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Effects of tailored peroxide oxidation on yield and molecular structure of humic substances from Victorian lignite

- Hood, Andrew

  • Authors: Hood, Andrew
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Thesis , PhD
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  • Description: Soil organic carbon is vital to soil health and productivity. However, its abundance declines as continually greater demands are placed on agricultural food and fibre production. Humic substances are key components within the soil carbon and confer many benefits to soil and plants. Therefore, demand is growing for external amendments to maintain productive soils, including humic substances (HS), specifically humates. There are many sources of these HS, including lignite and Leonardite. Leonardite represents a naturally oxidised lignite that exhibits a rich source of HS. The limitation is the low abundance of Leonardite or difficulties obtaining a reliable source. Lignites are abundant in Victoria (Australia) but lignite derived-humates are often subject to significant compositional and yield variability. Past research has primarily focused on oxidising lignite under low solids loading conditions to improve HS yield and water solubility. This research focuses on oxidising dense run-of-mine (RoM) lignite slurries (20% dry solids loading) that are more suitable for commercial production. The product chemical and molecular structures are compared with a reference Leonardite. Hydrogen peroxide served as the oxidising agent given its availability at a commercial scale and convenience. The controlled set of oxidation experiments showed that the ratio of oxidant to lignite and lignite composition had more impact on HS yields and chemical structure than slurry temperature and pH. Initial oxidation trials utilised an archived sample of carefully blended 2015 RoM (run of mine) lignite from the Loy Yang (LY) mine in Victoria, Australia. Additional fresh LY RoM lignite was obtained in 2021 to enable further larger-scale (10 and 100 L) reaction trials and assess the impact of sample variation and aging on oxidation reactivity. A substantial increase in humic acid yield (29% to 68%) was produced by mild oxidation using a 1:1 (w/w) ratio of the 2015 RoM lignite (db, dry basis) and 35% (w/v) hydrogen peroxide. For the lower quality 2021 RoM lignite, the humic acid content was elevated from 13% to 78% through oxidation with a 2:1 ratio of hydrogen peroxide to lignite (db). Mass and carbon balances, which are often given little consideration, show >64% (2015 RoM) and >84% (2021 RoM) carbon recovery, with the majority of losses attributed to volatiles including CO2 and small organic acids or aldehydes The optimum reaction conditions for humic and fulvic acid production from LY RoM lignite depend on the target products, RoM properties and other commercial considerations. Optimum conditions are likely to be in the region of: - 40°C to 60°C to balance reaction speed and peroxide efficacy. - High humic acid yields require between 1:1 to 1.5:1 peroxide (35% w/v) to lignite (db) ratio. - Minimising humin yields requires a minimum of 2:1 peroxide to lignite. - High fulvic acid yields require between 3:1 to 4:1 peroxide (35% w/v) to lignite (db) ratio. This research shows that Loy Yang RoM lignite can be progressively oxidised with hydrogen peroxide to produce commercially relevant yields of humic and fulvic acids. A large portion of the humin is converted into humic or fulvic acids, and what remained was more oxidation resistant and water-insoluble aliphatic components. Elemental proportions shift within each fraction during oxidation. For the 2015 and 2021 RoM lignite samples; the O/C for the reaction solids increased by 36% and 16% for the respective lignites. The O/C changes for the HAs were 22% and 19% respectively. The humin undergoes a sizeable shift in H/C ratio consistent with aliphatic enhancement. The ratios elevate by 14% with oxidation for both the 2015 and 2021 lignites. Extensive lignite, reaction slurry and reaction product characterisation including slurry pH, spectroscopy (UV-vis, FTIR and NMR), and pyrolysis GC/MS assist in understanding the structural changes occurring during oxidation as well as identify promising on-line reaction monitoring technologies. Elemental (CHNSO), FTIR, NMR and functional group titrations show that the fundamental organic structural changes to the humic acid fraction achieved through controlled oxidation were greater acidity (particularly carboxylic acid content) and a transition from aromatic to more aliphatic character overall. No combination of ratios or slurry conditions tested produced a humic acid with the same chemical structural properties as those extracted from the reference Leonardite. However, it is possible to match some properties under the combinations tested. Larger-scale reactions (10 and 100 L) show that real-time reaction monitoring as well as adequate heating and cooling capacity are essential for commercialising the conceptual lignite oxidation process. Proactively dealing with an inherently variable feedstock and humic product composition is heavily dependent on the intersection of multiple variables. For example, tracking pH, reaction enthalpy, and UV-vis absorbance of prepared samples can provide valuable real-time feedback on the progress of a reaction. Combining these techniques with redox titrations could measure residual peroxide and help manage reaction control parameters or better understand reaction kinetics for process optimisation.
  • Description: Doctor of Philosophy

