Monitoring Survey Research Articles

Trust as a Determinant of Subjective Well-Being in Russia

The article considers social trust as a key element in the structure of social capital. Based on the results of international and Russian research, the role of trust in socioeconomic development and its impact on subjective life satisfaction is revealed. We discuss the circumstances of the “trust deficit” as a possible reason for Russia’s significant lag behind the leading countries in world happiness ratings. The data sources for our empirical research are the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey – Higher School of Economics (RLMS-HSE) and the World Values Survey. In our empirical analysis, special attention is paid to overcoming the problem of endogeneity, which arises as a result of two-way causal relationships between trust and happiness. The hypothesis of a significant positive effect of generalized social trust on life satisfaction in Russia is confirmed by the results of econometric modelling. Our results fit into the broad context of international studies of the social capital impact on subjective assessments of the quality of life. Based on Russian data, we confirm the conclusion that the impact of increasing social capital on subjective well-being across the whole society is strongly positive. The conclusion of our work concerns the possibility of raising the subjective well-being of Russians by improving informal institutions by means of social trust strengthening.

Koala density, habitat, conservation, and response to logging in eucalyptus forest; a review and critical evaluation of call monitoring

ABSTRACT This study is the second in a series that examines the habitat requirements and response to logging of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) inhabiting tall eucalypt forests of north-east NSW. It presents the findings of koala population and habitat monitoring surveys in Pine Creek State Forest and Bongil Bongil National Park using a combination of call-counting and direct observation (spotlighting). The 6400 ha study area was mapped into 6 zones of increasing koala habitat quality by ground survey of forest structure and floristics on a 200 m grid. The accuracy of habitat definition and mapping was tested by stratified transect counts of koala calls and sightings over two consecutive years (1997–98). Average koala density increased steeply and significantly, from 0.02 – 0.20 koalas/hectare, with increasing mapped habitat quality based on increasing forest age, structural complexity, local food tree species diversity, history of prior koala occurrence and decreased past logging intensity. This relationship was driven primarily by breeding females, with the number of male koala calls weakly or uncorrelated with koala sightings and mapped habitat quality. Male koalas were more widely and uniformly distributed than females, including areas of low quality, plantation, and intensively logged forest. This finding explains the discrepancy between our results and those of other recent studies which concluded that koalas are tolerant of intensive logging based on modelling of calling male koalas and reliance on an untested assumption that male calling is indicative of female breeding success. Koala density in a subset of the highest quality habitat was relatively stable at 0.28 koalas/ha (3 hectares/koala) over the long term (1997–98 and 2012–2023). Key characteristics of the forest koala population, including low stable density, large home ranges, preference for high food tree diversity and locally unique food trees (including Allocasuarina torulosa and Syncarpia glomulifera), are not adequately explained by existing koala habitat models. We present a new paradigm to explain regional variation in koala distribution, habitat and foraging preferences based on variations in foliage chemistry (toxicity and nutritional value) determined by the duration and stability of local plant-koala interactions in response to past fire, hunting, predation and logging disturbance history. We hypothesize that koala density in stable forest populations is regulated at low levels by a combination of selected and induced increases in leaf toxicity and decreases in leaf nutrition that limit koala browsing to benign levels of about 1-2% of annual leaf production. Large home ranges, complex mature forest structure, high food tree diversity and a specialized or diverse gut microbiome may be essential to allow females to rotate and change food trees frequently to minimize induced toxicity and select individual leaves with sufficient nutrients to support breeding and lactation with minimal risk of predation. High density koala populations (> 0.6/ha) occur primarily in areas where koalas have been introduced or re-introduced to planted habitats and natural areas where aboriginal hunters and dingoes were historically present but are now absent, and where food trees have not been selected for resistance to koala browsing pressure.

