A comparative assessment of the impact of different occupations on workers' static musculoskeletal fitness.

An ergonomic assessment of the involvement of static muscular forces like back strength, grip strength and pinch strength in different occupations was made. A study was conducted on 45 normal adult males (15 subjects per group) which included video display terminal (VDT) operators, industrial workers and safety inspectors. Their maximum back strength, handgrip strength and pinch strength were measured with dynamometers. The observed values of back strength were significantly lower in VDT operators while significantly higher in safety inspectors and moderate in industrial workers. The values of grip strength and pinch strength of all sample groups were more or less similar. The findings clearly indicate that static muscular strength varies significantly in different occupations. Heavy static muscular load might lead to an accumulation of metabolic waste and toxins on the back resulting in lower back strength in VDT operators and industrial workers.     

Modeling the energy content of combustible ship-scrapping waste at Alang-Sosiya, India, using multiple regression analysis

Alang-Sosiya is the largest ship-scrapping yard in the world, established in 1982. Every year an average of 171 ships having a mean weight of 2.10 x 10(6)(+/-7.82 x 10(5)) of light dead weight tonnage (LDT) being scrapped. Apart from scrapped metals, this yard generates a massive amount of combustible solid waste in the form of waste wood, plastic, insulation material, paper, glass wool, thermocol pieces (polyurethane foam material), sponge, oiled rope, cotton waste, rubber, etc. In this study multiple regression analysis was used to develop predictive models for energy content of combustible ship-scrapping solid wastes. The scope of work comprised qualitative and quantitative estimation of solid waste samples and performing a sequential selection procedure for isolating variables. Three regression models were developed to correlate the energy content (net calorific values (LHV)) with variables derived from material composition, proximate and ultimate analyses. The performance of these models for this particular waste complies well with the equations developed by other researchers (Dulong, Steuer, Scheurer-Kestner and Bento's) for estimating energy content of municipal solid waste.     

Oxygen uptake in relation to group size in the juveniles of a climbing perch, Anabas testudineus (Bloch)

The present work reports oxygen uptake in relation to group size in the juveniles (body weight: 0.70 to 1.30 g) of a climbing perch, Anabas testudineus (Bloch). The experiments were conducted at 21.5 +/- 1.0 degrees C using a cylindrical glass respirometer having continuous water flow system. With an increase in the number of fish at an interval of 5 from 5 to 40 in each fourth subsequent experiment, the weight specific aquatic oxygen uptake of a fish decreased from 0.192 +/- 0.030 to 0.800 +/- 0.006 ml O2 x g(-1)x(h(-1). When compared with a controlled fish, there was a reduction of 27.80% in the oxygen uptake in a group of 5 but 58.39% in a group of 40. A negative and significant correlation (r = 0.8411, p < 0.01) was calculated between oxygen uptake and group size of fishes. The investigation showed that probably due to shoaling behaviour, the aquatic oxygen uptake in the juveniles of A. testudineus always remained high in controlled fish or a fish in isolation than when they were in a group.     

Delivering Arsenic-free Drinking Water-Made Practically Possible: Continuous Scale Electrochemical Arsenic Remediation Process Furnished,based on Experimental Studies and ANN Simulation

Environment, Development and Sustainability - Arsenic (As) in groundwater has become a worldwide concern due to its high toxicity as it is classified as a potent carcinogen, when exposed to...     

Evaluating households’ preferences regarding reducing power outages in rural areas: cases in the Ganges Floodplain in Bangladesh

This paper investigates household preferences regarding an improved supply of electricity in rural Bangladesh, where the expansion of stable electricity is an urgent policy issue. The paper examines household preferences regarding reductions in the frequency and duration of power outages. It also examines prior notification mechanisms that do not necessarily provide an increased supply of electricity but that allow households to prepare for potential power failures. A questionnaire survey designed as a choice experiment was applied to households to elicit preferences. The econometric analysis reveals that villagers prefer a reduction in both the frequency and duration of power outages and a 1-day prior notification of power outages. There are slight disparities in preferences according to the season and the timing of improvements (e.g., summer or winter and all day or peak hours). Thus, the present study may be beneficial for policymakers when considering the provision of electricity supply improvements in rural areas in exchange for slight increases in electricity tariffs.