Role of Pegfilgrastim in the Supportive Care of Heavily Pretreated Multiple Myeloma in Treatment with Pomalidomide-Dexamethasone

Pegfilgrastim is a pegylated long-acting recombinant form of G-CSF that extends the half-life and allows for once-per-cycle dosing, requiring less frequent dosing than nonpegylated G-CSF. The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of pegfilgrastim in patients affected by heavily pretreated MM, treated with pomalidomide-dexamethasone, in order to determine whether a single subcutaneous injection of pegfilgrastim is as effective as daily injections of standard filgrastim, in terms of haematological toxicity, febrile neutropenic episodes, antibiotic usage and hospedalization duration. 57 patients (31 M and 26 F) were enrolled, median age at diagnosis 69 years (r. 52-84), and median age at start of treatment 76 years (r.56-90) treated with several lines of treatments (median 7, r. 2-12), every refractory to all the drugs previously received, received Pomalidomide-Dexamethasone (P 4 mg for 21 days, D 40 mg days 1,8,15,22, pegfilgrastim day +8) every 28 days, until progression. Since first course, received in domestic setting, with a very good compliance, patients performed blood counts once weekly and received, from day +8 to day +19, prophylactic oral chinolonic antibiotics and anti-fungal drugs. During neutropenia after first cycle, Filgrastim (5 μgr/kg/day for 3 days) was given if neutrophils count was <1500 x 10^9 cells/L. Median number of filgrastim administrations was 4.6 (r. 3-6); nadir neutropenia was registered after a median of 10.4 days (r. 7-14); median of nadir neutrophil count was 1.13 x 10^9 cells/L (r.0.3 - 1.5), with maximum duration of 14 days. From the second course, all patients switched to prophylaxis with pegfilgrastim (6 mg), injected subcutaneously with a single administration on day +3 independently from the neutrophil count at that time. During pegfilgrastim, neutropenia was never longer than 8 days, with a consequent reduction of neutropenia-related infections. Median nadir neutrophil count, evaluated for every patients for at least three courses of therapy (r. 3-6) registered at day +11, was 1.28 (r.0.9-2.2). Only 4 patients needed a supplement of 3 administrations of filgrastim. Pegfilgrastim was well tolerated in all patients: main side effects in our patients were mild fever and bone pain (21.2%). In patients affected by heavily pretreated MM treated with pomalidomide-dexamethasone, pegfilgrastim seems to reduce the incidence of severe neutropenia and infections and may increase the possibility to maintain the scheduled time of treatment. Disclosures Pane: AbbVie; Amgen; Novartis, GSK , Incyte: Consultancy; AbbVie; Amgen; Novartis, GSK, Incyte: Speakers Bureau; Novartis Pharma SAS;: Research Funding; AbbVie; Amgen; Novartis: Other: Travel, accommodation, expenses. Martinelli: Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Stemline Therapeutics: Consultancy; Astellas: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Consultancy; Incyte: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Abbvie: Consultancy; Celgene /BMS: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Daichii Sankyo: Consultancy.

Effectiveness of Ayah 3A (Asih Asuh Anak) as a Supportive Media for Parenting to Improve Family Mental Health

This study describes the effectiveness of the “Father 3A (Asih Asuh Anak)” program to support online parenting to improve family mental health. Sixty participants were involved, namely fathers of children and adolescents aged 7-18 years in densely populated areas. Information was sent as text messages via Short Message Service (SMS) or WhatsApp (WA). This study was conducted to solve the community’s need for online tools that support family mental health. The method of the “Ayah 3A” program was sending some messages about parent-child attachments, co-parenting, and daily self-care which were sent at a scheduled time. The shared material was adapted from theoretical concepts and previous studies’ findings. Besides provided online material, face-to-face meetings were also held for consultation sessions with psychologists. The effectiveness of this program was evaluated by a questionnaire of parenting skills and mental health. Meanwhile, evaluation of program implementation showed that 86% of the whole sample (n = 52) returned post-intervention questionnaires, and 66% of subjects followed this program completely. The results revealed that it was improving in knowledge and skill of parenting (p = 0.035; ES = 3.86) and mental health (p = 0.012; ES = 1.85). Besides, feedback evaluation from participants both quantitative and qualitative, regarding this program was quite effective.

