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Accelerating the transition to a circular economy (CE) through exchange of excess materials: A conceptual framework for an excess materials exchange (EME) for the public sector, built environment in Ireland.
No full textThe research examines the viability of accelerating the transition to a circular economy (CE) in Ireland through the exchange of excess materials from the public sector, built environment. This study uses Design Science Research (DSR) as described in Hevner et al. (2004) as its primary methodological approach. The research process consisted of problem identification and the
motivation for the project, defining objectives for a solution and the results needed, and the creation of an innovative artefact.
The study begins with a comprehensive literature review which examines the current state of the CE, and specifically the contribution of the built environment to material resource depletion globally, and nationally. A model was developed from the literature and was further refined using data from the primary research, consisting of a series of interviews with twelve (n=12) industry experts with expertise in economic and social research, procurement, design, and public policy areas. The results of the interview process identified several key factors which further influenced the development of the conceptual framework for excess materials exchange (EME). The main research findings were the following: a) the definition of excess materials must include a broad category of descriptors to reach scale, b) mandatory legislation, specifically through the mechanism of circular public procurement would enable adoption of an EME framework across the public sector, c) a carbon tax or allowance could incentivise the use of circular materials, and d) an EME should be regulated and governed by a commercial state agency, successful examples of which already exist within the Irish state. The conceptual framework for excess materials exchange is offered as a proposed solution to the problem of material and energy value loss, specifically as it concerns construction and demolition (C&D) waste. In Ireland C&D waste accounts for 8.2m tonnes in 2020 (EPA, 2023). Ireland’s circular material use rate is 1.6% which compares unfavourably with the EU circular material use rate average of 11.9% (Eurostat, 2023). The low circular materials use rate in Ireland suggests that a significant percentage of C&D waste could be reused, but it will require efficient systems and mechanisms to recover, categorise, certify, and manage materials along the value chain. The conceptual framework also proposes that incentivisation and mandatory legislation could
increase adoption of an EME framework and accelerate the transition to the circular economy.n
The suitability of vegetable fibres for the reinforcement of concrete
No full textThe use of vegetable fibres as a sustainable alternative to non-natural fibres for
reinforcing concrete was investigated in this research. For plant-based fibres, previous
studies have identified issues such as the variability in properties and biodegradability
in the alkaline pH of concrete.
The study was divided into four different sections along with the literature review.
First, the properties of untreated flax and hemp fibres were assessed. Second, the
fibres were subjected to surface treatments using NaOH (at concentrations of 5%,
15%, and 15%), KMnO4, stearic acid, and EDTA solutions for various durations (4, 6,
10, 15, and 24 hours) to minimize variability and degradation caused by the alkaline
pH of concrete. The effects of each treatment were evaluated, and the treatments that
yielded the most satisfactory results were selected. For flax fibres, the 4-hour stearic
acid treatment, which was a novel treatment in this study, was chosen. For hemp
fibres, the 24-hour NaOH 10% treatment was selected, which provided original results
for the reinforcement of concrete. Thirdly, the effects of an alkaline environment on
the tensile strength and elastic modulus of treated and untreated fibres were assessed.
Lastly, the effect of long fibres (40 ± 5mm) on certain properties of concrete was
investigated. The addition of treated fibres increased the peak flexural tensile strength
and reduced the elastic modulus of the concrete by at least 50% after 28 days. The
mixes containing treated fibres exhibited significantly lower fracture energy values
than the basalt fibre reinforced blend. Both types of fibre reinforced concretes using
surface-treated fibres showed higher values for residual tensile strength. Additionally,
the addition of fibres improved the thermal conductivity of the concrete, and a
reduction in density was observed based on the volume of added flax fibres.ye
Nanofibrillated cellulose originated from Rhododendron ponticum to produce scaffolds using 3D printing for biomedical applications
No full textRhododendron ponticum is an invasive species that spreads rapidly and is described as one of the biggest threats to
peatlands in Ireland. This study offers an innovative approach to utilizing Rhododendron waste. Initially,
sawdust was submitted to a bleaching treatment and the nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) was obtained using two
different methods: ultra-fine friction grinding and twin-screw extrusion with the assistance of TEMPO (2,2,6,6-
tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy) pre-treatment. The samples processed through twin-screw extrusion exhibited the
presence of NFC at five intervals, as confirmed by TEM analysis. However, these samples displayed a higher
diameter deviation compared to those processed through grinding alone. Notably, after 20 extrusion steps, the
NFC diameter became more uniform, reaching approximately 35 nm. Sedimentation tests showed that extrusion
produced more homogeneous cellulose size than the grinder method. However, FTIR characterization for the
samples showed a unique band related to C-O-C glycosidic linkage. The results showed that grinding breaks these
groups resulting in crystallinity values lower than extrusion, 50 % compared 60 %. Therefore, NFC with 20 steps
by grinding was blended with polycaprolactone to produce a 3D scaffold using a 3D printer at different ratios of
1–5 % addition. The effect of 1 % of NFC was unique showing significant enhanced mechanical properties
compared to pure polycaprolactone (PCL), additionally, the NFC does not exhibit toxicity so these materials show
promise for biomedical applications.ye
This style of critical thinking that can driver fresher idea generation
No full textInversion thinking asks us to mentally simulate a scenario in which our answer/solution is incorrect.
