Effect of pyrolysis conditions on bone char characterization and its ability for arsenic and fluoride removal
- Authors: Alkurdi, Susan , Al-Juboori, Raed , Bundschuh, Jochen , Bowtell, Les , McKnight, Stafford
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Environmental Pollution Vol. 262, no. (2020), p.
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- Description: This study examined arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)] and fluoride (F−) removal potential of bone char produced from sheep (Ovis aries) bone waste. Pyrolysis conditions tested were in the 500 °C–900 °C range, for a holding time of 1 or 2 h, with or without N2 gas purging. Previous bone char studies mainly focused on either low or high temperature range with limited information provided on As(III) removal. This study aims to address these gaps and provide insights into the effect of pyrolysis conditions on bone char sorption capacity. A range of advanced chemical analyses were employed to track the change in bone char properties. As pyrolysis temperature and holding time increased, the resulting pH, surface charge, surface roughness, crystallinity, pore size and CEC all increased, accompanied by a decrease in the acidic functional groups and surface area. Pyrolysis temperature was a key parameter, showing improvement in the removal of both As(III) and As(V) as pyrolysis temperature was increased, while As(V) removal was higher than As(III) removal overall. F− removal displayed an inverse relationship with increasing pyrolysis temperature. Bone char prepared at 500 °C released significantly more dissolved organic carbon (DOC) then those prepared at a higher temperature. The bone protein is believed to be a major factor. The predominant removal mechanisms for As were surface complexation, precipitation and interaction with nitrogenous functional groups. Whereas F− removal was mainly influenced by interaction with oxygen functional groups and electrostatic interaction. This study recommends that the bone char pyrolysis temperature used for As and F− removal are 900 °C and 650 °C, respectively. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd
- Description: This research was performed as a part of PhD research which was supported in part by the Iraqi Government and the Australian Research Training Program.
Burden and preparedness amongst informal caregivers of adults with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury
- Authors: Lieshout, Kirsten , Oates, Joanne , Baker, Anne , Unsworth, Carolyn , Cameron, Ian , Schmidt, Julia , Lannin, Natasha
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 17, no. 17 (2020), p. 1-12
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- Description: This study examined the patterns of informal (unpaid) caregiving provided to people after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), explore the self-reported burden and preparedness for the caregiving role, and identify factors predictive of caregiver burden and preparedness. A cross-sectional cohort design was used. Informal caregivers completed the Demand and Difficulty subscales of the Caregiving Burden Scale; and the Mutuality, Preparedness, and Global Strain subscales of the Family Care Inventory. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to examine the relationships between caregiver and care recipient variables and preparedness for caregiving. Twenty-nine informal caregivers who reported data on themselves and people with a moderate to severe TBI were recruited (referred to as a dyad). Most caregivers were female (n = 21, 72%), lived with the care recipient (n = 20, 69%), and reported high levels of burden on both scales. While most caregivers (n = 21, 72%) felt “pretty well” or “very well” prepared for caregiving, they were least prepared to get help or information from the health system, and to deal with the stress of caregiving. No significant relationships or predictors for caregiver burden or preparedness were identified. While caregivers reported the provision of care as both highly difficult and demanding, further research is required to better understand the reasons for the variability in caregiver experience, and ultimately how to best prepare caregivers for this long-term role. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
- Description: Data collection for this project was supported by the NSW Lifetime Care and Support Scheme (now iCare Foundation). N.A.L. is supported by a Future Leader Fellowship (Award ID 102055) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia.
A survey dataset to evaluate the changes in mobility and transportation due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa, United States
- Authors: Barbieri, Diego , Lou, Baowen , Passavanti, Marco , Hui, Cang , Lam, Louisa
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Data in Brief Vol. 33, no. (2020), p.
