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Background: Several patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) have been developed for research to assess the multiple dimensions of chronic pruritus (CP). The acceptability and perceived benefits of their use in clinical practice remain unknown. Objectives: To assess the acceptability and perceived benefits of validated PROMs from the perspective of patients and physicians in dermatological offices and clinics. Methods: Patients with CP due to atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, chronic prurigo or chronic urticaria were recruited at 10 dermatological offices and two dermatological clinics in Germany. Patients completed a set of validated PROMs on pruritus intensity (numerical rating scale, NRS), symptom control (itch‐controlled days, ItchCD), quality of life (Dermatology Life Quality Index, DLQI; 5‐pruritus life quality, 5PLQ) and general health status (EuroQol, EQ‐VAS). Acceptability (relevance, difficulty of completion, length) and benefits (usefulness, feasibility) of these tools were assessed on a NRS (0–10) by patients and physicians, respectively. Data were analysed descriptively. Linear regression was used to study potential associations between age, sex, occupation, office versus clinic, change of therapy and physician‐reported benefits. Results: N = 523 patients (46% male, average age: 53.5 years) participated. Acceptability of PROMs by patients was high, indicated by low difficulty (Md = 0, IQR = 0–1 for all PROMs) and high relevance (Md = 8, IQR = 4–10 for all PROMs). Also, most patients (89–95%) rated length of the questionnaires as 'exactly right'. Physicians rated the NRS as the most beneficial instrument (feasibility: Md = 8, IQR = 6–10; usefulness: Md = 9, IQR = 7–10). Hierarchical linear regression revealed that only recruitment site (dermatological office vs. clinic) was significantly associated with usefulness and feasibility (higher ratings for clinical context; βs = 0.149–0.258, ps <0.05; except feasibility for EQ5d, β = ns). Conclusions: PROMs are welcomed by patients, while physicians consider instruments measuring pruritus intensity and impairment of quality of life as beneficial for the clinical routine. Widespread implementation of PROMs in daily clinical work is needed to improve care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In amorphous La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films with a fractal structure, two states of magnetic frustration were found, which are the characteristic of cluster spin glass (CSG) and spin glass (SG) states and are associated with the presence of competing, FM and AFM, magnetic interactions, and the geometry of fractal formations. A high density of clusters in them provides effective magnetic interactions of magnetic moments without the participation of free charge carriers. It has been established that the formation of CSG begins with the transition of the central parts of the clusters to the FM state (at T < 98 K) and ends with the formation of the AFM order in the peripheral areas of the clusters, at T < 64 K. Increasing the field to H = 1.2 kOe, which stimulates AFM ordering of peripheral areas, strengthens the state of the cluster glass. A further decrease in temperature (T < 26) and an increase in the field (H > 2.5 kOe) causes the transition of peripheral areas from the AFM to the SG state. A phenomenological description of the frustration process is made. The dependences of the order parameter and barrier height on temperature and magnetic field have been studied. The consequences of the CSG ⇒ SG phase transition for the magnetism of the samples and the direct influence of the external field on their magnetic structure are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of Co and Ni ion doping on the crystal structure, phase transitions, and magnetic properties of the Fe7Se8 system has been investigated. The compounds studied are (Fe0.987Ni0.013)7Se8, (Fe0.955Ni0.045)7Se8, (Fe0.915Ni0.085)7Se8, (Fe0.89Ni0.11)7Se8, (Fe0.79Ni0.21)7Se8, (Fe0.975Co0.025)7Se8, (Fe0.951Co0.049)7Se8, and (Fe0.91Co0.09)7Se8 as well as the parent compound Fe7Se8. The crystals are grown using a modified Bridgman method and exist as a hexagonal NiAs-like structure with an ordered distribution of Fe vacancies that determine their magnetic properties. The substitution effect, inducing a systematic decrease in the unit-cell volume due to the ionic radii of doping ions being smaller than the radii of Fe2+ ions, is a source of chemical pressure, acting on the magnetic subsystem and determining the magnetic ordering temperature TC and the spin-reorientation temperature (TSRT). As the most important result of this paper, it was shown that hydrostatic and chemical pressures are strongly correlated in the investigated system. The character of magnetic phase transitions has been designated in the vicinity of TC and TSRT temperatures, and the magnetic entropy change ΔSm and refrigeration potential magnitudes have been determined for this temperature range. These magnetocaloric parameters were shown to depend strongly on chemical pressure. A phenomenological model developed based on the experimental measurements demonstrated that the magnetic properties of the