Domi Inter Astra (DIA) Moon Base: an interdisciplinary approach for cooperation to build a near-future Moonbase and how to use it as an educational tool

Permanent human settlements outside of low-earth orbit face technical and psycho-social challenges for the crew members and programmatic risks around funding and operating these missions, without clear public support and international involvement. A concept for the construction and operation of a lunar settlement named "Domi Inter Astra" (DIA), near the Shackleton Crater, was developed to understand the feasibility of a near-term permanent settlement crewed by international researchers and tourists. This project was created by a team under the Space Generation Advisory Council's auspices and a follow-on to our First Place design in the Moon Base Design Contest by The Moon Society. Technologies for infrastructure, life-support, environment control, and robotics were selected using high-level trade studies to balance resource requirements, safety, reliability, operability, and maintainability of the base over a long (20+ year) operating life with 10-30 inhabitants. Technology roadmaps were developed for gaps in existing technologies, considering opportunities with ISRU and methods of closing the environment control and life support system loops. A wider range of human factors pertaining to the social environment onboard the base is discussed to ensure long-term stability. Architectural design choices were made, keeping these factors in mind while also considering technical and economic viability. Large-scale space exploration projects must mitigate both public interest and funding risks throughout their life cycle. Economic roadmaps are introduced to diversify revenue streams throughout the settlement's design, deployment, and operation. Funding opportunities that evolve with the base design and functionality over time are identified for long-term economic sustainability. A polycentric model for international collaboration is explored to promote interest from current space-leading countries while providing opportunities for emerging space nations. The DIA lunar settlement case study showcases the interrelation between engineering, economics, architecture, science, social and management scopes. It highlights the interdisciplinary approach and inclusivity in the field of space sciences. This case study can help international and public-private partnerships to develop human space exploration capabilities further. The current DIA base plan could be used in many ways for educational activities, for any level of students and professionals. Two types of activities could be design and analysis based and mini analogue missions. Students could devise and perform small experiments that relate to the base’s day-to-day activities as well as resources required, for example growing microgreens and plants in different conditions, geology surveys, 3D printing different objects and many such mini-projects. Graduate students and professionals could work on CAD modelling for structures, improving the architectural plan and the statistical analysis for the economical model

Whole-genome sequencing reveals host factors underlying critical COVID-19

Altres ajuts: Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC); Illumina; LifeArc; Medical Research Council (MRC); UKRI; Sepsis Research (the Fiona Elizabeth Agnew Trust); the Intensive Care Society, Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship (223164/Z/21/Z); BBSRC Institute Program Support Grant to the Roslin Institute (BBS/E/D/20002172, BBS/E/D/10002070, BBS/E/D/30002275); UKRI grants (MC_PC_20004, MC_PC_19025, MC_PC_1905, MRNO2995X/1); UK Research and Innovation (MC_PC_20029); the Wellcome PhD training fellowship for clinicians (204979/Z/16/Z); the Edinburgh Clinical Academic Track (ECAT) programme; the National Institute for Health Research, the Wellcome Trust; the MRC; Cancer Research UK; the DHSC; NHS England; the Smilow family; the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (CTSA award number UL1TR001878); the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania; National Institute on Aging (NIA U01AG009740); the National Institute on Aging (RC2 AG036495, RC4 AG039029); the Common Fund of the Office of the Director of the National Institutes of Health; NCI; NHGRI; NHLBI; NIDA; NIMH; NINDS.Critical COVID-19 is caused by immune-mediated inflammatory lung injury. Host genetic variation influences the development of illness requiring critical care or hospitalization after infection with SARS-CoV-2. The GenOMICC (Genetics of Mortality in Critical Care) study enables the comparison of genomes from individuals who are critically ill with those of population controls to find underlying disease mechanisms. Here we use whole-genome sequencing in 7,491 critically ill individuals compared with 48,400 controls to discover and replicate 23 independent variants that significantly predispose to critical COVID-19. We identify 16 new independent associations, including variants within genes that are involved in interferon signalling (IL10RB and PLSCR1), leucocyte differentiation (BCL11A) and blood-type antigen secretor status (FUT2). Using transcriptome-wide association and colocalization to infer the effect of gene expression on disease severity, we find evidence that implicates multiple genes-including reduced expression of a membrane flippase (ATP11A), and increased expression of a mucin (MUC1)-in critical disease. Mendelian randomization provides evidence in support of causal roles for myeloid cell adhesion molecules (SELE, ICAM5 and CD209) and the coagulation factor F8, all of which are potentially druggable targets. Our results are broadly consistent with a multi-component model of COVID-19 pathophysiology, in which at least two distinct mechanisms can predispose to life-threatening disease: failure to control viral replication; or an enhanced tendency towards pulmonary inflammation and intravascular coagulation. We show that comparison between cases of critical illness and population controls is highly efficient for the detection of therapeutically relevant mechanisms of disease