bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oral communication capabilities of governmental purchasers in the USA
Authors: Large Rudolf O. , Giménez Cristina , McCarthy Donna
Published: December 2018

The main purpose of this paper is the evaluation of previous German and Spanish research conducted related to oral communication capability in a different cultural surrounding. In order to test the validity of the European findings, a new sample was drawn using membership data of the U.S. based National Institute of Governmental Purchasing. The results of this paper corroborate that oral communication capability is a construct consisting of three dimensions. The model obtained in Europe for managers from private sector purchasers is also applicable in the U.S. for public purchasers. Furthermore, European results proposed four distinct types of communicators, while in the U.S. two additional groups of purchasers were found. Nevertheless, there is limited evidence for demographic or cultural influences on the oral communication capabilities of purchasers.
A decision analysis framework for vendor selection in construction projects in greece
Authors: Manoliadis Odysseus , Tsolas Ioannis E.
Published: December 2018

The aim of the present paper is to model the vendor selection process in construction projects in Greece. The applied approach involves a multicriteria rating technique used for calculating a normalized economic bid for the alternatives (i.e. vendors) by determining a proposed multiplier coefficient. This technique uses two stage compromise programming procurement criteria and weights according to the relevant legislative framework for government procurement to provide a multicriteria value score for each vendor. The application of the approach is demonstrated by an illustrative example concerning the procurement of earthmoving equipment (i.e. bulldozer). The primary advantage of this approach is that it incorporates a degree of subjectivity into the evaluation process in compliance with the existing legislative framework.
Regulating public procurement law at supranational level: The example of eu agreements on public procurement
Authors: Siegfried Schnitzer ohannes
Published: December 2018

This paper provides an analysis of the fragmented sphere of international agreements on public procurement law in the European Union. After a comprehensive review of the most important European Communities agreements on public procurement, this paper describes how these agreements can be subdivided within certain categories and certain types and how this categorisation and typification is vital with regard to the legal effect of a particular agreement. In this regard, it is argued that EC agreements on public procurement (including the World Trade Organization Agreement on Government Procurement) are, in principle, capable of direct applicability. Thus, disappointed bidders are - from an EU perspective -, in general, able to invoke the provisions of such EC agreements before national courts and authorities, based upon the non-discrimination principles incorporated in such agreements.
Examining the merits of municipal police contracting
Authors: Schwester Richard W.
Published: December 2018

The touted benefits of inter-governmental contracting are cost savings and simplicity when compared to shared service agreements. Some managers and public officials resist contracting given the assumption that there may be a drop-off in service quality. However, inter-governmental contracting introduces market forces which theoretically would improve performance while keeping costs per unit of output low (Boyne, 1998). This paperexamines municipal police contracting in the State of New Jersey, the purpose of which is to determine if there are statistically significant differences in non-violent crime rates among municipalities that maintain their own police force versus those that contract with neighboring municipalities for police services. Contracting costs are also explored. While summary statistics indicate lower non-violent crime rates among municipalities that maintain their own police force compared to those that contract for police services, multiple regression results indicate that contracting does not predict higher non-violent crime rates at the .05 level. Therefore, contracting for police services should be explored as an alternative municipal policing model.
Estimating the final cost of a DoD acquisition contract
Authors: Tracy Steven P. , White Edward D.
Published: December 2018

The most common technique to determine the predicted final cost of a Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition contract, or the Estimate at Completion (EAC), involves the use of performance indices to adjust the EAC. Other methods including simple linear regression and time series analysis have been developed to predict the final cost, but these methods are not widely publicized or have limited applicability. As a potential remedy, this research utilizes the historical contract data reported in the Defense Acquisition Executive Summary database and provides to the analyst a set of five working multiple regression models. Useful over the life of the contract, they accurately predict the final cost of the average major weapons system contract using contractor Cost Performance Report data.
Anti-corruption in public procurement in nigeria: challenges and competency strategies
Authors: Achua Joseph K.
Published: December 2018

Public procurement provides a fertile ground for corruption in the Nigerian public sector. Reforms to create an effective public procurement system, which have been almost exclusively the governmentʼs affair, seem to be yielding insignificant results. Effective reforms to control corruption in public procurement systems must be sustainably participative and inclusive of all essential stakeholders in the society. Most importantly, the preconditions for achieving a sound public procurement system are integrity and commitment to good governance practices through the provision of welldesigned legislation and supporting regulations and review processes.
Using fuzzy decision making for supplier selection in public procurement
Authors: Costantino Nicola , Dotoli Mariagrazia , Falagario Marco , Pia Fanti Maria
Published: December 2018

