Predictors of mental health in midlife and older women : results from the Australian Healthy Aging of Women Study

Purpose: To examine the extent to which socio-demographic characteristics, modifiable lifestyle factors and health status influence the mental health of midlife and older Australian women from the Australian Healthy Aging of Women (HOW) study. Methods: Data on health status, chronic disease and modifiable lifestyle factors were collected from a random sample of 340 women aged 40-65 years, residing in Queensland, Australia in 2011. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to measure the effect of a range of socio-demographic characteristics (marital status, age, income), modifiable lifestyle factors (caffeine intake, alcohol consumption, exercise, physical activity, sleep), and health markers (self-reported physical health, history of chronic illness) on the latent construct, mental health. Mental health was evaluated using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 12 (SF-12®) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Results: The model was a good fit for the data (χ2 = 40.166, df =312, p 0.125, CFI = 0.976, TLI = 0.950, RMSEA = 0.030, 90% CI = 0.000-0.053); the model suggested mental health was negatively influenced by sleep disturbance (β = -0.628), sedentary lifestyle (β = -0.137), having been diagnosed with one or more chronic illnesses (β = -0.203), and poor self-reported physical health (β = - 0.161). While mental health was associated with sleep, it was not correlated with many other lifestyle factors (BMI (β = -0.050), alcohol consumption (β = 0.079), or cigarette smoking (β = 0.008)) or background socio-demographic characteristics (age (β = 0.078), or income (β = -0.039)). Conclusion: While research suggests that it is important to engage in a range health promoting behaviours to preserve good health, we found that only sleep disturbance, physical health, chronic illness and level of physical activity predicted current mental health. However, while socio-demographic characteristics and modifiable lifestyle factors seemed to have little direct impact on mental health, they probably had an indirect effect.

Password Based Server Aided Key Exchange

We propose a new password-based 3-party protocol with a formal security proof in the standard model. Under reasonable assumptions we show that our new protocol is more efficient than the recent protocol of Abdalla and Pointcheval (FC 2005), proven in the random oracle model. We also observe some limitations in the model due to Abdalla, Fouque and Pointcheval (PKC 2005) for proving security of such protocols.

Survey design: Insights from a public sector ERP success story

Research on the impact of Information Systems (IS) reported in both academic literature and popular press has reported confounding results. Some studies have reported encouraging results of IS, while others have reported nil or detrimental results. The contradictory results of these research studies can be partially attributed to the weaknesses in survey instruments. In an attempt to increase the validity of conclusions of IS assessment studies, survey instrument design should follow a rigorous and scientific procedure. This paper illustrates key validity and reliability issues in measuring Information Systems performance, using examples from a study designed to assess Enterprise Resource Planning systems success. The article emphasizes on the importance of the survey method and the theoretical considerations of item derivation, scale development and item evaluation. Examples are provided from the ERP assessment study to supplement the readers understanding of the theoretical concepts of survey design.

Supporting pre-tender construction planning with virtual prototyping

Purpose – Virtual prototyping technologies linked to building information models are commonplace within the aeronautical and automotive industries. Their use within the construction industry is now emerging. The purpose of this paper is to show how these technologies have been adopted on the pre-tender planning for a typical construction project. Design/methodology/approach – The research methodology taken was an “action research” approach where the researchers and developers were actively involved in the production of the virtual prototypes on behalf of the contractor thereby gaining consistent access to the decisions of the planning staff. The experiences from the case study were considered together with similar research on other construction projects. Findings – The findings from the case studies identify the role of virtual prototyping in components modelling, site modelling, construction equipment modelling, temporary works modelling, construction method visualization and method verification processes. Originality/value – The paper presents a state-of-the-art review and discusses the implications for the tendering process as these technologies are adopted. The adoption of the technologies will lead to new protocols and changes in the procurement of buildings and infrastructure.

Annual Review : practice and research in career counseling and development – 2008

The career development literature published in 2008 is summarized and presented thematically: (a) professional issues, (b) career assessment, (c) career development, (d) career theory and concepts, (e) career interventions, (f) advances in technology, (g) employment, (h) international perspectives, and (i) research design and methodology. Traditional and emerging theories and practices are robust and vibrant.

Making visible the coding process : Using qualitative data software in a post-structural study

Qualitative research methods require transparency to ensure the ‘trustworthiness’ of the data analysis. The intricate processes of organizing, coding and analyzing the data are often rendered invisible in the presentation of the research findings, which requires a ‘leap of faith’ for the reader. Computer assisted data analysis software can be used to make the research process more transparent, without sacrificing rich, interpretive analysis by the researcher. This article describes in detail how one software package was used in a poststructural study to link and code multiple forms of data to four research questions for fine-grained analysis. This description will be useful for researchers seeking to use qualitative data analysis software as an analytic tool.

