The spatial experiences of dwarfs in public spaces

Dwarfism is commonly defined as anyone 4ft 10″ (147.32 cm) or below and whose short stature involves a medical condition [Adelson, M. B. 2005. The Lives of Dwarfs, xv. NJ: Rutgers University Press]. Whilst it recognized that the built environment is unsuitable for dwarfs [see Kruse, R. 2002. “Social Spaces of Little People: The Experiences of the Jamisons.” Social and Cultural Geography 3 (2): 175–191, Kruse, R. 2010. “Placing Little People: Dwarfism and Geographies of Everyday Life.” In Towards Enabling Geographies, edited by V. Chouinard, E. Hall, and R. Wilton, 183–198. Surrey: Ashgate; Shakespeare, T., M. Wright, and S. Thompson. 2007. A Small Matter of Equality: Living with Restricted Growth. Newcastle: Newcastle University], this paper critically examines how spaces and facilities designed with other users in mind, including disabled people and children, can have unintended consequences for dwarfs. The data used in this paper are taken from semi-structured interviews and photo elicitation exercises conducted with 22 dwarfs living in the UK. Overall this paper shows the spatial experiences of dwarfs, which are a result of the unintended consequences of disabled child spaces and facilities, and suggests how Universal Design may be a more appropriate design concept

Non-symmetric liquid crystal dimer containing a carbohydrate-based moiety

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Electrically tunable selective reflection of light from ultraviolet to visible and infrared by heliconical cholesterics

Cholesteric liquid crystals with helicoidal molecular architecture are known for their ability to selectively reflect light with the wavelength that is determined by the periodicity of molecular orientations. Here we demonstrate that by using a cholesteric with oblique helicoidal(heliconical) structure, as opposed to the classic right-angle helicoid, one can vary the wavelength of selectively reflected light in a broad spectral range, from ultraviolet to visible and infrared (360-1520 nm for the same chemical composition) by simply adjusting the electric field applied parallel to the helicoidal axis. The effect exists in a wide temperature range (including the room temperatures) and thus can enable many applications that require dynamically controlled transmission and reflection of electromagnetic waves, from energy-saving smart windows to tunable organic lasers, reflective color display, and transparent see-through displays.Comment: 11 pages, 5figure

Nematic twist-bend phase with nanoscale modulation of molecular orientation

A state of matter in which molecules show a long-range orientational order and no positional order is called a nematic liquid crystal. The best known and most widely used (for example, in modern displays) is the uniaxial nematic, with the rod-like molecules aligned along a single axis, called the director. When the molecules are chiral, the director twists in space, drawing a right-angle helicoid and remaining perpendicular to the helix axis; the structure is called a chiral nematic. Here using transmission electron and optical microscopy, we experimentally demonstrate a new nematic order, formed by achiral molecules, in which the director follows an oblique helicoid, maintaining a constant oblique angle with the helix axis and experiencing twist and bend. The oblique helicoids have a nanoscale pitch. The new twist-bend nematic represents a structural link between the uniaxial nematic (no tilt) and a chiral nematic (helicoids with right-angle tilt)

Effects of glaucoma and snoring on cerebral oxygenation in the visual cortex: a study using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of snoring and glaucoma on the visual Haemodynamic Response (HDR) using functional Near Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS). Methods: We recruited 8 glaucoma patients (aged 56-79), 6 habitual snorers (aged 26-61) and 10 healthy control participants (aged 21-78). Glaucoma patients were of varying subtypes and under care of ophthalmologists. Prior to testing visual acuity, blood pressure, heart rate and a medical history were taken. HDRs were recorded over the primary visual cortex (V1) using a reversing checkerboard paradigm. Results & Discussion: All participants showed the characteristic increase of Oxyhaemoglobin concentration ([HbO]) and decrease of Deoxyhaemoglobin concentration ([HbR]) during visual stimulation (p < 0.001, η2 = 0.78). Despite this, there were signifi cant group differences with a large effect size (η2 = 0.28). During visual stimulation normal participants had greater [HbO] compared to snorers and glaucoma patients (p < 0.01). Both glaucoma patients and snorers presented with comparable HDR for [HbO] and [HbR] in V1. Importantly, during visual stimulation, the increased [HbO] in glaucoma patients correlated well with their visual fi elds and self-reported activities of daily living (r = -0.98, r = -0.82, p < 0.05). Both glaucoma patients and snorers presented with an attenuated HDR in V1. Our results suggest a possible vascular link between these conditions

A convenient one-pot synthesis, and characterisation of the ω-bromo-1-(4-cyanobiphenyl-4’-yl) alkanes (CBnBr)

Open access via T&F agreementPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Sexually transmitted infection risk exposure among black and minority ethnic youth in northwest London: findings from a study translating a sexually transmitted infection risk-reduction intervention to the UK setting.

OBJECTIVES: Young black women are disproportionately affected by sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the UK, but effective interventions to address this are lacking. The Young Brent Project explored the nature and context of sexual risk-taking in young people to inform the translation of an effective clinic-based STI reduction intervention (Project SAFE) from the USA to the UK. METHODS: One-to-one in-depth interviews (n = 37) and group discussions (n = 10) were conducted among men and women aged 15-27 years from different ethnic backgrounds recruited from youth and genitourinary medicine clinic settings in Brent, London. The interviews explored the context within which STI-related risks were assessed, experienced and avoided, the skills needed to recognise risk and the barriers to behaviour change. RESULTS: Concurrent sexual partnerships, mismatched perceptions and expectations, and barriers to condom use contributed to STI risk exposure and difficulties in implementing risk-reduction strategies. Women attempted to achieve monogamy, but experienced complex and fluid sexual relationships. Low risk awareness, flawed partner risk assessments, negative perceptions of condoms and lack of control hindered condom use. Whereas men made conscious decisions, women experienced persuasion, deceit and difficulty in requesting condom use, particularly with older partners. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of STI and condom use skills is not enough to equip young people with the means to reduce STI risk. Interventions with young women need to place greater emphasis on: entering and maintaining healthy relationships; awareness of risks attached to different forms of concurrency and how concurrency arises; skills to redress power imbalances and building self-esteem

The response to high magnetic fields of the vacuum phototriodes for the compact muon solenoid endcap electromagnetic calorimeter

The endcap electromagnetic calorimeter of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) detects particles with the dense fast scintillator lead tungstate (PbWO4). Due to the low light yield of this scintillator photodetectors with internal gain are required. Silicon avalanche photodiodes cannot be used in the endcap region due to the intense neutron flux. Following an extensive R&D programme 26 mm diameter single-stage photomultipliers (vacuum phototriodes) have been chosen as the photodetector in the endcap region. The first 1400 production devices are currently being evaluated following recent tests of a pre-production batch of 500 tubes. Tubes passing our acceptance tests have responses, averaged over the angular acceptance of the endcap calorimeter, corresponding to the range 20 to 55 electrons per MeV deposited in PbWO4. These phototriodes operate, with a typical gain of 10, in magnetic fields up to 4T.PPARC, EC(INTAS-CERN scheme 99-424

Nematic Twist-Bend Phase with Nanoscale Modulation of Molecular Orientation

Peer reviewedPublisher PD