The molecular structure of the phosphate mineral kidwellite NaFe93+(PO4)6(OH)11⋅3H2O – a vibrational spectroscopic study

The mineral kidwellite, a hydrated hydroxy phosphate of ferric iron and sodium of approximate formula NaFe93+(PO4)6(OH)11⋅3H2O, has been studied using a combination of electron microscopy with EDX and vibrational spectroscopic techniques. Raman spectroscopy identifies an intense band at 978 cm−1 and 1014 cm−1. These bands are attributed to the PO43− ν1 symmetric stretching mode. The ν3 antisymmetric stretching modes are observed by a large number of Raman bands. The series of Raman bands at 1034, 1050, 1063, 1082, 1129, 1144 and 1188 cm−1 are attributed to the ν3 antisymmetric stretching bands of the PO43− and HOPO32− units. The observation of these multiple Raman bands in the symmetric and antisymmetric stretching region gives credence to the concept that both phosphate and hydrogen phosphate units exist in the structure of kidwellite. The series of Raman bands at 557, 570, 588, 602, 631, 644 and 653 cm−1are assigned to the PO43− ν2 bending modes. The series of Raman bands at 405, 444, 453, 467, 490 and 500 cm−1 are attributed to the PO43− and HOPO32− ν4 bending modes. The spectrum is quite broad but Raman bands may be resolved at 3122, 3231, 3356, 3466 and 3580 cm−1. These bands are assigned to water stretching vibrational modes. The number and position of these bands suggests that water is in different molecular environments with differing hydrogen bond distances. Infrared bands at 3511 and 3359 cm−1 are ascribed to the OH stretching vibration of the OH units. Very broad bands at 3022 and 3299 cm−1 are attributed to the OH stretching vibrations of water. Vibrational spectroscopy offers insights into the molecular structure of the phosphate mineral kidwellite.

Emotional climate and high quality learning experiences in science teacher education

The role of emotion during learning encounters in science teacher education is under-researched and under-theorized. In this case study we explore the emotional climates, that is, the collective states of emotional arousal, of a preservice secondary science education class to illuminate practice for producing and reproducing high quality learning experiences for preservice science teachers. Theories related to the sociology of emotions informed our analyses from data sources such as preservice teachers’ perceptions of the emotional climate of their class, emotional facial expressions, classroom conversations, and cogenerative dialogue. The major outcome from our analyses was that even though preservice teachers reported high positive emotional climate during the professor’s science demonstrations, they also valued the professor’s in the moment reflections on her teaching that were associated with low emotional climate ratings. We co-relate emotional climate data and preservice teachers’ comments during cogenerative dialogue to expand our understanding of high quality experiences and emotional climate in science teacher education. Our study also contributes refinements to research perspectives on emotional climate.

Exploring potential factors leading to effective training : an exclusive study on commercial banks in Cambodia

Purpose A previous study found that the quality of education in Cambodia is poor compared to other developing countries. However, the working performance of commercial banks in Cambodia is high. It was speculated that effective training was the main factor underlying this contradiction. Therefore, the main purpose of this article is to explore the elements of training conducted by commercial banks in Cambodia and to examine their relationship with training effectiveness. Design/methodology/approach The research focuses on six factors: training needs assessment; training program; flexibility of training; self-efficacy; social support; and transfer of knowledge. The data came in the form of questionnaires and desk research. A descriptive analytical approach is then used to describe these six factors. Findings The banking industry in Cambodia offers very effective training to its employees. It is also worth noting that more than 80 percent of employees are satisfied with the training, despite few attempts on the part of management to elicit opinions from employees on what training methods should be employed. Research limitations/implications As research studies involving Cambodia are relatively rare, it was difficult for to gather primary data. Because of this limitation and the purpose of this study, descriptive data interpretation was employed. Practical implications – Even though training can make up for poor education, it is only a short-term solution. In the long term, education needs to be enhanced to increase working performance. Originality/value This research provides a good framework for commercial banks in other developing countries to compare. A cross-cultural study is also proposed for future research.

