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The Generalized Linear Autoregressive Moving Average (GLARMA) model has been used in epidemiological studies to evaluate the impact of air pollutants on health. Due to the nature of the data, a robust approach for the GLARMA model is proposed here based on the robustification of the quasi-likelihood function. Outlying observations are bounded separately by weight functions on covariates and the Huber loss function on the response variable. Some technical issues related to the robust approach are discussed and a Monte Carlo study revealed that the robust approach is more reliable than the classic one for contaminated data with additive outliers. The real data analysis investigates the impact of PM 10 in the number of deaths by respiratory diseases in Vitória, Brazil.   • A robust approach based on robust quasi-likelihood for the GLARMA model is proposed. • Outlying observations on the covariates and response variable are bounded separately. • Robust method performs better on contaminated data than the classic on simulations. • An application examines pollutants' impact on respiratory deaths in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new counting time series model is proposed. • The model has a periodic and seasonal autoregressive structure. • The conditional quasi-maximum likelihood method is used to estimate the parameters. • The consistency and asymptotic normality of the estimators are fully established. • Simulations and an application are discussed. This paper introduces a new class of models for non-negative integer-valued time series with a periodic and seasonal autoregressive structure. Some properties of the model are discussed and the conditional quasi-maximum likelihood method is used to estimate the parameters. The consistency and asymptotic normality of the estimators are established. Their performances are investigated for finite sample sizes and the empirical results indicate that the method gives accurate estimates. The proposed model is applied to analyse the daily number of antibiotic dispensing medication for the treatment of respiratory diseases, registered in a health center of Vitória, Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Placement of ventriculoperitoneal shunts (VPS) can be challenging in children with previous VPS, previous abdominal surgery, or complex abdominal pathology. Laparoscopy can help identify intra-abdominal adhesions and determine the optimal site for insertion of the distal VPS catheter. We analyzed the feasibility and safety of laparoscopy assisted VPS placement (lapVPS) in children. A retrospective review from January/2015 to December/2018 was performed. Laparoscopy was performed via a 5 mm trans-umbilical port. Once the optimal entry site was identified, the distal end of the VPS was inserted by Seldinger technique under direct laparoscopic guidance. One hundred ten lapVPS procedures were reviewed. Median age was 1 (IQR 0.3–9.37) year. Fifty-five (50%) patients were < 1 year, and 15 (13.6%) were ≤ 28 days old. The mean age of the neonates was 14.7 (SD 7.6, range 4–28) days, and the mean weight was 3 (SD 0.39, range 2.4–3.7) kg. Thirty-one (28.2%) lapVPS were initial VPS placements, whereas 79 (71.8%) were subsequent VPS placements. Thirty-nine (35.5%) patients had a history of abdominal surgery or complex abdominal pathology. Median operative time was 36 (IQR 28–56) minutes. One hundred seven (97.3%) patients underwent successful lapVPS. Two (1.8%) patients underwent diagnostic laparoscopy, and lapVPS was deemed infeasible due to intraabdominal adhesions. One (0.9%) patient had an intestinal perforation from trocar placement. Three patients developed 5 postoperative complications that required a reoperation. Laparoscopy is a valuable tool to assess the suitability of the peritoneal cavity to accommodate a VPS. LapVPS is safe and can be performed in children of all ages. Level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thoracic duct (TD) outflow obstruction causes high morbidity and mortality in newborns. It can be congenital/idiopathic or acquired (secondary to central venous thrombosis or injury during cardiothoracic surgery). Re-routing the TD to the venous system by microsurgical techniques to restore lymphatic flow is a potential surgical solution. We present a series of newborns and infants who underwent thoracic duct-to-vein anastomosis (TDVA) to restore TD outflow. A retrospective review of all TDVA September 2015–March 2019 was performed. All patients underwent extensive pre-operative imaging evaluation by dynamic MRI and fluoroscopic lymphangiography. The TDVAs were done under high-power microscopy. Eight patients underwent TDVA. Age at surgery was 1 to 9 months. Four patients had a history of cardiac surgery (one with complete thrombosis of the central venous system), one patient had a history of ECMO and thrombosis of the SVC, and three patients had a history of fetal hydrothorax and non-immune hydrops. Six patients had a successful TDVA with restoration of the lymphatic flow through the TD and clinical improvement. Two patients had a technically adequate TDVA but without improvement of the