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Relationship between clothing ventilation and thermal insulation.

Air layers trapped within a clothing microenvironment contribute to the thermal insulation afforded by the ensemble. Any exchange of air between the external environment and these trapped air layers results in a change in the ensemble's thermal insulation and water vapor resistance characteristics. These effects are seldom taken into account when considering the effects of clothing on human heat balance, the thermal characteristics usually being restricted to intrinsic insulation and intrinsic evaporative resistance measurements on static manikins. Environmental assessments based on these measurements alone may therefore lead to under-(or over-) estimation of thermal stress of the worker. The aim of this study was to quantify the relationship between clothing ventilation and thermal insulation properties. A one-layer, air-impermeable ensemble and a three-layer, air-permeable ensemble were tested using an articulated, thermal manikin in a controlled climate chamber (ta = tr = 10 degrees C, PaH2O = 0.73 kPa). The manikin, which was designed for thermal insulation measurements, was also equipped with a system to determine clothing ventilation. Baseline measurements of clothing ventilation (VT) and thermal insulation (total clothing insulation: I(T)--measured, intrinsic insulation: Icl--calculated) were made of the clothing with the manikin standing stationary in still air conditions. Increased clothing ventilation was induced when the manikin "walked" (walking speeds of 0.37 m/sec and 0.77 m/sec) and by increasing the environmental air speed (Va = 1.0 m/sec). These increases in VT reduced Icl, this being ascribed to the increased heat transfer from the manikin skin surface to the cooler external environment due to the exchange of air between the clothing microenvironment and the external environment. Measured air exchanges were shown to have a potential heat exchange capacity of up to 17 and 161 W/m2 for the one- and three-layer ensembles, respectively, emphasizing the need to take clothing ventilation characteristics into consideration during thermal audits and thermal risk assessments.

Body Temperature Regulation↗

Burns and military clothing.

Burn injury is a ubiquitous threat in the military environment. The risks during combat are well recognised, but the handling of fuel, oil, munitions and other hot or flammable materials during peacetime deployment and training also imposes an inherent risk of accidental burn injury. Over the last hundred years, the burn threat in combat has ranged from nuclear weapons to small shoulder-launched missiles. Materials such as napalm and white phosphorus plainly present a risk of burn, but the threat extends to encompass personnel in vehicles attacked by anti-armour weapons, large missiles, fuel-air explosives and detonations/conflagrations on weapons platforms such as ships. Large numbers of burn casualties were caused at Pearl Harbor, in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Vietnam, during the Arab/Israeli Wars and in the Falkland Islands conflict. The threat from burns is unlikely to diminish, indeed new developments in weapons seek to exploit the vulnerability of the serviceman and servicewoman to burns. Clothing can be a barrier to some types of burn--both inherently in the properties of the material, but also by trapping air between clothing layers. Conversely, ignition of the clothing may exacerbate a burn. There is hearsay that burnt clothing products within a wound may complicate the clinical management, or that materials that melt (thermoplastic materials) should not be worn if there is a burn threat. This paper explores the incidence of burn injury, the mechanisms of heat transfer to bare skin and skin covered by materials, and the published evidence for the complication of wound management by materials. Even light-weight combat clothing can offer significant protection to skin from short duration flash burns; the most vulnerable areas are the parts of the body not covered--face and hands. Multilayered combat clothing can offer significant protection for short periods from engulfment by flames; lightweight tropical wear with few layers offers little protection. Under high heat loads in the laboratory, combat clothing can ignite, but there is little evidence that clothing ignition is a common occurrence in military burn casualties. Thermoplastic materials have many benefits in civil and military clothing. There is little objective evidence that they exacerbate burns, or complicate burn management. Their use in military clothing must be based on objective evidence, not hearsay.

Burns↗

Weighing Vietnamese children: how accurate are child weights adjusted for estimates of clothing weight?

