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Explosion hazards associated with hydrogen-oxygen mixtures remain a significant challenge for the energy industry, despite hydrogen garnering attention as a carbon emissions-free alternative energy source. While several studies have been conducted on hydrogen-air explosions, research on hydrogen-oxygen explosions has been limited. In the current study, we employed a spherical soap bubble method to experimentally investigate the flame propagation behavior of an unconfined hydrogen-oxygen explosion. The experimental values of the laminar burning velocity were in agreement with its calculated values and were notably higher than those observed hydrogen-air mixtures. In the case of hydrogen-oxygen mixtures, a spherical expanding flame is accelerated due to the presence of Darrieus-Landau and diffusive-thermal instabilities. Furthermore, we compared the correlation between the critical Pѐclet number and the critical Karlovitz number with the Markstein number for hydrogen-oxygen mixtures to results obtained with propane-oxygen and methane-oxygen mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Twenty-six plant species were analyzed for antimicrobial activity, toxicity, and the presence of saponins. • Eight plant species had a high saponin content (> 40 mg/g) and nine plant species were non-toxic. • Three plant species (Calodendrum capense, Pelargonium peltatum , and Ptaeroxylon obliquum) demonstrated broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, notable saponin content and low toxicity. • These three selected plants were used for herbal soap formulation. • Pelargonium peltatum herbal soap proved to have the best parameters. A major proportion of the population in southern Africa relies on medicinal plants, commonly known as soapy plants, for bathing and washing; however, there is limited scientific evidence that validates the effectiveness of southern African soap plants. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the phytochemistry, antimicrobial activity, and toxicity of plants used in southern Africa as soap substitutes. Thereafter, an effective antimicrobial herbal soap was formulated and assessed for antimicrobial efficacy. Plant selection was based on a comprehensive ethnobotanical literature review that was conducted to gather information on plants used as soap substitutes in southern Africa. A total of 29 plant extracts (26 plant species) were screened for antimicrobial activity against 16 relevant skin pathogens. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) assay was used to assess antimicrobial activity. The plant extracts were quantitatively screened for the presence of saponins. Furthermore, the plant extracts were also assessed for toxicity using the brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA). Calodendrum capense (L.f.) Thunb., Pelargonium peltatum (L.) L'Hér. and Ptaeroxylon obliquum (Thunb.) Radlk. demonstrated notable broad-spectrum activity against most of the tested pathogens. Hermannia cuneifolia Jacq. displayed the highest saponin content (262.41 ± 1.90 mg/g), followed by Sideroxylon inerme L. subsp. inerme (71.34 ± 1.01 mg/ml), Acalypha glabrata Thunb. (70.48 ± 2.05 mg/g), and Noltea africana (L.) Endl. (68.53 ± 2.43 mg/g). Acalypha glabrata, Aloe maculata All., Bauhinia bowkeri Harv., Deinbollia oblongifolia (E. Mey. ex Arn.) Radlk., Ledebouria luteola Jessop., Pouzolzia mixta Sohm, and S. inerme subsp. inerme organic and aqueous extracts demonstrated the lowest toxic effects at 24 and 48 h. Calodendrum capense and Ptaeroxylon obliquum organic extracts were non-toxic at 500 μg/ml, and Pelargonium peltatum displayed low toxicity at a concentration of 125 μg/ml. Calodendrum capense, Pelargonium peltatum and Ptaeroxylon obliquum were selected as the three most favourable plants for soap formulation. Pelargonium peltatum and Calodendrum capense herbal soaps were categorized as first-grade soaps (84 and 80% total fatty matter, respectively). All the tested soaps having plant concentrations of 12.5 mg/ml inhibited all the tested micro-organisms except for Enterobacter cloacae. The findings (phytochemical, antimicrobial, toxicity) herein contribute to the knowledge gaps that exist in the ethnobotanical literature of some southern African soap plants and provide evidence for their potential to be incorporated into soap formulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2023 Match saw over 500 unfilled positions in emergency medicine (EM). Geographic location is the third most important factor for all United States (US) EM-bound senior medical students when selecting programs to rank and can be affected by political climate. Given the perceived importance of geography on program selection and recent changes to reproductive rights in the US, we sought to evaluate the impact of geography and reproductive rights on unmatched positions among EM programs. This was a cross-sectional study assessing Match rates in EM by program US state, region, and degree of reproductive rights. We included all EM programs participating in the 2023 Match year. Our primary outcome was to determine the unfilled programs and positions rate per US state. Secondary outcomes included Match rates by region and by degree of reproductive rights. We found notable differences in unfilled programs by US state, with the highest percentage of unfilled programs and positions in Arkansas (100%, 56.3%), Nevada (100%, 35.5%), Kansas (100%, 40.0%), Ohio (81.3%, 33.3%), and Michigan (80.0%, (36.8%). Among regions, the highest percentage of unfilled programs (62.5%) and residency positions (26.0%) was East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI). US states with limited reproductive rights had the highest percent (52.9%) of programs with unmatched positions and the highest percent (20.5%) of unfilled positions. We identified notable differences in unmatched positions by US state and region, as well as the highest rate of unmatched positions in US states with more limited reproductive rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flow over a slitted (0.1 D) cylinder is studied numerically and experimentally using CFD and soap-film at Re = 100 at varying slit angles (0°–90°). The numerical solution is obtained by solving the Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged-Navier–Stokes (URANS) equations, and coefficients of lift (C L) & drag (C D), velocity, and vorticity are analyzed. Experimentally, soap film is used to visually validate the scaler data of the flow pattern. It exploits the optical properties of soap film captured by a high-speed camera by the reflection of a monochromatic sodium lamp light. The passive control of the slit is observed at various slit angles that affects the lift and drag and injection and blowing/suction modes. The active control is carried out by oscillating a thin wall placed in the middle of the 90° slit with varying frequency and amplitude. The results show that passive slit does not change the overall flow pattern and with slight changes in the C L and average C D. However, greater influence occurs by actively changing the amplitude and frequency of the wall oscillation. The C L amplitude is increased with increasing frequency of wall oscillation, but the average C D only increased at the lock-in condition and slightly decreased at the other frequencies. • Passive and active flow control are investigated using a slit and soap-film. • Injection observed for slit angle 0°–60° but blowing/suction for 60°–90°. • The presence of 10% slit width did not affect the vortex shedding pattern. • High lift but lower drag was observed at frequency ratio of 0.25, 0.5, and 2. • Lift and drag both increased at the lock-in condition (frequency ratio = 1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a detailed literature survey about main web service approaches targeting network traffic reduction. Technically, web service has suffered from network congestions and bottlenecks as a result of their high redundant textual structures. In fact, twenty seven highly reputed publications are discussed in this literature survey paper focusing on significant approaches and models that aim to reduce network traffic. Furthermore, publications are categorized into: web service clustering techniques for traffic reduction, web service clustering techniques for service discovery, aggregation approaches, and compression approaches. Evaluation analysis has shown a potential performance and efficiency for web service clustering techniques for traffic reduction in comparison with other models. Evidently, web service clustering models have achieved a tremendous compression ratio up to 21 with an average of 11.9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc soaps derived from various vegetable oils and fatty acids were synthesized, and the product with the highest yield was chosen for compounding with silica-filled natural rubber (NR). Specifically, zinc soaps of coconut oil and palm oil, with yields of 72% and 73%, respectively, were prepared through precipitation and