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Timber is widely used in new structures. The leading causes of structural failure are sited at bolt connections, cavities, and knots. This paper introduces a simple method to detect bolts in wood using a UHF Scalar Network Analyzer (SNA). The electronics placed inside an aluminum box with a slot aperture transmit a microwave signal through the slot, and the near-field signal determines the reflection coefficient (S11). Major changes from baseline are an accurate method to detect cavities and bolts inside the wood. Experiments were conducted on pinewood beams with cross-section dimensions of (70 mm × 70 mm). The scalar network analyzer circuit can detect bolts and cavities within a 30 mm range from the wood surface. The technique can be used for timber beam preparation in an automated sawmill at speed.

Direct Contact Membrane Distillation (DCMD) is a promising and feasible technology for water desalination. Most of the models used to simulate DCMD are one-dimensional and/or use a linear function of vapour pressure which relies on experimentally determined parameters. In this study, the model of DCMD using Nusselt correlations was improved by coupling the continuity, momentum, and energy equations to better capture the downstream alteration of flow field properties. A logarithmic function of vapour pressure, which is independent from experiments, was used. This allowed us to analyse DCMD with different membrane properties. The results of our developed model were in good agreement with the DCMD experimental results, with less than 7% deviation. System performance metrics, including water flux, temperature, and concentration polarisation coefficient and thermal efficiency, were analysed by varying inlet feed and permeate temperature, inlet velocity, inlet feed concentration, channel length. In addition, twenty-two commercial membranes were analysed to obtain a real vision on the influence of membrane characteristics on system performance metrics. The results showed that the feed temperature had the most significant effect on water flux and thermal efficiency. The increased feed temperature enhanced the water flux and thermal efficiency; however, it caused more concentration and temperature polarisation. On the other hand, the increased inlet velocity was found to provide increased water flux and reduced temperature and concertation polarisation as well. It was also found that the membrane properties, especially thickness and porosity, can affect the DCMD performance significantly. A two-fold increase of feed temperature increased the water flux and thermal efficiency, 10-fold and 27%, respectively; however, it caused an increase in temperature and concertation polarisation, at 48% and 34%, respectively. By increasing Reynolds number from 80 to 1600, the water flux, CPC, and TPC enhanced by 2.3-fold, 2%, and 21%, respectively. The increased feed concentration from 0 to 250 [g/L] caused a 26% reduction in water flux. To capture the downstream alteration of flow properties, it was shown that the ratio of inlet value to outlet value of system performance metrics decreased significantly throughout the module. Therefore, improvement over the conventional model is undeniable, as the new model can assist in achieving optimal operation conditions.

Sand sports include running, volleyball, soccer, beach flags, ironman, and fitness training. An increased amount of soft tissue injuries have been widely reported. A novel technique of determining the surface stiffness of beach sand in-situ used a simple drop-test penetrometer. The relationship between drop height and the depth of penetration squared was linear (Pearson’s correlation coefficient r2 > 0.92). The stiffness ratio between the soft dry sand and ocean-saturated wet sand compacted by eight hours of coastal water exposure was approximately seven, which was similar to previously reported stiffness measurements in a sand box. However, the absolute stiffness values were much smaller. While this technique was manually operated, an automatic system is postulated for future studies.

Variability in the running surface can cause an athlete to alter their gait. Most literature report running on grass, a treadmill or athletics running tracks using inertial sensors. This study compares the signals obtained by 9 degrees of freedom (DOF) inertial-magnetic sensors incorporating an accelerometer (±16 g), gyroscope (±2000°/s) and magnetometer (±8 gauss). The sensors were placed on the participant’s shank, knee, lower spine and upper spine, and the participants were asked to run on three different surfaces (running track, hard sand and soft sand). The calculated player loads for a 400 m run on each surface type was very similar. The mean and standard deviation values were 577 ± 130, 581 ± 128, 568 ± 124 for soft sand, hard sand and the running track, respectively. This did not correlate with the participant’s self-assessment RPE (Rate of perceived exertion), which demonstrated running on soft sand to be significantly more challenging, yielding a mean and standard deviation of 5.3 ± 2.5 (Hard to Very Hard). Soft sand running had a decreased swing time duration but increased variability (0.44 ± 0.02 s—Swing Time, 6.5 ± 1.1%—CV), hard sand running had the longest swing and intermediate variability duration (0.46 ± 0.02 s—Swing Time, 3.30 ± 2.58 %—CV) and running track running had the medium swing time but lowest variability (0.45 ± 0.02 s, 2.7 ± 0.9%—CV). Gait dominance was not consistent across the surfaces for each participant and remained below a ratio of 0.4. These results provide an insight into how athletes modify their gait mechanics to accommodate different running surfaces.

The integration of technology into training and competition sport settings is becoming more commonplace. Inertial sensors are one technology being used for performance monitoring. Within combat sports, there is an emerging trend to use this type of technology; however, the use and selection of this technology for combat sports has not been reviewed. To address this gap, a systematic literature review for combat sport athlete performance analysis was conducted. A total of 36 records were included for review, demonstrating that inertial measurements were predominately used for measuring strike quality. The methodology for both selecting and implementing technology appeared ad-hoc, with no guidelines for appropriately analysing the results. This review summarises a framework of best practice for selecting and implementing inertial sensor technology for evaluating combat sport performance. It is envisaged that this review will act as a guide for future research into applying technology to combat sport.

