Challenges and drivers for data mining in the AEC sector

Purpose: This paper explores the current challenges and drivers for data mining in the AEC sector. Design/methodology/approach: Following a comprehensive literature review, the data mining concept was investigated through a workshop with industry experts and academics. Findings: The results showed that the key drivers for using data mining within the AEC sector is associated with the sustainability, process improvement, market intelligence, cost certainty and cost reduction, performance certainty and decision support systems agendas in the sector. As for the processes with the greatest potential for data mining application, design, construction, procurement, forensic analysis, sustainability and energy consumption and reuse of digital components were perceived as the main process areas. While the key challenges were perceived as being, data issues due to the fragmented nature of the construction process, the need for a cultural change, IT systems used in silos, skills requirements and having clearly defined business goals. Originality/value: With the increasing abundance of data, business intelligence and analytics and its related concepts, data mining and big data have captured the attention of practitioners and academics for the last 20 years. On the other hand, and despite the growing amount of data in its business context, the AEC sector still lags behind in utilising those concepts in its end products and daily operations with limited research conducted to explore those issues at the sector level. This paper investigates the main opportunities and barriers for Data Mining in the AEC sector with a practical focus. Keywords: Business analytics, Data Mining, Data Analytics, AEC, Facilities Managemen

Real-time environmental monitoring, visualization, and notification system for construction H&S management

Construction workers who are exposed to hot and humid environments are at high risk of heat stress. Excessive exposure to such environments can result in occupational illnesses and injuries. Acquisition of sensor data from such environments is essential to ensure improved Health and Safety (H&S) of workers. Building Information Modeling (BIM) offers a new epitome to provide comprehensive solutions for H&S and evacuation planning in buildings. Researchers around the globe have presented hybrid solutions for integrating different sensing technologies with BIM such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags, Ultra High Frequency (UHF) readers and sensors. A review and critical evaluation of literature on integrated solutions of BIM with various sensing technologies is performed in order to present a hybrid solution based on BIM and Wireless Sensors Network (WSN) along with a notification system for real-time environmental monitoring of buildings. The application, entitled “Real-Time Environmental Monitoring, Visualization and Notification System”, is expected to provide a new horizon for effective visualization, reliable data capturing and catering to time sensitive emergency situations for construction H&S management. The paper will also outline scope of future research in this domain

Environmental health and wildlife researchwith transnational education forebodings, applicability and approach

Pakistan, the sixth most populous country (91.71 million)in the world, is battling to keep the balance between economic growth and environmental protection. At present the government is mainly focusing on meeting the energy and food needs of the country and environmental protection is lacking serious attention. Pollution (air, water, and soil), sanitation and loss of wildlife and biodiversity are growing environmental health issues in Pakistan. In order to deliver demand led solutions to these multifaceted challenges development of institutional and technical capacities in the countryis prerequisite. Transnational Education (TNE) provides institutional mobility in tertiary education and through British Council facilitated links we were successful in developing a much needed baseline courses work and underway the research for environmental health related issues. The Government of Pakistan will certainly use the data from the research and experts will also be available to concerned departments to tackle emerging environmental problems. Additionally the understanding and concerns of TNE in academic, economic, career and socio-cultural contexts could be imperative challenges. Through TNE it was learned that other nations / regions can be benefitted from such institutes and concerned people for a true flow of knowledge for reciprocated problems. The recommendations include general considerations for policy makers which are linked with environmental health and wildlife. Among the general considerations, or overarching advice, is that policies should promote community-wide action to manage wildlife, biodiversity, environmental health and that the safety of new emissions and exposure with technologies must be assessed rather than estimated

BIM and sensor-based data management system for construction safety monitoring

Purpose This research aims to investigate the integration of real-time monitoring of thermal conditions within confined work environments through wireless sensor network (WSN) technology when integrated with building information modelling (BIM). A prototype system entitled confined space monitoring system (CoSMoS), which provides an opportunity to incorporate sensor data for improved visualization through new add-ins to BIM software, was then developed. Design/methodology/approach An empirical study was undertaken to compare and contrast between the performances (over a time series) of various database models to find a back-end database storage configuration that best suits the needs of CoSMoS. Findings Fusing BIM data with information streams derived from wireless sensors challenges traditional approaches to data management. These challenges encountered in the prototype system are reported upon and include issues such as hardware/software selection and optimization. Consequently, various database models are explored and tested to find a database storage that best suits the specific needs of this BIM-wireless sensor technology integration. Originality value This work represents the first tranche of research that seeks to deliver a fully integrated and advanced digital built environment solution for automating the management of health and safety issues on construction sites. </jats:sec

