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Was the Oligocene-Miocene a time of fire and rain? Insights from brown coals of the southeastern Australia Gippsland Basin

  • Authors: Holdgate, Guy , Wallace, Malcolm , Sluiter, Ian , Marcuccio, Daniel , Fromhold, Thomas , Wagstaff, Barbara
  • Date: 2014
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology Vol. 411, no. (2014), p. 65-78
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  • Description: Lithotype cycles (ranging from 10 to 30 m thick) in the brown coals of the Latrobe Valley, Gippsland Basin, Australia, display well-developed lightening-upward trends. Cycle tops are characterized by abrupt and unconformable boundaries with the overlying cycle. Geological, geochemical, palynological and macrofossil evidence is consistent with a relative drying (terrestrialization) upward depositional model for the cycles. The abundance of charcoal in dark lithotypes near the cycle bases is explained by the fire-prone and highly flammable nature of the herbaceous/reed wetlands, in common with similar modem wetlands in modem Australasia, in which the dark lithotypes are suggested to have formed. This, together with the greater preservation potential of charcoal in subaqueous environments, results in the wettest facies of the Latrobe Valley coals having the highest charcoal contents. Despite prevailing warm, wet climate conditions and the predominance of rainforests that are suggested to have characterized the Cenozoic of southern Australia, some swamp taxa were clearly already pre-adapted to tolerate fire and are likely to have been the ancestors of the fire-adapted floral communities of modem arid Australia. (c) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Contemporary pedogenesis of severely degraded tropical acid sulfate soils after introduction of regular tidal inundation

  • Authors: Johnston, Scott , Keene, Annabelle , Bush, Richard , Burton, Edward , Sullivan, Leigh , Smith, Douglas , McElnea, Angus , Martens, Michelle , Wilbraham, Steve
  • Date: 2009
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Geoderma Vol. 149, no. 3-4 (2009), p. 335-346
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  • Description: Marine tidal inundation was partially restored to a severely degraded tropical acid sulfate soil landscape after having been excluded for over 30 years. The effects on soil acidity and iron-sulfide mineral reformation were investigated by comparing the geochemistry of soils before and after five years of regular tidal inundation. The soil pH increased by 2-3 units and titratable actual acidity (TAA) decreased by ∼ 40-50 μmol H+ g- 1 within former sulfuric horizons. Relict acidity remained at depth (> 1 m) in the underlying sulfidic horizons. δ34S data indicate that tidal inundation caused exchange of marine solutes within former sulfuric horizons, but not within underlying sulfidic material. There was considerable reformation of pyrite within former sulfuric horizons after tidal inundation with reduced inorganic sulfur increasing by ∼ 60 μmol g- 1. Acid-volatile sulfide also accumulated, but mainly near the soil surface (up to 16 μmol g- 1). Reduction of Fe(III) minerals strongly influences the geochemistry of the tidally inundated soils. After tidal inundation the soil pH and Eh closely followed the iron redox couple and there was non-sulfidic solid-phase Fe(II) up to 600 μmol g- 1. There was also substantial diagenetic enrichment of poorly crystalline Fe-oxides near the soil surface following tidal inundation, with reactive Fe spanning 400-1800 μmol g- 1. While the decreases in soil acidity documented here are likely due to a combination of marine alkalinity inputs and reduction of both Fe and SO42-, the relative importance of each process remains to be determined. This study demonstrates that marine tidal inundation can be an effective landscape-scale strategy for ameliorating severe acidity associated with drained acid sulfate soils. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biodiesels from three feedstock : The effect of graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles diesel engine parameters fuelled with biodiesel

