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Bridging global evidence with local needs: a systematic review to inform climate and biodiversity strategies in Malawi
No full textThis systematic review synthesised global scientific evidence (n = 54 studies) to extract potentially transferable strategies for addressing climate change and biodiversity loss in Malawi. Guided by the Protocol, Search, Appraisal, Synthesis, Analysis, and Reporting (PSALSAR) framework, this review analysed research published between 2014 and 2024, with a focus on identifying interventions from socio-ecological contexts comparable to Malawi. Despite the global nature of the literature, only 7 % of the studies focused on Africa, and none specifically on Malawi, revealing a significant geographic evidence gap. Through contextual mapping, the review highlights promising approaches, including community-based adaptation, integrated governance, and renewable energy transitions. While the insights are preliminary, they offer a foundation for future empirical validation in Malawi and similar low-income, biodiversity-rich countries. The study contributes to knowledge localisation and identifies priorities for interdisciplinary research, community engagement, and policy alignment. Future research should refine these strategies and evaluate their applicability across diverse contexts to support global efforts in combating climate change and preserving biodiversity.Environmental and Sustainability Indicator
A Causal Validation augmented Temporal Convolutional Framework for brain effective connectivity networks estimation
No full textAdvancements in neuroimaging have facilitated unprecedented insights into brain connectivity, making the study of brain effective connectivity networks (ECNs) essential for understanding neurological functions and diseases. Recently, neural networks (NNs) have emerged as powerful tools for ECN estimation due to their prominent universal approximation ability and less reliance on prior knowledge. However, most NN-based approaches fail to eliminate redundant temporal information and lack rigorous causal validation mechanisms. This paper introduces a novel end-to-end framework for estimating ECNs utilising Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (Lasso) regression of Temporal Convolutional Networks (TCNs), named the Causal Validation augmented Temporal Convolutional Framework (CVTCF). In the CVTCF, a convolutional Hierarchical Group Lasso (cHGL) is proposed to detect Granger Causality (GC) inputs and eliminate redundant temporal information during GC detection. Additionally, the framework incorporates permutation importance validation based on the Wilcoxon signed-rank test to enhance the reliability of GC detection. The proposed CVTCF generally outperformed state-of-the-art methods in a controlled simulation using the chaotic Lorenz-96 model and the publicly available blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) benchmark dataset. Furthermore, the proposed CVTCF has enabled a detailed analysis of the causal interactions within the cerebral cortex, bringing to light the intricate relationships that underlie neurological functioning and impairment of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Parkinson's Disease (PD). This study demonstrates the potential of using ECN estimation based on the CVTCF as indicators for neurodegenerative diseases and paves the way for future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.Neural Network
A comparative techno-economic feasibility of hydrogen production from sugarcane bagasse and bread waste
Get PDFAn increase in the emphasis on sustainable energy solutions underscores a vital need for hydrogen as a clean, decarbonizing, and efficient energy carrier. This necessity is driving extensive research into alternative feedstocks for hydrogen production. Promising resources like sugarcane bagasse and bread waste, valued for their abundance and high sugar content, can be a promising feedstock for hydrogen. Processes, such as steam reforming of ethanol and aqueous-phase reforming of xylitol, effectively utilize sugarcane bagasse and bread waste to produce hydrogen, supporting a circular bioeconomy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. This study aims to investigate the process design and techno-economic feasibility of hydrogen production from sugarcane bagasse and bread waste. Results show that sugarcane bagasse-based feedstock requires higher capital investment and annual operational costs, at 68.3 M per year compared to bread waste-based feedstock, which involves 49.8 M per year, respectively. Profitability analysis indicated that bread waste-based hydrogen production was more economically viable, with a higher net present value of 36.45 M$ and a higher internal rate of return of 17 %, along with a payback period of 11 years. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the selling price of hydrogen and fixed capital investment were the most influential parameters affecting the net present value. These findings highlight the economic advantages of utilizing bread waste over sugarcane bagasse, suggesting that bread waste is a more cost-effective and sustainable option for hydrogen production. By prioritizing bread waste as a feedstock, it is possible to achieve significant economic benefits, making it a strategic choice for future hydrogen production initiatives and advancing renewable energy technologies.Natural Environment Research CouncilDr. Gadkari would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) UK project grant: NE/W003627/1.Fue
Systematic methodology for the preliminary design of future rotary VTOL martian aerobots
