Share This

Showing posts with label Safety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Safety. Show all posts

Thursday 30 November 2023

‘Follow SOP to check Covid-19’, Containing the rising spread

 

Mask up to be safe: People wearing face masks as a protective measure against air pollution and Covid-19 in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. — Filepic


Containing the rising spread


Keep safety measures up as the year-end holidays approach says health experts


PETALING JAYA: As Covid-19 caseloads increase, health experts say Malaysians must exercise vigilance to avoid catching the life-threatening disease and other infectious respiratory diseases such as influenza.

These experts say that keeping safety measures up, especially as the year-end holidays approach, can protect yourselves and others besides preventing both asymptomatic and symptomatic spread of respiratory illnesses, which are more dangerous for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children and chronically ill.

Public health medicine specialist Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar said that during the year-end rainy and wet season, there will be many respiratory infection cases due to viruses.

He said the public should not only take measures to prevent Covid-19 but also other respiratory diseases and food and water-borne illnesses during these wet months.

“Covid-19 is still with us and can cause severe illness and even death. Practise SOP (standard operating procedure) like wearing a mask, washing hands, avoiding crowded places, seeking treatment and completing the immunisation schedule,” he said.

On Nov 23, the Health Ministry said that Covid-19 cases had risen by 28% between Nov 12 and 18 at 2,305 infections compared to 1,801 the week before.

ALSO READDaily confirmed cases steadily rising since September

Malaysian Medical Association president Dr Azizan Abdul Aziz said given that Covid-19 symptoms were now mild for most, there was a high likelihood of those infected not performing self-tests or isolating themselves. She also stressed on the use of face masks for those with flu-like symptoms and isolation if the individual is confirmed to contract Covid-19.

“Skipping these practices could be one of the main reasons why there is an increase in cases,” she said.

Dr Azizan said those with influenza should mask up when going around, adding that Covid-19-positive individuals should report themselves through the MySejahtera app.

She also reminded those in high-risk categories to ensure that they have received the recommended boosters and use a face mask when in crowded places and situations.

“The elderly are also recommended to take the influenza vaccine as they may have a weaker immune system. The same goes for children above six months of age,” she said. “And do not forget the good habits the pandemic has taught us: wash hands often with soap and water or use sanitiser.”

Prof Dr Sharifa Ezat Wan Puteh said that while the recent 28% surge in cases was concerning, it had to be ascertained whether there was also a rise in virulence.

ALSO READ: Health Ministry to send report to PAC over Covid-19 management

The health economist and public health specialist with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia said there is a need to look at trends of Covid-19 admissions and patients with severe respiratory symptoms.On whether a major outbreak is possible, Dr Sharifa Ezat said it is unlikely “unless a new variant of concern comes up, and is highly virulent”.

She also advised patients with mild Covid-19 to wear a mask and get boosted if they have yet to do so, while those with severe symptoms should get tested and seek treatment.

“Immunocompromised populations are at higher risk of developing severe symptoms as well,” she said, referring to those with obesity, young children, the elderly and individuals with non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.

Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia president Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh said there has been a small increase in Covid-19 patients in private hospitals but the situation is still manageable.

“We have seen spikes after festive periods and we should be careful with very crowded places during gatherings,” he added.

Malaysian Pharmacists Society president Amrahi Buang said the new wave of infections was likely due to new variants and it has been happening in other countries as well, such as in Perth, Australia.

Last week, a surge in Covid-19 cases prompted the government of the Western Australian state to reintroduce face mask rules at Perth public hospitals.

Amrahi said the current rise in infections in Malaysia is concerning, adding that people have not been using MySejahtera to self-report.

Source link

Related stories:

Don’t panic but take care with Covid-19 spike

Daily confirmed cases steadily rising since September


‘I decided to isolate at a hotel for the sake of my loved ones’

Health Ministry to send report to PAC over Covid-19 management

Monday 27 November 2023

Rift over future of AI development

Sam Altman was fired on Nov 17 from the company that created the popular ChatGPT chatbot. To many, he was considered the human face of generative AI. — Reuters

OpenAI CEO calls for global cooperation on AI regulation, says ‘China has some of the best AI talent in the world’

THE rift that cost artificial-intelligence whiz kid Sam Altman his CEO job at OpenAI reflects a fundamental difference of opinion over safety, broadly, between two camps developing the world-altering software and pondering its societal impact.

