Science and Technology Studies Commons^™

Vertical Drain Consolidation With Piecewise Linear Surcharge And Vacuum, Rohan Walker

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Maintaining the simplicity of Hansbo's (1981) solution, this paper presents radial consolidation equations that capture some of the versatility of more complex analytical solutions. Material and geometry properties may vary piecewise-constant with time while loading/unloading, both surcharge and vacuum, may vary piecewise-linear with time. The new equations are easily implemented in a spreadsheet or computer program providing a simple yet versatile tool for analysis of consolidation problems dominated by radial drainage. Computer code for implementing the new approach in Microsoft Excel is provided

Performance And Prediction Of Vacuum Consolidation Behaviour At Port Of Brisbane, Buddhima Indraratna, Cholachat Rujikiatkamjorn, Xueyu Geng, Jayantha Ameratunga

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Due to a projected increase in trade activities at the Port of Brisbane, new berths on Fisherman Islands at the mouth of the Brisbane River will be constructed in the outer area(235ha) close to the existing port facilities via land reclamation. A vacuum assisted surcharge load in conjunction with prefabricated vertical drains was chosen to reduce the required consolidation time. The features of the combined vacuum and surcharge fill system and the construction of the embankment are described in this paper. A comparison of the performance of the vacuum combined surcharge loading system with a standard surcharge fill emphasises the …

Voltage Unbalance Emission Assessment In Interconnected Power Systems, Jayatunga Vitharanage Upuli Priyadarshani Jayatunga, Sarath Perera, Philip Ciufo, Ashish Agalgaonkar

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Report IEC/TR 61000-3-13:2008 considers voltage unbalance (VU) emission assessment as a key aspect of the VU management of power systems. Compliance assessment of unbalanced installations at the post connection stage is essential to ensure that the limits set by the IEC VU emission allocation methodology in the pre-connection stage are met. Although VU is known to be caused by load asymmetries and inherent network asymmetries, locating all VU emission sources is not a straightforward process, especially in a network with interconnections. Such assessment methodologies should ensure that the contributions from various sources of unbalance …

Unintended Adverse Consequences Of Introducing Electronic Health Records In Residential Aged Care Homes, Ping Yu, Yiting Zhang, Yang Gong, Jianjia Zhang

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The aim of this study was to investigate the unintended adverse consequences ofintroducing electronic health records (EHR) in residential aged care homes (RACHs) and toexamine the causes of these unintended adverse consequences.Method: A qualitative interview study was conducted in nine RACHs belonging to three orga-nisations in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland,Australia. A longitudinal investigation after the implementation of the aged care EHR sys-tems was conducted at two data points: January 2009 to December 2009 and December 2010to February 2011. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 110 care staff membersidentified through convenience sampling, representing all levels …

Location And Tracking Of Mobile Devices: Überveillance Stalks The Streets, Katina Michael, Roger Clarke

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

During the last decade, location-tracking and monitoring applications have proliferated, in mobile cellular and wireless data networks, and through self-reporting by applications running in smartphones that are equipped with onboard global positioning system (GPS) chipsets. It is now possible to locate a smartphone user's location not merely to a cell, but to a small area within it. Innovators have been quick to capitalise on these location-based technologies for commercial purposes, and have gained access to a great deal of sensitive personal data in the process. In addition, law enforcement utilises these technologies, can do so inexpensively and hence can track …

Maximizing The Healthcare Environment: A Systematic Review Exploring The Potential Of Computer Technology To Promote Self-Management Of Chronic Illness In Healthcare Settings, Mairtin S. Mcdermott, Alison E. While

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Objective The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the effectiveness of using computers to deliver patient self-management programs (PSMPs) to patients with chronic illness in health supported settings. Methods We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs), where the experimental intervention was compared either with an equivalent 'standard' PSMP delivered by staff, usual care or no intervention and reported data either on clinical or behavioral outcomes. We conducted a narrative synthesis, incorporating a small quantitative analysis to enable comparisons across studies. Results A total of 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. There was insufficient evidence to determine whether computer-based PSMPs …

