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Item Metadata only Helmholtz-type resonator with increased tunability and reduced viscous loss with application to wave energy converters(Elsevier, 2025) Cui, L.; Spinks, N.; Sergiienko, N.Y.; Tothova, D.; Leontini, J.S.; Cazzolato, B.S.; Manasseh, R.Wave-energy converters such as Oscillating Water Columns (OWCs) are designed to resonate at ocean-wave frequencies to extract renewable energy, but the low frequencies of the energetic waves demand large, expensive devices. To resolve this predicament, smaller-sized Helmholtz OWCs (H-OWCs) were designed. Their small sizes are achieved by reducing the cross-sectional area of their entrance sections. However, this leads to viscous losses at the transition between an H-OWC’s entrance and main sections. Moreover, an H-OWC is difficult to tune due to its fixed geometry. This paper proposes a modified H-OWC, called an I-OWC. Its main innovation is to use an “insert” placed in a chamber to reduce the cross-sectional area of the entrance section, avoiding the transition in an H-OWC to reduce vortex damping. Another benefit of the I-OWC is an increased tunability via changing the length of the insert in the chamber. A model of I-OWC is designed semi-analytically; the method is validated by wave flume tests. A conceptual design of a full-scale I-OWC is then proposed. In a broader sense, the design provides an alternative approach to tuning the frequency of a general Helmholtz-type resonating cavity.Item Metadata only Indicators of early change in cognitive behaviour therapy that predict eating disorder remission(Elsevier, 2025) Wade, T.D.; Georgiou, N.; Keegan, E.; Pellizzer, M.L.; Waller, G.We examined the utility of three definitions of rapid response to treatment for predicting remission in a transdiagnostic sample receiving 10-session cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for an eating disorder. Both efficiency (categorising the greatest number of people as rapid responders) and predictiveness (performs best in predicting outcomes) were compared. The participants (N = 176, 93 % female, 89 % white, mean age 26.65 years) completed measures at baseline and before session 4 of CBT which was used to calculate rapid response. Remission was achieved by 64 participants (36 %) at the end of therapy. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to examine the contribution of rapid response, as well as baseline disordered eating, impairment, general negative emotion, to remission status. Two of the rapid response definitions were associated with participants being 2.5 times more likely to achieve remission at end of treatment. In both cases, remission was also associated with a lower level of baseline eating disorder psychopathology. The preferred definition (a reduction of ≥1.13 points on the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire) categorised 58 % of participants as rapid responders. These findings can be used to inform clinicians of meaningful early change that predicts positive outcomes in brief CBT for eating disorders. Early change indicators can inform collaborative consideration of barriers to progress and approaches to tackle these, making CBT more effective for more people. The conclusions should be interpreted with caution given remission was only examined at end of treatment and not over longer-term follow-up.Item Metadata only Maternal phthalate exposure, gestational length, and preterm birth risk: a prospective cohort study nested within a randomised trial(BMC, 2025) Best, K.P.; Yelland, L.N.; Ge, L.; Shi, Z.; Leemaqz, S.; Gibson, R.; Makrides, M.; Middleton, P.Background: Preterm birth (< 37 weeks gestation) is a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality, yet the underlying causes remain unknown in many cases. Environmental exposures, including endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates, have been implicated in preterm birth risk. Phthalates are commonly used as plasticisers in consumer products, resulting in widespread human exposure. While some studies suggest an association between maternal phthalate exposure and reduced gestational length, findings remain inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and gestational length in an Australian pregnancy cohort. Methods: This prospective cohort study was nested within the Omega-3 to Reduce the Incidence of Prematurity (ORIP) trial. A total of 605 women with singleton pregnancies from South Australia provided urine samples between 22- and 26-weeks’ gestation for phthalate metabolite analysis. Thirteen phthalate metabolites were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Gestational age at birth was determined from medical