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Smart toilet’ monitors for signs of disease
Описание: Smart toilet’ monitors for signs of disease There’s a new disease-detecting technology in the lab of Sanjiv “Sam” Gambhir, MD PhD, and its No. 1 source of data is number one. And number two. It’s a smart toilet. But not the kind that lifts its own lid in preparation for use; this toilet is fitted with technology that can detect a range of disease markers in stool and urine, including those of some cancers, such as colorectal or urologic cancers. The device could be particularly appealing to individuals who are genetically predisposed to certain conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, prostate cancer or kidney failure, and want to keep on top of their health. “Our concept dates back well over 15 years,” said Gambhir, professor and chair of radiology. “When I’d bring it up, people would sort of laugh because it seemed like an interesting idea, but also a bit odd.” With a pilot study of 21 participants now completed, Gambhir and his team have made their vision of a precision health-focused smart toilet seat a reality. Gambhir’s toilet is an ordinary toilet outfitted with gadgets inside the bowl. These tools, a suite of different technologies, use motion sensing to deploy a mixture of tests that assess the health of any deposits. Urine samples undergo physical and molecular analysis; stool assessment is based on physical characteristics. The toilet automatically sends data extracted from any sample to a secure, cloud-based system for safekeeping. In the future, Gambhir said, the system could be integrated into any health care provider’s record-keeping system for quick and easy access. A paper describing the research was published April 6 in Nature Biomedical Engineering. Gambhir is the senior author. Seung-min Park, PhD, senior research scientist; David Won, MD, PhD, former visiting scholar in the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford; and postdoctoral scholar Brian Lee, PhD, share lead authorship. Pulling double duty The toilet falls into a category of technology known as continuous health monitoring, which encompasses wearables like smart watches. “The thing about a smart toilet, though, is that unlike wearables, you can’t take it off,” Gambhir said. “Everyone uses the bathroom — there’s really no avoiding it — and that enhances its value as a disease-detecting device.” Although the idea may take some getting used to, Gambhir, who holds the Virginia and D.K. Ludwig Professorship for Clinical Investigation in Cancer Research, envisions the instant heat smart toilet as part of the average home bathroom. In facilitating that broad adaption, Gambhir designed the “smart” aspect as an add-on — a piece of technology that’s readily integrated into any old porcelain bowl. “It’s sort of like buying a bidet add-on that can be mounted right into your existing toilet,” he said. “And like a bidet, it has little extensions that carry out different purposes.” These extensions sport an array of health-monitoring technologies that look for signs of disease. Both urine and stool samples are captured on video and are then processed by a set of algorithms that can distinguish normal “urodynamics” (flow rate, stream time and total volume, among other parameters) and stool consistencies from those that are unhealthy. Alongside physical stream analysis, the toilet also deploys uranalysis strips, or “dipstick tests,” to measure certain molecular features. White blood cell count, consistent blood contamination, certain levels of proteins and more can point to a spectrum of diseases, from infection to bladder cancer to kidney failure. In its current stage of development, Gambhir said, the toilet can measure 10 different biomarkers. It’s still early days, though, with a total of 21 participants having tested the toilet over the course of several months. To get a better feel for “user acceptance” more broadly, the team surveyed 300 prospective smart-toilet users. About 37% said they were “somewhat comfortable” with the idea, and 15% said they were “very comfortable” with the idea of baring it all in the name of precision health. ID please One of the most important aspects of the tankless smart toilet may well be one of the most surprising — and perhaps unnerving: It has a built-in identification system. “The whole point is to provide precise, individualized health feedback, so we needed to make sure the toilet could discern between users,” Gambhir said. “To do so, we made a flush lever that reads fingerprints.” The team realized, however, that fingerprints aren’t quite foolproof. What if one person uses the toilet, but someone else flushes it? Or what if the toilet is of the auto-flush variety? They added a small scanner that images a rather camera-shy part of the body. You might call it the polar opposite of facial recognition. In other words, to fully reap the benefits of the smart toilet, users must make their peace with a camera that scans their anus. “We know it seems weird, but as it turns out, your anal print is unique,” Gambhir said. The scans — both finger and nonfinger — are used purely as a recognition system to match users to their specific data. No one, not you or your doctor, will see the scans. By no means is this toilet a replacement for a doctor, or even a diagnosis, Gambhir said. In fact, in many cases, the toilet won’t ever report data to the individual user. In an ideal scenario, should something questionable arise — like blood in the urine — an app fitted with privacy protection would send an alert to the user’s health care team, allowing professionals to determine the next steps for a proper diagnosis. The data would be stored in a secure, cloud-based system. Data protection, both in terms of identification and sample analyses, is a crucial piece of this research, Gambhir said. “We have taken rigorous steps to ensure that all the information is de-identified when it’s sent to the cloud and that the information — when sent to health care providers — is protected under HIPAA,” he said, referring to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which restricts the disclosure of health care records. Smart toilet 2.0 As Gambhir and his team continue to develop the smart toilet, they’re focusing on a few things: increasing the number of participants, integrating molecular features into stool analysis and refining the technologies that are already working. They’re even individualizing the tests deployed by the toilet. For example, someone with diabetes may need his or her urine monitored for glucose, whereas someone else who is predisposed to bladder or kidney cancer might want the toilet to monitor for blood. Gambhir’s other goal is to further develop molecular analysis for stool samples. “That’s a bit trickier, but we’re working toward it,” Gambhir said. “The smart toilet is the perfect way to harness a source of data that’s typically ignored — and the user doesn’t have to do anything differently.” Other Stanford co-authors of the paper are Diego Escobedo, an intern in the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford; former postdoctoral scholar Andre Esteva, PhD; graduate students Alexander Lozano and Amin Aalipour, PhD; urology resident T. Jessie Ge, MD; graduate student Chengyang Yao; former Stanford graduate student Sunil Bodapati; Friso Achterberg, MD, and Jeesu Kim, PhD, visiting scholars of the Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford; research scientist Jung Ho Yu, PhD; undergraduate student Alexander Bhatt; Ryan Spitler, PhD, deputy director of the Precision Health and Integrated Diagnostics Center; and Shan Wang, PhD, professor of materials science engineering and electrical engineering. Gambhir is a member of Stanford Bio-X, the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, the Stanford Cancer Institute and the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute at Stanford. Researchers from Seoul Song Do Hospital in South Korea, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, the University of Toronto, Leiden University in the Netherlands, Pohang University of Science and Technology in South Korea, and the Catholic University of Korea also contributed to this work. KITAKYUSHU, Japan -- Toto, a Japanese company best known for toilets with heated seats and built-in bidets, is taking its technology to a whole new level to help people better manage their health through automated monitoring and analysis of urine and stool. Toto is working on a toilet outfitted with sensors in the seat and other health-monitoring technologies that look for signs of health problems. The Wellness Toilet, which the company hopes to roll out in a few years, will scrutinize people's daily waste output to look for various disease markers. The company plans to use its health-tracking toilet technology to offer new services, such as tips to help people improve their diets and lifestyles for better health. Using Toto's high-tech toilet won't involve any unpleasant collecting of samples. One simply does one's business, flushes and goes on about one's day. If the toilet detects anything unusual, the user might receive a smartphone message advising a more balanced diet -- more salmon and avocado salad -- for instance. Toto's smart throne will feature an array of sensors embedded in the seat which, according to Ryoji Nakamura, head of the company's digital innovation division, will let people check their physical condition at a glance. When the user's posterior touches the seat, sensors are activated to collect such information as blood flow, heartbeat and skin condition. The data are then analyzed using artificial intelligence on a cloud system to assess the user's stress levels and exercise needs. The results are sent to an app on the user's smartphone. Nakamura says Toto hopes to provide advice to help people lead healthier lifestyles. Because the product is still under development, some features have yet to be determined. The sensors will perform a wide range of functions. If a weak electric current is applied, the seat can measure the visceral fat level and proportion of skeletal muscle like a body composition analyzer. Human waste contains lots of clues about one's health, as many ailments leave their mark in urine and feces. The smell of urine and stool, for instance, can be analyzed to detect changes in one's physical condition. Smart toilets could allow people to identify a health problem earlier than the conventional twice-yearly medical checkups. Smart toilets could also play an essential role in monitoring and protecting public health. The Japan Society on Water Environment has begun a project to analyze sewage to detect signs of an outbreak of COVID-19. If toilets in many homes are equipped with sensors, they could facilitate the work of public health experts by providing valuable data, such as early indicators of a disease outbreak before it becomes a crisis. The new technology will also allow Toto to stay in touch with its customers after selling them toilets and other household fixtures. The Wellness Toilet, if it hits the market in a few years as the company hopes, could help Toto reinvent its business model. One possibility is new services that charge ongoing fees for analyzing data collected from square smart toilet. The company could suggest healthy meal plans and offer health advice. Toto might also team up with research institutes and medical institutions to provide personalized disease-prevention services.
