bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predicting engineering and schedule procurement cost growth for major dod programs
Authors: McDaniel Chris J. , White III Edward D.
Published: December 2018

Previous research by Moore and White (2005) demonstrated the validity of a two-step regression approach to estimate total procurement cost growth. Although this study produced statistically significant findings, the resultant regression models relied on a predictor variable, First Unit Equipped, that appeared from a historic standpoint to be marginally populated in the database. To mitigate this limitation, this study addresses just two components of possible procurement cost growth for major DoD acquisition programs. These two areas consist of cost growth due to either physical changes to the system or program slippage or acceleration. In narrowing the scope of procurement cost growth, this study discovers more universal explanatory variables that can be used to predict whether specific types of cost growth will occur, and if so, by what expected percentage.
Leasing as a strategic financing option: the navy’s maritime prepositioned ships experience
Authors: San Miguel Joseph G. , Shank John K. , Summers Donald E.
Published: December 2018

Recently, leasing has been prominent in the press due to the Air Force’s recent ill-fated attempt to obtain the use of Boeing re-fueling tankers. Forgotten is that, in the early 1980’s, a highly controversial Navy long-term leasing program of Maritime Prepositioned Ships had a different result. However, an unintended consequence of the Navy’s success was that future government leases were practically eliminated. This research examines the issues and parties involved in this unprecedented creative and innovative leasing program for ships used by the Navy’s Military Sealift Command. While the analysis concludes that the Navy’s leasing program was successful and cost effective, laws and policies were changed so that long-term leasing is no longer viable for the strategic financing of military requirements. The case is presented here that existing laws and regulations should be reconsidered so that leased military resources can once again be used to provide and maintain national security.
Financing infrastructure: fixed price vs. price index contracts
Authors: Eger III Robert J. , (David) Guo Hai
Published: December 2018

This paper looks at a common type of price adjustment, price indexing, which provides contractors with compensation for increases in price volatile commodities. We address the effect of Firm Fixed Price (FFP) versus indexed price systems for a price volatile commodity. The impact of these two types of bid systems is analyzed through a combined qualitative and quantitative analysis. Results indicate that an indexed price system does not provide a reduction in costs compared to a Firm Fixed Price system. This study is important to state financial managers as they address the efficient use of resources invested in state infrastructure.
Construction procurement strategies of national health service in the UK: A critical review
Authors: Ibrahim Ahmed Doko , Price Andrew , Khalfan Malik M. A. , Dainty Andrew
Published: December 2018

In the UK healthcare sector, funding and provision of public care facilities has been primarily the responsibility of government through the National Health Service (NHS). After decades of under-investment and consequent effects on the quality of care, new procurement routes are currently being used to improve the standards of facilities to meet the requirements of modern care services. This paper critically reviews these new procurement routes in terms of concepts and suitable areas of application, and examines how the principal procurement methods have evolved into the forms used for UK healthcare facilities. The paper outlines recommendations for further research in assessing the suitability or otherwise of these new procurement methods, both for construction projects generally and specifically for healthcare facilities.
Supplier delivery performance in ugandan public procurement contracts
Authors: Ntayi Joseph M. , Namugenyi Irene , Eyaa Sarah
Published: December 2018

The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive framework of achieving supplier delivery performance based on contract governance mechanisms, justice perceptions and ethical behavior using cross sectional survey data from public procuring and disposing entities (PDEs) in Uganda. Public procurement contract governance covers the design, development, implementation and enforcement of contracts. It serves to align interests of the contracting parties, reduce opportunistic behavior, lower transaction costs, promote justice perceptions, improve ethical behavior and achieve value for money procurement. Poorly managed procurement contracts result in conflicts, yet in many developing countries only rich suppliers can afford to resolve disputes through courts. For other suppliers, justice is out of reach. While it has been assumed that contracts result in good performance, little research has been carried out to corroborate this assumption. In this paper we provide theoretical, empirical and policy implications of supplier delivery performance.
Integrating gender equality in public procurement: The spanish case
Authors: Medina-Arnáiz Teresa
Published: December 2018

Public procurement, as well as constituting a means of providing goods and services, also represents a powerful legal instrument available to contracting authorities to ensure compliance with secondary or noncommercial goals. Among these secondary objectives, equality between women and men may be highlighted. The possibility of integrating social concerns into public procurement is envisaged in the Community Directives on public procurement and has also been incorporated in the legal systems of various Member States. This paper studies the inclusion of social clauses on gender equality that appear in the different phases of a procurement procedure in the Spanish Public Procurement Law (Law 30/2007, 30th October, on Public Sector Contracts).
The development of a relational orientation to consultants amongst project managers
Authors: Ponomariov Branco , Kingsley Gordon
Published: December 2018

