Hybridization of optical plasmonics with terahertz metamaterials to create multi-spectral filters

Multi-spectral imaging systems typically require the cumbersome integration of disparate filtering materials in order to work simultaneously in multiple spectral regions. We show for the first time how a single nano-patterned metal film can be used to filter multi-spectral content from the visible, near infrared and terahertz bands by hybridizing plasmonics and metamaterials. Plasmonic structures are well-suited to the visible band owing to the resonant dielectric properties of metals, whereas metamaterials are preferable at terahertz frequencies where metal conductivity is high. We present the simulated and experimental characteristics of our new hybrid synthetic multi-spectral material filters and demonstrate the independence of the metamaterial and plasmonic responses with respect to each other

Wearable device to assist independent living.

Older people increasingly want to remain living independently in their own homes. The aim of the ENABLE project is to develop a wearable device that can be used both within and outside of the home to support older people in their daily lives and which can monitor their health status, detect potential problems, provide activity reminders and offer communication and alarm services. In order to determine the specifications and functionality required for development of the device user surveys and focus groups were undertaken and use case analysis and scenario modeling carried out. The project has resulted in the development of a wrist worn device and mobile phone combination that can support and assist older and vulnerable wearers with a range of activities and services both inside and outside of their homes. The device is currently undergoing pilot trials in five European countries. The aim of this paper is to describe the ENABLE device, its features and services, and the infrastructure within which it operates

(1R,2R,5R,6S,9R,10S,13S,14S,18R)-1,6,7,8,9,14,15,16,17,17,18-Undeca­chloro­penta­cyclo­[12.2.1.16,9.02,13.05,10]octa­deca-7,15-diene

The title compound, C18H13Cl11, is an undecachlorinated commercial flame retardant. The asymmetric unit contains two independent half-mol­ecules. The complete mol­ecules are generated by crystallographic inversion symmetry, causing the terminal H atoms and one of the Cl atoms to be disordered equally over two sites in each mol­ecule. The central eight-membered rings are in chair-type conformations. In the crystal structure, there is a single weak inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bond

4,5,6,7-Tetra­bromo-1,1,3-trimethyl-3-(2,3,4,5-tetra­bromo­phen­yl)indane

The title compound (OctaInd), C18H12Br8, is a commercial brominated flame retardant (BFR). In the mol­ecule, the five-membered ring has a slight envelope conformation, with a deviation of 0.317 (9) Å for the flap C atom from four essentially planar C atoms. The dihedral angle between the two benzene rings is 74.00 (16) Å

(1R,2R,5R,6R,9S,10S,13S,14S)-1,6,7,8,9,14,15,16,17,17-Decachloro­penta­cyclo­[12.2.1.16,9.02,13.05,10]octa­deca-7,15-diene

The title compound, C18H14Cl10, is a decachlorinated commercial flame retardant. The structure determination confirms the relative stereochemistry. The central eight-membered ring is in a chair-type conformation. In the crystal structure, there are no significant inter­molecular inter­actions and mol­ecules are separated by normal van der Waals distances

Access to healthcare by undocumented Zimbabwean migrants in post-apartheid South Africa

DATA AVAILABITY STATEMENT: Data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, T.C., on request.BACKGROUND: Zimbabwean undocumented migrants rely on the South African public health care system for treatment of non-communicable and communicable diseases, surgery and medical emergency services. A gap remains to understand undocumented migrant experiences at a time when accessing public healthcare has been topical in South Africa. AIM: This article aimed to describe and understand the experiences, challenges and health seeking alternatives of undocumented Zimbabwean migrants in accessing healthcare services in Nellmapius in Pretoria. SETTING: The study was conducted at Nellmapius in Pretoria. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive research design was used. Structured interviews with 13 undocumented migrants were conducted by applying purposive and snowballing sampling techniques. The data were thematically analysed. RESULTS: Migrants reported that the attitudes by healthcare officials suggest unwillingness to provide services to undocumented migrants, aggravating their vulnerability and perennial illness. Migrants faced challenges of discrimination, a lack of professional service delivery, a lack of financial capacity to pay for services and a lack of documentation evoking health seeking alternatives. CONCLUSION: Migrants continue to face challenges while accessing subsidised health care. This study confirms that medical xenophobia is generally present in the public health care centres, at least for the sampled undocumented Zimbabwean migrants. The majority of undocumented migrants cannot afford to pay for private healthcare. CONTRIBUTION: The findings of this study inform national, provincial and local healthcare facilities to be ethical and provide dignified quality healthcare to undocumented migrants in line with international practices.https://phcfm.org/index.php/phcfmSchool of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH)SDG-03:Good heatlh and well-beingSDG-10:Reduces inequalitiesSDG-16:Peace,justice and strong institution

Increased resistance to biotrophic pathogens in the Arabidopsis constitutive induced resistance 1 mutant is EDS1 and PAD4-dependent and modulated by environmental temperature

