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To measure wellness and burnout among gynecologic oncology clinicians and identify trends and at-risk populations to inform future interventions. Gynecologic oncologist (GO) and advanced practice provider (APP) responses to the 2020 Society of Gynecologic Oncology State of the Society survey were analyzed. The Maslach Burnout Inventory criteria for burnout was used. Work-life balance was scored on a 5-point Likert scale. Chi-square tests were used to compare mental health factors and the prevalence of burnout. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for associations between burnout and gender. 543 survey responses were included for analysis. Most GO (54%) and all APP respondents were female. Female GOs were disproportionately affected by burnout particularly in the Northeast (female(F): 40.9% vs male(M): 19.1%, p = 0.007) and South (F: 42.5% vs M:22.9%, p = 0.01). Burnout in female GOs over 40 was 1.79 (CI: 1.13–2.83; p -value 0.01) times higher than similarly aged males. Females in non-private practice experienced burnout 1.66 times that of males in similar positions (CI: 1.18–2.94; p < 0.0001). Female GOs reported the worst work-life balance across all 5 domains. APPs and female GOs experienced more stress and feeling overwhelmed compared to men. GOs were more reluctant to see a mental health professional (p = 0.0003) or take medication (p = 0.009) than APPs. Burnout in gynecologic oncology persists in both genders and is felt most acutely by female GOs. APPs are not immune and would benefit from inclusion in future research to mitigate burnout in healthcare clinicians. • Burnout persists in GYN Oncology and affects both genders and APPs. • >60% of female GYN Oncologists and APPs felt overly stressed, overwhelmed or that life was unmanageable. • Over 40% of gynecologic oncologists screened positive for depression. • When compared to APPs, physicians are less likely to seek professional mental health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to evaluate suppression of phosphate release from sea bottom sediments using granulated coal ash (GCA), a byproduct from coal thermal electric power stations, field experiments were carried out at oyster culture sites where the sediments are rich in organic matter. Two types of GCA with the diameter of <40 mm were applied on separate bottom sediment plots of 50 m × 75 m with ca. 20 cm depth each. The first GCA type is composed of pulverized coal combustion ash (ExpA) and another consists of pressurized fluidized bed combustion ash (ExpB). Sediment pH was increased up to ca. 8.5 in both experimental plots due to hydrolysis of CaO. Phosphate concentration in the interstitial water of the sediment was significantly decreased in ExpA due to adsorption onto the GCA. A numerical model to quantify chemical and biological processes in the sediment was applied to estimate how phosphorus cycle was changed due to the application of GCA. The model output showed that release rate of phosphate from the sediment at ExpB was suppressed to the level of about 1 order lower (400 μmol m−3 d−1) than that in the control site (4800 μmol m−3 d−1), whereas decomposition of detrital phosphorus in the experimental site was estimated to have been enhanced 4.8 times compared to the control site. Considering both laboratory and simulated field experiments carried out previously, it was proven in the present study that GCA can effectively adsorb phosphate from interstitial water in organically enriched sediments and suppress the release of phosphate from the sediments to the upper water column in the field experiments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study investigated the potential adverse effects of 1,3-dichloro-2-propanol (1,3-DCP) on pregnant dams and the embryo-fetal development after maternal exposure on gestational days (GD) 6 through 19 in Sprague–Dawley rats. The test chemical was administered to pregnant rats by gavage at dose levels of 0, 10, 30, and 90mg/kg per day (n =10 for each group). All dams underwent Caesarean sections on GD 20, and their fetuses were examined for morphological abnormalities. Maternal toxicity was noted at 90mg/kg/day. Manifestations of toxicity included clinical signs of illness, lower body weight gain, decreased food intake, and increases in the weight of the adrenal glands and the liver. Developmental toxic effects including decreases in fetal body weight and increases in visceral and skeletal variations also occurred at the highest dose. At 30mg/kg, only a minimal maternal toxicity, including a decrease in maternal food intake and an increase in the liver weight, was observed. No adverse maternal or developmental effects were observed at 10mg/kg/day. These results revealed that a 14-day repeated oral dose of 1,3-DCP was minimally embryotoxic but not teratogenic at a maternal toxic dose (90mg/kg/day), and was not embryotoxic at a minimally maternal toxic dose (30mg/kg/day) in rats. Because the developmental toxicity of 1,3-DCP was observed only in the presence of maternal toxicity, it is concluded that the developmental findings observed in the present study are secondary effects to maternal toxicity. Under these experimental conditions, the no-observed-adverse-effect level of 1,3-DCP is considered to be 10mg/kg/day for dams and 30mg/kg/day for embryo-fetal development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) treatment for the sterilization purpose on meat quality and protein denaturation of the porcine longissimus dorsi muscle. The conditions of SC-CO2 treatment were 7.4 and 15.2MPa at 31.1°C for 10min. SC-CO2 treatment had no effect on muscle pH, tenderness, and water-holding capacity (WHC). However, the samples treated at 7.4MPa had a higher lightness value (52.97 vs. 46.94, P<0.001) and a more pronounced extent of sarcoplasmic protein denaturation (73.80 vs. 80.73, P<0.01) than the control samples. These results suggest that the paler color of samples treated with SC-CO2 was associated with the sarcoplasmic protein denaturation, and the major denaturated proteins were determined to be phosphorylase b (PH), creatine kinase (CK), triosephophate isomerase (TPI), and one unknown protein. On the other hand, other quality traits were generally unaffected by the SC-CO2 treatments at 7.4 or 15.2MPa. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]