UK Schmidt Telescope Research Articles

NEW ASTROMETRIC REDUCTION OF THE SUPERCOSMOS PLATE ARCHIVE: FIRST RESULTS

The arrivals of the new more accuracy reference catalogues and also development of new meth- ods and approaches for reduction astrometric data give the new life for photographic plates archives. Gaia DR2 is not only a giant step in the astrometric accuracy allowing to measure new objects also provides plates archives ob- served in the past with modern accuracy. In this work we present the first results of astrometric reduction in the sys- tem of Gaia DR2 for some photographic plates that were obtained by UK Schmidt telescope (UKST) and digitized by the SuperCOSMOS scanning machine. The UKST is a classical Schmidt with the following parameters: mirror diameter 1.83m; focal length 3.07m; photographic plate size 356mm square, covering 6.4 x 6.4 degrees of sky; plate scale 67.12 arcsec/mm. To date the UKST has taken over 17,000 plates, the plates are stored in the Plate Li- brary at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh. The photo- graphic plates are digitized to 15 bits (32768 grey levels) with a resolution of 10 microns (0.67 arcsec)/pixel). Each digitized Schmidt plate has size 32256x32256 pixels and produces about 2 Gbyte pixel data .. We are making new reduction of photographic plates that allowing to provide valuable data for future researches in astrometry as well as in astrophysics. The obtained astrometric and photometric data from photographic plates were compared with same one from modern catalogues.

Belimumab in kidney transplantation: an experimental medicine, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial

B cells produce alloantibodies and activate alloreactive T cells, negatively affecting kidney transplant survival. By contrast, regulatory B cells are associated with transplant tolerance. Immunotherapies are needed that inhibit B-cell effector function, including antibody secretion, while sparing regulators and minimising infection risk. B lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS) is a cytokine that promotes B-cell activation and has not previously been targeted in kidney transplant recipients. We aimed to determine the safety and activity of an anti-BLyS antibody, belimumab, in addition to standard-of-care immunosuppression in adult kidney transplant recipients. We used an experimental medicine study design with multiple secondary and exploratory endpoints to gain further insight into the effect of belimumab on the generation of de-novo IgG and on the regulatory B-cell compartment. We undertook a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled phase 2 trial of belimumab, in addition to standard-of-care immunosuppression (basiliximab, mycophenolate mofetil, tacrolimus, and prednisolone) at two centres, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK, and Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London, UK. Participants were eligible if they were aged 18-75 years and receiving a kidney transplant and were planned to receive standard-of-care immunosuppression. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either intravenous belimumab 10 mg per kg bodyweight or placebo, given at day 0, 14, and 28, and then every 4 weeks for a total of seven infusions. The co-primary endpoints were safety and change in the concentration of naive B cells from baseline to week 24, both of which were analysed in all patients who received a transplant and at least one dose of drug or placebo (the modified intention-to-treat [mITT] population). This trial has been completed and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01536379, and EudraCT, 2011-006215-56. Between Sept 13, 2013, and Feb 8, 2015, of 303 patients assessed for eligibility, 28 kidney transplant recipients were randomly assigned to receive belimumab (n=14) or placebo (n=14). 25 patients (12 [86%] patients assigned to the belimumab group and 13 [93%] patients assigned to the placebo group) received a transplant and were included in the mITT population. We observed similar proportions of adverse events in the belimumab and placebo groups, including serious infections (one [8%] of 12 in the belimumab group and five [38%] of 13 in the placebo group during the 6-month on-treatment phase; and none in the belimumab group and two [15%] in the placebo group during the 6-month follow-up). In the on-treatment phase, one patient in the placebo group died because of fatal myocardial infarction and acute cardiac failure. The co-primary endpoint of a reduction in naive B cells from baseline to week 24 was not met. Treatment with belimumab did not significantly reduce the number of naive B cells from baseline to week 24 (adjusted mean difference between the belimumab and placebo treatment groups -34·4 cells per μL, 95% CI -109·5 to 40·7). Belimumab might be a useful adjunct to standard-of-care immunosuppression in renal transplantation, with no major increased risk of infection and potential beneficial effects on humoral alloimmunity. GlaxoSmithKline.

