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Environmental Science & Technology Jul 2023The potential for masks to act as fomites in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been suggested but not demonstrated experimentally or observationally. In this study, we...
The potential for masks to act as fomites in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 has been suggested but not demonstrated experimentally or observationally. In this study, we aerosolized a suspension of SARS-CoV-2 in saliva and used a vacuum pump to pull the aerosol through six different types of masks. After 1 h at 28 °C and 80% RH, SARS-CoV-2 infectivity was not detectable on an N95 and surgical mask, was reduced by 0.7 log on a nylon/spandex mask, and was unchanged on a polyester mask and two different cotton masks when recovered by elution in a buffer. SARS-CoV-2 RNA remained stable for 1 h on all masks. We pressed artificial skin against the contaminated masks and detected the transfer of viral RNA but no infectious virus to the skin. The potential for masks contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 in aerosols to act as fomites appears to be less than indicated by studies involving SARS-CoV-2 in very large droplets.
Topics: Humans; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; Masks; RNA, Viral; Respiratory Aerosols and Droplets
PubMed: 37399494
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c01581 -
Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery Aug 2022Airway management during anaesthesia in cats is always a demanding task and is associated with several complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the...
OBJECTIVES
Airway management during anaesthesia in cats is always a demanding task and is associated with several complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate the practicability and complications during feline-specific laryngeal mask placement in anaesthetised cats as an alternative to endotracheal intubation.
METHODS
In this prospective clinical study, laryngeal masks were placed in 148 anaesthetised cats. Success of placement was evaluated by capnography.
RESULTS
Placement was possible at the first attempt in 136 cats, at the second attempt in eight cats and at the third attempt in one cat. In one cat, placement was not possible. Two cats were excluded. Failure to position the laryngeal mask at the first attempt was not different between laryngeal mask sizes ( = 0.313) or positioning during placement ( = 0.406). In nine cats, the laryngeal mask dislocated during the procedure. Dislocation occurred more often in the dorsal position than in the sternal ( = 0.018) and right lateral positions ( = 0.046). Mucous obstruction of the laryngeal mask occurred in one of these cats and regurgitation in another. Material-related issues, such as disconnection of the parts of the laryngeal mask and leakage of the balloon, were observed in 2/8 laryngeal masks.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
The placement of a feline-specific laryngeal mask was easy to perform. In about 7% of the cases, replacement of the device was required due to mispositioning or dislocation. Full monitoring, including capnography, should be provided to uncover dislocation and airway obstruction immediately.
Topics: Anesthesia; Animals; Cats; Intubation, Intratracheal; Laryngeal Masks; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 34663126
DOI: 10.1177/1098612X211050612 -
Einstein (Sao Paulo, Brazil) 2023The World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the use of face masks in public. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of face...
OBJECTIVE
The World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the use of face masks in public. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of face masks on pulse rate and partial blood oxygen saturation in patients without cardiorespiratory disorders.
METHODS
A total of 150 volunteers of both sexes were divided into three groups (n=50) according to age (children, young adults, and older adults). The partial blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate were measured for each volunteer using a digital oximeter while wearing a facial mask and remaining at rest. The masks were removed for two minutes, and partial blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate were remeasured. The materials and types of masks used were recorded. The t -test for paired samples was used to compare the mean values obtained before and after removing the masks.
RESULTS
The most frequently used mask was a two-layered cloth (64.7%). A decrease in pulse rate was observed after removing the face mask in males, particularly in children (p=0.006) and young adults (p=0.034). Partial blood oxygen saturation levels increased in young adult males after mask removal (p=0.01).
CONCLUSION
The two-layer cotton tissue face masks are associated with a higher pulse rate and reduced arterial blood oxygen saturation without associated clinical disorders, mainly in adult men with a lower tolerance to breathing and ear discomfort.
Topics: Male; Child; Female; Young Adult; Humans; Aged; Masks; Heart Rate; Lung; Oxygen
PubMed: 37970950
DOI: 10.31744/einstein_journal/2023AO0349 -
Physiology & Behavior May 2021The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of surgical mask use in cognitive and psychophysiological response of university students during a lesson. We...
