Comparison of three internationally certified firefighter protective ensembles: Physiological responses,mobility, and comfort

BackgroundFire protective ensembles (FPEs) are essential to safely perform firefighting job tasks; however, they are often burdensome to the workers. The aim of this study was to compare three internationally certified fire protective ensembles from the European Union (EU), South Korea (SK), and United States (US) on physiological responses, mobility, and comfort.MethodsTen male professional firefighters performed a battery of exercises in the laboratory following the ASTM F3031-17 standard to evaluate mobility, occupation-specific performance, and physiological responses (body weight, heart rate (HR), core temperature (T_c), breathing rate (BR), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE)) to 20 min of treadmill walking (3.2 mph, 5% incline). All participants carried out the evaluation wearing each FPE in a random order. Mixed effects models examined time (pre-vs. post-) by ensemble (EU, SK, US) interactions for all physiological variables and compared comfort, performance, and subjective variables across ensembles.ResultsNo interaction effects were observed for body weight, HR, T_c, BR, or RPE (p = 0.890, p = 0.994, p = 0.897, p = 0.435, and p = 0.221; respectively). SK had greater trunk flexion than EU (78.4° vs. 74.6°, p = 0.026) and US had lower standing reach than EU (105.5 cm vs. 115.4 cm, p = 0.004). Agility circuit time was lower in US (9.3 s) compared to EU (9.8 s) or SK (9.9 s) (p = 0.051 and p = 0.019, respectively).ConclusionsThe findings suggest that physiological burden remained largely unchanged across the international FPEs. However, mobility, performance, and comfort may be significantly influenced across types. International stakeholders and end users should consider design implications when choosing fire protective ensembles.     

The impact of risk and protective factors on online teaching experience in high school Italian teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic

The lockdown due to COVID-19 in Italy resulted in the sudden closure of schools, with a shift from traditional teaching to the online one. Through an online questionnaire, this survey explores teachers' experience of online teaching, the level of risk factors (e.g., stress) and protective factors (e.g., locus of control) and their impact on satisfaction levels during the social distancing. One hundred seven high school teachers from Lombardy, an Italian region very affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, participated. Results show that depression and stress are the main predictors of satisfaction levels for online teaching. In addition, coping, locus of control and self-efficacy emerge as important protective factors. Finally, although there is great satisfaction with the online teaching experience, critical elements emerged. This study is relevant because it describes the critical elements of the online teaching experience, and identifies some protective factors and the main risk factors in teachers operating in an area strongly marked by social restrictions imposed by the pandemic. High school teachers emerge as a sub-group of the general population with specific psychological reactions. Considering the results, it is possible to suggest providing high-quality educational support and crisis-psychological oriented services to teachers, and help to maintain the psychological well-being.     

一种新的修正恒模算法

阐述了恒模算法(CMA)、修正恒模算法(MCMA)和判决引导(DD)算法的基本原理。针对CMA和MCMA收敛速度慢,固定步长条件下收敛速度和剩余误差之间存在矛盾的缺陷,在分析CMA误差特性的基础上,利用DD算法误差函数的模值和判决器输出构造新的误差函数,提出了一种新的变步长MCMA。新算法在加快收敛速度的同时保持小的剩余误差。仿真结果表明,新算法比CMA和MCMA收敛速度快,均衡输出剩余码间干扰(ISI)小而且能克服相位偏移,具有很好的实用性。     

一种改进MVI-CFAR检测器的性能分析

VI-CFAR检测器在均匀环境和非均匀环境下均具有较强的自适应性,但若前后两个参考滑窗均存在干扰目标时,VI-CFAR检测性能急剧下降。为克服该问题,本文采用有序统计平均CFAR和有序统计选小CFAR来替代VI-CFAR中最小选择CFAR。所提出的算法不但解决了干扰目标位置随机分布的问题,还解决了当其中一个滑窗的干扰目标数超过最大容限时检测性能下降的问题。在参考滑窗中干扰目标个数与扰噪比均不相同的情况下,分析了统计量VI的变化,有助于评估和设计VI-CFAR类检测器在多目标环境下抗干扰目标的最大容限。仿真结果表明,该改进算法提高了VI-CFAR在多目标环境下的鲁棒性,与其他改进算法相比,其排序处理时间降低一倍。     

Preparation of β-cyclodextrin/SBS modified asphalts for the improvement of anti-aging,rheological property,and storage stability

Styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) modified asphalt (SMA) has been widely used in road engineering for decade. However, the phase separation of SMA was obvious during the transport and SBS degraded after aging. To resolve these problems, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was used to modify SMA in this work. Conventional properties, storage stability, the effect of short-term aging on the morphology, and rheological property for SMA and β-CD/SMA were investigated. The softening point of modified asphalt reached to the maximum of 66.7°C when 1 wt% β-CD was added to SMA, where the penetration had shown the minimum of 80.8 dmm. In addition, the ductility of β-CD/SMA increased to the maximum of 797 mm when the content of β-CD was increased to 5 wt%. Furthermore, incorporation of β-CD improved the storage stability of SMA. Importantly, the aggregation of SBS was observed in β-CD/SMA, but modifiers distributed uniformly after a short-term aging. The rutting resistance and antiaging performances of SMA were also improved by the addition of β-CD. Considering the comprehensive properties of modified asphalt, the optimum content of β-CD was found to be 2 wt%.     

