Impact of urbanisation on Serum lipid profiles -the thusa survey

Objective. To examine the impact of urbanisation on lipid profiles of black South Africans, stratified for HIV status.Design. Cross-sectional population-based survey.Setting. North West province of South Africa.Subjects. A representative sample of 1854 apparently healthy volunteers aged ≥ 15 years, was recruited from 37 randomly selected sites throughout the province. Subjects were stratified into five urbanisation strata (S): Sl rural villages, S2 farms, S3 informal housing or 'squatter camps', S4 urban townships, and S5 surburban housing.Outcome measures. Demographic, physical activity and dietary intake information was collected using validated and culture-sensitive questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements and lipid analyses were determined using standardised methodology.Results. The results revealed significantly lower mean(95% confidence interval) total serum cholesterol (TC) levels in HIV-negative men in Sl -S4 compared with S5 (S1 3.91 (3.77- 4.05) v. S5 4.79 (4.54- 5.04) mmol/1). In HIV-negative women, TC levels were significantly lower in Sl - S3 than in S4 and S5 (S1 4.05 (3.94- 4.17) v. S5 4.79 (4.59- 5.00) mmol/1). The same trends were seen for serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) and triglycerides and in HIV-positive subjects. Binary logistical analysis indicated that the main factor responsible for the increased TC levels seemed to be increased body mass index (BMI) due to decreased physical activity. Conclusions. Serum lipid levels increased with urbanisation although they remained within levels recommended for ther populations. This may, however, become an important health problem in future if preventive strategies are not implemented. Culturally sensitive physical activity programmes to decrease BMI, targeted at professional me and women, and women in urban townships, seem to constitute the most appropriate intervention

Candidate Tidal Dwarf Galaxies in the Compact Group CG J1720-67.8

This is the second part of a detailed study of the ultracompact group CG J1720-67.8: in the first part we have focused the attention on the three main galaxies of the group and we have identified a number of candidate tidal dwarf galaxies (TDGs). Here we concentrate on these candidate TDGs. Absolute photometry of these objects in BVRJHKs bands confirms their relatively blue colors, as we already expected from the inspection of optical and near-infrared color maps and from the presence of emission-lines in the optical spectra. The physical conditions in such candidate TDGs are investigated through the application of photoionization models, while the optical colors are compared with grids of spectrophotometric evolutionary synthesis models from the literature. Although from our data self-gravitation cannot be proved for these objects, their general properties are consistent with those of other TDG candidates. Additionally we present the photometry of a few ``knots'' detected in the immediate surroundings of CG J1720-67.8 and consider the possibility that these objects might belong to a dwarf population associated with the compact group.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

Dynamical density functional theory for the evaporation of droplets of nanoparticle suspension

We develop a lattice gas model for the drying of droplets of a nanoparticle suspension on a planar surface, using dynamical density functional theory (DDFT) to describe the time evolution of the solvent and nanoparticle density profiles. The DDFT assumes a diffusive dynamics but does not include the advective hydrodynamics of the solvent, so the model is relevant to highly viscous or near to equilibrium systems. Nonetheless, we see an equivalent of the coffee-ring stain effect, but in the present model it occurs for thermodynamic rather the fluid-mechanical reasons. The model incorporates the effect of phase separation and vertical density variations within the droplet and the consequence of these on the nanoparticle deposition pattern on the surface. We show how to include the effect of slip or no-slip at the surface and how this is related to the receding contact angle. We also determine how the equilibrium contact angle depends on the microscopic interaction parameters.Comment: 35 pages, 10 figure

Stereoselective synthesis towards unnatural proline-based amino acids

A catalytic diastereoselective Mannich reaction promoted by chiral bifunctional urea-type organocatalysts has been developed. Treatment of N-Boc-3-ketoproline with N-Boc-aldimines under mild conditions afforded the corresponding unnatural proline based amino acid derivatives with excellent diastereoselectivities (up to 99:1) and enantioselectivities (up to 97% ee). The relative configuration of the chiral reaction products was deduced by the comparsion of the experimentally observed ECD spectra to that obtained theorectically

CP violation in the decay mode B→πγγB\to \pi \gamma \gamma

Within the framework of Standard Model, the exclusive decay mode $B\to \pi \gamma \gamma$ is studied. Although the usual short distance contribution is small compared to the similar $B\to K\gamma\gamma$ mode, the process offers the possibility of studying the CP violation, a feature absent in the $B \to K$ counterpart.Comment: 11 page latex file including 2 ps figures. Typos corrected, minor changes. To appear in PR

Desktop Analysis and Qualitative Investigation of Programmes and Initiatives for the Prevention of and Response to Gender Based Violence at South African Universities with Medical Campuses

Gender-based violence (GBV) is pervasive at South African higher education institutions (HEIs). Based on a media statement (dated 6 October 2016) by the Department of Higher Education and Training, GBV programmes at HEIs need to be evidence-informed, responsive, contextually relevant, inclusive and person-centred. The present article aims to explore the nature of GBV programmes currently implemented at HEIs in South Africa. A rapid review of the literature, supported by qualitative interviews with representatives of South African HEIs with medical campuses, was conducted. Findings indicate that there is an urgent need to clearly define GBV and to mention it explicitly in policy documents. In addition, research evidence on the effectiveness of prevention and response interventions at HEIs in South Africa is lacking. Challenges highlighted by the HEIs that were surveyed include the lack of trust by staff and students in the response and action plans of the response/task teams at HEIs, uncertainty with regards to the roles of relevant stakeholders and sectors when reporting incidents, as well as insufficient information about what GBV is. This study is intended to provide a baseline for further research evaluating current GBV programmes on medical campuses at HEIs, and highlights the need for an evidence-informed framework of the key ingredients for effective GBV response and prevention programmes