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- Shanmugam, V., et al.
(author)
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Potential natural polymer-based nanofibres for the development of facemasks in countering viral outbreaks
- 2021
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In: Journal of Applied Polymer Science. - : Wiley. - 0021-8995 .- 1097-4628. ; 138:27
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has rapidly increased the demand for facemasks as a measure to reduce the rapid spread of the pathogen. Throughout the pandemic, some countries such as Italy had a monthly demand of ca. 90 million facemasks. Domestic mask manufacturers are capable of manufacturing 8 million masks each week, although the demand was 40 million per week during March 2020. This dramatic increase has contributed to a spike in the generation of facemask waste. Facemasks are often manufactured with synthetic materials that are non-biodegradable, and their increased usage and improper disposal are raising environmental concerns. Consequently, there is a strong interest for developing biodegradable facemasks made with for example, renewable nanofibres. A range of natural polymer-based nanofibres has been studied for their potential to be used in air filter applications. This review article examines potential natural polymer-based nanofibres along with their filtration and antimicrobial capabilities for developing biodegradable facemask that will promote a cleaner production.
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- Abu-Gharbieh, Rafeef, 1972, et al.
(author)
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Compensating Laser Sheet Images of Optically Dense Sprays
- 1999
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In: Proceedings of the SSAB Conference. Göteborg, Sweden.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this paper we present a method for compensating laser attenuation in optically dense sprays, in particular for use in combustion engine research. Images of the fuel sprays are produced by planar laser imaging, where Mie scattered light from a cross section of the spray is imaged onto a CCD camera. The compensation scheme is based on the Beer-Lambert law, which is used here to sum up the loss of light along the path of the laser light in the image, and to compensate iteratively, pixel by pixel, for this loss.
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- El Houssami, M., et al.
(author)
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Fire safety of interior materials of buses
- 2023
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In: Fire and Materials. - : John Wiley and Sons Ltd. - 0308-0501 .- 1099-1018. ; 47:7, s. 910-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study provides an analysis on the fire safety of passengers and the fire protection of coaches and buses. A brief review of major bus fire incidents, an overview of current regulations in Europe, and their limitations are presented. The study finds that the current small-scale fire test methods described in UN ECE Reg No. 118 need to be replaced by test methods that can assess the reaction to fire of materials when exposed to ignition sources of varying sizes. To address these shortcomings, the study proposed an expert recommendation to update the material fire safety requirements and testing for buses. Additional measures are proposed, derived from objectives and strategies applied in other transport sectors, and can be tested through existing European and international standards, which are widely used by several industries. These measures aim to extend the time with tenable conditions for a safe evacuation in case of fire, reduce the degree of damage to buses, reduce the risk for fast and excessive thermal exposure on modern energy carriers needed for a more sustainable transport sector. © 2023 The Authors.
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- Garskaite, Edita, et al.
(author)
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Studying the application of fish-farming net-cleaning waste as fire-retardant for Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) sapwood
- 2022
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In: EFB Bioeconomy Journal. - : Elsevier. - 2667-0410. ; 2
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Optimising the exploitation of available waste resources for the recovery of their intrinsic value will be vital in the future circular economy society. Recovery of energy, nutrients and metals from waste streams is in focus today. This study aimed to evaluate the use of an aquaculture waste, i.e. the dried-solid waste discharge that generates by cleaning the fishing-nets, as a potential fire-retardancy promoter for Scots pine sapwood. As-received dried-solid waste from salmon-farming was calcined at different temperatures to evaluate material phase transformation and achieve homogeneous phase distribution. Thermal degradation of waste powders was studied by TG-FTIR gas analysis when annealing the material to temperatures up to 800°C, and the crystallinity, phase composition, morphology, elemental composition and particle sizes of as-received and calcined-waste materials at different temperatures were evaluated by XRD, FTIR, SEM/EDS, and TEM analyses. The flammability studies using cone calorimeter of Scots pine sapwood blocks treated with as-received and processed material is also reported and discussed. Results were promising, indicating that the aquaculture waste could be employed as an effective fire-retardant. The possibility of value-creation from waste discharges is enforced in this study so to promote the way towards waste valorisation and circular economy.
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- Karlsson, Thomas, et al.
(author)
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Decompression alone or decompression with fusion for lumbar spinal stenosis : a randomized clinical trial with two-year MRI follow-up
- 2022
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In: The Bone & Joint Journal. - : The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery. - 2049-4394 .- 2049-4408. ; 104B:12, s. 1343-1351
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: The aims of this study were first, to determine if adding fusion to a decompression of the lumbar spine for spinal stenosis decreases the rate of radiological restenosis and/or proximal adjacent level stenosis two years after surgery, and second, to evaluate the change in vertebral slip two years after surgery with and without fusion.Methods: The Swedish Spinal Stenosis Study (SSSS) was conducted between 2006 and 2012 at five public and two private hospitals. Six centres participated in this two--year MRI follow--up. We randomized 222 patients with central lumbar spinal stenosis at one or two adjacent levels into two groups, decompression alone and decompression with fusion. The presence or absence of a preoperative spondylolisthesis was noted. A new stenosis on two--year MRI was used as the primary outcome, defined as a dural sac cross--sectional area = 75 mm2 at the operated level (restenosis) and/or at the level above (proximal adjacent level stenosis).Results: A total of 211 patients underwent surgery at a mean age of 66 years (69% female): 103 were treated by decompression with fusion and 108 by decompression alone. A two--year MRI was available for 176 (90%) of the eligible patients. A new stenosis at the operated and/or adjacent level occurred more frequently after decompression and fusion than after decompression alone (47% vs 29%; p = 0.020). The difference remained in the subgroup with a preoperative spondylolisthesis, (48% vs 24%; p = 0.020), but did not reach significance for those without (45% vs 35%; p = 0.488). Proximal adjacent level stenosis was more common after fusion than after decompression alone (44% vs 17%; p < 0.001). Restenosis at the operated level was less frequent after fusion than decompression alone (4% vs 14%; p = 0.036). Vertebral slip increased by 1.1 mm after decompression alone, regardless of whether a preoperative spondylolisthesis was present or not.Conclusion: Adding fusion to a decompression increased the rate of new stenosis on two--year MRI, even when a spondylolisthesis was present preoperatively. This supports decompression alone as the preferred method of surgery for spinal stenosis, whether or not a degenerative spondylolisthesis is present preoperatively.
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