85000 research outputs found
Sort by
Membrane Distillation Coupled with Peroxymonosulfate Advanced Oxidation for Antibiotic Removal and Wastewater Treatment
No full textAntimicrobial wastewater poses significant risks such as genotoxicity, ecotoxicity, and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Conventional treatment approaches have demonstrated limited success in removing antibiotics from wastewater. Therefore, this study was aimed at integrating thermally activated peroxymonosulfate based sulfate radical advanced oxidation with direct contact membrane distillation (PMS-MD) for the efficient removal of antibiotics from wastewater. The other aim of the study was to compare the antibiotic removal performance of the PMS-MD process with that of standalone UV-activated PMS (PMS/UV), standalone heat-activated PMS (PMS/Heat), and conventional powdered activated carbon (PAC) adsorption, with the PAC method serving as a benchmark. Tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CP) served as model antibiotics considering their widespread use, recalcitrance and adverse impacts on the environment and human health.PMS/UV and PMS/Heat processes were performed in batch mode under various reaction conditions. At higher antibiotic concentrations (50 mg L-1), neither TC nor CP was fully broken down by PMS/UV; however, TC removal of >97 % was achieved at 5 mg L-1 TC, after 120 minutes of UVC irradiation with 5 mM PMS. While there was no discernible improvement in CP removal (9.6 % to 30.6 %), the TC removal efficiency increased from 21.5 % to 75.3 % when the PMS concentration was changed from 1 mM to 7.5 mM at a 50 mg L-1 TC and CP. PMS/Heat demonstrated comparatively better performance in TC and CP removal. Antibiotic degradation was significantly influenced by activation temperature, showing a 28.9 % increment in TC removal and a 104.9 % increment in CP removal when the temperature was increased from 40 °C to 80 °C. CP degradation performance varied significantly under different antibiotic concentrations, with >80 % removal efficiencies observed at concentrations below 25 mg L-1. PMS/Heat performed comparatively better in both high and low concentrations of TC. Antibiotic removal improved significantly with increased PMS concentration, with TC and CP achieving nearly 100 % and 70.9 % removal at 7.5 mM PMS, respectively. Due to its higher resistance to degradation compared to TC in both PMS/UV and PMS/Heat systems, CP was selected for the PMS-MD studies. After establishing system stability of the MD system at a temperature range of 40-80 °C, antibiotic rejection tests (70 °C; 300 ml min-1 flow rate; 1 L feed; 300 ml DI in permeate tank) were performed using CP (50 mg L-1) in a NaCl solution (2000 mg L-1) as the feed to examine the effects of CP on membrane wetting and fouling. The polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane demonstrated excellent antibiotic rejection (100 % rejection) with no significant fouling or wetting. When 5 mM PMS was incorporated with 25 mg L-1 CP in the feed (70 °C; 300 ml min-1 flow rate; 1 L feed; 300 ml DI in permeate tank), 93.7 % CP degradation resulted, and the degradation efficiency decreased considerably when the PMS concentration was reduced below 5 mM. When the initial CP concentration in the feed tank was reduced to 5 mg L-1, >99 % CP removal resulted in the feed side in PMS-MD. Moreover, the PMS-MD system showed faster CP degradation rates compared to the standalone PMS/Heat process, for a range of antibiotic concentrations (5-50 mg L-1). In order to assess the effectiveness of PMS-MD in antimicrobial wastewater treatment under actual circumstances, CP (5 mg L-1) spiked municipal wastewater was utilised as the feed. The PMS-MD treatment demonstrated excellent CP removal performance in real wastewater matrix with >99 % removal within 30 minutes as confirmed by high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The PMS-MD process achieved 70% water recovery within 6.5 hours while removing over 99% of CP from the system. In comparison, the standalone MD process required 10.5 hours to reach the same level of water recovery with significant water flux reduction due to significant membrane fouling. CP was not detected on the permeate side in both systems with UV-visible and HPLC analyses. Moreover, the permeate of PMS-MD exhibited a total organic carbon (TOC) level below 5 mg L-1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser microscopy confirmed that PMS-MD was able to alleviate membrane fouling in real wastewater treatment. In comparison to the benchmarking experiments with PAC adsorption, the PMS-MD system demonstrated improved reaction kinetics by removing CP at a faster rate than PAC adsorption. Nonetheless, both technologies demonstrated high CP removal performance by achieving >99 % in both synthetic wastewater and CP-spiked municipal wastewater. Moreover, the PMS-MD system performed significantly effectively and efficiently compared to standalone PMS/UV and PMS/Heat in CP removal. The outcomes of this study show that the suggested integrated system is more effective than standalone methods at eliminating CP and reducing related environmental hazards. Additionally, it establishes the foundation for creating expandable methods to treat antimicrobial wastewater, greatly contributing to water purification efforts and global environmental health initiatives.</p
