Utilizing rapid prototyping 3D printer for fabricating flexographic PDMS printing plate

Recently printed electronic field is significantly growth. Printed electronic is to develop electrical devices by printing method. Conventional printing method that has been studied for this kind of printed electronic such as flexographic, micro contact printing, screen printing, gravure and ink jet. In flexographic and microcontact printing, a printing plate is used to transfer the designed and desired pattern to substrate through conformed contact. Therefore printing plate is play a big role in this area. Printing plate making by photopolymer which used in flexographic have limitation in achieving a micro-scale of pattern size. However, printing plate of microcontact printing have an advantages in producing micro, even nano-scale size by PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane). Hence, rapid prototyping 3D printer was used for developing a PDMS micro-scale printing plate which will be used in reel to reel (R2R) flexographic due to high speed, low cost, mass production of this type of printing process. The flexibility of 3D printer in producing any shape of pattern easily, contributed the success of this study. A nickel plating and glass etching master pattern was used in this study too as master pattern mould since 3D printer has been reached the micro size limitation. The finest multiple solid line array with 1mm width and 2mm gap pattern of printing plate was successfully fabricated by 3D printer master mould due to size limitation of the FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) 3D printer nozzle itself. However, the micro-scale multiple solid line array of 100micron and 25micron successfully made by nikel platting and glass etching master mould respectively. Those types of printing plate producing method is valueable since it is easy, fast and low cost, used for micro-flexographic in printed electronic field or biomedical application

The RaRE Research Report: LGB&T Mental Health – Risk and Resilience Explored

The RaRE Study research project 2010 – 2015 is a 5-year collaboration between PACE, the LGBT+ mental health charity and an academic panel drawn from three UK universities, the University of Worcester, Brunel University London and London South Bank University

Willingness to participate in future HIV prevention studies among gay and bisexual men in Scotland, UK: a challenge for intervention trials

This article examines willingness to participate in future HIV prevention research among gay and bisexual men in Scotland, UK. Anonymous, self-complete questionnaires and Orasure Gäó oral fluid samples were collected in commercial gay venues. 1,320 men were eligible for inclusion. 78.2% reported willingness to participate in future HIV prevention research; 64.6% for an HIV vaccine, 57.4% for a behaviour change study, and 53.0% for a rectal microbicide. In multivariate analysis, for HIV vaccine research, greater age, minority ethnicity, and not providing an oral fluid sample were associated with lower willingness; heterosexual orientation and not providing an oral fluid sample were for microbicides; higher education and greater HIV treatment optimism were for behaviour change. STI testing remained associated with being more willing to participate in microbicide research and frequent gay scene use remained associated with being more willing to participate in behaviour change research. Having an STI in the past 12 months remained significantly associated with being willing to participate in all three study types. There were no associations between sexual risk behaviour and willingness. Although most men expressed willingness to participate in future research, recruitment of high-risk men, who have the potential to benefit most, is likely to be more challenging

Risk and resilience: exploring the potential of LGBTQ third sector and academic partnership

The Risk and Resilience Explored [RaRE] Project (2010–2016) was a collaborative process involving a third sector agency, university partners and volunteers to better understand the risk and resilience factors associated with specific mental health issues among lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) people. In this article, we discuss the project’s collaborative ethos, based on a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach. We explain how the CBPR approach benefitted from including academic partners from the onset of the project, as well as from the direct and indirect engagement of community volunteers. We then explore some of our experience of third sector and academic partner collaboration in more depth, highlighting topic summaries salient to this partnership: support and continuity, upskilling of staff and volunteers for mutual benefit, accessible communication across sectors, and aligning priorities. We conclude by setting out recommendations based on our experience for those interested in developing similarly collaborative projects

Exploring LGBT resilience and moving beyond a deficit-model: findings from a qualitative study in England

The aim of this study is to critique and extend psychological approaches to resilience by examining retrospective accounts of LGBT people in England who had directly experienced or witnessed events that were salient as significantly negative or traumatic. Pre-screening telephone interviews identified ten individuals who matched inclusion criteria (mean age: 39 years; range 26–62 years) as part of a larger study. Interviews were semi-structured and informed by a literature review undertaken at the start of the study. We identified three themes of that extend the resilience literature for LGBTQ+ people: (1) identifying and foregrounding inherent personal traits – how non-contextual inborn qualities or attributes needed external effort to be recognised and operationalised; (2) describing asymmetric sources of social support and acceptance – the importance of positive environment is unequally available to LGBT people compared to heterosexuals, and uneven within the LGBT group; and (3) blurring distinctions between resilience and coping – experiential approaches to moving beyond distress. We suggest that narratives of resilience in the accounts of LGBT people can inform the development of resilience promotion models for minoritized individuals and support movement away from deficit-focused approaches to health policy

How acceptable are antiretrovirals for the prevention of sexually transmitted HIV? A review of research on the acceptability of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis and treatment as prevention

