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A novel methodology for stabilization of silver nanoparticles on cotton, nylon and cotton/nylon fabrics using chitosan and triethyl orthoformate for enhanced and elongated anti-bacterial performance
Get PDFIn the present study, the commercially available three different cotton, nylon and cotton/nylon fabrics were first modified by chitosan coating in the presence of a crosslinker triethyl orthoformate (TEOF) and then were loaded with silver nanoparticles. Resulted cotton‑silver (Ag-Cs-Cot), nylon‑silver (Ag-Cs-Nylon) and cotton-nylon silver (Ag-Cs-Cot-Nyl) fabrics showed extra-long anti-bacterial activity. In FTIR spectra the stretch of secondary amine near the 3375 cm indicated the silver attachment to the amine group of the chitosan and the peak at 1650 cm confirmed that TEOF bonded chitosan to fabrics. In SEM images smooth surfaces of fabrics without any damage by modification process were observed. The antibacterial activity showed 90 % bacterial inhibition against the E. coli and 89 % bacterial inhibition against S. aureus. The modified fabrics were washed with non-ionic detergent (10 g/l) and retained anti-bacterial activity till 50 washing cycles. Finally, the commercial potential of cotton‑silver fabric was evaluated by stitching it with the socks of football players and interestingly results showed that the modified fabric on the socks showed >90 % bacterial inhibition as compared to the plain fabric after 90 min playing activity. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Keewatin: Into the Ice Box
Get PDFShalini Kanagasingam reviews “Keewatin: Into the Ice Box”.
Martin Curzon, 2023
£12.00 (includes P&P
Cellular beam end-posts with two connection types, end notches and infill plates
Get PDFA series of 6 shear and bending tests was carried out on end-posts to cellular beams using nominally simply supported end-plate and fin–plate connections in order to determine the shear resistance of the end-posts in comparison with design predictions to EN 1993-1-13. The tests also included end-posts without and with notches to the beam flanges and openings with half infill plates. The cellular beams were 560 mm deep with 400 mm diameter openings.
The test with a narrow end-post connected to a bolted fin-plate failed by in-plane bending of the end-post whereas the same test with an end-plate failed by Vierendeel bending at the first opening at 2% higher load. The tests with a narrow end-post and notches to the flanges failed at 86% and 90% of the equivalent test without notches. The test with a half infill plate failed by buckling of the plate at 22 to 26% higher load than the narrow end-post. In all cases, the failure loads were significantly higher than the design predictions using measured properties
What else lies behind the credit rationing? Exploring the issue of employment
Get PDFPurpose
This paper aims to review the literature extensively by analysing recent work and providing a guide for models, data sets and research findings.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews the literature extensively by analysing recent work and providing a guide for models, data sets and research findings within the context of capital market imperfections. The authors further break down the literature into closer-in-nature categories for reader’s convenience and comprehension. Finally, the authors address gaps in the existing literature and propose government policies that can tone down the potential effect of credit rationing on employment.
Findings
This paper provides a map of the literature so as to help future researchers in the relevant literature and give a short insight of what has been explored so far.
Originality/value
This paper is original and is the result of a thorough review of an extensive literature
JASMINE: Near-infrared astrometry and time-series photometry science
Get PDFThe Japan Astrometry Satellite Mission for INfrared Exploration (JASMINE) is a planned M-class science space mission by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. JASMINE has two main science goals. One is Galactic archaeology with a Galactic Center survey, which aims to reveal the Milky Way’s central core structure and formation history from Gaia-level (∼25 as) astrometry in the near-infrared (NIR) Hw band (1.0–1.6 m). The other is an exoplanet survey, which aims to discover transiting Earth-like exoplanets in the habitable zone from NIR time-series photometry of M dwarfs when the Galactic Center is not accessible. We introduce the mission, review many science objectives, and present the instrument concept. JASMINE will be the first dedicated NIR astrometry space mission and provide precise astrometric information on the stars in the Galactic Center, taking advantage of the significantly lower extinction in the NIR. The precise astrometry is obtained by taking many short-exposure images. Hence, the JASMINE Galactic Center survey data will be valuable for studies of exoplanet transits, asteroseismology, variable stars, and microlensing studies, including discovery of (intermediate-mass) black holes. We highlight a swath of such potential science, and also describe synergies with other missions
Assessing school evacuation movement characteristics: Children and adolescents speed and flow over stairs and through exit doorways
