Survival advantage of worker buyouts over newly created worker-owned firms

PurposeVarious theories predict that firm buyouts survive longer than newly created firms. The study aims to know whether it is the case for worker-owned firms (WOFs), i.e. firms owned and controlled mostly by their workers.Design/methodology/approachThe author conducted a comparative survival analysis of French WOFs distinguished by their entry mode (i.e. newly created, worker buyouts (WBOs) of sound conventional firms, WBOs of conventional firms in difficulty or WBOs of non-profit organizations).FindingsThe hazard of exit is 32% lower for WBOs of sound conventional firms than newly created WOFs, 18% for WBOs of conventional firms in difficulty and 64% for WBOs of non-profit organizations. The current study confirms that WBOs, even of conventional firms in difficulty, have on average a survival advantage over newly created WOFs. Surprisingly, the author also shows that this survival advantage is similar across sectors with different knowledge intensity but is lower in high capital-intensive sectors than in low capital-intensive ones.Research limitations/implicationsEndogeneity issues limit the scope of the results and should be tackled in future research. Overall, these findings show that WOFs are composed of groups with different survival likelihoods that are obscured if one only looks at the aggregate population.Practical implicationsWith caution, support agencies could foster WBOs of firms in difficulty and of non-profit organizations as viable forms of entrepreneurship.Originality/valueThe current study offers the first survival analysis distinguishing four modes of entry among WOFs.

Multi-omics analysis of m6A modification-related patterns based on m6A regulators and tumor microenvironment infiltration in lung adenocarcinoma

Epigenetic modifications, especially N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification, play a key role in tumor microenvironment (TME) infiltration. However, the regulatory role of m6A modification in the TME of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remains unclear. A total of 2506 patients with LUAD were included in the analysis and divided into different groups according to distinct m6A modification-related patterns based on 23 m6A regulators. A comprehensive analysis was performed to explore TME infiltration in different m6A modification-related patterns. Principal component analysis was performed to obtain the m6Ascore and to quantify m6A modification-related patterns in different individuals. Three distinct m6A modification-related patterns were identified by 23 m6A regulators. The pathway enrichment analysis showed that m6Acluster-A was associated with immune activation; m6Acluster-B was associated with carcinogenic activation; m6Acluster-C was prominently related to substance metabolism. M6Acluster-A was remarkably rich in TME-infiltrating immune cells and patients with this pattern showed a survival advantage. The m6Ascore could predict TME infiltration, tumor mutation burden (TMB), the effect of tumor immunotherapy, and the prognosis of patients in LUAD. High m6Ascore was characterized by increased TME infiltration, reduced TMB, and survival advantage. Patients with a high m6Ascore exhibited significantly improved clinical response to anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (anti-CTLA4) immunotherapy. This study explored the regulatory mechanisms of TME infiltration in LUAD. The comprehensive analysis of m6A modification-related patterns may contribute to the development of individualized immunotherapy and the improvement of the overall effectiveness of immunotherapy for LUAD patients.

Systemic chemotherapy of pediatric recurrent ependymomas: results from the German HIT-REZ studies

Purpose Survival in recurrent ependymoma (EPN) depends mainly on the extent of resection achieved. When complete resection is not feasible, chemotherapy is often used to extend progression-free and overall survival. However, no consistent effect of chemotherapy on survival has been found in patients with recurrent EPN. Methods Systemic chemotherapeutic treatment of 138 patients enrolled in the German HIT-REZ-studies was analyzed. Survival depending on the use of chemotherapy, disease-stabilization rates (RR), duration of response (DOR) and time to progression (TTP) were estimated. Results Median age at first recurrence was 7.6 years (IQR: 4.0–13.6). At first recurrence, median PFS and OS were 15.3 (CI 13.3–20.0) and 36.9 months (CI 29.7–53.4), respectively. The Hazard Ratio for the use of chemotherapy in local recurrences in a time-dependent Cox-regression analysis was 0.99 (CI 0.74–1.33). Evaluable responses for 140 applied chemotherapies were analyzed, of which sirolimus showed the best RR (50%) and longest median TTP [11.51 (CI 3.98; 14.0) months] in nine patients, with the strongest impact found when sirolimus was used as a monotherapy. Seven patients with progression-free survival > 12 months after subtotal/no-resection facilitated by chemotherapy were found. No definitive survival advantage for any drug in a specific molecularly defined EPN type was found. Conclusion No survival advantage for the general use of chemotherapy in recurrent EPN was found. In cases with incomplete resection, chemotherapy was able to extend survival in individual cases. Sirolimus showed the best RR, DOR and TTP out of all drugs analyzed and may warrant further investigation.

Melanin Produced by Bordetella parapertussis Confers a Survival Advantage to the Bacterium during Host Infection

In addition to the Gram-negative bacterium Bordetella pertussis , the etiological agent of pertussis, Bordetella parapertussis also causes respiratory infection in humans, with a mild pertussis-like disease. These bacteria are genetically closely related and share many virulence factors, including adhesins and toxins.