Real-time price based home energy management scheduler

With the recent development of advanced metering infrastructure, real-time pricing (RTP) scheme is anticipated to be introduced in future retail electricity market. This paper proposes an algorithm for a home energy management scheduler (HEMS) to reduce the cost of energy consumption using RTP. The proposed algorithm works in three subsequent phases namely real-time monitoring (RTM), stochastic scheduling (STS) and real-time control (RTC). In RTM phase, characteristics of available controllable appliances are monitored in real-time and stored in HEMS. In STS phase, HEMS computes an optimal policy using stochastic dynamic programming (SDP) to select a set of appliances to be controlled with an objective of the total cost of energy consumption in a house. Finally, in RTC phase, HEMS initiates the control of the selected appliances. The proposed HEMS is unique as it intrinsically considers uncertainties in RTP and power consumption pattern of various appliances. In RTM phase, appliances are categorized according to their characteristics to ease the control process, thereby minimizing the number of control commands issued by HEMS. Simulation results validate the proposed method for HEMS.

The effect of the addition of hip strengthening exercises to a lumbopelvic exercise programme for the treatment of non-specific low back pain : a randomized controlled trial

Objectives To compare the efficacy of two exercise programs in reducing pain and disability for individuals with non-specific low back pain and to examine the underlying mechanical factors related to pain and disability for individuals with NSLBP. Design A single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Methods: Eighty participants were recruited from eleven community-based general medical practices and randomized into two groups completing either a lumbopelvic motor control or a combined lumbopelvic motor control and progressive hip strengthening exercise therapy program. All participants received an education session, 6 rehabilitation sessions including real time ultrasound training, and a home based exercise program manual and log book. The primary outcomes were pain (0-100mm visual analogue scale), and disability (Oswestry Disability Index V2). The secondary outcomes were hip strength (N/kg) and two-dimensional frontal plane biomechanics (°) measure during the static Trendelenburg test and while walking. All outcomes were measured at baseline and at 6-week follow up. Results There was no statistical difference in the change in pain (xˉ = -4.0mm, t= -1.07, p =0.29, 95%CI -11.5, 3.5) or disability (xˉ = -0.3%, t= -0.19, p =0.85, 95%CI -3.5, 2.8) between groups. Within group comparisons revealed clinically meaningful reductions in pain for both Group One (xˉ =-20.9mm, 95%CI -25.7, -16.1) and Group Two (xˉ =-24.9, 95%CI -30.8, -19.0). Conclusion Both exercise programs had similar efficacy in reducing pain. The addition of hip strengthening exercises to a motor control exercise program does not appear to result in improved clinical outcome for pain for individuals with non-specific low back pain.

Designing for collaborative learning spaces : an academic staff development pilot program

To prepare for the delivery of new Bachelor of Science units in collaborative learning spaces, academic and professional staff at Queensland University of Technology piloted an academic development program over the period of a semester. The program was informed by Rogers’ theory of innovation and diffusion (2003) and structured according to Wilson’s framework for faculty development (2007). Through a series of workshops and group mentoring activities, the program modelled inquiry-based learning in a collaborative learning space, and the participants designed and practiced the delivery of teaching activities. This paper provides a preliminary evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot based on survey responses from participants, notes from the development team who coordinated the program and audience feedback from the final showcase session. The design and structure of the program is discussed as well as possible future directions.

Observing privacy, modesty and hospitality in the home domain : three case studies of Muslim homes in Brisbane, Australia

A home embodies a sensorial space that is layered with personal memories and traces of history. The success of a home in providing a strong sense of place depends on various factors such as geographical location, climatic conditions, and occupants’ world-views and perceptions. This paper explores Muslims’ perceptions of privacy, modesty and hospitality within their homes through their lived experiences. This case study focuses on three Muslim families living in Australian designed homes within the same suburb of Brisbane, Australia. The study provides prefatory insight into the ways in which these families perform their daily activities and entertain their guests without jeopardizing their privacy needs. The study examines the significance of modesty in the design of Muslim homes as a means by which family members are able to achieve optimum privacy while simultaneously extending hospitality to guests inside and outside their homes. The findings of this study provide opportunities too, for expanding research into culturally adaptable housing systems to help meet the changing needs of Australian multicultural society.

