369 research outputs found
The life and health challenges of young Malaysian couples: results from a stakeholder consensus and engagement study to support non-communicable disease prevention
BACKGROUND: Malaysia faces burgeoning obesity and diabetes epidemics with a 250% and 88% increase respectively between 1996 and 2006. Identifying the health challenges of young adults in Malaysia, who constitute 27.5 % of the population, is critical for NCD prevention. The aim of the study was two-fold: (1) to achieve consensus amongst stakeholders on the most important challenge impacting the health of young adults, and (2) to engage with stakeholders to formulate a NCD prevention framework.METHODS: The Delphi Technique was utilised to achieve group consensus around the most important life and health challenges that young adults face in Malaysia. Subsequently, the results of the consensus component were shared with the stakeholders in an engagement workshop to obtain input on a NCD prevention framework.RESULTS: We found that life stress was a significant concern. It would seem that the apathy towards pursuing or maintaining a healthy lifestyle among young adults may be significantly influenced by the broader distal determinant of life stress. The high cost of living is suggested to be the main push factor for young working adults towards attaining better financial security to improve their livelihood. In turn, this leads to a more stressful lifestyle with less time to focus on healthier lifestyle choices.CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight a pivotal barrier to healthier lifestyles. By assisting young adults to cope with daily living coupled with realistic opportunities to make healthier dietary choices, be more active, and less sedentary could assist in the development of NCD health promotion strategies<br/
Exploring the parameter space of MagLIF implosions using similarity scaling. III. Rise-time scaling
Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) is a z-pinch
magneto-inertial-fusion (MIF) concept studied on the Z Machine at Sandia
National Laboratories. Two important metrics characterizing current delivery to
a z-pinch load are the peak current and the current-rise time, which is roughly
the time interval to reach peak current. It is known that, when driving a
z-pinch load with a longer current-rise time, the performance of the z-pinch
decreases. However, a theory to understand and quantify this effect is still
lacking. In this paper, we utilize a framework based on similarity scaling to
analytically investigate the variations in performance of MagLIF loads when
varying the current-rise time, or equivalently, the implosion timescale. To
maintain similarity between the implosions, we provide the scaling
prescriptions of the experimental input parameters defining a MagLIF load and
derive the scaling laws for the stagnation conditions and for various
performance metrics. We compare predictions of the theory to 2D numerical
simulations using the radiation, magneto-hydrodynamic code HYDRA. For several
metrics, we find acceptable agreement between the theory and simulations. Our
results show that the voltage near the MagLIF load follows a weak scaling law
with respect to the
characteristic timescale of the voltage source, instead of the
ideal scaling. This occurs
because the imploding height of the MagLIF load must increase to preserve end
losses. As a consequence of the longer imploding liners, the required total
laser preheat energy and delivered electric energy increase. Overall, this
study may help understand the trade-offs of the MagLIF design space when
considering future pulsed-power generators with shorter and longer current-rise
times.Comment: 15 pages, 20 figures, submitted to Phys. Plasmas. arXiv admin note:
text overlap with arXiv:2209.1491
Magneto-ionic control of spin polarization in multiferroic tunnel junctions
Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) with Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 barriers are reported to
show both tunneling magnetoresistance effect (TMR) and tunneling
electroresistance effect (TER), displaying four resistance states by magnetic
and electric field switching. Here we show that, under electric field cycling
of large enough magnitude, the TER can reach values as large as 10^6%.
