Subcontractor Claim Management and Dispute Resolution Methods in the State of California versus the Province of British Columbia: A Case Study

In the construction industry, discordance between what is expected versus what is delivered often arises. This disparity is commonly handled using informal negotiation. However, if negotiations fail, then claims and disputes often emerge. Issues involving scope of work, change orders, schedule, and payment can lead to conflicts. Companies try to employ the best alternative dispute resolution method to settle subcontractor claims and disputes without the need for litigation. Speaking with construction professionals in California and British Columbia, a difference in opinion exists as to which method is considered most effective when dealing with subcontractor claims and disputes. In California, the importance of thorough contractual writing and an airtight contract is stressed. In British Columbia, utilizing the design-assist approach and maintaining relationships with subcontractors appears to take precedence. This case study aims to uncover the most effective methods of alternative dispute resolution in California versus British Columbia. The results found that informal negotiation is the first resolution method attempted. Once claims or disputes arise, both regions tend to utilize mediation; however, British Columbia is beginning to gradually implement adjudication. In both California and British Columbia, meticulous contractual writing was the consensus for preventing future conflicts before a project began

Understanding the remarkable difference in liquid crystal behaviour between secondary and tertiary amides : the synthesis and characterisation of new benzanilide-based liquid crystal dimers

Open Access via the RSC Open Access AgreementPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Public attitudes towards screening for kidney cancer: an online survey

Funder: Kidney Cancer UKFunder: The Urology FoundationAbstract: Background: Kidney cancer is often asymptomatic, leading to proposals for a screening programme. The views of the public towards introducing a new screening programme for kidney cancer are unknown. The aim of this study was to explore attitudes towards kidney cancer screening and factors influencing intention to attend a future screening programme. Methods: We conducted an online population-based survey of 1021 adults aged 45–77 years. The main outcome measure was intention to attend four possible screening tests (urine, blood, ultrasound scan, low-dose CT) as well as extended low-dose CT scans within lung cancer screening programmes. We used multivariable regression to examine the association between intention and each screening test. Results: Most participants stated that they would be ‘very likely’ or ‘likely’ to undergo each of the screening tests [urine test: n = 961 (94.1%); blood test: n = 922 (90.3%); ultrasound: n = 914 (89.5%); low-dose CT: n = 804 (78.8%); lung CT: n = 962 (95.2%)]. Greater intention to attend was associated with higher general cancer worry and less perceived burden/inconvenience about the screening tests. Less worry about the screening test was also associated with higher intention to attend, but only in those with low general cancer worry (cancer worry scale ≤ 5). Compared with intention to take up screening with a urine test, participants were half as likely to report that they intended to undergo blood [OR 0.56 (0.43–0.73)] or ultrasound [OR 0.50 (0.38–0.67)] testing, and half as likely again to report that they intended to take part in a screening programme featuring a low dose CT scan for kidney cancer screening alone [OR 0.19 (0.14–0.27)]. Conclusion: Participants in this study expressed high levels of intention to accept an invitation to screening for kidney cancer, both within a kidney cancer specific screening programme and in conjunction with lung cancer screening. The choice of screening test is likely to influence uptake. Together these findings support on-going research into kidney cancer screening tests and the potential for combining kidney cancer screening with existing or new screening programmes

Evidence-Based Professional Development of Science Teachers in Two Countries

The focus of this collaborative research project of King?s College London, and the Weizmann Institute, Israel. project is on investigating the ways in which teachers can demonstrate accomplished teaching in a specific domain of science and on the teacher learning that is generated through continuing professional development programs (CPD) that lead towards such practice. The interest lies in what processes and inputs are required to help secondary school science teachers develop expertise in a specific aspect of science teaching. `It focuses on the design of the CPD programmes and examines the importance of an evidence-based approach through portfolioconstruction in which professional dialogue pathes the way for teacher learning. The set of papers highlight the need to set professional challenge while tailoring CPD to teachers? needs to create the environment in which teachers can advance and transform their practice. The cross-culture perspective added to the richness of the development and enabled the researchers to examine which aspects were fundamental to the design by considering similarities and differences between the domains

