bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AN INTEGER LINEAR PROGRAMMING FORMULATION FOR POST-DEPARTURE AIR TRAFFIC FLOW MANAGEMENT
Authors: Bongo Miriam , Sy Charlle
Published: May 2021

The air transportation domain faces issues in air traffic congestion which leads to delays affecting a network of flights. As stakeholders strive to address such issue by applying air traffic flow management (ATFM) actions, there exists an apparent divide in the solution objective and perspectives. In the extant literature, solution approaches involving ATFM actions are often framed from the perspective of only one stakeholder to another. Such a scheme does not comprehensively cover the overall goal of the stakeholders, thus, provides inadequate, even conflicting, solutions. Therefore, this paper proposes an integer linear programming model for a rerouting problem that satisfactorily incorporates the individual interests of stakeholders (i.e., airport management, airline sector, air traffic management) in the commercial aviation industry and the common goal of ensuring safety in flight operations. The proposed model is designed to tactically select an alternate route when the primary route is constrained due to uncertainties such as inclement weather in a post-departure scenario. A hypothetical case study involving multiple destinations and alternate routes is carried out to illustrate the validity of the model. A Demo version of Lingo software is used to run the proposed model. Notable computational results show significant differences of selected routes as individual system interests are taken into isolation compared to when the general, collaborative model is implemented. In other words, the proposed model is able to show that preferences in alternate routes do vary with the individual interests of stakeholders, more so with the integration of the collaborative decision among stakeholders. Therefore, this research work provides a groundwork to a more comprehensive take of managing air traffic scenario involving all phases of flights. This is realized by providing a proof that significant shifts of decision solutions occur when the overall goal of stakeholders is considered rather than taking their individual interests into isolation.
TRAVEL BEHAVIOR OF COMMUTERS IN ASEAN COUNTRIES WITH THE LEAST CONFIRMED COVID-19 CASES DURING THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC − A CASE STUDY OF CAMBODIA AND LAOS
Authors: Phandanouvong Sisalermkiat , Shah Syed Muhammad Tariq , Rith Monorom , Piantanakulchai Mongkut
Published: May 2021

Cambodia and Laos are two countries located in Southeast Asia. During the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, people in these two countries are encouraged to work to sustain economic activities and therefore travel normally. A sound understanding of travel behavior in these two countries, however, has remained unknown during the global pandemic. This study explored the travel behavior of commuters for key destinations (i.e., workplace, market, and hospital) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Cambodia and Laos. The study used the primary dataset of 217 observations collected online from 29 March through 4 April 2020 using the simple random sampling technique. The multinomial logit model (MNL) was used for statistical data analysis. The results showed that males were more likely than females to go to work by motorcycle, followed by car and walking/cycling. Private/industry employees and state officials/public servants were likely to go to work, but academics/researchers, the self-employed, and the jobless/students were inclined not to travel. People living in cities had a higher preference to travel to work by car and motorcycle. People living in Laos were least likely to travel to the three key destinations by motorcycle and most likely to travel to the workplace and market by car, as compared to people living in Cambodia. Overall, the COVID-19 pandemic leads to changes in people's lifestyles as well as travel behavior. People preferred modes of private transport to public transport to obey social distancing, thereby avoiding getting infected with the virus. These solutions can simultaneously minimize the economic loss and slow down the spread of the COVID-19 disease.
Defining the Building Blocks and the Priority Areas for Cooperation Under the Belt and Road Initiative
Authors: Inusa Yaktor Joshua , Toe Doris Hooi Chyee , Yong Kum Weng
Published: May 2021

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a China’s endeavour to globally connect the countries along two major routes. This paper examines the keywords defining the building blocks and priority areas under the BRI and their relationship in order to foster a practical understanding of the BRI for enhancing regional cooperation and connectivity along the routes. The methodology employed was a systematic literature review involving four stages. Firstly, a broad search in the Scopus database (2016-2020) using BRI or similar terms returned n=1,710 articles which were further limited using the keywords: building blocks, priority areas, policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration and people-to-people exchange. Other keywords considered were community and Silk Road. The articles were then screened and assessed resulting in 155 articles reviewed in this study. The review reveals that while the building blocks are the aim motivating the BRI, hence the spirit behind it, the five priority areas provide practical methods through which China and other countries along the Belt and Road routes will focus their collective development. The relationship between the two aspects owes to the fact that people are involved at all spheres of the initiative bringing about emphasis on the people-to-people exchange which is a core part of social dimension in sustainable development. In contribution, this paper presents a unique perspective for looking at the BRI for a focused discussion of its cooperative framework which could serve as a foundation for further research in various sectors
Comfortable Liveable Space: Shipping Container and Bamboo as Sustainable Building Materials in Equatorial Climate Perspective?
Authors: Jamaludin Adi Ainurzaman , Ilham Zul , Wan-Mohtar Wan Abd Al Qadr Imad , Abdul Halim-Lim Sarina , Hussein Hazreena
Published: May 2021

