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Purpose: The achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) for all communities and jurisdictions require a comprehensive roadmap that encompasses all dimensions of data infrastructure, social, economic, environmental and governance ecosystems. With this in mind, this paper aims to establish the link between the curriculum and intended learning outcomes of undergraduate and postgraduate subjects offered by the University and sustainability. This study is a part of a wider university strategy to embed sustainability knowledge and values in the university curricula. The 17 SDGs developed as a part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainability Development was used as tool to measure and map how the subjects are linked with sustainability. Design/methodology/approach: To incorporate sustainability into the curriculum, this paper developed an interdisciplinary approach for analysing the interconnection between the SDGs, the expected subject learning points and the relevant aspects of sustainability (geospatial information, the legal, policies and institutional components). As part of the approach, in the first phase of the study, qualitative data were collected through a review of published information on the SDGs and the content of the subjects available in the subject handbook. Subject codes were assigned to the keywords and key phrases extracted from the SDGs and the subject content, and then compared and matched to establish the link between the subjects and the SDGs. Six university schools offering over 2,157 subjects were investigated. In the second phase, a survey was conducted involving subject coordinators with the purpose of validating the findings of the first phase and determining the strength of the linkages between the subjects and the SDGs. In the third phase, a plugin was designed to be used in the digital twin platform developed in the UoM, allowing visualisation of the research outcomes. Findings: Based on the interim findings, it was found that some subjects within the schools are linked to more than one SDG. However, not all of the subjects within the schools can be linked to the SDGs. There is a scope of improvement for embedding sustainability in more subjects within the schools. Some of the schools were also found to have weak linkages with sustainability, which demonstrate the challenge in technical subjects in linking their subject contents with sustainability. Originality/value: This study provides a methodology which enables the integration of sustainability into current state of the curricula at the university to be established. Further, with the advancement of geospatial technology and new visualisation opportunities through the use of the digital twin platform provides capabilities to communicate the outcomes of sustainability and involvement of each faculties and departments more effectively to the university community and wider stakeholders.

The life of Aboriginal people in Australia has been depending on nature since thousands of years ago. The sources of their food are entirely of natural origin. Although they live in a nomadic way, they still maintain and protect the nature around them in order not to damage and become extinct. This research aims to explore ecological literacy (eco-literacy) and local wisdom of Aboriginal people to maintain a mutual symbiosis between man and nature, reflected in a non-fiction book entitled Welcome to My Country written by Laklak Burarrwanga and Family. This is descriptive qualitative research using the ecocriticism approach. The result shows that Australian Aboriginal people have much knowledge of eco-literacy that they apply in everyday life to maintain the sustainability of the ecosystem. Besides, they also have local wisdom they believe will bring good things in their life in terms of protecting their natural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many engineering schools include computer programming as part of a first-year course taught to large engineering classes. This approach is effective in rationalizing resources and improving the cost-effectiveness of course delivery. In addition, it can lead to wholesale improvements in teaching and learning. However, class sizes and the variety of student backgrounds can lead to difficulties in achieving learning outcomes. Flexible learning has been shown to be potentially effective in addressing such issues. We describe the design and development of a WebCT-based self-practice online tool (SPOT) to support student learning of programming. The tool is divided into three components: a) programming syntax, b) understanding the way computer programs work and c) writing computer programs. We discuss the integration of the tool into the learning flow and its role in assessment. We present qualitative and quantitative data on student reactions to the tool and its usefulness in achieving learning outcomes cost-effectively.

Data security assurance is crucial due to the increasing prevalence of cloud computing and its widespread use across different industries, especially in light of the growing number of cybersecurity threats. A major and everpresent threat is Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) assaults, which enable even individuals with minimal technical knowledge to conduct ransomware operations. This study provides a new approach for RaaS attack detection which uses an ensemble of deep learning models. For this purpose, the network intrusion detection dataset "UNSWNB15" from the Intelligent Security Group of the University of New South Wales, Australia is analyzed. In the initial phase, the rectified linear unit-, scaled exponential linear unit-, and exponential linear unit-based three separate Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) models are developed. Later, using the combined predictive power of these three MLPs, the RansoDetect Fusion ensemble model is introduced in the suggested methodology. The proposed ensemble technique outperforms previous studieswith impressive performance metrics results, including 98.79% accuracy and recall, 98.85% precision, and 98.80% F1-score. The empirical results of this study validate the ensemble model's ability to improve cybersecurity defenses by showing that it outperforms individual MLPmodels. In expanding the field of cybersecurity strategy, this research highlights the significance of combined deep learning models in strengthening intrusion detection systems against sophisticated cyber threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green hydrogen, produced from renewable electricity, can be transported long distances in multiple mediums. In this paper, a Techno-economic model is proposed to show the economic viability of global green hydrogen transport along 15 major regional routes such as Australia to Asia and Europe for the first time. A Monte Carlo-based technique is presented to assess the levelised cost of green hydrogen for different regions for the next 30 years. Depending on the specific route, green hydrogen can be transported in different forms, including ammonia, Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC), Hydrogen Slush, compressed or liquefied hydrogen, etc. form and using different modes including shipping, truck, train, and pipeline. A linear programming analysis has been conducted for different regions, showing that among the global projected 300Mt of green hydrogen demand in 2050, 85% will need to be transported between regions to achieve the most economically optimal distribution. • Techno-economic analysis of green H 2 export via 15 worldwide regional trade routes. • Export model includes H2 generation, conversion, transport, and carbon prices. • In 2030, North America will be the largest exporter, followed by Australia. • Higher carbon prices allow for rapid growth in the green hydrogen industry. • Shipping is the most likely and cheapest H 2 export mode for distant transport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike car navigation, where almost all vehicles can traverse every route, one route might not be optimal or even suitable for all pedestrians. Route geometry information, including tortuosity, twists and turns along roads, junctions, and road slopes, among others, matters a great deal for specific types of pedestrians, particularly those with limited mobility, such as wheelchair users and older adults. Offering practical routing services to these users requires that pedestrian navigation systems provide further information on route geometry. Therefore, this article proposes a novel method for extracting and analyzing the geometry properties of the shortest pedestrian paths, with a focus on open geospatial data across four aspects: (a) similarity, (b) route curviness, (c) road turns and intersections, and (d) road gradients. Deriving from the Hausdorff distance, a metric called the "dissimilarity ratio" was developed, allowing us to determine whether pairs of routes show any tendencies to be similar to each other. Using the "sinuosity index", a segment-based technique quantified the route curviness based on the number and degree of the road turns along the route. Moreover, relying upon open elevation data, the road gradients were extracted to identify routes offering smoother motion and better accessibility. Lastly, the road turns and intersections were investigated as pedestrian convenience and safety indicators. A local government area of Greater Sydney in Australia was chosen as the case study. The analysis was implemented on OpenStreetMap (OSM) shortest pedestrian paths against Google Maps as a benchmark for real-world commercial applications. The similarity analysis indicated that over 90% of OSM routes were identical or roughly similar to Google Maps. In addition, while Spearman's rank correlation showed a direct relationship between route curviness and route length, r S (758) = 0.92, p < 0.001, OSM, on average, witnessed more tortuous routes and, consequently, shorter straight roads between turns. However, OSM routes could be more suitable for pedestrians when the frequency of intersections and road slopes are at the center of attention. Finally, the devised metrics in this study, including the dissimilarity ratio and sinuosity index, showed their practicability in translating raw values into meaningful indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to explore the rationale for teaching sustainability and engineering ethics within a decision-making paradigm, and critically appraise ways of achieving related learning outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: The paper presents the experience of the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Sydney in teaching environmental sustainability and engineering ethics to third-year undergraduate students. It discusses the objectives of the course and the merits and drawbacks of incorporating ethics and sustainability in the same teaching framework. In addition, it evaluates ways of incorporating theoretical and applied perspectives on sustainability. Findings: Ethics and sustainability overlap but do not coincide incorporating them in the same engineering course can be effective, provided that points of linkage are clearly recognized in the syllabus, a suitable combination of theory and practical applications is drawn upon and adequate teaching methods, including decision-making case problems, are used. Research limitations/implications: While environmental sustainability, economic rationality and ethical reasoning can be easily fitted into the syllabus, social sustainability is more difficult to teach because it requires a significant conceptual departure from deep-seated preconceptions on the part of students and teachers, and does not lend itself easily to conventional classroom activity, such as lectures and weekly workshops. Further research on effective ways of incorporating social sustainability in engineering curricula is therefore needed. Originality/value: The paper evaluates sustainability issues within the context of civil engineering education. (Contains 1 figure and 2 tables.)

