http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/services/Feed ${session.getAttribute("locale")} 5 http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12897 Objective: To describe the experience of engaging senior clinical nurses as surge staff in a pandemic public health response and determine the effect of an on‑line training package and exercise participation on these individuals’ perceptions and confidence of being deployed during an influenza pandemic. Design: After action reviews, end of exercise surveys, and pre‑ and post‑training risk perceptions questionnaire completion. Setting: The study was conducted within the operational aspects of a public health exercise response to an influenza pandemic. Subjects: Clinical nurse consultants, nurse educators and nurse managers sourced from areas defined as not clinically critical during the early containment phase of an influenza pandemic response. Interventions: Four hour on‑line training package and a four day influenza pandemic exercise. Main outcome measures: Expert observation and self‑perceived appropriateness of surge staff and measured changes in risk perception. Results: Observers’ comments and after action reviews indicated that by the end of the deployment, day surge staff were able to perform public health surveillance functions competently. The end of day survey showed that the on‑line training package served as a useful reference document but alone was an inadequate means of equipping staff for deployment. Exercise pre‑ and post‑perceptions surveys found that self‑perceived knowledge and confidence in performing duties increased following the exercise from 46% to 93% (p<0.01) and from 46% to 90% (p<0.01), respectively. Conclusion: Clinical nurse consultants, nurse educators and nurse managers working within a health authority are an appropriate surge workforce during public health emergencies if provided with appropriate training and support. 2013-05-20T00:12:54.070Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12895 A smooth testing approach has been used to develop a test of the distributional assumption for generalized linear models. Application of this test to help assess Poisson and logistic regression models is discussed in this paper and power is compared to some common tests. 2013-05-17T00:57:30.837Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12894 We show how to construct nonparametric tests for two factor designs. These tests depend on whether or not the levels of the factors are ordered. Pearson’s X² statistic is decomposed into components of orders 1, 2, ... . These components may be further decomposed, the decomposition depending on the design. If neither factor is ordered, the components reflect linear, quadratic etc main and interaction effects. The approach is demonstrated with reference to the latin squares design. 2013-05-17T00:57:02.426Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12893 In this note smooth tests of fit for a mixture of two Poisson distributions are derived and compared with a traditional Pearson chi-squared test. The tests are illustrated with a classic data set of deaths per day of women over 80 as recorded in the London Times for the years 1910 to 1912. 2013-05-17T00:56:24.085Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12456 Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a workplace-based weight loss program (Workplace POWER-WP) for male shift workers. Method: A prospective, two-armed randomized controlled trial of 110 overweight/obese (BMI 25–40) (mean [SD] age = 44.4 [8.6] years; BMI = 30.5 [3.6]) male employees at Tomago Aluminium aged 18–65. In October (2009) men were randomized to either (i) WP program (n = 65) or (ii) a 14-week wait-list control group (n = 45). The 3-month program involved one information session, program booklets, group-based financial incentives and an online component. Men were assessed at baseline and at 14-week follow-up for weight (primary outcome), waist circumference, BMI, blood pressure, resting heart rate, self-reported physical activity and dietary variables, and physical activity and dietary cognitions. Results: Intention-to-treat analysis using linear mixed models revealed significant between group differences for weight loss after 14 weeks (P < .001, Cohen's d = 0.34). Significant intervention effects were also found for waist circumference (P < .001, d = 0.63), BMI (P < .001, d = 0.41), systolic blood pressure (P = .02, d = 0.48), resting heart rate (P < .001, d = 0.81), physical activity (P = .03, d = 0.77), sweetened beverages (P < .02, d = 0.5–0.6) and physical activity-related cognitions (P < .02, d = 0.6). Conclusion: The WP program was feasible and efficacious and resulted in significant weight loss and improved health-related outcomes and behaviours in overweight male shift workers. 2013-05-14T23:29:46.461Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12455 Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the ‘Healthy Dads, Healthy Kids’ (HDHK) program, which was designed to help overweight fathers lose weight and be a role model of positive health behaviors for their children. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Participants: A total of 53 overweight/obese men (mean (s.d.) age=40.6 (7.1) years; body mass index (BMI)=33.2 (3.9)) and their primary school-aged children (n=71, 54% boys; mean (s.d.) age=8.2 (2.0) years) were randomly assigned (family unit) to either (i) the HDHK program (n=27 fathers, n=39 children) or (ii) a wait-list control group (n=26 fathers, n=32 children). Intervention: Fathers in the 3-month program attended eight face-to-face education sessions. Children attended three of these sessions. Outcomes: The primary outcome was fathers’ weight. Fathers and their children were assessed at baseline, and at 3- and 6-month follow-up, for weight, waist circumference, BMI, blood pressure, resting heart rate (RHR), objectively measured physical activity and self-reported dietary intake. Results: Intention-to-treat analysis revealed significant between-group differences at 6 months for weight loss (P<0.001), with HDHK fathers losing more weight (−7.6 kg; 95% confidence interval (CI) −9.2, −6.0; d=0.54) than control group fathers (0.0 kg; 95% CI −1.4, 1.6). Significant treatment effects (P<0.05) were also found for waist circumference (d=0.62), BMI (d=0.53), systolic blood pressure (d=0.92), RHR (d=0.66) and physical activity (d=0.91), but not for dietary intake. In children, significant treatment effects (P<0.05) were found for physical activity (d=0.74), RHR (d=0.51) and dietary intake (d=0.84). Conclusion: The HDHK program resulted in significant weight loss and improved health-related outcomes in fathers and improved eating and physical activity among children. Targeting fathers is a novel and efficacious approach to improving health behavior in their children. 2013-05-14T23:16:49.550Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11865 The main aim of this study was to determine the test–retest reliability of existing tests of health-related fitness. Participants (mean age 14.8 years, s=0.4) were 42 boys and 26 girls who completed the study assessments on two occasions separated by one week. The following tests were conducted: bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to calculate percent body fat, leg dynamometer, 908 push-up, 7-stage sit-up, and wall squat tests. Intra-class correlation (ICC), paired samples t-tests, and typical error expressed as a coefficient of variation were calculated. The mean percent body fat intra-class correlation coefficient was similar for boys (ICC=0.95) and girls (ICC=0.93), but the mean coefficient of variation was considerably higher for boys than girls (22.2% vs. 12.2%). The boys’ coefficients of variation for the tests of muscular fitness ranged from 9.0% for the leg dynamometer test to 26.5% for the timed wall squat test. The girls’ coefficients of variation ranged from 17.1% for the sit-up test to 21.4% for the push-up test. Although the BIA machine produced reliable estimates of percent body fat, the tests of muscular fitness resulted in high systematic error, suggesting that these measures may require an extensive familiarization phase before the results can be considered reliable. 2013-05-14T06:20:22.248Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11858 The aim of this review was to evaluate the reliability and validity of methods used to assess the multiple components of sedentary behaviour (i.e. screen time, sitting, not moving and existing at low energy expenditure) in children and adolescents. Twenty-six studies met our inclusion criteria and were reviewed. Thirteen studies reported the reliability of self- and proxy-report measures of sedentary behaviour and seven of these were found to have acceptable test–retest reliability. Evidence for the criterion validity of self- and proxy-report measures was examined in three studies with mixed results. Seven studies examined the reliability and/or validity of direct observation and the findings were generally positive. Five studies demonstrated the utility of accelerometers to accurately classify sedentary behaviour. Self-report measures provide reliable estimates of screen time, yet their validity remains largely untested. While accelerometers can accurately classify participants’ behaviour as sedentary, they do not provide information about type of sedentary behaviour or context. Studies utilizing measures of sedentary behaviour need to more adequately report on the validity and reliability of the measures used. We recommend the use of objective measures of sedentary behaviour such as accelerometers, in conjunction with subjective measures (e.g. self-report), to assess type and context of behaviour. 2013-05-14T06:19:26.813Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11850 Objective: To describe dietary changes in men participating in an obesity intervention as part of the Self-Help, Exercise and Diet using Information Technology (SHED-IT) study. Design: An assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial comparing Internet (n34)v.information-only groups (n31) with 6-month follow-up. Dietary intake assessed by FFQ, reporting usual consumption of seventy-four foods and six alcoholic beverages using a 10-point frequency scale. A single portion size (PSF) factor was calculated based on photographs to indicate usual serving sizes. Setting: The campus community of the University of Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Subjects: Sixty-five overweight/obese men (43% students, 42% non-academic general staff, 15% academic staff; mean age 35.9 (SD 11.1) years, mean BMI 30.6 (SD 2.8) kg/m²). Results: The average PSF decreased significantly over time (χ²=20.9, df=55, P<0.001) with no differences between groups. While both groups reduced mean daily energy intake (GLM χ²=34.5, df=3, P<0.001), there was a trend towards a greater reduction in the Internet group (GLM χ²=3.3, P=0.07). Both groups reduced percentage of energy from fat (P<0.05), saturated fat (P<0.001) and energy-dense/nutrient-poor items (P<0.05), with no change in dietary fibre or alcohol (P>0.05). Conclusions: Although men reported some positive dietary changes during weight loss, they did not increase vegetable intakes nor decrease alcohol consumption, while saturated fat, fibre and Na intakes still exceeded national targets. Future interventions for men should promote specific food-based guidelines to target improvements in their diet-related risk factor profile for chronic diseases. 2013-05-14T06:17:05.082Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11864 Background: Physical activity declines during adolescence and strategies to combat this occurrence are both educational and public health priorities. Schools have been identified as central institutions for the promotion of physical activity among youth. While physical education is considered to be the major vehicle for physical activity promotion in the school setting, school sport provides another important opportunity to engage youth in physical activity. Little is known about students’ beliefs about the value of school sport. Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to explore the relationship between students’ beliefs about school sport, social support received during school sport and physical self-esteem in adolescents. Participants and setting: The sample included 249 adolescents (126 boys and 123 girls) from 10 secondary schools in New South Wales, Australia. The mean age of students was 14.1 (± 1.6) years. Research design: Cross-sectional. Data collection and analysis: Participants completed a detailed questionnaire assessing participation in school sport, school sport beliefs, perceived social support for school sport and physical self-esteem using the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP). Independent samples t-tests were used to examine gender and age differences and hierarchical regression was used to determine the relationship between students’ school sport beliefs, social support received during school sport and physical selfesteem. Separate analyses were conducted for boys and girls. Findings: Both boys and girls considered school sport an important opportunity to be physically active. Students believed 'enjoyment’ and selecting activities with their friends were the most important reasons for selecting school sport activities. Boys reported significantly higher levels of perceived physical strength (F = 1.58, p < 0.05), sport competence (F = 0.28, p < 0.001), physical condition (F = 0.36, p < 0.01), body attractiveness (F = 1.76, p < 0.01), and physical self-worth (F = 3.32, p < 0.05). The model predicting boys’ beliefs about school sport explained 17% of the variance (F = 4.08, p < 0.01) and the only statistically significant predictor was school sport social support (β = 0.25, p < 0.01). Similarly, school sport social support (β = 0.31, p < 0.01) was also the only significant predictor in the girls’ model which accounted for 28% of the variance in school sport beliefs (F = 6.46, p < 0.001). Discussion: Students who recognised the value of school sport also reported higher levels of social support for school sport. School sport is an ideal opportunity for the promotion of physical activity and programs may be improved with increased diversity and choice for students. Furthermore, higher levels of teacher support and modelling may contribute to improved student outcomes for school sport programs. 2013-05-14T06:16:01.402Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12459 Background: There is a paucity of information in the scientific literature on the effectiveness of commercial weight loss programs, including Web-based programs. The potential of Web-based weight loss programs has been acknowledged, but their ability to achieve significant weight loss has not been proven. Objective: The objectives were to evaluate the weight change achieved within a large cohort of individuals enrolled in a commercial Web-based weight loss program for 12 or 52 weeks and to describe participants’ program use in relation to weight change. Method: Participants enrolled in an Australian commercial Web-based weight loss program from August 15, 2007, through May 31, 2008. Self-reported weekly weight records were used to determine weight change after 12- and 52-week subscriptions. The primary analysis estimated weight change using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) for all participants who subscribed for 12 weeks and also for those who subscribed for 52 weeks. A sensitivity analysis was conducted using the last observation carried forward (LOCF) method. Website use (ie, the number of days participants logged on, made food or exercise entries to the Web-based diary, or posted to the discussion forum) was described from program enrollment to 12 and 52 weeks, and differences in website use by percentage weight change category were tested using Kruskal-Wallis test for equality of populations. Results: Participants (n = 9599) had a mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of 35.7 (9.5) years and were predominantly female (86% or 8279/9599) and obese (61% or 5866/9599). Results from the primary GLMM analysis including all enrollees found the mean percentage weight change was −6.2% among 12-week subscribers (n = 6943) and −6.9% among 52-week subscribers (n = 2656). Sensitivity analysis using LOCF revealed an average weight change of −3.0% and −3.5% after 12 and 52 weeks respectively. The use of all website features increased significantly (P < .01) as percentage weight change improved. Conclusions: The weight loss achieved by 12- and 52-week subscribers of a commercial Web-based weight loss program is likely to be in the range of the primary and sensitivity analysis results. While this suggests that, on average, clinically important weight loss may be achieved, further research is required to evaluate the efficacy of this commercial Web-based weight loss program prospectively using objective measures. The potential association between greater website use and increased weight loss also requires further evaluation, as strategies to improve participants’ use of Web-based program features may be required. 