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BACKGROUND Persons with an amputation may have an increased heat strain due to reduced surface area. However, there is limited evidence on the thermoregulatory responses in persons with lower-limb amputation (LLA). Although a previous study reported no difference in their rectal temperatures (Tres) in a hot environment, suggesting compensatory sweating of the intact limb, we examined the thermoregulatory responses of such persons in a hot and humid environment. OBJECTIVE To compare the thermoregulatory responses-through changes in Tre, sweat, and oxygen uptake (O2)-between persons with LLA and able-bodied (AB) individuals, in hot and humid environments. STUDY DESIGN A nonrandomized control trial. METHODS Nine AB men (AB group) and nine persons with LLA group performed the arm ergometer exercise at 60% peak power output intensity for 60 min in a hot and humid environment, and they were tested before and after performing. The O2, Tre and skin temperature, and total body sweating, and local sweating during exercise were measured and compared between the groups. RESULTS The changes in O2 and Tre after the endurance exercise did not differ between the groups (ΔTre: AB group, 1.1°C ± 0.5°C; LLA group, 1.2°C ±0.3 °C; P = 0.65), whereas the amount of local sweating of the chest (group effect, P < 0.01 by two-way analysis of variance [group × time], the group effect size was medium, η2 = 0.10) and dehydration rate (AB group, 1.5% ± 0.5%; LLA group, 2.1% ± 0.5%; P = 0.03) were higher in the LLA than in the AB group. CONCLUSIONS We compared the thermoregulatory responses of persons with LLA with those of AB individuals in hot and humid environments. Core body temperatures of persons with LLAs during endurance exercise were not different from those of AB men even in hot and humid environments. We found compensatory increases in the sweat rate of the chest and increased dehydration rate in persons with LLA. More sweat potentially means that athletes with LLA need to drink more fulids.

Comfort is essential in sportswear, where athlete requires transportation and evaporation of sweat from body. In addition to that water vapor permeability, thermal resistance and air permeability a...

Surgical masks are widely used for the prevention of respiratory infections. However, the risk of heat stroke during intense work or exercise in hot and humid environment is a concern. This study aimed to examine whether wearing a surgical mask increases the risk of heat stroke during mild exercise in such environment. Twelve participants conducted treadmill exercise for 30 min at 6 km/h, with 5% slope, 35°C ambient temperature, and 65% relative humidity, while wearing or not a surgical mask (mask and control trials, respectively). Rectal temperature (Trec), ear canal temperature (Tear), and mean skin temperature (mean Tskin) were assessed. Skin temperature and humidity of the perioral area of the face (Tface and RHface) were also estimated. Thermal sensation and discomfort, sensation of humidity, fatigue, and thirst were rated using the visual analogue scale. Trec, Tear, mean Tskin, and Tface increased during the exercise, without any difference between the two trials. RHface during the exercise was greater in the mask trial. Hot sensation was greater in the mask trial, but no influence on fatigue and thirst was found. These results suggest that wearing a surgical mask does not increase the risk of heat stroke during mild exercise in moist heat.

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells are emerging as a high-efficiency and prospectively cost-effective solar technology with great promise for deployment at the utility scale. However, despite the remarkable performance progress reported lately, assuring sufficient device stability-particularly of the perovskite top cell-remains a challenge on the path to practical impact. In this work, we analyze the outdoor performance of encapsulated bifacial perovskite/silicon tandems, by carrying out field-testing in Saudi Arabia. Over a six month experiment, we find that the open circuit voltage retains its initial value, whereas the fill factor degrades, which is found to have two causes. A first degradation mechanism is linked with ion migration in the perovskite and is largely reversible overnight, though it does induce hysteretic behavior over time. A second, irreversible, mechanism is caused by corrosion of the silver metal top contact with the formation of silver iodide. These findings provide directions for the design of new and more stable perovskite/silicon tandems

Introduction and Aim: The most common practice for marking the radiation field borders in conventional radiotherapy is with marker pens. In the hot and humid environment in India these markings rapidly fade and require remarking. In some cases, they require re-simulation and re-planning. Mehndi has been used in India for ceremonial marking on skin for long. Here we seek to evaluate the same for radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: Eighty-two patients with no history of hyper-sensitivity to mehendi were scheduled to be analyzed on per protocol treatment basis, with 41 in each arm. Subjects were randomized by lottery method till the target number in one of the arms is reached. Since one subject in each arm had not received the per protocol management due to default, two more subjects were included and randomized. The minimum duration of treatment was 5 weeks. Markings were done either with mehndi cones (Arm A) or conventionally used Skin marking pens. They were repeated as per requirements. The number of application and gap between them were recorded. The data was later analyzed with SPSS v23 for frequencies, independent sample T test, including Mann-Whitney test. The analysis was per protocol. Results: No incidence of hypersensitivity to mehendi occurred.The mean and median number of applications was significantly less in the Mehndi arm compared to control arm (median being 2 in mehndi arm compared to 4 in Pen arm). The median gap between applications and each application was also significantly lower in the Mehndi arm (11.5 days vs 7.25 days). There was no significant difference with visualization. The comfort level of the technologists, consultants and patients were better with Mehndi than with pen arm on Likert scale. Conclusion: Mehndi is more durable than the pen marking it is equally visible for health care professionals and more comfortable to patients. The skin tone of our patients did not pose any challenge in visualization during set up either in ambient lighting or with lasers.

[Objective] This study examined seasonal differences in continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy adherence among patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). [Methods] Patients aged ≥20 years with OSA who had used CPAP devices on the automatic setting for >12 consecutive months (n = 141) were included in this retrospective study from December 2015–2016. The information of CPAP use (pressure, hours of actual use) was extracted from database downloaded from patients’ CPAP devices. Patients were divided into adherent and non-adherent groups using the cutoff point of 70% CPAP use for ≥4 h daily over the 1-year study period. CPAP use data were averaged for each season. [Results] Patients in the adherent group were significantly older than those in the non-adherent group (p < 0.001). In the adherent group, the rate of ≥4 h daily CPAP use was significantly lower, the daily duration of CPAP use was significantly shorter, and the residual apnea–hypopnea index (AHI; events/hour) was significantly higher in summer than in other seasons (all p < 0.001). In the non-adherent group, the duration of daily CPAP use and the AHI differed significantly between winter and summer (p = 0.008 and p < 0.001, respectively). [Conclusions] Seasonal changes were associated with the CPAP adherence of patients with OSA. The study findings suggest that there is possibility of increasing the duration of CPAP use by adjusting the bedroom environment in hot and humid seasons.

