Tropical cyclone contribution to extreme rainfall over southwest Pacific Island nations

Southwest Pacific nations are among some of the worst impacted and most vulnerable globally in terms of tropical cyclone (TC)-induced flooding and accompanying risks. This study objectively quantifies the fractional contribution of TCs to extreme rainfall (hereafter, TC contributions) in the context of climate variability and change. We show that TC contributions to extreme rainfall are substantially enhanced during active phases of the Madden–Julian Oscillation and by El Niño conditions (particularly over the eastern southwest Pacific region); this enhancement is primarily attributed to increased TC activity during these event periods. There are also indications of increasing intensities of TC-induced extreme rainfall events over the past few decades. A key part of this work involves development of sophisticated Bayesian regression models for individual island nations in order to better understand the synergistic relationships between TC-induced extreme rainfall and combinations of various climatic drivers that modulate the relationship. Such models are found to be very useful for not only assessing probabilities of TC- and non-TC induced extreme rainfall events but also evaluating probabilities of extreme rainfall for cases with different underlying climatic conditions. For example, TC-induced extreme rainfall probability over Samoa can vary from ~ 95 to ~ 75% during a La Niña period, if it coincides with an active or inactive phase of the MJO, and can be reduced to ~ 30% during a combination of El Niño period and inactive phase of the MJO. Several other such cases have been assessed for different island nations, providing information that have potentially important implications for planning and preparing for TC risks in vulnerable Pacific Island nations. © 2021, The Author(s). *Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Anil Deo and Savin Chand” is provided in this record*

Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for Waste Incineration: Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control)

The Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document (BREF) for Waste Incineration is part of a series of documents presenting the results of an exchange of information between EU Member States, the industries concerned, non-governmental organisations promoting environmental protection, and the Commission, to draw up, review and – where necessary – update BAT reference documents as required by Article 13(1) of Directive 2010/75/EU on Industrial Emissions (the Directive). This document ispublished by the European Commission pursuant to Article 13(6) of the Directive. The BREF for Waste Incineration covers the disposal or recovery of waste in waste incineration plants and waste co-incineration plants, and the disposal or recovery of waste involving the treatment of slags and/or bottom ashes from the incineration of waste. Important issues for the implementation of Directive 2010/75/EU in the waste incineration (WI) sector include emissions to air, emissions to water, and the efficiency of the recovery of energy and of materials from the waste. Chapter 1 provides general information on the WI sector. Chapter 2 provides information on the common processes and general techniques that are applied across the WI sector for: the pre-treatment, storage and handling of different types of waste; the thermal treatment; energy recovery; flue-gas cleaning; waste water treatment; and the treatment of solid residues. Chapter 3 reports the current ranges of the emission and consumption levels reported in the WI sector. Techniques to consider in the determination of BAT (i.e. techniques that are widely applied in the WI sector) are reported in Chapter 4. Chapter 5 presents the BAT conclusions as defined in Article 3(12) of the Directive. Chapter 6 presents information on 'emerging techniques' as defined in Article 3(14) of the Directive. Chapter 7 contains concluding remarks and recommendations for future work.JRC.B.5-Circular Economy and Industrial Leadershi

Data representation and visualisation : breaking boundaries

If done well, knowledge exchange (KE), which is a key part of NERC strategy, allows the effective communication of science outputs to the wider community and can help inform policy and decision makers. The British Geological Survey has an in-house team responsible for the production of illustrations for a variety of web and hard copy publications that include scientific journals, presentations, BGS series publications and web delivery. There is a general move away from traditional printed output formats towards more innovative technologies, such as infographics and cartograms. These allow clear, memorable delivery of complex data in a visually distinctive format without the need for extensive prior or specialist knowledge of the subject. Infographics visually represent data in a graphical context, allowing users to instantly recognise the significance of the information. In contrast, cartograms use statistical and geographical data to distort the appearance of a map in relation to the variable that is being represented; scaling geographic areas by population density is an example of a cartogram. The popularity of these methods has encouraged to the development of ideas in conjunction with producing ‘traditional’ style illustrations. Preliminary testing of the concept and applicability of these delivery mechanisms has so far been investigated using data that was previously communicated in the form of tables and graphs. Initial designs of infographics and cartograms are being developed to form a portfolio showcasing the range of our capabilities. This form of data representation and visualisation is an effective way to increase the impact of NERC science with partner organisations and industry

