Vibrational spectroscopy of the multi anion mineral zykaite Fe4(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)•15H2O – implications for arsenate removal

Some minerals are colloidal and are poorly diffracting . Vibrational spectroscopy offers one of the few methods for the assessment of the structure of these types of minerals. Among this group of minerals is zykaite with formula Fe4(AsO4)(SO4)(OH)•15H2O. The objective of this research is to determine the molecular structure of the mineral zykaite using vibrational spectroscopy. Raman and infrared bands are attributed to the AsO43-, SO42- and water stretching vibrations. The sharp band at 3515 cm-1 is assigned to the stretching vibration of the OH units. This mineral offers a mechanism for the formation of more crystalline minerals such as scorodite and bukovskyite. Arsenate ions can be removed from aqueous systems through the addition of ferric compounds such as ferric chloride. This results in the formation of minerals such as zykaite and pitticite (Fe3+,AsO4,SO4,H2O).

Raman spectroscopy of the multi anion mineral arsentsumebite Pb2Cu(AsO4)(SO4)(OH) and in comparison with tsumebite Pb2Cu(PO4)(SO4)(OH)

The mineral arsentsumebite Pb2Cu(AsO4)(SO4)(OH), a copper arsenate-sulfate hydroxide of the brackebuschite group has been characterised by Raman spectroscopy. The brackebuschite mineral group are a series of monoclinic arsenates, phosphates and vanadates of the general formula A2B(XO4)(OH,H2O), where A may be Ba, Ca, Pb, Sr, while B may be Al, Cu2+,Fe2+, Fe3+, Mn2+, Mn3+, Zn and XO4 may be AsO4, PO4, SO4,VO4. Bands are assigned to the stretching and bending modes of SO42- AsO43- and HOAsO3 units. Raman spectroscopy readily distinguishes between the two minerals arsentsumebite and tsumebite. Raman bands attributed to arsenate are not observed in the Raman spectrum of tsumebite. Phosphate bands found in the Raman spectrum of tsumebite are not found in the Raman spectrum of arsentsumebite. Raman spectroscopy readily distinguishes the two minerals tsumebite and arsentsumebite.

Raman spectroscopy of the multi-anion mineral mallestigite Pb3Sb5+(SO4)(AsO4)(OH)6•3H2O – a mineral of archaeological significance

Some minerals are formed which show poorly defined X-ray diffraction patterns. Vibrational spectroscopy offers one of the few methods for the assessment of the structure of the oxyanions in such minerals. Among this group of minerals is mallestigite with formula Pb3Sb5+(SO4)(AsO4)(OH)6•3H2O. The objective of this research is to determine the molecular structure of the mineral mallestigite using vibrational spectroscopy. Raman and infrared bands are attributed to the AsO43- , SO42- and water stretching vibrations. Mallestigite is a mineral formed in ancient waste dumps such as occurs at Mallestiger, Carinthia, Austria and as such is a mineral of archaeological significance.

Instantaneous phase of the autocorrelation and robustness to signal-dependent noise

The phase of an analytic signal constructed from the autocorrelation function of a signal contains significant information about the shape of the signal. Using Bedrosian's (1963) theorem for the Hilbert transform it is proved that this phase is robust to multiplicative noise if the signal is baseband and the spectra of the signal and the noise do not overlap. Higher-order spectral features are interpreted in this context and shown to extract nonlinear phase information while retaining robustness. The significance of the result is that prior knowledge of the spectra is not required.

A multi-resolution image alignment technique based on direct methods for pose estimation of aerial vehicles

In this paper, we seek to expand the use of direct methods in real-time applications by proposing a vision-based strategy for pose estimation of aerial vehicles. The vast majority of approaches make use of features to estimate motion. Conversely, the strategy we propose is based on a MR (Multi- Resolution) implementation of an image registration technique (Inverse Compositional Image Alignment ICIA) using direct methods. An on-board camera in a downwards-looking configuration, and the assumption of planar scenes, are the bases of the algorithm. The motion between frames (rotation and translation) is recovered by decomposing the frame-to-frame homography obtained by the ICIA algorithm applied to a patch that covers around the 80% of the image. When the visual estimation is required (e.g. GPS drop-out), this motion is integrated with the previous known estimation of the vehicles’ state, obtained from the on-board sensors (GPS/IMU), and the subsequent estimations are based only on the vision-based motion estimations. The proposed strategy is tested with real flight data in representative stages of a flight: cruise, landing, and take-off, being two of those stages considered critical: take-off and landing. The performance of the pose estimation strategy is analyzed by comparing it with the GPS/IMU estimations. Results show correlation between the visual estimation obtained with the MR-ICIA and the GPS/IMU data, that demonstrate that the visual estimation can be used to provide a good approximation of the vehicle’s state when it is required (e.g. GPS drop-outs). In terms of performance, the proposed strategy is able to maintain an estimation of the vehicle’s state for more than one minute, at real-time frame rates based, only on visual information.

