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Lisa T Goberdhan, Katie Schneider, Elizabeth T Makino, Rahul C Mehta SkinMedica; Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie Company, Irvine, CA, USACorrespondence: Katie Schneider, SkinMedica – Allergan Aesthetics, an AbbVie Company, 2525 Dupont Dr, Irvine, CA, 92612, USA, Tel +1 714 246-2573, Email katie.schneider@abbvie.comPurpose: An in-office diamond tip microdermabrasion device (DG) was designed to simultaneously exfoliate, extract, and infuse topical cosmetic serums into the skin to improve its appearance. Combining in-office procedures with take-home skincare may enhance treatment outcomes. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a novel combination of DG treatments with a take-home cosmetic skincare regimen (DGR) to address facial dryness, hyperpigmentation, photodamage, or acne-prone/oily skin.Patients and Methods: In this 12-week, open-label, single-center study, participants were assigned to 1 of 4 groups according to skin presentation: dry, hyperpigmented, photodamaged, or acne-prone/oily. All participants received 6 bi-weekly DG treatments with tailored DGR topical products. During the DG treatment, the dry, hyperpigmented, photodamaged, and acne-prone/oily groups received hydrating, brightening, antioxidant, and pore-clarifying serums, respectively. Study endpoints included investigator grading, standardized photography, and participant questionnaires.Results: Sixteen participants aged 22 to 70 years with Fitzpatrick Skin Types I–V completed the study. Immediately after the first DG treatment, significant improvements in dryness, radiance, texture, photodamage, and fine lines were achieved (P< 0.01). At 72 hours, significant improvements were maintained in all these parameters except fine lines (P< 0.05). The DG and DGR combination provided significant long-term improvements at week 12 compared to baseline for dryness, radiance, texture, hyperpigmentation, photodamage, skin tone unevenness, and periocular/perioral fine lines (P< 0.05).Conclusion: The combination of DG and DGR showed significant immediate and long-term improvements in skin appearance. These results show that the DG and DGR combination is a well-tolerated and effective intervention to enhance different aspects of facial skin quality.Keywords: microdermabrasion, growth factors, antioxidants, photodamage, brightening, hydrating, DiamondGlow

Jakob Schmidt Jensen,1 Kathrine Kronberg Jakobsen,1 Christian Mirian,1 Julie Thor Christensen,1 Katrine Schneider,1 Arvin Nahavandipour,1 Vibe Lindeblad Wingstrand,1 Irene Wessel,1 Jesper Filtenborg Tvedskov,1 Thomas Frisch,1 Anders Christensen,1 Lena Specht,2 Elo Andersen,3 Giedrius Lelkaitis,4 Christian Grønhøj,1 Christian von Buchwald11Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark; 2Department of Oncology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark; 3Department of Oncology, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev 2730, Denmark; 4Department of Pathology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, DenmarkCorrespondence: Christian von BuchwaldDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, and Audiology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, Copenhagen 2100, DenmarkTel +45 3 545 2370Email Christian.von.buchwald@regionh.dkObjective: The aim was to establish a large comprehensive database of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) to enable surveillance and research of the disease.Methods: All patients diagnosed and/or treated for OSCC at Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark in the period 2000–2014 were included. Rigshospitalet is a tertiary treatment center and covers the Eastern Denmark region, comprising nearly half of the approximately 5.8 million inhabitants of Denmark. Data on numerous variables regarding general information of the patients at diagnosis, their primary cancer, recurrence, treatment, prior