Minerva Elements Records

Permanent URI for this collection

http://hdl.handle.net/11343/251382

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 8905

'Alien Hordes': A cultural history of non-native birds in Australia

Farley, Simon John Charles ( 2024-03)

From 1788, settlers introduced a host of organisms to the Australian continent. They did so largely deliberately, with high hopes, and often viewed these species with immense fondness. Yet now many of these species are labelled ‘invasive’ and killed at will. This about-turn requires explanation. This thesis traces settler Australians’ changing attitudes towards nonnative wildlife from the late 1820s to the present. Taking a longitudinal approach and focusing in particular on wild birds, it describes how the language, imagery and sentiments surrounding non-native wildlife changed over this period, as well as accounting for why these changes occurred. I closely read public texts – books, lectures, pamphlets, parliamentary debates and, above all, articles from periodicals – in order to uncover the suppressed colonial and racial anxieties underlying seemingly rational and scientific discussion of avifauna. I use species such as the house sparrow, the red-whiskered bulbul and the common myna as case studies to challenge established narratives about the rise and fall of the acclimatisation movement in Australia and to explain why the settler public’s hostility towards and anxiety about non-native wildlife grew so dramatically over the course of the twentieth century. Much has been written about non-native wildlife in Australia, but little of this is adequately historicised; almost all of it is highly scientistic, taking for granted the current (and much contested) orthodoxy of ‘anekeitaxonomy’, that is, the classification and judgement of species by their geographical origin. Although the great reversal in attitudes may appear to be justified by ‘improving’ ecological knowledge, I argue that it is best understood in the context of settler colonialism as a system that generates ideas about who and what belongs to the land. As settlers’ understanding of their own belonging in the continent has changed, this has influenced their perceptions of and attachments to wild animals, native and non-native alike. Ultimately, this is not a story of empirical fact but one of culture, values and how these have changed over the course of Australia’s colonial history.
Techno-economic modelling of distributed energy systems and energy communities

Bas Domenech, Carmen ( 2023-10)

Power systems are experiencing an unprecedented transformation, driven by the massive uptake of distributed energy resources (DER) connected to distribution networks. This transformation challenges the traditional configuration of power systems, where large generators supplied energy to passive consumers, and gives rise to a decentralized setup, reshaping power system management and economics. Importantly, this entails that distribution networks, responsible for transporting and delivering electricity to customers, are undergoing a transformation into distributed energy systems, where electricity is consumed, generated, and also stored. As traditionally passive consumers adopt low-carbon technologies like PV systems and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), they become active energy service providers, and increasingly seek opportunities to actively engage with the power system. In this context, energy communities have emerged with promising benefits for consumers, such as lower energy costs, reduced individual investments, and increased self-sufficiency of the community. However, as an emerging concept, the role and responsibilities of energy communities in power systems is unclear, and energy communities face many unanswered questions. Notably, it is yet to be defined if energy communities can balance community objectives, efficiently use the existing network and provide services to the power system, while being economically feasible. The challenges of energy communities are complex and multifaceted, requiring to consider technical, economic, regulatory and commercial aspects. Such comprehensive analysis of energy communities has only been presented in the existing literature qualitatively. This thesis sets out to provide a comprehensive quantitative study of energy communities, developing various techno-economic frameworks including regulatory and commercial aspects, to analyse the operation and investment problems in energy communities. The frameworks developed in this thesis are flexible and comprehensive, allowing to study diverse energy communities with various physical architectures and objectives; adopting various regulatory frameworks and commercial structures including different actors; co-optimizing participation in different markets, system-level and local services; and uncertainty in future local and system-level conditions. The versatility of the proposed frameworks allows to address the most fundamental issues of energy communities, such as if community-level DER provide benefits with respect to privately-owned behind-the-meter DER, as well as propose advancements that can be leveraged by energy communities and, more generally, distributed energy systems, such as the development of a pricing framework for distributed energy markets, and the operational impact of smart grid technologies. Through diverse case studies based on real energy community projects in Australia the potential of the frameworks developed is demonstrated, allowing to provide a novel analysis of energy communities. First, it was found that regulatory frameworks that consider energy communities as a single, independent entity with respect to the various markets and regulated costs results in economically feasible energy communities that also provide operational benefits to the system. Second, regulatory developments should be in place to incentivize distribution system operator engagement with the energy community, allowing energy communities to provide valuable network support services to efficiently manage the network operation, while allowing the energy community to accrue significant revenues. Due to the relevance of local network support, this issue was further explored. First by providing a novel pricing framework for distributed energy markets, sending adequate signals to DER that accurately value the benefits of local network support. Second, by studying the role of smart grid technologies on the provision of local services and their interactions with energy communities and DER.
Coupled dissolution with reprecipitation reactions constraining copper mobilization in heap leach systems

