| 1. |
- Kumar, Manish, et al.
(författare)
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Decay of SARS-CoV-2 RNA along the wastewater treatment outfitted with Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) system evaluated through two sample concentration techniques
- 2021
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier B.V.. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 754
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- For the first time, we present, i) an account of decay in the genetic material loading of SARS-CoV-2 during Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) treatment of wastewater, and ii) comparative evaluation of polyethylene glycol (PEG), and ultrafiltration as virus concentration methods from wastewater for the quantification of SARS-CoV-2 genes. The objectives were achieved through tracking of SARS-CoV-2 genetic loadings i.e. ORF1ab, N and S protein genes on 8th and 27th May 2020 along the wastewater treatment plant (106000 m3 million liters per day) equipped with UASB system in Ahmedabad, India. PEG method performed better in removing materials inhibiting RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 gene detection from the samples, as evident from constant and lower CT values of control (MS2). Using the PEG method, we found a reduction >1.3 log10 reduction in SARS-CoV-2 RNA abundance during UASB treatment, and the RNA was not detected at all in the final effluent. The study implies that i) conventional wastewater treatment systems is effective in SARS-CoV-2 RNA removal, and ii) UASB system significantly reduces SARS-CoV-2 genetic loadings. Finally, PEG method is recommended for better sensitivity and inhibition removal during SARS-CoV-2 RNA quantification in wastewater.
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| 2. |
- Cordoba-Jabonero, Carmen, et al.
(författare)
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Assessments for possible habitability in Martian polar environments : Fundaments based in ice screening of UV radiation
- 2004
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Ingår i: ESA SP. - 0379-6566 .- 1609-0438. ; 545, s. 187-188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We present a study of the solar UV radiation in Martian high latitude environments covered by ice, where the UV propagation through the polar cover depends on the ice radiative properties (layers of H2O or CO 2 ice). But also we will investigate the changes in the subsurface UV levels induced by the seasonal variations of solar UV flux on the surface, as well as by the seasonal freezing-thawing and related CO2 sublimation processes. The biological dose relative to DNA-damage will be also estimated for biological implication assessments. All these studies will be compared with the biological dose received in the Antarctic snow-ice covered environment which is seasonally exposed to high UV radiation levels (formation of "ozone hole"), where the environmental conditions could be similar to those present on Mars
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| 3. |
- Cordoba-Jabonero, Carmen, et al.
(författare)
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Radiative habitable zones in martian polar environments
- 2005
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Ingår i: Icarus. - : Elsevier. - 0019-1035 .- 1090-2643. ; 175:2, s. 360-371
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The biologically damaging solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation (quantified by the DNA-weighted dose) reaches the martian surface in extremely high levels. Searching for potentially habitable UV-protected environments on Mars, we considered the polar ice caps that consist of a seasonally varying CO2 ice cover and a permanent H2O ice layer. It was found that, though the CO2 ice is insufficient by itself to screen the UV radiation, at ∼1 m depth within the perennial H2O ice the DNA-weighted dose is reduced to terrestrial levels. This depth depends strongly on the optical properties of the H2O ice layers (for instance snow-like layers). The Earth-like DNA-weighted dose and Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) requirements were used to define the upper and lower limits of the northern and southern polar Radiative Habitable Zone (RHZ) for which a temporal and spatial mapping was performed. Based on these studies we conclude that photosynthetic life might be possible within the ice layers of the polar regions. The thickness varies along each martian polar spring and summer between ∼1.5 and 2.4 m for H2O ice-like layers, and a few centimeters for snow-like covers. These martian Earth-like radiative habitable environments may be primary targets for future martian astrobiological missions. Special attention should be paid to planetary protection, since the polar RHZ may also be subject to terrestrial contamination by probes.
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| 4. |
- Ghail, Richard C., et al.
