Caregivers of people with Angelman syndrome (AS) in Germany were surveyed to amend a lack of information on supportive and preventive oral care for persons in this group. Returned anonymized questionnaires that had been sent to the approx. 600 members of the German Angelman Syndrome Association were evaluated. The study was approved by the ethics committee of Witten/Herdecke University (# 121/2021). In total, 220 questionnaires for people with AS aged between 1 and 54 years old (mean age 17.0 years) were evaluated. Overall, 38.1

Since the unification of the two German states in 1990, antisemitic attitudes have been repeatedly polled in cross-sectional or longitudinal national surveys (e.g., the long-term GFE surveys). So far, comparative studies analyzing the development of antisemitism in East and West Germany over a longer time period are scarce. The study covers a time span of 30 years to investigate two forms of antisemitism (classical and secondary), especially with respect to inner-German differences. Applying model-based age-period-cohort analyses (APC) with a total of 19 available representative surveys (maximal period: 1991–2021), theory-driven hypotheses are tested. The statistical approach and respective findings are discussed with emphasis on several challenges accompanying the utilized heterogenous data and different survey modes. Findings reveal that life-cycle effects play a decisive role in the attitudinal development and distribution of antisemitic attitudes. Moreover, approval of antisemitism is to some extent cohort related in both East and West Germany, while disentangling period effects empirically poses challenges due to data limitations. Furthermore, the observed APC structures differ for classical and secondary antisemitism. The chapter concludes with a critical discussion of the results, limitations, and some further thoughts on the open science philosophy in applied social science research.

Thirty Years After the Berlin WallThis book examines the increasing body of research dedicated to the lasting differences between the former separate states of the Federal German Republic (FRG) and the German Democratic Republic (GDR).Thirty years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, it takes a broad view on German unification and transformation research.Transformation and unification processes in East and West Germany are still ongoing, and they may serve as a model for social change and its political, economic, and psychological consequences.Using advanced statistical methods of analysis, this edited volume provides insights into the valuable contextualization of individual and social phenomena that current research on German unification and transformation is producing.Following the open science mindset using code and data, the authors investigate temporal trends in (1) mental health, (2) political attitudes, and (3) work and family life.It explores changes in mental health and political attitudes, as well as continued differences in work and family arrangements, that may stem from heterogeneous experiences within the systems and during the transformation process.This book will appeal to scholars and students from the disciplines of sociology, political science, public health, social psychology, psychology, and communication science interested in postsocialist transition processes and temporal changes in individuals and societies.

OBJECTIVE This study applied the theory of reasoned goal pursuit (TRGP) in predicting physical activity among Australian undergraduate students, providing the first empirical test of the model.Methods: The research comprised an elicitation study (N = 25; MAge= 25.76, SDAge= 11.33, 20 female, 5 male) to identify readily accessible procurement and approval goal beliefs and behavioural, normative, and control beliefs; and, a two-wave prospective online survey study (N = 109; MAge = 21.88, SDAge = 7.04, 63 female, 46 male) to test the tenets of the TRGP in relation to meeting World Health Organization physical activity guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic among first year university students.Results: A linear PLS-SEM model displayed good fit-to-data, predicting 38%, 74%, and 48% of the variance in motivation, intention, and physical activity, respectively. The model supported the majority of hypothesised pattern of effects among theory constructs; in particular, the proposition that beliefs corresponding to procurement and approval goals would be more consequential to people's motivation and, thus, their intentions and behaviour, than other behavioural and normative beliefs, respectively.Conclusions: Results lend support for the TRGP and sets the agenda for future research to systematically test the proposed direct, indirect, and moderation effects for different health behaviours, populations, and contexts. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2022.2026946 .

Maintaining good ratings increases the profits of sellers on online platforms. We analyze the role of strategic pricing for ratings management in a setting where a monopolist sells a good of unknown quality. Higher prices reduce the value for money, which on average worsens reviews. However, higher prices also induce only those consumers with a strong taste for the product to purchase, which on average improves reviews. We provide conditions under which the latter effect dominates so that ratings management leads to an upward pressure on prices. This upward pressure increases in the sensitivity of the aggregate rating to incoming reviews. As a consequence, recent changes to rating systems may have harmed consumers by increasing long-run price levels.