Owusu, Eric Ansah ( 2023-12)

Copper is a key metal in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Currently, low grade copper sulphide (e.g., chalcopyrite, CuFeS2) ores make up more than 70% of the global reserves. However, the extraction of copper from low-grade copper sulphides faces several challenges including the use of large volumes of water and the precipitation of secondary minerals that passivate the surface of these low-grade copper minerals and/or clog lixiviant flow pathways in heap systems. While the dissolution of chalcopyrite, one of the main low-grade copper sulphide minerals, has been extensively studied, it is still unclear what mechanisms and secondary minerals lead to surface passivation and how passivation can be inhibited. Hence, this study examined the passivation of primary copper sulphide minerals undergoing coupled dissolution with reprecipitation reactions and the role of reaction-induced porosity. In Chapter 2, the saturation state of potential secondary minerals is modelled using a newly formulated surface-passivate model (SPM). The SPM showed that the precipitation of jarosite at the chalcopyrite surface lowered the reactive surface area and the dissolution rate of chalcopyrite. However, the SPM was limited in modelling the incongruent dissolution of chalcopyrite leading to precipitation of Fe-deficient copper phases because the Fe-deficient copper phase remained consistently undersaturated in trial models. This chapter provides insight for the design of experiments in the subsequent chapters of this thesis. Chapter 3 investigates the nature of secondary minerals and their effects on Cu-mineral surface area and Cu release rates using batch experiments conducted with acid-only and highly concentrated chloride (AlCl3, NaCl, CaCl2) lixiviant. This study showed that Fe leaches ahead of Cu during proton-promoted dissolution of a low-grade porphyry. Also, there was the mobilization of Cu ahead of Fe-S during combined ferric-iron and proton-promoted dissolution of copper sulphide in highly concentrated chloride lixiviant. Yet, the formation of this Fe-S phase was less pronounced in acidic chloride media with multivalent cations (e.g., Ca2+, Al3+) compared to monovalent cations (e.g., Na+). These multivalent cations can undergo ion exchange in a medium with ferric iron as an oxidant to retard the rate of iron hydroxy sulphate passivate formation while enhancing Cu recovery. Chapter 4 expands the findings of Chapter 3 by using flow-through experiments to investigate the steady-state dissolution rate of primary copper sulphides and secondary mineralization while the pore geometry and mineral reactive surface area change. The formation of Na-ferric hydroxysulphate precipitates (e.g., jarosite) resulted in a decline in the copper mobilization. Yet, the accumulation of jarosite and the ferric sulphate species in the pore space of packed columns of the ore material decreased when AlCl3-rich lixiviant was used at low flow rate. The decline in ferric sulphate species had a positive effect on free ferric activity, thereby ensuring a high Fe3+ availability for copper sulphide dissolution. Additionally, the leaching of coarse particles of copper sulphide minerals under a high flow rate in AlCl3-rich lixiviant led to a higher copper sulphide dissolution rate and higher gangue mineral dissolution. Chapter 5 examines the mechanism of the AlCl3 leaching of copper sulphides (newly introduced in Chapters 3 and 4) at consistently high Eh (550 – 650 mV SHE) and acidity (pH 1-3). Copper extraction was highest in AlCl3-rich media compared to all other cases within 72 hours, with greater than 80% recovery using AlCl3-rich brine, 50% recovery using NaCl-rich brine, 30% recovery using CaCl2-rich brine, and 10% recovery using acid-only. The mechanism of AlCl3 leaching of chalcopyrite can be direct or indirect. The direct mechanism involves the formation of Al-rich precipitates providing a higher dissolved Fe3+ concentration for chalcopyrite dissolution. Additionally, the introduction of Al3+ can lead to the formation of AlSO4+ species and alunite, thus lowering the sulphate activity and the respective likelihood of Na-jarosite formation. The indirect mechanism pertains to AlCl3 catalysing the transformation of primary copper sulphides such as chalcopyrite to intermediate secondary copper phases (e.g., covellite) per the Lewis acid properties of dissolved AlCl3. These intermediate copper phases, which are more soluble than chalcopyrite, can be further dissolved after oxidation by readily available ferric iron in solution. In summary, the results and conclusions presented in this thesis have provided new insights into mineral surface reactions involving copper sulphide minerals and how they limit copper recovery through surface passivation. It is demonstrated that acidic AlCl3 as a lixiviant is most effective in maximising the copper recovery rate.
Investigating the human brain transcriptome and epitranscriptome: insights from long-read sequencing and transcriptional risk profiling