Gemcitabine and docetaxel versus doxorubicin as first-line treatment in previously untreated advanced unresectable or metastatic soft-tissue sarcomas (GeDDiS): a randomised controlled phase 3 trial

SummaryBackgroundFor many years, first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma has been doxorubicin. This study compared gemcitabine and docetaxel versus doxorubicin as first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma.MethodsThe GeDDiS trial was a randomised controlled phase 3 trial done in 24 UK hospitals and one Swiss Group for Clinical Cancer Research (SAKK) hospital. Eligible patients had histologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma of Trojani grade 2 or 3, disease progression before enrolment, and no previous chemotherapy for sarcoma or previous doxorubicin for any cancer. Patients were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive six cycles of intravenous doxorubicin 75 mg/m2 on day 1 every 3 weeks, or intravenous gemcitabine 675 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 and intravenous docetaxel 75 mg/m2 on day 8 every 3 weeks. Treatment was assigned using a minimisation algorithm incorporating a random element. Randomisation was stratified by age (≤18 years vs >18 years) and histological subtype. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients alive and progression free at 24 weeks in the intention-to-treat population. Adherence to treatment and toxicity were analysed in the safety population, consisting of all patients who received at least one dose of their randomised treatment. The trial was registered with the European Clinical Trials (EudraCT) database (no 2009–014907–29) and with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial registry (ISRCTN07742377), and is now closed to patient entry.FindingsBetween Dec 3, 2010, and Jan 20, 2014, 257 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to the two treatment groups (129 to doxorubicin and 128 to gemcitabine and docetaxel). Median follow-up was 22 months (IQR 15·7–29·3). The proportion of patients alive and progression free at 24 weeks did not differ between those who received doxorubicin versus those who received gemcitabine and docetaxel (46·3% [95% CI 37·5–54·6] vs 46·4% [37·5–54·8]); median progression-free survival (23·3 weeks [95% CI 19·6–30·4] vs 23·7 weeks [18·1–20·0]; hazard ratio [HR] for progression-free survival 1·28, 95% CI 0·99–1·65, p=0·06). The most common grade 3 and 4 adverse events were neutropenia (32 [25%] of 128 patients who received doxorubicin and 25 [20%] of 126 patients who received gemcitabine and docetaxel), febrile neutropenia (26 [20%] and 15 [12%]), fatigue (eight [6%] and 17 [14%]), oral mucositis (18 [14%] and two [2%]), and pain (ten [8%] and 13 [10%]). The three most common serious adverse events, representing 111 (39%) of all 285 serious adverse events recorded, were febrile neutropenia (27 [17%] of 155 serious adverse events in patients who received doxorubicin and 15 [12%] of 130 serious adverse events in patients who received gemcitabine and docetaxel, fever (18 [12%] and 19 [15%]), and neutropenia (22 [14%] and ten [8%]). 154 (60%) of 257 patients died in the intention-to-treat population: 74 (57%) of 129 patients in the doxorubicin group and 80 (63%) of 128 in the gemcitabine and docetaxel group. No deaths were related to the treatment, but two deaths were due to a combination of disease progression and treatment.InterpretationDoxorubicin should remain the standard first-line treatment for most patients with advanced soft-tissue sarcoma. These results provide evidence for clinicians to consider with their patients when selecting first-line treatment for locally advanced or metastatic soft-tissue sarcoma.FundingCancer Research UK, Sarcoma UK, and Clinical Trial Unit Kantonsspital St Gallen.

The Taipan Galaxy Survey: Scientific Goals and Observing Strategy

AbstractThe Taipan galaxy survey (hereafter simply ‘Taipan’) is a multi-object spectroscopic survey starting in 2017 that will cover 2π steradians over the southern sky (δ ≲ 10°, |b| ≳ 10°), and obtain optical spectra for about two million galaxies out to z < 0.4. Taipan will use the newly refurbished 1.2-m UK Schmidt Telescope at Siding Spring Observatory with the new TAIPAN instrument, which includes an innovative ‘Starbugs’ positioning system capable of rapidly and simultaneously deploying up to 150 spectroscopic fibres (and up to 300 with a proposed upgrade) over the 6° diameter focal plane, and a purpose-built spectrograph operating in the range from 370 to 870 nm with resolving power R ≳ 2000. The main scientific goals of Taipan are (i) to measure the distance scale of the Universe (primarily governed by the local expansion rate, H0) to 1% precision, and the growth rate of structure to 5%; (ii) to make the most extensive map yet constructed of the total mass distribution and motions in the local Universe, using peculiar velocities based on improved Fundamental Plane distances, which will enable sensitive tests of gravitational physics; and (iii) to deliver a legacy sample of low-redshift galaxies as a unique laboratory for studying galaxy evolution as a function of dark matter halo and stellar mass and environment. The final survey, which will be completed within 5 yrs, will consist of a complete magnitude-limited sample (i ⩽ 17) of about 1.2 × 106 galaxies supplemented by an extension to higher redshifts and fainter magnitudes (i ⩽ 18.1) of a luminous red galaxy sample of about 0.8 × 106 galaxies. Observations and data processing will be carried out remotely and in a fully automated way, using a purpose-built automated ‘virtual observer’ software and an automated data reduction pipeline. The Taipan survey is deliberately designed to maximise its legacy value by complementing and enhancing current and planned surveys of the southern sky at wavelengths from the optical to the radio; it will become the primary redshift and optical spectroscopic reference catalogue for the local extragalactic Universe in the southern sky for the coming decade.

