The habitat value of Gorse Ulex europaeus L. and Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna Jacq. for birds in Quarry Hills Bushland Park, Victoria

Weeds are one of the primary threats to biodiversity; however, their impacts on wildlife can vary. This research investigated the habitat value of Gorse Ulex europaeus L. and Hawthorn Crataegus monogyna Jacq. and the impacts of its removal on birds in a bushland park in Victoria. The area search method was used to survey birds in vegetation dominated by these two weeds, in native vegetation and in areas where a weed removal program was undertaken; this included revegetated areas. The highest bird species richness and abundance was found in sites dominated by the weeds. At sites where the weed removal program was in the early stages, a much lower species richness and abundance occurred. The final stage of the weed removal program, where revegetated areas were older than five years, supported high richness and abundance of birds, but not as high as that of sites dominated by the weeds; nor was the composition the same. Thus, even after five years, revegetation may not provide for the bird community that was originally supported by weeds. This is an important weed management consideration in this park, and should be for weed removal projects elsewhere

Modelling dimensionality of cultural experience attitudes for international tourists

This empirical research of tourists’ cultural experiences aims to advance theory by developing a measurement model of attitudes towards attending cultural experiences for a sample of international tourists visiting Melbourne, Australia. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to cross-validate the underlying dimensionality structure of cultural experience attitudes in the model. A five-factor model was extracted from the EFA and some further modifications were required to establish discriminant validity. A four-factor model was retained in the CFA, which included three factors based on a liking for different types of cultural experiences and one factor indicating that social interaction was the most liked socio-psychological attitude towards attending cultural experiences. Although the sample were all English-speaking international tourists, cross-cultural validation of the model was also examined for factor configural and metric invariance of the measurement model as there were three different groups of international tourists within the sample: North Americans; New Zealanders; and tourists from United Kingdom and Ireland. This measurement structure was found to be relatively invariant for the factor loadings across the three groups of international tourists.

How dynamic capabilities drive performance in the Indian IT industry : the role of information and co-ordination

This study examines key issues and effects of capability management on a fast-growing area of knowledge-intensive global business services – IT outsourcing and offshoring. An exploratory study is undertaken of Indian companies providing complex process-oriented offshore IT services to their global customers. The analysis of the data related to the service provider side shows that developing dynamic capabilities is strongly driven by management and top-clients and results in the development of business processes and in establishing a strategic partnership with the client organization. Key findings are that information exchange and coordination are the key to a leveraging firm performance.

A preliminary analysis of the cost-effectiveness of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program – demonstrating the potential value of comprehensive real world data

Background The complexity and cost of treating cancer patients is escalating rapidly and increasingly difficult decisions are being made regarding which interventions provide value for money. BioGrid Australia supports collection and analysis of comprehensive treatment and outcome data across multiple sites. Here we use preliminary data regarding the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) and stage-specific treatment costs for colorectal cancer (CRC) to demonstrate the potential value of real world data for cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA).

Methods Data regarding the impact of NBCSP on stage at diagnosis was combined with stage-specific CRC treatment costs and existing literature. An incremental CEA was undertaken from a government healthcare perspective, comparing NBCSP to no-screening. The 2008 invited population (n=681,915) was modelled in both scenarios. Effectiveness was expressed as CRC-related life years saved (LYS). Costs and benefits were discounted at 3% per annum.

Results Over the lifetime and relative to no-screening, NBCSP was predicted to save 1,265 life-years, prevent 225 CRC cases and cost an additional $48.3 million, equivalent to a cost-effectiveness ratio of $38,217 per LYS. A scenario analysis assuming full participation improved this to $23,395.

Conclusions This preliminary CEA based largely on contemporary real world data suggests population-based FOBT screening for CRC is attractive. Planned ongoing data collection will enable repeated analyses over time, using the same methodology in the same patient populations, permitting an accurate analysis of the impact of new therapies and changing practice. Similar CEA using real world data related to other disease types and interventions appears desirable.

