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Comparing tree topologies is an invaluable biological tool, though it is mathematically difficult to systematize. Tree comparisons are simpler to compute on ordered/labeled graphs, which are produced through the eutelic lineages of Caenorhabditis elegans development. We make use of this property to create novel approaches to compare the values and topologies of weighted graphs. This involves generalizing the euclidean norm to the weighted edges of tree structures to create a branch distance, incorporating the tree edit distance as a measure of topological distance, and normalizing the tree edit distance into the Jaccard Distance. These approaches are benchmarked by measuring cell cycle timing in embryonic cell lineages using this framework to categorize patterns of development and corroborating these findings with known developmental properties of this model organism.

Comparing tree topologies is an invaluable biological tool, though it is mathematically difficult to systematize. Tree comparisons are simpler to compute on ordered/labeled graphs, which are produced through the eutelic lineages of Caenorhabditis elegans development. We make use of this property to create novel approaches to compare the values and topologies of weighted graphs. This involves generalizing the euclidean norm to the weighted edges of tree structures to create a branch distance, incorporating the tree edit distance as a measure of topological distance, and normalizing the tree edit distance into the Jaccard Distance. These approaches are benchmarked by measuring cell cycle timing in embryonic cell lineages using this framework to categorize patterns of development and corroborating these findings with known developmental properties of this model organism.

In recent years, the building industry has shown great interest in hybrid-timber construction. A smart combination of timber, steel and concrete can produce building structures that not only have a less environmental impact and lower carbon footprint, but also bring lighter, taller (buckling-resilient), and long-spanning solutions. Moreover, efficient technologies can be used to rework or recycle wood products, such as fibres into hybrid modules to assist the growing trend towards a circular economy. In this study, small-scale hybrid steel-timber structural modules are developed by inserting dried wood fibre products inside cold-formed steel square hollow sections without using adhesive. Using this technique, fibre-filled steel tubular (FFST) beams, columns, and 2D frames were manufactured and tested. The experimental results indicate that the FFST columns have axial stiffness and strength by 44% and 55%, respectively, higher than steel-only columns, while the flexural stiffness and strength of the FFST beam are 8.5% and 28% higher, respectively than the steel-only beam. The weight-to-performance ratio for the FFST columns and beams is 19.03% and 58.82% higher than a steel-only columns and beams, respectively. The beam-to-column connections of the FFST frames showed sizeable ductility in flexure. The significant results as part of this paper, as well as ease of assembly, suggest that the proposed FFST frames can be up scaled and potentially be used in residential dwellings or similar low-rise applications.

In recent years, the building industry has shown great interest in hybrid-timber construction. A smart combination of timber, steel and concrete can produce building structures that not only have a less environmental impact and lower carbon footprint, but also bring lighter, taller (buckling-resilient), and long-spanning solutions. Moreover, efficient technologies can be used to rework or recycle wood products, such as fibres into hybrid modules to assist the growing trend towards a circular economy. In this study, small-scale hybrid steel-timber structural modules are developed by inserting dried wood fibre products inside cold-formed steel square hollow sections without using adhesive. Using this technique, fibre-filled steel tubular (FFST) beams, columns, and 2D frames were manufactured and tested. The experimental results indicate that the FFST columns have axial stiffness and strength by 44% and 55%, respectively, higher than steel-only columns, while the flexural stiffness and strength of the FFST beam are 8.5% and 28% higher, respectively than the steel-only beam. The weight-to-performance ratio for the FFST columns and beams is 19.03% and 58.82% higher than a steel-only columns and beams, respectively. The beam-to-column connections of the FFST frames showed sizeable ductility in flexure. The significant results as part of this paper, as well as ease of assembly, suggest that the proposed FFST frames can be up scaled and potentially be used in residential dwellings or similar low-rise applications.

In recent years, the building industry has shown great interest in hybrid-timber construction. A smart combination of timber, steel and concrete can produce building structures that not only have a less environmental impact and lower carbon footprint, but also bring lighter, taller (buckling-resilient), and long-spanning solutions. Moreover, efficient technologies can be used to rework or recycle wood products, such as fibres into hybrid modules to assist the growing trend towards a circular economy. In this study, small-scale hybrid steel-timber structural modules are developed by inserting dried wood fibre products inside cold-formed steel square hollow sections without using adhesive. Using this technique, fibre-filled steel tubular (FFST) beams, columns, and 2D frames were manufactured and tested. The experimental results indicate that the FFST columns have axial stiffness and strength by 44% and 55%, respectively, higher than steel-only columns, while the flexural stiffness and strength of the FFST beam are 8.5% and 28% higher, respectively than the steel-only beam. The weight-to-performance ratio for the FFST columns and beams is 19.03% and 58.82% higher than a steel-only columns and beams, respectively. The beam-to-column connections of the FFST frames showed sizeable ductility in flexure. The significant results as part of this paper, as well as ease of assembly, suggest that the proposed FFST frames can be up scaled and potentially be used in residential dwellings or similar low-rise applications.

In recent years, the building industry has shown great interest in hybrid-timber construction. A smart combination of timber, steel and concrete can produce building structures that not only have a less environmental impact and lower carbon footprint, but also bring lighter, taller (buckling-resilient), and long-spanning solutions. Moreover, efficient technologies can be used to rework or recycle wood products, such as fibres into hybrid modules to assist the growing trend towards a circular economy. In this study, small-scale hybrid steel-timber structural modules are developed by inserting dried wood fibre products inside cold-formed steel square hollow sections without using adhesive. Using this technique, fibre-filled steel tubular (FFST) beams, columns, and 2D frames were manufactured and tested. The experimental results indicate that the FFST columns have axial stiffness and strength by 44% and 55%, respectively, higher than steel-only columns, while the flexural stiffness and strength of the FFST beam are 8.5% and 28% higher, respectively than the steel-only beam. The weight-to-performance ratio for the FFST columns and beams is 19.03% and 58.82% higher than a steel-only columns and beams, respectively. The beam-to-column connections of the FFST frames showed sizeable ductility in flexure. The significant results as part of this paper, as well as ease of assembly, suggest that the proposed FFST frames can be up scaled and potentially be used in residential dwellings or similar low-rise applications.

Neuraminidase (NA) accounts for approximately 10-20% of the total glycoproteins on the surface of influenza viruses. It cleaves sialic acids on glycoproteins, which facilitates virus entry into the airways by cleaving heavily glycosylated mucins in mucus and the release of progeny virus from the surface of infected cells. These functions make NA an attractive vaccine target. To inform rational vaccine design, we define the functionality of influenza DNA vaccine-induced NA-specific antibodies relative to antigenic sites in pigs and ferrets challenged with a vaccine-homologous A/California/7/2009(H1N1)pdm09 strain. Sera collected pre-vaccination, post-vaccination and post-challenge were analyzed for antibody-mediated inhibition of NA activity using a recombinant H7N1CA09 virus. Antigenic sites were further identified with linear and conformational peptide microarrays spanning the full NA of A/California/04/2009(H1N1)pdm09. Vaccine-induced NA-specific antibodies inhibited the enzymatic function of NA in both animal models. The antibodies target critical sites of NA such as the enzymatic site, second sialic binding site and framework residues, shown here by high-resolution epitope mapping. New possible antigenic sites were identified that potentially block the catalytic activity of NA, including an epitope recognized solely in pigs and ferrets with neuraminidase inhibition, which could be a key antigenic site affecting NA function. These findings show that our influenza DNA vaccine candidate induces NA-specific antibodies that target known critical sites, and new potential antigenic sites of NA, inhibiting the catalytic activity of NA.

