New approach needed to save Australia’s non-perennial rivers

FLINDERS UNIVERSITY

Non-perennial rivers, which stop flowing at some point each year, dominate surface water movement across Australia, yet monitoring the continued health of these vital waterways demands a new type of research attention.

More than 70% of this nation’s rivers are non-perennial due to a combination of ancient landscape, dry climates, highly variable rainfall regimes, and human interventions that have altered riverine environments.

An extensive review of current research incorporating geomorphology, hydrology, biogeochemistry, ecology and Indigenous knowledges identifies prevailing factors that shape water and energy flows in Australia’s non-perennial rivers – but the review also points to research deficiencies that must be addressed if these river systems are to be preserved and protected.

“Australia relies on our rivers, and has a strong history of research to understand river flows and ecosystems and the human impacts on them. Now, we must address emerging threats to river systems due to climate change and other anthropogenic impacts,” says lead author of the review, Dr Margaret Shanafield, from Flinders University’s College of Science and Engineering.

“We have to work together to tackle emerging threats to our rivers. If we are going to plug gaps in existing knowledge, which this review identifies, then a new style of inter-disciplinary scientific research is necessary to achieve the required outcomes.”

While dominant research themes in Australia focus on drought, floods, salinity, dryland ecology and water management, four other areas of research attention are urgently needed, namely:

• • Integrating Indigenous and western scientific knowledge;
• • Quantifying climate change impacts on hydrological and biological function;
• • Clarifying the meaning and measurement of “restoration” of non-perennial systems;
• • Understanding the role of groundwater.

Addressing these areas through multi-disciplinary efforts supported by technological advances will provide a map for improved water research outcomes that the rest of the world can follow.

“Australia is globally unique in its spread and diversity of non-perennial rivers spanning climates and landforms – but most, if not all, of the classes of non-perennial rivers found in Australia also occur in other regions of the world with similar climates and geology,” says Dr Shanafield.

“Therefore, the evolving body of knowledge about Australian rivers provides a foundation for comparison with other dryland areas globally where recognition of the importance of non-perennial rivers is expanding.”

The review authors are concerned that Australian non-perennial river research has been driven by the needs of its inhabitants for survival, agriculture, resource economics, environmental concern and politics.

“Considering the continent's ancient geological history and its harsh, arid climate, it comes as no surprise that significant attention has been directed toward water resource management during drought periods, the reduction of salinisation, and gaining insights into the intricate dynamics of the transient rivers that are a defining feature of central Australia,” says the review.

“The prevalence of prolonged drought periods has had a marked impact on driving research – so it is critical to address the knowledge gaps this review has identified, given that increasing trends in hydrological droughts are projected to negatively impact streamflow not just in Australia, but also in South America, southern Africa, and the Mediterranean.”

The review authors – a multi-disciplinary collective of scientists from across more than two dozen institutions and government departments – say more investment in long-term hydrological monitoring is desperately needed to increase water management knowledge that can address the competing water needs of communities, agriculture, mining and ecosystems in a dry environment – not only in Australia, but throughout the world.

“We anticipate that changing global water fluxes and continued groundwater pumping will cause more of the world’s rivers to become non-perennial, accelerating our need to understand these systems across many disciplines,” says Dr Shanafield.

“In turn, a more thorough understanding will help to underpin science-driven management of non-perennial rivers to both meet the needs of a growing Australian population while protecting the integrity of ecological systems.”

The research - Australian non-perennial rivers: Global lessons and research opportunities, by Margaret Shanafield, Melanie Blanchette, Edoardo Daly, Naomi Wells, Ryan Burrows, Kathryn Korbel, Gabriel Rau, Sarah Bourke, Gresley Wakelin-King, Aleicia Holland, Timothy Ralph, Gavan McGrat, Belinda Robson, Keirnan Fowler, Martin Andersen, Songyan Yu, Christopher Jones, Nathan Waltham, Eddie Banks, Alissa Flatley, Catherine Leigh, Sally Maxwell, Andre Siebers, Nick Bond, Leah Beesley, Grant Hose, Jordan Iles, Ian Cartwright, Michael Reid, Thiaggo de Castro Tayer and Clément Duvert – has been published in The Journal of Hydrology. doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.130939

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JOURNAL

Journal of Hydrology

DOI

10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.130939 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Literature review

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Australian non-perennial rivers: Global lessons and research opportunities

Can probiotics plus vitamin D supplements benefit people with schizophrenia?

