Reviews

The following publications have been reviewed by the mentioned authors;Design and technology education exhibition  - reviewed by John EgglestonProject 2045 - The Design CouncilBeginning Teaching: Beginning Learning - reviewed by Bridget A. EganThe World of Chocolate - reviewed by Richard AgerSteel & Motorways Curriculum Pack - reviewed by Robert BowenDesign and Technology in Action Teacher's pack - reviewed by Robert Bowenthings: thinking things through with 7-11 year olds - reviewed by Marion RutlandD&T Challenges - reviewed by Tim FulfordSTEP Key Stage 3 Teacher's Handbook 2nd Ed. - reviewed by John HansonDesign and Technology Projects for Secondary Schools - reviewed by George Asquith

Reviews

The following publications have been reviewed by the mentioned authors;Ideas Bank Design Technology: Designing & Making Book 1 - reviewed by Robert BowenAztecs - Your Move - reviewed by Bridget A. EganChanging Technology - reviewed by John Hill & Elizabeth WrightElectronic Circuits and Components/ The Parts Gallery - reviewed by Mark HudsonGCSE Design and Technology: Resistant Materials - reviewed by John DurrellGlobal contexts: an introduction for design and technology teachers - reviewed by Anne RiggsScience Resources for Key Stage 2: SATIS 8-14 Technology - reviewed by Richard AgerScience Resources for Key Stage 2: SATIS 8-14 Health - reviewed by Richard AgerScience Resources for Key Stage 2: SATIS 8-14 Materials/Transport/Environment - reviewed by Robert BowenTechnology an Enterprising Approach - reviewed by Dr Ron RichieUnderstanding Electronic Circuits CD-ROM - reviewed by Dr Rowland Dye and Phil NormanTextiles and Technology - reviewed by Jillian MellorArt and Design 97 - reviewed by Andy Brecko

Egalitarianism in surgical training: let equity prevail

This study aimed to quantify core surgical trainee (CST) differential attainment (DA) related to three cohorts; white UK graduate (White UKG) versus black and minority ethnic UKG (BME UKG) versus international medical graduates (IMGs). The primary outcome measures were annual review of competence progression (ARCP) outcome, intercollegiate Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons (iMRCS) examination pass and national training number (NTN) selection. Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme (ISCP) portfolios of 264 consecutive CSTs (2010–2017, 168 white UKG, 66 BME UKG, 30 IMG) from a single UK regional post graduate medical region (Wales) were examined. Data collected prospectively over an 8-year time period was analysed retrospectively. ARCP outcomes were similar irrespective of ethnicity or nationality (ARCP outcome 1, white UKG 60.7% vs BME UKG 62.1% vs IMG 53.3%, p=0.395). iMRCS pass rates for white UKG vs BME UKG vs IMG were 71.4% vs 71.2% vs 50.0% (p=0.042), respectively. NTN success rates for white UKG vs BME UKG vs IMG were 36.9% vs 36.4% vs 6.7% (p=0.023), respectively. On multivariable analysis, operative experience (OR 1.002, 95% CI 1.001 to 1.004, p=0.004), bootcamp attendance (OR 2.615, 95% CI 1.403 to 4.871, p=0.002), and UKG (OR 7.081, 95% CI 1.556 to 32.230, p=0.011), were associated with NTN appointment. Although outcomes related to BME DA were equitable, important DA variation was apparent among IMGs, with iMRCS pass 21.4% lower and NTN success sixfold less likely than UKG. Targeted counter measures are required to let equity prevail in UK CST programmes

The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array Dish II: Characterization of Spectral Structure with Electromagnetic Simulations and its science Implications

We use time-domain electromagnetic simulations to determine the spectral characteristics of the Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Arrays (HERA) antenna. These simulations are part of a multi-faceted campaign to determine the effectiveness of the dish's design for obtaining a detection of redshifted 21 cm emission from the epoch of reionization. Our simulations show the existence of reflections between HERA's suspended feed and its parabolic dish reflector that fall below -40 dB at 150 ns and, for reasonable impedance matches, have a negligible impact on HERA's ability to constrain EoR parameters. It follows that despite the reflections they introduce, dishes are effective for increasing the sensitivity of EoR experiments at relatively low cost. We find that electromagnetic resonances in the HERA feed's cylindrical skirt, which is intended to reduce cross coupling and beam ellipticity, introduces significant power at large delays ($-40$ dB at 200 ns) which can lead to some loss of measurable Fourier modes and a modest reduction in sensitivity. Even in the presence of this structure, we find that the spectral response of the antenna is sufficiently smooth for delay filtering to contain foreground emission at line-of-sight wave numbers below $k_\parallel \lesssim 0.2$ $h$Mpc$^{-1}$, in the region where the current PAPER experiment operates. Incorporating these results into a Fisher Matrix analysis, we find that the spectral structure observed in our simulations has only a small effect on the tight constraints HERA can achieve on parameters associated with the astrophysics of reionization.Comment: Accepted to ApJ, 18 pages, 17 Figures. Replacement matches accepted manuscrip

Prospective cohort study of haptic virtual reality laparoscopic appendicectomy learning curve trajectory

