220861 research outputs found
Sort by
Scalable solar-driven reforming of alcohol feedstock to H(2) using Ni/Zn(3)In(2)S(6) photocatalyst
No full textCorrected by: Corrigendum to “Scalable solar-driven reforming of alcohol feedstock to H2 using Ni/Zn3In2S6 photocatalyst” [Chem. Eng. J. 513 (2025) 162965], Chemical Engineering Journal, Volume 515, 1 July 2025, 163701. The authors regret that the published version of the above article contained typographical errors in the areal activity units reported in Sections 3.3 and 4. Specifically, “mol h–1 m–2” should have been written as “mmol h–1 m–2”. These errors have now been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the article. We confirm that this correction does not affect the published results. The authors would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused.Organic photoreforming represents a promising pathway for solar H₂ generation with the coproduction of valuable byproducts. However, its development has been limited by separate studies on photocatalysts or photoreactors, with little focus on cost and scalability. Here we integrate photocatalyst design, upscaled photoreactor engineering, and cost analysis for the solar-driven reforming of alcohol feedstock to H₂. The process was optimized by examining various alcohol compounds and Ni cocatalyst impact on Zn₃In₂S₆ photocatalytic activity. Strong interactions between Zn₃In₂S₆ and both aromatic benzyl alcohol substrate and Ni intensified H₂ evolution and benzaldehyde formation, achieving an apparent quantum yield of 63.8 % at 420 nm and an areal H₂ evolution activity of 278 mmol h⁻¹ m⁻² under simulated sunlight. Using the optimum conditions established in a laboratory environment, an upscaled slurry photoreactor prototype was designed and operated under natural sunlight with a 0.5 m² light receiving area. The upscaled solar-driven reforming of benzyl alcohol over Ni/ Zn₃In₂S₆ delivered a H₂ production rate of 1.67 normal L h⁻¹, corresponding to an areal H₂ evolution activity of 139 mmol h⁻¹ m⁻², with benzaldehyde as the major organic byproduct. A pathway for commercially viable large-scale solar-driven organic reforming was defined through techno-economic assessment. The findings are a crucial advancement in scaling photoreforming towards commercialization.Denny Gunawan, Tahlia Stern, Jiajun Zhang, Jodie A. Yuwono, Jian Pan, Qiyuan Li, Haolin Yu, Michael Gunawan, Rosalie K. Hocking, Cui Ying Toe, Jason Scott, Rose Ama
Structural health monitoring of lightweight concrete beams strengthened with ultra-lightweight ECC-FRP mesh composite
No full textThe structural health monitoring (SHM) and structural strengthening of degraded reinforced lightweight concrete (LWC) structures are important. In this paper, ultra-lightweight engineered cementitious composite (ULWECC) with calcined petroleum coke was used as an SHM and strengthening material. Its mechanical properties and self-sensing behaviours (under monotonic and cyclic loading) were evaluated. ULW-ECC showed a desirable compressive strength of 76.4 MPa and a tensile strain capacity of 8.4 %. Furthermore, it also possessed sensitive and stable piezoresistivity under various stress conditions. The SHM and flexural strengthening performance of reinforced LWC beams were investigated, concluding that ULW-ECC performed satisfactory self-sensing behaviour and effective enhancements in flexural strength as well as ductility. The load condition can be sensitively reflected in the variation of fractional change in impedance. Compared to the reinforcement of carbon fibrereinforced polymer (CFRP) meshes, ULW-ECC reinforced with glass FRP (GFRP) as well as basalt FRP (BFRP) meshes exhibited better interactions, which equipped more sufficient material utilisation and more reliable selfsensing performance. By comprehensively considering the SHM and strengthening performances, BFRP mesh is recommended for collaborating with ULW-ECC.Zhiheng Hu, Mohamed Elchalakani, Reza Hassanli, Hongyu Ran, Mohamed Ali Sadakkathulla, Shidong Ni
‘Back to Basics’: A Practice Approach to Reforming Youth Justice
No full textThe delivery of high-quality case work is central to efforts to reform youth justice systems around the world. Youth justice practitioners can be the most effective agents of change when the focus of their casework practice is on listening to justice-involved young people, helping them to feel safe and to avoid re-traumatization, and working in ways that promote positive childhood experiences. It is argued that developing ‘practice-based evidence’ in this way can help to unite the field, to close the policy implementation gap, and simultaneously contribute to the personal wellbeing of young people and the broader agenda of public safety.Andrew Day, Catia Malvas
What Is Decoupling and Where Is Our World Headed?
