Face Mask Research Articles

A Fine-Grained Detector of Face Mask Wearing Status Based on Improved YOLOX

A Fine-Grained Detector of Face Mask Wearing Status Based on Improved YOLOX

Formulation, Characterization and Optimization of Peel-Off Gel of Soybean Extract as a Face Mask

Formulation, Characterization and Optimization of Peel-Off Gel of Soybean Extract as a Face Mask

Face Mask Identification With Automated Door Entry Control Using Deep Learning

Face Mask Identification With Automated Door Entry Control Using Deep Learning

Sputtering-Deposited Ultra-Thin Ag-Cu Films on Non-Woven Fabrics for Face Masks with Antimicrobial Function and Breath NOx Response.

The multifunctional development in the field of face masks and the growing demand for scalable manufacturing have become increasingly prominent. In this study, we utilized high-vacuum magnetron sputtering technology to deposit a 5 nm ultra-thin Ag-Cu film on non-woven fabric and fabricated ultra-thin Ag-Cu film face masks. The antibacterial rates against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were 99.996% and 99.978%, respectively, while the antiviral activity against influenza A virus H1N1 was 99.02%. Furthermore, the mask's ability to monitor respiratory system diseases was achieved through color change (from brownish-yellow to grey-white). The low cost and scalability potential of ultra-thin silver-copper film masks offer new possibilities for practical applications of multifunctional masks.

A retrospective study evaluating the influence of Class III correction appliances on the sagittal pharyngeal airway dimension

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Class III correction appliances including the Facemask (FM), and the new non-compliance fixed functional appliances such as the Reversed Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device (FRD), as well as the CS-2000 (CS), on the sagittal pharyngeal airway dimension (SPAD). Pre-treatment and post-treatment lateral cephalograms of 45 patients who underwent Class III appliance treatment, using either FM, Reversed FRD, or CS were collected from the files of treated patients. SPAD changes were evaluated in each group, and comparisons were conducted between the three study groups. Additionally, sagittal and vertical skeletal measurements were conducted. The FM, the Reversed FRD, and the CS, were found to generate a significant increase in the SPAD, with the Reversed FRD contributing to the most significant change at the OPAA (116.80 ± 26.36 mm2). All three appliances elicited significant antero-posterior changes in the SNA°, SNB°, and ANB°, also with the greatest intermaxillary change documented with the employment of the Reversed FRD (ANB° = 3.33 ± 0.82°). As for the vertical dimension, the FM, the Reversed FRD, and the CS elicited significant FMA° increases, with the greatest change attributed to the FM (FMA° = 2.32 ± 0.97°). Therefore, the three tested Class III corrective appliances generated significant SPAD, antero-posterior, and vertical changes. However, the Revered FRD showed a superior impact in increasing the SPAD at the OPAA level and in eliciting significant intermaxillary changes.

A Descriptive Analytical Study to Assess the Knowledge and Practice of Proper Face Mask Wearing among Healthcare Professionals, Patients and Attendants in a Tertiary Care Center of North India

A Descriptive Analytical Study to Assess the Knowledge and Practice of Proper Face Mask Wearing among Healthcare Professionals, Patients and Attendants in a Tertiary Care Center of North India

Three Dimensional Position of Condyle Following Face Mask Therapy in Skeletal Class III Malocclusion: A Systematic Review

Objective: (1) To evaluate position of condyle following face mask therapy using MRI imaging in growing skeletal Class III malocclusion (2) To evaluate position of condyle following face mask therapy using CBCT in growing skeletal Class III malocclusion (3) To evaluate position of condyle following face mask therapy using various articulators (Fully adjustable/ Semi adjustable articulators) Material and Methods: All skeletal Class III malocclusion growing patients underwent Face mask therapy. Data bases like Google scholar, PubMed, Science direct, Cochrane, Lilac data base retrieved studies. Results: All patients showed change in condylar position Conclusion: Condyle changes to posterior and superior after face mask therapy due to bone remodeling at glenoid fossa

