A Novel Method to Enable Trade-offs Across the Whole Product Life of an Aircraft Using Value Driven Design

The increasing need to understand complex products and systems with long life spans, presents a significant challenge to designers who increasingly require a broader understanding of the operational aspects of the system. This demands an evolution in current design practice, as designers are often constrained to provide a subsystem solution without full knowledge of the global system operation. Recently there has been a push to consider value centric approaches which should facilitate better or more rapid convergence to design solutions with predictable completion schedules. Value Driven Design is one such approach, in which value is used as the system top level objective function. This provides a broader view of the system and enables all sub-systems and components to be designed with a view to the effect on project value. It also has the capacity to include value expressions for more qualitative aspects, such as environmental impact. However, application of the method to date has been restricted to comparing value in a programme where the lifespan is fixed and known a priori. This paper takes a novel view of value driven design through the surplus value objective function, and shows how it can be used to identify key sensitivities to guide designers in design trade-off decisions. By considering a new time based approach it can be used to identify optimum programme life-span and hence allow trade-offs over the whole product life.

Digital Methods for Process Development in Manufacturing and Their Relevance to Value Driven Design

This paper examines the applicability of a digital manufacturing framework to the implementation of a Value Driven Design (VDD) approach for the development of a stiffened composite panel. It presents a means by which environmental considerations can be integrated with conventional product and process design drivers within a customized, digital environment. A composite forming process is used as an exemplar for the work which creates a collaborative environment for the integration of more traditional design drivers with parameters related to manufacturability as well as more sustainable processes and products. The environmental stakeholder is introduced to the VDD process through a customized product/process/resource (PPR) environment where application specific power consumption and material waste data has been measured and characterised in the process design interface. This allows the manufacturing planner to consider power consumption as a concurrent design driver and the inclusion of energy as a parameter in a VDD approach to the development of efficiently manufactured, sustainable transport systems.

Is it worthwhile to conduct a randomized controlled trial of glaucoma screening in the United Kingdom?

To assess the value of conducting a glaucoma screening randomized controlled trial in the UK.

Performance management systems and Public Value Strategy: a case study

Purpose
This article aims to analyze the role of performance management systems (PMS) in supporting public value strategies.

Design/methodology/approach
This article draws on the public value dynamic model by Horner and Hutton (2010). It presents the results of a case study of implementation of a PMS model, the ‘Value Pyramid’ (VP).

Findings
The results stress the need for an improved conceptualization of PMS within public value strategy. Through experimentation using the VP, the case site was able to measure and visualize what it considered public value and reflect on the internal/external causes of both creation and destruction of public value.

Research limitations/implication
This article is limited to just one case study, although in-depth and longitudinal.

Originality/value
This article is one of the first attempting to understand the role of PMS within the public value strategy framework, answering the call of Benington and Moore (2010) to consider public value from an accounting perspective.

Development of a value-added soil conditioner from high shear co-granulation of organic waste and limestone powder

This paper reports on a technical feasibility study of the production of organo-mineral fertiliser from the co-granulation of limestone powders with tea waste. The results from this preliminary study show that the co-granulation of tea waste provided an alternative method of waste recovery, as it converts the waste into a value-added product. Fertiliser granules were successfully produced from various compositions of limestone and tea waste. The effect of tea waste concentration on granule strength was analysed; the granule strength
was in the range 0.2 to 1.8 MPa depending on powder composition; increasing the tea waste mass fraction resulted in a reduction in granule strength.Varying the teawaste to limestone ratio also influenced the compressibility of the granules; the granules compressibility increased with increasing tea waste mass fraction. It was further found that increasing the mass fraction of tea waste in the binary mixture of powder reduced the granule median size of the batch.

The Value and Contribution of Qualitative Research to Inform Nurse Education and Policy in Response to the Child’s Experience of Hospital

The aim of this article is to consider the value of qualitative research to inform nurse education and policy for the hospitalized child and young person (CYP). The theoretical issues and tensions inherent in qualitative research with children and young people’s nursing are presented in conjunction with a discussion and analysis of how the epistemological and ontological concepts underpin and guide research. It is then followed by an exploration of their influence on enabling nurses to understand the CYP’s perspective, before finally leading to an analysis of the impact on the development of policy and research.

