Airbag Vests in Equestrian Sports: Is Use Associated with Harm?

Airbag vests (AV) are increasingly popular in equestrian sports. The efficacy of AV in protecting against serious injury has not been adequately analyzed, nor have product testing standards been established. This study provides an overview of current research to understand AV efficacy and future areas of improvement. A systematic review applying the PRISMA framework, NIH Study Quality Assessment, and CEBM Level of Evidence was conducted. Employing variations of "equestrian sport," "powered two-wheeled vehicle," "thoracic injury," "chest deflection," "airbag vest," and "safety vest," 18 articles were identified for data collection from three recognized research databases and citation searching. In laboratory settings, the ability of AV to protect against thoracic injuries was variable based on concurrent foam-based safety vest (SV) usage, impact speed, and impact mechanism. Studies that examined equestrian falls with AV found an association with increased injury rates and risk. SVs were shown to provide inconclusive efficacy in protecting against injuries in experimental and cohort studies. Protective capabilities depend on material, temperature, and impact mechanism. Further limiting use, equestrians reported not wearing, or incorrectly wearing SV due to unknown benefits, low comfort, and ill fit. In equestrian sports, based on published literature to date, AV have not been associated with a reduction in injury. AV appear to be associated with an increase in the risk of serious or fatal injuries in certain settings. However, research in this area is limited and future, large-scale studies should be conducted to further evaluate the efficacy of the air vests.

Investigation of nano MgO loaded polyvinyl chloride polymer in protective clothing as a nonlead materials.

Recently, investigation of advanced shielding materials to be used as an alternative to lead apron has become important. In the current study, MgO loaded into PVC matrix as a non-lead modern shielding composite was modeled to evaluate its performance on radiation protective clothing (RPC). Parameters such as mass attenuation coefficient (MAC), mean free path (MFP), flux buildup factor (FBF), transmission factor (TF) and lead equivalent value (LEV) of samples were calculated using MCNPX Code. The simulation of the MCNP code was validated, by comparing the mass attenuation of concrete sample, with standard XCOM data and very good agreement was attended between XCOM and MC Code results. The MAC of nano and micro-sized samples were also compared with pure PVC and it was found that the nano MgO particle exhibits higher attenuation compared to micro MgO particle and pure PVC. The results show that, the MAC of samples increased to 63.13 % in 1.332 MeV with increasing filler concentration of nano MgO to 50 wt% relative to pure PVC. Investigation of LEV shows that nano MgO sample has more effective than Pb in 1.173 and 1.332 MeV gamma ray energy so that it provides 36.46 % and 11.13 % lighter RPC than Pb ones.

Developing novel multifunctional protective clothes for disabled individuals using bio-based electrospun nanofibrous membranes.

A novel kind of protective apparel for handicapped persons has been created with bio-based electrospun nanofibrous (NFs) membranes. Hydrophobic membranes with fine polylactic acid (PLA) NFs had a smooth, bead-less structure with an average diameter of 950 nm. The hydrophilic layer has a similar pattern but a smaller fiber diameter dispersion and an average diameter of 750 nm. The silica nanoparticle-modified super-hydrophobic top layer (contact angle, ~153°) repels water and keeps the user dry. Super-hydrophilic silver nanoparticles in the fabric's bottom layer react with perspiration to kill microorganisms. The fabric's porosity (avg. 1.2-1.5 µm) allows for breathability, while silica nanoparticles boost infrared radiation reflection, keeping users cool on hot days. The dual-layer textile has 4.9 MPa ultimate tensile strength and 68 % elongation compared to the membrane's super-hydrophobic and super-hydrophilic layers. Wearing protective clothes reduced hand temperature by 25 % in direct sunlight and 13 % in a sun simulator with 1 Sun. This fabric will work well for adult diapers, outdoor clothing, and disability accessories. Overall, the protective textiles may improve the quality of life for disabled and elderly people by providing usable textile items adapted to their needs.

Occupational exposure to malaria, leishmaniasis and arbovirus vectors in endemic regions: A systematic review.

