http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/services/Feed ${session.getAttribute("locale")} 5 http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12824 Intelligent backtracking is a technique used in constraint programming for reducing search in solving combinatorial feasibility problems. The technique uses information derived from small sets of infeasible constraints discovered in one part of the search space to avoid searching other, similar, regions. It is often able to reduce the size of the search space significantly. For many problems, however, the computational effort required to achieve this reduction in search space is prohibitive. We introduce an algorithm that uses intelligent backtracking inside a linear-programming based branch-and-bound framework. We show that minimal infeasible sets can immediately be deduced from the dual extreme ray associated with the infeasible linear program. This allows us to obtain the reduction in search space associated with intelligent backtracking, without paying the large computational cost. We show the implementation of our intelligent backtracking approach as a branch-and-cut algorithm, and present computational results. 2013-05-01T23:03:34.768Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1357 Drawing on the publications records in the Australian education database, this paper provides an analysis of research activity that can be attributed to the foundation disciplines of history, philosophy, sociology and psychology. History, sociology and philosophy (excluding policy studies) have played a relatively minor role in total activity during the period 1984-1998, and psychology a more significant one. However, in more recent years research output in the disciplines is in decline relative to research activity as a whole. 2013-04-15T07:45:46.479Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1347 In Australia a desire to increase the return of investment in educational research has led to interest in different aspects of research impact, including the nature of links between research and schooling. One significant group in such links is postgraduate students who are also teachers or educational administrators. Responses were obtained from 1267 postgraduate students to questions about their perceptions of new developments in schools and of research, including their own studies. Differences between postgraduate students who were involved in school-level education and those who were not involved at this level were also investigated. Colleagues within their school were named as the major source of new developments, but two-thirds also saw the universities as important sources. The most common type of new development described was in the area of curriculum. Research was the most frequently cited basis for new ideas and development in schools, with a large majority stating that research had at least some impact on their work and on education generally in their region, the research frequently being introduced or mediated by colleagues. Areas being addressed by these students in their own research and projects were, in the main, of relevance to schools, most commonly in the areas of curriculum and educational processes and structures. Finally, the importance of postgraduate students as linkage agents between research and schools is stressed. 2013-04-15T07:44:05.250Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12682 Midgley (2001) claimed that "there is a need for a comprehensive formulation of what critical social development practice should involve". This paper is an attempt to respond to this challenge. While Midgley (2001) relates the critical perspective to Marxist-oriented practice, I suggest that the strengths perspective gives the radical edge needed for developmental social work practice. The purpose of this paper is to show how social work might develop a "development" praxis. Social workers have the knowledge and skills needed for empowering development practice and its values relating to social justice and human rights fit hand in glove with social development thinking. The main stumbling block, however is whether social workers see this as a valid form of practice for themselves tied as they are to individualistic 'psychosocial' approaches within service-oriented contexts. Developmental social work requires them to get out of this box into the neighbourhood and local community and to begin talking to clients as partners who know the solution to the challenges they encounter. Do social workers want to become facilitators of change or will they cling to their current practice? This question lies at the heart of finding a valid role for social work in social development. 2013-03-22T03:17:10.408Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3010 Effective management of storm water pipe networks requires an accurate assessment of the structural condition of the pipes. Indeed, the recent introduction of Australian accounting standard AAS27 compels local governments to prepare annual financial statements,including the depreciated value of their storm water network. A rational approach to assessing depreciation is to base it on structural deterioration. This study presents a Markov model for the structural deterioration of storm water pipes. The model is calibrated, using Bayesian techniques, to structural condition data from the storm water asset database of the Newcastle City Council (Australia). It is shown that the Markov model is consistent with the data. The pipe characteristics of diameter, construction material, soil type, and exposure classification were found to influence the deterioration process. It is also shown that the depreciation methods required by AAS27 significantly overestimate the structural deterioration. 2013-03-18T03:42:23.097Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3949 The construction industry offers its services to customers. Change in the industry has been significantly driven by large client organisations demanding a better service from construction industry participants. A key factor in achievement of successful project outcomes is the nature of the relationship between members of the project teams, including clients, which need to be established as early as possible in a project's life cycle. This paper focuses on the initial phase of a research scoping study which aims to investigate, by reviewing and analysing the relevant literature, project team dynamics from the standpoint of "people and process" issues. The impact on the growth of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on teams is discussed, specifically in terms of how its implementation affects project teams, and the individuals within them. The research method involves a literature review which identifies key factors relevant to project and virtual team environments. The outcome of the literature review is the identification of a model of work design to be tested in the next stage of the scoping study. The paper concludes that although, not unexpectedly, project management and virtual team literature share many common themes, a greater understanding of how new, and different, knowledge and skills are required by teams to work in virtaula environments is critical. 2013-03-11T00:50:50.699Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12605 The paper provides an overview of the strengths perspective in social work which offers a critical, radical approach to practice in the sense that, among other things, it questions (i) the dominant deficits-based mental health paradigm, which pigeonholes people in terms of pathology and assigns them disempowering labels; (ii) anti-oppressive practice models that construe clients as oppressed and immediately engender feelings of powerlessness; and (iii) rigid mindsets such as positivism, ardent feminism and structuralism that lead practitioners to approach the helping situation with preconceived ideas that influence the way they listen to, hear and interpret the client’s story and thus the way they design their interventions. It reviews the domains in which strength-based approaches have taken hold from individual counselling, such as solution-focused brief therapy, to community interventions, such as assets-based community development, and narrative approaches which span both the individual and community, to policy where proactive policies, such as family preservation policies, reflect their influence. It then examines its relevance drawing on lessons from practice. 2013-03-06T04:10:05.042Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12602 The article examines recent developments in social policy and its implications for social work education and practice in South Africa. It traces the changes from the birth of democracy in South Africa to the dawn of the new millennium as these crucial years marked the beginning of a new era in South Africa’s welfare history. It examines the challenges to social work and provides an example of the integrated, holistic developmental interventions, which are needed to combat social problems such as crime, AIDS and poverty. It ends with an examination of the implications of developmental welfare policy for social–work education as social workers are called to address mass poverty, unemployment and social deprivation through greater use of diverse social work methods, such as advocacy, community development, empowerment, consultation, networking, action research and policy analysis. 2013-03-06T01:50:25.796Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12597 This article reports on a comparative study that examined the political participation of social workers in KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa, the state of New South Wales (excluding the Hunter region) in Australia, and New Zealand. Each of these contexts had roughly the same number of social workers, that is, approximately 1,200. It was found that social workers in New Zealand tended to be more politically active than their counterparts in New South Wales and KwaZulu-Natal, and the reasons for this are examined. In the process, New Zealand is presented as a case study of the way in which social work has responded to its political context. Finally, conclusions are drawn as to the engagement of social workers in the policy cycle and of the need for them to become more active politically. 2013-03-06T01:50:10.684Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:2767 This paper examines the progress of professional associations in South Africa in order to provide an understanding of the current difficulties being experienced in forming one unified body to represent social workers on international organizations, particularly the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) to which South Africa is seeking membership. The paper begins with a brief global overview of the development of the social work profession, the role of professional associations and their development in South Africa. It ends with some suggestions as to the way forward if social workers wish to become more visible in policy making processes and thus in influencing the future of welfare in South Africa. 2013-03-04T06:20:17.606Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:2715 This paper examines the issues involved in developing indigenous social work practice. Several African writers are making an interesting contribution to the important debate on indigenisation in the social work literature in Africa (Bar-On, 1998, 1999; Mupediswa, 1992, 1997; Osei-Hwedie, 1995). However, their work is at an exploratory stage in that they have introduced and probed questions relating to indigenisation but not developed fully the way in which Western social work differs from relevant indigenous social work practice in Africa. In this paper we view social work as a Western invention and a product of modernity, and indigenisation as a postmodern notion, a form of resistance to the cultural homogenising and universalising effects of globalisation. We argue that the difference between Western and African understanding of culture is an integral aspect of the indigenisation debate and that to progress the debate further, it is necessary to establish a framework for a clear and logical articulation of the values located in each set of cultures. We explore the notion of "indigenisation as cross-cultural practice" for, as the international literature on cultural diversity shows, there needs to be an extensive dialogue between cultural groups on principles, ethical norms and appropriate practice if a truly cross-cultural world is to take shape. A cross-cultural or intercultural dialogue needs to precede any ideas about cross-cultural practice. Thus there is still a long way to go in developing indigenous social work practice in Africa. The paper ends with suggestions as to how indigenous practice models might be developed. This paper examines the issues involved in developing indigenous social work practice and speculates about some of the reasons why this is of ongoing importance to African social work writers. Among other things, we argue (i) that social work is a Western invention and a product of modernity while indigenisation is a postmodern notion, (ii) that the difference between Western and African understanding of culture is an integral aspect of the indigenisation debate; and (iii) that an historical perspective is needed to understand both past and present influences like colonisation and globalisation respectively. In developing these arguments further, several themes are addressed, namely, the difference between Western and African values and the lasting impact of colonialism on Africa; the cultural basis of indigenisation and the notion that culture is more central than values (which simultaneously inforr4 flow from and mould culture); indigenisation as cross-cultural practice and the need for dialogical (postmodernist) rather than existing (modernist) models; and indigenisation as a form of resistance and a medium for transformation from externally imposed to locally developed models of practice and solutions. We begin with a brief introduction to the international literature on indigenisation and then present an overview of Southern African literature on the indigenisation debate, the source of most of the African indigenisation literature, before moving to our central thesis relating to indigenisation as cross-cultural practice. We end with several proposals as to how indigenous practice models in Africa might be developed. 