Neuraminidase (NA) accounts for approximately 10-20% of the total glycoproteins on the surface of influenza viruses. It cleaves sialic acids on glycoproteins, which facilitates virus entry into the airways by cleaving heavily glycosylated mucins in mucus and the release of progeny virus from the surface of infected cells. These functions make NA an attractive vaccine target. To inform rational vaccine design, we define the functionality of influenza DNA vaccine-induced NA-specific antibodies relative to antigenic sites in pigs and ferrets challenged with a vaccine-homologous A/California/7/2009(H1N1)pdm09 strain. Sera collected pre-vaccination, post-vaccination and post-challenge were analyzed for antibody-mediated inhibition of NA activity using a recombinant H7N1CA09 virus. Antigenic sites were further identified with linear and conformational peptide microarrays spanning the full NA of A/California/04/2009(H1N1)pdm09. Vaccine-induced NA-specific antibodies inhibited the enzymatic function of NA in both animal models. The antibodies target critical sites of NA such as the enzymatic site, second sialic binding site and framework residues, shown here by high-resolution epitope mapping. New possible antigenic sites were identified that potentially block the catalytic activity of NA, including an epitope recognized solely in pigs and ferrets with neuraminidase inhibition, which could be a key antigenic site affecting NA function. These findings show that our influenza DNA vaccine candidate induces NA-specific antibodies that target known critical sites, and new potential antigenic sites of NA, inhibiting the catalytic activity of NA.

Neuraminidase (NA) accounts for approximately 10-20% of the total glycoproteins on the surface of influenza viruses. It cleaves sialic acids on glycoproteins, which facilitates virus entry into the airways by cleaving heavily glycosylated mucins in mucus and the release of progeny virus from the surface of infected cells. These functions make NA an attractive vaccine target. To inform rational vaccine design, we define the functionality of influenza DNA vaccine-induced NA-specific antibodies relative to antigenic sites in pigs and ferrets challenged with a vaccine-homologous A/California/7/2009(H1N1)pdm09 strain. Sera collected pre-vaccination, post-vaccination and post-challenge were analyzed for antibody-mediated inhibition of NA activity using a recombinant H7N1CA09 virus. Antigenic sites were further identified with linear and conformational peptide microarrays spanning the full NA of A/California/04/2009(H1N1)pdm09. Vaccine-induced NA-specific antibodies inhibited the enzymatic function of NA in both animal models. The antibodies target critical sites of NA such as the enzymatic site, second sialic binding site and framework residues, shown here by high-resolution epitope mapping. New possible antigenic sites were identified that potentially block the catalytic activity of NA, including an epitope recognized solely in pigs and ferrets with neuraminidase inhibition, which could be a key antigenic site affecting NA function. These findings show that our influenza DNA vaccine candidate induces NA-specific antibodies that target known critical sites, and new potential antigenic sites of NA, inhibiting the catalytic activity of NA.

In recent years, the building industry has shown great interest in hybrid-timber construction. A smart combination of timber, steel and concrete can produce building structures that not only have a less environmental impact and lower carbon footprint, but also bring lighter, taller (buckling-resilient), and long-spanning solutions. Moreover, efficient technologies can be used to rework or recycle wood products, such as fibres into hybrid modules to assist the growing trend towards a circular economy. In this study, small-scale hybrid steel-timber structural modules are developed by inserting dried wood fibre products inside cold-formed steel square hollow sections without using adhesive. Using this technique, fibre-filled steel tubular (FFST) beams, columns, and 2D frames were manufactured and tested. The experimental results indicate that the FFST columns have axial stiffness and strength by 44% and 55%, respectively, higher than steel-only columns, while the flexural stiffness and strength of the FFST beam are 8.5% and 28% higher, respectively than the steel-only beam. The weight-to-performance ratio for the FFST columns and beams is 19.03% and 58.82% higher than a steel-only columns and beams, respectively. The beam-to-column connections of the FFST frames showed sizeable ductility in flexure. The significant results as part of this paper, as well as ease of assembly, suggest that the proposed FFST frames can be up scaled and potentially be used in residential dwellings or similar low-rise applications.

Objective: Cybersecurity threats are a growing concern around the world. Research found that the weakest element in the cybersecurity chain is that of the human. The use of security technologies failed to address the problem in instances where employees engage in activities that place themselves and the company at risk. Hence, the role human factors play in cybersecurity is crucial. The present study aims to examine the effects of information security issues awareness, top management support, leadership, information security policy and cybersecurity awareness training on risky cybersecurity behaviour among employees in water sector.   Method: The quantitative method was applied in this study. The data were collected from 425 employees from four water companies located in northern states of Malaysia. The respondents are selected using disproportionate stratified random sampling technique. The survey was conducted using questionnaire. PLS-SEM was used to test the proposed hypotheses.   Results: The results show that security issues awareness and top management support are negatively related to risky cybersecurity behaviour. This suggest that the greater security issues awareness and top management support, lower the tendency to engage in risky cybersecurity behaviour among employees. Contrary to the prediction, cybersecurity awareness training was found to be positively related with risky cybersecurity behaviour.   Conclusions: The findings of the study have several theoretical and practical implications. Security issues awareness and top management support are important factors to avoid threat of cyber-attacks. By ensuring cybersecurity, water security is stored hence the well-being of people is taken care since water is a fundamental need of human lives. The stability and security of the country also can be maintained with secure and sustainable water resiliency. Finally, the economic losses due to cyber-attacks can be reduced.

Scientists are adopting new approaches to scale up their activities and goals. Progress in neurotechnologies, artificial intelligence, automation, and tools for collaboration promises new bursts of discoveries. However, compared to other disciplines and the industry, neuroscience laboratories have been slow to adopt key technologies to support collaboration, reproducibility, and automation. Drawing on progress in other fields, we define a roadmap for implementing automated research workflows for diverse research teams. We propose establishing a five-level capability maturity model for operations in neuroscience research. Achieving higher levels of operational maturity requires new technology-enabled methodologies, which we describe as ``SciOps''. The maturity model provides guidelines for evaluating and upgrading operations in multidisciplinary neuroscience teams., Comment: 10 pages, one figure

We present a novel approach to implement compressive sensing in laser scanning microscopes (LSM), specifically in image scanning microscopy (ISM), using a single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) array detector. Our method addresses two significant limitations in applying compressive sensing to LSM: the time to compute the sampling matrix and the quality of reconstructed images. We employ a fixed sampling strategy, skipping alternate rows and columns during data acquisition, which reduces the number of points scanned by a factor of four and eliminates the need to compute different sampling matrices. By exploiting the parallel images generated by the SPAD array, we improve the quality of the reconstructed compressive-ISM images compared to standard compressive confocal LSM images. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach in producing higher-quality images with reduced data acquisition time and potential benefits in reducing photobleaching., Comment: Presented in ISCS23

Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), School of Eng & Built Env, Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology, During recent decades, the use of aluminium lipped channel (ALC) beams as purlins, and floor joists in roof and floor systems in the construction industry has significantly increased due to their superior mechanical characteristics compared to steel, such as durability, light weight, high strength to weight ratio, and being weatherproof. However, despite these advantages, the elastic modulus of aluminium is only one-third that of steel. Hence ALC beams with shorter span lengths are vulnerable to buckling failures under concentrated load, such as shear and web crippling. On the other hand, ALC beams with longer span lengths can fail due to combined actions such as bending and shear actions, and bending and web crippling actions. In the past, the structural response of ALC beams has been investigated, but only under single actions of shear, web crippling, and bending. However, the behaviour of ALC beams subjected to combined bending and shear actions, and bending and web crippling actions needs to be investigated for real-world engineering applications. To address this research gap, experimental and numerical investigations on the strength and behaviour of ALC beams subjected to two scenarios of combined bending and shear actions, and combined bending and web crippling actions were conducted, and are presented in this thesis. The first step of the research focused on experimental investigation. Subsequently, numerical investigations including validation and parametric studies were carried out. Finally, the current available design rules were assessed and new design rules were proposed where needed. The experimental study comprised four test series of pure bending, web crippling, combined bending and shear actions, and combined bending and web crippling actions, using 12 different ALC sections. All ALC beams chosen for the experimental test program were supplied by BlueScope Permalite, Australia. The test specimens were fabricated by roll-forming method using aluminium

The effects of adding surfactants to polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives were tested relative to the gluability of spotted gum timber for structural glue-laminated beams (Glulam). While previous attempts to improve the bond performance of this very difficult to glue timber have focused primarily on timber surface preparations, this study concentrated on lowering the adhesive surface tension through added surfactants to improve the adhesive-timber surface wetting. Accordingly, 44 glulam samples were manufactured using polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives, with eight surfactant formulations and two different pre-gluing surface machining methods, i.e., face milling and planing. Although the surfactants were successful in drastically lowering the adhesive surface tension and improving adhesive spreading, none of the surfactant formulations tested were successful in improving the glulam adhesive bond qualities. Overall, the surfactant formulations produced considerably higher delamination, lower shear strength, and lower wood fibre failure compared to the control samples; therefore, they are not a viable solution to improve the gluing of spotted gum. The resorcinol formaldehyde adhesive and face milling produced considerably better results compared to the polyurethane adhesives and conventional planing.

A number of international timbers of high commercial importance are extremely difficult to glue, which is significantly hindering access to global market opportunities for engineered wood products, especially for heavily demanded structural products. Some particularly problematic timbers in Australia are the dominant commercial hardwood species, including spotted gum (Corymbia spp.) and Darwin stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta). These species are renowned for their very high mechanical properties, natural durability and attractive aesthetic appeal. However, they are notoriously difficult to glue, especially for sawn laminate-based engineered wood products, such as structural glue-laminated beams. Despite considerable effort and testing of diverse internationally established best-practice approaches to improve adhesion, glue-laminated beam samples of these timbers still frequently fail to meet the requirements of the relevant standard, mainly due to excessive glue line delamination. This paper discusses the key barriers to effective adhesion of these high-density timbers and particularly emphasises the necessity of achieving greater adhesive penetration. Greater adhesive penetration is required to enhance mechanical interlocking, entanglement and molecular interactions between the adhesive and the wood to achieve stronger and more durable bonds. Potential solutions to enhance adhesive penetration, as well as to improve gluability in general, are discussed in terms of their likelihood to satisfactorily prevent delamination and the potential to be applied at an industrial scale. This new fundamental understanding will assist the development of solutions, allowing industry to commercialise newly engineered wood products made from high-density timbers.

Oseltamivir-resistant influenza viruses arise due to amino acid mutations in key residues of the viral neuraminidase (NA). These changes often come at a fitness cost; however, it is known that permissive mutations in the viral NA can overcome this cost. This result was observed in former seasonal A(H1N1) viruses in 2007 which expressed the H275Y substitution (N1 numbering) with no apparent fitness cost and lead to widespread oseltamivir resistance. Therefore, this study aims to predict permissive mutations that may similarly enable fit H275Y variants to arise in currently circulating A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses. The first approach in this study utilized in silico analyses to predict potentially permissive mutations. The second approach involved the generation of a virus library which encompassed all possible NA mutations while keeping H275Y fixed. Fit variants were then selected by serially passaging the virus library either through ferrets by transmission or passaging once in vitro. The fitness impact of selected substitutions was further evaluated experimentally. The computational approach predicted three candidate permissive NA mutations which, in combination with each other, restored the replicative fitness of an H275Y variant. The second approach identified a stringent bottleneck during transmission between ferrets; however, three further substitutions were identified which may improve transmissibility. A comparison of fit H275Y variants in vitro and in experimentally infected animals showed a statistically significant correlation in the variants that were positively selected. Overall, this study provides valuable tools and insights into potential permissive mutations that may facilitate the emergence of a fit H275Y A(H1N1)pdm09 variant. IMPORTANCE Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) is the most widely used antiviral for the treatment of influenza infections. Therefore, resistance to oseltamivir is a public health concern. This study is important as it explores the different evolut

The effects of adding surfactants to polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives were tested relative to the gluability of spotted gum timber for structural glue-laminated beams (Glulam). While previous attempts to improve the bond performance of this very difficult to glue timber have focused primarily on timber surface preparations, this study concentrated on lowering the adhesive surface tension through added surfactants to improve the adhesive-timber surface wetting. Accordingly, 44 glulam samples were manufactured using polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives, with eight surfactant formulations and two different pre-gluing surface machining methods, i.e., face milling and planing. Although the surfactants were successful in drastically lowering the adhesive surface tension and improving adhesive spreading, none of the surfactant formulations tested were successful in improving the glulam adhesive bond qualities. Overall, the surfactant formulations produced considerably higher delamination, lower shear strength, and lower wood fibre failure compared to the control samples; therefore, they are not a viable solution to improve the gluing of spotted gum. The resorcinol formaldehyde adhesive and face milling produced considerably better results compared to the polyurethane adhesives and conventional planing.

A number of international timbers of high commercial importance are extremely difficult to glue, which is significantly hindering access to global market opportunities for engineered wood products, especially for heavily demanded structural products. Some particularly problematic timbers in Australia are the dominant commercial hardwood species, including spotted gum (Corymbia spp.) and Darwin stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta). These species are renowned for their very high mechanical properties, natural durability and attractive aesthetic appeal. However, they are notoriously difficult to glue, especially for sawn laminate-based engineered wood products, such as structural glue-laminated beams. Despite considerable effort and testing of diverse internationally established best-practice approaches to improve adhesion, glue-laminated beam samples of these timbers still frequently fail to meet the requirements of the relevant standard, mainly due to excessive glue line delamination. This paper discusses the key barriers to effective adhesion of these high-density timbers and particularly emphasises the necessity of achieving greater adhesive penetration. Greater adhesive penetration is required to enhance mechanical interlocking, entanglement and molecular interactions between the adhesive and the wood to achieve stronger and more durable bonds. Potential solutions to enhance adhesive penetration, as well as to improve gluability in general, are discussed in terms of their likelihood to satisfactorily prevent delamination and the potential to be applied at an industrial scale. This new fundamental understanding will assist the development of solutions, allowing industry to commercialise newly engineered wood products made from high-density timbers.