Factors Associated With Differences In Quit Rates Between 'Specialist' And 'Community' Stop-Smoking Practitioners In The English Stop-Smoking Services, Mairtin S. Mcdermott, Emma Beard, Leonie S. Brose, Robert West, Andy Mcewen

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Introduction: Behavioral support improves smokers' chances of quitting, but quit rates are typically lower for smokers supported by "community practitioners" for whom smoking cessation is a small part of their job than for those supported by "specialist practitioners" for whom it is the main role. This article examined the factors that might contribute to this. Method: A total of 573 specialist practitioners and 466 community practitioners completed a 42-item online survey that covered demographic and employment information, current practices, levels of training, and 4-week CO-verified quit rates. Responses were compared for community and specialist practitioners. Mediation analysis was undertaken to …

Change In Anxiety Following Successful And Unsuccessful Attempts At Smoking Cessation: Cohort Study, Mairtin S. Mcdermott, Theresa M. Marteau, Gareth J. Hollands, Matthew Hankins, Paul Aveyard

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Background Despite a lack of empirical evidence, many smokers and health professionals believe that tobacco smoking reduces anxiety, which may deter smoking cessation. Aims The study aim was to assess whether successful smoking cessation or relapse to smoking after a quit attempt are associated with changes in anxiety. Method A total of 491 smokers attending National Health Service smoking cessation clinics in England were followed up 6 months after enrolment in a trial of pharmacogenetic tailoring of nicotine replacement therapy (ISRCTN14352545). Results There was a points difference of 11.8 (95% CI 7.7-16.0) in anxiety score 6 months after cessation between …

Holden To Cease Making Cars In Australia By 2017: Experts React, Paul Gollan, Hamza Bendemra, Henry Ergas, Elizabeth Van Acker, Nicholas Economou, Phil Toner

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

General Motors Holden has confirmed speculation it will withdraw from car production in Australia by the end of 2017. The announcement by Holden comes after days of sustained public speculation and calls from the federal government for the company to clarify its intentions. Holden has said it will "transition to a national sales company in Australia and New Zealand" and "discontinue vehicle and engine manufacturing and significantly reduce its engineering operations in Australia by the end of 2017." GM Chairman and chief executive officer Dan Akerson cited a "perfect storm of negative influences", including the sustained strength of the Australian …

A Finiteness Condition On The Coefficients Of The Probabilistic Zeta Function, Dung Hoang Duong, Andrea Lucchini

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part B

We discuss whether finiteness properties of a profinite group G can be deduced from the coefficients of the probabilistic‎ ‎zeta function PG(s)‎. ‎In particular we prove that if PG(s) is rational and all but finitely many non abelian composition factors of G are isomorphic to PSL(2,p) for some prime p‎, ‎then G contains only finitely many maximal subgroups‎.

Embracing Complexity In Engineering Education: A Way Forward For Developing Intercultural Competency, Thomas Goldfinch

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

towards engineering education that prepares graduates to work effectively across foreign cultures and customs1-3. The author argues that while this outward focus is important and necessary, there is also a need to focus on preparing graduates for cultural issues that will arise much closer to home. Identifying, and working with subtle cultural differences that can occur in workplaces, organizations and the community, where the population may initially appear monocultural, presents unique challenges. The way in which one assumes cultural uniformity in a given situation can contribute to the oversimplification of a problem, and subsequently the pursuit of ineffective solutions. In …

Climate Change Beliefs, Concerns, And Attitudes Toward Adaptation And Mitigation Among Farmers In The Midwestern United States, J. Gordon Arbuckle, Linda Stalker Prokopy, Tonya Haigh, Jon Hobbs, Tricia Knoot, Cody Knutson, Adam Loy, Amber Saylor Mase, Jean Mcguire, Lois Wright Morton, John Tyndall, Melissa Widhalm

