12508 research outputs found
Sort by
Development of Alkali-Activated Binders froRecycled Mixed Masonry-originated Waste
Get PDFYesIn this study, the main emphasis is placed on the development and characterization of alkali-activated binders completely produced by the use of mixed construction and demolition waste (CDW)-based masonry units as aluminosilicate precursors. Combined usage of precursors was aimed to better simulate the real-life cases since in the incident of construction and demolition, these wastes are anticipated to be generated collectively. As different masonry units, red clay brick (RCB), hollow brick (HB) and roof tile (RT) were used in binary combinations by 75-25%, 50-50% and 25-75% of the total weight of the binder. Mixtures were produced with different curing temperature/periods and molarities of NaOH solution as the alkaline activator. Characterization was made by the compressive strength measurements supported by microstructural investigations which included the analyses of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX). Results clearly showed that completely CDW-based masonry units can be effectively used collectively in producing alkali-activated binders having up to 80 MPa compressive strength provided that the mixture design parameters are optimized. Among different precursors utilized, HB seems to contribute more to the compressive strength. Irrespective of their composition, main reaction products of alkali-activated binders from CDW-based masonry units are sodium aluminosilicate hydrate (N-A-S-H) gels containing different zeolitic polytypes with structure ranging from amorphous to polycrystalline
Principles and practices for training police in dealing with violence against women
No full textYesThis training manual on gender-based violence is intended for use by all those who train the police and other actors in the local protection networks. It outlines the principles of effective training based on the integrated competencies of knowledge, attitudes and skills, and emphasises the use of appreciative inquiry, group learning and dynamic techniques such as dramatisation and case-based learnin
Speaking pictures, silent voices: female athletes and the negotiation of selfhood
Get PDFYesCombining Mikhail Bakhtin's (1990) theoretical position on Architectonics and Erving Goffman's (1979) writings on visual content analysis, the aim of this paper is to explore how female athletes are caught in a complex matrix of power, post - feminist neoliberalism, and self - presentation. The visual images they choose to portray are, therefore, perfect for determining how this cohort of women negotiates social discourses around identity and femininity. Appropriating the Bakhtinian notion of architectonic unity, not only provides an alternative theoretical lens for enquiries concerning the body, identity, and selfhood, but also initiates some thought provoking questions around neoliberal feminism and 'new femininity.' This paper advances on previous research by exemplifying how Serena Williams (considered the greatest female tennis player of all time) combines both her femininity and strong physicality to self - shape a myth - like persona, setting her apart from traditional stereotypes of femininity and 'femaleness.
An exploration of the drivers of employee motivation to facilitate value co-creation
Get PDFYesPurpose
This paper aims to explore the drivers of employee motivation to facilitate value co-creation. Specifically, it enhances the understanding of social and contextual elements that contribute towards the co-creation of value.
Design/methodology/approach
Embracing an interpretive paradigm, the study draws on 57 in-depth interviews together with participant observation field notes. The data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Findings
The findings identify six key drivers that motivate employees to facilitate value co-creation: rewards and recognition, opportunities for life-long learning, interpersonal engagement, role responsibility and accountability, organisational vision and social purpose.
Research limitations/implications
This study is undertaken within a traditional organisation setting. Other organisational contexts such as working from home should also be considered. Second, this study focused on the individual relational orientations of employees. Also, there is an opportunity to explore the collective orientation of employees.
Originality/value
Drawing on service-dominant logic (S-D logic) as a theoretical lens, this study adopts and adapts Lindenberg and Steg’s (2013) goal-framing theory to conceptualise six drivers of employee motivation to facilitate value co-creation within three-goal frames that leads to in-role and extra-role job performance
Synthesis of sulfonamide-based ynamides and ynamines in water
Get PDFYesYnamides, though relatively more stable than ynamines, are still moisture-sensitive and prone to hydration especially under acidic and heating conditions. Here we report an environmentally benign, robust protocol to synthesize sulfonamide-based ynamides and arylynamines via Sonogashira coupling reactions in water, using a readily available quaternary ammonium salt as the surfactant.This work was supported by Royal Society - Newton International Fellowship (170322), National Natural Science Foundation of China (21462004), the State Key Laboratory for the Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources at Guangxi Normal University (CMEMR2014-A04)
Chemoptherapy Dose Reductions in Palliative Lung Cancer. Evaluating Chemotherapy Dose Reductions following Neutropenia in Palliative Lung Cancer to prevent further Adverse Events
No full textIntroduction
Neutropenia is a life-threatening and dose-limiting toxicity of palliative lung
cancer chemotherapy. Whilst some neutropenias are inevitable, evidence
suggests that patients with a previous neutropenic event are 50% more likely to
have a further neutropenic event. The aim of this research is to evaluate the
variables associated with the risk of secondary neutropenic events and the role
of chemotherapy dose reductions.
Methods
A retrospective analysis was carried out on 361 biochemical neutropenic events
in palliative lung cancer patients across 5 sites in South Yorkshire and
Bassetlaw. Predictors for a secondary neutropenic event were investigated in
univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. The predictive model
was validated through discrimination statistics, described by Receiver Operating
Characteristic Area Under Curve (ROC-AUC).
