Development of ultrasonic methods for hemodynamic measurements

A transcutanous method to measure instantaneous mean blood flow in peripheral arteries of the human body was defined. Transcutanous and implanted cuff ultrasound velocity measurements were evaluated, and the accuracies of velocity, flow, and diameter measurements were assessed for steady flow. Performance criteria were established for the pulsed Doppler velocity meter (PUDVM), and performance tests were conducted. Several improvements are suggested

Transcutaneous measurement of volume blood flow

Blood flow velocity measurements, using Doppler velocimeter, are described. The ability to measure blood velocity using ultrasound is derived from the Doppler effect; the change in frequency which occurs when sound is reflected or transmitted from a moving target. When ultrasound of the appropriate frequency is transmitted through a moving blood stream, the blood cells act as point scatterers of ultrasonic energy. If this scattered ultrasonic energy is detected, it is found to be shifted in frequency according to the velocity of the blood cells, nu, the frequency of the incident sound, f sub o, the speed of sound in the medium, c, and the angle between the sound beam and the velocity vector, o. The relation describing this effect is known as the Doppler equation. Delta f = 2 f sub o x nu x cos alpha/c. The theoretical and experimental methods are evaluated

Development of ultrasonic methods of hemodynamic measurements

A pulsed ultrasonic Doppler velocity meter which can be used (by modifying transducers) as a flowmeter for blood circulation was experimentally studied. Calculations and profiles of turbulent and laminar flow within blood vessels are shown. Graphs and charts of transducers are included

Feedback from massive stars at low metallicities : MUSE observations of N44 and N180 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 27 pages, 21 figuresWe present MUSE integral field data of two HII region complexes in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), N44 and N180. Both regions consist of a main superbubble and a number of smaller, more compact HII regions that formed on the edge of the superbubble. For a total of 11 HII regions, we systematically analyse the radiative and mechanical feedback from the massive O-type stars on the surrounding gas. We exploit the integral field property of the data and the coverage of the HeII$\lambda$5412 line to identify and classify the feedback-driving massive stars, and from the estimated spectral types and luminosity classes we determine the stellar radiative output in terms of the ionising photon flux $Q_{0}$. We characterise the HII regions in terms of their sizes, morphologies, ionisation structure, luminosity and kinematics, and derive oxygen abundances via emission line ratios. We analyse the role of different stellar feedback mechanisms for each region by measuring the direct radiation pressure, the pressure of the ionised gas, and the pressure of the shock-heated winds. We find that stellar winds and ionised gas are the main drivers of HII region expansion in our sample, while the direct radiation pressure is up to three orders of magnitude lower than the other terms. We relate the total pressure to the star formation rate per unit area, $\Sigma_{SFR}$, for each region and find that stellar feedback has a negative effect on star formation, and sets an upper limit to $\Sigma_{SFR}$ as a function of increasing pressure.Peer reviewe

Into the Mystic: ALMA ACA observations of the Mystic Mountains in Carina

We present new observations of the Mystic Mountains cloud complex in the Carina Nebula using the ALMA Atacama Compact Array (ACA) to quantify the impact of strong UV radiation on the structure and kinematics of the gas. Our Band 6 observations target CO, 13CO, and C18O; we also detect DCN J=3–2 and 13CS J=5–4. A dendrogram analysis reveals that the Mystic Mountains are a coherent structure, with continuous emission over −10.5 km s−1 < v < −2 km s−1. We perform multiple analyses to isolate non-thermal motions in the Mystic Mountains including computing the turbulent driving parameter, b, which indicates whether compressive or solenoidal modes dominate. Each analysis yields values similar to other pillars in Carina that have been observed in a similar way but are subject to an order of magnitude less intense ionizing radiation. We find no clearcorrelation between the velocity or turbulent structure of the gas and the incident radiation, in contrast to other studies targeting different regions of Carina. This may reflect differences in the initial densities of regions that go on to collapse into pillars and those that still look like clouds or walls in the present day. Pre-existing over-densities that enable pillar formation may also explain why star formation in the pillars appears more evolved (from the presence of jets) than in other heavily irradiated but non-pillar-like regions. High resolution observations of regions subject to an array of incident radiation are required to test this hypothesis

