Universities, SMEs and innovation frameworks : think global, act local?

Universities are increasingly encouraged to take a leading role in economic development, particularly through innovation. Simultaneously, economic development policy itself is increasingly focused on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), creating overlapping interactions in the roles of government policy, universities and SMEs and the processes of innovation creation and dissemination. This paper examines issues arising from these developments and relating to the key stakeholders (industry, government and universities in particular), the enabling mechanisms (network governance, relevant education, training and learning, and suitable structures), and local and cross-local links. The authors then use quantitative analysis of 450 SMEs in the UK to begin to evaluate the roles of universities and highlight areas for further theoretical development.

The impact of perceived stage of cancer on carers’ anxiety and depression during the patients’ final year of life

Objective: This paper explores the effects of perceived stage of cancer (PSOC) on carers' anxiety and depression during the patients' final year. Methods: A consecutive sample of patients and carers (N=98) were surveyed at regular intervals regarding PSOC, and anxiety and depression using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Means were compared by gender using the Mann-Whitney U-test. The chi-square was used to analyse categorical data. Agreement between carers' and patients' PSOC was estimated using kappa statistics. Correlations between carers' PSOC and their anxiety and depression were calculated using the Spearman's rank correlation. Results: Over time, an increasing proportion of carers reported that the cancer was advanced, culminating at 43% near death. Agreement regarding PSOC was fair (kappa=0.29-0.34) until near death (kappa=0.21). Carers' anxiety increased over the year; depression increased in the final 6 months. Females were more anxious (p=0.049, 6 months; p=0.009, 3 months) than males, and more depressed until 1 month to death. The proportion of carers reporting moderate-severe anxiety almost doubled over the year to 27%, with more females in this category at 6 months (p=0.05). Carers with moderate-severe depression increased from 6 to 15% over the year. Increased PSOC was weakly correlated with increased anxiety and depression. Conclusions: Carers' anxiety exceeded depression in severity during advanced cancer. Females generally experienced greater anxiety and depression. Carers were more realistic than patients regarding the ultimate outcome, which was reflected in their declining mental health, particularly near the end.

Bayesian versus frequentist statistical inference for investi gating a one-off cancer cluster reported to a health department

Background The problem of silent multiple comparisons is one of the most difficult statistical problems faced by scientists. It is a particular problem for investigating a one-off cancer cluster reported to a health department because any one of hundreds, or possibly thousands, of neighbourhoods, schools, or workplaces could have reported a cluster, which could have been for any one of several types of cancer or any one of several time periods. Methods This paper contrasts the frequentist approach with a Bayesian approach for dealing with silent multiple comparisons in the context of a one-off cluster reported to a health department. Two published cluster investigations were re-analysed using the Dunn-Sidak method to adjust frequentist p-values and confidence intervals for silent multiple comparisons. Bayesian methods were based on the Gamma distribution. Results Bayesian analysis with non-informative priors produced results similar to the frequentist analysis, and suggested that both clusters represented a statistical excess. In the frequentist framework, the statistical significance of both clusters was extremely sensitive to the number of silent multiple comparisons, which can only ever be a subjective "guesstimate". The Bayesian approach is also subjective: whether there is an apparent statistical excess depends on the specified prior. Conclusion In cluster investigations, the frequentist approach is just as subjective as the Bayesian approach, but the Bayesian approach is less ambitious in that it treats the analysis as a synthesis of data and personal judgements (possibly poor ones), rather than objective reality. Bayesian analysis is (arguably) a useful tool to support complicated decision-making, because it makes the uncertainty associated with silent multiple comparisons explicit.

