Physiological Comfort Research Articles

Machine learning-based assessment of thermal comfort for the elderly in warm environments: Combining the XGBoost algorithm and human body exergy analysis

Many elderly people rarely own or use air conditioners because of low income and economising habits, causing them to live in warm thermal environments when heat waves and hot weather occur. Living in warm conditions worsens thermal discomfort and poses health risks this group. To investigate the thermal comfort and adaptation of the elderly, a total of 38 participants were recruited for two parts of experiments in a climate chamber: Part A collected thermal sensation vote (TSV) and physiological parameters for 30 min at 28, 30, and 32 °C, and Part B presented a 20-min cooling with fans (air velocities of 0.6 and 1.4 m/s) at the same temperature. Furthermore, we constructed a thermal comfort model for the elderly based on human body exergy analysis and the GBDT, AdaBoost, and XGBoost machine-learning algorithms. The results showed that the predicted mean vote considerably overestimated the actual TSV. The TSV and mean skin temperature were decreased by 0.1–0.5 scores and 0.4–0.5 °C by the behavioural adaptation of fan cooling. The predictive results showed that the XGBoost model performed better, with R2 score, mean absolute error (MAE), and mean squared error (MSE) of 81 %, 0.10, and 0.01. Exergy transfer from evaporation (Ex-Esk), mean skin temperature (mtsk), air velocity (va), and convective exergy transfer (Ex-C) contributed more to the feature importance in the SHAP value analysis. The current study has implications for investigating physiological comfort and age-friendly environmental designs for the elderly, providing new perspectives for thermal comfort evaluations.

Manufacturing of breathable, washable, and fabric-integrated squid skin-inspired thermoregulatory materials.

Advanced thermal management technologies represent an important research frontier because such materials and systems show promise for enhancing personal physiological comfort and reducing building energy consumption. These technologies typically offer the advantages of excellent portability, user-friendly tunability, energy efficiency, and straightforward manufacturability, but they frequently suffer from critical challenges associated with poor breathability, inadequate wash stability, and difficult fabric integration. Within this broader context, our laboratory has previously developed heat-managing composite materials by drawing inspiration from the color-changing skin of the common squid. Herein, we describe the design, fabrication, and testing of breathable, washable, and fabric-integrated variants of our composite materials, which demonstrate state-of-the-art adaptive infrared properties and dynamic thermoregulatory functionalities. The combined findings directly advance the performance and applications scope of our bioinspired thermoregulatory composites and ultimately may guide the incorporation of desirable multifunctionality into other wearable technologies.

Bowel preparation experiences and needs before follow-up colonoscopy in older adult postoperative colorectal cancer patients: A qualitative study.

The bowel preparation process prior to colonoscopy determines the quality of the bowel preparation, which in turn affects the quality of the colonoscopy. Colonoscopy is an essential procedure for postoperative follow-up monitoring of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Previous studies have shown that advanced age and a history of colorectal resection are both risk factors for inadequate bowel preparation. However, little attention has been paid to the bowel preparation experiences and needs of predominantly older adult postoperative CRC patients. To explore the experiences and needs of older adult postoperative CRC patients during bowel preparation for follow-up colonoscopy. Fifteen older adult postoperative CRC patients who underwent follow-up colonoscopy at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai were selected using purposive sampling from August 2023 to November 2023. The phenomenological method in qualitative research was employed to construct an interview outline and conduct semi-structured interviews with the patients. Colaizzi's seven-step analysis was utilized to organize, code, categorize, summarize, and verify the interview data. The results of this study were summarized into four themes and eight sub-themes: (1) Inadequate knowledge about bowel preparation; (2) Decreased physiological comfort during bowel preparation (gastrointestinal discomfort and sleep deprivation caused by bowel cleansing agents, and hunger caused by dietary restrictions; (3) Psychological changes during different stages of bowel preparation (pre-preparation: Fear and resistance due to previous experiences; during preparation: Irritation and helplessness caused by taking bowel cleansing agents, and post-preparation: Anxiety and worry while waiting for the colonoscopy); and (4) Needs related to bowel preparation (detailed instructions from healthcare professionals; more ideal bowel cleansing agents; and shortened waiting times for colonoscopy). Older adult postoperative CRC patients' knowledge of bowel preparation is not adequate, and they may encounter numerous difficulties and challenges during the process. Healthcare professionals should place great emphasis on providing instruction for their bowel preparation.