flow due to persistently high central venous pressure. Five patients remain alive, two patients died from complications of the lymphatic disorder, and one patient died from an unrelated cause. Patients with congenital or acquired TD outlet obstruction for whom no improvement is achieved by non-surgical interventions may benefit from TDVA. A thorough understanding of the anatomy and physiology of each patient is critical for the success of the operation. Level IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse childhood experiences and bullying are factors associated with an increased risk of harmful outcomes to the physical and mental health of adolescents, which may affect their resilience. This study analyzed the association between exposure to childhood adversities and bullying behaviors in late adolescence. The study included adolescents in the 15–19 age range, enrolled in high schools located in a metropolitan region of Brazil. School-based epidemiological survey with a sample of 2293 students, stratified by municipality of school location, with data collected between 2016 and 2017. Descriptive and inferential statistics were obtained through two instruments: Questionnaire on the History of Adversity in Childhood and Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire in adapted versions. A high percentage of students were exposed to at least one childhood adversity (89.9%). Among those exposed, 56.6% experienced one to three adversities and 33.3%, from four to ten adversities. The results showed that victims of bullying were more likely to have been exposed to childhood adversities (OR = 9.8, 95%CI = 5.94–16.10), as did the aggressors (OR = 5.8, 95%CI = 3.64–9.17). Students involved in bullying (victims and aggressors) were more likely to have been exposed to adversity during childhood. These findings highlight the need to address the causes of violence in order to provide healthy and safe development for children and adolescents, preventing negative outcomes to physical and mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper considers the factor modelling for high-dimensional time series contaminated by additive outliers. We propose a robust variant of the estimation method given in Lam and Yao [10]. The estimator of the number of factors is obtained by an eigen analysis of a robust non-negative definite covariance matrix. Asymptotic properties of the robust eigenvalues are derived and we show that the resulting estimators have the same convergence rates as those found for the standard eigenvalues estimators. Simulations are carried out to analyse the finite sample size performance of the robust estimator of the number of factors under the scenarios of multivariate time series with and without additive outliers. As an application, the robust factor analysis is performed to reduce the dimensionality of the data and, therefore, to identify the pollution behaviour of the pollutant PM 10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 9 February 2014, embers from a nearby grass/shrub fire spotted into an unused part of the Hazelwood open-cut brown coal mine located in the Latrobe Valley of Victoria, Australia and started a fire that spread rapidly and extensively throughout the mine under strong south-westerly winds and burned over a period of 45 days. The close proximity of the town to the coal mine and the low buoyancy of the smoke plume led to the accumulation of dense smoke levels in the township of Morwell (population of 14,000) particularly under south-westerly winds. A maximum daily PM 2.5 concentration of 731 μg m −3 and 8-h CO concentration of 33 ppm were measured at Morwell South, the closest residential area located approximately 500 m from the mine. These concentrations were significantly higher than national air quality standards. Air quality monitoring undertaken in the Latrobe Valley showed that smoke from the Hazelwood mine fire affected a wide area, with particle air quality standards also exceeded in Traralgon (population of 25,000) located approximately 13 km from the mine. Pollutant levels were significantly elevated in February, decreased in March once the fire abated and then returned to background levels once the fire was declared safe at the end of March. While the smoke extent was of a similar order of magnitude to other major air pollution events worldwide, a closer look at emissions ratios showed that the open combustion of lignite brown coal in the Hazelwood mine was different to open combustion of biomass, including peat. It suggested that the dominant combustion process was char combustion. While particle and carbon monoxide monitoring started approximately 4 days after the fire commenced when smoke levels were very high, targeted monitoring of air toxics only began on 26 February (17 days after the fire) when smoke levels had subsided. Limited research on emission factors from open-cut coal mine fires make it difficult to assess the likely concentrations of air toxics emitted during the initial more intense period of the fire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper considers the possibility that the daily average Particulate Matter (PM10) concentration is a