2013-03-04T03:10:15.218Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12105 In this paper, we examine the relationship between real hourly earnings and labour productivity by industry (measured as gross value added per hour) for Australia and the Netherlands. The policies promoting wage moderation in both countries in the 1980s and after were based on the belief that real wage movements had to be aligned to enterprise-level productivity growth for employment growth to be strong enough to solve the persistently high unemployment. The results suggests that productivity movements are only partially being passed on in the form of lower prices and/or higher nominal wage outcomes, so that businesses are using the productivity gains to expand their margins. We examine in detail the extent to which real hourly earnings are reflected in labour productivity growth and if the introduction of the Workplace Relations Act (1996) affected this relationship in Australia. Netherlands is used as a control having avoided any substantial changes in its wage determination system over the period examined. 2012-11-22T05:01:12.283Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3889 The unemployment rate is often used as a summary comparative measure and captures the attention of the media more often than other labour market indicators. However, it is a narrow concept of underutilisation and ignores many other sources of labour wastage. In this paper, we discuss the limitations of the unemployment rate in this respect and compute a range of measures for Australia which are designed to provide better indication of labour slack. We present two hours-based measures of labour underutilisation for Australia, which quantify the degree of underutilisation and underemployment among the unemployed, the hidden unemployed, and the part-time workers who desire more hours of work. We conclude that the official unemployment significantly understates the degree of underutilisation in Australia. Finally, we examine the presence of cyclical non-linearities in several indicators of underutilisation. We conclude that the asymmetries present impact more significantly on the most disadvantaged in the labour market. 2012-11-22T00:10:03.813Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12054 The aim of this paper is to examine the various possible symbolic mnemonic devices that the ‘Cretan labyrinth’ can be constructed from. The ‘Cretan labyrinth’ has been used throughout history, sometimes as graffiti. Yet it has a complex and difficult structure, not a structure that you would expect to find in graffiti that would have been constructed in a hurry. The structure does suggest that it was drawn from the center expanded out form a very simple symbol. This paper concentrates on all the possible different ways of constructing it. These simple mnemonic symbols may explain the longevity and popularity of the complex structure of the ‘Cretan labyrinth’. 2012-11-20T06:17:37.998Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11874 Functional hallux limitus is an underrecognized entity that generally does not produce symptoms but can result in a variety of compensatory mechanisms that can produce symptoms. Clinically, hallux limitus can be determined by assessing the range of motion available at the first metatarsophalangeal joint while the first ray is prevented from plantarflexing. The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this clinical test to predict abnormal excessive midtarsal joint function during gait. A total of 86 feet were examined for functional hallux limitus and abnormal pronation of the midtarsal joint during late midstance. The test had a sensitivity of 0.72 and a specificity of 0.66, suggesting that clinicians should consider functional hallux limitus when there is late midstance pronation of the midtarsal joint during gait. 2012-11-01T01:37:49.212Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11809 Retrieving burrowing shore crabs to obtain information regarding their morphological attributes is often difficult and results in significant disturbance and habitat modification. A simple, rapid and non-destructive sampling method was proposed for indirectly estimating crab abundance, morphology and mass through the counting of burrow numbers and their diameter. Measurement of the number of crab burrows was found to correlate with crab abundance via both excavation and video observation techniques. Burrow diameters of individuals were also correlated with carapace width and body mass. Measuring burrow opening diameters along with the number of holes allows an indirect estimate of morphology and mass, which increases the information gained through such rapid sampling techniques and allows assessment of both structural and functional processes at the population level which may be affected through anthropogenic disturbance. 2012-10-30T00:31:08.158Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11657 Two novel schemes have been advocated to cure the problem of persistent unemployment and income insecurity in developed economies, namely Basic Income and the Job Guarantee. Human rights appear to be protected under a Basic Income system, but its impact on job creation, skill development, the wage structure, investment, employment and living standards is problematic. On the other hand, the Job Guarantee provides economic security to all individuals through access to meaningful work with opportunities for skill acquisition. The Job Guarantee may represent a step in the transition to an unconditional Basic Income, following the ongoing growth of labour productivity and the reassessment of what constitutes work. 2012-10-08T04:39:24.208Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11656 An unconditional Basic Income (BI) has been advocated to cure the problem of persistent unemployment and income insecurity. In this paper it is argued that a BI system raises important philosophical questions about individuals' rights and obligations to society. Also the impact of a BI on job creation, skill development, the wage structure, employment and living standards is problematic. Some supporters of the BI emphasise the environmentally friendly lifestyle and work changes that would result, but these views are rather speculative. A Job Guarantee (JG) designed to provide economic security for all workers through access to meaningful work would be better suited to meet unmet social needs and address growing environmental problems. The JG may represent a step in the transition to an unconditional BI, following the reassessment of what constitutes work in the light of rising labour productivity and falling average weekly hours of paid work. 2012-10-08T04:38:28.841Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1467 This paper designs and experimentally evaluates the performance of a feedback controller to suppress vibration of a flexible beam. The controller is designed to minimize the spatial ϰ₂ norm of the closed-loop system to ensure average reduction of vibration throughout the entire structure. Vibrations of the first six bending modes of the beam are controlled using a collocated piezoelectric actuator-sensor pair attached to the beam. Feedthrough terms are incorporated into the flexible-structure model to correct the locations of the in-bandwidth zeros. It is shown that the spatial ϰ₂ control has an advantage over the pointwise ϰ₂ control in minimizing the vibration of the entire structure. The spatial ϰ₂ controller minimizes the ϰ₂ norm of the entire structure more uniformly, while the pointwise ϰ₂ controller only has a local effect. The implemented spatial ϰ₂ controller is able to minimize the first six bending modes of the beam effectively. This spatial ϰ₂ control can also be applied to more general structural vibration suppression problems. 2012-10-08T00:10:06.677Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1468 This paper is aimed to develop a feedback controller that suppresses vibration of flexible structures. The controller is designed to minimize the spatial ϰ∞ norm of the closed-loop system. This technique guarantees average reduction of vibration throughout the entire structure. A feedthrough term is incorporated into the truncated flexible-structure model to compensate for the neglected dynamics in the finite-dimensional model. Adding the feedthrough term reduces the uncertainty associated with the truncated model, which is instrumental in ensuring the robustness of the closed-loop system. The controller is applied to a simply-supported piezoelectric-laminate beam and is validated experimentally to show the effectiveness of the proposed controller in suppressing structural vibration. It is shown that the spatial ϰ∞. control has an advantage over the pointwise ϰ∞ control in minimizing the vibration of the entire structure. This spatial ϰ∞ control methodology can also be applied to more general structural vibration suppression problems. 2012-10-08T00:10:05.116Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1475 This note studies the optimal tracking problem for linear time-invariant single-input-multiple-output systems responding to a step reference signal. An integral square error criterion is used as the measure for tracking performance. Explicit expressions are developed for the optimal tracking error. These results characterize how nonsquare plants may pose additional difficulties for tracking, other than those resulted from nonminimum phase zeros and unstable poles. 2012-10-08T00:10:05.008Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1551 Brushless doubly fed induction machines (BDFIMs) have been extensively researched over because of the possibility of using a partially rated inverter in many applications with limited speed variations. However, the special cage rotor construction and substantial rotor losses is one of the key deficiencies of these machines. A similar and extremely interesting machine, the brushless doubly fed reluctance machine (BDFRM), has been largely ignored in comparison. This was mainly due to the fact that reluctance rotor designs were not capable of generating saliency ratios large enough to make the BDFRM competitive with other machines. However, developments in reluctance rotors, spurred on by research into synchronous reluctance machines, have resulted in high-saliency-ratio cageless rotors that are economical to build. This, together with the promise of higher efficiency and simpler control compared to the BDFIM, means that further investigation of the BDFRM is warranted. This paper presents a comparative theoretical analysis and aspects of practical implementation of the important control strategies and associated machine performance/inverter size tradeoffs for the BDFRM in the light of its most likely applications-large-pump-type adjustable-speed drives and variable-speed constant-frequency wind power generation systems. 2012-10-07T23:20:03.252Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11641 Let (G,S) be a Hecke pair, i.e., G is a group and S an almost normal subgroup, meaning that every double coset SgS is the union of finitely many left cosets of S. We show that there exists a homomorphism ϕ from G to a totally disconnected, locally compact group G̃ such that S̃ := (S) is a compact, open subgroup of G̃, and such that the Hecke algebras H(G,S) and H(G̃,S̃) are isomorphic. This "topologization" construction is then used to solve a problem in the theory of Hecke C*-algebras. 2012-10-04T23:36:16.864Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11049 When I was a girl, my great grandmother Ming had always been a little old lady. Born in 1892, she was 75 years old when I was born, a fragile birdlike creature. My memories of her were of her thin fluffy hair, watery eyes, the soft, papery skin of her trembling hands. I remember asking, when I was quite young, why we all called her 'Ming' and being told no-one was exactly certain, but it was presumed a baby-talk name, given her by my father. Apart from this singular aspect of curiosity, I knew nothing about her life. Genteel and faded, like the pastel painted china gathering dust in the gloom of her flat, she was from another world, another time. Years after she'd gone, I discovered a number of startling details about Ming's life. A well-to-do Sydney matron, she had employed, as servants, a succession of four Aboriginal girls taken from their families under a harsh government policy. As a direct consequence of her experiences with these unhappy young women, she had become an outspoken opponent of that policy we call now the 'Stolen Generations'. 