Efficient graph learning for anomaly detection systems

- Febrinanto, Falih

Either ‘a blessing in disguise’, or ‘I couldn't get help,’ : Australian and Aotearoa NZ women's experiences of early infant feeding during COVID-19

- Atchan, Marjorie, Graham, Kristen, Hartney, Nicki, Martis, Ruth, Kearney, Lauren, Davey, Kym, Daellenbach, Rea, Hall, Helen, Sweet, Linda

  • Authors: Atchan, Marjorie , Graham, Kristen , Hartney, Nicki , Martis, Ruth , Kearney, Lauren , Davey, Kym , Daellenbach, Rea , Hall, Helen , Sweet, Linda
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Women and Birth Vol. 36, no. 3 (2023), p. e305-e313
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  • Description: Background: To manage the COVID-19 pandemic, public health restrictions and a rapid pivot to telehealth occurred. Peripartum services were significantly affected by a strained infrastructure. Decreased face to face access to health services and support affected maternal experiences and confidence internationally, yet little was reported with the Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand context. Aim: To explore the early parenting and infant feeding experiences of new mothers from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand in the context of a pandemic. Methods: An interpretive qualitative approach and thematic analysis obtained an in-depth understanding of the experiences of 27 mothers who gave birth during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Findings: Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand women reported similar experiences, which varied contextually. Restrictions and requirements impacted favourably and unfavourably. Many women found the peace and space of social distancing an unexpected benefit and were proud of their achievements, whilst others shared feelings of isolation and distress. Some women felt they instinctively did what they needed to do. Experiences correlated with differing levels of self-efficacy. Discussion: While many women relished the freedom from social obligations when faced with feeding challenges, there was general dissatisfaction with the level of support available. Care was fragmented, and health care needs were unmet, impacting feeding and parenting decisions and mental health. Conclusion: Access to timely and appropriate professional support is an important factor in establishing breastfeeding and developing parenting confidence, particularly in the context of a pandemic and should be a health policy priority. © 2023 Australian College of Midwives

Elastic step DDPG : multi-step reinforcement learning for improved sample efficiency

- Ly, Adrian, Dazeley, Richard, Vamplew, Peter, Cruz, Francisco, Aryal, Sunil

  • Authors: Ly, Adrian , Dazeley, Richard , Vamplew, Peter , Cruz, Francisco , Aryal, Sunil
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Conference paper
  • Relation: 2023 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks, IJCNN 2023 Vol. 2023-June
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  • Description: A major challenge in deep reinforcement learning is that it requires more data to converge to an policy for complex problems. One way to improve sample efficiency is to use n-step updates to reduce the number of samples required to converge to a good policy. However n-step updates are known to be brittle and difficult to tune. Elastic Step DQN has shown that it is possible to automate the value of n in DQN to solve problems involving discrete action spaces, however the efficacy of the technique when applied on more complex problems and against problems with continuous action spaces is yet to be shown. In this paper we adapt the innovations proposed by Elastic Step DQN onto the DDPG algorithm and show empirically that Elastic Step DDPG is able to achieve a much stronger final training policy and is more sample efficient than DDPG. © 2023 IEEE.

