Radiation | Jotup

The Mars Sample Return mission has a shaky future, and NASA is calling on private companies for backup

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 25, 2024

A critical NASA mission in the search for life beyond Earth, Mars Sample Return, is in trouble.

Key Points:

A critical NASA mission in the search for life beyond Earth, Mars Sample Return, is in trouble.
Its budget has ballooned from US$5 billion to over $11 billion, and the sample return date may slip from the end of this decade to 2040.

The habitability of Mars

But studies conducted over the past decade suggest that the planet may have been much warmer and wetter several billion years ago.
Curiosity, which landed on Mars in 2012, is still active; its twin, Perseverance, which landed on Mars in 2021, will play a crucial role in the sample return mission.

Why astronomers want Mars samples

This meteorite is a piece of Mars that landed in Antarctica 13,000 years ago and was recovered in 1984.
They’re free samples that fell to Earth, so while it might seem intuitive to study them, scientists can’t tell where on Mars these meteorites originated.
There’s no substitute for bringing back samples from a region known to have been hospitable to life in the past.

A compelling and complex mission

Bringing Mars rocks back to Earth is the most challenging mission NASA has ever attempted, and the first stage has already started.
The rover inserts the samples in containers the size of test tubes.
The complex choreography of this mission, which involves a rover, a lander, a rocket, an orbiter and the coordination of two space agencies, is unprecedented.

Sample return breaks the bank

Mars Sample Return has blown a hole in NASA’s budget, which threatens other missions that need funding.
It’s likely that Mars Sample Return’s budget partly caused the layoffs, but they also came down to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory having an overfull plate of planetary missions and suffering budget cuts.
Within the past year, an independent review board report and a report from the NASA Office of Inspector General raised deep concerns about the viability of the sample return mission.

Thinking out of the box

Proposals are due by May 17, which is an extremely tight timeline for such a challenging design effort.
And it’ll be hard for private companies to improve on the plan that experts at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory had over a decade to put together.
For the Artemis III mission, SpaceX will attempt to land humans on the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years.

It’s not clear whether that rocket could return the samples that Perseverance has already gathered.
Sending astronauts also carries extra risk and cost, and a strategy of using people might end up more complicated than NASA’s current plan.
With all these pressures and constraints, NASA has chosen to see whether the private sector can come up with a winning solution.

Chris Impey receives funding from the National Science Foundation and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

Fallout: an expertly crafted TV adaptation that manages to incorporate some of the best elements of gameplay

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Lucy (Ella Purnell), a vault dweller leaves the safety of her bunker for the Wasteland to search for her missing father.

Key Points:

Lucy (Ella Purnell), a vault dweller leaves the safety of her bunker for the Wasteland to search for her missing father.
The success of HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation in 2023 set a high bar for game-to-television adaptations.
However, director Jonathan Nolan has said that he’s coming to this show as a fan, having been hooked on Fallout 3.
The show expands and develops the Fallout universe and lore, satisfying long-time fans while telling a compelling, standalone story accessible for newcomers.

Character creation and combat

For example, in the game, Fallout players must create their character, assign values to different attributes and select secondary perks and skills, like faster weapon reloading or radiation resistance.
Lucy is introduced presenting herself as a candidate for marriage to a partner from a neighbouring vault.
Fans will appreciate this nod to character creation while the sequence still makes sense for non-gamers.
Howard’s character also seems to have opted for the “Bloody Mess” character perk judging by the exploding body parts.

You have discovered Vault 4

Seeking supplies, the duo venture into a ruined medical centre, promptly falling through a trapdoor into Vault 4.
A particularly memorable encounter for me from Fallout 3 was discovering Vault 108, where I was set upon by vault dwellers, all gleefully and eerily calling out the name “Gary”.
Watching Lucy and Maximus (mainly Lucy – Maximus is distracted by slippers and popcorn) unpick Vault 4’s story captures that same journey.

Before the bombs fell

Fallout makes extensive use of discoverable messages on computer terminals in the many ruined buildings across the Wasteland.
These frequently offer fascinating insight into the lives of people before the bombs fell.
The time dedicated to these flashbacks is a real series strength, building to a franchise-defining revelation in the finale.

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Peter Howell does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has left the entire region at a heightened risk of radioactive pollution

Retrieved on:

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Nuclear power plant, Radiation, Void coefficient, Physics, Risk, International Atomic Energy Agency, Research, Conflict, Power plant engineering, Plant, IAEA, Water, Safety, Kakhovka Hydroelectric Power Plant, National Science Centre, War, Uranium mining

While both Ukraine and Russia deny responsibility for the drone attack, it’s clear that Russia’s ongoing invasion has put the site at active risk.

Key Points:

While both Ukraine and Russia deny responsibility for the drone attack, it’s clear that Russia’s ongoing invasion has put the site at active risk.
Radioactive pollution from nuclear reactors
Ukraine is a country with hundreds of industrial facilities across various sectors.
Pollution from other sites
Aside from nuclear reactors, Ukraine hosts other sites that pose a radiation risk if sabotaged or mishandled.
There is a real risk that this water may allow radioactive pollution to spread across a wide area.