The development of liveable space made from shipping containers becomes a trend even in Malaysia with the hot and humid climate persisting throughout the year. For sustaining the indoor comfort, building insulation is well adapted to increase thermal resistance and reduce the dependency on the mechanical cooling systems. The prospective of a shipping container as an efficient construction material and bamboo as a sustainable insulation material is well documented but basic information on the internal environment that has an impact on a person, particularly risk potential towards sick building syndrome (SBS) has been absent. Therefore, the measurements of both indoor and outdoor temperatures, relative humidity and CO2 concentration with two different conditions were done by using different sets of data loggers for at least 70 days under each condition. The first condition is a bare unit of the shipping container and followed by the installation of untreated bamboo as insulation for the second condition. This research reveals that high temperatures were recorded up to 40°C in both conditions and untreated bamboo as insulation increased the relative humidity levels up to the maximum, 100%. The mean values of CO2 concentration are in the range of 1,869 ppm to 2,938 ppm and they reach up to 5,000 ppm at the most of the intervals, indicating a significant contribution to SBS. The condition of the equatorial climate denies the compatibility of the shipping container to be used as the building material of liveable space. The quality and treatment of the bamboo must be the ultimate priority
Does Ecuador Comply with International Tax Information Exchange Standards Required to Apply the Multilateral Agreement on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters?
Authors: Chacón Gabriela Rivadeneira
Published: May 2021

The exchange of tax information is essential to prevent fraud and tax evasion. Accordingly, states and international organizations have developed international conventions regarding the exchange of tax information. One example is the Multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters. Some States, including Ecuador, have signed and ratified this Convention. However, it is unclear whether Ecuador currently meets almost all Convention's requirements.In this article, I investigated the Ecuadorian regulations and showed that Ecuador complies with most of the Convention’s standards. However, Ecuador does not have a specific comprehensive law that regulates information exchange. Therefore, Ecuador should develop policies and norms that exclusively regulate tax information exchange to facilitate practical information exchanging with other tax authorities.
Doses of reality
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: May 2021

The Serum Institute of India aimed to be a major world supplier of COVID-19 vaccines. India's pandemic got in the way.
AAAS makes science relatable through diverse efforts
Authors: Ham Becky
Published: May 2021

Policy, education, and outreach projects make research relevant
Rapid diagnosis of lymphocytic meningitis by frequency-pulsed electron capture gas-liquid chromatography: differentiation of tuberculous, cryptococcal, and viral meningitis
Authors: Craven R B , Brooks J B , Edman D C , Converse J D , Greenlee J , Schlossberg D , Furlow T , Gwaltney J M , Miner W F
Published: May 2021

Cerebrospinal fluid specimens from patients with tuberculous (17 cases), cryptococcal (15 cases), and viral (14 cases) meningitis were analyzed by frequency-pulsed electron capture gas-liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Compounds that disappeared after therapy were found to be present in each of these specimens and were not detected in controls. They occurred in repetitive patterns such that these three types of meningitis could be rapidly distinguished. The compound associated with tuberculous meningitis has been tentatively identified. These finding have implications for rapid diagnosis, pathophysiological studies, and possible new therapeutic approaches.
Preparation and evaluation of a noninfectious monkey pox virus vaccine
Authors: Olsen R G , Blakeslee J R , Mathes L , Nakano J H
Published: May 2021

Monkey pox virus was mechanically disrupted by low temperature and high pressure into soluble and insoluble fractions. Soluble fractions elicited virus-neutralizing antibodies (1:20 to 1:160) in rabbits, whereas the insoluble (in saline) fractions did not (less than 1:5). No infectious virus was detected after the disruption procedure. Rhesus monkeys immunized with the soluble fraction elicited virus-neutralizing (1:1,200), complement-fixing (1:16), and hemagglutinating-inhibiting (1:80 to 1:160) antibody titers and were completely protected against monkey pox virus-induced disease. This model of monkey pox virus subunit vaccine preparation may prove to be useful in developing an efficacious noninfectious vaccinia vaccine for use in high-risk individuals.
Epstein-Barr virus viral capsid antigen titer by immunofluorescence with microplates: new semiautomated method based on the microtiter system
Authors: Lamy M E , Favart A M , Burtonboy G , Arana A
Published: May 2021

A semiautomated method of an indirect immunofluorescence technique for the titration of antibodies directed against viral capsid antigens of Epstein-Barr virus has been developed with Microtiter system units. By this method, a technician is able to titrate some hundred samples daily. The technique is safe, easy, and reproducible. The various procedures are described, and the sensitivity of the test is discussed.
Distribution of antibody to hepatitis A antigen in a population of commerical plasma doners
Authors: Hall W T , Mundon F K , Madden D L , DeSouza D , Kane J L
Published: May 2021