No full textThis introductory chapter examines ‘decoupling’ in the context of recent U.S. and allied efforts to reduce economic and technological reliance on China. Decoupling is a strategy to uphold U.S. hegemony by reconfiguring global trade to reduce economic and technological dependence on China amidst rising geopolitical tensions, limiting Chinese access to advanced sectors, and signalling a shift away from globalisation. Highlighting the main arguments presented in the book, this chapter envisions an alternative future addressing various topics, apart from trade, finance and geopolitics, from environmental challenges and philosophies of coexistence to the promotion of greater economic openness and engagement with the Global South, advocating for a new global order centred on peace, cooperation, and shared prosperity.Mobo Gao, Baohui Xie, Justin O'Connor, Jack Butche
Explainable Advanced Modelling of CO₂-Dissolved Brine Density: Applications for Geological CO₂ Storage in Aquifers
No full textThe growing impacts of global warming demand urgent climate-change mitigation strategies, with carbon storage in saline aquifers emerging as a promising solution. These aquifers, for their high porosity and permeability, offer significant potential for CO₂ sequestration. Among the trapping mechanisms, solubility trapping—where CO₂ dissolves into brine—stands out for its long-term effectiveness. However, CO₂ dissolution alters brine density, initiating density-driven convection that enhances CO₂ migration. Accurate modelling of these density changes is essential for optimising CO₂ storage strategies and improving long-term sequestration outcomes. This study presents a two-step explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) framework for predicting the density of CO₂-dissolved brine in geological formations. A dataset comprising 3393 samples from 14 different studies was utilised, capturing a wide range of brine compositions and salinities. Given the complexity of brine–CO₂ interactions, a two-step modelling approach was adopted. First, a random forest (RF) model predicted the brine volume (as the proxy for the density) without dissolved CO₂, and then, a second RF model predicted the impact of CO₂ dissolution on the brine’s volume. Feature importance analysis and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values provided interpretability, revealing the dominant role of temperature and ion mass in the absence of CO₂ and the significant influence of dissolved CO₂ in more complex systems. The model showed excellent predictive performance, with R² values of 0.997 and 0.926 for brine-only and CO₂-dissolved solutions, respectively. Future studies are recommended to expand the dataset, explore more complex systems, and investigate alternative modelling techniques to further enhance the predictive capabilities.Amin Shokrollahi, Afshin Tatar, Sepideh Atrbarmohammadi, and Abbas Zeinijahrom
Frequency and determinants of use of immunosuppressants in the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study
No full textAvailable online 22 May 2025Objectives: To assess the frequency and determinants of immunosuppressant medication use in systemic sclerosis and changes in prescribing patterns over time. Methods: The Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study participants meeting the American College of Rheumatology/ European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology criteria for systemic sclerosis with recorded treatment data were included. The Chi-square, two-sample t-tests or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests were used for between-group comparison as appropriate. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to establish the determinants of the use of immunosuppressants. Results: Of 2019 participants, 60% received immunosuppressants, including 81% of those with diffuse systemic sclerosis and 52% of those with limited systemic sclerosis (p < 0.001). Forty-six percent of patients received prednisolone and 40% disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Immunosuppressant use was more common in those with severe or inflammatory systemic sclerosis features, including interstitial lung disease, synovitis or myositis. Comparing prescribing patterns early in incident systemic sclerosis from 2007–2014 to 2015–2024, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug use increased (35% vs 56%, p < 0.001), while prednisolone use decreased (24% vs 17%, p = 0.046). Immunosuppressants were commenced earlier in incident systemic sclerosis in 2015–2024 versus 2007–2014 (1.8 (interquartile range = 1.0– 3.2) vs 2.4 (interquartile range = 1.2–4.0) years, p = 0.011). In multivariable modelling, prednisolone use was associated with diffuse systemic sclerosis (odds ratio = 1.