How Does Personal Hygiene Influence Indoor Air Quality?

Humans are known to be a continuous and potent indoor source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). However, little is known about how personal hygiene, in terms of showering frequency, can influence these emissions and their impact on indoor air chemistry involving ozone. In this study, we characterized the VOC composition of the air in a controlled climate chamber (22.5 m3 with an air change rate at 3.2 h-1) occupied by four male volunteers on successive days under ozone-free (∼0 ppb) and ozone-present (37-40 ppb) conditions. The volunteers either showered the evening prior to the experiments or skipped showering for 24 and 48 h. Reduced shower frequency increased human emissions of gas-phase carboxylic acids, possibly originating from skin bacteria. With ozone present, increasing the number of no-shower days enhanced ozone-skin surface reactions, yielding higher levels of oxidation products. Wearing the same clothing over several days reduced the level of compounds generated from clothing-ozone reactions. When skin lotion was applied, the yield of the skin ozonolysis products decreased, while other compounds increased due to ozone reactions with lotion ingredients. These findings help determine the degree to which personal hygiene choices affect the indoor air composition and indoor air exposures.

A Monte Carlo simulation-based decision support system for radiation oncologists in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.

In the present research, we have developed a model-based crisp logic function statistical classifier decision support system supplemented with treatment planning systems for radiation oncologists in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). This system is based on Monte Carlo radiation transport simulation and it recreates visualization of treatment environments on mathematical anthropomorphic brain (MAB) phantoms. Energy deposition within tumour tissue and normal tissues are graded by quality audit factors which ensure planned dose delivery to tumour site thereby minimising damages to healthy tissues. The proposed novel methodology predicts tumour growth response to radiation therapy from a patient-specific medicine quality audit perspective. Validation of the study was achieved by recreating thirty-eight patient-specific mathematical anthropomorphic brain phantoms of treatment environments by taking into consideration density variation and composition of brain tissues. Dose computations accomplished through water phantom, tissue-equivalent head phantoms are neither cost-effective, nor patient-specific customized and is often less accurate. The above-highlighted drawbacks can be overcome by using open-source Electron Gamma Shower (EGSnrc) software and clinical case reports for MAB phantom synthesis which would result in accurate dosimetry with due consideration to the time factors. Considerable dose deviations occur at the tumour site for environments with intraventricular glioblastoma, haematoma, abscess, trapped air and cranial flaps leading to quality factors with a lower logic value of 0. Logic value of 1 depicts higher dose deposition within healthy tissues and also leptomeninges for majority of the environments which results in radiation-induced laceration.

Voluntary heat stress abatement system for dairy cows: Does it mitigate the effects of heat stress on physiology and behavior?

Many cooling strategies are used to keep cows in thermal homeostasis; however, most of them are applied to the group level, commonly at the feed bunk or milking parlor. The variance of heat stress effects on animals are well known, but with more individualized management in dairy farms, group cooling opportunities are becoming restricted. It is known that dairy cattle are variable in their responses to an increase in heat load. Thus, the first objective of this study was to investigate the effect of 2 mandatory soakings at the exit of the milking parlor and free access to a voluntary soaking system compared with cows with access to a voluntary soaking system only, with no mandatory soakings. The second objective of this study was to assess the heat abatement capability of voluntary soaking of cows by assessing cow physiology, behavior, and milk production. Last, this study aimed to determine the individual use of the voluntary heat abatement system and its relationship with temperature-humidity index (THI). Fifteen mid-lactation Holstein cows were enrolled in this study and had free access to a motion-activated soaker (Cool Sense, Edstrom) located adjacent to the research pen for an 8-wk data collection period. Cows were paired according to parity, milk production, and body weight, and assigned a treatment with or without mandatory soakings twice per day. In the mandatory soaking treatment (MS), cows were soaked using a motion-activated soaker at the exit of the milking parlor and had free access to the voluntary soaker in the pen. Cows in the treatment without mandatory soakings (NMS) were not soaked at the exit of the milking parlor and had free access to the voluntary soaker in the pen. The effects of soaker treatment were analyzed using mixed linear models. The model included treatment, soaker uses per day, pair, mean daily THI, days in milk, daily milk yield, and interaction of treatment with mean daily THI. Study day was specified as a repeated measure, and cow as the subject, using an autoregressive structure. Also, we assessed the relationship of mean soaker use and THI against all variables. There was great individual variation in voluntary soaker use, ranging from 0 to 227 soakings/d (mean ± standard deviation, 13 ± 30 voluntary soakings/d). Treatment did not affect voluntary soaker use (MS, 12.4 ± 1.4 soakings/d; NMS, 14.8 ± 1.4 soakings/d), respiration rate (MS, 57.3 ± 0.4 breaths/min; NMS, 56.4 ± 0.4 breaths/min), or milk yield (MS, 36.5 ± 0.6 kg/d; NMS, 36.2 ± 0.6 kg/d). However, MS cows spent more time ruminating (MS, 558.6 ± 5.2 min/d; NMS, 543.4 ± 5.4 min/d). Temperature-humidity index had a positive relationship with voluntary soaker use and mean respiration rate. In conclusion, voluntary soaker use related positively to the THI, but no major productive, physiological, or behavioral differences were observed between soaking treatments. Furthermore, we found that voluntary soaker use is highly variable among cows and it was related positively to milk yield, where higher producing cows used the soaker more frequently.