Дата Публикации: 04-01-22
Effects of energy drink major bioactive compounds on the performance
Описание: Effects of energy drink major bioactive compounds on the performance The consumption of beverages containing caffeine and taurine before exercising has been associated with increased physical and psychological performances and has been promoted to support the emotional state and provide vitality to consumers. However, there are contradictory results on these issues, it is not clear the effect of every major compound in relation to the whole effect of the beverages and there is a lack in knowledge about their degree of safety for consumption. This study used a double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized, crossover design. Fourteen male volunteer soldiers from the Colombian army performed different tests to measure their cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max and maximum heart rate), time to exhaustion, strength (isometric strength), power (vertical jump), concentration (Grid test) and memory (Digits test) after drinking 250 ml of one of the following beverages: one with 80 mg caffeine, one with 1000 mg taurine, one with 80 mg caffeine plus 1000 mg taurine, a commercial energy drink (Red Bull?) or a placebo drink. Subjects were caffeine-consumers that avoided caffeine during the day of evaluation. All beverages were matched in flavor and other organoleptic properties to the commercial one, were bottled in dark plastic bottles and were administered in identical conditions to the participants. Differences between treatments were assessed using repeated measures and analysis of variance. Energy drinks are soft drinks, generally carbonated, composed of different ingredients such as caffeine, taurine, glucuronolactone, carbohydrates and vitamins with different rates of absorption to which the proposed effects of these beverages are attributed . Furthermore, depending on the brand, these solid drinks have other ingredients such as amino acids, minerals and vegetable extracts, together with acidulants, preservatives, flavorings and colorings. These types of products have gained popularity worldwide since the 1990s, increasing exponentially the consumption among adolescents, athletes, and even senior citizens . Manufacturers of these products promote their consumption with statements offering a variety of benefits among which increased physical performance, improved reaction rate, increased attention, higher concentration, improved emotional state and weight loss are included . These are desirable characteristics for anyone, especially for active individuals. The interaction of the major bioactive compounds has been proposed as responsible for the alleged effects of these products; however, such statements have not been well studied and are not fully supported. Furthermore, there are contradictory results on the issue. Some studies attribute the alleged effects in improving the state of concentration and physical endurance to the combination of the compounds that make up these products . Other studies point out that is very likely that most of the observed effects after consumption of these drinks are mainly produced by caffeine . On the contrary, other studies have found no increase in the performance after consumption of these collagen peptide drinks . Currently, many people seek benefits for their physical and mental health situation that has led them to use these types of meal replacement drink; nonetheless, despite an increased consumption by the general population, there is a lack of knowledge about the physiological effects of the compounds used in the formulations, the level of security in their consumption and their position within food standards. This is probably because there are few well-designed studies that provide accurate and conclusive findings on the subject. Therefore, in this study we evaluated the efficacy and safety of energy drink consumption in a randomized, controlled, double-blinded, crossover trial and thus we were able to assess the direct involvement of caffeine and taurine, as major bioactive compounds of energy drinks, on physical and cognitive condition in young adults. A sample of 9 or 13 subjects was calculated in order to find differences in cognitive or physical tests. This was done by using PRIMER software 3.02 (PRIMER-E Ltd, United Kingdom), after establishing a confidence level of 95% and a power of 80%. Nonetheless, 14 volunteered male soldiers, members of the National Army of Colombia Seventh Division, were included in the study. No cigarette smokers or users of psychoactive substances, or subjects under any medication (e.g. beta blockers) were included. People who consumed more than 600 ml of coffee or more than 5 units of colas per day were excluded . All participants underwent a complete physical examination and an electrocardiogram to determine their physical and mental conditions and all were diagnosed as healthy. In addition, they all signed the informed consent before the physical and cognitive tests. The procedures performed were endorsed and approved by the Indeportes Antioquia Research Committee and the National Army Research Committee in order to provide protection to the study participants. Experimental design This research used a double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized, crossover design, in which each participant visited six times the Exercise Physiology Laboratory from Indeportes Antioquia, in Medellín, Colombia, at 1540 m above sea level. Three fitness tests and two cognitive condition tests were applied in each visit. All evaluation sessions were separated between 48 or 72 hours and three subjects were evaluated per day. In the first session the subjects performed the tests, without drink consumption, to become familiar with their development. Testing was always conducted at the same time (2 pm-5 pm) in an environment with controlled temperature and humidity of 25°C and 60%, respectively. A training specialist and a psychologist with extensive experience in sports fields were responsible for measuring all variables. Participants maintained their regular food intake, workplaces and recreational activities during study participation, but did not train at high intensity eight hours before the tests, did not eat heavy meals two hours before the tests and avoided caffeine consumption during the day of evaluation. Since the participants were soldiers, they had a very controlled schedule regarding food and exercise every day. So we are sure that during the day of evaluation the variation in these variables was kept to the minimum. All subjects used appropriate clothing for physical exercise. Before developing the tests all subjects were randomly assigned (with the help of Excel 2007, Microsoft Co, USA) to a treatment (a placebo drink, a caffeinated drink, a caffeine and taurine combined drink, a drink with only taurine, or a commercial energy drink) and after 45 minutes performed each of the tests. All subjects received all beverages during the study. The composition of the five beverages is illustrated in Table 1. Functional beverages play an essential role in our modern life and contribute to nutritional well-being. Current efforts to understand and develop functional beverages to promote health and wellness have been increased. Determining bioactive compounds out of the food content and incorporating them into beverage requires a thorough knowledge. Functional foods have lower or no adverse effects like current drug treatments and are good candidates for this purpose. Functional food treatment is a complementary approach for the prevention and treatment of several systemic diseases and they are tailored for individual’s choice for boosting energy, shrinking waistlines, and mental focusing. Further, functional foods with lifestyle modifications may lead to wellness and improve individual’s health. Functional foods may include but not limited to fruits, fiber-enriched grains, and beverages. Experiments on animal research monitor improvements but translational research must be performed to reduce and/or prevent systemic diseases. Beverages can meet individual’s demand and nutrients as well as bioactive compounds can be delivered conveniently. This review summarizes current knowledge of bioactive compounds and scientific advances at functional beverages. Soft drinks consumption is still a controversial issue for public health and public policy. Over the years, numerous studies have been conducted into the possible links between soft drink intake and medical problems, the results of which, however, remain highly contested. Nevertheless, as a result, increasing emphasis is being placed on the health properties of liquid drinks, by both the industry and the consumers, for example, in the expanding area of functional prebiotic compound drink. Extensive legislation has been put in place to ensure that soft drinks manufacturers conform to established national and international standards. Consumers trust that the soft drinks they buy are safe and their quality is guaranteed. They also expect to be provided with information that can help them to make informed decisions about the purchase of products and that the information on product labels is not false or misleading. This paper provides a broad overview of available scientific knowledge and cites numerous studies on various aspects of soft drinks and their implications for health safety. Particular attention is given to ingredients, including artificial flavorings, colorings, and preservatives and to the lesser known risks of microbiological and chemical contamination during processing and storage.
Дата Публикации: 04-01-22
What Is a Carabiner and What Can I Do With One?
Описание: What Is a Carabiner and What Can I Do With One? If you’ve kept up with any part of the outdoor news in the last couple of years, then you’ve likely noticed that previously fringe outdoor sports are on the upward swing in popular culture. With the mainstream rise of documentaries like Alex Honnold’s “Free Solo” and cult-classic films like “Valley Uprising,” the outdoor world has experienced somewhat of a Renaissance, and with it has come a slew of new and interested enthusiasts. Unfortunately, too often the outdoor world can be a place where the lingo, the gear and the wealth of experience of the pros have served as an obstacle to those looking to learn and engage on a beginner’s level. In the world of outdoor sports, things like climbing, backpacking, and kayaking can feel like exclusive clubs reserved for those who already know and understand the language. But the reality is, those are all just different outdoor activities, open to anyone who is willing to give them a shot. Here at The Dyrt, we’re working to open the outdoor world to everyone, one campground review at a time. To help with that, we’ve created this quick overview of one of the most important tools in the outdoor world: the carabiner. Although commonly found in everyday life, the carabiner’s true functionality is on full display during a variety of outdoor sports. If you’ve never had the chance to use one, things can get pretty confusing. Is it for climbing? For hanging on? For attaching things? For holding your water bottle? The answer is yes, but it’s a bit more complicated than that. ’s basically a tool that’s designed to keep you safe, consisting of a curved body with a straight or curved bar known as the gate that opens and closes. The locking or closure mechanism on every carabiner is meant to allow for things to be attached to it without the fear of them coming off. Unlike a traditional coupling link, which has no closure point, carabiners offer easy clipping ability and a secure waypoint for whoever might need one. That said, there are a few different kinds of carabiners, each of which has a slightly different use. This is the carabiner we’ve all attached to our keys at one point or another. It’s called a wire carabiner because the locking mechanism is a wire loop that usually hooks onto the nose of the carabiner. (The nose of the carabiner is the place where the gate opens and closes). This is the carabiner you might be picturing if you’ve never gone climbing or used one in an industrial setting. These carabiners are meant to be convenient devices for keychains, water bottles and minor household uses. They can be great for car campers in a pinch who need to hook a rain tarp to their shelter or for tenters needing a way to carry all of their gear, but they’re not ideal for holding much more than your supplies. These types of carabiners have what’s called an open-lock safety closure, meaning all you have to do is press on the straight edge of the carabiner to get it to open. While safe in terms of keeping a tarp secure, they aren’t safe enough to hold your body weight. They should never be used during activities such as climbing, where your gear plays a large role in determining the level of safety you experience on the wall. That said, keychain carabiners can be a fun way to carry the outdoors with you wherever you go, and they can be used in a variety of low-stakes situations to make things easier. A “straight gate” carabiner is a style of carabiner that can be opened with pressure alone. Straight gaters are known for being easy to latch and operate on the go. Heavier duty versions of this carabiner can be used for climbing, particularly for hooking into a bolt, where the chances of accidental release of the locking gate are slim. Straight gate carabiners are also found in sports like backpacking or kayaking, where the carabiner is relied upon for simpler duties, like hooking into a dock line or attaching a sled or tool to your pack. The straight gate style of carabiner can be seen as a semi-happy medium between the heavy duty wire gate carabiner and the wire carabiners that frequent keychains and outdoor shows. The Bent Gate Carabiner Like a straight gate carabiner, bent gates are exactly what they sound like: carabiners with a gate that’s slightly curved. While not as frequently seen in the outdoors, these carabiners are primarily used by climbers, as the bent gate carabiners receive rope much more easily than the straight gates. The curve in the gate allows for extremely quick hook-ins, which can be vital as climbers make their way up the wall. The Twin Gate Carabiner A relatively recent invention, the bent gate carabiner is an interesting medium between locking carabiners and straight gaters with no lock. These carabiners have two gates that open on opposite ends, creating a sort of lock that requires special pressure to open. While not widely used, they are effective in situations that call for a bit of extra safety; some climbers or outdoor enthusiasts actually prefer them to traditional straight or bent gate carabiners. While not necessarily a “type” in itself, the locking carabiner is the carabiner most widely used in outdoor sports, climbing in particular. These carabiners have a gate that’s reinforced by a locking mechanism, which secures the carabiner in its closed position and ensures absolute safety. Since it requires a double motion to open, these carabiners are ideal for setting up climbing gear and securing kayaks or boats to way-points without the fear of an accidental release. That said, for quick transfer mid-climb, these carabiners are not as quick to open as a straight or bent gate with no lock. Types of Locks: Locking carabiners often come in three different varieties. Screw lock: In screw lock carabiners, a metal cylinder must be screwed up to cover the nose once it’s in place or down to allow the carabiner to open. Twist lock: These auto-locking carabiners have a spring-loaded cylinder that allows the carabiner to open when it is twisted into a certain position. As soon as the carabiner closes, the cylinder springs back into position to lock the carabiner into place. Magnetic lock: The least commonly used of the locking carabiners, these have magnets on each side of the nose to keep the carabiner locked when it’s closed. It can only be opened when pressed on both sides, which releases the magnets from the gate. Buying your first carabiners as a new climber can be deceptively complicated. There are dozens of types of carabiners out there, each with slight differences in shape, size, and weight. These factors make them well-suited to certain uses and a poor fit for others. Here’s what you need to know to choose the right ones. Here’s what this guide covers: Understanding Carabiner Strength Ratings Types of Carabiner Carabiner Weight: Does it Matter? How to Choose the Right Carabiners Understanding Carabiner Strength Ratings All carabiners that are safe to use for climbing must receive a European Conformity (CE) and/or Union Internationale des Associations d’Alpinisme (UIAA) strength rating. You’ll see those ratings on the spine of a carabiner—the three numbers indicate how much force the carabiner can take in a lengthwise direction, a cross-loaded direction, and while open. You’ll see different numbers on different carabiners, but all of them are tested for strengths that vastly exceed what a climber could produce in a fall. Any UIAA- or CE-rated carabiner is safe to use for climbing as long as it’s closed and loaded in a lengthwise direction. The only time you might want to consider the strength ratings is if you’re considering two carabiners with the exact same price, weight, and functionality and are looking for a tie-breaker. Any carabiner that’s not marked with a rating, or is labeled “Not for Climbing,” should never be used in a technical climbing application. Carabiner Shapes One of the first things you might notice about carabiners is that they come in a variety of shapes. Each one has its pros and cons. Oval Shape Oval-shape carabiners are symmetrical with a semi-circle curve at the top and bottom. This is the twist lock carabiner shape; they’re inexpensive, and their wide curves mean they can hold a lot of gear and accommodate a variety of hitches. However, they can be a pain to clip while lead-climbing because it’s hard to tell at a glance if they’re upside-down or right-side up. Another con: oval carabiners tend to be heavy. D Shape This is the strongest shape of carabiner out there and one of the most versatile. Tapering funnels gear toward the spine of a D-shape carabiner. That and the wide gate opening make them easier to open and close than oval-shape carabiners. However, like ovals, they tend to be on the heavier side. Asymmetric D Shape These are essentially D-shape carabiners but with one smaller tapered end, which helps reduce weight and provide a wider gate opening than conventional D-shape or oval-shape carabiners. Because they’re strong, lightweight, and versatile, asymmetric D-shape carabiners are very popular. The only con: They also tend to be pricier than other versions. Pear Shape or HMS There are lots of carabiner shapes out there, but the classic pear-shape carabiner is notable for its big gate and wide, rounded top edge, which easily accommodates hitches, belay devices, and plenty of gear. It’s often called an “HMS carabiner” because it’s sized to accommodate a belay hitch called a Munter hitch, or Halbmastwurfsicherung (HMS) in German. Because they’re big and heavy, locking HMS carabiners tend to be overkill for many uses. However, they make great belay and rappel carabiners, and their ease of use makes them a good choice for setting up top-rope anchors. Locking Carabiners: Locking carabiners have a failsafe mechanism to keep them closed—usually a metal tube you can twist to shield the gate from opening accidentally (the gate is the part of the carabiner that opens and closes). They’re ideal for building anchors, rappelling, belaying, and any other situation where accidentally unclipping could put your life in danger. They’re more expensive and heavier than non-locking carabiners. Non-Locking Carabiners Non-locking carabiners are easy to snap open and shut. Because they lack a locking mechanism, they tend to be lightweight. These are ideal for sport-climbing quickdraws, storing trad (traditional) gear on your harness, and other applications where ease of use is paramount and other measures—like multiple bolts or pieces of gear—are there to protect you in case of an accidental unclip. Auto-locking carabiners While the most common locking carabiners must be manually screwed shut, some models include spring-loaded locks or magnets that lock them automatically. That provides one extra level of protection against accidental errors. Auto-locking carabiners can take a little time to get used to, but they are great options for belaying, personal anchor systems, and rappelling. Wiregate versus solid gate Most carabiners have a solid metal cylinder for a gate, but wiregates substitute that with sturdy stainless-steel wire, which saves weight and makes the carabiner less likely to freeze shut. Most receive comparable strength ratings to straight-gate carabiners, though they’re more prone to losing their spring action over time and may need to be retired earlier than solid-gate carabiners. Straight gate versus bent-gate Most solid-gate carabiners have a cylindrical “straight gate,” though some gates feature a slight curve. The curve of a “bent gate” makes it easier to push the rope into the carabiner while clipping. Both straight- and bent-gate carabiners are strong and durable, but since the bend reduces the interior space of the carabiner, bent-gate carabiners are usually reserved for the rope end of quickdraws. Carabiner Weight: Does it Matter? The less weight you can carry up a climb, the stronger and faster you’ll feel. But while lightweight carabiners are plenty safe for nearly all climbing applications, they tend to be smaller and therefore harder to use. And because they’re thinner, sawing a rope over them can result in more wear and tear to your rope. They’re also less durable and can bend if they get trapped against the lip of an overhang under severe, repeated forces. For that reason, most climbers prefer a mix: small, lightweight carabiners for things like storing extra webbing slings or pieces of trad gear on a harness, and big, heavy carabiners for things like belaying.
