SUMMARYAim: The aim of the study was to develop a computational module for the prediction of compressive force on the L4/L5 disc suitable for use in field settings.Method: The value of compressive force is intended to be used as a proxy measure of the mechanical burden of low-back when performing work activities. The compressive force predicted by the module in a particular worker should be compared with the NIOSH limit value of 3,400 N for the assessment of lumbar spine load during manual lifting tasks. Exceeding the limit will be considered as the fulfilment of "hygienic criterion" that should be met to acknowledge low-back disorder as an occupational disease. To develop the computational module we used the ergonomic software TECNOMATIX Classic Jack taking into account the anthropometric parameters of a worker and ergonomic parameters of his/her work activity.Results: We calculated compressive forces on the L4/L5 disc in about 1,300 simulated combinations of various factors influencing compressive force. Parameters which turned out to be crucial for the compression of L4/L5 disc were included in the computational algorithm.Conclusion: Our study was primarily aimed at the assessment of lumbar disorders as occupational diseases. Moreover, the study can contribute to the recommendation of preventive measures to decrease health risks in occupations associated with the overload of low-back region. The graphic maps generated by the computational module enable a fast and exact analysis of particular job.
In practice, the assessment of occupational overload and its contribution to the development of LBPD as well as its inclusion in the compensation system are important for several reasons. Firstly, it may be considered essentially preventable. Secondly, cases with a significant contribution of occupational aetiology may be viewed as occupational diseases for which compensation may be claimed, as it is the case in many European countries. Importantly, inclusion of LBPD in the list of occupational diseases or another system of compensation may be viewed as a preventive measure as it increases the visibility of this problem not only for the workers, but especially for the employers.
The mapping of election results has long been a popular topic among cartographers, journalists, data scientists and infographic authors. However, their work usually concludes with simple visualizations of a single election, and in most cases only the winning party is represented. Can we tell the story of a political party over two decades via maps? What were the reasons for the rise and fall of such party; in our case the Czech Social Democrats? Moreover, how were the changes in voting patterns spatially distributed and manifested? With our paper, we explore voting patterns as well as the voting history of specific parties related to the fate of Social Democrats in the Czech Republic in several national elections from 2006 to 2017. We would like to invite other political scientists to explore the election results in their countries, not just over time, but also in space, and ideally via maps.
The article presents the electoral formulae used in systems of proportional representation and it analyses the degree of proportionality in the division of mandates among political parties. Proportionality is a key factor in determining the political consequences of the formulae used and at the same time it is an indicator of the distortion of party representation. The research the article draws on was based on the Monte Carlo method. Eight indexes of proportionality were used to compare the qualities of electoral formulae. The results of their measurements differed significantly. A more detailed analysis is made of two main approaches to proportionality, represented by the two most important indexes: the Loosemore-Hanby index and the RR index. Using them electoral formulae are classified into two types of scales according to the degree of disproportionality (on a proportionality -disproportionality continuum) and the direction of disproportionality ('to the advantage of small parties -to the advantage of large parties' continuum). These scales relativise some of the conclusions formulated to date in literature in this field. The article also suggests a scale of formulae constructed on the basis of a third, compromise approach, as the weighted average of the Loosemore-Hanby and the RR indexes.
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