高温高湿盐环境下SBS改性沥青胶浆的高温性能

基于自行设计的室内盐蚀干湿循环试验,采用动态剪切流变仪,对SBS改性沥青胶浆进行温度扫描试验和多重应力重复蠕变恢复(MSCR)试验. 以3.2 kPa应力下的不可恢复蠕变柔量J_nr,3.2为胶浆高温流变性能评价指标,分析试验环境和干湿循环耦合作用对胶浆流变性能的影响. 采用灰色关联理论,探究J_nr,3.2与常规流变参数、干湿循环次数及试验环境之间的关联性. 结果表明,随着盐蚀干湿循环次数的增加,胶浆的复数切变模量、车辙因子及J_nr,3.2均呈增大趋势,相位角和蠕变恢复率呈减小趋势. 在同种试验条件下,硫酸盐环境对胶浆高温性能的影响最大. J_nr,3.2与改进型车辙因子、试验环境的灰色关联度最大,关联度系数均大于0.93. 建议采用日常清扫、定期洒水冲洗的方式来减小路面盐分的积累,提高高温高湿环境中沥青路面的抵抗变形的能力.     

杂散电流对阴极保护效果影响的模拟实验

本文通过模拟地下管道阴极保护的现场，测定了地下的杂散电流及其对阴极保护效果的影响，并对相关问题进行了分析。     

抗氧剂、光稳定剂在聚碳酸酯和改性材料中的应用技术

简单介绍了抗氧剂和光稳定剂作用、功能和类别。列举了不同抗氧剂、光稳定剂条件下聚碳酸酯和ABS改性合金材料热老化试验的数据:亚磷酸酯抗氧剂和受阻酚抗氧剂的配合体系,可以有效保护聚碳酸酯的相对黏度和色泽,提高PC/ABS合金拉伸强度和缺口冲击强度;使用紫外线吸收剂可以有效地延缓聚碳酸酯变黄并适当保持强度;经试验或实际应用确定的抗氧剂、光稳定剂体系,抗氧剂、光稳定剂只是在确定的条件下才能有确定的作用,确定的条件有微小变化,抗氧剂、光稳定剂的作用与功能可能受到较大影响。     

Characterization of Oleogels Based on Waxes and Their Hydrolyzates

In this paper, the structuring of liquid oils, also known as oleogelation, is systematically investigated for the first time using a quasi-quaternary mixing system approach. Native waxes with different quantities of wax esters (WE), n-alkanes (hydrocarbons (HC)), fatty acids (FA), and fatty alcohols (FaOH) are applied in mixtures with hydrolyzed waxes to systematically change the composition. Hydrolyzed waxes contain high levels of FA and FaOH. The model systems are investigated on microscopic level (brightfield light microscopy (BFM), cryogenic scanning electron microscopy (cryo-SEM)) as well as on their macroscopic properties (rheology, gel hardness) and calorimetric behavior (differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)). It is found that sunflower wax (SFW)-based gels (12% structurant) become less hard on any admixture. Beeswax (BW)-based gels show significant increases in hardness when 25% and 50% (w/w) hydrolyzate are admixed. This could be related to stepwise crystallization. Further analysis reveals that the dissolution/melting behavior of the wax ester mixtures can be surprisingly well described as ideal solubility of a single pseudocomponent. The approach to unravel the individual contributions of the different species present in waxes is successful and marks a first step to better understand the systematic of wax functionality as oleogelators. Practical Application: The substitution of hardstock fats in structured oil phases is of interest for two reasons. The improved nutritional profile oleogels offer are beneficial for public health while the elimination of palm oil based ingredients appears to be a general public desire. Among the technical solutions for non-TAG oil structuring waxes are very promising. This is primarily due to their availability, prior consumption, potentially low cost for functionality. Currently waxes are technically and scientifically wrongly treated as single components. In order to better utilize the potential of waxes and design future sourcing strategies it is necessary to understand the wax functionality at a compositional/molecular level. This contribution marks the first step into this direction by considering classes of molecules with respect to their contribution to functionality. This understanding is considered as a key for future compositional design.     

Crude Wax Extracted from Rice Bran Oil Improves Oleogel Properties and Oxidative Stability

Crude wax extracted from rice bran oil (RBO) is used to improve the oleogel properties and oxidative stability of RBO. The effect of crude rice bran wax (CrBW) on the formation characteristics and oxidative stability of oleogels is discussed. The results show that oleogels can be formed with 7.0 wt% CrBW at 20 °C. As the concentration of CrBW increases from 7.0 to 11.0 wt%, the hardness and solid fat content (SFC) of the oleogels increase significantly, and the oleogels are primarily β' crystals. Moreover, oleogel crystals formed with 5 and 7 wt% CrBW are flocculent; when the amount included is 9%, the oleogel crystals are transformed into long dendrites, and the density rises. After 90 days of storage at 20 °C, the peroxide value of oleogels formed with 9.0 wt% CrBW slowly rises from 3.21 to 6.52 mmol kg⁻¹. Practical Applications: Oleogels prepared here by CrBW and RBO are an innovative structural lipid without trans fats. Useful information on the rich fats and nutrients in CrBW is provided, which reduces the production cost and improves the industrial production capacity.