Characterization of Glycosylation-Specific Systemic and Mucosal IgA Antibody Responses to Escherichia coli Mucinase YghJ (SslE)

Efforts to develop broadly protective vaccines against pathogenic Escherichia coli are ongoing. A potential antigen candidate for vaccine development is the metalloprotease YghJ, or SslE. YghJ is a conserved mucinase that is immunogenic, heavily glycosylated, and produced by most pathogenic E. coli. To develop efficacious YghJ-based vaccines, there is a need to investigate to what extent potentially protective antibody responses target glycosylated epitopes in YghJ and to describe variations in the quality of YghJ glycosylation in the E. coli population. In this study we estimated the proportion of anti-YghJ IgA antibodies that targeted glycosylated epitopes in serum and intestinal lavage samples from 21 volunteers experimentally infected with wild-type enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) strain TW10722. Glycosylated and non-glycosylated YghJ was expressed, purified, and then gycosylation pattern was verified by BEMAP analysis. Then we used a multiplex bead flow cytometric assay to analyse samples from before and 10 days after TW10722 was ingested. We found that 20 (95%) of the 21 volunteers had IgA antibody responses to homologous, glycosylated YghJ, with a median fold increase in IgA levels of 7.9 (interquartile range [IQR]: 7.1, 11.1) in serum and 3.7 (IQR: 2.1, 10.7) in lavage. The median proportion of anti-YghJ IgA response that specifically targeted glycosylated epitopes was 0.45 (IQR: 0.30, 0.59) in serum and 0.07 (IQR: 0.01, 0.22) in lavage. Our findings suggest that a substantial, but variable, proportion of the IgA antibody response to YghJ in serum during ETEC infection is targeted against glycosylated epitopes, but that gut IgA responses largely target non-glycosylated epitopes. Further research into IgA targeting glycosylated YghJ epitopes is of interest to the vaccine development efforts.publishedVersio

Studies on bioactivity of Chara braunii C. C. Gmelin (Charophyta)

Chara braunii a freshwater green algae belonging to the division Charophyta was collected from different freshwater habitats of Faisalabad region of Pakistan. Its antifungal activity was determined by using agar well diffusion method against ten fungal cultures. The results showed a significant response and promising antifungal activity of Ch. braunii against the tested fungal species. The present research work is highly significant in terms of understanding the response of important new natural sources of bioactive compounds for pharmaceutical industry and it is first comprehensive report from Faisalabad region.Chara braunii – пресноводный вид водорослей из отдела Charophyta, был собран в различных пресноводных местообитаниях Фейсалабадской области Пакистана. Антигрибковую активность этого вида изучали методом диффузии на агаре культур 10 штаммов грибов. Установлено влияние Ch. braunii на исследуемые культуры, свидетельствующее об ее антифунгальном характере. Результаты исследования важны для поиска новых природных источников биоактивных веществ, применяемых в фармацевтической промышленности. Это первое подобное исследование в регионе

Genotype-independent association between vitamin D deficiency and polycystic ovarian syndrome in Lahore, Pakistan.

Both vitamin D deficiency and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gene encoding the vitamin D receptor (VDR) have been widely reported to associate with susceptibility to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). A case-control study was conducted to study the influence of vitamin D status and genotpye for 24 SNPs in four genes in the vitamin D pathway (VDR, DBP, CYP27B1, CYP24A1) on PCOS. Statistical analyses were conducted to identify phenotypic and genotypic factors associated with risk of PCOS and to test for interactions between genotype and vitamin D status. PCOS was independently associated with lower age, higher body mass index, lower waist-hip ratio, vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration <10 ng/mL), lack of outdoor exercise, increased fasting glucose and a family history of PCOS in at least one first degree relative. No statistically significant association was observed between the genotype of any SNP investigated and risk of PCOS, either as a main effect or in interaction with vitamin D status. We report a strong and independent association between vitamin D deficiency and risk of PCOS in Pakistan, that was not modified by genetic variation in the vitamin D pathway