Beneficial Technology Research Articles

Determinants of cloud computing deployment in South African construction organisations using structural equation modelling and machine learning technique

PurposeThis paper presents the findings from the assessment of the determinants of cloud computing (CC) deployment by construction organisations. Using the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework, the study strives to improve construction organisations' project delivery and digital transformation by adopting beneficial technologies like CC.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a post-positivism philosophical stance using a deductive approach with a questionnaire administered to construction organisations in South Africa. The data gathered were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Also, the fusion of structural equation modelling (SEM) and machine learning (ML) regression models helped to gain a robust understanding of the key determinants of using CC.FindingsThe study found that the use of CC by construction organisations in South Africa is still slow. SEM indicated that this slow usage is influenced by six technology and environmental factors, namely (1) cost-effectiveness, (2) availability, (3) compatibility, (4) client demand, (5) competitors' pressure and (6) trust in cloud service providers. ML models developed affirmed that these variables have high predictive power. However, sensitivity analysis revealed that the availability of CC and CC's ancillary technologies and the pressure from competitors are the most important predictors of CC usage in construction organisations.Originality/valueThe paper offers a theoretical backdrop for future works on CC in construction, particularly in developing countries where such a study has not been explored.

The problem of the genesis of the Mesoarchean aluminosilicate rocks from the Karelian craton and their possible use as a quartz-feldspar raw material

The article presents original data obtained in the study of the chemical and mineral compositions of the Late Archean aluminosilicate rocks (formerly called silicites) from the Koikari and Elmus structures of the Vedlozero-Segozero greenstone belt of the Karelian craton (Central Karelia). A comprehensive study of these formations revealed their complex genesis as a result of the late imposition of hydrothermal and metamorphic alteration on sedimentary and volcanic-sedimentary rocks of feldspar-quartz composition. Due to the superimposed metasomatic (temperature?) impact on feldspar-quartz siltstones, Fe was removed from microinclusions in quartz and feldspar and its oxides were concentrated along the grain boundaries. Minerals such as monazite, parisite, allanite are also located either along the grain boundaries of quartz and feldspars, or together with calcite they fill microfractures, which makes it possible to get rid of them when preparing quartz-feldspar concentrates using various beneficiation technologies. According to most indicators limited by GOSTs, individual samples in their natural form meet the requirements for quartz-feldspar raw materials for use as part of batch in the production of diverse types of glass. Additional beneficiation of the feedstock (grinding, screening into narrow classes and further magnetic separation) leads to a decrease in Fe2O3 content to normalized values. The resulting quartz-feldspar concentrates with various particle sizes can be used in the production of building material and fine ceramics (sanitary and ceramic products, facing and finishing tiles, artistic, household porcelain and faience). The homogeneity of the mineral and chemical composition, the possibility of compact extraction and beneficiation (including in mobile small-sized installations) increase the prospects and competitiveness of this non-traditional feldspar raw material from Central Karelia.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles from vegetable waste of pea Pisum sativum and bottle gourd Lagenaria siceraria: Characterization and antibacterial properties

A huge amount of food waste is being generated every day globally. Usually, India generates ∼350 million tons of food waste every year. Therefore, there is an urgent need to initiate research focusing on the management and hygienic methods of reuse of food waste together with advanced user-friendly methods of converting it into some useful products thereby generating wealth from food waste. A promising approach seems to biosynthesize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from such unutilized food. An alternative clean technology does not rely on the use of toxic chemicals and solvents. It is commonly allied with traditional nanoparticle synthesis processes. In the present work, the peels of two vegetables, pea (Pisum sativum) and bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), were used to generate AgNPs. AgNPs were obtained by dissolving 1.5 ml of the peel extract of each vegetable in 50 ml of silver nitrate (AgNO3) and incubating for 24 h at room temperature. For the confirmation of AgNP production UV–visible spectroscopy was used. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and attenuated total reflection-infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR Analysis) were used to characterize them. Furthermore, AgNPs in different concentrations were used to test antibacterial activity against bacteria Escherichia coli through the disc diffusion method. Thus, our research indicates that AgNPs can be a safe and environmentally beneficial production technology from unutilized vegetable wastes that may play an important role in the management of food waste in the future and has antibacterial potential to preserve vegetables from bacterial contamination.

