Proceedings of the Interior Space in Other Places : An IDEA [Interior Design/Interior Architecture Educators Association] Symposium [Edited Volume of Proceedings]

Conference curatorial outline The focus of this symposium was to question whether interior design is changing relative to local conditions, and the effect globalization has on the performance of regional, particularly Southern hemisphere identities. The intention being to understand how theory and practice is transposed to ‘distant lands’, and how ideas shift from one place to another. To this extent the symposium invited papers on the export, translation and adoption of theories and practices of interior design to differing climates, cultures, and landscapes. This process, sometimes referred to as a shift from ‘the centre to the margins’, seeks new perspectives on the adoption of European and US design ideas abroad, as well as their return to their place of origin. Papers were invited from a range of perspectives including the export of ideas/attitudes to interior spaces, history of interior spaces abroad, and the adoption of ideas/processes to new conditions. Paralleling this trafficking of ideas are broader observations about interior space that emerge through specificity of place. These include new and emerging directions and differences in our understanding of interiority; both real and virtual, and an ever-changing relationship to city, suburb and country. Keeping within the Symposium theme the intention was to examine other places, particularly on the margins of the discipline’s domain. Semantic slippage aside, there are a range of approaches that engage outside events and practices enabling a transdisciplinary practice that draws from other philosophical and theoretical frameworks. Moreover as the field expands and new territories are opened up, the virtual worlds of computer gaming, animations, and interactive environments, both rely on and produce new forms of expression. This raises questions about the extent such spaces adopt or translate existing theory and practice, that is the transposition from one area to another and their return to the discipline.

Eat Cook Grow : Mixing Human-Computer Interactions with Human-Food Interactions

Food has been a major agenda in political, socio-cultural, and environmental domains throughout history. The significance of food has been particularly highlighted in recent years with the growing public awareness of the unfolding impacts of climate change, challenging our understanding, practice, and expectations of our relationship with food. Parallel to this development has been the rise of web applications such as blogs, wikis, video and photo sharing sites, and social networking systems that are arguably more open, collaborative, and personalisable. These so-called ‘Web 2.0’ technologies have contributed to a more participatory Internet experience than what had previously been possible. An increasing number of these social applications are now available on mobile technologies where they take advantage of device-specific features such as sensors, location and context awareness, further expanding potential for the culture of participation and creativity. This international volume assembles a diverse collection of book chapters that contribute towards exploring and better understanding the opportunities and challenges provided by tools, interfaces, methods, and practices of social and mobile technology to enable engagement with people and creativity in the domain of food in contemporary society. It brings together an international group of academics and practitioners from a diverse range of disciplines such as computing and engineering, social sciences, digital media and human-computer interaction to critically examine a range of applications of social and mobile technology, such as social networking, mobile interaction, wikis, twitter, blogging, mapping, shared displays and urban screens, and their impact to foster a better understanding and practice of environmentally, socio-culturally, economically, and health-wise sustainable food culture.

Use of condition-specific patient-reported outcome measures in clinical trials among patients with wrist osteoarthritis : a systematic review

Background. This paper aimed to identify condition-specific patient-reported outcome measures used in clinical trials among people with wrist osteoarthritis and summarise empirical peer-reviewed evidence supporting their reliability, validity, and responsiveness to change. Methods. A systematic review of randomised controlled trials among people with wrist osteoarthritis was undertaken. Studies reporting reliability, validity, or responsiveness were identified using a systematic reverse citation trail audit procedure. Psychometric properties of the instruments were examined against predefined criteria and summarised. Results. Thirteen clinical trials met inclusion criteria. The most common patient-reported outcome was the disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand questionnaire (DASH). The DASH, the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire (MHQ), the Patient Evaluation Measure (PEM), and the Patient-Reported Wrist Evaluation (PRWE) had evidence supporting their reliability, validity, and responsiveness. A post-hoc review of excluded studies revealed the AUSCAN Osteoarthritis Hand Index as another suitable instrument that had favourable reliability, validity, and responsiveness. Conclusions. The DASH, MHQ, and AUSCAN Osteoarthritis Hand Index instruments were supported by the most favourable empirical evidence for validity, reliability, and responsiveness. The PEM and PRWE also had favourable empirical evidence reported for these elements. Further psychometric testing of these instruments among people with wrist osteoarthritis is warranted.

