Effect of radiation interaction and aerosol processes on ventilation and aerosol concentrations in a real urban neighbourhood in Helsinki

Large-eddy simulation (LES) is an optimal tool to examine aerosol particle concentrations in detail within urban neighbourhoods. The concentrations are a complex result of local emissions, meteorology, aerosol processes and local mixing conditions due to thermal and mechanical effects. Despite this, most studies have focused on simplification of the affecting processes such as examining the impact of local mixing in idealised street canyons or treating aerosols as passive scalars. The aim of this study is to include all these processes into LES using the PALM model system and to examine the importance of radiative heating and aerosol processes in simulating local aerosol particle concentrations and different aerosol metrics within a realistic urban neighbourhood in Helsinki under morning rush hour with calm wind conditions. The model outputs are evaluated against mobile laboratory measurements of air temperature and total particle number concentration (Ntot) as well as drone measurements of lung-deposited surface area (LDSA). The inclusion of radiation interaction in LES has a significant impact on simulated near-surface temperatures in our study domain, increasing them on average from 8.6 to 12.4 ∘C. The resulting enhanced ventilation reduces the pedestrian-level (4 m) Ntot by 53 %. The reduction in Ntot due to aerosol processes is smaller, only 18 %. Aerosol processes particularly impact the smallest particle range, whereas radiation interaction is more important in the larger particle range. The inclusion of radiation interaction reduces the bias between the modelled and mobile-laboratory-measured air temperatures from −3.9 to +0.2 ∘C and Ntot from +98 % to −13 %. With both aerosol and radiation interaction on, the underestimation is 16 %, which might be due to overestimation of the ventilation. The results show how inclusion of radiative interaction is particularly important in simulating PM2.5, whereas aerosol processes are more important in simulating LDSA in this calm wind situation.</p

Sensing of magnetic-field gradients with nanodiamonds on optical glass-fiber facets

We demonstrate a photonic sensor of the magnetic field and its gradients with remote readout. The sensor is based on optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) in nanodiamonds with nitrogen-vacancy color centers that are covalently attached as a thin film on one facet of an optical fiber bundle. By measuring ODMR signals from a group of individual fibers in an ∼0.5-mm-wide imaging bundle, differences of local magnetic field strengths and magnetic field gradients are determined across the plane of the bundle facet. The measured gradients are created by direct electric currents flowing in a wire placed near the nanodiamond film. The measurement enabled the determination of the net magnetic field corresponding to various current directions and their corresponding magnetic field gradients. This demonstration opens up a perspective for compact fiber-based endoscopy, with additional avenues for remote and sensitive magnetic field detection with submicrometer spatial resolution under ambient conditions

Platform adaptive trial of novel antivirals for early treatment of COVID-19 In the community (PANORAMIC): protocol for a randomised, controlled, open-label, adaptive platform trial of community novel antiviral treatment of COVID-19 in people at increased risk of more severe disease

Introduction: There is an urgent need to determine the safety, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of novel antiviral treatments for COVID-19 in vaccinated patients in the community at increased risk of morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. // Methods and analysis: PANORAMIC is a UK-wide, open-label, prospective, adaptive, multiarm platform, randomised clinical trial that evaluates antiviral treatments for COVID-19 in the community. A master protocol governs the addition of new antiviral treatments as they become available, and the introduction and cessation of existing interventions via interim analyses. The first two interventions to be evaluated are molnupiravir (Lagevrio) and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid). Eligibility criteria: community-dwelling within 5 days of onset of symptomatic COVID-19 (confirmed by PCR or lateral flow test), and either (1) aged 50 years and over, or (2) aged 18–49 years with qualifying comorbidities. Registration occurs via the trial website and by telephone. Recruitment occurs remotely through the central trial team, or in person through clinical sites. Participants are randomised to receive either usual care or a trial drug plus usual care. Outcomes are collected via a participant-completed daily electronic symptom diary for 28 days post randomisation. Participants and/or their Trial Partner are contacted by the research team after days 7, 14 and 28 if the diary is not completed, or if the participant is unable to access the diary. The primary efficacy endpoint is all-cause, non-elective hospitalisation and/or death within 28 days of randomisation. Multiple prespecified interim analyses allow interventions to be stopped for futility or superiority based on prespecified decision criteria. A prospective economic evaluation is embedded within the trial. // Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval granted by South Central–Berkshire REC number: 21/SC/0393; IRAS project ID: 1004274. Results will be presented to policymakers and at conferences, and published in peer-reviewed journals. // Trial registration number: ISRCTN30448031; EudraCT number: 2021-005748-31

Sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden ammattitaitoa edistävän harjoittelun ohjausrunko Kolmiosairaalan sisätautien vuodeosastolle 6B

Opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena oli tuottaa opiskelijaohjausrunko sairaanhoitajien tueksi Kolmiosairaalan sisätautien vuodeosastolle 6B. Opinnäytetyön tavoitteena oli kehittää ja yhtenäistää osaston sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden ohjausta. Opinnäytetyö oli osa Helsingin ja Uudenmaan sairaanhoitopiirin Kolmiosairaala-hanketta, jonka tarkoituksena oli kehittää sairaalan toimintaa, kuten yhtenäistää sairaalan opiskelijaohjausta. Opinnäytetyö tuotettiin yhteistyönä Laurea-ammattikorkeakoulun ja Kolmiosairaala-hankkeen kanssa. Tutkimuskysymykset muodostuivat teoreettisen viitekehyksen pohjalta. Tutkimuskysymyksinä oli selvittää, mitkä ovat keskeiset sisällöt opiskelijan ohjauksessa ammattitaitoa edistävän harjoittelun alku-, keski- ja loppuvaiheessa sisätautien vuodeosastolla 6B. Opinnäytetyö rajattiin käsittelemään sairaanhoitajaopiskelijan perustason harjoittelua. Opinnäytetyö toteutettiin kvalitatiivisena eli laadullisena tutkimusmenetelmänä. Haastattelu toteutettiin puolistrukturoituna haastatteluna. Ohjausrunkoa varten ryhmähaastateltiin kolmea sairaanhoitajaa, joilla on kokemusta opiskelijaohjauksesta sisätautien vuodeosastolla 6B. Haastattelu nauhoitettiin ja materiaali analysoitiin sisällönanalyysillä. Ohjausrunko muodostui haastattelusta saatujen tulosten perusteella. Ohjausrunko muokkautui opinnäytetyön edetessä osastolta 6B saatujen toiveiden mukaisesti teemoittain eteneväksi. Opinnäytetyön tulosten tarkastelu ja analysointi tehtiin alkuperäisen suunnitelman mukaan alku-, keski- ja loppuvaiheittain. Haastattelutuloksista ilmeni alkuvaiheen olevan tutustumista osastoon ja sen toimintaan sekä potilasryhmiin. Harjoittelun keskivaiheessa korostuvat lääkehoito, potilaan ohjaaminen ja oma-aloitteellisuus. Loppuvaiheessa painottuu sairaanhoitajaopiskelijan itsenäinen ja omatoiminen työskentely. Tällöin sairaanhoitajaopiskelijan odotetaan kyselevän adekvaatteja kysymyksiä ja antavan ehdotuksia potilaan hoitoon. Jatkotutkimusehdotuksena nousi esiin ohjausrungon tuottaminen syventävän vaiheen sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoille. Myös kysymys, onko ohjausrunko yhtenäistänyt sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden ohjausta sisätautien vuodeosastolla 6B, tuli jatkoehdotuksena esiin. Lisäksi toivottiin, että sairaanhoitajaopiskelijoiden tyytyväisyyttä saatuun ohjaukseen ohjausrungon käyttöönoton jälkeen selvitettäisiin.The purpose of this thesis was to produce a guideline to support nursing students in practical training on the Triangle hospital’s medical ward 6B. The goal was to improve and unify student guidance on the ward. The thesis was a part of the Triangle hospital project the goal of which was to improve the hospital’s functioning, for example to unify student guidance. This thesis was carried out in co-operation with Laurea University of Applied Sciences and the Triangle hospital project. The study questions were formed based on a theoretical frame of reference. The study questions were designed to clarify what the central contents are in the first, middle, and final stage of the practical training on the medical ward 6B. The thesis was limited to nursing students’ basic level clinical training. The thesis was conducted as a qualitative research. The interview was carried out as a semistructured interview. For the guideline three nurses who had experience in student guidance were interviewed. The interview was recorded and the material was analyzed through content analysis. The guideline was based on the findings that were obtained from the interview. During the progress of the thesis, the guideline was modified to proceed by themes due to the ward’s wishes. The examination and analysis of the findings of the thesis were carried out according to the original plan at the first, middle, and final stage of the practical training. It appeared that in the beginning of the practical training a nursing student concentrates on orientating to the ward’s working habits and patient groups. In the middle of the practical training the medication, initiative working, and patient guidance are emphasized. A nursing student’s self-reliant and independent working is emphasized in the end of the practical training. In the end of the practical training it is also expected that a nursing student asks relevant questions and gives proposals regarding the patient’s care. Suggestions for further studies might be to produce a guideline for advanced nursing studies, to find out if the guideline has unified nursing students ́ guidance on the ward 6B, and to clarify the satisfaction of the nursing students about the guidance they received after the guideline was introduced

