of elites and global corporate capital.
Numbers and hearts: A case study in the development of metrics for transformational ministry outcomes
Authors: Hale Jeff , Reesor Allen , John Reni
Published: November 2017

Faith-based nonprofit organizations often do not track the transformational outcomes of programs because these outcomes are considered intangible and difficult to quantify. Bible League International’s (BLI) Board of Directors commissioned the development of an instrument to assess the transformative impact of BLI’s programs. This was accomplished in collaboration with the Metadigm Group. From field interviews and from relevant literature, three measurement domains emerged: Program Participant Outcomes, Worker Capacity and Affiliation, and Program Function. In pilot tests, qualitative methods were used to refine the instrument. Due to time and budgetary restraints, the project ended prior to conducting reliability studies. This case study presents factors driving faithbased nonprofits to measure transformational outcomes, exposes some of the methodological challenges in accessing transformational outcomes, and provides an approach to developing an instrument to quantify transformational outcomes
Something old and something new: Using the technology acceptance model to evaluate nonprofit certification
Authors: Slatten Lise Anne D.
Published: November 2017

Several nonprofit associations have implemented assessment and certification programs intending to produce institutional improvement for member organizations. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as a foundation, this study develops and tests an extension of TAM with organizations that chose to participate in one such program, (the Louisiana Standards for Excellence organizational assessment), and with those that did not. The results of this quantitative study largely validate TAM and indicate that dimensions such as usefulness, access barriers related to resources, attitudes, executive director pro-activity and behavioral intent all influence the decision to pursue voluntary certification. These findings advance current theory and contribute to the foundation for future research aimed at understanding user-adoption behavior in a general sense, and more specifically, in the nonprofit sector.
Exploratory study on employees’ motivation in the omani private banking sector
Authors: Araimi Ahmed A. Al
Published: November 2017

There are clear evidences that organizations are focusing on retaining motivated employees. Although motivation is a well-discussed topic in academic literature, motivation of employees in the Omani private banking sector is not fully discussed. The purpose of this exploratory study is to find some insights on the predictors of employees' motivation in the Omani private banking sector. A cross-sectional method was used to collect data from 105 employees from the Omani private banking sector. Furthermore, to collect the primary data, a questionnaire with 23 items was designed and distributed for that purpose. In order to analyze the gathered data, correlational methods were used. This exploratory study shed some light on the importance of the relationship that the employees have with their colleagues on their motivation and on the employees’ salaries to their motivation. The study found these two variables as significant and positive predictors of employees' motivation.
Organizational framework for managing the multiplicity of contingency factors: Investigation using the modern japanese recycling business
Authors: Kimata Akira
Published: November 2017

This study is founded on contingency theory, which is derived from organization theory, and in it we examine the structural problems of the modern Japanese recycling business using J. D. Thompson's model of contingency theory. Based on the results of our interviews conducted with 16 companies through the nondirective method, we argue that there are multiple contingency factors in the modern Japanese recycling venture and that these factors increase uncertainty and reduce the stability of the business as a result. We conclude that as an active level of 'sub technology,' recycling businesses created as diversifications of major companies will eventually manage the multiplicity of contingency factors.
A tool for creating breakthrough choices: integrative thinking methodology
Authors: Leavy Brian
Published: November 2017

Purpose

Roger L. Martin, one of the most respected strategists, is questioned by veteran S&L interviewer Brian Leavy. The questions range from the how and why of integrative thinking methodology to academic arguments over resource-based view of strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

Martin, co-author with Jennifer Riel of the new book Creating Great Choices, shares the insights they have developed while learning how to guide executives through integrative thinking methodolgy.

Findings

The necessary raw materials for an integrative solution are two opposing models. By exposing your model to other models through interaction, together you can utilize pieces of those models to generate a new one.

Practical implications

We see the value of prototyping solutions – expecting to be only partially right with the first prototype and learning a lot from putting the ideas into action, seeing what works and what doesn’t, and improving iteratively.