Дата Публикации: 04-01-22
Face masks: benefits and risks during the COVID-19 crisis
Описание: Face masks: benefits and risks during the COVID-19 crisis The German government has made it mandatory to wear medical masks covering mouth and nose (MNC) as an effective strategy to fight SARS-CoV-2 infections. In many countries, this directive has been extended on shopping malls or public transportation. The aim of this paper is to critically analyze the statutory regulation to wear protective masks during the COVID-19 crisis from a medical standpoint. Methods We performed an extensive query of the most recent publications addressing the prevention of viral infections including the use of face masks in the community as a method to prevent the spread of the infection. We addressed the issues of practicability, professional use, and acceptability based on the community and the environment where the user resided. Upon our critical review of the available literature, we found only weak evidence for wearing a face surgical mask with ties as an efficient hygienic tool to prevent the spread of a viral infection. However, the use of MNC seems to be linked to relevant protection during close contact scenarios by limiting pathogen-containing aerosol and liquid droplet dissemination. Importantly, we found evidence for significant respiratory compromise in patients with severe obstructive pulmonary disease, secondary to the development of hypercapnia. This could also happen in patients with lung infections, with or without SARS-CoV-2. Conclusion Epidemiologists currently emphasize that wearing MNC will effectively interrupt airborne infections in the community. The government and the politicians have followed these recommendations and used them to both advise and, in some cases, mandate the general population to wear MNC in public locations. Overall, the results seem to suggest that there are some clinically relevant scenarios where the use of MNC necessitates more defined recommendations. Our critical evaluation of the literature both highlights the protective effects of certain types of face masks in defined risk groups, and emphasizes their potential risks. The knowledge that the use of face masks delays the SARS-CoV-2 transmission is rapidly gaining popularity in the general population. Politicians need guidance on how masks should be used by the public to fight the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. In this review, we summarize the relevant literature on this topic. “The surgical face mask has become a symbol of our times.” On March 17th, 2020, this was the headline of an article in the New York Times on the role of face masks during the COVID-19 outbreak. Face masks have become a clothing accessory that is worn every day and everywhere. A variety of shapes, forms, and materials are being used and advertised to the point that in 2020 the business of producing and selling non-medical mask was born. In Germany, the government has ruled that wearing a face mask is obligatory to protect the population from any risks of airborne illness, according to the constitutional law stating that “Protection must be easily provided to every citizen in the country.” The aim of this paper is to analyze and critically discuss the regulations of some Federal States in Germany, which require protective masks in public to conform to similar regulations already in place in other countries. Most masks covering the mouth are named mouth nose covering (MNC) according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI; the German federal government agency and research institute responsible for disease control and prevention) and do not protect against respiratory and airborne infections. In the following review, the term “protective masks” will be used to describe any type of face mask. The science around the use of masks by the public to impede COVID-19 transmission is advancing rapidly. In this narrative review, we develop an analytical framework to examine mask usage, synthesizing the relevant literature to inform multiple areas: population impact, transmission characteristics, source control, wearer protection, sociological considerations, and implementation considerations. A primary route of transmission of COVID-19 is via respiratory particles, and it is known to be transmissible from presymptomatic, paucisymptomatic, and asymptomatic individuals. Reducing disease spread requires two things: limiting contacts of infected individuals via physical distancing and other measures and reducing the transmission probability per contact. The preponderance of evidence indicates that mask wearing reduces transmissibility per contact by reducing transmission of infected respiratory particles in both laboratory and clinical contexts. Public mask wearing is most effective at reducing spread of the virus when compliance is high. Given the current shortages of medical masks, we recommend the adoption of public cloth kids mask wearing, as an effective form of source control, in conjunction with existing hygiene, distancing, and contact tracing strategies. Because many respiratory particles become smaller due to evaporation, we recommend increasing focus on a previously overlooked aspect of mask usage: mask wearing by infectious people (“source control”) with benefits at the population level, rather than only mask wearing by susceptible people, such as health care workers, with focus on individual outcomes. We recommend that public officials and governments strongly encourage the use of widespread face masks in public, including the use of appropriate regulation. Policy makers need urgent guidance on the use of masks by the general population as a tool in combating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the respiratory virus that causes COVID-19. Masks have been recommended as a potential tool to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic since the initial outbreak in China (1), although usage during the outbreak varied by time and location (2). Globally, countries are grappling with translating the evidence of public mask wearing to their contexts. These policies are being developed in a complex decision-making environment, with a novel pandemic, rapid generation of new research, and exponential growth in cases and deaths in many regions. There is currently a global shortage of N95/FFP2 respirators and surgical masks for use in hospitals. Simple cloth masks present a pragmatic solution for use by the public. This has been supported by most health bodies. We present an interdisciplinary narrative review of the literature on the role of face masks in reducing COVID-19 transmission in the community. Wu Lien Teh’s work to control the 1910 Manchurian Plague has been acclaimed as “a milestone in the systematic practice of epidemiological principles in disease control” (3), in which Wu identified the cloth mask as “the principal means of personal protection.” Although Wu designed the cloth mask that was used through most of the world in the early 20th century, he pointed out that the airborne transmission of plague was known since the 13th century, and face coverings were recommended for protection from respiratory pandemics since the 14th century (4). Wu reported on experiments that showed a cotton mask was effective at stopping airborne transmission, as well as on observational evidence of efficacy for health care workers. Masks have continued to be widely used to control transmission of respiratory infections in East Asia through to the present day, including for the COVID-19 pandemic (5). In other parts of the world, however, mask usage in the community had fallen out of favor, until the impact of COVID-19 was felt throughout the world, when the discarded practice was rapidly readopted. By the end of June 2020, nearly 90% of the global population lived in regions that had nearly universal mask use, or had laws requiring mask use in some public locations (6), and community mask use was recommended by nearly all major public health bodies. This is a radical change from the early days of the pandemic, when masks were infrequently recommended or used. If there is strong direct evidence, either a suitably powered randomized controlled trial (RCT), or a suitably powered metaanalysis of RCTs, or a systematic review of unbiased observational studies that finds compelling evidence, then that would be sufficient for evaluating the efficacy of public mask wearing, at least in the contexts studied. Therefore, we start this review looking at these types of evidence. Direct Epidemiological Evidence. Cochrane (7) and the World Health Organization (8) both point out that, for population health measures, we should not generally expect to be able to find controlled trials, due to logistical and ethical reasons, and should therefore instead seek a wider evidence base. This issue has been identified for studying community use of masks for COVID-19 in particular (9). Therefore, we should not be surprised to find that there is no RCT for the impact of masks on community transmission of any respiratory infection in a pandemic. Only one observational study has directly analyzed the impact of disposable medical face mask use in the community on COVID-19 transmission. The study looked at the reduction of secondary transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Beijing households by face mask use (10). It found that face masks were 79% effective in preventing transmission, if they were used by all household members prior to symptoms occurring. The study did not look at the relative risk of different types of mask. In a systematic review sponsored by the World Health Organization, Chu et al. (11) looked at physical distancing, face masks, and eye protection to prevent person-to-person transmission of SARS-CoV-2. They found that “face mask use could result in a large reduction in risk of infection.” However, the review included only three studies of mask use outside health care settings, all of which were of SARS, not of SARS-CoV-2, one of which was incorrectly categorized (it occurred in a hospital, but during family and friend visits), and one of which found that none of the households wearing masks had any infections, but was too underpowered to draw any conclusions (12). The remaining study found the use of masks was strongly protective, with a risk reduction of 70% for those that always wore a mask when going out (13), but it did not look at the impact of masks on transmission from the wearer. It is not known to what degree analysis of other coronaviruses can be applied to SARS-CoV-2. None of the studies looked at the relative risks of different types of mask. There has been one controlled trial of mask use for influenza control in the general community (14). The study looked at Australian households, was not done during a pandemic, and was done without any enforcement of compliance. It found that “in an adjusted analysis of compliant subjects, masks as a group had protective efficacy in excess of 80% against clinical influenza-like illness.” However, the authors noted that they “found compliance to be low, but compliance is affected by perception of risk. In a pandemic, we would expect compliance to improve.” In compliant users, masks were highly effective at reducing transmission. Overall, evidence from RCTs and observational studies is informative, but not compelling on its own. Both the Australian influenza RCT and the Beijing households observational trial found around 80% efficacy among compliant subjects, and the one SARS household study of sufficient power found 70% efficacy for protecting the wearer. However, we do not know whether the results from influenza or SARS will correspond to results for SARS-CoV-2, and the single observational study of SARS-CoV-2 might not be replicated in other communities. None of the studies looked specifically at cloth masks. Reviews and RCTs of Mask Use for Other Respiratory Illnesses. A number of reviews have investigated masks during nonpandemic outbreaks of influenza and other respiratory diseases. It is not known to what degree these findings apply to pandemic SARS-CoV-2. When evaluating the available evidence for the impact of masks on community transmission, it is critical to clarify the setting of the research study (health care facility or community), whether masks are evaluated as source control or protection for the wearer, the respiratory illness being evaluated, and (for controlled trials) what control group was used. A Cochrane review (15) on physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses included 67 RCTs and observational studies. It found that “overall masks were the best performing intervention across populations, settings and threats.” There is a similar preprint review by the same lead author (16), in which only studies where mask wearing was tested as a stand-alone intervention were included, without combining it with hand hygiene and physical distancing, and excluding observational studies. That review concluded that “there was insufficient evidence to provide a recommendation on the use of facial barriers without other measures.” MacIntyre and Chughtai (17) published a review evaluating masks as protective intervention for the community, protection for health workers, and as source control. The authors conclude that “community mask use by well people could be beneficial, particularly for COVID-19, where transmission may be pre-symptomatic. The studies of masks as source control also suggest a benefit, and may be important during the COVID-19 pandemic in universal community face mask use as well as in health care settings.” The Usher Institute incorporated laboratory