Statistical modelling of key body dimensions in developing a size chart for the full-figured, pear-shaped South African women

Anthropometric body measurement is a crucial process in the development of size charts for garment manufacturing. Body measurements differ between specific population groups, and garments catering for different populations must be manufactured based upon accurate size charts informed by accurate body measurements for that population. Amongst population groups, the full-figured, pear-shaped South African woman is a unique identifiable body type. This body type is not adequately catered for in garment manufacturing, as it requires a unique configuration of garments with different sizes for the upper and lower torso. The relative absence of well-fitting garments for this body type necessitates taking body measurements in order to develop a size chart to inform design and manufacturing of garments. The purpose of this paper is to develop a statistical model of key body dimensions (bust, waist and hip) to populate a size chart for the manufacturing of ready-to-wear garments for the full-figured, pear-shaped South African woman. A correlational research method using body measurements from purposively selected women of ages 25 to 55 years was carried out. After categorizing the height measurements into three groups, the means of body measurements for the medium height group were used to develop a size chart for sizes 16 to size 24, using principal component analysis (PCA) and least squares regression. Results showed that the bust, waist and hip values highly contribute towards body type sizing. The bust and hip were highly correlated at R2=0.996 (99.6%), and the model predicted the true value of the hip at R2=0.993 (99.3%). Bust measurement positively correlated to the waist at 93.8%, and the model predicted the true value of the waist at R2=0.880 (88%). Bust dimension was significant in predicting the hip and waist dimensions. Variances among hip dimensions in the current sizing were in 4 to 6 cm intervals. Full-figured, pear-shaped figures present 5.5 to 7.5 cm values across the hip measurements. In conclusion, findings of the simulated values for hip and waist at different sizes based on bust measurements suggest that the values obtained respectively were almost the same with measurements in the customised size chart developed in the study. This makes the model dependable, reliable and valid for the size chart determination targeting the full-figured, pear-shaped South African woman. It is recommended that the model be used for determining size charts for other body shapes

Haemodynamic Benefit of Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy Requires Left Bundle Branch Block: A Case Report

A 55-year-old woman with dilated cardiomyopathy and rate-dependent left bundle branch block had a cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) device implanted. During implantation, the maximum rate of left ventricular pressure rise (dP/dtmax) was measured invasively. This case presents a description of the acute negative effect of a left bundle branch block on dP/dtmax, and the different effect of CRT on left ventricular haemodynamic function in the presence and absence of a left bundle branch block

A compilation of data on the radiant emissivity of some materials at high temperatures

This paper gives a compilation of experimental data from a variety of sources of the emissivity of materials used in high temperature applications. The data is given in the form of temperature dependent correlation equations which can be used for modelling purposes. The data on refractory materials show the importance of surface properties, the effect of surface coatings and ways in which these can be taken into account for more accurate predictions of emissivity. Information is also given on chars, ash particles and furnace deposits resulting from the combustion of coal and biomass

Emissions performance of high moisture wood fuels burned in a residential stove

A study has been made of the effect of fuel moisture content on emissions from a wood burning domestic stove. Two fuel types were studied: beech which is a hardwood, and spruce which is a softwood. The moisture contents investigated were for a freshly felled wood, a seasoned wood and a kiln dried wood. The effect of the moisture measurement method was considered using a commercial electrical conductivity probe moisture meter which was compared with laboratory analysis by drying in an oven at 105 °C. It was shown that the probe can significantly underestimate the actual moisture content in certain cases. Correlations were made of the burning rate, the Emission Factors for the formation of gaseous and particulate pollutants as a function of the moisture content. We also studied the ratio of Black Carbon to Total Carbon (BC/TC) to obtain information on the organic content of the particles. The NOₓ emissions from this type of stove were only dependent on the fuel-nitrogen content and not on the moisture content

An assessment of road-verge grass as a feedstock for farm-fed anaerobic digestion plants

Cuttings from road-verge grass could provide biomass for energy generation, but currently this potential is not exploited. This research assessed the technical, practical and financial feasibility of using grass harvested from road verges as a feedstock in farm-fed anaerobic digestion (AD) plants. The methane potential (191 mL CH4 gDM−1) and digestion characteristics of verge grass were similar to those of current farm feedstocks; indicating suitability for AD. Ensiling had no significant impact on the biomethane generated. Testing co-digestions of verge grass with current farm feedstocks showed enhanced methane yields, suggesting that verge grass could be a valuable addition to AD feedstock mixes. In a case study of the UK county of Lincolnshire, potential volumes and locations of verge grass biomass were estimated, with capacities and locations of existing AD plants, to assess the potential to supply practical grass volumes. Grass harvesting costs were modelled and compared with other feedstock costs. Finally, the attitudes of AD operators to using verge grass were investigated to understand whether a market for verge grass exists. In a small survey all operators were willing to use it as a feedstock and most were prepared to pay over the estimated harvesting cost. If verge grass was legally recognised as a waste product it could be attractive to AD operators especially where financial incentives to use waste feedstocks are in place. In rural areas, verge grass could be harvested and co-digested by existing farm-fed AD plants, potentially reducing the cost of road verge maintenance and increasing biodiversity