Development and pilot study of the Primary Care Practice Improvement Tool (PC-PIT) : an innovative approach

Objective To assess the usability and validity of the Primary Care Practice Improvement Tool (PC-PIT), a practice performance improvement tool based on 13 key elements identified by a systematic review. It was co-created with a range of partners and designed specifically for primary health care. Design This pilot study examined the PC-PIT using a formative assessment framework and mixed-methods research design. Setting and participants Six high-functioning general practices in Queensland, Australia, between February and July 2013. A total of 28 staff participated — 10 general practitioners, six practice or community nurses, 12 administrators (four practice managers; one business manager and eight reception or general administrative staff). Main outcome measures Readability, content validity and staff perceptions of the PC-PIT. Results The PC-PIT offers an appropriate and acceptable approach to internal quality improvement in general practice. Quantitative assessment scores and qualitative data from all staff identified two areas in which the PC-PIT required modification: a reduction in the indicative reading age, and simplification of governance-related terms and concepts. Conclusion The PC-PIT provides an innovative approach to address the complexity of organisational improvement in general practice and primary health care. This initial validation will be used to develop a suite of supporting, high-quality and free-to-access resources to enhance the use of the PC-PIT in general practice. Based on these findings, a national trial is now underway.

What are pregnant women told about models of maternity care in Australia? A retrospective study of women's reports

Objective To describe women’s reports of the model of care options General Practitioners (GPs) discussed with them at the first pregnancy consultation and women’s self-reported role in decisionmaking about model of care. Methods Women who had recently given birth responded to survey items about the models of care GPs discussed, their role in final decision-making, and socio-demographic, obstetric history, and early pregnancy characteristics. Results The proportion of women with whom each model of care was discussed varied between 8.2% (for private midwifery care with home birth) and 64.4% (GP shared care). Only 7.7% of women reported that all seven models were discussed. Exclusive discussion about private obstetric care and about all public models was common, and women’s health insurance status was the strongest predictor of the presence of discussions about each model. Most women (82.6%) reported active involvement in final decision-making about model of care. Conclusion Although most women report involvement in maternity model of care decisions, they remain largely uninformed about the breadth of available model of care options. Practical implications Strategies that facilitate women’s access to information on the differentiating features and outcomes for all models of care should be prioritized to better ensure equitable and quality decisions.

GAEC1 and colorectal cancer : a study of the relationships between a novel oncogene and clinicopathologic features

GAEC1 is a novel gene located at 7q22.1 that was detected in our previous work in esophageal cancer. The aims of the present study are to identify the copy number of GAEC1 in different colorectal tissues including carcinomas, adenomas, and nonneoplastic tissues and characterize any links to pathologic factors. The copy number of GAEC1 was studied by evaluating the quantitative amplification of GAEC1 DNA in 259 colorectal tissues (144 adenocarcinomas, 31 adenomas, and 84 nonneoplastic tissues) using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Copy number of GAEC1 DNA in colorectal adenocarcinomas was higher in comparison with nonneoplastic colorectum. Seventy-nine percent of the colorectal adenocarcinomas showed amplification and 15% showed deletion of GAEC1 (P < .0001). Of the adenomas, 90% showed deletion of GAEC1, with the remaining 10% showing normal copy number. The differences in GAEC1 copy number between colorectal adenocarcinoma, colorectal adenoma, and nonneoplastic colorectal tissue are significant (P < .0001). GAEC1 copy number was significantly higher in adenocarcinomas located in distal colorectum compared with proximal colon (P = .03). In conclusion, GAEC1 copy number was significantly different between colorectal adenocarcinomas, adenomas, and nonneoplastic colorectal tissues. The copy number was also related to the site of the cancer. These findings along with previous work in esophageal cancer imply that GAEC1 is commonly involved in the pathogenesis of colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Application of a hybrid Entropy–McKinsey Matrix method in evaluating sustainable urbanization : a China case study