Regulating greenhouse gas emissions from coal mining activities in the context of climate change

Current approaches to the regulation of coal mining activities in Australia have facilitated the extraction of substantial amounts of coal and coal seam gas. The regulation of coal mining activities must now achieve the reduction or mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions in order to address the challenge of climate change and achieve ecologically sustainable development. Several legislative mechanisms currently exist which appear to offer the means to bring about the reduction or mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from coal mining activities, yet Australia’s emissions from coal mining continue to rise. This article critiques these existing legislative mechanisms and presents recommendations for reform.

Content-based video indexing for sports applications using integrated multi-modal approach

To sustain an ongoing rapid growth of video information, there is an emerging demand for a sophisticated content-based video indexing system. However, current video indexing solutions are still immature and lack of any standard. This doctoral consists of a research work based on an integrated multi-modal approach for sports video indexing and retrieval. By combining specific features extractable from multiple audio-visual modalities, generic structure and specific events can be detected and classified. During browsing and retrieval, users will benefit from the integration of high-level semantic and some descriptive mid-level features such as whistle and close-up view of player(s).

The defence of joint illegal activity must be looked at in context

In Miller v Miller (2011) 85 ALJR 480; [2011] HCA 9 the High Court examined the complex issue of joint illegal activity. The issue before the court was whether a plaintiff who had engaged in an illegal activity with the defendant may claim damages in negligence. In its decision the court analysed the cases of Henwood v Municipal Tramways Trust (SA) (1938) 60 CLR 438, Smith v Jenkins (1970) 119 CLR 397, Jackson v Harrison (1978) 138 CLR 438 and Gala v Preston (1991) 172 CLR 243.

Putting on a show : the theatricality of sport

This exhibition catalogue essay discusses the work of artists in the Basil Sellars Art prize at the Ian Potter Gallery in Melbourne. It considers sport's theatre within parameters such as theatre itself; rules and recursive elements; creases in the cultural fold; transformances; and the performers themselves. The artists' articulation of these themes is discussed in detail.

Barriers to information transfer for multi-trauma patients upon discharge from the Emergency Department in a tertiary level hospital

Purpose: Communication is integral to effective trauma care provision. This presentation will report on barriers to meaningful information transfer for multi-trauma patients upon discharge from the Emergency Department (ED) to the care areas of Intensive Care Unit, High Dependency Unit, and Perioperative Services. This is an ongoing study at one tertiary level hospital in Queensland. Method: This is a multi-phase, mixed method study. In Phase 1 data were collected about information transfer. This Phase was initially informed by a comprehensive literature review, then via focus groups, chart audit, staff survey and review of national and international trauma forms. Results: The barriers identified related to nursing handover, documented information, time inefficiency, patient complexity and stability and time of transfer. Specifically this included differences in staff expectations and variation in the nursing handover processes, no agreed minimum dataset of information handed over, missing, illegible or difficult to find information in documentation (both medical and nursing), low compliance with some forms used for documentation. Handover of these patients is complex with information coming from many sources, dealing with issues is more difficult for these patients when transferred out of hours. Conclusions and further directions: This study investigated the current communication processes and standards of information transfer to identify barriers and issues. The barriers identified were the structure used for documentation, processes used (e.g. handover), patient acuity and time. This information is informing the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies to ameliorate the issues identified.

The development of a program to assist international nursing students to be prepared for clinical practice in the Australian health care context

Health education in Western Countries has grown considerably in the last decade and this has occurred for a number of reasons. Specifically Universities actively recruit International students as the health workforce becomes global; also it is much easier for students to move and study globally. Internationally there is a health workforce shortage and if students gain a degree in a reputable university their ability to work globally is improved significantly. However, when studying to practice in the health care field the student must undertake clinical practice in an acute or aged care setting. This can be a significant problem for students who are culturally and linguistically diverse in an English speaking country such as Australia. The issues that can arise stem from the language differences where communication, interpretation understanding and reading the cultural norms of the health care setting are major challenges for International students. To assist international students to be successful in their clinical education, an extra curriculum workshop program was developed to provide additional support. The program which runs twice each year includes on-campus interactive workshops that are complemented by targeted support provided for students and clinical staff who are supervising students’ practice experience in the workplace. As this is an English speaking country the workshop is based on practicing reading, writing, listening and speaking, as well as exploring basic health care concepts and cultural differences. This enables students to gain knowledge of and practice interpretation of cultural norms and expectations in a safe environment. This innovative series of interactive workshops in a highly student-centred learning environment combine education with role play and discussion with peers who are supported by culturally aware and competent Educators. Over the years it has been running, the program has been undertaken by an increasing number of students. In 2011, more than 100 students are expected to participate. Student evaluation of the program has confirmed that it has assisted the majority of them to be successful in their clinical studies. Effectiveness of the project is measured throughout the program and in follow up sessions. This ongoing information allows for continuous development of the program that serves to meet individual needs of the International student, the University and Service providers such as the hospitals. This feedback from students regarding their increased comprehension of the Australian colloquial Language, healthcare terminology, critical thinking and clinical skill development and a cultural awareness also enables them to maintain their feelings of self confidence and self esteem.

