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PubMed1992

[The incidence of paraprofessional diseases in employees of the Research Institute of Ferrous Metallurgy in Kremikovtsi].

The health status of 200 workers from the Institute for Ferrous Metallurgy is studied in view of the harmful effect of the unfavourable factors of the working environment (noise, microclimate, toxic aerosols, gases and vapours). Internal examinations are also performed. A number of laboratory indices are determined in order to assess the liver and kidney functions. A complete blood test and lipid metabolism are examined. Lead and manganese are determined in blood by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. In 23.5% of the examined are established data for arterial hypertension; with diseases of the gastric-intestinal tract are 22%. The influence of the toxic aerosols and the nervous and psychic loading of the examined workers on the higher prevalence of the paraoccupational diseases are discussed.

Academies and Institutes↗
PubMed1992

[Body thermal status under low-temperature conditions in brewing production].

The purpose of the present study is to trace the thermal state of workers exposed to low temperatures in brewery production, establishing the heat loss and the stress of thermoregulation. The investigations are performed in the departments for fermentation, deposit, cask washing and filling of 3 brewery plants. In order to characterize the microclimate methods of thermometry, psychometry and catathermometry are used. The heat state is controlled by methods of subjective heat perception, skin temperature, average skin temperature, temperature gradients, oral, rectal and average body temperature and the thermal content. The results of the physiological examinations point out to significant loss, which affects not only the periphery but also the deep tissues. There is an expressed risk of supercooling of the organism. The data of the heat deficit impose a correction of the working clothes and limitation of the exposure.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[The incidence of wound healing disorders in heart surgery].

In a five-year retrospective study we investigated the wound infection rate after median sternotomy in 2805 adult patients on whom elective surgery had been performed with extracorporeal circulation. On the basis of 14,700 apparently relevant data from 101 patients with wound healing disturbances at the sternotomy site, both the significance of predisposing risk profiles and the prevalence of nosocomial pathogens were evaluated. The control group was formed by 100 patients selected at random. The results were checked for statistical significance using the X2 test for alternative characters; the significance level was set at alpha = 5%. The infection rate observed in our group was 3.6%, which was assigned to 5 internally defined degrees of severity. Cases of healing by second intention were caused to 93% by coagulase-negative staphylococci and staphylococcus aureus. Factors leading to a decrease in oxygenation of the wound area (low-output syndrome, rethoracotomy), diabetes, obesity and the duration of wound drainage were accompanied by a significantly more frequent occurrence of wound healing disturbances. On the other hand, perfusion-technical parameters, operation duration, revascularisation techniques (IMA/ACVB), pulmonary conditioned hypoxemias and the end-of-year desinfection usual in our clinic had no influence on wound healing. Seasonal fluctuation of the epidermal microclimate appear to be responsible for the prevalence and virulence of the pathogen strains in the clinic environment. The preventive measures used in cardiosurgical clinics do not yet represent a fully developed prophylaxis against exposure to nosocomial pathogens.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[The effect of industrial factors on specific functions and the course of pregnancy and labor in workers of the Orgsintez Manufacturing Association].

Women engaged in the production of chlorine, divinyl and propylene oxide are exposed during the working shift to unfavourable occupational factors: gas, dust, noise, emotional and physical stress, inadequate microclimate. All that disorders the specific functions and health status. Diseases in women working for 'Orgsintez' enterprise are closely connected with the length of service. Occupational factors of this chemical enterprise influence the course of pregnancy and labor, condition of fetus and newborn.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1992

[The clinical characteristics of the early stages of occupational fluorosis under the combined and joint action of production factors].