Discovery of new planetary nebulae in the Small Magellanic Cloud

We present six new planetary nebulae (PNe) discovered in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) from deep UK Schmidt telescope (UKST) narrow band Ha and broad-band short- red “SR” continuum images and confirmed spectroscopically. These 6 preliminary discoveries provide a 6% increase to the previously known SMC PN population of ∼⃒100. Once spectroscopic follow-up of all our newly identified candidates is complete, we expect to increase the total number of known SMC PNe by up to 50%. This will permit a significant improvement to determination of the SMC PN luminosity function (PNLF) and enable further insights into the chemical evolution and kinematics of the SMC PN population.

Rare tumors: an eye on the future.

Ocular Oncology Service, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, UK UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, UK Department of Oncology, Imperial College, London, UK *Author for correspondence: j.stebbing@imperial.ac.uk

Four new planetary nebulae towards the Small Magellanic Cloud

We present four new planetary nebulae (PNe) discovered in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) from deep UK Schmidt telescope (UKST) narrow band H-alpha and broad-band short-red "SR" continuum images and confirmed spectroscopically. All new PNe show strong [NII]/H-alpha ratios in their spectra. We describe and detail the process of PN candidate selection based on wide-field multi-wavelength imaging of the SMC and our subsequent spectroscopic confirmation and classification. We carefully reviewed archived information and available imagery for previous SMC PN detections and various other types of emission objects in the SMC as a training set to help identify new PN candidates. These 4 preliminary discoveries provide a 4% increase to the previously known SMC PN population of ~100. Once spectroscopic follow-up of all our newly identified SMC PN candidates is complete, we expect to increase the total number of known SMC PNe by up to 50%. This will permit a significant improvement to determination of the SMC PN luminosity function and enable further insights into the chemical evolution and kinematics of the SMC PN population.

The Prognostic Significance of Phenotypically 'Normal’ Plasma Cells in Chemotherapy Treated AL Patients with Underlying MGUS and Multiple Myeloma

