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Improving radiotherapy services in low-income countries in the Asia-Pacific region LMICs had just started introducing the new technologies and treatment techniques of linac-based treatment, but the lack of trained RTTs and ROMPs severely compromised the delivery of safe, accurate and effective treatment. The Windeyer Fellowship Award by the College commemorates the career of the late Sir Brian Windeyer (1904-1994).1 He was the first radium registrar at RPAH, Sydney in 1928, and he trained at the Radium Institute in Paris and then spent his career in radiotherapy at the Middlesex Hospital, London. [Extracted from the article]

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2015 to 2030 includes a specific goal for health (Sustainable Development Goal [SDG] 3) with 13 targets, including SDG3.4 for the control and treatment of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), namely, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic lung disease. There is considerable concern that SDG3.4 may not be achieved. The WHO Best Buys for NCDs has emphasized prevention, and although crucial, it alone will not achieve the 30% reduction in NCDs by 2030. Likewise, a strengthened health system is required as all NCDs are likely to require hospital facilities and community services for optimal management. This is a major problem for low-resource countries (LRCs) —that is, low-income countries and lower-middle-income countries—as most currently have a poorly developed health system, including cancer services, in need of upgrading. This is a result of the extreme poverty of LRCs, where 40% to 80% of the population live on less than USD $1.25 per day, with the average health spending by governments in low-income countries at $110 per person per year. In this article, we outline a comprehensive national cancer services plan for LRCs. Surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy for cancer treatment also require input from other specialties, such as anesthesia, pathology, laboratory medicine, a blood bank, and diagnostic radiology. This will provide a focus for adding additional specialties, including cardiology, respiratory medicine, and psychiatry, to support the management of all NCDs and to contribute to the overall strengthening of the health system. The national cancer services plan for LRCs will require significant funding and input from both in-country and overseas experts in health, cancer, and finance working collaboratively. Success will depend on thoughtful strategic planning and providing the right balance of overseas support and guidance, but ensuring that there is in-country ownership and control of the program is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

♦ Following the UK governmental decision to cease fast reactor operations and research in 1994, the focus of Dounreay has moved from fast reactor research and development to decommissioning and waste management. ♦ The waste at Dounreay is highly diverse due to the range of the historical operations carried out on the site. ♦ Using the Waste Informed Decommissioning approach has many benefits - projects will be responsible for generating waste that is well understood via early characterisation and have it packaged in a form that is suitable for disposal that can be demonstrably optimised. Improvements to waste segregation and decontamination of waste by the project teams prior to packing will ensure that the most efficient destination for each item of waste is reached. ♦ The challenge now is to re-focus the culture again at Dounreay to allow waste to be thought of as the fruits of the labour rather than the leftovers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2015 to 2030 includes a specific goal for health (Sustainable Development Goal [SDG] 3) with 13 targets, including SDG3.4 for the control and treatment of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), namely, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic lung disease. There is considerable concern that SDG3.4 may not be achieved. The WHO Best Buys for NCDs has emphasized prevention, and although crucial, it alone will not achieve the 30% reduction in NCDs by 2030. Likewise, a strengthened health system is required as all NCDs are likely to require hospital facilities and community services for optimal management. This is a major problem for low-resource countries (LRCs) —that is, low-income countries and lower-middle-income countries—as most currently have a poorly developed health system, including cancer services, in need of upgrading. This is a result of the extreme poverty of LRCs, where 40% to 80% of the population live on less than USD $1.25 per day, with the average health spending by governments in low-income countries at $110 per person per year. In this article, we outline a comprehensive national cancer services plan for LRCs. Surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy for cancer treatment also require input from other specialties, such as anesthesia, pathology, laboratory medicine, a blood bank, and diagnostic radiology. This will provide a focus for adding additional specialties, including cardiology, respiratory medicine, and psychiatry, to support the management of all NCDs and to contribute to the overall strengthening of the health system. The national cancer services plan for LRCs will require significant funding and input from both in-country and overseas experts in health, cancer, and finance working collaboratively. Success will depend on thoughtful strategic planning and providing the right balance of overseas support and guidance, but ensuring that there is in-country ownership and control of the program is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on data from the New South Wales (NSW) Health Radiotherapy Management Information Systems reports to show that the usage of radiotherapy has not been improved from 1999 to 2008 in Australia and New Zealand. This report shows that even though there have been improvements in staffing, the increase in the number of linear accelerators (linacs) has only kept pace with the increases in cancer incidence. The author notes that there is a need for faculty and radiation oncologists to be proactive and to disseminate the benefits of their specialty to the public.