Gleeson, Josie ( 2024-02)

Complex regulation of gene expression is fundamental for the development and function of the human brain. The brain exhibits the highest levels of splicing activity and the RNA modification N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in human tissues. The expression of alternatively spliced RNA isoforms is critical for cellular specificity and development and the dysregulation of isoform expression and m6A modification processes is implicated in various neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, it is essential to profile the expression and modification landscape at the isoform level to elucidate the underlying pathology of complex neurological disorders. However, the short-read sequencing methods to study expression changes and m6A modifications only provide gene-level resolution. Long- read direct RNA sequencing (DRS) with Oxford Nanopore Technologies is a new method in the transcriptomics field that may address many of the remaining questions about the roles of RNA isoforms and gene regulation. We applied DRS in multiple studies with a focus on isoform quantification and isoform-level profiling of m6A modifications. DRS does not require any amplification or fragmentation steps and quantifies genes and isoforms while also characterising RNA modifications and polyA tail lengths of each isoform. However, DRS is an emerging technology and many previous transcriptomics methods have not yet been tested on DRS data. We performed DRS of human neuroblastoma cell lines and established the ability of DRS to detect differential isoform expression between synthetic RNA controls and human RNA populations. We developed and benchmarked NanoCount, a novel isoform quantification tool specifically designed for DRS data that we demonstrate outperforms other tools. DRS was subsequently applied to post-mortem human brain samples from three distinct regions: prefrontal cortex, caudate nucleus, and cerebellum. We found >15k differentially expressed isoforms between the brain regions, and our results revealed both isoform- and brain-region- specific patterning of m6A modifications and polyA tail lengths. The prefrontal cortex exhibited a distinctive profile of specifically modified isoforms enriched in excitatory neuron cell types and had the highest proportion of previously unannotated m6A sites. A population of isoforms were hypermodified with m6A and were associated with excitatory neuron cell types in all three brain regions. We also discovered >2k differentially modified m6A sites and 566 isoforms with differential polyA lengths between brain regions. Our studies utilising DRS demonstrate its applicability for investigating multiple features of RNA isoforms in the brain and provide new insights into brain region specificity and functioning with implications for neurological development and disease.
Visible to Mid-Wave Infrared Photodetectors Based on Two-Dimensional Materials

Yan, Wei ( 2023-12)