Plasma samples from 245 regular plasma donors for Plasma Alliance, Inc. (Knoxville, Tenn.) were tested for the presence of antibody to hepatitis A antigen. Antibody was detected at an immune adherence hemagglutination titer of 1:10 or greater in 37% (91 of 245) of the donors. A statistically significant difference in the frequency of anti-hepatitis A was found between the 18- to 29-year-old group (30%) and the 30- to 49-year-old group (57%). No significant differences between whites and blacks or males afemales were observed. Eighty percent of the donors were in the age range of 18 to 29 years, whereas 48% of the higher-titered plasmas (1:1,000 or greater) were in the 30 to 49 age group. By preselection of donors, it would be possible to produce an immune serum globulin with a specific anti-hepatitis A titer.
Preservation of mycobacteria st -70 degrees C: persistence of key differential features
Authors: Kubica G P , Gontijo-Filho P P , Kim T
Published: May 2021

The advantages of long-term preservation of suspensions of mycobacteria by storage at -70 degrees C established in earlier studies are reinforced by present evidence that freezer storage does not alter key taxonomic features used to identify mycobacteria. Occasional discrepancies in biochemical test characteristics of mycobacteria that have been stored in the freezer and reconstituted at 37 degrees C reflect only sluggish metabolic activity, which is restored to normal on repeat testing.
Evaluation of candida precipitin and agglutinin tests for the diagnosis of systemic candidiasis in burn patients
Authors: Holder I A , Kozinn P J , Law E J
Published: May 2021

Candida agglutinin and precipitin tests were performed on a group of burned patients without evidence of systemic candidiasis to determine whether tests could be used to distinguish between colonization and systemic disease, as has recently been reported. There were considerable numbers of false-positive results using both tests. These false-positive results occurred regardless of the candida colonization status of the patient. We conclude that these tests are of little diagnostic value in burn patients.
Center for disease control diagnostic immunology proficiency testing program results for 1976
Authors: Taylor R N , Fulford K M , Przybyszewski A , Pope V
Published: May 2021

Over 900 laboratories participated in the Diagnostic Immunology portion of the 1976 Proficiency Testing Program, which was provided by the Center of Disease Control under the authority of the Clinical Laboratories Improvement Act of 1967. One hundred specimens prepared by the Center for Disease Control for analysis were distributed on a quarterly schedule or in special surveys. Feedback from participating laboratories included over 37,500 qualitative and 33,000 quantitative responses, which were analyzed to determine individual laboratory proficiency levels. In addition, information supplied by participants in each survey helped to delineate trends in testing protocols. The specimens chosen for analysis called for a broad range of tests commonly performed in diagnostic immunology laboratories, including those for rubella antibodies, hepatitis B surface antigen, bacterial antibodies, rheumatoid factor, immunoglobulins and other serum-specific proteins, and carcinoembryonic antigen. A summary of the data analysis is provided so that the laboratories can improve their overall performance levels.
Filter paper solid-phase radioimmunoassay for human rotavirus surface immunoglobulins
Authors: Watanabe H , Holmes I H
Published: May 2021

A filter paper solid-phase radioimmunoassay has been developed. Filter paper disks adsorbed a large amount of rotavirus and serum globulin and gave small mean variation of coating and low background binding. The rotavirus isolated from stools from infants with acute enteritis 1, 3, and 4 days after onset of symptoms was shown to be already covered with immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgA, and IgM antibodies by this radioimmunoassay, by immunoelectrophoresis, and by immune electron microscopy. The immunoglobulins covering the virus particle were partially separated during 125I labeling and eluted at the position expected for IgG during Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. Rabbit antiserum prepared against purified fecal rotavirus contained not only rotavirus antibodies but also a fairly large amount of immunoglobulin antibody, reflecting the antibodies on the rotavirus particle surface.
Latex agglutination tests for measurement of antiplague antibodies
Authors: Suzuki S , Sakakibara H , Hotta S
Published: May 2021

A latex agglutination test was evaluated as a method for detection and titration of antiplague antibodies. Slide and microtiter techniques using polystyrene latex particles coated with specific fraction-I-antigen of Yersinia pestis were found to be comparable in specificity and sensitivity to serological tests commonly used in laboratory practice. The latex agglutination titers correlated well with those measured by the World Health Organization standard method of indirect hemagglutination, although there was a tendency for the former to be a little lower than the latter. With further study, the latex agglutination test may have application in the seroinvestigation of plague infection in rodents.
Bromothymol blue and carbohydrate-sensitive plating media
Authors: DuPree M R , Wilcox G
Published: May 2021