The aim of the present study was to analyze the impact of surgical mask use in cognitive and psychophysiological response of university students during a lesson. We analyzed 50 volunteers university students (age 20.2 ± 2.9) in two 150 min lessons. i. personal class using a surgical mask and ii. online class with student at home without the mask. Blood oxygen saturation, heart rate and heart rate variability, mental fatigue and reaction time were measured before and immediately after both lectures. We found how both lesson produced an increase in mental fatigue, reaction time and autonomous sympathetic modulation, being heart rate significantly higher (77.7 ± 18.2 vs. 89.3 ± 11.2 bpm, not mask, mask respectively) and blood oxygen saturation significantly lower (98.4 ± 0.5 vs. 96.0 ± 1.8%, mask, not mask respectively) using the surgical mask. The use of surgical mask during a 150 min university lesson produced an increased heart rate and a decrease in blood oxygen saturation, not significantly affecting the mental fatigue perception, reaction time and time, frequency and nonlinear hear rate variability domains of students.
Topics: Adolescent; Cognition; Heart Rate; Humans; Learning; Masks; Mental Fatigue; Oximetry; Oxygen; Psychophysiology; Reaction Time; Students; Universities; Young Adult
PubMed: 33516744
DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113342 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Feb 2023Waste masks pose a serious threat to the environment, including marine plastic pollution and soil pollution risks caused by landfills since the outbreak of COVID-19.... (Review)
Review
Waste masks pose a serious threat to the environment, including marine plastic pollution and soil pollution risks caused by landfills since the outbreak of COVID-19. Currently, numerous effective methods regarding disposal and resource utilization of waste masks have been reported, containing physical, thermochemical, and solvent-based technologies. As for physical technologies, the mechanical properties of the mask-based materials could be enhanced and the conductivity or antibacterial activity was endowed by adding natural fibers or inorganic nanoparticles. Regarding thermochemical technologies, catalytic pyrolysis could yield considerable hydrogen, which is an eco-friendly resource, and would mitigate the energy crisis. Noticeably, the solvent-based technology, as a more convenient and efficient method, was also considered in this paper. In this way, soaking the mask directly in a specific chemical reagent changes the original structure of polypropylene and obtains multi-functional materials. The solvent-based technology is promising in the future with the researches of sustainable and universally applicable reagents. This review could provide guidance for utilizing resources of waste masks and address the issues of plastic pollution.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Masks; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Plastics; Solvents
PubMed: 36653687
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25353-6 -
Cognitive Research: Principles and... Apr 2022Previous research has shown that face masks impair the ability to perceive social information and the readability of emotions. These studies mostly explored the effect...
Previous research has shown that face masks impair the ability to perceive social information and the readability of emotions. These studies mostly explored the effect of standard medical, often white, masks on emotion recognition. However, in reality, many individuals prefer masks with different styles. We investigated whether the appearance of the mask (pattern: angular vs. curvy and color: black vs. white) affected the recognition of emotional states. Participants were asked to identify the emotions on faces covered by masks with different designs. The presence of masks resulted in decreasing accuracy and confidence and increasing reaction times, indicating that masks impair emotion recognition. There were no significant effects of angularity versus curvature or color on emotion recognition, which suggests that mask design may not impair the recognition beyond the effect of mere mask wearing. Besides, we found relationships between individual difference variables such as mask wearing attitudes, mask design preferences, individual traits and emotion recognition. The majority of participants demonstrated positive attitudes toward mask wearing and preferred non-patterned black and white masks. Preferences for white masks were associated with better emotion recognition of masked faces. In contrast, those with negative attitudes toward masks showed marginally poorer performance in emotion recognition for masked faces, and preferred patterned more than plain masks, perhaps viewing masks as a fashion item rather than a necessity. Moreover, preferences to wear patterned masks were negatively related to actual wearing of masks indoors and perceived risks of COVID.
Topics: COVID-19; Color; Emotions; Humans; Masks; Recognition, Psychology
PubMed: 35394218
DOI: 10.1186/s41235-022-00380-y -
Journal of Preventive Medicine and... Jan 2021Non-traditional materials are used for mask construction to address personal protective equipment shortages during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic....
OBJECTIVES
Non-traditional materials are used for mask construction to address personal protective equipment shortages during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Reusable masks made from surgical sterilization wrap represent such an innovative approach with social media frequently referring to them as "N95 alternatives." This material was tested for particle filtration efficiency and breathability to clarify what role they might have in infection prevention and control.
