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Eight-section Brocades, a qigong protocol, has been shown to reduce depressive symptoms in older adults with chronic physical illness, but its positive effects on quality of life, such as subjective well-being, aren't known.This study intended to evaluate the efficacy of qigong for increasing subjective well-being in older adults with chronic physical illness.A randomized controlled trial was conducted.A governmental family clinic in Hong Kong.Participants were 47 older adults, 19 males and 28 females, with chronic physical illness.Participants were randomly assigned to an Eight-section Brocades group (n = 25) or a cognitive training group (n = 22). The groups received 12 weeks of the Eight-section Brocades intervention or of cognitive training, respectively.The primary outcome-subjective well-being-and the secondary outcomes-functional independence, sleep quality, mobility, and hand grip strength-were assessed at baseline, postintervention, and at a one-month follow-up.No significant between-group differences were observed in improvements in subjective well-being or any of the secondary outcomes. Significant improvements in subjective sleep quality and decreases in daytime dysfunction over time were reported by participants in both groups.The findings didn't support 12 weeks of Eight-section Brocades qigong as an effective treatment to enhance the subjective well-being of older adults with chronic physical illness. These null findings may be due to the possibilities that: (1) the treatment may have minimal effects on positive psychology outcomes; (2) the primary outcome measure showed possible ceiling effects for the groups; (3) the current study used an active control condition that may have had more benefits than the control conditions used in previous studies; (4) the current study may have been underpowered; (5) more than 12 weeks (24 sessions) of qigong may be required to impact well-being; or (6) some combination of these factors may have affected the results.

Objectives: this study examined (i) the relationships between the care duration of carers and their perceptions of the importance of service improvement by types of service, and (ii) whether carers had a disability that moderated the impacts of care duration on these perceptions. Design: survey data for cross-sectional analyses. Method: The sample consisted of carers without disability (n = 625) and carers with a disability (n = 77). Hierarchical multiple regression was applied to examine the unique contribution of care duration. The interaction effects of the disability status of the carer was also estimated. Results: Longer care duration was associated with a greater perception of the importance of service improvement for certain services by carers. The positive relationships between care duration and perception of the importance of caregiver assistances and financial subsidy improvement were stronger for carers with disabilities compared to carers without disability. Conclusions: Long-term carers with disabilities face a potential double disadvantage of service improvement needs with more years of caregiving. Policy makers should consider prioritizing caregiver assistances or financial subsidy service improvements for long-term carers who themselves have a disability.

Abstract The UK has committed to various legally binding targets with regard to renewable energy technology and greenhouse gas reduction. As a result, government policy and legislation have been significant in investing in renewable energy technology, driving innovation since 1990. The aim of this work identifies the key drivers behind commitments and to assess the role of government, business and organisations in the uptake of renewable energy and the development of a decentralised energy network as a result of greenhouse gas emission reduction target. This article presents quantitative analysis of primary research from government and industry. The novel aspect of this investigation is that the conclusive outcomes arise as a result of a unique research method by combining primary and secondary sources with support of company data from Nestlé and Transport for London. The main findings demonstrated that government support is one of the key drivers for innovation into renewable technology; however, business and the public are necessary to bring renewables to market. Strategies have been identified to incorporate decentralised generation into industry for the commitment of renewables and to develop the required energy network of the future. Graphic abstract

This study explored the impacts of five types of community support services (i.e., center-based care, home-based care, respite care, caregiver assistance, and financial subsidies) on self-efficacy for continuous community living among individuals with disabilities and caregivers. Design: Cross-sectional. Method: The sample consisted of a group of individuals with disabilities (n = 948) and a group of caregivers (n = 522). A mixed ANOVA was applied to explore the differences in the perceived importance of improvements to community support services between the groups. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the perceived importance of improvements to types of community support services for self-efficacy for continuous community living. Results: Caregivers perceived higher levels of importance for improvements to community support services than individuals with disabilities. Both groups reported that financial subsidies were the most important area for improvement. The greater importance of improvements to financial subsidies reported by caregivers predicted greater odds for self-efficacy for continuous community living. The greater importance of improvements to center-based services reported by individuals with disabilities predicted greater odds for self-efficacy for continuous community living. Conclusions: The findings suggested that financial subsidies for caregivers and center-based services for individuals with disabilities could improve self-efficacy for continuous community living.