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- Description: COVID-19 pandemic has heavily impacted the global community. To curb the viral transmission, travel restrictions have been enforced across the world. The dataset documents the mobility disruptions and the modal shifts that have occurred as a consequence of the restrictive measures implemented in ten countries: Australia, Brazil, China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa and the United States. An online questionnaire was distributed during the period from the 11st to the 31st of May 2020, with a total of 9 394 respondents. The first part of the survey has characterized the frequency of use of all transport modes before and during the enforcement of the restrictions, while the second part of the survey has dealt with perceived risks of contracting COVID-19 from different transport modes and perceived effectiveness of travel mitigation measures. Overall, the dataset (stored in a repository publicly available) can be conveniently used to quantify and understand the modal shifts and people's cognitive behavior towards travel due to COVID-19. The collected responses can be further analysed by considering other demographic and socioeconomic covariates. © 2020 The Author(s). *Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Louisa Lam” is provided in this record*
The influences of low protein diet on the intestinal microbiota of mice
- Authors: Masuoka, Hiroaki , Suda, Wataru , Tomitsuka, Eriko , Shindo, Chie , Takayasu, Lena , Horwood, Paul , Greenhill, Andrew , Hattori, Masahira , Umezaki, Masahiro , Hirayama, Kazuhiro
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Scientific Reports Vol. 10, no. 1 (2020), p.
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- Description: Recent research suggests that protein deficiency symptoms are influenced by the intestinal microbiota. We investigated the influence of low protein diet on composition of the intestinal microbiota through animal experiments. Specific pathogen-free (SPF) mice were fed one of four diets (3, 6, 9, or 12% protein) for 4 weeks (n = 5 per diet). Mice fed the 3% protein diet showed protein deficiency symptoms such as weight loss and low level of blood urea nitrogen concentration in their serum. The intestinal microbiota of mice in the 3% and 12% protein diet groups at day 0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 were investigated by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, which revealed differences in the microbiota. In the 3% protein diet group, a greater abundance of urease producing bacterial species was detected across the duration of the study. In the 12% diet protein group, increases of abundance of Streptococcaceae and Clostridiales families was detected. These results suggest that protein deficiency may be associated with shifts in intestinal microbiota. © 2020, The Author(s).
Modelling hydrological performance of a bauxite residue profile for deposition management of a storage facility
- Authors: Shaygan, Mandana , Usher, Brent , Baumgartl, Thomas
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Water (Switzerland) Vol. 12, no. 7 (2020), p.
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- Description: Accurate scheduling of bauxite residue (red mud) deposition time is required in order to prevent the risk of storage facility failure. This study was conducted to precisely determine the hydraulic parameters of bauxite residue and investigate the capability of HYDRUS to accurately estimate the residue moisture profile and the timing for its deposition. The hydraulic properties of the bauxite residue profile were determined by solving an inverse problem. A one-dimensional hydrological model (HYDRUS-1D) was validated using a 300 mm long column filled with bauxite residue and exposed to a dynamic lower boundary condition. After numerical validation, the model was used to simulate the moisture profile of bauxite residue under the climatic conditions of an alumina refinery site in Queensland, Australia, as well as other scenarios (i.e., high (300 mm) and small (1.7 mm) rainfall events of the site). This study showed that the HYDRUS model can be used as a predictive tool to precisely estimate the moisture profile of the bauxite residue and that the timing for the re-deposition of the bauxite residue can be estimated by understanding the moisture profile and desired shear strength of the residue. This study revealed that the examined bauxite residue approaches field capacity (water potential-10 kPa) after three days from a low rainfall event (<1.7 mm) and after eight days from an intense rainfall event (300 mm) at the time of disposal. This suggests that the bauxite residue can be deposited every four days after low rainfall events (as low as 1.7 mm) and every nine days after high rainfall events (as high as 300 mm) at the time of deposition, if bauxite residue experiences an initial drying period following deposition. © 2020 by the authors.