Under tropical climate, broiler production is encumbered by several constraints which make it difficult for them to attain their genetic potential. The scarcity and high price of poultry feed and veterinary services and the harsh environmental conditions with respect to thermal stress are some of the challenges that hinder optimal growth of the birds. Limited availability of feedstuffs, including crucial feed ingredients like maize and oil seedcakes, is an important challenge to the sector, since feed still represents a major cost of producing broiler chickens. Additionally, the problem of climate change, which has become a global concern, is the main problem in broiler production under hot and humid climate. Under high ambient temperature, feed intake decreases, carbohydrates metabolism and protein synthesis efficiency are disturbed. Lipid utilization is lower and glucose or insulin homeostasis is altered while fat deposition and oxidative stress increases. Several strategies are used to ameliorate the effect of heat stress in poultry. The objective of this review was to summarize the challenge in broiler production under hot and humid climate and different approaches to fight heat stress in poultry., Broiler farmers are confronted with crucial problems under tropical climate. The most important is harsh environmental conditions. Heat stress which lead to oxidative stress impairs glucose metabolism, protein efficiency and decreases production performances of broilers.

Nowadays, the achievement of a good sporting performance depends on a good development of physical capacities from a young age while respecting the different stages of growth. In spite of this, some football coaches and trainers have no mastery of the principles of training. They subject children to physical effort that does not correspond to the child's developmental stages. In order to evaluate the respiratory function and maximum oxygen consumption of children trained in football, series of test matches were organised by age group under a temperature of 38°C and a humidity of 60%. The results of the study show an increase in maximum oxygen consumption according to age with extremes of 36, 54 ml/min/kg and 55, 99 ml/min/kg. The classification of the values of V ̇O2max according to the spirometry values shows a representativeness of 13-14 year old children in the class of low spirometry values (CV, FEV1 and DEP) and a strong representativeness of 16-17 year old children in the class of high spirometry values (CV, FEV1 and DEP). A correlation exists between maximum oxygen consumption, spirometry equations and anthropometric parameters during the growth of children playing football. Keywords: Training, children, football, spirometry, Congo (Brazzaville)

Mariasanta Napolitano,1 Arne Agerlin Olsen,2 Anne Mette Nøhr,2 Hermann Eichler3 1Department of Health Promotion, Mother and Child Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties (PROMISE), University of Palermo Reference Regional Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Hematology Unit, Palermo, Italy; 2Novo Nordisk A/S, Biopharm Manufacturing Development, Gentofte, Denmark; 3Saarland University and Saarland University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Haemostaseology and Transfusion Medicine, Homburg (Saar), GermanyCorrespondence: Anne Mette NøhrBiopharm Manufacturing Development, Novo Nordisk A/S, Nybrovej 80, Gentofte 2820, DenmarkTel +45 3075 1619Email amnq@novonordisk.comPurpose: The stability under high-temperature conditions of factor VIII (FVIII) concentrates for replacement therapy is of critical importance to patients, particularly those who reside in, or travel to, regions with high ambient temperatures. Concerns about product stability may limit or prevent access to treatment for patients and may limit their ability to live a close-to-normal life. This study evaluated the effect of hot and humid storage conditions on the long-term stability of the recombinant FVIII products, turoctocog alfa and turoctocog alfa pegol.Methods: Turoctocog alfa samples were assessed for stability at 30°C for 9 months or 40°C for 3 months following storage at 5°C for 21 or 27 months, respectively, while turoctocog alfa pegol samples were assessed at 30°C for 12 months or 40°C for 3 months following storage at 5°C for 18 or 27 months, respectively. In addition, turoctocog alfa and turoctocog alfa pegol dry powders were evaluated for stability at 5°C/ambient humidity (AH) for 30 months, 30°C/75% relative humidity (RH) for 12 months and 40°C/75% RH for 6 months. Both studies utilized a range of product strengths. Key stability assessments included oxidized forms, potency, water content and high molecular weight protein (HMWP).Results: Both turoctocog alfa and turoctocog alfa pegol remained stable following storage at 40°C/75% RH for 3 months, and at single temperatures (5°C/AH, 30 and 40°C/75% RH), without any major increase in HMWP or any impairment of potency or water content.Conclusion: Turoctocog alfa and turoctocog alfa pegol offer stability at 40°C for up to 3 months without jeopardizing the quality of each product. These stability characteristics may offer patients flexibility with product storage and daily use.Keywords: factor VIII, hemophilia A, storage flexibility, temperature stability, turoctocog alfa, turoctocog alfa pegol

Air conditioning systems that utilize solar energy are generally cost-effective when used to provide cooling requirements in commercial, home, and industrial buildings as well. The utilization of solar energy is the least compared to the various form of renewable energy sources. Air conditioning is required in hot and humid climates such as India to maintain thermal comfort in closed rooms. The widespread use of these air conditioning systems will significantly increase electricity demand during the summer. The country is facing major power supply problems due to power shortages. In this study, solar collector designed as per Delhi’s geological coordinates and 4 different times of hours i.e., 12, 14, 16 & 18 on 11 July of a year. From the numerical results, the flat plate collector in 12, 14, 16, & 18 h in a day on 11 June in Delhi, at 12 times of hours when the sun is at peak. From the temperature profiles, it is evident that the temperature on the absorber is very high and also efficiency. It was concluded that the efficiency and temperature of absorber at different 4 points of times in a day which helpful for researchers to design solar-powered air conditioner using a flat plate collector.

Background Limited information is known about the storage conditions of medicinal products post-dispensing in Saudi Arabia (SA). The particularly hot and humid climate in the region may lead to the loss of essential performance specifications. Objective To investigate the conditions in which medications are held after being dispensed, and up until administration by households in SA. In addition, storage practices adopted by households in the region, as well as their knowledge and awareness are explored. This study also discusses the opportunity of utilising Time-Temperature Indicators (TTIs) in the pharmaceutical industry in SA as a quality-assurance enhancement solution. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire targeted at households in SA was designed to explore storage practices, background knowledge and awareness of factors that can influence drug stability. Additionally, temperature and relative humidity mapping of 35 different rooms in various homes and cities in SA, as well as car interiors, was performed. Results More than 1000 households have participated in this study from all regions of SA. Approximately, 95% have claimed to take part in storing medications at home. First-aid and supplemental purposes were two of the reasons 80.9% have claimed, while 43.2% claimed treatment for chronic conditions. Just over 35% claimed that not knowing how to dispose of medications, is the reason behind their storage. More than 35% of participants could not identify most suitable storage conditions, and >10% were unaware of the effect storage conditions may have on shelf-life. Many were found to store medication in inappropriate areas, liquid dosage forms for example were stored in freezers by more than 3%. Upon monitoring temperatures of all room types, 25oC was exceeded throughout a 24-hour duration in bathrooms, kitchens and limited use rooms. Temperatures in parked car interiors exceeded 70oC. Conclusions A significant percentage of households in SA lacked knowledge and awareness of good storage practices. However, due to high temperatures observed in the region, increasing knowledge and awareness is not enough, as medicinal cabinets with basic temperature control (e.g. designated secure fridge) are needed. Additionally, the use of TTIs to provide consumers with accumulated thermal history may enhance quality-assurance of thermally sensitive products.

