Practical introduction to development of sage applications

Throughout this workshop session we have looked at various configurations of Sage as well as using the Sage UI to run Sage applications (e.g. the image viewer). More advanced usage of Sage has been demonstrated using a Sage compatible version of Paraview highlighting the potential of parallel rendering. The aim of this tutorial session is to give a practical introduction to developing visual content for a tiled display using the Sage libraries. After completing this tutorial you should have the basic tools required to develop your own custom Sage applications. This tutorial is designed for software developers and intermediate programming knowledge is assumed, along with some introductory OpenGL . You will be required to write small portions of C/C++ code to complete this worksheet. However if you do not feel comfortable writing code (or have never written in C or C++), we will be on hand throughout this session so feel free to ask for some help. We have a number of machines in this lab running a VNC client to a virtual machine running Fedora 12. You should all be able to log in with the username “escience”, and password “escience10”. Some of the commands in this worksheet require you to run them as the root user, so note the password as you may need to use it a few times. If you need to access the Internet, then use the username “qpsf01”, password “escience10”

Essays on irrigation development, farm production and unaccounted costs : theory and empirical evidence

A review of the literature related to issues involved in irrigation induced agricultural development (IIAD) reveals that: (1) the magnitude, sensitivity and distribution of social welfare of IIAD is not fully analysed; (2) the impacts of excessive pesticide use on farmers’ health are not adequately explained; (3) no analysis estimates the relationship between farm level efficiency and overuse of agro-chemical inputs under imperfect markets; and (4) the method of incorporating groundwater extraction costs is misleading. This PhD thesis investigates these issues by using primary data, along with secondary data from Sri Lanka. The overall findings of the thesis can be summarised as follows. First, the thesis demonstrates that Sri Lanka has gained a positive welfare change as a result of introducing new irrigation technology. The change in the consumer surplus is Rs.48,236 million, while the change in the producer surplus is Rs. 14,274 millions between 1970 and 2006. The results also show that the long run benefits and costs of IIAD depend critically on the magnitude of the expansion of the irrigated area, as well as the competition faced by traditional farmers (agricultural crowding out effects). The traditional sector’s ability to compete with the modern sector depends on productivity improvements, reducing production costs and future structural changes (spillover effects). Second, the thesis findings on pesticides used for agriculture show that, on average, a farmer incurs a cost of approximately Rs. 590 to 800 per month during a typical cultivation period due to exposure to pesticides. It is shown that the value of average loss in earnings per farmer for the ‘hospitalised’ sample is Rs. 475 per month, while it is approximately Rs. 345 per month for the ‘general’ farmers group during a typical cultivation season. However, the average willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid exposure to pesticides is approximately Rs. 950 and Rs. 620 for ‘hospitalised’ and ‘general’ farmers’ samples respectively. The estimated percentage contribution for WTP due to health costs, lost earnings, mitigating expenditure, and disutility are 29, 50, 5 and 16 per cent respectively for hospitalised farmers, while they are 32, 55, 8 and 5 per cent respectively for ‘general’ farmers. It is also shown that given market imperfections for most agricultural inputs, farmers are overusing pesticides with the expectation of higher future returns. This has led to an increase in inefficiency in farming practices which is not understood by the farmers. Third, it is found that various groundwater depletion studies in the economics literature have provided misleading optimal water extraction quantity levels. This is due to a failure to incorporate all production costs in the relevant models. It is only by incorporating quality changes to quantity deterioration, that it is possible to derive socially optimal levels. Empirical results clearly show that the benefits per hectare per month considering both the avoidance costs of deepening agro-wells by five feet from the existing average, as well as the avoidance costs of maintaining the water salinity level at 1.8 (mmhos/Cm), is approximately Rs. 4,350 for farmers in the Anuradhapura district and Rs. 5,600 for farmers in the Matale district.

Whole life cycle costing for Malaysia residential property development : the cultural environment

As knowledge of the residential development costing impact on resource and budgeting use increase, developers are moving towards more sustainable solution by implementing whole life cycle costing. Property management requires an understanding of infrastructure management, service life planning and quality management. Today, people are beginning to realize that effective property management in high-rise residential property can sustain the property value and maintain high returns on their investment. The continuous growth of high-rise residential properties indicates that there is a need for an effective property management system to provide a sustainable high-rise residential property development. For such reasons, this paper attempts to study the culture that have been applied due the residential property development in Malaysia as to improve to the best and sustainable practice in providing the best cost effectiveness management system in residential property development.