The two-dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene, are characterised as stable arrangements of atoms bonded via covalent or ionic bonds which form 2D planes (i.e. spanning the x and y direction). In their bulk crystal form, adjacent planes are held together via van der Waals forces (i.e. in the z direction). This is why sometimes they are referred to as the van der Waals materials. They have attracted tremendous attention in recent years as potential candidates for use in next-generation optoelectronic devices due to their tuneable bandgaps, high carrier mobility, high internal quantum yields, strong light-matter interaction, and mechanical flexibility. Among the various 2D materials, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), graphene (Gr), and black phosphorus (bP) have shown promising properties in the visible to mid-wave infrared (MWIR) spectral range as photodetectors. This is of great interest for applications such as visible/infrared imaging, optical communication, and spectrally sensitive detectors (such as those required for gas sensing). Compared with traditional three-dimensional (3D) compound semiconductor photodetectors, 2D material-based photodetectors have low densities of dangling bonds at their surfaces, strong light-matter interaction, and low thermal noise, which provides fundamental advantages in terms of signal-to-noise performance, particularly in infrared photodetection. In addition, the weak van der Waals forces holding planes together allow easy cleavage and assembly of 2D material heterojunctions as well as transferal onto established microelectronics platforms (such as silicon complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor chips). In this thesis, I present the design, fabrication, characterization, and modelling of photodetectors based on 2D materials in the vis to MWIR region. In the introduction chapters, I first discuss the basic concepts and principles of photodetection and 2D materials, and then review the state-of-the-art developments in this field. Following this I describe the experimental methods and techniques used in our work, including device fabrication, as well as materials and photodetector performance characterisation. In the first experimental chapter, I report our experimental results on the first demonstration of photodetectors based on ZrGeTe4, a new van der Waals material with a narrow bandgap in the SWIR region. I describe the device fabrication and characterisation of ZrGeTe4 based photodetectors and evaluate its performance as a photodetector under different conditions. I investigate the stability of ZrGeTe4 and prove that ZrGeTe4 is a promising candidate for stable, high-performance optoelectronic devices operating at room temperature in the SWIR region. The potential application of ZrGeTe4 as a position-sensitive lateral detector due to its asymmetric photocurrent. I demonstrate simple proof-of-concept broad spectrum photodetectors responsivities above 0.1 A W-1 across both the visible and short-wave infrared wavelengths. This corresponds to a specific detectivity of ~10 9 Jones at 1400 nm at room temperature. These devices show linearity in photoresponse over ~4 orders of magnitude and a fast response time of ~50 ns. As the first demonstration of photodetection using ZrGeTe4, these characteristics, measured on a simple proof-of-concept device without significant optimization, shows the exciting potential of ZrGeTe4 for room temperature IR optoelectronic applications. In the following chapter, I present a Fabry-Perot cavity enhanced bP MoS2 photodiode. I demonstrate the fabrication process and the optical structure of the device, which consists of a bP MoS2 heterojunction embedded in a Fabry-Perot cavity with two symmetrical dielectric/metal mirrors and claim that this device has promising potential for IR spectroscopic applications, such as gas sensing and imaging. This simple structure enables tunable narrow-band (down to 420 nm full-width-half-maximum) photodetection in the 2000 to 4000 nm range by adjusting the thickness of the Fabry-Perot cavity resonator. This is achieved whilst maintaining room temperature performance metrics comparable to previously reported 2D MWIR detectors. Zero bias specific detectivity and responsivity values of up to 1.7x10 9 Jones and 0.11 A W-1 at 3000 nm are measured, with a response time of less than 3 ns. These results introduce a promising family of 2D detectors with applications in MWIR spectroscopy. In the last experimental chapter, I fabricate a dual-gate pn junction photodiode by electrostatic doping. The hBN-bP-hBN dual-gate devices were fabricated and trialled for IR light collection/detection. It is shown that applying sufficiently large bias to one of the two rear gates, whilst holding the other at zero bias, leads to the formation of a lateral pn junction. Under IR illumination, this lateral pn junction exhibits the photovoltaic effect yielding a VOC as high as 175 mV and 74 mV, at 77 K and 295 K, respectively. These are the highest values reported for bP based dual-gate devices to date. When being used to detect light, under zero source-drain voltage, a specific detectivity of 8.5x10 8 and 2x10 7 Jones is measured at 77 K and 295 K, respectively. By modulating the back gate voltage, the dual-gate structure also allows switching between photoconductive and photovoltaic modes of operation. This allows a trade-off between low noise/fast response (photovoltaic mode) and high responsivity (photoconductive mode). Further, it is shown that the device can also be operated in a photoconductive mode of operation allowing a high responsivity of 0.55 A W-1 (VDS = -500 mV, 77 K). This development extends the application of dual-gate van der Waals materials photodetectors into the IR wavelength space. In the final chapter of this thesis, I summarise our main findings and contributions, and suggest some future directions and challenges for this research area.
Exploring the Relationship Between Tabletop Role-playing Games and Complete Mental Health: A Mixed Methods Study of Adult Players