2012-07-09T06:23:32.886Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11052 Victoria Haskins on representing interracial histories in the museum. For museums, as receptacles of social mempry, the systematic erasurem by nonaboriginal people, of memories of relationships with Aboriginal people has meant a glaring abscence of shared histories and cultures. 2012-07-09T06:21:28.084Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11051 Those of us in the habit of haunting antique shops and church bazaars will be familiar with the ubiquitous Aboriginal Australiana kitsch. Sparked by the performance of the ballet Corroboree for the Royal visit in 1954, its popularity fuelled a crest of Aboriginal-style souvenirs and promotional material for the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. Now, in the wake of the Sydney 2000 Olympics, such items are enjoying a resergence in popularity for collectors. Those with portraits of the Aboriginal stars of Jedda, a hugely popular movie of the time, are particularly interesting. 2012-07-06T06:12:51.473Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11030 We outline SEEXC, a neural network model of choice response time (RT) based on leaky competitive integrators. SEEXC is different from extant neutral network models in that it incorporates the effects of practice by modulating recurrent selfconnection weights. For simplified versions of this model, we provide analytic and numeric results concerning RTs and the relationship between RT and practice – the “Law of Practice” – that match those observed empirically. We also show that previous methods of modelling practice in similar systems, which modulate inputs, are unlikely to successfully match observed data. The simplified versions of the model analysed are appropriate for modelling the non-stochastic parts of simple RT and two-choice RT, provide insight into the behaviour of the full version of SEEXC, and suggest a new form for the Law of Practice. 2012-07-03T02:27:58.758Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10975 We prove that groups enjoying the falsification by fellow traveler property are of type F3, and have at most an exponential second-order isoperimetric function. 2012-06-25T23:30:28.389Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10974 In a previous article, the authors described an algorithm to determine whether a finite metric polyhedral complex satisfied various local curvature conditions such as being locally CAT(0).The proof made use of Tarski’s theorem about the decidability of first order sentences over the reals in an essential way, and thus it was not immediately applicable to a specific finite complex. In this article, we describe an algorithm restricted to 3-dimensional complexes which uses only elementary 3-dimensional geometry. After describing the procedure, we include several examples involving Euclidean tetrahedra which were run using an implementation of the algorithm in GAP 2012-06-25T23:29:32.678Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10892 Previous research on the management competences and organisational capabilities necessary for continuous innovation in complex and dynamic environments and evidence emerging from a study of innovation in palliative care are compared. A range of research on the management of different types of innovation within changing contexts is presented along with research on the relationships between management competence, organisational capabilities and innovation choices. Evidence is presented from research into innovation management in palliative care that enables a relationship between some elements of the theory and practice of innovation management in complex and dynamic environments to be established. 2012-06-13T00:21:42.167Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1479 We introduce and evaluate via a Monte Carlo study a robust new estimation technique that fits distribution functions to grouped response time (RT) data, where the grouping is determined by sample quantiles. The new estimator, quantile maximum likelihood (QML), is more efficient and less biased than the best alternative estimation technique when fitting the commonly used ex-Gaussian distribution. Limitations of the Monte Carlo results are discussed and guidance provided for the practical application of the new technique. Because QML estimation can be computationally costly, we make fast open source code for fitting available that can be easily modified to use QML in the estimation of any distribution function. 2012-05-28T04:46:35.234Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:2021 We develop a new method for assessing the adequacy of a smooth regression function, based on nonparametric regression and the bootstrap. Our methodology allows users to detect systematic misfit and to test hypotheses of the form “the proposed smooth regression model is not significantly different from the smooth regression model that generated these data”. We also provide confidence bands on the location of nonparametric regression estimates assuming that the proposed regression function is true, allowing users to pinpoint regions of misfit. We illustrate the application of the new method, using local linear nonparametric regression, both where an error model is assumed, and where the error model is an unknown nonstationary function of the predictor. 2012-05-28T04:45:58.322Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10794 This paper is the first in a series that will examine the management of innovation by cross-functional, multi-disciplinary patient care teams in a palliative care environment. This highly innovative environment is singularly focused on relieving the suffering of patients and their socially related carers during an end of life experience. The singular focus enables and encourages palliative care practitioners to break through and diminish or accommodate professionally-based paradigm conflicts and organisational politics. This facilitates collaborative team-based efforts, including the patient and the patient’s social support group, to address the multi-causal uncertainties that characterise end of life in palliative care. The continuous innovation model used in the European Union funded CIMA project is used as a starting point for this research. While many businesses have struggled to implement self-regulating teams and have invested considerable resources in attempting to gain some advantage from teamwork it appears palliative care professionals have adopted self-regulating work teams in a highly uncertain environment as the most suitable human resource structure and practice. 2012-05-25T06:45:36.777Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10840 The so-called subband identification method has been introduced recently as an alternative method for identification of finite-impulse response systems with a large tap size. It is known that this method can be more numerically efficent than the classical system identification method, while having a compatible performance. In this paper, we assume a probabilistic framework, and we deal with the following two problems: (1) whether or not the identification result depends on the particular realization of the random process under consideration, and (2) whether or not, the identification algorithm converges to the minimum of the error function. We study these properties by considering both the error functions in individual subbands and a combined error function. We study the critical-sampling and the oversampling cases. We show that optimum convergence is not always guaranteed in the oversampling case. A modification in the identification algorithm will be proposed to fix this problem. 2012-05-23T01:59:07.671Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4161 2012-05-16T05:10:04.113Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10724 Unlike the rest of the South Australian population, the Aboriginal peoples do not trace their heritage to foreign shores, but understand that they were created here by ancestral figures. They have been here for many thousands of years and their many diverse and distinctive societies were created here. There conncection to the land is therefore indigenous native-born -in the deepest sense of the word. 2012-05-03T02:03:33.915Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3307 The cold, magnetized plasma in the Earth's magnetosphere supports two ultralow- frequency plasma wave modes. Both these modes may exhibit resonant oscillations in the magnetosphere cavity. Theoretical and numerical studies have predicted the existence of cavity/waveguide resonance modes, yet experimental evidence is sparse. In this paper we detail the expected structure of these modes using both one dimensional (1-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) numerical models. The cavity/waveguide mode structures are examined in order to develop experimental detection methods suitable for spacecraft electric and magnetic field perturbation data. Cavity mode resonances in the 1-D model suggest a detection method based on wave polarization using the radial (bx) and field-aligned (bz) magnetic perturbations. However, when implemented, this method failed to identify cavity/waveguide modes in the magnetic field data recorded by Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorers/CCE for events that showed pronounced field line resonances in the azimuthal (by) channel. An examination of data from a 3-D MHD numerical simulation showed that the cavity/waveguide resonant signature was identified best in bz component data. Consequently, a wave mode detection method using the bz data from two spatially separated satellites is discussed. Magnetometer data examples from the ISEE 1 and 2 spacecraft show that field line resonances appear in the by data even when the coherence length of the bz data is less than 0.4 RE. 2012-03-12T06:56:29.137Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3308 The propagation of ultra low frequency (ULF; 1-100 mHz) waves from the magnetosphere to the ground is examined in the presence of oblique background magnetic fields. The problem is developed analytically for a thin sheet ionosphere, neutral atmosphere, and perfectly conducting ground. The cold plasma, ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Alfvén wave modes are assumed to propagate in the MHD medium above the ionosphere. A reflection and wave mode conversion coefficient matrix (RCM) is derived which describes mixing and conversion between shear Alfvén and fast mode energy when interacting with the ionosphere/atmosphere/ground system. The RCM is found to depend in a complicated way on the background magnetic field dip angle, the horizontal wave vector, and the conductivity of the ionosphere. For an oblique background magnetic field, →B₀ in the XZ plane, the perpendicular wave number, ky, is shown to be a critical parameter that determines reflection and mode conversion characteristics. This study also highlights the need for spatial information of ULF wave energy in order to interpret experimental ULF wave data recorded at ground level in terms of magnetospheric processes. 2012-03-12T06:56:26.355Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1470 The purpose of this paper is to relax the terminal conditions typically used to ensure stability in model predictive control, thereby enlarging the domain of attraction for a given prediction horizon. Using some recent results, we present novel conditions that employ, as the terminal cost, the finite-horizon cost resulting from a nonlinear controller u=−sat(Kx) and, as the terminal constraint set, the set in which this controller is optimal for the finite-horizon constrained optimal control problem. It is shown that this solution provides a considerably larger terminal constraint set than is usually employed in stability proofs for model predictive control. 2012-01-30T04:54:38.304Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1417 A graph G is triangle-saturated if every possible edge addition to G creates one or more new triangles (3-cycles). Such a graph is minimally triangle-saturated if removal of any edge from G leaves a graph that is not triangle-saturated. This paper investigates adding a single new vertex to a triangle-saturated graph so as to produce a new triangle-saturated graph, and determines the conditions under which the extended graph is minimally saturated. Particular attention is given to minimally saturated extensions which are primitive (no two vertices have the same neighbourhood). The results are applied to construct primitive maximal triangle-free graphs of every order n ≥ 9. 