12 research outputs found
Web-based internet searches for digital health products in the United Kingdom before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a time-series analysis using app libraries from the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications (ORCHA)
Objectives To explore if consumer interest in digital health products (DHPs), changed following the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown measures that ensued. Design Retrospective time-series analysis of web-based internet searches for DHPs in the UK, split over two periods, pre-COVID- 19 lockdown (January 2019â23 March 2020) and post-COVID- 19 lockdown (24 March 2020â31 December 2020). Setting The UK. Participants Members of the UK general population using health-app libraries provided by the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Applications. Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome was volume of searches for DHPs. Secondary outcomes considered search volumes for 25 different therapeutic areas. Outcomes were assessed for significance using a two-stage Poisson test. Results There were 126 640 searches for DHPs over the study period. Searches for DHPs increased by 343% from 2446 per month prior to COVID-19 lockdown measures being introduced to 8996 per month in the period following the first COVID-19 lockdown in the UK. In total, 23/25 (92%) of condition areas experienced a significant increase in searches for DHPs, with the greatest increases occurring in the first 2 months following lockdown. Musculoskeletal conditions (2,036%), allergy (1,253%) and healthy living DHPs (1,051%) experienced the greatest increases in searches compared with pre-lockdown. Increased search volumes for DHPs were sustained in the 9 months following the introduction of lockdown measures, with 21/25 (84%) of condition areas experiencing monthly search volumes at least 50% greater than pre-lockdown levels. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly disrupted the routine delivery of healthcare, making face-to- face interaction difficult, and contributing to unmet clinical needs. This study has demonstrated significant increases in internet searches for DHPs by members of the UK population since COVID-19, signifying an increased interest in this potential therapeutic medium. Future research should clarify whether this increased interest has resulted in increased acceptance and utilisation of these technologies also
Navigating Medical Device Certification: A Qualitative Exploration of Barriers and Enablers Amongst Innovators, Notified Bodies and Other Stakeholders
Background
Medical device certification has undergone significant changes in recent years. However, exploration of stakeholder experiences remains relatively limited, particularly in the context of software as a medical device. This study sought to explore stakeholder experiences of medical device certification across both the UK and EU.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews (nâ=â22) analysed using inductive-thematic analysis, synthesised using activity theory.
Results
Innovators, consultants and notified bodies share more similarities than differences when discussing barriers and enablers to achieving medical device certification. Systemic tensions between existing rules, tools, community understanding and division of labour currently undermine the intended aim of certification processes. Existing rules are considered complex, with small and medium-sized enterprises considered disproportionality affected, resulting in several unintended outcomes including the perceived âkillingâ of innovation. Existing certification processes are described as unfit for purpose, unethical and unsustainable.
Conclusion
Stakeholder experiences suggest that the intention of establishing a robust and sustainable regulatory framework capable of ensuring a high level of safety whilst also supporting innovation is not yet being realised. Failure to enact desired changes may further jeopardise future innovations, outcomes and care quality
SN 2021gno: a Calcium-rich transient with double-peaked light curves
We present extensive ultraviolet (UV) and optical photometric and optical
spectroscopic follow-up of supernova (SN)~2021gno by the "Precision
Observations of Infant Supernova Explosions" (POISE) project, starting less
than two days after the explosion. Given its intermediate luminosity, fast
photometric evolution, and quick transition to the nebular phase with spectra
dominated by [Ca~II] lines, SN~2021gno belongs to the small family of
Calcium-rich transients. Moreover, it shows double-peaked light curves, a
phenomenon shared with only four other Calcium-rich events. The projected
distance from the center of the host galaxy is not as large as other objects in
this family. The initial optical light-curve peaks coincide with a very quick
decline of the UV flux, indicating a fast initial cooling phase. Through
hydrodynamical modelling of the bolometric light curve and line velocity
evolution, we found that the observations are compatible with the explosion of
a highly-stripped massive star with an ejecta mass of and a
Ni mass of . The initial cooling phase (first light
curve peak) is explained by the presence of an extended circumstellar material
comprising with an extension of .