  • Authors: Hoseini, Seyed , Najafi, Gholamhassan , Ghobadian, Barat , Ebadi, Mohammad , Mamat, Rizalman , Yusaf, Talal
  • Date: 2020
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Renewable Energy Vol. 145, no. (2020), p. 190-201
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  • Description: Physicochemical characteristics of three type biodiesel feedstock and diesel engine parameters fuelled with graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles addition in diesel/biodiesel blends have been investigated. Three types of oilseeds, namely Evening primrose (Oenothera lamarckiana), the fruit of Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) and Camelina (Camelina sativa), were selected as suitable resources for Iran. The result showed that the Tree of heaven contains 38% oil which is higher than the Evening primrose (26%) and Camelina (29%). Physicochemical properties of the oils showed that the viscosity of the Camelina oilseeds was less than the Tree of heaven oilseeds and Evening primrose oilseeds. Therefore, in terms of viscosity, the Camelina oilseeds is preferable. Experimental results showed that the biodiesel from all three types of oilseeds are consistent with the ASTM biodiesel standards. However, Camelina biodiesel has better physicochemical properties than another feedstock. Therefore, biodiesel of Camelina oil can be an appropriate alternative to diesel fuels in Iran. Performance and emission parameters of diesel engine fuelled with graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles addition in three biodiesel resources compared with diesel. A reduction in UHCs, CO, and BSFC with a penalty of increased NOx emissions was realized with all graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles addition in diesel/biodiesel blends. Also, with Camelina biodiesel, the power increased.

3D Finite element modeling of circular reinforced concrete columns confined with FRP using a plasticity based formulation

  • Authors: Piscesa, Bambang , Attard, Mario , Samani, Ali Khajeh
  • Date: 2018
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Composite Structures Vol. 194, no. (2018), p. 478-493
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  • Description: Strengthening reinforced concrete (RC) columns with external confining devices such as FRP wraps or steel tube is widely used in construction. By using external confining devices, both the strength and ductility of RC columns are significantly improved. However, numerical modeling to predict the capacity of strengthened RC columns is limited and often oversimplified. One of the biggest challenges in numerical modeling is to deal with unequal dilation between the concrete inner core (enclosed by both transverse steel and FRP wraps) and the concrete outer core (between the transverse steel and FRP wraps). Inaccurate modeling on the concrete dilatant behavior can lead to incorrect strength prediction. Sophisticated constitutive models which are able to model concrete dilation and robust modeling techniques are required. In this paper, three-dimensional non-linear finite element analysis (3D-NLFEA) of circular RC columns confined with conventional steel stirrups and FRP wraps is presented. In the FEA, the initial stiffness method with Process Modification (acceleration technique) is used to solve the equilibrium forces in the global solution. The constitutive model is based on the plasticity formulation proposed by the authors, which can capture the effective lateral modulus (EL) of the confining devices. This lateral modulus is obtained by observing the principal incremental stresses and strains at each element gauss point. It was found that, the lateral modulus is greatly affected by the boundary condition, dilatant behavior of the constitutive model and the Poisson's ratio of the external confining device. To validate the performance of the proposed model, several comparisons of the proposed model, using 3D-NLFEA, with experimental results is presented. The comparisons show that the predicted response using 3D-NLFEA and the experimental results of RC columns confined with FRP are in a good agreement.

Evaluation of methods for monitoring MEA degradation during pilot scale post-combustion capture of CO

Risk constrained short-term scheduling with dynamic line ratings for increased penetration of wind power

  • Authors: Banerjee, Binayak , Jayaweera, Dilan , Islam, Syed
  • Date: 2015
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Renewable Energy Vol. 83, no. (2015), p. 1139-1146
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  • Description: Limited transmission capacity may lead to network congestion which results in wind curtailment during periods of high availability of wind. Conventional congestion management techniques usually involve generation management which may not always benefit large wind farms. This paper investigates the problem in detail and presents an improved methodology to quantify the latent scheduling capacity of a power system taking into account stochastic variation in line-thermal rating, intermittency of wind, and mitigating the risk of network congestion associated with high penetration of wind. The mathematical model converts conventional thermal constraints to dynamic constraints by using a discretized stochastic penalty function with quadratic approximation of constraint relaxation risk. The uniqueness of the approach is that it can limit the generation to be curtailed or re-dispatch by dynamically enhancing the network latent capacity as per the need. The approach is aimed at strategic planning of power systems in the context of power systems with short to medium length lines with a priori known unit commitment decisions and uses stochastic optimization with a two stage recourse action. Results suggest that a considerable level of wind penetration is possible with dynamic line ratings, without adversely affecting the risk of network congestion.

