Radiation protection aspects for alpha therapies.

The use of alpha emitting radiotherapeutics is increasing, with further growth expected due to a number of clinical trials currently running involving new alpha emitters. However, literature concerning radiation safety aspects of alpha emitting radionuclides is limited and most of the available literature concerns Ra. In general, the occupational exposure from alpha emitting radionuclides is expected to be low, as are doses to the public from external exposure.

Predicting and mitigating failures on the flight deck: an aircraft engine bird strike scenario.

Engine damage as a consequence of foreign object debris (FOD) during flight is frequently caused by birds. One approach to minimising disruption caused by this damage is to provide flight crew with accurate information relating to the continuing operational status of the aircraft's engines. Before designing such avionic systems however, understanding of current procedures is needed.

How does eco-driving make us feel? Considering the psychological effects of eco-driving.

Despite both the environmental and financial benefits of eco-driving being well known, the psychological impact of engaging in eco-driving behaviours has received less attention within the literature. It was anticipated that being asked to engage in eco-driving behaviours not only has an impact on vehicle fuel usage, but also on the driver, both in terms of their overall mood and willingness to re-engage with the task at a later time. Results from a simulated driving study suggest that although eco-driving was beneficial in reducing fuel consumption, being asked to eco-drive had a negative effect on overall journey time and mood.

Effects of Respiratory Motion on Y-90 PET Dosimetry for SIRT.

Respiratory motion degrades the quantification accuracy of PET imaging by blurring the radioactivity distribution. In the case of post-SIRT PET-CT verification imaging, respiratory motion can lead to inaccuracies in dosimetric measures. Using an anthropomorphic phantom filled with Y at a range of clinically relevant activities, together with a respiratory motion platform performing realistic motions (10-15 mm amplitude), we assessed the impact of respiratory motion on PET-derived post-SIRT dosimetry.

The internal dosimetry user group position statement on molecular radiotherapy.

The Internal Dosimetry User Group (IDUG) is an independent, non-profit group of medical professionals dedicated to the promotion of dosimetry in molecular radiotherapy (www.IDUG.org.

Comparison of Y SIRT predicted and delivered absorbed doses using a PSF conversion method.

Purpose: The aims of this study were to develop and apply a method to correct for the differences in partial volume effects of pre-therapy Technetium-99 m (Tc)-MAA SPECT and post-therapy Yttrium-90 (Y) bremsstrahlung SPECT imaging in selective internal radiation therapy, and to use this method to improve quantitative comparison of predicted and delivered Y absorbed doses.

Methods: The spatial resolution of Tc SPECT data was converted to that of Y SPECT data using a function calculated from Tc and Y point spread functions. This resolution conversion method (RCM) was first applied to Tc and Y SPECT phantom data to validate the method, and then to clinical data to assess the power of Tc SPECT imaging to predict the therapeutic absorbed dose.

IPEM topical report: current molecular radiotherapy service provision and guidance on the implications of setting up a dosimetry service.

Despite a growth in molecular radiotherapy treatment (MRT) and an increase in interest, centres still rarely perform MRT dosimetry. The aims of this report were to assess the main reasons why centres are not performing MRT dosimetry and provide advice on the resources required to set-up such a service. A survey based in the United Kingdom was developed to establish how many centres provide an MRT dosimetry service and the main reasons why it is not commonly performed.

Adjusting the need for speed: assessment of a visual interface to reduce fuel use.

Previous research has identified that fuel consumption and emissions can be considerably reduced if drivers engage in eco-driving behaviours. However, the literature suggests that individuals struggle to maintain eco-driving behaviours without support. This paper evaluates an in-vehicle visual interface system designed to support eco-driving through recommendations based on both feedforward and feedback information.

The similarity of the effect of carbohydrase or prebiotic supplementation in broilers aged 21 days, fed mixed cereal diets and challenged with coccidiosis infection.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect on growth performance and nutrient utilisation when supplementing diets deficient in energy and protein with carbohydrase enzymes or xylo-oligosaccharide in broilers challenged with coccidia. 960 Ross 308 broilers were used in this 21-day study. The treatments were arranged into a 2×4 factorial with 2 challenge states (challenged and non-challenged) and 4 different additive types (control, xylanase alone, xylanase and β-glucanase mixture and xylo-oligosaccharide).