The value of experiential learning for providing a contextual understanding of the construction process

This research investigates effectiveness of real site visits within an undergraduate course. Experiential learning is a process of providing education, based on the experiences and observations of real-world examples. Some of the theory of experiential learning has been used to examine whether site visits assist the students learning experience.

The results of the research show that students generally have a positive attitude towards site visits and see them as beneficial. Although the study identified that some aspects of construction technology could be easily replaced by computer simulations and the like, other aspects of the curriculum are more effectively taught by retaining real site visits. The research was intended to provide a more structured approach to determining the value of site-based learning in construction-related courses.

Analysis of the value of home automation systems

Smart technology involves the integration of a variety of home systems including lighting, climate control, security etc. to enhance the comfort, convenience and economy of the home for its users. It is currently unknown if homebuyers believe that these systems add value to the home. This study used the market value of home sales and an attitudinal survey of homebuyers, to determine the increased value of homes containing smart technology. The results demonstrated that a significant price premium was paid for the incorporation of the technology into new homes. In addition, the research suggests that the use of this technology is not limited to high-income earners or other demographic stereotypes. Instead it has broad market appeal and the potential to save energy for the community at large.

The place of information and communication technology-mediated consultations in primary care : GPs' perspectives

Background: New information and communication technologies such as email and text messaging have been shown to be useful in some aspects of primary care service delivery. Little is known about Scottish GPs’ attitudes towards the adoption of these technologies as routine consultation tools.

Objectives: To explore GPs’ perceptions of the potential place of new non-face-to-face consultation technologies in the routine delivery of primary care; to explore GPs’ perceived barriers to the introduction of these technologies and to identify the processes by which GPs feel that new consultation technologies could be incorporated into routine primary care.

Methods: Qualitative interview study: 20 in-depth semi-structured interviews carried out with maximum variation sample of GPs across Scotland.

Results: Whilst the face-to-face consultation was seen as central to much of the clinical and diagnostic work of primary care, many GPs were conditionally willing to consider using new technologies in the future, particularly to carry out administrative or less complex tasks and therefore maximize practice efficiency and patient convenience. Key considerations were access to appropriate training, IT support and medico-legal guidance.

Conclusions: GPs are conditionally willing to use new consultation media if clinically appropriate and if medico-legal and technical support is available.

Prevention of information harvesting in a cloud services environment

We consider a cloud data storage involving three entities, the cloud customer, the cloud business centre which provides services, and the cloud data storage centre. Data stored in the data storage centre comes from a variety of customers and some of these customers may compete with each other in the market place or may own data which comprises confidential information about their own clients. Cloud staff have access to data in the data storage centre which could be used to steal identities or to compromise cloud customers. In this paper, we provide an efficient method of data storage which prevents staff from accessing data which can be abused as described above. We also suggest a method of securing access to data which requires more than one staff member to access it at any given time. This ensures that, in case of a dispute, a staff member always has a witness to the fact that she accessed data.

Assessment of fracture risk : value of random population-based samples - the Geelong Osteoporosis Study

Fracture risk is determined by bone mineral density (BMD). The T-score, a measure of fracture risk, is the position of an individual's BMD in relation to a reference range. The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude of change in the T-score when different sampling techniques were used to produce the reference range. Reference ranges were derived from three samples, drawn from the same region: (1) an age-stratified population-based random sample, (2) unselected volunteers, and (3) a selected healthy subset of the population-based sample with no diseases or drugs known to affect bone. T-scores were calculated using the three reference ranges for a cohort of women who had sustained a fracture and as a group had a low mean BMD (ages 35-72 yr; n = 484). For most comparisons, the T-scores for the fracture cohort were more negative using the population reference range. The difference in T-scores reached 1.0 SD. The proportion of the fracture cohort classified as having osteoporosis at the spine was 26, 14, and 23% when the population, volunteer, and healthy reference ranges were applied, respectively. The use of inappropriate reference ranges results in substantial changes to T-scores and may lead to inappropriate management.