Assessment of the Biomass of Coniferous–Deciduous Forest by the Example of the Chashnikovo Training and Experimental Soil Ecological Center of Moscow State University

The aim of this work is to assess the contribution of the components of plant community—biomass and mortmass of tree stands, undergrowth, living ground cover, and forest litter—to its total organic matter pool. The study object is represented by a coniferous-deciduous forest located in the Solnechnogorsk city district of Moscow oblast and characterized by five permanent 50 × 50-m test plots laid in it. The greatest contribution to the total organic matter mass of the studied plant communities is made by perennial parts and mortmass of the forest stand (to 87% and 14%, respectively). The proportion of phytomass of deciduous trees in stand comprises from 32 to 98%, which is connected with the incomplete forest restoration succession. The contribution of forest litter does not exceed 3%. Low litter reserves (0.18–1.21 kg m–2) and the destructive type of all litters are not typical for spruce forests. The floristic composition and the ecological–coenotic structure of the living ground cover are typical for the subzone of coniferous-deciduous forests; and its contribution to the total productivity of forest biogeocenosis is insignificant. The spatial pattern of litter reserves and of the biomass of the living ground cover within the biogeocenoses is disturbed in comparison with typical spruce forests due to the high proportion of deciduous species in the forest stand. Their participation in the tree layer is typical for the final stage of formation of a secondary coniferous forest during succession and causes a slight increase in the intensity of the biological cycle, which is indicated in our case by a decrease in the reserves and a simpler structure of litters. Since the biomass and mortmass of tree stand contribute most to carbon sequestration by forest biogeocenoses, these components require a detailed assessment during monitoring surveys, the purpose of which is to evaluate carbon reserves of land ecosystems.

Continuous remote monitoring of performance status in patients with NSCLC through fitness tracker–derived life-log data.

1568 Background: Traditional methods for assessing the performance status of cancer patients often rely on clinical evaluations and patient-reported histories. This study utilizes life-log data derived from fitness trackers (FTs) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to offer a comprehensive and dynamic perspective on performance status throughout their treatment. Methods: Patients with NSCLC scheduled for a minimum of 12 weeks of treatment were enrolled. Custom software facilitated the remote collection of life-log data from participants' FTs (Fitbit Inspire 3), encompassing step count, calories burned, heart rate, sleep patterns, etc. Quality of life surveys assessing patient-reported outcomes (PROs) were completed during regular visits (every 3 weeks) and unscheduled visits (USV), in addition to collecting clinical data such as laboratory parameters and body composition metrics. An end-of-monitoring survey assessed participants' familiarity with this monitoring approach. The study aimed to correlate FT data with clinical parameters and identify patterns predictive of treatment related USVs. Results: Of the 98 enrolled patients, 69 patients (70.4%) completed the 12-week follow-up. The cohort predominantly consisted of older adults (≥65 years) (55.1%) and patients in palliative care (75.5%), with most undergoing cytotoxic chemotherapy (66.3%) and some receiving oral agents (20%). FT-based remote monitoring revealed that older patients had a comparable 12-week completion rate to younger patients. (69.2% vs. 76.2%, P=0.604). Analysis of life-log data from three days before a visit (D-3) to the visit day (D0) showed significant reductions in average step counts ( P=0.022) and walking distance ( P=0.021) for USVs compared to regular visits, while resting heart rate (HR) showed a significant increase for USVs ( P=0.049). PRO-based PROMIS physical function scores and EQ-5D-3L scores showed a significant correlation with both D-3 to D0 acquired resting HR ( P<0.001, P=0.002) and average step counts ( P=0.011, P=0.013), respectively. End of monitoring survey was done from 72 participants indicating high satisfaction and familiarity with the FT-based remote monitoring system, median score of 90 out of 100. Conclusions: FT-derived life-log data effectively captured dynamic performance status in NSCLC patients, correlating with clinical outcomes and PRO. These findings support further research into FT data's predictive value for clinical interventions, underscoring its potential in personalized remote patient management.