Graphene Oxide/Polylactic Acid-Based Face Mask to Combat H3N2: A Strategy against Influenza

Graphene Oxide/Polylactic Acid-Based Face Mask to Combat H3N2: A Strategy against Influenza

Microbial Detection from Used Face Masks and Hygiene Practices

Microbial Detection from Used Face Masks and Hygiene Practices

Transforming Disposed Face Masks into S‐Doped Carbon Nanofibers for High Performance Supercapacitors

AbstractThe substantial increase in discarded face masks since the onset of the COVID‐19 pandemic has resulted in extensive environmental pollution from plastic waste. This study presents a novel upcycling method to repurpose disposable face masks into a carbon‐based nanomaterial for use in supercapacitors. The upcycled sample, CSDFM@800, demonstrates very good supercapacitor properties, boasting a high specific capacitance of 234 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1. Additionally, the symmetric coin cell supercapacitor constructed from this material exhibits excellent performance, achieving a high energy density of 8.54 Wh kg−1 at a low current density of 0.5 A g−1, and maintaining superior capacitance retention of 96.8 % after 15,000 charge/discharge cycles at a current density of 10 A g−1. Materials characterisation results and electrochemical analysis reveal that this upcycling process not only preserves the carbon nanofiber structure but also introduces highly reactive sulfur as a heteroatom doping element.

Face Mask Recognition based on YOLOV3

Wearing masks is considered one of the effective ways to prevent epidemics and protect physical health. In densely populated public places, detecting whether the mask is correctly worn has important application value, which can help managers reduce the potential risk of disease transmission. Previous works mainly rely on manual features, which are limited to fully expressing complex scene information. Thanks to the rapid development of artificial intelligence technology, automatic mask detection methods based on deep learning have achieved breakthroughs in speed and accuracy, while mask detection in complex scenes is still an open issue. To alleviate this issue, this paper proposes a mask detection method based on YOLOV3. Specifically, this study introduces regularization methods such as Drop Block and Label Smoothing, as well as data augmentation strategies such as Gridmask and Mosaic. This study further explores the recognition performance for refined scenarios including no mask, standard mask-wearing and incorrect mask-wearing. Extensive experimental results show the effectiveness of our method. By introducing the improved YOLOV5 algorithm to realize the mask detection function, the data structure is optimized through pruning, the data volume is reduced, the calculation speed is accelerated, and the mask detection is well realized.

Face Mask Classification Based on the Convolutional Neural Network

The worldwide emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has instigated widespread anxiety. In an effort to curb the virus's transmission, the adoption of mask-wearing has steadily become more prevalent. Numerous public facilities now require individuals to wear masks upon entry and exit. Within this framework, the effective and economical identification of mask-wearing individuals has become a growing priority, and deep learning has demonstrated its capability to address this need. Utilizing a dataset consisting of 440 provided images, the current experiment employed a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model to determine the presence or absence of masks on individuals. The experimental process encompassed dataset segmentation, CNN model construction, model training, and performance evaluation with the objective of attaining the best-performing model. The research revealed that, within a specific range, an increase in the number of layers corresponded to an enhancement in the CNN's performance. Remarkably, at 13 layers, the CNN achieved its highest accuracy, reaching 93.18%, with a recorded lowest loss value of 0.1608. Despite this, the CNN model's accuracy decreased as a result of an increase in the convolutional kernel size, which was accompanied by variations in the loss value. After multiple iterations of experimentation, the optimal convolutional kernel size was determined to be 3x3. In the quest for a more effective means of detecting mask compliance in public spaces, this study underscores the potential of deep learning techniques, particularly CNNs, and highlights the significance of carefully configuring model architecture for optimal results.

Quasi-MOF-Engineered MnOx/CeBTC Multinanozyme as a Robust Self-Cascade ROS Generator toward Antibacterial Face Mask.