This paper explores changes in the attitudes of managers at a state transportation agency towards working with professional service consultants over time. The development of a relational orientation amongst agency managers is explored, i.e. managerial styles recognizing greater interdependence and emphasizing trust, partnership and collaboration over formal procedures and monitoring. Case studies of two points in time (2003 and 2007) are presented using semi-structured interviews and survey data. The evidence demonstrates growing patterns of interdependence and the structural and procedural adaptations made by the agency. Corresponding difference in means tests demonstrate patterns of change in relational orientation over time.
Risks associated with performance specifications in highway infrastructure procurement
Authors: Patil Shekhar S. , Molenaar Keith R.
Published: December 2018

Proper identification, allocation, and pricing of risks are critical to effective procurement and project delivery, particularly when contracts specify the intended performance instead of how the work is to be performed. This paper presents an overview of the sources of project risks when performance specifications are used for highway infrastructure procurement. The findings are based on a comprehensive literature review and interviews with subject-matter experts involved in developing performance specifications for highway infrastructure. The authors conclude that wider use of performance specifications in U.S. highway infrastructure construction requires a fundamental reassessment of risk allocation and pricing. Highway agencies and the contractors need to realign their respective organizational capabilities with the goal of using performance specifications as a facilitator of innovation, a goal that remains elusive after decades of applied research.
Matching supply-side costs with demand-side value in procurement auctions
Authors: Chen Jeremy
Published: December 2018

This paper presents a procurement auction format structured so as to reconcile supply-side costs with demand-side value through the alignment of bidder and bid-taker interests. The existence of a dominant bidding strategy ensures this alignment and, at the same time, discourages strategic bidding. The format also involves minimal revelation of bidder information, making it attractive to bidders who expect continued participation in the same market. Another major goal of this paper is to engage policymakers through a discussion of important issues, which were brought forth in the course of designing and analyzing the aforementioned auction, that relate generally to the successful execution of procurement auctions.
Environmental impacts and the most economically advantageous tender in public procurement
Authors: Parikka-Alhola Katriina , Nissinen Ari
Published: December 2018

The “most economically advantageous tender,” as defined in the EUʼs public procurement directives, allows public purchasers to combine environmental aspects, price and other award criteria in decision making. The directives do not, however, determine how the environmental criteria should be built. Indeed, there could be different means to assess the “greenness” of competing tenders, and these various measurements of environmental impacts may lead to different assessments of the most economically advantageous tender. In this article, the determination of environmental award criteria is examined through a case study on a purchase of a goods transportation service, where the most economically advantageous tender is calculated by life cycle assessment and the environmental cost calculation method suggested by the EU, and compared to the results gained by the purchaserʼs equation. Also the contribution of the weighting for the “green” purchasing decision is discussed.
A model of trade restrictiveness index: Its application and implications in public procurement
Authors: Demessie Demelash
Published: December 2018

Public procurement is characterized as a distorted market which grants limited access to foreign suppliers and contractors. However, the different impediments existing within the public procurement policies and their relative significance in restricting effective international competition are not very well known. This paper, through the process of developing a model of Trade Restrictiveness Index, identifies weighs and scales 17 impediments existing within the public procurement policies. The paper also reveals that implicit restriction which emanates mainly from lack of transparency imposes a greater level of restriction in the market. In a final application of the model, comparison of the public procurement policies of selected Common Market for Eastern and Southern African (COMESA) countries, has shown that with a rated index of 1, the procurement policies of Kenya and Uganda are rated as most restrictive while Rwandaʼs is found to be least restrictive.
An exploration of management competencies in public sector procurement
Authors: McKevitt David , Davis Paul , Woldring Roelf , Smith Kay , Flynn Anthony , McEvoy Emma
Published: December 2018

There is currently much debate about the meaning of competency and its importance to professionalization. This article explores the personal meaning and importance of competency from the perspective of public buyers and managers in Ireland and the UK. Using an in-depth mixed method research design, we propose a typology of public procurement competency and discuss the implications of the framework for professionalization of public procurement.
The excessive profits of defense contractors: Evidence and determinants
Authors: Wang Chong , Miguel Joseph San
Published: December 2018

A long controversial issue that divides academics, government officials, elected representatives, and the U.S. defense industry is whether defense contractors earn abnormal or excessive profits at the expense of taxpayers. Using an innovative industry-year-size matched measure of excessive profit, we demonstrate three findings. First, when compared with their industry peers, defense contractors earn excessive profits. This result is evident when profit is measured by Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Common Equity (ROCE), and Profit Margin Ratio (PMR). The evidence of excessive profit is less consistent if profit is measured by Operating Margin Ratio (OMR). Secondly, defense contractorsʼ excessive profit is more pronounced after 1992, consistent with the conjecture that the post-1992 significant industry consolidation enabled superior profitability due to both the improved bargaining power and increased political influence of the newly combined firms. Finally, defense contractorsʼ excessive profitability increases with poorer corporate governance, as measured by the duality of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Chairman of the Board.
Characterizing the accuracy of dod operating and support cost estimates
Authors: Ryan Erin T. , Jacques David R. , Ritschel Jonathan D. , Schubert Christine M.
Published: December 2018

