The potential use of crushed waste glass as a sustainable alternative to natural and manufactured sand in geotechnical applications

The increasing price and diminishing reserves of construction sand encourage a need to develop its sustainable and cost-effective replacement, helping the transition towards a circular economy. Waste glass is a derivative of natural sand and could potentially show similar geotechnical behaviour. Using crushed waste glass (CWG) as an alternative to traditional sand would potentially offer a double-duty benefit by helping to address the geo-environmental challenges of natural sand depletion and disposal of ever-increasing waste glass, together. This study investigated the geotechnical, mineralogical and morphological behaviour of CWG and compared it with that of natural sand (NS) and manufactured sand (MS). The geotechnical characterisation results showed that the behaviour of CWG is similar to the other two sands studied, with CWG showing the highest permeability and abrasion resistance. Surprisingly, the shear strength testing showed that the friction angle of CWG was higher under saturated conditions than under dry conditions, indicating the stability of CWG under saturated conditions. The mineralogical analysis was conducted using x-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy and revealed that silica is the dominant mineral in all three materials, indicating a similarity in their chemical composition. The morphological analysis was performed to quantify the particle shape of each material in terms of roundness index using digital images obtained through an optical microscope. The results demonstrated that MS showed the highest particle angularity, followed by CWG and NS. Overall, it was concluded that CWG could potentially act as a next-generation alternative and smart geomaterial, replacing traditional sands in several geotechnical applications

Non-Functional Requirements Elicitation Guideline for Agile Methods

One of the essential activities in software development is elicitation of requirement. Majority of the studies has pointed out that less attention is given to the NonFunctional Requirement (NFR). The negligence of NFR elicitation is due to lack of knowledge of the user and developer about NFR. Our study presents elicitation guidelines for NFRs in agile methods. This guideline will helps developers as well as users in agile methods. A case study is conducted on the group of master students for eliciting NFR with the help of elicitation guidelines. In addition, the initial results were obtained by extracting NFRs from eProcurement document that carries requirements of major European Union projects. The result of the case study is positive and encouraging for the new developers and users having less awareness about NFRs. Furthermore, the study describes the role of cloud computing in agile methods, especially in elicitation activity

Kaolin clay reinforced with a granular column containing crushed waste glass or traditional construction sands

Installation of granular columns is a cost-effective and versatile in situ technique to improve the shear strength, settlement, and drainage behaviour of weak soils. It involves backfilling vertical boreholes in the ground with granular materials stiffer than the native soil, such as stone or compacted sand. However, the massive use and overexploitation of sand and natural aggregates have depleted their reserves in recent decades, causing damage to the environment, creating sand shortages and skyrocketing their price. Hence, it is essential to develop a sustainable alternative to natural aggregates to construct granular columns. The ever-increasing stockpiles of waste glass could be a potential replacement for natural sand in several geotechnical construction applications, noting that both materials have a similar chemical composition. Using crushed waste glass (CWG) as an alternative to traditional natural and manufactured (quarried) sands in granular columns could offer a multi75 pronged benefit by recycling non-biodegradable waste (glass) and by conserving a depleting natural resource (sand). Using a large direct shear (LDS) machine, this study investigated the shear strength behaviour of kaolin (to represent a typical weak soil) reinforced with a central granular column. Three different materials were separately used to backfill the column, including natural sand (NS), manufactured sand (MS) and CWG. The results revealed that the geocomposites containing the CWG column have the highest peak friction angle and relatively greater shear strength under high normal stresses, favouring the potential use of CWG as a green alternative to traditional sands in backfilling granular columns, ultimately supporting resource conservation, waste recycling and the paradigm shift towards a circular economy

Integration of Distributed Generations in Smart Distribution Networks Using Multi-Criteria Based Sustainable Planning Approach

Energy planning has become more complicated in the 21st century of sustainable development due to the inclusion of numerous standards such as techno-economic, and environmental considerations. This paper proposes multi-criteria sustainable planning (MCSP) based optimization approach for identifying DGs’ optimal allocations and rating powers. The main objectives of this paper are the reduction of the network’s total power loss, voltage profile improvement, energy loss saving maximization, and curtailing environmental emissions and water consumption to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3, 6, 7, 13, and 15) by taking the constraints into consideration. Different alternatives are evaluated across four aspects of performance indices; technical, cost-economic, environmental, and social (TEES). In terms of TEES performance evaluations, various multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches are used to determine the optimal trade-off among the available solutions. These methods are gaining wide acceptance due to their flexibility while considering all criteria and objectives concurrently. Annual energy loss saving is increased by 97.13%, voltage profile is improved to 0.9943 (p.u), and emissions are reduced by 82.45% using the proposed technique. The numerical results of the proposed MCSP approach are compared to previously published works to validate and may be used by researchers and energy planners as a planning tool for ADN schemes

Educational needs of patients, families, and healthcare professionals to support the patient journey in haemophilia gene therapy in the UK

With the first gene therapies for haemophilia approved by the European Commission, the US Food and Drug Administration, and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, it is important to consider the remaining unmet needs and challenges that may arise throughout patients’ treatment journeys. We discuss existing unmet needs and important considerations prior to, during, and following haemophilia gene therapy treatment in the UK, and propose potential next steps. Key areas for attention are education, psychological support, and guidance on implementation. Strategies are urgently required to fulfil these needs. An immediate priority for information providers should be comprehensive education for people with haemophilia (PWH) and healthcare professionals (HCPs). Greater access to resources and training in psychological services will be required throughout the treatment pathway. More specific guidance is required to define the implementation model, criteria for accreditation, and responsibilities of care centres. Furthermore, PWH may revisit discussions with HCPs multiple times pre-infusion, thus the patient journey is unlikely to be linear. Consideration of these challenges, and of potential strategies to address them, will be integral to optimising the future success of this promising therapy

Prevalence and predictors of exclusive breastfeeding in urban slums, Bihar

Objective: Various socio-cultural factors influence infant feeding practices and thus early childhood nutrition and child survival in India. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding, its promoters and barriers in urban slums of Bihar, India. Methods: We conducted a community based cross-sectional survey involving 297 mothers living in slum settlements in Bihar. Data were collected using structured questionnaire on exclusive breastfeeding practices, and the factors that could influence this. Descriptive analysis was done to estimate the prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding and regression model was performed to identify the predictors of exclusive breastfeeding. Results: Only 23% of mothers initiate breastfeeding within 1 hour of delivery and 27.6% mothers practise exclusive breastfeeding up to six months. Mother's education was found to be associated with duration of exclusive breastfeeding (OR 11, 95% CI 2-59). Term babies were more likely to be breastfed exclusively for six months than pre-term babies (OR 8.6, 95% CI 1.6-47.6). Antenatal care visits and completing immunization were significantly associated with duration of exclusive breastfeeding (P < 0.001). The majority of mothers acquire exclusive breastfeeding knowledge through television/radio (OR 68, 95% CI 5.5-832.5) and newspaper advertisements (OR 14, 95% CI 2.6-76). Conclusion: Prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding up to six months of age and early initiation of breastfeeding remains low in slums of Bihar. Exclusive breastfeeding and early initiation of breastfeeding rates could be improved by educating and counselling mothers during health facility contacts by primary care providers

Associations Between High Blood Pressure and DNA Methylation

BACKGROUND: High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. Epigenetic processes including DNA methylation potentially mediate the relationship between genetic factors, the environment and cardiovascular disease. Despite an increased risk of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in individuals of South Asians compared to Europeans, it is not clear whether associations between blood pressure and DNA methylation differ between these groups. METHODS: We performed an epigenome-wide association study and differentially methylated region (DMR) analysis to identify DNA methylation sites and regions that were associated with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and hypertension. We analyzed samples from 364 European and 348 South Asian men (first generation migrants to the UK) from the Southall And Brent REvisited cohort, measuring DNA methylation from blood using the Illumina Infinium® HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. RESULTS: One CpG site was found to be associated with DBP in trans-ancestry analyses (i.e. both ethnic groups combined), while in Europeans alone seven CpG sites were associated with DBP. No associations were identified between DNA methylation and either SBP or hypertension. Comparison of effect sizes between South Asian and European EWAS for DBP, SBP and hypertension revealed little concordance between analyses. DMR analysis identified several regions with known relationships with CVD and its risk factors. CONCLUSION: This study identified differentially methylated sites and regions associated with blood pressure and revealed ethnic differences in these associations. These findings may point to molecular pathways which may explain the elevated cardiovascular disease risk experienced by those of South Asian ancestry when compared to Europeans

Living bioethics, clinical ethics committees and children's consent to heart surgery

This discussion paper considers how seldom recognised theories influence clinical ethics committees. A companion paper examined four major theories in social science: positivism, interpretivism, critical theory and functionalism, which can encourage legalistic ethics theories or practical living bioethics, which aims for theory–practice congruence. This paper develops the legalistic or living bioethics themes by relating the four theories to clinical ethics committee members’ reported aims and practices and approaches towards efficiency, power, intimidation, justice, equality and children’s interests and rights. Different approaches to framing ethical questions are also considered. Being aware of the four theories’ influence can help when seeking to understand and possibly change clinical ethics committee routines. The paper is not a research report but is informed by a recent study in two London paediatric cardiac units. Forty-five practitioners and related experts were interviewed, including eight members of ethics committees, about the work of informing, preparing and supporting families during the extended process of consent to children’s elective heart surgery. The mosaic of multidisciplinary teamwork is reported in a series of papers about each profession, including this one on bioethics and law and clinical ethics committees’ influence on clinical practice. The qualitative social research was funded by the British Heart Foundation, in order that more may be known about the perioperative views and needs of all concerned. Questions included how disputes can be avoided, how high ethical standards and respectful cooperation between staff and families can be encouraged, and how minors’ consent or refusal may be respected, with the support of clinical ethics committees

A 10-year experience of infection following carotid endarterectomy with patch angioplasty

ObjectiveAlthough infection following carotid endarterectomy is rare, consequences of this seldom seen complication can be devastating. Polyester, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and vein patches have all been used by many institutions for patch angioplasty, each with reported cases of infection following surgery. Our institution has preferentially used PTFE for the majority of cases, and here, we report our experience with postoperative infection following endarterectomy over the last decade.MethodsFrom January 2000 through July 2009, we treated infections following carotid endarterectomy in 25 patients.ResultsOf the 25 patients undergoing treatment for postoperative infection, 21 had PTFE patches placed during the initial surgery. The remaining four consisted of two polyester patches and two bovine pericardial patches. Twenty-three of the 25 initial endarterectomies were performed at our institution, and the other two were referrals. The majority of cases (56%) were due to gram-positive organisms, with only two cases being polymicrobial. The interval from the original surgery to clinical presentation ranged from 7 days to 85 months, with 20 patients (80%) presenting within 60 days of the first operation. Thirteen patients underwent incision and drainage with antibiotics, and 12 patients underwent definitive surgical treatment. Four received patch excision with vein patch angioplasty, four received patch excision with vein interposition, and four received sternocleidomastoid flaps. The 30-day stroke rate was 8%, and the freedom from recurrent infection was 100% at a mean follow-up of 32 months.ConclusionInfection following carotid endarterectomy occurs <1% of the time; however, the potential for morbidity is significant. Our results show that most infections following PTFE patch angioplasty occur in the early postoperative period (<60 days) and that simple drainage with antibiotics may be an adequate form of treatment in select cases