Pairwise comparison matrices and the error-free property of the decision maker

Pairwise comparison is a popular assessment method either for deriving criteria-weights or for evaluating alternatives according to a given criterion. In real-world applications consistency of the comparisons rarely happens: intransitivity can occur. The aim of the paper is to discuss the relationship between the consistency of the decision maker—described with the error-free property—and the consistency of the pairwise comparison matrix (PCM). The concept of error-free matrix is used to demonstrate that consistency of the PCM is not a sufficient condition of the error-free property of the decision maker. Informed and uninformed decision makers are defined. In the first stage of an assessment method a consistent or near-consistent matrix should be achieved: detecting, measuring and improving consistency are part of any procedure with both types of decision makers. In the second stage additional information are needed to reveal the decision maker’s real preferences. Interactive questioning procedures are recommended to reach that goal

Target identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis phenotypic\textit{Mycobacterium tuberculosis phenotypic} hits using a concerted chemogenomic, biophysical and structural approach

Mycobacterium phenotypic hits are a good reservoir for new chemotypes for the treatment of tuberculosis. However, the absence of defined molecular targets and modes of action could lead to failure in drug development. Therefore, a combination of ligand-based and structure-based chemogenomic approaches followed by biophysical and biochemical validation have been used to identify targets for Mycobacterium tuberculosis phenotypic hits. Our approach identified EthR and InhA as targets for several hits, with some showing dual activity against these proteins. From the 35 predicted EthR inhibitors, eight exhibited an IC50 below 50 μM against M. tuberculosis EthR and three were confirmed to be also simultaneously active against InhA. Further hit validation was performed using X-ray crystallography yielding eight new crystal structures of EthR inhibitors. Although the EthR inhibitors attain their activity against M. tuberculosis by hitting yet undefined targets, these results provide new lead compounds that could be further developed to be used to potentiate the effect of EthA activated pro-drugs, such as ethionamide, thus enhancing their bactericidal effect.GM is grateful to the European Molecular Biology Laboratory and Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions for funding this work. VM and MB acknowledge Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation [subcontract by the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)] (OPP1024021). VM and MS acknowledge the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme [grant number 260872]. GP would like to acknowledge the Wellcome Trust and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory for funding. JPO was funded by the member nation states of the European Molecular Biology Laboratory. TLB acknowledges The Wellcome Trust for funding and support (grant number 200814/Z/16/Z)

Generating real-world evidence on the quality use, benefits and safety of medicines in australia: History, challenges and a roadmap for the future

Australia spends more than $20 billion annually on medicines, delivering significant health benefits for the population. However, inappropriate prescribing and medicine use also result in harm to individuals and populations, and waste of precious health resources. Medication data linked with other routine collections enable evidence generation in pharmacoepidemiology; the science of quantifying the use, effectiveness and safety of medicines in real-world clinical practice. This review details the history of medicines policy and data access in Australia, the strengths of existing data sources, and the infrastructure and governance enabling and impeding evidence generation in the field. Currently, substantial gaps persist with respect to cohesive, contemporary linked data sources supporting quality use of medicines, effectiveness and safety research; exemplified by Aus-tralia’s limited capacity to contribute to the global effort in real-world studies of vaccine and dis-ease-modifying treatments for COVID-19. We propose a roadmap to bolster the discipline, and population health more broadly, underpinned by a distinct capability governing and streamlining access to linked data assets for accredited researchers. Robust real-world evidence generation requires current data roadblocks to be remedied as a matter of urgency to deliver efficient and equitable health care and improve the health and well-being of all Australians

High Levels of Heavy Metal(loid)s Related to Biliary Hyperplasia in Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus)

Simple Summary Heavy metal(loid)s are hazardous substances for humans, animals and ecosystems. The liver is one of the most affected organs, presenting lesions after being acutely or chronically exposed to these substances. In this study, hepatic metal(loid)s' concentrations were associated with biliary hyperplasia, which was the most common hepatic lesion found in a group of western-European hedgehogs from rescue centres in Portugal. With exception of arsenic (As), all metal(loid)s were present in higher concentrations in animals with biliary hyperplasia. Further research is necessary to support these results and clarify the molecular mechanisms that lead to hepatic lesions provoked by these compounds. Heavy metal(loid) pollution of ecosystems is a current One Health problem. The liver is one of the most affected organs in cases of acute or chronic exposure to abnormal amounts of these substances, inducing histopathologic lesions. In order to assess the influence of heavy metal(loids), forty-five European hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) were submitted to necropsy, and liver samples were collected for a routine histopathology exam and metal(loid)s determination (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu and Pb) by ICP-MS. Age was estimated during the necropsy exam. Biliary hyperplasia was the most frequent lesion observed (16/45; 35.56%). No statistically significant associations were found between biliary hyperplasia and age or sex. Metal(loid)s' concentrations were higher in animals with biliary hyperplasia (except for As). There was a statistically significant difference for both Cd and Co. For As, Cd and Co, cubs and juveniles animals showed significantly lower concentrations than elder individuals. Only for Pb were significant differences found between females and males. As described in the literature, exposure to metal(loid)s may be a cause of biliary hyperplasia, although further research (including the use of biochemical methods) is needed to support these results. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of this association in hedgehogs.This work was supported by National Funds by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). The authors of the research unit CITAB (CJB and PAO) received funding from FCT-reference of the project: UIDB/04033/2020. The author of the research unit CECAV (FS) received funding from FCT-reference of the project: UIDB/CVT/00772/2020. CJB was supported by FCT due to the phD scholarship 2021.04520.BD. TLM was supported by UIDB/CVT/00772/2020 and LA/P/0059/2020 funded by FCT

