Objectives: To determine and compare the gastrointestinal (GI) responses of young adults following consumption of 45 g sucrose, 20, 35 and 50 g xylitol or erythritol given as a single oral, bolus dose in a liquid. Design: The study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Subjects: Seventy healthy adult volunteers aged 18-24 years were recruited from the student population of the University of Salford. Sixty-four subjects completed the study. Interventions: Subjects consumed at home without supervision and in random order, either 45 g sucrose or 20, 35 and 50 g erythritol or xylitol in water on individual test days, while maintaining their normal diet. Test days were separated by 7-day washout periods. Subjects reported the prevalence and magnitude of flatulence, borborygmi, bloating, colic, bowel movements and the passage of faeces of an abnormally watery consistency. Results: Compared with 45 g sucrose, consumption of a single oral, bolus dose of 50 g xylitol in water significantly increased the number of subjects reporting nausea (Po0.01), bloating (Po0.05), borborygmi (Po0.005), colic (Po0.05), watery faeces (Po0.05) and total bowel movement frequency (Po0.01). Also 35 g of xylitol increased significantly bowel movement frequency to pass watery faeces (Po0.05). In contrast, 50 g erythritol only significantly increased the number of subjects reporting nausea (Po0.01) and borborygmi (Po0.05). Lower doses of 20 and 35 g erythritol did not provoke a significant increase in GI symptoms. At all levels of intake, xylitol produced significantly more watery faeces than erythritol: resp. 50 g xylitol vs 35 g erythritol (Po0.001), 50 g xylitol vs 20 g erythritol (Po0.001) and 35 g xylitol vs 20 g erythritol (Po0.05). Conclusions: When consumed in water, 35 and 50 g xylitol was associated with significant intestinal symptom scores and watery faeces, compared to the sucrose control, whereas at all levels studied erythritol scored significantly less symptoms. Consumption of 20 and 35 g erythritol by healthy volunteers, in a liquid, is tolerated well, without any symptoms. At the highest level of erythritol intake (50 g), only a significant increase in borborygmi and nausea was observed, whereas xylitol intake at this level induced a significant increase in watery faeces. Sponsorship:
Purpose – The purpose of this article is to develop a quantitative building accessibility assessment model for the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach – The building accessibility assessment criteria are incorporated in a hierarchy structure based on the relevant building regulations and British standards. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is employed to determine the priority of the accessibility criteria. A review of the application of AHP is included in the paper. Finally, a case scenario is used to illustrate the method. Findings – This paper provides a methodology to prioritize the building accessibility criteria and to indicate how well a building design meets accessibility requirements quantitatively. Practical limitations/implications – A model is advocated for use by accessibility consultants and building designers to establish a quantitative assessment for building accessibility. It can also be used in the development of accessibility assessment software. Originality/value – This paper presents a novel quantitative building accessibility assessment model.
Most cities and towns in developing countries are experiencing a massive infl ux of population from rural areas. The majority of the rural population migrates to urban areas hoping to fi nd a job and a higher income for their survival. This large infl ux creates a high demand for urban housing and infrastructure, which the majority of the migrants cannot afford. Moreover, the insuffi cient use of low-cost traditional building materials and construction techniques in residential construction has resulted in expensive housing stock for the majority of the poor. There is therefore an urgent need to assess alternative building materials and techniques that are both affordable and sustainable. Stabilised earth is an alternative building material that is signifi cantly cheaper than using conventional brick and concrete, and is also environmentally sustainable. Earth has been used as a construction material on every continent and in every age. This article reviews and argues the economic benefi ts of using earth as a building material, and describes the associated construction techniques for urban housing provision in developing countries. A critical literature review method was adopted in this article to investigate the economic benefi t of contemporary earth construction in low-cost urban housing compared to conventional brick and concrete construction.