An investigation of correlation factors linking footing resistance on sand with cone penetration test results

  • Authors: Gavin, Kenneth , Tolooiyan, Ali
  • Date: 2012
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Computers and Geotechnics Vol. 46, no. (2012), p. 84-92
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  • Description: Significant research effort has led to improvements in our ability to estimate the ultimate bearing resistance of footings in sand. These techniques often estimate the footing resistance at relatively large displacements, typically 10% of the footing width, q b0.1. Cone Penetration Test (CPT) design methods typically link q b0.1 and q c through a constant reduction factor, α. A range of α factors for shallow footings have been proposed, some methods suggest that α is constant and while others that it varies with footing width and depth (or stress level). There is a dearth of field data with which to compare these correlation factors, in particular where foundation width and depth have been varied in the same ground conditions. For this reason finite element analyses have proven to be a useful tool for performing the parametric studies required to asses factors controlling α. This paper describes the results of numerical analyses performed to investigate α factors for soil profiles which were calibrated using the results of the CPT tests performed at a dense sand test-bed site. The numerical model was first used to perform parametric analyses to consider the effect of footing width, B and footing depth, D on the α factor mobilised in dense Blessington sand. In order to assess the effects of relative density, footing tests in a range of natural sands with variable in situ densities were modeled. The results of the finite element analyses suggest that a direct correlation between q b0.1 and q c can be established at a given test site which is independent of footing width and depth and is relatively weakly dependent on the sands relative density if the zone of influence of the foundation considered is large enough. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Effect of schwertmannite and jarosite on the formation of hypoxic blackwater during inundation of grass material

  • Authors: Vithana, Chamindra , Sullivan, Leigh , Shepherd, Troy
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Water Research Vol. 124, no. (2017), p. 1-10
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  • Description: This study focused on understanding the effect of schwertmannite and jarosite, commonly found in floodplains containing acid sulfate soil materials, on the characteristics of the hypoxic blackwaters that can form when floodplain vegetation experiences prolonged inundation. The formation of these ‘blackwaters’ was simulated in the laboratory by inundating flood-intolerant pasture grass leaf material in both the presence of schwertmannite/jarosite (schwertmannite and jarosite treatments) minerals and their absence (control treatment) at 27.5 °C for 32 days. The presence of either schwertmannite or jarosite was able to decrease the concentrations of DOC, nutrients (e.g. NH3 and PO4 3−) and the biological oxygen demand (BOD) in the incubating water compared to the control treatment. Being fresh and labile, the pasture grass material liberated DOC immediately following inundation with a concomitant decrease in dissolved O2 thereby resulting in anoxic and reducing conditions in the incubating water. With the onset of anoxic and reducing conditions, the biogeochemical cycling of DOC in schwertmannite and jarosite treatments might have proceeded via microbially mediated iron(III) and sulfate reduction and electron shuttling processes. Under anoxic, slightly acidic conditions, microbially mediated iron(III) reduction and subsequent dissolution of schwertmannite and jarosite were triggered by liberating Fe2+, SO4 2− and alkalinity to the incubating water. The resultant increase in pH led to SO4 2− reduction in schwertmannite, and the Fe2+ catalysed transformation of both schwertmannite and jarosite to goethite. Schwertmannite almost completely transformed to goethite within two weeks of incubation. Iron(III) in goethite (formed from schwertmannie transformation) was also reduced and likely proceeded via direct microbial reduction or via electron shuttling using the humic acids in the incubating water derived from pasture grass. These findings are highly useful in managing the coastal low lying acid sulfate soils landscapes which are subject to frequent flooding during wet seasons. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd

A content analysis of cross-cultural motivational studies in tourism relating to nationalities

  • Authors: Soldatenko, Daria , Backer, Elisa
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management Vol. 38, no. (2019), p. 122-139
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  • Description: The importance of outbound markets to a host country has increased scholars' interest in understanding motivational factors. Motivation is a basic determinant of tourists' behaviour and has a fundamental role in tourism. The awareness of motivational differences among tourists from main generating markets is a prerequisite for effective and successful destination marketing programs. However, cross-cultural motivation comparisons of tourists from different cultural backgrounds has received relatively little research attention. In addition, there has not been a content analysis undertaken on this topic. Therefore, the aim of this research was to examine and synthesise previous studies on cross-cultural tourist motivation comparison, reveal the gaps in the literature and indicate the future research trends. A review of 71 publications covering a period of 30 years, from 1988 to 2017, was conducted. This study focuses on both subject areas and research methods used. The findings of this content analysis identified a recent growth in cross-cultural comparison studies. The analysis also revealed an increase in more advanced analysis including multiple variables such as motivations, satisfaction, segmentation of visitors, intention behaviours, and information search behaviour. The analysis of nationalities compared in the reviewed studies indicated the shift of research interest towards Asian countries. In the case of research methods, quantitative design is more common for cross-cultural motivation studies.

