Measurement of the Associated γ+μ±\gamma + \mu^\pm Production Cross Section in ppˉp \bar p Collisions at s=1.8\sqrt{s} = 1.8 TeV

We present the first measurement of associated direct photon + muon production in hadronic collisions, from a sample of 1.8 TeV $p \bar p$ collisions recorded with the Collider Detector at Fermilab. Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) predicts that these events are primarily from the Compton scattering process $cg \to c\gamma$, with the final state charm quark producing a muon. Hence this measurement is sensitive to the charm quark content of the proton. The measured cross section of $29\pm 9 pb^{-1}$ is compared to a leading-order QCD parton shower model as well as a next-to-leading-order QCD calculation.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures Added more detailed description of muon background estimat

Оценка клинико-экономической целесообразности применения лекарственных препаратов эзетимиб, алирокумаб, эволокумаб и инклисиран в рамках программы льготного лекарственного обеспечения пациентов очень высокого сердечно-сосудистого риска

Objective: to evaluate the clinical and economic feasibility of expanding the preferential drug provision (PDP) program for adult patients at very high cardiovascular (CV) risk, including those who have not reached lipid targets on statin therapy, by increasing the frequency of use of ezetimibe, alirocumab, evolocumab and inclisiran used in combination with statins, compared with current PDP practice (use of atorvastatin, simvastatin and minimal use of other drugs).Material and methods. A Markov model was constructed to characterize the development of atherosclerotic heart disease in patients with very high CV risk and to suggest a consistent change in hypolipidemic therapy if it is ineffective. The model considered patients' compliance to drug therapy over time and the factor of non-prescription of any treatment. The modeling horizon was 30 years, and the model cycle was 1 year. The outcomes used were quality-adjusted life years (QALY), life years gained (LYG), and probabilities of various individual and combined CV events. The baseline modeling scenario was to increase the frequency of рroprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors’ prescriptions. In addition, alternative scenarios were modeled that included prescription of highly effective lipid-lowering therapy for all patients who had not reached target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) on statin therapy, and the scenario with 100% compliance to statin therapy.Results. In comparison with current practice of treatment of patients with very high CV risk, clinical and economic modeling showed a decrease in the incidence of combined outcomes (combined CV events – by 8%, extended combined CV events – by 9%) and individual CV events (heart attack – by 4%, stroke – by 3%, unstable angina – by 2%, revascularization – by 3%) in the baseline scenario. In scenarios of prescribing PCSK9 inhibitors and inclisiran to all patients who have not reached target values of LDL-C on statin therapy, the frequency of individual events ranged from 4% to 8%. In the scenario, which also implies 100% drug compliance, the reduction was from 8% to 17% compared with current patient management practices, characterized by lower frequency of hypolipidemic drugs, including PCSK9 inhibitors and inclisiran. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for QALY in the baseline scenario was 3,598,156 rubles, the ICER for LYG was 1,949,393 rubles. When comparing the ICER with willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold in the Russian Federation (calculated as three times the gross domestic product per capita and in 2022 amounting to 2.8 million rubles per effect unit) the ICER for LYG did not exceed the WTP in all scenarios, while the ICER for QALY exceeded the WTP by 29–44%, depending on the realized scenario.Conclusion. Expanding the PDP program for high CV risk patients will have a positive impact on their quality of life and life expectancy, as well as significantly reduce the likelihood of acute CV events. Comparison of ICER with estimated WTP suggests that expansion of the PBP program is a cost-effective organizational technology according to LYG criterion, but not according to the QALY criterion.Цель: оценить клинико-экономическую целесообразность расширения программы льготного лекарственного обеспечения (ЛЛО) взрослых пациентов очень высокого сердечно-сосудистого (СС) риска, включая не достигших липидных целей на терапии статинами, за счет увеличения частоты использования лекарственных препаратов (ЛП) эзетимиб, алирокумаб, эволокумаб и инклисиран, применяемых в комбинации со статинами, по сравнению с текущей практикой ЛЛО (использование аторвастатина, симвастатина и минимальное применение других препаратов).Материал и методы. Построена модель Маркова, характеризующая развитие атеросклеротической болезни сердца у пациентов очень высокого СС-риска и предполагающая последовательную смену гиполипидемической терапии при ее неэффективности. Модель учитывала приверженность пациентов лекарственной терапии во времени и фактор неназначения какого-либо лечения. Горизонт моделирования составил 30 лет, цикл модели – 1 год. В качестве исходов были использованы годы жизни с поправкой на качество (англ. quality-adjusted life year, QALY), добавленные годы жизни (англ. life years gained, LYG) без учета ее качества, а также вероятности наступления различных отдельных и комбинированных СС-событий. Базовый сценарий моделирования предполагал увеличение частоты назначения ингибиторов пропротеиновой конвертазы субтилизин-кексинового типа 9 (англ. рroprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, PCSK9), инклисирана и эзетимиба; дополнительно моделировались альтернативные сценарии расширения ЛЛО, включающие назначение высокоэффективной липидснижающей терапии всем пациентам, не достигшим целевых значений по холестерину липопротеинов низкой плотности (ХС-ЛПНП) на фоне приема статинов, и сценарий, подразумевающий 100% приверженность пациентов приему ЛПРезультаты. По сравнению с текущей практикой лечения пациентов очень высокого СС-риска клинико-экономическое моделирование продемонстрировало снижение частоты комбинированных исходов (комбинированное СС-событие – на 8%, расширенное комбинированное СС-событие – на 9%) и отдельных СС-событий (инфаркт – на 4%, инсульт – на 3%, нестабильная стенокардия – на 2%, реваскуляризация – на 3%) в базовом сценарии. При реализации сценариев назначения ингибиторов PCSK9 и инклисирана всем пациентам, не достигшим целевых значений ХС-ЛПНП на фоне приема статинов, снижение частоты отдельных СС-событий варьировало от 4% до 8%, а в сценарии, подразумевающем также 100% приверженность пациентов приему ЛП, снижение составило от 8% до 17% по сравнению с текущей практикой ведения пациентов, характеризующейся меньшей частотой назначения гиполипидемических ЛП, в т.ч. ЛП группы ингибиторов PCSK9 и инклисирана. Инкрементальный показатель «затраты–эффективность» (англ. incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, ICER) за QALY в базовом сценарии составил 3 598 156 руб., ICER за LYG – 1 949 393 руб. При сопоставлении ICER c расчетным порогом готовности платить (ПГП) в Российской Федерации (рассчитанным как трехкратный размер валового внутреннего продукта на душу населения и в 2022 г. составившим 2,8 млн руб. за единицу эффекта) ICER за LYG не превышал ПГП во всех сценариях, в то время как ICER за QALY превышал ПГП на 29–44% в зависимости от реализуемого сценария.Заключение. Расширение программы ЛЛО пациентов высокого СС-риска окажет позитивное влияние на качество и продолжительность их жизни, а также значительно снизит вероятность острых СС-событий. Сопоставление показателей ICER c расчетным ПГП позволяет заключить, что расширение программы ЛЛО является экономически эффективной организационной технологией по критерию LYG, но не является таковой по критерию QALY