The domestic dwellings in Pakistan have predominantly implemented low-carbon strategies by harvesting solar energy using photo-voltaic (PV) panels as a long-term vision of low-carbon economy. Most of the urban areas in Pakistan stay hot and humid in an entire year. Consistent solar irradiation at higher temperatures is one of the major factors that affect the power generation performance of monocrystalline PV systems pose challenges to performance and degradation issues. Monocrystalline PV module efficiencies are declining and damaging under the continuous exposure to higher surface day-time temperatures in the different parts of the country. MATLAB simulations were performed based on the validated mathematical approach. This paper investigates the hot arid surface temperature impacts on the performance of PV modules during the summer and winter seasons in Pakistan. The investigations are performed examining the comparative output power generating performance of the PV system. This paper also investigates the influence of installations of PV-system in the North, South, East and West regions of Pakistan. It was examined that the northern areas of Pakistan are more suitable for maintaining the long-term durability of the PV system. Investigations are performed for the peak summer and peak winter days. During summer months, cooling strategies have to be implemented to overcome the heating effects whilst reducing degradation effect on installed PV-system.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Objectives: To evaluate impact of electrolyte supplementation on hydration status and health outcomes in Guatemalan agricultural workers performing heavy work under hot climatic conditions. Methods: A 3-week pragmatic trial was conducted with a group of 50 workers during the 2017 to 2018 sugarcane harvest. Workers received an electrolyte hydration intervention during 2 of the 3 weeks. Blood and urine samples were collected each week. Results: Increased electrolyte intake resulted in less muscle injury. Kidney function was maintained across the intervention period. Workers were adequately hydrated and average electrolyte levels remained in normal ranges. Mild indications of hyponatremia occurred at higher levels of fluid intake. Conclusions: This trial demonstrates the feasibility of maintaining workers’ electrolyte levels under extremely hot and humid conditions while mitigating muscle injury. Electrolyte supplementation should be added to standard workplace water, rest, and shade interventions to protect workers.

Architects welcome double skin facade (DSF) due to its aesthetic quality. The first DSF structure was intended to prevent cold weather and strong winds. Nowadays, the application of DSF under different climates has been investigated in many previous studies. However, little work had been done on the behaviour of DSF in hot and humid climates. Therefore, this paper aimed to extend the application into this specific climate and Guangzhou was selected as the sample city. Both the climate and the design influence the performance of DSF. In this paper, rather than explore how each design parameter influences the performance, the design was evaluated from an overall aspect. The Designbuilder software was used to build the single skin facade (SSF) and double skin facade base model. Annual HVAC energy consumption for both the two models was calculated and compared. An optimisation process was conducted to figure out what kinds of parameter combination could make the design more energy-saving and thermally comfortable. The results indicated that it was possible to design an energy-saving DSF system applied in hot and humid climates compared with the SSF model. The efficiency of the DSF could be further enhanced with a better parameter combination. The optimised options had some features in common, which could provide some inspirations for the application of DSF in hot and humid climates.

The building sector is one of the largest energy consumers worldwide. Especially in the hot-humid Southeast Asian region, this sector consumes about 30% of primary energy demand. This is mainly dom...

Purpose: To examine the effects of precooling via crushed ice ingestion on cognitive function during exercise in the heat. Methods: Eleven active men ingested either 7 g·kg−1 of crushed ice (ICE) or thermoneutral water (CON) 30 minutes before running 90 minutes on a treadmill at a velocity equivalent to 65% VO2peak in hot and humid conditions (35.0°C [0.5°C], 53.1% [3.9%] relative humidity). Participants completed 3 cognitive tasks to investigate decision making (8-choice reaction time [CRT]), working memory (serial seven [S7]), and executive control (color multisource interference task [cMSIT]) on arrival, after precooling, and after running. Results: Precooling significantly decreased preexercise core (Tcore) and forehead skin temperature in ICE compared with CON, respectively (Tcore 0.8°C [0.4°C], –0.2°C [0.1°C]; Thead –0.5°C [0.4°C], 0.2°C [0.8°C]; P ≤ .05). Postrun, ICE significantly reduced errors compared with CON for CRT (P ≤ .05; d = 0.90; 90% confidence interval, 0.13–1.60) and S7 (P ≤ .05; d = 1.05; 90% confidence interval, 0.26–1.75). Thermal sensation was lower after precooling with ICE (P ≤ .05), but no significant differences were recorded between conditions for cMSIT errors, skin temperature, heart rate, or ratings of perceived exertion or perceived thirst (P > .05). Conclusions: Precooling via ICE maintained cognitive accuracy in decision making and working memory during exercise in the heat. Thus, ICE may have the potential to improve sporting performance by resisting deleterious effects of exercise in a hot and humid environment on cognitive function.

Aerobic performance is negatively impacted by tropical climate due to impairment of thermoregulatory mechanisms. We tested the hypothesis that a torso application of a 4% menthol solution would have the same effect on a best performance 10-km run as an external use of cold water. Thirteen trained male athletes completed four outdoor 10-km runs (T=29.0±1.3°C, relative humidity 59.0±13.6%) wearing a tee-shirt soaked every 2-km either in a cold (~6°C) or warm/ambient (~28°C) solution, consisting in water or in a 4% menthol solution, (CTL, MENT-Amb, CLD and MENT-CLD). Run performances were improved from 4.8 to 6.1% in CLD (51.4±5.5 min), MENT-Amb (52.2±5.9 min) and MENT-CLD (51.4±5.1 min) conditions (vs. CTL, 55.4±8.4 min, P

Preventive maintenance treatments are widely used throughout the United States to extend pavement service life (PSL), and therefore, defer costly rehabilitation activities. However, optimizing the use of these treatments faces several key challenges. First, the benefits resulting from these treatments are not well-defined. Second, there is considerable debate over the optimal timing of these treatments. Third, concerns exist that these treatments may be responsible for moisture damage if the surrounding moisture conditions are not adequately considered before installation. Although significant research has been conducted to address these challenges, few efforts have been directed toward technology transfer and implementation of the research findings. Therefore, the objective of this study was to combine the results of a comprehensive research study addressing these challenges into an enhanced decision-making tool that can be used to select the best maintenance treatment to be applied to an existing asphalt concrete (AC) overlay based on the project conditions. For a given project, this tool will predict the most cost-effective maintenance treatment (crack sealing, chip seal, microsurfacing, or do nothing) to address existing surface distresses without causing moisture damage. The tool will also provide the optimal timing of installation of the recommended treatment. To ensure that the developed tool is practical and simple to use, it was developed using macros in Microsoft Excel. The developed tool is implementation-ready and should be utilized by the relevant Department of Transportation to maximize the benefits from pavement maintenance activities.

