Particulate matter (PM) 2.5 levels in ETS emissions of a Marlboro Red cigarette in comparison to the 3R4F reference cigarette under open- and closed-door condition

Introduction: Potential health damage by environmental emission of tobacco smoke (environmental tobacco smoke, ETS) has been demonstrated convincingly in numerous studies. People, especially children, are still exposed to ETS in the small space of private cars. Although major amounts of toxic compounds from ETS are likely transported into the distal lung via particulate matter (PM), few studies have quantified the amount of PM in ETS. Study aim The aim of this study was to determine the ETS-dependent concentration of PM from both a 3R4F reference cigarette (RC) as well as a Marlboro Red brand cigarette (MRC) in a small enclosed space under different conditions of ventilation to model car exposure. Method: In order to create ETS reproducibly, an emitter (ETSE) was constructed and mounted on to an outdoor telephone booth with an inner volume of 1.75 m3. Cigarettes were smoked under open- and closed-door condition to imitate different ventilation scenarios. PM2.5 concentration was quantified by a laser aerosol spectrometer (Grimm; Model 1.109), and data were adjusted for baseline values. Simultaneously indoor and outdoor climate parameters were recorded. The time of smoking was divided into the ETS generation phase (subset "emission") and a declining phase of PM concentration (subset "elimination"); measurement was terminated after 10 min. For all three time periods the average concentration of PM2.5 (Cmean-PM2.5) and the area under the PM2.5 concentration curve (AUC-PM2.5) was calculated. The maximum concentration (Cmax-PM2.5) was taken from the total interval. Results: For both cigarette types open-door ventilation reduced the AUC-PM2.5 (RC: from 59 400 +/- 14 600 to 5 550 +/- 3 900 mug*sec/m3; MRC: from 86 500 +/- 32 000 to 7 300 +/- 2 400 mug*sec/m3; p < 0.001) and Cmean-PM2.5 (RC: from 600 +/- 150 to 56 +/- 40 mug/m3, MRC from 870 +/- 320 to 75 +/- 25 mug/m3; p < 0.001) by about 90%. Cmax-PM2.5 was reduced by about 80% (RC: from 1 050 +/- 230 to 185 +/- 125 mug/m3; MRC: from 1 560 +/-500 mug/m3 to 250 +/- 85 mug/m3; p < 0.001). In the subset "emission" we identified a 78% decrease in AUC-PM2.5 (RC: from 18 600 +/- 4 600 to 4 000 +/- 2 600 mug*sec/m3; MRC: from 26 600 +/- 7 200 to 5 800 +/- 1 700 mug*sec/m3; p < 0.001) and Cmean-PM2.5 (RC: from 430 +/- 108 to 93 +/- 60 mug/m3; MRC: from 620 +/- 170 to 134 +/- 40 mug/m3; p < 0.001). In the subset "elimination" we found a reduction of about 96-98% for AUC-PM2.5 (RC: from 40 800 +/- 11 100 to 1 500 +/- 1 700 mug*sec/m3; MRC: from 58 500 +/- 25 200 to 1 400 +/- 800 mug*sec/m3; p < 0.001) and Cmean-PM2.5 (RC: from 730 +/- 200 to 27 +/- 29 mug/m3; MRC: from 1 000 +/- 450 to 26 +/- 15 mug/m3; p < 0.001). Throughout the total interval Cmax-PM2.5 of MRC was about 50% higher (1 550 +/- 500 mug/m3) compared to RC (1 050 +/- 230 mug/m3; p < 0.05). For the subset "emission" - but not for the other periods - AUC-PM2.5 for MRC was 43% higher (MRC: 26 600 +/- 7 200 mug*sec/m3; RC: 18 600 +/- 4 600 mug*sec/m3; p < 0.05) and 44% higher for Cmean-PM2.5 (MRC: 620 +/- 170 mug/m3; RC: 430 +/- 108 mug/m3; p < 0.05). Conclusion: This method allows reliable quantification of PM2.5-ETS exposure under various conditions, and may be useful for ETS risk assessment in realistic exposure situations. The findings demonstrate that open-door condition does not completely remove ETS from a defined indoor space of 1.75 m3. Because there is no safe level of ETS exposure ventilation is not adequate enough to prevent ETS exposure in confined spaces, e.g. private cars. Additionally, differences in the characteristics of cigarettes affect the amount of ETS particle emission and need to be clarified by ongoing investigations