Dissolvable shower gel tablets with enhanced skin benefits.

OBJECTIVE: The excessive use of plastic packaging, even though it is possible to recycle it, is one of the main causes of global warming. In this study, dissolvable shower gel tablets for multiple uses have been developed in order to reduce the use of fresh plastic packaging. METHODS: The appropriate ratio of two surfactants, cocoyl glutamic acid (CGA) and sodium coco sulphate (SCS), was optimized using design of experiments. Additionally, skin hydration of the emollient either omega oil or glycerine was taken into account when determining its concentration. After that, powdered shower gel formulations were made and tested for their properties, including cleaning power, and foamability. On 30 human volunteers, the effects of reconstituted shower gel on skin redness, cleaning effectiveness and overall satisfaction were evaluated. RESULTS: The study found that, when cleaning power and foam height were taken into account, the proper surfactant ratio was 7.5:0 (SCS:CGA). The 5% glycerine shower gel formula demonstrated significantly greater skin hydration than other formulas. The in vivo study's findings demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference between selected formulas (5% glycerine and 2.5% omega oil) in terms of cleaning ability. Comparing both formulas to the control, neither showed any skin redness. Additionally, it was discovered that the developed products were much more effective at cleaning and easier to use when washing for the volunteers than regular liquid soap. Overall satisfaction and the moisturizing feel were not significantly different among all products. CONCLUSION: The formula with 7.5% SCS and 5% glycerine is said to be the best one for both cleaning ability and moisturizing effect. These findings suggest that dissolvable shower gel tablets with enhanced skin benefits could offer a promising innovation in the personal care industry.

OBJECTIF: L'utilisation excessive d'emballages en plastique, même s'il est possible de les recycler, est l'une des principales causes du réchauffement climatique. Dans cette étude, des pastilles de gel douche soluble à usages multiples ont été développées afin de réduire l'utilisation d'emballages plastiques. MÉTHODES: Le rapport approprié de deux tensioactifs, l'acide cocoyl glutamique (CGA) et le sulfate de coco sodique (SCS), a été optimisé à l'aide d'un plan d'expériences. De plus, l'hydratation de la peau par l'émollient, soit l'huile omega ou la glycérine, a été prise en compte lors de la détermination de sa concentration. Après cela, des formulations de gel douche en poudre ont été fabriquées et testées pour leurs propriétés, notamment leur pouvoir nettoyant et leur capacité à mousser. Sur 30 volontaires humains, les effets du gel douche reconstitué sur les rougeurs cutanées, l'efficacité nettoyante et la satisfaction globale ont été évalués. RÉSULTATS: L'étude a révélé que, lorsque la puissance de nettoyage et la hauteur de mousse étaient prises en compte, le rapport de surfactant approprié était de 7,5:0 (SCS:CGA). La formule du gel douche a 5 % de glycérine a démontré une hydratation de la peau nettement supérieure à celle des autres formules. Les résultats de l'étude in vivo ont démontré qu'il n'y avait pas de différence statistiquement significative entre les formules sélectionnées (5 % de glycérine et 2,5 % d'huile oméga) en termes de pouvoir nettoyant. En comparant les deux formules au contrôle, aucune n'a montré de rougeur cutanée. De plus, il a été découvert que les produits développés étaient beaucoup plus efficaces pour le nettoyage et plus faciles à utiliser lors du lavage pour les volontaires que le savon liquide ordinaire. La satisfaction globale et la sensation d'hydratation n'étaient pas significativement différentes entre tous les produits. CONCLUSION: La formule avec 7,5 % de SCS et 5 % de glycérine est considérée comme la meilleure pour la capacité de nettoyage et l'effet hydratant. Ces résultats suggèrent que les comprimés de gel douche solubles avec des bienfaits améliorés pour la peau pourraient offrir une innovation prometteuse dans l'industrie des soins personnels.

