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We present the serendipitous radio-continuum discovery of a likely Galactic supernova remnant (SNR) G305.4–2.2. This object displays a remarkable circular symmetry in shape, making it one of the most circular Galactic SNRs known. Nicknamed Teleios due to its symmetry, it was detected in the new Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) Evolutionary Map of the Universe (EMU) radio–continuum images with an angular size of 1 320$^{\prime\prime}$$\times$1 260$^{\prime\prime}$ and PA = 0$^\circ$. While there is a hint of possible H$\alpha$ and gamma-ray emission, Teleios is exclusively seen at radio–continuum frequencies. Interestingly, Teleios is not only almost perfectly symmetric, but it also has one of the lowest surface brightnesses discovered among Galactic SNRs and a steep spectral index of $\alpha$=–0.6$\pm$0.3. Our best estimates from Hi studies and the $\Sigma$–D relation place Teleios as a type Ia SNR at a distance of either $\sim$2.2 kpc (near-side) or $\sim$7.7 kpc (far-side). This indicates two possible scenarios, either a young (under 1 000 yr) or a somewhat older SNR (over 10 000 yr). With a corresponding diameter of 14/48 pc, our evolutionary studies place Teleios at the either early or late Sedov phase, depending on the distance/diameter estimate. However, our modelling also predicts X-ray emission, which we do not see in the present generation of eROSITA images. We also explored a type Iax explosion scenario that would point to a much closer distance of $\lt$1 kpc and Teleios size of only $\sim$3.3 pc, which would be similar to the only known type Iax remnant SN1181. Unfortunately, all examined scenarios have their challenges, and no definitive Supernova (SN) origin type can be established at this stage. Remarkably, Teleios has retained its symmetrical shape as it aged even to such a diameter, suggesting expansion into a rarefied and isotropic ambient medium. The low radio surface brightness and the lack of pronounced polarisation can be explained by a high level of ambient rotation measure (RM), with the largest RM being observed at Teleios’s centre.
The macro-social and environmental conditions in which people live, such as the level of a country’s development or inequality, are associated with brain-related disorders. However, the relationship between these systemic environmental factors and the brain remains unclear. We aimed to determine the association between the level of development and inequality of a country and the brain structure of healthy adults.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional study pooling brain imaging (T1-based) data from 145 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in 7,962 healthy adults (4,110 women) in 29 different countries. We used a meta-regression approach to relate the brain structure to the country’s level of development and inequality.
Results
Higher human development was consistently associated with larger hippocampi and more expanded global cortical surface area, particularly in frontal areas. Increased inequality was most consistently associated with smaller hippocampal volume and thinner cortical thickness across the brain.
Conclusions
Our results suggest that the macro-economic conditions of a country are reflected in its inhabitants’ brains and may explain the different incidence of brain disorders across the world. The observed variability of brain structure in health across countries should be considered when developing tools in the field of personalized or precision medicine that are intended to be used across the world.
Background: Location-specific hematoma volume thresholds are associated with poor outcomes and can inform surgical trial inclusion criteria and clinical decision rules for hematoma evacuation. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the ATACH-2 and INTERACT2 clinical trials. We evaluated the associations between intraparenchymal location-specific hematoma volume cutoffs (basal ganglia, thalamus and lobar) and poor outcome (modified Rankin Scale 4-6). Using 24-hour CT scans, we calculated Youden’s index for each hematoma location to determine the optimal location-specific volume thresholds that predict outcomes. We calculated odds ratios (OR) of poor outcome through multivariable logistic regression models for each location. Results: Out of 1691 patients, 919, 551 and 221 were diagnosed with basal ganglia, thalamus and lobar intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), respectively. Location-specific hematoma volume cutoffs most predictive of a poor outcome (mRS 4-6) were 22.24 mL for basal ganglia ICH (OR 4.82, 95% CI 3.19-7.27), 8.13 mL for thalamus ICH (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.62-4.59) and 21.99 mL for lobar ICH (OR 6.31, 95% CI 2.53-15.74). Conclusions: Hematoma volumes associated with poor outcomes vary by location, supporting the idea that location-specific “hematoma volume tolerances” exist. Our results provide important data on location-specific hematoma volume tolerances to inform clinical trials in ICH management.
