Search

Contemporary historians believe that Greek historiography emerging on the eve of the classical period adopted numerous elements from the Homeric description of battle scenery. The aim of this paper is to analyze the earliest historical works while looking for the blood and dust, the two greatly important attributes of the Homeric world of warfare. However, it turns out that blood and dust, so intimately associated with the portrayal of the physical site of battle in Homer, did not become a permanent element in the historical accounts of military clashes in Greek historiography, even though it was an inevitable component of the military experience of historians and their readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ecological Engineering / Inżynieria Ekologiczna is the property of Polish Society of Ecological Engineering and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this paper was to compare the species composition of mites in dust samples collected at different compartments of human dwellings of north-western (NW) Poland. In 30 urban apartments (Szczecin, Police, Pyrzyce and Łobez) and rural quarters (Przelewice, Brzesko Szczecińskie, Bylice, Krasne, Kakolewice, Wierzchowo, Przeradz, Kłodzino) from NW Poland, 150 samples of dust were collected at 5 locations: bed area, bedroom carpet, sitting area in the living room, hall carpet, and kitchen floor. Mites were isolated using Berlese-Tüllgren extractors. The isolated dust mites belonged to the order Astigmata, families Pyroglyphidae: Dermatophagoides farinae Hughes, 1961, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Trouessart, 1987), Euroglyphus maynei (Cooreman, 1950) and Hirstia Hull, 1931; Chortoglyphidae: Chortoglyphus arcuatus (Troupeau, 1879) and Glycyphagidae: Gohieria fusca (Oudemans, 1902), Lepidoglyphus destructor (Schrank, 1781), and the order Prostigmata, family Cheyletidae: Cheyletus (Latreille, 1796). The most frequently observed were the species D. farinae (58.9%) and the representatives of the genus Cheyletus (30.6%). Statistically significant differences were found between: the number and concentration of D. farinae in the dust collected from beds in the bedroom and dust from the carpet in the bedroom, living room, hall and kitchen; the number of D. farinae in samples from the carpet in the bedroom and from the kitchen floor; the number and concentration of D. farinae in the dust from the living room and the dust in the hall and kitchen; the number of Cheyletus sp. in samples of dust from bed areas in the bedroom and the samples from the carpet in the bedroom, hall and kitchen; the number and concentration of Cheyletus sp. in dust samples collected from the carpet in the bedroom and samples from the kitchen; the concentration of Cheyletus sp. in dust collected from bed areas and samples from the floor in the hall and kitchen; the number of D. pteronyssinus in dust samples collected from bed areas in the bedroom and samples from the carpet in the bedroom. In conclusion, the number of mites D. farinae, D. pteronyssinus and Cheyletus sp. depended on the place where the mites were sampled. The greatest numbers of these species were observed in the bed areas in bedrooms. The tests confirmed the high occurrence of house dust mites in the apartments in north-western Poland, especially in the bed areas in the bedroom.

Background: In this paper the exposure assessment to airborne biohazards (organic dust, microorganisms, endotoxins and ((1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucans) as well as to ammonia and hydrogen sulfide among CAFO (swine farms) workers is presented., Materials and Methods: Occupational exposure assessment was carried out on 30 swine farms. Personal dosimetry was carried out among 90 swine farm workers to assess the exposure to organic dust, endotoxins and glucans. Concentrations of ammonia and hydrogen sulfide were measured using Draeger pipes. Endotoxins were assayed with the LAL test in a kinetic, chromogenic version and ((1 --> 3)-beta-D-glucans with the Glucatell test in a kinetic version., Results: Concentrations of inhalable dust ranged from 0.16 to 37.2 mg/m3, with AM = 3.65 mg/m3, whereas AM for respirable fraction was 0.39 mg/m3 with the range from zero to 4.28 mg/m3. Mean concentration of culturable bacteria was 4.79 x 10 (5) jtk/m3, and fungi concentration was ten times lower - 1.55 x 10(4) jtk/m3. Exposure to endotoxins with high degree of differentiation ranged from 95 to 147 885 EU/m3 in inhalable and from 5.5 to 18 708 EU/m3 in respirable fractions. Glucan concentrations ranged from 6 to > 5200 ng/m3 in unhalable and from 1 to 800 ng/m3 in respirable fraction. Ammonia concentrations in the workplace air ranged from 1.78 mg/m3 (2.50 ppm) to 30.1 mg/m3 (42.4 ppm). Hydrogen sulfide did not exceed the level of 4.1 mg/m3., Conclusion: Work conditions found in CAFOs may induce adverse effects on workers' respiratory system and should be considered as an important harmful agent. The protection of workers respiratory airways should be recommended.