Transformative Influence of Emissions Trading Schemes on Corporate Investments: Insights from the People’s Republic of China
No full textThis paper examines whether and how the emissions trading schemes (ETS) pilot program could influence the capital expenditures of firms in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). We use the ETS pilot in the PRC as a quasinatural experiment and obtain a comprehensive dataset of 28,213 firm–year observations, covering 3,557 listed Chinese firms observed annually between 2010 and 2022. We use difference-in-differences regressions to examine the impacts of the ETS pilot on the capital investments of firms. We document that the ETS pilot could motivate firms to increase their capital investments. This finding holds in various robustness and sensitivity checks, including dynamic timing tests, placebo tests, and subsample analyses that exclude outliers. Importantly, we further document that innovative firms increase capital expenditures more following the ETS, whereas noninnovative firms do not increase capital investments after the ETS pilot. These findings suggest that the ETS could play a pivotal role in advancing the PRC’s economic restructuring efforts.</p
Assembling Hanoi: Metamorphosis of Photographic Images
No full textInterested in how photographs are constituted, this exposition situates itself in between materialities of photography to discover how photographs are actualized. Using photography as artistic research practice, it uncovers how matters, sounds, bodies, and machines intra-act within the practice of photography. The inquiry challenges the bifurcation between the outside/inside of the frame, rather it emphasizes its fluid nature. It delves into the cosmogenesis of a photograph exploring the multiple folds and transformations in actualizing a photograph revealing the intricate and dynamic assemblages of humans and non-humans from the outside folding with the inside. Thinking with Gilles Deleuze's concept of the Folds, the exposition was able to surface layers upon layers of bodily and material folds that trouble the traditional notion of photographs as images separated from the outside. In the middle of its messiness, the exposition was able to develop an Applique technique as a method of knowing that emerges from this artistic research practice. What came out are layers of images that describe photography as performative movement of matters and bodies, a metamorphosis of infinite images while navigating the rich culture of Vietnam’s Hanoi capital.
keywords: post-human, post-photography, Deleuze, post qualitative methodology</p
Abolitionist Geography: Disrupting ICL Through Pro-Palestine University Encampments
No full textThe invitation to consider the “critical aftermath” of international criminal law (ICL) and “what happens next?” raises, for us, the suggestion of a new possibility emerging from the ruins—not only the ruins of atrocity, but also of law's response to atrocity. Yet ICL, we suggest, is lying in wait: it remains a powerful and violent actor, poised to activate and reinforce the prominence and monopoly of carceral justice, even out of the ruins. To counteract the dominance of carceral justice, we suggest learning from the tradition of abolition geography. By this we mean engaging in an act of “reconstruction place-making,”1 whereby we mix our labor with the world and (re)make the world by bending the “narrative arc” toward freedom.2 More specifically, we seek to embrace an abolitionist geography by offering a conception of countercultural visions of justice, drawing from a vignette of the worldwide movement of university encampments for Palestine. With this, we contribute to deepening reflections on a counterculture of international justice rooted in epistemologies of Black feminist and abolitionist praxis.3</p
Psychiatric adverse events linked to glucagon-like peptide 1 analogues: a disproportionality analysis in American, Canadian and Australian adverse event databases
