Showing papers by "University of Newcastle published in 2022"
University of Western Australia1, National Environmental Engineering Research Institute2, University of Sri Jayewardenepura3, University of Newcastle4, Ain Shams University5, Lancaster University6, Sabaragamuwa University7, Foshan University8, Kansas State University9, University of Wuppertal10, King Abdulaziz University11, United States Department of Agriculture12
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a comprehensive review on the biogeochemistry and transformation of Sb related to its remediation, including the sources and geochemical distribution and speciation in soils and aquatic environments.
65 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide a framework that establishes a detailed relationship between the SDGs, construction waste management and the circular economy to direct future sustainable development research, policies, and innovations.
Abstract: The construction industry plays an essential role in a country's economic growth. The industry has been criticised for activities and processes that generate high volumes of waste, whilst obstructing sustainable development goal (SDGs) targets. The circular economy (CE) increases waste minimisation by keeping materials and resources in a closed loop. This concept has continued to gain positive traction as a potential solution to achieve sustainable development. The authors argue that contextualising the circular economy (CE) as part of the discourse towards implementing the United Nations (UN) SDGs Agenda 2030 is crucial for managing the increasing amounts of waste generated by the construction industry. This paper provides a framework that establishes a detailed relationship between the SDGs, construction waste management and the CE to direct future sustainable development research, policies, and innovations. The study adopted a narrative literature review methodology. Scopus and Web of Science were scoured for relevant literature published between 2015 and 2021. Initially 65 articles were identified with this number being reduced to 24 following a detailed inspection of their applicability to the study. The findings from the articles were summarized, synthesized, and incorporated into the study. A key theme that emerged was that an understanding of the SDGs-circular economy linkages in construction waste management is integral to establishing long-term innovative solutions for developing multi-sectorial measures for waste prevention, eco-design, and re-use of materials. These linkages increase competitiveness, stimulate innovation, and boost economic growth. This study proposes that all stakeholders who generate waste should apply new innovative technologies, methods and strategies leading to transdisciplinary and transformative change.
47 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a conceptual framework was developed to examine knowledge hiding behavior and its antecedents and consequences in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnamese workers.
42 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , a conceptual framework was developed to examine knowledge hiding behavior and its antecedents and consequences in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in Vietnamese workers.
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused organizational crises leading to shutdowns, mergers, downsizing or restructuring to minimize survival costs. In such organizational crises, employees tend to experience a loss or lack of resources, and they are more likely to engage in knowledge hiding to maintain their resources and competitive advantage. Knowledge hiding has often caused significant adverse consequences, and the research on knowledge hiding is limited. Drawing upon the Conservation of Resources and Transformational Leadership theories, a conceptual framework was developed to examine knowledge hiding behavior and its antecedents and consequences. We collected data from 281 Vietnamese employees working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results show that role conflict, job insecurity, and cynicism positively impact knowledge hiding behavior. Knowledge hiding behavior negatively affects job performance and mediates the antecedents of knowledge hiding on job performance. Transformational leadership moderated the impact of role conflict on knowledge hiding.
42 citations
TL;DR: In the last decade, a rapid development was observed including quantitative risk assessment of slope failure, improving computational efficiency, and directly using site investigation and field monitoring data as discussed by the authors, and a review tries to summarize these advances in the hope that future directions can be identified.
41 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a review aims to fill this knowledge gap by presenting various approaches to treat sewage sludge, transformation processes of some major nutrients and pollutants during treatment, and potential impacts on soils.
38 citations
TL;DR: In this article , the first-principles calculations are adopted to perform the insight to Bi-Ge-O ternary compounds, such as Cmc21-type-Bi2GeO5, Bi4Ge3O12, C1c1-type -Bi2GEO5 and Bi12GeO20.
36 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to decode the Raman spectrum matrix and assign the suspected items to microplastics and other materials, such as paper fabric/additive, black carbon, etc.