Vector-borne diseases, including dengue, leishmaniasis and malaria, may be more common among individuals whose occupations or behaviours bring them into frequent contact with these disease vectors outside of their homes. A systematic review was conducted to ascertain at-risk occupations and situations that put individuals at increased risk of exposure to these disease vectors in endemic regions and identify the most suitable interventions for each exposure. The review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines on articles published between 1945 and October 2021, searched in 16 online databases. The primary outcome was incidence or prevalence of dengue, leishmaniasis or malaria. The review excluded ecological and qualitative studies, abstracts only, letters, commentaries, reviews, and studies of laboratory-acquired infections. Studies were appraised, data extracted, and a descriptive analysis conducted. Bite interventions for each risk group were assessed. A total of 1170 articles were screened and 99 included. Malaria, leishmaniasis and dengue were presented in 47, 41 and 24 articles, respectively; some articles presented multiple conditions. The most represented populations were soldiers, 38% (43 of 112 studies); refugees and travellers, 15% (17) each; migrant workers, 12.5% (14); miners, 9% (10); farmers, 5% (6); rubber tappers and missionaries, 1.8% (2) each; and forest workers, 0.9% (1). Risk of exposure was categorised into round-the-clock or specific times of day/night dependent on occupation. Exposure to these vectors presents a critical and understudied concern for outdoor workers and mobile populations. When devising interventions to provide round-the-clock vector bite protection, two populations are considered. First, mobile populations, characterized by their high mobility, may find potential benefits in insecticide-treated clothing, though more research and optimization are essential. Treated clothing offers personal vector protection and holds promise for economically disadvantaged individuals, especially when enabling them to self-treat their clothing to repel vectors. Secondly, semi-permanent and permanent settlement populations can receive a combination of interventions that offer both personal and community protection, including spatial repellents, suitable for extended stays. Existing research is heavily biased towards tourism and the military, diverting attention and resources from vulnerable populations where these interventions are most required like refugee populations as well as those residing in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objective multi-criteria decision-making for optimal firefighter protective clothing size selection.

Objectives. Addressing the prevalent issue of size misfits in large-scale issued firefighter uniforms due to diverse and complex body morphologies, this article presents an objective method for intelligent garment sizing matching without subjective weighting. Methods. The method employs criteria importance through inter-criteria correlation (CRITIC) and the catastrophe progression method (CPM) for more accurate and reliable sizing. Traditional methods, reliant on limited indicators such as height and chest girth and often subjectively determined by experts, are prone to reliability concerns. Matching decisions made based on our approach are evidence-based, transparent and reproducible, thus minimizing subjectivity and expert intervention. Results. A case study of 388 cases validates the method's efficacy in providing garment size recommendations, surpassing traditional experience-based approaches by reducing subjective bias. Conclusion. Despite some differences, the optimal alternatives for examinees are almost consistent across the different methods. Compared with traditional subjective weighting methods, this method has potential advantages in situations such as large-scale matching of firefighter protective clothing where individual customization or direct try-on is not feasible.

Befriending the body through clothes: the role of clothing in secular and religious women's body appreciation.

Background: Women invest in their appearance through clothes, and the way they view their bodies translates into how they choose to dress. Nonetheless, body image research often overlooks the role of clothing in fostering body appreciation. This study examined the impact of a psychoeducational feministic course on the sociology and psychology of attire, on students' clothing functions and body appreciation. Methods: The participants were 114 female MA students (47 secular, 67 religious) between the ages of 24 and 64 who completed the Body Appreciation Scale and Function of Clothing scale at the beginning and end of the course. Results: The results support the contribution of the course to changes in participants' clothing functions and improvement in their body appreciation F(1,96) = 32.33, p < 0.001, partial Eta squared = 0.25. Surprisingly, religiousness had no impact on the results. Discussion: This research contributes to the field of positive body image by presenting the potential role of clothing in fostering body appreciation among women. It demonstrates the benefits of investing in clothing that are less driven by external standards and more by the expression of valued aspects of the self.

