Investigating Factors of Safety Culture Assessment in Construction Industry Projects

Early signs of an organizational commitment to safety policies are manifested in the safety culture in that organization. Improving the safety culture of contractors can reduce occupational accidents in construction industry projects. Many scholars tend to research on this concept in order to achieve an approach to reducing occupational accidents. Numerous studies have attempted to identify the components affecting the safety culture using various methods and tools for measuring and assessing the safety culture; nevertheless, none of these studies measured the impact level of each of the evaluated factors on the safety culture. Hence, this study, assess the influence of each of these factors on the safe culture of contractors working in the construction industry. This study used a structural equation modeling approach to examine the safety culture assessment factors. Accordingly, ten factors affecting the safety culture were scrutinized to provide a conceptual model with ten predictable paths for evaluating the relationships between the variables. The data collected from thermal power plant construction projects were applied to test the hypothesized model experimentally using SEM-PLS method. According to the results of this study, it can be concluded that the factors of management commitment, appraisal of work hazards, supportive environment and communication among the factors influencing the safety culture of contractors in the studied projects had respectively the most impact on the safety culture of contractors operating in the thermal power industry, as well as the work pressure had the least impact on the safety culture.

Screening of Organic Substrates for Solid-State Fermentation, Viability and Bioefficacy of Trichoderma harzianum AS12-2, a Biocontrol Strain Against Rice Sheath Blight Disease

The present study was undertaken to find the most suitable organic substrates for the biomass production, viability and efficacy of the biocontrol strain Trichoderma harzianum AS12-2 in the solid-state fermentation system. In total, 13 inexpensive, locally available substrates (agricultural wastes or by-products) were inoculated with the antagonist, and following one month of incubation at room temperature, all colonized substrates were air dried and ground to powder. The shelf life and viability of the Trichoderma strain were assessed as colony-forming units per gram (CFUs g−1) of each substrate on a monthly basis for up to one year at room temperature (25 ± 2 °C) and in the refrigerator (4 °C). In order to find out the effect of the substrate on the bioefficacy of T. harzianum AS12-2, the biocontrol potential of the formulations was evaluated against rice sheath blight disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani. The results showed that the fungus colonized more or less all substrates after one month, although the degree of colonization and conidiation was different among the substrates, being especially high in broom sorghum grain, rice husk, rice straw, rice bran and sugar beet pulp. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the population in the substrates in “Month 0” showed that the effect of treatment was significant, and the means were significantly different. The maximum population was recorded for broom sorghum grain and rice straw (6.4 × 1010 and 5.3 × 1010 CFUs g−1, respectively). The population declined in all substrates after one year of incubation at room temperature. This decline was relatively smaller in broom sorghum grain, rice straw and rice husk. On the other hand, the population in the same substrate incubated in the refrigerator was decreased in a mild slope, and the final population was high. In addition, the results of greenhouse assay showed that all bioformulations were effective in controlling the disease, and there were no significant differences among the substrates. According to the results of this study, broom sorghum grain, rice husk, rice straw, sugar beet pulp and cow dung could be recommended as suitable fermentation media for the industrial-scale production of T. harzianum strains

Mg and La Co-doped ZnO Nanoparticles Prepared by Sol–gel Method: Synthesis, Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity

In this study, La and Mg doped, and co-doped ZnO nanoparticles were prepared using the sol-gel method. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and N2 physisorption techniques. The XRD results indicated that the prepared nanoparticles can be well adopted by the hexagonal wurtzite structure crystal and there are no second impurity peaks. Studies of the FESEM, EDX and TEM have shown that the samples have uniform spherical-like morphology with a homogenous distribution. The incorporation of La and Mg into the ZnO lattice had no effect on the morphology of the nanoparticles, but a reduction in the size of the grains (≈ 14 nm to ≈ 7 nm) was observed due to the insertion of these ions. The results of N2 physisorption indicated that there was an increase in BET surface area and pore volume for doped and co-doped samples. The results of DRS showed an increase in band gap energy and a blue shift at the absorption edge for doped and co-doped samples. The photocatalytic activity of the prepared catalysts was evaluated in the removal of RhB under UVA irradiation. The results showed that Mg5%-La5%/ZnO had the highest photoactivity (91.18 %) among all samples

A model for customer retention in electronic banking market

Background: In a difficult competitive environment, timely and organized relationship with customers is the best way to increase customer satisfaction, increase sales and reduce costs. Methods: In a mixed method, interview was used in qualitative section and questionnaire was used in the quantitative section. The statistical population for the interview was 12 people and the statistical population of the quantitative section included 380 customers of Saderat Bank of Isfahan and Lorestan provinces that their total number was 37000. Measurement tools included a researcher-made questionnaire and an interview form. Data analysis was performed by regression test method in SPSS software. Results: The website, ease of use, information security, appropriate format, savings in time, and subjective norms were considered as effective variables of electronic banking services. The results indicated that each of the above components have a direct and significant relationship with customer retention. to save time, service offering systems should be used using the data of each customer and the information and the services provided without the need for the customer's presence in electronic services to improve performance of electronic banking as well as provide conditions for full competition in the market for banks to increase the performance of banks. Conclusion: Given the development pattern of customer retention in banking services, it is necessary to pay special attention to the importance of the effective factors listed by managers and employees