as well as epidemiological evidence in their review (18), finding that “homemade masks worn by sick people can reduce virus transmission by mitigating aerosol dispersal. Homemade masks worn by sick people can also reduce transmission through droplets.” One preprint systematic review (19) including epidemiological, theoretical, experimental, and clinical evidence found that “face masks in a general population offered significant benefit in preventing the spread of respiratory viruses especially in the pandemic situation, but its utility is limited by inconsistent adherence to mask usage.” On the other hand, a preprint systematic review that only included RCTs and observational studies (20) concluded, based on the RCTs, that there was only weak evidence for a small effect from mask use in the community, but that the RCTs often suffered from poor compliance and controls. It found that, in observational studies, the evidence in favor of wearing face masks was stronger. Randomized control trial evidence that investigated the impact of masks on household transmission during influenza epidemics indicates potential benefit. Suess et al. (21) conducted an RCT that suggests household transmission of influenza can be reduced by the use of nonpharmaceutical interventions, namely the use of face masks and intensified hand hygiene, when implemented early and used diligently. Concerns about acceptability and tolerability of the interventions should not be a reason against their recommendation (21). In an RCT, Cowling et al. (22) investigated hand hygiene and face masks that seemed to prevent household transmission of influenza virus when implemented within 36 h of index patient symptom onset. These findings suggest that nonpharmaceutical interventions are important for mitigation of pandemic and interpandemic influenza. RCT findings by Aiello et al. (23) “suggest that face masks and hand hygiene may reduce respiratory illnesses in shared living settings and mitigate the impact of the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic.” A randomized intervention trial (24) found that “face masks and hand hygiene combined may reduce the rate of ILI and confirmed influenza in community settings. These nonpharmaceutical measures should be recommended in crowded settings at the start of an influenza pandemic.” The authors noted that their study “demonstrated a significant association between the combined use of face masks and hand hygiene and a substantially reduced incidence of ILI during a seasonal influenza outbreak. If masks and hand hygiene have similar impacts on primary incidence of infection with other seasonal and pandemic strains, particularly in crowded, community settings, then transmission of viruses between persons may be significantly decreased by these interventions.” Overall, direct evidence of the efficacy of mask use is supportive, but inconclusive. Since there are no RCTs, only one observational trial, and unclear evidence from other respiratory illnesses, we will need to look at a wider body of evidence.
Дата Публикации: 04-01-22
Are Inflatable Paddleboards Better Than Hard Ones?
Описание: Are Inflatable Paddleboards Better Than Hard Ones? NEW YORK (Reuters) - small paddle board has surged to a fast-growing water sport that fitness experts say delivers a full-body workout to anyone exercising on an ocean, lake or river. About 1.2 million people tried mini stand up paddle board in 2011, up 18 percent from 2010, according to the Outdoor Industry Association’s 2012 report, and nearly 60 percent of SUP enthusiasts tried it for the first time in 2011. SUP is said to have started when surfing instructors in Hawaii stood up on their boards to photograph their clients. It involves standing on a long board and using a single paddle to propel through the water. “It’s accessible to just about anyone with any athletic inclination,” said Will Taylor, associate editor of SUP Magazine. “Even my grandmother would be able to paddle around on flat water.” SUP boards are larger and much more stable than standard surf boards, Taylor said. “If you’re older, you can basically take a stroll on the water: paddle slowly, take in sights,” he explained. “If you’re a marathoner, you can paddle really hard or do intervals.” Taylor said just standing on the unstable platform engages the stabilizer muscles, while paddling targets the upper body. “This is a little more full body than surfing because you’re standing the whole time,” he explained. “It’s a balancing act. The core is really getting worked.” Carey Bond, an instructor and guide at Manhattan Kayak Company in New York City, co-founded the Suplogix research group to explore the biomechanics of small inflatable paddle board. “The health and fitness benefits are proving to be quite significant,” said Bond, whose company uses biotechnology to measure muscle activation during SUP. All of your stabilizing muscles in hip, lower leg, knee joint are activated in a therapeutic way to stabilize balance on the unstable surface,” he said. The intensity of the workout also depends on the body of water, according to Dr. Cedric Bryant, chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. “Balance, core strength and endurance are among the significant fitness benefits,” Bryant said. “Paddling is a great core workout, engaging every muscle either actively or as core stabilizer, and paddling out on the ocean with waves and currents can be really intense.” At the New York Kayak Company, which teaches beginners to SUP on the Hudson River, SUP classes are fuller than kayak classes. “We teach people how to get up, how to propel the board forward, how to maneuver, how to avoid falling, how to get back on board and fall off the board,” said owner Randall Henriksen. “There’s less technique than with kayaking and the equipment is lighter and easier to use,” he said, adding a lot of people start it as a way to lose weight. Henriksen said people new to SUP find themselves flooded with unfamiliar sensory data because standing on dry land isn’t the same as standing on a board in water. “A lot of the techniques are counterintuitive,” he explained, adding most people get the hang of it after one two-hour lesson. His company has also started SUP yoga sessions. “We’re holding a pose rather than flowing,” he said. “The more advanced people will do headstands. Yoga people love this.” Experts agree that anyone attempting SUP should be comfortable in the water. “Knowing how to swim is a good idea for everybody, especially for people who want to engage in water sports,” Henriksen said. “But Eskimos didn’t know how to swim, that’s why they had kayaks.” Stand up rescue inflatable paddle board is a rapidly growing sport and recreational activity where anecdotal evidence exists for its proposed health, fitness and injury rehabilitation benefits. While limited scientific evidence exists to substantiate these claims, previous studies have shown that high levels of fitness, strength and balance exists amongst participants of this sport. The purpose of this study was to conduct a training intervention on a group of previously untrained individuals to ascertain the potential of SUP on various health parameters. Methods An intervention study was conducted where after being tested initially, subjects were left for 6 weeks to act as their own control before the SUP intervention began. A total of 13 SUP participants completed the training study (nine males, four females) which was comprised of three 1 h sessions per week for 6 weeks. Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) originated in Hawaii in the 50's and is a mixture of both surfing and paddling . It is an emerging recreational activity which has attracted attention for its proposed fitness, strength and balance benefits. Anecdotally, SUP is thought to be a beneficial clinical training tool as it possesses many facets of an ideal rehabilitative exercise . However our recent review of the literature has identified minimal scientific evidence to substantiate the proposed benefits. Stand up 10 foot inflatable paddle board is a physical activity in which the participant maintains a standing position on a board similar to a surfboard. However, stand up paddle boards are longer in length (8–15', 2.44–4.57 m), thicker (4–8", 10.16–20.32 cm) and wider (26–31", 66.04–78.74 cm) than traditional surfboards. Stand up paddle boarding involves a participant getting to their feet on a large board before using the long paddle for propulsion with strokes on either side of the body . Paddling involves the similar biomechanics of dragon boat racing which has the paddling mechanics of an entry, drive and exit of the paddle from the water . It requires a rhythmic alternating paddle to propel the craft through the water. Isometric contractions of the entire trunk, gluteals and lower leg musculature are required to counter the rotational forces from the pull phase of each paddling stroke . One of the major attractions of SUP is that it is thought to a good fitness training tool. Physical activity is well understood to increase cardiovascular fitness which is associated with cardiovascular mortality . Physical inactivity is a major modifiable risk factor of a range of non‐communicable diseases such as diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis and some forms of cancer . Physical activity significantly improves overall health, lowers the risk of heart disease by 40 %, stroke by 27 % and lowers the incidence of hypertension by almost 50 % . Physical activity has also been associated with improved mental health and well‐being, minimizing the risk of developing Alzheimer’s and depression . Our prior research has demonstrated that high levels of aerobic and anaerobic fitness, core strength and balance are possessed by those classed as elite amongst this sport . Given the issue of sedentary behaviour and limited scientific research on SUP regarding the anecdotal claims of benefit of this activity, our intention was to assess the benefit of SUP on a group of sedentary, untrained individuals with respect to fitness, strength, balance and self-rated quality of life. A total of 18 sedentary individuals (ten males, eight females) were recruited through radio and media advertisements about the study. A total of 13 individuals (four females, nine males) completed the training program. Inclusion criteria required individuals to have not been participating in physical activity for the last 6 months and were aged between 18 and 60 years. Exclusion criteria included a history of back pain, physical and psychological impairment. The study was approved by the University Human Research Ethics Committee (RO-1550) and each participant formally consented to taking part in the study. The training program consisted of 3 1 h sessions per week for 6 weeks. There was a rest period of 48 h before subsequent sessions with no sessions being performed on Sundays for either group. Participants were given longer, wider boards to begin with (~11' length, 33" width, 4.6" thickness), before moving on to shorter, narrower boards (~length 9'1, 29.5"width, 4.4" thickness) to challenge postural control more as the weeks progressed. The intensity of the sessions was gradually increased until week three where high intensity sprint based training was incorporated into the week with the long slow sessions. Initially, participants were paddling 1 km in an endurance session, which increased to 10 km by then end of the training program. High intensity initially involved 2 min of 10 s paddling, 10 s resting which progressed to 5 min of 10 s on, 10 s off. Given the similar, low initial fitness of the males and females, the same training program was provided to all participants of this study. The majority of the training sessions were performed on the SUP boards with some minimal land based training which included running from the shore to the SUP boards to begin a paddle session. Participants were instructed to perform no other physical activity apart from the SUP training during the interventional period. For testing, participants attended the human performance laboratory where they were assessed for height and weight on a standard medical balance scale (Seca, 700, Hamburg, Deutschland). Body composition and basal metabolic rate was assessed using bio-electrical impedance (Tanita Body Composition Analyzer MC-980MA, Illinois, USA) as this has been shown to successfully determine body composition . Bloods lipids were analysed prior to exercise using a portable analyser (Cardiochek, P.A. Indiana, USA) to ascertain total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoproteins (HDL), low density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides (Trigs). The Cardiochek is Cholesterol Reference Method Laboratory Network (CRMLN) certified and has high correlation to standard venous blood samples . A continuous graded exercise test on a specialised SUP ergometer (KayakPro SUPErgo, Miami, FL, USA) was used to determine maximal aerobic power (relative and absolute). The SUPErgo is elevated on springs which aims to replicate the instability of paddling on water (Fig. 2). This laboratory assessment has previously been shown to correlate highly to field based measures . Maximal aerobic power (VO2max) was determined using an automated expired gas analysis system (Parvomedics TrueOne 2400 metabolic system, East Sandy, Utah, USA) which was calibrated prior to each test. The expired-gas-analysis system meets Australian Institute of Sport accreditation standards for precision and accuracy. The gas analysis software was configured to breath by breath however VO2 max was determined from the average of 30 s of max data collected.