Open Specification for BIM : Sydney Opera House Case Study

Executive Summary The objective of this report was to use the Sydney Opera House as a case study of the application of Building Information Modelling (BIM). The Sydney opera House is a complex, large building with very irregular building configuration, that makes it a challenging test. A number of key concerns are evident at SOH: • the building structure is complex, and building service systems - already the major cost of ongoing maintenance - are undergoing technology change, with new computer based services becoming increasingly important. • the current “documentation” of the facility is comprised of several independent systems, some overlapping and is inadequate to service current and future services required • the building has reached a milestone age in terms of the condition and maintainability of key public areas and service systems, functionality of spaces and longer term strategic management. • many business functions such as space or event management require up-to-date information of the facility that are currently inadequately delivered, expensive and time consuming to update and deliver to customers. • major building upgrades are being planned that will put considerable strain on existing Facilities Portfolio services, and their capacity to manage them effectively While some of these concerns are unique to the House, many will be common to larger commercial and institutional portfolios. The work described here supported a complementary task which sought to identify if a building information model – an integrated building database – could be created, that would support asset & facility management functions (see Sydney Opera House – FM Exemplar Project, Report Number: 2005-001-C-4 Building Information Modelling for FM at Sydney Opera House), a business strategy that has been well demonstrated. The development of the BIMSS - Open Specification for BIM has been surprisingly straightforward. The lack of technical difficulties in converting the House’s existing conventions and standards to the new model based environment can be related to three key factors: • SOH Facilities Portfolio – the internal group responsible for asset and facility management - have already well established building and documentation policies in place. The setting and adherence to well thought out operational standards has been based on the need to create an environment that is understood by all users and that addresses the major business needs of the House. • The second factor is the nature of the IFC Model Specification used to define the BIM protocol. The IFC standard is based on building practice and nomenclature, widely used in the construction industries across the globe. For example the nomenclature of building parts – eg ifcWall, corresponds to our normal terminology, but extends the traditional drawing environment currently used for design and documentation. This demonstrates that the international IFC model accurately represents local practice for building data representation and management. • a BIM environment sets up opportunities for innovative processes that can exploit the rich data in the model and improve services and functions for the House: for example several high-level processes have been identified that could benefit from standardized Building Information Models such as maintenance processes using engineering data, business processes using scheduling, venue access, security data and benchmarking processes using building performance data. The new technology matches business needs for current and new services. The adoption of IFC compliant applications opens the way forward for shared building model collaboration and new processes, a significant new focus of the BIM standards. In summary, SOH current building standards have been successfully drafted for a BIM environment and are confidently expected to be fully developed when BIM is adopted operationally by SOH. These BIM standards and their application to the Opera House are intended as a template for other organisations to adopt for the own procurement and facility management activities. Appendices provide an overview of the IFC Integrated Object Model and an understanding IFC Model Data.

Raman spectroscopic study of the magnesium carbonate minerals– artinite and dypingite

Magnesium minerals are important in the understanding of the concept of geosequestration. The two hydrated hydroxy magnesium carbonate minerals artinite and dypingite have been studied by Raman spectroscopy. Intense bands are observed at 1092 cm-1 for artinite and at 1120 cm-1 for dypingite attributed CO32- ν1 symmetric stretching mode. The CO32- ν3 antisymmetric stretching vibrations are extremely weak and are observed at1412 and 1465 cm-1 for artinite and at 1366, 1447 and 1524 cm-1 for dypingite. Very weak Raman bands at 790 cm-1 for artinite and 800 cm-1 for dypingite are assigned to the CO32- ν2 out-of-plane bend. The Raman band at 700 cm-1 of artinite and at 725 and 760 cm-1 of dypingite are ascribed to CO32- ν2 in-plane bending mode. The Raman spectrum of artinite in the OH stretching region is characterised by two sets of bands: (a) an intense band at 3593 cm-1 assigned to the MgOH stretching vibrations and (b) the broad profile of overlapping bands at 3030 and 3229 cm-1 attributed to water stretching vibrations. X-ray diffraction studies show the minerals are disordered. This is reflected in the difficulty of obtaining Raman spectra of reasonable quality and explains why the Raman spectra of these minerals have not been previously or sufficiently described.

The big brother : monitoring urban growth and change for sustainable infrastructure provision

Monitoring urban growth and land-use change is an important issue for sustainable infrastructure planning. Rapid urban development, sprawl and increasing population pressure, particularly in developing nations, are resulting in deterioration of infrastructure facilities, loss of productive agricultural lands and open spaces, pollution, health hazards and micro-climatic changes. In addressing these issues effectively, it is crucial to collect up-to-date and accurate data and monitor the changing environment at regular intervals. This chapter discusses the role of geospatial technologies for mapping and monitoring the changing environment and urban structure, where such technologies are highly useful for sustainable infrastructure planning and provision.