2012-01-30T04:54:20.650Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3771 The Drowner is a liquid text. Whilst it ebbs and flows from the outset, however, at no point is it clear whether it is ebbing or flowing; instead, it both ebbs and flows simultaneously, its narrative locus twirling on the eddies of this perpetual paradox. It assumes its position as a text of change, of movement within stillness and of constant self-contradiction. As a result, The Drowner breaks with the modern Australian myth of the beach, both chronologically, be it historical or narrarive time, and spatially, be it geographical or textual space. And this is a myth of which Drewe, himself, was amongst the pioneers. 2012-01-30T04:28:34.031Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:690 With the growth of geo-referenced data and the sophistication and complexity of spatial databases, data mining and knowledge discovery techniques become essential tools for successful analysis of large spatial datasets. Spatial clustering is fundamental and central to geographical data mining. It partitions a dataset into smaller homogeneous groups due to spatial proximity. Resulting groups represent geographically interesting patterns of concentrations for which further investigations should be undertaken to find possible causal factors. In this thesis, we propose a spatial-dominant generalization approach that mines multivariate causal associations among geographical data layers using clustering analysis. First, we propose a generic framework of multi-purpose exploratory spatial clustering in the form of the Template-Method Pattern. Based on an object-oriented framework, we design and implement an automatic multi-purpose exploratory spatial clustering tool. The first instance of this framework uses the Delaunay diagram as an underlying proximity graph. Our spatial clustering incorporates the peculiar characteristics of spatial data that make space special. Thus, our method is able to identify high-quality spatial clusters including clusters of arbitrary shapes, clusters of heterogeneous densities, clusters of different sizes, closely located high-density clusters, clusters connected by multiple chains, sparse clusters near to high-density clusters and clusters containing clusters within O(n log n) time. It derives values for parameters from data and thus maximizes user-friendliness. Therefore, our approach minimizes user-oriented bias and constraints that hinder exploratory data analysis and geographical data mining. Sheer volume of spatial data stored in spatial databases is not the only concern. The heterogeneity of datasets is a common issue in data-rich environments, but left open by exploratory tools. Our spatial clustering extends to the Minkowski metric in the absence or presence of obstacles to deal with situations where interactions between spatial objects are not adequately modeled by the Euclidean distance. The genericity is such that our clustering methodology extends to various spatial proximity graphs beyond the default Delaunay diagram. We also investigate an extension of our clustering to higher-dimensional datasets that robustly identify higher-dimensional clusters within O(n log n) time. The versatility of our clustering is further illustrated with its deployment to multi-level clustering. We develop a multi-level clustering method that reveals hierarchical structures hidden in complex datasets within O(n log n) time. We also introduce weighted dendrograms to effectively visualize the cluster hierarchies. Interpretability and usability of clustering results are of great importance. We propose an automatic pattern spotter that reveals high level description of clusters. We develop an effective and efficient cluster polygonization process towards mining causal associations. It automatically approximates shapes of clusters and robustly reveals asymmetric causal associations among data layers. Since it does not require domain-specific concept hierarchies, its applicability is enhanced. 2011-12-20T23:00:09.090Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:687 This dissertation presents the results of a study to assess the impact of a stress management, a self-development, and a relaxation technique on the quality of school life and attendance of 448 Year 5 and 6 students in 16 classes at 4 Lower Hunter Valley primary schools in New South Wales, Australia, in 2000. The importance of contextualising student quality of school life as a key indicator of school effectiveness and measure of school improvement is also argued. The Quality of School Life questionnaire (Ainley & Bourke, 1992) scales were used pre- and post- intervention as indicators of student perception of aspects of their school life including stressful and satisfying elements. Various student, teacher, and class contextual variables were also investigated. Overall, the interventions implemented in this study appeared to have had some small impact on student quality of school life, student absence, teacher stress, teacher satisfaction, and teacher absence. Of particular interest are the apparent differential effects of some of the interventions for: teachers and students, classes, schools, and, at least in part, the effectiveness of the implementation of the interventions. Possible explanations of these differences are discussed while implications including the apparent importance of positive peer relationships and an exciting and enjoyable curriculum in ensuring students have a high quality of school life are described. In the broader context of school effectiveness and school improvement, it is hoped that further investigation will be undertaken of the intervention strategies explored and refined in this study, and perhaps other strategies intended to enhance student quality of school life. In particular, interventions are needed that facilitate the establishment of classroom environments where students and teachers want to be, where educational outcomes are enhanced, and students are led to a broader life experience. 2011-12-20T23:00:07.612Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:674 ABSTRACT What is visual art making, the artistic creative process, and how does it work? These questions fuelled an investigation at first theoretical, then incorporating an empirical study centered on attaining understanding relating to the elements and dynamics involved in making visual art. The resultant study aims to offer an approach to gaining comprehensive understanding of the artistic creative process, an understanding that may inform art teaching practice, so that art teachers may better understand the related dynamics of their pedagogical processes. Historically the artistic creative process has been accepted as one consisting of different sequential stages of development. This view however, is evolving due to the growing understanding of interrelated dynamics of life processes offered by, for example, neurological studies of the brain. New thinking links earlier philosophical and psychological ideas presented by such thinkers as James (1894) and Dewey (1934), to the work of Baars (1999), Brown (2000), Ellis (1999), Zeki (2000), in offering a deeper understanding of the natural human creative process. The reflective aspect of the artistic creative process is thus related to the way that we process information every minute of our lives; essentially it is the way we progress through life, minute by minute, learning and evolving, affirming self through finding meaning. Study of current theory relating to the processes of the brain inevitably incorporates modern thinking that revolves around dynamic processes. Originating in thermodynamics, Chaos Theory has travelled far from physics to become incorporated into a broad spectrum of disciplines. It offers a common language that relates to the dynamics of human nature, and as such is totally applicable to areas of learning and human interaction. Here used metaphorically, Chaos Theory serves to elucidate interactive aspects of the discipline of art making, with much to offer an understanding of the artistic creative process as it describes exactly the same process of change and growth through experience. A metaphorical use of the language of Chaos Theory provides visual art making with a means of sharing ideas with other academic disciplines that also constantly deal with the dynamics of the human condition, found for example in the close connections between the methods of exploration of both artists and scientists. In studying the phenomenon of ‘scale’ the physicist Feigenbaum commented on the connections between perceptions of artists and those of scientists, pointing to the way in which their perceptions and analysis of things coincide (Gleick, 1987). The visual analysis evident in the work of Turner or Ruskin reflects the same process of detailed conceptual exploration of material collected by the senses as that of a student of any field of scientific exploration. Chaos Theory is important also in that it provides a language accessible by varying levels of expertise, whether at a simple metaphorical or a more sophisticated level. This work charts these dimensions because “The challenge is to reverse the disconnectedness of the present world and to develop a curriculum that is not based on separateness of knowledge from life and being, but upon their inherent unity and integration” (Lovat and Smith, 1995, p.248). 2011-12-20T23:00:04.215Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:746 Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 2011-12-19T22:50:05.061Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9734 This paper will discuss and contrast the challenges faced by facilitators of practitioner research depending upon their location. While boundaries may be more flexible and permeable than often imagined, it is the case that the persons supporting and encouraging activist professionals in schools, can and should play a different role, depending upon their terms of engagement. The argument will be grounded in two case studies. In one instance the facilitator of research is Researcher in Residence, acting as an external consultant over a number of years; in the second instance the facilitator is a Director of Learning, who is using forms of practitioner research as the basis for professional development and school improvement. It is argued, that in both sites the schools are aspiring to become knowledge building organisations, where professional knowledge is constructed, critiqued and employed for school improvement. 2011-12-19T21:40:07.133Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9618 For research students in Australia and other nations the PhD thesis is the pinnacle of higher degree endeavour. Unlike most other nations, however, the written report on the thesis is the only assessment that most Australian candidates are likely to receive. In the USA coursework provides a substantial component of assessment, while in the UK the viva voce is required. Although doctoral coursework is gaining ground in Australia, thesis examination remains the dominant form of assessment. Moreover the likelihood of moving to a viva is slim, especially as serious concerns about the credibility of the oral examination are emerging. In Australia research student enrolments numbered 37,175 in 1999 and total completions for the previous year was 5,109. This means that between 10,000 and 15,000 examiners reports are required annually. Despite the importance, scope and intensity of the process the topic of thesis examination has rarely attracted research interest. However, in a climate of quality assurance and high research competitiveness this already changing, as evident in the increasing number of studies emerging from the UK. The examiners' written reports on research theses are idiosyncratic and individualistic documents, despite efforts to standardise or structure them. All manner of reasons can be advanced for the characteristics of the written report ranging from the unusual nature of the assessment task itself, through to the lack of funds devoted to its execution. However, of particular interest in regard to exploring the quality of both academic outcomes and examination process is what examiners regard as important enough to include in the report, how they communicate this information and what both the content and the sub-text reveals about their expectations. This paper concentrates on what topics and qualities of comment are unusual or relatively sparse in examiners' reports on PhD theses. The findings are based on the core content analysis of 303 examiners reports on 101 candidates at one NSW university with a strong research profile. 2011-12-07T00:30:04.328Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9617 Since the 1980s there has been a growing interest in the 'visibility' of doctoral processes, particularly with respect to supervision, but more recently with respect to examination. Questions are being asked that encompass a range of issues from examiner selection through to the rigour and credibility of assessment procedures. Many commentators have pointed out that doctoral examination, and doctoral study generally, is an exceedingly complex phenomenon that has yet to be subject of sustained and systematic research. How students achieve success, the role supervisors play in getting a candidate's thesis to submission stage, or through an oral defence, and what constitutes quality in postgraduate research are all areas that are receiving attention in the field of research training in higher education. 