records. Linear regression models assessed associations between phthalate concentrations and gestational length, adjusting for maternal characteristics including age, BMI, socioeconomic status, education, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Results: Phthalate metabolites were detected in > 99% of urine samples, with the highest concentrations observed for mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-isobutyl phthalate (MiBP), and mono-butyl phthalate (MBP). There was no evidence of an association between phthalate exposure and gestational length in either unadjusted or adjusted analyses. No significant association was found between phthalate exposure and preterm birth risk. Conclusions: Despite widespread phthalate exposure, no clear link was identified between maternal phthalate levels and shortened gestation in this Australian cohort. However, continued surveillance is needed to monitor emerging plasticiser exposures and inform public health policies on maternal and infant health. Trial registration number: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number, ACTRN12613001142729. Date of registration: 27/09/2013.Item Open Access Outsourcing Policy-Related Functions in Australia: Health and Equity Impacts(SAGE Publications, 2025) Anaf, J.; Freeman, T.; Baum, F.Changes to the public sector in Australia over recent decades result from the adoption of neoliberal policies and New Public Management techniques. By the 1990s Australian governments were privatizing a significant portion of public sector roles, including outsourcing a range of traditional government services, policy, and decision making to the private sector, often to large global consultancy firms. While much is known about privatization and outsourcing, less is known about the health and equity impacts. Using a qualitative approach, data collection included documents, website searches, Parliament of Australia Hansard transcripts, media items, and semi-structured interviews (n=11). Six key themes were identified, including the scope of outsourcing, consultants’ strategies, conflicts of interest, undermining the public sector, poor outcomes for the public, and implications for equity. The use of private sector actors in the Australian public sector has led to promoting private over public interests. There are legitimate reasons for governments to engage the services of global consulting firms in instances when public sector capacity cannot deliver specific highly specialized work. However, the current extensive use of consultants should be decreased through rebuilding public sector capacity to promote health and equity, and public over private interests.Item Metadata only Solar Fuels Production from Plastics and Biomass Photoreforming(American Chemical Society, 2025) Yao, Y.; Zhang, J.; Shi, L.; Wang, S.; Duan, X.The depletion of fossil fuel reserves and the escalating accumulation of plastic and biomass wastes pose critical threats to global energy security and environmental sustainability. Integrating photocatalytic water (H₂O) reduction with waste valorization has emerged as a promising solution by leveraging fullspectrum sunlight to produce sustainable hydrogen while simultaneously converting plastics and lignocellulosic biomass into valuable fuels. As such, this review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in photocatalytic H₂O splitting coupled with resource recovery. It begins by examining the fundamental mechanisms and limitations of photocatalytic H₂O splitting, followed by an in-depth discussion of reforming plastic wastes and biomass into valuable chemicals. Furthermore, advanced strategies, including photothermal catalysis and photoelectrochemical approaches, are assessed for their potential to enhance photocatalytic redox efficiency and improve the feasibility of integrated processes. Finally, the review discusses the remaining scientific and technological challenges and outlines future research directions to realize safe, cost-effective, and scalable solar-driven fuel production systems. It is anticipated that this work will provide foundational insights and inspire further innovation across the fields of energy catalysis, materials engineering, and solar-powered process integration, thereby accelerating the practical deployment of sustainable hydrogen technologies coupled with circular waste.Item Metadata only Structure of center vortex matter in SU(4) Yang-Mills theory(American Physical Society, 2025) Mickley, J.A.; Leinweber, D.B.; Oxman, L.E.The structure of center vortices is studied in SU(4) Yang-Mills theory for the first time to illuminate the interplay between elementary (center charge ±1) and doubly charged vortices. Unlike in SU(3), where