Observation versus surgery?: A treatment paradigm shift for the fastest rising cancer diagnosis in the world: papillary thyroid cancer

Papillary thyroid cancer has increased in incidence dramatically over the past three decades making it the fastest rising cancer diagnosis in the world. The prognosis of this disease remains excellent despite this dramatic rise which has called into question the risk of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of this disease. The American Thyroid Associated (ATA) currently recommends surgical treatment for all confirmed malignant thyroid nodules over 1 cm in diameter. However, some research suggests that tumors under 1 cm have a greater prevalence of lymph node metastases while other research suggests that observation is an appropriate option for tumors greater than 1 cm without other unfavorable features. In order to provide the best management for this disease, clinicians should be monitoring emerging studies on this topic while researchers need to explore the outcomes from the various treatment modalities. In the meantime, treatment for papillary thyroid cancer should be evaluated and treated on an individualized basis

USCID regional meetings -- 1989

Presented at Planning for water shortages: water reallocations and transfers drought management: proceedings from the 1989 regional meetings held on August 24-25, 1989 in Boise, Idaho and on October 19-21, 1989 in St. Louis, Missouri.Includes bibliograpA management improvement program to improve the performance of irrigated agriculture is described. The improvement process entails three general phases. Diagnostic analysis is an interdisciplinary field study to thoroughly understand the actual performance of an irrigation system. Areas of high and low performance are identified. Management planning is a process for organizational change. The process uses the information and understanding obtained from the diagnostic analysis to make important changes in physical structures and/or management procedures for improving irrigation system performance. Management performance is carrying out the management plan. Monitoring and evaluation is included to assist in management decision making and to measure the impact of the changes on system performance. The management planning is done by the key managers in an irrigated area, farmer representatives, and representatives from other involved organizations. Conscious, deliberate applications of the processes offer important advantages to the farming community and to water management professionals. The results are effective, appropriate solutions to many relevant problems in irrigation

Phytoestrogen intake and other dietary risk factors for low motile sperm count and poor sperm morphology

Background Few potentially modifiable risk factors of male infertility have been identified, and while different diets and food groups have been associated with male infertility, evidence linking dietary factors including phytoestrogens and semen quality is limited and contradictory. Objectives To study the associations between phytoestrogen intake and other dietary factors and semen quality. Materials and Methods A case‐referent study was undertaken of the male partners, of couples attempting conception with unprotected intercourse for 12 months or more without success, recruited from 14 UK assisted reproduction clinics. A total of 1907 participants completed occupational, lifestyle and dietary questionnaires before semen quality (concentration, motility and morphology) were assessed. Food intake was estimated by a 65‐item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) covering the 12 months prior to recruitment. Analyses of dietary risk factors for low motile sperm concentration (MSC: <4.8 × 106/mL) and poor sperm morphology (PM: <4% normal morphology) used unconditional logistic regression, accounting for clustering of subjects within the clinics, first without, and then with, adjustment for confounders associated with that outcome. Results High consumption of daidzein (≥13.74 μg/d), a phytoestrogen found in soy products, was a protective factor for MSC with an odds ratio (95%CI) of 0.58 (0.42‐0.82) after adjustment for clustering and potential confounding. Dietary risk factors for PM after similar adjustment showed that drinking whole milk (OR 0.67, 95%CI 0.47‐0.96) and eating red meat were protective with an OR 0.67 (0.46‐0.99) for eating red meat >3 times/wk. Discussion In this case‐referent study of men attending an infertility clinic for fertility diagnosis, we have identified that low MSC is inversely associated with daidzein intake. In contrast, daidzein intake was not associated with PM but eating red milk and drinking whole milk were protective. Conclusions Dietary factors associated with semen quality were identified, suggesting that male fertility might be improved by dietary changes

Management Strategies for Sustainable Irrigated Agriculture with Organizational Change to Meet Urgent Needs

Rosana G. Moreira, Editor-in-Chief; Texas A&M UniversityThis is an Invited Paper from International Commission of Agricultural Engineering (CIGR, Commission Internationale du Genie Rural) E-Journal Volume 4 (2002): W. Clyma. Management Strategies for Sustainable Irrigated Agriculture with Organizational Change to Meet Urgent Needs. Vol. IV. September 2002

Analysis of soil heat transfer for the evapotranspiration system.