For decades, the Department of Defense (DoD) has employed numerous reporting and monitoring tools for characterizing the acquisition cost estimates of its programs. These tools have led to dozens of studies thoroughly documenting the magnitude and extent of DoD acquisition cost growth. However, little attention has been paid to the behavior of the other main cost component of a system's life cycle cost: Operating and Support (O&S) costs. Consequently, the DoD has little knowledge regarding the accuracy of O&S cost estimates or how that accuracy changes over time. In a previous paper, the authors described an analytical methodology for remedying this deficiency via a study to characterize the historical accuracy of O&S cost estimates. The results are presented here, and indicate there tend to be large errors in DoD O&S cost estimates, and that the accuracy of the estimates improves little over time
Unwritten ground rules (UGRS) in public procurement in developing countries
Authors: Khan Shahadat
Published: December 2018

This paper presents the outcome of research related to application of formal rules and standard procedures in EAsʼ procurement of goods and services for foreign aid-funded projects. Executing agencies are entrusted to implement foreign aid-funded projects on behalf of respective governments and they are required to satisfy a combination of rules of their multiple principals, mainly donor organizations and respective government ministries. The theoretical framework of this study is guided by agency theory. The findings indicate that the processing of procurement related information and awarding contracts by the executing agencies in the context of Bangladesh is heavily dependent on the informal working systems or “unwritten ground rules”. These are driven by downward hierarchical verbal and non-verbal instructions. The study has adopted a qualitative method following a grounded theory approach.
An empirical analysis of coercive means of enforcing compliance in public procurement
Authors: Mwakibinga Frederick A. , Buvik Arnt
Published: December 2018

Compliance enforcement is central in issues involving cooperation and delegation of authority. In fact, many proposed mechanisms seek to enhance adherence to the contracted agreements. Generally, monitoring and sanction arrangements constitute one of the widely applied tools to ensure compliance. Notwithstanding the prevailing mixed opinions on the usefulness of such coercive measures, in public procurement, such seemingly drastic measures are also commonly applied to enhance the purchasersʼ adherence to the established procurement frameworks. This study investigated the effectiveness of the monitoring and sanction arrangements in enhancing procurement rule compliance in the Tanzania context. Using data generated from a cross-sectional survey conducted between December 2006 and May 2007, this study established that the effectiveness of such enforcement means in the public sector is situational contingent and has to take into account other context-specific factors, which tend to influence the outcome.
Developing a public value healthcare procurement framework
Authors: Turrell Alan
Published: December 2018

This paper explores the potential application of public value management theory to the practice of UK healthcare procurement. By conducting a literature review, key elements of public value theory and practice that can be applied to healthcare procurement are identified together with mechanisms that can be used in procurement to protect public values and enhance the creation of public value. These are formed into a Public Value Healthcare Procurement Framework which represents a fresh normative approach to healthcare procurement by focussing on a broader, societal view of value; by providing a blue print for procurement leaders centred around Moore's vision of “exploring” and “moral” public managers; and by promoting a public service ethos amongst all providers including the private sector.
Impact of political-economy variables on cost growth in military weapon system contracts
Authors: Ritschel Jonathan D.
Published: December 2018

For decades, cost growth in major military weapon system programs has been problematic. The result is a multitude of studies documenting internally focused causes of Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition cost growth and a spawning of acquisition reforms that have provided little relief to the problem. The missing components of these prior analyses are the larger economic and political factors that contribute to cost growth. This study analyzes cost growth in major DoD development and procurement contracts through a holistic political-economy construct including the effect of the political party of the President and Congress, and the liberal-conservative record of the Armed Services Committees. These political-economy constructs in both development contracts and procurement contracts are found to be more robust.
Market orientation and smesʼ activity in public sector procurement participation
Authors: Tammi Timo , Saastamoinen Jani , Reijonen Helen
Published: December 2018

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been found to be under-represented in the awarding of public sector procurement contracts. Currently, very little is known about the strategic and behavioral aspects associated with SMEsʼ participation in public sector procurement. To take a step in filling the gap, we used a conceptual construct known as market orientation (MO). The construct comprises a firmʼs orientation in gathering information on competitors and customers, and using the information to gain competitive advantage. This research found that MO has a positive effect on how active SMEs are in searching information on available requests for tenders and how actively they participate in bidding contests. This work strongly suggests that MO should be taken into account when designing procurement contracts, and MO should be fostered among SMEs.
Increased cooperation through immediate post contractual negotiation
Authors: Meijers Stephan J. , Dorée André G. , Boes Hans
Published: December 2018