Background: Systemic AL amyloidosis is a rare complication of plasma cell dyscrasias. Much progress has occurred in treatment of AL amyloidosis but long term survival remains limited with advanced organ involvement, in particular, cardiac dysfunction determining outcomes. However, controlling the underlying plasma cell clone with chemotherapy or ASCT is the key to improving outcomes. Yet the role of plasma cell clones in determining prognosis remains to be fully explored and understood. The plasma cell burden in patient with AL amyloidosis is generally lower than that of multiple myeloma but reported degree of plasma cell infiltration has varied. A large study from the Mayo group reported markedly poor outcomes for patients with AL amyloidosis who have >10% BMPCs, even in the absence of symptomatic myeloma (Kourelis et al, JCO 2013). However, apart from just the number of BMPC, the composition appears to be of importance. Multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC) can identify proportion of normal and clonal plasma cells. Patients with >5% “normal” BMPC (defined as cells expressing CD38+CD138+CD19+) at diagnosis had a better prognosis (Paiva et al. Blood 2011). MFC underestimates the total proportion of BMPCs due to sample dilution effect. We report the impact of 'normal’ plasma cells, as determined by MFC, on the outcome of AL patients in context of the total plasma cell burden as determined by standard morphological techniques in 104 patients with biopsy proven systemic AL amyloidosis, who had both bone marrow trephine and MFC performed at presentation between 2005-2013 assessed at UK National amyloidosis centre and St James’s University Hospital.Methods: The bone marrow trephine biopsy (BMTB) plasma cell burden was estimated by morphology supplemented by CD138 immunohistochemistry as required. Patients with >10% CD138+ cells were classified as having AL-multiple myeloma (AL-MM) and those with <10% CD138+ cells as having AL-MGUS. Six or eight colour MFC was used to assess the proportion of CD38+CD138+ plasma cells expressing CD19 in the bone marrow aspirate samples.Results: The median age was 64.8 years (range: 38.5-83.3) with a male-female ratio of 1.7:1. 58 (56%) had cardiac involvement. All patients had treatment and the longest follow up was 8.3 years with 52 patients alive at the time of analysis. BMTB was inadequate for 3 patients, of the remaining 101 patients, 59 (57%) had >10% CD138+ PCs on trephine (classed as AL-MM) and 42 (40%) had <10% (classed as AL-MGUS). All patients had MFC and the median number of 'normal’ PCs was 4.07% (range 0-72.57%). The median neoplastic PC% was 95.9 (range : 9.8-95.3). All patients had CD19 negative PC demonstrable, of which 61 (58%) had CD56 expression thereby confirming the diagnostic utility of MFC in this setting. ROC analysis gave 10% as the most significant cut-off for “normal” PC. 31 (30%) patients had greater than 10% 'normal’ PCs; 22 (52%) and 8(14%) with underlying AL-MGUS and AL-MM respectively (p<0.001). There was a statistically significant negative correlation between the BMTB PC% and the 'normal’ PC quantity on MFC (Spearman correlation -0.419, p=0.000).The median overall survival (OS) for the whole cohort was 26 months and that for those with AL-MGUS was 37.9months and AL-MM 18.1 months (p=0.140). Those patients with >10% normal PCs had a significantly superior survival (53.4months) compared to those with <10% normal PCs (16 months) (p = 0.019) on MFC (Figure 1). When outcome was assessed according to overall BM burden and MFC it was clear that the presence of >10% normal PCs conferred a favourable outcome regardless of the BM burden (Figure 2, p=0.075). Outcomes were similar for AL-MM and AL-MGUS in those patients with >10% normal PC (p=0.824) and those with <10% (p=0.755).Conclusion: In this study we have confirmed the value of MFC in patients with AL amyloid. Abnormal PC populations are demonstrable in all patients confirming the utility of the assay for diagnostic purposes. This is particularly relevant for those patients with low BM burden. Similarly the presence / absence of normal plasma cells by MFC had a significant effect on outcome which was demonstrable in patients with both AL-MGUS and AL-MM. MFC should be included in the diagnostic workup of all patients with AL. Further studies are required to determine how this additional prognostic data can be incorporated into existing prognostic models. [Display omitted] [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Proteomic profiling of the human venous extracellular matrix reveals a role for mast cell proteases in the pathogenesis of varicose veins

Vascular Imaging and Intervention, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA King’s British Heart Foundation Centre, King’s College London, London, UK St George’s Hospital, NHS Trust, London, UK Vascular Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA Vascular and Interventional Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

A new population of planetary nebulae discovered in the Large Magellanic Cloud (IV): the outer LMC

We have extended our PNe survey to the outer ~64deg^2 of the LMC using maps from the Magellanic Cloud Emission Line Survey (MCELS) and the UK Schmidt Telescope (UKST) H-alpha survey. Although the MCELS survey has poorer ~5 arcsecond resolution than both the UKST H-alpha survey and the original H-alpha median stacked map in the LMC's central 25deg^2, it has the advantage of additional narrow-band filters at H-alpha, [OIII] and [SII] providing improved diagnostic capabilities. Using these data to uncover new emission line candidates we have so far spectroscopically confirmed an extra 61 LMC PNe which we present here for the first time. We have also independently recovered and spectroscopically confirmed 107 of the 109 (98%) PNe that were previously known to exist in the outer LMC. The majority of our newly discovered and previously known PNe were confirmed using the AAOmega, multi-object fibre spectroscopy system on the 3.9-m Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) and the 6dF multi-object spectrograph on the UKST. These newly identified PNe were cross-checked against extant multi-wavelength imaging surveys in the near and mid-infrared in particular and against the latest emission-line ratio diagnostic plots for improved confidence in PNe identification.