WILEY

Previous studies have questioned whether gut microbe imbalances and vitamin D deficiency may be linked to schizophrenia. New research published in Neuropsychopharmacology Reports now indicates that taking probiotics plus vitamin D supplements may improve cognitive function in individuals with the disease.

For the study, 70 adults with schizophrenia were randomized to take a placebo or probiotic supplements plus 400 IU vitamin D daily for 12 weeks. Severity of the disease and cognitive function were evaluated by tests called the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and the 30-point Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), respectively.

A total of 69 patients completed the study. The MoCA score increased by 1.96 units in the probiotic-containing supplement group compared with the placebo group. Also, the percentage of patients with MoCA scores of 26 or higher (indicating normal cognition) rose significantly in the intervention group. Between-group differences in PANSS scores were not significant.

“Probiotics may be a novel way to treat mental disorders by regulating gut microbiota,” said corresponding author Gita Sadighi, MD, of the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, in Iran.

URL upon publication: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/npr2.12431

 

 

Additional Information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com.

About the Journal
Neuropsychopharmacology Reports, the official publication of the Japanese Society of Neuropsychopharmacology and the Japanese Society of Clinical Neuropsychopharmacology, publishes articles on all aspects of neuropsychopharmacology and its related fields in the following categories: Review Articles, Original Articles, Micro Reports and Case Reports. Other categories may be occasionally set for invited articles.

About Wiley
Wiley is a knowledge company and a global leader in research, publishing, and knowledge solutions. Dedicated to the creation and application of knowledge, Wiley serves the world’s researchers, learners, innovators, and leaders, helping them achieve their goals and solve the world's most important challenges. For more than two centuries, Wiley has been delivering on its timeless mission to unlock human potential. Visit us at Wiley.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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JOURNAL

Neuropsychopharmacology Reports

DOI

10.1002/npr2.12431 

ARTICLE TITLE

Co-administration of probiotic and vitamin D significantly improves cognitive function in schizophrenic patients: A double-blinded Randomized controlled trial

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

10-Apr-2024

 

Two key brain systems are central to psychosis, Stanford Medicine-led study finds

When the brain has trouble filtering incoming information and predicting what’s likely to happen, psychosis can result, Stanford Medicine-led research shows.

STANFORD MEDICINE

Inside the brains of people with psychosis, two key systems are malfunctioning: a "filter" that directs attention toward important external events and internal thoughts, and a "predictor" composed of pathways that anticipate rewards.

Dysfunction of these systems makes it difficult to know what’s real, manifesting as hallucinations and delusions.

The findings come from a Stanford Medicine-led study, publishing April 11 in Molecular Psychiatry, that used brain scan data from children, teens and young adults with psychosis. The results confirm an existing theory of how breaks with reality occur.

“This work provides a good model for understanding the development and progression of schizophrenia, which is a challenging problem,” said lead author Kaustubh Supekar, PhD, clinical associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences.

The findings, observed in individuals with a rare genetic disease called 22q11.2 deletion syndrome who experience psychosis as well as in those with psychosis of unknown origin, advance scientists’ understanding of the underlying brain mechanisms and theoretical frameworks related to psychosis.

During psychosis, patients experience hallucinations, such as hearing voices, and hold delusional beliefs, such as thinking that people who are not real exist. Psychosis can occur on its own and is a hallmark of certain serious mental illnesses, including bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is also characterized by social withdrawal, disorganized thinking and speech, and a reduction in energy and motivation.

It is challenging to study how schizophrenia begins in the brain. The condition usually emerges in teens or young adults, most of whom soon begin taking antipsychotic medications to ease their symptoms. When researchers analyze brain scans from people with established schizophrenia, they cannot distinguish the effects of the disease from the effects of the medications. They also do not know how schizophrenia changes the brain as the disease progresses.

