scholarly journals Ergonomic Evaluation of Thermal Stress in a Tunisian Steel Industry

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amira Omrane ◽  
Taoufik Khalfallah ◽  
Lamia Bouzgarrou

This work aims to assess thermal stress based on the various measurable thermal stress parameters (wet bulb temperature, air speed, radiation temperature, black globe temperature…). A cross-sectional study was carried in a steel company. The evaluation of thermal stress was made by physical parameters measurment (air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, globe temperature, clothing insulation, metabolism of work) and analyzed according to the International Standard Organization (ISO) 7933 “Analytical determination and interpretation of heat stress using calculation of the predicted heat strain”. Eighty male workers were mean ageed of 37.9 ± 9.25 years. The climatic conditions category was three (meaning a Long-term stress) in 68.18% of the workers and four (Short-term stress meaning the occurrence of health problems within 30 to 120 minutes of exposure) in 30.3% of workers. The long and short-term thermal stress identified in this study spearhead a prevention strategy (automation of manufacturing processes, improvement of the organization of tasks, and the strengthening of medical surveillance of workers).

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1801 ◽  
Author(s):  
Radostina A. Angelova ◽  
Rositsa Velichkova

There are different actors in an operating room (OR), who have controversial requirements for the indoor thermal environment. While the patient is at risk of perioperative hypothermia, the surgeons are in a state of thermophysiological discomfort. The study presents an analysis of the thermophysiological comfort of both patient and surgeons in an OR. Surgical clothing ensembles with three values of clothing insulation are simulated. Different indoor environment conditions (air temperature and relative humidity) are tested. The analysis is based on the calculation of predicted mean vote and predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PMV-PPD) indexes and assessment of the climatic conditions categories. Discussion of the predicted heat strain is also presented. The simulated results and their analysis show considerable discrepancies between the thermophysiological comfort of the patient and the surgeons, even when dressed in a light protective ensemble, in the same indoor environment.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-64
Author(s):  
Angeline Jeyakumar ◽  
Swapnil Godbharle ◽  
Bibek Raj Giri

Background: Measuring undernutrition using composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) and identifying its determinants in tribal regions is essential to recognize the true burden of undernutrition in these settings. Objective: To determine anthropometric failure and its determinants among tribal children younger than 5 years in Palghar, Maharashtra, India. Methods: A cross-sectional survey employing CIAF was performed in children <5 years to estimate undernutrition in the tribal district of Palghar in Maharashtra, India. Anthropometric measurements, maternal and child characteristics were recorded from 577 mother–child pairs in 9 villages. Results: As per Z score, prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight were 48%, 13%, and 43%, respectively. According to CIAF, 66% of children had at least one manifestation of undernutrition and 40% had more than one manifestation of undernutrition. Odds of anthropometric failure were 1.5 times higher among children of mothers who were illiterate (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =1.57, 95% CI: 1.0-2.3), children who had birth weight >2.5 kg had lesser odds (AOR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.4-0.9) of anthropometric failure, and children who had initiated early breastfeeding had 1.5 times higher odds of anthropometric failure (crude odds ratio: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.0-2.1). However, when adjusted for other independent variables, the results were not significant. Conclusion: The alarming proportion of anthropometric failure among tribal children calls for urgent short-term interventions to correct undernutrition and long-term interventions to improve maternal literacy and awareness to prevent and manage child undernutrition.


Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 1912
Author(s):  
Aleksander Yevtushenko ◽  
Katarzyna Topczewska ◽  
Michal Kuciej

An algorithm to determine the maximum temperature of brake systems during repetitive short-term (RST) braking mode has been proposed. For this purpose, the intermittent mode of braking was given in the form of a few cyclic stages consisting of subsequent braking and acceleration processes. Based on the Chichinadze’s hypothesis of temperature summation, the evolutions of the maximum temperature during each cycle were calculated as the sum of the mean temperature on the nominal contact surface of the friction pair elements and temperature attained on the real contact areas (flash temperature). In order to find the first component, the analytical solution to the one-dimensional thermal problem of friction for two semi-spaces taking into account frictional heat generation was adapted. To find the flash temperature, the solution to the problem for the semi-infinite rod sliding with variable velocity against a smooth surface was used. In both solutions, the temperature-dependent coefficient of friction and thermal sensitivity of materials were taken into account. Numerical calculations were carried out for disc and drum brake systems. The obtained temporal variations of sliding velocity, friction power and temperature were investigated on each stage of braking. It was found that the obtained results agree well with the corresponding data established by finite element and finite-difference methods.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. Sontam ◽  
M. H. Vickers ◽  
J. M. O’Sullivan ◽  
M. Watson ◽  
E. C. Firth

Physical activity has a vital role in regulating and improving bone strength. Responsiveness of bone mass to exercise is age dependent with the prepubertal period suggested to be the most effective stage for interventions. There is a paucity of data on the effects of exercise on bone architecture and body composition when studied within the prepubertal period. We examined the effect of two forms of low-impact exercise on prepubertal changes in body composition and bone architecture. Weanling male rats were assigned to control (CON), bipedal stance (BPS), or wheel exercise (WEX) groups for 15 days until the onset of puberty. Distance travelled via WEX was recorded, food intake measured, and body composition quantified. Trabecular and cortical microarchitecture of the femur were determined by microcomputed tomography. WEX led to a higher lean mass and reduced fat mass compared to CON. WEX animals had greater femoral cortical cross-sectional thickness and closed porosity compared to CON. The different exercise modalities had no effect on body weight or food intake, but WEX significantly altered body composition and femoral microarchitecture. These data suggest that short-term mild voluntary exercise in normal prepubertal rats can alter body composition dependent upon the exercise modality.


2006 ◽  
Vol 512 ◽  
pp. 111-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuki Matsuoka ◽  
Kazuyoshi Chikugo ◽  
Takakazu Suzuki ◽  
Yasuo Matsunaga ◽  
Shigeji Taniguchi

Ru coating prior to aluminizing is one of the effective methods to reduce the harmful intermediate layer that forms under the coating (SRZ) on a 4th generation Ni-base SC superalloy. This study examined the short-term isothermal oxidation behavior of this Ru-modified coating at 1373 K in air. Surface observation by SEM showed that the scale becomes flat and uniform in comparison to simple aluminide coating. XRD and cross-sectional analysis results also showed that phase transformation from β-NiAl to γ’-Ni3Al seldom occurs in the Ru-modified coating layer leading to the prevention of local oxidation.


1991 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 905-920 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold D. Clarke ◽  
Nitish Dutt

During the past two decades a four-item battery administered in biannual Euro-Barometer surveys has been used to measure changing value priorities in Western European countries. We provide evidence that the measure is seriously flawed. Pooled cross-sectional time series analyses for the 1976–86 period reveal that the Euro-Barometer postmaterialist-materialist value index and two of its components are very sensitive to short-term changes in economic conditions, and that the failure to include a statement about unemployment in the four-item values battery accounts for much of the apparent growth of postmaterialist values in several countries after 1980. The aggregate-level findings are buttressed by analyses of panel data from three countries.


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Wirz ◽  
S. Gruber ◽  
R. S. Purves ◽  
J. Beutel ◽  
I. Gärtner-Roer ◽  
...  

