30793 research outputs found
Sort by
Effective thermal conductivity prediction model for vacuum insulation cores
Full text linkData availability:
Data will be made available on request.Supplementary materials are available online at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123026000782#sec0012 .Accurate prediction of thermal conductivity of porous granular materials enables the identification and rapid optimisation of new composite core materials for Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIPs). To date, no computer model has reported the use of multi-sized particles with a combined Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Discrete Element Method (DEM) approach to predict thermal conductivity of VIP core. To fill this knowledge gap, we propose a FEA and DEM based thermal conductivity prediction model for powdery composites, particularly suited for VIPs. The geometry of the model was formed using random packing of multisized spherical particles using DEM and a MATLAB PDE-based thermal model solver was used to obtain a solution for the generated geometry. The model can predict effective thermal conductivity whilst accounting for the VIP-specific fundamental heat exchange phenomena. The results from the model are validated against those obtained from accompanying thermal conductivity measurements performed using the Transient Hot Wire method, with results falling within the error range for temperatures <491.15 K. Effective thermal conductivity of a perlite and Silicon Carbide (SiC) core at 0.1 mbar over a temperature range of 303 K to 803 K, with the proportion of perlite varying from 100 % to 50 % (by weight), as predicted by the model, is presented. The thermal conductivity of the 50 % perlite-50 % SiC composite had the lowest rate of increase of thermal conductivity of 46.3 %, with the value increasing from 12.1 mW m-1 K-1 at 303 K to 17.7 mW m-1 K-1 at 803 K.The authors would like to acknowledge the funding received from India’s SPARC project (ID 2066) and British Council’s ISPF research collaboration programme for PhotoHy. We would also like to acknowledge the Experimental Techniques Centre (ETC) at Brunel University for their support in providing FTIR equipment
MAKING FOOD EXPERIENCE DESIGN ACTIONABLE: A CUSTOMER-CENTRIC, PROCESS-BASED FRAMEWORK GROUNDED IN FOOD WELL-BEING
No full text.....
BANet: Enhancing Weakly Aligned Multimodal Object Detection via Balanced Bidirectional Alignment Network
No full textMultimodal object detection in remote sensing imagery has achieved remarkable performance, primarily owing to its ability to exploit complementary information from multiple modalities. However, most existing methods often suffer from substantial performance degradation under weakly aligned conditions, primarily due to the asymmetric utilization of information across different modalities. Therefore, we propose a novel multi-modal object detection network, termed Bidirectional Alignment Network (BANet), which aims to improve detection accuracy in weakly aligned multimodal remote sensing imagery by adopting a dual-path architecture and incorporating a dedicated Weakly Aligned Module (WAM) to explicitly mitigate misalignment and enhance cross-modal feature interaction. Specifically, WAM includes three cooperative components. Firstly, the Adaptive Cross-Modal Correlation Module (ACMCM) is designed to establish semantic correspondence by jointly modeling global dependencies and local similarities in a bidirectional manner. Then, the Symmetric Offset Generator (SOG) adopts a coarse-to-fine strategy to produce stable and symmetric offsets, thereby enabling precise and robust spatial alignment. Finally, the Progressive Fusion Strategy (PFS) adaptively integrates the original and aligned features through learnable weighting, effectively preserving modality-specific characteristics while enhancing both spatial alignment and semantic consistency. Extensive experiments on the DroneVehicle and VEDAI multimodal remote sensing datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method over other advanced multimodal remote sensing object detectors. Notably, BANet performs best on the two datasets with only 8.8M parameters, highlighting its effectiveness and efficiency for real-time UAV applications.Guoquan Li (Grant Number: 12411530119 and U21A20447
A comparative study of responses to corruption in the Gulf
Full text linkThis thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonCorruption proves to be a complex issue, as it negatively affects all branches of social and political life. Corruption practices compromise trust in the political system, as well as hindering economic development (including investment flows) and preventing the recognition and the enjoyment of civil and political rights.¹ [...
A CDCA2–MYC positive feedback loop controls cancer cells survival
Full text linkData accessibility:
The data underpinning the publication will be shared by the corresponding author upon request.