Traditional contracting often leads to claims during construction by contractors, increasing transaction costs for both parties in the form of policing and enforcement costs. Partnering is widely advocated as a governance form to more cooperative relationships between client and contractor. However, partnering requires a significant investment in elaborating a specific procurement approach, and is regarded as inappropriate for small, one-off, less complex projects. Dutch municipal governments are searching for alternative solutions to increase cooperation with contractors and reduce transaction costs by applying immediate post contractual negotiations in traditionally procured projects. We studied four such municipal projects which have shown that immediate post contractual negotiations achieve the effects of partnering despite the initial traditional procurement procedures. These negotiations seem to reduce the transaction costs of traditional procurement making them particularly applicable in smaller projects where high set up costs would not be justifiable due to their limited size, complexity, or cost.
Procurement procedure, competition and final unit price: The case of commodities
Authors: Soudek Jan , Skuhrovec Jiří
Published: December 2018

We show how institutional and procedural characteristics affect the final price in public procurement. In order to obtain comparable unit prices, our analysis examined public procurement of homogeneous goods only. We examined two Czech commodity markets: electricity and natural gas, which enabled us to use a private market price as a benchmark metric. The regression analysis is based on the standard ordinary least squares method. On a dataset of 277 tenders, we found that the final unit price of the procurement is sensitive to movements in both commodity market price and price estimated ex ante by the procurer. Moreover, we identified that the final price is reduced when the procurer uses an open procedure, an electronic auction, or attracts more competitors.
Research perspectives on public procurement: Content analysis of 14 years of publications in the journal of public procurement
Authors: Patrucco Andrea Stefano , Luzzini Davide , Ronchi Stefano
Published: December 2018

The paper aims to evaluate the state of the literature on public procurement through examination of the works published in the Journal of Public Procurement from 2001 to 2014. 231 research outputs were collected and analyzed (with regard to, e.g., the background theory used, research method, and content of the papers), providing a overview of prior research topics and findings and identifying main gaps in the existing literature. This type of study is unique, as a broad literature review related to public procurement does not currently exist; therefore, the work has been designed with the intention to a) synthetize the prior research on public procurement; b) provide researchers with a structural framework in which future research on public procurement topics may be oriented; c) identify promising and active areas for future research.
A dualistic view of employment in China
Authors: Ma Guoxin
Published: December 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to bring to the fore some neglected implications of the dual employment systems in China, especially for the public sector.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reinterprets some recent developments in understanding Chinese employments and incorporates the relevant research in arguing for a dualistic view of employment in China[1].

Findings

In highlighting the unique dualistic employment contexts in China and an indigenous phenomenon of “unequal pay for equal work”, this paper finds public management studies in China to deserve a separate platform for future research.

Research limitations/implications

Future Chinese management studies on public sector should contextualise their findings and conclusions, taking into account the employment structure at their research settings. More studies on the public sector are needed to better understand the dualistic Chinese employment relationships, especially for better public management policies and practices in China.

Social implications

It calls for more scholarly attention on the social injustice embedded in the dualistic employment in China.

Originality/value

It extends the ongoing discussions of Chinese employment reform and its implications on organising work and employment in China, while unveils important implications of the dualistic employment for future Chinese management research, especially in the public sector.
On retail digital platforms suppliers have to become responsive customer service organizations
Authors: Hänninen Mikko , Smedlund Anssi
Published: December 2018

Purpose

We illustrate how multi-sided retail marketplaces enabled by a digital platform, engage suppliers, creating new rules of retail altogether. Specifically, we describe how these marketplaces create relational value for their suppliers, as through marketplaces like Amazon.com, suppliers are fully integrated members of the value-exchange relationship with the platform’s end-customers.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is the result of a study of three leading marketplaces. We compared the marketplaces to understand the impact of the platform economy on the retail industry, including on the governance mechanisms and earnings logic. We identified supplier management as a key theme in our analysis, as on marketplaces such as Amazon.com, the management of supplier relationships differs from more traditional forms of retail, as in platforms, supplier quality reflects strongly on the reputation and reliability of the marketplace.

Findings

Our findings show that in addition to well-known customer engagement processes, the marketplaces also have supplier engagement processes in-place. Through engagement processes, marketplaces are able to lock-in suppliers, thus increasing the total value of the marketplace. For suppliers, marketplaces create relational value, in an industry where competition has traditionally centered on price, selection and location.

Originality/value

Thus far, studies have shown that companies differentiate through customer engagement. This paper looks at the same phenomena from the supplier side. We contribute to the understanding of complementor management in the platform economy. Based on our study, we expect that the novel concept of supplier engagement will transform how retailers interact with suppliers.
Screening of Some Essential Oil Constituents as Potential Inhibitors of the ATP Synthase of Escherichia coli
Authors: Issa Daniella , Najjar Amal , Greige‐Gerges Hélène , Nehme Hala
Published: December 2018