Statutory right to rescind contract remained available to buyer subject to specific performance decree

The aftermath of the Queensland floods of January 2011 continues to be played out in the courts. The effect of the floods on such a large scale has awakened the use of some statutory provisions that have not previously been litigated .Section 64 of the Property Law Act 1974 (Qld) is such a section. A version of this provision appears as s 34 of the Sale of Land Act 1982 (Vic). Broadly speaking, these sections permit a buyer of a dwelling house which has been damaged or destroyed between contract and completion to rescind the contract and recover their deposit provided that the rescission notice is given prior to "the date of completion or possession". The Court of Appeal decision of Dunworth v Mirvac Queensland Pty Ltd [2011] QCA 200 appears to be the first litigation upon the application of the section since it came into force in 1975.

Cellular model systems to study the tumor biological role of kallikrein-related peptidases in ovarian and prostate cancer

Since the identification of the gene family of kallikrein related peptidases (KLKs), their function has been robustly studied at the biochemical level. In vitro biochemical studies have shown that KLK proteases are involved in a number of extracellular processes that initiate intracellular signaling pathways by hydrolysis, as reviewed in Chapters 8, 9, and 15, Volume 1. These events have been associated with more invasive phenotypes of ovarian, prostate, and other cancers. Concomitantly, aberrant expression of KLKs has been associated with poor prognosis of patients with ovarian and prostate cancer (Borgoño and Diamandis, 2004; Clements et al., 2004; Yousef and Diamandis, 2009), with prostate-specific antigen (PSA, KLK3) being a long standing, clinically employed biomarker for prostate cancer (Lilja et al., 2008). Data generated from patient samples in clinical studies, alongwith biochemical activity, suggests that KLKs function in the development and progression of these diseases. To bridge the gap between their function at the molecular level and the clinical need for efficacious treatment and prognostic biomarkers, functional assessment at the in vitro cellular level, using various culture models, is increasing, particularly in a three-dimensional (3D) context (Abbott, 2003; Bissell and Radisky, 2001; Pampaloni et al., 2007; Yamada and Cukierman, 2007).

Stability and convergence of a finite volume method for the space fractional advection-dispersion equation

We consider the space fractional advection–dispersion equation, which is obtained from the classical advection–diffusion equation by replacing the spatial derivatives with a generalised derivative of fractional order. We derive a finite volume method that utilises fractionally-shifted Grünwald formulae for the discretisation of the fractional derivative, to numerically solve the equation on a finite domain with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions. We prove that the method is stable and convergent when coupled with an implicit timestepping strategy. Results of numerical experiments are presented that support the theoretical analysis.

Adaptive radiotherapy for virally mediated head and neck cancer : predicting which patients may benefit most