In New South Wales (NSW) from 1996 to 2006, only 34–37% of newly diagnosed cancer patients were treated with radiotherapy instead of the 50% proposed by NSW Health in Radiotherapy Plans released in 1991, 1995 and 2003. As a consequence, over 50 000 cancer patients were not treated and has resulted in the estimated premature death of over 8000 patients and over 40 000 years of life lost. In 2008, there were 42 linear accelerators in NSW rather than the 62 recommended. Based on cancer incidence projections, NSW will require 69 linear accelerators in 2012 – a shortfall of 27 linear accelerators. Already 15 linear accelerators have been approved. NSW Health has funding for seven extra linear accelerators, and eight extra linear accelerators are to be funded by the private sector. To make up the shortfall, a ‘Catch Up’ Plan is proposed for an additional 12 linear accelerators by the end of fiscal year 2012. This is estimated to cost $200 million over 4 years for one-off establishment costs for buildings and equipment plus $50 million per year for recurrent operating costs such as staff salaries. The ‘Catch Up’ Plan will create five new departments of radiation oncology in country hospitals and three new departments in metropolitan hospitals. These will be in addition to those already approved by NSW Health and will markedly improve access for treatment and result in an improvement in cancer survival. This significant increase in departments and equipment can only be achieved by the creation of an NSW Radiotherapy Taskforce similar to that proposed in the Baume report of 2002, ‘A vision for radiotherapy’. Even if the ‘Catch Up’ Plan bridges the gap in service provision, forward planning beyond 2012 should commence immediately as 76 linear accelerators will be required for NSW in 2015 and 81 linear accelerators in 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The debate on the funding and availability of cytotoxic drugs raises questions about the contribution of curative or adjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy to survival in adult cancer patients.Materials and methods: We undertook a literature search for randomised clinical trials reporting a 5-year survival benefit attributable solely to cytotoxic chemotherapy in adult malignancies. The total number of newly diagnosed cancer patients for 22 major adult malignancies was determined from cancer registry data in Australia and from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results data in the USA for 1998. For each malignancy, the absolute number to benefit was the product of (a) the total number of persons with that malignancy; (b) the proportion or subgroup(s) of that malignancy showing a benefit; and (c) the percentage increase in 5-year survival due solely to cytotoxic chemotherapy. The overall contribution was the sum total of the absolute numbers showing a 5-year survival benefit expressed as a percentage of the total number for the 22 malignancies.Results: The overall contribution of curative and adjuvant cytotoxic chemotherapy to 5-year survival in adults was estimated to be 2.3% in Australia and 2.1% in the USA.Conclusion: As the 5-year relative survival rate for cancer in Australia is now over 60%, it is clear that cytotoxic chemotherapy only makes a minor contribution to cancer survival. To justify the continued funding and availability of drugs used in cytotoxic chemotherapy, a rigorous evaluation of the cost-effectiveness and impact on quality of life is urgently required. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Classical radiation pneumonitis has been described after single dose whole lung irradiation in experimental animals where above a threshold dose of irradiation, there is a sigmoid dose response curve with increasing morbidity and mortality. After clinical fractionated irradiation, however, acute radiation pneumonitis consisting of cough shortness of breath and patchy radiological changes, occurs in <10% of patients, has dyspnoea out of proportion to the volume of lung irradiated and usually resolves completely without long-term effects. There is increasing evidence that this represents a bilateral lymphocytic alveolitis or hypersensitivity pneumonitis and has been termed sporadic pneumonitis. Late radiation toxicity results in pulmonary fibrosis. This is a consequence of repair, which is initiated by tissue injury within the radiation portal. It follows release of chemotactic factors for fibroblasts including transforming growth factor-beta, fibronectin and platelet derived growth factor. Radiation fibrosis is the clinically more significant syndrome for patients. It may result in progressive dyspnoea and mortality in patients. The most predictable change in laboratory lung function tests is a decrease in transfer factor due to damage at the capillary-alveolar level. It also results in decreased lung compliance, which will affect the total lung capacity and the forced vital capacity. The forced expiratory volume in 1 s is less affected, although this seems to depend on the volume of lung irradiated. There is also a decrease in perfusion in the irradiated lung. Radiation fibrosis seems to depend, amongst other factors, on the volume of lung, which is irradiated above a threshold of 20–30 Gy. The morbidity of radiation fibrosis may therefore be minimized by the use of dose volume histogram to minimize the volume of normal lung irradiated in patients at high risk, e.g., patients with who present with poor lung function. The importance of the baseline perfusion in the irradiated areas continues to be studied. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