Cracking in concrete structures can significantly affect their structural integrity and eventually lead to catastrophic failure if undetected. Recent advances in sensor technology for structural health monitoring techniques have led to the development of new and improved sensors for real-time detection and monitoring of cracks in various applications, from laboratory tests to large structures. In this study, triaxial accelerometers have been employed to detect and locate micro- and macrocrack formation in plain self-compacting concrete (SCC) and steel-fibre-reinforced SCC (SFRSCC) beams under three-point bending. Experiments were carried out with triaxial accelerometers mounted on the surface of the beams. The experimental results revealed that triaxial accelerometers could be used to identify the locations of cracks and provide a greater quantity of useful data for more accurate measurement and interpretation. The study sheds light on the structural monitoring capability of triaxial acceleration measurements for SFRSCC structural elements that can act as an early warning system for structural failure.

Background: In recent years, studies and reviews have reported the therapeutic benefits of both mindful and non-mindful exercises in reducing anxiety. However, there have not been any systematic reviews to compare their relative effectiveness for therapeutic application, especially among the non-clinical population. Thus, the aim of this review is to compare the effectiveness between mindful and non-mindful exercise on treating anxiety among non-clinical samples. Methods: Potential articles were retrieved from PubMed, Embase, Academic Search Premier, and PsycInfo. Randomized controlled trials, which involved both mindful and non-mindful exercises as intervention, and the use of anxiety outcome measures were included. Results: Twenty-four studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in our systematic review. In addition, 14 studies provided sufficient data to be included in the meta-analysis. For studies that reported significant group differences at post-assessment, results showed that mindful exercise was more beneficial in reducing anxiety than non-mindful exercise. The meta-analysis reported that yoga was more effective in reducing anxiety than non-mindful exercise. Conclusions: Compared to non-mindful exercise, yoga is shown to be more effective in alleviating anxiety symptoms. It is recommended that yoga could be used as a primary healthcare intervention to help the public reduce anxiety.

This study investigates the effect of 3-dimensional (3D) fibres on the rheological properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) using three different fibre volume fractions (1%, 2% and 3%). Two different sizes of 3D fibres with perimeters of 115 mm and 220 mm were considered. Rheological properties were determined through slump flow, J-ring, V-funnel and sieve segregation tests. The test results reveal that the addition of 3D fibres decreases the workability of the SCC. 3D fibres with a perimeter of 220 mm have a more adverse effect on the rheological properties of SCC than 3D fibres with a perimeter 115 mm. The balling effect occurred when 2% and 3% fibre volume fractions of 3D fibres with a perimeter of 220 mm were added to the mixture, compromising the workability of SCC.

The European Union implemented the End-of-Life Vehicle directive to deal with an estimated 6 million end-of-life vehicles each year. Existing literature describe the processes to deal with the waste at end-of-life of different products but there is a lack of information on the costing of these options. These costs remain a concern to automotive manufacturers. This paper therefore reports the end-of-life costs of vehicle components and also demonstrates how these costs can be predicted at the design stage. The proposed approach should help to decide whether the automotive parts are viable for remanufacture, refurbishment, recycling, or disposal from an economic perspective. Two different automotive parts have been selected as case studies to validate the approach. Assumptions were made during the development of the technique and based on the results, the proposed approach could potentially provide vehicle manufacturers a method of estimating the cost of end-of-life recovery processes of vehicle components.

Objectives Qigong has been shown to effectively reduce depressive symptoms in older adults with chronic physical illness. Here we sought to evaluate the effects of qigong on serotonin, cortisol, and BDNF levels, and test their roles as potential mediators of the effects of qigong on depressive symptoms. Methods Thirty older adults with chronic physical illness participated in a randomized clinical trial. They were randomly assigned to a qigong group (n = 14) or a control group for cognitive training of executive function and memory (n = 16). The participants provided blood and saliva samples at baseline and post-intervention. Levels of cortisol were measured from the salvia samples, and serotonin and Brain-derived Neurotropic Factors (BDNF) were measured from the blood samples. Results Consistent with the study findings presented in the primary outcome paper, a significant Group × Time interaction effect emerged on depressive symptoms, explained by greater reductions in the qigong group than the control group. Qigong participants had significantly larger increases in serotonin and BDNF, and decreases in cortisol levels, compared with control group participants. Moreover, treatment-related changes in cortisol levels (but not serotonin or BDNF) fully mediated the beneficial effects of qigong on depressive symptoms. Conclusion The findings provide preliminary evidence that treatment-related changes in cortisol may mediate the benefits of qigong on depressive symptoms. Given the limitation of small sample size of the present study, future studies with larger sample sizes and more extended follow-up assessment are warranted to determine the reliability of these findings. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

