Stationary phase characterisation and method development for fast two-dimensional HPLC

Fundamental improvements to the experimental protocol of two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography were developed to accomplish truly quantitative analyses of complex natural products. This included developing novel measurement techniques to elucidate the retention behaviour of monolithic columns. Approaches to streamline chromatographic method development were also explored.

DryLab® optimised two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography for differentiation of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine based methamphetamine samples

In-silico optimised two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatographic (2D-HPLC) separations of a model methamphetamine seizure sample are described, where an excellent match between simulated and real separations was observed. Targeted separation of model compounds was completed with significantly reduced method development time. This separation was completed in the heart-cutting mode of 2D-HPLC where C18 columns were used in both dimensions taking advantage of the selectivity difference of methanol and acetonitrile as the mobile phases. This method development protocol is most significant when optimising the separation of chemically similar chemical compounds as it eliminates potentially hours of trial and error injections to identify the optimised experimental conditions. After only four screening injections the gradient profile for both 2D-HPLC dimensions could be optimised via simulations, ensuring the baseline resolution of diastereomers (ephedrine and pseudoephedrine) in 9.7 min. Depending on which diastereomer is present the potential synthetic pathway can be categorized.

Health information security evaluation: continued development of an object-oriented method

With the convergence of paper to electronic, the health industry is relying more on technology to maintain and update the well-being of patients. This reliance on technology requires an acute level of protection from
unwanted technological disasters and/or human threats. Research shows insufficiencies with the implementation and use of security controls; as well as current analysis methods lacking the techniques to analyse technical and social aspects of security. The aim of this paper is to introduce an information security evaluation methodology for health information systems based on UML.

The assessment of formal management development : a method, a baseline and the need to incorporate learning styles

Purpose – To assess the impact of a course on the development of management competencies for students over the duration of the course, by examining changes in the competencies of the students. The potential impact of student learning styles was also examined in the study.

Design/methodology/approach – A “Pre, Post, Then” design and a combination of paired sample t-tests, and alpha and beta change statistics were used to examine the change in competencies over time.

Findings – This study found that even a standard subject design had a significant and substantial impact on the management competence development of the students.

Practical implications – From the perspective of students-as-products, the base line provided here allows for the testing of alternative designs of educational systems, whereby alternative designs have to prove a benefit above and beyond that of a basic teaching system. Therefore, the present study should assist the field of management development to create a range of design options.

Originality/value – This study applies a powerful and under-utilised research method to provide a base line of the amount of management development that can occur in a typical formal management course, but is unique in that it includes the impact of the students’ learning styles.

Development of a supply chain management security risk management method : a conceptual model

This paper continues the prior research undertaken by Warren and Leitch (2009), in which a series of initial research findings were presented. These findings identified that in Australia, Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems were the weak link of Australian critical infrastructure. This paper focuses upon the security and risk issues associated with SCM systems and puts forward a new SCM Security Risk Management method, continuing the research presented at the European Conference of Information Warfare in 2009.This paper proposes a new Security Risk Analysis model that deals with the complexity of protecting SCM critical infrastructure systems and also introduces a new approach that organisations can apply to protect their SCM systems. The paper describes the importance of SCM systems from a critical infrastructure protection perspective. The paper then discusses the importance of SCM systems in relation to supporting centres of populations and gives examples of the impact of failure. The paper proposes a new SCM security risk analysis method that deals with the security issues related to SCM security and the security issues associated with Information Security. The paper will also discuss a risk framework that can be used to protect against high and low level associated security risks using a new SCM security risk analysis method.

Development and implementation of a novel measure for quantifying training loads in rowing : the T2minute method

Development and implementation of a novel measure for quantifying training loads in rowing: The T2minute method. J Strength Cond Res 28(4): 1172–1180, 2014—The systematic management of training requires accurate training load measurement. However, quantifying the training of elite Australian rowers is challenging because of (a) the multicenter, multistate structure of the national program; (b) the variety of training undertaken; and (c) the limitations of existing methods for quantifying the loads accumulated from varied training formats. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to develop a new measure for quantifying training loads in rowing (the T2minute method). Sport scientists and senior coaches at the National Rowing Center of Excellence collaborated to develop the measure, which incorporates training duration, intensity, and mode to quantify a single index of training load. To account for training at different intensities, the method uses standardized intensity zones (T zones) established at the Australian Institute of Sport. Each zone was assigned a weighting factor according to the curvilinear relationship between power output and blood lactate response. Each training mode was assigned a weighting factor based on whether coaches perceived it to be “harder” or “easier” than on-water rowing. A common measurement unit, the T2minute, was defined to normalize sessions in different modes to a single index of load; one T2minute is equivalent to 1 minute of on-water single scull rowing at T2 intensity (approximately 60–72% V[Combining Dot Above]O2max). The T2minute method was successfully implemented to support national training strategies in Australian high performance rowing. By incorporating duration, intensity, and mode, the T2minute method extends the concepts that underpin current load measures, providing 1 consistent system to quantify loads from varied training formats.