The effect of water shower spray on stress physiology and mortality in broiler chickens subjected to road transportation under the hot and humid tropical condition.

This study was performed to investigate the effect of water shower spray on rectal temperature (RT), serum levels of corticosterone (CORT), heat shock protein (HSP) 70 and creatine kinase (CK) in broiler chickens road transported at different times of the day. A total of 320 male broiler chickens (35 days of age) were crated and subjected to either water shower spray (WS) for 10 min or no water shower (control). The WS and control broilers were then loaded into an open truck and transported either from 0900 to 1100 h (29.0 °C and 89.0% RH) (AM) or 1900 h to 2100 h (26.0 °C and 94.0% RH) (PM) with an average speed of 80 km/h. The CORT of AM birds were significantly reduced by WS, but the treatment had negligible influence on the PM group. Transportation during AM significantly elevated RT, CORT and HSP70 compared to the PM group. Water shower spraying of birds before transit significantly reduced RT and HSP70 compared to controls. Neither water shower treatment nor transportation time had a significant on CK and mortality rate of broilers. In conclusion, water shower spray is beneficial to alleviate the physiological stress response in road-transported broilers under the hot and humid tropical environment.

Comparison of 4 Different Cooldown Strategies on Lower-Leg Temperature, Blood Lactate Concentration, and Fatigue Perception After Intense Running.

CONTEXT: Although active recovery (AR) and cold application is recommended, many people take a shower after exercise. Therefore, a direct comparison between a shower and other recommended methods (AR and/or cold-water immersion) is necessary. To compare immediate effects of 4 postexercise cooldown strategies after running. DESIGN: A crossover design. METHODS: Seventeen young, healthy males (23 y; 174 cm; 73 kg) visited on 4 different days and performed a 10-minute intense treadmill run (5 km/h at a 1% incline, then a belt speed of 1 km/h, and an incline of 0.5% were increased every minute). Then, subjects randomly experienced 4 different 30-minute cooldown strategies each session-AR (10-min treadmill walk + 10-min static stretch + 10-min shower), cold-water walk (10-min shower + 20-min walk in cold water), cold-water sit (10-min shower + 20-min sit in cold water), and passive recovery (10-min shower + 20-min passive recovery). Across the cooldown conditions, the water temperatures for immersion and shower were set as 18 °C and 25 °C, respectively. Lower-leg muscle temperature, blood lactate concentration, and fatigue perception were statistically compared (P < .001 for all tests) and effect sizes (ES) were calculated. RESULTS: The cold-water walk condition (F135,2928 = 69.29, P < .0001) was the most effective in reducing muscle temperature after running (-11.6 °C, ES = 9.46, P < .0001), followed by the cold-water sit (-8.4 °C, ES = 8.61, P < .0001), passive recovery (-4.5 °C, ES = 4.36, P < .0001), and AR (-4.0 °C, ES = 4.29, P < .0001) conditions. Blood lactate concentration (F6,176 = 0.86, P = .52) and fatigue perception (F6,176 = 0.18, P = .98) did not differ among the 4 conditions. CONCLUSIONS: While the effect of lowering the lower-leg temperature was different, the effect of reducing blood lactate concentration and fatigue perception were similar in the 4 cooldown strategies. We suggest selecting the appropriate method while considering the specific goal, available time, facility, and accessibility.

Application of the Second Law of Thermodynamics in Brazilian Residential Appliances towards a Rational Use of Energy.