It is of great importance to endow personal protective equipments with bactericidal property combating against infected pathogens. Nanozyme that can generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in an enzyme-catalytic manner is regarded as a novel and promising nanobactericide. But until now, very rare of them is designed specifically for personal protective equipments. In this study, a multinanozyme of manganese oxide supported on Ce-containing MOF (CeBTC) is constructed with post-engineering via a quasi-metal-organic framework (MOF) strategy (denoted as MnOx/q-CeBTC). The strategy enables a full exposure of the metal cluster nodes, introduction of new active Mn─O─Ce bonds and strengthens interaction between the metal nodes and the guest oxide. As an advanced multinanozyme, the MnOx/q-CeBTC exhibits excellent multiple enzymatic activities at low temperature, and enables abundant and self-cascade ROS generation without H2O2 addition. This empowers it with high efficiency in bacteria killing, which is also reflected when incorporated into face mask to combat against pathogen invasion even at low temperature. The results achieved in this work provide guidance for rational design of effective bactericide based on nanozyme and broaden their application in personal protective equipment and other fields.

Effects of Face Mask Mandates on COVID-19 Transmission in 51 Countries: Retrospective Event Study.

The question of the utility of face masks in preventing acute respiratory infections has received renewed attention during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, given the inconclusive evidence from existing randomized controlled trials, evidence based on real-world data with high external validity is missing. To add real-world evidence, this study aims to examine whether mask mandates in 51 countries and mask recommendations in 10 countries increased self-reported face mask use and reduced SARS-CoV-2 reproduction numbers and COVID-19 case growth rates. We applied an event study approach to data pooled from four sources: (1) country-level information on self-reported mask use was obtained from the COVID-19 Trends and Impact Survey, (2) data from the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker provided information on face mask mandates and recommendations and any other nonpharmacological interventions implemented, (3) mobility indicators from Google's Community Mobility Reports were also included, and (4) SARS-CoV-2 reproduction numbers and COVID-19 case growth rates were retrieved from the Our World in Data-COVID-19 data set. Mandates increased mask use by 8.81 percentage points (P=.006) on average, and SARS-CoV-2 reproduction numbers declined on average by -0.31 units (P=.008). Although no significant average effect of mask mandates was observed for growth rates of COVID-19 cases (-0.98 percentage points; P=.56), the results indicate incremental effects on days 26 (-1.76 percentage points; P=.04), 27 (-1.89 percentage points; P=.05), 29 (-1.78 percentage points; P=.04), and 30 (-2.14 percentage points; P=.02) after mandate implementation. For self-reported face mask use and reproduction numbers, incremental effects are seen 6 and 13 days after mandate implementation. Both incremental effects persist for >30 days. Furthermore, mask recommendations increased self-reported mask use on average (5.84 percentage points; P<.001). However, there were no effects of recommendations on SARS-CoV-2 reproduction numbers or COVID-19 case growth rates (-0.06 units; P=.70 and -2.45 percentage points; P=.59). Single incremental effects on self-reported mask use were observed on days 11 (3.96 percentage points; P=.04), 13 (3.77 percentage points; P=.04) and 25 to 27 (4.20 percentage points; P=.048 and 5.91 percentage points; P=.01) after recommendation. Recommendations also affected reproduction numbers on days 0 (-0.07 units; P=.03) and 1 (-0.07 units; P=.03) and between days 21 (-0.09 units; P=.04) and 28 (-0.11 units; P=.05) and case growth rates between days 1 and 4 (-1.60 percentage points; P=.03 and -2.19 percentage points; P=.03) and on day 23 (-2.83 percentage points; P=.05) after publication. Contrary to recommendations, mask mandates can be used as an effective measure to reduce SARS-CoV-2 reproduction numbers. However, mandates alone are not sufficient to reduce growth rates of COVID-19 cases. Our study adds external validity to the existing randomized controlled trials on the effectiveness of face masks to reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2.

