Bottle house: A case study of transdisciplinary research for tackling global challenges

This work was done in collaboration with colleagues from the institute of Engineering sciences and Architecture Research Institute The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.Globalisation has brought a number of challenges to the fore, particularly those problems which require collaboration, innovation and capability development between nations. There are some complex issues piquing the attention of researchers with respect to sustainable development, such as, waste management, climate change, and access to amenities, housing or education. Non-Governmental Organisations, Institutions, governments and others working in the field of international development have been grappling with these difficulties for decades. However, it is becoming apparent that many of these difficulties require multifaceted solutions, particularly in Low and Middle Income countries (LMIC) where it is difficult to consolidate gains and fund schemes. Development work can sometimes be disjointed and inefficient, impairing the capability of local communities and inhibiting sustainable and innovative approaches. Transdisciplinary collaboration is reliably a more efficient way of tackling some of the most pertinacious challenges. This paper presents findings from a transdisciplinary research project focussed on developing resources and capacity for the construction of affordable homes in a low income community in Nigeria. The project explored the suitability of using upcycled materials such as plastic bottles and agricultural waste in construction. Using a user-centred, co-creation methodology, a team of experts from the UK and Nigeria worked with local entrepreneurs to build a prototype home. The study explores the functionality of the home and the sustainability of project. The findings demonstrate the benefits of tackling global challenges from a transdisciplinary perspective. This has implications for researchers focused on developing technical solutions for low-income communities

Verification of Some Vegetable Oils as Cutting Fluid for Aluminium

Vegetable oils (palm oil, groundnut oil, shear butter oil and cotton seed oil) have been used as lubricants in the turning operation of aluminum under varying spindle speeds, feed rates and depths of cut and the results compared with kerosene (due to the gummy nature of aluminium metal). The parameters investigated are the chip thickness ratio, surface finish and surface temperature. Their performances when compared with the conventional soluble oil have shown that they can perform the same functions as imported ones in the machining of aluminum. They reduced chip thickness ratio, improved surface finish and exhibited good cooling behaviour at the work piece-tool interface. This performance is due to their high viscosities and the presence of surface active agents such as stearic acid and halogens, such as chlorine which help to reduce surface energy of a liquid and increase its wetting ability or oiliness

Exhaust Emissions of Biodiesel Binary and Multi-blends from Cotton, Jatropha and Neem Oil from Stationary Multi Cylinder CI Engine

Biodiesel considerably decrease the CO and CO₂ emissions and its blends reduce NOₓ emissions. In this work, binary blends of biodiesel from Cotton, Jatropha and Neem with diesel were prepared in form of B5C, B10C, B15C, B20C, B25C and B30C for Cotton at 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 30% respectively. This was similarly done for Jatropha and Neem biodiesel designated as B5J and B10N, etc. A set of multi-blends of all the 3biodiesel with diesel were also prepared. The fuel samples were used to run a Cusson’s 4-cylinder, stationary diesel engine with data logger system. The exhaust emissions of fuel during the combustion process were measured using IMR 1400 gas analyser to detect the composition of flue gases at 1500 rpm, 2000 rpm, and 2500 rpm engine speeds. It was found that, B20C has the lowest exhaust temperature, lowest percentage losses, highest combustion efficiency, and lowest NOₓ and CO₂ emissions, but highest SO₂ emissions although with negligible percentage. The binary biodiesel blends are better than the multi-blends in terms of exhaust emissions reduction

Design and Fabrication of a Single Slope Solar Still with Variable Collector Angle

Abstract-This work presents the development of a flexible, efficient, robust and low cost single solar still. Experimental investigations were carried out on two single slope solar stills: a modified solar still with variable collector/inclination angle (still A), and a conventional solar still with rigid angle of collector/inclination (still B). The significance of the design is its ability to be able to optimally function properly by variation of the angle at which solar radiation is optimally incident on the system at different locations and time. Also, the experiment was carried out at latitude of 11º 20 ′ in Samaru, Zaria – Nigeria, during an average period of solar radiation. Experimental results between the hours of 8.00 am and 5.00 pm for a period of 5 days were carefully obtained and analyzed. The results clearly show that distillate peak yield occurred between 2.00 pm and 3.00 pm while minimum yield was obtained between 8.00 am and 9.00 am during the period of experiment. It was observed that, still B had an average yield of 1.366 liter/day/m 2 as compared to still A, (1.407 liter/day/m 2). Furthermore, the results obtained for the two single slope solar stills were analyzed using a statistical model (a paired T-test). The outcomes clearly suggest that, there is no significant difference between the distillate of still A (efficiency of 42%) and still B (efficiency of 39%). Implications of the results from the design are discussed for the development of robust and dynamic single slope solar still systems with variable collector/inclination angle. This has the potential and capacity to produce distilled water for domestic, industrial and commercial purposes irrespective of the geographical location

Understanding Circadian Mechanisms of Sudden Cardiac Death: A Report From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Workshop, Part 2: Population and Clinical Considerations.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the sudden, unexpected death due to abrupt loss of heart function secondary to cardiovascular disease. In certain populations living with cardiovascular disease, SCD follows a distinct 24-hour pattern in occurrence, suggesting day/night rhythms in behavior, the environment, and endogenous circadian rhythms result in daily spans of increased vulnerability. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened a workshop, Understanding Circadian Mechanisms of Sudden Cardiac Death to identify fundamental questions regarding the role of the circadian rhythms in SCD. Part 2 summarizes research gaps and opportunities in the areas of population and clinical research identified in the workshop. Established research supports a complex interaction between circadian rhythms and physiological responses that increase the risk for SCD. Moreover, these physiological responses themselves are influenced by several biological variables, including the type of cardiovascular disease, sex, age, and genetics, as well as environmental factors. The emergence of new noninvasive biotechnological tools that continuously measure key cardiovascular variables, as well as the identification of biomarkers to assess circadian rhythms, hold promise for generating large-scale human data sets that will delineate which subsets of individuals are most vulnerable to SCD. Additionally, these data will improve our understanding of how people who suffer from circadian disruptions develop cardiovascular diseases that increase the risk for SCD. Emerging strategies to identify new biomarkers that can quantify circadian health (eg, environmental, behavioral, and internal misalignment) may lead to new interventions and therapeutic targets to prevent the progression of cardiovascular diseases that cause SCD

Understanding Circadian Mechanisms of Sudden Cardiac Death: A Report From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Workshop, Part 1: Basic and Translational Aspects.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD), the unexpected death due to acquired or genetic cardiovascular disease, follows distinct 24-hour patterns in occurrence. These 24-hour patterns likely reflect daily changes in arrhythmogenic triggers and the myocardial substrate caused by day/night rhythms in behavior, the environment, and endogenous circadian mechanisms. To better address fundamental questions regarding the circadian mechanisms, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened a workshop, Understanding Circadian Mechanisms of Sudden Cardiac Death. We present a 2-part report of findings from this workshop. Part 1 summarizes the workshop and serves to identify research gaps and opportunities in the areas of basic and translational research. Among the gaps was the lack of standardization in animal studies for reporting environmental conditions (eg, timing of experiments relative to the light dark cycle or animal housing temperatures) that can impair rigor and reproducibility. Workshop participants also pointed to uncertainty regarding the importance of maintaining normal circadian rhythmic synchrony and the potential pathological impact of desynchrony on SCD risk. One related question raised was whether circadian mechanisms can be targeted to reduce SCD risk. Finally, the experts underscored the need for studies aimed at determining the physiological importance of circadian clocks in the many different cell types important to normal heart function and SCD. Addressing these gaps could lead to new therapeutic approaches/molecular targets that can mitigate the risk of SCD not only at certain times but over the entire 24-hour period