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Developments in Construction Workers’ Compensation Insurance with the Use of Biometrics
Get PDFConstruction insurance, especially that of workers’ compensation, is vital for the protection of general contractors, but it comes at a high cost and limits their control over contract terms. Biometric devices, such as heart rate monitors and motion capture, have the potential to revolutionize the industry by reducing construction insurance premiums. Heart rate monitors can provide real-time data on workers\u27 physical activity and health, while motion capture analyzes movements to identify unsafe movement patterns performed by workers. By monitoring workers\u27 biometrics, construction companies can ensure their safety, prevent hazards, and implement targeted training programs. This personalized data can lead to a decrease in accidents and injuries, resulting in reduced insurance claims and lower premiums. However, the use of biometrics in construction insurance is a novel concept with minimal research and some problems may arise with its implementation. Workers\u27 compensation insurance, a significant cost for construction companies, relies on past claims and experience modification ratings and doesn’t account for recent trends. Biometric technology can provide more accurate assessments of current working practices, leading to fairer premium calculations and a reduction in fraud. The implementation of biometric devices could create a safer workplace, minimize insurance costs, and enhance profitability for construction companies
Cell Membrane Lipid Alterations In Blood Plasma At Pre-Conception And During Pregnancy Are Associated With Gestational Diabetes Development
No full textIntroduction: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic disorder that has been defined as glucose intolerance that is first identified during pregnancy. The etiology of GDM is not yet fully understood, but there are several risk factors that appear to contribute to its development such as advanced age at pregnancy, family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and a previous history of GDM. The discovery of predictive GDM biomarkers has the potential to enable early GDM detection and lead to earlier diagnosis and preventative interventions.
Objective: Perform metabolomics analysis on plasma samples collected at pre-conception and at 26-weeks gestation to investigate metabolic differences between participants of the gestational diabetes prevention (GDP) clinical trial who developed GDM and those who did not.
Methods: Targeted metabolomics, comprised of primary metabolomics, biogenic amines, and lipidomics assays, was performed using UPLC-MS on plasma samples collected from a subset of 30 participants that completed the GDP study at preconception and 26 weeks gestation. The samples used for this analysis were from participants who developed GDM (n=19) and those who did not (n=11) in their pregnancy following their participation in the GDP study.
Results: Multivariate analysis revealed indoxyl sulfate as significantly higher in the GDM group at both preconception and at 26 weeks gestation (VIP scores \u3e 2.9). Preconception samples collected at the end of the GDP intervention study PC 38:0 was higher in the GDM group versus the non-GDM group (p \u3c 0.05) whereas thymidine was lower in the GDM group (p \u3c 0.05), in addition to numerous cell membrane lipids (VIP \u3e 2.0). At 26 weeks gestation, D-glucuronic acid was higher in the GDM group versus the non-GDM group (p \u3c 0.03), while LPE 22:6, SM 18:1 (22:4), PE 38:6, PE 40:6, PE 40:7, and PE (O-38:0) were lower in the GDM group (p \u3c 0.04), in addition to numerous cell membrane lipids (VIP \u3e 2.0).
Discussion: The differences observed between the GDM and non-GDM groups at the two plasma collection time points may suggest metabolic alterations associated with GDM-induced metabolic dysregulation. These findings may help direct future research to focus on changes in lipid metabolism during pre-pregnancy for possible biomarkers of GDM. Repeat studies with diverse cohorts are needed to help identify a panel of metabolites that may serve as early biomarkers of GDM
Ammonia Removal from Wastewater in Pilot-Scale, Algal-Bacterial Raceway Ponds
No full textRemoval of nutrients, especially nitrogen, from wastewater helps to protect public health and the environment from nutrient pollution but traditional methods can be a major draw on municipal energy consumption. Raceway ponds utilizing the chemically symbiotic relationship between algae and bacteria are capable of reducing the energy consumption of nutrient removal compared to traditional treatment methods. However, both conventional and algal-bacterial pond systems see reduced nitrogen removal in the winter months. Past laboratory work has attempted to determine the factors that might be implemented to improve nitrogen removal in raceways when these conditions occur, however, there is a need for outdoor pilot-scale research on the subject to more accurately represent field conditions. Predicting the nitrogen removal rates in raceway ponds treating wastewater is complex since nutrient removal with biological systems is dependent on a plethora of environmental conditions being optimal for the organisms. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate several key variables that could improve nitrogen removal rates and create a mathematical model for predicting removal at pilot-scale. Pilot scale ponds (1000-L) were operated with a single varied operational condition including hydraulic retention time, solids retention time, dissolved oxygen concentrations and water temperature. Pond conditions such as pH and other water quality constituents were monitored and analyzed as well. The complete set of data was used to train a multi-variate linear regression model capable of predicting Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN) removal rate that was dependent on hydraulic retention time (HRT), minimum dissolved oxygen concentrations, and influent TAN concentration (R2=0.771). The experiments also indicated that the optimal range of volatile suspended solids concentration was between 400 – 800 mg/L. Finally, reducing the hydraulic retention time to 8-days allowed for year-round ammonia removal to less than 5 mg/L. Identification of these potential operating conditions for improving nitrogen removal from wastewater can provide a basis for further research to improve full-scale pond treatment systems
