There is considerable interest in the role of neuroimmune processes in neuropsychiatric presentations among young people seeking mental health, neurological, paediatric and rheumatological services. The increasing availability of new immunotherapies, particularly monoclonal antibodies, introduces challenges in effectively and appropriately selecting candidates for immunotherapies. Neuroimmune-mediated neuropsychiatric syndromes (NIMNPS) typically include two broad types: i) ‘autoimmune encephalitis’, characterised by acute or subacute onset, neurological signs such as seizures, delirium or motor features and severe psychotic or major mood phenomena. Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis was a pioneering clinical example, but various other autoantibodies have since been associated with this phenotype; and ii) atypical mood or psychotic syndromes with sub-acute or insidious onset, moderately severe atypical mood or psychotic symptoms, autonomic dysregulation, narcolepsy-like features, poor response to conventional treatments and adverse (notably motor) effects from psychotropic medications. Diagnosis of NIMNPS requires clinical or laboratory evidence of direct brain involvement, though autoantibodies are not always detectable. Given the broad and controversial diagnostic criteria for NIMNPS, we propose standardised clinical criteria for identifying ‘possible cases’, followed by laboratory, neuropsychological and brain imaging tests to confirm ‘probable’ cases suitable for immunotherapy. We emphasise rapid clinical and informed co-decision-making with young people and their families and loved ones. While immunotherapy holds promise for symptom alleviation, highly-personalised approaches and long-term management are essential. Future research should validate our proposed criteria, establish optimal, standardised yet personalised immunotherapy strategies that balance between clinical benefit and risks, and identify predictive markers of treatment response.

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) and antidepressant medications are both first-line interventions for adult depression, but their relative efficacy in the long term and on outcome measures other than depressive symptomatology is unknown. Individual participant data (IPD) meta-analyses can provide more precise effect estimates than conventional meta-analyses. This IPD meta-analysis compared the efficacy of IPT and antidepressants on various outcomes at post-treatment and follow-up (PROSPERO: CRD42020219891). A systematic literature search conducted May 1st, 2023 identified randomized trials comparing IPT and antidepressants in acute-phase treatment of adults with depression. Anonymized IPD were requested and analyzed using mixed-effects models. The prespecified primary outcome was post-treatment depression symptom severity. Secondary outcomes were all post-treatment and follow-up measures assessed in at least two studies. IPD were obtained from 9 of 15 studies identified (N = 1536/1948, 78.9%). No significant comparative treatment effects were found on post-treatment measures of depression (d = 0.088, p = 0.103, N = 1530) and social functioning (d = 0.026, p = 0.624, N = 1213). In smaller samples, antidepressants performed slightly better than IPT on post-treatment measures of general psychopathology (d = 0.276, p = 0.023, N = 307) and dysfunctional attitudes (d = 0.249, p = 0.029, N = 231), but not on any other secondary outcomes, nor at follow-up. This IPD meta-analysis is the first to examine the acute and longer-term efficacy of IPT v. antidepressants on a broad range of outcomes. Depression treatment trials should routinely include multiple outcome measures and follow-up assessments.

Although food insecurity affects a significant proportion of young children in New Zealand (NZ)(1), evidence of its association with dietary intake and sociodemographic characteristics in this population is lacking. This study aims to assess the household food security status of young NZ children and its association with energy and nutrient intake and sociodemographic factors. This study included 289 caregiver and child (1-3 years old) dyads from the same household in either Auckland, Wellington, or Dunedin, NZ. Household food security status was determined using a validated and NZ-specific eight-item questionnaire(2). Usual dietary intake was determined from two 24-hour food recalls, using the multiple source method(3). The prevalence of inadequate nutrient intake was assessed using the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) cut-point method and full probability approach. Sociodemographic factors (i.e., socioeconomic status, ethnicity, caregiver education, employment status, household size and structure) were collected from questionnaires. Linear regression models were used to estimate associations with statistical significance set at p <0.05. Over 30% of participants had experienced food insecurity in the past 12 months. Of all eight indicator statements, “the variety of foods we are able to eat is limited by a lack of money,” had the highest proportion of participants responding “often” or “sometimes” (35.8%). Moderately food insecure children exhibited higher fat and saturated fat intakes, consuming 3.0 (0.2, 5.8) g/day more fat, and 2.0 (0.6, 3.5) g/day more saturated fat compared to food secure children (p<0.05). Severely food insecure children had lower g/kg/day protein intake compared to food secure children (p<0.05). In comparison to food secure children, moderately and severely food insecure children had lower fibre intake, consuming 1.6 (2.8, 0.3) g/day and 2.6 (4.0, 1.2) g/day less fibre, respectively. Severely food insecure children had the highest prevalence of inadequate calcium (7.0%) and vitamin C (9.3%) intakes, compared with food secure children [prevalence of inadequate intakes: calcium (2.3%) and vitamin C (2.8%)]. Household food insecurity was more common in those of Māori or Pacific ethnicity; living in areas of high deprivation; having a caregiver who was younger, not in paid employment, or had low educational attainment; living with ≥2 other children in the household; and living in a sole-parent household. Food insecure young NZ children consume a diet that exhibits lower nutritional quality in certain measures compared to their food-secure counterparts. Food insecurity was associated with various sociodemographic factors that are closely linked with poverty or low income. As such, there is an urgent need for poverty mitigation initiatives to safeguard vulnerable young children from the adverse consequences of food insecurity.

