Learning in and beyond small business advisory programmes

The purpose of this paper is to analyse how participants learn in small business advisory programmes and to explore the impact of these learning programmes on the development of reflective learning dispositions in participants. The research involves two case studies of small business advisory programmes in Queensland, a state of Australia. One involves training in the use of GPS/GIS technology amongst rural SMEs and the other seeks to develop improved management and operational capabilities in regional and metropolitan manufacturing SMEs. Face to face semi-structured interviews were conducted throughout rural, regional and metropolitan Queensland with participants, trainers and senior executives in the administering organisations that ran the programmes. Learning in these programmes occurs through a combination of interaction with others and the adoption of practice-based and learner-centred processes. The impact of the programmes on participants includes the development of reflective learning dispositions, improved confidence in learning and appreciation of the value of new knowledge to their business. The research suggests that small business training programmes have the potential to affect the development of critical reflective learning dispositions in participants which is of fundamental importance to the development of a learning or knowledge economy.

Towards the development of a gas sensor system for monitoring pollutant gases in the low troposphere using small unmanned aerial vehicles

The world is facing problems due to the effects of increased atmospheric pollution, climate change and global warming. Innovative technologies to identify, quantify and assess fluxes exchange of the pollutant gases between the Earth’s surface and atmosphere are required. This paper proposes the development of a gas sensor system for a small UAV to monitor pollutant gases, collect data and geo-locate where the sample was taken. The prototype has two principal systems: a light portable gas sensor and an optional electric–solar powered UAV. The prototype will be suitable to: operate in the lower troposphere (100-500m); collect samples; stamp time and geo-locate each sample. One of the limitations of a small UAV is the limited power available therefore a small and low power consumption payload is designed and built for this research. The specific gases targeted in this research are NO2, mostly produce by traffic, and NH3 from farming, with concentrations above 0.05 ppm and 35 ppm respectively which are harmful to human health. The developed prototype will be a useful tool for scientists to analyse the behaviour and tendencies of pollutant gases producing more realistic models of them.

PARP inhibition induces BAX/BAK-independent synthetic lethality of BRCA1-deficient non-small cell lung cancer

Evasion of apoptosis contributes to both tumourigenesis and drug resistance in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). The pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins BAX and BAK are critical regulators of mitochondrial apoptosis. New strategies for targeting NSCLC in a mitochondria-independent manner should bypass this common mechanism of apoptosis block. BRCA1 mutation frequency in lung cancer is low; however, decreased BRCA1 mRNA and protein expression levels have been reported in a significant proportion of lung adenocarcinomas. BRCA1 mutation/deficiency confers a defect in homologous recombination DNA repair that has been exploited by synthetic lethality through inhibition of PARP (PARPi) in breast and ovarian cells; however, it is not known whether this same synthetic lethal mechanism exists in NSCLC cells. Additionally, it is unknown whether the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway is required for BRCA1/PARPi-mediated synthetic lethality. Here we demonstrate that silencing of BRCA1 expression by RNA interference sensitizes NSCLC cells to PARP inhibition. Importantly, this sensitivity was not attenuated in cells harbouring mitochondrial apoptosis block induced by co-depletion of BAX and BAK. Furthermore, we demonstrate that BRCA1 inhibition cannot override platinum resistance, which is often mediated by loss of mitochondrial apoptosis signalling, but can still sensitize to PARP inhibition. Finally we demonstrate the existence of a BRCA1-deficient subgroup (11–19%) of NSCLC patients by analysing BRCA1 protein levels using immunohistochemistry in two independent primary NSCLC cohorts. Taken together, the existence of BRCA1-immunodeficient NSCLC suggests that this molecular subgroup could be effectively targeted by PARP inhibitors in the clinic and that PARP inhibitors could be used for the treatment of BRCA1-immunodeficient, platinum-resistant tumours.

Small and medium enterprises sourcing software as a service – a dynamic perspective on IS capabilities

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a promising approach for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) firms, in particular those that are focused on growing fast and leveraging new technology, due to the potential benefits arising from its inherent scalability, reduced total cost of ownership and the ease of access to global innovations. This paper proposes a dynamic perspective on IS capabilities to understand and explain SMEs sourcing and levering SaaS. The model is derived from combining the IS capabilities of Feeny and Willcocks (1998) and the dynamic capabilities of Teece (2007) and contextualizing it for SMEs and SaaS. We conclude that SMEs sourcing and leveraging SaaS require leadership, business systems thinking and informed buying for sensing and seizing SaaS opportunities and require leadership and vendor development for transforming in terms of aligning and realigning specific tangible and intangible assets.

