Laboratory study of a scavenging mask system to evaluate and control airborne pathogens for healthcare workers in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) and Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

This laboratory study evaluated the usefulness of a new market available scavenging system (patient mask and filter) in controlling the spread of airborne pathogens by: 1.Develop a laboratory simulation of an infectious patient exhaling a range of respirable bacteria and viruses into a laboratory hood. 2. Compare and contrast capabilities of the market-available scavenging system to reduce and control pathogens in a laboratory setting versus not using a scavenging system. 3. Evaluate the effectiveness of the scavenging system\u27s filter and alternative HEPA filters in capturing these pathogens. A life-like manikin head equipped with a bioaerosol collision nebulizer was set up to simulate a person exhausting pathogenic droplets. The study\u27s hypothesis was tested by using two different scenarios: 1. The scavenging system was used the entire duration of the trial (Case) 2. The scavenging system was not used at all during the trial (Control). The nebulizer used multiple types of respirable pathogens (bacteria and viruses) to represent different size pathogens to evaluate the scavenging system\u27s ability to capture a range of pathogens likely to be found in infectious patients. Pathogens that may escape the scavenging system were captured using liquid impingers, and pathogens inside the scavenging system were captured by the filter that came with the market available mask. A filter flask was used to capture pathogens that broke through the scavenging system supplied filter. The captured pathogens were analyzed and quantified by spread plate analyses for both bacteria and viruses. The filter equipped with the market available scavenging system did not consistently prevent all pathogens from breaking through the filter (p ≥ .05).The HEPA filters in the scavenging mask followed a general trend showing a higher percentage of the smaller viruses passed through the HEPA filter compared to the larger viruses. However, overall the market available scavenging system proved to reduce the exposure to pathogens by 93.2% when exposed to the smallest viruses used (27nm) and as much as 99.9998% for the largest bacteria used (3 μm). Based on this laboratory research, it appears the market available scavenging system may help protect healthcare workers working in the PACU and ICU against airborne pathogen exposure. Further research in clinical trials will help validate these laboratory results

The Failure of Correlation to Describe Out-of-Plane Carbon=Carbon Bending

Carbon-carbon multiply bonded systems are improperly described with standard correlation methods and basis sets. For computations of vibrational modes, the out-of- plane bends can be reported as imaginary at worst or simply too low at best. Utilizing the simplest of aromatic structures (cyclopropenylidene) and various levels of theory, this work diagnoses this known behavior for the first time. A combined 1-particle and n-particle basis set effect conspire to produce these non-physical results. When moving from sp2 to sp3 hybridization in the carbon atoms, the larger number of basis functions overcorrects the energy. This is exacerbated by correlation methods. These allow for occupation of the and orbitals in the expanded wave function that combine with the hydrogen s orbitals. As a result, the improperly described space can be further and non-physically stabilized by post-Hartree-Fock correlation. This represents a fundamental problem with at least Hartree-Fock based methods of all flavors in describing carbon. Beyond being a flaw in quantum chemical theory, other repercussions will be present in computations regarding spectroscopy as well as energy and environmental studies where highly-accurate hydrocabon vibrational transitions or thermochemical data are needed

