Review of current test methods for screwed connections

The pull-through/local dimpling failure strength of screwed connections is very important in the design of profiled steel cladding systems to help them resist storms and hurricanes. The current American and European provisions recommend four different test methods for the screwed connections in tension, but the accuracy of these methods in determining the connection strength is not known. It is unlikely that the four test methods are equivalent in all cases and thus it is necessary to reduce the number of methods recommended. This paper presents a review of these test methods based on some laboratory tests on crest- and valley-fixed claddings and then recommends alternative tests methods that reproduce the real behavior of the connections, including the bending and membrane deformations of the cladding around the screw fasteners and the tension load in the fastener.

Australia’s rural youth, online storytelling and identity performance

Online storytelling spaces provide young people who live in rural and remote parts of Australia with an opportunity to develop their personal identities and connect and communicate with other young people. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC’s) rural and regional youth network, Heywire, is such a space (http://www.abc.net.au/heywire/). Heywire invites 16-22 year old Australians who identify as ‘rural’ or ‘regional’ to create an online profile and upload stories about their lives in the form of text, audio, video or photographs. Emerging from my PhD project, this paper describes how rural and regional youth perform their identities through creating stories for the Heywire website, addressing notions of individual and social identities as a sub-theme. Compared with their city counterparts, the youth who live in regional towns or isolated properties have fewer opportunities to socialise with other people their own age. Subsequently computer mediated technologies, particularly the internet, can enable this group of people to connect with each other and develop a sense of community. In this paper I outline how these possibilities exist within an online storytelling space. I describe a number of reasons for young people’s story-sharing on the Heywire website in order to demonstrate the potential for spaces such as this to enable isolated youth to experience a sense of connection and belonging, despite geographical dispersion and physical isolation.

Self-gifting guilt : an examination of self-gifting motivations and post-purchase regret

Purpose Self-gifting is a performative process in which consumers purchase products for themselves. The literature to date remains silent on a determination and connection between the extents of post-purchase regret resulting from self-gifting behavior. The purpose of this paper is to examine identification and connection of self-gifting antecedents, self-gifting and the effect on post purchase regret. Design/methodology/approach This study claims the two antecedents of hedonistic shopping and indulgence drive self-gifting behaviors and the attendant regret. A total of 307 shoppers responded to a series of statements concerning the relationships between antecedents of self-gifting behavior and the effect on post-purchase regret. Self-gifting is a multi-dimensional construct, consisting of therapeutic, celebratory, reward and hedonistic imports. Confirmatory factor analysis and AMOS path modeling enabled examination of relationships between the consumer traits of hedonistic shopping and indulgence and the four self-gifting concepts. Findings Hedonic and indulgent shoppers engage in self-gifting for different reasons. A strong and positive relationship was identified between hedonic shoppers and reward, hedonic, therapeutic and celebratory self-gift motivations. hedonic shoppers aligned with indulgent shoppers who also engaged the four self-gifting concepts. The only regret concerning purchase of self-gifts was evident in the therapeutic and celebratory self-gift motivations. Research limitations/implications A major limitation was the age range specification of 18 to 45 years which meant the omission of older generations of regular and experienced shoppers. This study emphasizes the importance of variations in self-gift behaviors and of post-purchase consumer regret. Originality/value This research is the first examination of an hedonic attitude to shopping and indulgent antecedents to self-gift purchasing, the concepts of self-gift motivations and their effect on post-purchase regret.

Diffusion-sensitive magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging in biomedical sciences

We present a mini-review of the development and contemporary applications of diffusion-sensitive nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques in biomedical sciences. Molecular diffusion is a fundamental physical phenomenon present in all biological systems. Due to the connection between experimentally measured diffusion metrics and the microscopic environment sensed by the diffusing molecules, diffusion measurements can be used for characterisation of molecular size, molecular binding and association, and the morphology of biological tissues. The emergence of magnetic resonance was instrumental to the development of biomedical applications of diffusion. We discuss the fundamental physical principles of diffusion NMR spectroscopy and diffusion MR imaging. The emphasis is placed on conceptual understanding, historical evolution and practical applications rather than complex technical details. Mathematical description of diffusion is presented to the extent that it is required for the basic understanding of the concepts. We present a wide range of spectroscopic and imaging applications of diffusion magnetic resonance, including colloidal drug delivery vehicles; protein association; characterisation of cell morphology; neural fibre tractography; cardiac imaging; and the imaging of load-bearing connective tissues. This paper is intended as an accessible introduction into the exciting and growing field of diffusion magnetic resonance.

