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-{"version": "v2.0", "data": [{"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "You can easily find a lot of pictures of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. But although it should be trivial for an electron microscope to measure the size, I am not able to find accurate size information.\n\nWhat is the size (diameter) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus?\n(Why does some virus particles seem to have a different size?) \n", "qas": [{"question": "You can easily find a lot of pictures of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. But although it should be trivial for an electron microscope to measure the size, I am not able to find accurate size information.\n\nWhat is the size (diameter) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus?\n(Why does some virus particles seem to have a different size?) \n", "id": "15", "answers": [{"text": "\n  Electron micrographs of negative-stained 2019-nCoV particles were generally spherical with some pleomorphism (Figure 3). Diameter varied from about 60 to 140 nm. Virus particles had quite distinctive spikes, about 9 to 12 nm, and gave virions the appearance of a solar corona.\n\n\n--A Novel Coronavirus from Patients with Pneumonia in China, 2019\n\nFigure 3 from that article:\n\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "There are various selection pressures that may lead to sex being more or less harmful. I don't think there is an easy way to summarize these selection pressures other than just going through load of examples. Here is an attempt to give you some notions of why can sex be pleasurable and/or painful. Note that I do not consider myself particularly knowledgeable in this field.\n\nWhy could it be pleasurable\n\nWe tend to seek for positive experiences. If we like sex, we have more sex. If we have more sex, we are more likely to have more offspring. Hence, the trait \"liking having sex\" is positively correlated with \"fitness\".\n\nWhy could it be harmful\n\nDick pics\n\nIn many species, the penis has spikes and stuff and is most definitely hurting the females. Here is a Drosophila penis\n\n\n\nAnd here are penises of two dragonfly species\n\n\n\nHere is a feline penis\n\n\n\nBy the way, according to wikipedia (could not find peer reviewed paper on the subject so take this with a grain of salt), some humans still have on remnants of those barbs you can still see on many feline penises left from our ancestor. They are called hirsuties coronae glandis. Here is a perfectly healthy (but I would tend to consider quite extreme) example of hirsuties coronae glandis\n\n\n\nSome theory\n\nThere is a lot to say here and I only want to say a few words and hopefully you will go get more information by yourself.\n\nSo why do these species evolve these fancy and scary \"armed\" penises. In many species, it is a small investment for a male to make a baby (just mate and the job is done) but a big investment for the female (producing the egg, eventually even parental care, ...). Because the sex-ratio is always (assuming no group selection) pushed toward 0.5 (see this post and Fisher's principle), it happens that males end up with lots of free time looking for females (see Why are female not competitive for reproduction like males? and Bateman's principle). You might also want to read about sexual conflict.\n\nWhy would such penis evolve?\n\nThe reason vary among species. Here is a non-exclusive, non-exhaustive list of reasons:\n\n\nIn some species (e.g. nudibranch, damselflies)The goal is to remove the sperm from an eventual previous male so as to reduce sperm competition (Cordero-Riviera, 2016).\nIn some species, the goal is to damage the female reproductive track so that she will not subsequently mate with other males hence reducing sperm competition ().\nIn some species, the male can even leave toxic products in the female (Chapman et al., 1995).\nIn some species, females get severly harrassed by males for mating and rape is not unusual (e.g Drosophila). Some penile barbs and spikes can be used to get the female stuck in place. To avoid that the female can escape before the sperm has been delivered ()! That being said, in some circumstance such use of spiky penis might be beneficial to the female too. This non-peer reviewed article may bring some light.\nIn some species, the male can pierce through the female abdomen to deliver its sperm. This is called traumatic insemination.\n\n\nIn a classical experiment, Rice 1996 shows that there is an arm race between males and females. Race in which males increases their negative impact on female's reproductive organs and females protect themselves from it. The paper is free, is short, easy to read and has a pretty amazing experimental design. It is worth having a look at it.\n\nFeeding the babies via the mother\n\nI just want to point with other examples that sex does not have to be romantic in many species. In some species, the female eats the male after sex or even while having sex. To what I have heard (; please be cautious with this information), in some mantis prey, the male does not even release his sperm before the female has cut the male's head off. Why would the male do that?\n\nA male that let himself get eaten by the females ensures that the female has lots of energy for taking care of her babies. Hence a male may increase his fitness by sacrificing himself to his partner.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "As a non-biologist, my understanding is SARS-CoV-2 uses it spike protein to latch on to the ACE2 receptor on cells in order to inject its genetic material into the cell.\n\nQuestions:\n\n\nWhat would happen if you flooded a person with exogenous ACE2 proteins? \nWould the virus attach to these decoy proteins and thereby save cells from being infected? \nWould the injected proteins cause unwanted side effects? \nHas this approach to treating viral infections been tried before?\n\n\nReference:\nhttps://f1000research.com/articles/9-72\n", "qas": [{"question": "As a non-biologist, my understanding is SARS-CoV-2 uses it spike protein to latch on to the ACE2 receptor on cells in order to inject its genetic material into the cell.\n\nQuestions:\n\n\nWhat would happen if you flooded a person with exogenous ACE2 proteins? \nWould the virus attach to these decoy proteins and thereby save cells from being infected? \nWould the injected proteins cause unwanted side effects? \nHas this approach to treating viral infections been tried before?\n\n\nReference:\nhttps://f1000research.com/articles/9-72\n", "id": "24", "answers": [{"text": "This is indeed a reputable strategy (#1,2,4) for rapid response to novel pathogens.  See https://phys.org/news/2020-01-scientists-decoy-molecule-neutralizes-arenaviruses.html and the open access article it cites https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-13924-6\n\nIn the case of coronavirus, however, there is an issue (your #3) in that ACE2 is an enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of a circulating hormone, angiotensin II, which is responsible for maintaining high (or normal) blood pressure.  So the \"bait\" used would have to be at least somewhat altered from this.  You would probably have to take into account how it affected other protein interactions such as with integrin beta 1 ... (see articles like https://europepmc.org/article/MED/14754895 ) to avoid getting caught up in speculation, it makes sense that a neutralizing protein might be made from part of ACE2 just as a neutralizing monoclonal antibody could be made, but you still have to have something specific before you can test for safety and efficacy.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "To delineate an experiment is to describe precisely the conditions and the states of all the parameters.\n\nSo in your sentence it probably means a scientist might struggle to keep track of all the confounding factors (changing salinity, composition, dissolved gases, particulates, pH, temp, etc.) which might affect an experiment in such a dynamic system as the ocean.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "The corona virus appearantly does not like high temperature:\nHigh Temperature and High Humidity Reduce the Transmission of COVID-19\nAlso it seems that higher body temperatures helps the immune system to work better: Elevated body temperature helps certain types of immune cells to work better, evidence suggests \n\nShould therefore someone who suspect they may have the corona virus or possibly another cold virus and do not experience fever try to elevate their body temperature slightly (say 0.5-1 degrees celsius) by dressing extra warm?\n\nThis is postulated here.\n\nDoes this sound plausible to you?\n", "qas": [{"question": "The corona virus appearantly does not like high temperature:\nHigh Temperature and High Humidity Reduce the Transmission of COVID-19\nAlso it seems that higher body temperatures helps the immune system to work better: Elevated body temperature helps certain types of immune cells to work better, evidence suggests \n\nShould therefore someone who suspect they may have the corona virus or possibly another cold virus and do not experience fever try to elevate their body temperature slightly (say 0.5-1 degrees celsius) by dressing extra warm?\n\nThis is postulated here.\n\nDoes this sound plausible to you?\n", "id": "25", "answers": [{"text": "SARS-CoV-2 is believed to have spilled over into humans from a Rhinopholus (horseshoe bat) reservoir. During flight, bats' body temperature is maintained at levels associated with fever in other mammals. Rhinolophus bats are reported to reach skin temperatures of 41 C during flight. (From this review which describes why bats might be special sources for zoonotic viruses)\nSo, this virus is likely adapted to survive higher temperatures than a human host.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I suppose it's a whip scorpion.\n\n\n\n\n  Whip scorpion (order Uropygi, sometimes Thelyphonida), any of approximately 105 species of the arthropod class Arachnida that are similar in appearance to true scorpions except that the larger species have a whiplike telson, or tail, that serves as an organ of touch and has no stinger. The second pair of appendages, the pedipalps, are spiny pincers, and the third pair are long feelers. \n\n\nIt is most common in India and Japan to New Guinea. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "One hypothesis for which we have some supporting evidence is that the new virus (SARS-CoV-2) \"enters human cells through an interaction with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2\" see here. Although it is still unclear what genes to target in order to prevent the infection (entry or reproduction). \n\nIs there empirical evidence suggesting what genes can be modulated to fight the infection?\n", "qas": [{"question": "One hypothesis for which we have some supporting evidence is that the new virus (SARS-CoV-2) \"enters human cells through an interaction with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2\" see here. Although it is still unclear what genes to target in order to prevent the infection (entry or reproduction). \n\nIs there empirical evidence suggesting what genes can be modulated to fight the infection?\n", "id": "28", "answers": [{"text": "This is an interesting question. A recent study published on bioRxiv by researchers from Xi'an, China (pre-print) argues that CD147 can also be an entry receptor for the virus. They showed virus entry can be blocked by an antibody to human CD147.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Neurons communicate electrochemically. That is, when a signal arrives to a neuron it fires a series of electrical signals, called action potentials.\nAction potentials are depolarization events that propagate along the neuronal membrane, down to the neuronal terminal. \nThe terminal of a neuron is (with some exceptions) in contact with another neuron, via a structure called synapse.\nWhen the depolarization arrives at the terminal, it allows the entry of calcium, which then mediates the release of a chemical substance, a neurotransmitter into the synaptic space. Finally, neurotransmitters act on the postsynaptic neuron, by binding to specific receptors on its cell membrane and can either stimulate it, in which case the postsynaptic neuron will fire more and release more of its neurotransmitter or inhibit it, in which case the opposite happens.\n\nThe textbook example of a stimulatory neurotransmitter is glutamate, and the inhibitory one is GABA1.\n\nIn various areas of the brain certain neurons are constantly receiving inputs from GABAergic afferents. This means that those neurons are constantly receiving a GABA stimulus that inhibits them, and are thus under a constant inhibitory tone. This will prevent their firing until a sufficiently potent stimulatory stimulus arrives or until the inhibitory tone is somehow released (for instance if the inhibitory GABAergic afferents are themselves inhibited by some of their own afferents). \n\n\n\n1note that this is not always true: GABA can also be stimulatory in various situations\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I've always used Acyclovir to treat cold sores, why doesn't it work on other viruses? \n\nHow do coronaviruses differ from herpesviruses?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I've always used Acyclovir to treat cold sores, why doesn't it work on other viruses? \n\nHow do coronaviruses differ from herpesviruses?\n", "id": "29", "answers": [{"text": "Aciclovir specifically targets HSV-family viruses.\n\nIt is metabolized by a viral-specific enzyme into an inhibitor of the specific DNA polymerase expressed by the virus:\n\n\n  in infected cells, HSV or VZV coded thymidine kinase facilitates\n  the conversion of aciclovir to aciclovir monophosphate, which is then converted to aciclovir triphosphate by cellular enzymes. Aciclovir triphosphate acts as an inhibitor of and substrate for the herpes specified DNA polymerase, preventing further viral DNA synthesis. \n\n\nhttps://www.ebs.tga.gov.au/ebs/picmi/picmirepository.nsf/pdf?OpenAgent&id=CP-2009-PI-00595-3\n\nOther viruses don't express these specific enzymes, and even if they have similar enzymes they may not interact the same way with the drug. Even within the herpesvirus family, the drug is not equally effective against every virus.\n\nCoronaviruses are RNA viruses, so even though the drug is not effective for DNA viruses outside the herpesvirus family, coronaviruses are definitely not going to be affected because they don't even have a DNA polymerase to inhibit.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Actually there is a way for waves to interact with each other. Our bones conduct vibrations very well: bone conduction. Some of hearing aids are based on this effect. \n\nI can think about another example: the Weber test. It is a quick test for hearing. \n\n\n  In the Weber test a vibrating tuning fork (Typically 256 Hz ...) is placed in the middle of the forehead, above the upper lip under the nose over the teeth, or on top of the head equi-distant from the patient's ears on top of thin skin in contact with the bone. The patient is asked to report in which ear the sound is heard louder. A normal weber test has a patient reporting the sound heard equally in both sides.\n\n\nSo the explanation could be the bone conduction of vibrations.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "All news I can see scientist telling that the SARS-CoV-2 virus survive more in cold and dry weather. I can understand cold as hot weather will desiccate virus, but why dry  weather.\n\nWould not dry weather dry droplets of saliva sooner also desiccate virus, would not humid weather support virus?\n", "qas": [{"question": "All news I can see scientist telling that the SARS-CoV-2 virus survive more in cold and dry weather. I can understand cold as hot weather will desiccate virus, but why dry  weather.\n\nWould not dry weather dry droplets of saliva sooner also desiccate virus, would not humid weather support virus?\n", "id": "32", "answers": [{"text": "So I found this information regarding humidity from an article by MIT on corona:\n\n1) High humidity leads to condensation of sneezing cough saliva particles sooner, so it does not spread to farther distance\n\n2) Low humidity leads to less condensation and higher range of movement of saliva particle, hence more spread area.\n\nApparently it has to do with physics and range of infection not on survivability.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Increased temperatures and  humidity slows down the spread of virus, as warmer air holds more moisture it prevents viruses from traveling through air in comparison to the dry air conditions. As humidity increases, the size of water droplet is larger which settles out of the air quickly. This the reason why influenza-like viruses spread more in winter season.\n\nThe SARS CoV2 (strain of coronavirus presently causing COVID 19 disease) has the basic reproduction number (R0) approximately 3, which means each infected person can pass virus to about 3 other people. And researchers have found by increasing temperature by one degree Celsius and one percent increase in relative humidity decreases this R0 value by 0.0383 and 0.0224, respectively. This means less number of people are infected further by single infected person.\n\nCheckout this review: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32196426\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "E.g. could you be infected by COVID-19 as well as a different strand of coronaviruses (e.g. those that circulate in the population every flu season)?\n", "qas": [{"question": "E.g. could you be infected by COVID-19 as well as a different strand of coronaviruses (e.g. those that circulate in the population every flu season)?\n", "id": "34", "answers": [{"text": "Yes:\n\n\n  Coinfections involving multiple HCoVs were also detected (Table 2). \n  \n  ...\n  \n  \n\n\n\nHuman Coronaviruses HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-HKU1 in Hospitalized Children with Acute Respiratory Infections in Beijing, China, Advances in Virology (2011)\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Resistance to antiviral therapy is a problem in the treatment of many viral illnesses. \n\nInfluenza is particularly significant given the epidemiological characteristics of the disease. This Nature Medicine article gives a good overview of oseltamivir resistant pandemic H1N1, which is a useful example, since our assumption that resistant virus would not spread very effectively was (probably predictably) not valid. \n\nHIV is an excellent case study as well, since antiretroviral resistance is such an important issue in the treatment of that particular infection, and demonstrates the challenges of outwitting a pathogen with such a high error rate. This became apparent quite soon after introduction of (initially successful) monotherapy with AZT. In fact, preventing the emergence of resistant virus within the population of virus in a given patient is typically the primary consideration in choosing a drug regimen. \n\nWith regard to the other examples of antiviral treatment you mentioned, HCV resistance is well reviewed here. HSV resistance is reviewed here. Resistance has been observed in both examples, though it is more often considered in the normal course of treatment for HCV than HSV. I'd note that Harvoni, which you mentioned, is a combination therapy (ledipasvir-sofosbuvir). Combination therapy is one common strategy for preventing the emergence of resistance\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "There has been some electron micrograph of SARS-COV-2 published; but are there any fluorescent/ confocal-fluorescent image of them? or is it possible to do them?  I know that viruses are usually much smaller than capacity of light microscope but I think by using any immunofluorescent probe or FISH technique it is possible to visualise the locations occurance of the virus in cell or tissue. At least one website says it is possible to visualise viral infections using fluorescence techniques. \n\nNow is there any such image for SARS-COV-2, and is it possible to take? \n", "qas": [{"question": "There has been some electron micrograph of SARS-COV-2 published; but are there any fluorescent/ confocal-fluorescent image of them? or is it possible to do them?  I know that viruses are usually much smaller than capacity of light microscope but I think by using any immunofluorescent probe or FISH technique it is possible to visualise the locations occurance of the virus in cell or tissue. At least one website says it is possible to visualise viral infections using fluorescence techniques. \n\nNow is there any such image for SARS-COV-2, and is it possible to take? \n", "id": "40", "answers": [{"text": "If you have an antibody against the viral proteins you can do an immuno staining followed by fluorescence imaging. For this type of technique you would need a very specific antibody. I am not aware that this exist at the moment and I don't think anyone had the time to do it for immunostaining purposes.\n\nFor FISH it would depend on the genomic nature of the virus (ssRNA, ssDNA, dsRNA, dsDNA), again you would need specific probes to capture it. Again specific is key.\n\nEDIT 01.04.2020: This group says they have found specific antibodies https://www.centivax.com/covid19\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I don't know much about the evolution of thoughts on the subject but I would suppose that the estimate of 100,000 genes is probably caused by the one gene - one enzyme/protein ideas\n\n\n  The one gene\u2013one enzyme hypothesis is the idea that genes act through the production of enzymes, with each gene responsible for producing a single enzyme that in turn affects a single step in a metabolic pathway. \n\n\nThe idea that genes are affecting cell functions via the protein that they code for is not so outdated. However, the idea that a gene codes for a single unique protein is a little outdated.\n\nIn reality a single gene can code for several different proteins via a mechanism called alternative splicing.\n\n\n  Alternative splicing, or differential splicing, is a regulated process during gene expression that results in a single gene coding for multiple proteins. In this process, particular exons of a gene may be included within or excluded from the final, processed messenger RNA (mRNA) produced from that gene. Consequently, the proteins translated from alternatively spliced mRNAs will contain differences in their amino acid sequence and, often, in their biological functions [..]. Notably, alternative splicing allows the human genome to direct the synthesis of many more proteins than would be expected from its 20,000 protein-coding genes.\n\n\nThe original estimate of the number of genes was hence probably alined with the observed number of proteins by assuming that there is a one-to-one function from gene to protein (as by the one gene - one protein hypothesis).\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "In search for any possible new treatments for COVID-19, I am of the understanding that the SARS-nCoV-2 virus may suffer deterioration at high temperatures and high humidity, to perhaps weaken it sufficiently for your immune system to be able to handle it. \n\nIs there any research done on artificially inducing a (let's say) 40\u00b0C fever, in a controlled manner, such that brain function will not be endangered?\n\n(Are there any fundamental biological functions that would prevent this possibility?)\n\n\n\nPossibly Related Questions:\n\n\nShould we induce fever to assist healing?\nHow does fever physically work?\nPaper shows 2 hours of high humidity and hot temperatures kills corona virus, does this stop the spread of the virus?\nWhat are the environmental conditions for 2019-nCoV to survive?\n\n\n\n\nReferences:\n[1] https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/surgery/hyperthermia-fact-sheet\n[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperthermia_therapy\n[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoregulation\n[4] Janeways Immunobiology (book)\n", "qas": [{"question": "In search for any possible new treatments for COVID-19, I am of the understanding that the SARS-nCoV-2 virus may suffer deterioration at high temperatures and high humidity, to perhaps weaken it sufficiently for your immune system to be able to handle it. \n\nIs there any research done on artificially inducing a (let's say) 40\u00b0C fever, in a controlled manner, such that brain function will not be endangered?\n\n(Are there any fundamental biological functions that would prevent this possibility?)\n\n\n\nPossibly Related Questions:\n\n\nShould we induce fever to assist healing?\nHow does fever physically work?\nPaper shows 2 hours of high humidity and hot temperatures kills corona virus, does this stop the spread of the virus?\nWhat are the environmental conditions for 2019-nCoV to survive?\n\n\n\n\nReferences:\n[1] https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/surgery/hyperthermia-fact-sheet\n[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperthermia_therapy\n[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermoregulation\n[4] Janeways Immunobiology (book)\n", "id": "48", "answers": [{"text": "\n  In search for any possible new treatments for COVID-19, I am of the understanding that the SARS-nCoV-2 virus may suffer deterioration at high temperatures and high humidity\n\n\nIf you are referring to the linked question, that is for virus in air on a dry surface.  It is a test of how long the virus can survive outside of a host before it is desiccated and destroyed by the environment.  It is not relevant to viral particles inside of an organism.\n\n\n  Are there any fundamental biological functions that would prevent this possibility?\n\n\nThere is little evidence that elevated body temperature has much effect on duration of infection with most common viral diseases. This is why antipyretic drugs are commonly recommended for people with viral infections.  \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "There's a lot we don't know about life in deep caves, but we can bound the deepest living organism to at least 3.5 kilometers down, and probably not more than 30 kilometers down.\n\nThe worms recovered from deep mining boreholes are not particularly specifically adapted to live that far down: they have similar oxygen/temperature requirements as surface nematodes. \n\nThe Tau Tona mine is about 3.5 kilometers deep and about 60\u02da C at the bottom. Hydrothermal vent life does just fine up to about 80\u02daC, and the crust gets warmer at \"about\" 25\u02daC per kilometer. It's entirely reasonable to expect life to about 5 kilometers down, but further than that is speculation.\n\nIncreasing pressure helps to stabilize biological molecules that would otherwise disintegrate at those temperatures, so it's not impossible there could be life even deeper. It may even be likely, given that the Tau Tona life breathes oxygen.\n\nI am certain no life we might recognize as life exists in the upper mantle. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I can see the chain of spreading disease: Humans usually get rabies from domestic animals, those usually get it from wild animals, wild animals in their turn get from the other wild animals and here I'm stuck. Well, so where do wild animals get it from initially?\n\nI know that rabies is a virus and it needs warm-blooded animals to live out. Also according to Wikipedia once an animal is effected it lasts, let's say, no longer than for 2 weeks. \n\nIn other words, does it mean that there is a constant population of rabid animals that exists in order to pass this virus from one animal to another every 2 week on the average?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I can see the chain of spreading disease: Humans usually get rabies from domestic animals, those usually get it from wild animals, wild animals in their turn get from the other wild animals and here I'm stuck. Well, so where do wild animals get it from initially?\n\nI know that rabies is a virus and it needs warm-blooded animals to live out. Also according to Wikipedia once an animal is effected it lasts, let's say, no longer than for 2 weeks. \n\nIn other words, does it mean that there is a constant population of rabid animals that exists in order to pass this virus from one animal to another every 2 week on the average?\n", "id": "52", "answers": [{"text": "Such viruses have a natural host, which might get sick, but is usually not killed by the virus. From there, the virus can get zoonotic (jump over species barriers) and infect other animals when it comes to contact. For Rabies the reservoir hosts are different, for the US these are bats, skunks and racoons. For more details, have a look on this PDF.\n\nAnother example for this is the SARS virus (a corona virus) which most likely lives in bats naturally and has jumped from there onto birds and from there infected humans. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I think it is Chord Diagram. you can see this for more information. \n\n\n  \"A chord diagram is a graphical method of displaying the inter-relationships between data in a matrix. The data are arranged radially around a circle with the relationships between the data points typically drawn as arcs connecting the data.\" based on the Wikipedia\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Can a full-head helmet with the visor closed prevent getting infected by the Corona virus during a casual interaction with a carrier?\n\nFor example, when buying something at a store or discussing something with someone for 10-15 minutes.\n\nHow does it compare with the protection provided by a standard face mask (that can be purchased at a pharmacy)?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Can a full-head helmet with the visor closed prevent getting infected by the Corona virus during a casual interaction with a carrier?\n\nFor example, when buying something at a store or discussing something with someone for 10-15 minutes.\n\nHow does it compare with the protection provided by a standard face mask (that can be purchased at a pharmacy)?\n", "id": "71", "answers": [{"text": "I think it's a great idea. It protects your eyes from respiratory droplets and keeps you from touching your face. I don't know how well it would work from keeping droplet from reaching your mouth, but probably pretty well, especially if you used it with an N95 respirator. It might be a little shocking/intimidating to people, so I would only use it in extremely infected areas. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "We should clarify some terms here. Scoliosis is a deformation, but Lordosis and kyphosis are not. The latter two are normal structural parts of human spine. \n\nBack to your question, we don\u00b4t know.\n\nAltogether the pathogenesis of scoliosis is poorly established and mostly unknown. \n\nIn adolescent scoliosis, it seems that presence of scoliosis is mostly associated to genetic factors (Burwell et al.). 97% of patients presenting with adolescent scoliosis have a positive familial history (Dayer et al.).\n\nA recent review article sums the current knowledge of the pathogenesis of scoliosis (Dayer et al.). The interactions in molecular level, brain, vestibular system and in structural biomechanics are extremely complex and authors conclude quite fairly: \"Many factors are potentially involved in the pathogenesis of adolescent scoliosis, leading some authors to formulate a complex collective model from these different concepts.\"\n\nAs so there is not currently any explicit evidence which would state the harms of any static risk factors (sleeping) affecting to development of scoliosis. Partly due to this vagueness I think the debate regarding risk of scoliosis is prone to bias and emotional \"truths\" and wisdoms.\n\nIn a recent population level study, authors found that sleeping in hammock was inversely associated to scoliosis (Baroni et al.). Still, it's possible that this study failed to take into account the possibility that children with scoliosis might be less likely to sleep in a hammock because of possible back pain in the morning. Correlation (or inverse correlation) does not imply causation.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I would like to know if it has been proven or disproven that the Coronavirus/COVID-19 can be spread via public toilet seats?\n\nI am thinking that perhaps I should always carry around hand sanitizer with me and put some on each public toilet seat that I use. I would put it on some toilet paper and then rub down the toilet seat before sitting down.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I would like to know if it has been proven or disproven that the Coronavirus/COVID-19 can be spread via public toilet seats?\n\nI am thinking that perhaps I should always carry around hand sanitizer with me and put some on each public toilet seat that I use. I would put it on some toilet paper and then rub down the toilet seat before sitting down.\n", "id": "77", "answers": [{"text": "The virus causing COVID-19 infects the respiratory tract. It is spread in droplets of moisture when an infected person sneezes, coughs, and exhales. These droplets can be inhaled directly and can also end up on surfaces, where they can be picked up on your hands and then spread to your face.\n\nThe WHO recommends hand washing and avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands as the primary ways to protect against infection.\n\nCould a toilet seat potentially transfer the virus? Perhaps, but there is nothing special about a toilet compared to other surfaces in a bathroom, and there are no recommendations to treat that surface in particular. The way that you would transfer virus from those surfaces would be by touching them with your hands and then touching your face. The WHO recommends hand washing to combat this.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "There are several components to this question:\n\n\nIs hydrogen peroxide (as used in dental hygiene procedures) absorbed into the body in significant quantities?\nCould absorbed hydrogen peroxide have systemic effects?\nTo what extent is oxidative stress a factor in the pathogenesis of vitiligo?\nCan absorbed hydrogen peroxide contribute to the pathogenesis of vitiligo due to an increase in oxidative stress?\n\n\nI will provide some evidence and discussion for each of these points below.\n\n\n\nBackground on hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)\n\nHydrogen peroxide is the simplest peroxide (a compound with an oxygen\u2013oxygen single bond). It is used as an oxidizer, bleaching agent, and antiseptic. Concentrated hydrogen peroxide is a reactive oxygen species and has been used as a propellant in rocketry. Its chemistry is dominated by the nature of its unstable peroxide bond.\n\n\n\n\n\n1: Use of H2O2 in dentistry\n\nThis paper is a review of the use of hydrogen peroxide in dentistry. \n\nThe levels of H2O2 in toothpastes and dentifrices are generally much lower than those used for teeth whitening or bleaching.\n\n\n  Studies in which 3% H2O2 or less were used daily for up to 6 years\n  showed occasional transitory irritant effects only in a small number\n  of subjects with preexisting ulceration, or when high levels of salt\n  solutions were concurrently administered. \n  \n  In contrast, bleaching\n  agents that employ or generate high levels of H2O2  or organic\n  peroxides can produce localized oral toxicity following sustained\n  exposure if mishandled.\n\n\nThey note potential health concerns raised by animal studies.\n\n\n  From a single study using the hamster cheek pouch model, 30% H2O2 was\n  referred to as a cocarcinogen in the oral mucosa. This (and later)\n  studies have shown that at 3% or less, no cocarcinogenic activity or\n  adverse effects were observed in the hamster cheek pouch following\n  lengthy exposure to H2O2.\n\n\nSo concentrations below 3% seem unlikely to cause significant harm. Beneficial effects (such as improvement in gingival disease and promoting healing due to an antimicrobial effect) are seen at concentrations above 1%.\n\nBased on this, a window of 1-3% concentration of H2O2 would appear to be optimal.\n\n\n\nA UK government toxicological report confirms that H2O2 only causes local toxicity by irritation and cellular damage, but it does not cause systemic problems and is not considered a carcinogen.\n\n\n\n2: Metabolism of H2O2\n\nH2O2 is a byproduct of many biochemical reactions and is toxic to cells. The enzyme catalase is found in nearly all living organisms exposed to oxygen (such as bacteria, plants, and animals). It catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. It is a very important enzyme in protecting the cell from oxidative damage by reactive oxygen species (ROS). These are also known as free radicals.\n\nThe reaction is shown below.\n\n\n\n\n  The toxicity of H2O2 is due to oxidation of proteins, membrane lipids\n  and DNA by the peroxide ions. The class of biological enzymes called\n  superoxide dismutase (SOD) is developed in nearly all living cells as\n  an important antioxidant agent. They promote the disproportionation of\n  superoxide into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, which is then rapidly\n  decomposed by catalase to oxygen and water.\n\n\nWhat is oxidation?\n\nOxidation is one of a pair of opposite chemical reactions involving transfer of electrons; oxidation and reduction. Together they are known as redox reactions.\n\nOxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state of an atom by another atom, an ion, or a molecule.\n\nReduction is the gain of electrons or a decrease in the oxidation state of an atom by another atom, an ion, or a molecule.\n\nIn a redox reaction, one component is oxidised and the other reduced.\n\n\n  For example, during the combustion of wood, electrons are transferred\n  from carbon atoms in the wood to oxygen atoms in the air. The oxygen\n  atoms undergo reduction, gaining electrons, while the carbon atoms\n  undergo oxidation, losing electrons. Thus oxygen is the oxidizing\n  agent and carbon is the reducing agent in this reaction.\n\n\nAnother example of a redox reaction is the oxidation of glucose to release energy in cellular respiration.\n\nCatalase uses the oxidising power of H2O2 to oxidise other potentially harmful substrates that need to be broken down (like phenols, formic acid, formaldehyde, and alcohol), while the H2O2 itself is reduced in the process. This is called the peroxidation reaction.\n\nCatalase is present in all cells (especially the liver and kidneys). Apart from local tissue destruction, small amounts that might be absorbed would be broken down in this manner.\n\n\n\n3: Vitiligo\n\nVitiligo is a condition in which melanocytes in patches of skin cease production of the pigment melanin.\n\nThere are several theories about its pathogenesis. It is associated with certain genetic susceptibility markers and also with other autoimmune disorders, suggesting an autoimmune process. The autoantigen is likely to be the tyrosinase enzyme, which is involved in melanin biosynthesis.\n\nOxidative stress theory\n\nThis research paper discusses oxidative stress in the context of vitiligo.\n\n\n  In vitiligo, melanocytes are particularly vulnerable to oxidative\n  stress owing to the pro-oxidant state generated during melanin\n  synthesis and to the genetic antioxidant defects.\n\n\nIn particular, with relevance to catalase:\n\n\n  In both lesional and non-lesional skin of vitiligo patients, increased\n  levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were observed, accompanied\n  with reduced levels and activity of catalase.\n  \n  It is well known that normal melanocytes are vulnerable to excessive\n  reactive oxygen species (ROS) for their specialized function of melanin synthesis, which would\n  result in a highly pro-oxidant state in the epidermis.\n  \n  This imbalance between the pro-oxidants and the antioxidant status can\n  disrupt the homeostasis of melanocytes, causing accumulation of\n  oxidized and damaged proteins or organelles, and consequently lead to\n  the destruction of melanocytes.\n\n\nSo there is evidence of increased oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. However, it is a complex picture, with probable environmental triggers and genetic susceptibility factors. An autoimmune process and oxidative stress are not mutually exclusive, as the former could disable the cellular mechanisms for dealing with the latter.\n\n\n\n4: Can absorbed hydrogen peroxide contribute to the pathogenesis of vitiligo due to an increase in oxidative stress?\n\nEssentially, assimilating this information, the answer seems to be no.\n\nApplied hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) primarily causes local irritation and tissue damage, depending on the concentration. It is not significantly absorbed and small absorbed amounts would be quickly broken down by catalase.\n\nWhile increased susceptibility to oxidative stress in melanocytes plays a role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, it is a disruption of the cellular mechanisms for managing oxidative stress, rather than a primary increase of oxidants (like hydrogen peroxide) that is the main factor.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am looking for a maintained and updated data feed that has the times of all confirmed cases of COVID 19 and their Geo coordinates. Thanks.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am looking for a maintained and updated data feed that has the times of all confirmed cases of COVID 19 and their Geo coordinates. Thanks.\n", "id": "78", "answers": [{"text": "https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6\n\n\n  We are tracking the COVID-19 spread in real-time on our interactive dashboard with data available for download. We are also modeling the spread of the virus. Preliminary study results are discussed on our blog.\n\n\nThis is by the John Hopkins University.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You should avoid products that contain artificial sweeteners because it will only promote fat storage and weight gain according to Dr. Mercola, it also promotes health problems associated with excessive sugar consumption, including Cardiovascular disease and stroke, Alzheimer's disease and artificial sweeteners stimulate appetite, increase cravings for carbs why? simply because your body are being fooled by artificial sweeteners by sweet taste but in reality, it has no calories inside. When we eat something sweet, our brain releases dopamine which activates our brain's reward center. The appetite-regulating hormone leptin that will inform your brain that you are \"full\" if a number of calories have been ingested. However, if we consume something that tastes sweet but doesn't contain any calories, our brain are still activated by these artificial sweeteners that we get sugar (calories), but when the sugar are not present, our body will still continue to give signal that we need more that will results in carb cravings so in short we are tricked by this artificial sweeteners. The study shows that it also worsen any insulin sensitivity and are promoting weight gain. Artificial sweeteners played a role in worsening the obesity and diabetes epidemics since their emergence in our food supply and these are added to about 6,000 different beverages, snacks, and food products, making label-reading an ever pressing necessity. Disturbingly, food industry groups are now trying to hide the presence of artificial sweeteners in certain foods.\n\nFor a safer sweetener options, I suggest using stevia or Luo Han, both of them are safe natural sweeteners. Just keep in mind however that if you struggle with hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, or overweight, then you have insulin sensitivity issues and would probably benefit from avoiding \"ALL sweeteners\".\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Coronavirus death rates are higher for people in the range of 80+ (14,8%) and 70-79 years old (3,6%). However, there are countries, specially in Africa, where life expectancies are in the 50-60 and 60-70 years old range. Some people (like Bill Gates) warned about possible catastrophes if the virus massively reachs Africa. Could it happen than the lower life expectancy of those countries prevents more people from dying? Is people who lives 60 years old in countries with lower life expectancy, expected to have the mortality rates for Coronavirus of the people of the same age in countries with higher life expectancy, or a person of 60 years old in countries like those is in a physical state of an older person in a more developed country and as such have a higher mortality rate? \n", "qas": [{"question": "Coronavirus death rates are higher for people in the range of 80+ (14,8%) and 70-79 years old (3,6%). However, there are countries, specially in Africa, where life expectancies are in the 50-60 and 60-70 years old range. Some people (like Bill Gates) warned about possible catastrophes if the virus massively reachs Africa. Could it happen than the lower life expectancy of those countries prevents more people from dying? Is people who lives 60 years old in countries with lower life expectancy, expected to have the mortality rates for Coronavirus of the people of the same age in countries with higher life expectancy, or a person of 60 years old in countries like those is in a physical state of an older person in a more developed country and as such have a higher mortality rate? \n", "id": "79", "answers": [{"text": "Age is a red herring, only a secondary characteristic correlating to death rates.\n\nIt's people that are already seriously ill or already have weak immune systems that are most likely to die soon after contracting Covid-19.  And it's when people are clustered in a close community that they are most likely to contract the disease.\n\nIn our society, the people in those circumstances tend to be old and in health-care facilities.\nAs a result, most of our deaths so far have involved people over 80 years old.\n\nIn other societies, a lack of old people doesn't necessarily mean a lack people living in close quarters, that are weak or sick.\n\nThere's certainly no shortage of such conditions in many parts of Africa.\n\nFrom Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) - Our World in Data:\n\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Surprisingly when I was looking this up, I figured out it was true. Due to recent research, the below was realised.\n\n\n  When we\u2019re hot, we naturally cool our bodies primarily by sweating, or more specifically by having the sweat evaporate from our skin (that\u2019s important!). Our bodies sense changes in tissue temperature by a network of thermosensors located in the skin and in more central parts of our body, which send input to our brain (specifically, the hypothalamus), which then initiates sweating.\n  \n  When we take in a hot drink, it appears that the thermosensors located in the stomach become overactive, and send strong signals to our hypothalamus that we are hot. In turn, the hypothalamus reacts by initiating an over-compensatory sweating response. So, when this sweat evaporates from our skin, the heat energy we lose due to evaporation exceeds the heat energy gained by drinking the hot drink. In other words, it is because our body overacted to the hot drink that we end up cooler in the end\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Nowadays we are hearing Angela Merkel with a specialist and a doctor in United States claiming Covid-19 could infect betweeen 50-70% of the population. According to this CDC FAQ flu infects between 3% to 15% of people each year. So I was wondering if recently we got any disease with such large contagious rate as claimed by Merkel, and yesterday in argentine television a doctor said they made a research in Argentina and they got to the conclusion that back in 2009 Influenza A H1N1 infected 60% of the argentine population but many of them didnt develop symptoms. Is this possible? \nIs it possible that H1N1 infected 60% of the population back in 2009 in a country? Is there any other data which could back this up?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Nowadays we are hearing Angela Merkel with a specialist and a doctor in United States claiming Covid-19 could infect betweeen 50-70% of the population. According to this CDC FAQ flu infects between 3% to 15% of people each year. So I was wondering if recently we got any disease with such large contagious rate as claimed by Merkel, and yesterday in argentine television a doctor said they made a research in Argentina and they got to the conclusion that back in 2009 Influenza A H1N1 infected 60% of the argentine population but many of them didnt develop symptoms. Is this possible? \nIs it possible that H1N1 infected 60% of the population back in 2009 in a country? Is there any other data which could back this up?\n", "id": "81", "answers": [{"text": "your question is related with mine:\n\nWe will never know how many individuals have been infected, we can only count the cases that have been diagnosed and these are those who are died or have been hospitalized or have visited the doctor.\n\nSo it could be possible that 80 % of a population is infected but only 50% are diagnosed and as we had also a medial hype in 2009 it is really surprising that the spread trend of H1N1 2009 in Argentina was so low:\n\nhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_flu_pandemic_by_country\n\nI don't know where from Merkel has her information ...\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "\n  Why are inflammations painful in the case of a tendinitis?\n  \n  When suffering from tendinitis, does the inflammation itself cause any\n  pain, and if so why?\n\n\nBased on the definition of tendinitis actually meaning inflammation of a tendon, what's typically associated with this condition, and the body's immune system response with it stimulating nerve cells and triggering pain, inflammation can and does cause pain.  \n\n\n  Definition (1)\n  \n  Tendinitis is inflammation or irritation of a tendon \u2014 any one of the\n  thick fibrous cords that attaches muscle to bone. The condition causes\n  pain and tenderness just outside a joint. (1)\n\n\nWhen swelling occurs and the immune system responds accordingly, this process can also stimulate nerves and trigger the pain effect so based on this, that is WHY inflammation causes pain with tendinitis or any other condition for this matter with the human body.\n\n\n  WebMD - Inflammation (2)\n  \n  When inflammation occurs, chemicals from the body's white blood cells\n  are released into the blood or affected tissues to protect your body\n  from foreign substances. This release of chemicals increases the blood\n  flow to the area of injury or infection, and may result in redness and\n  warmth. Some of the chemicals cause a leak of fluid into the tissues,\n  resulting in swelling. This protective process may stimulate nerves\n  and cause pain. (2)\n\n\n\n\n\nMayo Clinic - Tendinitis Definition(1)\n\n\nMeet the Mayo Clinic Staff\n\nWebMD - Inflammation (2)\n\n\nMeet the WebMD Staff\n\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Recently, German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave a speech about the importance of slowing down Covid-19. Among her remarks were\n\n\n  The most important thing, the chancellor said, is to slow down the spread of the coronavirus to win time for people to develop immunity\n\n\nHow does that work? Can immunity be developed without actually catching the disease or via a vaccine?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Recently, German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave a speech about the importance of slowing down Covid-19. Among her remarks were\n\n\n  The most important thing, the chancellor said, is to slow down the spread of the coronavirus to win time for people to develop immunity\n\n\nHow does that work? Can immunity be developed without actually catching the disease or via a vaccine?\n", "id": "82", "answers": [{"text": "It's hard to know exactly what another person is thinking, but Merkel is probably referencing herd immunity.\n\nAssuming that people who are infected and recover will be less susceptible to infection in the future (the extent to which is currently unknown), those people have effectively been naturally vaccinated, which can help slow down future spread.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Immunity can be built by a bigger group of people that has been infected and healed from the sickness. This immunity of the group gives the virus no chance to spread again.\n\nno chance is too strict. It will be harder to spread is more appropriate. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "For example: during the current covid 19 outbreak the reported numbers are number of infections after various measures like social distancing or quarantine have been used - so it doesn't make much sense to compare it to the r0 if a disease like flu, where similar measures aren't used.\n\nIs there an objective measurement?\nSomething like what are the chances of getting infected in some controlled conditions\n", "qas": [{"question": "For example: during the current covid 19 outbreak the reported numbers are number of infections after various measures like social distancing or quarantine have been used - so it doesn't make much sense to compare it to the r0 if a disease like flu, where similar measures aren't used.\n\nIs there an objective measurement?\nSomething like what are the chances of getting infected in some controlled conditions\n", "id": "89", "answers": [{"text": "R0 is the basic reproduction number describing how many cases are expected to be infected by a single case. This value is not a biological constant.\n\n\n  With an R0 (reproduction number) estimated at 2.5 (based on China), many experts predict that between 20 and 60% of the world population could get infected (which means at least 0.5M deaths).\n  \n  However, the R0 varies during the course of an epidemic as a result of a series of determinants and interventions\n\n\nsuch as containment and mitigation factors, and eventually herd immunity and vaccination.\n\nhttps://www.isglobal.org/en/coronavirus-lecciones-y-recomendaciones\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I don't think it makes any sense to discuss such a part now. Although there have been sars and mers, covid-19 is the first virus it encounters, and it takes a long time for the data to be properly cleaned up. That is why it is most accurate to interpret it based on what is currently being presented. The power that covid-19 spreads is the most powerful when compared to the infectious diseases we have encountered so far. In general, it can be spread by talking about 5 minutes in or around 1m, but there are reports that have been spread even less than the circumstances.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "The way countries and people fighting COVID-19 these days is by quarantine so no one get infected and stop spreading the virus.\n\nThis method slow down the spread of the virus\n\nWe know that COVID-19 is easily transmitted virus, it can be transmitted by beath, touch, etc.\n\nin the other hand HIV is more serious and have been for more 40 years and can be trasmitted sexually or blood transfusion..\n\nHIV can be controlled easier.\n\nWhy HIV wasn't stopped using the quarantine method to stop it from the begining ?\n\nand why not trying to contaminate the virus now and stop it by using same methods used for COVID-19?\n", "qas": [{"question": "The way countries and people fighting COVID-19 these days is by quarantine so no one get infected and stop spreading the virus.\n\nThis method slow down the spread of the virus\n\nWe know that COVID-19 is easily transmitted virus, it can be transmitted by beath, touch, etc.\n\nin the other hand HIV is more serious and have been for more 40 years and can be trasmitted sexually or blood transfusion..\n\nHIV can be controlled easier.\n\nWhy HIV wasn't stopped using the quarantine method to stop it from the begining ?\n\nand why not trying to contaminate the virus now and stop it by using same methods used for COVID-19?\n", "id": "91", "answers": [{"text": "Someone who's been infected by COVID-19 is asymptomatic but can spread the disease for no more than 14 days.  Quarantine measures were started in China less than two months after the first case.\n\nSomeone who's been infected with HIV can be asymptomatic but capable of spreading the disease for 20 years or more.  Further, the outbreak started sometime between 1910 and 1959, but wasn't identified as a disease until 1981.\n\nGiven the long asymptomatic period of HIV and the even longer delay in identifying it as a disease, it's pretty much impossible to stop it by quarantine.