1,570 research outputs found
Circular construction and demolition waste?: Barriers and opportunities for creating circular business models in the EU C&DW sector
No full textThe main goal of this paper is to identify barriers and opportunities for creating the circular business models in the EU C&DW sector. Having in mind this fact, author of the paper describes market, social, governance and regulatory failures which may limit opportunities for achieving market success in the EU C&DW sector. The presentation will take into account current economic situation of the sector which is under the pressure of both global economic challenges and the EU policy aiming at popularization of the circular economy approach. As a result, different recommendations that may determine the final shape of the business models will be identified, including key resources that have to be used for successful commercialization of the different circular C&DW solutions
Adjunctive treatment with oral AKL1, a botanical nutraceutical, in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
No full textClaire Brockwell,1 Sundari Ampikaipakan,1,2 Darren W Sexton,1 David Price,3,4 Daryl Freeman,5 Mike Thomas,6 Muzammil Ali,4 Andrew M Wilson1,21Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK; 2Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK; 3Academic Primary Care, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; 4Research in Real Life, Cambridge, UK; 5Mundesley Medical Centre, Mundesley, Norwich, UK; 6Primary Care Research, Aldermoor Health Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, UKPurpose: The objective of this pilot trial was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AKL1, a patented botanical formulation containing extracts of Picrorhiza kurroa, Ginkgo biloba, and Zingiber officinale, as add-on therapy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic cough.Patients and methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial enrolled male and female patients >18 years old with COPD and Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ) score of <18. The 10-week study period comprised a 2-week single-blind placebo run-in period followed by add-on treatment with AKL1 or placebo twice daily for 8 weeks. The primary study endpoint was the change from week 0 to week 8 in cough-related health status, as assessed by the LCQ.Results: Of 33 patients enrolled, 20 were randomized to AKL1 and 13 to placebo. Patients included 19 (58%) men and 14 (42%) women of mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of 67 (9.4) years; 15 (45%) patients were smokers and 16 (49%) were ex-smokers. The mean (SD) change from baseline in LCQ score at 8 weeks was 2.3 (4.9) in the AKL1 group and 0.6 (3.7) in the placebo group, with mean difference in change of 1.8 (95% confidence interval: –1.5 to 5.1; P=0.28). The St George's Respiratory Questionnaire score improved substantially in the AKL1 treatment group by a mean (SD) of –7.7 (11.7) versus worsening in the placebo group (+1.5 [9.3]), with mean difference in change of –9.2 (95% confidence interval: –19.0 to 0.6; P=0.064). There were no significant differences between treatment groups in change from baseline to week 8 in other patient-reported measures, lung function, or the 6-minute walk distance.Conclusion: Further study is needed with a larger patient population and over a longer duration to better assess the effects of add-on therapy with AKL1 in COPD.Keywords: Leicester Cough Questionnaire, anti-inflammatory, Picrorhiza kurroa, Ginkgo biloba, Zingiber officinal
First photometric study of two southern eclipsing binaries IS Tel and DW Aps
No full text32nd International Physics Congress of Turkish-Physical-Society (TPS) -- SEP 06-09, 2016 -- Bodrum, TURKEYThe paper presents the first photometric analysis of two southern eclipsing binary stars, IS Tel and DW Aps. Their V light curves from the All Sky Automated Survey were modelled by using Wilson-Devinney method. The final models give these two Algol-like binary stars as having detached configurations. Absolute parameters of the components of the systems were also estimated.Turkish Phys So
Policy analysis of water management for the Netherlands. Vol VII: Assessment of impacts on drinking-water companies and their customers
No full textThis volume assesses the impacts of a number of water management policies developed by PAWN on drinking-water (DW) companies and their customers (households, commercial entities, and industrial firms). Chapter 2 summarizes briefly the major water-related problems facing DW companies in the Netherlands today, and shows why the author believes they will become more severe in the future. Chapter 3 describes the methodology in detail. Chapter 4 presents the impacts and associated discussion of PAWN's primary and groundwater cases on DW production, and on DW companies and their customers. Finally, in Chap. 5, the author assesses those impacts, draws some overall conclusions, and discusses the implications of those conclusions for the future supply and costs of DW in the Netherlands.PAW
Novel circular economy business model of high-added value products for energy efficiency: from C&DW to aerogels
No full textSince the Industrial Revolution, humanity’s use of natural resources has been basically the same: TAKE, MAKE and THROW AWAY; which consequently led to the indispensable problems of waste materials. Around 461 million tons of Construction & Demolition Waste (C&DW), excluding excavation materials, are yearly generated in EU28. This undoubtedly gives a call to novel closed-loop circular business models which reshape the Eco-system in a way the waste is 'designed out'. Here, we present a novel closed-loop circular economy model of a high-performance building insulation material from silica containing C&DW materials to silica aerogels with λ≈0.015 W/mK. In the present model, the benefit comes with the use of massive construction waste to a silica precursor and thereby aerogel production guaranteeing at least 40% product cost reduction and 40% reduction in energy consumption in real construction environment
Phagocytosis of apoptotic granulocytes by bronchial epithelium and monocyte derived macrophages
No full textPerformance of C&DW materials for road applications validated by field monitoring
No full textSUPREMA – Sustainable Application of Construction and Demolition Recycled Materials in Road Infrastructures was a research project developed by the Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil (LNEC), in cooperation with the University of Lisbon (IST). The use of recycled materials has major environmental and economic benefits. Its recycling contributes for a more sustainable construction and rehabilitation of road pavements. The main goals of this project were to achieve a deeper knowledge on recycled materials and correspondent technologies and to increase the confidence of road agencies and construction companies for its application in road pavements. The objective of the paper is to analyse the mechanical performance of recycled aggregates, from construction and demolition waste (C&DW), used in unbound granular layers and evaluated on experimental sections of asphalt pavements. Four sections were instrumented with strain gauges and load cells. The recycled aggregates used in these sections were: crushed concrete, crushed mixed concrete and crushed and milled reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). A crushed natural limestone aggregate was used in one section as a reference material. The sections were submitted to in situ load tests performed by the Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD). In addition, an extensive program of laboratory tests was also performed related to geometrical, physical, mechanical, chemical and environmental characteristics. This paper presents the mechanical behaviour of aggregate layers obtained from the backanalysis of FWD tests results and from the instrumentation measurements. In general, it was concluded that stiffness of unbound granular layers with recycled aggregates could be considered equivalent to the stiffness of layers constructed by natural aggregates. Results of resilient modulus obtained for the studied recycled aggregates could be useful for pavement design purposes
Modulation of Sigel-8 and CD36 Expression on Peripheral Blood Eosinophils during Apoptosis
No full textCaspase Activation in Peripheral Blood Eosinophils Following Antibody-Dependant Ligation of CD45 and CD69
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