1,090 research outputs found
Systematic study of trace radioactive impurities in candidate construction materials for EXO-200
The Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO) will search for double beta decays of
136Xe. We report the results of a systematic study of trace concentrations of
radioactive impurities in a wide range of raw materials and finished parts
considered for use in the construction of EXO-200, the first stage of the EXO
experimental program. Analysis techniques employed, and described here, include
direct gamma counting, alpha counting, neutron activation analysis, and
high-sensitivity mass spectrometry.Comment: 32 pages, 6 figures. Expanded introduction, added missing table
entry. Accepted for publication in Nucl. Instrum. Meth.
Future Supply of Medical Radioisotopes for the UK Report 2014
The UK has no research nuclear reactors and relies on the importation of 99Mo
and other medical radioisotopes (e.g. Iodine-131) from overseas (excluding PET
radioisotopes). The UK is therefore vulnerable not only to global shortages,
but to problems with shipping and importation of the products. In this context
Professor Erika Denton UK national Clinical Director for Diagnostics requested
that the British Nuclear Medicine Society lead a working group with
stakeholders including representatives from the Science & Technology Facilities
Council (STFC) to prepare a report. The group had a first meeting on 10 April
2013 followed by a working group meeting with presentations on 9th September
2013 where the scope of the work required to produce a report was agreed.
The objectives of the report are: to describe the status of the use of
medical radioisotopes in the UK; to anticipate the potential impact of
shortages for the UK; to assess potential alternative avenues of medical
radioisotope production for the UK market; and to explore ways of mitigating
the impact of medical radioisotopes on patient care pathways. The report
incorporates details of a visit to the Cyclotron Facilities at Edmonton,
Alberta and at TRIUMF, Vancouver BC in Canada by members of the report team.Comment: 121 page
Strategic development in the petrochemical industry
Imperial Users onl
Biopharmaceutical Process – Contract Development Organization: Startup
Due to their high specificity and the wide range of treatments they can provide, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) from mammalian cell cultures have gained increasing popularity in therapeutics. As a result, treatments have become cheaper and easier to manufacture while maintaining their natural effectiveness, further increasing their appeal. Building MAb manufacturing facilities can be costly for biopharmaceutical companies, especially smaller biotech firms, and current production capacities are limited. As a result, there is an everincreasing demand for contract development organizations (CDOs). The CDO being proposed targets demand within this regime specific to MAbs entering clinical trials. It has the capability to screen clones, grow MAb-producing cells up to a 2500 L culture, and purify the MAb to clinical standards. By employing the newest technology available, the facilities will provide flexibility necessary for producing a myriad of different MAb therapeutics in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells. Microbioreactors can screen dozens of clones at the millileter scale, saving time and money. Disposable bioreactors in the upstream process allow for variance in the production capacity due to the range of sizes they are available in. Finally, the purification process has been designed to allow for flexibility depending on the size and needs of every client’s product to maximize value to the costumer as well as the company.
The current market for MAb production has an astounding worldwide value of approximately 50 billion (“Preclinical Development”, 2010). The profitability of this proposal is based on running 39 batches a year at 4.326 kg MAb/batch or 168.71 kg MAb/year. By charging a reasonable average of 111,907,800 and 52.96% respectively. However, using a 70% production capacity also leaves room for even higher profit margins. The plant design also has space allotted for future expansion within the mammalian suite as well as room for a future microbial suite
ENHANCING SUSTAINABLE PROCESS DESIGNS THROUGH STRATEGIC MATERIAL UTILIZATION AND WASTE MINIMIZATION APPROACHES
Sustainability is a growing concern as resources are continually depleted for various applications without adequate renewal plans. The resulting impacts on the ecosystem, health, and resource circularity are often overlooked. This research analyzes improvement opportunities at each major stage in a product\u27s life cycle. Raw material acquisition, product synthesis, process waste management, and the fate of a material in the end-of-life phases were examined. The viability of utilizing renewable resources has been demonstrated in this work by extracting bio-based chemicals from underutilized renewable resources at a commercial scale and transforming the extracted resources into polymeric materials. The optimization of raw material acquisition and process waste management have been accomplished via a superstructure-based approach that is modeled as MINLP optimization problem. Even though process sustainability can be achieved with strategic usage of renewable resources and recovery, the fate of post-consumer materials also poses major concerns regarding releases and emissions if left unmitigated. The guidelines surrounding the manufacturing and end-of-life phases of a material introduced in this work, backed by experimental and computational findings, can be used to effectively design environmentally conscious processes, inventions, and materials without sacrificing costs
Human Tissue Plasminogen Activator
Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has long been considered the flagship product of the biotechnology industry. This protein is a popular treatment for heart attacks, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Genentech has held a patent for the development of tPA-producing cells and sold it for approximately 500 MM on research and development costs.
A cheap, generic form of tPA can acquire a large share of the current 104 MM. Given the profitability of this process we highly recommend construction of this plant
Refuge Update – November/December 2009, Volume 6, Number 6
Table of Contents: Tufted Puffin Released A rehabilitated puffin gingerly tests freedom at Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. FOCUS: Stories of Hope From cemeteries to woodpeckers, to newspaper columns and support at the ballot box, refuges represent stories of hope as they pursue their mission. Bats in the Barn Scientists and volunteers wrap a barn in plastic and count the bats inside. Sense of Wonder Award Jim Burkhart shares the joy and mysteries of the natural world with visitors to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, GA
Refuge Update – November/December 2009, Volume 6, Number 6
Table of Contents: Tufted Puffin Released A rehabilitated puffin gingerly tests freedom at Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. FOCUS: Stories of Hope From cemeteries to woodpeckers, to newspaper columns and support at the ballot box, refuges represent stories of hope as they pursue their mission. Bats in the Barn Scientists and volunteers wrap a barn in plastic and count the bats inside. Sense of Wonder Award Jim Burkhart shares the joy and mysteries of the natural world with visitors to Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, GA
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