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.

We report the lattice parameters and cell volume for cristobalite powder added at 35 wt% to Ba-Al-Silicate glass (CGI930) as reflowed bulk glass bars where the embedded cristobalite phase is constrained within the glass matrix. Analysis confirms that the room temperature lattice parameters and cell volume obtained for the bulk glass–ceramic are larger compared with single-phase cristobalite powders. The increased volume of the cristobalite phase in a glass matrix is driven by tensile stresses developed at the interface between the cristobalite and matrix glass phase, and this stress impacts the phase transition temperature and thermal hysteresis of the cristobalite phase. In situ high-temperature measurements confirm that the tetragonal to cubic α–β phase transformation of the cristobalite phase within the glass matrix is ~195 °C with complete suppression of hysteresis behavior. In contrast, bulk glass–ceramic material ground to a powder form displays the expected thermal hysteresis behavior and more comparable phase transition temperatures of 245 °C on heating and 220 °C on cooling. Isothermal holds at varying temperatures above or near the α–β phase transition suggest that the cristobalite phase does not undergo significant relaxation within the matrix phase to reduce accumulated stress imposed by the constraining matrix glassy phase.

With the rapid expansion of the Infection Prevention Control/Healthcare Epidemiology (IPC/HE) fields over recent decades, the pivotal roles of IPC/HE in hospital regulation, quality improvement, patient safety, and healthcare finances have become increasingly apparent. Consequently, the demand for effective IPC/HE leaders has surged.1,2 Training in IPC/HE is essential for all infectious diseases (ID) fellows (both adult and pediatric), including those planning a career in hospital epidemiology as well as those planning to focus on general ID, transplant, HIV, etc. ID fellows, however, have historically felt ill-prepared in IPC/HE. Joiner et al’s survey highlighted this gap, revealing that only half of respondents felt adequately trained in infection control, despite half of them participating in infection control in their practice.3 IPC/HE fellow education is not currently standardized, and most IPC/HE training is led by individual mentors and healthcare facilities.

Hospital food service quality significantly impacts patient satisfaction with overall care(1) and can influence food intake, thereby increasing the risk of malnutrition(2). By contrast, meals tailored to patients’ needs result in lower complications and hospitalisation costs(3). With Australia’s ageing population and projected increases among racial and ethnic minority migrants, service delivery must adapt to promote equity and inclusion in the healthcare system. However, data is lacking on the lived experience, preferences, and acceptance of hospital food service and meal quality among older patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. This study aimed to bridge this gap by investigating the differences in hospital food services related to cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were planned among 15 Australian-born and 15 CALD-background patients, aged 65 years or over, admitted to the Department of General Medicine at Flinders Medical Centre. Patients admitted with a highly contagious infectious disease (e.g., COVID-19), those referred for palliative care, receiving parenteral or enteral nutrition, or on nil-by-mouth orders were excluded. Translators were available to participants upon request. With participants’ consent, all interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase process(4). Data was inductively coded with a phenomenological perspective to explore participants’ experiences with hospital food services. Similar codes were grouped together and further developed into themes through iterative discussions with the research team. The current analysis involved six participants from each group to present preliminary results. Among the 12 participants, the mean age was 82 years, ranging from 72–92 in the Australian-born group and 68–92 in the CALD group. Five primary themes emerged: (1) No Complaints—participants did not want to complain about their meals, preferring staff to focus on their healthcare. This attitude was compounded for CALD participants who lacked the language to voice complaints; (2) Food and Identity—CALD participants viewed themselves separately from Australian-born patients, with the lack of culturally familiar food contributing to a feeling of being the minority; (3) Acceptance—the food service was viewed in the context of the overall hospital system, with participants accepting that meals may not suit their preference; (4) Experiences of the Food Service—influenced by participant’s individual preferences for meal quality, menu options, and staff interactions; and (5) Nutrition and Health—All participants had a preference for smaller portions due to their perception of reduced nutritional needs, yet meals were also valued for enjoyment. These preliminary results indicate that hospital food services should offer culturally familiar options, improve patient-staff communication, and provide personalised, smaller portions to enhance patient experience. Addressing the enablers and barriers to meeting cultural and individual dietary needs in hospitals will promote equity, diversity, and inclusion in healthcare.