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "As stated there, \n\n\n  Most animal and laboratory studies have found no evidence of an increased risk of cancer with exposure to RF radiation. A few studies have reported evidence of biological effects that could be linked to cancer.\n\n\nBut\n\n\n  Studies of people who may have been exposed to RF radiation at their jobs (such as people who work around or with radar equipment, those who service communication antennae, and radio operators) have found no clear increase in cancer risk.\n\n\nIt also says it's not been possible yet to estabilish whether a link between cell phones and cancer exists at all.\n\nThe worst effect it sure has is tissue heating due to the sub-ionizing frequencies' water-heating property.\n\nIt also stated there, at page 1567, that\n\n\n  There is no evidence for such a link (RF exposure and increased cancer incidency)\n\n\nFurthermore, here is an article which will clarify most of your doubts, it says:\n\n\n  Although there have been some concerns that radiofrequency energy from cell phones held closely to the head may affect the brain and other tissues, to date there is no evidence from studies of cells, animals, or humans that radiofrequency energy can cause cancer.\n\n\nMy personal conclusion are that it's mostly harmless to be around EMFs in the RF spectrum, though you should not abuse them, nor expose to any dangerous (ionizing) EMF without proper protection.\n\nRemember Paracelsus, \n\n\n  Sola dosis facit venenum\n\n\nor\n\n\n  The dose makes the poison\n\n\nLive long and prosper. Have a nice day\n\nEDIT: I had the time to check the study quoted, it says they found a link between RFR and Oxidative pathways' triggering, it only deduced it could cause\n\n\n  Both cancer and non-cancer pathologies\n\n\nI think there is not a relation, at least in complex organisms, because we're talking about specialized tissues which can help shielding the inner organs (e.g. the skin protects us from most radiations, both high and low intensity ones)\n\nAs before, Have a nice day\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I had symptoms that could have been corona symptoms last week. Unfortunately the testing capacity in my country (Germany) is not sufficient to test every person with symptoms at the moment, so only people who had verified contact can be tested, which I didn't.\nIt would be very useful, though, to know in hindsight whether I had it, since this would probably make me immune and thus make me much more flexible. For example I could help old or infected people without having to fear infecting them or me.\n\nSo is there or will there be a way to test later on whether I had it or not? Or will I never be able to know?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I had symptoms that could have been corona symptoms last week. Unfortunately the testing capacity in my country (Germany) is not sufficient to test every person with symptoms at the moment, so only people who had verified contact can be tested, which I didn't.\nIt would be very useful, though, to know in hindsight whether I had it, since this would probably make me immune and thus make me much more flexible. For example I could help old or infected people without having to fear infecting them or me.\n\nSo is there or will there be a way to test later on whether I had it or not? Or will I never be able to know?\n", "id": "93", "answers": [{"text": "China has been using antibody testing to see if people had been exposed in their convalescent phase. The USA didn't want to do antibody testing and have wanted to recover virus using a PCR test, but PCR won't show historical infection.  Open source antibody tests have been described but presumably will need to wait for FDA/CDC approval ( https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-blood-test-antibodies.html https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.03.17.20037713v1 ).\n\nThere's no guarantee that infection with one strain gives protection against other strains, nor that immunity is going to be long lasting. \n\nhttps://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/new-blood-tests-antibodies-could-show-true-scale-coronavirus-pandemic\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Vaccines need extensive testing before they can be used. There's essentially no medical intervention which requires more testing than vaccines, which are used in extremely large numbers of healthy patients.\n\nGenerally this involves basic research, animal testing, Phase I testing (\"Is it safe in humans? At what dose?\"), Phase II testing (\"Is it effective? At what dose? Are there side effects?\"), and Phase III testing (\"Is it safe and effective across all different subpopulations?\").\n\nAs just one example of what could potentially go wrong: many/most COVID-19 deaths involve cytokine storms which are, roughly, damaging inflammatory immune overreactions. Priming the immune system could potentially worsen them and increase deaths by strengthening the immune response. (It doesn't seem likely, but this is why we test.)\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "This article suggests temperatures over 150 degrees Fahrenheit kill viruses . So, forgive me my ignorance on the subject, but does this mean that if I microwave a potentially infected (i.e. with viruses on it) piece of, let's say, cloth, for a minute or two, it would become disinfected? \n\nThanks.\n", "qas": [{"question": "This article suggests temperatures over 150 degrees Fahrenheit kill viruses . So, forgive me my ignorance on the subject, but does this mean that if I microwave a potentially infected (i.e. with viruses on it) piece of, let's say, cloth, for a minute or two, it would become disinfected? \n\nThanks.\n", "id": "97", "answers": [{"text": "You should read the whole article:  \n\nThings You Should Never Microwave\n...\n - Clothing and other large fabric items \n\nThe problem with microwaves is that they are not heating any item put inside them homogeneously but create \"hot spots\" instead. The image shows a simulation of the electric field inside a microwave oven (taken from wikipedia).\nTherefore, microwave oven have a turning table and still it is advisable to stir your food in between of the heating process. \nA paper or cloth, however, could catch fire!\n\n\n\nThe better idea to clean cloth is obviously a washing machine. Those usually have also a program to wash at 60\u00b0C / 140\u00b0Fahrenheit, which should be sufficient, or even higher. This will not only kill most germs (denaturation of many proteins or nucleic acids starts already below 50\u00b0C) but also wash away contamination.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I viewed your question in the Biology Stack and I think the answers you received are quite good. I\u00b4ll try sum up those long answers in the Biology Stack and present them more clearly.\n\nMajor factor influencing to the presumed effects of any drug is the first pass effect (Wikipedia). That means that every substance taken orally must absorb from intestine to the surrounding blood stream. All this blood with all absorbed substance (incl. sugar, fat, protein from food) are transported to liver. Liver then processes all the substances in the blood.\n\nThere are dozen of enzymes in the liver which processes the substances in the blood. One enzyme family particularly processes all the foreign substances (inc. drugs) (Wikipedia). Liver aims to remove all foreign substances from the blood, but some of the absorbed substance always escapes the liver to the systemic circulation. Only those molecules which escape liver without processing are transported to the tissues and afterwards can bind to their receptors in the tissue thus eliciting the proposed actions (ie. reducing pain).\n\nEnzymes in the liver processes the foreign molecules in a way that they are secreted to bile and eventually to feces. For example enzyme CYP2E1 processes paracetamol (Wikipedia). There are three different CYP-enzymes which processes diclofenac molecules (PubMed). And for naproxen two CYP-enzymes exist (PubMed). \n\nOne major reason why diclofenac does not help you but naproxen does, is the different action of these enzymes. DNA in our cell nucleus defines how each protein is expressed in our body. These enzymes are these proteins. In your case it seems that enzymes responsible for processing diclofenac are expressed in large number in your liver, resulting to very low concentration of diclofenac molecules in your bloodstream. In other word the level of diclofenac in your blood stream is out of therapeutic window to elicit any responses in the body (Wikipedia). In contrary, your liver may express enzymes responsible for the processing of naproxen very little and thus many naproxen molecules may escape liver to the systematic circulation resulting the therapeutic level to elicit tissue responses.\n\nThis only one player in this topic, although very important and influential. There are also factor influencing after the first pass effect (receptor, expression of genes responsible for receptors, binding affinity ec.) \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Pictures of people clad in white protective gear, looking like SciFy and sparying streets, offices, factories and people have emerged in the media.\n\nWhat are they spraying and is there any evidence it will help stop or slow the spread of the disease?\n\nMaking such large quantities of disinfectant must be costly, still the practice seems wide-spread especially in Asia. So there must be some assumed benefit, but is there any real evidence it helps?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Pictures of people clad in white protective gear, looking like SciFy and sparying streets, offices, factories and people have emerged in the media.\n\nWhat are they spraying and is there any evidence it will help stop or slow the spread of the disease?\n\nMaking such large quantities of disinfectant must be costly, still the practice seems wide-spread especially in Asia. So there must be some assumed benefit, but is there any real evidence it helps?\n", "id": "102", "answers": [{"text": "I don't know but they're likely spraying bleach to kill virus on surfaces.  Studies show the virus can persist for days on stainless steel etc, but we don't have good data how much of any of this can cause further infection.\n\nIt does help to impress on the public the need to keep washing which is the most effective way to be safe apart from complete isolation.\n\nhttps://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/03/does-disinfecting-surfaces-really-prevent-spread-coronavirus\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Proteins are made of twenty different amino acids. Among these, only about ten are essential amino acids, which means the body cannot synthesize them from other amino acids. This explains the difference. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "What equipment would you need to do to detect SARS-CoV-2 in a sample.\n", "qas": [{"question": "What equipment would you need to do to detect SARS-CoV-2 in a sample.\n", "id": "107", "answers": [{"text": "Viruses are below the resolution of light microscopy.\n\n\n\nScanning electron microscope image with colours assigned by software\n\nhttps://www.sciencealert.com/this-is-what-the-covid-19-virus-looks-like-under-electron-microscopes\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Actually this is done, despite a little bit different:\n\nSo called orthokeratologic (ortho-K, OK) contact lenses are worn over night and during this time reshape the cornea. Its main focus however is slowing myopia progression in children. It does not help reverse myopia, once aquired. And one has to wear them every night.\n\nSee e.g. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5721542/ or https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26310255\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "On march the 16th (probably) the NHS held a press conference (Youtube Link) that includes (paraphrased)\n\n\n  We need to <u><b>delay and weaken</b></u> the peak so the NHS would not be overflown\n\n\nHow? They didn't really explain the way behind delay and weakening the peak\n\nAnybody could help?\n", "qas": [{"question": "On march the 16th (probably) the NHS held a press conference (Youtube Link) that includes (paraphrased)\n\n\n  We need to <u><b>delay and weaken</b></u> the peak so the NHS would not be overflown\n\n\nHow? They didn't really explain the way behind delay and weakening the peak\n\nAnybody could help?\n", "id": "108", "answers": [{"text": "A  summary on how to delay and weake the curve from Stanford researcher Michael Lin, PhD-MD:\n\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The only weight loss method I've heard that increases the risk of kidney stones is bariatric surgery (PubMed, 2015).\n\nHere's a recommendation to prevent gallstones (NIDDK.gov, pdf):\n\n\n  Depending on your starting weight, experts recommend losing about\n  1/2 to 2 pounds per week.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "New York City's Department of Health has issued a warning against performing rim jobs on other people, saying that it might be a means of transferring the COVID-19 virus to others: \n\n\n  Rimming (mouth on anus) might spread COVID-19. Virus in feces may\n  enter your mouth,\u201d the city warned in the section titled, \u201cTake care\n  during sex.\n\n\nHere's the link to the full article:\n\nhttps://nypost.com/2020/03/24/nyc-declares-war-on-rim-jobs-in-graphic-health-department-memo/\n\nThis is the first time I've heard this:  We've been told, for a number of weeks now, that transmission of the disease is from touching our face with our hands.\n\nIs the NYC Dept. of Health statement based in reality?\n\nShould we stop performing rim jobs at the moment, in order to stop the spread of COVID-19?\n", "qas": [{"question": "New York City's Department of Health has issued a warning against performing rim jobs on other people, saying that it might be a means of transferring the COVID-19 virus to others: \n\n\n  Rimming (mouth on anus) might spread COVID-19. Virus in feces may\n  enter your mouth,\u201d the city warned in the section titled, \u201cTake care\n  during sex.\n\n\nHere's the link to the full article:\n\nhttps://nypost.com/2020/03/24/nyc-declares-war-on-rim-jobs-in-graphic-health-department-memo/\n\nThis is the first time I've heard this:  We've been told, for a number of weeks now, that transmission of the disease is from touching our face with our hands.\n\nIs the NYC Dept. of Health statement based in reality?\n\nShould we stop performing rim jobs at the moment, in order to stop the spread of COVID-19?\n", "id": "109", "answers": [{"text": "The best data we have from Guangdong, China, is that household transmission is not 100%\n\n\n  preliminary studies ongoing in Guangdong estimate the secondary attack rate in households ranges from 3-10%.\n\n\nSo, this suggests that if either of you are potentially infected, then social distancing and other infection control measures will likely prevent the transmission from one to the other.\n\nIf, on the other hand, you have all been tested to be infection free (PCR or other reliable test), and you are in isolation without the risk of catching the infection from someone else, then as adults what you do in the privacy of your own homes is only limited by local laws and imagination.\n\nhttps://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/who-china-joint-mission-on-covid-19-final-report.pdf\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The FDA requires labeling of prescription medications. Pharmacies will often attach a label on the bottle for patient-dependent behaviors. Therefore the easiest way (in the US) to tell if you need to take a medication with food or on an empty stomach is by reading the prescription bottle:\n\n\n\nA patient can also ask for a package insert, which will contain much more information.\n\nFor OTC medications, a readable label is also required with quite a lot of the necessary information.\n\nHowever, supplements are not governed by the FDA, therefore, the makers are under no obligation to include pertinent information, relying on the consumer to know the particulars for that supplement.\n\nThe only practical way to know whether your particular supplement should be taken with food is to look up that information yourself. \n\nIn the case of glutathione, for example, a reliable source of information will be hard to find, because anyone can make any claim about a supplement and often will (for monetary gain.)\n\nEven so, there exist some resources, such as Examine.com and PubMed. From PubMed:\n\n\n  Research suggests that glutathione is not orally bioactive, and that very little of oral glutathione tablets or capsules is actually absorbed by the body.\n\n\nSo it doesn't seem to matter if it's on an empty or full stomach.\n\nFrom Examine.com:\n\n\n  There is, currently, no known benefit of orally ingested glutathione that cannot be more readily mimicked by supplementation of N-acetylcysteine and couldn't theoretically be aided by a high protein diet including dietary sources rich in L-cysteine (whey protein).\n\n\nHowever, for N-Acetylcysteine, Examine.com gives this advice:\n\n\n  Does Not Go Well With\n  - Activated charcoal (may reduce absorption of N-acetylcysteine)\n\n\nas well as a lot of other information.\n\nExamine.com is an interesting and promising site, but its editors aren't donating their time for the love on mankind only. It is a for profit company, but one that at least makes use of easily available scientific research. \n\nThis should not be seen as an endorsement. As the disclaimer on that site states:\n\n\n  Examine.com is intended to be used for educational and information purposes only. Examine.com and its Editors do not advocate nutritional supplementation over proper medical advice or treatment and this sentiment will never be expressed through pages hosted under Examine.com. If using any pharmaceuticals or drugs given to you by a doctor or received with a prescription, you must consult with the doctor in question or an equally qualified Health Care Professional prior to using any nutritional supplementation. If undergoing medical therapies, then consult with your respective Therapist or Health Care Professional about possible interactions between your Treatment, any Pharmaceuticals or Drugs being given, and possible nutritional supplements or practices hosted on Examine.com. (Etc.)\n\n\nTL;DR: You're pretty much on your own as applies to this.\n\nDrug Interactions: What You Should Know\nglutathione at PubMed\nGlutathione at Examine.com\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Knowing that the routes of transmissions are mainly (only?) eye, nose, mouth:\n\nhttps://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations\n\nwould it be possible to purposely catch it in a specific way so that it will only result in mild symptoms? Maybe even infecting other mucus areas inside the body (by let's say injection) where it cannot spread too much.\nIt can be useful in situations where the probability of catching the virus in the long run is very high. For example one may prefer to infect the eye and protect the other routes (if possible).\n\nIn the same line of thought, maybe infect and then being knowledgeable about the infection one can start the treatment even before the first symptoms or at the first symptoms and aim for later immunity.\n", "qas": [{"question": "Knowing that the routes of transmissions are mainly (only?) eye, nose, mouth:\n\nhttps://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/modes-of-transmission-of-virus-causing-covid-19-implications-for-ipc-precaution-recommendations\n\nwould it be possible to purposely catch it in a specific way so that it will only result in mild symptoms? Maybe even infecting other mucus areas inside the body (by let's say injection) where it cannot spread too much.\nIt can be useful in situations where the probability of catching the virus in the long run is very high. For example one may prefer to infect the eye and protect the other routes (if possible).\n\nIn the same line of thought, maybe infect and then being knowledgeable about the infection one can start the treatment even before the first symptoms or at the first symptoms and aim for later immunity.\n", "id": "116", "answers": [{"text": "There is no known way to infect yourself with a \"safe\" dose of SARS-CoV-2.  The eyes are listed as a portal of infection which is why health workers wear eye protection (goggles, face shields ).\n\nOnce the virus infects human cells it starts to replicate creating more virus.  At some stage the immune system will ramp up and detect the virus but this takes time.  Even if you find a dose of the virus to infect yourself, how are you going to count a few hundred or a few thousand virus particles and make sure you don't exceed the infectious dose?  And that may depend also on host factors.\n\n\n  The average number of viral particles needed to establish an infection is known as the infectious dose. We don\u2019t know what this is for covid-19 yet, but given how rapidly the disease is spreading, it is likely to be relatively low \u2013 in the region of a few hundred or thousand particles, says Willem van Schaik at the University of Birmingham, UK.\n\n\nRead more: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2238819-does-a-high-viral-load-or-infectious-dose-make-covid-19-worse/#ixzz6IUiniq2D\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "There is nothing very scientific about measuring a blister; measure it just as you would a mole.\n\nWith a ruler held above or next to it, note it's length and it's width, and it's general shape.\n\nBlisters from burns or friction or do not tend to \"grow\" once the damage to the epidermis is finished (The skin is cooled down or the shoe comes off). They may become more tense, but that doesn't change their length and width.\n\nBlisters from a process that separates the epidermis in an ongoing manner (e.g. an autoimmune reaction such as bullous pemphigoid or a drug reaction) or from a slow-acting contact irritant (e.g. poison ivy), etc., may grow. \n\nIf you have blisters from an unknown source, you should see a physician.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I saw a report that dermatologists are working on coronavirus cases.\n\nDoes this mean that all kinds of medical doctors are licensed to care for COVID-19 patients?\n\nSo a neurologist can help, cardiologist can help, a urologist / penile enhancement surgeon can help, and also gynecologists?\n\nWhat about dentists?\n\nAnyone practicing medicine of any form can go to New York City to help right now? \n\nTo be clear, I mean treating COVID-19 patients at the hospitals, in the ER, ICU, etc.\n\nNote. An emergency text message was sent to us, urging any and all available doctors to report to New York City, because of the urgent need for doctors. So, it sounds like even a dermatologist might be working in the ICU at this point. Hence my question.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I saw a report that dermatologists are working on coronavirus cases.\n\nDoes this mean that all kinds of medical doctors are licensed to care for COVID-19 patients?\n\nSo a neurologist can help, cardiologist can help, a urologist / penile enhancement surgeon can help, and also gynecologists?\n\nWhat about dentists?\n\nAnyone practicing medicine of any form can go to New York City to help right now? \n\nTo be clear, I mean treating COVID-19 patients at the hospitals, in the ER, ICU, etc.\n\nNote. An emergency text message was sent to us, urging any and all available doctors to report to New York City, because of the urgent need for doctors. So, it sounds like even a dermatologist might be working in the ICU at this point. Hence my question.\n", "id": "118", "answers": [{"text": "https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/get-involved-how-you-can-help\n\n\n  Governor Cuomo is calling on health care professionals, schools of public health or medicine and PPE products providers and manufacturers to come forward to support the state\u2019s response. \n\n\nand\n\n\n  We are looking for qualified health, mental health, and related professionals who are interested in supporting the state\u2019s response\n\n\nAll of the specialities you list in your question are health care professionals and have completed basic training in hospitals.  The NY govt will triage those to see which qualifications are best suited to what positions are available.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "This thread explains the concept of calories well:\n\n\n  Calories are energy. When you digest food, you are breaking down the bonds between each particle, releasing energy that is taken by the body to do work.\n  \n  From a mathematical standpoint, 1 Calorie = 1 Kilo calorie (scientific energy) = 1000 calories (notice the lowercase) = 4184 joules.\n\n\n(See also: Wikipedia: Food Energy and ACS: Weighing in on Calories)\n\nWater doesn't have any chemical bonds for your body to break down, so you're correct in that water doesn't have any calories. (USDA: Water has 0 calories.)\n\nYour body does burn calories to bring any cold things you consume up to body temperature. For example, if you eat an ice cube, your body burns energy to melt it:\n\n\n  If one considers that the human body must provide the heat necessary to melt them (around 6 kJ/mol, or 0.079 kcal/g if one substitutes for the molar weight of water) and to bring this (now liquid) water to the average temperature of the body (around 310 K or 37 degrees Celsius), at the average energetic cost of about 0.0755 kJ/mol/K or 0.001 kcal/g/K (constant pressure specific heat of water, source: NIST Chemistry Webbook), and if one supposes the average weight of an ice cube to be 10 grams, the energy supplied by ice cubes amounts to the respectable value of -1.17 (MINUS 1.17) kilocalories per ice cube, and this supposing that they are ingested at their melting temperature (0 Celsius). This means, for example, that the calories contained in the standard Coca-Cola (not Diet Coke!) can (330 mL) are completely eliminated just by adding 148 ice cubes to it.\n\n\n(...In case the levity wasn't obvious, don't actually eat 148 ice cubes. That's probably a bad idea.)\n\nThis is supported by this article, in which Dr. Weiner discusses how eating ice burns calories. A note of caution: Although he concludes that \"the ingestion of one liter of ice per day appears to be generally safe\" (because Slurpees), he lists the following advisories:\n\n\nDon't consume more than one litre of ice per day \"to avoid hypothermia or unusual cooling of the body\".\nFor similar reasons, be extra careful when eating ice during cold weather.\nDon't chew ice, because it could crack your teeth, damage your gums or enamel, or injure your temporomandibular joint.\nFor children, the amount of ice ingested should be monitored and related to their body weight and ability to report any problems. Do not put ice into the mouths of children who can't tell you if their brain has frozen.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "As it commonly known, mutability is a fundamental characteristic of viruses which presents the ability of virus genome to adapt to physical circumstances, prevent and circumvent vaccine effect and to cover more ranges of carriers, animals and people categories.\n\nCOVID-19 belongs to RNA-viruses family, and RNA viruses is known to be very mutable, but how much this is true for COVID-19? How much in comparison with other viruses? I didn't found any reliable researches in this field except this expatiative article from EpiVax.\n\n\n\nAccording to their research, this virus has little-to-zero T-epitopes cross-conservation which makes it very difficult to build a vaccine. Am I right?\n\nWhat interests me more, is the mutability of the virus. Now mostly aged people are subject to fatality with this virus\n\n\n\nbut might this situation change later?\n", "qas": [{"question": "As it commonly known, mutability is a fundamental characteristic of viruses which presents the ability of virus genome to adapt to physical circumstances, prevent and circumvent vaccine effect and to cover more ranges of carriers, animals and people categories.\n\nCOVID-19 belongs to RNA-viruses family, and RNA viruses is known to be very mutable, but how much this is true for COVID-19? How much in comparison with other viruses? I didn't found any reliable researches in this field except this expatiative article from EpiVax.\n\n\n\nAccording to their research, this virus has little-to-zero T-epitopes cross-conservation which makes it very difficult to build a vaccine. Am I right?\n\nWhat interests me more, is the mutability of the virus. Now mostly aged people are subject to fatality with this virus\n\n\n\nbut might this situation change later?\n", "id": "121", "answers": [{"text": "There has been at least one phylogenetic study of 48 near complete samples of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.\n\n\n\nand a more up to date link at Genomic epidemiology of novel coronavirus\n\nhttps://arxiv.org/abs/2002.08802\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "\n  Please Note: This is not a diagnosis, it is being provided to help you and a health care professional understand possible causes of your\n  condition.  You must see a local professional for an evaluation and\n  orthopedic testing.\n\n\n\n\nRunners Knee is also known as \"Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS)\" which essential describes the symptoms not the cause of the problem.\n\nSo you basically were given a term to describe what you already knew (not exactly useful).  I\u2019m surprised further testing was not done.\n\n\n\nChondromalacia Patella\n\nFrom the limited information I have it sounds like Chondromalacia Patella.\nWhich is the combination of patellar tracking issues and deterioration of articular cartilage on the posterior surface of the patella.\n\nI would have to perform special orthopedic tests to narrow down the cause.\n\n\n\n\n  Essentially the information below is what your PT should be looking for to rule in / out this diagnosis (normally the information below isn\u2019t given to\n  patients but it sounds like you\u2019ve been getting nowhere with this --\n  hopefully this gives your PT   a direction to figure out what is going\n  on).\n\n\n\n\nClinical Picture\n\n\nGenerally there is a gradual onset of diffuse aching pain over the\nanterior or anteromedial aspect of the knee.\nThere may or may not be inflammatory signs.\nThere is often crepitus (cracking) as the knee moves thru its ROM\nThere is an exacerbation of pain with activities such as squatting,\nkneeling, and ascending stairs.\nThere is what is referred to as a positive movie sign \u2013 that means\nthat refers to seating in a movie \u2013 fair amount of flexion \u2013 will get\nachy in the ant/medial knee to the extent where you have to change\nposition or shake out the knee \u2013 patient may also have a feeling of the\nknee catching or giving way.\nTypically see mechanical causes of this pathology \u2013 will affect not\nonly tracking but also the contact surface areas of the PF jt\n\n\n\n\nEtiology \u2013 Mechanical Causes\n\n\nGenu Valgum (means knee) \u2013 where we are going to see an increase in the valgus vector at the knee- which is going to affect tracking.\nFemoral Anteversion\nExcessive Internal Femoral Rotation- alters the Q angle which\nincreases the lateral stresses.\nPatella Alta \u2013 if the length of the patellar tendon exceeds the top\nto bottom displacement of the patella by 15% or 1 cm\nLaxity of medial capsular retinaculum\nTightness of the lateral retinaculum\nAcute or chronic patellar subluxations\nPronation of the foot\nExternal Tibial Torsion\nWeakness of the VMO\n\n\nThis pathology \u2013 referred from the floor up \u2013 or from the hip down \n\n\n  Usually there is something going on above or below the joint \u2013 results\n  in this pathology \u2013 must find what is causing this to be successful\n\n\n\n\nTreatment\n\n\nIf you understand the cause you will be able to effectively plan the\nintervention\nThere are things you can\u2019t fix- structural deformities \u2013 if it\ninvolves structures that displace the patella laterally\nThe follow will also alter patellar tracking.  Excessive pronation of the foot, weakness of VMO, tightness of lateral retinaculum  or ITB (ober , patellar tilt test) , weakness of frontal plane hip muscles\n\n\n\n\nMisc Notes\n\n\nTerminal Extension Exercises - Don\u2019t strengthen the VMO\nOpen Kinetic Chain (OKC) \u2013 the literature says the OKC ex from a position of 90-45 degrees of flexion is the safe arc in terms of joint reaction forces to do open chain work\nClose Kinetic Chain (CKC) - that arc of safe movement \u2013 is from 0-60 degrees of knee flexion \n\n\n\n\nWhat Professional(s) to See\n\nAn outpatient physical therapist should be able to narrow this down. As far as Musculoskeletal related issues the leading experts in this field are orthopedic surgeons (with physical therapists being #2).  \n\nProfessional Bias\nHowever be aware just like a PT will advocate therapeutic exercise - a surgeon will tend to lean toward surgery.\n\nAlso see DoctorWhom's post below as he has provided some great insight that should help guide you what to do next.\n\n\n\nSources\nhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5095938/\nhttp://www.jospt.org/doi/pdf/10.2519/jospt.2010.0302?code=jospt-site\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Regarding the corona virus, why are there many deaths in Washington but none in new York? \n", "qas": [{"question": "Regarding the corona virus, why are there many deaths in Washington but none in new York? \n", "id": "125", "answers": [{"text": "Most of the COVID-19 deaths in Washington involve a single nursing home, where the virus spread widely before being detected.\n\nThe patients at that facility are in a high-risk category for this disease due to their advanced age; there is no similar cluster of cases at a nursing facility elsewhere in the US, therefore it is not surprising that the mortality rate is quite different so far.\n\nThere is speculation that there are far more undiagnosed cases in Washington, many of which would be mild cases. Given issues and limitations with testing, it is difficult to know what the true rate is.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Even if you get the results of several tests on one paper, every single test is a separate test. For example, electrolyte panel can contain results for sodium, potassium, chlorine and bicarbonate tests, but you don't need to use the word \"test\" when describing the results.\n\nWhen describing the results of actual tests in practice, you can use levels, which can be either high (or elevated) or low (or decreased). You can use levels for minerals (sodium, potassium, iron, magnesium), vitamins, blood cells (leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes...), glucose, cholesterol, liver enzymes, etc. For example:\n\n\nMy blood potassium level was high.\nMy fasting blood glucose was high. (You can skip the word \"level\" and also the \"test.\") \nMy HDL cholesterol was low.\nMy neutrophils were slightly increased.\n\n\nImmunological/allergic tests can be positive or negative.\n\n\nMy skin prick test result for wheat was positive.\nMy test for antinuclear antibodies was negative.\n\n\nSo, there are several possibilities how to mention or not mention the \"test\" or \"result\" or \"level.\" You can skip them all if the meaning is clear from the context.\n\nI haven't heard or read that any doctor or health article writer would use \"marker\" for any test result presented to a patient. Authors usually use the term when discussing new tests in development or comparing new and old type of tests to say, which test result more reliably show the underlying pathology. For example:\n\n\nDiabetes: glycated hemoglobin is a marker of diabetes and CVD risk.\nMarkers of Atherosclerosis, Clinical Characteristics, and Treatment Patterns Among Middle-Aged Adult Patients with Heart Failure in Kenya \n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "According to the World Health Organization's situation report for March 12th, the African region has only recorded 51 cases of the Covid-19 virus, and only one of these cases has been fatal. The disease has so far only been recorded in 9 of the 54 African countries, with only three of these countries reporting more than a couple of cases.\n\nGiven the wider spread of the disease in practically every other region, and that the African population is around 1.3 billion, this appears to be a clear anomaly.\n\nWhat reasons are there for this apparent inconsistency with expectations?\n", "qas": [{"question": "According to the World Health Organization's situation report for March 12th, the African region has only recorded 51 cases of the Covid-19 virus, and only one of these cases has been fatal. The disease has so far only been recorded in 9 of the 54 African countries, with only three of these countries reporting more than a couple of cases.\n\nGiven the wider spread of the disease in practically every other region, and that the African population is around 1.3 billion, this appears to be a clear anomaly.\n\nWhat reasons are there for this apparent inconsistency with expectations?\n", "id": "130", "answers": [{"text": "Health care in many sub-Saharan African countries is extremely sparse. As an example, Sierra Leone has less than 250 doctors for the entire country.\nAs a result, it is likely that cases in that and similar countries are grossly under-reported.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Not towards the brain.\n\nLook at the two diagrams.  The temporal artery is a branch of the external carotid artery that stays outside the skull.  The internal carotid artery goes inside the skull.  \n\n\n\nYou couldn't compress the skull with sunglasses if you tried.\n\n \n\nMANY headaches are related to muscular/tendinous pain in the head and neck, not the brain. Putting pressure on the temporal regions can cause pain in the muscles, and sustained pressure can cause spasms.  Restricting the flow through the arteries of your face could in theory reduce flow to muscles of your scalp, causing pain and ischemia.  It is less likely to be the cause of pain from sunglasses pressure, as there is lots of collateral blood flow, but not impossible.\n\nNote that transmitting any force through the actual skull via compression, which is a pretty solid bone, would take a great deal of pressure (orders of magnitude above what sunglasses are capable of) and would involve fracturing bone. Then you'd be looking at potential stroke/TBI symptoms.  That is not happening to you.\n\nI am not going to discuss your symptoms of confusion, that starts down the path of individual medical advice.  If you are concerned about any of your symptoms, see a doctor.\n\nGet some better sunglasses or fix the hinges.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I just got back from the Netherlands and read a notice on the CDC web site that says I \"must\" self quarantine for 14 days.\n\nI guess I don't understand. I think the Netherlands has 2 cases and my home state of New Hampshire has 6. So, the logic is what? I am potentially infected and the rest of New Hampshire is not. I mean if New Hampshire has more cases than the Netherlands, doesn't that mean every one of the 1.4 million people in New Hampshire should \"self quarantine\"?\n\nWhat is the logic here?\n\n\n", "qas": [{"question": "I just got back from the Netherlands and read a notice on the CDC web site that says I \"must\" self quarantine for 14 days.\n\nI guess I don't understand. I think the Netherlands has 2 cases and my home state of New Hampshire has 6. So, the logic is what? I am potentially infected and the rest of New Hampshire is not. I mean if New Hampshire has more cases than the Netherlands, doesn't that mean every one of the 1.4 million people in New Hampshire should \"self quarantine\"?\n\nWhat is the logic here?\n\n\n", "id": "135", "answers": [{"text": "At this time (17-March-2020) the state of New Hampshire has not found evidence of community transmission of the virus, and all 13 cases are associated with overseas travel.\n\nYou have travelled in from overseas where there is community transmission so the possibility is much higher that you have been infected.  The infected in the pre-symptomatic phase are still highly contagious spreading virus just by breathing based on small studies so far.\n\nOnce community transmission is detected then it may be too late to start isolating people from out of state, and the whole state may need to go into self isolation as was done in China.\n\nhttps://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/nh-officials-order-all-schools-be-shuttered-due-covid-19\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "\n  Like everything else, we're instructed by past experiences. Although there weren't a lot of data on neurologic aspects of MERS and SARS, there were some papers describing neurologic complications in those patients. In rare cases, complications including ADEM (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis)-like demyelination,\u00a0encephalitis, and\u00a0brainstem encephalitis\u00a0were reported. They also saw some peripheral and non\u2013central nervous system stuff, including things that looked like\u00a0Guillain-Barr\u00e9 syndrome\u00a0or what they would sometimes call critical illness polyneuropathy\n\n\nhttps://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/927562\n\nSo, yes, severely affected covid-19 patients may develop something that looks like GBS.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "[Moderator Edit: I'm reopening this question by request from third parties because medical staff around the world are being forced to use masks such as these.]\n\nHow does a sanding mask compare with a disposable medical mask?  I have some on hand.  Would that be a reasonable thing to wear to protect myself and family members (corona virus)?  Or would it give even less protection than a bandanna or a disposable medical mask?\n\n\n\nUpdate: I'm asking about the range of particle and droplet size that the two types of mask keep in/out (according to specs, and disregarding particles that can enter around the edges).\n\nI am not asking whether you think someone should or should not wear a mask.\n", "qas": [{"question": "[Moderator Edit: I'm reopening this question by request from third parties because medical staff around the world are being forced to use masks such as these.]\n\nHow does a sanding mask compare with a disposable medical mask?  I have some on hand.  Would that be a reasonable thing to wear to protect myself and family members (corona virus)?  Or would it give even less protection than a bandanna or a disposable medical mask?\n\n\n\nUpdate: I'm asking about the range of particle and droplet size that the two types of mask keep in/out (according to specs, and disregarding particles that can enter around the edges).\n\nI am not asking whether you think someone should or should not wear a mask.\n", "id": "136", "answers": [{"text": "Particle Size-Selective Assessment of Protection of European Standard FFP Respirators and Surgical Masks against Particles-Tested with Human Subjects\n\n\n  The tested FFP respirators and SMs in this study were observed to have the worst protection against particles between 0.263 and 0.384\u2009\u03bcm. The protection factors of FFP respirators against particles in the size range of 0.093\u20131.61\u2009\u03bcm were not size dependent. The size ranges of viral and bacterial particles fall into this size range, and they are expected to have similar PFs. The FFP respirators provided about 11.5 to 15.9 times better protection than the SMs, suggesting that SMs are not a good substitute for FFP respirators when concerns exist about airborne transmission of bacterial and viral pathogens.\n\n\nhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5058571/\n\nThat's a FFP2 in your image and they are saying it's 12-16x better PF (Protection Factor) than a surgical mask (SM)\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I'll update this answer if I find new useful resources.\n\nI'm now trying this website: https://human.biodigital.com/view?id=production%2FmaleAdult%2Fmale_region_head_07&lang=fr\n\nand it helped me a little bit to understand the laryngopharynx zone. The navigation is 3D (pan / zoom).\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "A week ago spanish soccer team returned from Milan and 1/3 of the team members have been tested positive for Coronavirus, but none of them developed symptoms. They yet could develop since the incubation period is said to be up to 2 weeks, but it's said for there is people who is asymptomatic during the whole disease. \n\nIs there an estimate of how many people infected with SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic?\n", "qas": [{"question": "A week ago spanish soccer team returned from Milan and 1/3 of the team members have been tested positive for Coronavirus, but none of them developed symptoms. They yet could develop since the incubation period is said to be up to 2 weeks, but it's said for there is people who is asymptomatic during the whole disease. \n\nIs there an estimate of how many people infected with SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic?\n", "id": "137", "answers": [{"text": "\"data to date suggest that 80% of infections are mild or asymptomatic, 15% are severe infection, requiring oxygen and 5% are critical infections, requiring ventilation.\"\n\n\n\nhttps://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200306-sitrep-46-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=96b04adf_2\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Reading on paper is way better from all perspectives. When you read on paper you are able to focus more and you are not putting pressure on your eyes and your brain passes the signals which help you stay relaxed. While on the other hand, when you read on any electronic device you are much more likely to damage your eyesight as well as weaken your brain. Doctors say a person must have 10 minutes break in 1 hour of continues using laptop or Tab. This is very important otherwise he/she may harm his/her mental as well as physical health.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I'm wondering if cheaper alternatives are as effective in daily cleanliness of surfaces. \n", "qas": [{"question": "I'm wondering if cheaper alternatives are as effective in daily cleanliness of surfaces. \n", "id": "139", "answers": [{"text": "\n  Diluted household bleach solutions can be used if appropriate for the surface. Follow manufacturer\u2019s instructions for application and proper ventilation. Check to ensure the product is not past its expiration date. Never mix household bleach with ammonia or any other cleanser. Unexpired household bleach will be effective against coronaviruses when properly diluted.\n\n\nPrepare a bleach solution by mixing:\n\n5 tablespoons (1/3rd\u00a0cup) bleach per gallon of water or\n\n4 teaspoons bleach per quart of water\n\nhttps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/cleaning-disinfection.html\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The first thing to do is you should go to see a doctor. Your primary care physician can look deep into your ear to see if there is anything lodged in it. It may be a build up of wax, or debris. If so, your doctor can clean it out. If there is nothing blocking your ear drum, and the feeling of blockage continues you should see a specialist.  You could also have an ear infection that could be causing some inflammation. The doctor may prescribe ear drops, an oral antibiotic, or even a nasal spray to help with you  These physicians are called Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) doctors. They can test to see if there is a problem with how your ear is working.  Here is a web site that explains how the ear works. It is a remarkable and complex instrument. Protect it. Good luck.\n\nhttps://www.hearinglink.org/your-hearing/how-the-ear-works/\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "There have been \"suggestions\" (facebook, media etc) that the novel coronavirus is heat sensitive. Specifically that the virus is \"killed\" or impotent when subjected to temperature of 77F. \n\nAre there any peer-reviewed studies that would support such a contention?\n\nMore broadly, are there any peer-reviewed studies on the viability of the virus in other naturally occurring circumstances?\n\n(As I am not a medical professional or researcher, I'm a bit lost on how to do my own research to find appropriate and reliable information on this - I'm not even sure that I'm using the appropriate terminology. This is why I've come to this site: for guidance on how to get the information )\n", "qas": [{"question": "There have been \"suggestions\" (facebook, media etc) that the novel coronavirus is heat sensitive. Specifically that the virus is \"killed\" or impotent when subjected to temperature of 77F. \n\nAre there any peer-reviewed studies that would support such a contention?\n\nMore broadly, are there any peer-reviewed studies on the viability of the virus in other naturally occurring circumstances?\n\n(As I am not a medical professional or researcher, I'm a bit lost on how to do my own research to find appropriate and reliable information on this - I'm not even sure that I'm using the appropriate terminology. This is why I've come to this site: for guidance on how to get the information )\n", "id": "141", "answers": [{"text": "Here are studies on viability at different temperature for similar viruses\n\n\n\nhttps://www.journalofhospitalinfection.com/article/S0195-6701(20)30046-3/fulltext\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The glycemic index of rice varies quite a lot: according to this link from Harvard Medical School, from 38 for Parboiled rice to 72 for white rice. The latter is a rather high glycemic index. As a consequence, it may be that white rice at dinner releases glucose rapidly, and what is not needed then gets stored as fat. \nOf course, this depends on a number of factors, like how much rice do you eat, what sort of rice it is (there are many!), whether your dinner has been preceded or is followed by physical activity, and so on. Generally, I would reject the claim that eating rice during dinner is not good for one's health.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Suppose I get infected by covid-19.\n\nI am a healthy person but with weight issues, according to the standard weight tables. \n\nCan my immune system cure me by itself? That is, without the need of medications or drugs? and by only resting and eating healthy?\n\nI have read this page\n\nhttps://www.healthline.com/health/coronavirus-treatment#when-to-seek-care\n\n\n  If you\u2019re young and healthy with only mild symptoms, your doctor will likely advise you to isolate yourself at home and to limit contact with others in your household. You\u2019ll likely be advised to rest, stay well hydrated, and to closely monitor your symptoms.\n\n\nthen it says\n\n\n  If your symptoms worsen with home care, it\u2019s important to get prompt medical care.\n\n\nHere, Why could symptoms worsen?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Suppose I get infected by covid-19.\n\nI am a healthy person but with weight issues, according to the standard weight tables. \n\nCan my immune system cure me by itself? That is, without the need of medications or drugs? and by only resting and eating healthy?\n\nI have read this page\n\nhttps://www.healthline.com/health/coronavirus-treatment#when-to-seek-care\n\n\n  If you\u2019re young and healthy with only mild symptoms, your doctor will likely advise you to isolate yourself at home and to limit contact with others in your household. You\u2019ll likely be advised to rest, stay well hydrated, and to closely monitor your symptoms.\n\n\nthen it says\n\n\n  If your symptoms worsen with home care, it\u2019s important to get prompt medical care.\n\n\nHere, Why could symptoms worsen?\n", "id": "142", "answers": [{"text": "\n  If you\u2019re young and healthy with only mild symptoms, your doctor will likely advise you to isolate yourself at home and to limit contact with others in your household. You\u2019ll likely be advised to rest, stay well hydrated, and to closely monitor your symptoms.\n\n\nThis means that if you have mild symptoms, yes, you will eventually \"cure\" yourself, the same way you would recover from a typical common cold, or how a healthy individual would typically handle influenza.\n\n\n  If your symptoms worsen with home care, it\u2019s important to get prompt medical care.\n\n\nThis means if you have bad symptoms, then home care is not enough, and you need the assistance that a hospital can provide. There is still no cure that medical care can provide; instead, the purpose of getting care is to prevent your symptoms from killing you before your immune system can handle the infection on its own. For some this includes mechanical ventilation: using a machine to help you breathe.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "This study did a thorough literature search of all existing Aloe Vera research and found, at best, weak conclusions:\n\n\n  The current evidence suggests some potential benefit of Aloe vera in improving glycaemic control in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. However, given the limitations of the available evidence and the high heterogeneity in study results, high-quality, well-powered randomized controlled trials using standardized preparations are needed to quantify any beneficial effects of Aloe vera on glycaemic control.\n\n\nOn that basis, I am not sure if your premise (Aloe Vera helps in decreasing blood sugar in patients with diabetes) holds true. I do not know of any study that has actually identified helpful substances in Aloe Vera for diabetes and do not think there is any [study].\n\nDiabetes as a disease seems to attract crackpots and crackpot theories. I have a child with Type 1 Diabetes. Every month I must meet 4-5 people who come to me with ridiculous theories and substances that will cure diabetes or improve it: cinnamon, coriander, beet juice, dried mango, pineapple, \"natural substances that reverse diabetes.\" It is an experience common to all of us, parents of children with diabetes or people with diabetes: just look at how mocking savvy diabetes forums are towards the diabetes diet of the day. \n\nThe sad truth is that there is nothing. For Type 1s, insulin is the only thing that can help. Many Type 2s will be helped by diet, exercise and some oral medicines -- but, for most of them, they will eventually graduate to insulin too. In fact, that would be true for all of them -- except that some will die of something else first.\n\nThere is no magic bullet:(\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "In WHO official website \"What can I do to protect myself and prevent the spread of disease?\", it doesn't mention that wearing mask an effective measure to protect people. \n\nI don't understand why wearing mask is not good way to prevent infection of COVID-19. \nIs it just because masks are out of stock?\n", "qas": [{"question": "In WHO official website \"What can I do to protect myself and prevent the spread of disease?\", it doesn't mention that wearing mask an effective measure to protect people. \n\nI don't understand why wearing mask is not good way to prevent infection of COVID-19. \nIs it just because masks are out of stock?\n", "id": "154", "answers": [{"text": "CDC website:\n\n\n  PPE is the least effective control because it involves a high level\n  of worker involvement and is highly dependent on proper fit and\n  correct, consistent use.\n\n\ne.g. The likelihood for untrained personalto properly use PPE is not realistic, so it would be negligent of the WHOto suggest this to the public for this use.\n\nThis does not address reducing transmission. Though, masks, used by those untrained, are not realistic in halting the spread.  One method that has proven to halt the spread is self-quarantine (both healthy and non-healthy) and social distancing and the other recommendations listed in the link provided.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "\n  ...the inactive ingredients, which by definition do not affect the efficacy of the drug.\n\n\nThey can however have an effect on other physiological aspects of a human body, that's why, as far as I know, there can be a difference between various brands or generics. \n\nAnswering your question:\n\n\nSometimes patients have allergies towards a component of a generic (for example its colourant) in which case the doctor has a medical reasoning to pick a brand drug.