Over 1000 workers of hydrofluoric and cryolite enterprises and electrolysis shops of aluminium enterprises were examined. Subjects exposed to soluble hydrofluorides presented in the early stage of chronic intoxication with a variety of syndromes, that was characteristic of intoxication with poisons of general toxic action with involvement of hepatobiliary, digestive, circulatory and autonomic nervous systems. Combined exposure to fluoric compounds, heating microclimate and electromagnetic fields results in a graver involvement of the circulatory and autonomic nervous systems. Clinical and experimental data show, that osteoarthrosis deformans of the major joints (primarily elbow joint) must be regarded as one of the symptoms of fluorosis, when other intoxication signs are present.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed2003

Responsiveness of thermal sensors to nonuniform thermal environments and exercise.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the utility of finger temperature, hand heat flux, and mean skin temperature as indices of overall thermal balance during nonuniform thermal manipulations combined with exercise, with a view to identifying useful feedback sites for input into personal thermal control systems. METHODS: There were 16 subjects who performed 4 x 30 s of 120% VO2peak cycling with a 4-min recovery. During recovery, subjects either received no cooling (CON), upper-body cooling (UC), or upper-body cooling combined with leg heating (UCLH) using a multi-zone liquid conditioning garment. Heat loss during recovery was approximately equal to heat production during exercise. Skin temperature was measured on the mid-medial phalanx of the fourth finger. Heat flux was measured on the dorsum of the hand. RESULTS: Neither hand heat flux or finger temperature distinguished between the two cooling conditions during any of the recovery periods, though hand heat flux was very sensitive to the onset and cessation of exercise. Mean skin temperature was significantly different (p < 0.05) during CON (34.0 +/- 0.1 degrees C), UC (32.5 +/- 0.2 degrees C), and UCLH (33.0 +/- 0.2 degrees C). CONCLUSION: Mean skin temperature may serve as a good indicator of overall heat exchange in the body, even when exposed to nonuniform thermal environments. As hand heat flux was very sensitive to the onset and cessation of exercise, it may be useful as a supplemental thermal feedback to modulate heat exchange in microclimate thermal control systems.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

[Occupational exposure to hazardous agents in enterprises supervised by the State Sanitary Inspection].

The presented data concern occupational exposure understood as work performed in working conditions with exceeded values of maximum allowable concentrations/intensities (MAC/MAI) of hazardous/noxious agents. In Poland, the State Sanitary Inspection (PIS) is responsible for the occupational hygiene surveillance in the work environment. Information on occupational exposure to various hazardous agents (chemical and physical, as well as industrial dust, lighting or microclimate) is collected by the Nofer Institute of Occupational Medicine every three years on the basis of routine statistics of sanitary inspectorates. Information on occupational exposure apply exclusively to workers employed in PIS-supervised enterprises. In 2000, the Polish enterprises, registered and supervised by PIS, employed 4 321 312 workers, including 505 638 (11.7%) workers employed in working conditions with exceeded MAC/MAI values. In 2000, both the proportion of workposts with exceeded MAC/MAI values and the proportion of workers employed in exposure decreased. The data show a general improvement in working conditions in Poland.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed2003

[Hygienic evaluation of work conditions, health status and determination of occupational risk for engineers and technicians in civil aviation].

The article deals with hygienic evaluation of work conditions, health state and determining occupational risk for engineers and technicians servicing aircrafts. The main hazards, according to the authors, are work intensity, high noise levels, air pollution with chemicals and unfavorable microclimate. A complex of prophylactic measures was justified.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Use of parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) in the biological control of domestic flies in pig housing].

