This project is a part of the master thesis for the course Energy smart innovation in the built environment at Halmstad University. This project is done to check the feasibility of VAWT on replacing traditional horizontal axis windmills, costly offshore windmills, and other renewables. As Micro VAWT are smaller, they can be placed where traditional windmills will not be. To stress the point, these can be placed in places like traffic islands and open garden areas.  Lots of such projects are currently ongoing in different parts of the world. Sweden is lagging in this technology diffusion. We concluded that VAWM couldn't alone be used to replace traditional HAWTs or be enough to reach the full renewable target. They can be used in conjunction with HAWT to boost production and efficiency, and we also found other similar uses for VAWM. A business model is suggested so as for the optimal diffusion of VAWT. Our proposal of a micro VAWT of 1.8 million was able to produce 1.41TWh.We found that it was not possible to achieve with VAWT alone.

Background: Establishing closed-loop supply chains is essential for the development of a future circular economy. This concept not only applies to the products within the supply chain but also to their packaging. Presently, traditional packaging follows a linear disposal approach, leading to waste production and a heightened environmental impact in numerous supply chains. Consequently, it is critical to examine the factors influencing current decisions on Returnable Transport Packaging (RTP) and to identify factors that can support its adoption while incorporating its context. Purpose: This thesis aims to explore the barriers, drivers, and enablers of the implementation of RTP in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry. Method: In this research, an interpretivist inductive research approach is employed. The study involves conducting qualitative semi-structured interviews across five distinct cases. These interviews are meticulously analyzed following the methodology outlined by Gioia et al. (2013), dividing the findings into 1st order categories, 2nd order themes, and aggregate dimensions. Conclusion: This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing the implementation of RTP in the ICT industry. It identifies a majority of barriers over drivers, with 13 barriers across six categories and seven drivers in three categories. These findings emphasize the need for supply chain managers to address challenges such as process and flow control, environmental issues, cost considerations, company priorities, stakeholder pressure, and decision-making. Additionally, the research highlights the importance of environmental benefits, stakeholder pressure, and competitiveness as drivers for RTP adoption. Key factors for effective RTP implementation include infrastructure, technology, human resources, consistent demand, and appropriate stakeholder engagement. The study underlines the critical role of technological context as a supportive element in integrating RTP within various aspects of the supply chain. This research offers valuable insights for managers seeking to balance environmental, economic, and managerial perspectives in implementing RTP in ICT supply chains.

Behövs en förstudie innan man sjösätter ett nytt projekt som ska förändra ett företags arbetssätt eller effektivisera en verksamhet? Rapporten beskriver effekterna av att göra en förstudie innan ett projekt påbörjas, som kan innebära stora förändringar i ett företags verksamhet. Förstudien har en stor betydelse, inte minst för att den gör det möjligt att avbryta ett projekt i ett tidigt skede, om man upptäcker att det inte är ekonomiskt fördelaktigt för företaget att genomföra det. En slutsats vi drar är att de agila projektmodellerna underlättar hanteringen av förändringar som uppstår under projektets gång samt gör projektet mer anpassningsbart till de resultat som framkommer under projektets gång.Rapporten tar upp för- och nackdelar med olika projektmetoder och affärssystem. I rapporten intervjuas ett antal mycket erfarna och kompetenta personer, som tillsammans har över 100 års projektvana och som har implementerat 100-tals projekt. Deras erfarenheter och synpunkter ligger till grund för slutsatser och analyser i rapporten. Dessutom har vetenskapliga litteraturstudier kompletterat intervjuerna för att ge en heltäckande bild av frågorna om förstudier, affärssystem och deras roller i olika sammanhang. / Is a feasibility study necessary before launching a new project that will change a company’s work processes and efficiency? This report describes the impact of making a feasibility study before project initiates, which can mean big changes in a company’s operations. The feasibility study is of great importance, not at least because it makes it possible to cancel a project at an early stage if you discover that it is not economically advantageous for the company to implement it. This report discusses the pros and cons of different project methods and ERP-systems. The report interviewed a number of very experienced and competent persons, who together have over 100 years of project experience and which have been involved in above 100 projects. Their views and experiences form the basis for conclusions and analyses in the report. In addition, the scientific literature studies supplemented the interviews to give a comprehensive picture of the issues of feasibility studies, ERP-systems and their roles in different contexts.