To get an early view of the disease process, the Stanford Medicine team studied young people aged 6 to 39 with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, a genetic condition with a 30% risk for psychosis, schizophrenia or both.

Brain function in 22q11.2 patients who have psychosis is similar to that in people with psychosis of unknown origin, they found. And these brain patterns matched what the researchers had previously theorized was generating psychosis symptoms.

“The brain patterns we identified support our theoretical models of how cognitive control systems malfunction in psychosis,” said senior study author Vinod Menon, PhD, the Rachael L. and Walter F. Nichols, MD, Professor; a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences; and director of the Stanford Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience Laboratory.

Thoughts that are not linked to reality can capture the brain’s cognitive control networks, he said. “This process derails the normal functioning of cognitive control, allowing intrusive thoughts to dominate, culminating in symptoms we recognize as psychosis.”

Cerebral sorting 

Normally, the brain’s cognitive filtering system — aka the salience network — works behind the scenes to selectively direct our attention to important internal thoughts and external events. With its help, we can dismiss irrational thoughts and unimportant events and focus on what’s real and meaningful to us, such as paying attention to traffic so we avoid a collision.

The ventral striatum, a small brain region, and associated brain pathways driven by dopamine, play an important role in predicting what will be rewarding or important.

For the study, the researchers assembled as much functional MRI brain-scan data as possible from young people with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, totaling 101 individuals scanned at three different universities. (The study also included brain scans from several comparison groups without 22q11.2 deletion syndrome: 120 people with early idiopathic psychosis, 101 people with autism, 123 with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and 411 healthy controls.)

The genetic condition, characterized by deletion of part of the 22nd chromosome, affects 1 in every 2,000 to 4,000 people. In addition to the 30% risk of schizophrenia or psychosis, people with the syndrome can also have autism or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, which is why these conditions were included in the comparison groups.

The researchers used a type of machine learning algorithm called a spatiotemporal deep neural network to characterize patterns of brain function in all patients with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome compared with healthy subjects. With a cohort of patients whose brains were scanned at the University of California, Los Angeles, they developed an algorithmic model that distinguished brain scans from people with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome versus those without it. The model predicted the syndrome with greater than 94% accuracy. They validated the model in additional groups of people with or without the genetic syndrome who had received brain scans at UC Davis and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, showing that in these independent groups, the model sorted brain scans with 84% to 90% accuracy.

The researchers then used the model to investigate which brain features play the biggest role in psychosis. Prior studies of psychosis had not given consistent results, likely because their sample sizes were too small.

Comparing brain scans from 22q11.2 deletion syndrome patients who had and did not have psychosis, the researchers showed that the brain areas contributing most to psychosis are the anterior insula (a key part of the salience network or “filter”) and the ventral striatum (the “reward predictor”); this was true for different cohorts of patients.

In comparing the brain features of people with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and psychosis against people with psychosis of unknown origin, the model found significant overlap, indicating that these brain features are characteristic of psychosis in general.

A second mathematical model, trained to distinguish all subjects with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and psychosis from those who have the genetic syndrome but without psychosis, selected brain scans from people with idiopathic psychosis with 77.5% accuracy, again supporting the idea that the brain’s filtering and predicting centers are key to psychosis.

Furthermore, this model was specific to psychosis: It could not classify people with idiopathic autism or ADHD.

“It was quite exciting to trace our steps back to our initial question — ‘What are the dysfunctional brain systems in schizophrenia?’ — and to discover similar patterns in this context,” Menon said. “At the neural level, the characteristics differentiating individuals with psychosis in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome are mirroring the pathways we’ve pinpointed in schizophrenia. This parallel reinforces our understanding of psychosis as a condition with identifiable and consistent brain signatures.” However, these brain signatures were not seen in people with the genetic syndrome but no psychosis, holding clues to future directions for research, he added.

Applications for treatment or prevention

In addition to supporting the scientists’ theory about how psychosis occurs, the findings have implications for understanding the condition — and possibly preventing it.