This paper clusters and ranks the research performance of 36 Australian universities according to their research performance over the period of 1998-2002. Research performance is measured according to audited numbers of Ph.D. completions and publications, and research grants income (in accordance with rules established by the Department of Education, Science and Training), and analysed in both total and per academic staff terms. Hierarchical cluster analysis supports a binary division between 15 higher-performing and 22 lower-performing universities, with the specification in per academic staff terms identifying the self-designated research intensive Group of Seven universities, plus several others in the better-performing group. The higher-performing group includes the 7 research-intensive Group of Eight universities examined. Factor analysis indicates that the top three research performers in terms of total research performance are the Universities of Melbourne, Sydney, and Queensland, while the top 3 in terms of per capital academic staff are the Universities of Melbourne, Adelaide, and Western Australia. Data and Descriptive Analysis is appended. (Contains 6 tables.)

Purpose: Although the adverse effects of construction activities on the environment and the need for sustainable construction practices are recognised in both research and practice, any significant shift in the selection and use of construction materials from the sustainability perspective has not taken place in many building projects. Still, conventional construction materials are widely used in building projects in both developed and developing countries. This study attempts to identify the main barriers to the use of sustainable materials in building projects in an advanced economy such as Australia. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted a questionnaire survey approach to examine the main reasons behind the low usage of sustainable materials in building projects. Based on the relative importance index, exploratory factor analysis and multinomial logistic regression analysis, the study examined the main barrier measures and barrier factors to the use of sustainable materials in building projects. Findings: The findings reveal that critical barriers to the use of sustainable materials are related to cost and profit considerations, the unwillingness of the key stakeholders to incorporate these materials into building projects, lack of incentives and government policies. The factor analysis reduced the critical barrier measures into three factors: techno-economic considerations, cost and delay concerns and resistance to use. Furthermore, multinomial regression analysis based on the extracted factors identified techno-economic considerations as the main barrier factor to the use of sustainable materials in building projects. Practical implications: The empirical results of this research can inform construction practitioners, organisations and policymakers on how to increase the use of sustainable building materials in the construction industry. Originality/value: Identification of barriers to the use of sustainable building materials is a prerequisite to improve their uptake and use in the construction industry. The study fills a gap in the existing research on the use of sustainable materials in building projects in Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is based on an integrated investigation of seismic, well log, geological and geochemical data, the detailed analysis of source, reservoir, and structures were conducted in the Naccowlah Block, Eromanga Basin, Queensland, Australia. The Naccowlah Block is one of the most important hydrocarbons producing areas centered in Eromanga Basin, with several producing wells, except Ballat‐01 and Chilla‐01. This study pertains specifically to the Ballat structure, which was declared dry. The purpose of this research is to evaluate and identify specific 'Dry Hole' failure, based on analysis of several factors: reservoir deliverability, source maturity, migration, and structural presence. 3D seismic data revealed NE–SW trending series of reverse faulting mainly conquered by four‐way dip closure due to compressional tectonics in the study area. The burial history and event chart depict the preservation and maturation of potential source rock, which is furthermore affirmed by the vitrinite reflectance curve. Interpreted regional migration model and structural analysis of Naccowlah Block stated the presence of a suitable structure for hydrocarbon generation and migration pathways. Despite all favourable aspects for the accumulation of hydrocarbon in Hutton sandstone, the structural restoration analysis proves the absence of trap at the time of migration and accumulation. However, geophysical, geological, and geochemical shreds of evidence suggest that the spatial distribution of the events provides valuable guidance for the development of the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dementia is an encompassing term used to define a series of “neurological conditions, of which the major symptom includes a global decline in brain function”. Alzheimer’s Disease International reports that every three seconds, one person worldwide will develop dementia. The not-for-profit also noted that there are 55 million individuals living with dementia and it is projected that by 2050, this number will increase to 139 million. In Australia alone, an estimated 487,500 individuals are living with various forms of dementia, with 70% residing in the community, requiring 1.6 million carers. A recent report during Dementia Action Week stated that despite the increased appreciation of the fundamental rights of individuals living with dementia, many were still subject to discrimination and lacked societal inclusion. This article maintains that dimensions of equity and inclusion are pertinent to discussions around technological solutions developed with the dementia community, specifically, future artificial intelligence-enabled options that may, unless carefully designed, exacerbate or amplify issues of discrimination, marginalization, and personhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile phone-based applications (apps) can promote faster targeted actions to control COVID-19. However, digital contact tracing systems raise concerns about data security, system effectiveness, and their potential to normalise privacy-invasive surveillance technologies. In the absence of mandates, public uptake depends on the acceptability and perceived legitimacy of using technologies that log interactions between individuals to build public health capacity. We report on six online deliberative workshops convened in New South Wales to consider the appropriateness of using the COVIDSafe app to enhance Australian contact tracing systems. All groups took the position (by majority) that the protections enacted in the app design and supporting legislation were appropriate. This support is contingent on several system attributes including: the voluntariness of the COVIDSafe app; that the system relies on proximity rather than location tracking; and, that data access is restricted to local public health practitioners undertaking contact tracing. Despite sustained scepticism in media coverage, there was an underlying willingness to trust Australian governing institutions such that in principle acceptance of the new contact tracing technology was easy to obtain. However, tensions between the need to prove system effectiveness through operational transparency and requirements for privacy protections could be limiting public uptake. Our study shows that informed citizens are willing to trade their privacy for common goods such as COVID-19 suppression. But low case numbers and cautionary public discourses can make trustworthiness difficult to establish because some will only do so when it can be demonstrated that the benefits justify the costs to individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religiosity can be an important factor in women’s health-related behaviour, attitudes, and decision-making. Evidence however, regarding the religiosity of mothers and its influence on child health, is scarce. Based on a large population-based cohort in Australia, we aim to examine the religiosity of women in Australia and the association of maternal religiosity with children’s health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and lifestyle. Our findings indicate that (1) maternal religious involvement was higher for women with higher education levels, ascertained religious values in decision-making, and