Working backward, like reverse engineering, is a common method used in problem-solving.
Considering what makes a hypothetical answer "bad" may help generate ideas for what might be improved.ye
In silico identification of potential PvFKBP35 inhibitors from Entadrophragma angolense Limonoids extracts as antimalarial agents
No full textPlasmodium species, which are spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes, are responsible for malaria. Out of the five major Plasmodium species, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are the most deadly and invasive species responsible for 99.7% and 75% of malaria cases in Africa and America respectively. Despite the invasive nature of malaria, the Plasmodium parasite continues to develop resistance to current drugs. It is therefore imperative to come up with new therapeutics to combat malaria. Previous studies have reported that Limonoids from the Meliaceae family possess antimalarial properties. This study therefore aims at employing computational approaches to identify potential antimalarial Limonoids by targeting PvFKBP35. PvFKBP35 has been reported to be a suitable target for antimalarial therapeutics as it is involved in various physiological activities including transcription, protein stability and folding. Molecular docking, Molecular Dynamics simulation and Molecular Mechanics-Poisson Boltzmann Surface Area calculation were employed to identify the potential leads. Sixteen [16] Limonoids extracted from the bark of the stem of Entadrophragma angolense were virtually screened against PvFKPB35. The top hit compounds were subjected to 500 ns Molecular Dynamics simulation and Molecular Mechanics – Poisson Boltzmann Surface Area calculations to examine their stability and free binding energy. Two potential leads, compounds 1 and 11 with binding energies −6.3 and −5.4 kcal/mol respectively were identified. The potential leads in complexed with PvFKBP35 had an average root mean square deviation of 1.18 ± 0.19 Å and 3.12 ± 0.60 Å, indicating their stability. Solvent Accessible Surface Area was utilized to predict the penetrative ability of the compounds into the binding pocket. Average Solvent Accessible Surface Area values of 327.88 ± 47.54 A2, 402.18 ± 39.81 A2 were obtained for compounds 1 and 11 respectively. ADMET estimations of compounds 1 and 11 predicted them to be druglike and do not violate Lipinski's rule of five. Compounds 1 and 11 need be tested in vitro to validate their antimalarial activity although they were predicted to be antiprotozoal with Pa values 0.207 and 0.162. These compounds can then serve as the scaffold for the design of novel antimalarial therapeutics.ye
A quality of experience evaluation of text and 3D instruction formats in augmented reality applications
No full textAugmented reality (AR) is an emerging technology that has significant potential as a solution for novel procedure assistance and repeatable procedure training. Instructions are a method to communicate how to perform a procedure for different reasons and pedagogical goals. This can range from assistance with once-off product assembly to long term learning. The main barrier to mass adoption of optical see-through AR headsets for these roles arises when AR instruction fails to fulfil the user’s pragmatic and hedonic needs and expectations due to human, system and context influencing factors. User quality of experience (QoE) considers this fulfilment to be reflected in the user’s degree of delight or annoyance. The ability to directly measure emotional response using modern psychophysiological instruments is shifting the focus of quality assessment towards evaluation of fulfilment of user needs and expectations. In this context, the work presented in this thesis focuses on understanding the influence of instruction formats considering AR as a potential platform for procedure assistance and training. Instruction format was evaluated over two distinct studies specific to the procedure assistance and training roles. In Study 1, the influence of paper-based and AR-based text instruction formats on user QoE for procedure assistance was evaluated using a Rubik’s Cube® proof of concept. In Study 2, a combined text and interactive animated 3D model instruction format was compared against a text-only instruction format within AR using a GoCube™ proof of concept for training. Two separate AR applications were developed. Physiological ratings, facial expressions and eye gaze metrics were recorded. Subjective experience was reported using Likert scale, self-assessment manikin and NASA task load questionnaires. Statistical analysis was employed to identify statistically significant differences between usage of the different instruction formats. Correlation and regression analysis were undertaken to identify novel implicit metrics of QoE. The results from Study 1 show that the AR instruction format yielded objective performance benefits over the paper-based instruction format for procedure assistance while participants reported higher acceptability of AR. Heart rate features indicated increasing stress in both test groups, which corelated to mental load in both groups. Study 2 results show that the text-only instruction format yielded faster instruction response times in procedure training compared to a combined text and model instruction format. Female trainees using the combined instruction format were significantly slower in training and recall than females that used the text-only instruction format but reported requiring less cognitive effort than male participants during training and recall. An absence of statistically significant correlations between physiological ratings, facial expression and emotion terms used by the participants, calls into question the utility of such emotion terms as measures of emotional state. Facial expressions of action unit 20 correlated to task duration in both studies.ye
Drawing it Properly: An Examination of Smoking Portrayals in Texts on How to Draw in the Noir Graphic Novel/Comic Book Style
