European project semester: 30 ECTS of PBL in sustainability with multicultural and multidisciplinary bachelor students groups

Since 1991, the Technical University of Catalonia has focussed on introducing Sustainability education in all its engineering and architectural programmes through two environmental plans (1996-2000, 2000-2005), and currently through the UPC Sustainable 2015 [1] plan. Under this framework, the School of Engineering of Vilanova i la Geltrú (EPSEVG) has designed and coordinated the European Project Semester (EPS), an innovative learning programme which responds to the challenges of society and the European Higher Education Area. EPS trains engineering students by applying Project Based Learning in intercultural and multidisciplinary groups. The working language is English and the programme is designed for 1st cycle (Bachelor) degrees. The EPS programme offered at the EPSEVG emphasises the introduction of competences in sustainability [2] and human technology. The main objective of the EPS is to improve the learning outcomes and competences of engineering students in relation to communication and teamwork skills, the ability to work in intercultural settings, and the ability to work in real multidisciplinary projects with students from different degree backgrounds. The EPS is divided into seminars (worth 10 ECTS) and a project (worth 20 ECTS). The seminars include courses in Sustainable Technologies, Business and Sustainability and Human Technology, among others. The projects are proposed by local companies and research groups. Since 2008 the number of participants has increased from 9 in 2008 to 30 in 2011. The students, who have participated in 15 projects, have come from 16 different European and North American universities and from over 18 different academic disciplines. This paper shows the design methodology used in the EPS programme its structure and the sustainability competences achieved by the students.Postprint (published version

Multiple novel prostate cancer susceptibility signals identified by fine-mapping of known risk loci among Europeans

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified numerous common prostate cancer (PrCa) susceptibility loci. We have fine-mapped 64 GWAS regions known at the conclusion of the iCOGS study using large-scale genotyping and imputation in 25 723 PrCa cases and 26 274 controls of European ancestry. We detected evidence for multiple independent signals at 16 regions, 12 of which contained additional newly identified significant associations. A single signal comprising a spectrum of correlated variation was observed at 39 regions; 35 of which are now described by a novel more significantly associated lead SNP, while the originally reported variant remained as the lead SNP only in 4 regions. We also confirmed two association signals in Europeans that had been previously reported only in East-Asian GWAS. Based on statistical evidence and linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure, we have curated and narrowed down the list of the most likely candidate causal variants for each region. Functional annotation using data from ENCODE filtered for PrCa cell lines and eQTL analysis demonstrated significant enrichment for overlap with bio-features within this set. By incorporating the novel risk variants identified here alongside the refined data for existing association signals, we estimate that these loci now explain ∼38.9% of the familial relative risk of PrCa, an 8.9% improvement over the previously reported GWAS tag SNPs. This suggests that a significant fraction of the heritability of PrCa may have been hidden during the discovery phase of GWAS, in particular due to the presence of multiple independent signals within the same regio

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Application of Ligninolytic Enzymes in the Production of Biofuels from Cotton Wastes

The application of ligninolytic fungi and enzymes is an option to overcome the issues related with the production of biofuels using cotton wastes. In this dissertation, the ligninolytic fungus and enzymes were evaluated as pretreatment for the biochemical conversion of Cotton Gin Trash (CGT) in ethanol and as a treatment for the transformation of cotton wastes biochar in other substances. In biochemical conversion, seven combinations of three pretreatments (ultrasonication, liquid hot water and ligninolytic enzymes) were evaluated on CGT. The best results were achieved by the sequential combination of ultrasonication, hot water, and ligninolytic enzymes with an improvement of 10% in ethanol yield. To improve these results, alkaline-ultrasonication was evaluated. Additionally, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) and principal component analysis (PCA) were employed as fast methodology to identify structural differences in the biomass. The combination of ultrasonication-alkali hydrolysis, hot liquid water, and ligninolytic enzymes using 15% of NaOH improved 35% ethanol yield compared with the original treatment. Additionally, FT-IR and PCA identified modifications in the biomass structure after different types of pretreatments and conditions. In thermal conversion, this study evaluated the biodepolymerization of cotton wastes biochar using chemical and biological treatments. The chemical depolymerization evaluated three chemical agents (KMnO4, H2SO4, and NaOH), with three concentrations and two environmental conditions. The sulfuric acid treatments performed the largest transformations of the biochar solid phase; whereas, the KMnO4 treatments achieved the largest depolymerizations. The compounds released into the liquid phase were correlated with fulvic and humic acids and silicon compounds. The biological depolymerization utilized four ligninolytic fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium, Ceriporiopsis subvermispora, Postia placenta, and Bjerkandera adusta. The greatest depolymerization was obtained by C. subvermispora. The depolymerization kinetics of C. subvermispora evidenced the production of laccase and manganese peroxidase and a correlation between depolymerization and production of ligninolytic enzymes. The modifications obtained in the liquid and solid phases showed the production of humic and fulvic acids from the cultures with C. subvermispora. The results of this research are the initial steps for the development of new processes using the ligninolytic fungus and their enzymes for the production of biofuels from cotton wastes

