University Of Western Australia Research Articles

Thermodynamic Properties of Liquid Toluene from Speed-of-Sound Measurements at Temperatures from 283.15 K to 473.15 K and at Pressures up to 390 MPa

We report the speeds of sound in liquid toluene (methylbenzene) measured using double-path pulse-echo apparatus independently at The University of Western Australia (UWA) and Imperial College London (ICL). The UWA data were measured at temperatures between (306 and 423) K and at pressures up to 65 MPa with standard uncertainties of between (0.02 and 0.04)%. At ICL, measurements were made at temperatures between (283.15 and 473.15) K and at pressures up to 390 MPa with standard uncertainty of 0.06%. By means of thermodynamic integration, the measured sound-speed data were combined with initial density and isobaric heat capacity values obtained from extrapolated experimental data to derive a comprehensive set of thermodynamic properties of liquid toluene over the full measurement range. Extensive uncertainty analysis was performed by studying the response of derived properties to constant and dynamic perturbations of the sound-speed surface, as well as the initial density and heat capacity values. The relative expanded uncertainties at 95% confidence of derived density, isobaric heat capacity, isobaric expansivity, isochoric heat capacity, isothermal compressibility, isentropic compressibility, thermal pressure coefficient and internal pressure were estimated to be (0.2, 2.2, 1.0, 2.6, 0.6, 0.2, 1.0 and 2.7)%, respectively. Due to their low uncertainty, these data and derived properties should be well suited for developing a new and improved fundamental Helmholtz equation of state for toluene.

New Monoethylene-Glycol Sensor Validated by Flow Loop Under Hydrate-Forming Conditions

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 202375, “Validation of a Novel MEG Sensor Employing a Pilot-Scale Subsea Jumper,” by Asheesh Kumar, The University of Western Australia; Mauricio Di Lorenzo, SPE, CSIRO Energy; and Bruce W.E. Norris, SPE, The University of Western Australia, et al., prepared for the 2020 SPE Asia Pacific Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, originally scheduled to be held in Perth, Australia, 20–22 October. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Online pipeline-management systems provide real-time and look-ahead functionality for production networks. They are limited, however, by a dearth of data with which to inform their predictions. This represents a barrier to a true, high-fidelity digital twin. Greater integration with new sensor technologies is needed to bound model predictions and improve their reliability. In this work, the authors present a novel monoethylene-glycol (MEG) sensing system and validate it in a specially constructed flow loop. Introduction Subsea jumpers experience a high probability of hydrate blockages. The most common practice used to avoid hydrate formation in subsea wellhead jumpers essentially is based on the injection of thermodynamic hydrate inhibitors such as MEG and methanol at high flow rates to flush out and inhibit the water pooled in the low spots of the jumper spools. Such hydrate management operations in deep water require adequate planning to minimize unproductive time and may not be feasible in unplanned well shutdowns. To improve the models implemented in current sensing technologies and explore their potential for new functionalities to detect hydrate formation, measurements under realistic field conditions in a controlled environment are vital. In this work, a flow loop that replicates the geometry of industrial subsea jumpers was deployed to investigate the performance of a new MEG sensor for subsea applications under hydrate-forming conditions. Preliminary baseline experiments were performed at steady state and during gas-restart operations in the absence of any hydrates in the jumper flow loop. Experiments were performed at 64.4°F with nitrogen (N2) gas at 1,200 psig and superficial gas velocity ranges from 0.82 to 2.88 ft/s. The MEG-sensing system’s performance was investigated under hydrate-forming conditions with and without MEG (10–30 wt% in water) in the jumper test section. These experiments were performed at temperatures ranging from 25.2 to 35.6°F. Experimental Flow Loop The flow loop consists of a test section connected to independent gas and liquid injection equipment at the inlet and gas-separation facilities at the outlet, which allows for continuous recirculation of gas and a once-through pass of the liquid. The test section has a complex geometry, with three identical low points (LPs) and two high points. The horizontal length of each low and high points is 12 ft, 10 in., and 7 ft, 7 in., respectively, and total height is 13 ft, 2 in. The test section is equipped with 12 pressure and temperature sensors distributed at regular intervals, a MEG sensor at the second LP, a throttling valve downstream of the first high point to mimic a wellhead choke, and a viewing window at the outlet.

