Bulgarian ergonomics revisited

In his earlier and more intensive review of ergonomics in Bulgaria, the author concluded that this discipline was highly developed and enjoyed strong government support. It was found that the network of ergonomics activities across national, regional, and local industrial plant levels was perhaps the most highly organised and comprehensive extension of ergonomics concerns of any country in the world. The brief revisit described in this report revealed that ergonomics continues to enjoy a very high measure of respectability. As also noted earlier, the field of ergonomics is still largely the province of physiologists and engineers. Some psychologists that are associated with design organisations are involved in ergonomics activities but, for the most part, psychologists deal primarily with more traditional topics that fall under the heading of industrial or work psychology.     

Polychlorinated biphenyls in fish from Black Sea,Bulgaria

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in muscle tissue of six marine fish species: sprat (Sprattus sprattus sulinus), grey mullet (Mugil cephalus), bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), turbot (Psetta maxima), red mullet (Mullus barbatus) and garfish (Belone belone). Samples were collected from different parts of Bulgarian Black Sea coast. The PCBs were analyzed in order to evaluate the status of pollution in Bulgarian Black Sea coastal area and to assess the dietary intake through fish consumption. The PCBs (including Indicator and dioxin-like PCBs) were determined by capillary gas chromatography system with mass spectrometry detection. Total PCBs were found in all fish species at concentrations ranging between 134.2 ng/g lipid weight (lw) in bluefish and 571.9 ng/g lw in turbot. The sum of the six Indicator PCBs ranged from 100.3 to 453.8 ng/g lw (in bluefish and turbot, respectively). Dioxin – like PCBs were used in order to estimate the toxicity potential (TEQs) of PCB exposure. TEQs of the 6 “dioxin–like” PCB congeners were calculated from 0.04 pg TEQ/g wet weight (ww) (turbot) to 0.14 pg TEQ/g ww (bluefish) and did not exceed the limit of 3 pg TEQ/g ww, according to European Commission. The experimental results for PCBs in fish species from different sampling sites showed no significant differences between the North, Varna and South coast sampling area. The levels of PCBs in marine fish from Bulgarian Black Sea were found lower than those reported from the other regions. Estimated dietary intake of polychlorinated biphenyls through the analysed marine species does not seem to pose a health risk.     

Concept and convention

Abstract

There are, of course, many books on the history of photography, among them fundamental and profound works like those of Beaumont Newhall, Helmut Gernsheim, and Otto Stelzer. However, since 1931, when Walter Benjamin's Kleine Geschichte der Photographie was published, only a few books on the aesthetics of the photographic medium have appeared in print. Here is one of those, and one that provokes analysis and contradiction.     

Patterns of smoking in Bulgaria

BACKGROUND: Although the rate of smoking-related deaths in Bulgaria is still relatively low, in international terms, it has been rising rapidly. This is likely to become worse in the future as Bulgaria faces growing pressure from transnational tobacco companies. There is, however, little information on patterns of smoking, which is necessary for development of effective policies to tackle tobacco consumption. OBJECTIVE: To describe the pattern of smoking in Bulgaria and its relationship with sociodemographic factors. DESIGN: Multivariate analysis of data on patterns of tobacco consumption from a multi-stage nationwide survey of 1550 adults. SETTING: Bulgaria, in 1997. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Prevalence of current cigarette smoking. RESULTS: 38.4% of men and 16.7% of women smoke. Smoking rates are strongly associated with age, with 58% of men and 30% of women aged 30-39 smoking whereas only 5% of men aged 70 years and older and almost no women of this age smoke. Smoking is more common in cities, among those who are widowed or divorced, or who do not own their home. There is no clear association with household income or, for men, with education, although there is a suggestion that smoking may be more common among more highly educated women. CONCLUSIONS: The observed pattern of smoking indicates the need for a robust policy to tackle smoking in Bulgaria, especially among the young in large cities, informed by a better understanding of why smoking rates vary among different groups.     

Determination of heavy metals in selected black sea fish species

Heavy metals can be accumulated by marine organisms thought a variety of pathways, including respiration, adsorption and ingestion. The levels of heavy metals are known to increase drastically in marine environment through mainly anthropogenic activities. Fish are good indicators for the long term monitoring of metal accumulation in the marine environment. The aim of this study was to determine the levels of Cd, As, Hg, Pb, Zn and Cu in edible part and gill of seven most consumed Bulgarian fish species collected from north-east coast of Black Sea. These fish species are sprat (Sprattus sprattus sulinus), Mediterranean horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus ponticus), Black sea gobies (Neogobius melanostromus), shad (Alosa pontica), Atlantic bonito (Sarda sarda), bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) and grey mullet (Mugil cephalus). The fish samples were collected during 2010. The analytical determination of As, Cd, Pb, Zn and Cu were performed by using flame and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry after microwave digestion procedure. The total mercury determination was determined using a direct mercury analyzer (DMA-80). The metal concentration of analyzed elements was highest in the gill for all fish species. The maximum metal concentration was measured for Cu (1.40 mg kg⁻¹ w.w), Zn (11 mg kg⁻¹ w.w) and Pb (0.08 mg kg⁻¹ w.w) in muscle tissues of shad and sprat. The edible part of horse mackerel has the maximum value for Hg (0.12 mg kg⁻¹ w.w) while Atlantic bonito predominantly accumulates As (1.10 mg kg⁻¹ w.w). The analytical results obtained from this study were compared within acceptable limits for human consumption set by various health institutions.     

Cross-cultural and cognitive issues in the implementation of new technology: focus on group support systems and Bulgaria

Over 40 per cent of technology implementation attempts in the United States (US) fail. These failures often are the result of human (rather than technological) problems. The consequences of implementers installing in one country equipment designed in another should be even more problematic and ubiquitous, as technology designers continue to move into international markets. A cognitive model of cross-cultural implementation is tested, using a US-designed group support system (GSS) and groups of Bulgarian and US university students. Bulgarians were expected to be less critical of the technology due to cultural responses to power and authority (i.e., less likely to challenge authority) and therefore less successful in adapting to the technology. However, results suggest that the Bulgarian students may in fact be more likely to challenge authority than their US counterparts. As hypothesized, Power Distance mediates some of the effects between culture and satisfaction with the GSS.     

Conflicting Attitudes Toward Inter-basin Water Transfers in Bulgaria

Abstract

Sofia, Bulgaria has suffered from chronic water shortages in recent decades. Since the 1970s, government officials have advocated the construction of a massive complex of dams, tunnels, and diversion structures to transfer water from the Rila Mountains to meet the city's needs. These inter-basin water transfers have been highly controversial, sparking protests by citizens in water export areas, water scientists, and environmentalists. Using a qualitative approach employing focus groups and interviews, this study describes and analyzes the attitudes of ordinary citizens, water scientists, environmental NGO leaders, and government officials toward inter-basin water transfers between the Rila Mountains and Sofia. Apart from government officials, there is little enthusiasm for inter-basin water transfers. Citizens living in water export areas are generally opposed to any water management actions that do not address their needs for a regulated water supply, while those living in Sofia see water transfers as being unnecessary and prohibitively expensive. A high degree of polarization exists between government officials, who view water transfers as being an important tool in water management, and water scientists and environmentalists, who view inter-basin transfers as being unnecessary, prohibitively expensive, and detrimental to local populations and the environment. All participants in the study agree that Sofia's present water supply network is highly inefficient and needs to be modernized. In spite of the shortages, water conservation methods have not widely implemented.