Initial Assessment of the Benthic Profile and Reef Fish Composition of the Damilisan Marine Sanctuary, Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines

Coral reefs are among the world’s most diverse and productive ecosystems. They provide valuable ecosystem services, including support for fisheries production and the livelihood of coastal communities. However, coral reefs are also threatened by anthropogenic and climate stressors. Establishing a marine protected area (MPA) is a typical coastal management tool widely used in the Philippines for conserving coral reefs and managing the fishing effort. This study presents initial information on the benthic and fish community profiles of the Damilisan Marine Sanctuary (DMS) in Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines. A modified point-intercept transect method was used to characterize the benthic profile, while the underwater visual census (UVC) was used to determine the fish community profile (diversity and density). The substrate was mainly composed of hard coral (HC) (39.3±18.3%), and the common HC observed were massive Porites and Goniopora, each contributing 12.8% of the total HC cover. Twenty coral reef fish species belonging to 10 families were identified during the UVC and had an overall density of 99±69 ind./1000 m2. Damselfishes (Family Pomacentridae) was the most abundant family (23±0.4 ind./500 m2), while Lutjanus semicinctus was the most abundant species (8.5±1.4 ind./500 m2). It is recommended that regular coral reef monitoring surveys be conducted in the DMS and in other MPAs in Miagao to monitor trends and changes in the HC cover and reef fish density and diversity in the MPA.

Analysing HCV incidence trends in people who inject drugs using serial behavioural and seroprevalence data: A modelling study

IntroductionThe introduction of new direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, has enabled the formulation of a HCV elimination strategy led by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Guidelines for elimination of HCV target a reduction in incidence, but this is difficult to measure and needs estimating. MethodsSerial cross-sectional bio-behavioural sero-surveys provide information on an individual's infection status and duration of exposure and how these change over time. These data can be used to estimate the rate of first infection through appropriate statistical models. This study utilised updated HCV seroprevalence information from the Unlinked Anonymous Monitoring survey, an annual survey of England, Wales and Northern Ireland monitoring the prevalence of blood borne viruses in people who inject drugs. Flexible parametric and semiparametric approaches, including fractional polynomials and splines, for estimating incidence rates by exposure time and survey year were implemented and compared. ResultsIncidence rates were shown to peak in those recently initiating injecting drug use at approximately 0.20 infections per person-year followed by a rapid reduction in the subsequent few years of injecting to approximately 0.05 infections per person-year. There was evidence of a rise in incidence rates for recent initiates between 2011 and 2020 from 0.17 infections per person-year (95 % CI, 0.16–0.19) to 0.26 infections per person-year (0.23–0.30). In those injecting for longer durations, incidence rates were stable over time. ConclusionsFractional polynomials provided an adequate fit with relatively few parameters, but splines may be preferable to ensure flexibility, in particular, to detect short-term changes in the rate of first infection over time that may be a result of treatment effects. Although chronic HCV prevalence has declined with treatment scale up over 2016–2020, there is no evidence yet of a corresponding fall in the rate of first infection. Seroprevalence and risk behaviour data can be used to estimate and monitor HCV incidence, providing insight into progress towards WHO defined elimination of HCV.

Initial Assessment of the Benthic Profile and Reef Fish Composition of the Damilisan Marine Sanctuary, Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines

Coral reefs are among the world’s most diverse and productive ecosystems. They provide valuable ecosystem services, including support for fisheries production and the livelihood of coastal communities. However, coral reefs are also threatened by anthropogenic and climate stressors. Establishing a marine protected area (MPA) is a typical coastal management tool widely used in the Philippines for conserving coral reefs and managing the fishing effort. This study presents initial information on the benthic and fish community profiles of the Damilisan Marine Sanctuary (DMS) in Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines. A modified point-intercept transect method was used to characterize the benthic profile, while the underwater visual census (UVC) was used to determine the fish community profile (diversity and density). The substrate was mainly composed of hard coral (HC) (39.3±18.3%), and the common HC observed were massive Porites and Goniopora, each contributing 12.8% of the total HC cover. Twenty coral reef fish species belonging to 10 families were identified during the UVC and had an overall density of 99±69 ind./1000 m2. Damselfishes (Family Pomacentridae) was the most abundant family (23±0.4 ind./500 m2), while Lutjanus semicinctus was the most abundant species (8.5±1.4 ind./500 m2). It is recommended that regular coral reef monitoring surveys be conducted in the DMS and in other MPAs in Miagao to monitor trends and changes in the HC cover and reef fish density and diversity in the MPA.