2013-05-13T04:48:35.535Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12446 Optimal dietary quality, indicated by higher diet quality index scores, reflects greater adherence to National dietary recommendations and is also associated with lower morbidity and mortality from chronic disease. Whether this is reflected in lower health care cost over time has rarely been examined. The aim of this study was to examine whether higher diet quality, as measured by the Australian Recommended Food Score (ARFS), was associated with lower health care costs within the mid-aged cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health. We found that there was a statistically significant association between five year cumulative costs and ARFS, but in the opposite direction to that predicted, with those in the highest quintiles of ARFS having higher health care costs. However the number of Medicare claims over the six year period (2002–2007) was lower for those in the highest compared with the lowest quintile, p = 0.002. There is a need to monitor both costs and claims over time to examine health care usage in the longer term in order to determine whether savings are eventually obtained for those with the dietary patterns that adhere more closely to National recommendations. 2013-05-13T04:47:32.384Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12426 Background: Preconception and pregnancy dietary intakes can influence the health of future generations. In this study we compared the food intakes of reproductive-aged women by pregnancy status, to current Australian recommendations. Methods: Data are from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health, younger cohort aged 25-30 years in 2003, with self-reported status as pregnant (n = 606), trying to conceive (n = 454), given birth in the last 12 months (n = 829) or other (n = 5597). Diet was assessed using a validated 74-item food frequency questionnaire. Food group servings and nutrient intakes were compared to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) and Australian Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs). Results: No women met all AGHE food group recommendations. Highest adherence rates [mean (95% CI) servings/day] were for meat [85%, 1.9(1.8-1.9)], fruit [44%, 2.1(2.1-2.2)] and dairy [35%, 1.8(1.8-1.9)], with < 14% meeting remaining recommendations. Women who achieved NRVs (folate, iron, calcium, zinc, fibre) for pregnancy, breastfeeding and adult life stages were 1.5%, 3.3% and 13.7%, respectively. Compared to AGHE, women consumed more servings of fruit (4.9 vs 4.0;P = 0.034) and dairy (3.4 vs 2.0;P = 0.006) to achieve pregnancy NRVs; more dairy (2.9 vs 2.0;P = 0.001), less fruit (3.9 vs 5.0;P < .001) and vegetables (3.4 vs 7.0;P < .001) to achieve breastfeeding NRVs; more fruit (3.6 vs 3.0;P < .001), dairy (2.5 vs 2.0;P < .001), meat (1.8 vs 1.5;P = 0.015), less vegetables (3.6 vs 5.0;P < .001) to achieve adult NRVs. Conclusions: The AGHE does not align with contemporary diets of Australian women or enable them to meet all NRVs. Current tools to guide food consumption by women during pregnancy require revision. 2013-05-13T04:46:20.455Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12859 To test for equality of variances given two independent random samples from univariate normal populations, popular choices would be the two-sample F test and Levene’s test. The latter is a nonparametric test while the former is parametric: it is the likelihood ratio test, and also a Wald test. Another Wald test of interest is based on the difference in the sample variances. We give a nonparametric analogue of this test and call it the R test. The R, F and Levene tests are compared in an indicative empirical study. For moderate sample sizes when assuming normality the R test is nearly as powerful as the F test and nearly as robust as Levene’s test. It is also an appropriate test for testing equality of variances without the assumption of normality, and so it can be strongly recommended. 2013-05-09T03:22:14.391Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12858 We develop a test for equality of variances given two independent random samples of observations. The test can be expected to perform well when both sample sizes are at least moderate and the sample variances are asymptotically equivalent to the maximum likelihood estimators of the population variances. The test is motivated by and is here assessed for the case when both populations sampled are assumed to be normal. Popular choices of test would be the two-sample F test if normality can be assumed and Levene’s test if this assumption is dubious. Another competitor is the Wald test for the difference in the population variances.We give a nonparametric analogue of this test and call it the R test. In an indicative empirical study when both populations are normal, we find that when both sample sizes are at least 25 the R test is nearly as robust as Levene’s test and nearly as powerful as the F test. 2013-05-09T03:04:24.183Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12233 In this note two easily applied moment tests of the Rayleigh hypothesis are compared with the Anderson-Darling test, some smooth tests and tests based on the empirical Laplace transform. 2013-05-08T23:00:59.291Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12853 Regional flood frequency analysis (RFFA) techniques are commonly used to estimate design floods for ungauged catchments. In Australian Rainfall and Runoff (ARR), the probabilistic rational method (PRM) was recommended for eastern New South Wales (NSW). Recent studies in Australia have shown that regression-based RFFA methods can provide more accurate design flood estimates than the PRM. This paper compares ordinary least squares (OLS) and generalised least squares (GLS) based quantile regression techniques using data from 96 small to medium-sized catchments across NSW for average recurrence intervals of 2 to 100 years. The advantages of the GLS regression are that this accounts for the inter-station correlation and varying record lengths from site to site. An independent test based on both the split-sample and one-at-a-time validation approaches employing a wide range of statistical diagnostics indicates that the GLS regression provides more accurate flood quantile estimates than the OLS one. The developed regression equations are relatively easy to apply, which require data for only two to three predictors, catchment area, design rainfall intensity and stream density. The findings from this study together with those from other RFFA studies being examined as a part of ARR upgrade projects will inform the development of RFFA techniques for inclusion in the revised edition of ARR. 2013-05-07T06:25:34.650Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12851 Objectives: The internationally recommended tuberculosis (TB) control strategy, Directly Observed Treatment, Short course (DOTS) was implemented in most Pacific Island countries and territories during the year 2000, with expansion of DOTS into outer islands and rural areas over the past ten years. The objective of this study was to better understand successful strategies and challenges faced in implementing DOTS in outer islands and rural areas of selected high burden Pacific countries from the perspective of National TB Program (NTP) staff. Methods: National TB Program Managers or Coordinators from four Pacific countries, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati and Tuvalu, were surveyed and participated in in-depth interviews exploring what had been particularly effective and what challenges had emerged during DOTS implementation in outer islands and rural areas. Information from the interviews was analysed for shared experiences with data coded inductively using a thematic coding scheme. Results: The positive aspects of DOTS implementation in outer islands and rural areas were in three main themes: support from health workers and the community; enablers and incentives; and better treatment completion. The challenges could be categorised in five main themes: working with volunteers; stigma; traditional healers; distance and communication; and financial challenges. Local health workers, pastors, church leaders, chiefs and traditional healers were all key players in the TB Program in outer islands. Local health workers are integral to effective TB control due to accessibility and being known by the community. Conclusions: Reviewing the highlights and challenges of implementing DOTS in outer islands and rural areas in four Pacific countries has revealed some important issues. Increasing support to local health workers, actively engaging with pastors, church leaders, chiefs and traditional healers and addressing the barriers to communication and transport for people living in the outer islands are particular issues to address. Much has been achieved in TB control in outer islands but if the burden of TB is to be reduced and drug resistant TB is to be prevented, additional and ongoing investment is required. 2013-05-07T01:42:19.774Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12850 In 2009 a novel influenza strain, pandemic influenza A H1N1 California 7/09 (pH1N1), “swine flu”, emerged worldwide. Australia rapidly developed a pH1N1-specific vaccine which was distributed to public health services and general practices in September 2009. Should a second severe pandemic wave affect Australia there may be a need to rapidly deliver vaccine through mass vaccination clinics. Mass clinics must be efficient and safe. In 2008 a field exercise was undertaken to simulate a pandemic mass vaccination clinic using seasonal influenza vaccination in a rural community in the Hunter Valley using the New South Wales mass vaccination clinic response protocols. The exercise identified significant opportunities to streamline operations to increase clinic capacity, reduce client throughput time, enhance involvement of external agencies, and modify clinic roles, with a resulting revision of the State mass vaccination plan. 2013-05-07T01:41:37.432Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12849 Introduction: Acute Q fever is an important zoonotic disease in some parts of rural Australia. Q Fever can lead to chronic disease such as endocarditis, this complication occurring more commonly in patients with underlying heart valve pathology or an impaired immune system. Untreated Q fever endocarditis has a high mortality rate, but even with appropriate therapy, 10% of patients will die. Cardiac assessment can identify patients at risk. The aim of this review was to examine recorded cardiac assessment of hospitalised Q fever patients within the regional area of Hunter New England (HNE), New South Wales (NSW). Methods: Medical records of patients with Q fever admitted to hospitals in HNE during the period 2005–2009 were identified through the NSW Notifiable Diseases Database and the NSW Inpatient Statistics Collection. A standardised medical record review tool was used to undertake the review. Results: Eighty-nine records were reviewed. Over 50% of patients were admitted to a district hospital staffed by local GPs. Cardiac assessment was not routinely documented and for 91% there was no record of a cardiac history being taken. Approximately 25% had no record of a cardiac physical examination and only 6 cases had a record of a complete cardiac examination. Conclusion: Q Fever remains an important disease in some parts of rural Australia. Q Fever endocarditis is a serious sequel to acute Q fever and underlying heart valve pathology. Due to its indolent progression and poor outcome when diagnosis is delayed, a thorough cardiac assessment of all patients with suspected or confirmed Q fever is important. The level of documentation of cardiac assessment for Q fever patients is of concern because it may indicate cardiac assessments were not performed. General practitioners, especially in rural and regional areas, are encouraged to conduct cardiac assessments for all patients with acute Q fever to identify patients at risk of developing Q fever endocarditis. 2013-05-07T01:40:54.439Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12848 Introduction: Humans who have close contact with livestock, wild or feral animals can risk acquiring zoonotic infections such as brucellosis, Q fever, and leptospirosis. Human infection with Brucella suis (swine brucellosis) usually follows occupational or recreational exposure to infected animals. Worldwide, many cases of human infection follow contact with infected feral pigs. In Australia there is a growing market for the export of 'wild boar' and a considerable number of people are involved in feral pig hunting. However, feral pig hunters are often hard to reach with health strategies. According to Australian authorities the most important means of preventing disease in humans includes covering cuts; wearing gloves; washing hands; and avoiding blood when coming into contact with feral pigs. There has not been an evaluation of the acceptability of these recommended risk-reduction strategies in the settings where feral pig hunting and evisceration occurs. Methods: Semi-structured interviews and small focus groups were conducted with feral pig hunters in north-west New South Wales (NSW), Australia, to explore their hunting experiences and views on the brucellosis prevention strategies. Interview and focus group notes were thematically analysed. Results: There was a range of experiences of feral pig hunting, from a very professional approach to a purely recreational approach. The main domains that emerged from participants’ experiences during their most recent feral pig hunting activity and their reflections on current swine brucellosis risk reduction strategies were: ‘you've gotta be tough to be a feral pig hunter’; ‘most of the suggested strategies won’t work as they are’; ‘reducing risk in the scrub’; and ‘how to let pig hunters know’. The recreational nature and prevailing macho perspective of participants demand a pragmatic approach to risk reduction if it is going to prove acceptable to feral pig hunters. The ‘you’ve gotta be tough to be a feral pig hunter’ context of the activity and the reality that many feral pig hunters participate with little preparation and a 'just keep going' approach, may counteract currently recommended risk-reduction strategies. The alternate strategies that emerged from the interviews need to be tested in the real activity, especially evisceration ‘in the scrub’ (at the site of slaughter). But the following ideas were grounded in the participants’ experiences: take more time and watch your hands when making cuts; have good lighting; take care when cutting near a sow’s uterus; use latex gloves to cover cuts on hands. Conclusions: Swine brucellosis is a zoonosis of concern for feral pig hunters in many parts of Australia, including north-west NSW. Many of the current strategies to reduce the risk of brucellosis did not appear appropriate or acceptable to the feral pig hunters interviewed. More acceptable strategies when eviscerating, such as taking more time, watching hands when cutting, ensuring good lighting, being careful in the vicinity of the uterus and using a latex glove to cover cuts and abrasions on hands need to be field tested. Further development of the food safety regulations is required to also support zoonosis risk reduction strategies. 