Planning, Preserving, and Increasing Accessibility: A Reflection on Going “Car-Free”
Get PDFThis paper studies the accessibility of car-free areas to those with mobility impairments by examining three car-free and car-lite experiments in California. Whether slowly converted to car-free with long-term, careful planning, or expeditiously changed to car-free during the COVID-19 pandemic, these three car-free experiments show the shortcomings of planning for accessibility in car-free spaces, and how instead of improving accessibility, current planning practice often hinders it. This paper offers a deep-dive into the drawbacks and benefits of going car-free and the ethical and legal reasons why urban planners, designers, and policymakers must consider the accessibility of a space before planning a car-free space. The paper concludes with a discussion of successful current practices for accessibility and explores what new solutions are on the horizon
Resisting Burnout: bell hooks’ Pedagogy of Hope and Teaching Antiracist Feminism Online at the University of Wyoming During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Get PDFAfter earning a PhD in Women’s Studies from an urban, multicultural, R1 university in 2020, I accepted a teaching position at the University of Wyoming, where I was hired primarily to teach feminist and critical race-focused courses. When an in-person position suddenly moved entirely online, I found myself facing not only the culture shock of teaching at a rural, primarily White institution whose state legislature and general populace are largely hostile to antiracist feminism, but also the myriad daily challenges of teaching online during a global pandemic. I had felt personally prepared--as a White lesbian raised in a rural environment, as a critical race and critical Whiteness studies scholar, and as a new graduate trained at a university that leads innovations in online pedagogy--to teach in this environment. I was wrong and immediately began to struggle. When the Wyoming state Senate passed a budget amendment in February 2022 to defund “gender studies courses, academic programs, co-curricular programs, [and] extracurricular programs” related to gender, I was forced to face the extent of my burnout and the damage that burnout had done to my feminist pedagogical practice. Drawing upon bell hooks’ Teaching Community: A Pedagogy of Hope, I reflect on the past two years, what it means to teach feminist antiracism in a predominantly White and politically hostile space and how embracing a pedagogy of hope may be the only way to escape our own personal burnout and prevent us from accepting burnout as an inevitable consequence of the challenges we face as feminist educators
An Analysis of College Students’ Stories About How Their Religious Backgrounds Impacted Their Sexual Attitudes
Get PDFThe goal of this paper was to examine the impact of college students’ religious background on their sexual attitudes. Grounded in the Narrative Paradigm (Fisher, 1984), qualitative interviews were conducted to allow participants to share their experiences. Thematic analysis of the data (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was conducted to uncover the themes that animated their narratives. The themes that emerged were a) conceptualization of sex, b) exploration of sexuality and dating, and c) negotiation of religious identity and beliefs. Findings were consistent with and corroborated past research regarding sexual socialization and religious dualities. Study limitations and directions for further research are addressed
Growing Grounds Farm, Santa Maria - Greenhouse Planter Bench Tables
Get PDFThis paper covers the planning, fundraising, design, construction, and installation associated with building the Growing Grounds Farm of Santa Maria greenhouse planter bench tables. Growing Grounds prides itself on nourishing the local community through a combination of horticulture therapy, and vocational training for individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. The farm offers various opportunities for socialization and interaction with coworkers and customers. After meeting with the farm managers, Anna Wiens and Keith Bartlett, it was clear that this project was of the highest priority. Upon agreement of the project, the farm managers and I determined the future vision and narrowed expectations into a concise project scope. This paper describes the steps to fundraise, design, plan, and build the desired project for Growing Grounds. This individual project was assisted by fellow Cal Poly student volunteers and funded by four local construction companies. Full funding was secured over the span of two months which consisted of networking and contacting local construction companies. Shortly after funding was received, off-site prefabrication construction and installation occurred. The final deliverable was completed one month prior to the farm manager’s desired deadline. This project was completed in three months and $3,633 was donated for this project