Originality/value

Martin’s guide to break though thinking shares the insights he has learned from working with brilliant CEOs and others who have sought to find a better solution to a dilemma or paradox than the unsatisfactory solutions confronting them.
Patterns and drivers of biodiversity–stability relationships under climate extremes
Authors: De Boeck Hans J. , Bloor Juliette M. G. , Kreyling Juergen , Ransijn Johannes C. G. , Nijs Ivan , Jentsch Anke , Zeiter Michaela
Published: November 2017

Interactions between biodiversity loss and climate change present significant challenges for research, policy and management of ecosystems. Evidence suggests that high species diversity tends to increase plant community stability under interannual climate fluctuations and mild dry and wet events, but the overall pattern of diversity–stability relationships under climate extremes is unclear.

We comprehensively review results from observational and experimental studies to assess the importance of diversity effects for ecosystem function under climate extremes. Both the broad literature review and a meta‐analysis focused on the effects of extreme precipitation events on above‐ground biomass reveal no significant interaction between species richness and climate extremes.

Causes for variation in diversity effects under climate extremes are explored, from stress thresholds to biotic interactions and community assembly, and we consider how these may modulate the outcomes of biodiversity–stability relationships. We also examine how specific characteristics of climate extremes and timing of measurements may interact with mechanisms of diversity–stability relationships.

Synthesis. Hypotheses tailored to the complexity of diversity effects, the implementation of standardised experiments and the use of trait‐based biodiversity measures rather than species richness should lead to better causal understanding of whether and how biodiversity may protect ecosystems from adverse effects of climate extremes.
Statistical Modeling of the Case Information From the Ohio Attorney General's Sexual Assault Kit Testing Initiative
Authors: Kerka Jaimie E. , Heckman Derek J. , Albert James H. , Sprague Jon E. , Maddox Lewis O.
Published: November 2017

The Ohio Attorney General's Sexual Assault Kit (SAK) Testing Initiative has resulted in nearly 14,000 kits being processed since the initiation of the project in 2012. A logistic regression model was fit to the data from 2500 SAKs in order to determine the probability of obtaining at least one Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) eligible DNA profile based on a number of predictor variables. The probability of obtaining at least one CODIS eligible DNA profile from an SAK varied as a function of (i) days to kit collection following a sexual assault; (ii) years to kit submission to the laboratory for testing following kit collection; (iii) the age of the victim; and (iv) the occurrence of victim‐reported consensual sex around the time of the assault and/or kit collection. These findings demonstrate the utility of the statistical modeling of data obtained from the “forklift” testing approach of sexual assault kits.
Oviposition site preference of Barbitistes vicetinus (Orthoptera, Tettigoniidae) during outbreaks
Authors: Cavaletto Giacomo , Faccoli Massimo , Marini Lorenzo , Martinez‐Sañudo Isabel , Mazzon Luca
Published: November 2017

Barbitistes vicetinus is an endemic bush‐cricket of north‐east Italy that causes heavy damage to woody vegetation and crops. Because the species was described in the late 1990s and outbreaks occurred only in the last decade, no data are currently available on pest biology and ecology. Female oviposition preference, in particular, is a key factor for understanding species habitat use, as well as for developing species monitoring and control programmes.

We tested the influence of vegetation type (forest, vineyard and hedgerow) and soil cover (broadleaf litter and grass) on the oviposition preference of the species. A 3‐year study was conducted and 18 sites across the outbreak area were sampled with emergence traps.

A higher nymph density was recorded in woody vegetation than in vineyards without a density gradient from the inner forest to the edge. Moreover, a significantly lower density was found under grass cover (approximately three individuals per trap) compared with broadleaf litter (approximately 39 individuals per trap).