Lifetime history of indoor tanning in young people: a retrospective assessment of initiation, persistence, and correlates

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite educational and public health campaigns to convey the risks of indoor tanning, many individuals around the world continue to engage in this behavior. Few descriptive studies of indoor tanning have collected information pertaining to the lifetime history of indoor tanning, thereby limiting our ability to understand indoor tanning patterns and potentially target interventions for individuals who not only initiate, but continue to persistently engage in indoor tanning.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In-person interviews elicited detailed retrospective information on lifetime history of indoor tanning among white individuals (n = 401) under age 40 seen by a dermatologist for a minor benign skin condition. These individuals were controls in a case-control study of early-onset basal cell carcinoma. Outcomes of interest included ever indoor tanning in both males and females, as well as persistent indoor tanning in females - defined as females over age 31 who tanned indoors at least once in the last three or all four of four specified age periods (ages 11-15, 16-20, 21-30 and 31 or older). Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify sociodemographic and lifestyle correlates of ever and persistent indoor tanning in females.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Approximately three-quarters (73.3%) of females and 38.3% of males ever tanned indoors, with a median age of initiation of 17.0 and 21.5, respectively. Among indoor tanners, 39.3% of females and 21.7% of males reported being burned while indoor tanning. Female ever indoor tanners were younger, had darker color eyes, and sunbathed more frequently than females who never tanned indoors. Using unique lifetime exposure data, 24.7% of female indoor tanners 31 and older persistently tanned indoors starting as teenagers. Female persistent indoor tanners drank significantly more alcohol, were less educated, had skin that tanned with prolonged sun exposure, and sunbathed outdoors more frequently than non-persistent tanners.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Indoor tanning was strikingly common in this population, especially among females. Persistent indoor tanners had other high-risk behaviors (alcohol, sunbathing), suggesting that multi-faceted behavioral interventions aimed at health promotion/disease prevention may be needed in this population.</p

Ethical Awareness, Ethical Judgment and Whistleblowing: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