The intermittent nature of renewable sources, such as solar and wind, leads to the need for a hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) that can provide uninterrupted and reliable energy to a remote and off-grid location with the use of a biogas generator and battery. In the present study, conventional PV panels have been integrated with phase change material (PCM) for power enhancement. In addition, various configurations (i. PV-Wind-Battery system, ii. PV-PCM-Wind-Battery, iii. PV-Wind-Biogas-Battery and iv. PV-PCM-Wind-Biogas-Battery) have been compared for the hot and humid climatic location of Chennai, India. Optimization has been carried out to minimize the cost of energy and the net present cost has also been computed. It has been found that the integration of PCM with the PV-Wind-Biogas-Battery-based off-grid system results in savings of USD 0.22 million in terms of net present cost and reduces the cost of energy from USD 0.099/kWh to USD 0.094/kWh. Similarly, for another off-grid HRES configuration of PV-Wind-Battery, the integration of PCM results in savings of USD 0.17 million, and reduces the cost of energy from USD 0.12/kWh to USD 0.105/kWh.

Introduction: The coronavirus pandemic poses a massive challenge for the healthcare system and overburdens the Healthcare Workers (HCWs) in a developing country like India. The coronavirus may survive on various surfaces and/or aerosols for hours to days, making it a necessity to use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) while treating infected patients. Wearing the PPE is often uncomfortable while working, more so in the summer season, when the temperatures in a tropical country like India are soaring. Aim: To identify, quantify and highlight the difficulties faced by the HCWs while wearing PPEs. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2020, by a team of researchers working in a government owned designated Coronavirus Disease- 2019 (COVID-19) hospital in metropolitan city, West India. The questionnaire was prepared for a multicentre survey for 230 HCWs who had used PPE kits during their COVID-19 duties. The online questionnaire responses were recorded in an Microsoft Excel sheet and the results were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 19.0. Results: Total 230 responses were received out of which 74% were doctors, 21.7% nurses and 4.3% paramedical staff. The mean duration of work was 6.24 hours and per duty one, PPE was used by almost all of the respondents. The most common difficulty faced by the responders while on duty was excessive sweating (96%/n-221), itching of the nose (56%/n-129) and face (50.9%/n-117). While after the duty 61.7% of respondents reported being dehydrated and 68.2% complained of de novo headache. In a subset with a history of migraine, almost all reported worsening of migraine with increased frequency and severity of attacks. Many (40%) reported occasionally lowering the masks or face shield due to unbearable heat, risking self- contamination. Conclusion: The PPEs in current use and in the hot and humid conditions of summer months in tropical countries poses a unique challenge for the HCWs. Customisation of PPEs and working conditions is essential in the mitigation of the problems faced by the HCWs.

The shaft, a key engineering facility in coal mining, serves as an important construction channel for materials and personnel during the development of new mines. With the progression of coal mining, various harmful media will appear in the natural environment of the shaft. Through environmental detection in seven coal mines across eastern China, this paper discovers that the internal environment of the reinforced concrete shaft wall contains multiple media that are harmful to rebar and concrete. The gas media mainly contains H2S, HCl, SO2, NO2, and CO2; the liquid media contains Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42-, and HCO3; and the solid media contains SiO2, CaO, Al2O3, Na2O, Fe2O3, etc. It remains hot and humid for a long time. The external environment of the shaft wall has harmful ions, such as Na+, K+, SO42-, and Cl-, and consistently faces a high geo-stress; the concrete was corroded by the CO2 in the harmful media through neutralization, which led to physical or chemical changes within the cementing material. Various acidic media produces soluble corrosion in the concrete. The calcium salt generated by the reaction dissolves in the flowing water and separates from the concrete, gradually reducing the alkalinity and strength of the concrete. Sulfate produces expansive corrosion in concrete, which causes concrete to suffer expansive damages and, coupled with the lasting geo-stress on the shaft wall, speeds up the deterioration of rebar and concrete in the wall, posing a serious threat to the safety and service life of the shaft.

This paper presents a transient investigation on the performance of a solar desiccant cooling system integrated with a counter flow Maisotsenko cycle heat and mass exchanger as an air-conditioning system for the buildings in hot and humid areas. The investigation is performed using TRNSYS software linked with a MALAB code for simulating the Maisotsenko cycle. The developed model is validated using the experimental data with the highest deviation of 4.5%. Three different mixtures of the indoor and outdoor air [100%:0% (RA1), 75%:25% (RA2) and 50%:50% (RA3)] are considered as the return air. It is found that the COP and the cooling capacity of the system decrease by the more fraction of outdoor air in the return air, whereas the supply and regeneration temperatures increase. The findings show that the solar fraction in the case of RA1 is approximately half that in the case of RA3. Based on the results of the sensitivity analysis of the system with 100% indoor air as return air, the system EER increases slightly from 0.78 to 0.82 by increasing the collector area from 16 to 25 m2. However, the system COP has a reducing trend by the collector area. Both COP and EER are enhanced by the heat wheel efficiency, because the more sensible load from the supply air is transferred to the return air.

Background: Storage instructions for repackaging into a dose administration aid (DAA) have been included into the consumer medicines information (CMI) for some brands of levothyroxine sodium tablets. However, these storage conditions specify an ambient temperature of

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of evaporative cooling at two different frequencies per day on the respiration rate (RR) of lactating dairy cows, considering cow-related factors. Twenty multiparous Israeli Holstein dairy cows housed in a naturally ventilated cowshed were divided randomly into two treatment groups. The cows of both groups were exposed to 3 or 8 cooling sessions per day (3xcool vs. 8xcool, respectively). The RR was observed hourly, with a maximum of 12 measurements per day. Body posture (standing vs. lying) was simultaneously documented. Milk yield was recorded daily. Coat color was determined from a digital photograph. The RR of standing and lying cows was lower in the 8xcool group (60.2 and 51.6 breaths per min (bpm), respectively) than in the 3xcool group (73.1 and 65.6 bpm, respectively). For each increment of five kilograms of milk produced, RR increased by one bpm, and the RR of cows in early days in milk (DIM) was 12.3 bpm higher than that of cows in late DIM. In conclusion, eight cooling sessions per day instead of three lead to a RR abatement in heat-stressed cows under hot conditions, and cow-related factors directly impact the RR during heat stress assessment.