Influencing Hospital Employee Communication Behaviors for Desirable Maternal Health Outcomes in Ghana: An Extension of the Microboundary Spanning Theory

ABSTRACT Strategic internal communication management in healthcare settings may improve maternal care and maternal health outcomes, especially in low-income countries. The study examines how hospital internal communication managers in Ghana strategically influence employee communication behaviors for positive maternal health outcomes using the microboundary spanning theory. Twenty-three hospital internal communication managers were interviewed. Findings reveal that strategies hospital internal communication managers use to influence employee communication behaviors and enhance positive patient-provider communication include employee training programs, provision of timely information, maintaining open lines of communication, provision of essential resources, monitoring and informal surveys, utilizing the grapevine, organizing pregnancy schools and use of infographics produced in multiple Ghanaian languages. The study demonstrates that positive employee megaphoning and scouting behaviors can have financial and prosocial benefits, including enhancing patient healthcare experiences, encouraging women to seek maternal care, and ultimately improving maternal health outcomes. Finally, the study extends the microboundary spanning theory to include employee mandatory communication that occurs in healthcare settings and is the first such study to be conducted in Ghana.

Analysis of the state of the surface waters of the Pyasachnik dam

An ecological monitoring survey of the freshwater ecosystem of the Pyasachnik Dam was carried out in the period 2011-2016. The main indicators of surface water quality such as temperature, transparency, electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, N–NH4, N–NO2, N–NO3, orthophosphates P, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a content were monitored. Hereafter, the obtained results are discussed by years and seasons. The chemical status and ecological potential of the freshwater ecosystem were determined. The investigated surface waters are suitable for irrigation, but with a permanent mandatory monitoring. Keywords: ecological potential, irrigation, physicochemical monitoring, chemical status, chlorophyll

Migrant Labor and Integration in the Russian Federation

ABSTRACT This article compares the labor market outcomes of migrants in Russia to the non-migrant population. It considers human capital theory and integration theory while measuring differences between migrants and non-migrants in employment, work contracts, and wages. We rely on a rich source of longitudinal micro-data, the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey. Results show that migrants have high levels of employment but that certain groups are disproportionally likely to fall into unofficial employment when compared to non-migrants. Results further show that certain migrants report higher earnings than both non-migrants and internal migrants; suggesting that migrant workers seek a premium to come to Russia.

Measuring disability among U.S. adolescents and young adults: A survey measurement experiment

ObjectiveDisability is identified in surveys using various question sets, with little understanding of reliability across these measures, nor how these estimates may vary across age groups, including adolescents and young adults (AYA). The purpose of this study was to assess AYA prevalence of disability using two disability question sets and reliability of these measures. MethodsAYA participants in the Policy and Communication Evaluation (PACE) Vermont Study completed a single-item disability question used in the National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD) and Urban Institute’s Health Reform Monitoring Survey (HRMS) and a six-item set on functioning (Washington Group-Short Set, WG-SS) from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) in 2021. Prevalence was estimated for any disability and each disability domain in adolescents (ages 12–17) and young adults (ages 18–25) and compared with U.S. national estimates in NHIS and NSDUH. ResultsUsing the WG-SS, the prevalence of any disability was 17.0 % in PACE Vermont adolescents and 22.0 % in young adults, consistent with the national prevalence of adolescents in NSDUH (17.9 %) but higher than estimates of young adults in NHIS (3.9 %) and NSDUH (12.9 %). The single-item question provided lower estimates of disability (adolescents: 6.9 %; young adults: 18.5 %) than the WG-SS, with low positive agreement between measures. DiscussionThe prevalence of disability in AYAs varies depending on measures used. To improve disability surveillance, it may be necessary to validate new disability questions, including among AYAs, to capture a broader range of disability domains.