Background: The aim of this paper is to assess occupational exposure to harmful hazards at workposts where fittings and metal accessories are mechanically processed with particular reference to occupational exposure to metals and their compounds., Material and Methods: The studies covered 16 wokposts of mechanical processes of metal accessories (grinding, deburring, threading, polishing). Metal air concentrations at the workposts were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) with a graphite tube and by AAS with air-acetylene flame. To determine free crystalline silica-containing dusts, standard methods (PN-91/Z-04030/05, PN-91/Z-04030/06, and PN-91/Z-04018/04) were applied. Air samples were collected according to the principles of personal dosimetry and noise measurements were conducted according to PN-N-1307:1994., Results and Conclusions: It was found that the main alloy metals, aluminum and zinc, can be hazardous at studied workposts. Copper was also found in the ambient air of the workposts at the measurable level. Other alloy metals (Fe, Pb, Ni, Cd) were not found. The rate of combined exposure at all workposts was lower than 1. Noise was a serious problem at the majority of workposts of mechanical processing, especially at grinding and deburring ones. The Maximum Admissible Concentration (MAC) for total dust containing free crystalline silica was exceeded only at two workposts. It was observed that MACs for respirable dust containing free crystalline silica above 2% were exceeded (3 workposts).

Background: This paper presents an analysis of chemical and physical hazards occurring at workposts of plants involved in the production of building fittings and metal accessories. The analysis is based on the data obtained from voivodeship (province) sanitary and epidemiological stations as well as on the results of initial measurements of respirable and total dust concentrations and noise levels at workposts of the six selected plants., Materials and Methods: Methods described in standards: PN-91/Z-04030/05, PN-91/Z-04030/06 and PN-91/Z-04018/04 were applied for the determination of dusts containing free crystalline silica. Air samples were collected according to the principles of personal dosimetry, and measurements of noise were taken according to PN-N-1307:1994., Results and Conclusions: Very small enterprises of no more than 10 employees (39.3%) and small enterprises with 10 to 49 employees (42.6%) predominate among plants that produce building fittings and metal accessories. Among physical hazards, noise occupies a particular place in 96.7% of plants. In 65.4% of plants, dusts containing free crystalline silica were suspended in the ambient air. Exposure to chemical hazards was observed in 60.7% of plants. Metals and their compounds were found to be the most harmful chemical factors in the processes of founding and mechanical working of elements of building fittings and metal accessories.

Pneumoconiosis is the most common occupational disease of the respiratory system. The aim of this paper is presentation of case of pneumoconiosis coexisting with myelodysplastic syndrome in a former coal miner occupationally exposed to coal dust. In a mineral coal miner, aged 56 year, with a 15-year duration of work underneath, suffering from pneumoconiosis, pancytopenia was detected. He was admitted to the hospital, where myelodysplastic syndrome was diagnosed. The patient's condition was gradually worsening, even though chemotherapy was applied, he died from thrombocytopenia manifested by bleeding from the digestive tract in a relatively short time since diagnosis. The presented case seems to be interesting not only in view of possible development of pneumoconiosis as a result of occupational exposure to coal dust, typical in this case, but also in view of the occurrence of clonal disease of blood several years after cessation of exposure.

Epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical picture, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of allergic alveolitis are described in this paper.

An appropriate evaluation of exposure to dust containing both crystalline silica and asbestos (e.g., some mines of rock materials, installation and disassembly of thermal insulation and frictional products etc.) requires that the presence of these two potentially carcinogenic dust components should be taken into account. In Poland, the present legal regulations provide for rather extensive freedom in both defining the scope of studies performed and interpreting their results. In consequences, the evaluation of dust exposure at similar workposts in different plant is based on different criteria, which means that in some cases the presence of free crystalline silica (MAC value for dust containing from 2 to 50% of SiO2--is 4 mg/m3 for total dust and 1 mg/m3 for respirable dust) is taken into account, and in others the presence of mineral fibers such as chrysotile and other fibrous mineral except for crocidolite (MAC value--1 mg/m3 and 0.2 f/cm3, respectively). The evaluation of exposure usually involves only one factor, i.e. free silica crystalline (more favorable for the administration of a given plant). The present study reveals that depending on the criterion adopted for evaluating the exposure at a given workpost (e.g. exchange of thermal insulation), the working conditions may be classified as safe (criterion for the presence of SiO2) or as harmful to workers' health if a complete composition of mineral dust (chrysotile, amosite, quartz) is considered. In order to clarify the present situation, the authors present in this paper the proposals on the scope of required studies (measurements of total and respirable dust, as well as respirable mineral fibers concentrations, determination of SiO2 contents, identification of dust crystalline phases) and the principles on which the interpretation of results should be based.

The paper addresses the problem of occupational diseases induced by industrial dust (items 2-4 on the Polish list of occupational diseases) during the years 1970-89. The data were obtained from the Section of Work Hygiene of the former Sanitary and Epidemiological Station in Zielona Góra. In the population of workers under study, the incidence of chronic respiratory diseases (CRD) (items 3 and 4 on the Polish list of occupational diseases) was higher as compared with pneumoconiosis in terms of both the number of cases and the number of plants where they were observed. In case of pneumoconiosis, welding smoke and foundry dust were found to be etiologic factors responsible for its incidence, and organic dusts of plant and plastic origin together with industrial dust induced CRD. First cases of CRD were observed in the exposure interval of 6-10 years, and pneumoconiosis already in the interval of 0-5 years. The intensified incidence of both pneumoconiosis and CRD was observed after 11-25 years of occupational exposure. An upward trend in the incidence of pneumoconioses determined by the concentration of industrial dusts and the duration of exposure was found in one plant, and of CRD determined by the same factors in two plants under study.