Background: Recent clinical studies have demonstrated an emerging subgroup of head and neck cancers that are virally mediated. This disease appears to be a distinct clinical entity with patients presenting younger and with more advanced nodal disease, having lower tobacco and alcohol exposure and highly radiosensitive tumours. This means they are living longer, often with the debilitating functional side effects of treatment. The primary objective of this study was to determine how virally mediated nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal cancers respond to radiation therapy treatment. The aim was to determine risk categories and corresponding adaptive treatment management strategies to proactively manage these patients. Method/Results: 121 patients with virally mediated, node positive nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal cancer who received radiotherapy treatment with curative intent between 2005 and 2010 were studied. Relevant patient demographics including age, gender, diagnosis, TNM stage, pre-treatment nodal size and dose delivered was recorded. Each patient’s treatment plan was reviewed to determine if another computed tomography (re-CT) scan was performed and at what time point (dose/fraction) this occurred. The justification for this re-CT was determined using four categories: tumour and/or nodal regression, weight loss, both or other. Patients who underwent a re-CT were further investigated to determine whether a new plan was calculated. If a re-plan was performed, the dosimetric effect was quantified by comparing dose volume histograms of planning target volumes and critical structures from the actual treatment delivered and the original treatment plan. Preliminary results demonstrated that 25/121 (20.7%) patients required a re-CT and that these re-CTs were performed between fractions 20 to 25 of treatment. The justification for these re-CTs consisted of a combination of tumour and/or nodal regression and weight loss. 16/25 (13.2%) patients had a replan calculated. 9 (7.4%) of these replans were implemented clinically due to the resultant dosimetric effect calculated. The data collected from this assessment was statistically analysed to identify the major determining factors for patients to undergo a re-CT and/or replan. Specific factors identified included nodal size and timing of the required intervention (i.e. how when a plan is to be adapted). This data was used to generate specific risk profiles that will form the basis of a biologically guided adaptive treatment management strategy for virally mediated head and neck cancer. Conclusion: Preliminary data indicates that virally mediated head and neck cancers respond significantly during radiation treatment (tumour and/or nodal regression and weight loss). Implications of this response are the potential underdosing or overdosing of tumour and/or surrounding critical structures. This could lead to sub-optimal patient outcomes and compromised quality of life. Consequently, the development of adaptive treatment strategies that improve organ sparing for this patient group is important to ensure delivery of the prescribed dose to the tumour volume whilst minimizing the dose received to surrounding critical structures. This could reduce side effects and improve overall patient quality of life. The risk profiles and associated adaptive treatment approaches developed in this study will be tested prospectively in the clinical setting in Phase 2 of this investigation.

Finite volume approach of natural convection in a triangular enclosure with localized heating from below

In this study, natural convection heat transfer and buoyancy driven flows have been investigated in a right angled triangular enclosure. The heater located on the bottom wall while the inclined wall is colder and the remaining walls are maintained as adiabatic. Governing equations of natural convection are solved through the finite volume approach, in which buoyancy is modeled via the Boussinesq approximation. Effects of different parameters such as Rayleigh number, aspect ratio, prantdl number and heater location are considered. Results show that heat transfer increases when the heater is moved toward the right corner of the enclosure. It is also revealed that increasing the Rayleigh number, increases the strength of free convection regime and consequently increases the value of heat transfer rate. Moreover, larger aspect ratio enclosure has larger Nusselt number value. In order to have better insight, streamline and isotherms are shown.

Manufacture of specific BSCCO powder compositions by co-precipitation

A co-precipitation process for large-scale manufacture of bismuth-based HTSC powders has been demonstrated. Powders manufactured by this process have a high phase purity and precisely reproducible stoichiometry. Controlled time and temperature variations are used to convert precursors to HTSC compounds and to obtain specific particle-size distributions. The process has been demonstrated for a variety of compositions in the BSCCO system. Electron microscopy X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy and magnetic-susceptibility measurements are used to characterize the powders.

Patient-specific simulations of spinal deformity surgery

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a three-dimensional spinal deformity involving the side-to-side curvature of the spine in the coronal plane and axial rotation of the vertebrae in the transverse plane. For patients with a severe or rapidly progressing deformity, corrective instrumented fusion surgery is performed. The wide choice of implants and large variability between patients make it difficult for surgeons to choose optimal treatment strategies. This paper describes the patient specific finite element modelling techniques employed and the results of preliminary analyses predicting the surgical outcomes for a series of AIS patients. This report highlights the importance of not only patient-specific anatomy and material parameters, but also patient-specific data for the clinical and physiological loading conditions experienced by the patient who has corrective scoliosis surgery.