High thermal buffer and radiative cooling sodium alginate-based Janus aerogel enables multi-scenario thermal management for firefighting clothing.

Firefighting clothing is an indispensable protective equipment for firefighters performing rescue activities under extreme heat and fire conditions. However, few bio-based thermal management materials that provide thermal comfort to firefighters in different operational scenarios have been reported. Herein, we present a novel strategy to prepare Janus-type aerogels based on sodium alginate biological macromolecules, consisting of a SiO2 nanoparticle layer and a microencapsulated paraffin@SiO2 phase-change composite layer. A passive radiative cooling and thermal energy storage was integrated into a functional dual-mode material system. Results show that Janus-type aerogel to cool down by 11.5 °C on a hot summer day. Meanwhile, paraffin@SiO2 has a high melting enthalpy of 127.5 J g-1 that effectively buffers temperature rise during the phase-change process. This Janus-type aerogel has ultra-low heat insulation (0.042 W/(m·K)), it can delay approximately 76.6 s to reach second-degree burn time for skin at a radiant heat exposure of 18.4 kW m-2. The work provides an innovative way to develop bio-based thermal management materials, which could enable multi-scenario thermal management for firefighting clothing.

Heat and Moisture Transfer Depending on 3D-Printed Thermoplastic Polyurethane and Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Foam and the Presence of Holes for 3D Printing Clothing Development.

Recently, clothing development 3D printing and the evaluation of its physical characteristics have been explored. However, few studies have tackled thermal comfort, which is a major contributor to the wearers' comfort. Therefore, this study was designed to suggest effective materials and hole sizes for clothing obtained by 3D printing to maintain a comfortable clothing environment. In particular, two main variables, namely five different materials and three-hole sizes, were analyzed. All samples were placed on a hot plate (36 °C), and their surface temperature and humidity were measured for 10 min. The samples with only thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) achieved the largest temperature change of 3.2~4.8 °C, whereas those with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam exhibited the lowest temperature change of -0.1~2.0 °C. Similarly, the samples with only TPU showed the greatest humidity change of -0.7~-5.5%RH. Moreover, the hole size had a larger effect on humidity change than material type. The samples with large holes achieved the largest humidity change of -4.4%RH, whereas the samples without holes had the smallest humidity change of -1.5%RH after 10 min (p < 0.001). Based on these results, various combinations of materials and hole sizes should be considered to fit the purpose of 3D printing clothing.

Reduced effectiveness of permethrin-treated military uniforms after prolonged wear measured by contact irritancy and toxicity bioassays with Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) nymphs.

Factory-treated permethrin uniforms are the primary method used by the US Army to prevent arthropod bites and transmission of arthropod-borne diseases. In this study previously worn uniforms were collected from cadets at the United States Military Academy in West Point, NY to determine the amount of permethrin remaining after prolonged wear and subsequent effects on ticks. Six trousers were collected from cadets in the sophomore, junior, and senior classes. A new, unwashed uniform served as a positive control and an untreated maternity uniform served as a negative control. Fabric samples were removed from each trouser and used in bioassays with laboratory-reared Ixodes scapularis Say nymphs. Contact irritancy bioassays measured the nymphs' ability to remain in contact with fabric for a period of 5 min. Toxicity bioassays measured tick survival at 1 and 24 h after contacting uniform samples. liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to quantify the permethrin content (mg/cm2) in each uniform after the bioassays were complete. The results showed significant amounts of permethrin were lost after extended wear and it was related to the cadet year group. The contact irritancy assays found uniforms with less permethrin did not irritate ticks and cause them to dislodge. Mortality was also affected by permethrin levels, with less ticks dying at 24 h on older uniforms. The results from this study show older uniforms lose most of their permethrin and no longer provide the same levels of protection.

Influence of protective clothing and masks on facial trustworthiness in an investment game: insights from a Chinese population study.