Electro Fenton's reaction coupled Zn-air battery for in situ pollutant degradation

- Christudas Dargily, Neethu, Kuntoji, Giddaerappa, Mendhe, Rahul, Haridas, Akshay, Thimmappa, Ravikumar, Sharma, Surbhi, Thotiyl, Musthafa

Embodied carbon footprint analysis of signage industry : insights from two case studies

- Paresi, Prudvireddy, Javidan, Fatemeh, Sparks, Paul

  • Authors: Paresi, Prudvireddy , Javidan, Fatemeh , Sparks, Paul
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Conference paper
  • Relation: International Conference on Green Building, ICoGB 2023, Malmo, Sweden, 19-21 May 2023, Proceedings of 2023 International Conference on Green Building p. 69-76
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  • Description: Embodied carbon has recently become a hot topic among environmentalists and designers, especially after the Paris Agreement on climate change. Embodied carbon refers to the carbon emissions associated with the manufacturing and transportation of building materials and the process of construction. The “Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction” report estimated that the building and construction sector alone contributed nearly 37–39% of global carbon emissions in 2017–2020. To tackle embodied carbon, the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) has set a bold vision to reduce it by at least 40% by 2030 and achieve net-zero operating carbon in all new buildings. The signage industry plays a significant role in the building industry, as signages are a key component of buildings. Signages serve multiple purposes, such as providing information, enhancing brand identity, and promoting safety. Therefore, it is essential to understand the embodied carbon emissions associated with signage materials used to minimise the overall carbon emissions of construction projects. The present paper aims to study the embodied carbon footprint of the signage industry with the help of two case studies. The embodied carbon factors required while estimating the overall footprint of the signages are taken from Environmental Performance in Construction (EPiC) database. The study identifies the aluminum as the major contributor of the embodied emissions in the signage projects. This study provides insight into the other sources of embodied carbon and makes more informed decisions while selecting signage materials used in designs to create sustainable and economic projects. This information helps to increase sustainability and reduce the carbon footprint of signage projects in the early decision-making stages. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Emergent environmental education inquiry : a methodology of thinking with things

- Jukes, Scott

  • Authors: Jukes, Scott
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Book chapter
  • Relation: Methodological Approaches to STEM Education Research Volume 4 Chapter 13 p. 249-266
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  • Description: In contemporary times the world is faced with many environmental challenges. Yet old habits of human hubris persist. Our times call for us to think differently, and in the context of environmental education research, think methodology differently. This chapter offers four provocations that challenge orthodox educational research practices. Namely, challenges to conventional humanist qualitative inquiry (St. Pierre, 2011), anthropocentric data, overly prescriptive methodocentrism of educational research (Weaver & Snaza, 2017) and inquiry grounded within paradigmatic structures (Gough, 2016). These challenges confront the issue of overly dogmatic and dictatorial research methodology. This chapter takes these provocations seriously, aiming to look beyond anthropocentric, paradigmatic and overly deterministic approaches to inquiry. I propose that an approach for doing this may be to think with things, such as theory, concepts, landscapes, ecosystems, non-human species, and materiality. This is a process of assembling relations in research practice that allows for unexpected possibilities to emerge—a process that allows for responses to the significant and account for the ephemeral. As part of this approach, I embrace the notion of “follow[ing] the matter-flow” (Deleuze & Guattari, 1987, p. 479) within the context of inquiry. I offer some examples to evoke this notion of open-ended inquiry.

Emergent pedagogical pathways : learning from the fluxes and flows of a riverscape

- Jukes, Scott, Stewart, Alistair, Morse, Marcus

  • Authors: Jukes, Scott , Stewart, Alistair , Morse, Marcus
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Book chapter
  • Relation: Learning to confront ecological precarity : engaging with more-than-human worlds Chapter 7 p. 113-133
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  • Description: This chapter considers the role of landscape in shaping learning possibilities and explores practices of reading landscapes diffractively, situated within a series of river journeys. Co-authored with Alistair Stewart and Marcus Morse, we consider ways we might pay attention to the ever-changing flux of places whilst experimenting with posthumanist praxis. Methodologically we embrace the post qualitative provocation to do research differently by enacting an empiricism that does not ground the inquiry in a paradigmatic structure. In doing so, we rethink conventional notions of method and data as we create a series of short videos from footage recorded during canoeing journeys with tertiary OEE students. These videos, along with a student poem, form the empirical materials in this project. Video allows us to closely analyse more-than-human entanglements, contemplating the diverse ways we can participate with and read landscapes in these contexts. We aim to provoke diffractive thought and elicit affective dimensions of material encounters, rather than offer representational findings. This chapter intends to open possibilities for post qualitative research practice, inspired by posthumanist and new materialist orientations. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Enhancing students' cultural competency in tertiary health education using internationalization at home : a literature review

