A single fast radio burst localized to a massive galaxy at cosmological distance.

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are brief radio emissions from distant astronomical sources. Some are known to repeat, but most are single bursts. Nonrepeating FRB observations have had insufficient positional accuracy to localize them to an individual host galaxy. We report the interferometric localization of the single-pulse FRB 180924 to a position 4 kiloparsecs from the center of a luminous galaxy at redshift 0.3214. The burst has not been observed to repeat. The properties of the burst and its host are markedly different from those of the only other accurately localized FRB source. The integrated electron column density along the line of sight closely matches models of the intergalactic medium, indicating that some FRBs are clean probes of the baryonic component of the cosmic web.

Physical model for photon beams used on the General Electric Target radiotherapy treatment planning system.

The tabulated measured data model for external photon beam planning used on the General Electric Target system is very powerful, allowing fast and accurate calculations and is extended to incorporate complex planning techniques. This approach is ideally suited for the incorporation of correction factors, defined at any point as the ratio of the dose in an inhomogeneous phantom to the dose in a homogeneous phantom. The correction factor can be determined using techniques such as a generalized Batho power law or the equivalent tissue air ratio method, and the dose in an homogeneous phantom is taken from the measured data tables. The use of tabulated data gives the benefits of very fast calculation times and, when required, the accuracy of sophisticated scatter corrections. The basic model and methods of correcting for inhomogeneities are described. The extension of the two-dimensional model to a three-dimensional model for non-coplanar treatment planning retains the basic principles of the 2D model.

Primary alkylsulphatase activities of the detergent-degrading bacterium Pseudomonas C12B. Purification and properties of the P1 enzyme.

The P1 primary alkylsulphatase of Pseudomonas C12B was purified 1500-fold to homogeneity by a combination of streptomycin sulphate precipitation of nucleic acids, (NH4)2SO4 fractionation and chromatography on columns of DEAE-cellulose, Sephacryl S-300 and butyl-agarose. The protein was tetrameric with an Mr of 181000-193000, and exhibited maximum activity at pH 6.1. Primary alkyl sulphates of carbon-chain length C1-C5 or above C14 were not substrates, but the intermediate homologues were shown to be substrates, either by direct assay (C6-C9 and C12) or by gel zymography (C10, C11, C13 and C14). Increasing the chain length from C6 to C12 led to diminishing Km. Values of delta G0' for binding substrates to enzyme were dependent linearly on chain length, indicating high dependence on hydrophobic interactions. Vmax./Km values increased with increasing chain length. Inhibition by alk-2-yl sulphates and alkane-sulphonates was competitive and showed a similar dependence on hydrophobic binding. The P1 enzyme was active towards several aryl sulphates, including o-, m- and p-chlorophenyl sulphates, 2,4-dichlorophenyl sulphate, o-, m- and p-methoxyphenyl sulphates, m- and p-hydroxyphenyl sulphates and p-nitrophenyl sulphate, but excluding bis-(p-nitrophenyl) sulphate and the O-sulphate esters of tyrosine, nitrocatechol and phenol. The arylsulphatase activity was weak compared with alkylsulphatase activity, and it was distinguishable from the de-repressible arylsulphatase activity of Pseudomonas C12B reported previously. Comparison of the P1 enzyme with the inducible P2 alkylsulphatase of this organism, and with the Crag herbicide sulphatase of Pseudomonas putida, showed that, although there are certain similarities between any two of the three enzymes, very few properties are common to all three.

Five years hospital experience with the Amersham caesium 137 manual afterloading system.

The Amersham caesium 137 manual afterloading system for treatment of cancer of the uterine cervix and endometrium has been in use at the Royal Free Hospital for more than five years. The system uses permanently loaded flexible source pencils in combination with standard packs of disposable plastic applicators. Both sources and applicators have proved trouble-free in use. The sources are transported in special containers designed and built at the Royal Free Hospital and are inserted and removed on the ward by nursing staff. A set of sources is used in theatre for rectal and bladder dose measurements when the applicators are inserted. Staff radiation doses are low. The system is mainly used to produce pear-shaped dose distributions similar to those of the Manchester system, but simple cylindrical distributions are possible using symmetrically loaded source pencils.