bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lobbyen met een commissie
Authors: Fraanje Rien 
Published: July 2017

Lobbying with committees
Committees are connected with the political culture of the Netherlands. It is no surprise that organizations that promote certain interests aim at bringing forward their members’ interests by installing committees. Lobbying through a committee, however, is a delicate matter. What elements lead to a committee that is a successful instrument of lobby? A comparison between the committees of the Dutch Union of Municipalities (VNG) led by Jorritsma, Bovens and Van Aartsen on one hand and the committee led by Nijpels on the other shows that the denial of problems and shortcomings does not help the organization or person that asks for the advice of the committee. This person or organization benefits most if the committee points out existing displeasure with the functioning of the person or organization. Yet at the same time, the committee must present a way ahead and proposals for improvement. This gives a positive turn to the criticism and presents a perspective for improvement.
De val van Amarantis
Authors: de Bruijn Hans 
Published: July 2017

Analysing the inquiry report of the fall of Amarantis, an educational organization in the Netherlands
This article analyzes the inquiry into the financial problems at a large educational conglomerate, Amarantis, in the Netherlands. The article is solely based on the text of the report. From a learning point of view, assuming that inquiries should contribute to learning from the past to improve the present and future, there are three weaknesses in the approach followed by the commission. The first is that the commission looks at the principles for governing the organization to explain its fall. However, the principles adopted match very well with professional organizations and are used successfully in other professional organizations. The question why these principles were unsuccessful in the case of Amarantis has not been addressed in the report. Second, the report strongly focuses on the role of the top management of the organization and ignores the middle management, a critical layer in managing professional organisations. And third, by looking back the commission creates a bias of hindsight, ignoring the question of how the managers could have identified upcoming problems at that time.
Hoe beoordelen topambtenaren veranderingen?
Authors: Van de Walle Steven , Dorsman Stephan , Homan Tamara 
Published: July 2017

How do top public sector executives evaluate changes in the public sector?
This article shows how top officials in ten European countries evaluate changes in the public sector based on a number of dimensions, such as quality, cost-efficiency, ethics, effectiveness and the attractiveness of the public sector as an employer. Senior public officials in the Netherlands are compared to their counterparts from 9 other European countries. The study is based on the large-scale academic COCOPS Top Executive Survey, and answers from 3,173 top public sector officials were used.Results show that senior public officials in the Netherlands are very positive about changes in cost-efficiency and service quality in the public sector. Yet they are concerned about the attractiveness of the public sector as an employer and public trust in government. At the same time, senior public officials in the Netherlands appear to be among the most positive all nationalities about recent changes in how the public sector operates. Only with regard to changes in the attractiveness of the public sector as an employer are senior Dutch public officials considerably less optimistic.
Waarom burgers coproducent willen zijn
Authors: van Eijk Carola , Steen Trui 
Published: July 2017

Why citizens co-produce: a theoretical model explaining motivations to co-produce
In co-production processes, citizens and professionals both contribute to the provision of public services and try to enhance the quality of the services they produce. Although government offers several opportunities for co-production, not all citizens decide to actually take part. Current insights in citizens’ individual motivations offered by the co-production literature are limited. In this article, we integrate insights from different streams of literature to build a theoretical model that explains citizens’ motivations to co-produce. We test the model using empirical data of Dutch neighborhood watches.
The Politicization of ex post Policy Evaluation in the EU
Authors: Smismans Stijn 
Published: July 2017

The Politicization of ex post Policy Evaluation in the EU
The European Commission’s 2015 Better Regulation package has placed ex post evaluation at the centre of European governance. This strengthens a trend of gradual politicization of evaluation in European policymaking. This article analyses how the European Commission’s approach to ex post policy evaluation has changed over the last decade. It shows how evaluation has developed from a rather technical process to a more politicized process, which is clearly linked to political priority setting, subject to centralized control, and involving a wider set of actors. At the same time, the Commission avoids a profound debate on the merits and objectives of the process of evaluation itself. The article concludes on the merits and risks of evaluation at times of rising populism.
Why Better Regulation Demands Better Scrutiny of Results
Authors: Stephenson Paul 
Published: July 2017

