Risk of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress During the Second Wave of COVID-19 in Slovenia

The spread of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to numerous negative consequences on the mental health of the population throughout the world. The main aim of our study was to compare the risk for depression, anxiety, and stress during the second wave of the pandemic in Slovenia. An additional goal was to analyze the association of depression, anxiety, and stress, with the most relevant subjective factors that define the quality of life. Furthermore, we aimed at determining whether health workers have a higher risk for depression following the course of the pandemic. The study was conducted on the general population, between July 2020 and January 2021 through an online survey. The data of 1,728 respondents in two samples of respondents (782 at baseline – first measurement point and 946 during the second measurement point) of the second wave were analyzed using zero-inflated negative binomial regression and Mann-Whitney U-test. The findings of this study show that the rise the second wave was associated with a higher risk for depression, anxiety and stress. The risk for all three was higher for younger participants. Women showed a higher risk for anxiety and stress. Finances, relationships, and housing dissatisfaction were relevant predictors for depression, anxiety and stress. Health workers in our sample showed a higher risk for stress, but not for depression or anxiety, than the general population. Our findings highlight the urgent need for coordinating and developing mental health services and tailored interventions to reduce the mental health burden, especially in the younger.

Comparison of form measurement results for optical aspheres and freeform surfaces

Comparing form measurement data for aspheres and freeform surfaces is an important tool for ensuring the quality and functionality of the devices used to take such measurements and may also allow the underlying measurement methods to be evaluated. However, comparing the highly accurate form measurements of such complex surfaces is a demanding task. It is difficult to analyze measurement results whose accuracies are in the range of several tens of nanometers root-mean-square, especially when comparing data with different, and anisotropic distributions of the 3D measurement points on the surface under test. In this paper, we investigate eight different 3D measurement point distributions that are typical of highly accurate measurement systems currently in use and demonstrate the effects of these distributions on the comparison results by using virtually generated data and applying different evaluation strategies. The results show that, for the examples investigated, the different 3D measurement point distributions can yield different levels of accuracy for the comparison. Furthermore, an improved evaluation procedure is proposed and recommendations on how to significantly reduce the influence of the different 3D measurement point distributions on the comparison result are given. A method of employing virtually generated test data is presented that may be generalized in order to further improve and validate future comparison methods.

Lightweight Design of Patch Plate on Car-body B-pillar based on Side Impact Safety

The B-pillar of automobile needs to meet the requirements of vehicle strength and rigidity, and also consider the fuel economy of vehicle. Therefore, the design and development of B-pillar is a difficult point in the field of car body design and manufacturing. Based on the side impact regulations, the safety model ling and simulation analysis of the B-pillar of the vehicle was carried out to obtain the change law of the intrusion amount and the intrusion speed of the five key points in the whole process. According to the analysis results of side impact of B-pillar, a scheme to reduce the material thickness of B-pillar body and increase patch plate for lightweight design was proposed, and a comparative analysis of the safety of side impact was made. In view of the problem that the intrusion of B-pillar of a real vehicle model did not conform to the regulations, the design scheme of adding patch plate was proposed to improve the safety of side impact. According to the actual collision results, the simulation model was modified, and the design scheme was simulated and optimized. The reliability of the design scheme was verified by the real vehicle collision analysis. The results show that: in the side collision of B-pillar, the intrusion of D2 position measurement point is the largest, the intrusion velocity of D3 position measurement point is the largest, and the intrusion amount and intrusion speed of D5 position measurement point are the smallest. Patch plates are added to the inner side of adjacent area of D2 position measurement point. The welding point is welded with B-pillar structure, and other areas of B-pillar keep the same structure, so as to realize lightweight and effective improvement of safety. Under the condition of maintaining the original material and thickness of B-pillar, two patches with thickness of 2 mm and material of B340LA are added in the middle of B-pillar to improve the structural strength. The defect area is set at the wrinkle position of the original B-pillar to guide the deformation mode of the B-pillar. The relative deviation between simulation calculation and test intrusion is less than 20 %, and the car crash simulation model with improved B-pillar structure is more accurate. For this type of car, the optimization and improvement effect of B-pillar structure is ideal, which improves the passenger safety protection ability in side impact.

