The increasing importance of serviced offices as a competing land use in global cities

Once considered a relatively low key land use in central business districts, the number of serviced offices has increased dramatically in recent years. The factors driving the demand for serviced offices have changed, and the suppliers of this service have reacted quickly to meet these needs. This trend has been assisted by the expansion of a select number of multi-national companies that specialise in the provision of serviced offices, available in a flexible range of office types and costs.This paper considers the reasons behind the rapid growth in the serviced office market, and examines the role of both the user and the provider. Attention is focused on the global marketplace and how these changes have been transformed into the Australian central business districts. The information will be of benefit to property analysts, developers and investors, especially when seeking an alternative use of existing traditional office accommodation.<br /

Studying the effects of in-vehicle information systems on driver visual behaviour – implications for design

In-vehicle information systems (IVIS) are a common feature in modern vehicles. The interaction of drivers with IVIS when driving must be considered to minimise distraction whilst maintaining the benefits provided. This research investigates the glance behaviours of drivers, assessed from video data, when using two functions – a personal navigation device (study 1) and a green driving advisory device (study 2). The main focus was to establish the number of glances of 2 seconds or more to the IVIS and relate this to driver safety (as stipulated in new guidelines for use of IVIS proposed by NHTSA). In study 1, the percentage of eyes- off-road time for drivers was much greater in the experimental (with device) condition compared to the baseline condition (14.3% compared to 6.7%) but, whilst glances to the personal navigation device accounted for the majority of the increase, there were very few which exceeded 2 seconds. Drivers in study 2 spent on average 4.3% of their time looking at the system, at an average of 0.43 seconds per glance; no glances exceeded 2 seconds. The research showed that ordinary use of IVIS (excluding manual interaction) does not lead to driver visual distraction and therefore the impact on safety is minimal. The results of the study have important design implications for future in-vehicle information systems

A streamline cable depressor

In the past the collection of samples from the deep scattering layer by the familiar horizontal net haul method has been handicapped by the available tools. The time-honored weighted line technique has often been suspected of introducing error in the depth factor of data. The development of the streamlined cable depressor herein described provides an effective tool for oceanographic studies. Because of its form, the depressor has a high lift/drag ratio and is free from the damaging vibration usually characteristic of depressors. Many applications are suggested by its performance in the field

The effects of continuous vs intermittent oxygen supplementation on repeat sprint cycling performance

The use of handheld cannisters providing supplementary oxygen to use ‘track side’ is becoming popular. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal time to administer oxygen supplementation (O2Supp) during a repeat sprint protocol on cycling performance. Ten male recreationally active University students participated. Testing comprised four visits to the laboratory in a counterbalanced design. Each session entailed ten x 15s repeated sprints interspersed with 45s passive recovery, during which the air inspired was either 100% oxygen (H) or normal air, (N), thus the oxygen content inspired during the sprints and/or the recovery periods, determined the four conditions; NH, HN, HH, NN respectively. It was hypothesised that the HH condition would evoke the largest performance improvements. Repeated measures ANOVA were used to examine the difference between conditions in the outcome measures of mean power (W), rate of power decline (%) and blood lactate (mmol·L-1). There was no significant effect of O2Supp on mean power (W), blood lactate or performance decline (%) (p > .05), although. the HH condition did result in the lowest levels of lactate accumulation and the shallowest decline in performance. The NH and HN conditions resulted a greater decline in performance than both HH and NN. Continuous O2Supp during repeat sprint cycling is more effective on cycling performance, than when it is administered in short repeated bouts. It appears that the rapid changing of oxygen availability may have a detrimental effect on performance. O2Supp can be applied to training programmes that have extended (>1min) periods of recovery

The use of acute oxygen supplementation upon muscle tissue saturation during repeat sprint cycling

This study examined performance and physiological responses (power output, tissue saturation index) to repeat sprint cycling with oxygen supplementation (O2Supp [fraction of inspired oxygen 1.00]). Fourteen amateur male cyclists took part. Two visits to the laboratory entailed; 15min relative intensity warm-up, 10min of passive recovery, followed by 10x15s repeated sprints, during which air inspired had FiO21.00 oxygen or normal air. Outcome measures include, mean power (W) and change in Tissue Saturation Index (ΔTSI%). Repeated measures ANOVA were used to examine difference between conditions in mean power output. Paired samples t-tests were used to examine differences between conditions in ΔTSI (%) and rate of muscle reoxygenation and deoxygenation (%·s-1). Mean power output was 4% higher in the oxygen condition compared to normoxia (p<.01). There was a significant positive correlation between power output and reoxygenation rate during O2Supp (r=0.65, p=.04). No correlation was seen between power output and reoxygenation rate during normoxia (r=-0.30, p=.40). A significantly increased deoxy rate was seen in the O2Supp condition compared to normoxia (p=.05). Oxygen supplementation appears to elicit the greatest performance improvements in mean power, potentially facilitated by an increasing muscle reoxygenation rate. This evidences the utility of oxygen as an ergogenic aid to in cycling performance

Breeding, Moulting, and Site Fidelity of Brant (Branta bernicla) on Bathurst and Seymour Islands in the Canadian High Arctic