2013-05-07T01:39:48.889Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12847 The aim of this work was to determine the feasibility of improving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status recording for notifiable diseases using all Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD) notifications in a regional area of New South Wales, Australia. In Australia people with IPD are nearly always admitted to hospital and their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status is recorded. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status was determined for IPD notifications by referring to the routine hospital admission data in a regional area of New South Wales, Australia. There were 234 notifications in the regional area of Hunter New England during the period 2007–2009. Initially, 168 (72%) notifications had Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status recorded. After referring to the routine hospital admission data, the recorded status increased to 232 (99%). Updating the surveillance data required less than five minutes per notification. Referring to routine hospital admission data proved a useful and time-efficient surveillance strategy to increase the proportion of notifications with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status. These data can then be used to better understand the current epidemiology of IPD. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged 0–4 years have a two- to threefold higher rate of invasive pneumococcal disease than non-Aboriginal children, thus high levels of timely pneumococcal immunization coverage remain important for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. 2013-05-06T02:30:19.001Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12846 Objectives: To develop culturally appropriate and effective strategies to reduce the risk from pandemic influenza (H1N109) in rural and remote Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Methods: Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach that enabled communities and researchers to work together to develop understanding and take action to reduce risk. Results: The H1N109 pandemic raised deep concerns and serious issues in all of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities involved in this project. The participants expressed distrust and scepticism in relation to current Australian health policies on containment and told the researchers that specific plans for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were needed. Respondents indicated that policies and plans had been developed without respectful engagement with communities. The strong and recurring themes that emerged from the PAR cycles were: the importance of family; ways of life and realities of living in response to influenza; and key messages to government and health services to focus on communication, understanding and respect. Conclusion: The essential work of reducing risk of pandemic influenza with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is not straightforward, but this project has highlighted a number of useful pathways to continue to journey along with communities. A number of strategies to reduce the spread of pandemic influenza in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities were identified. These strategies would make a good starting point for conversations with communities and health services. In Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities the environment, community structures and traditions vary. Respectful engagement with communities is needed to develop effective policy. 2013-05-06T02:29:48.850Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12845 Objective: To perform a 1-stage meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of multiple sclerosis (MS) susceptibility and to explore functional consequences of new susceptibility loci. Methods: We synthesized 7 MS GWAS. Each data set was imputed using HapMap phase II, and a per single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) meta-analysis was performed across the 7 data sets. We explored RNA expression data using a quantitative trait analysis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 228 subjects with demyelinating disease. Results: We meta-analyzed 2,529,394 unique SNPs in 5,545 cases and 12,153 controls. We identified 3 novel susceptibility alleles: rs170934^T at 3p24.1 (odds ratio [OR], 1.17; p = 1.6 × 10⁻⁸) near EOMES, rs2150702^G in the second intron of MLANA on chromosome 9p24.1 (OR, 1.16; p = 3.3 × 10⁻⁸), and rs6718520^A in an intergenic region on chromosome 2p21, with THADA as the nearest flanking gene (OR, 1.17; p = 3.4 × 10⁻⁸). The 3 new loci do not have a strong cis effect on RNA expression in PBMCs. Ten other susceptibility loci had a suggestive p < 1 × 10⁻⁶, some of these loci have evidence of association in other inflammatory diseases (ie, IL12B, TAGAP, PLEK, and ZMIZ1). Interpretation: We have performed a meta-analysis of GWAS in MS that more than doubles the size of previous gene discovery efforts and highlights 3 novel MS susceptibility loci. These and additional loci with suggestive evidence of association are excellent candidates for further investigations to refine and validate their role in the genetic architecture of MS. 2013-05-06T02:29:19.755Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:8555 This dataset refers to wave two of the 1921-1926 (Mid-age) cohort. ALSWH began in 1996, and consisted of three cohorts; the 1973-1978 (Young) cohort, the 1946-1951 (Mid-age) cohort, and the 1921-1926 (Old-age) cohort. Each cohort received a different questionnaire, which varied in the types of questions asked. In essence, the surveys covered issues regarding overall physical and emotional health, use of health services, education and employment status, drug and/or alcohol use, diet, exercise, and family situation. The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health is managed by staff and investigators at the Priority Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing at, The University of Newcastle, and staff and investigators at the University of Queensland. Steering Committee 2011 includes: - Prof Annette Dobson (Study Director) Affiliation: School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Queensland - Prof Julie Byles (Study Co-Director) Affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing, The University of Newcastle - Prof Wendy Brown Affiliation: School of Human Movement Studies, University of Queensland - Prof Christina Lee Affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Queensland - Dr Deborah Loxton (Deputy Director UON) Affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing, The University of Newcastle - A/Prof Jayne Lucke Affiliation: School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Queensland - Prof Gita Mishra Affiliation: School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Queensland - A/Prof Nancy Pachana Affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Queensland - A/Prof David Sibbritt Affiliation: School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle - Dr Leigh Tooth (Project Co-ordinator) Affiliation: School of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Queensland 2013-05-03T02:01:44.808Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12831 As conflict is the driver of industrial relations, so too are the various mechanisms imposed by the state which seek to limit or control it. In Australia, a key issue has been over where these regulatory settings should be set and how courts should interpret and apply the relevant legislation. Based on a review of four recent and important cases this paper shows that the Federal Court appears to recognise the legitimacy of unions carrying out their role in pursuing the interests of their members despite the quite punitive and hostile federal law. Alternatively, in the cases analysed involving the NSW Teachers' Federation, the NSW Industrial Court pursed a far less accommodating judicial approach. 2013-05-02T03:32:35.500Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12840 We present a relaxation-based dynamic programming algorithm for solving resource-constrained shortest-path problems (RCSPPs) in the context of column generation for the dial-a-flight problem. The resulting network formulation and pricing problem require solving RCSPPs on extremely large time-expanded networks having a huge number of local resource constraints, i.e., constraints that apply to small subnetworks. The relaxation-based dynamic programming algorithm alternates between a forward and a backward search. Each search employs bounds derived in the previous search to prune the search space. Between consecutive searches, the relaxation is tightened using a set of critical resources and a set of critical arcs over which these resources are consumed. As a result, a relatively small state space is maintained, and many paths can be pruned while guaranteeing that an optimal path is ultimately found. 2013-05-02T01:35:42.120Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9235 The paper presents a new method, based on rigorous principles of mechanics, for determining the in-situ rock stress state based on hydraulic fracturing data. A solution can be obtained from a single data set which includes breakdown pressure, fracture angular position and trace angle. The inversion methodology is demonstrated on a case history from the Kuparuk River field, Alaska as reported by [1] and is shown to give good agreement with observed field data. 2013-05-01T23:10:31.567Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12785 Marketers are interested in the knowledge, opinions, attitudes and behaviours of today's young consumers. This paper explores the nature of child-orientated survey research by means of an unstructured observational study. A total of 376 children between the ages of 7 and 12 participated in a study that examined consumer knowledge and behaviour. Participant's behaviour was observed during the questionnaire administration process with four primary issues being noted: group management, peer interaction, the ability to maintain interest and the desire to be 'correct'. When using a self-completed questionnaire, it is suggested that the administration group size should be limited to eight children, questionnaire length should be limited to approximately 100 items or 10 to 15 minutes' completion time, and questionnaires should be collected immediately after completion. 2013-04-30T06:57:52.721Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12826 The Hunter Valley Coal Chain (HVCC) consists of mining companies, rail operators, rail track owners and terminal operators, together forming the world’s largest coal exporting facility. In 2008, the throughput of HVCC was about 92 million tonnes, or more than ten per cent of the world’s total trade in coal for that year. The coal export operation generates around $15 billion in annual export income for Australia. As demand has increased significantly in recent years, and is expected to increase further in the future, efficient supply chain management is crucial. The Hunter Valley Coal Chain Coordinator Limited (HVCCC) was founded to enable integrated planning and coordination of the interests of all parties, thus improving the efficiency of the system as a whole. One of the many planning challenges faced by the HVCCC is that of annual maintenance planning. Different supply chain elements, such as trains, railway track, terminal equipment and load points, must undergo regular preventive and corrective maintenance, leading to significant reductions in system capacity (up to 15 per cent). However good alignment of the maintenance tasks can reduce their impact, and the HVCCC undertakes an annual process to ensure the impact of maintenance on the supply chain capacity is as small as possible. This is achieved in an iterative negotiation process between HVCCC and individual service providers. In the past, maintenance schedule optimisation was largely manual, which for the more than 1000 tasks involved is quite labour-intensive. In this paper the authors describe an approach developed at the University of Newcastle in partnership with the HVCCC to automate this schedule optimisation process. We will discuss our experience in applying exact (mixed integer programming) and heuristic techniques from mathematics and computer science to address the problem. This work is anticipated to lead to new decision-support tools for the HVCCC’s capacity planning team. 2013-04-30T06:56:23.108Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12816 The paper presents education as a process of human development toward becoming our authentic Selves and posits the Tarot hermeneutic as one of the means of holistic, spiritual education. As a system of images and symbols, Tarot encompasses the three I’s represented by intuition, insight and imagination in contrast to the three R’s of traditional formal schooling. If teachers want to foster intuitive abilities in their students, they need to first develop this capacity in themselves using the available cultural practice of Tarot. Through Tarot symbolism we can become aware of the deep meanings of human experiences that may be hiding in the unconscious at the soul level. The informal ‘school of life’ embodied in images unveils the dimension of inner knowledge or gnosis that exceeds the factual knowledge of the external world but reaches toward the Imaginal world due to intuitive mode of perception. 2013-04-29T05:43:34.652Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12815 This special issue introduces the philosophy of French post-structuralist Gilles Deleuze for the purpose of critically examining his conceptual framework and drawing out a number of important implications for educational policy in the context of current debates in educational philosophy, pedagogical theory and futures studies at the international level. The popularity of Deleuze’s philosophy across disciplines is highly visible, especially in the area of cultural studies, politics, gender studies and the like. While less visible in education, his body of work is subject to continuous research and practical applications. 2013-04-29T05:40:29.243Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12814 The emergent field of Educational Futures has its beginning in futurology as a relatively new constellation of disciplines having a strong impact on policy in the form of foresight, scenario planning, and new utopian thinking. This article specifically focuses on Gilles Deleuze's unorthodox approach to epistemology as future-oriented and creative and emphasizes his attention to experimental and experiential becomings. While educational system is traditionally limited to acquiring the factual knowledge of the external world, inner knowledge or Gnosis is not addressed in a habitually secular context. In contrast to the prevailing episteme, this article positions Gnosis within the universal science of life, mathesis. The political impulse of Deleuze's thoughts on mathesis is related to new educational leaders as 'people to come'. 