With the increasing rise of professionalism in sport, teams and coaches are looking to technology to monitor performance in both games and training to find a competitive advantage. Wheelchair court sports (wheelchair rugby, wheelchair tennis, and wheelchair basketball) are no exception, and the use of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based inertial measurement unit (IMU) within this domain is one innovation researchers have employed to monitor aspects of performance. A systematic literature review was conducted which, after the exclusion criteria was applied, comprised of 16 records. These records highlighted the efficacy of IMUs in terms of device validity and accuracy. IMUs are ubiquitous, low-cost, and non-invasive. The implementation in terms of algorithms and hardware choices was evidenced as a barrier to widespread adoption. This paper, through the information collected from the systematic review, proposes a set of implementation guidelines for using IMUs for wheelchair data capture. These guidelines, through the use of flow-charts and data tables, will aid researchers in reducing the barriers to IMU implementation for propulsion assessment.

Every second year, the International Sports Engineering Association (ISEA) conducts [...]

The transition from a stationary crouch on running-blocks to an erect running position is critical to success in sprint running. Three elite sprinters repeated five sprint starts on a 50 m-long instrumented running track each wearing three inertial measurement units (IMU) on both shanks. The IMU profiles and force plate data was highly consistent between runs. The increasing maximum ground force was correlated with the IMU data using a linear fit and gyroscope triggered acceleration component. Both techniques show promise (r2 > 0.5). This is of significant interest to athletes and coaches using IMUs rather than a long, instrumented running track.

Three strains of thermophilic green sulfur bacteria (GSB) are known; all are from microbial mats in hot springs in Rotorua, New Zealand (NZ) and belong to the species Chlorobaculum tepidum . Here, we describe diverse populations of GSB inhabiting Travel Lodge Spring (TLS) (NZ) and hot springs ranging from 36.1 °C to 51.1 °C in the Republic of the Philippines (PHL) and Yellowstone National Park (YNP), Wyoming, USA. Using targeted amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, GSB 16S rRNA sequences were detected in mats in TLS, one PHL site, and three regions of YNP. GSB enrichments from YNP and PHL mats contained small, green, nonmotile rods possessing chlorosomes, chlorobactene, and bacteriochlorophyll c . Partial 16S rRNA gene sequences from YNP, NZ, and PHL mats and enrichments from YNP and PHL samples formed distinct phylogenetic clades, suggesting geographic isolation, and were associated with samples differing in temperature and pH, suggesting adaptations to these parameters. Sequences from enrichments and corresponding mats formed clades that were sometimes distinct, increasing the diversity detected. Sequence differences, monophyly, distribution patterns, and evolutionary simulation modeling support our discovery of at least four new putative moderately thermophilic Chlorobaculum species that grew rapidly at 40 °C to 44 °C.

Chloroflexus aggregans is a metabolically versatile, thermophilic, anoxygenic phototrophic member of the phylum Chloroflexota (formerly Chloroflexi ), which can grow photoheterotrophically, photoautotrophically, chemoheterotrophically, and chemoautotrophically. In hot spring-associated microbial mats, C. aggregans co-exists with oxygenic cyanobacteria under dynamic micro-environmental conditions. To elucidate the predominant growth modes of C. aggregans , relative transcription levels of energy metabolism- and CO 2 fixation-related genes were studied in Nakabusa Hot Springs microbial mats over a diel cycle and correlated with microscale in situ measurements of O 2 and light. Metatranscriptomic analyses indicated two periods with different modes of energy metabolism of C. aggregans : (1) phototrophy around midday and (2) chemotrophy in the early morning hours. During midday, C. aggregans mainly employed photoheterotrophy when the microbial mats were hyperoxic (400-800 µmol L -1 O 2 ). In the early morning hours, relative transcription peaks of genes encoding uptake hydrogenase, key enzymes for carbon fixation, respiratory complexes as well as enzymes for TCA cycle and acetate uptake suggest an aerobic chemomixotrophic lifestyle. This is the first in situ study of the versatile energy metabolism of C. aggregans based on gene transcription patterns. The results provide novel insights into the metabolic flexibility of these filamentous anoxygenic phototrophs that thrive under dynamic environmental conditions.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) depends on angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for cellular entry, but it might also rely on attachment receptors such as heparan sulfates. Several groups have recently demonstrated an affinity of the SARS-CoV2 spike protein for heparan sulfates and a reduced binding to cells in the presence of heparin or heparinase treatment. Here, we investigated the inhibitory activity of several sulfated and sulfonated molecules, which prevent interaction with heparan sulfates, against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV)-pseudotyped-SARS-CoV-2 and the authentic SARS-CoV-2. Sulfonated cyclodextrins and nanoparticles that have recently shown broad-spectrum non-toxic virucidal activity against many heparan sulfates binding viruses showed inhibitory activity in the micromolar and nanomolar ranges, respectively. In stark contrast with the mechanisms that these compounds present for these other viruses, the inhibition against SARS-CoV-2 was found to be simply reversible.

With over 50 million currently confirmed cases worldwide, including more than 1.3 million deaths, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has a major impact on the economy and health care system. Currently, limited prophylactic or therapeutic intervention options are available against SARS-CoV-2. In this study, 400 compounds from the antimicrobial "pandemic response box" library were screened for inhibiting properties against SARS-CoV-2. An initial screen on Vero E6 cells identified five compounds that inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication. However, validation of the selected hits in a human lung cell line highlighted that only a single compound, namely Retro-2.1, efficiently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication. Additional analysis revealed that the antiviral activity of Retro-2.1 occurs at a post-entry stage of the viral replication cycle. Combined, these data demonstrate that stringent in vitro screening of preselected compounds in multiple cell lines refines the rapid identification of new potential antiviral candidate drugs targeting SARS-CoV-2.