Many novel bacterial targets and natural inhibitors of enzymes are currently being considered to overcome antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli. Hence, in this study, 20 essential oil constituents were screened for their potential inhibitory effect on E. coli ATP synthase. This enzyme is involved in the hydrolysis of ATP into ADP and inorganic phosphate (Pi). First, E. coli membrane ATP synthase was isolated via cell lysis. A spectrophotometric method was optimized to quantify the released phosphate from ATP hydrolysis in order to follow the enzymatic activity. The method was validated by determining the kinetic parameters of this reaction (Km = 144.66 μM and Vmax = 270.27 μM/min), and through the inhibition assays of ATP synthase using three reference inhibitors, thymoquinone (half maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 50.93 μM), resveratrol (maximum inhibition of 40%), and quercetin (IC50 = 29.01 μM). Among the studied essential oil components, α‐terpinene was the most potent inhibitor (IC50 = 19.74 μM) followed by β‐pinene, isoeugenol, eugenol, and estragole.
A versatile Rapture (RAD‐Capture) platform for genotyping marine turtles
Authors: Komoroske Lisa M. , Miller Michael R. , O'Rourke Sean M. , Stewart Kelly R. , Jensen Michael P. , Dutton Peter H.
Published: December 2018

Advances in high‐throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies coupled with increased interdisciplinary collaboration are rapidly expanding capacity in the scope and scale of wildlife genetic studies. While existing HTS methods can be directly applied to address some evolutionary and ecological questions, certain research goals necessitate tailoring methods to specific study organisms, such as high‐throughput genotyping of the same loci that are comparable over large spatial and temporal scales. These needs are particularly common for studies of highly mobile species of conservation concern like marine turtles, where life history traits, limited financial resources and other constraints require affordable, adaptable methods for HTS genotyping to meet a variety of study goals. Here, we present a versatile marine turtle HTS targeted enrichment platform adapted from the recently developed Rapture (RAD‐Capture) method specifically designed to meet these research needs. Our results demonstrate consistent enrichment of targeted regions throughout the genome and discovery of candidate variants in all species examined for use in various conservation genetics applications. Accurate species identification confirmed the ability of our platform to genotype over 1,000 multiplexed samples and identified areas for future methodological improvement such as optimization for low initial concentration samples. Finally, analyses within green turtles supported the ability of this platform to identify informative SNPs for stock structure, population assignment and other applications over a broad geographic range of interest to management. This platform provides an additional tool for marine turtle genetic studies and broadens capacity for future large‐scale initiatives such as collaborative global marine turtle genetic databases.
The Distribution of Artistic Human Capital – A Typology Building Approach
Authors: de Silva Ashton , Angelopoulos Sveta , Boymal Jonathan
Published: December 2018

Artists have long been understood to play a vital role in local communities. Our intent is to develop a deeper understanding of the distribution of artistic human capital; specifically, the extent to which particular patterns of co‐location exist across Australia. We find little evidence of patterns by type of artistic human capital. Interestingly, however, our analysis does reveal a form of grouping that enables us to prescribe a typology based on the degree to which the number of types of artistic human capital resides. Using this typology we explore differences among states and regions across Australia.
OVID AS ETHNOGRAPHER IN THE EPISTULAE EX PONTO
Authors: RAMSBY TERESA
Published: December 2018

Ovid's second collection of letters from his place of exile exhibits new strategies to achieve his aims of staying in the public eye and making his case for recall back to Rome. One of these new strategies is to pose as a kind of ethnographer with a ground-level view of Tomitan and Thracian society on the Black Sea coast. In the Epistulae ex Ponto, Ovid poses as a mediator between Rome and the imperial fringe, informing his reader about the activities of the Pontic tribes, describing his alleged interactions with the people of Tomis, and addressing the client king of the region. By doing so, Ovid explores new metaphors of exile, and grants to elegy and the letter a novel utility that slightly empowers his exiled voice.
SENECA RISING: EPISTOLARY SELF-RECREATION IN THE AD HELVIAM
Authors: CURRY SUSAN A.
Published: December 2018

Following his relegation to Corsica in ad 42, Seneca the Younger wrote the ad Helviam, a consolatory letter ostensibly offering his mother Helvia comfort and support in the face of his deathlike absence through exile. The addressees of Seneca's letters served different purposes for him, and here, because he is addressing his mother, who birthed him, Seneca creates within the ad Helviam a space for rebirth, a means of reviving and repairing a self left shattered by the trauma of exile. Reading Seneca's consolation through the lens of psychoanalyst Heinz Kohut's theory of the ‘tripolar self’, I suggest that in this letter Seneca satisfies his needs for mirroring, for an idealized other, and for twinship, which are requisite for his self-recreation. Through this process, Seneca also provides Helvia with the tools she needs to recreate her own self after the ‘loss’ of Seneca; both son and mother are thus reborn.
YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN: PLINY THE YOUNGER WRITES TO COMUM
Authors: CARLON JACQUELINE M.
Published: December 2018

