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Health Health Technology

Malaria test as simple as a bandage

Microneedle-based diagnostic a new platform for many diseases, blood draw not required

Date:
November 2, 2020
Source:
Rice University
Summary:
A test for malaria looks like a bandage, but can diagnose the disease in minutes without the need for medical expertise or specialized equipment.
Yellow Stethoscope And Medicines On Pink Background
                             FULL STORY
Testing for malaria could become as simple as putting on a bandage.

That’s the idea behind a platform developed by Rice University engineers who introduced a microneedle patch for rapid diagnostic testing that does not require extracting blood.

The device detailed in the Nature journal Microsystems and Nanoengineering draws upon protein biomarkers contained in dermal interstitial fluid, what people generally recognize as the fluid inside blisters but surrounds all of the cells in skin.

This fluid contains a multitude of biomarkers for various diseases, such as malaria, which can be used for rapid testing. The disposable patches could be programmed to detect other diseases, potentially including COVID-19, said mechanical engineer Peter Lillehoj of Rice’s Brown School of Engineering.

“In this paper, we focus on malaria detection because this project was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and it’s a big priority for them,” said Lillehoj, who joined Rice in January as an associate professor of mechanical engineering. “But we can adapt this technology to detect other diseases for which biomarkers appear in interstitial fluid.”

The self-contained test developed by Lillehoj and lead author Xue Jiang, a Rice postdoctoral researcher, delivers a result in about 20 minutes and does not require medical expertise or any equipment.

The sticky patch has 16 hollow microneedles in a 4-by-4 array on one side, coupled with an antibody-based lateral-flow test strip on the other. The antibodies react when they sense protein biomarkers for malaria and turn two readout lines on the strip’s exposed surface red. If the test is negative, only one line turns red.

The needles are treated to be hydrophilic — that is, attracted to water — so the fluid is drawn in and flows through to the test strip. Once the test is complete, the device can be removed like any bandage.

While both microneedles and antibody test strips have been extensively studied, Lillehoj said his lab is the first to combine them into a simple, inexpensive package that will be easy to deploy at the point of need, especially in developing regions where finger-prick blood sampling and the availability of trained medical personnel to diagnose samples may be challenging.

The hollow needles are 375 microns wide and 750 microns long, enough to reach the fluid within skin that is typically between 800 to 1,000 microns thick. The needles are sharp enough to overcome the mechanical stress of entering the skin.

“Xue and I have applied the patch to our skin, and it doesn’t feel painful at all compared to a finger prick or a blood draw,” Lillehoj said. “It’s less painful than getting a splinter. I would say it feels like putting tape on your skin and then peeling it off.”

They think the familiar form factor may provide some comfort, especially to children. “We didn’t intend for it to look like a bandage,” he said. “We started with a rectangular shape and then just rounded the edges to make it a little more presentable. We didn’t plan for that, but perhaps it makes the patch more relatable to the general public.”

He estimated individual patches could cost about $1 if and when they are produced in bulk.

Categories
Technology

8 Ways To Improve Your Neighborhood’s Security

Leidanett was living a life of almost unfathomable despair a year ago no one knows (1995)

By Derrek Cummings – Courtesy
Property safety is at the forefront of every homeowner’s mind, which is why it can be frightening to learn about break-ins and burglaries in your neighborhood. A higher crime rate can also affect the feeling of security you deserve in your home and can affect your property value. A high crime rate can even make you vulnerable to a premise liability claim in some cases if you don’t take action.

Unfortunately, Pennsylvania, like many parts of the country, has experienced several crime waves, especially during times of economic crisis. If your community has inadequate security and you’re concerned, there are eight key things you can do to keep you and your neighbors safe:

1. Establish a community watch.

One of the best ways to improve the neighborhood is to get the entire community involved. Set up a neighborhood watch by contacting your neighbors and asking them to join. Your community watch group can do several things:

Observe and report any suspicious behavior.
Work with police.
Put up signs to let would-be criminals know the community is being proactive.
Inform others in the community about criminal activity so all residents are prepared.
You can set up a community watch group by contacting your local police authority. Most police departments can offer advice about setting up these types of groups.

2. Improve lighting.

Poor lighting can hide all kinds of suspicious activity. If your street lights are inadequate, contact your homeowner’s association or local government for safer lighting. Encourage local businesses and residents to set up motion-activated outdoor lights as well.

3. Clean up.

Host a community clean-up event to get rid of graffiti, overgrown trees, and litter. Not only will it encourage community spirit, but it will also help you get rid of overgrown bushes and trees, which is important since they can hide criminal activity.

4. Take care of your home and neighborhood homes.

Your home will be less of a target if the doors and windows are in good working order and lock properly. You might even want to install security measures such as a security alarm or other deterrents. Contact your homeowners’ insurance provider first — you may be able to get an insurance discount by implementing certain safety measures. If there are neighbors who cannot afford to upgrade their homes, consider working with your community watch group to assist them.

