Bachelor of Nursing program enrolment sessions for newly arrived international students

The transition of International students to tertiary study is associated with high levels of anxiety as students negotiate both Australian and University cultures. Academic and administrative staff noted that many new international nursing students were confused about their enrolment patterns and/or the timetabling of classes. This resulted in poor attendance in tutorial and laboratory classes early in the semester and the missing of essential information. Uncertainty about electronic systems, missing orientation sessions, late arrival on campus, and not knowing who to contact for the specific information contributed. In response the Department of Nursing and Midwifery academic staff, the International Office and Faculty of Sciences administration staff developed and trialed supportive Bachelor of Nursing Enrollment Classes for commencing International students in Semester 1, 2009. Students were met at the International office by Academic staff at pre advertised times in the two weeks prior to, and the two weeks after the commencement of the semester. The students were escorted to a computer classroom where they were individually taught and assisted to enroll in their courses. Feedback has confirmed that this resulted in reduced student anxiety and confusion. Administrative staff also noted a considerably reduced volume of individual student enquires. Academic staff reported that International nursing students who participated in these classes were attending and engaged in courses from the commencement of semester and results in early assessment items were much improved on previous semesters. Similar orientation sessions will be conducted in future semesters

Forensic science evidence in question

How should forensic scientists and other expert witnesses present their evidence in court? What kinds and quality of data can experts properly draw on in formulating their conclusions? In an important recent decision in R. v T1 the Court of Appeal revisited these perennial questions, with the complicating twist that the evidence in question incorporated quantified probabilities, not all of which were based on statistical data. Recalling the sceptical tenor of previous judgments addressing the role of probability in the evaluation of scientific evidence,2 the Court of Appeal in R. v T condemned the expert’s methodology and served notice that it should not be repeated in future, a ruling which rapidly reverberated around the forensic science community causing consternation, and even dismay, amongst many seasoned practitioners.3 At such moments of perceived crisis it is essential to retain a sense of perspective. There is, in fact, much to welcome in the Court of Appeal’s judgment in R. v T, starting with the court’s commendable determination to subject the quality of expert evidence adduced in criminal litigation to searching scrutiny. English courts have not consistently risen to this challenge, sometimes accepting rather too easily the validity of questionable scientific techniques.4 However, the Court of Appeal’s reasoning in R. v T is not always easy to follow, and there are certain passages in the judgment which, taken out of context, might even appear to confirm forensic scientists’ worst fears. This article offers a constructive reading of R. v T, emphasising its positive features whilst rejecting interpretations which threaten, despite the Court of Appeal’s best intentions, to diminish the integrity of scientific evidence adduced in English criminal trials and distort its probative value

Shear-wave polarizations from local seismic events

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:D66696/86 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

The derivation of functional equivalents of imperative programs

Denotational semantics is presented as a valuable theoretical tool, having many applications including language design, compiler generation and program analysis. In particular, a method is described for deriving a concise and useful functional representation of a program using a denotational definition of the source language's semantics. Our aim is to translate a given program into a compact functional representation to facilitate its evaluation on functional hardware. The λ-expressions are first translated into Turner's combinator code. We choose to use a fixed set of combinators as the resulting code is more amenable to analysis and there are many inherent advantages such as lazy evaluation and once only evaluation of reducible sub-expressions. Semantic algebras relating to static semantics and the store algebra are “unfrozen” so they can be partially evaluated. The reduction machine that performs the evaluation includes simplification rules that allows a more compact functional representation (denotation) to be reached. If desired, some or all of the program arguments can be supplied to produce a new denotation (result) using the same reduction machine

Facial aesthetics: babies prefer attractiveness to symmetry

The visual preferences of human infants for faces that varied in their attractiveness and in their symmetry about the midline were explored. The aim was to establish whether infants' visual preference for attractive faces may be mediated by the vertical symmetry of the face. Chimeric faces, made from photographs of attractive and unattractive female faces, were produced by computer graphics. Babies looked longer at normal and at chimeric attractive faces than at normal and at chimeric unattractive faces. There were no developmental differences between the younger and older infants: all preferred to look at the attractive faces. Infants as young as 4 months showed similarity with adults in the 'aesthetic perception' of attractiveness and this preference was not based on the vertical symmetry of the face

A Stroll Down the Dark Side: Ultraviolent Japanese Animation’s Roots in Postwar Japan, Globalization, and Western Consumption

Study of the root causes of the creation of dark and violent Japanese animation and the phenomena of American consumption of it

Simplified method to nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete in pure flexure

The use of the finite element method in the design of reinforced concrete slabs and beams has become a generally accepted practice in recent times and when designing structural members, both ultimate and serviceability limit states are required to be considered in the consequent analyses. The nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete, using plates and shells, may be defined into two broader categories with the first being the layered approach and the second being the effective stiffness approach. Common commercial finite element software do not all provide the facilities for the nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete beams and slabs. Although there are currently nonlinear models provided through literature these can be seen as complex to certain engineers and only applicable to the specialist engineer able to understand and implement the theory correctly. The more complex methods are also aimed at predicting the wider range of failure mechanisms. Unless carrying out forensic engineering, the design engineer might not be interested in the actual failure load but rather, dependant on design philosophy, a cautious yield line load or similar. This report presents a simplified method, based on an effective stiffness approach, to the nonlinear analysis of reinforced concrete slabs and beams for serviceability and ultimate limit states. The method allows for the use of simple design equations familiar to all structural engineers undertaking reinforced concrete designs. Using the finite element method, plate elements and simplified constitutive properties a nonlinear algorithm is developed which results in the accurate estimation of the displacements during loading as well as a design ultimate loading. The proposed method is intended for reinforced concrete beams and slabs under transverse loading leading to bending with no axial forces present. The proposed model and nonlinear algorithm is validated against four experimental case studies which show the accuracy and relevance of the given nonlinear solution. The results provide evidence that the proposed nonlinear model is valid for all loading and boundary conditions considered. The application can be for displacement serviceability checks or the ultimate load design of a slab or beam. The nonlinear model and algorithm presented can be easily integrated into a commercial finite element package, with API capabilities, for use in the design of reinforced concrete slabs and beams

Basic grant in FY 1973

Issued as Annual program and expenditures report, Project no. L-70-50