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When I say … neurodiversity paradigm
No full textIn this “When I say…” article, the authors argue for a philosophical transformation in how medical education values different ways of thinking and learning: the neurodiversity paradigm
Mandating flexible work arrangements without legislation: A discourse on the case of Singapore
Get PDFIn the context of the recently introduced “Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements Requests” in Singapore in 2024, this study aims to critically examine and discuss the implementation of the mandate of flexible work arrangements without a formal legislation in Singapore. It is opined that Singapore workers continue to face issues of acceptance by their employers for their requests and needs for flexible work arrangements; however, it is also acknowledged that the implementation of the guidelines is still in an infancy stage. The evidence suggests that if the guidelines for flexible work arrangements are not handled properly by employers, such guidelines and even the flexible work arrangement itself might hurt the exact groups that they are supposed to help. Hence, the research questions if the mandate of flexible work arrangements without a formal legislation and instead leaving the compliance to the guidelines to corporate responsibility and sensibility, works for the well-being intent of employees and for the greater good of society. Acknowledging that flexible work arrangements are not a one-size-fits-all solution for work-life tensions, the research also emphasizes a holistic approach to the implementation of flexible work arrangements, one that focuses not only on policy and structural changes but also on cultural and mindset changes for a transparent, equitable, and effective implementation and governance of flexible work arrangements in Singapore
Conversations on Four Cybernetic Approaches to Embracing Uncertainty
No full textContext •In 2024, we celebrated the 60th anniversary of the American Society for Cybernetics (ASC). In more than eighty, mostly participatory, sessions, the conference stretched over five days. Under the overarching theme “Living Cybernetics Playing Language,” the conference encouraged participants to reflect on cybernetics in everyday contexts, ranging from academic research to the building of communities. This special issue of Constructivist Foundations contains four target articles that emerged from this conference, and their related discussions. > Problem • Sixty years after the foundation of the ASC, defining cybernetics is still a challenge. Diversity, one could say, has haunted cybernetics since its inception. There are many practices that refer to cybernetics in many disciplinary fields and contexts, but do these different practices share anything or do they rely on different aspects of (historical) cybernetic practices? > Method • I present the contributions to this special issue as case studies of cybernetic practice and diversity and expose them to the questions mentioned above. > Results • Cybernetic practices are as diverse in their methods as the disciplines to which they relate. And yet, as the study of the four target articles and the related commentaries show, these practices all embrace uncertainty. This embrace is the foundation for a particular technicity in which formation and reflexivity become intertwined and co-evolve. In its engagement with contemporary challenges, cybernetic technicity introduces recursive links setting relations across boundaries. Contemporary cybernetic practice, through varied approaches, is a living tradition of enacting open futures. > Implications • Cybernetic thinking does not necessarily become detectable through a common vocabulary or set of references, but rather through a particular inherent logic, which links thinking and doing in a recursive co-evolving relationship. > Constructivist content • The editorial discusses second-order approaches to cybernetics
Nutrient Adsorption onto Modified Biochar for Stormwater Treatment
No full textNitrogen (NH3-N, NO2-N, NO3-N) and phosphorus (PO4-P) species are known to be the major dissolved contaminants in stormwater runoff. In this research, a series of batch experiments were conducted to remove nutrients from stormwater using raw and modified biochar with varying initial concentration (1-5mg/L), dosage (2-10g) and pH (4.3-6.5). The raw biochar was modified using NaOH. The results revealed that the removal efficiency was improved using modified biochar by 50%, 10%, 10% and 70% for NH3-N, NO2-N, NO3-N, and PO4-P respectively. Maximum removal was obtained using modified biochar as 92% NH3-N, 40% NO2-N and 100% removal of NO3-N and PO4-P was obtained. The effect of adsorbent dosage and initial concentration was found significant on nutrient adsorption, but pH has insignificant impact. The adsorption isotherm study found Freundlich model explaining the adsorption process better. The adsorption kinetics were studied using intraparticle diffusion, and a pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order model. Most of the kinetic results with modified biochar were found supporting the two-stage intraparticle diffusion. The adsorption data revealed that the pseudo-second order model describes nutrient adsorption better. Modified biochar was found suitable for use in the biochar-augmented bio-filtration system for stormwater treatment
The characterisation of resistance to Ascochyta lentisin lentil (Lens culinaris) from known and novel sources