Development of a sustained release solid dispersion using swellable polymer by melting method

PURPOSE: This study is to design a sustained release solid dispersion using swellable polymer by melting method. METHODS: Polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose 4000 (HPMC 4000) were used in solid dispersion for not only enhancing drug dissolution rate but also sustaining drug release. HPMC 4000 is a common swellable polymer in matrix sustained release dosage form, but could not be used in preparation of solid dispersion by melting method. However, the current study utilized the swelling capability of HPMC 4000 accompanied by the common carrier PEG 6000 in solid dispersion to accomplish the goal. RESULTS: While PEG 6000 acted as a releasing stimulant carrier and provided an environment to facilitate the swelling of HPMC 4000, this swellable polymer could act as a rate-controlling agent. This greatly assisted the dissolution enhancement by changing the crystalline structure of drug to more amorphous form and creating a molecular interaction. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that this useful technique can be applied in designing a sustained release solid dispersion with many advantages.

Method for determining reaction rate of mild steel containers during melting of magnesium-aluminium alloys and effect of aluminium content on directionally solidified microstructures

A magnesium alloy of eutectic composition (33 wt-'%Al) was directionally solidified in mild steel tubes at two growth rates, 32 and 580 mum s(-1,) in a temperature gradient between 10 and 20 K mm(-1). After directional solidification, the composition of each specimen varied dramatically, from 32'%Al in the region that had remained solid to 18%Al (32 mum s(-1) specimen) and 13%Al (580 mum s(-1) specimen) at the plane that had been quenched from the eutectic temperature. As the aluminium content decreased, the microstructure contained an increasing volume fraction of primary magnesium dendrites and the eutectic morphology gradually changed from lamellar to partially divorced. The reduction in aluminium content was caused by the growth of an Al-Fe phase ahead of the Mg-Al growth front. Most of the growth of the Al-Fe phase occurred during the remelting period before directional solidification. The thickness of the Al-Fe phase increased with increased temperature and time of contact with the molten Mg-Al alloy. (C) 2003 Maney Publishing.

The development of eating pathology in Chinese-Australian women: acculturation versus culture clash

Objective
Recent research suggests there has been an increase in the incidence of eating pathology among Asian women residing in the West. Two alternate explanations for the development of this eating pathology have been proposed; acculturation versus culture clash. The current study was designed to further examine the influence of acculturation versus culture clash on the development of eating pathology in Chinese-Australian women.

Method
Eighty-one Chinese-Australian women completed a questionnaire investigating their level of eating pathology, perceived sociocultural influences to lose weight, parental overprotection and care, self-perceptions of physical appearance, sociability and global self-worth, and the strength of their ethnic identity.

Results
It was found that, overall, low levels of satisfaction with physical appearance, high levels of parental overprotection, and high levels of perceived pressure from best female friends to lose weight predicted greater eating pathology in both acculturated and traditional women. However, acculturated women who perceived higher levels of pressure from their fathers and best male friends to lose weight and traditional women who experienced higher levels of parental care reported the greatest eating pathology.

Discussion
The findings suggest that there are both similarities and differences between the risk factors that correlate with eating pathology between acculturated and traditional women. © 2004 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 35: 579-588, 2004.

Linkage measures of the construction sector using the hypothetical extraction method

The hypothetical extraction method (HEM) is used to extract a sector hypothetically from an economic system and examine the influence of this extraction on other sectors in the economy. Linkage measures based on the HEM become increasingly prominent. However, little construction linkage research applies the HEM. Using the recently published Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development input-output database at constant prices, this research applies the HEM to the construction sector in order to explore the role of this sector in national economies and the quantitative interdependence between the construction sector and the remaining sectors. The output differences before and after the hypothetical extraction reflect the linkages of the construction sector. Empirical results show a declining trend of the total, backward and forward linkages, which confirms the decreasing role of the construction sector with economic maturity over the examined period from a new angle. Analytical results reveal that the unique nature of the construction sector and multifold external factors are the main reasons for the linkage difference between countries. Moreover, hypothesis-testing results consider statistically that the extraction structures employed in this research are appropriate to analyse the linkages of the construction sector.

Development, reliability and validity of an instrument measuring the attitudes and knowledge of emergency department staff regarding the emergency nurse practitioner role

Introduction: The Emergency Department (ED) at The Northern Hospital is currently participating in the Victorian Department of Human Services funded Emergency Nurse Practitioner Project. This project aims to develop, implement and evaluate the Emergency Nurse Practitioner role in Victorian EDs. This led to a need to develop a specific data collection tool called The Northern Emergency Nurse Practitioner Staff Survey to examine the knowledge and attitudes of ED medical and nursing staff. This paper describes the development of The Northern Emergency Nurse Practitioner Staff Survey and presents the results of reliability and validity studies. Method: Twenty-five items were developed and piloted on a sample of 58 ED medical and nursing staff. Content and face validity were established by expert panel review. Reliability was established by tests of unidimensionality, exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency. Results: Four items were discarded because of low item to total correlation. Exploratory factor analysis of the remaining items revealed five factors with eigenvalues >1 and acceptable correlation coefficients that explained 76.7% of the variance. Cronbach’s coefficent α for these items was 0.926 indicating a high degree of internal consistency. The factors were titled to reflect the content domain of the items in each factor and the factors arranged in a logical sequence to form the final version of The Northern Emergency Nurse Practitioner Survey.