Background: Simulation training is strongly advocated by 24/7 risk-rich professions because swift learning curve inflection point attainment delivers earlier competence; the left-shift effect. The aim of this study was to determine the value of haptic laparoscopic virtual reality simulation, by iterative benchmark exercise (n = 8), before simulated laparoscopic appendicectomy (SLA); the hypothesis was that favorable benchmark learning curve trajectories would be associated with improved SLA competence when compared with consultant expert performance. Methods: A 28-trainee cohort completed 1349 Laparoscopic Haptic Virtual Reality Skills (LHVRS) tasks, during which 19 ergonomic variables were assessed by virtual interface, including force feedback (Surgicalscience.com), before 153 SLAs. Primary outcome measure was SLA composite competence score related to six consultant trainer experts. Results: Of the eight LHVRS tasks, the three with the steepest learning curve trajectories correlated with better median overall SLA competence scores, namely tissue grasping/lifting (rho = 0.362, P = .049), fine dissection (rho = 0.388, P = .028), and camera navigation (rho = 0.518, P = .007); fine dissection was the only haptic laparoscopic virtual reality simulation task that predicted a SLA score within a Youden index defined, 70% of the consultant expert level (area under curve [AUC] = 0.803, P = .028). A significant SLA learning curve emerged, with a learning curve trajectory inflection point at the fourth SLA attempt (first SLA 30.5% versus fourth SLA score 76.0%, gradient 76°, P = .010). Conclusion: Learning curve trajectory can be measured, influenced, and accelerated significantly; a pronounced left-shift effect, with translational potential for enhanced shorter training time and improved patient safety

Comparative genome and methylome analysis reveals restriction/modification system diversity in the gut commensal Bifidobacterium breve

Bifidobacterium breve represents one of the most abundant bifidobacterial species in the gastrointestinal tract of breast-fed infants, where their presence is believed to exert beneficial effects. In the present study whole genome sequencing, employing the PacBio Single Molecule, Real-Time (SMRT) sequencing platform, combined with comparative genome analysis allowed the most extensive genetic investigation of this taxon. Our findings demonstrate that genes encoding Restriction/Modification (R/M) systems constitute a substantial part of the B. breve variable gene content (or variome). Using the methylome data generated by SMRT sequencing, combined with targeted Illumina bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) and comparative genome analysis, we were able to detect methylation recognition motifs and assign these to identified B. breve R/M systems, where in several cases such assignments were confirmed by restriction analysis. Furthermore, we show that R/M systems typically impose a very significant barrier to genetic accessibility of B. breve strains, and that cloning of a methyltransferase-encoding gene may overcome such a barrier, thus allowing future functional investigations of members of this species.</p

The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array Dish I: Beam Pattern Measurements and Science Implications

The Hydrogen Epoch of Reionization Array (HERA) is a radio interferometer aiming to detect the power spectrum of 21 cm fluctuations from neutral hydrogen from the Epoch of Reionization (EOR). Drawing on lessons from the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) and the Precision Array for Probing the Epoch of Reionization (PAPER), HERA is a hexagonal array of large (14 m diameter) dishes with suspended dipole feeds. Not only does the dish determine overall sensitivity, it affects the observed frequency structure of foregrounds in the interferometer. This is the first of a series of four papers characterizing the frequency and angular response of the dish with simulations and measurements. We focus in this paper on the angular response (i.e., power pattern), which sets the relative weighting between sky regions of high and low delay, and thus, apparent source frequency structure. We measure the angular response at 137 MHz using the ORBCOMM beam mapping system of Neben et al. We measure a collecting area of 93 m^2 in the optimal dish/feed configuration, implying HERA-320 should detect the EOR power spectrum at z~9 with a signal-to-noise ratio of 12.7 using a foreground avoidance approach with a single season of observations, and 74.3 using a foreground subtraction approach. Lastly we study the impact of these beam measurements on the distribution of foregrounds in Fourier space.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures. Replaced to match accepted ApJ versio

PTF10nvg: An Outbursting Class I Protostar in the Pelican/North American Nebula

During a synoptic survey of the North American Nebula region, the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) detected an optical outburst (dubbed PTF10nvg) associated with the previously unstudied flat or rising spectrum infrared source IRAS 20496+4354. The PTF R-band light curve reveals that PTF10nvg brightened by more than 5 mag during the current outburst, rising to a peak magnitude of R~13.5 in 2010 Sep. Follow-up observations indicate PTF10nvg has undergone a similar ~5 mag brightening in the K band, and possesses a rich emission-line spectrum, including numerous lines commonly assumed to trace mass accretion and outflows. Many of these lines are blueshifted by ~175 km/s from the North American Nebula's rest velocity, suggesting that PTF10nvg is driving an outflow. Optical spectra of PTF10nvg show several TiO/VO bandheads fully in emission, indicating the presence of an unusual amount of dense (> 10^10 cm^-3), warm (1500-4000 K) circumstellar material. Near-infrared spectra of PTF10nvg appear quite similar to a spectrum of McNeil's Nebula/V1647 Ori, a young star which has undergone several brightenings in recent decades, and 06297+1021W, a Class I protostar with a similarly rich near--infrared emission line spectrum. While further monitoring is required to fully understand this event, we conclude that the brightening of PTF10nvg is indicative of enhanced accretion and outflow in this Class-I-type protostellar object, similar to the behavior of V1647 Ori in 2004-2005.Comment: Accepted to the Astronomical Journal; 21 pages, 11 figures, 6 tables in emulateapj format; v2 fixes typo in abstract; v3 updates status to accepted, adjusts affiliations, adds acknowledgmen