\nOne other reason for a doctor to prescribe a specific brand (or to\ndisallow others or generics) is that he has made good experience\nwith that specific one.\nAnother reason is that he is following\nstudies or guidelines which suggest or require a specific drug in\norder to be compliant, which is sometimes necessary, because\nSome health insurances only pay for the patient a certain brand drug (though they also often prefer cheaper generics, as far as I know)\nIf the health insurance pays any kind of drug, or the patient is paying on his own, then the doctor could prescribe a specific drug also because he was convinced by pharmaceutical representatives to try out new drugs they advertise\nAlso, if paid by the patient, those new drugs can be prescribed and the results could be collected (anonymously) and handed to the pharmaceutical companies (for evaluation) which in turn pay the doctor some legal compensation\nWell and there are gifts:\n\n\n\n  A recent letter in the Journal of the American Medical Association illustrates how effective drug advertising can be. It describes a patient who came into the hospital with an infected insect bite. The intern who first saw the patient first sensibly wanted to prescribe a nice, inexpensive penicillin, which is the drug of choice for a minor infection. But the resident overruled the intern and favored a more \"modern\" choice for this \"severely\" ill patient. He decided the patient had to have a brand-new antibiotic\u2026at $183 a day.\n  \n  The attending physician who supervised the house officers checked into the incident. It turned out the resident had just been wined and dined by the drug representative whose company made the new antibiotic. \n\n\nhttps://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/bioethics/resources/prescribing-under-the-influence/\n\nMore to this topic:\n\n\n  \u201cGift-giving is an extremely effective marketing tool because it triggers in the recipient the basic human tendency to reciprocate whether the recipient is conscious of it or not,\u201d\n\n\nhttp://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/content/94/15/1119.full\n\nThese are a few points that came into my mind from my experience and/or conversations (as a medical student) with doctors in clinics and doctor's offices in Germany.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "If Covid-19 can float in the air over particles and be there for up to 3 hours (1:50 minute), and if the virus could get into your system through eyes, nose or mouth (See Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects section), then would not be better to use one of those suits to have full protection?\n\nIf no, why?\n\nSuits and face mask like these ones\n\n\n\nThe mask, only covers your nose and mouth, if used properly. What about the eyes protection then?\n", "qas": [{"question": "If Covid-19 can float in the air over particles and be there for up to 3 hours (1:50 minute), and if the virus could get into your system through eyes, nose or mouth (See Spread from contact with contaminated surfaces or objects section), then would not be better to use one of those suits to have full protection?\n\nIf no, why?\n\nSuits and face mask like these ones\n\n\n\nThe mask, only covers your nose and mouth, if used properly. What about the eyes protection then?\n", "id": "157", "answers": [{"text": "In an ideal world everyone would have full body Ebola type protection. In the world of practicality, the WHO has advised that this is a droplet, and surface spread infection.  However, it is not discounting the possibility of aerosols especially during some medical procedures eg. induced coughing, and then a potentially ill fitting mask and goggles may not be enough even in a negative pressure room.\n\nIf the full protection is available people are using it.  But there's a shortage of even basic masks in the USA and elsewhere.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Then the physician at the urgent care center will either treat you or refer you to someone who can. Just because it's an urgent care center doesn't mean the physicians there don't have a duty to act or can't provide followup care. In fact, in an area like yours with a shortage of doctors, I would imagine they're accustomed to situations like this and handle it routinely.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "\nWould symptoms differ from eating virus contaminated food versus breathing in virus?\nWould symptoms be a good indicator where the virus is located?\nThe COVID-19 causes respiratory symptoms and I guess that is because people are breathing in virus droplets in their lungs. But if you would swallow COVID-19 contaminated food and avoid breathing in the virus would that cause other symptoms like stomach pain or diarrhea?\n\n", "qas": [{"question": "\nWould symptoms differ from eating virus contaminated food versus breathing in virus?\nWould symptoms be a good indicator where the virus is located?\nThe COVID-19 causes respiratory symptoms and I guess that is because people are breathing in virus droplets in their lungs. But if you would swallow COVID-19 contaminated food and avoid breathing in the virus would that cause other symptoms like stomach pain or diarrhea?\n\n", "id": "162", "answers": [{"text": "Well this is a guess because there is no published data that I am aware of in the english literature to be able to answer the question.\n\nA small percentage of people who have presented with covid-19 pneumonia have also had diarrhoea, it is thought that the faecal-oral route is also an important mode of transmission.  \n\nIf the person develops a respiratory infection the affected cells will eventually spill virus into the circulation, a condition called viraemia. This allows the virus to reach distant cells that bear the ACE2 surface receptor and these cells are also in the heart, kidneys and gut as well as monocytes.  One would also expect that intestinal cells affected primarily by ingestion of virus particles would also do the same, and produce a viraemia leading to the virus spreading to the lungs, heart and kidneys.  But they may present initially with diarrhoea before getting respiratory symptoms.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Eating large amounts of carbs is not good if you already have diabetes or are prediabetic. But otherwise, whole grain carbs are very healthy. Type-2 diabetes is not caused by eating carbs, but by eating fat. This is explained in detail here. As pointed out in this lecture, countries like Japan where people used to eat large amounts of carbs used to have low rates of diabetes, and that changed when they started to eat less carbs and more fat.\n\nFat consumption at levels considered to be normal in the West is not only implicated in diabetes, it also causes cardiovascular disease. This was first rigorously established in the late 1950s, see also here for an article on this subject by the first author written more than 50 years later.\n\nA more recent research result:\n\n\n  ...the Tsimane, a forager-horticulturalist population of the Bolivian Amazon with few coronary artery disease risk factors, have the lowest reported levels of coronary artery disease of any population recorded to date.\n\n\nAnd note how similar the diets of the Tsimane and the Africans in Uganda are, e.g. they both get less than 20% of their calories from fat. \n\nIn general, it's not good to argue on the basis of X is bad because it will cause adverse health effects to people suffering from disease Y. Take e.g. X to be strenuous exercise and Y to be heart disease. Exercise can lower the risk of heart disease, but once you got heart disease, the exercise intensity may need to be limited. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "This virus exits the cell using exocytosis after assembling golgi vesicles which contain the virus by fusing with the cell membrane.\n\nIn the case of infected pneumocytes, I imagine that the virus could then exit into the alveolus and infect other pneumocytes using again the interaction of the S protein with ACE2 or it could exit into the blood and spread to other pneumocytes in a 'miliary' fashion like TB. Is either or both the main mechanism of spread in the lung? Does lymphatic spread play any role?\n", "qas": [{"question": "This virus exits the cell using exocytosis after assembling golgi vesicles which contain the virus by fusing with the cell membrane.\n\nIn the case of infected pneumocytes, I imagine that the virus could then exit into the alveolus and infect other pneumocytes using again the interaction of the S protein with ACE2 or it could exit into the blood and spread to other pneumocytes in a 'miliary' fashion like TB. Is either or both the main mechanism of spread in the lung? Does lymphatic spread play any role?\n", "id": "165", "answers": [{"text": "We know that early CT scan of patients, even asymptomatic ones, show ground glass opacities and histology of resected lung segments in asymptomatic patients taken for lung cancer resection show alveloli filling with proteinaceous material.  Patchy changes progress with time and if it were haematogenous spread then we would expect military like spread through the lung which is not what is being described.\n\nThe disease is spread by droplets full of virus, and it is likely that the patient in coughing is spreading the virus to other parts of the lung.\n\nBut this is speculative as the disease progression has not yet been fully characterised.\n\nPulmonary Pathology of Early-Phase 2019 Novel\nCoronavirus (COVID-19) Pneumonia in Two Patients\nWith Lung Cancer\nhttps://www.jto.org/article/S1556-0864(20)30132-5/pdf\n\nTemporal Changes of CT Findings in 90 Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Longitudinal Study\nhttps://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.2020200843\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Salty foods are generally either carby (chips/crisps, fries/chips, popcorn) or proteiny (meat, cheese, nuts.) Most carby snacks have no way to make the salt stick without the fat. Air popped popcorn, for example, the salt just falls off.  Ditto microwave or oven crisps. You can reduce the fat and change the fat and that may help. For example oven-baked potato wedges with just a little oil. Air popped popcorn with a tiny drizzle of butter. They sell low fat crackers that are salty but apparently they are high in sugar.\n\nYou'll have better luck going the protein route. For those who eat meat, lean meat most certainly exists. I make my own jerky, which is very salty and satisfying. There are also low- and no-fat sliced meats (chicken, turkey, ham) though these need to be kept cool and can't just be pulled out of your pocket for a nibble on the bus. I have seen dried sausages, pepperoni-style, in a snack size and a low-fat variant.\n\nIf you have the ability to prepare a little, a salt-lover in my family loves to dip spring onions (green onions - the long thin things that are white at one end and green at the other) in salt a bite at a time. \n\nIf you have a home dehydrator, try beet chips: slice beet(root) very thin, lay out on dehydrator trays, sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on each (the juices will make it stick / soak in) and then dry them. I really enjoy these and they are fat-free. Once made, they keep for ages and can be taken with you for an on-the-go snack.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "An article from 2008: New way to kill virus: Shake them to death.\nCan ultrasound have the potential to treat COVID-19 infected humans at large-scale (because it does not require anesthesia)?\n\nI went through an answer on Quora. Is it a good idea to make a cavity with ultrasound for humans, specifically targeting the respiratory organs?\n\nMy apologies if this seems dope, I myself am an engineer, but this COVID-19 seems to affect the future generations as well so I thought of asking here. Please validate it.\n\nReferences:\nEffects of ultrasound on living organisms\n", "qas": [{"question": "An article from 2008: New way to kill virus: Shake them to death.\nCan ultrasound have the potential to treat COVID-19 infected humans at large-scale (because it does not require anesthesia)?\n\nI went through an answer on Quora. Is it a good idea to make a cavity with ultrasound for humans, specifically targeting the respiratory organs?\n\nMy apologies if this seems dope, I myself am an engineer, but this COVID-19 seems to affect the future generations as well so I thought of asking here. Please validate it.\n\nReferences:\nEffects of ultrasound on living organisms\n", "id": "170", "answers": [{"text": "Sounds like science fiction and not much use for treating patients.  They talk about shining laser light on the virus to induce the resonant frequency to shatter the virus.\n\nBut, Covid-19 is a deep tissue infection,  and I can't imagine how lasers could possibly get inside the lung, heart and other tissues affected by this virus.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Pink is a common pill color. Nothing can be known about the composition of a pill based solely on its color; pink does not indicate any particular drug or class of drugs.\n\nIn recent years, a reference to the \"little pink pill\" in the media:\n\nhttps://www.nbcnews.com/health/sexual-health/fda-approves-controversial-female-viagra-restrictions-n412116\n\nhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/08/18/addyi-drug-sprout-pharmaceuticals-fda/31963219/\n\nhttps://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/little-pink-pill\n\nmay refer to the drug flibanserin, used to treat impaired libido in women, but this would not explain references in the 1960s or 1980s.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Given that a man of 39 years without underlying health condition, is having chest discomfort and tightness, which is more discomfort during evening and night before fall asleep. He don't have cold and cough, nor have fever and he is  physically active.\nMy concern is that whether he is fighting with COVID-19 infection.\nCan COVID-19 be damaging the lung without showing fever?\nThank you.\n", "qas": [{"question": "Given that a man of 39 years without underlying health condition, is having chest discomfort and tightness, which is more discomfort during evening and night before fall asleep. He don't have cold and cough, nor have fever and he is  physically active.\nMy concern is that whether he is fighting with COVID-19 infection.\nCan COVID-19 be damaging the lung without showing fever?\nThank you.\n", "id": "179", "answers": [{"text": "The range of symptoms for people infected with SARS-CoV-2 are extreme.  There are reports of asymptomatic children with CT scans showing viral pneumonia.\n\n\n  Among the paediatric patients in our study, just under a third were asymptomatic. Moreover, a fifth had pneumonia only and needed radiographic examination to be identified.\n\n\nWith respect to the question of whether one can have ongoing pneumonic process without a fever, then yes, that is possible.\n\nCase 5 in the link below presented only with a runny nose and sore throat.  Fever is not mentioned as it is in the other cases so one assumes she was not febrile.  But CT scan 3 days later showed ground-glass opacities.  Her throat swab was positive by PCR for SARS-CoV-2.\n\nhttps://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30198-5/fulltext\n\nhttps://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/all.14289\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I have found an article published in November 2017 that states:\n\n\"Evidence supported consumption of \u2264400 mg/day in adults is not associated with overt, adverse effects.\"\n\nLink to the article: \nhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691517301709\n\nYou can see the meaning of 400 mg of caffeine at this webpage:\n\nhttps://www.foodinsight.org/caffeine-safe-amount-daily-efsa\n\nWhat makes 400 mg of caffeine?\n\n\n5 shots (2-oz) of espresso\n4.7 cups (8-oz) of drip coffee\n5 cans (250 ml) of energy drinks\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I have spent some time studying RNA structures. While there is a range of interesting phenomena and functions that certainly deserve understanding from the scientific point of view, I have never encountered a practical use of this knowledge (in terms of disease diagnostics, medications, etc.) Have you? If a practical use of RNA structures is still in the future, what could that be? \n", "qas": [{"question": "I have spent some time studying RNA structures. While there is a range of interesting phenomena and functions that certainly deserve understanding from the scientific point of view, I have never encountered a practical use of this knowledge (in terms of disease diagnostics, medications, etc.) Have you? If a practical use of RNA structures is still in the future, what could that be? \n", "id": "191", "answers": [{"text": "Please look up flavivirus 'double loops' as you described them previously (post for \"Coronavirus RNA') and associated RNA secondary structure anomalies for dengue virus and associated vaccine (Butantan) and the yellow fever virus and its vaccine (17D). If you are aware of \"double loops\", we must be aware of the association of RNA secondardy structure and attenuated strains, i.e. live vaccines. The point is that modification of the RNA secondary structure is a key strategy in flavivirus attenuation. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Have a look at the GSVA package. It allows to convert a matrix with genes x Samples to a pathways x Samples using several methods ssgsea, gage, gsva...\n\nAfterwards you can use that matrix as input for differential expression of pathways or classification algorithms or whatever. \n\n\n\nHowever it depends on the input of the \"pathways\" you give it. Make sure that the pathways are correct. Also consider that the pathway topology might change with conditions.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Is there anything known about the RNA structures of coronaviruses? More specifically - do they have any interesting known structures in the translatable region, like RRE of HIV or the double loops in flaviviruses?\n\nUpdate\nHere is a recent development on the side of structure prediction.\n", "qas": [{"question": "Is there anything known about the RNA structures of coronaviruses? More specifically - do they have any interesting known structures in the translatable region, like RRE of HIV or the double loops in flaviviruses?\n\nUpdate\nHere is a recent development on the side of structure prediction.\n", "id": "193", "answers": [{"text": "To add a more complete answer: the current coronavirus is closely related to the SARS virus that caused the outbreak in 2004, and on which much research has been done.\n\nHere is a general review of the coronavirus epidemiology, life cycle etc.\n\nI haven't found yet any materials about the RNA structures in the translatable region, however the structures in the 3' and 5' terminal regions are well studied and are known to be crucial for initiating viral replication and for its packaging.\n\nThis recent article addresses in details the RNA structures in 5' terminal of human coronaviruses, whereas this older article describes the structures both in 3' and 5' terminals.\n\nFinally, the interesting algorithmic developments for the link that I added to the question are described here.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Oligopeptide\n\nThe lipophilicity of an oligopeptide or a small molecule can be calculated with RDKit, the classic compChem python toolkit. The measure is logP or partition coefficient, namely the magnitude of the ratio of the concentration in octanol over than in water, so the higher it is, the more it partitions in the octanol phase. However, with a compound of several dalton it may be good to see what the contribution of each atom to this score are. This measure is the Crippen contribution to logP, which can be handily plotted on the molecule. Note that these are may be at first glance look similar to Gastaiger partial changes, but are not.\n\nOkay, first the imports\n\nfrom rdkit import Chem\nfrom rdkit.Chem import AllChem, Descriptors\nfrom rdkit.Chem.Draw import SimilarityMaps\n\n\nNow let's make the molecules. Let's start with something we can simply use a SMILES string of the web: Bortezomib.\n\nname = 'Bortezomib'\nmol = Chem.MolFromSmiles('O=C(N[C@H](C(=O)N[C@H](B(O)O)CC(C)C)Cc1ccccc1)c2nccnc2')\n\n\nNow we can do all the relevant calculations on the mol object:\n\nprint('logP', Descriptors.MolLogP(mol))\nAllChem.Compute2DCoords(mol)\ncontribs = Chem.rdMolDescriptors._CalcCrippenContribs(mol)\nfig = SimilarityMaps.GetSimilarityMapFromWeights(mol, [x for x,y in contribs], colorMap='BuPu', contourLines=10)\nfig.savefig(name+'_crippen.png', bbox_inches='tight')\n\n\nLogP=0.3\n\n\ncolorMap='BuPu' is the matplotlib colorscheme. I have no idea which work best, I have spent way too much time trying and I do not know. But with BuPu, white is hydrophilic, purple is hydrophobic.\n\nSay the oligopeptide does not have a SMILES or we don't want to do it that way. Let's take \u03b2-Casomorphins 1\u20133:\n\nname = '\u03b2-Casomorphins 1\u20133'\nmol = Chem.MolFromFASTA('YPF')\nmol = AllChem.ReplaceSubstructs(mol,\n                                Chem.MolFromSmiles('N'),\n                                Chem.MolFromSmiles('[NH][OH]'),\n                                replacementConnectionPoint=0)[0]\n\n\nThe result with the last block from before gives:\n\nlogP=1\n\n\nProteins\n\nWith protein, it is a lot harder. Membrane affinity of protein is dependent on their structure. In PyMOL you can use the Adaptive Poisson-Boltzmann Solver (APBS) to show the surface by charge. For transmembrane protein there is clear ring of hydrophobicity \u2014CHARMM-GUI membrane builder and a variety of tools for example can guess where it is. For a membrane associated protein only one side will be hydrophobic with a tell-tell charged ring around it (e.g. DHR1 domain) and there are no hard and tested methods for that.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "How can I hide the WHO covid-19 banner on YouTube?\n\n\n\nVideo: https://youtu.be/gAk7aX5hksU\n\n\n\nBrief description of my search/research efforts: searched on Google, found nothing.\n", "qas": [{"question": "How can I hide the WHO covid-19 banner on YouTube?\n\n\n\nVideo: https://youtu.be/gAk7aX5hksU\n\n\n\nBrief description of my search/research efforts: searched on Google, found nothing.\n", "id": "196", "answers": [{"text": "On desktop browsers one way to block this is using the uBlock origin extension. Right click after installing it, and select \"block element\". The element you want to block is:\n\n###clarify-box > .ytd-watch-flexy.style-scope\n\n\nFrom your screenshot, it seems you are browsing youtube using the chrome web-browser, but with \"Desktop site\" enabled, is that right? If you turn that off it should not be displayed\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "What you're looking for is the table. From the help (which isn't linkable):\n\n\nOpen a document or a slide in a presentation.\nClick Table and then Insert table.\nClick to choose how many rows and columns you want to add. Tables can be as large as 20 x 20 cells.\nThe table will be added to your document.\n\n\nNow you can create a 14x1 or 1x2 table:\n\n\n\n\nFor those interested this is a quick attempt using the Ubuntu font:\n\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "At the end of this video NY Governor, Andrew Cuomo, criticizes the CDC for \"not letting\" the state of New York and other laboratories test for COVID-19.\n\nWhat did he mean by that? Does the CDC have some legal authority to prevent the State of New York and other private laboratories from testing for COVID-19?\n", "qas": [{"question": "At the end of this video NY Governor, Andrew Cuomo, criticizes the CDC for \"not letting\" the state of New York and other laboratories test for COVID-19.\n\nWhat did he mean by that? Does the CDC have some legal authority to prevent the State of New York and other private laboratories from testing for COVID-19?\n", "id": "200", "answers": [{"text": "The CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) are both US federal agencies that have overlapping authority over medical testing in the US. In general federal rules prevail over state rules, so yes the CDC can stop the state of New York from testing for COVID-19 if the CDC has not approved the testing protocol.\n\nThe primary reason behind the rules is to ensure that any tests provided to the public are reliable. A secondary reason it to ensure that the testing development process followed guidelines on medical ethics. There is a set of procedures for Emergency Use Authorization, but there have been widespread complaints that even that process has grown too cumbersome and time consuming.\n\nThere has been more extensive coverage of the CDC and FDA stopping/delaying testing in Washington state.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Suppose you want to pay for your son's college tuition with cocaine sales proceeds. You hire your son as an actor in your miserable movie and pay him $90,000 for doing so. The movie is produced by a corporation that you don't have to 1099 when you give it money. The corporation treats the money in as a loan which isn't income to it and doesn't have to report the lender to anyone. The son has the money (after paying income tax on it) and can pay for college for the year. The movie company and son don't appear to be doing anything other than being incompetent movie producers and lousy overpaid actors unless you know the big picture. The money has effectively been spent in a way that conceals its illegal origins and makes it look legitimate. Ergo, money laundering.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Right now there are large American states which have 50 times more Coronavirus cases in ratio/proportion than others, with hundreds of cases close to a thousand, and there are even small states where cases are zero or near to zero. Do American states have the power to close their borders from other states in a health emergency, is there a workaround to apply this, or can even the federal government give this power temporarily to states or something?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Right now there are large American states which have 50 times more Coronavirus cases in ratio/proportion than others, with hundreds of cases close to a thousand, and there are even small states where cases are zero or near to zero. Do American states have the power to close their borders from other states in a health emergency, is there a workaround to apply this, or can even the federal government give this power temporarily to states or something?\n", "id": "202", "answers": [{"text": "US Constitutional law generally recognizes the right of freedom of movement, e.g. in  Corfield v. Coryell, 6 Fed. Cas. 546, Crandall v. Nevada, 73 U.S. 35,  Paul v. Virginia, 75 U.S. 168. \nThe more recent case Saenz v. Roe, 526 U.S. 489 affirms the position that restricting the \"right to travel violates the Equal Protection Clause absent a compelling governmental interest\", and one of the specific rights subsumed under the right to travel is \"the right to enter and leave another State\".\n\nThe \"compelling governmental interest\" is a reference to standard of judicial review known as strict scrutiny, where a law that restricts a fundamental right (the right to travel) is required for a \"compelling state interest\", is \"narrowly tailored\" to that purpose, and is the \"least restrictive means\".\n\nIt is highly likely that each state has a statute that grants broad powers to the governor in case of a state of emergency. Such an order would then have to be scrutinized strictly, with respect to the narrow tailoring and least restrictive aspects of the question. We would then have to analyze the specifics of the case and order.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The relevant law is trademark law. The basic question is whether the mark is identical or creates an unreasonable risk of confusion with the protected mark. There is no per se 30%-40% rule. I can imagine cases where changing a single letter in a long phrase turns a trademark violation into a parody or clearly different mark (see the Electric Company TV show). I can also imagine cases where changing a large part of the mark could still be infringing and confusingly similar.\n\nA parody is protected on fair use grounds in copyright law (which could conceivably come into play since this is a derivative work but would be protected since it is a parody), but in trademark law the issue is that a parody is unlikely to be confused for the original.\n\nOf course, at a fine grained level when one is looking at particular cases rather than general ideas, you would have to know which country's laws were involved, for example, where the goods would be sold.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "A U.S. company has instructed it's employees to work from home for a period extending 4 weeks following city and state guidelines as a necessary precaution in response to COVID-19. Subsequently company workers have set up makeshift offices at home in. What if anything at all about the \"makeshift office\" is tax\ndeductible for the 2020 tax season ( -next year).\n", "qas": [{"question": "A U.S. company has instructed it's employees to work from home for a period extending 4 weeks following city and state guidelines as a necessary precaution in response to COVID-19. Subsequently company workers have set up makeshift offices at home in. What if anything at all about the \"makeshift office\" is tax\ndeductible for the 2020 tax season ( -next year).\n", "id": "203", "answers": [{"text": "You will probably not be able to take a tax deduction for this. \n\nThe IRS requires that the space that you use for your home office is that the portion of your house is exclusively and regularly used for business purposes. It also must be the principle place of your business.\n\nSome employees can use the home-office deduction, but there are tests there too:\n\n\nYour business use must be for the convenience of your employer\nYou cannot rent any portion of your home to your employer\nYou have to meet the above (exclusivity/regularly) criteria\n\n\nIt's unlikely that you will be able to deduct a home office expense as a tax deduction for the 2020 tax year (2019 tax year has already passed) due to quarantine measures unless you continue to be quarantined for the remainder of the year (or a significant portion of it). \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You could sue them for commercially exploiting your image without permission, so the waiver is necessary. It is entirely legal to require of tenants (even if weird) that they be part of an advertising campaign, in a specified way: it's also your right to refuse to sign. There is a minuscule chance that there is a local ordinance prohibiting such a clause.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "My wife and I are moving out of our current rental in a couple of weeks.  Our landlord stated in a text this morning that he can show our house to potential new renters with 24 hours notice, even though we asked him to wait until we have moved out -- my wife has asthma, and we're in the upswing of a global pandemic.  \n\nWe live in Arizona.  Are there any state or federal laws, or executive orders, that allow us to keep our landlord out until we've left?\n", "qas": [{"question": "My wife and I are moving out of our current rental in a couple of weeks.  Our landlord stated in a text this morning that he can show our house to potential new renters with 24 hours notice, even though we asked him to wait until we have moved out -- my wife has asthma, and we're in the upswing of a global pandemic.  \n\nWe live in Arizona.  Are there any state or federal laws, or executive orders, that allow us to keep our landlord out until we've left?\n", "id": "208", "answers": [{"text": "ARS 33-1343 allows the landlord to show the place, with two days notice. None of the executive orders suspend this aspect of the law: the eviction order is directed at law enforcement, and orders a temporary delay in enforcement of eviction orders. The governor does not have clear constitutional or statutory authority to suspend all or part of ARS 33-1343. The initial declaration of emergency lists the various statutory authorities, such as ARS 36-787. In order to suspend the landlord access law, the legislative would have to enact a new law, which the governor would have to sign into law. There is no applicable federal order, and any such order would be of dubious constitutionality (landlord-tenant laws are a state matter, not a federal matter).\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Nothing in the license requires you to distribute an derivative work you create. But if you distribute it, you must put your contributions under the same license as the original. This means as you already noticed, the person who you are selling it to, can redistribute it for free.\n\nArticle 3 of the license gives you certain rights. Article 4 contain restriction, but distribution is no requirement:\n\n\n  a. You may Distribute or Publicly Perform the Work only (...)\n  \n  b. You may Distribute or Publicly Perform an Adaptation only (...)\n  \n  c. If You Distribute, or Publicly Perform the Work or any Adaptations or Collections, You must (...)\n  \n  d. (...) if You Reproduce, Distribute or Publicly Perform the Work (...)\n\n\nArticle 8 specifies you only need to offer the license to the recipient:\n\n\n  a. Each time You Distribute or Publicly Perform the Work or a Collection, the Licensor offers to the recipient a license to the Work on the same terms and conditions as the license granted to You under this License.\n  \n  b. Each time You Distribute or Publicly Perform an Adaptation, Licensor offers to the recipient a license to the original Work on the same terms and conditions as the license granted to You under this License.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "The government has issued guidelines saying that we must stay inside.  I understand this has now passed into law.  Can anyone please point me to a copy of the legislation, and point out which sections are the relevant ones?\n", "qas": [{"question": "The government has issued guidelines saying that we must stay inside.  I understand this has now passed into law.  Can anyone please point me to a copy of the legislation, and point out which sections are the relevant ones?\n", "id": "209", "answers": [{"text": "The Coronavirus Act 2020.  Specifically Schedule 21 which relates to control of potentially infectious persons and Schedule 22 which limits gatherings and other aspects.\n\nThe Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020.  Specifically Regulation 6, which relates to restriction on movement.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "\n  In the state of California, how could one find out if a commercial\n  company had ever sued another company?\n\n\nThe search is complex because there is no \"one-stop shop\" for this.\n\nTo search in federal court, go to pacer.gov.\n\nTo search in state trial court, contact the court of your county and ask whether it has a site for online case search. Other counties nearby might be using the same provider. For instance, the Washtenaw (in Michigan) county trial court gives public access to cases register of actions. Knowing that, it was easier for me to identify the analog for Wayne and Oakland counties. But Jackson county used a different provider. Likewise, California courts might be using Odyssey or other providers. There is no uniformity on this.\n\nKeep in mind that an entity might have been involved in small claims court, which will not necessarily be reflected on the same site of county trial court.\n\nTo search for cases by party in California courts of appeal and supreme court, see here (the form to enter party appears after clicking on Search).\n\nTo search in the SCOTUS, see here.\n\nEach court has its own policies for ordering records of the proceedings.\n\nLeagle.com only displays decisions/opinions from appellate courts, supreme courts, and federal district courts. No litigation records are available from there. From personal experience as pro se litigant, I warn you that whatever you read in a court opinion does not necessarily reflect the actual evidence and arguments a party offered. Unfortunately, many courts are fond of distorting the record of a case for the sake of forcing an unlawful outcome.\n\nAlso beware that not all litigation happens in courts. A company could have gone through some Alternative Dispute Resolution method such as mediation or arbitration that might be of your interest nonetheless. Those proceedings would not be reflected in court sites unless at least one party escalates the issue (example: a party might appeal an arbitrator's ruling).\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Many state governments have declared temporary \"shelter in place\" statutes due to Covid-19 that restrict unnecessary travel by vehicle. I know this will vary by jurisdiction: but generally, is the suspicion of unnecessary travel sufficient probable cause for a traffic stop and questioning the driver and passengers as to the nature of the travel? Is probable cause not necessary under these temporary \"shelter in place\" statutes?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Many state governments have declared temporary \"shelter in place\" statutes due to Covid-19 that restrict unnecessary travel by vehicle. I know this will vary by jurisdiction: but generally, is the suspicion of unnecessary travel sufficient probable cause for a traffic stop and questioning the driver and passengers as to the nature of the travel? Is probable cause not necessary under these temporary \"shelter in place\" statutes?\n", "id": "210", "answers": [{"text": "A reasonable suspicion for a Terry stop has to be based on \"specific and articulable facts\", and not based just on a hunch. A mere \"feeling\" that a person may be traveling unnecessarily would not legitimize a stop, but some concrete evidence could. For example, 8 teenagers in a car repeated driving a loop experientially looks like cruising, which is not in the category of necessary travel. 8 70 year olds doing the same is probably about as out of the ordinary, even if you can rationalize it as confused elders.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Just at the offset this does not constitute legal advice, just some opinions I have on this point. Technically, you would not be prohibited to generate speech and use it however you like. Under normal circumstances any output generated by the system that does not contravene the service agreement would be your intellectual property. This would include the text and speech generated. Once you go about the request limit you would naturally be required to pay, but until that time you can use the service as a paying customer. \n\nJust to clarify this point I would like to make reference to the service license agreement, clause 3, which make reference to the following prohibitions:\n\n\n  (a) copy, modify, create a derivative work of, reverse engineer,\n  decompile, translate, disassemble, or otherwise attempt to extract any\n  or all of the source code of the Services (subject to Section 3.4\n  below and except to the extent such restriction is expressly\n  prohibited by applicable law); (b) use the Services for High Risk\n  Activities; (c) sublicense, resell, or distribute any or all of the\n  Services separate from any integrated Application; (d) create multiple\n  Applications, Accounts, or Projects to simulate or act as a single\n  Application, Account, or Project (respectively) or otherwise access\n  the Services in a manner intended to avoid incurring Fees or exceed\n  usage limits or quotas; (e) unless otherwise set forth in the Service\n  Specific Terms, use the Services to operate or enable any\n  telecommunications service or in connection with any Application that\n  allows Customer End Users to place calls or to receive calls from any\n  public switched telephone network; or (f) process or store any\n  Customer Data that is subject to the International Traffic in Arms\n  Regulations maintained by the Department of State. Unless otherwise\n  specified in writing by Google, Google does not intend uses of the\n  Services to create obligations under HIPAA, and makes no\n  representations that the Services satisfy HIPAA requirements. If\n  Customer is (or becomes) a Covered Entity or Business Associate, as\n  defined in HIPAA, Customer will not use the Services for any purpose\n  or in any manner involving Protected Health Information (as defined in\n  HIPAA) unless Customer has received prior written consent to such use\n  from Google.\n\n\nSimilarly, as specified here:\n\n\n  Customer will not, and will not allow third parties to: (i) use these\n  Services to create, train, or improve (directly or indirectly) a\n  similar or competing product or service or (ii) integrate these\n  Services with any applications for any embedded devices such as cars,\n  TVs, appliances, or speakers\u200b without Google's prior written\n  permission. These Services can only be integrated with applications\n  for the following personal computing devices: smartphones, tablets,\n  laptops, and desktops. In addition to any other available remedies,\n  Google may immediately suspend or terminate Customer's use of these\n  Services based on any suspected violation of these terms, and\n  violation of these terms is deemed violation of Google's Intellectual\n  Property Rights. Customer will provide Google with any assistance\n  Google requests to reasonably confirm compliance with these terms\n  (including interviews with Customer employees and inspection of\n  Customer source code, model training data, and engineering\n  documentation). These terms will survive termination or expiration of\n  the Agreement.\n\n\nYou should also take a look at this and this.\n\nHowever, as per the terms of the agreement the speech generated would be your intellectual property, unless otherwise specified.\n\nGood luck!\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I own a condo apartment in Schaumburg Illinois. The tenant has lost her job because of COVID-2019 and is unable to pay the rent. I however have to pay the monthly installments as mortgage for this house.\n\nWhat are the options for me? Can i terminate the lease which currently ends on October 2020? Is there a law where i can evict the tenant?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I own a condo apartment in Schaumburg Illinois. The tenant has lost her job because of COVID-2019 and is unable to pay the rent. I however have to pay the monthly installments as mortgage for this house.\n\nWhat are the options for me? Can i terminate the lease which currently ends on October 2020? Is there a law where i can evict the tenant?\n", "id": "213", "answers": [{"text": "Any eviction order (for non-payment) will not be enforced by the sheriff (as ordered by the court), and that is how evictions would happen. This is also required under the governor's order of March 20. Foreclosure entails eviction \u2013 though the order prohibits the enforcement of an associated eviction order, and doesn't prohibit starting action against a property owner. Theoretically, you could file for eviction against your tenant and at some point the petition could be granted, and the sheriff would enforce it. Those are the current legal options. Current (optimistic) projections are that evictions could happen in the second half of May.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You are mistaken: The U.S. governments (both federal, and states that impose income tax) assert a right to tax both:\n\n\nIncome earned within their jurisdiction (e.g., \"on their soil\"), and\nIncome earned by citizens (or residents, in the case of states).\n\n\nSo it is perfectly legal for a resident U.S. citizen to operate a foreign business entity, earn profit, pay himself, and even bank the money overseas.\n\nHowever, a resident in such a situation would be in violation of tax law if he failed to report his interest in the foreign entity and his earnings, as prescribed by the IRS, on his tax filings.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am wondering if ICE has the legal authority to immediately arrest illegal immigrants after they have received medical care at U.S. hospitals for COVID-19. I am referring to people who voluntarily came into U.S. hospitals to receive this medical treatment. \n\nMoreover, if ICE does have the legal authority to do this, do the mayors of sanctuary cities currently have a legal right to intervene to stop ICE from arresting these particular illegal immigrants? I am thinking in particular about the mayors of cities throughout the state of California.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am wondering if ICE has the legal authority to immediately arrest illegal immigrants after they have received medical care at U.S. hospitals for COVID-19. I am referring to people who voluntarily came into U.S. hospitals to receive this medical treatment. \n\nMoreover, if ICE does have the legal authority to do this, do the mayors of sanctuary cities currently have a legal right to intervene to stop ICE from arresting these particular illegal immigrants? I am thinking in particular about the mayors of cities throughout the state of California.\n", "id": "215", "answers": [{"text": "ICE has a degree of authority to deport without court hearing, via an expedited process. The legal framework for such deportations are explained here, and rely on  8 USC 1225. The Secretary of DHS has authority to establish rules, and has recently done so here. The current regulations pertaining to expedited removal are at 8 CFR 253.3. There is no exemption for people being medically treated, for covid-19 or any other reason, but \"parole\" is available (at the discretion of the attorney general) to \"parole\" an immigrant if it is \"is required to meet a medical emergency\". Thus an illegal immigrant in the ICU might be exempt from immediate deportation, but that is at the discretion of the AG. State and local officials do not have the authority to interfere in the enforcement of federal law, even if the state or municipality has declared itself a \"sanctuary\". The criminal penalties for interference are spelled out here; no law compells cooperation, the law simply prohibits forcible interference.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "A US passport does not list height or make claims about ethnicity: what you have is a birth date and state, and photograph. A passport is taken to be strong proof of identity. You may apply for a new passport (turning in the old one), with a new photo. It may be necessary to provide \"documentary evidence of identity\" by appearing with an identifying witness (citizen or permanent resident) who has known you for 2 years and fills in an affidavit (both of you would need to bring some ID as well, so let's assume you also have a valid driver's license). It would be at the discretion of the accepting agent whether to believe that you and the \"old\" you are the same person. In the fictitious scenario, the person could videotape themselves undergoing the transformation, but ultimately, if one is sufficiently off the grid, then proving identity could be very difficult.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Are there any privacy protections which would prevent a landlord from including the name of a specific tenant in a warning regarding Covid-19?\n\nFor context: Recently my partner and I (we live in Massachusetts) started exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19. After speaking with a doctor, we informed our landlord that we may be ill. He responded by saying that he has to inform other residents of our building that we are ill. While we agree that it is important for other residents to be aware and take extra precautions, we are concerned about our landlord including our names (particularly given that my partner is Asian-American).\n", "qas": [{"question": "Are there any privacy protections which would prevent a landlord from including the name of a specific tenant in a warning regarding Covid-19?\n\nFor context: Recently my partner and I (we live in Massachusetts) started exhibiting symptoms of Covid-19. After speaking with a doctor, we informed our landlord that we may be ill. He responded by saying that he has to inform other residents of our building that we are ill. While we agree that it is important for other residents to be aware and take extra precautions, we are concerned about our landlord including our names (particularly given that my partner is Asian-American).\n", "id": "218", "answers": [{"text": "He can tell the world\n\nYou chose to tell him. He has no duty of confidence with you (he is not your health professional) so he can tell whoever he likes however he likes.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "If by invalidated you mean you do not have to pay it back, no it is not invalidated. \n\nThe way a loan is supposed to work is that you are given the money and then you could spend it or use the unused portion of the money to pay back the loan. \n\nThe $400 that you did not use would technically be considered payment on the loan and you would owe $300.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Recently I put down a holding deposit for an apartment I intend to move into next month (April 1). However, with the spread of COVID-19, moving in 2 weeks' time could be risky, or potentially impossible if I am quarantined. And, I don't know how many months I could be quarantined for.\n\nRegarding the holding deposit, I was told: \n\n\nit's nonrefundable if we are approved (we were)\nthis deposit would be treated as part of our security deposit\n\n\nUnfortunately I did not think to get a receipt or any of this in writing. I was clear that my move-in date would be April 1, and may have included this in my application. If they refuse to push forward my move-in date due to COVID-19, do I have grounds to receive my deposit back?\n\nI haven't signed a lease yet. So perhaps when I receive the lease for review, it would be a good time to talk about flexibility for the move-in date.\n\nI live in California.\n", "qas": [{"question": "Recently I put down a holding deposit for an apartment I intend to move into next month (April 1). However, with the spread of COVID-19, moving in 2 weeks' time could be risky, or potentially impossible if I am quarantined. And, I don't know how many months I could be quarantined for.\n\nRegarding the holding deposit, I was told: \n\n\nit's nonrefundable if we are approved (we were)\nthis deposit would be treated as part of our security deposit\n\n\nUnfortunately I did not think to get a receipt or any of this in writing. I was clear that my move-in date would be April 1, and may have included this in my application. If they refuse to push forward my move-in date due to COVID-19, do I have grounds to receive my deposit back?\n\nI haven't signed a lease yet. So perhaps when I receive the lease for review, it would be a good time to talk about flexibility for the move-in date.\n\nI live in California.\n", "id": "223", "answers": [{"text": "No.\n\nForce majeure does not change contract terms (e.g. making a non-refundable deposit refundable). Rather, it allows parties to get away with not performing their obligations where circumstances beyond their control prevent them from doing so.\n\nIn your situation, all parties have performed their obligations so far. You paid the required deposit, they welcome you on the 1st of April.\n\nIt would therefore be much more likely that they get away with not refunding you a refundable deposit (if there was one) because of COVID-19 \u2014 than you get back the non-refundable one.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Probably not\n\nAssuming that the landlord is ready, willing and able to give you access to the property then they have fulfilled their contractual obligation regardless of if you can move in on that date. The apartment is available for your use; it's not your landlord's problem that you can't use it.\n\nIt would appear that there are two contracts here: the one where you paid the holding deposit in return for them holding it - this contract would appear to be complete. If you choose not to follow through with the second contract - actually leasing the premises; then that would not affect the contract that has already happened.\n\nThe concept of Force Majeure is not applicable here: both parties appear to be able to fulfill their contractual obligations even if you are quarantined - them to have the apartment available, you to pay the rent. The fact that you can't get the benefit of the contract is not a Force Majeure event. That's even assuming the contract deals with Force Majeure because, in common law jurisdictions, war, famine, pestilence, death and any other horsemen of the apocalypse you care to name do not relieve you of your contractual obligations.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Several counties in California have issued a shelter in place order due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For example, see a Santa Clara\u2019s order here.\n\nThe order states that individuals have to shelter in place. However, it lists multiple exceptions. If a police officer or other authority empowered to enforce this law asks you why you are outside, do you have to tell why you are outside or does the officer have to have reasonable suspicion you are in violation of the shelter in place order in order to detain you? This seems to be in violation of the concept that exercising your rights does not give grounds for reasonable suspicion or probable cause. Does an officer need probably cause that you are in violation of the order to arrest you? Or is it assumed that if you do not tell the officer what you are doing outside then your behavior is in violation of the order?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Several counties in California have issued a shelter in place order due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. For example, see a Santa Clara\u2019s order here.\n\nThe order states that individuals have to shelter in place. However, it lists multiple exceptions. If a police officer or other authority empowered to enforce this law asks you why you are outside, do you have to tell why you are outside or does the officer have to have reasonable suspicion you are in violation of the shelter in place order in order to detain you? This seems to be in violation of the concept that exercising your rights does not give grounds for reasonable suspicion or probable cause. Does an officer need probably cause that you are in violation of the order to arrest you? Or is it assumed that if you do not tell the officer what you are doing outside then your behavior is in violation of the order?\n", "id": "225", "answers": [{"text": "The principle of constitutional law is that in order to arrest you, the officer would need probable cause. Certain acts are in themselves violations of the order (being closer to another person that 6 feet, illegal sneezing). Walking in public does not per se constitute a violation. In order to briefly stop a person walking on the street (a \"Terry stop\"), the officer needs a reasonable suspicion that the person is in violation of the law. That means there has to be a reason, and a gut feeling does not count. An officer would not (legally) be able to stop every person they see walking down the street / driving, and demand an explanation of where they are going. If a person is just aimlessly wandering down the strees with friends (even if they are sufficiently separated), that could suffice to justify a stop, given the limited legal excuses for being outside your home.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "No, each state is a \"sovereign\" and whenever a statute describes a crime it is always some act committed by a \"person\" and these two categories are mutually exclusive. \n\nSee, for example, US Supreme Court in U.S. v. United Mine Workers of America, 330 U.S. 258, 67 SCt 677 (1947): \n\"In common usage, the term `person' does not include the sovereign and statutes employing it will ordinarily not be construed to do so.\"\n\nRepeated by US Supreme Court in Wilson v. Omaha Indian Tribe 442 US 653, 667 (1979): \"In common usage, the term 'person' does not include the sovereign, and statutes employing the word are ordinarily construed to exclude it.\" \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "In the UK, the Prime Minister has stated\n\n\n  Restaurants, pubs and clubs must close\n\n\nAlthough our wedding venue has a bar, serves food and has a dance floor in the marquee, they have not closed and therefore our insurance is not paying out as the wedding can technically still go ahead.