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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.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic and painful gastrointestinal disorder associated with significantly worse physical functioning (abnormal physiology, visceral hypersensitivity, inflammation, immune dysregulation, microbiome, and malabsorption issues). IBS isinfluenced by genetic disposition, psychological factors and diet, significantly and adversely affects quality of life(1). Internationally IBS is a common disorder in primary and speciality care affecting 13 to 20% of people(2). IBS imposes a significant economic burden to health systems(2). The prevalence and economic results of IBS make it a major public health concern. Existing interventions revolve separately around diet (particularly the low FODMAP diet) and stress management. The goal of this project was to create a multimodal lifestyle intervention explicitly designed to enhance the health-related quality of life in women treated for IBS in Aotearoa with the imperative to minimise the risk of IBS recurrence and to reduce the burden of the long-term physical and psychological symptoms. This IBS programme builds on the well-established Women’s Wellness Programs (WWP) based at the Health Faculty, University of Technology, Sydney. These are robust and systematic programmes developed within the WWP team which comprises international experts in women’s health and chronic conditions, of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. All WWP employ individually tailored strategies to instil positive behavioural change. They are also designed for virtual delivery through participants’ mobile computing devices to ensure regional and rural access. This presentation explains the ‘The Aotearoa Women’s Wellness Program for IBS’ prototype that has been developed. This programme is designed based on the results of a study where IBS participants (n=15) and separately health professionals or researchers (n=15) working in the field of IBS in New Zealand were all asked the same questions about the IBS journey, including diagnosis and treatment. Their responses detailed how IBS adversely affected all aspects of quality of life, raised issues with diagnosis and treatment and articulated desired support approaches. When given information about the WWP and asked to provide feedback on it, all 30 interviewed participants agreed that a WWP health promotion approach for IBS was feasible, relevant, and warranted. Through this feedback the programme was developed. Participants work through the content to address issues such as nutrition, stress management, and physical activity, guided by a health professional with expertise in gut health. Various activities and opportunities to reflect are distributed throughout the programme to identify goals to help participants make and embed appropriate changes in their lifestyles. This new, evidence-based programme for IBS is now available to health professionals working in clinical situations related to gut health in Aotearoa. It gives them the opportunity to redesign care, irrespective of where care is delivered, in a way that is responsive to the needs of people with IBS.
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.
ASPIRE! (Accountability and Safe-space to Promote, Inspire, Recharge, and Empower) is a peer mentoring group and peer/near-peer mentoring program established in 2016 by a group of seven early career clinician and non-clinician, research faculty. All founding members participated in the TRANSFORM KL2 Program at Columbia University Irving Medical Center’s Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. In this short communication, we describe the origins of this peer mentoring group established to support these seven early-career KL2 scholars. We also provide a summary of the development of an institution-wide peer mentoring program, created by the seven members of the initial peer mentoring group. We highlight how being at similar career stages, coming from different institutional departments, and sharing common academic goals in a safe space may have contributed to the success of the peer mentoring group. Our individual successes and experiences demonstrate that peer mentoring can be a powerful tool for enhancing the early-career academic experience.
In the late 1950s, the Minnesota Department of Transportation used eminent domain to clear the path for I-94, displacing over 700 families and 300 businesses in Rondo, a predominantly African-American neighborhood. In the 2010s, Rondo residents and faculty at Macalester College teamed up to create Remembering Rondo, a digital public history project that included (among other things) a community-based archive and map of the neighborhood’s historic businesses from 1920 to 1960. Rondo Avenue, Inc., the neighborhood’s community council, asked to host the project themselves. Then in 2020, they forgot to renew the domain. The site went dark. This essay explores where we went wrong and what we can do about it, and raises questions about how we can reimagine digital sustainability through the lens of a shared authority.
Herbaceous perennials must annually rebuild the aboveground photosynthetic architecture from carbohydrates stored in crowns, rhizomes, and roots. Knowledge of carbohydrate utilization and storage can inform management decisions and improve control outcomes for invasive perennials. We monitored the nonstructural carbohydrates in a population of the hybrid Bohemian knotweed [Polygonum ×bohemicum (J. Chrtek & Chrtková) Zika & Jacobson [cuspidatum × sachalinense]; syn.: Fallopia ×bohemica (Chrtek and Chrtková) J.P. Bailey] and in Japanese knotweed [Polygonum cuspidatum Siebold & Zucc.; syn.: Fallopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decr.]. Carbohydrate storage in crowns followed seasonal patterns typical of perennial herbaceous dicots corresponding to key phenological events. Starch was consistently the highest nonstructural carbohydrate present. Sucrose levels did not show a consistent inverse relationship with starch levels. Lateral distribution of starch in rhizomes and, more broadly, total nonstructural carbohydrates sampled before dormancy break showed higher levels in rhizomes compared with crowns. Total nonstructural carbohydrate levels in crowns reached seasonal lows at an estimated 22.6% of crown dry weight after accumulating 1,453.8 growing degree days (GDD) by the end of June, mainly due to depleted levels of stored starch, with the estimated minimum of 12.3% reached by 1,220.3 GDD accumulated by mid-June. Depletion corresponded to rapid development of vegetative canopy before entering the reproductive phase in August. Maximum starch accumulation in crowns followed complete senescence of aboveground tissues by mid- to late October. Removal of aboveground shoot biomass in late June to early July with removal of vegetation regrowth in early September before senescence would optimize the use of time and labor to deplete carbohydrate reserves. Additionally, foliar-applied systemic herbicide translocation to belowground tissue should be maximized with applications in late August through early fall to optimize downward translocation with assimilate movement to rebuild underground storage reserves. Fall applications should be made before loss of healthy leaf tissue, with the window for control typically ending by late September in Minnesota.