2011-12-06T23:10:04.329Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9562 The events of September 11, 2001 are just a few of the many that, as well as summoning a new era globally, offer a stark challenge for religious education as an area of school and post-school study. While these events, when fully understood, should probably not be interpreted in overly religious terms, they were nonetheless taken up popularly in those terms. Why else would characters with the politics of John Howard and George Bush have, in each case, paid their first visit to a mosque within weeks of the events, and been so fulsome in their praise of Islam and the vital contribution it continues to play in the social histories of their two nations? 2011-12-02T03:10:06.862Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1982 This paper describes a unique social work education model developed by a group of social work practitioners, all but one of whom were new to academia. The University of Newcastle, in NSW, pioneered problem-based learning (PBL) in Australia. The social work programme adopted PBL and gave it a strengths focus, making experience and experiential learning central to its approach. Newcastle's model is based on the belief that learning to be good social workers is best achieved through learning by doing, working with students' experiences, integrating theory and practice, using a collaborative or small group approach, and locating these elements in a strong social justice context. The Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree is relatively new. Introduced in 1991, its first graduates entered the workforce in 1995.The Newcastle model provides a unique example of experience-based learning approach to social work education. 2011-12-01T23:30:08.400Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:795 The extent to which legislation and special education policy have impacted on the nature of the educational enrolment of students with a disability in Australia has not been clearly addressed. Although there are no detailed and systematic national data on the enrolment of students with a disability in inclusive settings, special classes and special schools in Australia, some broad trends are apparent. The legislative background to these trends is discussed. As might be expected, there are variations in the nature of the educational enrolment of students with a disability across the states and territories of Australia. Enrolment trends in the two most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria, are examined and discussed within the context of their respective special education policies, disability discrimination legislation, and educational precedent. 2011-12-01T23:20:02.362Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3915 The study of social movements in Australia have typically focussed on the big issues - environment, peace and women's movement. More recently, ethnic issues, particularly that of indigenous people, have come to the forefront. However, much of Australian history is still one-dimensional and monochromic. In this paper, I will examine the collective efforts of the Chinese in Australia to construct their social and political identities. The paper will examine the growth of community organisations within the Chinese community and present an analysis of a particular organisation. This paper seeks to challenge the view that the Chinese are apolitical and also to engage with the structural research blinkers informing the Chinese in Australia. It argues that to redefine the mainstream, social researchers and activists also need to 'rediscover' and redevelop their tools of historical and social understanding. 2011-11-28T22:30:02.225Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:2332 Much is made of teacher learning as a corrective to the ills of our education systems. Recruitment and accreditation schemes, codification of standards for accomplished practice, teacher education reform, and professional development initiatives are just some of the ways in which teacher learning is being addressed. Teacher learning is of particular importance when the concern is promoting a form of teaching that emphasises high standards of intellectual quality as explicated in models like 'Productive Pedagogy (PP).' In this paper, we report outcomes from a study designed to address the fundamental question of whether it is possible to change teaching to more closely match such standards. In the study reported here, PP was used to assist inservice teachers to improve their teaching. Drawing on data from coded observations of the participants' teaching before and after professional development activities, as well as interviews about their experience of learning and applying PP, some principles for enhancing both professional development programs and preservice teacher education will be elaborated. A comparison of the results gained in this study with those gained in related studies is used to elaborate arguments to refine the potential use of PP in teacher learning. 2011-11-10T04:30:03.374Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1351 The aim of this study was to validate the clinical usefulness of Digitally Reconstructed Radiographs (DRRs) as a replacement tool for simulator verification films in prostate treatment. Method: The study was performed on a convenience sample of 13 patients who had all undergone or were currently undergoing prone treatment to the prostate and/or seminal vesicles. All patients received 60 or 66 Gy in 30 or 33 fractions via a four-field PA/AP, Lt. and Rt. lateral field technique using 6 or 18 MV photons. The previously acquired PA and lateral simulation films were collected for each patient and a set of DRRs produced from stored CT data. In total 26 DRRs were produced and these were compared to the 26 simulation films. In order to compare and identify variation between the image sets distance measurements were taken from a single bony landmark to the isocentre in the superior-inferior (sup-inf), left-right (It-rt), and anterior/posterior (ant-post) directions. Results: In the sup-inf displacement a maximum difference of 0.4 cm was observed (correlation coefficient of r=0.96, p<0.001). In the It-rt displacement a maximum difference of 0.3 cm was observed (r=0.89, p<0.001). In the ant/post direction an outlying difference of 0.8 cm was recorded although 10 of 13 measurements were less than 0.3 cm (r=0.94, p<0.001). Conclusion: A statistically significant correlation was found between the image sets. In terms of isocentre placement, DRRs within this study accurately represented the simulation verification film and may be considered as a clinically acceptable replacement for the current simulation verification film in prostate treatment. This outcome suggests that current clinical protocols could change to incorporate the increased use of DRRs as either aids in placing planned field position within a verification simulator session or as a primary planning output replacing the current simulation verification session. This has implication for both the patient and the department. 2011-11-08T02:00:54.255Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1354 Purpose: i/ To compare the differences between the acute skin reaction of patients undergoing radiation therapy to the breast or chest wall washing with water and a mild cleansing agent (pH=7), and patients washing with water only, and ii/ to determine whether there is any psychological benefit for those patients washing with water and a mild cleansing agent compared to those washing with water only. Methods: Forty three (43) patients receiving tangential radiation therapy for early stage primary breast cancer were randomised to one of two treatment arms: Group 1 - washing with water and a mild cleansing agent (21 patients). Group 2 - washing with water only (22 patients). Acute skin reaction was assessed weekly by a radiation oncologist and radiation therapist using a modified EORTC/RTOG skin reaction scale. Acute skin reaction and psychological benefit was assessed by the patient using a weekly diary skin assessment card. Statistical analysis of the differences in skin reaction and the psychological benefit between the groups was tested. Results: No statistically significant difference between the two treatment groups was found for the degree of skin reaction for weeks one through to five. The study measured a statistically significant psychological benefit for those patients washing with water and a mild cleansing agent (p=0.016). Discussion: Given that there is no statistically significant difference in acute skin reactions between the two groups, the psychological benefit provided to those patients allowed to use a cleansing agent supports the skin care regime of washing with water and a mild cleansing agent. 2011-11-08T02:00:54.061Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3876 In 1919, in the tumultuous period following the First World War, Bruno Taut offered a proposal for an ideal town plan which he described as the Stadtkrone (city crown). Based on a cruciform plan, the layout grouped all cultural facilities of the city in the centre of the town, occupying its highest point. This central square became the site for the dominating meditative space of the “crystal-house”, surrounded by residential, business, recreational and industrial zones which step away from the centre giving the city its characteristic pyramid form. In Taut’s plan the political and institutional structures of the city have been replaced unceremoniously by artistic ones that now occupy the pinnacle of the cultural pyramid. Thus, a fundamental characteristic of the Stadtkrone is the emergence within society of a new cultural elite—now embodied and legitimised within the rigid form of the city. This paper will examine the way that the cultural elitism inherent in Taut’s project was an embodiment of the political thinking of Friedrich Nietzsche. In an era dominated by democratic and socialist doctrines, Nietzsche continually heralded the arrival of a new cultural elite that would transcend mundane and sterile political systems and legislate for the future. This aristocratic vision is often equated by Nietzsche with the metaphor of height and he prescribed an architecture of verticality to counter the horizontal homogeneity he saw as intrinsic to democratic and socialist doctrines. The paper demonstrates close correlations between Nietzsche’s political philosophy and the utopian vision of Taut most clearly depicted in the vertical stratification of the Stadtkrone project. The paper uncovers the theoretical and practical instabilities present in Taut’s Stadtkrone and traces the manner in which the ultimate assimilation of such forms of expressionism by the proletariat paradoxically lead to the collapse of the movement. 2011-10-20T01:20:05.067Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:8458 Background: A key component of many asthma management guidelines is the recommendation for patient education and regular medical review. A number of controlled trials have been conducted to measure the effectiveness of asthma education programmes. These programmes improve patient knowledge, but their impact on health outcomes is less well established. At its simplest level, education is limited to the transfer of information about asthma, its causes and its treatment. This review focused on the effects of limited asthma education. Objectives: The objective of this review was to assess the effects of limited (i.e. information only) asthma education on health outcomes in adults with asthma. Search strategy: We searched the Cochrane Airways Group trials register and reference lists of articles. Selection criteria: Randomised and controlled trials of individual asthma education involving information transfer only in adults over 16 years of age. Data collection and analysis: Trial quality was assessed and two reviewers extracted data independently. Study authors were contacted for missing information. Main results: Twelve trials were included. They were of variable quality. Limited asthma education did not reduce hospitalisation for asthma (weighted mean difference -0.03 average hospitalisations per person per year, 95% confidence interval -0.09 to 0.03). There was no significant effect on doctor visits, lung function and medication use. The effects on asthma symptoms were variable. There was no reduction in days lost from normal activity, but in two studies, perceived asthma symptoms did improve after limited asthma education (odds ratio 0.44, 95% confidence interval 0.26 to 0.74). In one study, limited asthma education was associated with reduced emergency department visits (reduction of -2.76 average visits per person per year, 95% confidence interval -4.34 to 1.18). Authors' conclusions: Use of limited asthma education as it has been practiced does not appear to improve health outcomes in adults with asthma although perceived symptoms may improve. Provision of information in the emergency department may be effective, but this needs to be confirmed. 