Although urbanization can promote social and economic development, it can also cause various problems. As the key decision makers of urbanization, local governments should be able to evaluate urbanization performance, summarize experiences, and find problems caused by urbanization. This paper introduces a hybrid Entropy–McKinsey Matrix method for evaluating sustainable urbanization. The McKinsey Matrix is commonly referred to as the GE Matrix. The values of a development index (DI) and coordination index (CI) are calculated by employing the Entropy method and are used as a basis for constructing a GE Matrix. The matrix can assist in assessing sustainable urbanization performance by locating the urbanization state point. A case study of the city of Jinan in China demonstrates the process of using the evaluation method. The case study reveals that the method is an effective tool in helping policy makers understand the performance of urban sustainability and therefore formulate suitable strategies for guiding urbanization toward better sustainability.

Controlling electronic and adiabatic isolation of quantum dots from the substrate : an ionization-energy theoretic study

Recent controversy on the quantum dots dephasing mechanisms (between pure and inelastic) is re-examined by isolating the quantum dots from their substrate by using the appropriate limits of the ionization energy theory and the quantum adiabatic theorem. When the phonons in the quantum dots are isolated adiabatically from the phonons in the substrate, the elastic or pure dephasing becomes the dominant mechanism. On the other hand, for the case where the phonons from the substrate are non-adiabatically coupled to the quantum dots, the inelastic dephasing process takes over. This switch-over is due to different elemental composition in quantum dots as compared to its substrate. We also provide unambiguous analysis as to understand why GaAs/AlGaAs quantum dots may only have pure dephasing while InAs/GaAs quantum dots give rise to the inelastic dephasing as the dominant mechanism. It is shown that the elemental composition plays an important role (of both quantum dots and substrate) in evaluating the dephasing mechanisms of quantum dots.

Academic librarians' varying experiences of archives : a phenomenographic study

This article reports on a study investigating academic librarians' varying experiences of archives in order to promote understanding and communication among librarians and archivists. A qualitative, phenomenographic approach was adopted for the study. Three different ways of experiencing archives were identified from analysis of interviews. Archives may be experienced by academic librarians as 1) a place which protects collections; 2) resources to be used in accomplishing tasks such as teaching, research, or outreach; or 3) manifestations of politics. The third way of experiencing archives is the most complex, incorporating both the other experiences. The results of this study may help librarians, especially academic librarians, and archivists communicate more clearly on joint projects involving archival collections thereby enabling more collaboration.

Supporting quality timely doctoral completions : online tools that deliver research outcomes

This case study applied Weick's (1979) notion of sensemaking to support timely quality doctoral completion. Taking a socio-cultural perspective the paper explored how drivers can be applied to inform better fit (Durham, 1991). Global research themes, including growth in student numbers, timely completion and generation and distribution of research outcomes, are considered. It is argued that accessible and interactive web interfaces should be informed by quality assurance measures and key performance indicators. The contribution made is a better understanding of how phenomena and contexts can be applied to generate quality management of research training environments and research outcomes in universities.

Resistances, facilitators and influences on professionals' knowledge sharing behaviour : a case study

The centrality of knowledge sharing to organisations' sustainability has been established. This case study illustrates the influences on individual knowledge sharing decision-making and behaviour among professionals and paraprofessionals - specifically civil engineers and design drafters - in a large public sector organisation that provides transportation infrastructure. The case examines the ways in which overlapping sets of values and behavioural drivers affect knowledge sharing orientation and practices in a collective of experts and novices working in an environment that is largely project-based. The alignment among sector, profession and organisation values provides a supportive environment for knowledge sharing, however individual behaviour is found to be most strongly influenced by the presence and quality of relational capital.