(författare)
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EnVision : taking the pulse of our twin planet
- 2012
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Ingår i: Experimental astronomy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0922-6435 .- 1572-9508. ; 33:2-3, s. 337-363
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- EnVision is an ambitious but low-risk response to ESA's call for a medium-size mission opportunity for a launch in 2022. Venus is the planet most similar to Earth in mass, bulk properties and orbital distance, but has evolved to become extremely hostile to life. EnVision's 5-year mission objectives are to determine the nature of and rate of change caused by geological and atmospheric processes, to distinguish between competing theories about its evolution and to help predict the habitability of extrasolar planets. Three instrument suites will address specific surface, atmosphere and ionosphere science goals. The Surface Science Suite consists of a 2.2 m(2) radar antenna with Interferometer, Radiometer and Altimeter operating modes, supported by a complementary IR surface emissivity mapper and an advanced accelerometer for orbit control and gravity mapping. This suite will determine topographic changes caused by volcanic, tectonic and atmospheric processes at rates as low as 1 mm a (-aEuro parts per thousand 1). The Atmosphere Science Suite consists of a Doppler LIDAR for cloud top altitude, wind speed and mesospheric structure mapping, complemented by IR and UV spectrometers and a spectrophotopolarimeter, all designed to map the dynamic features and compositions of the clouds and middle atmosphere to identify the effects of volcanic and solar processes. The Ionosphere Science Suite uses a double Langmiur probe and vector magnetometer to understand the behaviour and long-term evolution of the ionosphere and induced magnetosphere. The suite also includes an interplanetary particle analyser to determine the delivery rate of water and other components to the atmosphere.
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| 5. |
- Jones, Geraint H., et al.
(författare)
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The Comet Interceptor Mission
- 2024
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Ingår i: Space Science Reviews. - : Springer Nature. - 0038-6308 .- 1572-9672. ; 220:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Here we describe the novel, multi-point Comet Interceptor mission. It is dedicated to the exploration of a little-processed long-period comet, possibly entering the inner Solar System for the first time, or to encounter an interstellar object originating at another star. The objectives of the mission are to address the following questions: What are the surface composition, shape, morphology, and structure of the target object? What is the composition of the gas and dust in the coma, its connection to the nucleus, and the nature of its interaction with the solar wind? The mission was proposed to the European Space Agency in 2018, and formally adopted by the agency in June 2022, for launch in 2029 together with the Ariel mission. Comet Interceptor will take advantage of the opportunity presented by ESA’s F-Class call for fast, flexible, low-cost missions to which it was proposed. The call required a launch to a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L2 point. The mission can take advantage of this placement to wait for the discovery of a suitable comet reachable with its minimum Δ V capability of 600 ms − 1 . Comet Interceptor will be unique in encountering and studying, at a nominal closest approach distance of 1000 km, a comet that represents a near-pristine sample of material from the formation of the Solar System. It will also add a capability that no previous cometary mission has had, which is to deploy two sub-probes – B1, provided by the Japanese space agency, JAXA, and B2 – that will follow different trajectories through the coma. While the main probe passes at a nominal 1000 km distance, probes B1 and B2 will follow different chords through the coma at distances of 850 km and 400 km, respectively. The result will be unique, simultaneous, spatially resolved information of the 3-dimensional properties of the target comet and its interaction with the space environment. We present the mission’s science background leading to these objectives, as well as an overview of the scientific instruments, mission design, and schedule.
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| 6. |
- Soria-Salinas, Álvaro
(författare)
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Development of the Wind and Air Temperature Sensor of the ExoMars 2022 HABIT Instrument
- 2020
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This work presents the development, validation and calibration of the air temperature sensors (ATS) and the air and wind retrieval method of the HABIT (HabitAbility: Brines, Irradiation and Temperature) instrument. HABIT is one of the two European payloads of the ESA/Roscosmos ExoMars 2022 mission that will land at Oxia Planum (18.20° N, 335.45° E), on Mars.One of the main novelties of this Ph.D. thesis is to use the thin fins that work as ATS on HABIT as a wind sensor for the planetary boundary layer of Mars. The thesis is based on the study and modelling of heat transfer along three rods when exposed to forced convection in a gaseous fluid, and that is tested: (1) through computational fluid dynamic simulations, which provided inputs to the early design of the HABIT structure; (2) under laboratory conditions, with the use of a specifically designed prototype and a cooling fan; and (3) within a subsonic wind tunnel facility under terrestrial conditions.A preliminary validation of the wind speed retrieval