Safety climate in construction industry the case of Gaza strip

The construction industry plays an important role in the social and economic development in Palestine. Safety in the construction industry is considered a major issue in developed and developing countries. Palestine's construction suffers recently from poor safety and health conditions as safety rules do not exists and work hazards at the workplace are not perceived. The main objective of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of construction workers regarding safey climate and safety behavior work in Gaza Strip construction sites. It will also explore the relationship between personal characteristics of constuction workers and safety climate/safe work behavior. Furthermore, the relationship between safety climate and safe work behavior will be explored. The methodology adopted in this paper was based on comprehensive questionnaire targeting the construction workers. 300 questionnaires were distributed and 246 questionnaires were collected and then analyzed to achieve the research objectives. It was found that construction workers have positive attitude and perception towards safety climate and safe work behavior. There exist a positive relationship between safety climate and safe work behavior. There is an impact of experience, field of work, smoking habit, and job on safety climate. In contrast, the personal characteristics; marital status, direct employer, educational level, family members to support, skill levels have no influence on safety climate. There exist a relationship between personal characteristics age, experience, field of work, smoking habit, educational level, and job on the field safe work behavior. On the other hand no impact

Remote sensing assessment of Jabi Lake and its environs: A developmental perspective

This paper is aimed at examining the relevance and impact of Jabi Lake in urban development and sustainable environmental change management. It uses a 2km radius buffer of remotely sensed satellite data from Landsat to examine the landuse/land cover dynamics within Jabi Lake and its environs in FCT-Abuja, Nigeria. Using maximum likelihood algorithm in ERDAS Imagine software, the supervised classification result shows that the lake water body decreased from 4.1 % in 1987 to 3.1% in 2006 and later increased to 4.0% in 2014. Built up experienced the highest landuse/land cover change from 3.17% in 1987 to 33.4% in 2006 and 37.5% in 2014. Light and dense vegetation reduced the most, while bare surface also showed an increase due to rapid urban development around the lake in the last 27 years. The focused group discussion (FGD) reveals that the conversion of previous agricultural land use and unplanned land uses to residential land use was due to high demand for residential housing around the lake. The perceived ambience scenery and accessible good road network were ranked as the first and second major positive centripetal forces of attraction to building near the lake while expensive land purchase and high rent were ranked first and second as the most negative centrifugal impacts of the lake on the environment. In conclusion, there is the need to monitor the progression of urban development so as to safeguard the lake for aquatic agriculture and it’s immediate environment from further deterioration

Characteristics and Chemical Composition of the Seeds

Abstract: A field experiments were carried out at Shambat, Sudan (Latitude 15 40´ N and o Longitude 32 32´ E) in three consecutive seasons (2000/03) to investigate the effect of o Bradyrhizobium inoculation, chicken manure or sulphur fertilization on physical characteristics and chemical composition of hyacinth bean (Dolichos hyacinth L.) seeds. The results showed that chicken manure or sulphur fertilization in the presence or absence of Bradyrhizobium inoculation and their interactions significantly (P # 0.05) improved hydration coefficient and cookability of the seeds. Moisture and ash contents were not greatly affected while fat, fiber, protein and carbohydrates were greatly affected especially when 10 t/fed chicken manure or 100 kg/fed sulphur were applied with or without inoculation. Moreover, inoculation with or without chicken manure or sulphur fertilization greatly affected the chemical composition of the seeds. Tannin content of the seeds was increased by application of fertilizers especially when accompanied by inoculation. However, the in vitro protein digestibility was significantly (P # 0.05) improved especially when chicken manure or sulphur was applied to inoculated seeds. The results indicated that all measured parameters increased with increasing level of amendments (manure or sulphur) and the highest value of each parameter was observed with either 10 t/fed chicken manure or 100 kg/fed sulfur

Effect of inhibition of estrogen synthesis or blocking its receptors on male rabbit reproduction

