The level of stress intensity and the incidence of bruxism in people in managerial positions in the construction industry

Introduction: Current research results show that the phenomenon of stress occurring during the performance of official tasks is becoming more and more common among the vast majority of professional groups. People holding managerial positions are subject to strong pressure because they are responsible for supervising and commissioning tasks to subordinates, and thus for the proper functioning and economic performance of the company. With this mode of work, people in managerial positions are constantly subjected to stressful situations. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess stress and its impact on the appearance of bruxism among people in managerial positions in the construction industry. Additionally, the impact of stress on the occurrence of temporomandibular joint pain was assessed. Materials and methods: The material were employees (n = 104) performing managerial functions in the construction industry, who gave informed consent to participate in completing the three-part anonymous research questionnaire. The first part of the survey included general information about the respondents (i.e. age, sex, education, seniority). The second part of the questionnaire consisted of seven closed questions about their professional work and stress at work. The third part of the survey consists of 8 closed questions in the form of a ten-point scale assessing the occurrence of bruxism symptoms. The obtained test results were subjected to statistical analysis, where the correlation coefficient and Pearson test (p ≤ 0.05) were used.  Results: Stress at work was found in all respondents. 70% of respondents declare that they are satisfied with their work, and 66% say that work affects their health. Analyzing the level of stress at work (scale 0-10), the most common answer was 6 (30.77%), followed by 8 (25%). Among the factors causing stress to the most frequently chosen the answers were: time pressure (60.58%), subordinates (50%). Bruxism symptoms, i.e. headache (89%), teeth clenching (83%), temporomandibular joint pain (75%), masticatory pain (64%), worn tooth surfaces (61%) have been observed in the construction industry. . The rarest symptoms of bruxism in the examined group are: teeth grinding (59%), facial swelling (58%), sensory disturbances (54%). When asked about the level of severity of complaints reported (on a scale of 0-10) within the US, headaches followed by teeth clenching and temporomandibular joint aches. The stress felt by the respondents related to the occurrence of pain within the temporomandibular joints shows a positive correlation [r = 0.032]. We can therefore assume that the higher the stress level, the higher the sensation of temporomandibular joint pain. Ailments such as headaches - [r = 0.091] teeth clenching - [r = 0.141], teeth grinding - [r = 0.116], worn surfaces - [r = 0.107] and facial edema - [r = 0.067] also show positive correlation, but for a given significance the correlations are weak.Conclusions:1. People in managerial positions in the construction sector experience work-related stress.2. Stress may affect the occurrence of bruxism symptoms in persons in managerial positions in the construction sector.3.Higher levels of stress in the workplace may affect the higher sensation of temporomandibular joint pain.

The Comet Assay for the Evaluation of Genotoxic Potential of Landfill Leachate

Genotoxic assessment of landfill leachate before and after biological treatment was conducted with two human cell lines (Me45 and NHDF) and Daphnia magna somatic cells. The alkali version of comet assay was used to examine genotoxicity of leachate by DNA strand breaks analysis and its repair dynamics. The leachate samples were collected from Zabrze landfill, situated in the Upper Silesian Industrial District, Poland. Statistically significant differences (Kruskal-Wallice ANOVA rank model) were observed between DNA strand breaks in cells incubated with leachate before and after treatment (P < 0.001). Nonparametric Friedman ANOVA confirmed time-reliable and concentration-reliable cells response to leachate concentration. Examinations of chemical properties showed a marked decrease in leachate parameters after treatment which correlate to reduced genotoxicity towards tested cells. Obtained results demonstrate that biological cotreatment of leachate together with municipal wastewater is an efficient method for its genotoxic potential reduction; however, treated leachate still possessed genotoxic character

Water Sorption by Different Types of Filter Media Used for Particulate Matter Collection Under Varying Temperature and Humidity Conditions

The present study describes the effects of temperature and humidity on the level of water absorption by filter blanks most popularly used for gravimetric analyzes of particulate matter (PM) and the effects of those on the accuracy of its weight measurements. The main parts of the research quantified the effect of temperature and humidity conditions on water contents quartz fiber (Q), fiberglass (G), PTFE, and nylon (N) filters. Supplementary studies were conducted to estimate the effects of temperature, humidity and material on mass loss/gain and the shape of water retention. All chemical analyses of water contents were performed by the Karl Fischer titration method. The results indicate that quartz filters are the most susceptible to the variations in water contents under changing humidity levels and therefore, less suitable to high accuracy determinations of PM mass compared to nylon or glass filters; PTFE performed the best due to their hydrophobicity. For PM water contents determinations, the best choice of filter media is PTFE. Although many other factors determine the choice of filter type for PM analyses, the present study is an important contribution to knowledge of assessing the suitability of different types of filter material for specific measurements