Small business entity tax concessions : through the eyes of the practitioner

The often competing imperatives of equity, simplicity and efficiency in the income tax regime, particularly the notion of simplicity, has been most evident within Australia’s small business sector over the last decade. In an attempt to provide tax simplification and reduce the tax compliance burden faced by Australian small businesses, provisions collectively referred to as the ‘simplified tax system’ or STS were introduced. The STS was designed to provide eligible small businesses with the option of adopting a range of ‘simplified’ tax measures designed to simplify their tax affairs whilst at the same time, reducing their tax compliance costs. Ultimately, a low take-up rate and accompanying criticisms led to a remodelled and rebadged concessionary regime known as the ‘Small Business Entity’ (SBE) regime which came into effect from 1 July 2007. This paper, through a pilot study, investigates the SBE regime though the eyes of the practitioner. In line the Australian Federal Government’s objective of simplification and reduced compliance costs, the purpose of the study was to (1) determine the extent to which the SBE concessions are being adopted by tax practitioners on behalf of their clients, (2) gain an understanding as to which individual SBE tax concessions are most favoured by practitioners, (3) determine the primary motivation as to why tax practitioners recommend particular SBE concessions to their clients, and (4) canvass the opinions of practitioners as to whether they believed that the introduction of the SBE concessions had met their stated objective of reducing tax compliance costs for small businesses. The findings of this research indicate that, while there is a perception that the SBE concessions are worth embracing, contrary to the policy intent, the reasons behind adopting the concessions was the opportunity to minimise a clients’ tax liability. It was revealed that adopting particular concessions had nothing to do with compliance costs savings and, in fact, the SBE concessions merely added another layer of complexity to an already cumbersome and complex tax code, which resulted in increased compliance costs for their small businesses clients. Further, the SBE concessions allowed tax practitioners the opportunity to engage in effective tax minimisation, thereby fulfilling the client advocacy role of the tax practitioner in maximising their clients’ tax preferences.

Explaining internationalisation of small to medium sized enterprises within the Queensland food and beverage industry

The prevalence of International New Ventures (INVs) has increased during the past twenty years. Nevertheless, to date there has been no general consensus within the literature on an explanation as to the rapid internationalisation of some firms. Do they follow a similar process to other firms that internationalise based on a more ‘measured’ incremental sequential process of internationalisation. This paper proposes and tests an innovation diffusion model of the internationalisation of small firm INVs and others by drawing on key innovation diffusion models from the literature. The results of this analysis indicate that the synthesised model of export adoption is effective in explaining the internationalisation process of INVs and other firms within the Queensland Food and Beverage Industry. Significantly, the features of the original innovation diffusion models developed in the consumer behaviour literature, which had limited examination within the internationalisation literature, were confirmed. This includes the ability of firms, or specifically decision-makers, to skip stages based on previous experience.

The effect of very small air gaps on small field dosimetry

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of very small air gaps (less than 1 mm) on the dosimetry of small photon fields used for stereotactic treatments. Measurements were performed with optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters (OSLDs) for 6 MV photons on a Varian 21iX linear accelerator with a Brainlab μMLC attachment for square field sizes down to 6 mm × 6 mm. Monte Carlo simulations were performed using EGSnrc C++ user code cavity. It was found that the Monte Carlo model used in this study accurately simulated the OSLD measurements on the linear accelerator. For the 6 mm field size, the 0.5 mm air gap upstream to the active area of the OSLD caused a 5.3 % dose reduction relative to a Monte Carlo simulation with no air gap. A hypothetical 0.2 mm air gap caused a dose reduction > 2 %, emphasizing the fact that even the tiniest air gaps can cause a large reduction in measured dose. The negligible effect on an 18 mm field size illustrated that the electronic disequilibrium caused by such small air gaps only affects the dosimetry of the very small fields. When performing small field dosimetry, care must be taken to avoid any air gaps, as can be often present when inserting detectors into solid phantoms. It is recommended that very small field dosimetry is performed in liquid water. When using small photon fields, sub-millimetre air gaps can also affect patient dosimetry if they cannot be spatially resolved on a CT scan. However the effect on the patient is debatable as the dose reduction caused by a 1 mm air gap, starting out at 19% in the first 0.1 mm behind the air gap, decreases to < 5 % after just 2 mm, and electronic equilibrium is fully re-established after just 5 mm.