SUMMARY Regular national surveys of all public and private radiation oncology facilities in Australia have been carried out between 1986 and 1999. Workforce data recorded were numbers of radiation oncologists and trainees, radiation therapists, medical physicists and physics technicians, nursing staff, data managers, social workers and clerical staff. Workloads included treatments with megavoltage beams (linear accelerators, cobalt-60), orthovoltage/superficial X-rays, brachytherapy, total body irradiation and stereotactic radiosurgery. Major equipment recorded included numbers of megavoltage and orthovoltage/superficial X-ray machines, planning simulators, computerized dosimetry systems and brachytherapy equipment. The use of radiotherapy beds and the public–private mix of treatments were also documented. Data were assembled for Australia based on each individual state. Within Australia the number of public and private treatment facilities has increased by 44% from 18 in 1986 to 26 in 1999. The population has increased by 16.4%, cancer incidence by 51.8% and megavoltage workloads (fields) by 102%. The number of radiation therapists and physicists and the number of linear accelerators have, in general, increased with the growth in workloads. The number of radiation oncologists has increased by 60% from 4.5 full-time equivalent (FTE) radiation oncologists per million population in 1986 to 7.2 per million in 1999. There is currently a deficit of at least 40 radiation oncologists to be able to treat the 50% of newly diagnosed cancer patients requiring radiotherapy. In addition, a significant deficiency exists in numbers of radiation therapists, nursing staff, data managers, social workers and clerical staff. Clearly the demands for medical physicists has increased but the data are insufficient to comment on deficiencies. Despite the increases in workloads the proportion of patients with cancer receiving radiotherapy remains below 40%. A positive correlation has been shown between the proportion of newly diagnosed cancer patients treated and the number of FTE radiation oncologists, the number of megavoltage machines and number of radiation therapists. This was shown for Australia as a whole, for each state and for the years 1986 to 1999. This was also the case when total megavoltage fields was used as the dependent variable. Multiple regression analysis using the same independent variables confirmed these positive correlations. It is concluded that the low treatment rate with radiation oncology for cancer patients in Australia is due mainly to the lack of resource allocation. The stated commitment of governments and health departments to a 50% treatment rate can only become a reality if there is a concerted effort to increase the numbers of radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, megavoltage machines and support staff. Otherwise at least one in every 10 newly diagnosed cancer patients will continue to be denied adequate and equitable access to radiotherapy – in 1999 that total figure was 9400 persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY An audit was undertaken to document the use of breast-conserving surgery (BCS) in the management of early breast cancer (EBC) at St Vincent’s campus during two time periods, the calendar years 1990 and 1994. The medical records of all women diagnosed with a new primary breast cancer at St Vincent’s Public and Private Hospitals initially treated during 1990 and 1994 were reviewed to document patient, tumour and treatment characteristics. Comparisons were made with data on BCS in EBC from the Australian medical literature. A total of 228 patients was managed with a definitive surgical procedure in the years 1990 and 1994. There were no major differences in the manner of presentation, the tumour subtypes or the treatment techniques between the two years. There was an apparent increase in the number of tumours < 2 cm managed in 1994 but no major difference in the use of BCS. The BCS rates for the two years were 33 and 36%, respectively. There were wide variations in the rate of BCS between surgeons, and for the same surgeon, between the two calendar years. These data from a major teaching hospital serving a largely non-mammographically screened population would suggest that BCS rates for EBC are lower than expected. The data on BCS rates for EBC in Australia are limited and the optimal rate of BCS in current practice is unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Workloads in radiation oncology facilities in Australia and New Zealand have been increasing steadily for many years and it is anticipated that this trend will continue. In the present paper the projected number of radiation oncologists required to meet this demand to the year 2007 are estimated, along with the number of trainees required. The estimates are based on data from regular surveys by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) for the years 1988–97 (inclusive). From these surveys profiles of numbers, age and gender of specialists and trainees are documented together with increases from the training programme and losses from retirement. It is concluded that if the current trainee numbers are increased by 12 in Australia and two in New Zealand, there will be approximately 10 radiation oncologists per million of population by the year 2007. This number is considered appropriate considering the anticipated increase in demands and complexity of treatment. Because projections too far forward are unreliable, careful monitoring of progress is essential to obtain the appropriate balance between requirement and supply. Comparisons are made with other estimates of needs including the 1998 Australian Medical Workforce Advisory Committee (AMWAC) Report and the New Zealand Clinical Agency Workforce Project Report in 1997. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An obituary for surgeon and radiation oncologist Derek Oliver Berg is presented.