Strongly and Loosely Bound Water in Ambient Particulate Matter—Qualitative and Quantitative Determination by Karl Fischer Coulometric Method

Simple physical characterization of water evaporation can provide detailed information regarding its component distribution in particulate matter (PM) samples. The water presence in PM can greatly influence its polarity and subsequent reaction activity, for example, in secondary inorganic and organic matter formation. In this study, the presence of PM-bound water is detected using the Karl Fischer titration method in a temperature gradient with an aim to quantitatively assess different types of water occurrence. The analyses were initiated by testing two reference materials, namely urban particulate matter 1648a and urban dust 1649b (NIST). Four different types of water were found in both NIST materials, which helped to optimize the temperature ramp program and its adjustment for real PM samples. It was found that water contents in total suspended particles (TSP) are similar to those typically occurring in urban background stations&mdash;approximately 7.12&ndash;45.13% of the TSP mass, differentiated into the following water mass contributions: 48.5% of the total water found was loosely bound water; 23.3% was attributed to the absorption water; while the missing 20% could be probably attributed to crystal water removed only above 180 &deg;C and artifacts connected with the drift correction problem. By comparing water release curves for single PM-compounds like pure SiO2; Al2O3; NH4NO3; (NH4)2SO4 and NH4Cl with water spectra obtained for real PM samples, it was found that water in particulate matter mainly comes from the dehydration of TSP-bound crystalline like Al2O3, SiO2 and to a lesser extent from salts like NH4NO3; (NH4)2SO4 and NH4Cl. A newly used thermal ramp method was able to assess water contents from Teflon&ndash;polypropylene baked filters characterized by low melting points and therefore filter degradation even under temperatures oscillating around 200 &deg;C. The advantage of this new work is the separation of different types of TSP-bound water contributions, facilitating and promoting further research on the origin of PM-bound water and its role in atmospheric chemistry, secondary aerosol formation and visibility

Water - a great matter of aerosol mass uncertainty

Pomiary grawimetryczne masy PM są jak na razie najważniejszą miarą zanieczyszczenia powietrza o znaczeniu regulacyjnym, określającą wpływ poziomu zapylenia na zdrowie i środowisko. Z tego powodu to właśnie metody grawimetryczne pomiaru PM są podstawą opracowywania strategii ukierunkowanych na ochronę zdrowia człowieka. Ważenie filtrów z pyłem zawieszonym jest kluczową częścią tego procesu, ponieważ masa PM i jego stężenie są miarą jakości powietrza. Oprócz tradycyjnych wag ręcznych w ostatnich latach na rynku dostępne są zrobotyzowane systemy ważenia, które wychwytują nawet mikrogramowe masy cząstek stałych. W porównaniu do ważenia manualnego systemy te zapewniają bardziej powtarzalne i dokładniejsze wyniki masy cząstek stałych oraz eliminują czynnik ludzki jako przyczynę błędów pomiarowych, czyniąc je bardziej opłacalnymi i zgodnymi z normą EN 12341:2014. W ramach tego projektu zaplanowano ocenę wydajności tradycyjnego ważenia ręcznego w porównaniu z ważeniem zrobotyzowanym z użyciem, jako miary porównawczej, pomiarów powtarzanych. W toku badań zdefiniowana zostanie niepewność pomiarów grawimetrycznych masy PM wynikająca z obecności w cząstkach pyłu różnych form chemicznych wody, a następnie dowiemy się, w jakim stopniu niepewność ta może być zmniejszona, celem uzyskania dokładnych wyników pomiarów masy. W ramach kampanii pomiarowej pobrane zostaną trzy frakcje PM (PM1, PM2,5, PM10) pochodzące z trzech lokalizacji o odmiennych źródłach emisji. Do poboru PM użyte zostaną referencyjne aspiratory powietrza. Aby sprawdzić, czy i w jakim stopniu rodzaj materiału filtracyjnego wpływa na odchylenia dokładności ważenia, użyte zostaną różne typy filtrów, powszechnie stosowane w badaniach jakości powietrza. Masa cząstek stałych będzie mierzona za pomocą typowej mikrowagi i nowo opracowanego robota ważącego. Możliwym zatem będzie określenie wpływu techniki ważenia na odchylenia pomiarów masy cząstek stałych. Ocenie podlegać będzie także wpływ ładunku masowego cząstek pyłu zebranych na filtrze na dokładność pomiarów grawimetrycznych. Finalnym celem projektu będzie uzyskanie wiedzy i lepszego zrozumienia mechanizmów regulujących zmienność masy PM pod wpływem zawartości wody atmosferycznej, a także wpływu tych niepewności na poprawne określenie stężenia PM.Zbiór danych stanowią:-Masy i stężenia pyłu zawieszonego zebranego na różnych typach materiałów filtracyjnych wraz z pomiarami warunków meteorologicznych-Tabela prezentująca wyniki masy filtrów oraz masy PM, w kontekście badań precyzji pomiarów z wykorzystaniem automatycznego systemu wagowego UMA 2.4 YF (Radwag)-zdjęcia prezentujące: poborniki pyłu pracujące na poletkach pomiarowych, automatyczny system wagowy UMA 2.4 YF (Radwag), wyposażenie laboratorium grawimetrycznego, zestaw do badań zawartości wody w PM metodą Karla Fischera</p

