Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Charlotte Coffman called the meeting to order at 9:00. Brief introductions were made. Charlotte Coffman discussed issues with the current listserv that is now outdated. She proposed starting a new listserv instead of trying to update the old one. Susan Ashdown volunteered to host the new listserv at Cornell. No objections were made to Cornell hosting the listserv. Dr. Joseph Wysocki: USDA updates Joe gave a brief introduction to himself and his background. He discussed the current and future structure of USDA and CREES. He noted that the Farm Bill recently passed and provides for a name change to CREES, which will be the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) as of Oct. 1, 2009, with some reorganization in operations. NIFA will become the main research unit for USDA with a politically appointed head. Under the proposed changes in structure, there will not be an obvious fit with Human Sciences under the six areas. There was discussion about extension programs becoming more competitive with greater focus on impacts. Joe discussed the programs he oversees under Housing and Environment: Healthy Indoor Air for Americas Homes, Healthy Homes, Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN), Energy Programs, Home Buyer Education Counseling. He specifically emphasized EDEN, a national research group accepted as an eXtension affiliate, as noteworthy for NC-170 research interests. There is a call for papers for EDENs annual convention. The website (http://eden.lsu.edu) provides more information about the conference and the people involved in EDEN from each state. Joe noted that through his programs, he has good contacts with the EPA, HUD, and EDEN. Joe also discussed resources available to assist NC-170 researchers, including an online newsletter: CSREES Administrators Report to the Partnership. He shared a state contact list and provided information regarding the amount of Hatch dollars allotted to each participating university. Institutions can request program reviews from CSREES, and CSREES will provide means for two of the four reviewers. In addition, NPL state liaisons are available for assistance with plans of work and should visit sites once a year. Official Business: Officers were elected for the next year. Gang Sun is currently serving as Vice Chair and will thus move up to Chair. Lynn Boorady will take over as Vice Chair and Anugrah Shaw will serve as Secretary. Lynn proposed that next years meeting be held in Fort Worth, Texas where there is an extensive fire fighter training center: Tarrant County College Fire Service Training Center. Susan Ashdown suggested that we try to receive an abbreviated training while we are there. The meeting would be extended an extra day to allow for the training. Possible dates were selected for the meeting, with the understanding that Lynn would check with the Training Center before a final date was set. The dates were as follows: first choice August 5-7; second choice August 3-5, and third choice would be August 12-14. New Member Introductions: Semra Peksoz completed her graduate work at Oklahoma State University before joining the faculty there. She worked on sun hat projects and cooling vests using liquid and air. She has also been involved in body armor projects at OSU. Oklahoma has recently acquired a walking, sweating thermal mannequin, thermal imaging camera, and body scanner. Young-A Lee did her doctoral work at Michigan State University. She worked under Ann Slocum on former NC-170 projects, such as sun protection. She spent 3 years as an assistant professor at Florida State University and recently joined Iowa State University. Her research interests include functional apparel design, design for elderly populations, and virtual product development. Iowa has also recently acquired a body scanner. Semra will replace Huantian Cao as representative from Oklahoma State University. Young-A will be joining Jessica Barker as members representing Iowa State University. Website Update: Anugrah Shaw gave an update on the website (http://www.umes.edu/nc170) development. The content of the website needs to be evaluated for appropriateness of the extension materials available. For example, there is not any information related to fire fighters, even though several members have previously done work in this area. Likewise, there is little information regarding garment design. Individual states should send Anugrah pictures/video clips of current work with an accompanying caption to be posted on the website. Kay suggested other members take on assignments to develop content related to topics drawn from areas of work. Discussion ensued about what topics should be and how to divide