High Rates of Honey Bee Colony Losses and Regional Variability in Ethiopia Based on the Standardised COLOSS 2023 Survey.

The COLOSS research association has been assessing honey bee colony losses, associated risk factors and management, focusing on Western countries but with a progressive international expansion. Here, we report the first survey on the loss rates of colonies in 2022/2023 in Ethiopia using COLOSS monitoring survey tools. A face-to-face interview questionnaire survey was conducted on 64 beekeepers selected from Oromia and Tigray regions. This covered 1713 honey bee colonies distributed in 68 apiaries. The percentages of colonies lost were significantly different between Oromia (24.1%) and Tigray (66.4%) regions. Colony losses were attributed as unsolvable queen problems (8% in Oromia; 10% in Tigray), natural disaster (32%; 82%), and empty hives or dead colonies (60%; 8%). The loss rate was significantly affected by queen replacement (p < 0.0001), use of natural comb (p < 0.0001), feed supplementation (p < 0.0001), region (p < 0.0001), varroa treatment (p < 0.0001), colony splitting (p < 0.01), and merging (p < 0.01). Beekeepers in Oromia managed more colonies and implemented improved practices compared to those in Tigray. However, all beekeepers in Oromia detected at least some bees with signs of deformed wing virus, compared to 76% of beekeepers in Tigray. In conclusion, the colony loss rate was significantly different between Oromia and Tigray regions due to differences in natural disasters, management, environment and health factors.

Как удовлетворённость жизнью зависит от типа населённого пункта?

Life satisfaction is a multidimensional indicator that is influenced by many factors. Studies of national life satisfaction factors provide adequate estimates when countries are homogeneous “macroregions” with common social, cultural, and institutional foundations. However, within large and heterogeneous national states, of which Russia is one, internal regional differences in living conditions can be significant, which means that assessments of happiness levels are dominated by various factors, including the type of human settlement and its inherent characteristics. The conducted research is deepening the understanding of the factors that have a significant impact on subjective life satisfaction in various types of settlements in Russia - cities, towns, and villages. The Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey - Higher School of Economics (RLMS-HSE) was used as the data source. Econometric modeling is based on an ordered logit model with random effects using panel data. We discovered the high significance of subjective evaluation of wealth satisfaction, worried needs, and availability of paid vacations for all Russians, regardless of the type of settlement. The main differences in the set and degree of influence of factors lie along the line separating the values of collectivism and individualism, which are dominant in cities and villages, respectively. There is less concern about health and the possibility of job loss among rural residents reliant on the support of neighbors and family, in which men do not associate life satisfaction with the duration of the working day, and women do not associate life satisfaction with the amount of wage and maternity. In contrast, individualistically oriented residents of cities where nuclear families predominate and connections among people are weak tend to derive life satisfaction from self-realization through earnings, leisure, children, and health care.

Investigating stellar activity through eight years of Sun-as-a-star observations

ABSTRACT Stellar magnetic activity induces both distortions and Doppler-shifts in the absorption line profiles of Sun-like stars. Those effects produce apparent radial velocity (RV) signals which greatly hamper the search for potentially habitable, Earth-like planets. In this work, we investigate these distortions in the Sun using cross-correlation functions (CCFs), derived from intensive monitoring with the high-precision spectrograph HARPS-N. We show that the RV signal arising from line-shape variations on time-scales associated with the Sun’s rotation and activity cycle can be robustly extracted from the data, reducing the RV dispersion by half. Once these have been corrected, activity-induced Doppler-shifts remain, that are modulated at the solar rotation period, and that are most effectively modelled in the time domain, using Gaussian processes (GPs). Planet signatures are still best retrieved with multidimensonal GPs, when activity is jointly modelled from the raw RVs and indicators of the line width or of the Ca ii H &amp; K emission. After GP modelling, the residual RVs exhibit a dispersion of 0.6–0.8 m s−1, likely to be dominated by signals induced by supergranulation. Finally, we find that the statistical properties of the RVs evolve significantly over time, and that this evolution is primarily driven by sunspots, which control the smoothness of the signal. Such evolution, which reduces the sensitivity to long-period planet signatures, is no longer seen in the activity-induced Doppler-shifts, which is promising for long term RV monitoring surveys such as the Terra Hunting Experiment or the PLATO follow-up campaign.

