19683 research outputs found
Sort by
Simulations for Teacher Transitions to Regional, Rural and Remote (RRR) Australian Schools
No full textNo description supplied</p
Flexural Behavior of Precast Rectangular Reinforced Concrete Beams with Intermediate Connection Filled with High-Performance Concrete
No full textPrecast rectangular reinforced concrete (PRRC) beams are joined on construction sites using concrete in situ to achieve the desired length. Limited research exists on the effect of intermediate connection shapes and the types of infilled concrete on the flexural performance of PRRC beams. This paper presents a comprehensive experimental and numerical investigation into the performance of PRRC beams with various intermediate connection geometries and infilled materials under flexural loading. The study examines rectangular, triangular, and semi-circular intermediate connections, along with the performance of beams infilled with normal concrete (NC), engineered cementitious composites (ECC), ultra-high-performance ECC (UHPECC), and rubberized ECC (RECC). The experimental results indicate that the rectangular intermediate connection exhibits superior performance in terms of strength and energy absorption compared to the triangular and semi-circular shapes. Beams incorporating UHPECC demonstrated the most significant improvements in strength and energy absorption, outperforming those with ECC and RECC for any shape of intermediate connection. Moreover, beams with rectangular connections and UHPECC infill exhibited the most significant increase in energy absorption and ultimate load compared to the beams with ECC and RECC. The ultimate load of the beams with UHPECC and tensile reinforcement bar diameters of 10 mm and 12 mm increased by 13% and 29%, respectively, compared to the control beam. The energy absorption of the beams with tensile reinforcement bar diameters of 10 and 12 mm was found to be 75% and 184% higher, respectively, than the control beam. In addition, an increase in tensile bar diameter was found to enhance both the energy absorption and the ultimate load capacity of the beams, regardless of the type of infill concrete. Beams incorporating UHPECC demonstrated the most significant improvements in strength and energy absorption, outperforming those with ECC and RECC. In particular, beams with rectangular connections and UHPECC infill exhibited an increase in energy absorption and ultimate load of up to 184% and 29%, respectively. UHPC was calculated to be as high as 184%, and 29%, respectively, compared to the control beams. In addition, an increase in tensile bar diameter was found to enhance both energy absorption and ultimate load capacity. Finite element modeling (FEM) was developed and validated against the experimental results to ensure accuracy. A parametric study was conducted to study the effects of various concrete types in triangular and semi-circular connections, as well as the influence of intermediate connection length on semi-circular connections under flexural loads. The findings reveal that increasing the length of intermediate connections increases the ultimate load of the beams
Harnessing a systems approach for sustainable adaptation in vulnerable mega-deltas: A case study of the dyke heightening program in the Vietnamese Mekong Delta's floodplains
No full textHIGHLIGHTS:
• Importance of system thinking for effective management of climate adaption impacts
• Dyke-heightening program fails to meet its objectives and risks long-term failures
• Restructuring production system and enhancing flood resilience are key for sustainable delta growth</p
Clinical validation of the Roche cobas HPV test on the Roche cobas 5800 system for the purpose of cervical screening
No full textABSTRACT: This study assessed the relative clinical sensitivity and specificity, as well as reproducibility, for high-risk HPV types of the Roche cobas HPV test when processed using the Roche cobas 5800 system. The results from this study demonstrate that the cobas HPV test using the cobas 5800 system fulfils the Meijer criteria for use in population-based cervical screening. This clinical validation study also examines the clinical sensitivity and specificity based on partial genotyping, with separate detection of HPV16 and HPV18, compared with the Roche cobas 4800 HPV test, a second-generation standard comparator assay. The cobas HPV test has a relative clinical sensitivity of 1.000, when compared with the cobas 4800 HPV test to detect histologically confirmed CIN2+ lesions in woman aged 30 years or older, with a relative clinical specificity of 0.995. The general intra- and inter-laboratory agreement for the cobas HPV test on the cobas 5800 system for finding a HPV positive result were 99.1% and 99.6%, respectively.
IMPORTANCE: This study demonstrates, for the first time, the clinical performance of the Roche cobas HPV test when processed using the new cobas 5800 system [cobas (5800)]. This study shows that the cobas (5800) demonstrates relative clinical sensitivity and specificity, when compared with a standard comparator HPV test, which meets the international HPV test validation requirements. Intra- and inter-laboratory reproducibility also fulfills these criteria. The current study demonstrates that the cobas (5800) can be used for primary HPV-based cervical screening on cervical specimens.</p
Patient and clinician perspectives of online-delivered exercise programmes for chronic musculoskeletal conditions: protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review
No full textBackground: Despite the growing economic and social impact of chronic musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, there has been slow uptake of clinical guidelines for management, owing partly to the negative perceptions of patients and clinicians of their appropriateness and accessibility. Online-delivered exercise programmes (ODEPs) offer an alternative that can reduce costs and offer convenience for those with mobility limitations. As such, investigating participants’ perceptions of such programmes provides insight into the complexity and interplay of factors associated with uptake and optimization of implementation strategies. Objectives: This study aims to systematically review the literature of patients’ and clinicians’ perceptions of ODEPs for chronic MSK conditions. Methods: To ensure the likelihood of identifying all relevant published articles, the following databases will be searched from inception to end of the project: CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE, SportDiscus, AMED, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Included articles will qualitatively and/or quantitatively report the perceptions of participants of ODEPs for chronic MSK conditions. ODEPs are defined as either (a) synchronous, participants can exchange information simultaneously, or (b) asynchronous, with at least one synchronous feature, or (c) neither, where the authors investigate a participant’s past experiences and/or likelihood of participating in such a programme. Article screening and quality assessment using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklists will be performed by two independent reviewers. All findings from included articles will be extracted and coded using a thematic synthesis approach. Discussion: It is important to offer diverse resources to address the growing public health burden of chronic MSK conditions. This study will explore patients and clinicians’ perceptions of ODEPs including needs, appropriateness and acceptability. Our findings could be used by policy makers, clinicians, and researchers to generate new models of care that could influence the uptake and long-term sustainability of ODEPs for chronic MSK conditions. </p