current research and past research/publications/history. Possible organization of website content were presented and reviewed. Finally, the following structure was identified, with flexible use of the subtopics: " Project Information o Members o Officers o Project history o Project proposal o Research and publications o Project archives " Information by occupation o Structural - Susan o Wildfires firefighters - Peg o First responder/receivers  Jessica, Semra o Agricultural workers  Anugrah, Charlotte o Health/medical  Gang, Peg o Sun protection - Karen " Information (possible subheadings under each occupation) by research areas o Materials o garment design o garment fit analysis o evaluation and testing o user acceptance o educational materials " Links o Cornell body scanner o The Technical Center o Fabric Link o Nsf-muses.ucdavis.edu " Featured work/Impacts/Methodology Development o Antimicrobial o Standards o Body scan methodology o Thermal comfort studies Progress reports (see Appendix) were presented and reviewed for each participating site. The meeting adjourned to tour UC Davis labs and facilities. August 5th Objective #1 Progress Oklahoma has developed an evaporative assistance device that works and has potential application in this project. Objective #2 Progress Focus groups have been conducted in NY, IA, MI, and HI Those with content analysis software will run the transcription files through their software before sending it on for further analysis (if necessary). Young-A Lee noted that she has NVIVO software, which allows for content analysis. Focus groups of volunteers, females, big-city firefighters should be consulted. These should be completed and transcribed in 6 months. Lynn Boorady will scan 100 firefighters during fire school sessions in February and June. New York and Oklahoma will also collect body scans, convert the files and send on to Lynn. Lynn requested that those sites doing focus groups also collect video tapes of donning and doffing at each station and inquire about training fire fighters received on donning and doffing. Lynn will do an example for videotaping methods and send to everyone. All sites need to obtain consent to use an image in a publication release from participants. Susan will send out a sample form for all sites to use. Data files (scans, videos, pictures) should be named using a file naming system to indicate whether permission was obtained. Maryland will create a database of information for manufacturers and styles of turnout gear to assist in data collection and analysis. Each site will send this information to Anugrah, as focus group meetings are conducted. Iowa will conduct longitudinal studies of body shape changes for firefighters as they are first recruited through the first year. Iowa will also explore possibilities for glove testing using their Virtual Reality Applications Center and their force feedback equipment. European gear needs to be evaluated and National Fire Protection Associations (NFPA) regulations of fire fighter gear should be reviewed by the members. Each member will review the website and gain as much information as possible during the next year. NFPA has a listserv that researchers can join. Kay Obendorf suggested that a NC-170 member should serve on the apparel committee. Angie Shepherd is a good contact for NFPA information. It was noted that the group should consider environmental impact of turnout gear, particularly in decontamination and cleansing processes. Members may also find Roger Barkers database of fabric properties useful as work on Objective #2 moves forward. Objective #3 Progress The group decided to change the proposal. Iowa will not participate in work related to Objective #3. This decision was caused by changes in responsibilities for group members from Iowa. Gang Sun is developing a database of health/medical textiles information that could be linked on the website. Maryland will update the website once each year. Members should keep Anugrah updated on selective list of 12 publications related to NC-170 projects to be included on the website. Website updates should be sent to Anugrah. New members should send a digital photo, contact information, and research interests to Anugrah. Other members should evaluate their research interests and website content. Changes should be sent to Anugrah within 60 days of the meeting. The group then met with Kathlyn Swantco from FabricLink. She reviewed their websites (www.FabricLink.com and www.thetechnicalcenter.com) and services. Kathy also writes for Ecotextiles and has an ongoing column in Textile Insight. The group discussed funding sources, such as Extramural Fire Research Grants Program, National and State Homeland Security, SBIR, FEMA, NIST, and