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.
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