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Horizon Europe and new European Bauhaus NEXUS Report: Conclusions of the High-Level Workshop on ‘Research and Innovation for the New European Bauhaus’, jointly organised by DG Research and Innovation and the Joint Research Centre
No full textThe report offers a set of guiding principles that can shape the goals and ambitions of the New European Bauhaus (NEB) initiative.1 These recommendations are organised on the basis of current and future Horizon Europe organisational structures and timeframes, and include: 1. Opportunities for the current funding period 2021-22 and potential short-term actions as reflected in Chapter 3 and Annex 1. The approach of ‘NEB marking and flagging’ applied to the call topics already defined in the Horizon Europe work programme 2021-2022 is necessary at the early stage of NEB but will likely prove insufficient, with the risk of distorting and dismantling otherwise systemic and holistic proposals in order to fit the Horizon Europe cluster-format. 2. Mid-term goals for the 2023-24 period that include recommendations (Chapter 4 with ‘Precedent Actions’ provided in Annex 2) for the formulation of a set of operating criteria, the identification of specific barriers in the form of knowledge gaps, entrenched behaviours and mindsets, existing institutional structures, and policy barriers, and the enumeration of possible research and design actions within the NEB framework. 3. Long-term actions beyond 2024 that reflect the NEB interdisciplinary, trans-sectoral vision. Chapter 5 and Annex 3 offer a set of novel approaches and formats designed to drive transformative change, making NEB both a disrupter and a re-uniter of Horizon Europe clusters and a sponsor of new, yet critical missions. In the longer term, the NEB can serve to build and operationalise potential synergies between European Union programmes, agencies, and institutions, maximising the effective use of Horizon Europe opportunities for research and innovation, and creating non-traditional educational structures, innovative curricula, and participatory public outreach programs. 4. Chapter 6 outlines a set of strategic priorities and associated benchmarks that describe a path forward for European society and its response to our climate emergency together with our global partners. These recommendations are intended to support the NEB values of Sustainability, Inclusion and Beauty, while seeking to direct its ethical development, guide the systemic analysis that informs it, sponsor the heterogeneous cultural aesthetics that may arise from it, and operationalise the holistic approach to the built environment that is its mission.DG Research and Innovation and the Joint Research Centr
Attaque frontale contre la responsabilité des entreprises
No full textLe 24 avril 2013, l'immeuble industriel Rana Plaza s'est effondré au Bangladesh, provoquant la mort de 1100 ouvriers et ouvrières du textile et 2000 blessés. Le 21 novembre de cette même année, une tragédie s'est également produite en Europe avec l’écroulement du centre commercial Maxima, inauguré en 2011, dans le quartier de Zolitūde à Riga (Lettonie). Bilan: 54 vendeuses, clients et secouristes ont perdu la vie; 41 autres personnes ont été blessées.Unia Trade Unio
Answering the Curlew's Call: A Beo and Raja adventure
No full textIn a bioeconomy and a nature-loving world, you protect and nurture an umbrella species very carefully, which also helps protect much more around you too. Under the Curlew's wings and long funny beak, so many other little ones are protected too.European Commission Horizon 2020Science Foundation IrelandThe explanatory guidance notes and learning activities related to this comic are available in the third file below. An animated video and puppet show version can be viewed at the following: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTyoQ3uXOvo (animation) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-YpUFJYH8I (puppet show)BioBeo Horizon Europe ProjectBiOrbic, SFI Bioeconomy Research Centre2025-02-26 JG: PDFs replaced at author's reques
Kräftemessen mit Musk: Tesla-Streik wird zum globalen Konflikt
No full textWas als lokaler Streik von 130 Mechanikern für einen Gesamtarbeitsvertrag (GAV) in den schwedischen Tesla-Servicewerkstätten begann, weitet sich zu einem globalen Konflikt aus. Laut dem schwedischen Schlichter für Arbeitskonflikte verbot Tesla-Boss Elon Musk seinen lokalen Managern jegliche Konzessionen an die Gewerkschaften, obwohl GAVs seit Jahrzehnten zentraler Bestandteil des skandinavischen Sozialmodells sind. Offensichtlich fühlt sich Elon Musk unendlich stark und denkt, dass er sogar die mitgliederstärksten Gewerkschaften Europas in die Knie zwingen kann. Letzte Woche war Tesla knapp 250 Milliarden US-Dollar wert. Im Vergleich dazu veranschlagte der schwedische Staat für das ganze Jahr 2023 Einnahmen von nur 122 Milliarden US-Dollar.Unia Trade Unio
Novel Tools to Understand the Behaviour of the Ctenophore Pleurobrachia pileus
