On 16–17 January 2020, four suspected mumps cases were reported to the local Public Health Authorities with an epidemiological link to a local school and football club. Of 18 suspected cases identified, 14 were included in this study. Laboratory results confirmed mumps virus as the cause and further sequencing identified genotype G. Our findings highlight that even with a high MMR vaccine coverage, mumps outbreaks in children and young adults can occur. Since most of the cases had documented immunity for mumps, we hypothesise that waning immunity or discordant mumps virus strains are likely explanations for this outbreak.

This paper presents the first major data release and survey description for the ANU WiFeS SuperNovA Programme. ANU WiFeS SuperNovA Programme is an ongoing supernova spectroscopy campaign utilising the Wide Field Spectrograph on the Australian National University 2.3-m telescope. The first and primary data release of this programme (AWSNAP-DR1) releases 357 spectra of 175 unique objects collected over 82 equivalent full nights of observing from 2012 July to 2015 August. These spectra have been made publicly available via the WISEREP supernova spectroscopy repository.

We analyse the ANU WiFeS SuperNovA Programme sample of Type Ia supernova spectra, including measurements of narrow sodium absorption features afforded by the high spectral resolution of the Wide Field Spectrograph instrument. In some cases, we were able to use the integral-field nature of the Wide Field Spectrograph instrument to measure the rotation velocity of the SN host galaxy near the SN location in order to obtain precision sodium absorption velocities. We also present an extensive time series of SN 2012dn, including a near-nebular spectrum which both confirms its ‘super-Chandrasekhar’ status and enables measurement of the sub-solar host metallicity at the SN site.

We describe the serendipitous discovery of two new lithium-rich M5 members of the Scorpius-Centaurus OB Association (Sco-Cen). Both stars exhibit large 12 and 22 μm excesses and strong, variable Hα emission which we attribute to accretion from circumstellar discs. Such stars are thought to be incredibly rare at the ~16 Myr median age of much of Sco-Cen. The serendipitous discovery of two accreting stars hosting large quantities of circumstellar material may be indicative of a sizeable age spread in Sco-Cen, or further evidence that disc dispersal and planet formation time-scales are longer around lower-mass stars.

The Next Generation Transit Survey (NGTS) is a new ground-based survey for transiting exoplanets. Our primary goal is to find the first statistically-significant sample of Neptunes and super-Earths that are bright enough for radial velocity confirmation. By measuring precise masses and radii we will constrain the bulk composition and internal structure of planets that span the transition between the gas giants and terrestrial planets. Our brightest exoplanets will also be suitable for atmospheric characterisation with large facilities such as the VLT, JWST and the E-ELT. NGTS construction began in June 2013, and the survey is due to commence in 2014.

The importance of legume proteins in cholesterol metabolism has been recognised, but the hindgut contribution is still unclear. The present work was undertaken to address the role of the caecum–colon in cholesterol metabolism in intact (I) and ileo-rectal anastomosed (IRA) pigs fed with casein or extruded soyabean (ES) diets. Four groups of six growing pigs were assigned to the treatments (casein–I, casein–IRA, ES–I, ES–IRA) for 3 weeks. Plasma total cholesterol, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol were not modified by surgery or diet. In the liver, the ES diet significantly depressed non-esterified, esterified and total cholesterol. The treatments did not affect hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase, cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase or sterol 27-hydroxylase activities. In the gallbladder bile of ES-fed pigs, total cholesterol was depressed while total bile acid concentration was increased. IRA and the ES diet markedly decreased the biliary bile acid microbial metabolites (namely hyodeoxycholic acid) and increased the primary bile acids (mainly hyocholic acid). The concentration of bile hydrophobic acids was decreased only by the ES diet. Faecal neutral sterol output was increased in ES-fed pigs, but the bile acid and the sum of neutral and acidic steroid outputs were not. Microbial transformation of neutral and acidic steroids was markedly reduced by IRA, especially in the ES-fed pigs. Thus, surgery and ES modulated the steroid profile but the caecum–colon did not seem to play a crucial role in determining cholesterolaemia in pigs.