MeerKAT: the South African radio telescope that’s transformed our understanding of the cosmos

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

In the heart of this landscape, near the small Northern Cape town of Carnarvon, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory operates a technological marvel that has transformed our understanding of the cosmos.

Key Points:

In the heart of this landscape, near the small Northern Cape town of Carnarvon, the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory operates a technological marvel that has transformed our understanding of the cosmos.
The MeerKAT radio telescope has unlocked cosmic mysteries.
Read more:
How the SKA telescope is boosting South Africa's knowledge economy
Over the past five years, MeerKAT has made remarkable contributions to both South African and international science.
Here are just four of MeerKAT’s major breakthroughs that I’ve been involved in, and why the findings matter for our understanding of the Universe.

Fascinating findings

This allowed our team to see for the first time magnetic filaments that surround the supermassive black hole at the heart of our galaxy.
A supermassive black hole is an extremely dense object with the mass of a million suns.
The research provided valuable insights into the dynamic processes that shape the galactic environment.
The Laduma, Mightee and Mhongoose surveys aim to map the distribution of galaxies and neutral hydrogen gas.

Growth and learning

Members of local communities around the site have been employed during both the construction and operation stages.
Engagements with those communities, and particularly with schools in the area, are breaking down barriers to participation in astronomy.
For instance, I have been able to collaborate with astronomers from the UK, Australia, the Netherlands and the US.

Ed Elson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Planting trees in grasslands won’t save the planet – rather protect and restore forests

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Many of these tree planting projects target Africa’s rangelands (open grasslands or shrublands used by livestock and wild animals).

Key Points:

Many of these tree planting projects target Africa’s rangelands (open grasslands or shrublands used by livestock and wild animals).
Our goal is to protect and promote rangelands that combat desertification and support economic
growth, resilient livelihoods and the sustainable development of pastoralism.
In pursuit of this goal, we reviewed all the scientific studies we could find on the effects of planting trees in rangelands.

Why rangelands matter

Rangelands provide critical ecosystem services, but these are lost when open grassy vegetation is converted to forest or plantation.
Many rangelands are too dry, steep or rocky to grow crops but are suited for livestock grazing to produce meat, milk and fibres such as wool.
Read more:
When tree planting actually damages ecosystems
The ecosystem services provided by rangelands are generally overlooked while those provided by forests and trees are assumed to be far superior.

Afforestation in the wrong places often fails

This is a suitable form of land use for those environments, which would be harmed by planting trees.
Tree planting projects are commonly portrayed as reforestation, which implies that the target areas have lost their original forest cover.
In fact, planting trees in rangelands that naturally have low tree cover is afforestation.
This often fails because they don’t have enough rainfall throughout the year to support high tree cover.

Afforestation can be damaging to people, water and climate

Despite being portrayed as supporting local economic development and ecosystem restoration, afforestation projects often exclude existing land users and limit their access to land and resources.
Rangeland afforestation also reduces streamflow and lowers water tables as trees use much more water than grasses.

What is a better solution?

If these initiatives were focused on degraded forest instead, three-quarters of degraded forests could be restored.
In rangelands, the best approach is to protect and enhance their existing carbon stores rather than replacing them with forests or plantations.

Susanne Vetter does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Caring for older Americans’ teeth and gums is essential, but Medicare generally doesn’t cover that cost

Retrieved on:

Friday, April 19, 2024

As dentistry scholars, we believe Koop also deserves credit for something else.

Key Points:

As dentistry scholars, we believe Koop also deserves credit for something else.
Americans who rely on the traditional Medicare program for their health insurance get no help from that program with paying their dental bills aside from some narrow exceptions.
This group includes some 24 million people over 65 – about half of all the people who rely on Medicare for their health insurance.

‘Medically necessary’ exceptions

The list of circumstances that would lead patients to be eligible is short.
Some examples include patients scheduled for organ transplants or who have cancer treatment requiring radiation of their jaws.
But we believe that dental care is necessary for everyone, especially for older people.

Chew, speak, breathe

While many working Americans get limited dental coverage through their employers, those benefits are usually limited to as little as $1,000 per year.
And once they retire, Americans almost always lose even that basic coverage.
Rich Americans with Medicare coverage are almost three times more likely to receive dental care compared to those with low incomes.

Connected to many serious conditions

Having diabetes makes you three times as likely to develop gum disease because diabetes compromises the body’s response to inflammation and infection.
At the same time, treating diabetes patients for gum disease can help control their blood sugar levels.

Chemo can damage your teeth

Many cancer treatments can damage teeth, especially for older adults. As a result, Medicare has started to reimburse for dental bills tied to tooth decay or other oral conditions after they get chemotherapy or radiation treatment.