2011-07-27T05:40:02.091Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:7862 Support vector machines (SVMs) have been widely adopted for classification, regression and novelty detection. Recent studies (A. Ben-Hur et al., 2001) proposed to employ them for cluster analysis too. The basis of this support vector clustering (SVC) is density estimation through SVM training. SVC is a boundary-based clustering method, where the support information is used to construct cluster boundaries. Despite its ability to deal with outliers, to handle high dimensional data and arbitrary boundaries in data space, there are two problems in the process of cluster labelling. The first problem is its low efficiency when the number of free support vectors increases. The other problem is that it sometimes produces false negatives. We propose a robust cluster assignment method that harvests clustering results efficiently. Our method uses proximity graphs to model the proximity structure of the data. We experimentally analyze and illustrate the performance of this new approach. 2011-06-07T04:40:11.180Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:2979 Background: A key component of many asthma management guidelines is the recommendation for patient education and regular medical review. A number of controlled trials have been conducted to measure the effectiveness of asthma education programmes. These programmes improve patient knowledge, but their impact on health outcomes is less well established. This review was conducted to examine the strength of evidence supporting Step 6 of the Australian Asthma Management Plan: "Educate and Review Regularly"; to test whether health outcomes are influenced by education and self-management programmes. Objectives: The objective of this review was to assess the effects of asthma self-management programmes, when coupled with regular health practitioner review, on health outcomes in adults with asthma. Search strategy: We searched the Cochrane Airways Group trials register and reference lists of articles. Selection criteria: Randomised trials of self-management education in adults over 16 years of age with asthma. Data collection and analysis: Two reviewers assessed trial quality and extracted data independently. We contacted study authors for confirmation. Main results: We included thirty six trials, which compared self-management education with usual care. Self-management education reduced hospitalisations (relative risk (RR) 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.50 to 0.82); emergency room visits (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.94); unscheduled visits to the doctor (RR 0.68, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.81); days off work or school (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67 to 0.93); nocturnal asthma (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.0.56 to 0.79); and quality of life (standard mean difference 0.29,CI 0.11 to 0.47). Measures of lung function were little changed. Authors' conclusions: Education in asthma self-management which involves self-monitoring by either peak expiratory flow or symptoms, coupled with regular medical review and a written action plan improves health outcomes for adults with asthma. Training programmes that enable people to adjust their medication using a written action plan appear to be more effective than other forms of asthma self-management. 2011-05-31T22:50:14.832Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1405 The shrink–swell action of expansive soils is one source of structure foundation movement responsible for widespread problems with respect to the serviceability performance of lightweight masonry structures. The most obvious problem is that of cracking in masonry walls. Numerical models for soil movement and structural response have been combined to develop a probabilistic model for crack prediction. The model is capable of predicting the likelihood of cracking and the expected crack widths based on variability in both external effects and structural response. The ultimate aim is to develop rational design criteria for the serviceability design for masonry structures. 2011-05-03T00:20:07.182Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:7564 We have previously reported to the Society that in cats in which monocular retinal lesions were made in adulthood or adolescence cells in the lesion projection zone (LPZ) of area 17 recovered sensitivity to photic stimuli but the receptive fields (RFs) were now ectopic, i.e. outside the lesion (Burke et al. 2000). When the lesions were made in adult cats (AL), stimuli presented via the lesioned eye gave lower peak discharge rates and lower cut-off velocities than those presented via the non-lesioned eye. By contrast, in kitten-lesioned cats (KL) the cut-off velocities and the peak discharge rates were similar for stimuli presented via the lesioned and the non-lesioned eye. There was, however, a difference in the time from lesion to experiment between the AL and KL groups, 2-24 weeks vs. 28-68 weeks. It was, therefore, important to see if this factor could be responsible for the neural effects. Ectopic RFs are believed to be mediated via axon collaterals of pyramidal cells interconnecting mainly in laminae 2 and 3. We, therefore, also investigated the location of the LPZ neurones (supragranular (SG) - laminae 1-3: granular/ infragranular (G/I) - laminae 4-6). In addition to the two groups already described (AL 4 cats; KL 5 cats) we prepared a third group in which the lesion was made in the adult cat but the cat then survived 3.5-4.5 years (AL/L 3 cats). Retinal lesions 8-12 deg in diameter were made in cats anaesthetized with xylazine (3 mg kg-1) and ketamine (30 mg kg-1). Single neurones in area 17 were studied in cats anaesthetized with 0.5-0.7 % halothane in 67/33 N2O/O2, given gallamine triethiodide 7.5 mg kg-1 h-1 I.V. and artificially respired. EEG, ECG, end-tidal CO2, lung pressure and deep body temperature were monitored and kept within normal limits. Animals were humanely killed at the end of the experiments. In the G/I laminae we found no difference between AL and AL/L cats but a significant difference between AL/L and KL cats and between AL and KL cats with regard to peak discharge rates and cut-off velocities (Wilcoxon, P < 0.05). Thus it seems that the interval between lesion and experiment is not a critical factor. By contrast, in the SG laminae there was no difference between AL and KL cats with respect to peak discharge rates and cut-off velocities. Thus following monocular retinal lesions there appears to be a critical period for the LPZ cells recorded from the G/I layers of area 17, after which the presumed cortical mechanisms underlying establishment of ectopic RFs are not capable of good compensation for the loss of the retinal input. 2011-04-12T05:50:03.507Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:903 Objective: To compare the cost of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) with the putative savings made through treatment avoided by identification and non-treatment of those with "white coat" hypertension. Design: A cost analysis based on a model of four alternative strategies (no ABPM, yearly, two-yearly, or three-yearly monitoring) over a seven-year period applied to a case series from Australian general practice. Participants: 62 patients newly diagnosed by their GPs as having hypertension and requiring drug treatment. Main outcome measures: The proportion of patients shown to not need treatment. The discounted costs to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, Medical Benefits Scheme and patients. Results: 16 of 62 patients (26%; 95% CI, 15%–37%) were normotensive on ABPM and did not require treatment. All monitoring strategies are more expensive in the first year, but the initial costs are offset by year 3 and the monitoring strategies are cost saving thereafter. Sensitivity analysis shows that this result holds across a range of costs of pharmacotherapy and proportion of patients with white coat hypertension. Conclusion: The additional costs of 24-hour ABPM in the first year are offset by savings associated with patients with white coat hypertension who would otherwise have been treated. 2011-02-08T22:40:03.910Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3312 The Iridium satellites in 780 km altitude, circular polar orbits provide continuous global monitoring of the Birkeland current system via engineering magnetometer data. These data have been used to characterize basic features of the global field-aligned currents (FACs) with a time window of 45 min and a time step of 15 min. The three sigma magnetometer data noise threshold is 93 nT on average. The fraction of measurements above the noise is used to provide one measure of the location of the auroral FACs. Measures are also presented for the mean latitude and equatorward/poleward extent of the region 1/region 2 FAC system. The equatorward latitude of region 1/region 2 FACs is anticorrelated with Kp, r = -0.68. Indices are presented for the net FAC intensity in terms of the eastward (westward) magnetic perturbation in the northern (southern) hemisphere by analogy with the AE, AU, and AL indices. The Iridium system indices show high correlation with the quick look auroral electrojet indices both in individual cases and statistically, r = +0.73 between their logarithms. Results are presented for two storms, 22–23 September 1999, Dst minimum approximately -160 nT, and 21–22 October 1999, Dst minimum approximately -230 nT, reflecting that intensification and equatorward expansion of the global FACs occur in response to southward IMF. Enhanced dynamic pressure promotes more rapid equatorial expansion, 10° in 1.5 hours for the September storm, for which the dynamic pressure was enhanced, 15–20 nPa, at southward IMF turning, as opposed to the October case, 13° over ~8 hours, for which the southward turning occurred during nominal dynamic pressure, ~5 nPa. In both storms the current intensity decreases to prestorm levels within an hour when the IMF turns northward or nearly horizontal, at the beginning of storm recovery. The key parameters are a useful means of accessing the Iridium system data for preliminary analyses, and the initial results provide motivation for future analyses to quantify the accuracy and reliability of products derived from the Iridium system data. 2010-12-06T04:33:20.082Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4289 Background: General practitioners have an expanding public health role in Australia. Improved training is recommended to optimise this involvement. An advanced post for GP registrars in population health was piloted in rural New South Wales. Methods: A reference group with experience in general practice and public health education advised on the development of the post, curriculum and qualitative evaluation framework. A part time GP registrar was employed within the local Division of General Practice and public health unit. Results: Effective collaboration between stakeholders promoted teaching, research and practice in population health within a rural area. The registrar developed skills in project design, data analysis and report writing during this training post. Conclusion: This pilot demonstrates the feasibility of public health training for a GP registrar within a rural area. Projects in health promotion benefited from the input of a GP registrar among other stakeholders. 2010-09-27T01:50:02.733Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4290 Objective: To estimate the hepatitis C patient caseload of general practitioners and explore their preferences regarding hepatitis C models of care. Method: An anonymous reply paid postal questionnaire was sent to all GPs working in rural northern New South Wales in August 2000. Pretesting found including hepatitis C knowledge and attitude questions would detract from the focus on hepatitis C education and management. Results: Two hundred and ninety-two out of 634 GPs responded (response rate 46%). A few (22 GPs, 8%) saw 3566 (59%) of the 6048 hepatitis C patients in the previous 12 months. Eighty-eight percent of GPs preferred a multidisciplinary model with the GP as the principal coordinator of care. Discussion: Rural GPs see their role as important in hepatitis C care. 2010-09-27T01:50:01.613Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3083 This paper presents strategies for transmitting MPEG4 video by using rate matching techniques over the WCDMA air interface. We use an OPNET simulation model to analyze the channel utilization and transmission delay performance when transmitting MPEG4 traffic over dedicated channels in the WCDMA UP link. 2010-09-15T04:59:32.768Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:2910 This paper presents a Bluetooth-based wireless personal area network (WPAN) designed for multimedia communication among portable and distributed smart electronic devices within a short-range. The WPAN is a new standard under development, which will be part of the IEEE802.15 standard. The main objective of the WPAN is to replace wires between electronic and/or computing equipment in close proximity and provide connectivity to larger networks through a convenient transmission medium. The paper presents hardware and software codesign based on the Bluetooth protocol stack as a vehicle for real-life performance studies for multimedia communication over WPAN and beyond. Some results based on tests performed in the laboratory environment are also presented in the paper. 