The paper addresses supplier selection in the public procurement sector. The motivation is providing a decision-making tool that mimics the intuitive behavior of the public tender committee in evaluating the bid according to predefined (quantitative and qualitative) criteria by a strict and transparent procedure, in accordance with governmental procurement regulations and requirements. To this aim, we address the supplier selection decision problem in the public procurement sector by a well-known fuzzy multiple criteria decision- making approach. Using the presented technique enables evaluation of both imprecise information and quantitative data in vendor selection, while keeping the transparency features requested in public procurement. We show the effectiveness and efficiency of the approach with a case study involving an Italian public administration.
Dispelling fear and loathing in government acquisition: A proposal for cultivational governance in dod source selections
Authors: Maser Steve M. , Thompson Fred
Published: December 2018

Government contracting is rife with miscommunication and misperception, sometimes unavoidably, and is often associated with secrecy, autarky, and opportunism. These qualities undermine trust, increase contracting costs, and reduce effective collaboration between business and government. In this article we show how mutual trust can be repaired and, once repaired, bumped up and made much more robust through cultivational governance. The proximate aim of the article is improving source-selection in government acquisition; its scholarly purpose lies in contributing to a process theory for recovering and reinforcing trust.
Political connections of the boards of directors and department of defense contractorsʼ excessive profits
Authors: Wang Chong
Published: December 2018

Despite fast-growing interest in research on political connections, most papers on this topic belong to the economics or public administration fields. Few studies, if any, look into the role of firmsʼ political connections in the Department of Defense (DoD) acquisition area. This paper attempts to bridge this gap by investigating the impact of political connections on the excessive profitability of DoD contractors. We find that, in contrast to what the “corruption hypothesis” predicts, the excessive profits are less (more) pronounced for those contractors with politically connected (non-connected) boards. Our findings suggest that those politically connected board directors may use their experience to serve a benevolent role to the public in keeping DoD contractors from opportunistic profitseeking behaviors that could reach or even cross the federal governmentʼs regulatory redline.
Price-quality ratios in value-for-money awards
Authors: Kiiver Philipp , Kodym Jakub
Published: December 2018

This article presents a simple and objective formula to determine a tender's price-quality ratio, for the purpose of value-for-money awards, which is literally quality divided by price (Q/P). Most formulas used in public procurement today first translate prices into points, in a process which has several flaws, and in the end they do not produce any actual ratios, a fact which makes them less objective. To adjust the proposed Q/P formula to the relative weight of the price criterion from the buyer's point of view, all tenders start out with a fixed quality score to compress or expand quality differences between them. Tenders then compete for the remaining range of quality points up to the maximum, and in the end have their quality score divided by the price that they offer.
E-procurement as the ict innovation in the public services management: Case of slovakia
Authors: Svidronova Maria Murray , Mikus Tomas
Published: December 2018

Information and communications technology (ICT) has enabled the creation of tools to organize, transmit, store and act on information in digital form in new ways (Atkinson - McKay, 2007). Combined with the reforms of government and public administration in the spirit of New Public Management, many innovations are driven by ICT in the public sector. In this paper we focus on several ICT driven innovations from the perspective of e-procurement in the conditions in Slovakia. E-procurement carries out a number of stages of the procurement process, including search, sourcing, negotiation, ordering, receipt and post-purchase review. Thus it contributes to a more transparent and competitive environment in which government has to operate. We confront these theoretical presumptions in the analysis of selected cases of e-procurement use in Slovakia.
The evolution of the world bank’s procurement framework: Reform and coherence for the 21st centur
Authors: Williams-Elegbe Sope
Published: December 2018

In 2011, the World Bank announced its intention to conduct a holistic review and reform of its procurement framework. This reform was intended to ensure that its procurement system, which is the means through which the Bank disburses developmental loans and grants is in line with modern trends in procurement, is flexible enough to respond to unforeseen challenges and is coherent. This paper examines both how Bank procurement has evolved since the first formal regulations were issued in 1964 and the implications of the recent reforms for the Bank and its borrowers. Readers will see that ongoing reforms evidence a significant change for the Bank's approach to procurement and its relationship with its borrowers and will dramatically affect the way the Bank-funded procurements are conducted.
Managing for performance: Measurement and monitoring of contracts in the transit industry
Authors: Smirnova Olga , Yusuf Juita-Elena (Wie) , Leland Suzanne
Published: December 2018

Public agencies contract out to pursue a variety of goals. But, these goals cannot be realized if the performance of contractors is not assessed and monitored. This study examines the state of performance measurement and contract monitoring in the U.S. transit agencies. We focus on three research questions: (1) What monitoring capacity exists within transit agencies? (2) What monitoring methods are used by transit agencies? (3) What performance measures are tracked by transit agencies? We find monitoring units are common in a third of agencies in the study. Service and customer complaints are the most common performance measures, while penalties and liquidated damages are the most frequent form of penalties. Finally, we find that transit agencies utilize a variety of output and outcome measures to monitor contractors.
Tracing the effects of politicization on public procurement specialists’ decision-making through values: A structural equation model of the broker-purist lens
Authors: Roman Alexandru V.
Published: December 2018