Children who are weighed for growth monitoring are frequently clothed, especially in the cold weather. Health workers commonly estimate and subtract the weight of these clothes, but the accuracy of these estimates is unknown. We assessed the accuracy of child weights adjusted for estimated clothing typical of hot, cold, and extremely cold ambient temperatures. Trained field workers weighed a sample of 212 children 6 to 42 months old from the ViSION project, adjusted the weights using a job aid describing the weights of common clothing by season and age, and then weighed the clothing to calculate the actual clothing and child weights. Fieldworker estimates of the weight of the clothing that children wore during weighing were remarkably good. In nearly all cases (207 of 212; 97.7%), the difference between the estimated and actual clothing weight was less than the precision of the child scales (+/- 50 g), and most (181 of 212; 84.5%) were within 25 g. Thus, the calculated child weights were, in fact, equivalent to the actual child weights. Using simulations, we found that improperly accounting for clothing weight can overestimate weight-for-age by 0.1 to 0.4 Z score. Accurate weights are possible, even under adverse conditions. Our training methods, clothing album, and job aid might benefit nutrition research and programming in Viet Nam as well as settings with colder climates.

Body Weight↗

Resultant clothing insulation during exercise in the cold.

Predictions of required clothing during work in the cold is often based on data obtained from thermal manikin measurements. These clothing basic insulation values are altered during exercise. In a series of experiments at our laboratory, resultant clothing insulation has been studied. In a cold climatic chamber subjects walked on a treadmill at various exercise intensities dressed in cold protective clothing at different levels of insulation. Thermal insulation of the clothing ensembles was measured with a thermal manikin under standardized conditions. Compared to the standard manikin insulation values, the clothing insulation values measured (resultant insulation) at the human experiments were always lower. Reductions of insulation ranged from 12 to 54% depending on such factors as work intensity, sweating amount, clothing type etc. Predictions of cold protection of clothing at actual use must take into account factors influencing clothing insulation to avoid over-estimation of the cold protective properties of clothing.

Clothing↗

Performance of a water suction system using hydrophilic fibrous cloth under low gravity and microgravity in parabolic flight.

For suction of water from a water supply vessel including both water and air under microgravity and g-jitter conditions, a water suction system using hydrophilic fibrous cloth was developed and its performance was evaluated at 0.01-0.02 g-realized for 20 s by parabolic flight in an aircraft. Vessels used for the experiment were glass flasks and had a suction port for suction filtration. A piece of hydrophilic fibrous cloth was arranged along the inner surface of the vessels and the end was fixed to the suction port of the vessels. In vessel without hydrophilic cloths and containing 220 mL of water, the water did not move more than 5 mm along the inner surface and did not reach the suction port under low gravity. When hydrophilic cloths were used, on the other hand, water gathered onto the cloth surface, moved up along the cloth and reached the suction port under low gravity. The amount of water sucked from vessels varied with the amount of water in the vessel and the sectional area of hydrophilic cloths. When the vessels including both water and air were flown during parabolic flight (10(-4) g), water in the vessel moved along the cloth and a water film was formed on the cloth. These results indicated that it is possible to suck water using the fibrous cloth suction system under low gravity and microgravity conditions. Under low gravity conditions, it was difficult to suck water only. However, it is not necessary to separate water from air when the system is used for supplying water to plant root medium consisting of both liquid and gas phases.

Acceleration↗

[Experimental study of the antibacterial activity of cloth impregnated with a disinfectant solution].

Disinfecting cloths were commercialized for several years. The solutions of disinfectant used are generally active in vitro in the conditions required by the french standards published by AFNOR, but it is also necessary to know the effectiveness of disinfecting cloths in conditions of use. We describe in this paper a method for this determination. Four bacterial stains recommended in the french standards were used: Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 9144, Enterococcus hirae ATCC 10541, Pseudomonas aeruginosa CIP A 22 and Escherichia coli ATCC 10536. The bacteria were layed on a test watch-glass and the disinfecting cloth was applied on it following the conditions recommended by the manufacturer. 15 minutes after using the disinfecting cloth, the bacteria on the watch-glass and those which were recovered on the disinfecting cloth during application were collected in a neutralising agent suitable for the disinfecting solution used and the surviving bacteria were counted. A similar test was performed using cloth impregnated with sterile distilled water. We studied the activity of unweaved cloths impregnated with a mixture of quaternary ammonium compounds (0.5%) and peroxides (0.1%). The results show that the method allows us to estimate the proper activity of the disinfectant used. In this study, a much higher decontamination of the watch-glass was observed with impregnated cloths than with cloths containing distilled water only. The mean reduction of the number of bacteria layed on the watch-glass was 5.95 log10 in 15 minutes in the first case and only 2.4 log10 in the second case. In addition, the disinfectant leads to the destruction of the bacteria recovered on the cloth during application.