METHODS
A heavyweight, double layer sterilization wrap was tested when new and after 2, 4, 6, and 10 autoclave sterilizing cycles and compared with an approved N95 respirator and a surgical mask via testing procedures using a sodium chloride aerosol for N95 efficiency testing similar to 42 CFR 84.181. Pressure testing to indicate breathability was also conducted.
RESULTS
The particle filtration efficiency for the sterilization wrap ranged between 58% to 66%, with similar performance when new and after sterilizing cycles. The N95 respirator and surgical mask performed at 95% and 68% respectively. Pressure drops for the sterilization wrap, N95 and surgical mask were 10.4 mmH2O, 5.9 mmH2O, and 5.1 mmH2O, respectively, well below the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health limits of 35 mmH2O during initial inhalation and 25 mmH2O during initial exhalation.
CONCLUSIONS
The sterilization wrap's particle filtration efficiency is much lower than a N95 respirator, but falls within the range of a surgical mask, with acceptable breathability. Performance testing of non-traditional mask materials is crucial to determine potential protection efficacy and for correcting misinterpretation propagated through popular media.
Topics: Filtration; Humans; Masks; Occupational Exposure; Pandemics; Personal Protective Equipment; Sterilization
PubMed: 33618497
DOI: 10.3961/jpmph.20.394 -
Journal of Voice : Official Journal of... Nov 2023The global health pandemic caused by the SARS-coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) has led to the adoption of facemasks as a necessary safety precaution. Depending on the level of...
AIM
The global health pandemic caused by the SARS-coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) has led to the adoption of facemasks as a necessary safety precaution. Depending on the level of risk for exposure to the virus, the facemasks that are used can vary. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of different types of facemasks, typically used by healthcare professionals and the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, on measures of voice.
METHODS
Nineteen adults (ten females, nine males) with a normal voice quality completed sustained vowel tasks. All tasks were performed for each of the six mask conditions: no mask, cloth mask, surgical mask, KN95 mask and, surgical mask over a KN95 mask with and without a face shield. Intensity measurements were obtained at a 1ft and 6ft distance from the speaker with sound level meters. Tasks were recorded with a 1ft mouth-to-microphone distance. Acoustic variables of interest were fundamental frequency (F0), and formant frequencies (F1, F2) for /a/ and /i/ and smoothed cepstral peak prominence (CPPs) for /a/.
RESULTS
Data were analyzed to compare differences between sex and mask types. There was statistical significance between males and females for intensity measures and all acoustic variables except F2 for /a/ and F1 for /i/. Few pairwise comparisons between masks reached significance even though main effects for mask type were observed. These are further discussed in the article.
CONCLUSION
The masks tested in this study did not have a significant impact on intensity, fundamental frequency, CPPs, first or second formant frequency compared to voice output without a mask. Use of a face shield seemed to affect intensity and CPPs to some extent. Implications of these findings are discussed further in the article.
Topics: Adult; Male; Female; Humans; COVID-19; Pandemics; Speech Acoustics; Masks; Acoustics
PubMed: 34261582
DOI: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2021.06.015 -
European Journal of Medical Research Jun 2020In the human population, social contacts are a key for transmission of bacteria and viruses. The use of face masks seems to be critical to prevent the transmission of... (Review)
Review
In the human population, social contacts are a key for transmission of bacteria and viruses. The use of face masks seems to be critical to prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 for the period, in which therapeutic interventions are lacking. In this review, we describe the history of masks from the middle age to modern times.
Topics: Communicable Disease Control; History of Medicine; History, 17th Century; History, 18th Century; History, 19th Century; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Masks; Respiratory Protective Devices
PubMed: 32576263
DOI: 10.1186/s40001-020-00423-4 -
JASA Express Letters Sep 2022Most prior research focuses on the reduced amplitude of speech caused by facemasks. This paper argues that the interaction between the acoustic properties of a facemask...
Most prior research focuses on the reduced amplitude of speech caused by facemasks. This paper argues that the interaction between the acoustic properties of a facemask and the acoustic properties of the vocal tract contributes to speech distortion by changing the formants of the voice. Speech distortion of a number of masks was tested by measuring the increase in damping of the first formant. Results suggest that masks dampen the first formant and that increasing the distance between the mask wall and mouth can reduce this distortion. These findings contribute to the research studying the impact of masks on speech.
Topics: Acoustics; Masks; Mouth; Speech; Voice
PubMed: 36182345
DOI: 10.1121/10.0014002