Heavy Metal Accumulation and Phytoremediation Potentiality of Some Selected Mangrove Species from the World's Largest Mangrove Forest.

Simple SummaryPlant or nature-based cleanup or removal of pollutants is one of the most promising eco-friendly approaches for sustainable ecosystem management. Consequently, the contamination level, accumulation and remediation ability of three mangrove plants (Excoecaria agallocha, Avicennia officinalis, Sonneratia apetala) and their surrounding sediments were studied. Analyses of accumulated metals by using several indices reveals that the area is low to moderately contaminated, and all the three plants examined can be used as phytoextractors as they have the ability to store metals in their tissues. E. agallocha can be used as a good phytostabiliser for Mn which can reduce the risk of erosion and leaching of this pollutant to water bodies. Furthermore, for metal extraction, A. officinalis was found more suitable than other two plants. Overall, the results indicate that these mangrove plants can be used in the phytoremediation of contaminated soils by metals.Toxic metal pollution is a global issue, and the use of metal-accumulating plants to clean contaminated ecosystems is one of the most rapidly growing ecologically beneficial and cost-effective technologies. In this study, samples of sediment and three mangrove species (Excoecaria agallocha, Avicennia officinalis, Sonneratia apetala) were collected from the world’s largest mangrove forest (along the Northern Bay of Bengal Coast) with the aim of evaluating metal concentrations, contamination degrees, and phytoremediation potentiality of those plants. Overall, the heavy metals concentration in sediment ranged from Cu: 72.41–95.89 mg/kg; Zn: 51.28–71.20 mg/kg; Fe: 22,760–27,470 mg/kg; Mn: 80.37–116.37 mg/kg; Sr: 167.92–221.44 mg/kg. In mangrove plants, the mean concentrations were in the order of E. agallocha > A. officinalis > S. apetala. The mean (± SD) concentration of each metal in the plant tissue (root) was found following the descending order of Fe (737.37 ± 153.06) > Mn (151.13 ± 34.26) > Sr (20.98 ± 6.97) > Cu (16.12 ± 4.34) > Zn (11.3 ± 2.39) mg/kg, whereas, in the leaf part, the mean concentration (mg/kg) of each metal found in the order of Fe (598.75 ± 410.65) > Mn (297.27 ± 148.11) > Sr (21.40 ± 8.71) > Cu (14.25 ± 2.51) > Zn (12.56 ± 2.13). The contamination factor (CF) values for the studied metals were in the descending order of Cu > Sr > Zn > Fe > Mn. The values of Igeo (Geo-accumulation index) and CF showed that the area was unpolluted to moderately polluted by Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu and Sr. Enrichment factor (EF) values in both sampling stations portrayed moderate to minimum enrichment. Phytoremediation potentiality of the species was assessed by bio-concentration factor (BCF) and translocation factor (TF). BCF values showed less accumulation for most of the heavy metals (<1) except Mn which was highly accumulated in all mangrove plants. The translocation factor (TF) values depicted that most of the heavy metals were strongly accumulated in plant tissues (>1). However, the BCF value depicts that Mn was highly bioconcentrated in E. agallocha, but the translocation on leaves tissue were minimum, which reveals that E. agallocha is phytoextractor for Mn, and accumulated in root tissues. All the examined plants can be used as phytoextractors as they have bioconcentration factors <1 and translocation factors >1. However, A. officinalis is clearly more suitable for metal extraction than S. apetala and E. agallocha in terms of hyper-metabolizing capabilities.