One of the promising methods to reduce the peak load of a building is through the use of a Thermally Activated Building System (TABS), which uses the concrete structure as a thermal storage system. Owing to the large cooled surface of a TABS, the asynchronous characteristics of the TABS may cause a high risk of condensation. Previous research proposed to maintain the supply water temperature above the indoor dew point temperature or used sophisticated methods by optimizing the control algorithms with predictive models. However, in reality, the HVAC operators often stop operating TABS for a certain period of time when the outdoor humidity becomes significantly high based on their experiences. This study suggests simple guidelines in operator's level to increase the practical use of TABS by considering the condensation risk in hot and humid climate. Therefore, the weather conditions and the TABS system characteristics were analyzed and possible simple solutions for avoiding condensation were proposed. The possible condensation risk was evaluated with the building simulation and considering the infiltration was found to be the key factor for preventing condensation. During an unoccupied period, the HVAC system did not operate and humidity accumulated in the room. In most cases, the condensation risk became the highest before the day started. Due to the limitations on controlling the TABS and HVAC system, possible solutions as stopping the TABS operation in advance to raise the surface temperature of TABS and operating the HVAC couple of hours ahead for removing the humidity were evaluated. As a result, a separate strategy could not solve problems of occurring the condensation when the outdoor conditions maintained at high humidity with low air temperatures. In order to apply both strategies, the cooling operation guidelines with a simple calculation of indoor dewpoint temperature were proposed and could prevent the condensation at all times.

This study investigated the effect of the environment, jersey color and ground conditions on injury rates in junior rugby-league players in a tropical environment. Injury, environment and ground condition data were collected during each game, over one season (n = 12 rounds). The study investigated three teams (n = 64): one under-16 team in striped jerseys and two under-14 teams in black and orange jerseys. The injury rates for the under-16 team (83.3/1000 hrs) were higher than for the under-14 teams in black (69.9/1000 hrs) and orange (59.9/1000 hrs) jerseys. In the under-16 team, a negative correlation (r = -0.66, p < 0.05) was found between players’ injuries and heat index, while in the under-14 team in black jerseys, a positive correlation was observed (r = 0.90, p < 0.01), although in the under-14 team in orange, no significant correlation was found (r = 0.140, p > 0.05). In the under-14 team in black, a significant correlation (r = 0.80, p < 0.01) between players’ injuries and the temperature was observed. However, no correlations were found with any other variables per group (p > 0.05) and injury rates were not different between the teams (p > 0.05). While ground conditions had no effect on injury rates, it appears that the heat acted as a protection against injury for teams with striped and orange jerseys. However, black jerseys may put players at an increased risk of injury during hot and humid day games.

The riverside dwellings in the Brazilian Amazon are compatible with the annual variation of the watercourse and, in this context, the present study approaches the climate perception and thermal comfort of riverside residents in their habitat. To understand this complex scenario, we used questionnaires to analyze the perception, preference and acceptability of residents of this region, and also collected internal and external meteorological data. The answers to the questionnaire were statistically analyzed, investigating also the influence of gender, age and BMI on human climate perception. We also used the adaptive thermal comfort model for Southeast Asia, with the purpose of understanding the thermal environment and verifying its use for the hot and humid region of the Brazilian Amazon. The results indicated that although the riverside residents perceive a thermally uncomfortable environment and prefer a cooler environment, they accept the climate situation, which raised points that are discussed along the article. Likewise, it was observed that the adaptive comfort model used is a positive instrument for the development of architecture when associated with the use of bioclimatic strategies. The results also indicated that the Brazilian comfort standards may underestimate the adaptability of users acclimated to the hot and humid Brazilian regions.

In hot and humid tropical countries, the air-conditioning system has a high energy usage in commercial buildings. This study introduces a static balance duct design method for a temperature dependent variable air volume system. Ducts are looped together, which cause the air to self-balance and minimize the pressure loss across the duct network. The static balance duct network can easily identify the critical zone of highest pressure loss. This zone appears at the longest duct length from the air source and is always consistent for different load conditions. The air supplied to this critical zone is controlled by the zone temperature sensor, which directs feedback to the variable frequency drive fan of the air-handling unit. The rest of the variable air volume terminal units are zone temperature controlled. The duct looping design mitigates the problems in pressure variations and complements the temperature dependent control strategy. An open office case study is carried out to demonstrate the merit of the static balance duct design method. An actual installation was completed in a shopping mall. The recorded temperature readings verified that the static balance duct network and temperature dependent variable air volume air-conditioning system is operational and functional. Approximately 27% energy savings is achieved compared to the constant air volume system. Practical application: The static balance duct design method is a combination of equal friction duct design method and a loop duct network. This static balance duct network can identify the critical zone of highest pressure loss and this zone is always consistent. In this temperature-dependent variable air volume (TDVAV), the variable air volume (VAV) terminal unit at the critical zone is eliminated. The zone temperature sensor at the critical zone provides direct feedback to the variable frequency drive fan. All other terminal units are temperature dependent. The static balance TDVAV system enhances energy savings, improves the performance of VAV system and reduces the faults for VAV systems.

Aflatoxins are mycotoxins (fungal toxins) produced by Aspergillus species in variety of food commodities. Consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated food can cause adverse health effects, including liver cancer. Aflatoxin exposure is usually higher in hot and humid countries. Previous biomarker-based studies have indicated significant exposure to aflatoxins among the Bangladeshi population. Recently, high aflatoxin levels were reported in dates, which are consumed in large quantities during the month of Ramadan in Bangladesh and other Muslim countries. Bangladesh has recently enacted aflatoxin regulation in foods. In this study, we determined the risk of aflatoxin-related liver cancer among the Bangladeshi population based on the average dietary intakes of different aflatoxin contaminated foods, accounting for the synergistic impacts of aflatoxin with chronic hepatitis B viral infection in inducing cancer. We also determined whether the new aflatoxin regulations in Bangladesh could significantly reduce the risk of liver cancer. The mean number of cancer cases per year caused by dietary aflatoxin exposure in Bangladesh was estimated at about 1311, or 43.9% of the total annual liver cancer cases in Bangladesh. The new aflatoxin regulations do not appear likely to significantly reduce the risk of liver cancer in the country.