No full textBackground Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogues are a class of medications that stimulate glucose-dependent insulin release and slow gastric emptying. With the increasing use of GLP-1 analogues, concerns about potential psychiatric adverse events (AEs) remain under-explored. Aim This pharmacovigilance study aimed to investigate the prevalence of psychiatric AEs associated with currently available GLP-1 analogues by analysing publicly available national datasets from the US (FAERS), Canada (CVAROD) and Australia (DAEN). Method Psychiatric AE reports were extracted from all three databases for all approved GLP-1 analogues. A disproportionality analysis was conducted to calculate reporting odds ratios (RORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for psychiatric AEs of interest. Results Significant associations were identified when multiple databases reported elevated RORs. Semaglutide was associated with depressive symptoms (FAERS, ROR = 6.24 CI 4.49–8.69), panic attacks (FAERS, ROR = 1.46 CI 1.16–1.82) and suicidal ideation (FAERS, ROR = 2.58 CI 2.31–2.88). Liraglutide was linked to depression (CVAROD, ROR = 1.68 CI 1.12–2.51), while dulaglutide showed positive associations with eating disorders (FAERS, ROR = 1.47 CI 1.26–1.71) and insomnia (FAERS, ROR = 2.93 CI 2.35–3.66). Conclusion GLP-1 analogues, particularly semaglutide and liraglutide, are associated with significant psychiatric AEs, especially depression and suicidal ideation. Further studies are required to understand the mechanisms underlying these associations, particularly in patients with pre-existing psychiatric conditions.</p
Trio-ethnographic Reflection on Using Digital Storytelling to Enhance Learners’ Engagement
No full textThe teaching and learning process in the digital landscape is evolving beyond traditional one-way knowledge delivery. Using trio-ethnography, a combination of duoethnography and photography (Le et al., 2021), we sought to explore how to integrate digital storytelling (DST) into teaching and learning processes to engage learners. Central to our paper are our narratives via three lenses: educators, learners, and a storytelling expert. In the three circles of the indigenous approach (Lavallée, 2009), we share our narrative inquiries. The sharing circles were a mixture of offline meetings, our co-emerging conversations in verbal format, and online meetings to clarify the written format of our dialogues. Three themes emerged: elements of digital storytelling, peer-to-peer learning, and level of engagement. We found that educators are not the primary source for integrating digital tools. Inquiry-based peer to peer learning (P2PL) determines the efficacy of learners’ meaning-making and engagement. Aiming for explicit learning outcomes, educators would flexibly modify activities for diverse learning styles. In addition, empathy is the catalyst for lecturer-student intellectual relationships, enabling appropriate learner-experience design approaches. Furthermore, we hope to contribute to the trio-ethnographic methodology by using visual communication through sharing circles to articulate our meaning-making and illustrate our trusted connections.</p
Spatial-temporal analysis of agricultural drought risk: insights from a Vietnam case study
No full textA challenge in agricultural drought risk assessment is the lack of standardization for selecting indicators and aggregation methods, leading to inconsistent and less reliable outcomes. This issue is particularly evident in Vietnam, where diverse agricultural practices and regional climates add complexity to the assessment process. This study proposes a methodological framework specifically designed for Vietnam’s agricultural sector. It recommends the use of the Standardized Precipitation Index Vegetation Health Index and Soil Moisture (SM) for assessing drought hazards, while socioeconomic indicators such as agricultural land, population, Gross Domestic Product total income, agriculture-based income, literacy rate, and poverty rate are suggested for evaluating exposure and vulnerability. The research assesses drought risk across mainland Vietnam from 2015 to 2022, employing both equal proportion and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to determine indicator weightings. The study highlights the advantages of Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing data in evaluating drought risk across Vietnam. The result of spatiotemporal analysis shows that the drought hazard index varies significantly on a monthly basis, while exposure and vulnerability indices remain relatively stable over the years. During the examined period, 2015 and 2016 were identified as the years with the highest drought risk, followed by 2019 and 2020. The Mekong Delta, Central Highlands, and Northwest regions consistently exhibited high drought risk, reflecting their agricultural practices and socioeconomic vulnerabilities. This dynamic analysis provides critical insights for policymakers and stakeholders to proactively manage drought impacts in Vietnam’s agricultural sector.</p
Structuring the Chaos: Enabling Small Business Cyber-Security Risks & Assets Modelling with a UML Class Model