The use of supplementary cementitious materials (e.g. fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag) as a partial replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) in blended cement (BC) concrete has been established in recent years. However, an optimum mix design of BC concrete should not only achieve the targeted mechanical properties but also aim at minimizing the cost as well as environmental impacts. The first step towards an accurate estimate of BC concrete’s environmental impacts is to define an indicative functional unit. Unfortunately, most of the research that uses life cycle assessment (LCA) to compare OPC and BC concrete, selects a simple functional unit without taking into consideration the difference in mechanical properties and durability characteristics. Although several efforts were found integrating the durability characteristics in the environmental impact assessment over the whole life cycle, no consensus was found. In this study, a novel approach to quantifying the environmental impact of BC concrete compared to OPC concrete as a part of a decision making process on the type and mixing proportions of concrete to minimize its environmental impact. Using LCA, the method proposes that performance based parameters are defined: a targeted compressive strength and service life. Predictions should be made of these parameters based on generic user-input data like type of BC, water/binder ratios, binder content and OPC replacement rates. The comparative environmental impact is then quantified accordingly. It is believed that this novel approach allows the user to accurately select and proportion a blended cement concrete mix with the objective of minimizing its environmental impact.

Depression, an emotion regulation disorder, is a prevalent mental illness in the world. Meanwhile, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been increasingly regarded as a promising and effective alternative therapy approach for patients with depression. Despite many years of research on depression, the current understanding of the pathological mechanism of depression based on TCM theories is still in its infancy. Due to the lack of scientific evidence in the past, TCM is not fully recognized by researchers around the world. This review firstly summarizes the pathogenesis and etiology of depression in terms of both Eastern and Western medical systems. Secondly, it adopts an integrated Eastern and Western approach to propose some plausible neurophysiological pathways linking the liver, spleen, and heart functions explicated in TCM theory. The aim of this theoretical review is to bridge the knowledge gap between Eastern and Western medicine, which may better explain the pathology of depression.

[EN] Concrete is the primary building material worldwide with a substantial impact on the built environment sustainability. Hence, it is necessary to assess concrete¿s combined functionality, economic and environmental impact. In this paper, two concrete sustainability assessment frameworks, MARS-SC and CONCRETop, were studied. Building on the identified gaps, a new framework, ECO2 was developed. ECO2 is a multi-criteria decision analysis framework that accounts for carbon sequestration of concrete, impact allocation of raw materials, and the impact from the use and end-of-life phases. Hence, it could be used to optimize the proportions of a concrete mix based on a user-defined sustainability objective. A case study concluded that, due to the whole life cycle scope, the environmental impact calculated through ECO2 is 20% higher than that by MARS-SC and CONCRETop. In case of reinforced concrete, where service life requirements are different, the ranking of the alternatives according to ECO2 will significantly change comparatively., The authors acknowledge no conflict of interest. This work is funded by the Faculty of Engineering and Environment's research development fund (RDF) at Northumbria University, UK.

This paper reports the development of a quantitative analysis system for selecting a greener and economically sustainable wind farm at the early design stage. A single wind turbine produces a limited amount of carbon emissions throughout its lifecycle. By taking a broader view, such as wind farms, collectively such an application would have a greater impact upon the environment and cost. Recent research on wind farms tends to focus on wind flow modelling to enable accurate prediction of power generation. Therefore, this paper presents a quantitative approach to predict a wind farm's lifetime (i) carbon emissions and intensity; (ii) potential energy production; (iii) return on investment and (iv) payback time from an early design perspective. The overall contribution of this work is to develop a quantitative approach to enable the selection of ‘greener’ designs for reducing the environmental impacts of a wind farm with hub heights between 44 m and 135 m while still considering its economic feasibility assessment. This newly developed system could potentially be used by top-management and engineers of wind turbine manufacturers and wind energy service providers for cleaner energy provision.

