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Immobilization of nanodiamonds onto cotton fabric through polyurethane nanofibrous coatings for summer clothing
No full textGlobal warming is one of the alarming issues, which is impacting humans globally. It is preferred to adopt a lifestyle that promotes heat dissipation from the human body. One approach to cool a human body is improvement in personal apparel, which can help the human body to cool quickly. The required characteristic for cooling performance can be achieved by employing materials with excellent thermal conductivity. Nanodiamonds (ND) have exceptional thermal conductivity properties and can help overcome the poor thermal conductivity of fabrics. This manuscript presents a study on a one-sided coated fabric where NDs are applied to the skin side of the fabric to promote heat dissipation toward the atmosphere while the other side of the fabric, exposed to the hot atmosphere, remains uncoated to delay the transfer of out from atmosphere to human body. ND was applied onto cotton fabric through electrospraying polyurethane (PU) and carboxylated ND (NDCOOH). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical microscopy images indicated a homogeneous distribution of the sprayed ND/PU solution over the fabric surface. The samples were chemically analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The thermal resistance was measured by a sweating guarded hot plate (SGHP), which confirmed lower thermal resistance of fabric from the ND-coated side to atmosphere as compared to control, and thermal resistance from the uncoated to atmosphere was the same for both controlled and treated samples. Similarly, thermal conductivity, radiant heat transfer, and infrared spectroscopy characterizations strengthened the findings of SGHP results. Real-life simulated experiments were also conducted to verify the performance of developed samples. The electrosprayed samples also showed higher ultraviolet protection than the control sample. Air permeability and moisture absorption of the samples slightly decreased after applying the coating but remained within an acceptable range of comfortabili
The psychological contract of women athletes in semi-professional team sports
No full textWithin the dynamic landscape of women’s semi-professional and professional leagues, athletes and their employers are negotiating their employment relationship parameters. Positioning our research in a postfeminist sensibility, we explore both parties’ expectations and obligations through psychological contract (PC) theory. We conducted interviews across two semi-professional sports leagues, with 30 athletes, 20 coaches and managers and two league-level representatives. The data analysis identified three themes: 1. Obligations, commitment, and choice; 2. Expectations of conformity and power relations; 3. Fulfilling organisational goals. Many athletes spoke about power imbalances in the PC with employers “exploiting” athletes’ desire to be play in the league at almost any cost. Athletes felt they had little choice but to accept the current state of employment, endure sacrifices and hope for a better future where they could reach their potential through viable career pathways and a living wage. Our research provides a better understanding of the PC employment relationship and associated implications. Greater knowledge about PCs could be used to develop work practices and relations that enhance and benefit athletes and employers
Piercing of the Human Parainfluenza Virus by Nanostructured Surfaces
No full textThis paper presents a comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigation into the antiviral properties of nanostructured surfaces and explains the underlying virucidal mechanism. We used reactive ion etching to fabricate silicon (Si) surfaces featuring an array of sharp nanospikes with an approximate tip diameter of 2 nm and a height of 290 nm. The nanospike surfaces exhibited a 1.5 log reduction in infectivity of human parainfluenza virus type 3 (hPIV-3) after 6 h, a substantially enhanced efficiency, compared to that of smooth Si. Theoretical modeling of the virus-nanospike interactions determined the virucidal action of the nanostructured substrata to be associated with the ability of the sharp nanofeatures to effectively penetrate the viral envelope, resulting in the loss of viral infectivity. Our research highlights the significance of the potential application of nanostructured surfaces in combating the spread of viruses and bacteria. Notably, our study provides valuable insights into the design and optimization of antiviral surfaces with a particular emphasis on the crucial role played by sharp nanofeatures in maximizing their effectiveness
Two-Stage Multitasking Energy Demand Prediction