Objectives/Goals: Mayo Clinic Florida’s Clinical Research Units develop over 200 clinical studies on average annually. Almost 30% of these projects are developed and then are unable to activate due to a variety of operational factors. To increase the success rate, a scoring tool was created to assess the risk associated with the development of these research projects. Methods/Study Population: A project team comprised of members of research administration and physician leadership developed a rapid project management (RPM) scoring tool to assess operational risk factors. The scoring algorithm was embedded into an existing REDCap database, using a combination of identified variables and calculated fields. All noncancer industry sponsor-initiated clinical studies were scored at intake. According to the following categories: enrollment timelines, study team capacity, and previous experience with the Sponsor. Studies with a score greater than the established threshold were referred to physician leadership for transparent discussions with the principal investigator regarding the identified study development-related risks. Results/Anticipated Results: The RPM tool has assessed close to 200 projects since implementation in June 2022. An interim analysis is being conducted of all projects assessed by the RPM tool dating from implementation to May 2024 to compare the outcomes of these studies with the given RPM score. We anticipate based on anecdotal evidence gathered during the course of this pilot project that the RPM tool will show a correlation between risks identified and study outcomes as defined as successful activation of trials, or rationale of project development failures. We anticipate a reduction in the amount of time elapsed and effort expended developing projects with scores reflecting identified project development-related risk factors. Discussion/Significance of Impact: The RPM tool provides an opportunity to allocate resources to studies with the greatest potential for successful activation. In the future, the RPM tool may be used to identify risk factors associated with enrollment and accrual of participants.

With wide-field phased array feed technology, the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) is ideally suited to search for seemingly rare radio transient sources that are difficult to discover previous-generation narrow-field telescopes. The Commensal Real-time ASKAP Fast Transient (CRAFT) Survey Science Project has developed instrumentation to continuously search for fast radio transients (duration $\lesssim$ 1 s) with ASKAP, with a particular focus on finding and localising fast radio bursts (FRBs). Since 2018, the CRAFT survey has been searching for FRBs and other fast transients by incoherently adding the intensities received by individual ASKAP antennas, and then correcting for the impact of frequency dispersion on these short-duration signals in the resultant incoherent sum (ICS) in real time. This low-latency detection enables the triggering of voltage buffers, which facilitates the localisation of the transient source and the study of spectro-polarimetric properties at high time resolution. Here we report the sample of 43 FRBs discovered in this CRAFT/ICS survey to date. This includes 22 FRBs that had not previously been reported: 16 FRBs localised by ASKAP to $\lesssim 1$ arcsec and 6 FRBs localised to $\sim 10$ arcmin. Of the new arcsecond-localised FRBs, we have identified and characterised host galaxies (and measured redshifts) for 11. The median of all 30 measured host redshifts from the survey to date is $z=0.23$. We summarise results from the searches, in particular those contributing to our understanding of the burst progenitors and emission mechanisms, and on the use of bursts as probes of intervening media. We conclude by foreshadowing future FRB surveys with ASKAP using a coherent detection system that is currently being commissioned. This will increase the burst detection rate by a factor of approximately ten and also the distance to which ASKAP can localise FRBs.

Bioturbation can increase time averaging by downward and upward movements of young and old shells within the entire mixed layer and by accelerating the burial of shells into a sequestration zone (SZ), allowing them to bypass the uppermost taphonomically active zone (TAZ). However, bioturbation can increase shell disintegration concurrently, neutralizing the positive effects of mixing on time averaging. Bioirrigation by oxygenated pore-water promotes carbonate dissolution in the TAZ, and biomixing itself can mill shells weakened by dissolution or microbial maceration, and/or expose them to damage at the sediment–water interface. Here, we fit transition rate matrices to bivalve age–frequency distributions from four sediment cores from the southern California middle shelf (50–75 m) to assess the competing effects of bioturbation on disintegration and time averaging, exploiting a strong gradient in rates of sediment accumulation and bioturbation created by historic wastewater pollution. We find that disintegration covaries positively with mixing at all four sites, in accord with the scenario where bioturbation ultimately fuels carbonate disintegration. Both mixing and disintegration rates decline abruptly at the base of the 20- to 40-cm-thick, age-homogenized surface mixed layer at the three well-bioturbated sites, despite different rates of sediment accumulation. In contrast, mixing and disintegration rates are very low in the upper 25 cm at an effluent site with legacy sediment toxicity, despite recolonization by bioirrigating lucinid bivalves. Assemblages that formed during maximum wastewater emissions vary strongly in time averaging, with millennial scales at the low-sediment accumulation non-effluent sites, a centennial scale at the effluent site where sediment accumulation was high but bioturbation recovered quickly, and a decadal scale at the second high-sedimentation effluent site where bioturbation remained low for decades. Thus, even though disintegration rates covary positively with mixing rates, reducing postmortem shell survival, bioturbation has the net effect of increasing the time averaging of skeletal remains on this warm-temperate siliciclastic shelf.

