Manual material handling (MMH) tasks were evaluated and compared under different lifting conditions. For the theoretical evaluations, a two-dimensional sagittally symmetric human-body model was established to compute the moment and joint load time histories for MMH tasks for a variety of different lift specifications and constraints such as lifting durations, loads, and modes. Nonlinear control...

Recent experiences in using participatory methods for ergonomic workplace improvement are reviewed to know how these methods can be effective in different settings. The review covered participatory programmes for managers and workers in small enterprises, home workers, construction workers and farmers in Asian countries. To meet diversifying ergonomic needs, participatory steps reviewed are fou...

Recently, a novel biomass pulverization technology was proposed by our group. In this paper, further detailed studies of this technology were carried out. The effects of feed moisture and crusher operational parameters (rotor speed and blades gap) on product particle size distribution and energy consumption were investigated. The results showed that higher rotor speed and smaller blades gap cou...

The burgeoning nanotechnology industry is rapidly generating new forms of waste streams generically referred herein as nanowastes. However, little is known about the fate and behavior of these waste streams and their impacts thereof in different ecological systems despite their increasingly widespread dispersion into the environment through production, distribution, handling, and nanomaterials ...

Morphological, compositional, and biological evidence indicates the presence of numerous well-developed microbial hyphae structures distributed within four different sample splits of the Nakhla meteorite obtained from the British Museum (allocation BM1913,25). By examining depth profiles of the sample splits over time, morphological changes displayed by the structures were documented, as well a...

Examples from various plant and animal groups indicate that there has been a general increase in potential versatility of form, determined by the number and range of independently varying morphogenetic parameters, among taxa appearing at successively younger stages in the fossil record. Taxa or body plans with higher potential versatility have tended to replace less potentially versatile groups...

Interactive and multimedia methods are the future, already developing in teaching and learning modules in Medicine. It happens and has to happen because: 1) It improves tools for the teacher in preparing and showing the bulk of materials on which students must study and learn; it enables interactivity with learners both in formative pathway and in final assessment. 2) It improves attention, int...

Analysis of fingerprints has predominantly focused on matching the pattern of ridges to a specific person as a form of identification. The present work focuses on identifying extrinsic materials that are left within a person's fingerprint after recent handling of such materials. Specifically, we employed infrared spectromicroscopy to locate and positively identify microscopic particles from a m...

This study undertook a critical examination of Ontario’s extended producer responsibility scheme for the residential “Blue Box” recycling program, specifically examining the relationship between packaging fee rates and material-specific recycling rates. Using data collected for each of the 23 materials found in the residential recycling program over the past decade, a regression model was devel...