Purpose:\ud The concrete industry faces challenges to create concrete mix designs that reduce negative environmental impacts but also maintain high performance. This has led to ‘greener’ cementitious materials being developed which can decrease the use of traditional Portland cement (PC). This study intended to carry out a ‘cradle-to-gate’ life cycle assessment (LCA) on concrete mix designs containing different cementitious blends.\ud \ud Methods:\ud The aim of this study was to obtain the overall environmental impact, with a particular focus on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of three concrete mix designs: CEM I (100 % PC content), CEM II/B-V (65 % PC content, 35 % Fly Ash (FA) content) and CEM III/B (30 % PC content, 70 % ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) content). Evaluations of the three concrete mixes were performed using ‘SimaPro 8’ LCA software. A comparative cradle-to-gate LCA of these mixes has not currently been explored and could present a new insight into improving the environmental impact of concrete with the use of secondary materials. Recommendations from this work would help the industry make key decisions about concrete mix designs.\ud \ud Results and discussion:\ud Results show that Mix 2 (CEM II/B-V) and Mix 3 (CEM III/B) could potentially be taken forwards to improve their environmental impacts of concrete production. With respect to optimum mix design, it is strongly recommended that GGBS is selected as the addition of choice for reducing CO2 emissions. FA does still considerably improve sustainability when compared to PC, but this work proved that inclusion of GGBS environmentally optimises the mix design even further. Advantages of using GGBS include lower CO2 emissions, a substantial reduction of environmental impacts and an increased scope for sustainability due to the higher PC replacement levels that are permitted for GGBS. Due to mix designs enabling a higher contribution of GGBS additions, it would also indicate an increased positive effect regarding waste scenarios.\ud \ud Conclusions and recommendations:\ud The main contribution of this work demonstrated that concrete can be produced without loss of performance whilst significantly reducing the negative environmental impacts incurred in its production. The results obtained from this work would help to define the available options for optimising concrete mix design. The only material variations in each mix were the different cementitious blends. So, by determining the best option, a platform to make recommendations can be established based upon cementitious materials.

This paper describes a system thinking conceptual framework which will be utilized in identifying uncertainties in infrastructure project during initiation stage deduced from literature review. It forms part of an ongoing PhD research project whose aim is to improve costing in infrastructure project to accommodate uncertainties. The paper concludes that system thinking approaches will enable key stakeholders in infrastructure project to identify and manage uncertainties that will impact on project goals adversely.

The global market for smart packaging is expected to reach $26.7bn by 2024. Smart packaging refers to packaging systems with embedded sensor technology used with foods, pharmaceuticals, and many other types of products. It is used to extend shelf life, monitor freshness, display information on quality, and improve product and customer safety. In addition, smart packaging offers new business opportunities based on digitization and thus fits into the broader realm of Industry 4.0. In this paper, the authors provide an introductory overview of smart packaging and discuss its underlying base technologies. This is followed by a presentation of potential benefits and emerging opportunities in the packaging sector, contrasted by a number of challenges that first have to be overcome for smart packaging to reach its full potential. Finally, conclusions are drawn and an outlook towards the future, critical research areas to work in, and potential lessons to be learned from associated areas are presented.

Virtual machining allows simulation of the machining process by realistically representing kinematic, static and dynamic behaviour of the intended machine tools. Using this method, manufacturing-related issues can be brought to light and corrected before the product is physically manufactured. Machining systems utilised in the manufacturing processes are represented in the virtual machining environment, and there is a plethora of commercial virtual machining software used in the industry. Each software system has a different focus and approach towards virtual machining; more than one system may be needed to complete machining verification. Thus, the significant increase in the use of virtual machining systems in the industry has increased the need for information reusability. Substantial time and money has been put into the research of virtual machining systems. However, very little of this research has been deployed within industrial best practice, and its acceptance by the end user remains unclear. This article reviews current research trends in the domain of virtual machining and also discusses how much of this research has been taken on board by software vendors in order to facilitate machine tool information reusability. The authors present use cases which utilise the novel concept of machining capability profile and the emerging STEP-NC compliant process planning framework for resource allocation. The use cases clearly demonstrate the benefits of using a neutral file format for representing machining capability profiles, as opposed to remodelling and/or reconfiguring of this information multiple times for different scenarios. This article has shown through the use cases that machining capability profiles are critical for representing recourse information from a kinematic, static and dynamic perspective that commercial software vendors can subsequently use. The impact of this on mainstream manufacturing industry is potentially significant as it will enable a true realisation of interoperability.

