Work conditions and mental demands in museum activities

The paper presents some results of an extended study on work conditions and mental demands in culture activities – especially for museum personnel. The study aimed to emphasize the occupational risks and nocivities and the mental (neuro-psychical) demands of activity. A complex methodology was used, including different techniques and instruments concerning the activity characteristics and the subjective assessment of the work demands as well

Harmonized definition of occupational burnout : A systematic review, semantic analysis, and Delphi consensus in 29 countries

Funding Information: This study was supported by the University of Lausanne and European Cooperation in Science and Technology, Action CA 16216 "Network on the Coordination and Harmonisation of European Occupational Cohorts” (OMEGA-NET). Publisher Copyright: © 2021, Nordic Association of Occupational Safety and Health. All rights reserved.Objective A consensual definition of occupational burnout is currently lacking. We aimed to harmonize the definition of occupational burnout as a health outcome in medical research and reach a consensus on this definition within the Network on the Coordination and Harmonisation of European Occupational Cohorts (OMEGA-NET). Methods First, we performed a systematic review in MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Embase (January 1990 to August 2018) and a semantic analysis of the available definitions. We used the definitions of burnout and burnout-related concepts from the Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine Clinical Terms (SNOMED-CT) to formulate a consistent harmonized definition of the concept. Second, we sought to obtain the Delphi consensus on the proposed definition. Results We identified 88 unique definitions of burnout and assigned each of them to 1 of the 11 original definitions. The semantic analysis yielded a first proposal, further reformulated according to SNOMED-CT and the panelists` comments as follows: "In a worker, occupational burnout or occupational physical AND emotional exhaustion state is an exhaustion due to prolonged exposure to work-related problems". A panel of 50 experts (researchers and healthcare professionals with an interest for occupational burnout) reached consensus on this proposal at the second round of the Delphi, with 82% of experts agreeing on it. Conclusion This study resulted in a harmonized definition of occupational burnout approved by experts from 29 countries within OMEGA-NET. Future research should address the reproducibility of the Delphi consensus in a larger panel of experts, representing more countries, and examine the practicability of the definition.Peer reviewe

The Assessment of Mental Load of Air Traffic Controllers Based on Psychophysiological Indicators

The article presents a part of a broader study on identifying and monitoring occupational risks, early detection of signs and symptoms of reversible impairment of physical and mental health of staff, decrease in work capacity and the occurrence of deficient, risky behavior in working practices, as a result of intense neuropsychological or physical professional effort. The results of the study aimed at highlighting: professional effort factors experienced by the trial subjects; occupational risk factors that cannot be avoided and which, due to the nature of the workload and the conditions for completing it, can in time lead to reduced work capacity, premature wear and tear, work-related illnesses and risky behaviors in the workplace, with serious consequences for the safety and health of employees and / or other people; measures to prevent and reduce identified work and stress factors, in order to ensure health and safety at work, optimal use of human resources and maintenance of work capacity throughout the professional life. The results can be implemented in the actions taken to ensure occupational health and safety regulations and to monitor employees’ health conditions and their work capacity in accordance with the legislation in force

Work conditions and mental demands in museum activities

The paper presents some results of an extended study on work conditions and mental demands in culture activities – especially for museum personnel. The study aimed to emphasize the occupational risks and nocivities and the mental (neuro-psychical) demands of activity. A complex methodology was used, including different techniques and instruments concerning the activity characteristics and the subjective assessment of the work demands as well

Dorsopathy in urban public transport drivers in relation to occupational risks and workloads

Drivers in urban public transport are exposed to specific risks and workloads with both somatic and psychological effects on their health. The most common somatic disorders are musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs), especially those of the spine, and some of them can be occupational diseases. The present paper represents a sequence from an ample study that has followed the effects of this professional activity on work aptitude and workers’ state of health and then has established prevention measures, respectively measures for reduction of identified risk factors. An ergonomic, complex and multidimensional methodology has been used. The health state analysis has been performed through a prevalence, cross-sectional study on three cohorts (bus, tram, trolleybus drivers). In all groups, a high percentage of spinal pathology has been found, especially lumbosacral. The highest percentage of dorsopathies has been registered in the group of the trolleybus drivers (48%), followed by the tram (43%) and the bus (42%). In all three cohorts, a significant percentage in disc herniation in the age group 36-45 years old has been found, which can indicate premature wear. The identification of occupational risk factors has allowed for the establishment of a set of prevention / reduction measures

