scholarly journals Efficacy of Various Facial Protective Equipment for Infection Control in a Healthcare Setting

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 1045-1050
Author(s):  
Jessica Dinsmore ◽  
Susan Brands ◽  
Steven Perry ◽  
Michael Lopez ◽  
Yutong Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Average Particle Size ◽  
Pairwise Comparison ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Average Particle ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
Comparison Results ◽  
Percentage Area ◽  
Droplet Transmission

Introduction: The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has reinforced the importance of facial protection against droplet transmission of diseases. Healthcare workers wear personal protection equipment (PPE), including face shields and masks. Plastic face shields may have advantages over regular medical masks. Although many designs of face shields exist, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the efficacy of shield designs against droplet transmissions. There is even less published evidence comparing various face shields. Due to the urgency of the pandemic and the health and safety of healthcare workers, we aimed to study the efficacy of various face shields against droplet transmission. Methods: We simulated droplet transmission via coughing using a heavy-duty chemical spray bottle filled with fluorescein. A standard-adult sized mannequin head was used. The mannequin head wore various face shields and was positioned to face the spray bottle at either a 0°, 45°, or 90° angle. The spray bottle was positioned at and sprayed from 30 centimeters (cm), 60 cm, or 90 cm away from the head. These steps were repeated for all face shields used. Control was a mannequin that wore no PPE. A basic mask was also tested. We collected data for particle count, total area of particle distribution, average particle size, and percentage area covered by particles. We analyzed percent covered by particles using a repeated measures mixed-model regression with Tukey-Kramer pairwise comparison. Results: We used least square means to estimate the percentage area covered by particles. Wearing PPE regardless of the design reduced particle transmission to the mannequin compared to the control. The LCG mask had the lowest square means of 0.06 of all face-shield designs analyzed. Tukey-Kramer pairwise comparison showed that all PPEs had a decrease in particle contamination compared to the control. LCG shield was found to have the least contamination compared to all other masks (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Results suggest the importance of wearing a protective covering against droplet transmission. The LCG shield was found to decrease facial contamination by droplets the most of any tested protective equipment.

Enhanced catalytic activity of low-Pt content nanocatalysts supported on hollow carbon spheres for the ORR in alkaline media

MRS Advances ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (57-58) ◽  
pp. 2961-2972
Author(s):  
P.C. Meléndez-González ◽  
E. Garza-Duran ◽  
J.C. Martínez-Loyola ◽  
P. Quintana-Owen ◽  
I.L. Alonso-Lemus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Catalytic Activity ◽  
Anion Exchange ◽  
Average Particle Size ◽  
Synthesis Method ◽  
Alkaline Media ◽  
High Catalytic Activity ◽  
Average Particle ◽  
Carbon Spheres ◽  
Hollow Carbon ◽  
Hollow Carbon Spheres

In this work, low-Pt content nanocatalysts (≈ 5 wt. %) supported on Hollow Carbon Spheres (HCS) were synthesized by two routes: i) colloidal conventional polyol, and ii) surfactant-free Bromide Anion Exchange (BAE). The nanocatalysts were labelled as Pt/HCS-P and Pt/HCS-B for polyol and BAE, respectively. The physicochemical characterization of the nanocatalysts showed that by following both methods, a good control of chemical composition was achieved, obtaining in addition well dispersed nanoparticles of less than 3 nm TEM average particle size (d) on the HCS. Pt/HCS-B contained more Pt0 species than Pt/HCS-P, an effect of the synthesis method. In addition, the structure of the HCS remains more ordered after BAE synthesis, compared to polyol. Regarding the catalytic activity for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) in 0.5 M KOH, Pt/HCS-P and Pt/HCS-B showed a similar performance in terms of current density (j) at 0.9 V vs. RHE than the benchmark commercial 20 wt. % Pt/C. However, Pt/HCS-P and Pt/HCS-B demonstrated a 6 and 5-fold increase in mass catalytic activity compared to Pt/C, respectively. A positive effect of the high specific surface area of the HCS and its interactions with metal nanoparticles and electrolyte, which promoted the mass transfer, increased the performance of Pt/HCS-P and Pt/HCS-B. The high catalytic activity showed by Pt/HCS-B and Pt/HCS-P for the ORR, even with a low-Pt content, make them promising cathode nanocatalysts for Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (AEMFC).