Facial features are important sources of information about perceived trustworthiness. Masks and protective clothing diminish the visibility of facial cues by either partially concealing the mouth and nose or covering the entire face. During the pandemic, the use of personal protective equipment affected and redefined who trusts whom in society. This study used the classical investment game of interpersonal trust with Chinese participants to explore the impact of occlusion on interpersonal trust. Faces with moderate initial trustworthiness were occluded by a mask or protective clothing in Experiment 1 and were digitally occluded by a square in Experiment 2, and faces with three levels of initial trustworthiness were occluded by a mask in Experiment 3. Results showed that both undergraduates (Experiment 1a) and non-student adults (Experiment 1b) perceived the faces with protective clothing as more trustworthy than faces wearing standard masks and faces not wearing masks. Faces with the top halves showing were perceived as trustworthy as full faces, while faces with the bottom halves showing were perceived as less trustworthy. The effect of masks is weak and complex. Masks reduced participants' trust in faces with high initial trustworthiness, had no effect on faces with low and moderate initial trustworthiness, and only slightly increased the trust of undergraduates in faces with moderate initial trustworthiness. Our findings indicate that the lack of information caused by occlusion and the social significance associated with occlusion collectively affect people's trust behavior in Chinese society. We believe the findings of this study will be useful in elucidating the effects of personal protective equipment usage on perceptions of trustworthiness.

Convolutional neural network application for supply-demand matching in Zhuang ethnic clothing image classification.

This study aims to design a classification technique suitable for Zhuang ethnic clothing images by integrating the concept of supply-demand matching and convolutional neural networks. Firstly, addressing the complex structure and unique visual style of Zhuang ethnic clothing, this study proposes an image resolution model based on supply-demand matching and convolutional networks. By integrating visual style and label constraints, this model accurately extracts local features. Secondly, the model's effectiveness and resolution performance are analyzed through various performance metrics in experiments. The results indicate a significant improvement in detection accuracy at different annotation points. The model outperforms other comparative methods in pixel accuracy (90.5%), average precision (83.7%), average recall (80.1%), and average F1 score (81.2%). Next, this study introduces a clothing image classification algorithm based on key points and channel attention. Through key point detection and channel attention mechanisms, image features are optimized, enabling accurate classification and attribute prediction of Zhuang ethnic clothing. Experimental results demonstrate a notable enhancement in category classification and attribute prediction, with classification accuracy and recall exceeding 90% in top-k tasks, showcasing outstanding performance. In conclusion, this study provides innovative approaches and effective solutions for deep learning classification of Zhuang ethnic clothing images.

Clothing-invariant contrastive learning for unsupervised person re-identification.

Clothing change person re-identification (CC-ReID) aims to match images of the same person wearing different clothes across diverse scenes. Leveraging biological features or clothing labels, existing CC-ReID methods have demonstrated promising performance. However, current research primarily focuses on supervised CC-ReID methods, which require a substantial number of manually annotated labels. To tackle this challenge, we propose a novel clothing-invariant contrastive learning (CICL) framework for unsupervised CC-ReID task. Firstly, to obtain clothing change positive pairs at a low computational cost, we propose a random clothing augmentation (RCA) method. RCA initially partitions clothing regions based on parsing images, then applies random augmentation to different clothing regions, ultimately generating clothing change positive pairs to facilitate clothing-invariant learning. Secondly, to generate pseudo-labels strongly correlated with identity in an unsupervised manner, we design semantic fusion clustering (SFC), which enhances identity-related information through semantic fusion. Additionally, we develop a semantic alignment contrastive loss (SAC loss) to encourages the model to learn features strongly correlated with identity and enhances the model's robustness to clothing changes. Unlike existing optimization methods that forcibly bring closer clusters with different pseudo-labels, SAC loss aligns the clustering results of real image features with those generated by SFC, forming a mutually reinforcing scheme with SFC. Experimental results on multiple CC-ReID datasets demonstrate that the proposed CICL not only outperforms existing unsupervised methods but can even achieves competitive performance with supervised CC-ReID methods. Code is made available at https://github.com/zqpang/CICL.

