Review of economic evidence in the prevention and early detection of colorectal cancer.

This paper aims to systematically review the cost-effectiveness evidence, and to provide a critical appraisal of the methods used in the model-based economic evaluation of CRC screening and subsequent surveillance. A search strategy was developed to capture relevant evidence published 1999-November 2012. Databases searched were MEDLINE, EMBASE, National Health Service Economic Evaluation (NHS EED), EconLit, and HTA. Full economic evaluations that considered costs and health outcomes of relevant intervention were included. Sixty-eight studies which used either cohort simulation or individual-level simulation were included. Follow-up strategies were mostly embedded in the screening model. Approximately 195 comparisons were made across different modalities; however, strategies modelled were often simplified due to insufficient evidence and comparators chosen insufficiently reflected current practice/recommendations. Studies used up-to-date evidence on the diagnostic test performance combined with outdated information on CRC treatments. Quality of life relating to follow-up surveillance is rare. Quality of life relating to CRC disease states was largely taken from a single study. Some studies omitted to say how identified adenomas or CRC were managed. Besides deterministic sensitivity analysis, probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA) was undertaken in some studies, but the distributions used for PSA were rarely reported or justified. The cost-effectiveness of follow-up strategies among people with confirmed adenomas are warranted in aiding evidence-informed decision making in response to the rapidly evolving technologies and rising expectations

WHOLE FARM RISK-RATING MICROCOMPUTER MODEL

The Risk-Rating Model is designed to give extension specialists, teachers, and producers a method to analyze production, marketing, and financial risks. These risks may be analyzed either individually or simultaneously. The risk associated with each enterprise, for all combinations of enterprises, and for any combination of marketing strategies is estimated. Optimistic, expected, and pessimistic returns above variable cost and/or total cost are presented in the results. The probability that total return will be equal to or greater than variable cost and/or total cost is also estimated.Farm Management, Risk and Uncertainty,

Exploring the Cognitive Nature of Boards of Directors and Its Implication for Board Effectiveness

In this paper we propose a theoretical framework that emphasizes the development of a shared mental model (SMM) of a board of directors and its impact on board effectiveness and suggest that the accuracy and scope of the SMM in a board will moderate the relationship between a board’s SMM and board effectiveness. Also, we examine the impact of task and relationship conflict on the development of a SMM. Finally, we examine three board attributes (board size, CEO duality, and the proportion of outside directors on a board) as antecedents to the development of conflict among board members.Boards of directors, corporate governance, shared mental models

Chemical Abundances of new member stars in the Tucana II dwarf galaxy

We present chemical abundance measurements for seven stars with metallicities ranging from [Fe/H] = $-$3.3 to [Fe/H] = $-$2.4 in the Tucana II ultra-faint dwarf galaxy (UFD), based on high-resolution spectra obtained with the MIKE spectrograph on the 6.5 m Magellan-Clay Telescope. For three stars, we present detailed chemical abundances for the first time. Of those, two stars are newly discovered members of Tucana II and were selected as probable members from deep narrow band photometry of the Tucana II UFD taken with the SkyMapper telescope. This result demonstrates the potential for photometrically identifying members of dwarf galaxy systems based on chemical composition. One new star was selected from the membership catalog of Walker et al. (2016). The other four stars in our sample have been re-analyzed, following additional observations. Overall, six stars have chemical abundances that are characteristic of the UFD stellar population. The seventh star shows chemical abundances that are discrepant from the other Tucana II members and an atypical, higher strontium abundance than what is expected for typical UFD stars. While unlikely, its strontium abundance raises the possibility that it may be a foreground metal-poor halo star with the same systemic velocity as Tucana II. If we were to exclude this star, Tucana II would satisfy the criteria to be a surviving first galaxy. Otherwise, this star implies that Tucana II has likely experienced somewhat extended chemical evolution.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables; Accepted for publication in ApJ. Changes w.r.t. v1: corrected coordinates for TucII-078 in Table

Artificial Neural Network estimation of soil erosion and nutrient concentrations in runoff from land application areas

The transport of sediment and nutrients from land application areas is an environmental concern. New methods are needed for estimating soil and nutrient concentrations of runoff from cropland areas on which manure is applied. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) trained with a backpropagation (BP) algorithm were used to estimate soil erosion, dissolved P (DP) and NH4–N concentrations of runoff from a land application site near Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. Simulation results from ANN-derived models showed that the amount of soil eroded is positively correlated with rainfall and runoff. In addition, concentrations of DP and NH4–N in overland flow were related to measurements of runoff, EC and pH. Coefficient of determination values (R2) relating predicted versus measured estimates of soil erosion, DP, and NH4–N were 0.62, 0.72 and 0.92, respectively. The ANN models derived from measurements of runoff, electrical conductivity (EC) and pH provided reliable estimates of DP and NH4–N concentrations in runoff

Theoretical analysis and reaction mechanisms for experimental results of hydrogen-nickel systems

Theoretical analysis and reaction mechanisms will be presented for anomalous heat effect (AHE) observed for hydrogen-Nickel systems, using a generalized conventional theory which are based on the optical theorem formulation of low-energy nuclear reactions (OTF-LENRs) and also based on generalization of the theory of Bose-Einstein condensation nuclear fusion (BECNF) in micro/nano-scale metal particles

Injunctive Relief in the ITC Post eBay

The Supreme Court\u27s decision in eBay Inc. v. MercExchange drastically changed the bargaining landscape for patent owners and accused infringers. Gone is the default threat of an injunction, at least for disputes that are limited to district court enforcement. Some expect the impact of eBay to usher patent owners to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in situations where jurisdiction can be met, because the ITC escapes eBay\u27s mandate. But injunctive relief in the ITC is not foolproof. Both patent owners and accused infringers need to know the pitfalls that loom in the ITC\u27s injunctive procedures

High-resolution genome-wide scan of genes, gene-networks and cellular systems impacting the yeast ionome

Peer reviewedPublisher PD