An Overview of Intelligent Transport Systems Research at the Institute of Transport Studies at Monash University

The Institute of Transport Studies was established in 1995 as a joint venture between Monash University and the University of Sydney. This paper provides an overview of current research at ITS (Monash) which is concerned with Intelligent Transport Systems. The main areas of research in that field relate to Advanced Traffic Management Systems (ATMS) and Advanced Traveller Information Systems (ATIS). A number of specific projects are reviewed including the prediction of incident induced delays on freeways, improving the delivery of roadside assistance services, travel time prediction for freeways, traveller advisory telephone systems and financing models for ATIS systems. This paper was presented at a workshop on Intelligent Transport Systems hosted by INRETS in France from 5 to 9 October 1998

Socially and Emotionally Competent Leadership: Practices That Shape the Sources of Collective Efficacy

Thesis advisor: Raquel MuñizResearch has shown that collective efficacy, school-based leadership, and social and emotional (SEL) competencies positively contribute to student success. In the context of education, collective efficacy refers to whether teachers believe in the ability and capacity of their colleagues to support the achievement of all students. Limited research has examined the bridge between leadership practices and the primary sources of collective efficacy: mastery experiences, vicarious experiences, verbal/social persuasion, and affective states. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify leadership practices and determine how they shaped the sources of collective efficacy. Findings indicated that leadership practices – meeting time, professional development, positive praise, coaching, feedback, and sharing expertise – modeled the SEL competencies of social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Implications of these findings further establish the sources of collective efficacy as influential factors that shape adult interactions, actions, reflections, and ultimately, student achievement.Thesis (EdD) — Boston College, 2020.Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education.Discipline: Educational Leadership and Higher Education

Cataract surgery and the corneal endothelium: An appraisal of factors influencing endothelial cell losses during cataract surgery

A prospective investigation was designed to determine the factors that influence corneal endothelial cell losses during and after cataract surgery. An unselected cohort of patients due for routine cataract surgery were examined, by a single observer, one day prior to surgery and during the early (day 1 to 5) and late (week 10 to 30) postoperative period. Clinical assessment and endothelial specular photomicroscopy was performed for both the study eye and the partner eye; estimates of central corneal endothelial cell density being derived from the specular photomicrographs by a second, independent, observer. Two hundred and seventy patients were enrolled and 236 (84 male, 152 female) completed the study. The reproducibility of some clinical measurements was assessed by several tests, including variance analysis for repeated measurements in the partner (unoperated) eyes. The variability for estimates of central corneal thickness, anterior chamber depth and endothelial cell density were within accepted limits for these methods and a minor drift of some instrumental measurements was insufficient to impair subsequent results of investigation. Analysis of data by both paired comparisons and by multivariate variance analysis shows dense sclerosis of the lens nucleus to greatly increase cell losses after extracapsular surgery, or after intracapsular surgery with capsular rupture; this being the factor most influential in determining cell losses. The presence of diabetes further increases cell losses during extracapsular extraction of such cataracts. A peripheral corneal section used during extracapsular cataract surgery is associated with reduced cell losses, as would appear to be the absence of corneal guttata. The preoperative presence of a shallow anterior chamber or the loss of vitreous humour, however, both increase cell losses after intracapsular surgery. Mathematical functions characterizing the recovery of corneal thickness in the early and late postoperative period are proposed and formulae for the prediction of endothelial cell losses presented

Computational Methods for Nonlinear Systems Analysis With Applications in Mathematics and Engineering

An investigation into current methods and new approaches for solving systems of nonlinear equations was performed. Nontraditional methods for implementing arc-length type solvers were developed in search of a more robust capability for solving general systems of nonlinear algebraic equations. Processes for construction of parameterized curves representing the many possible solutions to systems of equations versus finding single or point solutions were established. A procedure based on these methods was then developed to identify static equilibrium states for solutions to multi-body-dynamic systems. This methodology provided for a pictorial of the overall solution to a given system, which demonstrated the possibility of multiple candidate equilibrium states for which a procedure for selection of the proper state was proposed. Arc-length solvers were found to identify and more readily trace solution curves as compared to other solvers making such an approach practical. Comparison of proposed methods was made to existing methods found in the literature and commercial software with favorable results. Finally, means for parallel processing of the Jacobian matrix inherent to the arc-length and other nonlinear solvers were investigated, and an efficient approach for implementation was identified. Several case studies were performed to substantiate results. Commercial software was also used in some instances for additional results verification

Delays at Freeway roadworks: safety and road user cost considerations

Freeway incidents are events which result in a temporary reduction in the capacity of the facility. Intelligent transport systems developments are primarily concerned with ‘random’ freeway incidents such as breakdowns, crashes, spilled loads etc. In contrast, relatively less attention has been given to ‘planned’ incidents such as maintenance activities. As part of a study aimed at predicting the delays associated with freeway incidents, this paper deals with issues associated with delays at major roadworks. A variety of data was collected as part of a case study of a major maintenance project on Melbourne’s M1 motorway. Vehicle delays were measured using a timed number plate survey. During periods of heavy delay, a number of vehicles were observed to execute illegal turns to avoid the traffic delays at the roadworks. There is evidence of a relationship between the occurrence of this behaviour and the corresponding level of delay at the roadworks. Road user delay costs were also estimated as part of the study. The potential role of an analytic delay model in maintenance planning is explored. This paper is to be presented at the 19th ARRB TR Conference to be held in Sydney, 6-11 December 1998

Screening of a HUVEC cDNA library with transplant-associated coronary artery disease sera identifies RPL7 as a candidate autoantigen associated with this disease.