The OnTrack Diabetes web-based program for type 2 diabetes and dysphoria self-management: A randomized controlled trial protocol

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is rising with the majority of patients practicing inadequate disease self-management. Depression, anxiety, and diabetes-specific distress present motivational challenges to adequate self-care. Health systems globally struggle to deliver routine services that are accessible to the entire population, in particular in rural areas. Web-based diabetes self-management interventions can provide frequent, accessible support regardless of time and location Objective: This paper describes the protocol of an Australian national randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the OnTrack Diabetes program, an automated, interactive, self-guided Web program aimed to improve glycemic control, diabetes self-care, and dysphoria symptoms in type 2 diabetes patients. Methods: A small pilot trial is conducted that primarily tests program functionality, efficacy, and user acceptability and satisfaction. This is followed by the main RCT, which compares 3 treatments: (1) delayed program access: usual diabetes care for 3 months postbaseline followed by access to the full OnTrack Diabetes program; (2) immediate program: full access to the self-guided program from baseline onward; and (3) immediate program plus therapist support via Functional Imagery Training (FIT). Measures are administered at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months postbaseline. Primary outcomes are diabetes self-care behaviors (physical activity participation, diet, medication adherence, and blood glucose monitoring), glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level, and diabetes-specific distress. Secondary outcomes are depression, anxiety, self-efficacy and adherence, and quality of life. Exposure data in terms of program uptake, use, time on each page, and program completion, as well as implementation feasibility will be conducted. Results: This trial is currently underway with funding support from the Wesley Research Institute in Brisbane, Australia. Conclusions: This is the first known trial of an automated, self-guided, Web-based support program that uses a holistic approach in targeting both type 2 diabetes self-management and dysphoria. Findings will inform the feasibility of implementing such a program on an ongoing basis, including in rural and regional locations.

Development of the OnTrack Diabetes program

Background: Type 2 diabetes affects an estimated 347 million people worldwide and often leads to serious complications including blindness, kidney disease, and limb amputation. Comorbid dysphoria is common and is an independent risk factor for poor glycaemic control. Professional support for diabetes self-management and dysphoria has limited availability and involves high costs, especially after regular hours, and in rural and remote areas. Web-based cognitive behavior therapy offers highly accessible, acceptable, and cost-effective support for people with diabetes. This paper describes the development of OnTrack Diabetes, a self-guided, Web-based program to promote improved physical and emotional self-management in people with Type 2 diabetes. Objective: The objective of the study is to describe the development of the OnTrack Diabetes program, which is a self-guided, Web-based program aimed to promote euthymia and improved disease self-management in people with Type 2 diabetes. Methods: Semistructured interviews with 12 general practitioners and 13 patients with Type 2 diabetes identified enablers of and barriers to effective diabetes self-management, requirements for additional support, and potential program elements. Existing resources and research data informed the development of content, and consultants from relevant disciplines provided feedback on draft segments and reviewed the program before release. Using a self-guided delivery format contained costs, in addition to adapting program features and modules from an existing OnTrack program. Results: A separate paper describes the protocol for a randomized controlled trial to provide this required evaluation. Conclusions: Development of the OnTrack Diabetes program demonstrates strategies that help ensure that a program is acceptable to users. The next stages involve testing users’ experiences and examining the program’s effectiveness and cost-effectiveness in randomized controlled trials.

Best practice in peer-led curriculum content : informing an interactive program to improve passenger safety among high school seniors

Despite ongoing improvements in behaviour change strategies, licensing models and road law enforcement measures young drivers remain significantly over-represented in fatal and non-fatal road related crashes. This paper focuses on the safety of those approaching driving age and identifies both high priority road safety messages and relevant peer-led strategies to guide the development school programs. It summarises the review in a program logic model built around the messages and identified curriculum elements, as they may be best operationalised within the licensing and school contexts in Victoria. This paper summarises a review of common deliberate risk-taking and non-deliberate unsafe driving behaviours among novice drivers, highlighting risks associated with speeding, driving while fatigued, driving while impaired and carrying passengers. Common beliefs of young people that predict risky driving were reviewed, particularly with consideration of those beliefs that can be operationalised in a behaviour change school program. Key components of adolescent risk behaviour change programs were also reviewed, which identified a number of strategies for incorporation in a school based behaviour change program, including: a well-structured theoretical design and delivery, thoughtfully considered peer-selected processes, adequate training and supervision of peer facilitators, a process for monitoring and sustainability, and interactive delivery and participant discussions. The research base is then summarised in a program logic model with further discussion about the quality of the current state of knowledge of evaluation of behaviour change programs and the need for considerable development in program evaluation.