Дата Публикации: 04-01-22
The Tarpaulins Uses
Описание: The Tarpaulins Uses PVC Tarpaulin is a multipurpose textile product made from different coating formulation grade of polymer that has high durability material to withstand hot, windy and raining weather. This causes a problem in which it is difficult to dispose naturally due to its non-degradable characteristic. An experimental investigation was conducted on determining the workability of the concrete mixture with addition of non-degradable crushed polyvinyl tarpaulin using slump test and also the effect on the compressive strength of the concrete mixture by using hydraulic compressive machine. The crushed polyvinyl tarpaulin was proportioned ranging 5% to 30% with respect to cement’s percent by weight in kg. This specimen was molded in a cubic 100mm x 100mm x 100mm with constant volume of cement, sand and gravel at 1:1.5:4 mix proportion of concrete mix design 30MPa in 28 days using DOE method. The result was compared against control sample shows workability of fresh concrete reduced by increment amount of crushed polyvinyl tarpaulin in the concrete mixture. For the compressive strength, performance of concrete with minimum percentage of crushed polyvinyl PVC Coated Tarpaulin in concrete mixture were higher than designed concrete mixture but lower than the control sample. Tarpaulin is a large piece of dense, elastic, water-proof or water-resistant materials, usually made of cloth or polyester, is packaged in rigid polyurethane, or made of polyethylene and plastic. A large sheet of thick, flexible, water resistant or waterproof material, mostly made up of the fabric, or polyester, is packaged in rigid polyurethane, or made of polyethylene and plastic.PVC Knife Coated Tarpaulin is to be addictive and the eyes, on the corners and edges, glue glasses to allow them to be tagged or it will be suspended. Tarpaulins are used in several ways in order to protect the people and things out of the wind, the rain and the sun. They can be used during construction, or after a natural disaster, to protect the buildings that are under construction or have been damaged, to prevent contamination during the creative process, etc., etc. and for the storage and collection of waste. Tarpaulin have been used in various ways in order to protect the people and things out of the wind, the rain and the sun. They can be used during construction, or after a natural disaster, to protect the built and damaged buildings, in order to avoid contamination during the creative process, and similar activities, for the storage and collection of waste. They are to be used for the protection of the open cargo trucks, trailers and semi-trailers, as well as for storing large amounts of dry wood and on the equipment such as tents and other temporary structures. The awnings are used for printing, and in particular, to the large panels. Cone-shaped covers are most often used for medium-and large-scale advertising and / or customers in order to protect the purpose of the risk reduction in the exposure. The Tarpaulins have been proven to be a popular source of low-cost water-resistant. A lot of professional and amateur artists, with plywood-manufacturers boats are turning to plastic on a roll, since it is cheaper and easier to use. With the right type of tape you can create a canvas that can be used in a small boat, without any sew. Tarpaulin will be used in several ways in order to protect the people and things out of the wind, the rain and the sun. They have been used in the construction of, or after natural disasters, and the protection of buildings, under construction, or have been damaged, to prevent contamination during the creative process, and similar activities, for the storage and collection of waste. PVC canopies are a three-layer fabric that is used for the screams to be inserted between the two sheets of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film. Plastic-is the one to open the material is made of cotton fabric, polyester fabric, nylon fabric, polyester fabric, and composite materials. Cargo truck Tarpaulins: A reliable, heavy-duty waterproof jacket designed for the truck to drive. They can be a suitable product for vehicles that need to travel long distances to work in a safe and convenient place. Heavy-duty, plastic and rubber materials are used to make the tent for the country. Mesh Tarpaulins: They are made of nylon and are ideal for situations where you want the tarp to keep the water or in the air. They can be used in the construction of the tent with screen and shade, such as in the air, and it also reduces the amount of air that gets to the plate. When a strong wind blows, the dust, and a little bit from one side to the other. Lumber Tarpaulins: even Though it's not the most popular game genre, and split wood, and has a wide range of applications. Please make sure that you and your partner, the manufacturer shall, for a smooth, UV-coverage of your product. This helps to keep the logs dry and separate from the harmful rays of the sun. The size of the wood sailboats, as a rule, is subject to its features. Canvas Tarpaulins: Truck PVC Laminated Tarpaulin is woven, and made out of natural or synthetic fibers. This is one of the oldest forms of sails, used for various purposes since time immemorial. They can withstand the wind, and the double porch is a great choice for artists, and representatives from the transport industry. Even though it is 100% waterproof, it is able to absorb the paint and prevent it from leaking. And it is not just the sensitive surface, and a fixed beam, and the road to protect against slip and slide. To facilitate recycling, not only R&D but also the creation of efficient recycling systems—collection and processing of recyclates as well as finding appropriate end-uses—is essentially important. PVC has a particular advantage in regards to mechanical recycling when compared to other major plastics. However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to a solution. Specific situations of used or off-cut products and their applications need to be well studied. Vinyl industry in Japan has devoted itself for many years to the promotion of recycling of vinyl products. It started an R&D support program in 2007 and seven projects have been completed since then. Some of the new developments include mechanical recycling for products like wall covering and tarpaulin which were considered difficult to recycle in the past. Progress in chemical recycling has been made with a technology for the removal of chlorine from shredder dusts. Recovery of chlorine is a challenge for the future. Collaboration among the various players involved in the recycling of a specific product is essential for obtaining a successful result. PVC products have an advantage over other plastics with regard to their suitability for mechanical recycling. The portion of PVC products—including both used, off-cut products, and wastes in the production facilities—recycled was estimated at 32 %, while in all other major plastics it was 22 % in Japan (2011) . In general, PVC products are used for infrastructure, housing and building supplies and are used for much longer periods than other plastic products. Long life and easiness to recycle, in addition to less use of fossil resources as compared to other major plastics, can contribute much to enhance environmental protection and sustainability. Nevertheless, there still remains a negative image which is mostly due to the past misunderstanding of association with dioxin emissions, which has been proved to be reduced dramatically by controlling incinerating conditions and not correlated to the chlorine content of the burned substances . With a view to demonstrating the environmental advantages of PVC products, the PVC industry in Japan has been working on recycling PVC products. It reiterated its commitment to the promotion of recycling in 2007 and released the “PVC Recycle Vision” . Similar industry-led actions to facilitate PVC recycling can be found in many parts in the world. An example of such industry-wide systematic approaches to cover various types of PVC products was an initiative in Europe, or the “Vinyl 2010” and its following program of “Vinyl Plus”. In Japan, PVC resin manufacturers have been playing a leading role in developing new technological alternatives for PVC products and started an R&D support program to explore new technologies with high commercial application potential. The program covers half of the total expenses of adopted projects excluding labor costs and overheads, up to 20,000,000 yen (approximately 200,000 USD in 2013) per project for 2 years. The R&D support program in Japan is a unique approach, although, development of new or more efficient technologies or applications for used PVC materials is a common interest for vinyl industry in many parts in the world. The “Vinyl Plus” of Europe declares that it targets for “new recycling technologies to account for 100,000 tons/year of its overall recycling target. With the support of the upstream industry, Vinyl Plus will investigate new ways to create controlled-loop solutions for difficult-to-recycle PVC material streams such as composite and/or contaminated/difficult-to-sort material. Vinyl Plus will encourage ideas and investments in new technology or expansion of existing innovative recycling solutions” . The details of its approach have not been reported yet, and it is not known if there are plans to create a similar R&D support program or not. US PVC industry is also promoting recycling but does not have a similar R&D support program now. In the developing world, many PVC products are recycled on commercial basis. A study in Thailand found that not much PVC products were found in the waste disposal sites . Japan’s R&D support program was founded in 2007. Since then, seven projects have been completed and three of them are currently in operation. They are either open new ways to materials which are thought difficult to recycle or develop new applications for recyclates. The project was adopted in 2008 and successfully completed in 2010. It was a unique technology proposal to separate PVC compounds and fibers as they are found in products such as tarpaulins and wall coverings by hitting chopped pieces of composite material with fins attached to a high speed rotating drum. The fins hit the chopped pieces at a speed of some 200 km/h. PVC compounds and fibers are detached and separated from each other through their different specific gravities . It was an innovative recycling technology proposal for PVC composite products which had been considered difficult to recycle mechanically. The wall coverings industry has long been looking for an effective means to recycle their products—both edge-cuts at production or off-cuts at the construction and refurbishment sites, and post use products—and showed strong interest in the proposal. The proposal was seen potentially promising for the edge-cuts and off-cuts. The project proposer was a small venture which had been developing various types of machines to sell. Searching for best conditions and testing durability and safety of operations were major elements of the R&D proposal. As the technology was so unique and interesting, the project proposer received funding from the local government. The technology was successful and proved promising. The separation worked beautifully as separated PVC compounds contained only 1 % of fibers, and the fibers contained only 1 % of PVC compounds when thoroughly separated. However, it took time to find out how the technology could be economically adopted in an actual business scenario. Finding stable supply sources of wall coverings or Waterproof PVC Coated Tarpaulin as well as the users of both the separated PVC compounds and fibers was necessary. The original hope of selling machines was an enormous challenge. In the meantime, the machine manufacturer got involved in a chain bankruptcy. Fortunately, the technology attracted the attention of a waste processing company (Shinwa Kankyo Co. Ltd.) which had a clearer idea than the machine maker of how wall coverings or tarpaulins could be collected and the separated compounds and fibers could be used. The company made efforts to improve the machine, particularly its durability, as well as the material feeder in order to efficiently chop the wall coverings. It plans to additionally treat tarpaulins in the future. It started commercial operation in September 2011 and runs several machines in parallel with a capacity of processing 300 tons/month of wall coverings . The technology was later proved to be effective to process used wall coverings and the company is now trying to expand their sources of raw materials. The separated PVC compounds have various applications such as floorings, tile carpets and mats. The fibers are short in lengths and not good enough to make fabricated goods or non-woven papers. They were first used as material for cat litter. Later, in collaboration with a PVC product manufacturer the company developed lightweight coasters and bath mats with the PVC compounds and fibers plus virgin resin materials. The compounds received the “Biomass Mark ” as they contain recovered biomass in the form of fibers. Then, it also worked with another PVC product manufacturer (Link Planet Co. Ltd.) and developed thick curing sheets made of the separated PVC compounds (30 %), and cable sheaths (70 %) . The sheets are lightweight compared to metal sheets and therefore easy to move. Nevertheless, they can endure the weight of heavy machines. They are more flexible and resilient and thus do not break easily, and more fire-retardant compared to similar products made of polyethylene . They are now being used at construction or temporary event sites. The separation machine still needs improvement, in particular regarding durability. Since the rotor spins very fast, the axis may experience metal fatigue. Improvements in machine design or choice of materials for the machines and further adjustment of the operation conditions may be needed. In addition, effective removal of cutter blades which are often disposed together with used wall coverings remains an issue to be addressed.
