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Climate warming enhances sugarcane yield and increases annual harvest frequency in northern coastal New South Wales, Australia
No full textCONTEXT: Australia is a leading exporter of raw sugar on the global market. Rising temperatures could enable sugarcane to achieve harvestable yields in a 1-year growth cycle instead of the traditional 2-year cycle in the subtropical regions of northern New South Wales (NSW). However, no study has evaluated how climate change impacts annual harvest frequency, leaving a critical gap in understanding sugarcane production's future in Australia. OBJECTIVE: We aim to quantify the impacts of climate change on sugarcane yield and annual harvest frequency and identify the main climatic drivers that determine yield change. METHODS: We used sugarcane yield data collected from three milling regions, Condong, Broadwater, and Harwood, to validate the QCANE sugarcane model in northern coastal NSW. The validated model was then driven by climate data downscaled from 27 global climate models under the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 to simulate sugarcane growth and sugar accumulations. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The QCANE model showed strong agreement between simulated and observed values, with an R2 of 0.83 for stalk fresh weight (FW) and 0.80 for sucrose weight (SW), and nRMSE values of 9.4 % for FW and 10.0 % for SW. Under rising emissions (SSP126 to SSP585), yield projections indicated increases by the end of the 21st century, with FW rising by 6–34 Mg ha−1 (i.e., 6–29 %), biomass dry weight (DW) by 2–11 Mg ha−1 (6–29 %), and SW by 1–7 Mg ha−1 (10–46 %) across the three study sites. Additionally, the annual harvest frequency was expected to increase from 50 to 80 % during the baseline period (1981–2020) to 68–96 %, with a greater proportion of future years supporting frequent annual harvests. Climate variables accounted for 93–96 % of the yield variation, with elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration as the dominant contributor to yield increases. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings highlight opportunities to enhance sugarcane production by adopting a 1-year harvest cycle under future climate conditions, providing valuable insights for the sugarcane industry to adapt and thrive in the face of climate change
Bridging the gap in the management of Alzheimer's disease using fecal microbiota transplantation.
No full textAlzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that greatly impairs the health status of human beings and creates significant burdens on individuals, families, and society. AD is characterized by the buildup of pathological proteins and glial cell dysregulated activity. Additional hallmark features include oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, impaired autophagy, cellular senescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, epigenetic alterations, reduced neurogenesis, increased blood-brain barrier permeability, and age-inappropriate intestinal dysbiosis. There is significant evidence that shows that microbiota in the gut affects the development and progression of AD. As a result, gut microbiota modulation has been identified as a new method of clinical management of AD, and more and more efforts have been devoted to identifying new methodologies for its prevention and treatment. This paper will discuss the role of gut microbiome in the etiopathogenesis of AD and consider the possibilities of fecal microbiota extract (FME) supplementation, commonly referred to as fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). It is both a prophylactic and curative approach. The FMT therapy is grounded on the premise that anti-inflammatory effects, modifications of amyloid β, improved synaptic plasticity, short-chain fatty acids, and histone acetylation are the principles behind the enhancement of AD. The current review will present an overview of the linkage between FMT and AD as well. It further examines and evaluates the effects of FMT on aging-based mechanisms that support the development of AD. It also provides a broad description of the recent clinical and preclinical evidence on the application of FMT to AD
Art as Technology
No full textThis paper argues for the conceptualisation of art as a technology, exploring its implications through the lens of complexity. It challenges the traditional partitioning of art and technology, proposing that art is a codifying system that dislocates objects and materials from their original functions and meanings, and encodes them with new affective potential. In other words, it is a kind of technology that programs our capacity to attribute affective potential to objects. The analysis suggests that rethinking art as a form of technology has the potential to expand the creative possibilities for artists working with emerging technologies and offers a pathway to reconsidering our relationship with our technologies. Analysis of the author’s own artworks form part of the argument. The conclusion invites artists who work with emerging technologies to explore an ethical mode of crafting that foregrounds interdependence and complexity
An Interaction–Engagement–Intention Model: How Artificial Intelligence and Augmented Reality Transform the User–Platform Interaction Paradigm
Get PDFInteraction with mobile platforms changes users’ emotional and cognitive engagements through various stimuli cues that respond to behavioural intentions. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) foster more engagements and transform a new user–platform interaction paradigm in the e-commerce industry. This study signifies the effects of artificial intelligence and augmented reality in assessing user experience for mobile platforms. In this paper, we develop an interaction–engagement–intention model that considers users’ continuance intention based on perceived user experience. The proposed model uniquely explains a nuanced understanding of how the user–platform interactions evolve interactivity, product fit, artificial intelligence-driven recommendation, and online reviews in perceiving spatial presence and subjective norm. This paper explores the importance of attitude and trust as emotional states that influence the user’s behavioural responses. We validate the consequences of user–platform interactions toward continuance intention by conducting an online questionnaire survey and assessing user experience in augmented reality environments. The results contribute to adopting the co-created values of user–platform interactions through cognitive and emotional engagements that affect users’ continuance intention. The platform industry can apply the research outcomes by considering user experience and its implications to enhance the platforms’ capability with a broader aspect
A REVIEW OF ACOUSTIC BALANCES AND POTENTIAL USE OF NONLINEAR TIME SERIES ANALYSIS METHODS
No full textAcoustic weighing is a promising method for non-contact mass measurement of tiny objects as it avoids contamination and contact losses. One of the most interesting nonlinear acoustic phenomena used to realise an acoustic balance is the acoustic radiation force, which can counteract gravity and levitate objects in a host fluid. Although the theories related to acoustic levitation were first demonstrated for objects much smaller than the acoustic wavelength, recent developments in this field have overcome this limitation, and this technique can be used for objects larger than the wavelength. Therefore, Acoustic levitation can be used to design acoustic balances, a contactless method for weighing acoustically trapped objects in the air and leveraging the possibility of acoustic manipulators. This article reviews the progress of the working mechanism of different types of acoustic weighting methods, their designs, and limitations to date. The authors especially explore new ways of extracting and analysing the features of the object to weigh its mass. The pros and cons of an acoustic balance are discussed, and how acoustic balances can be altered for acoustic object manipulation is discussed. After reviewing the acoustic weighing methods and distinguishing between different designs and signal processing methods, a novel methodology and technique using nonlinear time series analysis is proposed, which could help determine features and design an accurate acoustic scale
Consumer Contribution in Designing Medicinal Cannabis Clinical Trials in Palliative Medicine.