On one side are those, like Altman, who view the rapid development and, especially, public deployment of AI as essential to stress-testing and perfecting the technology. On the other side are those who say the safest path forward is to fully develop and test AI in a laboratory first to ensure it is, so to speak, safe for human consumption.

Altman, 38, was fired on Nov 17 from the company that created the popular ChatGPT chatbot. To many, he was considered the human face of generative AI.

Some caution the hyper-intelligent software could become uncontrollable, leading to catastrophe – a concern among tech workers who follow a social movement called “effective altruism,” who believe AI advances should benefit humanity.

Among those sharing such fears is OpenAI’s Ilya Sutskever, the chief scientist and a board member who approved Altman’s ouster.

A similar division has emerged between developers of self-driving cars – also controlled by AI – who say they must be unleashed among dense urban streets to fully understand the vehicles’ faculties and foibles; whereas others urge restraint, concerned that the technology presents unknowable risks.


Altman attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit in San Francisco, California. — Reuters

Those worries over generative AI came to a head with the surprise ousting of Altman, who was also OpenAI’s cofounder.

Generative AI is the term for the software that can spit out coherent content, like essays, computer code and photo-like images, in response to simple prompts.

The popularity of OpenAI’s ChatGPT over the past year has accelerated debate about how best to regulate and develop the software.

“The question is whether this is just another product, like social media or cryptocurrency, or whether this is a technology that has the capability to outperform humans and become uncontrollable,” said Connor Leahy, CEO of ConjectureAI and a safety advocate. “Does the future then belong to the machines?”

Sutskever reportedly felt Altman was pushing OpenAI’s software too quickly into users’ hands, potentially compromising safety.

“We don’t have a solution for steering or controlling a potentially superintelligent AI, and preventing it from going rogue,” he and a deputy wrote in a July blog post. “Humans won’t be able to reliably supervise AI systems much smarter than us.”

Of particular concern, reportedly, was that OpenAI announced a slate of new commercially available products at its developer event earlier this month, including a version of its ChatGPT-4 software and so-called agents that work like virtual assistants.

Sutskever did not respond to a request for comment.

The fate of OpenAI is viewed by many technologists as critical to the development of AI. Discussions on Altman to be reinstalled have fizzled, dashing hopes among the former CEO’s acolytes.

ChatGPT’s release last November prompted a frenzy of investment in AI firms, including US$10bil from Microsoft into OpenAI and billions more for other startups, including from Alphabet and Amazon.com.

That can help explain the explosion of new AI products as firms like Anthropic and ScaleAI race to show investors progress. Regulators, meanwhile, are trying to keep pace with AI’s development, including guidelines from the Biden administration and a push for “mandatory self-regulation” from some countries as the European Union works to enact broad oversight of the software.

While most use generative AI software, such as ChatGPT, to supplement their work, like writing quick summaries of lengthy documents, observers are wary of versions that may emerge known as “artificial general intelligence”, or AGI, which could perform increasingly complicated tasks without any prompting. This has sparked concerns that the software could, on its own, take over defence systems, create political propaganda or produce weapons.

OpenAI was founded as a non-profit eight years ago, in part to ensure its products were not driven by profit-making that could lead it down a slippery slope toward a dangerous AGI, what is referred to in the company’s charter as any threatening to “harm to humanity or unduly concentrate power”. But since then, Altman helped create a for-profit entity within the company for the purpose of raising funds and other aims. — Reuters

Source link

Related posts:

Do not interpret China's participation in global AI safety summit narrowly as Biden signs executive order on AI regulation with Chinese experts warn against US politicizing technology

 


Friday 20 October 2023

Car combusts, now What To Do When Your Car Catches Fire? - Protect & Detect




PETALING JAYA: Imagine it’s been a long, stressful day at work. To unwind, you decide to take your car for a spin around the city.

With fewer cars on the road, you keep to your normal speed and let other motorists pass you on the right.

Suddenly, you smell something foul in the cabin, followed by the emergence of smoke.

Shortly after, your car bursts into flames.

ALSO READ: Insurance coverage available for vehicle fires, says PIAM

As dramatic as it may sound, this scenario may exactly describe what some drivers have unfortunately experienced.

According to data from the Selangor Fire and Rescue Department, there is at least one case of vehicle fire in the state each week.A recent incident involved a bus with eight passengers that caught fire in Jalan Tandang here on Oct 1.

Another case had an electric vehicle (EV) parked in Jalan Puchong Jaya burst into flames on Monday.