Trends in Burnout and Psychological Distress in Hospital Staff Over 12 Months of The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Longitudinal Survey

Background. The mental health effects of healthcare work during the COVID-19 pandemic have been substantial, but it is not known how long they will persist. This study aimed to determine if hospital workers’ burnout and psychological distress increased monotonically over one year, during which waves of case numbers and hospitalizations waxed and waned, or followed some other pattern.Methods. A prospective longitudinal survey was conducted at four time-points over one year in a cohort of 538 hospital workers and learners, which included validated measures of burnout (emotional exhaustion scale of Maslach Burnout Inventory) and psychological distress (K6). Repeated measures ANOVA tested changes over time and differences between subjects by occupational role and age. The direction and magnitude of changes over time were investigated by plotting rates of high scores (using cut-offs) at each time-point compared to case rates of COVID-19 in the city in which the study took place. Results. There were significant changes in emotional exhaustion over time (F = 4.6, p = .004) and significant effects of occupational role (F = 11.4, p < .001) and age (F = 12.3, p < .001). The rate of high burnout was highest in nurses, followed by other healthcare professionals, other clinical staff, and lowest in non-clinical staff. Peak rates of high burnout occurred at the second or third measurement point for each occupational group, with lower rates at the fourth measurement point. Similarly to the results for emotional exhaustion, rates of high psychological distress peaked at the winter 2021 or spring 2021 measurement point in each occupational group and were highest in nurses.Conclusions. Neither emotional exhaustion nor psychological distress was rising monotonically. Burnout and psychological distress were consistently related to occupational role and were highest in nurses. Although emotional exhaustion improved as the case rate of COVID-19 decreased, rates of high emotional exhaustion in nurses and other healthcare professionals remained higher than was typically measured in hospital-based healthcare workers prior to the pandemic. Ongoing monitoring of healthcare workers’ mental health is warranted. Organizational and individual interventions to support healthcare workers continue to be important.

INVESTIGASI SUMBER AIR TANAH MENGGUNAKAN METODE GEOLISTRIK RESISTIVITAS KONFIGURASI SCHLUMBERGER DAN PENGEBORAN

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mencari keberadaan sumber air tanah. Metode yang digunakan adalah geolistrik resistivitas konfigurasi schlumberger dan proses pengeboran. Pengukuran dilakukan pada 4 titik dengan bentangan 400 meter dan jarak antar elektroda 10 meter. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan indikasi keberadaan air tanah ditemukan pada titik pengukuran 3 kedalaman 36-55 meter dibawah permukaan tanah dengan nilai resistivitas sebesar 0,97 Ωm. Proses pengeboran dilakukan pada titik 3 sesuai rekomendasi, adapun hasil dari pengeboran menunjukkan informasi keberadaan air tanah ditemukan pada kedalaman 46 m dibawah permukaan tanah, hasil ini sesuai dengan informasi yang diperoleh dari hasil penelitian. Identifikasi keberadaan air tanah menggunakan metode geolistrik resistivitas terbukti cukup ramah lingkungan, karena tidak ada kerusakan lingkungan yang ditimbulkan. Kata kunci: air tanah, geolistrik resistivitas, konfigurasi schlumberger, pengeboran. This study aims to determine the existence of groundwater. The method used in this research is the geoelectrical resistivity method with schlumberger configuration and drilling process. Measurements were made at 4 points with a span of 400 meters and a distance between electrodes of 10 meters. The results showed indications of the presence of groundwater were found at measurement point 3, a depth of 36-55 meters below the ground surface with a resistivity value of 0.97 Ωm. The drilling process was carried out at point 3 according to the recommendations, while the drilling results showed information on the presence of groundwater at a depth of 46 m below the ground surface, this result is the same as the information obtained from the research results. The identification of groundwater using geoelectrical resistivity method is proven to be quite environmentally friendly because there is no environmental damage caused. Keywords: drilling, geoelectrical resistivity, groundwater, schlumberger configuration.

Analysis of Vibration and Noise on Vibrating Screen at PT. Mifa Bersaudara

The purpose of this study was to analyze the level of vibration and noise on the Equipment Vibrating screen crusher FC 02 at PT. MIFA Bersaudara. Vibration is measured using a vibration meter, noise is measured by a digital sound level meter. Measurements are made on the x, y and z axes at each measurement point. The results showed that the value of the vibration level on the Vibrating screen crusher FC 02 on the x-axis with the velocity value of 28.56 mm/s, the y-axis value of 29.82 mm/s and the z-axis velocity value of 25.46 mm/s. While the Acceleration value on the x-axis is 20.7 m/s 2 the value is 30.86 m/s 2on the y and z axes of 21.42 m/s 2 . While the noise value indicates that the average value on the right side is 99.6 dBA on the right side and 101.7 dBA on the left side. Efforts were made to overcome the problem, namely by not operating the VSC FC 02 exceeding the recommended maximum limit of 60 dBA and the maximum allowed which is 70 dBA so as to prevent problems of comfort, health, and safety at work. Operators and employees are advised to stay at the location for no more than 15-30 minutes, if more than that time must use safety earmuffs.