This study evaluated Medicaid claims (MC) data as a valid source for outpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASPs) by comparing it to electronic medical record (EMR) data from a single academic center.
Methods:
This retrospective study compared pediatric patients’ MC data with EMR data from the Marshall Health Network (MHN). Claims were matched to EMR records based on patient Medicaid ID, service date, and provider NPI number. Demographics, antibiotic choice, diagnosis appropriateness, and guideline concordance were assessed across both data sources.
Setting:
The study was conducted within the MHN, involving multiple pediatric and family medicine outpatient practices in West Virginia, USA.
Patients:
Pediatric patients receiving care within MHN with Medicaid coverage.
Results:
MC and EMR data showed >90% agreement in antibiotic choice, gender, and date of service. Discrepancies were observed in diagnoses, especially for visits with multiple infectious diagnoses. MC data demonstrated similar accuracy to EMR data in identifying inappropriate prescriptions and assessing guideline concordance. Additionally, MC data provided timely information, enhancing the feasibility of impactful outpatient ASP interventions.
Conclusion:
MC data is a valid and timely resource for outpatient ASP interventions. Insurance providers should be leveraged as key partners to support large-scale outpatient stewardship efforts.
Accumulating evidence shows that an increasing number of children and young people (CYP) are reporting mental health problems.
Aims
To investigate emotional disorders (anxiety or depression) among CYP in England between 2004 and 2017, and to identify which disorders and demographic groups have experienced the greatest increase.
Method
Repeated cross-sectional, face-to-face study using data from the Mental Health of Children and Young People surveys conducted in 2004 and 2017, allowing use of nationally representative probability samples of CYP aged 5–16 years in England. A total of 13 561 CYP were included across both survey waves (6898 in 2004 and 6663 in 2017). We assessed the prevalence of any emotional, anxiety and depressive disorder assessed using the Development and Well-Being Assessment and classified according to ICD-10 criteria.
Results
The prevalence of emotional disorders increased from 3.9% in 2004 to 6.0% in 2017, a relative increase of 63% (relative ratio 1.63, 95% CI 1.38, 1.91). This was largely driven by anxiety disorders, which increased from 3.5 to 5.4% (relative ratio 1.63, 95% CI 1.37, 1.93). The largest relative changes were for panic disorder, separation anxiety, social phobia and post-traumatic stress disorder. Changes were similar for different genders and socioeconomic groups, but differed by ethnicity: the most pronounced increase was among White CYP (relative ratio 1.88, 95% CI 1.59, 2.24), compared with no clear change for Black and minority ethnic CYP (relative ratio 0.85, 95% CI 0.52, 1.39). Comorbid psychiatric conditions were present in over a third of CYP with emotional disorders, with the most common being conduct disorder.
Conclusions
Between 2004 and 2017, the increase in emotional disorders among CYP in England was largely driven by anxiety disorders. Socioeconomic inequalities did not narrow. Disaggregating by ethnicity, change was evident only in White CYP, suggesting differential trends in either risk exposure, resilience or reporting by ethnicity.
