Background: Inuit children have been observed to have high rates of macrocephaly, which leads to burdensome travel for medical evaluation, often with no pathology identified. Given reports that WHO growth charts may not reflect all populations, we compared head circumference (HC) measurements in a cohort of Inuit children with the WHO charts. Methods: We extracted HC data from a retrospective cohort study where, with Inuit partnership, we reviewed medical records of Inuit children, born between 2010-2013, and residing in Nunavut. We excluded children with preterm birth, documented neurologic/genetic disease, and most congenital anomalies. We compared HC values with the 2007 WHO charts. Results: We analyzed records of 1960 Inuit children (8866 data points). Most data were from ages 0-36 months. At all age points, the cohort had statistically significantly larger HC than WHO medians. At age 12 months, median HC were 1.3 cm and 1.5 cm larger for male and female Inuit children. Using WHO growth curves, macrocephaly was overdiagnosed and microcephaly underdiagnosed. Conclusions: Our results support the observation that Inuit children from Nunavut have larger HCs, and use of the WHO charts may lead to overdiagnosis of macrocephaly and underdiagnosis of microcephaly. Population specific growth curves for Inuit children should be considered.

Diet quality has been linked to socio-economic status. However, evidence within rural and regional populations is lacking. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between diet quality and socio-economic position in adults living in rural and regional areas of Australia. The Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS; range 0–73) measured diet quality (total and subscale scores). Area-level socio-economic position was determined by postcode-linked socio-economic index for areas (SEIFA), Index of Relative Social Advantage and Disadvantage scores, stratified into quintiles. The mean total ARFS (34·7; sd = 9·1; n 836) was classified as ‘getting there’. Findings showed significantly lower mean total ARFS between SEIFA quintile 1 (1 = lowest; mean total ARFS = 30·4; sd = 10·2; categorised as ‘needs work’) compared with all other SEIFA quintiles (F (44 831) = 8·44, P ≤ 0·001). Linear regression, adjusting for age, sex, income, education, employment status and household composition demonstrated significantly lower overall diet quality for SEIFA quintile 1 compared with SEIFA quintile 3 (B = –3·9; 95 % CI (–6·2, −1·5); P < 0·001) and lower subscale scores for vegetables (B = –1·6; 95 % CI (–2·7, −0·6); P = 0·003), fruit (B = –0·9; 95 % CI (–1·6, −0·1); P = 0·018) and grains (B = –0·6; 95 % CI (–1·3, −0·0); P = 0·050). After adjusting for individual confounders of diet quality, results indicate that lower area-level socio-economic position remained associated with poorer diet quality in this sample of rural and regional Australian adults. This suggests that broader social and environmental factors unique to these areas may impact diet quality and amplify individual barriers to achieving a healthy diet.

Current clinical guidelines for people at risk of heart disease in Australia recommend nutrition intervention in conjunction with pharmacotherapy(1). However, Australians living in rural and remote regions have less access to medical nutritional therapy (MNT) provided by Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs) than their urban counterparts(2). The aim of the HealthyRHearts study was to trial the delivery of MNT by APDs using telehealth to eligible patients of General Practitioners (GPs) located in small to large rural towns in the Hunter New England region(3) of New South Wales, Australia. The study design was a 12-month pragmatic randomised controlled trial. The key outcome was reduced total cholesterol. The study was place-based, meaning many of the research team and APDs were based rurally, to ensure the context of the GPs and patients was already known. Eligible participants were those assessed as moderate-to-high risk of CVD by their GP. People in the intervention group received five MNT consults (totalling two hours) delivered via telehealth by APDs, and also answered a personalised nutrition questionnaire to guide their priorities and to support personalised dietary behaviour change during the counselling. Both intervention and control groups received usual care from their GP and were provided access to the Australian Eating Survey (Heart version), a 242-item online food frequency questionnaire with technology-supported personalised nutrition reports that evaluated intake relative to heart healthy eating principles. Of the 192 people who consented to participate, 132 were eligible due to their moderate-to-high risk. Pre-post participant medication use with a registered indication(4) for hypercholesterolemia, hypertension and glycemic control were documented according to class and strength (defined daily dose: DDD)(5). Nine GP practices (with 91 participants recruited) were randomised to the intervention group and seven practices (41 participants) were randomised to control. Intervention participants attended 4.3 ± 1.4 out of 5 dietetic consultations offered. Of the132 people with baseline clinical chemistry, 103 also provided a 12-month sample. Mean total cholesterol at baseline was 4.97 ± 1.13 mmol/L for both groups, with 12-m reduction of 0.26 ± 0.77 for intervention and 0.28 ± 0.79 for control (p = 0.90, unadjusted value). Median (IQR) number of medications for the intervention group was 2 (1–3) at both baseline and 12 months (p = 0.78) with 2 (1–3) and 3 (2–3) for the control group respectively. Combined DDD of all medications was 2.1 (0.5–3.8) and 2.5 (0.75–4.4) at baseline and 12 months (p = 0.77) for the intervention group and 2.7 (1.5–4.0) and 3.0 (2.0–4.5) for the control group (p = 0.30). Results suggest that medications were a significant contributor to the management of total cholesterol. Further analysis is required to evaluate changes in total cholesterol attributable to medication prescription relative to the MNT counselling received by the intervention group.