2013-04-29T05:39:59.013Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12813 This book originated as an action-research project conducted between 1992 and 1994 under the auspices of the California Board of Behavioral Sciences when I was a postgraduate student enrolled in the Masters of Arts degree program in the area of Marriage, Family and Child Counseling and Human Development at Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena. Unbeknown to me at the time, my study was to be a type of research analogous to what Jungian scholar Robert Romanyshyn will have called more than a decade later “research with soul in mind” (Romanyshyn, 2007). Yet back then in 1992 I was not only ten years away from the subject matter of my future doctorate in the area of philosophy of education and cultural studies, but also quite undecided on the topic of my Masters thesis that was eventually to be called “Introduction of Tarot readings into clinical psychotherapy: a naturalistic inquiry”. 2013-04-29T05:37:58.162Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12812 The decline and fall of the Soviet empire in the last decade of the 20th century put an end to the cultural and political epoch that was rigidly disciplined by the aesthetics of a mainly socialist realist type. The social-political setting, traditionally looked upon as the Other by the Western mind, has lost its distinguishing features, has lost its proverbial “otherness”. Soviet literature and fiction used to be informed, at least during the years between the 1970s and 1990s, by the legacy of historical materialism and social realism. The present essay addresses a formidable exploration of this particular three-decades-long period in Soviet literature by Nadia Peterson in her book Subversive Imaginations: Fantastic Prose and the End of Soviet Literature, 1970s - 1990s published in 1997 by Westview Press. 2013-04-29T05:37:35.520Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12811 This review essay is a series of musings inspired by Søren Brier’s recent magnum opus titled Cybersemiotics: Why information is not enough (2008). It is almost ironic how instrumental rationality in the modern epoch has separated science and mysticism into a pair of binary opposites. While acknowledging what the pure reason of modernity considered to be a supernatural action, any attempt to explain it was made in terms of natural science from the perspective of the logic of explanation and causality. ‘Naturally enough’ the term natural has been habitually taken in its reductive sense of a linear direct causeeffect connection pertaining to the paradigm of classical mechanics as if describing the whole of Nature. The ‘prompt’ conclusion arrived at by means of syllogistic reasoning was simple: either anomalous effect or anomalous cause. Brier’s volume not only problematizes this logic by bringing biosemiotics into discourse in science, but also breathes life into science per se. 2013-04-29T05:37:21.024Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12803 Low teacher self-efficacy is an important factor constraining the teaching of science at the elementary level. This study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of particular sources of efficacy information for enhancing the science teaching self-efficacy of practicing elementary teachers. Twelve teachers participated in an intervention that was designed to provide them with cognitive mastery, enactive mastery, modeling, and verbal persuasion. Data were collected prior to, during, immediately after, and 2 years after the intervention. The results showed that increases in self-efficacy were mainly due to cognitive mastery (i.e., perceived success in understanding how to teach science) and in situ feedback (i.e., verbal persuasion given after observation of the teacher teaching his/her own class). 2013-04-25T22:13:27.167Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12802 Aims and objectives: This study presents a cost–utility analysis that compared medium- vs. high-fidelity human patient simulation manikins in nursing education. The analysis sought to determine whether the extra costs associated with high-fidelity manikins can justify the differences, if any, in the outcomes of clinical reasoning, knowledge acquisition and student satisfaction. Background: Investment in simulated learning environments has increased at an unprecedented pace. One of the driving forces is the potential for simulation experiences to improve students’ learning and engagement. A cost-effectiveness analysis is needed to inform decisions related to investment in and use of simulation equipment. Method: Costs associated with the use of medium- and high-fidelity manikins were calculated to determine the total cost for each. A cost-utility analysis using multiattribute utility function was then conducted to combine costs and three outcomes of clinical reasoning, knowledge acquisition and student satisfaction from a quasi-experimental study to arrive at an overall cost utility. Results: The cost analysis indicated that to obtain equivalent clinical reasoning, knowledge acquisition and student satisfaction scores, it required $AU1.21 (US$ 1.14; €0.85) using medium-fidelity as compared with $AU6.28 (US$6.17; €4.40) for high-fidelity human patient simulation manikins per student. Conclusion: Based on the results of the cost-utility analysis, medium-fidelity manikins are more cost effective requiring one-fifth of the cost of high-fidelity manikins to obtain the same effect on clinical reasoning, knowledge acquisition and student satisfaction. Relevance to clinical practice: It is important that decision-makers have an economic analysis that considers both the costs and outcomes of simulation to identify the approach that has the lowest cost for any particular outcome measure or the best outcomes for a particular cost. 2013-04-24T01:07:49.149Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12801 Knowledge and skill acquisition related to vascular access are traditionally individual institutional educational initiatives. Australia currently has no national evidence based education programme for renal nurses. A survey of Australian and New Zealand Nephrology Educators’ conducted in 2009, identified the need for more effective and consistent delivery of clinical education for nurses using innovative, web-based approaches supporting the tenets of e-learning methodologies. This paper discusses the development, implementation and proposed evaluation of a peer reviewed Australasian e-learning programme on buttonhole cannulation. It will further highlight the benefits of inter-organisational partnerships and how these partnerships can facilitate positive change in teaching and learning practices. This project has unique characteristics that collectively provide value, distinction and innovation to nurses, patients and renal departments. As the e-learning programme was founded on a platform of evidence-based practice it is therefore easily transferable to an international context. 2013-04-23T23:42:48.394Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12648 Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is seen as one of the key technologies for cutting CO₂ emissions from coal power plants. It is proposed that carbon capture and storage could reduce CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere from a modern power plant by approximately 80-90%. Building and operating infrastructure for capturing, transporting, and storing CO₂, however, is forecast to be expensive. To gain a better understanding of and to develop clearer insight into the cost of introducing CCS in Australia, the CSIRO Infrastructure Futures Analysis Platform has been extended with capabilities to handle pipeline infrastructures and with an optimisation module specifically designed for CCS infrastructure planning. The Infrastructure Futures and Analysis Platform is a software system for addressing questions regarding the optimal selection, configuration and deployment of infrastructure. This paper has two objectives: (1) To introduce an optimisation model for the detailed design and operation of a carbon capture and storage network and present the results of a computation study involving eastern Australia. (2) To introduce the Infrastructure Futures and Analysis Platform and demonstrate its extendability and versatility by discussing what was needed to customise it for use in the carbon capture and storage context. The core of the carbon capture and storage optimisation module is a multi-period network design model. Given yearly, system-wide carbon capture targets, the model decides when and where to build carbon capture facilities, open basins for geo-sequestration, and install pipelines connecting capture sites with carbon sinks so as to minimise the total cost over the planning horizon. The preliminary results of the computational study are intended primarily to validate the optimisation based approach and to provide the basis for a more extensive study investigating different scenarios involving different and larger regions, different system-wide carbon capture targets, and different economic costing models. 2013-04-17T01:55:38.376Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12547 Coal is Australia's leading export valued at close to A$50 billion and representing more than 20% of Australia's commodity exports in 2008 (Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade). The Port of Newcastle is home to the world's largest coal export operation. In 2008, it achieved a throughput of around 92 million tonnes, or more than 10 per cent of the world's total trade in coal for that year. That throughput is expected to double in the next decade. Several coal terminals operate at the Port of Newcastle. Crucial to achieving a high coal throughput is effective management of the stockyards at these terminals. The stockyard, where cargoes of (typically blended) coal product are assembled in stockpiles using stacking machines, and then reclaimed using bucket wheel reclaimers, is a pivotal component of a coal export chain. In this paper, a model of stockyard operations within a coal export supply chain, with make-to-order cargo assembly, is described. Stockpiles are assembled from coal delivered by trains from load points at mines. For a given stockpile, it is known in advance how much coal must be delivered from each load point to completely assemble the stockpile. Trains arrive at a dump station and dump the coal onto a conveyor which transports it to a stacker which in turn assembles the stockpile on the yard. Once the stockpile is completely assembled (a process that usually takes several days), it is removed from the stockyard via a reclaimer and loaded onto a vessel (a process that usually takes around half a day to complete). A stockpile often remains in the stockyard for some time (several days) before its intended vessel arrives at the berth and it can be loaded. The system is constrained in a number of ways. There are limited berths available for vessels to be loaded. The departure of larger vessels may be restricted to high tide. Load point capacity at the mines, in terms of the number of trains as well as the volume that can be handled per day, is limited. Stockyard space is often at a premium, and dumping, stacking, and reclaiming capacity per day is limited too. All these constraining factors need to be taken into account when managing the sequencing and loading of vessels, and the management of the stockyard. The model developed represents decisions and constraints typically applied at a planning stage of about 4 to 6 weeks in advance. The key decisions are where on the stockyard to place each stockpile for a vessel, when to start building the stockpile, when to bring the vessel to berth, and when to start reclaiming and loading each stockpile for the vessel. An approximate railing plan for transporting coal from mine load points to the stockyard is also required, largely as a check on load point and rail capacity limits. The model considers the stockyard itself and the outbound handling in some detail, with timing at the hourly level, but approximates in-bound capacity constraints more coarsely, at the daily level. We give a solution approach, simulating stockpile placement and scheduling decisions in a greedy fashion, with the goal of minimizing vessel sailing delays, and maximizing throughput of the system. Since a greedy approach is unlikely to yield the most efficient schedules, a variant of the algorithm is developed in which the vessel scheduling order is randomized, and the resulting performance analysed computationally. The resulting model and algorithm together can be viewed as a prototype decision support system for the stockyard planner. However, it can also be used as a simulation tool, to explore the effects of alternative stockyard management strategies. Such strategies, may, for example, reserve some areas of the stockyard for fast-moving, and some for slow-moving, cargo, with the aim of balancing load across the stacking and reclaiming equipment. One such strategy is implemented in the model, and compared with the simple greedy approach. Computational results of this study are reported. Our research shows that coal throughput can be substantially impacted by the stockyard management strategy employed. 2013-04-17T01:51:09.921Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12546 The Hunter Valley Coal Chain Coordinator (HVCCC) Limited is the primary planning organisation responsible for the export of coal through the Port of Newcastle, Australia. HVCCC stakeholders include producers (mining companies), rail track owners, above rail operators, and terminal operators. The HVCCC is tasked with coordinating the activities of all the corresponding parts of the coal export supply chain so as to maximise the system efficiency. The HVCCC also has a forward looking planning role: with demand for coal expected to double in the next decade, strategic capacity planning is a core activity for the HVCCC. Optimisation and simulation models are key aids in such activity. They are used to suggest and evaluate infrastructure expansions and operating policy changes. These models require input data in the form of shipping stems, which are arrival streams of ships at the port, together with their cargo types and composition, and date and time of arrival. Although everyone is familiar with the expression ‘garbage in equals garbage out’, relatively little research is dedicated to the issues surrounding input data generation. In this research we seek to redress this, and have developed a method for generating high quality shipping data. Shipping stems used as input should be realistic, reflecting key characteristics of historical patterns. They should accurately represent future demand scenarios. Yet they should also have controllable parameters that can be used to test what-if scenarios, such as are required by the HVCCC to answer questions about future infrastructure or operational plans. Here we review our process for achieving this, and give a case study analysing the effects of different shipping stems on the performance of the coal chain, as measured by a capacity assessment tool. The latter is an optimisation model that takes shipping stem and infrastructure data as input, and calculates key supply chain performance metrics. The potential benefits of alternative demand management strategies are analysed by measuring the performance of the coal chain given different shipping stems obtained via the stem generator’s controllable parameters. 2013-04-17T01:46:43.139Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12759 Australia is a continent subject to climatic extremes, and its losses from tropical cyclones and thunderstorms are significantly higher than other natural hazards. The number of severe tropical cyclones is likely to increase due to climate change. Brisbane and the northeast coast of Queensland are regions where design wind specifications may be inadequate under future climate conditions. For example, the Australia Building Codes Board is considering a shift in the boundary to cyclone Region C to extend it south on the Queensland coast to 27°S to include areas in the Sunshine Coast. Hence, there is an urgent need to assess the risks and economic viability of these climate adaptation measures. 