Aquatic conditions & bacterial communities as drivers of the decomposition of submerged remains.

Aquatic decomposition, as a forensic discipline, has been largely under-investigated as a consequence of the highly complex and influential variability of the water environment. The limitation to the adaptability of scenario specific results justifies the necessity for experimental research to increase our understanding of the aquatic environment and the development of post-mortem submersion interval (PMSI) methods of estimation. This preliminary research aims to address this contextual gap by assessing the variation in the bacterial composition of aquatic biofilms as explained by water parameter measurements over time, associated with clothed and bare decomposing remains. As part of three field investigations, a total of 9 still-born piglets (n = 3, per trial) were used as human analogues and were submerged bare or clothed in either natural cotton or synthetic nylon. Changes in the bacterial community composition of the water surrounding the submerged remains were assessed at 4 discrete time points post submersion (7, 14, 21 and 28 days) by 16 S rRNA gene Next Generation Sequencing analysis and compared to coinciding water parameter measurements (i.e. conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO)). Bacterial diversity was found to change over time and relative to clothing type, where significant variation was observed between synthetic nylon samples and bare/cotton samples. Seasonality was a major driver of bacterial diversity, where substantial variation was found between samples collected in early winter to those collected in mid - late winter. Water parameter measures of pH, salinity and DO were identified to best explain the global bacterial community composition and their corresponding dynamic trajectory patterns overtime. Further investigation into bacterial community dynamics in accordance with varying environmental conditions could potentially lead to the determination of influential extrinsic factors that may drive bacterial activity in aquatic decomposition. Together with the identification of potential bacterial markers that complement the different stages of decomposition, this may provide a future approach to PMSI estimations.

Highlighting Unseen Activity Through 48-Hour Continuous Measurement in Subacute Stroke Rehabilitation: Preliminary Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Motor impairments not only lead to a significant reduction in patient activity levels but also trigger a further deterioration in motor function due to deconditioning, which is an issue that is particularly pronounced during hospitalization. This deconditioning can be countered by sustaining appropriate activity levels. Activities that occur outside of scheduled programs, often overlooked, are critical in this context. Wearable technology, such as smart clothing, provides a means to monitor these activities. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to observe activity levels in patients who had strokes during the subacute phase, focusing on both scheduled training sessions and other nontraining times in an inpatient rehabilitation environment. A smart clothing system is used to simultaneously measure heart rate and acceleration, offering insights into both the amount and intensity of the physical activity. METHODS: In this preliminary cohort study, 11 individuals undergoing subacute stroke rehabilitation were enrolled. The 48-hour continuous measurement system, deployed at admission and reassessed 4 weeks later, monitored accelerometry data for physical activity (quantified with a moving SD of acceleration [MSDA]) and heart rate for intensity (quantified with percent heart rate reserve). The measurements were performed using a wearable activity monitoring system, the hitoe (NTT Corporation and Toray Industries, Inc) system comprising a measuring garment (wear or strap) with integrated electrodes, a data transmitter, and a smartphone. The Functional Independence Measure was used to assess the patients' daily activity levels. This study explored factors such as differences in activity during training and nontraining periods, correlations with activities of daily living (ADLs) and age, and changes observed after 4 weeks. RESULTS: A significant increase was found in the daily total MSDA after the 4-week program, with the average percent heart rate reserve remaining consistent. Physical activity during training positively correlated with ADL levels both at admission (ρ=0.86, P<.001) and 4 weeks post admission (ρ=0.96, P<.001), whereas the correlation between age and MSDA was not significant during training periods at admission (ρ=-0.41, P=.21) or 4 weeks post admission (ρ=-0.25, P=.45). Conversely, nontraining activity showed a negative correlation with age, with significant negative correlations with age at admission (ρ=-0.82, P=.002) and 4 weeks post admission (ρ=-0.73, P=.01). CONCLUSIONS: Inpatient rehabilitation activity levels were positively correlated with ADL levels. Further analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between scheduled training activities and ADL levels, whereas nontraining activities showed no such correlation. Instead, a negative correlation between nontraining activities and age was observed. These observations suggest the importance of providing activity opportunities for older patients, while it may also suggest the need for adjusting the activity amount to accommodate the potentially limited fitness levels of this demographic. Future studies with larger patient groups are warranted to validate and further elucidate these findings.