Risk assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in Antarctic wildlife
- Authors: Barbosa, Andres , Varsani, Arvind , Morandini, Virginia , Grimaldi, Wray , Vanstreels, Ralph , Diaz, Julia , Boulinier, Thierry , Dewar, Meagan , González-Acuña, Daniel , Gray, Rachael , McMahon, Clive , Miller, Gary , Power, Michelle , Gamble, Amandine , Wille, Michelle
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Science of the Total Environment Vol. 755, no. 2 (2021), p. 1-8
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- Description: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This pathogen has spread rapidly across the world, causing high numbers of deaths and significant social and economic impacts. SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus with a suggested zoonotic origin with the potential for cross-species transmission among animals. Antarctica can be considered the only continent free of SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, concerns have been expressed regarding the potential human introduction of this virus to the continent through the activities of research or tourism to minimise the effects on human health, and the potential for virus transmission to Antarctic wildlife. We assess the reverse-zoonotic transmission risk to Antarctic wildlife by considering the available information on host susceptibility, dynamics of the infection in humans, and contact interactions between humans and Antarctic wildlife. The environmental conditions in Antarctica seem to be favourable for the virus stability. Indoor spaces such as those at research stations, research vessels or tourist cruise ships could allow for more transmission among humans and depending on their movements between different locations the virus could be spread across the continent. Among Antarctic wildlife previous in silico analyses suggested that cetaceans are at greater risk of infection whereas seals and birds appear to be at a low infection risk. However, caution needed until further research is carried out and consequently, the precautionary principle should be applied. Field researchers handling animals are identified as the human group posing the highest risk of transmission to animals while tourists and other personnel pose a significant risk only when in close proximity (< 5 m) to Antarctic fauna. We highlight measures to reduce the risk as well as identify of knowledge gaps related to this issue. © 2020 The Authors
Can optimum solar radiation exposure or supplemented vitamin D intake reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms?
- Authors: Abraham, Joji , Dowling, Kim , Florentine, Singarayer
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health Vol. 18, no. 2 (2021), p. 1-21
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- Description: The foremost mortality-causing symptom associated with COVID-19 is acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A significant correlation has been identified between the deficiency in vitamin D and the risk of developing ARDS. It has been suggested that if we can reduce or modify ARDS in COVID-19 patients, we may significantly reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and associated mortality rates. The increased mortality of dark-skinned people, who have a reduced UV absorption capacity, may be consistent with diminished vitamin D status. The factors associated with COVID-19 mortality, such as old age, ethnicity, obesity, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, are all found to be linked with vitamin D deficiency. Based on this review and as a precautionary measure, it is suggested that the adoption of appropriate and safe solar exposure and vitamin D enriched foods and supplements should be considered to reduce the possible severity of COVID-19 symptoms. Safe sun exposure is deemed beneficial globally, specifically in low and middle- income countries, as there is no cost involved. It is also noted that improved solar exposure and vitamin D levels can reduce the impact of other diseases as well, thus assisting in maintaining general human well-being. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Reduced renal function may explain the higher prevalence of hyperuricemia in older people
- Authors: Wang, Yutang , Zhang, Wanlin , Qian, Tingting , Sun, Hui , Xu, Qun , Hou, Xujuan , Hu, Wenqi , Zhang, Guang , Drummond, Grant , Sobey, Chris , Charchar, Fadi , Golledge, Jonathan , Yang, Guang
- Date: 2021
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Scientific Reports Vol. 11, no. 1 (2021), p.
- Relation: https://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/1062671
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- Description: This study aimed to investigate the contribution of renal dysfunction to enhanced hyperuricemia prevalence in older people. A cohort of 13,288 Chinese people aged between 40 and 95 years were recruited from January to May 2019. Serum uric acid concentration and estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] were measured. The associations between age or eGFR and serum uric acid or hyperuricemia were analyzed using linear or binary logistic regression adjusting for risk factors. Uric acid concentration and prevalence of hyperuricemia were greater in older participants. Adjustment for reduced renal function (eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) eliminated the associations between older age and higher uric acid concentration and between older age and higher prevalence of hyperuricemia diagnosis, whereas adjustment for other risk factors did not change those associations. Lower eGFR was associated with higher uric acid concentration both before (β = − 0.296, P < 0.001) and after adjustment for age (β = − 0.313, P < 0.001). Reduced renal function was associated with hyperuricemia diagnosis both before (odds ratio, OR, 3.64; 95% CI 3.10–4.28; P < 0.001) and after adjustment for age (adjusted OR, 3.82; 95% CI 3.22–4.54; P < 0.001). Mean serum uric acid and prevalence of hyperuricemia were higher in people with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 than those with eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. The prevalence of reduced renal function increased with older age (P < 0.001). This study suggests that reduced renal function can explain the increased uric acid levels and hyperuricemia diagnoses in older people. © 2021, The Author(s).