Bedding and Linens↗

Distinctive bacteria-binding property of cloth materials.

BACKGROUND: Nosocomial infections may be caused by pathogens that are transmitted from the hands or clothes of hospital personnel. Handwashing has been evaluated as effective against the spread of pathogens, but transmission through clothes has been little investigated. Evaluation of bacterial adherence to clothes is difficult because of the nonuniform amount of water absorbance by cloth. Therefore, we measured binding of bacteria to cloth fibers made of cotton, nylon, polyester, acrylic, or sheep's wool and tried to characterize bacterial binding to cloth. METHODS: We chose to study the opportunistic pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cloth fibers were incubated with bacterial suspensions in silicone-coated tubes. We evaluated the reduction of numbers of bacteria in solutions incubated with the fibers and calculated binding ratios of bacteria to the fibers. RESULTS: Polyester or acrylic fibers bound S aureus and P aeruginosa at high ratios (>80%), but cotton fibers bound them at low ratios (<10%). Nylon fibers bound S aureus at low ratios, but P aeruginosa at intermediate ratios. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that polyester, acrylic, or wool clothes could be good carriers of S aureus and P aeruginosa and thus should be covered with cotton clothes to minimize the spread of the pathogens.

Cells, Cultured↗

Disco clothing, female sexual motivation, and relationship status: is she dressed to impress?

The relationship between a female's clothing choice, sexual motivation, hormone levels, and partnership status (single or not single, partner present or not present) was analyzed in 351 females attending Austrian discotheques. We digitally analyzed clothing choice to determine the amount of skin display, sheerness, and clothing tightness. Participants self-reported sexual motivation, and we assessed estradiol and testosterone levels through saliva sampling. Results show that females are aware of the social signal function of their clothing and that they in some cases alter their clothing style to match their courtship motivation. In particular, sheer clothing -although rare in the study- positively correlated with the motivation for sex. Hormone levels influenced clothing choice in many groups, with testosterone levels correlating positively with physique display. In females who had a partner but were at the disco unaccompanied by the partner, estradiol levels correlated positively with skin display and clothing tightness. Significant differences were not found, however, for clothing choice across the partnership-status groups.

Adult↗

Revolutionary advances in sun-protective clothing--an essential step in eliminating skin cancer in our world.

For many years, individuals around the world have relied on sunscreen alone as their primary form of protection against ultraviolet rays (UV-R). Australia has shown that a multitactic approach to skin cancer prevention, combining sun-protective clothing with sunscreen, can be both highly effective and widely accepted by the general public. In the US, the aging baby boomer generation and rising skin cancer epidemic call for a fundamental behavioral shift toward this combination approach to sun protection. Sun-protective clothing, such as that manufactured by Coolibar and awarded the Seal of Recommendation by The Skin Cancer Foundation, offers millions of Americans the opportunity to significantly improve the quality of their lives and is an essential step in eliminating skin cancer in our world. All Coolibar clothing products carry a minimum ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) rating of 30, blocking 97% UV-R or greater. Each product in the Coolibar clothing line is individually tested and rated for its UV protection level; this process is explained in a thorough hangtag attached to the product. This tag specifies what UPF the product has received, how the UPF is figured, which testing procedures the individual product was submitted to, and if that product has received the Seal of Recommendation from The Skin Cancer Foundation. In addition to photoprotective clothing, The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends Rit Sun Guard, a photoprotective laundry additive. Rit Sun Guard washes into the clothing fibers and absorbs broadband UV-R. A single treatment of Rit Sun Guard sustains a UPF of 30 for approximately 20 launderings. The active ingredient in Rit Sun Guard is TINOSORB FD. In order to be certified by The Skin Cancer Foundation, the Coolibar clothing product must undergo extensive UPF testing to confirm the accuracy of the product labeling. Laundry additives evaluated by The Skin Cancer Foundation undergo similar tests to that of photoprotective clothing after a uniform laundering method is used to apply the product to the clothing fibers. Both of these certification processes confirm the UPF, UV-A and UV-B transmittance, and percentage blocking UV-A and UV-B. The certification process is reviewed on an annual basis.

