A Very Sensitive 21cm Survey for Galactic High-Velocity HI

Very sensitive HI 21cm observations have been made in 860 directions at dec >= -43deg in search of weak, Galactic, high-velocity HI emission lines at moderate and high Galactic latitudes. One-third of the observations were made toward extragalactic objects. The median 4-sigma detection level is NHI = 8x10^{17} cm^-2 over the 21' telescope beam. High-velocity HI emission is detected in 37% of the directions; about half of the lines could not have been seen in previous surveys. The median FWHM of detected lines is 30.3 km/s. High- velocity HI lines are seen down to the sensitivity limit of the survey implying that there are likely lines at still lower values of NHI. The weakest lines have a kinematics and distribution on the sky similar to that of the strong lines, and thus do not appear to be a new population. Most of the emission originates from objects which are extended over several degrees; few appear to be compact sources. At least 75%, and possibly as many as 90%, of the lines are associated with one of the major high-velocity complexes. The Magellanic Stream extends at least 10 deg to higher Galactic latitude than previously thought and is more extended in longitude as well. Although there are many lines with low column density, their numbers do not increase as rapidly as NHI^-1, so most of the HI mass in the high-velocity cloud phenomenon likely resides in the more prominent clouds. The bright HI features may be mere clumps within larger structures, and not independent objects.Comment: 88 pages includes 22 figures Accepted for Publication in ApJ Suppl. June 200

Genomic catastrophes frequently arise in esophageal adenocarcinoma and drive tumorigenesis

Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) incidence is rapidly increasing in Western countries. A better understanding of EAC underpins efforts to improve early detection and treatment outcomes. While large EAC exome sequencing efforts to date have found recurrent loss-offunction mutations, oncogenic driving events have been underrepresented. Here we use a combination of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and single-nucleotide polymorphism-array profiling to show that genomic catastrophes are frequent in EAC, with almost a third (32%, n¼40/123) undergoing chromothriptic events. WGS of 22 EAC cases show that catastrophes may lead to oncogene amplification through chromothripsis-derived double-minute chromosome formation (MYC and MDM2) or breakage-fusion-bridge (KRAS, MDM2 and RFC3). Telomere shortening is more prominent in EACs bearing localized complex rearrangements. Mutational signature analysis also confirms that extreme genomic instability in EAC can be driven by somatic BRCA2 mutations. These findings suggest that genomic catastrophes have a significant role in the malignant transformation of EAC

Experience in implementing harvest strategies in Australia's south-eastern fisheries

The Southern and Eastern Scalefish and Shark Fishery (SESSF) is a complex multi-species fishery, with 34 stock units under quota management, for which a harvest strategy framework was developed in 2005. The framework involves the application of a set of tier-based harvest control rules (HCR) designed to provide a precautionary approach to management. The harvest strategy framework has been applied from 2005 to 2007, resulting in substantial reductions in quotas across the fishery. The experience in implementing the framework, both positive and negative, is described, and general lessons are drawn. Key lessons include the importance of formally testing such strategies using management strategy evaluation, the impact of external management drivers on implementation of the approach, the need to define strategies for setting "bycatch quotas" in multi-species fisheries, and the need for flexibility and pragmatism in the early stages of implementing such an approach

The Magellanic Stream, High-Velocity Clouds and the Sculptor Group

The Magellanic Stream is a 100\deg x 10\deg filament of gas which lies within the Galactic halo and contains ~ 2 x 10^8 \Msun of neutral hydrogen. We present data from the HI Parkes All Sky Survey (HIPASS) in the first complete survey of the entire Magellanic Stream and its surroundings. We also present a summary of the reprocessing techniques used to recover large-scale structure in the Stream. The Stream properties revealed include: bifurcation along the main Stream filament; dense, isolated clouds which follow the entire length of the Stream; head-tail structures; and a complex filamentary web at the head where gas is being freshly stripped away from the Small Magellanic Cloud and the Bridge. Debris which appears to be of Magellanic origin extends out to 20\deg from the main Stream filaments. The large number of elongated Stream clouds suggests the presence of shearing motions within the Stream, arising from tidal forces or interaction with the tenuous Galactic halo. Clouds along the sightline to the less distant half of the Sculptor Group, show anomalous properties. We argue that these clouds represent halo material, and are not distant Sculptor Group clouds. This result has significant implications for the hypothesis that there might exist distant, massive HVCs within the Local Group. (abridged

Reproductive health for refugees by refugees in Guinea III: maternal health

BACKGROUND: Maternal mortality can be particularly high in conflict and chronic emergency settings, partly due to inaccessible maternal care. This paper examines associations of refugee-led health education, formal education, age, and parity on maternal knowledge, attitudes, and practices among reproductive-age women in refugee camps in Guinea. METHODS: Data comes from a 1999 cross-sectional survey of 444 female refugees in 23 camps. Associations of reported maternal health outcomes with exposure to health education (exposed versus unexposed), formal education (none versus some), age (adolescent versus adult), or parity (nulliparous, parous, grand multiparous), were analysed using logistic regression. RESULTS: No significant differences were found in maternal knowledge or attitudes. Virtually all respondents said pregnant women should attend antenatal care and knew the importance of tetanus vaccination. Most recognised abdominal pain (75%) and headaches (24%) as maternal danger signs and recommended facility attendance for danger signs. Most had last delivered at a facility (67%), mainly for safety reasons (99%). Higher odds of facility delivery were found for those exposed to RHG health education (adjusted odds ratio 2.03, 95%CI 1.23-3.01), formally educated (adjusted OR 1.93, 95%CI 1.05-3.92), or grand multipara (adjusted OR 2.13, 95%CI 1.21-3.75). Main reasons for delivering at home were distance to a facility (94%) and privacy (55%). CONCLUSIONS: Refugee-led maternal health education appeared to increase facility delivery for these refugee women. Improved knowledge of danger signs and the importance of skilled birth attendance, while vital, may be less important in chronic emergency settings than improving facility access where quality of care is acceptable