A three-electrode integrated photo-supercapacitor utilizing graphene-based intermediate bifunctional electrode

A dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) employing a compact and mesoporous titania (TiO2) film as the anode was integrated with a symmetrical supercapacitor utilizing polypyrrole/reduced graphene oxide (PPy/rGO) electrodes to form a photo-supercapacitor. The double-sided-electrodeposited PPy/rGO material served as an intermediate electrode which was bifunctional in nature; acting as a counter electrode for the DSSC to permit electrolyte regeneration, and also as an electrode for the supercapacitor. The isolated DSSC and supercapacitor were characterized before the integration, and the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the DSSC was 2.4%, while the specific capacitance of the supercapacitor was 308.1 F/g. The performance of the integrated photo-supercapacitor was tested under a light illumination of 100 mW/cm2. By using a single PPy/rGO electrode at the cell/supercapacitor interface, an extended lifetime was achieved with up to 50 charge/discharge cycles. The photo-supercapacitor possessed a specific capacitance of 124.7 F g−1, and a retention percentage of 70.9% was obtained after 50 consecutive charge/discharge cycles

Evaluating the structure and magnitude of the ash plume during the initial phase of the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruption using lidar observations and NAME simulations

The Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland erupted explosively on 14 April 2010, emitting a plume of ash into the atmosphere. The ash was transported from Iceland toward Europe where mostly cloud-free skies allowed ground-based lidars at Chilbolton in England and Leipzig in Germany to estimate the mass concentration in the ash cloud as it passed overhead. The UK Met Office's Numerical Atmospheric-dispersion Modeling Environment (NAME) has been used to simulate the evolution of the ash cloud from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano during the initial phase of the ash emissions, 14–16 April 2010. NAME captures the timing and sloped structure of the ash layer observed over Leipzig, close to the central axis of the ash cloud. Relatively small errors in the ash cloud position, probably caused by the cumulative effect of errors in the driving meteorology en route, result in a timing error at distances far from the central axis of the ash cloud. Taking the timing error into account, NAME is able to capture the sloped ash layer over the UK. Comparison of the lidar observations and NAME simulations has allowed an estimation of the plume height time series to be made. It is necessary to include in the model input the large variations in plume height in order to accurately predict the ash cloud structure at long range. Quantitative comparison with the mass concentrations at Leipzig and Chilbolton suggest that around 3% of the total emitted mass is transported as far as these sites by small (<100 μm diameter) ash particles

Validation and public health modelling of risk prediction models for kidney cancer using the UK Biobank

Funder: Kidney Cancer UKFunder: Yorkshire Cancer ResearchFunder: Mark Foundation For Cancer Research; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100014599Funder: The Rosetrees TrustFunder: Urology Foundation; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100007568Objectives: To externally validate risk models for the detection of kidney cancer, as early detection of kidney cancer improves survival and stratifying the population using risk models could enable an individually tailored screening programme. Methods: We validated the performance of 30 existing phenotypic models predicting the risk of kidney cancer in the UK Biobank cohort (n = 450 687). We compared the discrimination and calibration of models for men, women, and a mixed‐sex cohort. Population level data were used to estimate model performance in a screening scenario for a range of risk thresholds (6‐year risk: 0.1–1.0%). Results: In all, 10 models had reasonable discrimination (area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve >0.60), although some had poor calibration. Modelling demonstrated similar performance of the best models over a range of thresholds. The models showed an improvement in ability to identify cases compared to age‐ and sex‐based screening. All the models performed less well in women than men. Conclusions: The present study is the first comprehensive external validation of risk models for kidney cancer. The best‐performing models are better at identifying individuals at high risk of kidney cancer than age and sex alone; however, the benefits are relatively small. Feasibility studies are required to determine applicability to a screening programme