An evapotranspiration system was defined as six coupled, parallel subsystems defined by five rectangular and one radial, one-dimensional diffusion equations. A block diagram and system transfer function Were developed for each subsystem and the subsystems were coupled to obtain a block diagram of the evapotranspiration system. The soil heat transfer subsystem was assumed to be defined by the diffusion equation for a homogeneous soil of infinite depth with constant diffusivity and heat transfer by conduction only. The solution of the diffusion equation was obtained in the frequency domain as the frequency response function and in the time domain as the convolution integral. The frequency response function was used as an analytical model in the form of a gain and a phase function in conjunction with time series analysis to determine the system constant. A numerical solution of the convolution integral was used to determine soil heat diffusivity from arbitrary time distributions of temperature at two depths. The system response as the temperature at a depth was computed from an arbitrary time distribution of input temperature given the diffusivity. Results from time series analysis of analytically generated temperature data gave values for diffusivity from the gain and phase function of 16.24- and 16.21-cm²/hr, respectively. The value used to generate the data was 16.2 cm²/hr. The corresponding value of diffusivity obtained from a trial and error numerical convolution was 16.3 cm²/hr. Values of numerical convolution computed temperature, obtained after 72 hours to remove a starting transient, differed from the analytically correct temperatures by less than 0.1 ° C for an 8° amplitude or a 16° range. For 50 days of 6-hour interval temperatures the 95 percent confidence interval on diffusivity was within two percent of the analytically correct value. Soil temperature data for the 10- and 15-cm depth from an experiment where cold (4° C) irrigation water was applied, including the temperature data during the time of irrigation, was analyzed by time series analysis. The value of diffusivity obtained from time series analysis and the gain function was 14.7 cm²/hr compared to a range of 15.1 to 16.9 for amplitude and phase plots and 16.6 for a finite difference solution of the diffusion equation. The value from phase was 21.61 cm²/hr which is much higher due to the time-varying effects of diffusivity or improper alignment of the two time series. Confidence intervals for diffusivity were very wide because of the short period of record and because of heat transfer by moisture during the irrigation. Numerical convolution determined values of diffusivity of 15.1-and 14.9-cm²/hr for before and after irrigation indicated some change in soil heat diffusivity with time. Numerical convolution computed temperatures were within 0.17° C of the measured temperature except during and immediately after the application of the irrigation water. The maximum error between measured and computed temperature was 3.88° C. Time series analysis can be used to determine the soil heat diffusivity from arbitrary time distributions of temperatures at two depths. Confidence limits for diffusivity can be established by certain assumptions as a measure of the adequacy with which the diffusivity has been determined. Numerical convolution can also be used to determine soil heat diffusivity by trial and error from arbitrary time distributions of temperatures measured at two depths. Simulation of soil temperatures from arbitrary time distributions of measured input can be achieved by numerical convolution.hydrology collectio

Using soil properties to predict the effectiveness of electro-osmotic tillage

A study of electro-osmotic draft reduction was conducted to determine the effectiveness of electro-osmosis content and apparent resistivity, tillage speed, and electrical voltage and current were measured to determine a relationship which predicts the effectiveness of electro-osmosis in reducing draft force. The application of electro-osmosis resulted in a reduction in draft force for all tested conditions in the loam soil, with a maximum reduction of 39.4 percent. Water content was a good predictor of resistivity with a regression coefficient of 0.944. Resistivity was a significant predictor of draft force for all test configurations with an average regression coefficient of 0.8173. A comparison of water content and resistivity regression coefficients indicates that the difference between the coefficients is not large enough to choose one variable as a better predictor than the other of the effects of electro-osmosis on draft force

Observation versus surgery?: A treatment paradigm shift for the fastest rising cancer diagnosis in the world: papillary thyroid cancer

Papillary thyroid cancer has increased in incidence dramatically over the past three decades making it the fastest rising cancer diagnosis in the world. The prognosis of this disease remains excellent despite this dramatic rise which has called into question the risk of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of this disease. The American Thyroid Associated (ATA) currently recommends surgical treatment for all confirmed malignant thyroid nodules over 1 cm in diameter. However, some research suggests that tumors under 1 cm have a greater prevalence of lymph node metastases while other research suggests that observation is an appropriate option for tumors greater than 1 cm without other unfavorable features. In order to provide the best management for this disease, clinicians should be monitoring emerging studies on this topic while researchers need to explore the outcomes from the various treatment modalities. In the meantime, treatment for papillary thyroid cancer should be evaluated and treated on an individualized basis