Comparison of adaptive thermal comfort with face masks in library building in Guangzhou, China

During the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing masks in public spaces has become a protective strategy. Field tests and questionnaire surveys were carried out at a university library in Guangzhou, China, during June 2021 and January 2022. The indoor environmental parameters were observed, thermal sensation votes of students on various environmental parameters were collected, symptoms of students wearing masks were quantified, and the appropriate amount of time to wear masks was established. To identify acceptable and comfortable temperature ranges, the relationship between thermal sensation and thermal index was investigated. During summer and winter, people wearing masks are symptomatic for a certain duration. The most frequently voted symptom was facial heat (62.7 % and 54.6 % during summer and winter, respectively), followed by dyspnea. During summer, more than 80 % of the participants subjects were uncomfortable and showed some symptoms after wearing masks for more than 2 h (3 h during winter). In the summer air conditioning environment in Guangzhou, the neutral Top was 26.4 °C, and the comfortable Top range was 25.1–27.7 °C. Under the natural ventilation environment in winter, the neutral Top was 20.5 °C, and the comfortable Top range was 18.5–22.5 °C. This study may provide guidance for indoor office work and learning to wear masks in Guangzhou. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd

Synthesis of critical factors influencing indoor environmental quality and their impacts on building occupants health and productivity

Purpose: The present shift and change in the human lifestyle across the world are undeniable. Currently, individuals spend a substantial amount of time indoors due to the global COVID-19 pandemic that strikes the entire world. This change in human lifestyle has devastating effects on human health and productivity. As a result, the influence of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) on the health and productivity of building users becomes a critical field of research that requires immediate attention. As a result, the purpose of this study is to review the state-of-the-art literature by establishing a connection between the factors that influence health and productivity in any given indoor environment. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology involves a thorough review of selected published journals from 1983 to 2021, and the result was analysed through content analysis. The search included journal articles, books and conference proceedings on the critical factors influencing IEQ and their impact on building occupants, which was sourced from different databases such as ScienceDirect, Taylor, GoogleScholar and Web of Science. Findings: The findings from the 90 selected articles revealed four critical factors influencing the quality of the indoor environment and are categorised into;indoor air quality, indoor thermal comfort, visual comfort and acoustic comfort. The findings suggested that when developing a system for controlling the quality of the indoor environment, the indoor air quality, indoor thermal comfort, visual comfort and acoustic comfort should be taken into account. Originality/value: The indoor environment deeply impacts the health of individuals in their living and work environments. Industry must have a moral responsibility to provide health facilities in which people and workers feel satisfies and give conditions for prosperity. Addressing these essential aspects will not only help the decision-making process of construction professionals but also encourages innovative construction techniques that will enhance the satisfaction, wellness and performance of building occupants. © 2023, Modupe Cecilia Mewomo, James Olaonipekun Toyin, Comfort Olubukola Iyiola and Olusola Raphael Aluko.

94. Implementing Online Public Deliberations on Minor Consent for Biomedical HIV Prevention Research in Diverse Cities

Purpose: Adolescents/young adults (AYA) from racial/ethnic communities have high rates of HIV but little access to biomedical research, due to complexities around consent. Requirement of parental consent for participation in biomedical research is protective and strongly supported by parents, but in biomedical HIV prevention, minors are less likely to participate in research because of concerns about disclosure. Public deliberation (PD) is a process to obtain community input on complex policy issues, by bringing together AYA and adults, who have an investment in an issue, but with potentially opposing views, to provide education, clarify values, and facilitate discussion, reflection, and recommendations. To inform institutional review boards, institutions, and investigators, PDs were held with the goal of obtaining community perspectives and recommendations on minor consent for biomedical HIV prevention research from communities affected by youth HIV. Due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, we used an online format and conducted PDs across four evenings. We then conducted post-deliberation interviews to describe participants' experiences in the online PD. Methods: As part of an IRB approved PD, we conducted semi-structured interviews with youth and adult community members who had participated in the deliberations, held in Tampa and Baltimore. The interviews, which were conducted over Zoom, queried deliberants about their experiences voicing their perspectives, their comfort level, their degree of trust in the deliberation process, and ideas for how to better engage future deliberants. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and field notes were generated. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: We interviewed 13 community members: seven from Tampa (African American=3, White=3, Latinax=1;AYA=2) and six from Baltimore (African American=6;AYA=1). Facilitators: Deliberants from both communities indicated that personal connections were important for building consensus and understanding. When other participants shared personal stories and perspectives, deliberants were more receptive to hearing and accepting new ideas and opinions that differed from their own. Challenges: Tampa deliberants reported that they preferred an online deliberation because it helped overcome practical barriers to in-person deliberations, such as access to transportation and long commutes. Baltimore participants indicated they would have preferred in-person interactions to build trust, increase comfort, and augment engagement. Participants from both communities discussed distrust in research due to the historical legacy of racism in research and medicine. Due to this legacy, they reported that distrust influenced their views of minor-self-consent and impacted the deliberation process around building consensus. For example, concerns about coercion of minor human subjects influenced their views on minor consent. Recommendations: Participants recommend that strategies be developed to increase engagement in the virtual space. These strategies include use of (a) breakout sessions to increase comfort with sharing;(b) personal storytelling and reviewing group agreements to increase trust, (c) early polling activities to ensure engagement, (d) and asking adults to provide space for youth to voice their perspectives. Conclusions: While online public deliberation on sensitive topics with a vulnerable population is possible, it is important for researchers to focus on providing a safe environment, to acknowledge historical racism in research, and to use methods to maximally engage participants. Sources of Support: PCORI.

