Griffith Research Online

Background Improved breast cancer treatment has lengthened survival but also has long-term impacts. Lymphedema and peripheral neuropathy are treatment-related sequelae that extend into survivorship. Co-occurrence of these conditions may further impair functional well-being. Few studies have estimated the burden of these conditions among diverse survivors.

Methods Carolina Breast Cancer Study Phase 3 enrolled survivors diagnosed between 2008 and 2013 in North Carolina. Black and younger women (aged <50 years at diagnosis) were oversampled. With the use of ≥10 years of follow-up data, the prevalence of persistent lymphedema, peripheral neuropathy, and their co-occurrence was assessed. Prevalence differences (PDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were assessed according to patient and disease characteristics.

Results A total of 1688 survivors were included, with an average of 11.1 years (SD, 0.6) postdiagnosis. The prevalence of persistent lymphedema, peripheral neuropathy, and their co-occurrence was 18.7%, 27.7%, and 8.8%, respectively. Lymphedema was higher among those receiving a mastectomy and with >5 lymph nodes removed, and peripheral neuropathy was higher among women treated with taxane-based chemotherapy. Co-occurrence was higher among women with >5 lymph nodes removed (vs. <5; PD, 5.4; 95% CI, 2.1 to 8.8) and those treated with taxane-based chemotherapy (vs. no chemotherapy; PD, 6.8; 95% CI, 3.9 to 9.7). The burden of lymphedema (PD, 2.7; 95% CI, 0.9 to 6.3) and peripheral neuropathy (PD, 5.8; 95% CI, 1.7 to 9.9) was higher among Black than White women. The prevalence of lymphedema (PD, 1.8; 95% CI, −1.5 to 5.1) and peripheral neuropathy (PD, 4.6; 95% CI, 0.8 to 8.4) was elevated among younger compared to older women.

Conclusions Lymphedema and peripheral neuropathy affect a substantial proportion of survivors. Interventions are needed to reduce this burden.

Recent thermodynamic and functional studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of amino acid substitutions on Calmodulin (CaM). The Critical Assessment of Genome Interpretation (CAGI) data provider at University of Verona (Italy) measured the melting temperature (Tm) and the percentage of unfolding (%unfold) of a set of CaM variants (CaM challenge dataset). Thermodynamic measurements for the equilibrium unfolding of CaM were obtained by monitoring far-UV Circular Dichroism as a function of temperature. These measurements were used to determine the Tm and the percentage of protein remaining unfolded at the highest temperature. The CaM challenge dataset, comprising a total of 15 single amino acid substitutions, was used to evaluate the effectiveness of computational methods in predicting the Tm and unfolding percentages associated with the variants, and categorizing them as destabilizing or not. For the sixth edition of CAGI, nine independent research groups from four continents (Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America) submitted over 52 sets of predictions, derived from various approaches. In this manuscript, we summarize the results of our assessment to highlight the potential limitations of current algorithms and provide insights into the future development of more accurate prediction tools. By evaluating the thermodynamic stability of CaM variants, this study aims to enhance our understanding of the relationship between amino acid substitutions and protein stability, ultimately contributing to more accurate predictions of the effects of genetic variants.

Nature exposure improves mental health, human capital, and economic productivity. Outcomes are well established, drivers and mechanisms less so. Thrill + skill activities, additional to exercise and nature, are least studied. We analyse their effects for 40 mid-life women surfers in 16 countries, contrasted with 16 women hikers. We use an 11-year ethnography, semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis under interpretive grounded theory. The surfers perceive that surfing strongly improves their mental resilience to stress, irrespective of any concurrent clinical therapy. They identify three drivers and mechanisms: nature, creating happiness or joy; activity, creating thrill, triumph and self-esteem; and social, support and friendship from other women surfers. They perceive these as building a cumulative buffer of gratitude for life, which provides resilience against setbacks. In large-scale implementation of nature-based mental healthcare, both nature-only and nature + adventure products are valuable. The outdoor recreation sector provides practical options.

We know that trust in police promotes public willingness to contact the police. We also know that immigrants tend to trust the police less than non-immigrants. In this paper we examine police trustworthiness and immigrants’ trust in police among a sample of immigrants who report being a victim of crime. Specifically, we consider the roles of procedural justice and police effectiveness (i.e. two elements of police trustworthiness) in building immigrants’ trust in police and the subsequent impact this trust has on their willingness to call the police in the future. Drawing on survey data of Vietnamese and Middle Eastern Muslim immigrants in Australia who have been the victim of personal and/or property crimes (N = 355) we find that both measures of police trustworthiness (procedural justice and police effectiveness) are related to immigrants’ willingness to contact the police via the mediating mechanism of trust in police. We also find that results vary depending on victimization type.

Within Latin America, the evidence surrounding intergenerational learning experiences remains limited. This study addresses this gap and marks a significant contribution to the literature by evaluating a Uruguayan intergenerational learning program using a systematic mixed-methods approach – the first of its kind in this country. Over eight workshops, the program assessed levels of wellbeing and involvement among older adult participants through observation, a series of interviews and focus groups. The findings revealed medium-to-high levels of wellbeing, increased involvement over time and a desire for program continuity. Notably, participants expressed interest in assuming leadership roles in planning and found smaller group settings to be more beneficial to engagement. The results provide comprehensive insights into participant preferences for intergenerational programs and their effectiveness. These findings pave the way for future research and the development of tailored intergenerational programs that cater to the unique sociocultural context of Uruguay and beyond.