Ultra-processed plant-based foods, such as plant-based burgers, have gained in popularity. Particularly in the out-of-home (OOH) environment, evidence regarding their nutritional profile and environmental sustainability is still evolving. Plant-based burgers available at selected OOH sites were randomly sampled in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Lisbon and London. Plant-based burgers (patty, bread and condiment) (n 41) were lab analysed for their energy, macronutrients, amino acids and minerals content per 100 g and serving and were compared with reference values. For the plant-based burgers, the median values per 100 g were 234 kcal, 20·8 g carbohydrates, 3·5 g dietary fibre and 12·0 g fat, including 0·08 g TFS and 2·2 g SFA. Protein content was 8·9 g/100 g, with low protein quality according to amino acid composition. Median Na content was 389 mg/100 g, equivalent to 1 g salt. Compared with references, the median serving provided 31% of energy intake based on a 2000 kcal per day and contributed to carbohydrates (17–28%), dietary fibre (42%), protein (40%), total fat (48%), SFA (26%) and Na (54%). One serving provided 15–23% of the reference values for Ca, K and Mg, while higher contributions were found for Zn, Mn, P and Fe (30–67%). The ultra-processed plant-based burgers provide protein, dietary fibre and essential minerals and contain relatively high levels of energy, Na and total fats. The amino acid composition indicated low protein quality. The multifaceted nutritional profile of plant-based burgers highlights the need for manufacturers to implement improvements to better support healthy dietary habits, including reducing energy, Na and total fats.

In both population-based and clinical cohorts, cross-sectional and longitudinal studies have reported associations between a range of non-specific markers of immune activation (e.g., pro-inflammatory cytokines) or chronic inflammation (e.g., C-reactive protein [CRP]) and depressive and other mood disorders (Dowlati et al. 2010; Hickie et al. 2018; Khandaker et al. 2017; Orsolini et al. 2022; Valkanova et al. 2013). The clinico-pathological significance, and directional relationships, of these associations tended to be downplayed as the systemic levels of these inflammatory markers were not in the ranges typical of active infective, inflammatory or significant autoimmune diseases.

The Wisconsin high-temperature superconductor axisymmetric mirror experiment (WHAM) will be a high-field platform for prototyping technologies, validating interchange stabilization techniques and benchmarking numerical code performance, enabling the next step up to reactor parameters. A detailed overview of the experimental apparatus and its various subsystems is presented. WHAM will use electron cyclotron heating to ionize and build a dense target plasma for neutral beam injection of fast ions, stabilized by edge-biased sheared flow. At 25 keV injection energies, charge exchange dominates over impact ionization and limits the effectiveness of neutral beam injection fuelling. This paper outlines an iterative technique for self-consistently predicting the neutral beam driven anisotropic ion distribution and its role in the finite beta equilibrium. Beginning with recent work by Egedal et al. (Nucl. Fusion, vol. 62, no. 12, 2022, p. 126053) on the WHAM geometry, we detail how the FIDASIM code is used to model the charge exchange sources and sinks in the distribution function, and both are combined with an anisotropic magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium solver method to self-consistently reach an equilibrium. We compare this with recent results using the CQL3D code adapted for the mirror geometry, which includes the high-harmonic fast wave heating of fast ions.