metathesis methods. Additionally, zinc soaps from palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD) and stearic acid, both with a yield of 70%, were synthesized using modified fusion and precipitation methods, respectively. Subsequently, these zinc soaps were incorporated into silica-filled NR compounds and compared with the commercial dispersing aid, Ultra flow 700 s. The results indicated that the zinc soaps played a significant role in plasticizing and lubricating the rubber compounds, as evidenced by reductions in Mooney viscosity, Mooney relaxation rate, and minimum torque (M L). Furthermore, the zinc soaps influenced curing properties by accelerating the cure process, as reflected in decreased cure time (t c90) and increased cure rate and torque difference compared to compounds without processing aid. Moreover, NR compounded with zinc soap exhibited superior mechanical properties, including higher tensile strength, elongation at break, tear strength, and hardness. [Display omitted] • Synthesized zinc soaps from vegetable oil and fatty acids using precipitation, metathesis, and modified fusion methods. • Zinc soaps function as multifunctional additives in silica-filled natural rubber compounds. • They lubricate, activate cure reaction, and disperse chemical ingredients in silica-filled natural rubber compounds. • Zinc soaps derived from palm oil and PFAD exhibit superior plasticizing, curing, and mechanical properties. • Zinc soaps from palm and coconut oils are thus the most suitable for silica-filled natural rubber compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The effect of metal ions on microwave absorption properties of soap was studied. • The larger the metal ion radius, the greater the heating rate. • Divalent metal soap cannot be heated to the goal temperature by absorbing microwaves. • Microwave pyrolysis promotes aromatization and the release of CO, H 2 and CH 4. • The radius of metal ions affects the strengthening effect of microwaves. The pyrolysis of metal soaps to produce hydrocarbon rich fuel has been studied extensively. However, the combined effects of microwave radiation and metal ion types on hydrocarbon production have not been addressed. In this study, the microwave and conventional pyrolysis experiments were conducted on five metal soaps (Li soap, Na soap, K soap, Ca soap, Mg soap). The results demonstrated that the metal ions at the carboxyl end of the soap enhanced the polarity of the reactants, leading to a rapid increase in temperature under microwave conditions. With the ion radius increasing, the heating rate increased gradually. Compared with conventional pyrolysis, microwave pyrolysis exhibited a more rapid heating rate, a higher degree of carbon chain fracture, and a greater abundance of small olefin compounds, which promoted aromatization reaction and the release of CO, H 2 and CH 4. In addition, the composition of the pyrolysis products derived from different metal soaps is affected by the characteristics of metal ions. As the radius of metal ions increased, the oxygen content in the liquid products decreased gradually, while the carbon content increased. The strengthening effect of microwave was further analyzed. With the increase in the radius of metal ions, the strengthening effect of microwaves on olefins formation was gradually weakened, while the inhibiting effect on alkanes formation was gradually enhanced. The structure of carboxylate network is affected by the radius of metal ions, which results in the regular change of the strengthening effect of microwave on olefins and other products. This study is highly significant in guiding the pyrolysis of soapstock waste to prepare olefins and alkanes with high efficiency and low energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Better understanding of frictional behaviour of powdered soaps used in dry wire drawing can lead to improvements in wire quality and large savings in energy consumption. The latter is particularly significant given the colossal amounts of energy expended in wire drawing processes. However, there is currently a very limited understanding of the subject, including a lack of quantitative data on soap friction. This is at least in part likely to be due to complex tribological behaviour of the powdered soaps, which is very different from that of lubricating oils. This paper studies frictional behaviour of sodium and calcium powdered soaps, using a ball-on-disc tribometer (ETM rig) incorporating a powder 'scoop', and under contact conditions pertinent to die-wire contact in wire drawing. Tests employed a WC ball and C15E steel disc to mimic die and wire materials respectively. Results show that under high sliding conditions, friction coefficient with powered soaps is remarkably low, at 0.03 and 0.04 for sodium and calcium soaps respectively. Friction generally decreased with increasing contact pressure and sliding speed. Post-test analysis of ETM specimens showed the presence of thick soap layers on the rubbed surfaces. However, in ETM tests friction was observed to sharply increase leading to the onset of scuffing, soon after the supply of soap to the contact was interrupted, suggesting that any solid deposited layers are easily removed and cannot exclusively explain the low friction. The observed trends suggest that low soap friction may be due to the ability of the soaps to form low shear stress lubricating films at high contact temperatures which are associated with the harsh conditions of high-speed and high-pressure. The results provide new insights into the frictional behaviour of powdered soaps which can be used to optimise the wire drawing processes as well as a direct input to wire deformation models. • Friction in wire drawing has major impact on wire quality and energy consumption. • Ball-on-disc ETM machine is used to study friction of typical wire drawing soaps. • Soaps have remarkably low friction (0.03-0.04) at high sliding speeds and pressures. • Continuous supply of soap is needed to ensure low friction and avoid rapid scuffing. • It is likely that soaps can form low shear stress lubricating films at high contact temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing use of electronic health records (EHRs) in healthcare has led to a significant amount of unstructured clinical text data. This paper proposes a model for classifying free-text clinical notes in the Portuguese language in sentences following the SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan) note standard using domain-specific pre-trained language models. Among the five pre-trained BERT models tested, BioBERTptRT achieved the best results with a precision of 0.9461, accuracy of 0.9434, recall of 0.9437, and F1-score of 0.9435. BioBERTptRT, specialized in the Portuguese language, clinical terminology, and the medical group's domain, outperformed the other models, showing a 0.28% increase in the F1-score compared to the second most specialized model. The proposed model focuses on high-level sentence classification rather than entity-level classification and aims to structure clinical notes at a broader level. The study utilizes a private database of 10,000 anonymized health records containing 234,673 clinical notes. These notes were divided into 1,183,345 unique sentences used to retrain BioBERTptRT. Additionally, 100,021 sentences were manually labeled for use in fine-tuning the models This work contributes to the structuring of clinical notes by showcasing the performance improvements obtained through domain specialization in BERT networks. Additionally, it presents an analysis of the performance gains achieved by BioBERTpt compared to mBERT, both in our study and other related works. Furthermore, this study provides a valuable comparison between the distribution of sentences and the results obtained in this research and similar studies conducted in English. [Display omitted] • High-level structuring model for sentence classification in free-text clinical notes. • Focus on EHRs in Portuguese following the SOAP note standard. • Analysis of performance gain with domain specialization in BERT models. • Comparison of the distribution of sentences and results with similar work in English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional methods for evaluating lipid-based metal salts in fats, oils and grease (FOG) deposits often fall short in assessing the efficiency of grease interceptors for food service establishment wastewater, primarily due to their inadequate specificity for fatty acid (FA) metal soaps. To address this issue, this study introduces a wet acid digestion method developed for the accurate analysis of metal soap content in FOG samples. The Taguchi experimental design method was used to determine the optimal conditions for digestion including temperature, contact time, solid/liquid ratio and type of acid mixture with the aim of more accurately quantifying metal salt concentrations. This work focused on identifying the most effective acid combinations for digesting FOG to enable analysis of commonly found metals. Extensive comparisons