Incomplete pregnancy and risk of ovarian cancer : results from two Australian case-control studies and systematic review

Although full-term pregnancies reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, it has not been conclusively established whether incomplete pregnancies also influence risk. We investigated the relationship between a history of incomplete pregnancy and incident epithelial ovarian cancer among over 4,500 women who participated in two large Australian population-based case-control studies in 1990-1993 and 2002-2005. They provided responses to detailed questions about their reproductive histories and other personal factors. Summary odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) derived from each study using the same covariates were aggregated. We found no significant associations between the number of incomplete pregnancies and ovarian cancer, for parous (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.89, 1.08) or nulliparous (OR = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.75, 1.48) women, nor for the number of spontaneous or induced abortions and ovarian cancer for parous women (OR = 0.95, 95% CI 0.82, 1.09; OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.36) or nulliparous women (OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 0.6, 2.4; OR = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.47, 1.38), respectively. A systematic review of 37 previous studies of the topic confirmed our findings that a history of incomplete pregnancy does not influence a woman’s risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Clypeotheca, a new skeletal structure in scleractinian corals : a potential stress indicator

Physiological responses to environmental stress are increasingly well studied in scleractinian corals. This work reports a new stress-related skeletal structure we term clypeotheca. Clypeotheca was observed in several livecollected common reef-building coral genera and a two to three kya subfossil specimen from Heron Reef, Great Barrier Reef and consists of an epitheca-like skeletal wall that seals over the surface of parts of the corallum in areas of stress or damage. It appears to form from a coordinated process wherein neighboring polyps and adjoining coenosarc seal themselves off from the surrounding environment as they contract and die. Clypeotheca forms from inward skeletal centripetal growth at the edges of corallites and by the merging of flange-like outgrowths that surround individual spines over the surface of the coenosteum. Microstructurally, the merged flanges are similar to upsidedown dissepiments and true epitheca. Clypeotheca is interpreted primarily as a response to stress that may help protect the colony from invasion of unhealthy tissues by parasites or disease by retracting tissues in areas that have become unhealthy for the polyps. Identification of skeletal responses of corals to environmental stress may enable the frequency of certain types of environmental stress to be documented in past environments. Such data may be important for understanding the nature of reef dynamics through intervals of climate change and for monitoring the effects of possible anthropogenic stress in modern coral reef habitats.

The prognostic significance of quality of life following breast cancer [Conference Abstract]

Introduction: Evidence suggests a positive association between quality of life (QOL). and overall survival(OS). among metastatic breast cancer (BC). patients, although the relationship in early-stage BC is unclear. This work examines the association between QOL and OS following a diagnosis of early-stage BC. ----- Methods: A population-based sample of Queensland women (n=287). with early-stage, invasive, unilateral BC, were prospectively observed for a median of 6.6 years. QOL was assessed at six and 18 months post-diagnosis using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy, Breast FACT-B+4. questionnaire. Raw scores for the FACT-B+4 scales were computed and individuals were categorised according to whether QOL declined, remained stable or improved over time. OS was measured from the date of diagnosis to the date of death or was censored at the date of last follow-up. Risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). for the association between QOL and OS were obtained using Cox proportional hazards survival models adjusted for confounding characteristics. ----- Results: A total of 27 (9.4%). women died during the follow-up period. Three baseline QOL scales (emotional, general and overall QOL) were significantly associated with OS, with RRs ranging between 0.89 95% CI: 0.81, 0.98; P=0.01. and 0.98 (95% CI: 0.96, 0.99; P=0.03),indicating a 2%-11% reduced risk of death for every one unit increase in QOL. When QOL was categorised according to changes between six and 18 months post-diagnosis, analyses showed that for those who experienced declines in functional and physical QOL, risk of death increased by two- (95% CI: 1.43, 12.52; P<0.01) and four-fold (95% CI: 1.15, 7.19; P=0.02), respectively. Conclusions: This work indicates that specific QOL scales at six months post-diagnosis, and changes in certain QOL scales over the subsequent 12-month period (as measured by the FACT-B+4), are associated with overall survival in women with early-stage breast cancer.