Integrated Firefighting Textile with Temperature and Pressure Monitoring for Personal Defense.

Although electronic textiles that can detect external stimuli show great promise for fire rescue, existing firefighting clothing is still scarce for simultaneously integrating reliable early fire warning and real-time motion sensing, hardly providing intelligent personal protection under complex high-temperature conditions. Herein, we introduce an "all-in-one" hierarchically sandwiched fabric (HSF) sensor with a simultaneous temperature and pressure stimulus response for developing intelligent personal protection. A cross-arranged structure design has been proposed to tackle the serious mutual interference challenge during multimode sensing using two separate sets of core-sheath composite yarns and arrayed graphene-coated aerogels. The functional design of the HSF sensor not only possesses wide-range temperature sensing from 25 to 400 °C without pressure disturbance but also enables highly sensitive pressure response with good thermal adaptability (up to 400 °C) and wide pressure detection range (up to 120 kPa). As a proof of concept, we integrate large-scalable HSF sensors onto conventional firefighting clothing for passive/active fire warning and also detecting spatial pressure and temperature distribution when a firefighter is exposed to high-temperature flames, which may provide a useful design strategy for the application of intelligent firefighting protective clothing.

Changes in the Location of Cutaneous Melanoma Over the Past 30 Years. A Retrospective Observational Study. / Cambios en la localización del melanoma cutáneo en los últimos 30 años. Estudio observacional retrospectivo.

BACKGROUND: The location of cutaneous melanoma is associated with photoexposure. OBJECTIVES: To retrospectively analyze changes in the location of cutaneous melanoma over the past 30 years. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients treated at our hospital for cutaneous melanoma from 1988 through 2017 were prospectively collected. Data obtained in cases diagnosed from 1988 through June 2006 were compared to those diagnosed from July 2006 through 2017. RESULTS: A total of 1,937 patients (876 men and 1061 women; median age, 57 years; interquartile range 27) were diagnosed with primary cutaneous melanoma. The location of melanoma was head and neck (470 cases), trunk (745 cases), upper limbs (239 cases), and lower limbs (483 cases). From July 2006 through 2017 we detected an increase in the incidence of head and neck melanomas (19.9% vs 28.6%, p <0.001). A drop in the incidence of melanomas located in the lower extremities was also seen in women (39.8% vs 30.4%, p <0.001), and in the trunk men (57.5% vs 47.3%, p=0.003). In the multivariate analyses, only the decrease in melanomas located in lower extremities in women remained significant. CONCLUSION: The increased incidence of head and neck melanomas in both sexes and the decrease in trunk melanomas in men can be attributed to the aging of our population. The reduction in the incidence of melanomas in the lower extremities in women could be associated with changes in photoexposure patterns. Analyzing the factors possibly associated with these changes would contribute to better understanding the pathogenesis of cutaneous melanoma for prevention purposes.

Comprehensive assessment for hygrothermal comfort with heat and mass fluxes through a clothing layer during cooling seasons.

A comprehensive analysis is carried out for achieving hygrothermal comfort by using bidirectional heat and mass fluxes between the human skin and its surroundings during cooling seasons, considering the main characteristics of climate, metabolic rate, and clothing fabrics. As hygrothermal comfort is mainly seen as one-direction heat and mass flux from the close surroundings to the human body, without the emitted heat and mass by the human skin, the purpose of the analysis is to find out proper features of the respective clothing fabric according to the inlet boundary conditions, i.e. heat and mass flux from the human body, and the outlet boundary features, i.e. heat and mass flux due to the climate conditions. Thereby, a novel mathematical modelling is developed for heat and mass transfer, respectively. Then, the software Wolfram Mathematica is applied for the numerical solutions of the model. After the model is validated, a sensitivity analysis is carried out. Thereby, it is found that the sensible heat removal by convection, dependent on both airflow and humidity rates, has a great influence on the hygrothermal comfort. Furthermore, solar reflectivity for shortwave radiation, along with longwave radiation from the skin, have influence on the hygrothermal comfort when both ventilation and sweating are set as minimum. Therefore, if the conditions of temperature and relative humidity are proper, both high conductivity and air permeability clothes are recommended. Nevertheless, regarding the reflectivity, it depends on the presence of shortwave radiation, sweating, ventilation, and longwave radiation to consider light-toned or dark colors.

