The impact of COVID-19 on the cancer care of adolescents and young adults and their well-being:Results from an online survey conducted in the early stages of the pandemic

Background: Because of the global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), oncology departments across the world have rapidly adapted their cancer care protocols to balance the risk of delaying cancer treatments and the risk of COVID-19 exposure. COVID-19 and associated changes may have an impact on the psychosocial functioning of patients with cancer and survivors. This study was designed to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people living with and beyond cancer. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 177 individuals, aged 18 to 39 years, were surveyed about the impact of COVID-19 on their cancer care and psychological well-being. Participants also reported their information needs with respect to COVID-19. Responses were summarized with a content analysis approach. Results: This was the first study to examine the psychological functioning of young patients and survivors during the first weeks of the COVID-19 pandemic. A third of the respondents reported increased levels of psychological distress, and as many as 60% reported feeling more anxious than they did before COVID-19. More than half also wanted more information tailored to them as young patients with cancer. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic is rapidly evolving and changing the landscape of cancer care. Young people living with cancer are a unique population and might be more vulnerable during this time in comparison with their healthy peers. There is a need to screen for psychological distress and attend to young people whose cancer care has been delayed. As the lockdown begins to ease, the guidelines about cancer care should be updated according to this population's needs.</p

The impact of COVID-19 on the cancer care of adolescents and young adults and their well-being:Results from an online survey conducted in the early stages of the pandemic

Background Because of the global spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), oncology departments across the world have rapidly adapted their cancer care protocols to balance the risk of delaying cancer treatments and the risk of COVID‐19 exposure. COVID‐19 and associated changes may have an impact on the psychosocial functioning of patients with cancer and survivors. This study was designed to determine the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on young people living with and beyond cancer. Methods In this cross‐sectional study, 177 individuals, aged 18 to 39 years, were surveyed about the impact of COVID‐19 on their cancer care and psychological well‐being. Participants also reported their information needs with respect to COVID‐19. Responses were summarized with a content analysis approach. Results This was the first study to examine the psychological functioning of young patients and survivors during the first weeks of the COVID‐19 pandemic. A third of the respondents reported increased levels of psychological distress, and as many as 60% reported feeling more anxious than they did before COVID‐19. More than half also wanted more information tailored to them as young patients with cancer. Conclusions The COVID‐19 pandemic is rapidly evolving and changing the landscape of cancer care. Young people living with cancer are a unique population and might be more vulnerable during this time in comparison with their healthy peers. There is a need to screen for psychological distress and attend to young people whose cancer care has been delayed. As the lockdown begins to ease, the guidelines about cancer care should be updated according to this population's needs.</p

Head and leaf fungicide deposit on winter wheat, deoxynivalenol content and yield parameters as affected by different nozzle types

In 2014 and 2015, we studied the effect of fungicide spraying with 11 different nozzles on the quality and quantity of head and leaf fungicide deposit, the percentage of Fusarium head blight (FHB) incidence, FHB index, the DON content, yield and grain quality parameters. The best quality and quantity of fungicide deposit on the front and rear head sides was achieved with the TeeJet Turbo FloodJet TF VP2 nozzle (FLOOD) and the Albuz AVI-TWIN 110-03 nozzle (AVI). In comparison with the majority of treatments, the FHB incidence and the FHB index was the highest on the unsprayed control. The FHB index was higher using the Lechler IDK 120-03 nozzle (IDK) than with the other nozzle types. In all the treatments, the DON content in the grain was less than 50 μg/kg. At this very low level of infection this is not surprising. The grain yield was the smallest on the unsprayed control. Better fungicide coverage of wheat heads with the FLOOD and AVI nozzles did not result in a statistically higher yield or better grain quality parameters. Negative correlations were confirmed between yield and variables as DON content, FHB incidence and FHB index and also between falling number and variables as fungicide coverage, FHB incidence and FHB index. Positive correlations were determined between DON content and FHB incidence, between hectolitre weight and variables as spray deposit and coverage and between protein content and variables as spray deposit and coverage

Morphogenesis, volume and number of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) glandular trichomes, and their influence on alpha-acid accumulation in fresh bracts of hop cones

The ESEM investigations revealed the morphogenesis of peltate glandular trichomes, which was divided into five phases. In phase one, new peltate glandular trichomes were initiated; in phase two, they were differentiated; in phase three trichomes grew vigorously; in phase four they were determined; in the fifth and final phase they came to maturity. Volume of glandular trichome during the different phases of morphogenesis varied from 0.25 ´ 10–2mm3 in phase 1, to 1.95 ´ 10–2mm3 in phase 5. More glandular trichomes are placed on the base of the adaxial side of bracts (average 7 mm–2) than on the base of abaxial side (average 5.8 mm–2). In this research, positive spearman\u27s rank order correlations were found between the average number of glandular trichomes and content of a-acids as well as between the average volume of glandular trichomes and content of a- acids

The shape of the <i>T</i>_z = +1 nucleus ⁹⁴Pd and the role of proton-neutron interactions on the structure of its excited states

