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In the Upper Green River basin (UGRB) of Wyoming and the Uintah Basin of Utah, strong wintertime ozone (O3) formation episodes leading to O3 mixing ratios occasionally exceeding 70 parts per billion (ppb) have been observed over the last 2 decades. Wintertime O3 events in the UGRB were first observed in 2005 and since then have continued to be observed intermittently when meteorological conditions are favorable, despite significant efforts to reduce emissions from oil and natural gas extraction and production. While O3 formation has been successfully simulated using observed volatile organic compound (VOC) and nitrogen oxide (NOx) mixing ratios, successful simulation of these wintertime episodes using emission inventories in a 3-D photochemical model has remained elusive. An accurate 3-D photochemical model driven by an emission inventory is critical to understanding the spatial extent of high-O3 events and which emission sources have the most impact on O3 formation. In the winter of 2016/17 (December 2016–March 2017) several high-O3 events were observed with 1 h mixing ratios exceeding 70 ppb. This study uses the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) to simulate one of the high-O3 events observed in the UGRB during March 2017. The WRF-Chem simulations were carried out using the 2014 edition of the Environmental Protection Agency National Emissions Inventory (EPA NEI2014v2), which, unlike previous versions, includes estimates of emissions from non-point oil and gas production sources. Simulations were carried out with two different chemical mechanisms: the Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers (MOZART) and the Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism (RACM), and the results were compared with data from seven weather and air quality monitoring stations in the UGRB operated by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WYDEQ). The simulated meteorology compared favorably to observations with regard to temperature inversions, surface temperature, and wind speeds. Notably, because of snow cover present in the basin, the photolysis surface albedo had to be modified to predict O3 in excess of 70 ppb, although the models were relatively insensitive to the exact photolysis albedo if it was over 0.65. O3 precursors, i.e., NOx and VOCs, are predicted similarly in simulations with both chemical mechanisms, but simulated VOC mixing ratios are a factor of 6 or more lower than the observations, while NOx is also underpredicted but to a lesser degree. Sensitivity simulations revealed that increasing NOx and VOC emissions to match observations produced slightly more O3 compared to baseline simulations, but an additional sensitivity simulation with doubled NOx emissions resulted in a considerable increase in O3 formation. These results suggest that O3 formation in the basin is most sensitive to NOx emissions.

Intro: In Australia, the main methods to diagnose COVID-19 are through rapid antigen tests (RATs) and through nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT, including polymerase chain reaction) on healthcare worker (HCW)-collected combined nose/throat swabs. With self-collection widely used by the public for RATs, the aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of self-collected samples using commercial NAAT for SARS-CoV-2. Methods: Consenting participants aged 14 years and older were provided with a self-collection pack containing instructions and either a FLOQSwab (Copan) or a Rhinoswab (Rhinomed). Participants collected their own nasal sample unsupervised prior to having a HCW-collected combined nose and throat swab taken for standard of care NAAT. Paired self-collected and HCW samples were tested on the cobas SARS-CoV-2 assay (Roche) and the Aptima SARS-CoV-2 assay (Hologic). Findings: We demonstrated comparable sensitivity, specificity, and agreement between self-collected nasal and Rhinoswab samples, compared to HCW- collected samples tested using the cobas SARS-CoV-2 and Aptima SARS-CoV-2 assays. In our study the clinical performance of self-collected specimens was comparable to HCW-collected samples, with both self-collect nasal and Rhinoswab samples resulting in 90-95% sensitivity, and in most cases >95% specificity. Discussion: Without the availability of samples for NAAT the ability to perform genomic testing is limited, reducing surveillance and public health investigations. We showed that genomic sequencing from self-collected samples can correctly identify the virus lineage and that the main determination of successful genomic testing is a high viral load rather than collection method. Conclusion: These data support self-collection as an accessible method for community testing for COVID-19 and introduces a novel collection device, the Rhinoswab as an alternative to the standard nasal swab. The testing method of self-collection can be expanded from the widely used RATs to NAAT and genomic testing which may inform the management and public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