36 citations
TL;DR: A hybrid multiobjective genetic algorithm (HMOGA) is incorporated into the proposed framework to solve the EJSP-SDST, aiming to minimize the makespan, total tardiness and total energy consumption simultaneously.
Abstract: Energy-efficient production scheduling research has received much attention because of the massive energy consumption of the manufacturing process. In this article, we study an energy-efficient job-shop scheduling problem with sequence-dependent setup time, aiming to minimize the makespan, total tardiness and total energy consumption simultaneously. To effectively evaluate and select solutions for a multiobjective optimization problem of this nature, a novel fitness evaluation mechanism (FEM) based on fuzzy relative entropy (FRE) is developed. FRE coefficients are calculated and used to evaluate the solutions. A multiobjective optimization framework is proposed based on the FEM and an adaptive local search strategy. A hybrid multiobjective genetic algorithm is then incorporated into the proposed framework to solve the problem at hand. Extensive experiments carried out confirm that our algorithm outperforms five other well-known multiobjective algorithms in solving the problem.
36 citations
TL;DR: In this article , a new data-driven bibliometric analysis strategy and framework for mining the core content of massive literature data, and aims at bringing unique insights for the research prospects as well as opportunities of biochar.
35 citations
TL;DR: In this paper , principal component analysis (PCA) is used to decode the Raman spectrum matrix and assign the suspected items to microplastics and other materials, which can be simultaneously visualized.
TL;DR: In this article, a review of the types of alternative fuels used for the past 30 years is presented, which includes the recent types of biofuels (especially biodiesel) and their blends with studies on the performances and the exhaust emissions for different engines.
TL;DR: In this paper , the extent, progress and level of improvement over time of sustainable development goals (SDGs) reporting by companies worldwide was investigated. And the authors found that companies in developing countries did higher company-level SDGs reporting than those in developed countries.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors reviewed the promising and convenient staining procedures and quantification methods for microplastics using fluorescence dyes and summarized the factors that influence the staining, including physicochemical properties, to provide an optimal operation procedure.
Abstract: Understanding the fate and toxicity of microplastics (MPs, < 5 mm plastic particles) is limited by quantification methods. This paper summarizes the methods in use and presents new ones. First, sampling and pretreatment processes of MPs, including sample collection, digestion, density separation, and quality control are reviewed. Then the promising and convenient staining procedures and quantification methods for MPs using fluorescence dyes are reviewed. The factors that influence the staining of MPs, including their physicochemical properties, are summarized to provide an optimal operation procedure. In general, the digestion step is crucial to eliminate natural organic matter (NOM) to avoid interference in quantification. Chloroform was reported to be the most appropriate solvent, and 10–20 μg/mL are recommended as optimal dye concentrations. In addition, a heating and cooling procedure is recommended to maintain the fluorescence intensity of MPs for two months. After staining, a fluorescence microscope is usually used to characterize the morphology, mass, or number of MPs, but compositional analysis cannot be determined with it. These fluorescence staining methods have been implemented to study MP abundance, transport, and toxicity and have been combined with other chemical characterization techniques, such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. More studies are needed to focus on the synthesis of novel dyes to avoid NOM’s interference. They need to be combined with other spectroscopic techniques to characterize plastic composition and to develop image-analysis methods. The stability of stained MPs needs to be improved.
TL;DR: In this article, the characteristics of representative adsorbent materials including bentonite, zeolite, biochar, biomass, and effective modification methods that are frequently used to enhance their adsorption capacity and kinetics are compared.
TL;DR: In this article , the authors present an overview of the vaccination campaigns in France, Israel, Italy, and Spain during the first eleven months from the first COVID-19 vaccine approval (Dec 2020 - Nov 2021).
