The creative engineering education imperative for twenty-First century living

Engineering and design in the twentieth century were conventionally taught from opposite ends of an educational spectrum. Engineering education built certainty on a strong foundation of fundamental knowledge, with students engaging with applications only once those fundamentals were ingrained. Design, in contrast, involved challenging certainty, with divergent thinking, experience mapping, problem framing and exploratory research. Over the last twenty years, elements of creativity and design process education have progressed into the majority of engineering curricula, but change is still slow. Yet, meanwhile, the pace of technological change impacting engineering futures and has been rapid. Arguably, the ability to be open and responsive to radical changes in thinking will become increasingly vital for engineering educators and practitioners with the unknowns of rapid change, both technical and social. For future engineering professionals to be able to be responsive to each wave of disruptive technology, engineering educators will have to re-invigorate their efforts in the adoption of pedagogy that supports creativity and innovation in order to keep pace. In addition, engineering graduates need to be educated not only in how to respond creatively to new technologies but in retaining the human-centred focus of development in an environment where rapid technological change has the possibility of fracturing or supporting human centred and community development. This paper proposes a return to education aimed at producing holistic engineers who integrate social aspirations and technological innovation into their work, as in the nineteenth century, to safeguard human development in the digital era of the twenty-first

Rethinking pedagogy for iterative design process learning and teaching

Product Design as an academic discipline is a relative newcomer to higher education. As a result it has had to adapt to the teaching practices and organisation already in place in Universities. However, with the viability of the current business model of higher education under threat from economic pressures, the dominance of established practice could conceivably be challenged, suggesting the time is right for a review of Product Design education as it operates within academia. Product Design educators need to focus on developing an innovative, practical approach to the organisation of learning based on sound design practice-based principles and provide leadership in pedagogy rather than adapting to the pedagogy of others. Design is a unique discipline that can impact on other disciplines as it is necessarily predicated on ideas of leadership and innovation. The role of Product Design in higher education should not deviate from that. Product Design has a real world heritage that is characterised by realistic, considered, innovative thinking. This paper is a reflective opinion piece, suggesting how that thinking could be applied to redress an imbalance in teaching design process to facilitate a more real world experience for the benefit of students and confidence in the discipline as a whole

Rheological implications of completely monotone fading memory

In the constitutive equation modeling of a (linear) viscoelastic material, the “fading memory” of the relaxation modulusG(t) is a fundamental concept that dates back to Boltzmann [Ann. Phys. Chem. 7, 624 (1876)]. There have been various proposals that range from the experimental and pragmatic to the theoretical about how fading memory should be defined. However, if, as is common in the rheological literature, one assumes that G(t) has the following relaxation spectrum representation: G(t)=∫₀∞ exp(−t/τ)[H(τ)/τ]dτ, t > 0, then it follows automatically that G(t) is a completely monotone function. Such functions have quite deep mathematical properties, that, in a rheological context, spawn interesting and novel implications. For example, because the set of completely monotone functions is closed under positive linear combinations and products, it follows that the dynamics of a linear viscoelastic material, under appropriate stress–strain stimuli, will involve a simultaneous mixture of different molecular interactions. In fact, it has been established experimentally, for both binary and polydisperse polymeric systems, that the dynamics can simultaneously involve a number of different molecular interactions such as the Rouse, double reptation and/or diffusion, [W. Thimm et al., J. Rheol., 44, 429 (2000); F. Léonardi et al., J. Rheol. 44, 675 (2000)]. The properties of completely monotone functions either yield new insight into modeling of the dynamics of real polymers, or they call into question some of the key assumptions on which the current modeling is based, such as the linearity of the Boltzmann model of viscoelasticity and/or the relaxation spectrum representation for the relaxation modulusG(t). If the validity of the relaxation spectrum representation is accepted, the resulting mathematical properties that follow from the complete monotonicity of G(t) allows one to place the classical relaxation model of Doi and Edwards [M. Doi and S. F. Edwards, J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans. 2 74, 1789 (1978)], as a linear combination of exp(−t/τ*) relaxation processes, each with a characteristic relaxation time τ*, on a more general and rigorous footing

