Background: Cerebral vasospasm is a leading cause of neurological disability following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Clinical features associated with vasospasm development include blood burden on CT, neurological status, age and aneurysm location. Early cerebral CT perfusion (CTP) scanning in aSAH may be an independent predictor of vasospasm and/or delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Methods: Forty-one patients with aSAH were prospectively enrolled. Baseline data collected included WFNS grade, loss of consciousness at ictus, and modified Fisher grade. CTP was obtained at baseline and on day 6 post SAH. Cerebral blood volume, cerebral blood flow and mean transit time were measured. DCI was confirmed by a combination of clinical assessments, non-contrast CT and CTP. Radiological vasospasm was assessed with CT angiography. Results: Despite 80% of patients having a modified Fisher grade 3 or 4 aSAH, one-third presenting with ictal LOC and half having anterior communicating artery aneurysms, only one patient developed clinical evidence of vasospasm/DCI. Two others had asymptomatic radiological vasospasm. CTP parameters did not differ between groups defined by clinical predictors. Conclusions: In an unexpected finding, clinical and radiological vasospasm were very uncommon in this cohort. Clinical predictive variables correlated poorly with development of vasospasm. CTP may help refine the model but further work is needed.

The East Asian–Australasian flyway contains some of the most threatened habitats in the world, with at least 155 waterbird species reliant on the tidal habitats it comprises. The black-faced spoonbill (Platalea minor) is an iconic endangered species distributed across the coast of East Asia. Its population suffered a severe decline into the 1990s, but extensive monitoring and conservation interventions have aided a substantial recovery of the species. We used a population viability analysis based on data collected over the past two decades in conjunction with species distribution models to project spatially explicit models of population change for the next 35 years. Over nearly all scenarios of habitat loss and climate change, the global spoonbill population was projected to increase in the short-term due to low population numbers likely well below current population carrying capacities. However, climate change and habitat loss together threaten the recovery of the spoonbill population such that, by 2050, population declines are apparent as a consequence of these cumulative impacts. These threats are also cryptic and represent a challenge to the conservation of species recovering from anthropogenic impacts; observed population increases can hide large reductions in habitat suitability that threaten the long-term viability of species.

Background: Intracranial aneurysms are relatively common and often incidentally detected. Elective treatment may eliminate the risk of future hemorrhage, but carries risks of permanent deficit or death. Case-control studies have suggested factors predisposing to aneurysm rupture as well as risks of elective aneurysm repair. A clinical tool was recently developed to weigh benefits of repair against treatment risks. We evaluate its performance against real-world clinical decisions made by a cerebrovascular multidisciplinary team (MDT). Methods: Chart review of all patients with unruptured intracranial berry aneurysms (UIA) discussed at cerebrovascular MDT rounds 2008-2015. Management decisions and clinical outcomes were recorded. The Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysm Treatment Score (UIATS) was calculated for each patient (each aneurysm in the case of multiple UIA). Results: We identified 240 patients with a total of 279 aneurysms. UIATS recommended aneurysm repair in 79 cases, conservative management in 88 cases, and was equivocal in 112 cases. Where the UIATS gave a clear decision, that decision was concordant with the MDT decision in 119/167 cases (71%). Discordant decisions often related to the presence of comorbidities. Clinical outcomes did not differ in cases where the recommendations were clearly concordant vs. discordant. Conclusions: The UIATS may provide guidance to non-expert clinicians. It did not outperform the MDT.

We are analysing late-time (older than about 150 d past explosion) optical spectra of Type II-Plateau (IIP) supernovae (SNe), which are H-rich SNe that come from red supergiant (RSG) progenitors. The dataset includes nearly 100 spectra of about 40 objects, making this the largest sample of SN IIP nebular spectra ever investigated. Quantitative criteria from within the spectra themselves are employed to determine if an observation is truly nebular, and thus should be included in the study. We present the temporal evolution of the fluxes, shapes, and velocities of various emission lines (see, for example, Fig. 1). These measured values are also compared to photometric data in order to search for correlations that can allow us to gain insight into the diversity of RSG progenitors and learn more about the details of the explosion itself.