revealed that HNO 3 :H 2 SO 4 :H 2 O 2 (1:2:1) and HNO 3 :H 2 O 2 (1:3) were particularly effective at 180°C for 16 h due to their significant oxidation potential. The HNO 3 :H 2 O 2 (1:3) mixture yielded the highest concentrations of Ca, Mg, Na, and K of 296.38±0.66, 54.95±1.01, 247.65±2.27, and 46.09±3.44 mg/g, respectively, aligning with the stringent optimisation principles of the Taguchi method. A one-way ANOVA test validated significant variances in metal contents (p < 0.005), and a t-test indicated a notably higher concentration of Ca compared to other metals. The study presents a sophisticated approach to evaluating the FA metal soap content of FOG ensuring enhanced accuracy and precision compared to established methods. [Display omitted] • A closed vessel acid digestion method with HNO 3 :H 2 O 2 (1:3) was developed to analyse metals salt present in FOG. • Temperature, S/L ratio and time were identified as effective parameter in metal extraction. • Time has more impact on metal digestion than temperature. • Taguchi L 27 orthogonal array method was designed for the metal digestion experiment. • Validation of process parameters was achieved by ANOVA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Healthcare Analytics (HA) plays a critical role to uncover the link between data and discover novel and actionable information, the level that each analytics influences clinical decision-making is different. This paper aims to highlight the role of each HA in respect to Precision Medicine (PM). Where, PM is defined as a new approach in medical decision-making that takes into account individual differences in genetic, environmental, and lifestyle indicators. Besides, Simon's model in decision-making assesses the performance of clinical decision-making followed by HA. In addition, SOAP framework is discussed as an example under the influence of HA for adopting PM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sir Erasmus Wilson was a pioneer in dermatology and one of the most famous doctors in Victorian England. He enjoyed a sterling professional reputation, with one exception. During the 1860s, his name appeared in a wide variety of cosmetic advertisements endorsing commercial products such as Pears soap, which is still marketed today, as well as hair washes and pomades. Questions were raised in The Lancet about the propriety of Wilson's involvement with such commercial products. Wilson denied in a letter to The Lancet any connection with these advertisements; nonetheless, some confusion has lingered over the years about whether Wilson received any financial compensation from the Pears Soap Company in return for his product endorsements, and whether he enjoyed a business relationship with cosmetic companies that added to his wealth. This contribution presents a comprehensive review of Erasmus Wilson's relationship with cosmetic companies and his struggle to distance himself from them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the widespread use of clinical reasoning (CR) in the healthcare practice, it is essential to inculcate the CR practice in undergraduate pharmacy education which can not only facilitate their clinical education and clinical rotations but can also help them become better clinical pharmacists. There is very limited CR employed in the pharmacy curriculum and practice in the Middle East countries. This study aimed to develop and evaluate CR practice in pharmacy undergraduates in one college of pharmacy in Saudi Arabia. We employed a mixed-methods methodology that included two phases. In Phase I, students were introduced to CR practice ('think aloud' method) and given geriatric clinical cases which they used in two sessions together with a tutor. This was followed by the writing of SOAP notes using the tutor feedback and completion of a survey that included a self-reflection about their experience of using the CR method. Phase II included face-to-face semi-structured interviews involving selected students that were recruited via convenience sampling to further explore the issues identified in Phase I of the study. Of the 155 students who completed the survey (response rate 94%), the majority of them agreed that CR using the 'think aloud' method was useful in gathering (92%) and interpreting (95%) relevant patient information, identifying medication-related problems (95%), exploring therapeutic options for the problem(s) (93%) and formulating a treatment plan for the patient (90%). Qualitative data analysis of the 12 interviews was consistent with these findings. Furthermore, it provided an insight into the challenges faced by the students in applying this CR method. Students found the practice of CR using the 'think aloud' method helpful in working through given cases and taking clinical decisions. This method can be widely employed in pharmacy education and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to explore anxiety status across a broad range of HCWs supporting patients with COVID-19 in different global regions. This was an international online survey in which participation was on voluntary basis and data were submitted via Google Drive, across a two-week period starting from March 18, 2020. The Beck Anxiety Inventory was used to quantify the level of anxiety. 1416 HCWs (70.8% medical doctors, 26.2% nurses) responded to the survey from 75 countries. The distribution of anxiety levels was: normal/minimal (n = 503, 35.5%), low (n = 390, 27.5%); moderate (n = 287, 20.3%), and severe (n = 236, 16.7%). According to multiple generalized linear model, female gender (p = 0.001), occupation (ie, being a nurse dealing directly with patients with COVID-19 [ p = 0.017]), being younger (p = 0.001), reporting inadequate knowledge on COVID-19 (p = 0.005), having insufficient personal protective equipment (p = 0.001) and poor access to hand sanitizers or liquid soaps (p = 0.008), coexisting chronic disorders (p = 0.001) and existing mental health problems (p = 0.001), and higher income of countries where HCWs lived (p = 0.048) were significantly associated with increased anxiety. Front-line HCWs, regardless of the levels of COVID-19 transmission in their country, are anxious when they do not feel protected. Our findings suggest that anxiety could be mitigated ensuring sufficient levels of protective personal equipment alongside greater education and information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased hand hygiene and hand cleansing awareness. To prevent virus transmission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends frequent hand washing with soap and water. Hand hygiene products are available in a variety of forms, and while each of these formulations may be effective against COVID-19, they may also alter skin barrier integrity and function. As health care workers and the general population focus on stringent hand hygiene, the American Contact Dermatitis Society anticipates an increase in both irritant contact and allergic contact hand dermatitis. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers with moisturizers have the least sensitizing and irritancy potential when compared to soaps and synthetic detergents. This article provides an overview of the most frequently used hand hygiene products and their associations with contact dermatitis as well as recommendations from the American Contact Dermatitis Society on how to treat and prevent further dermatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low-acuity outpatients constitute the majority of emergency department (ED) patients, and these patients often experience an unpredictable length of stay (LOS). Effective LOS prediction might improve the quality of ED care and reduce ED crowding.Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the potential of natural language processing (NLP) of the first ED physicians' clinical notes and to evaluate NLP-based short-term prediction models based on mixed-type clinical data.Methods: A retrospective study was conducted at an ED of a tertiary teaching hospital in Taiwan from January 2017 to June 2017. In total, 12,962 low-acuity outpatients were enrolled. Using structured data (e.g., demographic variables and vital signs) and different sections of the first SOAP notes as predictors, we developed six NLP-based prediction models (i.e., term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) and truncated singular value decomposition (SVD)) to predict LOS. The metric for model evaluation is the mean squared error (MSE).Results: Of the six NLP-based models, the model using structured data and all the sections of the first SOAP notes processed by the TF-IDF and truncated SVD method performed the best, with an MSE of 3.00 [95% CI: 2.94-3.06]. In addition, ten important topics extracted by the TF-IDF and truncated SVD method had significant effects on the LOS (p < 0.001).Conclusion: NLP-based models can be used as an early short-term prediction of LOS and have the potential for mixed-type clinical data analysis. The proposed models would likely aid ED physicians' decision-making processes and improve ED quality