abstinence from binge drinking in the household, (2) maternal religiosity positively influenced their children’s HRQOL, (3) children of mothers who were more religious had less worries or fewer school-work problems, but the children of mothers with stronger religious beliefs used more internet/computer during the week but had less time playing games on weekends. This study provides additional specificity to inform future health interventions in religious community contexts to enhance the positive influence of maternal religious belief for better development of their children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent and severity of bushfires in a landscape are largely governed by meteorological conditions. An accurate understanding of the interactions of meteorological variables and fire behaviour in the landscape is very complex, yet possible. In exploring such understanding, we used 2693 high-confidence active fire points recorded by a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor for nine different bushfires that occurred in Victoria between 1 January 2009 and 31 March 2009. These fires include the Black Saturday Bushfires of 7 February 2009, one of the worst bushfires in Australian history. For each fire point, 62 different meteorological parameters of bushfire time were extracted from Bureau of Meteorology Atmospheric high-resolution Regional Reanalysis for Australia (BARRA) data. These remote sensing and meteorological datasets were fused and further processed in assessing their relative importance using four different tree-based ensemble machine learning models, namely, Random Forest (RF), Fuzzy Forest (FF), Boosted Regression Tree (BRT), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). Google Earth Engine (GEE) and Landsat images were used in deriving the response variable–Relative Difference Normalised Burn Ratio (RdNBR), which was selected by comparing its performance against Difference Normalised Burn Ratio (dNBR). Our findings demonstrate that the FF algorithm utilising the Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis (WGCNA) method has the best predictive performance of 96.50%, assessed against 10-fold cross-validation. The result shows that the relative influence of the variables on bushfire severity is in the following order: (1) soil moisture, (2) soil temperature, (3) air pressure, (4) air temperature, (5) vertical wind, and (6) relative humidity. This highlights the importance of soil meteorology in bushfire severity analysis, often excluded in bushfire severity research. Further, this study provides a scientific basis for choosing a subset of meteorological variables for bushfire severity prediction depending on their relative importance. The optimal subset of high-ranked variables is extremely useful in constructing simplified and computationally efficient surrogate models, which can be particularly useful for the rapid assessment of bushfire severity for operational bushfire management and effective mitigation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the coping strategies of Singapore Malay-Muslim immigrants in Melbourne, Australia in the light of a variety of challenges faced by Muslims in the West. We argue that Singapore Malay-Muslim immigrants have integrated into their host societies through a "reshaping of their mental lifeworld", which constitutes a few elements. First, through viewing daily challenges and stresses in positive and optimistic terms. Second, they appreciated Australia as a space for growth, family life, and exploration. Third, they kept their minds open to any types of employment opportunities that come in their way in order to sustain their lives in a new country. Fourth, they used their faith as sources of strength in the face of challenges in obtaining jobs and overcoming other stresses. Finally, reshaping mental lifeworld involves imagining Australia as their newfound home, without totally negating Singapore as a site that their roots were initially planted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Can label-free, non-invasive optical imaging by hyperspectral autofluorescence microscopy discern between euploid and aneuploid cells within the inner cell mass (ICM) of the mouse preimplantation embryo?Summary Answer: Hyperspectral autofluorescence microscopy enables discrimination between euploid and aneuploid ICM in mouse embryos.What Is Known Already: Euploid/aneuploid mosaicism affects up to 17.3% of human blastocyst embryos with trophectoderm biopsy or spent media currently utilized to diagnose aneuploidy and mosaicism in clinical in vitro fertilization. Based on their design, these approaches will fail to diagnose the presence or proportion of aneuploid cells within the foetal lineage ICM of some blastocyst embryos.Study Design, Size, Duration: The impact of aneuploidy on cellular autofluorescence and metabolism of primary human fibroblast cells and mouse embryos was assessed using a fluorescence microscope adapted for imaging with multiple spectral channels (hyperspectral imaging). Primary human fibroblast cells with known ploidy were subjected to hyperspectral imaging to record native cell fluorescence (4-6 independent replicates, euploid n = 467; aneuploid n = 969). For mouse embryos, blastomeres from the eight-cell stage (five independent replicates: control n = 39; reversine n = 44) and chimeric blastocysts (eight independent replicates: control n = 34; reversine n = 34; 1:1 (control:reversine) n = 30 and 1:3 (control:reversine) n = 37) were utilized for hyperspectral imaging. The ICM from control and reversine-treated embryos were mechanically dissected and their karyotype confirmed by whole genome sequencing (n = 13 euploid and n = 9 aneuploid).Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: Two models were employed: (i) primary human fibroblasts with known karyotype and (ii) a mouse model of embryo aneuploidy where mouse embryos were treated with reversine, a reversible spindle assembly checkpoint inhibitor, during the four- to eight-cell division. Individual blastomeres were dissociated from control and reversine-treated eight-cell embryos and either imaged directly or used to generate chimeric blastocysts with differing ratios of control:reversine-treated cells. Individual blastomeres and embryos were interrogated by hyperspectral imaging. Changes in cellular metabolism were determined by quantification of metabolic co-factors (inferred from their autofluorescence signature): NAD(P)H and flavins with the subsequent calculation of the optical redox ratio (ORR: flavins/[NAD(P)H + flavins]). Autofluorescence signals obtained from hyperspectral imaging were examined mathematically to extract features from each cell/blastomere/ICM. This was used to discriminate between different cell populations.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: An increase in the relative abundance of NAD(P)H and decrease in flavins led to a significant reduction in the ORR for aneuploid cells in primary human fibroblasts and reversine-treated mouse blastomeres (P < 0.05). Mathematical analysis of endogenous cell autofluorescence achieved separation between (i) euploid and aneuploid primary human fibroblast cells, (ii) control and reversine-treated mouse blastomeres cells, (iii) control and reversine-treated chimeric blastocysts, (iv) 1:1 and 1:3 chimeric blastocysts and (v) confirmed euploid and aneuploid ICM from mouse blastocysts. The accuracy of these separations was supported by receiver operating characteristic curves with areas under the curve of 0.97, 0.99, 0.87, 0.88 and 0.93, respectively. We believe that the role of chance is low as mathematical features separated euploid from aneuploid in both human fibroblasts and ICM of mouse blastocysts.Large Scale Data: N/A.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: Although we were able to discriminate between euploid and aneuploid ICM in mouse blastocysts, confirmation of this approach in human embryos is required. While we show this approach is safe in mouse, further validation is required in large animal species prior to implementation in a clinical setting.Wider Implications Of the Findings: We have developed an original, accurate and non-invasive optical approach to assess aneuploidy within the ICM of mouse embryos in the absence of fluorescent tags. Hyperspectral autofluorescence imaging was able to discriminate between euploid and aneuploid human fibroblast and mouse blastocysts (ICM). This approach may potentially lead to a new diagnostic for embryo analysis.