Case studyPurpose nD modelling technology ushers in novel possibilities to transform the design, production and use of buildings by providing a '… multi-dimensional model … [which] … enables true what-if analyses to be performed to demonstrate the real cost in terms of the design issues … [and] … the trade-offs between the parameters … clearly envisaged' (Lee, et al., 2003: 5). The espoused benefits of a new technology such as nD modelling, however, are not sufficient in itself to ensure its widespread adoption and use within the construction industry. Technology transfer is widely considered to be a potentially powerful mechanism to provide the construction industry with new technologies that can, where appropriate, transform and complement current technologies to create and sustain better levels of performance (DTI, 2002; Mitropoulos and Tatum, 1999; DETR, 1998). This paper aims to identify the key enablers and obstacles to the effective adoption and use of nD modelling technology. Methodology/ approachThis paper explores the feasibility of industry absorbing and diffusing nD modelling technology by considering key technology transfer issues; namely organisational direction, interorganisational networks, and knowledge characteristics of technology. Findings from semi-2 structured interviews around a diagnostic technology transfer framework are used to offer implications for theory and practice. FindingsThe results from 15 survey interviews indicate that construction professionals appreciate the potential significant benefits of nD modelling technology, but at present, nD modelling technology is seen as too embryonic; too far removed from construction firms' 'comfort zones'; requiring too much investment; and, containing too many risks. Practical implicationsThe paper concludes that the challenge for nD modelling technology, along with any new technology, is to shift from its 'technology push' emphasis to a more balanced 'market orientated' stance which allows the technology to be shaped by both strategic design concerns, and the rough and tumble of day-to-day operational needs. If this trajectory is pursued, nD modelling technology has a positive future. Keywords: nD modelling, technology transfer, building information model, innovation, IT (information technology) IntroductionA construction project team is characterised by many professionals from various disciplines.The central ambition for this team is to satisfy all stakeholder requirements in order to generate a mutually beneficial solution. This idealised aim requires appropriate integration of project information; however, this is difficult to achieve due to the constraints and conflicts upon the An nD model is an extension of the building information model, which incorporates multiaspects of design information required at each stage of the lifecycle of a building facility (Lee et al, 2003). nD is unlike traditional 2D and 3D CAD (computer aided design) systems where the building design is represented in multiple files made up of lines, arcs and cir...
The gastrointestinal (GI) responses to ingested digestion resistant retrograded maltodextrins, having a structural similarity to type 3 resistant starch (RS) but a lower molecular weight, were studied after acute single bolus ingestion as well as during a medium-term period of daily ingestion. The overall study was split into two parts: part 1 aimed (1) to determine the GI responses of young adults following consumption of 0-60 g resistant maltodextrin; (2) to define the maximum non-effective dose (MNED) at which a considerable increase in symptoms did not occur. Part 2 aimed to determine whether a gradual increase in the daily dose of retrograded resistant maltodextrin (RRM) to a level finally exceeding by at least 10 g the individually determined MNED to acute ingestion in part 1 of the study, modified tolerance over time. Design: Study part 1 was executed as a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover study and study part 2 as a longitudinal study. Subjects: Forty-one healthy adult volunteers aged 18-24 years were recruited from the student population of the University of Salford. All subjects enrolled and completed study part 1 and 39 subjects enrolled and completed study part 2. Interventions: In study part 1, individuals consumed, in random order 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 or 120 g of a RRM containing starch product incorporated in pre-prepared foods on individual test days. Assuming a minimum content of 50% RRM in the starch product this delivered respectively 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60 g of RRM. All foods were prepared and coded by personnel not involved in carrying out the tests. Test days were separated by 7 day washout periods. In study part 2, consumption of RRM was increased from 3.6 g at day 1 in incremental doses up to each subject's MNED as determined in study 1, to be achieved at day 14. Subsequently, RRM intake was from day 15-21 in a way that the final intake at day 21 was at least 10 g above the individual MNED. In both parts of the study, subjects reported the prevalence and magnitude of GI symptoms. Results: No significant change was observed in either defecation frequency and faecal consistency or the number of subjects experiencing any GI symptoms, following consumption of foods containing 0-60 g RRM. The individual MNED at which an increase in symptoms did not occur was determined as 60 g RRM for 71% of the subjects who participated in study part 1. Regression analysis showed that consumption of gradually increasing doses of RRM in food products over 21 days was associated with a significant increase in the mean symptom score for flatulence (P ¼ 1.5 Â 10 À4 ), total bowel movement frequency (P ¼ 0.023) and bowel movement frequency to pass watery faeces (P ¼ 0.0157). Increasing the ingested dose of RRM by 10 g above the predetermined MNED, however, did not provoke significant increases in GI symptoms. In both studies, the majority of symptom responses were classified by the subjects as 'little more than usual'. Conclusions: Consumption of up to 60 g RRM is tolerated well by most i...
The construction industry's ability to innovate in order to improve its practices has been widely debated. As organisations in other sectors globally are addressing technology challenges, is the UK construction industry e-ready? Of particular concern is the plethora of small and medium enterprises (SME) that constitute over 80% of the UK construction industry. There are noticeable SME laggards in the uptake of new processes and technologies. This paper aims to assess the e-readiness levels of UK SME building services provider in order to leverage the advantages of technology opportunities in the future. The resultant self-assessment ERiC framework enables SMEs to quantify and measure ereadiness from an organisation, technical and process perspective.
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