approach is first performed using temperature measurements from Mars provided by the Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) instrument, on board the NASA Curiosity rover of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. The method is based on modelling forced convection of the ATS of REMS when assumed as thin rods immersed in the extreme low-pressure and high-radiating atmospheric conditions of the Martian thermal boundary layer, at a height of ∼ 1.5 m from the surface. Assuming the previously reported REMS wind sensor (WS) retrieval errors of 20% for the wind speed, ±30° for the horizontal “front” wind directions, and ±45° for the horizontal “rear” wind directions, agreement with the WS values of up to 77% of the acquisition time, on average, for wind speeds and coincidence between 60% and 80% of the time for wind directions is reported for some sols. These promising results are limited to only evening extended acquisitions from 18:00 to 21:00 local mean solar time (LMST) and orientations within the validity region of the retrieval. That is, the method was only considered valid over a narrow angle range of 13° to 107° in azimuth angle. In addition to this, the results of this first study suggested a new optimal orientation when using the ATS for wind speed and direction retrievals of +60° clockwise with respect to the forward direction of the Curiosity rover.The wind retrieval model is also validated and calibrated with the HABIT engineering and qualification model (EQM) in the Aarhus Wind Tunnel Simulator (AWTS) of the Aarhus University, Denmark. The AWTS is designed to reproduce typical winds on the surface of Mars. The data acquired during the wind tunnel campaign were used to validate the forced convective and radiative heat transfer model for each of the three ATS. The campaign investigated winds in steady CO2 flows at a pressure of 9.9 mbar, an ambient temperature of 25°C, and for horizontal free-stream velocities between 0.8 and 12 m/s. Several relationships between the Nusselt number and the Reynolds and Prandtl numbers reported in the literature were evaluated in the tunnel to model forced convection through the ATS rods. Where needed, corrections to account for radiative heat transfer within the AWTS were implemented to correct for experimental artefacts. The tests demonstrated that this retrieval method can be used to derive wind speed for frontal winds on Mars in the range of 0 to 10 m/s, with an error of ±0.3 m/s, using the cooling profile of the ATS rod 3, and for lateral winds in the range of 0 to 6 m/s, with an error of ±0.3 m/s, using the ATS rod 2 cooling profile.The thesis also includes the calibration of the HABIT ATS flight model (FM) in the clean room of Omnisys Instruments AB, and the retrieval model that will be used in operations during the ExoMars 2022 mission and for archiving in the Planetary Science Archive (PSA) of the European Space Agency (ESA).Finally, the wind retrieval method developed in this thesis can be applied not only to the future analysis of HABIT data at Oxia Planum, but also to re-analyse the ATS data of REMS at Gale crater, and for future comparative analysis with the HABIT/ExoMars 2022, the Temperature and Wind Sensors for InSight (TWINS)/InSight, and the Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer (MEDA)/Mars 2020 rover instruments.
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| 7. |
- Vandaele, Ann Carine, et al.
(författare)
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Martian dust storm impact on atmospheric H2O and D/H observed by ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter
- 2019
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer. - 1476-4687 .- 1476-4687 .- 0028-0836. ; 568:7753, s. 521-525
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Global dust storms on Mars are rare1,2 but can affect the Martian atmosphere for several months. They can cause changes in atmospheric dynamics and inflation of the atmosphere3, primarily owing to solar heating of the dust3. In turn, changes in atmospheric dynamics can affect the distribution of atmospheric water vapour, with potential implications for the atmospheric photochemistry and climate on Mars4. Recent observations of the water vapour abundance in the Martian atmosphere during dust storm conditions revealed a high-altitude increase in atmospheric water vapour that was more pronounced at high northern latitudes5,6, as well as a decrease in the water column at low latitudes7,8. Here we present concurrent, high-resolution measurements of dust, water and semiheavy water (HDO) at the onset of a global dust storm, obtained by the NOMAD and ACS instruments onboard the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter. We report the vertical distribution of the HDO/H2O ratio (D/H) from the planetary boundary layer up to an altitude of 80 kilometres. Our findings suggest that before the onset of the dust storm, HDO abundances were reduced to levels below detectability at altitudes above 40 kilometres. This decrease in HDO coincided with the presence of water-ice clouds. During the storm, an increase in the abundance of H2O and HDO was observed at altitudes between 40 and 80 kilometres. We propose that these increased abundances may be the result of warmer temperatures during the dust storm causing stronger atmospheric circulation and preventing ice cloud formation, which may confine water vapour to lower altitudes through gravitational fall and subsequent sublimation of ice crystals3. The observed changes in H2O and HDO abundance occurred within a few days during the development of the dust storm, suggesting a fast impact of dust storms on the Martian atmosphere.
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| 8. |
- Witjes, J. Alfred, et al.