Informing pre-registration nurse education: a proposal outline on the value, methods and ethical considerations of involving children in doctoral research

As pre-registration nurse education programmes evolve within the United Kingdom, it is imperative to involve patient/client groups within the research process, as the outcome may invoke a change in the care delivery of the registered nurse (RN). This paper focuses upon children and how children might hypothetically contribute to informing a generic nursing programme in their capacity as a rights holder and expert in their own lives. Even though their contribution and value has been debated around their capacity as research advisor, research participant and co researcher, this paper explores how the child's view of their experience of hospital and of the good nurse could be best captured. Research is a powerful vehicle that can enable their voice to equally inform UK nurse educators and policy makers so that the child's health care needs are effectively met in hospital by RN's who complete a generic programme.

Docking the value of pigmeat? Prevalence and financial implications of welfare lesions in Irish slaughter pigs.

Expansion of the meat inspection process to incorporate animal-based welfare measurements could contribute towards significant improvements in pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) welfare and farm profitability. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of different welfare-related lesions on the carcase and their relationship with carcase condemnations (CC) and carcase weight (CW). The financial implications of losses associated with CC and CW reductions related to the welfare lesions were also estimated. Data on tail lesions, loin bruising and bursitis, CW and condemnation/trimming outcome (and associated weights) were collected for 3,537slaughter pigs (mean [± SEM] carcase weight: 79.2 [± 8.82] kg). Overall, 72.5% of pigs had detectable tail lesions, whilst 16.0 and 44.0% were affected by severe loin bruising and hind limb bursitis, respectively. There were 2.5% of study carcases condemned and a further 3.3% were trimmed. The primary cause of CC was abscessation. While tail lesion severity did not increase the risk of abscessation, it was significantly associated with CC. Male pigs had a higher risk of tail lesions and of CC. The financial loss to producers associated with CC and trimmings was estimated at €1.10 per study pig. CW was reduced by up to 12 kg in cases of severe tail lesions. However, even mild lesions were associated with a significant reduction in CW of 1.2 kg. The value of the loss in potential CW associated with tail lesions was €0.59 per study pig. Combined with losses attributable to CC and trimmings this represented a loss of 43% of the profit margin per pig, at the time of the study, attributable to tail biting. These findings illustrate the magnitude of the impact of tail biting on pig welfare and on profitability of the pig industry. They also emphasise the potential contribution that the inclusion of welfare parameters at meat inspection could make to pig producers in informing herd health and welfare management plans.

The prognostic value of the stem-like group in colorectal cancer using a panel of immunohistochemistry markers

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the Western world. It is becoming increasingly clear that CRC is a diverse disease, as exemplified by the identification of subgroups of CRC tumours that are driven by distinct biology. Recently, a number of studies have begun to define panels of diagnostically relevant markers to align patients into individual subgroups in an attempt to give information on prognosis and treatment response. We examined the immunohistochemical expression profile of 18 markers, each representing a putative role in cancer development, in 493 primary colorectal carcinomas using tissue microarrays. Through unsupervised clustering in stage II cancers, we identified two cluster groups that are broadly defined by inflammatory or immune-related factors (CD3, CD8, COX-2 and FOXP3) and stem-like factors (CD44, LGR5, SOX2, OCT4). The expression of the stem-like group markers was associated with a significantly worse prognosis compared to cases with lower expression. In addition, patients classified in the stem-like subgroup displayed a trend towards a benefit from adjuvant treatment. The biologically relevant and poor prognostic stem-like group could also be identified in early stage I cancers, suggesting a potential opportunity for the identification of aggressive tumors at a very early stage of the disease.

Value capture: a valid means of funding PPPs?

This paper considers the use of value capture (VC) as a means of financing public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the United Kingdom (UK). Although some VC techniques are used in the UK, they are employed more widely in the United States of America. After considering the traditional approach to financing UK PPPs, this paper describes the main VC finance instruments. The findings of a series of case studies are then presented and conclusions drawn. While VC financing may prove unpopular with those bearing the cost of infrastructure improvements, it is recommended that such instruments are considered by UK policy makers.