Adaptability of two parasitoid species S. nigroaenea and M. zaraptor to conditions of stable microclimate was investigated in a farrowing house. The colony was reared in an insectary at a temperature of 24-26 degrees C and relative humidity of 60-70% in cages of the size 0.3 x 0.3 x 0.2 m. The development of the species M. zaraptor from egg to adult lasted 19 to 23 days, in S. nigroaenea it was 23 to 25 days. Rates of parasitism of house fly pupae were followed in plastic pots (8 x 4 x 9 cm) with larval medium for fly rearing. The larval medium consisted of milk powder, wheat bran and dried yeast. Both species were demonstrated to be able to penetrate to pupae in deeper layers of the medium (Tab. 1) and in this way to control the amounts of fly adults after their eclosion. The results were evaluated by Student's t-test. 98% of flies in the stable were house flies (Musca domestica L.), the remaining flies were stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans L.). No parasitoids were observed in the stable. Two pots containing 2-3,000 pupae parasitized by S. nigroaenea and M. zaraptor were placed in the stable on 30th January 1990. Parasitoids were monitored at three locations of the stable according to parasitism rates of lab-reared house fly pupae exposed in plastic pots with larval medium. Twenty-two checks were made in 2 to 4 week intervals from February to November 1990, and one final check after a six-month interruption (Tab. II). Both species persisted in the stable for the whole period of observation (Fig. 1). The species S. nigroaenea, the population levels of which were much higher, showed the greater migration activity after its individuals had been released to the stable. Sprayings with the Alfacron insecticide were performed in the stable in March and September 1990 in the course of this experiment.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Effect of environmental factors on the defense system of the respiratory tract].

Respiratory system due to its enormous surface is particularly prone to be penetrated by various exogenous factors. Therefore, this system is equipped with numerous local, specific and unspecific, cellular and humoral immunological mechanisms. This system includes: BALT (bronchial ++adeno-lymphatic tissue) producing secretory immunoglobulins, ciliary system, mucus which provides an extracellular surface for immunoglobulins, lysozyne, interferon, lactoferrin, and complement system activities. Moreover, alveolar macrophages, surfactant, neuropeptides, and inflammatory processes constitute other components of the whole defense system. A complex interactions increasing its efficiency take place between particular components. Unfavourable environmental factors attack this system in several ways. The most important are: recurrent bacterial and viral respiratory infections, air pollution, tobacco smoke, and unfavourable climate and microclimate.

Environmental Exposure↗
PubMed2003

[Subjective evaluation of the work environment quality in offices].

BACKGROUND: Exposure to harmful and strenuous factors in offices lead to the sick building syndrome (SBS) with its various symptoms: fatigue, dyspnoea, decreased ability to concentrate, irritation of mucous membranes of eyes as well as of the upper airways. Those symptoms are induced by: unsuitable microclimate, chemical, aerosol and microbiological pollution, noise, vibration, electromagnetic fields, optical radiation, and static electricity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire survey was aimed at collecting information, opinions and personal perception of the work environment quality reported by office workers. The survey covered 229 workers employed in 100 offices. Offices with different density of workers and varied staff movement were equipped with typical office outfit: computers, laser printers, xerographic printers, faxes, scanners, and others. In the majority of offices, various kinds of plastics were used as finishing materials. Offices were located in newly constructed buildings supplied with air conditioning (3 buildings) as well as in old buildings equipped with mechanical or natural ventilation, used for years and frequently modernized (2 buildings). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The respondents (239) reported frequently experienced fatigue (64%), redness, dry eyes, lacrimation, dyspnoea (62%), decreased ability to concentrate (47%), and irritation of the upper airways (44%). These symptoms were most frequently manifested at the end of the working day (42%). They were predominantly perceived as a result of unsuitable climate parameters (77%), defective ventilation or air conditioning (63%), unfit lighting (62%) and stress (49%).

Environment↗
PubMed2003

[Structure and heterogeneity of urban vegetation landscape in Shenyang].

Studies on the structure and heterogeneity of urban vegetation landscape in Shenyang city showed that the most vegetation patches were in the street corner, accounted for more than 50% of the total vegetation patch, and their area was only 4.45% of the total vegetation area. In terms of the size of the patches, the average area of shelter vegetation and park vegetation was 66.97 hm2 and 59.31 hm2, respectively, while that of street corner vegetation and garden vegetation was 0.71 hm2 and 0.38 hm2, respectively. Street corner vegetation had the highest index of landscape diversity, while park vegetation had the lowest one. In the seven districts of Shenyang city, all types of vegetation had a small landscape dominance and evenness, but patch vegetation had a more than 10 times of landscape dominance than corridor vegetation, indicating that there was somewhat imbalance in the allocation of different vegetation patch types. It's suggested that the quantity of patch vegetation should be increased, and the public vegetation should be distributed evenly. Increasing vegetation corridor is also important because it can link the downtown area to the suburb natural vegetation ecosystems. For example, the South Canal Belt Park of Shenyang is a good vegetation corridor, which can beautify Shenyang city, discharge sewage, drain flood, and improve microclimate.