This study aims to examine the ethical decision-making (EDM) model proposed by Schwartz (J Bus Ethics, doi:10.1007/s10551-015-2886-8,2016), where we consider the factors of non-rationality and aspects that affect ethical judgments of auditors to make the decision to blow the whistle. In this paper, we argue that the intention of whistleblowing depends on ethical awareness (EAW) and ethical judgment (EJW) as well as there is a mediation–moderation due to emotion (EMT) and perceived moral intensity (PMI) of auditors. Data were collected using an online surveywith 162 external auditors who worked on audit firms in Indonesia as well as 173 internal auditors working in the manufacturing and financial services. The result of multigroup analysis shows that emotion (EMT) can mediate the relationship between EAW and EJW. The nature of this relationship is more complex and then tested by adding moderating variables using consistent partial least squares approach. We found that EMT and PMI can improve the relationship between ethical judgments and whistleblowing intentions. These findings indicate that internal auditors are more likely to blow the whistle than external auditors; and reporting wrongdoing internally and anonymously are the preferred way of professional accountants to blow the whistle in Indonesia

Cost-effectiveness analysis of using atorvastatin, simvastatin, ezetimibe, alirocumab, evolocumab, inclisiran in adults with very high cardiovascular risk under the preferential drug provision program

Objective: to evaluate the clinical and economic feasibility of expanding the preferential drug provision (PDP) program for adult patients at very high cardiovascular (CV) risk, including those who have not reached lipid targets on statin therapy, by increasing the frequency of use of ezetimibe, alirocumab, evolocumab and inclisiran used in combination with statins, compared with current PDP practice (use of atorvastatin, simvastatin and minimal use of other drugs).Material and methods. A Markov model was constructed to characterize the development of atherosclerotic heart disease in patients with very high CV risk and to suggest a consistent change in hypolipidemic therapy if it is ineffective. The model considered patients' compliance to drug therapy over time and the factor of non-prescription of any treatment. The modeling horizon was 30 years, and the model cycle was 1 year. The outcomes used were quality-adjusted life years (QALY), life years gained (LYG), and probabilities of various individual and combined CV events. The baseline modeling scenario was to increase the frequency of рroprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors’ prescriptions. In addition, alternative scenarios were modeled that included prescription of highly effective lipid-lowering therapy for all patients who had not reached target low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) on statin therapy, and the scenario with 100% compliance to statin therapy.Results. In comparison with current practice of treatment of patients with very high CV risk, clinical and economic modeling showed a decrease in the incidence of combined outcomes (combined CV events – by 8%, extended combined CV events – by 9%) and individual CV events (heart attack – by 4%, stroke – by 3%, unstable angina – by 2%, revascularization – by 3%) in the baseline scenario. In scenarios of prescribing PCSK9 inhibitors and inclisiran to all patients who have not reached target values of LDL-C on statin therapy, the frequency of individual events ranged from 4% to 8%. In the scenario, which also implies 100% drug compliance, the reduction was from 8% to 17% compared with current patient management practices, characterized by lower frequency of hypolipidemic drugs, including PCSK9 inhibitors and inclisiran. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for QALY in the baseline scenario was 3,598,156 rubles, the ICER for LYG was 1,949,393 rubles. When comparing the ICER with willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold in the Russian Federation (calculated as three times the gross domestic product per capita and in 2022 amounting to 2.8 million rubles per effect unit) the ICER for LYG did not exceed the WTP in all scenarios, while the ICER for QALY exceeded the WTP by 29–44%, depending on the realized scenario.Conclusion. Expanding the PDP program for high CV risk patients will have a positive impact on their quality of life and life expectancy, as well as significantly reduce the likelihood of acute CV events. Comparison of ICER with estimated WTP suggests that expansion of the PBP program is a cost-effective organizational technology according to LYG criterion, but not according to the QALY criterion

Management lore continues alive and well in the organizational sciences

Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to identify examples of management lore currently in the organizational sciences. Design/methodology/approach: The authors deliberated and developed a series of examples of management lore in the organizational sciences and surveyed management practitioners concerning their beliefs in the lore hypothesized. Findings: Pervasive beliefs that conflict with academic research exist in management practices. Although many of these ideas are commonly accepted as immutable facts, they may be based upon faulty logic, insufficient understanding of academic research, anecdotal evidence and an overdependence upon common sense. Buckley and Eder (1988) called these as examples of management lore. In this conceptual paper, we identify and discuss 12 examples of management lore that persist in day-to-day management practices. Topics we explore include personality, emotional intelligence, teams, compensation, goals, performance, work ethic, creativity and organizational citizenship behaviors. Originality/value: Anumber of areas in which academic research gainsays what we believe to be an immutable fact