The effect of an ergonomic intervention on musculoskeletal, psychosocial and visual strain of VDT data entry work: the Norwegian part of the international study.

The Norwegian MEPS (musculoskeletal--visual--psychosocial--stress) study included 3 groups: data entry, data dialogue (female) and data dialogue (male). Before intervention, the data entry group reported significantly more symptoms and signs of musculoskeletal illness and had longer periods in front of the video display terminal (VDT) without a break. The ergonomic intervention consisted mainly of ergonomic information and training. After intervention, the data dialogue female group reported a significant reduction in shoulder pain in parallel with a reduction in trapezius load. Increasing the understanding in how to adjust the work stand and chair may have been contributing factors to reducing the pain level. There was a significant reduction in eye problems in all groups; the greatest reduction in eye symptoms was seen in the groups who had new optometric corrections.     

Travelling Distances,Modal Split and Transportation Energy in Thirty Residential Areas in Oslo

A study of the use of car and public transport among residents in 30 residential areas in Greater Oslo indicates that urban planning variables have a significant influence on the energy use per capita for local transport. Residents in local communities with a high density and a short distance to downtown Oslo travel considerably shorter distances and use considerably less energy per capita than those who live in low-density, outer areas. This is true also when the effects of other variables are neutralized. The influence of urban planning variables on the modal split is lower than on energy use. The distribution between public and private transport is influenced most of all by car ownership.     

瑞典四大湖中人类活动对鱼类多样性的影响

瑞典四大湖(维纳恩、韦特恩、梅拉伦和哈马伦湖)的鱼类资源极其丰富,分布有红点鲑、鲑、鳟、白鲑、河鲈、梭鲈,、白斑狗鱼和鳗鲡等经济物种.研究表明,筑坝、航运、富营养化和过度开发等所产生的物理、化学和生物因素会对湖中的经济物种产生影响,导致湖中原有物种资源的种类组成发生变化.由于近年来的人类活动的影响,上述湖泊中原有鱼类组成中的优势种群发生了变化,一些物种消失了,一些新的物种在湖中出现,其原因主要是富营养化、鳗鲡和龙虾丰度的改变以及过度捕捞.过度捕捞在某种情况下是大湖的渔业生产引起的--在一个捕食者和竞食者同时存在的环境中,如果食物资源非常充足,鲑科鱼类以及梭鲈等鱼类在生活史上会倾向于在性成熟状态下生长,但在常规可捕规格的选择性调控下,这些物种会因产卵群体太小而导致资源量急刷下降.     

Photooxidation of diphenylmethane and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene as liquid film on water

The rate and product composition are analysed during photooxidation of diphenylmethane and tetralin (1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene) spread as liquid film on water. The data obtained from various reaction conditions (varying light, temperature, sensitizer and inhibitor) seem to conform the assumption that the photooxidation of these compounds is primarily initiated through a photoexcited hydrocarbon/oxygen collision complex.     

The effect of an ergonomic intervention on musculoskeletal, psychosocial and visual strain of VDT entry work: organization and methodology of the international study.

This special issue of the International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics (JOSE) reports the results from an extensive multinational and multidisciplinary collaborative investigation of the impacts on visual display terminal (VDT) work of musculoskeletal, visual, ergonomic, and psychosocial factors. For brevity, this effort has been referred to as the MEPS project (musculoskeletal--eyestrain--psychosocial--stress). This paper lays out the basic methodological structure of the study. The study was conducted in 4 countries utilizing VDT data entry workers as the primary subject population. A battery of objective and subject assessment measures, including muscle load, visual function, physical and visual strain, postural, ergonomic and psychosocial factors, were assessed at 3 different points in time. A pre-test was given prior to an ergonomic intervention. Two post-tests were given 1 month and 1 year after the ergonomic intervention.     

