Ajonkestävä monikäyttöinen kylmäilmakuivuri

Loppupäätelmät Toiminnallisuus ja rakennuskustannukset Rakennus on monitoiminen kuivuri-konehalli. Rakennusta on käytetty sekä koneiden varastointiin että viljan ja sipuleiden kuivaukseen. Liukuovien ansiosta ajo jokaiseen laariin on esteetön. Sisäkorkeus on riittävä. Rakenteet ovat yksinkertaisia. Rakentaminen ei vaatinut kallista ulkopuolista nostokalustoa. Rakennuksen neliöhinnaksi tuli 1490 mk. Rakennuksen edullisuutena pidetään lopputuotteen käyttökelpoisuuden ja laadun suhdetta syntyneisiin kustannuksiin. Edullisuus on syntynyt pitkälti oman työn, talkootöiden ja tilan oman puutavaran käytöllä. Niiden osuus oli 36 % ja rahamenot olivat 64 % kokonaiskustannuksista. Tämän lisäksi kustannusarvio kyettiin alittamaan 17 %. Aurinkokeräimen hyötysuhde Kooltaan 56 m2:n aurinkokeräin on melko pieni verrattuna kuivurin laaripinta-alaan ja puhaltimien ilmamäärään, eikä sen voi siksi olettaa nostavan kovin paljoa kuivausilman lämpötilaa. Jos aurinkokeräimellä halutaan saada aikaan tuntuva lämpötilan nousu, sen pitää olla pinta-alaltaan vähintään kaksi kertaa kuivurin laaripinta-alan suuruinen (Mikkola 1982). Keräin on tehty päällystämällä etelänpuoleinen seinä vaalealla muovilevyllä. Ilmaväli seinän ja keräimen välissä on 100 cm. Ilmamäärä keräin-m2 kohden on varsin suuri (1 460 m3/h), mikä teorian mukaan parantaa keräimen hyötysuhdetta. Mittauksissa todetusta lämpötilan noususta voidaan katsoa 1/3 aurinkokeräimen ansioksi ja 2/3 kuivurin edullisen sijainnin ansioksi. Kuivuri on rakennettu aukealle paikalle, siinä on tummahko katto, seinät ovat tummanpunaiset ja kuivurin ympärillä maassa on sepelikerros. Nämä tekijät yhdessä luovat kuivauksen kannalta edullisen mikroilmaston kuivurin ympärille. Sarin et. al. (1983) toteavat, että kuivurin sijainnilla maastossa ja ilmanottoaukkojen suuntauksella saattaa olla tietyissä tapauksissa yhtä suuri vaikutus kuin varsinaisella keräimellä. Tässä tapauksessa vaikutus näyttäisi olevan vieläkin suurempi, mikä johtuu oletettavasti aurinkokeräimen pintamateriaalista, joka on heikentänyt aurinkokeräimen tehoa. Keräimen melko vaatimaton hyötysuhde johtunee ensisijaisesti siitä, että vaalea, kiiltävä muovilevy heijastaa tehokkaasti saapuvaa auringonsäteilyä, kun sen pitäisi joko päästää säteilyä lävitseen tai absorboida sitä. Keräimen sisällä saattaa myös olla kohtia, joissa ilma ei virtaa lainkaan tai virtaa selvästi huonommin kuin pitäisi. Keräimen hyötysuhde on