\n\nIs the Prime minister\u2019s closure statement enough to claim on our wedding insurance?\n", "qas": [{"question": "In the UK, the Prime Minister has stated\n\n\n  Restaurants, pubs and clubs must close\n\n\nAlthough our wedding venue has a bar, serves food and has a dance floor in the marquee, they have not closed and therefore our insurance is not paying out as the wedding can technically still go ahead.\n\nIs the Prime minister\u2019s closure statement enough to claim on our wedding insurance?\n", "id": "226", "answers": [{"text": "What do the contracts with your suppliers and the policy with your insurer say?\n\nChanges in government regulation do not ipso facto relieve Parties of the obligations under a contract under common (English) law. Contracts are allowed to allocate the risk of force majeure (and indeed, to define it because it has no common law meaning) but if they don\u2019t, then each party bears their own risk and if they fail to honour their obligations they are in breach of contract. \n\nCommon law does have the doctrine of frustration, however, that is much narrower and must result in the inability of the contract to be completed at all.\n\nAnd then there are consumer rights which may apply.\n\nWhen the dust settles, we are likely to see a lot of litigation around force majeure.\n\nYour venue appears to be complying with both the law and their obligations under the contract so you have no breach of contract claim against them and no trigger for the insurance policy. If you choose to cancel, then you broke the contract.\n\nImportantly, the position is reversed in civil law jurisdictions - a party unable to fulfil their obligations under a contract is not in breach.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "This is the question of whether the sentences are to run consecutively or concurrently, and it's part of the sentencing decision.  In many cases, the judge may have the discretion to make this decision based on the circumstances of the crime, the defendant's history, and so on.  Some jurisdictions might have sentencing guidelines to help ensure consistency; in some cases these guidelines might be mandatory, limiting the judge's discretion.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "This may seem off-topic question but I am really wondering how CS folks could help in situations like coronavirus. What novel problems arise from such disease? From CS and ML/AI perspectives, is there anything that Computer Scientists could do to better combat the coronavirus? \n", "qas": [{"question": "This may seem off-topic question but I am really wondering how CS folks could help in situations like coronavirus. What novel problems arise from such disease? From CS and ML/AI perspectives, is there anything that Computer Scientists could do to better combat the coronavirus? \n", "id": "236", "answers": [{"text": "During a recent Hackathon I witnessed, a team prepared a gadget like a smart watch. The goal is to check how many times does a person cough, to track fever and such. A really cheap piece which can be worn by everyone. The data that can be attained would yield geo-coordinates of the societies and getting affected and need attention. It can help prioritize areas of immediate concern.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The idea is that you can check whether the answer is at most some value $m$ in time $O(n)$. Applying binary search on $m$, you obtain an $O(n\\log n)$ solution.\n\nHow do you check whether the answer is at most $m$ in time $O(n)$? The idea is to slide a window of length $m$ across your array. If at some point all elements outside the window are distinct, then we are done.\n\nHow do we implement this sliding algorithm? Let $A$ be the original array. We initialize an array $M$ which contains the histogram of the elements in $A_{m+1},\\ldots,A_n$, as well as the number of distinct elements $x$. If $x = n-m$ then we are done. Otherwise, we modify $M$ to contain the histogram of $A_1,A_{m+2},\\ldots,A_n$:\n\n\nWe remove one copy of the element $A_{m+1}$ from $M$. If the new count of this element is $0$, then we decrease $x$.\nWe add one copy of the element $A_1$ to $M$. If the new count of this element is $1$, then we increase $x$.\n\n\nIn this way, we can update $M$ in time $O(1)$ per shift.\n\nThe solution you link to does all this, apart from maintaining $x$; this is done automatically by the C++ map data structure.\n\nAnother point is the time complexity of this solution, which might depend on your exact computation model.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I have a question related to SARS-CoV-2 virus spreaded in the air. \n\nThis Straits Time article from March 18 describes a new study: \n\n\n  The tests show that when the virus is carried by the droplets released when someone coughs or sneezes, it remains viable, or able to still infect people, in aerosols for at least three hours.\n\n\nExamples of aerosol are fog, dust, particulate air pollutants (e.g. pollen), smoke, etc.\n\nThat being said, is essentially saying that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is all over in the air, right?\n\nI am saying that SARS-CoV-2 virus can be everywhere in the world. Why? Because, for example, dust is everywhere in the air and air is not static, i.e. \"it flies\" from one site to another and hence it can move to a place where no infected people have been at.\n\nAm I understanding this correctly?\n\nThank you in advance\n", "qas": [{"question": "I have a question related to SARS-CoV-2 virus spreaded in the air. \n\nThis Straits Time article from March 18 describes a new study: \n\n\n  The tests show that when the virus is carried by the droplets released when someone coughs or sneezes, it remains viable, or able to still infect people, in aerosols for at least three hours.\n\n\nExamples of aerosol are fog, dust, particulate air pollutants (e.g. pollen), smoke, etc.\n\nThat being said, is essentially saying that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is all over in the air, right?\n\nI am saying that SARS-CoV-2 virus can be everywhere in the world. Why? Because, for example, dust is everywhere in the air and air is not static, i.e. \"it flies\" from one site to another and hence it can move to a place where no infected people have been at.\n\nAm I understanding this correctly?\n\nThank you in advance\n", "id": "241", "answers": [{"text": "You are not understanding it correctly\n\nThere is a significant difference between an aerosol, dust and droplets. Furthermore the intermixing of air is not as you claim it is, it is in fact, quite static. If air just went everywhere immediately there would not be clouds, temperature differences, or indeed any weather effects at all.\n\nA question you could ask yourself is: With my current understanding, covid-19 should be everywhere. There should not exist differences between cities and rural areas, or between countries. But there is.\n\nListen to the advice of health services and the government. They know their shit.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "First, there is very very little chance it will remain same. Density will surely change with temperature.\n\nSecondly, even if there is a small chance that it will remain same, then also there is an even greater chance that it will change.\n\nSo we will have to look at the general case and conclude that molarity depends on temperature.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Pretty much the title, I am looking for some more in-depth explanation of the models used in the papers from Imperial College and The Lancet. In the second one, they are using something called a branching process model, but they are sampling from strange distributions (like serial interval\ndistribution), which I have never heard about. \n\nIf anyone has a good resource, or better even a working R, Matlab or Pyhton scripts, any help would be much appreciated. I would like to put the models on my Shiny dashboard, which my team uses for reporting/creating graphs for my bank.   \n\nEdit:\nI am mainly interested in this graph:\n\nSo my colleagues could play around with the parameters and create different scenarios. \n", "qas": [{"question": "Pretty much the title, I am looking for some more in-depth explanation of the models used in the papers from Imperial College and The Lancet. In the second one, they are using something called a branching process model, but they are sampling from strange distributions (like serial interval\ndistribution), which I have never heard about. \n\nIf anyone has a good resource, or better even a working R, Matlab or Pyhton scripts, any help would be much appreciated. I would like to put the models on my Shiny dashboard, which my team uses for reporting/creating graphs for my bank.   \n\nEdit:\nI am mainly interested in this graph:\n\nSo my colleagues could play around with the parameters and create different scenarios. \n", "id": "250", "answers": [{"text": "I know answers aren't supposed to be just links, but this is the best I can do.\n\nThis page links to a number of public covid 19 studies done in R.\n\nhttps://refind.com/znmeb/r-tools-for-coronavirus\n\nThis one Focuses in-depth on epidemiology models.\n\nhttps://timchurches.github.io/blog/posts/2020-02-18-analysing-covid-19-2019-ncov-outbreak-data-with-r-part-1/\n\nDirect link to some of the cool stuff.\n\nhttps://www.statsandr.com/blog/top-r-resources-on-covid-19-coronavirus/\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "AFAIK, bootstrapping is for getting the standard error estimates. If you want to validate models, look at N-fold cross-validation, or leave-one-out crossvalidation (jacknife).\n\nEDIT: since you said that years are not serially correlated, this simplifies your situation a lot! You can then treat the years as if they were just data points, and select the testing sets totally randomly. You can do e.g. 3-fold crossvalidation by splitting the data in 3 randomly selected set of years, run the model 3 times (see how N-fold cross-validation works), and then put together all the 3 independently predicted testing sets from those 3 models and evaluate them with the Nash-sutcliffe coefficient, which seems to be a good measure of the model efficiency.\n\nChose the model with the best coefficient. Cross-validation assures  that you do not overfit in those single models tested. However, since during the model selection procedure itself you use the whole dataset, there is a risk that you can overfit in that model selection procedure itself, if you overdo it, as fittingly pictured in the chart below:\n\n\n\nSo, be careful not to select among too many model variants. Another way could be to put apart yet another validation set to monitor how are you doing in the model selection procedure itself :)\n\nAlso see the answer here and this reference:\n\nCawley and Talbot \"On Over-fitting in Model Selection and Subsequent Selection Bias in Performance Evaluation\", JMLR, vol. 11, pp. 2079\u22122107, 2010\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "We've all heard a lot about \"flattening the curve\". I was wondering if these curve \u2013 that look like bells \u2013 can be qualified as Gaussian despite the fact that there is a temporal dimension.\n\n\n", "qas": [{"question": "We've all heard a lot about \"flattening the curve\". I was wondering if these curve \u2013 that look like bells \u2013 can be qualified as Gaussian despite the fact that there is a temporal dimension.\n\n\n", "id": "255", "answers": [{"text": "It seems like there are three questions here:\n\n\nIs the actual distribution of cases Gaussian? No. \nAre the curves given in the graphic Gaussian? Not quite. I think the red one is a little bit skewed, and the blue one is definitely skewed.\nCan plots of a value versus time be considered Gaussian? Yes. \n\n\n\n  In mathematics, a Gaussian function, often simply referred to as a Gaussian, is a function of the form $$f(x) = ae^{-{\\frac {(x-b)^{2}}{2c^{2}}}}$$\n  for arbitrary real constants a, b and non zero c. \n\n\nhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaussian_function\n\nThere is no requirement that it be a probability distribution.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "In fact, from the underlying processes that generate such a curve, it is better described by an Inverse Gausssian distribution. Indeed, this distribution arises when computing the distribution of the time to first passage of a Brownian motion. Consider each person in the population as accumulating every time step some \"risk factor\". Then, that person might be infected if that level crosses the infection threshold. This distribution is widely used in psychology or economics. \n\n\n\nNote that for certain values, it looks close to a Gaussian \"bell-shaped\" distribution. As a side note, mathematically, it is certainly not a Gaussian as the support for a Gaussian is the set of real numbers, while the variable you want to describe (\"time since first case\") is the set of positive reals. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I used a Log-Likelihood Estimation (Poisson) Objective Function to estimate and fit a curve to a data of reported infected cases of COVID-19 using SEIR model in order to estimate its coefficients. How can I calculate the 95% confidence intervals for these estimated coefficients?\n\nThank you\n", "qas": [{"question": "I used a Log-Likelihood Estimation (Poisson) Objective Function to estimate and fit a curve to a data of reported infected cases of COVID-19 using SEIR model in order to estimate its coefficients. How can I calculate the 95% confidence intervals for these estimated coefficients?\n\nThank you\n", "id": "260", "answers": [{"text": "You can use a Monte Carlo approach to estimate the variation of the parameters. Such method is explained in this blogpost https://blog.ephorie.de/contagiousness-of-covid-19-part-i-improvements-of-mathematical-fitting-guest-post \n\nAlso you can estimate the variance of parameters based on the Fisher information matrix which can be approximated with the second-order derivative of an empirical likelihood function (based on your MLE and estimate of deviance). \n\nI am sure that there are several posts about this already on this Q&A site. If you search for 'variance of parameter estimates' or something like that you might find out more.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "It sounds like you're trying to apply the intuitions of a hard-margin SVM to the results of a soft-margin SVM and being led astray by the differences.\n\nI can tell you're using a soft-margin SVM because you provided a \"cost=10\" parameter; the e1071 R library does not appear to support a hard-margin classifier directly, but you can approximate it by using a suitably huge cost parameter, say 1e10.\n\nWhen the cost is low, a soft-margin SVM will sometimes choose to misclassify one or more points if it means it can get a wider margin. Perhaps surprisingly, they may do this even when the data are truly linear separable and a \"perfect\" solution could be found. If you increase the cost to 100 or 1,000 it will behave more like the hard-margin version and you will see it correctly classify all training examples.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I played around with Google Trends and Corona because I was interested when people started to search for it. \n\nhttps://trends.google.de/trends/explore?date=2019-11-20%202020-01-09&geo=CN&q=Coronavirus,%2Fm%2F01cpyy,%2Fm%2F01f01y,%2Fm%2F02y_4q2,%2Fm%2F0g9pc\n\nI tried to control for the beer and general virus.\n\n \n\nIt looks like peopled googles very early for the virus or am I missing something ?\nSample-size, other variables ?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I played around with Google Trends and Corona because I was interested when people started to search for it. \n\nhttps://trends.google.de/trends/explore?date=2019-11-20%202020-01-09&geo=CN&q=Coronavirus,%2Fm%2F01cpyy,%2Fm%2F01f01y,%2Fm%2F02y_4q2,%2Fm%2F0g9pc\n\nI tried to control for the beer and general virus.\n\n \n\nIt looks like peopled googles very early for the virus or am I missing something ?\nSample-size, other variables ?\n", "id": "263", "answers": [{"text": "Coronaviruses are a group of viruses. According to the Wiki, coronaviruses were discovered in the 1960s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronavirus\n\nSo people could have searched for \"coronavirus\" long before the current outbreak. Case in point, Google trends for year 2018:\n\n\n\nAnd here for reference Google Ngram, indeed showing the term first appeared in the 1960s:\n\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "SHAP (SHapley Additive Predictions) offers a bar plot that is \"the mean absolute value of the SHAP values for each feature\" for exactly this purpose I think.\n\nThe author of SHAP describes both SHAP and LIME as \"additive feature attribution methods.\"  See section 2 here.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "In light of the recent pandemic of COVID-19 spreading in the world, there have been many Chinese papers with only English abstracts published in Chinese journals. Some western papers have cited the Chinese papers, but only based on the abstract as the author would say they do not understand the Chinese full text. \n\nI am a graduate student in the medical field with a good grasp of Chinese and English. Can I translate without permission, or offer to translate, these papers and publish in an indexed English journal/source? If I make the offer, what is the appropriate etiquette and considerations? \n", "qas": [{"question": "In light of the recent pandemic of COVID-19 spreading in the world, there have been many Chinese papers with only English abstracts published in Chinese journals. Some western papers have cited the Chinese papers, but only based on the abstract as the author would say they do not understand the Chinese full text. \n\nI am a graduate student in the medical field with a good grasp of Chinese and English. Can I translate without permission, or offer to translate, these papers and publish in an indexed English journal/source? If I make the offer, what is the appropriate etiquette and considerations? \n", "id": "275", "answers": [{"text": "At the scale of one person, you could do the following. If you find a paper that you think merits translation, contact the authors and offer your services directly to them. They might not be able to help much if their research is ongoing, but would, I think, respond positively. You could also suggest appropriate English language journals to them that might publish the translations. I can't predict how that would work, but archives might be appropriate. \n\nI think that a lot of researchers in China (as everywhere) have a working knowledge of English and so could probably vet any translations you do for accuracy. \n\nAs for the etiquette, just ask, introducing yourself. Or even send along a sample translation of a part of a paper as a calling card. \n\nI don't think that copyright can be ignored unless governments intervene to change the rules. It might happen due to the seriousness of the issue. \n\nBut being in contact with researchers who have been with this since the beginning might actually be an advantage to your career also. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The following screenshot is for Editorial Manager (used by Springer, Nature, APA, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, PLOS).\n\n\n\nThe action links on the left are where everything is done. Brief explanation of some of the tabs:\n\n\niThenticate is a program that checks for plagiarism. This particular submission has 16% similarity, which is low. If desired the editor can read the entire report, which includes both where the similarity occurs and where it came from. \n\"Duplicate submission\" checks if the manuscript was submitted multiple times. Sometimes it's in error (author submits twice thinking the first time didn't go through); other times it flags a reject-and-resubmit manuscript.\n\"History\" shows the history of the manuscript from submission till today, such as when it was submitted, when an editor was assigned, when each reviewer was invited, and so on. Every time the system sends an email, it's logged here.\n\"Edit submission\" lets the editor modify the submission (e.g. if the authors later discovered they've not included a source file, this is where to add it).\n\"Invite reviewers\" - self-explanatory. Clicking this goes to another menu that lets the editor both mine the current database and / or register new reviewers to invite. If this submission had a completed review there'd be a \"view reviews and comments\" button, and if it's ready for a decision, there'd be a \"submit editor's decision and comments\" button as well. \n\"Set final disposition\" terminates the peer-review process. For this manuscript, since no decision has been made yet, the only option is 'withdraw'. If a decision has already been made (accept / reject), this is also where to set the final status.\n\n\nThe other boxes should hopefully be self-explanatory. In the review status on the right, the first manuscript currently has 3 reviewers who've agreed to do it, 1 who hasn't responded, and 3 who declined. Clicking the \"more\" button lets the editor see who those reviewers are, when the reviews are due, how long it's been since the reviewer invitation was sent out (for the reviewer who hasn't responded), and the reasons for declining, if any. \n\nThe bottom manuscript is showing status \"required reviews completed\" because the settings for this particular journal is set to flag any submission with 1 completed review as such. Some journals might require two or more reviews before the status updates. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "How do you think next year's PhD applications would be affected by the COVID-19? Will we be seeing less numbers or more? Will they be more competitive?\n\nEdit: mainly asking for applicants to the US and UK.\n", "qas": [{"question": "How do you think next year's PhD applications would be affected by the COVID-19? Will we be seeing less numbers or more? Will they be more competitive?\n\nEdit: mainly asking for applicants to the US and UK.\n", "id": "276", "answers": [{"text": "It is hard to be certain about the future.\n\n\nThere will be more positions because of government stimulus spending.\nMore students will apply for PhD programs because they cannot find jobs.\nAs a result of chaos, fewer students will complete the eligibility requirements.\n\n\nThe most likely net effect is more applicants for more positions, but they will be less prepared.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I understand how you feel, but what you propose in solution 2 does not sound productive. I try to see (after the initial phase of being dissapointed and annoyed) the reviewer as a potential reader of that journal who is gracious enough to spent more time on your article than most readers will. Apparently, my article wasn't clear enough at a point, and that is something that needs to be fixed. It is easy to think something is too basic it needs no explaining, but there are a great many such basic facts; many more than anyone can remember... I suggest you take the same approach.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am applying to do a master's thesis at a German research institute. The institute's website encourages applicants to contact the researchers directly (and does not give more information about the application process). I have been wondering whether initiating this contact over phone could be a way to make a strong first impression, and would make it less likely that my subsequent application mail will disappear in their inbox. The goal of the phone call would be to ask whether their group has an open spot for a master's student etc. On the other hand, I am worried I would be breaking some social code by making such direct contact with someone 'higher up in the hierarchy', or that they would think I am wasting their time by calling in person. \n\nSo, my question is: Would it be appropriate to phone a researcher/academic with such inquiries?\n\nI realize this will depend on the person being called, but I think it is still possible to answer whether this is generally acceptable within cultural norms. \n\nNote: Many, but not all, of the researchers list a phone number on the institute's homepage.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am applying to do a master's thesis at a German research institute. The institute's website encourages applicants to contact the researchers directly (and does not give more information about the application process). I have been wondering whether initiating this contact over phone could be a way to make a strong first impression, and would make it less likely that my subsequent application mail will disappear in their inbox. The goal of the phone call would be to ask whether their group has an open spot for a master's student etc. On the other hand, I am worried I would be breaking some social code by making such direct contact with someone 'higher up in the hierarchy', or that they would think I am wasting their time by calling in person. \n\nSo, my question is: Would it be appropriate to phone a researcher/academic with such inquiries?\n\nI realize this will depend on the person being called, but I think it is still possible to answer whether this is generally acceptable within cultural norms. \n\nNote: Many, but not all, of the researchers list a phone number on the institute's homepage.\n", "id": "281", "answers": [{"text": "I don't appreciate being called; it imposes your time schedule on me. Others differ. However, I suspect that email is your safest bet.\n\nThe practical problem is that many universities in Germany have been closed due to COVID-19, and the numbers listed will be the work numbers. Either you are calling an empty office, or your call is forwarded to the persons home adress, which may not be what you want.\n\n@MassimoOrtolano makes a good point in emphasizing the unannounced part of a phone call. You could sent an email to make an appointment. I would be fine with that.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Check with the publisher - they are the ones who will know. In particular, look at the journal's website and see if they have any \"abstracting\" or \"indexing\" information.\n\nFor example, Elsevier's Journal of Theoretical Biology is not ISI-web of science indexed, or PubMed indexed, but is indexed by a variety of other databases.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I will be submitting my Ph.D. thesis in the comming two months. From last one month I was sending email to professors for post-doc position but from last week I have stopped sending emails requesting for post-doc position due COVID -19. Although the impact of this virus in my country is less. I am in a confusion whether or not to send an email regarding post-doc position at this time?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I will be submitting my Ph.D. thesis in the comming two months. From last one month I was sending email to professors for post-doc position but from last week I have stopped sending emails requesting for post-doc position due COVID -19. Although the impact of this virus in my country is less. I am in a confusion whether or not to send an email regarding post-doc position at this time?\n", "id": "282", "answers": [{"text": "Yes, by all means keep looking for a position. The future is unknown. Things may settle down or not, but it would be a mistake to wait until they do before you even begin a search. But email responses may be slower than usual and people may need to be more tentative. Expect that. \n\nI suspect things will be hard for a while, but no one expects it to be permanent. \n\nYou can't win the game if you don't play. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The time can be highly variable as there may be several people who need to give approvals and they may not all be available in a given time frame. There may be administrative issues that they need to resolve, etc. \n\nI suggest that you wait as long as it takes, but ask for an update after two or three weeks. But, if you have other options, don't give them up and continue any necessary process in case it doesn't happen after all. \n\nKeep a positive, but slightly skeptical attitude until you sign formally. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I wrote an email to my professor yesterday to ask makeup exam. But he doesn't reply until now.\n\nTest was taken a week ago. But, I can't take it because of family emergency(my grandfather passed away) and sudden move into new room (my hostfamily kicked me out without prior notice.I think the reason is outbreak of covid-19, and I'm Asian). Those are my nightmare! \n\nIn your opinion, can he admit my makeup test? and why doesn't he reply my email...?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I wrote an email to my professor yesterday to ask makeup exam. But he doesn't reply until now.\n\nTest was taken a week ago. But, I can't take it because of family emergency(my grandfather passed away) and sudden move into new room (my hostfamily kicked me out without prior notice.I think the reason is outbreak of covid-19, and I'm Asian). Those are my nightmare! \n\nIn your opinion, can he admit my makeup test? and why doesn't he reply my email...?\n", "id": "287", "answers": [{"text": "Expecting an overnight reply to any email is unrealistic. He may have some issues of his own to deal with, given the worldwide pandemic. He will probably reply \"in good time\", but by his standards. \n\nWhether you are allowed to take a make up or not we can't say here. It is up to him and to the institution. I hope it is allowed and expect it would be given the family emergency. But the other things you mention have little bearing on the issue. \n\nBut waiting a week after the missed exam wasn't wise, and expecting an instant reply after you didn't offer an explanation for a week is a bit \"over the top\". \n\nI suggest that you wait to see what the reply is. There probably isn't really a need for instant action at this point. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The main purpose of listing your affiliation is to give some context for the work:\n\n\nSpeaking very generally, intellectual property is shared between the author (who understands and can reproduce the work) and the affiliation (which paid for it), so it's important to list both. \nBeing affiliated with a well-known research group will lend credibility to your work; the quality of the paper will also reflect on the group.\nUniversities, hospitals, private companies, and the military have different priorities; listing the affiliation can clarify any biases.\n\n\nAs for knowing who to list, the main question is who is paying you? Who is paying for the research equipment, and your mentorship? \n\n\nIf it is the university or hospital, you should list them. You may need to list them both if they are both paying for you in some capacity. Note that if you are receiving salary, all your work may belong to the university, even work which you do on your own initiative and separately from your normal responsibilities. \nIf you are doing this for a class at the university, you should probably list the university (Whether you have an obligation to do this is a more interesting question). You may also want to add the instructor of the class as a co-author of the paper. \nIf you are using your personal equipment and are not receiving any salary for this work (not even a graduate student stipend), and are not receiving mentorship, then you have no obligation to list anyone, though you may want to list the university just to get more credibility. \n\n\nThe other thing to consider is that you are presumably using the hospital's data and transitioning to their system.\n\n\nIf someone from the hospital is a co-author, then great.\nIf not, you should probably acknowledge the hospital, or add them as an affiliation for yourself.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am a junior at a large state university. Lately, as you all have probably heard, the coronavirus is spreading like a wildfire and we all should be scared.\n\nMy instructor is from China, and my school is also filled with Asian students. How do I ask for excused absences so that I can stay at home for the lectures so that I won't get the virus from my instructor or my Asian classmates? Do I contact the chair of the department that's offering the course or the dean of the school? Would it be better if I ask to switch to an online class instead (it's already after the add/drop period)\n\nSome suggestion would be helpful.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am a junior at a large state university. Lately, as you all have probably heard, the coronavirus is spreading like a wildfire and we all should be scared.\n\nMy instructor is from China, and my school is also filled with Asian students. How do I ask for excused absences so that I can stay at home for the lectures so that I won't get the virus from my instructor or my Asian classmates? Do I contact the chair of the department that's offering the course or the dean of the school? Would it be better if I ask to switch to an online class instead (it's already after the add/drop period)\n\nSome suggestion would be helpful.\n", "id": "290", "answers": [{"text": "You should do none of these things and we should not all be scared. This would be panic reaction.\n\nYou have not said in which country you are studying, but the Health authorities of most governments have issued official advice to their citizens which you should follow. Most institutions, such as universities, will also have issued official advice which you should also read and follow.\n\nIf you are in the UK the Department of Health has provided advice to UK universities.\n\nIf you wanted personal action, using hand cleansing gel dispensers provided by the university will reduce incidents of cross contamination and ensure regular hand-washing is your best defence.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I personally don't think that neither \"ethics\" nor \"fairness\" are at stake here because if I understood your question correctly what you want to do is simply ask a question using an informal method of communication. I don't see how this can create an unfair advantage to you or even raise ethical issues since the question alone doesn't mean things will get done more quickly/unfairly. You simply want a status update on your paper.\n\nHowever, I also don't see how such course of action can help you. You should also take into consideration that these things to take time and unless you have a pretty urgent reason, it might not be worth asking it again. Sometimes the EiC is having trouble finding a suitable reviewer for your paper or the reviewer itself isn't finding the time to read your paper (keep in mind that they're usually invited to do so, without any remuneration), sometimes older issues of the paper are delayed... my point is: whatever is going on, it isn't good for the EiC either and he's probably already taking the measures necessary.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Would Nature, Science or other leading academic journals prioritize publishing work on COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that has caused more than 3k deaths so far?  If so, has this happened before in the past, during another crisis?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Would Nature, Science or other leading academic journals prioritize publishing work on COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that has caused more than 3k deaths so far?  If so, has this happened before in the past, during another crisis?\n", "id": "294", "answers": [{"text": "Absolutely. Journals are ways of disseminating scientific information, and they do take into account what is of current interest.\n\nMore specifically, however: Both Science and Nature do not just publish scientific articles, but also commentary and news stories. For example, in Science they are in the \"News\" and \"Perspectives\" parts of the magazine, and they definitely cover current events. As, if I may add, they should.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "When your question bears the underlying motive/question, if it easier to publish in nature and science in the next years by doing research on this topic, then my answer would be no. There will likely be an over-proportional amount of COVID-19 related papers be published in top-tier magazines, but at the same time an enormous amount of additional funding money will flow into biomedical research institutes and create competition to solve this problem in a kind of competition, while many biometdical researchers and drug developers have already stated that the development of a remedy against COVID-19 will take 1-2 years. As Buffy commented above and I conclude, the review likely becomes and should much more rigorous for COVID-19 related papers. Additionally the submission rate and competition to get into review will rise. \n\nI'm aware of several retractions in nature magazine covering biomedical breakthroughs over the past years. Many retractions related to COVID-19 would not be very advertising for a journal within a reproduction crisis within academia.\n\nI also want to mention that really important and technical papers are not only published in top-tier journals like nature and science, often the authors also choose intentionally a journal within the community to fasten the progress and reach the biggest possible dissemination. In case of COVID-19 a journal most of the researchers within a community have access to and which offers a format allowing the authors to transport the content they think is necessary to disseminate in the fastest and most completest way with short review time (which is often much longer among nature and science) to the community is probably a much better choice to save human lives.\n\nIt's a delicate question when the research question affects million of lives within a short time period, what ethically the right publishing and reviewing  behaviour should be amoung authors and journals. There are of course preprints for nature and science, but do nature and science really have the best specialists, reviewers and review system for solving a very specific scientific problem within short time or rather journals that cover since decades virus deseases? I'm at least wondering if COVID-19 will also create new ways of publishing/commenting of researchers worldwide within short-time on a very high quality level and with open-source access. \n\nSo I'm skeptical about @Wolfgang Bangerth's answer if Nature and Science should prioritize COVID-19 papers without changing their review system/duration and if both magazines are the best place to publish such papers concerning the importance of a fast progress in R&D. This depends really a lot upon how biomedical researchers share information in the fastest way via specific journals with short but rigorous review while retaining a high reproduction rate of the results.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "A great many top US physics PhD programs have canceled their open houses with no plan to reschedule.\n\nSome are intended on running \"virtual open houses.\" Other's are just sending links to information that could be found on the internet regarding their program.\n\nIs the April 15th requirement of a decision regarding accepting grad school offers of admission still ethical?\n\nIs it reasonable to propose that April 15th be moved a month or two later?\n\nA STEM PhD could take anywhere from 4-7 years in the US. That is a non-trivial amount of your life.\n", "qas": [{"question": "A great many top US physics PhD programs have canceled their open houses with no plan to reschedule.\n\nSome are intended on running \"virtual open houses.\" Other's are just sending links to information that could be found on the internet regarding their program.\n\nIs the April 15th requirement of a decision regarding accepting grad school offers of admission still ethical?\n\nIs it reasonable to propose that April 15th be moved a month or two later?\n\nA STEM PhD could take anywhere from 4-7 years in the US. That is a non-trivial amount of your life.\n", "id": "295", "answers": [{"text": "\nYou presumably did some research before deciding on where to apply to in the first place. That research is still valid. Any other contact with the institution(s) and faculty add to that basis of judgement. \nYou seem to presume that there is one uniquely right answer on your choice, and that getting to that one answer requires attending an open house. Likely, almost any choice could turn out well, or turn out badly, all depending on factors totally divorced from the open house. \nNote that many people accept without having been to an open house. So, the decision can be made without going to one. \nYou seem to presume that actions to reduce the spread of the virus are unethical, something that I would hotly contest. \n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "My feeling is that unless you did phenomenally well (well within top 5%), it would not be of much relevance to those looking at your application (the likely effect would be this), and if you did do phenomenally well, then its inclusion could have the same effect as mentioning having an IQ score of 160 or more (something you'd probably not want to do, even if you did have such a score). Employers at universities or research institutions want to see evidence of teaching competence and/or research competence, not a high score on a test designed to measure your potential to do well in classwork, since presumably none of your duties will involve taking classes for a grade.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I was recently accepted by a college or university.  I was planning on graduating from high school soon and then enrolling in college.  My high school has just announced that it will be closed for a reason such as the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic.  Will I still be able to start college?\n\n(Question limited to students who are already admitted.)\n", "qas": [{"question": "I was recently accepted by a college or university.  I was planning on graduating from high school soon and then enrolling in college.  My high school has just announced that it will be closed for a reason such as the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic.  Will I still be able to start college?\n\n(Question limited to students who are already admitted.)\n", "id": "298", "answers": [{"text": "Ask them.\nYou mentioned that they accepted you already. Only they can tell you whether the admission process is affected by the recent events and whether they're willing to accomodate last minute changes to your academic schedule.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You will probably be able to start college.\n\n\nEven if your high school is closed, you will probably receive a high school diploma. Schools and governments will adapt their rules to the emergency.\nIn many cases, you do not need a high school diploma to enroll in a college or university. For example, at Simon's Rock College, most of the students do not have high school diplomas.\nAfter you graduate college, most employers do not care if you have a high school diploma. If you never receive one because of a disaster, you will be fine.\nIn some cases, the college or university may be closed at the time you wanted to start your studies. You might have to wait for it to reopen.\n\n\nWhat happens depends on the rules of your university. Those rules might not be written yet, but this is what they will probably say.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I applied for a faculty position and did a video interview. It was supposed that they let me know if I have been selected for campus or not. In the middle of the interview with other candidates, this COVID-19 happened and I am not sure what strategy they will take as the target university has canceled all in-person classes and shifted to an online model. \n\nWould it be appropriate to ask the committee about the status of the search?\n\nWhat factors would affect the university's response in such a case?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I applied for a faculty position and did a video interview. It was supposed that they let me know if I have been selected for campus or not. In the middle of the interview with other candidates, this COVID-19 happened and I am not sure what strategy they will take as the target university has canceled all in-person classes and shifted to an online model. \n\nWould it be appropriate to ask the committee about the status of the search?\n\nWhat factors would affect the university's response in such a case?\n", "id": "299", "answers": [{"text": "It\u2019s certainly appropriate to ask. Virus or not, the world will move on from this crisis, hopefully in a timeframe of a few months, you will still need a job, and the university will still need faculty to teach classes and do research. Students will still need to be educated. Higher education can be affected by economic recession, put probably less so than many other sectors of the economy. So don\u2019t panic.\n\nSo yes, it\u2019s fine to send them an email and politely inquire about the status of the search. Keep in mind that it\u2019s possible they are scrambling to figure out how to keep instruction going and dealing with other urgent matters around the current crisis unrelated to faculty hiring. So the most likely response you\u2019ll get is they are still figuring things out and don\u2019t have any news.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "\n  Would it be appropriate to ask the committee about the status of the search?\n\n\nIt's pointless, but not inappropriate.\n\n\n  What factors would affect the university's response in such a case?\n\n\nEither they invited someone else to campus, or they don't know what is happening next.\n\n\n  I am not sure what strategy they will take as the target university has canceled all in-person classes and shifted to an online model. \n\n\nSome universities are doing online campus visits.  Some searches will be canceled entirely (this happens even when there is no disaster).\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am a STEM teaching assistant. I know some professors were using physical class materials in engineering classes. How do you think they should respond to COVID-19-forced online education and still ensure the quality of their classes?\n\nIt is a purposefully broad question. I was curious to hear what you think about the near term or futuristic/ideal approaches that could change STEM education. \n", "qas": [{"question": "I am a STEM teaching assistant. I know some professors were using physical class materials in engineering classes. How do you think they should respond to COVID-19-forced online education and still ensure the quality of their classes?\n\nIt is a purposefully broad question. I was curious to hear what you think about the near term or futuristic/ideal approaches that could change STEM education. \n", "id": "304", "answers": [{"text": "It seems that pretty much everything must now be done in virtual space. And, of course, this is hard to arrange in the short term. But in addition to videos, there is the possibility of software to provide hands-on simulation in some cases. It might be worth the effort in some fields to pair up (virtually) with a good programmer who can build quick simulations for student use. These can be refined later. \n\nThe really hard fields, though, are things like training surgeons, but even there, simulation can get you partway home. \n\nSome fields, maybe physics, already have a lot of simulation software that is normally used. So some people have experience building such things. See if your university has someone or can find someone to help. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "\nIt is perfectly normal for students to apply multiple places.\nYou should examine how you are promoting your lab.  What are you telling students about why they should work in your lab?  If they are going elsewhere, perhaps you are not telling them the right things.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am currently an undergraduate student, and looking to apply to grad schools in the future. In response to COVID-19, my school is offering the ability between choosing the letter grade earned to appear on the transcript, or a pass if you earned over a C, for each individual class. \n\nI'm wondering if choosing the pass option for one of my classes would reflect poorly on grad school applications. The class in question is a not a major or graduation requirement, and it is 4 credits, so taking a B or lower would hurt my GPA. \n\nThank you!\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am currently an undergraduate student, and looking to apply to grad schools in the future. In response to COVID-19, my school is offering the ability between choosing the letter grade earned to appear on the transcript, or a pass if you earned over a C, for each individual class. \n\nI'm wondering if choosing the pass option for one of my classes would reflect poorly on grad school applications. The class in question is a not a major or graduation requirement, and it is 4 credits, so taking a B or lower would hurt my GPA. \n\nThank you!\n", "id": "312", "answers": [{"text": "\n  The class in question is a not a major or graduation requirement\n\n\nAssuming you want to go to graduate school in a topic closely related to your major, taking one unrelated course pass/fail will not matter under normal circumstances.  It will matter even less because everybody knows students are being encouraged to take classes pass/fail during the pandemic.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "If you're planning to apply to graduate school in the next year or two and already have any ideas of prospective advisors you'd like to work with, I'd recommend reaching out to them by email to introduce yourself, tell them why you'd like to work with them, and ask whether they have any idea yet about how they will weight this when considering applicants. This has a few advantage:\n\n\nDepending on the field and program you're entering, acceptance into graduate programs can be much more a matter of an individual professor deciding to take you on as their student than any formal institutional views.\nAs such, you should absolutely be getting in touch with potential advisors before applying anyway--many professors don't even consider students who haven't reached out in advance before submitting an application.\nIt's never too early to get in touch, and showing that you're considering this well in advance and are eager enough to work with someone that you're reaching out to them now will reflect well and increase the chances that they'll consider your application more favorably (assuming it's solid) once you do apply.\n\n\nIf you don't know who you'd like to work with but have any ideas about schools you're interested in, you can also email their graduate advisor or dean of grad studies or whatever the person in that role is called there (although again, depending on the field and your career goals, you might want to pay more attention to individual advisors than schools).\n\nWith all the above as a disclaimer that the impacts of a P/NP grade will be highly variable and depend on individual schools and advisors... I'll also just say that many, MANY schools are now switching to P/NP options, so you will be far from alone in having a P or two on your transcript from this semester. I have a feeling most professors won't have much choice but to allow for this unless they want to discount pretty much all their applicants for the next few years. Also, to be blunt, an advisor/program that penalizes you for struggling or choosing your mental health over your grades this semester is probably an advisor/program to avoid. Especially if you're saying that a B would bring your GPA down, you can do better than that.\n\nFinally, I don't know your school's specific policy, but many are allowing you to switch from letter grades to P/NP right up until the end of the semester. So you might be able to wait and reevaluate your options after seeing how your grade is doing closer to the deadline. Good luck!\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am sure this question has been asked in some capacity on this site. I am a first year graduate student. I was contracted for a summer program that would have looked very good on my CV about 6 weeks ago. \n\nHowever, due to the spread of COVID-19 the program was cancelled. Is there any way I can express this on my CV (possibly have an asterisk next to this activity)? If not, how should I explain the situation when applying for positions next year (because, now it is unlikely I will have anything noteworthy to put on my CV for this summer).\n\nThank you\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am sure this question has been asked in some capacity on this site. I am a first year graduate student. I was contracted for a summer program that would have looked very good on my CV about 6 weeks ago. \n\nHowever, due to the spread of COVID-19 the program was cancelled. Is there any way I can express this on my CV (possibly have an asterisk next to this activity)? If not, how should I explain the situation when applying for positions next year (because, now it is unlikely I will have anything noteworthy to put on my CV for this summer).\n\nThank you\n", "id": "313", "answers": [{"text": "List it as an achievement.\n\n\n  Awards and Achievements\n  \n  \n  Selected for competitive summer program, Summer School on ABCDE. Scholarship awarded; attendance cancelled due to COVID-19.\n  \n\n\nI think this is completely appropriate, for the same reasons as argued on this related thread. Note: I added \"scholarhip awarded\", but obviously you should not put that if there was no scholarship :)\n\nIn general, the purpose of your CV is to brag as much as possible; include everything that sounds impressive, even if you personally don't think it's that impressive. For instance, if you got accepted to two programs and only could attend one, I would list both. It's the same thing here -- the fact that COVID-19 is the circumstance is just a detail, not relevant to whether the acceptance is appropriate to list.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "(Expanding my comment into an answer, as suggested by Bryan Krause.)\n\nI think it'd be unusual, and I honestly feel a little weird about it. Perhaps it can be done well, but consider how it would look before doing so. If you're using the quote in support of claims in your research statement, I'd wonder a) is there no support in the literature for that claim (why?), or b) if you're not confident in your own claims. If you instead hope to use the quote in support of your abilities or talent, I think it'd be better to ask the report writer to also write one of your recommendation letters. After all, if they wrote so in the viva report, chances are that they highly enough of you and your work to write a good letter. (It'd also look a lot better on paper than \"X said I'm awesome!\")\n\nThe second aspect to consider is if the quotes can be verified. In the systems I'm somewhat familiar with, these reports are usually not publicly available - at least not easily so. This means that those reading your application would likely be unable to confirm that the quotes are valid, making the value of including them kind of dubious. What's more, the report writers might have an expectation that the report isn't made public, and might disapprove of you using their words this way. (Now, you could of course solve that by asking them, but again, if it's central to your application, a recommendation letter would make the point more convincingly.)\n\nFinally, to address your second question: If you choose to do this, you could probably just cite it as company report or internal report, ideally adding a link if it's available online. If your university do make these reports public in a more official manner, it might also be classified as a technical report, but I sort of doubt it. Generally, however, exactly how you cite something in your application probably matters a lot less than what you cite.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I'm an undergraduate in the US.\n\nMy professor just told us via email that he will not be able to grade an exam until next week because his family member died from complications due to COVID-19. I don't care much about the delay, but I do like my professor, both as a person and an educator. Would it be out of line for me to send an email along the lines of \"Hi professor, I'm sorry to hear your loved one passed.