Effect of covalent functionalisation on thermal transport across graphene-polymer interfaces

This paper is concerned with the interfacial thermal resistance for polymer composites reinforced by various covalently functionalised graphene. By using molecular dynamics simulations, the obtained results show that the covalent functionalisation in graphene plays a significant role in reducing the graphene-paraffin interfacial thermal resistance. This reduction is dependent on the coverage and type of functional groups. Among the various functional groups, butyl is found to be the most effective in reducing the interfacial thermal resistance, followed by methyl, phenyl and formyl. The other functional groups under consideration such as carboxyl, hydroxyl and amines are found to produce negligible reduction in the interfacial thermal resistance. For multilayer graphene with a layer number up to four, the interfacial thermal resistance is insensitive to the layer number. The effects of the different functional groups and the layer number on the interfacial thermal resistance are also elaborated using the vibrational density of states of the graphene and the paraffin matrix. The present findings provide useful guidelines in the application of functionalised graphene for practical thermal management.

Changes in disability, physical/mental health states and quality of life during an 8-Week multimodal physiotherapy programme in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: A prospective cohort study

Aim The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of an 8-week multimodal physiotherapy programme (MPP), integrating physical land-based therapeutic exercise (TE), adapted swimming and health education, as a treatment for patients with chronic non-specific neck pain (CNSNP), on disability, general health/mental states and quality of life. Methods 175 CNSNP patients from a community-based centre were recruited to participate in this prospective study. Intervention: 60-minute session (30 minutes of land-based exercise dedicated to improving mobility, motor control, resistance and strengthening of the neck muscles, and 30 minutes of adapted swimming with aerobic exercise keeping a neutral neck position using a snorkel). Health education was provided using a decalogue on CNSNP and constant repetition of brief advice by the physiotherapist during the supervision of the exercises in each session. Study outcomes: primary: disability (Neck Disability Index); secondary: physical and mental health states and quality of life of patients (SF-12 and EuroQoL-5D respectively). Differences between baseline data and that at the 8-week follow-up were calculated for all outcome variables. Results Disability showed a significant improvement of 24.6% from a mean (SD) of 28.2 (13.08) at baseline to 16.88 (11.62) at the end of the 8-week intervention. All secondary outcome variables were observed to show significant, clinically relevant improvements with increase ranges between 13.0% and 16.3% from a mean of 0.70 (0.2) at baseline to 0.83 (0.2), for EuroQoL-5D, and from a mean of 40.6 (12.7) at baseline to 56.9 (9.5), for mental health state, at the end of the 8-week intervention. Conclusion After 8 weeks of a MPP that integrated land-based physical TE, health education and adapted swimming, clinically-relevant and statistically-significant improvements were observed for disability, physical and mental health states and quality of life in patients who suffer CNSNP. The clinical efficacy requires verification using a randomised controlled study design.

Indigenous ways with literacies: Transgenerational, multimodal, placed, and collective

This research describes some of the salient features of Indigenous ways of working with multimodal literacies in digital contexts of use that emerged within an Indigenous school community with the oversight of Aboriginal Elders. This is significant because the use of multimodal literacy practices among a growing number of Indigenous school community groups has not been an emphasis of multimodal literacy research to date. Furthermore, authentic examples of Indigenous multimodal texts are often difficult to locate within Euro-centric educational systems of postcolonial countries. The research was conducted over a full year with students from middle and upper primary (aged 8.5–12.5 years) in an Indigenous Independent school in South-East Queensland, Australia. The project applied participatory research methods in which the research agenda was negotiated with the cultural community. Indigenous ways of multimodal literacy practices emerged as transgenerational, multimodal, placed, and collective. The findings have implications for teachers and researchers to re-envisage Indigenous ways of multimodal literacy practices in the digital age.

On the biomechanical significance of inter-lamellar interfaces in the intervertebral disc

The intervertebral disc (IVD) is a unique soft tissue structure which provides structural support and flexibility in the axial skeleton of vertebrates. From a structural perspective, the disc behaves somewhat like a thick walled pressure vessel, where the walls are comprised of a series of composite annular rings (lamellae). However, a prior study (Marchand and Ahmed, 1990) found a high proportion of circumferentially discontinuous lamellae in human lumbar IVDs. The presence of these discontinuities raises important structural questions, because discontinuous lamellae cannot withstand high nucleus pressures via the generation of circumferential (hoop) stress. A possible alternative mechanism may be that inter-lamellar cohesion allows shear stress transfer between adjacent annular layers. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the importance of inter-lamellar shear resistance in the intervertebral disc. This work found that inter-lamellar shear resistance has a strong influence on the compressive stiffness of the intervertebral disc, with a change in interface condition from tied (no slip) to frictionless (no shear resistance) reducing disc compressive stiffness by 40%. However, it appears that substantial inter-lamellar shear resistance is present in the bovine tail disc. Decreases in inter-lamellar shear resistance due to degradation of bridging collagenous or elastic fibre structures could therefore be an important part of the process of disc degeneration.

