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Part-time work is an increasingly common strategy for handling work and family – but is it an effective strategy everywhere and for everyone? To answer this question, we examine satisfaction with work–life balance (SWLB) of workers in 22 European countries. Our results show that part-time workers have higher SWLB than full-time workers; the more so, the fewer hours they put in. Yet, we find an important gender difference: women in marginal part-time work are more satisfied than men in a similar situation, and conversely men in full-time work have higher SWLB than women working full-time. Further, the societal context plays an important role: substantial part-time work is more conducive to SWLB in more gender-egalitarian countries than in countries with low gender equality. Hence, a supportive gender climate and institutional support may entice workers to reduce working hours moderately, which results in markedly increased levels of SWLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The colorectal cancer (CRC) screening program B-PREDICT is a population based invited two stage screening project using a faecal immunochemical test (FIT) for initial screening followed by a colonoscopy for those with a positive FIT. B-PREDICT was compared with the opportunistic screening colonoscopy (OPP-COL), performed in course of the nationwide screening program. Methods: Within B-PREDICT all residents of the Austrian federal state Burgenland, aged between 40 and 80 are annually invited to FIT testing. All individuals who underwent initial colonoscopy in Burgenland between 01/2003 and 12/2014, were included in this study. Individuals from the FIT-triggered invited screening program B-PREDICT were compared with those from the non-FIT triggered OPP-COL. Results: 15 133 individuals from B-PREDICT were compared to 10 045 individuals with OPP-COL. CRC detection rates were 1.34% (CI-95%, [1.15; 1.52]) in B-PREDICT compared to 0.54% in OPP-COL (95%-CI, [0.39; 0.68] p < 0.001). The decrease in the age standardized incidence rates of CRC was more pronounced in the population screened with FIT than in the general population screened with colonoscopy. Changes in incidence rates per year were -4.4% (95%-CI, [-5.1; -3.7]) vs. -1.8% (95%-CI, [-1.9; -1.6] p < 0.001). Conclusions: B-PREDICT shows a two-fold higher detection rate of CRC as well as HRA compared to OPP-COL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managers play an important role in the implementation of telework in organizations since they frequently have final approval over employees' requests for telework arrangements. Drawing upon March's (1994) dual-logic theory of decision making, the study examines antecedents of managers' responses to employees' requests for telework. Using a vignette study with a balanced experimental design, we investigated the impact of person-related, task-related and organizational context factors on managerial telework allowance decisions in German organizations. Several person- and task-related factors were found to be significantly related to managers' telework allowance decisions. Organizational context factors, such as a family-supportive organizational culture and formal policies were found to either directly or indirectly influence managers' responses to employees' requests for telework. More specifically, formal telework policies were important in stimulating favorable managerial telework allowance decisions when applicant criticality was low and the organizational culture was family-unsupportive. In line with March's (1994) theory of decision making, the study shows that utility maximization is only one perspective of decision making which managers apply to telework allowance decisions. Rule following and considerations of appropriateness are also taken into account by managers when deciding upon employees' telework requests. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Correction to: Wien Klin Wochenschr 2019 10.1007/s00508-019-01595-8 The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The last sentence should read: Patients with ALD had significantly lower sclerostin levels, compared to controls. The authors apologize for the ... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In vivo application of confocal Raman spectroscopy (CRS) allows non-invasive depth measurement of the skin. Thereby obtained knowledge of the skin composition is essential to reliably assess the actual skin state. Besides other components, the skin cholesterol concentration is of interest; however, little is known about its connection to the cholesterol concentration quantified in venous blood. Objective In this study, the skin composition of the volar forearm was characterised in vivo using CRS. In particular, the potential of CRS as a non-invasive method to determine cholesterol levels was validated. Methods Raman spectra of the volar forearm of 15 participants were recorded twice within two weeks. Depth concentration profiles for major skin components were generated. Stratum corneum (SC) thickness was calculated from water concentration profiles. In order to examine the usability of dermal CRS for cholesterol level determination, results were compared to fasting total cholesterol values in venous blood as determined by an enzymatic method. Results Depth concentration profiles for the skin components of interest showed a comparable curve progression for the participants. It was possible to link changes in concentration