Reduced Insulin Resistance and Oxidative Stress in a Mouse Model of Metabolic Syndrome following Twelve Weeks of Citrus Bioflavonoid Hesperidin Supplementation: A Dose–Response Study
No full textMetabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities affecting ~25% of adults and is linked to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress and inflammation are key drivers of MetS. Hesperidin, a citrus bioflavonoid, has demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its effects on MetS are not fully established. We aimed to determine the optimal dose of hesperidin required to improve oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and glycemic control in a novel mouse model of MetS. Male 5-week-old C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat, high-salt, high-sugar diet (HFSS; 42% kcal fat content in food and drinking water with 0.9% saline and 10% high fructose corn syrup) for 16 weeks. After 6 weeks of HFSS, mice were randomly allocated to either the placebo group or low- (70 mg/kg/day), mid- (140 mg/kg/day), or high-dose (280 mg/kg/day) hesperidin supplementation for 12 weeks. The HFSS diet induced significant metabolic disturbances. HFSS + placebo mice gained almost twice the weight of control mice (p </p
Soil microbiome regulates community functions when using biochar-based fertilizers made from biodegradable wastes
No full textThe disposal of biodegradable materials, particularly fruits and vegetables, has emerged as a critical environmental concern. Recycling the components of such wastes is paramount to preserving the natural environment. Incorporating biochar-based fertilizer (BCF) in agricultural practices can boost soil nutrient levels. Nevertheless, the effects of BCF derived from fruit and vegetable wastes on crops and soil microbiomes remain unclear. This study aimed to examine the ecological influences of substituting chemical fertilizers (CF) with BCF and organic fertilizer (OF) at three ratios based on a 3-year-maize-field experiment. The findings revealed that BCF substitution enhanced plant growth and community function comparable to that achieved with OF, with the optimum substitution ratio being 2 BCF: 1 CF. BCF and OF promoted maize yield by 23[sbnd]41 % and 23[sbnd]39 %, compared to the CF treatment. The BCF and OF substitution strongly increased the microbial diversity regardless of ratios. And BCF substitution increased carbon- and nitrogen-use efficiency by 32[sbnd]88 % and 53[sbnd]105 %. Particularly, the soil nutrient indexes which driven the community assembly variation to be more stochastic, and relevant key species was closely associated with maize yield and nutrient utilization. Thus, biodegradable wastes could be recycled as fertilizers, paving the way for more sustainable agricultural practices.</p
Organic amendments enhance transpiration efficiency of corn plants via changes in soil microbial abundance and leaf hormones
No full textBackground and Aims: The use of organic amendments improves soil functioning and thus crop productivity. Our previous studies have shown that the banding of organic amendments increases the transpiration efficiency (TE) of wheat plants, but the underlying mechanism remained unclear. This study aims to determine whether and how the organic amendments can increase the TE of corn plants (Zea mays L.). Methods: The effects of nutrient-enriched poultry litter, compost and brown coal on TE were compared with inorganic fertilizer. Corn plants were grown in Chromosol topsoil in pots for 50 days. Results: The poultry litter and compost but not brown coal, increased the TE of corn plants by 25% and 14%, respectively (P 50%), methyl jasmonate (JA) (> 80%) and indole acetic acid (IAA). Conclusion: Organic amendments enhanced the population of plant beneficial soil microorganisms such as those in the Bacillus genus, which likely led to the increased biosynthesis of leaf hormones ABA and JA, resulting in stomatal close, reduced total transpiration and increased transpiration efficiency of the corn canopy.</p
Pyrogenic organic matter decreases while fresh organic matter increases soil heterotrophic respiration through modifying microbial activity in a subtropical forest
No full textAs the carbon (C) credit market evolves, incorporating organic matter into soils has emerged as a key strategy in C farming. Soil heterotrophic respiration (RH) plays a pivotal role in maintaining the C balance in terrestrial ecosystems, yet the contrasting impacts of fresh and pyrogenic organic matter applications on soil RH, and associated underlying mechanisms, have not been fully investigated. Through a 2-year field experiment, we investigated how applying maize straw and its derived biochar affect the physical, chemical, and microbial properties of soil in a subtropical Moso bamboo forest. Results showed that straw application increased soil RH, while biochar application suppressed it. Soil RH was correlated positively with β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase activities but negatively with RubisCO enzyme activity. Increased soil RH under straw application was linked to the increased β-glucosidase/cellobiohydrolase activities driven by elevated water-soluble organic C and O-alkyl C levels as well as GH48 and cbhI gene abundances, and the decreased RubisCO enzyme activity caused by reduced cbbL gene abundance. Conversely, reduced soil RH under biochar application was linked to reductions in β-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase activities induced by increased aromatic C and decreased GH48 and cbhI gene levels, and increases in RubisCO enzyme activity driven by higher cbbL gene abundance. More importantly, changes in soil RH were clearly linked to microbial dynamics. Specifically, increases in the relative abundances of Alphaproteobacteria and Sordariomycetes and decreases in AD3 and Tremellomycetes contributed to the enhanced soil RH under straw application. With biochar application, the reverse effect occurred, ultimately contributing to the reduced soil RH. Our study demonstrates that maize straw application increases while biochar application decreases soil RH in the subtropical forest. These findings reveal that biochar reduced soil RH through changing microbial activity in subtropical forests, providing insight into complex dynamics of soil C cycling in response to diverse interventions.</p