Presents a synopsis of radiation oncology in Australia, with particular reference to New South Wales. Discover of X-rays, radioactivity and radium; Developments in radiation oncology from 1896 to 1950; Outline of the establishment of radiotherapy departments in hospitals in New South Wales.

Izabella and her partner sought pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) because Izabella had retinoblastoma due to a deletion in chromosome 13 and they want to have children not at genetic risk of retinoblastoma. Fortunately, Izabella's tumor was unilateral and was treated successfully and she is well. Izabella's chromosome abnormality is mosaic with 70% of lymphocytes having the deletion. This mosaicism may not be present in Izabella's ovaries. The couple went through PGD on two occasions and 13 embryos were tested. None had the deleted chromosome 13. IVF and PGD failed to produce a pregnancy. The couple wished to know what the experience provides as to the risk to their offspring: in particular, does it indicate a risk low enough to be acceptable if they go ahead with a natural pregnancy instead of another resort to PGD? Also, the couple did not want prenatal diagnosis. The situation therefore requires an estimate of the probability that an embryo will have the deletion. Counseling is problematic because there is no obvious way of selecting a prior probability from which to compute a Bayesian estimate of risk. Two solutions are offered, depending on the amount of information available about genes transmitted from the maternal grandparents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responds to commentary made by J. Kearsley concerning the radiotherapy utilization in New South Wales from 1996 to 1998, featured in the 2001 issue of the periodical 'Australasian Radiology.' Basis for resource allocation in radiation oncology; Development of a utilization rate using cancer incidence and evidence-based medicine to determine the proportion requiring treatment; Number of patients per radiation oncologist.

Replies to a letter from John Kearsley in a November 2000 issue of the 'Australasian Radiology' journal concerning the basis for resource allocation in radiation oncology. Groups devising a plan for radiotherapy services in Australia; Validity of the recommended treatment rate; Number of patients a radiation oncologist can 'cope' with each year.

Replies to a comment by John Kiffer about the projected requirements for radiation oncologists and trainees in New Zealand and Australia. Objections to increasing the number of registrar positions; Radiation oncologists required for a 50% referral rate.

The first Dounreay hot particle (hereafter ‘Particle’) to be formally identified was recovered from the Dounreay foreshore in 1983. A further single Particle was recovered from Sandside beach the following year. Particles have been detected and removed from the Dounreay foreshore regularly since 1984 and from the offshore sediments since 1997. Since 1997, an extensive research and development programme has been undertaken to identify the source of Particles, their movement and lifetimes in the marine environment, and their potential effects on human and environmental health. It is now known that Particles were released to the North Atlantic Ocean in the mid to late 1960s and early 1970s. There is no evidence of an on-going source of Particles from the Dounreay site today. The source of Particles recovered from the Dounreay foreshore and from local beaches is the cache currently residing in marine sediments adjacent to Dounreay. Monitoring and sediment modelling studies indicate that the Dounreay Particles are transported approximately parallel to the coast in a north-easterly direction. Studies to define contact frequencies and risks to human health suggest that the health risks associated with Particles are very low There is, however, a significant perception of risk. UKAEA will define a long-term Particle management programme via the development of a best practical environmental option (BPEO) facilitated through consultation with all stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a letter to the editor in response to the editorial "Reduction in mortality from breast cancer," in the January 29, 2005 issue of "British Medical Journal."

This article presents a letter to the editor regarding adjuvant chemotherapy as reported in the January 22, 2004, issue.