OSHA. Members noted that there was more funding for improvement in local stations/agencies, which may fund training on donning and doffing of equipment and equipment selection and usage. Similarly, the National Firefighters Association sometimes has calls for proposals. There may also be funding available through Healthy Homes. Relevant conferences were identified as possible venues for work/networking: NIOSH Conference of Protective Clothing, Chemical and Biological Defense Conference The meeting adjourned until next year. OBJECTIVES 1. Develop and evaluate new textiles and material systems and processes. California Advances in polypropylene fiber technology and thermoplastic nanofiber processes contribute to the improvement of chemically-protective clothing for occupational workers. Work on photo-induced antibacterial materials has potential for producing biocidal medical textiles. New York Antimicrobial fabric will provide protection against infectious diseases to enhance the safety of medical staff, chemical workers, and first receivers. Oklahoma An evaporation assistance device can potentially improve the moisture performance of textile systems. 2. Design and evaluate garment systems and processes. California Heat flux data will equip firefighters to more accurately estimate protective clothing efficacy. Hawaii, Iowa, and Missouri Firefighters perceptions of fabric characteristics and protective gear fit and function will guide future investigations and product development of PPE for firefighters, agricultural workers, and others who need protection from hazardous materials. Minnesota Analysis of data from DexaScan and body scanning technologies have design and sizing applications for a variety of human body shapes and sizes. Use of motion analysis equipment will aide in designing PPE that provides best protection in active use situations. New York 3D body scans and analyses of sizing systems will contribute to more accurate sizing in product development. Coverall prototypes and testing of PPE designs will lead to the development of more effective protection for agricultural workers and for structural firefighters. Oklahoma Work on the effect of fabric coverage for electronic sensor motes can be applied to the development of smart clothing for firefighters and other workers. 3. Establish a communication and education system for personal protective technology. Maryland Collaboration with ASTM and ISO on the development of performance standards for PPE will contribute to standard practices and better communication within the industry. Performance specifications under development will serve as the basis for new educational materials. New York Data on garment design preferences and material performance will be added to an existing database at University of Maryland Eastern Shore that faciliatates the work of textile scientists, garment manufacturers, and educators.

Objective #1 Progress Oklahoma has developed an evaporative assistance device that works and has potential application in this project. Objective #2 Progress Focus groups have been conducted in NY, IA, MI, and HI Those with content analysis software will run the transcription files through their software before sending it on for further analysis (if necessary). Young-A Lee noted that she has NVIVO software, which allows for content analysis. Focus groups of volunteers, females, big-city firefighters should be consulted. These should be completed and transcribed in 6 months. Lynn Boorady will scan 100 firefighters during fire school sessions in February and June. New York and Oklahoma will also collect body scans, convert the files and send on to Lynn. Lynn requested that those sites doing focus groups also collect video tapes of donning and doffing at each station and inquire about training fire fighters received on donning and doffing. Lynn will do an example for videotaping methods and send to everyone. All sites need to obtain consent to use an image in a publication release from participants. Susan will send out a sample form for all sites to use. Data files (scans, videos, pictures) should be named using a file naming system to indicate whether permission was obtained. Maryland will create a database of information for manufacturers and styles of turnout gear to assist in data collection and analysis. Each site will send this information to Anugrah, as focus group meetings are conducted. Iowa will conduct longitudinal studies of body shape changes for firefighters as they are first recruited through the first year. Iowa will also explore possibilities for glove testing using their Virtual Reality Applications Center and their force feedback equipment. European gear needs to be evaluated and National Fire