“One of my goals is to prevent or delay development of schizophrenia,” Supekar said. The fact that the new findings are consistent with the team’s prior research on which brain centers contribute most to schizophrenia in adults suggests there may be a way to prevent it, he said. “In schizophrenia, by the time of diagnosis, a lot of damage has already occurred in the brain, and it can be very difficult to change the course of the disease.”

“What we saw is that, early on, functional interactions among brain regions within the same brain systems are abnormal,” he added. “The abnormalities do not start when you are in your 20s; they are evident even when you are 7 or 8.”

The researchers plan to use existing treatments, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation or focused ultrasound, targeted at these brain centers in young people at risk of psychosis, such as those with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome or with two parents who have schizophrenia, to see if they prevent or delay the onset of the condition or lessen symptoms once they appear.

The results also suggest that using functional MRI to monitor brain activity at the key centers could help scientists investigate how existing antipsychotic medications are working.

Although it’s still puzzling why someone becomes untethered from reality — given how risky it seems for one’s well-being — the “how” is now understandable, Supekar said. “From a mechanistic point of view, it makes sense,” he said.

“Our discoveries underscore the importance of approaching people with psychosis with compassion,” Menon said, adding that his team hopes their work not only advances scientific understanding but also inspires a cultural shift toward empathy and support for those experiencing psychosis.

“I recently had the privilege of engaging with individuals from our department’s early psychosis treatment group,” he said. “Their message was a clear and powerful: ‘We share more similarities than differences. Like anyone, we experience our own highs and lows.’ Their words were a heartfelt appeal for greater empathy and understanding toward those living with this condition. It was a call to view psychosis through a lens of empathy and solidarity.”

Researchers contributed to the study from UCLA, Clinica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, the University of Oxford and UC Davis.

The study was funded by the Stanford Maternal and Child Health Research Institute’s Uytengsu-Hamilton 22q11 Neuropsychiatry Research Program, FONDEYCT (the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development of the government of Chile), ANID-Chile (the Chilean National Agency for Research and Development) and the U.S. National Institutes of Health (grants AG072114, MH121069, MH085953 and MH101779).

 

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About Stanford Medicine

Stanford Medicine is an integrated academic health system comprising the Stanford School of Medicine and adult and pediatric health care delivery systems. Together, they harness the full potential of biomedicine through collaborative research, education and clinical care for patients. For more information, please visit med.stanford.edu.

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JOURNAL

Molecular Psychiatry

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

10-Apr-2024

 

Transmission risk of multidrug-resistant bacteria appears highest in hospital sinks

An outbreak in a pediatric hospital ward underscores the challenge of eliminating these bacteria from a healthcare facility

ASSOCIATION FOR PROFESSIONALS IN INFECTION CONTROL

Arlington, Va. — April 11, 2024 — A new study published today in the American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) reports the infection prevention steps taken to control a months-long multispecies outbreak of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales that occurred in a pediatric ward at the Toho University Omori Medical Center in Tokyo in 2017. This study highlights the particular vulnerability for contamination through sinks and other water sources; indeed, even replacing all sinks in the ward did not stop this outbreak.

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) are a major public health threat because of their resistance to widely used antibiotics. The biological mechanism that confers multidrug resistance can be passed from one bacterial species to another, contributing to the growing epidemic of antimicrobial resistance. An outbreak of one CPE species in a hospital has the potential to turn into an outbreak involving many species, making it that much more difficult to stop. Many studies have shown that there is a high risk of CPE contamination in and around hospital sinks.

This new report from an academic medical center in Tokyo details the detection of CPE in a single patient in June 2016, which appears to have triggered an outbreak starting in March 2017 and ending in October 2017. The outbreak involved a total of 19 pediatric patients. The infection prevention team sampled microbes from patients and the environment of the pediatric ward to better understand how the outbreak was spreading. This sampling identified nine sinks contaminated with CPE, including six in hospital rooms and three more in a nurse center, a waste room, and an ice machine. The CPE-positive sinks were all found in rooms where CPE-positive patients had been treated. In rooms with CPE-negative patients, no sink contamination was detected.