Despite his absence from his home town, Pliny's ongoing relationship with Comum and its residents is readily apparent in his letters. Careful examination of his donations to his patria and his correspondence with friends and family residing there makes it clear that Pliny's home town does not just serve as an autobiographical vehicle in the letters but is also one of his most important audiences. He presents Comum as a locus amoenus, an ideal place for him to enjoy the kind of refined retirement he so often praises in his letters.
ROMAN RHETORIC AND ‘CORRESPONDENCE EDUCATION’: THE EPISTOLARY ‘VIVA VOX’ OF MARCUS CORNELIUS FRONTO
Authors: ZEINER-CARMICHAEL NOELLE K.
Published: December 2018

The idealized ‘viva vox’ of face-to-face instruction, expressed by Quintilian and Seneca, offers a thematic paradigm for examining Fronto's pedagogical ‘self-lettering’. Fronto's didactic letters facilitate the long-distance rhetorical education of Marcus Aurelius, but beyond their pragmatic role, they also function symbolically to promulgate Fronto's status and intimacy with the imperial court.
Substance use disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder symptomology on behavioral outcomes among juvenile justice youth
Authors: Winningham Rahissa D. , Banks Devin E. , Buetlich Marcy R. , Aalsma Matthew C. , Zapolski Tamika C.B.
Published: December 2018

Background and Objectives

Substance use behaviors have been identified as a risk factor that places juveniles at greater risk for engaging in delinquent behaviors and continual contact with the juvenile justice system. Currently, there is lack of research that explores comorbid factors associated with substance use, such as post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, that could help identify youth who are at greatest risk. The aim of the present study was to examine if PTSD symptomology moderated the relationship between substance use disorder (SUD) symptoms and externalizing behaviors and commission of a violent crime; hypothesizing that risk would be heightened among youth with elevated SUD and PTSD symptomology compared to those with elevated SUD symptoms but lower PTSD symptoms.

Method

The study included 194 predominantly male (78.4%), non‐White (74.2%) juvenile justice youth between the ages of 9–18 (M = 15.36). Youth provided responses to assess PTSD symptoms, SUD symptoms, and externalizing behaviors. Commission of a violent crime was based on parole officer report.

Results

Findings indicated that SUD symptomology was associated with greater externalizing behaviors at high levels of PTSD symptomology. At low levels of PTSD symptomology, SUD symptoms were inversely associated with externalizing behaviors. An interactive relationship was not observed for commission of violent crimes.

Conclusions

Findings suggest that the association between SUD symptoms and externalizing behaviors among juvenile offenders may be best explained by the presence of PTSD symptomology.

Scientific Significance

Addressing PTSD rather than SUD symptoms may be a better target for reducing risk for externalizing behaviors among this population of youth (Am J Addict 2019;28:29–35).
The role of an mHealth intervention in improving knowledge and skills of accredited social health activists in tribal areas of Gujarat, India: a nested study within an implementation research trial
Authors: Shah Shobha , Shinde Aakash , Anand Ankit , Modi Dhiren , Desai Gayatri , Bhatt Hardik , Gopalan Ravi , Dholakia Nishith , Vaghela Prakash , Desai Shrey , Shah Pankaj
Published: December 2018

Aim

To evaluate the effectiveness of an mHealth intervention in improving knowledge and skills of accredited social health activists in improving maternal, newborn and child health care in India.

Methods

This was a nested cross‐sectional study within a cluster randomised controlled trial. The intervention was a mobile phone application which has inbuilt health education videos, algorithms to diagnose complications and training tools to educate accredited social health activists. A total of 124 were randomly selected from the control (n = 61) and intervention (n = 63) arms of the larger study after six months of training in Bharuch and Narmada districts of Gujarat.

Results

The knowledge of accredited social health activists regarding pregnancy (OR: 2.51, CI: 1.12–5.64) and newborn complications (OR: 2.57, CI: 1.12–5.92) was significantly higher in the intervention arm compared to the control arm. The knowledge of complications during delivery (OR: 1.36, CI: 0.62–2.98) and the postpartum (OR: 1.06, CI: 0.48–2.33) period was similar in both groups. The activists from the intervention arm demonstrated better skills for measuring temperature (OR: 4.25, CI: 1.66–10.89) of newborns compared to the control group.

Conclusion

The results suggest potential benefits of this mHealth intervention for improving knowledge and skills of accredited social health activists.
LCR1 and LCR2, two multi‐analyte blood tests to assess liver cancer risk in patients without or with cirrhosis
Authors: Poynard Thierry , Peta Valentina , Deckmyn Olivier , Munteanu Mona , Moussalli Joseph , Ngo Yen , Rudler Marika , Lebray Pascal , Pais Raluca , Bonyhay Luminita , Charlotte Frederic , Thibault Vincent , Fartoux Laetitia , Lucidarme Olivier , Eyraud Daniel , Scatton Olivier , Savier Eric , Valantin Marc Antoine , Ngo An , Drane Fabienne , Rosmorduc Olivier , Imbert‐Bismut Françoise , Housset Chantal , Thabut Dominique , Ratziu Vlad ,   the HECAM‐FibroFrance Group
Published: December 2018

Background

No blood test has been shown to be effective in the prediction of primary liver cancer in patients without cirrhosis.