seasonal fractionally integrated process with time-dependent variance (volatility). In this context, one convenient extension is to consider the SARFIMA model (Reisen et al., 2006a,b) with GARCH type innovations. The model is theoretically justified and its usefulness is corroborated with the application to PM10 concentration in the city of Cariacica, ES (Brazil). The fractional estimates evidenced that the series is stationary in the mean level and it has long-memory phenomenon in the long-run and, also, in the seasonal periods. A non-constant variance property was also found in the data. These interesting features observed in the PM10 concentration supports the use of a more sophisticated time series model structure, that is, a model that encompasses both time series properties seasonal long-memory and conditional variance. The adjusted model well captured the dynamics in the series. The out-of-sample forecast intervals were improved by considering heteroscedastic errors and they were able to capture the periods of more volatility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the Huon Valley, Tasmania, current public perception is that smoke from regeneration burning is the principal cause of pollution events in autumn. These events lead to exceedences of national air quality standards and to significant health impacts on the rural population. To date there is little data on the significance of the impact. The aim of the study was to quantitatively assess the seasonal atmospheric particle loadings in the Huon Valley and determine the impact of smoke pollution. The study monitored fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM10) particle concentrations and their chemical composition at two locations in the Huon Valley, Geeveston, an urban site and Grove, a rural site, between March 2009 and November 2010. The monitoring program clearly showed that biomass burning was a significant source of PM2.5 in the Huon Valley, leading to exceedences of the 24 h PM2.5 Ambient Air Quality National Environment Protection Measures advisory standard on a number of occasions. Significant increases of PM2.5 concentrations above background occurred during periods of prescribed burning as well as during the winter season. Although the intensity of emissions from prescribed burns (PB) and residential woodheaters (WH) was similar, emissions from WH were the largest source of PM2.5, with a contribution of 77% to the ambient PM2.5 load compared to an 11% contribution from PB. The results have also shown a greater impact on air quality at the urban site than at the rural site, indicating that PM2.5 concentrations are primarily influenced by localised sources rather than by regional pollution. The potential impact on local residents of the high PM concentrations during the PB and WH season was assessed. WH pollution is largely a persistent night-time issue in contrast to PB events which generally occur during the day and are of short duration. Due to the long persistence of high PM concentrations in winter, indoor PM concentrations are unlikely to be substantially lower than outdoor ones. However plume strikes are usually of shorter duration and therefore it may be possible to avoid exposure to PB events by remaining indoors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a master regulator of cellular antioxidant defense systems, and activation of this transcription factor is a promising strategy for protection of skin and other organs from environmental insults. To identify efficient Nrf2 activators in keratinocytes, we combined a chemical library screen with computer-based virtual screening. Among 14 novel Nrf2 activators, the most potent compound, a nitrophenyl derivative of 2-chloro-5-nitro-N-phenyl- benzamide, was characterized with regard to its molecular mechanism of action. This compound induced the expression of cytoprotective genes in keratinocytes isolated from wild-type but not from Nrf2-deficient mice. Most importantly, it showed low toxicity and protected primary human keratinocytes from UVB-induced cell death. Therefore, it represents a potential lead compound for the development of drugs for skin protection under stress conditions. Our study demonstrates that chemical library screening combined with advanced computational similarity searching is a powerful strategy for identification of bioactive compounds, and it points toward an innovative therapeutic approach against UVB-induced skin damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In rural towns of southern Australia, smoke from biomass burning such as prescribed burning of forests, wildfires and stubble burning is often claimed to be the major source of air pollution. To investigate the validity of this claim, ambient measurements of PM2.5 and ozone were made in two rural locations in southern Australia between 2006 and 2008. In order to distinguish PM2.5 associated with smoke from other sources of particulate pollution, PM2.5 samples were analysed for specific smoke tracers, levoglucosan, non sea-salt potassium (nssK+) and oxalate. Monitoring was also undertaken in four homes to determine the extent to which ambient pollutants from prescribed burning penetrate