Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) and minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) observed during land-based surveys in The Minch, north-west Scotland

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

SYSTEMS-2: a randomised phase II study of radiotherapy dose escalation for pain control in malignant pleural mesothelioma

SYSTEMS-2 is a randomised study of radiotherapy dose escalation for pain control in 112 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Standard palliative (20Gy/5#) or dose escalated treatment (36Gy/6#) will be delivered using advanced radiotherapy techniques and pain responses will be compared at week 5. Data will guide optimal palliative radiotherapy in MPM

Radio-frequency reflectometry on an undoped AlGaAs/GaAs single electron transistor

Radio frequency reflectometry is demonstrated in a sub-micron undoped AlGaAs/GaAs device. Undoped single electron transistors (SETs) are attractive candidates to study single electron phenomena due to their charge stability and robust electronic properties after thermal cycling. However these devices require a large top-gate which is unsuitable for the fast and sensitive radio frequency reflectometry technique. Here we demonstrate rf reflectometry is possible in an undoped SET.Comment: Four pages, three figures, one supplementary fil

Methanol Masers as Tracers of Circumstellar Disks

We show that in many methanol maser sources the masers are located in lines, with a velocity gradient along them which suggests that the masers are situated in edge-on circumstellar, or protoplanetary, disks. We present VLBI observations of the methanol maser source G309.92+0.48, in the 12.2 GHz transition, which confirm previous observations that the masers in this source lie along a line. We show that such sources are not only linear in space but, in many cases, also have a linear velocity gradient. We then model these and other data in both the 6.7 GHz and the 12.2 GHz transition from a number of star formation regions, and show that the observed spatial and velocity distribution of methanol masers, and the derived Keplerian masses, are consistent with a circumstellar disk rotating around an OB star. We consider this and other hypotheses, and conclude that about half of these methanol masers are probably located in edge-on circumstellar disks around young stars. This is of particular significance for studies of circumstellar disks because of the detailed velocity information available from the masers.Comment: 38 pages, 13 figures accepted by Ap

Remote inspection of wind turbine blades using UAV with photogrammetry payload

Visual Inspection is regularly used as a method of non-destructive testing (NDT) to find defects in large component structures. Wind turbine blades, regularly located in isolated environments, are typically difficult to access. In order to reduce operational and maintenance costs and extend asset lifetime, a project for the remote inspection of blades to accurately assess surface integrity is being undertaken. The remote inspection solution combines an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a photogrammetry payload to provide visual reconstruction of a blade for a holistic condition overview. Photogrammetric software is used to process the captured images to generate a 3D blade profile. A waypoint guidance algorithm controls the UAV to complete a full blade surface capture at constant distance, minimising motion blur. The results provide an accurate 3D reconstruction of the used blade complete with defects, discontinuities and markings and hence visual inspection using UAV combined with photogrammetry has been successfully implemented

The Type I Superluminous Supernova PS16aqv: Lightcurve Complexity and Deep Limits on Radioactive Ejecta in a Fast Event

[Abridged] We present UV/optical observations of PS16aqv (SN 2016ard), a Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN-I) classified as part of our search for low-$z$ SLSNe. PS16aqv is a fast evolving SLSNe-I that reached a peak absolute magnitude of $M_{r} \approx -22.1$. The lightcurves exhibit a significant undulation at 30 rest-frame days after peak, with a behavior similar to undulations seen in the slowly fading SLSN-I SN 2015bn. This similarity strengthens the case that fast and slow SLSNe-I form a continuum with a common origin. At $\approx\!80$ days after peak, the lightcurves exhibit a transition to a slow decline, followed by significant subsequent steepening, indicative of a plateau phase or a second significant undulation. Deep limits at $\approx280$ days after peak imply a tight constraint on the nickel mass, $M_{\rm Ni} \lesssim 0.35$ M$_{\odot}$ (lower than for previous SLSNe-I), and indicate that some SLSNe-I do not produce significantly more nickel than normal Type Ic SNe. Using MOSFiT, we model the lightcurve with a magnetar central engine model and find $P_{\rm spin} \approx 0.9$ ms, $B \approx 1.5 \times 10^{14}$ G, and $M_{\rm ej} \approx 16$ M$_{\odot}$. The implied rapid spin-down time and large reservoir of available energy coupled with the high ejecta mass may account for the fast evolving lightcurve and slow spectroscopic evolution. We also study the location of PS16aqv in its host galaxy and find that it occurred at an offset of $2.46 \pm 0.21$ kpc from the central star-forming region. We find the host galaxy exhibits low metallicity and spatially varying extinction and star formation rate, with the explosion site exhibiting lower values than the central region. The complexity seen in the lightcurves of PS16aqv and other events highlights the importance of obtaining well-sampled lightcurves for exploring deviations from a uniform decline.Comment: 16 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Ap

Study protocol - A systematic review and meta-analysis of hypothermia in experimental traumatic brain injury: Why have promising animal studies not been replicated in pragmatic clinical trials?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and permanent disability. Systemic hypothermia, a treatment used in TBI for many decades, has recently been found to be associated with neutral or unfavourable clinical outcomes despite apparently promising preclinical research. Systematic review and meta‐analysis is a tool to summarize literature and observe trends in experimental design and quality that underpin its general conclusions. Here we aim to use these techniques to describe the use of hypothermia in animal TBI models, collating data relating to outcome and both study design and quality. From here we intend to observe correlations between features and attempt to explain any discrepancies found between animal and clinical data. This protocol describes the relevant methodology in detail

<i>Trypanosoma evansi</i>: Genetic variability detected using amplified restriction fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of Kenyan isolates

We compared two methods to generate polymorphic markers to investigate the population genetics of Trypanosoma evansi; random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and amplified restriction fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses. AFLP accessed many more polymorphisms than RAPD. Cluster analysis of the AFLP data showed that 12 T.evansi isolates were very similar (‘type A’) whereas 2 isolates differed substantially (‘type B’). Type A isolates have been generally regarded as genetically identical but AFLP analysis was able to identify multiple differences between them and split the type A T. evansi isolates into two distinct clades

Systematic review and meta-analysis of temozolomide in animal models of glioma:was clinical efficacy predicted?

Background:Malignant glioma is an aggressive tumour commonly associated with a dismal outcome despite optimal surgical and radio-chemotherapy. Since 2005 temozolomide has been established as first-line chemotherapy. We investigate the role of in vivo glioma models in predicting clinical efficacy.Methods:We searched three online databases to systematically identify publications testing temozolomide in animal models of glioma. Median survival and number of animals treated were extracted and quality was assessed using a 12-point scale; random effects meta-analysis was used to estimate efficacy. We analysed the impact of study design and quality and looked for evidence of publication bias.Results:We identified 60 publications using temozolomide in models of glioma, comprising 2443 animals. Temozolomide prolonged survival by a factor of 1.88 (95% CI 1.74-2.03) and reduced tumour volume by 50.4% (41.8-58.9) compared with untreated controls. Study design characteristics accounted for a significant proportion of between-study heterogeneity, and there was evidence of a significant publication bias.Conclusion:These data reflect those from clinical trials in that temozolomide improves survival and reduces tumour volume, even after accounting for publication bias. Experimental in vivo glioma studies of temozolomide differ from those of other glioma therapies in their consistent efficacy and successful translation into clinical medicine