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Purpose: To systematically review the literature on health-economic evaluations of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury between reconstruction surgery (ACLR) and non-operative treatment (NO) and suggest the most cost-effective strategy between the two. Methods: All economic studies related to ACLR versus NO post-ACL injury, either trial based or model based, published until April 2022, were identified using PubMed and Embase. The methodology of the health-economic analysis for each included study was categorized according to the four approaches: cost-minimization analysis (CMA), cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), cost–benefit analysis (CBA), and cost-utility analysis (CUA). The quality of each included study was assessed using the Consensus on Health Economic Criteria (CHEC) list. Results: Of the seven included studies, two compared the strategies of early ACLR and NO alone, and five compared early ACLR and NO with optional delayed ACLR. All studies performed a CUA, and one study performed a CBA additionally. The CHEC scores of the included studies can be considered good, ranging from 15 to 18 from a maximum of 19. Applying the common standard threshold of $50,000 per QALY, six studies in young people with high-activity levels or athletes showed that early ACLR would be preferred over either NO alone or delayed ACLR. Of six studies, two even showed early ACLR to be the dominant strategy over either NO alone or delayed ACLR, with per-patient cost savings of $5,164 and $1,803 and incremental per-patient QALY gains of 0.18 and 0.28, respectively. The one study in the middle-aged people with a moderate activity level showed that early ACLR was not more cost-effective than delayed ACLR, with ICER $101,939/QALY using the societal perspective and ICER $63,188/QALY using the healthcare system perspective. Conclusion: Early ACLR is likely the more cost-effective strategy for ACL injury cases in athletes and young populations with high-activity levels. On the other hand, non-operative treatment with optional delayed ACLR may be the more cost-effective strategy in the middle age population with moderate activity levels. Level of evidence: Systematic review of level III studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Correction to: Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-... Authors would like to update the missing text in the abstract section. The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s00167-022-07087-z. [Extracted from the article]

Reasons for performing study: Distal border synovial invaginations of the distal sesamoid bone are radiographically assessed during the selection process of horses admitted as breeding stallions or in purchase examinations. Nowadays, many moderately or some deeply penetrating proximally enlarged synovial invaginations are considered as moderate or severe radiographic findings. Objective: To measure the difference between and agreement of the morphology of distal border synovial invaginations on radiography vs. computed tomography (CT). It was hypothesised that the morphology of distal border synovial invaginations would be better evaluable on CT compared with radiography. Methods: Computed tomography scans and 3 dorsoproximal-palmarodistal oblique (DPr-PaDiO) radiographs were obtained on 50 cadaver forefeet from 25 Warmblood horses. Computed tomography was assumed to be the gold standard. The number, shape and depth of penetration of distal border synovial invaginations into the distal sesamoid bone were evaluated with both methods, and the comparison of their measurements was statistically described. Results: A statistically significant mean difference for number of distal synovial invaginations between CT and all 3 DPr-PaDiO projections was found and was approximately equal to 2, meaning that CT permits visualisation of an average of 2 more invaginations than radiography. In none of the cases did radiography have a higher number observed than CT. A large variation in the difference of measurements for depth of penetration against their mean difference between CT and the 3 radiographic projections was seen. Radiography underestimated the depth of invaginations, and more so when these were deeper. There was no statistically significant mean difference found between the techniques for depth. A moderate to good agreement between measurements on CT and the three DPr-PaDiO projections for shape was seen, in which the D55°Pr-PaDiO projection showed the best agreement. A high specificity (90-99%) and low sensitivity (65%) for all projections for shape were found. Conclusions and potential relevance: Radiography differs considerably from CT concerning the morphology of distal navicular border synovial invaginations. For the evaluation of the number, depth and shape of distal synovial invaginations in the distal sesamoid bone, radiography shows only partially the morphology seen on CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research project was determining the size and the nature of the domestic violence in the Netherlands. The project consists of four studies: the first estimates the size of domestic violence, the second is a victim study and the third an offender study. The article is based upon the fourth study, the overarching synthesis which integrates and cross validates (by triangulation) the main results of these three studies. Every year at least 200,000 victims and about 110,000 suspected offenders are involved in severe domestic violence. Most victims are women (60%). This is a substantially lower share than a former study showed (84%). Most offenders are men (83%). In 65% of the cases the violence is aimed at the (ex-)partner. Offenders are often victims as well and vice versa. 