Abstract: This paper presents an overview of the vaccination campaigns in France, Israel, Italy and Spain during the first eleven months from the first COVID-19 vaccine approval (Dec 2020 - Nov 2021). These four countries were chosen as they share similar socioeconomic, and epidemiological profiles and adopted similar vaccination strategies.A rapid review of available primary data from each country was conducted. Data were collected from official government documents whenever possible, supplemented by information from international databases and local reports. The data were analysed via descriptive and graphical analysis to identify common patterns as well as significant divergences in the structural changes of countries' healthcare systems during the pandemic, outcomes of the vaccination roll-out, and their impact on contextual policies.The four countries adopted similar interventions to protect and strengthen their healthcare systems. The effective coordination between the governance levels, ability to ensure a large supply of doses, and trust towards health authorities were amongst the determinants for more successful vaccination outcomes. The analysis reports a positive impact of the COVID-19 vaccines on epidemiological, political and economic outcomes. We observed some evidence of a negative association between increased vaccine coverage and fatalities and hospitalisation trends.The strengths and weaknesses of COVID-19 pandemic crisis management along with the various strategies surrounding the vaccination roll-out campaigns may yield lessons for policymakers amidst such decisions, including for future pandemics.This paper presents an overview of the vaccination campaigns in France, Israel, Italy and Spain during the first eleven months following approval of the first COVID-19 vaccine (Dec 2020 - Nov 2021). These four countries were chosen as they share similar demographic, socioeconomic, and epidemiological profiles, and adopted similar vaccinations strategies. Effective coordination between governance levels, ability to ensure a large supply of doses, and trust towards health authorities were amongst the determinants for successful outcomes of vaccination campaigns. The strengths and weaknesses of COVID-19 pandemic crisis management, along with the various strategies surrounding the vaccination roll-out campaigns may yield lessons for policymakers amidst such decisions, including for future pandemics.
TL;DR: In this paper, a review extensively focuses on P recovery by utilizing a range of rare earth elements (REE) incorporated adsorbents, and examines the chemistry and behaviour of REE in soil and water in detail.
TL;DR: A review of previous studies on slurry Taylor flow based micro-reactor (STF-μR) is presented in this paper, starting with fundamental mechanisms, through applications in a range of chemical/chemistry processes, and closing with aspects relating to scaling-up for full commercialisation.
TL;DR: A systematic literature review of the B2B marketing literature (n = 58) is undertaken in this paper, which demonstrates if and how business to business marketing is currently engaging with the Sustainable Development Goals.
TL;DR: In this article, a magnetic chitosan-palygorskite (MCP) nanocomposite was prepared through a straight-forward one pot synthesis approach to evaluate its lead (Pb2+) removal capacity from aqueous solution.
TL;DR: A review of previous studies on slurry Taylor flow based micro-reactor (STF-μR) is presented in this paper , starting with fundamental mechanisms, through applications in a range of chemical/chemistry processes, and closing with aspects relating to scaling-up for full commercialisation.
TL;DR: In this article , a novel deep reinforcement learning (DRL) control framework for the energy management strategy of the series hybrid electric tracked vehicle (SHETV) is proposed, which also contains a modified prioritized experience replay (MPER) and an adaptive optimization method of network weights called AMSGrad.
TL;DR: In this paper, a microfluidic chip was used to model the peristalsis for human colon tumor organoids growing in the microwell and a pressure channel, mimicking thein vivomechano-stimulus by intestinal muscles.
Abstract: Peristalsis in the digestive tract is crucial to maintain physiological functions. It remains challenging to mimic the peristaltic microenvironment in gastrointestinal organoid culture. Here, we present a method to model the peristalsis for human colon tumor organoids on a microfluidic chip. The chip contains hundreds of lateral microwells and a surrounding pressure channel. Human colon tumor organoids growing in the microwell were cyclically contracted by pressure channel, mimicking thein vivomechano-stimulus by intestinal muscles. The chip allows the control of peristalsis amplitude and rhythm and the high throughput culture of organoids simultaneously. By applying 8% amplitude with 8 ∼ 10 times min-1, we observed the enhanced expression of Lgr5 and Ki67. Moreover, ellipticine-loaded polymeric micelles showed reduced uptake in the organoids under peristalsis and resulted in compromised anti-tumor efficacy. The results indicate the importance of mechanical stimuli mimicking the physiological environment when usingin vitromodels to evaluate nanoparticles. This work provides a method for attaining more reliable and representative organoids models in nanomedicine.