The Australian SKA Pathfinder (ASKAP) offers powerful new capabilities for studying the polarised and magnetised Universe at radio wavelengths. In this paper, we introduce the Polarisation Sky Survey of the Universe’s Magnetism (POSSUM), a groundbreaking survey with three primary objectives: (1) to create a comprehensive Faraday rotation measure (RM) grid of up to one million compact extragalactic sources across the southern $\sim50$% of the sky (20,630 deg$^2$); (2) to map the intrinsic polarisation and RM properties of a wide range of discrete extragalactic and Galactic objects over the same area; and (3) to contribute interferometric data with excellent surface brightness sensitivity, which can be combined with single-dish data to study the diffuse Galactic interstellar medium. Observations for the full POSSUM survey commenced in May 2023 and are expected to conclude by mid-2028. POSSUM will achieve an RM grid density of around 30–50 RMs per square degree with a median measurement uncertainty of $\sim$1 rad m$^{-2}$. The survey operates primarily over a frequency range of 800–1088 MHz, with an angular resolution of 20” and a typical RMS sensitivity in Stokes Q or U of 18 $\mu$Jy beam$^{-1}$. Additionally, the survey will be supplemented by similar observations covering 1296–1440 MHz over 38% of the sky. POSSUM will enable the discovery and detailed investigation of magnetised phenomena in a wide range of cosmic environments, including the intergalactic medium and cosmic web, galaxy clusters and groups, active galactic nuclei and radio galaxies, the Magellanic System and other nearby galaxies, galaxy halos and the circumgalactic medium, and the magnetic structure of the Milky Way across a very wide range of scales, as well as the interplay between these components. This paper reviews the current science case developed by the POSSUM Collaboration and provides an overview of POSSUM’s observations, data processing, outputs, and its complementarity with other radio and multi-wavelength surveys, including future work with the SKA.
Prospective and early-career paleontologists deserve an accurate assessment of employment opportunities in their chosen field of study. Drawing on a wide range of sources, we have produced an admittedly incomplete analysis of the current status and recent trends of permanent academic employment in the discipline. Obtaining more complete longitudinal data on employment trends is a major difficulty; this is a challenge that needs to be addressed. The number of job seekers is far in excess of available positions. There has been a clear erosion in the number of academic paleontologists in the United States, a trend exacerbated in recent years. The decline, in constant dollars, of federal funding for paleontological research has potential strong negative impacts on future hiring. The loss of paleontology positions has also had a deleterious effect on our professional societies, which have seen a loss of regular (professional) membership, although student membership remains strong. These trends also potentially negatively impact efforts to diversify the field. Professional societies need to better coordinate their efforts to address these serious issues. Individual paleontologists also must become more effective advocates for the importance and relevance of our science.
The EMT-ATG achieved a significant milestone with its inaugural deployment during the SIDS4 Conference in Antigua. The EMT2030 strategy and Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) approach underscore the importance of collaborative leadership and joint efforts among all the networks to provide a comprehensive response.
Objectives:
The primary objective of the deployment was to ensure the health and safety of SIDS4 conference attendees through a coordinated and effective emergency medical response. It also aimed to demonstrate the capability of small island countries to establish and deploy fully operational and self-sufficient EMTs in coordination with other rapid response capacities, fostering a model of collaborative leadership.
Method/Description:
Training programs, conducted in collaboration with PAHO, focused on disaster response, triage, and mass casualty management. PAHO capacity building included the procurement of medical equipment, establishment of mobile medical units, and enhancement of communication systems for seamless coordination.
In preparation for deployment, ATG-EMT conducted simulation exercises and drills which involved various stakeholders, including local health authorities, security agencies, prehospital EMS, public health rapid response teams, and community volunteers.
Results/Outcomes:
The successful deployment of ATG-EMT during the SIDS4 Conference demonstrated the team’s capability to provide high-quality medical care and support at a high-profile international event. This contributed to the health and safety of over 4,500 delegates.
Conclusion:
The deployment highlights the importance of continuous training, robust capacity building, meticulous preparation in developing an effective emergency medical response system and serves as a model for small island countries aiming to enhance their disaster response capabilities.