A high-value, low-cost bubble continuous positive airway pressure system for low-resource settings:technical assessment and initial case reports

Acute respiratory infections are the leading cause of global child mortality. In the developing world, nasal oxygen therapy is often the only treatment option for babies who are suffering from respiratory distress. Without the added pressure of bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (bCPAP) which helps maintain alveoli open, babies struggle to breathe and can suffer serious complications, and frequently death. A stand-alone bCPAP device can cost $6,000, too expensive for most developing world hospitals. Here, we describe the design and technical evaluation of a new, rugged bCPAP system that can be made in small volume for a cost-of-goods of approximately $350. Moreover, because of its simple design--consumer-grade pumps, medical tubing, and regulators--it requires only the simple replacement of a <$1 diaphragm approximately every 2 years for maintenance. The low-cost bCPAP device delivers pressure and flow equivalent to those of a reference bCPAP system used in the developed world. We describe the initial clinical cases of a child with bronchiolitis and a neonate with respiratory distress who were treated successfully with the new bCPAP device.

Is it time for standards and a common data exchange format for digital image analysis?

Digital image analysis is at a crossroads. While the technology has made great strides over the past few decades, there is an urgent need for image analysis to inform the next wave of large scale tissue biomarker discovery studies in cancer. Drawing parallels from the growth of next generation sequencing, this presentation will consider the case for a common language or standard format for storing and communicating digital image analysis data. In this context, image analysis data comprises more than simply an image with markups and attached key-value pair metrics. The desire to objectively benchmark competing platforms or a push for data to be deposited to public repositories much like genomics data may drive the need for a standard that also encompasses granular, cell-by-cell data.

Challenging the cancer molecular stratification dogma: Intratumoral heterogeneity undermines consensus molecular subtypes and potential diagnostic value in colorectal cancer

Purpose:
A number of independent gene expression profiling studies have identified transcriptional subtypes in colorectal cancer (CRC) with potential diagnostic utility, culminating in publication of a CRC Consensus Molecular Subtype classification. The worst prognostic subtype has been defined by genes associated with stem-like biology. Recently, it has been shown that the majority of genes associated with this poor prognostic group are stromal-derived. We investigated the potential for tumor misclassification into multiple diagnostic subgroups based on tumoral region sampled.

Experimental Design:
We performed multi-region tissue RNA extraction/transcriptomic analysis using Colorectal Specific Arrays on invasive front, central tumor and lymph node regions selected from tissue samples from 25 CRC patients.

Results:
We identified a consensus 30 gene list which represents the intratumoral heterogeneity within a cohort of primary CRC tumors. Using a series of online datasets, we showed that this gene list displays prognostic potential (HR=2.914 (CI 0.9286-9.162) in stage II/III CRC patients, but in addition we demonstrated that these genes are stromal derived, challenging the assumption that poor prognosis tumors with stem-like biology have undergone a widespread Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition (EMT). Most importantly, we showed that patients can be simultaneously classified into multiple diagnostically relevant subgroups based purely on the tumoral region analysed.

Conclusions:
Gene expression profiles derived from the non-malignant stromal region can influence assignment of CRC transcriptional subtypes, questioning the current molecular classification dogma and highlighting the need to consider pathology sampling region and degree of stromal infiltration when employing transcription-based classifiers to underpin clinical decision-making in CRC.

Essential scientific mapping of the value chain of thermochemical converted second-generation bio-fuels

As the largest contributor to renewable energy, biomass (especially lignocellulosic biomass) has significant potential to address atmospheric emission and energy shortage issues. The bio-fuels derived from lignocellulosic biomass are popularly referred to as second-generation bio-fuels. To date, several thermochemical conversion pathways for the production of second-generation bio-fuels have shown commercial promise; however, most of these remain at various pre-commercial stages. In view of their imminent commercialization, it is important to conduct a profound and comprehensive comparison of these production techniques. Accordingly, the scope of this review is to fill this essential knowledge gap by mapping the entire value chain of second-generation bio-fuels, from technical, economic, and environmental perspectives. This value chain covers i) the thermochemical technologies used to convert solid biomass feedstock into easier-to-handle intermediates, such as bio-oil, syngas, methanol, and Fischer-Tropsch fuel; and ii) the upgrading technologies used to convert intermediates into end products, including diesel, gasoline, renewable jet fuels, hydrogen, char, olefins, and oxygenated compounds. This review also provides an economic and commercial assessment of these technologies, with the aim of identifying the most adaptable technology for the production of bio-fuels, fuel additives, and bio-chemicals. A detailed mapping of the carbon footprints of the various thermochemical routes to second-generation bio-fuels is also carried out. The review concludes by identifying key challenges and future trends for second-generation petroleum substitute bio-fuels.