Дата Публикации: 04-01-22
Why Table Legs are Important to your Design
Описание: Why Table Legs are Important to your Design You probably don’t spend much time thinking about tables and table leg design, but there are so many types of tables, you may not realize how important furniture legs are to your interior design when considering their role in the functionality of the space. There are many types of tables, one for every purpose: coffee tables, end tables, accent tables, dinning tables, patio tables, board room & conference room tables, and so many others. Tables can be just much decorative as they are functional, and one way to spruce up your design is using beautiful metal dining table legs. Furniture Legs and Table Legs do more than hoist up the table; they set the tone for the design and give the piece its unique identity and purpose. Choosing the right table legs is important not only to ensure that you are providing enough strength and stability for the intended use of the furniture, but also to add value and guarantee the overall quality. Tables are among the most used furniture pieces in any interior and they are usually the centerpiece of the room. Thus, choosing the right metal coffee table legs requires taking a step back and taking a broader approach in thinking of the overall interior style and purpose. There are a lot of styles out there to choose from, but which one are you trying to achieve? Which is your favorite? Or which style fits your interior design? Whether traditional, contemporary, or wildly original and unique, the right table legs will really bring your design together. Picking Table LegsTable Height The height of your table will pretty much determine what it is to be used for. What kind of table are you looking for? Work desk? Dining Table? Standing height work bench? Identifying the purpose of your desk will aid in determining the proper height. For instance, a regular dining table is usually 30 inches high while coffee tables are more like 16 inches to 18 inches. Work desks can run a little lower or a little higher depending on who will be using the desk, but typically run about 28” to 30” high. Paying attention to these details will guarantee the table has the perfect height and the right legs to match. Picking Table LegsLeg thickness and weight For this part you have to consider the tabletop. Thin tabletops made of glass or thin stone pair well with thinner, more delicate metal bench legs (assuming they are within the weight capacity of the legs). Thicker tabletops call for a sturdier and thicker leg to fit the design and to add more support. Be sure to factor in how much weight each table leg supports. If you are building a table with a really thick wood top you have to make sure the legs can support all the weight, plus any added weight that may go on top of it. So always look for the total weight each leg can handle. The best table designs have a nice, harmonious relationship between the custom top and the legs that fits the style and the demands for usage. So how many legs do you need? You might think that all tables have FOUR legs, one for each corner of the table. Makes sense, but that is not always the case. Depending on the design and the size of the table, you may even get away with two legs if they are dual legs or have additional supports adding to the structural integrity. Or suppose you have a peninsula table coming off the wall or off the edge of a larger table or countertop – that may only require one leg even. Or you can open up a whole new set of options when dealing with cubes or cylinders to accommodate large tops. Cubes and cylinder bases are a simple minimalist table base solution that can still serve as a bold statement piece in any room. Use it right in the middle under a square or round top or use multiple bases for large oval or rectangular tables like board room or conference room tables. Our cubes and cylinders are available in different sizes and finishes and are made from the highest quality steel. As a rule of thumb, the base needs to be at least half the size of the top it’s supporting (a 24” dia top would need at least a 12” dia base for instance). Made to order to your exact specifications. When ordering as a set, it takes some of the guesswork out of specifying parts. This table leg set is connected by a center spine with two dual legs on either end. You can never go wrong with this one – it’s easy to put together, it’s durable for all light duty tops with a 200 lb weight capacity, and it has an ultra-modern feel with a statuesque display. It's a problem as old as civilization: the wobbly table. You may have thought your only recourse against this scourge is a hastily folded cocktail napkin stuffed under the offending leg. If so, take heart, because mathematicians have recently proved a more elegant solution. Just rotate the table. The intuitive argument, which dates back at least to a 1973 Scientific American column by Martin Gardner, is straightforward. Consider a square table with four equally long legs. Any three of the legs must be able to rest on the floor simultaneously, as a tripod does. Assume the floor undulates smoothly and the fourth leg hovers above it. Now imagine turning the table about its center while keeping the black metal dining table legs grounded, or balanced. Once the table has rotated by 90 degrees, the wobbly leg must lie below the floor. (If you do not see why, imagine pushing down equally on the wobbly leg and a neighboring leg until the neighbor sinks below the floor and the wobbly leg touches down.) And so, at some point along the wobbly leg's arc, it has to hit a spot on which it can rest. As simple as this argument may sound, however, proof was a long time coming. The first serious mathematical inroad against table wobbling seems to have occurred in the late 1960s with Roger Fenn, a PhD student at the University of London. One day Fenn and his graduate adviser ended up at a coffee shop faced with—you guessed it—an unsteady table. "The table wouldn't stop wobbling and we fiddled it around until we got it to stop," recalls Fenn, who is now at the University of Sussex. At his adviser's suggestion, Fenn wrote out a proof that for any smoothly curving floor that bulges upward like a hill, there is at least one way to position the table so that it is balanced and horizontal. But he did not reveal how exactly to find that sweet spot, and he quickly tabled the subject. "I didn't think people were going to take this very seriously," he admits. "You say to somebody you've met, 'Well I'm trying to put a table on the floor so it doesn't wobble'; they'll say, 'Oh yeah?'" The season for proving the table turning hypothesis would not arrive for another 35 years. By then, the idea had become such a part of mathematical lore that two years ago mathematician Burkard Polster of Monash University in Australia included it in an article on neat math tricks for teachers. He promptly received a letter pointing out that the idea would not work if a floor possessed sheer cliffs, such as between tiles. Polster rose to the challenge. "It's never been really pinpointed exactly what the ground should be like," he says. So he and some of his colleagues ran through the appropriate calculus and satisfied themselves that if a floor has no spots that slope by more than 35.26 degrees, then turning will indeed balance a square or rectangular tablealthough the table may not end up level. They detail the proof in a paper accepted for publication by the Mathematical Intelligencer. (In one of those odd cases of co-discovery, a retired CERN physicist named Andr? Martin published a similar result within a few months of the Australians' version.) Polster's group even spells out a procedure for balancing the table . First lift up the leg of the table diagonal from the wobbly leg. Make sure both legs are roughly equal distances off the ground and then begin rotating. "In practice," the researchers write, "it does not seem to matter how exactly you turn your table on the spot, as long as you turn roughly around the center of the table." The best dining table for you will be one that works for your budget, is solidly constructed, fits in your space and has a style you’ll love for years. There are some core factors you should consider when choosing a good one. First, be wary of giving into trends, said Christophe Pourny, a master furniture restorer and the author of “The Furniture Bible,” who noted that a good table should last at least five to 10 years. “If you get something too funky, with too many weird details, one day you may wake up and wonder what you were thinking,” he said. “Keep it simple and sturdy.” Along with affordability and a timeless style, stability and construction are important to look for when inspecting tables at furniture stores. Think about how it feels to sit at one of those tables, whether it will be comfortable for long periods, and examine floor models for signs of wear. Look for nicks and scratches that may indicate how the tables would endure through serious use at home. If you’d like some specific recommendations, Wirecutter, the New York Times product review site, has great sub-$1000 dining table guide here. “In addition to the footprint of the table, you’ll want three feet of breathing room on all sides — and more is better — to comfortably sit in a chair and move around the space,” said Lucy Harris, an interior designer in New York. So whether it’s part of a multiuse space or a separate dining room, start by measuring the length and width of the area you can dedicate to the dining table. Then subtract about six feet from those two measurements to get a target dining table length and width. Next, think about how you’re going to use the table. “Figure that each place at the table needs 22 to 24 inches of table space and that larger-scale chairs will require more,” said Max Dyer, a furniture industry veteran and a current vice president of casegoods (a category of hard furniture like tables, cabinets, and chairs) at La-Z-Boy Industries. As a longtime apartment-dweller, I’ve found that the “visual weight” of a piece of furniture can really influence how big it feels in a room. It may technically fit, but it’ll seem huge if it’s a dark or bulky piece or if it’s too close to other furniture.
