Wireless mobility usage: a preliminary study for management in two Australian university settings

Wireless Mobility Usage: A Preliminary Qualitative Study for Management in Two Australian University Settings, Neville Meyers, Heather Gray, Greg Hearn, Louis Sanzogni, and Sandra Lawrence.

Towards an integrated model of information behavior

Information behavior models generally focus on one of many aspects of information behavior, either information finding, conceptualized as information seeking, information foraging or information sense-making, information organizing and information using. This ongoing study is developing an integrated model of information behavior. The research design involves a 2-week-long daily information journal self-maintained by the participants, combined with two interviews, one before, and one after the journal-keeping period. The data from the study will be analyzed using grounded theory to identify when the participants engage in the various behaviors that have already been observed, identified, and defined in previous models, in order to generate useful sequential data and an integrated model.

Reading nineteenth century schoolbooks online : user behavior in a digitized special collection

Special collections, because of the issues associated with conservation and use, a feature they share with archives, tend to be the most digitized areas in libraries. The Nineteenth Century Schoolbooks collection is a collection of 9000 rarely held nineteenth-century schoolbooks that were painstakingly collected over a lifetime of work by Prof. John A. Nietz, and donated to the Hillman Library at the University of Pittsburgh in 1958, which has since grown to 15,000. About 140 of these texts are completely digitized and showcased in a publicly accessible website through the University of Pittsburgh’s Library, along with a searchable bibliography of the entire collection, which expanded the awareness of this collection and its user base to beyond the academic community. The URL for the website is http://digital.library.pitt.edu/nietz/. The collection is a rich resource for researchers studying the intellectual, educational, and textbook publishing history of the United States. In this study, we examined several existing records collected by the Digital Research Library at the University of Pittsburgh in order to determine the identity and searching behaviors of the users of this collection. Some of the records examined include: 1) The results of a 3-month long user survey, 2) User access statistics including search queries for a period of one year, a year after the digitized collection became publicly available in 2001, and 3) E-mail input received by the website over 4 years from 2000-2004. The results of the study demonstrate the differences in online retrieval strategies used by academic researchers and historians, archivists, avocationists, and the general public, and the importance of facilitating the discovery of digitized special collections through the use of electronic finding aids and an interactive interface with detailed metadata.

Extending Alexander’s ecological dominance-social competition model : information behavior adaptation

Alexander’s Ecological Dominance and Social Competition (EDSC) model currently provides the most comprehensive overview of human traits in the development of a theory of human evolution and sociality (Alexander, 1990; Finn, Geary & Ward, 2005; Irons, 2005). His model provides a basis for explaining the evolution of human socio-cognitive abilities. Our paper examines the extension of Alexander’s model to incorporate the human trait of information behavior in synergy with ecological dominance and social competition as a human socio-cognitive competence. This paper discusses the various interdisciplinary perspectives exploring how evolution has shaped information behavior and why information behavior is emerging as an important human socio-cognitive competence. This paper outlines these issues, including the extension of Spink and Currier’s (2006a,b) evolution of information behavior model towards a more integrated understanding of how information behaviors have evolved (Spink & Cole, 2006).

Ecology and behavior of first instar larval Lepidoptera

Neonate Lepidoptera are confronted with the daunting task of establishing themselves on a food plant. The factors relevant to this process need to be considered at spatial and temporal scales relevant to the larva and not the investigator. Neonates have to cope with an array of plant surface characters as well as internal characters once the integument is ruptured. These characters, as well as microclimatic conditions, vary within and between plant modules and interact with larval feeding requirements, strongly affecting movement behavior, which may be extensive even for such small organisms. In addition to these factors, there is an array of predators, pathogens, and parasitoids with which first instars must contend. Not surprisingly, mortality in neonates is high but can vary widely. Experimental and manipulative studies, as well as detailed observations of the animal, are vital if the subtle interaction of factors responsible for this high and variable mortality are to be understood. These studies are essential for an understanding of theories linking female oviposition behavior with larval survival, plant defense theory, and population dynamics, as well as modern crop resistance breeding programs.

Interfacial debonding behavior of composite beam/plates with PZT patch

This paper studies interfacial debonding behavior of composite beams which include piezoelectric materials, adhesive and host beam. The focus is put on crack initiation and growth of the piezoelectric adhesive interface. Closed-form solutions of interface stresses and energy release rates are obtained for adhesive layer in the piezoelectric composite beams. Finite element analyses have been carried out to study the initiation and growth of interfaces crack for piezoelectric beams with interface element by ANSYS, in which the interface element of FE model is based on the cohesive zone models to characterize the fracture behavior of the interfacial debonding. The results have been compared with analystical solution, and the influence of different geometry and material parameters on the interfacial behavior of piezoelectric composite beams have been discussed.