Objectives/Goals: This study demonstrates the utility of the CBID biodesign process for identifying and prioritizing high-impact neurosurgical needs. The research emphasizes the process’s role in developing innovative medical technologies that align with the healthcare ecosystem’s demands and stakeholder priorities. Methods/Study Population: The CBID Spiral Innovation Model, integrating clinical, technical, business, and strategic considerations across clinical challenges in neurosurgery was employed over a 15-week period at a tertiary care center. The process involved three phases: (1) needs identification through 8 weeks of clinical immersion, (2) 7–8 weeks of stakeholder engagement via informational interviews, surveys, and conferences, and (3) iterative refinement based on evidence generation and market value. Stakeholders included over 70 clinicians (neurosurgeons, neurocritical care specialists, neurologists, etc.) across 15 institutions as well as more than 10 payers and hospital administrators. Data collection encompassed direct observation, structured interviews, and comprehensive literature review. Results/Anticipated Results: The initial list of 300+ identified neurosurgical needs was reduced to 271 after clinician and market input. High-level market and clinical evidence assessments further reduced this to 74 needs. Finally, through iterative evaluation of evidence generation, market opportunity, and stakeholder feedback, five critical unmet needs in stroke, traumatic brain injury, hydrocephalus, and epilepsy were identified for technological innovation. These needs met the criteria for clinical importance, economic viability, and market accessibility. The findings highlight the effectiveness of the biodesign process in creating a roadmap for innovation that is both clinically relevant and commercially viable. Discussion/Significance of Impact: This study underscores the effectiveness of structured need-finding and prioritization within neurosurgery. Integrating stakeholder perspectives and rigorous analysis, it provides a replicable framework for medical innovation to accelerate the development of impactful solutions across medicine.
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.
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.
Tetralogy of Fallot is the most common cyanotic congenital malformation of the heart. The right ventricular outflow tract is of great interest in this setting, but most of the focus on this feature has been on the size of the so-called pulmonary valvar “annulus”. We aimed to characterise other aspects of the morphology of the pulmonary root in heart specimens with tetralogy of Fallot.
Methods:
We reviewed archived hearts with tetralogy of Fallot from four registries. The pulmonary root was examined with specific attention to the number of sinuses, the number of leaflets, presence of any fusion of leaflets, and the direction of the zone of apposition between the leaflets. Cluster analyses were then conducted to see if the features permitted segregation into groups.
Results:
We examined a total of 155 hearts. The pulmonary valve had two leaflets in 62%, three leaflets in 34%, and one leaflet in 3%. Irrespective of leaflet morphology, most hearts had two sinuses. Cluster analysis permitted segregation into three groups, with the direction of the zone of apposition being the most important feature for segregation.
Conclusion:
In two-thirds of our hearts with tetralogy of Fallot, the pulmonary valve had two leaflets. Most frequently there were three sinuses. In the setting of a valve with two sinuses, the zone of apposition between the leaflets pointing towards the aorta. Cluster analysis permitted statistically sound segregation of the heart and highlights the importance of delineating these features, specifically the leaflet and sinus morphology, with clinical imaging.
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.
Good nutrition during the postpartum period, which is also the inter-pregnancy period for many women, has short and long-term health benefits for the mother and her offspring(1). Gaining a better understanding of mothers’ dietary patterns at the postpartum stage will help shape appropriate strategies to encourage the adoption of a healthy and more varied diet. This exploration is a preliminary analysis that aims to assess intake of total fat and dietary fibre in a UK cohort of postpartum women with overweight and obesity and examine its relationship with income and ethnicity.