The probability archive : from essence to uncertainty in the mediation of knowledge

This volume puts together the works of a group of distinguished scholars and active researchers in the field of media and communication studies to reflect upon the past, present, and future of new media research. The chapters examine the implications of new media technologies on everyday life, existing social institutions, and the society at large at various levels of analysis. Macro-level analyses of changing techno-social formation – such as discussions of the rise of surveillance society and the "fifth estate" – are combined with studies on concrete and specific new media phenomena, such as the rise of Pro-Am collaboration and "fan labor" online. In the process, prominent concepts in the field of new media studies, such as social capital, displacement, and convergence, are critically examined, while new theoretical perspectives are proposed and explicated. Reflecting the inter-disciplinary nature of the field of new media studies and communication research in general, the chapters interrogate into the problematic through a range of theoretical and methodological approaches. The book should offer students and researchers who are interested in the social impact of new media both critical reviews of the existing literature and inspirations for developing new research questions.

Querying a building information model for construction-specific spatial information

The design and construction community has shown increasing interest in adopting building information models (BIMs). The richness of information provided by BIMs has the potential to streamline the design and construction processes by enabling enhanced communication, coordination, automation and analysis. However, there are many challenges in extracting construction-specific information out of BIMs. In most cases, construction practitioners have to manually identify the required information, which is inefficient and prone to error, particularly for complex, large-scale projects. This paper describes the process and methods we have formalized to partially automate the extraction and querying of construction-specific information from a BIM. We describe methods for analyzing a BIM to query for spatial information that is relevant for construction practitioners, and that is typically represented implicitly in a BIM. Our approach integrates ifcXML data and other spatial data to develop a richer model for construction users. We employ custom 2D topological XQuery predicates to answer a variety of spatial queries. The validation results demonstrate that this approach provides a richer representation of construction-specific information compared to existing BIM tools.

Handbook on the Knowledge Economy : Volume Two

The second volume of the Handbook on the Knowledge Economy is a worthy companion to the highly successful original volume published in 2005, extending its theoretical depth and developing its coverage. Together the two volumes provide the single best work and reference point for knowledge economy studies. The second volume with fifteen original essays by renowned scholars in the field, provides insightful and robust analyses of the development potential of the knowledge economy in all its aspects, forms and manifestations.

Summarization of association rules in multi-tier granule mining

It is a big challenge to find useful associations in databases for user specific needs. The essential issue is how to provide efficient methods for describing meaningful associations and pruning false discoveries or meaningless ones. One major obstacle is the overwhelmingly large volume of discovered patterns. This paper discusses an alternative approach called multi-tier granule mining to improve frequent association mining. Rather than using patterns, it uses granules to represent knowledge implicitly contained in databases. It also uses multi-tier structures and association mappings to represent association rules in terms of granules. Consequently, association rules can be quickly accessed and meaningless association rules can be justified according to the association mappings. Moreover, the proposed structure is also an precise compression of patterns which can restore the original supports. The experimental results shows that the proposed approach is promising.

Plasma zinc and immune markers in runners in response to a moderate increase in training volume

Changes in plasma zinc concentration and markers of immune function were examined in a group of 10 male runners (n = 10) following a moderate increase in training over four weeks. Seven sedentary males acted as controls. Fasting blood samples were taken at rest, before (T0) and after (T4) four weeks of increased (+ 16 %) training and after two weeks of reduced (-31 %) training (T6). Blood was analysed for plasma zinc concentration, differential leucocyte counts, lymphocyte subpopulations and lymphocyte proliferation using incorporation of 3H-thymidine. The runners increased their training volume by 16 % over the four weeks. When compared with the nonathletes, the runners had lower concentrations of plasma zinc (p = 0.012), CD3 + (p = 0.042) and CD19 + lymphocytes (p = 0.010) over the four weeks. Lymphocyte proliferation in response to Concanavalin A stimulation was greater in the runners (p = 0.0090). Plasma zinc concentration and immune markers remained constant during the study. Plasma zinc concentration correlated with total leucocyte counts in the athletes at T6 (r = -0.72, p < 0.05) and with Pokeweed mitogen stimulation in the nonathletes at T6 (r = -0.92, p < 0.05). Therefore, athletes are unlikely to benefit from zinc supplementation during periods of moderately increased training volume.