Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Biomethane Potential Evaluation Of Co-Digestion Of Sewage Sludge And Organic Wastes, Richard Wickham, Brendan Galway, Heriberto A. Bustamante, Long D. Nghiem

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Co-digestion of organic rich wastes and wastewater sludge to enhance biogas production has become an attractive economic possibility for water utilities. The suitability of the organic rich waste depends on its ability to produce biogas as well as its influence on the overall anaerobic digestion process. Biomethane potential evaluation was conducted to screen seven organic wastes and dehydrated algae. All co-substrates increased the bio-methane yield by three to six times compared with conventional anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge. Maximum co-digestion ratios were identifiable for most solid co-substrates including algae (6% wt/wt), undiluted food waste (5% wt/wt), bakery waste (5% wt/wt), …

An Evaluation Of The Dynamics Of Diluted Neural Network, Lijuan Wang, Jun Shen, Qingguo Zhou, Zhihao Shang, Huaming Chen, Hong Zhao

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The Monte Carlo adaptation rule has been proposed to design asymmetric neural network. By adjusting the degree of the symmetry of the networks designed by this rule, the spurious memories or unwanted attractors of the networks can be suppressed completely. We have extended this rule to design full-connected neural networks and diluted neural networks. Comparing the dynamics of these two neural networks, the simulation results indicated that the performance of diluted neural network was poorer than the performance of full-connected neural network. As to this point, further research is needed. In this paper, we use the annealed dilution method to …

Fibre Bragg Grating Sensing Technology For The Evaluation Of Physical Properties Of Dental Resin Composites, Ginu Rajan, Paul Shouha, Ayman Ellakwa, Jiangtao Xi, Gangadhara B. Prusty

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The characterization of the physical properties of dental resin composites is fraught with difficulties relating to significant intra and inter test parameter variabilities and is relatively time consuming and expensive. The main aim of this study was to evaluate whether optical fibre Brag grating (FBG) sensing system may become a viable tool to study dental material characteristics. Of particular focus was the potential for the system to demonstrate a multi parameter all-in-one feature. A miniature FBG was embedded in six different dental resin composites and employed as a sensor to evaluate linear polymerization shrinkage, thermal expansion and water sorption. This …

Incorporating Environmental Evaluation And Thermal Properties Of Concrete Mix Designs, Mehdi Robati, Timothy J. Mccarthy, Georgios Kokogiannakis

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

One of the main challenges in sustainable design of buildings is to improve the energy efficiency of the building during its lifetime along with reducing the environmental impact of the design. Recent advances in concrete technology offer lower embodied emission through the application of supplementary cementitious materials and recycled aggregates. There are also improvements to thermal properties with the application of admixtures. However, the relationships between the environmental impact (Cradle to Gate) and thermal performance of concrete mix designs have not been researched adequately. The Green House Gas (GHG) emissions associated with each individual concrete component and its production need …

Evaluation Methodology And Implementation For Natural Ventilation Control Strategies, Massimo Fiorentini, Georgios Kokogiannakis, Warwick Jackson, Zhenjun Ma, Paul Cooper

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

This paper describes a methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of various control strategies for the operation of window actuators to control the indoor climate, and their implementation in a full scale case study building. In this study, the effectiveness of a control strategy is considered in terms of the capability of the controller for maintaining the indoor thermal comfort in a prescribed variable range, and its effect on the minimisation of the operational energy consumption of the building, due to a lower thermal energy demand to be met by the heating and cooling system. A model of the case study …

An Analytical Evaluation Of Radial Consolidation With Respect To Drain Degradation, Thanh Trung Nguyen, Buddhima Indraratna, Cholachat Rujikiatkamjorn

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

No abstract provided.