Currently, our understandings of the dynamics behind the effects of politicization on values and on administrative decision-making remain largely muddled and far from complete. The richness of theoretical accounts, amassed over the past eight decades, has yielded only a limited number of empirical examinations. This failure to develop a coherent collection of empirical works can be for the most part attributed to the complexity associated with studying values, particularly to the lack of clear and testable theories and models. This article attempts to address this deficit and to add to our understandings of the association between values and administrative decision-making at the individual level by explicitly testing the Broker-Purist (BP) model (within a sample of public procurement specialists). It is found that the BP model fits the data well, which suggest the framework as a valid and useful perspective for conceptualizing the effects of environmental politicization on administrative decision-making in public procurement specifically, and in public administration in general.
Strategic orientations, knowledge management (KM) and business performance
Authors: Jami Pour Mona , Asarian Mohammad
Published: December 2018

Purpose

Despite the huge amount of studies that have investigated the strategy–performance relationships and knowledge management (KM)–performance relationships, there is little consensus regarding the nature of these connections. By reviewing related literature, some notable limitations and inconsistent results are highlighted in extant studies. To address these challenges, this study aims to explore the effects of strategic orientation and KM mechanisms on business performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study conducted an empirical investigation of 227 small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to explore the relationship between strategy−performance and KM−performance. Business strategy is conceptualized as a comparative construct with six dimensions, KM is conceptualized by two types of KM mechanisms of technical and non-technical KM mechanisms and business performance is measured by four dimensions of balanced scorecard (BSC). The cluster analysis was used to explore different aspects of these three constructs.

Findings

Using cluster analysis, the results indicate that firms with high level of analysis, defensiveness, futurity and proactiveness in strategic orientation have better performance and also the high level of both KM mechanisms another important finding shows that firms with more KM mechanisms have high performance and technical mechanisms have more predictor role on performance.

Practical implications

This research also has prescriptive implications for strategic managers and KM practitioners. The finding enhanced the understanding of the relationship between strategic orientations, KM and performance. The results assist managers to assess business performance regarding strategic orientations and KM mechanisms of the firms. Therefore, it helps firms to improve strategic resource allocation and exploit KM investment by considering ideal pattern of the performance.

Originality/value

By reviewing strategic management and KM literature, it is revealed that there are little studies about how the interaction of strategic orientation and KM influences business performance. The main contribution of the study is exploring the profile of the firms by considering their strategic orientation and KM mechanisms and their impact on business performance. This study provides an empirical evidence about interaction of strategic orientations, KM mechanisms and business performance in SME context, which is merely investigated in previous researches.
Characterization of the effect of fabric structure on the optical properties of woven fabrics
Authors: Khosravani Paniz , Ezazshahabi Nazanin , Latifi Masoud
Published: December 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to study the optical properties of woven fabrics.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study was carried out to objectively evaluate the luster of a group of woven fabrics with different weave structures and weft densities, with the aid of a goniophotometer. The results obtained from the objective luster measurement were validated by a set of pair comparison subjective tests using Thurstone’s law of comparative judgment.

Findings

The proper correlation with the R2 value of more than 0.96, between subjective and objective tests, confirmed the reliability and accordance of objective results with the human perception of luster. Statistical analysis of the luster results clarified that the effect of fabric structural parameters such as weave structure and weft density are significant at the confidence range of 95 per cent. The highest luster index was achieved for the twill 3/1 weave structure and the lowest luster belonged to the plain pattern. In addition, an increase in the density of the fabric leads to better luster. Moreover, it was concluded that the surface roughness affects the luster. A rise in the roughness value of the woven fabric causes reduction in its luster property.

Originality/value

Optical properties of woven fabrics, which are mainly attributed through the measurement of luster, are important for qualifying the aesthetic characteristics of the fabrics with various weave structures. Bearing in mind the influence of fabric surface properties on the aesthetic features of cloths, obtaining information in this field is a guide for selecting the suitable fabric for various end uses.
Homogeneous orthogonal diffusion of drugs in the rat brain
Authors: Li Kai , Zhang Yunjun , He Dongqi , Han Hongbin , Yuan Lan
Published: December 2018

The study introduced a homogeneous orthogonal diffusion model to describe the diffusion pattern of agents in the rat brain. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed post‐injection of paramagnetic drugs into the caudatum of the rat brain at predetermined time intervals. The signal intensity on magnetic resonance images was converted to agents’ concentration, and the standard least square method was employed to estimate the diffusion coefficients. The diffusion coefficients calculated along the three orthogonal axes were D1 = (0.0097 ± 0.0036) mm2/h, D2 = (0.0153 ± 0.0033) mm2/h, and D3 = (0.0293 ± 0.0155) mm2/h; the clearance rate constant was k = (0.2177 ± 0.0112)/h. The theoretical homogeneous orthogonal model can enhance our knowledge on both the biophysical characteristics of brain extracellular space and the interstitial drug delivery in the brain.
Inherited memory, social learning, and resilience: lessons from Spain's Great Blizzard of 1888
Authors: García‐Hernández Cristina , Ruiz‐Fernández Jesús , González‐Díaz Benjamín
Published: December 2018