The Usefulness of a threat and disturbance categorization developed for Queensland Wetlands to Environmental Management, Monitoring, and Evaluation
- Authors: Lynch, Jasmyn
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Environmental Management Vol. 471, no. 1 (2011), p. 40-55
- Full Text: false
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- Description: There is no comprehensive system of describing threats and disturbances currently used in Australia, despite the widespread impacts of human activities on natural ecosystems. Yet a detailed categorization would facilitate the collation of threatening process information into information systems; enable standardized collection and availability of data; and enable comparative analyses of ecosystem condition between stakeholders, agencies, states, and nations, particularly for environmental reporting and evaluation mechanisms such as State of the Environment. As part of the Queensland Wetlands Programme (QWP), a threat and disturbance framework was developed, focused on the pressure and impacts components of the DPSIR (driver-pressure-state-impacts-response) framework. A wetland inventory database was developed also that included a detailed threat and disturbance categorization using the QWP framework. The categorization encompasses a broad range of anthropogenic and natural processes, and is hierarchical to accommodate varying levels of detail or knowledge. By incorporating detailed qualitative and quantitative information, a comprehensive threats and disturbances categorization can contribute to conceptual or spatially explicit knowledge and management assessments. The application of the framework and categorization to several threatening processes is demonstrated, and its relationship to current natural resource condition indicators is discussed. Threat evaluation is an essential component of ecological assessment and environmental management, and a standardized categorization enables consistency in attributing processes, impacts and their short- to long-term consequences. Such a systematic framework and categorization demonstrates the importance and usefulness of comprehensive approaches, and this approach can be readily adapted to management, monitoring and evaluation of other target ecosystems and biota.
Biological toxicity of lanthanide elements on algae
- Authors: Tai, Pei Dong , Zhao, Qing , Su, Dan , Li, Peijun , Stagnitti, Frank
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Chemosphere Vol. 80, no. 9 (2010), p. 1031-1035
- Full Text: false
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- Description: The biological toxicity of lanthanides on marine monocellular algae was investigated. The specific objective of this research was to establish the relationship between the abundance in the seawater of lanthanides and their biological toxicities on marine monocellular algae. The results showed that all single lanthanides had similar toxic effects on Skeletonema costatum. High concentrations of lanthanides (29.04 ± 0.61
Spatial differentiation of landscape values in the Murray River region of Victoria, Australia
- Authors: Zhu, Xuan , Pfueller, Sharron , Whitelaw, Paul , Winter, Caroline
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Environmental Management Vol. 45, no. 5 (2010), p. 896-911
- Full Text: false
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- Description: This research advances the understanding of the location of perceived landscape values through a statistically based approach to spatial analysis of value densities. Survey data were obtained from a sample of people living in and using the Murray River region, Australia, where declining environmental quality prompted a reevaluation of its conservation status. When densities of 12 perceived landscape values were mapped using geographic information systems (GIS), valued places clustered along the entire river bank and in associated National/State Parks and reserves. While simple density mapping revealed high value densities in various locations, it did not indicate what density of a landscape value could be regarded as a statistically significant hotspot or distinguish whether overlapping areas of high density for different values indicate identical or adjacent locations. A spatial statistic Getis-Ord Gi* was used to indicate statistically significant spatial clusters of high ! value densities or "hotspots". Of 251 hotspots, 40% were for single non-use values, primarily spiritual, therapeutic or intrinsic. Four hotspots had 11 landscape values. Two, lacking economic value, were located in ecologically important river red gum forests and two, lacking wilderness value, were near the major towns of Echuca-Moama and Albury-Wodonga. Hotspots for eight values showed statistically significant associations with another value. There were high associations between learning and heritage values while economic and biological diversity values showed moderate associations with several other direct and indirect use values. This approach may improve confidence in the interpretation of spatial analysis of landscape values by enhancing understanding of value relationships.