We studied the breeding and moulting ecology of eastern High Arctic brant Branta bernicla hrota on Bathurst and Seymour Islands in the central Canadian High Arctic from 1968 to 1989. In most years, brant arrived in Polar Bear Pass, Bathurst Islnd, during the first few days of June (earliest 28 May 1977), where they fed for several days in small flocks before dispersing to nesting areas. First eggs were usually laid on 13 June and the peak of nest initiation occurred about 16 June. The mean clutch size was 4.5 eggs, and the mean incubation period 23 days. Broods were raised along the shorelines of lakes, ponds, estuaries, and rivers. Goslings were capable of flight by 42-43 days. During the 10 years when the studies were most intensive (1974-77 and 1984-89), there were three years in which brant did not attempt to nest (1974, 1986, 1988); they nested in all other years and were known to produce fledged young in at least four of them. Nesting was not attempted when the mean temperature for the period 1-20 June was below -3 C. On Bathurst Island in 1987, arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) preyed heavily on brant eggs, and no young were fledged. Nonbreeding adults assembled in small flocks to moult around nerby inland lakes, in river valleys, and at the mouths of estuaries, and concentrated in the latter in cold summers when inland sites had heavier ice cover. The flightless period began about 6 July and lasted 20-22 days. The recapture or resighting of brant marked on Bathurst Island showed that many adults returned in subsequent years to the same breeding territories, and in nonbreeding years they moulted nearby. A smaller proportion of the brant that had been marked as goslings and yearlings also returned to the island. In comparison with most other stocks of North American brant, those we studied bred at high latitude. That choice of breeding site subjected them to periodic breeding failures caused by cold springs and to a reduced availability of plant biomass, but it offered the advantage of reduced spring snow depth and a full 24 h of daylight for feeding during nesting and brood rearing. By using small wetlands which thaw early in close proximity to nesting sites, these brant were able to initiate egg laying relatively early and produce large clutches in most years. The low availability of plant biomass in the High Arctic probably explained the wide dispersal and low densities of these brant during breeding and moulting.De 1968 à 1989, nous avons étudié l'écologie de reproduction et de mue de la bernache cravant à ventre pâle Branta bernicla hrota dans les îles Bathurst et Seymour situées dans la partie centrale de l'Extrême-Arctique canadien. En général, les bernaches cravants arrivaient dans la vallée Polar Bear de l'île Bathurst durant les premiers jours de juin (le plus tôt étant le 28 mai 1977); elles s'alimentaient par petits groupes pendant plusieurs jours avant de se disperser vers les sites de nidification. Les premiers oeufs étaient généralement pondus le 13 juin et le pic du début de la ponte se situait vers le 16 juin. La taille moyenne de la couvée était de 4,5 oeufs/nid et la durée moyenne d'incubation était de 23 jours. Les couvées étaient élevées en bordure des lacs, des étangs, des estuaires et des cours d'eau. Les oisons étaient capables de voler à 42 ou 43 jours. Au cours des 10 années d'étude intensive (1974-77 et 1984-89), il y en a eu trois pendant lesquelles les bernaches cravants n'ont pas essayé de nicher (1974, 1986, 1988); par contre, elles ont niché toutes les autres années et ont réussi à élever des oisons jusqu'à l'âge d'envol au moins quatre de ces années. Les bernaches cravants n'ont pas essayé de nicher les années où la température moyenne pour la période allant du 1er au 20 juin était inférieure à -3 °C. En 1987, des renards arctiques Alopex lagopus ont prélevé quantité d'oeufs de bernaches cravants dans l'île Bathurst et aucun oison n'a survécu jusqu'à l'âge d'envol. Des adultes non reproducteurs se rassemblaient localement en petits groupes pour muer près des lacs, des rivières et de l'embouchure des estuaires, préférant, durant les étés froids, des estuaires normalement plus dégagés de glace que des sites à l'intérieur des terres. La période de mue débutait autour du 6 juillet et durait de 20 à 22 jours environ. Des bernaches cravants qui avaient été marquées dans l'île Bathurst y ont été observées de nouveau ou y ont été recapturées durant les années subséquentes, prouvant ainsi qu'un grand nombre d'adultes reviennent sur les mêmes aires de reproduction et, pendant les années de non-reproduction, elles muaient à proximité. Une proportion moindre de bernaches cravants marquées au stade juvénile (soit &lt; 2 mois, soit à l'âge d'un an) sont aussi revenues à l'île Bathrust. Comparées à d'autres populations nord-américaines de bernaches, celles que nous avons étudiées se reproduisent à une latitude élevée. En nichant dans l'Extrême-Arctique, cette population était sujette à des échecs périodiques dus à des printemps froids ainsi qu'à une disponibilité réduite de biomasse végétale. Elle bénéficiait par contre d'une faible accumulation de neige au printemps et de 24 heures quotidiennes de clarté pour se nourrir pendant la nidification et l'élevage des oisons. En exploitant de petites superficies de terres humides qui dégèlent tôt, à proximité des sites de nidification, ce bernaches cravants pouvaient, la plupart des années, pondre relativement tôt en saison et produire des couvées de bonne taille. La disponibilité réduite de biomasse végétale dans l'Extrême-Arctique expliquait probablement la dispersion étendue et les faibles densités de ces bernaches cravants en période de reproduction et de mue