Pharmacokinetics and Bioequivalence of Two Formulations of Eldecalcitol Capsules in healthy Chinese volunteers under fasting and fed conditions and effects of food on pharmacokinetic profiles

Aims： The objective of this study was to evaluate the bioequivalence of two formulations of eldecalcitol (0.75 μg ) under fasting and fed conditions, and to explore the effect of food on the pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of eldecalcitol in healthy Chinese volunteers. Methods： A single-center, open-label, randomized, three-period, three-sequence, crossover study was performed in 27 healthy Chinese volunteers under fasting conditions. Meanwhile, a two-way crossover study was performed in 28 healthy volunteers under fed conditions. Blood samples were collected at scheduled time spots from 0 hour pre dose to 168 hours post dose following administration of 0.75 μg eldecalcitol. The PK parameters for bioequivalence evaluation calculated by non-compartment analysis include Cmax, AUC and AUC. Monitoring of adverse events throughout the study. Results： The 90% confidence intervals of the test/reference AUC ratio and C ratio were within the acceptance criteria. Under the fasting condition, T values were 3.987 h and 3.489 h in subjects after given the test and reference formulation respectively. While in the fed study, the Tmax were 9.006 h and 6.007 h respectively. Therefore, the Tmax was significantly increased (P < 0.05) under fed conditions. No severe adverse events occurred during the study and all adverse events were mild and transient. Conclusion: The generic product of eldecalcitol was bioequivalent to the reference product in terms of the rate and extent of absorption under both fasting and fed conditions. Food intake prolongs the oral absorption of eldecalcitol but does not significantly influence the system exposure.

Agitative pauses, intentional moorings: Stasis as resistance

Stasis has reemerged in recent accounts of resistance. In this paper that draws from ethnographic research with a youth antiauthoritarian community in Cyprus and their long-term occupation of a city square, I provide a broader theorization of this multi-semantic concept that has hitherto been missing from accounts on stasis commonly found in literature on the squares movement(s). I argue that stasis constitutes a key form of resistance to modern forms of power by pausing the circulation of capitalism and scheduled time and subverting the production of subjectivities that support such circulation. By drawing on Nicole Loraux’s interpretation of stasis as “movement at rest,” I overturn the negative connotations often associated with stasis as (unwanted) immobility by showing how stasis can be a desired political action that includes forms of mobility and circulation within it. Developing this theorization further, I analyze stasis as a threshold to critical political subjectivization, as productive of ipostasis (existence) that enables the subjects under stasis to appear in political terms and exercise their right to politics. I thus contribute to recent literature on the political potential and existential necessity of occupying practices that allow for a politicizing of the urban everyday.

Secondary School Teachers’ Professional Development in Australia and Shanghai: Needs, Support, and Barriers

Using data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS; 2013), this article explores teachers’ needs, support, and barriers in their professional development. The research finds that Australian teachers expressed greater needs in information and communication technology (ICT) use and new technology training for teaching, while Shanghai teachers required more assistance to satisfy students’ individual learning and pedagogical competencies. More than 80% of Australian and Shanghai teachers received scheduled time to support their participation in professional development, whereas less than 20% of Australian and Shanghai teachers received monetary or nonmonetary support. In terms of barriers, Australian and Shanghai teachers reported two significant barriers that conflicted with their participation in professional development: “working schedule” and “a lack of incentives to take part.” This article reveals implications of the study in the design of an effective professional development program for Australian and Shanghai teachers and ends with discussing the limitations of the research and future research directions.

Using Food Timing as an Intervention to Improve Medication Compliance

Medication non-compliance is common among patients suffering from chronic disease. The research aims to find the effectiveness of food timing as a form of intervention to improve medication compliance. 509 patients were interviewed who were under the medication and had their treatment from Central Referral Hospital, Sikkim. The technique of probability estimates, risk difference, relative risk, and odds ratios were used to do the analysis and predictions of medication compliance when food timing was used as a form of reminder. Analysis of confidence interval at 95% ensured that the results obtained were due to the use of reminder and not by chance. The study reveals that with the help of food timing as a form of reminder, a patient has 50.2% lower odds of deferring from the scheduled time of medicine. There are 129.2% greater odds of completing the course of medication, 41.4% lower odds of missing the medication consciously, and there are 56.6% lower odds of missing the medication dose. The probability numbers indicate the effectiveness of usage of this form of reminder.