Nutritional metabolomics is an emerging objective dietary biomarker method to help characterise dietary intake. Our recent scoping review identified gaps and inconsistencies in both design features and level of detail of reported dietary intervention methods in human feeding studies measuring the metabolome(1) and our cross-over feeding study protocol details dietary information for identification of metabolites that characterise ‘healthy’ and ‘unhealthy’ (typical) Australian diets(2). The current study aimed to gain consensus on core diet-related item details (DID) and recommendations for reporting DIDs to inform development of a reporting checklist. The aim of this checklist is to guide researchers on reporting dietary information within human feeding studies measuring the dietary metabolome. A two-stage online Delphi was conducted encompassing 5 survey rounds (February–July 2024). This study is approved by the University of Newcastle’s Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC; H-2023-0405). Sixty-seven experts were invited across expertise in clinical trial design, feeding study intervention implementation, metabolomics, and/or human biospecimen analyses. Twenty-eight DIDs categorised across five domains underwent consensus development. Stage 1 (2 rounds) gained consensus on a core set of DIDs, including phrasing. Stage 2 (3 rounds) gained consensus on standard reporting recommendations for each DID and acceptance of the final reporting guideline. The research team convened after every round to discuss consensus-driven results. Experts resided from Australia, New Zealand, United States, United Kingdom, Sweden, Israel, Italy and Denmark. Twenty-five completed stage 1 and n = 22 completed stage 2. After stage 1, two DIDs merged and two new DIDs were identified, totalling 29 core DIDs. At the end of stage 2, round 2, based on expert feedback, all items were organised to determine differing degrees of reporting in the methods section of publications, with additional recommendations collated for other sections, including supplementary files. The reporting guideline (DID-METAB Checklist) was generated and accepted by the expert working group in round 3, with all experts agreeing that relevant journals should include the checklist as a suggested reporting tool for relevant studies or used alongside existing reporting tools. The Delphi process gained consensus on a core set of DIDs, and consolidated expert views on the level of detail required when reporting DIDs in research. The Delphi process generated the reporting guideline (DID-METAB Checklist) which can be implemented independently or as an extension to existing guidelines such as CONSORT (at item 5) or SPIRIT (at item 11) to improve reproducibility and comparability of feeding studies. Endorsement by scientific societies and journals will be key for the dissemination strategy and optimising the utility of the tool to strengthen the evidence base of nutritional metabolomics. The DID-METAB Checklist will be a key tool to advance reporting of diet-related methodologies in metabolomics for both personalised and precision nutrition interventions in clinical practice.

Interest in the consumption of food containing live microbes (LM) as a component of dietary patterns has accelerated, due to potential positive contributions to health and chronic disease risk, including cardiovascular disease (CVD)(1,2). There are different patterns of LM consumption, including through the intake of probiotics or fermented foods or via a broader spectrum of foods that may harbour microbes, such as raw, unpeeled fruits and vegetables(3). To date, no study has quantitatively assessed potential intake of LM in a sample of Australians. The aim was to quantify presence of LM for common foods and beverages consumed in Australia, using the Australian Eating Survey® (AES) and AES-Heart®(4,5 food frequency questionnaires as the dietary assessment tool. Quantification of potential live microbial content (per gram) was conducted in accordance with the methodology outlined by Marco et al.(3). Briefly, foods were assigned to categories with LM ranges defined as low (Low; < 104 CFU/g), medium (Medium; 104–107 CFU/g), or high (High; > 107 CFU/g) for level of live microbes(3). These categories were based on the expected prevalence of viable microorganisms within different food matrices. Specifically, pasteurised food products are characterised as having microbial concentrations Low < 104 CFU/g. In contrast, fresh fruits and vegetables, consumed unpeeled exhibit a microbial range considered medium (Medium; 104–107 CFU/g), while unpasteurised fermented foods and probiotic supplemented foods exhibit significantly higher microbial content (High > 107 CFU/g). Based on this methodology, the estimated quantities of live microbes in 400 foods and beverages (including individual products and mixed dishes) within the AES and AES-Heart®(4,5 FFQs were determined and summarised across 22 food groups using the 2-digit codes from the 2011–2013 AUSNUT database(6). Preliminary results indicate the Low group was the most represented, out of the 400 foods 369 belong to this category. The food groups that represent the highest percentages in the Low group were vegetable products and dishes (13.8%) followed by meat, poultry, and game products and dishes (13.6%). The Medium group was composed by 25 items, with the most representative food groups being fruit products and dishes (48%). In the High group, the representative food groups were dairy and meat substitutes (e.g., soy yoghurt; 66.7%) and milk products and dishes (33.3%). The creation of this database will facilitates new research opportunities to investigate relationships between intake of live microbes and health outcomes, including CVD. Future research into how dietary pattern rich in live microbes related to chronic disease risk factors, such as reduced BMI, blood pressure, plasma lipids and glucose, in the Australian population could offer new insights into risk factor management through LM dietary interventions.

