Cassiano Moro Piekarski, Fábio Neves Puglieri, Cristiane Karyn de Carvalho Araújo, Murillo Vetroni Barros and Rodrigo Salvador
The purpose of this paper is to report on a life cycle assessment (LCA)-based ecodesign teaching practice via university-industry collaboration in an industrial engineering…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report on a life cycle assessment (LCA)-based ecodesign teaching practice via university-industry collaboration in an industrial engineering undergraduate course.
Design/methodology/approach
A new course was designed and taught in the Industrial Engineering undergraduate course of a Federal University in Brazil. The course comprised explanatory lectures and a practical project developed in a partnership between the university and an industry partner where students had to develop Ecodesign proposals based on LCA to improve the environmental profile of both solid and reticulated paint brushes. To that end, students used the LCA software tool Umberto NXT v.7.1.13 (educational version), where they modeled the life cycle of four plastic brushes and assessed it using the impact categories of climate change and resource consumption, and the Ecoinvent v.3.3 database. After course completion, students, professors and industry collaborators were asked to provide feedback on the project performance and expectations.
Findings
The course design used was welcomed by both students and the industry partner. Students found the novel approach intriguing and useful to their future careers. The results also exceeded the industry partner’s expectations, as students formulated valuable insights. Professors observed that learning was made easier, as content was put into practice and internalized more easily and solidly. The approach was found to be a win-win-win.
Practical implications
Students acquired a fair share of knowledge on sustainability issues and potential existing trade-offs, which is valuable to industrial practices. The industry noticed the valuable contributions that academia can provide. The university profited from providing students with a real case challenging traditional teaching methods.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first case studies to show how LCA and ecodesign teaching practice can support sustainability learning in an industrial engineering undergraduate course.
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Keywords
The easing of rules should help revive business activity, but looser restrictions on public gatherings have fostered protests nationwide. These relate to specific frustrations…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB256941
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
Bukele claims the deal is the largest private investment in Salvadoran history. It forms part of his plan to boost the country’s logistical capacity and drive economic growth…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB290277
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
President Nayib Bukele’s New Ideas (NI) won an overwhelming victory in February’s legislative elections, securing 56 of 84 seats. Bukele had often clashed with the Constitutional…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB261587
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
The five seats obtained by its allies, the Gran Alianza por la Unidad Nacional (Grand Alliance for National Unity) will cement the majority further. This concentration of power…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB260564
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
Possible scenarios if Philippine president were to step down for health reasons.
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB250227
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
President Nayib Bukele is highly popular, having implemented hard-line security policies that have reduced murder rates dramatically. He was re-elected in February by a landslide…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB286620
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
The upgrade demonstrates Moody’s belief that El Salvador's immediate risk of a sovereign default has declined. Economic issues will dominate President Nayib Bukele’s second term…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB287845
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
It does so in a complicated migratory environment. Migration flows are diversifying and show no sign of abating, anti-migration movements are vocal, press coverage of the issue is…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB279674
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
Akram Hernández-Vásquez and Rodrigo Vargas-Fernández
Despite the growing prison population in South America and the high prevalence of infectious diseases, there is limited evidence on the factors associated with self-reported…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the growing prison population in South America and the high prevalence of infectious diseases, there is limited evidence on the factors associated with self-reported tuberculosis (TB) in this population. This study aims to identify the factors associated with self-reported TB among inmates in all prisons across Ecuador.
Design/methodology/approach
The 2022 Prison Census was used. The presence of TB was self-reported based on the question: Has any doctor diagnosed you with any of the following diseases: Tuberculosis? Prevalence ratios (PR) were obtained using crude and multivariable models along with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a generalized linear model with random effect at the prison level to assess the association among the study variables.
Findings
The prevalence of self-reported TB was 4.7%. Socio-demographic factors (prisoners aged between 18 and 29 years and indigenous), clinical factors (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] infection, diabetes and attempted suicide) and imprisonment characteristics (re-offender, having a medical check-up on admission and being incarcerated for 6 months or more) increased the prevalence of self-reported TB compared with their counterparts.
Originality/value
This study provides a detailed understanding of the factors contributing to the prevalence of self-reported TB in the prison population of Ecuador. The findings highlight the need for strategies focused on TB control through diagnosis and treatment, management of HIV, diabetes and malnutrition, as well as the restructuring of prison facilities. Implementing these measures is crucial for addressing the identified factors and improving inmate health conditions.