Background. Many older stroke survivors live with multiple (> 2) chronic conditions (MCC), resulting in the need for care by multiple health and social service providers from multiple organizations and sectors. Managing the physical, social and psychological needs related to stroke in addition to other chronic conditions is a complex process that is best served by an interprofessional team of health care providers working collaboratively toward common goals. Interprofessional education (IPE) has been promoted by numerous organizations as a method to enhance collaborative practice. However, many home care providers have not received formal IPE or training to support collaborative practice. Providing IPE in the home care setting is challenging because providers rarely work in a common location, often work in isolation, and spend much of their time driving to provide care to clients in their homes. Moreover, the effectiveness of IPE on collaborative practice for stroke rehabilitation in the home care setting is undetermined. New approaches to IPE for practicing health care providers working in the home care setting are needed. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a new theory-based, IPE intervention, and to explore its effects on collaborative practice in home care for older adult stroke survivors with MCC. Method. This feasibility study involved the use of both a qualitative descriptive and a quantitative (one-group repeated measures) design. The IPE intervention was developed and evaluated within the context of a larger pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT), which evaluated the effectiveness of the Aging Community and Health Research Unit Community Partnership Program (ACHRU-CPP). Informed by the W(e) Learn Framework for Interprofessional Education, the National Interprofessional Competency framework, and the literature, the IPE intervention consisted of four key components: (a) an initial three-hour standardized IPE training session; (b) standardized training for care coordinators; (c) collaborative practice reflective huddles; and (d) outreach visits. The primary outcome was the feasibility of the IPE intervention (enrollment rate, attrition rate, implementation barriers/facilitators). Secondary outcomes included the acceptability of the IPE intervention, the feasibility of the study methods (recruitment/retention rates and procedures, eligibility criteria, data collection and analysis methods), and potential effectiveness of the intervention based on three-month changes in collaborative practice, as measured by the Collaborative Practice Assessment Tool (CPAT) and the 19-Item Team Climate Inventory (TCI). Feasibility and acceptability outcomes were based on descriptive statistics for enrollment and attrition rate and qualitative descriptive analysis of focus group content, field notes, and evaluation of training. The potential effectiveness of the IPE intervention was explored using paired t-tests and Cohen’s d, with the results expressed using descriptive statistics and effect estimates (95% confidence intervals). Results. A total of 37 home care providers from two provider agencies and one Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) in Ontario, Canada participated in the study. Participants included registered nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, personal support workers, care coordinators as well as nursing, rehabilitation and personal support worker supervisors. Participants viewed the intervention as feasible and acceptable. It was effective in improving three domains of collaborative practice as measured by the CPAT (communication/information exchange; community linkage and coordination of care; decision-making and conflict management) and one domain of collaborative practice, as measured by the TCI (task orientation) at six months post initial training. Participants perceived many benefits to the intervention, including improved communication and collaboration within their teams, enhanced role understanding, increased learning with and from each other, and increased appreciation and valuing of the expertise of all team members. Facilitators to implementing the intervention included: funding from the larger trial, support from key stakeholders including agency leadership, provision of key resources (e.g., Team Charter, sample agenda), and continuity of the care coordinators. Barriers included unanticipated delays in recruitment of older adult stroke survivor participants into the larger trial, and higher than expected attrition rates. The study methods were feasible and effective in reaching the target population. We established that the intervention could be delivered as planned. Conclusion. The results of this study provide preliminary evidence for the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effects of the IPE intervention on collaborative practice for an interprofessional stroke-specific team in home care caring for older adult stroke survivors with MCC. The results also provide knowledge of the facilitators and barriers to successfully implementing and sustaining the intervention into home care practice. Further research is warranted to test this intervention in other chronic populations and settings. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / This feasibility study used qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the implementation of a new theory-based, Interprofessional Education (IPE) intervention and explored its effects on collaborative practice in home care for older stroke survivors with multiple chronic conditions. The IPE intervention was developed and evaluated within the context of a larger pragmatic randomized controlled trial (RCT), which evaluated the effectiveness of the Aging Community and Health Research Unit Community Partnership Program. The six-month IPE intervention consisted of four key components: (a) an initial three-hour standardized IPE training session; (b) standardized training for care coordinators; (c) collaborative practice reflective huddles; and (d) outreach visits. Participants included 37 home care providers including registered nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, personal support workers, care coordinators, and nursing, rehabilitation and personal support worker supervisors from two service provider agencies and one Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) in Ontario, Canada. The intervention was effective in improving collaborative practice (e.g., communication within teams, role understanding, team decision-making and conflict management). Facilitators to implementing the intervention included: funding from the larger trial, leadership support, provision of key resources, and continuity of the care coordinators. Barriers included unanticipated delays in recruitment of older adult stroke survivor participants into the larger trial, and higher than expected attrition rates. This study offers preliminary evidence that the intervention is feasible to deliver, acceptable to providers, and may improve collaboration within an interprofessional stroke-specific team. Further research is necessary to test this intervention in other chronic populations and settings.