2013-04-15T07:03:23.715Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12755 The paper develops a methodology for assessing the structural reliability of unreinforced masonry in vertical bending and for calibrating the capacity reduction factor for bending. The reliability index corresponding to the current capacity reduction factor in the Australian Masonry Structures Code AS 3700 (ϕ = 0.6) lies approximately mid-way between the values 3.8 and 4.3. To achieve a target reliability index of 4.3 it was found that the capacity reduction factor may need to be decreased to 0.47. However, the effect of wall length and mortar type needs to be examined further to assess their effect on reliability and to consider whether an improved behaviour model could be used. 2013-04-15T07:02:20.031Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12754 Damage to infrastructure caused by anthropogenic climate change can cause dramatic economic loss and social disruption. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, climate change may cause an increase in the intensity of droughts, the frequency of floods, and increasing coastal vulnerability to tropical cyclones, storm surges and sea-level rise. This paper uses the stochastic technique Monte Carlo technique to explore the time-dependent damage due to climate change, considering the hazard as a stochastic variable. Three different time periods were explored: 2010-2035, 2010-2050 and 2010-2100. The analysis investigated no climate change and with climate change scenarios that affect the probabilistic model of hazard occurrence, and vulnerability functions that represent the potential damage for a given hazard. The probabilistic model and vulnerability models used in this study are relatively simple, but they can help to generate a framework of the time-dependent climate change damage and understand its economic behaviour. Parametric studies are heavily used in this study to explore a range of possible conclusions. The sensitivity of the change of parameters such as threshold h_T, discount rate r, and time T are considered. The results are given in terms of mean cumulative annual loss. The discount rate was found to be a key parameter affecting cumulative damage prediction. Since damage often only occurs once a threshold level of hazard has occurred (such as a flood level exceeding the floor level of a house), then the influence of this threshold value on damage is significant. Damage/impact models utilising probabilistic hazard were used to verify the robustness of results. Results are very sensitive to threshold. Time-dependent predictions of damage can help decisionmakers assess the impact of climate change and the economic viability of climate change adaptation strategies. 2013-04-15T07:01:15.980Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12758 This study concerns those crystallographic and microstructural features that can provide indications on the actual origin of red pigments based on hematite (Fe₂O₃). The main features of natural and artificial hematite are recalled and used to discuss the results obtained from the characterization of red-ochre samples coming from the Palaeolithic site of Riparo Dalmeri, a rock-shelter located in northeastern Italy, dated to 13 000 cal. BP, and notorious for the presence, among the other finds, of red-painted calcareous stones. Painting and the treatment of leather and hides obtained from the intensive hunting activity were the main uses of the hematite-based red-ochres at Riparo Dalmeri. It turns out that hematite was mostly obtained from the thermal treatment of goethite, which, unlike hematite, was and still is widely available in the neighbourhood of the site. 2013-04-15T06:31:59.654Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12756 Aim: This study examined the relevance and fit of the PARiHS framework (Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services) as an explanatory model for practice change in residential aged care. Background: Translation of research knowledge into routine practice is a complex matter in health and social care environments. Examination of the environment may identify factors likely to support and hinder practice change, inform strategy development, predict and explain successful uptake of new ways of working. Frameworks to enable this have been described but none has been tested in residential aged care. Methods: This paper reports preliminary qualitative analyses from the Encouraging Best Practice in Residential Aged Care Nutrition and Hydration project conducted in New South Wales in 2007–2009. We examined congruence with the PARiHS framework of factors staff described as influential for practice change during 29 digitally recorded and transcribed staff interviews and meetings at three facilities. Findings: Unique features of the setting were flagged, with facilities simultaneously filling the roles of residents’ home, staff’s workplace and businesses. Participants discussed many of the same characteristics identified by the PARiHS framework, but in addition temporal dimensions of practice change were flagged. Conclusion: Overall factors described by staff as important for practice change in aged care settings showed good fit with those of the PARiHS framework. This framework can be recommended for use in this setting. Widespread adoption will enable cross-project and international synthesis of findings, a major step towards building a cumulative science of knowledge translation and practice change. 2013-04-12T00:11:16.564Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12752 The cumulative increase in expenditures on U.S. domestic homeland security over the decade since 9/11 exceeds one trillion dollars. It is clearly time to examine these massive expenditures applying risk assessment and cost-benefit approaches that have been standard for decades. Thus far, officials do not seem to have done so and have engaged in various forms of probability neglect by focusing on worst case scenarios; adding, rather than multiplying, the probabilities; assessing relative, rather than absolute, risk; and inflating terrorist capacities and the importance of potential terrorist targets. We find that enhanced expenditures have been excessive. To be deemed cost-effective in analyses that substantially bias the consideration toward the opposite conclusion, the security measures would have to deter, prevent, foil, or protect each year against 1,667 otherwise successful attacks that each inflicted some $100 million in damage (more than four per day) or 167 attacks inflicting $1 billion in damage (nearly one every two days). This is in the range of destruction of what might have happened had the Times-Square bomber of 2010 been successful. Although there are emotional and political pressures on the terrorism issue, this does not relieve politicians and bureaucrats of the fundamental responsibility of informing the public of the limited risk that terrorism presents, of seeking to expend funds wisely, and of bearing in mind opportunity costs. Moreover, political concerns may be over-wrought: restrained reaction has often proved to be entirely acceptable politically. And avoiding overreaction is by far the most cost-effective counterterrorism measure. 2013-04-09T04:56:10.508Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12750 This paper addresses the controversial issue of delivering graduate attributes in professional programs. The tensions between an institution’s desire for revenue, accreditation requirements for technical knowledge and employer needs for behavioural and higher order cognitive skills are explored through an Australian postgraduate accounting program. Content analysis of program documents is combined with a student survey to find that program and course outcomes align closely with students’ perceived outcomes but largely ignore the graduate attributes required by the profession and more recently, government. The analysis provides a platform for faculty and their institutions to decide on the future directions of such programs. 2013-04-09T03:38:35.487Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12736 Introduction and Aims: The Dual Diagnosis Capability of Addiction Treatment (DDCAT) index is used to assess the capacity of substance abuse services to work with individuals with co-occurring mental health problems. The current study aimed to: (i) examine the dual diagnosis capability of residential substance abuse programs in Australia; (ii) identify managers' perceptions regarding both priorities and confidence for change following the completion of the DDCAT; and (iii) to examine the usefulness of the DDCAT to residential substance abuse programs. Design and Methods: The DDCAT was completed across 16 residential substance abuse units. An external researcher administered and scored the DDCAT. A Unit Manager from each site completed the Comorbidity Priorities and Confidence Survey following the completion of the DDCAT review. This survey examined the usefulness of the DDCAT, and the unit's priorities to improve its capability, and confidence to improve its DDCAT score. Results: Across the services, program structure and staff training were the DDCAT domains that required the most improvement. While training was the highest endorsed priority area for improvement, program structure was the lowest priority. Overall the Unit Managers reported positive attitudes towards use of the DDCAT and were confident that their unit could improve their DDCAT scores. Discussion and Conclusions: DDCAT scores of Australian residential substance abuse programs are comparable with previous published results. However, there is still substantial work required to improve the capability of these programs. Future research should examine strategies to promote sustained improvements in the capability of residential substance abuse programs. 2013-04-05T02:56:32.109Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12729 Prediction of conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is of major interest in AD research. A large number of potential predictors have been proposed, with most investigations tending to examine one or a set of related predictors. In this study, we simultaneously examined multiple features from different modalities of data, including structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) morphometry, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers and neuropsychological and functional measures (NMs), to explore an optimal set of predictors of conversion from MCI to AD in an Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort. After FreeSurfer-derived MRI feature extraction, CSF and NM feature collection, feature selection was employed to choose optimal subsets of features from each modality. Support vector machine (SVM) classifiers were then trained on normal control (NC) and AD participants. Testing was conducted on MCIc (MCI individuals who have converted to AD within 24 months) and MCInc (MCI individuals who have not converted to AD within 24 months) groups. Classification results demonstrated that NMs outperformed CSF and MRI features. The combination of selected NM, MRI and CSF features attained an accuracy of 67.13%, a sensitivity of 96.43%, a specificity of 48.28%, and an AUC (area under curve) of 0.796. Analysis of the predictive values of MCIc who converted at different follow-up evaluations showed that the predictive values were significantly different between individuals who converted within 12 months and after 12 months. This study establishes meaningful multivariate predictors composed of selected NM, MRI and CSF measures which may be useful and practical for clinical diagnosis. 2013-04-03T03:24:27.257Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12588 The privatisation of some essential services in South Africa has raised severe difficulties for those for whom the idea of fees for services is quite foreign and who, in any case, cannot afford to pay for services. The government has developed several initiatives to educate people about the need to pay for services provided by local government, the largest of which was the Masakhane fees-for-services campaign. This article describes two recent initiatives that seek to engage local citizen participation, namely, Integrated Development Plans and izimbizo (or traditional forums). These are examined along with the challenges faced by local government in promoting citizenship participation in service delivery within a decentralised system of governance. The article concludes with some recommendations on how citizen participation can be enhanced so as to make the ‘public’ visible in public service delivery and thus improve social welfare services. 2013-04-03T02:34:34.594Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12727 Introduction and Aims: Excessive alcohol consumption is related to substantial health and social order costs. Many of the harms have been identified as coming from licensed venues. Most communities struggle to find interventions that are effective, particularly in an environment of little federal government action. Furthermore, most interventions are based on little or no empirical evidence. This study aims to investigate the effect of a suite of interventions on emergency department (ED) attendances in Geelong, Australia. Design and Methods: This paper reports stage one findings from the Dealing with Alcohol-Related Problems in the Night-time Economy project (DANTE) and specifically examines all alcohol-related injury frequencies before to after intervention in the City of Greater Geelong of Victoria, Australia, from 2005 to 2009. Auto-regressive integrated moving average time-series were used to determine the effect of the interventions on ED attendances in Geelong. Results: There were 3934 triage presentations involving alcohol. Over two-thirds (68.9%) of triage presentations were male and over half (58.5%) of alcohol-related attendances occurred on the weekend. The time-series analyses indicated that ID scanners (z = 2.66, P < 0.001) and the Just Think awareness campaign (z = 4.21, P < 0.001) were significant predictors of increases in alcohol-related injury presentation rates to the ED. Discussion and Conclusions: Overall, the community interventions implemented have not been associated with reduced alcohol-related attendances at the ED. The findings raise questions about whether targeting the night-time economy is effective and whether interventions should instead be targeted at reducing whole-of-community alcohol consumption. 2013-04-03T01:07:02.700Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12726 The management of reclaimed slopes derived from industrial and civil activities (e.g. surface mining and road construction) requires the development of practical stability analysis approaches that integrate the processes and mechanisms that rule the dynamics of these ubiquitous emerging ecosystems. This work describes a new modelling approach focused on stability analysis of water-limited reclaimed slopes, where interactive relationships between rill erosion and vegetation regulate ecosystem stability. Our framework reproduces two main groups of possible trends along the temporal evolution of reclaimed slopes: successful trends, characterized by widespread vegetation development and the effective control of rill erosion processes; and gullying trends, characterized by the progressive loss of vegetation and a sharp logistic increase in erosion rates. Furthermore, this analytical approach allows the determination of threshold values for the state variables (i.e. vegetation cover and rill erosion) that drive the system's stability, facilitating the identification of critical situations that require specific human intervention (e.g. revegetation or, in very problematic cases, revegetation combined with rill network destruction) to ensure the long-term sustainability of the restored ecosystem. The application of our threshold analysis framework in Mediterranean-dry reclaimed slopes derived from surface coal mining (the Teruel coalfield in central-eastern Spain) showed a good field-based performance. Therefore, we believe that this model is a valuable contribution for the management of water-limited reclaimed systems, including those associated with rill erosion, as it provides a tool for the evaluation of restoration success and can play an important role in decision-making during ecosystem restoration in severely disturbed landscapes. 