Bioinspired Flexible Kevlar/Hydrogel Composites with Antipuncture and Strain-Sensing Properties for Personal Protective Equipment.

Currently, multifunction has become an essential direction of personal protective equipment (PPE), but achieving the protective effect, flexibility, physiological comfort, and intelligent application of PPE simultaneously is still a challenge. Herein, inspired by the meso-structure of rhinoceros skin, a novel strategy is proposed by compounding an ammonium sulfate ((NH4)2SO4) solution soaked gelatin hydrogel with the high weight fraction and vertically interwoven Kevlar fibers to manufacture a flexible and wearable composite with enhanced puncture resistance and strain-sensing properties. After (NH4)2SO4 solution immersion, the hydrogel's tensile strength, toughness, and fracture strain were up to 3.77 MPa, 4.26 MJ/m3, and 305.19%, respectively, indicating superior mechanical properties. The Kevlar/hydrogel composites revealed excellent puncture resistance (quasi-static of 132.06 N and dynamic of 295.05 N), flexibility (138.13 mN/cm), and air and moisture permeability (17.83 mm/s and 2092.73 g m-2 day-1), demonstrating a favorable balance between the protective effect and wearing comfort even after 7 days of environmental exposure. Meanwhile, salt solution immersion endowed the composite with excellent strain-sensing properties at various bending angles (30-90°) and frequencies (0.25-1 Hz) and allowed it to monitor different human motions directly in real-time. The rhinoceros-skin-inspired Kevlar/hydrogel composites provide a simple and economical solution for antipuncture materials that combine high protective effects, a comfortable wearing experience, and good strain-sensing properties, promising multifunctional PPE in the future.

Biolaminates as an Example of Upcycling Product with Keratin Flour-Research and Thermal Properties Modeling.

Keratin waste, including keratin powder, is a significant byproduct of the poultry processing and meat industries. It is a major contributor to waste management problems due to its volume and the environmental pollutants that it can produce. The disposal of keratin waste is challenging due to the potential for odors and pathogens to enter the soil and water. The aim of this work is to present the possibility of using waste materials in accordance with the principles of upcycling and producing fully valuable products. In this research, the author focuses on the production and research of textile multilayer laminates using keratin flour that had been previously considered waste material. New textile composites should be characterized by increased thermal insulation properties with constant comfort in use. This research determines the physiological comfort interpreted as the state of the human-laminate system, which maintains the conditions of comfort in human perception, i.e., constant temperature and humidity of the body under changing conditions of a relative humidity environment.

Clothing suggestions based on comfort extracted from physiological and emotional parameters

PurposeThe comfort of apparel is not only a feeling of perception but also a tangible measure. The fit and fabric of clothing can exert a perception of comfort for the wearer, whereas actual comfort largely depends on physiological and emotional soothing. However, there is still no solid work on connecting the bridge between physiological and emotional feelings to the comfort of clothing. In this study, we have conceptualized, formulated and proven the relation between physiological and emotional parameters with clothing fit and fabric to find the true comfort of the wearer.Design/methodology/approachA mixed-method research design using physiological and emotional parameters for different fabric and fit combinations were used for this study. The physiological comfort parameters (i.e. heart rate and respiration rate) are extracted from the subjects using gold-standard clinical devices for various fit and fabric combinations. For the emotional response, a survey was conducted for the same subjects wearing all the fit and fabric combinations. Statistical analysis and modeling were performed to obtain the results.FindingsPhysiological indicators such as heart rate are closely linked with user comfort. Due to the limitations in environmental control, the physiological changes obtained did not significantly vary for different fabric and fit combinations of the clothing. However, a significant change in emotional response indicated a definite relationship between different fabric and fit types. Based on the participants’ responses, weather conditions, size of the clothing item, types of fabrics and style also influence the participants’ choice of clothing.Originality/valueThe research was conducted to discover the relation between true comfort (physiological and emotional parameters) and clothing (fit and fabric), which is unique to the field. This study closes the gap and builds up the relationship, which can help introduce clothing comfort to users in the future. The findings of this study help us understand how fabric types (natural or synthetic) and clothing fit types (loose or fitted) can affect physiological and emotional responses, which can provide the consumer with satisfactory clothing with the suitable properties needed.