Teacher education for high poverty schools : the National Exceptional Teachers for Disadvantaged Schools program

A vital element to improve outcomes for disadvantaged students is outstanding teachers. A reality, however, is that teacher graduates in the top quartile of academic scores are far less likely to accept positions in tough urban, regional, rural and remote schools. Further, because high poverty schools can be challenging environments, these teachers are retained for much shorter periods of time. In response to this challenge, the National Exceptional Teachers for Disadvantaged Schools program (NETDS) creates a pathway for the highest quality pre-service teachers to be fully prepared, professionally and personally, for roles within high poverty schools. The program identifies the highest-achieving mainstream preservice teachers in university programs across the country and offers them a specialised curriculum and supported practicum experience in a network of disadvantaged partner schools. By working closely with government, philanthropy and partner schools, the program also works to channel these exceptional pre-service teachers into employment in schools where they will have the greatest impact. Its initial results have been exceptional: over 90% of graduates are now employed as teachers in high poverty schools. This paper will discuss their research on how they are working to build the infrastructure and capacity for research on innovations that prepare teachers for 21st century schools in the Australian context.

Australia’s first Allied Health Prescribing Program – exploring participants' understanding and confidence in clinical therapy choices for patient management

BACKGROUND Globally there are emerging trends for non-medical health professionals to expand their scope of practice into prescribing. The NPS Prescribing Competencies Framework and the Health Professionals Prescribing Pathway Program are recent initiatives to assist with implementation of prescribing for allied health professionals (AHPs). For AHPs to become prescribers, training programmes must be designed to extend their knowledge of medicines information and medicine management principles with the aim of optimising medicines related outcomes for patients. AIM To explore the understanding and confidence in clinical therapeutic choices for patient management of those AHPs enrolled in the Allied Health Prescribing Training Program Module One: Introduction to clinical therapeutics for prescribers, delivered by Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane. METHOD A pre-post survey was developed to explore key themes around understanding and confidence in selecting therapeutic choices for patients with varying complexities of conditions. Data were collected from participants in week one and 13 of the module via an online survey using a five-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Agree (SA) to 5 = Strongly Disagree (SD)). RESULTS In the pre-Module survey the AHPs had a limited degree (D/SD) of understanding and confidence regarding the safe and effective use of medicines and appropriate therapeutic choices for managing patients, particularly with complex patients. This improved significantly in the post Module survey (A/SA).

Pentingnya continuing professional development bagi lulusan program studi ilmu perpustakaan dan informasi

Lulusan program studi ilmu perpustakaan dan informasi Indonesia di abad 21 ini harus terus mengembangkan ilmu dan keterampilannya untuk bisa memaksimalkan layanan ke pengguna. Tidak saja kompetensi dalam bidang teknologi informasi dan komunikasi (TIK), tetapi juga emerging competencies lainnya. Permasalahannya, ada banyak kendala bagi program studi ilmu perpustakaan dan informasi (PSIPI) di Indonesia untuk bisa mengakomodasi emerging competencies ini dalam kurikulum mata kuliah mereka. Disinilah peran continuing professional development (CPD) menjadi vital bagi lulusan PSIPI Indonesia agar mampu meminimalisir kesenjangan pengetahuan dan keterampilan dengan LIS professionals dari negara lain.

Children's understanding of sustainability in their home and kindergarten

This article presents an ongoing study within early childhood education for sustainability at the Department for Early Childhood Education in Stavanger, in collaboration with the School of Early Childhood, Queensland University of Technology, in Brisbane, Australia. The study commenced in 2014, and will compare the responses to interviews of young children (4-5 years) in Brisbane with those of children in Stavanger, in order to find out ways to enhance learning about sustainability topics, to identify which kind of environmental/sustainability activities are memorable for young children, and to obtain mutual inspiration about early childhood education for sustainability from the different countries.

Effects of clear-fell harvest on bat home range.