silti samaa tasoa kuin 80-luvun alussa tutkittujen kiinteiden, muovikatteisten kerääjien hyötysuhde keskimäärin (Sarin et. al. 1983). On kuitenkin jokseenkin varmaa, että nyt käytössä olevien muovilevyjen korvaaminen vaikkapa läpinäkyvällä muovikalvolla parantaisi keräimen hyötysuhdetta. Sarinin et. al. (1983) tulosten mukaan tämän tyyppisellä keräimellä on saavutettavissa hyötysuhde 0,3, jopa 0,4. Melu Melu kuivurin sisällä puhaltimien käydessä on sen verran voimakasta, että pitkäaikainen oleskelu edellyttäisi kuulosuojainten käyttöä. Toisaalta kuivurin hoitaminen vaatii vain satunnaisia tarkastuskäyntejä silloin tällöin, eikä melusta ole haittaa. Melu kuivurin ulkopuolella on häiritsevän voimakasta vielä yli 100 metrin etäisyydellä seinästä, jolla puhaltimet sijaitsevat (Rakennusmääräyskokoelma, määräykset ja ohjeet 1998). Koska kuivuri sijaitsee noin 70 m etäisyydellä asuinrakennuksesta ja koska kuivurin ja asuinrakennuksen välissä on vanha navetta, melu ei ole häiritsevää. Lisäksi melu suuntautuu asuinrakennuksesta poispäin, eikä kuivurin käyntiääni kuuluu asuinrakennuksen pihaan kuin vaimeana huminana. Käyttökokemuksia Viljelykaudella 2000 kuivurissa on kuivattu 20 tn ruista, 5 tn kauraa ja esikuivattu 15 tn sipulia. Rukiin alkukosteus oli noin 35 %. Ruis levitettiin kaikkiin 4 laariin noin 30 cm patjaksi, jonka jälkeen puhaltimet toimivat taukoamatta noin viikon ajan. Ensimmäisen viikon aikana rukiin kosteus laski 20 %:iin. Sen jälkeen neljän laarin viljat yhdistettiin kahteen laariin ja kuivausta jatkettiin vielä viikon verran. Toisella viikolla ruislaarien puhallin toimi vain päivisin klo 10 18 välillä, jolloin ulkoilma oli lämpimintä. 2 viikon kuivauksen jälkeen rukiin loppukosteus oli 14 %. Kahdessa vapautuneessa laarissa kuivattiin kauraa 2 viikon ajan samalla periaatteella kuin ruista. Kauran alkukosteus oli 25 % ja loppukosteus 14 %. Sipulia on esikuivattu viikon ajan. Syksyn 2000 kuivaustoiminnoissa on kulunut puhallinenergiaa 5000 kWh. Kun sähkön verollinen hinta on ollut 44 p/kWh on viljankuivauksen energiakustannus ollut 2200 mk eli 8,8 penniä/kg. Vastaavan vesimäärän poistaminen edellä mainituista viljaeristä lämminilmakuivurissa olisi kuluttanut 1030 litraa polttoöljyä, jonka energiakustannus olisi ollut noin 3200 mk (verollinen hinta 3,05 mk/l, syksy 2000). Tämän lisäksi on otettava huomioon rakennuksen pääomakustannus, joka jakautuu viljan lisäksi muille kuivattaville tuotteille sekä konevarastotoiminnoille.vokMT