Multimodal imaging of the collagen and elastic fibre networks in the bovine intervertebral disc

INTRODUCTION. The intervertebral disc is the largest avascular structure in the human body, withstanding transient loads of up to nine times body weight during rigorous physical activity. The key structural elements of the disc are a gel-like nucleus pulposus surrounded by concentric lamellar rings containing criss-crossed collagen fibres. The disc also contains an elastic fiber network which has been suggested to play a structural role, but to date the relationship between the collagen and elastic fiber networks is unclear. CONCLUSION. The multimodal transmitted and reflected polarized light microscopy technique developed here allows clear differentiation between the collagen and elastic fiber networks of the intervertebral disc. The ability to image unstained specimens avoids concerns with uneven stain penetration or specificity of staining. In bovine tail discs, the elastic fiber network is intimately associated with the collagen network.

Collaborative data exploration interfaces - From participatory sensing to participatory sensemaking

As technological capabilities for capturing, aggregating, and processing large quantities of data continue to improve, the question becomes how to effectively utilise these resources. Whenever automatic methods fail, it is necessary to rely on human background knowledge, intuition, and deliberation. This creates demand for data exploration interfaces that support the analytical process, allowing users to absorb and derive knowledge from data. Such interfaces have historically been designed for experts. However, existing research has shown promise in involving a broader range of users that act as citizen scientists, placing high demands in terms of usability. Visualisation is one of the most effective analytical tools for humans to process abstract information. Our research focuses on the development of interfaces to support collaborative, community-led inquiry into data, which we refer to as Participatory Data Analytics. The development of data exploration interfaces to support independent investigations by local communities around topics of their interest presents a unique set of challenges, which we discuss in this paper. We present our preliminary work towards suitable high-level abstractions and interaction concepts to allow users to construct and tailor visualisations to their own needs.

Situated interfaces for engaging citizens on the go

Insights Live screening and playfulness of the interactive space can be effective strategies for attracting the attention of passers-by and turn them into active participants. While urban screen interfaces increase participation by encouraging group interaction, privately-oriented tangible user interfaces give people a longer time to reflect upon their answers.

Synthesis of a multimodal molecular imaging probe based on a hyperbranched polymer architecture

Molecular imaging is utilised in modern medicine to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of disease by allowing its spatiotemporal state to be examined in vivo. This study focuses on the development of novel multimodal molecular imaging agents based on hyperbranched polymers that combine the complementary capabilities of optical fluorescence imaging and positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) into one construct. RAFT-mediated polymerisation was used to prepare two hydrophilic hyperbranched polymers that were differentiated by their size and level of branching. The multiple functional end-groups facilitated covalent attachment of both near infrared fluorescent dyes for optical imaging, as well as a copper chelator allowing binding of 64Cu as a PET radio nuclei. In vivo multimodal imaging of mice using PET/CT and planar optical imaging was first used to assess the biodistribution of the polymeric materials and it was shown that the larger and more branched polymer had a significantly longer circulation time. The larger constructs were also shown to exhibit enhanced accumulation in solid tumours in a murine B16 melanoma model. Importantly, it was demonstrated that the PET modality gave rise to high sensitivity immediately after injection of the agent, while the optical modality facilitated extended longitudinal studies, thus highlighting how the complementary capabilities of the molecular imaging agents can be useful for studying various diseases, including cancer.

Multimodal polymer nanoparticles with combined 19F magnetic resonance and optical detection for tunable, targeted, multimodal imagingin vivo

Understanding the complex nature of diseased tissue in vivo requires development of more advanced nanomedicines, where synthesis of multifunctional polymers combines imaging multimodality with a biocompatible, tunable, and functional nanomaterial carrier. Here we describe the development of polymeric nanoparticles for multimodal imaging of disease states in vivo. The nanoparticle design utilizes the abundant functionality and tunable physicochemical properties of synthetically robust polymeric systems to facilitate targeted imaging of tumors in mice. For the first time, high-resolution 19F/1H magnetic resonance imaging is combined with sensitive and versatile fluorescence imaging in a polymeric material for in vivo detection of tumors. We highlight how control over the chemistry during synthesis allows manipulation of nanoparticle size and function and can lead to very high targeting efficiency to B16 melanoma cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, the combination of imaging modalities within a polymeric nanoparticle provides information on the tumor mass across various size scales in vivo, from millimeters down to tens of micrometers.

Understanding file access mechanisms for embedded ubicomp collaboration interfaces

This paper explores the nature of interfaces to support people in accessing their files at tabletop displays embedded in the environment. To do this, we designed a study comparing people's interaction with two very different classes of file system access interface: Focus, explicitly designed for tabletops, and the familiar hierarchical Windows Explorer. In our within-subjects double-crossover study, participants collaborated on 4 planning tasks. Based on video, logs, questionnaires and interviews, we conclude that both classes of interface have a place. Notably, Focus contributed to improved collaboration and more efficient use of the workspace than with Explorer. Our results inform a set of recommendations for future interfaces enabling this important class of interaction -- supporting access to files for collaboration at tabletop devices embedded in an ubicomp environment.

