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Biochar production, activation, and applications: a comprehensive technical review
Get PDFOur planet has been facing critical challenges since the late 20th century, including climate change, resource shortages, environmental degradation and pollution, demanding urgent and sustainable solutions. Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from biomass pyrolysis, has gained attention for its great potentials in environmental remediation, pollutant removals, carbon neutrality, soil amendment, building materials, etc. The performance of biochar in these applications is highly related to its physicochemical properties, which are influenced by the feedstock and the preparation/activation methods. This paper reviews a wide range of biochar produced from various feedstocks and their performance in different applications. Advanced characterisations are discussed to unveil the fundamental mechanisms and provide insights for further improvement and optimization. The techno-economic analysis evaluates the feasibility, challenges, and opportunities for scaling up and adopting biochar in potential applications. By focusing on biochar's multifunctionality and sustainability, this paper provides a reference for future research on developing biochar as a green technology with environmental and economic benefits...
Corporate Egoism: An investigation of business ethics in the South-Western Nigerian banking industry
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Data will be made available on request.The normative theory of ethical egoism has been widely applied in management studies, and there is an increasing number of organisations subscribing to its core tenet of best interest and self-interest. Using ethical egoism and ethical impact theory, this article examines the reality of business ethics and ethical professionalism in the Nigerian banking sector by focusing on the different targets set by banks for their employees and the impacts thereof on their work and non-work lives. We present the findings of interviews with 47 present and past bankers in Nigeria, and these findings suggest that banks use egoism to set and ethicise unreasonable loan and deposit targets for their workers. Our findings further indicate that the pressure and consequences of not meeting these targets have forced many bankers to engage in various forms of unethical behaviour, such as bribery and ‘corporate prostitution’. We explain how bankers’ work-life balance and health are negatively affected in the contemporary banking workplace, in which organisational wellbeing is valued above employees’ wellbeing. This article makes a unique and original contribution to the study of corporate egoism and its associated implications in the global South
Perceiving the Environment in the Papuan Highlands: Reflections on the Ideas of Direct Perception and Attunement
Get PDFTim Ingold has criticised anthropologists for their disregard of direct perception: the idea that people can find meaning in an environment without recourse to signs and symbols. More recently he has complemented his understanding of direct perception: perception is not only concerned with surveying objects present that provide affordances for action; it is simultaneously about a presence and awareness in the very instant of perceptual realisation, what Ingold refers to as attunement. In contrast, this article argues direct perception as well as attunement provides a limited means of describing and understanding the perceptions and actions of people in their social, environmental and cosmological contexts. What is not clarified by the notions of direct perception and attunement is the issue of intention. Why does a person or persons select and act on some affordances and attunements instead of others? This argument is made with reference to ethnography from the Fuyuge people of Papua New Guinea
AI-Enhanced Agent-Based Modelling Approach for Forced Displacement Predictions
No full textThe increasing occurrence and complexity of forced displacement require robust predictive models to aid humanitarian responses. However, existing predictive models for forced displacement lack accurate and timely data, have gaps in existing datasets, struggle with the unpredictability of human behaviour, do not account for rapidly evolving political and environmental factors and introduce methodological uncertainties. Hence, this paper proposes a theoretical discussion of an artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced agent-based modelling (ABM) approach to assist effective humanitarian planning and efficient resource allocation. This novel approach aims to predict the movements of internally displaced people and the arrival of forcibly displaced individuals in neighbouring countries. Importantly, it introduces a combination of quantitative models and qualitative insights from expert knowledge, along with humanitarian reports. Our AI-enhanced ABM approach (i) uses an agent-based simulation tool, Flee, incorporating behavioural assumptions and customisable rulesets for scenario modelling, (ii) explores innovative near real-time data sources from geospatial data and social media activity to satellite imagery with AI techniques, and (iii) discusses the ABM model with AI-generated inputs to enhance the granularity, accuracy, and reliability of predictions.This work has been supported by Results for Development Institute, Inc., DT Global International Development UK Ltd and Save the Children under Grant Agreement No. R4D-002177
The wide range of battery systems: From micro- to structural batteries, from biodegradable to high performance batteries
No full textData availability:
Data will be made available on request.Battery systems are essential components of the on-going energy transition and digitalization of society. With the need to power an increasing variety of portable and stationary systems, ranging from disposable point-of-care devices or smart packaging systems to applications in portable computers and electric cars, an increasing variety of batteries and battery systems are being developed, each aiming to specific sets of required performance parameters, including energy and power density, cycling stability, flexibility, degradability, environmental impact or improved integration into the specific application context.