Assessment of hydraulic fracture height and distribution using timelapse crosswell shear-wave data

An in-depth study of the impact of hydraulic fracturing operations on the Marcellus shale formation and overburden is presented by analyzing a unique timelapse crosswell seismic survey suitable for four-component shear wave vector rotations in order to study fracture azimuth and intensity. The borehole source used for the survey generated both oriented compressional and shear wave energy, and the seismic acquisition included perpendicular source orientations at each shot level to allow isolation of fast and slow shear modes using the Alford rotation and linear transform technique. Estimates of fast shear azimuth and slow shear time delay before and after hydraulic fracturing indicate fracture creation throughout the overburden above the Marcellus shale and a possible vertical breach of the bounding Tully limestone formation. The magnitude of the timelapse change is consistent between travel-time and slow shear lag inversion, but the absolute change is small, suggesting that the increase in fracture intensity may not be significant. These results point to operational inefficiencies during hydraulic fracturing operations that could negatively impact production and pose risks to future development. The study demonstrates the value of crosswell seismic surveys for reservoir monitoring and highlights observations that might be missed by a monitoring program that does not include timelapse seismic data and analysis of shear wave changes due to hydraulic fracturing.

ABNet: An Aggregated Backbone Network Architecture for Fine Landcover Classification

High-precision landcover classification is a fundamental prerequisite for resource and environmental monitoring and land-use status surveys. Imbued with intricate spatial information and texture features, very high spatial resolution remote sensing images accentuate the divergence between features within the same category, thereby amplifying the complexity of landcover classification. Consequently, semantic segmentation models leveraging deep backbone networks have emerged as stalwarts in landcover classification tasks owing to their adeptness in feature representation. However, the classification efficacy of a solitary backbone network model fluctuates across diverse scenarios and datasets, posing a persistent challenge in the construction or selection of an appropriate backbone network for distinct classification tasks. To elevate the classification performance and bolster the generalization of semantic segmentation models, we propose a novel semantic segmentation network architecture, named the aggregated backbone network (ABNet), for the meticulous landcover classification. ABNet aggregates three prevailing backbone networks (ResNet, HRNet, and VoVNet), distinguished by significant structural disparities, using a same-stage fusion approach. Subsequently, it amalgamates these networks with the Deeplabv3+ head after integrating the convolutional block attention mechanism (CBAM). Notably, this amalgamation harmonizes distinct scale features extracted by the three backbone networks, thus enriching the model’s spatial contextual comprehension and expanding its receptive field, thereby facilitating more effective semantic feature extraction across different stages. The convolutional block attention mechanism primarily orchestrates channel adjustments and curtails redundant information within the aggregated feature layers. Ablation experiments demonstrate an enhancement of no less than 3% in the mean intersection over union (mIoU) of ABNet on both the LoveDA and GID15 datasets when compared with a single backbone network model. Furthermore, in contrast to seven classical or state-of-the-art models (UNet, FPN, PSPNet, DANet, CBNet, CCNet, and UPerNet), ABNet evinces excellent segmentation performance across the aforementioned datasets, underscoring the efficiency and robust generalization capabilities of the proposed approach.