The legibility of the digitized copy is limited due to the quality of the original document. McMaster Digitization Centre. March 26, 2019. / The object of the program was to develop general guidelines for the art of simulation, and then to show how simulation could be used in practice. A digital computer simulation was assembled to describe the operation of the Shell alkylation plant at Bronte, Ontario. The solution of the steady-state mass and energy balances provided a working simulation on which to demonstrate the modeling and simulation techniques which are presented. The simulation was used to predict the operating costs and to asses the technical feasibility of five plant case studies. / Thesis / Master of Engineering (ME)

This thesis describes the refinement of an Architecture Flow Optimization (AFO) tool for naval surface ship design, specifically focusing on the development of new network and matrix-based methods for AFO formulation and their application in Concept Development. The AFO tool analyzes and optimizes the flow of energy through the ship's Vital Components (VCs) interfacing with a Ship Synthesis and Product Model (SSM), ensuring that all physical and operational constraints are satisfied while minimizing system cost across multiple intact and damaged operational scenarios. The total ship system is described by physical and logical architectures in a network structure comprised of vital component nodes and arcs. These elements form the basis of a linear system of equations in matrix form, the manipulation of which relies heavily on linear algebra and matrix operations. The matrix system of equations is solved using linear programming with a significant improvement in computational efficiency. The solution supports the sizing of individual vital components and the refinement of system logical architecture. It also provides the basic AFO engine necessary to support future refinement of a dynamic architecture flow optimization (DAFO) with the computational speed necessary for rapid solution of dynamic mission scenarios insuring optimized and feasible warfighting reconfiguration, with and without damage. / Master of Science / This thesis describes the refinement of an Architecture Flow Optimization (AFO) tool for naval surface ship design, specifically focusing on the development of new network and matrix-based methods for AFO formulation and their application in naval ship Concept Development processes. The Architecture Flow Optimization tool analyzes and optimizes the flow of energy through the ship's Vital Components (VCs). The AFO tool completes this task by interfacing with a Ship Synthesis and Product Model (SSM), ensuring that all of the ship's physical and operational constraints are satisfied. This is done while minimizing the ship system cost across multiple intact and damaged operational scenarios. The total ship system is described by physical and logical architectures in a network structure comprised of vital components (nodes) and their connections (arcs). These elements form the basis of a linear system of equations in matrix form, the manipulation of which relies heavily on linear algebra and matrix operations. The matrix system of equations is solved using a linear programming algorithm with a significant improvement in computational speed. The solution provided from the optimization supports the sizing of individual vital components and the refinement of the ship system logical architecture. It also provides the basic AFO engine necessary to support future refinement of a dynamic architecture flow optimization (DAFO) with the computational speed necessary for rapid solution of dynamic mission scenarios insuring optimized and feasible warfighting reconfiguration, with and without damage.

