A cost-effectiveness analysis of intrauterine spacers used to prevent the formation of intrauterine adhesions following endometrial cavity surgery.

Aim: To assess, from a United States (US) payer's perspective, the cost-effectiveness of gels designed to separate the endometrial surfaces (intrauterine spacers) placed following intrauterine surgery.

Materials And Methods: A decision tree model was developed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of intrauterine spacers used to facilitate endometrial repair and prevent the formation (primary prevention) and reformation (secondary prevention) of intrauterine adhesions (IUAs) and associated pregnancy- and birth-related adverse outcomes. Event rates and costs were extrapolated from data available in the existing literature.

Seeing the whole elephant: integrated advanced data analytics in support of RWE for the development and use of innovative pharmaceuticals.

Introduction: The 21 century has brought about significant technological advancement, allowing the collection of new types of data from the real world on an unprecedented scale. The healthcare industry will benefit immensely from this abundance of patient data from electronic health records (EHR), patient-reported outcomes (PROs), laboratory, demographic, social media, digital, and even climate data.

Areas Covered: While conventional statistical methods still play a significant role in supporting the drug lifecycle, machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) are assuming a more prominent role in the analysis of this 'big data.

A stable isotopic approach for quantifying aquaculture-derived organic matter deposition dynamics in the sediment of a coastal fish farm.

The stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic compositions (δC and δN) of sedimentary organic matter (OM) in fish farms (FFs) were investigated to quantify the aquaculture-derived OM deposition dynamics in the sediment. The dual isotopic compositions of mixed OMs in surface sediments at FFs differed significantly (p < 0.05) from those at reference sites, indicating an increased deposition of fish feces or uneaten feed in the sediments.

Estuarine dam water discharge enhances summertime primary productivity near the southwestern Korean coast.

The gate opening of estuarine dams discharge a large amount of freshwater into coastal zones during the summer monsoon in northeast Asia. We investigated seasonal and spatial variations in primary productivity (PP) and community structures of phytoplankton on a downstream macrotidal flat and examined the dam discharge effects. Our harmonic analysis of the PP revealed a clear seasonality with a unimodal peak in summer, possibly driven by high ammonium loading through internal recycling.

Significant contribution of coastal fish-farm activities to the inventory of trace elements in coastal waters: Traced by ammonia and rare earth elements.

In this study, we investigated the influence of fish-farm activities on the inventory of trace elements (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) in the coastal waters off the fish-farm plants on Jeju Island, Korea. NH and rare earth elements (REEs) were used as tracers to examine the production and removal processes. Relatively higher concentrations of trace elements were observed in the coastal waters and significantly correlated with NH.

Spatial variability of water quality and sedimentary organic matter during winter season in coastal aquaculture zone of Korea.

We investigated the composition, source, and reactivity of sedimentary organic matter (OM) present in aquaculture systems along the Korean coast. A multi-isotopic approach was applied to 216 surface sediments from five sections: western (W)-1, W-2, southern (S)-1, S-2, and eastern (E)-1 sections. The N-enriched total nitrogen signatures in the surface sediments of the W-1 section may indicate that a substantial fraction of sedimentary OM has anthropogenic origins exported through the Han River.

Extended Multivariate Generalizability Theory With Complex Design Structures.

This article extends multivariate generalizability theory (MGT) to tests with different random-effects designs for each level of a fixed facet. There are numerous situations in which the design of a test and the resulting data structure are not definable by a single design. One example is mixed-format tests that are composed of multiple-choice and free-response items, with the latter involving variability attributable to both items and raters.

Spatiotemporal change in coastal waters caused by land-based fish farm wastewater-borne nutrients: Results from Jeju Island, Korea.

We investigated spatiotemporal distributions of dissolved inorganic nutrients and organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) in coastal waters and land-based fish farm wastewater to determine effects of wastewater on seawater of Jeju Island, Korea. The nutrient concentrations in seawater were lower than in wastewater with negative correlations against salinity, indicating a terrestrial source. Wastewater-derived DOC and DON were transported offshore while wastewater-derived inorganic nutrients were effectively removed, likely via biological production, and this was closely linked to decline in N:P ratios.

Influence of intensive net cage farming on hydrodynamic and geochemical environmental conditions and the mass mortality of abalone in South Korea.

The abalone aquaculture industry in South Korea has grown rapidly since the 2000s. In this study, we investigated the sedimentary pollution at four major abalone farms responsible for ~60% of all South Korean abalone produced. We also surveyed the current statuses of cage facilities, abalone mass mortality, and current velocities within and outside farm cages.

Quality of Life in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Cataract: An Analysis of VFQ-25 and OSDI From the iStent inject® Pivotal Trial.

Objective: To assess quality of life (QOL) as measured by patient-reported outcomes (PRO) within the iStent inject® pivotal trial.

Design: Randomized controlled trial analysis of secondary outcomes.

Methods: The Vision Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire were administered at baseline and at months 1, 6, 12, and 24.

Interval estimation procedures for true scores of a test composed of polytomous items: An application of the multinomial error model.

When a person takes alternative forms of the same test across replications of the testing procedure, the test taker's observed scores on the alternative forms are rarely identical. In educational and psychological measurement, inconsistencies in a test taker's scores that are irrelevant to the construct being measured are attributed to errors of measurement. Typically, errors of measurement are summarized as the standard deviation of a test taker's observed scores over replication of the same testing procedure.