Reversal of acute coagulopathy during hypotensive resuscitation using small-volume 7.5% NaCl adenocaine and Mg2+ in the rat model of severe hemorrhagic shock

OBJECTIVE: : Acute traumatic coagulopathy occurs early in hemorrhagic trauma and is a major contributor to mortality and morbidity. Our aim was to examine the effect of small-volume 7.5% NaCl adenocaine (adenosine and lidocaine, adenocaine) and Mg on hypotensive resuscitation and coagulopathy in the rat model of severe hemorrhagic shock. DESIGN: : Prospective randomized laboratory investigation. SUBJECTS: : A total of 68 male Sprague Dawley Rats. INTERVENTION: : Post-hemorrhagic shock treatment for acute traumatic coagulopathy. MEASUREMENTS AND METHODS: : Nonheparinized male Sprague-Dawley rats (300-450 g, n = 68) were randomly assigned to either: 1) untreated; 2) 7.5% NaCl; 3) 7.5% NaCl adenocaine; 4) 7.5% NaCl Mg; or 5) 7.5% NaCl adenocaine/Mg. Hemorrhagic shock was induced by phlebotomy to mean arterial pressure of 35-40 mm Hg for 20 mins (~40% blood loss), and animals were left in shock for 60 mins. Bolus (0.3 mL) was injected into the femoral vein and hemodynamics monitored. Blood was collected in Na citrate (3.2%) tubes, centrifuged, and the plasma snap frozen in liquid N2 and stored at -80°C. Coagulation was assessed using activated partial thromboplastin times and prothrombin times. RESULTS: : Small-volume 7.5% NaCl adenocaine and 7.5% NaCl adenocaine/Mg were the only two groups that gradually increased mean arterial pressure 1.6-fold from 38-39 mm Hg to 52 and 64 mm Hg, respectively, at 60 mins (p < .05). Baseline plasma activated partial thromboplastin time was 17 ± 0.5 secs and increased to 63 ± 21 secs after bleeding time, and 217 ± 32 secs after 60-min shock. At 60-min resuscitation, activated partial thromboplastin time values for untreated, 7.5% NaCl, 7.5% NaCl/Mg, and 7.5% NaCl adenocaine rats were 269 ± 31 secs, 262 ± 38 secs, 150 ± 43 secs, and 244 ± 38 secs, respectively. In contrast, activated partial thromboplastin time for 7.5% NaCl adenocaine/Mg was 24 ± 2 secs (p < .05). Baseline prothrombin time was 28 ± 0.8 secs (n = 8) and followed a similar pattern of correction. CONCLUSIONS: : Plasma activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time increased over 10-fold during the bleed and shock periods prior to resuscitation, and a small-volume (~1 mL/kg) IV bolus of 7.5% NaCl AL/Mg was the only treatment group that raised mean arterial pressure into the permissive range and returned activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time clotting times to baseline at 60 mins.

Collective dynamics and control of a 3-D small-world network with time delays

The paper presents a detailed analysis on the collective dynamics and delayed state feedback control of a three-dimensional delayed small-world network. The trivial equilibrium of the model is first investigated, showing that the uncontrolled model exhibits complicated unbounded behavior. Then three control strategies, namely a position feedback control, a velocity feedback control, and a hybrid control combined velocity with acceleration feedback, are then introduced to stabilize this unstable system. It is shown in these three control schemes that only the hybrid control can easily stabilize the 3-D network system. And with properly chosen delay and gain in the delayed feedback path, the hybrid controlled model may have stable equilibrium, or periodic solutions resulting from the Hopf bifurcation, or complex stranger attractor from the period-doubling bifurcation. Moreover, the direction of Hopf bifurcation and stability of the bifurcation periodic solutions are analyzed. The results are further extended to any "d" dimensional network. It shows that to stabilize a "d" dimensional delayed small-world network, at least a "d – 1" order completed differential feedback is needed. This work provides a constructive suggestion for the high dimensional delayed systems.

Generation and characterisation of Cisplatin-resistant non-small cell lung cancer cell lines displaying a stem-like signature

Introduction: Inherent and acquired cisplatin resistance reduces the effectiveness of this agent in the management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying this process may result in the development of novel agents to enhance the sensitivity of cisplatin. Methods: An isogenic model of cisplatin resistance was generated in a panel of NSCLC cell lines (A549, SKMES-1, MOR, H460). Over a period of twelve months, cisplatin resistant (CisR) cell lines were derived from original, age-matched parent cells (PT) and subsequently characterized. Proliferation (MTT) and clonogenic survival assays (crystal violet) were carried out between PT and CisR cells. Cellular response to cisplatin-induced apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were examined by FACS analysis. A panel of cancer stem cell and pluripotent markers was examined in addition to the EMT proteins, c-Met and β-catenin. Cisplatin-DNA adduct formation, DNA damage (γH2AX) and cellular platinum uptake (ICP-MS) was also assessed. Results: Characterisation studies demonstrated a decreased proliferative capacity of lung tumour cells in response to cisplatin, increased resistance to cisplatin-induced cell death, accumulation of resistant cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle and enhanced clonogenic survival ability. Moreover, resistant cells displayed a putative stem-like signature with increased expression of CD133+/CD44+cells and increased ALDH activity relative to their corresponding parental cells. The stem cell markers, Nanog, Oct-4 and SOX-2, were significantly upregulated as were the EMT markers, c-Met and β-catenin. While resistant sublines demonstrated decreased uptake of cisplatin in response to treatment, reduced cisplatin-GpG DNA adduct formation and significantly decreased γH2AX foci were observed compared to parental cell lines. Conclusion: Our results identified cisplatin resistant subpopulations of NSCLC cells with a putative stem-like signature, providing a further understanding of the cellular events associated with the cisplatin resistance phenotype in lung cancer. © 2013 Barr et al.