charge +2 vortices are simply elementary vortices with reversed orientations in spacetime, these possibilities are physically distinct in SU(4). Visualizations of the vortex structure in three-dimensional slices reveal the various ways in which doubly charged objects manifest, as the convergence and matching of elementary vortices or as isolated doubly charged loops. An algorithm is described to classify every doubly charged chain as one of these three types. A collection of vortex statistics is considered to quantify the vortex structure. Many of these pertain to the novel doubly charged objects, including their relative proportions and chain lengths, which are analyzed to highlight the differences between each chain type. Three different lattice spacings are employed to investigate the approach to the continuum limit. Vortex matching chains are found to be shorter on average but also more prevalent than vortex convergences, ascribed to their interpretation as extended center monopoles. In addition, the lengths of both vortex convergences and vortex matchings are observed to follow an exponential distribution, allowing the introduction of a constant probability for a doubly charged chain to split into two elementary vortices as it propagates. Combined, these findings provide a characterization of the vortices that comprise center-vortex structures in SU(4) Yang-Mills theory.Item Metadata only Synergistic thermal expansion reduction in cobalt-containing perovskite cathodes for solid oxide fuel cells(Elsevier, 2025) Shah, N.; Zhu, T.; Xu, X.; Wang, H.; Zhu, Z.; Ge, L.SrCoO(3)(-)(δ) -based cathodes, such as Ba(0)(.)(5)Sr(0)(.)(5)Co(0)(.)(8)Fe(0)(.)(2)O(3)(-)(δ) (BSCF), exhibit high oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity, making them strong candidates for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). However, their high thermal expansion leads to significant mechanical degradation during thermal cycling, hindering their broader application. In this study, we introduced a synergistic strategy by incorporating negative thermal expansion material Sc(2)W(3)O(1)(2) (ScWO) into BSCF to reduce the overall thermal expansion of composite cathode. The thermal expansion offset strategy together with the suppression of cobalt reduction at the elevated temperature, contributes for maintaining thermal compatibility in cobalt-based cathode and the cathode/electrolyte interface. Over 40 thermal cycles between 600 and 300ºC, BSCF showed more than 100 % ASR degradation, while the composite cathode demonstrated just 18 % degradation, indicating enhanced thermal cycling resistance. Microstructural analysis using FIB-SEM revealed approximately 140 % relative porosity increase in BSCF due to microcracking. In contrast, negligible porosity change was observed in the composite cathode, confirming the benefit to the overall structural integrity.Item Open Access The Venom Proteome of the Ecologically Divergent Australian Elapid, Southern Death Adder Acanthophis antarcticus(MDPI AG, 2025) Tasoulis, T.; Wang, C.R.; Ellis, S.; Pukala, T.L.; Sumner, J.; Murphy, K.; Dunstan, N.; Isbister, G.K.The composition of Australian snake venoms is the least well-known of any continent. We characterised the venom proteome of the southern death adder Acanthophis antarcticus—one of the world’s most morphologically and ecologically divergent elapids. Using a combined bottom-up proteomic and venom gland transcriptomic approach employing reverse-phase chromatographic and gel electrophoretic fractionation strategies in the bottom-up proteomic workflow, we characterised 92.8% of the venom, comprising twelve different toxin identification hits belonging to seven toxin families. The most abundant protein family was three-finger toxins (3FTxs; 59.8% whole venom), consisting mostly of one long-chain neurotoxin, alpha-elapitoxin-Aa2b making up 59% of the venom and two proteoforms of another long-chain neurotoxin. Phospholipase A₂s (PLA₂s) were the second most abundant, with four different toxins making up 22.5% of the venom. One toxin was similar to two previous non-neurotoxic PLA₂s, making up 16% of the venom. The remaining protein families present were CTL (3.6%), NGF (2.5%), CRiSP (1.8%), LAAO (1.4%), and AChE (0.8%). A. antarcticus is the first Australian elapid characterised that has a 3FTx dominant venom, a composition typical of elapids on other continents, particularly cobras Naja sp. The fact that A. antarcticus has a venom composition similar to cobra venom while having a viper-like ecology illustrates that similar venom expressions can evolve independently of ecology. The predominance of post-synaptic neurotoxins (3FTxs) and pre-synaptic neurotoxins (PLA₂) is consistent with the neurotoxic clinical effects of envenomation in humans.Item Metadata only Theta-gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation enhances ballistic motor performance in healthy young and older adults(Elsevier, 2025) Gamage, N.N.; Liao, W.