No full textBackground: Medicinal cannabis clinical trials in palliative medicine present unique and complex challenges encompassing ethical, legal, and feasibility obligations, making consumer input essential. However, little is known about the consumer contribution in the medicinal cannabis research space. Objective: We present a case report on consumer contribution in the design and conduct of a Phase I/IIb medicinal cannabis clinical trial for anorexia in people with advanced cancer. Our discussion highlights the various ways consumers contribute through (1) lived experience, (2) knowledge, (3) inclusion as investigators, (4) advocacy, and (5) outreach, considering approaches that can mitigate bias. Conclusion: Consumer contribution shaped the study design, ensured successful implementation and completion of the trial, and will guide future dissemination of the results. It is crucial that consumers are included at all stages of the research process to uphold research integrity and alignment with future clinical practice and policy. Clinical Trial Registration: ACTRN12616000516482
Design of a bio-hybrid solar quadricycle for sustainable urban delivery service.
Get PDFThe current study intends to provide a sustainable substitute for conventional motorbike-based delivery systems in Sydney, Australia, by designing a novel bio-hybrid solar quadricycle powered by plug-in, pedal, and solar energy. The current study exclusively integrates structural material analysis through ANSYS with powertrain simulation in Simulink to ascertain performance and feasibility. Among the tested materials, the low alloy steel AISI 4140 exhibits exceptional structural integrity with a minimal total deformation of 0.56116 mm, low equivalent strain (0.00073098 mm/mm), and the highest safety factor (4.3469). Modal analysis identifies aluminum 6061-T6 as effective in vibration damping, enhancing rider comfort, but other static structural results are not satisfactory. Simulink results confirm that a 1.8 kW DC motor coupled with a 3 kW lithium ion battery (LIB) permits effective operation over the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) drive cycle, covering 3.3 km at a peak speed of 34 km/h, with only less than 1.5% drop in battery state of charge (SOC). Although the AISI 4140 shows the most effective results, it possesses higher hardness and lower ductility and is therefore less appropriate for parts that undergo exposure to cyclic loads, making it unsuitable for the whole chassis. AISI 4130 offers the best overall balance of strength, fatigue resistance, and ease of manufacturing. AISI 4130 also provides a superior blend of resilience, resistance to fatigue, and weldability. The outcomes portray AISI 4130 as the optimal frame material, offering a promising solution for eco-friendly and ergonomic urban delivery transport in Sydney, Australia
Generative Design Approaches for Prefabricated Construction : Systematic Literature Review & Future Directions
No full textStructural quality of health facilities to provide family planning services in Ethiopia: Evidence from the 2021-22 Ethiopia Service Provision Assessment survey.
Get PDFThe structural quality of family planning services reflects the capacity of health facilities to deliver effective care through adequate infrastructure, supplies, commodities, and trained personnel. While some evidence exists, recent national-level estimates of structural quality in Ethiopia remain limited. This study addresses this gap by assessing the overall structural quality of family planning services and the factors influencing it. Using data from the 2021-22 Ethiopia Service Provision Assessment survey, we assessed the structural quality across four domains: availability of trained staff, family planning guidelines, contraceptives, and equipment and supplies, aggregated into a composite score ranging from 0 to 100%. A survey-weighted multiple linear regression model was applied to assess associations between structural quality and facility characteristics, management factors, and regional variation. Among 1,102 health facilities, the estimated overall structural quality score for family planning services was 42.4% (95% CI: 41.2% to 43.6%). The availability of family planning guidelines, trained staff, equipment and supplies, and contraceptives was 55.9%, 24.1%, 45.6%, and 44.1%, respectively. Structural quality was 18.4% lower in private clinics (95% CI: -25.1% to -11.7%) and 17.0% lower in health posts (95% CI: -24.3% to -9.6%) compared to hospitals. Compared to metropolitan regions, the score was 12.4% lower in Gambela (95% CI: -20.3% to -4.6%) and 13.5% higher in Benishangul Gumuz (95% CI: 4.2% to 22.7%). Facilities that received external supervision in the past six months had 4.9% (95% CI: 0.1% to 9.7%) higher structural quality than those without supervision. Overall, the structural quality of facilities providing family planning services in Ethiopia remains suboptimal, with notable variations by facility type, region, and supervision status. Strengthening facility readiness, especially in underperforming settings, and ensuring regular supervision are essential to improving the capacity of facilities to deliver effective family planning services and advance progress toward Family Planning 2030 commitments
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