This article proposes the utilization of the concepts of destroyed exergy and exergy efficiency for equipment and process performance indicators that are related to the current energy planning scenario in Brazil, more specifically with energy-efficiency labelling. Several indicators associated with these concepts are discussed, including one national program that is based on labeling the energy efficiency of several residential, commercial and industrial appliances. The grades are indicated in the equipment using values from A to G. This labeling system is useful for discriminating similar technologies used for the same function; nevertheless produced by different enterprises. For this complementary analysis, two types of refrigeration methods were compared, absorption and vapor compression; however, these energy indexes alone are not sufficient parameters to select among these two technologies, because their performance indexes definition are different. To address this, our research considers the second law of thermodynamics through exergy analysis as a proper sub-index to obtain a systematic comparison between these various indicators. It is significant to highlight that seldom research studies addressed to this problem so explicitly, in an actual governmental working solution, aiming at discussing to the society the advantage of the usage of the "quality of the energy" as a complementary index to governmental and personal choices. Results indicate that it is possible to use the destroyed exergy and exergy efficiency to help select the technology that better utilizes natural resources, considering the energy matrix of the country. Appliances for water heating and air conditioning were compared from energy and exergy viewpoint, where the last gave additional information about the quality of energy conversion process, giving a completely different trend from the energy analysis alone, without the necessity to think about the energy matrix. Later this issue is addressed from both points of view. Future studies may suggest an exergy based index. The energy efficiency suggests that electrical shower (values higher than 95%) are better than gas water heaters (83% ) in using natural resources, whereas the exergy efficiency shares similar magnitudes (about 3%). A related pattern is shown for the theoretical air conditioning systems. The vapor compression systems have an energy index higher than 3, and absorption systems lower than 1. For these circumstances, the exergy efficiency shows figures nearby 30%.

Assessment of indirect inhalation exposure to formaldehyde evaporated from water.

Volatilization volumes and health risks associated with indirect inhalation exposure to formaldehyde evaporated from water have not been investigated quantitatively. We experimentally investigated formaldehyde volatility, compared with chloroform volatility, predicted formaldehyde inhalation exposure concentrations in Japanese bathrooms, and then re-evaluated drinking water quality standards. Although the Henry's law constant of formaldehyde is 1/104 that of chloroform, with a 30-min exposure period, the formaldehyde non-equilibrium partition coefficient (K'd) was 1/500th the chloroform value because of formaldehyde's faster volatilization rate. We used this ratio to estimate the cumulative probability distribution of formaldehyde concentrations in bathroom air. For a formaldehyde concentration in water of ≤2.6 mg/L-water (WHO tolerable concentration), the probability that the incremental formaldehyde concentration due to volatilization would exceed 100 µg/m3-air (WHO indoor air quality guideline) was low. However, major sources of formaldehyde in indoor air are building materials and furniture. We therefore calculated the allowable concentration in water by allocating a small percentage of the indoor air guideline value to indirect inhalation exposure via volatilization from tap water. With an allocation factor of 20% (10%), the allowable concentration was 0.52 (0.26) mg/L-water. These concentrations are similar to the Health Canada guideline concentration but they are 3-6 times the Japanese water quality standard.

Drowning of a patient with epilepsy while showering.

In Japan, because the most common site of drowning among patients with epilepsy is the bathtub, showering is generally recommended as an alternative to bathing. We herein report a case involving a female patient with epilepsy who drowned while showering. She had been diagnosed with epilepsy approximately 25 years previously, and her condition had progressed to refractory epilepsy. Carbamazepine, levetiracetam, lamotrigine, clobazam, and perampanel were prescribed daily. One day while showering, the patient was found lying with her face immersed in water that had accumulated on the floor of the bathtub. A forensic autopsy revealed water in the stomach, trachea, and proximal regions of both lung bronchi as well as white and red foam on the pharynx and larynx. A total of 1.9 µg/mL of lamotrigine, 0.14 µg/mL of carbamazepine, and 0.069 µg/mL of perampanel were detected in the patient's blood. The patient's cause of death was determined to be drowning due to an epileptic seizure. Although the patient was prescribed five types of antiepileptic medication, only three were detected in her blood. The current case demonstrates that drowning can occur while showering, suggesting that it is unsafe for patients with medication nonadherence. To prevent unintentional deaths in the bathroom, we recommend that patients with epilepsy maintain high adherence to all prescriptions and are supervised by a family member, even when showering. The current case is the first autopsy report of a patient with epilepsy who drowned while showering.