A new plating medium using bromothymol blue (BTB) indicator is described and compared with eosin-methylene blue (EMB), MacConkey, and Endo media. These media were tested with L-arabinose by plating fermenting and nonfermenting mutant strains of Escherichia coli. The minimum concentrations of L-arabinose that permitted differentiation of these strains were determined. Different concentrations were required for differentiating confluent patches of cells, isolated colonies, and closely spaced or adjacent colonies. L-Arabinose, L-rhamnose, D-lactose, and D-galactose were tested with modified enteric media and with BTB medium, again to determine minimum usable concentrations. BTB media and reformulated conventional media allowed detection of acidification, aerobically, at one-fifth to one-hundredth the (1%, wt/vol) concentration of carbohydrate used in standard indicator plates.
Distinct reovirus-like agents associated with acute infantile gastroenteritis
Authors: Espejo R T , Calderon E , Gonzalez N
Published: May 2021

Human reovirus-like particles were found by electron microscopy in the stools of 25% of 71 infants and young children hospitalized with acute gastroenteritis in Mexico between December 1976 and April 1977. The virus was also identified by the electrophoresis patterns of its ribonucleic acid upon disruption of partially purified particles. This technique is as reliable as electron microscopy but less laborious, and could become a routine diagnostic procedure. The electrophoretic patterns of viral ribonucleic acid from different cases suggest that there are at least two different reovirus-like agents associated with infantile gastroenteritis.
Growth on Congo Red Agar: Possible Means of Identifying Penicillin-Resistant Non-Penicillinase-Producing Gonococci
Authors: Payne Shelley M. , Finkelstein Richard A.
Published: May 2021

Exceptional strains of gonococci that grow on Congo red agar were found to be penicillin-resistant non-penicillinase producers.
Anti-complement immunofluorescence test for antibodies to human cytomegalovirus
Authors: Kettering J D , Schmidt N J , Gallo D , Lennette E H
Published: May 2021

An anti-complement immunofluorescence (ACIF) test that detects human cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigen in the nuclei of infected cells was used for assay of CMV antibodies in human sera. Various factors influencing the sensitivity and specificity of the ACIF test system were investigated, and results were applied to the development of a procedure which could be completed in a relatively short length of time and gave reproducible results. Results obtained in the ACIF test were compared with those obtained in complement fixation, indirect hemagglutination, and neutralization tests, and the ACIF test was shown to be suitable for detection of significant antibody titer rises and stationary levels of CMV antibody. Heterotypic antibody responses were not seen with sera from other human herpesvirus infections. The nonspecific cytoplasmic staining that occurs in indirect immunofluorescence tests for CMV did not occur in the ACIF system, and sera that were anti-complementary in complement fixation tests could be examined satisfactorily by ACIF. Thus, the test is a valuable supplemental or back-up procedure for the serodiagnosis of CMV infection.
Some Properties of ID∗-n-Lie-derivations of Leibniz algebras
Authors: Biyogmam G. R. , Tcheka C. , Kamgam D. A.
Published: May 2021

The concepts of [Formula: see text]-derivations and [Formula: see text]-central derivations have been recently presented in [G. R. Biyogmam and J. M. Casas, [Formula: see text]-central derivations, [Formula: see text]-centroids and [Formula: see text]-stem Leibniz algebras, Publ. Math. Debrecen 97(1–2) (2020) 217–239]. This paper studies the notions of [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-derivation and [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-central derivation on Leibniz algebras as generalizations of these concepts. It is shown that under some conditions, [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-central derivations of a non-Lie-Leibniz algebra [Formula: see text] coincide with [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-derivations, that is, [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-derivations in which the image is contained in the [Formula: see text]th term of the lower [Formula: see text]-central series of [Formula: see text] and vanishes on the upper [Formula: see text]-central series of [Formula: see text] We prove some properties of these [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-derivations. In particular, it is shown that the Lie algebra structure of the set of [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-derivations is preserved under [Formula: see text]-[Formula: see text]-isoclinism.
Influence of Channel Doping on Junctionless and Negative Capacitance Junctionless Transistors
Authors: Gupta Manish , Hu V. P.-H.
Published: May 2021

In this work, we report on the impact of channel doping on the performance of junctionless (JL) and negative capacitance (NC) JL devices designed with a gate length (L
g) of 18 nm. Results showcase that NCJL devices exhibit negative internal gate voltage (V
int) at zero gate bias, which becomes more negative as the channel doping increases. The occurrence of negative V
int is the unique feature of NCJL transistors, which is responsible for efficient channel depletion. The analysis showcases that negative V
int in NCJL devices leads to lower off-current along with NC induced higher on-current than conventional JL devices. The results reported in this work provide insights into the functionality of NCJL devices and highlight the benefits of designing negative capacitance junctionless devices.
Oxygen Reduction Reaction Performance Boosting Effect of Nitrogen/Sulfur Co-Doped Graphene Supported Cobalt Phosphide Nanoelectrocatalyst: pH-Universal Electrocatalyst
Authors: Karaman Onur
Published: May 2021