- Huang, Wai, Terry, Daniel, Peck, Blake

  • Authors: Huang, Wai , Terry, Daniel , Peck, Blake
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Nursing Education Vol. 62, no. 4 (2023), p. 199-206
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  • Description: Background: Internationalization at home (IaH) is a novel concept that aims to integrate intercultural learning into an academic curriculum to promote global collaborative learning and support cross-cultural engagement without leaving home. However, little is known about the experience and perceptions of tertiary health education students who have engaged in IaH. This literature review examines how intercultural learning via IaH can enhance students' sense and capacity of cultural competency. Method: A systematic database search of all published studies between 2001 and 2021 was conducted. Results: A total of 113 studies were screened for eligibility, and nine studies were included in the analysis. Three subthemes emerged from the overarching theme of enhancing cultural competence. Conclusion: IaH provides an effective and safe learning environment for students to engage in cross-cultural interactions and broaden their multi-cultural views and understanding. © 2023 Slack Incorporated. All rights reserved.

Environmental learning through relations : the mediating influence of technology and movement

- Jukes, Scott, Stewart, Alistair, Morse, Marcus

  • Authors: Jukes, Scott , Stewart, Alistair , Morse, Marcus
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Book chapter
  • Relation: Learning to confront ecological precarity : engaging with more-than-human worlds Chapter 9 p. 159-182
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  • Description: This chapter examines some unexamined assumptions involving both technology and movement for outdoor learners. Co-authored with Alistair Stewart and Marcus Morse, we explore ways of learning landscapes through non-digital technology and movement within a tertiary education context involving canoe journeys in south-eastern Australia. We examine the ways that both non-digital technology and movement come together to help shape orientations through situated examples from OEE fieldwork. Our investigations utilise posthumanist and process-relational theories for exploring onto-epistemological dimensions of outdoor learning. We bring such theory into conversation with photos, videos and student essays to analyse our OEE fieldwork contexts. In this way we highlight that types of technology (such as a canoe) and movement cannot be taken for granted; rather, they help constitute the ways we come to know places, whilst also acknowledging some of the cultural and conceptual orientations that also influence learning. This chapter offers alternative insights for learning landscapes and the mediating influence of technologies. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Essential elements of optimal dietary and exercise referral practices for cancer survivors: expert consensus for medical and nursing health professionals

- Joseph, Ria, Hart, Nicolas, Bradford, Natalie, Wallen, Matthew, Han, Chad, Pinkham, Elizabeth, Hanley, Brigid, Lock, Gemma, Wyld, David, Wishart, Laurelie, Koczwara, Bogda, Chan, Alexandre, Agbejule, Oluwaseyifunmi, Crichton, Megan, Teleni, Laisa, Holland, Justin, Edmiston, Kelli, Naumann, Leonie, Brown, Teresa, Chan, Raymond