of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbapenemase-producing bacteria have persistent environmental reservoirs in handwashing sinks. This study assessed the impact of handwashing soaps on the population dynamics of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE) and non-CPE. A number of isolates were grown in minimal media with or without two hand soaps marketed for use in health care. Soap A led to increased growth of all isolates except for Escherichia coli. Soap B did not lead to increased growth. The main difference between the formulations was that Soap B contained DMDM hydantoin, a preservative agent and sensitizer. These results show that environmental persistence of CPE may be sustained by common handwashing practices with soap, but further research is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soap reduced the incidence of respiratory infections and fevers. • Soap without an antibacterial agent did not reduce the incidence of diarrhoea. • Handwashing reduced the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria. • Handwashing is a good strategy for controlling infectious diseases. Children aged <5 years are the group most affected by infectious diseases, more specifically in underdeveloped countries. A study was performed to assess the effects of daily soap use on the incidence of diarrhoea, fever, respiratory infection, and the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria on the skin. Soap was distributed to the population of the village of Ndiop (test) for use in their daily hygiene but not to the population of the village of Dielmo (control). Fieldworkers daily recorded the clinical events in the two villages and encouraged the use of soap in Ndiop. A total of 638 people participated in the study. The incidence rates of cough, runny nose and fever significantly decreased in 2016 compared with 2015, unlike that of diarrhoea. In 2016, significant reductions in the incidence rates of cough, runny nose and fever were observed in children aged <15 years in Ndiop. The prevalence of Streptococcus pneumoniae , Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes in the palms of the hands significantly dropped in Ndiop. Using soap reduces the incidence of respiratory infections, fevers and the prevalence of pathogenic bacteria on the skin. However, for diarrhoea, additional strategies are needed to improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • MoS 2 functionalized lithium complex soap was first synthesized via dehydration condensation. • The effect of hydrogen bonding degree of CLT/MoS 2 on the lubrication and tribological behaviors were summarized. • CLT/MoS 2 soap holds a potential application towards the realm of interface protection. • Superior tribological properties mainly depend on the hydrogen-bond thickening net and MoS 2 -based tribo-chemical film. A crucial prerequisite for obtaining high performance interface lubrication is to regulate the composition and structure of thickener for grease, confronting fatal friction and loss issues in significant equipment manufacturing industrial clusters. Here, a structural defect-mediated transplantation of l -cysteine onto MoS 2 nanosheets was outlined, utilizing mechanical stress induction and mercaptan chemical guidance technology to fully exploit the S vacancies and active Mo atom conjugation. A new MoS 2 functionalized lithium complex thickener (CLT/MoS 2) was constructed with eutectic hydrogen-bond thickening system. DFT calculation confirmed that MoS 2 -NH 2 reacted with the carboxyl located at dodecyl stearic acid via dehydration condensation. The regulated-grease using CLT/MoS 2 as thickener in synthetic oil significantly reduced the friction and wear, owing to the formation of complex hydrogen-bond thickening network and induced transition of lubrication state as well as the formation of MoS 2 -based tribo-chemical films. This research introduces a novel approach to the creation of high-performance grease by deploying functional thickener to weaken the wear hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soap films are interesting for their potential utilization as soft, self-assembled, self-healing and possibly recyclable membranes. The intrinsic possibility of tuning their properties, such as e.g. surface and bulk elasticity or permeability, via tailored chemistry makes them flexible enough for a wide range of physical-chemical applications. Here we introduce a novel device that can serve as a research platform for the detailed experimental characterization of the soap film permeability to gases. The design and manufacturing of the novel platform are discussed, along with a sample characterization protocol based on a color-matching procedure for dioxygen diffusion through typical soap films. The experimental data is compared with the results obtained from a numerical model, specifically developed for the problem, and good agreement is found. In perspective, the proposed platform can serve for the precise characterization of gas transfer properties of soap films made from different surfactant mixtures and in the presence of different gases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caprine milk is a nutraceutical source with various benefits for human health. The content of bioactive peptides in caprine milk has biological functions as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial. Based on the benefits of caprine and its dairy products, we utilized them as the main ingredient for soap formulation. Stability evaluation is important to determine the shelf life and safety of the soap. This study aimed to examine the effect of different temperatures and storage time on the physical characteristic, pH level, heavy metal contents, and the antimicrobial activity of the soaps. We showed that the color and aroma of the soaps were relatively stable with a minor change in their hardness levels. The level of pH for all samples was around 7,00–8,70, which could be safely used on human skin. The level of heavy metal including Cd, Pb, and Hg were below the maximum standard allowed for the soap products. A little increase in the number of bacteria colonies were found when the soaps were stored at the longer durations. Based on the physical stability, pH level, heavy metal contents, and antimicrobial activity, these soaps might be safe for application on human skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The condensate-forming ability of transcription factors (TFs) has received considerable attention, although how condensates function in transcription remains unclear. In this issue of Developmental Cell , Wang et al. show that target DNA and transcriptional regulators work as soap-like surfactants to adsorb on condensates, affecting the activities of transcriptional condensates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited information is provided on the potential impacts of ingredients in consumer products to assist individuals to purchase household products. This study applied the choice experiment technique to examine the preferences of 385 New Zealand households on their purchasing choice of liquid soap for handwashing. Results from the choice experiment survey, conducted in December 2016 to March 2017, indicated that a typical respondent from the full sample would be willing to pay premium prices for a bottle of liquid soap that is certified to be environmentally friendly (NZ$3.20), hypo-allergenic (NZ$2.90), contains natural ingredients (NZ$2.10), and has antibacterial properties (NZ$1.40). However, by dividing the full sample into four latent classes, a typical respondent in one class would pay NZ$1.88 to avoid the antibacterial activity. This study highlights the importance of accounting for preference heterogeneity across latent classes or respondent sub-groups to better understand preferences and awareness of ingredients in liquid soaps, such as antibacterial chemicals, that can pose environmental and health risks. • First choice experiment application to assess consumer preferences on liquid soap. • Employed probabilistic regression models to analyse preferences of 385 respondents. • Respondents would pay more for soap with reduced environmental and health impacts. • Used the antibacterial attribute to serve as proxy for emerging contaminants. • Twenty-nine percent of the respondents would pay to avoid antibacterial ingredients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A small sphere falls through a horizontal soap film: the film detaches at angle ψ. • The sphere may bounce, or pass through the film before rupturing it. • There is film rupture when the angle of detachment, ψ , is about 150°. • Prediction of film shape assumes zero pressure difference across the film. • The film surface area is shown to be minimal, taking the shape of a catenoid. A horizontal soap film is established in vertical tube a few centimetres in diameter. A metal sphere, 1–2 mm diameter, is dropped onto the film, whose distortion is observed by means of a high speed camera. The film wraps partly around the sphere, detaching at a