Showing papers by "University of Wollongong published in 2022"

Large Rivers : Geomorphology and Management

Abstract: . Gilbert, G.K. (1885) The topographic features of lake shores. US Geol. Surv., 5th Ann. Rept, 69–123. Gilbert, G.K. (1890) Lake Bonneville. US Geol. Surv. Monogr. 1. Goodbred, S.L., Jr and Kuehl, S.A. (1998) Floodplain processes in the Bengal Basin and the storage of Ganges-Brahmaputra river sediment: an accretion study using Cs and Pb geochronology. Sediment. Geol., 121, 239–258. Goodbred, S.L., Jr and Kuehl, S.A. (1999) Holocene and modern sediment budgets for the Ganges-Brahmaputra River system: evidence for highstand dispersal to fl ood-plain, shelf, and deepsea depocenters. Geology, 27, 559–562. Goodbred, S.L., Jr and Kuehl, S.A. (2000a) The signifi cance of large sediment supply, active tectonism, and eustasy on margin sequence development: Late Quaternary stratigraphy and evolution of the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta. Sediment. Geol., 133, 227–248. Goodbred, S.L., Jr and Kuehl, S.A. (2000b) Enormous GangesBrahmaputra sediment discharge during the strengthened early Holocene monsoon. Geology, 28, 1083–1086. Gould, H.R. (1970) The Mississippi delta complex. In: Deltaic Sedimentation: Modern and Ancient (J.P. Morgan, Ed.). SEPM Spec. Publ. no. 15, pp. 3–30. Harris, P.T., Baker, E.K., Cole, A.R. and Short, S.A. (1993) A preliminary study of sedimentation in the tidally dominated Fly River Delta, Gulf of Papua. Cont. Shelf Res., 13, 441– 472. Harris, P.T., Pattiaratchi, C.B., Keene, J.B., Dalrymple, R.W., Gardner, J.V., Baker, E.K., Cole, A.R., Mitchell, D., Gibbs, P. and Schroeder, W.W. (1996) Late Quaternary deltaic and carbonate sedimentation in the Gulf of Papua foreland basin: response to sea-level change. J. Sediment. Res., 66, 801–819. Harris, P.T., Heap, A.D., Bryce, S.M., Porter-Smith, R., Ryan, D.A. and Heggie, D.T. (2003) Classifi cation of Australian clastic coastal depositional environments based upon a quantitative analysis of wave, tidal, and river power. J. Sediment. Res., 72, 858–870. Haruyama, S. and Phai, V.V. (2002) Coastal change in the Southern Song Hong Delta. J. Geogr., 111, 124–132 (in Japanese with English abstract). Hayes, M.O. (1979) Barrier island morphology as a function of tidal and wave regime. In: Barrier Islands from the Gulf of St Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico (S.P. Leatherman, Ed.). Academic Press, New York, pp. 1–27. Hori, K. and Saito, Y. (2003) Morphology and sediments of large river deltas, J. Geogr., 112, 337–359 (in Japanese with English abstract). Hori, K., Saito, Y., Zhao, Q., Cheng, C., Wang, P., Sato, Y. and Li, C. (2001a) Sedimentary facies and Holocene progradation rates of the Changjiang (Yangtze) delta, China. Geomorphology, 41, 233–248. Hori, K., Saito, Y., Zhao, Q., Cheng, C., Wang, P., Sato, Y. and Li, C. (2001b) Sedimentary facies of the tide-dominated paleoChangjiang (Yangtze) estuary during the last transgression. Mar. Geol., 177, 331–351. Hori, K., Saito, Y., Zhao, Q. and Wang, P. (2002) Architecture and evolution of the tide-dominated Changjiang (Yangtze) River delta, China. Sediment. Geol., 146, 249–264. Hori, K., Tanabe, S., Saito, Y., Haruyama, S., Nguyen, V. and Kitamura, A. (2004) Delta initiation and Holocene sea-level change: example from the Song Hong (Red River) delta, Vietnam. Sediment. Geol., 164, 237–249. Hovius, N. (1998) Controls on sediment supply by large rivers. In: Relative Role of Eustasy, Climate, and Tectonism in Continental Rocks (K.W. Shanley and P.J. McCabe, Eds.). SEPM Spec. Publ. no. 59, pp. 3–16.

Prussian Blue Analogues for Sodium‐Ion Batteries: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract: Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) have attracted wide attention for their application in the energy storage and conversion field due to their low cost, facile synthesis, and appreciable electrochemical performance. At the present stage, most research on PBAs is focused on their material-level optimization, whereas their properties in practical battery systems are seldom considered. This review aims to first provide an overview of the history and parameters of PBA materials and analyze the fundamental principles toward rational design of PBAs, and then evaluate the prospects and challenges for PBAs for practical sodium-ion batteries, hoping to bridge the gap between laboratory research and commercial reality.