Viljasadon korjuu ja varastointi

vokMTT/VAKOL

Both lean and fat body mass associate with blood pressure

High body mass index (BMI) is known to be associated with elevated blood pressure (BP). The present study aims to determine the relative importance of the two components of BMI, fat mass and lean body mass index, on BP levels.We assessed body composition with bioimpedance and performed 24 hour ambulatory BP measurements in 534 individuals (mean age 61 ± 3 years) who had no cardiovascular medication. Fat mass index and lean mass index were calculated analogously to BMI as fat mass or lean body mass (kg) divided by the square of height (m2).Both fat mass index and lean mass index showed a positive, small to moderate relationship with all 24 hour BP components independently of age, sex, smoking, and leisure-time physical activity. There were no interaction effects between fat mass index and lean mass index on the mean BP levels.Adult lean body mass is a significant determinant of BP levels with an equal, albeit small to moderate magnitude as fat mass. Relatively high amount of muscle mass may not be beneficial to cardiovascular health.</p

Use of prescription benzodiazepines and related drugs in family caregivers : a nation-wide register-based study

Peer reviewe

Mental, Physical and Social Functioning in Independently Living Senior House Residents and Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Senior houses provide social interaction and support, potentially supporting older people’s physical and mental functioning. Few studies have investigated functioning of senior house residents. The aim was to compare functioning between senior house residents and community-dwelling older adults in Finland. We compared senior house residents (n = 336, 69% women, mean age 83 years) to community-dwelling older adults (n = 1139, 56% women, mean age 74 years). Physical and mental functioning were assessed using the SF 36-Item Health Survey. Loneliness and frequency of social contacts were self-reported. The analyses were adjusted for age, socioeconomic factors and diseases. Physical functioning was lower among men in senior houses compared to community-dwelling men (mean 41.1 vs. 46.4, p = 0.003). Mental functioning or the frequency of social contacts did not differ between type of residence in either sex. Loneliness was higher among women in senior houses compared to community-dwelling women (OR = 1.67, p = 0.027). This was not observed in men. Results suggest that women in senior houses had similar physical and mental functioning compared to community-dwelling women. Male senior house residents had poorer physical functioning compared to community-dwelling men. Women living in senior houses were lonelier than community-dwelling women despite the social environment

Adiposity-Related Predictors of Vascular Aging From a Life Course Perspective-Findings From the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

The main objective of this study was to study predictors of vascular health with focus on adiposity-related factors. Glucose metabolism, blood lipids, inflammatory markers and body composition were assessed 15 years before assessment of vascular health which was assessed with pulse wave velocity (PWV) in 660 subjects born 1934-44. In a univariate analysis in women the strongest association with PWV was seen for age, systolic blood pressure, dysglycemia, dyslipidemia, inflammatory markers and body fat percentage measured in late midlife and PWV measured 15 years later. In men age, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, dysglycemia, and body fat percentage in late midlife were associated with PWV. One novel finding was that adiposity-related factors were strong predictors of vascular health, something not fully encapsulated in BMI, lean body mass or body fat percentage alone. A higher fat mass index was associated with worse vascular health, which was not ameliorated by a higher lean mass index. Our findings stress the importance to study body composition and fat and lean body mass simultaneously because of their close interaction with each other also in relation to vascular health.Peer reviewe

Body composition and changes in health-related quality of life in older age : a 10-year follow-up of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study

Purpose Most studies examining the associations between body composition and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older age have been cross-sectional and analyzed only fat or lean mass. Hence, it is poorly known whether fat and lean mass are independently associated with subsequent changes in HRQoL. We investigated whether baseline lean and fat mass are associated with changes in HRQoL over a 10-year period in older adults. Methods We studied 1044 men and women from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (age 57-70 years at baseline). Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to derive baseline fat mass index (FMI, fat mass/height(2)) and lean mass index (lean mass/height(2)), dichotomized at sex-specific medians. HRQoL was assessed using RAND 36-item Health Survey at baseline and follow-up 10 years later. Results When controlled for lean mass and adjusted for potential confounders, high baseline FMI was associated with a greater decline in general health (standardized regression coefficient [beta] = - 0.13, p = 0.001), physical functioning (beta = - 0.11, p = 0.002), role physical (beta = - 0.13, p = 0.003), vitality (beta = - 0.08, p = 0.027), role emotional (beta = - 0.12, p = 0.007), and physical component score (beta = - 0.14, p <0.001). High baseline FMI was also associated with low HRQoL in all physical domains at baseline (beta: from - 0.38 to - 0.10). Lean mass was not strongly associated with HRQoL at baseline or change in HRQoL. Conclusion In older community-dwelling adults, higher fat mass is, independent of lean mass, associated with lower physical HRQoL and greater decline in HRQoL. Prevention of adiposity may contribute to preservation of a good quality of life in older age.Peer reviewe

