Longer Lifetime of BC from Fossil Fuel Combustion than from Biomass Burning: ΔC Evidence.

Black carbon (BC) significantly contributes to atmospheric warming and glacier melting. However, the atmospheric lifetime of BC from different fuel sources remains poorly constrained. By analyzing ΔC of BC in PM and precipitation samples collected for three years at a remote site in the Tibetan Plateau, we found that BC from fossil fuel contribution ( BC) in PM exhibited greater seasonal variation than those from South Asia and emission inventories.

Stochastic simulation modeling of the economics of providing additional living space for housed dairy cows.

The housed environment for dairy cattle is of critical importance to their health, wellbeing, and productivity. Lack of space is an important factor for housing quality assessment due to links with increased likelihood of disease. A recently published randomized controlled trial identified that greater living space provision increased lying time, milk volume production, and also increased time to conception.

Patient and Staff Experiences of Embedding Electronic Patient Reported Outcome Measures for Distress Screening and Quality of Life Assessment, Into Routine Melanoma Care: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Objective: Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are commonly collected in melanoma research. However, they are not used to guide immediate clinical care in Australia. This study explored the views and experiences of patients with Stage III melanoma and clinic staff during implementation of an electronic Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in melanoma (ePROMs-MEL) pilot to assess distress and quality of life.

Short-Term Effectiveness of a Stepped-Care Model to Address Fear of Cancer Recurrence in Patients With Early-Stage Melanoma.

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of the Melanoma Care Programme when implemented into routine clinical practice coupled with fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) screening and a stepped-care model of intervention delivery.

Methods: Using a Type-I hybrid effectiveness-implementation design, individuals with stage 0-II melanoma and a Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory FCR severity score of ≥ 13 were offered the Melanoma Care Programme. The programme included a psychoeducational booklet and 3 to 5 psychotherapeutic telehealth sessions with a clinical psychologist, timed around routine dermatological appointments.

Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab, dabrafenib and trametinib in BRAF-mutant resectable melanoma: the randomized phase 2 NeoTrio trial.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors and BRAF-targeted therapy each improve survival in melanoma. Immune changes early during targeted therapy suggest the mechanisms of each drug class could work synergistically. In the non-comparative, randomized, phase 2 NeoTrio trial, we investigated whether targeted therapy could boost the proportion of patients achieving long-term recurrence-free survival with neoadjuvant immunotherapy in resectable stage III BRAF-mutant melanoma.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in construction and demolition debris (CDD): discerning sources and fate during waste management.

As regulatory frameworks for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) evolve, the solid waste community seeks to manage PFAS risks effectively. Despite extensive research on PFAS in municipal solid waste (MSW) and wastewater sludge, there is limited information on a major global waste stream which seldom gleans regulatory oversight - construction and demolition debris (CDD). This study sampled a CDD processing facility to provide material-specific information on the PFAS profile within CDD.

Assessing the suitability of leachability-based screening levels for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) risk assessment.

In recent years, soil screening levels have been adopted by regulatory agencies for certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to assess the risk of groundwater contamination through leaching. These soil screening levels, determined using an established equilibrium-based partitioning equation, have high variability among regulatory groups largely attributed to the diverse reported partitioning coefficients in the literature. This variability between reported partitioning coefficients, and subsequently soil screening levels, is due to the complex leaching behavior of PFAS not being predicted well by the standard equilibrium-based model.

The use of machine learning to predict somatic cell count status in dairy cows post-calving.

Udder health remains a priority for the global dairy industry to reduce pain, economic losses, and antibiotic usage. The dry period is a critical time for the prevention of new intra-mammary infections and it provides a point for curing existing intra-mammary infections. Given the wealth of udder health data commonly generated through routine milk recording and the importance of udder health to the productivity and longevity of individual cows, an opportunity exists to extract greater value from cow-level data to undertake risk-based decision-making.

Computation of P NMR chemical shifts in Keggin-based lacunary polyoxotungstates.

Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations were employed to systematically study the accuracy of various exchange-correlation functionals in reproducing experimental P NMR chemical shifts, (P) for Keggin, [PWO] and corresponding lacunary clusters: [PWO], [A-PWO], and [B-PWO]. Initially, computed chemical shifts, (P) were obtained with without neutralising their charge in which associated error, (P), decreased as a function of Hartree-Fock (HF) exchange, attributed to constriction of the P-O tetrahedron. By comparison, (P) performed with explicitly located counterions to render the system charge neutral, reduced discrepancies, (P) by 1-2 ppm.

Telehealth follow-up consultations for melanoma patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: Patient and clinician satisfaction.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic caused rapid implementation of telehealth for melanoma follow-up care in Australia. This study explores Australian melanoma patients and clinicians' level of satisfaction with telehealth.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted across three specialist melanoma centres in Sydney, Australia.

Insights on volatile metals in landfill gas as determined from advanced treatment media.

This study analyzed spent activated carbon (AC) from a landfill gas (LFG) treatment system for an expanded suite of lesser studied volatile metals, revealing elevated levels of As and Sb in the LFG, exceeding those previously reported, with minimum average concentrations of 640 µg m and 590 µg m, respectively. The annual release of As and Sb through landfill gas was found to be significant, surpassing leachate emissions by an order of magnitude. Extrapolating these findings to all US landfills suggests that the release of As and Sb through landfill gas could be a major, previously overlooked source of these metals in global emission estimates, underscoring the need to include them when developing future inventories.

Supportive care needs in Australian melanoma patients and caregivers: results from a quantitative cross-sectional survey.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the supportive care needs of Australian melanoma patients and their caregivers to form the basis for improving services.