cancers, and secondary cancers were collected from the Danish Pathology Register and by evaluation of medical charts.Results: One thousand three hundred and ninety-nine OSCC patients were included in the database (62% males). The median age at diagnosis was 63 years (range: 23–99 years). The most common anatomical location was the floor of mouth (38%). Among patients with known stage, 70.0% were diagnosed in T-stage 1 or 2 and 64.9% were diagnosed in N-stage 0. Most patients were treated with primary surgery (81.7% among patients with known treatment), of these 44% received adjuvant radiotherapy after surgery. The overall age-standardized incidence of OSCC per 100,000 increased from 2.15 in 2000 to 3.04 in 2014, with a significant annual percent change of 3.2%.Conclusion: We have established a consecutive, population-based database of 1,399 OSCC patients. This creates a basis for multiple studies that will elaborate our understanding of OSCC, and hopefully improve diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of OSCC patients.Keywords: head and neck cancer, oral cavity cancer, squamous cell carcinoma, OSCC, database, epidemiology

David W Polly Jr,1 Stacey J Ackerman,2 Karen Schneider,3 Jeff B Pawelek,4 Behrooz A Akbarnia4 1Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 2Covance Market Access Services Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; 3Covance Market Access Services Inc., Sydney, Australia; 4San Diego Spine Foundation, San Diego, CA, USA Purpose: Traditional growing rod (TGR) for early-onset scoliosis (EOS) is effective but requires repeated invasive surgical lengthenings under general anesthesia. Magnetically controlled growing rod (MCGR) is lengthened noninvasively using a hand-held magnetic external remote controller in a physician office; however, the MCGR implant is expensive, and the cumulative cost savings have not been well studied. We compared direct medical costs of MCGR and TGR for EOS from the US integrated health care delivery system perspective. We hypothesized that over time, the MCGR implant cost will be offset by eliminating repeated TGR surgical lengthenings.Methods: For both TGR and MCGR, the economic model estimated the cumulative costs for initial implantation, lengthenings, revisions due to device failure, surgical-site infections, device exchanges (at 3.8 years), and final fusion, over a 6-year episode of care. Model parameters were estimated from published literature, a multicenter EOS database of US institutions, and interviews. Costs were discounted at 3.0% annually and represent 2015 US dollars.Results: Of 1,000 simulated patients over 6 years, MCGR was associated with an estimated 270 fewer deep surgical-site infections and 197 fewer revisions due to device failure compared with TGR. MCGR was projected to cost an additional $61 per patient over the 6-year episode of care compared with TGR. Sensitivity analyses indicated that the results were sensitive to changes in the percentage of MCGR dual rod use, months between TGR lengthenings, percentage of hospital inpatient (vs outpatient) TGR lengthenings, and MCGR implant cost.Conclusion: Cost neutrality of MCGR to TGR was achieved over the 6-year episode of care by eliminating repeated TGR surgical lengthenings. To our knowledge, this is the first cost analysis comparing MCGR to TGR – from the US provider perspective – which demonstrates the efficient provision of care with MCGR. Keywords: early-onset scoliosis, magnetically controlled growing rods, economic model, cost analysis, traditional growing rods

VOx thin films were deposited on Corning glass, fused silica and Ti foils by means of rf reactive sputtering from a metallic vanadium target. Argon-oxygen gas mixtures of different compositions controlled by the flow rates were used for sputtering. Influence of the oxygen partial pressure in the sputtering chamber on the structural and optical properties of thin films has been investigated.

