Human rights before and after Covid-19: Getting human rights education out of quarantine

This article explores the way in which the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened human rights conditions across the globe, particularly around the rise of authoritarianism, erosion of democracy, increase in hate crimes and racism, and deepening of economic inequality. We then advocate for the possibilities and significance of human rights education as a core component of every student’s learning experience and provide suggestions and specific resources for teaching human rights during and after the Covid-19 pandemic

Search for Inclusive b → sl^+l^-

We have searched for the effective flavor changing neutral-current decays b→sl^+l^- using an inclusive method. We set upper limits on the branching ratios B(b→se^+e^-)<5.7×10^(-5), B(b→sμ^+μ^-)<5.8×10^(-5), and B(b→se^±μ^∓)<2.2×10^(-5) [at 90% confidence level (C.L.)]. Combing the dielectron and dimuon decay modes we find B(b→sl^+l^-)<4.2×10^(-5) (at 90% C.L.)

Development of Smart Meter to Monitor Real Time Energy Consumption for Sustainability

This study constructed a Smart Energy Meter where energy consumption can be viewed by the consumers based on rreal time using data from smart meters. Its goals are to increase productivity, make readings more precise, and take less time to determine an individual residence's energy consumption. The device is made up of the PZEM-016 AC Energy Meter, RS-485 UART Serial Converter, NodeMCU ESP8266, Blynk IoT Application, Arduino Uno R3, and LCD Arduino Keypad Module Shield Board. The PZEM-016 is used in this smart energy meter to measure voltage, current, power, frequency, power factor, and energy consumption. Because it lacks its own display, an RS-485 was utilized to communicate with the NodeMCU and Arduino Uno. The NodeMCU sends the parameters to Blynk IoT App as long as it is connected to a fixed mobile WiFi. The Blynk will then display a real-time measurement of the parameters. The Arduino Uno is programmed to display the parameters to the LCD Keypad Module. The device was tested in an actual household. The researchers conducted 48-hour observation on the household where the energy displayed in the Blynk IoT App and the LCD display matches at approximately 9 kWh which is the same as the actual energy meter of the house that is 9kWh. The device is also tested on different appliances which resulted in the same energy consumption in both the Blynk IoT App and LCD display with the ratings of the appliances. The device was found functional

Disease transmission models for public health decision making: analysis of epidemic and endemic conditions caused by waterborne pathogens.

Developing effective policy for environmental health issues requires integrating large collections of information that are diverse, highly variable, and uncertain. Despite these uncertainties in the science, decisions must be made. These decisions often have been based on risk assessment. We argue that two important features of risk assessment are to identify research needs and to provide information for decision making. One type of information that a model can provide is the sensitivity of making one decision over another on factors that drive public health risk. To achieve this goal, a risk assessment framework must be based on a description of the exposure and disease processes. Regarding exposure to waterborne pathogens, the appropriate framework is one that explicitly models the disease transmission pathways of pathogens. This approach provides a crucial link between science and policy. Two studies--a Giardia risk assessment case study and an analysis of the 1993 Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Cryptosporidium outbreak--illustrate the role that models can play in policy making

Effect of frequent hemodialysis on residual kidney function.

Frequent hemodialysis can alter volume status, blood pressure, and the concentration of osmotically active solutes, each of which might affect residual kidney function (RKF). In the Frequent Hemodialysis Network Daily and Nocturnal Trials, we examined the effects of assignment to six compared with three-times-per-week hemodialysis on follow-up RKF. In both trials, baseline RKF was inversely correlated with number of years since onset of ESRD. In the Nocturnal Trial, 63 participants had non-zero RKF at baseline (mean urine volume 0.76 liter/day, urea clearance 2.3 ml/min, and creatinine clearance 4.7 ml/min). In those assigned to frequent nocturnal dialysis, these indices were all significantly lower at month 4 and were mostly so at month 12 compared with controls. In the frequent dialysis group, urine volume had declined to zero in 52% and 67% of patients at months 4 and 12, respectively, compared with 18% and 36% in controls. In the Daily Trial, 83 patients had non-zero RKF at baseline (mean urine volume 0.43 liter/day, urea clearance 1.2 ml/min, and creatinine clearance 2.7 ml/min). Here, treatment assignment did not significantly influence follow-up levels of the measured indices, although the range in baseline RKF was narrower, potentially limiting power to detect differences. Thus, frequent nocturnal hemodialysis appears to promote a more rapid loss of RKF, the mechanism of which remains to be determined. Whether RKF also declines with frequent daily treatment could not be determined