Australian Astronomical Observatory

The Australian Astronomical Observatory (AAO) is a Division of the Australian Federal Government's Department of Innovation, Industry, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE). The AAO operates the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT) and the United Kingdom Schmidt Telescope (UKST) at Siding Spring Observatory, near Coonabarabran in north-western New South Wales. The AAO also hosts the Australian Gemini Office (AusGO) , which manages the allocation of time to Australian astronomers on the Gemini telescopes, as well as on Keck, Subaru and Magellan, through time-sharing or purchase agreements. The AAO's primary telescope facility, the AAT, is described here, with emphasis on its availability for international observers through our regular calls for proposals.

Emission-line stars discovered in the UKST Hα survey of the Large Magellanic Cloud - I. Hot stars

We present new, accurate positions, spectral classifications, radial and rotational velocities, H-alpha fluxes, equivalent widths and B,V,I,R magnitudes for 579 hot emission-line stars (classes B0 - F9) in the Large Magellanic Cloud which include 469 new discoveries. Candidate emission line stars were discovered using a deep, high resolution H-alpha map of the central 25 deg2 of the LMC obtained by median stacking a dozen 2 hour H-alpha exposures taken with the UK Schmidt Telescope. Spectroscopic follow-up observations on the AAT, UKST, VLT, the SAAO 1.9m and the MSSSO 2.3m telescope have established the identity of these faint sources down to magnitude R~23 for H-alpha (4.5 x 10^-17 ergs cm^2 s^-1 Ang). Confirmed emission-line stars have been assigned an underlying spectral classification through cross-correlation against 131 absorption line template spectra covering the range O1 to F8. We confirm 111 previously identified emission line stars and 64 previously known variable stars with spectral types hotter than F8. The majority of hot stars identified (518 stars or 89%) are class B. Of all the hot emission-line stars in classes B-F, 130 or 22% are type B[e], characterised by the presence of forbidden emission lines such as [SII], [NII] and [OII]. We report on the physical location of these stars with reference to possible contamination from ambient HII emission. Along with flux calibration of the H-alpha emission we provide the first H-alpha luminosity function for selected sub-samples after correction for any possible nebula or ambient contamination. We find a moderate correlation between the intensity of H-alpha emission and the V magnitude of the central star based on SuperCOSMOS magnitudes and OGLE-II photometry where possible. Cool stars from classes G-S, with and without strong H-alpha emission, will be the focus of part 2 in this series.

Updated systematic review of randomized controlled trials of treatments for inherited forms of epidermolysis bullosa

Clinical and Experimental DermatologyVolume 38, Issue 1 p. 92-94 Viewpoints in dermatology •Correspondence Updated systematic review of randomized controlled trials of treatments for inherited forms of epidermolysis bullosa I. Garcia-Doval, I. Garcia-Doval Department of Dermatology, Complexo Hospitalario de Pontevedra (CHOP), SERGAS, Pontevedra, SpainSearch for more papers by this authorP. Davila-Seijo, P. Davila-Seijo Department of Dermatology, Complexo Hospitalario de Pontevedra (CHOP), SERGAS, Pontevedra, SpainSearch for more papers by this authorS. M. Langan, S. M. Langan Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK St John’s Institute of Dermatology, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK E-mail: ignacio.garcia.doval@sergas.esSearch for more papers by this author I. Garcia-Doval, I. Garcia-Doval Department of Dermatology, Complexo Hospitalario de Pontevedra (CHOP), SERGAS, Pontevedra, SpainSearch for more papers by this authorP. Davila-Seijo, P. Davila-Seijo Department of Dermatology, Complexo Hospitalario de Pontevedra (CHOP), SERGAS, Pontevedra, SpainSearch for more papers by this authorS. M. Langan, S. M. Langan Department of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, UK St John’s Institute of Dermatology, Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK E-mail: ignacio.garcia.doval@sergas.esSearch for more papers by this author First published: 25 June 2012 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2230.2012.04419.xCitations: 5 Conflict of interest: none declared. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume38, Issue1January 2013Pages 92-94 RelatedInformation

Specific guidelines on wound and wound‐bed management 2011

Foot Ulcer Trials Unit, Nottingham University Hospitals Trust, Nottingham, UK St George’s Vascular Institute, St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK Department of Endocrinology, University Hospital of Malmo, Sweden Southern Arizona Limb Salvage Alliance (SALSA), University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona IWGDF, Heemstede, The Netherlands Service de diabetologie, Hopital Pitie-Salpetriere, Assistance Publique des Hopitaux de Paris, and Universite P et M Curie, Paris, France Department of Endocrinology, Lund University Hospital and Institution for Clinical Sciences in Lund, Sweden School of Healthcare Studies, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK

The 6dF Galaxy Survey: baryon acoustic oscillations and the local Hubble constant

We analyse the large-scale correlation function of the 6dF Galaxy Survey (6dFGS) and detect a Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) signal. The 6dFGS BAO detection allows us to constrain the distance-redshift relation at z_{\rm eff} = 0.106. We achieve a distance measure of D_V(z_{\rm eff}) = 456\pm27 Mpc and a measurement of the distance ratio, r_s(z_d)/D_V(z_{\rm eff}) = 0.336\pm0.015 (4.5% precision), where r_s(z_d) is the sound horizon at the drag epoch z_d. The low effective redshift of 6dFGS makes it a competitive and independent alternative to Cepheids and low-z supernovae in constraining the Hubble constant. We find a Hubble constant of H_0 = 67\pm3.2 km s^{-1} Mpc^{-1} (4.8% precision) that depends only on the WMAP-7 calibration of the sound horizon and on the galaxy clustering in 6dFGS. Compared to earlier BAO studies at higher redshift, our analysis is less dependent on other cosmological parameters. The sensitivity to H_0 can be used to break the degeneracy between the dark energy equation of state parameter w and H_0 in the CMB data. We determine that w = -0.97\pm0.13, using only WMAP-7 and BAO data from both 6dFGS and \citet{Percival:2009xn}. We also discuss predictions for the large scale correlation function of two future wide-angle surveys: the WALLABY blind H{\sc I} survey (with the Australian SKA Pathfinder, ASKAP), and the proposed TAIPAN all-southern-sky optical galaxy survey with the UK Schmidt Telescope (UKST). We find that both surveys are very likely to yield detections of the BAO peak, making WALLABY the first radio galaxy survey to do so. We also predict that TAIPAN has the potential to constrain the Hubble constant with 3% precision.

A catalog of Kazarian galaxies

The entire Kazarian galaxies (KG) catalog is presented, which combines extensive new measurements of their optical parameters with a literature and database search. The measurements were made using images extracted from the STScI Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) of Jpg(blue), Fpg(red), and Ipg(NIR) band photographic sky survey plates obtained by the Palomar and UK Schmidt telescopes. We provide accurate coordinates, morphological types, spectral and activity classes, blue apparent diameters, axial ratios, position angles, red, blue, and NIR apparent magnitudes, as well as counts of neighboring objects in a circle of radius 50 kpc from centers of KG. Special attention was paid to the individual descriptions of the galaxies in the original Kazarian lists, which clarified many cases of misidentifications of the objects, particularly among interacting systems. The total number of individual Kazarian objects in the database is now 706. We also include the redshifts, which are now available for 404 galaxies and the 2MASS infrared magnitudes for 598 KG. The database also includes extensive notes, which summarize information about the membership of Kazarian galaxies in different systems of galaxies and about revised activity classes and redshifts. An atlas of several interesting subclasses of Kazarian galaxies is also presented.

The Southern 2MASS Active Galactic Nuclei Survey: Spectroscopic Follow-up with Six Degree Field

AbstractThe Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) has provided a uniform photometric catalog to search for previously unknown red active galactic nuclei (AGN) and Quasi-Stellar Objects (QSOs).We have extended the search to the southern equatorial sky by obtaining spectra for 1182 AGN candidates using the six degree field (6dF) multifibre spectrograph on the UK Schmidt Telescope. These were scheduled as auxiliary targets for the 6dF Galaxy Redshift Survey. The candidates were selected using a single color cut of J – Ks &gt; 2 to Ks ≲ 15.5 and a galactic latitude of lbl &gt; 30°. 432 spectra were of sufficient quality to enable a reliable classification. 116 sources (∼27%) were securely classified as type I AGN, 20 as probable type I AGN, and 57 as probable type II AGN. Most of them span the redshift range 0.05 &lt; z &lt; 0.5 and only 8 (∼6%) were previously identified as AGN or QSOs. Our selection leads to a significantly higher AGN identification rate amongst local galaxies (&gt;20%) than in any previous (mostly blue-selected) galaxy survey. A small fraction of the type I AGN could have their optical colors reddened by optically thin dust with AV &lt; 2 mag relative to optically selected QSOs. A handful show evidence of excess far-infrared (IR) emission. The equivalent width (EW) and color distributions of the type I and II AGN are consistent with AGN unified models. In particular, the EW of the [Oiii] emission line weakly correlates with optical–near-IR color in each class of AGN, suggesting anisotropic obscuration of the AGN continuum. Overall, the optical properties of the 2MASS red AGN are not dramatically different from those of optically-selected QSOs. Our near-IR selection appears to detect the most near-IR luminous QSOs in the local universe to z≃0.6 and provides incentive to extend the search to deeper near-IR surveys.