Agriculture↗
PubMed2004

Weather effects in rheumatoid arthritis: from controversy to consensus. A review.

OBJECTIVE: To review and evaluate the evidence for the widespread view that signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are influenced, or even caused, by the weather. METHODS: A literature search from 1985 to April 2003 was performed using the PubMed database of the US National Library of Medicine. Additional relevant articles were identified from the bibliographies, and from our own archives. Methods and findings of the studies were critically reviewed. RESULTS: Only temperature and humidity appear to have clear influences on the symptoms of RA, although the reported findings do not agree. In many cases, the apparent controversies can be explained by the intimate relationship between temperature and humidity, and by taking local circumstances into account. The differences in the methods applied in studies on effects of weather on RA strongly hampered our evaluation. CONCLUSION: RA variables are positively correlated with the humidity of the microclimate at the patient's skin. High outdoor relative humidity is unfavorable, but has less influence when there are few barriers for water vapor, like clothes, and when air conditioning is used. High temperature is unfavorable since it increases absolute humidity, but beneficial as well, since it reduces the presence of barriers, and stimulates the use of air conditioning. The classic opinion, "Cold and wet is bad, warm and dry is good for RA patients," seems to be true only as far as humidity is concerned.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed2004

[Outcome of the long-term isolation on the development of allergic reactions in humans].

Studied were consequences of long-term isolation in airtight environment for development of the type-I (IgE-antibodies production) and type-IV (involvement of sensibilized T-lymphocytes) allergic reactions in humans. No significant changes in total IgE, specific IgE-antibodies for domestic, epidermal, fungal, grass pollen and food-borne allergens or serum IL-4 level were found in the period of the 240-d isolation with the microclimate and atmospheric parameters within their normal variations, and on completion of the experiment. Yet, after 3 mos. in isolation all subjects exhibited inhibited leukocyte migration in the presence of tuberculin. These findings bear witness to an activation of sensibilized lymphocytes known as effectors of delayed hypersensitivity.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Depth of edge influence on agriculture-forestry boundary in arid valley of upper reaches of Minjiang River, China].

By using moving split-window techniques (MSWT), this study estimated how far the edge effects penetrated the forest and agricultural fields in the arid valley of upper reaches of Minjiang River, southwestern China. Its aim was to provide general information on vegetation along edge to interior gradients in order to assist in interpretation and prediction of biological phenomena associated with agriculture-forestry boundary, and to improve current management practices in such areas. Three types of boundaries (10 transects) were investigated and sampled. The results showed that when the window width reached 6-10, the change of the SED curve on the graph tended to become stable, and one or two peaks occurred. The depth of edge influence was clearly different for different types of boundaries, and could be estimated within 50 m from the edge to interior. The depth of edge influence (DEI) on vegetation diversity almost varied between 12-30 m, mainly depending on the patch type, topography and microclimate, but seldom on slope orientation. Of the 6 forest transects in the three types of boundaries, the DEI was detected only in the forest part transects M2 and M6, but almost detectable in the agricultural part of all transects. MSWT was considered to be a useful tool for characterizing edge dynamics if enough data was available, and became a simple and powerful technique for analyzing the boundary. The results will provide further knowledge for understanding the interaction between forestry and agriculture in the arid valley.

China↗
PubMed2004

[Hazardous substances and detrimental conditions at the workplace].

