Solar patterning: The employment of fast and fugitive colorants via Anthotype, Cyanotype and other photographic techniques.

This paper discusses on-going research into natural dyes, mineral dyes (Lake pigments or raised colours) and leuco-vat dyes (Inko and SolarFast) with the potential to create a sustainable method of patterning fabric that employs the light sensitivity and fastness properties (fast or fugitive) of the colorants in creating a permanent (photographic) image in colour upon natural or re-generated fibre base.Research funding, College of Arts, University of Derb

Sustainable solar surface decoration: the correlation between Anthotype principles with plant extractions as a form of eco-patterning for fabrics

This paper discusses design research undertaken into the correlation between natural dyes (plant extractions) and the alternative photographic process of Anthotypes discovered in the early 19th Century. The paper explores the relationship between natural extracts (dyes) with their fastness properties in relation to the success of this photographic process and the potential this form of imaging has as a sustainable/health giving form of surface decoration for textiles: A form of Eco-patterning that relies upon light and natural substances/dyes not synthetic dyes as the colouring medium. Instigated by the output of collaborative research between two different disciplines: That of textile design and early colouration methods with historical photographic imaging techniques. The research project considered the symbiotic relationship between natural plant extracts with the success of Anthotypes. The aim of which was to consider the question: Could this kind of photographic image making be applied as a future, sustainable method of design generation, colouration and patterning of fabric for fashion and interiors? The objective was in creating an alternative sustainable surface design process that relies upon light and natural substances/dyes not chemical dyestuffs and pigments as the main patterning and processing medium. The outcomes of which could also provide medicinal healing qualities by wearing clothing or sleeping on material that has been coloured with natural plant extracts (dyes), an added health bonus.Internal research funding College of Arts , University of Derb

Bio-colours sustainable colour: Material, colour and patterning, choice for textiles that can have a positive impact on our well-being.

Bio-Colours Sustainable Colour: Material, Colour and Patterning Choice for Textiles that can have a Positive Impact on our Well-Being. The aim of this paper is to address the question: Can the textiles with which we surround ourselves improve our health and well-being while contributing to lessening the environmental impact of their production? Both design practice and theoretical research informed this paper by researching into the anti-bacterial properties of natural dyes while considering the methods of application of Bio-colours and their extracts to fabrics as a future sustainable colouring and patterning medium. The main objective of this paper is to bring together several aspects of the author’s research: That of the potential healing properties of natural dyes alongside practical experimentation into eco-patterning: A sustainable method for the colouring of materials via shibori and hand processes along side the use of light (differing wavelengths) as a potential method of aesthetic decoration, that is underpinned by the desire to design fabrics that are ethically and sustainably viable. Instigated by the output of collaborative research between two different disciplines: That of textile design and early coloration methods with historical photographic imaging techniques. The research initially considered the symbiotic relationships between natural plant extracts with ‘Anthotypes’, a very early form of photography c1840 and considered the success and failure of natural dye extracts to create images under different application techniques and light exposure sources. The aim of which, was to understand the success or failure of this type of patterning process on textiles and consider the question: Could this kind of photographic image making be applied as a future, sustainable method of design generation, colouration and patterning of fabric? The objective was in creating an alternative sustainable surface design process that relies upon light and natural colouring substances/dyes as the main patterning and processing medium. By embracing the ethos of ‘slow textiles’ as an alternative to ‘fast fashion’, the research considered the impact natural and synthetic dyes, fibres and the textile coloration industry have as a whole on the environment and well being of the world’s population. Practical design research investigations explored the potential for improving the welfare of the user through considered selection of the colouring matter, natural dye extracts; fibre bases such as hemp, ramie, bamboo, milk and soya alongside solar eco-patterning techniques with an overall aim of producing a patterned material that has sustainable and ethical credentials. Although some very successful outputs were achieved: The main disadvantage of this technique being sustainable being that the fugitive colorant that provides the photographic image/design continues to fade with light and time. New investigations lead to an improvement in fastness once a design has been created, with developments in application of the colouring matter as well as methods for enhancing the light fastness after exposure and patterning by applying an after-mordant such as Tannins from Oak and Sumac, plants high in aluminium; Symplocos Cochinchinensis and Camellia alongside Aluminium, Iron or Copper acetates to the patterned materials after exposure or the application of UV blockers such as Vitamin C, lemon and lime juice that does not normally affect the colour of the patterning produced or effect the potential healing properties of material bases and dyestuffs employed.University of Deb

