The restrictive nature of firefighter turnout gear may influence firefighter's ability to lift low-lying objects using strategies aimed at mitigating low back disorder risk. This study examined the influence of each component of firefighter turnout gear on how far they could reach down for an object with their spine physically restricted from forward flexion. Wearing any component of fire gear restricted reach depth (p < 0.001). The greatest amount of restriction, compared to wearing station fatigues, occurred when firefighters wore full gear with boots (12 cm, 95% confidence interval = [10, 14]). There was no statistical difference in restriction when firefighters wore only fire pants versus wearing only fire jacket and oxygen tank. Wearing boots only had a significant impact when firefighters wore full gear (average difference = 2 cm, 95% confidence interval = [1, 3], p < 0.001). Firefighter turnout gear limits the ability to lift low-lying objects without flexing the lumbar spine.

The present study developed a novel resistant starch (RS-5) using a pilot-scale jacketed tank where sorghum/corn starches were separately complexed with stearic acid (SA) at 1%, 3%, and 5% levels during the gelatinization stage. The complexes containing starch slurry were spray-dried to obtain RS-5 in powdered form. These spray-dried starches were analyzed for long-range X-ray diffraction (XRD) and short-range Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy molecular order, along with determination of thermal, rheological, and digestibility properties and in vitro prebiotic potential. Complexation with 5% SA led to the highest RS content in both corn (63.76%) and sorghum (67.87%) starches. The increase in RS content correlated with the increase in complexation index and XRD percent crystallinity, while the 2θ peaks at 13° and 20° further confirmed the formation of V-type complexes in all RS5 samples. The V-type starch-SA complexation was found to reduce retrogradation enthalpies measured through a differential scanning calorimeter after 14 days of cold storage. Higher thermal stability in terms of higher decomposition temperatures was specifically observed for spray-dried corn starch-SA complexes. The corn and sorghum starches complexed with 1%-3% SA showed a higher in vitro prebiotic activity score (0.01-0.19) after 80 h. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The spray drying results in a less dense powder with a very fine particle size between 25 and 37 µm, which may allow easy blending in wheat flours. Spray-dried starches complexed with SA resulted in higher RS content and reduced GI (glycemic index), making it lucrative for utilization in medium- to low-GI pasta, breads, and breakfast cereals with an improved sensory profile as compared to conventional dietary fibers.

Temperature exerts a critical influence upon coffee fermentation, driving microbial metabolic pathways, acidification kinetics, and post-harvest bean quality. This study presents an integrated computational fluid dynamics (CFD)-experimental validation framework to analyze a temperature-controlled coffee fermentation bioreactor utilizing an external water-jacket system. To establish a computationally efficient engineering design tool, transient CFD simulations were executed utilizing a specialized macro-scale bulk fluid domain. Spatial discretization integrity was verified via a rigorous grid convergence index study, yielding a low numerical uncertainty (GCI21 = 0.47%). Large-scale (25 kg) experimental trials conducted across three distinct thermal boundaries (17°C-20°C, 23°C-26°C, and 32°C-35°C) confirmed excellent thermal control stability, maintaining coefficients of variation below 5% and uniformity indices above 0.95. Macro-scale energy modeling reproduced the mean measured reactor temperature with a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 8.38%, a mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.16°C, and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.24°C. It should be emphasized that the experimental validation was limited to the volume-averaged (bulk) reactor temperature at two operating conditions; the predicted spatial temperature distribution and transient flow field were not directly validated. This indicates that a simplified bulk-domain approach can approximate macro-scale thermal performance while avoiding costly multi-phase porous media overhead. Fermentation temperature strongly influenced processing kinetics and physical bean characteristics. Operating at 32°C-35°C maximized physical acceleration, driving a rapid pH reduction (to 4.14 within 12.0 h) and lowering residual mucilage to 11.2%. These effects, together with the significantly faster fermentation duration, were statistically significant (one-way ANOVA, p < 0.001). Conversely, the 23°C-26°C range produced a statistically significant non-monotonic acidification response (p < 0.001); we hypothesize that this reflects a shift in the dominant microbial pathway within the spontaneous mixed culture, although this interpretation was not confirmed by microbiological analysis. Bulk density and bean weight did not differ significantly among treatments (p = 0.25 and p = 0.91, respectively). These findings define a heat-transfer design space for temperature-regulated agricultural bioreactors that balances computational efficiency with physical processing predictability, within the bulk-thermal scope validated here.

Concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) structures are widely used in modern infrastructure due to their superior strength, ductility, and composite action. However, long-term corrosion of the steel tube, particularly under aggressive environmental conditions, poses significant challenges to their durability and structural performance. This study presents a comprehensive review of corrosion mechanisms and mitigation strategies for CFST structures. The primary corrosion processes, including general corrosion, localized (pitting) corrosion, and circumferential corrosion, are critically examined with emphasis on the influence of chloride ingress, carbonation, marine exposure, and combined environmental actions such as freeze-thaw cycles and sustained loading. The effects of corrosion on structural behavior are analyzed in terms of load-carrying capacity, ductility, buckling resistance, and failure modes. A systematic evaluation of existing mitigation strategies is conducted, encompassing material-based approaches, protective coatings, cathodic protection systems, and structural strengthening techniques such as fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP), fabric-reinforced cementitious matrix (FRCM), and steel jacketing. The comparative performance of these methods is assessed based on effectiveness, cost-benefit considerations, service life extension, and practical implement ability. The review highlights that no single mitigation strategy is universally optimal; instead, integrated approaches combining multiple techniques provide the most effective long-term protection. Key research gaps are identified in the areas of long-term performance monitoring, internal corrosion detection, and durability modeling under combined environmental actions. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for the design, maintenance, and rehabilitation of CFST structures, contributing to the development of more durable and sustainable infrastructure systems.

A UV-visible sonochemical dosimetry method based on ascorbic acid (AscA) sono-oxidation was developed to assess cavitation-derived oxidative activity in aerated aqueous solution. AscA was used as a fast-reacting probe for hydroxyl-radical-initiated oxidation and was stabilized against non-sonochemical oxidation by adding 0.2 M NaCl. Its consumption was monitored directly at 262 nm. Experiments were performed in a jacketed sonoreactor at 585, 860, and 1140 kHz using 300 mL of 100 µM AscA solution at 25 ± 1 °C. AscA depletion followed apparent zero-order kinetics under all investigated conditions, indicating that the measured rate was governed mainly by the quasi-steady generation and transfer of cavitation-derived oxidants rather than by the instantaneous AscA concentration. At 585 kHz, the apparent zero-order rate constant increased from 1.58 to 4.23 µM/min when the calorimetric intensity increased from 0.83 to 4.30 W/cm[2]. Energy-density normalization showed that the oxidative response decreased with increasing frequency, with GAscA values of 2.23 × 10[-10], 1.28 × 10[-10], and 1.01 × 10[-10] mol/J at 585, 860, and 1140 kHz, respectively. The sono-oxidation rate was pH-dependent, with an approximately invariant response between pH 4.8 and 8. Non-sonicated aerated controls showed no measurable AscA loss over the experimental time window, whereas under ultrasound the gas-atmosphere effect followed the order air > Ar ≫ N2. This distinction indicates that dissolved O2 enhanced oxygen-mediated sonochemical radical pathways rather than causing appreciable background oxidation of AscA. Comparison with H2O2 formation confirmed that AscA sono-dosimetry provides a complementary measure of the oxidative dose accessible to a dissolved radical scavenger. This method offers a simple, reproducible, and energy-normalized platform for comparing sonochemical activity in acoustic cavitation systems.