Why Better Regulation Demands Better Scrutiny of Results: The European Parliament’s Use of Performance Audits by the European Court of Auditors in ex post Impact Assessment
Ex post impact assessment (traditionally considered part of policy evaluation) received less attention in the preceding ‘Better Regulation’ package (2011) than ex ante impact assessment. Yet, the insights generated through ex post impact assessment provide crucial input for streamlining legislation. In recognition of its contribution, the current agenda (2015) extends the reach to policy evaluation, and from financial instruments to regulatory instruments. In light of existing experience with impact assessments in Commission Directorates-General (DGs), the European Union (EU) institutions have been increasingly aware of the need to develop staff expertise in ex post (policy) evaluation, which has in the past been largely outsourced to external parties. Making sense of collected input and incorporating it within impact assessment is time consuming. Indeed, taking up the findings for practical use is a challenge for political decision makers but essential for the purposes of accountability, scrutiny and institutional learning. The challenge is more so, given the wealth of information being generated by multiple parties and the increasing technical and financial complexity of certain policy areas. The role of the Commission as an advocate of ‘Better Regulation’ has been studied extensively. However, we know relatively little about the role of the European Parliament (EP) in ex post evaluation. This article contributes to the literature on ‘Better Regulation in the EU’ by shedding light on the EP activities in the realm of scrutiny and evaluation. In particular, it looks at the Parliament’s use of special reports produced by the European Court of Auditors (ECA) through its performance audit work and how it takes on board the findings and recommendations in its scrutiny of budgetary spending. Moreover, it examines the emerging role of the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) in monitoring the outputs of the ECA and other bodies engaged in audit and evaluation, and thereby, the way in which the EPRS is helping increase the Parliament’s capacity for scrutiny and oversight.
Private Regulation in EU Better Regulation
Authors: Verbruggen Paul 
Published: July 2017

Private Regulation in EU Better Regulation: Past Performance and Future Promises
The promotion of private regulation is frequently part of better regulation programmes. Also the Better Regulation programme of the European Union (EU) initiated in 2002 advocated forms of private regulation as important means to improve EU law-making activities. However, for various reasons the ambition to encourage private regulation as a genuine governance response to policy issues has remained a paper reality. This contribution asks whether and to what extent the 2015 EU Agenda on Better Regulation provides renewed guidance on how private regulation might be integrated in EU law-making processes. To that end, it builds on previous (empirical) research conducted on European private regulation and reviews the principal policy documents constituting the new EU agenda on better regulation. It is argued that while the new agenda addresses a number of the shortcomings of the old programme concerning the conceptualization and practice of private regulation in the EU, it still falls short of providing principled guidance on how private regulation can be combined and integrated in EU law-making.
Apple’s APPA
Authors: Visser Matthijs , Winters Jan Kees 
Published: July 2017

Apple’s APPA. Nieuwe wijn in oude zakken of oude wijn in nieuwe zakken? Een economisch commentaar
Bij online transacties is vaak sprake van platforms die transactiekosten tussen aanbieders en vragers van producten verlagen. Om investeringen in platforms tegen free riding te beschermen, kunnen platforms met de aanbieders die actief zijn op het platform een across-platforms parities agreement (APPA) afspreken: aanbieders beloven hun producten of diensten niet voor een lagere prijs aan te bieden via een ander platform/distributiekanaal. Mededingingsautoriteiten zien APPAs’ nogal eens als mededingingsbelemmerend. De Apple-casus illustreert juist hoe toetreding mogelijk kan worden door middel van een APPA. Onze conclusie is dat (verticale) afspraken een beoordeling van een concrete casusspecifieke theory of harm vereisen.
Risicoverevening en staatssteun in het Nederlandse zorgstelsel
Authors: Boone Jan , Halbersma Rein , Sauter Wolf 
Published: July 2017

Risicoverevening en staatssteun in het Nederlandse zorgstelsel
Risicoverevening is een belangrijk thema in de regulering van zorgmarkten waar sprake is van particuliere zorgverzekeraars. Het kan zelfs als noodzakelijke voorwaarde voor het functioneren van een dergelijk verzekeringssysteem worden gezien. Dat geldt zeker voor het Nederlandse zorgstelsel dat in 2006 werd ingevoerd. Tegelijk is risicoverevening mogelijk problematisch in de Europeesrechtelijke context, in het bijzonder met betrekking tot de regels over staatssteun. Deze bijdrage wil economische argumenten en het Europese juridische kader ten aanzien van risicoverevening combineren.
The difference in expression of long noncoding RNAs in rat semen induced by high-fat diet was associated with metabolic pathways
Authors: An Tian , Fan Hui , Liu Yu F. , Pan Yan Y. , Liu Ying K. , Mo Fang F. , Gu Yu J. , Sun Ya L. , Zhao Dan D. , Yu Na , Ma Yue , Liu Chen Y. , Wang Qiu L. , Li Zheng Y. , Teng Fei , Gao Si Hua , Jiang Guang J. 
Published: July 2017

Background
Obesity, a common metabolic disease, is a known cause of male infertility due to its associated health risk. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have also been reported to be associated with male reproductive diseases; however, their role in the association between high-fat diet-induced obesity (DIO) and male reproduction remains unclear.

Methods
We used microarray analysis to compare the expression levels of lncRNAs and mRNAs in the spermatozoa of rats with DIO and normal rats. We selected a few lncRNAs that were obviously up-regulated or down-regulated, and then used RT-PCR to verify the accuracy of their expression. We then performed a functional enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed mRNAs using gene ontology and pathway analysis. Finally, target gene predictive analysis was used to explore the relationship between lncRNAs and mRNAs.