Methods: General and melanoma-related supportive care needs in melanoma patients were measured using the SCNS-SF34 and SCNS-M12 respectively, whereas caregivers completed the SCNS-P&C. Patients also completed the MCQ-28 and FCRI-9, with all participants completing the QLQ-C30, DASS-21, and questions measuring utilisation and preference for supportive health services.

Predicting lameness in dairy cattle using untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and machine learning.

Lameness in dairy cattle is a highly prevalent condition that impacts on the health and welfare of dairy cows. Prompt detection and implementation of effective treatment is important for managing lameness. However, major limitations are associated with visual assessment of lameness, which is the most commonly used method to detect lameness.

Reducing Systematic Uncertainty in Computed Redox Potentials for Aqueous Transition-Metal-Substituted Polyoxotungstates.

Polyoxometalates have attracted significant interest owing to their structural diversity, redox stability, and functionality at the nanoscale. In this work, density functional theory calculations have been employed to systematically study the accuracy of various exchange-correlation functionals in reproducing experimental redox potentials, in [PWM(HO)O] M = Mn(III/II), Fe(III/II), Co(III/II), and Ru(III/II). calculations for [PWM(HO)O] were calculated using a conductor-like screening model to neutralize the charge in the cluster.

Health-related quality of life in patients with melanoma brain metastases treated with immunotherapy.

To describe the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) patients throughout the first 18 weeks of ipilimumab-nivolumab or nivolumab treatment. HRQoL data (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer's Core Quality of Life Questionnaire, additional Brain Neoplasm Module, and EuroQol 5-Dimension 5-Level Questionnaire) were collected as a secondary outcome of the Anti-PD1 Brain Collaboration phase II trial. Mixed linear modeling assessed changes over time, whereas the Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine median time to first deterioration.

A systematic review with evidence mapping of supportive care interventions for melanoma patients and caregivers.

Aim: We conducted a systematic review and evidence gap mapping to explore the existing supportive care interventions and their impact on well-being outcomes for melanoma patients and caregivers.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science Index Medicus, CINAHL, Lilacs, CENTRAL (Cochrane Library) and PsycINFO in December 2022, including interventional studies assessing the effectiveness of any supportive care intervention among melanoma patients and/or their caregivers.

Findings: Twenty studies were included in this review.

Underestimation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Biosolids: Precursor Transformation During Conventional Treatment.

Wastewater treatment plants generate a solid waste known as biosolids. The most common management option for biosolids is to beneficially reuse them as an agricultural amendment, but because of the risk of pathogen exposure, many regulatory bodies require pathogen reduction before biosolids reuse. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are well documented in biosolids, but limited information is available on how biosolids treatment processes impact PFAS.

Feasibility, acceptability, and utility of a nurse-led survivorship program for people with metastatic melanoma (MELCARE).

Purpose: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and targeted therapy (TT) have improved the survival of people with metastatic melanoma. We assessed the feasibility, acceptability, and utility of a novel model of nurse-led, telehealth-delivered survivorship care (MELCARE) for this survivor group.

Methods: People ≥ 18 years diagnosed with unresectable stage III or stage IV melanoma who were ≥ 6 months post initiation of ICI/TT with a radiological response suggestive of a long-term response to ICI/TT were recruited from a specialist melanoma centre in Australia.

Effect of Lipoprotein Apheresis on Progression of Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Patients with Severe Hypercholesterolemia.

The extent of intervention effects on carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) can predict the degree of atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk-reduction. We hypothesized that regular lipoprotein apheresis over the course of 10 years might slow down progression of CIMT in patients with severe hypercholesterolemia. This case series describes 10 Caucasian patients (mean age 60 ± 9 years, 70% female, 80% statin intolerant) with a severe hypercholesterolemia phenotype treated with lipoprotein apheresis between 2005 and 2020 (mean duration, 10 ± 4 years).

A randomised controlled trial to evaluate the impact of indoor living space on dairy cow production, reproduction and behaviour.

As a global society, we have a duty to provide suitable care and conditions for farmed livestock to protect animal welfare and ensure the sustainability of our food supply. The suitability and biological impacts of housing conditions for intensively farmed animals is a complex and emotive subject, yet poorly researched, meaning quantitative evidence to inform policy and legislation is lacking. Most dairy cows globally are housed for some duration during the year, largely when climatic conditions are unfavourable.

Protocol for the implementation of a stepped-care model to address fear of cancer recurrence in patients previously diagnosed with early-stage (0-II) melanoma.

Introduction: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is commonly reported by patients diagnosed with early-stage (0-II) melanoma and can have a significant impact on daily functioning. This study will pilot the implementation of the Melanoma Care Program, an evidence-based, psychological intervention to reduce FCR, into routine practice, using a stepped-care model.

Methods And Analysis: Intervention effectiveness and level of implementation will be investigated using a hybrid type I design.

Public Health Student's Attitudes Toward Research.

Research is able to improve the lives of big populations by investigating effective interventions and then implementing those through public health policies. Whilst research on the inclination of Medical or Science undergraduate and postgraduate students has been conducted, little is known about what students pursuing a Masters degree in Public Health perceive the purpose of research to be. Their perceptions and inclinations will shape their research pursuits and career directions, which impacts the health outcomes of the community.

Looking for Options to Sustainably Fixate Nitrogen. Are Molecular Metal Oxides Catalysts a Viable Avenue?

Fast and reliable industrial production of ammonia (NH) is fundamentally sustaining modern society. Since the early 20 Century, NH has been synthesized the Haber-Bosch process, running at conditions of around 350-500°C and 100-200 times atmospheric pressure (15-20 MPa). Industrial ammonia production is currently the most energy-demanding chemical process worldwide and contributes up to 3% to the global carbon dioxide emissions.