Get PDFSmoking remains a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally. Therefore attention must be paid to the manner is which pro-smoking materials may serve to reflect, reinforce and ultimately reproduce smoking behaviours. Prior examinations have identified high levels of smoking imagery in graphic novels/ comics. This pattern was replicated in a specific examination of the noir crime genre of graphic novels/ comics. In order to explore this in further depth this research identified and analysed two art texts that specifically address how to draw in the noir graphic novel/ comic genre. This analysis revealed a substantial volume of smoking imagery, often positioned prominently and of a large size . Smoking was clearly integral to the characters from the initial scene setting and conception of the image. This analysis also identified portrayals of smoking associated with stereotypical images, such as those of macho males and seductive women, including the classic femme fatale trope. Recommendations to combat the potential impacts of such imagery are made.ye
A Flexible and Intelligent Production System for Process Planning and Enterprise Performance Optimization
No full textMany companies have been expending considerable efforts to
continuously improve manufacturing processes to ensure their competitiveness and
remain in the market. Value Stream Mapping is a strategic tool that makes it possible
to visualize the macro of production to assist in planning and decision-making. It is
a process mapping that considers the workflow of a product from the arrival of the
raw material to the result that is delivered to the customer. Despite the benefits this
tool has provided to organizations, the time for its development is still very high, as
its data is still filled manually, allowing its analysis to be error-prone. Digital
technologies have brought several improvements to the methods and tools of
organizations. With the goal of obtaining contributions to engineering through
transdisciplinary approaches to decision support tools and methods, therefore, this
study will present the development of a dynamic web application using data
analytics and machine learning to visualize, identify bottlenecks, predict, and update
data in current and future state mappings. Intelligent systems tend to eliminate the
routine activities of engineering, so this application will allow engineers and
technicians to dedicate more time to dedicate themselves exclusively to activities
that require a more challenging level of managerial decision-makingye
A policy language for context-aware access control in zero-trust network
Get PDFEvolving computing technologies such as cloud, edge computing, and the Internet of
Things (IoT) are creating a more complex, dispersed, and dynamic enterprise
operational environment. New security enterprise architectures such as those based on
the concept of Zero Trust (ZT) are emerging to meet the challenges posed by these
changes. Context awareness is a notion from the field of ubiquitous computing that is
used to capture and react to the situation of an entity, based on the dynamics of a
particular application or system context. However, there is limited research and
discussion about the overlap between context awareness and Zero Trust, with existing
literature often treating them as separate entities, leading to potential inefficiencies.
One of the main challenges in merging the two concepts is the inflexibility of the
programming languages and systems used in crafting access control policies, which
sometimes result in excessively rigid policies. Addressing this challenge could be
achieved through a new programming language specifically designed for greater
flexibility and a wider consideration of contextual factors, leading to more robust
security measures that align more effectively with the principles of Zero Trust.
This work conducts a systematic review of the previous research in context-aware
access control to identify the various ways to capture and express context across
different access control types and different application domains. Based on this review,
it identifies how context can help provide dynamic policy-based solutions for zero trust applications.
It extends a previous work which designed a policy language for risk-based access
control in zero-trust networks. Specifically, this project extends the necessary
language constructs to include and handle dynamic contextual attributes.
Finally, it provides a proof of concept to demonstrate that the extended language can
give the correct access decisions based on the evaluation of contextual information in
zero-trust network.ye
Women's experiences of specialist perinatal health services: a qualitative evidence synthesis
No full textPurpose
Specialist perinatal mental health services identify and treat women experiencing mental health conditions during pregnancy and up to one year post birth. There is limited knowledge about women’s experiences of care from specialist services. Evaluation and optimisation of service delivery requires knowledge of women’s care experiences. This review aimed to systematically identify, appraise, and synthesise qualitative evidence exploring women’s experiences of specialist perinatal mental health services.
Methods
A systematic literature search of five databases: Medline (OVID), EMBASE (Elsevier), PsycINFO (EBSCO), CINAHL (EBSCO) and Scopus (Elsevier), grey literature searching, and backward citation, identified a total of 1035 papers of which sixteen met inclusion criteria. Methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool.
Results
Thematic synthesis identified three themes: connected relationships; new beginnings; and meaningful service delivery. Findings identified that relationships developed with clinicians were significant to women and their experience of care. Women valued continuity of care from dedicated non-judgemental clinicians. Peer support from other mothers was perceived as meaningful to women. Through service interventions women gained new insights into their infant’s needs and grew in confidence as a mother.
Conclusions
Women require provision of flexible and accessible specialist services with clinicians who are sensitive to their individual psychosocial needs and preferences. Examining discharge practices and continuing care needs is essential to ensure the best outcomes for women and their families.ye