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): K.R.D. is supported by a Mid-Career Fellowship from the Hospital Research Foundation (C-MCF-58-2019). This study was funded by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics (CE140100003) and the National Health and Medical Research Council (APP2003786). The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cyathostomins are the most important and common parasitic nematodes of horses, with > 50 species known to occur worldwide. The frequent and indiscriminate use of anthelmintics has resulted in the development of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in horse nematodes. In this study we assessed the efficacy of commonly used anthelmintics against cyathostomins in Australian thoroughbred horses. Methods: Two drug efficacy trials per farm were conducted on two thoroughbred horse farms in the state of Victoria, Australia. In the first trial, the horses on Farm A were treated with single and combinations of anthelmintics, including oxfendazole (OFZ), abamectin (ABM), abamectin and morantel (ABM + MOR), moxidectin (MOX) and oxfendazole and pyrantel (OFZ + PYR), at the recommended doses, whereas the horses on Farm B only received MOX, at the recommended dose. The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was used to determine the efficacy and egg reappearance period (ERP) of anthelmintics. Based on the results of the first trial, the efficacies of MOX and a combination of ABM + MOR were reassessed to confirm their activities against cyathostomins. Results: Of the five anthelmintic products tested on Farm A, resistance against OFZ, ABM and OFZ + PYR was found, with efficacies of − 41% (− 195% lower confidence limit [LCL]), 73% (60% LCL) and 82% (66% LCL) at 2 weeks post-treatment, respectively. The FECRT showed high efficacies of MOX and ABM + MOR (100%) at 2 week post-treatment and shortened ERPs for these anthelmintics (ABM + MOR: 4 weeks; MOX: 5 weeks). Resistance to MOX was found on Farm B, with a reduced efficacy of 90% (70% LCL) and 89% (82% LCL) at 2 weeks post-treatment in trials one and two, respectively. Conclusions: This study provides the first evidence of MOX- and multidrug-resistant (ABM and combinations of anthelmintics) cyathostomins in Australia and indicates the need for continuous surveillance of the efficacy of currently effective anthelmintics and large-scale investigations to assess the ERP for various anthelmintics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trillions of cigarette butts (CBs) are dumped into landfills globally. CBs leach toxic components into the soil, including heavy metals, tar, and many other chemical compounds. Approximately 7.2 billion CBs are discarded every year in Australia, and 16.8 billion CBs accumulate in the waste management system annually. In previous work, the encapsulation method for CB with bitumen and paraffin wax was developed and encapsulated CB in dense graded asphalt (DGA) was evaluated using bitumen classes C320, C170, and C600. In recent studies, the encapsulation method was improved, and the possible use of bitumen-encapsulated CB (BECB) in stone mastic asphalt (SMA) was demonstrated. To build on this foundational research, the current work aimed to investigate the use of improved BECB in heavy-duty DGA prepared with polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) class A10E. Samples were prepared following VicRoads and Austroads guidelines. In this research, the Marshall stability and flow, resilient modulus, dynamic creep, tensile strength ratio, and indirect tension fatigue test were performed to evaluate the performance of BECB-modified DGA. The results were compared with the control DGA prepared with industry-standard conventional materials. Test results suggested that using 0.5% and 1% BECB in DGA met the industry requirements and endorsed the recycling method of CB in asphalt concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Strongyloides westeri is found in the small intestine of young horses, mainly in foals up to about 16 weeks of age. The main source of infection for foals is through transmammary transmission, and foals can develop acute diarrhoea, weakness, dermatitis and respiratory signs. The epidemiology of S. westeri in Australia is largely unknown. Further, molecular techniques have never been employed for detection of S. westeri in horses. This pilot study aimed to assess the utility of a molecular phylogenetic method for the detection of S. westeri in the faeces of foals. Methods: Faecal samples were collected from a foal of less than 2 months of age, and eggs of Strongyloides sp. were detected using the modified McMaster technique. DNA was extracted from purified eggs, and a partial fragment of the small subunit of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (18S) was characterised using polymerase chain reaction, DNA sequencing and phylogenetic methods. Results: Microscopic examination of faeces revealed small ellipsoidal eggs typical of Strongyloides sp. The 18S sequence generated by PCR in this study revealed 98.4% identity with that of a reference sequence of S. westeri available from GenBank. Phylogenetic analyses revealed a polyphyletic clustering of S. westeri sequences. Conclusion: This is the first study reporting the detection of DNA of Strongyloides sp. in faeces of a foal using a molecular phylogenetic approach targeting the variable region of 18S rDNA. It is anticipated that this study will allow future molecular epidemiological studies on S. westeri in horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CO2 sequestration in deep saline aquifers is a promising method to reduce atmospheric CO2. The on‐going CO2CRC Otway project aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of large‐scale CO2 storage in deep saline formations and to develop new monitoring technologies in Australia. The relative permeability curves are essential for predicting the movements of CO2 and estimate residual trapping in the aquifer during and after injection through numerical simulations. However, studies of relative permeability curves for the Paaratte sandstone at the in situ conditions are limited. In addition, different rock types in the Paaratte formation can behave differently when CO2 displaces brine. This work reports four relative permeability experiments of CO2/brine systems using the unsteady‐state core flooding method for different types of rock collected from various depths of Paaratte formations at near‐reservoir conditions. The relative permeability results calculated from the analytical Johnson, Bossler, and Naumann (JBN) method and the numerical history matching method are compared. The JBN method does not calculate the relative permeability accurately for CO2/brine systems due to the assumptions of incompressible flow, since the CO2 relative permeability results calculated from the JBN method are similar for all the cases. The history matching results show that the brine (water) relative permeability of the core samples with a high fraction of macropores is similar to the measurements for Paaratte formation reported in the literature over a large range of brine (water) saturation. In contrast, the brine relative permeability of the core samples with a high fraction of micropores is considerably higher than that of the core samples with macropores, suggesting better connectivity for the samples with a high fraction of micropores. The new findings will be useful in reservoir‐scale numerical modelings of the Paaratte formation to more accurately predict the movement of CO2 during and after the injection. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed worm control practices used by Australian Thoroughbred farm managers with an online questionnaire survey. The questionnaire comprised 52 questions (close-ended: 44; open-ended: 8) about farm demography and general husbandry practices, farm managers' knowledge of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) and their importance, diagnosis, worm control strategies and anthelmintics, anthelmintic resistance (AR) and grazing management. Following the pilot survey, the link for the questionnaire survey was sent to all (n = 657) registered members of the Thoroughbred Breeders Australia on 12th April 2020. The response rate for the questionnaire was 18.5% (122 of 675). The farm managers reported a good understanding of GIN and their importance in different age groups of horses as most respondents (70% of 122) perceived worm-related illness to be more important in young (i.e., foals, weanlings and yearlings) than adult (> 3 years old) horses. Although most respondents (93%, 113 of 122) used anthelmintics prophylactically to control GIN, only 15% (18 of 122) observed worm-related illness in their horses. Just under 40% of respondents were performing faecal egg counts, with less than 20% using the results of faecal egg counts to guide deworming decisions. The interval-based deworming strategy was the most common method (≥55% of 122 respondents) to control GIN in all age groups of horses. Macrocyclic lactones were the first choice of anthelmintics for all age groups of horses. Although the majority of respondents (88%, 107 of 122) perceived resistance in GIN against commonly used anthelmintics as an important issue in managing worms in horses, only 29% assessed the efficacy of anthelmintics and 91% (111 of 122) were unaware of AR on their properties. Grazing management practices, such as manure removal, were more frequently performed on smaller paddocks (<0.20 ha: 58%) than on larger paddocks (>0.20 ha: 18%). Multiple correspondence analyses showed that the likelihood of suboptimal worm control practices on small farms (n = ≤50 horses) was greater than that of medium (n = 51–100) and large (n = >100) farms. This study provides insights into the demography of Thoroughbred farms in Australia, husbandry practices used by stud managers and their knowledge about worms, control options and AR concerns, thereby paving the way for taking any initiatives to address the problem of AR in GIN of Australian Thoroughbred horses. • This study describes worm control practices used at Australian Thoroughbred farms. • The interval-based deworming was the most common method to control worms. • Macrocyclic lactones were the first choice anthelmintics for all age groups. • Majority of respondents were unaware of anthelmintic resistance on their properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The total production of waste glass (WG) in Australia during the period 2016 to 2017 was about 1.1 million tonnes, and approximately 467 kilotonnes were deposited in landfills, while 612 kilotonnes were recycled. The current recycling techniques practiced for crushed waste glass (CWG) are limited, resulting in a growing environmental challenge. Therefore, there is an interest in the development of novel technologies to recycle WG. Previous laboratory testing suggests that incorporating recycled CWG in the production of bricks may allow a reduction in firing temperature while maintaining brick strength. Furthermore, increasing the glass content and reducing the particle size of the glass significantly improved the physical/mechanical properties of the fired clay bricks, especially compressive strength. Besides, a dense and uniform structure was observed in the microscopic images after adding WG in fired clay bricks. A linear relationship was found between thermal conductivity and WG content. Therefore, incorporating CWG in fired clay bricks is a practical and feasible way to develop an environmentally friendly construction material and solve a growing waste issue. The total production of waste glass (WG) in Australia during the period 2016 to 2017 was about 1.1 million tonnes, and approximately 467 kilotonnes were deposited in landfills, while 612 kilotonnes were recycled. The current recycling techniques practiced for crushed waste glass (CWG) are limited, resulting in a growing environmental challenge. Therefore, there is an interest in the development of novel technologies to recycle WG. Previous laboratory testing suggests that incorporating recycled CWG in the production of bricks may allow a reduction in firing temperature while maintaining brick strength. Furthermore, increasing the glass content and reducing the particle size of the glass significantly improved the physical/mechanical properties of the fired clay bricks, especially compressive strength. Besides, a dense and uniform structure was observed in the microscopic images after adding WG in fired clay bricks. A linear relationship was found between thermal conductivity and WG content. Therefore, incorporating CWG in fired clay bricks is a practical and feasible way to develop an environmentally friendly construction material and solve a growing waste issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interacting with human operators, remote environment, and communication networks, teleoperation systems are considerably suffering from complexities and uncertainties. Managing these is of paramount importance for safe and smooth performance of teleoperation systems. Among the countless solutions developed by researchers, type-2 fuzzy (T2F) algorithms have shown an outstanding performance in modeling complex systems and tackling uncertainties. Moreover, artificial neural networks (NNs) are well known for their adaptive learning potentials. This article proposes an adaptive interval type-2 fuzzy neural-network control scheme for teleoperation systems with time-varying delays and uncertainties. The T2F models are developed based on the experimental data collected from a teleoperation setup over a local computer network. However, the resulted controller is evaluated on an intercontinental communication network through the Internet between Australia and Scotland. Moreover, the slave robot and the remote workspace are completely different and unforeseen. Stability and performance of the proposed control is analyzed by Lyapunov–Krasovskii method. Comprehensive comparative studies demonstrate that the proposed controller outperforms traditional techniques in experimental evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the dynamic and asymmetric responses of house prices to changes in mortgage interest rates in Australia from January 1995 to November 2017. We propose a threshold intervention model to distinguish between the effects of positive versus negative changes in the standard variable interest rate. The results indicate that rising interest rates decrease house prices more than falling interest rates increase them. For example, a 1% decrease in interest rates increases Sydney's house prices by 0.7%, whereas a 1% increase leads to a 1.5% fall. The findings also support the view that when interest rates are on the rise, house prices in larger capital cities such as Sydney and Melbourne fall faster than in their smaller counterparts. Our findings imply that a rise in interest rates may thus lead to sharp, fast and significant falls in house prices, a phenomenon which will not simply be a symmetric unwinding of earlier price increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports the spatial and temporal distribution of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in Thoroughbred horses by age category across different climatic zones in Australia over an 18-month period. Faecal samples (n = 2046) from individual horses were analysed using the modified McMaster technique for faecal egg counts (FECs). Strongylids were identified using PCR-directed next-generation sequencing of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. Yearlings had the highest prevalence (82%) of strongyle eggs followed by weanlings (79%), foals (58%), wet mares (49%) and dry mares (46%). For Parascaris spp., foals had the highest prevalence (35%) followed by weanlings (21%) and yearlings (10%). The highest mean FECs for Parascaris spp. were observed in foals (525 eggs per gram [EPG] of faeces) while those for strongyles were in yearlings (962 EPG). Among horses that were classified as adults at the time of sampling, 77% (860 of 1119) of mares were low (i.e., <250 EPG) strongyle egg-shedders. Mean strongyle FEC counts were highest in the Mediterranean (818 EPG) followed by summer (599 EPG), winter (442 EPG), and non-seasonal (413 EPG) rainfall zones. Twenty-six nematode species were detected, with Cylicostephanus longibursatus (26.5%), Cylicocyclus nassatus (23.7%) and Coronocyclus coronatus (20.5%) being the most frequently detected species. Their richness and relative abundance varied with horse age, season and climatic zone. In addition, Strongylus equinus and Triodontophorus spp. (T. brevicauda and T. serratus) were also detected. This comprehensive study elucidates spatial (climatic zone) and temporal (i.e., seasonal) trends in prevalence and burdens of intestinal nematodes in Australian horses using non-invasive conventional and molecular methods. The information presented in this study is crucial for developing integrated management strategies to control horse parasites in farmed horses. [Display omitted] • A longitudinal approach was used to study intestinal nematodes of horses using the McMaster technique and nemabiome approach. • The farm-level prevalence of ascarid and strongylid