Although B. vicetinus is commonly found in vineyards, where it can cause severe damage, these habitats did not offer to the species suitable oviposition sites. These results provide useful insights with respect to the management of B. vicetinus outbreaks.
Visibility of an iron‐containing fiducial marker in magnetic resonance imaging for high‐precision external beam prostate radiotherapy
Authors: Tanaka Osamu , Komeda Hisao , Hirose Shigeki , Taniguchi Takuya , Ono Kousei , Matsuo Masayuki
Published: November 2017

Introduction

Visualization of fiducial gold markers is critical for registration on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for imaging‐guided radiotherapy. Although larger markers provide better visualization on MRI, they tend to generate artifacts on CT. MRI is strongly influenced by the presence of metals, such as iron, in the body. Here we compared efficacies of a 0.5% iron‐containing gold marker (GM) and a traditional non‐iron‐containing marker.

Methods

Twenty‐seven patients underwent CT/MRI fusion‐based intensity‐modulated radiotherapy. Markers were placed by urologists under local anesthesia. Gold Anchor (GA; diameter: 0.28 mm; length: 10 mm), an iron‐containing marker, was placed on the right side of the prostate using a 22‐G needle and VISICOIL (VIS; diameter: 0.35 mm; length: 10 mm), a non‐iron‐containing marker, was placed on the left side using a 19‐G needle. T2*‐weighted images MRI sequences were obtained. Two radiation oncologists and a radiation technologist evaluated and assigned scores for visual quality on a five‐point scale (1, poor; 5, best visibility).

Results

Artifact generation on CT was slightly greater with GA than with VIS. The mean marker visualization scores on MRI of all three observers were significantly superior for GA than for VIS (3.5 vs 3.2, 3.9 vs 3.2, and 4.0 vs 2.9). The actual size of the spherical GA was about 2 mm in diameter, but the signal void on MRI was approximately 5 mm.

Conclusion

Although both markers were well visualized and can be recommended clinically, the results suggest that GA has some subtle advantages for quantitative visualization that could prove useful in certain situations of stereotactic body radiotherapy and intensity‐modulated radiotherapy.
Placental exosomes: A proxy to understand pregnancy complications
Authors: Jin Jin , Menon Ramkumar
Published: November 2017

Exosomes (30‐ to 150‐nm particles), originating from multivesicular bodies by the invagination of the endosomal membrane, are communication channels between cells. Exosomes are released by various cell types and cargo proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids reflecting the physiologic status of their cells of origin and cause functional changes in recipient cells, which are likely dependent on their quantity and/or cargo contents. Recently, placental exosomes, produced by various placental cell types, have been isolated from maternal blood using the placental protein‐specific marker, placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP). PLAP‐positive exosomes are seen in maternal blood as early as the first trimester of pregnancy and increase as gestation progresses, with maximum numbers seen at term. Although the functional relevance of placental exosomes is still under investigation, several studies have linked placental exosomes changes (quantity and cargo) reflecting placental dysfunctions associated with adverse pregnancy events. As placental exosomes can be isolated from maternal blood, they are liquid biopsies reflecting placental functions. Hence, they are useful as biomarkers of placental functions and dysfunctions obtainable through non‐invasive approaches. This review summarizes the biogenesis, release, and functions of exosomes and specifically expounds the role of placental‐specific exosomes and their significance associated with pregnancy complications.
Therapy for antiphospholipid miscarriages: Throwing the baby out with the bathwater?
Authors: Chighizola Cecilia Beatrice , Shoenfeld Yehuda , Meroni Pier Luigi
Published: November 2017

Problem

The association of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) with low‐dose aspirin (LDASA) provides the therapeutic cornerstone of obstetric anti‐phospholipid syndrome (APS). This combo approach is not effective in all patients, and few women still experience recurrences.

Method of Study

In an elegant in vitro study, Chiombori Quao and colleagues demonstrated that anti‐phospholipid antibodies (aPL) affect the functionality of endometrial endothelial cells interfering with angiogenesis. LMWH and LDASA, in combination or alone, did not display any protective activity but exacerbated aPL‐mediated effects.