Speakers often make choices to alleviate planning difficulty during language production. We investigate the use of adjectives as optional words that speakers can use implicitly and strategically to provide extra planning time during periods of planning difficulty. Speakers described target objects in an array that either contained a different-colored competitor, so producing a color adjective was necessary to identify the target item, or did not have a different-colored competitor. Target items crucially differed in name agreement. Objects with high name agreement have a single, dominant label (candle) and are easier to produce than objects with low name agreement, which have multiple possible labels (coat/jacket). Speakers predictably produced a high rate of adjectives when describing high and low name agreement items in arrays containing a different-color competitor. However, when the array did not contain a different-color competitor, so adjectives were not necessary to identify the target, participants produced more adjectives preceding low name agreement objects. Further, when speakers produced adjectives, the duration of those adjectives were longer preceding low name agreement objects. We interpret these results as suggesting that the use of optional adjectives may sometimes have a speaker-centric motivation, to alleviate planning difficulty during language production.

As the energy sector is the main source of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and energy demand is constantly rising, expanding renewable energy sources is imperative. Offshore wind energy is key to this expansion. In the future, more powerful offshore wind farms will be installed in deeper waters. However, this presents new technical and logistical challenges with regard to large-scale substructures. Modular jacket substructures are one possible solution for scalable offshore infrastructure. These require connection systems that are both structurally and technically efficient. Slip joints fulfil these requirements particularly by transferring loads through controlled friction at contacting surfaces rather than through permanent mechanical connectors. This study aims to develop an innovative modular jacket substructure incorporating steel-steel and steel-concrete slip joints. The article focuses on characterising interface behaviour, friction mechanisms, and load-bearing performance across four slip joint material combinations: rolled steel-rolled steel, ground steel-ground steel, rolled steel-concrete, and ground steel-concrete. Surface roughness was quantified using both tactile profilometry and high-resolution 3D scanning, while joint fitting accuracy was assessed exclusively through 3D scan-based geometric analysis. Experimental push-out tests were conducted to determine friction coefficients and load-bearing capacities for each configuration. Additionally, a finite element model was developed to simulate the push-out test and predict the load-bearing capacity. The results revealed that the rolled steel surface exhibited pronounced height fluctuations, irregularity, and distinct macro-waviness. These features promoted mechanical interlocking at the rolled steel-rolled steel interfaces, which in turn led to increasing load resistance and friction coefficients with progressing displacement. In contrast, the other surface combinations exhibited the typical transition from static to kinetic friction. However, the statistical evaluation did not identify significant differences in load-bearing capacity between the material combinations under identical normal stress, and only the rolled steel-rolled steel interface showed a friction coefficient dependent on the applied normal stress. The numerical model captured the observed shear-lag behaviour and reproduced the experimental response with good accuracy. The overall predictive performance of the FE model was demonstrated by a coefficient of determination (R[2]) of 0.87, a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 16.57%, and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 17.02. Overall, the ground steel-concrete interface proved the most favourable configuration for slip joint applications, as it provided a balanced combination of frictional resistance, stable sliding behaviour, moderate installation forces, and uniform wear characteristics. These features may facilitate assembly and disassembly while maintaining reliable load transfer, making this configuration a promising option for offshore slip joint connections.

We present a measurement setup designed to characterize the pressure sensitivity of single-mode optical fibers, whether freestanding or embedded within a structure. The system uses an unbalanced interferometer, with its long arm consisting of the fiber under test. This fiber is placed inside an air-sealed chamber and submerged in water. Pressure is modulated in a sinusoidal pattern at 1 Hz by injecting air above the water bath. Because the fiber is fully immersed in a water bath with large thermal capacitance, we expect the temperature fluctuations to be strongly attenuated at 1 Hz; thus, the fiber primarily experiences the applied pressure modulation rather than temperature-induced phase changes. We also detail the data processing method, which leverages the non-linear response of the interferometer to accurately extract the fiber's pressure sensitivity. Using this setup, we characterize five standard optical fibers with different coatings, jackets, and geometries, obtaining pressure sensitivities ranging from 40 to 530 μrad Pa-1 m-1. The experimental results are in good agreement with predictions from a standard model. In addition, we demonstrate the setup capability to measure the pressure sensitivity of more complex samples, for which the model is no longer valid. As an illustration, we study how the fiber pressure sensitivity depends on the embedding depth for fibers inserted into Plexiglas plates. We believe that this experimental characterization setup can be useful for the development of new smart materials relying on fiber sensing.