Evaluating the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey for Scaup

Potential bias in breeding population estimates of certain duck species from the Waterfowl Breeding Population and Habitat Survey (WBPHS) has been a concern for decades. The WBPHS does not differentiate between lesser (Aythya affinis) and greater (A. marila) scaup, but lesser scaup comprise 89% of the combined scaup population and their population estimates are suspected to be biased. We marked female lesser scaup (i.e., marked scaup) in the Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways, Canada and United States, with implantable satellite transmitters to track their spring migration through the traditional and eastern survey areas of the WBPHS, 2005–2010. Our goal was to use data independent of the WBPHS to evaluate whether breeding population estimates for scaup were biased and identify variables that might be used in the future to refine population estimates. We found that the WBPHS estimates of breeding scaup are biased because, across years, only 30% of our marked scaup had settled for the breeding period when the strata in which they settled were surveyed, 43% were available to be counted in multiple survey strata as their migration continued during the WBPHS, 32% settled outside the WBPHS area, the number of times a marked scaup was available to be counted by survey crews varied positively with the latitude that a marked scaup settled on breeding areas, the probability of a marked scaup being in a stratum while it was surveyed varied among years, and these probabilities were positively correlated with the traditional and eastern breeding population estimates for scaup. Annual population estimates derived from banding data provide a less biased and preferable method of monitoring scaup population status and trend. Development of models that include metrics such as survey stratum latitude and annual spring environmental conditions might potentially be used to improve scaup breeding population estimates derived from the WBPHS, but independent estimates from banding data would be important to evaluate such models

Total plasma magnesium, zinc, copper and selenium concentrations in obese patients before and after bariatric surgery

Funding: This work was supported by the British Heart Foundation (grant code: FS/20/3/34956).Obesity enhances the risk of type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and inflammatory conditions and often leads to metal dyshomeostasis, which contributes to the negative health aspects associated with the disease. In severe cases, bariatric surgery can be recommended to achieve sustained weight loss and improvement in health. Here, magnesium, zinc, copper and selenium concentrations were examined in 24 obese patients (7 males; 17 females) before and 9 months after undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. All patients lost weight over this period, with the mean BMI reducing from 51.2±7.1 kg/m2 to 37.2±5.5 kg/m2. Moreover, whole-blood glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), as a marker of average glycaemia, was also measured and a correlative analysis of this parameter with metal concentrations performed. Significant alterations in the plasma concentrations of magnesium, zinc (both increased by 13.2% and 25.2% respectively) and copper (decreased by 7.9%) were observed over this period (plasma selenium concentration was unchanged), with BMI values correlating with plasma magnesium (p=0.004) and zinc (p=0.022) concentrations. At 9 months post-surgery, an increase in mean zinc/copper ratio was observed (0.86±0.29 compared to 0.63±0.14 pre-surgery). Comparison of whole-blood HbA1c concentrations pre- and post-surgery revealed a reduction from 6.50±1.28% pre-surgery to 5.51±0.49% post-surgery. Differences in plasma HbA1c and magnesium at either pre- and post-surgery correlated significantly, as did HbA1c and magnesium levels when pre- and post-surgery values were analysed together. Collectively, this work reveals that bariatric surgery, in conjunction with lifestyle/dietary changes, lead to improvements in the nutritional status of magnesium, zinc and copper. Furthermore, the observed improvements in magnesium and zinc were associated with weight loss and in the case of magnesium, to better glycaemic control.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Deciphering Spectral Fingerprints of Habitable Extrasolar Planets

In this paper we discuss how we can read a planets spectrum to assess its habitability and search for the signatures of a biosphere. After a decade rich in giant exoplanet detections, observation techniques have now reached the ability to find planets of less than 10 MEarth (so called Super-Earths) that may potentially be habitable. How can we characterize those planets and assess if they are habitable? The new field of extrasolar planet search has shown an extraordinary ability to combine research by astrophysics, chemistry, biology and geophysics into a new and exciting interdisciplinary approach to understand our place in the universe. The results of a first generation mission will most likely result in an amazing scope of diverse planets that will set planet formation, evolution as well as our planet in an overall context.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures, Astrobiology, 10, 1, 201