2013-04-03T00:47:48.712Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12723 The challenges of providing sensitive and structured care for children in foster care go well beyond normative experiences of parenting. The present paper describes a mixed-methods study of foster carers' perceived need for support and training, referenced to estimates of their burden of care. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 foster carers in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. Carers' perceived need for support and training were identified through qualitative analysis of interviews using domain analysis method. Carers' burden of care was estimated from the Parenting Stress Index and from a measure of carers' encounters with children's emotional, behavioural and relationship difficulties that was designed for the present study (the Caregiver Behavioural Encounters Index). Foster carers reported substantive, unmet needs for support and training. Foster carers also reported high parenting stress and encounters with a wide range of children's mental health difficulties, including both uncommon and severe difficulties, which together represent an exceptional burden of care. Carers' highest priority need was for training and support on managing and responding to children's mental health difficulties, while their greatest existing support came from Caregiver Liaison Social Workers and other carers. The findings suggest a number of critical implications for practice. 2013-04-02T23:29:12.875Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9736 The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and international regulators seek security measures to help reduce the likelihood of a direct replication of 9/11, in which commercial passenger airliners were commandeered by small bands of terrorists, kept under control for some time, and then crashed into specific targets. This paper compares, for the U.S. case, the costs and benefits of three specific security measures designed for that purpose, assessing risk reduction, losses, and security costs in the context of the full set of security layers. These three measures are Installed Physical Secondary Barriers (IPSB) to restrict access to the hardened cockpit door during door transitions, the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS), and the Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO) program. Since the FAMS costs $1.2 billion per year, and its effectiveness is in serious doubt, a alternate policy measure considered is to double the budget of the FFDO program to $44 million per year, install IPSBs in all U.S. aircraft at a cost of $13.5 million per year, and reduce funding for FAMS by 75% to $300 million per year. A break-even cost-benefit analysis then finds the minimum probability of an otherwise successful attack required for the benefit of security measures to equal their cost. It was found that the IPSB is cost-effective if the annual attack probability exceeds 0.5% or 1 attack every 200 years. The FFDO program is cost-effective if the annual attack probability exceeds 2.8%. On the other hand, more than four attacks per year need to be deterred, foiled, prevented or disrupted for FAMS to be cost-effective. Thus, even when assumptions are in place that considerably bias the analysis toward the opposite conclusion, the expensive FAMS very substantially fails a cost-benefit assessment. Moreover, insofar as FAMS does reduce risk, almost all of that benefit can be obtained with a mix of inexpensive measures: IPSB and FFDOs. A policy that includes IPSBs, an increased budget for FFDOs, and a reduced budget for FAMS may well be optimal. 2013-03-27T03:49:23.590Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12709 The curse of multiple testing has led to the adoption of a stringent Bonferroni threshold for declaring genome-wide statistical significance for any one SNP as standard practice. Although justified in avoiding false positives, this conservative approach has the potential to miss true associations as most studies are drastically underpowered. As an alternative to increasing sample size, we compare results from a typical SNP-by-SNP analysis with three other methods that incorporate regional information in order to boost or dampen an otherwise noisy signal: the haplotype method (Schaid et al. [2002] Am J Hum Genet 70:425–434), the gene-based method (Liu et al. [2010] Am J Hum Genet 87:139–145), and a new method (interaction count) that uses genome-wide screening of pairwise SNP interactions. Using a modestly sized case-control study, we conduct a genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of age-related macular degeneration, and find striking agreement across all methods in regions of known associated variants. We also find strong evidence of novel associated variants in two regions (Chromosome 2p25 and Chromosome 10p15) in which the individual SNP P-values are only suggestive, but where there are very high levels of agreement between all methods. We propose that consistency between different analysis methods may be an alternative to increasingly larger sample sizes in sifting true signals from noise in GWAS. 2013-03-26T23:21:02.109Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12430 Objective: To determine the current structure and content of pulmonary rehabilitation programs in Australia. Design: A cross sectional, observational design using a purpose designed anonymous written survey. Setting and participants: The National database of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs maintained by the Australian Lung Foundation was used to identify all known programs in all states and territories of Australia (n = 193). All pulmonary rehabilitation programs listed on the database were included. Respondents were health professionals who coordinated programs. Results: The response rate was 83% (161/193). Programs were coordinated by physiotherapists (75/147, 51%) and/or nurses (49/147, 33%), were hospital based (97/147, 66%) and ran for 8 weeks or longer (95/147, 65%). Pre (145/147, 99%) and post (137/147, 93%) program assessment was undertaken using a variety of measures. The Six Minute Walk Test (138/147, 94%) was the most commonly used test of exercise capacity. Exercise training was included in 145 programs (99%). Most patients attended at least two supervised exercise sessions per week (106/147, 72%) and exercised for at least 20 minutes (135/147, 92%). Lower limb endurance, upper limb endurance, strength training, and stretching/flexibility exercises were the most commonly included modes of exercise. Intensity prescription for exercise training was variable. Many respondents (93/147, 63%) indicated that they perceived a gap between their clinical practice and current evidence. Conclusions: Pulmonary rehabilitation programs in Australia generally meet the broad recommendations for practice in terms of components, program length, assessment and exercise training. The prescription of exercise training intensity is an area requiring deeper exploration. 2013-03-25T05:48:18.211Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10676 In this work, we consider the control of discrete-time nonlinear systems over unreliable packet-based communication networks subject to random packet-dropouts. In order to mitigate the influence of the packet dropouts, the controller transmits packets containing control inputs for more than one future time instant. A suitable buffering is then applied at the plant actuator side. Since we do not assume the number of consecutive packet dropouts to be bounded, we are interested in stochastic stability of the closed-loop. For the calculation of the control inputs, we propose an unconstrained model predictive control (MPC) scheme without additional terminal weighting term. This unconstrained MPC scheme shows two significant advantages. First, we do not require the knowledge of a global control Lyapunov function, but instead only a less restrictive controllability assumption, in order to guarantee stochastic stability. Second, guaranteed performance bounds on the expected infinite horizon cost of the closed-loop can be obtained. 2013-03-24T04:55:05.719Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10673 We study an anytime algorithm to calculate the control input for nonlinear processes when the processing resources available are time-varying. The basic idea is to calculate the control input for as many time steps into the future as allowed by the available processing resources at every time step so as to compensate for those future time steps when the processor is not available to calculate any control input. We consider the case when the processor availability, and hence the number of control inputs calculated at any time step, is described by a Markov chain. Using a stochastic Lyapunov function based approach, we derive sufficient conditions for stability of the closed loop system. 2013-03-24T04:54:42.286Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9214 We study stochastic stability for Kalman filtering over fading wireless channels where variable channel gains are counteracted by the use of power control to alleviate the effects of packet drops. The Kalman filter and the controller are located at a single gateway which acquires data from the wireless sensors. We establish sufficient conditions which ensure that the Kalman filter covariance matrix is exponentially bounded in norm. The conditions obtained are then used to formulate stabilizing optimal power allocation laws which minimize the total sensor power budget. In deriving the optimal power allocation laws, both statistical channel information and full channel information are considered. The effect of system instability on the power budget is also investigated for both these cases. 2013-03-24T04:54:08.185Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9216 Stochastic stability for centralized Kalman filtering over a wireless sensor network with correlated fading channels is studied. On their route to the gateway, sensor packets, possibly aggregated with measurements from several nodes, may be dropped because of fading links. By assuming the network states to be Markovian, we establish sufficient conditions that ensure the Kalman filter to be exponentially bounded in norm. In the one sensor case, this new stability condition is shown to include previous results obtained in the literature as special cases. The results also hold when applying power control, where the transmission power of each node is a nonlinear mapping of the network state and the channel gains. 2013-03-24T04:53:44.284Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10677 We consider a networked control system with random delays and erasures on a data-rate limited forward channel between the controller and the plant. The feedback channel from the plant to the controller is assumed noiseless. We combine two techniques to enhance the reliability of the system. First, we use packetized predictive control, where a quantized control vector with future predicted control signals is transmitted to the plant at each time instant. Second, we utilize multiple descriptions to further aid in the robustness towards packet erasures. In particular, we transmit M redundant packets, which are constructed such that when receiving any 1 ≤ J ≤ M packets, the current control signal as well as J -1 future control signals can be reliably reconstructed at the plant side. For the particular case of LTI systems and when the packets are not received out-of-order, we prove stability by showing that the system can be cast as a Markov jump linear system with M+1 states. We further show by simulations that, by use of multiple descriptions, the system state variance can be significantly reduced without increasing the total data rate. 2013-03-24T04:53:08.039Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10675 In this article, we consider remote-controlled systems, where the command generator and the controlled object are connected with a bandwidth-limited communication link. In the remote-controlled systems, efficient representation of control commands is one of the crucial issues because of the bandwidth limitations of the link. We propose a new representation method for control commands based on compressed sensing. In the proposed method, compressed sensing reduces the number of bits in each control signal by representing it as a sparse vector. The compressed sensing problem is solved by an ℓ1-ℓ2 optimization, which can be effectively implemented with an iterative shrinkage algorithm. A design example also shows the effectiveness of the proposed method. 2013-03-24T04:52:39.481Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9215 We investigate a networked control architecture for LTI plant models with a scalar input. Communication from controller to actuator is over an unreliable network which introduces packet dropouts. To achieve robustness against dropouts, we adopt a packetized predictive control paradigm wherein each control packet transmitted contains tentative future plant input values. The novelty of our approach is that we seek that the control packets transmitted be sparse. For that purpose, we adapt tools from the area of compressed sensing and propose to design the control packets via on-line minimization of a suitable ℓ¹/ℓ² cost function. We then show how to choose parameters of the cost function to ensure that the resultant closed loop system be practically stable, provided the maximum number of consecutive packet dropouts is bounded. A numerical example illustrates that sparsity reduces bit-rates, thereby making our proposal suited to control over unreliable and bit-rate limited networks. 2013-03-24T04:52:05.409Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9217 This paper studies stability of Model Predictive Control for systems with a finite input alphabet. Since this kind of systems may present a steady-state error under closed-loop control, the forms is on stability in the sense of ultimate boundedness of solutions. To derive sufficient conditions for stability, two different approaches are presented. The first one approximates the finite input alphabet via saturation-control allowing us to analyze the problem from a robust control perspective. In the second approach, a direct analysis of the problem is carried out. The results thus obtained are shown to be less conservative regarding ultimate bounded set than those obtained via the robust control approach. 2013-03-24T04:51:24.405Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10674 In the present work, we provide sufficient conditions for local practical stability for a specific class of power converters controlled via Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control which can be modeled as linear time-invariant systems with quantized input. In addition, we also establish bounds on the steady state behaviour of such systems. As illustrative examples, we apply our results to two converters, namely, a buck DC-DC converter, and a 2-level DC-AC inverter in a dq-coordinate frame. 