The paper presents a group of allergens carried by the most popular home-kept animals (furred animals). Ubiquitous presence of these allergens (at schools and in public places) is caused by their specific characteristics different from those of house-dust-mites. It is stressed that the serum albumines coming from such animals can be the cause of allergic symptoms in the respiratory tract of patients suffering from bronchial asthma. The trials carried out so far have confirmed the reduction of the animal allergens' amount in different indoor environments when several ways of their elimination were applied. However only few clinical trials have been made to estimate the improvement of ventilation parameters, bronchodilatators requirement and the symptom intensification in bronchial asthma cases, after employing some of the recommended methods often in the continuing presence of the animal at home. Education and encouraging bronchial asthma patients and their families to get rid of animals from their homes and acquiting them with various reservoirs of animal allergens as well as the allergens' distribution and translocation should become the basis of therapeutic management in that group of patients.

Reports of allergic laryngitis are sparse. This paper reports on 34 patients in order to show that laryngitis can be caused by pollens or mites with mechanisms of immediate allergy. All the cases were confirmed with skin prick tests and natural provocation in which the patients displayed a change in vocal cord status.

The aim of the work was to check, in the selected ceramic plants, whether the replacement of asbestos heat-insulating material by mixed material or fibrous material free from asbestos decreased the risk of exposure to mineral fibre dust among workers engaged in the overhaul of furnace trucks and ceramic furnaces. In the 6 selected plants which used various heat-insulating materials, dust concentration was measured (personal dosimetry), composition of mineral dust, collected from air at overhaul posts, was identified (RTG and IR methods), and morphology of dust particles was examined (optic microscopy and TEM). The highest concentration of respirable mineral fibres was found during the overhaul of a truck with asbestos insulation; respirable fibre concentration reached the value of 5 f/cm3, and total dust concentration-the value of about 80 mg/m3. Insulating plates made of asbestos paper-board proved to be the major source of the mineral fibre emission; mean weighted dust concentration in the plants under study ranged from 2.0 to 2.7 f/cm3. The replacement of asbestos plates by plates made of other heat-insulating materials have lowered respirable mineral fibre dust concentration by ten times. In dust samples collected from the air at the overhaul workposts, the presence of chrysotile, forsterite, quartz and cristobalite (asbestos heat-insulating materials) as well as cristobalite and mullite (non-asbestos heat-insulating materials) was found.

This paper presents the effects of combined exposure (noise, dust, nitrogen oxides) on the health condition of industrial workers, with special regard to red blood cell metabolism. 208 male industrial plant workers of the average age of 38.5 +/- 8.27 years and the average work period of 14.7 +/- 8.22 years were examined. The statistically significant increase of methemoglobin level was detected as well as some changes in erythrocyte metabolism in terms of increased activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase and in vitro production of lactic acid in erythrocytes. The observed changes indicate the influence of exposure to nitrogen oxides and the resulting cellular adaptation to unfavourable working conditions (activation of the pentose cycle and of the final stage of anaerobic glycolysis cycle).

Animals, used for experiments, were intoxicated intratracheally with a suspension of grinding, ceramic or welding dust, in a NaCl solution. These studies demonstrated that the ceramic and welding dusts, used in the experiment, showed a rather great biological activity. This has been proved by the increased weight of dried lungs, and increased total content of some aminoacids in lungs, e.g. hydroxyproline, which is thought to be a reliable index of fibrosis of the pulmonary tissue, as well as of the change in the morphological structure of lungs. Parrallel to the mentioned changes of the lungs, the content of free aminoacids in the animals blood plasma has been remarkably reduced. The results described in this paper prove that there is a dependence between the content of aminoacids in the blood plasma and the changes in lungs caused by dust.

The paper specifies the technical and biological criteria for evaluating the surface-active compounds used in preventing the dustiness, mainly in mines. In addition, effects of these compounds on the organism were discussed.

Dustiness of the mine atmosphere during carrying out exploitation is one of the most hazardous factors threaten to health and life of employees. Also it is large hazard for all type of mechanical and electrical devices operating in mining headings. Coal dust is also very dangerous due to its possibility of explosion. Currently applied technologies of rock mass mining process, entire transport process of output and applied ventilation system cause that rock and coal dust is presented practically in each of the mining heading. Practically, is impossible to eliminate dust from mining headings. However, one can determine its parameters and potential ways its displacement. In the paper there is presented modeling research methodology of dustiness state in a driven dog heading. Developed model is the basis for this methodology, including the diphase flow of mixture of air and dust in the mining heading. Analysis was performed for real driven dog heading. Based on performed analyses, distributions of particular fraction and movement trajectories of selected dust grains were determined. Developed methodology gives a lot of opportunities for analysis of dustiness state in mining headings and in other compartments. It enables to determine parameters of particular grains and their impact on ventilation parameters of the air stream in the tested headings. Obtained results can also be used to reduce dust hazard.