This work analyzed the state of the art of the different materials and geometries, performance parameters and applications of the different battery systems.
We discuss the rationale behind each material selection, the processing technologies and the integration into the specific application, taking into account the whole life-cycle of the battery. Further, the main challenges posed for each battery type will provide a roadmap for their successful development and application.The authors thank the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for financial Support under the framework of Strategic Funding UID/ 04650: Physics Centre of Minho and Porto Universities (CF-UM-UP), UIDB/04650/2020, UID/FIS/04650/2020, UID/EEA/04436/2020, and UID/QUI/00686/2020 and under projects POCI-01-0247-FEDER-046985, and 2022.03931. PTDC funded by national funds through FCT and by the ERDF through the COMPETE2020—Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI). NGS-New Generation Storage, C644936001-00000045, supported by IAPMEI (Portugal) with funding from the European Union NextGenerationEU (PRR). The author also thank the FCT for financial support under FCT investigator 2020.04028.CEECIND (DOI:10.54499/2020.04028.CEECIND/CP1600/CT0018) (C.M.C.). M.S acknowledges the funding from the European Union H2020 Program under the Marie Curie global fellowship (ROCHE, 101026163). This study forms part of the Advanced Materials program and was supported by MCIN with funding from European Union NextGenerationEU (PRTR-C17.I1) and by the Basque Government under the IKUR program and Elkartek programs. The authors thank for technical and human support provided by SGIker (UPV/EHU/ ERDF, EU).
This work was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (RS-2024-00344021). The authors thank BBSRC (BB/X011445/1) for financial support. Cheng Yan appreciate the financial support from two ARC Discovery Projects (DP250102887 and DP250102885).
The authors also acknowledge support from the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)/Research Ireland (RI) Connect Research Centre project co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund under Grant Number 13/RC/2077_P2, and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) BatterySense project under Grant Number RDD 864
Developing a novel 3D tubulogenesis model to investigate the role of cilia in kidney disease
No full textThis thesis was submitted for the award of Master of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonPrimary cilia are a highly conserved, antenna-like organelles that protrude from the cell membrane of most eukaryotic cells. This organelle functions as a sensory hub that is critical for cellular signalling. When cilia or ciliary signalling is disrupted, it can often lead to disease. Collectively, disorders caused by ciliary dysfunction are called ciliopathies. This thesis investigates the role of cilia in two separate diseases, Autosomal dominant polycystic disease and Arthrogryposis-Renal Dysfunction-Cholestasis Syndrome.
Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common ciliopathy and is characterised by the growth of multiple fluid filled cysts in the kidneys. ADPKD kidneys present a disruption in calcium signalling, cAMP levels, and mTOR pathways, all of which drive cystogenesis. Cilia are critical in PKD because the main proteins affected in this disease, Polycystin-1 (PKD1) and Polycystin-2 (PKD2) reside in cilia. To understand this role, my research aimed to replicate the ADPKD phenotype in vitro by engineering a PKD1 knockout in a human renal cell line, and to model cystic formation in 3D using human renal cell lines. The pipeline to generate a PKD1 knockout in human renal cells was successfully tested and optimised, with current ongoing work validating knockout clones. A novel 3D tubulogenesis assay was successfully developed using human renal proximal tubule cells on a Matrigel based matrix. This assay was used to promote cyst formation, from which libraries of drugs can now be tested on to reduce cyst formation.