This work is motivated by the pressing need for operational control in the fabrication of Microelectromechanical systems or MEMS. MEMS are miniature three-dimensional integrated electromechanical systems with the ability to absorb information from the environment, process this information and suitably react to it. These devices offer tremendous advantages owing to their small size, low power consumption, low mass and high functionality, which makes them very attractive in applications with stringent demands on weight, functionality and cost. While the system''s "brain" (device electronics) is fabricated using traditional IC technology, the micromechanical components necessitate very intricate and sophisticated processing of silicon or other suitable substrates. A dearth of fabrication facilities with micromachining capabilities and a lengthy gestation period from design to mass fabrication and commercial acceptance of the product in the market are factors most often implicated in hampering the growth of MEMS. These devices are highly application specific with low production volumes and the few fabs that do possess micromachining capabilities are unable to offer a complete array of fabrication processes in order to be able to cater to the needs of the MEMS R&D community. A distributed fabrication network has, therefore, emerged to serve the evolving needs of this high investment, low volume MEMS industry. Under this environment, a central facility coordinates between a network of fabrication centers (Network of MEMS job shops -- NMJS) containing micromachining capabilities. These fabrication centers include commercial, academic and government fabs, which make their services available to the ordinary customer. Wafers are shipped from one facility to another until all processing requirements are met. The lengthy and intricate process sequences that need to be performed over a network of capital intensive facilities are complicated by dynamic job arrivals, stochastic processing times, sequence-dependent set ups and travel between fabs. Unless the production of these novel devices is carefully optimized, the benefits of distributed fabrication could be completely overshadowed by lengthy lead times, chaotic routings and costly processing. Our goal, therefore, is to develop and validate an approach for optimal routing (assignment) and sequencing of MEMS devices in a network of stochastic job shops with the objective of minimizing the sum of completion times and the cost incurred, given a set of fabs, machines and an expected product mix. In view of our goal, we begin by modeling the stochastic NMJS problem as a two-stage stochastic program with recourse where the first-stage variables are binary and the second-stage variables are continuous. The key decision variables are binary and pertain to the assignment of jobs to machines and their sequencing for processing on the machines. The assignment variables essentially fix the route of a job as it travels through the network because these variables specify the machine on which each job-operation must be performed out of several candidate machines. Once the assignment is decided upon, sequencing of job-operations on each machine follows. The assignment and sequencing must be such that they offer the best solution (in terms of the objective) possible in light of all the processing time scenarios that can be realized. We present two approaches for solving the stochastic NMJS problem. The first approach is based on the L-shaped method (credited to van Slyke and Wets, 1969). Since the NMJS problem lacks relatively complete recourse, the first-stage solution can be infeasible to the second-stage problem in that the first stage solution may either violate the reentrant flow conditions or it may create a deadlock. In order to alleviate these infeasibilities, we develop feasibility cuts which when appended to the master problem eliminate the infeasible solution. Alternatively, we also develop constraints to explicitly address these infeasibilities directly within the master problem. We show how a deadlock involving 2 or 3 machines arises if and only if a certain relationship between operations and a certain sequence amongst them exists. We generalize this argument to the case of m machines, which forms the basis for our deadlock prevention constraints. Computational results at the end of Chapter 3 compare the relative merits of a model which relies solely on feasibility cuts with models that incorporate reentrant flow and deadlock prevention constraints within the master problem. Experimental evidence reveals that the latter offers appreciable time savings over the former. Moreover, in a majority of instances we see that models that carry deadlock prevention constraints in addition to the reentrant flow constraints provide at par or better performance than those that solely carry reentrant flow constraints. We, next, develop an optimality cut which when appended to the master problem helps in eliminating the suboptimal master solution. We also present alternative optimality and feasibility cuts obtained by modifying the disjunctive constraints in the subproblem so as to eliminate the big H terms in it. Although any large positive number can be used as the value of H, a conservative estimate may improve computational performance. In light of this, we develop a conservative upper bound for operation completion times and use it as the value of H. Test instances have been generated using a problem generator written in JAVA. We present computational results to evaluate the impact of a conservative estimate for big H on run time, analyze the effect of the different optimality cuts and demonstrate the performance of the multicut method (Wets, 1981) which differs from the L-shaped method