Luxury fashion: The role of innovation as a key contributing factor in the development of luxury fashion goods and sustainable fashion design

Luxury is a quality that is difficult to define as the historical concept of luxury appears to be both dynamic and culturally specific. The everyday definition explains a ‘luxury’ in relation to a necessity: a luxury (product or service) is defined as something that consumers want rather than need. However, the growth of global markets has seen a boom in what are now referred to as ‘luxury brands’. This branding of products as luxury has resulted in a change in the way consumers understand luxury goods and services. In their attempts to characterize a luxury brand, Fionda & Moore in their article “The anatomy of a Luxury Brand” summarize a range of critical conditions that are in addition to product branding “... including product and design attributes of quality, craftsmanship and innovative, creative and unique products” (Fionda & Moore, 2009). For the purposes of discussing fashion design however, quality and craftsmanship are inseparable while creativity and innovation exist under different conditions. The terms ‘creative’ and ‘innovative’ are often used inter-changeably and are connected with most descriptions of the design process, defining ‘design’ and ‘fashion’ in many cases. Christian Marxt and Fredrik Hacklin identify this condition in their paper “Design, product development, innovation: all the same in the end?”(Marxt & Hacklin, 2005) and suggest that design communities should be aware that the distinction between these terms, whilst once quite definitive, is becoming narrow to a point where they will mean the same thing. In relation to theory building in the discipline this could pose significant problems. Brett Richards (2003) identifies innovation as different from creativity in that innovation aims to transform and implement rather than simply explore and invent. Considering this distinction, in particular relation to luxury branding, may affect the way in which design can contribute to a change in the way luxury fashion goods might be perceived in a polarised fashion market, namely suggesting that ‘luxury’ is what consumers need rather than the ‘pile it high, sell it cheap’ fashion that the current market dynamic would indicate they want. This paper attempts to explore the role of innovation as a key contributing factor in luxury concepts, in particular the relationship between innovation and creativity, the conditions which enable innovation, the role of craftsmanship in innovation and design innovation in relation to luxury fashion products. An argument is presented that technological innovation can be demonstrated as a common factor in the development of luxury fashion product and that the connection between designer and maker will play an important role in the development of luxury fashion goods for a sustainable fashion industry.

The development of fast bowling experts in Australian cricket

In this paper, we highlight key concepts from dynamical systems theory and complexity sciences to exemplify constraints on talent development in a sample of elite cricketers. Eleven international fast bowlers who cumulatively had taken more than 2,400 test wickets in over 600 international test matches were interviewed using an in-depth, open-ended, and semi-structured approach. Qualitative data were analysed to identify key components in fast bowling expertise development. Results revealed that, contrary to traditional perspectives, the athletes progressed through unique, nonlinear trajectories of development, which appears to be a commonality in the experts' developmental pathways. During development, individual experts encountered unique constraints on the acquisition of expertise in cricket fast bowling, resulting in unique performance adaptations. Specifically, data illustrated experts' ability to continually adapt behaviours under multifaceted ecological constraints.

Development of new evaluation methods for qualitative alternatives, using fuzzy calculations

Evaluation, selection and finally decision making are all among important issues, which engineers face in long run of projects. Engineers implement mathematical and nonmathematical methods to make accurate and correct decisions, whenever needed. As extensive as these methods are, effects of any selected method on outputs achieved and decisions made are still suspicious. This is more controversial and challengeable, where evaluation is made among non-quantitative alternatives. In civil engineering and construction management problems, criteria include both quantitative and qualitative ones, such as aesthetic, construction duration, building and operation costs, and environmental considerations. As the result, decision making frequently takes place among non-quantitative alternatives. It should be noted that traditional comparison methods, including clear-cut and inflexible mathematics, have always been criticized. This paper demonstrates a brief review of traditional methods of evaluating alternatives. It also offers a new decision making method using, fuzzy calculations. The main focus of this research is some engineering issues, which have flexible nature and vague borders. Suggested method provides analyzability of evaluation for decision makers. It is also capable to overcome multi criteria and multi-referees problems. In order to ease calculations, a program named DeMA is introduced.

Project managers and technical change : curriculum development in strategic technology management

Traditional business approaches do not take account of the rapid technological developments underpinning today's world. Further understanding the role of technology and its efficient management to build and maintain a competitive edge in business can allow project managers to more successfully manage organisations, and to adapt to and capitalise on, today’s rapidly changing environment. Strategic Technology Management links engineering, science and management principles to identify, choose, and implement the most effective means of attaining compatibility between internal skills and resources of an organisation and its competitive, economic and social environment. This paper reviews the rationale and the development of a new Strategic Technology Management subject in QUT’s Master of Project Management program. It discusses recent developments in the area of technology management from an international perspective, provides details of the curriculum developed and discusses the experience of completing two years of teaching the new program.