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.4–2.2, p < 0.001), interstitial lung disease (odds ratio = 2.1, 95% confidence interval = 1.7–2.5, p < 0.001), myositis (odds ratio = 2.7, 95% confidence interval = 1.8–4.0, p < 0.001), synovitis (odds ratio = 2.2, 95% confidence interval = 1.8–2.6, p < 0.001) and systemic sclerosis heart involvement (odds ratio = 1.4, 95% confidence interval = 1.0–2.0, p = 0.044). Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug exposure was associated with diffuse systemic sclerosis (odds ratio = 2.7, 95% confidence interval = 2.1–3.4, p < 0.001), interstitial lung disease (odds ratio = 2.2, 95% confidence interval = 1.7–2.7, p < 0.001), myositis (odds ratio = 3.6, 95% confidence interval = 2.4–5.5, p < 0.001) and synovitis (odds ratio = 4.2, 95% confidence interval = 3.5–5.2, p < 0.001) and inversely associated with age (odds ratio = 0.7, 95% confidence interval = 0.5–0.8, p < 0.01) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (odds ratio = 0.5, 95% confidence interval = 0.4–0.7, p < 0.001). In subgroups with diffuse systemic sclerosis and limited systemic sclerosis and different autoantibody profiles, findings were generally similar, with interstitial lung disease, synovitis and myositis tending to be associated with prednisolone and/or diseasemodifying anti-rheumatic drug use, as was systemic sclerosis heart involvement in diffuse systemic sclerosis (p = 0.038). Conclusion: Immunosuppressant use is common in systemic sclerosis, with broadly similar determinants of usage among subtypes and autoantibody status. These real-world data suggest that disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug use has increased, with earlier implementation of treatment, and a reduction in use of glucocorticoids.Jessica L. Fairley, Dylan Hansen, Susanna Proudman, Joanne Sahhar, Gene-Siew Ngian, Diane Apostolopoulos, Jennifer Walker, Lauren V. Host, Wendy Stevens, Laura Ross, and Mandana Nikpou
Search for Gravitational Waves Emitted from SN2023ixf
No full textWe present the results of a search for gravitational-wave transients associated with core-collapse supernova SN 2023ixf, which was observed in the galaxy Messier 101 via optical emission on 2023 May 19, during the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA 15th Engineering Run. We define a five-day on-source window during which an accompanying gravitational-wave signal may have occurred. No gravitational waves have been identified in data when at least two gravitational-wave observatories were operating, which covered ∼14% of this five-day window. We report the search detection efficiency for various possible gravitational-wave emission models. Considering the distance to M101 (6.7 Mpc), we derive constraints on the gravitational-wave emission mechanism of core-collapse supernovae across a broad frequency spectrum, ranging from 50 Hz to 2 kHz, where we assume the gravitationalwave emission occurred when coincident data are available in the on-source window....The LIGO Scientific Collaboration, the Virgo Collaboration, and the KAGRA Collaboratio
Strong Host Modulation of Rhizosphere-to-Endosphere Microbial Colonisation in Natural Populations of the Pan-Palaeotropical Keystone Grass Species, Themeda triandra
No full textSoil microbiota can colonise plant roots through a two-step selection process, involving recruitment of microbiota first from bulk soil into plant rhizospheres, then into root endospheres. This process is poorly understood in all but a few model species (e.g., Arabidopsis), which is surprising given its fundamental role in plant and soil ecology. Here, we examined the microbial community assembly processes across the rhizospheres and root endospheres in eight natural populations of the pan-palaeotropical C4 grass, Themeda triandra, in southern Australia. Using a space-for- time substitution approach, we assessed whether bacterial root colonisation patterns conformed to the two-step model and tested whether community assembly was driven more by deterministic or stochastic processes. Our results show that the two-step selection process shaped bacterial recruitment dynamics across these natural T. triandra populations, and we provide clear evidence that host plants influence microbial assembly via deterministic pressures that produce strong community convergence within endospheres. These findings highlight the central role of host filtering in shaping a conserved ‘core’ endosphere microbiome. However, limited understanding of these endosphere communities constrains efforts to harness these important relationships to, for example, improve plant propagation and revegetation practices.Riley J. Hodgson, Christian Cando-Dumancela, Craig Liddicoat, Sunita A. Ramesh, Robert A. Edwards, Martin F. Bree
