The Fornax spectroscopic survey I. Survey strategy and preliminary results on the redshift distribution of a complete sample of stars and galaxies

The Fornax Spectroscopic Survey will use the Two degree Field spectrograph (2dF) of the Angle-Australian Telescope to obtain spectra for a complete sample of all 14000 objects with 16.5 less than or equal to b(j) less than or equal to 19.7 in a 12 square degree area centred on the Fornax Cluster. The aims of this project include the study of dwarf galaxies in the cluster (both known low surface brightness objects and putative normal surface brightness dwarfs) and a comparison sample of background field galaxies. We will also measure quasars and other active galaxies, any previously unrecognised compact galaxies and a large sample of Galactic stars. By selecting all objects-both stars and galaxies-independent of morphology, we cover a much larger range of surface brightness and scale size than previous surveys. In this paper we first describe the design of the survey. Our targets are selected from UK Schmidt Telescope sky survey plates digitised by the Automated Plate Measuring (APM) facility. We then describe the photometric and astrometric calibration of these data and show that the APM astrometry is accurate enough for use with the 2dF. We also describe a general approach to object identification using cross-correlations which allows us to identify and classify both stellar and galaxy spectra. We present results from the first 2dF field. Redshift distributions and velocity structures are shown for all observed objects in the direction of Fornax, including Galactic stars? galaxies in and around the Fornax Cluster, and for the background galaxy population. The velocity data for the stars show the contributions from the different Galactic components, plus a small tail to high velocities. We find no galaxies in the foreground to the cluster in our 2dF field. The Fornax Cluster is clearly defined kinematically. The mean velocity from the 26 cluster members having reliable redshifts is 1560 +/- 80 km s(-1). They show a velocity dispersion of 380 +/- 50 km s(-1). Large-scale structure can be traced behind the cluster to a redshift beyond z = 0.3. Background compact galaxies and low surface brightness galaxies are found to follow the general galaxy distribution.

Development and standardization of the Self-regulation Skills Interview (SRSI): A new clinical assessment tool for acquired brain injury

The Self-regulation Skills Interview (SRSI) is a clinical tool designed to measure a range of metacognitive skills essential for rehabilitation planning, monitoring an individual's progress, and evaluating the outcome of treatment interventions. The results of the present study indicated that the SRSI has sound interrater reliability and test-retest reliability. A principle components analysis revealed three SRSI factors: Awareness, Readiness to Change, and Strategy Behavior. A comparison between a group of 61 participants with acquired brain injury (ABI) and a group of 43 non-brain-injured participants indicated that the participants with ABI had significantly lower levels of Awareness and Strategy Behavior, but that level of Readiness to Change was not significantly different between the two groups. The significant relationship observed between the SRSI factors and measures of neuropsychological functioning confirmed the concurrent validity of the scale and supports the value of the SRSI for post-acute assessment.

The effects of the Cannabis Expiation Notice System on the prevalence of cannabis use in South Australia: evidence from the National Drug Strategy Household Surveys 1985-95

This study sought to examine the impact of the Cannabis Expiation Notice (CEN) scheme on the prevalence of lifetime and weekly cannabis use in South Australia. Data from five National Drug Strategy Household Surveys between 1985 and 1995 were examined to test for differences in trends in self-reported: (1) lifetime cannabis use; and (2) current weekly cannabis use, after controlling for age and gender, between South Australia and the other states and territories. Between 1985 and 1995, rates of lifetime cannabis use increased in SA from 26% to 36%. There were also significant increases in Victoria (from 26% to 32%), Tasmania (from 21% to 33%) and New South Wales (from 26% to 33%). The increase in South Australia was significantly greater than the average increase throughout the rest of Australia, but the other Australian states differed in their rates of change. Victoria and Tasmania had similar rates of increase to South Australia; New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia showed lower rates of increase; and the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory had high rates that did not change during the period. There was no statistically significant difference between SA and the rest of Australia in the rate of increase in weekly cannabis use. While there was a greater increase in self- reported lifetime cannabis use in South Australia between 1985 and 1995 than in the average of the other Australian jurisdictions it is unlikely that this increase is due to the CEN system, because similar increases occurred in Tasmania and Victoria (where there was no change in the legal status of cannabis use), and there was no increase in the rate of weekly cannabis use in South Australia over the same period.