RANCANG BANGUN PENYALURAN JASA ASISTEN RUMAH TANGGA BE8RBASIS WEB PADA PT MANGGA RAYA MAKMUR

Household assistants are a highly sought-after profession in Indonesian society, especially in major cities. However, the process of providing household assistant services still relies on paper documents and excel, which are less efficient and effective. This research aims to design and implement a web-based information system for the distribution of household assistant services at PT. MANGGA RAYA MAKMUR. This information system can help the company manage its business processes online through a website, offering easier, faster, secure, and reliable household assistant service distribution to clients. The research methodology employed in this study is the prototype method, which includes encompassing stages such as building a prototype, prototype evaluation, system coding, system testing, and system evaluation. The information system is designed using the Unified Modeling Language (UML) and built using ReactJS with MySQL as the database. The results of this research indicate that the web-based household assistant service distribution information system can enhance the performance and satisfaction of both the companyAsisten rumah tangga (ART) merupakan pekerjaan yang banyak diminati oleh masyarakat Indonesia, terutama di kota-kota besar. Namun, proses penyaluran jasa asisten rumah tangga masih menggunakan dokumen kertas dan excel yang kurang optimal dan produktif. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk rancang bangun dan mengimplementasikan sistem informasi penyaluran jasa asisten rumah tangga berbasis web pada PT. MANGGA RAYA MAKMUR. Sistem informasi ini dapat membantu perusahaan dalam mengelola proses bisnisnya secara online melalui website, serta menawarkan layanan penyaluran jasa asisten rumah tangga yang lebih mudah, cepat, aman, dan terpercaya kepada klien. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah metode prototype, yang meliputi tahap membangun prototype, evaluasi prototype, mengkodean sistem, menguji sistem dan evaluasi sistem. Sistem informasi ini dirancang dengan menggunakan UML (Unified Modelling Language) dan dibangun dengan menggunakan ReactJS dan MySQL sebagai basis data. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa sistem informasi penyaluran jasa asisten rumah tangga berbasis web dapat meningkatkan kinerja dan kepuasan perusahaan dan klien dalam proses penyaluran jasa asisten rumah tangga

Kinematic Effects of Stride Length Perturbations on System COM Horizontal Velocity During Locomotion

PURPOSE: To investigate the kinematic effect on the systems’ center of mass horizontal velocity in response to stride length perturbations. METHODS: Twelve healthy adults (23.1±7.71 yrs; 1.69±0.1 m; 66.82±12.6 kg; leg length 894.7±66.1 mm) performed 5 trials of preferred speed walking (PW) and running (PR)followed by 5 stride length perturbations based on percentages of leg length (60%, 80%, 100%, 120% and 140%). 3D kinematic analysis was completed using a 12-camera infrared motion capture system (Vicon, 200hz). Dependent variables computer for each condition included: center of mass horizontal velocity at the highest vertical position (COMHVhi) and at the lowest vertical position (COMHVlo). Statistical analysis included correlation matrices across levels of perturbation for each dependent variable (α=.05). RESULTS: COMHVhi demonstrated significant correlations with greater than 50% shared variance for PR vs 100% (r=.742), 60% vs 80% (r=.824), 60% vs 100% (r=.748), 60% vs 120% (r=.709), 80% vs 100% (r=.896), 100% vs 120% (r=.887), and 100% vs 140% (r=.728), and 120% vs 140% (r=.895). COMHVlo demonstrated significant correlations with greater than 50% shared variance for PR vs 100% (r=.753), PW vs 80% (r=.794), 60% vs 80% (r=.814), 60% vs 100% (r=.735), 60% vs 120% (r=.748), 80% vs 100% (r=.902), 80% vs 120% (r=.751), 100% vs 120% (r=.892), and 120% vs 140% (r=.710). DISCUSSION: Results suggest PR and PW have a greater relationship to stride length less than or equal to leg length, and thus extending stride length begins to diminish mechanical efficiency. It is a well-established mechanical relationship that horizontal velocity is a product of stride length and stride rate. Study results suggest that increases in stride length beyond 100% of leg length may be less than optimal mechanically. CONCLUSION: Stride lengths greater than 100% leg length during walking may be inefficient, perhaps owing to changes in lower extremity stiffness