As part of the outbreak control process, genome analysis was performed to identify the specific resistance mechanisms found in the bacterial strains, which included Klebsiella variicola, Klebsiella quasipneumoniae, and Escherichia coli, among others. Identical DNA sequences from all samples but one support the idea that the resistance mechanism could have been passed from one bacterial species to another within the hospital.

To help rein in the outbreak, all sinks in the pediatric ward were replaced with new ones in June 2017, and the new sinks were thoroughly disinfected with hydrogen peroxide. However, CPE contamination continued even after that step. The discovery of the same bacterial species in sinks in adjoining rooms indicates that pathogen transmission may be possible from one sink to another via the drains and connected plumbing.

Other measures implemented by the infection prevention team — composed of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and microbiologists — included recommending hand disinfection after using sinks, introducing disposable tools for cleaning sinks, prohibiting mouth-washing with sink water, enacting disinfection and drying procedures to any items exposed to sink water, and more. Finally, after October 2017, no further CPE contamination was identified in patient samples or environmental surveillance.

“After months of intense infection control protocols, we were at last able to declare an end to this outbreak,” said Sadako Yoshizawa, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at Toho University School of Medicine, Deputy Director of Clinical Laboratory at Toho University Omori Medical Center, and corresponding author of this study. “Our experience highlights the importance of focusing on sinks and other water-related areas in hospital wards, as these are critical for CPE transmission and therefore major fronts in the fight against antibiotic resistance.”

Additional details from the study include:

• Toho University Omori Medical Center is a 916-bed academic medical center with 55 pediatric inpatient beds.
• The first patient to be detected with CPE in June 2016 was a one-year-old boy hospitalized with cardiac disease.
• The resistance mechanism detected in this outbreak was a plasmid enabling the production of carbapenemase, which can make bacteria resistant to the carbapenem class of antibiotics. In this outbreak, all CPE strains except one harbored blaIMP-1, with identical blaIMP-1-carrying IncM1 plasmids.

“The tremendous effort that went into controlling this outbreak is representative of the comprehensive and holistic approach to infection prevention that is required in these situations,” said Tania Bubb, PhD, RN, CIC, FAPIC, 2024 APIC president. “Even a measure as definitive as replacing contaminated sinks may not be enough to stop the spread of antibiotic-resistant organisms. This outbreak ended because the infection prevention team implemented a bundle of core processes related to hand hygiene, and the use and disinfection of hospital sinks.”

About APIC

Founded in 1972, the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is the leading association for infection preventionists and epidemiologists. With more than 15,000 members, APIC advances the science and practice of infection prevention and control. APIC carries out its mission through research, advocacy, and patient safety; education, credentialing, and certification; and fostering development of the infection prevention and control workforce of the future. Together with our members and partners, we are working toward a safer world through the prevention of infection. Join us and learn more at apic.org.

About AJIC

As the official peer-reviewed journal of APIC, The American Journal of Infection Control (AJIC) is the foremost resource on infection control, epidemiology, infectious diseases, quality management, occupational health, and disease prevention. Published by Elsevier, AJIC also publishes infection control guidelines from APIC and the CDC. AJIC is included in Index Medicus and CINAHL. Visit AJIC at ajicjournal.org.

NOTES FOR EDITORS

“Outbreak of multispecies carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales associated with pediatric ward sinks: IncM1 plasmids act as vehicles for cross-species transmission,” by Mayumi Tsukada, Taito Miyazaki, Kotaro Aoki, Sadako Yoshizawa, Yoko Kondo, Tomoka Sawa, Hinako Murakami, Emi Sato, Manabu Tomida, Mariko Otani, Eri Kumade, Emi Takamori, Masako Kambe, Yoshikazu Ishii, and Kazuhiro Tateda, was published online in AJIC on April 11, 2024. Available at:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajic.2024.02.013

AUTHORS

Mayumi Tsukada RN, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Taito Miyazaki MD, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Kotaro Aoki PhD, Toho University School of Medicine

Sadako Yoshizawa MD, PhD (corresponding author: sadako@med.toho-u.ac.jp), Toho University Omori Medical Center, Toho University School of Medicine