Mesenchymal stem cells

Cell based therapies as they apply to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, require cells capable of self renewal and differentiation, and a prerequisite is to be able to prepare an effective dose of ex vivo expanded cells for autologous transplants. The in vivo identification of a source of physiologically relevant cell types suitable for cell therapies therefore figures as an integral part of tissue engineering. Stem cells serve as a reserve for biological repair, having the potential to differentiate into a number of specialised cell types within the body; they therefore represent the most useful candidates for cell based therapies. The primary goal of stem cell research is to produce cells that are both patient specific, as well as having properties suitable for the specific conditions for which they are intended to remedy. From a purely scientific perspective, stem cells allow scientists to gain a deeper understanding of developmental biology and regenerative therapies. Stem cells have acquired a number of uses for applications in regenerative medicine, immunotherapy, gene therapy, but it is in the area of tissue engineering that they generate most excitement, primarily as a result of their capacity for self-renewal and pluripotency. A unique feature of stem cells is their ability to maintain an uncommitted quiescent state in vivo and then, once triggered by conditions such as disease, injury or natural wear or tear, serve as a reservoir and natural support system to replenish lost cells. Although these cells retain the plasticity to differentiate into various tissues, being able to control this differentiation process is still one of the biggest challenges facing stem cell research. In an effort to harness the potential of these cells a number of studies have been conducted using both embryonic/foetal and adult stem cells. The use of embryonic stem cells (ESC) have been hampered by strong ethical and political concerns, this despite their perceived versatility due to their pluripotency. Ethical issues aside, other concerns raised with ESCs relates to the possibility of tumorigenesis, immune rejection and complications with immunosuppressive therapies, all of which adds layers of complications to the application ESC in research and which has led to the search for alternative sources for stem cells. The adult tissues in higher organisms harbours cells, termed adult stem cells, and these cells are reminiscent of unprogrammed stem cells. A number of sources of adult stem cells have been described. Bone marrow is by far the most accessible source of two potent populations of adult stem cells, namely haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Autologously harvested adult stem cells can, in contrast to embryonic stem cells, readily be used in autografts, since immune rejection is not an issue; and their use in scientific research has not attracted the ethical concerns which have been the case with embryonic stem cells. The major limitation to their use, however, is the fact that adult stem cells are exceedingly rare in most tissues. This fact makes identifying and isolating these cells problematic; bone marrow being perhaps the only notable exception. Unlike the case of HSCs, there are as yet no rigorous criteria for characterizing MSCs. Changing acuity about the pluripotency of MSCs in recent studies has expanded their potential application; however, the underlying molecular pathways which impart the features distinctive to MSCs remain elusive. Furthermore, the sparse in vivo distribution of these cells imposes a clear limitation to their study in vitro. Also, when MSCs are cultured in vitro, there is a loss of the in vivo microenvironment, resulting in a progressive decline in proliferation potential and multipotentiality. This is further exacerbated with increased passage numbers in culture, characterized by the onset of senescence related changes. As a consequence, it is necessary to establish protocols for generating large numbers of MSCs but without affecting their differentiation potential. MSCs are capable of differentiating into mesenchymal tissue lineages, including bone, cartilage, fat, tendon, muscle, and marrow stroma. Recent findings indicate that adult bone marrow may also contain cells that can differentiate into the mature, nonhematopoietic cells of a number of tissues, including cells of the liver, kidney, lung, skin, gastrointestinal tract, and myocytes of heart and skeletal muscle. MSCs can readily be expanded in vitro and can be genetically modified by viral vectors and be induced to differentiate into specific cell lineages by changing the microenvironment–properties which makes these cells ideal vehicles for cellular gene therapy. MSCs can also exert profound immunosuppressive effects via modulation of both cellular and innate immune pathways, and this property allows them to overcome the issue of immune rejection. Despite the many attractive features associated with MSCs, there are still many hurdles to overcome before these cells are readily available for use in clinical applications. The main concern relates to in vivo characterization and identification of MSCs. The lack of a universal biomarker, sparse in vivo distribution, and a steady age related decline in their numbers, makes it an obvious need to decipher the reprogramming pathways and critical molecular players which govern the characteristics unique to MSCs. This book presents a comprehensive insight into the biology of adult stem cells and their utility in current regeneration therapies. The adult stem cell populations reviewed in this book include bone marrow derived MSCs, adipose derived stem cells (ASCs), umbilical cord blood stem cells, and placental stem cells. The features such as MSC circulation and trafficking, neuroprotective properties, and the nurturing roles and differentiation potential of multiple lineages have been discussed in details. In terms of therapeutic applications, the strengths of MSCs have been presented and their roles in disease treatments such as osteoarthritis, Huntington’s disease, periodontal regeneration, and pancreatic islet transplantation have been discussed. An analysis comparing osteoblast differentiation of umbilical cord blood stem cells and MSCs has been reviewed, as has a comparison of human placental stem cells and ASCs, in terms of isolation, identification and therapeutic applications of ASC in bone, cartilage regeneration, as well as myocardial regeneration. It is my sincere hope that this book will update the reader as to the research progress of MSC biology and potential use of these cells in clinical applications. It will be the best reward to all contributors of this book, if their efforts herein may in some way help the readers in any part of their study, research, and career development.

