Extending the Theory of Goal Ambiguity to Programs: Examining the Relationship between Goal Ambiguity and Performance

One of the main assumptions of empirical studies conducted on the influence of goal ambiguity in public management is that goal ambiguity relates negatively to performance. However, this relationship has rarely been tested at the program level because common goal ambiguity and performance measures for disparate government programs have been scant. The availability of Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) results for a number of federal programs provides the opportunity for an analysis testing the foregoing assumption. Measures of program goal ambiguity—target, timeline, and program evaluation—are shown to have negative relationships with different program performance scores, taking into account alternative influences or biases on performance. This analysis extends the theory of goal ambiguity by providing the first analysis of large‐sample federal programs. The theoretical and practical implications are presented in the discussion and conclusion.     

Genetic polymorphism at three STR loci--CSF1PO, HUMTHO1 and TPOX, and the AMP-FLP locus D1S80 for the Chinese population in Hong Kong

Allele frequencies for three STR loci, namely, CSF1PO, HUMTHO1 and TPOX, and the AMP-FLP locus D1S80 were obtained from a sample of 351 unrelated Chinese in Hong Kong.     

Suicidal electrocution in Sydney: a 10-year case review

A retrospective study was undertaken of all cases of death due to suicidal electrocution in Sydney, Australia between 1996 and 2005. A total of 25 cases were identified with 20 cases (80%) as a result of direct attachment to an electrical outlet and five cases (20%) as a result of immersion in a body of water with an electrical appliance. Twenty of the 25 individuals were men (mean age = 57 years, range 22-90) and five were women (mean age 67, range 53-88). At least 35% of decedents were either currently working or had worked as electricians. Electrical timers had been used in eight (32%) cases, the fuse blown in one case, but the remaining 16 (64%) bodies were "live" on arrival of witnesses or electricity personnel. This study demonstrates the phenomenon of electrical suicide as a regular occurrence in Sydney. We highlight the need for investigators and emergency workers to remain vigilant upon discovery of electrical suicides, due to the fact that most bodies remain electrically active after death.     

Aconitum alkaloid content and the high toxicity of aconite tincture

Although proprietary medicines and decoction of processed aconite roots are the most widely used, tincture accounts for the great majority of aconite poisoning cases in China, indicating that it is much more toxic than other formulations. Aconite tincture is often self-prepared at home and raw aconite plants or roots are often used. Even if processed aconite roots were used to make the tincture, the amount of Aconitum alkaloids is highly variable, depending on the adequacy of processing and quality control. Aconitum alkaloids dissolve efficiently in alcohol. For these reasons, tincture contains very high concentrations of Aconitum alkaloids. Despite its high intrinsic toxicity, overdose of aconite tincture by the users has been common. Severe aconite poisoning can be complicated by fatal ventricular tachyarrhythmias and asystole. The public should be repeatedly warned of the danger of taking aconite tincture by mouth.     

禽鸟源传染性腔上囊病病毒分离株对鸡的致病性试验

用鸡、鸭、麻雀３种不同源性传染性腔上囊病病毒（ＩＢＤＶ）分离株人工感染８０日龄的ＳＰＦ鸡，初步试验发现，这些病毒均能使接种鸡的腔上囊明显萎缩，组织切片见淋巴滤泡萎缩、坏死，从人工感染的鸡腔上囊组织中可检测和分离到ＩＢＤＶ。各试验组的腔上囊指数平均值分别为：鸡２８３，鸭３１４，麻雀３６４，对照组５１１。经统计学分析（ｔ检验）３个攻毒组与对照组间均有显著差异。     

Environmental management and street-level regulators: A cultural trap?

It has been argued that environmental management is in an administrative trap. Numerous factors leading to this trapped situation have already been identified in the literature: institutional rigidity, lack of co-ordination, formalization, non-accountability and political interference. This study focusses on the organizational, cultural dimension of the administrative trap and argues that in order to reform administrative structures, the organizational culture must also be reformed. On the basis of several face-to-face interviews with street-level environmental regulators in Hong Kong, the study claims that a role-oriented, hierarchical culture exists. While such an organizational culture is in perfect agreement with existing administrative arrangements, it may, in the end, hamper the effectiveness of environmental management.     

Depressive symptoms and perceived competence among Chinese secondary school students in Hong Kong

Depressive symptoms of 621 Grade 7 to Grade 12 secondary school students were assessed and described in terms of dimensions of disturbances in mood, self-image, behavior, hedonic capacity, and self-efficacy using the Childrens Depression Inventory (CDI). Using the cutoff score of 20, 24% of the adolescents would be in the depressed range. In a subsample of 319 students who also completed the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents, depressive symptom levels tended to be highest among students who perceived themselves to be relatively incompetent academically and socially, and lowest among students who perceived themselves to be academically and socially competent, supporting the cumulative effects of perceived academic and social incompetence on depressive symptoms. The relatively more elevated CDI scores and subscores among Chinese adolescents compared with US adolescents and the choice of a cutoff score for screening in the Hong Kong school population are discussed.This study was supported in part by a Chinese University of Hong Kong RGC direct grant for research.     

美国新任商务部长骆家辉

2009年2月25日,美籍华人骆家辉(Gary Faye Locke)被奥巴马任命为商务部部长,成为新一届政府14位内阁部长中的第二位华裔部长。尽管此前奥巴马提名商务部长两度受挫,但选择前华盛顿州州长骆家辉仍为奥巴马赢得不少分数。白手起家、靠实干获取信任的骆家辉不仅符合新总统的执政理念与风格,更符合美国面临的国内外新环境。骆家辉的成功代表着华裔参政的成功,能赢得这份殊荣不仅是他个人努力的结果,更与美国社会包容、中国崛起等因素息息相关。     

提升警察文化软实力的重要策略——基于文学和影视中的警察叙事

提升警察文化软实力、构建先进的警察文化是我国公安机关当前的重要任务之一.考察文学和影视中的警察叙事类型是提升警察文化软实力的重要策略.