Critically deconstructing race through a multimodal analysis of iPad Tellagami videos

Drawing on multimodal texts produced by an Indigenous school community in Australia, I apply critical race theory and multimodal analysis (Jewitt, 2011) to decolonise digital heritage practices for Indigenous students. This study focuses on the particular ways in which students’ counter-narratives about race were embedded in multimodal and digital design in the development of a digital cultural heritage (Giaccardi, 2012). Data analysis involved applying multimodal analysis to the students’ Gamis, following social semiotic categories and principles theorised by Kress and Bezemer (2008), and Jewitt (2006, 2011). This includes attending to the following semiotic elements: visual design, movement and gesture, gaze, and recorded speech, and their interrelationships. The analysis also draws on critical race theory to interpret the students’ representations of race. In particular, the multimodal texts were analysed as a site for students’ views of Indigenous oppression in relation to the colonial powers and ownership of the land in Australian history (Ladson-Billings, 2009). Pedagogies that explore counter-narratives of cultural heritage in the official curriculum can encourage students to reframe their own racial identity, while challenging dominant white, historical narratives of colonial conquest, race, and power (Gutierrez, 2008). The children’s multimodal “Gami” videos, created with the iPad application, Tellagami, enabled the students to imagine hybrid, digital social identities and perspectives of Australian history that were tied to their Indigenous cultural heritage (Kamberelis, 2001).

Valuing Indigenous heritage through multimodal literacy

The study on which this presentation is based focuses on the particular ways in which students’ counter-narratives about race were embedded in multimodal and digital design in the development of a digital cultural heritage. The multimodal texts were analysed as a site for students’ views of Indigenous oppression in relation to the colonial powers and ownership of the land in Australian history. In this presentation, Kathy will demonstrate how pedagogies that explore counter-narratives of cultural heritage in the official curriculum can encourage students to reframe their own racial identity, while challenging dominant white, historical narratives of colonial conquest, race, and power. In the second part of this session, Indigenous Principal, John Davis and teachers from HymbaYumba Community Hub will provide a school-based, Indigenous panel to inspire educators with authentic ways to embed Indigenous knowledge in the curriculum.

Turning gaming EEG peripherals into trainable brain computer interfaces

Companies such as NeuroSky and Emotiv Systems are selling non-medical EEG devices for human computer interaction. These devices are significantly more affordable than their medical counterparts, and are mainly used to measure levels of engagement, focus, relaxation and stress. This information is sought after for marketing research and games. However, these EEG devices have the potential to enable users to interact with their surrounding environment using thoughts only, without activating any muscles. In this paper, we present preliminary results that demonstrate that despite reduced voltage and time sensitivity compared to medical-grade EEG systems, the quality of the signals of the Emotiv EPOC neuroheadset is sufficiently good in allowing discrimina tion between imaging events. We collected streams of EEG raw data and trained different types of classifiers to discriminate between three states (rest and two imaging events). We achieved a generalisation error of less than 2% for two types of non-linear classifiers.

Deriving artefact-centric interfaces for overloaded web services

We present a novel framework and algorithms for the analysis of Web service interfaces to improve the efficiency of application integration in wide-spanning business networks. Our approach addresses the notorious issue of large and overloaded operational signatures, which are becoming increasingly prevalent on the Internet and being opened up for third-party service aggregation. Extending upon existing techniques used to refactor service interfaces based on derived artefacts of applications, namely business entities, we propose heuristics for deriving relations between business entities, and in turn, deriving permissible orders in which operations are invoked. As a result, service operations are refactored on business entity CRUD which then leads to behavioural protocols generated, thus supportive of fine-grained and flexible service discovery, composition and interaction. A prototypical implementation and analysis of web services, including those of commercial logistic systems (Fedex), are used to validate the algorithms and open up further insights into service interface synthesis.

Discovering behavioural interfaces for overloaded web services

The growth of APIs and Web services on the Internet, especially through larger enterprise systems increasingly being leveraged for Cloud and software-as-a-service opportuni- ties, poses challenges to improving the efficiency of integration with these services. Interfaces of enterprise systems are typically larger, more complex and overloaded, with single operation having multiple data entities and parameter sets, supporting varying requests, and reflecting versioning across different system releases, compared to fine-grained operations of contemporary interfaces. We propose a technique to support the refactoring of service interfaces by deriving business entities and their relationships. In this paper, we focus on the behavioural aspects of service interfaces, aiming to discover the sequential dependencies of operations (otherwise known as protocol extraction) based on the entities and relationships derived. Specifically, we propose heuristics according to these relationships, and in turn, deriving permissible orders in which operations are invoked. As a result of this, service operations can be refactored on business entity CRUD lines, with explicit behavioural protocols as part of an interface definition. This supports flexible service discovery, composition and integration. A prototypical implementation and analysis of existing Web services, including those of commercial logistic systems (Fedex), are used to validate the algorithms proposed through the paper.