2010-09-15T04:50:05.909Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1979 Piezoelectric transducer (PZT) patches can be attached to a structure in order to reduce vibration. The PZT patches essentially convert vibrational mechanical energy into electrical energy. The electrical energy can be dissipated via an electrical impedance. Currently, impedance designs require experimental tuning of resistive circuit elements to provide optimal performance. A systematic method is presented for determining the resistance values by minimizing the H₂ norm of the damped system. After the design process, shunt circuits are normally implemented using discrete resistors, virtual inductors and Riordian gyrators. The difficulty in constructing the shunt circuits and achieving reasonable performance has been an ongoing and unaddressed problem in shunt damping. A new approach to implementing piezoelectric shunt circuits is presented. A synthetic impedance, consisting of a voltage controlled current source and a digital signal processor system, is used to synthesize the terminal impedance of a shunt network. A two-mode shunt circuit is designed and implemented for an experimental simply supported beam. The second and third structural modes of the beam are reduced in magnitude by 22 and 18 dB. 2010-09-14T23:29:50.148Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:6570 Cyclin B1, the regulatory component of M phase-promoting factor (MPF), is degraded during the metaphase-anaphase transition in an anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C)-dependent process MPF activity is stable in eggs, and a sperm-triggered Ca²⁺ signal is needed to promote cyclin degradation. In frogs, a single Ca²⁺ spike promotes cell cycle resumption, but, in mammals, the Ca²⁺ signal is more complex, consisting of a series of spikes that stop several hours after sperm fusion. Using dual imaging in mouse eggs, we have examined how the Ca²⁺ signal generates cyclin B1 destruction using destructible and nondestructible GFP-tagged constructs. APC/C activity was present in unfertilized eggs, giving cyclin B1 a half-life of 1.15 ± 0.28 hr. However, APC/C-dependent cyclin degradation was elevated 6-fold when sperm raised cytosolic Ca²⁺ levels above 600 nM. This activation was transitory since cyclin B1 levels recovered between Ca²⁺ spikes. For continued cyclin degradation at basal Ca²⁺ levels, multiple spikes were needed. APC/C-mediated degradation was observed until eggs had completed meiosis with the formation of pronuclei, and, at this time, Ca²⁺ spikes stopped. Therefore, the physiological need for a repetitive Ca²⁺ signal in mammals is to ensure long-term cyclin destruction during a protracted exit from meiosis. 2010-07-28T04:30:04.285Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:892 This paper presents a consistent framework for the quantification of noise and undermodelling errors in transfer function model estimation. We use the, so-called, “stochastic embedding” approach, in which both noise and undermodelling errors are treated as stochastic processes. In contrast to previous applications of stochastic embedding, in this paper we represent the undermodelling as a multiplicative error characterised by random walk processes in the frequency domain. The benefit of the present formulation is that it significantly simplifies the estimation of the parameters of the embedded process yielding a closed-form expression for the model error quantification. Simulation and experimental examples illustrate how the random walks effectively capture typical cases of undermodelling found in practice, including underdamped modes. The examples also show how to use the method as a tool in the determination of model order and pole location in fixed denominator model structures. 2010-06-17T00:50:02.342Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4257 Work exhibited as part of the exhibition ‘Reactions’ held in New York at the renown experimental art forum venue known as Exit Art Gallery. 2010-06-15T08:24:34.175Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4232 2010-06-15T07:36:20.012Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4224 2010-06-15T07:05:52.811Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4221 2010-06-15T06:58:32.612Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4213 Exhibition of Australian photographic images presented in Japan. 2010-06-15T06:33:24.801Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4212 2010-06-15T06:32:45.109Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4209 The installation 'DeoxyriboNucleicArt' is a work in progress. The inanimate sources used in this installation are fragments derived from biotech industry company warehouses, laboratories and research facilities. 2010-06-15T06:29:54.909Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:3912 This paper discusses the sourcing and encryption (ie. coding) of extra biological material specifically derived from inanimate sources for incorporation within living entities in the creation of new media living art works. Art practices based on such a proposition can be seen to engender considerable creative potential. I will briefly discuss the creation of synthetic DNA molecules developed by several art based encryption systems. Such systems have the potential to enable the conversion of any material including extra biological material, into coded genetic sequences of purine and pyrimidine DNA bases. Converted into this biologically compatible medium, synthetic DNA can be incorporated into the genomes of living organisms using recombinant DNA processes. 2010-06-11T00:03:14.056Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:4106 2010-06-11T00:02:04.507Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1975 2010-04-27T06:57:37.837Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1978 Analyses of samples of luminal fluid from the rete testis, distal efferent ducts, and epididymal regions 2–5 and 8 revealed that 91% of the fluid leaving the testis is reabsorbed by the efferent ducts, 79% of the remainder is reabsorbed proximal to epididymal regions 4 and 5, and there is a net secretion of fluid into the duct caudally. There is a net reabsorption by the efferent ducts of 73% of the protein leaving the testis and then a net secretion along the epididymis. SDS-PAGE of the luminal fluids indicated that four new protein bands that were not present in blood appeared in the efferent ducts, 5 in epididymal regions 1–5, 6 in regions 6 and 7, and one in region 8. Two bands in samples from the efferent ducts were absent caudally, and one band present in region 7 was absent in region 8. The rates of incorporation of ³₅S-methionine into minced duct in vitro varied among regions when expressed per milligram of wet weight of tissue (region 2–5 > region 7 > region 6 > region 1 > region 8 > ductuli efferentes), and orchidectomy had little effect on the rates. Incorporation into four proteins that were secreted in vitro (Mr 38 000, 20 000, 15 000, and 13 000) was reduced or abolished by orchidectomy and restored by testosterone therapy. The secretion of three proteins (Mr 52 000, 23 000, and 22 000) was reduced or abolished by orchidectomy and not restored by testosterone therapy. SDS-PAGE of detergent extracts of sperm indicated that five proteins were lost and nine were gained during epididymal transit. Seven of the proteins gained were about the same molecular weight as proteins secreted by the epididymis (Mr 94 000, 52 000, 38 000, 36 000, 22 000, 20 000, and 13 000) and were analyzed using N-terminal amino acid microsequencing. 2010-04-27T06:57:26.564Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1344 Group-theoretical methods are used to analyze perovskite structures where both ferroelectric cation displacements and simple tilting of octahedral units are present. This results in a list of 40 different structures, each with a unique space-group symmetry. The list is compared with that of Aleksandrov & Bartolome [Phase Transit. (2001), 74, 255–335] and a number of differences are found. The group–subgroup relationships between the structures are also determined, along with an indication of those phase transitions that must be first order by Landau theory. 2010-04-27T06:56:04.986Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1356 The four year social work degree program at the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia celebrates its first decade this year. The program began as, and has remained firmly grounded on, an experience-based model of learning. In 1993 the five members of the teaching team received an Excellence in Teaching Award from the University of Newcastle. there are now 8 full-time faculty and about 40 students in each of the four years of the full-time program. The author, one of the three inaugural faculty, reflects on her experience of applying this model of learning to social work practice. 2010-04-27T06:56:03.057Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1363 E-retailers or e-businesses generally represent a special case of corporate branding. As with most aspects of e-commerce, very little is known about the sources or drivers of successful e-brands. Why are some e-brands better than other e-brands? At the same time, e-brands are a particularly useful way of studying corporate brands because the 'entire' corporation appears on a screen in front of you. Not only is the entire organization encapsulated on a single screen, the reputation of that corporation is very sensitive to the way the company is portrayed. A message of 'site under construction' quickly damages corporate reputation. The paper develops a framework based on statistical structural modeling of a convenience sample of CD users. The focus of the model is the brand attitude of the user towards the e-retailer. Critical drivers of corporate brand attitude are highlighted and shown to be e-interactivity and e-trust. It is suggested that companies striving to build corporate reputations on business to consumer Web relationships need to place priority on developing capabilities that enhance e-interactivity and e-trust. 2010-04-27T06:56:00.981Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1352 This paper presents the outcomes of interviews with 29 parents of school-aged students with high support needs, centred on aspects of educational programming and service delivery. The aim of the study was to better understand the views and experiences of parents in relation to priority curriculum areas, programme development, perspectives on integration and socialization, and factors that support student alertness and engagement. This is an area that has received little attention to date in the literature. 2010-04-27T06:56:00.837Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1349 Bangladesh initiated environmental impact assessment (EIA) guidelines in 1992 for the water sector development. The country enacted EIA legislation in 1995 and EIA rules in 1997. Today, all major donor agencies working in Bangladesh have their own EIA guidelines. This paper reveals that (a) the guidelines developed by the government and the donor agencies are stringent, however, there is less emphasis on monitoring, (b) proper implementation of EIAs are largely dependent on the requirements of the donor agencies and (c) there is a lack of coordination among the various organizations involved in environmental decision making and of adequate infrastructure to ensure proper EIA. 2010-04-27T06:55:58.937Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1346 In situ neutron diffraction at 0.9 s time resolution was used to reveal the reaction mechanism during the self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) of Ti3SiC2 from furnace-ignited stoichiometric 3Ti + SiC + C mixtures. The diffraction patterns indicate that the SHS proceeded in five stages: (i) preheating of the reactants, (ii) the (alhpa)-(beta) phase transformation in Ti, (iii) preignition reactions, (iv) the formation of a single solid intermediate phase in <0.9 s, and (v) the rapid nucleation and growth of the product phase Ti3SiC2. No amorphous contribution to the diffraction patterns from a liquid phase was detected and, as such, it is unlikely that a liquid phase plays a major role in this SHS reaction. The intermediate phase is believed to be a solid solution of Si in TiC such that the overall stoichiometry is ~3Ti:1Si:2C. Lattice parameters and known thermal expansion data were used to estimate the ignition temperature at 923 ± 10°C (supported by the (alpha)-(beta) phase transformation in Ti) and the combustion temperature at 2320 ± 50°C. 2010-04-27T06:55:55.499Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1362 Empirically examines the managerial perception of consumerism with reference to the very different macro environments of two countries – Australia and Bangladesh. Consumerism is defined as a social movement seeking to augment the rights and powers of buyers in relation to sellers. The attitudes of a sample of CEOs towards various aspects of consumerism are analyzed. The results of ANOVA indicate that there are statistically significant differences between the two groups of managers in terms of their commitment to consumerism on such issues as government regulation, advertising to children, the role of consumer organization and industry self-regulation. Interestingly, Bangladeshi managers perceived most of the consumerism issues at a higher level than their Australian counterparts. There are interesting interpretations and implications of these findings for firms operating at the international level. These are explored here. Also explores the potential of future research in this area. 2010-04-27T06:55:55.407Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1364 Engle's autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (ARCH) model has been used successfully to model volatility in modern financial data. Here the returns on 3% Consols traded on the London market from 1821 to 1860 are examined for timevarying conditional heteroscedasticity. The series contains over 10,000 daily price changes. The analysis produces strong evidence for persistent ARCH effects in the data. Structural changes in the model and periods of increased volatility can be linked to important political and historical events. 