Different ambient management intervention techniques and their effect on milk production and physiological parameters of lactating NiliRavi buffaloes during hot dry summer of subtropical region.

In tropical countries, one of the major threats for diary animal production is climate change. Ambient management interventions are beneficial and are the dire need of animal production in tropics. Ambient management intervention and its effect on physiological performance of lactating NiliRavi buffaloes were investigated during the hot dry months (April to June) of Pakistan. Fifteen lactating NiliRavi water buffaloes of similar size, age, and same parity were randomly stratified into three groups, comprising of five animals in each group, designated as group S, SF, and SFS. Animals of group S (control) were kept just under the shade while the animals in group SF were provided shade plus fan, animals in group SFS were provided the shade, fan as well as sprinklers during the hot day hours between 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Shed conditions were same for all animals, isonitrogenous and isocaloric feed was provided to all animals. Milk production decreased with the increase in ambient temperature. Average dry matter intake in group S, SF, and SFS were 75%, 80%, and 90% of the total feed offered to the experimental animals, respectively. The mean rectal temperatures (°F) were 101.69, 101.19, and 100.85 in group S, SF, and SFS, respectively. Heat stress had pronounced effect on blood glucose level as indicated by the mean glucose concentration in group S and SFS being recorded at 78.04 mg/dl and 90.47 mg/dl, respectively. It is concluded that the buffaloes should be provided with sprinklers and fans to minimize heat load and maximize the production during hot dry season.

Lethal carbon monoxide toxicity in a concrete shower unit.

A 47-year-old previously-well woman was found dead on the floor of a shower cubicle on a property in rural South Australia. The impression of the attending doctor and police was of collapse due to natural disease. Although there was significant stenosing coronary artery atherosclerosis found at autopsy, cherry pink discoloration of tissues prompted measurement of the blood carboxyhemoglobin level which was found to be 55%. The source of the gas was a poorly-maintained hot water heater that was mounted on the inside wall of the shower. Construction of the shower using an impermeable concrete rain water tank had caused gas accumulation when the water heater malfunctioned. Had lethal carbon monoxide exposure not been identified others using the same shower unit would also have been at risk.

Showers: from a violent treatment to an agent of cleansing.

In the early nineteenth century, physicians designed the first manufactured showers for the purpose of curing the insane. Sustained falls of cold water were prescribed to cool hot, inflamed brains, and to instil fear to tame impetuous wills. By the middle of the century showers had appeared in both asylums and prisons, but shower-related deaths led to their decline. Rather than being abandoned, however, the shower was transformed by the use of warm water to economically wash the skins of prison and asylum populations. In stark contrast to an involuntary, deliberately unpleasant treatment, by the end of the century the shower was a desirable product for the improvement of personal hygiene and population health.

Topical benzoyl peroxide application on the shoulder reduces Propionibacterium acnes: a randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Propionibacterium acnes is a common cause of infection following shoulder surgery. Studies have shown that standard surgical preparation does not eradicate P acnes. The purpose of this study was to examine whether topical application of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) gel could decrease the presence of P acnes compared with today's standard treatment with chlorhexidine soap (CHS). We also investigated and compared the recolonization of the skin after surgical preparation and draping between the BPO- and CHS-treated groups. METHODS: In this single-blinded nonsurgical study, 40 volunteers-24 men and 16 women-were randomized to preoperative topical treatment at home with either 5% BPO or 4% CHS on the left shoulder at the area of a deltopectoral approach. Four skin swabs from the area were taken in a standardized manner at different times: before and after topical treatment, after surgical skin preparation and sterile draping, and 120 minutes after draping. RESULTS: Topical treatment with BPO significantly reduced the presence of P acnes measured as the number of colony-forming units on the skin after surgical preparation. P acnes was found in 1 of 20 subjects in the BPO group and 7 of 20 in the CHS group (P = .044). The results remained after 2 hours (P = .048). CONCLUSION: Topical preparation with BPO before shoulder surgery may be effective in reducing P acnes on the skin and preventing recolonization.

Prevalence of Legionella species isolated from shower water in public bath facilities in Toyama Prefecture, Japan.

