The paradox of transparency : short-termism and the institutionalisation of Australian capital markets

As the ultimate corporate decision-makers, directors have an impact on the investment time horizons of the corporations they govern. How they make investment decisions has been profoundly influenced by the expansion of the investment chain and the increasing concentration of share ownership in institutional hands. By examining agency in light of legal theory, we highlight that the board is in fact sui generis and not an agent of shareholders. Consequently, transparency can lead to directors being 'captured' by institutional investor objectives and timeframes, potentially to the detriment of the corporation as a whole. The counter-intuitive conclusion is that transparency may, under certain conditions, undermine good corporate governance and lead to excessive short-termism.

Depression, anxiety and body image after treatment for invasive stage one epithelial ovarian cancer

Background: Diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in young women has major implications including those to their reproductive potential. We evaluated depression, anxiety and body image in patients with stage I EOC treated with fertility sparing surgery (FSS) or radical surgery (RS). We also investigated fertility outcomes after FSS.----- Methods: A retrospective study was undertaken in which 62 patients completed questionnaires related to anxiety, depression, body image and fertility outcomes. Additional information on adjuvant therapy after FSS and RS and demographic details were abstracted from medical records. Both bi and multivariate regression models were used to assess the relationship between demographic, clinical and pathological results and scores for anxiety, depression and body image.----- Results: Thirty-nine patients underwent RS and the rest, FSS. The percentage of patients reporting elevated anxiety and depression (subscores ≥ 11) were 27 % and 5% respectively. The median (inter quartile range) score for body image scale (BIS) was 6 (3-15). None of the demographic or clinical factors examined showed significant association with anxiety and BIS with the exception of ‘time since diagnosis’. For depression, post-menopausal status was the only independent predictor. Among those 23 patients treated by FSS, 14 patients tried to conceive (7 successful), resulting in 7 live births, one termination of pregnancy and one miscarriage.----- Conclusion: This study shows that psychological issues are common in women treated for stage I EOC. Reproduction after FSS is feasible and lead to the birth of healthy babies in about half of patients who wished to have another child. Further prospective studies with standardised instruments are required.

Vitamin D and sun protection : the impact of mixed public health messages in Australia

Exposure of the skin to sunlight can cause skin cancer and is also necessary for cutaneous vitamin D production. Media reports have highlighted the purported health benefits of vitamin D. Our aim was to examine attitudes and behaviours related to sun protection and vitamin D. A cross-sectional study of 2,001 residents in Queensland, Australia aged 20-70 years was undertaken. Information collected included: skin cancer risk factors; perceptions about levels of sun exposure required to maintain vitamin D; belief that sun protection increases risk of vitamin D deficiency; intention, and actual change in sun protection practices for adults and children. Multivariate models examined predictors of attitudinal and behavioural change. One-third (32%) believed a fair-skinned adult, and 31% thought a child required at least 30 minutes per day in summer sun to maintain vitamin D levels. Reductions in sun protection were reported by 21% of adults and 14% of children. Factors associated with belief that sun protection may result in not obtaining enough vitamin D included aged ≥ 60 years (OR=1.35, 95% CI 1.09-1.66) and having skin that tanned easily (OR=1.96, 95% CI 1.38-2.78). Participants from low income households, and those who frequently used sun protective clothing were more likely to have reduced sun protection practices (OR=1.33, 95% CI 1.10-1.73 and OR=1.73, 95% CI 1.36-2.20, respectively). This study provides evidence of reductions in sun protection practices in a population living in a high UV environment. There is an urgent need to re-focus messages regarding sun exposure and for continued sun protection practices.

Passengers in the airport : artefacts and activities

This study addresses the ordinary activities of passengers in airports. Using observational techniques we investigated how passenger activities are mediated by artefacts, in this the bags that people carry. The relationship between passengers and their bags is shown to be complex and contingent on many factors. We report on our early research in the airport and document an emerging taxonomy of passenger activity. The significance of this research is in the contribution made to an understanding of passenger activities which could contribute to the design of future technologies for passenger facilitation and to airport terminal design.

Reconstruction of falsified computer logs for digital forensics investigations

Digital forensics investigations aim to find evidence that helps confirm or disprove a hypothesis about an alleged computer-based crime. However, the ease with which computer-literate criminals can falsify computer event logs makes the prosecutor's job highly challenging. Given a log which is suspected to have been falsified or tampered with, a prosecutor is obliged to provide a convincing explanation for how the log may have been created. Here we focus on showing how a suspect computer event log can be transformed into a hypothesised actual sequence of events, consistent with independent, trusted sources of event orderings. We present two algorithms which allow the effort involved in falsifying logs to be quantified, as a function of the number of `moves' required to transform the suspect log into the hypothesised one, thus allowing a prosecutor to assess the likelihood of a particular falsification scenario. The first algorithm always produces an optimal solution but, for reasons of efficiency, is suitable for short event logs only. To deal with the massive amount of data typically found in computer event logs, we also present a second heuristic algorithm which is considerably more efficient but may not always generate an optimal outcome.

A novel high voltage pulsed power supply based on low voltage switch-capacitor units

This paper presents a high voltage pulsed power system based on low voltage switch-capacitor units connected to a current source for several applications such as plasma systems. A buck-boost converter topology is used to utilize the current source and a series of low voltage switch-capacitor units is connected to the current source in order to provide high voltage with high voltage stress (dv/dt) as demanded by loads. This pulsed power converter is flexible in terms of energy control, in that the stored energy in the current source can be adjusted by changing the current magnitude to significantly improve the efficiency of various systems with different requirements. Output voltage magnitude and stress (dv/dt) can be controlled by a proper selection of components and control algorithm to turn on and off switching devices.