Stacey J Ackerman,1 David W Polly Jr,2 Tyler Knight,3 Karen Schneider,4 Tim Holt,5 John Cummings Jr6 1Covance Market Access Services Inc., San Diego, CA, USA; 2University of Minnesota, Orthopaedic Surgery, Minneapolis, MN, USA; 3Covance Market Access Services Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, USA; 4Covance Market Access Services Inc., Sydney, Australia; 5Montgomery Spine Center, Orthopedic Surgery, Montgomery, AL, USA; 6Community Health Network, Neurosurgery, Indianapolis, IN, USA Introduction: Low back pain is common and treatment costly with substantial lost productivity and lost wages in the working-age population. Chronic low back pain originating in the sacroiliac (SI) joint (15%–30% of cases) is commonly treated with nonoperative care, but new minimally invasive surgery (MIS) options are also effective in treating SI joint disruption. We assessed whether the higher initial MIS SI joint fusion procedure costs were offset by decreased nonoperative care costs from a US commercial payer perspective. Methods: An economic model compared the costs of treating SI joint disruption with either MIS SI joint fusion or continued nonoperative care. Nonoperative care costs (diagnostic testing, treatment, follow-up, and retail pharmacy pain medication) were from a retrospective study of Truven Health MarketScan® data. MIS fusion costs were based on the Premier's Perspective™ Comparative Database and professional fees on 2012 Medicare payment for Current Procedural Terminology code 27280. Results: The cumulative 3-year (base-case analysis) and 5-year (sensitivity analysis) differentials in commercial insurance payments (cost of nonoperative care minus cost of MIS) were $14,545 and $6,137 per patient, respectively (2012 US dollars). Cost neutrality was achieved at 6 years; MIS costs accrued largely in year 1 whereas nonoperative care costs accrued over time with 92% of up front MIS procedure costs offset by year 5. For patients with lumbar spinal fusion, cost neutrality was achieved in year 1. Conclusion: Cost offsets from new interventions for chronic conditions such as MIS SI joint fusion accrue over time. Higher initial procedure costs for MIS were largely offset by decreased nonoperative care costs over a 5-year time horizon. Optimizing effective resource use in both nonoperative and operative patients will facilitate cost-effective health care delivery. The impact of SI joint disruption on direct and indirect costs to commercial insurers, health plan beneficiaries, and employers warrants further consideration. Keywords: epidural injection, iFuse, economic model, sacroiliac joint fusion, sacroiliac joint pain, insurance

Stacey J Ackerman1, David W Polly Jr2, Tyler Knight3, Karen Schneider4, Tim Holt5, John Cummings61Covance Market Access Services Inc, San Diego, CA, USA; 2University of Minnesota, Orthopaedic Surgery, Minneapolis, MN, USA; 3Covance Market Access Services Inc, Gaithersburg, MD, USA; 4Covance Market Access Services Inc, Sydney, NSW, Australia; 5Montgomery Spine Center, Orthopaedic Surgery, Montgomery, AL, USA; 6Community Health Network, Neurosurgery, Indianapolis, IN, USAIntroduction: The economic burden associated with the treatment of low back pain (LBP) in the United States is significant. LBP caused by sacroiliac (SI) joint disruption/degenerative sacroiliitis is most commonly treated with nonoperative care and/or open SI joint surgery. New and effective minimally invasive surgery (MIS) options may offer potential cost savings to Medicare.Methods: An economic model was developed to compare the costs of MIS treatment to nonoperative care for the treatment of SI joint disruption in the hospital inpatient setting in the US Medicare population. Lifetime cost savings (2012 US dollars) were estimated from the published literature and claims data. Costs included treatment, follow-up, diagnostic testing, and retail pharmacy pain medication. Costs of SI joint disruption patients managed with nonoperative care were estimated from the 2005–2010 Medicare 5% Standard Analytic Files using primary International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis codes 720.2, 724.6, 739.4, 846.9, or 847.3. MIS fusion hospitalization cost was based on Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) payments of $46,700 (with major complications - DRG 459) and $27,800 (without major complications - DRG 460), weighted assuming 3.8% of patients have complications. MIS fusion professional fee was determined from the 2012 Medicare payment for Current Procedural Terminology code 27280, with an 82% fusion success rate and 1.8% revision rate. Outcomes were discounted by 3.0% per annum.Results: The extrapolated lifetime cost of treating Medicare patients with MIS fusion was $48,185/patient compared to $51,543/patient for nonoperative care, resulting in a $660 million savings to Medicare (196,452 beneficiaries at $3,358 in savings/patient). Including those with ICD-9-CM code 721.3 (lumbosacral spondylosis) increased lifetime cost estimates (up to 478,764 beneficiaries at $8,692 in savings/patient).Conclusion: Treating Medicare beneficiaries with MIS fusion in the hospital inpatient setting could save Medicare $660 million over patients' lifetimes.Keywords: sacroiliac joint disruption, degenerative sacroiliitis, minimally invasive surgery, epidural injection, iFuse, cost

The Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) Grower Training (GT) curriculum was developed to provide produce growers with training that meets requirements in §112.22(c) of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR). Four regional food safety centers evaluated course attendees' knowledge change over four years (2019 to 2022) using a pre- and post-test quiz. Knowledge assessment results showed (a) respondents gained knowledge on each of the seven modules presented in the curriculum; (b) the curriculum content had a large effect on knowledge gain; (c) knowledge gain differed significantly between years, but the differences were not of practical importance; (d) remote participants learned significantly more than in-person participants, but differences were not of practical importance; and (e) the quiz consisted of low and moderate difficulty questions (no questions were high difficulty) and had generally acceptable discriminant properties. Implementation of the FSMA PSR has progressed from an educational to a regulatory phase, and the authors recommend replacing the knowledge assessment with a tool that measures how the PSA course prepares growers for compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major consequence of aging and stress, in yeast to humans, is an increased accumulation of protein aggregates at distinct sites within the cells. Using genetic screens, immunoelectron microscopy, and three-dimensional modeling in our efforts to elucidate the importance of aggregate annexation, we found that most aggregates in yeast accumulate near the surface of mitochondria. Further, we show that virus-like particles (VLPs), which are part of the retrotransposition cycle of Ty elements, are markedly enriched in these sites of protein aggregation. RNA interference-mediated silencing of Ty expression perturbed aggregate sequestration to mitochondria, reduced overall protein aggregation, mitigated toxicity of a Huntington's disease model, and expanded the replicative lifespan of yeast in a partially Hsp104-dependent manner. The results are in line with recent data demonstrating that VLPs might act as aging factors in mammals, including humans, and extend these findings by linking VLPs to a toxic accumulation of protein aggregates and raising the possibility that they might negatively influence neurological disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subduction zones in the SW Pacific Ocean are some of the most dynamic plate boundaries on Earth with changes in subduction polarity and subduction initiation processes. The New Hebrides island arc formed some 10 million years ago after the Melanesian island arc was abandoned due to the cessation of subduction of the Pacific Plate after collision of oceanic plateaus with the island arc. Parts of the Melanesian island arc occur within the New Hebrides island arc and we show that Miocene volcanic rocks exposed on Malekula island in the New Hebrides island arc consist of island arc tholeiites to alkaline basalts with variable slab contribution. The lava erupted between 22.5 and 16.3 Ma, similar to the Wainimala Group lavas on Fiji representing the eastern portion of the Melanesian island arc. Partial melts from subducted sediments affected a Pacific MORB‐type mantle, but we do not find evidence for a slab component derived from the Ontong Java Plateau or for assimilation of continental crust. Thus, no Miocene subduction of the Ontong Java Plateau occurred beneath Malekula and the basement of the island probably does not consist of continental crust rifted from Australia. The Malekula lava succession resembles that of other portions of the Miocene Melanesian island arc between New Britain and Fiji, indicating continuous subduction of the Pacific plate along this arc. Plain Language Summary: The subduction processes in the SW Pacific Ocean changed polarity some 10 million years ago and little is known about the Melanesian island arc that was active before this time. Volcanic rocks of this Melanesian island arc occur on Malekula island in Vanuatu and these have typical compositions of subduction‐related magmas. The lava erupted between 22.5 and 16.3 Ma, similar to lavas on Fiji representing the eastern portion of the Melanesian island arc. There is no chemical or isotopic evidence for subduction of the Ontong Java Plateau or for assimilation of continental crust. Thus, the basement of the island probably does not consist of continental crust rifted from Australia, which was suggested for the neighboring island. Key Points: Variable lavas formed between 22 and 16 Ma in the Melanesian island arc, probably as small eruptions in an extensional basinMagmas reflect mixing of Pacific‐type mantle with melt from subducted pelagic sediment, but no assimilation of continental crustMalekula lava resemble other magmatic rocks of the Melanesian island arc and