Arsenic microdistribution and speciation in toenail clippings of children living in a historic gold mining area
- Authors: Pearce, Dora , Dowling, Kim , Gerson, Andrea , Sim, Malcolm , Sutton, Stephen , Newville, Matthew , Russell, Robert , McOrist, Gordon
- Date: 2010
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Science of the Total Environment Vol. 408, no. 12 (2010), p. 2590-2599
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- Description: Arsenic is naturally associated with gold mineralisation and elevated in some soils and mine waste around historical gold mining activity in Victoria, Australia. To explore uptake, arsenic concentrations in children's toenail clippings and household soils were measured, and the microdistribution and speciation of arsenic in situ in toenail clipping thin sections investigated using synchrotron-based X-ray microprobe techniques. The ability to differentiate exogenous arsenic was explored by investigating surface contamination on cleaned clippings using depth profiling, and direct diffusion of arsenic into incubated clippings. Total arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.15 to 2.1
Unbearable pressures on paradise? Tourism and heritage management in Luang Prabang, a World Heritage Site
- Authors: Reeves, Keir , Long, Colin
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Critical Asian Studies Vol. 43, no. 1 (2011), p. 3-22
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- Description: This article critically appraises and evaluates tourism strategies and heritage management in Luang Prabang, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, a Unesco-designated ‘world heritage’ city. Luang Prabang is widely regarded as one of the most significant heritage cities in Southeast Asia. The city is renowned for its Buddhist and royal culture and also its historic vernacular Lao, French, and Lao-French architecture. The city earned world heritage status in 1995, but since that time the boom in in-bound Asian tourism has put pressures on Luang Prabang’s authenticity and, for some, called into question the validity of its world heritage status. This article examines these substantial and wide-ranging pressures and argues that the growth in tourism and the treatment of Luang Prabang’s heritage are symptoms of broader regional processes of political and economic change, including the expansion of Chinese and Korean investments and the growth of intra-regional tourism. The authors argue that it is unreasonable to expect traditional heritage management mechanisims, including the world heritage listing, to be able to cope with the pressures on sites like Luang Prabang. The very least that is required, the authors contend, is an expanded understanding of the context in which heritage places sit, and the authors make a case that the cultural landscapes approach, combined with explicit concerns for intangible heritage and poverty alleviation, must be at the core of any strategy for long-term protection of the city’s cultural values.