Recent research has demonstrated how antiretrovirals (ARVs) could be effective in the prevention of sexually transmitted HIV. We review research on the acceptability of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and treatment as prevention (TasP) for HIV prevention amongst potential users. We consider with whom, where and in what context this research has been conducted, how acceptability has been approached, and what research gaps remain. Findings from 33 studies show a lack of TasP research, PrEP studies which have focused largely on men who have sex with men (MSM) in a US context, and varied measures of acceptability. In order to identify when, where and for whom PrEP and TasP would be most appropriate and effective, research is needed in five areas: acceptability of TasP to people living with HIV; motivation for PrEP use and adherence; current perceptions and management of risk; the impact of broader social and structural factors; and consistent definition and operationalisation of acceptability which moves beyond adherence

The RaRE Research Report: LGB&T Mental Health - Risk and Resilience Explored

The RaRE Study research project 2010 – 2015 is a 5-year collaboration between PACE, the LGBT+ mental health charity and an academic panel drawn from three UK universities. The study looked at risk and resilience factors for three mental health issues that affect LGBT+ people disproportionally: 1. Suicide attempts and self-harm for young LGBT+ people under 26 2. Alcohol misuse in lesbian and bisexual women 3. Body image issues for gay and bisexual men Young LGB and Trans* people under 26 are more likely to attempt suicide and to self-harm than their heterosexual and cisgender peers.People who attempted suicide while young reported factors that appear to correlate closely with suicidal thoughts or attempts. These were: negative experiences of coming out; homophobic and transphobic bullying; and struggles about being LGB or Trans* within the family, at school and in peer groups. In addition, participants reported that a lack of awareness and training means responses from medical or professional staff can feel inadequate. Inclusive resources, which reflect the lives and issues of young LGB&T people, are sparse outside of LGBT+ specialist services. Participants reported that support and understanding from family and significant others helped them to develop self-worth. In addition, connection to other LGB&T people and communities create a sense of belonging, which helps build resilience. Positive interventions and responses from medical and professional staff are crucial, to help young LGB&T people recover more quickly after a suicide attempt. No significant differences in dependent alcohol use or hazardous drinking were found when comparing lesbian and bisexual women with heterosexual women. Some minor differences in patterns of drinking were found. The study found that the risk of problematic drinking amongst lesbian and bisexual women is often associated with prevailing heterosexism. It appears lesbian and bisexual women use alcohol in an attempt to manage feelings of fear, anxiety and guilt about their sexual orientation. Negative reactions from professionals can limit lesbian and bisexual women’s engagement with treatment and support, including causing them to disengage with treatment altogether. The study found that recovery from alcohol abuse is helped by good support from partners, family and others. It appears that an important strategy to regain control is creating life structures. Interaction with practitioners who are knowledgeable, aware and inclusive in their approach is key, as are LGBT-specific resources such as support groups. The study found that gay and bisexual men are more dissatisfied with their bodies and their health than heterosexual men. RaRE found that early experiences of ‘feeling different’ appear to create vulnerability and are a key factor in developing low self-worth for gay and bisexual men. Gay and bisexual men experience significant pressure to conform to the ‘ideal’ body type; they are also more sensitive towards social and media messages about this ideal when compared with heterosexual men. These messages are internalised from peers at school, family, media and other men on the scene. Gay and bisexual men reported that before they can make positive changes about their body image or eating concerns, they need to acknowledge that there is an issue and this is sometimes triggered by a crisis in their life. Self-motivation and support from people who understand is essential to recovery. Also important is more formal therapy, self-help and organised programmes, including specifically for gay and bisexual men