In this paper, a method for improving uncertainty estimates of embodied carbon and embodied energy is presented and discussed. Embodied energy and embodied carbon results are the focus of this analysis due to the fact that, at the conceptual design stage, these two are the most important quantities for decision making in life cycle assessment (LCA) studies. The use of renewable and new energy sources and the development of cleaner and more efficient energy technologies will play a major role in the sustainable development of a future energy strategy. Environmental protection, economic and social cohesion and diversification and security of energy supply are highlighted by the International Energy Agency as a high priority for the development of cleaner and more efficient energy systems and promotion of renewable energy sources. In the case studies presented, better results for the baseline turbine were observed compared to turbines with the proposed technology improvement opportunities. Embodied energy and embodied carbon results for the baseline turbine show an about 50 % probability that the turbine manufacturer may have lost the chance to reduce carbon emissions and 85 % probability that the turbine manufacturer may have lost the chance to reduce the primary energy consumed during its manufacture. The proposed approach is therefore a feasible alternative when more reliable results are desired for LCA-based design decision making.

The student questionnaire (PIRLS-SQ 2011) of the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) was designed to gather information from pupils on reading literacy development as to aspects of pupils’ self-lives, home, and school lives across countries/districts. In order to serve the purposes of research and international comparison, the questionnaire was translated into various languages. Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the current study investigates the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the student questionnaire (PIRLS-SQCV 2011) and identifies its underlying factor structure among Chinese fourth-grade pupils in Hong Kong. A 10-factor structure model was identified and much resemblance could be drawn to the original PIRLS structure. While the similarity allows international comparisons of studies in different places following the PIRLS strategy, the findings of this study add to extant literature on the relationship between student factors and reading achievement.

Objective To evaluate the evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quantify the effects of acupressure on anxiety among adults. Methodology RCTs published between January 1997 and February 2014, comparing acupressure with sham control, were identified from the databases Science Citation Index/Social Sciences Citation Index, Scopus, PubMed and PsycINFO. Meta-analysis of eligible studies was performed and the magnitude of the overall effect size was calculated for the anxiety outcome. Revised STRICTA (the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture) criteria were used to appraise the acupressure procedures, and the Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. Results Of 39 potentially relevant studies, seven RCTs met the inclusion criteria for review while five studies met the criteria for meta-analysis. All studies reported the positive effect of acupressure on relieving anxiety from the anticipation of surgery or treatment. EX-HN3 ( Yintang), HT7 ( Shenmen) were the commonest points selected and two studies used bilateral points. The acupressure procedure was generally well reported and studies had a low risk of bias. The combined results of the five trials showed a greater overall reduction in anxiety in the acupressure group than in the sham controls (standardised mean differences (SMD)=−1.11; 95% CI −1.61 to −0.61; p2=75%; χ2=16.17; p=0.003; r=0.485). Conclusions Acupressure seems to be effective in providing immediate relief of pretreatment anxiety among adults, and has a medium effect size. However, conflicting results were found for the improvements on physiological indicators. More rigorous reporting, including allocation concealment procedure, is needed to strengthen the results.

For a paper manufacturer to remain competitive and sustainable, they must be able to manufacture at a low production cost with minimum resource consumption. One such approach to reduce manufacturing costs and take environmental issues into consideration could be the adoption of recycling and repurposing of waste paper. However, recent recycling research to address both environmental and economic challenges is predominately focused on the mechanical or electrical and electronics sectors. As the paper industry and consumers produce a large amount of waste paper, this lack of research highlights an important knowledge gap in the field of study. This article reviews the extent to which waste paper can be reused through recycling and repurposing. As a result, a cost modelling approach has been developed to predict cost fluctuations under different manufacturing constraints. The overall contributions of this research are: (i) identification of testing scenarios and parameters in waste paper; (ii) methods of recycling and repurposing cost modelling. A case study has been used to validate the method and based on the proposed approach, senior management of paper manufacturers could potentially achieve the best result to prevent unexpected costs and therefore maximise waste paper reuse.