The quenching of cluster satellite galaxies is inextricably linked to the suppression of their cold interstellar medium (ISM) by environmental mechanisms. While the removal of neutral atomic hydrogen (H i) at large radii is well studied, how the environment impacts the remaining gas in the centres of galaxies, which are dominated by molecular gas, is less clear. Using new observations from the Virgo Environment traced in CO survey (VERTICO) and archival H i data, we study the H i and molecular gas within the optical discs of Virgo cluster galaxies on 1.2-kpc scales with spatially resolved scaling relations between stellar ($\Sigma_{\star}$), H i ($\Sigma_{\text{H}\,{\small\text{I}}}$), and molecular gas ($\Sigma_{\text{mol}}$) surface densities. Adopting H i deficiency as a measure of environmental impact, we find evidence that, in addition to removing the H i at large radii, the cluster processes also lower the average $\Sigma_{\text{H}\,{\small\text{I}}}$ of the remaining gas even in the central $1.2\,$kpc. The impact on molecular gas is comparatively weaker than on the H i, and we show that the lower $\Sigma_{\text{mol}}$ gas is removed first. In the most H i-deficient galaxies, however, we find evidence that environmental processes reduce the typical $\Sigma_{\text{mol}}$ of the remaining gas by nearly a factor of 3. We find no evidence for environment-driven elevation of $\Sigma_{\text{H}\,{\small\text{I}}}$ or $\Sigma_{\text{mol}}$ in H i-deficient galaxies. Using the ratio of $\Sigma_{\text{mol}}$-to-$\Sigma_{\text{H}\,{\small\text{I}}}$ in individual regions, we show that changes in the ISM physical conditions, estimated using the total gas surface density and midplane hydrostatic pressure, cannot explain the observed reduction in molecular gas content. Instead, we suggest that direct stripping of the molecular gas is required to explain our results.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization stressed the importance of daily clinical assessments of infected patients, yet current approaches frequently consider cross-sectional timepoints, cumulative summary measures, or time-to-event analyses. Statistical methods are available that make use of the rich information content of longitudinal assessments. We demonstrate the use of a multistate transition model to assess the dynamic nature of COVID-19-associated critical illness using daily evaluations of COVID-19 patients from 9 academic hospitals. We describe the accessibility and utility of methods that consider the clinical trajectory of critically ill COVID-19 patients.

A chloroacetamide herbicide by application timing factorial experiment was conducted in 2017 and 2018 in Mississippi to investigate chloroacetamide use in a dicamba-based Palmer amaranth management program in cotton production. Herbicides used were S-metolachlor or acetochlor, and application timings were preemergence, preemergence followed by (fb) early postemergence, preemergence fb late postemergence, early postemergence alone, late postemergence alone, and early postemergence fb late postemergence. Dicamba was included in all preemergence applications, and dicamba plus glyphosate was included with all postemergence applications. Differences in cotton and weed response due to chloroacetamide type were minimal, and cotton injury at 14 d after late postemergence application was less than 10% for all application timings. Late-season weed control was reduced up to 30% and 53% if chloroacetamide application occurred preemergence or late postemergence only, respectively. Late-season weed densities were minimized if multiple applications were used instead of a single application. Cotton height was reduced by up to 23% if a single application was made late postemergence relative to other application timings. Chloroacetamide application at any timing except preemergence alone minimized late-season weed biomass. Yield was maximized by any treatment involving multiple applications or early postemergence alone, whereas applications preemergence or late postemergence alone resulted in up to 56% and 27% yield losses, respectively. While no yield loss was reported by delaying the first of sequential applications until early postemergence, forgoing a preemergence application is not advisable given the multiple factors that may delay timely postemergence applications such as inclement weather.

Typical enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (tEPEC) infection is a major cause of diarrhoea and contributor to mortality in children <5 years old in developing countries. Data were analysed from the Global Enteric Multicenter Study examining children <5 years old seeking care for moderate-to-severe diarrhoea (MSD) in Kenya. Stool specimens were tested for enteric pathogens, including by multiplex polymerase chain reaction for gene targets of tEPEC. Demographic, clinical and anthropometric data were collected at enrolment and ~60-days later; multivariable logistic regressions were constructed. Of 1778 MSD cases enrolled from 2008 to 2012, 135 (7.6%) children tested positive for tEPEC. In a case-to-case comparison among MSD cases, tEPEC was independently associated with presentation at enrolment with a loss of skin turgor (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.37–3.17), and convulsions (aOR 2.83, 95% CI 1.12–7.14). At follow-up, infants with tEPEC compared to those without were associated with being underweight (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.3–3.6) and wasted (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.3–4.6). Among MSD cases, tEPEC was associated with mortality (aOR 2.85, 95% CI 1.47–5.55). This study suggests that tEPEC contributes to morbidity and mortality in children. Interventions aimed at defining and reducing the burden of tEPEC and its sequelae should be urgently investigated, prioritised and implemented.

Gravitational waves from coalescing neutron stars encode information about nuclear matter at extreme densities, inaccessible by laboratory experiments. The late inspiral is influenced by the presence of tides, which depend on the neutron star equation of state. Neutron star mergers are expected to often produce rapidly rotating remnant neutron stars that emit gravitational waves. These will provide clues to the extremely hot post-merger environment. This signature of nuclear matter in gravitational waves contains most information in the 2–4 kHz frequency band, which is outside of the most sensitive band of current detectors. We present the design concept and science case for a Neutron Star Extreme Matter Observatory (NEMO): a gravitational-wave interferometer optimised to study nuclear physics with merging neutron stars. The concept uses high-circulating laser power, quantum squeezing, and a detector topology specifically designed to achieve the high-frequency sensitivity necessary to probe nuclear matter using gravitational waves. Above 1 kHz, the proposed strain sensitivity is comparable to full third-generation detectors at a fraction of the cost. Such sensitivity changes expected event rates for detection of post-merger remnants from approximately one per few decades with two A+ detectors to a few per year and potentially allow for the first gravitational-wave observations of supernovae, isolated neutron stars, and other exotica.