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Four experiments were conducted to determine the reproductive, metabolic, growth and IGF-I response to ultrasound selection for increased breast muscle thickness (MT) in Pekin ducks. Selection for body weight had a negative ( P < 0.05) effect on the reproductive performance while the selection for greater breast muscle thickness resulted in egg production, fertility and hatchability similar to those of the control line (C). Males from the MT line reached market weight at 6 wk but the breast muscle thickness improved from 6 to 7 wk. Compared to females from the C line, MT females had higher (P < 0.05) carcass yield, plasma glucose, and body protein; lower fat and plasma uric acid; and no difference (P > 0.05) in plasma triglycerides and total cholesterol. Males responded more efficiently to increasing dietary protein than females, and males selected for greater MT can be slaughtered at an earlier age when a high protein feeding program (HP) was followed. Males receiving HP had greater (P < 0.05) pectoralis muscles yield, longer keel bone, and lower breast skin and total skin fat yields. Female dissection data show similar (P > 0.05) effects of high and medium protein programs. Increasing dietary protein reduced (P < 0.05) carcass fat and increased (P < 0.05) crude protein (CP). In vivo breast muscle measurement correlated positively (P < 0.05) with body weight, pectoralis yield, and keel bone length. Birds with higher pectoralis yield tended to have more CP and less fat in their carcasses. A low correlation (r = 0.19) was found for the caliper measurement of breast skin plus fat thickness and carcass fat. We determined the metabolic differences between lean and fat male and female ducks, associated metabolic parameters and body composition, and assessed the difference between two feeding solutions for the determination of metabolic endogenous losses. There was a positive correlation between breast muscle:total breast muscle thickness ratio (MT/TO

This study used qualitative methods to examine if there was a connection between conflict resolution styles used with siblings in adolescence and conflict resolution styles utilized in current romantic committed relationships. The Conflict Resolution Behavior Questionnaire (Reese-Weber, & Bartle-Haring, 2003) and Gottman‟s (1994a, 1994b) couple-conflict types as adapted by Holman and Jarvis (2003) were administered to 144 participants through an online questionnaire. Analysis of the CRBQ using a multiple regression indicated participant‟s self-rating of compromise, attack, and avoidant conflict resolution styles used with siblings when an adolescent predicted current self-ratings of compromise, attack, and avoidant conflict resolution styles utilized in current romantic relationships.

The sudden appearance of chytridiomycosis, as the cause of amphibian deaths and population declines in several continents suggests that its etiological agent, the amphibian chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, was introduced into the affected regions. However, the origin of this virulent pathogen is unknown. Efforts were directed to determine the occurrence of chytridiomycosis in Africa, whether the disease had been introduced into South Africa in recent years and how wild frog populations were affected by infection. A chytridiomycosis survey of 2,300 archived and live specimens involving members of the Pipidae family in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as a number of unrelated frog species in South Africa was conducted by histological diagnosis of skin samples. The epidemiological evidence indicated that chytridiomycosis has been a stable endemic infection in southern Africa for 23 years before any positive specimens were found outside Africa. The occurrence of chytridiomycosis in South Africa can be described as widespread both in terms of geographical distribution and host species and generally infection is not associated with adverse effects at the individual or population level. It was proposed that the amphibian chytrid originated in Africa and that the international trade in the African clawed toad Xenopus laevis that commenced in the mid 1930s was the means of dissemination. A risk assessment of the X. laevis trade demonstrated that chytridiomycosis could spread through this pathway and culminated in the development of a management protocol to reduce the risks of spreading disease through this animate commodity. Initial comparative genetic analysis of B. dendrobatidis strains isolated from South African frogs with a global set of 35 strains, suggests that analysis of a more geographically diverse set of southern African strains is needed before this line of argument can support or reject the "out of Africa" hypothesis. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Zoology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Charles Darwin has achieved both notoriety and fame for his evolutionary ideas encapsulated principally in The Origin of Species and The Descent of Man. Although credited for much originality in his writings, Darwin's legacy borrowed extensively from many who had propounded similar speculations centuries before him. His naturalistic argument for origin and species reveals both logical and theological problems with his thesis, and further unavoidable ramifications. The contention is that even Darwin himself could not, and did not, live by the ideas he boldly espoused. His ideas, if true, would destroy the very basis upon which his thesis depended. His evolutionary paradigm had to take for granted a world he could give no account for. Yet his antipathy of Biblical Christianity, and its God, inspired him to pursue his personal naturalistic agenda with little regard to the logical consequences. Modern evolutionary science may look back today with pride on its founder, Charles Darwin, yet the problems which were intrinsic to his thesis remain unanswered yet. / Thesis (M.Th. (Dogmatics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This thesis seeks to examine what cultural work is done on behalf of the state by the Safe Third Country Agreement and Bill C-31’s designated country of origin policy? I will be drawing on the work of Critical Race feminists and Critical Security Studies theorists to examine the concept of safety, systems of domination, and the parameters of national belonging. I will be performing a discourses analysis of the government’s and the Canadian Council for Refugee’s year one report of the Safe Third Country Agreement. I will also be performing a discourse analysis of the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website’s discussion of designated countries of origin. I will argue that state exaltation constructs the state, refugees, and safety in a way that reifies systems of domination.