indoors into houses. Monitoring clearly showed that, on occasions, air quality in rural areas is significantly affected by smoke from biomass combustion with PM2.5 showing the greatest impact. Concentrations of PM2.5 increased significantly above background levels at both sites during periods of wildfire and prescribed fire leading to exceedences of the 24-h PM2.5 Air National Environment Protection Measure (NEPM) Advisory standard. The 1-h and 4-h ozone NEPM standards were exceeded only during protracted forest wildfires. The impact of prescribed burning on the indoor air quality of residences depended on the duration of the smoke event and the ventilation rate of the houses. During short-duration events indoor air quality was determined by household activities. During events that persisted for several days, indoor air quality was determined by external conditions coupled with management of household ventilation rate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Firefighters are exposed to known health-damaging air pollutants present in bushfire smoke and poorly managed exposure can result in serious health issues. A better understanding of exposure levels and the major factors influencing exposures is crucial for the development of mitigation strategies to minimise exposure risks and adverse health impacts. This study monitored air toxics within the breathing zone of firefighters at prescribed burns and at wildfires in Australia. The results showed that exposure levels were highly variable, with higher exposures (sometimes exceeding occupational exposure standards) associated with particular work tasks (such as patrol and suppression) and with certain burn conditions. The majority of firefighter''s exposures were at low and moderate levels (~60%), however considerable attention should be given to the high (~30%) and very high (6%) exposure risk situations for which acute and chronic health risks are very likely and for which control strategies should be developed and implemented to minimise health risks. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Bushfire fighting is a hazardous occupation and control strategies are generally in place to minimize the hazards. However, little is known regarding firefighters' exposure to bushfire smoke, which is a complex mixture of toxic gases and particles. In Australia, during the prescribed burning season, firefighters are likely to be exposed on a regular basis to bushfire smoke, but whether these exposures affect health has yet to be determined. There are a number of factors that govern whether exposure to smoke will result in short-term and/or long-term health problems, including the concentrations of air pollutants within the breathing zone of the firefighter, the exposure duration, and health susceptibility of the individual, especially for pre-existing lung or heart disease. This paper presents measurements of firefighters' personal exposure to bushfire smoke, the first step within a risk management framework. It provides crucial information on the magnitude, extent and frequency of personal exposure to bushfire smoke for a range of typical scenarios. It is found that the primary air toxics of concern are carbon monoxide (CO), respirable particles and formaldehyde. Also, work activity is a major factor influencing exposure with exposure standards (both average and short-term limits) likely to be exceeded for activities such as suppression of spot fires, holding the fireline, and patrolling at the edge of a burn area in the urban–rural interface. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Naphthalene and alkylnaphthalenes are abundant semi-volatile polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in ambient air as a result of emissions from combustion sources. At ambient temperatures, these PAHs can undergo atmospheric gas-phase reactions with hydroxyl (OH) radicals. We report here on environmental chamber reactions simulating ambient photooxidation of volatilized diesel fuel PAHs and demonstrate for the first time that dimethylnitronaphthalenes and/or ethylnitronaphthalenes identified as formed from the OH radical-initiated reactions of alkyl-PAHs present in diesel fuel are also present in ambient air samples collected in Southern California. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the developing countries' economics of foreign investments regulations for pension funds. Details on the pension funds being fully funded; Impact of global portfolio diversification on developing countries' pension assets; Discussion on the financial development of the restrictions of foreign investment by domestic pension funds.

