Edgeworth's mathematization of social well-being.

Francis Ysidro Edgeworth's unduly neglected monograph New and Old Methods of Ethics (1877) advances a highly sophisticated and mathematized account of social well-being in the utilitarian tradition of his 19th-century contemporaries. This article illustrates how his usage of the 'calculus of variations' was combined with findings from empirical psychology and economic theory to construct a consequentialist axiological framework. A conclusion is drawn that Edgeworth is a methodological predecessor to several important methods, ideas, and issues that continue to be discussed in contemporary social well-being studies.

Clinical care pathway for the evaluation of patients with suspected VITT after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination.

Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare complication after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) adenoviral vector vaccination. In British Columbia (BC), Canada, a provincial clinical care pathway was developed to guide clinicians in evaluating for VITT among patients who present with thrombocytopenia or thrombosis symptoms within 4 to 28 days after adenoviral vector vaccine exposure. All patients had enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) testing for platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies, and all cases with positive PF4-ELISA or d-dimer levels ≥2.0 mg/L fibrinogen equivalent units (FEU) had further testing for platelet-activating PF4 antibodies using a modified serotonin release assay (SRA). Between 1 May and 30 June 2021, 37% of 68 patients investigated for VITT had thrombosis, but only 3 had VITT confirmed by PF4-ELISA and SRA. Platelet counts, d-dimer levels, and ELISA optical density values were significantly different between those with and without VITT. Three patients had thrombocytopenia and thrombosis with d-dimer levels >4.0 mg/L FEU but had negative PF4-ELISA and SRA results. Patients with VITT were treated successfully with IV immunoglobulin, nonheparin anticoagulants, and corticosteroids. Our pathway demonstrated that thrombosis is common among patients investigated for VITT and that PF4-ELISA testing is necessary to confirm VITT in those presenting with thrombosis and thrombocytopenia.

The Challenge With Clinical Radiology Electives: Student and Faculty Perspectives Identify Areas for Improvement.

PURPOSE: To determine medical students' and radiologists' attitude toward radiology electives at a distributed medical school and identify specific areas for improvement. METHODS: During a single academic year, both students and faculty preceptors were surveyed anonymously following a senior radiology elective. The survey was based on an established theoretical framework for studying the educational environment which takes into account domains: (1) goal orientation, (2) organization/regulation, and (3) relationships. Mann-Whitney tests were performed to determine if there was any difference between the overall satisfaction of students and preceptors, responses from the different elective sites and students' ratings of the domains. Statistical significance was set at P < .05. Thematic analysis was performed on the narrative comments to identify specific challenges. RESULTS: The response rate was 82.0% for students (95/116) and 19.5% (31/159) for radiologists. There was no difference in responses based on elective site. Overall, the elective was viewed positively by both groups however students rated their experience as significantly better than their preceptors (P = .0012). Students viewed the relationships domain more positively than both the other two (goal orientation, P = .0001; organization/regulation, P = .0038). Thematic analysis identified that the student challenges were lack of autonomy, structured teaching, and preceptor continuity and the preceptor challenges were ambiguous learning objectives/expectations and insufficient resources. CONCLUSIONS: The radiology elective challenges identified in this study provide educators with specific areas to target when updating radiology electives. A better elective experience may improve students' radiology knowledge and attitude towards the specialty as well as radiologists' interest in teaching.

A systematic literature review and network meta-analysis of treatments for patients with untreated multiple myeloma not eligible for stem cell transplantation.

In newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM), patients ineligible for front-line autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT), melphalan and prednisone (MP) with thalidomide (MPT) or bortezomib (VMP) are standard first-line therapeutic options. Despite new treatment regimens incorporating bortezomib or lenalidomide, MM remains incurable. The FIRST study demonstrated significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for the combination of lenalidomide and low-dose dexamethasone (Rd) until progression vs. MPT in transplant-ineligible ndMM patients. However, to date no head-to-head randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have compared Rd or MPT versus VMP. We conducted a network meta-analysis using RCTs identified through a systematic literature review to evaluate the relative efficacy of Rd versus other regimens on survival endpoints in previously untreated MM patients ineligible for ASCT. In this analysis, Rd was associated with a significant PFS and survival advantage versus other first-line treatments (VMP, MPT, MP), challenging the role of alkylators in this setting.

Successful treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma associated immune thrombocytopenia with involved field radiotherapy.

Immune thrombocytopenia complicates the course and impacts the outcome of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL-ITP, non-Hodgkin lymphoma-immune thrombocytopenic purpura). The response to corticosteroids and/or intravenous immune globulins is usually short lasting, but NHL-ITP usually responds to anti-lymphoma chemotherapy. It is not clear if this success is due to the elimination of the lymphomatous tissue or to the immunosuppressor/immunomodulator effect of chemotherapy. Myelosuppressive anti-lymphoma chemotherapy carries the risk of severe thrombocytopenia that may not respond adequately to platelet transfusion support. We report on a patient with recurrent diffuse large B-cell lymphoma that coincided with immune thrombocytopenia. Both diseases completely responded to involved field radiation therapy. This supports the hypothesis that at least in some cases of NHL-ITP, the lymphomatous clone secretes the anti-platelet antibodies. This supports the therapeutic decision making for these patients.

Oral fludarabine and rituximab as initial therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma: population-based experience matches clinical trials.

Clinical trials report that fludarabine and rituximab (FR) as initial therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) improves progression-free and overall survival (OS) when compared historically to fludarabine alone. To determine whether similar results are achievable with oral FR in a community-based setting, we conducted a population-based analysis of patients treated for CLL or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) in British Columbia, where FR is standard initial therapy. Ninety-eight patients received FR for CLL/SLL from 2004 to 2009. Two- and 4-year OS was 90% and 73%, respectively (median not reached); 2- and 4-year treatment-free survival (TFS) was 69% and 54% (median 4.0 years). Age ≥ 60 years or ≥ 70 years had no effect on OS or TFS. Toxicity led to treatment discontinuation in 13%. FR with oral fludarabine was safely, conveniently and successfully given to community-based patients, irrespective of age, for first-line therapy for CLL/SLL, achieving OS and TFS similar to those in clinical trials.

Rituximab for management of refractory pregnancy-associated immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

BACKGROUND: Rituximab is a novel therapy for immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP); however, information about its safety in pregnancy is limited. This case illustrates the successful use of rituximab to treat pregnancy-associated ITP. CASE: A 34-year-old woman presented with severe ITP at 23 weeks' gestation. Standard treatment with corticosteroids, intravenous immune globulin, and splenectomy failed to raise the platelet count. Due to ongoing bleeding, rituximab was given in the 26th week of pregnancy. The platelet count rose to over 100 × 10(9)/L after four weeks. The neonatal B-lymphocyte count normalized at four months after delivery. There were no neonatal complications of rituximab therapy. CONCLUSION: Rituximab may be safe for use in treating pregnancy-associated ITP. This case highlights the need to investigate further the safety and efficacy of rituximab in pregnancy.