Mechano-chemical oxidation of arsenopyrite

  • Authors: Koroznikova, Larissa , McKnight, Stafford , Veder, Jean-Peirre , Giri, Jason , Palaniandy, Samayamutthirian , Williams, Gordon
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Minerals Engineering Vol. 141, no. (2019), p. 1-7
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  • Description: This paper presents the results from the investigation of arsenopyrite oxidation via mechano-chemical activation, using a stirred mill. Water and hydrogen peroxide were chosen as the lixiviant and oxidant, respectively, and maintained at a relatively low temperature (50 °C). The milling media size, mill speed, slurry percent solids and amount of H2O2 added were all kept constant throughoust these experiments. The only operational variable for this investigation was the milling time, which results in increasing levels of specific energy provided by the mill. The products of activated arsenopyrite are characterised in terms of phase composition, particulate and structural characteristics, along with reactivity. Mechano-chemical activation of arsenopyrite under oxidizing conditions shows a maximum dissolution of around 9 wt% for iron and 7 wt% for arsenic after 2 h of milling. After 3 h of milling, the main phase present is found to be amorphous in nature.

A lateral strain plasticity model for FRP confined concrete

  • Authors: Piscesa, Bambang , Attard, Mario , Samani, Ali Khajeh
  • Date: 2016
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Composite Structures Vol. 158, no. (2016), p. 160-174
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  • Description: This paper presents a plasticity constitutive formulation for actively and passively confined concrete. The loading surface is based on Menetrey and Willam's model with an additional frictional driver parameter. The frictional driver parameter controls the prediction of the peak stress and the residual stress level. The proposed flow rule has a plastic dilation rate control parameter which is a function of the restraining device or the local lateral modulus. A non-constant plastic dilation rate formulation is proposed to improve the prediction of the lateral strain behaviour of concrete. The proposed plastic dilation rate formulation is able to model plastic volumetric compaction caused by the use of very stiff confining devices, as well as the initial plastic compaction after the onset of localized cracking. Furthermore, the formulation is able to distinguish between active and passive confinement by monitoring the local lateral modulus. The accuracy of the proposed plastic dilation rate formulation is verified by comparison with experimental results for specimens subjected to either active or passive confinement from a variety of concrete strengths. The comparison between the proposed plasticity model and the experimental results for concrete under passive confinement (specimens with FRP confining material) was excellent. © 2016