The first trimester human placenta responds to Zika virus infection inducing an interferon (IFN) and antiviral interferon stimulated gene (ISG) response
No full textPublished online: 19 April 2025Background: Zika virus (ZIKV) is a positive-strand RNA virus of the Flaviviridae family. Maternal ZIKV infection during pregnancy can spread to the placenta and fetus causing severe neurological defects and infants born with microcephaly. Here, we investigated ZIKV infection and the cellular innate antiviral immune response in first trimester human placental explant cultures and isolated primary villus cytotrophoblasts (CTBs). Methods: Placentas were obtained with informed consent from women undergoing elective pregnancy termination and either cultured as placental explants or used to isolate primary CTBs. Explants and CTBs were both infected with ZIKV (PRVABC59), and samples evaluated for infection by qRT-PCR, viral plaque and ELISA assays, and immunohistochemical or immunocytochemical staining. Results: We demonstrate robust infection and production of ZIKV in placental explant and CTB cultures. Both displayed delayed upregulation of interferons (IFN), most notably IFNβ and IFNλ2/3, and a panel of interferon stimulated genes (ISG) (IFI6, IFIT1, IFIT2, IFITM1, ISG15, MX1, RSAD). Stimulation of explants and CTBs with the dsRNA mimic poly(I: C), caused immediate IFN and ISG upregulation, demonstrating the first trimester placenta is innate immune competent. This suggests that either ZIKV blocks the early innate response, or the placental response is inherently hindered. Conclusion: Together these data show that first trimester placenta is susceptible to ZIKV infection which induces a delayed type III IFN antiviral response. This delay likely creates an environment favourable to ZIKV replication and dissemination across the early gestation placenta to fetal tissue, causing pathologies associated with congenital ZIKV syndrome.Kylie H. Van der Hoek, Tanja Jankovic-Karasoulos, Dylan McCullough, Rosa C. Coldbeck-Shackley, Nicholas S. Eyre, Claire T. Roberts and Michael R. Bear
Cardiovascular Disease as a Predictor of Dementia: A Cross-National Ecological Study of 204 Countries
No full textBackground and Aims: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and dementia represent two of the most pressing global health challenges, particularly in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). While vascular pathology is increasingly recognized as a contributor to cognitive decline, few studies have systematically explored the global association between CVD and dementia using standardized, population‐level data. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between CVD and dementia incidence across 204 countries, stratified by economic status, development level, and geographic region. Methods: Age‐standardized incidence rates for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and dementia in 2021 were sourced from the Global Burden of Disease Study. To examine global and regional associations, bivariate analyses (Pearson and Spearman correlations) and partial correlations were conducted, adjusting for ageing, economic affluence, genetic predisposition, and urbanization. Linear and multivariate stepwise regression models were applied to estimate the extent to which CVD incidence contributes to dementia incidence at the population level. Results: Globally, CVD incidence was significantly associated with dementia incidence (Pearson r = 0.777; Spearman ρ = 0.868; p < 0.001). CVD explained approximately 43.0% of the variance in dementia incidence at the population level (r² = 0.4303), even after adjusting for key confounders. The association was notably stronger in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) and developing regions. Among CVD subtypes, peripheral arterial disease (β = 0.903), cardiomyopathy (β = 0.869), and atrial fibrillation (β = 0.708) demonstrated the strongest independent associations with dementia incidence. Conversely, rheumatic heart disease exhibited a negative association. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a robust population‐level association between CVD and dementia across global settings, particularly in resource‐limited regions. Findings underscore the importance of integrated public health approaches targeting shared vascular risk factors. Given the ecological design, further individual‐level, longitudinal research is needed to clarify causal pathways and inform targeted interventions.Wenpeng Yo