The effects of pajama fabrics' water absorption properties on the stratum corneum under mildly cold conditions.

Background: The interaction of textiles with the skin is a fertile area for research.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of clothing fabric on the stratum corneum (SC) under mildly cold conditions.

Methods: A longitudinal controlled parallel study was designed to investigate the effects of the liquid/moisture absorption properties of pajama fabrics on the SC water content, transepidermal water loss, skin surface acidity (pH), and sebum.

Evaluation on masks with exhaust valves and with exhaust holes from physiological and subjective responses.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of wearing different kinds of masks on the ear canal temperature, heart rate, clothing microclimate, and subjective perception of discomfort. Ten subjects performed intermittent exercise on a treadmill while wearing the protective masks in a climatic chamber controlled at an air temperature of 25 degrees C and a relative humidity of 70%. Two types of mask-mask A, with exhaust valves and mask B, with exhaust holes-were used in the study.

Transmission of communicable respiratory infections and facemasks.

Background: Respiratory protection efficiency of facemasks is critically important in the battle against communicable respiratory infections such as influenza and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). We studied the spatial distributions of simulated virus-laden respiratory droplets when human subjects wore facemasks and were exposed to regulatory viral droplets by conducting in vivo experiments in facemask use.

Methods: Transmission pathway of aerosols of Fluorescein-KCl solution through facemasks and protective efficiency of facemasks were examined by using normal surgical facemasks and two facemasks with exhaust valves (Facemask A) and exhaust holes (Facemask B) covered with the same surgical filters situated at the back of the facemasks.