Herein, a novel noble metal-free hybrid of CoP@N,S-3D-GN in which cobalt phosphide (CoP) anchored onto the nitrogen and sulfur co-doped three-dimensional graphene(N,S-3D-GN) architecture is proposed to catalyze the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) both in acidic and alkaline media. The facile cost-effective fabrication strategy including hydrothermal self-assembly of 3D–GN and subsequent low-temperature phosphidation is implemented. The obtained hybrids exhibit pH-universal electrocatalytic activity towards ORR thanks to facilitated mass diffusion, boosted charge transport, and abundance of electroactive sites as a result of the synergistic effect of co-doped heteroatoms and metal phosphide nanoparticles. The virtues of large specific surface area and 3D-interconnected microporous and mesoporous architecture, as well as tailoring of the surface with CoP and N,S-co-doping, facilitate the ORR catalytic activity and offer four-electron pathways both in acidic (n = 3.962) and alkaline media (n = 3.991). CoP@N,S-3D-GN offered long-term stability with 91.8% and 82.8% retention of initial current after 25,000 s in 0.1 M KOH and 0.1 M HClO4 electrolytes, respectively. The boosted electrocatalytic performance of CoP@N,S-3D-GN puts forward its up-and-coming usage of noble metal-free electrocatalysts alternative to platinum-group metals for ORR. This work paves the way for designing the next generation electrocatalysts for renewable energy systems due to the intriguing features including pH-universal catalytic activity, satisfactory durability, relatively low-cost and scalable production method.
Guillain–Barre Syndrome following SARS-COVID-19 Infection: A Case Report from India
Authors: Singhai Abhishek , Budhiraja Akshit
Published: May 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COVID-19) is a novel coronavirus that started in Wuhan City in China in December 2019. It can cause acute respiratory infection. Guillain–Barre syndrome (GBS) is an autoimmune disease characterized by rapidly progressing ascending paralysis that is triggered by an infection or immune stimulation which produces an abnormal immune response that targets peripheral nerves. In most cases, it is preceded by a bacterial or viral infection. This is a case of a 36-year-old male patient from India who developed progressive acute flaccid paralysis after SARS-COVID-19 infection. Clinical examination and lab studies lead to the diagnosis of GBS. The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulins and supportive treatment. Following treatment, there was a substantial improvement in weakness as reported by the patient and was confirmed by clinical evaluation. This is an uncommon manifestation of SARS-COVID-19 infection and suggests the presence of an immune-mediated process leading to damage of the nervous system.
Food Quality Monitoring Based on Hydrolysis‐Induced Au‐Catalyzed Heck Cross‐Coupling by Ag Metallization
Authors: Gholampour Sanaz , Jalali Hossein , Zhiani Rahele , Rashidi Hassan , Motavalizadehkakhky Alireza
Published: May 2021

Visual detection of meat spoilage was performed based on hydrolysis‐induced silver metallization on gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). The hydrolysis of 4‐I‐benzene‐bounded Wang resin was induced by the release of a biogenic amine followed by Au‐catalyzed Heck cross‐coupling reaction that made silver‐coated gold core‐shell NPs (Au@Ag) in the presence of Ag ions (Ag metallization). A portable sensory cap was designed by this hypothesis and the successful results were obtained for histamine, trimethylamine, and a spoilage sheep meat. With this protocol, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) is tuned for absorption of Au NPs and leads to LSPR peak blue shift of gold nanoparticles due to the Ag metallization and the preparation of Au@Ag core‐shell NPs. Au NPs and the resulting Au@Ag NPs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), BET, ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐Vis), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) analyses. Also, various control experiments were set up to credit the portable sensory tube.
Effect of Thyromimetic GC-1 Selective Signaling on Reproductive and Lactational Performance in the Hypothyroid Rat
Authors: Rinaldini Estefanía , Verde Arboccó Fiorella Campo , Ezquer Marcelo , Gamarra-Luques Carlos , Hapon María Belén
Published: May 2021

Introduction: The potential of the thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ1) selective analog GC-1 has been widely proven in animal models and humans. However, its effect on the reproductive stage of the female rat has not been evaluated. Methods: The effect of the administration of GC-1 or equimolar doses of triiodothyronine (T3) was evaluated on the reproductive performance of the hypothyroid female rat and the indirect effect on pup thyroid status, weight, and survival. Results: Hypothyroidism reduced the number of embryos implanted in the uterus, whereas T3 and GC-1 treatment in hypothyroid females reestablished the number of implanted embryos to normal. Initiation of labor was delayed by hypothyroidism, and T3 replacement treatment reinstated the normal timing of parturition. The administration of GC-1 alone to the lactating mother did not affect pup survival, weight, or thyroidal status. Conclusions: Our findings show the differential effect of thyroid hormone selective signaling during gestation and the indirect exposure of the pups; we also emphasize the plausible use of GC-1 for treatment of hypothyroid mothers during the lactation period.
Immunity Is Not Impunity
Authors: Khalil Mona Ali
Published: May 2021

