Epidemiological modeling of SARS-CoV-2 in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) reveals conditions for introduction and widespread transmission.

Emerging infectious diseases with zoonotic potential often have complex socioecological dynamics and limited ecological data, requiring integration of epidemiological modeling with surveillance. Although our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 has advanced considerably since its detection in late 2019, the factors influencing its introduction and transmission in wildlife hosts, particularly white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), remain poorly understood. We use a Susceptible-Infected-Recovered-Susceptible epidemiological model to investigate the spillover risk and transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in wild and captive white-tailed deer populations across various simulated scenarios.

Reframing wildlife disease management problems with decision analysis.

Contemporary wildlife disease management is complex because managers need to respond to a wide range of stakeholders, multiple uncertainties, and difficult trade-offs that characterize the interconnected challenges of today. Despite general acknowledgment of these complexities, managing wildlife disease tends to be framed as a scientific problem, in which the major challenge is lack of knowledge. The complex and multifactorial process of decision-making is collapsed into a scientific endeavor to reduce uncertainty.

Brachytherapy Workflow Practices: Analysis of Different Workflow Scenarios in Patients With Cervical Cancer and Impact on IGBT Implementation-An IAEA Study.

Purpose: The workflow of brachytherapy (BT) is an essential aspect of treatment to consider in image-guided brachytherapy (IGBT). It has an overarching effect influencing patient throughput and the number of cancer treatments that can be performed as it occupies equipment, space, and personnel. There is limited research addressing this issue.

Advances in wildlife abundance estimation using pedigree reconstruction.

The conservation and management of wildlife populations, particularly for threatened and endangered species are greatly aided with abundance, growth rate, and density measures. Traditional methods of estimating abundance and related metrics represent trade-offs in effort and precision of estimates. Pedigree reconstruction is an emerging, attractive alternate approach because its use of one-time, noninvasive sampling of individuals to infer the existence of unsampled individuals.

Surveillance of Vermont wildlife in 2021-2022 reveals no detected SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA.

Previous studies have documented natural infections of SARS-CoV-2 in various domestic and wild animals. More recently, studies have been published noting the susceptibility of members of the Cervidae family, and infections in both wild and captive cervid populations. In this study, we investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in mammalian wildlife within the state of Vermont.

Surveillance of Vermont wildlife in 2021-2022 reveals no detected SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA.

Previous studies have documented natural infections of SARS-CoV-2 in various domestic and wild animals. More recently, studies have been published noting the susceptibility of members of the Cervidae family, and infections in both wild and captive cervid populations. In this study, we investigated the presence of SARS-CoV-2 in mammalian wildlife within the state of Vermont.

Can Radiation Therapy Quality Assurance Improve Nasopharyngeal Cancer Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Reporting the First Phase of a Prospective International Atomic Energy Agency Study.

Purpose: Most new nasopharyngeal cancer cases occur in low-income and middle-income countries, and these patients experience poorer overall survival than that of new nasopharyngeal cancer cases in high-income countries. The goal of this research project is to determine whether the introduction of a radiation therapy quality assurance program can ultimately improve outcomes for nasopharyngeal cancer patients in lower-income and middle-income countries. This study reports the results of the first phase of the International Atomic Energy Agency Coordinated Research Project (325-E3-TM-47712).

Juvenile moose stress and nutrition dynamics related to winter ticks, landscape characteristics, climate-mediated factors and survival.

Moose populations in the northeastern United States have declined over the past 15 years, primarily due to the impacts of winter ticks. Research efforts have focused on the effects of winter tick infestation on moose survival and reproduction, but stress and nutritional responses to ticks and other stressors remain understudied. We examined the influence of several environmental factors on moose calf stress hormone metabolite concentrations and nutritional restriction in Vermont, USA.

Comparison of hypofractionation and standard fractionation for post-prostatectomy salvage radiotherapy in patients with persistent PSA: single institution experience.

Background: Hypofractionated post-prostatectomy radiotherapy is emerging practice, however with no randomized evidence so far to support it's use. Additionally, patients with persistent PSA after prostatectomy may have aggressive disease and respond less well on standard salvage treatment. Herein we report outcomes for conventionally fractionated (CFR) and hypofractionated radiotherapy (HFR) in patients with persistent postprostatectomy PSA who received salvage radiotherapy to prostate bed.

Response of lion demography and dynamics to the loss of preferred larger prey.

Large carnivores are experiencing range contraction and population declines globally. Prey depletion due to illegal offtake is considered a major contributor, but the effects of prey depletion on large carnivore demography are rarely tested. We measured African lion density and tested the factors that affect survival using mark-recapture models fit to six years of data from known individuals in Kafue National Park (KNP), Zambia.

The Practice of Paediatric Radiation Oncology in Low- and Middle-income Countries: Outcomes of an International Atomic Energy Agency Study.