to physiological processes. Moreover, age-related differences could be found. Several novel mathematical approaches for the comparison of the skin cholesterol content and the blood cholesterol concentration have been developed. However, no correlation passed the Bonferroni multiple testing correction. Conclusion CRS serves as useful tool for the in vivo monitoring of skin components and hydration. Concentration depth profiles provide information about the current skin condition. No distinct correlation between the skin and blood cholesterol concentration was found within the scope of the present study. Concerning this matter, the heterogeneous distribution of cholesterol in the skin may be a factor influencing these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Colorectal cancer is increasingly recognized as two separate diseases: colon cancer and rectal cancer, each with its own causes and outcomes. We included 674 patients with colorectal cancer, with pre-surgery collected blood samples, and patient follow up for an average of 4.4 years. Ninety-three patients (14%) died from various causes including 60 patients with colon cancer and 33 patients with rectal cancer. Higher levels of plasma creatinine increased the risk of death by 39% in patients with rectal but not colon cancer. We further identified a biological pathway (e.g., roadmaps inside our bodies that guide various processes) related to starch and sucrose metabolism, which was linked to worse clinical outcomes in colon cancer but not rectal cancer. There is some evidence, that resistant starch, which resists digestion in the small intestine, may offer protection against colon cancer. Understanding the distinct causes and outcomes of colon and rectal cancer is crucial for tailoring effective treatments. In conclusion, personalized treatment strategies should consider colon cancer and rectal cancer separately and are essential for improving patient outcomes in the future. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is increasingly recognized as a heterogeneous disease. No studies have prospectively examined associations of blood metabolite concentrations with all-cause mortality in patients with colon and rectal cancer separately. Targeted metabolomics (Biocrates AbsoluteIDQ p180) and pathway analyses (MetaboAnalyst 4.0) were performed on pre-surgery collected plasma from 674 patients with non-metastasized (stage I–III) colon (n = 394) or rectal cancer (n = 283). Metabolomics data and covariate information were received from the international cohort consortium MetaboCCC. Cox proportional hazards models were computed to investigate associations of 148 metabolite levels with all-cause mortality adjusted for age, sex, tumor stage, tumor site (whenever applicable), and cohort; the false discovery rate (FDR) was used to account for multiple testing. A total of 93 patients (14%) were deceased after an average follow-up time of 4.4 years (60 patients with colon cancer and 33 patients with rectal cancer). After FDR adjustment, higher plasma creatinine was associated with a 39% increase in all-cause mortality in patients with rectal cancer. HR: 1.39, 95% CI 1.23–1.72, pFDR = 0.03; but not colon cancer: pFDR = 0.96. Creatinine is a breakdown product of creatine phosphate in muscle and may reflect changes in skeletal muscle mass. The starch and sucrose metabolisms were associated with increased all-cause mortality in colon cancer but not in rectal cancer. Genes in the starch and sucrose metabolism pathways were previously linked to worse clinical outcomes in CRC. In summary, our findings support the hypothesis that colon and rectal cancer have different etiological and clinical outcomes that need to be considered for targeted treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) findings, US-MR fusion prostate biopsy results and whole-mount thin-section histopathology after radical prostatectomy. Patients and methods: Overall 259 patients, who had undergone mpMRI with lesions reported as PI-RADS 3-5, underwent a MR-US fusion biopsy between 2018 and 2020. Overall 186 biopsies yielded prostate cancer and 104 patients subsequently underwent endoscopic extraperitoneal radical prostatectomy. Histopathology of biopsies was compared to the final histopathology in whole mount thin sections after radical prostatectomy by means of descriptive statistics, and further, the lesions from mpMRT were compared to whole mount histology. Results: Prostate cancer was diagnosed in 186 (71.8%) of 259 patients (median age 69.2 y, range 42–82 y, median PSA 7.8 ng/ml, range 2.1–31.3 ng/ml). Of those, 95 (51,1%) underwent radical endoscopic prostatectomy, and 80 (43%) chose radiotherapy or active surveillance. In 52/95 (54,7%) with RPE additional lesions were found in the final histological whole mount sections not described at mpMRI. 22/95 (23,2%) of RPE patients had ≥ 1 additional Gleason score ≥ 7 lesions, 23 /259 (8,4%) of biopsies, respectively. The Gleason score after surgery was upgraded in 37/95 (38,9%) and downgraded in 18/95 (18,9%) patients. Conclusion: If we compare all 259 performed biopsies with the final histological whole mount sections which showed additional lesions with Gleason ≥ 7 (23,2%), it can be assumed that up to 10% of clinical significant carcinomas are missed during primary assessment via mpMRI. The majority of additional findings after RP were intermediate/high risk tumors. Upgrades from low-risk to intermediate or high-risk occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]