No full textSmall businesses around the world are increasingly adopting IT, thus increasing their exposure to malicious cyber activity. Small businesses struggle with implementing cyber-security, even when they are aware of the cyber-security risks around their business. Almost all modern cyber-security solutions are created and widely deployed in large enterprises. However there are fundamental differences between the characteristics of small businesses versus large ones.Small businesses often do not have the technical expertise or the time to implement currently available cyber-security tools and standards. At the same time, cyber-security competes with other roles that small business owners take on, e.g. cleaning, sales etc. Hence, cyber security tools specific to small businesses are needed.The most important task in cyber-security is knowing the assets that need protection, and their context. To support this information gathering phase of a small business’ cyber-security journey, we propose a new UML class (Small IT Data (SITD)) model. The SITD model is designed in the UML format to ensure that it is implementable at scale. The model’s structure stays relevant by using generic classes and structures that can evolve with technology and environmental changes. The SITD model keeps security decisions proportionate to the business by highlighting relationships between business strategy tasks and IT infrastructure. The SITD model’s simplified non-specialist terminology and its presentation encourages sustained participation by all stakeholders, not just technical ones.We start by constructing a set of design principles to address small business cyber-security needs. Model components are designed in response to these needs. The uses of the SITD model are then demonstrated and design principles validated by examining a case study of a real small business’s operational and IT information. The SITD model’s ability to illustrate breach information is also demonstrated using the NotPetya incident.</p
A longitudinal analysis of the network structure of internet gaming disorder and its associations with distress
No full textConcerns have arisen regarding the possible addictive nature of videogames, resulting in the provisional recognition of internet gaming disorder (IGD) as a behavioural addiction. However, this classification remains controversial, with arguments abounding regarding its structure and nature. Therefore, the present study examined the network structure/characteristics of nine IGD symptoms and three distress behaviours (i.e. depression, anxiety, and stress). A sample of 462 adults (Mage = 30.8. [SDage = 9.23]; 320 males [69.3%]) were surveyed regarding their experience of IGD symptoms and distress behaviours using the Internet Gaming Disorder Short Form (IGDS9-SF) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS21) respectively. Subsequently, a network analysis was undertaken using R. IGD symptoms were found to be stable both cross-sectionally and over time. They were associated with, yet distinct, from, depression, anxiety, and stress. The most central symptoms within the network in terms of expected influence were tolerance, persistence, and stress. With a pathway between depression and mood modification providing the ‘bridge’ between IGD and Distress. The findings support the conceptualisation of IGD as a distinct construct (i.e. behavioural addiction). Further implications for the identification and treatment of IGD are discussed.</p
In Pursuit of Agility: How to Transform Your Organisation's IT Project Selection Process
No full textTo remain competitive, many organisations are undertaking agile transformations in pursuit of agility. Information technology (IT) plays a pivotal role in supporting organisational agility; thus, it is essential that organisations select the right IT projects in a timely manner to deliver. In practice, though, organisations have struggled with effective decision‐making in the IT planning process, especially in competitive environments where there is a need for agile decisions. To guide organisations on how they can transform their IT project selection (ITPS) process to become more agile, we examine two large and well‐established Australian organisations and their digital‐only subsidiaries launched as agile organisations in start‐up style. We explain how the parent companies conduct ITPS and contrast this with the digital‐only subsidiaries, highlighting the strengths and challenges each approach presents for agility. We provide an ITPS agility framework that identifies five dimensions that can enable or inhibit agility. These are: ITPS funding approach, number of ITPS decision‐makers, granularity of ITPS work‐packages, frequency of ITPS process and duration of ITPS process. Our findings indicate that the traditional approach that the parent organisations have taken with these ITPS dimensions has inhibited agility, whereas the ITPS dimensions have been configured to enable agility in their digital‐only subsidiaries. We recommend that those responsible for agile transformations of ITPS within their organisations fund teams instead of projects, delegate ITPS decision‐making authority, make faster and more frequent ITPS decisions about work‐packages that are smaller in scope, and use agility in the right places, as ITPS does not always need to be agile.</p