We investigated effects of roost loss due to clear-fell harvest on bat home range. The study took place in plantation forest, inhabited by the New Zealand long-tailed bat (Chalinolobus tuberculatus), in which trees are harvested between the ages 26-32 years. We determined home ranges by radiotracking different bats in areas that had and had not been recently clear-fell harvested. Home ranges were smaller in areas that had been harvested. Adult male bats selected 20-25 year old stands within home ranges before and after harvest. Males selected edges with open unplanted areas when harvest had not occurred but no longer selected these at proportions greater than their availability post harvest, probably because they were then readily available. This is the first radiotracking study to demonstrate a change in home range size and selection concomitant with felling of large areas of plantation forest, and thus quantify negative effects of forestry operations on this speciose group. The use of smaller home ranges post-harvest may reflect smaller colony sizes and lower roost availability, both of which may increase isolation of colonies and vulnerability to local extinction.

Home range and habitat selection by a threatened bat in exotic plantation forest

Individuals' home ranges are constrained by resource distribution and density, population size, and energetic requirements. Consequently, home ranges and habitat selection may vary between individuals of different sex and reproductive conditions. Whilst home ranges of bats are well-studied in native habitats, they are often not well understood in modified landscapes, particularly exotic plantation forests. Although Chalinolobus tuberculatus (Vespertilionidae, Chiroptera) are present in plantation forests throughout New Zealand their home ranges have only been studied in native forest and forest-agricultural mosaic and no studies of habitat selection that included males had occurred in any habitat type. Therefore, we investigated C. tuberculatus home range and habitat selection within exotic plantation forest. Home range sizes did not differ between bats of different reproductive states. Bats selected home ranges with higher proportions of relatively old forest than was available. Males selected edges with open unplanted areas within their home ranges, which females avoided. We suggest males use these edges, highly profitable foraging areas with early evening peaks in invertebrate abundance, to maintain relatively low energetic demands. Females require longer periods of invertebrate activity to fulfil their needs so select older stands for foraging, where invertebrate activity is higher. These results highlight additional understanding gained when data are not pooled across sexes. Mitigation for harvest operations could include ensuring that areas suitable for foraging and roosting are located within a radius equal to the home range of this bat species.

Development of an education program to improve care of patients with dementia in an acute care setting

As the population ages, the number of people with dementia in acute care environments is projected to increase rapidly. However, many acute care nurses have undertaken little or no dementia training, potentially leading to reduced quality of care for these patients. This article details the development and delivery of a tailored education program to improve the quality of care of people with dementia in a large, urban hospital in Australia. Designed specifically for the existing context, environment and knowledge levels, the program was developed from multiple inputs, including: expert opinion, literature on workplace and dementia care training, and feedback from participants. The program was delivered to acute care nurses and allied health staff within an outcome based, microteaching model. The broader applicability of the development and delivery techniques used in this program is also discussed.

Patient perspectives of using a web based intervention program for patients with type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndrome

Introduction Research highlights patients with dual diagnoses of type 2 diabetes and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have higher readmission rates and poorer health outcomes than patients with singular chronic conditions. Despite this, there is a lack of education programs targeted for this dual diagnosis population to improve self-management and decrease negative health outcomes. There is evidence to suggest that internet based interventions may improve health outcomes for patients with singular chronic conditions, however there is a need to develop an evidence base for ACS patients with comorbid diabetes. There is a growing awareness of the importance of a participatory model in developing effective online interventions. That is, internet interventions are more effective if end users’ perceptions of the intervention are incorporated in their final development prior to testing in large scale trials. Objectives This study investigated patients’ perspectives of the web-based intervention designed to promote self-management of the dual conditions in order to refine the intervention prior to clinical trial evaluation. Methods An interpretive approach with thematic analysis was used to obtain deeper understanding regarding participants’ experience when using web-application interventions for patients with ACS and type 2 diabetes. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken on a purposive sample of 30 patients meeting strict inclusion and exclusion criteria to obtain their perspectives on the program. Results Preliminary results indicate patients with dual diagnoses express more complex needs than those with a singular condition. Participants express a positive experience with the proposed internet intervention and emerging themes include that the web page is seen as easy to use and comforting as a support, in that patients know they are not alone. Further results will be reported as they become available. Conclusion The results indicate potential for patient acceptability of the newly developed internet intervention for patients with ACS and comorbid diabetes. Incorporation of patient perspectives into the final development of the intervention is likely to maximise successful outcomes of any future trials that utilise this intervention. Future quantitative evaluation of the effectiveness of the intervention is being planned.