Изготовление и исследование образцов из неметаллического материала для визуального контроля

В ходе практических экзаменов в рамках аттестации персонала в области неразрушающего контроля используются аттестационные образцы, содержащие один или несколько дефектов. В настоящее время существуют разные образцы для аттестации персонала, например стальные трубы, металлические пластины с дефектными сварными швами, но они выполнены из металлов, а т. к. аттестовать специалистов необходимо на образцах из материала, соответствующего действительному объекту контроля из перечня опасных производственных объектов, то предлагается вариант изготовления экзаменационного образца из неметаллического материала. Был разработан аттестационный образец из неметаллического материала для аттестации персонала в области неразрушающего контроля по визуальному и измерительному контролю.During the practical examinations in the framework of personnel certification in the field of nondestructive testing, attestation samples containing one or more defects are used. Currently, there are different samples for personnel certification, for example steel pipes, metal plates with defective welds, but they are made of metals, and since it is necessary to certify specialists on samples from the material corresponding to the actual object of control from the list of hazardous production objects, a variant of manufacturing an examination sample made of nonmetallic material. A certification sample was prepared from non-metallic material for the certification of personnel in the field of nondestructive testing by visual and measuring control

Diskontinuität und Berufsbiographie: das Beispiel der Zeitarbeit

Der Beitrag geht von der Annahme aus, daß sich im Zuge der anhaltenden Krise auf dem Arbeitsmarkt neue Randbelegschaften ausbilden. Am Beispiel der Zeitarbeit werden die Konturen dieser Beschäftigungssegmente hinsichtlich ihrer sozialen und biographischen Konstitutionsmechanismen herausgearbeitet. Es wird gezeigt, daß das Problem der beruflichen und biographischen Diskontinuität eine besondere Relevanz besitzt. Als spezifisch berufsbiographische Probleme von Zeitarbeitnehmer/ innen werden herausgearbeitet: Integration und Reintegration ins Beschäftigungssystem; der Anschluß an schulische und berufliche Bildungsgänge; die Aufrechterhaltung von Beschäftigungsoptionen, die psycho-soziale Verarbeitung von Brüchen. Die Untersuchung verdeutlicht, daß Zeitarbeit gegenüber anderen Randbelegschaftsgruppen und anderen Formen flexibler Beschäftigung ein besonderes Profil aufweist, das charakterisiert wird durch ein vergleichsweise hohes Qualifikationsniveau, einen diskontinuierlichen Arbeitseinsatz und diskontinuierliche Berufsverläufe. Aus dieser spezifischen Verknüpfung von Randständigkeit, Qualifikation und Diskontinuität werden Schlußfolgerungen für allgemeinere Transformations- und Erosionstendenzen im Beschäftigungssystem gezogen. (RW)This article analyses the import of occupational and biographical factors for the constitution of a 'new peripheral workforce', for which the group of temporary workers is taken as an example. A high percentage of this workforce is considerably highly qualified. Temporary workers are mostly people who want to integrate or reintegrate themselves into the employment system, trying to avoid unemployment. It is shown that discontinuous work-careers are of a specific relevance in this segment. Discontinuities articulate themselves in a high frequency of workplace-changes, problematic passages from education to employment, reentering employment (especially by women after time off for family reasons) and also in processes of professional mobility, which are inherent to this particular form of employment. In this respect, tendencies of occupational de-differentiation and de-qualification are of major importance