The snowstorms that affected the Cantabrian Mountains in the winter of 1888 caused unprecedented damage, and the absence of a “resilient approach” to this episode had several consequences worth further consideration. In this study, we explored interconnections between and among memory, social learning, and resilience by surveying the affected landscapes, conducting interviews with current residents, and reviewing historical sources such as press archives. The mixed method has enabled us to examine the construction and transmission of respondents' memories and to link those narratives to our reading of the presence or absence of risk mitigation actions—especially against snow avalanches. Our analysis has established that the 1888 snowstorms are remembered down the decades in ways that downplay risk, neglect social learning and changes to community practices and capacities to cope with uncertainties, and fail to shape preventive measures against future disasters. These insights have relevance for those interested in how archival research, field observations, and contemporaneous interviews can aid understandings of inherited memory, social learning, and resilience.
Modeling Hydrological and Environmental Consequences of Climate Change and Urbanization in the Boise River Watershed, Idaho
Authors: Kim JungJin , Ryu Jae Hyeon
Published: December 2018

The potential impacts driven by climate variability and urbanization in the Boise River Watershed (BRW), located in southwestern Idaho, are evaluated. The outcomes from Global Circulation Models (GCMs) and land use and land cover (LULC) analysis have been incorporated into a hydrological and environmental modeling framework to characterize how climate variability and urbanization can affect the local hydrology and environment at the BRW. The combined impacts of future climate and LULC change are also evaluated relative to the historical baseline conditions. For modeling exercises, Hydrological Simulation Program‐Fortran (HSPF) is used in parallel computing and statistical techniques, including spatial downscaling and bias correlation, are employed to evaluate climate consequences derived from GCMs as well. The implications of climate variability and land use change driven by urbanization are then observed to evaluate how these overall global challenges can affect water quantity and quality conditions at the BRW. The results show the combined impacts of both climate change and urbanization can lead to more seasonal variability of streamflow (from −27.5% to 12.5%) and water quality, including sediment (from −36.5% to 49.3%), nitrogen (from −24% to 124.2%), and phosphorus (from −13.3% to 21.2%) during summer and early fall over the next several decades.
Assessing maternal and neonatal near‐miss reviews in rural Nepal: an implementation research study to inform scale‐up
Authors: Rana Hari Bahadur , Banjara Megha Raj , Joshi Mahesh Prasad , Kurth Ann E. , Castillo Theresa P.
Published: December 2018

Aim

To understand how maternal and neonatal near‐miss reviews could be implemented and scaled‐up in rural communities through the existing district health system in Nepal.

Methods

Mixed methods with a modified time series evaluation design were used. The World Health Organization maternal and neonatal near‐miss criteria used in multicountry surveys were adapted and used to define maternal and neonatal near‐miss cases.

Results

The World Health Organization near‐miss criteria were mainly applicable at the district hospital setting, but further adaptations were needed for community‐level birthing centres, as organ dysfunction and critical intervention criteria were not found appropriate. In birthing centres, disease‐based criteria were applicable for maternal near‐miss review, and danger and clinical sign‐based and condition at birth criteria were applicable for neonatal near‐miss review. Primary barriers to implementation were attrition of trained staff due to the frequent transfer of healthcare providers, and time constraints of district hospital medical doctors for case‐by‐case reviews as they were often busy in hospital and in their private clinics.

Conclusion

Adapted maternal and neonatal near‐miss review process implementation in Nepal is feasible through the existing government health system.
Community case management of lower chest indrawing pneumonia with oral amoxicillin in children in Kenya
Authors: Onono Maricianah , Abdi Mohammed , Mutai Kennedy , Asadhi Elijah , Nyamai Rachel , Okoth Peter , Qazi Shamim Ahmad
Published: December 2018

Aim

To determine the accuracy and effectiveness of community health workers (CHWs) when compared to trained nurses for management of pneumonia in Kenyan children.

Methods

In Homabay County in western Kenya, children 2–59 months of age with lower chest indrawing pneumonia were identified, classified and treated by CHWs with oral amoxicillin (90 mg/kg per day) for five days at home. Trained nurses visited the child within 24 hours to verify diagnosis; and on day 4 and 14 to assess treatment outcomes.

Results

CHWs identified 1906 children with lower chest indrawing pneumonia. There was an 88.7% concordance in classification and treatment for lower chest indrawing pneumonia by CHWs compared to nurses. Children with moderate malnutrition (OR 1.68; 95% CI: 1.22–2.30), comorbidities such as diarrhoea or malaria (OR 1.55; 95% CI: 1.32–1.81) or an additional day of delay in care seeking (OR 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02–1.10) were more likely to have an incorrect classification of lower chest indrawing by the CHW. Comorbidity (OR 1.66; 95% CI: 1.12–2.48) and fast breathing (OR 4.66; 95% CI: 1.26–17.27) were significantly associated with treatment failure on day 14.