Health Promotion↗

Studies on the thermal insulation effect of the Korean women's folk clothes.

The purpose of this study is to examine the basic data useful for more comfortable folk clothes of Korean women, with respect to their thermal insulation effect. The result of this study is summarized as follows, by comparing the calculated thermal insulation effect of Korean women's folk clothes with that of the western style clothes. 1. The thermal insulation effect of the Korean women's folk clothes showed that summer clothes accounted for 0.67-0.93 Clo, while spring and autumn clothes showed 1.09-1.20 Clo. 2. Air layer had more effect on the thermal insulation of the Korean women's folk clothes than one of their material properties. 3. The thermal insulation of the Korean women's folk clothes features higher effect in the lower part of the body as compared with one the western style clothes, which act as an important factor in the thermal insulation.

Adult↗

Effects of two types of clothing on the day-night variation of core temperature and salivary immunoglobulin A.

Circadian variations in core temperature, skin temperatures, heart rate, and salivary immunoglobulin A (IgA) were compared in subjects wearing two different types of clothing that covered, or left uncovered, their extremities. The experiments were carried out on six female subjects at an ambient temperature of 24 +/- 0.5 degrees C and relative humidity of 50 +/- 5%. One type of clothing consisted of long-sleeved shirts, full-length trousers, and socks (Type L: 1042 g, 1.048 clo); the other was half-sleeved shirts and knee-length trousers (Type H: 747 g, 0.744 clo). The main results were as follows: (i) The level of rectal temperature during night sleep was significantly lower with Type H than Type L clothing, and cosinor analysis indicated a significantly higher circadian amplitude with Type H clothing. (ii) Skin temperatures in the lower extremities increased significantly more on retiring to sleep with Type H than Type L clothing. (iii) Heart rate was significantly lower with Type H than Type L clothing during the sleep period. (iv) The day-night variation of salivary IgA showed a pattern that was the inverse of that of rectal temperature (i.e., low in the daytime and high in the nighttime), and the concentration of salivary IgA was significantly higher with Type H than Type L clothing at 02:30. (v) Subjectively, the self-assessed sleep quality was better with Type H clothing. These results suggest that clothing that leaves the extremities uncovered might be regarded as favorable at the moderate temperature since it induces good sleep and activates the immune response.

Adult↗

Modern cleanroom clothing systems: people as a contamination source.

Today, clothing and clothing systems for cleanrooms are mainly tested with regard to material properties such as particle generation, particle filtration, and resistance to wear. The dispersal chamber or "body-box" has been used for studying the protective efficacy of clothing systems in use, for example by Hoborn in 1981 (1) and Whyte and Bailey in 1985. A modified dispersal chamber has recently been installed at KTH. Tests and comparative studies have been performed in the dispersal chamber on selected clothing systems. The latest tests have been performed in two parts. In Part 1, each person performed 12 sequences dressed in new, modern cleanroom clothing systems with small variations, such as with and without goggles, different face masks, and different sizes of hoods. In Part 2, each person performed six test sequences with new, modern cleanroom clothing systems with variations in fabrics, and as a comparison, two sequences with pharmaceutical clothing system and surgical clothing system, respectively. The results are given in total number of airborne particles (> or = 0.5 microm per cubic meter) and airborne aerobic CFU per cubic meter. Statistical evaluations of the results have been performed. The source strengths of the contamination source people wearing modern cleanroom clothing systems have been estimated.

Air Microbiology↗

The effect of clothing on the initial responses to cold water immersion in man.