Empirical scrutiny of the behavioural intention of construction organisations to use unmanned aerial vehicles

PurposeThis paper aims to assess the behavioural intention of construction organisations to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the delivery of construction projects. Using the unified theory of technology adoption and use of technology (UTAUT) model, the study strives to improve project delivery by adopting beneficial digital technologies.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a postpositivism philosophical stance through a quantitative research approach using a structured questionnaire administered to construction organisations in South Africa. Primary data gathered was analysed using frequency, percentage, mean item score, Mann–Whitney U-test and confirmatory factor analysis, where the latter sought to deductively confirm the variables within the UTAUT model.FindingsConstruction organisations were found to rarely use UAVs in the country and furthermore, most of the participating organisations are unsure about using UAVs for their project delivery. Factors impacting on an organisation’s intention to use UAVs were identified as social influence, performance expectancy, effort expectancy and facilitating conditions. However, factors surrounding resistance to using and perceived risk cannot be overlooked as they also proved to be significant (at p = 0.05) to the behavioural intention of organisations to use UAVs.Practical implicationsPractical guidance for industry practitioners is offered in terms of insight into the key factors that must be considered for the effective utilisation of UAVs and the realisation of concomitant benefits.Originality/valueThis study bridges the knowledge gap in extant literature by exploring the practitioner’s behavioural intention to use UAVs. As an aside, an emergent theoretical backdrop for future works on UAVs is provided (particularly in developing countries where such a study has not been previously explored).

Linking Financial Development and Environment in Developed Nation Using Frequency Domain Causality Techniques: The Role of Globalization and Renewable Energy Consumption

The topic of whether globalization, energy consumption and financial development can substantially reduce emissions during the globalization era remains unanswered. In this context, this research highlights empirical indications supporting this theoretical discord; assessing the effect of globalization, energy consumption and financial development on the CO2 emissions in Japan (utilizing a dataset that spans between 1990 and 2019). The study employed the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) technique and frequency domain causality to probe these relationships. Unlike other conventional causality tests, the frequency domain causality test can capture causality at different frequencies. The findings from the ARDL analysis disclosed that globalization and renewable energy contribute to the mitigation of CO2 emissions while fossil fuel, economic growth and financial development caused an upsurge in CO2 in Japan. Furthermore, the frequency domain demonstrated that all the exogenous variables can forecast CO2 mostly in the long-term which implies that any policy initiated based on the exogenous variables will impact emissions of CO2. Based on the results obtained, Japan has to improve its financial systems and increase its use of renewable energy. Furthermore, Japan needs to restructure its policy regarding globalization owing to the fact that it contributes to the degradation of the environment. Since globalization is a major driver of economic growth, the government should concentrate on luring and licensing investors that use environmentally beneficial (net-zero) technology.

Harmful or Beneficial to Humans and the Environment? An Empirical Study on the Social Acceptance and Risk Perception of CO2-Based Fuels

Risk analysis and assessment of toxic effects are important elements to be considered in the development of renewable fuels, such as CO2-based fuels made from CO2, water, and renewable energy. However, the successful introduction of CO2-based fuels could also be affected by public concerns about possible risks and adverse effects on health and the environment. In order to examine risk perceptions of laypeople for CO2-based fuels and to understand if they can act as a barrier for the public acceptance of these fuels, we carried out an online survey with German laypeople. A special focus was placed on perceptions of toxic effects such as beliefs about exposure pathways and resulting health impacts, but also on participants’ openness towards CO2-based fuels. Results showed that CO2-based fuels were seen as an acceptable and beneficial technology and risks were perceived to be low. By tendency, lower risk perceptions were related to a higher acceptance of CO2-based fuels. The overall risk judgment was impacted by fears about toxic effects, concerns about environmental pollution, and the perceived general harmfulness of CO2-based fuels. The general openness towards CO2-based fuels was revealed to affect risk perceptions and beliefs about toxic effects: A higher openness towards the topic was linked to less severe concerns about CO2-based fuels. The findings from this study provide valuable insights on how to develop communication concepts to inform laypeople about possible risks and benefits of CO2-based fuels to address their concerns and information demands and give them a better understanding of the effects of toxic substances on different risk targets.