20% of the domestic violence is reported to the police. In 1997 this was 12%. 70% of the prosecuted offenders got into trouble with the police before. 30% of this particular segment of domestic violence offenders commit another violent crime or a serious traffic offence within two years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- In self-directed retirement plans, farmers are responsible for selecting the types of risky investments toward which the funds in their retirement plan are allocated. Furthermore, farmers do not necessarily purchase sufficient annuities with their savings upon retirement. There is little empirical evidence on the level of income sought or obtained. The purpose of this study is to analyze the long-term investment behavior with respect to retirement planning. Design/methodology/approach -- Two types of data were merged for the analysis: data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN) cross-sectional dataset, and subjective data collected by a questionnaire survey. A response rate of 39 percent was achieved enabling analysis of 440 farm records. By means of regression analysis, the impact of subjective elements, for example level of income sought, as well as farm structure and financial farm characteristics on income obtained at the time of retirement were revealed. Findings -- By decomposing the underlying decision alternatives, it was shown that the long-term investment behavior differed substantially among farmers, but the alternative decisions made were hardly affected by structural and objective parameters. The current study reveals the dilemma faced by any farmer who has the option to invest in his own business. Off-farm retirement investments simply provide an alternative destination for investible funds and it is a rational decision to invest these funds in their own business, thus making the farm itself their retirement "nest-egg". However, a discrepancy between the level of income sought and obtained was found. Research limitations/implications -- There is a need to study how farmers can be encouraged to use existing options for obtaining a more comprehensive retirement plan. Practical implications -- In the investigated case, farmers are entitled like all residents to receive retirement benefits provided by the state, referred to as state pension. The use of three alternative retirement plans complementing the state-sponsored retirement benefits is investigated. Perceptions about whether or not the state pension was sufficient to rely on as the sole source of income did not affect participation in a retirement plan. This stresses the importance that the contributions made and assets reserved should be regularly evaluated and reviewed (via, for example, extension or internet tools) to ensure that the available capital will meet the future income sought. Originality/value -- It is a challenge to identify the adequacy to attain retirement readiness by self-directed investment plans. The strategic choices to be made are complex, while the outcome is risky. In the current study, the long-term investment behavior with respect to retirement planning is analyzed by decomposing the underlying decision alternatives [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand banks have a wavelength between 1 and 10 km, and they are up to several tens of meters high. Also, sand banks may have an impact on large-scale human activities that take place in the North Sea like sand mining, shipping, offshore wind farms, etc. Therefore, it is important to know where sand banks occur and what their natural behavior is. Here, we use an idealized model to predict the occurrence of sand banks in the North Sea. The aim of the paper is to research to what extent the model is able to predict the occurrence of sand banks in the North Sea. We apply a sensitivity analysis to optimize the model results for a North Sea environment. The results show that the model correctly predicts whether or not sand banks occur for two thirds of the North Sea area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether irrigation of the abdominal cavity after laparotomy for caecum resection with taurolidine/heparin or adhesion prophylactic substances reduces intraperitoneal tumour growth or the local recurrence rate in a colon carcinoma rat model. Methods: 60 BDIX rats underwent caecum resection after intraperitoneal inoculation of 1 × 104 colon carcinoma cells (DHD/K12/TRb). Intergel®, Interceed®, taurolidine/heparin or NaCl 0.9% were intraperitoneally applied after randomisation. Finally, the total number and total weight of intraperitoneal metastases were determined as well as the adhesion score according to Moreno. Metastatic tissue was examined histologically and immunohistochemically (E-cadherin, CD44, β1-integrin). Results: Taurolidine/heparin significantly reduced not only the total number (3 vs. 11 in the control group) but also the total weight (65 vs. 330 mg) of intraperitoneal metastases