Mclaren, Patrick James ( 2023-12)

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the therapeutic potential of tabletop role-playing games (TTRPG) with several professional and organisation claims TTRPGs can promote social connectedness and social growth. However, there is limited evidence to support these relationships, particularly between TTRPG play and mental health. Without evidence, how can we be certain a TTRPG-based intervention can achieve therapeutic results? What impacts, if any, do these games have on the complete mental health, well-being and symptomology), of players? This field needs evidence that can justify and support therapeutic applications, particularly for mental health, at the very least, to minimise the potential for harm, particularly considering past criticisms and stigma towards this game genre. Two key gaps were identified, the lack of theories linking TTRPG to mental health, and the general lack of empirical evidence in this area. This work was guided by randomised trail-to-translation continuum, a model outlining necessary steps in rigorous intervention development and used advanced multiphasic mixed methods to address these gaps. Study One used in-depth semi-structured interviews (N = 12) and reflexive thematic analysis to explore the lived experienced of TTRPG of player to identify preliminary relationships and theories between TTRPG play and mental health. Four relevant themes were developed: Positive Emotions and Experiences, Social Connectedness, Freedom and Autonomy, and Social-Emotional Learning. Based on these themes, several theories were discussed that may describe how these phenomena relate to mental health; namely, Self-Determination, Broaden and Build, Social Learning, and Experiential Learning Theories. Study One proposed that TTRPG play may support adult complete mental health by promoting well-being and facilitating knowledge and skill development, which may reduce symptomology. Study Two used hierarchical regressions (N = 1719) to empirically test Self-Determination Theory (SDT) in TTRPG play, by investigating the relationship between in-game psychological needs satisfaction (relatedness, autonomy, and competence) and multiple dimensions of real-world well-being (emotional, psychological, and social). Results showed needs satisfaction in TTRPG play was positively related to all dimensions of well-being, with relatedness needs emerging as consistently strong across all well-being dimensions. Expanding further, Study Two used reflexive thematic analysis (n = 1120) to identify how players basic psychological needs are met during TTRPG play. Results identified four themes associated with the game master: compelling versus uncompelling game world, character engagement versus disengagement, supporting versus restricting player agency, fair versus unfair adjudication; and one theme associated with all players: social cohesion versus conflict. Findings highlight the vital role the game master plays in the satisfaction (or frustration) of the basic psychological needs of players, and by extension their well-being. Study Three integrated the findings of previous studies using structural equation modelling (N = 766) to develop and test an explanatory model of mental health in TTRPG play. This model tested several associations simultaneously, as well as explored the possible mediating role of social connectedness and social emotional development in the association between needs satisfaction, and mental health (well-being and symptomology). Results showed social connectedness and social-emotional development fully mediate the relationship between needs satisfaction in TTRPG play and well-being. However, relationships with symptomology were mixed and require further investigation. The results indicate TTRPG play may support the complete mental health of players in two ways: 1) by supporting and encouraging well-being, motivation, engagement, and personal growth, and 2) by creating a space that can facilitate social connectedness, and social-emotional development, which may serve as protective factors and contribute to resilience and a reduction in symptomology. Further, it identified the vital role of the Game Master in this association. Overall, findings support the therapeutic potential of this game genre, with implications for the ongoing development, testing and validation of TTRPG-based interventions for complete mental health, helping to address a substantial research-practice gap and paving the way for future research.
Understanding key correlates of severe respiratory virus infections during pregnancy

