Temporary Agency Work in the SOEP: Coping with Data Quality Problems

In principle, the SOEP is a highly adequate data source for analyzing the socio-economic background of temporary agency workers. In this paper, it's argued that on second glance, the SOEP's temp worker variable shows severe problems with data quality. An easy-to-use adjustment procedure is proposed that alleviates the problem, but is not an encompassing solution. Therefore, it is concluded that in the long term, the questionnaire needs to be improved

Atypical Forms of Employment in the Public Sector Are There Any?

The paper deals with various forms of atypical employment in the public sector that are widely neglected in existing research; its specific focus is on their development, scope, distribution and structural features. In the first part we break down the purely statistical category and differentiate between the disparate forms (part-time, marginal employment or minijobs, midijobs, fixed-term, agency work). In the second part we address the question if these forms are not only atypical, but also have to be classified as precarious. We distinguish various risks operative in the short, medium and long term (income, stability of employment and employability, pensions). Finally, we differentiate between employment in the private as well as the public sector and draw parallels and indicate specific differences in their development and situation. Our basic finding is that atypical forms of employment are also widespread in the public sector but are all in all less precarious than in the private sector. The distribution of individual forms shows major differences between both sectors whereas the over-all percentages are similar

Diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia according to the WHO classification in the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group AML-97 protocol

We reviewed and categorized 638 of 809 patients who were registered in the Japan Adult Leukemia Study Group acute myeloid leukemia (AML)-97 protocol using morphological means. Patients with the M3 subtype were excluded from the study group. According to the WHO classification, 171 patients (26.8%) had AML with recurrent genetic abnormalities, 133 (20.8%) had AML with multilineage dysplasia (MLD), 331 (51.9%) had AML not otherwise categorized, and 3 (0.5%) had acute leukemia of ambiguous lineage. The platelet count was higher and the rate of myeloperoxidase (MPO)-positive blasts was lower in AML with MLD than in the other WHO categories. The outcome was significantly better in patients with high (≥50%) than with low (<50%) ratios of MPO-positive blasts (P < 0.01). The 5-year survival rates for patients with favorable, intermediate, and adverse karyotypes were 63.4, 39.1, and 0.0%, respectively, and 35.5% for those with 11q23 abnormalities (P < 0.0001). Overall survival (OS) did not significantly differ between nine patients with t(9;11) and 23 with other 11q23 abnormalities (P = 0.22). Our results confirmed that the cytogenetic profile, MLD phenotype, and MPO-positivity of blasts are associated with survival in patients with AML, and showed that each category had the characteristics of the WHO classification such as incidence, clinical features, and OS

Routine use of ancillary investigations in staging diffuse large B-cell lymphoma improves the International Prognostic Index (IPI)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The International Prognostic Index (IPI) is used to determine prognosis in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). One of the determinants of IPI is the stage of disease with bone marrow involvement being classified as stage IV. For the IPI, involvement on bone marrow is traditionally defined on the basis of histology with ancillary investigations used only in difficult cases to aid histological diagnosis. This study aimed to determine the effect of the routine use of flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and molecular studies in bone marrow staging upon the IPI.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Bone marrow trephines of 156 histologically proven DLBCL cases at initial diagnosis were assessed on routine histology, and immunohistochemistry using two T-cell markers (CD45RO and CD3), two B-cell markers (CD20 and CD79a) and kappa and lambda light chains. Raw flow cytometry data on all samples were reanalysed and reinterpreted blindly. DNA extracted from archived paraffin-embedded trephine biopsy samples was used for immunoglobulin heavy chain and light chain gene rearrangement analysis. Using immunophenotyping (flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry), 30 (19.2%) cases were upstaged to stage IV. A further 8 (5.1%) cases were upstaged using molecular studies. A change in IPI was noted in 18 cases (11.5%) on immunophenotyping alone, and 22 (14.1%) cases on immunophenotyping and molecular testing. Comparison of two revised IPI models, 1) using immunophenotyping alone, and 2) using immunophenotyping with molecular studies, was performed with baseline IPI using a Cox regression model. It showed that the revised IPI model using immunophenotyping provides the best differentiation between the IPI categories.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Improved bone marrow staging using flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry improves the predictive value of the IPI in patients with DLBCL and should be performed routinely in all cases.</p

Standardization of molecular monitoring of CML: results and recommendations from the European treatment and outcome study

Standardized monitoring of BCR::ABL1 mRNA levels is essential for the management of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients. From 2016 to 2021 the European Treatment and Outcome Study for CML (EUTOS) explored the use of secondary, lyophilized cell-based BCR::ABL1 reference panels traceable to the World Health Organization primary reference material to standardize and validate local laboratory tests. Panels were used to assign and validate conversion factors (CFs) to the International Scale and assess the ability of laboratories to assess deep molecular response (DMR). The study also explored aspects of internal quality control. The percentage of EUTOS reference laboratories (n = 50) with CFs validated as optimal or satisfactory increased from 67.5% to 97.6% and 36.4% to 91.7% for ABL1 and GUSB, respectively, during the study period and 98% of laboratories were able to detect MR4.5 in most samples. Laboratories with unvalidated CFs had a higher coefficient of variation for BCR::ABL1(IS) and some laboratories had a limit of blank greater than zero which could affect the accurate reporting of DMR. Our study indicates that secondary reference panels can be used effectively to obtain and validate CFs in a manner equivalent to sample exchange and can also be used to monitor additional aspects of quality assurance.</p

A certified plasmid reference material for the standardisation of BCR-ABL1 mRNA quantification by real-time quantitative PCR

Serial quantification of BCR–ABL1 mRNA is an important therapeutic indicator in chronic myeloid leukaemia, but there is a substantial variation in results reported by diff