Editors' introduction : literacy, learning & culture

We come together as editors to prepare an introduction to this international volume at a time of economic turbulence, new uncertainties about the future, and a growing demand on the part of most governments for further alignment of education with the economy. Literacy, in particular, is in the vanguard, for literacy only too frequently is positioned as a proxy for education. What are the purposes of literacy teaching and how is it to be achieved? What counts as literacy in ‘new times,’ in ‘participatory culture’ where people ‘believe their contributions matter, and feel some degree of social connection with one another’ (Abrams and Merchant, Chapter 23)? How can everyone be included as critical citizens of the world in whatever definition of literacy we endorse? What fresh perspectives, new ways of thinking, and good ideas for the understanding of literacy are out there? What are the possibilities for the future? An exploration of these kinds of questions and their answers, however tentative, provides us, we believe, with our best defense against the uncertainties of our age. In some respects this is our overall purpose in the volume, to explore our understanding and future possibilities by bringing together critical reviews of the major theories, methods, and pedagogical advances that have taken place in the past 20 years in the field of literacy research at the primary/elementary school level. Each chapter in the volume is newly written for the Handbook while overall the book is intended to be a distillation of key thinking and theory which offers new directions for research in literacy. It aims to revisit current interpretations, make novel connections, frame new possibilities, and encourage researchers to pursue innovative and compelling lines of inquiry...

Digital storytelling as a social work tool : learning from ethnographic research with women from refugee backgrounds

This paper reflects on the wider potential of digital narratives as a useful tool for social work practitioners. Despite the multiple points of connection between narrative approaches and social work, the influence of narratives on practice remains limited. A case study of a digital storytelling (DST) process employed in a research project with a small group of lone mothers from refugee backgrounds is used to trigger discussion of broader applications of DST as part of everyday social work practice. The use of DST acknowledged women’s capacities for self-representation and agency, in line with participatory and strengths-based approaches inherent in contemporary social work. The benefits of using DST with lone mothers from refugee backgrounds illustrate how this method can act as a pathway to produce counter-narratives, both at the individual and broader community levels. Documenting life stories digitally provides the opportunity to construct narratives about experiences of relocation and settlement as tools for social advocacy, which can assist social workers to ensure meaningful outcomes for service-users. These propositions can serve to inform social work practices with people from refugee backgrounds and address some of the intricacies of working in diverse and challenging contexts.

What's Queer About Queer Criminology?

The term ‘‘queer criminology’’ is increasingly being used in criminological discussions, though there remains little consistency with regard to how it is used and to what it refers. It has been used broadly to describe criminological research on LGBTQ people and their interactions with the justice system, more specifically to describe those analyses that identify and critique the heteronormative knowledges or binarized understandings of gender and sexuality within criminal justice research, and also to label theoretical and conceptual pieces that argue for a greater connection between queer theory and criminology. However, there are some important distinctions between ‘‘queer criminology’’ and ‘‘queer theory’’ more widely, particularly the deconstructive approaches of the latter. This chapter explores the engagements between queer theory and ‘‘queer criminology,’’ specifically focusing on whether ‘‘queer criminology’’ adopts an understanding of ‘‘queer’’ as an attitude, and as signifying a deconstructive project—a position that features in many strands of queer theoretical work. It will argue that while there are different ways of engaging with ‘‘queer’’ as a concept, and that each of these engagements produces different kinds of ‘‘queer’’ projects, ‘‘queer criminology’’ does not always engage with the deconstructive approaches drawn from queer theory. Ultimately, this can limit the ways that ‘queer criminologists’’ are able to address injustice.

A conceptual framework for the cultural integration of cooperative learning : a Thai primary mathematics education perspective

The Thailand education reform adopted cooperative learning to improve the quality of education. However, it has been reported that the introduction and maintenance of cooperative learning has been difficult and uncertain because of the cultural differences. The study proposed a conceptual framework developed based on making a connection between Thai cultures and cooperative learning elements, and implemented a small-scale research project in a Thai primary mathematics class with a teacher and thirty-two Grade 4 students. The results uncovered that the three components including preparation of teachers, instructional strategies and preparation of students can be vehicles for the culture integration in cooperative learning.