Get PDFThis paper proposes and describes a methodology for the preliminary design of aerobots for future Martian exploration missions within a framework. The methodology takes into account inputs derived from top-level mission requirements and site locations to obtain the critical mission parameters that affect the performance of the rotorcraft. The proposed methodology allows for incorporating multi-rotor configurations into the trade-offs based on the required power to perform flight profiles. The equations, based on momentum theory for conventional helicopters, are derived and generalised to estimate the required power for flight segments such as hover, vertical climb, and forward flight for rotorcraft with both overlapping and non-overlapping rotors such as coaxial, tandem, and multirotor configurations. The resulting performance data is used for sizing and selecting the critical components of the aerobot in a mission scenario, such as rotor and battery sizes. Notably, the analyses conducted on rotorcraft with single and dual rotors identified a tandem rotorcraft configuration without folding mechanisms as the optimal choice due to its superior power efficiency and mechanical simplicity. Through calculated equations for battery mass and available empty mass estimation, this framework enables the optimisation and selection of an efficient rotary VTOL aerobot for Martian missions in the years to come.Acta Astronautic
Translating management research into practice: a six-step path to engage stakeholders
Get PDFScholars have observed that management research can miss opportunities to translate its findings into practice. Some emphasize the importance of academic-practice collaboration in designing, implementing, and disseminating management research to ensure academic rigor and practitioner relevance. These views align well with evidence-based management perspectives. This paper's objective aims to describe what a research-to-practice translation path might resemble. This effort describes a six-step model to bridge research and practice: 1) identification, 2) engagement, 3) dissemination, 4) exploitation, 5) evaluation, and 6) refresh. It draws on diverse sources of information obtained via purposeful sampling (literature, websites, thought leader interviews, and personal experience and networks) to provide illustrative examples to reflect how researchers or practitioners who translate their Ph.D. work into practice engage with these steps. This work's contributions involve a roadmap for translation and extension of prior works in the extant literature calling for academic-practice collaboration in designing, implementing, and disseminating management research and multiple research-to-practice experience examples to illustrate how scholars and practitioners embrace such efforts for each phase. It also extends the ongoing academic conversation on this topic. This work proposes avenues for future research to address the limitations of this descriptive narrative. It seeks to refine the proposed model that can aid management researchers in their efforts to translate their works for managers and other practitioners.Cogent Business & Managemen
An integrated knowledge transfer framework for enhancing international university-industry collaboration in novel sanitation technology development
No full textLIghterness, Paul - Associate SupervisorApproximately 3.5 billion people worldwide lack access to safe sanitation
services, a challenge that demands innovative solutions. University-industry
collaborations (UICs) are increasingly recognised as a means to develop and
commercialise cutting-edge technologies addressing such global issues.
However, these partnerships face complexities in transitioning lab-based
inventions to market-ready products, especially during the critical stages of
technology development and refinement.
This thesis presents an integrated knowledge transfer framework for international
UICs, focusing on the development and commercial handover of novel sanitation
technology. Through a series of interconnected studies, the research explores
the micro-level interactions and processes within the execution phase of
international UICs. The framework synthesises insights from three key studies:
field testing dynamics in cross-cultural settings, which reveals the effectiveness
of diverse team structures in different geographical contexts; a novel iterative
development process (ERDE: Experimenting, Reviewing, Distributing,
Executing), which provides a structured approach to capturing and integrating
multi-modal feedback from dispersed partners; and the role of physical and digital
boundary objects in technology and knowledge synchronisation across dispersed
partners, highlighting the challenges and successes of alignment between
university and industry collaborators. Each study contributes unique insights: the
field testing research informs practices for geographically dispersed
collaborations; the ERDE framework addresses challenges in the technology
‘Valley of Death’ by facilitating decentralised development; and the boundary
object study emphasises the need for adaptive communication strategies across
cultural and institutional boundaries. By examining a range of critical activities in
technology development, this research contributes to both theoretical
understanding and practical management of knowledge transfer in international
UICs. The integrated frameworks offers a comprehensive approach to navigating
the complexities of geographically dispersed innovation processes and facilitating
knowledge alignment within international collaborations, particularly for
technologies intended for diverse global contexts. This work has implications for
academics, practitioners, and policymakers involved in developing and
transferring innovative technologies across institutional and international
boundaries to achieve far-reaching societal impactPhD in Desig
Potentials for energy savings and carbon dioxide emissions reduction in cement industry
