Observations of Fallout from the Fukushima Reactor Accident in San Francisco Bay Area Rainwater

We have observed fallout from the recent Fukushima Dai-ichi reactor accident in samples of rainwater collected in the San Francisco Bay area. Gamma ray spectra measured from these samples show clear evidence of fission products - 131,132I, 132Te, and 134,137Cs. The activity levels we have measured for these isotopes are very low and pose no health risk to the public.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

The effect of pygmy resonances on p-process nucleosynthesis

The γ-ray strength function (γSF) is a key component for calculating photodisintegration reaction rates used for the simulation of the p-process. During the p-process, the nucleus can be thermally excited lowering the threshold for photodisintegration, thus significantly enhancing the reaction rate for neutron photodisintegration. To calculate the (γ, n) reaction rates for excited states the γSF needs to be known below the neutron separation energy. The presence of a pygmy dipole resonance (PDR) near the neutron separation energy could further enhance the reaction rate. To study the low energy γSF, particularly the PDR, and its dependence on the neutron number, measurements to determine the γSF both above and below the neutron separation energy were done on 142Nd and 150Nd. To determine the γSF above the neutron separation energy the (γ, n) cross sections were measured near threshold for 142Nd, and, for the first time, for 150Nd. The (γ, n) measurements were made using the monoenergetic γ-ray beam at the AIST TERAS facility in Tsukuba, Japan. To determine the γSF below the neutron separation energy a new technique using nuclear resonance fluorescence was developed, and measurements were taken for 142Nd at Eγ= 3.4 – 9.7 MeV, and 150Nd at Eγ= 5.6 – 7.2 MeV. The experiment was performed using a polarimeter consisting of four Clover detectors at the mono-energetic γ-ray beam facility, HIγS, at the DFELL in Durham, NC. The results will be compared to theoretical calculations using the quasi-particle random phase approximation(QRPA), and the neutron number dependence of the low-energy E1 γSF, and the potential effects of the results on the p-process will be discussed

Healthcare expenditure on Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians at high risk of cardiovascular disease

Background: In spite of bearing a heavier burden of death, disease and disability, there is mixed evidence as to whether Indigenous Australians utilise more or less healthcare services than other Australians given their elevated risk level. This study analyses the Medicare expenditure and its predictors in a cohort of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians at high risk of cardiovascular disease. Methods: The healthcare expenditure of participants of the Kanyini Guidelines Adherence with the Polypill (GAP) pragmatic randomised controlled trial was modelled using linear regression methods. 535 adult (48% Indigenous) participants at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) were recruited through 33 primary healthcare services (including 12 Aboriginal Medical Services) across Australia. Results: There was no significant difference in the expenditure of Indigenous and non-Indigenous participants in non-remote areas following adjustment for individual characteristics. Indigenous individuals living in remote areas had lower MBS expenditure ($932 per year P< 0.001) than other individuals. MBS expenditure was found to increase with being aged over 65 years ($128, p=0.013), being female ($472, p=0.003), lower baseline reported quality of life ($102 per 0.1 decrement of utility p=0.004) and a history of diabetes ($324, p=0.001), gout ($631, p=0.022), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ($469, p=0.019) and established CVD whether receiving guideline-recommended treatment prior to the trial ($452, p=0.005) or not ($483, p=0.04). When controlling for all other characteristics, morbidly obese patients had lower MBS expenditure than other individuals (-$887, p=0.002). Conclusion: The findings suggest that for the majority of participants, once individuals are engaged with a primary care provider, factors other than whether they are Indigenous determine the level of Medicare expenditure for each person. Trial Registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN 126080005833347

Risk Factors for SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among US Healthcare Personnel, May-December 2020