On the scaling of molecular weight distribution functionals

When formulating a constitutive equation model or a mixing rule for some synthetic or biological polymer, one is essentially solving an inverse problem. However, the data will not only include the results obtained from simple step strain, oscillatory shear, elongational, and other experiments, but also information about the molecular weight scaling of key rheological parameters (i.e., molecular weight distribution functionals) such as zero-shear viscosity, steady-state compliance, and the normal stress differences. In terms of incorporating such scaling information into the formulation of models, there is a need to understand the relationship between various models and their molecular weight scaling, since such information identifies the ways in which molecular weight scaling constrains the choice of possible models. In Anderssen and Mead (1998) it was established formally that the members of a quite general class of reptation mixing rules all had the same molecular weight scaling. The purpose of this paper is to first introduce the concept of a generalized reptation mixing rule, which greatly extends the class examined by Anderssen and Mead, and then show that all such rules have the same molecular weight scaling. The proof is similar to that given by Anderssen and Mead, but uses the implicit function theorem to establish the uniqueness of the mean values which arise when invoking various integral mean-value representations for the molecular weight distribution functionals considered. The rheological significance of the new generalized two-parameter mixing rule, proposed in this paper, is examined in some detail in the conclusions. In particular, it is used to established how one must construct a mixing rule for a general polydispersed polymer where the molecular dynamics involves some single, some double and some higher levels of multiple reptation. The work of Maier et al. (1998) and Thimm et al. (2000) is then utilized to illustrate and validate this proposal

Characterization of Newly Revealed Sequences in the Infectious Myonecrosis Virus Genome in \u3ci\u3eLitopenaeus vannamei\u3c/i\u3e

Infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV) causes significant economic losses in farmed shrimp, where associated mortality in ponds can reach 70%. To explore host/pathogen interactions, a next-generation sequencing approach using lymphoid organ tissue from IMNV-infected Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp was conducted. Preliminary sequence assembly of just the virus showed that there were at least an additional 639 bp at the 5′ terminus and 23 nt at the 3′ terminus as compared with the original description of the IMNV genome (7561 nt). Northern blot and reverse transcription-PCR analysis confirmed the presence of novel sequence at both ends of the genome. Using 5′ RACE, an additional 4 nt were discovered; 3′ RACE confirmed the presence of 22 bp rather than 23 bp of sequence. Based on these data, the IMNV genome is 8226 bp in length. dsRNA was used to trigger RNA interference (RNAi) and suppress expression of the newly revealed genome sections at the 5′ end of the IMNV genome in IMNV-infected L. vannamei. An RNAi trigger targeting a 376 bp length of the 5′ UTR did not improve survival of infected shrimp. In contrast, an RNAi trigger targeting a 381 bp sequence in ORF1 improved survival to 82.2% as compared with 2.2% survival in positive control animals. These studies revealed the importance of the new genome sections to produce high-titre infection, and associated disease and mortality, in infected shrimp

Characterization of Newly Revealed Sequences in the Infectious Myonecrosis Virus Genome in \u3ci\u3eLitopenaeus vannamei\u3c/i\u3e

Infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV) causes significant economic losses in farmed shrimp, where associated mortality in ponds can reach 70%. To explore host/pathogen interactions, a next-generation sequencing approach using lymphoid organ tissue from IMNV-infected Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp was conducted. Preliminary sequence assembly of just the virus showed that there were at least an additional 639 bp at the 5′ terminus and 23 nt at the 3′ terminus as compared with the original description of the IMNV genome (7561 nt). Northern blot and reverse transcription-PCR analysis confirmed the presence of novel sequence at both ends of the genome. Using 5′ RACE, an additional 4 nt were discovered; 3′ RACE confirmed the presence of 22 bp rather than 23 bp of sequence. Based on these data, the IMNV genome is 8226 bp in length. dsRNA was used to trigger RNA interference (RNAi) and suppress expression of the newly revealed genome sections at the 5′ end of the IMNV genome in IMNV-infected L. vannamei. An RNAi trigger targeting a 376 bp length of the 5′ UTR did not improve survival of infected shrimp. In contrast, an RNAi trigger targeting a 381 bp sequence in ORF1 improved survival to 82.2% as compared with 2.2% survival in positive control animals. These studies revealed the importance of the new genome sections to produce high-titre infection, and associated disease and mortality, in infected shrimp

Sequence-optimized and targeted double-stranded RNA as a therapeutic antiviral treatment against infectious myonecrosis virus in \u3ci\u3eLitopenaeus vannamei\u3c/i\u3e

Infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV) is a significant and emerging pathogen that has a tremendous impact on the culture of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. IMNV first emerged in Brazil in 2002 and subsequently spread to Indonesia, causing large economic losses in both countries. No existing therapeutic treatments or effective interventions currently exist for IMNV. RNA interference (RNAi) is an effective technique for preventing viral disease in shrimp. Here, we describe the efficacy of a double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) applied as an antiviral therapeutic following virus challenge. The antiviral molecule is an optimized dsRNA construct that targets an IMNV sequence at the 5’ end of the genome and that showed outstanding antiviral protection previously when administered prior to infection. At least 50% survival is observed with a low dose of dsRNA administered 48 h post-infection with a lethal dose of IMNV; this degree of protection was not observed when dsRNA was administered 72 h post-infection. Additionally, administration of the dsRNA antiviral resulted in a significant reduction of the viral load in the muscle of shrimp that died from disease or survived until termination of the present study, as assessed by quantitative RT-PCR. These data indicate that this optimized RNAi antiviral molecule holds promise for use as an antiviral therapeutic against IMNV

Naturally occurring highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b infection in three domestic cats in North America during 2023

The Eurasian strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 is a devastating pathogen for birds that also has the capacity to infect mammals. This report describes the presentation, clinical case findings (including haemogram and serum biochemistry), gross and microscopic lesions and virus detection in three HPAI H5N1-infected domestic cats from the USA in 2023. All three cats presented with neurological abnormalities and were euthanized due to a poor prognosis within 2 days (two cats) or 10 days (one cat) of known clinical disease onset. Necropsy consistently revealed pulmonary congestion and oedema, and cerebrocortical malacia with haemorrhage was also seen in the cat that survived for 10 days. On histology, all cats had necrotizing encephalitis and interstitial pneumonia with pulmonary congestion, oedema, vasculitis and vascular thrombosis. One cat also had microscopic multifocal necrosis in the liver, pancreas and an adrenal gland. To our knowledge, this report is the first to detail pathological findings in HPAI H5N1 naturally-infected cats during the widespread outbreak in North America beginning in 2021, and that describes a cat surviving for 10 days after onset of HPAI H5N1 encephalitis

Avaliação do potencial produtivo da videira Niágara Rosada na Região de Pelotas.

O Objetivo do trabalho é avaliar a produção de videira ?Niágara Rosada? na região de Pelotas, com e sem a utilização da cobertura da parreiral com plástico transparente

Industrial design digital technology

AbstractThis paper is a reflective opinion piece suggesting that the Industrial Design discipline has an opportunity to react proactively to disruptive practices made possible by innovations in digital technology, by developing a field of practice in ‘Industrial Design Digital Technology’ that challenges the boundaries of the current Industrial Design discipline and potentially stimulates new directions for the profession and for graduates. This would also provide an opportunity for new research collaborations that are in line with the demand for more interdisciplinary work in higher education, creating genuinely transdisciplinary practice that will attract funding and attract students