Enhancing Postanesthesia Care Unit Management Based on Noise Reduction Strategies Grounded in Comfort Theory

PurposeTo explore the management improvement measures and application effects of reducing noise in postanesthesia care unit (PACU) based on Comfort Theory. DesignRandomized controlled clinical trial. MethodsA total of 1,300 patients who underwent general anesthesia or combined nerve block anesthesia and were transferred to the PACU in May and August 2021 were divided into a control group (630 cases) and a study group (670 cases) based on time. The control group received routine PACU management, and management based on Comfort Theory to reduce the noise in the PACU was implemented with the study group, including physiological comfort, psychological and spiritual comfort, social and cultural comfort, and environmental comfort. The overall noise level in PACU, retention time in PACU, incidence of nursing adverse events, and patient satisfaction were compared before and after implementation. FindingsIn the observation group, the noise values of the four time periods in the PACU were significantly decreased, the retention time was (59.92 ± 22.0) minutes, the incidence of nursing adverse events and vomiting was 0.1%, and the patient satisfaction was 99.8%, which were significantly better than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < .05). ConclusionsThe management of noise reduction in PACU based on Comfort Theory can significantly reduce the noise level in PACU, effectively shorten the PACU retention time, reduce the incidence of nursing adverse events, and improve the nursing satisfaction of patients.

Preparation and properties of biodegradable directional water transport composite fabrics

AbstractMoisture (i.e., sweat) management is essential for maintaining human physiological comfort. But conventional fabrics and moisture‐absorbent and quick‐drying fabrics cannot simultaneously possess directional water transport (DWT) functionality and environmental protection characteristics, while also causing a sticky sensation on the skin when worn. Herein, the polylactic acid (PLA) electrospun membranes were deposited on the PLA side of a double‐yarn weft‐knitted fabric (hydrophobic PLA filament and hydrophilic cotton yarn) with asymmetric wettability, and green composite fabrics with papillary structures and unidirectional moisture transport capability were obtained using hot‐press. The properties of these composite fabrics were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, moisture management testing, dynamic scanning calorimetry, water contact angle (WCA), and water permeability. The results showed that the wettability gradient difference between the two sides of the fabric increased, enhancing the unidirectional moisture transport capability. The optimal performance composite fabric achieved an accumulative one‐way transport capacity of 1285% and an overall moisture management capacity of 0.693. Additionally, the WCA on the hydrophobic side measured 150°, remaining at 146.8° after two washes. Overall, this composite fabric strikes a balance between biodegradability and exceptional DWT performance, rendering it an environmentally friendly and recyclable choice for moisture‐wicking and quick‐drying apparel applications.Highlights Created PLA/cotton‐knitted fabric with asymmetric wettability. Hydrophobic PLA membrane deposited on fabric surface using electrospinning. Green composite fabrics with excellent DWT functionality were made by hot‐press. Best composite fabric: R‐value 1285.6%, OMMC 0.696, WCA 150°. Best composite fabric retains WCA of 146.8° after two washes.