A New Method for Direct Determination of the Recoilless Fraction with Application to Magnetic Nanoparticles

2002 ◽  
Vol 721 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monica Sorescu
Keyword(s):  
Room Temperature ◽  
Average Particle Size ◽  
Direct Determination ◽  
Average Particle ◽  
Lattice Method ◽  
Recoilless Fraction ◽  
Single Room ◽  
Magnetite Particles ◽  
Physical Mixtures

AbstractWe propose a two-lattice method for direct determination of the recoilless fraction using a single room-temperature transmission Mössbauer measurement. The method is first demonstrated for the case of iron and metallic glass two-foil system and is next generalized for the case of physical mixtures of two powders. We further apply this method to determine the recoilless fraction of hematite and magnetite particles. Finally, we provide direct measurement of the recoilless fraction in nanohematite and nanomagnetite with an average particle size of 19 nm.

Determination of grinding parameters of fenugreek seed

1970 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Balasubramanian ◽  
Rajkumar Rajkumar ◽  
K K Singh
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Moisture Content ◽  
Specific Energy ◽  
Feed Rate ◽  
Average Particle Size ◽  
Specific Energy Consumption ◽  
Average Particle ◽  
Fenugreek Seeds ◽  
Fenugreek Seed

Experiment to identify ambient grinding conditions and energy consumed was conducted for fenugreek. Fenugreek seeds at three moisture content (5.1%, 11.5% and 17.3%, d.b.) were ground using a micro pulverizer hammer mill with different grinding screen openings (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mm) and feed rate (8, 16 and 24 kg h-1) at 3000 rpm. Physical properties of fenugreek seeds were also determined. Specific energy consumptions were found to decrease from 204.67 to 23.09 kJ kg-1 for increasing levels of feed rate and grinder screen openings. On the other hand specific energy consumption increased with increasing moisture content. The highest specific energy consumption was recorded for 17.3% moisture content and 8 kg h-1 feed rate with 0.5 mm screen opening. Average particle size decreased from 1.06 to 0.39 mm with increase of moisture content and grinder screen opening. It has been observed that the average particle size was minimum at 0.5 mm screen opening and 8 kg h-1 feed rate at lower moisture content. Bond’s work index and Kick’s constant were found to increase from 8.97 to 950.92 kWh kg-1 and 0.932 to 78.851 kWh kg-1 with the increase of moisture content, feed rate and grinder screen opening, respectively. Size reduction ratio and grinding effectiveness of fenugreek seed were found to decrease from 4.11 to 1.61 and 0.0118 to 0.0018 with the increase of moisture content, feed rate and grinder screen opening, respectively. The loose and compact bulk densities varied from 219.2 to 719.4 kg m-3 and 137.3 to 736.2 kg m-3, respectively.  

A Review on Methods of Face Masks Sterilization for Reuse Owing To Crisis During COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 1240-1243
Author(s):  
Pradyuman Singh Rajput ◽  
Asish Kumar Saha ◽  
Insiya Gangardiwala ◽  
Anand Vijayakumar Palur Ramakrishnan
Keyword(s):  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Health Hazard ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Limited Resources ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
First Line ◽  
Republic Of China ◽  
Enormous Amount ◽  
The Face ◽  
The Common

The COVID-19 pandemic initially started from the Wuhan capital city of Hubei Province in the People's Republic of China had now led to a severe public health hazard across the globe, the recorded death is approximately 958 thousand globally and counting. With the enormous amount of spread of the disease, a severe crisis for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is being noticed across the globe. Face masks being the first line of defence for all the healthcare workers as well for the common public. It became mandatory to wear face masks before entering the patient care area. The countries who are not manufacturing it locally had to depend on other countries for the procurement. As there is a severe supply chain disruption due to the lockdown measures taken by all the countries to contain the disease, so it had become difficult to procure the face masks from the manufacturing countries. The price for these PPEs is also rising at an alarming rate with the increase in the COVID-19 cases and the huge rate of consumption by the healthcare and other sectors. Therefore, with limited resources, the hospital has to run its services. The CDC, WHO and ICMR have released several guidelines from time to time for sterilization and reuse of face masks. This article will discuss the various methods that can be utilized to sterilize the face masks and reuse of it.