Earlier Mother's Age at Menarche Predicts Rapid Infancy Growth and Childhood Obesity

Earlier age at menarche may be a transgenerational marker of faster growth, particularly during infancy, leading to taller childhood stature but earlier maturation and hence shorter adult stature

A New Calculation of Ne IX Line Diagnostics

We describe the effect that new atomic calculations, including fully-relativistic R-matrix calculations of collisional excitation rates and level-specific dielectronic and radiative recombination rates, have on line ratios from the astrophysically significant ion Ne IX. The new excitation rates systematically change some predicted Ne IX line ratios by 25% at temperatures at or below the temperature of maximum emissivity (4x10^6 K), while the new recombination rates lead to systematic changes at higher temperatures. The new line ratios are shown to agree with observations of Capella and sigma^2 CrB significantly better than older line ratios, showing that 25-30% accuracy in atomic rates is inadequate for high-resolution X-ray observations from existing spectrometers.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

Objectively measured physical activity and fat mass in a large cohort of children

Background Previous studies have been unable to characterise the association between physical activity and obesity, possibly because most relied on inaccurate measures of physical activity and obesity. Methods and Findings We carried out a cross sectional analysis on 5,500 12-year-old children enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Total physical activity and minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were measured using the Actigraph accelerometer. Fat mass and obesity (defined as the top decile of fat mass) were measured using the Lunar Prodigy dual x-ray emission absorptiometry scanner. We found strong negative associations between MVPA and fat mass that were unaltered after adjustment for total physical activity. We found a strong negative dose-response association between MVPA and obesity. The odds ratio for obesity in adjusted models between top and the bottom quintiles of minutes of MVPA was 0.03 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.01-0.13, p-value for trend < 0.0001) in boys and 0.36 (95% CI 0.17-0.74, p-value for trend = 0.006) in girls. Conclusions We demonstrated a strong graded inverse association between physical activity and obesity that was stronger in boys. Our data suggest that higher intensity physical activity may be more important than total activity

Prospective associations between objective measures of physical activity and fat mass in 12-14 year old children: the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)

Objective To investigate associations between physical activity at age 12 and subsequent adiposity at age 14

Epstein-Barr virus and human papillomavirus serum antibodies define the viral status of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a low endemic country

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in endemic regions, where almost every tumor is EBV-positive. In Western populations, NPC is rare, and human papillomavirus infection (HPV) has been suggested as another viral cause. We validated multiplex serology with molecular tumor markers, to define EBV-positive, HPV-positive, and EBV-/HPV-negative NPCs in the United Kingdom, and analyzed survival differences between those groups. Sera from NPC cases (N = 98) and age- and sex-matched controls (N = 142) from the Head and Neck 5000 clinical cohort study were analyzed. IgA and IgG serum antibodies against 13 EBV antigens were measured and compared with EBER in situ hybridization (EBER-ISH) data of 41 NPC tumors (29 EBER-ISH positive, 12 negative). IgG antibodies to EBV LF2 correctly diagnosed EBV-positive NPCs in 28 of 29 cases, while all EBER-ISH negative NPCs were seronegative to LF2 IgG (specificity = 100%, sensitivity = 97%). HPV early antigen serology was compared to HPV molecular markers (p16 expression, HPV DNA and RNA) available for 41 NPCs (13 positive, 28 negative). Serology matched molecular HPV markers in all but one case (specificity = 100%, sensitivity = 92%). EBV and HPV infections were mutually exclusive. Overall, 67% of the analyzed NPCs were defined as EBV-positive, 18% as HPV-positive and 14% as EBV/HPV-negative. There was no statistical evidence of a difference in survival between the three groups. These data provide evidence that both, EBV-positive and HPV-positive NPCs are present in a low incidence country, and that EBV and HPV serum antibodies correlate with the viral status of the tumor.</p