13. Ventilation  Allergy specialist, Dr Joe Fitzgibbon, says air vents and open windows can do wonders for good health. “There is no evidence that ionsisers or atomisers are of any real benefit, but ventilation is good as it’s important to keep mould growth to reasonable levels – as too much can affect asthma and rhinitis.”

Her chief concerns are eminently practical. “If a hard border goes up, we’re worried about infrastructure being destroyed and lorries being delayed getting through. We’re promoting [the idea that] people get a larder before we Leave. It’s also the time of year when we don’t grow much fresh fruit and veg ourselves.”

Considering that they’re freezer-, microwave- and dishwasher-safe, and come in packs of 10, this is a great-value choice for the more organised cook.

The platform includes two components: a disposable soft, microfluidic network and a reusable, thin NFC electronic module. An exploded view illustration of the overall construction of each of these subsystems is in Fig. 1A. Figure S1 illustrates a cross-sectional schematic illustration of the different layers of the device. A low-modulus (~1 MPa) silicone elastomer, patterned using soft lithographic techniques, defines a set of isolated chambers for colorimetric and electrochemical sensing, a ratcheted channel for quantifying sweat rate and total sweat loss and a collection of interconnecting microchannels with passive, capillary bursting valves (CBVs) for routing sweat through the device. A patterned layer of a skin-compatible adhesive enables robust attachment to the skin, and it defines openings as interfaces between the skin and inlet ports in the bottom side of the microfluidic structure. The soft, flexible construction, as illustrated in Fig. 1B, allows comfortable, water-tight, irritation-free mounting onto curved regions of the body. Figure 1C shows the electronic module, where the NFC interface (~0.1 g) supports both wireless power delivery and data transmission to any NFC-enabled consumer device, such as a smartphone, tablet, or watch. The battery-free design exploits a detachable, bilayer flexible circuit board (diameter, 18 mm; thickness, ~0.5 mm) with a minimal component count for real-time data acquisition from biofuel cell–based lactate and glucose sensors located in the microfluidic structure (diameter, 32 mm; thickness, ~1 mm). Estimates suggest that this platform (~1 g) is nearly 20 times lighter in weight and 4 times smaller in lateral dimension than approaches that rely on battery-powered Bluetooth radios (20, 36, 37). A previous example of a biofuel cell–based lactate sensor illustrates the underlying sensing principle (34). Unlike the system introduced here, this previous work requires a battery-powered Bluetooth low energy module for wireless transmission, with associated significant increases in size and weight. Advantages of the present system include increased comfort and discreet wearability. In addition, the engineered microfluidic structure allows for sweat sample handling with zero cross-talk between the different sensors. The biofuel cell design involves a voltage amplifier with defined sensor element load implemented with a small footprint operational amplifier and miniature passive components. The circuit conditions the signal for digitalization within the integrated NFC chip (TI RF430FRL152H). The analog electronics are robust, with minimal susceptibility to external noise caused by the NFC electronics and fluctuations in the supply voltage.

Q: The base of my lamp separated so I applied a small ring of Gorilla Glue around the Lucite bottom and set the top of the lamp on it. I only used a small amount. A few days later, I went to lift the lamp, and the top again separated from the base. The glue had seeped down inside of the Lucite and glued it to the top of my wooden TV stand. How do I fix this without ruining the top of the cabinet?

Uhm.. if people really need instructions how to cut out a plastic grid…. why do they have a 3D printer in the first place?

There’s a hinged door for easy access, a tethered stopper so you can add water easily, it’s dishwasher safe, and it sits comfortably within the fridge door. A great-looking and useful tool that isn’t just a kitchen conversation starter but lives up to its promises too.

Karen A. Kormuth, Ph.D., from University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues used humidity-controlled chambers to study the impact of relative humidity on the stability of 2009 pandemic influenza A(H1N1) virus in suspended aerosols and stationary droplets.

If your goal is to be less wasteful this year, starting a food scrap collection in your home is an incredibly easy and inexpensive first step. If you have room for a compost bin in your kitchen, there are countertop compost bins that’ll get the job done, but folks with small spaces might prefer a mounted compost bin for a kitchen cabinet. That said, not all compost bins are created equal. Design-conscious homeowners might choose a more stylish steel and wood countertop compost bin, and folks focused on preventing smells would want a stainless steel design with charcoal filters.

“You’d be surprised by how much isn’t 100 per cent made here,” says Jo Elgarf, the admirable south London mother who helps run the 48% Preppers group (one of her four-year-old twins, Nora, has a rare brain condition called polymicrogyria, and she’s understandably concerned about medical supplies in the event of a no-deal Brexit). “You could have a pork pie made 95 per cent here, but then the gelatin comes from Europe.” Another friend, with a shady contact in the dairy world, warns me that 50 per cent of Britain’s yoghurt is produced outside the UK. It’s an apocryphal apocalypse, but one I am determined to prepare for. 

Environmental Inspections conducted by the Lubbock Environment Health Department during the week that ended Jan. 12.

The secret to keeping your counters empty is to take advantage of your wall space. The more things you hang in your kitchen, the more room you have to do some actual cooking.