Research@THEA (Technological Higher Education Association)
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Designing products for older people’s social and emotional needs: a case study
Get PDFThe products that we use in our living environment greatly assist us in maintaining health and independence as we age. Much research has been conducted on the physical ergonomic needs in product design for older people, overlooking an understanding of the ‘softer’ functionality that domestic products offer. Through an ethnographic case study of older peoples' cooking and heating product needs (N=40), this paper presents 1) a theoretical framework which supports the need for designers to consider social and emotional connections when designing domestic products for older people and 2) practical implications and requirements for future designers to consider when designing these products. In this paper, I encourage designers to consider the reflective and visceral connections domestic products hold and how products can both inhibit and increase social inclusion.ye
Kinetmatic characteristics of resisted sprinting
No full textIn recent years, the adoption of resisted sprint training (RST) has surged as a method
to enhance sprint performance (SP) in various athletic domains [1-3]. Given the
central role of sprinting in optimising athletic performance, RST has gained
prominence as a potential tool applicable to a wide range of athletes. Coaches
seeking to improve SP typically target two primary aspects: enhancing force
production and refining technical execution [4]. The integration of external resistance
into sprinting presents an opportunity to address both goals simultaneously,
potentially offering a more 'sport-specific' form of resistance training. While the
relationship between resisted sprints and SP has been explored in invasion-based
team sports and track and field athletes, there remains a lack of clarity around how
the addition of load influences running kinematics, what physical characteristics
influence the kinematics adopted under loaded conditions, or how coaches interpret
potential kinematic changes to inform load prescription during RST. The
overarching aims that guided this research were:
• To explore coaches' perceptions of how RST affects kinematics and their
methodologies for prescribing RST.
• To examine the reliability of an isotonic sprint device.
• To examine the impact of load and sporting population on kinematics during
RST.
• To investigate if an athlete’s strength characteristics influences kinematic
changes during RST.
The main findings of this research were: 1) Coaches unanimously acknowledged the
value of RST in enhancing SP, drawing from their practical experiences and insights
from scientific literature. However, trends emerged: coaches often favoured the use
of body mass (%BM) as a load indicator over velocity decrement (%Vdec) due to its
simplicity. Additionally, modalities of RST were frequently chosen based on
practicality and availability rather than strict adherence to scientific literature. 2) The
Exer-Genie produces fair to good within-session reliability but revealed less reliable
between-session measurements. 3) Loading introduced significant changes to hip,
knee, ankle, and trunk angle for touch-down and toe-off for the acceleration and
maximum velocity phase (p<0.05). Knee, hip, and ankle angles became more flexed
with increasing load, for touch-down and toe-off, for all groups during the
acceleration phase, and trunk lean increased with increasing loading conditions.
Although there were minimal differences observed between groups, RSS resulted in
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acute changes in sprint kinematics which differed based on the phase of the sprint
and magnitude of the load. 4) Strength characteristics could explain the variance
observed in athlete’s kinematics under loading conditions employed in study 3.
Moreover, noteworthy negative correlations between strength metrics and changes
in joint angles (hip, knee, and trunk) under different loading conditions were found.
Several practical applications may be offered from the findings. There is an existing
gap between scientific research and practical coaching application in the context of
RST. Considering the linear and dependable relationship between load and velocity,
coaches are encouraged to tailor sled loads individually. Rather than applying a
uniform load as a fixed %BM to all athletes, this approach involves prescribing loads
based on the specific desired decrement in velocity for each athlete. When
employing isotonic sprint devices, coaches should be aware of its reliability
characteristics. While it offers fair to good within-session reliability, its between session reliability is less dependable. This suggests that the Exer-Genie may be
suitable for short-term training interventions but should be used cautiously for long term training programs. Coaches should recognise that loading in RST significantly
alters sprinting kinematics, particularly in hip, knee, ankle, and trunk angles during
both the acceleration and maximum velocity phases and an athlete’s strength
characteristics have an influence on their kinematics during RST.