Prescribing competency assessment for Canadian medical students: a pilot evaluation

Background: The knowledge and ability to prescribe safely and effectively is a core competency for every graduating medical student. Our previous research suggested concerns about medical student prescribing abilities, and interest in a standardized assessment process. Methods: A multi-year cross-sectional study evaluating the feasibility, acceptability, and discriminative ability of an online prescribing competency assessment for final year Canadian medical students was conducted. Students at nine sites of four Ontario medical schools were invited to participate in an online one-hour exam of eight domains related to prescribing safely. Student feedback on perceived fairness, clarity, and ease of use formed the primary outcome. Exam performance and parity between schools were the secondary outcome.  Results: A total of 714 students completed the assessment during spring final review courses between 2016 and 2018. Student feedback was more favourable than not for appropriateness of content (53.5% agreement vs 18.3% disagreement), clarity of questions (65.5% agreement vs 11.6% disagreement), question layout and presentation (70.8% agreement vs 12.2% disagreement), and ease of use of online interface (67.1% agreement vs 13.6% disagreement). Few (23.6% believed their course work had prepared them for the assessment. Mean total exam score was 70.0% overall (SD 10.4%), with 47.6% scoring at or above the pass threshold of 70%. Conclusion: Our prescribing competency assessment proved feasible, acceptable, and discriminative, and indicated a need for better medical school training to improve prescribing competency. Further evaluation in a larger sample of medical schools is warranted

Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the Production of Large Volume Organic Chemicals. Industrial Emissions Directive 2010/75/EU (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control)

The Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document (BREF) for the Production of Large Volume Organic Chemicals is part of series of documents presenting the results of an exchange of information between EU Member States, the industries concerned, non-governmental organisations promoting environmental protection, and the Commission, to draw up, review and – where necessary – update BAT reference documents as required by Article 13(1) of Directive 2010/78/EU on Industrial Emissions (the Directive). This document is published by the European Commission pursuant to Article 13(6) of the Directive. The BREF for the production of Large Volume Organic Chemicals concerns the production of the following organic chemicals, as specified in Section 4.1 of Annex I to Directive 2010/75/EU: a. simple hydrocarbons (linear or cyclic, saturated or unsaturated, aliphatic or aromatic); b. oxygen-containing hydrocarbons such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, esters and mixtures of esters, acetates, ethers, peroxides and epoxy resins; c. sulphurous hydrocarbons; d. nitrogenous hydrocarbons such as amines, amides, nitrous compounds, nitro compounds or nitrate compounds, nitriles, cyanates, isocyanates; e. phosphorus-containing hydrocarbons; f. halogenic hydrocarbons; g. organometallic compounds; k. surface-active agents and surfactants. This document also covers the production of hydrogen peroxide as specified in Section 4.2 (e) of Annex I to Directive 2010/75/EU; and the combustion of fuels in process furnaces/heaters, where this is part of the abovementioned activities. The production of the aforementioned chemicals is covered by this document when it is done in continuous processes where the total production capacity of those chemicals exceeds 20 kt/yr. While the main aim of the LVOC BREF is to facilitate reduction of emissions from chemical processes, other environmental issues - like energy efficiency, resource efficiency, wastes and residues - are also covered. This BREF contains 14 Chapters. Chapters 1 and 2 provide general information on the Large Volume Organics industrial sector and on generic industrial production processes used in this sector. Chapters 3 to 12 provide general information , applied processes and techniques, current emission and consumption levels, techniques to consider in determination of BAT and emerging techniques for various illustrative processes: lower olefins, aromatics, ethylbenzene and styrene, formaldehyde, ethylene oxide and ethylene glycols, phenol, ethanolamines, toluene diisocyanate and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride monomer and hydrogen peroxide. Chapter 13 presents BAT conclusions as defined in Article 3(12) of the Directive. Concluding remarks and recommendations for future work are presented in Chapter 14.JRC.B.5-Circular Economy and Industrial Leadershi

The role of positive selection in determining the molecular cause of species differences in disease

Related species, such as humans and chimpanzees, often experience the same disease with varying degrees of pathology, as seen in the cases of Alzheimer's disease, or differing symptomatology as in AIDS. Furthermore, certain diseases such as schizophrenia, epithelial cancers and autoimmune disorders are far more frequent in humans than in other species for reasons not associated with lifestyle. Genes that have undergone positive selection during species evolution are indicative of functional adaptations that drive species differences. Thus we investigate whether biomedical disease differences between species can be attributed to positively selected genes