  • Authors: Joseph, Ria , Hart, Nicolas , Bradford, Natalie , Wallen, Matthew , Han, Chad , Pinkham, Elizabeth , Hanley, Brigid , Lock, Gemma , Wyld, David , Wishart, Laurelie , Koczwara, Bogda , Chan, Alexandre , Agbejule, Oluwaseyifunmi , Crichton, Megan , Teleni, Laisa , Holland, Justin , Edmiston, Kelli , Naumann, Leonie , Brown, Teresa , Chan, Raymond
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Supportive Care in Cancer Vol. 31, no. 1 (2023), p.
  • Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1194051
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  • Description: Purpose: To develop and establish expert consensus on essential elements of optimal dietary and exercise referral practices for cancer survivors. Methods: A four-round modified, Delphi method (face-to-face and electronic). In round 1, initial statements were drafted based on Cancer Australia’s Principles of Cancer Survivorship and input from key stakeholders through a cancer preconference workshop. In round 2, the initial statements were distributed to a panel (round 1 participants) to establish consensus by rating the importance of each statement using a five-point Likert scale. Statements that required significant changes in wording were redistributed to panel members in round 3 for voting. Round 4 was for consumers, requiring them to rate their level of agreement of final statements. Results: In total, 82 stakeholders participated in round 1. Response rates for survey rounds 2 and 3 were 59% (n = 54) and 39% (n = 36). Panel members included nurses (22%), dietitians (19%), exercise professionals (16%), medical practitioners (8%), and consumers (4%). The mean “importance” rating for all essential elements was 4.28 or higher (i.e., fairly important, or very important). Round 4’s consumer-only engagement received responses from 58 consumers. Overall, 24 elements reached consensus following some revised wording, including the development of three new statements based on panel feedback. Conclusion: Our developed essential elements of optimal dietary and exercise referral practices can help provide guidance to medical and nursing health professionals relevant to dietary and exercise referral practices. Future research should conduct an implementation intervention and evaluation of these essential elements to optimise dietary and exercise care in cancer survivors. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Evaluation of resource allocation for undergraduate nursing professional experience placements coordination in Australian Higher Education; a cross-sectional study with descriptive qualitative thematic analysis

- Osman, Abdi, Bradley, Leah, Plummer, Virginia

  • Authors: Osman, Abdi , Bradley, Leah , Plummer, Virginia
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Nurse Education in Practice Vol. 67, no. (2023), p.
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  • Description: Aims and objective: To assess the implementation of standards by Australian Nursing higher education providers as set by accrediting and regulating bodies and to identify any barriers or enablers to optimizing Professional Experience Placement. To recommend strategies for safeguarding and improving any identified enablers as well as mitigating factors for any identified barriers. Background: Professional Experience Placement is an essential element of all accredited Nursing Programs in Australia. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council is responsible for developing accreditation standards and mandates minimum of 800 h of Professional Experience Placement scaffolded across curriculum which some Higher Education Providers set as their exact baseline for clinical placement duration. Design: Descriptive study using; questionnaire survey with qualitative thematic analysis and CROSS checklist. Method: Quantitative method with descriptive qualitative thematic analysis and purposive sampling was used to target 37 higher education institutions that offer BN and BN/BM programs, 33 of these institutions were randomly selected for inclusion. Data was collected over a six-week period from 24th May to 4th July 2022 using Qualtrics online survey. Results: Out of the 33 Higher Education providers who were invited to participate, 51.5 % (n = 17) responded. The respondent's demographics were: 94 % Bachelor of Nursing only placements coordinators while one respondent reported covering both Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Midwifery; Most of the respondents (65 %) were in 40–55 years age group. The respondents reported to have overall responsibility across one to 6 campuses (Mean = 2.2) and having support/administrative staffs ranging from 0 to 15 (Mean = 4.11). Student population among the institutions ranged from 500 to 7500 with a mean of 2365.38. The number of campuses covered had statistically significant relationship with the student population (p < 0.001; 0.392–0.929 confidence interval) however no statistically significant relationship with the number of administrative staff allocated (p = 0.319;

Examining the work–life balance of immigrants in Australia : an anomie theory perspective

- Pillay, Soma, Riaz, Shoaib, Dorasamy, Nirmala

  • Authors: Pillay, Soma , Riaz, Shoaib , Dorasamy, Nirmala
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal of Intercultural Relations Vol. 93, no. (2023), p.
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  • Description: Against the backdrop of significant migration changes and the predicted further diversification of the workforce, we present the concept of anomie to explain how different sociological and cultural settings influence migrants’ work and family experiences. Anomie refers to the feeling of disorientation and alienation from society caused by a sense of absence of supporting social systems. This article integrates cross-cultural management research into the migration and work–family interface and presents findings from a study of migrants residing in Australia. Through a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews and open-ended surveys, our study explored participants’ experiences of social and cultural adaptation orientations and behavioural anomie shifts. The findings and theoretical explanation lend strong support to the understanding that sociological influences and cultural orientation moderate migrants’ experiences. We also present an argument for refining Durkheim's anomie theory to incorporate strains of social, cultural and behavioural consequences concerning migrants’ work and life experiences across cultures. © 2023