Step Length Perturbations Alter Variations in Center of Mass Horizontal Velocity

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of SL perturbations on system COM forward velocity (vx) during walking gait. METHODS: Eight healthy adults (23.5±3.6 yrs; 1.72±0.18 m; 73.11±15.29 kg) performed 5 trials of preferred speed walking (PW) and running (PR) followed by 5 stride length perturbations based on percentages of leg length (LL: 60%, 80%, 100%, 120% and 140%). 3D kinematic analysis was completed using a 12-camera infrared motion capture system (Vicon MX T40-S, 200Hz). Data filtering and interpolation included a low pass, 4th order Butterworth filter (cutoff frequency 15Hz) and cubic (3rd order spline). Maximum and minimum system COMvx comparisons were made independently among stride conditions using one-way repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc contrasts. Change in system COMvx across gait stride were evaluated using one-way repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc contrasts (α=0.05). RESULTS: Differences in maximum COMvx were detected among stride conditions (F[1.847,59.105]=339.458, pdetected among stride conditions (F[2.118,65.666] =130.951, pdetected significantly greater ΔCOMvx at 140% LL, and significantly less ΔCOMvx at 60% LL (p≤.005). DISCUSSION: Differences in maximum COMvx were detected among stride conditions (F[1.847,59.105]=339.458,

The Drier Dryer

With our product, The Drier Dryer, we aim to increase the efficiency of clothing dryers. This report contains an indepth look at the design approach we are taking to create our product. Our design utilizes a thermoelectric cooler combined with heat sinks and heat pipes to efficiently cool air to its dew point temperature and then reheat the air prior to sending it into a clothes dryer intake. Cooling the air to dew point temperature allows moisture to be removed from the air consequently decreasing the relative humidity. Throughout our design process we obtained simulation results providing a theoretical temperature the air needs to be cooled down to in order to remove moisture based on various design conditions. Our results showed that for conditions of 27 °C (80 °F) and 80% relative humidity, based on a design state of Hawaii, we require at least a 4 °C temperature difference across the cold side heat sink. Results from experimental testing in Santa Clara, CA on our two iterations of prototypes yielded a maximum temperature difference of approximately 2 °C. After applying our future plans to further idealize our prototype design as well as incorporating design conditions based on our simulation results, we aim to further increase our temperature difference allowing us to prove our theoretical results experimentally

Driver Preference of Collision Warning Strategy and Modality

The success of collision warning systems depends on how well the algorithm and driver interface are tailored to driver capabilities and preferences. An effective collision warning system must promote a timely and appropriate driver response while minimizing annoyance associated with nuisance warnings. A within-subject experimental design examined warning strategy and modality by contrasting graded and imminent warning strategies with auditory and haptic warning modalities. Presented on a high, head-down display placed directly in front of the driver, visual warnings were displayed in the form of graded bars representing severity, or by an imminent collision icon. Visual warnings were paired with either an auditory warning or a haptic warning in the form of a vibrating seat. Results suggest that haptic warnings may be preferred over auditory warnings, with graded haptic warnings being preferred more than imminent haptic warnings. These results support previous findings of greater acceptance of graded compared to imminent warnings, and no decrement in performance or acceptance of a haptic versus an auditory warning

The impact of different environmental conditions on cognitive function : a focused review

Cognitive function defines performance in objective tasks that require conscious mental effort. Extreme environments, namely heat, hypoxia, and cold can all alter human cognitive function due to a variety of psychological and/or biological processes. The aims of this Focused Review were to discuss; (1) the current state of knowledge on the effects of heat, hypoxic and cold stress on cognitive function, (2) the potential mechanisms underpinning these alterations, and (3) plausible interventions that may maintain cognitive function upon exposure to each of these environmental stressors. The available evidence suggests that the effects of heat, hypoxia, and cold stress on cognitive function are both task and severity dependent. Complex tasks are particularly vulnerable to extreme heat stress, whereas both simple and complex task performance appear to be vulnerable at even at moderate altitudes. Cold stress also appears to negatively impact both simple and complex task performance, however, the research in this area is sparse in comparison to heat and hypoxia. In summary, this focused review provides updated knowledge regarding the effects of extreme environmental stressors on cognitive function and their biological underpinnings. Tyrosine supplementation may help individuals maintain cognitive function in very hot, hypoxic, and/or cold conditions. However, more research is needed to clarify these and other postulated interventions