Regional trade-offs between mine water and energy use : a water treatment case study

The mining industry faces concurrent pressures of reducing water use, energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in coming years. However, the interactions between water and energy use, as well as GHG e missions have largely been neglected in modelling studies to date. In addition, investigations tend to focus on the unit operation scale, with little consideration of whole-of-site or regional scale effects. This paper presents an application of a hierarchical systems model (HSM) developed to represent water, energy and GHG emissions fluxes at scales ranging from the unit operation, to the site level, to the regional level. The model allows for the linkages between water use, energy use and GHG emissions to be examined in a fl exible and intuitive way, so that mine sites can predict energy and emissions impacts of water use reduction schemes and vice versa. This paper examines whether this approach can also be applied to the regional scale with multiple mine sites. The model is used to conduct a case study of several coal mines in the Bowen Basin, Australia, to compare the utility of centralised and decentralised mine water treatment schemes. The case study takes into account geographical factors (such as water pumping distances and elevations), economic factors (such as capital and operating cost curves for desalination treatment plants) and regional factors (such as regionally varying climates and associated variance in mine water volumes and quality). The case study results indicate that treatment of saline mine water incurs a trade-off between water and energy use in all cases. However, significant cost differences between centralised and decentralised schemes can be observed in a simple economic analysis. Further research will examine the possibility for deriving model up-scaling algorithms to reduce computational requirements.

Reduction and adsorption of Pb2+ in aqueous solution by nano zero-valent iron : a SEM, TEM and XPS study

This study reports the synthesis, characterization and application of nano zero-valent iron (nZVI). The nZVI was produced by a reduction method and compared with commercial available ZVI powder for Pb2+ removal from aqueous phase. Comparing with commercial ZVI, the laboratory made nZVI powder has a much higher specific surface area. XRD patterns have revealed zero valent iron phases in two ZVI materials. Different morphologies have been observed using SEM and TEM techniques. EDX spectrums revealed even distribution of Pb on surface after reaction. The XPS analysis has confirmed that immobilized lead was present in its zero-valent and bivalent forms. ‘Core-shell’ structure of prepared ZVI was revealed based on combination of XRD and XPS characterizations. In addition, comparing with Fluka ZVI, this lab made nZVI has much higher reactivity towards Pb2+ and within just 15 mins 99.9% removal can be reached. This synthesized nano ZVI material has shown great potential for heavy metal immobilization from waste water.

A comparative study of airborne particulate pollution at two bus stations of different site geography

Airborne particulate pollutant is considered to be one of the major harmful emissions produced by vehicle engines as it has been directly linked to serious health problems. Passengers spend long times at bus stations and may be exposed to high concentrations of pollution. Particle pollution at two bus stations in Brisbane, Australia were monitored. The two bus stations consisted of markedly different site geography and surroundings with one situated in a street canyon and the other elevated above ground level. The same flow of traffic operated through both stations. Real time measurements of ultrafine particle concentration, size distribution and meteorological conditions were carried out on the platform continuously over several days. The results showed that the particle number concentrations were significantly different at the two stations, suggesting that the layout of site geometry and surroundings was a dominant determining factor through the injection of fresh air into the station platforms and the rates of dilution.

Nano and ultrafine particle number concentrations in different environments : application towards air quality regulations

Particle number concentrations vary significantly with environment and, in this study, we attempt to assess the significance of these differences. Towards this aim, we reviewed 85 papers that have reported particle number concentrations levels at 126 sites covering different environments. We grouped the results into eight categories according to measurement location including: road tunnel, on-road, road-side, street canyon, urban, urban background, rural, and clean background. From these reports, the overall median number concentration for each of the eight site categories was calculated. The eight location categories may be classified into four distinct groups. The mean median particle number locations for these four types were found to be statistically different from each other. Rural and clean background sites had the lowest concentrations of about 3x103 cm-3. Urban and urban background sites showed concentrations that were three times higher (9x103 cm-3). The mean concentration for the street canyon, roadside and on-road measurement sites was 4.6x104 cm-3, while the highest concentrations were observed in the road tunnels (8.6x104 cm-3). This variation is important when assessing human exposure-response for which there is very little data available, making it difficult to develop health guidelines, a basis for national regulations. Our analyses shows that the current levels in environments affected by vehicle emissions are 3 to 28 times higher than in the natural environments. At present, there is no threshold level in response to exposure to ultrafine particles. Therefore, future control and management strategies should target a decrease of these particles in urban environments by more than one order of magnitude to bring them down to the natural background. At present there is a long way to go to achieve this.