nature publishing group short communications methods and techniquesThe prevalence of overweight and obesity among US children aged 5 years and under has more than tripled since the 1970's. Data from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) indicate that 21% of children between the ages of 2 and 5 are overweight or obese (1). Low levels of physical activity (PA) are important contributing factor in the development and maintenance of obesity (2,3). However, methodological challenges related to the assessment of PA in young children have significantly hindered research efforts to quantify, understand, and promote PA in this population (4,5).Given the limitations of child and parent self-report instruments and the high cost and participant burden associated with other objective assessment methods, accelerometry has become a popular method for measuring PA in children under five (5,6). Indeed, over the last decade, a considerable amount of research has been conducted to establish the validity of accelerometry in preschool-aged children and to identify intensity-related count thresholds for estimating time spent in sedentary (SED), light, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (5,6). To date, however, no cut-points have been developed for toddlers (<3 years) and the question of whether intensity-related thresholds established for preschool-aged children are valid for toddlers has not been adequately explored in the research literature.Therefore, the aims of this study were to: (i) derive ActiGraph cut-points for SED, light, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) in toddlers; and (ii) evaluate the predictive validity of the new toddler cut-points and cut-points developed for preschool-aged children in an independent sample of toddlers. Methods Participants and settingStudy participants were recruited in two waves from two licensed child care centers. The first wave of participants served as the validation and calibration sample and comprised 22 toddlers (14 girls, 8 boys) between the ages of 16 and 35 months (mean age = 2.1 years ± 0.4 years). The second wave of participants served as the cross-validation sample and comprised 18 toddlers (10 girls, 8 boys) between the ages of 16 and 35 months (mean age = 2.3 ± 0.4 years). None the participants had any limitations that restricted their participation in active play or structured PA. The protocol for this study was reviewed and approved by the Kansas The purpose of this study was to derive ActiGraph cut-points for sedentary (SED), light-intensity physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in toddlers and evaluate their validity in an independent sample. The predictive validity of established preschool cut-points were also evaluated and compared. Twenty-two toddlers (mean age = 2.1 years ± 0.4 years) wore an ActiGraph accelerometer during a videotaped 20-min play period. Videos were subsequently coded for physical activity (PA) intensity using the modified Children's Activity Rating Scale (CARS). Receiver operating characteri...

Two mordanting agents, aluminum potassium sulfate and aluminum acetate, in three concentrations (5%, 10%, and 20% owf) were evaluated for colorfastness to laundering and light of natural dye extracts (madder, weld, and coreopsis) on cotton print cloth. The type of aluminum mordant had a greater influence on colorfastness to laundering, whereas dye type had a greater influence on fastness to light. Aluminum acetate at 5% owf concentration gave slightly higher Gray Scale ratings for colorfastness to laundering of coreopsis and weld. All treatments had negligible to no staining on cotton. Weld had slightly better colorfastness to light ratings than the other dye types with 20% aluminum potassium sulfate rating highest. Even though the aluminum acetate mordant improved the colorfastness to laundering on weld and coreopsis at the 5% and 10% owf concentrations, it did not improve fastness to light and resulted in slightly lower fastness to light grades on coreopsis.

No abstract

The triple bottom line can be impacted in both positive and negative ways by the use of tree sawmill waste as a natural dye. Trees contain a biomordant in the form of tannin which may eliminate the need for metallic mordants, thus reducing water, thermal energy, residual waste, and exposure to a mordant chemical. Dyeing with mill waste provides an economic option for an existing timber manufacturing byproduct. This research analyzed the impact of potassium aluminum sulfate (PAS) on dye concentration, hue, and colorfastness to light and laundering for three regional dyewoods (black walnut, Osage orange, and eastern redcedar) on wool yarn. Dye concentrations were pre-tested to find a standard depth of shade between mordanted and nonmordanted yarns. Tests for colorfastness to light and laundering were performed according to AATCC methods. Resulting colors for exposed and unexposed specimens were rated using CIE L*a*b* values and descriptive statistics were used to examine directional relationship within independent variables mordant and exposure (light and laundering). Two-sample t test was performed to investigate the effect of a PAS mordant versus no mordant on overall color difference between specimens exposed to light and laundering. Findings indicated that dye absorption was improved with the use of a PAS mordant. For yarns premordanted with PAS the dyewood colors became warmer. A PAS mordant slightly improved colorfastness to light for black walnut and eastern redcedar, but did not influence Osage orange which had a color change from bright yellow to warm brown after exposure to light. Colorfastness to laundering improved only for Osage orange with a PAS mordant.

No abstract

Wearable art forms provide a canvas for the artistic application of materials and thread through free-motion stitching. The aesthetic effects range from a simple meandering line to complex layers of color, line, shape, and texture. The conventional sewing machine is used with the feed dogs disengaged, allowing the designer to control the movement of fabric and resulting stitches. The purpose of this paper is to describe the process of creating wearable art using methods of free-motion stitching. Volume 22 #1/2 2004 47 Plate V. Silk charmeuse scarf with crane pattern that required seven processing steps. Plate VI. African Thread Connections (1999), front view and detail. Modeled by Gwendolyn O'Neal. Photograph by Dan Donnert.

Despite toxicity concerns of chemical mordants used in natural dyeing, there is limited research on the measurement, quality, and safe disposal of the chemical mordant effluent. This study measured the aluminum ions across the premordanting process of cotton print cloth using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and calculated the oxidizable organic matter in the effluent through chemical oxygen demand (COD). The amount of aluminum absorbed by the cotton print cloth was low (2.31%–5.16%). The effluent COD was 23.91g COD/kg. Upon neutralization of the acidic condition, the aluminum in the effluent met discharge to freshwater regulations, and the COD met discharge to U.S. municipal sewage systems. However, the Global Harmonized System restricts aluminum acetate dibasic from organic certification due to its boric acid content. The high mordant concentration in the effluent supports the reuse of mordant baths but not direct disposal to the land or standing waters.

The past 20 years have seen growth in exposure and academic outlets for design scholarship through new journals, special topics sessions and conferences, and PhD programs. Yet, there is a lack of strong published examples of design scholarship in textiles and apparel as designer scholars and administrators still struggle to understand how to conduct, document, and evaluate design scholarship. This issue, long overdue, looks at the current state of design research in our textile and apparel discipline and provides examples that begin to fill the gap in our shared understanding of a way forward.