Benefits of Implementing Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems for the Sustainable Construction Industry: A Systematic Literature Review

Accidents are more prevalent in the construction industry compared to other economic sectors. Therefore, understanding the benefits of occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMSs) in terms of their sustainable implementation, management and performance, as well as the awareness of OHMSs and barriers to their implementation, are important for improving OHSMSs in the sustainability of the construction industry. Although there is considerable research on OHSMSs, further assessments are needed concerning other aspects of OHSMSs, particularly the benefits of OHSMSs. Thus, this review paper summarises the empirical state of the art of OHSMS activities. Scopus, Web of Science and other databases were searched using predefined standards. The query was limited to articles published from 1999 to 2023. Consequently, one hundred and four articles were selected and analysed. These articles present analyses of OHSMSs and their potential benefits concerning the implementation of OHSMSs and management, performance, awareness, and barriers in relation to OHSMSs. The results reveal that 12.50% of the reviewed studies assessed the implementation of OHSMSs in the construction industry, and 25.96% studied the management of OHSMSs. Analyses of the performance of OHSMSs in the construction industry accounted for 8.65%, analyses of the awareness of OHSMSs accounted for 4.81%, model-related analyses accounted for 13.46%, studies on the significance/benefits of OHSMSs accounted for 3.85%, studies on the barriers/challenges associated with OHSMSs accounted for 5.77%, analyses on the safety indicators of OHSMSs accounted for 2.88% and other types of studies accounted for 20.19%. This study further reveals that the implementation of OHSMSs is characterised by a dearth of proper communication, the non-utilisation of personal protective equipment (PPE), wrong postures and work activities, a dearth of training, physiological factors including burnout and stress, and a dearth of safety culture and orientation; in addition, matters relating to compliance with effective laws are significant safety challenges in the construction industry. However, the rationality for evaluating the benefits of OHSMSs, comprising their implementation, management and performance, as well as awareness of and barriers to OHSMSs, is challenging to authenticate because appropriate field, survey, organisational and clinical data concerning incident occurrences in the construction industry are lacking for comprehensive evaluations. Thus, this novel study presents our effort to narrow this gap by establishing a framework for increasing our understanding of the benefits of implementing OHSMSs and accident reduction

Phenethyisoquinoline alkaloids from the leaves of Androcymbium palaestinum

Thirteen compounds were isolated from the methanolic extract of the leaves of Androcymbium palaestinum Baker (Colchicaceae). Of these, three were new, two were new natural products, and eight were known. The new isolated compounds were (+)-1-demethylandrocine (5), (−)-andropalaestine (8), and (+)-2-demethyl-β-lumicolchicone (10), while the new natural products were (+)-O-methylkreysigine-N-oxide (3) and (+)-O,O-dimethylautumnaline (9). Moreover, two known compounds are reported for the first time from this species, specifically (−)-colchicine (11) and (−)-3-demethyldemecolcine (13). The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated using a series of spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques, principally HRESIMS, 1D-NMR (1H and 13C NMR) and 2D-NMR (COSY, edited-HSQC, and HMBC). ECD spectroscopy was used for assigning the absolute configurations of compounds 3, 5, and 10. The cytotoxic activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated using the MDA-MB-435 (melanoma), MDA-MB-231 (breast), and OVCAR3 (ovary) cancer cell lines. Compound 11 was the most potent against all tested cell lines, with IC50 values of 12, 95 and 23 nM, respectively.This research was supported, in part, by the Deanship of Research, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan (Grant No. 258/2017) and the National Cancer Institute/National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA via P01 CA125066. We thank Dr. L. Flores Bocanegra, J. M. Gallagher, Z. Y. Al Subeh, and Dr. N. D. Paguigan from UNCG for technical help and valuable suggestions. This work was performed in part at the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering, a member of the Southeastern Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor (SENIC) and National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI), which is supported by the National Science Foundation (Grant ECCS-1542174)

