Acting Autonomously or Mimicking the State and Peers? A Panel Tobit Analysis of Financial Dependence and Aid Allocation by Swiss NGOs

NGO aid is still widely believed to be superior to official aid (ODA). However, the incentives of NGOs to excel and target aid to the poor and deserving are increasingly disputed. We contribute to the emerging literature on the allocation of NGO aid by performing panel Tobit estimations for Swiss NGOs. The analysis offers new insights in two major regards: First, we cover the allocation of both self-financed and officially co-financed aid for a large panel of NGOs and recipient countries. Second, by classifying each NGO according to its financing structure, we address the unresolved question of whether financial dependence on the government impairs the targeting of NGO aid. It turns out that NGOs mimic the state as well as NGO peers. Officially refinanced NGOs are more inclined to imitate the allocation of ODA. However, the degree of financial dependence does not affect the poverty orientation of NGO aid and the incentives of NGOs to engage in easier environments. The allocation of self-financed aid differs in several respects from the allocation of officially co-financed aid, including the role of financial dependence for imitating the state and herding among NGOs

Acting Autonomously or Mimicking the State and Peers? A Panel Tobit Analysis of Financial Dependence and Aid Allocation by Swiss NGOs

NGO aid is still widely believed to be superior to official aid (ODA). However, the incentives of NGOs to excel and target aid to the poor and deserving are increasingly disputed. We contribute to the emerging literature on the allocation of NGO aid by performing panel Tobit estimations for Swiss NGOs. The analysis offers new insights in two major regards: First, we cover the allocation of both self-financed and officially co-financed aid for a large panel of NGOs and recipient countries. Second, by classifying each NGO according to its financing structure, we address the unresolved question of whether financial dependence on the government impairs the targeting of NGO aid. It turns out that NGOs mimic the state as well as NGO peers. Officially refinanced NGOs are more inclined to imitate the allocation of ODA. However, the degree of financial dependence does not affect the poverty orientation of NGO aid and the incentives of NGOs to engage in easier environments. The allocation of self-financed aid differs in several respects from the allocation of officially co-financed aid, including the role of financial dependence for imitating the state and herding among NGOs

Coevolutionary fine-tuning: evidence for genetic tracking between a specialist wasp parasitoid and its aphid host in a dual metapopulation interaction

In the interaction between two ecologically-associated species, the population structure of one species may affect the population structure of the other. Here, we examine the population structures of the aphid Metopeurum fuscoviride, a specialist on tansy Tanacetum vulgare, and its specialist primary hymenopterous parasitoid Lysiphlebus hirticornis, both of which are characterized by multivoltine life histories and a classic metapopulation structure. Samples of the aphid host and the parasitoid were collected from eight sites in and around Jena, Germany, where both insect species co-occur, and then were genotyped using suites of polymorphic microsatellite markers. The host aphid was greatly differentiated in terms of its spatial population genetic patterning, while the parasitoid was, in comparison, only moderately differentiated. There was a positive Mantel test correlation between pairwise shared allele distance (DAS) of the host and parasitoid, i.e. if host subpopulation samples were more similar between two particular sites, so were the parasitoid subpopulation samples. We argue that while the differences in the levels of genetic differentiation are due to the differences in the biology of the species, the correlations between host and parasitoid are indicative of dependence of the parasitoid population structure on that of its aphid host. The parasitoid is genetically tracking behind the aphid host, as can be expected in a classic metapopulation structure where host persistence depends on a delay between host and parasitoid colonization of the patch. The results may also have relevance to the Red Queen hypothesis, whereupon in the ‘arms race’ between parasitoid and its host, the latter ‘attempts’ to evolve away from the former

Persistent hiccups due to tuberculous meningitis in rural Tanzania – the value of Xpert testing in samples other than sputum

Tuberculous meningitis is the most severe form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis and it has been associated with high mortality and morbidity. Clinical presentation of tuberculous meningitis varies, and the microbiological confirmation is usually difficult. We present two cases presented with persistent hiccups, miliary tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis proven by positive Xpert® MTB/RIF assay in the cerebral spinal fluid. The first case improved after two weeks of treatment and completed treatment as an outpatient. The second case was discharged after three weeks of treatment after his condition improved and we learned from the relatives he died two weeks later at home

Normal values of blood pressure self-measurement in view of the 1999 World Health Organization-International Society of Hypertension guidelines

New guidelines for the management of hypertension have been published in 1999 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Society of Hypertension (ISH). The WHO/ISH Committee has adopted in principle the definition and classification of hypertension provided by the JNC VI (1997). The new classification defines a blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg as optimal and of 130/85 mm Hg as the limit between normal and high-normal blood pressure. It is unclear which self-measured home blood pressure values correspond to these office blood pressure limits. In this study we reevaluated data from our Dübendorf study to determine self-measured blood pressure values corresponding to optimal and normal office blood pressure using the percentiles of the (office and home) blood pressure distributions of 503 individuals (age, 20 to 90 years; mean age, 46.5 years; 265 men, 238 women). Self-measured blood pressure values corresponding to office values of 130/85 mm Hg and 120/80 mm Hg were 124.1/79.9 mm Hg and 114.3/75.1 mm Hg. Thus, we propose 125/80 mm Hg as a home blood pressure corresponding to an office blood pressure of 130/85 mm Hg (WHO 1999: normal) and 115/75 mm Hg corresponding to 120/80 mm Hg (optimal). Am J Hypertens 2000;13:940-943 © 2000 American Journal of Hypertension, Lt

