University of Newcastle Australia

• This study addresses resource-related scheduling challenges in steel manufacturing. • Fluctuations in oxygen consumption and scrap steel usage are the main focus. • An improved multi-objective algorithm is proposed to solve the problem. • Experiments on actual production data produce feasible and effective schedules. • Oxygen fluctuation is reduced by 19.8% and scrap additions are increased by 3.1%. In steel plants, oxygen and scrap steel are both indispensable resources in the steelmaking process. The consumption of oxygen and the addition of scrap steel are critical for ensuring production stability and achieving energy efficiency and emission reduction goals. Given the sequential and stage-based nature of steelmaking operations, this study models the scheduling process as a hybrid flow shop problem considering oxygen consumption and scrap additions (HFSP-OCSA). To support decision-making under varying production conditions and conflicting objectives, an improved multi-objective genetic algorithm (IMGA) is designed to solve HFSP-OCSA and provide a diverse set of production schemes. The IMGA integrates a problem-specific heuristic decoding method for determining the sequence and timing of steel charges across multiple stages. It also adopts an enhanced diversity preservation strategy based on penalised angular distance to improve the convergence and distribution of the Pareto front. An adaptive dual-population neighbourhood search mechanism is incorporated to further refine solution quality. The algorithm is evaluated using real data from an industrial steel plant in China. Comprehensive experimental results show that the proposed IMGA achieves up to a 19.8% reduction in oxygen consumption fluctuations, 3.1% increase in scrap additions, and a reduction of over 3,300 t in CO₂ emissions, along with direct economic savings of approximately $8.8K under the market conditions in August 2025. These results confirm the effectiveness of IMGA in improving scheduling efficiency and resource utilisation in converter steelmaking.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential second-messenger molecules, yet when deregulated, they fuel cancer growth and therapeutic resistance. In high-grade gliomas, including glioblastoma, diffuse hemispheric glioma, and diffuse midline glioma (DMG), genetic, epigenetic, and metabolic alterations drive chronic ROS production and redox imbalance. This oxidative stress promotes DNA damage, epigenetic reprogramming, tumor growth, and immune escape. In DMG, global DNA and histone hypomethylation are amplified by oxidative stress, while ROS-dependent Ras/Raf/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways reinforce tumor survival. Paradoxically, the same ROS create an intrinsic vulnerability as excess ROS can overwhelm defenses and trigger cytotoxicity. Targeting ROS is challenging; however, new strategies, including NADPH oxidase inhibition, metabolic modulation, and ROS-inducing therapies, reveal vulnerabilities. Understanding this redox paradox is critical to exposing therapeutic vulnerabilities and improving outcomes for patients with these deadly cancers.

Purpose : Physical activity is beneficial for children’s health and well-being, but competing demands on schools has reduced the amount of time children are active. Integrating physical activity into the school curriculum has shown promise for improving educational outcomes including enjoyment, engagement, and perceived well-being. This study evaluated the feasibility of the Make Basketball Count program, which combined basketball skills with mathematics concepts. Methods : Grade 3 students ( n = 104, aged 9–11 years) from two schools participated in the program, consisting of six weekly physically active math lessons using basketball as a stimulus delivered by qualified teachers and a basketball development officer. Students and teachers completed program evaluation questionnaires. Students also completed semistructured interviews through focus groups. Results : Positive feedback was received regarding program enjoyment, engagement, and perceived benefits (health, well-being, and confidence). Discussion : This study provides preliminary evidence that the program was feasible for delivery in primary schools. A randomized controlled trial is recommended to determine the impact of the program.

Investigating neural activity in response to core and non-core foods, as well as appetite and cardiometabolic biomarkers, may offer insight into why certain individuals are more vulnerable to develop food addiction (FA). This study aimed to investigate neural activation associated with FA during a food-related Go/No-Go functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) task, as well as fasting blood biomarkers related to appetite regulation, stress, and cardiometabolic health. Adults aged 18-45, classified as FA (n=10) or non-FA (n=10) via the Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0, completed a fasting blood sample and Go/No-Go task within the MRI scanner. Blood lipids [total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), triglycerides], glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and glucose, and appetite-related hormones [oxytocin, ghrelin, leptin, cholecystokinin (CCK) and cortisol] were taken. Nineteen participants completed the scans (mean age 28.2±7.4y, 15 female). Individuals with FA showed greater activation in the right supramarginal gyrus, left angular gyrus and right middle frontal gyrus when withholding their button press for non-core food images (p<0.001, p=0.001, p=0.013 respectively). However, no significant differences between groups were identified for blood biomarkers of appetite, stress, or cardiometabolic health. Findings suggest that individuals with high YFAS scores required increased cognitive effort to suppress their responses towards non-core foods, which could increase their vulnerability to consumption of higher calorie foods. Future studies should investigate the role of inhibition and reward-related regions in individuals with FA through cumulative effects of visual, olfactory, and gustatory food cues to mimic the stimulation of all sensory components in the real-world food environment.

Suicide is a major global health concern that accounts for approximately 1.4% of all deaths worldwide. Suicide prevention efforts face a number of implementation challenges. Some studies estimate it takes over 17 years for research innovations to be translated into practice. The delayed adoption of research into practice restricts patient benefits and wastes scarce resources. Developing ways to communicate research findings in formats that are accessible and valuable to those working in suicide prevention is crucial. Using a cross-sectional online survey, this research assessed the translational needs of stakeholders involved in Australian suicide prevention to determine ways to support the meaningful translation and dissemination of research findings. The survey was completed by 93 participants from a range of roles in the mental health and suicide prevention sector. The study suggests that participants felt confident in their ability to access resources to improve their knowledge and recognised that existing research evidence influenced their work and preferred traditional and professional platforms for knowledge consumption such as conferences or journal articles. The survey found research that is informed and supported by lived experience is highly valued by stakeholders. Key recommendations for the development of translational tools in the field of suicide prevention include leaning on traditional approaches to knowledge consumption such as educational sessions or webinars, eNewsletters and website content and exploring how lived experience knowledge and expertise can be incorporated into translational tools. SO WHAT?: Disseminating evidence from suicide prevention research in formats preferred by stakeholders, such as plain language summaries, could increase accessibility and reduce the knowledge-to-practice gap for successful interventions.