Results

The above data were advocated as a demonstration of the inefficacy of LMWH and LDASA in obstetric APS. Given the lack of thrombotic lesions in APS placentae, this treatment is mainly empirical. However, clinical practice clearly shows that LMWH and LDASA are effective in most patients. Non‐responsive women represent a peculiar subgroup, with a high‐risk aPL profile. All experimental models, including in vitro models of obstetric APS, display limitations that should be considered before translating data to patients. In particular, the use of a monoclonal antibody specific for Domain (D) 5 does not fit with the evidence that anti‐D1, but not anti‐D4,5, are associated with both vascular and obstetric APS manifestations.

Conclusion

The association of LMWH and LDASA is the most effective therapeutic option for pregnant aPL‐positive women. The lack of a clear demonstration of the pharmacological action of LMWH/LDASA should urge to further invtrestigate the pathophysiology of aPL‐associated miscarriages.
Teaching Anthropology with Primate Documentaries: Investigating Instructors’ Use of Films and Introducing the Primate Films Database
Authors: Riley Koenig Crystal M. , Koenig Bryan L. , Sanz Crickette M.
Published: November 2017

Nonhuman primate appearance and behavior can be better understood through documentary footage than through verbal explanation alone. Many college instructors show primate documentary films in their courses, but little research has evaluated primate documentaries as teaching tools. We sought to determine the prevalence of documentary use in teaching and which characteristics of documentaries affect their use. An online survey queried 219 college‐level anthropology instructors about their use and perceptions of primate documentary films. Most instructors (96.3 percent) showed documentaries in the classroom, incorporating new documentaries when available. Several multispecies documentaries were widely used. Documentaries rated high in usefulness for teaching purposes were seen as more entertaining and accurate, and as less anthropomorphic and misleading, with usefulness unrelated to perceptions that films were conservation oriented. Documentary selection was driven by teaching usefulness, availability, and the number of species in the film. In addition, we created the Primate Films Database, a comprehensive database of primate documentary films with reviews, runtimes, featured‐species identifications, and teaching‐usefulness ratings provided both by our participants and us. It is a publicly available online resource designed to raise awareness of primate documentary films as educational tools and to facilitate more widespread use of high‐quality multimedia resources in anthropology classrooms. [biological anthropology, documentary film, primates, visual anthropology]
Exploring literature‐based definitions of hypotony following glaucoma filtration surgery and the impact on clinical outcomes
Authors: Abbas Ali , Agrawal Pavi , King Anthony J.
Published: November 2017

Purpose

To highlight the variations in published definitions of hypotony and their impact on reported clinical outcomes. To propose a revised definition, focusing on clinically significant hypotony (CH).

Methods

Literature review of hypotony definitions published between January 2010 and December 2015 was carried out. Numerical definitions for hypotony, its onset, duration and associated clinical signs were recorded. Each definition was applied to surgical outcomes data collected prospectively from a cohort of 300 glaucoma patients treated at a single centre. The sensitivity and specificity of each definition in identifying CH [defined as low intraocular pressure (IOP) with signs of maculopathy hypotony and choroidal detachment] were calculated.

Results

A total of 128 eligible papers were identified, and 14 different definitions for hypotony were extracted. In 53 (41.4%), hypotony was not defined. In the remaining 75 (58.6%), the numerical definitions varied between 4 and 8 mmHg, and of these, 24 (32%) included the onset and duration of hypotony as part of the definition. Definition‐dependent hypotony rates within the cohort varied between 1% and 59.3%. No statistical differences were found between the groups based on corneal thickness or axial length. Clinically significant hypotony (CH) was identified in 37 (12.3%), with large differences in the sensitivity and specificity among published definition.

Conclusion

Variations in defining postoperative hypotony can have a large impact on the reported success and failure rates among studies. There is a need for a more robust universal definition, focusing on clinically important signs, to allow better comparison between different treatment modalities.