circle which moves up the sphere as it falls. The shape of the film at successive radii, bigger than the radius of contact, was predicted from theory relying on the proposition that if both sides of the film are open to atmosphere, there can be no pressure difference across it. The pressure difference across a film is proportional to (surface tension)/(radius of curvature); hence it follows that the radii of curvature in two planes, perpendicular to each other and to the film surface, must be equal and opposite. This proposition gives equations predicting the shape, in reasonable agreement with experiment. This theory is compared with the theory of catenoids, first studied by Euler in 1744. Catenoid theory gives exactly the same results as the 'radius of curvature' theory presented here. A simple energy conservation argument shows that the two theories are compatible and agree with a published photograph of a soap film catenoid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Display Omitted Similar to the responsive behaviors of emulsions under salt-free conditions, precise control of emulsification and demulsification is also required in some applications under saline conditions, especially in crude oil production and transport. So far, few studies have focused on the preparation of the responsive emulsions under saline conditions. In this study, CO 2 responsive emulsions were prepared in the presence of NaCl using a fatty acid soap M-DA as stabilizer. M-DA complex was synthesized through electrostatic interactions between dimeric acid (DA) and Jeffamine (M1000). The droplet size and morphology of the oil–brine emulsions were characterized by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The oil–brine emulsion maintains high stability under air but completely separates into two phases upon exposure to CO 2. NaCl plays a significant role in the CO 2 -induced demulsification, including salting-out effect and screening of electrostatic repulsion. It is worth noting that in the absence of NaCl, the emulsion remained stable after CO 2 bubbling. CO 2 responsive emulsions can also be prepared in the presence of other salts, or with other fatty acid soaps, which presents more interesting possibilities for preparation of CO 2 responsive emulsions under saline conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) affect hundreds of millions of individuals worldwide. Performing hand hygiene is widely accepted as a key strategy of infection prevention and control (IPC) to prevent HAIs, as healthcare workers' contaminated hands are the vehicle most often implicated in the cross-transmission of pathogens in health care. Over the last 20 years, a paradigm shift has occurred in hand hygiene: the change from handwashing with soap and water to using alcohol-based hand rubs. In order to put this revolution into context and understand how such a change was able to be implemented across so many different cultures and geographic regions, it is useful to understand how the idea of hygiene in general, and hand hygiene specifically, developed. This paper aims to examine how ideas about hygiene and hand hygiene evolved from ancient to modern times, from a ubiquitous but local set of ideas to a global phenomenon. It reviews historical landmarks from the first known documented recipe for soap by the Babylon civilization to the discovery of chlorine, and significant contributions by pioneers such as Antoine Germain Labarraque, Alexander Gordon, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Ignaz Philip Semmelweis, Louis Pasteur and Joseph Lister. It recalls that handwashing with soap and water appeared in guidelines to prevent HAIs in the 1980s; describes why alcohol-based hand rub replaced this as the central tool for action within a multi-modal improvement strategy; and looks at how the World Health Organization and other committed stakeholders, governments and dedicated IPC staff are championing hand hygiene globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Aim of study was to evaluate the effects of a multi-component intervention on nursing students' knowledge of evidence-based hand-hygiene. A quasi-experimental design was used. Nursing students (N = 146) from two universities of applied sciences (experimental group n = 107, control group n = 39) completed an instrument based on international clinical guidelines related to hand hygiene that consisted of 17 Likert-scale items. Data were collected at three time points (baseline, after university-based training and after clinical training) between autumn 2014 and spring 2016. Group differences were examined using chi-squared or Fisher Exact tests, the Mann-Whitney and U test. Within-group differences were assessed with the McNemar test for paired nominal data. At the first and second time points the experimental group had better hand hygiene knowledge than the controls. There were no group differences in responses to items concerning the appropriate length of hand disinfection. The experimental group showed improvements in the practice of washing hands with soap and water, but not in the other statements concerning hand disinfection. Theoretical recap and training at school seemed to influence students' hand hygiene knowledge, but reinforcement during clinical training may be required to ensure that learning practical evidence-based skills, such as hand-hygiene, may be established. Highlights • A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate the effects of a multi-component intervention on nursing students' knowledge of evidence-based hand-hygiene guidelines. • The experimental group had better hand hygiene knowledge than the controls. However, the intervention was insufficient to change knowledge of every aspect of good hand hygiene. • Theoretical recap and training at school seemed to influence students' hand hygiene knowledge, but consistent reinforcement during clinical training may be required to ensure learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objectives The study assessed the behavioural contexts of household shared sanitation (SS), the factors that could enhance its cleanliness and sustainable maintenance in the study area. Study design The study design was cross-sectional in nature. Methods A pretested, interviewer-administered questionnaire with 113 questions provided information on knowledge, attitude and SS maintenance practices from 312 respondents selected through a four-stage sampling technique. Data were analysed by descriptive, chi-square and logistic regression statistics with attitude and toilet cleanliness as the dependent variables, while the sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge and practice, including the toilet cleanliness index, were the explanatory variables at P < 0.05. Results The mean age of respondents was 46.1 ± 16.4 years. The majority were women (62.7%), tenants (64.7%) and had a secondary education (61.3%). In addition, 27.9% and 2.7% of respondents had shops and gender-segregated SS, respectively. Their knowledge and attitudes were good (66.3%) and positive (72.1%), while the majority (60.3%) of the SS was dirty. Almost two-thirds (62.8%) and 37.2% of respondents, respectively, had one and two or more compartments of unimproved pit toilets (31.6%) and water closets (28.6%), while 1.4% practiced open defaecation, despite having SS. More than two-fifths of SS were cleaned daily (45.4%) by women (52%), using water and soap (33.4%). Most households (93.4%) complied with the SS cleaning routines, with non-compliance attributed to lack of interest (29.5%), apathy when others defaulted (27.9%), lack of time (26.2%) and inadequate water (14.8%). There was a significant association between attitudes and education (P = 0.025), wealth (P = 0.011) and toilet-cleaning frequency (P = 0.015). The positive behaviour determinants of SS are factual knowledge (P = 0.039), efforts required to clean (P = 0.019), the ability to remember (P = 0.011) and cleaning commitment (P = 0.040), while freedom of expression among households using SS was a positive predictor of avoiding conflict, among the social dilemma factors. Conclusions Good knowledge and positive attitudes were reported among users of SS, although with mixed practice and behaviour patterns. Factual knowledge, cleaning commitments and freedom of expressions predict SS cleanliness, which should be reinforced using periodic messages and structured health promotion strategies. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • The good knowledge of respondents on shared sanitation are in contrast to their poor perception and mixed behaviour patterns. • Women were responsible for daily cleaning of the commonly used one compartment shared toilets. • Non-compliance to routine cleaning roaster was associated with lack of interest, cleaning defaults and inadequate water. • Education, wealth and cleaning frequency influenced respondents' attitude while knowledge, cleaning effort, and commitment predict cleanliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract On-site biological hand washing water treatment can improve global access to safe hand washing water, but requires a thorough understanding of the chemical composition of the water to be treated, and an effective treatment strategy. This study first presents a detailed characterization of the individual inputs to hand washing water. We demonstrate (i) that soap is likely the most significant input in hand washing water, representing ∼90% of mass loading, and (ii) that inputs to hand washing water have low concentrations of biologically-essential macro- and micro-nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, copper, zinc, molybdenum and cobalt) with respect to carbon, which may impair biological carbon removal. This study next formulates a recipe that recreates a representative composition of hand washing water and develops a procedure to identify and supplement nutrients in which this recipe is estimated to be deficient. Batch testing of the nutrient-supplemented hand washing water with an inoculum of planktonic bacteria demonstrated improved assimilable organic carbon removal (99% vs. 86% removal) and produced lower final dissolved organic carbon concentrations (1.7 mg C /L vs. 3.5 mg C /L) compared to realistic (nutrient-deficient) washing water. Supplementing nutrients did promote cell growth (50x higher final total cell count). Full-scale testing in a biologically activated membrane bioreactor (BAMBi) system treating 75 L/day of nutrient-supplemented hand washing water showed that long-term operation (100 days) can deliver effective carbon removal (95%) without detrimental fouling or other disruptions caused by cell growth. This work demonstrates that biological treatment in a BAMBi system, operated with appropriate nutrient-balancing offers an effective solution for decentralized treatment of light greywater. Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • Soap is the dominant ingredient in hand washing water, accounting for 90% dry mass. • Hand washing water is generally biologically nutrient-deficient, relative to carbon. • Supplementing nutrients into hand washing water can improve carbon removal. • Supplementing nutrients can also promote cell growth. • 95% carbon removal was achieved in a full-scale biological treatment system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work investigated the soap removal from crude biodiesel (BD) using a new technique known as (DES-based ELM/AC), which is a deep eutectic solvent (DES) -based emulsion liquid membrane with the presence of activated carbon (AC). In this system, the DES was introduced as a stripping phase in the DES-ELMs while the AC was introduced into the membrane phase as due to its interaction with the potassium species in the soap molecules with the presence of active sites on the AC surface. The effect of different parameters on the soap extraction efficiency such as the DES molar ratio, DES: BD ratio, surfactant concentration, mixing speed, duration process, and AC dosage were investigated. The results showed that in comparison to adsorption and DES-based ELM, the synergistic effect provided by DES-based ELM/AC technique showed superior removal efficiency at 97.61%. Highest removal efficiency of 99.75%, which is equivalent to 1.87 ppm soap content in the BD, was achieved at 2 wt% of the surfactant, 0.5 wt% of AC, 1:4 DES molar ratio as stripping phase, 1:1 DES: BD ratio, 400 rpm mixing speed and 6 min extraction time. The soap transport follows the first order kinetic model, with a rate constant of 0.627 min -1. This method offers a viable alternative to the conventional water-based purification process. It demonstrates the effective purification of crude BD without the use of a large amount of water/washing agent in comparison to conventional water washing, thereby offering a more sustainable solution for the purification of BD. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Central Plain City Cluster represented by Zhengzhou is one of the most haze-polluted regions, especially for the heating period. As critical precursors of Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA) and Ozone, the ambient Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted from anthropogenic activities have aroused widespread concern. This study provided a revealing insight on the concentration level, chemical composition, multiple source apportionments (SAs), SOA formation potential (SOAp) and exposed health risk of VOCs before and during heating periods at a megacity site. The average concentrations of TVOCs during clear days before heating, pollution days before heating, clear days during heating, and pollution days during heating were 37.81 ± 17.21, 54.48 ± 17.83, 39.27 ± 16.38 and 63.98 ± 22.42 ppbv, respectively. Compared with the before heating period, the concentration of TVOCs increased by 3.9% and 17.4% on clear days and polluted days during the heating period, respectively. Among them, alkanes were the most abundant species of VOCs, followed by halocarbons and alkenes. The multiply SAs methods were applied to identify potential sources, and the contributions of source structures were reasonable and credible by comparing PMF and emission inventory. Vehicular exhaust was the largest contributor during the non-heating period (33.2%), while for the heating period, combustion source contributed the most to VOCs emission (24.2%). In terms of the contribution to SOAp formation, aromatics were the most abundant VOCs species, and combustion (29.4%) was the major source, followed by solvent usage (26.5%) and vehicular exhaust (24.6%). The non-carcinogenic risks of VOCs sources were significantly lower than the acceptable safety threshold, while all the specific VOCs sources posed carcinogenic risks except for biogenic emission. The ways of analysis and assessment in this study can highlight the need for more effective control strategies related to VOCs anthropogenic activities during the heating period in megacities of Central China. [Display omitted] • A systematic observation of ambient VOCs during heating and non-heating periods was carried out in Central China. • The contribution of combustion increased by 7.0% during heating period compared with non-heating period. • Aromatics were dominant triggering factors and dominate 97.2% of the total SOAp during heating period. • Combustion occupied 41.1% to non-carcinogenic risks, while solvent usage contributed 30.7% to carcinogenic risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matching into emergency medicine (EM) is getting progressively more competitive. Applicants must therefore prepare for the possibility of not matching and, accordingly, be ready to participate in the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP). In this article, we elaborate on the SOAP and the options for applicants who fail to match during Match Week. Alternative courses of action include applying for a preliminary year, matching into a categorical residency program, or aiming to secure EM spots outside the Match through the Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine, and American Association of Medical Colleges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the new protocols, complete understanding was achieved for the effect of mustard soap on the PSM surfaces. The amino, hydroxyl and carbonyl are the main functional groups in the mustard oil. The phenol compounds have been detected in the fatty acids of mustard soap; therefore, during the hydrolysis process of mustard oil, phenolic compounds have may suffer nucleophilic substitution to form new compounds as detected by XRD. Furthermore, during flotation process, compounds detected by XRD might also undergo some chemical changes such as decarboxylation to form new products at the surface of PSM (see graphical abstract). Therefore, many measurements are valuable and required to understand the mechanism of soap that contains mixtures of aromatic compounds and long chain fatty acids in order to develop mineral processing in industry and put methods for recycling water and gases during separation and smelting processes, respectively, to avoid environmental impacts of new unexpected products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of waste oils and fats into biofuels attracts great interest due to the low cost of these materials. The thermal and/or catalytic cracking of oils and fats is an alternative route to the classic transesterification process of biodiesel production when the raw material has low quality. In this work, thermal cracking of sodium soaps of residual fatty materials from Brazilian restaurants (brown grease mainly composed of fatty acids of soybean oil) was tested to assess the feasibility of yielding a high quality diesel-like product. The reactions occurred in a single stirred steel reactor of 300 ml at high temperatures (723 °K) at atmospheric pressure for 1h45 min. The organic liquid product was analyzed for acid and saponification value, thermogravimetric characteristics. The chemical composition of the liquid product diesel-like fractions was determined by FT-IR, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR 1 H and 13 C) and GC–MS. The hydrocarbons obtained were very similar to diesel oil and suitable for use, in pure form or in mixtures, in diesel oil engines. Yields above 60% and very low acidity (0.5 mg KOH/g) were obtained, meeting the requirements of ANP (Brazilian National Petroleum Agency) Resolution N o 51 de 25/11/15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The wall slip behaviour of a solid granular soap was investigated in the context of ram extrusion, with particular focus on determining the sensitivity of the wall shear stress to the pressure within the soap, as well as the slip velocity. Two novel slip measurement devices were used to infer the shear stress: a two stage extrusion die with inbuilt pressure gradient measurement; and a combined compression–translation assembly to measure the frictional force between the soap and the wall. Both devices provided differing measurements of the pressure sensitivity, and gave shear stress estimates in agreement with a Benbow and Bridgwater analysis of the extrusion behaviour, which cannot gauge pressure dependence. The influence of the wall material on the slip and extrusion behaviour was also investigated, using three geometrically identical extruders constructed from polycarbonate, stainless steel and tungsten carbide. There was found to be a non-negligible relationship between wall material, wall surface roughness, and the Benbow–Bridgwater extrusion parameters, in which the wall shear stress was greatest against the smoothest, cemented tungsten carbide wall in contrast to a rougher stainless steel and rougher-still polycarbonate wall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue analogues employed for ballistic purposes are often monolithic in nature, e.g. ballistic gelatin and soap, etc. However, such constructs are not representative of real-world biological systems. Further, ethical considerations limit the ability to test with real-world tissues. This means that availability and understanding of accurate tissue simulants is of key importance. Here, the shock response of a wide range of ballistic simulants (ranging from dermal (protective/bulk) through to skeletal simulant materials) determined via plate-impact experiments are discussed, with a particular focus on the classification of the behaviour of differing simulants into groups that exhibit a similar response under high strain-rate loading. Resultant Hugoniot equation-of-state data (U s -u p ; P-v) provides appropriate feedstock materials data for future hydrocode simulations of ballistic impact events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Daily skin care routines are fundamental aspects of clinical nursing practice. Providing skin care, including skin cleansing and application of leave-on products have substantial impact on the prevention and treatment of a number of skin conditions. There are hundreds of individual studies about skin risks, classifications, skin conditions, prevention and treatment. To summarise the overall evidence regarding 1) risk factors associated with xerosis cutis, incontinence-associated dermatitis/diaper dermatitis, intertrigo, skin tears, 2) the performance of diagnostic tests and/or classifications addressing the severity and/or signs and symptoms of xerosis cutis, incontinence-associated dermatitis/diaper dermatitis, intertrigo, skin tears, 3) the effects of skin cleansing/care interventions for the maintenance and promotion of skin integrity in all age groups, 4) effects of skin cleansing/care interventions for the prevention of xerosis cutis, incontinence-associated dermatitis/diaper dermatitis, intertrigo, skin tears in all age groups. Umbrella review. A systematic search in MEDLINE and Embase (via OvidSP), Cochrane and Epistemonikos was conducted. Reference lists and experts were consulted for potentially missed reviews. Two reviewers screened titles/abstracts and full-texts independently. After rating the risk of bias only low to high overall confidence (AMSTAR 2) and low risk of bias (ROBIS) reviews were included. Twelve systematic reviews were included. Due to substantial heterogeneity regarding study designs, methods, and outcomes all authors presented findings in a narrative synthesis. The validity and reliability of the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel classification is supported by moderate quality evidence, and the reliability and criterion validity for Skin Tear Audit Research were rated insufficient. Overall, review results indicate that structured skin care programs are preferable to unstructured skin care with classic soap and water for maintaining skin integrity in general, preventing skin tears, and to prevent and treat xerosis cutis and incontinence-associated dermatitis. All reviews focusing on leave-on products for the prevention and treatment of incontinence-associated dermatitis and diaper dermatitis indicate the effectiveness of barrier films or lipophilic leave-on products in adults, elderly people and paediatric care, but could not establish the superiority of any product. The majority of systematic reviews in the field of skin care is at high risk of bias and should not be used for evidence-based practice. Overall, evidence indicates, that structured skin care programs containing low-irritating cleansers and application of leave-on products are beneficial to maintain skin integrity and prevent skin damage across a wide range of different skin conditions across the life span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fat blends used in infant formulas (IFs) are designed according to the legally required total fatty acid (FA) composition. However, regional distribution of FAs on the sn -2 and sn -1/3 positions of the glycerol backbone in triglycerides is very important for the final functional (nutritional) properties of the fat. The regional distribution of FA in bovine milk fat- (MF) and OPO-containing IFs was compared in terms of similarity index, and "potential" soap forming capacity (SFC) as defined by the amount of long chain saturated FA on the sn -1/3 position that is linked to measured soaps in infant stools from an in vivo trial including IF with and without MF. Both MF- and OPO-type of ingredients can be used to improve similarity with human milk fat structure and to optimise potential soap formation: OPO is a more targeted approach on specific FAs; MF provides a wider range of FAs at the desired sn -positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palmyrah fruit pulp which is seasonal, exhibits cleansing and skin moisturizing effects. It also contains carotenoids, which are antioxidants that can nourish and protect the skin from damages caused by free radicals induced by factors such as exposure to UV light. Carotenoids from the Palmyra fruit pulp were extracted in the virgin coconut oil and were used to formulate facial cream, soap, and liquid soap. The aim of this study was to determine the antioxidant activity of these three cosmetic products made using the pigment oil extract by the DPPH radical scavenging activity assay. Similar cosmetic products were made using coconut oil (no pigment) as the control samples and a popular commercial cream and soap were used for comparison. The UV-Vis characterization of the pigment oil extract confirmed the presence of β-carotenoids and it has shown green fluorescence under UV light (365 nm). The cosmetic products made using the Palmyra fruit pulp extract showed significantly greater antioxidant activity compared to that of the control and the commercial products. One (1) ml of 1 mg/ml of pigment cream, pigment soap and pigment liquid soap showed 41.58% (± 2.40), 66.37% (± 2.70) and 60.52% (± 0.09) inhibition respectively. The findings of this study suggest that these natural products containing the Palmyra fruit pulp extract have greater antioxidant activity and clinical trials should be done to explore their effects on the human skin. [Display omitted] • Carotenoids from the Palmyra fruit pulp were extracted and used to formulate cosmetic products like facial cream, soap, and liquid soap. • Antioxidant activity of these cosmetic products was determined by the DPPH radical scavenging activity assay. • The cosmetic products made using the Palmyra fruit pulp extract showed greater antioxidant activity compared to that of the control and the commercial products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the soap stock as a sole carbon source was used for growing a carotenoid producing yeast ( Rhodotorula rubra ). The application of soap stock resulted in increase of carotenoids yield up to 5.36 folds when compared with the grown cultures on glucose. On the best Monod equation fitted on the specific growth rate (μ) data, the maximum specific growth rate (μ m ) and half-saturation concentration (K S ) were respectively determined at 0.064 h −1 and 3.26 g L −1 for total fatty acids presented in soap stock. Further tests on the carotenogenesis process were carried out in a cell-immobilized airlift photobioreactor where the natural loofa sponge was used for immobilization of the