EAP essentials : a teacher's guide to principles and practice

Book review - Ancient scholars once journeyed across the Alps to study Italian law while some sailed the Mediterranean to learn Greek philosophy or examine Arabic scripts on science, medicine and mathematics. Devotees of philosophical and religious thought migrated to the Orient in search of transcendental wisdom. Today, the quest for knowledge has not changed as English-medium universities experience unprecedented internationalisation. This book is a publication for such a time as this. The authors invite readers to "join the tribe" (Becher, 1998) and learn the specific academic discourse and culture of English for Academic Purposes (EAP).

Physical inactivity, appetite regulation and obesity

In a consumerist society obsessed with body image and thinness, obesity levels have reached an all-time high. This multi-faceted book written by a range of experts, explores the social, cultural, clinical and psychological factors that lie behind the Obesity Epidemic . It is required reading for the many healthcare professionals dealing with the effects of obesity and for anyone who wants to know more about the causes of weight gain and the best ways of dealing with it. Fat Matters covers a range of issues from sociology through medicine to technology. This is not a book for the highly specialised expert. Rather it is a book that shows the diversity of approaches to the phenomenon of obesity, tailored to the reader who wants to be up-to-date and well-informed on a subject that is possibly as frequently discussed and as misunderstood as the weather.

Integration of a road traffic noise model (ASJ) and traffic simulation (AVENUE) for a built-up area

A road traffic noise prediction model (ASJ MODEL-1998) has been integrated with a road traffic simulator (AVENUE) to produce the Dynamic areawide Road traffic NoisE simulator-DRONE. This traffic-noise-GIS based integrated tool is upgraded to predict noise levels in built-up areas. The integration of traffic simulation with a noise model provides dynamic access to traffic flow characteristics and hence automated and detailed predictions of traffic noise. The prediction is not only on the spatial scale but also on temporal scale. The linkage with GIS gives a visual representation to noise pollution in the form of dynamic areawide traffic noise contour maps. The application of DRONE on a real world built-up area is also presented.

Vertical vegetation design decisions and their impact on energy consumption in subtropical cities

Vertical vegetation is vegetation growing on, or adjacent to, the unused sunlit exterior surfaces of buildings in cities. Vertical vegetation can improve the energy efficiency of the building on which it is installed mainly by insulating, shading and transpiring moisture from foliage and substrate. Several design parameters may affect the extent of the vertical vegetation's improvement of energy performance. Examples are choice of vegetation, growing medium geometry, north/south aspect and others. The purpose of this study is to quantitatively map out the contribution of several parameters to energy savings in a subtropical setting. The method is thermal simulation based on EnergyPlus configured to reflect the special characteristics of vertical vegetation. Thermal simulation results show that yearly cooling energy savings can reach 25% with realistic design choices in subtropical environments. Heating energy savings are negligible. The most important parameter is the aspect of walls covered by vegetation. Vertical vegetation covering walls facing north (south for the northern hemisphere) will result in the highest energy savings. In making plant selections, the most significant parameter is Leaf Area Index (LAI). Plants with larger LAI, preferably LAI>4, contribute to greater savings whereas vertical vegetation with LAI<2 can actually consume energy. The choice of growing media and its thickness influence both heating and cooling energy consumption. Change of growing medium thickness from 6cm to 8cm causes dramatic increase in energy savings from 2% to 18%. For cooling, it is best to use a growing material with high water retention, due to the importance of evapotranspiration for cooling. Similarly, for increased savings in cooling energy, sufficient irrigation is required. Insufficient irrigation results in the vertical vegetation requiring more energy to cool the building. To conclude, the choice of design parameters for vertical vegetation is crucial in making sure that it contributes to energy savings rather than energy consumption. Optimal design decisions can create a dramatic sustainability enhancement for the built environment in subtropical climates.