Does the road to happiness depend on the retirement decision? Evidence from Italy

This study estimates the causal effect of retirement decision on well-being in Italy. To do so, the authors exploit the exogenous variation provided by the changes in the eligibility criteria for pensions that were enacted in Italy in 1995 (Dini’s law) and in 1997 (Prodi’s law, from the names of the prime ministers at the time of their introduction). A sizeable and positive impact of retirement decision is found on satisfaction with leisure time and on frequency of meeting friends. Furthermore, the results are generalized, allowing for the estimation of different moments from different data sources

The rank reversal problem in multi-criteria decision making : a literature review

Despite the importance of multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) techniques for constructing effective decision models, there are many criticisms due to the occurrence of a problem called rank reversal. Nevertheless, there is a lack of a systematic literature review on this important subject which involves different methods. This study reviews the pertinent literature on rank reversal, based on 130 related articles published from 1980 to 2015 in international journals, which were gathered and analyzed according to the following perspectives: multicriteria technique, year and journal in which the papers were published, co-authorship network, rank reversal types, and research goal. Thus our survey provides recommendations for future research, besides useful information and knowledge regarding rank reversal in the MCDM field

The impact of mental health recovery narratives on recipients experiencing mental health problems: Qualitative analysis and change model.

BACKGROUND: Mental health recovery narratives are stories of recovery from mental health problems. Narratives may impact in helpful and harmful ways on those who receive them. The objective of this paper is to develop a change model identifying the range of possible impacts and how they occur. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adults with experience of mental health problems and recovery (n = 77). Participants were asked to share a mental health recovery narrative and to describe the impact of other people's recovery narratives on their own recovery. A change model was generated through iterative thematic analysis of transcripts. RESULTS: Change is initiated when a recipient develops a connection to a narrator or to the events descripted in their narrative. Change is mediated by the recipient recognising experiences shared with the narrator, noticing the achievements or difficulties of the narrator, learning how recovery happens, or experiencing emotional release. Helpful outcomes of receiving recovery narratives are connectedness, validation, hope, empowerment, appreciation, reference shift and stigma reduction. Harmful outcomes are a sense of inadequacy, disconnection, pessimism and burden. Impact is positively moderated by the perceived authenticity of the narrative, and can be reduced if the recipient is experiencing a crisis. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions that incorporate the use of recovery narratives, such as peer support, anti-stigma campaigns and bibliotherapy, can use the change model to maximise benefit and minimise harms from narratives. Interventions should incorporate a diverse range of narratives available through different mediums to enable a range of recipients to connect with and benefit from this material. Service providers using recovery narratives should preserve authenticity so as to maximise impact, for example by avoiding excessive editing

Population Genetics of Franciscana Dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei): Introducing a New Population from the Southern Edge of Their Distribution

Due to anthropogenic factors, the franciscana dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei, is the most threatened small cetacean on the Atlantic coast of South America. Four Franciscana Management Areas have been proposed: Espiritu Santo to Rio de Janeiro (FMA I), São Paulo to Santa Catarina (FMA II), Rio Grande do Sul to Uruguay (FMA III), and Argentina (FMA IV). Further genetic studies distinguished additional populations within these FMAs. We analyzed the population structure, phylogeography, and demographic history in the southernmost portion of the species range. From the analysis of mitochondrial DNA control region sequences, 5 novel haplotypes were found, totalizing 60 haplotypes for the entire distribution range. The haplotype network did not show an apparent phylogeographical signal for the southern FMAs. Two populations were identified: Monte Hermoso (MH) and Necochea (NC)+Claromecó (CL)+Río Negro (RN). The low levels of genetic variability, the relative constant size over time, and the low levels of gene flow may indicate that MH has been colonized by a few maternal lineages and became isolated from geographically close populations. The apparent increase in NC+CL+RN size would be consistent with the higher genetic variability found, since genetic diversity is generally higher in older and expanding populations. Additionally, RN may have experienced a recent split from CL and NC; current high levels of gene flow may be occurring between the latter ones. FMA IV would comprise four franciscana dolphin populations: Samborombón West+Samborombón South, Cabo San Antonio+Buenos Aires East, NC+CL+Buenos Aires Southwest+RN and MH. Results achieved in this study need to be taken into account in order to ensure the long-term survival of the species.Fil: Gariboldi, María Constanza. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Maimónides. Área de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Biotecnológicas. Centro de Estudios Biomédicos, Biotecnológicos, Ambientales y de Diagnóstico; ArgentinaFil: Tunez, Juan Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Luján; ArgentinaFil: Dejean, Cristina Beatriz. Universidad Maimónides. Área de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Biotecnológicas. Centro de Estudios Biomédicos, Biotecnológicos, Ambientales y de Diagnóstico; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras. Instituto de Ciencias Antropológicas. Sección Antropología Biológica; ArgentinaFil: Failla, Mauricio. Fundación Cethus; ArgentinaFil: Vitullo, Alfredo Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Maimónides. Área de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Biotecnológicas. Centro de Estudios Biomédicos, Biotecnológicos, Ambientales y de Diagnóstico; ArgentinaFil: Negri, Maria Fernanda. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ; ArgentinaFil: Cappozzo, Humberto Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Maimónides. Área de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Biotecnológicas. Centro de Estudios Biomédicos, Biotecnológicos, Ambientales y de Diagnóstico; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ; Argentin