Haptic interfaces for wheelchair navigation in the built environment

A number of countries have recently introduced legislation aimed at ending discrimination against disabled people; in the United Kingdom the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) provides the disabled community with new employment and access rights. The intention of the act is to help those who rely on wheelchairs for mobility and who Frequently find that not all buildings provide conditions suited to easy access, Central to these new rights will be an obligation for employers and organizations to provide premises that do not disadvantage the disabled, This work reports on the development of instrumentation that allows wheelchair navigation within virtual buildings and can assist architects in identifying the needs of wheelchair users st an early design stage. Central to this project has been the need to provide a platform that can accommodate a range of wheelchair types and will map intended wheelchair motion into a virtual space. This interface must have the capacity to provide feedback to the user reflecting constraints present in the physical world, including changes in floor surface characteristics, gradients, and collisions. Integrating visual and nonvisual sensory feedback correlating to the physical effort of wheelchair propulsion has been found to augment the perception of self-motion within the virtual world and so can create an effective instrument for use in the study of wheelchair accessibility within the built environment, This project represents a collaborative effort between architects and bioengineers engaged in research related to platform design, construction, and interfacing, while testing and evaluation has been accomplished with the assistance of user groups

Acceptability and potential impact on uptake of using different risk stratification approaches to determine eligibility for screening: A population‐based survey

Funder: Kidney Cancer UKFunder: Renal Cancer Research FundAbstract: Background: Using risk stratification approaches to determine eligibility has the potential to improve efficiency of screening. Objectives: To compare the public acceptability and potential impact on uptake of using different approaches to determine eligibility for screening. Design: An online population‐based survey of 668 adults in the UK aged 45‐79 including a series of scenarios in the context of a potential kidney cancer screening programme in which eligibility was determined by age, sex, age and sex combined, a simple risk score (age, sex, body mass index, smoking status), a complex risk score additionally incorporating family history and lifestyle, or a genetic risk score. Outcome measures: We used multi‐level ordinal logistic regression to compare acceptability and potential uptake within individuals and multivariable ordinal logistic regression differences between individuals. Results: Using sex, age and sex, or the simple risk score were less acceptable than age (P < .0001). All approaches were less acceptable to women than men. Over 70% were comfortable waiting until they were older if the complex risk score or genetics indicated a low risk. If told they were high risk, 85% would be more likely to take up screening. Being told they were low risk had no overall influence on uptake. Conclusions: Varying the starting age of screening based on estimated risk from models incorporating phenotypic or genetic risk factors would be acceptable to most individuals and may increase uptake. Patient or Public Contribution: Two members of the public contributed to the development of the survey and have commented on this paper

Neural correlates of sexual cue reactivity in individuals with and without compulsive sexual behaviours

Although compulsive sexual behaviour (CSB) has been conceptualized as a "behavioural" addiction and common or overlapping neural circuits may govern the processing of natural and drug rewards, little is known regarding the responses to sexually explicit materials in individuals with and without CSB. Here, the processing of cues of varying sexual content was assessed in individuals with and without CSB, focusing on neural regions identified in prior studies of drug-cue reactivity. 19 CSB subjects and 19 healthy volunteers were assessed using functional MRI comparing sexually explicit videos with non-sexual exciting videos. Ratings of sexual desire and liking were obtained. Relative to healthy volunteers, CSB subjects had greater desire but similar liking scores in response to the sexually explicit videos. Exposure to sexually explicit cues in CSB compared to non-CSB subjects was associated with activation of the dorsal anterior cingulate, ventral striatum and amygdala. Functional connectivity of the dorsal anterior cingulate-ventral striatum-amygdala network was associated with subjective sexual desire (but not liking) to a greater degree in CSB relative to non-CSB subjects. The dissociation between desire or wanting and liking is consistent with theories of incentive motivation underlying CSB as in drug addictions. Neural differences in the processing of sexual-cue reactivity were identified in CSB subjects in regions previously implicated in drug-cue reactivity studies. The greater engagement of corticostriatal limbic circuitry in CSB following exposure to sexual cues suggests neural mechanisms underlying CSB and potential biological targets for interventions