Fruit Varieties for North Dakota

A-21

Raspberries

A-3

Influential Article Review - Examining the Bunkering Choice Determinants The Case of the Port of Antwerp

This paper examines transportation. We present insights from a highly influential paper. Here are the highlights from this paper: From a European, regional and local perspective, as well as from the perspective of port authorities, it is important that waterborne transport becomes sustainable. As possible solutions to comply with new types of legislation (SECA-zones), shipping companies consider amongst others the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low sulphur fuel. An important aspect in the choice of fuel are the current bunker strategies of the shipping companies. Therefore, this research deals with the bunker market and wants to increase the insight into the strategy of the shipping companies, why they bunker in Antwerp or in another port (e.g. Rotterdam). Which criteria are the most important: the price per tonne, the quality of the fuel, or another characteristic (e.g. calling pattern)?The research question is answered with a discrete choice experiment, evaluating the preferences of the shipping lines. A multinomial logit model is chosen for this experiment because of the low expected number of respondents. The research is further expanded with more in-depth interviews with bunkering decision makers of various shipping companies. For our overseas readers, we then present the insights from this paper in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and German

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FORCE PRODUCTION DURING ISOMETRIC SQUATS AND KNEE FLEXION ANGLES DURING LANDING

The current study quantified the relationship between force production during isometric squats performed at different external knee flexion angles (40, 60, 80, and 100 degrees) and initial and peak knee flexion angles during landing. A total of 18 male and 18 female recreational/collegiate athletes completed a jump-landing-jump task and four maximal isometric squats at different knee flexion angles. Significant correlations were observed between peak force production during isometric squats and initial and peak knee flexion angles during landing for females, but not for males. For females, decreased isometric strength during squats was associated with decreased knee flexion during landing. For males, isometric strength alone may not be sufficient to explain differences in knee flexion during landing. Future studies are warranted to study the effect of postural-specific strength training on landing mechanics in females

Tulips

A-11

Cost-Effectiveness of Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy vs Open Radical Cystectomy for Patients With Bladder Cancer

IMPORTANCE: The value to payers of robot-assisted radical cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion (iRARC) when compared with open radical cystectomy (ORC) for patients with bladder cancer is unclear. OBJECTIVES: To compare the cost-effectiveness of iRARC with that of ORC. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This economic evaluation used individual patient data from a randomized clinical trial at 9 surgical centers in the United Kingdom. Patients with nonmetastatic bladder cancer were recruited from March 20, 2017, to January 29, 2020. The analysis used a health service perspective and a 90-day time horizon, with supplementary analyses exploring patient benefits up to 1 year. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were undertaken. Data were analyzed from January 13, 2022, to March 10, 2023. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized to receive either iRARC (n = 169) or ORC (n = 169). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Costs of surgery were calculated using surgery timings and equipment costs, with other hospital data based on counts of activity. Quality-adjusted life-years were calculated from European Quality of Life 5-Dimension 5-Level instrument responses. Prespecified subgroup analyses were undertaken based on patient characteristics and type of diversion. RESULTS: A total of 305 patients with available outcome data were included in the analysis, with a mean (SD) age of 68.3 (8.1) years, and of whom 241 (79.0%) were men. Robot-assisted radical cystectomy was associated with statistically significant reductions in admissions to intensive therapy (6.35% [95% CI, 0.42%-12.28%]), and readmissions to hospital (14.56% [95% CI, 5.00%-24.11%]), but increases in theater time (31.35 [95% CI, 13.67-49.02] minutes). The additional cost of iRARC per patient was £1124 (95% CI, -£576 to £2824 [US $1622 (95$831 to $4075)]) with an associated gain in quality-adjusted life-years of 0.01124 (95$144 312) per quality-adjusted life-year gained. Robot-assisted radical cystectomy had a much higher probability of being cost-effective for subgroups defined by age, tumor stage, and performance status. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this economic evaluation of surgery for patients with bladder cancer, iRARC reduced short-term morbidity and some associated costs. While the resulting cost-effectiveness ratio was in excess of thresholds used by many publicly funded health systems, patient subgroups were identified for which iRARC had a high probability of being cost-effective. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03049410

Le FORUM, Vol. 36 No. 3

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/francoamericain_forum/1034/thumbnail.jp

Pennsylvania Folklife Vol. 35, No. 3

• The First German Broadside and Newspaper Printing of the American Declaration of Independence • An Overview of Flax and Linen Production in Pennsylvania • A Civil War Soldier\u27s Tale • Samuel W. Pennypacker\u27s Translation of the Haslibacher Hymn • An Autobiographical Sketch of Mrs. Sarah Hunter • In Memoriam: Earl F. Robacker, 1904-1985 • Aldes un Neies / Old & Newhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/pafolklifemag/1111/thumbnail.jp

Comparative chromosome painting discloses homologous Segments in distantly related mammals

Comparative chromosome painting, termed ZOO-FISH, using DNA libraries from flow sorted human chromosomes 1,16,17 and X, and mouse chromosome 11 discloses the presence of syntenic groups in distantly related mammalian Orders ranging from primates (Homo sapiens), rodents (Mus musculus), even-toed ungulates (Muntiacus muntjak vaginalis and Muntiacus reevesi) and whales (Balaenoptera physalus). These mammalian Orders have evolved separately for 55-80 million years (Myr). We conclude that ZOO-FISH can be used to generate comparative chromosome maps of a large number of mammalian species

Determinants of serum zinc in a random population sample of four Belgian towns with different degrees of environmental exposure to cadmium

This report investigated the distribution of serum zinc and the factors determining serum zinc concentration in a large random population sample. The 1977 participants (959 men and 1018 women), 20–80 years old, constituted a stratified random sample of the population of four Belgian districts, representing two areas with low and two with high environmental exposure to cadmium. For each exposure level, a rural and an urban area were selected. The serum concentration of zinc, frequently used as an index for zinc status in human subjects, was higher in men (13.1 μmole/L, range 6.5–23.0 μmole/L) than in women (12.6 μmole/L, range 6.3–23.2 μmole/L). In men, 20% of the variance of serum zinc was explained by age (linear and squared term, R = 0.29), diurnal variation (r = 0.29), and total cholesterol (r = 0.16). After adjustment for these covariates, a negative relationship was observed between serum zinc and both blood (r = −0.10) and urinary cadmium (r = −0.14). In women, 11% of the variance could be explained by age (linear and squared term, R = 0.15), diurnal variation in serum zinc (r = 0.27), creatinine clearance (r = −0.11), log γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (r = 0.08), cholesterol (r = 0.07), contraceptive pill intake (r = −0.07), and log serum ferritin (r = 0.06). Before and after adjustment for significant covariates, serum zinc was, on average, lowest in the two districts where the body burden of cadmium, as assessed by urinary cadmium excretion, was highest. These results were not altered when subjects exposed to heavy metals at work were excluded from analysis