As well known, Particulate matter (PM) is an air pollutant that causes damage to the health of humans, other animals, plants, affects the climate and is a potential cause of annoyance through deposition on various surfaces. The perceived annoyance caused by particulate matter is related mainly to the increase of settled dust in urban and residential environments. PM can originate from many sources, i.e., paved and unpaved roads, buildings, agricultural operations and wind erosion represent the largest contributions beyond the relatively minor vehicular and industrial sources emissions. The aim of this paper is to quantify the relationship between perceived annoyance and particulate matter concentration and to estimate the relative risk (RR). The data was collected in the Metropolitan Region of Vitoria (MRV), Brazil. For this purpose, the variables of interest were modelled using vector time series model (VAR), principal component analysis (PCA), and logistic regression (LOG). The combination of these techniques resulted in a hybrid model denoted as LOG-PCA-VAR which allows to estimate RR by handling multipollutant effects. This study shows that there is a strong association between the perceived annoyance and different sizes of PM. The estimates of RR indicate that an increase in air pollutant concentrations significantly contributes in increasing the probability of being annoyed. Image 1 • Particulate matter is an air pollutant that causes damage to the health of humans. • Association between air pollutants and annoyance is interest in many studies. • The combination of statistical tools is a new contribution in this methodology. • The relative risk (RR) is computed for all methods considered. • Even low particles deposition induces high levels of nuisance reported in Vitória. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of a structured subdermic implant training program on healthcare providers and its effect on the integration of this contraceptive method into patient counselling. The study was a longitudinal experiment with an intervention group, assessing changes at three points: before the training, immediately after, and six months later. The training consisted of a four-hour session combining theory and practical application, conducted by experts in contraception. Out of the participants, 376 healthcare professionals (a 34.3% response rate) completed the training and subsequent questionnaires. Post-training, there was an increase in the inclusion of the implant in contraceptive advice and a rise in the monthly number of implants. Knowledge about the implant, including insertion, positioning, removal, and replacement, significantly improved after six months (p<0.05), particularly among general practitioners. The training program successfully enhanced knowledge and handling of the contraceptive implant, leading to its increased recommendation by healthcare providers and selection by patients. Theoretical and practical training in contraception should be compulsory for healthcare providers involved in contraceptive counselling. A training program that includes lectures, video material, and hands-on demonstrations is effective for developing skills in administering the subdermic implant and its integration into contraceptive counselling. Such training should be regular and required for all healthcare professionals providing contraceptive advice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

West Nile virus (WNV) remains an important public health problem causing annual epidemics in the United States. Grubaugh et al . observed that WNV genetic divergence is dependent on the vector mosquito species. This suggests that specific WNV vector–bird species pairings may generate novel genotypes that could promote outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air quality standards for settleable particulate matter (SPM) are found in many countries around the world. As well known, annoyance caused by SPM can be considered a community problem even if only a small proportion of the population is bothered at rather infrequent occasions. Many authors have shown that SPM cause soiling in residential and urban environments and degradation of materials (eg, objects and surface painting) that can impair the use and enjoyment of property and alter the normal activities of society. In this context, this paper has as main contribution to propose a guidance to establish air quality standards for annoyance caused by SPM in metropolitan industrial areas. To attain this objective, a new methodology is proposed which is based on the nonlinear correlation between the perceived annoyance (qualitative variable) and particles deposition rate (quantitative variable). Since the response variable is binary (annoyed and not annoyed), the logistic regression model is used to estimate the probability of people being annoyed at different levels of particles deposition rate and to compute the odds ratio function which gives, under a specific level of particles deposition rate, the estimated expected value of the population perceived annoyance. The proposed methodology is verified in a data set measured in the metropolitan area of Great Vitória, Espirito Santo, Brazil. As a general conclusion, the estimated probability function of perceived annoyance as a function of SPM has shown that 17% of inhabitants report annoyance to very low particles deposition levels of 5 g/(m 2 ∙30 days). In addition, for an increasing of 1 g/(m 2 ∙30 days) of SPM, the smallest estimated odds ratio of perceived annoyance by a factor of 1.5, implying that the probability of occurrence is almost 2 times as large as the probability of no occurrence of annoyance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2014 