Infectious diseases outbreaks are a cause of significant morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. Infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are particularly vulnerable to infectious complications during hospitalization. Thus, rapid recognition of and response to outbreaks in the NICU is essential. At Rush University Medical Center, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has been utilized since early 2016 as an adjunctive method for outbreak investigations. The use of WGS and potential lessons learned are illustrated for 3 different NICU outbreak investigations involving methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), group B Streptococcus (GBS), and Serratia marcescens. WGS has contributed to the understanding of the epidemiology of outbreaks in our NICU, and it has also provided further insight in settings of unusual diseases or when lower-resolution typing methods have been inadequate. WGS has emerged as the new gold standard for evaluating strain relatedness. As barriers to implementation are overcome, WGS has the potential to transform outbreak investigation in healthcare settings.

Fireballs are infrequently recorded by seismic sensors on the ground. If recorded, they are usually reported as one-off events. This study is the first seismic bulk analysis of the largest single fireball data set, observed by the Desert Fireball Network (DFN) in Australia in the period 2014–2019. The DFN typically observes fireballs from cm-m scale impactors. We identified 25 fireballs in seismic time series data recorded by the Australian National Seismograph Network (ANSN). This corresponds to 1.8% of surveyed fireballs, at the kinetic energy range of $10^6$ – $10^{10}$ J. The peaks observed in the seismic time series data were consistent with calculated arrival times of the direct airwave or ground-coupled Rayleigh wave caused by shock waves by the fireball in the atmosphere (either due to fragmentation or the passage of the Mach cone). Our work suggests that identification of fireball events in the seismic time series data depends on both physical properties of a fireball (such as fireball energy and entry angle in the atmosphere) and the sensitivity of a seismic instrument. This work suggests that fireballs are likely detectable within 200 km direct air distance between a fireball and seismic station, for sensors used in the ANSN. If each DFN observatory had been accompanied by a seismic sensor of similar sensitivity, 50% of surveyed fireballs could have been detected. These statistics justify the future consideration of expanding the DFN camera network into the seismic domain.

The discovery of the first electromagnetic counterpart to a gravitational wave signal has generated follow-up observations by over 50 facilities world-wide, ushering in the new era of multi-messenger astronomy. In this paper, we present follow-up observations of the gravitational wave event GW170817 and its electromagnetic counterpart SSS17a/DLT17ck (IAU label AT2017gfo) by 14 Australian telescopes and partner observatories as part of Australian-based and Australian-led research programs. We report early- to late-time multi-wavelength observations, including optical imaging and spectroscopy, mid-infrared imaging, radio imaging, and searches for fast radio bursts. Our optical spectra reveal that the transient source emission cooled from approximately 6 400 K to 2 100 K over a 7-d period and produced no significant optical emission lines. The spectral profiles, cooling rate, and photometric light curves are consistent with the expected outburst and subsequent processes of a binary neutron star merger. Star formation in the host galaxy probably ceased at least a Gyr ago, although there is evidence for a galaxy merger. Binary pulsars with short (100 Myr) decay times are therefore unlikely progenitors, but pulsars like PSR B1534+12 with its 2.7 Gyr coalescence time could produce such a merger. The displacement (~2.2 kpc) of the binary star system from the centre of the main galaxy is not unusual for stars in the host galaxy or stars originating in the merging galaxy, and therefore any constraints on the kick velocity imparted to the progenitor are poor.

Hierarchical galaxy formation models predict the development of elliptical galaxies through a combination of the mergers and interactions of smaller galaxies. We are carrying out a study of Early-Type Galaxies (ETGs) using GAMA multi-wavelength and Herschel-ATLAS sub-mm data to understand their intrinsic dust properties. The dust in some ETGs may be a relic of past interactions and mergers of galaxies, or may be produced within the galaxies themselves. With this large dataset we will probe the properties of the dust and its relation to host galaxy properties. This paper presents our criteria for selecting ETGs and explores the usefulness of proxies for their morphology, including optical colour, Sérsic index and Concentration index. We find that a combination of criteria including r band Concentration index, ellipticity and apparent sizes is needed to select a robust sample. Optical and sub-mm parameter diagnostics are examined for the selected ETG sample, and the sub-mm data are fitted with modified Planck functions giving initial estimates for the cold dust temperatures and masses.

We present the results of an investigation of a large sample of brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs), their kinematic and stellar population properties and the relationships between these and the properties of the host clusters. We have obtained high signal-to-noise, long-slit spectra of 49 BCGs in the nearby Universe with the Gemini and WHT telescopes. From this, we have measured the radial velocity and velocity dispersion profiles, and used the Lick system of absorption indices to derive Single Stellar Population (SSP)-equivalent ages, metallicities and α-abundance ratios. The results were systematically compared with those of large samples of ordinary elliptical galaxies in the same mass range. In addition, the derived properties were tested for possible correlations with the internal properties of the galaxies (mass, rotation and luminosity) and the properties of the host clusters (density, mass, distance to X-ray peak and cooling flows). We address the following questions: how the kinematic and stellar population properties differ from those of ordinary giant elliptical galaxies; and whether these properties are more influenced by the internal parameters of the BCGs or the properties of the clusters.

The bulges of spiral galaxies may be old, as in our Galaxy, or may possess younger stars, as evidenced in spectroscopic line strengths in some external bulges. Bulges look similar to elliptical galaxies, but their formation history is expected to differ due to the presence of the disc and different formation mechanisms. This project extends the numbers of high signal-to-noise, broad coverage spectra to a larger sample of bulges in order to test conflicting ideas about their age distributions. New Gemini long-slit observations will be used to derive stellar population ages and histories across 30 bulges. Here we present preliminary results from the sample.

1. A study was made of the absorption of [58Co]cyanocobalamin in suckling piglets. Cyanocobalamin given at birth and at 7 d of age was efficiently absorbed from the intestine and retained within the body, mostly in the liver. A 10 μg test dose was absorbed no less efficiently than 0.5 μg, despite the virtual absence of intrinsic factor in the gut. In piglets given a 10 μg test dose at different ages between 0.5 and 56 d, there was a marked decrease in the efficiency of retention between about 7 and 21 d of age.

2. Vitamin B12-binding capacity in the gastric mucosa increased with age, from 40 ng at birth to about 2000 ng at 14 d and 7000 ng at 35 d. This binder-protein was largely endogenous, whereas much of the unsaturated binder-protein in intestinal mucosa was apparently derived from milk.

3. The chyme in the stomach and small intestine contained unsaturated binder-protein, partly endogenous and partly deriving from milk, which prevented uptake of added [G-3H]-cyanocobalamin into the ‘solids’ phase of the intestinal contents. The intestinal chyme contained large numbers (log10 7.0–9.1/ml) of bacteria, some of which were isolated and shown to take up cyanocobalamin or folic acid or both.

4. The findings are discussed in relation to the concept that for some days or weeks after the cessation of transport of intact protein across the neonatal gut epithelium (‘closure’), protein-bound vitamins may continue to be taken up into the epithelial cells and there released for transport into the circulation. It is concluded that unsaturated vitamin-binders may strongly influence the ecology of the intestinal microflora.