Indole-3-butyric acid, an alternative to GA3 for bunch quality enhancing of table grape Vitis vinifera L. cv. Superior Seedless

Gibberellic acid (GA3) is the most widely used plant growth regulator to thin out bunches and increase berry size in seedless table grapes, but there is evidence of its negative effects, including loss of fertility and malformations of the rachis. This study analyses the effects of applying the auxin indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), as a novel alternative, on fruit yield, bunch structure, anatomy and postharvest quality of cv. Superior Seedless. The application of IBA and GA3 at different phenological stages (15 cm shoot length, full bloom, fruit set and pea-size berry) and doses (2, 20 and 50 ppm) were compared in a two-growing season experiment. Spraying IBA at full bloom or fruit set, improved bunch weight by increasing the size and weight of the berries, correlating with the promotion of rachis vascular tissues. Bunches treated with IBA retained a greater number of berries at harvest without generating compactness, since the elongation of the rachis internodes and lateral shoulders were also promoted. In addition, IBA augmented postharvest quality of bunches by reducing rachis browning and increasing berry firmness. These results suggest that the use of IBA is a beneficial technology to improve bunch structure and quality in seedless grapes. Highlights IBA effects applied at different dosages and phenological stages was evaluated. IBA at full bloom and fruit set improved bunch and berry weight and berry size. The number of berries per bunch increased with IBA at full bloom and fruit set. IBA increased lateral rachis internode and lateral rachis length via promotion of vascular tissues. IBA increased postharvest quality, reduced rachis browning and increased of berry firmness.

Review of tungsten resource reserves, tungsten concentrate production and tungsten beneficiation technology in China

Tungsten is a strategic metal that is widely used in various fields such as electron communication, aeronautics and astronautics, materials and chemical engineering, due to its special properties. China has the largest reserves of tungsten resources and the largest output of tungsten concentrate in the world, and plays a decisive role in the world tungsten market. In this work, firstly, the reserves and distribution characteristics of tungsten resources in China were summarized, and the production situation of tungsten concentrate in China was reviewed. Based on the gross domestic product per capita (GDP/capita), five different annual GDP growth rates were used to estimate China's tungsten concentrate production in the future. The estimation results suggested that if China's economy continues to grow at the current rate, the accumulative production of tungsten concentrate will exceed current reserves by approximately 2032. Then, from the aspects of process flow, beneficiation equipment and flotation reagents, the beneficiation technology development of different types of tungsten ore in China was also reviewed, including wolframite, scheelite and tungsten-bearing slime. Finally, taking several representative tungsten mines in China as examples, the classic beneficiation technology of different types of tungsten ores was elucidated in detail. Meanwhile, the development direction of tungsten beneficiation technology in the future was put forward, which was of great significance to maintain the superiority of tungsten resources in China.

Artificial intelligence and its applications in digital hematopathology.

The advent of whole-slide imaging, faster image data generation, and cheaper forms of data storage have made it easier for pathologists to manipulate digital slide images and interpret more detailed biological processes in conjunction with clinical samples. In parallel, with continuous breakthroughs in object detection, image feature extraction, image classification and image segmentation, artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming the most beneficial technology for high-throughput analysis of image data in various biomedical imaging disciplines. Integrating digital images into biological workflows, advanced algorithms, and computer vision techniques expands the biologist's horizons beyond the microscope slide. Here, we introduce recent developments in AI applied to microscopy in hematopathology. We give an overview of its concepts and present its applications in normal or abnormal hematopoietic cells identification. We discuss how AI shows great potential to push the limits of microscopy and enhance the resolution, signal and information content of acquired data. Its shortcomings are discussed, as well as future directions for the field.

Biting Innovations of Mosquito-Based Biomaterials and Medical Devices.