A study of street trees and their effects on pedestrians’ perceptions during summer

Poor thermal and light climates can have significant negative effects on human living qualities. Exploring sustainable ways to address these issues is an urgent task, and at the street level, trees pose a potential solution. This study aimed to determine the effect of street trees on pedestrians’ physiological comfort under different conditions. This was accomplished by field surveys, including questionnaires distributed at several forested streets in the Qingbaijiang District (QBD), a suburban area of Chengdu, China. Data analysis showed that people had different responses towards either physical or meteorological factors. They responded differently to various environmental factors, and the responses varied over physical and meteorological contexts. It was found that pedestrians’ neutral temperature and lighting levels were 28.64 °C, as indicated by physiologically equivalent temperature (PET, °C), and 0.91 klx, as indicated by illumination (klx). The percentage of people in favor of larger tree crowns increased considerably for PET (from 60 % at 30 °C to 90 % at 45 °C) and illumination (from 30 % at 0 klx to 100 % at 20 klx) elevations under small-sized trees. People preferred larger crowns and shorter trunks as they made them more comfortable. Their responses were also different for various PETs and daily periods. This is evident from the change in either thermal sensation vote (TSV) or overall comfort vote (OCV). The increase of either PET or illumination might result in TSV increase and OCV decrease. In relative terms, tree crown sizes (diameter, TCD) had a significant influence on pedestrians’ comfort. Increasing TCD by 1 m resulted in a TSV reduction of 0.449 and/or an OCV increase of 0.475 (sig. < 0.001). Results from this study may aid in future urban design and forestation works with the goal of improving pedestrians’ comfort.

Mixing in Weaving Process to Achieve the Best Physiological Comfort Properties for Summer Shirt Fabrics

Mixing in Weaving Process to Achieve the Best Physiological Comfort Properties for Summer Shirt Fabrics

Exploring the relationship between library reading space height and user perception: A physiological and subjective analysis

As a central functional aspect, the design of library reading spaces should consider users' perceptual experiences to optimize their psychological responses. However, the current literature lacks a rational analysis and definitive guidelines regarding the interior height design of reading rooms. This study focuses on physiological data supplemented by subjective evaluations to explore potential correlations between library reading space height and user perceptions. Specifically, we employed Virtual Reality (VR) to create four experimental scenarios, investigating reading space heights within a laboratory setting while capturing corresponding electroencephalogram (EEG), galvanic skin response (GSR), and subjective assessment data. Correlation analysis of EEG signals and height variations across the four scenarios revealed that the exposure sequence influenced participants' physiological experiences, particularly in the frontal lobe. Fitting curves illustrated changes in α and βH as heights varied, influenced by scene disparities. Correlational analysis between physiological and survey data established a connection between psychological perceptions and α waves. Findings indicate that height variations impact both physiological and psychological aspects. For a reading room space of 12.600 m × 22.500 m, maintaining psychological and physiological comfort requires a minimum height of 2.600 m. This research contributes a unique perspective by constructing a framework for investigating library reading spaces, offering novel insights for optimizing their design.

Role of Bamboo Fabric in Sports Clothing

In the recent era of development, the global market for sportswear textile manufacturing industries has increased in consumption of active sportswear. The performance characteristics of active sportswear directly influence comfort level and athletic performance during sports activities. Different types of sportswear products require different performance characteristics. Appropriate moisture and heat management are the key factors for the endowment of the required physiological comfort level. In highly engineered textile-based sports goods, special characteristics are incorporated in the polymer/fibers/product manufacturing procedures/finishing techniques to obtain the maximum performance and comfort level. The fashion world is constantly seeking new, natural, eco–friendly textile materials. India, after China, is the second richest country in bamboo genetic resources a novel textile material. The bamboo (rayon) fabric was tested for fiber and fabric properties assessing that the sourced fabric was within the minimum expected performance standards. Acceptability and suitability by retailers and sportspersons through another survey was gathered. The use of bamboo knits for sportswear was well accepted showing a high potential for bamboo knitwear in the market. Incorporation of wider color range and surface embellishments will enhance the appearance of sportswear adding more variety.