Integrating driving and traffic simulators to study railway level crossing safety interventions : a methodology

Safety at Railway Level Crossings (RLXs) is an important issue within the Australian transport system. Crashes at RLXs involving road vehicles in Australia are estimated to cost $10 million each year. Such crashes are mainly due to human factors; unintentional errors contribute to 46% of all fatal collisions and are far more common than deliberate violations. This suggests that innovative intervention targeting drivers are particularly promising to improve RLX safety. In recent years there has been a rapid development of a variety of affordable technologies which can be used to increase driver’s risk awareness around crossings. To date, no research has evaluated the potential effects of such technologies at RLXs in terms of safety, traffic and acceptance of the technology. Integrating driving and traffic simulations is a safe and affordable approach for evaluating these effects. This methodology will be implemented in a driving simulator, where we recreated realistic driving scenario with typical road environments and realistic traffic. This paper presents a methodology for evaluating comprehensively potential benefits and negative effects of such interventions: this methodology evaluates driver awareness at RLXs , driver distraction and workload when using the technology . Subjective assessment on perceived usefulness and ease of use of the technology is obtained from standard questionnaires. Driving simulation will provide a model of driving behaviour at RLXs which will be used to estimate the effects of such new technology on a road network featuring RLX for different market penetrations using a traffic simulation. This methodology can assist in evaluating future safety interventions at RLXs.

Language and utilisation of emergency care in Queensland

Objective: To compare access and utilisation of EDs in Queensland public hospitals between people who speak only English at home and those who speak another language at home. Methods: A retrospective analysis of a Queensland statewide hospital ED dataset (ED Information System) from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010 was conducted. Access to ED care was measured by the proportion of the state’s population attending EDs. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the relationships between ambulance use and language, and between hospital admission and language, both after adjusting for age, sex and triage category. Results: The ED utilisation rate was highest in English only speakers (290 per 1000 population), followed by Arabic speakers (105), and lowest among German speakers (30). Compared with English speakers, there were lower rates of ambulance use in Chinese (odds ratio 0.50, 95% confidence interval, 0.47–0.54), Vietnamese (0.87, 0.79–0.95), Arabic (0.87, 0.78–0.97), Spanish (0.56, 0.50–0.62), Italian (0.88, 0.80–0.96), Hindi (0.61, 0.53–0.70) and German (0.87, 0.79–0.90) speakers. Compared with English speakers, German speakers had higher admission rates (odds ratio 1.17, 95% confidence interval, 1.02–1.34), whereas there were lower admission rates in Chinese (0.90, 0.86–0.99), Arabic (0.76, 0.67–0.85) and Spanish (0.83, 0.75–0.93) speakers. Conclusion: This study showed that there was a significant association between lower utilisation of emergency care and speaking languages other than English at home. Further researches are needed using in-depth methodology to investigate if there are language barriers in accessing emergency care in Queensland.

On Presence, Collective Performance and Assumptions of Causality

The ways we assume, observe and model “presence” and its effects are the focus in this paper. Entities with selectively shared presences are the basis of any collective, and of attributions (such as “humorous”, “efficient” or “intelligent”). The subtleties of any joint presence can markedly influence potentials, perceptions and performance of the collective as demonstrated when a humorous tale is counterpoised with disciplined thought. Disciplines build on presences assumed known or knowable while fluid and interpretable presences pervade humor. Explorations in this paper allow considerations of collectives, causality and the philosophy of computing. Economics has long considered issues of collective action in ways circumscribed by assumptions about the presence of economic entities. Such entities are deemed rational but they are clearly not intelligent. To reach its potential, collective intelligence research needs more adequate considerations of alternate presences and their impacts.

Discussion on the wind climate of Kuwait and Dubai

Historical wind data for Kuwait and Dubai have been analysed to determine the design wind speed for the region. Kuwait and Dubai are located near the northern and southern end of the Persian Gulf respectively. The winds in this region just north of the Tropic of Capricorn are dominated by the Shamal, literally 'north' in Arabic. The winds have traditional Bedouin names such as Al-Haffar (the driller), and Barih Thorayya (morning star). The Al-Dabaran is generally the strongest Shamal in late summer, and can last up to 40 days bringing sand and duststorms.