Time and Cost Performance Status of Sikta Irrigation Contract

Purpose: The government of Nepal (GoN) is implementing many small, medium, and large types of Irrigation Projects. Sikta Irrigation Project (SIP) is the National Pride Project implemented by the GoN. The command area of the project has 42766.00 ha and beneficiaries of the project have 46715 households consisting of 449588 population of Banke district. The paper aims to assess the contract performance in terms of the Time and Cost of the Sikta Irrigation Project, Banke, Nepal. Design/Methodology/Approach: Using secondary data of contract, content Analysis of Project documents review and Key Informant Interviews were used for assessing the contract performance. Findings/Result: Sikta Irrigation Project has a total of 52 contracts out of which consider for study based on documentation, only 18 contracts completed based on schedule time whereas 16 contracts behind schedule. However, 16 contracts are still on going far behind the schedule and one contract terminated. The actual expenditure of the project has 16.26 billion (64.90% of estimated cost) and the allocated budget was 18.26 billion (72.99% of estimated cost) whereas the estimated cost has 25.032 billion. It indicates that the progress of the project was 64.90% and fails to complete the scheduled time 2076/077. The client should prepare the project well before implementation with proper planning, designing, and detailed study from the beginning. Originality/Value: It is empirical research to assure the project performance based on lessons from Sikta Irrigation Project. Paper Type: Analytical Policy Research

Welcome message from the Editor-in-chief

Improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning without continual growth and progress. I write this editorial to welcome authors, reviewers, and readers to the third edition of the HSI Journal Volume 2Issue 1in 2021. It is my pleasure to announce that all 3 issues of the HSI Journal were published online on time and the print issues were also brought out and dispatched within a month of publishing the issue online. Towards this edition, the HSI Journal received several manuscripts-some were rejected in the preliminary screening and others after peer review process. A total of 43 research scientists from different juridictions reviewed the manuscripts submitted to this edition. Some of the accepted articles are presented in this issue. Altogether, there are 6 original research articles, 4 case reports, and a commentary. The average publication lag time for publication of an article was 2-3 months. The topics covered are broad but interesting and scientifically relevant. The HSI Journal is an Open Access publication with no article processing charges, and all published articles are accessible for greater dissemination. The Journal subscribes to the progressive thinking that access to scientific knowledge must benefit all without recourse to purchasing power. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of editorial board members and reviewers covering all related topics, especially during the final editing of the published articles. I would also like to express my gratitude to the publisher, all the authors, the advisory board, and office bearers for their support in bringing out yet another volume of the HSI Journal. I am indeed blessed with an excellent team. I look forward to their unrelenting support to bring out Volume 2 Issue 2 at the scheduled time. As the Editor-in-chief, I welcome suggestions, complaints, discussions, and thoughts from authors and readers to help us to maintain high standards. We look forward to publishing high-quality studies and making the HSI Journal synonymous with top quality in health sciences research. Thank you Acknowledgements The University of Ghana College of Health Sciences, the copyright owner, the patron, and sponsor of HSI Journal has always shown a deep interest in the affairs of its constituent institutions. The Journal is indeed grateful to the Reverend Professor Patrick Ferdinand Ayeh-Kumi, the Provost of the University of Ghana College of Health Sciences, for his immense support and leadership.

The Ubiquity of Meeting Lateness! A Cross-Cultural Investigation of the Small to Moderate Effects of Workplace Meeting Lateness

Meeting lateness—that is, meetings starting past the pre-scheduled time—can be viewed as a disruption to the temporal pacing of work. Previous research in the United States indicates that late meetings produce less optimal outcomes, but empirical insights concerning the extent to which experiences of meeting lateness are similar or different across different cultures remain sparse. While prior work suggests differences in how individuals from different cultures experience time-related phenomena, globalization trends suggest increasing similarities in employees’ work experiences, and potentially similar experiences of meeting lateness across different cultural settings. We explore this idea in a cross-cultural study of meeting lateness in China, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United States. We empirically establish the cross-cultural relevance of meeting lateness and their generally negative outcome. We show how meeting lateness relates to perceptions of impaired meeting processes, meeting outcomes, and group-related attitudes across cultures. We discuss these findings in light of extending meeting science to different cultures as well as contributions to the debate between cross-cultural differences versus globalization tendencies.