Tidally driven water column hydro-geochemistry in a remediating acidic wetland

  • Authors: Johnston, Scott , Keene, Annabelle , Bush, Richard , Sullivan, Leigh , Wong, Vanessa
  • Date: 2011
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Hydrology Vol. 409, no. 1-2 (2011), p. 128-139
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  • Description: Managed tidal inundation is a newly evolved technique for remediating coastal acid sulphate soil (CASS) wetlands. However, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the hydro-geochemical pathways and spatiotemporal dynamics of residual H+ and metal(loid) mobilisation into the tidal fringe surface waters of these uniquely iron-rich landscapes. Here, we examine the hydrology and water column chemistry across the intertidal slope of a remediating CASS wetland during several tide cycles. There was extreme spatial and temporal dynamism in water column chemistry, with pH fluctuating by ∼3 units (∼3.5-6.5) during a single tide cycle. Acute acidity was spatially confined to the upper intertidal slope, reflecting surface sediment properties, and tidal overtopping is an important pathway for mobilisation of residual H+ and Al3+ to the water column. Marine derived HCO3- was depleted from surface waters migrating across the intertidal slope and a strong gradient in HCO3- was observed from the tidal fringe to the adjacent tributary channel and nearby estuary. Tidal forcing generated oscillating hydraulic gradients in the shallow fringing aquifer, favouring ebb-tide seepage and driving rapid, heterogeneous advection of groundwater on the lower intertidal slope via surface connected macropores. A combination of diffusive and advective flux across the sediment-water interface led to persistent, elevated surface water Fe2+ (∼10-1000μM). The geochemical processes associated with Fe2+ mobilisation displayed distinct spatial zonation, with low pH, proton-promoted desorption occurring on the upper intertidal slope, whilst circum-neutral pH, Fe(III)-reducing processes dominated the lower intertidal slope. Arsenic was also mobilised into surface waters on the lower intertidal slope under moderate pH (∼6.0) conditions and was strongly positively correlated with Fe2+. Saturation index values for aragonite were substantially depressed (-1 to -5) and significantly negatively correlated with elevation, thereby presenting a barrier to re-colonisation of the upper intertidal slope by calcifying benthic organisms. These findings highlight the spatially complex hydrological and geochemical controls on surface water quality that can occur in tidally inundated acid sulphate soil environments. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Complex coacervation between flaxseed protein isolate and flaxseed gum

  • Authors: Kaushik, Pratibha , Dowling, Kim , Barrow, Colin , Adhikari, Benu
  • Date: 2015
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Food Research International Vol. 72, no. (2015), p. 91-97
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  • Description: Flaxseed protein isolate (FPI) and flaxseed gum (FG) were extracted, and the electrostatic complexation between these two biopolymers was studied as a function of pH and FPI-to-FG ratio using turbidimetric and electrophoretic mobility (zeta potential) tests. The zeta potential values of FPI, FG, and their mixtures at the FPI-to-FG ratios of 1:1, 3:1, 5:1, 10:1, 15:1 were measured over a pH range 8.0-1.5. The alteration of the secondary structure of FPI as a function of pH was studied using circular dichroism. The proportion of a-helical structure decreased, whereas both β-sheet structure and random coil structure increased with the lowering of pH from 8.0 to 3.0. The acidic pH affected the secondary structure of FPI and the unfolding of helix conformation facilitated the complexation of FPI with FG. The optimum FPI-to-FG ratio for complex coacervation was found to be 3:1. The critical pH values associated with the formation of soluble (pHc) and insoluble (pHΦ1) complexes at the optimum FPI-to-FG ratio were found to be 6.0 and 4.5, respectively. The optimum pH (pHopt) for the optimum complex coacervation was 3.1. The instability and dissolution of FPI-FG complex coacervates started (pHΦ2) at pH2.1. These findings contribute to the development of FPI-FG complex coacervates as delivery vehicles for unstable albeit valuable nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids. © 2015.

A novel ex vivo immunoproteomic approach characterising Fasciola hepatica tegumental antigens identified using immune antibody from resistant sheep