The Chapter seeks to dispel the myth that the immunity of the United Nations amounts to impunity. Accountability is, in fact, required by the applicable law and established policy and practice of the Organization. Immunity and accountability are two co-equal pillars of the 1946 Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations and the Status of Forces Agreement. While the UN does enjoy immunity from legal process, it is obliged to provide appropriate modes of settlement of private law disputes to which it is a party. In the case of Cholera in Haiti, the UN Secretariat, the other UN principal organs and UN Member States all failed to ensure respect for the obligations of the United Nations. If even one of them had fulfilled its role properly, then justice could have been done. Thus far, with the notable exception of the human rights special rapporteurs, all have failed to do so.
When Immunity Becomes Impunity
Authors: Lindstrom Beatrice
Published: May 2021

After a United Nations peacekeeping mission introduced cholera to Haiti in 2010, victims have struggled for over a decade to obtain remedies from the UN. Their experiences have exposed the extraordinary barriers to justice faced by civilians who suffer injuries caused by UN operations. While the UN has enjoyed absolute immunity from suit in courts where personal injury claims are typically heard, the UN is required to provide civilians harmed by its operations with alternative avenues to seek redress. In practice, however, the UN’s process for resolving such third-party claims is opaque and difficult to access, and allows the UN to be the final arbiter of its own responsibility. Particularly troubling are recent mass tort cases where financial and political interests have improperly influenced the claims process to deny remedies. This article draws on personal insights gained from advocating for victims of cholera for the past ten years, as well as the parallel experiences of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian victims who brought claims against the UN for lead poisoning in Kosovo. The article identifies systemic weaknesses in the UN’s third-party claims process and proposes four key reforms to bring the organization’s practice in line with its legal and moral obligations.
Eddy Length Scale Response to Static Stability Change in an Idealized Dry Atmosphere: A Linear Response Function Approach*
Authors: Chan Pak Wah , Hassanzadeh Pedram , Kuang Zhiming
Published: May 2021

The response of mid-latitude equilibrated eddy length scale to static stability has long been questioned but not investigated in well-controlled experiments with unchanged mean zonal wind and meridional temperature gradient. With iterative use of the linear response function of an idealized dry atmosphere, we obtain a time-invariant and zonally-uniform forcing to decrease the near-surface temperature by over 2 K while keeping the change in zonal wind negligible (within 0.2m s−1). In such experiments of increased static stability, energy-containing zonal scale decreases by 3–4%, which matches with Rhines scale decrease near the jet core. Changes in Rossby radius (+2%), maximum baroclinic growth scale (-1%) and Kuo scale (0%) fail to match this change in zonal scale. These findings and well-controlled experiments help with better understanding of eddy–mean flow interactions and hence the mid-latitude circulation and its response to climate change.
An effective method to resolve ambiguous bisulfite-treated reads
Authors: Liu Mengya , Xu Yun
Published: May 2021

Background

The combination of the bisulfite treatment and the next-generation sequencing is an important method for methylation analysis, and aligning the bisulfite-treated reads (BS-reads) is the critical step for the downstream applications. As bisulfite treatment reduces the complexity of the sequences, a large portion of BS-reads might be aligned to multiple locations of the reference genome ambiguously, called multireads. These multireads cannot be employed in the downstream applications since they are likely to introduce artifacts. To identify the best mapping location of each multiread, existing Bayesian-based methods calculate the probability of the read at each position by considering how does it overlap with unique mapped reads. However, $$\sim 25$$

∼
25

% of multireads are not overlapped with any unique reads, which are unresolvable for existing method.

Results

Here we propose a novel method (EM-MUL) that not only rescues multireads overlapped with unique reads, but also uses the overall coverage and accurate base-level alignment to resolve multireads that cannot be handled by current methods. We benchmark our method on both simulated datasets and real datasets. Experimental results show that it is able to align more than 80% of multireads to the best mapping position with very high accuracy.

Conclusions

EM-MUL is an effective method designed to accurately determine the best mapping position of multireads in BS-reads. For the downstream applications, it is useful to improve the methylation resolution on the repetitive regions of genome. EM-MUL is free available at https://github.com/lmylynn/EM-MUL.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tuberculosis amongst healthcare workers in Moyen-Ogooué Province, Gabon
Authors: Vigenschow Anja , Edoa Jean Ronald , Adegbite Bayode Romeo , Agbo Pacome Achimi , Adegnika Ayola A. , Alabi Abraham , Massinga-Loembe Marguerite , Grobusch Martin P.
Published: May 2021

Background

In countries with a high tuberculosis incidence such as Gabon, healthcare workers are at enhanced risk to become infected with tuberculosis due to their occupational exposure. In addition, transmission can occur between patients and visitors, if a tuberculosis infection is not suspected in time. Knowledge about tuberculosis and correct infection control measures are therefore highly relevant in healthcare settings.

