Measuring the public service motivation in Hong Kong

Following the publication of Perry and Wise’s essay on public service motivation (PSM) in 1990 and Perry’s PSM measurement scale in 1996, the concept of public service motivation has attracted wide attention and empirical research on its definition, measurement and incidence in the past twenty years. However, little empirical research has been conducted on PSM in Hong Kong. This research is intended to examine the dimensionality and generalizability of PSM in Hong Kong by using self-administered survey instruments with two groups of different respondents. Group 1 consisted of 55 students of Master of Public Administration of the University of Hong Kong (mostly full time public servants) whilst Group 2 consisted of 78 undergraduates from different faculties in the same university. Two separate survey instruments were used for group 1 and group 2 respondents. All 40 items of Perry’s PSM dimensions were included in the two survey instruments with additional 7 items and 8 items added for group 1 and group 2 respectively. The additional items were introduced to measure the relationship of variables including organizational commitment and job expectation and PSM dimensions. The findings did not reveal the PSM level of group 1 was higher than group 2. However, females were found having relatively higher PSM level than males under the dimension of Attraction to Public Policy Making. The independent variable of Organization Commitment was strongly and positively correlated with the dimensions of Commitment to Public Interest, Civic Duty and Self Sacrifice while Job Expectation was strongly and positively correlated with the dimensions of Attraction to Public Policy Making, Social Justice, Civic Duty and Self Sacrifice. This research contributed to provide better understanding and knowledge of PSM in the Hong Kong context especially on the influence of the independent variables of organizational commitment and job expectation on PSM dimensions.published_or_final_versionPublic AdministrationMasterMaster of Public Administratio

Data supporting "Modes of action of the archaeal Mre11-Rad50 DNA-repair complex revealed by Fast-scan atomic force microscopy"

See the README.txt file for a description of the dataset. The supplementary data files contain the raw data and preliminary unprocessed atomic force microscope (AFM) images and the DNA data for Supplementary Figure 5. Using these it is possible to replicate the AFM images and related statistics presented in the paper. Individual images that form the basis of the movies/videos contained in the ’Supplementary Index’ to the paper are also included. The AFM images are in common formats (JPEG, PNG etc). The AFM data files are in the format generated by proprietary Bruker Nanoscope software. They can be opened and interpreted using versions of that software (available by contacting https://www.bruker.com/contact/select-division.html). Other commercial AFM analysis software can be used to open the files and analyse the data contained therein. These include the commonly used SPIP (Scanning Probe Image Processor -used in this study), produced by Image Metrology and recently replaced by MountainsSPIP https://www.imagemet.com/products/mountainsspip-8/, which is marketed by Digital Surf (https://www.digitalsurf.com/). Open source software for AFM analysis is also available, indluding Gwyddion (http://gwyddion.net/) and WSxM (http://www.wsxm.es/)

Modes of action of the archaeal Mre11/Rad50 DNA-repair complex revealed by fast-scan atomic force microscopy

Mre11 and Rad50 (M/R) proteins are part of an evolutionarily conserved macromolecular apparatus that maintains genomic integrity through repair pathways. Prior structural studies have revealed that this apparatus is extremely dynamic, displaying flexibility in the long coiled-coil regions of Rad50, a member of the structural maintenance of chromosome (SMC) superfamily of ATPases. However, many details of the mechanics of M/R chromosomal manipulation during DNA-repair events remain unclear. Here, we investigate the properties of the thermostable M/R complex from the archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius using atomic force microscopy (AFM) to understand how this macromolecular machinery orchestrates DNA repair. While previous studies have observed canonical interactions between the globular domains of M/R and DNA, we observe transient interactions between DNA substrates and the Rad50 coiled coils. Fast-scan AFM videos (at 1–2 frames per second) of M/R complexes reveal that these interactions result in manipulation and translocation of the DNA substrates. Our study also shows dramatic and unprecedented ATP-dependent DNA unwinding events by the M/R complex, which extend hundreds of base pairs in length. Supported by molecular dynamic simulations, we propose a model for M/R recognition at DNA breaks in which the Rad50 coiled coils aid movement along DNA substrates until a DNA end is encountered, after which the DNA unwinding activity potentiates the downstream homologous recombination (HR)-mediated DNA repair

A SUSTAINABLE FRAMEWORK OF BUILDING QUALITY ASSESSMENT FOR ACHIEVING A SUSTAINABLE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

Summary Information asymmetry in building quality has resulted in under-investment in building maintenance, which has a consequential negative impact on sustainable urban development. Devising and publicizing a building classification system can reveal "hidden" information to the public and lessen the problem of information asymmetry. However, if such a system is purely voluntary, property owners will normally adopt a wait-and-see attitude in view of the high cost of assessment and uncertainty of realizing any benefits. This will hamper the effectiveness of a building classification system. This paper explores the possibility of "jump-starting" a voluntary system by synthesizing the resources of various stakeholders. First, universities can make use of their research capacity to develop an assessment scheme. Second, the government can make use of the building information it possesses to provide data for assessments. Third, private or community donations can be used as initial funding to operate the classification system. Once the system is jump-started, with its benefits proven, it will become self sustainable by a user pays mechanism. It is believed that the disclosure of more information on the quality of buildings on the market will lead to a solution that ensures a net welfare gain, and thus a more sustainable environment for society

The Seasonality of Respiratory Viruses in a Hong Kong Hospital, 2014–2023

We reviewed the multiplex PCR results of 20,127 respiratory specimens tested in a hospital setting from January 2014 to April 2023. The seasonal oscillation patterns of 17 respiratory viruses were studied. Compared with 2014–2019, a prominent drop in PCR positivity (from 64.46–69.21% to 17.29–29.89%, p < 0.001) and virus diversity was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic, with predominance of rhinovirus/enterovirus, sporadic spikes of parainfluenza viruses 3 and 4, respiratory syncytial virus and SARS-CoV-2, and rare detection of influenza viruses, metapneumovirus, adenovirus and coronaviruses. The suppressed viruses appeared to regain activity from the fourth quarter of 2022 when pandemic interventions had been gradually relaxed in Hong Kong. With the co-circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal respiratory viruses, surveillance of their activity and an in-depth understanding of the clinical outcomes will provide valuable insights for improved public health measures and reducing disease burden

Erratum to: Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition) (Autophagy, 12, 1, 1-222, 10.1080/15548627.2015.1100356

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