Clinical Phenotypes of PCOS: a Cross-Sectional Study

This cross-sectional study examines the Doi-Alshoumer PCOS clinical phenotype classification in relation to measured clinical and biochemical characteristics of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Two cohorts of women (Kuwait and Rotterdam) diagnosed with PCOS (FAI > 4.5%) were examined. These phenotypes were created using neuroendocrine dysfunction (IRMA LH/FSH ratio > 1 or LH > 6 IU/L) and menstrual cycle status (oligo/amenorrhea) to create three phenotypes: (A) neuroendocrine dysfunction and oligo/amenorrhea, (B) without neuroendocrine dysfunction but with oligo/amenorrhea, and (C) without neuroendocrine dysfunction and with regular cycles. These phenotypes were compared in terms of hormonal, biochemical, and anthropometric measures. The three suggested phenotypes (A, B, and C) were shown to be sufficiently distinct in terms of hormonal, biochemical, and anthropometric measures. Patients who were classified as phenotype A had neuroendocrine dysfunction, excess LH (and LH/FSH ratio), irregular cycles, excess A4, infertility, excess T, highest FAI and E2, and excess 17αOHPG when compared to the other phenotypes. Patients classified as phenotype B had irregular cycles, no neuroendocrine dysfunction, obesity, acanthosis nigricans, and insulin resistance. Lastly, patients classified as phenotype C had regular cycles, acne, hirsutism, excess P4, and the highest P4 to E2 molar ratio. The differences across phenotypes suggested distinct phenotypic expression of this syndrome, and the biochemical and clinical correlates of each phenotype are likely to be useful in the management of women with PCOS. These phenotypic criteria are distinct from criteria used for diagnosis

Mechanisms of acute neurovascular protection with AT1 blockade after stroke: effect of premorbid hypertension

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability worldwide. Improving stroke outcome requires an orchestrated interplay that involves up regulation of pro-survival pathways and a concomitant suppression of pro-apoptotic mediators. In this investigation, we assessed the involvement of eNOS in the AT1 blocker-mediated protective and pro-recovery effects in animals with hypertension. we also evaluated the effect of acute eNOS inhibition in hypertensive animals.  Candesartan induced an early protective effect that was of eNOS inhibition (50% improvement in motor function). However, the protective effect of candesartan was associated with about five fold up regulation of BDNF expression and about three fold reduction in ER stress markers, in an eNOS dependent manner

Silymarin Ameliorates Diabetes-Induced Proangiogenic Response in Brain Endothelial Cells through a GSK-3β Inhibition-Induced Reduction of VEGF Release

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, it was found to induce a dysfunctional angiogenic response in the brain that was attributed to oxidative stress. Milk thistle seed extract (silymarin) has potent antioxidant properties, though its potential use in ameliorating diabetes-induced aberrant brain angiogenesis is unknown. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β is a regulator of angiogenesis that is upregulated by diabetes. Its involvement in diabetes-induced angiogenesis is unknown. To evaluate the potential of silymarin to ameliorate diabetes-induced aberrant angiogenesis, human brain endothelial cells (HBEC-5i) were treated with 50 μg/mL advanced glycation end (AGE) products in the presence or absence of silymarin (50, 100 μM). The angiogenic potential of HBEC-5i was evaluated in terms of migration and in vitro tube formation capacities. The involvement of GSK-3β was also evaluated. AGE significantly increased the migration and tube formation rates of HBEC-5i by about onefold (p=0.0001). Silymarin reduced AGE-induced migration in a dose-dependent manner where 50 μM reduced migration by about 50%, whereas the 100 μM completely inhibited AGE-induced migration. Similarly, silymarin 50 μg/mL blunted AGE-induced tube formation (p=0.001). This effect was mediated through a GSK-3β-dependent inhibition of VEGF release. In conclusion, silymarin inhibits AGE-induced aberrant angiogenesis in a GSK-3β-mediated inhibition of VEGF release

Mechanisms of acute neurovascular protection with AT1 blockade after stroke: Effect of prestroke hypertension.

Stroke is a leading cause of adult disability worldwide. Improving stroke outcome requires an orchestrated interplay that involves up regulation of pro-survival pathways and a concomitant suppression of pro-apoptotic mediators. In this investigation, we assessed the involvement of eNOS in the AT1 blocker-mediated protective and pro-recovery effects in animals with hypertension. We also evaluated the effect of acute eNOS inhibition in hypertensive animals. To achieve these goals, spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were implanted with blood pressure transmitters, and randomized to receive either an eNOS inhibitor (L-NIO) or saline one hour before cerebral ischemia induction. After 3 hours of ischemia, animals were further randomized to receive either candesartan or saline at the time of reperfusion and sacrificed either 24 hours or 7 days later. Candesartan induced an early protective effect that was independent of eNOS inhibition (50% improvement in motor function). However, the protective effect of candesartan was associated with about five fold up regulation of BDNF expression and about three fold reduction in ER stress markers, in an eNOS dependent manner. The early benefit of a single dose of candesartan, present at 24 hours after stroke, was diminished at 7 days, perhaps due to a failure to induce an angiogenic response in these hypertensive animals. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate an early prorecovery effect of candesartan at both functional and molecular levels. Candesartan induced prorecovery signaling was mediated through eNOS. This effect was not maintained at 7 days after experimental ischemia