Electronic supplementary material is available online [56]. Stamatiou Ket al. 2026 Supplementary material from: A CDCA2 - MYC positive feedback loop controls cancer cells survival. Figshare. (doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.c.8295614).Cellular myelocytomatosis oncogene (MYC) transcription factors are encoded by a family of genes that include the prototype member MYC, MYCN and MYCL, and most human cancers display expression alterations of MYC genes. MYC is regulated at multiple levels, and its stability and activity are modulated by protein phosphorylation. Although there is a reasonable knowledge of the kinases required for MYC modifications, the counteracting phosphatases have been understudied. Here, we have investigated the role of the chromatin-associated protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) regulatory subunit CDCA2, also known as Repo-Man, in the regulation of MYC proteins in cancer cells. Using RNA interference and degron-mediated degradation of CDCA2, we have demonstrated that the PP1 subunit is required for cMYC and MYCN stabilization and viability of triple-negative breast cancer, neuroblastoma and colon cancer cells. Proximity ligation assays indicate that both cMYC and MYCN are in close proximity to CDCA2 in vivo. Furthermore, we have shown that CDC2A is a bona fide MYC target gene in cancer cells, revealing a reciprocal regulatory loop that could be exploited for therapeutic purposes.The work on breast cancer was supported by a Breast Cancer Campaign PILOT grant to P.V. The work on neuroblastoma was supported by a KIDSCAN PhD studentship to P.V. and A.S. and a research grant from the Little Princess Trust to A.S. The results published here are in part based upon data generated by the TCGA Research Network: https://www.cancer.gov/tcga
Existential security and the cultural evolution of secularisation in Mauritius
Full text linkSupplementary data are available online at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1090513826000115?via%3Dihub#s0195 .Despite the central role of religion in human history and its continued global growth, an increasing number of individuals identify as secular or atheist across many parts of the world. Several evolutionary, social, and economic theories attempt to explain this process of decline, but most empirical tests of these theories focus on post-industrial, primarily Christian countries in the Global North. This study widens the comparative lens within a cultural evolutionary framework: we test two theories of religious change, the existential insecurity hypothesis and cultural transmission models of religion, among three religious communities (Chrisitan, Hindu, Muslim) in the rapidly transitioning population of Mauritius. Contrary to theoretical accounts, existential security variables such as neighbourhood quality, household material security, and years of education have no consistent main effect on individual religious belief and practice. Perceived valuation of education by one's religious community bolsters individual religiosity, while perceived family valuation of education reduces belief. Exposure to religious displays (CREDs) from family members positively predicts individual religious belief and practices, however household material security influences these effects: exposure to religious displays is more influential at higher levels of material security, and at low levels of security, religiosity is relatively stable. This suggests that religious socialisation within the family is critical to the transmission of religion among those with high material security. These results demonstrate how the cultural evolutionary processes that give rise to religion may be sensitive to socioecological pressures.This project was funded by grant 61928 from the John Templeton Foundation awarded to Matthew M Gervais (PI), Aiyana K Willard (Co-I), and Nachita Rosun (Co-I)
The application of immersive technologies to alleviate lower-limb motor symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease: A scoping review and future research
No full textData Availability Statement: No primary data has been collected for this review study....The authors acknowledge that no institutional funding was provided for this research
Win-win food system approach to improve children’s nutrition: A pilot study in São Paulo, Brazil
No full textSupplementary data are available online at: https://www.emerald.com/he/article-supplement/1344672/docx/he-10-2024-0124_suppl1/ .Purpose:
To describe the development of a healthy eating habits intervention in a school and to evaluate parents’ acceptability of this initiative.
Design/methodology/approach:
This exploratory study was conducted between February and March 2022 in a public school serving children aged 1–4 years in São Paulo, Brazil. The school acted as an educational distribution channel. Interviews with school staff helped co-design four educational videos with seasonal recipes. These were matched with boxes of local vegetables (that would otherwise have been wasted by a local vegetable grower) and delivered to parents (matching ingredients to recipes). Qualitative analysis was conducted to evaluate parental acceptability of the intervention.
Findings:
The intervention was well-received. All parents liked the videos, 74% used most of the fruits and vegetables provided and 83% tried the recipes. However, 30% suggested reducing the amount of leafy greens, as their children tended to avoid them.
Originality/value:
This pilot intervention was feasible and appreciated by parents, indicating potential for adaptation in similar educational contexts. It contributes to the literature by testing a co-designed, school-based food education strategy in a low-income setting and emphasises the importance of integrating school and home environments to foster healthier eating habits. Further research is needed to assess long-term impacts and scalability.British Council (British Council: Sustainable School Meals UK-Brazil Research Workshop: A Win-Win Food Systems Approach to Improve Nutrition: Co-designing a Children's Motivational Video Intervention in São Paulo)
Renting to pet owners in the private rental sector: A cost-benefit analysis
No full text......This work was supported by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
Rate-Based Modeling and Sensitivity Analysis of Potassium Carbonate Systems for Carbon Dioxide Capture from Industrial Flue Gases
Full text linkData Availability Statement:
The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding authorsThe increasing atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) poses a critical threat to global climate stability, highlighting the need for efficient carbon capture technologies. While amine-based solvents such as monoethanolamine (MEA) are widely used for industrial CO₂ capture, they are subject to limitations such as high energy requirements for regeneration, solvent degradation, and environmental concerns. This study investigates potassium carbonate/bicarbonate system as an alternative solution for CO₂ absorption. The absorption mechanism and reaction kinetics of potassium carbonate in the presence of bicarbonates were reviewed. A rate-based model was developed in Aspen Plus, using literature kinetics, to simulate CO₂ absorption using 20 wt% potassium carbonate (K₂CO₃) solution with 10% carbonate-to-bicarbonate conversion under different industrial conditions. Three flue gas compositions were evaluated: cement industry, biomass combustion, and anaerobic digestion, each at 3000 m³/h flow rate. The simulation was conducted to determine minimum column height and solvent loading requirements with a target output of 90% CO₂ removal from the gas streams. Results demonstrated that potassium carbonate systems successfully achieved the target removal efficiency across all scenarios. Column heights ranged from 18 to 25 m, with molar K₂CO₃/CO₂ ratios between 1.41 and 4.00. The biomass combustion scenario proved most favorable due to lower CO₂ concentration and effective heat integration. While requiring higher column heights (18–25 m) compared to MEA systems (6–12 m) and greater solvent mass flow rates, potassium carbonate demonstrated technical feasibility for CO₂ capture. The findings of this study provide a foundation for technoeconomic evaluation of potassium carbonate systems versus amine-based technologies for industrial carbon capture applications.The European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 101084405 (CRONUS)
Data sources:
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage Open Research Online? Become a CORE Member to access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard! 👇