Stress reactions in computerized administrative work

Ninety-five white-collar workers employed by an insurance company using visual display units (VDU) connected by telecommunication to a central computer filled in a questionnaire concerning psychosocial stressors in connection with work at the VDU. Eleven persons with extensive and ten with no work at VDUs were also studied during regular work, during breakdown of machinery, and in their leisure time. Self-reports on mood and alertness were recorded along with blood pressure, heart rate, and excretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline. Results indicate that (1) stress and mental strain occurred in association with delayed response times in the computer system and unpredicted interruptions of system operation, (2) such a temporary interruption caused an increase of blood pressure and adrenaline excretion, (3) complaints of stress and strain were repotted mainly by data-entry staff, (4) data-entry groups displayed a higher level of physiological arousal during post-work hours than a control group, and (5) that a majority of those who worked continuously at a VOU reported physical discomfort within 1.5 hours. It is concluded that stress and strain in computerized work may be counteracted at the technological and the organizational level: by reducing the duration and frequency of breakdowns, by reducing response times in the system, and by eliminating pure data-entry tasks.     

Swimming and feeding in Periphylla periphylla (Scyphozoa, Coronatae)

Some western Norwegian fjords host extraordinarily abundant and persistent populations of the mesopelagic, coronate scyphomedusa, Periphylla periphylla. In these environments, from late autumn to spring, the medusae undertake regular diel vertical migrations into surface waters. From unique observations obtained with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), including observations made without artificial light, we observed that 90% of the medusae swam with their tentacles in aboral position. Stomach content analyses of surface-collected specimens revealed that the medusae ate mainly calanoid copepods, but ostracods and large euphausiids were also prominent components of their diets. The clearance rate potential of P. periphylla, assessed from in situ observations and stomach contents, was comparable to that of similar-sized, epipelagic gelatinous species. Our findings suggest that P. periphylla behave as active predators in surface waters.     

Anaerobic co-digestion of aquatic flora and quinoa with manures from Bolivian Altiplano

Quinoa stalk (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) from agricultural crop residue, totora (Schoenoplectus tatora) and o-macrophytes (aquatic flora) from Lake Titicaca (on the Bolivian Altiplano) were studied in a wet anaerobic co-digestion process together with manure from llama, cow and sheep. Anaerobic semi-continuous experiments were performed in (10) 2-l reactors at a temperature of 25 degrees C with 30 days of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and an organic loading rate (OLR) of 1.8kgVSm(-3)d(-1). Totora was found to be the best co-substrate. In mixture ratios of 1:1 (VS basis), it increased the biogas productivity by 130% for llama manure, 60% for cow manure, and 40% for sheep manure. It was possible to use up to 58% (VS basis) of totora in the substrate. Higher concentrations (including pure totora) could not be digested, as that caused acidification problems similar to those caused by other lignocellulosic materials. When quinoa and o-macrophytes were used as co-substrates, the increase in biogas productivity was slightly less. However, these co-substrates did not cause any operational problems. An additional advantage of quinoa and o-macrophytes was that they could be used in any proportion (even in pure form) without causing any destabilization problems in the anaerobic digestion process.     

Hydrogeochemical comparison and effects of overlapping redox zones on groundwater arsenic near the Western (Bhagirathi sub-basin, India) and Eastern (Meghna sub-basin, Bangladesh) margins of the Bengal Basin

Although arsenic (As) contamination of groundwater in the Bengal Basin has received wide attention over the past decade, comparative studies of hydrogeochemistry in geologically different sub-basins within the basin have been lacking. Groundwater samples were collected from sub-basins in the western margin (River Bhagirathi sub-basin, Nadia, India; 90 samples) and eastern margin (River Meghna sub-basin; Brahmanbaria, Bangladesh; 35 samples) of the Bengal Basin. Groundwater in the western site (Nadia) has mostly Ca-HCO(3) water while that in the eastern site (Brahmanbaria) is much more variable consisting of at least six different facies. The two sites show differences in major and minor solute trends indicating varying pathways of hydrogeochemical evolution However, both sites have similar reducing, postoxic environments (p(e): +5 to -2) with high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon, indicating dominantly metal-reducing processes and similarity in As mobilization mechanism. The trends of various redox-sensitive solutes (e.g. As, CH(4), Fe, Mn, NO(3)(-), NH(4)(+), SO(4)(2-)) indicate overlapping redox zones, leading to partial redox equilibrium conditions where As, once liberated from source minerals, would tend to remain in solution because of the complex interplay among the electron acceptors.