Investigating the impact of an Al-Si additive on the resistivity of biomass ashes

Ash resistivity is an important factor in the collection efficiency of electrostatic precipitators (ESPs). There is good experience in the industry regarding resistivity of coal fly ash and well-established models for its prediction based on coal ash composition. The same is not true for biomass ash and this paper reports much-needed data for three different biomass types. Coal pulverised fuel ash (PFA), can be used as an aluminosilicate additive to mitigate biomass ash deposition issues. The effects of PFA additive on the resistivity of biomass ashes is also reported here. Biomass ash resistivity is an order of magnitude lower than that of typical coal ashes, and thus re-entrainment of particles in ESPs may become an operational issue, exacerbated by the presence of moisture and sulphur. PFA additive can increase the resistivity, but also leads to higher ash loading. Regression analysis indicates that potassium in biomass ash impacts significantly upon resistivity, contrary to previous studies. Various existing resistivity models were tested for predicting biomass ash resistivity; they produced significant overestimates when compared to experimental results due to omission of potassium as a component of the ash. Modifications to existing models or new models are required to predict resistivity of biomass ashes, and the data reported here will be important for developing such a model

Biomass fuel flexibility in future conventional power generation

Power generation from the combustion of solid fuels has been a conventional technology for electricity production in the UK and most of the world for many decades. While the phasing out of coal as a fuel is an important aspect of the ‘decarbonising’ the electricity sector, the respective power plant technology could still play an important role into the future by use of abundant sources of solid biomass fuels. If such resources are to be effectively utilised, it is then necessary to accommodate the wide variation in the characteristics and behaviour of biomass fuels. Some of the key challenges in this context include: control of burn-out efficiency for different fuels; predictability of ash behaviour including operational problems and emissions arising from high ash and high potassium content fuels; the fate of fuel nitrogen content and the consequent effects on NOx emissions. This article presents an overview of these issues, their significance in the context of power plant design and operation and details of some recent research seeking to address them. Results of laboratory scale experiments showing the variation in properties and behaviour of different types of biomass fuel are also presented. These include studies on the relationship between fuel particle size and burn-out duration, gas-phase potassium release from biomass materials during combustion, variability in biomass ash composition and nitrogen release patterns from fuels in high temperature combustion

Strategic Planning for Local Tourism Destinations: An Analysis of Tourism

This paper reports on a study of the planning practices of local tourism destinations. The tourism plans of 30 local tourism destinations in Queensland, Australia were analyzed to determine the extent to which sustainability principles, namely strategic planning and stakeholder participation, were integrated into the planning process. Utilizing a tourism planning process evaluation instrument developed by Simpson (2001), it was found that local tourism destinations are not integrating sustainability principles in their planning processes

Spatial and Temporal Variations in SO₂ and PM₂.₅ Levels Around Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai'i During 2007–2018

Among the hazards posed by volcanoes are the emissions of gases and particles that can affect air quality and damage agriculture and infrastructure. A recent intense episode of volcanic degassing associated with severe impacts on air quality accompanied the 2018 lower East Rift Zone (LERZ) eruption of Kīlauea volcano, Hawai'i. This resulted in a major increase in gas emission rates with respect to usual emission values for this volcano, along with a shift in the source of the dominant plume to a populated area on the lower flank of the volcano. This led to reduced air quality in downwind communities. We analyse open-access data from the permanent air quality monitoring networks operated by the Hawai'i Department of Health (HDOH) and National Park Service (NPS), and report on measurements of atmospheric sulfur dioxide (SO2) between 2007 and 2018 and PM2.5 (aerosol particulate matter with diameter <2.5 μm) between 2010 and 2018. Additional air quality data were collected through a community-operated network of low-cost PM2.5 sensors during the 2018 LERZ eruption. From 2007 to 2018 the two most significant escalations in Kīlauea's volcanic emissions were: the summit eruption that began in 2008 (Kīlauea emissions averaged 5–6 kt/day SO2 from 2008 until summit activity decreased in May 2018) and the LERZ eruption in 2018 when SO2 emission rates reached a monthly average of 200 kt/day during June. In this paper we focus on characterizing the airborne pollutants arising from the 2018 LERZ eruption and the spatial distribution and severity of volcanic air pollution events across the Island of Hawai'i. The LERZ eruption caused the most frequent and severe exceedances of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) PM2.5 air quality threshold (35 μg/m3 as a daily average) in Hawai'i in the period 2010–2018. In Kona, for example, the maximum 24-h-mean mass concentration of PM2.5 was recorded as 59 μg/m3 on the twenty-ninth of May 2018, which was one of eight recorded exceedances of the EPA air quality threshold during the 2018 LERZ eruption, where there had been no exceedances in the previous 8 years as measured by the HDOH and NPS networks. SO2 air pollution during the LERZ eruption was most severe in communities in the south and west of the island, as measured by selected HDOH and NPS stations in this study, with a maximum 24-h-mean mass concentration of 728 μg/m3 recorded in Ocean View (100 km west of the LERZ emission source) in May 2018. Data from the low-cost sensor network correlated well with data from the HDOH PM2.5 instruments, confirming that these low-cost sensors provide a robust means to augment reference-grade instrument networks