Mosquitoes are commonly viewed as pests and deadly predators by humans. Despite this perception, investigations of their survival-based behaviors, select anatomical features, and biological composition have led to the creation of several beneficial technologies for medical applications. In this review, we briefly explore these mosquito-based innovations by discussing how unique characteristics and behaviors of mosquitoes drive the development of select biomaterials and medical devices. Mosquito-inspired microneedles have been fabricated from a variety of materials, including biocompatible metals and polymers, to mimic of the mouthparts that some mosquitoes use to bite a host with minimal injury during blood collection. The salivary components that these mosquitoes use to reduce the clotting of blood extracted during the biting process provide a rich source of anticoagulants that could potentially be integrated into blood-contacting biomaterials or administered in therapeutics to reduce the risk of thrombosis. Mosquito movement, vision, and olfaction are other behaviors that also have the potential for inspiring the development of medically relevant technologies. For instance, viscoelastic proteins that facilitate mosquito movement are being investigated for use in tissue engineering and drug delivery applications. Even the non-wetting nanostructure of a mosquito eye has inspired the creation of a robust superhydrophobic surface coating that shows promise for biomaterial and drug delivery applications. Additionally, biosensors incorporating mosquito olfactory receptors have been built to detect disease-specific volatile organic compounds. Advanced technologies derived from mosquitoes, and insects in general, form a research area that is ripe for exploration and can uncover potential in further dissecting mosquito features for the continued development of novel medical innovations.

Strengthening the Legal Framework for Personal Data Protection in Nigeria

Advancement in Information Communication Technology (ICT) has brought to the fore the need for the protection of individuals’ personal data. In today’s digital age, the personal data of individuals are routinely collected and stored in databases of both private and public establishments. Such personally identifiable information can easily be analyzed with fascinating accuracy, rapidly transmitted, and put to unimaginable uses. This situation has placed the regulation of personal data collection and uses on the front burner in many nations. The weak or total absence of regulation of personal data poses serious challenges to the security of lives and property of individuals and can constitute a serious disincentive for the adoption of beneficial technology. Employing the doctrinal methodology, this article examines the legal framework for personal data protection in Nigeria with the aim of assessing the adequacy or otherwise of relevant extant regulations in protecting the personal data of Nigerians and other people doing business in Nigeria. Looking at the state of the law in some developed and developing countries, the paper notes that the current state of regulation in Nigeria is still a far cry from what obtains in most countries of the global North and some sister African countries. It, therefore, concludes that there is a compelling need for a stronger regulatory framework for data privacy in Nigeria.

Evaluation of the degradation of materials by exposure to germicide UV-C light through colorimetry, tensile strength and surface microstructure analyses

Due to the COVID19 pandemic, solutions to automate disinfection using UV-C combined with mobile robots are beginning to be explored. It has been proved that the use of these systems highly reduces the risk of contagion. However, its use in real applications is not being as rapid as it needs to be. One of the main market input barriers is the fear of degrading facilities. For this reason, it is crucial to perform a detailed study on the degradation effect of UV-C light on inert materials. This experimental study proves that, considering exposition times equivalent to several work years in hospital rooms, only the appearance of the material is affected, but not their mechanical functionalities. This relevant result could contribute to accelerate the deployment of these beneficial disinfection technologies. For that purpose, a colorimetry test, tensile strength test, and analysis of the surface microstructure were carried out. The results showed that polymers tend to turn yellow, while fabrics lose intensity depending on the color. Red is hardly affected by UV-C, but blue and green are. Thus, this study contributes to the identification of the best materials and colors to be used in rooms subjected to disinfection processes. In addition, it is shown how the surface microstructure of the materials is altered in most of the materials, but not the tensile strength of the fabrics.