Engineered Zero-Dimensional Fullerene/Carbon Dots-Polymer Based Nanocomposite Membranes for Wastewater Treatment

With the rapid growth of industrialization, diverse pollutants produced as by-products are emitted to the air-water ecosystem, and toxic contamination of water is one of the most hazardous environmental issues. Various forms of carbon have been used for adsorption, electrochemical, and ion-exchange membrane filtration to separation processes for water treatment. The utilization of carbon materials has gained tremendous attention as they have exceptional properties such as chemical, mechanical, thermal, antibacterial activities, along with reinforcement capability and high thermal stability, that helps to maintain the ecological balance. Recently, engineered nano-carbon incorporated with polymer as a composite membrane has been spotlighted as a new and effective mode for water treatment. In particular, the properties of zero-dimensional (0D) carbon forms (fullerenes and carbon dots) have encouraged researchers to explore them in the field of wastewater treatment through membrane technologies as they are biocompatible, which is the ultimate requirement to ensure the safety of drinking water. Thus, the purpose of this review is to highlight and summarize current advances in the field of water purification/treatment using 0D carbon-polymer-based nanocomposite membranes. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of 0D carbon forms embedded into a variety of polymer membranes and their influence on the improved performance of the resulting membranes. Current challenges and opportunities for future research are discussed

Sensitivity of spatial aerosol particle distributions to the boundary conditions in the PALM model system 6.0

High-resolution modelling is needed to understand urban air quality and pollutant dispersion in detail. Recently, the PALM model system 6.0, which is based on large-eddy simulation (LES), was extended with the detailed Sectional Aerosol module for Large Scale Applications (SALSA) v2.0 to enable studying the complex interactions between the turbulent flow field and aerosol dynamic processes. This study represents an extensive evaluation of the modelling system against the horizontal and vertical distributions of aerosol particles measured using a mobile laboratory and a drone in an urban neighbourhood in Helsinki, Finland. Specific emphasis is on the model sensitivity of aerosol particle concentrations, size distributions and chemical compositions to boundary conditions of meteorological variables and aerosol background concentrations. The meteorological boundary conditions are taken from both a numerical weather prediction model and observations, which occasionally differ strongly. Yet, the model shows good agreement with measurements (fractional bias 0.3, normalised mean bias factor <0.25 and normalised mean absolute error factor <0.35) with respect to both horizontal and vertical distribution of aerosol particles, their size distribution and chemical composition. The horizontal distribution is most sensitive to the wind speed and atmospheric stratification, and vertical distribution to the wind direction. The aerosol number size distribution is mainly governed by the flow field along the main street with high traffic rates and in its surroundings by the background concentrations. The results emphasise the importance of correct meteorological and aerosol background boundary conditions, in addition to accurate emission estimates and detailed model physics, in quantitative high-resolution air pollution modelling and future urban LES studies.Peer reviewe

Magnetically-sensitive nanodiamond thin-films on glass fibers

By assembling 140 nm-sized fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) in a thin-film on (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane functionalized glass surface, we prepare magnetically-sensitive FND-fiber probes for endoscopy. The obtained FND layers show good uniformity over large surfaces and are characterized using confocal, fluorescence, and atomic force microscopes. Further, FNDs are assembled on single large-core multimode optical fibers and imaging fiber bundles end face to detect optically detectable magnetic resonance (ODMR) signals. The ODMR signals are recorded through the fiber’s far end in magnetic fields between 0 to 2.5 mT. A multi-channel sensor is demonstrated with the capability of parallel-in-time mapping and instantaneous readout from individual pixel and enabling magnetic mapping at high spatial resolution. Results of this study are promising for early stage detection in bio-diagnostic applications