Assessing the burden of COVID-19 in developing countries: systematic review, meta-analysis and public policy implications

Abstract: Introduction The infection fatality rate (IFR) of COVID-19 has been carefully measured and analysed in high-income countries, whereas there has been no systematic analysis of age-specific seroprevalence or IFR for developing countries. Methods We systematically reviewed the literature to identify all COVID-19 serology studies in developing countries that were conducted using representative samples collected by February 2021. For each of the antibody assays used in these serology studies, we identified data on assay characteristics, including the extent of seroreversion over time. We analysed the serology data using a Bayesian model that incorporates conventional sampling uncertainty as well as uncertainties about assay sensitivity and specificity. We then calculated IFRs using individual case reports or aggregated public health updates, including age-specific estimates whenever feasible. Results In most locations in developing countries, seroprevalence among older adults was similar to that of younger age cohorts, underscoring the limited capacity that these nations have to protect older age groups. Age-specific IFRs were roughly 2 times higher than in high-income countries. The median value of the population IFR was about 0.5%, similar to that of high-income countries, because disparities in healthcare access were roughly offset by differences in population age structure. Conclusion The burden of COVID-19 is far higher in developing countries than in high-income countries, reflecting a combination of elevated transmission to middle-aged and older adults as well as limited access to adequate healthcare. These results underscore the critical need to ensure medical equity to populations in developing countries through provision of vaccine doses and effective medications.

New Coronavirus Variants are Creating More Challenges to Global Healthcare System: A Brief Report on the Current Knowledge

Abstract: The coronavirus is naturally mutating over time and producing new variants. Some of them are more contagious and destructive than previous strains. Also, some variants are capable of therapeutic escaping. Earlier SARS-CoV-2 variants proved that some are supercritical, and newly mutated strains are creating new challenges to the global healthcare systems. Here we aimed to evaluate different coronavirus variants and associated challenges for healthcare systems. We searched for information online and on the PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases. We found the wild-type virus is more sensitive for neutralization and more controllable than newer variants. The Delta and Omicron variants are more highly transmissible than Alpha, Beta, and Gamma variants. Also, few strains are resistant to neutralization. Therefore, there is a chance of reinfection among the vaccinated population. The transmissibility and resistance of the recently identified Omicron variant is still unclear. The Delta variant is the most dangerous among all variants due to its high transmissibility, disease severity, and mortality rate. For poor and developing countries, oxygen supply, medication, vaccination, and device supply are challenging during epidemic waves. Slowing down the transmission, mass vaccination, vaccine redesign, re-compiling action plans, and following safety guidelines can be effective solutions to the new challenges.

SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens in municipal wastewater, landfill leachate, and solid waste: A review about virus surveillance, infectivity, and inactivation

Abstract: This review discusses the techniques available for detecting and inactivating of pathogens in municipal wastewater, landfill leachate, and solid waste. In view of the current COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 is being given special attention, with a thorough examination of all possible transmission pathways linked to the selected waste matrices. Despite the lack of works focused on landfill leachate, a systematic review method, based on cluster analysis, allows to analyze the available papers devoted to sewage sludge and wastewater, allowing to focalize the work on technologies able to detect and treat pathogens. In this work, great attention is also devoted to infectivity and transmission mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, the literature analysis shows that sewage sludge and landfill leachate seem to have a remote chance to act as a virus transmission route (pollution-to-human transmission) due to improper collection and treatment of municipal wastewater and solid waste. However due to the incertitude about virus infectivity, these possibilities cannot be excluded and need further investigation. As a conclusion, this paper shows that additional research is required not only on the coronavirus-specific disinfection, but also the regular surveillance or monitoring of viral loads in sewage sludge, wastewater, and landfill leachate. The disinfection strategies need to be optimized in terms of dosage and potential adverse impacts like antimicrobial resistance, among many other factors. Finally, the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogenic microorganisms in sewage sludge, wastewater, and landfill leachate can hamper the possibility to ensure safe water and public health in economically marginalized countries and hinder the realization of the United Nations' sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Continuous Carbon Channels Enable Full Na‐Ion Accessibility for Superior Room‐Temperature Na–S Batteries

Abstract: Porous carbon has been widely used as an efficient host to encapsulate highly active molecular sulfur (S) in Li–S and Na–S batteries. However, for these sub-nanosized pores, it is a challenge to provide fully accessible sodium ions with unobstructed channels during cycling, particularly for high sulfur content. It is well recognized that solid interphase with full coverage over the designed architectures plays critical roles in promoting rapid charge transfer and stable conversion reactions in batteries, whereas constructing a high-ionic-conductivity solid interphase in the pores is very difficult. Herein, unique continuous carbonaceous pores are tailored, which can serve as multifunctional channels to encapsulate highly active S and provide fully accessible pathways for sodium ions. Solid sodium sulfide interphase layers are also realized in the channels, showing high Na-ion conductivity toward stabilizing the redox kinetics of the S cathode during charge/discharge processes. This systematically designed carbon-hosted sulfur cathode delivers superior cycling performance (420 mAh g−1 at 2 A g−1 after 2000 cycles), high capacity retention of ≈90% over 500 cycles at current density of 0.5 A g−1, and outstanding rate capability (470 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1) for room-temperature sodium–sulfur batteries.