Archaeological sites in Northwest Africa are rich in human fossils and artefacts providing proxies for behavioural and evolutionary studies. However, these records are difficult to underpin on a precise chronology, which can prevent robust assessments of the drivers of cultural/behavioural transitions. Past investigations have revealed that numerous volcanic ash (tephra) layers are interbedded within the Palaeolithic sequences and likely originate from large volcanic eruptions in the North Atlantic (e.g. the Azores, Canary Islands, Cape Verde). Critically, these ash layers offer a unique opportunity to provide new relative and absolute dating constraints (via tephrochronology) to synchronise key archaeological and palaeoenvironmental records in this region. Here, we provide an overview of the known eruptive histories of the potential source volcanoes capable of widespread ashfall in the region during the last ~300,000 years, and discuss the diagnostic glass compositions essential for robust tephra correlations. To investigate the eruption source parameters and weather patterns required for ash dispersal towards NW Africa, we simulate plausible ashfall distributions using the Ash3D model. This work constitutes the first step in developing a more robust tephrostratigraphic framework for distal ash layers in NW Africa and highlights how tephrochronology may be used to reliably synchronise and date key climatic and cultural transitions during the Palaeolithic.

A healthcare-associated group A Streptococcus outbreak involving six patients, four healthcare workers, and one household contact occurred in the labor and delivery unit of an academic medical center. Isolates were highly related by whole genome sequencing. Infection prevention measures, healthcare worker screening, and chemoprophylaxis of those colonized halted further transmission.

Depression and eating disorder (ED) risk are heightened during adolescence(1) and both were exacerbated during COVID-19 lockdowns. This analysis reports changes in self-reported symptoms of depression and eating disorders throughout the Fast Track to Health trial. Fast Track to Health was a 52-week multi-site randomised-controlled trial, conducted 2018-2023, comparing intermittent (IER) and continuous energy restriction (CER) in adolescents with obesity and ≥1 associated comorbidity(2). The Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale-revised 10-item version for adolescents (CESDR) was used to assess symptoms of depression (no symptoms, sub-threshold, or possible, probable, major depressive episode). Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) was used to assess ED risk; defined as global score ≥2.7, ≥2 episodes of binge eating with/without loss of control, or ≥1 episode of purging within the last 28-days. The Binge Eating Scale (BES) assessed severity of binge eating (no binge eating, mild/moderate, severe). Adolescents were monitored for disordered eating during dietetic consults. Linear mixed models, retaining all data consistent with intention-to-treat analysis, were used to estimate the change in outcomes from baseline to week-52. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the number of participants meeting screening criteria at baseline and week-52. One hundred and forty one adolescents were enrolled and 97 completed the trial, with median (IQR) EDE-Q score 2.28 (1.43 to 3.14), CESDR 9.00 (4.0 to 14.5) and BES 11.0 (5.0 to 17.0) at baseline. EDE-Q (change in estimated marginal means [SE], IER −0.63 [0.18], CER −0.56 [0.17]) and CESDR (IER −2.70 [1.15], CER −3.87 [1.07]) scores reduced between baseline and week-52 in both groups (p<0.05) with no difference between groups. There was a between group difference (p = 0.019) in change in BES. The IER group had a reduction between baseline and week-52 (−3.72 [1.27]) and the CER group had no change. At baseline, 31 (22%) adolescents were classified as having a possible/probable/major depressive episode, 110 (78%) met ≥1 ED criteria and 28 (21%) as mild/moderate or severe binge eating, reducing to 8 (9%), 56 (61%) and 15 (16%) respectively at week-52. A small sub-group of adolescents required additional support for disordered eating. Overall, treatment-seeking adolescents with obesity have symptoms of depression and ED. Although symptoms reduce for most, some required additional support. Screening and monitoring for depression and ED are important to ensure early intervention.

Adolescent obesity requires effective and accessible intervention options and there is potential for intensive dietary interventions to be used as adjunctive therapy to behavioural weight management for some individuals(1). The aim of this study was to determine the effect of two novel diet therapies, delivered in the as part of an intensive behavioural weight management intervention, in adolescents with metabolic complications associated with obesity. The Fast Track to Health study (HREC/17/SCHN/164; ACTRN12617001630303) was a multi-site 52-week RCT, conducted 2018 – 2023, comparing a very-low-energy diet (800kcal/day) followed by i) an intermittent energy restricted (IER) diet; and ii) a continuous energy restricted diet (CER), for adolescents (13-17years) with ≥1 obesity associated complication. Interventions were delivered as part of an intensive behavioural weight management intervention by a multidisciplinary team2. Anthropometry, body composition and cardiometabolic health were assessed at baseline and week-52. The primary outcome was change in BMI z-score at week-52. Dyslipidaemia was defined as HDL <1.03mmol/L and/or triglycerides ≥1.7mmol/l, and elevated liver function tests (LFTs) as ALT and/or GGT ≥1.5 upper limit of 30U/L3. The difference in BMI z-score between groups at week-52 (±4) was assessed using a t-test. Mixed models was used to investigate changes over time. Descriptive statistics were used to describe participants above and below clinical cut-points at baseline and week-52. In total, 141 adolescents (70 female) were enrolled and 97 (48 female) completed the intervention. At week-52, BMI z-score reduced by −0.23 [95%CI −0.37 to −0.22], BMI expressed as a percentage of 95th percentile reduced by −8.86 [95%CI −12.46 to −7.47] and Fat Mass Index reduced by −1.49 [95%CI −2.36 to −1.08]. There was no significant difference for weight or cardiometabolic outcomes between diet groups. The occurrence of dyslipidaemia was unchanged between baseline and week-52 (n = 60 [43%] and n = 37 [43%] respectively) and a small improvement in the occurrence of impaired LFTs (n = 37 [27%] to n = 15 [17.2%] respectively). There were no differences in change of occurrence of dyslipidaemia or impaired LFTs between intervention groups. These findings suggest that both IER and CER, delivered as part of an intensive behavioural weight management program, are equally effective for improving weight and cardiometabolic outcomes for adolescents with obesity.