The level of stress intensity and the incidence of bruxism in people in managerial positions in the construction industry

Introduction: Current research results show that the phenomenon of stress occurring during the performance of official tasks is becoming more and more common among the vast majority of professional groups. People holding managerial positions are subject to strong pressure because they are responsible for supervising and commissioning tasks to subordinates, and thus for the proper functioning and economic performance of the company. With this mode of work, people in managerial positions are constantly subjected to stressful situations. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess stress and its impact on the appearance of bruxism among people in managerial positions in the construction industry. Additionally, the impact of stress on the occurrence of temporomandibular joint pain was assessed. Materials and methods: The material were employees (n = 104) performing managerial functions in the construction industry, who gave informed consent to participate in completing the three-part anonymous research questionnaire. The first part of the survey included general information about the respondents (i.e. age, sex, education, seniority). The second part of the questionnaire consisted of seven closed questions about their professional work and stress at work. The third part of the survey consists of 8 closed questions in the form of a ten-point scale assessing the occurrence of bruxism symptoms. The obtained test results were subjected to statistical analysis, where the correlation coefficient and Pearson test (p ≤ 0.05) were used.  Results: Stress at work was found in all respondents. 70% of respondents declare that they are satisfied with their work, and 66% say that work affects their health. Analyzing the level of stress at work (scale 0-10), the most common answer was 6 (30.77%), followed by 8 (25%). Among the factors causing stress to the most frequently chosen the answers were: time pressure (60.58%), subordinates (50%). Bruxism symptoms, i.e. headache (89%), teeth clenching (83%), temporomandibular joint pain (75%), masticatory pain (64%), worn tooth surfaces (61%) have been observed in the construction industry. . The rarest symptoms of bruxism in the examined group are: teeth grinding (59%), facial swelling (58%), sensory disturbances (54%). When asked about the level of severity of complaints reported (on a scale of 0-10) within the US, headaches followed by teeth clenching and temporomandibular joint aches. The stress felt by the respondents related to the occurrence of pain within the temporomandibular joints shows a positive correlation [r = 0.032]. We can therefore assume that the higher the stress level, the higher the sensation of temporomandibular joint pain. Ailments such as headaches - [r = 0.091] teeth clenching - [r = 0.141], teeth grinding - [r = 0.116], worn surfaces - [r = 0.107] and facial edema - [r = 0.067] also show positive correlation, but for a given significance the correlations are weak.Conclusions:1. People in managerial positions in the construction sector experience work-related stress.2. Stress may affect the occurrence of bruxism symptoms in persons in managerial positions in the construction sector.3.Higher levels of stress in the workplace may affect the higher sensation of temporomandibular joint pain. </jats:p