01 Jan 2022
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors provide a summary and a detailed discussion of the latest developments in financial technologies that both facilitate the SDGs and also contribute to future sustainable international business, including blockchain, internet of things, big data, artificial intelligence.
Abstract: The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be seen as the critical goal for every country in the world. In this vein, a stable global financial system is needed these days to satisfy its duty to boost the private capital mobilisation to achieve sustainable development and steady economic growth. Nevertheless, several obstacles limiting such financial mobilisation have been identified by scholars, practitioners, and standard setters. Recently, digital transformation and advancement, specifically in the finance sector, include a wide range of technological developments, and applications such as blockchain, internet of things, big data, artificial intelligence are promised to enhance performance in the financial sector. The potential of digital applications in the finance sector to resolve critical obstacles in financing for inclusive and sustainable growth becomes evident. This chapter aims to provide a summary and a detailed discussion of the latest developments in financial technologies that both facilitate the SDGs and also contribute to future sustainable international business. Developments in Financial Technologies for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): FinTech and SDGs
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors used pak choi as their research material because it is a popular vegetable in Asia, and as a leafy vegetable, it accumulates higher Cd level than other types of vegetable.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors developed and compared two approaches, (i) Raman imaging, combined with logic-based and principal component analysis (PCA)-based algorithms, and (ii) matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation-mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS).
TL;DR: In this paper, the functional significance of localized expression of cell wall invertases and sugar transporters in reproductive organs is discussed, and an analysis on how their spatial patterning may be regulated at the molecular levels and how the localized CWIN activity may be exploited for improvement of reproductive output.
TL;DR: In this article, pressure-driven liquid-phase isotope separation (dead-end filtration) was used to enrich D and 18O in natural water using graphene oxide (G-O) and UV-reduced G-O membranes.
TL;DR: In this article, a BDD electrolytic oxidation-ceramic membrane ultrafiltration (EO-CM) system for removing antibiotics, organic matters and ammonia in wastewater was evaluated.
TL;DR: Li et al. as mentioned in this paper presented a novel type of self-centering damper employing NiTi Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) bars combined with variable friction mechanism for tunable hysteretic behavior and enhanced deformability.
Abstract: This study presents a novel type of self-centering damper employing NiTi Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) bars combined with variable friction mechanism for tunable hysteretic behavior and enhanced deformability. The new damper, which is called SMA-based variable friction damper (SMA-VFD), aims to significantly amplify the maximum deformability and energy-dissipation capability compared with the existing self-centering devices with tensioning SMA members. The cyclic response, phase transformation behavior, and in-situ observation of the microstructure of individual SMA bars receiving different heat treatments were first investigated to promote an adequate understanding of the link between the microscopic structure and the macroscopic property of the large size SMA bars. This is followed by a detailed discussion of the SMA-VFD, where theoretical equations as well as three performance parameters, i.e., self-centering factor γ, displacement amplification factor ω, and energy-dissipation factor λ, were derived to predict the mechanical behavior of the damper. Proof-of-concept SMA-VFD specimens were manufactured, where different preloads and friction coefficients were considered which could affect the cyclic performance. A three-dimensional finite-element model was then developed to simulate the nonlinear responses of the test specimens. Both the analytical prediction and numerical simulation exhibited good agreements with the experimental results. Utilizing the validated numerical model, the influence of manufacturing tolerance on the initial stiffness of the proposed damper was particularly investigated to help explain some important findings from the present experimental study.