UNLABELLED: An artificially created working environment, conditioned by technological processes, puts people in circumstances unparalleled in the place of living. Working conditions exert an influence on the employee's health, thus affecting health status of the whole society. Risks occurring on the working stands may result from the presence of physical, chemical and biological agents. Their vicinity devastates the harmony of man's co-operation with the environment, activates defence mechanisms and enforces an introduction of protection systems. The target of this research was to estimate a sugar factory employees' exposure to the detrimental agents occurring in their place of work. The research was conducted in one of Lublin sugar factories and it involved an estimation of working conditions via a measurement of such physical agent parameters as microclimate, dust density, noise volume, light intensity and exposure to carbon oxide. The results of sanitary-epidemic services' inquiry into the issue were also included here. The estimation of the joint influence of the microclimatic elements in the working environment was made with the measures of temperature, humidity and air circulation were taken into account. The WBGT factor ranged from 18.80 degrees to 31.73 degrees and frequently stayed out of the limits of the thermal comfort. The measuring of the dust density showed an exceeding of the binding quotas on single working stands only. The highest weight average was 17 mg/m3. A comparison of these results with the findings of the previous years surveys shows a constant decrease in dust density. The most considerable bias from the binding quotas was noted while measuring noise level. The noise volume on some stands reached from 98 dB to 109 dB, which, taking into account the eight-hour working day, gave an average exposure level within the boundaries of 82 dB to 98 dB. CONCLUSIONS: 1. The presence of detrimental agents in working environment should lead to permanent monitoring of risks. 2. It is purposeful to undertake various preventive actions in order to minimalise effects to the employees.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed2004

[Vegetation biomass distribution characteristics of alpine tundra ecosystem in Changbai Mountains].

Climate change is one of the hotspots in global environment concerns, while alpine tundra ecosystem is most sensitive to global climate change. Because of the relatively small area of tundra, researches on alpine tundra ecosystem were much less. Based on the measurement of species biomass, dominant species organ biomass and vegetation biomass, this paper discussed the biomass spatial variation in alpine tundra ecosystem of Changbai Mountains. The results showed that among 43 species investigated, the first five species in biomass were Rhododendron chrysanthum (159.01 kg x hm(-2)), Vaccinium uliginosum var. alpinum (137.52 kg x hm(-2)), Vaccinium uliginosum (134.7 kg x hm(-2)), Dryas octopetala var. asiatica (131.5 kg x hm(-2)) and Salix rotundifolia (128.4 kg x hm(-2)), which were the dominant species in the alpine tundra ecosystem of Changbai Mountains. Along with increasing altitude, the ratio of below-/above-ground biomass and below-ground/total biomass gradually increased, while the vegetation biomass gradually decreased. The vegetation biomass showed a significant correlation with altitude in typical alpine tundra ecosystem of Changbai Mountains, and the average vegetation biomass was 2.21 t x hm(-2). Alpine tundra ecosystem is very important for microclimate regulation, soil improvement, water-holding, soil conservation, nutrient cycling, carbon fixation and oxygen production, and currently, it is the CO2 sink of Changbai Mountains.

Biomass↗
PubMed2005

[Occupational hazads in metal mining industry].

Miners of basic professions employed in contemporary metal mining industry are exposed to a range of industrial factors, such as vibration, noise, dustiness, and unfavorable microclimate. Long-term exposure to these factors is hazardous to their health, which is manifested by elevated general and occupational morbidity and a higher rate of biological aging. This is most typical of Far North miners, who are exposed to the combination of the industrial factors and extremal climate and geographic conditions. Research into the health status of miners engaged to underground works and open excavations in regions with contrasting climate and geographic conditions, allowed determination of main industrial risk factors (vibration and noise), leading occupational diseases and groups of high risk of their development (according to the occupation and the length of service). The study found high risk of cardivascular diseases as well as pathology of the musculoskeletal system, which was highest in miners in Norilsk region.

Adult↗