These findings empower coaches and practitioners to design more effective and
tailored training programs, advancing the realm of sprinting performance
enhancement in both athletic and team sport contexts.ye
Biocompatible polymer system development with enhanced antimicrobial properties using the additive effect of triangular silver nanoplates and curcumin
Get PDFNew antimicrobial interventions are urgently required to combat rising global health and medical infection challenges. Here, an innovative antimicrobial technology, providing price competitive alternatives to antibiotics and readily integratable with currently technological systems is presented. In a design for medical plastics, where bacterial adhesion to medical packing, textiles and implants such as catheters, cannulas, and orthopaedic implants, is a growing reason for failure, triangular silver nanoplates (TSNP) and curcumin are demonstrated for surface integration on medical materials. Using polymer solvation, the TSNPs are integrated within Polycarbonate (PC), Polycaprolactone (PCL) and Polylactic acid (PLA). TSNP encapsulation method is afterwards applied for processing biopolymers such as Polylactic Acid (PLA). TSNP-incorporated materials showed a significant growth inhibition against Escherichia coli (ATCC 11775) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) strains, where PLA-TSNP exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity. On the other hand, bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biomaterial of growing importance with a rising application spectrum for which developments which improve its properties are very significant. BC films integrated with Cur and TSNP showed an enhanced antimicrobial effect compared to films containing only TSNP, especially against the Gram-positive strain, S. aureus. Furthermore, the toxicological evaluation demonstrated the biosafety of the materials during in vitro (MRC5 lung fibroblasts) and in vivo (Caenorhabditis elegans and Danio rerio). The combination of curcumin and TSNP in the bacterial cellulose matrix provides a novel mechanism for the sustained antimicrobial action of biopolymeric thin films. This study has effectively demonstrated that integrating curcumin in production medium with ex situ TSNP incorporation leads to safe, biocompatible, antimicrobial BC films. Further studies will include the exploration of TSNP-curcumin additive mechanism and improvement of mechanical characteristics of BC materials that will potentially result in designing products suitable for various packaging and biomedical applications.ye
Rheological behaviour of ABS/metal composites with improved thermal conductivity for additive manufacturing
Get PDFMetal-reinforced polymer composites are suitable materials for applications requiring special
thermal, electrical or magnetic properties. Three-dimensional printing technologies enable these
materials to be quickly shaped in any design directly and without the need for expensive moulds.
However, processing data correlating specific information on how the metal particles influence the
rheological behaviour of such composites is lacking, which has a direct effect on the processability
of these composites through melt processing additive manufacturing. This study reports the compounding
and characterisation of ABS composites filled with aluminium and copper particulates.
Experimental results demonstrated that the tensile modulus increased with the incorporation of metal
particles; however, there was also an intense embrittling effect. Mechanical testing and rheological
analysis indicated poor affinity between the fillers and matrix, and the volume fraction proved
to be a crucial factor for complex viscosity, storage modulus and thermal conductivity. However,
a promising set of properties was achieved, paving the way for polymer–metal composites with
optimised processability, microstructure and properties in melt processing additive manufacturingye
D7.7. First FOREU2 Report. Practices and measures taken/to be taken to ensure the mainstreaming of the gender dimension in R&I long-term strategies
No full textThis joint deliverable aims at addressing the issue of Gender Equality in R&I via case studies taken from 16 H2020 SwafS projects awarded to European University Alliances. The purpose is to share measures (already implemented or ongoing) at university or at Alliances levels to ensure the mainstreaming of Gender Equality in R&I long-term strategies. The case studies serve as good practices to inspire individual universities and Alliances to make continuous progress in this area.
The deliverable first presents an overview of the participant universities and of the policy framework for Gender Equality within R&I institutions in particular and more globally within the European Union. Each case study is then described in detail. Finally, the last section outlines the main findings drawn out from all case studies and offers recommendations for possible measures to be implemented to improve the mainstreaming of Gender Equality in R&I
Challenges and future opportunities to unlock the critical supply chain of personal and protective equipment (PPE) encompassing decontamination and reuse under emergency use authorization (EUA) conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic: Through a reflective circularity and sustainability lens
Get PDFSevere acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), and the resulting coronavirus disease (COVID-19),
was declared a public health emergency of global concern by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the early
months of 2020. There was a marked lack of knowledge to inform national pandemic response plans encompassing
appropriate disease mitigation and preparation strategies to constrain and manage COVID-19. For example, the top
16 “most cited” papers published at the start of the pandemic on core knowledge gaps collectively constitute a stagger ing 29,393 citations. Albeit complex, appropriate decontamination modalities have been reported and developed for
safe reuse of personal and protective equipment (PPE) under emergency use authorization (EUA) where critical supply
chain shortages occur for healthcare workers (HCWs) caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Commensurately, these sim ilar methods may provide solutions for the safe decontamination of enormous volumes of PPE waste promoting oppor tunities in the circular bioeconomy that will also protect our environment, habitats and natural capital. The co circulation of the highly transmissive mix of COVID-19 variants of concern (VoC) will continue to challenge our em battled healthcare systems globally for many years to come with an emphasis placed on maintaining effective disease
mitigation strategies. This viewpoint article addresses the rationale and key developments in this important area since
the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and provides an insight into a variety of potential opportunities to unlock the