A Definition And Ethical Evaluation Of Overdiagnosis: Response To Commentaries, Stacy M. Carter, Jenny Doust, Christopher J. Degeling, Alexandra Barratt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

It is a privilege to have respected colleagues engage with our definition and ethical evaluation of overdiagnosis. In our response to the commentaries, we first deal with paradigmatic issues: the place of realism, the relationship between diagnostic standards and correctness and the distinction between overdiagnosis and both false-positives and medicalisation. We then discuss issues arising across the commentaries in turn. Our definition captures the range of different types of overdiagnosis, unlike a definition limited to diagnosis of harmless disease. Certain implications do flow from our definition, as noted by commentators, but we do not view them as problematic: overdiagnoses can …

Evaluation Report 2015: Investigating The Effectiveness Of The In2uni Year 12 University Preparation Program, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Valerie Harwood, Steven J. Howard, Ken Cliff, Janine Delahunty

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

In2Uni's Year 12 University Preparation Program (UPP), which commenced in 2014, is an innovative program for students in their HSC year working towards an ATAR. It targets schools in UOW catchment areas, and particularly those identified as being from the 39 low-ICSEA (Index of Community and Socio-Educational Advantage) areas. Students must meet eligibility criteria, one being that their academic performance is not currently on the trajectory to meet university entry requirements (In2Uni, My Way, 2016). Once accepted into UPP, students attend on-campus study sessions for two hours per week over a 20- week period from April to September. The general …

Large-Scale Investment In Green Space As An Intervention For Physical Activity, Mental And Cardiometabolic Health: Study Protocol For A Quasi-Experimental Evaluation Of A Natural Experiment, Thomas E. Astell-Burt, Xiaoqi Feng, Gregory Kolt

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Introduction 'Green spaces' such as public parks are regarded as determinants of health, but evidence from tends to be based on cross-sectional designs. This protocol describes a study that will evaluate a large-scale investment in approximately 5280 hectares of green space stretching 27 km north to south in Western Sydney, Australia. Methods and analysis A Geographic Information System was used to identify 7272 participants in the 45 and Up Study baseline data (2006-2008) living within 5 km of the Western Sydney Parklands and some of the features that have been constructed since 2009, such as public access points, advertising billboards, …

Evaluation And Comparison Of Job Stress Among Security Workers With Fixed And Shift Work Schedules In Municipality Of Tehran, A Chaichi, Shahnaz Bakand, R Yarahmadi

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Municipality of Tehran with huge number of employees and with the aim to reduce stress and promote the work efficiency, seriously wants to achieve suitable and utilizable studies. Osipow's job stress test is one of the best tools to reach this aim. Data population includes securities building of municipality of Tehran (88 persons from region 18 and 72 persons from region 20), who were randomly chosen to be participated in the current survey. For this purpose three types of working hours schedule such as full time shift ( 24 hrs work, 24 hrs rest ), day-shift and night-shift workers, were …

Thermal Performance Evaluation And Optimal Design Of Buildings With Integrated Air-Based Photovoltaic Thermal Collectors And Phase Change Materials Using The Hooke-Jeeves Pattern Search Method, Wenye Lin, Zhenjun Ma, Paul Cooper

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Over the last several decades, many low energy technologies have been developed and deployed to reduce building energy consumption. Among various solutions, solar photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors and phase change materials (PCMs) are among the most promising methods receiving increasing attention. This paper presents a thermal performance evaluation and optimal design of buildings integrated with air-based solar PVT collectors and PCMs embedded in the building envelope by using The Hooke-Jeeves pattern search method. The Hooke-Jeeves generalized pattern search is used to search for optimal solutions of the optimization problem. The variables optimized include the PVT air flow rate, additional wall …

Lassi: An Australian Evaluation Of An Enduring Study Skills Assessment Tool, James Gt Marland, Joanne Dearlove, Jennifer Carpenter

Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) - Papers

This study assesses the reliability and validity of the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), an American survey instrument, in an Australian context. The results of this study were compared with those generated by a comparison study held at a different Australian university and also against other internationally published research. There was a high degree of similarity between the LASSI scores from the students at the two Australian universities, however these scores were considerably different from norms published in the LASSI manual. The students' scores in this study were also compared with data on their gender and age and the …