The effects of adding surfactants to polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives were tested relative to the gluability of spotted gum timber for structural glue-laminated beams (Glulam). While previous attempts to improve the bond performance of this very difficult to glue timber have focused primarily on timber surface preparations, this study concentrated on lowering the adhesive surface tension through added surfactants to improve the adhesive-timber surface wetting. Accordingly, 44 glulam samples were manufactured using polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives, with eight surfactant formulations and two different pre-gluing surface machining methods, i.e., face milling and planing. Although the surfactants were successful in drastically lowering the adhesive surface tension and improving adhesive spreading, none of the surfactant formulations tested were successful in improving the glulam adhesive bond qualities. Overall, the surfactant formulations produced considerably higher delamination, lower shear strength, and lower wood fibre failure compared to the control samples; therefore, they are not a viable solution to improve the gluing of spotted gum. The resorcinol formaldehyde adhesive and face milling produced considerably better results compared to the polyurethane adhesives and conventional planing.

A number of international timbers of high commercial importance are extremely difficult to glue, which is significantly hindering access to global market opportunities for engineered wood products, especially for heavily demanded structural products. Some particularly problematic timbers in Australia are the dominant commercial hardwood species, including spotted gum (Corymbia spp.) and Darwin stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta). These species are renowned for their very high mechanical properties, natural durability and attractive aesthetic appeal. However, they are notoriously difficult to glue, especially for sawn laminate-based engineered wood products, such as structural glue-laminated beams. Despite considerable effort and testing of diverse internationally established best-practice approaches to improve adhesion, glue-laminated beam samples of these timbers still frequently fail to meet the requirements of the relevant standard, mainly due to excessive glue line delamination. This paper discusses the key barriers to effective adhesion of these high-density timbers and particularly emphasises the necessity of achieving greater adhesive penetration. Greater adhesive penetration is required to enhance mechanical interlocking, entanglement and molecular interactions between the adhesive and the wood to achieve stronger and more durable bonds. Potential solutions to enhance adhesive penetration, as well as to improve gluability in general, are discussed in terms of their likelihood to satisfactorily prevent delamination and the potential to be applied at an industrial scale. This new fundamental understanding will assist the development of solutions, allowing industry to commercialise newly engineered wood products made from high-density timbers.

The effects of adding surfactants to polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives were tested relative to the gluability of spotted gum timber for structural glue-laminated beams (Glulam). While previous attempts to improve the bond performance of this very difficult to glue timber have focused primarily on timber surface preparations, this study concentrated on lowering the adhesive surface tension through added surfactants to improve the adhesive-timber surface wetting. Accordingly, 44 glulam samples were manufactured using polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives, with eight surfactant formulations and two different pre-gluing surface machining methods, i.e., face milling and planing. Although the surfactants were successful in drastically lowering the adhesive surface tension and improving adhesive spreading, none of the surfactant formulations tested were successful in improving the glulam adhesive bond qualities. Overall, the surfactant formulations produced considerably higher delamination, lower shear strength, and lower wood fibre failure compared to the control samples; therefore, they are not a viable solution to improve the gluing of spotted gum. The resorcinol formaldehyde adhesive and face milling produced considerably better results compared to the polyurethane adhesives and conventional planing.

A number of international timbers of high commercial importance are extremely difficult to glue, which is significantly hindering access to global market opportunities for engineered wood products, especially for heavily demanded structural products. Some particularly problematic timbers in Australia are the dominant commercial hardwood species, including spotted gum (Corymbia spp.) and Darwin stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta). These species are renowned for their very high mechanical properties, natural durability and attractive aesthetic appeal. However, they are notoriously difficult to glue, especially for sawn laminate-based engineered wood products, such as structural glue-laminated beams. Despite considerable effort and testing of diverse internationally established best-practice approaches to improve adhesion, glue-laminated beam samples of these timbers still frequently fail to meet the requirements of the relevant standard, mainly due to excessive glue line delamination. This paper discusses the key barriers to effective adhesion of these high-density timbers and particularly emphasises the necessity of achieving greater adhesive penetration. Greater adhesive penetration is required to enhance mechanical interlocking, entanglement and molecular interactions between the adhesive and the wood to achieve stronger and more durable bonds. Potential solutions to enhance adhesive penetration, as well as to improve gluability in general, are discussed in terms of their likelihood to satisfactorily prevent delamination and the potential to be applied at an industrial scale. This new fundamental understanding will assist the development of solutions, allowing industry to commercialise newly engineered wood products made from high-density timbers.

Homeopathy is categorized under Traditional and Complimentary Medicine (TCM) and is an underrated business both by the government and the public. There is less support by the government from the perspective of acknowledgement, nationwide publication, and validation on homeopathy as an important complimentary medicine. To escalate the issue further, homeopathy practitioners have been practicing homeopathy in a traditional manner and disconnected with the principles and concepts of business management and administration. Homeomed Sdn. Bhd. (Homeomed) is one of the homeopathy companies; operating in Bukit Beruang, Melaka; they had almost ceased the business few times due to high operational cost and the effects of Covid-19 pandemic. They were experiencing the classical business challenges for SME of having a “bulk business issues” in all aspects of business management due to incompetency or ignorance or both. The main tasks here is to identify the gaps from a business point of view and to propose a few improvement recommendations focusing on operation, marketing, sales, human resource, finance, supply chain and customer service. During the implementations of new business techniques and approaches, main performance indicators such as revenue, number of patients, inquiries and customer satisfaction were measured to reflect Homeomed’s competitiveness. The data collected are analysed and studied for further improvement initiatives. The data collected are analysed and studied for further improvement initiatives. A total of five main problem areas were identified and solutions were implemented in 5 stages with all of it deriving positive outcomes.

The effects of adding surfactants to polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives were tested relative to the gluability of spotted gum timber for structural glue-laminated beams (Glulam). While previous attempts to improve the bond performance of this very difficult to glue timber have focused primarily on timber surface preparations, this study concentrated on lowering the adhesive surface tension through added surfactants to improve the adhesive-timber surface wetting. Accordingly, 44 glulam samples were manufactured using polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives, with eight surfactant formulations and two different pre-gluing surface machining methods, i.e., face milling and planing. Although the surfactants were successful in drastically lowering the adhesive surface tension and improving adhesive spreading, none of the surfactant formulations tested were successful in improving the glulam adhesive bond qualities. Overall, the surfactant formulations produced considerably higher delamination, lower shear strength, and lower wood fibre failure compared to the control samples; therefore, they are not a viable solution to improve the gluing of spotted gum. The resorcinol formaldehyde adhesive and face milling produced considerably better results compared to the polyurethane adhesives and conventional planing.