Development of comfort instrument in breast cancer patients: mixed methods study

The discomfort in breast cancer patients can lead to depression and the desire to die early. The nurses need to know the patient's discomfort as a basis for providing interventions. Previous studies reported that there is no valid and reliable breast cancer comfort assessment instrument applied in Indonesia. This study aimed to produce a valid and reliable comfort assessment instrument for breast cancer patients. This research used mixed-methods; the qualitative stage started with in-depth interviews with five participants completed with Colaizzi analysis and after that a comfort instrument was developed. The instrument development results were tested for the reliability and validity by assessing the content validity index (CVI), Product Moment validity, and Cronbach's alpha reliability on 100 respondents which were selected by purposive sampling. The qualitative study found five basic themes of comfort assessment: physiological comfort, psycho-spiritual, environmental, socio-cultural, and economic. The total of 30 questionnaire items were produced. Product moment test, results of 29 items r count: 0.361 and Cronbach's alpha test results of 0.915. There were 29 items of instruments for assessing the comfort of breast cancer patients that were valid and reliable that can be applied in Indonesia

Structural and Physiological Properties of Footwear Textiles

Abstract Textile uppers in the form of fitted knitted fabrics are now gaining in importance in the production of commercial footwear. The subject of this study was twelve different textile uppers and two reference leather materials. Structural properties and parameters of physiological comfort were characterized for selected variants. In order to analyze the thermo-physiological properties of the upper parts of the footwear, air permeability, thermal insulation properties, water vapor permeability and sorption properties were measured. Among the variants of textile uppers analyzed, the most desirable functional properties were shown by knitted fabrics made on cylindrical crochet machines of large diameters. The varnished cowhide leather variant was characterized by the worst hygienic properties.

The Main Aspects of New Ukrainian School: Child-Centeredness, Competence Approach, Pedagogy of Partnership

The main aspects of New Ukrainian School are considered in the article. The relevance of the article is that the educational reform launched in Ukraine in 2017 is based on a model of 9 key components, among which the prominent pedagogy is partnership, which is based on the cooperation of students, teachers and parents; the content of education is realized through the competence approach; in the educational process the main reference point is the needs of the child, ie the so-called child-centeredness. The purpose of the article: to consider in detail the implementation of key components of the New Ukrainian School Concept in domestic and foreign educational institutions: to clarify the principles of implementation of child centeredness, to reveal the essential features of the competence approach to learning, to compare the implementation of partnership pedagogy in international and Ukrainian education. Methods of work: complex (analysis of the scientific literature and synthesis). Novelty: the activity-based approach to learning is the key to the formation of key competencies of lifelong learning. Results: According to research on this issue, the main goal of each reform is to improve the quality of education. Both the competence approach, and pedagogy of partnership, and child-centeredness interact closely with each other, complement each aspect. Thus, these factors are aimed at the diverse development of the child's personality, the formation of key and subject competencies that will be necessary for life skills and will be the basis for choosing a future profession and the key to success in life. Conclusion: these factors of the New Ukrainian School Concept proclaim the preservation of the value of childhood, personal approach to the child, the development of students' abilities, creating an educational environment that provides psychological and physiological comfort.

Structure–function relationships for squid skin-inspired wearable thermoregulatory materials

Wearable thermoregulatory technologies have attracted widespread attention because of their potential for impacting individual physiological comfort and for reducing building energy consumption. Within this context, the study of materials and systems that can merge the advantageous characteristics of both active and passive operating modes has proven particularly attractive. Accordingly, our laboratory has drawn inspiration from the appearance-changing skin of Loliginidae (inshore squids) for the introduction of a unique class of dynamic thermoregulatory composite materials with outstanding figures of merit. Herein, we demonstrate a straightforward approach for experimentally controlling and computationally predicting the adaptive infrared properties of such bioinspired composites, thereby enabling the development and validation of robust structure–function relationships for the composites. Our findings may help unlock the potential of not only the described materials but also comparable systems for applications as varied as thermoregulatory wearables, food packaging, infrared camouflage, soft robotics, and biomedical sensing.

