Mapping geographical inequalities in childhood diarrhoeal morbidity and mortality in low-income and middle-income countries, 2000–17 : analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Background Across low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), one in ten deaths in children younger than 5 years is attributable to diarrhoea. The substantial between-country variation in both diarrhoea incidence and mortality is attributable to interventions that protect children, prevent infection, and treat disease. Identifying subnational regions with the highest burden and mapping associated risk factors can aid in reducing preventable childhood diarrhoea. Methods We used Bayesian model-based geostatistics and a geolocated dataset comprising 15 072 746 children younger than 5 years from 466 surveys in 94 LMICs, in combination with findings of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2017, to estimate posterior distributions of diarrhoea prevalence, incidence, and mortality from 2000 to 2017. From these data, we estimated the burden of diarrhoea at varying subnational levels (termed units) by spatially aggregating draws, and we investigated the drivers of subnational patterns by creating aggregated risk factor estimates. Findings The greatest declines in diarrhoeal mortality were seen in south and southeast Asia and South America, where 54·0% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 38·1–65·8), 17·4% (7·7–28·4), and 59·5% (34·2–86·9) of units, respectively, recorded decreases in deaths from diarrhoea greater than 10%. Although children in much of Africa remain at high risk of death due to diarrhoea, regions with the most deaths were outside Africa, with the highest mortality units located in Pakistan. Indonesia showed the greatest within-country geographical inequality; some regions had mortality rates nearly four times the average country rate. Reductions in mortality were correlated to improvements in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) or reductions in child growth failure (CGF). Similarly, most high-risk areas had poor WASH, high CGF, or low oral rehydration therapy coverage. Interpretation By co-analysing geospatial trends in diarrhoeal burden and its key risk factors, we could assess candidate drivers of subnational death reduction. Further, by doing a counterfactual analysis of the remaining disease burden using key risk factors, we identified potential intervention strategies for vulnerable populations. In view of the demands for limited resources in LMICs, accurately quantifying the burden of diarrhoea and its drivers is important for precision public health

Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) and Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) Conceptual Design Report Volume 2: The Physics Program for DUNE at LBNF

The Physics Program for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) at the Fermilab Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF) is described

Electron transport dependence on target surface conditions and laser spot shape

The interaction of intense short pulse radiation with thick Al foils is studied as a function of the absorption region density profile and the laser spot shape. Absorption of the light generates relativistic hot electrons near the critical surface. When the density profile is steep with micron scale lengths, and a small spot (8 ${\rm \mu}$m FWHM) the hot electrons are retained near the surface while undergoing strong lateral surface transport through intense thermoelectric magnetic fields. Alternatively, with mild, ${\sim} 30$ $\mu$m, scale length initial profiles the light beam bores a hole in the corona, wraps it with B-field, extinguishes the lateral hot electron flow, and sends a reduced fraction of hot electrons forward in filaments. Finally, broadening the spot to 40 ${\rm \mu}$m and totally flattening it gives strong forward-directed hot electron penetration, which, if achievable, could serve effectively for Fast Ignition and radiography

Theory and modeling of ion acceleration from the interaction of ultra-intense lasers with solid density targets

The interaction of a high intensity, short-pulse laser with a thin target can lead to the generation of a highly collimated beam of fast ions off the rear target surface. These ion beams have the potential to impact inertial confinement fusion applications, including their use in diagnostics and fast-ignition. Recent work by the authors in the modeling of ion acceleration, using both full particle-in-cell and hybrid (particle ions, reduced electron physics) models, is leading to improved understanding of the physics governing ion acceleration

Particle-in-cell studies of laser-driven hot spots and a statistical model for mesoscopic properties of Raman backscatter

The authors use explicit particle-in-cell simulations to model stimulated scattering processes in media with both solitary and multiple laser hot spots. These simulations indicate coupling among hot spots, whereby scattered light, plasma waves, and hot electrons generated in one laser hot spot may propagate to neighboring hot spots, which can be destabilized to enhanced backscatter. A nonlinear statistical model of a stochastic beam exhibiting this coupled behavior is described here. Calibration of the model using particle-in-cell simulations is performed, and a threshold is derived for “detonation” of the beam to high reflectivity