The Museum of the Void

Reflexão sobre as possbilidades de significação e intervenção sobre os enormes espaços vazios gerados pela desactivção de sistemas de silagem de cereais. O potencial programático que o próprio espaço vazio pode, em si, encerrar, é ponto de partida para considerações arquitectónicas, onde se convoca também o valor da proposta projectual como instrumento de ensaio.Trata-se de um texto que integra o catálogo da Exposição homónima, a partir de exploração projectual em domínio académico avançado (Mestrado Integrado).

The big blue

For the 1.5 million travellers who annually visit the Blue Mountains to experience the Australian Bush, it just got closer. The Echo Point redevelopment by Tract Consultants is a megastructure in the void.

High-flux ceramic membranes with a nanomesh of metal oxide nanofibers

Traditional ceramic separation membranes, which are fabricated by applying colloidal suspensions of metal hydroxides to porous supports, tend to suffer from pinholes and cracks that seriously affect their quality. Other intrinsic problems for these membranes include dramatic losses of flux when the pore sizes are reduced to enhance selectivity and dead-end pores that make no contribution to filtration. In this work, we propose a new strategy for addressing these problems by constructing a hierarchically structured separation layer on a porous substrate using large titanate nanofibers and smaller boehmite nanofibers. The nanofibers are able to divide large voids into smaller ones without forming dead-end pores and with the minimum reduction of the total void volume. The separation layer of nanofibers has a porosity of over 70% of its volume, whereas the separation layer in conventional ceramic membranes has a porosity below 36% and inevitably includes dead-end pores that make no contribution to the flux. This radical change in membrane texture greatly enhances membrane performance. The resulting membranes were able to filter out 95.3% of 60-nm particles from a 0.01 wt % latex while maintaining a relatively high flux of between 800 and 1000 L/m2·h, under a low driving pressure (20 kPa). Such flow rates are orders of magnitude greater than those of conventional membranes with equal selectivity. Moreover, the flux was stable at approximately 800 L/m2·h with a selectivity of more than 95%, even after six repeated runs of filtration and calcination. Use of different supports, either porous glass or porous alumina, had no substantial effect on the performance of the membranes; thus, it is possible to construct the membranes from a variety of supports without compromising functionality. The Darcy equation satisfactorily describes the correlation between the filtration flux and the structural parameters of the new membranes. The assembly of nanofiber meshes to combine high flux with excellent selectivity is an exciting new direction in membrane fabrication.

Socio-cultural dimensions of Active Futures : Importance of studying migrants’ perspectives of wellness

In this paper we provide a migrant perspective on how women and men from a different culture perceive wellness while settling down in a new country. We are discussing the texts of research interviews with Indian migrant women and men that illuminate their perception of lifestyle enhancement in their adopted country Australia. Our purpose is to show how socio-cultural factors influence the migrants‟ perspective of lifestyle enhancement, and to what extent they direct their wellness. Personal development, both in theory and practice, is a huge concept in Australia. Concerted efforts are made towards increasing public awareness about health literacy leading to a better understanding and practice of wellness. However, as research studies have pointed out, lifestyle enhancement leading to holistic wellness is not void of socio-cultural factors. The number of women and men migrating to Australia from India has increased greatly in the present decade. As migrants their participation in developing Australian society is significant. So what is their socio-cultural perception of wellness including nutrition and physical exercises as active citizens? How do young Indian migrants participate in lifestyle enhancement programmes? As parents what are their socio-cultural beliefs, attitudes, practices and values, and how do they influence their children‟s participation in personal development and PE progammes? To what extent gender differences exist in such participation levels? What is the space available in State school curriculum to learn from the migrants‟ cultures towards enhancing lifestyles including nutrition and personal development?The findings may sensitise Australian researchers, academics, school teachers and practitioners of wellness therapies. Long term research studies may inform the governments and HPE practitioners of the changes occurring in such values, beliefs and practices as they incorporate nutrition and lifestyles of Australian society.

Primary students' group metacognitive processes in a computer supported collaborative learning environment

The current understanding of students’ group metacognition is limited. The research on metacognition has focused mainly on the individual student. The aim of this study was to address the void by developing a conceptual model to inform the use of scaffolds to facilitate group metacognition during mathematical problem solving in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments. An initial conceptual framework based on the literature from metacognition, cooperative learning, cooperative group metacognition, and computer supported collaborative learning was used to inform the study. In order to achieve the study aim, a design research methodology incorporating two cycles was used. The first cycle focused on the within-group metacognition for sixteen groups of primary school students working together around the computer; the second cycle included between-group metacognition for six groups of primary school students working together on the Knowledge Forum® CSCL environment. The study found that providing groups with group metacognitive scaffolds resulted in groups planning, monitoring, and evaluating the task and team aspects of their group work. The metacognitive scaffolds allowed students to focus on how their group was completing the problem-solving task and working together as a team. From these findings, a revised conceptual model to inform the use of scaffolds to facilitate group metacognition during mathematical problem solving in computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments was generated.