Identifying reliable blood pressure biomarkers is essential for understanding how dietary interventions might supported a reduction in hypertension. Metabolomics, which involves the analysis of small molecules in biological samples(1), offers a valuable tool for uncovering metabolic biomarkers linked to both dietary patterns and blood pressure, providing insights for more effective dietary strategies to manage or prevent hypertension. The aim was to evaluate associations between plasma and urinary metabolite concentrations with blood pressure measures (systolic blood pressure [SBP] and diastolic blood pressure [DBP]) in healthy Australian adults. This cross-sectional secondary analysis used baseline data from a randomised, cross-over feeding trial(2). Plasma and urinary metabolomic data were generated using Ultra-high Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) through Metabolon Inc.’s (Morrisville, USA) Global Discovery Panel. Blood pressure was assessed in clinic using the Uscom BP+ supra-systolic oscillometric central blood pressure device, with the cuff positioned on the upper arm at the strongest pulse signal location. Participants sat relaxed and comfortably for 5 minutes before their measurements were taken. They remained seated with legs uncrossed, feet flat on the floor, and were instructed to maintain even breathing throughout the tests. Blood pressure was measured with three consecutive readings taken from the supported left arm, with a 1-minute rest between each reading. The first reading was discarded, and the average of the remaining two was used as the final measurement. Metabolite concentrations were log-transformed. Associations among blood pressure measures and urinary or plasma metabolites were evaluated using linear regression models, adjusting for age and sex. A total of 34 healthy Australian adults (mean age 38.4 ± 18.1 years, 53% females) baseline data was included. After adjusting for multiple comparisons using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure with a significance threshold of q < 0.2, a negative association between two urinary metabolites (gamma-glutamyl histidine and gamma-glutamyl phenylalanine) and DBP was identified. In addition, 32 plasma metabolites were associated with SBP with 18 showing a negative association, including 1,2-dilinoleoyl-GPC (18:2/18:2) and 1-linoleoyl-GPC (18:2), and 14 showing a positive association (beta-hydroxyisovalerate, 3-Hydroxyisobutyrate). Potential mechanisms based on existing research that might explain these associations include the role of gamma-glutamyl peptides in lowering DBP by reducing oxidative stress and improving endothelial function(3). In contrast, 3-hydroxybutyrate may elevate blood pressure due to metabolic disturbances linked to impaired branched-chain amino acid catabolism(4). Furthermore, 1,2-Dilinoleoyl-GPC and 1-linoleoyl-GPC, both contain linoleic acid, which could contribute to lowering systolic blood pressure (SBP) by mitigating vascular inflammation(5). Although some of these metabolites have been implicated in blood pressure regulation in prior research, others revealed new associations. These findings suggest potential candidate nutritional biomarkers for blood pressure, but further research is needed to confirm their reproducibility, and causal role in blood pressure regulation.