The potential for a selective screening strategy for abdominal aortic aneurysm

Objectives-To investigate the feasibility of selective screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) based on identification of a target group of manageable size defined by risk factors for AAA. Setting-Male residents of Perth, Western Australia, aged 65-83 years, who participated in a randomised controlled trial of ultrasound screening for AAA. Methods-Eligible men were identified from the electoral roll and invited to attend a screening clinic. Those who attended completed a questionnaire, had a limited physical examination, and underwent an ultrasound examination to identify the maximum diameter of the infrarenal aorta. Data on risk factors collected from the first 8995 men seen were used to calculate a multivariate risk score for the remaining 2755 men who were screened. Gentiles of the risk score were used to define potential target groups for screening and the sensitivity and specificity of each of these selective screening strategies were calculated. We repeated the calculation separately for AAAs of at least 30 mm, 40 mm, and 50 mm in diameter. Results-We found that screening half of the male population aged 65-83 years would find approximately 75% of AAAs, regardless of their size, whereas screening only current smokers in this population would find approximately 20% of AAAs. Conclusions-Selective screening for AAA using easily recognisable risk factors is feasible but is not worthwhile as approximately 25% of clinically significant cases would be missed.

Predictors of genital warts among women attending two family planning clinics

Objectives: To establish the prevalence and predictors of genital warts among healthy women presenting for contraceptive advice at two family planning clinics, one in a major Australian city and one in a country town in the same state. Methods: Consecutive consenting attendees (n = 1218)at two family planning clinics in Queensland completed a questionnaire and were examined for genital warts. Results: The point prevalence of visible genital warts was 3.3 per cent in the city clinic and 14.4 per cent in the country town. For half of these clients a finding of warts was unexpected, in that the client was unaware of their presence and presentation to the family planning clinic was not specifically for advice about sexually transmitted infections. The major predictor of a finding of warts was client age, with the highest prevalence in 20- to 25-year-olds. Warts were also commoner amongst smokers in the country town but not in Brisbane. However, no analysed sociodemographic variable predicted a finding of warts of which the client was not aware. Conclusions: Genital warts are common among young women presenting for contraceptive advice. Such women are often unaware that they have warts. Examination for genital warts should be a part of any routine examination of sexually active women, and medical practitioners should be aware of appropriate advice for patients who are found to have genital warts on routine examination.

Effect of an attentional strategy on movement-related potentials recorded from subjects with Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease patients perform automatic movements in a bradykinetic manner, somewhat similar to patients with Parkinson's disease. Cortical activity relating to the preparation of movement in Parkinson's disease is significantly improved when a cognitive strategy is used. It is unknown whether patients with Huntington's disease can utilise an attentional strategy, and what effect this strategy would have on the premovement cortical activity. Movement-related potentials were recorded from 12 Huntington's disease patients and controls performing externally cued finger tapping movement, allowing an examination of cortical activity related to movement performance and bradykinesia in this disease. All subjects were tested in two conditions, which differed only by the presence or absence of the cognitive strategy. The Huntington's disease group, unlike controls, did not produce a rising premovement potential in the absence of the strategy. The Huntington's disease group did produce a rising premovement potential for the strategy condition, but the early slope of the potential was significantly reduced compared with the control group's early slope. These results are similar to those found previously with Parkinson's disease patients. The strategy may have put the task, which previously might have been under deficient automatic control, under attentional control. (C) 2002 Movement Disorder Society.

A strategy to fill gaps in soil survey over large spatial extents: an example from the Murray-Darling basin of Australia

We re-mapped the soils of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) in 1995-1998 with a minimum of new fieldwork, making the most out of existing data. We collated existing digital soil maps and used inductive spatial modelling to predict soil types from those maps combined with environmental predictor variables. Lithology, Landsat Multi Spectral Scanner (Landsat MSS), the 9-s digital elevation model (DEM) of Australia and derived terrain attributes, all gridded to 250-m pixels, were the predictor variables. Because the basin-wide datasets were very large data mining software was used for modelling. Rule induction by data mining was also used to define the spatial domain of extrapolation for the extension of soil-landscape models from existing soil maps. Procedures to estimate the uncertainty associated with the predictions and quality of information for the new soil-landforms map of the MDB are described. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Embracing ligands. A synthetic strategy towards new nitrogen-thioether multidentate ligands and characterization of the cobalt(III) complexes