(författare)
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EAU-ESMO Consensus Statements on the Management of Advanced and Variant Bladder Cancer – An International Collaborative Multistakeholder Effort : Under the Auspices of the EAU-ESMO Guidelines Committees
- 2020
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Ingår i: European Urology. - : Elsevier. - 0302-2838 .- 1873-7560. ; 77:2, s. 223-250
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Although guidelines exist for advanced and variant bladder cancer management, evidence is limited/conflicting in some areas and the optimal approach remains controversial.OBJECTIVE: To bring together a large multidisciplinary group of experts to develop consensus statements on controversial topics in bladder cancer management.DESIGN: A steering committee compiled proposed statements regarding advanced and variant bladder cancer management which were assessed by 113 experts in a Delphi survey. Statements not reaching consensus were reviewed; those prioritised were revised by a panel of 45 experts prior to voting during a consensus conference.SETTING: Online Delphi survey and consensus conference.PARTICIPANTS: The European Association of Urology (EAU), the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), experts in bladder cancer management.OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Statements were ranked by experts according to their level of agreement: 1-3 (disagree), 4-6 (equivocal), and 7-9 (agree). A priori (level 1) consensus was defined as ≥70% agreement and ≤15% disagreement, or vice versa. In the Delphi survey, a second analysis was restricted to stakeholder group(s) considered to have adequate expertise relating to each statement (to achieve level 2 consensus).RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Overall, 116 statements were included in the Delphi survey. Of these statements, 33 (28%) achieved level 1 consensus and 49 (42%) achieved level 1 or 2 consensus. At the consensus conference, 22 of 27 (81%) statements achieved consensus. These consensus statements provide further guidance across a broad range of topics, including the management of variant histologies, the role/limitations of prognostic biomarkers in clinical decision making, bladder preservation strategies, modern radiotherapy techniques, the management of oligometastatic disease, and the evolving role of checkpoint inhibitor therapy in metastatic disease.CONCLUSIONS: These consensus statements provide further guidance on controversial topics in advanced and variant bladder cancer management until a time when further evidence is available to guide our approach.PATIENT SUMMARY: This report summarises findings from an international, multistakeholder project organised by the EAU and ESMO. In this project, a steering committee identified areas of bladder cancer management where there is currently no good-quality evidence to guide treatment decisions. From this, they developed a series of proposed statements, 71 of which achieved consensus by a large group of experts in the field of bladder cancer. It is anticipated that these statements will provide further guidance to health care professionals and could help improve patient outcomes until a time when good-quality evidence is available.
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| 9. |
- Yu, Xue Qin, et al.
(författare)
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Phase of care prevalence for prostate cancer in New South Wales, Australia : A population-based modelling study
- 2017
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library Science. - 1932-6203. ; 12:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective To develop a method for estimating the future numbers of prostate cancer survivors requiring different levels of care. Design, setting and participants Analysis of population-based cancer registry data for prostate cancer cases (aged 18-84 years) diagnosed in 1996-2007, and a linked dataset with hospital admission data for men with prostate cancer diagnosed during 2005-2007 in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Methods Cancer registry data (1996-2007) were used to project complete prostate cancer prevalence in NSW, Australia for 2008-2017, and treatment information from hospital records (2005-2007) was used to estimate the inpatient care needs during the first year after diagnosis. The projected complete prevalence was divided into care needs-based groups. We first divided the cohort into two groups based on patient's age (<75 and 75-84 years). The younger cohort was further divided into initial care and monitoring phases. Cause of death data were used as a proxy for patients requiring last year of life prostate cancer care. Finally, episode data were used to estimate the future number of cases with metastatic progression. Results Of the estimated total of 60,910 men with a previous diagnosis of prostate cancer in 2017, the largest groups will be older patients (52.0%) and younger men who require monitoring (42.5%). If current treatment patterns continue, in the first year post-diagnosis 41% (1380) of patients (<75 years) will have a radical prostatectomy, and 52.6% (1752) will be likely to have either active surveillance, external beam radiotherapy or androgen deprivation therapy. About 3% will require care for subsequent metastases, and 1288 men with prostate cancer are likely to die from the disease in 2017. Conclusions This method extends the application of routinely collected population-based data, and can contribute much to the knowledge of the number of men with prostate cancer and their health care requirements. This could be of significant use in planning future cancer care services and facilities in Australia.
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