Investigating the multi-causal and complex nature of the accident causal influence of construction project features

Construction project features (CPFs) are organisational, physical and operational attributes that characterise construction projects. Although previous studies have examined the accident causal influence of CPFs, the multi-causal attribute of this causal phenomenon still remain elusive and thus requires further investigation. Aiming to shed light on this facet of the accident causal phenomenon of CPFs, this study examines relevant literature and crystallises the attained insight of the multi-causal attribute by a graphical model which is subsequently operationalised by a derived mathematical risk expression that offers a systematic approach for evaluating the potential of CPFs to cause harm and consequently their health and safety (H&S) risk implications. The graphical model and the risk expression put forth by the study thus advance current understanding of the accident causal phenomenon of CPFs and they present an opportunity for project participants to manage the H&S risk associated with CPFs from the early stages of project procurement.     

Mitigating the health and safety influence of subcontracting in construction: The approach of main contractors

Subcontracting is noted for its adverse health and safety (H&S) influence in construction. Using interviews with five of the top 20 UK contractors and one medium-sized contractor, this study explored how main contractors manage the H&S influence of subcontracting with a focus on their in-house measures. Some in-house measures found are: restricting the layers of subcontractors on projects; working with a regular chain of subcontractors; implementing a H&S reward scheme for subcontractors; and insisting on non-working subcontractor foremen who have direct responsibility for the safety of workers in their trade. These measures appear to be influenced by clients, industry peer groups, and the moral justification for occupational H&S, and they offer inter-organisational learning opportunities for contractors in devising measures to mitigate the H&S influence of subcontracting. These findings should also allay concerns that removing some of the legislative hurdles in connection with on-going red tape debate will result in poorer H&S.     

Quantification of Protein‐Induced Membrane Remodeling Kinetics In Vitro with Lipid Multilayer Gratings

The dynamic self‐organization of lipids in biological systems is a highly regulated process that enables the compartmentalization of living systems at micro‐ and nanoscopic scales. Consequently, quantitative methods for assaying the kinetics of supramolecular remodeling such as vesicle formation from planar lipid bilayers or multilayers are needed to understand cellular self‐organization. Here, a new nanotechnology‐based method for quantitative measurements of lipid–protein interactions is presented and its suitability for quantifying the membrane binding, inflation, and budding activity of the membrane‐remodeling protein Sar1 is demonstrated. Lipid multilayer gratings are printed onto surfaces using nanointaglio and exposed to Sar1, resulting in the inflation of lipid multilayers into unilamellar structures, which can be observed in a label‐free manner by monitoring the diffracted light. Local variations in lipid multilayer volume on the surface is used to vary substrate availability in a microarray format. A quantitative model is developed that allows quantification of binding affinity (K _D) and kinetics (k_on and k_off). Importantly, this assay is uniquely capable of quantifying membrane remodeling. Upon Sar1‐induced inflation of single bilayers from surface supported multilayers, the semicylindrical grating lines are observed to remodel into semispherical buds when a critical radius of curvature is reached.     

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Chemical studies of some plant wastes from Ghana

The proximate composition of sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and iron levels of the peels and trunk from banana and plantain plants and cocoa husk are reported. The samples were all characterised by high moisture content ranging from 78 g/100 g ripe plantain peel to 94 g/100 g for fresh plantain trunk. The peels and trunk of plantain and banana plants were poor sources of phosphorus and sodium but rich in iron and potassium. Plantain trunk contained 5 g of potassium per 100 g of dry sample. Because of their high potassium content the peels of banana fruit and the trunk of banana and plantain plants are recommended as additional raw materials for indigenous soap making in Ghana.     

Detection of Damaged Tool in Injection Molding Process with Acoustic Emission

ABSTRACT

The measurement of acoustic emission (AE) signals during injection molding of polypropylene with new and damaged mold is presented. The damaged injection mold was fitted with a steel insert with cracks induced by laser surface heat treatment. Two resonant piezoelectric AE sensors were attached to the mold via AE waveguides. To improve the mold integrity prediction with smaller defects, AE signal frequency characteristics and a measure of AE signal amplitude probability distribution are implemented. A 5-dimensional feature vector with real-valued explanatory variables is proposed, providing the defining points in an appropriate multidimensional space to characterize the state of injection molding tool. Feature vectors are classified with neural network pattern recognition. The results confirm that presented AE technique offers characterizing the integrity of molds also with resonant sensors.     

NovaSil clay intervention in Ghanaians at high risk for aflatoxicosis. I. Study design and clinical outcomes

A 3-month double-blind and placebo-controlled, phase IIa clinical trial was conducted in Ghana to investigate the safety, tolerance and aflatoxin-sorption efficacy of dietary NovaSil (NS). Volunteers (507 subjects) were clinically screened to evaluate their general health, pregnancy status and blood AFB₁–albumin adduct levels. Of these subjects, 177 were randomly assigned to three groups: high-dose (HD), low-dose (LD) and placebo-control (PL) groups receiving 3.0, 1.5 and 0 g NS day^?1 in capsules. Trained study-monitors supervised NS capsule administration to participants and recorded side-effects daily. Physical examinations were performed monthly. Blood and urine samples were collected for laboratory analysis. Approximately 92% of the participants (162 of 177) completed the study and compliance rate was over 97%. Overall, 99.5% of person?×?time reported no side-effects throughout the study. Mild to moderate health events (～0.5% of person?×?time) were recorded in some participants. Symptoms included nausea, diarrhea, heartburn and dizziness. These side-effects were statistically similar among all three groups. No significant differences were shown in hematology, liver and kidney function or electrolytes in the three groups. These findings demonstrate that NS clay is apparently safe and practical for the protection of humans against aflatoxins in populations at high risk for aflatoxicosis.     

Reducing human exposure to aflatoxin through the use of clay: A review

Innovative sorption strategies for the detoxification of aflatoxins have been developed. NovaSil clay (NS) has been shown to prevent aflatoxicosis in a variety of animals when included in their diet. Results have shown that NS clay binds aflatoxins with high affinity and high capacity in the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in a notable reduction in the bioavailability of these toxins without interfering with the utilization of vitamins and other micronutrients. This strategy is being evaluated as a potential remedy for acute aflatoxicosis, and as a sustainable human intervention for aflatoxins via the diet. Phase I and II clinical trials confirmed the apparent safety of NS for further study in humans. A recent study in Ghanaians at high risk for aflatoxicosis has indicated that NS (at a dose level of 0.25%) is effective in decreasing biomarkers of aflatoxin exposure and does not interfere with the levels of serum vitamins A and E, and iron and zinc. In summary, enterosorption strategies/therapies based on NS clay are promising for the management of aflatoxins and as a sustainable public health intervention. The NS clay remedy is novel, inexpensive and easily disseminated. Based on the present research, aflatoxin sequestering clays should be rigorously evaluated in vitro and in vivo, and should meet the following criteria: (1) favourable thermodynamic characteristics of mycotoxin sorption, (2) tolerable levels of priority metals, dioxins/furans and other hazardous contaminants, (3) safety and efficacy in multiple animal species, (4) safety and efficacy in long-term studies, and (5) negligible interactions with vitamins, iron and zinc and other micronutrients.