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.

The Accelerating COVID-19 Therapeutic Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) Cross-Trial Statistics Group gathered lessons learned from statisticians responsible for the design and analysis of the 11 ACTIV therapeutic master protocols to inform contemporary trial design as well as preparation for a future pandemic. The ACTIV master protocols were designed to rapidly assess what treatments might save lives, keep people out of the hospital, and help them feel better faster. Study teams initially worked without knowledge of the natural history of disease and thus without key information for design decisions. Moreover, the science of platform trial design was in its infancy. Here, we discuss the statistical design choices made and the adaptations forced by the changing pandemic context. Lessons around critical aspects of trial design are summarized, and recommendations are made for the organization of master protocols in the future.

The diffusion of water in Li-montmorillonite was studied by incoherent quasielastic neutron scattering. Experiments were carried out on sedimented samples equilibrated at relative humidities of 32%, 58%, and 98%, corresponding approximately to 1, 2, and 3 molecular layers of water in the clay. At all three humidities, although the mobility of the water molecules is less than in bulk water, all water molecules in the system undergo translational diffusion, at least over short distances (>5 Å), with correlation times shorter than 5 × 10−11 sec.

Various models of molecular motion have been used to account for the exact shape of the scattering. The only completely successful model is one where a water molecule undergoes jump-translational diffusion and rotational diffusion. The mean square jump length is 10–15 Å2 with a residence time between jumps of 4–2 × 10−11 sec. The translational diffusion coefficient increases with humidity, having values of 4, 7, and 10 × 10−10 m2/sec for the three humidities. These values can be combined with values previously obtained by tracer measurements to give an estimate of 0.75–0.8 for the tortuosity factor. Although the samples are anisotropic, there is no clear evidence that the diffusion of water over distances 5–20 Å is anisotropic. An upper limit of 3 can be deduced for the rate of diffusion parallel to the direction perpendicular to the platelets.

The use of neutron diffraction to determine some of the structural properties of montmorillonite-water systems at low water concentrations is described. The samples were prepared by compression or suction to give clay samples with between one and three molecular layers of water between the plates.

About 10% of the platelets in the clay are randomly oriented. The remainder are partially oriented in the plane of the sample, with an angular spread of 40° about the mean orientation. It is suggested that these oriented domains are formed from the larger platelets present in the system. The Bragg diffraction pattern is better explained by a disordered lattice model rather than by a mixture model with small particles having a well-defined lattice spacing. We have fitted both the intensities of (00l) reflections and the shape of the (001) reflection quantitatively to a model which allows for a Gaussian spread of platelet spacing about a mean value. The half width of the spread is about 10% of the lattice spacing.

No significant structural differences are found between Li, Na, K, and Cs montmorillonites. The method of preparation has no effect on the structural properties of the large platelet particles but does affect the randomly oriented fraction. The lattice spacing of the latter appears to be better defined for samples prepared by compression.

Experiments on the variation of lattice spacing with humidity indicate that the structural model we have used is adequate except at humidities where the system is changing over from one to two, or two to three water layers.

The sorption of anisole and some related aromatic ethers on the interlamellar surfaces of Cu(II) hectorite has been investigated by i.r. and e.s.r. spectroscopy. In addition to physical adsorption, anisole forms two distinct types of Cu(II) complexes which are analogous to the type I and II species previously reported for benzene-Cu(II) smectite systems. These complexes can be transformed to type I and II complexes of 4,4’-dimethoxybiphenyl. Possible mechanisms are proposed for the oxidation process. Butyl phenyl ether formed a type II complex with Cu(II)-hectorite, but no dimerization reaction was noted in this system. Phenyl ether and benzyl methyl ether form a type I π complex with Cu(II)-hectorite. No type II analog was noted. E.S.R. spectra of each of the type II ether-Cu(II)-hectorite systems showed a single, narrow band with g near the value expected for a “free spinning” electron. The type I phenyl ether and benzyl methyl ether complexes also exhibited this e.s.r. band. Ag(I) hectorite adsorbs anisole by forming exclusively a type I complex. Na(I) and Co(II) hectorite adsorb anisole by physical means only, indicating association with the silicate surface.

As the federal government continues to expand upon and improve its data sharing policies over the past 20 years, complex challenges remain. Our interviews with U.S. academic genetic researchers (n=23) found that the burden, translation, industry limitations, and consent structure of data sharing remain major governance challenges.

Background: Previous research demonstrates that for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) cases, rapid endovascular therapy (EVT) performance improves outcomes. This study provides updated metrics summarizing estimates for modified Rankin Scale (mRS) gains accrued by streamlining time to EVT. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis (MA) was conducted using electronic databases. Eligible studies reported time-benefit slope with times from AIS onset (or time last-seen-normal) to EVT commencement; the predictor was onset-to-groin (OTG) time. Primary and secondary outcomes were 90-day functional independence (mRS 0-2) and 90-day excellent function (mRS 0-1), respectively. Results: The five included studies showed increased chance of good outcome with each hour of pre-EVT time savings for mRS 0-2 for 0-270’ (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.16-1.35, I2 40%) and 271-360’ time frame (1.22, 95% CI 1.12-1.33, I2 58%). For studies assessing mRS 0-1, pooled effect estimates were appropriate for the 0-270’ time frame (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.19-1.51, I2 27%) and the 271-360’ time frame (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.03-1.38, I2 60%). Conclusions: Each hour saved from AIS onset to EVT start is associated with a 22-25% increased odds of functional independence, a useful metric to inform patient-specific and systems planning decisions.

Sulfosalt assemblages in a specimen from the Boliden Au–Cu–(As) deposit in northern Sweden, comprise micrometre to nanometre scale intergrowths of Se-rich izoklakeite and tintinaite with average formulae and calculated homologue number (N) given as: (Cu1.88Fe0.18)2.06(Pb22.92Ag1.47Cd0.01Zn0.01)24.41(Sb13.12Bi8.69)21.8(S50.19Se6.43Te0.12)56.73, N = 3.83, and (Cu1.31Fe0.74)2.05(Pb10.58Ag0.18Cd0.05Zn0.02)10.83(Sb10.2Bi5.23)15.43(S32.22Se2.46)34.7, N = 2.05, respectively. Tintinaite coexists with (Bi, Se)-rich jamesonite. High-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF STEM) imaging reveals chessboard structures comprising PbS and SnS modules with the number of atoms in the octahedral (M) sites counted as: n1 = 18 and n2 = 8 for tintinaite and n1 = 30 and n2 = 16 for izoklakeite. The homologue number can be calculated using the formula: N = (n1/6)–1 and N = n2/4 for PbS and SnS modules giving NTti = 2 and NIz = 4. A new N = 3 homologue, defined by n = 12 and n = 24 SnS and PbS modules, respectively, is identified as single or double units within areas with intergrowths between kobellite and izoklakeite. HAADF STEM imaging also reveals features attributable to lone electron pair micelles within the Sb-rich kobellite homologues. Atomic-resolution EDS STEM chemical mapping of Pb–Bi–Sb-sulfosalts shows a correlation with crystal structural modularity. The maps also highlight sites in the SnS modules of tintinaite in which Sb > Bi. Coherent nanoscale intergrowths between tintinaite and izoklakeite define jigsaw patterns evolving from chessboard structures and are considered to have formed during co-crystallisation of the two phases. Displacement textures and crosscutting veinlets (a few nm in width) are interpreted as evidence for superimposed syn-metamorphic deformation and are associated with the redistribution of Bi and Se. Imaging and mapping using HAADF STEM techniques is well suited to characterisation of Pb–Sb–Bi-sulfosalt phases, offering largely untapped potential to unravel the evolution of chessboard structures with applications across mineralogy but also extending into allied fields.

We present radio observations of the galaxy cluster Abell S1136 at 888 MHz, using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder radio telescope, as part of the Evolutionary Map of the Universe Early Science program. We compare these findings with data from the Murchison Widefield Array, XMM-Newton, the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, the Digitised Sky Survey, and the Australia Telescope Compact Array. Our analysis shows the X-ray and radio emission in Abell S1136 are closely aligned and centered on the Brightest Cluster Galaxy, while the X-ray temperature profile shows a relaxed cluster with no evidence of a cool core. We find that the diffuse radio emission in the centre of the cluster shows more structure than seen in previous low-resolution observations of this source, which appeared formerly as an amorphous radio blob, similar in appearance to a radio halo; our observations show the diffuse emission in the Abell S1136 galaxy cluster contains three narrow filamentary structures visible at 888 MHz, between $\sim$80 and 140 kpc in length; however, the properties of the diffuse emission do not fully match that of a radio (mini-)halo or (fossil) tailed radio source.

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.

Clinical outcomes of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for treatment of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) vary widely and there is no mood rating scale that is standard for assessing rTMS outcome. It remains unclear whether TMS is as efficacious in older adults with late-life depression (LLD) compared to younger adults with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study examined the effect of age on outcomes of rTMS treatment of adults with TRD. Self-report and observer mood ratings were measured weekly in 687 subjects ages 16–100 years undergoing rTMS treatment using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology 30-item Self-Report (IDS-SR), Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ), Profile of Mood States 30-item, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17-item (HDRS). All rating scales detected significant improvement with treatment; response and remission rates varied by scale but not by age (response/remission ≥ 60: 38%–57%/25%–33%; <60: 32%–49%/18%–25%). Proportional hazards models showed early improvement predicted later improvement across ages, though early improvements in PHQ and HDRS were more predictive of remission in those < 60 years (relative to those ≥ 60) and greater baseline IDS burden was more predictive of non-remission in those ≥ 60 years (relative to those < 60). These results indicate there is no significant effect of age on treatment outcomes in rTMS for TRD, though rating instruments may differ in assessment of symptom burden between younger and older adults during treatment.