Towards the development of a conceptual design management model for remote sites

Remote and environmentally sensitive sites present unique challenges for participants involved in the design and construction process. Worldwide advances in information technology coupled with improved site accessibility and manageability has enabled the construction industry to undertake such projects with greater ease. Furthermore, research on information technology in construction has begun to focus our attentions on our increased ability to work virtually in distributed teams. These remote sites have a range of development potential as clients have varied interests including; tourism, scientific investigation and resource exploration and processing which impact upon the management of the design process. These sites pose unique challenges to the project teams and in particular for the management of project design. The conceptual design phase is often marked by an iterative and creative process, which tends to be a sociologically oriented world where designers respond to a range of functional, aesthetic, environmental and even spiritual concerns. Strategic decisions made during the briefing and conceptual design stage may impact upon construction logistics and sustainability. Detailed design for construction tends to be a production oriented world. There is a significant body of literature that addresses the application of lean thinking to improving the interface between detailed design and construction production. There is little literature that takes a holistic view of design management for remote sites. The lean design management field of research has much to contribute to the design management of these projects. The review of the literature indicated that much of the lean thinking has been primarily concerned with sequential production. However, lean thinking is based upon principles of flow and value, which is also conducive to the complex process involved in design management for remote sites. A conceptual model is developed that considers both the production and sociological approaches to design management, in response to the peculiar demands of the site and their project teams.

A practical approach to achieving agility : a theory of constraints perspective

This article documents an action research (AR) project aimed at identifying the practical steps needed to become an agile manufacturer through a combination of the theory of constraints (TOC) and resource- based view (RBV) approaches in a small to medium enterprise (SME) in the Australian manufacturing sector. To date, lean production has been highlighted as a possible catalyst for creating an agile manufacturer, despite the evidence suggesting that lean manufacturing lacks the responsiveness and adaptability to effectively handle a rapidly changing market place and only works well in a stable environment. A more flexible system of production is required to fully encompass the agile characteristics needed to attain a competitive advantage. This research provides empirical evidence that the TOC perspective can be used as a practical approach for becoming an agile manufacturer. The study provides a workable approach for small firms to achieve ‘Agility’ in practice.

Differences in the neuromuscular capacity and lean muscle tissue in old and older community-dwelling adults

This study investigated whether there was a worsening of the neuromuscular capacity of older adults after the seventh decade of life. The results suggest that the age-related deterioration in maximal strength measures and rapid force production characteristics in older adults could be related to a reduction in the mass and neural activation of the thigh muscles.

Lean meat and heart health

The general health message to the public about meat consumption is both confusing and misleading. It is stated that meat is not good for health because meat is rich in fat and cholesterol and high intakes are associated with increased blood cholesterol levels and coronary heart disease (CHD). This paper reviewed 54 studies from the literature in relation to red meat consumption and CHD risk factors. Substantial evidence from recent studies shows that lean red meat trimmed of visible fat does not raise total blood cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels. Dietary intake of total and saturated fat mainly comes from fast foods, snack foods, oils, spreads, other processed foods and the visible fat of meat, rather than lean meat. In fact, lean red meat is low in saturated fat, and if consumed in a diet low in SFA is associated with reductions in LDL-cholesterol in both healthy and hypercholesterolemia subjects. Lean red meat consumption has no effect on in vivo and ex vivo production of thromboxane and prostacyclin or the activity of haemostatic factors. Lean red meat is also a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, niacin, zinc and iron. In conclusion, lean red meat, trimmed of visible fat, which is consumed in a diet low in saturated fat does not increase cardiovascular risk factors (plasma cholesterol levels or thrombotic risk factors).

Effect of dietary arachidonic acid and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the production of eicosanoids