2010-04-27T06:55:52.770Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1353 The importance of the rate of change of the pollution stock in determining the damage to the environment has been an issue of increasing concern in the literature. This paper uses a three-sector (economy, population and environment), non-linear, discrete time, calibrated model to examine pollution control. The model explicitly links economic growth to the health of the environment. The stock of natural resources is affected by the rate of pollution flows, through their impact on the regenerative capacity of the natural resource stock. This can shed useful insights into pollution control strategies, particularly in developing countries where environmental resources are crucial for production in many sectors of the economy. Simulation exercises suggested that, under plausible assumptions, it is possible to reverse undesirable transient dynamics through pollution control expenditure, but this is dependent upon the strategies used for control. The best strategy is to spend money fostering the development of production technologies that reduce pollution rather than spending money dealing with the effects of the pollution flow into the environment. 2010-04-27T06:55:46.218Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1355 2010-04-27T06:55:45.881Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1348 Efforts to systematically select networks of marine reserves to conserve biodiversity may be constrained by limited information on the distribution of biodiversity. A potential solution is the use of surrogates, such as indicator groups, that effectively represent other elements of biodiversity. The potential of macroalgae and molluscs to act as indicator groups for all species in the selection of intertidal marine reserves was tested for a sample of rocky shore locations in south-east Australia. Fifteen locations were surveyed between November 1999 and January 2000, and reserve selection for each of the potential indicator groups and for all species was undertaken using richness-based and rarity-based algorithms. The sets of locations chosen by both algorithms to conserve each of the indicator groups included around 95% of all species. There was 54% spatial correspondence of the sets of locations chosen for each of the indicator groups. Molluscs appeared to be a reliable indicator for areas of reservation ranging from 6.7 to 73.3% of the locations surveyed, including a similar percentage of all species as the locations selected for all species. Unlike macroalgae, locations chosen for molluscs included significantly more species than a set of locations chosen at random, and more species than the set of locations chosen for randomly selected subsets of species of the same richness as molluscs. There is significant scope for further research into the value of indicator groups in reserve selection in marine systems. 2010-04-27T06:55:41.063Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1359 Two hundred and seven students undertaking enabling programmes at three different sites were administered measures of self-efficacy, self-concept, approaches to learning, causal attributions and self-regulatory control at the beginning and end of their first semester of study. Students were enrolled in either a mature aged (21 years + ) enabling course at the University of Newcastle (Open Foundation Course), an age-restricted enabling course (17-21) at the University of Newcastle (Newstep) or an unrestricted age entry Tertiary Preparation Certificate at the NSW TAFE. Analyses of variance indicated group differences across measures of approaches to learning, attributions and self-regulatory control, but no differences across measures of self-efficacy nor self-concept. Results are discussed in terms of the impact of age and institutional factors on students' adjustment to enabling programmes. 2010-04-27T06:55:40.937Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1350 The behaviour of clamping the shell against the substratum may play an important role in the limpet adhesion mechanism because friction generated by this behaviour resists dislodgement by shear forces. This paper describes the development of an apparatus to analyse limpet clamping activity in relation to known forces, including simulated wave activity and predator attack. The results show that Cellana tramoserica clamps its shell in a closely regulated manner consistent with an active role in the limpet adhesion mechanism. Limpets clamped sharply for several seconds in response to single disturbances such as tapping the shell. In response to more continuous disturbance simulating a concerted predator attack, limpets clamped tightly for several minutes. In response to lifting forces applied to the shell, limpets clamped at a set proportion of the lifting force, even if the lift force was a highly dynamic wave profile. This behaviour has implications for numerical models that attempt to describe limpet adhesion because it shows that limpets cannot be represented by a simple mechanical analogue and that the clamping behaviour must be accounted for if useful predictions are to be drawn. 2010-04-27T06:55:38.877Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1345 Measurements have been made in nominally two-dimensional turbulent wakes generated by five different bluff bodies. Each wake has a different level of large-scale organization which is reflected in different amounts of large-scale anisotropy. Structure functions of streamwise (u) and lateral (v) velocity fluctuations at approximately the same value of R[lambda], the Taylor microscale Reynolds number, indicate that inertial-range scales are significantly affected by the large-scale anisotropy. The effect is greater on v than u and more pronounced for the porous-body wakes than the solid-body wakes. In particular, ‘relative’ values of the scaling (or power-law) exponents indicate that the magnitude of the transverse exponents can exceed that of the longitudinal ones in the porous-body wakes. This is supported by the inertial-range behaviour of the spectra of u and v. The difference between the transverse and longitudinal exponents appears to depend on the large-scale anisotropy of the flow, as measured by the ratio of the variances of v and u and ratio of the integral length scales of v and u. The spanwise vorticity spectra are much less affected by the anisotropy than the spectra of u and v. 2010-04-27T06:55:38.773Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1403 Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) provides a method for investigating the highly complex fluid flow in mechanically stirred tanks. Although there are quite a number of papers in the literature describing CFD methods for modelling stirred tanks, most only consider single-phase flow. However, multiphase mixtures occur very frequently in the process industries, and these are more complex situations for which modelling is not as well developed. This paper reports on progress in developing CFD simulations of gas–liquid mixing in a baffled stirred tank. The model is three-dimensional and the impeller region is explicitly included using a Multiple Frames of Reference method to account for the relative movement between impeller and baffles. Fluid flow is calculated with a turbulent two-fluid model using a finite-volume method. Several alternative treatments of the multiphase equations are possible, including various expressions for drag and dispersion forces, and a number of these have been tested. Variation in bubble size due to coalescence and break-up is also modelled. The CFD simulation method has been used to model a gassparged tank equipped with a Rushton turbine, and simulation results are compared with experimental data. Results to date show the correct pattern of gas distribution and the correct trends in local bubble size in the tank. Further work is needed to improve the quantitative agreement with experimental data. 2010-04-27T06:53:12.911Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1401 Pyrolytic behaviours of woody biomass/coal mixtures were investigated under both low and high heating rate conditions over a range of temperatures between 200°C and 1400°C. Results obtained from this comprehensive investigation indicated that the pyrolytic characteristics of the mixtures follow those of the parent materials in an additive manner. Therefore, under inert (non-oxidising) conditions the two fuels undergo independent thermal conversion without any chemical interactions. As such, the yield of the major pyrolysis products (e.g. volatiles and char) is proportional to the percentage of woody biomass and coal in the mixture. This confirms the hypothesis made by a number of researchers about the lack of synergistic effects in the yield of pyrolysis products from blended coal and woody biomass. However, in this study, we show that even the compositions of the gaseous products from blended samples are linearly proportional to those of their parent fuels (lack of synergistic effects). These findings can potentially help to understand and predict the behaviour of woody biomass/coal blends in practical combustion systems. 2010-04-27T06:53:10.561Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1404 High Yield Equity Notes are securities that provide the noteholder with a cash flow stream that comprises a fixed yield and a short position in a European put option on the shares of an Australian company. This paper examines the pricing of these securities and finds apparent overpricing compared with expectations given standard pricing relationships. This apparent overpricing is consistent with the low transaction costs incurred by purchasers of High Yield Equity Notes. 2010-04-27T06:53:10.401Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1402 Purpose: A surgical technique was designed and tested to enable the implantation of an intraocular electrical retinal stimulator. Method: An inoperative perspex and silicone model was constructed to closely resemble the anticipated properties of the proposed visual prosthesis. The animal model chosen for these experiments was the sheep, because the dimensions of its ocular anatomy are approximately 30% larger than the human's, being otherwise grossly similar. The surgical method involved transplanar port-hole lensectomy and vitrectomy, insertion of the model implant through a limbal incision, and fixation of the perspex subunit close to the location of the native crystalline lens, by way of trans-pars plana fixation sutures. Adequate preretinal positioning of the implant's silicone extension was obtained by way of its inherent elastic recoil. Results: The procedure was performed without macroscopic evidence of undue surgical trauma. Conclusion: Although further long-term experiments are required to fully assess the surgical procedure and biocompatibility of the implant, intraoperative assessment and postmortem computed tomographic imaging of the globe has confirmed the successful intraocular positioning and fixation of the implant. 2010-04-27T06:53:08.110Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:1391 The Ludowici LMPE Reflux Classifier is a new device designed for classifying and separating particles on the basis of size or density. This work presents a series of experimental results obtained from the first pilot scale study of the reflux classifier (RC). The main focus of the investigation was to assess the particle gravity separation and throughput performance of the device. In this study, the classifier was used to separate coal and mineral matter less than 2 mm in size. The experimental results were then compared with the performance data on a teetered bed separator (TBS). It was concluded that the classifier could offer an excellent gravity separation at a remarkably high solids throughput of 47 t/m2 h more than 3 times higher than for a TBS. The separation performance of the RC was also better, with significantly less variation in the D50 with particle size. A simple theoretical model providing an explanation of the separation performance is also presented. 2010-04-27T06:53:06.180Z ]]>