Pilot study on fields with high exposure to psychosocial risk factors

A pilot study concerning psychosocial risk factors that could determine work related stress and effects on work behaviour and health state was developed involving five fields of activity with high exposure on work related stress (education, health, transport, banking, financial consultancy). The study aimed to identify the main specific psychosocial risk factors in every of the five fields, in order to substantiate a method for assessing the risk factors for work related stress. The study used a complex ergonomic methodology, and one of the main instruments used to identify psychosocial factors was the Romanian version of The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ)

Pilot study on fields with high exposure to psychosocial risk factors

A pilot study concerning psychosocial risk factors that could determine work related stress and effects on work behaviour and health state was developed involving five fields of activity with high exposure on work related stress (education, health, transport, banking, financial consultancy). The study aimed to identify the main specific psychosocial risk factors in every of the five fields, in order to substantiate a method for assessing the risk factors for work related stress. The study used a complex ergonomic methodology, and one of the main instruments used to identify psychosocial factors was the Romanian version of The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ)

Identification of Uric Acid Crystals Accumulation in Human and Animal Tissues Using Combined Morphological and Raman Spectroscopy Analysis

Gout is a metabolic condition, common to animals and humans, issuing from the excessive accumulation of end products of proteins degradation. In this study, histopathological and cytological examinations, combined with Raman spectroscopy, have been performed to investigate tissue samples from reptiles, chickens, and humans, presenting lesions produced by uric acid accumulation. As a result of classic processing and staining techniques commonly used in the anatomopathological diagnosis, uric acid crystals lose their structural characteristics, thus making difficult a precise diagnostic. Therefore, complementary diagnostic methods, such as Raman spectroscopy, are needed. This study compares from several perspectives the above mentioned diagnostic methods, concluding that Raman spectroscopy provides highlights in the diagnosis of gout in humans and animals, also adding useful information to differential diagnosis of lesions

MUSCULOSKELETAL COMPLAINS AMONG DENTISTS: FOCUS ON CERVICAL SPINE INVOLVEMENT

Musculoskeletal pathology in dentistry settings has multifaceted triggers, including prolonged, either standing or sitting static postures, repetitive movements, vicious positions with excessive bending and rotation with subsequent overloading and overstress of the head, spine, scapula-humeral joint, hand, but also weight bearing joints such as hips and knees. The main objective of our study was to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal complains, especially cervical spine involvement, among dentists. We performed a cross-sectional study on 40 gender, age, and years of practice-matched subjects stratified in two groups according to their background profession – dentists in group I, general practitioners (GP) in group II, aiming to identify work-related musculoskeletal issues. A specific questionnaire derived from the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ) was applied in all cases, evaluating the sitting discomfort and working performance; we focused on two main items that reflect the level of comfort or discomfort (item 1) and cervical pain on a visual analogue scale of 0-10 cm (item 2). Working in specific dental environment must complain with ergonomic recommendations, particularly focused on working posture aiming to limit as a feasible extent the overload on lumbar spine and excessive negative influence on cervical segment. Sitting on an ergonomic chair or alternating sitting with standing posture during working day should be promoted in routine dentistry practice. Work-related musculoskeletal complains, with special emphasis on cervical spine pathology, is commonly reported among dentists; both static and dynamic overstress of the vertebral structure are responsible for abnormal biomechanics and subsequent pathology in routine dental professional practice

Possibilities and Limits of Fibre Reinforced Composites in Fixed Prosthodontics

The development of fibre reinforced composite technology leads the way to fabrication of metal-free restorations along with dental tissues preservation. Due to the physical, chemical and biomechanical properties which are in a sustained development, fibre reinforced composites have a variety of applications in dentistry. The clinician must understand the concept of fibre reinforced composite, select the appropriate system and adapt the design of tooth preparation for every clinical situation. These materials can provide provisional or long-term restorations, within the context of minimally invasive concept