Aberration-free ultra-thin flat lenses and axicons at telecom wavelengths based on plasmonic metasurfaces

The concept of optical phase discontinuities is applied to the design and demonstration of aberration-free planar lenses and axicons, comprising a phased array of ultrathin subwavelength spaced optical antennas. The lenses and axicons consist of radial distributions of V-shaped nanoantennas that generate respectively spherical wavefronts and non-diffracting Bessel beams at telecom wavelengths. Simulations are also presented to show that our aberration-free designs are applicable to high numerical aperture lenses such as flat microscope objectives

Shikimate pathway in apicomplexan parasites

No abstract available

An optical parsec-scale jet from a massive young star in the Large Magellanic Cloud

Highly collimated parsec-scale jets, generally linked to the presence of an accretion disk, are a commonly observed phenomenon from revealed low-mass young stellar objects. In the past two decades, only a very few of these objects have been directly (or indirectly) observed towards high-mass (M > 8 M$_{\odot}$) young stellar objects, adding to the growing evidence that disk-mediated accretion is a phenomenon also occurring in high-mass stars, the formation mechanism of which is still poorly understood. Of the observed jets from massive young stars, none is in the optical regime (due to these being typically highly obscured by their native material), and none are found outside of the Milky Way. Here, we report the detection of HH 1177, the first extragalactic optical ionized jet originating from a massive young stellar object located in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The jet is highly collimated over the entire measured extent of at least 10 pc, and has a bipolar geometry. The presence of a jet indicates ongoing, disk-mediated accretion, and together with the high degree of collimation, this system is therefore likely to be an up-scaled version of low-mass star formation. We conclude that the physics governing jet launching and collimation is independent of stellar mass.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, 2 table

Steady growth in antiretroviral treatment provision by disease management and community treatment programmes

Although access to highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) in the South African public health sector is closely monitored, much remains unknown regarding the numbers of HIV-positive individuals receiving HAART outside the public health sector. Access to HAART in the private health sector is probably considerably better than in the public health sector, as private sector patients can often afford the costs of HAART, and many are beneficiaries of medical schemes, which are required to provide HAART to eligible beneficiaries as a prescribed minimum benefit. An investigation conducted in 2005 found that by the middle of 2005, at least 50 000 South Africans were receiving HAART through disease management programmes (DMPs), workplace treatment programmes (all of which are administered by DMPs) or community treatment programmes. This investigation was repeated in 2006, with the objective of estimating the numbers of people receiving HAART by mid-2006 and the rate of growth in numbers on treatment between 2005 and 2006

Structural defects induced by Fe-ion implantation in TiO2

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and resonant x-ray emission spectroscopy (RXES) measurements of pellet and thin film forms of TiO$_2$ with implanted Fe ions are presented and discussed. The findings indicate that Fe-implantation in a TiO$_2$ pellet sample induces heterovalent cation substitution (Fe$^{2+}\rightarrow$ Ti$^{4+}$) beneath the surface region. But in thin film samples, the clustering of Fe atoms is primarily detected. In addition to this, significant amounts of secondary phases of Fe$^{3+}$ are detected on the surface of all doped samples due to oxygen exposure. These experimental findings are compared with density functional theory (DFT) calculations of formation energies for different configurations of structural defects in the implanted TiO$_2$:Fe system. According to our calculations, the clustering of Fe-atoms in TiO$_2$:Fe thin films can be attributed to the formation of combined substitutional and interstitial defects. Further, the differences due to Fe doping in pellet and thin film samples can ultimately be attributed to different surface to volume ratios.Comment: 7+ pages, 3 Figure, to appear in J. Appl. Phy