Conclusion

CHWs can correctly manage lower chest indrawing pneumonia even in high‐mortality settings, such as western Kenya, in sub‐Saharan Africa.
Implementation of a labour companionship model in three public hospitals in Arab middle‐income countries
Authors: Kabakian‐Khasholian Tamar , Bashour Hyam , El‐Nemer Amina , Kharouf Mayada , Elsheikh Ohoud ,   the Labour Companionship Study Group
Published: December 2018

Aim

To assess the feasibility, acceptability, effectiveness and cost of the integration of a tailored labour companionship model in three public hospitals in Egypt, Lebanon and Syria.

Methods

Phased implementation research using mixed methods. Implementation strategies consisted of steering committees in hospitals, seminars for healthcare providers, information, education and communication materials, and adjustments in labour rooms. The labour companionship model consisted of (i) identification of a female relative as labour companion by women; (ii) provision of information, education and communication materials to women and companions; and (iii) allowing companions to accompany women throughout the first stage of labour. Semi‐structured interviews with women, labour companions and healthcare providers were used to assess feasibility and acceptability of the model. Effectiveness was assessed through structured interviews with women, information abstracted from medical records and cost data. The comparison was made between the pre‐implementation and the implementation phases.

Results

This model was found to be feasible, acceptable, effective and cost‐beneficial. Women's satisfaction and perception of control improved and caesarean section rates were reduced significantly.

Conclusion

This model can be adopted for these countries and elsewhere with comparable health systems. It enhances the quality of care and the provision of equitable and respectful maternity services.
Evaluating the impact of length of time from diagnosis to surgery in patients with unfavourable intermediate‐risk to very‐high‐risk clinically localised prostate cancer
Authors: Gupta Natasha , Bivalacqua Trinity J. , Han Misop , Gorin Michael A. , Challacombe Ben J. , Partin Alan W. , Mamawala Mufaddal K.
Published: December 2018

Objective

To evaluate the impact of length of time from diagnostic biopsy to radical prostatectomy (RP) on oncological outcomes amongst men diagnosed with unfavourable intermediate‐ to very‐high‐risk clinically localised prostate cancer.

Patients and methods

We performed a retrospective review of men with a diagnosis of grade group (GG) ≥3 prostate cancer on biopsy, who underwent RP within 6 months of diagnosis, at our institution between 2005 and 2018. We assessed patient demographics, pre‐biopsy disease characteristics, and receipt of neoadjuvant therapy. We categorised time between biopsy and RP into two intervals: <3 and 3–6 months. For each GG, we compared receipt of adjuvant therapy, pathological outcomes at RP (positive surgical margin [PSM], extraprostatic extension [EPE], seminal vesicle invasion [SVI], and lymph node involvement [LNI]), risk of 2‐ and 5‐year biochemical recurrence‐free survival (BCRFS), and 2‐, 5‐, and 10‐year metastasis‐free survival (MFS) between patients who underwent RP at <3 vs 3–6 months after diagnosis.

Results

Amongst 2303 men who met the study inclusion criteria, 1244 (54%) had GG 3, 608 (26%) had GG 4, and 451 (20%) had GG 5 disease. In all, 72% underwent RP at <3 months after diagnosis. For each diagnostic GG, there was no significant difference in rates of adjuvant therapy, PSM, EPE, SVI, or LNI in men who had RP at <3 vs 3–6 months after diagnosis. In all, 1568 men had follow‐up after RP of >1 year. For each diagnostic GG, there was no significant difference in 2‐ and 5‐year BCRFS between patients who had RP at <3 vs 3–6 months after diagnosis (GG 3: 78% vs 83% and 69% vs 66%, respectively, P = 0.6; GG 4: 68% vs 74% and 51% vs 57%, respectively, P = 0.4; GG 5: 58% vs 74% and 48% vs 54%, respectively, P = 0.2). Similarly, for each diagnostic GG, there was no significant difference in 2‐, 5‐, and 10‐year MFS between patients who had RP at <3 vs 3–6 months after diagnosis, although we were not able to calculate 10‐year MFS for patients with GG 5 disease due to limited follow‐up in that group (GG 3: 98%, 92%, and 84% vs 97%, 95%, and 91%, respectively, P = 0.4; GG 4: 97%, 90%, and 72% vs 94%, 91%, and 81%, respectively, P = 0.8; GG 5: 89% and 81% vs 91% and 71%, respectively, P = 0.9).

Conclusions

Waiting for RP up to 6 months after diagnosis is not associated with adverse outcomes amongst patients with unfavourable intermediate‐ to very‐high‐risk prostate cancer.
Do group interventions help people with autism spectrum disorder to develop better relationships with others? A critical review of the literature
Authors: Atkinson‐Jones Katherine , Hewitt Olivia
Published: December 2018

Accessible summary

Lots of people with autism find it difficult to make friends and have relationships.

There are lots of different groups that can help people with autism to learn social skills and how to make friends.