Influence of temperature and humidity on the angle of repose of wood bulk materials

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
И.В. Бачериков ◽  
Б.М. Локштанов
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Bulk Material ◽  
Average Particle Size ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Angle Of Repose ◽  
Wood Dust ◽  
Average Particle ◽  
Bulk Materials ◽  
Technical Literature ◽  
The Impact

При проектировании открытых и закрытых хранилищ измельченных сыпучих материалов древесных материалов, таких как щепа и опилки, большое значение имеет угол естественного откоса (статический и динамический) этих материалов. В технической литературе приводятся противоречивые сведения о величине этих углов, что приводит к ошибкам при проектировании складов. В справочных данных не учитываются условия, в которых эксплуатируются емкости для хранения сыпучих материалов, свойства и состояние этих сыпучих материалов. В свою очередь, ошибки при проектировании приводят к проблемам (зависание, сводообразование, «затопление» и т. д.) и авариям при эксплуатации бункеров и силосов на производстве. В статье представлены сведения, посвященные влиянию влажности и температуры на угол естественного откоса сыпучих материалов. На основании лабораторных и натурных экспериментов, проведенных с помощью специально разработанных методик и установок, была скорректирована формула для определения углов естественного откоса (статического и динамического) для измельченных древесных материалов в зависимости от их фракционного и породного состава, влажности (абсолютной и относительной) и температуры. При помощи скорректированной формулы можно определить угол естественного откоса древесных сыпучих материалов со среднегеометрическим размером частицы от 0,5 мм до 15 мм (от древесной пыли до технологической щепы) в различных производственных условиях. Статья может быть полезна проектировщикам при расчете угла наклона граней выпускающей воронки бункеров и силосов предприятий лесной отрасли и целлюлозо-бумажной промышленности. In the design of open and closed storage warehouses chopped wood materials for bulk materials such as wood chips and sawdust, great importance has an angle of repose (static and dynamic) of these materials. In the technical literature are conflicting reports about the magnitude of these angles, which leads to errors in the design of warehouses. In the referencesdoes not take into account the conditions under which operated capacities for storage of bulk materials, and properties and condition of the bulk material. The design errors lead to problems (hanging, arching, «flooding», etc.) and accidents in the operation of hoppers and silos at the mills. The article provides information on the impact of humidity and temperature on the angle of repose of granular materials. On the basis of laboratory and field experiments, conducted with the help of specially developed techniques and facilities has been adjusted formula for determining the angle of repose (static and dynamic) for the shredded wood materials depending on their fractional and species composition, humidity (absolute and relative) and temperature. It is possible, by using the corrected formula, to determine the angle of repose of loose wood materials with average particle size of from 0.5 mm to 15 mm (wood dust to pulpchips) in various operating conditions. The article can be helpful to designers in the calculation of the angle of inclination of the funnel faces produces bunkers and silos forest industries and pulp and paper industry.