Thankfully, no one was hurt in both instances.

In the event of a car fire, Automotive Workshop Industry Operators’ Association secretary Anisah Mohammad said it is best to prioritise personal safety by keeping away from the vehicle.

“There is a risk of explosion in EVs, and it is important for firemen to use specialised extinguishers to neutralise the lithium-ion battery fluid as water should not be used.

“Fire and Rescue teams have specific protocols and safety measures in place to extinguish such fires.

“It is advisable for vehicle owners or users to distance themselves from the vehicle, take photos and videos as evidence, and file a report with the relevant authorities for insurance claims,” she said.

Anisah said vehicle fires from cars powered by internal combustion engines could originate from hot components such as the power steering oil, engine oil or gear oil.

“If any of these oils leak when the engine is running and come into contact with the exhaust, it can ignite, leading to a fire.

“This is the primary cause of vehicle fires.

“Another issue that contributes to car fires is the maintenance problem, specifically with oil hoses and petrol leaks.

“Newer cars, especially those from the year 2010 and onwards, are more prone to car fires due to numerous electronic parts,” she said.

“Hybrid cars and EVs are particularly susceptible to fires caused by the battery cooling system.

“The expansion of the battery due to excessive heat can result in sparks, leading to a fire,” she added.

Anisah also noted that performance modifications on vehicles are okay as long as the owner understands its function, and the mechanic has the necessary knowledge and expertise.

“Vehicle owners should only allow mechanics who are recognised with a certificate, diploma or degree in the field of automotive, hybrid cars and EV technology, to handle such modifications,” she said.

She also called on vehicle owners to be aware of safety precautions, such as equipping their vehicles with proper fire extinguishers.



In the event of a car fire, you will be likely in shock and panicked, as they don’t happen nearly as frequently as car collisions. However, a car fire is just as deadly, so it’s worth knowing what to do in the event of a car fire. 

Car on Fire

Causes of car fires

Unfortunately, the majority of car fires are started deliberately, either by arson, by criminals trying to cover their tracks or committing insurance fraud. Only 35% of car fires are accidental, stemming from manufacturing issues and fixes that may have accidentally been done wrong. Sometimes a car fire is down to the lack of basic car maintenance, so make sure you’re getting regular servicing on your car and complete MOTs when they are due. 

Dealing with a car fire

When a car fire starts, it’s vital you act quickly before you’re overcome with smoke and can’t evacuate the building. Vehicle fires spread rapidly, so follow these steps in the event of a fire:

  • Pull over immediately and switch off the engine, this stops the flow of fuel, which is highly flammable. 
  • Get yourself and passengers out of the car and as far away as possible.
  • DO NOT return to the vehicle for possessions, the vehicle might explode at any moment. 
  • Call 999, or if you have left your phone in the car, flag down another motorist and get them to call the emergency services for you. 
  • Stay aware of your surroundings whilst you wait for help, you might have stopped next to a busy roadside and it’s important you stay away from moving traffic. If you’re with kids stay extra vigilant and keep an eye on them. 

You may have the instinct to try and put out the fire yourself, but unless you have the right fire extinguisher, you may be causing more damage than good:

  • Opening the hood of the car will let more air reach the flames, which will in turn fuel the fire. 
  • Do not put water on the flames, the water might wash the burning petrol away to other areas where it will cause further problems. 
  • If it’s crucial you attempt to put the fire out without the proper fire extinguisher, earth and sand are a good way of suffocating the fire. 

Here at Protect & Detect, we pride ourselves on delivering a fully comprehensive fire alarm installation service and an extensive range of fire extinguishers to keep you and your family safe. To enquire further about our fire extinguishers or any other services, give us a call or request a callback using our form. 


Thursday 12 October 2023

Crooked cops under the spotlight; Bukit Aman CID chief pleased with public reception to his stern address to his personnel

 

   

ppointed new KL top cop as Bukit Aman CID director followed rigorous selection proc process



Newly- appointed CID director who exposed the state of decay in the ranks has given a clear warning to cops on the payroll of criminal syndicates.

THE rot in our police force is far worse than imagined but there is a glimmer of hope: It is no longer being swept under the carpet.

The head of Bukit Aman’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain, has pledged this in no uncertain terms.

At a meeting in Penang on Friday, which was supposed to be a welcoming mandate ceremony for him as the newly promoted director, he stunned the 130 state and district CID chiefs with the brutal expose of the decay in the system.