Longitudinal patterns of weight in women diagnosed with breast cancer [Conference Abstract]

Introduction: Weight gain is a common concern following breast cancer and has been associated with negative health outcomes. As such, prevention of weight gain is of clinical interest. This work describes weight change between 6- and 18-months following a breast cancer diagnosis and explores the personal, treatment and behavioural characteristics associated with gains in weight. Methods: Body mass index was objectively assessed, at three-monthly intervals, on a population-based sample of women newly diagnosed with unilateral breast cancer (n=185). Changes in BMI between 6- and 18-months post-diagnosis were calculated, with gains of one or more being considered clinically detrimental to future health. Results: Approximately 60% of participants were overweight or obese at 6-months post-diagnosis. While BMI remained relatively stable across the testing period (range=27.3-27.8), 24% of participants experienced clinically relevant gains in BMI (median gains=1.9). Following adjustment for potential confounders, younger age (<45 years; Odds ratio, OR=9.8), being morbidly obese at baseline (OR=4.6) and receiving hormone therapy (OR=4.8) were characteristics associated with an increased odds (p<0.05) of gaining BMI. Other characteristics associated with gains in BMI were more extensive surgery and having a history of smoking, although these relationships were not supported statistically. In contrast, caring for younger children was associated with reduced risk of gaining BMI (OR=0.3, p=0.20). Conclusions: Clinically relevant weight gain between 6- and 18-months post-breast cancer diagnosis is an issue for one in four women, with certain subgroups being particularly susceptible. However, the majority of women diagnosed with breast cancer are overweight or obese and gains in body weight are common. Thus, interventions that address the importance of achieving and sustaining a healthy body weight, delivered to all women with breast cancer, may have greater public health impact than interventions targeting any specific breast cancer subgroup.

Does chemometrics enhance the performance of electroanalysis?

This review explores the question whether chemometrics methods enhance the performance of electroanalytical methods. Electroanalysis has long benefited from the well-established techniques such as potentiometric titrations, polarography and voltammetry, and the more novel ones such as electronic tongues and noses, which have enlarged the scope of applications. The electroanalytical methods have been improved with the application of chemometrics for simultaneous quantitative prediction of analytes or qualitative resolution of complex overlapping responses. Typical methods include partial least squares (PLS), artificial neural networks (ANNs), and multiple curve resolution methods (MCR-ALS, N-PLS and PARAFAC). This review aims to provide the practising analyst with a broad guide to electroanalytical applications supported by chemometrics. In this context, after a general consideration of the use of a number of electroanalytical techniques with the aid of chemometrics methods, several overviews follow with each one focusing on an important field of application such as food, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and the environment. The growth of chemometrics in conjunction with electronic tongue and nose sensors is highlighted, and this is followed by an overview of the use of chemometrics for the resolution of complicated profiles for qualitative identification of analytes, especially with the use of the MCR-ALS methodology. Finally, the performance of electroanalytical methods is compared with that of some spectrophotometric procedures on the basis of figures-of-merit. This showed that electroanalytical methods can perform as well as the spectrophotometric ones. PLS-1 appears to be the method of practical choice if the %relative prediction error of not, vert, similar±10% is acceptable.