No full textNeuroscience explores how nervous systems produce behaviour. One approach is to study simple animals with basic nervous systems and clear, easily defined behaviours to understand the structure-function relationship. Researchers typically choose either inherently simple organisms or animals at early developmental stages. We propose that Pleurobrachia pileus, a ctenophore, is well suited for this approach due to its simple nervous systems, simple behavioural repertoire, stereotyped developmental and reliable lab culturing. While tools exist to study ctenophore nervous systems, behaivoural recording and description methods are less developed. To address this we developed a flexible dual-view imaging platform (the MoTraScope) to can record Pleurobrachia behaviour across developmental stages and contexts. This system integrates automated tracking methods to facilitate large-scale behavioural data collection and can be applied to various micro- and mesoscale organisms. We developed an unsupervised behavioural analysis pipeline to compare methods for characterising Pleurobrachia behaviour, including evaluation metrics to select the best approach for the dataset. Using this system, we found behavioural differences between Pleurobrachia larvae that were one-day-old and two-to-five-day-old. We also analysed Beroe cucumis larvae but found no significant behavioural changes across larval stages. We also applied this pipeline to footage of adult Pleurobrachia in a Kriesel tank. However, in this case the circulating flow in the tank made it difficult to disentangle active behaviours from passive movement due to flow. Using Pleurobrachia to study structure-function relationships in nervous system, however, relies on the assumption that this relationship is relatively straightforward. To test this, we investigated whether the juxtatentacular nerve, a component of the subepithelial nerve net thought to play a role in transmitting signals between the body wall and the tentacle, is involved in either feeding behaviour or the tentacle retraction reflex. Using a lesion study and tailored behavioural paradigms, we found that lesioning the juxtatentacular nerve did not inhibit either behaviour. This suggests that the underlying neural control of these behaviours is more complex that initially assumed and the structure-function relationship in Pleurobrachia is not as simple as it appears. Together, these tools lay the foundation for establishing Pleurobrachia pileus as a model organism for investigating how nervous system structure gives rise to behaviour, while revealing the underlying complexity even in seemingly simple animals
Understanding the Welfare Attitudes of Ethnonational Minority Parties in Western Europe A Mixed-Method Approach
No full textPolitical parties that claim to represent the interests of territorially based ethnonational communities have emerged as relevant actors in the production of welfare policies at multiple levels of authority. As a result of their growing influence, they are able to shape the ways in which welfare policies and institutions are thought of and debated at both the sub-national and statewide levels of government. Despite the rising evidence pointing in this direction, very limited attention has been devoted to exploring how they approach and impact welfare policy-making. This dissertation investigates how and why they decide to intervene in welfare policy-making. Furthermore, it delves deeper into the role of ideologic, institutional, socio-economic and party-competition factors influencing the welfare attitudes of ethnonational minority parties. The scope of this analysis centres on the period between 1990 and 2020 and focuses on Western European regions. It takes a comparative approach by investigating the welfare discourse developed during multiple statewide and regional level elections. A mixed research methodology enables both generalisable and precise findings regarding their welfare attitudes. As ethnonational parties are characterised by seeking nationalist agendas, I contend that they aim to utilise the significance of welfare institutions to foster ideas of a common identity, past, and future. The results confirm that they are less prone to emphasise welfare expansion in statewide elections, but their positioning is not significantly distinct from that of statewide parties regionally. In addition, the results robustly confirm that authority devolution to regional levels of government in the form of self-rule is likely to positively influence how they view solidarity within and beyond their communities. The dynamics of ethnonational party competition, governance, ideology, and regional socioeconomic factors strongly interact with each other to influence how ethnonational minority parties regard social policy and the role of the state. This dissertation significantly contributes to a more complete understanding of the relationship between nationalism and social policy in multilevel institutional configurations
Nietzsche’s Philosophy of Life
No full textThis dissertation is an exploration of Nietzsche’s perspectives on life and aims to demonstrate how his thinking forms the basis for an affirmative understanding of human flourishing. This exploration will also show how and why Nietzsche’s philosophy effectively responds to nihilism. To achieve this objective, three distinct dimensions of Nietzsche’s idea of life — morality, art, and play — have been selected, which correspond to the figures of the “camel,” the “lion,” and the “child,” as presented in Nietzsche’s Thus Spoke Zarathustra. It is argued that these three figures, and consequently the associated concepts, constitute a comprehensive and cohesive framework for interpreting Nietzsche’s philosophy of life. Although these three states do not coexist or operate in parallel within Nietzsche’s philosophy, a discernible continuity between them and throughout Nietzsche’s writings can be identified. In this sense, the overarching aim of this thesis is articulated through the following interrogations: In what manner does Nietzsche’s philosophy seek to overcome and surmount nihilism? How does Nietzsche’s philosophy “define” and engage with the “will to power”