\"\n\nI'm not a very socially outgoing person and I don't speak up in class much, so I don't know if this would overstep the student-professor relationship.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I'm an undergraduate in the US.\n\nMy professor just told us via email that he will not be able to grade an exam until next week because his family member died from complications due to COVID-19. I don't care much about the delay, but I do like my professor, both as a person and an educator. Would it be out of line for me to send an email along the lines of \"Hi professor, I'm sorry to hear your loved one passed.\"\n\nI'm not a very socially outgoing person and I don't speak up in class much, so I don't know if this would overstep the student-professor relationship.\n", "id": "320", "answers": [{"text": "It's not merely perfectly fine (e.g., in the U.S.), but a very good thing to do. (Conceivably in other cultures it could be construed as too intrusive, we must acknowledge.)\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "If you have a personal relationship with the professor, it is socially acceptable and may be even the norm to do so. That is however typically only the case in my area when you work with them as an assistant, are doing a thesis with them or have a very small specialist class. If you only know him from hearing a lecture of 50+ students, it might well appear that you consider your relationship more personal than it is, i.e. are slightly violating social norms. However, this should normally just be taken as an oddity. So if you err in that direction it's no big deal, but it's also no issue if you don't send a mail in basically all cases that fit the question. So you can relatively safely do what feels right to you.\n\nAs a guideline, the more you already know about him beyond his professional capacity, the more likely it will be seen as appropriate. And the more your relationship so far has been distanced and purely professional the more likely it may come of as odd. A simple check is also to consider how many other students would be at the same level of closeness. When you announce something like this, a handful of mails from people that you know is sweet. Five hundred mails from five hundred peoples whose names you don't know unless you look into your student register is more a (still well meant) nuisance than a help to most people.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "We cannot take photos of protons because they are not at least the size of the wavelength that registers into visible light. I see photos of Coronavirus in the news everywhere where there is a clear distinctive gray ball with red petal shown in such great details. How is that photo taken? Is that just an artistic impression or a real photo?\n", "qas": [{"question": "We cannot take photos of protons because they are not at least the size of the wavelength that registers into visible light. I see photos of Coronavirus in the news everywhere where there is a clear distinctive gray ball with red petal shown in such great details. How is that photo taken? Is that just an artistic impression or a real photo?\n", "id": "321", "answers": [{"text": "Pictures like this can be taken with an electron microscope, where the effective wavelength of the illuminating beam is far shorter than that of visible light. Those pictures are in black & white only (electrons don't have \"color\") but are then color-coded with tools like photoshop to highlight particular structures on their surfaces. \n\nFurthermore, once the exact structure of the protein molecules that form the virus has been figured out, molecular biologists can then apply computer models to the protein structures and determine with great accuracy how they fold together and interlock to create a complete virus particle. \n\nThose modeled structures can then be color-coded as well, again in the interest of highlighting where the different protein molecules are located and how they project out from the surface of the protein. \n\nThe pictures you see of ball-shaped virus particles with lumpy, colored knobs studding their surfaces were prepared in this way. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The quick answer: it is not so much that part of your death star gets sliced away as that the death star as a whole will have an extremely hard time escaping even with maximum thrust, and the part below the horizon definitely will not escape. Either the ship tears itself apart or falls in.\n\nLong answer: you approach the black hole along what normally would be a hyperbolic flyby trajectory. Sitting in the control room you do not experience any force, since you are in free-fall along a geodesic curve. \n\nBut as you get closer the structure starts to creak: different parts of the death star are at different distance from the black hole and subjected to different spacetime curvature. This produces tidal forces that try to pull and squeeze the spherical death star into an ellipsoid pointed at the black hole. You are however smug, since you choose a supermassive black hole and hence the tidal forces are not that severe, even at the horizon. Had you used a non-spherical spacecraft there would also had been a torque trying to rotate you, but again, death stars for the win.\n\nNow you get very close to the event horizon, skimming it. The view outside looks decidedly weird (since you are inside the photon sphere and having relativistic aberration). At this point trouble appears: your free-fall trajectory does not continue back out to infinity, but spirals into the black hole! Unlike in Newtonian gravity close free-fall trajectories do not return out. The reason is that you are inside the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO). The only trajectories in this region that do not end up in the black hole are sufficiently steeply outgoing ones.\n\nSo you turn on your super-thrusters and try to break free by increasing your velocity in the right direction. But now you have a problem: the part of the death star furthest from the black hole needs merely a lot of extra velocity to be on a trajectory that leaves the hole region. The innermost part needs to move faster than light to break free. So if you can achieve some maximum boost there are going to be parts that, had they not been connected to the superstructure but freely flying, would not escape. So your boost turns into stress across the death star. Something has to give, and no matter what boost you are giving the innermost parts through the engines and pulling metal they will not move outward since they are below the horizon.\n\nIt is at this point I strongly recommend running to the escape pods. \n\nExactly what the fate of the death star will be depends on a lot of things, but the simplest case is that the overall boost is insufficient and it all falls in. It might also break apart. Relativity shows that there are no perfectly rigid materials (they would need to have a speed of sound faster than light), so not even an imaginary death star will avoid getting pulled apart. \n\nIn the end, I leave you to explain your little joyride to the Emperor. \n\n[It is worth noting that nothing looks strange locally when you cross an event horizon. It is a global property of spacetime, not something you can directly see. Extended objects crossing it merely have some parts whose future trajectories will meet the singularity, and the parts just outside may meet the singularity, but can escape if they break away somehow.]\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I was thinking about this problem when I searched up how warm it takes to kill the new coronavirus. A source said 132 fahrenheit for 30 minutes. I wanted to calculate how much energy that would take so then I could easily find out how long I would have to microwave an object to get the same results.\n\nAll I want is just how much energy is put into maintaining this 132 fahrenheit for half an hour at a room temperature. A formula would be fine because I want to be able to apply this to other problems that might come up.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I was thinking about this problem when I searched up how warm it takes to kill the new coronavirus. A source said 132 fahrenheit for 30 minutes. I wanted to calculate how much energy that would take so then I could easily find out how long I would have to microwave an object to get the same results.\n\nAll I want is just how much energy is put into maintaining this 132 fahrenheit for half an hour at a room temperature. A formula would be fine because I want to be able to apply this to other problems that might come up.\n", "id": "322", "answers": [{"text": "The amount of energy required to maintain water at some temperature over some time is simply equal to the amount of energy that the water loses to the environment over that time.\n\nIt depends on the conditions that the water is in, specifically how much heat the water is losing the environment. For example, it will take more energy to maintain water at 132 F when you place it in a cold windy environment because it's losing lots of heat in that environment.\n\nSo let's say you have a simple scenario of a pot of water sitting in room temperature. A simple energy balance on your water gives:\n\n$$ q_{in} = hA_s(T-T_0) $$\n\nWhere $q_{in}$ is the input power, $h$ is an effective heat transfer coefficient telling how much heat the water loses to the ambient (typical value of 5-10 $W/m^2K$ for a 56 C object sitting in a room with no wind), $A_s$ is the surface area of your water container, $T$ is the temperature of the water (56 C), and $T_0$ is room temperature (25 C).\n\nSo, all you need is the surface area of your water container. Then solve for the required power $q_in$, and multiply by time (30 min) to get the required energy.\n\n$$ Q_{in} = tq_{in} $$ \n\nWhere $t$ is the time you desire (30 min). That's how you do it. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The most common noise filter used in spectroscopy is the Savitzky-Golay algorithm.  It requires equally spaced data on the x-axis.  SG is basically a least squares polynomial fit to the data with the center point being replaced by the calculated result.  The filter can be generated by partially solving the least matrix equation with the final computation being a convolution of the smoothing function with the data.  See the original paper by SG.  Be aware there are a couple of mistakes in it.  To understand the fine details of SG smoothing see Willson and Polo, J. Opt. Soc. Am., V71 (1981), p599. SG filters can also generate derivative spectra. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "In the abstract of this paper Authors said in abstract of that paper entitled Simulation of the AC corona phenomenon with experimental validation : \n\n\".....,This phenomenon is also associated with components used in the power industry where it is, in many cases, the source of electro-magnetic disturbance, noise and production of undesired chemically active species\" , Now my question here is : Is there any connection between this topic AC Corona and Corona virus since AC corona produce undesired chemically active species ? In my Guess according to the contenent of the titled paper this Coronaviruse is a human production not come randomly from nature ?\n\nEdit:  What they meant by  production of undesired chemically active species ? Does this meant from AC corona we may produce undesired chemically species which means a such virus derived from AC coron ?\n", "qas": [{"question": "In the abstract of this paper Authors said in abstract of that paper entitled Simulation of the AC corona phenomenon with experimental validation : \n\n\".....,This phenomenon is also associated with components used in the power industry where it is, in many cases, the source of electro-magnetic disturbance, noise and production of undesired chemically active species\" , Now my question here is : Is there any connection between this topic AC Corona and Corona virus since AC corona produce undesired chemically active species ? In my Guess according to the contenent of the titled paper this Coronaviruse is a human production not come randomly from nature ?\n\nEdit:  What they meant by  production of undesired chemically active species ? Does this meant from AC corona we may produce undesired chemically species which means a such virus derived from AC coron ?\n", "id": "324", "answers": [{"text": "\"Corona\" is Latin for \"crown.\" It is used the names of many unrelated objects.\n\nA \"corona virus\" has a layer of spiky proteins around its surface, so it looks like a crown under an electron microscope.\n\nAn electrical coronal discharge happens when the electric field near an object is high enough to ionize the air; it makes a spiky glow that looks kind of like a crown. The ionized air molecules can participate in chemical reactions that aren't available to neutral air molecules, and that chemistry is a factor in the aging of high-voltage electrical systems.\n\nIn your abstract they write that most modeling of coronal discharges are of direct-current discharges, while they focus on alternating- current (AC) discharges.  For an example of the difference between anode and cathode chemistry, see this post.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The strength of an electromagnetic field scales as (number of turns) x (number of amps). The effectiveness of the electromagnet at lifting things has to do with the layout of the pole pieces that \"focus\" the field into the region of space in which you want the lifting effect to be concentrated. Both ampere-turns and the pole piece design are important. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "As education moves to the internet, so are research seminars. Some of these seminars are regular and others appear to be temporary due to the covid-19 and the lockdown. \n\nHere are some examples from the American Economic Association\n\n\nRegular seminar(s)\n\n\nThe Chamberlain Seminar - A regular open online international\ninter-institutional econometrics seminar in honor of Gary Chamberlain\n(1948\u20132020)\n\nTemporary Seminars\n\n\nVirtual Macro Seminar Series \nOnline Seminar in Gender Economics\nVirtual IO seminar\n...\n\n\n\nAnd also,\n\n\nPrinceton Webinar Series on COVID Economics\n\n\nBeyond the AEA list and the Princeton webseminar, I am looking for links to find conferences, workshops, and talks hosted by economic research institutions from all over the world. One requirement is that registration be open to all, as some of the online seminars are reserved for faculty only.\n\n\n\nUpdate\n\nVirtual Economics stores various online seminars with a super useful calendar.\n", "qas": [{"question": "As education moves to the internet, so are research seminars. Some of these seminars are regular and others appear to be temporary due to the covid-19 and the lockdown. \n\nHere are some examples from the American Economic Association\n\n\nRegular seminar(s)\n\n\nThe Chamberlain Seminar - A regular open online international\ninter-institutional econometrics seminar in honor of Gary Chamberlain\n(1948\u20132020)\n\nTemporary Seminars\n\n\nVirtual Macro Seminar Series \nOnline Seminar in Gender Economics\nVirtual IO seminar\n...\n\n\n\nAnd also,\n\n\nPrinceton Webinar Series on COVID Economics\n\n\nBeyond the AEA list and the Princeton webseminar, I am looking for links to find conferences, workshops, and talks hosted by economic research institutions from all over the world. One requirement is that registration be open to all, as some of the online seminars are reserved for faculty only.\n\n\n\nUpdate\n\nVirtual Economics stores various online seminars with a super useful calendar.\n", "id": "335", "answers": [{"text": "I have two here to add to your list.  \n\nBrookings Insitute\n\nhttps://www.brookings.edu/events/\n\nSt. Louis Fed  Economic lowdown\n(FREE)\n\nhttps://www.econlowdown.org/\n\nThere is also the National Association of Business Economics (NABE)\nBut to get access to their webinar resources you have to register on their site.\nI know this won't qualify as it is not free but they are a good source of up-to-date information.  I felt that this would be a good share. \n\nwww.nabe.com\n\n\n\nOthers that I just found:\nPeterson Institute for international Economics\n\nhttps://www.piie.com/events\n\nNational Bureau of Economic Research (www.nber.org - click on videos) \nor \n\nhttps://www.nber.org/video_archives.html\n\nOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)\n\nhttp://video.oecd.org/\n\nWorld Bank\nhttps://www.worldbank.org/en/about/archives/past-events\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Any situation where markets fail to clear leads to market failure. Some common reasons for this are:\n\n\nExternalities, or agents not being responsible for costs or benefits of their actions\nInformation assymetry, or agents operating with different information\nIrrationality, or agents doing random things for no reason\nPrincipal agent problems, where someone entrusted with others funds uses them wastefully\nProductive inefficiency, or firms failing to produce goods effectively given the allocated capital (think using Gatorade to water plants)\nAllocative inefficiency, where firms are not provided the appropriate capital\nEconomies of scale, or the problem of capitalist firms failing to grow large enough to establish a service\nDestructive competition- eg, private militaries blowing each other up\nShortsighted management of natural resources \nMonopoly\nMoral hazard, adverse selection, and other problems in contract theory \n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I understand that we say something as a gold standard when it involves human intervention/judgement/review.\n\nBut can someone help me understand what's the difference between probabilistic gold standard and deterministic gold standard.\n\nFor ex: Patient has cancer or not - binary response - Deterministic gold standard which can be provided by humans.\n\nWhereas Patient has 60% chance of being a cancer and 40% chance of not being a cancer. Am I right to understand that this is called as probabilistic gold standard but this can't be produced by Humans right?\n\nCan any human/doctor for example, say this patient has 60% chance of being a cancer and 40 % chance of not  being a cancer?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I understand that we say something as a gold standard when it involves human intervention/judgement/review.\n\nBut can someone help me understand what's the difference between probabilistic gold standard and deterministic gold standard.\n\nFor ex: Patient has cancer or not - binary response - Deterministic gold standard which can be provided by humans.\n\nWhereas Patient has 60% chance of being a cancer and 40% chance of not being a cancer. Am I right to understand that this is called as probabilistic gold standard but this can't be produced by Humans right?\n\nCan any human/doctor for example, say this patient has 60% chance of being a cancer and 40 % chance of not  being a cancer?\n", "id": "337", "answers": [{"text": "No, deterministic probability is when you know for certain. If a person does not have a diagnosis, then he doesn't have the disease/condition. Doctors are not supposed to give a probability but we as human beings always like to know the likelihood.\n\nFor example, person A who is 27 years old who has the coronavirus is highly unlikely to die of the virus but it's not impossible.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Here is a paper doing exactly what you want with detailed explanation of architecture.\n\nThere is not much sense of me doing a TL;DR here because they have some special labeling of data etc... but the gist of it is LSTM if you do some pre-processing steps and get your data in right format.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I'm trying to analyse if the fatality rate from my country (A third world country) vary significantly from the world's fatality rate.\n\nSo I'd basically have two samples, labeled (Philippines) and (World excluding the Philippines) then i can compute the fatality rate for the 2 groups.\n\nDoes Mcnemar's test apply here for me to check if fatality rate in the Philippines is higher, or do you have any suggestions? Thanks\n", "qas": [{"question": "I'm trying to analyse if the fatality rate from my country (A third world country) vary significantly from the world's fatality rate.\n\nSo I'd basically have two samples, labeled (Philippines) and (World excluding the Philippines) then i can compute the fatality rate for the 2 groups.\n\nDoes Mcnemar's test apply here for me to check if fatality rate in the Philippines is higher, or do you have any suggestions? Thanks\n", "id": "338", "answers": [{"text": "It is not a case of paired nominal data. Hence, Mc Nemar's test can not be applied to check whether there is a higher fatality rate   in Philippines ?. THE fatality rate is given for Philippines and world ( excluding Philippines ). As defined,  it is expressed as proportion. Therefore, t-test/z-test shall be appropriate given that you meet other conditions such as sample-size.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Adding to a previous answer of applying an f-test (diff distributions) and/or z-test (diff means), I think it would help if you would group into age brackets and applied your analysis there too. Perhaps a certain population fares poorly in comparison while another fares well.\n\nI'd also suggest you factor some element of \"reliability of testing\" into your analysis, being that many people around the world (perhaps the Philippines) don't have access to testing or are under-reported in some ways. Such a factor could be a confounding var.\n\nThis is really important work! Keep it up!\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "im new in data sience and machine learning but i have some mathematical and statistics backgroud. I really just want some information about models (like papers or raw models). So if you have any information please share them with me.\n\nthank you\n", "qas": [{"question": "im new in data sience and machine learning but i have some mathematical and statistics backgroud. I really just want some information about models (like papers or raw models). So if you have any information please share them with me.\n\nthank you\n", "id": "339", "answers": [{"text": "For a beginner, I would say the SIR model is a great place to start: \n\nhttps://idmod.org/docs/general/model-sir.html\n\nNumberphile did a great video on using SIR to predict Covid-19:\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6nLfCbAzgo\n\nHopefully this can get you started on your journey!\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "As you mentioned their goals are different. In clustering, we try to group data such that they have the same variability. For example, clustering customers of a company into different clusters, somehow, members of each cluster have the same behavior in their buying. \n\nOn the other side, in blocking we try to reduce the variability, to record linkage, as an instance. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Are there any open source projects that a novice data analyst and mathematician can do, to fight against covid-19 epidemic? I mean, I know that the best I can do is to stay away from people and now I have a laptop and plenty of time to work on some project. But the thing is that I don't know what kind of computations would be useful to save people.\n\nI have Ubuntu, LibreOffice, R, Python, and Sagemath installed on my computer.\n", "qas": [{"question": "Are there any open source projects that a novice data analyst and mathematician can do, to fight against covid-19 epidemic? I mean, I know that the best I can do is to stay away from people and now I have a laptop and plenty of time to work on some project. But the thing is that I don't know what kind of computations would be useful to save people.\n\nI have Ubuntu, LibreOffice, R, Python, and Sagemath installed on my computer.\n", "id": "340", "answers": [{"text": "You might want to have a look at this Kaggle initiative and this github repository with South Korea data\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Actually you are almost there. Just use the min/max function directly in the  color scale instead of using the c var. Use the max/min function in the domain and the start/stop color in the range. The d3.scale is already a gradient function.\n\nSomething like:\n\n<script src=\"http://d3js.org/d3.v3.js\"></script>\n<canvas id=\"heatmap\"></canvas>\n<script>\nvar tsvName = 'wasserstein_dists.tsv';\nvar canvas = document.getElementById('heatmap');\nvar ctx = canvas.getContext(\"2d\");\n\nvar scale = 1;\n\n// On charge le tsv :\nd3.tsv(tsvName, function (d) {\n  return {\n    x: +d.x,\n    y: +d.y,\n    v: +d.v,\n  };\n}, function (err, data) {\n  if (err != null) { return alert('No tsv file'); }\n\n  var size = Math.sqrt(data.length);\n  var heatmapColor = d3.scale.linear()\n    .domain([d3.min(data, function(d) { return d.v; }), d3.max(data, function(d) { return d.v; })])\n    .range([\"#6363FF\",  \"#FF6364\"]);\n  canvas.width = size * scale;\n  canvas.height = size * scale;\n\n  data.forEach(function (d) {\n    ctx.fillStyle = heatmapColor(d.v);\n    ctx.fillRect(d.x * scale, d.y * scale, (d.x + 1) * scale, (d.y + 1) * scale);\n  });\n});\n\n\nOf cause you have to first define data and then the color gradient with the min/max function.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Was reading a Washington Post article \"Why outbreaks like coronavirus\nspread exponentially, and how to flatten the curve\u201d and it looked like they were using Brownian Motion.\n\n(Can't directly link the graphic, but it's the third graphic in the article, showing particles bouncing around, but I've included a screenshot:)\n\n\n\nIf this is the case, how do particles in a fluid medium resemble interactions in a human population?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Was reading a Washington Post article \"Why outbreaks like coronavirus\nspread exponentially, and how to flatten the curve\u201d and it looked like they were using Brownian Motion.\n\n(Can't directly link the graphic, but it's the third graphic in the article, showing particles bouncing around, but I've included a screenshot:)\n\n\n\nIf this is the case, how do particles in a fluid medium resemble interactions in a human population?\n", "id": "341", "answers": [{"text": "I read this article when it came out. I don't think the point is about whether or not people behave like particles in a fluid medium, but about how quickly people can spread the coronavirus when randomly interacting with one another in an open space (in my opinion, this model would be a reasonably good representation for a crowded area like a mall lobby or a beach where people are moving around more or less randomly).\n\nHowever, even in other settings when people aren't moving around randomly, if anything, people are more likely to interact with each other in restricted spaces like sidewalks where there is less choice of where to position yourself spatially.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The most commonly used option is 2/3rd of the data as training and 1/3rd as testing sets respectively. What kind of software or tool are you using for this categorization process? For your classifier to work efficiently at the end of all the hard work, have you considered cross validating it using a multiple fold cross validation before using and assigning the training and testing sets? As in for the skewed data categories, try finding instances for the classes/ categories which have fewer samples (~10%).\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I read on https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/2703219-20200125-coronavirus-troisieme-cas-confirme-france-15-nouveaux-deces-chine (mirror) that Groupe PSA is going to fly back their French expat employees located at Wuhan back to France due to the Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) epidemic. How can Groupe PSA do so despite the ongoing quarantine in Wuhan (mirror)?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I read on https://www.20minutes.fr/monde/2703219-20200125-coronavirus-troisieme-cas-confirme-france-15-nouveaux-deces-chine (mirror) that Groupe PSA is going to fly back their French expat employees located at Wuhan back to France due to the Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) epidemic. How can Groupe PSA do so despite the ongoing quarantine in Wuhan (mirror)?\n", "id": "352", "answers": [{"text": "The Chinese goverment are giving special permissions for companies and countries who wishes to evacuate their people / citizens from affected areas.\n\nThey will have to be screened of course before being allowed to leave but once cleared and special transport is arranged they are free to leave.\n\nNo normal commercial transport is available however so it is chartered planes only at that point from Wuhan.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "If you only care about your current assets a simple spreadsheet might actually be enough. For personal, but more advanced use you might consider getting a personal budgeting / personal finance software, like YNAB or Moneydance. YNAB is easier to use, but only has minimal multi-currency support (you have to create a separate budget for each currency), while Moneydance is more advanced, and might be harder to start with. If you are just starting a new life somewhere I'd highly suggest to start using one of them, so you can track your spendings, and get a better idea of the real living cost of your new home.\n\nIf you have even more assets, or you are actually doing finance-related business professionally, your best bet might need something more advanced, or actually hire someone with the necessary qualifications to do the accounting for you.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Due to the spread of the coronavirus my organization is recommending (essentially mandating) that all employees work from home (WFH) until further notice. I was planning on traveling to Canada from NYC until the WFH policy is lifted.\n\nI have no reason to expect that I was exposed, and would like to stay in Canada with my family for as long as possible.\n\nSince I am working in the USA on a TN visa, is there a maximum amount of time I can spend outside of the USA?\n\nThis site seems to suggest that if my I-94 is not expired on return I will be fine.\n", "qas": [{"question": "Due to the spread of the coronavirus my organization is recommending (essentially mandating) that all employees work from home (WFH) until further notice. I was planning on traveling to Canada from NYC until the WFH policy is lifted.\n\nI have no reason to expect that I was exposed, and would like to stay in Canada with my family for as long as possible.\n\nSince I am working in the USA on a TN visa, is there a maximum amount of time I can spend outside of the USA?\n\nThis site seems to suggest that if my I-94 is not expired on return I will be fine.\n", "id": "353", "answers": [{"text": "There's no limit.  Even if you try to return after the expiration of your I-94, you can just reapply for admission as you did the first time you entered in TN status.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Because your husband is not French, you should be applying for a Carte de s\u00e9jour \"de membre de la famille d'un citoyen de l'Union/EEE/Suisse\".\n\nSee https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F19315.\n\nIt's not clear to me why they would care about the proof of your whereabouts, but there is a requirement to apply for the card within 90 days of your arrival in France.  If you apply after 90 days, the cost rises from \u20ac25 to \u20ac340.  If you apply within 90 days but they drag their feet, the cost should remain \u20ac25, so, because you moved in October and applied in October, you should be paying the lower fee.  There is no other penalty for a late application; in particular, you cannot be deported.\n\nYou write:\n\n\n  We traveled inside Europe from the time we arrived in the summer of 2015 until we moved into our new house in France in October of 2016 (15 months). I did not secure a residency permit anywhere, because we were staying with friends and didn't really have a permanent residence. Perhaps I should have applied for the CDS when we signed for the house in January 2016, even though we really weren't staying in France for extended periods. Just trying to find out if it's going be surmountable after all this time.\n\n\nYes, it will be surmountable.  As mentioned, the only real question is whether to charge you \u20ac25 or \u20ac340.  I do not know exactly what criteria they would use to assert that you owe the higher fee, however.  If you were never in France for more than 90 days, then they probably cannot charge the higher fee.  If you were in France for more than 90 days, uninterrupted, before filing your application, then they certainly can charge you the higher fee.  If you were in France for more than 90 days, and then left, and then moved to France, they might argue that the higher fee is due, and although I doubt that this would stand up in court, the cost of a court battle is not justified by the \u20ac315 difference.\n\nThe 90 day period is triggered by your arrival in France, not your purchase of property.  If you were based in France for your 15-month travels in Europe, then you should arguably have applied for the card then; a short trip away from France would generally be held not to interrupt your period of residence.  On the other hand, if you were in France for just a few days, but spent most of your time in Germany or indeed anywhere else in the world, it would be difficult to argue that you had established yourself in France at that point or that your period of residence should be said to have started then.  In any event, their interest in your whereabouts seems consistent with an inquiry into whether to charge the higher fee, but whether that is the real reason or not is still unclear.\n\nIt seems, however, that your major worry is whether they can deny the carte de s\u00e9jour altogether.  In general, they cannot.\n\nMore precisely, they can deny it only on very limited grounds, which almost certainly do not apply.  The grounds are:\n\n\nYour husband is not an EU citizen\nYour marriage to your husband is not valid\nYou and your husband, as \"economically inactive\" people, are not able to support yourselves\nYou or your husband are a danger to public health\nYou or your husband are a danger to public safety\nYour or your husband's presence in France is contrary to public policy\n\n\nThe third item, being able to support yourselves, is only necessary for the first five years; after that time, you gain a right of permanent residence in France.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I've divorced not that long ago and now, being a Germany resident I need to change my tax status - for that I need to change my family status first (I'm living with my son from first marriage). \nI've written letters to KVR but they all left unanswered so far, so I'm asking here:\n\nIs there any way to register new family status without visiting KVR?\n\nNot only it's time consuming and recently it's very hard to get online appointment but it's just that it's last thing I want to do now  - to visit a very crowded place in the middle of COVID-19 outbreak. \n", "qas": [{"question": "I've divorced not that long ago and now, being a Germany resident I need to change my tax status - for that I need to change my family status first (I'm living with my son from first marriage). \nI've written letters to KVR but they all left unanswered so far, so I'm asking here:\n\nIs there any way to register new family status without visiting KVR?\n\nNot only it's time consuming and recently it's very hard to get online appointment but it's just that it's last thing I want to do now  - to visit a very crowded place in the middle of COVID-19 outbreak. \n", "id": "354", "answers": [{"text": "Assumption: With Kreisverwaltungsreferat I assume you mean the local registration office, which in different areas, has different names.\n\nThe local registration office is where you report your changed status, but you must also apply for the change of the tax class at the tax office (Finanzamt). \n\nThe link below offers a PDF Application form for this purpose. \n\n\n\nSources:\n\n\nDie Steuerklasse beim Finanzamt \u00e4ndern \u2013 so geht's \n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "This webpage, not published by Social Security, contains the following q-and-a:\n\nQ: I have looked at the Social Security website and could not find if there is a way to receive one's Social Security pension benefits for an American citizen living abroad without a bank account anywhere in the world.\n\nA: The Social Security Administration can send checks; however, there are some country exceptions. For the most current information about receiving Social Security payments outside the United States You can also get a copy of Social Security Administration Publication No. 05-10137, ICN 480085, online, by postal mail from the Social Security Administration, or from the Federal Benefits Unit serving your area (check the AmericanCitizens Services section of the American embassy In your country of residence.\n\nThus, if Japan is not a \"country exception,\" and if your Japanese bank will accept a US direct deposit or a US check for deposit or collection, you should be OK.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Is this normal?\n\nI've got about 10 quail meats and some of them have these spots.\n\nAre these safe to cook and eat? Is it possible that they had a disease or were infected?\n\nI'm scared of Coronavirus, and chickens and quails can carry influenza and Coronavirus is a type of influenza, so could this be related?\n\n\n\nI've googled a lot but I can't find anything on it:\n\"Quail red OR black OR dark spot on meat\"\netc.\n\nMy question is not a duplicate of: red spots on the chicken\n", "qas": [{"question": "Is this normal?\n\nI've got about 10 quail meats and some of them have these spots.\n\nAre these safe to cook and eat? Is it possible that they had a disease or were infected?\n\nI'm scared of Coronavirus, and chickens and quails can carry influenza and Coronavirus is a type of influenza, so could this be related?\n\n\n\nI've googled a lot but I can't find anything on it:\n\"Quail red OR black OR dark spot on meat\"\netc.\n\nMy question is not a duplicate of: red spots on the chicken\n", "id": "361", "answers": [{"text": "It's just clotted blood.\n\nQuail is a far more game-y meat than chicken meaning there is much more muscle and you end up with a lot of dark meat. You get the same with truly free range chickens.\n\nThis is nothing to worry about and I have never seen a quail which doesn't look like that.\n\nSource: My mum had a poultry farm.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "No, it will not set again at all. \n\nThe explanation behind it: The custard is not a gel, it is a mixture of proteins, fat globules and other stuff swimming in a liquid (or maybe gel?). You start off with normally folded proteins, which during heating lose their quarternary structure and \"hook\" each other, thus creating a kind of mesh, filled with the fat emulsion. Once you break that mesh apart by agitation, it will not reform at all, since you cannot refold the proteins. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "What chemical product should I use to disinfect surfaces that may get in contact with the food? (wooden table where I knead bread/pasta and etc)\n\nWith this COVID-19 frenzy it's impossible to find alcohol (what I usually use for cleaning) so my wife bough a bunch of Clorox desinfecting wipes. I was wondering if it's safe to use it\n", "qas": [{"question": "What chemical product should I use to disinfect surfaces that may get in contact with the food? (wooden table where I knead bread/pasta and etc)\n\nWith this COVID-19 frenzy it's impossible to find alcohol (what I usually use for cleaning) so my wife bough a bunch of Clorox desinfecting wipes. I was wondering if it's safe to use it\n", "id": "362", "answers": [{"text": "This is honestly a HUGE topic, with literally reams of government guidelines on what's effective for surface disinfection.  For example:\n\n\nUSDA Clean Then Sanitize\nFSIS Cleaning Regulations\n5 Steps of cleaning and disinfection\n\n\nSo partly this depends on how sanitized you want things to be.  For my part, I just clean my counters with a mixture of Simple Green (a concentrated organic soap) and water.  If you're really concerned, you could do a second washing with a weak bleach solution (wear gloves!).\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Like most viruses it's easily damaged, soapy water is enough. It has a protective lipid layer so anything that damages that helps. Alcohols and anything alkaline are your best bet.\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9qDKcUaPUo\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am a 23 year old living in Romania, currently renting an apartament. I am  earning enough that I am now looking to buy an apartment of my own in the near future with a mortgage loan, but, right now, I think there is a housing bubble about to burst, at least in the area I live in. \n\nThis site shows the price graphs for apartments in my living area. It seems that the prices are reaching the values they were at before the 2008 recession. Is it reasonable to expect them to drop similarly to how they did 12 years ago? If the prices do drop within the next 3 years, is it reasonable to expect that I would be able to get the same kind of loan I am eligible for getting now from a bank?\n\nFrom a purely financial perspective, does it make more sense to buy an apartment now, despite the inflated prices, or wait for the bubble to burst and buy at that point?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am a 23 year old living in Romania, currently renting an apartament. I am  earning enough that I am now looking to buy an apartment of my own in the near future with a mortgage loan, but, right now, I think there is a housing bubble about to burst, at least in the area I live in. \n\nThis site shows the price graphs for apartments in my living area. It seems that the prices are reaching the values they were at before the 2008 recession. Is it reasonable to expect them to drop similarly to how they did 12 years ago? If the prices do drop within the next 3 years, is it reasonable to expect that I would be able to get the same kind of loan I am eligible for getting now from a bank?\n\nFrom a purely financial perspective, does it make more sense to buy an apartment now, despite the inflated prices, or wait for the bubble to burst and buy at that point?\n", "id": "365", "answers": [{"text": "You can't make a market prediction based purely on the current market value. The value is a function of supply and demand. To make any sort of reasonable prediction you would need to understand population in your area and predictions on population growth/shrinkage, demographics e.g. are the sort of people who would buy an apartment likely to increase as a proportion of the population in your area, and are there already any house building initiatives planned in your area to meet any expected population growth. These are some of the immediate local indicators which is possible to find out about. Then there may also be macro/global factors which may not be possible to predict e.g. if coronavirus suddenly wiped out 5% of global population what effect would that have on global property demand? Basically unless you can do extensive research and analysis then you are better off trying to find an expert with some relevant credentials, or not attempting to time the market at all.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Have you weighed up all of your alternatives? What if you invest in a managed fund instead, what are your projected returns on a managed fund vs buying real estate? I sold my house and put the money into managed funds and I get better returns than I did from owing property, but more importantly, there's so much less stress and work involved. No more plastering and repainting, retiling etc. No worrying what would happen if I lost my job during a recession. You're young, so think about how much of your youth you want to waste trapped into a mortgage and fixing up your place.\n\nHave you set aside enough money to pay your bills for at least 10 years if you are involved in an accident and can't work for a long time? Who would pay the mortgage then? There is so much more to this decision that just trying to time the market.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "With all the coronavirus panic, I was wondering what would happen when the share price reaches \u00a30 for a company, but the actual company itself or their business niche is not that much affected, i.e. the company is still operating and it's far from going bankrupt.\n\nI'm not interested in answers that this is a good buy. I would like to understand what happens to existing share holders and the company itself, if shares for the company will hit \u00a30. Is such an event possible?\n\nThis is for companies traded in the UK.\n", "qas": [{"question": "With all the coronavirus panic, I was wondering what would happen when the share price reaches \u00a30 for a company, but the actual company itself or their business niche is not that much affected, i.e. the company is still operating and it's far from going bankrupt.\n\nI'm not interested in answers that this is a good buy. I would like to understand what happens to existing share holders and the company itself, if shares for the company will hit \u00a30. Is such an event possible?\n\nThis is for companies traded in the UK.\n", "id": "370", "answers": [{"text": "Share price is determined simply by supply and demand. Changes in the share price typically don't directly affect the company's operations, though there are some ways that it could (e.g. when the price is lower, stock compensation must include more shares to make up the difference).\n\nPractically speaking, the share price for an active company never reaches 0. There are always people willing to buy at a low enough price. Furthermore, the price reported for a stock is the last price at which the stock was sold. If demand for the stock were to fall to 0, there would simply be no liquidity (no shares of the stock bought or sold), but the share price would still be reported at whatever the last transaction price was. The effect on shareholders would be that they would not be able to sell their stock (because there's no demand). They'd have to hold it until someone is willing to buy it.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "It has been a while since I owned rental property, but regarding the insurance I always had to split the cost between two years. \n\nIf I paid it in Full on November 1st, then 2/12ths of the bill was for this year, and 10/12ths was for next year. Of course the bill I paid last year, was used for 10/12th of this year.\n\nAre you sure that your expenses are exceeding your rental income? The principal portion of the monthly payment can't be deducted. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I read somewhere online that the US goverment may close the stock market because of Covid2019. Is the upshot the same as a company going bankrupt?\n\nI'm still confused on put options when a company goes bankrupt : stocks\n\n\n  Example:\n  \n  You own one $10 put option on SNAP\n  \n  If SNAP goes to $1, than you have the RIGHT to exercise your contract and buy 100 shares for $1 and sell it immediately for $10. If the stock price goes to $0 (in case of bankruptcy) you still have the RIGHT (and the person that sold you the option the OBLIGATION) to buy the shares for $0 so it can be sold for $10 a share.\n  \n  So, if when SNAP goes bankrupt whom ever wrote you that contract is obligated to give you $1000 dollars, no ifs/ands/ or buts.\n\n", "qas": [{"question": "I read somewhere online that the US goverment may close the stock market because of Covid2019. Is the upshot the same as a company going bankrupt?\n\nI'm still confused on put options when a company goes bankrupt : stocks\n\n\n  Example:\n  \n  You own one $10 put option on SNAP\n  \n  If SNAP goes to $1, than you have the RIGHT to exercise your contract and buy 100 shares for $1 and sell it immediately for $10. If the stock price goes to $0 (in case of bankruptcy) you still have the RIGHT (and the person that sold you the option the OBLIGATION) to buy the shares for $0 so it can be sold for $10 a share.\n  \n  So, if when SNAP goes bankrupt whom ever wrote you that contract is obligated to give you $1000 dollars, no ifs/ands/ or buts.\n\n", "id": "372", "answers": [{"text": "The last sentence is correct but there are some errors in the rest of the explanation.\n\nA long put gives you the right to put the stock to someone else, meaning sell it at the strike price. This is a $10 put so if SNAP goes to  $1, you would exercise the put, sell the stock for $10 and then buy it on the market for $1, netting $9 less whatever you paid for the put.  This all assumes that the markets are open for trading.\n\nIf the financial markets are shut down, I assume that contracts will still be exercisable during a shut down and even if not, the OCC exercises all options at expiration if they are one cent ITM which I also assume would still be done. There might be an issue with ability to sell the stock. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "It's because investment accounts are legally required to be separate from deposit accounts, and the bank must manage them separately as well.\n\nDeposit accounts (i.e checking and savings) are only for cash and cash equivalents. The money you put into a deposit account is (in spirit) merely being held by your bank for safety and convenience purposes, and they must give it back to you any time you ask for it. Therefore, banks are legally limited in what they can do with it while you're entrusting it to them. Yes, the bank does lend that money to other depositors, putting it at some risk, but they are heavily regulated on how they do that. Ideally, since you can never lose your deposit, the bank isn't allowed to lose it either. Deposit accounts are guaranteed (up to $250,000) by the FDIC, which has regulatory power over commercial deposit banks and can preemptively shut down or otherwise intervene to ensure banks can make good on their deposits.\n\nInvestment (brokerage) accounts, on the other hand, are for the purpose of purchasing (possibly risky) investments that can potentially lose money. Any investments you make, you're on your own. The bank is only required to prohibit you from doing a few specific things thay are very risky and/or stupid. The \"cash\" portion of your investment account is money that the bank can use to purchase it's own (possibly risky) investments. Although they have a fiduciary requirement to protect your money, this is not the same thing as a guarantee. Investment banks are insured by the SIPC, but unlike the FDIC, it has no regulatory power and does not insure the actual value of your investments.\n\nIn short, banks have much more flexibility with investment money than they do with deposit money. This is why you have to do a transfer before you can invest.\n\nThe reason things are this way is because of some very shady activities that banks were engaging in during the Great Depression, and during the subprime mortgage crisis.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "There's news out regarding a 60-day extension for California residents \"affected by the COVID-19 virus\", but the wording they use is so vague. Everyone was affected. \n\nDo they mean directly contracted the virus? Or is this truly everyone in California can have an extra 60 days to file and pay?\n", "qas": [{"question": "There's news out regarding a 60-day extension for California residents \"affected by the COVID-19 virus\", but the wording they use is so vague. Everyone was affected. \n\nDo they mean directly contracted the virus? Or is this truly everyone in California can have an extra 60 days to file and pay?\n", "id": "373", "answers": [{"text": "It applies to \"California taxpayers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic\". According to this FAQ, you do not need to have been directly impacted by COVID-19 to qualify. You qualify if you \"experience any difficulty in filing or paying, as a result of COVID-19\". Admittedly, this is still vague. I believe that it is on the honor system. Basically anyone in California who believes they experienced any difficulty with taxes can claim this 60-day extension.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "After the close, traders and market makers pull their bids and offers before going home.  That results in the B/A spread widening, more so for illiquid stocks.\n\nFor your stock, the quote was $129.34 x $129.37 seconds before the close.  Less than 10 seconds later, it was $128.92 x $129.62 and within one minute, it was $98.00 x $129.62 (note the time stamp on your quote).\n\nThe lesson to be learned from this?  If you're going to trade in the after hours market, make sure not to place a fat fingered trade because you WILL be filled at an outrageously inferior price and there's no recourse when it happens. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "While the IRS has a page on the Coronavirus impact is there any resource on handling the various State Income taxes. Are they extended like the Federal Income tax or do I have some relief due the declining economic conditions?\n\nEdit: This is more of a placeholder question for my answer below, which provides a link to a US professional accounting association resource.\n", "qas": [{"question": "While the IRS has a page on the Coronavirus impact is there any resource on handling the various State Income taxes. Are they extended like the Federal Income tax or do I have some relief due the declining economic conditions?\n\nEdit: This is more of a placeholder question for my answer below, which provides a link to a US professional accounting association resource.\n", "id": "378", "answers": [{"text": "A resource where individuals and small business owners can check is:\n\nThe American Institute of Certified Professional Accountants document on Coronavirus State Filing Relief\n\nThe document is broken down by state and has links to the various state income tax agencies. As the situation is changing, the document is being updated (although I don't know how frequently, but as of March 21, 2020 there appear to be March 20 updates).\n\nGiven that the situation is fluid please check the above document has been updated for the states you are interested in. And be aware that further changes are possible for your states of interest.\n\nAdditionally here is the link to AICPA Coronavirus Resource Center\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "From the TurboTax site - \n\n\n  You can file with TurboTax Free Edition if you use form 1040 with no\n  attached schedules.\n  \n  Simple tax situations covered in TurboTax Free Edition:\n  \n  \n  W-2 income\n  Limited interest and dividend income reported on a 1099-INT or 1099-DIV\n  Claiming the standard deduction\n  Earned Income Tax Credit (EIC)\n  Child tax credits\n  \n  \n  Situations not covered in TurboTax Free Edition include:\n  \n  \n  Itemized deductions\n  Business or 1099-MISC income\n  Stock sales\n  Rental property income\n  Credits, deductions and income reported on schedules 1-6, such as the Student Loan Interest Deduction\n  \n\n\nIf your entire return is only to reflect the W2, I\u2019d suggest taking advantage of the free filing. I\u2019ve had stock sales and rental property since I started filing, so I\u2019ve never had the free option as a choice.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "There are lots of news headlines on 3/9/2020 that read like this:\n\n\n  \"Saudi Oil Price Cut is a market shock\"\n  \n  \"Oil price war threatens widespread collateral damage\"\n  \n  \"low oil prices could damage the US economy\"\n\n\nHowever, in one of those articles, it also states things like this:\n\n\n  Big importing nations could get some much needed relief from falling energy bills ... consumers benefit in general from lower oil prices ...\n\n\nShouldn't lower oil price lower the cost for lots of industries (except the oil/energy industry), stimulate the economy and as a consequence buoy the stock market? What am I missing here?\n", "qas": [{"question": "There are lots of news headlines on 3/9/2020 that read like this:\n\n\n  \"Saudi Oil Price Cut is a market shock\"\n  \n  \"Oil price war threatens widespread collateral damage\"\n  \n  \"low oil prices could damage the US economy\"\n\n\nHowever, in one of those articles, it also states things like this:\n\n\n  Big importing nations could get some much needed relief from falling energy bills ... consumers benefit in general from lower oil prices ...