fire in the Hazelwood open-cut mine of brown coal, located in the State of Victoria (Australia), burned for 45 days. The fire sent dense smoke over the nearby town of Morwell and beyond, resulting in one of the worst air quality incidents in Victoria. Precision air monitoring of PM 2.5 (particulate matter 2.5 μm or less in diameter) and carbon monoxide (CO), which has been reported previously, started a few days after the fire at two locations in Morwell and measured PM 2.5 levels up to 19 times higher than the 24-h Australian air quality standard. Because of the sparseness of the monitors and the fact that the fire was most intense prior to the start of the air monitoring, it is likely that the smoke concentrations in Morwell were even greater than measured. Thus, the concentration measurements are insufficient in time and space for a comprehensive study of exposure and health impacts due to the smoke. We reconstruct the hourly spatial distributions of smoke (as represented by PM 2.5 and CO) in and around Morwell by first developing a rigorous methodology for estimating the fire emissions, and then using them in a high-resolution prognostic meteorological and dispersion model with local wind data assimilation and an appropriate plume rise mechanism. Larger-scale modelling is also conducted to estimate the background concentrations without the mine fire. The model simulates the number of observed exceedances and the observed maximum concentrations exceeding the air quality standards for both PM 2.5 and CO within a factor of 2. At the monitor south of Morwell near the fire, the model predicts hourly PM 2.5 and CO concentrations as high as 3730 μg m−3 and 58.6 ppm, respectively, in the early phase of the fire; these levels are much higher than those recorded by the subsequent air monitoring. The modelled PM 2.5 fields are being used by other researchers to estimate the impact of smoke exposure on health outcomes in the local community. • Smoke from an open-cut coal mine fire burning for 45 days seriously impacted a nearby town population. • A modelling methodology is formulated and tested to reconstruct the fire emissions, and the resulting PM 2.5 and CO fields. • The results indicate very high smoke levels and several exceedances of the national air quality standards for PM 2.5 and CO. • The modelled smoke fields are being used by other researchers in epidemiological studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding exposure to air pollution during extreme events such as fire emergencies is critical for assessing their potential health impacts. However, air pollution emergencies often affect places without a network of air quality monitoring and characterising exposure retrospectively is methodologically challenging due to the complex behaviour of smoke and other air pollutants. Here we test the potential of roof cavity (attic) dust to act as a robust household-level exposure proxy, using a major air pollution event associated with a coal mine fire in the Latrobe Valley, Australia, as an illustrative study. To assess the relationship between roof cavity dust composition and mine fire exposure, we analysed the elemental and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon composition of roof cavity dust (<150μm) from 39 homes along a gradient of exposure to the mine fire plume. These homes were grouped into 12 zones along this exposure gradient: eight zones across Morwell, where mine fire impacts were greatest, and four in other Latrobe Valley towns at increasing distance from the fire. We identified two elements—barium and magnesium—as 'chemical markers' that show a clear and theoretically grounded relationship with the brown coal mine fire plume exposure. This relationship is robust to the influence of plausible confounders and contrasts with other, non-mine fire related elements, which showed distinct and varied distributional patterns. We conclude that targeted components of roof cavity dust can be a useful empirical marker of household exposure to severe air pollution events and their use could support epidemiological studies by providing spatially-resolved exposure estimates post-event. Image 1 • Understanding exposures during disasters is key for potential health impacts. • We tested roof cavity dust as a robust household-level exposure proxy. • Targeted components of roof cavity dust can be a useful marker of exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Environmental cycling of the toxic metal mercury (Hg) is ubiquitous, and still not completely understood. Volatilisation and emission of mercury from vegetation, litter and soil during burning represents a significant return pathway for previously-deposited atmospheric mercury. Rates of such emission vary widely across ecosystems as they are dependent on species-specific uptake of atmospheric mercury as well as fire return frequencies. Wildfire burning in Australia is currently thought to contribute between 1 and 5% of the global total of mercury emissions, yet no modelling efforts to date have utilised local mercury emission factors (mass of emitted mercury per mass of dry fuel) or local mercury emission ratios (ratio of emitted