More than nice to have

Doctors and dentists are educated separately, and doctors learn very little about dental conditions and treatments when they’re in medical school.
Most dental electronic health records aren’t linked to medical systems, hindering comprehensive care and delivery of dental care to those in need.
Medical insurance was designed specifically to cover large, unpredictable expenses, while dental insurance was intended to mainly fund predictable and lower-cost preventive care.

Medicare Advantage plans

Until Medicare expands coverage to include preventive dental services for everyone, alternative plans such as Medicare Advantage, through which the federal government contracts with private insurers to provide Medicare benefits, serve as a stopgap.
In 2016, only 21% of beneficiaries in traditional Medicare had purchased a stand-alone dental plan, whereas roughly two-thirds of Medicare Advantage enrollees had at least some dental benefits through their coverage.

Frank Scannapieco is affiliated with The Task Force on Design and Analysis in Oral Health Research, and consults for the Colgate-Palmolive Company. Ira Lamster is a member of the Santa Fe Group. He currently receives consulting fees from Colgate, and research support from the CareQuest Institute.

EQS-News: Eckert & Ziegler Receives MDR Certification for Prostate Seeds, Paving the Way for Long-term Supply

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Certification, Radiation, Prostate cancer, Prostate, Seed, Eye, MDR, Neoplasm, Way, Brachytherapy, Medical device regulation, Health, Medical device

Eckert & Ziegler Receives MDR Certification for Prostate Seeds, Paving the Way for Long-term Supply

Key Points:

Eckert & Ziegler Receives MDR Certification for Prostate Seeds, Paving the Way for Long-term Supply
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
This important milestone guarantees a high level of patient safety and the long-term availability of the seeds within the EU.
Prostate seeds have been manufactured and internationally marketed by Eckert & Ziegler since 1999 and contribute several million euros in annual sales to the Eckert & Ziegler Group's earnings.
This is not only a significant achievement for the distribution of our brachytherapy products, but for the entire Eckert & Ziegler Group," explained Katrin Antonenko, Managing Director of Eckert & Ziegler BEBIG GmbH.

EQS-News: TVM CAPITAL LIFE SCIENCE TO PARTICIPATE IN LSI USA ’24 EMERGING MEDTECH SUMMIT 2024

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Munich, Germany and Montreal, Quebec, Canada (March 13, 2024) – TVM Capital Life Science (“TVM”), a leading international venture capital firm focused on investments in life sciences innovation, today announced that the Company will participate in the sixth annual LSI USA ’24 Emerging Medtech Summit 2024, which brings together leading innovators, active investors and committed strategics from the medtech industry to partner and build next-generation healthcare technologies.

Key Points:

Munich, Germany and Montreal, Quebec, Canada (March 13, 2024) – TVM Capital Life Science (“TVM”), a leading international venture capital firm focused on investments in life sciences innovation, today announced that the Company will participate in the sixth annual LSI USA ’24 Emerging Medtech Summit 2024, which brings together leading innovators, active investors and committed strategics from the medtech industry to partner and build next-generation healthcare technologies.
The conference will take place March 18-22, 2024, in Dana Point, California, USA.
"Medtech innovation continues to be at the forefront of healthcare advancement, driving transformative changes in patient care, operational efficiency and cost reduction.
As part of our commercial-stage medical technologies investment strategy, TVM seeks breakthrough solutions that align with emerging trends and could redefine the standard of care.

CKPT INVESTOR ALERT: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman LLC Announces that Checkpoint Therapeutics, Inc. Investors with Substantial Losses Have Opportunity to Lead Class Action Lawsuit!

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Radiation, CKPT, Patient, CRL, News, Complaint, CMO, FDA, BLA, Court, Person

The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and compliance policies.

Key Points:

The Complaint alleges that, throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company's business, operations, and compliance policies.
or his Law Clerk and Client Relations Manager, Yael Nathanson of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 332-239-2660.
If you suffered a loss in Checkpoint you have until June 4, 2024, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff.
Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits.

Medicenna Presents Updated Results of Single Agent MDNA11 Anti-tumor Activity from Dose Escalation and Ongoing Dose Expansion of the Phase 1/2 ABILITY-1 Study at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Toxicity, PR, Combination therapy, VLS, MSI-H, PD, LFT, RDE, Duodenal cancer, Patient, Hypertelorism, Radiation, MCC, MDNA, AACR, TSX, DLT, Pancreatic cancer, Safety, Regulatory T cell, Melanoma, Cancer, BCC, NK, Pharmaceutical industry

March 22, 2024) include:

Key Points:

March 22, 2024) include:
Acceptable safety profile: No dose limiting toxicity (DLT) reported and no evidence of vascular leak syndrome (VLS).
A new lymph node lesion developed during a 8-week MDNA11 treatment break (vacation) was treated with a single course of radiotherapy prior to resumption of MDNA11.
A new lymph node lesion developed at week 16 while baseline target and non-target lesions remained stable or decreased.
Monotherapy expansion is continuing to enroll patients with metastatic melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers (cSCC, MCC, and BCC) and MSI-H/dMMR tumors.