RAVE spectroscopy of luminous blue variables in the Large Magellanic Cloud

<i>Context. <i/>The RAVE spectroscopic survey for galactic structure and evolution obtains 8400–8800 Å spectra at 7500 resolving power at the UK Schmidt Telescope using the 6dF multi-fiber positioner. More than 300 000 9 <i>≤<i/> <i>I<i/><sub>C<sub/> <i>≤<i/> 12 and |<i>b<i/>| <i>≥<i/> 25° southern stars have been observed to date.<i>Aims. <i/>This paper presents the first intrinsic examination of stellar spectra from the RAVE survey, aimed at evaluating their diagnostic potential for peculiar stars and at contributing to the general understanding of luminous blue variables (LBVs).<i>Methods. <i/>We used the multi-epoch spectra for all seven LBVs observed, between 2005 and 2008, in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) by the RAVE survey.<i>Results. <i/>We demonstrate that RAVE spectra possess significant diagnostic potential when applied to peculiar stars and, in particular, LBVs. The behaviour of the radial velocities for both emission and absorption lines, and the spectral changes between outburst and quiescence states are described and found to agree with evidence gathered at more conventional wavelengths. The wind outflow signatures and their variability are investigated, with multi-components detected in S Doradus. Photoionisation modelling of the rich emission line spectrum of R 127 shows evidence of a massive detached ionised shell that was ejected during the 1982–2000 outburst. Surface inhomogeneities in the nuclear-processed material, brought to the surface by heavy mass loss, could have been observed in S Doradus, even if alternative explanations are possible. We also detect the transition from quiescence to outburst state in R 71. Finally, our spectrum of R 84 offers one of the clearest views of its cool companion.

RAVE: First results and 2nd data release

AbstractRAVE, the RAdial Velocity Experiment, is an ambitious program to conduct a survey to measure the radial velocities, metallicities and abundance ratios for up to a million stars using the 1.2‐m UK Schmidt Telescope of the Anglo‐Australian Observatory (AAO), over the period 2003–2010. The survey represents a giant leap forward in our understanding of our own Milky Way galaxy, providing a vast stellar kinematic database larger than any other survey proposed for this coming decade. The main data product will be a southern hemisphere survey of about a million stars. This survey would comprise 0.7 million thin disk main sequence stars, 250 000 thick disk stars, 100 000 bulge and halo stars, and a further 50 000 giant stars including some out to 10 kpc from the Sun. RAVE will offer the first truly representative inventory of stellar radial velocities for all major components of the Galaxy. Here we present the first scientific results of this survey as well as its second data release which doubles the number of previously released radial velocities. For the first time, the release also provides atmospheric parameters for a large fraction of the 2nd year data making it an unprecedented tool to study the formation of the Milky Way. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Present state and promises to unravel the structure and kinematics of the Milky Way with the RAVE survey

AbstractThe RAdial Velocity Experiment (RAVE) is an ambitious survey to measure the radial velocities, temperatures, surface gravities, metallicities and abundance ratios for up to a million stars using the 1.2-m UK Schmidt Telescope of the Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO), over the period 2003–2011. The survey represents a big advance in our understanding of our own Milky Way galaxy. The main data product will be a southern hemisphere survey of about a million stars. Their selection is based exclusively on their I–band colour, so avoiding any colour-induced bias. RAVE is expected to be the largest spectroscopic survey of the Solar neighbourhood in the coming decade, but with a significant fraction of giant stars reaching out to 10 kpc from the Sun. RAVE offers the first truly representative inventory of stellar radial velocities for all major components of the Galaxy. Here we present the first scientific results of this survey as well as its second data release which doubles the number of previously released radial velocities. For the first time, the release also provides atmospheric parameters for a large fraction of the second year data, making it an unprecedented tool to study the formation of the Milky Way. Plans for further data releases are outlined.