Formulating SLN and NLC as Innovative Drug Delivery Systems for Non-Invasive Routes of Drug Administration

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (22) ◽  
pp. 3623-3656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno Fonseca-Santos ◽  
Patrícia Bento Silva ◽  
Roberta Balansin Rigon ◽  
Mariana Rillo Sato ◽  
Marlus Chorilli
Keyword(s):  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Particle Size ◽  
Drug Release ◽  
Drug Loading ◽  
Average Particle Size ◽  
Delivery Systems ◽  
Average Particle ◽  
Minor Importance ◽  
Routes Of Administration ◽  
Non Invasive

Colloidal carriers diverge depending on their composition, ability to incorporate drugs and applicability, but the common feature is the small average particle size. Among the carriers with the potential nanostructured drug delivery application there are SLN and NLC. These nanostructured systems consist of complex lipids and highly purified mixtures of glycerides having varying particle size. Also, these systems have shown physical stability, protection capacity of unstable drugs, release control ability, excellent tolerability, possibility of vectorization, and no reported production problems related to large-scale. Several production procedures can be applied to achieve high association efficiency between the bioactive and the carrier, depending on the physicochemical properties of both, as well as on the production procedure applied. The whole set of unique advantages such as enhanced drug loading capacity, prevention of drug expulsion, leads to more flexibility for modulation of drug release and makes Lipid-based nanocarriers (LNCs) versatile delivery system for various routes of administration. The route of administration has a significant impact on the therapeutic outcome of a drug. Thus, the non-invasive routes, which were of minor importance as parts of drug delivery in the past, have assumed added importance drugs, proteins, peptides and biopharmaceuticals drug delivery and these include nasal, buccal, vaginal and transdermal routes. The objective of this paper is to present the state of the art concerning the application of the lipid nanocarriers designated for non-invasive routes of administration. In this manner, this review presents an innovative technological platform to develop nanostructured delivery systems with great versatility of application in non-invasive routes of administration and targeting drug release.

Azithromycin nanosuspension preparation using evaporative precipitation into aqueous solution (EPAS) method and its comparative dissolution study

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hossain Shariare ◽  
Tonmoy Kumar Mondal ◽  
Hani Alothaid ◽  
Md. Didaruzzaman Sohel ◽  
MD Wadud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aqueous Solution ◽  
Particle Size ◽  
Dissolution Rate ◽  
Average Particle Size ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Average Particle ◽  
Total Drug ◽  
Residual Solvent ◽  
Dissolution Study ◽  
Drug Content

Aim: EPAS (evaporative precipitation into aqueous solution) was used in the current studies to prepare azithromycin nanosuspensions and investigate the physicochemical characteristics for the nanosuspension batches with the aim of enhancing the dissolution rate of the nanopreparation to improve bioavailability. Methods: EPAS method used in this study for preparing azithromycin nanosuspension was achieved through developing an in-house instrumentation method. Particle size distribution was measured using Zetasizer Nano S without sample dilution. Dissolved azithromycin nanosuspensions were also compared with raw azithromycin powder and commercially available products. Total drug content of nanosuspension batches were measured using an Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) system with Photodiode Array (PDA) detector while residual solvent was measured using gas chromatography (GC). Results: The average particle size of azithromycin nanosuspension was 447.2 nm and total drug content was measured to be 97.81% upon recovery. Dissolution study data showed significant increase in dissolution rate for nanosuspension batch when compared to raw azithromycin and commercial version (microsuspension). The residual solvent found for azithromycin nanosuspension is 0.000098023 mg/ mL or 98.023 ppb. Conclusion: EPAS was successfully used to prepare azithromycin nanoparticles that exhibited significantly enhanced dissolution rate. Further studies are required to scale up the process and determine long term stability of the nanoparticles.

Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles of Hydroxyurea: Potential

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kumar Nishchaya ◽  
Swatantra K.S. Kushwaha ◽  
Awani Kumar Rai
Keyword(s):  
Drug Release ◽  
Silica Nanoparticles ◽  
Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles ◽  
Release Kinetics ◽  
Average Particle Size ◽  
Silica Nanoparticle ◽  
Average Particle ◽  
Independent Variables ◽  
Lower Temperature