Some of the groups were specially designed for people with a learning disability as well as autism.

The groups can help support people to talk about their emotions, talk to other people about their thoughts and feelings and practise talking to other people.

This paper found that social skills groups can help people with autism to improve their social skills and to talk to people more.

The PEERS‐YA group appears to be the best social skills group for people with autism without a learning disability.

More research is needed to learn more about social skills groups for people with autism and a learning disability.

Background

Social and communication impairments are a core diagnostic feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can act as a barrier to developing relationships. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2016) guidelines recommend group social skills interventions as the first‐line treatment to help adults with ASD improve their social skills and relationships. To date, reviews have only explored the impact of group social skills interventions for adults with ASD without intellectual disability (ID). This review aimed to critically appraise studies investigating group social skills interventions for adults with ASD both without intellectual disability and with a mild or moderate intellectual disability.

Method

A systematic search of four databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL), as well as hand‐searching of references, was conducted. Ten studies were identified, employing different designs and methodologies, and covering six different group social skills interventions.

Results

Overall, the review provided fairly consistent evidence that group social skills in different formats can reduce social impairments and increase social interaction, social knowledge and empathy for adults with ASD.

Conclusion

There was variation in the quality of studies, and the most robust evidence was provided for the efficacy of the PEERS‐YA intervention. There was less evidence supporting the effectiveness of group social skills interventions for adults with ASD and intellectual disability, and more research is needed in this area.
Docking simulation and antibiotic discovery targeting the MlaC protein in Gram‐negative bacteria
Authors: Huang Yu‐ming M. , Munguia Jason , Miao Yinglong , Nizet Victor , McCammon J. Andrew
Published: December 2018

To maintain the lipid asymmetry of the cell envelope in Gram‐negative bacteria, the MlaC protein serves as a lipid transfer factor and delivers phospholipids from the outer to the inner membrane. A strategy of antibiotic discovery is to design a proper compound that can tightly bind to the MlaC protein and inhibit the MlaC function. In this study, we performed virtual screening on multiple MlaC structures obtained from molecular dynamics simulations to identify potential MlaC binders. Our results suggested that clorobiocin is a compound that could bind to the MlaC protein. Through the comparison of the bound geometry between clorobiocin and novobiocin, we pointed out that the methyl‐pyrrole group of the noviose sugar in clorobiocin forms hydrophobic interactions with amino acids in the phospholipid binding pocket, which allows the compound to bind deep in the active site. This also explains why clorobiocin shows a tighter binding affinity than novobiocin. Our study highlights a practical path of antibiotic development against Gram‐negative bacteria.
The herbicide quinclorac as potent lipase inhibitor: Discovery via virtual screening and in vitro/in vivo validation
Authors: Dahabiyeh Lina A. , Bustanji Yasser , Taha Mutasem O.
Published: December 2018

Lipolysis is primarily controlled by the stepwise action of hormone‐sensitive lipase (HSL) and monoglyceride lipase (MGL) to release free fatty acids and glycerol. A high level of circulating free fatty acids is well‐known to mediate insulin resistance. Thus, the need to discover lipase inhibitors against both enzyme systems remains urgent. Agrochemicals are tightly regulated chemicals and therefore are potential source of new medicinal agents. Accordingly, we implemented a computational workflow to search for new lipase inhibitory leads by virtually screening commercial agrochemicals against HSL and MGL employing binding pharmacophores and docking experiments. Ten agrochemicals were identified as potential lipase inhibitors, out of which quinclorac, a safe herbicide, achieved high‐ranking score. Subsequent in vitro evaluation against rat epididymal lipase activity showed quinclorac to exhibit nanomolar anti‐lipase IC50. Subsequent in vivo testing showed quinclorac to significantly decrease blood glycerol levels after acute exposure (150 mg/kg) and multiple dosing (50 or 25 mg/kg) (p < 0.05).
Children's Initial Responses and Beyond: Effects of Niceness and Similarity on Preference, Giving, and Memory
Authors: Tasimi Arber , Johnson Marcia K.
Published: December 2018

This study assessed children's preference, giving, and memory to investigate the impact of social information over time. We compared 5‐ and 6‐year‐olds’ (N = 144) immediate or delayed responses to an individual who does or does not share their toy preference (similar vs. dissimilar) or an individual who treats others kindly or poorly (nice vs. mean). Immediately, children all preferred the similar or nice characters but gave more stickers to the similar character. This strong initial effect of similarity was not evident after 1 week; children's preference, giving, and memory reflected a greater long‐term impact of niceness than similarity. These findings highlight the importance of using multiple features and measures to elucidate children's evolving views about others.
Secretory immunoglobulin A induces human lung fibroblasts to produce inflammatory cytokines and undergo activation
Authors: Arakawa S , Suzukawa M , Watanabe K , Kobayashi K , Matsui H , Nagai H , Nagase T , Ohta K
Published: December 2018