-Y.; Hand, B.J.; Atherton, P.J.; Piasecki, M.; Opie, G.M.; Semmler, J.G.Theta-gamma transcranial alternating current stimulation (TG tACS) over primary motor cortex (M1) can improve ballistic motor performance in young adults, but the effect on older adults is unknown. This study investigated the effects of TG tACS on motor performance and M1 excitability in 18 young and 18 older adults. High-definition TG tACS (6 Hz theta, 75 Hz gamma) or sham tACS was applied over right M1 for 20 min during a ballistic left-thumb abduction motor training task performed in two experimental sessions. Motor performance was quantified as changes in movement acceleration during and up to 60 min after training. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was used to assess changes in M1 excitability with motor-evoked potentials (MEP) and short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) before and after training. We found that TG tACS increased motor performance compared with sham tACS in young and older adults (P < 0.001), with greater effects for young adults (P = 0.01). The improved motor performance with TG tACS lasted at least 60 min after training in both age groups. Motor training was accompanied by greater MEP amplitudes with TG tACS compared to sham tACS in young and older adults (P < 0.001), but SICI did not vary between tACS sessions (P = 0.40). These findings indicate that TG tACS over M1 improves motor performance and alters training-induced changes in M1 excitability in healthy young and older adults. TG tACS may therefore be beneficial to alleviate motor deficits in the ageing population.Item Open Access Time-elapsed microstructural imaging of failure of the reverse shoulder implant(BMC, 2024) Martelli, S.; Perilli, E.; Fan, X.; Rapagna, S.; Gupta, A.Background: Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasties (RSA) have become a primary choice for improving shoulder function and pain. However, the biomechanical failure mechanism of the humeral component is still unclear. The present study reports a novel protocol for microstructural imaging of the entire humerus implant under load before and after fracture. Methods: A humerus specimen was obtained from a 75-year-old male donor. An expert surgeon implanted the specimen with a commonly used RSA implant (Aequalis reversed II, Stryker Orthopaedics, USA) and surgical procedure. The physiological glenohumeral contact force that maximized the distal implant migration was selected from a public repository (orthoload.com). Imaging and concomitant mechanical testing were performed using a large-volume micro-CT scanner (Nikon XT H 225 ST) and a custom-made compressive stage. Both when intact and once implanted, the specimen was tested under a pre-load and by imposing a constant deformation causing a physiological reaction load (650 N, 10 degrees adducted). The deformation of the implanted specimen was then increased up to fracture, which was identified by a sudden drop of the reaction force, and the specimen was then re-scanned. Results: The specimen’s stiffness decreased from 874 N/mm to 464 N/mm after implantation, producing movements of the bone-implant interface consistent with the implant’s long-term stability reported in the literature. The micro-CT images displayed fracture of the tuberosity, caused by a combined compression and circumferential tension, induced by the distal migration of the implant. Conclusion: The developed protocol offers detailed information on implant mechanics under load relative to intact conditions and fracture, providing insights into the failure mechanics of RSA implants. This protocol can be used to inform future implant design and surgical technique improvements.Item Metadata only Titania Nanopores as Photoelectrocatalysts for Coupling Hydrogen Production with Plastic Reformation(Wiley, 2025) Ngo, V.T.; Gulati, K.; Law, C.S.; Tran, N.Q.H.; Lin, J.; Stachura, D.L.; Abell, A.D.; Zhang, H.; Santos, A.Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting offers a sustainable pathway for solar-to-chemical energy conversion, yet its efficiency is often limited by sluggish water oxidation and the generation of low-value oxygen. Here, the use of engineered titania nanopore (TNP) films is reported, fabricated via anodization and thermal annealing, as co-catalyst-free photoanodes for coupling hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) reformation into high-value formate. By tuning the crystallographic phase of TiO₂ from amorphous to anatase and rutile, the optimized anatase-phase electrode exhibits excellent PEC performance in a two-electrode configuration, achieving a high steady-state photocurrent density of [2.34 ± 0.67] mA cm⁻², a hydrogen evolution output of 1771 ± 30 μL cm⁻², a formate yield of 1.68 ± 0.05 mmol L⁻¹, and a Faradaic efficiency of 85 ± 9.0%. Notably, despite the absence of noble metals or complex heterostructures, the PEC performance of the TNP films is comparable to, or even surpasses, that of reported systems employing additional co-catalysts. This study establishes a simple and scalable PEC platform for simultaneous green hydrogen production and plastic waste valorization, offering new opportunities for sustainable energy and environmental technologies.Item Metadata only Treatment of fruit juices with β-glucosidase for release of aroma precursors(Elsevier, 2025) Schmidt, S.; Yang, N.; Gröger, H.; Saarela, M.; Hessel, V.; Fisk, I.В-glucosidase can diversify flavour by releasing aroma precursors from monosaccharide glucosides but is not yet applied in fruit juice processing. Here, we compare β-glucosidase A (BglA) from the extremophile Halothermothrix orenii H168 expressed in Escherichia coli to a commercial product containing β-glucosidase (Rapidase® Revelation Aroma) in enzymatic activity and effect on fruit juice aroma composition (apple, apple-mango, apple-raspberry, grape; identified via SPME GC–MS). While BglA demonstrated a higher tolerance against sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose), Rapidase® demonstrated a higher tolerance against low pH. Juice treatment with Rapidase® led to a significant release of new aroma compounds, likely due to the presence of additional enzymes (arabinofuranosidase, rhamnosidase, apiosidase) which transferred disaccharide glucosides into monosaccharide glucosides. Only eugenol, chavicol, and 2-methyl butyric acid were released in all apple-based juices following both enzymatic treatments, indicating that only they are present as potential aroma precursors bound in monosaccharide glucosides in untreated apple juice.Item Metadata only Associations between wastewater gut microbiome and community obesity rates: Potential microbial biomarkers for surveillance(Elsevier, 2024) Wu, J.; Chen, Y.; Zhao, J.; Prosun, T.A.; O'Brien, J.W.; Coin, L.; Hai, F.I.; Sanderson-Smith, M.; Bi, P.; Jiang, G.Gut microbes are crucial for human health, which are usually accumulated in urban wastewater systems. Seven wastewater treatment plants in Australia with distinct population obesity rates between 18% and 33% were selected for wastewater sampling and analysis. Human gut microbiome were detected using metagenomic sequencing to investigate their associations with the community obesity rate. To unravel this complex relationship, a range of algorithm models, including linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), similarity percentage analysis (SIMPER), statistical analysis of metagenomic profiles (STAMP), linear models for microarray and RNASeq data analysis (LIMMA), Relief, ratio approach for identifying differential abundance (RAIDA), least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), support vector machine (SVM), Boruta, DESeq2 and analysis of compositions of microbiomes with bias correction (ANCOM-BC), were used to identify potential bacterial biomarkers for obesity in the wastewater microbiome. Among these algorithm models, LEfSe, LIMMA, SIMPER and SVM are effective in identifying multiple microbial biomarkers. Specific human gut microbes, including Ruminococcus_ E, Agathobacter, Fusicatenibacter, Anaerobutyricum, Blautia_A and Neisseria, were identified as potential consensus microbial biomarkers for obesity in the population. A high obesity rate is mainly characterized by a high abundance of pathogenic bacteria and microorganisms associated with xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism, endocrine and metabolic diseases, and transcription pathways. This study underscores the innovative potential of leveraging human gut microbes in wastewater as biomarkers for monitoring obesity levels across communities, offering a novel, cost-effective, and indirect approach to public health surveillance.Item Metadata only Understanding the Role of the Zr-MOF Support Structure on Templated Ternary CO₂ Hydrogenation Catalyst Structure and Activity(American Chemical Society, 2025) Linder-Patton, O.M.; Wang, L.; Evans, J.D.; Yasin, N.H.; Berahim-Jusoh, N.H.; Li, S.; Huang, J.; Phak, C.Z.; Seman, A.A.; Sumby, C.J.; Doonan, C.J.Depending on catalytic reaction conditions, metal− organic frameworks (MOFs) are excellent supports or templates for catalysts, owing to their ordered porous structures, large