Nudging intensive care unit personnel towards sustainable behaviour.

BACKGROUND: The health care sector is among the most carbon-intensive sectors, contributing to societal problems like climate change. Previous research demonstrated that especially the use of personal protective equipment (e.g., aprons) in critical care contributes to this problem. To reduce personal protective equipment waste, new sustainable policies are needed. AIMS: Policies are only effective if people comply. Our aim is to examine whether compliance with sustainable policies in critical care can be increased through behavioural influencing. Specifically, we examined the effectiveness of two sets of nudges (i.e., a Prime + Visual prompt nudge and a Social norm nudge) on decreasing apron usage in an intensive care unit (ICU). STUDY DESIGN: We conducted a field experiment with a pre- and post-intervention measurement. Upon the introduction of the new sustainable policy, apron usage data were collected for 9 days before (132 observations) and 9 days after (114 observations) the nudge interventions were implemented. RESULTS: Neither the Prime + Visual prompt nudge, nor the Social norm nudge decreased apron usage. CONCLUSIONS: While previous studies have found that primes, visual nudges and social norm nudges can increase sustainable behaviour, we did not find evidence for this in our ICU field experiment. Future research is needed to determine whether this null finding reflects reality, or whether it was due to methodological decisions and limitations of the presented experiment. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The presented study highlights the importance of studying behavioural interventions that were previously proven successful in the lab and in other field contexts, in the complex setting of critical care. Results previously found in other contexts may not generalize directly to a critical care context. The unique characteristics of the critical care context also pose methodological challenges that may have affected the outcomes of this experiment.

Mechanical strength recognition and classification of thermal protective fabric images after thermal aging based on deep learning.

Objectives. Currently, numerous studies have focused on testing or modeling to evaluate the safe service life of thermal protective clothing after thermal aging, reducing the risk to occupational personnel. However, testing will render the garment unsuitable for subsequent use and a series of input parameters for modeling are not readily available. In this study, a novel image recognition strategy was proposed to discriminate the mechanical strength of thermal protective fabric after thermal aging based on transfer learning. Methods. Data augmentation was used to overcome the shortcoming of insufficient training samples. Four pre-trained models were used to explore their performance in three sample classification modes. Results. The experimental results show that the VGG-19 model achieves the best performance in the three-classification mode (accuracy = 91%). The model was more accurate in identifying fabric samples in the early and late stages of strength decline. For fabric samples in the middle stage of strength decline, the three-classification mode was better than the four-classification and six-classification modes. Conclusions. The findings provide novel insights into the image-based mechanical strength evaluation of thermal protective fabrics after aging.

Smart Graphene Textiles for Biopotential Monitoring: Laser-Tailored Electrochemical Property Enhancement.

While most of the research in graphene-based materials seeks high electroactive surface area and ion intercalation, here, we show an alternative electrochemical behavior that leverages graphene's potential in biosensing. We report a novel approach to fabricate graphene/polymer nanocomposites with near-record conductivity levels of 45 Ω sq-1 and enhanced biocompatibility. This is realized by laser processing of graphene oxide in a sandwich structure with a thin (100 µm) polyethylene terephthalate film on a textile substrate. Such hybrid materials exhibit high conductivity, low polarization, and stability. In addition, the nanocomposites are highly biocompatible, as evidenced by their low cytotoxicity and good skin adhesion. These results demonstrate the potential of graphene/polymer nanocomposites for smart clothing applications.