Hpv.Edu Study Protocol: A Cluster Randomised Controlled Evaluation Of Education, Decisional Support And Logistical Strategies In School-Based Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Vaccination Of Adolescents, S R. Skinner, Collette Davies, Spring Cooper, Tanya Stoney, Helen S. Marshall, Jane Jones, Joanne Collins, Heidi Hutton, Adriana Parrella, Gregory Zimet, David Regan, Patty Whyte, Julia Brotherton, Peter Richmond, Kristen Mccaffrey, Susan Garland, Julie Leask, Melissa Kang, Annette J. Braunack-Mayer, John M. Kaldor, Kevin Mcgeechan

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background

The National Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccination Program in Australia commenced in 2007 for females and in 2013 for males, using the quadrivalent HPV vaccine (HPV 6,11,16,18). Thus far, we have demonstrated very substantial reductions in genital warts and in the prevalence of HPV among young Australian women, providing early evidence for the success of this public health initiative. Australia has a long history of school-based vaccination programs for adolescents, with comparatively high coverage. However, it is not clear what factors promote success in a school vaccination program. The HPV.edu study aims to examine: 1) student knowledge about HPV vaccination; …

Nrl Graduates Of League @ Western Sydney University: Evaluation Report, Jioji Ravulo

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Australian culture has long celebrated its sporting heroes as role models and inspirational figures, embodying the hard-work ethic of its people. Given the prowess of some of our top athletes, it is little wonder that many younger players aspire to these same levels of professionalism and athleticism in their own careers. It is also well recognised that one false move can drastically alter an athlete's life, seen perhaps most potently in the experience of Alex McKinnon, where one tragic tackle rendered him paralysed (Connell, July 4, 2015). Although this is an extreme example, such realities have prompted younger and older …

Delivering The Mental Health First Aid (Mhfa) Course Within The National Rugby League (Nrl): Evaluation Report, Jioji Ravulo

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Mental illness is a reality for many Australians. The National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, conducted in 2007 with people aged 16-85, revealed that one in five Australians, or 3.2 million people, had a 12-month mental disorder (a mental illness occurring 12 months before the survey took place) (ABS, 2007). The survey further revealed that 16 million Australians (45%) within this age bracket suffered with a mental illness at some point in their lives. While these findings are slowly becoming public knowledge, there is still a limited understanding amongst laypeople regarding the overt and more covert symptoms of mental …

Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islander Reconnection Project Evaluation Report, Jioji Ravulo

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The Australian Museum, in partnership with The Street University Mount Druitt, Fairfield Museum, Juvenile Justice (Cobham and Juniperina centres) and ICE (Information and Cultural Exchange) Parramatta, facilitated the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reconnection Project from 2014 to 2015, which sought to address the potential link between the overrepresentation of Aboriginal young people in Juvenile Justice alongside the possible cultural dislocation which may lead to a compromised sense of self identity. The project, which took place within the Museum and as outreach programs at Juvenile Justice centres, community centres and events, were held as one-day workshops/events or as a series …

Evaluation Of A Differentiation Model Of Preschoolers' Executive Functions, Steven J. Howard, Anthony D. Okely, Yvonne Ellis

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Despite the prominent role of executive functions in children's emerging competencies, there remains debate regarding the structure and development of executive functions. In an attempt to reconcile these discrepancies, a differentiation model of executive function development was evaluated in the early years using 6-month age groupings. Specifically, 281 preschoolers completed measures of working memory, inhibition, and shifting. Results contradicted suggestions that executive functions follow a single trajectory of progressive separation in childhood, instead suggesting that these functions may undergo a period of integration in the preschool years. These results highlight potential problems with current practices and theorizing in executive function …

Economic Evaluation Of Concise Cognitive Behavioural Therapy And/Or Pharmacotherapy For Depressive And Anxiety Disorders, Denise Meuldijk, Ingrid V. Carlier, Irene M. Van Vliet, Albert M. Van Hemert, Frans G. Zitman, M E. Van Den Akker-Van Marle

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

BACKGROUND: Depressive and anxiety disorders cause great suffering and disability and are associated with high health care costs. In a previous conducted pragmatic randomised controlled trial, we have shown that a concise format of cognitive behavioural- and/or pharmacotherapy is as effective as standard care in reducing depressive and anxiety symptoms and in improving subdomains of general health and quality of life in secondary care psychiatric outpatients. AIMS OF THE STUDY: In this economic evaluation, we examined whether a favourable cost-utility of concise care compared to standard care was attained. METHODS: The economic evaluation was performed alongside a pragmatic randomised controlled …

