Evaluating assumptions of scales for subjective assessment of thermal environments – Do laypersons perceive them the way, we researchers believe?

People's subjective response to any thermal environment is commonly investigated by using rating scales describing the degree of thermal sensation, comfort, and acceptability. Subsequent analyses of results collected in this way rely on the assumption that specific distances between verbal anchors placed on the scale exist and that relationships between verbal anchors from different dimensions that are assessed (e.g. thermal sensation and comfort) do not change. Another inherent assumption is that such scales are independent of the context in which they are used (climate zone, season, etc.). Despite their use worldwide, there is indication that contextual differences influence the way the scales are perceived and therefore question the reliability of the scales’ interpretation. To address this issue, a large international collaborative questionnaire study was conducted in 26 countries, using 21 different languages, which led to a dataset of 8225 questionnaires. Results, analysed by means of robust statistical techniques, revealed that only a subset of the responses are in accordance with the mentioned assumptions. Significant differences appeared between groups of participants in their perception of the scales, both in relation to distances of the anchors and relationships between scales. It was also found that respondents’ interpretations of scales changed with contextual factors, such as climate, season, and language. These findings highlight the need to carefully consider context-dependent factors in interpreting and reporting results from thermal comfort studies or post-occupancy evaluations, as well as to revisit the use of rating scales and the analysis methods used in thermal comfort studies to improve their reliability

The effect of intravenous aminophylline on stone free status after transureteral lithotripsy (TUL): a randomized double blind clinical trial study

Background: The third common urinary tract disease was renal stone, after the UTI and pathologic states of kidney. TUL is most useful and effective for removing the stones of inferior ureter. In other hand aminophylline can decrease urinary tract spasm. Then, combination of TUL and aminophylline help us to reduce the complication of TUL. Methods and materials: We have study on 87 case of renal colic who referred to Imam Khomeini hospital of sari and Tooba clinic. This study was a double blind systematic randomized clinical trial that patients were divided to two group as 1 and 2: group one includes patients who received aminophylline and group 2 were selected as our control samples. Our sample size was calculated by statistic analysis according to recent studies. Result: The average of TUL time was 5.12± 1.77 min in group 1 and 6.59± 3.47 min in group 2(p0.05). ESWL was used in one patient of group 1 because of remaining of stone, but 7 patients of group 2 did not response to Transureter lithotripsy, then they needed ESWL. Complication were not seen in patient who received Aminophylline and mean arterial pressure and heart rate was equal in two group. Conclusion: The difference of TUL Time between two groups was meaningful. As you know, aminophylline has an antispasmotic effect on urinary tract and tract with smooth muscle, and according to our finding, usage of aminophylline can reduce the complication of TUL and increase success rate of Lithotripsy in this patient. In other hand, it complications was few

Synthesis and Characterization of Regioregular Water-Soluble 3,4-Propylenedioxythiophene Derivative and Its Application in the Fabrication of High-Contrast Solid-State Electrochromic Devices

Water-soluble sulfonated monomer based on 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene (ProDOT-sultone) was synthesized and characterized for the first time via the O-alkylation of the corresponding unreactive beta,beta-disubstituted hydroxyl group with propane sultone in the presence of a catalytic amount of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO). This new monomer was oxidatively polymerized to produce regioregular water-soluble conjugated anionic polyelectrolyte, which was then used for the fabrication of solid-state electrochromic devices using the layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition method. These solid-state devices were found to exhibit better electrochromic properties in terms of color contrast, switching time, coloration efficiency (CE), surface control electroactivity, and conductivity in thin films compared with the corresponding water-soluble regiorandom 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) derivative. For the 40 and 80 bilayer solid-state electrochromic devices, the electrochemical contrast was observed to be 31 and 40% at 570 nm with fast solid-state switching times of 100 and 220 ins, respectively, indicating faster movement of the ions in and out of the films. Furthermore, the CE was found to be as high as 250 cm(2)/C for the 80 bilayer device and was independent of the device thickness, indicating the full accessibility of all of the ionic sites, even in thicker films. Four-point probe conductivity of the LbL and in situ conductivity of solution cast films were found to be in the range of 10(-4) and 10(-3) S/cm, respectively