Editorial

aDivision of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia bDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Psychiatric Hospital ‘Sveti Ivan’, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb and Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia Correspondence to Mohan Isaac, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Level 7, T Block, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, WA 6160, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]

Sport and exercise psychology research from the Asian and South Pacific region: A bibliometric analysis

Given that the Asian-South Pacific Association of Sport Psychology has recently passed 30 years since its creation, it would be interesting to examine the pattern of scientific publications of researchers from the Asian and South Pacific region over that period. This bibliometric analysis summarizes and analyses sport and exercise psychology publications from the region from the establishment of the Association in 1989 to the present. We conducted a systematic search of publications authored by researchers from the Asian and South Pacific region in nine sport and exercise psychology journals indexed in the Web of Science from 1989 to 2020. We analysed overall trends, the most prominent authors in terms of number of publications and citations, keywords as a reflection of noteworthy topics, and maps representing co-authorship, country, and institution clusters. Of the total of 1,003 publications, more than half were published after 2012. The most prolific authors with at least 30 publications each were James A. Dimmock, Ben Jackson, and Daniel F. Gucciardi who are all affiliated to Australian universities. Authors of the top 10 most cited publications are affiliated to Australian, New Zealand, and Singapore universities. The universities with the most publications were from Australia (University of Western Australia, University of Queensland, Curtin University, Victoria University, University of Wollongong, and Australian Catholic University), Hong Kong (University of Hong Kong), New Zealand (University of Otago), Singapore (Nanyang Technological University), and Taiwan (National Taiwan Sport University). There is co-authorship between countries in the Asian and South Pacific region as well as outside the region. Most of the collaborations outside the region were with the USA and England.

Ethical leadership means sharing power: an interview with Felicity Haynes

Felicity Haynes earned Honours degrees in English and French literature from The University of Western Australia and completed her doctorate on reason and understanding at the University of Illinoi...

New Ag3 PO4 comparison material for stable oxygen isotope analysis.

RationaleA silver phosphate reference material (Ag3PO4) for the measurement of stable oxygen isotope compositions is much needed; however, it is not available from the authorities distributing reference materials. This study aims to fill this gap by calibrating a new Ag3PO4 stable isotope comparison material produced by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU).MethodsAliquots of Ag3PO4 were distributed to four laboratories who frequently measure the δ 18O value in Ag3PO4; the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), the University of Western Australia (UWA), the University of Helsinki (UH), and the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ). The instruments used to perform the measurements were high‐temperature conversion elemental analysers coupled with continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometers. The working gas δ 18O value was set to 0‰ and the normalization was done by a three‐point linear regression using the reference materials IAEA‐601, IAEA‐602, and NBS127.ResultsThe mean δ 18O value of the new BOKU Ag3PO4 comparison material on the VSMOW‐SLAP scale is 13.71‰ and the combined uncertainty is estimated as ±0.34‰. This estimated uncertainty is within the range typical for comparison materials of phosphates and sulphates. Consistent results from the different laboratories probably derived from similar instrumentation, and use of the same reference materials and normalization procedure. The matrix effect of the different reference materials used in this study was deemed negligible.ConclusionsThe BOKU Ag3PO4 can be used as an alternative comparison material for stable oxygen isotope analysis and is available for stable isotope research laboratories to facilitate calibration.

Dubiofossils from a Mars-analogue subsurface palaeoenvironment: The limits of biogenicity criteria.

The search for a fossil record of Earth's deep biosphere, partly motivated by potential analogies with subsurface habitats on Mars, has uncovered numerous assemblages of inorganic microfilaments and tubules inside ancient pores and fractures. Although these enigmatic objects are morphologically similar to mineralized microorganisms (and some contain organic carbon), they also resemble some abiotic structures. Palaeobiologists have responded to this ambiguity by evaluating problematic filaments against checklists of "biogenicity criteria". Here, we describe material that tests the limits of this approach. We sampled Jurassic calcite veins formed through subseafloor serpentinization, a water-rock reaction that can fuel the deep biosphere and is known to have occurred widely on Mars. At two localities ~4km apart, veins contained curving, branched microfilaments composed of Mg-silicate and Fe-oxide minerals. Using a wide range of analytical techniques including synchrotron X-ray microtomography and scanning transmission electron microscopy, we show that these features meet many published criteria for biogenicity and are comparable to fossilized cryptoendolithic fungi or bacteria. However, we argue that abiotic processes driven by serpentinization could account for the same set of lifelike features, and report a chemical garden experiment that supports this view. These filaments are, therefore, most objectively described as dubiofossils, a designation we here defend from criticism and recommend over alternative approaches, but which nevertheless signifies an impasse. Similar impasses can be anticipated in the future exploration of subsurface palaeo-habitats on Earth and Mars. To avoid them, further studies are required in biomimetic geochemical self-organization, microbial taphonomy and micro-analytical techniques, with a focus on subsurface habitats.