OPENING OPPORTUNITIES

The article discusses the significance of telework for workers with disabilities. Topics discussed include increased open-mindedness about granting part-time or full-time telework as a reasonable accommodation, reasonable accommodations under the Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and work environment or hiring process to create equality for someone with a disability.

Toward Regenerative Sustainability: A Passive Design Comfort Assessment Method of Indoor Environment

The fact that people spend a major part of their lifetime indoors, together with the lethal COVID-19 pandemic which caused people to spend even more time inside buildings, has drawn attention to the significance of achieving Agenda 2030 SD goal number three: good health and well-being, in reference to the indoor environment. The research subject is the health and well-being of building users explored through the sustainable (passive) design principles having an impact on the comfort and quality of the indoor environment. It is set within a regenerative sustainability framework encompassing the physiological, biophilic, psychological and social aspects of comfort. The Comfort Assessment Model's categories, to some extent, rely on the first author's doctoral thesis, with further modifications regarding the passive design criteria and indicators. A comparative analysis of the model with international sustainability certification (rating) systems has been performed, proving the significance of introducing more passive design comfort (health) related criteria into sustainability assessment models. In addition, a focus group of expert architects contributed to the research conclusions by responding to a questionnaire addressing the issues of sustainability, comfort and passive design, in terms of the health and well-being of building users, which confirmed the relevance of applied passive design measures for providing comfort indoors and fulfilling sustainable development goals. © 2023 by the authors.

Pandemic reveals new concerns about facial protection products: Design may be the answer to altering behaviors, habits ushered into standard practice

The article examines what medical suppliers and providers learned about facial protection products after the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020-2022. Topics discussed include remarks from Jason Burnham, Senior Director of Facial Protection at Owens & Minor, evidence of pandemic-relaxed behaviors morphing into workflow acceptance, and statement from Gary Harris, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Prestige Ameritech, about emergency use guidelines for personal protective equipment (PPE).

Thermophysiological and Perceptual Responses of Amateur Healthcare Workers: Impacts of Ambient Condition, Inner-Garment Insulation and Personal Cooling Strategy.

While personal protective equipment (PPE) protects healthcare workers from viruses, it also increases the risk of heat stress. In this study, the effects of environmental heat stress, the insulation of the PPE inner-garment layer, and the personal cooling strategy on the physiological and perceptual responses of PPE-clad young college students were evaluated. Three levels of wet bulb globe temperatures (WBGT = 15 °C, 28 °C, and 32 °C) and two types of inner garments (0.37 clo and 0.75 clo) were chosen for this study. In an uncompensable heat stress environment (WBGT = 32 °C), the effects of two commercially available personal cooling systems, including a ventilation cooling system (VCS) and an ice pack cooling system (ICS) on the heat strain mitigation of PPE-clad participants were also assessed. At WBGT = 15 °C with 0.75 clo inner garments, mean skin temperatures were stabilized at 31.2 °C, Hskin was 60-65%, and HR was about 75.5 bpm, indicating that the working scenario was on the cooler side. At WBGT = 28 °C, Tskin plateaued at approximately 34.7 °C, and the participants reported "hot" thermal sensations. The insulation reduction in inner garments from 0.75 clo to 0.37 clo did not significantly improve the physiological thermal comfort of the participants. At WBGT = 32 °C, Tskin was maintained at 35.2-35.7 °C, Hskin was nearly 90% RH, Tcore exceeded 37.1 °C, and the mean HR was 91.9 bpm. These conditions indicated that such a working scenario was uncompensable, and personal cooling to mitigate heat stress was required. Relative to that in NCS (no cooling), the mean skin temperatures in ICS and VCS were reduced by 0.61 °C and 0.22 °C, respectively, and the heart rates were decreased by 10.7 and 8.5 bpm, respectively. Perceptual responses in ICS and VCS improved significantly throughout the entire field trials, with VCS outperforming ICS in the individual cooling effect.