We provide an assessment of the Infinity Two fusion pilot plant (FPP) baseline plasma physics design. Infinity Two is a four-field period, aspect ratio $A = 10$, quasi-isodynamic stellarator with improved confinement appealing to a max-$J$ approach, elevated plasma density and high magnetic fields ($ \langle B\rangle = 9$ T). Here $J$ denotes the second adiabatic invariant. At the envisioned operating point ($800$ MW deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion), the configuration has robust magnetic surfaces based on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibrium calculations and is stable to both local and global MHD instabilities. The configuration has excellent confinement properties with small neoclassical transport and low bootstrap current ($|I_{bootstrap}| \sim 2$ kA). Calculations of collisional alpha-particle confinement in a DT FPP scenario show small energy losses to the first wall (${\lt}1.5 \,\%$) and stable energetic particle/Alfvén eigenmodes at high ion density. Low turbulent transport is produced using a combination of density profile control consistent with pellet fueling and reduced stiffness to turbulent transport via three-dimensional shaping. Transport simulations with the T3D-GX-SFINCS code suite with self-consistent turbulent and neoclassical transport predict that the DT fusion power$P_{{fus}}=800$ MW operating point is attainable with high fusion gain ($Q=40$) at volume-averaged electron densities $n_e\approx 2 \times 10^{20}$ m$^{-3}$, below the Sudo density limit. Additional transport calculations show that an ignited ($Q=\infty$) solution is available at slightly higher density ($2.2 \times 10^{20}$ m$^{-3}$) with $P_{{fus}}=1.5$ GW. The magnetic configuration is defined by a magnetic coil set with sufficient room for an island divertor, shielding and blanket solutions with tritium breeding ratios (TBR) above unity. An optimistic estimate for the gas-cooled solid breeder designed helium-cooled pebble bed is TBR $\sim 1.3$. Infinity Two satisfies the physics requirements of a stellarator fusion pilot plant.
The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equilibrium and stability properties of the Infinity Two fusion pilot plant baseline plasma physics design are presented. The configuration is a four-field period, aspect ratio $A = 10$ quasi-isodynamic stellarator optimised for excellent confinement at elevated density and high magnetic field $B = 9\,T$. Magnetic surfaces exist in the plasma core in vacuum and retain good equilibrium surface integrity from vacuum to an operational $\beta = 1.6 \,\%$, the ratio of the volume average of the plasma and magnetic pressures, corresponding to $800\ \textrm{MW}$ deuterium–tritium fusion operation. Neoclassical calculations show that a self-consistent bootstrap current of the order of ${\sim} 1\ \textrm{kA}$ slightly increases the rotational transform profile by less than 0.001. The configuration has a magnetic well across its entire radius. From vacuum to the operating point, the configuration exhibits good ballooning stability characteristics, exhibits good Mercier stability across most of its minor radius and it is stable against global low-n MHD instabilities up to $\beta = 3.2\,\%$.
Because pediatric anxiety disorders precede the onset of many other problems, successful prediction of response to the first-line treatment, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), could have a major impact. This study evaluates whether structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging can predict post-CBT anxiety symptoms.
Methods
Two datasets were studied: (A) one consisted of n = 54 subjects with an anxiety diagnosis, who received 12 weeks of CBT, and (B) one consisted of n = 15 subjects treated for 8 weeks. Connectome predictive modeling (CPM) was used to predict treatment response, as assessed with the PARS. The main analysis included network edges positively correlated with treatment outcome and age, sex, and baseline anxiety severity as predictors. Results from alternative models and analyses are also presented. Model assessments utilized 1000 bootstraps, resulting in a 95% CI for R2, r, and mean absolute error (MAE).
Results
The main model showed a MAE of approximately 3.5 (95% CI: [3.1–3.8]) points, an R2 of 0.08 [−0.14–0.26], and an r of 0.38 [0.24–0.511]. When testing this model in the left-out sample (B), the results were similar, with an MAE of 3.4 [2.8–4.7], R2−0.65 [−2.29–0.16], and r of 0.4 [0.24–0.54]. The anatomical metrics showed a similar pattern, where models rendered overall low R2.
Conclusions
The analysis showed that models based on earlier promising results failed to predict clinical outcomes. Despite the small sample size, this study does not support the extensive use of CPM to predict outcomes in pediatric anxiety.
Several non-experimental studies claim that heterogeneity among individuals reduces trust. A few experimental studies have examined the effects of naturally-occurring differences among subjects on trusting behavior, and in contrast, most have not supported these claims. We adopt a novel approach by inducing heterogeneity among subjects in a canonical trust experiment. We accomplish this by varying the show-up payments given to subjects for participating in the experiment. We find that this induced inequality does not consistently affect first- or second-mover behavior in the classic trust game in the manner predicted by either previous theoretical work or empirical studies of survey-based measures of trust. Further, the effect of inequality on trust, in terms of both sign and significance, depends on whether show-up payments are awarded publicly or privately.