mercury to another emitted species, typically carbon monoxide). Here we present laboratory and field investigations into mercury emission from burning of surface fuels in dry sclerophyll forests, native to the temperate south-eastern region of Australia. From laboratory data we found that fire behaviour — in particular combustion phase — has a large influence on mercury emission and hence emission ratios. Further, emission of mercury was predominantly in gaseous form with particulate-bound mercury representing <1% of total mercury emission. Importantly, emission factors and emission ratios with respect to carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, from both laboratory and field data all show that gaseous mercury emission from biomass burning in Australian dry sclerophyll forests is currently overestimated by around 60%. Based on these results, we recommend a mercury emission factor of 28.7 ± 8.1 μ g Hg kg−1 dry fuel, and emission ratio of gaseous elemental mercury relative to carbon monoxide of 0.58 ± 0.01 × 10−7, for estimation of mercury release from the combustion of Australian dry sclerophyll litter. Highlights • Wildfire mercury release from eucalypt forests is currently overestimated by 60%. • Under natural wildfire fuel moistures, 99% of release is elemental mercury. • Fire progression impacts heavily; most mercury is released during flaming stage. • Recommended emission ratio for GEM/CO is 0.58 ± 0.01 × 10−7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Integrins are a family of cell surface receptors well-recognized for their therapeutic potential in a wide range of diseases. However, the development of integrin targeting medications has been impacted by unexpected downstream effects, reflecting originally unforeseen interference with the bidirectional signalling and cross-communication of integrins. We here selected one of the most severely affected target integrins, the integrin lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1, α L β 2 , CD11a/CD18), as a prototypic integrin to systematically assess and overcome these known shortcomings. We employed a two-tiered ligand-based virtual screening approach to identify a novel class of allosteric small molecule inhibitors targeting this integrin's αI domain. The newly discovered chemical scaffold was derivatized, yielding potent bis-and tris-aryl-bicyclic-succinimides which inhibit LFA-1 in vitro at low nanomolar concentrations. The characterisation of these compounds in comparison to earlier LFA-1 targeting modalities established that the allosteric LFA-1 inhibitors (i) are devoid of partial agonism, (ii) selectively bind LFA-1 versus other integrins, (iii) do not trigger internalization of LFA-1 itself or other integrins and (iv) display oral availability. This profile differentiates the new generation of allosteric LFA-1 inhibitors from previous ligand mimetic-based LFA-1 inhibitors and anti-LFA-1 antibodies, and is projected to support novel immune regulatory regimens selectively targeting the integrin LFA-1. The rigorous computational and experimental assessment schedule described here is designed to be adaptable to the preclinical discovery and development of novel allosterically acting compounds targeting integrins other than LFA-1, providing an exemplary approach for the early characterisation of next generation integrin inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Weekly paclitaxel/carboplatin might improve survival in platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). We compared efficacy of first-line weekly to three-weekly paclitaxel/cis- or carboplatin (PCw and PC3w) induction therapy, followed by either three or six PC3w cycles. Patients and methods In this multicentre, randomised phase III trial with 2×2 design, patients with FIGO stage IIb–IV EOC were randomised to six cycles PCw (paclitaxel 90 mg/m 2 , cisplatin 70 mg/m 2 or carboplatin AUC 4) or three cycles PC3w (paclitaxel 175 mg/m 2 , cisplatin 75 mg/m 2 or carboplatin AUC 6), followed by either three or six cycles PC3w. Primary endpoints were progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were response rate (RR) and toxicity. Results Of 267 eligible patients, 133 received PCw and 134 PC3w. The first 105 patients received cisplatin, after protocol amendment the subsequent 162 patients received carboplatin. Weekly cisplatin was less well tolerated than weekly carboplatin. All PC3w cycles were well tolerated. At the end of all treatments, RR was 90.8% with no differences between the treatment arms. After a follow-up of median 10.3 years (range 7.1–14.8), median PFS was 18.5 (95% confidence interval (CI) 15.9–21.0) months for PCw and 16.4 (95% CI 13.5–19.2) months for PC3w ( p = 0.78). Median OS was 44.8 (95% CI 33.1–56.5) months for PCw and 41.1 (95% CI 34.4–47.7) months for PC3w ( p = 0.98). Conclusions There was no benefit in terms of OS, PFS or RR for a weekly regimen nor for extended chemotherapy as first-line treatment for EOC in European patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The periplasmic chaperone and serine protease HtrA is important for bacterial stress responses and protein quality control. Recently, we discovered that