Ernest Rutherford’s ambitions

One of the pioneers of radioactivity research, Rutherford feared his work would be overlooked—and changed his publishing strategies to make sure it wasn’t.

West by Westerly: Exceptionalism in Australian Studies

ABSTRACT Charting a theme of exceptionalism, this article attempts to situate Australian studies within a west coast and Indian Ocean perspective. It looks in a westerly direction rather than the more prevalent Pacific-coast outlook of studies on Australia. Beginning by considering the journal Westerly, it follows networks of Australianists from The University of Western Australia mostly through the teaching of Australian literature and history, and especially the pioneering work of Bruce Bennett, John Hay, Tom Stannage and others, before speculating on generational renewal. The article discusses the zeitgeist created by the 1988 Australian Bicentennial and the Dawkins Revolution in higher education. It argues that Western Australian exceptionalism influenced the development of Australian studies here and that a distinct form of regionally based interdisciplinarity took root. The attempt to triangulate Australian studies through Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne in the early 2000s produced a remarkable series of publications through the Journal of Australians Studies. The article concludes on an optimistic note following the establishment of the Australian Studies Network at The University of Western Australia in 2019.

Trend and research status of agronomy based on the Essential Science Indicators during 2009–2019

AbstractBased on the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database, this study analyzed 734 top papers in the subject category of Agronomy from 2009 to 2019, which include 730 highly cited papers and seven hot papers in the field. All papers written in English, were from 3,540 authors; 1,225 organizations; and 91 countries/territories, published in 47 journals and book series in the field of Agronomy. The journals with the highest impact factor (IF) were Industrial Crops and Products, Plant and Soil, Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, Pest Management Science, and Field Crops Research. The countries and regions with the highest IF were United States, People's Republic of China, France, Germany, and Australia. The organizations with the highest average IF were INRA, University of Western Australia, Chinese Academy of Science, China Agriculture University, and University of California‐Davis. This work is useful for students identifying graduate schools and researchers selecting journals.

Hyperspectral face recognition with a spatial information fusion for local dynamic texture patterns and collaborative representation classifier

Hyperspectral face recognition provides improved classification rates due to its abundant information in the face cubes of every subject in hyperspectral face databases. However, while offering excellent opportunities, it also brings new challenges, such as low signal-to-noise ratio, interband misalignment, and high data dimensionality. Based on these ad hoc problems, literature has already proposed some optimisation methods including dimensionality reduction, image denoising, and alignment to perform face recognition, yet lacking comprehensive evaluation. This paper proposes a novel hyperspectral face recognition algorithm that is based on spatial information fusion for feature extraction (histogram of local dynamic texture patterns) and collaborative representation classifier for classification. Meanwhile, the algorithm is applied to three popular hyperspectral face databases, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)-hyperspectral face database (HSFD), University of Western Australia (UWA)-HSFD, and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU)-HSFD databases. Experimental results demonstrate that CMU-HSFD and UWA-HSFD databases achieve very competitive classification results. PolyU-HSFD database also achieves rather good classification rates. The best recognition results are 98.5% ± 0.95, 96.6% ± 0.98, and 94.0% ± 2.86 for CMU-HSFD, UWA-HSFD and PolyU-HSFD, respectively. It demonstrates experimentally that this algorithm can be used to recognise faces. Moreover, we compared eight existing state-of-the-art face recognition techniques with our proposed method in performing hyperspectral face recognition. In this research, we formulate hyperspectral face recognition as an image-set classification problem and evaluate the performances compared with other kinds of algorithms. Comparisons with the eight existing hyperspectral face recognition techniques on three standard datasets show that the proposed algorithm outperforms most other state-of-the-art algorithms, indicating that it is a promising approach for hyperspectral face recognition.

Editorial introductions.

Editorial introductions.