The protection provided by three clothing assemblies against the cold shock response was investigated. Nine healthy male volunteers each undertook three two minute head-out immersions into stirred water at 10 degrees C. The subjects wore a different clothing assembly for each immersion, these were: a) Swimming trunks only; b) Conventional clothing (equivalent to RN No 8s); c) Conventional clothing plus windproof/shower-proof clothing (RN foul-weather clothing Mk III). The cardiac, ventilatory and thermal responses of the subjects were examined before and during the immersions. No significant differences were found between the magnitude of the responses recorded on immersion when conventional clothing or foul-weather clothing were worn. Mean skin temperature was lower (P less than 0.05) and respiratory frequency and minute ventilation were higher (P less than 0.05) on immersion in swimming trunks compared to the other two conditions. It is concluded that when policies for the use of immersion protective clothing are being formulated, consideration should be given to all of the potentially hazardous responses associated with cold water immersion.

Adult↗

Antibacterial activity of cloth functionalized with N-alkylated poly(4-vinylpyridine).

A simple technique was developed to functionalize the surface of commercial cotton cloth with bactericidal polycationic groups. The cloth was first graft copolymerized with 4-vinylpyridine (4VP) and subsequently derivatized with hexylbromide via the quaternization of the grafted pyridine groups into pyridinium groups. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to characterize the cotton cloth after each surface functionalization step. The pyridinium groups introduced on the substrate surface exhibited a high bacterial killing efficiency as shown by airborne and waterborne Escherichia coli (E. coli) assays, as well as a test to measure the number of viable E. coli cells in suspension upon contact with the cloth. This antibacterial property is preserved even after the cloth is subjected to prolonged weathering under UV irradiation and water spray. Wild-type bacteria were also cultured from soil and used to verify the antibacterial potential of the functionalized cloth. The inhibition of biofilm formation on the functionalized cloth was observed even with the inoculation of high concentrations of microorganisms. The success of the present surface functionalization technique as applied to cloth is a promising development, as since cloth is a common material having wide applications.

Animals↗

Clothing ventilation - update and applications.

The Environmental Ergonomics Unit at the P.O.W. provided a forum for the discussion and consolidation of ideas regarding the origins, current progress and the future development of the Clothing Ventilation Index. Crockford et al (1972) first developed the concept of clothing ventilation. The basic technique employs a trace gas dilution method for measuring the ventilation of the clothing microclimate. Ventilation is vital to the removal of sensible and insensible heat and, therefore, an important determinant of thermal comfort. Two techniques (Lotens and Havenith, 1986, 1988; Reischl et al, 1987) have subsequently been developed. The former method results in an average ventilation value for the total clothed-body surface area, whereas the latter method also takes into consideration regional changes in garment design as separate entities from the total ventilation, allowing for local modification in garment design. The Clothing Ventilation Index is a quantitative, relatively inexpensive, fast, reliable and repeatable technique. It can be used in context, in the working environment to predict the effectiveness, preference and suitability of garments and clothing assemblies; firstly, to ensure that protective clothing is worn and used correctly, and secondly, to improve performance by minimising heat strain, sweat retention and thermal discomfort. Further work on validating the techniques in terms of human responses to the thermal environment is required. Questions were also raised as to whether human beings or manikins should be used. The use of human beings in dynamic situations is of paramount importance; however, manikins could be used for purely physical measurements to test various assumptions in evaluating clothing ventilation. It is essential that body dimensions and posture are always specified. The seminar enabled researchers to identify with the proposed techniques, outline the advantages and importance of the Clothing Ventilation Index and focus future studies.

Journal Article↗

Effects of 6 versus 12 days of heat acclimation on heat tolerance in lightly exercising men wearing protective clothing.