Дата Публикации: 04-01-22
How to Use Different Types of Strapping Material
Описание: How to Use Different Types of Strapping Material All interested parties are welcome to join in the ongoing revisions to D3953, Specification for Strapping, Flat Steels and Seals. The standard is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee D10.25 on Palletizing and Unitizing of Loads, part of ASTM International Committee D10 on Packaging. According to its scope, D3953 covers flat steel strapping and seals intended for use in closing, reinforcing, bundling articles for shipment, unitizing, palletizing and bracing for carloading, truckloading, lifting and lashing. "Most people have dealt with the material covered by D3953 without knowing it," says Anthony Mariano, Independent Metal Strap Co. Inc., and a D10 member. "As one of the first modern materials used for unitizing and bundling, oiled steel strapping is well-known to packaging users, but since the last full review of D3953, there have been many changes in technology, especially in closure methods," says Peter Catlos, chairman of D10.25. These technological changes will be addressed in ongoing revisions. Catlos notes that waxed steel strapping is widely used in the lumber, metals and paper industries. The standard is used to specify strapping products for purchase, in package design and in design of load securement techniques for over-the-road, rail and maritime transport of goods. Section 13 of D3953 includes several test methods for steel strapping. Every person who has ever worked with galvanized steel strapping knows that this can be a potentially dangerous product. When talking to potential customers I hear many stories from people who have been injured by steel banding. Either caused by loose hanging pieces of cut metal strapping or when applying and the steel snapped unexpectedly. Companies take many safety precautions to protect their employees. Safety glasses, helmets, shoes are part of most workers Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and still many companies provide their staff with "razor blades" to secure their products. Of course there are always people that deny the risks of steel banding but fact is that people getting cut is very high on the list of job related accidents. Cordstrap already recognized this risk over 50 years ago and invented a safe alternative for steel banding. The latest generation of Cordstrap strapping is a composite strap made of high tenacity polyester yarns embedded in a PP coating. The Cordstrap strapping products are an extremely strong alternative for steel banding. Due to the unique buckle joint Cordstrap's overall system strength will be higher compared with steel banding. Most of all, Cordstrap strapping systems are safe for your products, safe for your employees and safe for your customers. In Australia Cargo Restraint Systems offers a wide range of Cordstrap systems. We always welcome the opportunity to take a closer look at your applications and provide you with a safe solution. Just contact us and it will be our pleasure to assist you. Pallet strapping, or banding is the process of using a metal or plastic strap to unitize, palletize or bundle products together. Strapping is used in a variety of industries from shipping large industrial equipment and lumber to reinforcing cases in e-commerce fulfilment centres. For this reason, there are many grades and types of materials on the market today. Strapping is applied either manually with a hand tool or automatically with a strapping machine. In both cases, a strap or band is feed around the product and pulled taught. A fastening method then secures the ends of the strap around the product and the excess material is removed. Strapping materials are available in many different strengths with specific grades and classifications. It is important to understand these grades and how they can affect your material choice when choosing your packaging. How your product is transported will affect the rating system and materials used. The two associations who grade strapping are the American Association of Railroads and ASTM International. Although ratings can be similar, it is important to understand that the designations are not interchangeable. With a variety of applications and uses, it is important to understand the different types of strapping materials. The materials used come in multiple strength levels as well as elongation and recovery rates. Elongation and recovery are important for loads that are susceptible to sudden shifting. The movement will apply tension to the strap as the load shifts. As the shifting occurs, a strap can stretch to reduce the impact of sudden inertia changes. The straps recovery ability of the strap will indicate the straps ability to return to its original state. To date, repair of damaged columns has become increasingly more significant. The failure of columns structure contributes to the serious consequences in structural stability. Most of the existing repairing techniques are based on lateral passive confining pressure. However, this passive-type of confinement is ineffective in restoring the performance of damaged concrete columns. In this regards, active confinement was selected in this study to repair damaged concrete columns which can actively confine concrete in this study. Tempered Spring Steel Strip tensioning technique (SSTT) allows pre-tensioning low-cost recycled steel straps around the damaged column was chosen herein to represent active confinement. A total of 12 columns were prepared and loaded axially to certain degree of their respective ultimate strength. Hence, a pre-damage level of the columns was developed. Then, the damaged columns repaired by using mortar and confined with SSTT. Finally, the repaired columns were then tested under monotonic uniaxial load. The structural performances of the confined repaired columns were compared with those of the repaired columns without confinement. It is expected that as the concrete compressive strength increases, the effectiveness in restoring the load carrying capacity of the damaged column becomes more significant. The efficacy of post-tensioned metal straps PTMS, wrapped around steel channels anchored to normal reinforced concrete (R.C) beams is tested in increasing the flexural capacity of the beams. For this purpose, nine normal R.C beams with dimensions of 160 mm x 240 mm x 2100 mm are constructed to fail in bending. The location and the number of the straps are considered as the main variable. It is found that using PTMS can enhance the load-carrying capacity of the beam by 29% to 63%. The decisive factors affecting the increase are the location of the straps (at the bottom or sides), shape of the flange and web edges (squared or rounded) and alignment of the flanges (vertical or inclined). A complete guide can be found in the paper as it is a novel method of strengthening beams which can be applied to the beams cast in place with integral slabs Editor’s note: The following column by Shaun Bryce, director of Melbourne Packaging, is part of Modern’s Other Voices column, a series featuring ideas, opinions and insights from end-users, analysts, systems integrators and OEMs. Click here to learn about submitting a column for consideration. The strapping and industrial packaging industries can be challenging to get your head around if you haven’t had any exposure to them, or their products, before. Are you feeling overwhelmed about the components that are used with the manual tools as well as the high-tech automatic machines? Let’s get back to basics and break down everything you need to know about strapping products. With this information, you’ll be able to make the right choice for your business. The first step is to consider if you need to implement them in your business or not. Small businesses that need strapping for carton, crates, or pallets less than 15 times a month will find a manually operated tool is sufficient for their needs. If you need to perform this task every day, you’ll benefit from investing in a strapping machine. You’ll find it will boost your productivity because it will save your team time. You should also look at your team’s capacity. Automated machines could free up your staff to focus on other areas that need attention. This could improve productivity, motivation, and quality control. Most important is protecting your product. A simple investment in a strapping tool could drastically reduce the damage your items experience in transit. Damaged boxes or pallets can be an overhead that affects your bottom line and your brand’s reputation. More suppliers may be willing to work with you if they know your packaging arrives safe, secure, and undamaged. Perform an audit on your loads. If you work with smaller cartons, a table or arch strapper is the right product for your business. Large crates and pallets can be strapped manually unless you’re working with large volumes. In this case, you should investigate horizontal or vertical pallet strappers. The type of materials you need to secure will also inform your choice in a strapping machine. For example, industries that trade in the print media area will require specialized machines to use on palletized loads. Another thing you need to explore is the strapping that you will be used to secure your products. They will affect the tools you use and the method you apply them. Polypropylene is inexpensive and can be used for many applications. It is usually secured using a buckle and tensioner system, metal crimping seal or can be friction welded. A tensioner tool can be used to achieve the correct tension. Steel strapping can be secured with metal crimping seals using a device that crimps the strap.
Дата Публикации: 04-01-22
What is a USB Cable?
Описание: What is a USB Cable? We know that technology evolves faster and further every day and it can sometimes feel overwhelming. That’s why we’ve partnered with StarTech.com, a global leader in manufacturing top-quality USB cables and connectivity solutions, to bring you this USB Cable Guide. Here, you’ll learn everything you need to know about the various types of USB cables, what the USB versions mean for transferring your data, and how they work. USB stands for Universal Serial Bus and is an umbrella term used to describe the most common port type: the rectangular USB, known as USB A. Typically, USB ports are found across multiple devices, such as phones, PCs, and gaming consoles. Initially developed in the mid-90s, the USB connection was created to standardize ports for peripherals. This is so secondary devices, like printers and keyboards, can connect to a wider range of computers and hosts, rather than a select few with specific receptacles. Today, there are a variety of USB types, but the main use of all USBs has remained the same: to transfer data and power. Over time, new versions have been released to improve transfer speeds and power output. StarTech.com are the experts when it comes to how this technology works. The industry leaders explain a USB 2.0 cable connection like this: “If you were to open up a USB cable, you would notice 4 different USB wire colours: white and green, which carry data, and red and black, which are used for power. Red carries 5 volts and acts as the positive wire, while black is the negative wire, otherwise known as the ground wire. Each type of USB connection (USB cable type A, B, C, micro and mini) has a pinout system, these are the small metal strips inside the connector, designed to access each of these wires and their capabilities.” Over the last 25 years, there have been several different USB cables and iterations, depending on the USB protocol. The USB started with version 1.0, which transfers up to 12Mbps and was released in 1995. The latest today is USB version 4, which transfers up to a massive 40Gbps. StarTech.com know that users want the best USB for the job, which is why they have created a table below to help decipher the speed and capabilities of each version. As with USB versions, the shape of the USB connection has also seen drastic changes over the years. With each new evolution of USB type, their form factor generally becomes smaller to accommodate for new, much thinner devices that are popular during the time of release. The USB C design, which is the latest USB release, is unique because it’s the only USB that fits into another port type not specifically created for it: Thunderbolt 3. They are both the same shape and users can employ Thunderbolt 3 and USB C cables and ports interchangeably. All other male and female USB connector types only fit their corresponding male and female ports. For example, a USB port type b will only accept a USB type B connector. The version or speed of the technology is dictated by the host device, connecting peripheral, and the version of the USB 3.0 cable, not the shape of the port. Backwards compatibility means that the latest version of something is still capable of using previous versions. For example, a USB A 3.0 port is capable of recognising and utilising a USB A 2.0 peripheral. For the newer USB C, it’s still possible to connect older USB supported devices to a USB C port or host, via an adapter. StarTech.com provide an extensive range of 90 Degree USB Cable, which can be used if the host and peripheral have different port types. Adapters, or connectors, can be found for all USB types and are not limited to USB C. When using previous USB versions, the performance is limited to the earliest version that’s being used. For example, if you want to transfer files from a 2.0 USB A enabled hard drive to a laptop with USB A 3.0 ports, the transfer rate (USB speeds) would be limited to 480Mbps. USB-C is the latest advancement in USB connectivity and has been dubbed by many as “future proof.” It is conveniently reversible and has a much more compact shape compared to previous USB cable types. A USB C cable not only deals with data and power, but also video. It supports multiple protocols and carries DisplayPort and HDMI signals (when in Alt mode), as well as Thunderbolt 3 for equipped devices. Also, like other USBs, it’s capable of backwards compatibility from USB 1.1, but functions with the latest USB 3.2 Gen 2.2 devices as well. This type of connector looks and is physically the same as a Thunderbolt 3 port. Thunderbolt 3 and USB C ports and cables can be used interchangeably and utilised for data transfer, power output, and video. When using a Thunderbolt 3 port with a USB C cable, users can charge full-size electronics with up to 100W of power output. Even better, the top data transfer speed is 40Gbps with a Thunderbolt 3 port, meaning you can be more productive. Universal Serial Bus (USB) was developed in the 1990s in an effort to simplify the connections between computers and peripheral devices. It has become widely popular due to its compatibility with many platforms and operating systems, its low cost of implementation, and its ease of use. Most computers that are built today come with several USB ports, and USB is the interface of choice for most home and office peripherals including printers, cameras, modems, and portable storage devices. USB standards are developed and maintained by an industry body called the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF). In its original specification, USB defined only two connector types: A and B. Revisions to the specification and demands on manufacturers have expanded the breadth of connectors used for USB devices, but the majority of USB products still use these A and B connector interfaces. Found on host controllers in computers and hubs, the A-style connector is a flat, rectangular interface. This interface holds the connection in place by friction which makes it very easy for users to connect and disconnect. Instead of round pins, the connector uses flat contacts which can withstand continuous attachment and removal very well. The A-socket connector provides a "downstream" connection that is intended for use solely on host controllers and hubs. It was not intended for use as an "upstream" connector on a peripheral device. This is critical because a host controller or hub is designed to provide 5V DC power on one of the USB pins. Though not that common, A-A cables are used to connect USB devices with an A-style Female port to a PC or another USB device, and for data transfer between two computer systems. Note: Typically an A-A cable is not intended to connect two computers together or to connect a USB hub between two computers. Doing so may cause irreparable damage to your computers and may even present a fire hazard. Check with the manufacturer before using an A-A cable for data transfer. The B-style connector is designed for use on USB peripheral devices. The B-style interface is squarish in shape, and has slightly beveled corners on the top ends of the connector. Like the A connector, it uses the friction of the connector body to stay in place. The B-socket is an "upstream" connector that is only used on peripheral devices. Because of this, the majority of USB applications require USB OTG Cable. The USB-C or USB Type-C connector is the newest USB connector on the market. The USB-C connector has a reversible/symmetrical design and can be plugged into any USB-C device using either end. A USB-C cable is capable of carrying USB 3.1, USB 3.0, USB 2.0, and USB 1.1 signals. The USB-C is commonly paired with the USB-A, USB-B, USB Micro-B, and other USB connectors when supporting previous versions of the USB specification. USB-C can be adapted to work with each of these legacy connectors. When connecting two USB 3.1 devices, the USB-C cable will support data transfer rates that are twice the speed of existing USB technology (up to 10Gbit/s), enhanced power delivery of up to 20 volts, 5 amps, and 100 watts for power and charging, and built-in support for DisplayPort video and four channel audio (speaker and microphone). One drawback to the B-style connector is its size, which measures almost a half inch on each side. This made the B-style interface unsuitable for many compact personal electronic devices such as PDAs, digital cameras, and cellphones. As a result, many device manufacturers began the miniaturization of USB connectors with this Mini-b. This 5-pin Mini-b is the most popular style of Mini-b connector, and the only one recognized by the USB-IF. By default, a Mini-b cable is presumed to have 5 pins. This connector is quite small, about two-thirds the width of an A-style connector. It is also specified for use in the newer standard called USB On-The-Go which allows peripheral devices to communicate with the presence of a host controller. Known as "SuperSpeed", this A-style connector is commonly found on host controllers in computers and hubs, the A-style connector is a flat, rectangular interface. This interface holds the connection in place by friction which makes it very easy for users to connect and disconnect. Instead of round pins, the connector uses flat contacts which can withstand continuous attachment and removal very well. The A-socket connector provides a "downstream" connection that is intended for use solely on host controllers and hubs. This connector is similar in size and shape to the A-Type connector used in USB 2.0 & USB 1.1 applications. However, the USB 3.0 A-type has additional pins that are not found in the USB 2.0 & USB 1.1 A-Type. The USB 3.0 connector is designed for USB SuperSpeed applications; however, it will carry data from slower speed connections, and it is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 ports. USB 3.0 A connectors are often blue in color to help identify them from previous versions. Just about any computer that you buy today comes with one or more Universal Serial Bus connectors. These USB connectors let you attach mice, printers and other accessories to your computer quickly and easily. The operating system supports USB as well, so the installation of the device drivers is quick and easy, too. Compared to other ways of connecting devices to your computer (including parallel ports, serial ports and special cards that you install inside the computer's case), USB devices are incredibly simple. -In this article, we'll look at USB ports from both a user and a technical standpoint. You'll learn why the USB system is so flexible and how it's able to support so many devices so easily -- it's truly an amazing system. Most computers that you buy today come with at least one or two USB sockets. But with so many USB devices on the market, you easily run out of sockets very quickly. For example, you could have a keyboard, mouse, printer, microphone and webcam all running on USB technology, so the obvious question is, "How do you hook up all the devices?" The easy solution to the problem is to buy an inexpensive USB hub. The USB standard supports up to 127 devices, and USB hubs are a part of the standard. A hub typically has four new ports, but may have many more. You plug the hub into your computer, and then plug your devices (or other hubs) into the hub. By chaining hubs together, you can build up dozens of available USB ports on a single computer. Hubs can be powered or unpowered. As you'll see on the next page, the USB standard allows for devices to draw their power from their USB connection. A high-power device like a printer or scanner will have its own power supply, but low-power devices like mice and digital cameras get their power from the bus in order to simplify them. The power (up to 500 milliamps at 5 volts for USB 2.0 and 900 milliamps for USB 3.0) comes from the computer. If you have lots of self-powered devices (like printers and scanners), then your hub doesn't need to be powered -- none of the devices connecting to the hub needs additional power, so the computer can handle it. If you have lots of unpowered devices like mice and cameras, you probably need a powered hub. The hub has its own transformer and it supplies power to the bus so that the devices don't overload the computer's supply.