  • Authors: Cameron, Timothy , Cooke, Ira , Faou, Pierre , Toet, Hayley , Piedrafita, David , Young, Neil , Rathinasamy, Vignesh , Beddoe, Travis , Anderson, Glenn , Dempster, Robert , Spithill, Terry
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: International Journal for Parasitology Vol. 47, no. 9 (2017), p. 555-567
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  • Description: A more thorough understanding of the immunological interactions between Fasciola spp. and their hosts is required if we are to develop new immunotherapies to control fasciolosis. Deeper knowledge of the antigens that are the target of the acquired immune responses of definitive hosts against both Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica will potentially identify candidate vaccine antigens. Indonesian Thin Tail sheep express a high level of acquired immunity to infection by F. gigantica within 4 weeks of infection and antibodies in Indonesian Thin Tail sera can promote antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity against the surface tegument of juvenile F. gigantica in vitro. Given the high protein sequence similarity between F. hepatica and F. gigantica, we hypothesised that antibody from F. gigantica-infected sheep could be used to identify the orthologous proteins in the tegument of F. hepatica. Purified IgG from the sera of F. gigantica-infected Indonesian Thin Tail sheep collected pre-infection and 4 weeks p.i. were incubated with live adult F. hepatica ex vivo and the immunosloughate (immunoprecipitate) formed was isolated and analysed via liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry to identify proteins involved in the immune response. A total of 38 proteins were identified at a significantly higher abundance in the immunosloughate using week 4 IgG, including eight predicted membrane proteins, 20 secreted proteins, nine proteins predicted to be associated with either the lysosomes, the cytoplasm or the cytoskeleton and one protein with an unknown cellular localization. Three of the membrane proteins are transporters including a multidrug resistance protein, an amino acid permease and a glucose transporter. Interestingly, a total of 21 of the 38 proteins matched with proteins recently reported to be associated with the proposed small exosome-like extracellular vesicles of adult F. hepatica, suggesting that the Indonesian Thin Tail week 4 IgG is either recognising individual proteins released from extracellular vesicles or is immunoprecipitating intact exosome-like extracellular vesicles. Five extracellular vesicle membrane proteins were identified including two proteins predicted to be associated with vesicle transport/ exocytosis (VPS4, vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 4b and the Niemann-Pick C1 protein). RNAseq analysis of the developmental transcription of the 38 immunosloughate proteins showed that the sequences are expressed over a wide abundance range with 21/38 transcripts expressed at a relatively high level from metacercariae to the adult life cycle stage. A notable feature of the immunosloughates was the absence of cytosolic proteins which have been reported to be secreted markers for damage to adult flukes incubated in vitro, suggesting that the proteins observed are not inadvertent contaminants leaking from damaged flukes ex vivo. The identification of tegument protein antigens shared between F. gigantica and F. hepatica is beneficial in terms of the possible development of a dual purpose vaccine effective against both fluke species. © 2017 Australian Society for Parasitology

Fracture and fluid flow paths analysis of an offshore carbonate reservoir using oil-based mud images and petrophysical logs

  • Authors: Momeni, Aliakbar , Rostami, S. , Hashemi, Sam , Mosalman-Nejad, H. , Ahmadi, Ali
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Marine and Petroleum Geology Vol. 109, no. (2019), p. 349-360
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  • Description: Hydrocarbon production and development of carbonate reservoirs mainly depend on fractures that cross wells. Therefore, quantification of their characteristics has a crucial role in reservoir management. In this research, bedding planes, faults and different types of fractures of a Cenomanian-Turonian carbonate reservoir in the Persian Gulf were studied. Image logs including the oil-based mud image (OBMI) and the ultrasonic borehole image (UBI) were used. The results from conventional petrophysical log suites were compared to the image logs results. Based on the image logs, structural characteristics of bedding planes were reconstructed by estimating their strike, dip, dip direction and layer thickness. Fracture types and their distribution and the geometry in the well were determined. Also, fault zone geometry and type of faults were evaluated. The results indicate that majority of the bedding planes have a N58W strike with an average dip of 18° towards NE. Furthermore, both tensile and shear fractures were distinguished, although shear fractures dominated and the 328/36SW and 29/45NW were found to be the prevalent orientation of fractures. Based on petrophysical logs analyses, four facies groups are distinguished and two statistical relationships are proposed for estimation of discontinuities. The proposed index for evaluation of fractures using petrophysical logs shows good performance and it could be used for wells when no image log is available. Especially in offshore reservoirs, lack of outcrop and unavailability of image logs of old wells lead to unknown fractures characteristics which will be addressed by the suggested equations.

The self-reported factors that influence Australian physiotherapists’ choice to promote non-treatment physical activity to patients with musculoskeletal conditions