DEFECT FUNCTION MODELS FOR THE WAVE BOUNDARY LAYERS

The boundary layer flow induced by surface waves has been extensively investigated due to its significance in engineering applications such as sediment transport and hydrodynamic forces on subsea structures. Several forms of defect functions (referred to as DF hereafter) were developed in the past decades, e.g. Sleath (1970, 1982), Nielsen (1985, 2016) and etc., due to their good efficiency in the description of the velocity distribution in one dimensional wave boundary layer (WBL). In this work, two forms of DFs are proposed: (i) DF-I describes the velocity distributions and bottom shear stresses in phase space with 4 model parameters; (ii) DF-II describes the maximum WBL profile with 3 model parameters. A number of datasets to support the validation of the DFs were obtained through experimental and numerical tests. Two sets of experiments were conducted individually in a free-surface-wave flume located in Dalian University of Technology and an oscillating-flow flume located in the University of Western Australia. For the free surface wave tests, the velocity was measured.Recorded Presentation from the vICCE (YouTube Link): https://youtu.be/RK-z0Q8rTjk

Linked Administrative Data’s Role in Victoria’s First Social Impact Investment – Journey to Social Inclusion – Working to End Chronic Homelessness

The Journey to Social Inclusion (J2SI) Social Impact Investment (SII) is Victoria’s first social impact investment. It has two outcome payments, for stable housing and reduction in hospital bed days. Linked administrative data is being used to calculate the performance levels and outcome payments from the Victorian Government to J2SI. This paper discusses the methodologies and challenges encountered in the use of the linked administrative data for the calculation of the outcome payments for the J2SI SII.
 IntroductionJ2SI will receive half of the program costs for service delivery based on the level of performance of two outcome payments. The outcome payments are the difference between the results for the Intervention Group and the Control Group. The results are being calculated using linked administrative datasets for health, housing and justice, by the Centre for Victorian Data Linkage (CVDL) and the Centre for Social Impact, University of Western Australia (CSI UWA) respectively.
 Objectives and ApproachThe paper will outline the approach taken to calculate the results for the Intervention Group and the Control Group, explore the benefits and challenges of arising from different parties being involved in the calculations and present the lessons learned for future social impact bonds in Victoria and other States/Territories.
 ResultsThe work has highlighted the importance of clearly understanding and documenting all of the datasets and how they are to be used prior to the commencement of the calculations. High level descriptions are not adequate preparation for the precision required for the actual calculations. The work has also highlighted the differences is using linked data for research and service implementation.
 Conclusion / ImplicationsLinked administrative data is a robust source of data for the calculation of outcome payments for social impact investments. However, with the timeliness of payments important for service delivery and financing, thorough preparation for the calculation of the results and outcome payments is essential.

Editorial introductions

Current Opinion in Lipidology was launched in 1990. It is part of a successful series of review journals whose unique format is designed to provide a systematic and critical assessment of the literature as presented in the many primary journals. The field of lipidology is divided into six sections that are reviewed once a year. Each section is assigned a Section Editor, a leading authority in the area, who identifies the most important topics at that time. Here we are pleased to introduce the Section Editors for this issue. SECTION EDITORS Erik S.G. StroesErik S.G. StroesErik S.G. Stroes is Chair of the Department of Vascular Medicine at the Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. After gaining his Doctor of Medicine degree from Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, he then specialized in internal medicine at University Medical Center, Utrecht, The Netherlands, and later in vascular medicine at the Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam. Professor Stroes’ research interests include the role of the vessel wall in atherosclerosis development and lipid disorders in relation to atherogenesis. He has been an investigator in numerous lipid-lowering trials using various surrogate markers, such as intima-media thickness and flow-mediated dilation, and more recently 3T magnetic resonance imaging as a surrogate marker for vascular disease progression. He has also been involved in the development of novel therapeutic moieties for dyslipidemia, such as lipoprotein lipase gene therapy, antisense oligonucleotide inhibition of apolipoprotein B synthesis, and reconstituted high-density lipoprotein infusion. He has been the recipient of numerous research grants and several awards. Professor Stroes is Chair of the Dutch Atherosclerosis Society, member of the Vascular Biology Working Group, member of the American Heart Association Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, and former Chair of the Dutch Internist Vascular Society. He has published more than 300 papers in various peer-reviewed journals and authored several book chapters in the field. Gerald F. WattsGerald F. WattsGerald F. Watts (DSc DM PhD FRCP FRACP) trained at Imperial College (St Mary's Hospital) and King's College (St Thomas’ Hospital) in the University of London. He is a consultant physician, specializing in lipid disorders and cardiovascular medicine, within the department of cardiology at Royal Perth Hospital, as well as Winthrop Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine in the University of Western Australia. He is Chair of The Familial Hypercholesterolaemia (FH)-Australasia Network and executive board member of the International Atherosclerosis Society. His research interests include lipid disorders and cardiovascular prevention, with clinical interest focusing on delivering improved health care for patients and families with FH. Professor Watts is actively involved in undergraduate medical education and supervisors PhD students and post-doctoral fellows. He has authored over 500 published works, including scientific articles, reviews, book chapters and monographs, and is associate editor of Atherosclerosis, Journal Clinical Lipidology and Metabolism.

