Proceedings of the 20th SIRWEC conference, Druskininkai, Lithuania (14-16th June 2022)

SIRWEC (The Standing International Road Weather Commission) exists to encourage meteorologists, weather forecasters, highway engineers, road masters and others, who are interested in road weather problems, to exchange ideas to make our roads safer to drive on in all weather conditions. Every two years SIRWEC conference is being organized to gather all of the road weather enthusiasts and encourage them to share new scientific discoveries they have accomplished, new products or technologies they have made or any other topic in road weather field

Meteorologinių veiksnių poveikis kopų dinamikai

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Influence of petroleum-refining waste/product contaminated soil on properties of porous ceramic article

During the refining of crude oil, among other wastes, soil contaminated with oil products is produced. This is a viscous mixture of soil, various oil products and water. Every year more and more of this waste is accumulated, because there is no appropriate means for its utilization. The possibility for use the petroleum product contaminated soil in the production of ceramic articles was investigated. Thermographic investigations have shown that heating up to 140 °C causes a loss in specimen mass by 54 %, while the endothermic effect at 120 °C, is due to the evapourization of water. The material burns intensively at 300 – 460 °C temperature. The mass weight losses are correspondingly 15.7 and 7.4 %. The thermographic investigation results show that waste burning occurs at higher temperatures, than for sawdust temperature. As a result, the CO emissions into the atmosphere are lower. The best results were achieved when this waste was added to the ceramic mass with sawdust at a ratio of 2:1. Keywords: product contaminated soil, waste, sawdust, porous ceramic, CO emision

A Cross-Sectional Survey of Construction Workers: An Ergonomic Approach

Musculoskeletal disorders cause ill health and decreased work ability, thereby increasing the costs of absenteeism for companies and interfering in social security systems on a national scale. Our research aimed to identify ergonomic risks encountered by trades on sites of small and medium construction companies, to develop interventions to reduce those risks. Construction employees, from a twelve Lithuanian small and medium companies of construction industry, were randomly selected and invited to complete a survey on different discomfort of the body parts. The questionnaire included questions about stratification of the sample, appearance of troubles, i.e. symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, in neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands, the upper back, hips, thighs, knees and ankles/feet. The questionnaire was distributed to 35 % of the twelve companies’ population, for a total of 440 questionnaires. Of 276 questionnaires were completed for a 62.7 % response rate. Investigations shows that for all construction workers the most common location of pain and/or discomfort was the lower back which was different in all eight groups of seniority (range: 10.51 % – 27.0 %). The complaint is considered the main reason for an awkward work posture, and high use of physical force. Very often, workers work leaned in static posture, running from 5 to 10 min. Workers also suffer pain and/or discomfort in ankles/feet (range: 12 % – 22.99 %), in neck – (range: 6.25 % – 19.63 %), in shoulders – (range: 12–% – 16.61 %), and in knees – (range: 4.55 % – 14.63 %). The strategy in construction suggests that ergonomics be integrated into apprenticeship and vocational schools training programs. Training of workers is necessary but not sufficient to insure ergonomic change. Also require to be supported with other resources at the owner and contractor level

Oat β-glucan in milk products: impact on human health

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the bioactive ingredient – oat β-glucan – on the quality characteristics of the fermented milk products (kefir, yogurt and fermented milk beverages) made on buttermilk-skimmed milk mixture base and establish the influence of the consumption of one of them on the health characteristics of volunteers. The enrichment of fermented milk products with 0.6 % oat β-glucan had no impact on the fermentation time, enhanced the apparent viscosity and changed sensory properties. The experiments of medical nutrition of volunteers showed a significant decrease of total (p<0.05) and low density lipoprotein (p<0.05) cholesterol, increase in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p<0.01) in their blood after a 21-day period of consumption of fermented product with β-glucan. According to these findings, consumption of fermented milk beverage prepared on the buttermilk-skimmed milk base and enriched with oat β-glucan had a beneficial effect on human health

An inulin-enriched soy drink and its lowering effect on oxidized low density lipoproteins in healthy volunteers

Due to selection of appropriate ingredients and parameters, a microbiologically-safe drink enriched with soy protein isolate (SPI) and prebiotic dietary fiber inulin with high scores of acceptability was produced. The results of medical nutrition survey showed that on the 21 day of using drink the level of oxidized low density lipoproteins (LDL) significantly decreased while the other biochemical parameters of blood of healthy patients as compared to the control tests remained unchanged. As well there was no apparent impact on the intestinal microflora balance of recipients established