Assessment of Window Size and Layout Impact on a View Quality Perception in a Virtual Reality Environment

ABSTRACT Window views are key factors that affect buildings’ occupants psychological and physiological comfort and wellbeing. Window design should consider the holistic impacts on building energy, lighting performance, and the connection to the outdoors provided by the view which is usually overlooked. In this study, view perception, stress recovery, physiological, and psychological affect were evaluated in virtual environments of five different conditions varying the physical dimensions of a window located in the same office space with an urban view. This allowed three window-to-wall ratios (i.e. 10%, 20%, and 30%) and two different window layouts (i.e. narrow and wide) to be compared. Twenty-five participants were recruited. Subjective self-assessments on view perception (e.g. content and complexity), self-assessment and physiological measures (e.g. skin conductance and heart rate variability) stress recovery besides psychological affect were measured. Participants performed a Stroop-test to induce stress that was immediately followed by a period of recovery facilitated by exposure to one of the five window conditions. Results showed that increased window size advocated higher view perception assessments, increased stress recovery, and positive psychological affect. Measurements of skin conductance and heart rate variability also corroborated these findings. Differences in window layout were also revealed, but only for 10% WWRs. Therefore, WWR is not a reliable indicator for view perception for small window sizes, indicating that layout preference is dependent on window size. This study highlights the importance of considering view perception for occupant health and wellbeing when sizing window openings, since these may not necessarily align with other design criteria.

An adjustable transpiration polyimide membrane for highly efficient personal drying and warming

Functional textiles with efficient sweat releasing and thermal insulating play a pivotal role in maintaining physiological comfort in cold winter. However, the breathability and warmth have conflicting structural demands on the conventional fabric. Here, a porous polyimide film (PIF) with tunable sweat release capability was prepared by growing a graphene layer through laser-ablation strategy. Jungle-like graphene layer offers the porous PI film with distinct advantages, including a desired super hydrophobic performance (water contact angle =153°), rapid air permeability (1572 g/m2·24 h), quick drying function based on high photo-thermal and electro-thermal conversion efficiency, and outstanding thermal insulating capability (0.033 W/m·K). Moreover, the graphene layer can also be custom printed into various patterns, which expanded the application scenarios for wearable flexible electronics. Overall, this Janus design offered insight into the proactive control of sweat release and heat transfer within the hierarchical and interconnected network, providing promising benefits to the development of multifunctional drying and warming textiles.

Recent Developments in Materials and Manufacturing Techniques Used for Sports Textiles

In the recent era of development, the global market for the sportswear textile manufacturing industries has increased with the increase in consumption of active sportswear. The sportswear manufacturers not only focused on the market trends but also focused on material diversification with technology enhancement. The performance characteristics of active sportswear directly influence comfort level and athletic performance during sports activities. Different types of sportswear products require different performance characteristics. Appropriate moisture and heat management are the key factors for the endowment of the required physiological comfort level. In highly engineered textile-based sports goods, special characteristics are incorporated in the polymer/fibers/product manufacturing procedures/finishing techniques to obtain the maximum performance and comfort level. In this review paper current market trends, highly engineered polymers, fibers, fabrics, finishes, nanomaterials, and the recent developments in the manufacturing techniques of sportswear are illustrated.

A Study of Human Physiological Comfort in Lagos Metropolis Using Landsat Satellite Imagery Between 1984 and 2013

Our cities today are exposed more too urban atmospheric conditions that influence man’s comfort, health and behavior. As cities grow changes in land use have altered man’s physiological comfort experienced today. Landsat satellite imagery was used to study human physiological comfort in Lagos metropolis between 1984 and 2013. So, to achieve this remote sensing data acquired from Landsat satellite imagery and Geographic Information System (GIS) were used to derive, namely: land use land cover, land surface and air temperature, and relative humidity index for 1984, 2000 and 2013. While Temperature Humidity Index (THI) was computed from air temperature and relative humidity index which was used to assess human physiological outdoor comfort in relation to land use activities. In this study, the health implications of physiological stress and thermal sensation were highlighted and addressed from the environmental and health perspectives as it relates to land use. This study thrown open the door of environmental efficiency, well-being and the health of citizens which is influenced by physiological comfort through developing and maintaining comfortable environmental conditions that will enhance the quality of urban life.