A sample of 892 postpartum women (up to two years after having a baby) with overweight or obesity were recruited from five UK locations (Belfast, Bradford, London, Stirling, Cardiff) to participate in the Supporting MumS (SMS) randomised controlled trial to examine the effectiveness of an automated text-based delivered weight management intervention. At baseline, researchers measured participants’ height and weight and calculated their body mass index (BMI). Baseline diet was self-reported and assessed using the Fat and Fibre Barometer (FFB), a validated scale measuring the consumption frequency of 20 dietary sources of fibre or fat(2). Items were scored from 1-5 and an average FFB score was calculated; greater values indicate a diet higher in fibre-rich foods and lower in fat-rich foods. Information on income and ethnicity was also collected. Multivariable linear regression analysis tested for associations between FFB scores and ethnicity and household income, accounting for BMI, age and study site.
Participants were from a range of ethnicities (Asian: 17%, N = 151; Black: 11%, N = 100; White: 66%, N = 589; Mixed/Other: 6%, N = 52). Household income distribution was: ≤£40K = 41.5%, N = 370; and >£40K = 49.8%, N = 445. Average age was 35 years ranging from 21-57 years. Thirty-nine per cent of women lived with overweight and 61% with obesity. The FFB score was calculated for the 856 of 892 participants who provided complete dietary information (Mean ± SD=3.03 ± 0.42, range: 1.9-4.6). There was no statistically significant association between FFB score and ethnicity.
There was a significant relationship between the FFB score and household income (0.015, P = 0.025, CI = 0.002−0.028), with women from higher incomes having higher FFB scores.
Our results from a large, socioeconomically diverse sample of women with overweight or obesity in the postpartum period showed that mothers from higher income households consumed more fibre and less fat. This is consistent with results of national surveys highlighting the income gradient in food habits and in meeting dietary guidelines among women in the UK(3). Addressing these dietary inequalities will require concerted action from a wide range of stakeholders.
The SMS study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (Research award: NIHR131509).
Cannabis use and familial vulnerability to psychosis have been associated with social cognition deficits. This study examined the potential relationship between cannabis use and cognitive biases underlying social cognition and functioning in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP), their siblings, and controls.
Methods
We analyzed a sample of 543 participants with FEP, 203 siblings, and 1168 controls from the EU-GEI study using a correlational design. We used logistic regression analyses to examine the influence of clinical group, lifetime cannabis use frequency, and potency of cannabis use on cognitive biases, accounting for demographic and cognitive variables.
Results
FEP patients showed increased odds of facial recognition processing (FRP) deficits (OR = 1.642, CI 1.123–2.402) relative to controls but not of speech illusions (SI) or jumping to conclusions (JTC) bias, with no statistically significant differences relative to siblings. Daily and occasional lifetime cannabis use were associated with decreased odds of SI (OR = 0.605, CI 0.368–0.997 and OR = 0.646, CI 0.457–0.913 respectively) and JTC bias (OR = 0.625, CI 0.422–0.925 and OR = 0.602, CI 0.460–0.787 respectively) compared with lifetime abstinence, but not with FRP deficits, in the whole sample. Within the cannabis user group, low-potency cannabis use was associated with increased odds of SI (OR = 1.829, CI 1.297–2.578, FRP deficits (OR = 1.393, CI 1.031–1.882, and JTC (OR = 1.661, CI 1.271–2.171) relative to high-potency cannabis use, with comparable effects in the three clinical groups.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest increased odds of cognitive biases in FEP patients who have never used cannabis and in low-potency users. Future studies should elucidate this association and its potential implications.
We report two congenitally malformed hearts found at autopsy to have common arterial trunk and pulmonary atresia. Both exhibited usual atrial arrangement, along with concordant atrioventricular connections. In one case, the common arterial trunk arose predominantly from the right ventricle, while the other had a balanced commitment. In both, the atretic pulmonary trunk arose from the left posterolateral aspect of the common trunk. Confluent right and left pulmonary arteries, which were hypoplastic but patent, were present. On the inner aspect of the common trunk, there was a dimple immediately adjacent to the atretic segment of the pulmonary component identified externally. In one case, the fibrous pulmonary component had been accidentally cut during dissection. A solitary coronary artery was identified in both cases.
Efficient evidence generation to assess the clinical and economic impact of medical therapies is critical amid rising healthcare costs and aging populations. However, drug development and clinical trials remain far too expensive and inefficient for all stakeholders. On October 25–26, 2023, the Duke Clinical Research Institute brought together leaders from academia, industry, government agencies, patient advocacy, and nonprofit organizations to explore how different entities and influencers in drug development and healthcare can realign incentive structures to efficiently accelerate evidence generation that addresses the highest public health needs. Prominent themes surfaced, including competing research priorities and incentives, inadequate representation of patient population in clinical trials, opportunities to better leverage existing technology and infrastructure in trial design, and a need for heightened transparency and accountability in research practices. The group determined that together these elements contribute to an inefficient and costly clinical research enterprise, amplifying disparities in population health and sustaining gaps in evidence that impede advancements in equitable healthcare delivery and outcomes. The goal of addressing the identified challenges is to ultimately make clinical trials faster, more inclusive, and more efficient across diverse communities and settings.