Aim

To construct and internally validate two sequential tests for early prediction of liver cancer. These tests enable an algorithm which could improve the performance of the standard surveillance protocol recommended (imaging with or without AFP), limited to patients with cirrhosis.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis in prospectively collected specimens from an ongoing cohort. We designed an early sensitive high‐risk test (LCR1) that combined (using Cox model) hepatoprotective proteins (apolipoproteinA1, haptoglobin) with known risk factors (gender, age, gammaglutamyltranspeptidase), and a marker of fibrosis (alpha2‐macroglobulin). To increase the specificity, we then combined (LCR2) these components with alpha‐fetoprotein.

Results

A total of 9892 patients, 85.9% without cirrhosis, were followed up for 5.9 years [IQR: 4.3‐9.4]. LCR1 and LCR2 time‐dependent AUROCs were not different in construction and validation randomised subsets. Among 2027 patients with high‐LCR1 then high‐LCR2, 167 cancers (113 with cirrhosis, 54 without cirrhosis) were detected, that is 12 patients needed to screen one cancer. The negative predictive value was 99.5% (95% CI 99.0‐99.7) in the 2026 not screened patients (11 cancers without cirrhosis) higher than the standard surveillance, which detected 113 cancers in 755 patients screened, that is seven patients needed to screen one cancer, but with a lower negative predictive value 98.0% (97.5‐98.5; Z = 4.3; P < 0.001) in 3298 not screened patients (42 cancers without cirrhosis).

Conclusions

In patients with chronic liver disease the LCR1 and LCR2 tests identify those with a high risk of liver cancer, including in those without cirrhosis. NCT01927133.
Robot‐assisted surgery and endoscopic management of gastrocolic fistula: A rare complication of acute pancreatitis in a patient who had undergone sleeve gastrectomy
Authors: Montoya‐Ramírez Jesús , Aguilar‐Espinosa Francisco , Gutiérrez‐Salinas José , Blas‐Azotla Ricardo , Aguilar‐Soto Oscar A
Published: December 2018

Ten years after undergoing sleeve gastrectomy, a 39‐year‐old man developed pancreatitis and, after recovery, presented with severe diarrhea. An image study showed barium contrast passing from the stomach to the colon. Before surgery, initial treatment consisted of parenteral nutrition and antibiotics. The patient then underwent robot‐assisted resection of a gastrocolic fistula and omentoplasty. However, 72 h after surgery, the amount of suction drainage suggested that the fistulous track repair was leaking. Therefore, we decided to perform endoscopy to place a self‐expanding covered stent at the gastroesophageal junction as well as a nasojejunal tube to continue nutritional supplementation. After the patient had fasted for 2 weeks, there was no evidence of leakage in the image studies. The patient was discharged after he had clinically improved, and the stent was removed at the end of 8 weeks. The combination of robot‐assisted surgery and endoscopic management is effective for treating gastrocolic fistula.
Lateral neural borders as precursors of peripheral nervous systems: A comparative view across bilaterians
Authors: Zhao Di , Chen Siyu , Liu Xiao
Published: December 2018

The nervous systems in most bilaterians are centralized, composed of central nervous systems (CNS) and peripheral nervous systems (PNS). Common molecular and cellular patterns of medial nerve cords have been observed in various distantly related bilaterians, suggesting deep homology of CNS. The development patterns of PNS, however, are more diverse than CNS across different phylogenetic lineages and the evolution of PNS so far has been thought to be polygenic. The molecular and cellular programs during the development of PNS among different bilaterian branches are drastically different. For example, vertebrate PNS is essentially derived from neural crest cells and placodes, which are largely vertebrate innovations and do not exist in invertebrates. On the other hand, the lack of common precursor cell types does not necessarily lead to the conclusion of different evolutionary origins. Homology needs to be examined with a deeper and broader scope. In this review, we examined the molecular, cellular and developmental characteristics of PNS in a broad range of bilaterians to summarize our current understanding of variation and potentially conserved themes. These comparisons demonstrate that there exist both migratory and non‐migratory neuroblasts in the lateral border of CNS precursors in most model bilaterian animals. These lateral border neuroblasts are specified by conserved gene regulatory network and give rise to sensory neurons, suggesting that lateral border neuroblasts represent the progenitor of PNS and share deep homology among different branches of Bilateria. Future studies are needed to elucidate the evo‐devo mechanisms of the lateral neural borders as PNS progenitors.
Differences in pediatric and adult epilepsy surgery: A comparison at one center from 1990 to 2014
Authors: Cloppenborg Thomas , May Theodor W. , Blümcke Ingmar , Fauser Susanne , Grewe Philip , Hopf Johanna L. , Kalbhenn Thilo , Polster Tilman , Schulz Reinhard , Woermann Friedrich G. , Bien Christian G.
Published: December 2018

Objective

Surgical volumes at large epilepsy centers are decreasing. Pediatric cohorts, however, show a trend toward more resections and superior outcome. Differences in pediatric and adult epilepsy surgery were investigated in our cohort.