Wielowymiarowa analiza statystyczna występowania arsenu w Zbiorniku Rybnickim

Popular statistical techniques, such as Spearman's rank correlation matrix, principal component analysis (PCA) and multiple linear regression analysis were applied to analyze a large set of water quality data of the Rybnik Reservoir generated during semiannual monitoring. Water samples collected at 9 sampling sites located along the main axis of the reservoir were tested for 14 selected parameters: concentrations of co-occurring elements, ions and physicochemical parameters. The aim of this study was to estimate the impact of those parameters on inorganic arsenic occurrence in Rybnik Reservoir water by means of multivariate statistical methods. The spatial distribution of arsenic in Rybnik Power Station reservoir was also included. Inorganic arsenic As(III), As(V) concentrations were determined by hydride generation method (HG-AAS) using SpectrAA 880 spectrophotometer (Varian) coupled with a VGA-77 system for hydride generation and ECT-60 electrothermal furnace. Spearman's rank correlation matrix was used in order to find existing correlations between total inorganic arsenic (AsTot) and other parameters. The results of this analysis suggest that As was positively correlated with PO43-; Fe and TDS. PCA confirmed these observations. Principal component analysis resulted in three PC's explaining 57% of the total variance. Loading values for each component indicate that the processes responsible for As release and distribution in Rybnik Reservoir water were: leaching from bottom sediments together with other elements like Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, Ni, Ca (PC1) and co-precipitation with PO43-, Fe and Mn (PC3) regulated by physicochemical properties like T and pH (PC2). Finally, multiple linear regression model has been developed. This model incorporates only 8 (T, pH, PO43-, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, TDS) out of initial 14 variables, as the independent predictors of total As contamination level. This study illustrates the usefulness of multivariate statistical techniques for analysis and interpretation of complex environmental data sets.Do analizy dużego zbioru danych pochodzących z półrocznego monitoringu wody Zbiornika Rybnickiego zastosowano popularne techniki statystyczne takie jak: macierz korelacji rang Spearmana, analiza głównych składowych (PCA) oraz regresja wieloraka. Próbki wody do badań pobierano z 9 różnych stanowisk rozmieszczonych wzdłuż głównej osi zbiornika i testowano pod kątem 14 wybranych parametrów: stężeń współwystępujących pierwiastków, jonów oraz parametrów fizykochemicznych. Celem pracy była ocena wpływu tych parametrów na występowanie arsenu nieorganicznego w wodzie Zbiornika Rybnickiego za pomocą wielowymiarowych metod statystycznych. W pracy zamieszczono także wyniki przestrzennego rozkładu arsenu w zbiorniku Elektrowni Rybnik. Stężenia nieorganicznych form arsenu As(III), As(V) oznaczano metodą generowania wodorków (HG-AAS) wykorzystując spektrometr absorpcji atomowej SpectrAA 880 (Varian), rozbudowany o układ do generacji wodorków VGA-77 oraz elektrotermiczny piec ETC-60. W celu znalezienia korelacji między całkowitym arsenem nieorganicznym (AsTot), a innymi parametrami wykonano macierz korelacji rang Spearmana. Wyniki tej analizy sugerują, że As był dodatnio skorelowany z PO43-; Fe, TDS. Potwierdzeniem tych obserwacji były wyniki analizy PCA. Analiza głównych składowych pozwoliła na wyodrębnienie ze zbioru danych 3 głównych składowych wyjaśniających 57% całkowitej zmienności. Wartości ładunków poszczególnych czynników wskazują, że procesami, które w największym stopniu wpływały na uwalnianie oraz dystrybucję As w wodzie Zbiornika Rybnickiego były: wymywanie z osadów dennych wraz z innymi pierwiastkami takimi jak: Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb, Zn, Ni, Ca (PC1), współstrącanie z Fe, Mn, PO43- (PC3) regulowane przez czynniki fizykochemiczne jak T czy pH (PC2). Końcowy etap analizy wyników obejmował zbudowanie modelu regresji wielorakiej. Model obejmował jedynie 8 (T, pH, PO43-, Fe, Mn, Cr, Cu, TDS) spośród 14 wyjściowych zmiennych, które służyły jako niezależne estymatory do oszacowania stopnia zanieczyszczenia wody arsenem. Praca ta ilustruje przydatność wielowymiarowych technik statystycznych do analizy i interpretacji złożonych zbiorów danych pochodzących z badań środowiskowych

Water Sorption by Different Types of Filter Media Used for Particulate Matter Collection Under Varying Temperature and Humidity Conditions

The present study describes the effects of temperature and humidity on the level of water absorption by filter blanks most popularly used for gravimetric analyzes of particulate matter (PM) and the effects of those on the accuracy of its weight measurements. The main parts of the research quantified the effect of temperature and humidity conditions on water contents quartz fiber (Q), fiberglass (G), PTFE, and nylon (N) filters. Supplementary studies were conducted to estimate the effects of temperature, humidity and material on mass loss/gain and the shape of water retention. All chemical analyses of water contents were performed by the Karl Fischer titration method. The results indicate that quartz filters are the most susceptible to the variations in water contents under changing humidity levels and therefore, less suitable to high accuracy determinations of PM mass compared to nylon or glass filters; PTFE performed the best due to their hydrophobicity. For PM water contents determinations, the best choice of filter media is PTFE. Although many other factors determine the choice of filter type for PM analyses, the present study is an important contribution to knowledge of assessing the suitability of different types of filter material for specific measurements.</jats:p