AIMS: We investigated the prevalence of Legionella spp. isolated from shower water in public bath facilities in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. In addition, we analyzed the genetic diversity among Legionella pneumophila isolates from shower water as well as the genetic relationship between isolates from shower water and from stock strains previously analyzed from sputum specimens. METHODS: The isolates were characterized using serogrouping, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and sequence-based typing. RESULTS: Legionella spp. were isolated from 31/91 (34.1%) samples derived from 17/37 (45.9%) bath facilities. Isolates from shower water and bath water in each public bath facility were serologically or genetically different, indicating that we need to isolate several L. pneumophila colonies from both bath and shower water to identify public bath facilities as sources of legionellosis. The 61 L. pneumophila isolates from shower water were classified into 39 sequence types (STs) (index of discrimination = 0.974), including 19 new STs. Among the 39 STs, 12 STs match clinical isolates in the European Working Group for Legionella Infections database. Notably, ST505 L. pneumophila SG 1, a strain frequently isolated from patients with legionellosis and from bath water in this area, was isolated from shower water. CONCLUSIONS: Pathogenic L. pneumophila strains including ST505 strain were widely distributed in shower water in public bath facilities, with genetic diversity showing several different origins. This study highlights the need to isolate several L. pneumophila colonies from both bath water and shower water to identify public bath facilities as infection sources in legionellosis cases.

Evaluation of human exposure to metals from some commonly used bathing soaps and shower gels in Nigeria.

The concentrations of nine metals (Cd, Pb, Ni, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn) were measured in selected brands of medicated, moisturizing and skin-lightening soaps and shower gels with the aim of evaluating the human health risk associated with metal exposure from the use of these products. The concentrations of metals in these products were determined by means of atomic absorption spectrophotometry after sample digestion with a mixture of acids. The concentration ranges of the metals in the bathing soaps and shower gels were found to be: <0.06-3.4 µg g-1 for Cd, <0.09-26.5 µg g-1 for Pb, <0.12-43.0 µg g-1 for Cr, <0.06-32.5 µg g-1 for Ni, <0.06-40.5 µg g-1 for Cu, <0.12-8.0 µg g-1 for Co, 61.8-4000 µg g-1 for Fe, <0.09-29.5 µg g-1 for Mn, and 25.5-1000 µg g-1 for Zn. The systemic exposure dosage values for these metals obtained from the application of these brands of bathing soaps and shower gels were below their respective provisional tolerable daily intake/or recommended daily intake values. The margin of safety values obtained for the metals were greater than 100 which indicated that there was no significant risk to the users of these brands of bathing soaps and shower gels, except in the case of Co.

Calcified Amorphous Tumor Causing Shower Embolism to the Brain: A Case Report with Serial Echocardiographic and Neuroradiologic Images and a Review of the Literature.

An 89-year-old woman with chronic atrial fibrillation, hypertension, chronic heart failure, and dementia was admitted to our hospital due to multiple small cerebral and cerebellar infarctions. Transthoracic echocardiogram revealed a floating calcified mass lesion arising from the endocardium of the posterior portion of the mitral annulus with mitral annular calcification. Furthermore, the mass had a heterogeneity of the echogenicity. The mass was diagnosed as a calcified amorphous tumor based on specific echocardiographic features. Serial echocardiograms showed shrinkage and disappearance of the mass, and magnetic resonance image revealed new infarction in the left occipital lobe. Embolization of the mass appeared to cause systemic embolism.

Fast and efficient adsorption of methylene green 5 on activated carbon prepared from new chemical activation method.