Results
The results revealed a statistically significant difference in the fasting blood glucose level in rats with DIO and control rats. We found that 973 lncRNAs and 2,994 mRNAs were differentially expressed in the sperm samples of the DIO rats, compared to the controls. GO enrichment analysis revealed 263 biological process terms, 39 cellular component terms, and 40 molecular function terms (p < 0.01) in the differentially expressed mRNAs. The pathway analysis showed that metabolic pathways were most enriched in protein-coding genes.

Discussion
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to show differences in the expression levels of lncRNAs and mRNAs in the sperms of rats with DIO and normal rats, and to determine the expression profile of lncRNAs in the sperm of rats with DIO. Our results have revealed a number of lncRNAs and pathways associated with obesity-induced infertility, including metabolic pathways. These pathways could be new candidates that help cope with and investigate the mechanisms behind the progression of obesity-induced male infertility.
Tumor imaging instruction and assessment at chiropractic colleges in North America: a pilot study with implications for National Board of Chiropractic Examiners content
Authors: Linaker Kathleen L. , Arpin Sarah A. , Fischer Charles P. , Sackett Michael , Georger Lesley 
Published: July 2017

Objective:
This pilot study tested a survey instrument pertaining to the instruction and assessment of tumor imaging in chiropractic training programs. The secondary purpose was to gather data regarding credentials of lead instructors, textbook and resource use, and tumors taught and assessed.

Methods:
An electronic survey was distributed to lead tumor imaging instructors at all chiropractic colleges in the United States and Canada. A focus group of tumor imaging instructors was conducted to clarify ambiguous data.

Results:
Diplomate status with the American Chiropractic Board of Radiology was held by 87.5% of the instructor respondents. There were similarities in course content and assessment across institutions. A total of 26 tumors were considered clinically significant by more than 65% of instructors, 9 tumors were identified as not clinically significant by more than 65%, and 4 tumors were considered clinically significant by 35% to 65% of instructors. There was correlation between those instructors who evaluated on various tumors and those who feel it is important to evaluate such tumors (rS = 0.94, p &lt; .001). The focus group addressed the 4 equivocal tumors and recommended 3 be added to the list of clinically insignificant tumors.

Conclusion:
The survey instrument is ready to be used to conduct a study of all clinical areas of the chiropractic curriculum. A total of 12 tumors were recommended for removal from National Board of Chiropractic Examiners tests. The authors recommend that the Academics Committee of the American Chiropractic Board of Radiology share information regarding learning libraries to allow for a richer learning experience across all campuses.
Physician Altruism and Spending, Hospital Admissions, and Emergency Department Visits
Authors: Casalino Lawrence P. , Kariv Shachar , Markovits Daniel , Fisman Raymond , Li Jing 
Published: October 2024

ImportanceAltruism—putting the patient first—is a fundamental component of physician professionalism. Evidence is lacking about the relationship between physician altruism, care quality, and spending.ObjectiveTo determine whether there is a relationship between physician altruism, measures of quality, and spending, hypothesizing that altruistic physicians have better results.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cross-sectional study that used a validated economic experiment to measure altruism was carried out between October 2018 and November 2019 using a nationwide sample of US primary care physicians and cardiologists. Altruism data were linked to 2019 Medicare claims and multivariable regressions were used to examine the relationship between altruism and quality and spending measures. Overall, 250 physicians in 43 medical practices that varied in size, location, and ownership, and 7626 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries attributed to the physicians were included. The analysis was conducted from April 2022 to August 2024.ExposurePhysicians completed a widely used modified dictator-game style web-based experiment; based on their responses, they were categorized as more or less altruistic.Main MeasuresPotentially preventable hospital admissions, potentially preventable emergency department visits, and Medicare spending.ResultsIn all, 1599 beneficiaries (21%) were attributed to the 45 physicians (18%) categorized as altruistic and 6027 patients were attributed to the 205 physicians not categorized as altruistic. Adjusting for patient, physician, and practice characteristics, patients of altruistic physicians had a lower likelihood of any potentially preventable admission (odds ratio [OR], 0.60; 95% CI, 0.38-0.97; P = .03) and any potentially preventable emergency department visit (OR, 0.64; CI, 0.43-0.94; P = .02). Adjusted spending was 9.26% lower (95% CI, −16.24% to −2.27%; P = .01).Conclusions and RelevanceThis cross-sectional study found that Medicare patients treated by altruistic physicians had fewer potentially preventable hospitalizations and emergency department visits and lower spending. Policymakers and leaders of hospitals, medical practices, and medical schools may want to consider creating incentives, organizational structures, and cultures that may increase, or at least do not decrease, physician altruism. Further research should seek to identify these and other modifiable factors, such as physician selection and training, that may shape physician altruism. Research could also analyze the relationship between altruism and quality and spending in additional medical practices, specialties, and countries, and use additional measures of quality and of patient experience.
Reframing Confidence Instructions to Child Eyewitness Reduces Overconfidence but Does Not Improve Confidence–Accuracy Calibration
Authors: Bruer Kaila C. , Carr Shaelyn M. A. , Schick Kayla D. , Gerbeza Matea 
Published: October 2024

