Effects of an economic downturn on construction partnering

Over the economic downturn in recent years, there has been a trend for construction clients to revert to traditional competitive procurement strategies. This is despite authoritative calls for an increase in collaborative working and partnering practices, heralded as the means to drive efficiencies and innovation. Clients may feel that the only way to assure themselves that they are not paying too much is to market-test their projects in a highly competitive environment. This study seeks to provide an insight into the effects of the recent economic downturn on collaborative working, with particular emphasis on manifestation in the practice and positioning of trust within such relationships. Eight interviews were carried out with senior industry professionals, all experienced in partnering and collaborative working practices. Individuals have responded with a quest for job security, which has in turn developed risk-averse work practices and affected the establishment of short-term collaborative relationships. Organisations have returned to traditional competitive procurement methods, seeking to reduce risk in their practices and maintain control in uncertain times. Sceptical considerations of collaboration have re-emerged; the abuses of collaborative relationships for financial benefits, employing austerity as leverage, have become contemporary legend if not fact

Service planning and delivery outcomes of home adaptations for ageing in the UK

In response to the impact of demographic change on the healthcare system, ‘ageing in place’ was introduced as a national policy to support elderly people living independently in their homes. Housing adaptation is essential for successful independent living and has been given increased political priority. However, adaptation policies and practice vary regionally, reflecting statutory limits, policy choices and local planning. This study investigated the current status of adaptation provision in different regions in the UK and assessed the effectiveness of local service planning and management. A mixed-methods sequential explanatory research strategy was employed. In the first quantitative phase, a questionnaire survey was carried out involving all 378 local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales. This was followed by a second qualitative phase involving individual interviews with five professionals and two clients and a focus group meeting with six key stakeholders. The study found that the current number of adaptations was relatively small compared with potential demands in most local areas, as was funding for adaptations. On the operational side, the adaptation process was fragmented, involving different service groups in many local authorities. There were disconnections between these groups, which often caused inefficiencies and poor effectiveness. Moving forward, local authorities need to have a clear vision of the overall need for adaptations and allocate sufficient resources. Practical guidelines are also needed for better integrated working and performance management

Oral Exposure to Silver/Gold Nanoparticles: Status of RatLipid Profile, Serum Metabolites and Tissue Morphology

Study investigated the effect of oral administration of gold-silver nanoparticleson rat biochemical parameters and tissue morphology. Wistar rats weighingapproximately 180±7 g were randomly assigned into four groups. Animals in thecontrol group received distilled water once daily for 30 days while, those in thetreatment groups were administered 10, 50 and 100 mg kgG1 b.wt. gold-silvernanoparticles. The rats were sacrificed under slight anesthesia, 24 h after the lasttreatments. Blood and vital organs including the heart, kidney and liver werecollected and prepared for biochemical and histopathological determinations.Exposure to Ag/Au nanoparticles altered the rat serum lipid profile; lowering theHDL-C while raising the atherogenic index. Exposure of Ag/Au nanoparticles inrats caused significant alteration to the levels of serum albumin, total protein,bilirubin, urea and creatinine. The activities of alanine transaminase, aspartatetransaminase and alkaline phosphatase in rat serum and tissues were alsosignificantly altered by Ag/Au nanoparticles exposure. The histopathologicalexamination revealed inflammation and cellular degeneration caused by exposureto the Ag/Au nanoparticles. We show evidence that Ag/Au nanoparticles elevatedatherogenic index, as well as caused biochemical and morphological alterations,reminiscent of cellular injur

Salas de coordenação de projetos em BIM: proposta de um método de avaliação

A Modelagem da Informação da Construção (BIM) foca em um modelo tridimensional que contém todas as informações da documentação tradicional 2D, e outras mais, num formato passível de processamento computacional mais útil. A coordenação de projetos desenvolvidos em BIM apresenta inúmeras vantagens quando comparada àquela baseada em CAD 2D. Porém, dada a drástica mudança na representação do projeto, existe a necessidade de modificações na infraestrutura física das salas de reuniões de coordenação para a obtenção do máximo benefício que o BIM pode proporcionar. Este trabalho visa ao desenvolvimento de um método de avaliação de salas de coordenação de projetos em BIM. Para a avaliação da qualidade de leiautes das salas foram propostos dez critérios e métricas. Com a finalidade de estabelecer uma relação de importância entre todos os critérios propostos foi aplicado o método AHP de decisão multicritério, baseado na análise de comparações em pares. Para a validação dos resultados foram analisados e avaliados 14 leiautes diferentes para uma mesma sala. O método proposto mostrou-se coerente como estratégia de avaliação e produziu resultados lógicos, sendo possível identificar as melhores alternativas. Os critérios e métricas apresentados são úteis para o projeto ou adaptação de ambientes para atender os usuários de salas de reuniões de projetos baseados em BIM