Results
The incident rate for secondary neutropenic events was 32.7%. Patients with a
successful intervention received a higher mean Relative Dose Intensity (RDI) of
75.65% compared to 65.05%, across the 2 chemotherapy cycles. The
univariate analysis found that the biochemical type of neutropenia (depth and length of suppression) (p=0.003), dose reduction of drug 1 (p=0.042), average dose reduction (p=0.019), and cumulative dose reduction (p=0.018) were
significant at reducing the risk of secondary neutropenia. Granulocyte-Colony
Stimulating Factor did not offer a protective effect. The final logistic regression
model evaluated 357 events and included all variables due to significant
interrelationship. The model had a ROC-AUC of 0.76 (0.71-0.81) (p= 0.0021),
explaining 27% of the variance.
Conclusion
Appropriate dose reductions play a vital role in preventing secondary
neutropenic events and delivering optimal RDIs. The results of this study can
aid in identifying high-risk patients
Analytical and experimental investigations of dam-break flows in triangular channels with wet-bed conditions
No full textYesBased on the method of characteristics, an analytical solution for the one-dimensional shallow-water equations is developed to simulate the instantaneous dam-break flows propagating down a triangular wet bed channel in this study. The internal relationships between the hydraulic properties associated with the dam-break flow are investigated through the comparisons with the well-known analytical solutions for rectangular channels. Meanwhile, laboratory experiments are conducted in a prismatic, horizontal and smooth flume with a triangular cross-section. The non-intrusive digital image processing is applied for obtaining water surface profiles and stage hydrographs. Results show that the dam-break flow propagation depends on the dimensionless parameter defined as the ratio of initial tailwater depth over reservoir head. has significant effect on the dam-break wave in the downstream flooded area. For , the water surface profiles in the reservoir for different at a given time remains similar. For ≥ 0.5, extra negative waves occur in the reservoir, leading to the water surface undulations. Undular bores are generated at the dam site and propagate downstream. Time evolution of dam-break flows under three different reservoir heads is similar for the same . The inception of water surface profile change is earlier when the reservoir head is larger. The analytical model shows satisfactory agreement with the experimental results though some errors exist between the analytical solution and measurements due to the formation of extra negative waves, jet and undular bores. The similarities and discrepancies between the hydraulics in the triangular and rectangular channels are identified analytically in terms of the profiles of water depth, velocity, discharge, bore height and wave-front celerity with . The presented solution could be applied to predict the effect of wet bed condition on the dam-break wave in triangular channels, while laboratory measurement data could be used for validating analytical and numerical models.National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No: 51879179), Sichuan Science and Technology Program (No. 2019JDTD0007) and Open Fund from the State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, Sichuan University (SKHL1809
How can one evaluate a conversational software agent framework?'
No full textYesThis paper presents a critical evaluation framework for a linguistically orientated conversational software agent (CSA) (Panesar, 2017). The CSA prototype investigates the integration, intersection and interface of the language, knowledge, and speech act constructions (SAC) based on a grammatical object (Nolan, 2014), and the sub-model of belief, desires and intention (BDI) (Rao and Georgeff, 1995) and dialogue management (DM) for natural language processing (NLP). A long-standing issue within NLP CSA systems is refining the accuracy of interpretation to provide realistic dialogue to support the human-to-computer communication. This prototype constitutes three phase models: (1) a linguistic model based on a functional linguistic theory - Role and Reference Grammar (RRG) (Van Valin Jr, 2005); (2) Agent Cognitive Model with two inner models: (a) knowledge representation model employing conceptual graphs serialised to Resource Description Framework (RDF); (b) a planning model underpinned by BDI concepts (Wooldridge, 2013) and intentionality (Searle, 1983) and rational interaction (Cohen and Levesque, 1990); and (3) a dialogue model employing common ground (Stalnaker, 2002).
The evaluation approach for this Java-based prototype and its phase models is a multi-approach driven by grammatical testing (English language utterances), software engineering and agent practice. A set of evaluation criteria are grouped per phase model, and the testing framework aims to test the interface, intersection and integration of all phase models and their inner models. This multi-approach encompasses checking performance both at internal processing, stages per model and post-implementation assessments of the goals of RRG, and
RRG based specifics tests. The empirical evaluations demonstrate that the CSA is a proof-of-concept, demonstrating RRG's fitness for purpose for describing, and explaining phenomena, language processing and knowledge, and computational adequacy. Contrastingly, evaluations identify the complexity of lower level computational mappings of NL - agent to ontology with semantic gaps, and further addressed by a lexical bridging consideration (Panesar, 2017)
Understanding matrix-assisted continuous co-crystallization using a data mining approach in Quality by Design (QbD)
No full textYesThe present study demonstrates the application of decision tree algorithms to the co-crystallization process. Fifty four (54) batches of carbamazepine-salicylic acid co-crystals embedded in poly(ethylene oxide) were manufactured via hot melt extrusion and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, differnetial scanning calorimetry, and near-infrared spectroscopy. This dataset was then applied in WEKA, which is an open-sourced machine learning software to study the effect of processing temperature, screw speed, screw configuration, and poly(ethylene oxide) concentration on the percentage of co-crystal conversion. The decision trees obtained provided statistically meaningful and easy-to-interpret rules, demonstrating the potential to use the method to make rational decisions during the development of co-crystallization processes.Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (ZMCS-2018-783) and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC EP/J003360/1 and EP/L027011/1