5. Address empty buildings.

Empty buildings can often attract criminal activity, which can then spill out into surrounding areas. Contact the building owners or local government with your concerns.

6. Hire a security service.

A private security service can do what local police often can’t: they can patrol your neighborhood more frequently and respond quickly to any suspicious activity, enhancing your property safety. If your community can fundraise together, you may be able to secure a reliable security service.

7. Make sure your neighbors know the basics of staying safe.

If your neighbors work long hours, for example, make sure they use timers to switch the lights on and off, so it appears that someone is home. Make sure you and your neighbors don’t keep extra sets of keys under doormats or anywhere where a burglar can find them. You can also consider hosting a local community meeting to discuss smart safety measures, or hand out fliers to help your neighbors understand how to keep their homes safer.

8. Consider renting out parking space in your driveway.

Many communities have people who work away from home. This means most driveways and streets are empty of cars during the day and are relatively free of pedestrian traffic, which makes them more of a target for burglars. Renting out your driveway during the day will increase traffic in front of your home to scare off burglars and can make it appear that someone is home. As an added bonus, you may be able to charge money. Just make sure you have a legal agreement reviewed by an attorney to avoid any premise liability claims from the driver.

Like many people, you may be concerned about rising crime rates. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to keep yourself and your community safe. If you’re attacked or targeted, you may have a premises liability claim against the perpetrator and other liable parties. Your local attorney can help guide you through the legal process.

Categories
Business Technology

Uber and Lyft faced tough questions from California judges as they seek to keep classifying drivers as contractors

Business Insider
Tyler Sonnemaker    October 13, 2020

A California appeals court heard arguments on Tuesday from Uber and Lyft as they appeal a recent ruling that would force the companies to reclassify drivers as employees.

A lower court determined in August that Uber and Lyft drivers are employees, not contractors, under the state’s gig work law, AB-5, but delayed enforcing the ruling while the companies appeal it.

Uber, Lyft, and other gig companies have fought AB-5 aggressively, pouring more than $180 million into a ballot measure aimed at California voters that would permanently exempt them from the law.

Dara Khosrowshahi logan green

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi and Lyft CEO Logan Green Laura Buckman/Reuters; Carlo Allegri/Reuters

The companies argue reclassifying drivers as employees will reduce their flexibility, while proponents of AB-5 say Uber and Lyft’s business models rely on underpaying drivers and skirting labor laws.

A California appeals court heard oral arguments Tuesday from Uber, Lyft, and the state over whether a lower court reached the right conclusion in August when it ruled that the companies’ drivers are employees under the state’s gig work law, AB-5.

Judges from California’s first district Court of Appeal pressed lawyers for Uber and Lyft over drivers’ wages and autonomy, and questioned the companies’ arguments that AB-5 would require them to reduce drivers’ flexibility, according to The Washington Post and The New York Times reporter Kate Conger.

The judges also asked a lawyer for the state about potential harms to Uber and Lyft and drivers’ preferences around their employment status, according to reports.

The landmark case could fundamentally alter the contractor-based business model that Uber and Lyft have relied on, and the companies are aggressively fighting the law in court and via a ballot measure that California voters will decide on in November.

AB-5, which went into effect at the beginning of this year, allows companies to treat workers as independent contractors instead of employees only if workers meet three criteria: they’re “free from the control and direction” of the company; they perform work “outside the usual course” of the company’s business; and they’re “customarily engaged” in their own independent business.

California state and city attorneys general sued Uber and Lyft in May over their refusal to comply with the law, arguing that ride-hailing drivers don’t pass that test. San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ethan Schulman sided with the state in August, ruling that Uber and Lyft must reclassify drivers as employees, but the ruling was stayed by Schulman and again by the appellate court while the companies appeal.

In Tuesday’s oral arguments, Uber lawyer Theodore Boutrous Jr. argued the ruling would cause “irreparable harm” and that “Uber would have to turn into a different company” and cut jobs if the ruling is upheld, The Washington Post reported.

But according to Conger, Judge Brown questioned Uber on that claim, asking what part of AB-5 would require the company to reduce drivers’ flexibility.

Uber and Lyft have focused heavily on flexibility in their opposition to the law, citing drivers’ alleged preference to work as contractors, but critics of the business model say it allows the companies to cut costs by depriving drivers of protections like minimum wage, health insurance, and unemployment insurance that other California workers are entitled to.

Matthew Goldberg, a lawyer from the San Francisco city attorney’s office, responded to a question about drivers’ preferences by saying “employees should not have the right to work without those underlying benefits. … You are not permitted to work for less than the minimum wage, even if you want to.”

When pressed by the judges on potential harms to Uber and Lyft, Goldberg responded that every other company follows the law and so Uber and Lyft should have to as well, The New York Times’ Kate Conger tweeted. He also said Uber and Lyft were causing harm to drivers: “This is dollars and wages and money that is being stolen from drivers by virtue of the misclassification.”