long-term sustainability of single-use medical devices, including waste management.ye
A proposed cleaning classification system for reusable medical devices to complement the Spaulding classification
Get PDFA central tenet in infection prevention is the application of the Spaulding classification system for the safe use of medical devices. Initially defined in the 1950’s, this system defines types of devices and surfaces as being critical, semi-critical, and non-critical depending on how it will be used on a patient. Different levels of antimicrobial treatment, defined as various levels of disinfection or sterilization, are deemed appropriate to reduce patient risks of infection. However, a focus on microbial inactivation is insufficient to address this concern that has been particularly highlighted in routine healthcare facility practices emphasizing the underappreciated importance of cleaning and achieving acceptable cleanliness levels. A deeper understanding of microbiology has evolved since the 1950s that has led to a re-evaluation of the Spaulding classification along with a commensurate emphasis on achieving appropriate cleaning. Albeit underappreciated, cleaning has always been important as the presence of residual materials on surfaces can interfere with the efficacy of the antimicrobial process to inactivate microorganisms, as well as other risks to patients including device damage, malfunction, and biocompatibility concerns. Unfortunately, this continues to be relevant as attested by reports in the literature on the occurrence of device-related infections and outbreaks due to failures in processing expectations. This reflects in part increasing sophistication in device features and reuse, along with commensurate manufacturer’s instructions for use (IFU). Consequently, this constitutes the first description and recommendation of a new cleaning classification system to complement use of the traditional Spaulding definitions to help address these modern-day technical and patient-risk challenges. This quantitative risk-based classification system highlights the challenge of efficient cleaning based on the complexity of device features present as an isolated variable impacting cleaning. This cleaning classification can be used in combination with the Spaulding Classification to improve communication of cleaning risk of a reusable medical device between manufacturers and health care facilities and improve established cleaning practices. This new cleaning classification system will also inform future creation, design-thinking and commensurate innovations for the sustainable safe reuse of important medical devices.ye
Valorisation of phytochemical from Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) needles: impact of ultrasound/microwave-assisted extraction
Get PDFSitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) needles contain a variety of bioactive compounds including phenolic compounds and flavonoids, many of which have been used in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries. This study aimed to investigate the effects of novel extraction techniques, including ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and simultaneous ultrasound–microwave-assisted extraction (UMAE) on the recovery of phenolic, flavonoids and associated antioxidant and anti-cancer properties from Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) needles. The ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay was used to evaluate the antioxidant capacity, and the Alamar Blue assay using the human brain glioblastoma cancer cell line (U-251 MG) was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity activity. Results showed that US-probe accomplished the highest recovery of phenolic and flavonoids at 38 W cm−2 for 10 min (106.3 ± 2.5 mg GAE g−1 DW and 63.2 ± 3.8 mg QE g−1 DW, respectively). Hence, the highest cytotoxicity activity of IC50 (0.0114% w/v) was achieved by US-probe at 19 W cm−2 for 10 min. However, the antioxidant capacity of (2591.3 ± 92.5 mM TE g−1 DW) was achieved under UMAE at ultrasound intensity of 38 W cm−2, microwave power of 302.4 W for 10 min. This study emphasised the potential application of UAE and MAE in the extraction of bioactive as an environmentally friendly method to be used in the valorisation of by-products in food and agro-industries. This supports the use of renewable natural resources in an efficient way to produce high-value compounds therefore it is in line with the new era of bioeconomy and its new biorefinery conceptsye
New Insights into the Dermocosmetic Potential of the Red Seaweed Gelidium corneum
Get PDFThis work addresses the potential of the red seaweed Gelidium corneum as a source of bioactive ingredients for skin health and wellness in response to the growing awareness regarding the significance of sustainable strategies in developing new nature-based dermocosmetic products. Hydroalcoholic extracts from the dried biomass were subjected to sequential liquid–liquid partitions, affording five different fractions (F1–F5). Their cosmetic potential was assessed through a set of in vitro assays concerning their antioxidant, photoprotective, and healing properties. Additionally, their cytotoxicity in HaCaT cells and their capacity to induce inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells were also evaluated. As a proof-of-concept, O/W emulsions were prepared, and emulsion stability was assessed by optical microscopy, droplet size analysis, centrifugation tests, and rheology analysis. Furthermore, in vivo tests were conducted with the final formulation to assess its antioxidant capacity. At subtoxic concentrations, the most lipophilic fraction has provided photoprotection against UV light-induced photooxidation in HaCaT cells. This was conducted together with the aqueous fraction, which also displayed healing capacities. Regarding the physical and stability assays, the best performance was achieved with the formulation containing 1% aqueous extract, which exhibited water retention and antioxidant properties in the in vivo assay. In summary, Gelidium corneum displayed itself as a potential source of bioactive ingredients with multitarget properties for dermatological use.ye
Health Care Needs of Iraqi Refugees Presenting to the Kurdish Red Crescent Clinics in the Al Hol Camp During 12 Months of On-going Conflict: A Cross-Sectional Study
Get PDFThe Battle for Mosul began in October 2016 as the world's single largest military operation since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In anticipation of massive displacement of Iraqi refugees, the Al-Hol camp was erected at the Iraqi-Syrian border meant to respond to the immediate needs of about 100,000 people. The Kurdish Red Crescent (KRC) in partnership with Un Ponte Per (UPP) operated two clinics in the camp, receiving over 200 patients daily.
This study aims to describe health services utilisation, complaints, diagnoses and treatment of Iraqi war refugees in the camp and make recommendations to improve humanitarian response for these vulnerable populations.ye