2013-03-24T04:50:52.891Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10692 Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 2013-03-21T06:01:14.677Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12291 This paper sets out to examine three issues. First, using a sample of the 27 listed companies in Hong Kong, it examines the public reporting of HR issues to discover what this reveals about the functions normally attributed to HR managers in large listed Hong Kong organizations. Second, it reports on the interviews conducted with senior executives from a sample of these listed companies regarding the required attributes of HR managers. The third section discusses the challenges and processes for improving competencies of HR managers through professional education in Hong Kong. 2013-03-20T03:50:23.437Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12652 In the organisational context, high-trust relations can be seen as both conducive to and an indicator of a positive and productive workplace climate. Since their emergence, call centres have been criticised in the literature for poor people management. The evidence raised in the extensive body of literature suggests these organisations contain low-trust conditions. This study aimed to gauge trust from the perspective of those on the front-line, and adopted an exploratory approach to examine (a) the extent to which Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) trust their supervisors and managers and (b) the conditions under which "trust" is established and maintained. Surveys and focus groups were conducted with CSRs in ten call centres. Findings suggest "trust" exists despite the existence of low-discretion practices, while higher trust relations can be associated with conditions more likely to exist in a small call centres. 2013-03-19T06:00:30.403Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12651 This paper seeks to discuss two primary research questions. First, what is Australia’s place in the global value chain? In answering this question, we will be able to determine whether Australia is moving towards a knowledge or service based economy, or whether it remains a destination for investments in natural resources and basic manufacturing activities? Our second research question asks, what impact does the Australian operations’ position in the global value chain have on local subsidiary decision-making autonomy over key human resources (HR) and employment relations (ER) policies and practices? In this paper we set out to establish whether the global value chain concept is useful in explaining subsidiary management autonomy. In doing this we propose a number of hypotheses. Focusing on human resource management (HRM) and the discretion afforded to subsidiary management in multinational enterprises (MNEs) is also significant due to the increasing consensus in the literature on the importance of HR in deriving sustainable competitive advantage (Amit & Belcourt 1999; Hatch & Dyer 2004). Being able to discern the extent to which management in MNEs in Australia have authority over HR policies and practices or whether they merely execute corporate decisions and policies that are decided elsewhere is a useful contribution. Specifically, we will further existing research on the extent to which MNEs are pursuing common, global agendas or whether there are a number of factors impinging on this, and most notably here, the subsidiary position in the corporate value chain. 2013-03-19T05:58:58.406Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12650 Throughout the last 20 years many countries have pursued an agenda seeking more collaborative management-union arrangements or ‘partnerships’. The current workplace industrial relations (IR) legislation in Australia suggests a shift towards a new model of workplace interaction that includes more collaboration and partnerships. Former Prime Minister Keating argued that the 1983-1996 Accord was ‘a state of mind’ rather than an actual reform program seeking a tripartite relationship between unions, government and business. This article assesses the extent to which collaboration and partnership in Australia’s modern IR system is a ‘new’ state of mind or whether it is a realistic roadmap to a new Australian IR landscape. The implications of this agenda for industrial practice and the conduct of industrial relations are considered. 2013-03-19T05:51:50.669Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9203 The multiway relay channel is a multicast network where L users exchange data through a relay. In this paper, the capacity region of a class of multiway relay channels is derived, where the channel inputs and outputs take values over finite fields. The cut-set upper bound to the capacity region is derived and is shown to be achievable by our proposed functional-decode-forward coding strategy. More specifically, for the general case where the users can transmit at possibly different rates, functional-decode-forward, combined with rate splitting and joint source-channel decoding, is proved to achieve the capacity region; while for the case where all users transmit at a common rate, rate splitting and joint source-channel decoding are not required to achieve the capacity. That the capacity-achieving coding strategies do not utilize the users' received signals in the users' encoding functions implies that feedback does not increase the capacity region of this class of multiway relay channels. 2013-03-18T04:33:06.752Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9407 We consider the two-way relay network where two nodes communicate via a relay. We assume that the data at the nodes are correlated (e.g., measurements in a sensor network) and that there is no direct communication between the nodes. The nodes communicate via the relay using a two-phase protocol consisting of an uplink part over an orthogonal multiple access channel and a downlink part over a broadcast channel. The individual codes as well as the overall system can be represented by a joint factor graph consisting of a source code at each node, a channel code for the each uplink and a channel code for the downlink. The optimality of separation of source and channel coding implies that it is optimal to individually design these codes. We focus on low-density parity-check codes where code design corresponds to the optimisation of their degree distributions. 2013-03-18T04:28:05.708Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9408 The problem of loss less joint source-channel coding for the two-way relay network with an orthogonal multiple access channel is studied. Necessary and sufficient conditions for reliable communication are given, and a separation theorem for source and channel coding is proved. 2013-03-18T04:26:02.727Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9409 The three-user finite field multi-way relay channel with correlated sources is considered. The three users generate possibly correlated messages, and each user is to transmit its message to the two other users reliably in the Shannon sense. As there is no direct link among the users, communication is carried out via a relay, and the link from the users to the relay and those from the relay to the users are finite field adder channels with additive noise of arbitrary distribution. The problem is to determine the set of all possible achievable rates, defined as channel uses per source symbol for reliable communication. For two classes of source/channel combinations, the solution is obtained using Slepian-Wolf source coding combined with functional-decode-forward channel coding. 2013-03-18T04:25:00.069Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9410 This paper investigates the additive white Gaussian noise two-way relay channel, where two users exchange messages through a relay. Asymmetrical channels are considered where the users can transmit data at different rates and at different power levels. We modify and improve existing coding schemes to obtain three new achievable rate regions. Comparing four downlink-optimal coding schemes, we show that the scheme that gives the best sum-rate performance is (i) complete-decode-forward, when both users transmit at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR); (ii) functional-decode-forward with nested lattice codes, when both users transmit at high SNR; (iii) functional-decode-forward with rate splitting and time-division multiplexing, when one user transmits at low SNR and another user at medium-high SNR. 2013-03-18T04:23:54.434Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10486 We study a control architecture for linear timeinvariant plants with random disturbances and where a network is placed between the controller output and the plant input. The network imposes a constraint on the expected bit-rate and is affected by random i.i.d. dropouts. Dropout-rates and acknowledgments of receipt are not available at the controller side. To achieve robustness with respect to i.i.d. dropouts, the controller transmits data packets containing quantized plant input predictions. These are provided by an appropriate optimal entropy coded dithered lattice vector quantizer. Within this context, we derive stochastic stability results and provide a noiseshaping model of the closed loop system. This model is employed for performance analysis by using rate-distortion theory. 2013-03-17T23:25:06.739Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:7194 This work studies a predictive networked control scheme in which packets containing optimizing sequences of control inputs are sent over an unreliable communication network affected by data-loss. We show that, provided the number of consecutive packet losses is bounded, input-to-state stability can be ensured by appropriate choice of design parameters. Our results apply to the general case of constrained nonlinear plants which are affected by uncertain and unmeasured disturbances. 2013-03-17T23:24:22.052Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9099 A novel scheme for perceptual coding of audio for robust and real-time communication is designed and analyzed. As an alternative to PCM, DPCM, and more general noise-shaping converters, we propose to use psychoacoustically optimized noise-shaping quantizers based on the moving-horizon principle. In moving-horizon quantization, a few samples look-ahead is allowed at the encoder, which makes it possible to better shape the quantization noise and thereby reduce the resulting distortion over what is possible with conventional noise-shaping techniques. It is first shown that significant gains over linear PCM can be obtained without introducing a delay and without requiring postprocessing at the decoder, i.e., the encoded samples can be stored as, e.g., 16-bit linear PCM on CD-ROMs, and played out on standards-compliant CD players. We then show that multiple-description coding can be combined with moving-horizon quantization in order to combat possible erasures on the wireless link without introducing additional delays. 2013-03-17T23:23:49.309Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9417 Model Predictive Control is increasingly being used in areas where decision variables are constrained to finite or countably infinite sets. Well known fields include Power Electronics, Signal Processing, and Telecommunications. Typically, the applications utilize high speed sampling and, thus, there is an incentive to reduce computational burden. One way of achieving this is to use small optimization horizons. This raises the question as to the optimality and performance of control laws with short horizons. In this paper, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for horizon one quantized model predictive control to be equivalent to the use of larger horizons. We also explore situations where horizon one is near optimal. 2013-03-17T23:23:10.561Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12643 Nephrology nurse educators face many challenges related to professional development and resource sharing. In Australia and New Zealand, as well as other countries where the ‘tyranny of distance’ is a feature, access, equity and lack of educational support due to the geographical isolation of many nephrology units, present particular challenges. This paper reports the findings from a case study of 51 nephrology nurse educators in Australia. Using an exploratory descriptive approach, the study aimed to identify current issues facing nephrology nurse educators and determine the feasibility of developing an online community of practice to support them in their role. An outcome of the study was the establishment of The Nephrology Educators’ Network. This network seeks to enhance peer support, collegiality, critical companionship, collaboration, knowledge sharing and the benchmarking of practices for those involved in nephrology nurse education. In this paper, we describe and reflect on some of the outcomes and challenges faced in developing this network. 2013-03-15T00:16:41.676Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12641 Despite the burden of illness associated with haematological cancers, little research is available about improving psychosocial outcomes for this group. Given scarce research funds, it is important to ensure that resources are used strategically for improving their psychosocial well-being. This study aimed to identify the perceptions of professionals, patients and carers regarding prioritising psychosocial research efforts. First, an expert panel's views on priorities for research were identified. This was followed by a web survey to obtain the perceptions of 117 health professionals, patients and carers. The value-weighting survey used points allocation, allowing respondents to indicate the relative priority of each option. A substantial proportion of resources were allocated to patients who were newly diagnosed or receiving treatment. Less priority was given to other stages of the cancer journey or non-patient populations. There was no indication that any type of psychosocial research was a priority; however, some differences were identified when comparing the priorities of the three respondent groups. To improve psychosocial outcomes for haematological cancer patients, resources should be directed towards patients in the early stages of the cancer journey. There may be a need for research investigating potential interventions to improve psychosocial outcomes for patients with haematological cancers. 2013-03-14T04:14:27.763Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9225 Steel pipelines externally exposed to seawater pit more severely in heat-affected weld zones but longer-term quantitative data are scarce. Maximum pit depths and variability are reported for the longitudinal weld in API X56 Spec 5 L grade steel pipeline samples exposed continuously to natural Pacific Ocean seawater for 3.5 years. For the first year maximum pit depths and pit depth variability for the different weld zones were very similar. Both became much greater subsequently, with the greatest increases for the heat affected zone. This is compared with steel composition and grain size and potential reasons for the observations discussed. 2013-03-14T03:47:35.192Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12640 Objective: To investigate the effects of weight loss and time post laparoscopic gastric banding surgery (LGB) on urinary and sexual function. Material and Methods: 653 females and 145 males who underwent LGB over the last 10 years at a single centre in Australia were contacted by post and asked to complete validated questionnaires. Results: The pre-surgery body-mass index (BMI) was higher in males than females (47.3 vs 43.5); 65% of the females and 24% of males previously had some degree of urinary incontinence (UI). There were significant weight and BMI losses in males and females (23.2 kg and 7.51 vs 22.7 kg and 8.28; P < 0.0001). In females there were significant improvements in the ICIQ-SF (P= 0.0008) and Quality of Life (P < 0.0001) scores. For each kilogram lost there was a 0.05 improvement in the ICIQ score (P= 0.03) in females. There were also postoperative improvements in all symptoms of UI and stress incontinence in females but urge incontinence worsened, when adjusted for weight loss. In males there was no improvement in UI with weight loss after LGB. There was no relationship with time and UI in either gender; 83.3% of males reported a degree of ED before LGB. There was improvement in the IIEF score in males post LGB but there was worsening of erectile index (P= 0.005) and orgasmic function (P= 0.002) when adjusted for time. More males had started using phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, post-LGB. Conclusions: Surgically induced weight loss by LGB improved overall UI, quality of life and stress incontinence in females but urge incontinence worsened. There was no improvement in UI with weight-loss or overall sexual function after LGB in males. However, erectile index and orgasmic function worsened when adjusted for time. Further evaluation is required by means of larger prospective studies involving urodynamic testing. 