Habel, Jennifer Rose ( 2024-01)

Respiratory infections such as those caused by SARS-CoV-2 and influenza viruses are of major concern for human health. While most otherwise-healthy individuals do not succumb to infection, there are groups at increased risk of disease severity, including pregnant women. The mechanisms for severe respiratory infection during pregnancy are currently not well understood but could be related to the altered state of the immune system in pregnancy. To investigate this, 217 immunological parameters were assessed to characterise immune cell activation, SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, and inflammation in pregnant and non-pregnant women with COVID-19. Generation of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies was similar in pregnant and non-pregnant women, however systems serology identified distinct antibody and Fc-gamma-R-binding profiles between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Analysis of immune cell activation ex vivo revealed differences in NK cell and gamma/delta T cell activation dynamics in pregnant women. Healthy pregnant women displayed pre-activated NK cells and gamma/delta T cells, based on expression of HLA-DR and CD38, when compared to healthy non-pregnant women, and interestingly during COVID-19, remained phenotypically unchanged. Alternatively, non-pregnant women had typical NK and gamma/delta T cell activation profiles. Conventional CD4+ and CD8+ T cell and T follicular helper cell activation were similar between SARS-CoV-2-infected pregnant and non-pregnant women. Healthy pregnant women had higher levels of IL-8, IL-10 and IL-18, which remained elevated during acute and convalescent COVID-19. Key findings relating to altered NK cell and gamma/delta T cell activation in normal healthy pregnancy warranted further investigation into perturbations of innate immunity during pregnancy to determine whether they are a correlate of protection or disease severity. To identify mechanisms driving increased NK cell activation during pregnancy, >350 proteins were screened on NK cells from healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women. Differentially expressed proteins in NK cells during pregnancy related to cell activation, adhesion, and lipid metabolism. To determine whether these differences were also reflected at the transcriptional level, single-cell RNA sequencing was performed. Gene ontology analysis of 361 differentially expressed genes in NK cells from pregnant and non-pregnant women revealed an upregulation of genes involved in cell activation during pregnancy. Having identified pathways contributing to perturbed NK cell activation during pregnancy, functional assays will demonstrate their involvement in anti-viral immunity. CD8+ T cells play an important role during viral infections, and while total CD8+ T cell activation was similar between pregnant and non-pregnant women with COVID-19, it is unknown whether differences occur at the epitope-specific level. Given that SARS-CoV-2 emerged in 2020, little was known about the CD8+ T cell responses in COVID-19. Therefore, to first understand the CD8+ T cell response to SARS-CoV-2 and identify CD8+ T cell epitopes restricted by the HLA-A*02:01, PBMCs from HLA-A*02:01+ (A2) SARS-CoV-2 convalescent individuals were stimulated with SARS-CoV-2 peptides predicted to bind to HLA-A*02:01. This identified that the Spike269-277 (S269) peptide stimulated CD8+ T cell activation. The use of tetramers consisting of A2/S269 peptide-HLA conjugates allowed detection of A2/S269-specific CD8+ T cells in pre-pandemic and COVID-19 convalescent PBMC samples directly ex vivo. This demonstrated that pre-pandemic A2/S269-specific CD8+ T cells were low in frequency and had a naive phenotype, while COVID-19 convalescents had increased frequencies and a central memory-like phenotype, indicating antigen experience. Additionally, compared to other HLA-A*02:01-restrictied epitopes from influenza A virus (IAV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), A2/S269-specific CD8+ T cell frequencies in convalescent individuals were low in frequency, likely reflecting the primary/single exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Having identified a SARS-CoV-2 CD8+ T cell epitope, and using known epitopes derived from IAV, respiratory syncytial virus, cytomegalovirus and EBV, antigen-specific CD8+ T cell immunity was assessed in HLA-A*02:01+ pregnant and non-pregnant women. This identified novel transcriptional and phenotypic profiles within CD8+ T cell populations in the peripheral blood and placenta in full-term pregnancies. Analysis of acute respiratory and chronic virus-specific CD8+ T cells showed that pregnancy can alter T cell states in an antigen-specific manner. Overall, the culmination of the studies presented in this thesis identified that pregnancy causes heightened NK cell and gamma/delta T cell activation in the normal healthy state, which may have negative consequences during respiratory virus infections. Furthermore, in-depth analysis of NK cell and CD8+ T cell immunity revealed unique phenotypic and transcriptional states during pregnancy which provides insight on potential immunotherapy targets for preventing severe respiratory infections during pregnancy.
Representing contemporary water allocation frameworks and climate change impacts on storage-reliability-yield relationships for carry-over reservoirs across scales

