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In 2017, a Korean media outlet decided to investigate the chemicals found in commercial menstrual pads, based on the advocacy and awareness-raising efforts of the Korean Women's Environmental Network, who [...]

Partnerships between U.S. universities and industries have existed for several decades and in recent years have become generally more varied, wider in scope, more aggressive and experimental and higher in public visibility. In addition, in the last few decades, public and private interests have advocated for government policies and laws to globally promote the commercialization of university science. This paper examines the persistence or convergence of the two cultures of science and the implications of this commercialization for university-industry relationships in agriculture biotechnology. The perceptions and values of over 200 U.S. university and industry scientists, managers and administrators who participate in or oversee research collaborations in agricultural biotechnology were analyzed. The findings revealed that the participants in these research relationships continue to perceive very distinct cultures of science and identify a wide range of concerns and disadvantages of these partnerships. Several actions were discussed to ensure that the two cultures serve complementary roles and that they maximize the public benefits from these increasing collaborations. © 2014 Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Due to correlations between purchasing patterns and diet disparities, differences in food shopping patterns and strategies across income levels and other socio-economic characteristics is a widely-studied research area. Most extant literature uses either primary or secondary data, which are often characterized by, respectively, limited geographical scope and considerable level of detail, or wide geographical reach but low detail. That literature also reveals contrasting results based on methods, data sources and geographic location. In this paper, we use three different datasets to characterize the differences in purchasing patterns across income levels, rural–urban status and other variables of food shoppers in the Northeastern USA and compare these trends with existing research. While many of the findings corroborate previous studies, new findings include less reliance on superstores overall, except for rural respondents, and a greater reliance on limited assortment supermarkets for SNAP and low-income households. Food purchasing differences are described by race and ethnicity, income and education, and children in the household. The analysis presented here includes a portion of the work performed by an interdisciplinary team of researchers engaged in the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative project Enhancing Food Security in the Northeast (EFSNE). By using primary data from shoppers' intercept surveys, and secondary data from two large datasets, one of household food purchases and the other of food expenditures, we identify purchasing decisions holding at both the case-study (limited geography) and broader geographic (entire Northeast) levels, which both support previous findings and reveal the need for additional research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives / Hypothesis: While nonunion after mandibular reconstruction for head and neck surgery is rare, literature exploring management is scarce. Our primary objective was to determine success rates of tibial bone graft (TBG) in achieving mandibular union. Secondary objectives include determining factors that contribute to failure of TBG. Study Design: Retrospective Chart Review. Methods: Retrospective chart review between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2018. Patients who underwent a mandibulotomy or mandibulectomy with osteocutaneous free flap reconstruction were identified. Patients who were pursuing dental rehabilitation, subsequently diagnosed with mandibular nonunion and received a cancellous TBG were assessed. Results: The 15 patients meeting inclusion criteria were mostly male (67%), white (87%), and nonsmokers (67%) with a median age of 64 (IQR = 60–73). Successful union occurred in 13 of 18 (72%) TBGs and the majority (63%) had a partial union documented at the time of surgery. Five patients (83%) who initially had a mandibulotomy achieved union compared to 78% of those with osteocutaneous reconstruction (P = 1.0). Postoperative radiation did not affect rates of union: 80% for both (P = 1.0). Patients with osteoradionecrosis (ORN) achieved union in 67% of cases compared to 75% of cases who did not have ORN (P =.86). There were similar rates of union for those who required perioperative antibiotics for infection and those without infection (67% vs. 75%, P =.86). Dental rehabilitation was achieved in 55% of patients, most commonly dentures. Conclusions: This study shows that TBG can be used to achieve union for patients with malunion after head and neck cancer reconstruction. We show its successful use within the reconstructive algorithm for patients regardless of postoperative radiation for very small defects. Level of Evidence: 3 Laryngoscope, 131:1291–1296, 2021 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives/hypothesis: The objective of this study was to demonstrate the impact of preoperative education, patient risk stratification, and a postoperative pain management protocol for common head and neck procedures on opioid prescribing patterns and postoperative pain reporting.Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.Methods: A postoperative pain management protocol was developed and implemented for patients undergoing head and neck surgical procedures. Medical charts were queried and postoperative patient satisfaction surveys were administered. Opioid prescribing patterns were evaluated in cohorts of patients undergoing procedures with anticipated mild pain (e.g., thyroidectomy, parotidectomy, lymph node biopsy) before and after the implementation of the protocol. Postoperative patient surveys were analyzed in the postimplementation group.Results: A total of 302 patients were included for analysis. One hundred fifty-four patients and 148 patients underwent surgery before and after the implementation of the protocol, respectively. There was a decreased incidence of oxycodone-containing prescriptions (83% to 26%), and tramadol became the most common discharge medication (70%). There was a significant decrease in the total number of pills prescribed after the implementation of the protocol (34.71 to 25.36, P < .001). Ninety percent of patients reported high satisfaction (≥8) with pain management.Conclusions: This study shows that a comprehensive pain management protocol can significantly reduce the amount and potency of opioid pain medication prescribed after head and neck procedures while maintaining high patient satisfaction.Level Of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 130:1180-1185, 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Predictive models to forecast the likelihood of specific outcomes after surgical intervention allow informed shared decision-making by surgeons and patients. Previous studies have suggested that existing general surgical risk calculators poorly forecast head and neck surgical outcomes. However, no large study has addressed this question while subdividing subjects by surgery performed.Objectives: To determine the accuracy of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) Surgical Risk Calculator in estimating length of hospital stay and risk of postoperative complications after free tissue transfer surgery.Study Design: A retrospective chart review of patients at one institution was performed using Current Procedural Terminology codes for anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap, fibula free flap (FFF), and radial forearm free flap (RFFF) reconstruction. Output data from the ACS NSQIP surgical risk calculator were compared with the observed rates in our patients.Methods: Incidences of cardiac complications, pneumonia, venous thromboembolism, return to the operating room, and discharge to skilled nursing facility (SNF) were compared to predicted incidences. Length of stay was also compared to the predicted length of stay.Results: Three hundred thirty-six free flap reconstructions with 197 ALT flaps, 85 RFFFs, and 54 FFFFs were included. Brier scores were calculated using ACS NSQIP forecast and actual incidences. No Brier score was <0.01 for the entire sample or any subgroup, which indicates that the NSQIP risk calculator does not accurately forecast outcomes after free tissue reconstruction.Conclusion: The ACS NSQIP failed to accurately forecast postoperative outcomes after head and neck free flap reconstruction for the entire sample or subgroup analyses.Level Of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 130:679-684, 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]