in that the number of optimality cuts it appends is equal to the number of scenarios in each iteration. Experimentation indicates that Model 2, which uses the standard optimality cut in conjunction with the conservative estimate for big H, almost always outperforms Model 1, which also uses the standard optimality cut but uses a fixed value of 1000 for big H. Model 3, which employs the alternative optimality cut with the conservative estimate for big H, requires the fewest number of iterations to converge to the optimum but it also incurs the maximum premium in terms of computational time. This is because the alternative optimality cut adds to the complexity of the problem in that it appends additional variables and constraints to the master as well as the subproblems. In the case of Model 4 (multicut method), the segregated optimality cuts accurately reflect the shape of the recourse function resulting in fewer overall iterations but the large number of these cuts accumulate over the iterations making the master problem sluggish and so this model exhibits a variable performance for the various datasets. These experiments reveal that a compact master problem and a conservative estimate for big H positively impact the run time performance of a model. Finally, we develop a framework for a branch-and-bound scheme within which the L-shaped method, as applied to the NMJS problem, can be incorporated so as to further enhance its performance. Our second approach for solving the stochastic NMJS problem relies on the tight LP relaxation observed for the deterministic equivalent of the model. We, first, solve the LP relaxation of the deterministic equivalent problem, and then, fix certain binary assignment variables that take on a value of either a 0 or a 1 in the relaxation. Based on this fixing of certain assignment variables, additional logical constraints have been developed that lead to the fixing of some of the sequencing variables too. Experimental results, comparing the performance of the above LP heuristic procedure with CPLEX over the generated test instances, illustrate the effectiveness of the heuristic procedure. For the largest problems (5 jobs, 10 operations/job, 12 machines, 7 workcenters, 7 scenarios) solved in this experiment, an average savings of as much as 4154 seconds and 1188 seconds was recorded in a comparison with Models 1 and 2, respectively. Both of these models solve the deterministic equivalent of the stochastic NMJS problem but differ in that Model 1 uses a big H value of 1000 whereas Model 2 uses the conservative upper bound for big H developed in this work. The maximum optimality gap observed for the LP heuristic over all the data instances solved was 1.35%. The LP heuristic, therefore, offers a powerful alternative to solving these problems to near-optimality with a very low computational burden. We also present results pertaining to the value of the stochastic solution for various data instances. The observed savings of up to 8.8% over the mean value approach underscores the importance of using a solution that is robust over all scenarios versus a solution that approximates the randomness through expected values. We, next, present a dynamic stochastic scheduling approach (DSSP) for the NMJS problem. The premise behind this undertaking is that in a real-life implementation that is faithful to the two-stage procedure, assignment (routing) and sequencing decisions will be made for all the operations of all the jobs at the outset and these will be followed through regardless of the actual processing times realized for individual operations. However, it may be possible to refine this procedure if information on actual processing time realizations for completed operations could be utilized so that assignment and sequencing decisions for impending operations are adjusted based on the evolving scenario (which may be very different from the scenarios modeled) while still hedging against future uncertainty. In the DSSP approach, the stochastic programming model for the NMJS problem is solved at each decision point using the LP heuristic in a rolling horizon fashion while incorporating constraints that model existing conditions in the shop floor and the actual processing times realized for the operations that have been completed. The implementation of the DSSP algorithm is illustrated through an example problem. The results of the DSSP approach as applied to two large problem instances are presented. The performance of the DSSP approach is evaluated on three fronts; first, by using the LP heuristic at each decision point, second, by using an optimal algorithm at each decision point, and third, against the two-stage stochastic programming approach. Results from the experimentation indicate that the DSSP approach using the LP heuristic at each decision point generates superior assignment and sequencing decisions than the two-stage stochastic programming approach and provides solutions that are near-optimal with a very low computational burden. For the first instance involving 40 operations, 12 machines and 3 processing time scenarios, the DSSP approach using the LP heuristic yields the same solution as the optimal algorithm with a total time savings of 71.4% and also improves upon the two-stage stochastic programming solution by 1.7%. In the second instance, the DSSP approach using the LP heuristic yields a solution with an optimality gap of 1.77% and a total time savings of 98% over the optimal algorithm. In this case, the DSSP approach with the LP heuristic improves upon the two-stage stochastic programming solution by 6.38%. We conclude by presenting a framework for the DSSP approach that extends the basic DSSP algorithm to accommodate jobs whose arrival times may not be known in advance. / Ph. D.