surface areas, and degree of thermal and chemical stability. Indeed, the structural diversity afforded (e.g., Zr-node density, pore size, and ligand stability) enables a high degree of control over the chemistry and structure of Zirconium MOF (Zr-MOF)-based or MOF-derived catalysts (MDCs). Here, we synthesize ternary CO₂ hydrogenation catalysts from MOF-based precatalysts and examine the effect that the MOF structural features have on the CO₂ hydrogenation catalyst structure and activity. This was achieved by preparing Cu/ZnO@Zr- MOF precatalysts with microporous (UiO-66) and mesoporous (MIP-206 and NU-1000) templates. It was found that the Cu/ ZnO@Zr-MOF precatalysts underwent in situ structural transitions under reaction conditions that were temperature dependent. Microporous UiO-66 converts to small domains of ZrO₂, with Cu dispersion (surface vs interior) dictated by the rate of support conversion at 200, 225, and 250 °C (Cu/ZnO@ZrO₂). The mesoporous MOFs (MIP-206 and NU-1000) templated Cu nanoparticles with ZnO clusters on a ZrO₂ support (Cu/ZnO@ZrO₂) under mild reaction conditions (200/225 °C, 40 bar, 3:1/4:1 H₂/CO₂), but at higher temperatures, the less stable MIP-206 support converted to small crystalline domains of ZrO₂ as well as templating Cu nanoparticles. Indeed, these MDCs displayed varied catalytic activity and selectivity, depending on the MOF template and formation temperature, most notably MIP-206- and UiO-66-based catalysts showing improved activity for methanol formation when prepared at higher temperatures (250 °C, 40 bar, 3:1 H₂/CO₂; but tested under milder conditions), whereas the NU-1000- derived catalysts gave reduced activity due to pore blockage and poor access to catalyst sites. Our results indicate that higherperforming catalysts can be accessed through careful selection of precursor Zr-MOF with appropriate structure metrics and judicious choice of in situ activation conditions.Item Metadata only Upscaled wood@MoS₂/Fe₃O₄ bulk catalysts for sustainable catalytic water pollutant removal(Royal Society of Chemistry, 2025) Zhu, L.; Ren, W.; Liu, Y.; Zhu, Z.-S.; Zhong, S.; Wang, S.; Duan, X.Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) play a pivotal role in purifying contaminated water and securing drinking water safety. Transition metal-based materials are highly effective AOP catalysts, while their applications are limited by their poor stability in the oxidative environment. In this study, we developed a composite catalyst, molybdenum disulfide/ferric oxide (MoS₂/Fe₃O₄), to evaluate its catalytic performance and explore its underlying mechanisms in peroxymonosulfate activation. The powder composite was successfully loaded onto an engineered wood substrate, creating a monolith wood@MoS₂/Fe₃O₄ composite for large-scale practical applications. The engineered bulk catalyst exhibits exceptional versatility and stability in wastewater treatment, maintaining nearly 100% removal efficiency over continuous operation for 144 hours. These findings underscore the significant potential of wood-loaded nanomaterials for cost-effective wastewater treatment.Item Open Access "They ignore social issues": understanding the diversity of perspectives on plant gene technologies in Indonesia.(Springer, 2025) Buddle, E.A.; Lawi, G.F.K.; Leach, J.Genome-editing (GE) technologies are often described as a promising tool for improving agricultural crops, alongside their expanding applications in food and medical research. However, as scientific advancements in GE crops accelerate, there is growing concern that these technologies may follow a similar trajectory to genetically modified organisms (GMOs)—where innovation outpaces public engagement, potentially leading to scepticism and resistance. There are also issues with innovation occurring in domains outside of their target locale, particularly where research and development for uses in the Global South is occurring in the Global North. Thus, there is an important opportunity to conduct better community engagement and technology socialisation in diverse locales. For example, in Indonesia, where food sovereignty is a national priority, understanding public and institutional attitudes toward biotechnology is essential for shaping effective policy and regulation. This paper draws on the first qualitative exploration of Indonesia’s evolving regulatory landscape for gene technologies. Through interviews and media analysis, we examine the perspectives of key stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, advocacy groups, and scientists. A recurring theme in our findings is the challenge of “socialisation”—the need for broader public awareness and dialogue about gene technologies, their purpose, and