A HUVEC cDNA library was screened with sera from two patients who had developed transplant-associated coronary artery disease (TxCAD) following cardiac transplantation. A total of six positive clones were isolated from a primary screen of 40 000 genes. Subsequent DNA sequence analysis identified these to be lysyl tRNA synthetase, ribosomal protein L7, ribosomal protein L9, beta transducin and TANK. Another gene whose product could not be identified showed homology to a human cDNA clone (DKFZp566M063) derived from fetal kidney. Full-length constructs of selected genes were expressed as his-tag recombinant fusion proteins and used to screen a wider patient base by ELISA to determine prevalence and association with TxCAD. Of these ribosomal protein L7 showed the highest prevalence (55.6%) with TxCAD sera compared to 10% non-CAD

Promoting transportation cycling for women: The role of bicycle infrastructure

Objective. Females are substantially less likely than males to cycle for transport in countries with low bicycle transport mode share. We investigated whether female commuter cyclists were more likely to use bicycle routes that provide separation from motor vehicle traffic. Methods. Census of cyclists observed at 15 locations (including off-road bicycle paths, on-road lanes and roads with no bicycle facilities) within a 7.4 km radius of the central business district (CBD) of Melbourne, Australia, during peak commuting times in February 2004. Results. 6589 cyclists were observed, comprising 5229 males (79.4%) and 1360 females (20.6%). After adjustment for distance of the bicycle facility from the CBD, females showed a preference for using off-road paths rather than roads with no bicycle facilities (odds ratio [OR]=1.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12, 1.83), or roads with on-road bicycle lanes (OR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.75). Conclusions. Consistent with gender differences in risk aversion, female commuter cyclists preferred to use routes with maximum separation from motorized traffic. Improved cycling infrastructure in the form of bicycle paths and lanes that provide a high degree of separation from motor traffic is likely to be important for increasing transportation cycling amongst under-represented population groups such as women.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1769818

The allocation between EU member states of seats in the European Parliament

This note contains the recommendation for a mathematical basis for the apportionment of the seats in the European Parliament between the Member States of the European Union. This is the unanimous recommendation of the Participants in the Cambridge Apportionment Meeting, held at the instigation of the Committee on Constitutional Affairs at the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, on 28–29 January 2011

The efficacy of retirement plans and flexible scheduling in improving the quality of service delivery among civil servants in Nandi south Kenya

Retirement plans and flexible scheduling guides most organizations and is part of most complaints of citizen’s due to poor service in government counties such complaints was reflected during the year 2002 Constitutional Referendum in Kenya which in part called for an overhaul of the civil service structure through various Civil Service Reform Programmes and major reshuffles. This paper highlighted therefore the effects of these variables in service delivery within Civil Service offices in Kenya: A case of Nandi south. Stratified random sampling techniques were used to select 350 employees of Nandi south. Data collected through the use of questionnaires was analyzed using both descriptive and regression statistics. Descriptive findings revealed that there was low level of retirement plan services to the employees of Nandi south. Nevertheless, high levels of Flexible Scheduling services among employees were observed an indicator that retirement plans in the Workplace had significant effect on Service Delivery. Keywords: Services Delivery, Workplace, Retirement Plans and Flexible Schedulin

The efficacy of retirement plans and flexible scheduling in improving the quality of service delivery among civil servants in Nandi south Kenya

Retirement plans and flexible scheduling guides most organizations and is part of most complaints of citizen’s due to poor service in government counties such complaints was reflected during the year 2002 Constitutional Referendum in Kenya which in part called for an overhaul of the civil service structure through various Civil Service Reform Programmes and major reshuffles. This paper highlighted therefore the effects of these variables in service delivery within Civil Service offices in Kenya: A case of Nandi south. Stratified random sampling techniques were used to select 350 employees of Nandi south. Data collected through the use of questionnaires was analyzed using both descriptive and regression statistics. Descriptive findings revealed that there was low level of retirement plan services to the employees of Nandi south. Nevertheless, high levels of Flexible Scheduling services among employees were observed an indicator that retirement plans in the Workplace had significant effect on Service Delivery. Keywords: Services Delivery, Workplace, Retirement Plans and Flexible Schedulin