The trend towards environmental sustainability has encouraged research to explore this new area in manufacturing. Part of the research effort is directed at identifying the drivers of this new development to understand how it is impacting traditional manufacturing. Government regulations, customer demand, and cost savings are amongst many drivers that have been identified. Research so far, however, represents merely the tip of the iceberg of a very complex phenomenon. A deeper understanding of the factors affecting these drivers is lacking. This study, therefore, aims to identify factors that support some sustainability drivers. This study has identified four key drivers and the factors that underlie them. For example, customer demand is a driver that was found to be influenced by underling factors such as the bargaining power of customers and the importance of environmentally-friendly products to win orders. Ten underlying factors are described and then analysed by conducting statistical tests that show their variation in a sample of manufacturing companies. Based on the principle that the control of variation could lead to potential improvements, these factors are ranked according to their variation in the sample. The novelty of this study is its attempt to provide deeper knowledge of what influence the strength of sustainability drivers by shedding light on the factors that underlie them. The approach used to rank the factors based on their variation is also unique and has the potential to be widely used to identify opportunities for improvements in other areas.

This paper presents life cycle assessment (LCA) results of design variations for a 1.5 MW wind turbine due to the potential for advances in technology to improve their performance. Five LCAs have been conducted for design variants of a 1.5 MW wind turbine. The objective is to evaluate potential environmental impacts per kilowatt hour of electricity generated for a 114 MW onshore wind farm. Results for the baseline turbine show that higher contributions to impacts were obtained in the categories of Ozone Depletion Potential, Marine Aquatic Eco-toxicity Potential, Human Toxicity Potential and Terrestrial Eco-toxicity Potential compared to Technology Improvement Opportunities (TIOs) 1 to 4. Compared to the baseline turbine, TIO 1 with advanced rotors and reduced tower mass showed increased impact contributions to Abiotic Depletion Potential, Acidification Potential, Eutrophication Potential, Global Warming Potential and Photochemical Ozone Creation Potential, and TIO 2 with a new tower concept involving improved tower height showed an increase in contributions to Abiotic Depletion Potential, Acidification Potential and Global Warming Potential. Additionally, lower contributions to all the environmental categories were observed for TIO 3 with drivetrain improvements using permanent magnet generators while increased contributions towards Abiotic Depletion Potential and Global Warming Potential were noted for TIO 4 which combines TIO 1, TIO 2 and TIO 3. A comparative LCA study of wind turbine design variations for a particular power rating has not been explored in the literature. This study presents new insight into the environmental implications related with projected wind turbine design advancements.

Discussions of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programs have indicated prevailing concerns regarding the linking of theory and practice with ongoing student criticisms that the theoretical, academic content of their degrees was the least helpful in preparing them for classroom teaching (Ure 2009). While competency-based movements underscored by craft-based, apprenticeship philosophies can offer much in ‘training’ teachers, UK scholars perceive a general failure to connect teachers with theory and evidence (Menter 2013). We argue for the need for new curriculum models in ITE that can achieve practice-based outcomes as well as foster flexible thinkers able to design and adapt learning experiences in fluid and rapidly changing knowledge societies. In this chapter, we elaborate on the guiding philosophy and curriculum model of a new postgraduate ITE curriculum launched in the 2016–17 academic year by the Faculty of Education, the University of Hong Kong. Specifically, we articulate how an inquiry-based design was employed to address the central curriculum reform goal of integration of theory and practice.

This paper describes the development of a quantitative analysis system as a platform for rapidly estimate energy, costs and carbon emission to facilitate the comparison of different wind turbine concept designs. This system aimed specifically at wind turbine manufacturing processes due to the fact that a large proportion of the environmental, costs and energy impacts would occur at this stage. The proposed method supports an initial assessment of multiple design concepts which allows the selection and development of a “greener” wind turbine. The developed system enables concept design of commercial wind turbine towers of hub heights between 44 and 135 m. The method supports an accurate estimation in regards to the dimension, energy consumed, maximum power output, costs and carbon emission in the early design phases of a wind turbine. As a result of the development, the proposed approach could potentially be used to minimise the carbon footprints of major engineering projects such as wind farms.