A newly-constructed bifunctional bacterial consortium for removing butyl xanthate and cadmium simultaneously from mineral processing wastewater: Experimental evaluation, degradation and biomineralization

Due to the technological limitations associated with beneficiation technology, large amounts of flotation reagents and heavy metals remain in mineral processing wastewater. Unfortunately, however, no treatment methods are available to mitigate the resulting pollution by them. In this study, a bacterial consortium SDMC (simultaneously degrade butyl xanthate and biomineralize cadmium) was constructed in an effort to simultaneously degrade butyl xanthate (BX) and biomineralize cadmium (Cd) by screening and domesticating two different bacterial species including Hypomicrobium and Sporosarcina. SDMC is efficient in removing the combined pollution due to BX and Cd with a 100% degradation rate for BX and 99% biomineralization rate for Cd within 4 h. Besides, SDMC can tolerate high concentrations of Fe(III) (0–40 mg/L). It has an excellent ability to utilize Fe(III) for enhanced removal of the combined pollutants. SDMC can effectively remove pollutants with a pH range of 6–9. Further, we discussed pathways for potential degradation and biomineralization: Cd(BX)2-Cd2+, BX−; BX−-CS2, butyl perxanthate (BPX); Cd2+-(Ca0.67,Cd0.33)CO3. The removal of the combined pollutants primarily entails decomposition, degradation, and biomineralization, C–O bond cleavage, and microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP). SDMC is a simple, efficient, and eco-friendly bifunctional bacterial consortium for effective treatment of BX-Cd combined pollution in mineral processing wastewater.

COVID-19 Lesion Segmentation and Classification of Lung CTs Using GMM-Based Hidden Markov Random Field and ResNet 18

COVID-19 has been circulating around the world for over a year, causing a severe pandemic in every country, affecting billions of people. One of the most extensively utilized diagnostic methodologies for diagnosing and detecting the presence of the COVID-19 virus is reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Various ideas have been proposed for the detection of COVID-19 using medical imaging. CT or computed tomography is one of the beneficial technologies for diagnosing COVID-19 patients, the need for screening of positive patients is an essential task to prevent the spread of the disease. Segmentation of Lung CT is the initial step to segment the infection caused by the virus in the lungs and to analyze the lungs CT. This article introduces a novel Hidden Markov Random Field based on Gaussian Mix Model (GMM-HMRF) method ensembled with the modified ResNet18 deep architecture for binary classification. The proposed architecture performed well in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity and achieved 86.1%, 86.77%, and 85.45%, respectively.

Quantization of the hydration and dodecylamine adsorption characteristics of hematite and quartz surface active sites to forecast the flotation behavior of minerals

The deep integration of modern information technology and mineral processing, the establishment and application of a database, and fast, efficient and accurate selection of beneficiation technology and flotation reagent system, which is a development trend of modern mineral processing. In this study, the flotation system with hematite, quartz and dodecylamine (DDA) as collector was used as an example to quantify the types and densities of active sites on the surfaces of hematite and quartz, as well as the reaction equilibrium constants of their hydration reactions and the adsorption equilibrium constants of DDA. Protonation and adsorption experiments were simulated using the Surface complexation model (SCM) with single site (≡SiOH or ≡FeOH) and monodentate surface complexation. The protonation and adsorption reaction equations were established based on the material and charge equilibrium under experimental conditions, and the equilibrium constants of the surface reactions were obtained by numerical optimization. Results of surface complexation model indicate that the adsorption ability of DDA on the quartz surface is stronger than that of hematite. DDA adsorption can be successfully predicted using SCM in pH and different mineral ratios system. Overall, this work reveals the quantitative expression of the mineral inherentcharacteristic and the affinity with reagents, forming a model for predicting the adsorption capacity of the reagent and providing an optimal solution for flotation.

