One-dimensional quantum channel and Hawking radiation of the Kerr and Kerr-Newman black holes

In this paper, we review the one-dimensional quantum channel and investigate Hawking radiation of bosons and fermions in Kerr and Kerr-Newman black holes. The result shows the Hawking radiation can be described by the quantum channel. The thermal conductances are derived and related to the black holes' temperatures.Comment: V2, 12 pages. Typo correcte

Co - designing marine science beyond good intentions: support stakeholders’ empowerment in transformative pathways

Calls for science to innovate by including stakeholders' in the creation of marine knowledge have been rising, to create impact beyond laboratories and to contribute to the empowerment of local communities when interacting with marine and coastal ecosystems. As a transdisciplinary group of scientists working on co-designing research projects, this paper draws upon our experiences to further define the concept and seek to improve the process of co-design. We highlight the key barriers for co-design processes to contribute to increasing stakeholders' capacity to produce intended effects on marine policy. We suggest that stakeholder engagement requires overcoming the resistance to non-scientific knowledge sources and considering power asymmetries in the governance and management of the ocean. We argue that power and politics must be placed at the very heart of the production of a co-designed marine science and must be an aspect of the facilitation itself. In this paper, we aim to provide insights to navigate throughout the journey of stakeholder engagement, with the critical perspective necessary to make this process socially and environmentally effective

Prevalence and burden of HBV co-infection among people living with HIV:A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Globally, in 2017 35 million people were living with HIV (PLHIV) and 257 million had chronic HBV infection (HBsAg positive). The extent of HIV-HBsAg co-infection is unknown. We undertook a systematic review to estimate the global burden of HBsAg co-infection in PLHIV. We searched MEDLINE, Embase and other databases for published studies (2002-2018) measuring prevalence of HBsAg among PLHIV. The review was registered with PROSPERO (#CRD42019123388). Populations were categorized by HIV-exposure category. The global burden of co-infection was estimated by applying regional co-infection prevalence estimates to UNAIDS estimates of PLHIV. We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the odds of HBsAg among PLHIV compared to HIV-negative individuals. We identified 506 estimates (475 studies) of HIV-HBsAg co-infection prevalence from 80/195 (41.0%) countries. Globally, the prevalence of HIV-HBsAg co-infection is 7.6% (IQR 5.6%-12.1%) in PLHIV, or 2.7 million HIV-HBsAg co-infections (IQR 2.0-4.2). The greatest burden (69% of cases; 1.9 million) is in sub-Saharan Africa. Globally, there was little difference in prevalence of HIV-HBsAg co-infection by population group (approximately 6%-7%), but it was slightly higher among people who inject drugs (11.8% IQR 6.0%-16.9%). Odds of HBsAg infection were 1.4 times higher among PLHIV compared to HIV-negative individuals. There is therefore, a high global burden of HIV-HBsAg co-infection, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Key prevention strategies include infant HBV vaccination, including a timely birth-dose. Findings also highlight the importance of targeting PLHIV, especially high-risk groups for testing, catch-up HBV vaccination and other preventative interventions. The global scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for PLHIV using a tenofovir-based ART regimen provides an opportunity to simultaneously treat those with HBV co-infection, and in pregnant women to also reduce mother-to-child transmission of HBV alongside HIV

Study design, rationale and methods of the Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) study: a cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate environmental and human health impacts of a water-sensitive intervention in informal settlements in Indonesia and Fiji