We describe and benchmark a new quantum charge-coupled device (QCCD) trapped-ion quantum computer based on a linear trap with periodic boundary conditions, which resembles a race track. The new system successfully incorporates several technologies crucial to future scalability—including electrode broadcasting, multilayer rf routing, and magneto-optical trap (MOT) loading—while maintaining, and in some cases exceeding, the gate fidelities of previous QCCD systems. The system is initially operated with 32 qubits, but future upgrades will allow for more. We benchmark the performance of primitive operations, including an average state preparation and measurement error of 1.6(1)×10^{-3}, an average single-qubit gate infidelity of 2.5(3)×10^{-5}, and an average two-qubit gate infidelity of 1.84(5)×10^{-3}. The system-level performance of the quantum processor is assessed with mirror benchmarking, linear cross-entropy benchmarking, a quantum volume measurement of QV=2^{16}, and the creation of 32-qubit entanglement in a GHZ state. We also tested application benchmarks, including Hamiltonian simulation, QAOA, error correction on a repetition code, and dynamics simulations using qubit reuse. We also discuss future upgrades to the new system aimed at adding more qubits and capabilities.

Photochemical reactions of contaminants in snow and ice can be important sinks for organic and inorganic compounds deposited onto snow from the atmosphere and sources for photoproducts released from snowpacks into the atmosphere. Snow contaminants can be found in the bulk ice matrix, in internal liquid-like regions (LLRs), or in quasi-liquid layers (QLLs) at the air–ice interface, where they can readily exchange with the firn air. Some studies have reported that direct photochemical reactions occur faster in LLRs and QLLs than in aqueous solution, while others have found similar rates. Here, we measure the photodegradation rate constants for loss of the three dimethoxybenzene isomers under varying experimental conditions, including in aqueous solution, in LLRs, and at the air–ice interface of nature-identical snow. Relative to aqueous solution, we find modest photodegradation enhancements (3- and 6-fold) in LLRs for two of the isomers and larger enhancements (15- to 30-fold) at the air–ice interface for all three isomers. We use computational modeling to assess the impact of light absorbance changes on photodegradation rate enhancements at the interface. We find small (2–5 nm) bathochromic (red) absorbance shifts at the interface relative to in solution, which increases light absorption, but this factor only accounts for less than 50 % of the measured rate constant enhancements. The major factor responsible for photodegradation rate enhancements at the air–ice interface appears to be more efficient photodecay: estimated dimethoxybenzene quantum yields are 6- to 24-fold larger at the interface compared to in aqueous solution and account for the majority (51 %–96 %) of the observed enhancements. Using a hypothetical model compound with an assumed Gaussian-shaped absorbance peak, we find that a shift in the peak to higher or lower wavelengths can have a minor to substantial impact on photodecay rate constants, depending on the original location of the peak and the magnitude of the shift. Changes in other peak properties at the air–ice interface, such as peak width and height (i.e., molar absorption coefficient), can also impact rates of light absorption and direct photodecay. Our results suggest our current understanding of photodegradation processes underestimates the rate at which some compounds are broken down, as well as the release of photoproducts into the atmosphere.

On the list of challenges facing the world largest deltas, increased saline water intrusion (SWI) in the surface water system and its role in jeopardizing freshwater supply are often ranked very high. Yet, detailed process-based studies of SWI at the whole delta scale are limited, and the trends are regularly associated with global sea level rise. Here, using field measurements and a sophisticated 3D model that integrates the riverine, rural, estuarine, and coastal dynamics within one numerical domain, we study SWI at the scale of the Mekong Delta in extensive detail. While many studies downscale the SWI problem to a topic within an estuary, we show that the physical processes on the continental shelf, such as monsoon-driven ocean surge, directly influence salinity dynamics within the delta. Typical values of 20–40 cm surge over the continental shelf contribute to up to 10 km of further SWI. The delta's estuarine system is also more sensitive than many other systems to variations of river discharge. Furthermore, spring–neap variability plays a key role in SWI in the delta. The estuarine variability from a stratified to a mixed system between neap and spring tides develops 3D processes such as estuarine circulation and tidal straining that become the main upstream salt transport mechanisms. The 3D nature of salinity dynamics, and the role of upstream and downstream processes, suggests that compromising on dimension or extent of the numerical domain can limit the accuracy of predictions of SWI in the delta. The study also showcases the fact that riverbed incision in response to anthropogenic sediment starvation in the last 2 decades has increased stratification and activated or magnified 3D salt transport subprocesses that amplify upstream salt transport. With all the external forces on the delta, namely climate change and an altered hydrological regime by the upstream dams, due to deeper estuarine channels (driven by sand mining and upstream impoundments) compared to its near past, the delta itself has become far more vulnerable to even mild natural events. This exemplifies the fundamental importance of preserving the sediment budget and riverbed levels in protecting the world's deltas against SWI.