Small molecule–biopolymer interactions : Ultraviolet–visible and fluorescence spectroscopy and chemometrics

Interactions between small molecules with biopolymers e.g. the bovine serum albumin (BSA protein), are important, and significant information is recorded in the UV–vis and fluorescence spectra of their reaction mixtures. The extraction of this information is difficult conventionally and principally because there is significant overlapping of the spectra of the three analytes in the mixture. The interaction of berberine chloride (BC) and the BSA protein provides an interesting example of such complex systems. UV–vis and fluorescence spectra of BC and BSA mixtures were investigated in pH 7.4 Tris–HCl buffer at 37 °C. Two sample series were measured by each technique: (1) [BSA] was kept constant and the [BC] was varied and (2) [BC] was kept constant and the [BSA] was varied. This produced four spectral data matrices, which were combined into one expanded spectral matrix. This was processed by the multivariate curve resolution–alternating least squares method (MCR–ALS). The results produced: (1) the extracted pure BC, BSA and the BC–BSA complex spectra from the measured heavily overlapping composite responses, (2) the concentration profiles of BC, BSA and the BC–BSA complex, which are difficult to obtain by conventional means, and (3) estimates of the number of binding sites of BC.

Spectrometric and voltammetric studies of the interaction between quercetin and bovine serum albumin using warfarin as site marker with the aid of chemometrics

The interaction of quercetin, which is a bioflavonoid, with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated under pseudo-physiological conditions by the application of UV–vis spectrometry, spectrofluorimetry and cyclic voltammetry (CV). These studies indicated a cooperative interaction between the quercetin–BSA complex and warfarin, which produced a ternary complex, quercetin–BSA–warfarin. It was found that both quercetin and warfarin were located in site I. However, the spectra of these three components overlapped and the chemometrics method – multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) was applied to resolve the spectra. The resolved spectra of quercetin–BSA and warfarin agreed well with their measured spectra, and importantly, the spectrum of the quercetin–BSA–warfarin complex was extracted. These results allowed the rationalization of the behaviour of the overlapping spectra. At lower concentrations ([warfarin] < 1 × 10−5 mol L−1), most of the site marker reacted with the quercetin–BSA, but free warfarin was present at higher concentrations. Interestingly, the ratio between quercetin–BSA and warfarin was found to be 1:2, suggesting a quercetin–BSA–(warfarin)2 complex, and the estimated equilibrium constant was 1.4 × 1011 M−2. The results suggest that at low concentrations, warfarin binds at the high-affinity sites (HAS), while low-affinity binding sites (LAS) are occupied at higher concentrations.

Urban network travel time estimation from stop-line loop detector data and signal controller data

This paper presents a model to estimate travel time using cumulative plots. Three different cases considered are i) case-Det, for only detector data; ii) case-DetSig, for detector data and signal controller data and iii) case-DetSigSFR: for detector data, signal controller data and saturation flow rate. The performance of the model for different detection intervals is evaluated. It is observed that detection interval is not critical if signal timings are available. Comparable accuracy can be obtained from larger detection interval with signal timings or from shorter detection interval without signal timings. The performance for case-DetSig and for case-DetSigSFR is consistent with accuracy generally more than 95% whereas, case-Det is highly sensitive to the signal phases in the detection interval and its performance is uncertain if detection interval is integral multiple of signal cycles.

Ghrelin gene-related peptides : multifunctional endocrine/autocrine modulators in health and disease

Ghrelin is a multi-functional peptide hormone which affects various processes including growth hormone and insulin release, appetite regulation, gut motility, metabolism and cancer cell proliferation. Ghrelin is produced in the stomach and in other normal and pathological cell types. It may act as an endocrine or autocrine/paracrine factor. The ghrelin gene encodes a precursor protein, preproghrelin, from which ghrelin and other potentially active peptides are derived by alternative mRNA splicing and/or proteolytic processing. The metabolic role of the peptide obestatin, derived from the preproghrelin C-terminal region, is controversial. However, it has direct effects on cancer cell proliferation. The regulation of ghrelin expression and the mechanisms through which the peptide products arise are unclear. We have recently re-examined the organisation of the ghrelin gene and identified several novel exons and transcripts. One transcript, which lacks the ghrelin-coding region of preproghrelin, contains the coding sequence of obestatin. Furthermore, we have identified an overlapping gene on the antisense strand of ghrelin, GHRLOS, which generates transcripts that may function as non-coding regulatory RNAs or code for novel, short bioactive peptides. The identification of these novel ghrelin-gene related transcripts and peptides raises critical questions regarding their physiological function and their role in obesity, diabetes and cancer.