Get PDFCement production accounts for 7% of global carbon dioxide emissions, 3 to 4% of greenhouse gas emissions, and 7% of global industrial energy use. Cement demand is continuously increasing due to the rising worldwide population and urbanisation trends, as well as infrastructure development needs. By 2050, global cement production is expected to increase by 12 to 23% from its current level. Following the net-zero carbon 2050 agenda, both energy and emissions must be significantly reduced. Different production routes exist to produce cement that differs in energy intensity as well as carbon intensity. Similarly, a range of values exists related to energy and emissions for the major cement production stages i.e., raw meal preparation, clinkerisation and cement grinding. The same is the case with cement types produced. This study presents a literature review-based investigation and comparison of cement production practices in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions. This will provide perspectives to the cement industry by identifying approaches that are the least energy and emissions intensive.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research CouncilThe authors would like to acknowledge the UK EPSRC-funded project “Transforming Foundation Industries Research and Innovation Hub (TransFIRe)” (EP/V054627/1) for the support of this work.Sustainable Manufacturing as a Driver for GrowthLecture Notes in Mechanical Engineerin
Sustainable 6G-NTN for seamless air mobility: exploring channel propagation characteristics
Get PDFThe air transportation vision for sustainable sixthgeneration (6 G) wireless communications networks revolves around ensuring ubiquitous coverage and spectral efficiency with enhanced network intelligence in the diverse communication scenarios. This vision extends beyond terrestrial networks to include non-terrestrial networks (NTN) by incorporating GX Inmarsat satellites and aircraft networks. In the context of 6G GX satellite scenarios, aircraft seamless transportation plays a crucial role as a densely populated intermediate network layer between ground networks and space-based ones. The paper proposes a new sustainable mechanism with mathematical model to improve channel propagation, which has been validated by crucial analysis of propagation channel modeling within the framework of 6 G technology. It highlights the significance of such modeling with the guarantee of dependable communications, maximizing availability, and establishing system parameters like antenna layout and relay deployment. It explores industry trends and ongoing field trial initiatives, offering valuable insights into the progress and outcomes that will shape the future of 6G NTN.National Cancer Centre JapanThis research funded by the Future Aviation Security Solutions (FASS) program through a grant from the UK Department for Transport (DfT) and supported by NCC-Group2025 Integrated Communications, Navigation and Surveillance Conference (ICNS
Fundamental concepts of boundary-layer ingestion propulsion
No full textThis work further develops energy-based far-field methods by introducing Galilean covariance in work–energy relationships of flight. The novelty lies in how decomposition formulations are rederived from integral forms of the governing laws applicable to moving control volumes. It is shown that aerodynamic performance is best evaluated in a reference where the aircraft moves through the atmosphere. The advantages are clearly demonstrated through the formulation of a hypothesis on boundary-layer ingestion (BLI) power savings using a series of simplified flat plate–BLI propulsor configurations. This hypothesis links BLI power savings to the energy content within the boundary layer and the propulsor’s ability to attenuate the ingested boundary layer’s velocity profile. Extensive numerical studies on both laminar and turbulent flows are carried out to test this hypothesis, examining different levels of wake recovery achieved through a body force model propulsor with varying load distributions. Near-perfect wake attenuation is shown to yield maximum power savings, but only for higher-Reynolds-number flows, where the influence of aeropropulsive interference on upstream dissipation is minimal. The flat plate findings are extended to a 2D axisymmetric fuselage representation, where baroclinic losses become significant. A maximum power saving of around 8% is achievable at typical cruise conditions for a single-aisle passenger aircraft.Innovate UKThis work has been partially conducted under the Advanced Product Concept Analysis Environment (APROCONE) project, funded by the British Government through the Aerospace Technology Institute and Innovate UK, with grant number 113092, in collaboration with Airbus UK Ltd.Journal of Aircraf
Hydrogen Demand Data of an average size farm in the UK
No full textGreen hydrogen offers a transformative yet underexplored pathway for agricultural de-carbonisation, requiring technological readiness and coordinated action from policymakers, industry, and farmers. To examine its potential, techno-economic analyses were con-ducted for farms ranging from an average size of 123 hectares to clusters of 10 farms. These were complemented by stakeholder engagement, including seven semi-structured interviews and a workshop with nine sector experts.
The findings highlight both technical opportunities and significant barriers. While on-farm hydrogen production is technically feasible, it remains economically uncompetitive due to high levelised costs, shaped by seasonal demand variability and low utilisation of electrolysers and storage. Addressing these challenges requires pooling demand across multiple users to improve cost-effectiveness. Stakeholders identified three business models for hydrogen adoption in agriculture: fertiliser production through ammonia synthesis, cooperative-based models, and local refuelling stations. With supportive policy and coordinated action, co-operative hydrogen hubs can cut costs, address farmers’ concerns over affordability, complexity, and adaptability, and transform hydrogen into a practical driver of decarbonisation and rural resilience.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC