Radio-continuum observations of a giant radio source QSO J0443.8-6141

We report the discovery of a giant double-lobed (lobe-core-lobe) radio-continuum structure associated with QSO J0443.8-6141 at z=0.72. This QSO was originally identified during the follow-up of a sample of ROSAT All Sky Survey sources at radio and optical frequencies. With a linear size of ~0.77 Mpc, QSO J0443.8-6141 is classified as a giant radio source (GRS); based on its physical properties, we classify QSO J0443.8-6141 as a FR II radio galaxy. High-resolution observations are required to reliably identify GRSs; the next generation of southern sky radio and optical surveys will be crucial to increasing our sample of these objects

Magnetism, rotation and accretion in Herbig Ae-Be stars

Studies of stellar magnetism at the pre-main sequence phase can provide important new insights into the detailed physics of the late stages of star formation, and into the observed properties of main sequence stars. This is especially true at intermediate stellar masses, where magnetic fields are strong and globally organised, and therefore most amenable to direct study. This talk reviews recent high-precision ESPaDOnS observations of pre-main sequence Herbig Ae-Be stars, which are yielding qualitatively new information about intermediate-mass stars: the origin and evolution of their magnetic fields, the role of magnetic fields in generating their spectroscopic activity and in mediating accretion in their late formative stages, and the factors influencing their rotational angular momentum.Comment: 8 page

National trends and policy impacts on provision of Home Medicines Reviews and Residential Medication Management Reviews in older Australians, 2009–2019

Comprehensive medicines reviews such as Home Medicines Review (HMR) and Residential Medication Management Review (RMMR) can resolve medicines-related problems. Changes to Australia’s longstanding HMR and RMMR programs were implemented between 2011 and 2014. This study examined trends in HMR and RMMR provision among older Australians during 2009–2019 and determined the impact of program changes on service provision. Monthly rates of general medical practitioner (GP) HMR claims per 1000 people aged ≥65 years and RMMR claims per 1000 older residents of aged care facilities were determined using publicly available data. Interrupted time series analysis was conducted to examine changes coinciding with dates of program changes. In January 2009, monthly HMR and RMMR rates were 0.80/1000 older people and 20.17/1000 older residents, respectively. Small monthly increases occurred thereafter, with 1.89 HMRs/1000 and 34.73 RMMRs/1000 provided in February 2014. In March 2014, immediate decreases of –0.32 (95%CI –0.52 to –0.11) HMRs/1000 and –12.80 (95%CI –15.22 to –10.37) RMMRs/1000 were observed. There were 1.07 HMRs/1000 and 35.36 RMMRs/1000 provided in December 2019. In conclusion, HMR and RMMR program changes in March 2014 restricted access to subsidized medicines reviews and were associated with marked decreases in service provision. The low levels of HMR and RMMR provision observed do not represent a proactive approach to medicines safety and effectiveness among older Australians.Janet K. Sluggett, Luke R. Collier, Jonathan D. Bartholomaeus, Maria C. Inacio, Steve L. Wesselingh and Gillian E. Caughe

Infrared-faint radio sources: A new population of high-redshift radio galaxies

We present a sample of 1317 Infrared-faint radio sources (IFRSs) that, for the first time, are reliably detected in the infrared, generated by cross-correlating the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) all-sky survey with major radio surveys. Our IFRSs are brighter in both radio and infrared than the first-generation IFRSs that were undetected in the infrared by the Spitzer Space Telescope. We present the first spectroscopic redshifts of IFRSs, and find that all but one of the IFRSs with spectroscopy have z > 2. We also report the first X-ray counterparts of IFRSs, and present an analysis of radio spectra and polarization, and show that they include gigahertz peaked-spectrum, compact steep-spectrum and ultra-steep-spectrum sources. These results, together with their WISE infrared colours and radio morphologies, imply that our sample of IFRSs represents a population of radio-loud active galactic nuclei at z > 2. We conclude that our sample consists of lower redshift counterparts of the extreme first-generation IFRSs, suggesting that the fainter IFRSs are at even higher redshift

Scientific Preparations for Lunar Exploration with the European Lunar Lander

This paper discusses the scientific objectives for the ESA Lunar Lander Mission, which emphasise human exploration preparatory science and introduces the model scientific payload considered as part of the on-going mission studies, in advance of a formal instrument selection.Comment: Accepted for Publication in Planetary and Space Science 51 pages, 8 figures, 1 tabl

Anthropogenic pressures and life history predict trajectories of seagrass meadow extent at a global scale

Seagrass meadows are threatened by multiple pressures, jeopardizing the many benefits they provide to humanity and biodiversity, including climate regulation and food provision through fisheries production. Conservation of seagrass requires identification of the main pressures contributing to loss and the regions most at risk of ongoing loss. Here, we model trajectories of seagrass change at the global scale and show they are related to multiple anthropogenic pressures but that trajectories vary widely with seagrass life-history strategies. Rapidly declining trajectories of seagrass meadow extent (>25% loss from 2000 to 2010) were most strongly associated with high pressures from destructive demersal fishing and poor water quality. Conversely, seagrass meadow extent was more likely to be increasing when these two pressures were low. Meadows dominated by seagrasses with persistent life-history strategies tended to have slowly changing or stable trajectories, while those with opportunistic species were more variable, with a higher probability of either rapidly declining or rapidly increasing. Global predictions of regions most at risk for decline show high-risk areas in Europe, North America, Japan, and southeast Asia, including places where comprehensive long-term monitoring data are lacking. Our results highlight where seagrass loss may be occurring unnoticed and where urgent conservation interventions are required to reverse loss and sustain their essential services

AAV2-mediated gene transfer of GDNF to the striatum of MPTP monkeys enhances the survival and outgrowth of co-implanted fetal dopamine neurons

Neural transplantation offers the potential of treating Parkinson’s disease by grafting fetal dopamine neurons to depleted regions of the brain. However, clinical studies of neural grafting in Parkinson’s disease have produced only modest improvements. One of the main reasons for this is the low survival rate of transplanted neurons. The inadequate supply of critical neurotrophic factors in the adult brain is likely to be a major cause of early cell death and restricted outgrowth of fetal grafts placed into the mature striatum. Glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a potent neurotrophic factor that is crucial to the survival, outgrowth and maintenance of dopamine neurons, and so is a candidate for protecting grafted fetal dopamine neurons in the adult brain. We found that implantation of adeno-associated virus type 2 encoding GDNF (AAV2-GDNF) in the normal monkey caudate nucleus induced over-expression of GDNF that persisted for at least 6 months after injection. In a 6-month within-animal controlled study, AAV2-GDNF enhanced the survival of fetal dopamine neurons by 4-fold, and increased the outgrowth of grafted fetal dopamine neurons by almost 3-fold in the caudate nucleus of MPTP-treated monkeys, compared with control grafts in the other caudate nucleus. Thus, the addition of GDNF gene therapy to neural transplantation may be a useful strategy to improve treatment for Parkinson’s disease

MIGHTEE : total intensity radio continuum imaging and the COSMOS/XMM-LSS Early Science fields

Please read abstract in the article.The UK Science and Technology Facilities Council; the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory; the Leverhulme Trust through an Early Career Research Fellowship; the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology; the National Research Foundation; the Science and Technology Foundation (FCT, Portugal); the UK STFC ; the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Innovation; the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF); the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; the South African Department of Science and Technology’s National Research Foundation (DST-NRF).https://academic.oup.com/mnrashj2022Physic

Unexpected circular radio objects at high Galactic latitude

Large scale structure and cosmolog