Application of combined BIM and 3D point cloud on building deconstruction

While building information modelling (BIM) has been extensively applied to the design and construction stages, there has been only limited use of BIM for demolition or reconstruction phase in minimizing and managing demolition waste. This paper proposes the use of combined BIM and 3D point cloud technology for collecting and documenting of building material information and formulating strategies of deconstruction waste management. The purpose is to develop a methodology for improving accuracy of building material information, including information of reusability and recyclability; and reduce the cost of energy and environmental impacts. A building deconstruction project in Sydney was adopted in this paper and found an estimated total of AUD$1.5 million landfill levy can be saved based on the proposed methodology

Isolated penile urethral injury: a rare case following male coital trauma

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Impact of skeletal-related events on survival in patients with metastatic prostate cancer prescribed androgen deprivation therapy

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Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on School-Aged Children’s Physical Activity, Screen Time, and Sleep in Hong Kong: A Cross-Sectional Repeated Measures Study

Despite concerns about the negative effects of social distancing and prolonged school closures on children’s lifestyle and physical activity (PA) during the COVID-19 pandemic, robust evidence is lacking on the impact of the pandemic-related school closures and social distancing on children’s wellbeing and daily life. This study aimed to examine changes in the PA levels, sleep patterns, and screen time of school-aged children during the different phases of the COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong using a repeated cross-sectional design. School students (grades 1 to 12) were asked to report their daily electronic device usage and to fill in a sleep diary, recording their daily sleep onset and wake-up time. They were equipped with a PA monitor, Actigraph wGT3X-BT, to obtain objective data on their PA levels and sleep patterns. Students were recruited before the pandemic (September 2019–January 2020; n = 577), during school closures (March 2020–April 2020; n = 146), and after schools partially reopened (October 2020–July 2021; n = 227). Our results indicated lower PA levels, longer sleep duration, and longer screen time among participants recruited during school closures than those recruited before the COVID-19 outbreak. Primary school students were found to sleep on average for an extra hour during school closures. The later sleep onset and increased screen time documented during school closures persisted when schools partially reopened. Our findings illustrate the significant impact of social distancing policies during the COVID-19 pandemic on the sleep pattern, screen time, and PA level in school-aged children in Hong Kong. Professionals should urgently reinforce the importance of improving physically activity, good sleep hygiene, and regulated use of electronic devices for parents and school-aged children during this unprecedented time

An Integrated 5D Tool for Quantification of Construction Process Emissions and Accident Identification

31st International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in Construction and Mining, ISARC 2014, 9-11 July 2014The environmental and safety performance of construction sites are increasingly regarded as critical factors that need to be monitored for the successful completion of construction projects. Research has also repeatedly highlighted the need to minimise the carbon footprint of the construction process and enhance the capacity of the project team and on-site workers in detecting and avoiding potential construction site hazards. However, a multi-dimensional visualisation technology that would allow project teams to simulate potential carbon emissions from construction plant and equipment and to detect potentially 'dangerous' locations on a construction site is currently lacking. This paper illustrates an integrated 5D model that uses virtual prototyping technologies to quantify carbon emissions, simulate the pattern of emissions from the overall construction process and identify potential 'black spots' of site hazards at the planning stage. The proposed 5D BIM based pro-active construction management system (PCMS) can help to detect potential sources of danger to on-site workers and provides pro-active warnings to prevent fatal accidents caused by falling or being struck by moving objects. A public housing project developed by the Hong Kong Housing Authority is used as a case study to demonstrate the integration of the emission prediction visualisation and accident detection tool into the BIM. The proposed tool demonstrates the utilisation of BIM technology to promote pro-active carbon mitigation and safety performance strategies.Department of Building and Real EstateRefereed conference pape

Is pre-operative MRI really a Must for Robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy (RaLRP)?

Oral (Free Paper) Session 2 - Uro-Oncology: Prostate & Kidney: no. OP.2-2OBJECTIVE: To evaluate MRI with endorectal coil (ER-MRI) in detecting laterality of tumor and T staging on patients with localized prostate cancer before RaLRP …postprin

A Novel, Stable, Estradiol-Stimulating, Osteogenic Yam Protein with Potential for the Treatment of Menopausal Syndrome

A novel protein, designated as DOI, isolated from the Chinese yam (Dioscorea opposita Thunb.) could be the first protein drug for the treatment of menopausal syndrome and an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which is known to have undesirable side effects. DOI is an acid- and thermo-stable protein with a distinctive N-terminal sequence Gly-Ile-Gly-Lys-Ile-Thr-Thr-Tyr-Trp-Gly-Gln-Tyr-Ser-Asp-Glu-Pro-Ser-Leu-Thr-Glu. DOI was found to stimulate estradiol biosynthesis in rat ovarian granulosa cells; induce estradiol and progesterone secretion in 16- to 18-month-old female Sprague Dawley rats by upregulating expressions of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor and ovarian aromatase; counteract the progression of osteoporosis and augment bone mineral density; and improve cognitive functioning by upregulating protein expressions of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and TrkB receptors in the prefrontal cortex. Furthermore, DOI did not stimulate the proliferation of breast cancer and ovarian cancer cells, which suggest it could be a more efficacious and safer alternative to HRT.link_to_OA_fulltex

Smart homes and their users:a systematic analysis and key challenges

Published research on smart homes and their users is growing exponentially, yet a clear understanding of who these users are and how they might use smart home technologies is missing from a field being overwhelmingly pushed by technology developers. Through a systematic analysis of peer-reviewed literature on smart homes and their users, this paper takes stock of the dominant research themes and the linkages and disconnects between them. Key findings within each of nine themes are analysed, grouped into three: (1) views of the smart home-functional, instrumental, socio-technical; (2) users and the use of the smart home-prospective users, interactions and decisions, using technologies in the home; and (3) challenges for realising the smart home-hardware and software, design, domestication. These themes are integrated into an organising framework for future research that identifies the presence or absence of cross-cutting relationships between different understandings of smart homes and their users. The usefulness of the organising framework is illustrated in relation to two major concerns-privacy and control-that have been narrowly interpreted to date, precluding deeper insights and potential solutions. Future research on smart homes and their users can benefit by exploring and developing cross-cutting relationships between the research themes identified

Exploring the linkages between the adoption of bim and design error reduction

© 2018 WIT Press. Ensuring a timely, efficient and cost-effective delivery of facilities is an ongoing major concern for the construction industry. Human errors committed during the design and construction processes and omissions and design changes contribute to delays, leading to rework and cost overruns. A previous study has identified that the costs of design error related rework could add around 16% to the original contract value, and delays have exceeded the original contract duration by over 50% in some construction projects. Minimizing rework helps to improve project performance and timely delivery. Although building information modelling (BIM) is regarded as an effective technology with the potential to help reduce the amount of rework on construction projects, there is no support yet for this view from empirical evidence. Current research on rework management in construction has paid insufficient attention to the potential for improved communication and the self-consistent information flow between the project actors and a BIM database. This study scrutinizes the role of BIM in reducing the frequency of design errors, minimizing the amount of rework and enhancing the construction productivity in construction projects in China. A conceptual design error reduction (DER) model was proposed based on the advice and expertise of a total of 120 BIM and construction experts in China. Seven indicators are identified as crucial factors influencing design error. Clash detection (CD) and design coordination (DC) were found to be the two most important indicators from respondents’ rating. The study advances the understanding of the extent to which BIM can be made use of to reduce the amount of design errors and help improve project performance