Biological control of rice sheath blight disease with formulation of indigenous Trichoderma strains under paddy field conditions

The effectiveness of indigenous Trichoderma strains in preventing sheath blight disease was evaluated during two growing seasons under paddy field conditions. Broom sorghum seeds were used for mass production of Trichoderma strains. Colonized seeds were ground to powder and mixed with talc and carboxymethyl cellulose. Suspensions were made from the bioformulations and sprayed onto rice plants. Effects of Trichoderma strains on disease incidence and severity as well as yield and other growth parameters were determined and compared with a chemical fungicide and a commercial biofungicide. A combined analysis of variance across two years was performed and a statistically significant effect of year, treatment and their interaction was reported. Results indicate that environmental factors and different biological fungicides had a strong effect on disease development under natural conditions. According to the results, propiconazole and T. harzianum AS12-2 resulted in the least disease severity and incidence. Overall, the efficacy of T. harzianum AS12-2 in reducing sheath blight development was significantly better than other Trichoderma treatments and was comparable to the conventional fungicide

Validity and Reliability of Bariatric Surgery Self- Management Behaviors Questionnaire in Iranian Population

Background: Bariatric surgery is the most effective intervention for treatment of severe obesity and patient’s adherence to self management behaviors are essential to reduce complications after surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of bariatric surgery self-management behaviors questionnaire (BSSQ) in Iranian population. Methods: From December 2016 till June 2016, all obese patients who underwent laparoscopic obesity surgery in Shiraz Ghadir Mother and Child Hospitalwere were enrolled. Their demographic characteristics, BSSQ, General Adherence Scale (GAS), and the Specific Adherence Scale (SAS) questionnaires were collected. The content, structural and simultaneous validity and factor analysis were determined using GAS and SAS questionnaires. Results: According to psychometric factors including eating behaviors, fluid intake, vitamin and mineral supplement intake, fruits, vegetables, whole grain and protein intake, physical activity and dumping syndrome management, 6 factors could explain 61.5% of BSSQ. Total score of correlation matrix BSSQ with GAS and SAS were 0.36 and 0.70. For reliability, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was found 0.90 and Guttmann split-half coefficient was 0.78. Conclusion: BSSQ was shown to have an acceptable validity and reliability to be used for assessing the bariatric surgery self-management behaviors in Iranian population

Biological control of rice sheath blight disease with formulation of indigenous Trichoderma strains under paddy field conditions

The effectiveness of indigenous Trichoderma strains in preventing sheath blight disease was evaluated during two growing seasons under paddy field conditions. Broom sorghum seeds were used for mass production of Trichoderma strains. Colonized seeds were ground to powder and mixed with talc and carboxymethyl cellulose. Suspensions were made from the bioformulations and sprayed onto rice plants. Effects of Trichoderma strains on disease incidence and severity as well as yield and other growth parameters were determined and compared with a chemical fungicide and a commercial biofungicide. A combined analysis of variance across two years was performed and a statistically significant effect of year, treatment and their interaction was reported. Results indicate that environmental factors and different biological fungicides had a strong effect on disease development under natural conditions. According to the results, propiconazole and T. harzianum AS12-2 resulted in the least disease severity and incidence. Overall, the efficacy of T. harzianum AS12-2 in reducing sheath blight development was significantly better than other Trichoderma treatments and was comparable to the conventional fungicide

Biological Control of Rhizoctonia solani AG1-1A, the Causal Agent of Rice Sheath Blight with Trichoderma Strains

Sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani is one of the most serious rice diseases worldwide. The disease is currently managed only by the excessive application of chemical fungicides which are toxic and not environmentally friendly. Therefore, greater emphasis should be given to biological control as being both safe and effective. Trichoderma species are ubiquitous fungi in the soil and have an antagonistic activity against several soil-borne plant pathogens including R. solani. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the potential of indigenous Trichoderma strains from Mazandaran province, Northern Iran (a Mediterranean region on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea) against R. solani AG1-IA  in vitro, and against sheath blight disease in the glasshouse, in order to find biocontrol isolates for application in the field. More than 200 Trichoderma strains were isolated from the soil, plant debris and the phyllosphere in rice felds. Strains were first screened for their antagonism to R. solani by in vitro antagonism tests including dual culture, antibiosis, the effect of Trichoderma strains on the production and viability of R. solani sclerotia, and hyperparasitism on microscopic slides. According to the in vitro experiments, several strains belonging to T. harzianum, T. virens and T. atroviride showed excellent biocontrol. These potential antagonist strains were further evaluated for their effectiveness in controlling sheath blight under glasshouse conditions. Among the 55 selected strains, seven significantly controlled the disease. T. harzianum AS12-2 was the most effective strain in controlling rice sheath blight, better even than propiconazole, the most commonly used fungicide in Iran