Effects of a seven day overload-period of high-intensity training on performance and physiology of competitive cyclists
- Authors: Clark, Bradley , Costa, Vitor , O'Brien, Brendan , Guglielmo, Luiz , Paton, Carl
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 9, no. 12 (2014), p. art no. e115308
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- Description: Abstract Objectives Competitive endurance athletes commonly undertake periods of overload training in the weeks prior to major competitions. This investigation examined the effects of two seven-day high-intensity overload training regimes (HIT) on performance and physiological characteristics of competitive cyclists. Design The study was a matched groups, controlled trial. Methods Twenty-eight male cyclists (mean ± SD, Age: 33±10 years, Mass 74±7 kg, VO2 peak 4.7±0.5 L·min−1) were assigned to a control group or one of two training groups for seven consecutive days of HIT. Before and after training cyclists completed an ergometer based incremental exercise test and a 20-km time-trial. The HIT sessions were ~120 minutes in duration and consisted of matched volumes of 5, 10 and 20 second (short) or 15, 30 and 45 second (long) maximal intensity efforts. Results Both the short and long HIT regimes led to significant (p<0.05) gains in time trial performance compared to the control group. Relative to the control group, the mean changes (±90% confidence limits) in time-trial power were 8.2%±3.8% and 10.4%±4.3% for the short and long HIT regimes respectively; corresponding increases in peak power in the incremental test were 5.5%±2.7% and 9.5%±2.5%. Both HIT (short vs long) interventions led to non-significant (p>0.05) increases (mean ± SD) in VO2 peak (2.3%±4.7% vs 3.5%±6.2%), lactate threshold power (3.6%±3.5% vs 2.9%±5.3%) and gross efficiency (3.2%±2.4% vs 5.1%±3.9%) with only small differences between HIT regimes. Conclusions Seven days of overload HIT induces substantial enhancements in time-trial performance despite non-significant increases in physiological measures with competitive cyclists
Experimental and numerical study of the dependency of interface fracture in concrete–rock specimens on mode mixity
- Authors: Zhong, Hong , Ooi, Ean Tat , Song, Chongmin , Ding, Tao , Lin, Gao , Li, Hongjun
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Engineering Fracture Mechanics Vol.124-125, no. (2014), p. 287-309
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Scheduling rotationally arranged robotic cells served by a multi-function robot
- Authors: Foumani, Mehdi , Gunawan, Indra , Ibrahim, Yousef
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Production Research Vol. 52, no. 13 (2014), p. 4037-4058
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- Description: Automated material handling systems are usually characterised by robotic cells that result in the improvement of the production rate. The main purpose of this research is to study the scheduling of a rotationally arranged robotic cell with the multi-function robot (MFR). This special class of industrial robot is able not only to transfer the part between two adjacent processing stages but also to perform a special operation in transit. Considering MFR for material handling and operation, the objective function of the research here is the maximisation of production rate, or equivalently the minimization of the steady-state cycle time for identical part production. This problem is modelled as a travelling salesman problem to give computational benefits with respect to the existing solution methods. Then, the lower bound for the cycle time is deduced in order to measure the productivity gain of two practical production permutations, namely uphill and downhill permutations. As a design problem, a preliminary analysis initially identifies the regions where the productivity gain of a regular multi-function robotic cell is more than that of the corresponding single-function robotic cell for both small- and large-scale cells. The conclusion shows the suggested topics for future research.
- Description: C1
Market power, credit risk, revenue diversification and bank stability in selected ASEAN countries
- Authors: Ovi, Nafisa Zabeen , Perera, Shrimal , Colombage, Sisira
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: South East Asia Research Vol. 22, no. 3 (2014), p. 399-416
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- Description: This paper investigates the effects of market power on credit risk, revenue diversification and bank stability in selected Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam) using a sample of 153 commercial banks during 1998-2010. The authors find that bank market power is positively associated with credit risk and revenue diversification. Nevertheless, these associations diminished during the global financial crisis (GFC), implying that banks with greater market power have been better able to manage their non-performing loans during the crisis period. Bank stability, however, is not associated with market power. Instead, it is found to be a negative function of state ownership, asset composition and banking freedom. Overall, even though ASEAN banks with greater market power have higher credit risk, they are more diversified, thus leaving their overall bank risk unaffected.
