Quark and gluon contributions to the QCD trace anomaly

We show that, in dimensional reguralization in the minimal subtraction scheme, the QCD trace anomaly can be unambiguously decomposed into two parts coming from the renormalized quark and gluon energy momentum tensors. We carry out this decomposition at the two-loop level. The result can be used to constrain the renormalization group properties of the nucleon's twist-four gravitational form factor $\bar{C}_{q,g}$.Comment: 13 page

Measuring motivation for medical treatment: Confirming the factor structure of the Achievement Motivation Index for Medical Treatment (AMI-MeT)

The Erratum to this article has been published in BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making 2016 16:28Background: Developments in chemotherapy have led to changes in cancer care in Japan, with the government promoting a transition to outpatient chemotherapy. This requires patients and their families to participate more actively in treatment than in the past. However, it remains unclear how patients' motivation for medical treatment affects clinical consultations with their physicians. To investigate this, we developed a psychological index called the Achievement Motive Index for Medical Treatment (AMI-MeT), which comprises self-derived achievement motivation (AMS) and achievement motivation derived from others (AMO). However, its factor structure has not yet been confirmed in populations other than healthy university students. Thus, the aims of this study were to confirm the factor structure of the AMI-MeT in other groups and to determine the convergent and divergent validity of the AMI-MeT. Methods: The AMI-MeT was administered to university students (n = 414), apparently healthy workers (n = 154), and cancer patients (n = 51). Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was conducted and the mean scores of the AMI-MeT were compared between the groups. Correlations between the AMI-MeT and the Self-Construal Scale, comprising independent self-construal (IndSC) and interdependent self-construal (InterSC) subscales, were investigated in another group of students (n = 335). Results: The multi-group confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor structure of the AMI-MeT: The weak invariance model was the best fit for the data. The mean scores of the AMI-MeT in apparently healthy workers and cancer patients were significantly higher than that in students (P <.01). The correlation analysis revealed that AMS scores were associated with IndSC scores (r =.25, P <.01) and AMO scores with InterSC scores (r =.30, P <.01). Conclusion: The two-factor model of the AMI-MeT was deemed appropriate for all three groups, and the subscales of the AMI-MeT successfully reflected the self and other dimensions. The AMI-MeT appears to be an effective tool for measuring medical treatment motivation, making it useful in participant observational research on medical consultations for Japanese cancer treatment

An observational study to identify causative factors for not using hydroxychloroquine in systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) use is indicated for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Nevertheless, reports discussing the reasons for not prescribing HCQ are limited. We identified the factors that interfere with HCQ use in patients with SLE. This observational, single-center study included data from 265 patients with SLE in 2019. The patients were categorized into groups with and without a history of HCQ use. Between these groups, clinical characteristics were compared using univariate analysis and logistic regression models. Among the 265 patients, 133 (50.2%) had a history of HCQ use. Univariate analysis identified older age; longer disease duration; lower prednisolone dose, clinical SLE disease activity index 2000, and estimated glomerular filtration rate; higher C3 level; and lower anti-double-stranded DNA antibody concentration as HCQ non-use-related variables. Logistic regression models identified a positive association between HCQ non-use and longer disease duration (odds ratio [OR] 1.08), prednisolone dose ≤ 7.5 mg/day (OR 4.03), C3 level ≥ 73 mg/dL (OR 2.15), and attending physician having graduated > 10 years prior (OR 3.19). In conclusion, a longer disease duration, lower prednisolone dose, higher C3 level, and longer time since attending physicians’ graduation correlated with HCQ non-use. Physicians and patients should be educated to facilitate HCQ use despite these factors

New perspective on the clinical and laboratory characteristics of rheumatoid pleural effusion: A 29-case series

This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Modern Rheumatology following peer review. The version of record Minoda Saki Sada, Sada Ryuichi Minoda, Akebo Hiroyuki, et al. New perspective on the clinical and laboratory characteristics of rheumatoid pleural effusion: A 29-case series. Modern Rheumatology, (2024) is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1093/mr/roae082.Objective: Rheumatoid pleural effusion (RPE) usually occurs in middle-aged men. Pleural fluid analyses have revealed high lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and low pH and glucose levels in RPE. We aimed to investigate the clinical and laboratory features of patients with RPE since the beginning of the 21st century. Methods: Medical records of patients with RPE were reviewed between May 2006 and October 2021. The patients were divided into <60 year (younger) and ≥60 year (older) groups. Results: The younger group comprised 6 patients (median age 53.5 years, female 33%) and older group comprised 23 patients (median age 76 years, female 52.2%). Compared to the younger group, the older group had fewer cases of fever (83.3 versus 18.2%, P = .007) and chest pain (66.7 versus 8.7%, P = .008). In pleural fluid analysis, the older group presented higher pH (P = .004) and lower LDH levels (P = .044). Seven patients died during the follow-up period. Conclusion: Most patients with RPE were over 60 years of age, and approximately half of them were female. The pleural fluid analysis showed milder inflammation in older patients than in middle-aged patients. The mortality rate of patients with RPE was distinctly higher than that previously reported