Protection Associations (NFPA) regulations of fire fighter gear should be reviewed by the members. Each member will review the website and gain as much information as possible during the next year. NFPA has a listserv that researchers can join. Kay Obendorf suggested that a NC-170 member should serve on the apparel committee. Angie Shepherd is a good contact for NFPA information. It was noted that the group should consider environmental impact of turnout gear, particularly in decontamination and cleansing processes. Members may also find Roger Barkers database of fabric properties useful as work on Objective #2 moves forward. Objective #3 Progress The group decided to change the proposal. Iowa will not participate in work related to Objective #3. This decision was caused by changes in responsibilities for group members from Iowa. Gang Sun is developing a database of health/medical textiles information that could be linked on the website. Maryland will update the website once each year. Members should keep Anugrah updated on selective list of 12 publications related to NC-170 projects to be included on the website. Website updates should be sent to Anugrah. New members should send a digital photo, contact information, and research interests to Anugrah. Other members should evaluate their research interests and website content. Changes should be sent to Anugrah within 60 days of the meeting. The group then met with Kathlyn Swantco from FabricLink. She reviewed their websites (www.FabricLink.com and www.thetechnicalcenter.com) and services. Kathy also writes for Ecotextiles and has an ongoing column in Textile Insight. The group discussed funding sources, such as Extramural Fire Research Grants Program, National and State Homeland Security, SBIR, FEMA, NIST, and OSHA. Members noted that there was more funding for improvement in local stations/agencies, which may fund training on donning and doffing of equipment and equipment selection and usage. Similarly, the National Firefighters Association sometimes has calls for proposals. There may also be funding available through Healthy Homes. Relevant conferences were identified as possible venues for work/networking: NIOSH Conference of Protective Clothing, Chemical and Biological Defense Conference

Refereed Publications (In Print Full Length Articles) Alihosseini, F., Ju, K-S., Lango, J., Hammock, B.D. and Sun, G. (2008). Sun antibacterial colorants  characterization of prodiginines and their applications on textile materials, Biotechnology Progress, 24 (3), 742-747. Ashdown, S.P. and Loker, S. (2007). Mass customized target market sizing: extending the sizing paradigm for improved apparel fit, Proceedings of the 2007 World Congress on Mass Customization and Personalization, October 7-9, 2007, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Ashdown, S.P., Choi, M. S., and Milke, E. (2008). Automated side-seam placement from 3D body scan data. International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 20(4), 199-213. Badrossamay, M.R. and Sun, G. (2008). Preparation of rechargeable biocidal polypropylene by reactive extrusion with diallyl-amino triazine, European Polymer Journal, 44, 733-742. Barker, J. and Black, C. (2007). Comfort perceptions of ballistic vest wearers. Proceedings of the International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA, November, 2007. Boorady, L.M. and Hawley, J.M. (2008). The Wonders of Technology: Teaching Becomes Virtual, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Special Focus Issue on the Future, 26(2). Bye, E., LaBat, K., McKinney, E., and Kim, D.E. (2008). Optimized pattern grading, International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, 20(2), 79-92. Gaan, S. and Sun, G. (2008). Effect of nitrogen additives on flame retardant action of tributyl phosphate: Phosphorus  nitrogen synergism, Polymer Degradation and Stability 93 (1), 99-108. Gaan, S. and Sun, G. (2007). Effect of phosphorus and nitrogen on flame retardant cellulose: A study of phosphorus compounds, Journal of Analytical & Applied Pyrolysis 78, 371-377. Gaan, S. and Sun, G. (2007). Effect of phosphorus flame retardants on thermo-oxidative decomposition of cotton, Polymer Degradation and Stability, 92, 968-974. Gao, J., Pan, N. and Yu, W. (2008). Fractal dimension of down fibre assemblies, International Symposium on Nonlinear Dynamics, Journal of Physics: Conference Series 96, doi: 10.1088/1742-6596/96/1/012162. Hong, K. H. and Sun, G. (2008). Poly (styrene-co-vinylbenzophenone) as photoactive antimicrobial and self-decontaminating materials, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 109 (5), 3173-3179. Hong, K. H. and Sun, G. (2008). Antimicrobial and chemical detoxifying functions of