Arthrogryposis-Renal Dysfunction-Cholestasis (ARC) Syndrome is a rare and fatal autosomal recessive and multisystem disorder, caused by mutations in vacuolar protein sorting 33 homolog B (VPS33B). Classical features of ARC syndrome include renal dysfunction. VPS33B has been shown to interact with RAB11A, which functions in early ciliogenesis, suggesting a ciliary link for VPS33B. This research aimed to replicate the ARC phenotype in human renal proximal tubule cells using a 3D Matrigel model, and to investigate whether VPS33B could affect cilia formation. Both VPS33B knockout and knockdown cells showed tubulogenesis defects and impaired ciliogenesis, which has never been reported before.
In this thesis, I developed a novel 3D tubulogenesis model to understand kidney disease, and we uncovered a novel role of VPS33B in ciliogenesis. This model will be key to investigate kidney disease and to understand how this is affected by cilia.Kidney Research U
Operational resilience of chemical plant
No full textThis thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonWith chemical plant contributing $5.4 trillion to the global economy annually, frequently representing
a Major Accident Hazard, and their control systems having an average age of 20 years, the
prospect of a cyberattack resulting in full or partial breach by threat actors is of great concern to
owners, customers and wider stakeholders (the latter frequently including anyone downwind).
A great deal of frameworks to deal with this threat exist, including multiple uses of Machine
Learning (ML). However, these only go as far as the detection of cyberattacks, leaving a research
gap in automated responses or the use of ML agents to both generate novel threat vectors and
respond to them.
In this thesis, we cover some historical attacks and incidents involving chemical plant and their
impacts, and what existing Laws and frameworks already cover how plant safety and cybersecurity
should be considered. We then investigate the use of adversarial Reinforcement Learning (RL)
for both generating and identifying threat vectors, then detecting and responding to intrusions of
chemical plant.
To address this gap, we have developed a customised version of the Tennessee Eastman process
as example, suitable for use with existing interfaces for training RL agents. We then trialled
this with a benchmark suite of test scenarios using different agents, one defending the plant (“Blue
Team”) and one attacking the plant (“Red Team”), mimicking a common operational cybersecurity
challenge. These agents were implemented with Deep Q learning and Deep Deterministic Policy
Gradient algorithms dependent on the scenario, in order to model different Blue Team and Red
Team capabilities, with Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient agents having Continuous manipulation
of plant variables available. We additionally implemented a variant where the Blue Team was
assisted with a digital twin in order to make enhanced predictions of future plant state, and scenarios
which varied the Red Team’s goals, with the default being plant shutdown.
The Blue Team learnt passive policies during periods of normal plant operation, so that it would
not disrupt the plant. The Red Team was primarily effective at achieving its aims, most commonly
producing a plant shutdown in slightly under three minutes by inducing an oscillation in reactor
pressure, usually by manipulating both setpoints and sensor readings. Deep Q learning variants of
the Red Team could also disrupt the plant, sometimes in as little as 25 seconds. This behaviour
was, however, independent of the Red Team’s goals. When combined, the Red Team consistently
performed well, with the Blue Team only occasionally extending plant uptime. The testbed developed is extensible for further testing against future Blue Team or Red Team
agent implementations, however it is likely to require additional theoretical verification in order to
be employed on plant. Observed behaviour such as the reactor pressure oscillation observed could
be seen as Indicator of Compromise, as could a divergence between the Digtal Twin and physical
plant before failure observed in the digital twin assisted version - these indicators would prove of
immense value to Security Operations Centre operatives looking to safeguard a real plant
Recommendations for management and future investigation of psychosis in neurodegenerative disease: Findings from the International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA) working group
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Psychosis is frequently observed in patients with neurodegenerative disease and may precede onset of cognitive symptoms. Additionally, the presence of psychosis in neurodegenerative disease is often associated with adverse effects including increased progression of cognitive decline and conversion to dementia, increased caregiver burden, and increased rates of placement in long-term care. Moreover, existing pharmacological treatments, which consist principally of off-label antipsychotic medications, may be associated with increased risk of harm, making management of symptoms challenging.
Objective:
We review recent advances in the field of psychosis in neurodegenerative disease, including advances in clinical criteria, biomarkers (neuroimaging, pathology, and genomic and epigenomics), and treatments.
