We analyze the e¤ects of four randomized experiments involving intensive active labour market policy, conducted in Denmark in 2008. The interventions consisted of early and frequent meetings and activation programmes. The e¤ects are remarkable; frequent meetings between newly unemployed workers and case workers increase employment rates over the next two years by 10%. For men, we …nd evidence of a threat e¤ect of having to participate in early activation programmes. In general, we …nd large di¤erences between men and women, especially in the dynamics of the e¤ects. A cost-bene…t analysis reveals that meetings yield the largest net bene…ts. JEL-Codes: J64, J68

Persistent pulmonary hypertension in newborn (PPHN) is a serious and possibly fatal syndrome characterized by sustained foetal elevation of pulmonary vascular resistance at birth. PPHN may manifest secondary to other conditions as meconium aspiration syndrome, infection and congenital diaphragmatic hernia. This MiniReview provides the reader with an overview of current and future treatment options for patients with PPHN without congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The study is based on systematic searches in the databases PubMed and Cochrane Library and registered studies on Clinicaltrials.gov investigating PPHN. Inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) is well documented for treatment of PPHN, but 30% fail to respond to iNO. Other current treatment options could be sildenafil, milrinone, prostaglandin analogues and bosentan. There are several ongoing trials with sildenafil, but evidence is lacking for the other treatments and/or for the combination with iNO. Currently, there is no evidence for effect in PPHN of other treatments, for example tadalafil, macitentan, ambrisentan, riociguat and selexipag used for pulmonary arterial hypertension in adults. Experimental studies in animal models for PPHN suggest effect of a series of approaches including recombinant human superoxide dismutase, L-citrulline, Rho-kinase inhibitors and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ agonists. We conclude that iNO is the most investigated and the only approved pulmonary vasodilator for infants with PPHN. In the iNO non-responders, sildenafil currently seems to be the best alternative either alone or in combination with iNO. Systematic and larger clinical studies are required for testing the other potential treatments of PPHN.

General RightsCopyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognize and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights.• Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research.• You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us providing details, and we will remove access to the work immediately and investigate your claim.If the document is published under a Creative Commons license, this applies instead of the general rights.

No abstract

Background Distal radius fractures (DRF) are very common in elderly patients, who present at the Emergency Department. Surgical treatment with open reduction and internal fixation using volar locking plates is widely prevalent despite the lack of evidence proving its superiority to conservative treatment with closed reduction and plaster immobilization. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether conservative treatment is superior to volar plating in terms of number of complications and results in a comparable or superior functional outcome in patients ≥65 years. Methods In this single-center, single-blinded randomized-controlled trial, patients ≥65 years with distal radius fractures will be invited to participate. A total of 50 patients per treatment arm is required to provide 80% statistical power at a 5% alpha level assuming a difference of 20% in complication rate between operatively and conservatively treated patients. Primary outcome measures will be complication rate, Quick DASH score (Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand), PRWE (Patient rated Wrist evaluation), and range of motion of the wrist. Secondary outcome measures will be grip strength, pinch gauge, pain, use of pain medication EQ5D score (European Quality of life – 5 dimensions), standardized radiographs. One year of follow-up is planned with data collection at the day of injury, after 2 weeks, after 5 weeks, after 6 months, and after 12 months. An intention-totreat and per-protocol analysis will be performed. Discussion This prospective trial helps to clarify the best treatment strategy for displaced DRF patients ≥65 years. Trial registration This trial is approved by the Danish Scientific Ethical Committee (ID: 1–10–72-420-17) and registered at Clinicaltrials.gov (Trial registration number NCT03716661 ).