\n\n\nShouldn't lower oil price lower the cost for lots of industries (except the oil/energy industry), stimulate the economy and as a consequence buoy the stock market? What am I missing here?\n", "id": "384", "answers": [{"text": "There is a lot going on right now. Market volatility rose over the past 2 weeks on the news that Covid-19 cases are growing exponentially. It would be folly to try and correlate a large move on a particular day to other seemingly unrelated news. \n\nFor that matter, in the midst of people trying to avoid crowds, many industries might suffer. Airlines, cruise ships, any function where large groups might gather. Say the payroll tax is briefly suspended. The $50K earner sees $70/wk more in their paycheck. Will that counter their desire to avoid the crowd? Airlines can't fill seats at any price. Where will that $70 go? Probably to pay the next rent or utility bill. Zero effect on the economy. \n\nThe impact of OPEC failing to reach an agreement might have had far different results in normal times, if such a thing exists. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The oil price is a symptom not a cause.\n\nThe real sequence is\n\n\nCoronavirus\nNear complete shutdown of airline, travel and leisure industries, severe supply chain difficulties impacting on international shipping and all manufacturing, etc. etc.\nEmergency bank base rate cuts leading to\nDecimated profitability of many banks and insurers, and\nWorries about funding of pension obligations, about corporate debt, about financial crisis two. \n\n\nIt's too early to know if the coming recession is V shaped, U shaped or even L shaped. At some point the market will start sorting the dead men walking  from the walking wounded from the few companies with excellent future prospects arising from the elimination of weaker competitors. This will take a while. I have dipped a toe in, buying companies that are neither consumer-facing nor highly indebted, at prices that would have been seen as huge bargains three months ago. Needless to say they are all below the price I paid at present. As long as it's not an L shaped depression, I hope to come out on top.\n\nAs for the oil price, that ought to be helpful to airlines and suchlike, but not until people are allowed to travel and until people want to travel for fun. The virus epidemic has to end first, or become so universal that  there is no point trying to keep it out of anywhere.\n\nDon't ask me what the Saudis are up to. I cannot make sense of their actions. Maybe its political and they want to give Russia a bloody nose and Iran something far worse? USA shale oil wells won't cease to exist just because its not profitable to drill new ones. Shutting them in for now will actually mean they flow better when the oil price recovers. Do the Saudis realize they are no longer the world's swing producer? That is now the USA. Shale wells do not take long to drill and put into production once it is again profitable to do so.\n\nIf you think the oil price is crazy, why is the price of a manufacturer of soap, hand sanitizer and moisturizing cream down with everything else?\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I've recently purchased a vehicle and was planning on prepaying my auto insurance for the year up front rather than divided into monthly payments. \n\nShould I rather put some of that money to paying down more of the principal of the car loan , and pay auto insurance monthly increments as there is no interest associated with this?  I have an open-ended loan and I can pay lump sum payments towards principal at any time.\n\nI'm also slightly worried about potential cash flow issues due to economic disruption of Covid-19.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I've recently purchased a vehicle and was planning on prepaying my auto insurance for the year up front rather than divided into monthly payments. \n\nShould I rather put some of that money to paying down more of the principal of the car loan , and pay auto insurance monthly increments as there is no interest associated with this?  I have an open-ended loan and I can pay lump sum payments towards principal at any time.\n\nI'm also slightly worried about potential cash flow issues due to economic disruption of Covid-19.\n", "id": "385", "answers": [{"text": "If there are no financial advantages to pre-paying your insurance, then your hypothesis is correct - it's probably in your best interest to pay the loan down with your cash now, and pay the insurance monthly.\n\nBut be sure to check on your insurance policy about payment terms - every policy I've ever had (granted, I'm in the US) has had a significant discount for pre-paying (the best has been on my current motorcycle policy, where I can save just more than 10% by prepaying). If your policy has such a discount, it may make sense to pre-pay the insurance instead.\n\nIf you do choose to make a lump sum payment on the car loan, it probably makes sense to actively communicate with your bank to make sure the payment is applied immediately to principal. Some banks may interpret lump sums as your intention to pre-pay the \"normal\" monthly payments, which essentially means some of the lump sum gets used towards interest, which is not in your favor.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You can still register for tax and pay up any taxes owed. It is only an year so might not be a major issue.\n\n\n  Time after your deadline -> Penalty\n  \n  1 day          ->              \u00a3100\n  \n  3 months   ->              Another \u00a3100\n  \n  6 months   ->              HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will estimate your Corporation \n                                Tax bill and add a penalty of 10% the unpaid tax\n  \n  12 months      ->              Another 10% of any unpaid tax\n\n\nSOURCE\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I've always lived with family and been a student, so apart from odd jobs here and there I've never really worked full time or reached a minimum taxable threshold of income. On top of this, I am currently overseas. What I'm wondering is, am I still eligible to receive a Covid19 stimulus check?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I've always lived with family and been a student, so apart from odd jobs here and there I've never really worked full time or reached a minimum taxable threshold of income. On top of this, I am currently overseas. What I'm wondering is, am I still eligible to receive a Covid19 stimulus check?\n", "id": "394", "answers": [{"text": "If you have not (and will not) file your taxes for 2018 or 2019 then the only way to receive the check is to file for 2020 next spring. The check is actually an advance on a 2020 tax credit, so you can take it now or later.\n\nHowever, for this year you have until July 15 to file your 2019 taxes. Even if you have $200 in income for the year, might as well file so you get the stimulus check sooner.\n\nNote that if you are a dependent on someone else's return then you are not eligible for the stimulus check.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "There was a 91-1 stock split, meaning that you should have 91x as many shares as you did a few weeks ago.\n\nhttp://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/gbtc-bitcoin-investment-trust-stock-price-popping-after-91-for-1-split-2018-1-1014448868\n\n\n  Shares of the Grayscale Bitcoin Investment Trust, a stock that seeks to imitate the price of bitcoin through its ownership of 0.09 BTC per share, opened up more than 8% Monday \u2014 rising as high as $19.57 \u2014 after a 91-for-1 split over the weekend made the stock more accessible to the masses.\n  \n  The company announced the split in January, when the stock was trading at more than $1,000.\n  \n  Now, shares of the investment trust are trading at a much more affordable $18. The split didn't affect the company\u2019s market value, which remains just above $3 billion.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "On my 2019 Tax Return I claimed my 28 year old girlfriend as a dependent. This makes her ineligible to receive a COVID Stimulus Check. My return was already accepted and I have already received my refund. Should I amend my return, remove her as a dependent? Would she then be eligible to receive the stimulus check?\n", "qas": [{"question": "On my 2019 Tax Return I claimed my 28 year old girlfriend as a dependent. This makes her ineligible to receive a COVID Stimulus Check. My return was already accepted and I have already received my refund. Should I amend my return, remove her as a dependent? Would she then be eligible to receive the stimulus check?\n", "id": "395", "answers": [{"text": "You choosing to remove her as your dependent, or you choosing to not have claimed her as your dependent in the first place when you filed, will not allow her to get the stimulus payment. The restriction is that she cannot get the stimulus payment if she can be claimed by somebody else as a dependent, not that she actually was claimed by somebody else as a dependent. The fact that you have a choice to claim her as your dependent or not, implies that she can be claimed by you as a dependent (i.e. she meets the conditions in the law to qualify as your dependent). In that case, she cannot get the stimulus payment, even if you do not actually claim her as a dependent on your tax return.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "\n  Chances are everyone who reads this StackExchange knows that debt is dangerous and should be avoided.\n\n\nWhile I do agree that debt is dangerous and should be avoided, not everyone does.  Heck there are people on here that advocate taking pay day loans!  \n\nEven the most debt adverse financial commentators suggest that a mortgage is an acceptable risk.  They may only advocate certain structures of mortgages, but they see it as a way for most families to build wealth.\n\nLess debt adverse might suggest a well structured business loan in order to earn more money.  The business might be rental real estate properties or owning a franchise. Theoretically the difference between the finance charge and return on investment is great and they can earn money on the arbitrage.  \n\nThis is how, in my opinion, Altria sees this transaction.  Either the loss to their future profitability was perceived to be so great, or that they could make so much money off of the acquisition that it was worth financing that transaction.\n\nCompanies do this all the time.  For example, Darden will open new restaurants while they are holding debt and paying a dividend.  There are countless other examples.\n\nThe dividend is seen as a very different matter.  Many companies pay a dividend, despite its tax inefficiency, because it increase confidence in the company.  They may even see it as a commitment to long term employees, that are now retired, that acquired the stock over many years of payroll deduction.  They even get a lot of free marketing from paying a constant or even increasing dividend.  Dividends tend to be a very sacred thing and the hallmark of a \"blue chip\" stock.       \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Are there any clauses in a insurance contract that allows an insurer to not pay claims if too many people die from Covid virus?\n\nIs there a risk that insurance customers will be left out to dry?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Are there any clauses in a insurance contract that allows an insurer to not pay claims if too many people die from Covid virus?\n\nIs there a risk that insurance customers will be left out to dry?\n", "id": "396", "answers": [{"text": "The insurance company could go bankrupt.\n\nBut a reputable insurance company will have their own insurance, called reinsurance, to protect their policy-holders and their investors from this possibility.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "5 years later there are now several brokerage apps that have zero fees on stock purchases. I believe Robinhood is the most popular.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "2019 taxes i was filed as an adult dependant for the first tims in 15 years. I have every other year filed my own taxes. Will I qualify for a stimulus check or a $1200 refundable credit on my 2020 taxes? In 2018 i filed my own taxes and could not be claimed as a dependent. I don't understand why I would be excluded since they have said they would go by a person's 2018 return if they have not yet filed for 2019. People who made too much money in 2019 and have not yet filed for 2019 are using their AGI on their 2018 returns to qualify.\n", "qas": [{"question": "2019 taxes i was filed as an adult dependant for the first tims in 15 years. I have every other year filed my own taxes. Will I qualify for a stimulus check or a $1200 refundable credit on my 2020 taxes? In 2018 i filed my own taxes and could not be claimed as a dependent. I don't understand why I would be excluded since they have said they would go by a person's 2018 return if they have not yet filed for 2019. People who made too much money in 2019 and have not yet filed for 2019 are using their AGI on their 2018 returns to qualify.\n", "id": "400", "answers": [{"text": "First off, you are correct, the IRS will use 2019 data first, and then 2018 data if that is not available. However, you were put down on someone else's return for 2019 so you have technically filed. Therefore they will not look at 2018 and you will not get the stimulus check in April 2020.\n\nThe only way you will get the stimulus is if you file independently for 2020 and no one is able to claim you as a dependent. Note that it does not depend on whether you get claimed or not. If someone could claim you, you are not eligible for the stimulus, even if they don't actually claim you.\n\nThe person claiming you for 2019 will also not get the $500 for dependents since you are not a child under 17 years of age.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "No, all dental insurance that I know of will have waiting periods for major work. Many will not have waiting periods for routine cleanings, but that won't help you.\n\nAetna has a dental discount program without a waiting period. But, if you shop around, you can probably get work done for the same cost without the discount.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am not much of a movie watcher, so I'm not looking at Amazon much to rent/stream movies.\n\nA friend told me that Amazon just jacked up the price on first-run movies like Emma and The Invisible Man to $19.99 after the theaters started closing. I looked, and that's the current price.\n\nBut was Amazon renting first-run movies in the $4-$6 range prior to this? It seems unlikely to me, but I thought I'd ask.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am not much of a movie watcher, so I'm not looking at Amazon much to rent/stream movies.\n\nA friend told me that Amazon just jacked up the price on first-run movies like Emma and The Invisible Man to $19.99 after the theaters started closing. I looked, and that's the current price.\n\nBut was Amazon renting first-run movies in the $4-$6 range prior to this? It seems unlikely to me, but I thought I'd ask.\n", "id": "401", "answers": [{"text": "You couldn\u2019t rent first-run movies through Amazon before COVID-19 shut theaters.\n\nAmazon would rent movies that had already hit the rental market for between $2.99 and $5.99, depending on how recently the movie was in theaters. I just checked, Amazon still charges $5.99 for Parasite, the exact same amount I paid when I rented it through them 6 weeks ago. \n\nWith theaters closing, the big studios still wanted a way to show their movies, so they brought them to the rental market sooner and they\u2019re charging substantially more because the movie should still be in theaters and charged $19.99 to stay closer to movie ticket prices. (They may have some data that says something like 1.8 people on average watch a movie streamed through Amazon, and that\u2019s why they charge more than the price of 1 ticket, but I don\u2019t know for sure.)\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "It is a roll of pennies. It is used in a fashion like this. You can see that it is a roll of pennies around the 1:03:49 mark when the guard is searching him and asks what is in his left pocket.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Two years ago I had an irrigation system installed in my garden; now I'd like to expand it with a drip line.\n\nThe man who installed the system left a tube specifically for this purpose, and today I unearthed it; the problem is that I don't know the name of the connector I need, and also I was unable to remove the cap that is closing the tube.\n\nI don't want to apply excessive force to avoid breaking the tube. I tried unscrewing the black part from the blue one, turning the cap counterclockwise.\n\nIs this the right way to do it? Is the cap simply stuck since it was buried for two years? Do I need special tools or would a couple of wrenches do the trick?\n\n(Note: the tube isn't under pressure, there's a valve on the other end.)\n\nAlso, shops are closed due to Covid-19 (I'm in Italy); what kind of conector should I search for on Amazon?\n\n\n", "qas": [{"question": "Two years ago I had an irrigation system installed in my garden; now I'd like to expand it with a drip line.\n\nThe man who installed the system left a tube specifically for this purpose, and today I unearthed it; the problem is that I don't know the name of the connector I need, and also I was unable to remove the cap that is closing the tube.\n\nI don't want to apply excessive force to avoid breaking the tube. I tried unscrewing the black part from the blue one, turning the cap counterclockwise.\n\nIs this the right way to do it? Is the cap simply stuck since it was buried for two years? Do I need special tools or would a couple of wrenches do the trick?\n\n(Note: the tube isn't under pressure, there's a valve on the other end.)\n\nAlso, shops are closed due to Covid-19 (I'm in Italy); what kind of conector should I search for on Amazon?\n\n\n", "id": "414", "answers": [{"text": "It is a compression fitting. The blue ring unscrews, a couple of wrenches on it and the black nut will be fine. For future fittings you need to identify the pipe size and material.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Short question, short answer. Peanuts when harvested and stored properly can retain viability up to 3 years frozen, 1 year at room temperature. Longer viability correlates with low moisture content, as well. The viability will be enhanced if the seeds are stored in the pods, or treated with fungicide.\n\nFor further reading, check out this article from Purdue (specifically item J, under category V.).\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "If you watch just the first episodes, it is a ordinary Mahou Shoujo for tween girls anime...\n\nBut the plot thickens into something too heavy for young girls to digest (imo) soon enough.\n\n\n   The whole dismemberment and viewing themselves as living sacrifices for their god, not to mention the sisterly guilt trip.\n\n\nWith that in mind, where does it fall?\n", "qas": [{"question": "If you watch just the first episodes, it is a ordinary Mahou Shoujo for tween girls anime...\n\nBut the plot thickens into something too heavy for young girls to digest (imo) soon enough.\n\n\n   The whole dismemberment and viewing themselves as living sacrifices for their god, not to mention the sisterly guilt trip.\n\n\nWith that in mind, where does it fall?\n", "id": "417", "answers": [{"text": "The light novel Washio Sumi wa Y\u016bsha de Aru, which is set in the same universe 2 years prior and is the prequel of the anime, targets the seinen demographic. The seinen demographic includes males from 17 years of age and above. It can be safe to assume that the anime Y\u016bki Y\u016bna wa Y\u016bsha de Aru is for the same demographic as the light novel.\n\nThe show is also broadcast at late night on the primary channel MBS and other channels, at as early as 22:00 and as late as 03:00 late night. The late night showing of the anime implies that it is at least for young adults and not for tween girls as the introduction might have suggests. \n\nSources:\n\n\nWikipedia - Y\u016bki Y\u016bna wa Y\u016bsha de Aru: Washio Sumi wa Y\u016bsha de Aru's target demographic\nSeinen definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seinen_manga\nTV schedule: http://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv195090725\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "In episode one of Konosuba, it was shown that he saw a \"car\" about to run over a girl so he pushed the girl out of the way. However, after he died, Aqua showed him that the \"car\" was actually a tractor that has already stopped and was never going to hit the girl.\n\nKazuma then asked how he died, then Aqua told him how he died of shock and wet himself, she also told him how every doctor and his family was laughing at how ridiculous his death was.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "According to the wikia, fans had a chance to vote on if they wanted a miracle to occur. This was during the run of the series. What is this miracle? Information in Japanese can be found on the second link but it is not easily Google Translateable.\n", "qas": [{"question": "According to the wikia, fans had a chance to vote on if they wanted a miracle to occur. This was during the run of the series. What is this miracle? Information in Japanese can be found on the second link but it is not easily Google Translateable.\n", "id": "418", "answers": [{"text": "There was the KimiUso Staff Talk Event at 2015/05/16 in Tokyo Japan.\n\"The Miracle\u201d was explained by the staffs of KimiUso in this event.\nhttp://live.nicovideo.jp/watch/lv218533566\n\nWe can not watch this live streaming already, but we can read the viewer's blog.\nI reprint and translate the important point.\n\nJapanese\n\n\n  \u5ba3\u4f1dA\u3055\u3093\u3044\u308f\u304f\u3001\u300c\u4f55\u3082\u8003\u3048\u3066\u306a\u304b\u3063\u305f\u300d\u3068\u3002\n\n\nEnglish\n\n\n  PR staff A told us to \"I was not thinking about anything\".\n\n\nAs it turns out, there was no miracle.\nThis is the most official conclusion.\n\nWe Japanese fans are thinking that the Miracle was the staff A's Uso = Lie :p\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "They screwed up the continuity there a bit. Palm rode the elevator up using Bizeff's code but later they say if someone enters a code that doesn't match the height and weight of who it belonged to then it locks down.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I'd like to know the Japanese name or tag of a type of video that used to be popular on Nico Nico Douga on 2007-2010 (maybe there are still some people making these videos but I can't find them anymore).\n\nIn these videos the creator would take a character from an anime and then put a phrase/scene from that character for each hiragana/kana syllable.\n\nFor example for Kagami from Lucky star (this is the video I remember):\n\n\n\u3042(a) - Anta no tame janai.\n\u3048(e) - Eeeeto.\n\u3044(i) - Imi ga wakaranai.\n\n\nI remember that there were many videos for many characters and anime but many of them were deleted and I can't find the videos I had favorited.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I'd like to know the Japanese name or tag of a type of video that used to be popular on Nico Nico Douga on 2007-2010 (maybe there are still some people making these videos but I can't find them anymore).\n\nIn these videos the creator would take a character from an anime and then put a phrase/scene from that character for each hiragana/kana syllable.\n\nFor example for Kagami from Lucky star (this is the video I remember):\n\n\n\u3042(a) - Anta no tame janai.\n\u3048(e) - Eeeeto.\n\u3044(i) - Imi ga wakaranai.\n\n\nI remember that there were many videos for many characters and anime but many of them were deleted and I can't find the videos I had favorited.\n", "id": "420", "answers": [{"text": "I found the video: http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm2931268\n\nThe tags I was looking for are: \u30c4\u30c3\u30b3\u30df\u30ab\u30eb\u30bf and \u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u304b\u308b\u305f\u30ea\u30f3\u30af\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Amazon Japan ships to the US, and I assume to most other places where Amazon does business. Even if you don't know Japanese, it's fairly easy to purchase stuff from Amazon Japan - when you go to the website, you should see a link that says \"in English\". \n\n\n\nClick on it, and most (though I don't think all) of the interface gets changed over to English. Product descriptions and stuff don't, though.\n\nOnce you've done that, you'll need to make an account, even if you have an account on Amazon US or Amazon UK or whatever. The process is the same as making an account on any other Amazon site.\n\nThe product you want to purchase is either this one for BD, or this one for DVD. In either case, you can pre-order it. If you do place a pre-order, the product should leave Amazon's Japanese warehouse on release day and get to you probably less than a week later.\n\nAs far as I know, there is only one option available for global shipping from Amazon Japan. You will be charged probably $10-12 for shipment to the US. I don't know about other countries. If you are in the US, you should choose to pay in USD, so as to avoid foreign transaction fees on your credit card.\n\nIncidentally, you can also preorder the second movie (BD, DVD) for when it releases on 2 Apr 2016.\n\n\n\nMuch of the advice above is generally applicable to purchasing any BDs and DVDs from Amazon Japan. Amazon Japan isn't always the cheapest option, but it is definitely the most convenient, at least for US-based buyers. However, if you are planning on purchasing a large number of items in a short period of time, you may be able to save on shipping by using a proxy service like Tenso. (I assume there are other such services, but I haven't really looked.)\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "President Trump's presidential proclamation specifically defines the countries affected by the ban as the 26 signatories to the Schengen Treaty:\n\n\n  For purposes of this proclamation, the Schengen Area comprises 26\n  European states: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,\n  Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,\n  Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,\n  Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.\n\n\nHowever, four European states also maintain open or semi-open borders with the Schengen area, namely Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, & Vatican City. Clearly travellers from these countries will also be subject to the separate ban on people that have visited Schengen countries in the last 14 days, but considering the (semi)open borders, there should be no way to definitively prove this status one way or the other.\n\nAre these countries exempt from the ban? Is this an oversight by the Trump administration, or do methods exist to identify travellers from these countries who have recently returned from the Schengen area proper?\n", "qas": [{"question": "President Trump's presidential proclamation specifically defines the countries affected by the ban as the 26 signatories to the Schengen Treaty:\n\n\n  For purposes of this proclamation, the Schengen Area comprises 26\n  European states: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,\n  Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia,\n  Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,\n  Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.\n\n\nHowever, four European states also maintain open or semi-open borders with the Schengen area, namely Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, & Vatican City. Clearly travellers from these countries will also be subject to the separate ban on people that have visited Schengen countries in the last 14 days, but considering the (semi)open borders, there should be no way to definitively prove this status one way or the other.\n\nAre these countries exempt from the ban? Is this an oversight by the Trump administration, or do methods exist to identify travellers from these countries who have recently returned from the Schengen area proper?\n", "id": "433", "answers": [{"text": "Given that none of these countries have their own international airports, and all but Monaco are landlocked, it's effectively impossible for nationals of those microstates to reach the US without visiting a Schengen country. \n\nPresumably, someone from Monaco who travels by boat to the UK and flies from there could get away with entry or any nationals who are currently outside the Schengen area, but I imagine the final decision will come down to an ICE official who will compare the passport to a list of affected countries.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The linked to answer tells you that the probablity of a three-state\nsolution (aka\nthe Jordanian option),\nin the form that you describe it, was close to zero. Israel doesn't\nwant to give the West Bank back and Jordan doesn't want to have\nit. Egypt taking back the Gaza Strip has been out of the question\nsince 1979.\n\nThe embassy move has been discussed a lot and most analysts have had a\nhard time figuring out\nwhy it was carried out. But suffice it to say that it\ndoesn't make a three-state solution more likely. The answer to your\nquestion is therefore no.\n\nThen why was Stephen Bannon pushing the three-state solution idea?\nPossibly because of influence from Sheldon Adelson, the American\ncasino billionaire and Israel activist. In 2016, he\ndonated $25m\nto the Trump campaign.\n\nAdelson is an opponent to the two-state solution. Among other things,\nhe has\nclaimed\nthat \"the Palestinians are an invented people,\" that \"the purpose of\nthe existence of Palestinians is to destroy Israel\" and that\na Palestinian state is a\n\"a steppingstone for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people.\"\nAdelson also bankrolls the\nHeritage Foundation a conservative public\npolicy think tank that opposes\nPalestinian statehood\nand favors the\nthree-state solution.\n\nSo if one state is out, due to the \"demographic suicide\"\nangle, two-states, because Palestinians want to destroy Israel, then the only option left is three states.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Both countries have declared a lockdown. So what went wrong in the USA? \n\nWhy has COVID-19 affected less people in India that in the USA?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Both countries have declared a lockdown. So what went wrong in the USA? \n\nWhy has COVID-19 affected less people in India that in the USA?\n", "id": "464", "answers": [{"text": "India is not testing much. You can go here and play around with testing relative to the population of some countries. While the US has already a relatively low testing rate given with 25 daily tests per million people, the number of India is even smaller. If you don't test, you can't count infected people\n\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The obvious answer is the General George Washington needed a flag to differentiate his forces from the English forces. It is speculated by historians that the flag was simply created by sewing white stripes on an English Ensign.  The design was simply expedient and similarity to the East India Company is circumstantial.\n\nWhat is difficult to understand this many years removed from the events is the state of the world at the time.  The idea of a federal central government had not been realized at the time or was so new that it was not at the top of everyone's mind include the General. What I mean is every colony has its own flag which was more important to the average man. With so many symbols, picking something to represent the union was almost an after thought.\n\nThe evidence of course is not compelling, but we can speculate by the fact that the so called \"Grand Union Flag\" (So called because it was named that many decades later, it may have been called \"The Continental Color\" by contemporaries) was used to represent both land and sea forces. A practice that was not traditional at the time (There was a country flag, an ensign for ships, a battle flag, a regimental flag, etc.).  Actually there is an analog in modern times. While the flag of the country is the same as that flown on military bases, on ships and used on some military uniforms, there is a flag of sorts on military air forces. For example, the US has a circled star flanked by three strips on each side.  Any way, the continental congress used the flag and then quickly (for the day) discarded it and designed a more permanent design (so that is from around the end of 1775 to June 14 1777).\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I didn't follow the UK news closely, so please enlighten me on how cabinet meetings were conducted by Boris Johnson while he has COVID-19. All I've read on this is that:\n\n\n  Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital for tests, 10 days after testing positive for coronavirus, Downing Street has said.\n  \n  He was taken to a London hospital on Sunday evening with \"persistent symptoms\" - including a temperature.\n  \n  It is said to be a \"precautionary step\" taken on the advice of his doctor.\n  \n  The prime minister remains in charge of the government, but the foreign secretary is expected to chair a coronavirus meeting on Monday morning. [...]\n  \n  Mr Johnson has worked from home since it was announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus on 27 March.\n\n\nSo did BoJo chair the prior meetings via videconferencing, but this is no longer possible from a hospital setting (as opposed to his home)?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I didn't follow the UK news closely, so please enlighten me on how cabinet meetings were conducted by Boris Johnson while he has COVID-19. All I've read on this is that:\n\n\n  Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital for tests, 10 days after testing positive for coronavirus, Downing Street has said.\n  \n  He was taken to a London hospital on Sunday evening with \"persistent symptoms\" - including a temperature.\n  \n  It is said to be a \"precautionary step\" taken on the advice of his doctor.\n  \n  The prime minister remains in charge of the government, but the foreign secretary is expected to chair a coronavirus meeting on Monday morning. [...]\n  \n  Mr Johnson has worked from home since it was announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus on 27 March.\n\n\nSo did BoJo chair the prior meetings via videconferencing, but this is no longer possible from a hospital setting (as opposed to his home)?\n", "id": "468", "answers": [{"text": "The Prime Minister has been chairing meetings via videoconference, specifically using Zoom (BBC News).\n\nIt is being reported this evening (by ITV News among others) that tomorrow's COVID-19 meeting will be chaired by Dominic Raab, the First Secretary of State.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "There are multiple issues involved:\n\n\nFarakka Barrage: India had built Farakka barrage on the river Ganga which is an international river and flows into Bangladesh with the name Padma. India first proposed the construction of Farakka Barrage in 1951 which never took the shape because of Pakistan's protest. Then again India started to construct Farakka barrage in 1961 and again the construction slipped into desuetude because of Pakistan's threat. Finally, Farakka was opened in 1975 on a trial basis (after the independence of Bangladesh in 1971). But, since then it was never taken down.\nRiver water sharing: India has built dams/barrages on each international river upstream of Bangladesh. Tista river water sharing agreement is kept dangling for years now.\nBorder killing: Indian BSF has been killing Bangladeshi cattle-dealer citizens on a regular basis. Several years ago BSF killed an 15-year old girl named Falani Khatun and kept her body hanging on the barbed border-fence which received widespread international media attention.\nIllegal immigrant propaganda: India says that Bangladeshi citizens cross the border and living in the Indian province of Assam illegally. Given the socio-economic scenario, this is an absurd propaganda. Muslims are living in Assam from the period of Mir Jumla II. During British Raj, Lord Curzon tried to create a new province named East Bengal by making Dhaka the capital as Dhaka was the center of Muslim culture and trade  which has failed to take shape because of widespread protest from Kolkata-centric Hindu elites. Assam was part of that proposed province. After the partition of India, native Assamese (Hindu and indigenous population) started to try to drive Muslims out of Assam. Very recently, when the BJP came to power, this drive is intensified.\nJob seekers: It is believed that there are nearly a million Indians are employed in Bangladesh's service and manufacturing sectors who are straining a nearly saturated job market. \nMuslim lynching and Cattle vigilantism: In recent years, Muslim lynching because of eating/trading beef, and cattle vigilantism in India attracted widespread media coverage in Bangladesh.\nBacking of Myanmar government: for the last few months, this has been a very prominent issue. Indian government rejected a UN proposal for the repatriation of Rohingyas and is supplying arms to Myanmar government. As a result, Bangladesh has become totally bogged down in Rohingya crisis.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "In the Queen's address to the Commonwealth on the Corona Virus, she says at 1:15:\n\n\"The pride in who we are is not a part of our past. It defines our present and our future.\"\nWhat does the Queen mean by this? Is she saying that Britain does not have a past it can be proud of?\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2klmuggOElE&feature=youtu.be&t=115\n", "qas": [{"question": "In the Queen's address to the Commonwealth on the Corona Virus, she says at 1:15:\n\n\"The pride in who we are is not a part of our past. It defines our present and our future.\"\nWhat does the Queen mean by this? Is she saying that Britain does not have a past it can be proud of?\n\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2klmuggOElE&feature=youtu.be&t=115\n", "id": "469", "answers": [{"text": "The queen is saying that the pride of the British people, is not merely pride over past behavior, but is pride in themselves as they are now and as they move forward. She is not denying that the British should be proud of their past; she is suggesting that their past is not what defines their pride. Their pride is defined by who they are.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I find the source you quote and to a lesser degree your question difficult because of language like \"lash out\" and \"condemn.\" This is a value judgement about what was said which seems not supported by the sources.\n\n\nPeter Altmaier gave an interview to the tabloid newspaper Bild am Sonntag. In this interview, he talked about US sanctions and tariffs in general and also in specific -- notably against the EU, China, Iran, and also Turkey.\nHe mentioned that as secretary for economic affairs he represents 7,000 German companies doing business in Turkey, and that \"we want Turkey to be a stable and democratic country.\" He also said that Turkey knew \"we do not compromise in the protection of German citizens.\"\nThere have been other EU leaders who emphasized that \"a strong Turkish economy is in the EU interest\". \nHere is another article from Politico.eu explaining (their interpretation of) the EU viewpoint.\n\n\nI wouldn't characterize that as siding with Turkey or condemning the recent tariffs on Turkey. Turkey is part of a pattern and that concerns the EU.\n\n\n\nFollow-Up: In the news today (2018-AUG-19), Andrea Nahles (from the SPD, the junior coalition partner in the German government) suggests that Turkey might need emergency assistance from the EU to prevent an economic breakdown. The way it is phrased suggests that such assistance might be granted. (The conditions were not specified.)\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am wondering if President Trump has the constitutional authority to ban all remaining presidential primary elections in all the states in an effort to contain the Coronavirus outbreak? \n", "qas": [{"question": "I am wondering if President Trump has the constitutional authority to ban all remaining presidential primary elections in all the states in an effort to contain the Coronavirus outbreak? \n", "id": "483", "answers": [{"text": "Probably not. The primaries are not under Federal jurisdiction (and in some states, they're actually run by the party and not the state).\n\nIn practical terms, the Trump line continues to be everything's fine and we'll be back to normal soon so it's hard to imagine him taking such a step (although this could change if he thought it would benefit him politically).\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Like Obama's Nobel Prize, this is a carrot. It was a bipartisan bill he signed, and by rewarding that as a good and popular thing worth celebrating, they hope to have a moderating influence. Trump like awards (who doesn't, really?), so he's likely to talk about it down the line. In short; it gives them a chance to appear magnanimous, possibly encouraging the same.\n\nIt's also a way to bring attention to the organization/award to people who might not be familiar with their work; give it to the most famous guy possible at the time. This raises their profile and potentially increases the attention-grabbing value of later awards.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Every country so far has been working on enforcing social distancing measures to tackle the COVID-19 epidemic, with El Salvador going as far as to isolate the entire country before they've received their first patient. This caused nearly ever major event to be cancelled and caused tremendous losses for the economy. But is there already a long term plan on bringing the economy back to life? Surely countries cannot just live in quarantine forever? \n\nOnly notable exception that I'm aware of is Boris Johnson announcing that the UK will be following a different approach:\n\n\n  Defending Prime Minister Boris Johnson\u2019s decision not to follow other European countries by closing schools and banning mass gatherings, Patrick Vallance said it was the government\u2019s aim to \u201creduce the peak of the epidemic, pull it down and broaden it\u201d while protecting the elderly and vulnerable\n\n\nSo the UK's long term plan seems to be \"business as usual\", but what about others?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Every country so far has been working on enforcing social distancing measures to tackle the COVID-19 epidemic, with El Salvador going as far as to isolate the entire country before they've received their first patient. This caused nearly ever major event to be cancelled and caused tremendous losses for the economy. But is there already a long term plan on bringing the economy back to life? Surely countries cannot just live in quarantine forever? \n\nOnly notable exception that I'm aware of is Boris Johnson announcing that the UK will be following a different approach:\n\n\n  Defending Prime Minister Boris Johnson\u2019s decision not to follow other European countries by closing schools and banning mass gatherings, Patrick Vallance said it was the government\u2019s aim to \u201creduce the peak of the epidemic, pull it down and broaden it\u201d while protecting the elderly and vulnerable\n\n\nSo the UK's long term plan seems to be \"business as usual\", but what about others?\n", "id": "485", "answers": [{"text": "\nGermany has pretty supportive laws in place for people who are personally quarantined, basically paid sick days off. This will have the effect of supporting domestic demand during the crisis.\nThat does not cover the general economic downturn for people who are not directly sick or quarantined, so the government decided on tax deferments and a loan program for businesses.\nThere is also the possibility of payments from the unemployment insurance system for workers who had their working hours reduced, this allows companies to avoid layoffs.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "It is not. The number of seats is disproportionate, but not the level of support. This is a consequence off the First Past the Post system.\n\n2019 General Election:\n\nParty                       % share  \nSNP Scottish National Party 45.0%  \nCON Conservative            25.1%  \nLAB Labour                  18.6%  \nLD  Liberal Democrat         9.5%  \nGRN Green                    1.0%  \nBRX The Brexit Party         0.5%  \n\n\nSNP win 45% of vote.\n\nAnd in the Independence referendum.\n\n\n  55.3% voted against independence, with a turnout of 84.6%. \n\n\nSo in the independence referendum, 45% voted yes.\n\nSupport for independence overlaps almost entirely with support for the SNP in Westminster elections in particular they are almost a single issue party.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "In today's press conference (3/19/2020) the President is touting the FDA's approval of using (for example) an anti-malarial as a treatment for COVID-19. This drug has been in widespread use and has been approved by the FDA for years. HOWEVER, the FDA required drug information on this drug does NOT mention COVID-19, so it's use as a pharm for COVID-19 would be considered off-label. \n\nPhysicians commonly order these off-label applications, however they assume the risk and liability by ordering off-label pharms for their patients.\n\nConsidering today's assertion that FDA has now approved certain pharms, does it follow that these prescriptions are no longer \"off-label\", but rather are indicated uses. \n", "qas": [{"question": "In today's press conference (3/19/2020) the President is touting the FDA's approval of using (for example) an anti-malarial as a treatment for COVID-19. This drug has been in widespread use and has been approved by the FDA for years. HOWEVER, the FDA required drug information on this drug does NOT mention COVID-19, so it's use as a pharm for COVID-19 would be considered off-label. \n\nPhysicians commonly order these off-label applications, however they assume the risk and liability by ordering off-label pharms for their patients.\n\nConsidering today's assertion that FDA has now approved certain pharms, does it follow that these prescriptions are no longer \"off-label\", but rather are indicated uses. \n", "id": "489", "answers": [{"text": "\n  Considering today's assertion that FDA has now approved certain pharms, does it follow that these prescriptions are no longer \"off-label\", but rather are indicated uses?\n\n\nNo.  The president is not the FDA, and the president's statements about FDA actions are not FDA actions.  The only official source of information about drug approvals is the FDA's list of approved drugs.  See 21 CFR 314.3:\n\n\n  Listed drug is a new drug product that has been approved under section 505(c) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act for safety and effectiveness or under section 505(j) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which has not been withdrawn or suspended under section 505(e)(1) through (5) or section 505(j)(6) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and which has not been withdrawn from sale for what FDA has determined are reasons of safety or effectiveness. Listed drug status is evidenced by the drug product's identification in the current edition of FDA's \u201cApproved Drug Products With Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations\u201d (the list) as an approved drug. A drug product is deemed to be a listed drug on the date of approval for the NDA or ANDA for that drug product.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Yes, as has been referenced many times, Congress can create an Article of Impeachment around anything they please. Obstruction of Justice being one of the more obvious.\n\n\n  The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.\n\n\nThe Constitution provides no other guidance on the limitations of an charge of impeachment.\n\nAs to the trial of an impeachment trial, the Constitution is likewise very concise:\n\n\n  The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.\n\n\nAs to the penalty (judgement) upon conviction:\n\n\n  Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.\n\n\nNote that the Constitution limits the extent of the punishment, which gives leave for the Senate to \"sentence\" a person convicted to a punishment that is less extreme than removal and disqualification. \n\nAdditional information: An comprehensive report was written by the Congressional Research Service on Impeachment and Removal in 2015. It can be found here\n\nOne of the more interesting takeaways in this report is:\n\n\n  Impeachable conduct does not appear to be limited to criminal behavior.\n  Congress has identified three general types of conduct that constitute grounds for\n  impeachment, although these categories should not be understood as exhaustive:\n  (1) improperly exceeding or abusing the powers of the office; (2) behavior\n  incompatible with the function and purpose of the office; and (3) misusing the\n  office for an improper purpose or for personal gain.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Multiple sources have reported that Canada and the United States have announced that the Canada\u2013United States border is about to close to non-essential travel in an effort to reduce the spread of Covid-19. For example, see https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/essential-travel-coronavirus/index.html\n\n\n  \"Well I think essential is medical, we have military working together, we have industry working together, and again, it's not affecting trade, so things like that,\" said President Trump. \"But just leisurely 'let's go to a restaurant and have dinner,' which a lot of people do ... we have ended on a temporary basis.\" \n\n\nWhen was the last time either Canada or the US banned citizens or residents of the other from visiting for tourism or other non-essential purposes? My guess is the War of 1812, but I can't seem to find the answer online.\n", "qas": [{"question": "Multiple sources have reported that Canada and the United States have announced that the Canada\u2013United States border is about to close to non-essential travel in an effort to reduce the spread of Covid-19. For example, see https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/essential-travel-coronavirus/index.html\n\n\n  \"Well I think essential is medical, we have military working together, we have industry working together, and again, it's not affecting trade, so things like that,\" said President Trump. \"But just leisurely 'let's go to a restaurant and have dinner,' which a lot of people do ... we have ended on a temporary basis.\" \n\n\nWhen was the last time either Canada or the US banned citizens or residents of the other from visiting for tourism or other non-essential purposes? My guess is the War of 1812, but I can't seem to find the answer online.\n", "id": "490", "answers": [{"text": "Never. Only in the early wars between France and England, but then it didn\u2019t mind whether the enemies were in which territory and the border were unclear and the definition of the border was the cause of the war. \n\nHow would they have been able to \n\na) control a border that was the longest of the world \n\nb) of two countries that haven\u2019t been fully explored\n\nc) and the border wasn\u2019t clearly defined. \n\neven not 1850.\n\nhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_War_(1859)\n\nAnd what sense would it make to close a border of 2 countries if you can\u2019t control it as there are so few inhabitants like in Montana, Idaho, Wyoming etc?\n\nEven today it must be rather a symbolic gesture to close the border: Highways, Railway, Airports. \n\nhttps://www.cgpgrey.com/blog/canada-the-united-states-bizarre-borders-part-2\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Official position of India's government\n\n\n  Seeking to get legal clearance for the deportation plan, the home ministry told the Supreme Court this week it would confidentially provide it with intelligence information showing Rohingya links with Pakistan-based militants.  (source)\n  \n  \u201cOur investigations have revealed that Al Qaeda wants to use India and Bangladesh as their base to start a religious war against Myanmar,\u201d said New Delhi police official Pramod Singh Khuswah. \u201cClearly they are a threat to our security.\u201d \n\n\nOther likely reasons\n\n\nDemographics.\n\nRohingyas are majority Muslim. India has no desire to have more Muslims living there (it has enough friction with its own Muslim population and Muslim neighbors without adding the need for more). Bangladesh (which is majority Muslim) seems a better place from India's point of view\n\nAdditionally, Rohingyas are ethnically closer to Benghali than average Indian populace (though who and what they are seems to be rather convoluted mix). So, India gets to claim \"they are your people, they are your problem\" to Bangladesh.\nEconomics.\n\nHousing and hosting a large # of refugees is a big economic drain - even more so when the refugees are not homogenuous with native populace (which removes local sources of bootstrapping for refugee individuals AND reduces overall trust capital of the area which reduces economy).\n\nAs such, if India has an option of \"we get to pay for hundreds of thousands of refugees, or we punt that on Bangladesh\", the preferred option for Indian government is kind of obvious.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I have not seen articles or information on how governments - behind the scenes or in public - reflect and set up analytics and systematic information collection to prepare for the spread of a new viral pandemic.\n\nWhat sources can show more information about what politicians think about preparing for future pandemics right now?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I have not seen articles or information on how governments - behind the scenes or in public - reflect and set up analytics and systematic information collection to prepare for the spread of a new viral pandemic.\n\nWhat sources can show more information about what politicians think about preparing for future pandemics right now?\n", "id": "491", "answers": [{"text": "Right now, as Covid-19 is on-going, they can't do very much to prepare for a hypothetical Covid-??. However, once the Covid-19 situation has ended, then it would be vital to do a thorough analysis of what worked, and didn't work in the Covid-19 situation.\n\nThis is one of the reasons, why the East-Asian countries, such as Hong Kong or Korea have fared so well compared to Europe; they could build on first hand experience of the SARS and MERS outbreaks.\n\nThe somewhat sad lesson is that we are smarter only afterwards. Any attempts to predict the future, and act accordingly to these predictions is bound to fail at least in part of the cases.\n\nYou find plenty of articles in the media, comparing the current, local situation to those in the East Asian countries, such as this one from the BBC. Whereever, you are from, you probably will be able to find a corresponding article from your local media, at least I have found such articles from German media.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The mathematical phenomenon you're talking about is Arrow's impossibility theorem. The wiki article has an informal proof.\n\nSpecifically, the theorem states that there's no way to design a voting system such that all three of these criteria hold:\n\n\n  \n  If every voter prefers alternative X over alternative Y, then the group prefers X over Y.\n  If every voter's preference between X and Y remains unchanged, then the group's preference between X and Y will also remain unchanged (even if voters' preferences between other pairs like X and Z, Y and Z, or Z and W change).\n  There is no \"dictator\": no single voter possesses the power to always determine the group's preference.\n  \n\n\n(The theorem is stated in terms of a rank-order voting system. The winner-take-all and first-past-the-post systems are degenerate cases of this; each voter is asked only for their first preference, and the candidate who is the first preference of a majority or plurality of voters wins.)