Exchange liquidity and redemption liquidity

- Culham, James

  • Authors: Culham, James
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Cambridge Journal of Economics Vol. 47, no. 3 (2023), p. 667-679
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  • Description: Disagreements over the nature of money and consequent confusions regarding liquidity contribute to difficulties integrating monetary theory into the theory of value. For example, an abundance of market liquidity is assumed in asset pricing, whereas a scarcity of monetary liquidity is deemed necessary for consumer price-level determinacy. This paper builds on the insights gained from the evolution of finance to introduce a distinction between exchange liquidity and redemption liquidity as a means of resolving this conceptual dissonance. Both exchange and redemption liquidity can be conceptualised as types of financial option differing in the exercise mechanism offered to the option holder by the option-writer. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Cambridge Political Economy Society. All rights reserved.

Exercise and the gut microbiome : implications for supportive care in cancer

- Hart, Nicholas, Wallen, Matthew, Farley, Morgan, Haywood, Darren, Boytar, Alexander, Secombe, Kate, Joseph, Ria, Chan, Raymond, Kenkhuis, Marlou-Floor, Buffart, Laurien, Skinner, Tina, Wardill, Hannah

  • Authors: Hart, Nicholas , Wallen, Matthew , Farley, Morgan , Haywood, Darren , Boytar, Alexander , Secombe, Kate , Joseph, Ria , Chan, Raymond , Kenkhuis, Marlou-Floor , Buffart, Laurien , Skinner, Tina , Wardill, Hannah
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: Supportive Care in Cancer Vol. 31, no. 12 (2023), p.
  • Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1194051
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  • Description: Purpose: Growing recognition of the gut microbiome as an influential modulator of cancer treatment efficacy and toxicity has led to the emergence of clinical interventions targeting the microbiome to enhance cancer and health outcomes. The highly modifiable nature of microbiota to endogenous, exogenous, and environmental inputs enables interventions to promote resilience of the gut microbiome that have rapid effects on host health, or response to cancer treatment. While diet, probiotics, and faecal microbiota transplant are primary avenues of therapy focused on restoring or protecting gut function in people undergoing cancer treatment, the role of physical activity and exercise has scarcely been examined in this population. Methods: A narrative review was conducted to explore the nexus between cancer care and the gut microbiome in the context of physical activity and exercise as a widely available and clinically effective supportive care strategy used by cancer survivors. Results: Exercise can facilitate a more diverse gut microbiome and functional metabolome in humans; however, most physical activity and exercise studies have been conducted in healthy or athletic populations, primarily using aerobic exercise modalities. A scarcity of exercise and microbiome studies in cancer exists. Conclusions: Exercise remains an attractive avenue to promote microbiome health in cancer survivors. Future research should elucidate the various influences of exercise modalities, intensities, frequencies, durations, and volumes to explore dose-response relationships between exercise and the gut microbiome among cancer survivors, as well as multifaceted approaches (such as diet and probiotics), and examine the influences of exercise on the gut microbiome and associated symptom burden prior to, during, and following cancer treatment. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.

Experimental and numerical investigation of mixed mode fracture of high-performance grouting materials based on peridynamics

- Yao, Jiaxu, Chen, Tao, Chen, Ke, Yuan, Guokai, Xiao, Zhigang

  • Authors: Yao, Jiaxu , Chen, Tao , Chen, Ke , Yuan, Guokai , Xiao, Zhigang
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Fatigue and Fracture of Engineering Materials and Structures Vol. 46, no. 9 (2023), p. 3225-3243
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  • Description: This paper investigates the fracture behavior of high-performance grouting materials in the grouted connection section of marine structures, where they are subjected to complex stress states. This study utilizes a combination of experimental and numerical simulation methods to establish a reliable numerical simulation technique for the fracture process of high-performance grouting materials. The mixed mode fracture behavior is analyzed using six different types of specimens, and the strain contour is analyzed using the Digital Image Correlation technique. An extended peridynamics model is proposed for the numerical simulation, which adopts a fracture criterion based on strain energy density. The accuracy of the model is verified qualitatively and quantitatively, and the simulation results are consistent with the experiments. Overall, this study provides insights into the fracture behavior of high-performance grouting materials in complex stress states and presents a reliable numerical simulation technique for the fracture process. © 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Experimental study on cyclic simple shear behaviour of predominantly dilative silica sand