Monitoring of Thermal Comfort and Air Quality for Sustainable Energy Management inside Hospitals Based on Online Analytical Processing and the Internet of Things.

There is a need to ensure comfortable conditions for hospital staff and patients from the point of view of thermal comfort and air quality so that they do not affect their performance. We consider the need for hospital employees and patients to enjoy conditions of greater well-being during their stay. This is understood as a comfortable thermal sensation and adequate air quality, depending on the task they are performing. The contribution of this article is the formulation of the fundamentals of a system and platform for monitoring thermal comfort and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in hospitals, based on an Internet of Things platform composed of a low-cost sensor node network that is capable of measuring critical variables such as humidity, temperature, and Carbon Dioxide (CO2). As part of the platform, a multidimensional data model with an On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) approach is presented that offers query flexibility, data volume reduction, as well as a significant reduction in query response times. The experimental results confirm the suitability of the platform's data model, which facilitates operational and strategic decision making in complex hospitals.

Why Technegas is Fast Replacing 99mTc-Based Aerosols in Lung Scintigraphy

Aim/Introduction: Technegas is fast becoming the gold standard for lung ventilation scintigraphy in Canada. Technegas is a carbonbased nanoparticle bound to 99mTc which is small enough to behave more like a gas than an aerosol. Due to its small size, Technegas can easily perfuse the peripheral airways and does not aggregate in the central airways like larger aerosol particles often do. Furthermore, since the Covid-19 pandemic began, there has been a significant drop in ventilation studies performed due to the risk of exposure to the virus when using traditional aerosols. Improved image quality, fast and easy administration, enhanced patient comfort, and ability to safely administer Technegas with Covid-19 positive patients makes Technegas far superior to traditional Tc-based aerosols. Material(s) and Method(s): A review of the literature comparing Technegas to other commonly used 99mTcbased lung ventilation imaging agents was conducted. Recent purchasers of Technegas units were interviewed to determine their motivation for switching to Technegas and their overall impression with using it after changing over. Result(s): The small particle size, reduced central airways deposition, and lack of lung clearance leads to improved count-statistics and better target-to-non-target ratio, which allows for SPECT imaging, which is not feasible when using traditional aerosols. Technologists report that administering Technegas is far easier and faster than administering traditional aerosols. Often patients only require 1 or 2 breaths of Technegas to achieve the desired count rate, as opposed to 5 or more minutes of breathing an aerosol. Technegas is a 'dry' aerosol, which means that it is considered a non-aerosol generating procedure, so it is safe to use on Covid-19 positive patients. Justifying the small start-up cost to purchase a Technegas generator was the limiting factor for departments delaying their switch to Technegas. Canada's health care system is publicly-funded, which often delays widespread access to technological advancements. The Covid-19 pandemic has increased demand for Technegas across Canada, which has resulted in increased funding to purchase more Generators. Conclusion(s): Technegas is far superior to other 99mTc-based aerosols used in ventilation imaging and is fast replacing Tc-based aerosols as the agent of choice in nuclear medicine departments across Canada.

Exploring outcomes from an innovative, pediatric-focused intervention with undergraduate nursing students.

BACKGROUND: To adapt to COVID-19 restrictions, a virtual pediatric skills day was developed to provide nursing students with practical experience prior to entering the pediatric clinical setting. Student assessment before and after participation indicate a virtual skills day is helpful in building student confidence prior to pediatric clinicals. METHODS: This mixed-method study involved a cross-sectional approach with a six-item survey administered before and immediately after the virtual pediatric skills day intervention to undergraduate junior nursing students. Outcome measures included comfort and preparation for pediatrics and families of pediatric patients. FINDINGS: After exploring outcomes from 93 students complete pre and post intervention measures, we addressed comfort themes including excited, nervous, and readiness while preparedness themes highlighted concerns with parental interactions, upset children, and COVID-19 restrictions. DISCUSSION: It is beneficial for nursing students to have clinical experiences with children prior to visiting a pediatric clinical setting. Such experiences decrease student stress and anxiety and allow meaningful opportunities to occur.