Simple-Structure Multidimensional Item Response Theory Equating for Multidimensional Tests.

A theoretical and conceptual framework for true-score equating using a simple-structure multidimensional item response theory (SS-MIRT) model is developed. A true-score equating method, referred to as the SS-MIRT true-score equating (SMT) procedure, also is developed. SS-MIRT has several advantages over other complex multidimensional item response theory models including improved efficiency in estimation and straightforward interpretability.

Impact of finfish aquaculture on biogeochemical processes in coastal ecosystems and elemental sulfur as a relevant proxy for assessing farming condition.

We conducted experiments to investigate the effects of finfish aquaculture and to propose appropriate proxies for assessing their environmental impact. Due to enhanced fish feed input, sulfate reduction (SR) and the resulting metabolic products (HS, NH, PO) were significantly greater at the farm than at the control site. Benthic release of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) from farm sediment accounted for 52-837% and 926-1048%, respectively, of the potential DIN and DIP demand for phytoplankton production.

Physiological responses of the abalone Haliotis discus hannai to daily and seasonal temperature variations.

Organisms inhabiting tidal mixing-front zones in shallow temperate seas are subjected to large semidiurnal temperature fluctuations in summer. The ability to optimize energy acquisition to this episodic thermal oscillation may determine the survival, growth and development of these ectotherms. We compared the physiological and molecular responses of Haliotis discus hannai cultivated in suspended cages to fluctuating or stable temperature conditions.

Physiological processes and gross energy budget of the submerged longline-cultured Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas in a temperate bay of Korea.

Physiological processes and gross energy budget of the longline-cultured Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas were investigated in Geoje-Hansan Bay, Korea during two entire culturing periods. Based on physiological measurements of food consumption, feces production, ammonium excretion, and respiration from July 2008 to February 2009 and from July 2013 to February 2014, scope for growth appeared to be positive during most of the culturing period, except for one period with extremely high temperatures (up to 25°C). Estimates of physiological energy production matched well with tissue energy increment measured by gross biochemical composition during the culturing period, suggesting that the oysters might adjust their physiological performance to relatively low concentrations of suspended particulate matter in the bay to optimize energy acquisition.

Species-specific accumulation of methyl and total mercury in sharks from offshore and coastal waters of Korea.

Limited information is available on mercury (Hg) levels in various shark species consumed in Korea. The methyl-Hg (Me-Hg) and total Hg concentrations in all shark species ranged from 0.08 to 4.

A retrospective study of persistence, adherence, and health economic outcomes of fixed-dose combination vs. loose-dose combination of oral anti-diabetes drugs.

Objective: To compare outcomes between patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) using fixed-dose combination (FDC) and loose-dose combination (LDC) products.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study used MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Supplemental data from January 1, 2009-December 31, 2013. The identified population included patients with T2DM and ≥1 additional oral anti-diabetic prescription (of the same regimen [FDC/LDC] as the index prescription) within 12 months following the fill date.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in thirteen shark species from offshore and coastal waters of Korea.

Limited reports are available on polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sharks. In this study, PBDEs were measured in dorsal muscles (n=105) from 13 shark species collected from offshore and coastal waters of Korea. The PBDE concentrations varied greatly not only among species but also within species of sharks.

Trophic structure in a pilot system for the integrated multi-trophic aquaculture off the east coast of Korean peninsula as determined by stable isotopes.

To assess the potential for nutritional exploitation of caged-fish-derived waste through the use of extractive co-cultured species in a pilot system for an integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA), we compared their C and N stable isotope ratios with those of uncultured macroinvertebrates in and around the system. Black rockfish were co-cultured with sea cucumber, oyster, and two macroalgae as extractive species. Isotope signatures of the co-cultured sea cucumber at the IMTA site differed from those at the control site, indicating their assimilation of aquaculture wastes.

Evaluation of phytoplankton community composition in the eutrophic Masan Bay by HPLC pigment analysis.

To assess the spatiotemporal changes in phytoplankton community composition in relation to the environment of Masan Bay, a semi-enclosed bay on the southern coast of Korea, photosynthetic pigments and environmental variables were analyzed in seawater, every month between March and November 2010. The level of dissolved inorganic nutrients was highest between July and September when the freshwater influx was at its peak, whereas chlorophyll a level was highest in April and August. Phosphate concentration was low in April (average: 0.

Management of cystic or predominantly cystic thyroid nodules: role of simple aspiration of internal fluid.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of simple aspiration of cystic thyroid nodules by comparing with control groups to exclude the occurrence of spontaneous regression by the definition of current guidelines of American Thyroid Association.

Materials And Methods: 217 nodules from 210 patients with cystic thyroid nodules (cystic portion >50%) were included. Nodules were classified into three groups as follows: Group 1, observation only; Group 2, fine needle aspiration (FNA) without aspiration of internal fluid; and Group 3, FNA after aspiration of internal fluid.

Persistent organochlorines in 13 shark species from offshore and coastal waters of Korea: Species-specific accumulation and contributing factors.

Data on persistent organochlorines (OCs) in sharks are scarce. Concentrations of OCs such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were determined in the muscle tissue of 13 shark species (n=105) collected from offshore (Indian and Pacific Oceans) and coastal waters of Korea, to investigate species-specific accumulation of OCs and to assess the potential health risks associated with consumption of shark meat. Overall OC concentrations were highly variable not only among species but also within the same species of shark.