Digital Commons Network^™

On-Board Computation Of Sensing, Control And Communication Functions With A Sun Spot Embedded Processor, Li Chen

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Controlling an indoor flying robot through an on-board processor has drawn the attentions of many researchers. While most of them use single rotor conventional helicopter and program their robots with low-level language such as C, we researched a different approach by proposing an on-board computation of sensing, actuator control and communication system for a coaxial helicopter with Java. Once we have developed a robust and time efficient Java control system, then we can research flight control and navigation of the helicopter with the aim of eventually using it in site assessment tasks in urban disaster search and rescue.

The coaxial …

Experimental And Computational Studies Of The Unimolecular Rearrangements Of Sulphonated Azo Dyes And Phenoxide Anions In The Gas-Phase, Aravind Ramachandran

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

The tandem mass spectrometer is an ideal tool to probe unimolecular reactions of ions. Of particular interest are reactions involving skeletal rearrangement of ions prior to dissociation. Given that such unimolecular reactions occur in the absence of complicating factors such as solvent and counter ions, within the vacuum environment of the mass spectrometer, computational methods employing molecular orbital and density functional theories are ideally suited to examine the reaction mechanisms. A surprising rearrangement was identified by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry of anions of azo dyes and the rearrangement was found to effect a loss of the azo moiety bridging …

The Liquid-Phase Synthesis And Electrochemical Application Of Novel Inorganic Nanocomposites, Zheng W. Zhao

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

The aim of this study is to investigate various liquid-phase syntheses of novel inorganic nanocomposites for electrochemical power sources. Lithium ion batteries and fuel cells are two typical kinds of electrochemical power sources in the consumer electronics market. Lithium ion batteries are currently one of the most popular energy storage devices. Direct methanol fuel cells also have much potential as next generation electrochemical power sources, especially for small electronic devices.

Tin and Pt based nanocomposites are two types of inorganic materials studied in this work for use as alternative electrodes, as lithium ion battery anodes and as direct methanol fuel …

Erosion Rate Of Chemically Stabilised Soils Incorporating Tensile Stress-Deformation Behaviour, Thevaragavan Muttuvel

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Problems associated with erodible soils have been reported in Australia and many parts of the world since the early 1970s. Significant soil loss from embankments, internal erosion and piping are some of the problems that practicing engineers face during the construction and maintenance phase of earth structures constructed with erodible soils. It is therefore necessary to identify appropriate stabilisation techniques to control erosion. This study considers chemical stabilisation as an erosion control method and a rigorous testing program has been conducted to investigate how effectively two chemical agents (general purpose Portland cement and lignosulfonate) control the erosion rate of two …

Attitudes Of Kuwaiti Companies Towards Using Services Of Foreign Auditors, Nabi Alduwaila

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Usefulness of financial statements is related to the extent to which users can believe the accounting numbers. This usefulness is enhanced if the statements are prepared in accordance with known rules which cannot be altered. Auditing can provide this assurance. This research aims at analyzing the attitudes of Kuwaiti companies towards using services of foreign auditors and tries to find out the impact of these services on the companies’ performance, growth and profitability. This research also aims at finding out measures that Kuwaiti companies may need to take to enhance the quality of service acquired from foreign auditors. It is …

The Evolution Of Colour Polymorphism In The Painted Dragon, Ctenophorus Pictus, Mo Healey

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Many studies of colour polymorphism across a range of taxa have shown that morphs proliferate by operating different reproductive tactics. To investigate whether this is the case with our model species, the Australian painted dragon lizard Ctenophorus pictus, we characterised a number of morph-specific traits. We demonstrate that red-headed males beat yellow-headed males in staged contests for females and that this is linked to what appears to be a convention of red dominance in male-male interactions set very early in ontogeny, long before colouration has developed. Red dominance was also observed in the field, where red males have territories with …

Managing Environmental Turbulence In The Microfinance Sector - A Case Study Of The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme In Pakistan, Ashfaq A. Khan

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Microfinance is a powerful development tool with which to alleviate the problem of

poverty through providing financial services to the poor. The real essence of all

microfinance efforts around the world is to enable the poor to break the cycle of poverty by establishing and nourishing small businesses. The international donor community1 and governments have had substantial financial and non-financial investments in developing and providing subsidized financial services for the poor on the premise thatthey have limited access to the formal mainstream financial institutions.

There was a drastic shift in the microfinance paradigm during the early 1990s when the donor …

Study Of Superconducting And Electromagnetic Properties Of Un-Doped And Organic Compound Doped Mgb2 Conductors, Shahriar Al-Hossain

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

In this thesis I emphasized on the organic compound doping (specially carbohydrate group, malic acid, C4H6O5) and heat treatment effects on the superconducting properties of MgB2. I also focused on the basic and fundamental properties of un-doped MgB2 wires in different temperatures for comparison purpose. And finally I have proposed another new dopant which avoids some problems using carbohydrate in some aspects.

