| 1. |
- Connor, Liam, et al.
(author)
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Galactic Radio Explorer: An All-sky Monitor for Bright Radio Bursts
- 2021
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In: Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. - : IOP Publishing. - 0004-6280 .- 1538-3873. ; 133:1025
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the Galactic Radio Explorer (GReX), an all-sky monitor to probe the brightest bursts in the radio sky. Building on the success of STARE2, we will search for fast radio bursts emitted from Galactic magnetars as well as bursts from nearby galaxies. GReX will search down to similar to ten microseconds time resolution, allowing us to find new super giant radio pulses from Milky Way pulsars and study their broadband emission. The proposed instrument will employ ultra-wide band (0.7-2 GHz) feeds coupled to a high-performance (receiver temperature <10 K) low noise amplifier originally developed for the DSA-110 and DSA-2000 projects. In GReX Phase I (GReX-I), unit systems will be deployed at Owens Valley Radio Observatory and Big Smoky Valley, Nevada. Phase II will expand the array, placing feeds in India, Australia, and elsewhere in order to build up to continuous coverage of nearly 4 pi steradians and to increase our exposure to the Galactic plane. We model the local magnetar population to forecast for GReX, finding the improved sensitivity and increased exposure to the Galactic plane could lead to dozens of FRB-like bursts per year.
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| 2. |
- Donnelly, Liam, et al.
(author)
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Inter-and intra-annual wood property variation in juvenile wood between six Sitka spruce clones
- 2017
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In: Silva Fennica. - : Finnish Society of Forest Science. - 0037-5330 .- 2242-4075. ; 51:4
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Increased growth rates have reduced rotation lengths, increasing the proportion of juvenile wood relative to mature wood, which may negatively affect mechanical performance of sawn timber. However, there is limited information available on the potential impact of breeding for vigour on juvenile wood in Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) CarriÚre). In this study, the relationship between vigour (based on total height) and wood properties was investigated in six-year-old Sitka spruce clones grown in two replicated field trials in Ireland. Six clones were evaluated, two clones from each of three vigour (high, intermediate and low) classes. Discs were cut from the base of one ramet per replication for each clone to assess wood quality attributes. Radial tracheid width was significantly and positively correlated with ring width and height, and was negatively correlated with density. The wood of the most vigorous clone had significantly larger ring width with thinner cell walls and wider tracheids than all clones in the two other vigour classes, resulting in lower mean wood density. Latewood properties for all wood attributes measured differed significantly between the two sites. Wood property differences resulted primarily from variation in the proportions of early- and latewood in each annual ring. Additionally, the width of early- and latewood bands in each ring was found to be a more important determinant of juvenile wood quality than the characteristics of the cells within each band. Wood properties differed greatly between clones, suggesting that there is potential to improve juvenile wood properties through selective breeding.
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| 3. |
- Pande, Rupaly, et al.
(author)
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External validation of postoperative pancreatic fistula prediction scores in pancreatoduodenectomy : a systematic review and meta-analysis
- 2022
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In: HPB. - : Elsevier BV. - 1365-182X. ; 24:3, s. 287-298
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: Multiple risk scores claim to predict the probability of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreatoduodenectomy. It is unclear which scores have undergone external validation and are the most accurate. The aim of this study was to identify risk scores for POPF, and assess the clinical validity of these scores. Methods: Areas under receiving operator characteristic curve (AUROCs) were extracted from studies that performed external validation of POPF risk scores. These were pooled for each risk score, using intercept-only random-effects meta-regression models. Results: Systematic review identified 34 risk scores, of which six had been subjected to external validation, and so included in the meta-analysis, (Tokyo (N=2 validation studies), Birmingham (N=5), FRS (N=19), a-FRS (N=12), m-FRS (N=3) and ua-FRS (N=3) scores). Overall predictive accuracies were similar for all six scores, with pooled AUROCs of 0.61, 0.70, 0.71, 0.70, 0.70 and 0.72, respectively. Considerably heterogeneity was observed, with I2 statistics ranging from 52.1-88.6%. Conclusion: Most risk scores lack external validation; where this was performed, risk scores were found to have limited predictive accuracy. Consensus is needed for which score to use in clinical practice. Due to the limited predictive accuracy, future studies to derive a more accurate risk score are warranted.
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| 4. |
- Pastor-Marazuela, Ines, et al.
(author)
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Chromatic periodic activity down to 120 megahertz in a fast radio burst
- 2021
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 596:7873, s. 505-508
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are extragalactic astrophysical transients(1) whose brightness requires emitters that are highly energetic yet compact enough to produce the short, millisecond-duration bursts. FRBs have thus far been detected at frequencies from 8 gigahertz (ref. (2)) down to 300 megahertz (ref. (3)), but lower-frequency emission has remained elusive. Some FRBs repeat(4-6), and one of the most frequently detected, FRB 20180916B(7), has a periodicity cycle of 16.35 days (ref. (8)). Using simultaneous radio data spanning a wide range of wavelengths (a factor of more than 10), here we show that FRB 20180916B emits down to 120 megahertz, and that its activity window is frequency dependent (that is, chromatic). The window is both narrower and earlier at higher frequencies. Binary wind interaction models predict a wider window at higher frequencies, the opposite of our observations. Our full-cycle coverage shows that the 16.3-day periodicity is not aliased. We establish that low-frequency FRB emission can escape the local medium. For bursts of the same fluence, FRB 20180916B is more active below 200 megahertz than at 1.4 gigahertz. Combining our results with previous upper limits on the all-sky FRB rate at 150 megahertz, we find there are 3-450 FRBs in the sky per day above 50 Jy ms. Our chromatic results strongly disfavour scenarios in which absorption from strong stellar winds causes FRB periodicity. We demonstrate that some FRBs are found in 'clean' environments that do not absorb or scatter low-frequency radiation. The fast radio burst FRB 20180916B repeats with a periodicity of 16 days, and is now found to emit down to a frequency of 120 MHz, much lower than previously observed.
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