Get PDFThe available theories of evacuation movements are primarily founded on data gathered from adults, making them potentially unsuitable for children, especially in schools. Consequently, it is necessary to undertake further research to collect data on how children move during evacuations to understand their unique characteristics and disparities compared to adults. In this context, this paper aimed to explore the movement of school children and adolescents as they moved over stairs and through exit doorways during evacuations. The evacuation drill involved 295 school children and adolescents, whose behavior was closely monitored using a series of cameras. During the drill, their movement patterns, including flow and speed, were analyzed over stairs and through doorways. The observations revealed that children exhibited frequent interactions and contact with one another, unlike adults, who tend to maintain personal space. The findings of this study indicated that the average traveling speed over stairs was comparable to previous research, although female adolescents had a lower average speed compared to other groups. The speed and flow of participants passing through doorways were found to vary depending on their age and differed from estimates based on adult data. This study highlights that existing evacuation models fall short of adequately accounting for the dynamics of children, indicating the need for further research to improve the generalizability of evacuation models
How do patients use self-care to manage non-specific symptoms prior to a cancer diagnosis? A rapid review to inform future interventions to reduce delays in presentation to primary care
Get PDFBackground:
Timely diagnosis of cancer is important for patient outcomes. Delay in the patient interval (time from symptom interpretation to seeking help) is often the longest throughout the cancer patient pathway. Factors extending this interval include; vague symptom profiles increasing the difficulty of symptom appraisal and individual demographics influencing help-seeking behaviours. An underexplored and potential source of delay in cancer diagnosis is associated with managing symptoms using self-care activities prior to presentation to healthcare.
Methods:
This study aimed to characterise the use of self-care activities in the context of managing non-specific symptoms, prior to cancer diagnosis and their effect on length of the patient interval. Eligible publications were identified using a rapid systematic review and their qualitative self-care data extracted and analysed using thematic synthesis.
Results:
Forty-five qualitative research papers between 2009-2024 were included in the final review. Self-care was used as part of an iterative process, often resulting in delayed presentation to healthcare, if methods were effective in managing non-specific symptoms. Across the literature, varying types of self-care activities were reported across all cancers with non-specific symptoms including; the use of over the counter or alternative medications, lifestyle changes and watchful waiting. The individual’s decision to self-care was either prompted externally by a healthcare professional (HCP) (e.g. community pharmacists) or prompted by the individual depending on the availability of at home remedies and medication. Patients used self-care when there was low perceived need to seek healthcare, to determine if healthcare was required or to avoid the use of healthcare. However, across the literature, there is limited evidence to understand the variation by cancer type, symptom and individual characteristics.
Conclusions:
The findings of this rapid review demonstrate self-care activities could hinder prompt help-seeking and delay cancer diagnosis among people who are experiencing non-specific cancer symptoms. However, more evidence is needed to understand which individual factors facilitate the adoption of self-care behaviours over prompt help-seeking, for non-specific cancer symptoms
The Survivorship Experiences of Men and Boys of Crimes Categorised as Crimes of Violence Against Women and Girls
Get PDFVertical Strength Transfer Phenomenon Between Upper Body and Lower Body Exercise: Systematic Scoping Review
Get PDFBackground. There are myriad of exercise variations in which upper body (UB) and lower body (LB) exercises have been intermittently used. However, it is still unclear how training of one body region (e.g., LB) affects adaptations in distant body areas (e.g., UB), and how different UB and LB exercise configurations could help facilitate physiological adaptations of either region; both referred to in this review as vertical strength transfer (VST). Objective. To investigate the existence of the VST phenomenon as a response to various UB and LB exercise configurations and to identify potential mechanisms underpinning its occurrence. Methods. A systematic search using the PRISMA Scoping Review protocol was conducted in February 2024 using four databases (Web of Science, MEDLINE, Scopus and CINAHL) to identify peer-reviewed articles that investigated the VST phenomenon. Results. Of the 5,242 identified articles, 24 studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings suggest that the addition of UB strength training to LB endurance exercise may help preserve power-generating capacity for the leg muscle fibres. Furthermore, systemic endocrine responses to high-volume resistance exercise may beneficially modulate adaptations in precedingly or subsequently trained muscles from a different body region, augmenting their strength gains. Lastly, strength training for LB could result in improved strength of untrained UB, likely due to the increased central neural drive. Conclusion. VST existence is enabled by neuro-physiological mechanisms. Future research should involve athletic population, examining the potential of VST to facilitate athletic performance and preserve strength in injured extremities