Knowledge discovery from post-project reviews

This article was published in the journal, Construction Management and Economics [© Taylor & Francis (Routledge)] and the definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01446193.2011.588953Many construction companies conduct reviews on project completion to enhance learning and to fulfil quality management procedures. Often these reports are filed away never to be seen again. This means that potentially important knowledge that may assist other project teams is not exploited. In order to ascertain whether useful knowledge can be gleaned from such reports, Knowledge Discovery from Text (KDT) and text mining (TM) are applied. Text mining avoids the need for a manual search through a vast number of reports, potentially of different formats and foci, to seek trends that may be useful for current and future projects. Pilot tests were used to analyse 48 post-project review reports. The reports were first reviewed manually to identify key themes. They were then analysed using text mining software to investigate whether text mining could identify trends and uncover useful knowledge from the reports. Pilot tests succeeded in finding common occurrences across different projects that were previously unknown. Text mining could provide a potential solution and would aid project teams to learn from previous projects. However, a lot of work is currently required before the text mining tests are conducted and the results need to be examined carefully by those with domain knowledge to validate the results obtained

How a pitcher plant facilitates roosting of mutualistic woolly bats

Question: How does the pitcher plant Nepenthes hemsleyana facilitate roosting of mutualistic bats? Hypothesis: Pitchers have adaptations that match the shape and body size of small woolly bats. Organisms: The pitcher plant Nepenthes hemsleyana, its close relative N. rafflesiana, and the woolly bat Kerivoula hardwickii. Field sites: Peat swamps and heath forests in western Brunei Darussalam on the island of Borneo. Methods: We measured various morphological traits of N. hemsleyana that might facilitate bat roosting and compared them to pitchers of N. rafflesiana that is not visited by bats. We compared the size and characteristics of the pitchers with body sizes of roosting bats. Conclusions: As predicted, aerial pitchers matched the body size of bats and had lower digestive fluid levels than pitchers of a close relative. Thus, small morphological differences between closely related species have caused rapid dietary niche divergence

National Beef Quality Audit–2016: Transportation, mobility, live cattle, and carcass assessments of targeted producer-related characteristics that affect value of market cows and bulls, their carcasses, and associated by-products

The National Beef Quality Audit–2016 marks the fourth iteration in a series assessing the quality of live beef and dairy cows and bulls and their carcass counterparts. The objective was to determine the incidence of producer-related defects, and report cattle and carcass traits associated with producer management. Conducted from March through December of 2016, trailers (n = 154), live animals (n = 5,470), hide-on carcasses (n = 5,278), and hide-off hot carcasses (n = 5,510) were surveyed in 18 commercial packing facilities throughout the United States. Cattle were allowed 2.3 m2 of trailer space on average during transit indicating some haulers are adhering to industry handling guidelines for trailer space requirements. Of the mixed gender loads arriving at processing facilities, cows and bulls were not segregated on 64.4% of the trailers surveyed. When assessed for mobility, the greatest majority of cattle surveyed were sound. Since the inception of the quality audit series, beef cows have shown substantial improvements in muscle. Today over 90.0% of dairy cows are too light muscled. The mean body condition score for beef animals was 4.7 and for dairy cows and bulls was 2.6 and 3.3, respectively. Dairy cattle were lighter muscled, yet fatter than the dairy cattle surveyed in 2007. Of cattle surveyed, most did not have horns, nor any visible live animal defects. Unbranded hides were observed on 77.3% of cattle. Carcass bruising was seen on 64.1% of cow carcasses and 42.9% of bull carcasses. However, over half of all bruises were identified to only be minor in severity. Nearly all cattle (98.4%) were free of visible injection-site lesions. Current results suggest improvements have been made in cattle and meat quality in the cow and bull sector. Furthermore, the results provide guidance for continued educational and research efforts for improving market cow and bull beef quality

Caracterização do processo de rigor mortis em músculos de eqüinos e maciez da carne Caracterization of rigor mortis process of muscle horse and meat tenderness