Purpose: Besides the official One Health (OH) training modules that have been taught for students in class, One Health student club (OHSC) is an initiative and a playground for students to apply OH theories into specific practical activities and benefit the community. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the effectiveness of student clubs in training OH through Vietnamese student's lens. Methods & Materials: We carried out a cross-sectional study using the web-based approach in June 2019. An invitation to participate in the online survey was sent to 1500 undergraduate students who were studying human and animal health in all 20 member universities of Vietnam One Health University Network. Key information collected was participating in OHSC, the most effective methods of training OH, rating experience of joining OHSC, and sustainability of OHSC activities in the future. Descriptive statistics were used as the main indicators to analyze data. Results: Among a total of 1043 students responding to our survey, there were 388 students participated in OHSC. Of those, 64.9% were female and 63.1% were studying in human health fields. OHSC was ranked the first in the top three most effective ways to train OH with 73.2% of participants voted. The most useful OHSC activities were field experience (51.8%), followed by club's knowledge competitions (15.7%). There were 90.7% of students who agreed or completely agreed that OHSC has helped them to improve knowledge and skills related to OH, 88.4% said that OHSC has provided opportunities for them to get more practical experience related to their future careers. In the next coming years, if the One Health Workforce project no longer funded OHSC activities, 82.2% of students were willing to pay some fees to join the club. Of which, the percentages of willing to pay for less than $1, $1-2, $2-4, above $4 US per month were 39.2%, 43%, 8.8%, and 9.1% respectively. Conclusion: From the undergraduate's perspective, OHSC was one of the best ways to train OH in Vietnam effectively and sustainably. This model should be maintained and strengthened to promote the OH approach widely in our country.

Purpose: The objectives of this study were to i) assess the quality of content and forms of OH training programs ii) assess the situation of applying OH competencies in work after participating in OH training program iii) assess the sustainability of OH training programs which the Vietnam One Health University Network provided for health and veterinary professionals. Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between February – June 2019. In total, 188 health and veterinary professionals from 55 provinces participated in this study. The study applied both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to collect information of personal assessment on the quality and sustainability of OH training programs as well as the situation of applying OH knowledge in their work or study. The quantitative part of the assessment used administered online survey, while the qualitative part used in-deep interviews with leaders from Centers for Disease Control and Sub-Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine at province and district levels. Descriptive statistics were used for analyzing data. Results: More than of 80% participants did not know “What OH is” before attending the OH training programs. In total, 91.4% of respondents rated the quality of OH training courses as ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. After participating in OH training programs, 89.9% of them have shared OH knowledge with other colleagues. Three-fourths of professionals reported that applying OH approach has helped them to work more effectively. The three most valuable OH core competencies for health and veterinary professionals were ‘Communication and Informatics’ (80%), ‘Collaboration and Partnership’ (75%), and ‘System thinking’ (44%). Conclusion: The findings from this study offer evidence for the efficacy of OH training programs for health and veterinary professionals. The two main training courses developed by VOHUN have made significant progress in equipping health and veterinary worker with substantial OH knowledge and skill. However, to have sustainable development, VOHUN should focus on enriching training materials, strengthening OH practices in the field, and expand the OH training programs for district and commune staff.