Australian Research to Encourage School Students’ Positive Use of Technology to Reduce Cyberbullying

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has spread rapidly in Australia. Mobile phones, which increasingly have advanced capabilities including Internet access, mobile television and multimedia storage, are owned by 22% of Australian children aged 9-11 years and 73% of those aged 12-14 years (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012b), as well as by over 90% of Australians aged 15 years and over(Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), 2010). Nearly 80% of Australian households have access to the Internet and 73% have a broadband Internet connection, ensuring that Internet access is typically reliable and high-speed (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012a). Ninety percent of Australian children aged 5-14 years (comprising 79% of 5-8 year olds; 96% of 9-11 year olds; and 98% of 12-14 year olds) reported having accessed the Internet during 2011-2012, a significant increase from 79% in 2008-2009 (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012b). Approximately 90% of 5-14 year olds have accessed the Internet both from home and from school, with close to 49% accessing the Internet from other places (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2012b). Young people often make use of borrowed Internet access (e.g. in friends’ homes), commercial access (e.g. cybercafés), public access (e.g. libraries), and mobile device access in areas offering free Wi-Fi (Lim, 2009).

Academic Development Program : QUT University Wide

The QUT Sessional Academic Program (SAP) has scaffolded levels, each with experience-appropriate objectives: • SAP 1: Introduction to Learning and Teaching aims to develop confidence and build awareness of pedagogy and managing class-room scenarios. • SAP 2: Learning and Teaching in Large Units focuses on aligning curriculum and assessment through learning activities and builds a community of teaching practice with sessionals and subject coordinators. • SAP 3: Developing your Teaching Practice focuses on whole of university and classroom strategies to ensure student success through effective feedback; reflective practice and learning communities. • SAP 4: Enhancing your Teaching Practice applies these factors to teaching success. In conjunction with: • Sessional Career Advancement Development: for Higher Degree Research students/ sessional staff who aspire to become academics provides guidance on developing an academic portfolio in teaching, research and service. And • Sessional Academic Success program providing ongoing, local support (see separate nomination). A critical factor in its success is its praxis approach. Theoretical principles are modelled. Eg, ‘active learning’ is explained and modelled through learning activities, which participants evaluate ‘on the fly’ against the criteria of learning, engagement and connection with peers. The topics ‘learning communities’ and ‘reflective practice’ are explored as a learning community–then applied in participants’ classes, with reflections shared in the next session. This produces a ‘meta-awareness’ of theory and principles, as they are explained, applied in practice, and critically analysed for their effectiveness in workshops.

The local library across the digital and physical city : opportunities for economic development

This paper considers the role of the public library as a community hub, engagement space, and entrepreneurial incubator in the context of the city, city governance, and local government planning. It considers this role from the perspective of library experts and their future visions for libraries in a networked knowledge economy. Public libraries (often operated by or on behalf of local governments) potentially play a pivotal role for local governments in positioning communities within the global digital network. Fourteen qualitative interviews with library experts informed the study which investigates how the relationship between digital technology and the physical library space can potentially support the community to develop innovative, collaborative environments for transitioning to a digital future. The study found that libraries can capitalise on their position as community hubs for two purposes: first, to build vibrant community networks and forge economic links across urban localities; and second, to cross the digital divide and act as places of innovation and lifelong learning. Libraries provide a specific combination of community and technology spaces and have significant tangible connection points in the digital age. The paper further discusses the potential benefits for libraries in using ICT networks and infrastructure, such as the National Broadband Network in Australia. These networks could facilitate greater use of library assets and community knowledge, which, in turn, could assist knowledge economies and regional prosperity.

Text messaging to support off-campus clinical nursing facilitators : a descriptive survey

Background Managing large student cohorts can be a challenge for university academics, coordinating these units. Bachelor of Nursing programmes have the added challenge of managing multiple groups of students and clinical facilitators whilst completing clinical placement. Clear, time efficient and effective communication between coordinating academics and clinical facilitators is needed to ensure consistency between student and teaching groups and prompt management of emerging issues. Methods This study used a descriptive survey to explore the use of text messaging via a mobile phone, sent from coordinating academics to off-campus clinical facilitators, as an approach to providing direction and support. Results The response rate was 47.8% (n = 22). Correlations were found between the approachability of the coordinating academic and clinical facilitator perception that, a) the coordinating academic understood issues on clinical placement (r = 0.785, p < 0.001), and b) being part of the teaching team (r = 0.768, p < 0.001). Analysis of responses to qualitative questions revealed three themes: connection, approachability and collaboration. Conclusions This study demonstrates that use of regular text messages improves communication between coordinating academics and clinical facilitators. Findings suggest improved connection, approachability and collaboration between the coordinating academic and clinical facilitation staff.