We discuss if hydrogen features are present in both maximum-light and nebular
spectra, and its implications in terms of the proposed progenitor scenarios for
Calcium-rich transients.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Strong Carbon Features and a Red Early Color in the Underluminous Type Ia SN 2022xkq
We present optical, infrared, ultraviolet, and radio observations of SN
2022xkq, an underluminous fast-declining type Ia supernova (SN Ia) in NGC 1784
( Mpc), from to 180 days after explosion. The
high-cadence observations of SN 2022xkq, a photometrically transitional and
spectroscopically 91bg-like SN Ia, cover the first days and weeks following
explosion which are critical to distinguishing between explosion scenarios. The
early light curve of SN 2022xkq has a red early color and exhibits a flux
excess which is more prominent in redder bands; this is the first time such a
feature has been seen in a transitional/91bg-like SN Ia. We also present 92
optical and 19 near-infrared (NIR) spectra, beginning 0.4 days after explosion
in the optical and 2.6 days after explosion in the NIR. SN 2022xkq exhibits a
long-lived C I 1.0693 m feature which persists until 5 days post-maximum.
We also detect C II 6580 in the pre-maximum optical spectra. These
lines are evidence for unburnt carbon that is difficult to reconcile with the
double detonation of a sub-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarf. No existing
explosion model can fully explain the photometric and spectroscopic dataset of
SN 2022xkq, but the considerable breadth of the observations is ideal for
furthering our understanding of the processes which produce faint SNe Ia.Comment: 38 pages, 16 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ, the figure 15
input models and synthetic spectra are now available at
https://zenodo.org/record/837925
SN 2021gno: a calcium-rich transient with double-peaked light curves
We present extensive ultraviolet (UV) and optical photometric and optical spectroscopic follow-up of supernova (SN) 2021gno by the 'Precision Observations of Infant Supernova Explosions' (POISE) project, starting less than 2 d after the explosion. Given its intermediate luminosity, fast photometric evolution, and quick transition to the nebular phase with spectra dominated by [Ca ii] lines, SN 2021gno belongs to the small family of Calcium-rich transients. Moreover, it shows double-peaked light curves, a phenomenon shared with only four other Calcium-rich events. The projected distance from the centre of the host galaxy is not as large as other objects in this family. The initial optical light-curve peaks coincide with a very quick decline of the UV flux, indicating a fast initial cooling phase. Through hydrodynamical modelling of the bolometric light curve and line velocity evolution, we found that the observations are compatible with the explosion of a highly stripped massive star with an ejecta mass of and a 56Ni mass of 0.024 Mâ. The initial cooling phase (first light-curve peak) is explained by the presence of an extended circumstellar material comprising ⌠with an extension of. We discuss if hydrogen features are present in both maximum-light and nebular spectra, and their implications in terms of the proposed progenitor scenarios for Calcium-rich transients
SCAT Uncovers ATLAS's First Tidal Disruption Event ATLAS18mlw: A Faint and Fast TDE in a Quiescent Balmer Strong Galaxy
We present the discovery that ATLAS18mlw was a tidal disruption event (TDE)
in the galaxy WISEA J073544.83+663717.3, at a distance of 334 Mpc. Initially
discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial Impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) on 2018
March 17.3, the TDE nature of the transient was uncovered only recently with
the re-reduction of a SuperNova Integral Field Spectrograph (SNIFS) spectrum.
This spectrum, taken by the Spectral Classification of Astronomical Transients
(SCAT) survey, shows a strong blue continuum and a broad H emission
line. Here we present roughly six years of optical survey photometry beginning
before the TDE to constrain AGN activity, optical spectroscopy of the
transient, and a detailed study of the host galaxy properties through analysis
of archival photometry and a host spectrum. ATLAS18mlw was detected in
ground-based light curves for roughly two months. From a blackbody fit to the
transient spectrum and bolometric correction of the optical light curve, we
conclude that ATLAS18mlw is likely a low-luminosity TDE with a peak luminosity
of log(L [erg s]) = . The TDE classification is further
supported by the quiescent Balmer strong nature of the host galaxy. We also
calculated the TDE decline rate from the bolometric light curve and find
dex, making ATLAS18mlw a member of the growing
class of "faint and fast" TDEs with low peak luminosities and fast decline
rates.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, 1 table. Will be submitted to AAS journals.