Drought Mitigation Center: Faculty Publications

A February 2012 survey of almost 5,000 farmers across a region of the U.S. that produces more than half of the nation’s corn and soybean revealed that 66% of farmers believed climate change is occurring (8% mostly anthropogenic, 33% equally human and natural, 25% mostly natural), while 31% were uncertain and 3.5% did not believe that climate change is occurring. Results of initial analyses indicate that farmers’ beliefs about climate change and its causes vary considerably, and the relationships between those beliefs, concern about the potential impacts of climate change, and attitudes toward adaptive and mitigative action differ in systematic …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of The All Power Labs Power Pallet As A Training Tool For Biomass Gasification Education, Christopher Che Frederick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of classroom training with regard to renewable energies. A lecture series and survey were developed by the principle researcher and presented to students in the Alternative and Renewable Energy Systems class and Machine Design class at Eastern Illinois University. The lecture series introduced students to biomass gasification and its application at Eastern Illinois University. The survey analyzed participant's level of knowledge of gasification technologies. The survey's pre and post test scores were used to validate the effectiveness of the training.

The All Power Labs Power Pallet was utilized as …

Student Perceptions Of Digital Storytelling As A Learning-Tool For Educational Leaders, Jason Lafrance, Jason Blizzard

Department of Leadership, Technology, and Human Development Faculty Publications

: A study regarding students’ perceptions of digital storytelling as a learning tool was conducted in the fall of 2012. The population consisted of 12 students participating in an Administrative Theory course as part of their doctoral program in K-12 or higher education administration at a Carnegie Doctoral Research University in Georgia. During the eight-week course, students created digital stories that synthesized an autoethnography with leadership theory using Bolman and Deal’s (2011) four-framework approach to leadership. This allowed students to demonstrate the practice of continual reflection and assessment, a commitment to technology, diversity, and in-depth understanding of the knowledge and …

Book Review -- William Patry, How To Fix Copyright, Michael J. Madison

Articles

I review William Patry’s book How to Fix Copyright. The book is noteworthy for its ambitious yet measured effort to diagnose where copyright law has gone astray in recent years. It is less successful with respect to proposing possible changes to the law. Most interesting are parallels between How to Fix Copyright and an earlier comprehensive look at copyright law in the digital era: Paul Goldstein’s Copyright’s Highway: From Gutenberg to the Celestial Jukebox. William Patry and Paul Goldstein each have a lot of faith in the power of consumer choice in the cultural marketplace. That faith leads …

An Open Source Composition Space: Redefining Invention For A New Technological Age, Carly Finseth

Carly Finseth

This essay integrates composition theory with pedagogical practice to redefine what is traditionally viewed as the 'writing classroom.' Specifically, it explores how we can redefine rhetorical invention through the cultural foundations of open source communities. In "An Open Source Composition Space," writing is collaborative, authorship is negated by ideals of shared intellectual property, and students and teachers can learn from each other in a safe and supportive environment.

Introduction To Public Participation Geographic: Special Issue, Michelle Thompson, Kelly Owens

Michelle M. Thompson

With the progression of PPGIS, variations in the technology’s adaptability and application have brought forth critiques related to access, technology, and time. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) permeates a global market and technology appears to drive social, economic and civic progress with varying outcomes. Residents, advocates, and community organizations are utilizing democratized data in ways that early PPGIS investors could not have imagined. However, while many applaud the ability to create a trinity with data serving as a neutral partner, some wonder if any advancement has been made. A major critique of PPGIS is the inability to have a sustained, longitudinal …

A Review Of Inter/Vention: Free Play In The Age Of Electracy By Jan Rune Holmevik, Carly Finseth

Carly Finseth

In these days of serious play, rhetoricians, game scholars, and compositionists alike have struggled with ways to legitimize the study of games as serious artifacts in our field. Enter Jan Rune Holmevik's (2012) Inter/vention: Free Play in the Age of Electracy, a text that effectively bridges the gap between theory and practice, work and play, to prove that games don't just have to be theorized or played; as scholars we can—and should—do both.