The synthesis of the hexadentate ligand 2,2,9,9-tetra(methyleneamine)-4,7-dithiadecane (EtN(4)S(2)amp) is reported. The ligand is of a type in which bifurcations of the chain occur at atoms other than donor atoms. The cobalt(III) complex [Co(EtN(4)S(2)amp)](3+) (1) was isolated and characterized. The synthetic methodology also results in a number of by-products, notably 2,9,9-tris(methyleneamine)-9-methylenehydroxy-4,7-dithiadecane (Et(HO)N(3)S(2)amp) and an eleven-membered pendant arm macrocyclic ligand 6,10-dimethyl-6,10-bis(methyleneamine)-1,4-dithia-8-azaacycloundec-7- ene (dmatue). The complexes [Co(Et(HO)N(3)S(2)amp)](3+) (2), in which the alcohol is coordinated to the metal ion, and [Co(dmatue)Cl](2+) (4) were isolated and characterized. Et(HO)N(3)S(2)amp also undergoes complexation with cobalt(III) to produce two isomers endo-[Co(Et(HO) N(3)S(2)amp)Cl](2+) (endo-3) and exo-[Co(Et(HO) N(3)S(2)amp)Cl](2+) (exo-3), both with an uncoordinated alcohol group. endo- 3 has the alcohol positioned cis, and exo-3 trans, to the sixth metal coordination site. Reaction of 1 with isobutyraldehyde, paraformaldehyde and base in dimethylformamide results in the encapsulated complex [Co(1,5,5,9,13,13-hexamethyl-18,21-dithia-3,7,11,15-tetraazabicyclo[7.7.6]docosa- 3,14-diene)](ClO4)(3) . 2H(2)O ([Co(Me(6)docosadieneN(4)S(2))](3+) ( 5). All complexes have been characterized by single crystal X-ray study. The low-temperature (11 K) absorption spectrum of 1 has been measured in Nafion films with spin-allowed (1)A(1g) --> T-1(1g) and (1)A(1g) --> T-1(2g) and spin forbidden (1)A(1g) --> T-3(1g) and (1)A(1g) --> T-3(2g) bands observed. The octahedral ligand-field parameters were determined (10Dq = 22570 cm(-1), B = 551 cm(-1); C = 3500 cm(-1)). For 5 10Dq and B were determined (20580 cm(-1); 516 cm(-1), respectively) and compared with those for similar expanded cavity complexes [Co(Me(8)tricosatrieneN(6))](3+) and [Co(Me(5)tricosatrieneN(6))](3+).

Is your vision consistent? A method for checking, based on scenario concepts

Common sense tells us that the future is an essential element in any strategy. In addition, there is a good deal of literature on scenario planning, which is an important tool in considering the future in terms of strategy. However, in many organizations there is serious resistance to the development of scenarios, and they are not broadly implemented by companies. But even organizations that do not rely heavily on the development of scenarios do, in fact, construct visions to guide their strategies. But it might be asked, what happens when this vision is not consistent with the future? To address this problem, the present article proposes a method for checking the content and consistency of an organization`s vision of the future, no matter how it was conceived. The proposed method is grounded on theoretical concepts from the field of future studies, which are described in this article. This study was motivated by the search for developing new ways of improving and using scenario techniques as a method for making strategic decisions. The method was then tested on a company in the field of information technology in order to check its operational feasibility. The test showed that the proposed method is, in fact, operationally feasible and was capable of analyzing the vision of the company being studied, indicating both its shortcomings and points of inconsistency. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development Resource Planning: Complexity of Product Development and the Capacity to Launch New Products

Overcommitment of development capacity or development resource deficiencies are important problems in new product development (NPD). Existing approaches to development resource planning have largely neglected the issue of resource magnitude required for NPD. This research aims to fill the void by developing a simple higher-level aggregate model based on an intuitive idea: The number of new product families that a firm can effectively undertake is bound by the complexity of its products or systems and the total amount of resources allocated to NPD. This study examines three manufacturing companies to verify the proposed model. The empirical results confirm the study`s initial hypothesis: The more complex the product family, the smaller the number of product families that are launched per unit of revenue. Several suggestions and implications for managing NPD resources are discussed, such as how this study`s model can establish an upper limit for the capacity to develop and launch new product families.