The present study examined the effects on the role of color-blind racial attitudes on the link between internalization of the model minority myth and race-related stress. Using a sample of 309 (176 males and 133 females) Asian American college students, the present study examined the relationship between color-blind racial ideology (i.e., unawareness of blatant racial issues, unawareness of racial privilege and unawareness of institutional racism) on the link between internalization of the model minority myth (i.e., unrestricted mobility and achievement orientation) and race-related stress (i.e., social climate stress, interracial stress, within-group stress, racism stress and achievement stress). Results primarily suggest the denial of blatant racism and racial issues (and not denial of racial privilege and institutional racism) exacerbate the effect of internalizing the model minority myth related to unrestricted mobility, while it buffers the effect of internalizing the model minority myth related to achievement orientation on race-related social stress. Overall, findings of this study suggest that internalization of the model minority myth and the unawareness of race and racism needs to be considered when looking at adjustment of Asian American college students. These findings also suggest that previous differential findings associated with model minority myth and adjustment warrant a closer look at the different implications.

Researchers who work on course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) and issues related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) retention have begun exploring changes in student thinking about what it means to be a scientist. To support this effort, we developed rubrics to score answers to three open-response prompts: What does it mean to think like a scientist? What does it mean to do science? and Did you do real research in your coursename labs? The rubric development process was iterative and was based on input from the literature, experienced researchers, and early-career undergraduates. A post hoc analysis showed that the rubric elements map to 27 of 31 statements in the Culture of Scientific Research (CSR) framework, suggesting that scored responses to the three prompts can assess how well students understand what being a science professional entails. Scores on responses from over 400 students who were starting an introductory biology course for majors furnish baseline data from the rubrics and suggest that (i) undergraduates at this level have, as expected, a novice-level understanding of CSR, and (ii) level of understanding in novice students does not vary as a function of demography or academic preparation. Researchers and instructors are encouraged to add CSR to their list of learning objectives for CUREs and consider assessing it using the rubrics provided here.

Research Findings: Childcare provider stress and job satisfaction has been found to influence childcare quality in high-income contexts, but this phenomenon has yet to be studied in a low- or middle-income country. In 2019-2020, we tested the reliability and validity of the Child Care Center Work Environment Scale (CCCWES) with 416 childcare providers in Da Nang and Quang Nam provinces, Vietnam. We assessed content and face validity and utilized item information within each factor to refine the CCCWES. We assessed convergent validity by evaluating the association between the constructs and childcare quality. In this setting, the original 50-item scale could be shortened to a reliable and valid 22-item scale. The scale comprised two factors: workplace stress and job satisfaction. Workplace stress was negatively associated with childcare quality ([beta] = -0.100, 95% CI = (-0.198, 0.003)). Job satisfaction was positively associated with childcare quality ([beta] = 0.154, 95% CI = (0.056, 0.251)). Practice or Policy: There is a need to measure work-related stress and job satisfaction among childcare providers in order to appropriately target interventions to reduce stress and to optimize support. We offer programs a short-form instrument that reliably measures childcare providers' workplace stress and job satisfaction in Vietnam.

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) Western Pacific Region (WPR) Guidelines on verification of measles elimination were established in 2012. This article outlines Australia’s approach to addressing the guideline’s five lines of evidence, which led to formal verification of elimination by the WHO Regional Verification Commission (RVC) in March 2014. Methods: The criteria were addressed using national measles notifications, data from selected laboratories, the national childhood immunization register, and three national serosurveys (1998/1999, 2002, 2007). Results: Australia met or exceeded all indicator targets with either national or sentinel data. Laboratory and epidemiological surveillance were of high quality, with 85% of cases documented as imported/import-related (target 80%); coverage with the first dose of measles vaccine was close to 94% in 2008–2012 and second dose coverage increased to 91% in 2012 (target >95%). There is ongoing commitment by the Australian Government to increase immunization coverage, and the absence of sustained transmission of any single measles genotype was demonstrated. Conclusions: This is the first documentation of the successful application of the WPR RVC guidelines. The indicators afford some flexibility but appear to provide appropriate rigor to judge achievement of measles elimination. Our experience could assist other countries seeking to verify their elimination status.