\n\nEvery democratic voting system fulfills the first and third criteria; therefore, they have to dispense with the second. This means that (for example) even if 60% of voters favor Candidate Alice over Candidate Bob, it's still possible for Bob to beat Alice. In a winner-take-all or first-past-the-post system, the way this would happen is through the introduction of a third candidate. If 30% of the voters now prefer Carl as their top choice, and all of those voters previously favored Alice over Bob, then Bob now has 40% of the vote while Alice and Carl each have 30%; Bob has beaten Alice. Voting systems such as instant-runoff voting can ameliorate this, but according to Arrow's impossibility theorem, they cannot entirely eliminate the possibility of a situation where Bob beats Alice even though a majority of the voters prefer Alice over Bob.\n\nThe most important practical implication of this is that a democratic voting system can't entirely eliminate the spoiler effect. More broadly, it means the possibility always exists that it's in a voter's interest to vote in a way that doesn't reflect their true preferences; in other words, tactical voting is always a factor in elections. Most people in democratic countries accept this as an unfortunate reality of the system.  Even so, some systems (such as winner-take-all) are more heavily impacted by tactical voting than others (such as instant-runoff).\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Italy now has the most deaths from COVID. It's even above China in that list.\n\nItalian government asked for international help, some countries responded:\n\n\nAt first, China provided huge help\nthen, suddenly, Cuba send medical crew\nand then Russia send military virusologists\n\n\nIt is a very surprising to me, that western media not provide information about western help programs - Italy is a NATO member since it foundation, and also member of EU.\n\nAre there any western programs for helping Italy in fighting COVID-19? I'm sure there are - because it would be very strange if such alliances do not tight together on foreign threats.\n", "qas": [{"question": "Italy now has the most deaths from COVID. It's even above China in that list.\n\nItalian government asked for international help, some countries responded:\n\n\nAt first, China provided huge help\nthen, suddenly, Cuba send medical crew\nand then Russia send military virusologists\n\n\nIt is a very surprising to me, that western media not provide information about western help programs - Italy is a NATO member since it foundation, and also member of EU.\n\nAre there any western programs for helping Italy in fighting COVID-19? I'm sure there are - because it would be very strange if such alliances do not tight together on foreign threats.\n", "id": "492", "answers": [{"text": "The latest one from Germany are 300 respiratory machines. I don't think that is labeled as either EU or NATO.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The problem is \"the people's representatives\".  Many of them, especially those who have been in office for a long time, have nothing to gain by going against the status quo. They might also lose support from those who've bought into generations of anti-drug propaganda, and groups like law enforcement unions.  So there really isn't enough legislative support, either at the state or national level.\n\nIt helps to look at how the recreational use of marijuana was legalized. IIRC it's currently legal in 10 states.  Only one of them - Vermont - legalized through legislative action.  The rest legalized through voter initiatives.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Why have some governments banned outbound international flights in response to COVID-19?\n\nFor example, the Philippines initially announced (but later reversed) a ban on outbound flights:\n\n\n  Airports in Luzon [large island in Philippines where the capital, Manila, is located] will stop all outbound international flights starting Friday after the government gave a 72-hour window to all those who wish to leave the country after heightened measures were put in place to control the spread of COVID-19.\n  \n  https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/3/17/Philippines-international-flights-coronavirus-Luzon-quarantine.html\n\n\nThe New York Times has an article on travel bans that identifies a few other cases of countries with outbound travel bans, including:\n\n\nNamibia: \"suspending inbound and outbound flights from Qatar, Ethiopia and Germany for 30 days\"\nBolivia: \"cessation of all flights to and from Europe\"\nPeru: \"The measure means all international flights will be canceled. \"\n\n\nI understand the ban of inbound international flights to prevent contaminated individuals from entering the country, but banning outbound flights seems less obvious to me.\n", "qas": [{"question": "Why have some governments banned outbound international flights in response to COVID-19?\n\nFor example, the Philippines initially announced (but later reversed) a ban on outbound flights:\n\n\n  Airports in Luzon [large island in Philippines where the capital, Manila, is located] will stop all outbound international flights starting Friday after the government gave a 72-hour window to all those who wish to leave the country after heightened measures were put in place to control the spread of COVID-19.\n  \n  https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/3/17/Philippines-international-flights-coronavirus-Luzon-quarantine.html\n\n\nThe New York Times has an article on travel bans that identifies a few other cases of countries with outbound travel bans, including:\n\n\nNamibia: \"suspending inbound and outbound flights from Qatar, Ethiopia and Germany for 30 days\"\nBolivia: \"cessation of all flights to and from Europe\"\nPeru: \"The measure means all international flights will be canceled. \"\n\n\nI understand the ban of inbound international flights to prevent contaminated individuals from entering the country, but banning outbound flights seems less obvious to me.\n", "id": "504", "answers": [{"text": "Another possibility, ignoring fears of infection, is that the country doesn't want their citizens to become stranded in another country if flights are suspended at a later date. For example, on Monday, March 30th, the UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab announced a \u00a375m plan to charter flights to repatriate stranded Britons, and also advised any citizens still in countries where commercial flights remain available to fly home as soon as possible.\n\nIf a country's citizens become stranded abroad it will usually end up being the government's responsibility to fly them home.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "As you rightly mentioned in your question, arguments in favour of majority government is that they tend to last much longer, bringing with it an element of stability. Whether you support the party in power or not, a majority government brings with it a clear sense of what to expect for a particular mandate period. In the Canadian political system, some argue that majorities are not healthy because it lacks a system of checks and balances (like the US system) and gives the prime minister and his or her government virtually the power to do almost anything they want throughout their time in office. A united opposition would be unable to prevent government measures from passing. Good if you support the governing party; not so good if your political views or priorities are not aligned with the government. \n\nMinority governments are interesting because they compel the governing party (which is usually the party with a plurality of seats in the House of Commons) to find common ground with one or more opposition parties. This forces upon elected officials to communicate and collaborate on the issues and to pass laws which, ideally, would benefit a larger swath of the population. \n\nThe downside to minority governments are many; however. First of all, with a shelf life averaging just over 2 years, there is a cost to the taxpayer in terms of the frequency of general elections. For example, since 2001, Canada has seen elections in 2004 (Martin minority), 2006 (Harper minority), 2008 (Harper minority), 2011 (Harper majority) and 2015 (Trudeau majority). Each election comes with a $375-million price-tag, with the 2015 election roughly double that amount as it was the longest election period in Canadian history. \n\nThe other downside is that minority governments often get defeated trying to accomplish the very things they set out to do in the electoral platform. Electing a minority government doesn't give the public a sense of predictability about what the government may do, because they require support from the opposition who come with their own demands. Political platforms are essentially invalid with a minority government either because they don't have the support to fulfill those promises, no time to complete them (being defeated before passing anything they've promised) or fulfilling part of their promises with some alterations proposed by opposition parties.  \n\nAnother element to minority governments in recent Canadian elections is the changing of political party leaders. The Liberals have gone through 6 party leaders since 2006 (including interim leaders); The Progressive Conservatives went through this kind of phase after the Joe Clark government was defeated, and again when the Reform Party was established. When you combine party leadership ballots and the volatility of minority governments, it can really give someone the sense of a continuous, never-ending election cycle. \n\nWhich is better? It really all depends on what you value in our political system. Do you want collaboration over certainty? Do you want predictability or the power to remove an incompetent government? \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "FactCheck.org considers Trumps claim that he inherited a broken CDC system to be 'misleading', and has given a long description of why they  made that ruling.  It effectively boils down to the claim that the CDC was never intended to be the sole producer of tests.  Instead they claim that the CDC was always intended to work with third parties and private sector to support the production of tests and other resources if a pandemic happened, and that the delays with testing was due to the CDC not allowing private sector agencies to build tests originally.\n\nIf it's true that the intent of the CDC was to support/regulate private sector test development, and that the CDC failed to do that, then the next question is why didn't it?  Why did the CDC not immediately open up production of tests to the private sector and support and vet those tests as factcheck.org claims was the original design intent?\n\nIs there a specific individual or group of individuals who had the ability to decide to open up testing to private sector and failed to do it?  Was Trump or the white house in any way responsible for this decision to not open up testing to the private sector?\n", "qas": [{"question": "FactCheck.org considers Trumps claim that he inherited a broken CDC system to be 'misleading', and has given a long description of why they  made that ruling.  It effectively boils down to the claim that the CDC was never intended to be the sole producer of tests.  Instead they claim that the CDC was always intended to work with third parties and private sector to support the production of tests and other resources if a pandemic happened, and that the delays with testing was due to the CDC not allowing private sector agencies to build tests originally.\n\nIf it's true that the intent of the CDC was to support/regulate private sector test development, and that the CDC failed to do that, then the next question is why didn't it?  Why did the CDC not immediately open up production of tests to the private sector and support and vet those tests as factcheck.org claims was the original design intent?\n\nIs there a specific individual or group of individuals who had the ability to decide to open up testing to private sector and failed to do it?  Was Trump or the white house in any way responsible for this decision to not open up testing to the private sector?\n", "id": "508", "answers": [{"text": "Shorter answer: The Departments of the CDC, FDA, and HHS all are under the direction and guidance of the Trump administration. Failures of any one of these departments is the direct responsibility of the President. Parsing which department is most responsible for failure to immediately mobilize and deploy mass testing, while interesting, is an exercise in searching for a scapegoat.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "There are two plausible explanations, the first being that they didn't want to contribute to further splitting the Remain-voting bloc, and the other being that they couldn't find a candidate in time.\n\nTo provide context to the situation alluded to in the question; originally the main Remain-supporting parties, the Greens, the Lib Dems, Renew, and Change UK had all planned to stand down their individual candidates and back an independent, pro-Remain candidate. This was decided on Tuesday the 7th of May, two days before the deadline to register candidates, to be Femi Oluwole. \n\nAfter wrestling with the decision on whether or not to stand for two days, Oluwole eventually decided not to run on the morning of the deadline. The reasons he gave for his refusal were fear of splitting the remain vote, handing victory to the Brexit party, lack of local ties to the area, inability to dedicate enough resources to the by-election while also working on the European elections, and ethical reasons related to his involvement in the Our Future Our Choice campaign which he co-founded. Oluwole threw his support behind the Labour candidate, who had not been involved with the talks to run a unity candidate, and indeed, as the link in the OP says, \"made it clear that they would strenuously disrupt the campaign and obstruct an independent candidate\".\n\nFaced with less than 24 hours to choose candidates to run before the May 9th deadline, it seems that Change UK either failed to find a candidate willing to stand for the party, or decided that running another pro-Remain candidate would help hand victory to the Brexit party by taking votes from the Labour candidate. Given that the candidate that they ended up supporting in the by-election, Renew's Peter Ward, eventually won just 45 votes, it seems likely that the party had found that their level of local support was negligible, and therefore that running a candidate would be wasteful, given the upcoming European elections. It is also possible, given that in April, Renew announced that they would support Change UK in the European elections, that there was some sort of private deal between the parties to trade support and pool resources.\n\nIn conclusion, then, it seems that while there is a lack of clarity surrounding this decision, and certainly no official explanation of their decision-making process besides wanting to avoid splitting the vote, by reading between the lines somewhat we can identify most of the factors that will most likely have influenced the decision.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Everyone agrees that COVID-19 did not originate in India and came from international travellers. Why didn't India ban incoming flights in early Feb 2020 till the virus problem is over ? Is there any international travel rule which prohibits a country from refusing entry to its own citizens?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Everyone agrees that COVID-19 did not originate in India and came from international travellers. Why didn't India ban incoming flights in early Feb 2020 till the virus problem is over ? Is there any international travel rule which prohibits a country from refusing entry to its own citizens?\n", "id": "513", "answers": [{"text": "\n  Is there any international travel rule which prohibits a country from refusing entry to its own citizens?\n\n\nYes.\n\n\n  The Right of return  is a principle in international law which guarantees everyone's right of voluntary return to or re-enter their country of origin or of citizenship. \n  \n  The right is formulated in several modern treaties and conventions, most notably in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the 1966 International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the 1948 Fourth Geneva Convention. The Geneva Conventions, it has been argued, have passed into customary international law and that the right of return is binding on non-signatories to the conventions\n\n\n\n\nThe 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights says\n\n\n  Article 13.\n  \n  (1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.\n  (2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The United States (US) only has two parties because of the way that presidential elections work.  In general, plurality voting systems lead to two parties.  You can read more about why at Duverger's law.  The basic idea is that plurality voting forces voters to choose which governing coalition should win the district before voting and the presidency is basically a national district.  \n\nIn other systems, voters have more ability to choose parties that represent them better.  In the US, they have to vote for atypical members of their parties, e.g. Blue Dog Democrats or Main Street Republicans.  In many other systems, those would be different parties.  The Congressional Black Caucus and Tea Party might also have been separate parties in other countries.  \n\nThe United Kingdom (UK) can have more than two parties because it is a parliamentary system (although still with plurality voting).  So while each district only has one or two serious parties, different districts can have different pairs.  Because the country as a whole has multiple parties, it is easier for the pairs to change in a district.  This helps avoid the stabilization into a two party system.  Note that it is still dominated by two parties.  Either Labour or the Tories are always in the governing coalition and have been since the demise of the Liberal party.  \n\nIn the last general election, the Tories used the promise of a referendum to keep the party from splitting into pro-Brexit and anti-Brexit factions.  One can view the pro-Brexit faction as having some similarity to the Tea Party movement in the US.  The Scottish National Party has some similarities to the Congressional Black Caucus.  It votes almost exclusively with Labour (vs. the Tories), but in the UK, it is a separate party rather than a Labour faction.  \n\nSince 1996, New Zealand has had a form of proportional representation.  Proportional representation encourages multiple parties as it is easier for small parties to get enough votes for representation.  People can choose a party that represents almost all of their beliefs.  The parties then choose a governing coalition that makes reasonable compromises.  Parties that don't support enough of the governing coalition's agenda join the opposition instead.  \n\nNew Zealand is not the only country with proportional representation.  It's actually rather common.  And in general, those countries have multiple parties in both the governing coalition and the opposition.  \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I have Trek Marlin 5, Today I broke rear hub axle. unfortunately, shops are closed nearby, because of COVID-19, I only have solid hub axle.\nIs it okay to use solid axle instead of quick release?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I have Trek Marlin 5, Today I broke rear hub axle. unfortunately, shops are closed nearby, because of COVID-19, I only have solid hub axle.\nIs it okay to use solid axle instead of quick release?\n", "id": "520", "answers": [{"text": "Yes, QR axles can be replaced at will with solid axles for all standard axle hubs. (Standard axle means a hub that can accept a generic third party axle. Many hubs are not.)\n\nBe mindful that the common toothed type axle nuts are good at tearing up aluminum and carbon frames. Use washers and grease the threads.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The actual differences would be known only to people who have been involved in product development or sales, and they would likely be under a NDA. So, let's speculate.\n\n\nWeight: Both are very heavy tires, but Michelin is still heavier and Marathon Plus is known to have \"good enough\" puncture protection.\nConstruction quality: The only known fact about construction is that Protek Max has lower thread density than Marathon Plus (22 vs 67). Higher thread density usually means lower rolling resistance and smoother ride but is more expensive to produce.\nReputation: Marathon Plus is known to be durable and to have surprisingly low rolling resistance for that kind of puncture protection. Nobody knows about Michelin yet.\n\n\nAll together, Michelin has to compete with price if they want to sell at all.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am an international student, supposed to start graduate studies this Fall in Hong Kong, mid August onwards. With the ongoing 2019 novel-CoV (Corona Virus) crisis in Hong Kong, I am getting concerned about what will happen. I have stopped applying to graduate schools since I already got my first priority offer from Hong Kong in early January. \n\nI realize it might be petty in light of the current events in China and the SARs to talk about my graduate studies options when people are getting infected daily in the thousands, but are there any predictions as to whether the Virus will be contained soon? Should I start looking for backups?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am an international student, supposed to start graduate studies this Fall in Hong Kong, mid August onwards. With the ongoing 2019 novel-CoV (Corona Virus) crisis in Hong Kong, I am getting concerned about what will happen. I have stopped applying to graduate schools since I already got my first priority offer from Hong Kong in early January. \n\nI realize it might be petty in light of the current events in China and the SARs to talk about my graduate studies options when people are getting infected daily in the thousands, but are there any predictions as to whether the Virus will be contained soon? Should I start looking for backups?\n", "id": "529", "answers": [{"text": "Even the most cautious models right now models the virus to be contained towards the end of May.\n\nGive that you then have a few more months until August I would say this is not so much of a worry for you if you are a normal middle age person with no prior heart or respiratory conditions and even so in August the risk should be minimal.\n\nI am currently in the middle of it all in Mainland China, and with common sense and hygiene I am not at all worried about this virus.\n\nFollow the recommendations, do not spend in needed time in public places etc and things are totally fine.\n\nSo keep up to date with the news but for August timeframes I would not worry to much.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Canada does not have a six-month passport validity requirement, as some countries do.  The US waives its six-month requirement for most countries, and it does not in any event apply to US citizens or permanent residents, nor even to certain classes of nonimmigrants living in the US.\n\nYou are therefore unlikely to have a problem related to the expiration of your passport.\n\nWith regard to Canada, I quote from my answer to a similar question:\n\n\n  I have no reference for this except to say that the six-month requirement is to be found nowhere at any of the following pages:\n  \n  \n  https://travel.gc.ca/returning/travelling-to-canada.\n  https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/ivc-rnc-eng.html\n  https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/td-dv-eng.html\n  \n\n\nIf you are a nonimmigrant in the US, please leave a comment noting your status and I'll expand the answer accordingly.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am from Bangladesh. I recently applied for a non-immigrant type visa for entering Thailand for WordCamp Asia 2020 event. However, the event was cancelled recently for coronavirus outbreak.\n\nSince my air ticket is non-refundable and hotel refund cost etc are too much, I thought why not to go there still and spend a week over there.\n\nHowever, I am confused for the immigration procedure since I have got a non-immigrant visa under ED category, so I may not be allowed to travel after the event was cancelled.\n\nSo, do any one of you have similar experience and suggest me anything on this?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am from Bangladesh. I recently applied for a non-immigrant type visa for entering Thailand for WordCamp Asia 2020 event. However, the event was cancelled recently for coronavirus outbreak.\n\nSince my air ticket is non-refundable and hotel refund cost etc are too much, I thought why not to go there still and spend a week over there.\n\nHowever, I am confused for the immigration procedure since I have got a non-immigrant visa under ED category, so I may not be allowed to travel after the event was cancelled.\n\nSo, do any one of you have similar experience and suggest me anything on this?\n", "id": "530", "answers": [{"text": "you may travel on non-ed visa already issued.\n\nIf the [non-ed] visa itself is already issued in the passport, you will enter as normal and get 89 days + day of arrival permission to stay. Make sure to have 20k THB equivalent in cash or traveler's cheques just in case immigration asks for proof of ability to support oneself. \n\nEnjoy your holiday. \n\nRelated: Will you be able to extend your permission to stay at a local immigration office??  Unlikely as you wouldnt have a school/event/etc.  to give you a reason to extend. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I think you should be fine. Since your visa is for the Schengen area it will only matter that you leave the Schengen area until feb 2nd. Then when you arrive in UK if your passport has a visa free policy you'll go through the immigration and get a stamp that allows you to enter as a tourist.\n\nyou may check their official website to check it out https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am going to Japan from Western Europe in March (by plane). I have a stop in Shanghai (~2h. long so I'll stay in airport). Due to the Coronavirus related protective measures, will I be quarantined when arriving to Japan?\n\nUPDATE - 02-03-2020\n\nI was able to reschedule my flights for later with no charge, so I chose another company and have direct flights now.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am going to Japan from Western Europe in March (by plane). I have a stop in Shanghai (~2h. long so I'll stay in airport). Due to the Coronavirus related protective measures, will I be quarantined when arriving to Japan?\n\nUPDATE - 02-03-2020\n\nI was able to reschedule my flights for later with no charge, so I chose another company and have direct flights now.\n", "id": "531", "answers": [{"text": "No, you will not. Japan has banned entry of all foreigners who have travelled to Zhejiang and Hubei provinces within 14 days of travelling to Japan, but Shanghai, a provincial-level city, does not belong to either. You are (so far) safe.\n\nIt is, nevertheless, highly possible that Japan will soon extend this travel ban to the entirety of China. Keep updated. As a comment suggests, you are encouraged to keep an eye on the Timatic news feed, as well as the news.\n\nNote: Take care of where is your next destination (transit or otherwise). For example, if it is Singapore and its within 14 days, Singapore will deny you transit or entry for the 2 hour you spent in China.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Most European airports have extensive shopping areas immediately after security.  Not announcing gate assignments gets travellers to stay in the shopping area rather than going to their gate.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Some news reports suggested Czech Republic stopped issuing visa to Chinese citizens/nationals and closed visa centres in China after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.\n\nThe latter is of course understandable. But are all Chinese nationals, regardless of travel history/place of residence, affected by this?\n\n\nhttps://news.expats.cz/weekly-czech-news/the-czech-republic-has-stopped-issuing-visas-to-chinese-citizens-over-coronavirus-fears/\nhttps://www.radio.cz/en/section/news/coronavirus-czechs-suspend-visas-for-chinese-citizens-flight-ban-considered\n\n", "qas": [{"question": "Some news reports suggested Czech Republic stopped issuing visa to Chinese citizens/nationals and closed visa centres in China after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.\n\nThe latter is of course understandable. But are all Chinese nationals, regardless of travel history/place of residence, affected by this?\n\n\nhttps://news.expats.cz/weekly-czech-news/the-czech-republic-has-stopped-issuing-visas-to-chinese-citizens-over-coronavirus-fears/\nhttps://www.radio.cz/en/section/news/coronavirus-czechs-suspend-visas-for-chinese-citizens-flight-ban-considered\n\n", "id": "538", "answers": [{"text": "From what I can find of official information, the Czech Republic has suspended the processing of visa applications and issuance of visa at the embassy in Beijing and the consulates in China (Shanghai, Chengdu) and Hong Kong. It is worth to notice that this restriction affects also non-chinese residents of China, who are now also not able to apply for a visa.\n\nSome media have indeed reported that the visa ban applies to all Chinese citizens, but there is no official information supporting that and I believe these reports to be mistakes. It seems very well possible for Chinese citizens who are resident outside China to get a Czech visa from the consulates at their place of residence and there seem to be no ban for residents of China to enter the Czech Republic if they are already in posession of a visa.\n\nUnless the Czech Republic is the main destination in the Schengen area, it should also still be possible for Chinese residents to obtain a Schengen visa from other consulates and then use that visa for travel to the Czech Republic. It will probably have little impact on actual travel patterns for a single Schengen country to impose restrictions as have been done here.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "As a visitor to the US, even as a US citizen, I believe your exemption is $100, not $800.  But questions about how you should be classified based on your residence abroad belong more on Expatriates than here.  The actual questions you've asked here, however, do not appear to me to be off topic:\n\n\n  How should I document my things, both used (personal effects) belonging to my wife and myself, and our new things to meet CBP requirements?\n\n\nMake an itemized list of everything that will be remaining in the US, along with its value.  Bring that with you when you travel, and present it with your customs declaration at the passport control desk.  Don't use an automated passport control kiosk if you can avoid it.\n\nThe way it's supposed to work is that you tell them about everything that's remaining in the US, and they tell you whether you have to pay duty.\n\n\n  will CBP allow [my wife's] wedding clothes to still be considered my personal effects if she\u2019s not there?\n\n\nI think not.  The definition of personal effects includes the phrase \"articles intended and appropriate for the personal use of the nonresident while traveling.\"\n\n\n  Should I carry some evidence of our marriage?\n\n\nIt shouldn't be necessary.  It's seriously unlikely that a customs officer would challenge your ownership of the dress.  But it's possible, of course, and evidence of your marriage can't hurt.  A copy of your marriage certificate would surely be sufficient.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "What would be the situation for a visitor should they contract Covid-19 and require hospitalisation whilst in the US?\n\n\nWould it be classed as an emergency or secondary care? Does the US provide emergency care free of charge?\nDo charges vary e.g. by state or hospital?\n\n\nMy question was prompted by this one Is it safe for an ESTA waiver visitor to return to Japan until the corona virus has been contained?, which made me wonder about the financial risks of extending a visit, given that many travel insurance policies limit the length of each trip. For example, I have an annual travel policy but cover is limited to 45 days. It also excludes any epidemic or pandemic.\n", "qas": [{"question": "What would be the situation for a visitor should they contract Covid-19 and require hospitalisation whilst in the US?\n\n\nWould it be classed as an emergency or secondary care? Does the US provide emergency care free of charge?\nDo charges vary e.g. by state or hospital?\n\n\nMy question was prompted by this one Is it safe for an ESTA waiver visitor to return to Japan until the corona virus has been contained?, which made me wonder about the financial risks of extending a visit, given that many travel insurance policies limit the length of each trip. For example, I have an annual travel policy but cover is limited to 45 days. It also excludes any epidemic or pandemic.\n", "id": "543", "answers": [{"text": "Answering my own question:\n\n\nAs stated in a comment by @DJClayworth, the US does not provide emergency care free of charge. Charges do vary between hospitals, and US healthcare is the most expensive in the world.\nVisitors contemplating extending their stay in the US because of worries about the extent of the epidemic in their country of residence should check that they have adequate insurance for the entire length of stay, starting from the date they arrived in the US.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "A second citizenship does not prevent you from being drafted in Russia unless you've already served in the UK military.\n\nThere are, however, multiple other exemptions, such as:\n\n\nBeing younger than 18 or older than 27.\nBeing physically or psychologically unfit for the military service.\nHaving a PhD or another postgraduate degree.\n\n\nIf you're uncertain you're exempt and want to avoid the service, I strongly suggest consulting a lawyer specializing in military draft before your visit and avoid visiting Russia during the draft period (April 1 through July 15 and October 1 through December 31).\n\nReferences: rg.ru, pravoved.ru.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Do you know any website(s) where I could check how many COVID-19 cases Italy had 10 days ago?\n\nLet me explain: We are travelling to the Dominican Republic at the end of this month with transfer in Germany (Frankfurt). At the start of this week, my country (Slovakia) banned all flights to and from Italy.\n\nSo I would like to check how many cases were there in Italy about 10 days ago, to maybe predict the future cases in Germany (possibility that all flights to Germany will be banned too). At this moment, our travel agency doesn't want to cancel our trip, and neither do we, because we would lose 80% of our money.\n", "qas": [{"question": "Do you know any website(s) where I could check how many COVID-19 cases Italy had 10 days ago?\n\nLet me explain: We are travelling to the Dominican Republic at the end of this month with transfer in Germany (Frankfurt). At the start of this week, my country (Slovakia) banned all flights to and from Italy.\n\nSo I would like to check how many cases were there in Italy about 10 days ago, to maybe predict the future cases in Germany (possibility that all flights to Germany will be banned too). At this moment, our travel agency doesn't want to cancel our trip, and neither do we, because we would lose 80% of our money.\n", "id": "546", "answers": [{"text": "You can check it at Worldometers.info. There is plenty of info for each country in there.\n\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "\n  However, I would like to know if I can travel to places like Europe.\n\n\nYou should have no problem traveling to Europe on your unexpired valid passport after acquiring a visa (if required of Korean citizens), provided it has not been revoked by the South Korean government, which is unlikely\n\n\n  Is it possible for me to get a European visa (as a Korean and a US\n  permanent resident) in any other means?\n\n\nYes, see above. You do not have to go to Korea to apply for a visa to European countries.\nFinally, long term travel/migration and applying for work permits etc is beyond the scope of this part of stack exchange. You can check expatriates.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I shall be traveling to the US from India on 10th June this year for an internship, accompanied by my family. I booked a round-trip Delta flight recently; it has a ~2 hr layover at Paris Charles de Gaulle. I'm deliberating on whether to cancel my tickets and choose some other route. Currently, there seem to 334 COVID-19 cases in \u00cele-de-France (source: Wikipedia) but that does not appear to be a considerable percentage considering the ~12 million population in the region. \n\nI'm looking for some advice here, preferably from someone who has visited Charles de Gaulle recently or is well aware of the situation there. Obviously no one can accurately predict what the situation will be in June, but perhaps one can extrapolate a few things from the current scenario.  \n", "qas": [{"question": "I shall be traveling to the US from India on 10th June this year for an internship, accompanied by my family. I booked a round-trip Delta flight recently; it has a ~2 hr layover at Paris Charles de Gaulle. I'm deliberating on whether to cancel my tickets and choose some other route. Currently, there seem to 334 COVID-19 cases in \u00cele-de-France (source: Wikipedia) but that does not appear to be a considerable percentage considering the ~12 million population in the region. \n\nI'm looking for some advice here, preferably from someone who has visited Charles de Gaulle recently or is well aware of the situation there. Obviously no one can accurately predict what the situation will be in June, but perhaps one can extrapolate a few things from the current scenario.  \n", "id": "547", "answers": [{"text": "At the moment, assuming you are not a US citizen or permanent resident, or in a fairly small set of other aliens, you cannot enter the US within 14 days of being physically present in the Schengen area.  If that restriction is still in place on June 10th, you will have to cancel or re-route your flight.\n\nBut who knows: in three months' time, maybe the Schengen area restrictions will be lifted. \n Maybe India will have millions of infections and be added to the restricted list.  It's impossible to say.\n\nIf I were you, I'd just keep my plans in place and adjust them as necessary closer to the actual trip, based on the public health measures in place at the time.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You will need to verify when you check-in at the counter. \n\nAccording to this question in the Etihad airlines Baggage Allowance policy question section, for the US:\n\n\n  I have a connecting flight. Will my checked-in bags go to my final destination?\n  \n  Not always. You may need to pick up your bag and check it in again,\n  depending on the route and country you are travelling through. Your\n  agent can confirm when you check in at the airport.\n\n\nGenerally, your bags should make it to the destination you've paid for, but double check that Abu Dhabi airport security will not require a re-check of your bags. It should be fine since you are booked all the way through on one ticket, but some airports have different rules and regulations. Etihad suggests you ask during check-in.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "USA banned all flights from EU. My BF already flew Athens-Zurich-Miami, and he returns at the end of March (within the 30 days Corona virus ban), again via Zurich.\n\nIs he is going to be affected by USA's ban, with the data we have as of 12 of March?\n", "qas": [{"question": "USA banned all flights from EU. My BF already flew Athens-Zurich-Miami, and he returns at the end of March (within the 30 days Corona virus ban), again via Zurich.\n\nIs he is going to be affected by USA's ban, with the data we have as of 12 of March?\n", "id": "549", "answers": [{"text": "Contrary to some statements, flights have not been banned. Only some (well, many) people are banned.\n\nAs there will be a huge drop in the number of people travelling on those flights, many flights will be cancelled, but at this stage there is no indication that they will stop altogether.\n\nAirlines are scrambling to try to adjust their schedules to the demand, to changing bans and regulations, you should monitor the status of the flights, as rebooking may be necessary.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Simple answer - you don't.  Unless you're blind, as that's who they are designed for.  And given that your question started with \"I see ...\" I'm going to presume that you are, indeed, not blind!\n\nTheir purpose is not to make the light turn green, but to allow a blind person to know when it has changed to green.\n\nFor the longer answer, refer to this blog post which will give you all the details you could ever want.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Can one travel from Metro Manila to somewhere else in Philippines outside Metro Manila via another country during the COVID-19 Metro Manila lockdown? Or is it against the Metro Manila lockdown rules and would lead to being refused entry?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Can one travel from Metro Manila to somewhere else in Philippines outside Metro Manila via another country during the COVID-19 Metro Manila lockdown? Or is it against the Metro Manila lockdown rules and would lead to being refused entry?\n", "id": "552", "answers": [{"text": "Technically possible, but in practice very difficult unless you're a citizen.\n\nWhile some international flights to/from the Philippines continue to operate, there have been massive capacity reductions, both to Manila and other destinations.\n\nMore importantly, the Philippines have also banned foreign visitors from countries with \"local coronavirus transmission\", an ill-defined group that is likely to cover virtually every larger country.  This doesn't apply to Philippine nationals and residents though: http://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/3/12/Philippines-expands-travel-ban-to-all-countries-with-local-COVID-19-transmission.html\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "To summarize:\n\n\nYou want to spend practically all of your savings on a trip to the UK\nYou plan to visit for 55 days and take 90 days off work, long periods of time that raise the question of how you'll support yourself after spending all your money on a trip\nYour bank statements show suspiciously unexplained transactions because you transfer money back and forth between your account and your cousin's\n\n\nNone of this is a recipe to be granted a visa right now. And if you're refused again, you'll start to develop a record of serial refusals that could hurt your case; you don't want to look desperate to get into the UK.\n\nI'd wait to reapply until you have your situation at home more in order. Read Should I submit bank statements when applying for a UK Visa? What do they say about me? and aim for stable finances that show a history of salary deposits and greater savings, without unusual transfers (or if you do have necessary transfers, with documentation to show where the money is coming from and why you're receiving it). Have a clear explanation for the amount of time you'll be away, an amount that makes sense in proportion to your economic circumstances. Build up sufficient savings so that you won't be emptying your bank account to afford the trip. At that point, you'll have a greater chance of success. \n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I made a non-refundable hotel room booking through hotels.com. The hotel has contacted me to inform me that they will not be open for business during my stay because of the Coronavirus. I know I made the booking under the title \"non-refundable\", but my understanding is that I am not entitled to a refund only if I am the one to cancel the booking. I assume that, given the fact that the cancellation is not being made at my end and instead my order is not being fulfilled, I am entitled to a refund under EU contract law.\n\nEdit: The hotel did not charge me for the booking. My card has been charged by hotels.com. If I cancel the booking through hotels.com's website it says I will not be refunded any money. \n", "qas": [{"question": "I made a non-refundable hotel room booking through hotels.com. The hotel has contacted me to inform me that they will not be open for business during my stay because of the Coronavirus. I know I made the booking under the title \"non-refundable\", but my understanding is that I am not entitled to a refund only if I am the one to cancel the booking. I assume that, given the fact that the cancellation is not being made at my end and instead my order is not being fulfilled, I am entitled to a refund under EU contract law.\n\nEdit: The hotel did not charge me for the booking. My card has been charged by hotels.com. If I cancel the booking through hotels.com's website it says I will not be refunded any money. \n", "id": "556", "answers": [{"text": "If hotel is cancelling, you will get refund. Since hotel said that they didn't charge, you have two things to do.\n\n\nContact booking site, hotels.com and explain the situation and ask them to reverse the charge.\nIf they are non responsive, contact the credit card provider and say that you are disputing the charge, as you didn't get the service. Mention that you didn't initiate the cancellation.\n\n\nYou will get your money back by then.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "My understanding is that as these are two separate flights, you will need to go through immigration to claim your bags and check back in.\n\nAs your final destination is Greece, I assume you have a valid Schengen visa. If that is the case you can apply for a Turkish e-visa. \n\n\n  India: Diplomatic passport holders are exempt from visa for their\n  travels to Turkey up to 90 days. Ordinary, Special and Service\n  passport holders are required to have visa to enter Turkey. Ordinary,\n  Special and Service passport holders with a valid Schengen members or\n  USA, UK, Ireland visa or residence permit may get their single entry\n  e-Visas valid for one month via the website www.evisa.gov.tr, provided\n  that they meet certain conditions.\n\n\nThat said, the Turkish MFA website does recommend applying for an e-visa at least 48 hours before departure.\n\n\n  You can apply for your e-Visa any time before your travel. However,\n  you are advised to create an e-Visa application at least 48 hours\n  before your departure.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I had a flight ticket from Madrid (MAD, Spain) to Miami (MIA, US) to fly in March with AirEuropa. I got an email saying the flight was cancelled 13 days and 21 hours before the flight. Am I eligible to get a cash refund? Am I entitled to further compensation?\n\nThe flight was cancelled the day after Donald Trump forbade the entrance of non-residents to the US because of COVID-19.\n\nThe answer from an AirEuropa agent is no, I am not. They offer a voucher that has to be spent within 2020, which IMO is very limited.\n\nAs I understand the EU rules, I can choose to get a refund unless the carrier can prove the cancellation was because of extraordinary circumstances. I guess COVID-19 is extraordinary, but Trump did not forbid flights to the US, but the entrance of some people, so AirEuropa could have flown that day.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I had a flight ticket from Madrid (MAD, Spain) to Miami (MIA, US) to fly in March with AirEuropa. I got an email saying the flight was cancelled 13 days and 21 hours before the flight. Am I eligible to get a cash refund? Am I entitled to further compensation?\n\nThe flight was cancelled the day after Donald Trump forbade the entrance of non-residents to the US because of COVID-19.\n\nThe answer from an AirEuropa agent is no, I am not. They offer a voucher that has to be spent within 2020, which IMO is very limited.\n\nAs I understand the EU rules, I can choose to get a refund unless the carrier can prove the cancellation was because of extraordinary circumstances. I guess COVID-19 is extraordinary, but Trump did not forbid flights to the US, but the entrance of some people, so AirEuropa could have flown that day.\n", "id": "557", "answers": [{"text": "Under EU rules you always get a refund. The extraordinary circumstances only mean that they don't have to pay any additional compensation. So far for the legal side.\n\nTheir homepage does only offer vouchers, though. The reason is likely that they want to hold on to the cash - espececially since they are not selling any new tickets right now.\n\nScenario one is that they do it because they aren't customer-friendly and they assume that only a fraction of the passengers will fight for their money. Scenario two is that they don't have the money to refund everyone and don't want to go bust.\n\nMy guess is that they are likely to fight any claim for monetary refunds. Basically your options are to take the voucher (hoping they will still be around when you want to use it), or to fight for a refund. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I'm afraid that, because you booked your Air Italy and Ryanair flights separately, your connections are not the airline's concern.\n\nAir Italy is obliged to offer you a choice between alternative transport to your destination (which does not have to be on the same days etc) or a full refund.  That's it.  You can try to negotiate for better flights than the ones they're offering you, maybe even an alternative connection straight to Athens, but at the end of the day you can't force them.   You are not entitled to any compensation.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "If I travel from the UK to France at the moment (20/03/2020) I need to provide proof that I am on an 'authorized outing', as per the regulations here:\n\nhttps://www.gouvernement.fr/en/coronavirus-covid-19\n\nI have booked a Eurostar train from London to Brussels; the route, of course, goes through France for a short period. Eurostar have texted and emailed me to say that these restrictions hold, but it's unclear whether these rules apply only to their trains to France. Do I still need a certificate to comply with the French government's rules even if I am going directly to Belgium?\n", "qas": [{"question": "If I travel from the UK to France at the moment (20/03/2020) I need to provide proof that I am on an 'authorized outing', as per the regulations here:\n\nhttps://www.gouvernement.fr/en/coronavirus-covid-19\n\nI have booked a Eurostar train from London to Brussels; the route, of course, goes through France for a short period. Eurostar have texted and emailed me to say that these restrictions hold, but it's unclear whether these rules apply only to their trains to France. Do I still need a certificate to comply with the French government's rules even if I am going directly to Belgium?\n", "id": "560", "answers": [{"text": "According to the UK Foreign office travel advice website\nhttps://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france\n\n\n  UK nationals can enter France if they have completed the necessary\n  \u201cattestation\u201d (see above) confirming that their travel is an\n  absolutely necessary journey.\n\n\nTherefore, it seems that although you are just passing through France, because you are entering French territory then you must still comply with these restrictions.\n\nIt may be best to contact Eurostar and talk to them directly to find out more details for your situation and how they could help.\n\nEdit:  As of 15:00 on Friday 20th March Belgium has also closed its borders for non-essential travel.\n\nSource:  https://www.politico.eu/article/belgium-closes-borders-for-non-essential-travel/\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You can only transfer ticket to your close relatives. For friends, its not applicable.\n\nhttps://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/Now-you-can-transfer-your-train-ticket-to-your-loved-ones/articleshow/7845239.cms\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Air France states that for COVID-19 related cancellations:\n\n\n  \"... or complete the online form below to obtain a travel voucher. This voucher is valid for 1 year on all Air France, KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic flights. This voucher will be refundable after one year if it is not used.\"\n\n\nSource\n\nThat seems like a ploy to circumvent EU261 regulations which I believe require a full refund in cases of cancellations. Air France is offering sort of a refund but with one year delay built in. \n\nBackground: we have an US<->India ticket booked on Expedia with an Air France ticket. We obviously can't fly this and some legs have already been cancelled anyway. We like a full refund, not airline credit.\n\nQuestion: What's the best strategy to approach this? We shouldn't really call Expedia until 72-hours before departure, Air France says \"call your travel agent\" and I'm worried that Expedia will simply say \"airline is offering credit: take it or leave it. EU261 is not our problem\". Does anyone have some experience with Air France cancellations recently?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Air France states that for COVID-19 related cancellations:\n\n\n  \"... or complete the online form below to obtain a travel voucher. This voucher is valid for 1 year on all Air France, KLM, Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic flights. This voucher will be refundable after one year if it is not used.\"\n\n\nSource\n\nThat seems like a ploy to circumvent EU261 regulations which I believe require a full refund in cases of cancellations. Air France is offering sort of a refund but with one year delay built in. \n\nBackground: we have an US<->India ticket booked on Expedia with an Air France ticket. We obviously can't fly this and some legs have already been cancelled anyway. We like a full refund, not airline credit.\n\nQuestion: What's the best strategy to approach this? We shouldn't really call Expedia until 72-hours before departure, Air France says \"call your travel agent\" and I'm worried that Expedia will simply say \"airline is offering credit: take it or leave it. EU261 is not our problem\". Does anyone have some experience with Air France cancellations recently?\n", "id": "568", "answers": [{"text": "I would say that at least Air France is being fairly up front in light of the (probable) fact that their cash flow does not suffice for the refunds that they are obliged to provide.  If they hadn't come up with this voucher policy and instead decided to acknowledge their obligations up front, they would probably nonetheless drag their feet a year or more before actually giving you the money.\n\nThat said, the regulation does in fact specify reimbursement within seven days.  So you could pursue them if you want to.  Short of hiring a lawyer, the regulation provides that you can seek enforcement through the national enforcement body designated under Article 16(1).  A list of such bodies is found on the website of the European Commission.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Today I see only one way out of this situation - chargeback.\nBecause KLM / Air France is now refusing everyone to refund.\nNotwithstanding the clarification of the European Commission, where it is said that they should to refund.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I'm an American Jew, and my American college roommate is an expat who has been living in Qatar for the last few years. He is Catholic. I told him I want to visit him but he has repeatedly warned me that as a Jewish person this might be a risky move for me, due to his perception of Qatar's opinion of Jewish people.\n\n\nIs there any truth to what he is saying? \nIf so, is there anything I\ncan do to still ensure a safe trip?\n\n", "qas": [{"question": "I'm an American Jew, and my American college roommate is an expat who has been living in Qatar for the last few years. He is Catholic. I told him I want to visit him but he has repeatedly warned me that as a Jewish person this might be a risky move for me, due to his perception of Qatar's opinion of Jewish people.\n\n\nIs there any truth to what he is saying? \nIf so, is there anything I\ncan do to still ensure a safe trip?