Anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2018

Anemia is a globally widespread condition in women and is associated with reduced economic productivity and increased mortality worldwide. Here we map annual 2000–2018 geospatial estimates of anemia prevalence in women of reproductive age (15–49 years) across 82 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), stratify anemia by severity and aggregate results to policy-relevant administrative and national levels. Additionally, we provide subnational disparity analyses to provide a comprehensive overview of anemia prevalence inequalities within these countries and predict progress toward the World Health Organization’s Global Nutrition Target (WHO GNT) to reduce anemia by half by 2030. Our results demonstrate widespread moderate improvements in overall anemia prevalence but identify only three LMICs with a high probability of achieving the WHO GNT by 2030 at a national scale, and no LMIC is expected to achieve the target in all their subnational administrative units. Our maps show where large within-country disparities occur, as well as areas likely to fall short of the WHO GNT, offering precision public health tools so that adequate resource allocation and subsequent interventions can be targeted to the most vulnerable populations.Peer reviewe

The Great Markarian 421 Flare of 2010 February: Multiwavelength Variability and Correlation Studies

We report on variability and correlation studies using multiwavelength observations of the blazar Mrk 421 during the month of 2010 February, when an extraordinary flare reaching a level of ∼27 Crab Units above 1 TeV was measured in very high energy (VHE) γ-rays with the Very Energetic Radiation Imaging Telescope Array System (VERITAS) observatory. This is the highest flux state for Mrk 421 ever observed in VHE γ-rays. Data are analyzed from a coordinated campaign across multiple instruments, including VHE γ-ray (VERITAS, Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov), high-energy γ-ray (Fermi-LAT), X-ray (Swift, Rossi X-ray Timing Experiment, MAXI), optical (including the GASP-WEBT collaboration and polarization data), and radio (Metsahovi, Owens Valley Radio Observatory, University of Michigan Radio Astronomy Observatory). Light curves are produced spanning multiple days before and after the peak of the VHE flare, including over several flare "decline" epochs. The main flare statistics allow 2 minute time bins to be constructed in both the VHE and optical bands enabling a cross-correlation analysis that shows evidence for an optical lag of ∼25-55 minutes, the first time-lagged correlation between these bands reported on such short timescales. Limits on the Doppler factor (δ ⪆ 33) and the size of the emission region (δ-1RB≲ 3.8 × 1013cm) are obtained from the fast variability observed by VERITAS during the main flare. Analysis of 10 minute binned VHE and X-ray data over the decline epochs shows an extraordinary range of behavior in the flux-flux relationship, from linear to quadratic to lack of correlation to anticorrelation. Taken together, these detailed observations of an unprecedented flare seen in Mrk 421 are difficult to explain with the classic single-zone synchrotron self-Compton model.</p

Integrated Assessment Model on global-scale emissions of air pollutants

In order to analyse recent trends and future world emission scenarios, a global analytical tool, namely GAINS-IAM (integrated assess model), has been proposed and developed. In this context, a Collective Cubing platform, which has also been introduced in our studying literature. In order to prove of our concepts, typical examples have been illustrated to present how the GAINS-IAM system supports the development of global science-driven policies

Child Melioidosis Deaths Caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei–Contaminated Borehole Water, Vietnam, 2019

Within 8 months, 3 children from 1 family in northern Vietnam died from melioidosis. Burkholderia pseudomallei of the same sequence type, 541, was isolated from clinical samples, borehole water, and garden and rice field soil. Boreholes should be properly constructed and maintained to avoid B. pseudomallei contamination

Controlling the emission from single quantum dots with electro-opto- mechanical photonic crystal cavities

We present a device for the spectral reconfiguration of a two-dimensional photonic crystal cavity (PCC) based on parallel semiconductor membranes. The mechanical motion of the slabs introduces a variation in the effective refractive index of the coupled waveguides where the photonic crystal is etched resulting in a shift of the free-space wavelength. Using an integrated electrostatic actuator we demonstrated independent tuning up to 15 nm with less than 6 V bias. We present the electromechanical control of a PCC mode in resonance to single quantum dot (QD) emission lines for the real-time compensation of the spectral mismatch due to the dots' inhomogeneity. We discuss the operation of the device at low temperatures (&lt;10 K) and we measured the Purcell effect via the electro-mechanical control. A reversible tuning range of 13 nm and a spontaneous emission rate control by a factor of ten has been achieved

Single photon sources for quantum information applications

Efficient sources of indistinguishable single photons are a key resource for various applications in fields like quantum sensing, quantum metrology and quantum information processing. In this contribution we report on single photon generation based on III-V semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). To increase the emission efficiency of single photons, it is essential to tailor the radiative properties of the quantum dot emitters by engineering their photonic environment. We present optimized single photon emitters being based on both micropillar and photonics crystal cavities, for applications in a vertical platform and on-chip in-plane platform, respectively. Electrically driven single photon sources with self assembled semiconductor QDs embedded into GaAs/AlAs micropillar cavities emit on demand net rates of ~35 MHz single photons, thus being well exploitable in quantum key distribution systems. In order to establish also a spatially deterministic fabrication platform, position controlled quantum dots are integrated into p-i-n micropillar cavities and single photon emission of a coupled QD-micropillar diode system is observed. Efficient broadband coupling of single photons into photonic crystal waveguides provides the basis for all on-chip quantum information processing, and an according approach is reported