This study investigated the influence of 6 versus 12 days of heat acclimation on the tolerance of low-intensity exercise in the heat while wearing protective clothing. Sixteen young men were acclimated by treadmill walking (50% of each subject's maximal aerobic power for 60 min.day-1) in a climatic chamber [40 degrees C dry bulb (db), 30% relative humidity] for either 6 consecutive days or two 6-day periods, separated by a 1-day rest. Before and after heat acclimation, the subjects performed a heat-exercise test (1.34 m.s-1, 0% grade; 40 degrees C db, 30% relative humidity), either under control conditions [wearing normal light combat clothing (continuous exercise; n = 5)] or when wearing protective clothing resistant against nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) agents (repeated bouts of 15-min walk + 15-min rest; n = 8). Criteria for halting the test exercise were a rectal temperature (Tre) of 39.3 degrees C, a heart rate (fc) > or = 95% of the subject's observed maximum, unwillingness of the subject to continue, or the elapse of 150 min. Heat acclimation decreased overall test values of Tre, fc, and mean skin temperature for both control and protective clothing conditions. When wearing normal combat clothing, acclimation responses were about twice as large after 12 than after 6 days, but the response was not increased by longer acclimation when wearing NBC protective clothing. Both 6 and 12 days of acclimation increased tolerance times in NBC protective clothing by about 15 min [from 97 (4) to 112 (6) min and from 108 (10) to 120 (10) min for 6 and 12 days, respectively]. We conclude that the physiological strain and limitation of heat-exercise tolerance imposed by wearing NBC protective clothing are not reduced if heat acclimation is prolonged from 6 to 12 days.

Acclimatization↗

The effect of clothing on inhalation volume.

Diaphragmatic breathing is included as an important component of relaxation training protocols. In the present study, we report on the effectiveness of a simple behavioral technique to illustrate that choices of tight, restraining clothing significantly affect the inhalation volume of the breathing pattern. This study investigates the use of the incentive inspirometer to observe the effects of tight versus loose clothing on inhalation volume with 17 volunteer subjects. All had been trained in the use of the incentive inspirometer and slow diaphragmatic breathing (SDB) techniques. Inhalation volumes in the studies were measured with a 4000-ml incentive inspirometer and were recorded for one or two sequential breaths using SDB before and after loosening restrictive clothing. Loosening the subjects' clothing significantly increased inhalation volume. The results indicate that tight clothing significantly interferes with diaphragmatic breathing. We suggest that the demonstration of the effect of tight versus loose clothing can increase the clinician's awareness of the effects of clothing on breathing patterns. The technique also facilitates the acquisition of diaphragmatic breathing skills, and may raise the client's awareness that choices such as clothing can directly affect physiology.

Biofeedback, Psychology↗

Changes in exercise and post-exercise core temperature under different clothing conditions.

This study evaluates the effect of different levels of insulation on esophageal (Tes) and rectal (Tre) temperature responses during and following moderate exercise. Seven subjects completed three 18-min bouts of treadmill exercise (75% VO2max, 22 degrees C ambient temperature) followed by 30 min of recovery wearing either: (1) jogging shoes, T-shirt and shorts (athletic clothing); (2) single-knit commercial coveralls worn over the athletic clothing (coveralls); or (3) a Canadian Armed Forces nuclear, bacteriological and chemical warfare protective overgarment with hood, worn over the athletic clothing (NBCW overgarment). Tes was similar at the start of exercise for each condition and baseline Tre was approximately 0.4 degree C higher than Tes. The hourly equivalent rate of increase in Tes during the final 5 min of exercise was 1.8 degrees C, 3.0 degrees C and 4.2 degrees C for athletic clothing, coveralls and NBCW overgarment respectively (P < 0.05). End-exercise Tes was significantly different between conditions [37.7 degrees C (SEM 0.1 degree C), 38.2 degrees C (SEM 0.2 degree C and 38.5 degrees C (SEM 0.2 degree C) for athletic clothing, coveralls and NBCW overgarment respectively)] (P < 0.05). No comparable difference in the rate of temperature increase for Tre was demonstrated, except that end-exercise Tre for the NBCW overgarment condition was significantly greater (0.5 degree C) than that for the athletic clothing condition. There was a drop in Tes during the initial minutes of recovery to sustained plateaus which were significantly (P < 0.05) elevated above pre-exercise resting values by 0.6 degree C, 0.8 degree C and 1.0 degree C, for athletic clothing, coveralls, and NBCW overgarment, respectively. Post-exercise Tre decreased very gradually from end-exercise values during the 30-min recovery. Only the NBCW overgarment condition Tre was significantly elevated (0.3 degree C) above the athletic clothing condition (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Tes is far more sensitive in reflecting the heat stress of different levels of insulation during exercise and post-exercise than Tre. Physiological mechanisms are discussed as possible explanations for the differences in response.

Adult↗