Dorset Green Technology Park

ObjectivesA comparative assessment of systolic blood pressure (SBP) measurement was carried out for anaesthetised and conscious cats by using two non-invasive approaches based on the Doppler method and a newly developed oscillometric instrument.MethodsSBP was recorded on 131 occasions in 26 cats entering a shelter environment. Six of these cats were monitored while under a general anaesthetic for elective procedures and the rest were conscious during routine health assessment. A paired approach was followed using the Doppler method followed immediately by the oscillometric approach. Mean values and coefficient of variations were calculated. A normal distribution was confirmed before a standard Bland-Altman analysis was completed.ResultsThe mean SBP (±SD) for the 131 paired readings was 113.3 ± 23.9 mmHg and 116.3 ± 26.7 mmHg for the Doppler and oscillometric methods, respectively. The small difference in means was not significant. Anaesthetised cats had significantly lower SBP values than those that were conscious. The data set for 16 cats with three replicated paired measurements and a subset of 12 with five such replicated measurements also provided similar normally distributed mean values and a high correlation coefficient. The Bland-Altman plot suggested a positive bias of the oscillometric approach of +3.07 ± 12.3 mmHg (limits of agreement of -21.0 to 27.1 mmHg) and +4.93 ± 9.38 mmHg (limits of agreement of -13.5 to 23.3 mmHg) for the 16- and 12-cat subgroups, respectively. There was 100% agreement between the two methods in allocation to a hypertension class.Conclusions and relevanceThe results establish that the new AutoCAT+ instrument met some of the guidelines for assessing such instruments for veterinary use with cats with a normal range of blood pressure. Further work is needed with a larger data set spanning hypotension to hypertension for complete validation.

ABSTRACTBackgroundIndividual service funds (ISFs) in England aim to provide self‐directed support without the challenge of procuring support and managing a budget. However, few local authorities offer ISFs and some do not offer more choice and control than a council‐managed budget.MethodsThis participatory realist review followed RAMESES publication standards. We developed and refined theories using published and grey literature, expert stakeholders and personal narratives (written and video case studies).ResultsWe identified eight initial programme theories, forming a programme theory explaining how ISFs generate successful outcomes for adults with intellectual disabilities. These included: involvement in support planning; accessible budget information; flexible use of budgets; outcome‐focused support planning; ‘live’ support plans; non‐traditional support; positive risk management and trusting relationships.ConclusionOur programme theory elucidates causal pathways for successful ISF outcomes, connecting mechanisms to contextual factors. This guides ISF development and implementation and helps adults with intellectual disabilities make informed decisions about ISFs.

Christansen et al. (2020) have raised concerns over the validity of the data and interpretation in our study of the exhumed hydrocarbon traps of East Greenland. Furthermore, they have put forward a model which they suggest that better suits their data. However, this markedly contradicts the data we presented.<br/><br/>The concerns raised by Christansen et al. (2020) centre around a number of key points:<br/><br/> Acknowlegement of the history of previous debate around these structures<br/> It is suggested that pyrobitumen is only minor in occurrence and much of this material is, in fact, iron oxides<br/> The distribution of pyrobitumen that we document is disputed in favour of irregular distribution as would fit their model<br/> The requirement for a detailed diagenetic study<br/> The maturity of potential source rocks.<br/><br/>A model is then presented which is suggested to best suit the available data. Each of these points is discussed, in turn, in this reply.<br/>

A new probability density function which is the direct extension of the Maxwell distribution has been given. The distribution describes the effect of signal plus noise in a tri-axial system of accelerometers. It is shown that an excitation along one axis of a perfectly aligned orthogonal system of accelerometers leads to an apparent angular misalignment in the measured signal when there is random noise in the other two axes. The amplitude distribution with no signal in two axes is the direct analogue of the Rice distribution. The mean and variance of the new distribution are provided.

This paper describes the methodology and results of Monte Carlo neutron transport calculations performed to determine the neutron fluxes required for assessments of radioactive inventories of Magnox power plant. Use has been made of existing validated Monte Carlo models of the plant, which have been extended to include details beyond the pressure vessels to the outer surface of the biological shield.

Estimating the home ranges of animals from telemetry data can provide vital information on their spatial behaviour, which can be applied by managers to a wide range of situations including reserve design, habitat management and interactions between native and non-native species. Methods used to estimate home ranges of animals in spatially restricted environments (e.g. rivers) are liable to overestimate areas and underestimate travel distances by including unusable habitat (e.g. river bank). Currently, few studies that collect telemetry data from species in restricted environments maximise the information that can be gathered by using the most appropriate home-range estimation techniques. Simulated location datasets as well as radio-fix data from 23 northern pike (Esox lucius) were used to examine the efficiency of home-range and travel estimators, with and without correction for unusable habitat, for detecting seasonal changes in movements. Cluster analysis most clearly demonstrated changes in range area between seasons for empirical data, also showing changes in patchiness, and was least affected by unusable-environment error. Kernel analysis showed seasonal variation in range area more clearly than peripheral polygons or ellipses. Range span, a linear estimator of home range, had no significant seasonal variation. Results from all range area estimators were smallest in autumn, when cores were least fragmented and interlocation movements smallest. Cluster analysis showed that core ranges were largest and most fragmented in summer, when interlocation distances were most variable, whereas excursion-sensitive methods (e.g. kernels) recorded the largest outlines in spring, when interlocation distances were largest. Our results provide a rationale for a priori selection of home-range estimators in restricted environments. Contours containing 95% of the location density defined by kernel analyses better reflected excursive activity than ellipses or peripheral polygons, whereas cluster analyses better defined range cores in usable habitat and indicate range fragmentation.

This paper discusses two probability density functions related to continuous wave (CW) phase demodulation systems such as those used in optical sensing. In the first case, we show that if the input intensity noise in the quadrature streams of the demodulator is Gaussian, then the induced phase noise is approximately Gaussian. If, however, the noise in both in-phase and quadrature streams is correlated, then the intensity induced phase noise exhibits a periodic dependence on the input phase and follows new asymmetric density distributions. We give expressions for the mean and variance for both processes.