High porosity chained aggregates from the topsoil of the Lunar regolith Dust

The unusual behaviour of fine lunar regolith like stickiness and low heat conductivity is dominated by the structural arrangement of its finest fraction in the outer-most topsoil layer. Here, we show the previously unknown phenomenon of building a globular 3-D superstructure within the dust fraction of the regolith. New technology, Transmission X-ray Microscopy (TXM) with tomographic reconstruction, reveals a highly porous network of cellular void system in the lunar finest dust fraction aggregates. Such porous chained aggregates are composed of sub-micron in size particles that build cellular void networks. Voids are a few micrometers in diameter. Discovery of such a superstructure within the finest fraction of the lunar topsoil allow building a model of heat transfer which is discussed.

Towards an understanding of Australian genre cinema and entertainment : beyond the limitations of ‘Ozploitation’ discourse

While Australian cinema has produced popular movie genres since the 1970s, including action/adventure, road movies, crime, and horror movies, genre cinema has occupied a precarious position within a subsidised national cinema and has been largely written out of film history. In recent years the documentary Not Quite Hollywood (2008) has brought Australia’s genre movie heritage from the 1970s and 1980s back to the attention of cinephiles, critics and cult audiences worldwide. Since its release, the term ‘Ozploitation’ has become synonymous with Australian genre movies. In the absence of discussion about genre cinema within film studies, Ozploitation (and ‘paracinema’ as a theoretical lens) has emerged as a critical framework to fill this void as a de facto approach to genre and a conceptual framework for understanding Australian genres movies. However, although the Ozploitation brand has been extremely successful in raising the awareness of local genre flicks, Ozploitation discourse poses problems for film studies, and its utility is limited for the study of Australian genre movies. This paper argues that Ozploitation limits analysis of genre movies to the narrow confines of exploitation or trash cinema and obscures more important discussion of how Australian cinema engages with popular movies genres, the idea of Australian filmmaking as entertainment, and the dynamics of commercial filmmaking practises more generally.

The Australian Nonprofit Sector Legal Almanac 2010, ACPNS Working Paper 53

This is the third year that we have summarised annual developments in the law for nonprofit staff, boards and volunteers. We were encouraged by the interest shown in last year’s publication and the use made of the digital copy on our web site, so here is the almanac for the Jan 2010–Dec 2010 period. We are delighted that the Australian Charity Law Association and PilchConnect (Victoria) have again agreed to contribute and promote the publication as well. These two organisations are beginning to fill the void of professional legal development and assistance to small nonprofit organisations that has characterised Australia for too many years. The first conference of the Australian Charity Law Association in Sydney was a significant event and one of the addresses is included in the Almanac. Other materials from the conference can be accessed at the Centre’s website.

Land Sales Act 1984: The time limit for an application for exemption

The decision of Wilson J in Wan and Ors v NPD Property Development Pty Ltd [2004] QSC 232 also concerned the operation of the Land Sales Act 1984 (Qld) (‘the Act’). As previously noted, s 8(1) of the Act provides that a proposed allotment of freehold land might be sold only in certain circumstances. An agreement made in contravention of s 8(1) is void. Section 19 allows a purchaser (and others) to apply for an exemption from any of the provisions of Pt 2. By s 19(6), notwithstanding s 8, a person may agree to sell a proposed allotment if the instrument that binds a person to purchase the proposed allotment is conditional upon the grant of an exemption. By s 19(7) an application for exemption must be made ‘within 30 days after the event that marks the entry of a purchaser upon the purchase of the proposed allotment.’

A superannuation fund as a buyer?

In Bennett v Stewart McMurdo J considered the operation of a contract where the buyer was described as a superannuation fund. The Bennetts signed a standard REIQ contract as buyers of the Stewarts’ house and land. However, the reference schedule to the contract document contained these words next to the word ‘buyer’: ‘Bennett Superannuation Fund’ The Bennetts wished to enforce the contract. In response, the Stewarts (the sellers) raised two issues: • As the ‘Bennett Superannuation Fund’ was a trust and not a distinct legal entity capable of making a contract, the contract did not specify who was the buyer, so that the contract was void for uncertainty; and • The contract was unenforceable as there was no sufficient note or memorandum for the purposes of s 59 of the Property Law Act 1974 (Qld) as s 59 requires, amongst other things, an identification of the parties. McMurdo J did not accept either of these arguments and made an order for specific performance in favour of the Bennetts. Looking at each issue separately:

Heat strain, hydration status, and symptoms of heat illness in surface mine workers