Objectives/Goals: The timing of neurosurgery is highly variable for post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) of prematurity. We sought to utilize microvascular imaging (MVI) in ultrasound (US) to identify biomarkers to discern the opportune time for intervention and to analyze the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) characteristics as they pertain to neurosurgical outcome. Methods/Study Population: The inclusion criteria for the study are admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with a diagnosis of Papile grade III or IV. Exclusion criteria are congenital hydrocephalus and hydrocephalus secondary to myelomeningocele/brain tumor/vascular malformation. We are a level IV tertiary referral center. Our current clinical care pathway utilizes brain US at admission and at weekly intervals. Patients who meet certain clinical and radiographic parameters undergo temporary or permanent CSF diversion. Results/Anticipated Results: NEL was implemented at our institution for PHH of prematurity in fall 2022. To date, we have had 20 patients who were diagnosed with grade III or IV IVH, of which 12 qualified for NEL. Our preliminary safety and feasibility results as well as the innovative bedside technique pioneered at our institution are currently in revision stages for publication. Preliminary results of the MVI data have yielded that hyperemia may confer venous congestion in the germinal matrix, which should then alert the neurosurgeon to delay any intervention to avoid progression of intraventricular blood. With regard to CSF characteristics, we anticipate that protein, cell count, hemoglobin, iron, and ferritin will decrease with NEL. Discussion/Significance of Impact: The timing of PHH of prematurity is highly variable. We expect that MVI will offer radiographic biomarkers to guide optimal timing of neurosurgical intervention. A better understanding of CSF characteristics could potentially educate the neurosurgeon with regard to optimal timing of permanent CSF diversion based on specific CSF parameters.

Measurement error undermines the accuracy of dietary intake data. The 24-h dietary recall (24HR) is the standard data collection method in nutrition surveillance. Several neurocognitive processes underpin the act of recall, and individuals differ in their performance of these processes. This study aimed to investigate whether variation in neurocognitive processes, measured using four cognitive tasks, was associated with variation in measurement error of 24HR. Participants (n 139) completed the Trail Making Test, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Visual Digit Span and the Vividness of Visual Imagery questionnaire. During a controlled feeding study, participants completed three technology-assisted 24HR: the Automated Self-Administered Dietary Assessment Tool, Intake24 and an Interviewer-Administered Image-Assisted 24HR (IA-24HR) 1 week apart. The percentage error between reported and true energy intakes was calculated. Using linear regression, the association between cognitive task scores and absolute percentage error in estimated energy intake was assessed. Longer time spent completing the Trail Making Test, an indicator of visual attention and executive functioning, was associated with greater error in energy intake estimation using ASA24 (B 0·13, 95 % CI 0·04, 0·21) and Intake24 (B 0·10, 95 % CI 0·02, 0·19). Regression models explained 13·6 % (ASA24) and 15·8 % (Intake24) of the variance in energy estimation error. No cognitive task scores were associated with error using IA-24HR. This study demonstrates that variation between individuals in neurocognitive processes explains some of the variation in 24HR error. Further investigation into the role of neurocognitive processes in 24HR and their role in the reliability of dietary intake data is warranted.

We present a re-discovery of G278.94+1.35a as possibly one of the largest known Galactic supernova remnants (SNRs) – that we name Diprotodon. While previously established as a Galactic SNR, Diprotodon is visible in our new Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) and GaLactic and Extragalactic All-sky MWA (GLEAM) radio continuum images at an angular size of $3{{{{.\!^\circ}}}}33\times3{{{{.\!^\circ}}}}23$, much larger than previously measured. At the previously suggested distance of 2.7 kpc, this implies a diameter of 157$\times$152 pc. This size would qualify Diprotodon as the largest known SNR and pushes our estimates of SNR sizes to the upper limits. We investigate the environment in which the SNR is located and examine various scenarios that might explain such a large and relatively bright SNR appearance. We find that Diprotodon is most likely at a much closer distance of $\sim$1 kpc, implying its diameter is 58$\times$56 pc and it is in the radiative evolutionary phase. We also present a new Fermi-LAT data analysis that confirms the angular extent of the SNR in gamma rays. The origin of the high-energy emission remains somewhat puzzling, and the scenarios we explore reveal new puzzles, given this unexpected and unique observation of a seemingly evolved SNR having a hard GeV spectrum with no breaks. We explore both leptonic and hadronic scenarios, as well as the possibility that the high-energy emission arises from the leftover particle population of a historic pulsar wind nebula.