Mental, Physical and Social Functioning in Independently Living Senior House Residents and Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Senior houses provide social interaction and support, potentially supporting older people’s physical and mental functioning. Few studies have investigated functioning of senior house residents. The aim was to compare functioning between senior house residents and community-dwelling older adults in Finland. We compared senior house residents (n = 336, 69% women, mean age 83 years) to community-dwelling older adults (n = 1139, 56% women, mean age 74 years). Physical and mental functioning were assessed using the SF 36-Item Health Survey. Loneliness and frequency of social contacts were self-reported. The analyses were adjusted for age, socioeconomic factors and diseases. Physical functioning was lower among men in senior houses compared to community-dwelling men (mean 41.1 vs. 46.4, p = 0.003). Mental functioning or the frequency of social contacts did not differ between type of residence in either sex. Loneliness was higher among women in senior houses compared to community-dwelling women (OR = 1.67, p = 0.027). This was not observed in men. Results suggest that women in senior houses had similar physical and mental functioning compared to community-dwelling women. Male senior house residents had poorer physical functioning compared to community-dwelling men. Women living in senior houses were lonelier than community-dwelling women despite the social environment

Work-loss years among people diagnosed with diabetes : a reappraisal from a life course perspective

Aims Early exit from the workforce has been proposed to be one of the unfavorable consequences of diabetes. We examined whether early exit from the workforce differed between persons who were and were not diagnosed with diabetes during their work career. Methods The cohort included 12,726 individuals of the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study, born between 1934 and 1944. Using data from nationwide registers, the cohort was followed up from early adulthood until they transitioned into retirement or died. Work- loss years were estimated using the restricted mean work years method. Results During a follow-up of 382,328 person-years for men and 349 894 for women, 36.8% transitioned into old age pension and 63.2% exited workforce early. Among men, 40.5% of those with and 32.8% of those without diabetes transitioned into old age pension (p=0.003). The corresponding numbers for women were 48.6% and 40.4% (p = 0.013), respectively. Mean age at exit from the workforce was 60.1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 59.6 to 60.7) years among men with diabetes and 57.6 (95% CI, 57.2 to 58.0) years among men without diabetes (p = 0.016). Among women, corresponding ages were 61.4 (95% CI, 60.8 to 61.9) years for those with diabetes and 59.5 (95% CI, 59.3 to 59.7) years for those without diabetes (p <0.001). The difference in mean restricted work-loss years according to diabetes was 2.5 (95% CI 0.5 to 4.6) for men and 1.9 (95% CI 1.0 to 2.8) for women. Among individuals followed up throughout their work career, those with a diabetes diagnosis exited the workforce approximately two years later compared to those without diabetes.Peer reviewe

Work incapacity among family caregivers : a record linkage study

Background Family caregiving-related physical and mental health problems may lead to work incapacity in employed caregivers. The aim of this study was to quantify sickness absences and disability pensions (SADP) among high-intensity family caregivers available to the labour market compared with a control population. Methods The study sample included all individuals in Finland, who had received caregiver's allowance and were available to the labour market in 2012 (n=16 982) and their controls (n=35 371). Information on the number of sickness absence (spells >10 days) and disability pension (SADP) days and related diagnoses according to ICD-10 were obtained from national registers for the years 2012-2017. The analyses were adjusted for age, sex, occupational status, education, income and degree of urbanisation. Results During the follow-up, 40.9% of caregivers and 39.5% of controls had at least one sickness absence spell and 6.1% and 4.7%, respectively, received disability pension. The mean annual number of SADP days was 23.2 (95% CI 22.3 to 24.1) for caregivers and 18.5 (95% CI 18.0 to 19.0) for controls (adjusted incidence rate ratio (IRR)=1.16, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.22). The number of annual SADP days due to mental disorders was higher in caregivers (7.2, 95% CI 6.7 to 7.8) than controls (4.0, 95% CI 3.8 to 4.3; adjusted IRR 1.58, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.75). There were no differences in SADP days due to cancer, neurological, cardiovascular, respiratory, or musculoskeletal diseases, or external causes. Discussion Higher number of SADP days due to mental disorders in caregivers suggests that family caregiving has an adverse effect on work capacity and that caregivers are at increased risk for mental disorders.Peer reviewe