Zeitarbeit: Konturen eines "neuen" Beschäftigungsverhältnisses

Dieser Beitrag basiert auf einer detailierten quantitativ-statistischen Rekonstruktion des Zeitarbeitmarktes in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Einige Aspekte der französischen Arbeitsmarktentwicklung werden kurz angesprochen. Die durchschnittliche Anzahl der Arbeitnehmer, die in trilateralen Arbeitsverhältnissen (Verleiher/ Arbeitnehmer/ Entleiher) stehen, hat in den letzten Jahren rapide zugenommen. Der Wechsel in diesem Arbeitsmarktsegment ist relativ hoch. Die Berufsstruktur der Zeitarbeitnehmer hat sich in den letzten zehn Jahren stark verändert. Die Schwerpunktverlagerung erfolgte von den Büroberufen zu den industriellen und zu teils hochqualifizierten Berufen. Zeitarbeit wird hauptsächlich im industriellen Fertigungsbereich und zu einem kleineren Teil im Dienstleistungssektor genutzt. Die Zeitarbeitsbranche ihrerseits besteht aus einer sehr großen und wachsenden Anzahl kleinerer Agenturen und einer kleinen Anzahl großer Zeitarbeitunternehmen, die allerdings mehr als die Hälfte des Marktanteils halten.This article gives a first systematic overview of the labor market segment of temporary work in West Germany and, in some respects, in France. The average daily number of people working in this trilateral employment-relation has - on a still relatively low level of 0,3 per cent of the entire workforce - grown very rapidly in the recent years: up to 70 000 in 1986. As most (about 75 per cent) of these employment relations last only for less than three months, the turnover in this particular segment is very high and, as a consequence, the number of temporary workers in a whole year at least three times as high as the daily average. The occupational structure has changed in the last 10 years from more office-oriented qualifications to industrial, and to a great part highly qualified, occupations. Temporary work is used mainly in the core sector of industry, and a smaller part is used in the service sector. The business of temporary work organizations itself consists of a very big, and even growing, number of small agencies on one hand, and of a smaller number of big units, covering about half of this particular market on the other

National registry for patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) infected with SARS-CoV-2 in Germany (ReCoVery): a valuable mean to gain rapid and reliable knowledge of the clinical course of SARS-CoV-2 infections in patients with IRD

Objectives: Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may be at risk to develop a severe course of COVID-19. The influence of immunomodulating drugs on the course of COVID-19 is unknown. To gather knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 infections in patients with IRD, we established a registry shortly after the beginning of the pandemic in Germany. Methods Using an online questionnaire (www.COVID19-rheuma.de.), a nationwide database was launched on 30 March 2020, with appropriate ethical and data protection approval to collect data of patients with IRD infected with SARS-CoV-2. In this registry, key clinical and epidemiological parameters-for example, diagnosis of IRD, antirheumatic therapies, comorbidities and course of the infection-are documented. Results Until 25 April 2020, data from 104 patients with IRD infected with SARS-CoV-2 were reported (40 males;63 females;1 diverse). Most of them (45%) were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, 59% had one or more comorbidities and 42% were treated with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Hospitalisation was reported in 32% of the patients. Two-thirds of the patients already recovered. Unfortunately, 6 patients had a fatal course. Conclusions: In a short time, a national registry for SARS-CoV2-infected patients with IRD was established. Within 4 weeks, 104 cases were documented. The registry enables to generate data rapidly in this emerging situation and to gain a better understanding of the course of SARS-CoV2-infection in patients with IRD, with a distinct focus on their immunomodulatory therapies. This knowledge is valuable for timely information of physicians and patients with IRD, and shall also serve for the development of guidance for the management of patients with IRD during this pandemic

The protective effect of tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors in COVID-19 in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases compared to the general population: a comparison of two German registries

Objectives: To investigate, whether inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) inpatients are at higher risk to develop a severe course of SARS-CoV-2 infections compared to the general population, data from the German COVID-19 registry for IRD patients and data from the Lean European Survey on SARS-CoV-2 (LEOSS) infected patients covering inpatients from the general population with SARS-CoV-2 infections were compared. Methods: 4310 (LEOSS registry) and 1139 cases (IRD registry) were collected in general. Data were matched for age and gender. From both registries, 732 matched inpatients (LEOSS registry: n = 366 and IRD registry: n = 366) were included for analyses in total. Results: Regarding the COVID-19 associated lethality, no significant difference between both registries was observed. Age > 65°years, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritis and the use of rituximab were associated with more severe courses of COVID-19. Female gender and the use of tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors (TNF-I) were associated with a better outcome of COVID-19. Conclusion: Inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) patients have the same risk factors for severe COVID-19 regarding comorbidities compared to the general population without any immune-mediated disease or immunomodulation. The use of rituximab was associated with an increased risk for severe COVID-19. On the other hand, the use of TNF-I was associated with less severe COVID-19 compared to the general population, which might indicate a protective effect of TNF-I against severe COVID-19 disease