Lake Surface Water Temperature in high altitude lakes in the Pyrenees: Combining satellite with monitoring data to assess recent trends

Lake Surface Water Temperature (LSWT) influences critical bio-geological processes in lake ecosystems, and there is growing evidence of rising LSWT over recent decades worldwide and future shifts in thermal patterns are expected to be a major consequence of global warming.At a regional scale, assessing recent trends and anticipating impacts requires data from a number of lakes, but long term in situ monitoring programs are scarce, particularly in mountain areas. In this work, we propose the combined use of satellite-derived temperature with in situ data for a five-year period (2017–2022) from 5 small (<0.5km2) high altitude (1880–2680 masl) Pyrenean lakes. The comparison of in situ and satellite-derived data in a common period (2017–2022) during the summer season showed a notably high (r = 0.94, p < 0.01) correlation coefficient, indicative of a robust relationship between the two data sources. The root mean square errors ranged from 1.8 °C to 3.9 °C, while the mean absolute errors ranged from 1.6 °C to 3.6 °C.We applied the obtained in situ-satellite eq. (2017–2022) to Landsat 5, 7 and 8/9 data since 1985 to reconstruct the summer surface temperature of the five studied lakes with in situ data and to four additional lakes with no in situ monitoring data. Reconstructed LSWT for the 1985–2022 showed an upward trend in all lakes. Moreover, paleolimnological reconstructions based on sediment cores studies demonstrate large changes in the last decades in organic carbon accumulation, sediment fluxes and bioproductivity in the Pyrenean lakes.Our research represents the first comprehensive investigation conducted on high mountain lakes in the Pyrenees that compares field monitoring data with satellite-derived temperature records. The results demonstrate the reliability of satellite-derived LSWT for surface temperatures in small lakes, and provide a tool to improve the LSWT in lakes with no monitoring surveys.

Modelling and validation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emissions from offshore oil production facilities

The development of numerical models for investigating the risks and impact caused by human activities to the marine environment is important. Herein, the recently developed ChemicalDrift Lagrangian dispersion model was coupled to a toxicokinetic model and applied to investigate emissions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) discharged from oil and gas production facilities as produced water. The performance of the model was evaluated with available data from a monitoring survey conducted at two oil fields. The survey provided exposure concentrations by means of passive samplers and bioaccumulation data in caged mussels; multiple depths and locations were assessed. The study included 26 PAHs and alkylated derivatives, showing good agreement between the model and the survey measurements. The compounds dominating the scenario were naphthalenes and phenanthrenes. Model provided contamination gradients were in agreement with the survey results, with levels decreasing with distance away from the main sources and with higher concentrations at 20 m depth. ChemicalDrift and the toxicokinetic model provided detailed time series, showing peaks of C1-naphthalene bioaccumulation significantly higher than values accumulated at the end of the monitored period. The utilised model was able to separate the relative contributions of multiple platforms and to identify the major contamination sources, providing a valuable and versatile tool for assessing the impact of discharges at sea.

Abstract PO5-12-11: Characterizing Symptom Alerts in Different Breast Cancer Regimens: A Remote Symptom Monitoring Study