Evaluation Of A Partial Ring Design For The Insert Spect/Mri System, Kell Erlandsson, Debora Slavado, Alexandre B. Bousse, Brian F. Hutton

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The aim of the INSERT project is to develop a SPECT insert for a commercial MRI system, for performing simultaneous SPECT/MRI brain studies in humans. We have previously investigated various design options for the detector system, based on a complete ring of detectors. We are now considering a partial ring, due to space limitations. We have investigated the degradation in image quality with a partial ring as compared to a full ring, and the possibility of addressing the limitations by utilising MRI data during reconstruction. Noise-free data were generated by forward-projecting a cylindrical phantom with spherical inserts for a full-ring …

Comparative Evaluation Of Modern Dosimetry Techniques Near Low- And High-Density Heterogeneities, Eyad A. Alhakeem, Sami Alshaikh, Anatoly B. Rosenfeld, Sergei F. Zavgorodni

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The purpose of this study is to compare performance of several dosimetric methods in heterogeneous phantoms irradiated by 6 and 18 MV beams. Monte Carlo (MC) calculations were used, along with two versions of Acuros XB, anisotropic analytical algorithm (AAA), EBT2 film, and MOSkin dosimeters. Percent depth doses (PDD) were calculated and measured in three heterogeneous phantoms. The first two phantoms were a 30 x 30 x 30 cm3 solid-water slab that had an air-gap of 20x 2.5 x 2.35 cm3. The third phantom consisted of 30 x 30 x 5 cm3 solid water slabs, two 30 x 30 x …

Evaluation Of 3d Gamma Index Calculation Implemented In Two Commercial Dosimetry Systems, Aitang Xing, Sankar Arumugam, Shrikant Deshpande, Armia George, Philip J. Vial, Lois C. Holloway, Gary Goozee

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

3D Gamma index is one of the metrics which have been widely used for clinical routine patient specific quality assurance for IMRT, Tomotherapy and VMAT. The algorithms for calculating the 3D Gamma index using global and local methods implemented in two software tools: PTW-VeriSoft (R) r as a part of OCTIVIUS 4D dosimeter systems and 3DVH (TM) from Sun Nuclear were assessed. The Gamma index calculated by the two systems was compared with manual calculated for one data set. The Gamma pass rate calculated by the two systems was compared using 3%/3mm, 2%/2mm, 3%/2mm and 2%/3mm for two additional data …

Protocol For The Process Evaluation Of A Complex Intervention Designed To Increase The Use Of Research In Health Policy And Program Organisations (The Spirit Study), Abby Haynes, Sue Brennan, Stacy M. Carter, Denise O'Connor, Carmen Huckel Schneider, Tari Turner, Gisselle Gallego

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background Process evaluation is vital for understanding how interventions function in different settings, including if and why they have different effects or do not work at all. This is particularly important in trials of complex interventions in `real world' organisational settings where causality is difficult to determine. Complexity presents challenges for process evaluation, and process evaluations that tackle complexity are rarely reported. This paper presents the detailed protocol for a process evaluation embedded in a randomised trial of a complex intervention known as SPIRIT (Supporting Policy In health with Research: an Intervention Trial). SPIRIT aims to build capacity for using …

Final Report: Evaluation Of The In2uni Program, Valerie Harwood, Sarah Elizabeth O'Shea, Steven J. Howard, Ken Cliff

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This report is an evaluation of the University of Wollongong's In2Uni outreach program. The In2Uni Program, delivered at the University of Wollongong, is an outreach program that works with primary and secondary students from low socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds on the NSW South Coast. These programs take the form of student academic mentoring, parent/caregiver/community and teacher engagement seminars, and university transition workshops. In2Uni's focus is on building the skills and aspirations required to enter Higher Education.

Whole Body Vibration Exposure Experienced By Bauxite Mining Operators: An Evaluation Of Heavy Haulage Equipment During Varying Seasonal Conditions (Wet & Dry Seasons) And The Potential Exposure Risk, Marcus Brooks, Marion A. Burgess, Jane L. Whitelaw

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Abstract presented at the 32nd Annual Conference & Exhibition of the Australian Institute of Occupational Hygienists Inc, 29 November - 3 December 2014, Melbourne, Australia.