Comm Shuhaily, the former KL police chief, was blunt in his warning to corrupt officers working in cahoots with criminal rackets. His notice to them: “Change or be changed.”

“You’re willing to sacrifice the lives of your comrades because of the money you get from syndicates. In other words, there are some here who are willing to kill each other for money,” the CID director said during the closeddoor conference.

The video footage of his speech was posted online and has since gone viral.

Comm Shuhaily said the venality and corruption in the system has remained unchecked because there is no supervision, especially in monitoring the lifestyles of officers and lower ranking police personnel.

For example, he questioned how it is possible for a sergeant to buy a Toyota Alphard, Vellfire, or a Mercedes with money earned only from his salary.

(A police sergeant comes under Grade YA5, for which the minimum salary is RM1,824 with the maximum of RM5,801. The base model of Toyota Alphard costs RM464,000. With a year’s insurance of RM14,366 and road tax of RM4,182, the on-the-road price of the vehicle is a whopping RM482,548. Reconditioned models a few years older cost about RM40,000 to RM50,000 less.)

“Have their superiors ever asked how they could afford such luxury vehicles based on the salaries they earn, or whether they have declared their assets? This is all part of existing police task force directives,” he said.

Comm Shuhaily said the supervising officers were not just negligent in motoring junior officers but were also directly involved by being on the criminal syndicates’ payroll.

“Some are equally bad. They go and buy these luxury cars together with their sergeants and even pick out the registration plate numbers together. Isn’t this what’s happening?” he said, underscoring the state of corruption in the force.

Addressing those in the meeting who had not met the basic requirements of their responsibilities, he said they would be removed from the CID and barred from holding any higher rank.

Citing the observation of the late former IGP Tan Sri Mohd Bakri Omar, who served from 2003 to 2006, he said most officers were “promoted to the level of incompetence”.

“They make wrong decisions or dare not decide nor give directives when needed. They play safe all the time to get their positions. They are only clever at PR.”

Describing irresponsible officers and those who work with criminal rackets for monthly payments as “traitors”, he said they were not fit to talk about defending the country, race or religion.

Comm Shuhaily said he expected everyone in the CID, from officers in the Bukit Aman HQ to personnel in stations across the country, to stop associating with criminal syndicates.

Although there is cynicism in the ranks over the CID director’s admonition, likening it to the adage of “A new broom sweeps clean”, Malaysians have largely welcomed the man’s trenchant warning against police misconduct.

But in all honesty, what are the chances of our police force being cleansed under the existing laws to check abuses and accountability?

It won’t happen with the Independent Police Conduct

Commission (IPCC) Act 2020, which has been described as “toothless” by human rights and civil society groups.

The IPCC, which only came into force this July after being passed three years ago, does not have the key ingredient for it to be effective: authority to discipline.

This lame piece of legislation has also weakened the scant police oversight provided under the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC). The IPCC does not even include search and investigation powers provided under the EAIC.

The IPCC has no powers to act against police officers found guilty of wrongdoing. It can only recommend proposed actions to the Police Force Commission or other appropriate authorities.

It is a poor substitute for the original Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC), first mooted in 2005 as part of 125 recommendations by the Royal Commission to Enhance the Operation and Management of the Royal Malaysia Police.

Members of the commission included prominent figures such as a former IGP, representatives of the police force and the Retired Senior Police Officers’ Association of Malaysia, among others.

The establishment of the IPCMC to probe cases of police abuse and to discipline culprits responsible was among the commission’s main recommendations.

Although a proposed Bill was drafted as part of the report, resistance from within the police force was too strong for it to make any headway.

In July 2019, the then ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition, tabled its IPCMC Bill, which was criticised as a gross disappointment from what was initially proposed by the commission.

But the IPCMC Act was stymied when the Pakatan government collapsed in February 2020 with the crossing over of many of its MPS in the wake of the “Sheraton Move”.

Among all forms of corruption, it is graft within the police force which hurts a country the most. In Malaysia, it has come to a level where corrupt officers are in the pockets of criminal rackets.

Meaningful reform cannot take place if the cops are allowed to continue investigating misconduct cases involving their own. Or if corrupt officers are only given slaps on wrists by being transferred out or barred from promotion.

The only viable solution to cleanse the much-marred image of our police force is to set up the IPCMC as it was first proposed 18 years ago. It is still not too late to do so.