Immunoglobulin (Ig)A is the most abundant immunoglobulin in humans, and in the airway mucosa secretory IgA (sIgA) plays a pivotal role in first-line defense against invading pathogens and antigens. IgA has been reported to also have pathogenic effects, including possible worsening of the prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, the precise effects of IgA on lung fibroblasts remain unclear, and we aimed to elucidate how IgA activates human lung fibroblasts. We found that sIgA, but not monomeric IgA (mIgA), induced interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 and granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production by normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLFs) at both the protein and mRNA levels. sIgA also promoted proliferation of NHLFs and collagen gel contraction comparable to with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, which is involved in fibrogenesis in IPF. Also, Western blot analysis and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed that sIgA enhanced production of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and collagen type I (Col I) by NHLFs. Flow cytometry showed that NHLFs bound sIgA, and among the known IgA receptors, NHLFs significantly expressed CD71 (transferrin receptor). Transfection of siRNA targeting CD71 partially but significantly suppressed cytokine production by NHLFs co-cultured with sIgA. Our findings suggest that sIgA may promote human lung inflammation and fibrosis by enhancing production of inflammatory or fibrogenic cytokines as well as extracellular matrix, inducing fibroblast differentiation into myofibroblasts and promoting human lung fibroblast proliferation. sIgA’s enhancement of cytokine production may be due partially to its binding to CD71 or the secretory component.
Sharing conservation burdens fairly
Authors: Armstrong Chris
Published: December 2018

We examined how, from the point of view of justice, the burdens of paying for conservation should be shared. I resisted simple answers to the question of who should pay for conservation that lean on a single moral principle. I identified 3 relevant principles that relate to who causes conservation challenges, who has greater capacity to carry burdens, and who stands to benefit from conservation. I argue for a distinctive pluralist framework for allocating conservation burdens that grants a proper role to all 3 principles. A multistep process can be used to put the framework into practice. First, identify cases in which conservation is necessary. Second, consider whether people knew or could have been expected to anticipate the consequences of their activities and whether they had reasonable alternatives to acting the way they did. Third, turn to facts about benefits; when no culprit for conservation challenges can be found, ask who benefits from acts of conservation. In the second and third stages, consideration must also be given to ability to pay.
Cytopathological results of initial endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine needle aspiration for primary mass and prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients
Authors: Lee Jung Hwan , Woo Sang Myung , Hong Eun Kyung , Park Sang‐Jae , Han Sung‐Sik , Kim Tae Hyun , Lee Ju Hee , Lee Woo Jin
Published: December 2018

Objectives

Clinical outcomes remain unclear in patients suspected of having pancreatic cancer with indeterminate endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine needle aspiration (EUS‐FNA) results. This work aimed to investigate the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients with indeterminate findings at initial EUS‐FNA.

Methods

Findings in all patients who underwent EUS‐FNA for suspected pancreatic cancer between 2008 and 2015 at the National Cancer Center, Korea, were retrospectively reviewed. A final diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was based on pathology reports.

Results

Of the 144 patients evaluated, 113 (78%) were diagnosed as being positive/suspicious for malignancy on cytological evaluation and 31 (22%) as having atypia/negative/non‐diagnostic findings at initial EUS‐FNA but subsequently diagnosed with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Tumour size, clinical stage and treatment modalities did not differ significantly between these two groups. Median overall survival was significantly shorter in patients diagnosed (11.3 ± 0.74 months; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.4‐12.8 months) than non‐diagnosed (16.9 ± 2.34 months; 95% CI, 12.0‐17.4 months) on initial EUS‐FNA (P = .024). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that a non‐diagnosis on initial EUS‐FNA was independently associated with better overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.38‐0.88; P = .011).

Conclusions

Non‐diagnostic results on initial EUS‐FNA of a primary mass may be associated with better prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer.
Clinical features of isolated proximal‐type immunoglobulin G4‐related sclerosing cholangitis
Authors: Takagi Yuri , Kubota Kensuke , Takayanagi Takuya , Kurita Yusuke , Ishii Ken , Hasegawa Sho , Iwasaki Akito , Sato Takamitsu , Fujita Yuji , Kato Shingo , Kagawa Koichi , Watanabe Seitaro , Sekino Yusuke , Hosono Kunihiro , Matsuhashi Nobuyuki , Yamanaka Shoji , Iwao Toshiyasu , Yoshida Koji , Nakajima Atsushi
Published: December 2018

Background and Aim

Immunoglobulin G4‐related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4‐SC) presents as isolated proximal‐type sclerosing cholangitis (i‐SC). The present study sought to clarify the imaging differences between i‐SC and Klatskin tumor. Differences between i‐SC and IgG4‐SC associated with autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP‐SC) were also studied.