Uber and Lyft have repeatedly claimed that the law doesn’t apply to them in the first place — an argument Lyft lawyer Rohit Singla brought up again Tuesday, while Boutrous cited changes Uber has made to its app that should exempt its drivers, according to The Washington Post.

But the judges appeared skeptical, Conger reported, pointing out that Uber still sets the base fare for drivers.

They also cast doubt on Lyft’s claim that underpayment of drivers’ wages isn’t irreparable harm, according to The Washington Post, with one asking: “Are you suggesting that the specter of thousands of individual claims for back wages is something that is insignificant and something that need not be considered in balancing the appropriateness of an injunction at this point?”

California’s Labor Commission brought a separate lawsuit against Uber and Lyft over the same issue in August, alleging they’ve been committing wage theft by classifying drivers as contractors.

Uber and Lyft have sought to head off a potential loss in court by pouring more than $180 million into a ballot measure, Proposition 22, that would exempt ride-hail and food delivery workers from AB-5. That’s the most money ever used to back a ballot measure in the state, according to Ballotpedia.

Uber and Lyft also came under fire earlier this week after SF Gate reported that the companies indirectly funded ballot guides sent to California voters urging them to vote for Proposition 22 by falsely claiming to be affiliated with Sen. Bernie Sanders and other “progressive” groups.

Both Sen. Sanders and the California Democratic Party have opposed the measure.

Categories
Technology Travel

Tourism In Dubai During Covid-19

GLOBAL GATEWAY

What it’s like to visit Dubai as a tourist during Covid-19

David Dunn, CNN • Updated 25th September 2020

Open to visitors: After enduring a lockdown, Dubai opened to visitors again in July. But what can tourists expect when they get there?

Dubai (CNN) — There aren’t many countries currently welcoming almost all global tourists, but as its cooler months arrive and it moves into what would normally be peak season, Dubai is one of them.

The emirate’s sandy beaches, luxurious resorts and extensive theme parks are an inviting travel prospect, particularly for Northern Hemisphere travelers who, having been stuck at home during their summer, are now staring into the tunnel of a bleak winter of Covid-19.

But what can visitors to the UAE expect when they get there? Will they get a relaxing break from stresses at home, or is life in Dubai severely restricted?

The UAE has suffered its own Covid-19 surges, peaking in May and again in mid-September, but has a relatively low incidence rate compared to most urban centers.

It initiated a swift lockdown early on and, after adopting virus prevention measures, Dubai’s resorts have re-opened as swiftly — and safely — as guidelines and evolving regulations allowed.

And this means visitors must also embrace safety checks and protocols.

Having had to wear a mask on board their airplane, arrivals will need to do the same in every public place in Dubai or face a 3,000 dirham ($817) fine.

This includes taxis, currently allowing just two passengers unless it’s a minivan hailed via airport ground staff or the Careem app, and on Dubai Metro; sterilized and running as usual but with distancing mandatory.

A tourist gets her papers checked upon arrival at Terminal 3 at Dubai airport.

As residents we’ve experienced the city’s precautionary measures first-hand. And while those masks can prove irritating in the UAE heat, it’s good to know you’re in a country with a relatively low infection rate, in part, because of them.

The mask rule extends to Dubai’s theme parks, such as IMG Worlds of Adventure, where rules apply on two-meter social distancing and keeping every other seat empty, except when occupied by family members.

Visitors should get used to the smell of sanitizer. Dispensers are everywhere and everyone is expected to use them.

That goes for resorts where guests will find a revised experience, but one still wrapped in a warm welcome, even if the smiles are obscured by… you guessed it.

Thanks largely to early, comparatively strict, movement directives, sterilizing procedures and group gathering limits implemented by UAE authorities, Dubai is back to something approaching normality.

It feels safe, if sometimes surreal, but it doesn’t take long to absorb this “new normal” into vacation routines; that’s including buying masks, which are inexpensive and available in every pharmacy.

Hotels follow — and in some cases go beyond — mandated procedures that can appear odd or excessive at first, depending on what guests are used to.

Many resorts reawakened with attractive staycation and pool day deals to entice domestic guests. With many international travelers now able to make the trip, they too can expect temperature gun or thermal body scanner checks on arrival at hotels, restaurants, malls and even gyms, carried out by masked staff usually brandishing sanitizer in rubber-gloved hands.

Poolside, guests can expect plastic-sealed towels while lifeguards police social distancing and deter overcrowding and the mingling of strangers.

Less visibly, but equally reassuring, guest rooms are subject to additional cleansing, with non-vital paper items removed.

Dining too has undergone an overhaul. Many restaurants have ditched physical menus for QR codes that access online versions — which is alright so long as customers have mobile data or there’s decent Wi-Fi.