Esta pesquisa utilizou 12 eqüinos de diferentes idades, abatidos em um matadouro-frigorífico (SIF 1803) em Araguari-MG, e estudou a temperatura, pH, comprimento de sarcômero em diferentes intervalos de tempo após abate (1h, 5h, 8h, 10h, 12h, 15h e 24h) e força de cisalhamento (maciez) dos músculos Longissimus dorsi e Semitendinosus, com intuito de caracterizar o desenvolvimento do processo de rigor mortis de eqüídeos durante o processamento industrial. A temperatura da câmara fria variou de 10,2&deg;C a 4,0&deg;C e a temperatura média inicial das carcaças foi de 35,32&deg;C e a final de 4,15&deg;C. O pH inicial médio do músculo Longissimus dorsi foi 6,49 e o final 5,63, e para o músculo Semitendinosus o pH inicial médio foi 6,44 e o final 5,70. A menor medida de sarcômero observada em ambos os músculos foi na 15&ordf; hora após abate, ou seja, 1,44&micro;m e 1,41&micro;m, respectivamente. A carne dos eqüídeos adultos foi mais dura (p<0,05) do que a dos jovens, bem como do músculo Semitendinosus quando comparado com o Longissimus dorsi.<br>This work studied 12 horses at different ages butchered in a slaughterhouse in Minas Gerais State, Brazil (SIF 1803) and evaluated temperature, pH, sarcomere length in different periods after slaughter (1h, 5h, 8h, 10h, 12h, 15h, and 24 hours) as well as the shear force (meat tenderness) of the Longissimus dorsi and Semitendinosus muscles, aiming at characterizing the rigor mortis onset in the meat during industrial processing. The chilly room temperature varied from 10.2&deg;C to 4.0&deg;C, and the mean initial carcass temperature was 35.32&deg;C and the final one was 4.15&deg;C. The mean initial pH of Longissimus dorsi was 6.49 and the final one was 5.63; the mean initial pH of Semitendinosus was 6.44 and the final one was 5.70. The smallest sarcomere size obtained in both muscles occurred at 15 hours postmortem, and the sarcomere lengths were 1.44 &micro;m and 1.41 &micro;m, respectively. The meat from adult horses was tougher than that from young ones (p<0.05), and the Semitendinosus muscle was tougher than Longissimus dorsi muscle

National Beef Quality Audit–2016: Transportation, mobility, live cattle, and carcass assessments of targeted producer-related characteristics that affect value of market cows and bulls, their carcasses, and associated by-products

The National Beef Quality Audit–2016 marks the fourth iteration in a series assessing the quality of live beef and dairy cows and bulls and their carcass counterparts. The objective was to determine the incidence of producer-related defects, and report cattle and carcass traits associated with producer management. Conducted from March through December of 2016, trailers (n = 154), live animals (n = 5,470), hide-on carcasses (n = 5,278), and hide-off hot carcasses (n = 5,510) were surveyed in 18 commercial packing facilities throughout the United States. Cattle were allowed 2.3 m2 of trailer space on average during transit indicating some haulers are adhering to industry handling guidelines for trailer space requirements. Of the mixed gender loads arriving at processing facilities, cows and bulls were not segregated on 64.4% of the trailers surveyed. When assessed for mobility, the greatest majority of cattle surveyed were sound. Since the inception of the quality audit series, beef cows have shown substantial improvements in muscle. Today over 90.0% of dairy cows are too light muscled. The mean body condition score for beef animals was 4.7 and for dairy cows and bulls was 2.6 and 3.3, respectively. Dairy cattle were lighter muscled, yet fatter than the dairy cattle surveyed in 2007. Of cattle surveyed, most did not have horns, nor any visible live animal defects. Unbranded hides were observed on 77.3% of cattle. Carcass bruising was seen on 64.1% of cow carcasses and 42.9% of bull carcasses. However, over half of all bruises were identified to only be minor in severity. Nearly all cattle (98.4%) were free of visible injection-site lesions. Current results suggest improvements have been made in cattle and meat quality in the cow and bull sector. Furthermore, the results provide guidance for continued educational and research efforts for improving market cow and bull beef quality

Caracterização do processo de rigor mortis do músculo Ilio-ischiocaudalis de jacaré-do-pantanal (Caiman crocodilus yacare) e maciez da carne Characterization of rigor mortis process of muscle Ilio-ischiocaudalis of pantanal alligator (Caiman crocodilus yacare) and meat tenderness