The Arabidopsis constitutive induced resistance 1 ( cir1 ) mutant displays salicylic acid (SA)-dependent constitutive expression of defence genes and enhanced resistance to biotrophic pathogens. To further characterise the role of CIR1 in plant immunity we conducted epistasis analyses with two key components of the SA-signalling branch of the defence network, ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY1 (EDS1) and PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4 (PAD4). We demonstrate that the constitutive defence phenotypes of cir1 require both EDS1 and PAD4, indicating that CIR1 lies upstream of the EDS1-PAD4 regulatory node in the immune signalling network. In light of this finding we examined EDS1 expression in cir1 and observed increased protein, but not mRNA levels in this mutant, suggesting that CIR1 might act as a negative regulator of EDS1 via a post-transcriptional mechanism. Finally, as environmental temperature is known to influence the outcome of plant-pathogen interactions, we analysed cir1 plants grown at 18, 22 or 25°C. We found that susceptibility to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato ( Pst ) DC3000 is modulated by temperature in cir1 . Greatest resistance to this pathogen (relative to PR-1:LUC control plants) was observed at 18°C, while at 25°C no difference in susceptibility between cir1 and control plants was apparent. The increase in resistance to Pst DC3000 at 18°C correlated with a stunted growth phenotype, suggesting that activation of defence responses may be enhanced at lower temperatures in the cir1 mutant

An Eight-Week Trial Investigating the Efficacy and Tolerability of Atorvastatin for Children and Adolescents With Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia

This study aimed to assess the efficacy and tolerability of atorvastatin in Tanner stage (TS) 1 patients ages 6 to 10 years and TS ≥2 patients ages 10 to <18 years with genetically confirmed heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HeFH) and a low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level of 4 mmol/l (155 mg/dl) or higher. In this open-label, 8-week study, 15 TS 1 children were treated initially with atorvastatin 5 mg/day and 24 TS ≥2 children with 10 mg/day. Doses were doubled at week 4 if the LDL-C target (<3.35 mmol/l [130 mg/dl]) was not achieved. The efficacy variables were the percentage change from baseline in LDL-C, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), and apolipoprotein (Apo) A-I and Apo B. Safety evaluations included clinical monitoring, subject-reported adverse events (AEs), vital signs, and clinical laboratory tests. The mean values for LDL-C, TC, VLDL-C, and Apo B decreased by week 2 among all TS 1 and TS ≥2 patients, whereas TG, HDL-C, and Apo A-I varied considerably from week to week. After 8 weeks, the mean reduction in LDL-C was −40.7% ± 8.4 for the TS 1 children and −39.7% ± 10.3 for the TS ≥2 children. For the TS 1 patients, the mean reductions were −34.1% ± 6.9 for TC and −6.0% ± 32.1 for TG. The corresponding changes for the TS ≥2 patients were −35.6% ± 9.5 for TC and −21.1% ± 29.7 for TG. Four patients experienced mild to moderate treatment-related AEs. No serious AEs or discontinuations were reported. Overall, no difference in safety or tolerability was observed between the younger and older cohorts. Across the range of exposures after atorvastatin 5 to 10 mg (TS 1) or atorvastatin 10 to 20 mg (TS ≥2) doses for 8 weeks, clinically meaningful reductions in LDL-C, TC, VLDL-C, and Apo were observed with atorvastatin in pediatric patients who had HeFH. Atorvastatin also was well tolerated in this population

Foetal echocardiographic assessment of borderline small left ventricles can predict the need for postnatal intervention

Abstract Background We sought to prospectively determine foetal echocardiographic factors associated with neonatal interventions in borderline hypoplastic left ventricles. Methods Foetuses were included who had a left ventricle that was 2-4 standard deviations below normal for length or diameter and had forward flow across the mitral and aortic valves. Factors associated with an intervention in the first month of life or no need for intervention were sought using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Results From 2005 to 2008, 47 foetuses meeting the criteria had an additional diagnosis (+foetal coarctation/+transverse arch hypoplasia): atrioventricular septal defect 7 (+2/+0), double outlet right ventricle 2 (+0/+0), Shone's complex 19 (+9/+4), and ventricular disproportion 19 (+13/+11; 4 both). There were seven pregnancies terminated, three foetal demises, and five had compassionate care. There were 32 livebirths that either had a biventricular repair (n = 20, n = 2 dead), univentricular palliation (n = 2, both alive), or no intervention (n = 9). Overall survival of livebirths to 6 months of age was 79%. Factors associated with early intervention on first foetal echocardiogram were: obstructed or retrograde arch flow (p = 0.08, odds ratio 3.3), coarctation (p = 0.05, odds ratio 11.4), and left ventricle outflow obstruction (p = 0.05, odds ratio 12.5). Neonatal factors included: Shone's diagnosis (p = 0.02, odds ratio 4.9), bicuspid aortic valve (p = 0.005, odds ratio 11.7), and larger tricuspid valve z-score (p = 0.05, odds ratio 3.6). A neonatal factor associated with no intervention was a larger mitral valve z-score (mean −3.8 versus −4.2 intervention group, p = 0.04, odds ratio 2.8). Discussion The need for early intervention in foetuses with borderline hypoplastic left ventricle can be predicted by foetal echocardiograph