Temporomandibular joint disc position and shape in patients submitted to two protocols of rapid maxillary expansion and face mask therapy: A randomized clinical trial.

The objective of this prospective study was to assess possible changes in the position and shape of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) articular disc in patients treated with two protocols of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) and face mask (FM) therapy. A sample of 88 patients with Class III or Class III subdivision malocclusions, aged between 6 and 13 years, were consecutively selected and divided into three groups (G): G1-34 patients were treated with RME, followed by FM therapy; G2-34 patients were treated using RME according to modified alternate rapid maxillary expansion and constriction (ALT-RAMEC) protocol, followed by FM therapy. These treated groups were randomly (1:1 allocation ratio) distributed according to the two treatment protocols. G3 - Control Group - 20 untreated patients were followed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) TMJs were obtained before (T1) and after (T2) a treatment period or follow-up. McNemar test, Fisher's exact test and intra- and inter-observer concordance (K) were performed (p ≤ .05). There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline cephalometric variables at T1 between the groups. There were statistically significant differences between the groups (p < .001) in relation to the disc shape in T1, since G1 (8 TMJs -11.76%) presented higher occurrences of altered forms in comparison with G2 (no changes). No significant differences were observed in disc position CM and OM (G1 - p > .999; G2 - p = .063; G3 - p = .500) and shape (G1 - p > 0.999; G2 - p = .250; G3 - not calculable), between T1 × T2, in any of the groups studied. The two treatment protocols did not have adverse effects on the position and shape of the TMJ disc, in a short-term evaluation.

Influence of an Exercise-Specific Face Mask on Physiological and Perceptual Responses to Graded Exercise.

The impact of exercise-specific face masks (ESFMs) in aerobically fit individuals on physiological, perceptual, respiratory, and performance responses remains unclear. How ESFMs mitigate exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is also unknown. Thus, this study aimed to determine how an ESFM altered within-exercise physiological, perceptual, respiratory, and performance responses to graded treadmill exercise. Twenty-four individuals (11 females) completed a discontinuous graded exercise test on a treadmill under two conditions (ESFM and unmasked). Physiological, respiratory function, and perceptual measures were assessed. Performance was determined by time to exhaustion. Statistical analyses included linear mixed-effects modeling, repeated measures analysis of variance, and pairwise comparisons using an alpha value of 0.05. ESFM use significantly impaired performance (median = -150.5 s) and decreased arterial oxygen saturation at maximal intensity (mean = -3.7%). Perceptions of air hunger and work of breathing were elevated across submaximal and maximal intensities. Perceived exertion and breathing discomfort were significantly elevated submaximally but not maximally. Spirometry measures were not significantly different at termination but were significantly improved at submaximal intensities in participants with and without EIB. ESFM use in fit individuals increased perceptual discomfort, impaired performance, and augmented arterial desaturation. Respiratory function improvements were observed but were accompanied by adverse perceptual sensations. Despite this, performance impairments may limit the real-world utility of ESFMs for athletes.

Bacterial Diversity of Discarded Face Masks from Landfills, Mangroves, and Beaches, in Java, Indonesia

Bacterial Diversity of Discarded Face Masks from Landfills, Mangroves, and Beaches, in Java, Indonesia

Accuracy and Speed of Emotion Recognition With Face Masks.

Wearing face masks is one of the important actions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among people around the world. Nevertheless, social interaction is limited via masks, and this impacts the accuracy and speed of emotional perception. In the present study, we assess the impact of mask-wearing on the accuracy and speed of emotion recognition. Fifty people (female n = 39, male n = 11) aged 19-28 participated in the study (M = 21.1 years). We used frontal photos of a Kosova woman who belonged to the same participants' age group, with a grey background. Twelve different pictures were used that showed the emotional states of fear, joy, sadness, anger, neutrality, and disgust, in masked and unmasked conditions. The experiment was conducted in a controlled laboratory setting. Participants were faster for identifying emotions like joy (1.507 ms) and neutral (1.971 ms). The participants were more accurate (emotions identification) in unmasked faces (M = 85.7%) than in masked faces (M = 73.8%), F(1,98) = 20.73, MSE = 1027.66, p ≤ .001, partial η² = 0.17. Masks make confusion and reduce the accuracy and speediness of emotional detection. This may have a notable impact on social interactions among peoples.