Transferring a successful strategy for supporting accelerated nursing students from a small to a large cohort

In 2009 and 2010, withdrawal rates from a Pharmacology unit of accelerated QUT nursing students in the first year of their degree, were higher than for continuing students. The cohort of 216 accelerated students in 2011 had university or non-university qualification or equivalent experience and included domestic and international students. A previously tested intervention was introduced in 2011 to improve retention rates and support all Pharmacology students in their first year of nursing. The intervention involved a community website, on-line tutors and an “O week” workshop comprising information about library resources, effective learning strategies and learning tips from a previous student as well as review anatomy, physiology and microbiology lectures. Withdrawal rates for accelerated students in the Pharmacology unit improved and all students found the workshop and review lectures to be informative and valuable. The intervention was therefore successfully transferred to a large, diverse cohort of accelerated nursing students.

Common DC link in residential LV network to improve the penetration level of Small-Scale Embedded Generators

This paper presents a new approach for network upgrading to improve the penetration level of Small Scale Generators in residential feeders. In this paper, it is proposed that a common DC link can be added to LV network to alleviate the negative impact of increased export power on AC lines, allowing customers to inject their surplus power with no restrictions to the common DC link. In addition, it is shown that the proposed approach can be a pathway from current AC network to future DC network.

A waste management system for small and medium enterprises engaged in office building retrofit projects

Waste management and minimisation is considered to be an important issue for achieving sustainability in the construction industry. Retrofit projects generate less waste than demolitions and new builds, but they possess unique features and require waste management approaches that are different to traditional new builds. With the increasing demand for more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable office spaces, the office building retrofit market is growing in capital cities around Australia with a high level of refurbishment needed for existing aging properties. Restricted site space and uncertain delivery process in these projects make it a major challenge to manage waste effectively. The labour-intensive nature of retrofit projects creates the need for the involvement of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as subcontractors in on-site works. SMEs are familiar with on-site waste generation but are not as actively motivated and engaged in waste management activities as the stakeholders in other construction projects in the industry. SMEs’ responsibilities for waste management in office building retrofit projects need to be identified and adapted to the work delivery processes and the waste management system supported by project stakeholders. The existing literature provides an understanding of how to manage construction waste that is already generated and how to increase the waste recovery rate for office building retrofit projects. However, previous research has not developed theories or practical solutions that can guide project stakeholders to understand the specific waste generation process and effectively plan for and manage waste in ongoing project works. No appropriate method has been established for the potential role and capability of SMEs to manage and minimise waste from their subcontracting works. This research probes into the characteristics of office building retrofit project delivery with the aim to develop specific tools to manage waste and incorporate SMEs in this process in an appropriate and effective way. Based on an extensive literature review, the research firstly developed a questionnaire survey to identify the critical factors of on-site waste generation in office building retrofit projects. Semi-structured interviews were then utilised to validate the critical waste factors and establish the interrelationships between the factors. The interviews served another important function of identifying the current problems of waste management in the industry and the performance of SMEs in this area. Interviewees’ opinions on remedies to the problems were also collected. On the foundation of the findings from the questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews, two waste planning and management strategies were identified for the dismantling phase and fit-out phase of office building retrofit projects, respectively. Two models were then established to organize SMEs’ waste management activities, including a work process-based integrated waste planning model for the dismantling phase and a system dynamics model for the fit-out phase. In order to apply the models in real practice, procedures were developed to guide SMEs’ work flow in on-site waste planning and management. In addition, a collaboration framework was established for SMEs and other project stakeholders for effective waste planning and management. Furthermore, an organisational engagement strategy was developed to improve SME waste management practices. Three case studies were conducted to validate and finalise the research deliverables. This research extends the current literature that mostly covers waste management plans in new build projects, by presenting the knowledge and understanding of addressing waste problems in retrofit projects. It provides practical tools and guidance for industry practitioners to effectively manage the waste generation processes in office building retrofit projects. It can also promote industry-level recognition of the role of SMEs and their performance in on-site waste management.