Background: This is a retrospective longitudinal study comparing 374 patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) who were treated in centers offering a specialized program of enhanced rehabilitation therapy in addition to expert outpatient care to 387 patients with PD, who only received expert outpatient care at movement disorders centers in Italy. Methods: The data are from subjects recruited in the Parkinson’s Outcome Project (POP) at six Italian centers that are part of a multicenter collaboration for care quality improvement (the Fresco Network). The effects were measured with a baseline and a follow-up clinical evaluation of the Timed-Up-and-Go test (TUG), Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), and Multidimensional Caregiver Strain Index (MCSI), the number of falls and hospitalizations for any cause. We used a generalized linear mixed model with the dependent variables being the response variable, which included the covariates demographics, evaluation, and treatment variables. Results: We found that the subjects who underwent specialized enhanced rehabilitation had a better motor outcome over time than those who were managed by expert neurologists but had participated in community programs for exercise and other allied health interventions. The greatest effects were seen in patients in the early stages of the disease with a high amount of vigorous exercise per week in the last six months. Similar effects were seen for PDQ39, MCSI, the number of falls, and hospitalization. Conclusions: Long-term benefits to motor function and the quality of life in patients with PD and burden reduction in their caregivers can be achieved through a systematic program of specialized enhanced rehabilitation interventions.

BackgroundImpairments and disabilities can have a negative impact on oral health. However, studies on the oral health of people with impairments and disabilities are rare. This article examines the 12-month prevalence of dental utilization among adults with and without impairments and disabilities in Germany.MethodsAnalyses are based on data from 23,372 persons aged 18 years and older with permanent residency in Germany from the GEDA 2014/2015-EHIS study. Participants were asked when they last visited a dentist or orthodontist on their own behalf - "less than 6 months ago," "6 to less than 12 months ago," "12 months ago or longer," or "never." For the analyses, the first two and the last two response options were combined, giving the 12-month prevalence of dental utilization.ResultsAdults with impairments and disabilities were slightly more likely not to have visited a dental practice in the year prior to the survey than adults without impairments and disabilities (21.5% and 18.4%, respectively; p = 0.002). However, the association between the presence of impairments and disabilities and lower dental utilization did not persist after controlling for age, gender, partnership, and socioeconomic status.DiscussionThere are hardly any differences in the dental utilization between persons with and without impairments and disabilities. However, due to their poorer oral health on average, it is necessary to consider how the dental care of this very heterogeneous group can be further improved. The analyses point to the need for care and prevention potentials.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen können sich nachteilig auf die Mundgesundheit auswirken. Studien zur Mundgesundheit von Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen gibt es jedoch nur wenige. Dieser Beitrag untersucht die 12-Monats-Prävalenz der Inanspruchnahme zahnmedizinischer Versorgung von Erwachsenen mit und ohne Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen in Deutschland. Methoden Die Analysen basieren auf Daten von 23.372 Personen ab 18 Jahren mit ständigem Wohnsitz in Deutschland der Studie GEDA 2014/2015-EHIS. Die Teilnehmenden wurden gefragt, wann sie zuletzt bei einem Zahnarzt, Kieferorthopäden oder einem anderen zahnmedizinischen Spezialisten waren, um sich selbst beraten, untersuchen oder behandeln zu lassen – „vor weniger als 6 Monaten“, „vor 6 bis weniger als 12 Monaten“, „vor 12 Monaten oder länger“ oder „nie“. Für die Analysen wurden die ersten und letzten beiden Antwortoptionen zusammengefasst, um die 12-Monats-Prävalenz der Inanspruchnahme zahnmedizinischer Leistungen zu erhalten. Ergebnisse Erwachsene mit Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen haben im Jahr vor der Befragung etwas häufiger keine zahnmedizinische Praxis aufgesucht als Erwachsene ohne Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen (21,5 % vs. 18,4 %; p = 0,002). Der Zusammenhang zwischen dem Vorliegen von Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen und einer geringeren Inanspruchnahme zahnmedizinischer Versorgung blieb aber nach Kontrolle für Alter, Geschlecht, Partnerschaft und sozioökonomischen Status nicht bestehen. Diskussion Es zeigen sich kaum Unterschiede in der Inanspruchnahme zahnmedizinischer Leistungen zwischen Personen mit und ohne Beeinträchtigungen und Behinderungen. Dennoch ist aufgrund ihrer im Mittel schlechteren Mundgesundheit zu überlegen, wie die zahnmedizinische Versorgung dieser sehr heterogenen Gruppe weiter verbessert werden kann. Die Auswertungen zeigen Versorgungsbedarfe und Präventionspotenziale auf.