Purpose: The present aimed to study the effects of tamoxifen and fadrozole on semen characteristics and fertility, besides we emphasized the relationship between brain estrogen and sexual behavior in male rabbits. Methods: Eighty rabbits allocated into four equal groups. The control injected with sesame oil; the second injected with estradiol; the third injected with tamoxifen and the fourth injected with fadrozole. Treatments done daily for 60 days. Ten rabbits from each group served artificial vagina for evaluation of semen and sexual behavior. The other ten served female rabbits for fertility test. Reproductive organ and brain weights recorded. Serum and testicular testosterone, serum and brain estradiol and testicular zinc and cholesterol levels assayed. Results: Tamoxifen caused decrease in all estimated parameters except it increased both sperm ab normalities percentage; testicular cholesterol content; time of reaction and time between two consecutive ejaculations. Fadrozole results were opposite to that of tamoxifen except it increased the time between two consecutive ejaculations and decreased brain estradiol level. Conclusion: Fadrozole may be improve male rabbits performance along with elevated testosterone evident highlighting the important played by testosterone in regulating male rabbit fertility and advocacy the postulate that testosterone effect is mediated in part by its aromatization to estradiol

The Interplay of Dysregulated pH and Electrolyte Imbalance in Cancer.

Cancer cells and tissues have an aberrant regulation of hydrogen ion dynamics driven by a combination of poor vascular perfusion, regional hypoxia, and increased the flux of carbons through fermentative glycolysis. This leads to extracellular acidosis and intracellular alkalinization. Dysregulated pH dynamics influence cancer cell biology, from cell transformation and tumorigenesis to proliferation, local growth, invasion, and metastasis. Moreover, this dysregulated intracellular pH (pHi) drives a metabolic shift to increased aerobic glycolysis and reduced mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, referred to as the Warburg effect, or Warburg metabolism, which is a selective feature of cancer. This metabolic reprogramming confers a thermodynamic advantage on cancer cells and tissues by protecting them against oxidative stress, enhancing their resistance to hypoxia, and allowing a rapid conversion of nutrients into biomass to enable cell proliferation. Indeed, most cancers have increased glucose uptake and lactic acid production. Furthermore, cancer cells have very dysregulated electrolyte balances, and in the interaction of the pH dynamics with electrolyte, dynamics is less well known. In this review, we highlight the interconnected roles of dysregulated pH dynamics and electrolytes imbalance in cancer initiation, progression, adaptation, and in determining the programming and reprogramming of tumor cell metabolism

Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London

A qualitative study exploring perceptions and attitudes of community pharmacists about extended pharmacy services in Lahore, Pakistan

Background In recent decades, community pharmacies reported a change of business model, whereby a shift from traditional services to the provision of extended roles was observed. However, such delivery of extended pharmacy services (EPS) is reported from the developed world, and there is scarcity of information from the developing nations. Within this context, the present study was aimed to explore knowledge, perception and attitude of community pharmacists (CPs) about EPS and their readiness and acceptance for practice change in the city of Lahore, Pakistan. Methods A qualitative approach was used to gain an in-depth knowledge of the issues. By using a semi-structured interview guide, 12 CPs practicing in the city of Lahore, Pakistan were conveniently selected. All interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and were then analyzed for thematic contents by the standard content analysis framework. Results Thematic content analysis yielded five major themes. (1) Familiarity with EPS, (2) current practice of EPS, (3) training needed to provide EPS, (4) acceptance of EPS and (5) barriers toward EPS. Majority of the CPs were unaware of EPS and only a handful had the concept of extended services. Although majority of our study respondents were unaware of pharmaceutical care, they were ready to accept practice change if provided with the required skills and training. Lack of personal knowledge, poor public awareness, inadequate physician-pharmacist collaboration and deprived salary structures were reported as barriers towards the provision of EPS at the practice settings. Conclusion Although the study reported poor awareness towards EPS, the findings indicated a number of key themes that can be used in establishing the concept of EPS in Pakistan. Over all, CPs reported a positive attitude toward practice change provided to the support and facilitation of health and community based agencies in Pakistan