nematodes ranged from 0–29% and 46–95%, respectively. • Only up to 17% of the adult horses were classified as high egg shedders (>500 eggs per gram). • The climate (Mediterranean type), season (autumn) and horse age (younger horses) had significant effect on egg shedding. • Nemabiome results showed higher abundance of selected species, affected by horse age, season and climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents the results of a cross-sectional survey to describe the epidemiology of ascarid and strongylid nematodes in horses, the impact of diverse climatic conditions on parasite diversity and the levels of faecal egg shedding in different age groups of managed Thoroughbred horses. Individual faecal samples (n = 1377) collected from 62 Thoroughbred farms across four climatic zones in Australia were analysed using the modified McMaster technique for faecal egg counts (FECs) and strongylid nematodes were identified utilising PCR-directed next-generation sequencing (NGS) of the second internal transcribed spacer of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS-2). Across all age groups, the prevalence of ascarid and strongylid nematodes was 12% (95% confidence interval 10–14%) and 72% (70–74%), respectively. Based on strongylid FECs, yearlings had the highest prevalence (89%) followed by weanlings (83%), foals (79%), wet mares (61%), dry mares (59%) and stallions (54%). However, for Parascaris spp., foals had the highest prevalence (46%) followed by weanlings (32%) and yearlings (13%). The highest mean FECs for Parascaris spp. were observed in foals (418 eggs per gram [EPG] of faeces) while those for strongylids were in yearlings (1002 EPG). Of the adult horses (mares and stallions), 67% (489 of 729) and 11% (77 of 729) were low (i.e., ≤250 EPG) and moderate (i.e., 251–500 EPG) strongylid egg-shedders, respectively. Strongylid egg shedding varied across climatic zones, with the highest mean FECs in the summer rainfall (723 EPG) followed by non-seasonal rainfall (629 EPG), winter rainfall (613 EPG), and Mediterranean (606 EPG) rainfall zones. Twenty-three nematode species were detected using NGS, with Cylicostephanus longibursatus (28%), Cylicocyclus nassatus (23%) and Coronocyclus coronatus (23%), being the most abundant species. Three species of Strongylus (i.e., S. vulgaris, S. equinus and S. edentatus) were also detected. The nemabiome composition, species richness and relative abundance varied within horse age and between climatic zones. These empirical findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence of parasites within horse populations and the multifaceted factors that influence their occurrence, thereby allowing for the formulation of tailored strategies aimed at parasite control in domestic horses. [Display omitted] • A cross-sectional study of 62 Thoroughbred farms revealed a high prevalence of ascarid and strongylid nematodes. • Majority of the adult horses were low strongylid egg shedders (i.e., < 250 eggs per gram). • Horse age and diverse climatic conditions impacted the parasite diversity and egg shedding patterns. • Cylicostephanus longibursatus, Coronocyclus coronatus and Cylicocyclus nassatus were the most abundant species. • Study provided insights for tailoring parasite control strategies in horses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eastern Australia was affected by late Cenozoic intraplate deformation in response to far-field stress transmitted from the plate boundaries, but little is known about the intensity and pattern of this deformation. We used recently surveyed two-dimensional seismic reflection lines and aeromagnetic data, and data from the recently released Australian Stress Map, to investigate the structure of the Nagoorin Basin in eastern Queensland. The western margin of the Nagoorin beds was displaced by the Boynedale Fault, which is a NNW-striking SW-dipping oblique strike-slip reverse fault with a vertical throw of c. 900 m and c. 16 km sinistral displacement. A significant part of this large sinistral displacement is interpreted to have occurred prior to late Cenozoic time. Several low-angle (<30°) thin-skinned thrusts with a flat-ramp geometry also displaced the Nagoorin beds, which are interpreted to have developed along detachment surfaces in oil shales and claystone. The Boynedale Fault is a segment within longer NNW-striking faults that include the North Pine and West Ipswich fault systems in eastern Queensland. These NNW-striking faults are potentially active, and may accommodate neotectonic thrust movement in response to the present-day NE–SW orientation of SHmax. Results of this study, in conjunction with previous information on sedimentary basins in eastern Australia, indicate that Cenozoic contractional deformation is stronger at the continental margins, possibly due to the presence of pre-existing rift-related structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The Australian digital cadastre initiative, namely ePlan, has been introduced and discussed. • The main challenges of visualising digital cadastral plans in Victoria are discussed and illustrated by images. • A research methodology to tackle the digital cadastral data visualisation challenges in Victoria is discussed in detail. • Implementation of a tool enabling the surveyors to enhance the presentation of digital cadastral plan is discussed. • The results of the usability evaluation of the tool and the future direction for this research are discussed. Abstract ePlan, as a digital cadastral data initiative, is a collaborative program between the land authorities and the surveying industry which aims to replace paper and PDF cadastral plans and surveys with digital data in LandXML format. ePlan has been adopted by Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. ePlan has been operational in the State of Victoria for 2D plans since 2013. The ePlan files are automatically converted into PDF plans by the ePlan visualisation service within the Victorian state's digital lodgement portal, namely Surveying and Planning through Electronic Applications and Referral (SPEAR). Cadastral plan in PDF format forms part of the legal title in Victoria. Presently, ePlan, in terms of development, has limitations in visualising detailed, complex and large scaled 2D plans. The visualised plan from the LandXML file must comply with accepted Victorian survey drawing standards as the plan is a source for plan certification by council, forms part of a contract of sale, and when the plan is registered by the State of Victoria land authority, Land Use Victoria (LUV), it becomes the title diagram. In addition, through significant engagement with the Victorian Surveying industry, LUV has received feedback from surveyors that they would like to have the ability to enhance the presentation of visualised plans to create enlargements, define additional sheets, exaggerate the position of lines, and move the placement of visualised labels. These enhancement provisions would provide greater scope to ensuring plans complied with the aforementioned drawing standards. A Licensed Surveyor, the creator of the LandXML file is also duty bound to sign the visualised plan. In addressing the abovementioned problem, a research methodology, including the conceptual, choice of technology, development and evaluation phases has been defined and implemented at LUV. The 'conceptual' phase considered the business and technical requirements for developing a tool to support surveyors to enhance the presentation of the visualised ePlans. The 'choice of technology' phase focused on defining the most suitable technologies for developing the tool. In the 'development' phase, the tool was implemented within SPEAR. The surveyors' feedback on the tool usability was collected as part of the 'evaluation' phase. The main outcome of this research has been the ePlan Visualisation Enhancement Tool (VET) developed within SPEAR based on OpenLayers technology, which enables surveyors to improve the presentation of auto-generated cadastral plans. The evaluation phase showed that end users were generally satisfied by the usability of VET and identified the areas that need further improvement. This paper first provides an overview of the ePlan project in Victoria with a focus on the research problem and objective. The relevant interstate and international experiences are then reviewed. Next, the paper discusses the research methodology including the above four phases in detail. The outcomes of the evaluation phase are then discussed. The paper concludes with some discussions around the approach taken for this research, the