ObjectiveDetermine differences in utilization patterns, disease severity, and outcomes between patients with and without diabetes mellitus diagnosed with COVID-19 in 2020Research Design and MethodsWe used an observational cohort comprised of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries with a medical claim indicating a COVID-19 diagnosis. We performed inverse probability weighting between beneficiaries with and without diabetes to account for differences in socio-demographic characteristics and comorbidities.ResultsIn the unweighted comparison of beneficiaries, all characteristics were significantly different (P<0.001). Beneficiaries with diabetes were younger, more likely to be black, had more comorbidities, higher rates of Medicare-Medicaid dual-eligibility, and were less likely to be female. In the weighted sample, hospitalization rates for COVID-19 among beneficiaries with diabetes was higher (20.5% vs 17.1%; p < 0.001). Outcomes of hospitalizations were similarly worse among beneficiaries with diabetes: admissions to ICU during hospitalizations (7.78% vs. 6.11%; p < 0.001); in-hospital mortality (3.85% vs 2.93%; p < 0.001); and ICU mortality (2.41% vs 1.77%). Beneficiaries with diabetes had more ambulatory care visits (8.9 vs. 7.8, p < 0.001) and higher overall mortality (17.3% vs. 14.9%, p < 0.001) following COVID-19 diagnosis.ConclusionBeneficiaries with diabetes and COVID-19 had higher rates of hospitalization, ICU use and overall mortality. While the mechanism of how diabetes impacts the severity of COVID-19 may not be fully understood, there are important clinical implications for persons with diabetes. A diagnosis of COVID-19 leads to greater financial and clinical burden than for their counterparts, persons without diabetes, including perhaps most significantly, higher death rates.

Background Viral induction of neurological syndromes has been a concern since parkinsonian-like features were observed in patients diagnosed with encephalitis lethargica subsequent to the 1918 influenza pandemic. Given the similarities in the systemic responses following SARS-CoV-2 infection with those observed after pandemic influenza, there is a question if a similar syndrome of post-encephalic parkinsonism could follow COVID-19 infection. Objectives To determine if prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 increased sensitivity to a mitochondrial toxin known to induce parkinsonism. Methods hACE2 mice were infected with SARS-CoV-2 to induce mild to moderate disease. After 31 days recovery, mice were administered a non-lesion inducing dose of the parkinsonian toxin MPTP. Subsequent neuroinflammation and SNpc dopaminergic neuron loss was determined and compared to SARS-CoV-2 or MPTP alone. Results hACE2 mice infected with SARS-CoV-2 or MPTP showed no SNpc DA neuron loss following MPTP. In mice infected and recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection, MPTP induced a 23% or 19% greater loss of SNpc dopaminergic neurons than SARS-CoV-2 or MPTP, respectively (p□<□0.05). Examination of microglial activation showed a significant increase in the number of activated microglia in the SARS-CoV-2 + MPTP group compared to SARS-CoV-2 or MPTP alone. Conclusions Our observations have important implications for long-term public health, given the number of people that have survived SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as for future public policy regarding infection mitigation. However, it will be critical to determine if other agents known to increase risk of PD also have synergistic effects with SARS-CoV-2 and if are abrogated by vaccination. Funding This work was supported by grant from the State of North Carolina (PS, JE, DOR, RJS) and R21 NS122280 (RJS).

Kearney, Gregory D. DrPH, MPH; Schmidt, Peter PhD; Kraft, Sally A. MD, MPH Author Information

The business activities provided within any firm or company should be checked and controlled continuously, while two principal approaches should be applied: (a) qualitative monitoring, (b) quantitative evaluations and getting to know the rules, which regulate structure and functionality of business processes (BPs) implemented and operated there plays a role of principle importance and they are derived based on actual BP models. Therefore we have designed a conceptual model of application denoted as BPLM Process Designer in form of expert system (ES) operating based on principles closely related to business process linguistic modeling approach, where linguistic sets and PBPL Equation play a role of principle importance. Our contribution contains such application description from qualitative, quantitative and design point of view. The ES qualitative description contains references to appropriate math relations and algorithms postulated within subsequent sections. Those sections are accompanied by the case study, which indicates how the math relations and algorithms might be applied within BPLM Process Designer functionality. However, those sections are accompanied by ES structure and functionality description as well, which represent the BPLM Process Designer mean or facility.

The business activities provided within any firm or company should be checked and controlled continuously, while two principal approaches should be applied: (a) qualitative monitoring, (b) quantitative evaluations, while KPI indicators play a role of principle importance within business quantitative evaluation in order to make adequate decisions. However, adequate applications form KPI creation and further processing seem to be very significant and important. We have designed a conceptual model of application denoted as BPLM Strategy Creator in form of expert system (ES) operating based on principles closely related to business process linguistic modeling approach, where linguistic sets and PBPL Equation play a role of principle importance. Our contribution contains such application description from qualitative, quantitative and design point of view. The ES qualitative description contains references to appropriate math relations and algorithms postulated within a subsequent section. Both sections are accompanied by the case study, which indicates how the math relations and algorithms might be applied within BPLM Strategy Creator functionality. However, those sections are accompanied by ES structure and functionality description as well, which represent the BPLM Strategy Creator mean or facility.

