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By examining how economic insecurity as a non-medical factor impacts health and can lead to involvement with child protective services, we provide a view into the shortcomings of our social [...]

Global warming is one of the alarming issues, which is impacting humans globally. It is preferred to adopt a lifestyle that promotes heat dissipation from the human body. One approach to cool a human body is improvement in personal apparel, which can help the human body to cool quickly. The required characteristic for cooling performance can be achieved by employing materials with excellent thermal conductivity. Nanodiamonds (ND) have exceptional thermal conductivity properties and can help overcome the poor thermal conductivity of fabrics. This manuscript presents a study on a one‐sided coated fabric where NDs are applied to the skin side of the fabric to promote heat dissipation toward the atmosphere while the other side of the fabric, exposed to the hot atmosphere, remains uncoated to delay the transfer of out from atmosphere to human body. ND was applied onto cotton fabric through electrospraying polyurethane (PU) and carboxylated ND (NDCOOH). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and optical microscopy images indicated a homogeneous distribution of the sprayed ND/PU solution over the fabric surface. The samples were chemically analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The thermal resistance was measured by a sweating guarded hot plate (SGHP), which confirmed lower thermal resistance of fabric from the ND‐coated side to atmosphere as compared to control, and thermal resistance from the uncoated to atmosphere was the same for both controlled and treated samples. Similarly, thermal conductivity, radiant heat transfer, and infrared spectroscopy characterizations strengthened the findings of SGHP results. Real‐life simulated experiments were also conducted to verify the performance of developed samples. The electrosprayed samples also showed higher ultraviolet protection than the control sample. Air permeability and moisture absorption of the samples slightly decreased after applying the coating but remained within an acceptable range of comfortability. The developed fabric can promote energy conservation, as it will warm slowly but cool quickly. This allows home or office temperature setpoints for localized cooling to be 2–3°C lower with a projected energy savings between 20% and 30%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, carpet waste fibers--namely, polypropylene (PP) and polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) in the form of mono microfibers and hybrid combinations--were studied. The optimization of mono fiber parameters for fiber content (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5%) and length (6, 12, and 24 mm [0.236, 0.742, and 0.945 in.]) were conducted to achieve the optimum strength properties and minimize drying shrinkage. The microstructure, pore structure, and fiber-matrix interfacial properties of the optimized samples were characterized at 7, 28, and 90 days by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray micro-computed tomography (CT), and nanoindentation. The research data revealed that the inclusion of either the optimized mono PP fiber (υf = 0.5% and l = 12 mm [0.472 in.]) or PTT fiber (υf = 0.1% and l = 12 mm [0.472 in.]) improved the compressive strength of 4.3% and 16.1%, and the flexural strength by 11.5% and 9.2% at 28 days, respectively. Hybrid carpet fibers (0.4% PP + 0.1% PTT) provided a greater enhancement in compressive strength of 6.6%, and flexural strength by 13% at 28 days. Drying shrinkage mitigation of mortar over 120 days was recorded as 18.4, 22.3, and 25.8%, corresponding to the addition of 0.5% PP fibers, 0.1% PTT fibers, and hybrid PP/PTT carpet fibers. A pore-refining effect was also observed for mortars with 0.5% PP and hybrid PP/PTT carpet microfibers. The SEM images indicated that the trilobal cross-sectional shape of PTT carpet fibers had a stronger anchoring effect with cement hydrates than the rounded shape of PP carpet fibers. Nanoindentation identified the thickness of the fiber-matrix interfacial transition zone (ITZ) as approximately 15 µm (5.9 × 10-4 in.) for both mono PP and PTT fibers. Approximately 50% of the phases in the vicinity of the fiber-matrix interface comprised a porous structure at 7 days. However, the hydration of clinker over the 90-day period promoted the formation of calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) and portlandite to form a dense microstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gallium and its alloys, such as eutectic gallium indium alloy (EGaIn), a form of liquid metal, have recently attracted the attention of researchers due to their low toxicity and electrical and thermal conductivity for biomedical application. However, further research is required to harness EGaIn‐composites advantages and address their application as a biomedical scaffold. In this research, EGaIn‐polylactic acid/polycaprolactone composites with and without a second conductive filler, MXene, were prepared and characterized. The addition of MXene, into the EGaIn‐composite, can improve the composite's electrochemical properties by connecting the liquid metal droplets resulting in electrically conductive continuous pathways within the polymeric matrix. The results showed that the composite with 50% EGaIn and 4% MXene, displayed optimal electrochemical properties and enhanced mechanical and radiopacity properties. Furthermore, the composite showed good biocompatibility, examined through interactions with fibroblast cells, and antibacterial properties against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Therefore, the liquid metal (EGaIn) polymer composite with MXene provides a first proof‐of‐concept engineering scaffold strategy with low toxicity, functional electrochemical properties, and promising antimicrobial properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deposition of textile waste into landfill has reached an unsustainable level and raises serious environmental issues across the world. Transforming textile waste into fiber