A multidisciplinary examination of fast bowling talent development in cricket

Research on expertise, talent identification and development has tended to be mono-disciplinary, typically adopting geno-centric or environmentalist positions, with an overriding focus on operational issues. In this thesis, the validity of dualist positions on sport expertise is evaluated. It is argued that, to advance understanding of expertise and talent development, a shift towards a multidisciplinary and integrative science focus is necessary, along with the development of a comprehensive multidisciplinary theoretical rationale. Dynamical systems theory is utilised as a multidisciplinary theoretical rationale for the succession of studies, capturing how multiple interacting constraints can shape the development of expert performers. Phase I of the research examines experiential knowledge of coaches and players on the development of fast bowling talent utilising qualitative research methodology. It provides insights into the developmental histories of expert fast bowlers, as well as coaching philosophies on the constraints of fast bowling expertise. Results suggest talent development programmes should eschew the notion of common optimal performance models and emphasize the individual nature of pathways to expertise. Coaching and talent development programmes should identify the range of interacting constraints that impinge on the performance potential of individual athletes, rather than evaluating current performance on physical tests referenced to group norms. Phase II of this research comprises three further studies that investigate several of the key components identified as important for fast bowling expertise, talent identification and development extrapolated from Phase I of this research. This multidisciplinary programme of work involves a comprehensive analysis of fast bowling performance in a cross-section of the Cricket Australia high performance pathways, from the junior, emerging and national elite fast bowling squads. Briefly, differences were found in trunk kinematics associated with the generation of ball speed across the three groups. These differences in release mechanics indicated the functional adaptations in movement patterns as bowlers’ physical and anatomical characteristics changed during maturation. Second to the generation of ball speed, the ability to produce a range of delivery types was highlighted as a key component of expertise in the qualitative phase. The ability of athletes to produce consistent results on different surfaces and in different environments has drawn attention to the challenge of measuring consistency and flexibility in skill assessments. Examination of fast bowlers in Phase II demonstrated that national bowlers can make adjustments to the accuracy of subsequent deliveries during performance of a cricket bowling skills test, and perform a range of delivery types with increased accuracy and consistency. Finally, variability in selected delivery stride ground reaction force components in fast bowling revealed the degenerate nature of this complex multi-articular skill where the same performance outcome can be achieved with unique movement strategies. Utilising qualitative and quantitative methodologies to examine fast bowling expertise, the importance of degeneracy and adaptability in fast bowling has been highlighted alongside learning design that promotes dynamic learning environments.

Bridging the representation and interaction challenges of mobile context-aware computing: designing agile ridesharing

The increasing capability of mobile devices and social networks to gather contextual and social data has led to increased interest in context-aware computing for mobile applications. This paper explores ways of reconciling two different viewpoints of context, representational and interactional, that have arisen respectively from technical and social science perspectives on context-aware computing. Through a case study in agile ridesharing, the importance of dynamic context control, historical context and broader context is discussed. We build upon earlier work that has sought to address the divide by further explicating the problem in the mobile context and expanding on the design approaches.

Creating new narratives through shared time and space : the performer/audience connection in multi-site dance events

Site-specific performance provides choices in audience experience via degrees of scale, proximity, levels of immersion and viewing perspectives. Beyond these choices, multi-site promenade events also form a connected audience/performer relationship in which moving together in time and space can produce a shared narrative and aesthetic sensibility of collective, yet individuated and shifting meanings. This paper interrogates this notion through audience/performer experiences in two separate multi-site, dance-led events. here/there/then/now occurred in four intimate sites within the Brisbane Powerhouse, providing a theatricalised platform for audiences to create linked narratives through open-ended and fragmented intertextuality. Accented Body, based on the concept of “the body as site and in site” and notions of connectivity, provided a more expansive platform for a similar, but heightened, shared engagement. Audiences traversed 6 outdoor and 2 indoor Brisbane sites moving to varying levels of a large complex. Eleven, predominantly interactive, screens provided links to other sites as well as to distributed presences in Seoul and London. The differentiation in scale and travel time between sites deepened the immersive experiences of audiences who reported transformative engagements with both site and architecture, accompanied by a sense of extended and yet quickened time.

Practical improvements to simultaneous computation of multi-view geometry and radial lens distortion

This paper discusses practical issues related to the use of the division model for lens distortion in multi-view geometry computation. A data normalisation strategy is presented, which has been absent from previous discussions on the topic. The convergence properties of the Rectangular Quadric Eigenvalue Problem solution for computing division model distortion are examined. It is shown that the existing method can require more than 1000 iterations when dealing with severe distortion. A method is presented for accelerating convergence to less than 10 iterations for any amount of distortion. The new method is shown to produce equivalent or better results than the existing method with up to two orders of magnitude reduction in iterations. Through detailed simulation it is found that the number of data points used to compute geometry and lens distortion has a strong influence on convergence speed and solution accuracy. It is recommended that more than the minimal number of data points be used when computing geometry using a robust estimator such as RANSAC. Adding two to four extra samples improves the convergence rate and accuracy sufficiently to compensate for the increased number of samples required by the RANSAC process.