Potential impact of work from home jobs on residential energy bills: A case study in phoenix, AZ, USA

Nearly one-third of U.S. households face challenges paying energy bills. During the day, many residents have routine access to cooled environments provided by others—employers, shopping centers, and other public buildings. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, has significantly shifted the cost burden of air conditioning in hot cities. Specifically, during the pandemic, many companies either laid off employees or put them in work-from-home (WFH) assignments. Large tech companies are already promoting WFH as a long-term option for their employees, even after the pandemic. This change in the nature of the workforce might reduce daily travel expenses for workers, but could also significantly increase residential energy bills, particularly during summer in very hot climates. This study uses building energy simulations to quantify the potential residential energy bill penalties resulting from WFH for typical residences in Phoenix. Four building archetypes are used in this study to represent variations in building vintage, occupancy, and characteristics. The results show that, for some single-family residences in Phoenix, WFH can increase annual energy bills by more than $1100 (up to a 70% increase). The study also demonstrates that building performance enhancement measures have the potential to reduce this WFH energy bill penalty for the existing buildings substantially.

Thermal responses of face-masked pedestrians during summer: An outdoor investigation under tree-shaded areas.

During the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, most citizens were cooperative towards the face-masking policy; however, undeniably, face masking has increased complaints of thermal discomfort to varying degrees and resulted in potential health hazards during summer. Thus, a thermal comfort survey was conducted under tree-shaded areas generally preferred by pedestrians to explore the thermal response of face-masked pedestrians. Thirty-two subjects, with and without masks, participated in walking experiments, and their thermal parameters and physiological indicators were recorded; moreover, the subjects were asked to fill in subjective questionnaires. The results showed that although tree shades significantly reduced the average radiant temperature, dampness in the mask may cause some discomfort symptoms, among which intense sweating (54.55%) and tachycardia (42.18%) accounted for the largest proportion. Based on thermal indices, it could be concluded that face-masking does not significantly affect the thermal comfort of subjects walking in shaded areas. Notably, a 30-min walk in tree-shaded areas with face masking does not adversely affect human health or quality of life. Thus, the present assessment of the thermal safety of humans in shaded environments provides reference data for determining thermal comfort levels during outdoor walking with face masking.

Postoperative Telenursing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Improving Patient Outcomes.

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine if postoperative nurse-driven telehealth visits for patients undergoing septorhinoplasty decreased patient anxiety while improving comfort and satisfaction levels. DESIGN: The present study was an intervention-control study completed with a total of 320 participants (n = 160, intervention group; n = 160, control group). The intervention postseptorhinoplasty training using the telenursing method was conducted at three time points in this study; preoperatively-postoperatively, on days 3, and 10. METHODS: Data were collected from a group of patients undergoing septorhinoplasty in the Ear, Nose, and Throat department of a University Hospital in Turkey between October 2021 and February 2022. The data collected in the study were evaluated with the SPSS 23.00 program and were analyzed with the independent sample t-test for two independent groups and the F-test (ANOVA) for more than two groups. Correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between scales, and P < .05 was considered statistically significant. FINDINGS: In the postoperative period, the mean anxiety inventory score of the experimental group was found to be significantly lower than that of the control group (P < .01). Telenursing increased the satisfaction and comfort of the patients and shortened the discharge time. There was a negative and statistically significant relationship between satisfaction and State Anxiety Inventory and Trait Anxiety Inventory (r = -0.715, r = -0.739, P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the importance of postoperative telenursing for septorhinoplasty patients in promoting continuity of care, reducing anxiety and discharge time, improving comfort and satisfaction levels during the Covid-19 pandemic. Remote care was well received during the study and should be used more frequently. There is a need for further research regarding telehealth; and the international incentives and regulations which will be needed to make telenursing a standard of care should be pursued.

Helmet CPAP bundle: A narrative review of practical aspects and nursing interventions to improve patient's comfort.

BACKGROUND: The application of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) with a helmet is increasing around the world, both inside and outside of the intensive care unit. Current published literature focus's on indications, contraindications and efficiency of Helmet CPAP in differing clinical scenarios. Few reports, summarising the available knowledge concerning technical characteristics and nursing interventions to improve patient's comfort, are available. AIM: To identify the crucial technical aspects in managing patients undergoing Helmet-CPAP, and what nursing interventions may increase comfort. METHODS: A narrative literature review of primary research published 2002 onwards. The search strategy comprised an electronic search of three bibliographic databases (Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL). RESULTS: Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Research primarily originated from Italy. Nine key themes emerged from the review: gas flow management, noise reduction, impact of gas flow and HME filters on delivered FiO2, filtration of exhaled gas / environmental protection, PEEP monitoring, airway pressure monitoring, active humidification of gas flow, helmet fixation and tips to implement awake prone position during Helmet-CPAP. CONCLUSIONS: A Helmet-CPAP check-list has been made of nine key interventions based on the available evidence regarding system set up, monitoring and management. Implementation of this check-list may help nurses and physicians to increase the comfort of patients treated with Helmet CPAP and enhance their compliance with long-term treatment.