Introduction: Increasing urban populations have led to the growth of informal settlements, with contaminated environments linked to poor human health through a range of interlinked pathways. Here, we describe the design and methods for the Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) study, a transdisciplinary randomised trial evaluating impacts of an intervention to upgrade urban informal settlements in two Asia-Pacific countries. Methods and analysis: RISE is a cluster randomised controlled trial among 12 settlements in Makassar, Indonesia, and 12 in Suva, Fiji. Six settlements in each country have been randomised to receive the intervention at the outset; the remainder will serve as controls and be offered intervention delivery after trial completion. The intervention involves a water-sensitive approach, delivering site-specific, modular, decentralised infrastructure primarily aimed at improving health by decreasing exposure to environmental faecal contamination. Consenting households within each informal settlement site have been enrolled, with longitudinal assessment to involve health and well-being surveys, and human and environmental sampling. Primary outcomes will be evaluated in children under 5 years of age and include prevalence and diversity of gastrointestinal pathogens, abundance and diversity of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes in gastrointestinal microorganisms and markers of gastrointestinal inflammation. Diverse secondary outcomes include changes in microbial contamination; abundance and diversity of pathogens and AMR genes in environmental samples; impacts on ecological biodiversity and microclimates; mosquito vector abundance; anthropometric assessments, nutrition markers and systemic inflammation in children; caregiver-reported and self-reported health symptoms and healthcare utilisation; and measures of individual and community psychological, emotional and economic well-being. The study aims to provide proof-of-concept evidence to inform policies on upgrading of informal settlements to improve environments and human health and well-being. Ethics: Study protocols have been approved by ethics boards at Monash University, Fiji National University and Hasanuddin University. Trial registration number: ACTRN12618000633280; Pre-results

The community - based socioeconomic monitoring training guide (application Muaivuso village, Yavuso, Navakavu)

Participants from several FLMMA project sites, which included Votua village from the province of Ba, district of Wai and Korolevu-i-Wai in the province of Nadroga, and Navakavu from the province of Rewa, attended a two-day socioeconomic monitoring training at Muaivusu village on May 15-16, 2003. The workshop had two major activities. The first activity was the involvement and participation of the community representatives in identifying socioeconomic factors that they perceive can gauge the changes in the livelihood and welfare of their respective communities. The second involved the use of a questionnaire to collect socioeconomic data that may depict the changes in the livelihood and welfare status of the community as the result of the impact of the project. The first day of the training focused on understanding what socioeconomic monitoring is, why this is done and monitoring or survey methods that are applied. On the second day the participants developed and trial questionnaire to assess how much the four villages of Yavusa Navakavu (with Muaivusu as the chiefly village) are dependent on marine resources for their livelihood. Actual household surveys were carried out in the late afternoon to the evening of the first day. Participants,were briefed on collation and analysis of data collected on Day One for each of the four villages. Percentages were worked out on incomes derived from land versus sea resources and other income sources as well. In addition participants developed socioeconomic monitoring plan for their village primarily based on the participants' observation and experience in relation to the impact of the implementation of the marine resource management plan on their socioeconomic well-being. They identified socioeconomic indicators that they perceive will best capture these changes

Solitary Plasmacytoma: A Review Of Clinical, Ocular, Neurological And Other Systemic Manifestations

Solitary plasmacytomas are defined as proliferation of monoclonal plasma cells without evidence of significant bone-marrow plasma-cell infiltration. They are classified according to location into solitary plasmacytoma of bone if they occur in bone, and extramedullary plasmacytoma if they arise in soft tissues. They are more frequent in males than females and have a peak incidence in the fifth and sixth decade of life. Solitary plasmacytoma accounts for about 5% of plasma cell tumours. More than 80% of extramedullary plasmacytoma occur in the upper aero-digestive tract or the head and neck region. Diagnosis is based on histologic confirmation of monoclonal plasma cell infiltration of a single disease site and on the exclusion of systemic myeloma. The development of multiple myeloma from solitary plasmacytoma occurs in approximately 60% of patients within 10 years of diagnosis. Prognosis is good and cure can be attained in extramedullary plasmacytoma. Therapeutic options include radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgical excision. The aetiology of plasmacytoma is still unknown. Extramedullary plasmacytoma can affect practically all the systems in the body including the eyes, nervous system, head and neck, respiratory system, breast, gastrointestinal system, urogenital system and lymph nodes. These systemic manifestations are reviewed. Key words: Plasmacytoma, ocular, outcome, neurological, prognostic factor