Yoko Kondo RN, PhD, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Tomoka Sawa MD, PhD, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Hinako Murakami MT, M.Med, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Emi Sato RN, MSN, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Manabu Tomida RN, MSN, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Mariko Otani, MPharm, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Eri Kumade MD, PhD, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Emi Takamori, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Masako Kambe RN, MSN, Toho University Omori Medical Center

Yoshikazu Ishii PhD, Toho University School of Medicine

Kazuhiro Tateda MD, PhD, Toho University School of Medicine

 

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JOURNAL

American Journal of Infection Control

DOI

10.1016/j.ajic.2024.02.013 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Case study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Outbreak of multispecies carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales associated with pediatric ward sinks: IncM1 plasmids act as vehicles for cross-species transmission

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

11-Apr-2024

RADON

Colorless, odorless gas likely linked to alarming rise in non-smoking lung cancer

Consumer survey reveals most Americans are unaware of dangerous, preventable risk factor

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY WEXNER MEDICAL CENTER

 

IMAGE: 

EXPERTS SAY THE ONLY WAY TO KNOW IF THERE ARE HIGH LEVELS OF RADON IN YOUR HOME IS TO TEST FOR IT. RADON IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF LUNG CANCER AMONG NON-SMOKERS, BUT A REMEDIATION SYSTEM CAN SAFEGUARD YOUR HOME BY DIVERTING THIS CANCER-CAUSING GAS OUTSIDE.

view more 

CREDIT: THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Although lung cancer is traditionally thought of as a “smoker’s disease,” a surprising 15-20% of newly diagnosed lung cancers occur in people who have never smoked, many of whom are in their 40s or 50s. 

Doctors say this concerning rise in non-smoking lung cancer cases is likely linked to long-term, high exposures of radon gas. This colorless, odorless gas is emitted from the breakdown of radioactive material naturally occurring underground that then seeps through building foundations. The gas can linger and accumulate in people’s homes and lungs silently unless they know to test for it.

Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends regular radon testing and corrective measures to lower exposure levels in homes, a new consumer survey conducted on behalf of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) showed that a stunning 75% of Americans have not had their homes tested for radon, and over half (55%) are not concerned about radon exposure in their homes, community or schools. 

“Anyone with lungs can develop lung cancer, and as a community we should be aware and concerned about radon exposure because it's thought to be one of the leading causes of lung cancer in never-smokers – and there is something we can do reduce our risk,” said David Carbone, MD, PhD, a thoracic medical oncologist and director of the OSUCCC – James Thoracic Oncology Center. “There are relatively simple tests to measure radon in the home and actions to reduce radon exposure.” 

This includes installing outside the home a radon remediation system that sucks air from the basement, where radon gas typically lingers. Increasing air flow by opening windows and using fans/venting in your home, and sealing cracks in the floors, walls and foundation is also important. 

Lung cancer rising in young non-smokers
The No. 1 risk factor for lung cancer is long-term cigarette smoking; however, rates of lung cancer among non-smokers continue to rise. The symptoms of the disease are the same regardless of whether the person has smoked: generally not feeling well or feeling tired all the time, frequent cough, chest pain, wheezing, shortness of breath or coughing up blood. These symptoms happen with other illnesses too, but Carbone notes anyone – regardless of age – who has a lingering symptom that doesn’t resolve despite initial treatment should insist on having it checked out. 

Lung cancer screening is currently available only to people at the highest risk for the disease – that means people aged 50 to 80 who also have a 20 pack-year history (one pack of cigarettes per day for 20 years, are current smokers or someone who has quit within the past 15 years.

If detected in its earliest stages, the cure rate for lung cancer can be 90-95%. The bulk of cases, however, are not detected until the disease has spread throughout the lung or to other parts of the body, when treatments aren’t as effective. It is important that anyone deemed at risk for lung cancer get timely screening, and that people who might be at increased risk due to secondhand smoke, radon or occupational exposures (like firefighting) talk to their doctors about testing. 

“Your health and the health of your family are the most important things you have. Really push to get your concerns addressed if your symptoms aren’t resolving, even if you don’t fit the typical ‘picture’ of lung cancer. It could truly save your life,” said Carbone. 