cotton fabrics containing different benzophenone derivatives, Carbohydrate Polymers, 71, 598-605. Hong, K. H. and Sun, G. (2007). Preparation and properties of benzophenone chromophoric group branched polymer for self-decontamination, Polymer Engineering and Science, 47 (11), 1750-1755. Hong, K. H. and Sun, G. (2007). Photocatalytic functional cotton fabrics containing benzophenone chromophoric groups, Journal of Applied Polymer Science 106 (4), 2661-2667. Jung, J. H., Pan, N. and Kang, T. J. (2008). Generalized capstan problem: Bending rigidity, nonlinear friction and extensibility effect, Tribology International 41, 524=534. Lee, S. and Obendorf, S. K. (2007). Use of electrospun nanofiber web for protective textile materials as barriers to liquid penetration, Textile Research Journal, 77, 696-702. Lin, S. (2008). An examination of organic cotton in the Hawaii market: Visitors vs. residents, Taiwan Textile Research Journal 18 (2), 45-54. Lin, S. (2008). Attitudes of tourists to purchasing organic cotton in Hawaii, Journal of Organic Systems, 2 (2), 14-26. Liu, J. and Sun, G. (2008). The synthesis of novel cationic anthraquinone dyes with high potent antimicrobial activity, Dyes and Pigments, 77 (2), 380-386. Liu, S. and Sun, G. (2008). Biocidal acyclic halamine polymers: Conversion of acrylamide grafted cotton to acyclic halamine, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 108, 3480-3486. Liu, S. and Sun, G. (2008). Radical graft functional modification of cellulose with allyl monomers: Chemistry and structure characterization, Carbohydrate Polymers, 71, 614-625. Mason, A. M., De Klerk, and Ashdown, S. P., (2008). Sizing and fit research at grassroots level: A methodology for the identification of unique body shapes in African developing countries, Journal of Family Ecology and Consumer Sciences, 36, 9-21. Na, H. and Ashdown, S.P. (2008). Comparison of 3-D body scan data to quantify upper body postural variation in older and younger women, Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 26 (4), 292-307. Petrova, A. and Ashdown, S.P. (2008). 3-D body scan data analysis: Body size and shape dependence of ease values for pants fit., Clothing and Textiles Research Journal 26(3), 227-252. Sandstrom, A. Morshed, M. and Sun, G. (2007). Biocidal aramide fabrics for emergency responders: Formation and properties of aramide halamines, Textile Research Journal, 77 (8), 591-596. Shaw, A. (2008). Field evaluation of protective clothing worn by pesticide applicators in hot climates, International Pest Control, 50(3), 152-155. Tan, K. and Obendorf, S.K. (2007). Fabrication and evaluation of electrospun nanofibrous antimicrobial nylon 6 membranes, Journal of Membrane Science, 305, 287-298. Wang, D. and Sun, G. (2007). Formation and morphology of cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB)/polyolefin and CAD/polyester in-situ microfibrillar and lamellar hybrid blends, European Polymer Journal, 43, 3587-3596. Wang, D., Sun, G. and Chiou Bor-Sen (2007). A high throughput, controllable and environmentally benign fabrication process of thermoplastic nanofibers, Macromolecular Material Engineering, 292 (4), 407-414. Wang, D., Sun, G., Chiou, Bor-Sen, and Hinestroza, J. (2007). Controllable fabrication and properties of polypropylene nanofibers, Polymer Engineering and Science, 47 (11), 1865-1872. Wu, J, Pan, N. and Williams, K.R. (2007). Mechanical, biomechanical and psychophysical study of carpet performance, Textile Research Journal, 77, 172-178. Xing, M. Q., Zhong, W., Pan, N. and Maibach, H (2007). Interfacial kinetics effects on transdermal drug delivery: A computer modeling, Skin Research and Technology, doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0846.2007.002.00273.x Yang, H., Zhu, S., Li, K. and Pan, N. (2008). Modeling fabrics optical behaviors, Materials Science Forum, 575-578, 1266-1271. Yuhan, C., Quilin, W., Ding, P. and Pan, N. (2008). Rayon-based activated carbon fibers treated with both alkali metal salt and lewis acid, microporous and mesoporous materials, 109, 138-146. Zhao, T. and Sun, G. (2008). An antimicrobial cationic reactive dye: Synthesis and applications on cellulosic fibers, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 108, 1917-1923. Zhao, T. and Sun, G. (2008). Hydrophobicity and antimicrobial activities of quaternary pyridinium salts, Journal of Applied Microbiology, 104 (3), 824-830. Zhao, T. and Sun, G. (2007). Antimicrobial finishing of cellulose with incorporation of aminopyridinium salts to reactive and direct dyed fabrics, Journal of Applied Polymer Science 106 (4), 2634-2639. Zhong, W. and Pan, N. (2007). Aerosol filtration by fibrous filters: A statistical mechanics approach, Textile Research Journal, 77, 284-289.