Reduced transition probabilities have been extracted between excited, yrast states in the N = Z + 2 nucleus 94Pd. The transitions of interest were observed following decays of the Iπ = 14+ , Ex = 2129-keV isomeric state, which was populated following the projectile fragmentation of a 124Xe primary beam at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung accelerator facility as part of FAIR Phase-0. Experimental information regarding the reduced E2 transition strengths for the decays of the yrast 8+ and 6+ states was determined following isomer-delayed Eγ1 − Eγ2 − △T2,1 coincidence method, using the LaBr3(Ce)-based FATIMA fast-timing coincidence gamma-ray array, which allowed direct determination of lifetimes of states in 94Pd using the Generalized Centroid Difference (GCD) method. The experimental value for the half-life of the yrast 8+ state of 755(106) ps results in a reduced transition probability of B(E2:8+ →6+ ) = 205+34 −25 e2fm4 , which enables a precise verification of shell-model calculations for this unique system, lying directly between the N = Z line and the N = 50 neutron shell closure. The determined B(E2) value provides an insight into the purity of (g9/2)n configurations in competition with admixtures from excitations between the (lower) N = 3 pf and (higher) N = 4 gds orbitals for the first time. The results indicate weak collectivity expected for near-zero quadrupole deformation and an increasing importance of the T = 0 proton-neutron interaction at N = 48

The shape of the T = +1 nucleus 94Pd and the role of proton-neutron interactions on the structure of its excited states

Reduced transition probabilities have been extracted between excited, yrast states in the N=Z+2 nucleus 94Pd. The transitions of interest were observed following decays of the Iπ=14+, Ex=2129-keV isomeric state, which was populated following the projectile fragmentation of a 124Xe primary beam at the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung accelerator facility as part of FAIR Phase-0. Experimental information regarding the reduced E2 transition strengths for the decays of the yrast 8+ and 6+ states was determined following isomer-delayed Eγ1−Eγ2−△T2,1 coincidence method, using the LaBr3(Ce)-based FATIMA fast-timing coincidence gamma-ray array, which allowed direct determination of lifetimes of states in 94Pd using the Generalized Centroid Difference (GCD) method. The experimental value for the half-life of the yrast 8+ state of 755(106) ps results in a reduced transition probability of B(E2:8→+6+) = 205−25+34 e2 fm4, which enables a precise verification of shell-model calculations for this unique system, lying directly between the N=Z line and the N=50 neutron shell closure. The determined B(E2) value provides an insight into the purity of (g9/2)n configurations in competition with admixtures from excitations between the (lower) N=3pf and (higher) N=4gds orbitals for the first time. The results indicate weak collectivity expected for near-zero quadrupole deformation and an increasing importance of the T=0 proton-neutron interaction at N=48

Potencijalna upotreba izotopa važnih za okoliš u ispitivanju migracije onečišćujućih tvari

This article presents the use of natural abundance stable isotope (hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, chlorine) analysis data as a tool for providing important information about the origin of contaminants, the contribution of different sources to a multi-source plume, characterisation of their complex transport (rate and mechanisms) and for evaluating the success of contaminated site remediation. Isotopic signatures of contaminants are useful tracers of their sources, while isotopic fractionation can be used to quantitatively assess the progress of an environmental process such as biodegradation. This new isotopic approach is reliable and can offer more information than traditional techniques in pollutant migration studies, particularly after waste disposal. During biological degradation of any organic compound, molecules containing lighter isotopes are degraded, and the portion of heavier isotopes in the substrate is increased, identifying specific microbial roles in biogeochemical cycling. Since isotopic fractionation is proportional to degradation, depending on the type of contamination, a microbial degradation of 50 % to 99 % of the initial concentration can be quantified using isotope ratio measurements.Cilj ovog rada je da se prikaže korištenje podataka analize prirodne obilnosti stabilnih izotopa (vodika, ugljika, dušika, kisika i klora) kao alata za dobivanje važnih informacija o porijeklu onečišćujućih tvari, doprinosu različitih multikomponentnih onečišćivača, karakterizaciji njihova kompleksnog transporta (brzine i mehanizma) i praćenja uspjeha remedijacije onečišćenih mjesta. Izotopski sadržaji onečišćujućih tvari koriste se kao traseri za određivanje njihovih izvora, dok se izotopsko frakcioniranje može iskoristiti za kvantitativnu procjenu toka procesa kao što je biodegradacija. Takav nov izotopski pristup je pouzdan i nudi više informacija od tradicionalnih tehnika kontrole putovanja onečišćivala, napose nakon odlaganja opasnog otpada na zemljištu. Za vrijeme biodegradacije nekog organskog spoje molekule koje sadržavaju lake izotope lakše se degradiraju, a dio težih izotopa u supstratu se povećava, što upućuje na mikrobiološku ulogu u biokemijskom ciklusu. Kako je izotopsko frakcioniranje proporcionalno degradaciji zavisno od tipa onečišćenja, korištenjem podataka mjerenja izotopskih odnosa može se procijeniti mikrobiološka degradacija od 50 % do 99 % od početne koncentracije

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries