Becoming a Lean University: the case of the University of St Andrews

This article looks at how “lean” can be successfully introduced into a higher education setting by discussing what has become known as ‘The St Andrews Model’. The article demonstrates that “lean” can be adapted to suit the particular circumstances of an institution. Lean, underpinned by a manufacturing heritage, and the subject of a small but growing collection of academic and practitioner analysis, is readily transferrable to other sectors. This article will show that although the model draws on a common body of knowledge, there is not a one size fits all approach. The successful implementation of a lean programme is not an overnight activity; it is, rather, a journey where learning is done by doing.Publisher PD

Anglo-French defence cooperation in the age of austerity

This paper seeks to assess, from a predominantly UK perspective, the potential benefits of enhanced Anglo-French defence cooperation, not only to the two countries concerned but also to Western Europe and the USA. The paper will mainly focus on defence cooperation and not the subordinate agreement regarding limited cooperation on nuclear weapons, which addressed cooperation on the safety and security of nuclear weapons, stockpile certification and countering nuclear and radiological terrorism but seemed to be driven by "acute financial pressures, symptomatic of severe structural deficiencies"

New technology for interactive CAL: The origami project

Origami is a three‐year EPSRC project that forms part of a general research programme on human‐computer interaction. The goal of this research is to investigate and implement new methods for human‐computer interaction, and to apply and evaluate their use. The research centres on the DigitalDesk, an ordinary desk augmented with a computer display using projection television and a video camera to monitor inputs. The DigitalDesk allows electronic and printed documents to be combined to give richer presentation and interaction possibilities than are possible with either separate medium. This paper examines the implications of such a system for CAL, and presents two prototype applications that demonstrate the possibilities

The geometry of syntax and semantics for directed file transformations

We introduce a conceptual framework that associates syntax and semantics with vertical and horizontal directions in principal bundles and related constructions. This notion of geometry corresponds to a mechanism for performing goal-directed file transformations such as "eliminate unsafe syntax" and suggests various engineering practices

Sbf/MTMR13 coordinates PI(3)P and Rab21 regulation in endocytic control of cellular remodeling.

Cells rely on the coordinated regulation of lipid phosphoinositides and Rab GTPases to define membrane compartment fates along distinct trafficking routes. The family of disease-related myotubularin (MTM) phosphoinositide phosphatases includes catalytically inactive members, or pseudophosphatases, with poorly understood functions. We found that Drosophila MTM pseudophosphatase Sbf coordinates both phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate (PI(3)P) turnover and Rab21 GTPase activation in an endosomal pathway that controls macrophage remodeling. Sbf dynamically interacts with class II phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and stably recruits Mtm to promote turnover of a PI(3)P subpool essential for endosomal trafficking. Sbf also functions as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that promotes Rab21 GTPase activation associated with PI(3)P endosomes. Of importance, Sbf, Mtm, and Rab21 function together, along with Rab11-mediated endosomal trafficking, to control macrophage protrusion formation. This identifies Sbf as a critical coordinator of PI(3)P and Rab21 regulation, which specifies an endosomal pathway and cortical control

Active paper for active learning

Recent research into distance learning and the virtual campus has focused on the use of electronic documents and computer‐based demonstrations to replace or reinforce traditional learning material. We show how a computer‐augmented desk, the DigitalDesk, can provide the benefits of both paper and electronic documents using a natural interface based on real paper documents. Many electronic documents, particularly those created using the guidelines produced by the Text Encoding Initiative (TEI), include detailed semantic and linguistic information that can be used to good effect in learning material. We discuss potential uses of TEI texts, and describe one simple application that allows a student's book to become an active part of a grammar lesson when placed on the DigitalDesk. The book is integrated into an interactive point‐and‐click interface, and feedback is related to the currently visible pages of the boo

The McAllister Park Roadway System Extension Project, San Antonio, Texas

The Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) conducted an intensive pedestrian survey and subsurface testing for cultural resources along the proposed extensions to the McAllister Park road system, in McAllister Park, located in northeast San Antonio, Bexar County. The proposed extension impacts two sections of McAllister Road: the extreme western portion adjacent the park entrance at Jones Maltsberger, and its southern section exiting at Starcrest Drive. The project was carried out between September 16 and October 21,1999, under contract with the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department and under Texas Antiquities Permit Number 2247. The original project consisted of two tasks: 1) pedestrian survey of the proposed right-of-way, and 2) the documentation and recording of newly discovered archaeological sites. Following the identification of 4IBX1412, in consultation with members of the Texas Historical Commission (THC) and Steve Uncapher from the Parks and Recreation Department of the city of San Antonio, the original project scope was extended to also include the testing of the site to more accurately determine the nature of the archaeological components identified during initial site recording. Sites 41BX1410 and 41 BX1411 represent small ephemeral sites with low artifact yields and very shallow deposits. Site 41 BX 1412 is a stratified multi-component campsite with a thin veneer of early twentieth century historic materials, a partially buried Early Archaic component, and a deeper, probably Paleoindian, component buried 50-60 cm below the surface. No in situ features have been identified during the initial testing ofthe site. Sites 41BX141O and 4IBX1411 are not recommended for either State Archeological Landmark designation or eligibility for listing to the National Register of Historic Places, and no additional archaeological work is recommended at these properties. 41BX1412 is recommended for designation as a State Historic Landmark and as eligible for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places

Solvent resistant nanofiltration: developing understanding of transport mechanisms

In recent years the possibility of using polymeric nanofiltration (NF) membranes for non-aqueous separations has been explored. There is, however, significant debate concerning fundamental mechanisms where concepts include solution-diffusion and ‘pore’ flow. This paper presents nanofiltration and swelling data for polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) composite membranes with a range of low and higher polarity solvents, some of which contained solutes in the range 84-612 MW. The influences of parameters such as crossflow rate, applied pressure, solute size and solvent polarity on filtration performance are presented and measures of flux and solute rejection are related to membrane swelling. More comprehensive descriptions of the experimental apparati and results are shown in [1-7]

Nanofiltration - a method for solute removal from fuel simulants

The separation characteristics of a dense polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane were studied using alkyl and aromatic solvents and low-polarity, sulphur bearing, organometallic (OM) and polynuclear aromatic (PNA) solute compounds. Rejection was found to be dependent on transmembrane pressure, crossflow rate (hydrodynamic conditions), solute size and the degree of swelling induced by the solvent. Rejection increased progressively with pressure whilst a threshold condition was observed above which further increases in crossflow had a negligible influence on rejection. Measurements over the molecular weight range 84-612 g/mol showed the membrane to have a cut-off in the region 350-400 g/mol to all but one of the tested PNA compounds (rubrene). An additional correlation using molecular dimensions instead of molecular weight showed the cutoff size to be in the region of 1-2 nm, with all data falling on a well defined rejection/size curve. Solvent type influenced membrane swelling to an extent dependent on the relative magnitude of the solubility parameters for the solvent and PDMS; similar values led to more swelling, higher fluxes and lower rejections. Results support the concept of viscous solvent flow whilst solute transport could be either predominantly viscous or a combination of viscous and diffusive. With larger molecules a size exclusion mechanism was dominant