Mechanical Behavior of Articular Cartilage After Osteochondral Autograft Transfer in an Ovine Model

BACKGROUND: Grafting of autologous hyaline cartilage and bone for articular cartilage repair is a well-accepted technique. Although encouraging midterm clinical results have been reported, no information on the mechanical competence of the transplanted joint surface is available. HYPOTHESIS: The mechanical competence of osteochondral autografts is maintained after transplantation. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: Osteochondral defects were filled with autografts (7.45 mm in diameter) in one femoral condyle in 12 mature sheep. The ipsilateral femoral condyle served as the donor site, and the resulting defect (8.3 mm in diameter) was left empty. The repair response was examined after 3 and 6 months with mechanical and histologic assessment and histomorphometric techniques. RESULTS: Good surface congruity and plug placement was achieved. The Young modulus of the grafted cartilage significantly dropped to 57.5% of healthy tissue after 3 months (P < .05) but then recovered to 82.2% after 6 months. The aggregate and dynamic moduli behaved similarly. The graft edges showed fibrillation and, in some cases (4 of 6), hypercellularity and chondrocyte clustering. Subchondral bone sclerosis was observed in 8 of 12 cases, and the amount of mineralized bone in the graft area increased from 40% to 61%. CONCLUSIONS: The mechanical quality of transplanted cartilage varies considerably over a short period of time, potentially reflecting both degenerative and regenerative processes, while histologically signs of both cartilage and bone degeneration occur. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Both the mechanically degenerative and restorative processes illustrate the complex progression of regeneration after osteochondral transplantation. The histologic evidence raises doubts as to the long-term durability of the osteochondral repair.

Long-term effects of hydrogel properties on human chondrocyte behavior

Hydrogels provide a 3-dimensional network for embedded cells and offer promise for cartilage tissue engineering applications. Nature-derived hydrogels, including alginate, have been shown to enhance the chondrocyte phenotype but are variable and not entirely controllable. Synthetic hydrogels, including polyethylene glycol (PEG)-based matrices, have the advantage of repeatability and modularity; mechanical stiffness, cell adhesion, and degradability can be altered independently. In this study, we compared the long-term in vitro effects of different hydrogels (alginate and Factor XIIIa-cross-linked MMP-sensitive PEG at two stiffness levels) on the behavior of expanded human chondrocytes and the development of construct properties. Monolayer-expanded human chondrocytes remained viable throughout culture, but morphology varied greatly in different hydrogels. Chondrocytes were characteristically round in alginate but mostly spread in PEG gels at both concentrations. Chondrogenic gene (COL2A1, aggrecan) expression increased in all hydrogels, but alginate constructs had much higher expression levels of these genes (up to 90-fold for COL2A1), as well as proteoglycan 4, a functional marker of the superficial zone. Also, chondrocytes expressed COL1A1 and COL10A1, indicative of de-differentiation and hypertrophy. After 12 weeks, constructs with lower polymer content were stiffer than similar constructs with higher polymer content, with the highest compressive modulus measured in 2.5% PEG gels. Different materials and polymer concentrations have markedly different potency to affect chondrocyte behavior. While synthetic hydrogels offer many advantages over natural materials such as alginate, they must be further optimized to elicit desired chondrocyte responses for use as cartilage models and for development of functional tissue-engineered articular cartilage.

International review of computer usage and applications by construction project managers

As computer applications become more available—both technically and economically—construction project managers are increasingly able to access advanced computer tools capable of transforming the role that project managers have typically performed. Competence at using these tools requires a dual commitment in training—from the individual and the firm. Improving the computer skills of project managers can provide construction firms with a competitive advantage to differentiate from others in an increasingly competitive international market. Yet, few published studies have quantified what existing level of competence construction project managers have. Identification of project managers’ existing computer application skills is a necessary first step to developing more directed training to better capture the benefits of computer applications. This paper discusses the yet to be released results of a series of surveys undertaken in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Australia and the United States through QUT’s School of Construction Management and Property and the M.E. Rinker, Sr. School of Building Construction at the University of Florida. This international survey reviews the use and reported competence in using a series of commercially-available computer applications by construction project managers. The five different country locations of the survey allow cross-national comparisons to be made between project managers undertaking continuing professional development programs. The results highlight a shortfall in the ability of construction project managers to capture potential benefits provided by advanced computer applications and provide directions for targeted industry training programs. This international survey also provides a unique insight to the cross-national usage of advanced computer applications and forms an important step in this ongoing joint review of technology and the construction project manager.

The impact of school connectedness on violent behavior, transport risk taking behavior and associated injuries in adolescence

Adolescents engage in many risk-taking behaviors that have the potential to lead to injury. The school environment has a significant role in shaping adolescent behavior, and this study aimed to provide additional information about the benefits associated with connectedness to school. Early adolescents aged 13 to 15 years (N = 509, 49% boys) were surveyed about school connectedness, engagement in transport and violence risk-taking, and injury experiences. Significant relations were found between school connectedness and reduced engagement in both transport and violence risk-taking, as well as fewer associated injuries. This study has implications for the area of risk-taking and injury prevention, as it suggests the potential for reducing adolescents' injury through school based interventions targeting school connectedness.

Thermal behavior and decomposition of kaolinite-potassium acetate intercalation composite

A series of kaolinite-potassium acetate intercalation composite was prepared. The thermal behavior and decomposition of these composites were investigated by simultaneous differential scanning calorimetry-thermogravimetric analysis (DSC-TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transformation infrared (FT-IR). The XRD pattern at room temperature indicated that intercalation of potassium acetate into kaolinite causes an increase of the basal spacing from 0.718 to 1.428nm. The peak intensity of the expanded phase of the composite decreased with heating above 300°C, and the basal spacing reduced to 1.19nm at 350°C and 0.718nm at 400°C. These were supported by DSC-TGA and FT-IR measurements, where the endothermic reactions are observed between 300 and 600°C. These reactions can be divided into two stages: 1) Removal of the intercalated molecules between 300-400°C. 2) Dehydroxylation of kaolinite between 400-600°C. Significant changes were observed in the infrared bands assigned to outer surface hydroxyl, inner surface hydroxyl, inner hydroxyl and hydrogen bands.