surveyors' feedback and the future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using state‐level annual variation in natural disasters and economic output in Australia, we estimate the direct effects of floods and bushfires on sectoral gross value added during the period 1978–2014. We find that floods exert an adverse and persistent effect on the outputs of agriculture, mining, construction and financial services sectors. For example, our estimates indicate that a state that experienced a flood in a given year encountered, on average, 5–6 per cent lower agricultural output in both that year and the following year, compared to another state with no such flood experience. Sectoral responses to bushfires are more nuanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A 3D integrated legal-physical model of underground assets was developed. • A new ADE for CityGML was proposed at the conceptual, logical, and physical levels. • The ADE defines semantic entities for underground legal spaces. • The viability of the model was tested in a real-world complex underground area. • The prototype showcased benefits of CityGML for underground land administration. Current practices of managing and communicating underground physical and cadastral (legal) data are based on fragmented and silo-based 2D methods, which cannot provide unambiguous, coordinated, and reliable representations of assets and their rights, restrictions, and responsibilities (RRRs) in subterranean environments. There is also no link between underground physical and legal data in current practices, resulting in ineffective Underground Land Administration (ULA). A single 3D integrated model of underground assets associated with the cadastral data at a city-scale can improve understanding and interpretation of underground legal and physical aspects. Extending a 3D city model to include underground legal data requirements can potentially provide a viable approach for developing a 3D integrated model. This research aims to develop a new Application Domain Extensions (ADE) for CityGML 3.0 (called VicULA ADE) to manage underground data using a single 3D integrated legal-physical model at a city-scale. The VicULA ADE proposes semantic entities for underground legal spaces, enabling the model to define spatial and semantic relationships between different types of legal spaces. The proposed approach comprises identifying requirements based on the Victorian state of Australia, developing the conceptual and logical data models in UML, and implementing the XML schema as the physical data model. The viability of the VicULA ADE is tested in a complex real-world case study that has various underground legal and physical objects, shifting this data model from a conceptual level to the implementation level. The proposed ADE of the CityGML 3.0 standard revealed how underground legal data elements can be logically embedded in this 3D data model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the co-creation approach to develop culturally and linguistically appropriate educational interventions to promote the uptake of skin-to-skin contact. Skin-to-skin contact is beneficial to mothers and newborns, but it is rarely practised in Saudi Arabia. Co-creation involving service users to develop evidence-based resources about skin-to-skin contact relevant to the target population is an approach increasingly used to improve health outcomes. A three-step method was used to develop the educational intervention including: (1) a systematic scoping review to identify the evidence-based information for education regarding skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby post-birth; (2) Co-creation of the resources using the Knowledge to Action Framework. The resource was developed collaboratively with academic staff from Australia and health care staff from Saudi hospital; and (3) Finalisation of the educational materials through a consensus development conference and Implementation. The systematic scoping review generated useful information about the gaps in knowledge and barriers to skin-to-skin practice. Information was tailored and translated according to the needs of the Saudi population. A variety of educational materials including pamphlets, a PowerPoint presentation and a short video were co-created with the help of the stakeholders. Consensus was reached when 93% (87–100%) of the participants agreed about the mode of delivery and appropriateness of the PowerPoint and 100% agreed on the e-pamphlets and video. The skin-to-skin online educational resource was created by integrating co-creation principles and the Knowledge to Action framework with the aim of developing and customizing a culturally appropriate intervention using the best available evidence. By engaging in co-creation stakeholders gained a sense of ownership and were more willing to adopt and implement the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies in Australia and New Zealand have explored various technological, legal, and institutional aspects of 3D cadastre modernisation. The majority of these studies concentrate on a single jurisdiction. The reason is that each jurisdiction is in charge of its own cadastral system. As a result, each jurisdiction's standards, rules, and processes for implementing 3D digital cadastre are unique. In Australia and New Zealand, however, the Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping (ICSM) has established national frameworks for cadastral systems. To implement 3D digital cadastre at a national level, it is vital to identify the variations and commonalities across existing cadastral systems. Comparisons of 3D cadastre for several civil law countries as well as international standards have been undertaken in the present literature. However, common law jurisdictions such as Australian states and New Zealand have not been compared in terms of 3D cadastre. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to propose a multi-jurisdictional framework that includes variations and commonalities in the current methods adopted for subdividing ownership of vertically placed properties in order to support 3D digital cadastre in all Australian and New Zealand jurisdictions. The proposed framework comprises four layers: definition, core, interoperability and jurisdictional. This framework would potentially serve as a starting point for building a nationally integrated digital data ecosystem for 3D cadastre in Australia and New Zealand. • The study identifies 3D primary and secondary parcels, boundaries, and spatial relationships in Australia and New Zealand. • A multi-jurisdictional framework that includes variations and commonalities across the studied jurisdictions. • The framework provides a foundation for a national digital data ecosystem for 3D cadastre in Australia and New Zealand. • Having a standardized approach for 3D digital cadastre will facilitate sharing data across multiple jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores determinants of mortgage product diversity for owner-occupied and investment loans in the Australian housing mortgage market. From 2001 to 2012, 65 lenders introduced 1220 mortgage products in Australia. We examine whether the product proliferation was a result of consumer demand or a response to pressure to lower lending rates. We find that consumer demand for mortgages does not have a significant relationship with the number of mortgage products, but that decreases in the policy interest rate are highly significant as an explanatory variable for product proliferation. Such behaviour is consistent with information obfuscation, reducing the ease with which consumers can compare lending rates. Further, the relationship between mortgage products offered and the policy interest rate is asymmetric: decreases in the cash rate are associated with increased mortgage products offered, but increases in the cash rate have a more muted effect on decreasing the number of products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Duaringa Basin in eastern Australia is a Late Cretaceous?