Rare Earth elements (REEs) are economically important due to their critical applications within multiple industries. This study investigates the Spruce Pine district of North Carolina, testing the economic feasibility of repurposing current mine waste tailings as a rare earth element resource. Spruce Pine is home to several active quartz and feldspar mining operations, with large waste tailing piles generated during the separation process for quartz and feldspar. The mineralogy, composition, and REE budget of the tailings was examined to assess the economic viability of rare earth element extraction. The local geology includes a series of muscovite class pegmatites of Devonian age (390 Ma), intruded into the primarily amphibolite-grade units of the Ashe and Alligator Back formations (Wood, 1996). The waste tailing piles of two on-going quartz mining operations were sampled to evaluate the potential economic feasibility of rare earth element extraction from key accessory phases, including apatite, remaining from the initial separation process. Sample characterization utilized laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results of this investigation support the conclusion that, at the current recovery rate, price of rare earth elements, and cost of refinement, economic recovery of REE from the studied tailings is not viable. However, yttrium and dysprosium offer the highest potential for economic recovery. If some combination of improvements to the extraction process, reduction in refinement cost, or increases in price occur, yttrium and dysprosium are sufficiently abundant that extraction could become economically viable. / Master of Science / Rare Earth elements (REEs) are comprised of the Lanthanide series of elements as well as yttrium and scandium. REEs are economically important due to their critical applications within multiple industries. Current uses include electronics, magnets, lasers, electric motors, optical fibers, nuclear reactor control rods, visual displays, etc. Although the demand for REEs is high, the current sourcing of REEs is quite scarce. This study investigates the Spruce Pine district of North Carolina, testing the economic feasibility of repurposing current mine waste tailings as a rare earth element resource. Spruce Pine is home to several active quartz and feldspar mining operations, with large waste tailing piles generated during the separation process for quartz and feldspar. The mineralogy, composition and REE budget of the tailings was examined to assess the economic viability of rare earth element extraction. The waste tailing piles of two on-going quartz mining operations were sampled to evaluate the potential economic feasibility of rare earth element extraction from key accessory phases, including apatite, remaining from the initial separation process. The results of this investigation support the conclusion that, at the current recovery rate, price of rare earth elements, and cost of refinement, economic recovery of REE from the studied tailings is not viable. However, yttrium and dysprosium offer the highest potential for economic recovery. If some combination of improvements to the extraction process, reduction in cost of refinement, or increase in price were to occur, yttrium and dysprosium are sufficiently abundant that extraction could become economically viable.

Sustainability of the soybean industry relies on the growth of new industries and the continued improvement of seeds for utilization. Grower adoption and growth of the edamame industry has been slow in part due to insufficient information on its potential profitability and marketability. As such, the first and second objectives of this thesis aimed at 1) determining production costs of hand-harvested fresh edamame enterprise and 2) exploring consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP) for fresh, local, organic, and "on-the-stalk" marketed edamame. Sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose sugars hold tremendous implications for utilization of soybean seeds in livestock, soyfood, and probiotics industries. Current sugar phenotyping methods using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are costly and inefficient. Therefore, the third objective of this study was to develop calibrations to predict sugar content using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS). Results showed that labor accounted for 72% of production costs for edamame pods, which largely limits its profit potential. Mean WTP for fresh and local edamame exceeded their frozen and non-local counterparts by 94 and 88 cents, respectively. In addition, mean WTP for organic edamame exceeded non-GMO edamame by 33 cents. Pro-environmental attitudes appeared to be a consistent driver of WTP these three attributes. Meanwhile, a 40-cent discount for "on-the-stalk" edamame compared to pods indicates convenience may also be a factor in edamame marketability. Calibration development for sucrose and stachyose was successful, with R2cal, R2cv, RMSEC, and RMSECV of 0.901, 0.869, 0.516, and 0.596, and 0.911, 0.891, 0.361, and 0.405, respectively. Alternative methods should be investigated for quantification of raffinose. / Master of Science / Sustainability of the soybean industry relies on the growth of new industries and the continued improvement of seeds for utilization. Grower adoption and growth of the edamame industry has been slow in part due to insufficient information on its potential profitability and marketability. As such, the first and second objectives of this thesis aimed at 1) determining production costs of hand-harvested fresh edamame and 2) exploring relative marketing potential of fresh, local, organic, and "on-the-stalk" edamame. Sucrose, raffinose, and stachyose sugars hold tremendous implications for utilization of soybean seeds in livestock, soyfood, and probiotics industries. Current methods of quantifying sugar are costly and time inefficient. Therefore, the third objective of this study was to develop prediction models to estimate sugar content using near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS). Results showed that labor accounted for 72% of production costs for edamame pods, which largely limits its profit potential. Fresh and local edamame showed considerable marketing potential over frozen and non-local edamame. In addition, organic edamame showed marginal marketing benefit over non-GMO. Pro-environmental attitudes were an important driver of these results. Meanwhile, on-the-stalk edamame shows poor marketing potential, likely due to preference for convenience of food preparation in the U.S. NIRS prediction models for sucrose and stachyose showed strong predictive accuracy and low error, suggesting potential for implementation. The prediction model for raffinose, however, remained poor.