Moreover, concomitant with this TER enhancement, the devices develop electrical
control of spin polarization, with sign reversal of the TMR effect. Currently,
this intermediate state exists for a limited number of cycles and understanding
the origin of these phenomena is key to improve its stability. The experiments
presented here point to the magneto-ionic effect as the origin of the large TER
and strong magneto-electric coupling, showing that ferroelectric polarization
switching of the tunnel barrier is not the main contribution
Assessment of the Impact of Potential Tetracycline Exposure on the Phenotype of Aedes aegypti OX513A: Implications for Field Use
Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of dengue fever, a viral disease which has an estimated incidence of 390 million infections annually. Conventional vector control methods have been unable to curb the transmission of the disease. We have previously reported a novel method of vector control using a tetracycline repressible self-limiting strain of Ae. aegypti OX513A which has achieved >90% suppression of wild populations.We investigated the impact of tetracycline and its analogues on the phenotype of OX513A from the perspective of possible routes and levels of environmental exposure. We determined the minimum concentration of tetracycline and its analogues that will allow an increased survivorship and found these to be greater than the maximum concentration of tetracyclines found in known Ae. aegypti breeding sites and their surrounding areas. Furthermore, we determined that OX513A parents fed tetracycline are unable to pre-load their progeny with sufficient antidote to increase their survivorship. Finally, we studied the changes in concentration of tetracycline in the mass production rearing water of OX513A and the developing insect.Together, these studies demonstrate that potential routes of exposure of OX513A individuals to tetracycline and its analogues in the environment are not expected to increase the survivorship of OX513A
Investigating the Electromechanical Behavior of Unconventionally Ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2-Based Capacitors Through Operando Nanobeam X-Ray Diffraction
Understanding various aspects of ferroelectricity in hafnia-based nanomaterials is of vital importance for the development of future nonvolatile memory and logic devices. Here, the unconventional and weak electromechanical response of epitaxial La0.67Sr0.33MnO3/Hf0.5Zr0.5O2/La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 ferroelectric capacitors is investigated, via the sensitivity offered by nanobeam X-ray diffraction experiments during application of electrical bias. It is shown that the pristine rhombohedral phase exhibits a linear piezoelectric effect with piezoelectric coefficient (|d33|) ≈ 0.5–0.8 pmV−1. It is found that the piezoelectric response is suppressed above the coercive voltage. For higher voltages, and with the onset of DC conductivity throughout the capacitor, a second-order effect is observed. The work sheds light into the electromechanical response of rhombohedral Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 and suggests its (un)correlation with ferroelectric switching
Exploring the parameter space of MagLIF implosions using similarity scaling. II. Current scaling
Magnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) is a magneto-inertial-fusion (MIF)
concept, which is presently being studied on the Z Pulsed Power Facility. The
MagLIF platform has achieved interesting plasma conditions at stagnation and
produced significant fusion yields in the laboratory. Given the relative
success of MagLIF, there is a strong interest to scale the platform to higher
peak currents. However, scaling MagLIF is not entirely straightforward due to
the large dimensionality of the experimental input parameter space and the
large number of distinct physical processes involved in MIF implosions. In this
work, we propose a novel method to scale MagLIF loads to higher currents. Our
method is based on similarity (or similitude) scaling and attempts to preserve
much of the physics regimes already known or being studied on today's Z
pulsed-power driver. By avoiding significant deviations into unexplored and/or
less well-understood regimes, the risk of unexpected outcomes on future
scaled-up experiments is reduced. Using arguments based on similarity scaling,
we derive the scaling rules for the experimental input parameters
characterizing a MagLIF load (as functions of the characteristic current
driving the implosion). We then test the estimated scaling laws for various
metrics measuring performance against results of 2D
radiation--magneto-hydrodynamic HYDRA simulations. Agreement is found between
the scaling theory and the simulation results.Comment: 19 pages, submitted to Physics of Plasma
Budesonide foam versus budesonide enema in active ulcerative proctitis and proctosigmoiditis
Background: Rectal budesonide is an effective treatment of active ulcerative proctitis or proctosigmoiditis. Aim: To compare the therapeutic efficacy, tolerability and safety, and patient's preference of budesonide foam vs. budesonide enema. Methods: Patients with active ulcerative proctitis or proctosigmoiditis (clinical activity index >4 and endoscopic index ≥4) were eligible for this double-blind, double-dummy, randomized, multicentre study. They received 2 mg/25 mL budesonide foam and placebo enema (n = 265), or 2 mg/100 mL budesonide enema and placebo foam (n = 268) for 4 weeks. Primary endpoint was clinical remission (clinical activity index ≤4) at the final/withdrawal visit (per protocol). Results: A total of 541 patients were randomized - 533 were evaluable for intention-to-treat analysis and 449 for per protocol analysis. Clinical remission rates (per protocol) were 60% for budesonide foam and 66% for budesonide enema (P = 0.02362 for non-inferiority of foam vs. enema within a predefined non-inferiority margin of 15%). Both formulations were safe and no drug-related serious adverse events were observed. Because of better tolerability and easier application most patients preferred foam (84%). Conclusion: Budesonide foam is as effective as budesonide enema in the treatment of active ulcerative proctitis or proctosigmoiditis. Both budesonide formulations are safe, and most patients prefer foam.publishersversionPeer reviewe
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