Shared understanding: the machine code of the social in a socio-technical system

The emergence of the explicit need for shared understanding as an underpinning flow in lean construction has generated some debate and exposed a need to provide a better explanation. Following an investigation comprising of a total of 27 interviews and several workshops, the data identifies and connects the relationship between inappropriate understanding and constraints to flow - represented through a conceptual model. The research further identified that introducing lean construction concepts associated with the Last Planner® System caused the participants to realise the importance of a shared understanding when previously they had not raised it as a source of constraint or problem. The research concludes that a shared understanding is critical to the social aspects of a sociotechnical system and needs to be precise and project specific to achieve the desired outcomes. In this way, a shared understanding can be considered to be the equivalent of a machine code in an operating system - if the understanding breaks down then so does the project delivery system

A facilitators’ guide to the Last Planner® System: a repository of facilitation tips for practitioners

The facilitators guide to the Last Planner® System (LPS) was created through action-research by the authors and validated by expert reviewers. It provides tips, recommendations for further reading (through hyperlinks & references) and checklists for new facilitators of the LPS. It is also designed to help lean practitioners develop a better understanding of each of the key components of the LPS - “should”, “can”, “will”, “did” and “learn” – through a step by step approach. However, this guide is only supplementary support. Only the basic elements of the LPS are covered. It does not replace training and coaching from an experienced LPS facilitator. This guide is best introduced through a Study Action Team TM (SAT) after training/coaching and “hands on” practical experience. Initial learning of key elements of the LPS is most effective when introduced to teams using action-based learning and simulations and followed up with sessions that incorporate more of the key elements of the LPS. The focus must be on learning a little and using it rather than learn a lot and lose a lot. The guide includes the essential attendees (Last Planners) required at each of the different LPS sessions. Last Planners are the people who are closest to the work and responsible for project delivery. They range from architects and engineers to trade supervisors and inspectors. Each Last Planner must deeply understand their own work and any alternative methods for their work so that their contributions are effective to the team. They must have the authority to make decisions at each session to commit required resources. Their input is essential at each session. Efficient and effective execution of the project is achieved through the essential conversations and coordinated action(s). The sooner the Last Planners are engaged, the firmer the plan becomes. Some additional LPS facilitator guidance is in included in Appendix One, Two, Three, Four and Five. This includes key steps to pull planning, suggested LPS Ground Rules for effective sessions, Facilitator Checklists for LPS sessions along with some guidance how to use them, and suggested questions for LPS facilitators using the guide for a SAT session. Additionally, the authors recommend reading the practitioner’s guide to using the Last Planner System – Path Clearing Approach (LPS-PCA) along with this guide

Uptake and accumulation of bulk and nanosized cerium oxide particles and ionic cerium by radish (Raphanus sativus L.).

The potential toxicity and accumulation of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in agricultural crops has become an area of great concern and intense investigation. Interestingly, although below-ground vegetables are most likely to accumulate the highest concentrations of ENMs, little work has been done investigating the potential uptake and accumulation of ENMs for this plant group. The overall objective of this study was to evaluate how different forms of cerium (bulk cerium oxide, cerium oxide nanoparticles, and the cerium ion) affected the growth of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and accumulation of cerium in radish tissues. Ionic cerium (Ce(3+)) had a negative effect on radish growth at 10 mg CeCl3/L, whereas bulk cerium oxide (CeO2) enhanced plant biomass at the same concentration. Treatment with 10 mg/L cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NPs) had no significant effect on radish growth. Exposure to all forms of cerium resulted in the accumulation of this element in radish tissues, including the edible storage root. However, the accumulation patterns and their effect on plant growth and physiological processes varied with the characteristics of cerium. This study provides a critical frame of reference on the effects of CeO2 NPs versus their bulk and ionic counterparts on radish growth

Bioavailability of cerium oxide nanoparticles to Raphanus sativus L. in two soils.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2 NP) are a common component of many commercial products. Due to the general concerns over the potential toxicity of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs), the phytotoxicity and in planta accumulation of CeO2 NPs have been broadly investigated. However, most previous studies were conducted in hydroponic systems and with grain crops. For a few studies performed with soil grown plants, the impact of soil properties on the fate and transport of CeO2 NPs was generally ignored even though numerous previous studies indicate that soil properties play a critical role in the fate and transport of environmental pollutants. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the soil fractionation and bioavailability of CeO2 NPs to Raphanus sativus L (radish) in two soil types. Our results showed that the silty loam contained slightly higher exchangeable fraction (F1) of cerium element than did loamy sand soil, but significantly lower reducible (F2) and oxidizable (F3) fractions as CeO2 NPs concentration increased. CeO2 NPs associated with silicate minerals or the residue fraction (F4) dominated in both soils. The cerium concentration in radish storage root showed linear correlation with the sum of the first three fractions (r(2) = 0.98 and 0.78 for loamy sand and silty loam respectively). However, the cerium content in radish shoots only exhibited strong correlations with F1 (r(2) = 0.97 and 0.89 for loamy sand and silty loam respectively). Overall, the results demonstrated that soil properties are important factors governing the distribution of CeO2 NPs in soil and subsequent bioavailability to plants