Green synthesis of palladium nanoparticles using aqueous plant extracts and its biomedical applications

In recent years, metallic nanoparticles manufactured by green method have become a popular environmentally beneficial technology. Our current study describes an eco-friendly, biological production of palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) with leaf extracts from Allium fistulosum, Basella alba and Tabernaemontana divaricate. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) be used to characterise the produced PdNPs. The results of our SEM examination showed spherical form with a size of of 500 nm, 2 µm and 2 µm, correspondingly, for leaf extracts ofAllium fistulosum, Basella alba, and Tabernaemontana divaricatederived PdNPs. In TEM images of all three extracts, the diameter and shape of the generated PdNPs were rather constant. Therefore, PdNPs with diameters ranging from 2 to 5 nm were measured respectively. Finally, all the extracts were evaluated for antioxidant, antifungal and antibacterial activity. The optimized PdNPs were taken for the application of dye degradation process by varying the concentration from 0 to 50 of different aliquots of PdNPs dispersions at different time of 0 to 10 and about 1 mL of congo red (1x10-4 M) was mixed with 0.25 mg of PdNPs and kept for continuous stirring at room temperature (RT). The data demonstrated that the effects of duration and concentration were strongly related to the generated functional groups as well as nanoparticles, played an important role in decreasing metal ions and stabilising PdNPs in an environmentally manner.

Development and beneficiation technology of rare earth ores in China

The demand for rare earth elements (REE) is increasing rapidly owing to the emergence of new clean-energy and defense-related technologies. China's dominates the world production of REE. In this paper, we review the ore characteristics of four typical REE deposits in China and discuss the conventional beneficiation techniques, including gravity and magnetic separation, flotation, and hydrometallurgical processing of these ores. Some of the latest laboratory findings and industrial applications, as well as the development of novel reagents for REE processing in China are presented. The REE beneficiation technologies developed and employed in China could constitute a good case study for many other emerging projects being explored around the world.

Cost and Effort Considerations for the Development of Intervention Studies Using Mobile Health Platforms: Pragmatic Case Study

BackgroundThe research marketplace has seen a flood of open-source or commercial mobile health (mHealth) platforms that can collect and use user data in real time. However, there is a lack of practical literature on how these platforms are developed, integrated into study designs, and adopted, including important information around cost and effort considerations.ObjectiveWe intend to build critical literacy in the clinician-researcher readership into the cost, effort, and processes involved in developing and operationalizing an mHealth platform, focusing on Intui, an mHealth platform that we developed.MethodsWe describe the development of the Intui mHealth platform and general principles of its operationalization across sites.ResultsWe provide a worked example in the form of a case study. Intui was operationalized in the design of a behavioral activation intervention in collaboration with a mental health service provider. We describe the design specifications of the study site, the developed software, and the cost and effort required to build the final product.ConclusionsStudy designs, researcher needs, and technical considerations can impact effort and costs associated with the use of mHealth platforms. Greater transparency from platform developers about the impact of these factors on practical considerations relevant to end users such as clinician-researchers is crucial to increasing critical literacy around mHealth, thereby aiding in the widespread use of these potentially beneficial technologies and building clinician confidence in these tools.

Toward sustainable utilization of tungsten: Evidence from dynamic substance flow analysis from 2001 to 2019 in China

Tungsten is one strategic metal with diverse applications ranging from military, infrastructure to chemical industry. China is the biggest tungsten supplier and consumer in the world, but few studies focus on the domestic tungsten supply and demand. By conducting a hybrid dynamic substance flow analysis, this study investigates China's tungsten flow patterns from 2001 to 2019. Various flows (transformation, loss, trade and recycling flows) and stocks are explored, covering all the relevant aspects of tungsten extraction, production, consumption, trade and waste management. Results present that China had extracted around 1344 metric kilo-tons (kt) tungsten ores from earth crust, consumed 634 kt domestically and exported 381 kt to other countries during the study period. Key findings include: 1) unstable production capacity had led to 136.16 kt of tungsten surplus during the study period; 2) 309 kt of tungsten were lost in tailings due to inefficient mining and beneficiation technologies; 3) domestic industry upgrade and rapid economic development induced dynamic changes of tungsten trade structure in China; 4) only 17.72% of end-of-life (EoL) products had been recycled during the study period. Finally, policy recommendations are raised to improve the overall tungsten resource efficiency from governance, economic instruments and technology perspectives.