From early on, infants show a preference for infant-directed speech (IDS) over adult-directed speech (ADS), and exposure to IDS has been correlated with language outcome measures such as vocabulary. The present multi-laboratory study explores this issue by investigating whether there is a link between early preference for IDS and later vocabulary size. Infants’ preference for IDS was tested as part of the ManyBabies 1 project, and follow-up CDI data were collected from a subsample of this dataset at 18 and 24 months. A total of 341 (18 months) and 327 (24 months) infants were tested across 21 laboratories. In neither preregistered analyses with North American and UK English, nor exploratory analyses with a larger sample did we find evidence for a relation between IDS preference and later vocabulary. We discuss implications of this finding in light of recent work suggesting that IDS preference measured in the laboratory has low test-retest reliability.
Aortic atresia is a rare finding and has not been previously described with superior-inferior ventricles. Presented here is a case of a heart with these concomitant findings and review of reported cases of aortic atresia in the absence of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The aim of this report is to help highlight associated findings and the clinical approach taken. Also highlighted is the importance of not mistaking aortic atresia for common arterial trunk.
Most of the Ross Sea has been designated a marine protected area (MPA), proposed ‘to protect ecosystem structure and function’. To assess effectiveness, the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) selected Adélie (Pygoscelis adeliae) and emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri) penguins, Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) and Antarctic toothfish (Dissostichus mawsoni) as ecosystem change ‘indicator species’. Stable for decades, penguin and seal populations increased during 1998–2018 to surpass historical levels, indicating that change in ecosystem structure and function is underway. We review historical impacts to population trends, decadal datasets of ocean climate and fishing pressure on toothfish. Statistical modelling for Adélie penguins and Weddell seals indicates that variability in climate factors and cumulative extraction of adult toothfish may explain these trends. These mesopredators, and adult toothfish, all prey heavily on Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarcticum). Toothfish removal may be altering intraguild predation dynamics, leading to competitive release of silverfish and contributing to penguin and seal population changes. Despite decades of ocean/weather change, increases in indicator species numbers around Ross Island only began once the toothfish fishery commenced. The rational-use, ecosystem-based viewpoint promoted by CCAMLR regarding toothfish management needs re-evaluation, including in the context of the Ross Sea Region MPA.
Growing clinical interest in psychedelic-assisted therapies has led to a second wave of research involving psilocybin, LSD, MDMA and other substances. Data suggests that these compounds have the potential to treat mental health conditions that are especially prevalent in older adults such as depression, anxiety, existential distress and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Objectives
The goal of this study was to quantify the prevalence of older adults enrolled in psychedelic clinical trials and explore safety data in this population.
Methods
A systematic review was conducted following the 2020 PRISMA guidelines. Search criteria included all trials published in English using psychedelic substances to treat psychiatric conditions, including addiction as well as existential distress related to serious illness. Articles were identified from literature searches on PubMed, EBSCO and EMBASE.
Results
4,376 manuscripts were identified, of which 505 qualified for further review, with 36 eventually meeting eligibility criteria. Of the 1,400 patients enrolled in the 36 studies, only 19 were identified as 65 or older, representing less than 1.4% of all trial participants. For 10 of these 19 older adults, detailed safety data was obtained. No serious adverse events (AEs) occurred in any older adults and only transient mild-to-moderate AEs related to anxiety, gastrointestinal upset, and hypertension were reported during the psychedelic dosing sessions.
Conclusions
While existing data in older adults is limited, it suggests that psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy is safe and well tolerated in older adults. Therefore, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy should be more rigorously investigated for the treatment of psychiatric conditions in this population.
This chapter examines the boundary-breaking spatial and social dynamism of animalian entities embodied within LB I–LB II polychrome murals of Crete and Thera. In these innovative paintings, animalian entities engaged with both painted and lived contexts, taking on novel manners of involvement in Aegean sociocultural spaces; some established new aspects of creaturely identity and relation. We begin with three animalian entities considered – boar’s tusk helmets, ox-hide shields and ikria – examining how their presence in murals further challenged long-standing parameters of two-dimensional representation. Here discussion broadens to consider how renderings of various animals in Minoan frescoes charged and unsettled the fabric of powerful built spaces. Innovations in color, scale and the creation of spatial depth approached the ways animalian bodies were experienced in the round. Simultaneously, details of the frescoes kept the painted creatures, and the spaces they occupied, tautly embroiled in the structured order of the wall. We close by considering how polychrome frescoes could foster radical newness in animals’ identities, focusing on renderings of blue simians. This blueness, regardless of whether originally intended to approximate biological hues, engendered distinct status for simians in the Aegean, with fascinating connections to renderings of young peoples.