Impacts of caring for a child with the CDKL5 disorder on parental wellbeing and family quality of life

Background: Although research in this area remains sparse, raising a child with some genetic disorders has been shown to adversely impact maternal health and family quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate such impacts in families with a child with the CDKL5 disorder, a newly recognised genetic disorder causing severe neurodevelopmental impairments and refractory epilepsy. Methods: Data were sourced from the International CDKL5 Disorder Database to which 192 families with a child with a pathogenic CDKL5 mutation had provided data by January 2016. The Short Form 12 Health Survey Version 2, yielding a Physical Component Summary and a Mental Component Summary score, was used to measure primary caregiver's wellbeing. The Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale was used to measure family quality of life. Linear regression analyses were used to investigate relationships between child and family factors and the various subscale scores. Results: The median (range) age of the primary caregivers was 37.0 (24.6-63.7) years and of the children was 5.2 (0.2-34.1) years. The mean (SD) physical and mental component scores were 53.7 (8.6) and 41.9 (11.6), respectively. In mothers aged 25-54 years the mean mental but not the physical component score was lower than population norms. After covariate adjustment, caregivers with a tube-fed child had lower mean physical but higher mean mental component scores than those whose child fed orally (coefficient = -4.80 and 6.79; p = 0.009 and 0.012, respectively). Child sleep disturbances and financial hardship were negatively associated with the mental component score. The mean (SD) Beach Center Family Quality of Life score was 4.06 (0.66) and those who had used respite services had lower scores than those who had not across the subscales. Conclusions: Emotional wellbeing was considerably impaired in this caregiver population, and was particularly associated with increased severity of child sleep problems and family financial difficulties. Family quality of life was generally rated lowest in those using respite care extensively, suggesting that these families may be more burdened by daily caregiving

More than skin-deep : visceral fat is strongly associated with disease activity, function and metabolic indices in psoriatic disease

Abstract Objective To compare body composition between patients with psoriatic disease (PsD), including cutaneous psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and controls, and to explore associations between disease activity and measures of function and metabolic derangement. Methods Body composition was assessed by air displacement plethysmography (ADP) and MRI-derived fat segmentation using an automated pipeline (FatSegNet). Function was assessed by Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and metabolic status by fasting lipid profile, insulin and adiponectin. Active and inactive PsO and PsA were defined by body surface area (BSA) and Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) and minimal disease activity (MDA), respectively. Results Thirty patients (median disease duration 15 years; median age 52 years) and 30 BMI-matched controls were enrolled. Compared with controls, all MRI-derived body composition parameters—whole-body volume, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), abdominal adipose tissue (AAT), VAT/AAT and VAT/SAT—were higher in the PsD group, specifically, those with active disease. Body mass, body fat, whole-body volume and whole-body VAT were correlated with higher triglycerides, cholesterol:HDL (high-density lipoprotein), insulin resistance and lower adiponectin as well as higher HAQ and lower MDA. Conclusions In this pilot study, patients with PsD revealed excessive total adipose tissue and a greater volume of metabolically unfavourable ectopic fat, including VAT, compared with BMI-matched controls, which also correlated with HAQ, disease activity and overall dysmetabolism. We also provide the first evidence in patients with PsD for the clinical application of FatSegNet: a novel, automated and rapid deep learning pipeline for providing accurate MRI-based measurement of fat segmentation. Our findings suggest the need for a more integrated approach to the management of PsD, which considers both the metabolic and inflammatory burden of disease. More specifically, visceral fat is a surrogate marker of uncontrolled PsD and may be an important future target for both pharmacological and lifestyle interventions

More than skin-deep: visceral fat is strongly associated with disease activity, function and metabolic indices in psoriatic disease

Abstract Objective To compare body composition between patients with psoriatic disease (PsD), including cutaneous psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and controls, and to explore associations between disease activity and measures of function and metabolic derangement. Methods Body composition was assessed by air displacement plethysmography (ADP) and MRI-derived fat segmentation using an automated pipeline (FatSegNet). Function was assessed by Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and metabolic status by fasting lipid profile, insulin and adiponectin. Active and inactive PsO and PsA were defined by body surface area (BSA) and Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) and minimal disease activity (MDA), respectively. Results Thirty patients (median disease duration 15 years; median age 52 years) and 30 BMI-matched controls were enrolled. Compared with controls, all MRI-derived body composition parameters—whole-body volume, subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), abdominal adipose tissue (AAT), VAT/AAT and VAT/SAT—were higher in the PsD group, specifically, those with active disease. Body mass, body fat, whole-body volume and whole-body VAT were correlated with higher triglycerides, cholesterol:HDL (high-density lipoprotein), insulin resistance and lower adiponectin as well as higher HAQ and lower MDA. Conclusions In this pilot study, patients with PsD revealed excessive total adipose tissue and a greater volume of metabolically unfavourable ectopic fat, including VAT, compared with BMI-matched controls, which also correlated with HAQ, disease activity and overall dysmetabolism. We also provide the first evidence in patients with PsD for the clinical application of FatSegNet: a novel, automated and rapid deep learning pipeline for providing accurate MRI-based measurement of fat segmentation. Our findings suggest the need for a more integrated approach to the management of PsD, which considers both the metabolic and inflammatory burden of disease. More specifically, visceral fat is a surrogate marker of uncontrolled PsD and may be an important future target for both pharmacological and lifestyle interventions