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This document provides a concise summary of the article titled "Hedgerow Gardens Provide Floral Resources for Diverse Insect Visitors to Avocado Flowers in Southern California." The article discusses the role of hedgerow gardens in supporting diverse insect populations in avocado orchards in Southern California. The study collected data on bee species from control and treatment sites on three ranches from 2014-2019 and provides a list of bee species collected during this period. Notably, the study discovered the first record of the genus and species Crawfordapis luctuosa in California and the USA. [Extracted from the article]

Study Design: A retrospective chart review and radiographic analysis. Objective: To evaluate the association between thoracic hyperkyphosis and patient quality of life measures as determined by the Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) outcomes instrument. Summary Of Background Data: Although validated outcomes questionnaires (e.g., Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument and SRS) have been used to evaluate patients with scoliosis, there has been little written about the effects of sagittal plane alignment on these functional outcome measurements. Methods: Data from the SRS outcomes instrument were collected from patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis as well as those with normal spinal alignment. A total of 50 patients with thoracic kyphosis >or=45 degrees were compared with 50 normal patients with thoracic kyphosis <45 degrees . Correlation analysis was performed to identify significant relationships between the magnitude of the major kyphotic curve and the 4 SRS outcome questionnaire domains (Total Pain, General Self-Image, General Function, and Activity). Lower SRS scores indicate an increase in symptoms. Results: The average age of the subjects was 14 +/- 4 years (range, 8-18 years). The thoracic kyphosis varied between 11 degrees and 95 degrees for all subjects. Significant negative correlations were found between kyphosis magnitude and the total pain, general self-image, general function, overall level of activity, and total SRS scores (P < 0.0001). Of the 4 domains, self-image had the highest correlation with kyphosis magnitude while activity had the lowest. Conclusion: These findings indicate that higher kyphosis magnitudes were associated with increased pain, lower self-image, and decreased function and activity. Patients with thoracic hyperkyphosis were significantly more symptomatic than normal subjects in all domains. The r values for this analysis of kyphosis (0.40-0.66), in fact were substantially greater than those previously reported for scoliosis magnitude versus SRS Questionnaire scores (0.16-0.26), suggesting this instrument may be even better suited for the evaluation of hyperkyphosis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Glutathione (GSH) performs several important biological functions, including quenching of reactive oxygen species, and protection of cells from toxic compounds such as quinones. The first step in the synthesis of GSH is catalysed by γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, an enzyme which is inhibited by cystamine and buthionine sulfoximine (BSO). In this study, we examined the possibility that the effect of bydroquinonc (HO) on pigmentation could be potentiated by inhibiting the production of GSH. In vitro studies using melanoma cell lines demonstrated that both cystamine and BSO could potentiate the inhibitory effects of HO on tyrosinase activity and melanin content. A synergistic decrease in hair pigmentation was observed when a combination of HQ (2 or 4%) and BSO (5%) was applied to the dorsal skin of C57BL mice. In black hairless guinea-pigs, the application of HQ plus either BSO or cystamine resulted in a significant decrease in epidermal pigmentation when compared with any of the agents alone. The possibility exists that in the future a combination of HO plus cystamine or BSO could be used to treat disorders such as melasma and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study analyzed possibilities of using ozone for water treatment in supply stations that provide water to small water supply systems. We analyzed a containerized water treatment plant (CWTP) in Mszana Dolna, located in Małopolska region, with a nominal production of 15 m3∙h-1. The plant uses a two step pressure filtration system with indirect water ozonation prior to active carbon filters. The treated water meets all the requirements set for drinking water. A cost analysis was also carried out to find out whether using this type of technology in small water supply stations in Poland is economically justified. The calculations were based on water production and its costs in 2017. The unit cost of water amounted to 0.59 and 0.77 EUR∙m3 for the variant taking into account a nominal water production and a hydraulic load of the station in 2017 that reached 58.7% f a nominal load.