isotopes do not show subduction of Ontong Java Plateau material [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Die Radiologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The contents of colouring substances in different cultivated varieties of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were recorded qualitatively and quantitatively to identify which substances contribute to their colour. HPLC was used to quantify the 3-O-glucosides of the anthocyanidins malvidin, peonidin, pelargonidin, cyanidin and delphinidin. Of the varieties examined, only the ancient spring barley variety 'Weihenstephaner Schwarze Nackte' contained anthocyanins, with delphinidin-3-glucoside accounting for the largest proportion. In addition, another substance was detected, which is most likely also an anthocyanin. The total anthocyanin content was at the upper end of the values previously known from black varieties. MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry was used to try to shed more light on the structure of the dark pigments in the outer layers of the black barley grains. The results suggest that the dark substance is a heterooligomer of different, partly phenolic substances. Specifically, the repeated occurrence of a 180 Da monomer could be detected. Since plant melanins are usually synthesised from the phenolic acids found in the plant, this substance could be caffeic acid and would thus be similar to allomelanin from oats (Avena sativa L.), which is a homooligomer of p-coumaric acid. The development of anthocyanins during malting were recorded photometrically. A clear decrease in the total anthocyanin content could be observed, however, clear weaknesses of the method used to date became apparent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There has been a renewed interest in the repair of the torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Purpose of this study was to evaluate the functional outcome of arthroscopic ACL repair with additional suture augmentation (SA), hypothesizing that isolated ACL ruptures would yield superior patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) compared to those with concomitant meniscal and/or ligamentous injuries. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 93 consecutive patients (67 female, median age 42 years) who underwent arthroscopic ACL repair with SA between January 2017 and March 2019 for an acute traumatic ACL tear confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with pre- or intraoperative mid-substance or distal ACL tears and/or poor tissue quality of the ACL remnant were not considered for ACL repair but were scheduled for an ACL reconstruction with a tendon autograft. In patients who underwent ACL repair with SA, the SA construct was proximally stabilized with a flip-button and distally with a suture anchor. Surgery was preferably performed on the day of injury and all surgeries were performed by the same surgeon. Postoperative rehabilitation included partial weight-bearing (20 kg) for 6 weeks and immobilization in a brace limited at 90-degrees of knee flexion for 4 weeks. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) were determined using International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Evaluation Form, Lysholm Score (LS), Tegner Activity Score (TS) and Forgotten Joint Score (FJS). Knee-laxity was assessed using the KT-1000 arthrometer (Med Metrics Corp. Inc., San Diego, USA). Results: Nine patients underwent revision surgery for a traumatic re-tear (four patients) and chronic instability (five patients) and were excluded from further functional analysis. Functional results of 77 patients (54 female) with a median age of 44 years (IQR 33–51) on the day of surgery were available for follow-up after a median time of 35 months (IQR 33–44). Concomitant injuries were observed in 66 Patients (86%), meniscal injuries in 43 patients (55%) and ligamentous injuries in 50 patients (65%). Median interval from injury to surgery was 1 day (IQR 0–1) with 81% (62/77) of patients being treated within 24 h of injury. The median IKDC was 92 (IQR 86–99), the median LS was 95 (IQR 86–100), the median pre-traumatic TS was 7 (IQR 6–7), the median post-traumatic TS was 6 (IQR 5–7) with a non-significant median difference (TSDiff) of 0 (IQR 0–1). The median FJS was 95 (IQR 78–98). KT-1000 measurements were available in 34 of 77 patients with a median postoperative laxity compared to the uninjured side of 1 mm (IQR 0–2). Interval from injury to surgery, patients' age, body mass index (BMI), knee laxity and concomitant ligamentous or meniscal injuries had no statistically significant impact on postoperative PROMs (n.s.). Conclusion: Following arthroscopic ACL repair with SA good-to-excellent functional results were observed. However, a failure rate of 10% cannot be neglected and warrants further attention. Concomitant injuries to the meniscus and/or collateral ligaments do not seem to be associated with inferior PROMs. Level of evidence: Level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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