A number of international timbers of high commercial importance are extremely difficult to glue, which is significantly hindering access to global market opportunities for engineered wood products, especially for heavily demanded structural products. Some particularly problematic timbers in Australia are the dominant commercial hardwood species, including spotted gum (Corymbia spp.) and Darwin stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta). These species are renowned for their very high mechanical properties, natural durability and attractive aesthetic appeal. However, they are notoriously difficult to glue, especially for sawn laminate-based engineered wood products, such as structural glue-laminated beams. Despite considerable effort and testing of diverse internationally established best-practice approaches to improve adhesion, glue-laminated beam samples of these timbers still frequently fail to meet the requirements of the relevant standard, mainly due to excessive glue line delamination. This paper discusses the key barriers to effective adhesion of these high-density timbers and particularly emphasises the necessity of achieving greater adhesive penetration. Greater adhesive penetration is required to enhance mechanical interlocking, entanglement and molecular interactions between the adhesive and the wood to achieve stronger and more durable bonds. Potential solutions to enhance adhesive penetration, as well as to improve gluability in general, are discussed in terms of their likelihood to satisfactorily prevent delamination and the potential to be applied at an industrial scale. This new fundamental understanding will assist the development of solutions, allowing industry to commercialise newly engineered wood products made from high-density timbers.

Omics technologies have revolutionized microbiome research allowing the characterization of complex microbial communities in different biomes without requiring their cultivation. As a consequence, there has been a great increase in the generation of omics data from metagenomes and metatranscriptomes. However, pre-processing and analysis of these data have been limited by the availability of computational resources, bioinformatics expertise and standardized computational workflows to obtain consistent results that are comparable across different studies. Here, we introduce MIntO (Microbiome Integrated meta-Omics), a highly versatile pipeline that integrates metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data in a scalable way. The distinctive feature of this pipeline is the computation of gene expression profile through integrating metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data taking into account the community turnover and gene expression variations to disentangle the mechanisms that shape the metatranscriptome across time and between conditions. The modular design of MIntO enables users to run the pipeline using three available modes based on the input data and the experimental design, including de novo assembly leading to metagenome-assembled genomes. The integrated pipeline will be relevant to provide unique biochemical insights into microbial ecology by linking functions to retrieved genomes and to examine gene expression variation. Functional characterization of community members will be crucial to increase our knowledge of the microbiome's contribution to human health and environment. MIntO v1.0.1 is available at https://github.com/arumugamlab/MIntO.

Omics technologies have revolutionized microbiome research allowing the characterization of complex microbial communities in different biomes without requiring their cultivation. As a consequence, there has been a great increase in the generation of omics data from metagenomes and metatranscriptomes. However, pre-processing and analysis of these data have been limited by the availability of computational resources, bioinformatics expertise and standardized computational workflows to obtain consistent results that are comparable across different studies. Here, we introduce MIntO (Microbiome Integrated meta-Omics), a highly versatile pipeline that integrates metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data in a scalable way. The distinctive feature of this pipeline is the computation of gene expression profile through integrating metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data taking into account the community turnover and gene expression variations to disentangle the mechanisms that shape the metatranscriptome across time and between conditions. The modular design of MIntO enables users to run the pipeline using three available modes based on the input data and the experimental design, including de novo assembly leading to metagenome-assembled genomes. The integrated pipeline will be relevant to provide unique biochemical insights into microbial ecology by linking functions to retrieved genomes and to examine gene expression variation. Functional characterization of community members will be crucial to increase our knowledge of the microbiome's contribution to human health and environment. MIntO v1.0.1 is available at https://github.com/arumugamlab/MIntO.

Following emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron in November 2021, the dominant BA.1 sub-lineage was replaced by the BA.2 sub-lineage in Denmark. We analysed the first 2,623 BA.2 cases from 29 November 2021 to 2 January 2022. No epidemiological or clinical differences were found between individuals infected with BA.1 versus BA.2. Phylogenetic analyses showed a geographic east-to-west transmission of BA.2 from the Capital Region with clusters expanding after the Christmas holidays. Mutational analysis shows distinct differences between BA.1 and BA.2.

Following emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron in November 2021, the dominant BA.1 sub-lineage was replaced by the BA.2 sub-lineage in Denmark. We analysed the first 2,623 BA.2 cases from 29 November 2021 to 2 January 2022. No epidemiological or clinical differences were found between individuals infected with BA.1 versus BA.2. Phylogenetic analyses showed a geographic east-to-west transmission of BA.2 from the Capital Region with clusters expanding after the Christmas holidays. Mutational analysis shows distinct differences between BA.1 and BA.2.

The effects of adding surfactants to polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives were tested relative to the gluability of spotted gum timber for structural glue-laminated beams (Glulam). While previous attempts to improve the bond performance of this very difficult to glue timber have focused primarily on timber surface preparations, this study concentrated on lowering the adhesive surface tension through added surfactants to improve the adhesive-timber surface wetting. Accordingly, 44 glulam samples were manufactured using polyurethane and resorcinol formaldehyde adhesives, with eight surfactant formulations and two different pre-gluing surface machining methods, i.e., face milling and planing. Although the surfactants were successful in drastically lowering the adhesive surface tension and improving adhesive spreading, none of the surfactant formulations tested were successful in improving the glulam adhesive bond qualities. Overall, the surfactant formulations produced considerably higher delamination, lower shear strength, and lower wood fibre failure compared to the control samples; therefore, they are not a viable solution to improve the gluing of spotted gum. The resorcinol formaldehyde adhesive and face milling produced considerably better results compared to the polyurethane adhesives and conventional planing.

A number of international timbers of high commercial importance are extremely difficult to glue, which is significantly hindering access to global market opportunities for engineered wood products, especially for heavily demanded structural products. Some particularly problematic timbers in Australia are the dominant commercial hardwood species, including spotted gum (Corymbia spp.) and Darwin stringybark (Eucalyptus tetrodonta). These species are renowned for their very high mechanical properties, natural durability and attractive aesthetic appeal. However, they are notoriously difficult to glue, especially for sawn laminate-based engineered wood products, such as structural glue-laminated beams. Despite considerable effort and testing of diverse internationally established best-practice approaches to improve adhesion, glue-laminated beam samples of these timbers still frequently fail to meet the requirements of the relevant standard, mainly due to excessive glue line delamination. This paper discusses the key barriers to effective adhesion of these high-density timbers and particularly emphasises the necessity of achieving greater adhesive penetration. Greater adhesive penetration is required to enhance mechanical interlocking, entanglement and molecular interactions between the adhesive and the wood to achieve stronger and more durable bonds. Potential solutions to enhance adhesive penetration, as well as to improve gluability in general, are discussed in terms of their likelihood to satisfactorily prevent delamination and the potential to be applied at an industrial scale. This new fundamental understanding will assist the development of solutions, allowing industry to commercialise newly engineered wood products made from high-density timbers.

Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), School of Eng & Built Env, Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology, A unique combination of properties makes aluminium one of the most desirable materials in many construction sectors including façade industry. Aluminium window walls as a façade system provide resistance against wind load and are decisive elements in the performance of the building envelope. In considering their complex functions, they are subjected to numerous criteria and continuing research and improvement. Window walls are commonly made of glass supported by aluminium framing members, and occupy a considerable share of the building cost. The aluminium frames of window walls (comprised of heads, sills, and mullions) transfer the wind loads from glass panels to the aluminium sub-frames (comprised of sub-heads and sub-sills). The sub-frames then transfer the loads to the slab through the bolt connections. Under this loading condition, the aluminium sub-heads (at the top of the system) are the dominante wind load bearing elements, and are prone to bearing failure due to their long flange length. This phenomenon of bearing failure has never been researched in the past. To address this gap, the structural performance of aluminium sub-heads subjected to concentrated load was investigated in this study using comprehensive experimental and numerical studies. Furthermore, accurate design rules were developed to predict the bearing capacities of aluminium sub-heads. Two types of typical sub-head sections, known as C-shaped sub-heads and sub-heads with removable beads, were used in the experimental study. The main difference between these two sections is that the later included two parts (the base and the bead) which can facilitate effective installation and assembly of façade panels. Two series of experimental tests were conducted to investigate and evaluate the bearing behaviour of the aluminium C-shaped sub-heads and the sub-heads with removable beads. Four C-shaped sub-head sections and six sub-head with removable bead sections were tested subjected to bearing loads con

Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), School of Eng & Built Env, Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology, The façade, as the envelope of a building, provides essential functions such as structural resistance against wind loading, thermal insulation and weather independence. The aluminium-glass curtain wall façade system has become a popular alternative for high-rise buildings due to its aesthetic appeal and efficient unitised installation. In a unitised glass curtain wall façade system, the vertical structural frame, named mullion, is the dominate wind load-bearing element but the critical thermal bridging element. Extruded aluminium mullions have been popularly used due to their high strength to weight ratios, high corrosion resistance and extrudability to allow the façade frames light, durable and flexibly unitised. However, the aluminium mullions might not be so good as some mullions in other aspects, e.g., in thermal performance, aesthetics and sustainability. To address these issues, several attempts to improve their performance, including introducing thermal breaks or structural timber, and hiding the exposed aluminium extrusions, were proposed and evaluated in recent decades. However, none of them could solve all the drawbacks of aluminium mullions. This thesis proposes an innovative aluminium-timber composite mullion, which is durable, unitised, structurally sound, energy-efficient, aesthetically pleasing and sustainable, and aims at its structural and thermal behaviours. In the structural investigation, three series of experimental tests were firstly conducted to investigate and evaluate the structural behaviour of the novel composite mullions: material property tests, connection tests, and four-point bending tests. Material property tests were done to obtain the mechanical properties of aluminium and timber used in the novel composite mullions. Four types of aluminium-timber connections were subjected to shear loading in the connection tests. The results showed that the proposed adhesive bond formed the optimum connection between aluminium and timber. After de

Full Text, Thesis (PhD Doctorate), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), School of Eng & Built Env, Science, Environment, Engineering and Technology, Nailplated timber trusses, manufactured from timber members connected by nailplates, are widely used in the domestic and international housing market as part of the roofing and flooring systems. The extensive use of these structural elements is driven primarily by their cost efficiency, resulting from an efficient manufacturing process, and their structural efficiency. The use of such trusses however is typically limited to protected (or indoor) environments due to a phenomenon called “nailplate backout”. Nailplate backout is where the steel nailplate, used to connect two timber members together, separates from the parent timber. It is primarily caused by the repeated shrinking and swelling of the timber in response to changing environmental conditions. This moisture driven backout presents a significant hurdle to the expansion of the nailplated timber truss market for external use (and potentially application in the emerging mid-rise timber building market where the internal climatic conditions are relatively unknown). As part as a collaborative project between the industry, Griffith University and Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), this thesis aims at investigating solutions to both prevent backout of the nailplates and increase the performance of trussed joints when exposed to large moisture content variations and to develop the understanding of moisture driven nailplate backout through experimental and numerical modelling. Initially an investigation into redesigning the nailplate tooth to reduce the moisture driven backout was conducted. The proposed tooth redesign considered (i) two mechanical approaches consisting of redesigning the tooth profile and (ii) the application of an adhesive to a redesigned tooth profile. The effectiveness of the new designs was assessed using single nails, representative of a single nailplate tooth, with respect to their ability to resist moisture driven backout and their quasi-static withdrawal resistance af

Cold-formed steel (CFS) unlipped channel sections are commonly used as bearers in floor systems while rectangular hollow sections (RHS) are used as joists. The transverse loads from the joists do not pass through the shear centre of channel bearers due to different joist to bearer and bearer to column connections. Hence, the channel bearers are subjected to torsion in addition to concentrated loads and bending. This study investigated the effects of two joist to bearer (bolted/welded) connections, two bearer to column (cap plate/angle cleat) connections and fly braces on the structural behaviour of channel bearers. Eight full-scale tests were performed using simplified floor arrangements, made of two unlipped channel bearers with eight and six RHS joists located at 450 mm spacing. Suitable finite element models of tested channel bearers including their connections were developed and validated in terms of ultimate failure moment, failure mode and deflections. A parametric study was then performed using the validated finite element models. The effects of bolted/welded joist to bearer connections and cap plate/angle cleat bearer to column connections on the behaviour of channel bearers were determined and discussed based on the experimental and numerical results. Suitable recommendations were then made to the design methods based on the observed failure modes, and the most suitable combination of connections for the CFS floor systems investigated in this study.

A combination vehicle system consists of a lead vehicle that powers the motion, and one or more trailers that are towed by the lead vehicle. Any such vehicle system is unstable due to the presence of a coupling joint that disconnects the driver from the trailer. The risk of an accident is increased since many trailer parameters are variable and change with operating conditions. In light combination vehicles where the towing vehicle is a passenger car or SUV, the situation is more serious because the driver is necessarily not skilled enough to perceive the effects of steering and braking actions on the response of the trailer. A method to stabilise the car-trailer system by controlling the actuators of only the towing car is presented. Although similar attempts have been made in the past, they have been limited by their scope of applicability. The main component of the sway stabilization system is the Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) that is robust and has a good transient performance. This controller is combined with a weighted least squares control allocation method to control the rear-wheel steering and the brakes of the towing car. The control allocation method provides flexibility and redundancy to the system. Based on simulations over different test cases, it is seen that the car-trailer system can be stabilised significantly, resulting in an improvement in the lateral handling characteristics, and reducing the chances of an accident occurring due to driver error. The thesis concludes by highlighting the advantages of the design and proposing recommendations for further improvement., Mechanical Engineering | Vehicle Engineering | Dynamics and Controls

The façade, as the exterior cladding of a building, is an essential element which provides waterproofing, thermal isolation and structural resistance against environmental actions. The vertical members in curtain wall façade systems, referred to as mullions, are the dominant load-bearing structural members. Despite aluminium being a durable material, conventional aluminium façade frames are weak in thermal performance, and hence thermal breaks are often used in the industry to provide the required insulation. In addition, timber frames may be preferred by building designers due to their aesthetic appearance and sustainability. Therefore, an innovative composite mullion was developed using aluminium and timber to combine the best features of both materials and is presented in this study. Experimental studies were also conducted to verify the structural performance of the composite mullion. The first series of tests was performed to investigate various aluminium-timber connections to ensure composite action. Four different connection types were considered in this study and the optimum connection was chosen and discussed. Four-point bending tests were performed next to investigate the bending behaviour and strength of the newly developed mullion as well as traditional aluminium mullions under positive and negative wind loading scenarios. It was found that the new composite mullions achieved higher section moment capacities than the traditional aluminium mullions, while being energy-efficient, aesthetically pleasing and more sustainable.