- Media consultant M. Veera Pandiyan likes this quote by a US Chief Justice, Earl Warren: “The police must obey the law while enforcing the law.” The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.



KUALA LUMPUR: Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain says he was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming response from the public following the video of his recent address to CID officers.

The Bukit Aman CID director said it showed that the public knew about the state of the police, and that it was an "open secret".

"I firmly believe if we are plagued by disease, we must first admit it.

"If we don't, then the doctor could not administer the right cure or medicine," he told a press conference in Bukit Aman on Wednesday (Oct 11).

He was commenting on the recent videos of his address to CID officers, where he was hard hitting, including highlighting wrongdoings of some officers.

"What I did is just amplifying what the IGP and Deputy IGP have been saying in wanting to clean up the police force.

"They have been saying it, I merely amplify it," he lamented.

Comm Mohd Shuhaily said as an initial move, all CID officers holding sensitive positions, including district CID chiefs and D7 (Secret Societies, Gambling and Vice Division), have to declare their assets, and must be transparent and comprehensive.

"If someone is able and can afford a certain lifestyle, they must show they have legitimate sources of income.

"We will conduct continuous auditing to ensure high integrity among CID officers," he said.

Comm Mohd Shuhaily also said applications for sensitive positions in the department were also open.

"We will issue the offer to any officer or personnel.

"They must send their application letter along with forms declaring their assets," he said, emphasising that his address was a call for his officers to change.

"Whatever we do, it will have a reaction, be it positive or negative.

"However, the overall reaction by the public has been positive, but we need the public to help us.

"Change belongs to you," said Comm Mohd Shuhaily, who added the reason the video was disseminated was so that it could reach a wider audience.

"During the address, I could only address 140 officers present at the venue, whereas I have 10,000 officers and personnel in the department," he said.


Related posts:



Sunday 2 July 2023

Is Fukushima nuclear-contaminated wastewater release safe? What the science says

 A close up of a staff member wearing a hard hat and face mask measuring the radiation levels of storage tanks

A TEPCO representative measures radiation levels around the treated water storage tanks in 2018.Credit: Kimimasa Mayama/AFP via Getty

 


 

Insiders reveal the truth behind hastily released IAEA report on Japan's radioactive water dumping plan

 

China urges Japanese govt, IAEA to respond to reports of 'donation' related to Fukushima water disposal

The Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday urged Tokyo to provide a convincing explanation and the IAEA secretariat to respond over the allegation after South Korean media reports revealed that the Japanese government has made a political donation to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) concerning the Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water disposal.

 

Despite concerns from several nations and international groups, Japan is pressing ahead with plans to release water contaminated by the 2011 meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. Starting sometime this year and continuing for the next 30 years, Japan will slowly release treated water stored in tanks at the site into the ocean through a pipeline extending one kilometre from the coast. But just how safe is the water to the marine environment and humans across the Pacific region?

How is the water contaminated?


The power station exploded after a devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami crippled the coastal plant, overheating the reactor cores. Since then, more than 1.3 million cubic metres of seawater have been sprayed onto the damaged cores to keep them from overheating, contaminating the water with 64 radioactive elements, known as radionuclides. Of greatest concern are those that could pose a threat to human health: carbon-14, iodine-131, caesium-137, strontium-90, cobalt-60 and hydrogen-3, also known as tritium.

Some of these radionuclides have a relatively short half-life and would already have decayed in the 12 years since the disaster. But others take longer to decay; carbon-14, for example, has a half-life of more than 5,000 years.

How are they treating the water?


The contaminated water has been collected, treated to reduce the radioactive content and stored in more than 1,000 stainless steel tanks at the site. The power-station operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), so far has used what it describes as an advanced liquid-processing system (ALPS) to treat the water. TEPCO says the water undergoes five processing stages of co-sedimentation, adsorption and physical filtration. The plan for disposing of the radioactive waste created in the ALPS process will be “gradually revealed as the decommissioning process progresses”, according to communication the Permanent Mission of Japan to the International Organizations in Vienna sent to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The ALPS process removes enough of 62 of the 64 radionuclides to bring their concentration below Japan’s 2022 regulatory limits for water to be discharged into the environment. These limits are based on recommendations from the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

But that process does not remove carbon-14 and tritium, so the treated water needs to be diluted further to less than one part per 100 parts of seawater. TEPCO says that the resulting concentration of tritium is around 1,500 becquerels (a measure of the radioactivity of a substance) per litre — around one-seventh of the World Health Organization’s guidelines for tritium in drinking water. The company suggests that the concentration of tritium will drop to background ocean levels within a few kilometres of the discharge site. The carbon-14 in the tanks is currently at concentrations of around 2% of the upper limit set by regulations, TEPCO says, and this will reduce further with the seawater dilution that takes place before the water is discharged.