A UK government report released in 2017 indicated that fly ash (FA) production locally is expected to seize after 2021. This means that for the construction industry to meet its continuously increasing demand for an Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) replacement, FA would probably need to be either imported or recovered from landfills through energy-intensive processes. Recent reports show that companies in the UK have already started importing FA from several countries from which Germany and China were chosen as case studies to exemplify the closest and furthest respectively. The environmental impact associated with the FA transportation raises concerns about the environmental sustainability of the final concrete product. Therefore, this study focuses on using a life cycle assessment (LCA) tool to analyse the environmental impact of importing FA from Germany and China and compare that to recovering landfilled FA in the UK. The study is the first of its kind to investigate the environmental impact of any of the alternatives. Using a Cradle-to-Gate approach and a mix of primary and secondary data, these alternatives were modelled and compared to conventional OPC and currently available locally sources of FA. Results show that the environmental burden from transporting FA from China to the UK will overcome the environmental benefits of it replacing OPC. It is then concluded that the most promising alternative for cleaner production of blended cement concrete is to recover the 50 million tonnes of landfilled FA from the UK using the Dry-processing technique explained in the study. The second best alternative is to import FA from a country within the Europe region to the UK.

This article presents a data modelling and a semi-automatic data searching method to support cost estimation in the product development process, particularly for low-volume, high-complexity and long-life products typified by defence products and systems. This article covers a literature review in the area of cost estimation in product development, the data sets needed to perform cost estimation, the method of modelling the data and the techniques of supporting cost data searching. The proposed method will be used to support cost estimation of product development decisions for defence electronic products. To compare with the traditional approach, the method has demonstrated that by creating a centralized environment such as the ‘databases and using a data-driven’ approach. The system is made more efficient by reducing the number of processes in carrying out cost estimation, and thus, this provides more information to make an informed concept design decision during the product development process based on the system’s competence of instant cost estimation feedback.

Purpose– There has been rapid proliferation of Lesson Studies and Learning Studies over the world. Do they really help teachers’ professional development and student learning? The purpose of this paper is to review studies from 2000 to 2010 on Lesson Study and Learning Study to unravel their benefits on teachers and students.Design/methodology/approach– Relevant studies were screen and extracted on available electronic databases to evaluate outcome of Lesson Study and Learning Study. The results were based on nine studies which examined the achievement of Learning Study and Lesson Study.Findings– All reviews identified positive evidence supporting the benefits of Lesson Study and Learning Study as powerful tool to help teachers examine their practices and enhance student learning. Although all nine studies showed positive effects of Lesson Study and Learning Study on teaching, learning or both, different outcome measures were employed and the study designs varied in qualities.Originality/value– More well-controlled studies with consistent and validated outcome measures were recommended in the future to address the short- and long-term effects of Lesson Study on students, teachers, and school level. Efforts should be focussed on unveiling the relationship between what is taught and what is learned. Studies using these approaches with more vigorous procedures in randomization and blinding should be implemented.

This paper reports on the investigation of an excavator mounted dust suppression system for demolition and construction activities. Ever increasing pressure is placed on contractors to improve their environmental performance, especially dust emissions. Current methods of dust suppression have been investigated and each of the methods has also been critically analysed to determine their advantages and disadvantages. The investigation also examined the requirements of such a system and a concept system proposal was produced. A working prototype has been constructed for a mini excavator complete with a hydraulic breaker. The proposed system was rigorously tested in various configurations to determine its efficiency and effectiveness in comparison with current suppression techniques. The resulting benefits such as the reduction of water usage and cost are highlighted.

In industry, carbon emissions are mainly produced from the amount of energy used in the manufacturing processes due to the burning of fossil fuels, material of products and transportation. The aim of this paper reports the synergy of integrating life cycle assessment (LCA) and Lean manufacturing to reduce the negative environmental impacts of a plastic injection moulded product. A cross-functional mapping method is used because a number of functional areas such as Lean manufacturing and LCA are involved. This work demonstrated that the adaptation of lean thinking and LCA could minimise negative environmental impacts of a product significantly.

This paper presents an analysis of potential technological advancements for a 1.5 MW wind turbine using a hybrid stochastic method to improve uncertainty estimates of embodied energy and embodied carbon. The analysis is specifically aimed at embodied energy and embodied carbon results due to the fact that life cycle assessment (LCA) based design decision making is most important at the concept design stage. The development of efficient and cleaner energy technologies and the use of renewable and new energy sources will play a significant role in the sustainable development of a future energy strategy. Thus, it is highlighted in International Energy Agency that the development of cleaner and more efficient energy systems and promotion of renewable energy sources are a high priority for (i) economic and social cohesion, (ii) diversification and security of energy supply, and (iii) environmental protection. Electricity generation using wind turbines is generally regarded as key in addressing some of the resource and environmental concerns of today. In the presented case studies, better results for the baseline turbine were observed compared to turbines with the proposed technological advancements. Embodied carbon and embodied energy results for the baseline turbine show an about 85% probability that the turbine manufacturer may have lost the chance to reduce carbon emissions, and 50% probability that the turbine manufacturer may have lost the chance to reduce the primary energy consumed during its manufacture. Conclusively, the presented approach is a feasible alternative when more reliable results are desired for decision making in LCA.