Nailplates are widely used in domestic and low-rise residential housing markets and have begun forming part of mid-rise developments. There is however a concern about nailplates backing out which has been observed in a variety of conditions. In-service backouts in excess of 2 mm have been recorded and can result in up to a 50 % reduction in joint performance. The amount of backout varies significantly from roof space to roof space and the physical phenomena leading to backout and their exact relationship to the climatic conditions are largely unknown. This paper experimentally investigates the time dependent backout mechanisms and develops a numerical model to predict the range of backouts that will be expected from a set of climatic conditions that the nailplates would be exposed to. Specifically, this paper initially investigates the backout of single nails, representative of nailplate teeth, by pressing the nails into pieces of timber and subjecting the samples to cyclic climatic conditions. The moisture driven backout of the nails was monitored in real-time using Digital Image Correlation for 48 days. Backouts of between 0.08 and 0.26 mm were observed. Results showed that during the drying phase, the timber surface tended to slide along the surface of the nail. A similar phenomenon was observed during the wetting phase but to a lower extent. This consequently led to a ratcheting mechanism that caused the nail to backout from the timber. A numerical model is then proposed to predict and replicate the time dependent backout behaviour of the nailplate tooth based on heat and mass transfer algorithm TransPore and Finite Element Software ABAQUS. The model was validated against the experimental results based on the timber properties and climatic conditions that the timber was exposed to. The model was able to accurately predict the time-dependent backout of the nails. To illustrate the application of the model, the expected nailplate backout for two different Australi

Nailplates are widely used in domestic and low-rise residential housing markets and have begun forming part of mid-rise developments. There is however a concern about nailplates backing out which has been observed in a variety of conditions. In-service backouts in excess of 2 mm have been recorded and can result in up to a 50 % reduction in joint performance. The amount of backout varies significantly from roof space to roof space and the physical phenomena leading to backout and their exact relationship to the climatic conditions are largely unknown. This paper experimentally investigates the time dependent backout mechanisms and develops a numerical model to predict the range of backouts that will be expected from a set of climatic conditions that the nailplates would be exposed to. Specifically, this paper initially investigates the backout of single nails, representative of nailplate teeth, by pressing the nails into pieces of timber and subjecting the samples to cyclic climatic conditions. The moisture driven backout of the nails was monitored in real-time using Digital Image Correlation for 48 days. Backouts of between 0.08 and 0.26 mm were observed. Results showed that during the drying phase, the timber surface tended to slide along the surface of the nail. A similar phenomenon was observed during the wetting phase but to a lower extent. This consequently led to a ratcheting mechanism that caused the nail to backout from the timber. A numerical model is then proposed to predict and replicate the time dependent backout behaviour of the nailplate tooth based on heat and mass transfer algorithm TransPore and Finite Element Software ABAQUS. The model was validated against the experimental results based on the timber properties and climatic conditions that the timber was exposed to. The model was able to accurately predict the time-dependent backout of the nails. To illustrate the application of the model, the expected nailplate backout for two different Australi

Nailplates are widely used in domestic and low-rise residential housing markets and have begun forming part of mid-rise developments. There is however a concern about nailplates backing out which has been observed in a variety of conditions. In-service backouts in excess of 2 mm have been recorded and can result in up to a 50 % reduction in joint performance. The amount of backout varies significantly from roof space to roof space and the physical phenomena leading to backout and their exact relationship to the climatic conditions are largely unknown. This paper experimentally investigates the time dependent backout mechanisms and develops a numerical model to predict the range of backouts that will be expected from a set of climatic conditions that the nailplates would be exposed to. Specifically, this paper initially investigates the backout of single nails, representative of nailplate teeth, by pressing the nails into pieces of timber and subjecting the samples to cyclic climatic conditions. The moisture driven backout of the nails was monitored in real-time using Digital Image Correlation for 48 days. Backouts of between 0.08 and 0.26 mm were observed. Results showed that during the drying phase, the timber surface tended to slide along the surface of the nail. A similar phenomenon was observed during the wetting phase but to a lower extent. This consequently led to a ratcheting mechanism that caused the nail to backout from the timber. A numerical model is then proposed to predict and replicate the time dependent backout behaviour of the nailplate tooth based on heat and mass transfer algorithm TransPore and Finite Element Software ABAQUS. The model was validated against the experimental results based on the timber properties and climatic conditions that the timber was exposed to. The model was able to accurately predict the time-dependent backout of the nails. To illustrate the application of the model, the expected nailplate backout for two different Australi

The façade, as the exterior cladding of a building, is an essential element which provides waterproofing, thermal isolation and structural resistance against environmental actions. The vertical members in curtain wall façade systems, referred to as mullions, are the dominant load-bearing structural members. Despite aluminium being a durable material, conventional aluminium façade frames are weak in thermal performance, and hence thermal breaks are often used in the industry to provide the required insulation. In addition, timber frames may be preferred by building designers due to their aesthetic appearance and sustainability. Therefore, an innovative composite mullion was developed using aluminium and timber to combine the best features of both materials and is presented in this study. Experimental studies were also conducted to verify the structural performance of the composite mullion. The first series of tests was performed to investigate various aluminium-timber connections to ensure composite action. Four different connection types were considered in this study and the optimum connection was chosen and discussed. Four-point bending tests were performed next to investigate the bending behaviour and strength of the newly developed mullion as well as traditional aluminium mullions under positive and negative wind loading scenarios. It was found that the new composite mullions achieved higher section moment capacities than the traditional aluminium mullions, while being energy-efficient, aesthetically pleasing and more sustainable.

The façade, as the exterior cladding of a building, is an essential element which provides waterproofing, thermal isolation and structural resistance against environmental actions. The vertical members in curtain wall façade systems, referred to as mullions, are the dominant load-bearing structural members. Despite aluminium being a durable material, conventional aluminium façade frames are weak in thermal performance, and hence thermal breaks are often used in the industry to provide the required insulation. In addition, timber frames may be preferred by building designers due to their aesthetic appearance and sustainability. Therefore, an innovative composite mullion was developed using aluminium and timber to combine the best features of both materials and is presented in this study. Experimental studies were also conducted to verify the structural performance of the composite mullion. The first series of tests was performed to investigate various aluminium-timber connections to ensure composite action. Four different connection types were considered in this study and the optimum connection was chosen and discussed. Four-point bending tests were performed next to investigate the bending behaviour and strength of the newly developed mullion as well as traditional aluminium mullions under positive and negative wind loading scenarios. It was found that the new composite mullions achieved higher section moment capacities than the traditional aluminium mullions, while being energy-efficient, aesthetically pleasing and more sustainable.