Comments welcom
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The Spectroscopic Classification of Astronomical Transients (SCAT) Survey: Overview, Pipeline Description, Initial Results, and Future Plans
Abstract
We present the Spectroscopic Classification of Astronomical Transients (SCAT) survey, which is dedicated to spectrophotometric observations of transient objects such as supernovae and tidal disruption events. SCAT uses the SuperNova Integral-Field Spectrograph (SNIFS) on the University of Hawaiâi 2.2 m (UH2.2m) telescope. SNIFS was designed specifically for accurate transient spectrophotometry, including absolute flux calibration and host-galaxy removal. We describe the data reduction and calibration pipeline including spectral extraction, telluric correction, atmospheric characterization, nightly photometricity, and spectrophotometric precision. We achieve âČ5% spectrophotometry across the full optical wavelength range (3500â9000 Ă
) under photometric conditions. The inclusion of photometry from the SNIFS multi-filter mosaic imager allows for decent spectrophotometric calibration (10%â20%) even under unfavorable weather/atmospheric conditions. SCAT obtained â640 spectra of transients over the first 3 yr of operations, including supernovae of all types, active galactic nuclei, cataclysmic variables, and rare transients such as superluminous supernovae and tidal disruption events. These observations will provide the community with benchmark spectrophotometry to constrain the next generation of hydrodynamic and radiative transfer models
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Strong Carbon Features and a Red Early Color in the Underluminous Type Ia SN 2022xkq
We present optical, infrared, ultraviolet, and radio observations of SN 2022xkq, an underluminous fast-declining Type Ia supernova (SN Ia) in NGC 1784 (D â 31 Mpc), from <1 to 180 days after explosion. The high-cadence observations of SN 2022xkq, a photometrically transitional and spectroscopically 91bg-like SN Ia, cover the first days and weeks following explosion, which are critical to distinguishing between explosion scenarios. The early light curve of SN 2022xkq has a red early color and exhibits a flux excess that is more prominent in redder bands; this is the first time such a feature has been seen in a transitional/91bg-like SN Ia. We also present 92 optical and 19 near-infrared (NIR) spectra, beginning 0.4 days after explosion in the optical and 2.6 days after explosion in the NIR. SN 2022xkq exhibits a long-lived C i 1.0693 ÎŒm feature that persists until 5 days post-maximum. We also detect C ii λ6580 in the pre-maximum optical spectra. These lines are evidence for unburnt carbon that is difficult to reconcile with the double detonation of a sub-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarf. No existing explosion model can fully explain the photometric and spectroscopic data set of SN 2022xkq, but the considerable breadth of the observations is ideal for furthering our understanding of the processes that produce faint SNe Ia. © 2023. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]
Strong Carbon Features and a Red Early Color in the Underluminous Type Ia SN 2022xkq
International audienceWe present optical, infrared, ultraviolet, and radio observations of SN 2022xkq, an underluminous fast-declining type Ia supernova (SN Ia) in NGC 1784 ( Mpc), from to 180 days after explosion. The high-cadence observations of SN 2022xkq, a photometrically transitional and spectroscopically 91bg-like SN Ia, cover the first days and weeks following explosion which are critical to distinguishing between explosion scenarios. The early light curve of SN 2022xkq has a red early color and exhibits a flux excess which is more prominent in redder bands; this is the first time such a feature has been seen in a transitional/91bg-like SN Ia. We also present 92 optical and 19 near-infrared (NIR) spectra, beginning 0.4 days after explosion in the optical and 2.6 days after explosion in the NIR. SN 2022xkq exhibits a long-lived C I 1.0693 m feature which persists until 5 days post-maximum. We also detect C II 6580 in the pre-maximum optical spectra. These lines are evidence for unburnt carbon that is difficult to reconcile with the double detonation of a sub-Chandrasekhar mass white dwarf. No existing explosion model can fully explain the photometric and spectroscopic dataset of SN 2022xkq, but the considerable breadth of the observations is ideal for furthering our understanding of the processes which produce faint SNe Ia