This paper presents an analysis of potential technological advancements for a 1.5 MW wind turbine using a hybrid stochastic method to improve uncertainty estimates of embodied energy and embodied carbon. The analysis is specifically aimed at these two quantities due to the fact that LCA based design decision making is of utmost importance at the concept design stage. In the presented case studies, better results for the baseline turbine were observed compared to turbines with the proposed technological advancements. Embodied carbon and embodied energy results for the baseline turbine show that there is about 85% probability that the turbine manufacturers may have lost the chance to reduce carbon emissions, and 50% probability that they may have lost the chance to reduce the primary energy consumed during its manufacture. The paper also highlights that the adopted methodology can be used to support design decision making and hence is more feasible for LCA studies.

The article aims to identify the scientific challenges and point out future research directions on Cost Engineering. The research areas covered in this article include Design Cost; Manufacturing Cost; Operating Cost; Life Cycle Cost; Risk and Uncertainty management and Affordability Engineering. Collected information at the Academic Forum on Cost Engineering held at Cranfield University in 2008 and further literature review findings are presented. The forum set the scope of the Cost Engineering research, a brainstorming was held on the forum and literatures were further reviewed to understand the current and future practices in cost engineering. The main benefits of the article include coverage of the current research on cost engineering from different perspectives and the future research areas on Cost Engineering.

Purpose: We reviewed studies from 1990 to 2010 on using aromatherapy for people with anxiety or anxiety symptoms and examined their clinical effects. Methods: The review was conducted on available electronic databases to extract journal articles that evaluated the anxiolytic effects of aromatherapy for people with anxiety symptoms. Results: The results were based on 16 randomized controlled trials examining the anxiolytic effects of aromatherapy among people with anxiety symptoms. Most of the studies indicated positive effects to quell anxiety. No adverse events were reported. Conclusions: It is recommended that aromatherapy could be applied as a complementary therapy for people with anxiety symptoms. Further studies with better quality on methodology should be conducted to identify its clinical effects and the underlying biologic mechanisms.

Static system modelling for a manufacturing organisation does not closely reflect the manufacturing process. A dynamic model more closely simulates the processes involved, and can provide a richer model. This also applies to cost modelling, where some operational details are assumed or obtained from other systems. In order to provide a holistic modelling system, an experimental system has been built closely to couple a generative cost modelling system and a discrete event simulation system. This paper describes the system, its advantages and shortcomings, and the results obtained for the planning of an assembly process.

Reading literacy of fourth-grade students in Hong Kong showed a remarkable improvement from 2001 to 2006 as shown by international PIRLS studies. This study identified various aspects of the teacher factor contributing to the significant improvement among students. A total of 4,712 students and 144 teachers from 144 schools were randomly selected using probability proportional-to-size technique to receive the Reading Assessment Test and complete the Teacher's Questionnaire, respectively. A number of items pertaining to teachers' instructional strategies and activities, opportunities for students to read various types of materials, practices on assessment, and professional preparation and perception, were found to be significantly correlated with the outcome of students' reading literacy. Stepwise regression procedure revealed four significant predictors for students' overall reading achievement. The most powerful predictor was the use of materials from other subjects as reading resources. Suggestions to improve quality of teaching of reading and further studies are made.

This research employed the Learning Study approach which refers to a blend of Japanese “lesson study” and design-based research to provide support to teachers to teach creatively in Chinese writing. It reports a serendipity finding that remarkable differences in the creativity scores among these classes were noted even though they had the same learning objectives with the same lesson plan. Examining how teachers structure writing activities in a unit is essential to the understanding of how creativity works in the context of classroom instruction. We suggested that these differences were associated with the effects of hierarchical and sequential structuring of teaching content on creativity in Chinese writing. Possible ways of understanding creativity in a domain-specific training and disseminations of the findings are suggested.