No full textEnergy demand prediction can be obtained for different customer categories or geolocations, e.g., predicting the energy demand over different cities. Traditionally, these prediction tasks are solved independently without considering the common problem-solving knowledge sharing among them. However, addressing one task may help facilitate the training process or improve the prediction performance of another one via knowledge transfer. In this article, we propose a two-stage multitasking prediction (TS-MTP) framework to address the energy demand prediction problem over multiple locations, in which each task has a deep neural network (DNN) model as the predictor. TS-MTP includes single-tasking learning (STL) and multitasking learning (MTL) stages. The STL stage focuses on addressing each prediction task independently with a gradient descent-based optimization algorithm until the training accuracy cannot be improved, so that the optimal DNN structure parameters for each task can be achieved. In the MTL stage, for a specified target task, the knowledge, i.e., DNN connection weights and biases acquired in STL, is extracted and transferred from the source tasks and reused in the target task to help further improve its prediction accuracy. To decide the amount of knowledge to be reused, a coefficient is assigned to each source task, and particle swarm optimization is applied to obtain the optimal coefficients. The performance of TS-MTP is verified on several problem sets that are created from different step-ahead predictions. The superiority of TS-MTP is demonstrated in comparison to several state-of-the-art DNNs that are popular in the time-series prediction domain. The results show that TS-MTP can lead to a more than 35% accuracy improvement compared with the STL without knowledge transfer
Adjuvant activities of immunostimulating natural products: Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. and Coriolus versicolor in BNT162b2 vaccination against COVID-19 infection
No full textThe global pandemic of COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been developing all over the world for more than 3 years. In late 2020, several variants of concern of SARS-CoV-2 virus emerged, with increased viral fitness and transmissibility by mutations of the spike proteins of the viral particle, denting hopes of the use of early-generation vaccines for a widespread protective immunity against viral infection. The use of adjuvants may enhance the immune responses of the conventional application of the COVID-19 vaccine. We have shown that the water extract of 2 β-glucan–enriched immunostimulating natural products, Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bge. (AM) and Coriolus versicolor (CV), could induce innate immunity-related cytokines from human monocytes (CCL5, interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, and tumor necrosis factor α) and monocyte-derived dendritic cells (IL-1β, IL-10, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor α). Using BALB/c mice, orally administrated AM and CV (1,384 and 742 mg/kg/d) for 4 d after vaccination, respectively, could enhance (1) the immunoglobulin G binding activities of BNT162b2 vaccination against ancestral and Delta SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins by 5.8- and 4.3-fold, respectively; (2) the immunoglobulin G3 subclass production of BNT162b2 vaccination against ancestral and variant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins; and (3) the in vitro antibody-neutralizing activities of BNT162b2 vaccinated mice. In conclusion, combining AM and CV was effective in acting as an oral adjuvant with the messenger RNA vaccine BNT162b2 to improve the antigen binding activities against SARS-CoV-2 ancestral and variant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, probably via trained immunity of macrophages and dendritic cells
Preparation, physicochemical characterisation and assessment of liquid and vapour phase antimicrobial activity of essential oil loaded lipid nanoparticles
No full textMany essential oils have garnered attention as promising antimicrobials; however, their inherent volatility and susceptibility to degradation limit their effective utilisation. Encapsulation can address these limitations by entrapping the essential oils within protective matrices. In the current study, native Australian essential oils, Tasmanian mountain pepper (Tasmannia lanceolata) and lemon myrtle (Backhousia citriodora) and non-native thyme (Thymus vulgaris) were encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles (LNs) using high-pressure homogenisation. The morphology, size, stability and release properties of the LNs was assessed using cryo-TEM, DLS, turbiscanning and dialysis, respectively. The encapsulation efficiency of the LNs was determined using ultrafiltration and GC-FID analysis. The liquid and vapour phase antimicrobial activity and mode of action were determined using microdilution, inverted petri plate assays, and TEM, respectively. Stable spherical LNs (<200 nm size) with encapsulation efficiencies <88% and polydispersity index [removed
Laser directed energy deposition of Ti-1Al-8V-5Fe alloy: From zero to significant tensile plasticity