Abstract Introduction: Remote symptom monitoring is becoming more common in the management of patients on active cancer treatments. The patterns of symptoms and subsequent alerts for specific types of treatment administered as part of standard of care remains unknown. This study aims to characterize the frequencies and types of symptom alerts among breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy. Methods: This secondary analysis used data from a hybrid type 2 randomized controlled trial testing the implementation of remote symptom monitoring. For our analysis, we included women with breast cancer receiving (neo)adjuvant therapy. Enrolled patients received remote symptom monitoring surveys within 30 days of treatment initiation at the University of Alabama at Birmingham from 06/2021 to 05/2023. Self-reported symptoms were recorded via weekly electronic surveys for six months. The weekly survey used the PRO-CTCAE measurement tool and patients report frequency, intensity, and interference of the following symptoms: constipation, decreased appetite, diarrhea, cough, insomnia, nausea/vomiting, neuropathy, pain, urinary problems. Symptom alert severity is categorized as either moderate or severe. Self-reported race and treatment regimen (within the first 60 days) were abstracted from the electronic medical record. Regimens were grouped into three categories 1) trastuzumab-containing, 2) any regimen with pembrolizumab, 3) chemotherapy without trastuzumab or pembrolizumab. Descriptive statistics were calculated using frequencies and percentages for categorical variables and medians and interquartile ranges (IQR) for categorical variables. Results: A total of 108 women with breast cancer were included in our analysis. Overall, 54% were of White race, 36.1% were of Black or African American race, and 1.85% were of Asian race. The median age was 54 years (IQR 41-65). Fifty-one percent were prescribed a chemotherapy regimen, 33% trastuzumab-based regimen, and 15% pembrolizumab-based regimen. Symptom alerts were addressed supportively or escalated with nursing and treating oncologist via direct communication with patients. A total of 1438 symptom alerts were triggered with 55% of surveys generating an alert. The most reported symptom alert was pain, accounting for 30% of all alerts. Additionally, of all symptom alerts, 70% were moderate and 30% severe, with similar distributions across regimens. Patients receiving pembrolizumab regimen most often reported moderate pain compared to the other two regimens (35% vs 22% vs 23%). However, severe pain was most often reported by those receiving chemotherapy at 46%, trastuzumab-based regimen at 40%, and pembrolizumab-based regimen at 31%. Furthermore, patients on trastuzumab-based regimens reported severe diarrhea most frequently (11%) compared to 3% &amp; 2% for the other two regimens. Discussion: Symptoms experienced during receipt of (neo)adjuvant breast cancer treatment are common, with the majority being moderate in nature. Differences in symptom profiles were observed across different treatment modalities, consistent with known side effect profiles. The higher prevalence of pain in patients receiving chemotherapy alone may be attributed to the use of growth factors in these regimens. Further exploration is warranted to investigate the use of supportive medications in managing these symptoms. Further evaluations are underway to evaluate how symptom alerts could potentially increase treatment adherence and decrease hospitalizations. Citation Format: Katia Khoury, Nicole Caston, Megan Patterson, Nancy Holmes, Jena Seward, Erica Stringer-Reasor, Nusrat Jahan, Gabrielle Rocque. Characterizing Symptom Alerts in Different Breast Cancer Regimens: A Remote Symptom Monitoring Study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO5-12-11.

Altitudinal variation of microplastic abundance in lakeshore sediments from Italian lakes

Microplastic (MP) contamination represents an issue of global concern for both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, but only in recent years, the study of MPs has been focused on freshwaters. Several monitoring surveys have detected the presence of a wide array of MPs differing in size, shape, and polymer composition in rivers and lakes worldwide. Because of their role of sink for plastic particles, the abundance of MPs was investigated in waters, and deep and shoreline sediments from diverse lakes, confirming the ubiquity of this contamination. Although diverse factors, including those concerning anthropogenic activities and physical characteristics of lakes, have been supposed to affect MP abundances, very few studies have directly addressed these links. Thus, the aim of the present study was to explore the levels of MP contamination in mountain and subalpine lakes from Northern Italy. Fourteen lakes dislocated at different altitudes and characterized by dissimilar anthropic pressures were visited. Lakeshore sediments were collected close to the drift line to assess MPs contamination. Our results showed the presence of MPs in lakeshore sediments from all the lakes, with a mean (± standard deviation) expressed as MPs/Kg dry sediment accounting to 14.42 ± 13.31 (range 1.57–61.53), while expressed as MPs/m2, it was 176.07 ± 172.83 (range 25.00–666.67). The MP abundance measured for Garda Lake was significantly higher compared to all the other ones (F1,13 = 7.344; P < 0.001). The pattern of contamination was dominated by fibers in all the lakes, but they were the main contributors in mountain lakes. These findings showed that the MP abundance varied according to the altitude of the lakes, with higher levels measured in subalpine lakes located at low altitudes and surrounded by populated areas.