Utilizing discarded face masks to fabricate sustainable high-performance panels for enhanced building thermal and acoustic comfort

This study aims to design, fabricate, and optimize fibrous panels made of discarded polypropylene face masks (FMs) for application in sound absorption and thermal insulation. The discarded FMs were shredded and transformed into a fibrous mass using a Garnet machine. The resulting fibers, after being mixed with a bio-based binder, were molded based on an experimental design using response surface methodology in conjunction with the central composite experiment design (RSM-CCD) with five different thicknesses, densities, and blending ratios of spunbond to meltblown fabrics. The average of the sound absorption coefficients for the twelve one‐third‐octave bands from 200 to 2500 Hz (SAA) and effective thermal conductivity (Keff) of the panels were measured as the dependent parameters. These values were calculated within the ranges of 0.28–0.53 and 0.031–0.056 W/(mK), respectively. Additionally, the interactive effects of input variables on SAA and Keff of the manufactured panels were discussed. The quadratic and two-factor interaction models were proposed for optimizing the values of SAA and Keff, respectively. The optimal conditions were determined to achieve the maximum SAA and minimum Keff in a thickness of 26.7 mm, density of 135 kg/m3, and blending percentage of 32.4 %. Under these conditions, the measured values of SAA and Keff were 0.534 and 0.0279 W/mK, respectively. Finally, three fibrous panels were manufactured under optimal conditions, and their acoustic and thermal properties were measured. It was observed that excellent agreement exists between the model results and the experimental data with a 95% confidence level. The bending properties of the optimally designed panels were also investigated and the panels exhibited an impressive flexural strength of 2.1 MPa. Additionally, the fire performance of the panels was examined and all panels showed self-extinguishing properties. These findings suggest that panels made of discarded FMs hold promise as an eco-friendly and sustainable construction material for manufacturing acoustic and thermal insulation panels. Moreover, the frequency-dependent absorption coefficients of the panels were predicted using the Johnson-Champoux-Allard model.

Cephalometric changes of pushing splints 3 compared to rapid maxillary expansion and facemask therapy on the airway space in class III growing patients: A randomized clinical trial.

Early orthopaedic treatment with rapid maxillary expansion (RME) associated with facemask (FM) has been shown to be effective in correcting Class III malocclusions in children. Treatment with pushing splints 3 (PS3) has shown to correct skeletal discrepancies in Class III growing patients. However, the effects of orthopaedic treatment on the upper airways in children with Class III malocclusion is controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cephalometric changes in the airways of PS3 compared to the RME/FM protocol. In this study, 48 patients with Class III malocclusion (age range 5.5-8.5 years old) were selected for this study, and 24 were treated with PS3 appliance and 24 with RME/FM therapy. Lateral cephalograms before (T0) and at the end of the treatment (T1) were analysed to compare pharyngeal spaces. Paired and unpaired t tests were used for data analysis (P < .05). A total of 41 patients (21 patients for the PS3 group, 11 males and 10 females, mean age 7.0 ± 1.2 years; 20 patients for the RME/FM group, 10 males and 10 females, mean age 7.2 ± 1.3 years) were included. The results showed a statistically significant (P < .05) increase in the nasopharyngeal space after both therapies. However, the effects were similar considering that there were no differences between groups for the assessed variables at T0-T1. Early treatment of Class III malocclusion with PS3 does not induce a statistically significant increase in the sagittal airway space compared to RME/FM. The absence of untreated group could not define the role of growth in the increase of space.