NASA’s all-sky survey mission, the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), is specifically engineered to detect exoplanets that transit bright stars. Thus far, TESS has successfully identified approximately 400 transiting exoplanets, in addition to roughly 6 000 candidate exoplanets pending confirmation. In this study, we present the results of our ongoing project, the Validation of Transiting Exoplanets using Statistical Tools (VaTEST). Our dedicated effort is focused on the confirmation and characterisation of new exoplanets through the application of statistical validation tools. Through a combination of ground-based telescope data, high-resolution imaging, and the utilisation of the statistical validation tool known as TRICERATOPS, we have successfully discovered eight potential super-Earths. These planets bear the designations: TOI-238b (1.61$^{+0.09} _{-0.10}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-771b (1.42$^{+0.11} _{-0.09}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-871b (1.66$^{+0.11} _{-0.11}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-1467b (1.83$^{+0.16} _{-0.15}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-1739b (1.69$^{+0.10} _{-0.08}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-2068b (1.82$^{+0.16} _{-0.15}$ R$_\oplus$), TOI-4559b (1.42$^{+0.13} _{-0.11}$ R$_\oplus$), and TOI-5799b (1.62$^{+0.19} _{-0.13}$ R$_\oplus$). Among all these planets, six of them fall within the region known as ‘keystone planets’, which makes them particularly interesting for study. Based on the location of TOI-771b and TOI-4559b below the radius valley we characterised them as likely super-Earths, though radial velocity mass measurements for these planets will provide more details about their characterisation. It is noteworthy that planets within the size range investigated herein are absent from our own solar system, making their study crucial for gaining insights into the evolutionary stages between Earth and Neptune.

The glaciogenic nature of the Yudnamutana Subgroup was first recognized over a century ago, and its global significance was recognized shortly after, with the eventual postulation of a global Sturtian Glaciation and Snowball Earth theory. Much debate on the origin and timing of these rocks, locally and globally, has ensued in the years since. A significant corpus of research on the lithology, sedimentology, geochronology and formal lithostratigraphy of these sequences globally has attempted to resolve many of these debates. In the type area for the Sturtian Glaciation, South Australia’s Adelaide Superbasin, the lithostratigraphy and sedimentology are well understood; however, formal stratigraphic nomenclature has remained complicated and contested. Absolute dates on the stratigraphy are also extremely sparse in this area. The result of these longstanding issues has been disagreement as to whether the sedimentary rocks of the Yudnamutana Subgroup are truly correlative throughout South Australia, and if they were deposited in the same time span recently defined for Sturtian glacial rocks globally, c. 717 Ma to c. 660 Ma. This study presents a large detrital zircon study, summarizes and compiles existing global geochronology for the Sturtian Glaciation and revises the formal lithostratigraphic framework of the Yudnamutana Subgroup. We show equivalence of the rocks that comprise the revised Sturt Formation, the main glaciogenic unit of the Yudnamutana Subgroup, and that it was deposited within the time span globally defined for the Sturtian Glaciation.

Radiocarbon (14C) is an isotopic tracer used to address a wide range of scientific research questions. However, contamination by elevated levels of 14C is deleterious to natural-level laboratory workspaces and accelerator mass spectrometer facilities designed to precisely measure small amounts of 14C. The risk of contaminating materials and facilities intended for natural-level 14C with elevated-level 14C-labeled materials has dictated near complete separation of research groups practicing profoundly different measurements. Such separation can hinder transdisciplinary research initiatives, especially in remote and isolated field locations where both natural-level and elevated-level radiocarbon applications may be useful. This paper outlines the successful collaboration between researchers making natural-level 14C measurements and researchers using 14C-labeled materials during a subglacial drilling project in West Antarctica (SALSA 2018–2019). Our strict operating protocol allowed us to successfully carry out 14C labeling experiments within close quarters at our remote field camp without contaminating samples of sediment and water intended for natural level 14C measurements. Here we present our collaborative protocol for maintaining natural level 14C cleanliness as a framework for future transdisciplinary radiocarbon collaborations.

The role of the Eurasian badger (Meles meles) as a wildlife host has complicated the management of bovine tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle. Badger ranging behaviour has previously been found to be altered by culling of badgers and has been suggested to increase the transmission of bTB either among badgers or between badgers and cattle. In 2014, a five-year bTB intervention research project in a 100 km2 area in Northern Ireland was initiated involving selective removal of dual path platform (DPP) VetTB (immunoassay) test positive badgers and vaccination followed by release of DPP test negative badgers (‘Test and Vaccinate or Remove’). Home range sizes, based on position data obtained from global positioning system collared badgers, were compared between the first year of the project, where no DPP test positive badgers were removed, and follow-up years 2–4 when DPP test positive badgers were removed. A total of 105 individual badgers were followed over 21 200 collar tracking nights. Using multivariable analyses, neither annual nor monthly home ranges differed significantly in size between years, suggesting they were not significantly altered by the bTB intervention that was applied in the study area.

The first demonstration of laser action in ruby was made in 1960 by T. H. Maiman of Hughes Research Laboratories, USA. Many laboratories worldwide began the search for lasers using different materials, operating at different wavelengths. In the UK, academia, industry and the central laboratories took up the challenge from the earliest days to develop these systems for a broad range of applications. This historical review looks at the contribution the UK has made to the advancement of the technology, the development of systems and components and their exploitation over the last 60 years.