Дата Публикации: 04-01-22
Wire Drawing Machines
Описание: Wire Drawing Machines Wire drawing is an important industrial process. Wires are reduced in diameter through a series of die/capstan combinations which provide the desired reduction steps. Typical copper wire drawing machine within BICC Cables Ltd use up to twenty-one dies in one line and it is necessary to optimise the die drafting for each machine and final wire diameter to obtain good machine efficiency and high quality product. An important aspect in the manufacturing process is to avoid wire breakages with the resultant loss of production due to short final lengths and the associated time required to restring the drawing machine. In order to optimise the conditions for each machine and wire size, computer simulations of the process are used to predict performance by estimating factors such as the ratio of drawing stress to ultimate tensile stress, drawing force, back tension and heat generated. A computer simulation of the multi-line wire drawing process for copper wire has been modelled by the Wrexham Technology Centre of BICC Cables Ltd using a bulk model. The redundant work during the drawing process was included by formulation and equations for the redundant deformation were derived that were in good agreement with published experimental work. A new computer simulation has been developed to predict the performance of wire drawing process. The model uses a one dimensional explicit finite difference method to determine the plastic deformation in the dies. The redundant work formulation was used as in the previous simulation. This paper describes the numerical methods used and compared the results from the new computer simulation with the previous bulk model. Significant differences are predicted in the stress ratios, drawing force and heat generated for process predictions. The new simulation of the plastic deformation in the dies also indicated optimum semi-die angles away from the traditional eight degrees. After having reduced the diameter as much as possible by hot rolling (smallest diameter approximately 5.5 mm), smaller diameters must be produced by cold drawing (see Golis et al., 1999; Schruff, 2004). Tension is applied to draw the hot rolled wire in several pulls down to a final required diameter between 1 and 2 mm. Calcium and sodium stearate are usually applied as a drawing lubricant. These soaps are particularly suitable at high drawing speeds because the lubricant film remains intact. Due to friction, temperatures above 150 °C and as high as 400 °C develop, which cannot be reduced by the cooling effect of the lubricant and air alone. Thus the dies are cooled with water and the wire with compressed air. Compared with earlier machines, modern dry wire drawing machines are more efficient with regard to the consumption of cooling water and lubricant as well as the filtration of stearate dust emissions. Dry aluminum wire drawing machine are machines that pull in the forward direction (Ruge and Wohlfahrt, 2001; Schimpke et al., 1977). They pull the wire as many as 14 times, i.e. a series of 14 drawing dies which are usually powered separately using rotational speed regulators. Typical technical data may be found in Table 22.4. Applications include electric motor drives for conveyors and other material handling equipment such as stacker reclaimers, crushers, haulages, ball mills, cranes, hammer mills, rotary dryers, centrifuges, reciprocating pumps, winches, fans and wire drawing machines. In view of their easy adaptability, they are manufactured in standard sizes suitable for common types of load applications. They are therefore available on short deliveries, in smaller ranges, say, from 1 kW to 200 kW. They can be selected for the required service conditions, as a motor is selected to suit a particular load requirement from the available sizes of couplings. 2 Variable-filling or scoop control-type couplings (variable-speed couplings) (Figure 8.7) Through such couplings the output speed of the runner can be changed by varying the volume of oil in the working circuit through the scoop operating lever, as shown in Figure 8.7(b). When the oil volume is full, slip is at minimum and the output speed is maximum. As the oil circuit is emptied, the slip gradually increases. A constant-speed motor can thus be used to provide a stepless variable-speed drive. Speed variation is possible up to 15–20% of Nr for centrifugal loads such as fans and pumps. The control of wire temperature is very important in the fine wire drawing process. The wire speed should be increased, and the wire temperature should be dropped as much as possible. Up to now, the process design of wire drawing process depends on the experiences of experts. In this study, a wire drawing process design method was proposed to increase the productivity. The proposed method of this study includes the pass schedule and the design of a multi pass wire drawing machine. A pass schedule was performed based on the calculation of the wire temperature. Also, a new multi pass brass wire drawing machine was manufactured to apply the designed pass schedule. Through the wire drawing experiment, the effectiveness of the proposed process design method was evaluated. The final drawing speed was increased from 1,100m/min to 2,000m/min without deterioration of final drawn wire. It is a non-slip dry continuous drawing machine with integrable wire; in the drawing process, the steel wire and the surface of the reel do not slide in the circumferential direction of the reel, and the wear of the two surfaces is relatively small. And when a reel in the middle is temporarily stopped, the reel behind it can still work for a period of time as usual depending on the amount of line accumulation. This model has the advantages of simple structure, convenient operation and maintenance, and low manufacturing cost. At the same time, it has a certain line accumulation coefficient, and the steel wire stays on the coil for a long time, which is conducive to the sufficient cooling of the steel wire. However, there are more wire guide wheels, which not only increases the number of bending of the steel wire, but also the product and pay-off of the reel cause the steel wire to twist along its axis during the drawing process, which seriously affects the internal quality and surface quality of the steel wire. The characteristics of the pulley type wire drawing machine determines that this model is only suitable for drawing medium and small specifications, and relatively low quality and strength requirements for steel wire and other metal wires. Double reel type wire drawing machine Because the steel wire will be twisted during the drawing process of the pulley type wire drawing machine, a double drum type wire drawing machine was developed on the basis of the pulley type wire drawing machine. This model has the advantages of a pulley wire drawing machine, and eliminates the torsion phenomenon of the steel wire in the drawing process, and the cooling effect of the steel wire on the drum is better. The double-drum wire drawing machine is the same as the pulley wire drawing machine. There are more guide wheels, especially the middle thread guide wheel between the upper and lower drums, which produces 180 when the steel wire passes through it. Because it is bent, it is not suitable for drawing large-size and high-strength steel wire; the operation of the machine is not as convenient as the pulley type, and the friction ring between the upper and lower reel and the wire wheel and other parts have a large moment of inertia, which limits the improvement of the drawing speed. This model is a transitional model developed from a pulley-type wire drawing machine to a higher-level wire drawing machine, suitable for drawing medium and small-sized steel wires. Looper wire drawing machine In order to further improve the quality and drawing speed of the steel wire, a looper-type wire drawing machine was developed. It is also a non-sliding wire drawing machine; it simplifies the route of the steel wire between the reels. Axial torsion is generated, and due to the use of a DC motor to drive, a large range of stepless speed regulation can be realized, which expands the selection range of elongation between the reels, and the wire drawing machine can run in the most reasonable working state. Moreover, the looper generates a pulling force or a counter-pulling force on each reel during the drawing process. In the drawing with looper tension and looper reverse tension, it can reduce the drawing force, prolong the life of the wire drawing die and reduce the consumption of kinetic energy. The looper type wire drawing machine is a continuous wire drawing machine that can automatically adjust the speed. Theoretically speaking, within the tolerance limit of the steel wire to the compression rate and the mechanical energy parameters of the machine, as long as the total process compression rate is greater than or equal to the total compression rate of the machine, the machine can automatically adjust the drawing process for any process. . Therefore, the looper type wire drawing machine is a relatively advanced wire drawing machine, suitable for drawing small and medium-sized high-strength steel wires and alloy steel wires. The disadvantage of the looper wire drawing machine is that due to the use of DC drive, the electric speed control system is complicated, the manufacturing cost of the machine is high, and the maintenance is difficult. The looper tension needs to be adjusted when drawing wires of different specifications; therefore, the operation of the machine The technical level is relatively high. In addition, this model has many thread guide wheels, thread threading is more complicated, and the steel wire has many bending times, so it is not possible to draw large-size steel wires and hard materials. straight wire drawing machine Pulley type, double reel type and plug-in type steel wire drawing machine are all unable to draw large-sized steel wires and hard materials because of more thread guide wheels. In order to solve this problem, a straight wire drawing machine was developed. After the steel wire is wound several times on the previous reel, it directly enters the next drawing die and is wound on the next reel without passing any thread guide wheels in the middle, and the steel wire is linear between the two reels. It adopts DC drive like the looper type, and automatically adjusts the intermediate reel speed to adapt the machine extension coefficient to the actual extension coefficient of the steel wire, that is, automatically adjusts to the normal operating point of the machine. The machine compression ratio is equal to the process compression. rate. The advantages of this model are simple threading, no twisting and small radius bending of the steel wire during the drawing process. Its shortcomings are that it cannot draw finer steel wires, the steel wire stays on the drum for a short time, and the cooling effect is poor; the application range of the wire drawing machine is small. Adjustable roller linear wire drawing machine This is a newer model that combines the advantages of the looper type and the straight-line wire drawing machine. It has the advantages of looper type no torsion, large speed range, high drawing speed, and good effect. It also has the advantages of simple straight-line steel wire route, convenient threading, and large-size steel wire. The steel wire has no small radius bending phenomenon in each drum, and the internal quality and surface quality of the steel wire can be greatly improved; because there is no intermediate wire guide wheel, the mechanical structure is much simplified compared with the looper type. The more advanced wire drawing machine is suitable for drawing high-strength, large-size round and special-shaped steel wires: but its large investment, complex DC speed control system, and difficult maintenance. The influence of these factors has brought a certain degree of promotion to its promotion. difficult.
Дата Публикации: 04-01-22