Teachers' work-related non-literature-known building-related symptoms are also connected to indoor toxicity: A cross-sectional study

A previous study showed that classical building-related symptoms (BRS) were related to indoor dust and microbial toxicity via boar sperm motility assay, a sensitive method for measuring mitochondrial toxicity. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed whether teachers’ most common work-related non-literature-known BRS (nBRS) were also associated with dust or microbial toxicity. Teachers from 15 schools in Finland completed a questionnaire evaluating 20 nBRS including general, eye, respiratory, hearing, sleep, and mental symptoms. Boar sperm motility assay was used to measure the toxicity of extracts from wiped dust and microbial fallout samples collected from teachers’ classrooms. 231 teachers answered a questionnaire and their classroom toxicity data were recorded. A negative binomial mixed model showed that teachers’ work-related nBRS were 2.9-fold (95% CI: 1.2-7.3) higher in classrooms with highly toxic dust samples compared to classrooms with non-toxic dust samples (p = 0.024). The RR of work-related nBRS was 1.8 (95% CI: 1.1-2.9) for toxic microbial samples (p = 0.022). Teachers’ BRS appeared to be broader than reported in the literature, and the work-related nBRS were associated with toxic dusts and microbes in classrooms.     

Vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Lackierbarkeitsprüfung von Spanplatten

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Bringing back ecological flows: migratory fish,hydropower and legal maladaptivity in the governance of Finnish rivers

ABSTRACT

Historically, Finnish rivers supported vital populations of migratory salmonids. Presently, these species are more or less endangered due to extensive damming and hydropower production. In this article, we study the main legal and scientific drivers for re-evaluating some of the existing hydropower operations in Finland. We argue that there is a need for re-evaluation on the basis of legal obligations stemming largely from EU law and new scientific knowledge. Theoretically, our setting opens up a classical adaptive governance problem in how to address laws and past decisions that are based on outdated assumptions about the functioning of social-ecological systems.     

A simple method to estimate the maximum nontrivial correlation of some sets of sequences

Code division multiple access and many other applications require large families of sequences with good correlation properties. In this paper we show that the moduli of certain character sums can be estimated in an easy way by using a method of Sidelnikov. These results yield a simple method to estimate the maximum nontrivial correlations of several well-known sets of sequences.Supported by the Technology Development Center of Finland, Elektrobit Company, Finnish Air Force, Nokia Mobile Phones Inc. and Nokia Cellular Systems Inc.Partially supported by the Academy of Finland     

Greencast-process, a new ceramic technology for plastics processing

The Greencast process is a new lost-core technology for the production of hollow parts from thermoplastics and thermosets using water soluble cores [patent: Valmet Transmec Ltd./Greencast Project Ltd.]; [inventor: Harri S. Sahari].The core moulding material consists of an inorganic core sand and inorganic binder. Cores must be coated with a material that is made especially for these cores. The cores as well as the coating are inorganic, ecologically safe, water soluble and recyclable.The whole process from mixing of the core material to the dissolving of the cores can be automated. The core production time is approximately equal to that required for injection moulding. As the investment and material costs are small, large scale production of lost cores is not necessary to achice economic production of moulded parts made from either thermosets or thermoplastics using the Greencast process.     

Miniaturized humidity and temperature sensing RFID enabled tags

A compact 27‐bit linearly polarized chipless radio frequency identification tag is presented in this research. The proposed tag is designed with an overall tag dimension of 23 × 23 mm². The tag comprises of metallic (copper) rings‐based structure loaded with slots. These slots correspond to a particular sequence of bits. The circular tag is analysed using 2 different substrates, that is, Rogers RT/duroid/5870 and flexible Rogers RT/duroid/5880. The radar cross‐section response of frequency signatured tag is analysed for humidity and temperature sensor designs. Humidity sensing is achieved by deploying a DuPont Kapton HN heat resistant sheet on the shortest slot of the tag, that is, the sensing slot. Temperature sensing is attained using Rogers RT/duroid/5870 and Stanyl polyamide as a combined substrate. Hence, the miniaturized, robust, and flexible tag can be deployed over irregular surfaces for sensing purposes.     

Muscular,cardiorespiratory and thermal strain of mast and pole workers

This field study evaluated the level of muscular, cardiorespiratory and thermal strain of mast and pole workers. We measured the muscular strain using electromyography (EMG), expressed as a percentage in relation to maximal EMG activity (%MEMG). Oxygen consumption (VO₂) was indirectly estimated from HR measured during work and expressed as a percentage of maximum VO₂ (%VO₂max). Skin and deep body temperatures were measured to quantify thermal strain. The highest average muscular strain was found in the wrist flexor (24 ± 1.5%MEMG) and extensor (21 ± 1.0%MEMG) muscles, exceeding the recommendation of 14%MEMG. Average cardiorespiratory strain was 48 ± 3%VO₂max. Nearly half (40%) of the participants exceeded the recommended 50%VO₂max level. The core body temperature varied between 36.8°C and 37.6°C and mean skin temperature between 28.6°C and 33.4°C indicating possible occasional superficial cooling. Both muscular and cardiorespiratory strain may pose a risk of local and systemic overloading and thus reduced work efficiency. Thermal strain remained at a tolerable level.     

Building Product Modelling Using Relational Databases,Hypermedia Software and CAD Systems*

Abstract: A framework for a national building product data model standard, the RA TAS-model, was proposed in an industry-wide cooperation project in Finland in 1987. The model structures the information describing a building using an object-oriented semantic data model. In follow-up projects a number of prototypes have been developed using different software tools. These prototypes have aimed at illustrating the potential of the product data model approach for facilitating data exchange between heterogeneous computing applications in construction, as well as at testing the implementation of the data structures (attributes, object classes, relationships between objects) of the product data models. The prototypes have been based on relational databases, hypermedia software, CAD-systems and combinations of these.     

Environmental protection of inkjet-printed Ag conductors

Electrically conductive silver nanoparticle ink patterns were fabricated using the inkjet printing method. Two different polymer films were used as the substrate materials. The patterns were exposed to humidity and salt fog and the electrical performance (sheet resistance and RF performance) as well as mechanical endurance (adhesion) were measured before and after the environmental tests. The electrical properties of the printed structures remained good in all the measurable samples. The adhesion between the ink and a substrate material appeared to be a greater challenge in harsh environments. Protection capabilities of one dip coated and one hot laminated barrier materials were evaluated during the environmental tests. The results showed that there is a need for environmental protection in printed electronics. Especially the laminated barrier films can offer a potential solution for shielding printed electronics in harsh environments as they can provide good mechanical protection, and can easily be integrated in roll-to-roll process.