Jim Smith, an environmental scientist at the University of Portsmouth, UK, says the risk this poses to nations around the Pacific Ocean will probably be negligible. “I always hesitate to say zero, but close to zero,” he says. “The nearest Pacific island is about 2,000 kilometres away.” He argues that a greater risk is posed by keeping the treated water on-site. “The risk of another earthquake or a typhoon causing a leak of a tank is higher, and they’re running out of space.”

Will radioactivity concentrate in fish?


Nations such as South Korea have expressed concern that the treated water could have unexplored impacts on the ocean environment, and a delegation from the country visited the Fukushima site in May. Last year, the US National Association of Marine Laboratories in Herndon, Virginia, also voiced its opposition to the planned release, saying that there was “a lack of adequate and accurate scientific data supporting Japan’s assertion of safety”. The Philippine government has also called for Japan to reconsider releasing the water into the Pacific.

“Have the people promoting this going forward — ALPS treatment of the water and then release into the ocean — demonstrated to our satisfaction that it will be safe for ocean health and human health?” asks Robert Richmond, marine biologist at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. “The answer is ‘no’.”

Richmond is one of five scientists on a panel advising the Pacific Islands Forum, an intergovernmental organization made up of 18 Pacific nations including Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and French Polynesia. The panel was convened to advise on whether the release of the treated water from Fukushima was safe both for the ocean and for those who depend on it. Richmond says they have reviewed all the data provided by TEPCO and the Japanese government, and visited the Fukushima site, but there are still some unanswered questions about tritium and carbon-14.

Tritium is a β-radiation emitter — albeit a weak one — meaning that it emits ionizing radiation that can damage DNA. TEPCO says the concentrations of tritium in the treated water release a dose of ionizing radiation lower than that experienced by someone flying a round trip from New York to Tokyo.

But human skin partly blocks ionizing radiation, Richmond says. “If you eat something that’s radioactively contaminated with β-emitters, your cells inside are being exposed.”

TEPCO says fishing is not routinely conducted in an area within 3 kilometres of where the pipeline will discharge the water. But Richmond is concerned the tritium could concentrate in the food web as larger organisms eat smaller contaminated ones. “The concept of dilution as the solution to pollution has demonstrably been shown to be false,” Richmond says. “The very chemistry of dilution is undercut by the biology of the ocean.”

Shigeyoshi Otosaka, an oceanographer and marine chemist at the Atmospheric and Ocean Research Institute of the University of Tokyo says that the organically bound form of tritium could accumulate in fish and marine organisms. He says international research is investigating the potential for such bioaccumulation of the radionuclides in marine life, and what has already happened in the waters around Fukushima after the accidental release of contaminated water during the tsunami. “I think it is important to evaluate the long-term environmental impact of these radionuclides,” Otosaka says.

A spokesperson for TEPCO said that the company has been conducting tests in which marine organisms are raised in seawater containing ALPS-treated water. “We have confirmed that the tritium concentrations in the bodies of marine organisms reach equilibrium after a certain period of time and do not exceed the concentrations in the living environment,” the spokesperson said. The tritium concentrations then decrease over time once the organism is returned to untreated seawater.

TEPCO will continue to compare the health of organisms reared in diluted treated water with those reared in untreated seawater.

Has this been done before?


Smith points out that releasing tritium-contaminated water is part of the usual operating procedure for nuclear power plants. He says that both the Heysham nuclear power station and Sellafield nuclear-fuel-processing plant in the United Kingdom release between 400 and 2,000 terabecquerels of tritium into the ocean each year. “Overall, because it’s such a weak β-emitter, it’s not really that radiotoxic,” Smith says.

Otosaka says that is also the case in Japan: “More than 50 terabecquerel of tritium was discharged annually from each nuclear power plant in regular operation before the accident,” he says. TEPCO says that less than 22 terabecquerels of tritium will be released from the pipeline each year. “The release rate of the tritium … is well controllable,” Otosaka says.