Breast cancer management pathways during the COVID-19 pandemic: outcomes from the UK ‘Alert Level 4’ phase of the B-MaP-C study

Abstract: Background: The B-MaP-C study aimed to determine alterations to breast cancer (BC) management during the peak transmission period of the UK COVID-19 pandemic and the potential impact of these treatment decisions. Methods: This was a national cohort study of patients with early BC undergoing multidisciplinary team (MDT)-guided treatment recommendations during the pandemic, designated ‘standard’ or ‘COVID-altered’, in the preoperative, operative and post-operative setting. Findings: Of 3776 patients (from 64 UK units) in the study, 2246 (59%) had ‘COVID-altered’ management. ‘Bridging’ endocrine therapy was used (n = 951) where theatre capacity was reduced. There was increasing access to COVID-19 low-risk theatres during the study period (59%). In line with national guidance, immediate breast reconstruction was avoided (n = 299). Where adjuvant chemotherapy was omitted (n = 81), the median benefit was only 3% (IQR 2–9%) using ‘NHS Predict’. There was the rapid adoption of new evidence-based hypofractionated radiotherapy (n = 781, from 46 units). Only 14 patients (1%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during their treatment journey. Conclusions: The majority of ‘COVID-altered’ management decisions were largely in line with pre-COVID evidence-based guidelines, implying that breast cancer survival outcomes are unlikely to be negatively impacted by the pandemic. However, in this study, the potential impact of delays to BC presentation or diagnosis remains unknown

International design project semester

Sustainability and Internationalization are key factors within educational programmes and institutions nowadays. Offering programmes which focus on these factors at undergraduate level has been a priority at the School of Engineering of Vilanova i la Geltrú (EPSEVG) since the introduction of the European Project Semester (EPS) in 2008. In line with its policy to increase Internationalization and Sustainability in its programmes, the School of Engineering of Vilanova i la Geltrú (EPSEVG) has designed and coordinated a new Erasmus mobility programme, the International Design Project Semester (IDPS), which started in February 2012. IDPS trains engineering students by applying Project Based Learning in intercultural groups. The working language is English and the programme is designed for degree students in their 7th or 8th semester. The IDPS programme offered at the EPSEVG emphasises the introduction of competences in sustainability and human technology. The main objective of the IDPS is to improve the learning outcomes and competences of industrial design engineering students especially in areas of sustainability. It is divided into two parts. One part covers four three (ECTS) credit core courses in specialist fields of study such as Eco Design , Human Centred Design , Sustainable Value Design and Visual Language and Grammar and the second part involves working on a project (worth 18 ECTS. Additional seminars and workshops compliment the courses and vary from programme to programme. The projects are proposed by local companies and research groups. This paper shows the design methodology used in the IDPS programme its structure and the sustainability competences to be achieved by the students.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

International design project semester: a program to challenge industrial design engineering undergraduates to work and study in teams in both presential and non presential learning environments

Since 1991, the Technical University of Catalonia has focussed on introducing Sustainability education in all its engineering and architectural programmes through two environmental plans (1996-2000, 2000-2005), and currently through the UPC Sustainable 2015 [1] plan. Under this framework and following the success of the project programme, European Project Semester (EPS) the School of Engineering of Vilanova i la Geltrú (EPSEVG) has designed and coordinated a new Erasmus mobility programme, the International Design Project Semester (IDPS), which started in February 2012. IDPS trains engineering students by applying Project Based Learning in intercultural groups. The working language is English and the programme is designed for degree students in their 7th or 8th semester. The IDPS programme offered at the EPSEVG emphasises the introduction of competences in sustainability and human technology. The main objective of the IDPS is to improve the learning outcomes and competences of industrial design engineering students especially in areas of sustainability. It also endeavours to improve their ability to work in intercultural settings developing real projects with 4-6 other students. The IDPS is divided into two main parts. One part covers the four core courses (each worth 3 ECTS) and the second part involves carrying out a project (worth 18 ECTS). The courses are in Eco- Design, Sustainable Value Design, Human Centred Design and a Business Practicum. Additional seminars and workshops will compliment the courses and will vary from programme to programme. The projects are proposed by local companies and research groups. The inaugural IDPS programme will start in February 2012 and participants will include 5 students from partner universities and also members of teaching staff from the school of Engineering in Vilanova i la Geltrú. This paper shows the design methodology used in the IDPS programme, its structure and the sustainability competences the students are expected to achieve