To determine risk factors for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) among US healthcare personnel (HCP), we conducted a case-control analysis. We collected data about activities outside the workplace and COVID-19 patient care activities from HCP with positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) test results (cases) and from HCP with negative test results (controls) in healthcare facilities in 5 US states. We used conditional logistic regression to calculate adjusted matched odds ratios and 95% CIs for exposures. Among 345 cases and 622 controls, factors associated with risk were having close contact with persons with COVID-19 outside the workplace, having close contact with COVID-19 patients in the workplace, and assisting COVID-19 patients with activities of daily living. Protecting HCP from COVID-19 may require interventions that reduce their exposures outside the workplace and improve their ability to more safely assist COVID-19 patients with activities of daily living

Tracking development assistance for health and for COVID-19: a review of development assistance, government, out-of-pocket, and other private spending on health for 204 countries and territories, 1990-2050

Background The rapid spread of COVID-19 renewed the focus on how health systems across the globe are financed, especially during public health emergencies. Development assistance is an important source of health financing in many low-income countries, yet little is known about how much of this funding was disbursed for COVID-19. We aimed to put development assistance for health for COVID-19 in the context of broader trends in global health financing, and to estimate total health spending from 1995 to 2050 and development assistance for COVID-19 in 2020. Methods We estimated domestic health spending and development assistance for health to generate total health-sector spending estimates for 204 countries and territories. We leveraged data from the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database to produce estimates of domestic health spending. To generate estimates for development assistance for health, we relied on project-level disbursement data from the major international development agencies' online databases and annual financial statements and reports for information on income sources. To adjust our estimates for 2020 to include disbursements related to COVID-19, we extracted project data on commitments and disbursements from a broader set of databases (because not all of the data sources used to estimate the historical series extend to 2020), including the UN Office of Humanitarian Assistance Financial Tracking Service and the International Aid Transparency Initiative. We reported all the historic and future spending estimates in inflation-adjusted 2020 US$, 2020 US$ per capita, purchasing-power parity-adjusted US$per capita, and as a proportion of gross domestic product. We used various models to generate future health spending to 2050. Findings In 2019, health spending globally reached$8. 8 trillion (95% uncertainty interval UI] 8.7-8.8) or $1132 (1119-1143) per person. Spending on health varied within and across income groups and geographical regions. Of this total,$40.4 billion (0.5%, 95% UI 0.5-0.5) was development assistance for health provided to low-income and middle-income countries, which made up 24.6% (UI 24.0-25.1) of total spending in low-income countries. We estimate that $54.8 billion in development assistance for health was disbursed in 2020. Of this,$13.7 billion was targeted toward the COVID-19 health response. $12.3 billion was newly committed and$1.4 billion was repurposed from existing health projects. $3.1 billion (22.4$2.4 billion (17.9%) was for supply chain and logistics. Only $714.4 million (7.7$1519 (1448-1591) per person in 2050, although spending across countries is expected to remain varied. Interpretation Global health spending is expected to continue to grow, but remain unequally distributed between countries. We estimate that development organisations substantially increased the amount of development assistance for health provided in 2020. Continued efforts are needed to raise sufficient resources to mitigate the pandemic for the most vulnerable, and to help curtail the pandemic for all. Copyright (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd

Activity concentrations of ^131,132I, ¹³²Te, and ^134,137Cs in Bq L⁻¹ measured in San Francisco Bay area rain water as a function of time.

<p>Activity concentrations of ^131,132I, ¹³²Te, and ^134,137Cs in Bq L⁻¹ measured in San Francisco Bay area rain water as a function of time.</p

Enhanced diffraction of MeV γ rays by mosaic crystals

Diffractions of γ rays by Si mosaic crystals with thicknesses of 20, 40, and 80 mm and by a 2-mm thick prefect Si crystal have been measured using a high flux 60Co source with an intensity of 2.2 TBq. The measured diffraction intensities at 1.17 and 1.33 MeV using 40-mm and 80-mm thick mosaic crystals have been enhanced by a factor of 8.6 compared with that of the perfect Si crystal. The integrated reflectivity is well described in statistical dynamical theory