Ren, Peizhen ( 2023-07)

Freshwater resources are widely regarded as one of the most virtual natural resources. Many freshwater systems have been regulated (e.g. by multiple reservoirs) to maximize the water withdrawn for human use. However, the highly regulated water systems are currently experiencing water scarcity problems (where water demand exceeds water availability for human use) due to climate change and increased human water demands (e.g. population growth and related economic activities). How to strengthen water security over a broad range of scales, from local to global, is a complex and common challenge across the world. To ensure water security, it is important to adopt integrated and sustainable water management practices that take into account the advanced water allocation frameworks (e.g. political water policies, and meet the needs of all stakeholders, including households, industries, and ecosystems). Hydrological simulation models can be valuable tools for this kind of water resources management and planning, however, the complexity of these methods means that they can be only achieved when sufficient resources (e.g. high computation and data resources) are available, even at single specific water systems. To achieve integrated and sustainable water management practices, the current literature is calling for rapid water management technologies to be applied in the context of climate change, especially at multiple scales (from local to global). Thus, this thesis develops several novel and relatively simple water management technologies to fill the research gaps based on the Gould-Dincer method (a rapid and efficient storage-reliability-yield relationship for water resources management in carryover systems). The major contributions of this thesis include: (1) the development of a rapid method to assess the yield of carry-over reservoirs subject to environmental water requirements; (2) the development of a rapid analytical method to represent multiple-priority water allocation system (e.g. ‘dual-priority’ water rights); and (3) the development of the Equivalent Reservoir Model (ERM) to model the storage-reliability-yield relationship for multiple parallel carry-over reservoirs as a single equivalent reservoir. In addition, the thesis develops a spill correction model to extend the range of the Gould-Dincer method. The original Gould-Dincer method performs well over the ideal carryover reservoir with less or little spill volume, but its performance will be worse if spills happen often. Thus, this spill correction model could help adjust the water yield estimate from the Gould-Dincer method for a more realistic condition. Moreover, the thesis develops an empirical equation to estimate the covariance of annual flows in parallel tributary rivers using the mean of annual inflows (rather than flow series data), which provides an easier way for ERM application over ungauged and less-data regions. These advanced water management techniques developed in this thesis are relatively simple and less-data demanding. Their simplicity facilitates the rapid assessment of contemporary integrated water management that can be implemented by stakeholders and decision-makers easily and effectively at multiple scales, considering multiple historic and future climate conditions simultaneously.
Machine Learning Models for Vaccine Development and Immunotherapy

Moreira da Silva, Bruna ( 2023-11)