Este trabalho utilizou seis carcaças de jacaré-do-pantanal (Caiman crocodilus yacare) com o objetivo de caracterizar o processo de rigor mortis do músculo Ílio-ischiocaudalis durante o resfriamento industrial e avaliar a maciez dessa carne. Os jacarés foram escolhidos aleatoriamente e abatidos na Cooperativa de Criadores do Jacaré do Pantanal (COOCRIJAPAN), Cáceres, Mato Grosso. Após a sangria, aferiu-se as variações das temperaturas da câmara de resfriamento, das carcaças e o pH. Foram colhidas amostras para determinação do comprimento de sarcômero, da força de cisalhamento e perdas por cozimento em diferentes intervalos de tempo (0,5, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 24 e 36h). A temperatura da câmara de resfriamento variou de 2,6&deg;C (0,5h) a 0,9&deg;C (36h) e a temperatura média das carcaças variou de 21,0&deg;C a 4,2&deg;C, respectivamente. O pH médio inicial do músculo foi de 6,7 e o final 5,6 e a contração máxima do sarcômero do músculo Ilio-ischiocaudalis ocorreu na 15ª hora após a sangria (1,5µm). Essa carne apresentou força de cisalhamento menor que 6,0kg.<br>This paper studied six pantanal alligators (Caiman crocodilus yacare) carcass with goal of rigor mortis process characterization of Ilio-ischiocaudalis muscle during industrial cooling and meat tenderness. The alligators were randomly assembled and slaughtered at Cooperativa de Criadores do Jacaré do Pantanal (COOCRIJAPAN) - Cáceres- Mato Grosso After exsanguination, were mensured temperature of chilling room and carcasses, pH and samples were collected for determination the sarcomere length, shear force and cooking loss at different times (0.5, 3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 24 and 36 hours). The temperature of chilling room varied from 2.6&deg;C (0.5h) to 0.9&deg;C (36h) and the mean carcass temperature from 21.0&deg;C to 4.2&deg;C, respectively. The mean initial pH of the muscle was 6.7 and the final was 5.6. The smallest sarcomere size ocurred at 15 hours after exsanguination (1.5µm). This meat presents shear force lower than 6.0kg

Fontes de fibra de coprodutos agroindustriais protéicos para coelhos em crescimento Fiber sources of proteic agricultural co-products for growing rabbits

Este trabalho teve por objetivo estudar a influência da fibra oriunda de diferentes fontes (feno de alfafa, farelo de linhaça e farelo proteinoso de milho) sobre o desempenho, coeficientes de digestibilidade e características da carne de coelhos em crescimento. Os animais foram distribuídos em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado com três tratamentos e oito repetições, sendo uma ração referência e duas rações testes: FA - ração controle, com feno de alfafa; FL - substituição total do feno de alfafa por farelo de linhaça e FP - substituição total do feno de alfafa por farelo proteinoso de milho. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de variância e as médias comparadas pelo teste Duncan (P<0,05). A maior quantidade de hemicelulose e a baixa capacidade de hidratação das dietas FA e FP proporcionaram maior peso vivo dos animais aos 89 dias (2123 e 1934 g, respectivamente) contra 1797 g da dieta FL e melhor coeficiente de digestibilidade da MS e MO (média de 80,80 para MS e 81,76% para MO, respectivamente) em relação à dieta FL (73,86 e 75,84%, respectivamente). A dieta FP apresentou maior coeficiente de digestibilidade para a FDN (56,59%) contra a média de 33,11% para as demais dietas. A força de cisalhamento foi menor para a carne dos animais alimentados com FA e FP (1,90 e 1,63 kgf) em comparação com a FL (2,33 kgf) (P<0,05), o que indica carne mais macia. O farelo proteinoso de milho proporcionou peso vivo dos animais aos 89 dias semelhante ao do feno de alfafa. O farelo de linhaça, pela grande quantidade de fibra solúvel e alta capacidade higroscópica, prejudicou o desempenho dos animais e a maciez da carne.<br>The objective of this paper was to study the influence of fiber fractions from different sources (alfalfa hay, linseed bran and corn gluten meal) on performance, digestibility coefficients and meat characteristics of growing rabbits. The animals were distributed into a completely randomized design with three treatments and eight replications, with one reference and two test diets: AH- control diet, with alfalfa hay; LB- total substitution of alfalfa hay by linseed bran and GM- total substitution of alfalfa hay by corn gluten meal. The data were submitted to variance analysis and the averages were compared by Duncan test (P<.05). The largest amount of hemicellulose and the low hydration capacity of the diets AF and GM proportioned greater animals live weight at 89 days of age (2123 and 1934 g, respectively) versus 1797 g of the animals fed with the diet LB and better digestibility coeficients of DM and OM (average of 80.80 for DM and 81.76% for OM, respectively) in relation to diet LB (73.86 and 75.84%, respectively). The diet GM showed a higher digestibility coefficient of NDF (56.59%) against the average of 33.11% for the other diets. The shear force was lower for meat from animals fed with AH and GM (1.90 and 1.63 kgf) compared to LB (2.33 kgf) (P<.05), which indicates meat tenderness. The corn gluten meal proportioned live weight to the animals at 89 days of age similar to the alfalfa hay. The linseed bran, due to large amount of soluble fiber and high hydration capacity, impaired animal performance and meat tenderness