Progress of graphene devices for electrochemical biosensing in electrically excitable cells

Traumatic brain injury and other neurological disorders continue to affect many worldwide and demand further research. It has been shown that electrical signaling and ion channel flow and dynamics are disrupted over the course of a traumatic brain injury as well as over the course of other neurological disorders. However, typical devices used to measure ion flow and electrical signaling from the brain suffer from complexity, high expense, poor spacial and temporal resolution, and low signal to noise ratios. Graphene has emerged as an economical and simple alternative to sensing electrical and ionic signals in a variety of biological situations. This material has emerged as a power material due to its excellent strength, electrical conductivity, and biocompatibility. This review paper focuses on the advantages of the different graphene-based electronic devices and how these devices are being developed into biosensors capable of sensing neuronal ionic and electrical activity and activity from other electrically excitable cells.This is the Accepted Manuscript version of an article accepted for publication in Progress in Biomedical Engineering. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it.  The Version of Record is available online at DOI: 10.1088/2516-1091/abe55b. Copyright 2022 IOP Publishing Ltd. CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Posted with permission

Viability of Neural Cells on 3D Printed Graphene Bioelectronics

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the United States after Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To help understand the electrophysiology of these diseases, N27 neuronal cells have been used as an in vitro model. In this study, a flexible graphene-based biosensor design is presented. Biocompatible graphene was manufactured using a liquid-phase exfoliation method and bovine serum albumin (BSA) for further exfoliation. Raman spectroscopy results indicated that the graphene produced was indeed few-layer graphene (FLG) with ( I D / I G ) G r a p h e n e = 0.11. Inkjet printing of this few-layer graphene ink onto Kapton polyimide (PI) followed by characterization via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed an average width of ≈868 µm with a normal thickness of ≈5.20 µm. Neuronal cells were placed on a thermally annealed 3D printed graphene chip. A live–dead cell assay was performed to prove the biosensor biocompatibility. A cell viability of approximately 80% was observed over 96 h, which indicates that annealed graphene on Kapton PI substrate could be used as a neuronal cell biosensor. This research will help us move forward with the study of N27 cell electrophysiology and electrical signaling

Fast low-voltage electroactive actuators using nanostructured polymer electrolytes

Electroactive actuators have received enormous interest for a variety of biomimetic technologies ranging from robotics and microsensors to artificial muscles. Major challenges towards practically viable actuators are the achievement of large electromechanical deformation, fast switching response, low operating voltage and durable operation. Here we report a new electroactive actuator composed of self-assembled sulphonated block copolymers and ionic liquids. The new actuator demonstrated improvements in actuation properties over other polymer actuators reported earlier, large generated strain (up to 4%) without any signs of back relaxation. In particular, the millimetre-scale displacements obtained for the actuators, with rapid response (<1 s) at sub-1-V conditions over 13,500 cycles in air, have not been previously reported in the literature. The key to success stems from the evolution of the unique hexagonal structure of the polymer layer with domain size gradients beneath the cathode during actuation, which promotes the bending motion of the actuators

Liquid Crystalline Polymers as Tools for the Formation of Nanohybrids

International audienceThis chapter reviews the results obtained for the use of liquid crystalline polymers for the stabilization or the in situ synthesis of nanoparticles. It aims at giving the reader an insight into incorporating different types of nanoparticles, e.g. metallic or metal oxides, in various types of liquid crystalline polymers. In particular, this review highlights the importance of the nanoparticles-liquid crystalline polymers interaction in order to access new materials exhibiting synergetic properties. Of special interest is the case of liquid crystalline materials embedding magnetic or photoluminescent nanoparticles