Online Resources in MEMS Technology for Professional and Educational Development

Over the last twenty years, the National Science Foundation (NSF) through its Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program has funded many ATE centers across the United State of America to advance the technician level work force in the Country. One of these centers is the Southwest Center for Microsystems Education (SCME) located at the University of New Mexico. The SCME offers educational materials and professional development at no cost.  These materials and professional development opportunities include sponsored conferences, downloadable written materials for instructors and students, YouTube channels providing lectures, animations and videos, hands-on kits for the classroom, micro and nano films, webinars, online distance learning courses and mentoring opportunities for educators.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v3i1.584

Joint Assessment of Intended and Unintended Effects of Medications: An Example Using Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibitors for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Objective. To estimate the net health benefits of pegaptanib and ranibizumab by considering the impact of visual acuity and unintended effects (cardiovascular and hemorrhagic events) on quality-of-life among persons with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Methods. We designed a probabilistic decision-analytic model using published data. It employed 17 visual health states and three for unintended effects. We calculated incremental net health benefits by subtracting the harms of each medication from the benefit using the quality-adjusted life year (QALY). Results. In a hypothetical cohort of 1,000 75-year olds with new-onset bilateral age-related macular degeneration followed for ten years, the mean QALYs per patient is 3.7 for usual care, 4.2 for pegaptanib, and 4.3 for ranibizumab. Net benefits decline with increasing baseline rates of unintended effects. Interpretation. Net health benefits present a quantitative, potentially useful tool to assist patients and ophthalmologists in balancing the benefits and harms of interventions for age-related macular degeneration