Radiation pneumonitis occurs 6 to 12 weeks after thoracic irradiation, and is thought to be due to direct radiation-induced lung injury. Four patients who developed pneumonitis after unilateral thoracic irradiation for carcinoma of the breast were studied with bronchoalveolar lavage, gallium scan of the lung, and respiratory function tests. On the irradiated side of the chest, all four patients showed an increase in total cells recovered from the lavage fluid and a marked increase in the percentage of lymphocytes. When results for the unirradiated lung were compared with results for the irradiated lung, there was a comparable increase in total cells and percentage of lymphocytes. Gallium scans showed increases for both irradiated and unirradiated lungs. Prompt improvement was seen after corticosteroid therapy in all patients. The fact that abnormal findings occur equally in irradiated and unirradiated lung is inconsistent with simple direct radiation-induced injury and suggests an immunologically mediated mechanism such as a hypersensitivity pneumonitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent installation of a Multi-Reflection Time-of-Flight (MR-TOF) isobar separator at the CARIBU facility has the promising potential to significantly improve the mass separation and selection of short-lived neutron-rich beams. Ions cycled in the km-long isochronous trajectories between two electrostatic mirrors can be separated to high levels of mass-resolving power within a short time (tens of ms). The installation process is described and results from the first operation are discussed. Following an optimization of the mirror voltages a mass-resolving power of 6.8 · 10 4 was achieved and a separation of isobars was demonstrated. The higher purity beams provided by the MR-TOF and delivered to the Canadian Penning Trap (CPT) will provide access to further measurements of neutron-rich nuclei along the astrophysical r -process path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A centrifugal cryogenic pump has been designed at Argonne National Laboratory to circulate liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) in a closed circuit allowing the recovery of excess fluid. The pump can circulate LN 2 at rates of 2–10 L/min, into a head of 0.5–3 m. Over four years of laboratory use the pump has proven capable of operating continuously for 50–100 days without maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior to introducing intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) for whole breast radiotherapy (WBRT) into our department we undertook a comparison of the dose parameters of several IMRT techniques and standard wedged tangents (SWT). Our aim was to improve the dose distribution to the breast and to decrease the dose to organs at risk (OAR): heart, lung and contralateral breast (Contra Br). Treatment plans for 20 women (10 right-sided and 10 left-sided) previously treated with SWT for WBRT were used to compare (a) SWT; (b) electronic compensators IMRT (E-IMRT); (c) tangential beam IMRT (T-IMRT); (d) coplanar multi-field IMRT (CP-IMRT); and (e) non-coplanar multi-field IMRT (NCP-IMRT). Plans for the breast were compared for (i) dose homogeneity (DH); (ii) conformity index (CI); (iii) mean dose; (iv) maximum dose; (v) minimum dose; and dose to OAR were calculated (vi) heart; (vii) lung and (viii) Contra Br. Compared with SWT, all plans except CP-IMRT gave improvement in at least two of the seven parameters evaluated. T-IMRT and NCP-IMRT resulted in significant improvement in all parameters except DH and both gave significant reduction in doses to OAR. As on initial evaluation NCP-IMRT is likely to be too time consuming to introduce on a large scale, T-IMRT is the preferred technique for WBRT for use in our department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kallmann syndrome combines anosmia, related to defective olfactory bulb morphogenesis, and hypogonadism due to gonadotropin-releasing hormone deficiency. Loss-of-function mutations in KAL1 and FGFR1 underlie the X chromosome-linked form and an autosomal dominant form of the disease, respectively. Mutations in these genes, however, only account for approximately 20% of all Kallmann syndrome cases. In a cohort of 192 patients we took a candidate gene strategy and identified ten and four different point mutations in the genes encoding the G proteincoupled prokineticin receptor-2 (PROKR2) and one of its ligands, prokineticin-2 (PROK2), respectively. The mutations in PROK2 were detected in the heterozygous state, whereas PROKR2 mutations were found in the heterozygous, homozygous, or compound heterozygous state. In addition, one of the patients heterozygous for a PROKR2 mutation was also carrying a missense mutation in KAL1, thus indicating a possible digenic inheritance of the disease in this individual. These findings reveal that insufficient prokineticin-signaling through PROKR2 leads to abnormal development of the olfactory system and reproductive axis in man. They also shed new light on the complex genetic transmission of Kallmann syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines a family with a novel disorder characterized by episodic muscle weakness and X-linked inheritance. Occurrence of severe muscle weakness; Linkage of the disorder to chromosome Xp22.3; Localization of the responsible gene to chromosome Xp22.3.