Yes / Heart failure affects 26 million people globally, and the optimal management of medicines is crucial for patients, particularly when their care is transferred between hospital and the community. Optimising clinical outcomes requires well-calibrated cross-organisational processes with staff and patients responding and adapting to medicines changes. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of implementing a complex intervention (the Medicines at Transitions Intervention; MaTI) co-designed by patients and healthcare staff. The purpose of the intervention was to optimise medicines management across the gaps between secondary and primary care when hospitals handover care. The study objectives were to (1) assess feasibility through meeting specified progression criteria to proceed to the trial, (2) assess if the intervention was acceptable to staff and patients, and (3) determine whether amendment or refinement would be needed to enhance the MaTI. The feasibility of the MaTI was tested in three healthcare areas in the North of England between July and October 2017. Feasibility was measured and assessed through four agreed progression to trial criteria: (1) patient recruitment, (2) patient receipt of a medicines toolkit, (3) transfer of discharge information to community pharmacy, and (4) offer of a community pharmacy medicines review/discussion or medicines reconciliation. From the cardiology wards at each of the three NHS Acute Trusts (sites), 10 patients (aged ≥ 18 years) were recruited and introduced to the 'My Medicines Toolkit' (MMT). Patients were asked to identify their usual community pharmacy or nominate a pharmacy. Discharge information was transferred to the community pharmacy; pharmacists were asked to reconcile medicines and invited patients for a medicines use review (MUR) or discussion. At 1 month following discharge, all patients were sent three questionnaire sets: quality-of-life, healthcare utilisation, and a patient experience survey. In a purposive sample, 20 patients were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview about their experiences of the MaTI. Staff from hospital and primary care settings involved in patients' care were invited to participate in a semi-structured interview. Patient and staff interviews were analysed using Framework Analysis. Questionnaire completion rates were recorded and data were descriptively analysed. Thirty-one patients were recruited across three sites. Eighteen staff and 18 patients took part in interviews, and 19 patients returned questionnaire sets. All four progression to trial criteria were met. We identified barriers to patient engagement with the intervention in hospital, which were compounded by patients' focus on returning home. Some patients described not engaging in discussions with staff about medicines and lacking motivation to do so because they were preoccupied with returning home. Some patients were unable or unwilling to attend a community pharmacy in person for a medicines review. Roles and responsibilities for delivering the MaTI were different in the three sites, and staff reported variations in time spent on MaTI activities. Staff reported some work pressures and staff absences that limited the time they could spend talking to patients about their medicines. Clinical teams reported that recording a target dose for heart failure medicines in patient-held documentation was difficult as they did not always know the ideal or tolerable dose. The majority of patients reported receiving the patient-held documentation. More than two-thirds reported being offered a MUR by their community pharmacists. Delivery of the Medicines at Transitions Intervention (MaTI) was feasible at all three sites, and progression to trial criteria were met. Refinements were found to be necessary to overcome identified barriers and strengthen delivery of all steps of the intervention. Necessary changes to the MaTI were identified along with amendments to the implementation plan for the subsequent trial. Future implementation needs to take into account the complexity of medicines management and adaptation to local context. / This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) (Programme Grants for Applied Research (Grant Reference Number RP-PG-0514-20009)). The study is also supported by the NIHR Yorkshire and Humber Patient Safety Translational Research Centre.