their potential role in Indonesia’s agricultural future. We argue that meaningful engagement must occur early in the development process, within the specific social and cultural contexts of Indonesia, to ensure that biotechnology aligns with local needs and values. By integrating social perspectives into regulatory and research agendas, Indonesia can better navigate the complexities of GE crop adoption and governance.Item Open Access Administration of nivolumab plus ipilimumab: Infusion of the fixed-ratio combination versus sequential infusions in two randomized controlled trials of metastatic melanoma (CheckMate 742) and renal cell carcinoma (CheckMate 800)(Wiley, 2025) Menzies, A.M.; Salman, P.; Frontera, O.A.; Pook, D.; Hocking, C.M.; Zakharia, Y.; Gurney, H.; Gedye, C.; Goh, J.C.; Telivala, B.; Grob, J.J.; Lebbé, C.; de la Cruz Merino, L.; Machet, L.; Neidhardt, E.M.; Qureshi, A.; Hosein, F.; Hamuro, L.; Simsek, B.; Amin, A.Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors can be coadministered as a fixed‐ratio combination (FRC) or administered as sequential infusions (ASI). Two randomized, open‐label trials compared nivolumab þ ipilimumab as a FRC versus ASI in patients with melanoma or renal cell carcinoma. Methods: CheckMate 742 was a Phase 3b study in patients with advanced or metastatic melanoma who received nivolumab 1 mg/kg and ipilimumab 3 mg/kg either concurrently as an FRC or sequentially as ASI every 3 weeks. CheckMate 800 was a Phase 2 study in patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma who received nivolumab 3 mg/kg and ipilimumab 1 mg/kg either concurrently as an FRC or sequentially as ASI every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was the incidence of adverse events (AEs) in the Broad Scope Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) Anaphylactic Reaction Standardized MedDRA Queries (SMQ) occurring within 2 days after dosing. Secondary endpoints included incidence of AEs in the Narrow Scope MedDRA Anaphylactic Reaction SMQ. Results: There was no clinically relevant difference in safety between FRC and ASI as measured by the primary endpoint in either study; odds ratio (95% CI) of 0.87 (0.30–2.49) and 1.0 (0.30–3.39) for CheckMate 742 and CheckMate 800,respectively. No AEs were reported in the Narrow Scope MedDRA Anaphylactic Reaction SMQ in either study. One death from drug toxicity occurred in Check- Mate 742. Conclusions: Both studies met their primary endpoint. The safety profiles of nivolumab þ ipilimumab as FRC or ASI were acceptable and manageable. Trial registration numbers: NCT02905266 and NCT03029780 for CheckMate 742 and CheckMate 800, respectively.Item Metadata only Data-Driven Security Control for CPSs under Aperiodic DoS Attacks: A Switched System Approach(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2025) Zhang, R.; Yang, R.; Zhu, Y.; Shi, P.This letter studies a data-driven security control problem for unknown discrete-time cyberphysical systems (CPSs) under aperiodic denial-of-service (DoS) attacks based on the switched system approach. Particularly, the concerned DoS attacks are characterized by the aperiodicity with the constraints of minimum silent interval and maximum active interval. Compared with the existing data-driven methods, a novel data-driven security control approach via descriptor method and auxiliary matrices is developed for the considered CPSs with the advantage of lower computational complexity and less input-state data information. First, by utilizing the collected data and switching strategy, the considered CPSs under attacks are transformed into a direct datadriven parametrization of the corresponding switched systems. Next, a data-driven control approach via Willems’ fundamental lemma is provided. Meanwhile, through introducing auxiliary matrices to construct the connection between data information and stability conditions, a different data-driven control approach via descriptor method is also presented for the considered unknown CPSs. Finally, the efficiency and advantage of the proposed method are validated by the comparative experiment of the two-wheeled robot.Item Metadata only Developing robust lake sediment chronologies using 210Pb, Pu and radiocarbon dating of pollen concentrates and macrofossil: A case study from Lake Surprise, Victoria, Australia(Elsevier, 2025) Dharmarathna, A.; Cadd, H.; Barr, C.; Francke, A.; Hua, Q.; Child, D.; Hotchkis, M.; Zawadzki, A.; Gadd, P.; Turney, C.; Marjo, C.E.; Tibby, J.; Tyler, J.J.The development of reliable sediment chronologies is crucial for accurate interpretations of decadal to centuryscale palaeoenvironmental changes in the late Quaternary. Although radiocarbon dating of sedimentary sequences is