Methods

Differentiating factors between i‐SC and Klatskin tumor were studied. Serum IgG4 level, CA19‐9 level, computed tomography (CT) findings, cholangiography findings (symmetrical smooth long stricture extending into the upper bile duct [SSLS]), endosonographic features (continuous symmetrical mucosal lesion to the hilar part [CSML]), endoscopic biopsy results, treatment, relapse, and survival were also compared between patients with i‐SC and those with AIP‐SC.

Results

For a differential diagnosis between i‐SC (N = 9) and Klatskin tumor (N = 47), the cut‐off value of serum IgG4 level was 150 mg/dL (sensitivity, 0.857, specificity, 0.966). Logistic regression analysis indicated that serum IgG4 level, presence of SSLS, presence of CSML, and presence of swollen ampulla are independent factor for identifying i‐SC. Relapse rate was significantly higher in the IgG4‐SC with AIP group than in the i‐SC group (log rank, P = 0.046).

Conclusion

Isolated proximal‐type sclerosing cholangitis presents as a nodular lesion with SSLS and/or CSML mimicking a Klatskin tumor. Those endoscopic features might provide a diagnostic clue for i‐SC. i‐SC is likely to have a more favorable prognosis than IgG4‐SC with AIP.
Arabidopsis seryl‐tRNA synthetase: the first crystal structure and novel protein interactor of plant aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetase
Authors: Kekez Mario , Zanki Vladimir , Kekez Ivana , Baranasic Jurica , Hodnik Vesna , Duchêne Anne‐Marie , Anderluh Gregor , Gruic‐Sovulj Ita , Matković‐Čalogović Dubravka , Weygand‐Durasevic Ivana , Rokov‐Plavec Jasmina
Published: December 2018

The rules of the genetic code are established by aminoacyl‐tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) enzymes, which covalently link tRNA with the cognate amino acid. Many aaRSs are involved in diverse cellular processes beyond translation, acting alone, or in complex with other proteins. However, studies of aaRS noncanonical assembly and functions in plants are scarce, as are structural studies of plant aaRSs. Here, we have solved the crystal structure of Arabidopsis thaliana cytosolic seryl‐tRNA synthetase (SerRS), which is the first crystallographic structure of a plant aaRS. Arabidopsis SerRS displays structural features typical of canonical SerRSs, except for a unique intrasubunit disulfide bridge. In a yeast two‐hybrid screen, we identified BEN1, a protein involved in the metabolism of plant brassinosteroid hormones, as a protein interactor of Arabidopsis SerRS. The SerRS:BEN1 complex is one of the first protein complexes of plant aaRSs discovered so far, and is a rare example of an aaRS interacting with an enzyme involved in primary or secondary metabolism. To pinpoint regions responsible for this interaction, we created truncated variants of SerRS and BEN1, and identified that the interaction interface involves the SerRS globular catalytic domain and the N‐terminal extension of BEN1 protein. BEN1 does not have a strong impact on SerRS aminoacylation activity, indicating that the primary function of the complex is not the modification of SerRS canonical activity. Perhaps SerRS performs as yet unknown noncanonical functions mediated by BEN1. These findings indicate that – via SerRS and BEN1 – a link exists between the protein translation and steroid metabolic pathways of the plant cell.

Database

Structural data are available in the PDB under the accession number PDB ID 6GIR.
Climate change resilience of a globally important sea turtle nesting population
Authors: Patrício Ana R. , Varela Miguel R. , Barbosa Castro , Broderick Annette C. , Catry Paulo , Hawkes Lucy A. , Regalla Aissa , Godley Brendan J.
Published: December 2018

Few studies have looked into climate change resilience of populations of wild animals. We use a model higher vertebrate, the green sea turtle, as its life history is fundamentally affected by climatic conditions, including temperature‐dependent sex determination and obligate use of beaches subject to sea level rise (SLR). We use empirical data from a globally important population in West Africa to assess resistance to climate change within a quantitative framework. We project 200 years of primary sex ratios (1900–2100) and create a digital elevation model of the nesting beach to estimate impacts of projected SLR. Primary sex ratio is currently almost balanced, with 52% of hatchlings produced being female. Under IPCC models, we predict: (a) an increase in the proportion of females by 2100 to 76%–93%, but cooler temperatures, both at the end of the nesting season and in shaded areas, will guarantee male hatchling production; (b) IPCC SLR scenarios will lead to 33.4%–43.0% loss of the current nesting area; (c) climate change will contribute to population growth through population feminization, with 32%–64% more nesting females expected by 2120; (d) as incubation temperatures approach lethal levels, however, the population will cease growing and start to decline. Taken together with other factors (degree of foraging plasticity, rookery size and trajectory, and prevailing threats), this nesting population should resist climate change until 2100, and the availability of spatial and temporal microrefugia indicates potential for resilience to predicted impacts, through the evolution of nest site selection or changes in nesting phenology. This represents the most comprehensive assessment to date of climate change resilience of a marine reptile using the most up‐to‐date IPCC models, appraising the impacts of temperature and SLR, integrated with additional ecological and demographic parameters. We suggest this as a framework for other populations, species and taxa.