Sustainability of crop production from polluted lands

Sustainable food production for a rapidly growing global population is a major challenge of this century. In order to meet the demand for food production, an additional land area of 2.7 to 4.9 Mha year -1 will be required for agriculture. However, one third of arable lands are already contaminated, therefore the use of polluted lands will have to feature highly in modern agriculture. The use of such lands comes however with additional challenges and suitable agrotechnological interventions are essential for ensuring the safety and sustainability of relevant production system. There are also other issues to consider such as, cost benefit analysis, the possible entry of pollutants into to the phytoproducts, certification and marketing of such products, in order to achieve a the large scale exploitation of polluted land

Decision and Discovery in Defining “Disease”

This version (May 17, 2005) was published in its final form as: Schwartz PH. Decision and discovery in defining 'disease'. In: Kincaid H, McKitrick J, editors. Establishing medical reality: essays in the metaphysics and epistemology of biomedical science. Dordrecht: Springer; 2007. p. 47-63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-5216-2_5The debate over how to analyze the concept of disease has often centered on the question of whether to include a reference to values, in particular the ‘disvalue’of diseases, or whether to avoid such notions. ‘Normativists,’such as King ([1954], 1981) and Culver and Gert (1982) emphasize the undesirability of diseases, while ‘Naturalists,’ most prominently Christopher Boorse (1977, 1987, 1997), instead require just the presence of biological dysfunction. The debate between normativism and naturalism often deteriorates into stalemate, with each side able to point out significant problems with the other. It starts to look as if neither approach can work. In this paper, I argue that the standoff stems from deeply questionable assumptions that have been used to formulate the opposing positions and guide the debate. In the end, I propose an alternative set of guidelines that offer a more constructive way to devise and compare theories

Ethical issues in the use of in-depth interviews: literature review and discussion

This paper reports a literature review on the topic of ethical issues in in-depth interviews. The review returned three types of article: general discussion, issues in particular studies, and studies of interview-based research ethics. Whilst many of the issues discussed in these articles are generic to research ethics, such as confidentiality, they often had particular manifestations in this type of research. For example, privacy was a significant problem as interviews sometimes probe unexpected areas. For similar reasons, it is difficult to give full information of the nature of a particular interview at the outset, hence informed consent is problematic. Where a pair is interviewed (such as carer and cared-for) there are major difficulties in maintaining confidentiality and protecting privacy. The potential for interviews to harm participants emotionally is noted in some papers, although this is often set against potential therapeutic benefit. As well as these generic issues, there are some ethical issues fairly specific to in-depth interviews. The problem of dual role is noted in many papers. It can take many forms: an interviewer might be nurse and researcher, scientist and counsellor, or reporter and evangelist. There are other specific issues such as taking sides in an interview, and protecting vulnerable groups. Little specific study of the ethics of in-depth interviews has taken place. However, that which has shows some important findings. For example, one study shows participants are not averse to discussing painful issues provided they feel the study is worthwhile. Some papers make recommendations for researchers. One such is that they should consider using a model of continuous (or process) consent rather than viewing consent as occurring once, at signature, prior to the interview. However, there is a need for further study of this area, both philosophical and empirical

A daily diary for quality of life measurement in advanced breast cancer trials.

The Qualitator is a daily diary card to measure Quality of Life, developed for use in chemotherapy trials for patients with advanced breast cancer. In a trial at King's College Hospital, 29 patients completed the Qualitator and their scores were compared with scores in the Linear Analogue Self-Assessment and Nottingham Health Profile taken four-weekly. In a separate study at Guy's Hospital, 31 patients completed the diary. The Qualitator offers accurate prognostic data regarding subsequent UICC response and survival and is simple to use

Projected Dietary Intake of Zinc, Copper, and Cerium from Consumption of Carrot (Daucus carota) Exposed to Metal Oxide Nanoparticles or Metal Ions

The expanding production and use of engineered nanomaterials have raised concerns about the potential risk of those materials to food safety and human health. In a prior study, the accumulation of Zn and Cu from ZnO, CuO, or CeO2, respectively, was examined in carrot (Daucus carota L.) grown in sand culture in comparison to accumulation from exposure to equivalent concentrations of ionic Zn2+, Cu2+, or Ce4+. The fresh weight concentration data for peeled and unpeeled carrots were used to project dietary intake of each metal by seven age-mass classes from child to adult based on consumption of a single serving of carrot. Dietary intake was compared to the oral reference dose (oral Rfd) for chronic toxicity for Zn or Cu and estimated mean and median oral RfD values for Ce based on nine other rare earth elements. Reverse dietary intake calculations were also conducted to estimate the number of servings of carrot, the mass of carrot consumed, or the tissue concentration of Zn or Cu that would cause the oral RfD to be exceeded upon consumption. The projections indicated for Zn and Cu, the oral RfD would be exceeded in only a few highly unrealistic scenarios of exceedingly high Zn or Cu concentrations in the substrate from ZnO or CuO or consumption of excessive amounts of unpeeled carrot. The implications associated with the presence of Ce in the carrot tissues depended upon whether the mean or median oral RfD value from the rare earth elements was used as a basis for comparison. The calculations further indicated that peeling carrots reduced the projected dietary intake by one to two orders of magnitude for both ENM- and ionic-treated carrots. Overall in terms of total metal concentration, the results suggested no specific impact of the ENM form on dietary intake. The effort here provided a conservative view of the potential dietary intake of these three metals that might result from consumption of carrots exposed to nanomaterials and how peeling mitigated that dietary intake. The results also demonstrate the utility of dietary intake projections for examining potential risks of nanomaterial exposure from agricultural foods