Methods

We conducted an interviewer-administered knowledge, attitude and practice survey amongst healthcare workers in 20 healthcare facilities at all levels in the Moyen-Ogooué province, Gabon. Correctly answered knowledge questions were scored and then categorised into four knowledge levels. Additionally, factors associated with high knowledge levels were identified. Fisher’s Exact test was used to identify factors associated with high knowledge levels.

Results

A total of 103 questionnaires were completed by various healthcare personnel. The most-frequently scored category was ‘intermediate knowledge’, which was scored by 40.8% (42/103), followed by ‘good knowledge’ with 28.2% (29/103) and ‘poor knowledge’ with 21.4% (22/103) of participating healthcare workers, respectively. ‘Excellent knowledge’ was achieved by 9.7% (10/103) of the interviewees. Apart from the profession, education level, type of employing healthcare facility, as well as former training on tuberculosis were significantly associated with high knowledge scores.

Attitudes were generally positive towards tuberculosis infection control efforts. Of note, healthcare workers reported that infection control measures were not consistently practiced; 72.8% (75/103) of the participants were scared of becoming infected with tuberculosis, and 98.1% saw a need for improvement of local tuberculosis control.

Conclusions

The survey results lead to the assumption that healthcare workers in the Moyen-Ogooué province are at high risk to become infected with tuberculosis. There is an urgent need for improvement of tuberculosis infection control training for local healthcare personnel, particularly for less trained staff such as assistant nurses. Furthermore, the lack of adequate infection control measures reported by staff could possibly be correlated with a lack of adequate facility structures and protective equipment and requires further investigation.
Real-life cost-effectiveness of benralizumab in patients with severe asthma
Authors: Padilla-Galo A. , García-Ruiz A. J. , Levy Abitbol R. Ch. , Olveira C. , Rivas-Ruiz F. , García-Agua Soler N. , Pérez Morales M. , Valencia Azcona B. , Tortajada-Goitia B. , Moya-Carmona I. , Levy-Naon A.
Published: May 2021

Background

Availability of clinically effective and cost-effective treatments for severe asthma would be beneficial to patients and national healthcare systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate clinical outcomes and healthcare expenditure after incorporating benralizumab into the standard treatment of refractory eosinophilic asthma.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional multicentre study of consecutive patients with refractory eosinophilic asthma who received treatment with benralizumab during at least 12 months. Patient follow-up was performed in specialised severe asthma units. The main effectiveness parameters measured were: the avoidance of one asthma exacerbation, a 3-point increase in the asthma control test (ACT) score, and the difference in utility scores (health-related quality of life) between a 1-year baseline treatment and 1-year benralizumab treatment. The health economic evaluation included direct costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs).

Results

After 1 year of treatment with benralizumab, patients with refractory eosinophilic asthma showed an improvement in all the effectiveness parameters analysed: improvement of asthma control and lung function, and decrease in the number of exacerbations, oral corticosteroid (both as corticosteroid courses and maintenance therapy), and inhaled corticosteroid use. The total annual cost per patient for the baseline and benralizumab treatment periods were €11,544 and €14,043, respectively, reflecting an increase in costs due to the price of the biological agent but a decrease in costs for the remaining parameters. The ICER was €602 per avoided exacerbation and €983.86 for every 3-point increase in the ACT score.

Conclusions

All the pharmacoeconomic parameters analysed show that treatment with benralizumab is a cost-effective option as an add-on therapy in patients with refractory eosinophilic asthma.
Evaluating endophenotypes for bipolar disorder
Authors: Guglielmo Riccardo , Miskowiak Kamilla Woznica , Hasler Gregor
Published: May 2021

Background

Phenotypic heterogeneity is a major impediment to the elucidation of the neurobiology and genetics of bipolar disorder. Endophenotype could help in reducing heterogeneity by defining biological traits that are more direct expressions of gene effects. The aim of this review is to examine the recent literature on clinical, epidemiological, neurobiological, and genetic findings and to select and evaluate candidate endophenotypes for bipolar disorder. Evaluating putative endophenotype could be helpful in better understanding the neurobiology of bipolar disorder by improving the definition of bipolar-related phenotypes in genetic studies. In this manner, research on endophenotypes could be useful to improve psychopathological diagnostics in the long-run by dissecting psychiatric macro phenotypes into biologically valid components.

Main body

The associations among the psychopathological and biological endophenotypes are discussed with respect to specificity, temporal stability, heritability, familiarity, and clinical and biological plausibility. Numerous findings regarding brain function, brain structure, neuropsychology and altered neurochemical pathways in patients with bipolar disorder and their relatives deserve further investigation. Overall, major findings suggest a developmental origin of this disorder as all the candidate endophenotypes that we have been able to select are present both in the early stages of the disorder as well as in subjects at risk.