We report the discovery of a bow-shock pulsar wind nebula (PWN), named Potoroo, and the detection of a young pulsar J1638$-$4713 that powers the nebula. We present a radio continuum study of the PWN based on 20-cm observations obtained from the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) and MeerKAT. PSR J1638$-$4713 was identified using Parkes radio telescope observations at frequencies above 3 GHz. The pulsar has the second-highest dispersion measure of all known radio pulsars (1 553 pc cm$^{-3}$), a spin period of 65.74 ms and a spin-down luminosity of $\dot{E}=6.1\times10^{36}$ erg s$^{-1}$. The PWN has a cometary morphology and one of the greatest projected lengths among all the observed pulsar radio tails, measuring over 21 pc for an assumed distance of 10 kpc. The remarkably long tail and atypically steep radio spectral index are attributed to the interplay of a supernova reverse shock and the PWN. The originating supernova remnant is not known so far. We estimated the pulsar kick velocity to be in the range of 1 000–2 000 km s$^{-1}$ for ages between 23 and 10 kyr. The X-ray counterpart found in Chandra data, CXOU J163802.6$-$471358, shows the same tail morphology as the radio source but is shorter by a factor of 10. The peak of the X-ray emission is offset from the peak of the radio total intensity (Stokes $\rm I$) emission by approximately 4.7$^{\prime\prime}$, but coincides well with circularly polarised (Stokes $\rm V$) emission. No infrared counterpart was found.

Felt presence is a widely occurring experience, but remains under-recognised in clinical and research practice. To contribute to a wider recognition of the phenomenon, we aimed to assess the presentation of felt presence in a large population sample (n = 10 447) and explore its relation to key risk factors for psychosis. In our sample 1.6% reported experiencing felt presence in the past month. Felt presence was associated with visual and tactile hallucinations and delusion-like thinking; it was also associated with past occurrence of adverse events, loneliness and poor sleep. The occurrence of felt presence may function as a marker for general hallucination proneness.

To improve contact tracing for healthcare workers, we built and configured a Bluetooth low-energy system. We predicted close contacts with great accuracy and provided an additional contact yield of 14.8%. This system would decrease the effective reproduction number by 56% and would unnecessarily quarantine 0.74% of employees weekly.

We present the third data release from the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array (PPTA) project. The release contains observations of 32 pulsars obtained using the 64-m Parkes ‘Murriyang’ radio telescope. The data span is up to 18 yr with a typical cadence of 3 weeks. This data release is formed by combining an updated version of our second data release with $\sim$3 yr of more recent data primarily obtained using an ultra-wide-bandwidth receiver system that operates between 704 and 4032 MHz. We provide calibrated pulse profiles, flux density dynamic spectra, pulse times of arrival, and initial pulsar timing models. We describe methods for processing such wide-bandwidth observations and compare this data release with our previous release.

Background: SMA affects individuals with a broad age range and spectrum of disease severity. Risdiplam (EVRYSDI®) is a centrally and peripherally distributed, oral SMN2 pre-mRNA splicing modifier. Methods: SUNFISH is a multicenter, two-part, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study in patients with Types 2/3 SMA. Part 1 assessed the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics of different risdiplam dose levels in patients with Types 2/3 SMA. Part 2 assessed the efficacy and safety of the selected dose of risdiplam versus placebo in Type 2 and non-ambulant Type 3 SMA. In Part 2, participants were treated with risdiplam or placebo for 12 months, then received risdiplam in a blinded manner until month 24. At month 24, patients were offered the opportunity to enter the open-label extension phase. Results: Change from baseline in MFM32 total score (Part 2- primary endpoint) in patients treated with risdiplam versus placebo was met at month 12. These increases in motor function were sustained in the second and third year after risdiplam treatment. Here we present 4-year efficacy and safety data from SUNFISH. Conclusions: SUNFISH is ongoing and will provide further long-term efficacy and safety data of risdiplam in a broad population of individuals with SMA.