TEPCO says there will be continuous monitoring of sea life and sediments around the area, which will be done by TEPCO, the Japanese Nuclear Regulation Authority and the IAEA.

The IAEA, which has been supervising the clean-up and management of Fukushima, is expected to release a final report on the site and the plan for the wastewater release later in June.

Source link

RELATED ARTICLES
 

 

Saturday 10 June 2023

OpenAI CEO calls for global cooperation on AI regulation, says ‘China has some of the best AI talent in the world’

 

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI (right), delivers an online speech at the conference held by the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence in Beijing on June 10, 2023. Photo: Shen Weiduo/GT

OpenAI's CEO calls on China to help shape AI safety .

OpenAI's CEO Altman Calls on China to Help Shape AI ...



Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has called for a global cooperation in setting up the regulatory guardrails for powerful artificial intelligence (AI) systems at an industry forum held in Beijing on Saturday, noting that China can play a significant role with some of its "best AI talent in the world."

"China has some of the best AI talent in the world... given the difficulties solving alignment for advanced AI systems requires the best minds from around the world," Altman said at an industry forum hosted by the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence (BAAI) on Saturday.

Altman predicted that in the next decade, artificial general intelligence systems, commonly called AGI, may surpass human expertise "in nearly every domain," and could eventually exceed the collective productivity of some of the largest companies.

"The potential upside here isn't one. AI revolution will create shared wealth and make it possible to dramatically improve the standard of living for everyone. We must manage the risk together in order to get there," Altman said.

At present, a new round of AI boom triggered by ChatGPT is sweeping the world including China. While people have been thrilled for the productivity improvement that AI can bring, they are increasingly aware of the huge risks, with governments slowly stepping in to harness the powerful yet dangerous tool. 

In May, hundreds of industry leaders, including Altman himself, have signed a letter warning that "mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war." Altman made a point to reference the IAEA, the United Nations nuclear watchdog, as an example of how the world came together to oversee nuclear power.

"We need international cooperation to build global trust in the safe development of increasingly powerful AI systems. In a verifiable way, I have no illusions that this will be easy. We will need to devote significant and sustained attention as an international community to get this right," Altman said.

In a possible indication to the current geopolitical conflict's impact on the global AI cooperation, Altman noted that "great powers may have their share of differences." This is true today, as it has been before. But even during the most difficult times, great powers have found ways to cooperate on what matters. "We see great potential for researchers in the US, China, and around the world to work together to achieve the shared goal."

Altman used an ancient Chinese proverb, "a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," in describing how the world should start on the difficult but necessary cooperation.

In talking about the next frontier that OpenAI is engaging on in a later Q&A session, Altman said OpenAI is discussing about opening source more models in the future, but does not have a specific model or timetable.

"Certainly, at some point, we'll try to do a GPT-5 model in the sequence, but not anytime soon and we don't know exactly when," Sam said, adding that he's hoping someday the company can get to return to robotics - a sector the company has worked on at the very start.

The two-day conference hosted by the BAAI has invited leading figures in the industry such as AI "godfather" Geoffrey Hinton and Turing Award winner Yann André LeCun. Apart from exchanging on AI frontiers and technology progress, this year's conference placed a special focus on AI regulation and alignment.

Industry players and experts at the forum have also emphasized on the importance of global cooperation in harnessing the "double-sword" technology, which is especially urgent as the large models are development "too fast."

"We are fully aware of the urgency of AI regulation, but under the current global situation, as some in the US are hyping China threat with AI as a key battleground, global cooperation and an international rule could be hard, though some cooperation might be achievable in certain areas,"Wang Peng, a research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Saturday at the sidelines of the event.

Looking ahead, the development of large models and major technological breakthroughs is clearly be related to the life and death of human society, Wang said, noting that it's critical for some nations to drop closed and retrogressive minds of "small courtyards and high walls," join forces together with the rest of the world, and concentrate on overcoming difficulties for the benefit of all mankind.

Source link

RELATED ARTICLES
 

 

Related posts:

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND I; Cybercriminals exploit chatbots

In just a matter of months, people have started integrating generative chatbots and other AI tools into their work processes.

 

  Lies, racism and AI: IT experts point to serious flaws in ChatGPT

 

Tech giants explore new OpenAI opportunities as ChatGPT, the latest chatbot launched

 

ChatGPT And The Future Of AI, Turkey Earthquakes.Part 1

Tight job market? AI meets worker shortage

 

Microsoft to enhance search engine, browser