Objective: To determine if unilateral thoracic irradiation results in a lymphoid alveolitis in both irradiated and unirradiated lung fields.Design: A prospective, nonrandomized study.Patients: Women receiving postoperative radiotherapy for carcinoma of the breast were evaluated both before and 4 to 6 weeks after radiotherapy. Findings after radiotherapy in 15 asymptomatic patients were compared with findings in a group of patients with clinical radiation pneumonitis.Measurements: History, physical examination, chest radiograph, quantitative gallium lung scanning, respiratory function tests, bronchoalveolar lavage, and lavage lymphocyte subset analysis.Results: After irradiation, lavage lymphocytes increased significantly (34.5% versus 46.8%; P = 0.01) in the 17 patients studied prospectively. There was an associated reduction in vital capacity (102.5% versus 95.5%; P = 0.04). Comparison of results in patients before treatment, after treatment without clinical pneumonitis, and after treatment with clinical pneumonitis showed a dramatic increase in total lymphocytes after irradiation (6.3 versus 9.4 versus 35.2 million, respectively; P = 0.005), particularly in those with clinical pneumonitis. Only in those with clinical pneumonitis was this accompanied by an increase in the gallium index (3.7 versus 3.4 versus 9.0, respectively; P < 0.001). Vital capacity was also progressively reduced (102.5% versus 96.9% versus 76.7%, respectively; P = 0.04), as was diffusing capacity (98.6% versus 91.4% versus 72.6%, respectively; P = 0.003). No statistical differences existed between irradiated and unirradiated sides of the chest in either lavage or gallium lung scan studies.Conclusion: In most patients, a lymphocytic alveolitis develops in both lung fields after strictly unilateral thoracic irradiation; this is more pronounced in patients developing clinical pneumonitis. These findings suggest that radiotherapy may cause a generalized lymphocyte-mediated hypersensitivity reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Degradation of cliff-top habitats due to industrial activity is infrequent, leading to unique challenges when activity ceases and a site requires remediation. Dounreay, an ex-nuclear power facility on the north coast of Scotland, is currently being decommissioned prior to complete demolition of all buildings. A small area of the site will then be covered in a 1000 mm capping layer to prevent contamination of bioreceptors at the surface from below ground contaminants. Topsoil replacement is frequently used in such instances, however, limited availability of topsoil in the region means that other materials are sought to mitigate against undesirable ecological and economic costs. We tested combinations of differentially graded rocks and topsoil to assess their suitability in supporting re-vegetation. The vegetation response was measured as richness (numbers of species), ground cover, species diversity, and biomass. Wider ecosystem function was assessed by measuring invertebrate numbers and diversity, and comparing these to locally relevant reference site data. Fine crushed rock supported native vegetation establishment and growth, though cover, diversity, and biomass (after three years) were significantly below levels found when topsoil was used instead. Initial establishment on the fine crushed rock may be limited by the low water retention and nutrient availability of the material. We suggest that a rich heterogeneous habitat able to support a wide range of native vegetation and invertebrates may be provided by mixing topsoil with the fine crushed rock in the future. This mosaic combination would also allow for significant ecological and financial cost savings (against topsoil only remediation) and could be tested on larger scales. • Vegetation returns on crushed rock surface layer without topsoil addition. • Invertebrate numbers recover well on crushed rock surface vegetation. • Opportunist colonisers generally outcompeted by targeted sown vegetation. • Phosphate addition could speed up vegetation recovery on crushed rock surface layer. • Remediation using fine crushed rock could reduce financial and carbon costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Beta-decay Paul Trap (BPT) at Argonne National Laboratory has proven to be an extremely effective tool for high-precision tests of the Standard Model via measurements of the β − ν correlation in mass-8 isotopes. Using four double-sided silicon strip detectors (DSSDs) backed by plastic scintillators and surrounding the ions confined by the BPT, the kinematics of the decays of the mirror nuclei lithium-8 and boron-8 are overdetermined when all charged decay products are measured. The most stringent low-energy limit on an intrinsic tensor current in the weak interaction was set using the BPT in 2015 (Sternberg, M.G., et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 182501 2015) utilizing trapped lithium-8. Since then, similar data for boron-8 and higher statistics data for lithium-8 have been collected and are currently being analyzed. With the elimination of radio-frequency (RF) pickup from the DSSDs and a detailed investigation of experimental systematic errors, the uncertainty is now dominated by the contribution from recoil-order terms in the decay rate. Our eventual goal is to limit tensor currents in the weak interaction with relative precision at or below 0.1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]