HDL proteomic signatures as potential biomarkers of cachexia and sarcopenia in gastrointestinal cancer
No full textCancer cachexia is an inflammatory condition characterised by rapid weight loss (skeletal muscle and/or fat mass) that affects up to 80% of patients with cancer. It negatively impacts patients quality of life, treatment tolerance and survival. Despite its prevalence, the condition is severely underdiagnosed, partially due to a lack of awareness and consensus definition, but also due to difficulties with screening, such as reliance on weight history and the cost and time required for muscle quantification. Therefore, a blood based biomarker that will make the screening of cachexia, easy, routine and actionable is sorely needed. However, despite the large number of candidate markers identified in the literature, none have made it to clinic. In this thesis, we propose a novel biomarker in the form of the High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) proteome. HDL are protein rich particles and previous research has shown they are affected in inflammatory and metabolic disorders such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In study 1, we investigated the HDL proteome in a subset of the Nutrimal study which investigated the effects of Leucine (Leu) ± long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) on skeletal muscle mass and strength in older, healthy adults. It should be noted that this study was not within the original research scope of this thesis, however, due to delays caused by COVID, we utilised a well-characterised cohort available to us for proof of concept. Therefore, we used this subset to identify biomarkers of sarcopenia risk (moderate- and high-risk) and also correlate the HDL proteome with muscle strength (handgrip and leg) and skeletal muscle index (SMI). Using this approach we identified several biomarkers associated with high-sarcopenia risk on small (S) and (L) HDL including CP, F2, ACTB1 and PON-1, and markers of strength (handgrip and leg) and SMI. We also investigated the impact of supplementation on the HDL proteome. We showed that the HDL proteome is affected by even small changes in diet (Leu ± LC n-3 PUFA) and may reflect positive changes in patients that are not yet seen in more physical measures such as muscle mass and strength. In study 2, we investigated the utility of the HDL proteome as a biomarker of cachexia and sarcopenia (low muscle mass) in patients with gastrointestinal cancer. In patients with cachexia, we identified n=16 biomarkers including VTN, CNDP1, APOA2 and CP, when comparing patients to those without cachexia. A score was created using all the identified proteins and its performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the curve (AUC). The score had an AUC of 0.810, which is considered clinically relevant, and preformed better than individual proteins or the commonly proposed cachexia screening tool, the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (AUC=0.536). A similar approach was used to identify a sarcopenia score in this group. We identified n=13 biomarkers associated with sarcopenia including CNDP1, SUN3, SEPPP and A2M. Significant proteins were combined into a score and its AUC was 0.861. In study 3, we validated our findings in a C26 model of cachexia. The HDL of mice with cachexia (C26) was significantly different from mice without cachexia (NC) and control mice (CT), while there were few differences between the NC and CT mice. Similarly, the livers of C26 mice were significantly different from NC and CT mice, with upregulated pathways related to protein synthesis, downregulated pathways related to xenobiotic metabolism and activation of the acute phase response. We also validated several HDL biomarkers identified in the human cohort (ApoB, CP, HGFAC, HSPA5, IGFBP3, PROC, SERPINA3). To conclude, we have shown that the HDL proteome is a potential biomarker of cancer cachexia, however more validation is needed. We have also shown that the liver of mice with cachexia is severely affected, contributing to the scarce research on the subject.2025-11-28 JG: Author's signature removed from PD
Hygrothermal properties of traditional Irish building materials and their effect on the understanding of the performance and moisture risk of traditional solid masonry assemblies in Ireland