It is architecturally accepted that glazing system is considered as the most fragile part of buildings in terms of energy indoor performance. It is the only part of the building which has direct solar gain due to the transparent materials. Consequently, this part of building envelope should reap high consideration by architects and engineers, particularly in regions where solar radiation is high. The research aims to investigate the influence of glazing to wall ratio in different microclimate regions in Saudi Arabia which has been introduced by the author hot dry, hot humid and moderate climates. The research has studied the most possible glazing ration in the region based on previous work 5%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% out of the external wall. The paper used computer modelling TAS EDSL which has been validated using field monitoring study. Moreover, globe thermometer be used in order to investigate the impact of student’s position with respect to glazing system. Finally, questionnaire will be utilised to obtain actual thermal comfort from students in the selected regions with maintaining the same PSBD. The study reveals that south and east directions are the worst in terms of gaining the maximum amount of heat in all the locations. The research suggest that glazing to wall ratio is recommended to be 10% in both climate conditions hot and dry and hot and humid. Keywords: Impact of glazing ratio, Glazing system in building, Building performance, Microclimate, Building design in different climates

Contains fulltext : 207107.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Exercising in a hot and humid environment increases core body temperature, which may limit exercise performance. The risk of exercise-induced hyperthermia and associated performance decrement in Olympic sailing athletes is largely unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to compare thermoregulatory responses and performance indicators of elite sailors in a cool versus hot and humid environment. Seven elite athletes from four different Olympic sailing classes (Laser, RS:X, Finn, 470) performed cycling and/or rowing exercise in a cool (18 degrees C) and hot (33 degrees C) environment, while core body temperature (TC), skin temperature (TSK), exercise performance (covered distance), and rating of perceived exertion were measured continuously. TC increased significantly more in the hot environment (37.6 +/- 0.2 degrees C to 39.1 +/- 0.1 degrees C) compared to the cool environment (37.5 +/- 0.1 degrees C to 38.5 +/- 0.2 degrees C; p = 0.002), but the increase in TC between conditions differed substantially within individuals (range: 0.3 degrees C - 0.9 degrees C). Exercise performance decreased by 6.2 +/- 2.9% in the hot environment (p = 0.013, range: 2.3%-9.5%), but more importantly, exercise performance was strongly inversely related to peak TC (R = -0.78, p = 0.039). Rating of perceived exertion (cool: 14.2 +/- 0.6; hot: 13.9 +/- 1.2) and increase in TSK (cool: 0.5 +/- 1.0 degrees C; hot: 0.9 +/- 0.3 degrees C) did not differ between conditions (p = 0.59 and p = 0.36, respectively). To conclude, a larger increase in TC and substantial exercise performance decrement were observed in the hot versus cool environment. As a further matter, large inter-individual differences were observed across athletes with an inverse relationship between TC and exercise performance, which stresses the importance of appropriate and personalized interventions to reduce thermoregulatory burden of elite sailors during exercise in the heat.

High-efficiency heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer (HIT) technology is a highly efficient module technology, whose performance depends upon the climatic conditions. In this investigation, performance of HIT module under various climatic conditions prevailing in India have been done with the help of logged sensor data at NISE (National Institute of Solar Energy, Gurugram). Five different climatic conditions have been considered: hot and humid, hot and dry, temperate, cold and composite. Chennai has been chosen Chennai for hot and humid conditions, Jodhpur for hot and dry condition, Bangalore for temperate condition, Leh for cold condition and Gurugram for composite climatic conditions. In all the cases, performance ratio (PR) of HIT modules has been calculated, which captures the PV system’s performance. IEC 61424 standard describes the performance ratio as the ratio of Energy Yield ( E y ) to reference yield ( E r ). The calculations show a PR value of 86.4 % for Leh, 82.9 % for Gurugram, 82.4 % for Bangalore, 82.0 % for Jodhpur and 81.9 % for Chennai. From these PR values we may say that the HIT module works comparatively better in cold climatic condition. The HIT modules employed in this study have a rating of 210 Wp.

The current indoor thermal comfort standards and guidelines for hospital wards in the tropics may be insufficient for maintaining thermal comfort for occupants and ensuring energy efficiency in hospitals. Therefore, field survey assessments of thermal comfort were conducted in three Malaysian hospitals with air conditioning capabilities for patient rooms. This study evaluated existing thermal conditions and thermal comfort preferences of patients and their visitors. A total of 389 responses were collected in hot and humid conditions. Indoor thermal measurements were collected in each hospital and compared to the local guidelines. The lower temperature results compared to the Malaysian standard MS1525 (2014) and the Industry Code of Practice on Indoor Air Quality (2010) by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) in Malaysia indicated that specific thermal comfort guidelines were required for hospital wards in Malaysia. The mean comfort operative temperatures were estimated to be 25.3 °C for patients and 25.5 °C for visitors. The relationships between the indoor comfort temperature and running mean outdoor temperature (27.0 − 31.0 °C) in the three hospitals were also determined. These adaptive relationships can serve as a guide for building service engineers and researchers seeking to reduce energy use in hospitals.

This study investigates homeowners’ energy-saving behaviours and their attitudes, which influence household energy conservation in Bangkok. Field surveys are carried out for 400 households in Bangkok to observe socio-economic factors, residents’ priority of actual saving behaviours, and usage patterns of electric devices. Then, the saving behaviours and usage patterns from the field survey and assigned levels of energy efficient devices are used to randomly generate 200 sets of energy-saving scenarios using the Latin Hypercube method. The household energy consumptions from those energy-saving scenarios are calculated. It is found that the household energy consumption depends strongly on residents’ attitudes and energy-saving behaviours. Gender and level of knowledge in energy efficiency are found to have a significant impact on energy consumption. Residents in Bangkok actually save energy within a range of 7–15% (484.2–1037.6 kWh/year/household). Female residents potentially save more energy than males do via reducing the use of air conditioners in their bedrooms. The results provide a better understanding of residents’ attitudes towards energy efficiency in Bangkok. The results will help policy-makers in determining effective techniques that could promote the role of residents in energy efficient homes in Bangkok and other hot and humid countries.

Atualmente uma ação muito comum nas grandes metrópoles é o fechamento com vidros móveis das aberturas das varandas residenciais. Na cidade de Vitória, ES, é constante a reclamação dos moradores acerca da presença do pó preto em suas residências. O incômodo ocasionado pela presença desse material particulado é o principal motivador da prática do fechamento das varandas na região. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a qualidade ambiental e a percepção do morador capixaba - em relação ao conforto térmico e a qualidade do ar, residente em apartamentos com e sem fechamento em vidros móveis nas aberturas de suas varandas. A partir da definição de critérios e da posterior escolha de um condomínio residencial estrategicamente localizado, a metodologia utilizada foi estabelecida considerando duas principais fontes de obtenção de dados e informações: os usuários, através da aplicação de questionários; e de medições em campo de temperatura do ar, umidade relativa do ar e concentração de material particulado. Os resultados mostram que a concentração média diária de partículas foi maior na situação da varanda com os vidros móveis fechados do que na condição aberta. Além disso, o uso dos vidros móveis das varandas a maior parte do tempo fechados ocasiona um aumento de temperatura do ar no ambiente e desconforto térmico, o que faz com que alguns moradores recorram ao uso do ar condicionado corrompendo o propósito original da varanda em climas quentes e úmidos, que é de trazer sombreamento e ventilação natural aos espaços interiores.

The classical architecture of Washington, D.C., has received much historical attention, but little attention has been paid to the mechanical systems that made these buildings habitable in the capital city's notoriously hot and humid summer climate. In Air-Conditioning Comes to the Nation's Capital, 1928–60, Joseph M. Siry describes how comfort air-conditioning first appeared in the U.S. Capitol building, in the chambers of the House of Representatives and the Senate, in 1928–29. From the 1930s on, air-conditioning systems were extended to the whole of the Capitol, the Senate and House office buildings, the Federal Triangle, and beyond. All of these projects involved the integration of equipment for heating, ventilating, and cooling into the spatial and structural forms of these mostly classical buildings. Air-conditioning had major implications for the annual operations of Congress and the efficiency of federal workplaces. This account advances the historiography of mechanical systems in modern architecture.

The wind environment is an important factor affecting the comfort of the outdoor environment in high-rise residential communities. The numerical simulation of ventilation situation in the outdoor environment could provide scientific bases for the design of various elements in a community, including space layout, roads, activity spaces, water system, and plants. Taking the Changqingteng community, Xinxiang as the object, this paper numerically simulates the wind environment in summer, winter, and the transition season on THSware VENT2018, and analyzes the wind speed amplification factors, wind speed vector diagrams, and wind speed cloud maps on the outdoor environment of the community. The results show that both wind speed and wind speed amplification factor fall into the comfortable ranges in most places of the community throughout the year. In summer, only a few windless activity spaces are uncomfortable on hot and humid days. In winter, multiple wind corridors appear in the north of the community. These corridors greatly suppress the comfort of residents, owing to their fast wind speed and large wind speed amplification factor. The following measures could be taken to optimize the outdoor environment of the community: adding leisure spaces around the water system to improve comfort in summer, and setting up wind barriers by planting dense evergreen plants between the buildings on the north side to improve comfort in winter.

A Convolution Neural Network (CNN) model was developed by the authors for Ayurvedic Plant Leaf Recognition (APLR). This is a computer vision and multi-class classification problem. The motivation behind this problem was to create a plant leaf recognition system for locally available ayurvedic plants in and around the city of Visakhapatnam in the Andhra Pradesh State of India. The ayurvedic plant leaf image dataset was not readily available. The burden of leaf image dataset collection and creation fell upon the authors. The ayurvedic leaf image dataset creation was a tedious and time-consuming task. Due to the hot and humid environment in Visakhapatnam location, there was the problem of the quick withering of leaves upon plucking them. So, the leaves had to be photographed immediately in an outdoor location lest they withered and wrapped-. It is common knowledge that CNN requires a large training image dataset for creation of CNN model which can predict with high accuracy. There is no definitive guideline on the minimum number of required images per class in case of plant leaf recognition problem. This paper delves upon the relationship between the size of plant leaf image training dataset and prediction accuracy achieved using the CNN model proposed by the authors and trained using the corresponding plant leaf image dataset. The objective is to provide experimental results in this regard which will help in arriving at the optimum training dataset size to be used for APLR using CNN such that high accuracy is achieved.

In the middle of the 20th century, Paul Rudolph’s design practice of light wood residences in Sarasota area was well adapted to the local hot and humid subtropical climate. By tracing the origin of Paul Rudolph’s thought of climate responsive design, it’s possible to realize the design features of Paul Rudolph’s early works from heat protection and ventilation, and sum up the strategies and construction of his light wood residences for climate responsive design. Based on the characteristics of subtropical heat and humidity, Rudolph focused on innovations in building facades, roofs, and spaces, and proposed a series of climate-responsive design strategies and methods. Rudolph’s light wood practice has its own value in terms of technical principles, material technology, and regional characteristics, which are both rational and perceptual, and has enlightening value for the application of light buildings in subtropical areas and the design of contemporary light wood buildings.

Thermal comfort standards are essential to ensure comfortable and enjoyable indoor conditions, and they also help in optimizing energy use. Thermal comfort studies, either climate chamber-based or field investigation, are conducted across the globe in order to ascertain the comfort limits as per the climatic and other adaptive features. However, very few studies are conducted when the occupants are subjected to a stressed condition, like the COVID-19 lockdown, which may not only have the health impacts but also have psychological impacts on the adaptation. In this paper, we present the results of the online study conducted regarding the status of thermal comfort during the COVID-19 lockdown in India. A total of 406 complete responses were collected from subjects located across 3 different climatic regions of India, that is, cold climate, composite climate, and hot and humid climate. Variations in clothing insulation, thermal sensation, and preference were noted across the different climatic regions. We also present the variation in opening of windows and running of fans with the variation in outdoor mean air temperature. The self-judged productivity, comfort, desire to go outdoors, and effectiveness of working from home were seen to vary with the increase in the days of lockdown.

Urban heat island is a phenomenon affecting cities across the world. While in cold climates it could be regarded as an even beneficious process, in temperate climates and especially in the inter-tropical latitude range, the increase in urban temperature can generate risks for health, outdoor and indoor discomfort, and an increase in buildings energy needs. This chapter provide a state of art review of UHI studies conducted recently in Latin-American area, with special focus on tropical climate cities. First step is determining which big Latin-American cities are placed in tropical or subtropical climates. Then, Journals articles, Book Chapters and Proceedings are investigated to establish the state of art, putting in evidence which kind of methods are used in determining UHI intensities, which impacts are searched, and which mitigation strategies are proposed.