Structural and magnetic properties of an InGaAs/Fe3_3Si superlattice in cylindrical geometry

The structure and the magnetic properties of an InGaAs/Fe3Si superlattice in a cylindrical geometry are investigated by electron microscopy techniques, x-ray diffraction and magnetometry. To form a radial superlattice, a pseudomorphic InGaAs/Fe3As bilayer has been released from its substrate self-forming into a rolled-up microtube. Oxide-free interfaces as well as areas of crystalline bonding are observed and an overall lattice mismatch between succeeding layers is determined. The cylindrical symmetry of the final radial superlattice shows a significant effect on the magnetization behavior of the rolled-up layers

Improving GENCODE reference gene annotation using a high-stringency proteogenomics workflow.

Complete annotation of the human genome is indispensable for medical research. The GENCODE consortium strives to provide this, augmenting computational and experimental evidence with manual annotation. The rapidly developing field of proteogenomics provides evidence for the translation of genes into proteins and can be used to discover and refine gene models. However, for both the proteomics and annotation groups, there is a lack of guidelines for integrating this data. Here we report a stringent workflow for the interpretation of proteogenomic data that could be used by the annotation community to interpret novel proteogenomic evidence. Based on reprocessing of three large-scale publicly available human data sets, we show that a conservative approach, using stringent filtering is required to generate valid identifications. Evidence has been found supporting 16 novel protein-coding genes being added to GENCODE. Despite this many peptide identifications in pseudogenes cannot be annotated due to the absence of orthogonal supporting evidence

Causes of death and associated factors over a decade of follow-up in a cohort of people living with HIV in rural Tanzania

BACKGROUND: Nearly half of HIV-related deaths occur in East and Southern Africa, yet data on causes of death (COD) are scarce. We determined COD and associated factors among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in rural Tanzania. METHODS: PLHIV attending the Chronic Diseases Clinic of Ifakara, Morogoro are invited to enrol in the Kilombero and Ulanga Antiretroviral Cohort (KIULARCO). Among adults (>/= 15 years) enrolled in 2005-2018, with follow-up through April 2019, we classified COD in comprehensive classes and as HIV- or non-HIV-related. In the subset of participants enrolled in 2013-2018 (when data were more complete), we assessed cause-specific mortality using cumulative incidences, and associated factors using proportional hazards models. RESULTS: Among 9871 adults (65% female, 26% CD4 count < 100 cells/mm(3)), 926 (9%) died, among whom COD were available for 474 (51%), with missing COD mainly in earlier years. The most common COD were tuberculosis (N = 127, 27%), non-AIDS-related infections (N = 72, 15%), and other AIDS-related infections (N = 59, 12%). Cardiovascular and renal deaths emerged as important COD in later calendar years, with 27% of deaths in 2018 attributable to cardiovascular causes. Most deaths (51%) occurred within the first six months following enrolment. Among 3956 participants enrolled in 2013-2018 (N = 203 deaths, 200 with COD ascertained), tuberculosis persisted as the most common COD (25%), but substantial proportions of deaths from six months after enrolment onwards were attributable to renal (14%), non-AIDS-related infections (13%), other AIDS-related infections (10%) and cardiovascular (10%) causes. Factors associated with higher HIV-related mortality were sex, younger age, living in Ifakara town, HIV status disclosure, hospitalisation, not being underweight, lower CD4 count, advanced WHO stage, and gaps in care. Factors associated with higher non-HIV-related mortality included not having an HIV-positive partner, lower CD4 count, advanced WHO stage, and gaps in care. CONCLUSION: Incidence of HIV-related mortality was higher than that of non-HIV-related mortality, even in more recent years, likely due to late presentation. Tuberculosis was the leading specific COD identified, particularly soon after enrolment, while in later calendar years cardiovascular and renal causes emerged as important, emphasising the need for improved screening and management

A Novel Eddy Current Septum Magnet for SPS Extraction towards LHC and CNGS

A new East Fast-Extraction System is under construction in the SPS, to supply particles with a maximum batch length of 7.8 us and 10.5 us to the LHC and to CNGS (CERN Neutrino to Gran Sasso), respectively. The extraction septum magnets actually used at the SPS have been designed for slow extraction over several seconds, have large cooling and electrical power demands and need frequently maintenance in a high radiation environment. A fast system of only 250 us pulse duration has therefore been developed, using a half-sine excitation pulse with a superimposed third harmonic. The short pulse duration requires very thin magnetic yoke laminations, which can not easily be stamped and stacked. Profiting from a development for the LHC beam dump kicker magnets, the yoke is therefore built-up from tape-wound cylindrical cores, employing 50 um thick Si-steel tape. Thirty two cores are stacked longitudinally to produce a yoke of 3.2 meter length. The aperture is cut radial into each cylinder. The cores are radial compressed by spring-loaded pistons inserted in strong stainless-steel frames to provide mechanical stability. The 5+1 mm thick copper/iron septum is separated from the excitation current loop and acts as a passive eddy current screen. This allows separating the vacuum of the magnet from that of the circulating-beam channel, avoiding the need of using UHV material. This paper presents the magnet and generator prototype design as well as simulation and measurement results