No full textIn the global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, retrofitting existing buildings to improve energy performance and reduce operational carbon emissions has become a central strategy. In Europe, and particularly in Ireland, much of the building stock predates Building Regulations and modern concepts of thermal performance and occupant comfort. Traditionally constructed buildings are now classed among the ‘worst-performing buildings’, increasing policy and regulatory pressure to upgrade them. However, the risks of inappropriate thermal upgrades of traditional buildings have been highlighted, leading to moisture-related deterioration and reduced indoor air quality. Such damage will endanger the physical integrity and heritage value of these buildings and may result in greater long-term carbon expenditure through premature replacement. Despite advances in building science, significant gaps remain in our understanding of heat and moisture transfer mechanisms in traditional solid masonry walls, particularly in the context of a maritime climate like Ireland. Addressing these gaps requires detailed knowledge of the hygrothermal properties of constituent materials – referring to the coupled heat and moisture transport processes within such porous media –, supported by both experimental data and simulation studies. This thesis, using Ireland as a case study, investigates how the detailed knowledge of hygrothermal properties and behaviour of traditional building materials and solid masonry walls can improve the assessment of existing buildings and inform retrofit strategies. It presents original research including hygrothermal laboratory testing of traditional Irish bricks, stones, mortars, plasters, and renders, and in-situ U-value measurements of a wide range of existing wall assemblies. Further investigations examine moisture-dependent thermal conductivity and impact of water repellents on hygric behaviour. A long-term monitoring case study enables the validation of numerical simulations in a maritime climate context. The study produces, for the first time, comprehensive hygrothermal characterisations for 47 traditional Irish materials. Results reveal significant regional differences for Irish materials, with Irish historic bricks exhibiting a wide range of porosities up to 45 % and building stones as low as 0.5 %, with associated distinct hygrothermal properties. Thermal conductivity was shown to increase by up to 260 % at saturation. Findings indicate that reliance on default values for thermal assessments is problematic and that short U-value test durations may yield misleading results. Simulations confirm the sensitivity of modelling to material properties, and highlight the inadequacy of one-dimensional models for low-porosity stones. The thesis contributes critical insights into the hygrothermal behaviour of traditional masonry in Ireland, contributing to the necessary and urgent discourse on sustainable retrofit, and impacting conservation practice, simulation accuracy, and retrofit policy.2025-12-10 JG: Author's signature removed from PD
Exploring L2 speakers' lexical retrieval process and mental workload in human-machine dialogue
No full textAlthough speech agents have become increasingly prevalent in recent years, many users are still required to interact with these interfaces using their second language (L2) due to limitations in language coverage. This situation poses unique challenges for L2 speakers, particularly in the context of human-machine dialogues (HMDs). While current research predominantly focuses on user experience with L2 HMDs, the specific challenges encountered during language production in these interactions have not been thoroughly explored. Studies of L2 human-human dialogues (HHDs) have highlighted that L2 speakers face significant difficulties in generating speech. These challenges stem from a lack of proficiency in their second language, requiring extra cognitive effort to manage and switch between their native language (L1) and L2. This added complexity impacts their ability to produce fluent and effective communication in their second language. In response to these gaps in research, this thesis aims to investigate the differences in language production between native and non-native speakers, specifically focusing on native Mandarin speakers. The research is structured into several studies designed in order to investigate the L2 language production in interaction with speech agents. The first study employs a controlled experiment and a mixed-methods approach to examine general language production mechanisms in L2 IPA interactions, as well as the associated mental workload. This study aims to understand how L2 speakers manage their language production processes and how this affects their cognitive load during interactions with IPAs. The second and third studies narrow the focus to lexical retrieval within L2 HMD contexts. These studies use an online picture-naming paradigm and a simulated speech agent scenario to explore how lexical retrieval varies between L1 and L2 speakers. They also investigate the differences in mental workload associated with the lexical retrieval process in these two language groups. The findings reveal that, while there are no significant quantitative differences in the linguistic aspects of IPA interaction between language groups, L2 speakers employ specific interaction strategies to enhance their communication. However, they experience a significantly higher mental workload during IPA interactions. Although L2 speakers show longer lexical retrieval times, this does not significantly increase their perceived mental workload. The closing chapter of this thesis discusses the implications of these findings and its limitations