Method:
Under the direction of the International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA), a task force comprised of experts in the field of psychosis in neurodegenerative disease was convened. An in-person meeting was organized in September 2024, coincident with the annual IPA Congress. The task force undertook a review of the literature in the areas of clinical care, biomarkers, and treatment, from which key recommendations for the management and future investigation of psychosis in neurodegenerative disease were derived.
Results:
It was concluded that psychosis in neurodegenerative disease has a characteristic phenomenology that despite sharing some features with schizophrenia spectrum psychotic disorders, may differ in other clinically meaningful aspects. Etiopathogenesis based on biomarker, genomic, and treatment studies may differ to some extent among neurodegenerative diseases. There is emerging evidence supporting the use of prescriptive non-pharmacological (WHELD intervention) and novel pharmacological (pimavanserin, muscarinic agonists) approaches in the treatment of psychosis in neurodegenerative disease.
Conclusion:
Future directions include the need for the implementation of evidence-based nonpharmacological treatments consistent with the aims of precision medicine, further investigation into novel pharmacological agents, mapping specific psychotic symptoms to specific biomarkers, and further exploration of the link between psychosis in neurodegenerative disease and other late-life psychoses
Alterations in Olfactory Cortex Volume in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Mild Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia: A Study of Sex-Related Differences
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Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.Background/Objectives: Aging is one of the greatest risk factors for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). As the disease progresses, neural loss in brain regions, such as the olfactory cortex (OC), i.e., a set of areas including the mediotemporal and orbitofrontal regions, may lead to dysfunction in the sense of smell and affect other brain regions that relate to the olfactory cortex by either afferent or efferent projections. Methods: The objective of this study was to assess sex-related differences in olfactory cortex volume using magnetic resonance imaging in individuals with mild cognitive impairment, probable dementia of the AD type and in healthy older adults, using the Mini-Mental Statement Examination score, years of education, and total intracranial volume as correction factors. Results: Atrophy of the olfactory cortex was observed in patients of both sexes with probable AD dementia. However, at the MCI stage, significant volumetric loss in the OC was detected in females only but not in males. Conclusions: This finding indicates greater pathological effects in this region in females at an earlier disease stage than in males. This study suggests that OC volume loss occurs differently between the sexes in older adults, with volumetric loss being greater in females.M.M.A. was funded by a scholarship from the King Abdullah International Research Center (KAIMRC). A.V. was supported by funding obtained under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4 Component 2 Investment 1.3—Call for tender No. 341 of 15 March 2022 of the Italian Ministry of University and Research funded by the European Union—NextGenerationEU, Project code PE0000006, Concession Decree No. 1553 of 11 October 2022 adopted by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, CUP D93C22000930002, “A multiscale integrated approach to the study of the nervous system in health and disease” (MNESYS)
Numerical Analysis of Jacked and Impact-Driven Pile Installation Procedures in Offshore Wind Turbine Foundations
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The raw data obtained in this research are available upon request.The increasing global demand for renewable energy has resulted in a high interest in wind power, with offshore wind farms offering better performance than onshore installations. Coastal nations are thus, actively developing offshore wind turbines, where monopiles are the predominant foundation type. Despite their widespread use, the effects of monopile installation methods on the overall foundation behaviour are not sufficiently yet understood. This study investigates how different pile installation procedures—jacked and impact-driven—affect the lateral capacity of monopile foundations under both monotonic and dynamic lateral loads, by comparing them with wished-in-place monopiles, the usual assumption in design, for which no soil disturbance due to installation is considered. Three finite element 3D models were employed to simulate these cases, i.e., wished-in-place monopile, jacked, and impact-driven pile, incorporating soil zoning in the latter cases to replicate the effects of the installation methods. Comparisons between all these models, when subject to lateral monotonic and cyclic loads, are presented and discussed in terms of displacements in the soil and horizontal normal stresses. Results reveal that these installation methods significantly influence soil reactions, impacting the lateral performance of monopiles under both monotonic and dynamic conditions. The impact-driven pile demonstrated the most significant influence on the monopile behaviour. These findings highlight the need for engineers to account for installation effects in the design of monopile foundations to enhance performance and reliability, as well as the optimisation of their design.This research received no external funding
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