  • Authors: Kunstler, Breanne , Cook, Jill , Kemp, Joanne , O'Halloran, Paul , Finch, Caroline
  • Date: 2019
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 22, no. 3 (2019), p. 275-280
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  • Description: Objectives: To determine the factors that influence physiotherapists’ choice to promote non-treatment physical activity to patients with musculoskeletal conditions. Design: Cross sectional survey. Methods: A national, online self report survey was targeted at Australian registered physiotherapists primarily treating patients with musculoskeletal conditions in private practice and outpatient settings. Likert scale questions were used to measure the factors influencing non-treatment physical activity promotion by physiotherapists. Results: Two hundred and sixteen full responses were received. Most (56.6%) respondents irregularly promoted non-treatment physical activity, whereas 43.4% always promoted non-treatment physical activity. Promotion of non-treatment physical activity was bivariately associated with respondents’ own physical activity level (x2[2] = 7.670, p = 0.022) and exercise science education (x2[1] = 4.613, p = 0.032). Multivariable analysis identified that Knowledge (knowing how to promote non-treatment physical activity) (OR = 1.60, 95%CI 1.026–2.502), Goals (other patient problems are more important) (OR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.424–0.897) and Innovation (compatibility of non-treatment physical activity promotion with the clinical environment) (OR = 1.75, 95%CI 1.027–2.985) were significantly and independently associated with non-treatment physical activity promotion. Conclusions: The majority of surveyed Australian physiotherapists irregularly promoted non-treatment physical activity. Lack of knowledge of how to promote non-treatment physical activity, prioritising other patient problems before non-treatment physical activity promotion and using promotion methods that are not compatible with current practice might reduce non-treatment physical activity promotion frequency by physiotherapists.

Sulfur biogeochemical cycling and novel Fe-S mineralization pathways in a tidally re-flooded wetland

  • Authors: Burton, Edward , Bush, Richard , Johnston, Scott , Sullivan, Leigh , Keene, Annabelle
  • Date: 2011
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Vol. 75, no. 12 (2011), p. 3434-3451
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  • Description: Sulfur biogeochemical cycling and associated Fe-S mineralization processes exert a major influence over acidity dynamics, electron flow and contaminant mobility in wetlands, benthic sediments and groundwater systems. While S biogeochemical cycling has been studied intensively in many environmental settings, relatively little direct information exists on S cycling in formerly drained wetlands that have been remediated via tidal re-flooding. This study focuses on a tidal wetland that was drained in the 1970s (causing severe soil and water acidification), and subsequently remediated by controlled re-flooding in 2002. We examine SO42- reduction rates and Fe-S mineralization at the tidal fringe, 7years after the commencement of re-flooding. The initial drainage of the wetland examined here caused in-situ pyrite (FeS2) oxidation, resulting in the drained soil layers being highly acidic and rich in SO42--bearing Fe(III) minerals, including jarosite (KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6). Tidal re-flooding has neutralized much of the previous acidity, with the pore-water pH now mostly spanning pH 5-7. The fastest rates of in-situ SO42- reduction (up to ~300nmolcm-3day-1) occur within the inter-tidal zone in the near-surface soil layers (to ~60cm below ground surface). The SO42- reduction rates correlate with pore-water dissolved organic C concentrations, thereby suggesting that electron donor supply was the predominant rate determining factor. Elemental S was a major short-term product of SO42- reduction, comprising up to 69% of reduced inorganic S in the near-surface soil layers. This enrichment in elemental S can be partly attributed to interactions between biogenic H2S and jarosite - a process that also contributed to enrichment in pore-water Fe2+ (up to 55mM) and SO42- (up to 50mM). The iron sulfide thiospinel, greigite (Fe3S4), was abundant in near-surface soil layers within the inter- to sub-tidal zone where tidal water level fluctuations created oscillatory redox conditions. There was evidence for relatively rapid pyrite re-formation within the re-flooded soil layers. However, the results indicate that pyrite re-formation has occurred mainly in the lower formerly drained soil layers, whereas the accumulation of elemental S and greigite has been confined towards the soil surface. The discovery that pyrite formation was spatially decoupled from that of elemental S and greigite challenges the concept that greigite is an essential precursor required for sedimentary pyrite formation. In fact, the results suggest that greigite and pyrite may represent distinct end-points of divergent Fe-S mineralization pathways. Overall, this study highlights novel aspects of Fe-S mineralization within tidal wetlands that have been drained and re-flooded, in contrast to normal, undisturbed tidal wetlands. As such, the long-term biogeochemical trajectory of drained and acidified wetlands that are remediated by tidal re-flooding cannot be predicted from the well-studied behaviour of normal tidal wetlands. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

Family presence during resuscitation (FPDR) : A survey of emergency personnel in Victoria, Australia