Bayes factor based speaker clustering for speaker diarization

This paper proposes the use of the Bayes Factor to replace the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) as a criterion for speaker clustering within a speaker diarization system. The BIC is one of the most popular decision criteria used in speaker diarization systems today. However, it will be shown in this paper that the BIC is only an approximation to the Bayes factor of marginal likelihoods of the data given each hypothesis. This paper uses the Bayes factor directly as a decision criterion for speaker clustering, thus removing the error introduced by the BIC approximation. Results obtained on the 2002 Rich Transcription (RT-02) Evaluation dataset show an improved clustering performance, leading to a 14.7% relative improvement in the overall Diarization Error Rate (DER) compared to the baseline system.

Problem solving for the 21st century

Mathematical problem solving has been the subject of substantial and often controversial research for several decades. We use the term, problem solving, here in a broad sense to cover a range of activities that challenge and extend one’s thinking. In this chapter, we initially present a sketch of past decades of research on mathematical problem solving and its impact on the mathematics curriculum. We then consider some of the factors that have limited previous research on problem solving. In the remainder of the chapter we address some ways in which we might advance the fields of problem-solving research and curriculum development.

Young children's early modelling with data

An educational priority of many nations is to enhance mathematical learning in early childhood. One area in need of special attention is that of statistics. This paper argues for a renewed focus on statistical reasoning in the beginning school years, with opportunities for children to engage in data modelling activities. Such modelling involves investigations of meaningful phenomena, deciding what is worthy of attention (i.e., identifying complex attributes), and then progressing to organising, structuring, visualising, and representing data. Results are reported from the first year of a three-year longitudinal study in which three classes of first-grade children and their teachers engaged in activities that required the creation of data models. The theme of “Looking after our Environment,” a component of the children’s science curriculum at the time, provided the context for the activities. Findings focus on how the children dealt with given complex attributes and how they generated their own attributes in classifying broad data sets, and the nature of the models the children created in organising, structuring, and representing their data.

MiLK. Mobile Learning Kit

The Mobile Learning Kit is a new digital learning application that allows students and teachers to compose, publish, discuss and evaluate their own mobile learning games and events. The research field was interaction design in the context of mobile learning. The research methodology was primarily design-based supported by collaboration between participating disciplines of game design, education and information technology. As such, the resulting MiLK application is a synthesis of current pedagogical models and experimental interaction design techniques and technologies. MiLK is a dynamic learning resource for incorporating both formal and informal teaching and learning practices while exploiting mobile phones and contemporary digital social tools in innovative ways. MiLK explicitly addresses other predominant themes in educational scholarship that relate to current education innovation and reform such as personalised learning, life-long learning and new learning spaces. The success of this project is indicated through rigorous trials and actual uptake of MiLK by international participants in Australia, UK, US and South Africa. MiLK was awarded for excellence in the use of emerging technologies for improved learning and teaching as a finalist (top 3) in the Handheld Learning and Innovation Awards in the UK in 2008. MiLK was awarded funding from the Australasian CRC for Interaction Design in 2008 to prepare the MiLK application for development. MiLK has been awarded over $230,000 from ACID since 2006. The resulting application and research materials are now being commercialised by a new company, ‘ACID Services’.

Structural and fire behaviour of a new light gauge steel wall system

Fire design is an essential element of the overall design procedure of structural steel members and systems. Conventionally the fire rating of load-bearing stud wall systems made of light gauge steel frames (LSF) is based on approximate prescriptive methods developed on the basis of limited fire tests. This design is limited to standard wall configurations used by the industry. Increased fire rating is provided simply by adding more plasterboards to the stud walls. This is not an acceptable situation as it not only inhibits innovation and structural and cost efficiencies but also casts doubt over the fire safety of these light gauge steel stud wall systems. Hence a detailed fire research study into the performance and effectiveness of a recently developed innovative composite panel wall system was undertaken at Queensland University of Technology using both full scale fire tests and numerical studies. Experimental results of LSF walls using the new composite panels under axial compression load have shown the improvement in fire performance and fire resistance rating. Numerical analyses are currently being undertaken using the finite element program ABAQUS. Measured temperature profiles of the studs are used in the numerical models and the results are used to calibrate against full scale test results. The validated model will be used in a detailed parametric study with an aim to develop suitable design rules within the current cold-formed steel structures and fire design standards. This paper will present the results of experimental and numerical investigations into the structural and fire behaviour of light gauge steel stud walls protected by the new composite panel. It will demonstrate the improvements provided by the new composite panel system in comparison to traditional wall systems.

Why adopt now? Multiple case studies and survey studies comparing small, medium and large firms

While a number of factors have been highlighted in the innovation adoption literature, little is known about the key triggers of innovation adoption across differently-sized firms. This study compares case studies of small, medium and large manufacturing firms who recently decided to adopt a process innovation. We also employ organizational surveys from 134 firms investigating the factors which influence innovation adoption. The quantitative results support the qualitative findings that the external pressures are a trigger among small to medium firms, while the larger firm’s adoption was associated with internal causes.

Risk management in the Lusoponte concession : a case study of the two bridges in Lisbon, Portugal

The case study of Lusoponte illustrates the concession awarded by the Portuguese Government to finance, design, build and operate two bridges over the Tagus in Lisbon, Portugal. It includes an overview of the project's background and an analysis of the main risk categories stating both the actual risks encountered and the mitigation measures adopted. Throughout the project a great attention was given to whole life cycle costs, and gains in efficiency and cost control. Among the lessons that can be learned from both the public and private sector is that a complete risk management analysis must include not only the technical factors but also a realistic assessment of environmental and social risks. These were the risks that were somewhat overseen and that caused the main problems to the project's development.