Ideation using the "Design with Intent" toolkit: A case study applying a design toolkit to support creativity in developing vehicle interfaces for fuel-efficient driving.

Everyday driving is a significant source of greenhouse gases and pollutants within developed nations. Finding ways to combat these emissions and minimise the impact of anthropometric climate change is a growing challenge for all research disciplines. This current paper explores the use of a design toolkit "Design with Intent" to generate ideas for in-vehicle interfaces designed to reduce fuel use and emissions.

The effect of carbohydrases or prebiotic oligosaccharides on growth performance, nutrient utilisation and development of small intestine and immune organs in broilers fed nutrient-adequate diets based on either wheat or barley.

Background: Non-starch polysaccharides are large complex molecules and are found in cereal grains. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of carbohydrase enzymes or prebiotic oligosaccharides on growth performance, nutrient utilisation and weight of organs associated with the immune system in broilers fed wheat- or barley-based diets.

Results: In wheat-based diets, feed intake was lower (P < 0.

Modelling distributed crewing in commercial aircraft with STAMP for a rapid decompression hazard.

Changes to crewing configurations in commercial airlines are likely as a means of reducing operating costs. To consider the safety implications for a distributed crewing configuration, system theoretic accident model and processes (STAMP) was applied to a rapid decompression hazard. High level control structures for current operations and distributed crewing are presented.

Use of Highways in the Sky and a virtual pad for landing Head Up Display symbology to enable improved helicopter pilots situation awareness and workload in degraded visual conditions.

Flight within degraded visual conditions is a great challenge to pilots of rotary-wing craft. Environmental cues typically used to guide interpretation of speed, location and approach can become obscured, forcing the pilots to rely on data available from in-cockpit instrumentation. To ease the task of flight during degraded visual conditions, pilots require easy access to flight critical information.

Characterisation of the transcriptome of male and female wild-type guppy brains with RNA-Seq and consequences of exposure to the pharmaceutical pollutant, 17α-ethinyl estradiol.

Waterways are increasingly being contaminated by chemical compounds that can disrupt the endocrinology of organisms. One such compound is 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2), a synthetic estrogen used in the contraceptive pill. Despite considerable research interest in the effects of EE2 on reproduction and gene expression, surprisingly, only a few studies have capitalised on technologies, such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), to uncover the molecular pathways related to EE2 exposure.

Abdo-Man: a 3D-printed anthropomorphic phantom for validating quantitative SIRT.

Background: The use of selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) is rapidly increasing, and the need for quantification and dosimetry is becoming more widespread to facilitate treatment planning and verification. The aim of this project was to develop an anthropomorphic phantom that can be used as a validation tool for post-SIRT imaging and its application to dosimetry.

Method: The phantom design was based on anatomical data obtained from a T1-weighted volume-interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) on a Siemens Aera 1.

Overshadowing of geometric cues by a beacon in a spatial navigation task.

In three experiments, we examined whether overshadowing of geometric cues by a discrete landmark (beacon) is due to the relative saliences of the cues. Using a virtual water maze task, human participants were required to locate a platform marked by a beacon in a distinctively shaped pool. In Experiment 1, the beacon overshadowed geometric cues in a trapezium, but not in an isosceles triangle.

A chimeric mechanism for polyvalent trans-phosphorylation of PKA by PDK1.

Phosphorylation on the activation loop of AGC kinases is typically mediated by PDK1. The precise mechanism for this in-trans phosphorylation is unknown; however, docking of a hydrophobic (HF) motif in the C-tail of the substrate kinase onto the N-lobe of PDK1 is likely an essential step. Using a peptide array of PKA to identify other PDK1-interacting sites, we discovered a second AGC-conserved motif in the C-tail that interacts with PDK1.