Firstly, I have studied the effects of sintering temperature on the phase transformation, lattice parameters, full width at half-maximum (FWHM), strain, critical temperature (Tc), critical current density (Jc) and resistivity (_) in MgB2/Fe wires. All samples were fabricated …

National Policy Choices For An International Problem: Case Studies In Greenhouse Policy, Geoffrey Kelly

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This thesis examines the choices governments make for their policy instruments in the context of a single national problem – climate change. Taking into account the context in which such decisions are made, the thesis seeks to identify the broader motivations influencing governments in their policy development and implementation. It considers also the implicit constraints on instrument choice and application arising from that context. A knowledge of such motivations and constraints is important for what it implies about the prospects for structured international cooperation requiring specific domestic actions, as is the case in climate change.

Various theoretical frameworks exist which …

The Relationship Between Chronic Sleep Restriction, Poor Sleep Quality And Obesity In Adults, Christopher A. Magee

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This thesis consists of two literature reviews followed by three empirical chapters that examined the relationship between chronic sleep restriction and obesity. Chapter 2 reviewed available research data and presented a theoretical model linking chronic sleep restriction to obesity. This model hypothesises that chronic sleep restriction contributes to obesity by altering energy regulatory hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. It was also argued that factors such as poor mental health, medication use and long work hours contribute to chronic sleep restriction at a population level, and could have implications for improving sleep. This model provides a sound theoretical framework, which …

Alpha-2-Macroglobulin: An Abundant Extracellular Chaperone, Katie French

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Alpha-2-macroglobulin (α2M) is a 720 kDa glycoprotein consisting of four identical (180 kDa) subunits and is the major representative of the α-macroglobulin group of plasma proteins, present at high concentrations in human plasma.&#;α2M is best known for its ability to inhibit a broad spectrum of proteases which it accomplishes using a unique “trapping” method. Protease trapping induces α2M to adopt an activated conformation which exposes a binding site for the low density lipoprotein receptor (LRP), facilitating clearance of the complexes from the body. α2M has been ascribed many biological roles which extend beyond simple protease inhibition including immune regulation, mediation …

Anthony Mannix: 'The Atomic Book', Gareth Sion Jenkins

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This thesis is the first and only investigation, academic or otherwise, of the oeuvre of the internationally recognised Australian Outsider Artist Anthony Mannix (1953- ). Virtually unknown as a writer, it is this aspect of his practice that will be the focus of this thesis.

The central argument of this thesis is that, whilst Mannix’s writing displays the extreme level of idiosyncratic thinking commonly associated with the work of Outsider Artists, it retains many traces of the literary, artistic and social environment in which he lives. Such traces are defamiliarised by his experience of schizophrenia and the episodes of psychosis …

What Is It That The Application Of Modelling And Simulation Can Contribute Towards Understanding And Managing Service Quality Data For Internet Service Providers (Isp) In Australia?, Karthik Vilapakkam Nagarajan

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This thesis assesses the appropriateness and effectiveness of discrete event simulation technique to understand and manage service elements in the ISP (Internet Service Provider) context. The baseline for this research involved the secondary data published by ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) and TIO (Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman) involving ISP numbers, Internet issues/complaints data. As many relatively new services are being offered, ISPs are finding it difficult to cope with varying customer expectations and their future technology expectancy. Access to infrastructure, avoiding anti—competitive behaviour from large players and service differentiation has become more important than ever for their survival. A number of …

The Isotopic Signature Of Nitrous Oxide Emitted From Agricultural Soils Measured By Ftir Spectroscopy, Stephen Parkes

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Agriculture contributes 16% to Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions, of which 23% are the result of nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Global N2O emissions from agricultural activities have increased substantially since the beginning of the industrial revolution. This has been driven by the increase in the amount of nitrogen added to agricultural soils, stimulating the N2O-producing nitrification and denitrification processes. Currently there is a poor quantitative understanding of N2O emissions from nitrification and denitrification and their controlling parameters. This is difficult to quantify since N2O emissions from nitrification and denitrification occur simultaneously. As N2O produced from these microbial processes have different stable …

A History Of The Burma Socialist Party (1930-1964), Kyaw Zaw Win

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This dissertation seeks to demonstrate the legacy and historical significance of the Burma Socialist Party (BSP), and so, to solve major puzzles for scholars of Burmese history, particularly with regard to how the links between civilian and military groups in politics in Burma came about. Thus, this thesis addresses a major gap in the current historical literature, which has tended to underplay or ignore the role of the BSP. In so doing this work draws a wide range of interviews, archives and hitherto unused research sources, as well as the historical analyses in English and Burmese contribute. The thesis begins …