Conclusions

Among the stronger candidate endophenotypes, we suggest circadian rhythm instability, dysmodulation of emotion and reward, altered neuroimmune state, attention and executive dysfunctions, anterior cingulate cortex thickness and early white matter abnormalities. In particular, early white matter abnormalities could be the result of a vulnerable brain on which new stressors are added in young adulthood which favours the onset of the disorder. Possible pathways that lead to a vulnerable brain are discussed starting from the data about molecular and imaging endophenotypes of bipolar disorder.
Correction to: The authentication and repatriation of a ceremonial tsantsa to its country of origin (Ecuador)
Authors: Byron Craig D. , Kiefer Adam M. , Thomas Joanna , Patel Sagar , Jenkins Amy , Fratino Anthony L. , Anderson Todd
Published: May 2021

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.
An approximate point-based alternative for the estimation of variance under big BAF sampling
Authors: Lynch Thomas B. , Gove Jeffrey H. , Gregoire Timothy G. , Ducey Mark J.
Published: May 2021

Background

A new variance estimator is derived and tested for big BAF (Basal Area Factor) sampling which is a forest inventory system that utilizes Bitterlich sampling (point sampling) with two BAF sizes, a small BAF for tree counts and a larger BAF on which tree measurements are made usually including DBHs and heights needed for volume estimation.

Methods

The new estimator is derived using the Delta method from an existing formulation of the big BAF estimator as consisting of three sample means. The new formula is compared to existing big BAF estimators including a popular estimator based on Bruce’s formula.

Results

Several computer simulation studies were conducted comparing the new variance estimator to all known variance estimators for big BAF currently in the forest inventory literature. In simulations the new estimator performed well and comparably to existing variance formulas.

Conclusions

A possible advantage of the new estimator is that it does not require the assumption of negligible correlation between basal area counts on the small BAF factor and volume-basal area ratios based on the large BAF factor selection trees, an assumption required by all previous big BAF variance estimation formulas. Although this correlation was negligible on the simulation stands used in this study, it is conceivable that the correlation could be significant in some forest types, such as those in which the DBH-height relationship can be affected substantially by density perhaps through competition. We derived a formula that can be used to estimate the covariance between estimates of mean basal area and the ratio of estimates of mean volume and mean basal area. We also mathematically derived expressions for bias in the big BAF estimator that can be used to show the bias approaches zero in large samples on the order of$\frac {1}{n}$1nwherenis the number of sample points.
Socio-demographics and asthma prevalence, management, and outcomes among children 1–11 years of age in California
Authors: Banta Jim E. , Ramadan Majed , Alhusseini Noara , Aloraini Khaled , Modeste Naomi
Published: May 2021

Background

Asthma disproportionately affects minority and low-income children. We examined asthma prevalence, management and outcomes, focusing on race/ethnicity and acculturation of parents (particularly English language proficiency).

Methods

This cross-sectional, correlational analysis used a de-identified population-based survey, the California Health Interview Survey, for years 2001–2015. Survey-weighted analysis with SAS 9.4 was used to determine asthma prevalence among children 1 to 11 years of age. Descriptive analysis was conducted, adjusting for survey design and combination of multiple years of data. The Pearson test, using design-based F values was used to determine statistically significant differences between those having/not having a doctor diagnosis of asthma. Multivariable logistic regression, with jackknife approach to obtain confidence intervals, was used to examine associations of child and parental characteristics with asthma prevalence, management, and outcomes.

Results

The 61,625 completed surveys represented an estimated annual population of 5.7 million children, of which 12.9 % had asthma. There were significant (p < 0.001) differences by age, gender, race, and language proficiency, with higher asthma prevalence for children 6 to 11 years of age (15.5 %), males (15.3 %), African Americans (19.5 %), and parents speaking English very well (14.1 %). Compared to children whose parents spoke English very well, those whose parents spoke English not well or not at all were less likely to achieve optimal asthma management, i.e. to have received a management plan from doctor (OR 0.30; 95 % Confidence Interval 0.20–0.46)), to be currently taking medication to control asthma (OR 0.52; 95 % CI 0.36–0.74)), or to be not confident in ability to control asthma (OR 3.10; 95 % CI 1.49–6.42). Children whose parents spoke English fairly well rather than very well had worse outcomes, i.e. were more likely to have an emergency room visit in past 12 months (OR 1.92; 95 % CI 1.03–3.61) and were more likely to miss school due to asthma in past 12 months (OR 0.71; 1.01–2.94).

Conclusions

Socio-demographics had a limited role in explaining differences across a handful of asthma management and outcome measures in California. Parental English language proficiency had the most consistent influence, underscoring the need for culturally and linguistically competent care.