Charles Darwin has achieved both notoriety and fame for his evolutionary ideas encapsulated principally in The Origin of Species and The Descent of Man. Although credited for much originality in his writings, Darwin's legacy borrowed extensively from many who had propounded similar speculations centuries before him. His naturalistic argument for origin and species reveals both logical and theological problems with his thesis, and further unavoidable ramifications. The contention is that even Darwin himself could not, and did not, live by the ideas he boldly espoused. His ideas, if true, would destroy the very basis upon which his thesis depended. His evolutionary paradigm had to take for granted a world he could give no account for. Yet his antipathy of Biblical Christianity, and its God, inspired him to pursue his personal naturalistic agenda with little regard to the logical consequences. Modern evolutionary science may look back today with pride on its founder, Charles Darwin, yet the problems which were intrinsic to his thesis remain unanswered yet. / Thesis (M.Th. (Dogmatics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Spatial interaction models of the gravity type are used in conjunction with sample data on flows between origin and destination locations to analyse international and interregional trade, commodity, migration and commuting patterns. The focus is on the classical log-normal model version and spatial econometric extensions that have recently appeared in the literature. These new models replace the conventional assumption of independence between origin-destination flows with formal approaches that allow for spatial dependence in flow magnitudes. The paper also discusses problems that arise in applied practice when estimating (log-normal) spatial interaction models. (authors' abstract)

This thesis investigates the effects of immigration status, country of origin, and duration in Canada on three main health outcomes, namely health care utilization, occurrences of hypertension and heart disease, and body mass index. The first two chapters are cross-sectional studies that utilize data derived from linked national health survey and Ontario databases, whereas the third chapter is a longitudinal study which draws data from the longitudinal National Population Health Survey (NPHS). The first chapter examines the role of immigration status and country of origin in explaining the use of three types of health services: primary care physicians, specialists, and hospitals. The findings suggest that immigrants, especially those who are male and have low educational attainment, use more primary care physicians than comparable non-immigrants. However, immigrants are found to use fewer expensive health services, i.e. specialist and hospital care, compared to Canadian-born residents. Likewise, immigrants from non-traditional source countries make even fewer visits to specialists than do those who came from traditional source countries. The second chapter investigates the associations of immigration status, occurrence of hypertension, and occurrence of heart disease. Findings from this chapter show that immigrants have comparable odds of hypertension and heart disease to those of Canadian-born residents after adjusting for other factors. The third chapter examines the effects of time since arrival in Canada on the change in BMI over the 14-year period. This chapter shows that, holding other factors constant, an additional year in Canada leads to a 0.14% increase in an individual’s BMI. This association is found to be more pronounced for women than men and for married than non-married individuals. The effect of time since arrival in Canada on the change in BMI is reduced to 0.07% after controlling for sample selection bias, suggesting that by ignoring the sample selection issue, the effects of time since arrival in Canada on the change in BMI may be overestimated.