Prolonged Use of Surgical Masks and Respirators Affects the Protection and Comfort for Healthcare Workers.

This study explored the ideal period for wearing masks to prevent the physiological and psychological problems associated with long-term face mask use during respiratory infections by healthcare workers. Breathing simulators, surgical masks (SM) and medical respirators (PM) were prepared for two to eight hours. Changes in the comfort of masks (facial skin temperature, breathing resistance, and moisture permeability) and protection (filtration efficiency, resistance to blood penetration, and colony count) were assessed. The results demonstrated that the masks offered efficient liquid-particle filtering even after eight hours of use. However, the number of bacterial colonies using PM and SM grew significantly after two and four hours, respectively. Concerning comfort, the inspiratory resistance of masks rose dramatically after two hours, whereas the moisture permeability declined considerably after four hours. In addition, skin temperature had a significant increase within two hours, which may result in facial discomfort. When conditions permitted, the hospital staff was instructed to replace their masks every two hours.

Terahertz vibration-rotation-tunneling spectroscopy of the water tetramer-d8: combined analysis of vibrational bands at 4.1 and 2.0 THz.

We report the measurement of terahertz vibration-rotation-tunneling spectra of (D(2)O)(4) in the spectral region near 4.13 THz. The characterization of this perpendicular band extends a previously reported study [J. Chem. Phys. 111, 7801 (1999)]. We observed 239 new transitions, each being split into a doublet of constant (approximately 192 MHz) spacing. These are included in a combined fit with the 113 previously measured transitions of the 2.03 THz parallel band using an effective Hamiltonian similar to that used in the global fit of the water trimer. The detailed understanding of the water tetramer evolving from this work underlies our efforts to quantify the contribution of many-body forces to the hydrogen bonding interactions in condensed phase water.

Terahertz vibration-rotation-tunneling spectroscopy of the ammonia dimer. II. A-E states of an out-of-plane vibration and an in-plane vibration.

Terahertz vibration-rotation-tunneling transitions have been measured between ca. 78.5 and 91.9 cm-1, and assigned to A-E (ortho-para) combinations of NH3 monomer states. The spectrum is complicated by inversion splittings that correlate to E symmetry monomer rovibronic states. Twenty progressions have been assigned to six excited states involving an out-of-plane vibration and an in-plane intermolecular vibration. The quality of the fit was affected by strong Coriolis interactions among these states and possibly an additional K = 2 state that was not explicitly observed in the data.

Jet-cooled infrared spectrum of methoxy in the CH stretching region.

Observations of the jet-cooled infrared spectrum of CH(3)O in the CH stretching region have been extended, down to 2756 cm(-1) and up to 3003 cm(-1). In the lower frequency extension, a single vibronic band has been assigned. In the higher frequency region, the spectrum becomes complex above 2900 cm(-1) and remains so until near 2970 cm(-1) where it rapidly becomes sparse. Including the single vibronic band previously reported, a total of four bands have been assigned. Two bands including the original one follow a perpendicular DeltaP = +1 rotational selection rule and the other two bands follow a parallel DeltaP = 0 selection rule. In addition to these in the congested region between 2900 and 2970 cm(-1), ten isolated sub-bands (two P'' = -1/2, two P'' = +1/2, and six P'' = +1.5) have been assigned, but it has so far not been possible to connect these together to form bands. Taken together these observations suggest that there are strong vibronic couplings between the two CH stretching vibrations and the overtone and combination levels in the region.

Terahertz vibration-rotation-tunneling spectroscopy of the ammonia dimer: characterization of an out of plane vibration.

The terahertz vibration-rotation-tunneling (VRT) spectrum of the ammonia dimer (NH(3))(2) has been measured between ca. 78.5 and 91.9 cm(-1). The dipole-allowed transitions are separated into three groups that correspond to the 3-fold internal rotation of the NH(3) subunits. Transitions have been assigned for VRT states of the A-A (ortho-ortho) combinations of NH(3) monomer states. The spectrum is further complicated by strong Coriolis interactions. K = 0 <-- 0, K = 1 <-- 0, K = 0 <-- 1, and K = 1 <-- 1 progressions have been assigned. The band origins, rotational constants, asymmetry doubling, centrifugal distortion, and Coriolis coupling constant have been determined from the fit to an effective Hamiltonian. These VRT transitions are tentatively assigned to an out of plane vibration with a K = 0 state at 89.141305(47) cm(-1), and a K = 1 state at 86.77785(9) cm(-1).