Background: Present malignant cancer medicines has the advancement of magnetic nanoparticles as delivery carriers to magnetically accumulate anticancer medication in malignant growth tissue. Aim: In the present investigation, a silica nanoparticles (MSNs) stacked with hydroxyurea were combined and was optimized for dependent and independent variables. Method: In this study, microporous silica nanoparticle stacked with neoplastic medication had been prepared through emulsification followed with solvent evaporation method. Prepared MSNs were optimized for dependent and independent variables. Different formulations were prepared with varying ratio of polymer, lipid and surfactant which affects drug release and kinetics of drug release pattern. The obtained MSNs were identified by FTIR, SEM, drug entrapment, in-vitro drug release, drug release kinetics study, stability testing in order to investigate the nanoparticle characteristics. Results: The percentage drug entrapment of the drug for the formulations F1, F2, F3, was found to be 27.78%, 65.52% and 48.26%. The average particle size for F2 formulation was found to be 520 nm through SEM. The cumulative drug release for the formulations F1, F2, F3 was found to be 64.17%, 71.82% and 32.68%. The formulations were found to be stable which gives controlled drug delivery for 6 hours. Conclusion: From the stability studies data it can be culminated that formulations are most stable when stored at lower temperature or in refrigerator i.e. 5˚C ± 3˚C. It can be concluded that MSN’s loaded with hydroxyurea is a promising approach towards the management of cancer due to its sustained release and less side effects.

scholarly journals Green synthesis: Proposed mechanism and factors influencing the synthesis of platinum nanoparticles

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 386-398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmood S. Jameel ◽  
Azlan Abdul Aziz ◽  
Mohammed Ali Dheyab
Keyword(s):  
Green Synthesis ◽  
Reaction Temperature ◽  
Platinum Nanoparticles ◽  
Energy Requirement ◽  
Average Particle Size ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Energy Utilization ◽  
Critical Parameters ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Average Particle

AbstractPlatinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) have attracted interest in catalysis and biomedical applications due to their unique structural, optical, and catalytic properties. However, the conventional synthesis of Pt NPs using the chemical and physical methods is constrained by the use of harmful and costly chemicals, intricate preparation requirement, and high energy utilization. Hence, this review emphasizes on the green synthesis of Pt NPs using plant extracts as an alternative approach due to its simplicity, convenience, inexpensiveness, easy scalability, low energy requirement, environmental friendliness, and minimum usage of hazardous materials and maximized efficiency of the synthesis process. The underlying complex processes that cover the green synthesis (biosynthesis) of Pt NPs were reviewed. This review affirms the effects of different critical parameters (pH, reaction temperature, reaction time, and biomass dosage) on the size and shape of the synthesized Pt NPs. For instance, the average particle size of Pt NPs was reported to decrease with increasing pH, reaction temperature, and concentration of plant extract.

scholarly journals High-Temperature Synthesis of Metal–Matrix Composites (Ni-Ti)-TiB2

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 2426
Author(s):  
Vladimir Promakhov ◽  
Alexey Matveev ◽  
Nikita Schulz ◽  
Mikhail Grigoriev ◽  
Andrey Olisov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Composite Materials ◽  
Metal Matrix Composite ◽  
Matrix Composite ◽  
Metal Matrix ◽  
Average Particle Size ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Average Particle ◽  
Temperature Synthesis ◽  
High Temperature Synthesis

Currently, metal–matrix composite materials are some of the most promising types of materials, and they combine the advantages of a metal matrix and reinforcing particles/fibres. Within the framework of this article, the high-temperature synthesis of metal–matrix composite materials based on the (Ni-Ti)-TiB2 system was studied. The selected approaches make it possible to obtain composite materials of various compositions without contamination and with a high degree of energy efficiency during production processes. Combustion processes in the samples of a 63.5 wt.% NiB + 36.5 wt.% Ti mixture and the phase composition and structure of the synthesis products were researched. It has been established that the synthesis process in the samples proceeds via the spin combustion mechanism. It has been shown that self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) powder particles have a composite structure and consist of a Ni-Ti matrix and TiB2 reinforcement inclusions that are uniformly distributed inside it. The inclusion size lies in the range between 0.1 and 4 µm, and the average particle size is 0.57 µm. The obtained metal-matrix composite materials can be used in additive manufacturing technologies as ligatures for heat-resistant alloys, as well as for the synthesis of composites using traditional methods of powder metallurgy.

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