Antiresonant hollow core fibers are significantly more complex to fabricate than solid core fiber, in part due to the need to maintain the uniformity of the complex microstructure along the entire fiber and the lack of techniques available to profile its geometry non-destructively. In this Letter, we present results showing accurate non-destructive measurements of a hollow core fiber microstructure. By combining two previously reported methods, we overcome the limitations of using either technique alone to yield accurate measurements of crucial geometrical parameters, including the distance between the two fusing points where the capillary microstructure elements meet the surrounding jacket tube and the capillary diameter itself. For the DNANF tested here, this combined method offers a substantial improvement to the middle and outer capillary diameter measurements, reducing the discrepancies from around 6% for each measurement to 0.6% and below.

Isolation of adult mouse ventricular myocytes is essential for studying cardiac physiology and cellular function. Traditional methods commonly rely on Langendorff perfusion systems, which provide continuous retrograde coronary perfusion but require specialized equipment and can be complex to operate. Here, we describe a simplified Langendorff-based protocol that uses a syringe pump-driven system to achieve constant-flow retrograde aortic perfusion during enzymatic digestion. The setup incorporates an inline heater for precise temperature control and uses widely available laboratory components, enabling consistent delivery of digestion enzymes. This approach maintains stable perfusion despite changes in coronary resistance and reduces variability associated with conventional gravity-driven systems. The protocol yields high-quality adult ventricular myocytes suitable for downstream functional analyses, including electrophysiology, contractility, and calcium imaging. Compared with traditional systems, this method is more accessible, reduces technical complexity, and improves reproducibility, facilitating adoption in laboratories without dedicated isolated-heart perfusion infrastructure. Key features • Accessible cardiomyocyte isolation without dedicated Langendorff apparatus, suitable for laboratories with limited perfusion infrastructure. • Constant-flow perfusion overcomes enzyme delivery variability caused by changing coronary resistance during tissue digestion. • Inline heating enables rapid, precise temperature control without water-jacket systems, reducing setup complexity and contamination risk. • Optimized for producing calcium-tolerant adult ventricular myocytes for electrophysiology, contractility, and calcium imaging studies. Alternative methods may be more appropriate for non-cardiomyocyte populations.

Overheating of polymeric cable materials is a major contributor to insulation aging, electrical failure, and fire risk in power systems, particularly in densely installed urban underground cable corridors where heat dissipation is limited and early-stage defects are difficult to identify. Although gas-detection approaches are promising for non-invasive overheating monitoring, their practical value depends on identifying material- and lay-er-specific volatile products and clarifying how their release evolves with temperature and time. Herein, volatile products released from the PVC outer jacket of a YJV22-8.7/15 kV-3 × 185 medium-voltage cable were investigated using headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Temperature- and time-dependent evolution was estimated for selected marker species, and the associated degradation behavior was correlated with chemical/structural and electrical changes using ATR-FTIR, KPFM, and dielectric measurements. The number and observed headspace levels of organic components increased substantially with severe overheating, reaching more than 20 dominant components at 200 °C. 2-Ethylhexanol (2-EH) was observed across the studied range and reached approximately 300 × 10[-6] (volume fraction) at 200 °C for 60 min while remaining at or below approximately 50 × 10[-6] at temperatures up to 140 °C. Benzene was observed mainly at severe overheating, whereas DOTP was first observed at 140 °C among the tested conditions, reaching approximately 40 × 10[-6] at 140 °C for 5 min and exceeding 300 × 10[-6] under more severe conditions. KPFM showed surface roughness increasing from 7.70 to 43.39 nm, and the real permittivity increased by up to 13.9% at 50 Hz. These results provide a temperature- and time-resolved headspace dataset for the tested cable outer jacket and relate its organic-gas profile to surface and dielectric changes.