commonly undertaken, not all the organic fractions are representative of atmospheric ¹⁴C levels, resulting in inaccurate age models. Whilst terrestrial plant macrofossils are widely considered ideal dating material – assuming they are contemporaneous with the horizons being dated – they are often sparse or absent. In this context, radiocarbon dating of pollen extracts is increasingly being used as alternative dating material. Here, we used pollen radiocarbon dating, alongside a suite of macrofossil and bulk sediment dates, to develop a chronology for the Holocene sediments of Lake Surprise, in Victoria, Australia. ²¹⁰Pb activity and Plutonium (Pu) concentrations and isotope ratios were also analysed to constrain the age of the uppermost sediments, augmented with recent historical markers, including the first arrival of Pinus pollen and the date of an earlier coring expedition at the site in 2004. With respect to the radiocarbon dates, we found an age offset between the plant macrofossils and bulk sediment dates of 260 ± 86 ¹⁴C years and an offset of ∼340 ¹⁴C years between plant macrofossil and pollen extracts. In both cases, macrofossil dates appeared to be “younger” than the bulk sediment and pollen dates. The offset between pollen and plant macrofossil dates was found to vary with sediment depth and generally correlate with carbonate concentration in the sediment. Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), we determined that the pollen extracts were not contaminated by either carbonate or charcoal. However, contamination by algal spores could not be ruled out, and we hypothesise that those algal spores may have assimilated aged dissolved inorganic carbon during periods of higher groundwater influx, thus altering the measured radiocarbon age of the pollen extract. Macrofossil and corrected pollen radiocarbon dates were incorporated in a Bayesian age-depth model which integrated ²¹⁰Pb activities and Pu data and bomb pulse C-14 dates validated using recent historical age markers. Our results suggest that it is possible to generate a robust geochronological framework for Lake Surprise using radiocarbon dating back to at least ∼10,846 cal yr BP.Item Open Access Developmental vulnerability in children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Western Australia: a population-based study(Springer, 2025) Atalell, K.A.; Pereira, G.; Duko, B.; Nyadanu, S.D.; Skirbekk, V.; Tessema, G.A.Background: Early childhood developmental adversities have long-term effects on educational and overall health outcomes. However, the developmental outcomes of children from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between having a CALD backgrounds and developmental vulnerability in Western Australia. Methods: We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study using data from the Australian Early Development Censuses, Midwives Notification System, and Hospital Morbidity Data Collections. Developmental vulnerability was defined as domain scores < 10th percentile in five Australian Early Development Censuses domains. Covariate-adjusted logistic regression, incorporating propensity score weighting, was applied, and the population attributable risk calculations results were informed. Results: Among 10,048 CALD children and 49,877 non-CALD children, 23.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 22.9, 24.5%] of CALD children experienced developmental vulnerability in one or more Australian Early Development Censuses domain(s) (DV1) compared with 19.6% (95% CI 19.3, 20.0%) of non-CALD children. Adjusted analyses revealed that CALD children had 23% greater odds of DV1 [odds ratio (OR) 1.23; 95% CI 1.16, 1.31] and developmental vulnerability in two or more Australian Early Development Censuses domains (DV2) (OR 1.23; 95% CI 1.13, 1.33). CALD children had more than twice the odds of vulnerability in terms of communication skills and general knowledge (OR 2.16; 95% CI 1.99, 2.34) and 37% greater odds in language and cognitive skills (school-based) (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.25, 1.51). The population attributable risk was 3.77% for DV1, 3.67% for DV2, 5.90% for language and cognitive skills (school-based), and 16.24% for communication skills and general knowledge. Conclusions: This study revealed a greater developmental vulnerability burden among CALD children than among their non-CALD peers, particularly in the domains of communication skills and general knowledge. Strengthening culturally responsive policies, enhancing early childhood support programs, and ensuring equitable access to educational resources for children from CALD backgrounds may help reduce developmental disparities and promote long-term educational outcomes.