\n\n", "id": "573", "answers": [{"text": "No, there is virtually no risk to visiting Qatar as a Jew, nobody even needs to know you're one since US citizens can visit without a visa and your religion is never asked.  You may draw some attention if dressed in full-on Hasidic clothing though.\n\nThat said, for time being this is a moot point, since Qatar has banned all non-citizens from entering until the coronavirus crisis calms down.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "There are two options\n1-Do not go, in theory they cannot detain on the basis of religion  and since you may go as a US citizen and you need no visa for Qatar, you may THEORETICALLY face no problems, but in practice, as soon as they know you're Jewish, they'll be gaming you as you wish.\n2-Pretend to be a non-Jew, lie if they go to the unlikely extent of asking your religion.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I have been searching for an answer to this but have not been able to get a definite answer. I am a Canadian citizen and will be flying from a foreign destination to Toronto and then have a domestic flight from Toronto to Vancouver. How would mandatory self-isolation of 14 days work in this case (self-isolate at Toronto or at Vancouver)? What other guidelines should I be aware of and what type of questions should I ask my airline? Any suggestion would be helpful because at this point I can't find any answer specific to this situation (foreign-YYZ-YVR).\n\nThank you\n", "qas": [{"question": "I have been searching for an answer to this but have not been able to get a definite answer. I am a Canadian citizen and will be flying from a foreign destination to Toronto and then have a domestic flight from Toronto to Vancouver. How would mandatory self-isolation of 14 days work in this case (self-isolate at Toronto or at Vancouver)? What other guidelines should I be aware of and what type of questions should I ask my airline? Any suggestion would be helpful because at this point I can't find any answer specific to this situation (foreign-YYZ-YVR).\n\nThank you\n", "id": "576", "answers": [{"text": "If you are symptom-free, you are required to self-isolate on arrival at your final destination.\n\nSource: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/latest-travel-health-advice.html#domestic\n\nAs of March 30, 2020, all passengers flying in Canada will be subject to a health check prior to boarding. You will not be permitted to board if you: \n\n\nshow any symptoms of COVID-19 or\nhave been refused boarding in the past 14 days due to a medical reason related to COVID-19 or\nare subject to a provincial or local public health order\n\n\nThis also applies to travellers arriving from outside Canada.\n\nIf you are arriving from outside Canada and are deemed safe to fly, you may board a connecting flight to your destination. However, upon arrival at your final destination, you must go directly to the place where you will isolate, and remain there for 14 days. This is because you are still at risk of developing symptoms and infecting others.\n\nYou may be subject to additional provincial or territorial public health measures at your final destination.\n\nIf you have symptoms of COVID-19, you will not be allowed to board any flight until:\n\n\n14 days have passed, or\nyou present a medical certificate confirming that your symptoms are not related to COVID-19\n\n\nIf you have signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19, you will not be allowed to use public transportation to travel to the place where you will isolate.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The I-571 Refugee Travel Document is perfectly sufficient for re-entering the US. You should have no trouble with it unless you do something that makes the US question your status as an asylee... such as using the passport of the country you claimed asylum from.\n\nIt is a very, very bad idea to continue to use that passport in a way that the US might find out about it. If the US learns you are still using it, your asylee status could be revoked. This also means it's a very bad idea to have the Mexican visa placed in it. The details of everyone's departure from the US by air is passed to the government by the airlines; this is how the US does not have exit immigration controls as most countries do. If your departure is recorded on the passport of the country you claimed asylum from, your status is at risk.\n\nYou should apply for the Mexican visa with your Refugee Travel Document instead. This is perfectly safe and you do not have to worry about entering Mexico or returning to the US.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am a British national with a British passport who has a contract to begin work in Germany in August ,and a partner (not married) who is a German national living there. I have a chance also to register my residency at her address with the local town \"council\".\nWith her meeting me at the airport, with proof of her address/passport, do you think I will be allowed to enter the country at the moment? I know there is a list of things you need to have and prove to enter, but will my list be enough? Apart from the brand new residency registration, I won't have anything else as a proof of address.\nThank you in advance for your help\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am a British national with a British passport who has a contract to begin work in Germany in August ,and a partner (not married) who is a German national living there. I have a chance also to register my residency at her address with the local town \"council\".\nWith her meeting me at the airport, with proof of her address/passport, do you think I will be allowed to enter the country at the moment? I know there is a list of things you need to have and prove to enter, but will my list be enough? Apart from the brand new residency registration, I won't have anything else as a proof of address.\nThank you in advance for your help\n", "id": "578", "answers": [{"text": "We do not know what will be the case in summer - the current regulations will be \"reviewed\", but it is unclear when they will be relaxed. \n\nFor the current regulation the federal police (Bundespolizei) has provided guidance. Valid reasons include:\n\n\nTo work in Germany\nTo reunite with family\n\n\nSo yes, you would potentially be allowed to enter. If you are not married to your partner, her picking you up will only help mildly, as they cannot easily check if you are family. You can, however, bring your work contract to prove that you have to start there on day X.\n\nNote that this is by no means legal advice, and the situation will likely change until the summer. Make sure you check the regulations before you leave, and try to confirm the rules from an official source.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You should get a European Driving license. In my locale (France), every new license emitted since 2013 is automatically a european license. If you have an old license, simply asking the relevant authorities in charge of license delivering for renewal entitles you for an upgrade to the european format.\n\nIf you don't have a license that follows this format, according to this source, the acceptation of your license is country dependant.\n\nEDIT: If you want to see the exact list of the countries participating in the EUropean Driving license, I invite you to read the article. According to this source, if you don't have such a license, you'll require an International Driving Permit delivered in your home country.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "On what grounds will a tourist be sent back from South Korea? Especially in the midst of the coronavirus 2019-nCoV? I\u2019ve returned to Indonesia from China at the end of December, and have not shown any symptoms ever since. I plan to travel to South Korea some time this month. Is there a slightest possibility of me being sent back to Indonesia from the South Korean airport even after having my visa approved by the Korean embassy? \n", "qas": [{"question": "On what grounds will a tourist be sent back from South Korea? Especially in the midst of the coronavirus 2019-nCoV? I\u2019ve returned to Indonesia from China at the end of December, and have not shown any symptoms ever since. I plan to travel to South Korea some time this month. Is there a slightest possibility of me being sent back to Indonesia from the South Korean airport even after having my visa approved by the Korean embassy? \n", "id": "583", "answers": [{"text": "Timatic, the database which airlines use to verify passenger travel documents, states:\n\n\n  \n  Passengers who have been in the Hubei Province (China\n  People's Rep.) in the past 14 days are not allowed to enter\n  Korea (Rep.).\n  \n\n\nThe end of December was more than 14 days ago, so you should be fine.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "She needs to present her passport.  It must be valid at least three months after she intends to leave, and it must have been issued within the previous 10 years before she arrives (Schengen Borders Code Article 6(1)(a)).\n\nBorder guards could ask her to show evidence justifying her purpose of travel and means of support (see Art. 6(1)(c)), but it isn't generally a good idea to offer these things without being asked.\n\nExamples of the kinds of documents they could ask her for are in Annex I of the code; one example is \n\n\n  (c) for journeys undertaken for the purposes of tourism or for private reasons:\n  (i) supporting documents as regards lodging:\n  \u2014 an invitation from the host if staying with one;\n  ...\n\n\nRather than carrying a formal letter from you, she could probably just print an e-mail message in which you discuss your plans; the chance that she'll actually need this is pretty small.  You should be on hand to receive a phone call while she is in Madrid in case they want to corroborate her story.  But most likely they'll just scan and stamp her passport and send her on to her next flight.\n\nGermany does have a document called a Verpflichtungserkl\u00e4rung, in which a sponsor undertakes formal responsibility for a visitor's financial support, but this seems to be required only for visa applicants, and even then only for some visa applicants, so it does not apply.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "My mother is coming from Tehran to Chicago (layover at Istanbul) via Turkish Airlines in mid-April. I saw on the news that Turkey is closing its border with Iran due to Coronavirus.\n\nI called Turkish airline number and they said: \"there has been no cancellation now but it may change\". The representative was very vague.\n\nI am wondering does anyone knows about the situation, I am failing to get a straight answer from the airport officials and airline.\n", "qas": [{"question": "My mother is coming from Tehran to Chicago (layover at Istanbul) via Turkish Airlines in mid-April. I saw on the news that Turkey is closing its border with Iran due to Coronavirus.\n\nI called Turkish airline number and they said: \"there has been no cancellation now but it may change\". The representative was very vague.\n\nI am wondering does anyone knows about the situation, I am failing to get a straight answer from the airport officials and airline.\n", "id": "585", "answers": [{"text": "It is completely impossible to know what the situation will be mid-April. We may be in a global pandemic situation with all flights cancelled worldwide, or it may all have died down.\n\nWhat you can see is the current status of flights these days, on Flightaware for instance.\n\nYou'll see that at time of writing, it's a mixed bag:\n\n\nmany recent/upcoming flights have been cancelled\nmany recent/current flights are flying or have flown\nmany upcoming flights are still scheduled, but that can of course change at any time.\n\n\n\n\nIt looks like Turkish Airlines are the most susceptible to cancelling the flights altogether in this situation, but it's still pretty hard to tell (and things can change in the coming hours).\n\nRight now, it will be completely impossible for you to get a straight answer from anyone, simply because the answer does not exist. Nobody has a crystal ball, nobody knows what will happen in a month and a half.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Dutch person here!\n\nGenerally, on almost any IC (InterCity) or double train with multiple stops (about 7 or more) will have catering services. A guy/girl will speak on the intercom to announce and come by. Pay in cash or by debit card. \nNo bars/restaurants.\n\nThere is no timetable, but as said, almost any IC has this service.\nHope that helps!\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am planning to travel to Hanoi from Tokyo in the beginning of April for a couple of days. But news websites like this mention that travellers from Japan and South Korea will be quarantined on entry while some other websites say that travellers from both these countries have been barred to enter.\n\nIs there any official or government source where such information can be verified?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am planning to travel to Hanoi from Tokyo in the beginning of April for a couple of days. But news websites like this mention that travellers from Japan and South Korea will be quarantined on entry while some other websites say that travellers from both these countries have been barred to enter.\n\nIs there any official or government source where such information can be verified?\n", "id": "587", "answers": [{"text": "The Timatic news feed has a page dedicated to coronavirus restrictions. This information is provided by each national government to IATA so that airlines can verify passenger documents and eligibility to enter or transit any given country.\n\nCurrently for Vietnam the restrictions are:\n\n\n  VIET NAM - published 19.02.2020\n  \n  \n  Passengers who have been in or transited through China (People's Rep.) in the past 14 days are not allowed to enter Viet Nam. This does not apply to passengers who travel for diplomatic or official purpose.\n  \n  \n  This does not apply to nationals of Viet Nam.\n  This does not apply to passengers who reside in Viet Nam.\n  \n  Passengers who travel for diplomatic or official purpose will undergo a medical examination at the border before allowed to enter Viet Nam.\n  \n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I'll kick off with one:\n\nThe Flower Dome at Singapore's Gardens by the Bay is the largest greenhouse in the world as listed in the 2015 Guinness Book of World Records, clocking in at 195,000\u33a5 of space kept to 23-25°C all year around.  For comparison, ambient temperatures in Singapore hover around 30°C.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "My international conference in Europe this May has been canceled due to the COVID-19. I have a ticket, purchased from TAP air Portugal, from Toronto, Canada to Lisbon. Because it is a non-refundable fare, they don't want to give a refund.\n\nThey won't allow me to reschedule later than May 31 of this year. This won't be useful for me.\n\nWhat options do I have? I'd prefer to get a full refund.\n\n(I am a US citizen if it matters)\n\nNote: They offered to refund just the taxes, which is about 10% of the value. That's not horrible, but I'd rather have the whole thing returned.\n", "qas": [{"question": "My international conference in Europe this May has been canceled due to the COVID-19. I have a ticket, purchased from TAP air Portugal, from Toronto, Canada to Lisbon. Because it is a non-refundable fare, they don't want to give a refund.\n\nThey won't allow me to reschedule later than May 31 of this year. This won't be useful for me.\n\nWhat options do I have? I'd prefer to get a full refund.\n\n(I am a US citizen if it matters)\n\nNote: They offered to refund just the taxes, which is about 10% of the value. That's not horrible, but I'd rather have the whole thing returned.\n", "id": "591", "answers": [{"text": "Since you bought a non-refundable ticket, the airline does not have to refund you. Travel insurance could pay out if you have \u201cevent cancellation\u201d cover. However, since the the Canadian government does not advise against travelling to Portugal, it\u2019s unlikely that most generic policies will pay out.\n\nI would say that your best option is just to wait. It\u2019s possible that the flight could be cancelled either due to official travel advisories or reduced demand. In this case, you\u2019ll be eligible for a full refund.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You might try calling the Portugal Embassy and complain to them, the government still owns half of this airline.   I have an SFO to LIS flight in middle of May and hoping to be able to cancel or at least reschedule it.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I have a train travel booked through Germany, Switzerland and Italy.\nAll three legs of the travel are booked through bahn.de, and the Germany into Switzerland leg I can find back on the system of that site. I have asked a question and they will (or at least should) get back to me on that.\n\nThe other two legs, (one from Basel to Milan, the other from Milan to Naples,) are booked by bahn.de on Trenitalia, and the German site does not recognize the PNR number for the booking.\n\nIn most cases I would not bother to try to cancel/get a refund as they are super economy tickets which do not allow refunds, but with the health situation in Northern Italy, I want to try to get a partial or full refund, (just like I would get from the airlines if they have to cancel flight.)\n\nI hope someone is able to tell me how to ask for the (partial) refund or whether it is better to wait till almost the day of travel. The date on the ticket is 18th of March, 2020.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I have a train travel booked through Germany, Switzerland and Italy.\nAll three legs of the travel are booked through bahn.de, and the Germany into Switzerland leg I can find back on the system of that site. I have asked a question and they will (or at least should) get back to me on that.\n\nThe other two legs, (one from Basel to Milan, the other from Milan to Naples,) are booked by bahn.de on Trenitalia, and the German site does not recognize the PNR number for the booking.\n\nIn most cases I would not bother to try to cancel/get a refund as they are super economy tickets which do not allow refunds, but with the health situation in Northern Italy, I want to try to get a partial or full refund, (just like I would get from the airlines if they have to cancel flight.)\n\nI hope someone is able to tell me how to ask for the (partial) refund or whether it is better to wait till almost the day of travel. The date on the ticket is 18th of March, 2020.\n", "id": "592", "answers": [{"text": "Italian long distance train tickets work along a completely different system then German train tickets. Italian trains have passenger manifests. German trains don't.  That is why you cannot find any Italian PRNs in the German system. Deutsche Bahn does not use PNRs at all (as they do not care the slightest bit about who is on their trains...)\nYou could try if you can find your PNRs on the Trenitalia website. But I do not know if you could cancel your tickets there. Cancelling tickets you should do via the agent you booked them with. \n\nIf you created a login with bahn.de you should be able to see your orders there, and maybe cancel them, and you can otherwise just email them. \n\nBut you also may just be out of luck. I had to cancel a trip to Germany because of the COVID-19 situation, and I am not getting any refunds either. See if your travel insurance will refund them. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "For flights, it could be problematic and would depend on where you are flying to and from, your citizenship, and the experience and mood of the staff checking you in.  \n\nIn such cases, the airline staff that check you in have a certain amount of discretion and for some journeys, they may well allow it, just as they would allow a case of first name, initial, last name.\n\nIn other cases, some airlines may seize on the opportunity to levy an additional charge at checkin to change the name to match.  I have had this before when 2 letters in my name were transposed.  A US$250 typo!\n\nMany airports now require self check-in.  A machine is almost certainly not going to allow you to pass without intervention from an airline representative. \n\nOne specific problem situation may arise if you are not a U.S. citizen and are attempting to board a flight to the U.S.  In this case, it is unlikely that any airline would take the risk of allowing you to board.  The reason being the huge amount of passenger data that the U.S. government requires, and the amount of checks and pre-processing that is done.  If the airline perceives any risk that a discrepancy could cause you to be denied entry to the U.S. (or any other country for that matter), then they will not allow you to board.\n\nAlmost every advice you are likely to receive is to ensure that the name printed on your ticket matches the name of our passport.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "As part of my job, I helped my university to buy\nan airline ticket for a student from city A to city B.\nDue to the COVID-19 disease outbreak,\nthe student decided that it was too risky to travel,\nand so he/she will remain in city A.\n\nI noticed the following text in the electronic ticket:\n\n\n  TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE\n  \n  NO SHOW PENALTY AT USD 250 PER TICKET\n\n\nQuestions:\n\n\nWill my university or the student have to pay a no-show penalty\nif he/she does not show up for the flight?\nShould I take the effort to cancel the tickets with the airline?\n\nSince the tickets are non-refundable,\nI am assuming that my university will not get any money back for cancelling the tickets,\nso there does not seem to be any benefit to us for cancelling the tickets.\n\n\n(Note: city B is not yet a super high risk destination for COVID-19,\nso I don't foresee the airline allowing a full refund for the airline tickets.)\n\n\n\nI explain what I decided to do in the answer below.\n", "qas": [{"question": "As part of my job, I helped my university to buy\nan airline ticket for a student from city A to city B.\nDue to the COVID-19 disease outbreak,\nthe student decided that it was too risky to travel,\nand so he/she will remain in city A.\n\nI noticed the following text in the electronic ticket:\n\n\n  TICKET IS NON-REFUNDABLE\n  \n  NO SHOW PENALTY AT USD 250 PER TICKET\n\n\nQuestions:\n\n\nWill my university or the student have to pay a no-show penalty\nif he/she does not show up for the flight?\nShould I take the effort to cancel the tickets with the airline?\n\nSince the tickets are non-refundable,\nI am assuming that my university will not get any money back for cancelling the tickets,\nso there does not seem to be any benefit to us for cancelling the tickets.\n\n\n(Note: city B is not yet a super high risk destination for COVID-19,\nso I don't foresee the airline allowing a full refund for the airline tickets.)\n\n\n\nI explain what I decided to do in the answer below.\n", "id": "593", "answers": [{"text": "Non-refundable doesn't mean what you seem to assume - it does not mean that the money is lost. It means that you don't get it back.\n\nThat might seem an irrelevant difference, but often it is not - you can use the value of the ticket for further bookings with the airline (for the same flier, not just anybody).\nIf you cancel the ticket, you typically have 365 days (from day of payment, not day of flight) to use the value for another booking.\n\nThe no-show fee is a fee that gets taken out of your remaining value - if the flier simply doesn't show up (instead of cancelling), he will not get the full ticket value parked, but it will be reduced by the no-show fee.\nSo you should definitely cancel, as it will save the no-show fee. Only if the person is not going to fly within a full year is the ticket value completely lost.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "I think the key word in your initial statement is that you heard about it.  The fact that this occurred was deemed serious enough that it made it to the international news outlets.  Now, of course, that's not to say that every such incident makes the news, but it does mean that such incidents are obviously rare or there would be more than very occasional such incidents being reported.\n\nUnfortunately discrimination can and does occur on airlines, just like it occurs in most parts of the world - but the odds of it escalating to the point of you being kicked off the plane or your wife being forced to remove her headscarf would be so low as to be considered zero on most airlines and in most countries around the world.\n\nSpecific to your wife's head covering, there are situations where she could be asked to remove it, but this should be done in a private area.  For example, here are the USA's TSA comments on head coverings.\n\nAs far as what you can do to minimize the chances of an incident, the only advice I could give would be the same that I'd give to any passenger, regardless of race or religion - consider the feelings of everyone else on the plane, and try not to do anything that would cause any undue impact or concerns to others on the plane.  For example, there was a recent report of a passenger praying whilst on a plane, which people took offence at - not for religious reasons, but because in doing so he was blocking access to the aisles and toilets.\n\nSimilarly I would probably not recommend you decide to start speaking Arabic to another passenger located on the other side of the plane (ie, at a high volume) - just as I would not recommend a passenger shout out a welcome to his friend Jack on the other side of the plane (\"Hi Jack!\").\n\nIn a perfect world, such discrimination would not exist, but the simple fact is it does. As much as I hate to give advice to try and minimize your profile in places such as (Western) airports and aircraft, the simple fact is that doing so will likely result in an easier trip for you.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Apparently flights toward and from Italy are being cancelled, I presume this is due to Covid-19 spread. Is still possible to enter from and to Italy by other means from Spain? train?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Apparently flights toward and from Italy are being cancelled, I presume this is due to Covid-19 spread. Is still possible to enter from and to Italy by other means from Spain? train?\n", "id": "594", "answers": [{"text": "According to multiple sources:\n\n\n  Italy\u2019s 60-million people will only be able to travel for work, medical reasons or emergencies until April 3 2020. All schools and universities, which were closed nationwide last week until March 15 2020, will now not reopen before next month. [Reuters]\n\n\nSo you are going to need permission and a good reason to do any travelling at all in Italy for the next few weeks. You should be aware that you are likely to face quarantine on your return.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "At time of writing, information is quite confusing.\n\n\nThello has stopped they services Marseille-Milan and Paris-Milan-Venice.\nSNCF has stopped some Paris-Torino-Milan services, but apparently not all.\nThere are apparently still services along the coast up to Ventimiglia (the town on the French-Italian border), as well as internal services within Italy.\n\n\nIt's unclear what checks or restrictions (if any) there are when trying to enter or exit Italy.\n\nNote that you could end up in a situation where you manage to enter Italy, but either cannot travel within Italy or cannot exit it.\n\nThe whole situation could also change at any time.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I read in a recent article\n\n\n  BANGKOK (The Nation/ANN): The government has decided to suspend visa\n  on arrival for visitors from 18 countries at a meeting on Wednesday\n  (March 11), chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, also head of\n  the Covid-19 management centre.\n\n\nHowever, I read in a more recent article\n\n\n  BANGKOK (THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The government has put on\n  hold its plan to suspend visa on arrival (VoA) for 18 countries and\n  visa-free entry from high-risk areas (South Korea, Hong Kong and\n  Italy) after an urgent meeting on Thursday (March 12).\n\n\nI am an Indian traveler and want to know whether visa on arrival is still valid or canceled.  Does anyone here have recent experience?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I read in a recent article\n\n\n  BANGKOK (The Nation/ANN): The government has decided to suspend visa\n  on arrival for visitors from 18 countries at a meeting on Wednesday\n  (March 11), chaired by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, also head of\n  the Covid-19 management centre.\n\n\nHowever, I read in a more recent article\n\n\n  BANGKOK (THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - The government has put on\n  hold its plan to suspend visa on arrival (VoA) for 18 countries and\n  visa-free entry from high-risk areas (South Korea, Hong Kong and\n  Italy) after an urgent meeting on Thursday (March 12).\n\n\nI am an Indian traveler and want to know whether visa on arrival is still valid or canceled.  Does anyone here have recent experience?\n", "id": "602", "answers": [{"text": "This is the latest information in the IATA website:\n\n\u201c 7. Nationals of Bulgaria, Bhutan, China (People's Rep.), Cyprus, Ethiopia, Fiji, Georgia, India, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mexico, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu and passengers with a Chinese Taipei (on the cover: Republic of China Taiwan) passport can no longer obtain a visa on arrival.\u201d\n\nThe update was published today https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm Check back for further updates\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You need to fulfill two criteria to stay in the Schengen Area:\n\n\nHave a valid visa\nHave obeyed the 90/180 rule\n\n\nOn the day you're planning your departure you have a valid visa, so the first criteria is fulfilled. You haven't said anything that allows us to say whether you will have obeyed the 90/180 rule.\n\nBut consider that your plane is cancelled or delayed for another reason, then you will suddenly not have a valid visa anymore, and thus have broken the rules. So what you're thinking of doing might (as said above, you have only given information that allows us to look at one of two requirements) be valid, but it isn't wise.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I was wondering, do regular travel healthcare insurance policies contain a clause which excludes coverage in extreme situations/disasters usually? I'm thinking about a global pandemic of the SARS-CoV-2/coronavirus as an example. For context, I'm from Germany.\n\nI know it is a whole different question, if you can actually get any medical assistance in case of a major breakout.\n\nTo be clear: Not asking because I'm in need of medical help - I just want to understand what the policies look like.\n", "qas": [{"question": "I was wondering, do regular travel healthcare insurance policies contain a clause which excludes coverage in extreme situations/disasters usually? I'm thinking about a global pandemic of the SARS-CoV-2/coronavirus as an example. For context, I'm from Germany.\n\nI know it is a whole different question, if you can actually get any medical assistance in case of a major breakout.\n\nTo be clear: Not asking because I'm in need of medical help - I just want to understand what the policies look like.\n", "id": "603", "answers": [{"text": "\n  I just want to understand what the policies look like.\n\n\nThey are all different, so you need to read the exclusions of the one that you have or plan on getting. They also get updated frequently. I checked a few today and about half of them to claim during the booking process that they cover Coronavirus related medical expenses. Interesting enough, it was quite cheap, so it doesn't seem like the insurance companies think this is a big risk. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "This question is similar in nature to the one linked below and should also be read.\n\nIn general, it is not advised to finalize travel arrangements before a visa is issued. \n\nSome application forms explicitly state 'if known' when asking for an accommodation address, others don't.  \n\nThe Schengen Border Code does not state that suppling an address, upon application for a visa, is mandatory. \n\nYou will, no doubt, be suppling a letter from your home institution in Russia.   \n\nThis letter, or in a second letter, should state that they will be organizing the travel and accommodation arrangements.   \n\nIf this letter also states that they prefer to do this after the application is granted, then it should be clear to the Embassy or Consulate why the field has not been filled. \n\nWhat is important is that the accommodation address must be known when entering the Schengen Area. \n\n\n\nSources:\n\n\nLonger term accommodation proof for schengen visa application (Germany) \n\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I read in this answer by  lambshaanxy:\n\n\n  the Philippines have also banned foreign visitors from countries with \"local coronavirus transmission\"\n\n\nWhere can I find the up-to-date list of countries with \"local coronavirus transmission\" that Philippines banned foreign visitors from?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I read in this answer by  lambshaanxy:\n\n\n  the Philippines have also banned foreign visitors from countries with \"local coronavirus transmission\"\n\n\nWhere can I find the up-to-date list of countries with \"local coronavirus transmission\" that Philippines banned foreign visitors from?\n", "id": "605", "answers": [{"text": "Hei\nAccording to this article, the philippines react to the list provided by the WHO.\nOn The WHO website you can get this worldmap with the updated cases and countries.\nThis website gives you also a realtime overview band is backed by DADAX, an independent company with no political, governmental, or corporate affiliation.\n\nHave a nice day and I hope I matched your question.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "For tracking your points, the service you're looking for is AwardWallet (no endorsement). It's apparently the only service that is able to display the point balance of various difference awards accounts automatically. Notably, it doesn't support a few major services, like United MileagePlus, but it does support Emirates, and it's the closest I think you'll get.\n\nAs far as remembering loyalty numbers, I would recommend to first of all using a password manager like 1Password. 1Password can easily store such things and recall them in your browser using a browser extension. Plus it's a great habit for passwords as well.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "NZ, Aus and other countries are now requiring people to self-isolate for 14 days to ensure they don't have Covid-19.  There can be some rather strict ramifications if you fail to adhere to this.\n\nWhat I wondered after seeing a question on FB (disclaimer: I run the beatthatflight facebook page) - how does one self isolate as a backpacker/traveller who is planning on staying in hostel dorms??\n", "qas": [{"question": "NZ, Aus and other countries are now requiring people to self-isolate for 14 days to ensure they don't have Covid-19.  There can be some rather strict ramifications if you fail to adhere to this.\n\nWhat I wondered after seeing a question on FB (disclaimer: I run the beatthatflight facebook page) - how does one self isolate as a backpacker/traveller who is planning on staying in hostel dorms??\n", "id": "606", "answers": [{"text": "Go home if you can!\n\nIf you are travelling in your country of residence, go home and self-isolate there.  If travel restrictions make this impossible, contact the relevant authorities for advise.  Usually there are some exemptions for essential travel, and travelling from a potentially crowded hostel to your home may well count as valid travel.\n\nIf you are travelling in another country than your country of residence, contact your embassy.  Many embassies are attempting to repatriate their citizens.  Chances are your embassy is already working on trying to reach you if they know how to contact you (I received an email from my government already, but I have my home and job here and the situation in my mother country is no better than here, so it makes no sense for me to repatriate).\n\nNow is not the time to travel for non-essential purposes.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "With current occupancy rates, I'd expect you to have high likelihood of being alone in the dorm room and thus being able to self-isolate. OTOH it's completely different question how authorities will like this idea, will the hostel be still open when you get there, will immigration let you into the country, etc.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Application for visas or entry to a country are often contingent on not having been refused entry by any country at any point in the past.  How does this affect someone who was refused entry to a country because the country closed its borders shortly before the traveler arrived there (such that the traveler did not know the border was closed)? \n", "qas": [{"question": "Application for visas or entry to a country are often contingent on not having been refused entry by any country at any point in the past.  How does this affect someone who was refused entry to a country because the country closed its borders shortly before the traveler arrived there (such that the traveler did not know the border was closed)? \n", "id": "612", "answers": [{"text": "When asked state the reason as:\n\n\nForce majeure due to border closure during Coronavirus pandemic\n\n\nThis is an often used (and internationaly known) legal term that expresses that the situation was beyond your control. \n\nSuch an event should not be held against you. \n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "No, this would be illegal. Voluntarily naturalizing in another country results in automatic loss of Chinese citizenship. You need to contact your local Chinese embassy and obtain the proper visa.\n\nThe question mentioned by Traveller provides an overview of how you might or might not get caught trying to sneak back into China with an invalid passport. Don't risk it unless you enjoy the thought of doing time in a Chinese prison, and then being deported or removed.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I was scheduled to travel to Germany on a research internship this summer. But due to the spread of COViD-19, my internship has been cancelled. I have however already been issued a visa. Do I need to cancel this visa, or is it okay if I just don\u2019t travel?  \n", "qas": [{"question": "I was scheduled to travel to Germany on a research internship this summer. But due to the spread of COViD-19, my internship has been cancelled. I have however already been issued a visa. Do I need to cancel this visa, or is it okay if I just don\u2019t travel?  \n", "id": "615", "answers": [{"text": "It\u2019s ok to just not travel. There\u2019s no need to cancel the visa.\n\nEdit: the answer would be different if you intended to apply for another Schengen visa Applying for a Schengen Visa even though there's still an existing unused visa\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Canada does not appear to have \"6 month rule\". From the government website:\n\n\n  All international travellers must carry acceptable identification and a valid visa (if necessary) when entering Canada. A passport is recommended because it is the only reliable and universally-accepted travel and identification document for the purpose of international travel. \n\n\nI did a search on that whole site for \"6 months\" and did not find any indication of how long a passport needs to be valid for. I also checked a handful of \"travel tips\" articles that mentioned the rule and did not include Canada in the list of countries with the rule, though most such articles (perhaps all) were aimed at US passport holders, and the rule if it did exist would almost certainly not apply to US passport holders.\n\nYou can check with the Canadian ETA people directly using this form: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/eta-form-help.asp and ask them if 5 months on the passport is an issue, and if it is what that means for the ETA, but it seems to me that it won't be an issue. (I recommend you ask them anyway to put your mind fully at ease.)\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am a Canadian citizen currently in the United States.\n\nAfter calling CBSA at 1-204-983-3500, they indicated that returning to Canada right now would be considered \"non-essential\". Does that mean as a Canadian citizen, I would be denied entry to Canada? Wouldn't this be illegal/unconstitutional to deny a Canadian citizen entry to Canada?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I am a Canadian citizen currently in the United States.\n\nAfter calling CBSA at 1-204-983-3500, they indicated that returning to Canada right now would be considered \"non-essential\". Does that mean as a Canadian citizen, I would be denied entry to Canada? Wouldn't this be illegal/unconstitutional to deny a Canadian citizen entry to Canada?\n", "id": "617", "answers": [{"text": "According to this tweet from Public Safety Canada about the border restrictions on non-essential travel across the US-Canada border starting March 21, under \"Permitted Travel\", it includes:\n\n\n  Canadian citizens, permanent residents and status Indians can cross\n  back into Canada.\n\n\nSo you should not be denied entry to Canada.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You will have to call the issuer of the ticket to arrange this.  If you don't call first, then missing any flight will normally cause the remainder of the ticket to be cancelled.  The airline may charge a change fee, but it's also possible that they'll allow you to retain the return flight without taking the outbound flight.\n\nRegardless, you should call them and explain what you would like to do.  Then, if they say that you will have to pay extra to do it, you can weigh that cost against the cost of buying a new ticket.\n\nYou may also want to ask whether you can change your outbound flight to one that does not require changing airports.  That might be less expensive than buying a new ticket (or it might be more expensive, but you won't know unless you ask).\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am Canadian. Since I applied for the visa shortly before the situation got serious, I now have a valid work and travel visa for Germany, but I am afraid they will turn me away at the border/airport.. any thoughts on that matter ? \n", "qas": [{"question": "I am Canadian. Since I applied for the visa shortly before the situation got serious, I now have a valid work and travel visa for Germany, but I am afraid they will turn me away at the border/airport.. any thoughts on that matter ? \n", "id": "619", "answers": [{"text": "You will almost certainly be refused boarding by the airline or be turned away at the border by immigration.\n\nGermany has enacted an entry ban on all non-citizens, with the only exceptions being for certain travellers transiting to get to their home country or travellers seeking entry into Germany for urgent reasons.\n\nUnless you have an urgent reason to enter Germany, your work visa will not secure your entry at this point in time.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Yes. \n\nUS airports have no concept of \"international transit\". You will need to go through  US Immigration, collect your bags, go through US customs (with your bags), re-check your bags after customs (there is a special drop off area for that) and most likely go through security again to get to your departure gate to Winnipeg. \n\nYou will also have to go through Canadian immigration and customs in Winnipeg again. Please note that you need proper credentials to enter the US: see https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/619/~/visiting-the-u.s.---documents-required-for-canadian-citizens-%2F-residents-%2F \n\nIt's a pain in the neck and hence it's good practice to avoid US and Canadian airports for international connections (if possible).\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Today I got my schengen visa approved which I had applied for before the pandemic. \nI had plans to visit the Netherlands. Sadly, the Netherlands has a travel ban effective till April 19th and my visa expires on April 25th.\n\nLet's say I am unable to utilize my visa, would I have to apply again with all the fees and everything, or can I write a letter to the embassy for an extension? \n", "qas": [{"question": "Today I got my schengen visa approved which I had applied for before the pandemic. \nI had plans to visit the Netherlands. Sadly, the Netherlands has a travel ban effective till April 19th and my visa expires on April 25th.\n\nLet's say I am unable to utilize my visa, would I have to apply again with all the fees and everything, or can I write a letter to the embassy for an extension? \n", "id": "621", "answers": [{"text": "Right now, you must apply for a new visa, and it doesn't look like fees are refunded or waived:\n\n\n  Is a visa fee refundable?\n  Visa fees for visas that have not been used by COVID-19 cannot be refunded. A new application must be submitted.\n  \n  I have not travelled to the Netherlands yet. Can the period of my already issued visa be extended?\n  The duration of issued visas of travelers who have not yet been able to travel to the Netherlands due to cancelled flights cannot be extended. A new visa application must be submitted.\n\n\nhttps://www.netherlandsandyou.nl/travel-and-residence/visas-for-the-netherlands/qas-short-stay-schengen-visa\n\nWhether this changes in due course is something no one knows right now.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "It's not taboo here in Latvia. It's more than OK to eat outside. \n\nHowever, throwing food on the ground in Latvia would be just rude manner. If You have leftovers just throw out at nearest trash (which we have a lot in public space and must be at every shop/takeaway/building and in most parks near benches).\n\nAbout yelling... well, hard to say. I assume that's individual.\n\nHope Your stay here was OK.\n\nSource: being Latvian in Latvia :D\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I was on vacation in the US for 3 weeks. I am a Colombian citizen. \n\nBefore I was to return on March 23 to Colombia my flight was cancelled due to Colombia closing its borders including to its citizens that were traveling overseas at the time. All international flights have been canceled.  \n\nWhat happens if my visa travel date expires before I can leave to go to Colombia?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I was on vacation in the US for 3 weeks. I am a Colombian citizen. \n\nBefore I was to return on March 23 to Colombia my flight was cancelled due to Colombia closing its borders including to its citizens that were traveling overseas at the time. All international flights have been canceled.  \n\nWhat happens if my visa travel date expires before I can leave to go to Colombia?\n", "id": "632", "answers": [{"text": "You have 3 options.\n\n\nYour US entry could be still valid for a few months. Usually, an entry is valid for 6 months. You can plan to stay in US till situation is clear and flights are open to Colombia. It can be a few months.\nIf your entry is expiring, you can apply for an extension.\nYou can contact your embassy about the possibility of repatriation or any other help. Even if normal flights are not allowed, repatriation with quarantine might be possible.\n\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You'll find details at bahn.de. Enter your planned trip and in the details section of any selected trip you'll find which track (Gleis) the train will be on. Then you can go to the station info and I saw a nice PDF with a map of Karlsruhe Hbf. I was looking at this in German, don't know if there is a possibility to have the site in English (Edit: at the top of the homepage you can select languages)\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I requested a B-2 visa extension on September for my mother, she has to stay until may 14, so she is already 1 year in USA as a visitor, but due to covid-19 I am worry about her health, she is 74 years old, with dementia and diabetes my father is the one who takes care for her, He is citizen. Is possible to get a new extension while everything is safe here or in our country?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I requested a B-2 visa extension on September for my mother, she has to stay until may 14, so she is already 1 year in USA as a visitor, but due to covid-19 I am worry about her health, she is 74 years old, with dementia and diabetes my father is the one who takes care for her, He is citizen. Is possible to get a new extension while everything is safe here or in our country?\n", "id": "633", "answers": [{"text": "To answer your question, yes, there is no limit to the number of times status can be extended during one stay (note that it is the status that is extended; visas cannot be extended, since visas are only for entry anyway), and it is possible to apply for another B2 extension of status before the current extended status expires. Of course, the chances of approval of an extension of status goes down with each additional extension. The fact that she has a US citizen spouse in the US also may make it likely that she will be denied for immigrant intent. But at least an application for extension of status (filed before her status expires) will allow her to stay while the application is pending, which can be several months, so it will buy her more time.\n\nAs some comments have noted, if she intends to keep staying in the US, it would be better for her to not apply for extension of status, and instead apply for Adjustment of Status to get a green card in the US through a petition from her spouse.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "Seems like a bug: the departure and arrival times are swapped. So it arrives Nice at 11:40am and departs 2:20pm which is indeed 2:40h layover. AF 661 departs OPT at 10:10am and arrives Nice at 11:40am.\n\nYou can't really fly backwards in time :-)\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I read on https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1247761807839657984?s=20:\n\n\n  In addition, for repatriation flights, you often have to check in extra early like 3-4 hours beforehand. \n\n\nWhy does one often have to check in  extra early, i.e. 3-4 hours early, before the flight departure for repatriation flights?\n\n\n\nI have crossposted the question at:\n\n\nQuora\n\n", "qas": [{"question": "I read on https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow/status/1247761807839657984?s=20:\n\n\n  In addition, for repatriation flights, you often have to check in extra early like 3-4 hours beforehand. \n\n\nWhy does one often have to check in  extra early, i.e. 3-4 hours early, before the flight departure for repatriation flights?\n\n\n\nI have crossposted the question at:\n\n\nQuora\n\n", "id": "637", "answers": [{"text": "The additional check in time is needed for all the extra paperwork.  Repatriation flights are organized and approved by governments to help return citizens to their country of origin.  They can't let anyone on board who is simply willing to pay the fare.  They must check and double check your passport, citizenship status, etc.  Moreover, scheduling a repatriation flight is not the same as regular commercial flight operation.  The planes often arrive empty, without a regular gate to occupy, without a regular slot to fly and the whole operation can be changed at the last-minute.  If you really want to get on the flight then it's best to be there extra early to deal with the unexpected.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "The visa requirements state that an applicant must be free of tuberculosis when they enter. https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/visa-1/651- The medical and x-ray will prove this, as they\u2019ve requested it I doubt the visa will be approved without it.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I am a refugee in South Africa with a refugee travel document. I would like to get a Canadian visit visa, what should I do? \n", "qas": [{"question": "I am a refugee in South Africa with a refugee travel document. I would like to get a Canadian visit visa, what should I do? \n", "id": "638", "answers": [{"text": "Online applications for Canadian visas start here. \n\nDue to the coronavirus Canadian immigration is encouraging online applications. Be aware that you might be required to provide fingerprints and a photo in person.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "You will need a transit visa, as all visas and documents must be valid to qualify for visa-free transit.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "I have booked a ticket for future travel but now see the price has come down considerably. Should I cancel because of coronavirus and rebook with voucher?\n", "qas": [{"question": "I have booked a ticket for future travel but now see the price has come down considerably. Should I cancel because of coronavirus and rebook with voucher?\n", "id": "640", "answers": [{"text": "You can't just 'cancel because of coronavirus'. If the airline is still listing the flight then you can only cancel on whatever terms you agreed to when you booked.\n\nIf your ticket is fully refundable then you can cancel and rebook, if you can actually get the refund. Many airlines are refusing to pay refunds at present. \n\nMore likely, there will be some penalty for cancelling, which could be part or all of the fare you've paid. Even with the price reduction, it's likely that you'll end up paying more overall.\n\nIf you're hoping to get a full refund (as cash or voucher) then you'll have to wait until the airline cancels the flight, in which case there will be no flight to rebook onto.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "A couple of points \n1 - unlike in France and Germany it is FREE to reserve a seat when you buy your ticket. No additional cost. If you do not get a seat you have reserved you can claim a FULL refund. The cost of your ticket therefore DOES INCLUDE A RESERVED SEAT. it's just down to you to actually reserve it\n...\n\n2 - The National Conditions of Travel are the MINIMUM standard and what all train operators have to apply. Most train operators go well beyond that and I can't think of anyone who wouldn't refund the difference in cost for first class passengers travelling in a declassified coach.\n\n3 - yes it's a form you need to fill put but how else would you do it? it's like saying you want to return a dress and getting arsey because they want you to take it back to the shop.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}, {"title": "Community Dataset", "paragraphs": [{"context": "Is it possible to extend the 14-day visa free entry in Vietnam?\n\nI have a Swedish passport, so I can enter Vietnam for 14 days without a visa.\n\nIs it possible to extend that for another 14 days or less somewhere near Saigon? Or at all?\n", "qas": [{"question": "Is it possible to extend the 14-day visa free entry in Vietnam?\n\nI have a Swedish passport, so I can enter Vietnam for 14 days without a visa.\n\nIs it possible to extend that for another 14 days or less somewhere near Saigon? Or at all?\n", "id": "641", "answers": [{"text": "I found that your concern has not been answer at all. So, I don't know whether you have been to Vietnam with your 15 days visa exemption or not. But as I know, via this link https://www.vietnam-visa.com/vietnam-visa-extension/, a visa exemption can be extended for up to 3 months. Although now, due to COVID 19, Vietnam is temporarily closed to all incoming foreigners, I hope this piece of information will help in case you wish to visit Vietnam in the future with visa exemption.\n", "answer_start": 0}], "is_impossible": true, "plausible_answers": [{"text": "According to Rome2Rio the cheapest flight between Ukraine and Japan is 270\u20ac single, from Boryspil (kbp) to Ch\u00fcbu Centrair (ngo).\n\nTo find these flights you'll have to search regularly as prices can change every minute.\n\nIf you're under 26 you may be able to find youth tickets, which you can't find using normal flight search engines but only at the carriers own websites.\n", "answer_start": 0}]}]}]}]}
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