Parents resourcing children’s early development and learning

Parents deal with a complex web of choices when seeking and using knowledge and resources related to their young children’s literacy development. Information about children’s learning and development comes in many forms and is produced by an increasingly diverse range of players including governments, nongovernment organisations and commercial businesses. This study used a survey, interview and artefact collection to investigate mothers’ and fathers’ reported activities in seeking, accessing, producing and circulating information and resources related to children’s learning and development. Differences were found relating to parent gender and level of education. Parents’ resourcing activities are also shaped by their particular goals for their children.

The development of the extended adolescent injury checklist (E-AIC) : a measure for injury prevention program evaluation

The Extended Adolescent Injury Checklist (E-AIC), a self-report measure of injury based on the model of the Adolescent Injury Checklist (AIC), was developed for use in the evaluation of school-based interventions. The three stages of this development involved focus groups with adolescents and consultations with medical staff, pilot testing of the revised AIC in a high school context, and use of the finalised checklist in pre- and post-questionnaires to examine its utility. Results revealed that responses to the final version of the E-AIC were meaningful and remained consistent over time. The E-AIC appears to be a promising measure of adolescent injury that is simple, time-efficient and appropriate for use in the evaluation of school-based injury prevention programs.

Development of a software model of a heavy vehicle suspension for research

A Simulink Matlab control system of a heavy vehicle suspension has been developed. The aim of the exercise presented in this paper was to develop a Simulink Matlab control system of a heavy vehicle suspension. The objective facilitated by this outcome was the use of a working model of a heavy vehicle (HV) suspension that could be used for future research. A working computer model is easier and cheaper to re-configure than a HV axle group installed on a truck; it presents less risk should something go wrong and allows more scope for variation and sensitivity analysis before embarking on further "real-world" testing. Empirical data recorded as the input and output signals of a heavy vehicle (HV) suspension were used to develop the parameters for computer simulation of a linear time invariant system described by a second-order differential equation of the form: (i.e. a "2nd-order" system). Using the empirical data as an input to the computer model allowed validation of its output compared with the empirical data. The errors ranged from less than 1% to approximately 3% for any parameter, when comparing like-for-like inputs and outputs. The model is presented along with the results of the validation. This model will be used in future research in the QUT/Main Roads project Heavy vehicle suspensions – testing and analysis, particularly so for a theoretical model of a multi-axle HV suspension with varying values of dynamic load sharing. Allowance will need to be made for the errors noted when using the computer models in this future work.

Development of a workplace wellness promotion pilot framework : a case study of the Blue Care Staff Wellness Program

Workplace wellness initiatives are currently unreflective of the multidimensional and holistic nature of the wellness construct. There exists an opportunity for promoters of health to move toward models of workplace wellness promotion that more fully appreciate the interconnected nature of health dimensions and promote them even-handedly. The Blue Care Staff Wellness Program framework was developed in response to a recognised need for consistent and wellness-focused constructs for workplace wellness promotion and dissemination. The framework promotes and supports the individual and organisational wellness of the Blue Care employee population by providing a comprehensive and sustainable employee wellness program. This has been achieved by the adoption of consistent wellness principles to guide the framework conception and theory based development. The use of the framework in a pilot program will provide insight into the frameworks effectiveness in promoting a comprehensive workplace wellness program, and go further to establish the relationship between wellness and productivity in the workplace.

Development of an automated safety assessment framework for construction activities

This paper presents an ongoing research project concerning the development of an automated safety assessment framework for earthmoving and surface mining activities. This research seeks to determine data needs for safety assessment and investigates how to utilize collected data to promote more informed and efficient safety decision-making. The research first examined accidents and fatalities involved with earthmoving and surface mining activities—more specifically, those involving loading, hauling, and dumping operations,—investigated risk factors involved with the accidents, and finally identified data needs for safety assessment based on safety regulations and practices. An automated safety assessment method was then developed using the data needs that had been identified. This research is expected to contribute to the introduction of a fundamental framework for automated safety assessment and the systematic collection of safety-related data from construction activities. Implementation of the entire safety assessment process on actual construction sites remains a task for future research.