New Zealand's Workforce: Evidence of Upskilling?

In this paper, I investigate the prospect that there has been a general 'upskilling' in the New Zealand workforce. This research allows me to conclude several points. First, there is reason to believe that a general upskilling in the New Zealand workforce has occurred. Second, real incomes have been growing in the face of increasing supply, indicating strong, increasing relative demand for educated workers. Further, there is more to incomes than qualifications; to a tangible extent, the incomes of peers, regardless of qualifications, affect wages. Fourth, women are entering the tabor force at a greater rate than men; significantly, this is true at the university end of the qualification spectrum. Finally, there is evidence to suggest a persistent, wide-spread disparity between the incomes of men and women, regardless of qualification, industry, and occupation

Monomeric PcrA helicase processively unwinds plasmid lengths of DNA in the presence of the initiator protein RepD

The helicase PcrA unwinds DNA during asymmetric replication of plasmids, acting with an initiator protein, in our case RepD. Detailed kinetics of PcrA activity were measured using bulk solution and a single-molecule imaging technique to investigate the oligomeric state of the active helicase complex, its processivity and the mechanism of unwinding. By tethering either DNA or PcrA to a microscope coverslip surface, unwinding of both linear and natural circular plasmid DNA by PcrA/RepD was followed in real-time using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy. Visualization was achieved using a fluorescent single-stranded DNA-binding protein. The single-molecule data show that PcrA, in combination with RepD, can unwind plasmid lengths of DNA in a single run, and that PcrA is active as a monomer. Although the average rate of unwinding was similar in single-molecule and bulk solution assays, the single-molecule experiments revealed a wide distribution of unwinding speeds by different molecules. The average rate of unwinding was several-fold slower than the PcrA translocation rate on single-stranded DNA, suggesting that DNA unwinding may proceed via a partially passive mechanism. However, the fastest dsDNA unwinding rates measured in the single-molecule unwinding assays approached the PcrA translocation speed measured on ssDNA

Monitoring the Health of Computer Networks with Visualization - VAST 2012 Mini Challenge 1 Award: "Efficient Use of Visualization"

The complex computer networks of large organisations contain many machines of many types, used in many geographic locations. Although system administrators should monitor the health of each machine, they need to do so within the context of the whole computer network. Our visualization presents the health of a fictitious financial institution's computer network at a snapshot in time and over a time range, and preserves the important aspects of each facility's administrative and geographic context. Using the "Bank of Money" VAST Challenge dataset, our visualization allowed us to correctly identify several areas of concern, as well as hypothesise about their causes

Opening of DNA double strands by helicases. Active versus passive opening

Helicase opening of double-stranded nucleic acids may be "active" (the helicase directly destabilizes the dsNA to promote opening) or "passive" (the helicase binds ssNA available due to a thermal fluctuation which opens part of the dsNA). We describe helicase opening of dsNA, based on helicases which bind single NA strands and move towards the double-stranded region, using a discrete ``hopping'' model. The interaction between the helicase and the junction where the double strand opens is characterized by an interaction potential. The form of the potential determines whether the opening is active or passive. We calculate the rate of passive opening for the helicase PcrA, and show that the rate increases when the opening is active. Finally, we examine how to choose the interaction potential to optimize the rate of strand separation. One important result is our finding that active opening can increase the unwinding rate by 7 fold compared to passive opening.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