HtrA from Helicobacter pylori is secreted and cleaves E-cadherin to disrupt the epithelial barrier, but it remained unknown whether this maybe a general virulence mechanism. Here, we show that important other pathogens including enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, and Campylobacter jejuni, but not Neisseria gonorrhoeae, cleaved E-cadherin on host cells. HtrA deletion in C. jejuni led to severe defects in E-cadherin cleavage, loss of cell adherence, paracellular transmigration, and basolateral invasion. Computational modeling of HtrAs revealed a conserved pocket in the active center exhibiting pronounced proteolytic activity. Differential E-cadherin cleavage was determined by an alanine-to-glutamine exchange in the active center of neisserial HtrA. These data suggest that HtrA-mediated E-cadherin cleavage is a prevalent pathogenic mechanism of multiple Gram-negative bacteria representing an attractive novel target for therapeutic intervention to combat bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Altering lignin biosynthesis through genetic approaches impacts the digestibility of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in ruminant systems. Field-grown alfalfa lines engineered for reduced caffeic acid 3-O-ethyltransferase (COMT), caffeoyl CoA 3-O-methyltransferase (CCOMT), and their respective non-transformed controls were harvested four times, and samples incubated with or without tannic acid using a DAISYII Incubator and in vitro gas production methods. Lignin content was reduced in transformed lines compared with their non-transformed counterpart (P<0.05). Lignin content was reduced by 13% and 24% in CCOMT and COMT, respectively, compared with the corresponding controls. In vitro gas production measurements of the down-regulated lignin lines increased 6% and 14% gas production at 72h in CCOMT and COMT lines, respectively, compared with their respective controls. These data were consistent with in vitro dry matter digestibility data at 24h, which showed 4% and 16% higher digestibility for CCOMT and COMT, respectively, compared with their respective controls. COMTNULL had lower (P<0.05) dry matter digestibility at all incubation times compared with the other three lines. COMT was superior in dry matter digestibility compared with its non-transformed counterpart (COMTNULL) (P<0.05) but the difference in dry matter digestibility between CCOMT and CCOMTNULL was not significant (P>0.05). The 8h in vitro gas production was higher in COMT than its respective non-transformed control (P<0.001). The two down regulated lines yielded higher gas production at 72h incubation compared with their respective controls (P<0.001). COMT was superior in 72h gas production compared with CCOMT (P<0.001). The extent of gas production was improved in the low lignin lines by the addition of tannic acid, suggesting a potential benefit of combining these traits. The potential benefits of the down-regulated lignin trait in alfalfa and the interactions with tannin compounds in vitro systems need to be validated using animal feeding studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) biomass was evaluated for biochemical conversion into ethanol using dilute-acid and ammonia pretreatments. The two alfalfa lines compared were a reduced S-lignin transgenic cultivar generated through down regulation of the caffeic acid O-methyltransferase gene and a wild-type control. Both were harvested at two maturities. All the samples had similar carbohydrate contents including a mean composition of 316g glucan and 497g total neutral carbohydrates per kg dry biomass, which corresponds to a theoretic ethanol yield of 382l/ton. Ethanol yields for alfalfa stems pretreated with dilute-acid were significantly impacted by harvest maturity and lignin composition, whereas when pretreated with dilute-ammonia, yield was solely affected by lignin composition. Use of a recombinant xylose-fermenting Saccharomyces strain, for converting the ammonia pretreated alfalfa samples, further increased ethanol yields. Ethanol yields for the xylose-fermenting yeast were 232–278l/ton and were significantly enhanced for the reduced S lignin cultivars. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Jamestown Canyon (JC) and Saint Louis encephalitis (SLE) viruses are mosquito-transmitted viruses that have long been present in California. The objective of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of these two viruses in horses prior to the introduction of West Nile (WN) virus. Approximately 15% of serum samples collected in 1998 from 425 horses on 44 equine operations horses throughout California had serum antibodies to JC virus, whereas antibodies were not detected to SLE virus. The results indicate that horses in California were commonly infected prior to 1998 with mosquito-transmitted Bunyaviruses that are identical or closely related to JC virus, but not with SLE virus. The different seroprevalence of SLE and JC viruses in horses likely reflects the unique ecology of each virus, and it is predicted that WN virus will have a wider distribution in California than closely related SLE virus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]