The relationship between kurtosis- and envelope-based indexes for the diagnostic of rolling element bearings

The coupling of kurtosis based-indexes and envelope analysis represents one of the most successful and widespread procedures for the diagnostics of incipient faults on rolling element bearings. Kurtosis-based indexes are often used to select the proper demodulation band for the application of envelope-based techniques. Kurtosis itself, in slightly different formulations, is applied for the prognostic and condition monitoring of rolling element bearings, as a standalone tool for a fast indication of the development of faults. This paper shows for the first time the strong analytical connection which holds for these two families of indexes. In particular, analytical identities are shown for the squared envelope spectrum (SES) and the kurtosis of the corresponding band-pass filtered analytic signal. In particular, it is demonstrated how the sum of the peaks in the SES corresponds to the raw 4th order moment. The analytical results show as well a link with an another signal processing technique: the cepstrum pre-whitening, recently used in bearing diagnostics. The analytical results are the basis for the discussion on an optimal indicator for the choice of the demodulation band, the ratio of cyclic content (RCC), which endows the kurtosis with selectivity in the cyclic frequency domain and whose performance is compared with more traditional kurtosis-based indicators such as the protrugram. A benchmark, performed on numerical simulations and experimental data coming from two different test-rigs, proves the superior effectiveness of such an indicator. Finally a short introduction to the potential offered by the newly proposed index in the field of prognostics is given in an additional experimental example. In particular the RCC is tested on experimental data collected on an endurance bearing test-rig, showing its ability to follow the development of the damage with a single numerical index.

Predicting voltage unbalance impacts of plug-in electric vehicles penetration in residential low-voltage distribution networks

Plug-in electric vehicles will soon be connected to residential distribution networks in high quantities and will add to already overburdened residential feeders. However, as battery technology improves, plug-in electric vehicles will also be able to support networks as small distributed generation units by transferring the energy stored in their battery into the grid. Even though the increase in the plug-in electric vehicle connection is gradual, their connection points and charging/discharging levels are random. Therefore, such single-phase bidirectional power flows can have an adverse effect on the voltage unbalance of a three-phase distribution network. In this article, a voltage unbalance sensitivity analysis based on charging/discharging levels and the connection point of plug-in electric vehicles in a residential low-voltage distribution network is presented. Due to the many uncertainties in plug-in electric vehicle ratings and connection points and the network load, a Monte Carlo-based stochastic analysis is developed to predict voltage unbalance in the network in the presence of plug-in electric vehicles. A failure index is introduced to demonstrate the probability of non-standard voltage unbalance in the network due to plug-in electric vehicles.

Separating shadows

This practice-led research is in the field of dance creation and performance. The dancer, unlike many artists from different fields, has to contend with the added complexity of being a creative tool. Grove states, ‘..they are the phenomenon of self-creation twice over, being both the artist and the work of art’ (2005, 44). A dancer’s success relies on the quality of their instrument and their ability to reliably employ it in the creative act (Jowitt 2001a). The traditional rehearsal studio is the creative meeting place for dance artists. A liminal space with specific spatial, temporal and personal considerations: a space fraught with uncertainty and vulnerability, ripe with potential. If harnessed, the creative potential inherent in vulnerability, experienced as increased sensitivity and openness (Press 2002), can facilitate new ways of investigating and doing. This research investigated ways in which dancers prepare themselves during the act of creation and rehearsal within the studio, for the public presentation of a site-specific dance work. Navigating the complexities inherent in performing site-specific dance work is best achieved through the development of a connection with the site during the creation of the work. This is achieved through the provision of rehearsals within the site and ensures seamless replication of rehearsal qualities from studio to non-traditional site. This research received funding and support from the Australia Council for the Arts, Arts Queensland, Brisbane Festival, Kelvin Grove Urban Village, Besen Family Foundation, Korean Culture Arts Foundation and the Australia Korea Foundation. It was presented in the Brisbane Festival, 2006. http://www.accentedbody.com/projects/accented-body