Precipitation modeling by polyhedral RCMARS and comparison with MARS and CMARS
- Authors: Ozmen, Ayse , Batmaz, Inci , Weber, Gerhard-Wilhelm
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Environmental Modeling and Assessment Vol. 19, no. 5 (2014), p. 425-435
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Climate change is becoming an ever important issue due to the possibility that it may result in extreme weather events such as floods or droughts. Consequently, precipitation forecasting has similarly gained in significance as it is a useful tool in meeting the increasing need for the efficient management of water resources as well as in preventing disasters before they happen. In the literature, there are various statistical and computational methods used for this purpose, including linear and nonlinear regression, kriging, time series models, neural networks, and multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS). Among them, MARS stands out as the better performing precipitation modeling method. In this article, we used a recently developed method called robust conic mars (RCMARS), based on MARS (also on CMARS), to forecast precipitation owing to its ability to model complex uncertain data. In CMARS, which was developed as a powerful alternative to MARS, the model complexity is penalized in the form of Tikhonov regularization and studied as a conic quadratic programming. In RCMARS, on the other hand, CMARS is refined further by including the existence of uncertainty in the future scenarios and robustifying it with a robust optimization technique. To evaluate the performance of the RCMARS method, it was applied to build a precipitation model constructed as an early warning system for the continental Central Anatolia Region of Turkey, where drought has been a recurrent phenomenon for the last few decades. Furthermore, the performance of the RCMARS precipitation model was also compared to that of MARS and CMARS. The results indicated that RCMARS builds more accurate, precise, and stable precipitation models compared to those of MARS and CMARS. In addition to these advantageous features of the RCMARS precipitation model, it also provided a good fit to the data. As a result, we propose its use in precipitation forecasting for the region studied. © 2014, Springer International Publishing Switzerland.
Physicochemical and functional properties of lentil protein isolates prepared by different drying methods
- Authors: Joshi, Matina , Adhikari, Benu , Aldred, Peter , Panozzo, Joe , Kasapis, Stefan
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Food Chemistry Vol. 129, no. 4 (2011), p. 1513-1522
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Lentil protein isolate (LPI) extract was converted into powder by freeze drying, spray drying and vacuum drying. Differences in particle size distribution, protein subunit composition and colour and surface morphology were observed amongst the three drying methods. Spray and freeze-dried LPI powders exhibited higher solubility (81% and 78%, respectively) compared to vacuum dried powders (50%). The spray dried powders showed a low water absorption capacity (0.43 ± 0.02 g/g) compared to freeze (0.48 ± 0.02 g/g) and vacuum-dried (0.47 ± 0.01 g/g) LPI powders. Spray and freeze-dried powders displayed better gelation ability and higher gel strength, compared to vacuum-dried powder. Both spray and freeze-dried gels showed typical viscoelastic gel characteristics, with G′ dominating over G″ and very low loss tangent. The holding time required for gelation of vacuum dried powder at 90 °C was significantly longer, compared to spray and freeze dried powders. Hence, drying methods used for preparation of lentil protein isolate powders can affect physicochemical and associated functional properties. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Salt Loading in Canola Oil Fed SHRSP Rats Induces Endothelial Dysfunction
- Authors: Papazzo, Annateresa , Conlan, Xavier , Lexis, Louise , Charchar, Fadi , Lewandowski, Paul
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: PLoS ONE Vol. 8, no. 6 (2013), p.
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- Description: This study aimed to determine if 50 days of canola oil intake in the absence or presence of salt loading affects: (1) antioxidant and oxidative stress markers, (2) aortic mRNA of NADPH oxidase (NOX) subunits and superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoforms and (3) endothelial function in SHRSP rats. SHRSP rats were fed a diet containing 10 wt/wt% soybean oil or 10 wt/wt% canola oil, and given tap water or water containing 1% NaCl for 50 days. Without salt, canola oil significantly increased RBC SOD, plasma cholesterol and triglycerides, aortic p22phox, NOX2 and CuZn-SOD mRNA, and decreased RBC glutathione peroxidase activity. With salt, canola oil reduced RBC SOD and catalase activity, LDL-C, and p22phox mRNA compared with canola oil alone, whereas plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) was reduced and RBC MDA and LDL-C were higher. With salt, the canola oil group had significantly reduced endothelium-dependent vasodilating responses to ACh and contractile responses to norepinephrine compared with the canola oil group without salt and to the WKY rats. These results indicate that ingestion of canola oil increases O2 - generation, and that canola oil ingestion in combination with salt leads to endothelial dysfunction in the SHRSP model. © 2013 Papazzo et al.
- Description: 2003011096