Do non-profits make a difference? Evaluating non-profit vis-Ã -vis for-profit organisations in social services

This CPB Document provides a framework for the evaluation of non-profit organisations. This framework addresses the question under which conditions, and, if so, in what way non-profits should be stimulated. Essentially, in order to answer these questions, three steps can be followed: (i) identifying potentially relevant market failures that non-profits may aim to diminish; (ii) linking market failures to observed performance indicators for profits and non-profits; and (iii) use these insights to derive policy implications: should non-profits be stimulated? We apply the proposed framework to three sectors that are commonly labelled as 'social services': the care sector, the childcare sector and welfare-to-work services. All these sectors are subject to substantial informational problems regarding the quality of services. When surveying the literature, we find non-profit organisations only to make a difference in some specific cases. So far, there is no strong evidence that can be used as an argument to stimulate non-profit organisations in mixed markets. Moreover, such (targeted) policies may discourage donated labour and private donations, thus rendering them largely ineffective.

R&D in Worldscan

In March 2000, the European Union’s Lisbon Agenda identified the low level of R&D as an important reason for Europe’s lacking economic growth. Seven years later, innovation still has the full attention of policy makers around Europe. Given the prominent role of innovation in economic policy, the analysis of innovation is also important for policy-oriented economic research. A CGE model is a choice vehicle for the analysis of the long-term economic consequences of innovation policy. So far, attempts of such an analysis have however been rather scarce. In addition, in models that do incorporate innovation, R&D is frequently modelled as an exogenous rather than an endogenous event. Exceptions are the models Quest III, Mesemet and International Futures. WoldScan, the CGE model for the world economy of CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis, includes endogenous R&D, thus providing a flexible instrument for evaluating the effect of innovation policy. This memorandum analyses and checks whether the effect of R&D on total factor productivity (TFP) as modelled in WorldScan is consistent with the empirical estimates used for the calibration of the model. We find that the model deviates from these empirical estimates in two ways: i) the effect of R&D in WorldScan differs considerably over countries and sectors. Some validation for this sectoral pattern is found in the empirical literature; and ii) in WorldScan, R&D not only generates spillovers, but is also treated as a production factor. There is thus a potential for double-counting the effects of private R&D. We find that this risk is only partly realized. In addition, we have considered the effectiveness of an R&D tax credit in WorldScan and find that such a tax credit raises both R&D expenditures and welfare. The degree of effectiveness of the tax credit in raising R&D expenditures is broadly consistent with the empirical literature: 1 euro extra R&D credit raises total R&D expenditures by an equal amount.

Prediction of response to pemetrexed in non-small-cell lung cancer with immunohistochemical phenotyping based on gene expression profiles

Figure S1. Scatter plots of gene expression levels of selected molecular markers and TS gene expression. Dot plots showing correlations between relative mRNA expression of TS and mRNA expression of TOP2A, MCM2, EZH2, CPA3, TPX2. Abbreviations: IHC, immunohistochemical; EZH2, Enhancer of zeste homolog; TOP2A, Topoisomerase II; TPX2, Microtubule Nucleation Factor; CPA3, Carboxypeptidase A3; MCM2, Minichromosome Maintenance Complex Component 2. (EPS 180 kb

Renal toxicity from platinum/pemetrexed and pembrolizumab in the era of combination therapy

Background: Recently, the phase 3 keynote-189 trial showed that in previously untreated patients with advanced non-squamous NSCLC without targetable mutations, the progression-free and overall survival were significantly longer with addition of pembrolizumab to chemotherapy than with chemotherapy alone. Both chemotherapy and pembrolizumab can give renal toxicity, which can be a major challenge in the clinical setting. Methods: In a prospective multicenter observational real-life cohort study [Visser Eur Respir J 2018], we evaluated the incidence of acute/chronic kidney disease (AKD/ CKD), its related treatment discontinuation frequency and associated clinical variables with AKD in patients with stage IIIB/IV NSCLC treated with platinum/pemetrexed. In addition, the Keynote 189 toxicity data was used for the combination treatment. We thereafter reviewed literature to generate an algorithm for diagnosis and treatment in increased creatinine levels. Results: 149 patients received pemetrexed platinum, of whom 44 patients (30%) continued maintenance. During induction therapy 48 patients (50%) treated with cisplatinum/pemetrexed developed AKD and 15 patients (29%) treated with carboplatin/pemetrexed. During maintenance 13 patients (30%) developed AKD, leading to CKD and treatment discontinuation in eight patients (62%). In the Keynote 189 trial combining pembrolizumab with chemotherapy, nephritis has been reported in 1,7% of patients in any grade (1,5% grade 3-4). However, when looking at an increased blood creatinine in the group that was treated with carboplatin, a total of 12,2% of patients showed any increase (0,7% grade 3-4). Conclusions: Increased blood creatinine levels from pemetrexed and pembrolizumab is a common entity, probably more common in a real-life setting. This elevation is clinically challenging in a population that receives three agents that can cause a creatinine increase. Currently, there are no markers to distinguish between renal failure due to chemotherapy of immunothera

The association of depressive symptoms, personality traits, and sociodemographic factors with health-related quality of life and quality of life in patients with advanced-stage lung cancer: An observational multi-center cohort study

Background: Identification of patient-related factors associated with Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and Quality of Life (QoL) at the start of treatment may identify patients who are prone to a decrease in HRQoL and/or QoL resulting from chemotherapy. Identification of these factors may offer opportunities to enhance patient care during treatment by adapting communication strategies and directing medical and psychological interventions. The aim was to examine the association of sociodemographic factors, personality traits, and depressive symptoms with HRQoL and QoL in patients with advanced-stage lung cancer at the start of chemotherapy. Methods: Patients (n = 151) completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (trait anxiety subscale), the Neuroticism-Extraversion-Openness-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D), the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), and the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Simple linear regression analyses were performed to select HRQoL and QoL associated factors (a P ≤ 0.10 was used to prevent non-identification of important factors) followed by multiple linear regression analyses (P ≤ 0.05). Results: In the multiple regression analyses, CES-D score (β = - 0.63 to - 0.53; P-values < 0.001) was most often associated with the WHOQOL-BREF domains and general facet, whereas CES-D score (β = - 0.67 to - 0.40; P-values < 0.001) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (β = - 0.30 to - 0.30; P-values < 0.001) were most often associated with the scales of the EORTC QLQ-C30. Personality traits were not related with HRQoL or QoL except for trait anxiety (Role functioning: β = 0.30; P = 0.02, Environment: β = - 0.39; P = 0.007) and conscientiousness (Physical health: β = 0.20; P-value < 0.04). Conclusions: Higher scores on depressive symptoms and ECOG performance status were related to lower HRQoL and QoL in patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Supportive care interventions aimed at improvement of depressive symptoms and performance score may facilitate an increase of HRQoL and/or QoL during treatment