J. Kultan1, I. Brezina2, A. Strešňáková1, P. Schmidt1 1University of Economics in Bratislava, Faculty of Economic Informatics (SLOVAKIA) 2Рan-European university, The Faculty of Economics and Entrepreneurship (SLOVAKIA)

Introduction: Making Informed Decisions to Aid Timely Management of Parkinson's Disease (MANAGE-PD) is a clinician-reported tool designed to facilitate timely identification and management of patients with advancing Parkinson's disease (PD) with suboptimal symptom control while on standard therapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the validity and clinical value of the tool. Methods: Driven by structured inputs from a steering committee and panel of PD experts, the tool was developed to classify patients into 3 categories. Validity and clinical value were elucidated using a two-pronged approach: (i) hypothetical patient vignettes (n = 10) developed based on the MANAGE-PD tool and rated by 17 PD specialists and 400 general neurologists (GN) and (ii) patients with PD (n = 2546) managed in real-world clinical settings. Vignette validity was based on concordance between PD experts' clinical judgement and MANAGE-PD vignette categorization. Patient-level data was used for known-group comparisons (validity) and discordant pair analysis (clinical value). Results: The tool demonstrated strong validity and clinical value among PD specialists (intraclass coefficient [ICC] 0.843; Fleiss weighted kappa [weighted] 0.79) and GN (ICC 0.690; weighted 0.65) using patient vignettes. MANAGE-PD also demonstrated real-world validity and clinical value based on ability to identify patients with incrementally higher clinical, economic, and humanistic PD burden across categories of the tool (p < 0.01). Conclusions: MANAGE-PD demonstrated robust validity and clinical value in identifying patients with suboptimal PD symptom control. Clinical use of MANAGE-PD may complement treatment decision-making and facilitate timely and comprehensive management of patients with advancing PD.

Part 1 Scope of challenges: West European integration and security co-operation - converging and diverging trends. Part 2 Central European and Mediterranean security policy perspectives: regional perspectives the Central European view security challenges in the Mediterranean NATO member countries national views - Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey. Part 3 International responses - frameworks for security co-operation in Western Europe: European political co-operation the European Parliament NATO the West European Union. Part 4 Conclusions and perspectives: thinking beyond a West European pillar.

A sensor network was created inside a building, as part of a project.The sensors monitored the room temperature, humidity, and CO 2 .The location of the sensor nodes is fixed.A serious problem was to find out how to connect these sensors in order to ensure an optimal communication in the network.Another problem was the fact that the building was atypical, so the location of the sensors could not be applied to the grid.Two optimization criteria, namely the distance between the nodes and the quality of the working environment between them, limited the present research because in addition to reinforced concrete walls and foam concrete walls, other materials were also used in the building.The problem is described by a network graph and optimized by finding its spanning tree.A new algorithm was created for finding a multi-criteria spanning tree of a network graph taking into account the constraints for the weights of the edges.The algorithm has been programmed in C language and used to solve the task.The usage of this algorithm and the whole concept of finding a multi-criteria spanning tree of a sensor network graph is a contribution to sensor network topology optimization and it can be applied in similar projects as well.

Despite Western Europe's present focus on economic integration and despite the fundamental yet rather peaceful changes in the European security order, West European security cooperation endeavors continue. Today, West European security cooperation no longer fits the double mould of bloc-to-bloc antagonism and US transatlantic dominance. Nuclear and conventional disarmament as well as the retreat of the Soviet empire from Eastern Europe both diminish Western Europe's dependence on American protection and concede greater freedom for the development of European security policy. The driving forces for West European security cooperation have always been as much external as internal. Western Europe's response to the complete changeover in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union has created North-South tensions. The war against Iraq revealed that some kind of common West European action beyond the purely diplomatic level is needed. Washington strongly demanded a West European contribution to the forces opposing Saddam Hussein.

We study estimation of factor models in a fixed-T panel data setting and significantly relax the common correlated effects (CCE) assumptions pioneered by Pesaran (2006) and used in dozens of papers since. In the simplest case, we model the unobserved factors as functions of the cross-sectional averages of the explanatory variables and show that this is implied by Pesaran's assumptions when the number of factors does not exceed the number of explanatory variables. Our approach allows discrete explanatory variables and flexible functional forms in the covariates. Plus, it extends to a framework that easily incorporates general functions of cross-sectional moments, in addition to heterogeneous intercepts and time trends. Our proposed estimators include Pesaran's pooled correlated common effects (CCEP) estimator as a special case. We also show that in the presence of heterogeneous slopes our estimator is consistent under assumptions much weaker than those previously used. We derive the fixed-T asymptotic normality of a general estimator and show how to adjust for estimation of the population moments in the factor loading equation.