Custom wireless sensor for monitoring grazing of free-range cattle

Scope and Method of Study: The purpose of this study was to develop a wireless sensor device capable of sensing cattle grazing activity. This included design and build of a miniaturized PCB, sensor specification, data processing, and experimental validation. Experiments were conducted in cooperation with the Oklahoma State University, Animal Science and Biosystems Engineering departments. The primary objective of this study was to provide information supporting the use of an accelerometer sensor for monitoring free-range cattle grazing activity. A wireless sensor platform was also developed for sensor and wireless communication development needs. Secondary objectives included exploring alternative applications, such as monitoring cattle waste excretion events, and identifying wireless network functionality for agricultural environments.Findings and Conclusions: During this study, parameters for using an accelerometer based grazing sensor were established relative to the head motion of grazing cattle. Initially, a survey of literature and video analysis of foraging livestock animals were conducted, where 0.5-8 bites/sec was confirmed as animal bite rate range. The preliminary video analysis provided guidelines for establishing a sensing strategy. Sensor data processing algorithm development and sampling rate selection were driven by video provided characteristics and sensor platform capability. The Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was selected as the core component of the sensor's algorithm. The FFT was able to characterize grazing motions because of the animal's near-continuous periodic head movements. At least five bite cycles and a 32 Hz sampling rate were required for proper algorithm implementation. A sample size of 256 data points were collected for each accelerometer axis, and proved to be adequate for the FFT computations. A revised sample rate of 21.74 Hz was presented once the FFT was implemented in firmware. This new rate retained well performing FFT calculations based on the understanding that bite rates faster than 4 bites/sec were due to nibbling and partial bites. The FFT's Spectral power was binned and stored for the purpose of data compression and reduced wireless transmissions.The wireless sensor device platform was built using the CC1010 microcontroller/transceiver IC. The CC1010 provided integrated features commendable for fast FFT processing and conservative PCB layout design. The radio was configured for robust operation by using a 915 MHz carrier frequency, Manchester encoding, and 64 kHz frequency spread. A small, helical, and omnidirectional antenna was mounted directly to the PCB. Link budget was estimated to be 81 dBm, which equated to a 282 m (925 ft) transmission distance in optimum conditions. The device's dimensions were 19.6 mm (0.77 in) X 71.8 mm (2.83 in) X 11.0 mm (0.43 in). A custom PVC enclosure was used to house the device. For deploying experiments, the enclosure was fastened to a standard nylon turnout halter. A miniature GPS logger was also attached to the halter, which allowed for constructing grazing maps.Additionally, the proposed wireless sensor device was used to detect cattle urination and defecation events. This was accomplished by attaching the device to an animal's tail and sensing its elevated movements. Tilt measurements in the z-axis (front-to-back) direction provided the most prominent evidence of a distinct tail movement pattern during excretion events. A pattern recognition strategy was shown as a viable sensing method.An outline for a multilevel-networked system was also generated. This included cellular and internet communications, along with a customized application software for base/node management

Statistical analysis of real-time PCR data

BACKGROUND: Even though real-time PCR has been broadly applied in biomedical sciences, data processing procedures for the analysis of quantitative real-time PCR are still lacking; specifically in the realm of appropriate statistical treatment. Confidence interval and statistical significance considerations are not explicit in many of the current data analysis approaches. Based on the standard curve method and other useful data analysis methods, we present and compare four statistical approaches and models for the analysis of real-time PCR data. RESULTS: In the first approach, a multiple regression analysis model was developed to derive ΔΔCt from estimation of interaction of gene and treatment effects. In the second approach, an ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) model was proposed, and the ΔΔCt can be derived from analysis of effects of variables. The other two models involve calculation ΔCt followed by a two group t-test and non-parametric analogous Wilcoxon test. SAS programs were developed for all four models and data output for analysis of a sample set are presented. In addition, a data quality control model was developed and implemented using SAS. CONCLUSION: Practical statistical solutions with SAS programs were developed for real-time PCR data and a sample dataset was analyzed with the SAS programs. The analysis using the various models and programs yielded similar results. Data quality control and analysis procedures presented here provide statistical elements for the estimation of the relative expression of genes using real-time PCR

Distraction effects of navigation and green-driving systems – results from field operational tests (FOTs) in the UK

Navigation systems and green-driving advisory systems are now a common feature in modern vehicles. The interaction of drivers with such systems when driving must be considered to minimise distraction whilst maintaining the benefits provided. This research investigates the glance behaviours of drivers, assessed from video data, when using a navigation device (study 1) and a green-driving advisory device (study 2). The main research question addressed was ‘Does the device cause visual distraction that might be detrimental to safety?’ The main focus was to establish the number of glances of 2 s or more to the systems and relate this to driver safety (as stipulated in new guidelines for use of in-vehicle systems proposed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US)