Aims: Childhood cancer survival is suboptimal in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Radiotherapy plays a significant role in the standard care of many patients. To assess the current status of paediatric radiotherapy, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) undertook a global survey and a review of practice in eight leading treatment centres in middle-income countries (MICs) under Coordinated Research Project E3.

Do protection gradients explain patterns in herbivore densities? An example with ungulates in Zambia's Luangwa Valley.

Ungulate populations face declines across the globe, and populations are commonly conserved by using protected areas. However, assessing the effectiveness of protected areas in conserving ungulate populations has remained difficult. Using herd size data from four years of line transect surveys and distance sampling models, we modeled population densities of four important herbivore species across a gradient of protection on the edge of Zambia's South Luangwa National Park (SLNP) while accounting for the role of various ecological and anthropogenic variables.

A review of the Best Practice in Radiation Oncology project from 2008 to 2018.

The European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO)/International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Best Practice in Radiation Oncology-a project to train RTT trainers has reached its ten year anniversary and will commence its fifth iteration in 2018. This project commenced as a novel way to address the issue of limited RTT education throughout Europe. In many countries the profession of RTT is not officially recognised and there is no formal education programme.

Guest short communication: Is education of RTTs really unnecessary?

Radiation TherapisTs (RTTs) are an integral part of the radiation oncology team, however the provision of high quality education for these professionals can be met with difficulties. Over many years, the RTT committee of the European Society for Radiotherapy and oncology (ESTRO), together with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have endeavoured to improve the educational standards of RTTs. This article summarises the main difficulties experienced in this field as well as the steps that both the IAEA and ESTRO have taken to improve the education of RTTs and thereby improve the safe treatment of cancer patients internationally.

Radiotherapy utilization in developing countries: An IAEA study.

Background: The planning of national radiotherapy (RT) services requires a thorough knowledge of the country's cancer epidemiology profile, the radiotherapy utilization (RTU) rates and a future projection of these data. Previous studies have established RTU rates in high-income countries.

Methods: Optimal RTU (oRTU) rates were determined for nine middle-income countries, following the epidemiological evidence-based method.

Quality of radiotherapy services in post-Soviet countries: An IAEA survey.

Background: The quality of radiotherapy services in post-Soviet countries has not yet been studied following a formal methodology. The IAEA conducted a survey using two sets of validated radiation oncology quality indicators (ROIs).

Methods: Eleven post-Soviet countries were assessed.

Improved cost-effectiveness of short-course radiotherapy in elderly and/or frail patients with glioblastoma.

Background And Purpose: Short-course radiotherapy (25 Gy in five fractions) was recently shown in a randomized phase III trial to be non-inferior to 40 Gy in 15 fractions in elderly and/or frail patients with glioblastoma multiforme. This study compared the cost-effectiveness of the two regimens.

Material And Methods: The direct unit costs of imaging, radiotherapy (RT), and dexamethasone were collected from the five primary contributing countries to the trial, constituting the data of 88% of all patients.

The Effect of Race in Patients with Achalasia Diagnosed With High-Resolution Esophageal Manometry.

Background: The advent of the Chicago Classification for esophageal motility disorders allowed for clinically reproducible subgrouping of patients with achalasia based on manometric phenotype. However, there are limited data with regards to racial variation using high-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM). The aim of our study was to evaluate the racial differences in patients with achalasia diagnosed with HREM using the Chicago Classification.

Survival Outcomes With Short-Course Radiation Therapy in Elderly Patients With Glioblastoma: Data From a Randomized Phase 3 Trial.

Purpose: To perform a subset analysis of survival outcomes in elderly patients with glioblastoma from a randomized phase 3 trial comparing 2 short-course radiation therapy (RT) regimens in elderly and/or frail patients.

Methods And Materials: The original trial population included elderly and/or frail patients with a diagnosis of glioblastoma. Patients joined the phase 3, randomized, multicenter, prospective, noninferiority trial; were assigned to 1 of 2 groups in a 1:1 ratio, either short-course RT (25 Gy in 5 fractions, arm 1) or commonly used RT (40 Gy in 15 fractions, arm 2); and were stratified by age (<65 years and ≥65 years), Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), and extent of surgery.

Assessing the sustainability of African lion trophy hunting, with recommendations for policy.

While trophy hunting provides revenue for conservation, it must be carefully managed to avoid negative population impacts, particularly for long-lived species with low natural mortality rates. Trophy hunting has had negative effects on lion populations throughout Africa, and the species serves as an important case study to consider the balance of costs and benefits, and to consider the effectiveness of alternative strategies to conserve exploited species. Age-restricted harvesting is widely recommended to mitigate negative effects of lion hunting, but this recommendation was based on a population model parameterized with data from a well-protected and growing lion population.