An Adaptive Switching-Gain Sliding-Mode-Assisted Disturbance Observer for High-Precision Servo Control

Abstract: Active disturbance compensation is crucial for realizing high-precision servo control. However, the suppression of rapidly changing disturbances is still a challenging issue. In this article, observer-based disturbance-rejection control is investigated, and an observer with adaptive switching gain is proposed for improved robustness against changing disturbances. First, a disturbance observer (DOB) is established, based on the tracking differentiator technique. Second, a sliding-mode-assisted observer with an adaptive law is designed to estimate the residual-disturbance estimation error of the DOB. The proposed scheme instantly increases the switching gain when the state deviates from a preset boundary, thus eliminating the tuning time. The switching control action with an immediately large switching gain is robust against suddenly changing disturbances. Moreover, the switching gain then decays to zero, reducing chattering in the steady state. The gain adjustment process is designed to have the same dynamic characteristics as the proposed DOB, which guarantees the convergence of the proposed scheme. This method is not only suitable for linear systems, but also extendable to nonlinear systems. The proposed scheme was evaluated experimentally; the results showed that it improves disturbance rejection and decreases servo error.

Indiscriminate Use of Antibiotics for COVID-19 Treatment in South Asian Countries is a Threat for Future Pandemics Due to Antibiotic Resistance

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has put enormous strain on the global public health and healthcare systems. Here we aimed to assess the prevalence and impact of indiscriminate use of antibiotics for COVID-19 treatment in south Asian countries. We observed the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in south Asian countries and other similar parts of the world. Along with vaccines, people in poor and developing countries have been taking antibiotics and some other medications without proper jurisdiction during the waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. We all know that COVID-19 is a viral disease, and only a few patients might have bacterial co-infections. Therefore, the role of antibiotics is ambiguous in most COVID-19 cases. Consequently, the overuse of antibiotics would cause antimicrobial resistance that has the potential to become a 2-edged sword after the COVID-19 pandemic era. Our findings emphasize the judicious use of antibiotics in COVID-19 therapy, especially in poor and developing countries across the globe.

Role of Microbes and Nanomaterials in the Removal of Pesticides from Wastewater

Abstract: Pesticides are a class of xenobiotic compounds that are recalcitrant and show persistence in the environment for a longer period of time. Research studies have linked their potential for mutagenicity, teratogenicity, and carcinogenicity. The accumulation of pesticides in water sources due to runoff from agricultural lands has posed a serious threat to the biota of the water ecosystem as well as to the human population. Long-term exposure to pesticides can cause neurological disorders, reproductive complications, cancer, immunological, and pulmonary diseases. The use of pesticides has dramatically surged in agricultural as well as nonagricultural practices. Tons of pesticides are applied in the fields, but a limited amount reaches to the target organism while the rest is wasted and gets accumulated in soil or ends up in water sources like groundwater or river, which results in eradication of nontarget organisms. A variety of pesticides are used for pest management, such as organochlorine (DDT), carbamates (carbaryl), organophosphates (malathion), and pyrethroids (pyrethrins). These chemicals are highly toxic to flora and fauna because of their nonbiodegradable and persistence nature. Biomagnification of pesticides usually leads to cause various problems in human beings. Organochlorines like DDT have been banned in many developed countries due to these reasons. Therefore, the removal of pesticides from wastewater and natural water sources is of utmost importance. Conventional methods possess various limitations; therefore, there is a requirement of an alternative method which can efficiently remove these pollutants from the wastewater. In this review, environmental impacts and health-related complications of pesticides and microbial remediation approaches and use of different nanomaterials in the pesticide removal have been discussed.

Upsurge of Dengue Prevalence During the Third Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Bangladesh: Pouring Gasoline to Fire

Abstract: Recently, there has been an alarming increase in Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and dengue virus infection cases in Bangladesh. As the 2 viral diseases share many similar symptoms, healthcare practitioners are facing difficulty in correctly diagnosing them. Even with the help of confirmatory diagnostic tests, the misdiagnosis has been reported in several countries and cases of co-infections are also emerging. This study presents the clinical symptoms of dengue fever and COVID-19 and identifies the overlapping symptoms seen in these 2 diseases that might cause difficulty in diagnosis. We have also discussed cases of misdiagnosis and incidences of co-infection seen in other countries. Finally, we present our recommendations for preventing the surge of dengue and possible solutions for differentiating and managing these 2 diseases. Immediate measures are required from health practitioners and public health policymakers before these viral diseases spiral out of control.