Location And Tracking Of Mobile Devices: Überveillance Stalks The Streets, Katina Michael, Roger Clarke

Professor Katina Michael

During the last decade, location-tracking and monitoring applications have proliferated, in mobile cellular and wireless data networks, and through self-reporting by applications running in smartphones that are equipped with onboard global positioning system (GPS) chipsets. It is now possible to locate a smartphone-user's location not merely to a cell, but to a small area within it. Innovators have been quick to capitalise on these location-based technologies for commercial purposes, and have gained access to a great deal of sensitive personal data in the process. In addition, law enforcement utilise these technologies, can do so inexpensively and hence can track many …

Towards A Conceptual Model Of User Acceptance Of Location-Based Emergency Services, Anas Aloudat, Katina Michael

Professor Katina Michael

This paper investigates the introduction of location-based services by government as part of an all-hazards approach to modern emergency management solutions. Its main contribution is in exploring the determinants of an individual’s acceptance or rejection of location services. The authors put forward a conceptual model to better predict why an individual would accept or reject such services, especially with respect to emergencies. While it may be posited by government agencies that individuals would unanimously wish to accept life-saving and life-sustaining location services for their well-being, this view remains untested. The theorised determinants include: visibility of the service solution, perceived service …

A Study On The Suitability Of Cable Models To Simulate Switching Transients In A 132 Kv Underground Cable, Muhamad Zalani Daud, P Ciufo, S Perera

Dr Philip Ciufo

Switching transients resulting from the energisation of high voltage cable systems may have a significant effect on both the cables being switched as well as the power system components in the vicinity. The impacts of these transients on such cables are measured based on the stress arising as a result of the voltage and current peaks and the frequency of oscillatory transients. These quantities are typically obtained from a simulation by using a suitable cable model, normally with the capability to predict the transient behaviour in the range up to several 10 kHz. To obtain a cable model that enables …

The Future Prospects Of Embedded Microchips In Humans As Unique Identifiers: The Risks Versus The Rewards, Katina Michael, M.G. Michael

Professor Katina Michael

Microchip implants for humans are not new. Placing heart pacemakers in humans for prosthesis is now considered a straightforward procedure. In more recent times we have begun to use brain pacemakers for therapeutic purposes to combat illnesses such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s Disease, and severe depression. Microchips are even being placed inside prosthetic knees and hips during restorative procedures to help in the gathering of post-operative analytics that can aid rehabilitation further. While medical innovations that utilise microchips abound, over the last decade we have begun to see the potential use of microchip implants for non-medical devices in humans, namely for …

Tracing The Footprint Of Knowledge Spillover: Evidence From U.S.-China Collaboration In Nanotechnology, Li Tang, Guangyuan Hu

Li Tang

No abstract provided.

Does "Birds Of A Feather Flock Together" Matter: Evidence From A Longitudinal Study On The Us-China Scientific Collaboration, Li Tang

Li Tang

No abstract provided.

Energy And Environment Policy Case For A Global Project, Thomas A. Faunce

Thomas A Faunce

A policy case is made for a global project on artificial photosynthesis including its scientific justification, potential governance structure and funding mechanisms.

Voices In The Beyond: Judicial Psychology And Citizens United, Kirby Farrell

kirby farrell

Abstract: A psychological analysis of the Supreme Court’s controversial Citizens United decision finds the concept of agency or personhood conflicted in its use by the majority. Some conservative justices in this and some other decisions, including Voting Rights enforcement (2006) and death penalty jurisprudence, have positioned authority and the voices of affected “persons” in the beyond: that is, in an abstract or metaphysical zone wherein reasoning cannot follow or be held responsible.

Quality Is Becoming More About Taste And Less About Cost: Eeg And Survey Study On Consumer Behavior, Charnetta Brown, Adriane Randolph, Janee Burkhalter

Adriane B. Randolph

No abstract provided.

Bargaining With The Machine: A Framework For Describing Encounters With Surveillance Technologies, Robert M. Pallitto

Robert M Pallitto

Taking The High Ground: Fema Trailer Siting After Hurricane Katrina, Daniel P. Aldrich, Kevin Crook

Daniel P Aldrich

Using data on more than 300 census blocks from across New Orleans, Louisiana, this article investigates two steps in the placement of temporary housing after Hurricane Katrina. First, the authors seek to understand the factors that determined whether census blocks were selected for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) trailers. Then, in light of the widespread resistance to the trailers, they focus on variables that influenced whether trailers were successfully placed on those sites. Despite past research arguing that race, collective action potential, and political factors are the primary determinants of facility placement and the success or failure of the attempt, …