ABSTRACTChildren are well‐documented to exhibit poor confidence–accuracy calibration on lineup identification tasks. Children tend to report overconfidence in their (often inaccurate) lineup identification decisions. This research explored the extent to which school‐aged children's (N = 142; 6‐ to 8‐year‐old) confidence reports are implicitly driven by perceived social pressure to provide a specific confidence rating. Children were randomly assigned to two different confidence instruction conditions: the neutral (n = 69) or the reframed conditions (n = 73). The reframed instructions encouraged honesty and instructed children to ignore perceived pressure when reporting confidence. Results revealed that the reframed instructions resulted in more conservative confidence judgments; however, this shift did not translate into those confidence ratings better reflecting children's identification accuracy. Overall, these findings provide evidence that, while external or social factors play a contributing role, other aspects of development are likely contributing more to the poor confidence–accuracy calibration observed with child eyewitnesses.
On recovery accommodations: California sober and beyond
Authors: Stauffer Bill 
Published: October 2024

Recovery housing, aka sober living facilities, have long existed as safe, supportive places designed for people with severe substance use conditions to live while they build recovery capital. In recent years, shifts in drug use patterns and changing public policy definitions have created challenges to the safe environment within recovery housing. One example of how this is unfolding is the California Sober Lifestyle in which people stop all drug use but cannabis.
Climbing Plant‐Inspired Multi‐Responsive Biomimetic Actuator with Transitioning Complex Surfaces
Authors: Li Wenwen , Lou Congcong , Liu Shuai , Ma Qian , Liao Guojiang , Leung Ken Cham‐Fai , Gong Xinglong , Ma Honghao , Xuan Shouhu 
Published: October 2024

AbstractBionic robots have great potential in healthcare, rescue, and surveillance. However, most soft actuators can only realize one or two deformation modes, which largely limit the application in complex environments. This study develops electric/Infrared (IR) light/magnetic multi‐field coupling soft actuators by combining liquid crystal elastomers (LCE), liquid metal (LM) and magnetic Ecoflex (Mecoflex). Originated from the synergistic effect of the differed thermal expansion and the liquid crystal phase transition, the actuator can realize outstanding large deformations (bending angle > 300°) at ultra‐low voltages (1.0 V). In addition, by designing the molecular orientation in the LCE layer and programming the magnetization in the Mecoflex layer, the bending or helical bending deformations can be controlled under electric/magnetic and IR light/magnetic coupling actuation. Based on the complex deformation capability, bionic climbing plants and two kinds of quadrupedal robots are developed. With the structural design of the quadrupedal robots, they can flexibly switch deformations to pass through complex environments by controlling the externally applied coupling fields, which demonstrates their broad potential in practical applications.
Simplified Lipid Nanoparticles for Tissue‐ And Cell‐Targeted mRNA Delivery Facilitate Precision Tumor Therapy in a Lung Metastasis Mouse Model
Authors: Fei Yuan , Yu Xiaolu , Liu Peiyu , Ren Hongyu , Wei Tuo , Cheng Qiang 
Published: October 2024

AbstractmRNA‐based applications have achieved remarkable success in the development of next‐generation vaccines and the treatment of diverse liver diseases. Overcoming the challenge of delivering mRNA to extrahepatic tissues, especially specific cells within tissues, is crucial for precision therapy. In this study, a platform is developed for selective mRNA delivery to desired cells within tissues by combining lipid nanoparticle (LNP)‐based targeted delivery with mRNA sequence‐controlled expression. Through systematic optimization, a three‐component LNP platform is developed, enabling targeted mRNA delivery to the lung, liver, and spleen. The incorporation of unique microRNA target sites into the mRNA scaffold further enhances control over protein translation in specific cells within the target tissue. This combined strategy, named SELECT (Simplified LNP with Engineered mRNA for Cell‐type Targeting), demonstrates its efficacy in distinguishing mRNA expression between tumor and normal cells based on intracellular microRNA abundance. SELECT encapsulating mRNA encoding a tumor‐specific cytotoxic protein, human ELANE, exhibits selective mRNA delivery to tumor lesions and significant inhibition of tumor growth in a mouse model of melanoma lung metastasis. Overall, SELECT has great potential as a new precision tumor treatment approach and also offers promising prospects for other mRNA therapies targeting specific cell types.