Get PDFA comprehensive review of Australian lentil history and pedigree with an additional focus on Ascochyta blight, and an investigation into deployed and novel resistance sources using quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis
Influence of Extracellular Polymeric Substances on Biogenic CaCO3 Polymorph Selection under Different Substrate Conditions
No full textThe formation of carbonate minerals in nature, such as beachrocks and coral reefs has attracted significant attention due to its emerging potential in engineered applications1. Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) process has been mimicked in laboratory conditions using various microbial metabolic pathways2. However, despite extensive research, the factors influencing the polymorph selection in MICP remain unclear due to the complex biogeochemistry and interactions with the underlying substrate. We investigate the role of bacterial metabolic activities and EPS in carbonate precipitation over two different substrates (calcite and apatite) at a molecular level in this study. The analytical techniques used in the study included Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Two different bacterial cultures (Sporosarcina pasteurii (SP) and Bacillus subtilis (BS)) with varying ureolytic activities, EPS potential and carbonate precipitation abilities were used. The EPS macromolecular composition along with active functional groups were quantified and precipitated calcium carbonate polymorphs were analysed. Experimental findings revealed that the highly ureolytic SP generates distinct regular rhombohedral crystals of sizes restricted to 40 microns, regardless of the substrate mineralogy. The precipitated crystals with SP are illustrated in Fig. 1 (a). High EPS producing culture BS precipitated much larger crystals upto 100 microns size as shown in Fig. 1 (b). The large crystals were found to be coupled closely with the microbially generated EPS for all the substrates. Microbial activity proved to be the dominant factor in polymorph selection over substrate. Raman results confirm the precipitation of calcite with low EPS producing microbe SP and precipitation of vaterite with high EPS producing microbe BS. With ToF-SIMS, we report that microbial influence dominates the polymorph selection over the influence of substrate mineralogy, and EPS plays a critical role in stabilising vaterite crystals. Further studies are being done to understand the reactions at nano to molecular scales to unpin the fundamental questions on the intertwined bio-physico-chemical factors driving the biomineralisation process.
Dhami, N. K., et al. (2013) A review. Front. Microbiol. 4, 1–13 (2013).
Decho, A. W. (2010) Ecol. Eng. 36, 137–14
Effector Discovery in Ascochyta Pathogens of Lentil and Chickpea
No full textThis thesis investigates molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity in Ascochyta lentis and A. rabiei, fungal pathogens causing Ascochyta blight disease in lentil and chickpea. Key achievements include developing boscalid resistance as a new selectable marker enabling advanced genetic studies, generating telomere-to-telomere genome assemblies revealing effector candidates, and discovering a putative avirulence gene in A. rabiei silenced by a transposable element. These findings advance understanding of host-pathogen interactions and provide targets for improved disease management strategies
Formation Mechanism and Leaching of Aluminosilicates Formed in Caustic Solutions
No full textThe Formation mechanism and leaching of aluminosilicates in caustic solutions studied the reactions of different clay minerals as kaolinite, halloysite, montmorillonite, illite and also quartz in synthetic Bayer liquor at conditions usually found during the pre-desilication and digestion stages of the Bayer Process to produce alumina. It observed the dissolution, the formation and transformation of desilication products (DSP) such as sodalite and cancrinite by investigating the morphology and the reaction rates of conversion of different clays to the DSP product
Considering the 'Australianness' of comic books and graphic novels by Australian creators
No full textAustralian comics creators often look to international publishing houses for publication opportunities, because even mid-sized international publishing houses produce more new comic books and graphic novels per year than the entire Australian publishing industry. But to what extent are these publication opportunities affected by the ‘Australianness’ of the comic books and graphic novels produced by Australian creators? Possible influential factors include the comic creator’s status as Australian (which usually, but not always, includes their residence in Australia) and the presence of Australian themes in their work. This chapter explores the extent to which these factors may affect the chances of securing an international publishing contract. It explores this topic through three perspectives – the perspectives of Australian comics creators, professional staff in international publishing houses and international readers. It draws upon interviews with more than 20 Australian comics creators and a handful of professional staff in international publishing houses, as well as two case studies of recently published, internationally successful graphic novels by Australian creators – Lee Lai’s Stone Fruit (Fantagraphics, 2021) and Pat Grant’s The Grot (Top Shelf, 2020). The results of this research will be of interest to comics creators and publishing professionals, in addition to scholars of comics, publishing studies and literary studies