scholarly journals Peering inside a cough or sneeze to explain enhanced airborne transmission under dry weather

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Liu ◽  
Majid Allahyari ◽  
Jorge S. Salinas ◽  
Nadim Zgheib ◽  
S. Balachandar

AbstractHigh-fidelity simulations of coughs and sneezes that serve as virtual experiments are presented, and they offer an unprecedented opportunity to peer into the chaotic evolution of the resulting airborne droplet clouds. While larger droplets quickly fall-out of the cloud, smaller droplets evaporate rapidly. The non-volatiles remain airborne as droplet nuclei for a long time to be transported over long distances. The substantial variation observed between the different realizations has important social distancing implications, since probabilistic outlier-events do occur and may need to be taken into account when assessing the risk of contagion. Contrary to common expectations, we observe dry ambient conditions to increase by more than four times the number of airborne potentially virus-laden nuclei, as a result of reduced droplet fall-out through rapid evaporation. The simulation results are used to validate and calibrate a comprehensive multiphase theory, which is then used to predict the spread of airborne nuclei under a wide variety of ambient conditions.

2014 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikko Tuominen ◽  
Hannu Teisala ◽  
Janne Haapanen ◽  
Mikko Aromaa ◽  
Jyrki M. Mäkelä ◽  
...  

Abstract Superhydrophobic nanoparticle coating was created on the surface of board using liquid flame spray (LFS). The LFS coating was carried out continuously in ambient conditions without any additional hydrophobization steps. The contact angle of water (CAW) of ZrO2, Al2O3 and TiO2 coating was adjusted reversibly from >150° down to ~10−20° using different stimulation methods. From industrial point of view, the controlled surface wetting has been in focus for a long time because it defines the liquid-solid contact area, and furthermore can enhance the mechanical and chemical bonding on the interface between the liquid and the solid. The used stimulation methods included batch-type methods: artificial daylight illumination and heat treatment and roll-to-roll methods: corona, argon plasma, IR (infra red)- and UV (ultra violet)-treatments. On the contrary to batch-type methods, the adjustment and switching of wetting was done only in seconds or fraction of seconds using roll-to-roll stimulation methods. This is significant in the converting processes of board since they are usually continuous, high volume operations. In addition, the creation of microfluidic patterns on the surface of TiO2 coated board using simple photomasking and surface stimulation was demonstrated. This provides new advantages and possibilities, especially in the field of intelligent printing. Limited durability and poor repellency against low surface tension liquids are presently the main limitations of LFS coatings.


Author(s):  
Gregory Gutin ◽  
Tomohiro Hirano ◽  
Sung-Ha Hwang ◽  
Philip R. Neary ◽  
Alexis Akira Toda

AbstractHow does social distancing affect the reach of an epidemic in social networks? We present Monte Carlo simulation results of a susceptible–infected–removed with social distancing model. The key feature of the model is that individuals are limited in the number of acquaintances that they can interact with, thereby constraining disease transmission to an infectious subnetwork of the original social network. While increased social distancing typically reduces the spread of an infectious disease, the magnitude varies greatly depending on the topology of the network, indicating the need for policies that are network dependent. Our results also reveal the importance of coordinating policies at the ‘global’ level. In particular, the public health benefits from social distancing to a group (e.g. a country) may be completely undone if that group maintains connections with outside groups that are not following suit.


2009 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 903-922 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel R. Visbal ◽  
Raymond E. Gordnier ◽  
Marshall C. Galbraith

Author(s):  
Rory England ◽  
Nicholas Peirce ◽  
Joseph Torresi ◽  
Sean Mitchell ◽  
Andy Harland

AbstractA review of literature on the role of fomites in transmission of coronaviruses informed the development of a framework which was used to qualitatively analyse a cricket case study, where equipment is shared and passed around, and identify potential mitigation strategies. A range of pathways were identified that might in theory allow coronavirus transmission from an infected person to a non-infected person via communal or personal equipment fomites or both. Eighteen percent of potential fomite based interactions were found to be non-essential to play including all contact with another persons equipment. Six opportunities to interrupt the transmission pathway were identified, including the recommendation to screen participants for symptoms prior to play. Social distancing between participants and avoiding unnecessary surface contact provides two opportunities; firstly to avoid equipment exposure to infected respiratory droplets and secondly to avoid uninfected participants touching potential fomites. Hand sanitisation and equipment sanitisation provide two further opportunities by directly inactivating coronavirus. Preventing players from touching their mucosal membranes with their hands represents the sixth potential interruption. Whilst potential fomite transmission pathways were identified, evidence suggests that viral load will be substantially reduced during surface transfer. Mitigation strategies could further reduce potential fomites, suggesting that by comparison, direct airborne transmission presents the greater risk in cricket.


2019 ◽  
Vol 120 ◽  
pp. 103099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akash Dhruv ◽  
Elias Balaras ◽  
Amir Riaz ◽  
Jungho Kim

2004 ◽  
Vol 819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina V. Belova ◽  
Graeme E. Murch

AbstractWe address the problem of calculating the long-time-limit effective diffusivity in stable two- phase polycrystalline material. A phenomenological model is used where the high diffusivity interphase boundaries are treated as connected “coatings” of the individual grains. Derivation of expressions for the effective diffusivity with segregation is made along Maxwell lines. Monte Carlo simulation using lattice-based random walks is used to test the validity of the expressions. It is shown that for the case analysed the derived expressions for the effective diffusivity are in very good agreement with simulation results. The equivalent of the Hart equation is also derived. It is shown to be in poor agreement with simulation results.


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