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Among the various applications involving the use of microwave energy, its growing utility within the mining industry is particularly noteworthy. Conventional grinding processes are often overburdened by energy inefficiencies that are directly related to machine wear, pollution and rising project costs. In this work, we numerically investigate the effects of microwave pretreatment through a series of compression tests as a means to help mitigate these energy inefficiencies.

We investigate the effects of microwave pretreatment on various rock samples, as quantified by uniaxial compression tests. In particular, we assign sample heterogeneity based on a Gaussian statistical distribution and invoke a damage model for elemental tensile and compressive stresses based on the maximum tensile stress and the Mohr–Coulomb theories, respectively. We further couple the electromagnetic, thermal and solid displacement relations using finite element modeling.

(1) Increased power intensity during microwave pretreatment results in decreased axial compressive stress. (2) Leveraging statistics to induce variable compressive and tensile strength can greatly facilitate sample heterogeneity and prove necessary for damage modeling. (3) There exists a nonlinear trend to the reduction in smax with increasing power levels, implying an optimum energy output efficiency to create the maximum degradation-power cost relationship.

Previous research in this area has been largely limited to two-dimensional thermo-electric models. The onset of high-performance computing has allowed for the development of high-fidelity, three-dimensional models with coupled equations for electromagnetics, heat transfer and solid mechanics.

This paper aims to convey and analyze participants’ experience of an online mindfulness-based workplace wellness program, The Wellbeing Protocol, during the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, with the aim of understanding the underlying mechanisms of how the program impacted stress, burnout and mental wellbeing.

New Zealand teachers participated in an online mindfulness-based wellness program in 2020. Participants’ experience was captured via focus groups and open-ended survey questions collected before, immediately after and three months following the intervention. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Three themes emerged: self-awareness and nonreactivity may facilitate a reduction in stress levels, the purposeful cultivation of self-care and positive emotions may be a precursor to enhanced wellbeing and positive relationships with others and evidence of effectiveness at work may mitigate burnout symptoms. Findings depicted effective strategies to improve wellbeing as well as promising areas for further research.

For school settings: participants’ positive appraisals of the program suggest The Wellbeing Protocol might be a suitable option to support teacher wellbeing. For workplaces: the positive outcomes related to improved effectiveness and relationships at work, as well as the program’s flexibility related to its short length and online delivery, might make it a potential option to support employee wellbeing.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the impact of a mindfulness-based intervention on New Zealand teachers, the first to explore the impact of the Wellbeing Protocol and one of few studies that have investigated an online mindfulness-based intervention. It has multiple qualitative data sources and a follow-up of three months.

The purpose of this paper is to present and compare some of the most recent and significant contributions from European researchers to the field of the measurement and management of intangibles.

The analysis was carried out on two different levels. First, how the guidelines were developed was examined. Second, the recommendations derived from these guidelines were evaluated.

The first conclusion drawn in this paper is the lack of a unique Conceptual Framework to carry out Intellectual Capital Reports – even though there are no significant differences among the analysed guidelines.

The paper shows that, in line with the increasing importance of the intangible economy in the last few years, a significant number of models has been published. Unlike previously published papers, the main original contribution in the measurement of Intellectual Capital relates to the comparison and assessment of the various existing guidelines.

The purpose of this paper is to examine literature relating to water management on the Mexico-US border. It suggests avenues that may be valuable in improving cooperation in policy-making between the USA and Mexico on water management issues.

A review of the literature associated with water management on the border of Mexico and the USA is conducted in this paper. The studies are chosen from scholarly databases (pre-eminently EBSCOHost and JSTOR), and are chosen for their depth, authoritativeness of the authors involved, and because of the empirical and quantifiable data they present. The studies selected ranged from the mid-1990s to 2017.

The literature selected for review in this paper demonstrates that shared water resources must be managed in a combination of national and binational ways to lead to sustainability. In the border region, recent initiatives to resolve inequalities have emerged, including steps taken by North American Development Bank to purchase bonds as loans.

Historical approaches to policy have been moderately successful, but policy needs to be updated in line with current circumstances and requirements. There appears to be a misunderstanding of what is currently needed from policy. This paper identifies areas that need updated policy and makes policy recommendations.