Methods

The Bethel database between 1990 and 2014 was retrospectively analyzed.

Results

A total of 1916 adults and 1300 children underwent presurgical workup. The most common etiologies were medial temporal sclerosis (35.4%) in adults, and focal cortical dysplasias (21.1%) and diffuse hemispheric pathologies (14.7%) in children. Only 1.4% of the total cohort had normal histopathology. A total of 1357 adults (70.8%) and 751 children (57.8%) underwent resections. Surgery types for children were more diverse and showed a higher proportion of extratemporal resections (32.8%) and functional hemispherectomies (20.8%). Presurgical evaluations increased in both groups; surgical numbers remained stable for children, but decreased in the adult group from 2007 on. The patients’ decision against surgery in the adult nonoperated cohort increased over time (total = 44.9%, 27.4% in 1995‐1998 up to 53.2% in 2011‐2014; for comparison, in children, total = 22.1%, stable over time). Postsurgical follow‐up data were available for 1305 adults (96.2%) and 690 children (91.9%) 24 months after surgery. The seizure freedom rate was significantly higher in children than in adults (57.8% vs 47.5%, P < 0.001) and significantly improved over time (P = 0.016).

Significance

Pediatric epilepsy surgery has stable surgical volumes and renders more patients seizure‐free than epilepsy surgery in adults. A relative decrease in hippocampal sclerosis, the traditional substrate of epilepsy surgery, changes the focus of epilepsy surgery toward other pathologies.
Coping with information gaps in stock productivity for rebuilding and achieving maximum sustainable yield for grouper–snapper fisheries
Authors: Harford William J , Sagarese Skyler R , Karnauskas Mandy
Published: December 2018

Maintaining fish stocks at optimal levels is a goal of fisheries management worldwide; yet, this goal remains somewhat elusive, even in countries with well‐established fishery data collection, assessment and management systems. Achieving this goal often requires knowledge of stock productivity, which can be challenging to obtain due to both data limitations and the complexities of marine populations. Thus, scientific information can lag behind fishery policy expectations in this regard. Steepness of the stock–recruitment relationship affects delineation of target biomass level reference points, a problem which is often circumvented by using a proxy fishing mortality rate (F) in place of the rate associated with maximum sustainable yield (FMSY). Because MSY is achieved in the long term only if an F proxy is happenstance with FMSY, characterizing productivity information probabilistically can support reference point delineation. For demersal stocks of equatorial and tropical regions, we demonstrate how the use of a prior probability distribution for steepness can help identify suitable F proxies. F proxies that reduce spawning biomass per recruit to a target percentage of the unfished quantity (i.e., SPR) of 40% to 50% SPR had the highest probabilities of achieving long‐term MSY. Rebuilding was addressed through closed‐loop simulation of broken‐stick harvest control rules. Similar biomass recovery times were demonstrated for these rules in comparison with more information‐intensive rebuilding plans. Our approach stresses science‐led advancement of policy through a lens of information limitations, which can make the assumptions behind rebuilding plans more transparent and align management expectations with biological outcomes.
Ischemic complications after percutaneous radiofrequency ablation of liver tumors: Liver volume loss and recovery
Authors: Wake Taijiro , Tateishi Ryosuke , Nakagomi Ryo , Fujiwara Naoto , Kinoshita Mizuki Nishibatake , Nakatsuka Takuma , Sato Masaya , Minami Tatsuya , Uchino Koji , Enooku Kenichiro , Nakagawa Hayato , Asaoka Yoshinari , Tanaka Yasuo , Shiina Shuichiro , Koike Kazuhiko
Published: December 2018

Aim

The liver regrows after acute liver injury and liver resection. However, it is not clear whether the liver regenerates in advanced cirrhosis. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical course of, and liver volume change after, ischemic liver complications caused by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

We enrolled 35 patients with ischemic complications after RFA. Ischemic complications were defined as rapid elevation of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to over 500 U/L, with typical radiological findings. Patient characteristics and the ischemic liver volume were investigated. Long‐term liver volume changes at 3–8 months after ischemic complications were also assessed in 32 patients. We also assessed the overall survival rate after ischemic complications.

Results

The median value of peak AST was 798 U/L (range, 531–4096 U/L). The median ischemic liver volume relative to the functional liver volume before RFA was 13% (range, 3.1–46.5%). There was a strong correlation between the peak AST value and the ischemic liver volume (r = 0.84, P < 0.001). The liver volume recovered to some extent in 18 of 32 (56%) patients after ischemic complications. The survival rate after ischemic complications was 45.7% at 5 years and correlated with the functional liver volume after ischemic complications (P = 0.02).

Conclusions

Ischemic complications after RFA can lead to massive liver parenchymal loss. Although the liver volume recovered to some extent in the majority of our patients, ischemic liver complications after RFA should be avoided to improve the overall survival rate.