International design project semester

Sustainability and Internationalization are key factors within educational programmes and institutions nowadays. Offering programmes which focus on these factors at undergraduate level has been a priority at the School of Engineering of Vilanova i la Geltrú (EPSEVG) since the introduction of the European Project Semester (EPS) in 2008. In line with its policy to increase Internationalization and Sustainability in its programmes, the School of Engineering of Vilanova i la Geltrú (EPSEVG) has designed and coordinated a new Erasmus mobility programme, the International Design Project Semester (IDPS), which started in February 2012. IDPS trains engineering students by applying Project Based Learning in intercultural groups. The working language is English and the programme is designed for degree students in their 7th or 8th semester. The IDPS programme offered at the EPSEVG emphasises the introduction of competences in sustainability and human technology. The main objective of the IDPS is to improve the learning outcomes and competences of industrial design engineering students especially in areas of sustainability. It is divided into two parts. One part covers four three (ECTS) credit core courses in specialist fields of study such as Eco Design , Human Centred Design , Sustainable Value Design and Visual Language and Grammar and the second part involves working on a project (worth 18 ECTS. Additional seminars and workshops compliment the courses and vary from programme to programme. The projects are proposed by local companies and research groups. This paper shows the design methodology used in the IDPS programme its structure and the sustainability competences to be achieved by the students.Peer Reviewe

International design project semester: a program to challenge industrial design engineering undergraduates to work and study in teams in both presential and non presential learning environments

Since 1991, the Technical University of Catalonia has focussed on introducing Sustainability education in all its engineering and architectural programmes through two environmental plans (1996-2000, 2000-2005), and currently through the UPC Sustainable 2015 [1] plan. Under this framework and following the success of the project programme, European Project Semester (EPS) the School of Engineering of Vilanova i la Geltrú (EPSEVG) has designed and coordinated a new Erasmus mobility programme, the International Design Project Semester (IDPS), which started in February 2012. IDPS trains engineering students by applying Project Based Learning in intercultural groups. The working language is English and the programme is designed for degree students in their 7th or 8th semester. The IDPS programme offered at the EPSEVG emphasises the introduction of competences in sustainability and human technology. The main objective of the IDPS is to improve the learning outcomes and competences of industrial design engineering students especially in areas of sustainability. It also endeavours to improve their ability to work in intercultural settings developing real projects with 4-6 other students. The IDPS is divided into two main parts. One part covers the four core courses (each worth 3 ECTS) and the second part involves carrying out a project (worth 18 ECTS). The courses are in Eco- Design, Sustainable Value Design, Human Centred Design and a Business Practicum. Additional seminars and workshops will compliment the courses and will vary from programme to programme. The projects are proposed by local companies and research groups. The inaugural IDPS programme will start in February 2012 and participants will include 5 students from partner universities and also members of teaching staff from the school of Engineering in Vilanova i la Geltrú. This paper shows the design methodology used in the IDPS programme, its structure and the sustainability competences the students are expected to achieve.Postprint (published version

International design project semester: a program to challenge industrial design engineering undergraduates to work and study in teams in both presential and non presential learning environments

Since 1991, the Technical University of Catalonia has focussed on introducing Sustainability education in all its engineering and architectural programmes through two environmental plans (1996-2000, 2000-2005), and currently through the UPC Sustainable 2015 [1] plan. Under this framework and following the success of the project programme, European Project Semester (EPS) the School of Engineering of Vilanova i la Geltrú (EPSEVG) has designed and coordinated a new Erasmus mobility programme, the International Design Project Semester (IDPS), which started in February 2012. IDPS trains engineering students by applying Project Based Learning in intercultural groups. The working language is English and the programme is designed for degree students in their 7th or 8th semester. The IDPS programme offered at the EPSEVG emphasises the introduction of competences in sustainability and human technology. The main objective of the IDPS is to improve the learning outcomes and competences of industrial design engineering students especially in areas of sustainability. It also endeavours to improve their ability to work in intercultural settings developing real projects with 4-6 other students. The IDPS is divided into two main parts. One part covers the four core courses (each worth 3 ECTS) and the second part involves carrying out a project (worth 18 ECTS). The courses are in Eco- Design, Sustainable Value Design, Human Centred Design and a Business Practicum. Additional seminars and workshops will compliment the courses and will vary from programme to programme. The projects are proposed by local companies and research groups. The inaugural IDPS programme will start in February 2012 and participants will include 5 students from partner universities and also members of teaching staff from the school of Engineering in Vilanova i la Geltrú. This paper shows the design methodology used in the IDPS programme, its structure and the sustainability competences the students are expected to achieve