The humid tropics are exposed to an unprecedented modernisation of agriculture involving rapid and mixed land-use changes with contrasted environmental impacts. Afforestation is often mentioned as an unambiguous solution for restoring ecosystem services and enhancing biodiversity. One consequence of afforestation is the alteration of streamflow variability which controls habitats, water resources, and flood risks. We demonstrate that afforestation by tree planting or by natural forest regeneration can induce opposite hydrological changes. An observatory including long-term field measurements of fine-scale land-use mosaics and of hydrometeorological variables has been operating in several headwater catchments in tropical southeast Asia since 2000. The GR2M water balance model, repeatedly calibrated over successive 1-year periods and used in simulation mode with the same year of rainfall input, allowed the hydrological effect of land-use change to be isolated from that of rainfall variability in two of these catchments in Laos and Vietnam. Visual inspection of hydrographs, correlation analyses, and trend detection tests allowed causality between land-use changes and changes in seasonal streamflow to be ascertained. In Laos, the combination of shifting cultivation system (alternation of rice and fallow) and the gradual increase of teak tree plantations replacing fallow led to intricate streamflow patterns: pluri-annual streamflow cycles induced by the shifting system, on top of a gradual streamflow increase over years caused by the spread of the plantations. In Vietnam, the abandonment of continuously cropped areas combined with patches of mix-trees plantations led to the natural re-growth of forest communities followed by a gradual drop in streamflow. Soil infiltrability controlled by surface crusting is the predominant process explaining why two modes of afforestation (natural regeneration vs. planting) led to opposite changes in streamflow regime. Given that commercial tree plantations will continue to expand in the humid tropics, careful consideration is needed before attributing to them positive effects on water and soil conservation.

Resident memory CD8+T cells (TRM) usually defined by the CD103 marker represent a new subset of long-lived memory T cells that remain in the tissues. We directly demonstrate their specific role in cancer vaccine-induced tumor regression. In human, they also seem to play a major role in tumor immunosurveillance.

One of the primary objectives of the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) is to acquire stereo observations with the Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) to enable production of high resolution digital elevation models (DEMs). This work describes the processes and techniques used in reducing the NAC stereo observations to DEMs through a combination of USGS integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers (ISIS) and SOCET SET® from BAE Systems by a team at Arizona State University (ASU). LROC Science Operations Center personnel have thus far reduced 130 stereo observations to DEMs of more than 130 stereo pairs for 11 Constellation Program (CxP) sites and 53 other regions of scientific interest. The NAC DEM spatial sampling is typically 2 meters, and the vertical precision is 1–2 meters. Such high resolution provides the three-dimensional view of the lunar surface required for site selection, hazard avoidance and planning traverses that minimize resource consumption. In addition to exploration analysis, geologists can measure parameters such as elevation, slope, and volume to place constraints on composition and geologic history. The NAC DEMs are released and archived through NASA’s Planetary Data System.

An original and simple method to map surface soil moisture over large areas has been developed to obtain data with a high temporal and spatial resolution for the study of possible feedback mechanisms between soil moisture and convection in West Africa. A rainfall estimation product based on Meteosat geostationary satellite measurements is first used together with a simple Antecedent Precipitation Index (API) model to produce soil moisture maps at a spatial resolution of 10×10 km2 and a temporal resolution of 30-min. However, given the uncertainty of the satellite-based rainfall estimation product, the resulting soil moisture maps are not sufficiently accurate. For this reason, a technique based on assimilating AMSR-E C-band measurements into a microwave emission model was developed in which the estimated rainfall rates between two successive AMSR-E brightness temperature (TB) measurements are adjusted by multiplying them by a factor between 0 and 7 that minimizes the difference between simulated and observed TBs. Ground-based soil moisture measurements obtained at three sites in Niger, Mali and Benin were used to assess the method which was found to improve the soil moisture estimates on all three sites.