Abstract. In recent years, strong variations in the speed of rock glaciers have been detected, raising questions about their stability under changing climatic conditions. In this study, we present continuous time series of surface velocities over 3 years of six GPS stations located on three rock glaciers in Switzerland. Intra-annual velocity variations are analysed in relation to local meteorological factors, such as precipitation, snow(melt), and air and ground surface temperatures. The main focus of this study lies on the abrupt velocity peaks, which have been detected at two steep and fast-moving rock glacier tongues ( ≥  5 m a−1), and relationships to external meteorological forcing are statistically tested.The continuous measurements with high temporal resolution allowed us to detect short-term velocity peaks, which occur outside cold winter conditions, at these two rock glacier tongues. Our measurements further revealed that all rock glaciers experience clear intra-annual variations in movement in which the timing and the amplitude is reasonably similar in individual years. The seasonal decrease in velocity was typically smooth, starting 1–3 months after the seasonal decrease in temperatures, and was stronger in years with colder temperatures in mid winter. Seasonal acceleration was mostly abrupt and rapid compared to the winter deceleration, always starting during the zero curtain period. We found a statistically significant relationship between the occurrence of short-term velocity peaks and water input from heavy precipitation or snowmelt, while no velocity peak could be attributed solely to high temperatures. The findings of this study further suggest that, in addition to the short-term velocity peaks, the seasonal acceleration is also influenced by water infiltration, causing thermal advection and an increase in pore water pressure. In contrast, the amount of deceleration in winter seems to be mainly controlled by winter temperatures.


2000 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 560-566 ◽  
Author(s):  
Russell T. Hepple ◽  
Michael C. Hogan ◽  
Creed Stary ◽  
Donald E. Bebout ◽  
Odile Mathieu-Costello ◽  
...  

Although evidence for muscle O2 diffusion limitation of maximal O2 uptake has been found in the intact organism and isolated muscle, its relationship to diffusion distance has not been examined. Thus we studied six sets of three purpose-bred littermate dogs (aged 10–12 mo), with 1 dog per litter allocated to each of three groups: control (C), exercise trained for 8 wk (T), or left leg immobilized for 3 wk (I). The left gastrocnemius muscle from each animal was surgically isolated, pump-perfused, and electrically stimulated to peak O2 uptake at three randomly applied levels of arterial oxygenation [normoxia, arterial[Formula: see text]([Formula: see text]) 77 ± 2 (SE) Torr; moderate hypoxia, [Formula: see text]: 33 ± 1 Torr; and severe hypoxia, [Formula: see text]: 22 ± 1 Torr]. O2 delivery (ml ⋅ min−1 ⋅ 100 g− 1) was kept constant among groups for each level of oxygenation, with O2 delivery decreasing with decreasing [Formula: see text]. O2extraction (%) was lower in I than T or C for each condition, but calculated muscle O2 diffusing capacity (Dm[Formula: see text]) per 100 grams of muscle was not different among groups. After the experiment, the muscle was perfusion fixed in situ, and a sample from the midbelly was processed for microscopy. Immobilized muscle showed a 45% reduction of muscle fiber cross-sectional area ( P < 0.05), and a resulting 59% increase in capillary density ( P < 0.05) but minimal reduction in capillary-to-fiber ratio (not significant). In contrast, capillarity was not significantly different in T vs. C muscle. The results show that a dramatically increased capillary density (and reduced diffusion distance) after short-term immobilization does not improve Dm[Formula: see text] in heavily working skeletal muscle.


2018 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 2515690X1880477
Author(s):  
Suzanne Reed ◽  
Kathi J. Kemper ◽  
Alan Schwartz ◽  
Maneesh Batra ◽  
Betty B. Staples ◽  
...  

Residency is a high-risk period for physician burnout. We aimed to determine the short-term stability of factors associated with burnout, application of these data to previous conceptual models, and the relationship of these factors over 3 months. Physician wellness questionnaire results were analyzed at 2 time points 3 months apart. Associations among variables within and across time points were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to predict burnout and compassionate care. A total of 74% of residents completed surveys. Over 3 months, burnout ( P = .005) and empathy ( P = .04) worsened. The most significant cross-sectional relationship was between stress and emotional exhaustion (time 1 r = 0.61, time 2 r = 0.68). Resilience was predictive of increased compassionate care and decreased burnout ( P < .05). Mindfulness was predictive of decreased burnout ( P < .05). Mitigating stress and fostering mindfulness and resilience longitudinally may be key areas of focus for improved wellness in pediatric residents. Larger studies are needed to better develop targeted wellness interventions.


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