Identifying and implementing adaptive strategy in the U.S. military

Changes in the environment, including increased environmental complexity, require military supply units to employ a more adaptive strategy in order to enhance military agility. We extend the Lumpkin and Dess (1996) model and develop propositions that explore the interrelationships between/amongst entrepreneurial orientation (EO); opportunity recognition, evaluation and exploitation; environmental and organizational factors; and organizational performance. We propose that the innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking dimensions of EO are of primary importance in identifying adaptive solutions and that these relationships are moderated by environmental factors. The autonomy and competitive aggressiveness dimensions of EO are important in implementing solutions as adaptive strategies, especially in a military context, and these relationships are moderated by organizational factors. This chapter extends existing theory developed primarily for the civilian sector to the military. Military organizations are more rigid hierarchical structures, and have different measures of performance. At an applied level, this research provides insights for military commanders that can potentially enhance agility and adaptability.

Women's participation in the Australian Digital Content Industry : initial case study findings

An exploratory case study which seeks to understand better the problem of low participation rates of women in Information Communication Technology (ICT) is currently being conducted in Queensland, Australia. Contextualised within the Digital Content Industry (DCI) multimedia and games production sectors, the emphasis is on women employed as interactive content creators rather than as users of the technologies. Initial findings provide rich descriptive insights into the perceptions and experiences of female DCI professionals. Influences on participation such as: existing gender ratios, gender and occupational stereotypes, access into the industry and future parental responsibilities have emerged from the data. Bandura’s (1999) Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) is used as a “scaffold” (Walsham, 1995:76) to guide data analysis and assist analytic generalisation of the case study findings. We propose that the lens of human agency and theories such as SCT assist in explaining how influences are manifested and affect women’s agency and ultimately participation in the DCI. The Sphere of Influence conceptual model (Geneve et al, 2008), which emerges from the data and underpinning theory, is proposed as a heuristic framework to further explore influences on women’s participation in the DCI industry context.

Web-based public participatory GIS

Decision support systems (DSS) have evolved rapidly during the last decade from stand alone or limited networked solutions to online participatory solutions. One of the major enablers of this change is the fastest growing areas of geographical information system (GIS) technology development that relates to the use of the Internet as a means to access, display, and analyze geospatial data remotely. World-wide many federal, state, and particularly local governments are designing to facilitate data sharing using interactive Internet map servers. This new generation DSS or planning support systems (PSS), interactive Internet map server, is the solution for delivering dynamic maps and GIS data and services via the world-wide Web, and providing public participatory GIS (PPGIS) opportunities to a wider community (Carver, 2001; Jankowski & Nyerges, 2001). It provides a highly scalable framework for GIS Web publishing, Web-based public participatory GIS (WPPGIS), which meets the needs of corporate intranets and demands of worldwide Internet access (Craig, 2002). The establishment of WPPGIS provides spatial data access through a support centre or a GIS portal to facilitate efficient access to and sharing of related geospatial data (Yigitcanlar, Baum, & Stimson, 2003). As more and more public and private entities adopt WPPGIS technology, the importance and complexity of facilitating geospatial data sharing is growing rapidly (Carver, 2003). Therefore, this article focuses on the online public participation dimension of the GIS technology. The article provides an overview of recent literature on GIS and WPPGIS, and includes a discussion on the potential use of these technologies in providing a democratic platform for the public in decision-making.

Further evidence of a relationship between explaining, tracing and writing skills in introductory programming

This paper reports on a replication of earlier studies into a possible hierarchy of programming skills. In this study, the students from whom data was collected were at a university that had not provided data for earlier studies. Also, the students were taught the programming language Python, which had not been used in earlier studies. Thus this study serves as a test of whether the findings in the earlier studies were specific to certain institutions, student cohorts, and programming languages. Also, we used a non–parametric approach to the analysis, rather than the linear approach of earlier studies. Our results are consistent with the earlier studies. We found that students who cannot trace code usually cannot explain code, and also that students who tend to perform reasonably well at code writing tasks have also usually acquired the ability to both trace code and explain code.

Heavy truck suspension optimization based on modified skyhook damping control

This paper presents a multi-objective optimization strategy for heavy truck suspension systems based on modified skyhook damping (MSD) control, which improves ride comfort and road-friendliness simultaneously. A four-axle heavy truck-road coupling system model was established using functional virtual prototype technology; the model was then validated through a ride comfort test. As the mechanical properties and time lag of dampers were taken into account, MSD control of active and semi-active dampers was implemented using Matlab/Simulink. Through co-simulations with Adams and Matlab, the effects of passive, semi-active MSD control, and active MSD control were analyzed and compared; thus, control parameters which afforded the best integrated performance were chosen. Simulation results indicated that MSD control improves a truck’s ride comfort and roadfriendliness, while the semi-active MSD control damper obtains road-friendliness comparable to the active MSD control damper.