system depend strongly on the crystal field acting on Fe2+ ions and the ratio of the numbers of Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perpendicular magnetocrystalline anisotropy, magnetoelastic properties as well as the Gilbert damping factor in Co2Fe0.4Mn0.6Si thin films were found to depend on a magnetic layer thickness, and they can be also tuned by the application of additional Ag buffer layer. The tetragonal distortion of a magnetic layer was found to increase with decreasing thickness, and after the application of an additional Ag buffer layer, the character of this distortion was changed from tensile to compressive in the plane of a film. A correlation between the tetragonal distortion and perpendicular magnetocrystalline anisotropy was found. However, the magnitude of the observed tetragonal distortion for most samples seems to be too small to explain alone the experimentally found large magnitude of the perpendicular magnetocrystalline anisotropy. For these samples, other mechanisms including both surface and volume effects must be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To analyze the association of individual pre-ICU risk factors (obesity, physical and mental comorbidity, smoking status) on the long-term recovery process in survivors of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS; outcomes: health related quality of life, health care utilization; measured at 12, 24, and 36 months after ICU discharge)., Findings: Results show a possible causal link between pre-ICU risk factors and subsequent recovery of survivors of ARDS, especially with regard to mental health related quality of life., Purpose: Identifying relevant pre-existing risk factors, such as mental health problems, will enable the identification of at-risk patients, thus aiding in the improvement of long-term healthcare for survivors of critical illness., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Describe the long-term development of outcomes for survivors of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)., Material and Methods: A cohort study with N = 877 ARDS survivors was conducted. Health related quality of life (HRQoL, Physical and Mental Component Scale: PCS, MCS of the SF-12), return to work (RtW), panic disorder, depressive symptoms (PHQD), and post-traumatic-stress-disorder (PTSD, PTSS-14) were assessed at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after discharge from ICU., Results: PCS, MCS, and RtW increased during the first 12 months [e.g. PCS: Md = 36 (IQR 31-43) at 3 months, Md = 42 (IQR 34-52) at 12 months; MCS: Md = 44 (IQR 32-54) at 3 months, Md = 47 (IQR 33-57) at 12 months, RtW = 23.2% at 3 months, 54.5% at 12 months], and remained relatively stable afterwards. Proportion of major depressive syndrome decreased from 3 (14.2%) to 36 months (8.9%). Proportions of panic disorder (5.3% to 7.4%) and PTSD (27.1% to 32.6%) varied only slightly., Conclusions: Most of recovery in HRQoL and RtW occur during the first 12 months, after which a plateau is reached, indicating a chronification for many patients. Contrary to this, however, psychopathological symptoms remain stable, except for depressive symptoms. [200 words]., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: The authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest.

Infectious diseases pose a serious threat to humans. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how accurately people perceive these risks. However, accuracy can be operationalized differently depending on the standard of comparison. The present study investigated accuracy in risk perceptions for three infectious diseases (avian influenza, seasonal influenza, common cold) using three different standards for accuracy: Social comparison (self vs. others' risk perceptions), general problem level (risk perceptions for diseases with varying threat levels), and dynamic problem level (risk perceptions during epidemics/seasons vs. nonepidemic/off-season times). Four online surveys were conducted using a repeated cross-sectional design. Two surveys were conducted during epidemics/seasons of avian influenza, seasonal influenza, and common cold in 2006 (n = 387) and 2016 (n = 370) and two surveys during nonepidemic/off-season times for the three diseases in 2009 (n = 792) during a swine flu outbreak and in 2018 (n = 422) during no outbreak of zoonotic influenza. While on average participants felt less at risk than others, indicating an optimistic bias, risk perceptions matched the magnitude of risk associated with the three infectious diseases. Importantly, a significant three-way interaction indicated dynamic accuracy in risk perceptions: Participants felt more at risk for seasonal influenza and common cold during influenza and cold seasons, compared with off-season times. However, these dynamic increases were more pronounced in the perceived risk for others than for oneself (optimistic bias). The results emphasize the importance of using multiple approaches to assess accuracy of risk perception as they provided different information on how accurately people gauge their risk when facing infectious diseases., (© 2021 The Authors. Risk Analysis published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society for Risk Analysis.)