Dynamic Properties of Fire Sprinkler Systems

Four fire protection systems have been attached to a small building model for testing their dynamic properties. Three of the systems used CPVC (fire rated) plastic pipes while the fourth was made from schedule-40 steel pipe. The building model was securely attached to a three by three foot shake table in one of two orientations and was able to experience base accelerations along both its principle axis (longitudinal, transverse). Test procedures involved sending a sine sweep with a progressively increasing frequency at a constant acceleration value. Various recording locations provided data showing fundamental frequencies with pronounced amplification over the base input accelerations. First the buildings natural frequencies were obtained. Then each sprinkler system was tested for acceleration values at the sprinkler drops. Sprinkler drops were affixed with an accelerometer at the fitting connection and one at the sprinkler head. Comparisons are made between the fundamental frequencies of the building and the fire sprinkler system. An analytical model of the four sprinkler systems was designed on the SAP2000 computer program. The test frequency range providing clean data was from 10 Hz – 25 Hz. In this range the computer analysis identified all of the first observed fundamental frequencies. The SAP2000 Analysis also identified the distinct second fundamental frequencies obtained from testing. Large acceleration amplifications were observed at fundamental frequencies in the building and in the sprinkler systems. The largest amplification was sixty times that of the base input experienced by one of the CPVC drops. The steel sprinkler line also experienced large amplification values of up to 35 times the base level acceleration. The fire systems were filled with water to simulate a wet-system and to indicate potential failures. No failures occurred in any of the four test systems. After testing each sprinkler design multiple times it is concluded that sprinkler systems should remain functional following a seismic event. Sprinkler systems installed to NFPA-13 code (National Fire Protection codebook) standards have been proven to perform in earthquakes as well as the structures they’re attached to. Improper connectors and lack of required pipe clearances are the main factors attributed to researched fire system failures

Creative User-Centered Visualization Design for Energy Analysts and Modelers

We enhance a user-centered design process with techniques that deliberately promote creativity to identify opportunities for the visualization of data generated by a major energy supplier. Visualization prototypes developed in this way prove effective in a situation whereby data sets are largely unknown and requirements open – enabling successful exploration of possibilities for visualization in Smart Home data analysis. The process gives rise to novel designs and design metaphors including data sculpting. It suggests: that the deliberate use of creativity techniques with data stakeholders is likely to contribute to successful, novel and effective solutions; that being explicit about creativity may contribute to designers developing creative solutions; that using creativity techniques early in the design process may result in a creative approach persisting throughout the process. The work constitutes the first systematic visualization design for a data rich source that will be increasingly important to energy suppliers and consumers as Smart Meter technology is widely deployed. It is novel in explicitly employing creativity techniques at the requirements stage of visualization design and development, paving the way for further use and study of creativity methods in visualization design

New Zealand's Workforce: Evidence of Upskilling?

In this paper, I investigate the prospect that there has been a general 'upskilling' in the New Zealand workforce. This research allows me to conclude several points. First, there is reason to believe that a general upskilling in the New Zealand workforce has occurred. Second, real incomes have been growing in the face of increasing supply, indicating strong, increasing relative demand for educated workers. Further, there is more to incomes than qualifications; to a tangible extent, the incomes of peers, regardless of qualifications, affect wages. Fourth, women are entering the tabor force at a greater rate than men; significantly, this is true at the university end of the qualification spectrum. Finally, there is evidence to suggest a persistent, wide-spread disparity between the incomes of men and women, regardless of qualification, industry, and occupation

Refined measurement of SecA-driven protein secretion reveals that translocation is indirectly coupled to ATP turnover

The universally conserved Sec system is the primary method cells utilize to transport proteins across membranes. Until recently, measuring the activity—a prerequisite for understanding how biological systems work—has been limited to discontinuous protein transport assays with poor time resolution or reported by large, nonnatural tags that perturb the process. The development of an assay based on a split superbright luciferase (NanoLuc) changed this. Here, we exploit this technology to unpick the steps that constitute posttranslational protein transport in bacteria. Under the conditions deployed, the transport of a model preprotein substrate (proSpy) occurs at 200 amino acids (aa) per minute, with SecA able to dissociate and rebind during transport. Prior to that, there is no evidence for a distinct, rate-limiting initiation event. Kinetic modeling suggests that SecA-driven transport activity is best described by a series of large (∼30 aa) steps, each coupled to hundreds of ATP hydrolysis events. The features we describe are consistent with a nondeterministic motor mechanism, such as a Brownian ratchet