How to ask sensitive questions in conservation: A review of specialized questioning techniques

Tools for social research are critical for developing an understanding of conservation problems and assessing the feasibility of conservation actions. Social surveys are an essential tool frequently applied in conservation to assess both people’s behaviour and to understand its drivers. However, little attention has been given to the weaknesses and strengths of different survey tools. When topics of conservation concern are illegal or otherwise sensitive, data collected using direct questions are likely to be affected by non-response and social desirability biases, reducing their validity. These sources of bias associated with using direct questions on sensitive topics have long been recognised in the social sciences but have been poorly considered in conservation and natural resource management. We reviewed specialized questioning techniques developed in a number of disciplines specifically for investigating sensitive topics. These methods ensure respondent anonymity, increase willingness to answer, and critically, make it impossible to directly link incriminating data to an individual. We describe each method and report their main characteristics, such as data requirements, possible data outputs, availability of evidence that they can be adapted for use in illiterate communities, and summarize their main advantages and disadvantages. Recommendations for their application in conservation are given. We suggest that the conservation toolbox should be expanded by incorporating specialized questioning techniques, developed specifically to increase response accuracy. By considering the limitations of each survey technique, we will ultimately contribute to more effective evaluations of conservation interventions and more robust policy decisions

Health-related quality of life in adult survivors of childhood Wilms tumor or neuroblastoma: A report from the childhood cancer survivor study

Background Long-term survivors of Wilms tumor and neuroblastoma may experience significant late adverse effects from their disease and its therapy. Little is known, however, about the health-related quality of life experienced by these survivors. Procedure Health-related quality of life, measured by the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), was assessed from self-report in adult survivors of Wilms tumor (N = 654) and neuroblastoma (N = 432) who participated in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study. Results More than 90% of the study population was 18–34 years old at interview, and 58% were females. There was no significant difference on any SF-36 subscale or summary scale between the two diagnostic groups. On average, survivors reported no decrement on the Physical Component Summary scale of the SF-36 when compared to population norms. However, both groups scored significantly below the population mean score (50) on the Mental Component Summary Scale of the SF-36 (Wilms tumor mean = 41.66, standard error = 2.19, P  < 0.0001; neuroblastoma mean = 42.41, standard error = 2.23, P  < 0.0001) reflecting decreased emotional health. Independent risk factors for lower scores on this scale included female gender, Native American race, unemployment, and household income below $20,000. Conclusions Adult survivors of childhood Wilms tumor and neuroblastoma do not differ from population norms on most health-related quality of life (HRQL) measures. These data, however, indicate that the emotional well being of adult survivors may be compromised. Health care providers should be aware of the risk of adverse outcomes in emotional health even many years after treatment and cure. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2007;49:704–715. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/56166/1/20949_ftp.pd

Olfactory Nomenclature: An Orchestrated Effort to Clarify Terms and Definitions of Dysosmia, Anosmia, Hyposmia, Normosmia, Hyperosmia, Olfactory Intolerance, Parosmia, and Phantosmia/Olfactory Hallucination

BACKGROUND: Definitions are essential for effective communication and discourse, particularly in science. They allow the shared understanding of a thought or idea, generalization of knowledge, and comparison across scientific investigation. The current terms describing olfactory dysfunction are vague and overlapping. SUMMARY: As a group of clinical olfactory researchers, we propose the standardization of the terms "dysosmia," "anosmia," "hyposmia," "normosmia," "hyperosmia," "olfactory intolerance," "parosmia," and "phantosmia" (or "olfactory hallucination") in olfaction-related communication, with specific definitions in this text. KEY MESSAGES: The words included in this paper were determined as those which are most frequently used in the context of olfactory function and dysfunction, in both clinical and research settings. Despite widespread use in publications, however, there still exists some disagreement in the literature regarding the definitions of terms related to olfaction. Multiple overlapping and imprecise terms that are currently in use are confusing and hinder clarity and universal understanding of these concepts. There is a pressing need to have a unified agreement on the definitions of these olfactory terms by researchers working in the field of chemosensory sciences. With the increased interest in olfaction, precise use of these terms will improve the ability to integrate and advance knowledge in this field