The lighting quality of educational buildings needs to be improved caused the most classrooms show that intense light near the windows but insufficient in the interior. The average daily learning time of primary and secondary school students is more than 9 hours, which puts forward higher requirements for lighting, including illumination and daylighting uniformity. In some cases of leading edge, using reflector as shading method can shade and improve the uniformity of lighting. Taking Guangzhou as the breakthrough point, this paper studies the shading and daylighting problems of educational buildings in hot and humid areas. Using grasshopper software to analyze the climate in Guangzhou, optimize the reflective sunshade component, not only improve the lighting quality, but also enhance the ventilation and heat dissipation. Moreover, the optimal evaluation is determined by the illumination analysis of Ecotect software. The research results actively explore the combination of architectural design and energy-saving means, providing a convenient sunshade method for classrooms in Guangzhou, which has reference for high temperature and high humidity areas.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo apresentar uma discussão acerca da influência que a transmitância térmica e absortância térmica apresentam no conforto térmico e consumo de energia, caso haja a opção pelo uso de ar condicionado para promoção desta sensação em uma habitação de interesse social na cidade de Maceió, Alagoas. Atualmente há uma disseminação do pensamento para a utilização de materiais isolantes em construções de edifícios habitacionais, no entanto para climas quente e úmido, este pensamento é contestado por diversos estudos. A análise aqui realizada ocorreu com o auxílio do software EnergyPlus®, versão 9.3 para 42 configurações da edificação, com variação da Transmitância e da absortância térmicas, com o uso de ar condicionado e sem o uso deste dispositivo, para 1 ren/h, 5 ren/h e 10 ren/h. Os resultados obtidos quantificam o impacto financeiro no orçamento familiar nesta configuração de habitação, caso ocorra a opção pelo uso de ar condicionado e a influência que as propriedades analisadas apresentam no conforto térmico, com influência maior da absortância em relação à transmitância. Pretende-se então a partir desta pesquisa contribuir para a documentação e conscientização pelo uso de estratégias adequadas ao conforto térmico em condições similares às analisadas.

Power generation from renewable energy sources, in particular solar photovoltaics (PV), has become extremely attractive thanks to its very low levelized cost of electricity (LCoE). In desert-like environments, the energy yield is drastically reduced due to dust accumulation. While effective and affordable cleaning strategies can be implemented in large, MW-size PV power plants, soiling remains an economic and logistic challenge. In this article, we analyze the soiling loss rates of PV modules for different tilt angles measured during a period of 15 months in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia. We observe a strong correlation between weather parameters like humidity and wind speed and the mechanism of dust accumulation. Our measurements show that, for specific weather conditions, soiled modules undergo a partial cleaning process. As a consequence, and for the first time, the soiling loss rates are shown to have a clear dependence on the current soiling state of the modules, with clean modules soiling twice as fast as soiled ones. This dependency is a key for predicting the correct cleaning frequency of a PV power plant. Finally, the results obtained for vertically mounted modules (90 deg), where dust accumulation is negligible, point to a favorable case for the use of bifacial PV modules.

Increasingly hotter temperatures threaten the environment and pose serious risks to human health. From contending with damaged crops and loss of work due to extreme weather to working in life-threateningly hot and humid temperatures, agricultural farmworkers are on the front lines of this harsh reality.

To explore the influence of wearing different types of masks on people’s health and comfort, an experimental study was conducted through a subjective questionnaire survey, physiological response test, and thermal imaging test. The results showed that, in a warm environment, wearing masks for a long time significantly affected the subjective feelings and physiological reactions of people. After wearing the mask, the personnel feels more hot and humid, the discomfort is significantly increased. At the same time, the mean skin temperature increases, the heart rate increases, and the blood oxygen saturation level decreases, which ultimately leads to a decline in health and comfort levels. Different types of masks have different effects on people. The effects of wearing KN95 masks, gauze masks, medical surgical masks, disposable civilian masks, disposable medical masks, and sponge masks on people’s health and comfort levels are sequentially reduced.

Use of appropriate personal protective equipment is essential for healthcare workers when dealing with patients who have tested positive or are suspected of having Covid-19. Personal protective equipment is uncomfortable at best. In hot countries (like India) or in a hot place of work, its wearers are at a high risk of heat-related illnesses. Once in personal protective equipment a healthcare worker can remain in it for at least 6 h at a stretch. In summer when it is hot and humid, personal protective equipment can cause wearer dehydration, heat exhaustion or heat fatigue. In a severe form, this can result in heat stroke and a collapse while on duty. Preventive measures are needed to protect healthcare workers. This review aims to highlight the efficacy and applicability of personal cooling garments.

Introduction:Drowning is the 3rd leading cause of unintentional injury deaths.As drowning is a preventable cause of mortality, our aims for the benefit of society at large is to minimize the events as far as possible. Objective:A clear knowledge about factors which play a major role behind such incidences is important.It has equal forensic importance as determination of cause and manner of death require thorough investigation. Methodology: We conducted one-year study of demographic variables and the histopathological changes in relation to lung and splenic tissues in cases of drowning deaths, in the hot and humid climatic region of Eastern India.Results: The demographic findings were presented in graphs and charts. However, none of the commonly known autopsy findings (histopathological) are found to be individually confirmatory of drowning. Conclusion:Several factors inclusive of autopsy findings, biochemical examination, radiological and molecular technique,are needed to be taken together as complementary methods to conclude drowning as the cause of death when bodies are recovered from water.

This article presents numerical investigations of the solar-assisted hybrid desiccant evaporative cooling system integrated with standard air collectors for applications under the hot and humid climatic conditions of Kuwait city. The objective is to introduce the energy-efficient and carbon-free solar-assisted hybrid desiccant evaporative cooling system to alleviate the principal problems of electricity consumption and carbon emissions resulting from the use of the conventional vapor-compression cooling systems. In the normal building, during cooling load operation, the solar-assisted hybrid desiccant evaporative cooling system can cope with the cooling load particularly sensible by evaporative cooling and latent through desiccant dehumidification. The outcomes of this work indicate that solar-assisted hybrid desiccant evaporative cooling device integrated with air collectors is capable of providing average coefficient of performance of 0.85 and has the potential to provide cooling with energy saving when compared with conventional vapor-compression refrigeration systems. It was concluded that under the intense outdoor environmental conditions (ambient air at greater than 45°C and 60% relative humidity), the delivered supply air from the evaporative cooling was nearly at 27°C and 65% relative humidity. To solve this problem, the system was assisted with conventional cooling coil (evaporator of heat pump) to supply air at comfortable conditions in the conditioned space.

The earlier masjid architectural styles were similar to Malay vernacular houses and evolved with the introduction of the modernist style. This resulted in increased energy consumption. Hence, a proper set of thermal comfort is important to provide a suitable environment for the masjid’s occupants. The vernacular characteristics in the passive designs have caused designers to find solutions towards sustainable designs. Therefore, designing a good thermal performance building can be done by readapting the Malay vernacular architecture and passive design strategies for modern masjids. This paper is aimed to document the literature and potential case studies in identifying the relationship between the design of Malay vernacular and thermal comfort elements in a hot and humid climate. The outcome is to formularize requirements of thermal comfort in Malay vernacular masjids based on four major factors namely i) architectural qualities, ii) construction systems, iii) structural components and iv) non-structural components. The research is intended to change the approach of future designers to become more sustainable based on the application of passive designs that suit the climatic condition of Malaysia.