Nailplates are widely used in domestic and low-rise residential housing markets and have begun forming part of mid-rise developments. There is however a concern about nailplates backing out which has been observed in a variety of conditions. In-service backouts in excess of 2 mm have been recorded and can result in up to a 50 % reduction in joint performance. The amount of backout varies significantly from roof space to roof space and the physical phenomena leading to backout and their exact relationship to the climatic conditions are largely unknown. This paper experimentally investigates the time dependent backout mechanisms and develops a numerical model to predict the range of backouts that will be expected from a set of climatic conditions that the nailplates would be exposed to. Specifically, this paper initially investigates the backout of single nails, representative of nailplate teeth, by pressing the nails into pieces of timber and subjecting the samples to cyclic climatic conditions. The moisture driven backout of the nails was monitored in real-time using Digital Image Correlation for 48 days. Backouts of between 0.08 and 0.26 mm were observed. Results showed that during the drying phase, the timber surface tended to slide along the surface of the nail. A similar phenomenon was observed during the wetting phase but to a lower extent. This consequently led to a ratcheting mechanism that caused the nail to backout from the timber. A numerical model is then proposed to predict and replicate the time dependent backout behaviour of the nailplate tooth based on heat and mass transfer algorithm TransPore and Finite Element Software ABAQUS. The model was validated against the experimental results based on the timber properties and climatic conditions that the timber was exposed to. The model was able to accurately predict the time-dependent backout of the nails. To illustrate the application of the model, the expected nailplate backout for two different Australi

The façade, as the exterior cladding of a building, is an essential element which provides waterproofing, thermal isolation and structural resistance against environmental actions. The vertical members in curtain wall façade systems, referred to as mullions, are the dominant load-bearing structural members. Despite aluminium being a durable material, conventional aluminium façade frames are weak in thermal performance, and hence thermal breaks are often used in the industry to provide the required insulation. In addition, timber frames may be preferred by building designers due to their aesthetic appearance and sustainability. Therefore, an innovative composite mullion was developed using aluminium and timber to combine the best features of both materials and is presented in this study. Experimental studies were also conducted to verify the structural performance of the composite mullion. The first series of tests was performed to investigate various aluminium-timber connections to ensure composite action. Four different connection types were considered in this study and the optimum connection was chosen and discussed. Four-point bending tests were performed next to investigate the bending behaviour and strength of the newly developed mullion as well as traditional aluminium mullions under positive and negative wind loading scenarios. It was found that the new composite mullions achieved higher section moment capacities than the traditional aluminium mullions, while being energy-efficient, aesthetically pleasing and more sustainable.

The façade, as the exterior cladding of a building, is an essential element which provides waterproofing, thermal isolation and structural resistance against environmental actions. The vertical members in curtain wall façade systems, referred to as mullions, are the dominant load-bearing structural members. Despite aluminium being a durable material, conventional aluminium façade frames are weak in thermal performance, and hence thermal breaks are often used in the industry to provide the required insulation. In addition, timber frames may be preferred by building designers due to their aesthetic appearance and sustainability. Therefore, an innovative composite mullion was developed using aluminium and timber to combine the best features of both materials and is presented in this study. Experimental studies were also conducted to verify the structural performance of the composite mullion. The first series of tests was performed to investigate various aluminium-timber connections to ensure composite action. Four different connection types were considered in this study and the optimum connection was chosen and discussed. Four-point bending tests were performed next to investigate the bending behaviour and strength of the newly developed mullion as well as traditional aluminium mullions under positive and negative wind loading scenarios. It was found that the new composite mullions achieved higher section moment capacities than the traditional aluminium mullions, while being energy-efficient, aesthetically pleasing and more sustainable.

A combination vehicle system consists of a lead vehicle that powers the motion, and one or more trailers that are towed by the lead vehicle. Any such vehicle system is unstable due to the presence of a coupling joint that disconnects the driver from the trailer. The risk of an accident is increased since many trailer parameters are variable and change with operating conditions. In light combination vehicles where the towing vehicle is a passenger car or SUV, the situation is more serious because the driver is necessarily not skilled enough to perceive the effects of steering and braking actions on the response of the trailer. A method to stabilise the car-trailer system by controlling the actuators of only the towing car is presented. Although similar attempts have been made in the past, they have been limited by their scope of applicability. The main component of the sway stabilization system is the Sliding Mode Controller (SMC) that is robust and has a good transient performance. This controller is combined with a weighted least squares control allocation method to control the rear-wheel steering and the brakes of the towing car. The control allocation method provides flexibility and redundancy to the system. Based on simulations over different test cases, it is seen that the car-trailer system can be stabilised significantly, resulting in an improvement in the lateral handling characteristics, and reducing the chances of an accident occurring due to driver error. The thesis concludes by highlighting the advantages of the design and proposing recommendations for further improvement., Mechanical Engineering | Vehicle Engineering | Dynamics and Controls

Longitudinal studies of gut microbiota following specific interventions are vital for understanding how they influence host health. However, robust longitudinal sampling of gut microbiota is a major challenge, which can be addressed using in vitro fermentors hosting complex microbial communities. Here, by employing 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we investigated the adaptation and succession of human fecal microbial communities in an automated multistage fermentor. We performed two independent experiments using different human donor fecal samples, one configured with two units of three colon compartments each studied for 22 days and another with one unit of two colon compartments studied for 31days. The fermentor maintained a trend of increasing microbial alpha diversity along colon compartments. Within each experiment, microbial compositions followed compartment-specific trajectories and reached independent stable configurations. While compositions were highly similar between replicate units, they were clearly separated between different experiments, showing that they maintained the individuality of fecal inoculum rather than converging on a fermentor-specific composition. While some fecal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were undetected in the fermentor, many ASVs undetected in the fecal samples flourished in vitro. These bloomer ASVs accounted for significant proportions of the population and included prominent healthassociated microbes such as Bacteroides fragilis and Akkermansia muciniphila. Turnover in community compositions is likely explained by feed composition and pH, suggesting that these communities can be easily modulated. Our results suggest that in vitro fermentors are promising tools to study complex microbial communities harboring important members of human gut microbiota.

Longitudinal studies of gut microbiota following specific interventions are vital for understanding how they influence host health. However, robust longitudinal sampling of gut microbiota is a major challenge, which can be addressed using in vitro fermentors hosting complex microbial communities. Here, by employing 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, we investigated the adaptation and succession of human fecal microbial communities in an automated multistage fermentor. We performed two independent experiments using different human donor fecal samples, one configured with two units of three colon compartments each studied for 22 days and another with one unit of two colon compartments studied for 31days. The fermentor maintained a trend of increasing microbial alpha diversity along colon compartments. Within each experiment, microbial compositions followed compartment-specific trajectories and reached independent stable configurations. While compositions were highly similar between replicate units, they were clearly separated between different experiments, showing that they maintained the individuality of fecal inoculum rather than converging on a fermentor-specific composition. While some fecal amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were undetected in the fermentor, many ASVs undetected in the fecal samples flourished in vitro. These bloomer ASVs accounted for significant proportions of the population and included prominent healthassociated microbes such as Bacteroides fragilis and Akkermansia muciniphila. Turnover in community compositions is likely explained by feed composition and pH, suggesting that these communities can be easily modulated. Our results suggest that in vitro fermentors are promising tools to study complex microbial communities harboring important members of human gut microbiota.