Fiddler crabs ignore near misses when threatened from all sides

Everyone suffers with attention overload from time to time. Sometimes there are simply too many meetings and deadlines for one brain to keep track of, so you have to prioritise. Yet, compared with the life and death attention grabbers that stalk many creatures’ lives, we've got it easy. ‘Prey animals are often exposed to multiple simultaneous threats, which significantly complicates the decision-making process’, says Zahra Bagheri from the University of Western Australia. So how do animals that are facing several threats simultaneously prioritise which one, or ones, to take seriously?To find out how fiddler crabs respond when confronted with two looming threats, Bagheri, Callum Donohue and Jan Hemmi, also from the University of Western Australia, rigged up a pair of black spheres suspended on fishing line travelling threateningly toward the crustaceans: one on a direct collision course and the second coming in at an angle to produce an alarming near miss. Intriguingly, the crabs that were on a near-miss collision course began scuttling for safety when the alarming ball was as much as 300 cm away. However, the crabs that were in direct line with the incoming sphere stood their ground until it was within 100 cm; only then did they beat a retreat. In contrast, when confronted with both inbound balls simultaneously, instead of turning tail when the near-miss ball was within 300 cm, the crabs held on until the ball heading straight for them came within a threatening 100 cm. The crabs appeared to be completely disregarding the less dangerous threat, focusing exclusively on the inbound ball that could genuinely bowl them over.‘Crabs that face multiple predators simultaneously behave as if they only face the single, directly approaching predator’, says Bagheri, adding, ‘this suggests that the crabs do not perceive, or do not respond to, the increased risk of predation posed by two simultaneous predators’. The team suspects that the crabs weigh up the relative dangers of each impending threat and focus on the one that poses the greatest risk, ignoring others that would simply result in a narrow escape. After all, there's only so much attention to go around, so the key to survival is to use it wisely.

COVID-19, children and schools: overlooked and at risk.

Medical Journal of AustraliaVolume 213, Issue 10 p. 444-446.e1 Perspectives COVID-19, children and schools: overlooked and at risk Zoë Hyde, Corresponding Author Zoë Hyde zoe.hyde@uwa.edu.au orcid.org/0000-0002-5985-1729 Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, University of Western Australia, Perth, WAzoe.hyde@uwa.edu.auSearch for more papers by this author Zoë Hyde, Corresponding Author Zoë Hyde zoe.hyde@uwa.edu.au orcid.org/0000-0002-5985-1729 Western Australian Centre for Health and Ageing, University of Western Australia, Perth, WAzoe.hyde@uwa.edu.auSearch for more papers by this author First published: 25 October 2020 https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.50823Citations: 21 The unedited version of this article was published as a preprint on mja.com.au on 12 August 2020. Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume213, Issue10November 2020Pages 444-446.e1 RelatedInformation

No sense of place in a biodiversity hotspot

This essay is based on my 2019 George Seddon Memorial Lecture at the University of Western Australia. Professor George Seddon AM (1927–2007), had a Ph.D. in geology but held the Chair of History and Philosophy of Science at the University of New South Wales and later became Director of the Centre for Environmental Studies and the Dean of Architecture and Planning at Melbourne University. Across five decades he held Chairs in four different disciplines (English, University of Western Australia; Geology, University of Oregon; History and Philosophy of Science, University of New South Wales; Environmental Science, University of Melbourne) and taught at universities in Lisbon, Toronto, Bologna, Rome, Venice, Minnesota and Oregon. He was awarded the Eureka Prize from the Australian Museum in 1995, the Mawson Medal from the Academy of Science in 1996 and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Planning Institute of Australia.

Editorial.

aDivision of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, WA, Australia bDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Psychiatric Hospital ‘Sveti Ivan’, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb and Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Osijek, Croatia Correspondence to Mohan Isaac, Division of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Level 7, T Block, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, WA 6160, Australia. E-mail: [email protected]

Lessons Learned by Converting a First-Year Physical Chemistry Unit into an Online Course in 2 Weeks

The disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic caused academic staff from around the world to convert to online methods of teaching. At the University of Western Australia, this transition was implemente...