- Baghbani, Abolfazl, Costa, Susanga, O’Kelly, Brendan, Soltani, Amin, Barzegar, Milad

  • Authors: Baghbani, Abolfazl , Costa, Susanga , O’Kelly, Brendan , Soltani, Amin , Barzegar, Milad
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal of Geotechnical Engineering Vol. 17, no. 1 (2023), p. 91-105
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  • Description: This study investigated the cyclic behaviour of a severe dilative silica sand from Rudsar, Northern Iran, through simple shear tests. For this purpose, monotonic (constant volume/vertical stress) and cyclic (constant vertical stress) tests were performed on moist sand specimens prepared at initial relative densities of 20–60%, vertical stresses of 100–300 kPa, and cyclic stress ratios of CSR = 0.20, 0.25 and 0.30. These also included bender element tests to determine the small-strain shear modulus G max. An increase in initial relative density, vertical stress and number of loading cycles led to a nonlinear increase in the secant shear modulus G sec, while the opposite was observed for increasing CSR. Moreover, increasing CSR improved the damping ratio, whereas increasing the initial relative density, vertical stress and/or number of loading cycles had negative effects on the damping ratio. Finally, the bender element test results showed that G max increased for increasing vertical stress and initial relative density. © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Exploration of associations between occupational exposures and current adult eczema

- Lopez, Diego, Alif, Sheikh, Dharmage, Shyamali, Lodge, Caroline, Bui, Dinh, Le Moual, Nicole, Waidyatillake, Nilakshi, Su, John, Abramson, Michael, Walters, E., Hamilton, Garun, Bowatte, Gayan, Erbas, Bircan, Benke, Geza, Perret, Jennifer, Lowe, Adrian

  • Authors: Lopez, Diego , Alif, Sheikh , Dharmage, Shyamali , Lodge, Caroline , Bui, Dinh , Le Moual, Nicole , Waidyatillake, Nilakshi , Su, John , Abramson, Michael , Walters, E. , Hamilton, Garun , Bowatte, Gayan , Erbas, Bircan , Benke, Geza , Perret, Jennifer , Lowe, Adrian
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Occupational and Environmental Medicine Vol. 80, no. 10 (2023), p. 564-571
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  • Description: Objectives There is a scarcity of evidence on occupational exposures that may increase eczema in adults. We aimed to investigate potential associations between occupational exposures and eczema in middle-aged adults. Methods A lifetime work history calendar was collected from the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study participants when they were at age 53. Their work history was collated with the occupational asthma-specific job exposure matrix to define ever-exposure and cumulative exposure unit-years since no eczema job exposure matrix is available. Eczema was determined using the report of flexural rash that was coming and going for at least 6 months in the last 12 months. Skin prick tests were used to further subgroup eczema and atopic eczema (AE) or non-AE (NAE). Logistic and multinomial regression models were used to investigate the associations. Results Eczema prevalence was 9.1%. Current occupational exposure to animals (adjusted OR, aOR=3.06 (95% CI 1.43 to 6.58)), storage mites (aOR=2.96 (95% CI 1.38 to 6.34)) and endotoxin (aOR=1.95 (95% CI 1.04 to 3.64)) were associated with increased risk of current eczema. Furthermore, increased odds of NAE were associated with current exposure to animals (aOR=5.60 (95% CI 1.45 to 21.7)) and storage mites (aOR=5.63 (95% CI 1.45 to 21.9)). Current exposures to isocyanates (aOR=5.27 (95% CI 1.17 to 23.7)) and acrylates (aOR=8.41 (95% CI 1.60 to 44.3)) were associated with AE. There was no evidence of associations between cumulative exposures and eczema prevalence. Cumulative exposure to metalworking fluids (aOR=1.10 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.22)) was associated with NAE and acrylates (aOR=1.24 (95% CI 1.04 to 1.46)) with AE. Conclusions In this exploratory assessment, multiple occupational exposures were associated with current eczema in middle-aged adults. Raising awareness and limiting these exposures during an individual's productive working life will likely have various health benefits, including reducing eczema prevalence. © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