cells. The performance of the bioreactor was statistically studied by the response surface methodology (RSM) where aeration rate of 0.11 vvm and light irradiation intensity of 2517 Lx provided an optimum condition for producing β-carotene with a specific production rate of 22.65 mg g cell −1 day −1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young children are at greater risk of foodborne illness than adults. They are affected more severely due to low stomach acid production, immature immune systems, lower body weight, and lack of control over their meal preparation. Consequently, foodborne illness disproportionately affects children, with the highest incident rate among those less than five years of age. Our goal was to synthesize evidence of food safety knowledge and behaviour of parents/caregivers who regularly prepare meals for young children at home. A comprehensive search strategy was conducted using six databases to identify relevant articles published between 1994 and 2021. Articles were screened for relevance and characterized, data extracted, and articles assessed for risk of bias. Meta-analysis of comparable outcomes was used to estimate the trend across studies. Meta-regression was conducted to explain possible sources of variability. Forty-six relevant articles were included in the meta-analysis, and there was high heterogeneity across studies and outcomes. Knowledge and behaviour gaps included participants' knowledge and use of food thermometers to check cooking doneness. Parents/caregivers across studies had high knowledge of handwashing (median prevalence of 95%, IQR = 90–97%, n = 8 studies) and practices related to discarding leftovers after 2 or more hours at room temperature (median = 85%, IQR = 84–91%, n = 5 studies). Meta-regression results showed studies conducted in low-middle-income countries (vs. high-income countries) were more likely to report a lower prevalence of time-temperature control knowledge (β = −0.25; 95%CI = −0.50, −0.03; I 2 = 98.75%; adj R 2 = 29.3%; n = 11 studies) and practices related to cleaning kitchen utensils before and after meal preparation (β = −0.28; 95%CI = −0.53, −0.03; I 2 = 98.83%; adj R 2 = 18.23%; n = 18). Studies using self-reported behaviour measures (vs. in-person observation) tended to report a higher prevalence of handwashing with soap after handling raw meat (β = 0.48, 95%CI = 0.23, 0.74; I 2 = 98.34%; adj R 2 = 52%; n = 14). This review highlights the need for food safety interventions to target knowledge and behaviour gaps for parents of young children. Research gaps were also identified, including investigating other high-risk food consumption (e.g., cookie dough and sprout) and applying behavioural change theories to address this population's barriers to safe food handling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the process of soap bubble development in a strong and highly non-uniform electric field obtained using a needle-plate electrode configuration. Bubbles ca. 43 mm in diameter were investigated in a point-plane electrode system with a 30 mm air gap and potential difference up to 14 kV The work includes a qualitative description of the observed phenomena as well as their quantitative evaluation. It was found that the polarity of the applied voltage has a significant effect on the behavior of the bubble in such electrode configuration. It was observed that changes in bubble height and width for positively charged bubbles are more than two times greater than for negatively-charged ones. The formation of a dimple at the top of the bubble caused by the ionic wind was also observed. • Two forces act on the soap bubble in a highly non-uniform electric field. • Voltage polarity affects soap bubble behavior in a non-uniform electric field. • In a strong electric field, the soap bubble elongates. • Ionic wind produces a dimple at the tip of a soap bubble. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Soap film as a low-cost sensor for headspace extraction and conductance sensing ammonia. • Soap film was manually generated on a 3D printed frame and enables rapid renewal to avoid contamination. • Micro-molar per litter level of total ammonium in solution was able to be measured. In this work, a novel, low-cost soap-film sensor for detecting ammonia in environmental water and saliva was developed. A 3D printed circular frame with two stainless steel electrodes was implemented as a carrier for a soap film. The soap film was manually generated by pulling the 3D printed frame from a mixture solution containing 20.7 g/L gelatin, 241.4 mL/L Glycerol, 34.5 mL/L Triton X-100 and 100 mM boric acid. The conductivity of the soap film was measured with a lab-made detector. For liquid sample analysis, sample and NaOH solution were mixed in a reagent bottle as the gas-diffusion vessel (GDV). The released ammonia from the reaction was then diffused into the headspace of the GDV and absorbed by the soap film. The conductivity increasing rate of the soap film was used for quantifying the ammonium concentration in sample. The analytical performance parameters were demonstrated, including a linear range of 0–500 μM, a relative standard deviation of 3.2 % (n = 10), and a limit of detection of 14 μM (0.2 mg N/L). This method showed a 90–110 % recovery rate for saliva and water samples. Compared to a reference indophenol blue method, the relative deviations of two method were less than 7.4 % (n = 33). The proposed method is easy to operate, and the device itself is compact and low cost. The soap-film sensor enables rapid renewal to avoid contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Handwashing (HW) is a long established and widely accepted method to prevent disease transmission. Ensuring effectiveness of current HW methods is essential for the optimization of HW and enhanced disease prevention. The objective of this research was to determine the difference in microbial reduction between plain foaming and liquid handsoap. The hands of 24 participants were inoculated by the palmar surface method with an average of 1.25 × 10 8 CFU Escherichia coli C3000 or 1.36 × 10 8 PFU MS2 bacteriophage. Participants washed their hands following a standard protocol with a standardized soap volume and a 10 s HW time. A glove juice method was used to recover microorganisms from hands. Remaining microorganisms were quantified by standard spread plate and plaque assays for E . coli and MS2, respectively. Hands inoculated with E . coli had an average log reduction of 2.76 ± 0.70 and 2.52 ± 0.58 log CFU for foaming and liquid handsoap, respectively. The mean log reduction for hands inoculated with MS2 was 2.10 ± 0.57 and 2.23 ± 0.51 log PFU for foaming and liquid handsoap, respectively. Data indicate no significant difference in overall microbial removal when comparing the efficacy of plain foaming and liquid handsoap. However, regardless of soap type, the type of microorganism impacted overall log reduction with a greater reduction for E . coli when compared to MS2 with a significant difference (p = 0.0008) in reduction for foaming handsoap. This study is the first comparison of the efficacy of plain liquid and foaming handsoap for microbial reduction on hands during HW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorhexidine gluconate-based soaps have become the gold standard for handwashing in critical care settings and para-chloro-meta-xylenol is an effective alternative antibacterial active ingredient. This study benchmarked 2 novel foaming handwashes, compared to a bland soap for antimicrobial effectiveness using the health care personnel handwash method at realistic soap doses (0.9 mL and 2.0 mL). To our knowledge, this is the first published efficacy study on realistic soap doses. Both soaps met Food and Drug Administration success criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When a liquid spreads over another liquid, the presence of surfactants in one or both liquids can add to the complexity of the spreading dynamics. In this work, we investigate the influence of the surfactant-surfactant interaction on the Marangoni spreading. We systematically study the spreading behavior of various surfactant solutions with different molecular structures while keeping the macroscopic parameters of the solutions, such as surface tension and viscosity, equal. To simplify the system and to remove the influence of adsorption kinetics of the surfactants in the liquid phases and remove the effect of diffusion, we employ a unique configuration of "droplet on a soap film". Our results show that when the surface tension gradient between the droplet and the soap film is not significantly large, the molecular structures and interactions between the surfactants in the droplet and the soap film dramatically influence the spreading scenario. Although, in general, the surface tension difference between the two solutions governs the spreading dynamics, for specific surfactants solutions, unusual spreading occurs that cannot be explained only by the surface tension differences. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]