  • Authors: Porter, Joanne , Cooper, Simon J. , Taylor, Beverley
  • Date: 2015
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal Vol. 18, no. 2 (2015), p. 98-105
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  • Description: Background: Family presence during resuscitation (FPDR) has been endorsed internationally by resuscitation councils since the year 2000; however, the extent to which FPDR is practiced in emergency settings requires further investigation. Methods: Emergency personnel ( n= 347) from 18 participating emergency departments across the state of Victoria, Australia completed a 10-page questionnaire, which was designed to develop an understanding of the current practice and implementation of FPDR and to ascertain the differences in practice between adult and paediatric resuscitations. Results: Emergency personnel update their adult and paediatric advanced life support qualifications annually with 87% of nurses and 65% of doctors completing adult life support and 72% of nurses and 49% of doctors completing paediatric advanced life support training. The majority of nursing staff reported support for FPDR (83%) with over 70% indicating that it is apart of their current practice. There was strong agreement from both nurses (79%) and doctors (77%) that the family have the right to be present. A family support person was deemed as essential by nurses (92%) and doctors (89%) when allowing family to be present. A factor analysis was conducted on participant statements, revealing four codes; impact on professional practice and performance, personnel beliefs about FPDR, professional satisfaction and the importance of a support person and saying goodbye. Conclusion: A family support person was highlighted as essential to the successful implementation of FPDR, together with the development of a comprehensive training the education program for emergency personnel. FPDR continues to be a significant issue and further investigation into FPDR practice and implementation in the ED is warranted. © 2014 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia Ltd.

Reviewing tribunal cases and nurse behaviour : Putting empathy back into nurse education with Bloom's taxonomy

  • Authors: Doyle, Kerrie , Hungerford, Catherine , Cruickshank, Mary
  • Date: 2014
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Nurse Education Today Vol. 34, no. 7 (2014), p. 1069-1073
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  • Reviewed:
  • Description: Recent events in the UK and Australia have shown howpoor patient outcomes are achievedwhen the behaviour of nurses lacks empathy. The UK's Francis Inquiry and the Keogh Report both call for an increase in the ‘caring and compassion’ of health careworkers. A reviewof cases presented to the nurses’ disciplinary tribunal in NewSouth Wales' (Australia) also suggests that the majority of complaints against nurses in this jurisdiction is the result of callousness or lack of empathy. Such events reinforce the need for nurse educators to support nursing students to develop the affective attributes of caring and empathy. This paper considers howto raise the awareness of undergraduate students as a first step to developing empathy by using Bloom's Taxonomy of Educational Objectives; and includes a description of how to facilitate interactions with undergraduate nursing students about caring with empathy. Enculturating empathy is an evidence-based method of increasing compassionate care in health organisations generally.

Implications of narrow crop row spacing in managing weeds in mungbean (Vigna radiata)

  • Authors: Chauhan, Bhagirath , Florentine, Singarayer , Ferguson, Connor , Chechetto, Rodolfo
  • Date: 2017
  • Type: Text , Journal article
  • Relation: Crop Protection Vol. 95, no. (2017), p. 116-119
  • Full Text: false
  • Reviewed:
  • Description: The mungbean production area is increasing in Australia due to increasing demand for the grain in Asian countries. However, the mungbean crop is generally grown with wide row spacing, and therefore, it is prone to heavy weed infestation which has a significant impact on the mungbean grain yield. Experiments were conducted in 2015 and 2016 to determine the row-spacing impact on crop yield and weed growth for mungbean grown in 25, 50, and 75 cm space rows. Row spacing did not affect weed biomass and mungbean grain yield when weeds were allowed to grow from crop sowing to maturity. However, narrower row spacing (25 and 50 cm) had lower weed biomass and higher grain yield when weeds were allowed to grow beyond 3 and 6 weeks after planting (WAP). Mungbean grown at 25 and 50 cm rows had 60-70% and 70-92% less weed biomass than the mungbean grown at 75 cm rows for the weeds grown beyond 3 and 6 WAP, respectively. In weed-free conditions, too, mungbean grain yields were greater in narrow rows than in wider rows. Weeds grown beyond 6 WAP did not affect grain yield of 25 and 50 cm rows but reduced mungbean yield with 75 cm rows. The practical implication of this study is that narrowing row spacing in mungbean could lead to reduced weed growth and seed production and increased crop yield. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.