reinforcement in cementitious composites offers a sustainable resolution toward a circular textile economy. This article presents a comprehensive review of environmental concerns, recycling routes for textile waste, together with an in-depth review of the engineering properties of concrete incorporating recycled textiles. In general, the incorporation of these recycled fibers from textile waste enhances strain capacity, crack control, durability, and energy absorption of concrete via dual effects: bridging action (direct mechanism) and refinement of pore distribution (indirect effect). An improvement in compressive strength can be achieved by the utilization of a small dosage of recycled fibers or recycled fiber fabrics in concrete (strength < 40 MPa). Finally, the cost and environmental benefits for eco-efficient building application are also evaluated to draw the attention of researchers toward these potentially recyclable waste materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypropylene (PP) mesh is most commonly used for the treatment of hernia and pelvic floor construction. However, some of the patients have a few complications after surgery due to the rejection or infection of the implanted meshes. The poor biocompatibility of PP mesh, low wettability results in poor cell attachment/proliferation and restricts the loading of antibacterial agent, leading to a slow healing process and high risk of infection after surgery. Here in this study, a new technique has been employed to develop a novel antimicrobial and biocompatible PP mesh modified with bioactive chitosan and functionalized nanodiamond (FND) for infection inhibition and acceleration of the healing process. An oxygen plasma treatment PP mesh was used then chitosan was strongly attached to the surface of the PP fibers. Subsequently, FND as an antibacterial agent was loaded into the chitosan modified PP fiber to provide desired antibacterial functions. The meshes were characterised with XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, water contact angle, confocal, and optical microscopy. The modified PP mesh with chitosan and FND showed a significant increase in its hydrophilicity and L929 fibroblast cell attachment. Furthermore, the modified mesh exhibited great antibacterial efficiency against Escherichia coli. Therefore, the newly developed technique to modify PP mesh could be a promising technique to generate a biocompatible PP mesh to accelerate the healing process and reduce the risk of infection after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to develop biocompatible silk dressings, integrated with temperature (nanodiamond) and pH (fluorescein) sensors, capable of monitoring early signs of infections and healing disruptions non-invasively via light-based measurements. These hybrid dressings have strong potential to bring a paradigm shift to the current wound management and care procedures. Introduction: Assessing wound repair requires the removal of dressings, which is painful and disruptive to healing and is based on subjective visual observation of the wound. Improving this process is crucial, as monitoring wound status could enable earlier interventions to reduce the complications that arise from wound infection. Measuring the temperature and pH of the wound surface can provide objective indicators of wound progression1,2. A clinically diagnosed wound infection elevates the temperature by 3-5° C compared to healthy skin1 and the pH of wound fluid rises2 prior to the onset of local infection. Alkaline wound pH enables the invasion of microorganisms, while an acidic wound environment aids healing through protease activity, increased oxygen release, and reduced microbial growth. Hence temperature and pH are useful and robust biomarkers that can provide real-time insights into the healing responses. Methods: Silk fibroin was obtained from B. mori silk cocoons. The extracted silk solution was mixed with nanodiamonds and electrospun into nanofibrous membranes. Confocal and wide field microscopes were used to perform temperature sensing (using green 532 nm excitation) and pH sensing (using blue 470 nm excitation). Human skin keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell lines were used to study cell growth for the hybrid membranes. The in vivo biocompatibility on wound healing was tested on 8-10-week-old C57BL/6J mice, using a murine model of wound healing4. Bacterial suspensions of P. aeruginosa ATCC 9721, E. coli ATCC 11775, and S. aureus CIP 68.5 were used to test the biocidal properties of the hybrid membranes. Results: We showed that electrospun silk membranes embedded with nanodiamond sensors could monitor temperature changes in the wound relevant range of 32-40 °C3. In vitro tests revealed that hybrid membranes enabled eukaryotic cell attachment and promoted healthy cell growth. Furthermore, the membranes were biocidal towards major skin wounds infecting bacteria, P. aeruginosa and E. coli. In an in vivo wound healing model, the hybrid membranes enabled wound healing and did not cause adverse effects on wound closure3. Moreover, the pH-sensitive fluorescein sensor can be encapsulated within a silk matrix to provide measurements of acidity or basicity in vivo5. Conclusions: In conclusion, multiple fluorescent sensors embedded in silk dressings can be used as a platform for biosensing as well as providing a network of fibres that support healthy wound healing processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pelvic floor disorders, including pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI), are serious and very common. Surgery is commonly undertaken to restore the strength of the vaginal wall using transvaginal surgical mesh (TVM). However, up to 15% of TVM implants result in long-term complications, including pain, recurrent symptoms, and infection.Clinical Relevance- In this study, a new bioengineered TVM has been developed to address these issues. The TVM is visible using noninvasive imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT); it has a highly similar structural profile to human tissue and potential to reduce pain and inflammation. These combined technological advances have the potential to revolutionize women's health.