Pigmentation and colouration are important to animal fitness. Colourations convey important information and impact predation risk, thermoregulation and mate selection. There are many cases of hypopigmentation across the animal kingdom, and leucism is a common form. We observed a Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii) pup with cream-coloured fur, light skin and white nails multiple times in 2022 in Erebus Bay, Antarctica. The pup was observed 1 year later as a generally healthy yearling. This is the first documentation of a leucistic seal within this well-studied population and the second documentation of such colouration in this species. This seal offers a potential opportunity to observe the effects of hypopigmentation in Antarctic true seals.
We present the first results from a new backend on the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder, the Commensal Realtime ASKAP Fast Transient COherent (CRACO) upgrade. CRACO records millisecond time resolution visibility data, and searches for dispersed fast transient signals including fast radio bursts (FRB), pulsars, and ultra-long period objects (ULPO). With the visibility data, CRACO can localise the transient events to arcsecond-level precision after the detection. Here, we describe the CRACO system and report the result from a sky survey carried out by CRACO at 110-ms resolution during its commissioning phase. During the survey, CRACO detected two FRBs (including one discovered solely with CRACO, FRB 20231027A), reported more precise localisations for four pulsars, discovered two new RRATs, and detected one known ULPO, GPM J1839 $-$10, through its sub-pulse structure. We present a sensitivity calibration of CRACO, finding that it achieves the expected sensitivity of 11.6 Jy ms to bursts of 110 ms duration or less. CRACO is currently running at a 13.8 ms time resolution and aims at a 1.7 ms time resolution before the end of 2024. The planned CRACO has an expected sensitivity of 1.5 Jy ms to bursts of 1.7 ms duration or less and can detect $10\times$ more FRBs than the current CRAFT incoherent sum system (i.e. 0.5 $-$2 localised FRBs per day), enabling us to better constrain the models for FRBs and use them as cosmological probes.
Syncope is common among pediatric patients and is rarely pathologic. The mechanisms for symptoms during exercise are less well understood than the resting mechanisms. Additionally, inert gas rebreathing analysis, a non-invasive examination of haemodynamics including cardiac output, has not previously been studied in youth with neurocardiogenic syncope.
Methods:
This was a retrospective (2017–2023), single-center cohort study in pediatric patients ≤ 21 years with prior peri-exertional syncope evaluated with echocardiography and cardiopulmonary exercise testing with inert gas rebreathing analysis performed on the same day. Patients with and without symptoms during or immediately following exercise were noted.
Results:
Of the 101 patients (15.2 ± 2.3 years; 31% male), there were 22 patients with symptoms during exercise testing or recovery. Resting echocardiography stroke volume correlated with resting (r = 0.53, p < 0.0001) and peak stroke volume (r = 0.32, p = 0.009) by inert gas rebreathing and with peak oxygen pulse (r = 0.61, p < 0.0001). Patients with syncopal symptoms peri-exercise had lower left ventricular end-diastolic volume (Z-score –1.2 ± 1.3 vs. –0.36 ± 1.3, p = 0.01) and end-systolic volume (Z-score –1.0 ± 1.4 vs. −0.1 ± 1.1, p = 0.001) by echocardiography, lower percent predicted peak oxygen pulse during exercise (95.5 ± 14.0 vs. 104.6 ± 18.5%, p = 0.04), and slower post-exercise heart rate recovery (31.0 ± 12.7 vs. 37.8 ± 13.2 bpm, p = 0.03).
Discussion:
Among youth with a history of peri-exertional syncope, those who become syncopal with exercise testing have lower left ventricular volumes at rest, decreased peak oxygen pulse, and slower heart rate recovery after exercise than those who remain asymptomatic. Peak oxygen pulse and resting stroke volume on inert gas rebreathing are associated with stroke volume on echocardiogram.