2013-03-14T03:39:42.425Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12625 Water allocation models can be used to compare water sharing scenarios in regulated catchments to evaluate the effects on both the water users and the environment. These models include a representation of the physical system with modules such as flow routing, rainfall-runoff modelling or groundwater/surface water interactions, as well as management components to take into account infrastructure such as dams, canals or extraction points. Water allocation models can be complex modelling structures with a large number of parameters to be calibrated on limited datasets, especially regarding the management aspects. Additionally, these models are used as a tool in the making of long-term decisions with important social and environmental impacts. As a result, the assessment of uncertainty becomes a critical task to inform the decision-makers about the likely robustness of the model analysis and predictions. Calibration of these models is currently problematic. In particular, the errors affecting system observations are often not properly accounted for, which is a concern since these errors may be quite large. Furthermore, calibration is often performed separately on various components of the system, resulting in inconsistencies when the components are linked. These deficiencies make it difficult to quantify the uncertainty in the predictions of the entire system performance. The Bayesian approach provides a platform to directly address the sources of uncertainty (input, output, and model error) in the model calibration and prediction process. This study seeks to develop a Bayesian multiresponse method for use with river system models, allowing joint calibration to all sources of information available in a particular application. Unlike the traditional approach, joint calibration forces consistency in performance across the entire system. Moreover, the Bayesian approach provides a framework for a proper accounting of uncertainty both in the inferred parameters and in the model predictions. This study illustrates the application of the Bayesian multi-response calibration approach to the STICKMAN model, a simplified river system model which describes key aspects of complex river basin models such as IQQM but is computationally less demanding. The model was calibrated using a Weighted Least Squares method in a synthetic data study. Model calibration used both single and multiple response data (eg. streamflow at the outlet and at internal system nodes, reservoir time series, etc.) to investigate the improvements in parameter estimation associated with the inclusion of additional responses. The use of multiple response data during model calibration was generally found to reduce parameter uncertainty. However, the extent of reductions in uncertainty depended on which responses were included, highlighting that some sources of data are more informative than others. This supports the findings of Kuczera and Mroczkowski’s (1998), who conclude that the value of new sources of response data should be assessed a priori before embarking on (potentially expensive) field campaigns. This study reports the first findings in this project. Future work will explore the effects of multiple response data on model predictive performance, further develop the STICKMAN model to better represent processes and errors, and finally consider IQQM case studies. 2013-03-12T05:41:34.470Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12623 This chapter discusses the development of a short range acoustic communication channel model and its properties for the design and evaluation of MAC (Medium Access Control) and routing protocols, to support network enabled Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV). The growth of underwater operations has required data communication between various heterogeneous underwater and surface based communication nodes. AUVs are one such node, however, in the future, AUV’s will be expected to be deployed in a swarm fashion operating as an ad-hoc sensor network. In this case, the swarm network itself will be developed with homogeneous nodes, that is each being identical, as shown in Figure 1, with the swarm network then interfacing with other fixed underwater communication nodes. The focus of this chapter is on the reliable data communication between AUVs that is essential to exploit the collective behaviour of a swarm network. 2013-03-12T02:47:06.975Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:7868 This paper is concerned with the stability analysis of a networked control system, wherein communication from the controller to the plant input is through a digital channel subject to packet-dropouts and finite-level quantization. No acknowledgments of receipt are available to the controller. To alleviate the effect of packet-dropouts, the controller transmits tentative plant input sequences. Within this setup, we derive a sufficient condition for small ℓ∞ signal ℓ∞ stability of the networked control system. This condition requires the maximum number of consecutive packet-dropouts to be bounded. We also elucidate the trade-off which exists between the disturbance attenuation and the step size of the quantizer and the maximum number of consecutive packet-dropouts. 2013-03-07T23:41:00.072Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12615 Smartphone technology enables dynamic ride-sharing systems that bring together people with similar itineraries and time schedules to share rides on short-notice. This paper considers the problem of matching drivers and riders in this dynamic setting. We develop optimization-based approaches that aim at minimizing the total system-wide vehicle miles incurred by system users, and their individual travel costs. To assess the merits of our methods we present a simulation study based on 2008 travel demand data from metropolitan Atlanta. The simulation results indicate that the use of sophisticated optimization methods instead of simple greedy matching rules substantially improve the performance of ride-sharing systems. Furthermore, even with relatively low participation rates, it appears that sustainable populations of dynamic ride-sharing participants may be possible even in relatively sprawling urban areas with many employment centers. 2013-03-07T02:50:04.387Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12614 The detection of line-like features in images finds many applications in microanalysis. Actin fibers, microtubules, neurites, pilis, DNA, and other biological structures all come up as tenuous curved lines in microscopy images. A reliable tracing method that preserves the integrity and details of these structures is particularly important for quantitative analyses. We have developed a new image transform called the “Coalescing Shortest Path Image Transform” with very encouraging properties. Our scheme efficiently combines information from an extensive collection of shortest paths in the image to delineate even very weak linear features. 2013-03-07T02:20:13.743Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12612 Many e-tailers providing attended home delivery, especially e-grocers, offer narrow delivery time slots to ensure satisfactory customer service. The choice of delivery time slots has to balance marketing and operational considerations, which results in a complex planning problem. We study the problem of selecting the set of time slots to offer in each of the zip codes in a service region. The selection needs to facilitate cost-effective delivery routes, but also needs to ensure an acceptable level of service to the customer. We present a fully automated approach that is capable of producing high-quality delivery time slot offerings in a short amount of time. Computational experiments reveal the value of this approach and the impact of the environment on the underlying trade-offs. 2013-03-07T01:10:48.440Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12611 Because of historically high fuel prices, the trucking industry’s operating expenses are higher than ever and thus profit margins are lower than ever. To cut costs, the trucking industry is searching for and exploring new ideas. We investigate the potential of collaborative opportunities in truckload transportation. When carriers serve transportation requests from many shippers, they may be able to reduce their repositioning costs by exchanging one or more of them. We develop optimization models to determine the maximum benefit that can be derived from collaborating. We also develop various exchange mechanisms which differ in terms of information sharing requirements and side payment options that allow carriers to realize some or all of the costs savings opportunities. 2013-03-07T00:40:04.904Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12371 Aim: To determine whether distinct symptom groupings exist in a constipated population and whether such grouping might correlate with quantifiable pathophysiological measures of colonic dysfunction. Methods: One hundred and ninety-one patients presenting to a Gastroenterology clinic with constipation and 32 constipated patients responding to a newspaper advertisement completed a 53-item, wide-ranging self-report questionnaire. One hundred of these patients had colonic transit measured scintigraphically. Factor analysis determined whether constipation-related symptoms grouped into distinct aspects of symptomatology. Cluster analysis was used to determine whether individual patients naturally group into distinct subtypes. Results: Cluster analysis yielded a 4 cluster solution with the presence or absence of pain and laxative unresponsiveness providing the main descriptors. Amongst all clusters there was a considerable proportion of patients with demonstrable delayed colon transit, irritable bowel syndrome positive criteria and regular stool frequency. The majority of patients with these characteristics also reported regular laxative use. Conclusion: Factor analysis identified four constipation subgroups, based on severity and laxative unresponsiveness, in a constipated population. However, clear stratification into clinically identifiable groups remains imprecise. 2013-03-06T22:50:11.528Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12609 Herein, the reaction between CO₂ and piperidine, as well as commercially available functionalised piperidine derivatives, for example, those with methyl-, hydroxyl- and hydroxyalkyl substituents, has been investigated. The chemical reactions between CO₂ and the functionalised piperidines were followed in situ by using attenuated total reflectance (ATR) FTIR spectroscopy. The effect of structural variations on CO₂ absorption was assessed in relation to the ionic reaction products identifiable by IR spectroscopy, that is, carbamate versus bicarbonate absorbance, CO₂ absorption capacity and the mass-transfer coefficient at zero loading. On absorption of CO₂, the formation of the carbamate derivatives of the 3- and 4-hydroxyl-, 3- and 4-hydroxymethyl-, and 4-hydroxyethyl-substituted piperidines were found to be kinetically less favourable than the carbamate derivatives of piperidine and the 3- and 4-methyl-substituted piperidines. As the CO₂ loading of piperidine and the 3- and 4-methyl- and hydroxyalkyl-substituted piperidines exceeded 0.5 moles of CO₂ per mole of amine, the hydrolysis of the carbamate derivative of these amines was observed in the IR spectra collected. From the subset of amines analysed, the 2-alkyl- and 2-hydroxyalkyl-substituted piperidines were found to favour bicarbonate formation in the reaction with CO₂. Based on IR spectral data, the ability of these amines to form the carbamate derivatives was also established. Computational calculations at the B3LYP/6-31+G** and MP2/6-31+G** levels of theory were also performed to investigate the electronic/steric effects of the substituents on the reactivity (CO₂ capture performance) of different amines, as well as their carbamate structures. The theoretical results obtained for the 2-alkyl- and 2-hydroxyalkyl-substituted piperidines suggest that a combination of both the electronic effect exerted by the substituent and a reduction in the exposed area of the nitrogen atom play a role in destabilising the carbamate derivative and increasing its susceptibility to hydrolysis. A theoretical investigation into the structure of the carbamate derivatives of these amines revealed shorter N-C bond lengths and a less-delocalised electron distribution in the carboxylate moiety. 2013-03-06T04:50:04.084Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12608 Microdeletion of the 17q23.2 region has very recently been suggested as a new emerging syndrome based on the finding of 8 cases with common phenotypes including mild-to-moderate developmental delay, heart defects, microcephaly, postnatal growth retardation, and hand, foot, and limb abnormalities. In this report, we describe two new 17q23.2 deletion patients with mild intellectual disability and sensorineural hearing loss. They both had submicroscopic deletions smaller than the common deleted region for the 8 previously described 17q23.2 microdeletion cases. TBX4 was previously suggested as the responsible gene for the heart or limb defects observed in 17q23.2 deletion patients, but the present cases do not have these features despite deletion of this gene. The finding of sensorineural hearing loss in 5 of the 10 cases, including the present cases, with a microdeletion at17q23.2, strongly suggests the presence of a candidate gene for hearing loss within this region. We screened 41 patients with profound sensorineural hearing loss for mutations of TBX2 and detected no mutations. 2013-03-06T04:00:04.118Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12587 In the current work, transient features of initiation in a gas-liquid pneumatic foam are investigated by measuring the evolution of volumetric liquid fraction as a function of height within the column. The addition of wash water to a flotation froth is only effective when the foam liquid fraction has reached a steady state. This makes start-up transients in pneumatic foam worthy of study. For the conditions adopted in the experiments, an approximately steady state was achieved after typically 500s, but there was significant fluctuation in liquid fraction after this time. In general, three possible regimes in the start-up transient (induction, growth and evolution) have been identified and a tentative mathematical model has been described for the last two. However, because it has been demonstrated that the method of obtaining bubble size distributions by analysing images taken through the column wall is deficient, no comparison of these models with the data has been attempted. 2013-03-04T06:10:04.027Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:12577 Masters Research - Master of Philosophy (MPhil) 2013-02-28T00:50:32.442Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:10592 Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) 2013-02-27T03:40:17.399Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:9764 Masters Research - Master of Philosophy (MPhil) 2013-02-27T03:35:25.638Z ]]> http://nova.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/uon:11822 Masters Research - Master of Philosophy (MPhil) 2013-02-27T03:34:15.610Z ]]>