Requiring radon testing in homes, schools and workplaces
Carbone noted that having high levels of radon exposure at school or work is just as much a health hazard as having high-level exposure in your basement. 

He says he strongly supports potential legislation to require radon testing at schools, at places of business and during home sales to help reduce community risk. The effects of radon on your lungs is cumulative and can be delayed by decades. 

“So your children playing in your basement or going to school today, exposed to unknown levels of radon, could be at risk for developing lung cancer 10, 20, 30 years from now,” Carbone said. “And because the gas is totally colorless and odorless, you would have no idea you were being exposed unless you knew the importance of proactively testing.”

Survey methodology and results
This survey was conducted by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, twice-per-month, probability-based survey. Data collection was conducted from February 2– February 4, 2024, among a sample of 1,006 respondents. The survey was conducted via web (n=976) and telephone (n=30) and administered in English. The margin of error for total respondents is +/- 3.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus data are weighted to represent the target population of U.S. adults ages 18 or older.

More information
To learn more about estimated radon levels in your state, visit epa.gov. Free home testing kits are available in many states through the EPA, including Ohio. To learn more about cancer treatment and research at the OSUCCC – James, visit cancer.osu.edu/lungcancer. 

Radon causes over 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. However, a new survey by The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center — Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute finds just one in four Americans have had their home tested for this harmful gas.

CREDIT

The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center

Radon Survey video [VIDEO] | 

Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends regular radon testing and corrective measures to lower exposure levels in homes, a new consumer survey conducted on behalf of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) showed that a stunning 75% of Americans have not had their homes tested for radon, and over half (55%) are not concerned about radon exposure in their homes, community or schools. 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

Discovery brings all-solid-state sodium batteries closer to practical use

Process that can lead to mass synthesis yields solid sulfide electrolyte with world’s highest reported sodium ion conductivity and glass electrolyte with high formability

OSAKA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: 

THE SYNTHESIZED SOLID SULFIDE ELECTROLYTE NA2.88SB0.88W0.12S4 HAS THE WORLD’S HIGHEST REPORTED SODIUM ION CONDUCTIVITY.

view more 

CREDIT: ATSUSHI SAKUDA, OSAKA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

The pursuit of greener energy also requires efficient rechargeable batteries to store that energy. While lithium-ion batteries are currently the most widely used, all-solid-state sodium batteries are attracting attention as sodium is far more plentiful than lithium. This should make sodium batteries less expensive, and solid-state batteries are thought to be safer, but processing issues mean mass production has been difficult.

Osaka Metropolitan University Associate Professor Atsushi Sakuda and Professor Akitoshi Hayashi, both of the Graduate School of Engineering, led a research team in developing a process that can lead to mass synthesis for sodium-containing sulfides.

Using sodium polysulfides (sulfides with two or more atoms of sulfur) as both the material and the flux, which promotes fusion, the team created a solid sulfide electrolyte with the world’s highest reported sodium ion conductivity—about 10 times higher than required for practical use—and a glass electrolyte with high reduction resistance.

Mass synthesis of such electrolytes with high conductivity and formability is key to the practical use of all-solid-state sodium batteries.

“This newly developed process is useful for the production of almost all sodium-containing sulfide materials, including solid electrolytes and electrode active materials,” Professor Sakuda said. “Also, compared to conventional methods, this process makes it easier to obtain materials that display higher performance, so we believe it will become a mainstream process for the future development of materials for all-solid-state sodium batteries.”

The results were published in Energy Storage Materials and Inorganic Chemistry.

About OMU

Established in Osaka as one of the largest public universities in Japan, Osaka Metropolitan University is committed to shaping the future of society through “Convergence of Knowledge” and the promotion of world-class research. For more research news, visit https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/ and follow us on social media: X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn.

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JOURNAL

Energy Storage Materials

DOI

10.1016/j.ensm.2024.103307 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Utilizing reactive polysulfides flux Na2Sx for the synthesis of sulfide solid electrolytes for all-solid-state sodium batteries

COI STATEMENT

The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Atsushi Sakuda reports financial support was provided by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.