Listening To Student Voice: An Evaluation Of Wooglemai Environmental Education Centre’S Youth Environmental Network Eco-Leadership Camp, Peter Andersen

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

The staff members from the Department of Education and Communities Wooglemai Environmental Educational Centre (WEEC) have hosted an annual residential eco-leadership camp for secondary students since 2011. The name of the camp is ‘Youth Environmental Network Eco-Leadership Camp’ (YEN). The participants have primarily been Year 7 to 10 students from New South Wales government schools. There would normally be thirty students (male and female) attending the YEN, with the duration of the camp being four days and three nights.

The purpose of the YEN camp is to provide an opportunity for students to air their concerns about the state of …

Evaluation Of The Ability Of A 2d Ionisation Chamber Array And An Epid To Detect Systematic Delivery Errors In Imrt Plans, Omemh Bawazeer, Alison Gray, Sankar Arumugam, Philip J. Vial, David Thwaites, Joseph Descallar, Lois C. Holloway

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Two clinical intensity modulated radiotherapy plans were selected. Eleven plan variations were created with systematic errors introduced: Multi-Leaf Collimator (MLC) positional errors with all leaf pairs shifted in the same or the opposite direction, and collimator rotation offsets. Plans were measured using an Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) and an ionisation chamber array. The plans were evaluated using gamma analysis with different criteria. The gamma pass rates remained around 95% or higher for most cases with MLC positional errors of 1 mm and 2 mm with 3%/3mm criteria. The ability of both devices to detect delivery errors was similar.

Lll For Ideal Lattices Re-Evaluation Of The Security Of Gentry-Halevi's Fhe Scheme, Thomas Plantard, Willy Susilo, Zhenfei Zhang

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The LLL algorithm, named after its inventors, Lenstra, Lenstra and Lovász, is one of themost popular lattice reduction algorithms in the literature. In this paper, we propose the first variant of LLL algorithm that is dedicated for ideal lattices, namely, the iLLL algorithm. Our iLLL algorithm takes advantage of the fact that within LLL procedures, previously reduced vectors can be re-used for further reductions. Using this method, we prove that the iLLL is at least as fast as the LLL algorithm, and it outputs a basis with the same quality. We also provide a heuristic approach that accelerates the re-use …

Spline-Shape Modification For Frp-Confined Concrete Columns: Theory And Evaluation, Muhammad N. S Hadi, Xu Lei

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The confinement efficiency for FRP-confined square concrete columns is relatively low compared to circular columns due to a large area of ineffectively-confined concrete and stress concentration at sharp corners. Shape modification of square concrete columns has been proposed but modifying the shape of cross-section from a square to a circle results in a significant increase in crosssectional area and self-weight of the columns, which raises new issues and is not practical when the space in the structure is limited. To address the abovementioned issues, a spline-shaped cross-section is proposed in this study as a target shape for shape modification. A …

Surface Treatment Evaluation Of Induction Hardened And Tempered 1045 Steel, Alain Kusmoko, Druce P. Dunne, Rosfian Dahar, Huijun Li

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Rod-shaped samples of SAE-AISI grade 1045 steel with a ferrite and pearlite structure in the as received condition were subjected to induction hardening to increase the hardness of the surface layer. The heat treatment process was carried out using induction heating with five different peak temperatures: 8000C, 9000C, 10000C, 11000C and 1200 0C for 2 s, before water quenching. The chemical composition and the microstructures of these samples were characterized by spectrometry and optical microscopy. The microhardness of the surface of each samples was measured and preliminary tensile testing was conducted. The results showed the formation of a significant hardened …

A New Beginning: Resolving Conflict Peacefully - Pilot Program Evaluation, Natalia K. Hanley, Tallace Bissett

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This report details key research literature about the interactions between young people from new and emerging migrant and refugee communities and Victoria police. It also presents evaluation findings from the pilot conflict resolution training program - A new beginning: resolving conflict peacefully.