Exploration of the preliminary effectiveness and acceptability of a self-help digital intervention to support benzodiazepine cessation and improve mental health and wellbeing : a one-group pilot trial

- Klein, Britt, Oldenhof, Erin, Nguyen, Huy, Schattner, Peter, Shandley, Kerrie

  • Authors: Klein, Britt , Oldenhof, Erin , Nguyen, Huy , Schattner, Peter , Shandley, Kerrie
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy Vol. 33, no. 3 (2023), p. 179-193
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  • Description: Introduction: Benzodiazepines (BDZs) are often inappropriately prescribed to manage anxiety and insomnia for longer-term use, despite guidelines recommending short-term use (i.e., <4 weeks). A range of harms can occur rapidly with regular use, and dependence can make stopping BDZs challenging. Evidence shows that a combination of BDZ tapering and psychological support are effective interventions, yet are not widely accessible. Methods: This was a one-group pilot trial of a 6-week fully automated self-help BDZ digital intervention (‘BDZ digital health’), providing guidance on how to safely taper BDZs as well as psychological support. The trial was undertaken with Australian adults considering a reduction and/or withdrawal from their BDZ (N = 43). Participants were assessed at pre-intervention (Week 0), during intervention (Week 3), post-intervention (Week 6), and at a 3- and 6-month follow-up (Week 18 and 30 respectively). Results: Reductions in BDZ use and self-reported dependency were observed over the course of the intervention. Significant symptom reductions in anxiety, insomnia, depression, psychological distress, and emotional dysregulation, as well as improvements in mental wellbeing and quality of life were observed when looking across all timepoints. However, the specific assessment timepoint changes for depression and psychological distress did not reach significance from the pre- to post-intervention timepoint. The intervention acceptability ratings were in the moderately high to high range. Discussion: The preliminary results of the pilot trial suggest that BDZ digital health is an acceptable and promising self-help digital intervention to assist adults reducing and withdrawing from their BDZs, and to improve their mental health and wellbeing. Trial registration: ACTRN12617000574347 (24/04/2017). © 2023 Association Française de Therapie Comportementale et Cognitive

Exploring greener pathways and catalytic systems for ethylene carbonate production

- Ng, Wei, Minh Loy, Adrian, McManus, David, Gupta, Ashwani, Sarmah, Ajit, Bhattacharya, Sankar

  • Authors: Ng, Wei , Minh Loy, Adrian , McManus, David , Gupta, Ashwani , Sarmah, Ajit , Bhattacharya, Sankar
  • Date: 2023
  • Type: Text , Journal article , Review
  • Relation: ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering Vol. 11, no. 39 (2023), p. 14287-14307
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  • Description: The production of cyclic carbonates is pivotal in carbon capture and utilization (CCU), providing an opportunity to utilize recycled CO2. Ethylene carbonate (EC) holds significance among cyclic carbonates in industrial settings due to its extensive applications in lithium-ion batteries and industrial lubricants and as a precursor for green polycarbonate production. However, the current synthesis of EC relies on toxic, fossil-based epoxide reactants, which poses sustainability challenges. To meet the growing demand for green chemistry, three greener alternative pathways for EC synthesis have been proposed, involving the reaction of carbon-based reactants (CO2, urea, and dimethyl carbonate) with ethylene glycol (EG) derived from biodiesel waste. This Perspective addresses key inquiries surrounding alternative EC synthesis pathways through quantitative and qualitative assessments. Specifically, we elucidate (a) possible sustainable routes, (b) current advances in the first principle of kinetic and operational methods, and (c) differences in reactions from the perspectives of thermodynamics, safety, and greenness of production. Notably, the direct carboxylation of CO2 with EG emerges as a promising green synthesis route, but challenges persist, such as catalyst development and water inhibition. Finally, future prospects for overcoming challenges in the green manufacturing of EC are discussed, providing insights into advancing CCU. © 2023 American Chemical Society.