The major polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in the western diet is linoleic acid (LA), which is considered to be the major source of tissue arachidonic acid (AA), the principal precursor for the vaso-active eicosanoids via the cyclooxygenase enzymatic pathway. However, dietary AA may contribute significantly to tissue levels of AA in humans, leading to an increase in the production of eicosanoids, particularly the platelet aggregating, vasoconstricting, thromboxane (TXA2), hence increasing thrombosis risk. The aims of this study were to determine the extent to which dietary AA contributed to prostacyclin (PGI2) and TXA2 production in vivo and whether dietary long chain (LC) n-3 PUFA have a modulating influence on the metabolism of AA to these vaso-active eicosanoids. A gas chromatography -mass spectrometry (GCMS) method for urinary PGI2-M determination and a tandem GCMS/MS method for urinary TXA2-M determination were perfected for use within our laboratory (with the assistance of Dr Howard Knapp, University of Iowa and Professor Reinhard Lorenz, Ludwig Maximilian's University, Munich, respectively). An initial animal study compared the in vitro production of PGI2 by aorta segments with the whole body in vivo production of PGI2 in rats fed ethyl arachidonate or the ethyl ester of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), at levels many times higher than encountered in human diets. During AA feeding both measures of PGI2 increased, although in vitro TXA2 production was not affected. EPA feeding lowered in vitro TXA2 and in vivo PGI2. Prior to determining the effects of AA and LC n-3 PUFA in humans, a study was carried out to determine the AA and LC n-3 PUFA content of foods and from these, an estimate of the mean daily intake of AA and other LC PUFA. Eggs, organ meats and paté were found to be the richest sources of AA. Of the meat and fish analysed, white meat was found to be relatively rich in AA but poor in LC n-3 PUFA. Lean red meat, particularly kangaroo had similar LC n-3 PUFA and AA content. Fish, although rich in AA, had extremely high levels of LC n-3 PUFA. The calculated mean daily intakes of AA in Australian adults was 130mg (males) and 96mg (females). For total LC n-3 PUFA intake, the mean daily values were 247mg (males) and 197mg (females). Two human pilot studies involving dietary intervention trials examined the effects of dietary AA and AA plus long chain n-3 PUFA on thrombosis risk, gauged by the change in the ratio of PGI2 / TXA2 as well as alterations to other recognised risk factors, such as lipoprotein lipids and platelet aggregation. The desired dietary amounts of AA and LC n-3 PUFA were achieved in the first study by combining food items with known levels of each fatty acid. In the second study, where a diet with approximately equal quantities of AA and LC n-3 PUFA was being examined, kangaroo meat was consumed, following a low-fat vegetarian diet used as a baseline. Diets rich in AA alone (~500mg/day) increased plasma phospholipid (PL) AA levels, PGIi and TXA2 production. When foods containing equal quantities of AA and EPA (∼500mg/day of each) were fed to subjects PGI2 increased, with no change in TXAs production. Low fat vegetarian diets lowered PGI2 production, the level of which was reestablished by an AA rich diet (∼300mg AA/day + ∼260mg/day LC n-3 PUFA) of kangaroo meat. However, TXA2 production was not altered. A final, larger human dietary intervention trial then examined the effects of diets relatively rich in AA alone, AA plus LC n-3 PUFA and LC n-3 PUFA, on the ratio of PGI2/TXA2- The dietary sources of these fatty acids were white meat, red meat and fish, respectively. Each contained a mean level of AA of ∼140mg/day, with varying LC n-3 PUFA levels (59, 161 and 3380mg/day, respectively). Neither meat diet altered PGI2 or TXA2 production significantly, despite increasing serum PL AA levels. The fish diet resulted in a decrease in the serum and platelet PL AA/EPA ratio and TXA2 production, thus increasing the PGI2 / TXA2 ratio. These results would indicate that stores of AA in the body are sufficiently high to have effectively saturated the cyclooxygenase pathway for production of both PGI2 and TXA2, thus making any small change in the plasma level of AA due to 'normal' dietary levels, inconsequential. However, as seen in the rat study and the two pilot studies higher dietary levels of AA can increase both PGI2 and TXA2 production. Increases in platelet levels of EPA and DHA were associated with a decrease in TXA2 production, or the maintenance of a constant TXA2 level, while AA tissue levels and PGI2 production increased. This suggests a possible inhibitory effect of LC n-3 PUFA on the metabolism of AA to TXA2, particularly in platelets. From these short term studies, conducted over 2-3 week periods, it can be concluded that diets rich in lean meats can raise plasma AA levels but do not affect TXA2 or PGI2 production, hence are not pro-thrombotic. Diets rich in long chain n-3 PUFA from fish, raise plasma EPA and DHA levels, lower TXA2 production and are anti-thrombotic. Diets which combine equal quantities of AA and LC n-3 PUFA appear to increase PGI2 production while keeping TXA2 production constant. In order for these LC PUFA to have a significant effect on eicosanoid production the dietary intake of these fatty acids through foods such as red meat or white meat would have to be higher than average current Australian consumption levels.