Activated carbon (AC) was synthesized from golden shower (GS) through a new chemical activation process. The three-stage process comprised (1) hydrothermal carbonization of GS to produce hydrochar, (2) pyrolysis of hydrochar to produce biochar, and (3) subsequent chemical activation of biochar with K2CO3 to obtain GSHBAC. The traditional synthesis processes (i.e., one-stage and two-stage) were also examined for comparison. In the one-stage process, GS that was impregnated with K2CO3 was directly pyrolyzed (GSAC), and the two-stage process consisted of (1) pyrolytic or hydrothermal carbonization to produce biochar or hydrochar and (2) subsequent chemical activation was defined as GSBAC and GSHAC, respectively. The synthesized ACs were characterized by scanning electron microscope, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, point zero charge, and Boehm titration. The adsorption results demonstrated that the MG5 adsorption process was not remarkably affected by neither the solution pH (2.0-10) nor ionic strength (0-0.5 M NaCl). Kinetic studies showed that the adsorption equilibrium was quickly established, with a low activation energy required for adsorption (Ea; 3.30-27.8 kJ/mol), and the ACs removed 50-73% of the MG5 concentration from solution within 01 min. Desorption studies confirmed the adsorption was irreversible. Thermodynamic experiments suggested that the MG5 adsorption was spontaneous (-ΔG°) and endothermic (+ΔH°), and increased the randomness (+ΔS°) in the system. Although the specific surface areas of the ACs followed the order GSAC (1,413) > GSHAC (1,238) > GSHBAC (903) > GSBAC (812 m2/g), the maximum adsorption capacities determined from the Langmuir model (Qomax) at 30 °C exhibited the following order: GSHBAC (531) > GSAC (344) > GSHAC (332) > GSBAC (253 mg/g). Oxygenation of the ACs' surface through a hydrothermal process with acrylic acid resulted in a decrease in MG5 adsorption and identified the importance of π-π interactions to the adsorption process. The primary interactions in MG5 adsorption were π-π interactions and pore filling, while hydrogen bonding and n-π interactions were minor contributors. The three-stage process can be regarded as the effective preparation method of AC with a high adsorption capacity toward the cationic dye.

Haptic characterization of human skin in vivo in response to shower gels using a magnetic levitation device.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Skin products such as shower gels have a direct impact on skin health and wellness. Although qualitative haptic characterization through explicit, verbal measures in consumer studies are often sufficient for general comparison on consumer perceived skin feel, a quantitative approach is desired to characterize minute changes in skin condition in response to various skin products. Prior research has sought to characterize the haptic properties of human skin in vitro and in vivo, but very few studies have compared the haptic effects of commercial skin products having relatively similar formulations. In addition, related studies have typically utilized simple, low-precision devices and fixtures. The purpose of this study was to use a precision magnetic levitation haptic device to characterize the frictional properties of human skin in vivo before, during, and after treatment with commercially available shower gels, to capture the entire cycle of consumer experience on skin feel. METHODS: A hybrid force-position control algorithm was used to control a precision magnetic levitation haptic device with silicone tactor to stroke the human skin (on the volar forearm) in vivo. Position and force data were collected from 32 human subjects using eight different commercially available shower gels, while stroking the skin before, during, and after treatment. The data were analyzed to produce coefficients of friction and viscous damping constant, which were used as metrics for comparing the effects of each shower gel type. Other factors investigated include skin test location, order, and subject age and gender. RESULTS: Results showed significant differences between the effects of eight various shower gels, especially after accounting for variance between subjects. Most notably, Shower Gel four with high level of petrolatum, along with Shower Gels five and six with low levels of castoryl maleate (a skin lipid analog), as well as Shower Gel two with high levels of vegetable oils yielded higher skin coefficients of friction 20 min after treatment, indicating higher levels of skin hydration than other shower gels without either high levels of skin beneficial agents or low levels of castoryl maleate. Conversely, Shower Gel eight treatment yielded the lowest skin coefficient of friction both immediately after rinsing and 20 min after treatment. In addition, when applied to the skin as un-lathered gels, Shower Gels six and seven with acrylate polymers yielded viscous damping constants twice that of other gels, while Shower Gel three yielded the lowest. When lathered into foam on skin, Shower Gel eight yielded the highest viscous damping constant, while Shower Gel three, along with Shower Gels one and five yielded lower values than others. CONCLUSION: The results of this study show that different shower gels do have significant measurable differences in their effects on skin properties, and that using a high-precision haptic device can be a useful tool for quantifying the haptic properties of skin in vivo.

Long-Term Continuous Double Station Observation of Faint Meteor Showers.

Meteor detection and analysis is an essential topic in the field of astronomy. In this paper, a high-sensitivity and high-time-resolution imaging device for the detection of faint meteoric events is presented. The instrument is based on a fast CCD camera and an image intensifier. Two such instruments form a double-station observation network. The MAIA (Meteor Automatic Imager and Analyzer) system has been in continuous operation since 2013 and has successfully captured hundreds of meteors belonging to different meteor showers, as well as sporadic meteors. A data processing pipeline for the efficient processing and evaluation of the massive amount of video sequences is also introduced in this paper.