Therapeutic antibodies offer exceptional specificity and affinity to detect and eliminate antigens, making them valuable as therapeutics and in diagnostics. The antigen recognition and neutralisation is based on the efficient binding to epitopes, antigen regions recognised by antibodies that elicit an immune response. The identification and mapping of epitopes, however, are yet dependent on resource-intensive experimental techniques that do not scale adequately given the vast search space and diversity of antigens. Epitope identification and prioritisation is a cornerstone of immunotherapies, antibody design, and vaccine development. Consistent progress of computational approaches has been observed to improve in silico epitope prediction at scale, specifically driven by machine learning algorithms in the past decade. Yet, low predictive power and skewed data sets towards specific pathogens can still be observed. This thesis focused on better exploring publicly available experimental antibody-antigen data, improving modelling and identification of distinguishing epitope features that de- rive meaningful biological insights. On this basis, I have curated high-quality data from multiple resources, resulting in large scale and non-redundant epitope data sets. Besides, I proposed novel featurisation techniques grounded on graph-based approaches to model and discriminate epitopes from the remainder antigen surface, that were demonstrated to differentiate both classes. In addition, I have leveraged machine learning algorithms and data analysis for better predictive and explainable models, which have been translated and made available as easy-to-use web servers with Application Programming Interfaces for programmatic access and integration into Bioinformatics pipelines. By exploring these advanced computational methods, this thesis significantly contributes to improving the prediction of B-cell epitopes, leading to a better understanding of antibody targets, which I believe will facilitate the ongoing development of therapeutics and diagnostics.
Finnish Musicians On The Australian Stage 1993-2022: An Ethnographic Study

Forward, Donald Ian ( 2023-12)

Over the past three decades, increasing numbers of Finnish musicians have performed on Australian stages, a remarkable phenomenon arising from a convergence of seemingly unrelated circumstances in both countries. The trend included regular jazz performances, occasional presentations of traditional and contemporary folk music, audacious Finnish metal acts, and classical music collaborations with Australian musicians. A critical mass of performances was reached in the early 2000s, igniting an extraordinary surge in the numbers of Finnish musicians’ tours to Australia. This thesis is the first comprehensive study of a diverse cohort of Finnish musicians that has performed abroad. It examines the factors that motivated them to perform in Australia and investigates the impact of these experiences on the musicians’ identities. Presented from an Australian standpoint, the thesis draws on extensive multi-sited ethnographic research, including semi-structured conversations with two groups of participants. The first comprises a heterogeneous group of the performers, while the second group includes Finnish and Australian music educators, music industry representatives, migrants, academics, and musicians whose observations inform the context in which the phenomenon developed. As a result of this research, a complex interplay of historical, political and social factors in Finland was found to have provided a fertile environment for the expansion and eventual global dissemination of its music culture. This included music’s historical significance as Finnish cultural expression, the establishment of a welfare state in the 1960s, and a strong desire among Finns for global recognition. Reforms of the music education system resulted in the production of a surplus of highly skilled musicians seeking global audiences and Australia emerged as an attractive performance destination, offering adventure, personalised support, and a chance to enhance reputations. Serendipitously, the activities of significant Finnish music educators in Australia had set the scene. In addition, certain enthusiastic individuals emerged in Australia, keen to provide intermediary support and, ultimately, Australian audiences experienced the extraordinary music for which Finnish musicians are renowned. Whilst the physical and cultural environments of distant Australia left its mark on the musicians, the degree to which it affected their personal and musical identities depended on the duration of their stay in the country. Moreover, the music became a distinct creation when exposed to the unique responses of the Australian audience. This thesis contributes to our understanding of institutionalised music training, migration and cultural diasporas, political ideologies and cultural construction, and of identity and the performing musician. It concludes that the continued success of Finnish musicians’ performances in Australia is dependent upon the maintenance of Finland’s high levels of social capital, its strong commitment to music education, and an increased recognition of the vital role of intermediaries in both countries.

Minerva Elements Records

Permanent URI for this collection

Filters

Date

Author

Subject

Type

Settings

Sort By

Results per page

Statistics

Citations

Search Results