The validity and reliability of the Parent Fever Management Scale: A study from Palestine

Background Parental fever phobia and overuse of antipyretics to control fever is increasing. Little is known about childhood fever management among Arab parents. No scales to measure parents’ fever management practices in Palestine are available. Aims The aims of this study were to translate and examine the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Parent Fever Management Scale (PFMS). Methods A standard “forward–backward” procedure was used to translate PFMS into Arabic language. It was then validated on a convenience sample of 402 parents between July and October 2012. Descriptive statistics were used, and instrument reliability was assessed for internal consistency using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Validity was confirmed using convergent and known group validation. Results Applying the recommended scoring method, the median (interquartile range) score of the PFMS was 26 (23-30). Acceptable internal consistency was found (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.733) and the test–retest reliability value was 0.92 (P < 0.001). The chi-squared (χ2) test showed a significant relationship between PFMS groups and frequent daily administration of antipyretic groups (χ2 = 52.86; P < 0.001). The PFMS sensitivity and specificity were 77.67% and 57.75%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 67.89% and 32.11%, respectively. Conclusions The findings of this validation study indicate that the Arabic version of the PFMS is a reliable and valid measure which can be used as a useful tool for health professionals to identify parents’ fever management practices and thus provide targeted education to reduce the unnecessary burden of care they place on themselves when concerned for a febrile child.

Dual-functional gum arabic binder for silicon anodes in lithium ion batteries

Si has attracted enormous research and manufacturing attention as an anode material for lithium ion batteries (LIBs) because of its high specific capacity. The lack of a low cost and effective mechanism to prevent the pulverization of Si electrodes during the lithiation/ delithiation process has been a major barrier in the mass production of Si anodes. Naturally abundant gum arabic (GA), composed of polysaccharides and glycoproteins, is applied as a dualfunction binder to address this dilemma. Firstly, the hydroxyl groups of the polysaccharide in GA are crucial in ensuring strong binding to Si. Secondly, similar to the function of fiber in fiberreinforced concrete (FRC), the long chain glycoproteins provide further mechanical tolerance to dramatic volume expansion by Si nanoparticles. The resultant Si anodes present an outstanding capacity of ca. 2000 mAh/g at a 1 C rate and 1000 mAh/g at 2 C rate, respectively, throughout 500 cycles. Excellent long-term stability is demonstrated by the maintenance of 1000 mAh/g specific capacity at 1 C rate for over 1000 cycles. This low cost, naturally abundant and environmentally benign polymer is a promising binder for LIBs in the future.

The Arab Spring on Twitter: Language Communities in #egypt and #libya

Building on hashtag datasets gathered since January 2011, this paper will compare patterns of Twitter usage during the popular revolution in Egypt and the civil war in Libya. Using custom-made tools for processing ‘big data’ (boyd & Crawford, 2011), we will examine the volume of tweets sent by English-, Arabic-, and mixed-language Twitter users over time, and examine the networks of interaction (variously through @replying, retweeting, or both) between these groups as they developed and shifted over the course of these uprisings. Examining @reply and retweet traffic, we will identify general patterns of information flow between the English- and Arabic-speaking sides of the Twittersphere, and highlight the roles played by key boundary riders connecting both language spheres. Further, we will examine the URLs shared in these hashtags by Twitter participants, to identify the most prominent overall information sources, examine differences in the information diet experienced by English- and Arabic-language users, and investigate whether there are any online sources whose URLs are transcending language boundaries more frequently than others.

Electronic medical record systems in Saudi Arabia: Knowledge and preferences of healthcare professionals

Background The use of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems is increasing internationally, though developing countries, such as Saudi Arabia, have tended to lag behind in the adoption and implementation of EMR systems due to several barriers. The literature shows that the main barriers to EMR in Saudi Arabia are lack of knowledge or experience using EMR systems and staff resistance to using the implemented EMR system. Methods A quantitative methodology was used to examine health personnel knowledge and acceptance of and preference for EMR systems in seven Saudi public hospitals in Jeddah, Makkah and Taif cities. Results Both English literacy and education levels were significantly correlated with computer literacy and EMR literacy. Participants whose first language was not Arabic were more likely to prefer using an EMR system compared to those whose first language was Arabic. Conclusion This study suggests that as computer literacy levels increase, so too do staff preferences for using EMR systems. Thus, it would be beneficial for hospitals to assess English language proficiency and computer literacy levels of staff prior to implementing an EMR system. It is recommended that hospitals need to offer training and targeted educational programs to the potential users of the EMR system. This would help to increase English language proficiency and computer literacy levels of staff as well as staff acceptance of the system.

Expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes and metabolism of timolol in human ocular tissue

Glaucoma is a group of progressive optic neuropathies causing irreversible blindness if not diagnosed and treated in the early state of progression. Disease is often, but not always, associated with increased intraocular pressure (IOP), which is also the most important risk factor for glaucoma. Ophthlamic timolol preparations have been used for decades to lower increased intraocular pressure (IOP). Timolol is locally well tolerated but may cause e.g. cardiovascular and pulmonary adverse effects due to systemic absorption. It has been reported that approximately 80% of a topically administered eye drop is systemically absorbed. However, only limited information is available on timolol metabolism in the liver or especially in the human eye. The aim of this work was to investigate metabolism of timolol in human liver and human ocular tissues. The expression of drug metabolizing cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in the human ciliary epithelial cells was studied. The metabolism of timolol and the interaction potential of timolol with other commercially available medicines were investigated in vitro using different liver preparations. The absorption of timolol to the aqueous humor from two commercially available products: 0.1% eye gel and 0.5% eye drops and the presence of timolol metabolites in the aqueous humor were investigated in a clinical trial. Timolol was confirmed to be metabolized mainly by CYP2D6 as previously suggested. Potent CYP2D6 inhibitors especially fluoxetine, paroxetine and quinidine inhibited the metabolism of timolol. The inhibition may be of clinical significance in patients using ophthalmic timolol products. CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 mRNAs were expressed in the human ciliary epithelial cells. CYP1B1 was also expressed at protein level and the expression was strongly induced by a known potent CYP1B1 inducer 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). The CYP1B1 induction is suggested to be mediated by aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR). Low levels of CYP2D6 mRNA splice variants were expressed in the human ciliary epithelial cells and very low levels of timolol metabolites were detected in the human aqueous humor. It seems that negligible amount of CYP2D6 protein is expressed in the human ocular tissues. Timolol 0.1% eye gel leads to aqueous humor concentration high enough to achieve therapeutic effect. Inter-individual variation in concentrations is low and intraocular as well as systemic safety can be increased when using this product with lower timolol concentration instead of timolol 0.5% eye drops.

The creative suburb: Building and urban designs for suburban innovators

Influential creative industries and creative place thinkers Richard Florida and Charles Landry agree that creativity is necessary for a prospering liveable and, therefore, sustainable city. Following Florida’s work, the ‘creative class’ has become central to what has turned out to be city-centre-centric growth policies. However, until the Queensland University of Technology’s Australian Research Council sponsored research into “creative suburbia”, few researchers had demonstrated – let alone challenged – the notion that a substantial cohort of creative industries workers might prefer to live and work at home in the suburbs rather than in city centres. The “creative suburb” work builds on the creative suburbia research. In a practice-led and property development industry embedded inquiry, the creative suburb draws on significant primary research with suburban, home-based, creative industries workers, vernacular architecture, and town planning in the Toowoomba region, in the state of Queensland, Australia, as inspiration for a series of new building and urban designs available for innovators operating in new suburban greenfield situations and suburban areas undergoing a refit in Queensland and possibly further afield. This paper focuses on one building design informed by this inquiry, with the intention of its construction as a ’showcasestudy’ ‘homeworkhouse’, suitable for creative industries workers in the Toowoomba region.

Creation of a Huge Annotated Database for Tamil and Kannada OHR

This paper describes the efforts at MILE lab, IISc, to create a 100,000-word database each in Kannada and Tamil for the design and development of Online Handwritten Recognition. It has been collected from over 600 users in order to capture the variations in writing style. We describe features of the scripts and how the number of symbols were reduced to be able to effectively train the data for recognition. The list of words include all the characters, Kannada and Indo-Arabic numerals, punctuations and other symbols. A semi-automated tool for the annotation of data from stroke to word level is used. It segments each word into stroke groups and also acts as a validation mechanism for segmentation. The tool displays the stroke, stroke groups and aksharas of a word and hence can be used to study the various styles of writing, delayed strokes and for assigning quality tags to the words. The tool is currently being used for annotating Tamil and Kannada data. The output is stored in a standard XML format.