Concerted Evolution Of The Rdna Its1 In The Anopheles Punctulatus Group, James E. Bower

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Repetitive sequences often display a high level of homogeneity within species and can diverge rapidly from homologous copies found in other species. Neither this concerted evolution of repeated sequences nor the non-Mendelian processes of DNA turnover that spread these within a genome are controversial. What remains unclear is the significance of these genomic changes on the subsequent spread of variation within populations. In this thesis, the first ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) was examined in the Anopheles punctulatus group to determine what generates intraindividual variation and to determine the significance of turnover in the divergence of An. farauti s.s. populations. …

State-Society Interaction And The Survival Of The State: The Case Of Papua New Guinea And Japan, Kazuhiro Monden

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This thesis deals with questions of how state-society interactions of two different states, a weak state – Papua New Guinea – and a strong state – Japan – have influenced responses to their respective internal and external challenges, particularly those caused by the anarchic and economic competitive nature of the post-Cold War international environment, globalisation and fragmentation. It is also a study of state endeavours for the survival of these two states. The investigation was founded on the view that traditional state explanations of international relations do not satisfactorily account for the complexity of how state-society interactions in these two …

Efficiency Gains For Seasonal Adjustment By Joint Modelling Of Disaggregated Series, Carole Birrell

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Governments and businesses use data collected over time as indicators of the social, economic and business conditions of the country. These may then be used for policy and planning decisions, calculation of national accounts and monitoring of economic activity. The production and publication of seasonally adjusted series, in addition to unadjusted figures, is standard practice for government statistical agencies. In general, there are two main approaches to seasonal adjustment, namely a filter-based approach and a model-based approach. Filter-based methods estimate time series components, such as the trend and seasonal factors, by application of a set of filters to the original …

The Development Of Non Antibiotic Resistant Recombinant Vaccines Against Mycoplasma Hyopneumoniae, Jake Matic

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is a respiratory pathogen of pigs that has substantial global economic impact and currently there is no vaccine available that prevents colonisation. This study focuses on the characterisation of novel M. hyopneumoniae vaccine candidates and the development of a live, attenuated vaccine expressing heterologous M. hyopneumoniae antigens. The putative M. hyopneumoniae vaccine antigen, the lipoyl binding domain of the dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase subunit (PdhD) of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, was strongly recognised by porcine hyperimmune sera. Western blot analysis with PdhD antisera detected the protein in geographically diverse M. hyopneumoniae isolates. However PdhD was only weakly recognised by convalescent …

A Study Of Environmental Disclosures Made By Chinese Mineral Extraction Corporations, Ying Jun Lu

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This thesis investigates environmental disclosure practices of the mineral extraction industry in China by analyzing annual reports of companies listed on both ShangHai Stock Exchange and ShenZhen Stock Exchange.

The population of this study is all listed firms classified into mineral extraction industry by both ShangHai and ShenZhen stock exchanges over a three year period from 2005 to 2007, yielding a sample of 80 usable observations. Content analysis is used to provide an evaluation of corporate environmental disclosures. The quality of corporate environmental disclosures is measured by an environmental disclosure index adopted and modified from Wiseman (1982) index, covering 18 …

Towards A Poetics Of Hope: Simone Weil, Fanny Howe And Alice Walker, Christine Howe

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This thesis seeks to develop a poetics of hope based on the writings of Simone Weil, French mystic, philosopher and political activist. In L’Enracinement (The Need for Roots) Weil emphasizes the power of a living cultural heritage able to provide individuals with links to what she terms the ‘reality beyond the world’, or ‘absolute good’. These connections inspire a form of hope that can become a catalyst for actions characterized by love and, ultimately, play a role in the creation of more just societies. Central to this is Weil’s use of the Greek term metaxu, which describes things that act …

The Performance Of Estimation Methods For Generalized Linear Mixed Models, Damian Collins

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Generalised linear models (GLMs) are a flexible class of non-linear models for non-normally distributed response data. GLMs encompass models for discrete response data which takes one of several values rather than being measured on a continuous scale. Discrete response data is abundant in agricultural and biological research, for instance, in the mortality of animals and plants (binary/binomial data) and the scoring of disease (ordinal data).