The RaRE Research Report: LGB&T Mental Health - Risk and Resilience Explored

The RaRE Study research project 2010 – 2015 is a 5-year collaboration between PACE, the LGBT+ mental health charity and an academic panel drawn from three UK universities. The study looked at risk and resilience factors for three mental health issues that affect LGBT+ people disproportionally: 1. Suicide attempts and self-harm for young LGBT+ people under 26 2. Alcohol misuse in lesbian and bisexual women 3. Body image issues for gay and bisexual men Young LGB and Trans* people under 26 are more likely to attempt suicide and to self-harm than their heterosexual and cisgender peers.People who attempted suicide while young reported factors that appear to correlate closely with suicidal thoughts or attempts. These were: negative experiences of coming out; homophobic and transphobic bullying; and struggles about being LGB or Trans* within the family, at school and in peer groups. In addition, participants reported that a lack of awareness and training means responses from medical or professional staff can feel inadequate. Inclusive resources, which reflect the lives and issues of young LGB&T people, are sparse outside of LGBT+ specialist services. Participants reported that support and understanding from family and significant others helped them to develop self-worth. In addition, connection to other LGB&T people and communities create a sense of belonging, which helps build resilience. Positive interventions and responses from medical and professional staff are crucial, to help young LGB&T people recover more quickly after a suicide attempt. No significant differences in dependent alcohol use or hazardous drinking were found when comparing lesbian and bisexual women with heterosexual women. Some minor differences in patterns of drinking were found. The study found that the risk of problematic drinking amongst lesbian and bisexual women is often associated with prevailing heterosexism. It appears lesbian and bisexual women use alcohol in an attempt to manage feelings of fear, anxiety and guilt about their sexual orientation. Negative reactions from professionals can limit lesbian and bisexual women’s engagement with treatment and support, including causing them to disengage with treatment altogether. The study found that recovery from alcohol abuse is helped by good support from partners, family and others. It appears that an important strategy to regain control is creating life structures. Interaction with practitioners who are knowledgeable, aware and inclusive in their approach is key, as are LGBT-specific resources such as support groups. The study found that gay and bisexual men are more dissatisfied with their bodies and their health than heterosexual men. RaRE found that early experiences of ‘feeling different’ appear to create vulnerability and are a key factor in developing low self-worth for gay and bisexual men. Gay and bisexual men experience significant pressure to conform to the ‘ideal’ body type; they are also more sensitive towards social and media messages about this ideal when compared with heterosexual men. These messages are internalised from peers at school, family, media and other men on the scene. Gay and bisexual men reported that before they can make positive changes about their body image or eating concerns, they need to acknowledge that there is an issue and this is sometimes triggered by a crisis in their life. Self-motivation and support from people who understand is essential to recovery. Also important is more formal therapy, self-help and organised programmes, including specifically for gay and bisexual men

Dual TNFα-induced effects on NRF2 mediated antioxidant defence in astrocyte-rich cultures: role of protein kinase activation

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) is a pleiotropic molecule that can have both protective and detrimental effects in neurodegeneration. Here we have investigated the temporal effects of TNFα on the inducible Nrf2 system in astrocyte-rich cultures by determination of glutathione (GSH) levels, γglutamylcysteine ligase (γGCL) activity, the protein levels of Nrf2, Keap1, the catalytic and modulatory subunit of γGCL (γGCL-C and γGCL-M respectively). Astrocyte-rich cultures were exposed for 24 or 72 h to different concentrations of TNFα. Acute exposure (24 h) of astrocyte-rich cultures to 10 ng/mL of TNFα increased GSH, γGCL activity, the protein levels of γGCL-M, γGCL-C and Nrf2 in parallel with decreased levels of Keap1. Antioxidant responsive element (ARE)-mediated transcription was blocked by inhibitors of ERK1/2, JNK and Akt whereas inactivation of p38 and GSK3β further enhanced transcription. In contrast treatment with TNFα for 72 h decreased components of the Nrf2 system in parallel with an increase of Keap1. Stimulation of the Nrf2 system by tBHQ was intact after 24 h but blocked after 72 h treatment with TNFα. This down-regulation after 72 h correlated with activation of p38 MAPK and GSK3β, since inhibition of these signalling pathways reversed this effect. The upregulation of the Nrf2 system by TNFα (24 h treatment) protected the cells from oxidative stress through elevated γGCL activity whereas the down-regulation (72 h treatment) caused pronounced oxidative toxicity. One of the important implications of the results is that in a situation where Nrf2 is decreased, such as in Alzheimer’s disease, the effect of TNFα is detrimental.Fil: Correa, Fernando Gabriel. University Goteborg; Suecia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mallard, Carina. University Goteborg; SueciaFil: Nilsson, Michael. University Goteborg; SueciaFil: Sandberg, Mats. University Goteborg; Sueci

Identification of a gene signature for discriminating metastatic from primary melanoma using a molecular interaction network approach

Understanding the biological factors that are characteristic of metastasis in melanoma remains a key approach to improving treatment. In this study, we seek to identify a gene signature of metastatic melanoma. We configured a new network-based computational pipeline, combined with a machine learning method, to mine publicly available transcriptomic data from melanoma patient samples. Our method is unbiased and scans a genome-wide protein-protein interaction network using a novel formulation for network scoring. Using this, we identify the most influential, differentially expressed nodes in metastatic as compared to primary melanoma. We evaluated the shortlisted genes by a machine learning method to rank them by their discriminatory capacities. From this, we identified a panel of 6 genes, ALDH1A1, HSP90AB1, KIT, KRT16, SPRR3 and TMEM45B whose expression values discriminated metastatic from primary melanoma (87% classification accuracy). In an independent transcriptomic data set derived from 703 primary melanomas, we showed that all six genes were significant in predicting melanoma specific survival (MSS) in a univariate analysis, which was also consistent with AJCC staging. Further, 3 of these genes, HSP90AB1, SPRR3 and KRT16 remained significant predictors of MSS in a joint analysis (HR = 2.3, P = 0.03) although, HSP90AB1 (HR = 1.9, P = 2 × 10−4) alone remained predictive after adjusting for clinical predictors