-early Cenozoic sedimentary basin that developed simultaneously with the opening of the Tasman and Coral Seas. The basin occurs on the top of an earlier (Permian-Triassic) fold-thrust belt, but the negative inversion of this fold-thrust belt, and its contribution to the development of the Duaringa Basin, are not well understood. Here, we present geophysical datasets, including recently surveyed 2D seismic reflection lines, aeromagnetic and Bouguer gravity data. These data provide new insights into the structural style in the Duaringa Basin, showing that the NNW-striking, NE-dipping, deep-seated Duaringa Fault is the main boundary fault that controlled sedimentation in the Duaringa Basin. The major activity of the Duaringa Fault is observed in the southern part of the basin, where it has undergone the highest amount of displacement, resulting in the deepest and oldest depocentre. The results reveal that the Duaringa Basin developed in response to the partial negative inversion of the pre-existing Permian-Triassic fold-thrust belt, which has similar orientation to the extensional faults. The Duaringa Fault is the negative inverted part of a single Triassic thrust, known as the Banana Thrust. Furthermore, small syn-depositional normal faults at the base of the basin likely developed due to the reactivation of pre-existing foliations, accommodation faults, and joints associated with Permian-Triassic folds. In contrast to equivalent offshore basins, the Duaringa Basin lacks a complex structural style and thick syn-rift sediments, possibly because of the weakening of extensional stresses away from the developing Tasman Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to identify barriers to implementing waste management practices in construction projects and their interrelationship, based on the particular context of Australia. Interviews and a questionnaire survey were conducted as the primary data collection methods supported by the findings of a charrette. The findings reveal twenty critical barriers to implementing waste management practices in Australian construction projects. Four underlying factors that impede waste management practices are extracted based on results of an exploratory factor analysis. These include rigidity of construction practices, construction project characteristics, awareness, experience and commitment, and the nascent nature of waste management. The study also finds that while both human factors and technical factors act as barriers to implementing waste management practices in Australian construction projects, human factors are more dominant. Thus, it is essential to address all these barriers in the early stage of construction projects for reducing waste generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the dynamic changes in the number of tourists arriving in Australia from 53 markets using monthly data (1991m1–2014m4). A modified capital asset pricing model incorporating Markov switching and Bai–Perron search models is adopted to measure the extent to which individual arrival series exhibit systematic co-movements in relation to total arrivals as a global composite barometer. The study identifies 15 large and growing markets from different countries and regions with the switching/shifting betas greater than +1, suggesting a diverse portfolio that, if properly managed, will continue to sustain Australia's tourism industry. The study presents a series of marketing and promotion strategies to improve marketing efficiency and implications for further research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives: Every year, about 1.24 million people are killed in traffic crashes worldwide and more than 22% of these deaths are pedestrians. Therefore, pedestrian safety has become a significant traffic safety issue worldwide. In order to develop effective and targeted safety programs, the location- and time-specific influences on vehicle-pedestrian crashes must be assessed. The main purpose of this research is to explore the influence of pedestrian age and gender on the temporal and spatial distribution of vehicle-pedestrian crashes to identify the hotspots and hot times.Methods: Data for all vehicle-pedestrian crashes on public roadways in the Melbourne metropolitan area from 2004 to 2013 are used in this research. Spatial autocorrelation is applied in examining the vehicle-pedestrian crashes in geographic information systems (GIS) to identify any dependency between time and location of these crashes. Spider plots and kernel density estimation (KDE) are then used to determine the temporal and spatial patterns of vehicle-pedestrian crashes for different age groups and genders.Results: Temporal analysis shows that pedestrian age has a significant influence on the temporal distribution of vehicle-pedestrian crashes. Furthermore, men and women have different crash patterns. In addition, results of the spatial analysis shows that areas with high risk of vehicle-pedestrian crashes can vary during different times of the day for different age groups and genders. For example, for those between ages 18 and 65, most vehicle-pedestrian crashes occur in the central business district (CBD) during the day, but between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., crashes among this age group occur mostly around hotels, clubs, and bars.Conclusions: This research reveals that temporal and spatial distributions of vehicle-pedestrian crashes vary for different pedestrian age groups and genders. Therefore, specific safety measures should be in place during high crash times at different locations for different age groups and genders to increase the effectiveness of the countermeasures in preventing and reducing vehicle-pedestrian crashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic factors are known to be contributing factors for vehicle-pedestrian crashes. Although several studies have examined the socioeconomic factors related to the location of the crashes, limited studies have considered the socioeconomic factors of the neighborhood where the road users live in vehicle-pedestrian crash modelling. This research aims to identify the socioeconomic factors related to both the neighborhoods where the road users live and where crashes occur that have an influence on vehicle-pedestrian crash severity. Data on vehicle-pedestrian crashes that occurred at mid-blocks in Melbourne, Australia, was analyzed. Neighborhood factors associated with road users' residents and location of crash were investigated using boosted regression tree (BRT). Furthermore, partial dependence plots were applied to illustrate the interactions between these factors. We found that socioeconomic factors accounted for 60% of the 20 top contributing factors to vehicle-pedestrian crashes. This research reveals that socioeconomic factors of the neighborhoods where the road users live and where the crashes occur are important in determining the severity of the crashes, with the former having a greater influence. Hence, road safety countermeasures, especially those focussing on the road users, should be targeted at these high-risk neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data ambiguity and invalidity can cause significant expensive issues in the cadastral domain (e.g. legal disputes). An automated data validation can significantly help to reduce the potential issues. Quality assurance has been comprehensively investigated in various domains, however, the validation of 3D cadastral data is still in its early development. The availability of various regular and irregular shapes for 3D cadastral objects and modern building designs has resulted in a critical need for developing validation rules to ensure data validity and quality. The land registry in Victoria, Australia, is investigating the technical requirements for implementing a 3D digital cadastre. The study of 3D cadastral data validation requirements has been part of this ongoing investigation. This study is being undertaken in three main phases including 1) developing geometrical validation rules, 2) developing non-geometrical validation rules, 3) implementing an online service to validate 3D cadastral data. This paper aims to discuss the initial outcomes of the first phase of the aforementioned study which has focused on developing geometrical validation rules for 3D cadastral objects. The paper reviews the development of four geometrical validation rules which have been formalised using mathematical expressions to check the individual 3D parcels and their relationships with adjoining or neighbouring parcels. The first validation rule checks the compatibility of the cancelled parcel against the created parcels. The second rule deals with parcel collision detection which is required for flagging unacceptable intersection of 3D objects. The third rule ensures the faces forming a 3D parcel are flat. The fourth validation rule assures 3D objects are watertight. The paper concludes with a discussion around the impacts of the proposed validation checks on the subdivision process and future research for the Victorian 3D digital cadastre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]