The aim of the research program was to evaluate the heat strain, hydration status, and heat illness symptoms experienced by surface mine workers. An initial investigation involved 91 surface miners completing a heat stress questionnaire; assessing the work environment, hydration practices, and heat illness symptom experience. The key findings included 1) more than 80 % of workers experienced at least one symptom of heat illness over a 12 month period; and 2) the risk of moderate symptoms of heat illness increased with the severity of dehydration. These findings highlight a health and safety concern for surface miners, as experiencing symptoms of heat illness is an indication that the physiological systems of the body may be struggling to meet the demands of thermoregulation. To illuminate these findings a field investigation to monitor the heat strain and hydration status of surface miners was proposed. Two preliminary studies were conducted to ensure accurate and reliable data collection techniques. Firstly, a study was undertaken to determine a calibration procedure to ensure the accuracy of core body temperature measurement via an ingestible sensor. A water bath was heated to several temperatures between 23 . 51 ¢ªC, allowing for comparison of the temperature recorded by the sensors and a traceable thermometer. A positive systematic bias was observed and indicated a need for calibration. It was concluded that a linear regression should be developed for each sensor prior to ingestion, allowing for a correction to be applied to the raw data. Secondly, hydration status was to be assessed through urine specific gravity measurement. It was foreseeable that practical limitations on mine sites would delay the time between urine collection and analysis. A study was undertaken to assess the reliability of urine analysis over time. Measurement of urine specific gravity was found to be reliable up to 24 hours post urine collection and was suitable to be used in the field study. Twenty-nine surface miners (14 drillers [winter] and 15 blast crew [summer]) were monitored during a normal work shift. Core body temperature was recorded continuously. Average mean core body temperature was 37.5 and 37.4 ¢ªC for blast crew and drillers, with average maximum body temperatures of 38.0 and 37.9 ¢ªC respectively. The highest body temperature recorded was 38.4 ¢ªC. Urine samples were collected at each void for specific gravity measurement. The average mean urine specific gravity was 1.024 and 1.021 for blast crew and drillers respectively. The Heat Illness Symptoms Index was used to evaluate the experience of heat illness symptoms on shift. Over 70 % of drillers and over 80 % of blast crew reported at least one symptom. It was concluded that 1) heat strain remained within the recommended limits for acclimatised workers; and 2) the majority of workers were dehydrated before commencing their shift, and tend to remain dehydrated for the duration. Dehydration was identified as the primary issue for surface miners working in the heat. Therefore continued study focused on investigating a novel approach to monitoring hydration status. The final aim of this research program was to investigate the influence dehydration has on intraocular pressure (IOP); and subsequently, whether IOP could provide a novel indicator of hydration status. Seven males completed 90 minutes of walking in both a cool and hot climate with fluid restriction. Hydration variables and intraocular pressure were measured at baseline and at 30 minute intervals. Participants became dehydrated during the trial in the heat but maintained hydration status in the cool. Intraocular pressure progressively declined in the trial in the heat but remained relatively stable when hydration was maintained. A significant relationship was observed between intraocular pressure and both body mass loss and plasma osmolality. This evidence suggests that intraocular pressure is influenced by changes in hydration status. Further research is required to determine if intraocular pressure could be utilised as an indirect indicator of hydration status.

Subtropical towers typology design : RNA showground case study

The QUT Team developed an idea for a new residential housing typology that is appropriate for sites where the best views are in the opposing direction to the preferable climatic orientation. The interlocking configuration creates a double height external living space in every apartment, creating further opportunities for cross ventilation and natural daylight. Unlike conventional double loaded housing typologies, the interlocking configuration only requires a continuous public circulation corridor every second level. The cores that service this corridor are separated to either end of the tower and open areas. The configuration of the interlocking apartments creates an interesting composition of solid and void when viewed externally. This undulating facade petternation assists in articulating the large building mass. The project was evaluated by independent consultants and found to be cost effective, and at the same time delivering energy efficient high density liveability. The project was presented to a meeting of the Australian Council on Tall Buildings seminar on 15 September 2010.

Non-Governmental Organisations(NGOs) in Bangladesh : an assessment of their legal status

Despite multiple efforts, the amount of poverty in Bangladesh has remained alarmingly high by any standard. Two salient characteristics of poverty alleviation in Bangladesh are: their poor accessibility for the ‘target’ population (the rural poor), and lack of co-ordination between government and the Non-Government Organisations. The moment the state alone is unable to combat poverty then the NGOs come into the picture to fill the void. First Britain as a colonial power, then the East Pakistan Government and the Government of Bangladesh have promulgated Ordinances and Regulations for the practical regulation of NGOs. The loopholes and flaws within the legal framework have given the NGOs opportunities to violate the Ordinances and Regulations. A better situation could be achieved by modifying and strictly implementing such state rules, ensuring accountability, effective state control, and meaningful NGO-State collaboration and co-operation.