No full textTitanium alloy Ti-1Al-8V-5Fe (Ti-185) has essentially remained an experimental alloy since its invention because of the formation of iron-stabilized beta-flecks in conventional manufacturing. Laser directed energy deposition (L-DED) has the potential to avoid this issue while realizing in-situ ageing. This work investigates the L-DED fabrication of Ti-185 alloy. We show that the precipitate phases along the build height of the Ti-185 plate sample have a decisive influence on its tensile properties. Due to the formation of the embrittling isothermal omega-phase (ωiso), the top region of the Ti-185 plate sample exhibited zero plasticity, while the middle region, which is free of the omega-phase (ω), demonstrated significant tensile ductility (20 ± 2 %) and strength (1042 ± 13 MPa). The formation of each phase is elucidated using simulated temperature evolution profiles in the plate sample. Furthermore, we show that converting the isothermal omega-phase into the athermal omega-phase (ωath) through beta-annealing and water quenching restores tensile ductility
Numerical and experimental analysis of pollen inhalation exposure in nasal airways following various middle turbinectomy
No full textBackground: Middle turbinectomy (MT) has always been controversial. MT significantly alters the anatomy and redistributes the inhaled air. The current study is designed to quantify the effect of MT with varying resection volumes on airflow and associated pollen inhalation exposure characteristics in the nasal airways. Methods: Six realistic models following bilateral comprehensive Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) deriving from CT images were constructed and their corresponding post-MT models with four types of MT procedures were virtually conducted. Inhalation exposure to pollen particles was simulated by the Computational Fluid-Particle Dynamics (CFPD) approach and validated through in vitro experiments. Results: Following the excision of the middle turbinate, a significant escalation in airflow was observed within the upper-middle region of the nasal cavities. Pollen deposition was observed to be more prominent in the nasal septum, laryngopharynx, and maxillary sinus, varying with the types of MT procedures. Notably, particles with diameters smaller than 50 μm exhibited two distinct “high peaks” and three “small peaks” within the nasal airways. Conclusion: MT resulted in increased airflow volume within the upper-middle region of the nasal cavities. Following MT, notable shifts in pollen particle deposition hot spots were observed, transitioning from the nasal vestibule, nasal septum, and middle meatus to the nasal septum and laryngopharynx. These findings are anticipated to contribute valuable perspectives on pollen inhalation exposure risk assessments following diverse MT surgical interventions
An Exploration of the Certified Health Informatician Australasia (CHIA) Participants
No full textThe Certified Health Informatician Australasian (CHIA) is an assessment of a candidate's capabilities measured using a core set of health informatics competencies. The aim of this paper is to describe the outcomes of the first eight years since the program's launch. This paper contributes to the competency framework and certification discourse, and knowledge of the increasing importance and recognition of health informaticians through certification. An analysis of results and possible contributing factors is discussed
Experienced incivility undermines the positive effects of job autonomy on mental and physical health
No full textIntegrating insights from conservation of resources theory related to both the positive effects of resources and the detrimental effects of resource loss, this paper examines the effect of job autonomy (an organizational-level resource) on subjective physical pain as mediated by mental health, with experienced workplace incivility (a social stressor) included as a boundary condition. Drawing from the results of a state-wide survey of local government professionals (N = 289), we test a moderated mediation model that estimates the relationships amongst job autonomy, mental health, and physical pain, at differing levels of experienced incivility. Mental health is found to fully mediate the negative relationship between job autonomy and physical pain. When the moderating effect of workplace incivility is incorporated into the model, higher levels of uncivil behavior weaken the otherwise positive and significant effect of job autonomy on mental health. However, the relationship between mental health and physical pain does not depend on levels of workplace incivility. This research has important implications for the management of physical and mental health at work. In particular, the results point to a need to develop human resource policies and practices that both promote job autonomy and tackle experiences of workplace incivility, particularly in local governments