The precision of gingival recession measurements is increased by an automated curvature analysis method

Background The extent of gingival recession represents one of the most important measures determining outcome of periodontal plastic surgery. The accurate measurements are, thus, critical for optimal treatment planning and outcome evaluation. Present study aimed to introduce automated curvature-based digital gingival recession measurements, evaluate the agreement and reliability of manual measurements, and identify sources of manual variability. Methods Measurement of gingival recessions was performed manually by three examiners and automatically using curvature analysis on representative cross-sections (n = 60). Cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) and gingival margin (GM) measurement points selection was the only variable. Agreement and reliability of measurements were analysed using intra- and inter-examiner correlations and Bland–Altman plots. Measurement point selection variability was evaluated with manual point distance deviation from an automatic point. The effect of curvature on manual point selection was evaluated with scatter plots. Results Bland–Altman plots revealed a high variability of examiner’s recession measurements indicated by high 95% limits of agreement range of approximately 1 mm and several outliers beyond the limits of agreement. CEJ point selection was the main source of examiner’s variability due to smaller curvature values than GM, i.e., median values of − 0.98 mm− 1 and − 4.39 mm− 1, respectively, indicating straighter profile for CEJ point. Scatter plots revealed inverse relationship between curvature and examiner deviation for CEJ point, indicating a threshold curvature value around 1 mm− 1. Conclusions Automated curvature-based approach increases the precision of recession measurements by reproducible measurement point selection. Proposed approach allows evaluation of teeth with indistinguishable CEJ that could be not be included in the previous studies.

The precision of gingival recession measurements is increased by an automated curvature analysis method

Background The extent of gingival recession represents one of the most important measures determining outcome of periodontal plastic surgery. The accurate measurements are, thus, critical for optimal treatment planning and outcome evaluation. Present study aimed to introduce automated curvature-based digital gingival recession measurements, evaluate the agreement and reliability of manual measurements, and identify sources of manual variability. Methods Measurement of gingival recessions was performed manually by three examiners and automatically using curvature analysis on representative cross-sections (n = 60). Cemento-enamel junction (CEJ) and gingival margin (GM) measurement points selection was the only variable. Agreement and reliability of measurements were analysed using intra- and inter-examiner correlations and Bland-Altman plots. Measurement point selection variability was evaluated with manual point distance deviation from an automatic point. The effect of curvature on manual point selection was evaluated with scatter plots. Results Bland-Altman plots revealed a high variability of examiner's recession measurements indicated by high 95% limits of agreement range of approximately 1mm and several outliers beyond the limits of agreement. CEJ point selection was the main source of examiner's variability due to smaller curvature values than GM, i.e., median values of -0.98mm− 1 and − 4.39mm− 1, respectively, indicating straighter profile for CEJ point. Scatter plots revealed inverse relationship between curvature and examiner deviation for CEJ point, indicating a threshold curvature value around 1mm− 1. Conclusions Automated curvature-based approach increases the precision of recession measurements by reproducible measurement point selection. Proposed approach allows evaluation of teeth with indistinguishable CEJ that could be not be included in the previous studies.

Are Acute Increases and Variability in Emotion Regulation Strategies Related to Negative Affect and Paranoid Thoughts in Daily Life?

Background Negative affect reliably predicts paranoid thoughts. Previous studies point to the importance of emotion regulation for paranoid thoughts but have not yet focused on effects of acute increases and variability in strategy use. Methods We conducted an experience-sampling study for one week in a subclinical sample. Acute increases in the intensity of strategy use from one measurement point until the next, between-strategy variability (i.e., standard deviation between all strategies at one measurement point), and within-strategy variability (i.e., standard deviation of each strategy over one day) were analyzed for effects on negative affect and paranoid thoughts. Results Multi-level-models indicated that acute increases in acceptance and reappraisal are associated with less negative affect. Acute increases in acceptance, but not in reappraisal, were related to less paranoid thoughts. In contrast, acute increases in rumination and suppression were associated with more negative affect and paranoid thoughts. Between- and within-strategy variability were no significant predictors. Conclusions Acute increases in the intensity of but not variability in emotion regulation strategies are related to negative affect and paranoid thoughts in daily life. Future studies are needed to examine whether improving emotion regulation leads to sustainable reductions in symptoms.