Generalised linear mixed models (GLMMs) are an extension of GLMs which include additional random effects in the (conditional) linear predictor. Some examples of where GLMMs may be useful include the analysis of designed experiments, surveys, …

Promoting Physical Activity Among Overweight And Obese Children: A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing A Physical Activity Program, A Dietary Program And A Combined Physical Activity Plus Dietary Program, Dylan P. Cliff

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Childhood overweight and obesity is prevalent in both developed and developing countries world-wide, and urgent and effective response is required. To date, methodological limitations in paediatric obesity treatment trials have precluded recommendations advocating specific treatment strategies. Physical inactivity is implicated in the aetiology of obesity, however, published experimental trials evaluating interventions designed to promote physical activity in overweight and obese children have been compromised by the same methodological limitations as many paediatric obesity treatment trials. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of the following interventions for the promotion of habitual physical activity, fundamental movement skill proficiency …

Modelling And Control Of Conducting Polymer Actuators, Stephen William John

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Actuators based on conducting polymers are promising new devices, given their unique combination of low-voltage activation, high peak stresses and strains, bio-compatibility and manufacturability down to the micro-scale. Trilayer benders are laminated conducting polymer actuators that produce a bending motion, with self-contained operability in both air and liquid environments, but their dynamic behaviour has not been fully characterised and few positional control systems developed. To help enable the use of these actuators in functional devices, this thesis systematically characterises and models the bending displacement and then applies this information to develop a positional control system. The displacement of the actuator …

Enhancing Allied Health Clinicians' Abilities To Facilitate Medication Adherence For Individuals With Depressive Disorders, Danielle L. Feros

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Antidepressant medications are an effective treatment option for individuals with depression. However, significantly sub-optimal adherence has been observed in up to 44% of primary care patients. Almost 40% of patients who discontinue their medication experience a return of symptoms. Adherence interventions are therefore important, but often require delivery by highly trained clinicians (e.g. physicians). In Australia adherence interventions need to have the capacity to be delivered by a variety of professionals as a diverse range of clinicians (e.g. allied health) provide services to primary care patients under a number of government funded initiatives. However, many clinicians lack the requisite knowledge, …

Adverse Psychological Reactions To Potentially Traumatic Events In The Navy: Prevalence And Testing A Personal Construct Model Of Maintaining Mental Health, Stephen Philip Rayner

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

The impact of potentially traumatic events on Australian Navy personnel is described through 2 studies of the long-term psychological experiences of survivors of a fatal fire in HMAS Westralia in 1998. Study 1 reports on the prevalence of indicated post traumatic stress disorder at three times since the fire, ranging from four months to six years, and general psychological distress and alcohol problems at six years. There were no significant associations between gender and military rank, and mental health disorders. A model of how mental health can be maintained in the aftermath of exposure to potentially traumatic events, based on …

Curating Inscription: The Legacy Of Textual Exhibitions Of Tattooing In Colonial Literature, Anne Elizabeth Werner

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This thesis argues that the colonial context of the tattoo‘s reintroduction to the west, and the exhibitionary nature of its cultural presence in the Euro-American public‘s consciousness, has been mediated and to a degree determined by cultural understandings of processes of exhibition and display. The tattoo‘s role in performances of Otherness has allowed it to be manipulated and utilized by authors who, I argue, ‗curate‘ their textual artifacts in accordance with the conventions offered by other exhibitionary mediums. The complicated nature of the tattoo‘s relationship with popular cultural representations of colonialism has meant that the reclamation of traditional tattooing, for …

Parental Communication And Involvement With Young Drivers, Mary Papakosmas

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This research aims to contribute to young driver safety strategies by focussing on the role of parents, that is, their influence on and communication with novice drivers. In the ongoing efforts to address the issue of young driver safety, parents are a vital resource as, in the majority of cases, they assume the role of supervising driver when their children formally obtain a learner’s permit. A qualitative methodology was adopted in order to effectively gather data and explore the issues. A series of focus groups was conducted to document the experiences of parents and the sons and daughters they were …

A Paradigm For Delivering A Scalable And Low-Latency Immersive Voice Over Ip Service To Resource-Constrained Clients In Distributed Virtual Environment, Ying Peng Que

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

This thesis addresses the problem space of developing a high quality, yet scalable multi-party voice communication service to the ever more popular Distributed Virtual Environments (DVE) exemplified by the Multiplayer Online Games (MOG). The social interactive experience of DVE users can be greatly enhanced if the users feel immersed in a realistic environment via high fidelity visual scenes, auditory scenes and haptics. While recognising the primary role played by the visual scenes and the consequent rapid progresses made in the field of computer graphics, in this thesis, we investigate the network delivery of live DVE user voices which will be …

Mental Health Consumers' Evaluation Of Recovery-Oriented Service Provision, Sarah Marshall

University of Wollongong Thesis Collection 1954-2016

Consumers have rarely been involved in the evaluation of recovery oriented service provision. This is somewhat surprising considering the increasing emphasis on recovery focused service delivery both in Australia and internationally (Australian Health Ministers, 2003; Slade, Amering, & Oades, 2008). This thesis addresses this gap by involving consumers in the evaluation, critique and ongoing improvement of the Collaborative Recovery Model received in case management settings across three eastern Australian states. The Collaborative Recovery Model has been used as a model to train mental health staff in evidence-based practices and constructs consistent with the recovery movement to assist them to effectively …