in comparison to the control group (p = 0.003 and p = 0.005). E-Cadherin expression in the metastatic tissue of animals treated with taurolidine/heparin was significantly decreased (p = 0.016). Conclusion: Taurolidine/heparin effectively reduces intraperitoneal tumour growth when used as an intraoperative lavage. These results represent a good rationale for intraoperative adjuvant irrigation with taurolidine/heparin during resection of colon cancer. Copyright © 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The goal of the study was to investigate the influence of adhesion prophylactic substances (Interceed/lntergel) as well as taurolidine/heparin on intraperitoneal tumor growth and the local recurrence rate after laparoscopic cecum resection in a rat tumor model.Methods: Sixty BDIX rats were randomized in three therapy groups and one control group. A laparoscopic-assisted cecum resection was performed via three-trocar method after intraperitoneal tumor cell application (10,000 cells) of a colon carcinoma cell line (DHD/K1/TRb) in all animals. According to the randomization, the cecum suture and a 1 x 1-cm peritoneal defect were either covered with Intergel/Interceed or 1 ml of 0.5% taurolidine 10 IU heparin. The control group underwent instillation of 1 ml 0.9% NaCl solution. After 4 weeks the animals were euthanized and intraperitoneal tumor growth, local recurrence rate, and the number of intraperitoneal adhesions were determined.Results: The local recurrence rate was not significantly affected by any of the substances. Nevertheless, taurolidine/heparin significantly reduced the total number and weight of intraperitoneal metastases. The formation of adhesions was not significantly influenced by adhesion prophylaxis substances or by taurolidine/heparin.Conclusions: Taurolidine/heparin led to a significant reduction of intraperitoneal tumor growth after intraperitoneal application, whereas local tumor recurrence was not significantly influenced. This might be due to the number of injected tumor cells in this cell suspension model. Interceed and Intergel did not reduce intraperitoneal tumor growth. Furthermore, adhesion formation was not reduced by any of the substances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Neuropeptides are likely to be implicated in the pathophysiology of allergen-induced airway responses. However, upon release in the airways, neuropeptides are potentially inactivated by neutral endopeptidase (NEP). Objective We hypothesized that NEP-inhibition by inhaled thiorphan (TH) would increase allergen-induced early (EAR) and late (LAR) asthmatic responses, and allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness to histamine in asthmatic subjects in vivo. The dose and dosing intervals of TH were derived from previous pharmacokinetic and dose-finding studies. Methods Nine non-smoking, atopic, asthmatic men with dual asthmatic responses to inhaled house-dust mite extract participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study. During each study period PC20 histamine was measured 24 h before, and 3 and 24 h post-allergen. TH (1.25 mg/mL, 0.5 mL) or placebo (P) were aerosolized pre-allergen, and three times at 2 h intervals post-allergen (total dose of TH; 2.5 mg). Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was recorded and expressed as percentage fall from baseline. The EAR (0–3h) and the LAR (3–8 h) were defined as maximum percentage fail from the pre-allergen baseline and as corresponding areas under the time-response curves (AUC). Results As compared with P. TH failed to induce an acute effect on FEV1 at any of the timepoints (P > 0.08). There was no significant difference between P and TH in the EAR and the LAR; neither in terms of maximum percentage fall from baseline (mean ± SEM: EAR: 22.3±4.7% (P) and 20.4±4.1% (TH), P=0.75; LAR: 25.2±4.7% (P) and 26.4±5.8% (TH), P=0.77) nor in terms of AUC (P = 0.76). Correspondingly, the changes in PC20 histamine were not different between the two treatments (P>0.40). Conclusion We conclude that four adequate doses of the inhaled NEP-inhibitor, thiorphan, failed to potentiate allergen-induced airway responses in asthma. These results suggest that either neuropeptides do not play a predominant role in allergen-induced airway responses, or that allergen challenge induces NEP-dysfunction in humans in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

English Literature in the Earlier Seventeenth Century 1600–1660. By Douglas Bush, vi + 621. Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1945. 21s. net. Casopis pro Moderní Filologii (A Journal of Modern Philology) A Poet and a Theatre. By Dr. A. N. Jeffares. 20 pp. J. B. Wolters’ Uitgevers‐Maatschappij, Groningen‐Batavia. 1946. Humanitas. A University Quarterly. Vol. I, No. 1: Summer 1946. 46 pp. Published by the Editors — From the University Union, Manchester 15. Price 2s. 6d. Richard Crashaw. Di Mario Praz. 200 pp. Brescia: Morcelliana. 1946. L. 170.— Modern Travel. An Anthology. Selected and edited by Frederick T. Wood, vii + 220 pp. Macmillan. 1946. 3/6. Modern Autobiography. An Anthology. Selected and edited by Frederick T. Wood, ix + 245 pp. Macmillan. 1946. 3/6. Anglica. Rivista di Studi Inglesi e Americani. I, 1, 2–3. Febr.‐Aug. 1946. G. C. Sansoni, Editore, Firenze. (Annual Subscription abroad L. 800.) [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]