The thesis comprises three major parts and 8 chapters. First of all Part I consists of two chapters: a discussion on the theoretical frame of reference and a brief review of the social changes that have been both causes and consequence of the family changes of the modernisation process of the last few decades. Part II comprising four chapters examines the result of the socio-economic change or modernisation of the last four decades in the family field : a review of the traditional family as an analytical framework; a discussion of the changes in the kinship network and marriage customs; and lastly a discussion on the relationship among family members. Part III comprising of two chapters, sets out the conclusions to be drawn. It examines first dissolution of the family and changing attitudes and values concerning family life next discusses what sort of family policies should be arranged to meet the huge variation and diversity of family life in which conventional values relating to the family no longer appear to work properly.

This thesis is a palaeoenviromnental investigation into possible non-climatic effects on the environment from volcanic ash fall and toxic emissions outside the blast zone of a volcanic eruption. These effects are determined from palynological and geochemical changes following tephra fall at a range of sites across the North Island of New Zealand which were located at increasing distances from the main volcanic source, the Taupo Volcanic Zone. These sites collectively covered a wide variety of habitats existing under different climatic regimes. The first site is a peat bog at a warm temperate, comparatively unstable coastal location, Matakana Island. The peat profile extends to 1000 yrs BP and contains the Kaharoa Tephra layer, erupted around the time of early human settlement in New Zealand. The second study site is Kaipo peat bog which, in contrast to Matakana Island, is an upland sub-alpine site existing under a harsher climatic regime with cool temperatures, strong winds and heavy rainfall. The Kaipo record covers the Holocene period up to recent times. Lake Rotoroa is the third site which is located inland, sheltered within the Waikato valley, an area of rich fertile soils and mild temperate climate. The Lake Rotoroa record extends to approximately 15,000 yrs BP including the end of the last glacial period and the Holocene. The final site investigated, Kohuora bog, is situated in an extinct late Quaternary volcanic crater within Auckland urban area, a region of warm temperate climate. This record extends from the last glacial period to the present. Fine resolution sampling methods were employed above tephra layers preserved at each of these sites to examine the immediate short-term palaeoenvironmental impacts from volcanic tephra deposition. The methods used included pollen analysis, and the relatively new technique of Energy Dispersive X-ray Micro Analysis (EDMA) which investigated changes in sediment geochemistry to provide further information on local environmental change following tephra impact. The use of pollen analysis together with EDMA proved beneficial in assessing overall short term environmental impacts from tephra fell. Results revealed that thicker tephra layers did not always cause extensive environmental damage, as impacts seen above the 0.5 cm thick Egmont 15 Tephra at Lake Rotoroa were among the most significant recorded at this site. Instead, the contributing factors of prevailing climate and local site factors (e.g. drainage, soils, vegetation cover and shelter) at the time of an eruption, together with local forest diversity and species sensitivity to tephra deposition, proved more important in determining the degree of tephra impact. Taxa found to be particularly sensitive to tephra deposition included Halocarpus, with inconsistent impacts from tephra fell on Dacrydium and Metrosideros. Duration of tephra impacts varied between sites, but broad estimates from the results showed the time taken for recovery of forest vegetation following an eruption was >100 years, with environmental stability returning after a minimum period of 50 years. The results from Matakana Island revealed that any possible tephra impacts from deposition of the Kaharoa Tephra were obscured owing to large-scale deforestation following Polynesian settlement on the island around the time of the Kaharoa eruption. This study indicates the importance of investigating distal volcanic impacts prior to human settlement to eliminate ambiguity in interpretation of palaeoenvironmental data.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis uses metrical data and morphological observations to describe the comparative anatomy of the cranial base region in extant adult hominoids. The changes that occur during growth in this region have also been studied in samples of juvenile hominoids, and cross-sectional growth data for the same variables measured in the adult metrical study have been recorded. Detailed metrical and morphological observations were also made on a series of fossil hominid crania dating from the Plio- Pleistocene. The results of the two comparative studies of the cranial base region in extant hominoids were then used to assess the significance of the differences noted in the cranial base region of the fossil hominids from sites in South and East Africa. The results of the adult metrical study; and the series of soft tissue dissections, demonstrate that there are fundamental differences in the comparative anatomy of the modern human and pongid cranial bases. The results of the comparative growth study indicate that these differences are probably not the result of an overall acceleration, or retardation, in growth rates of the component bones of the human cranial base, but more likely due to a combination of increases and decreases in growth rates occurring in individual bones, as well as to differences in morphology already manifest soon after birth. The results of the study of fossil hominid specimens indicate that the 'gracile' australopithecine fossils from South Africa have a cranial base pattern similar to that of the extant pongid samples, but that the 'robust' australopithecine fossils, and those fossils attributed to early Homo have a cranial base pattern more similar hominid fossil specimens which are still of uncertain taxonomic designation. The comparative studies of the hominoid cranial base also provide a framework which enables features of this region to be used in phylogenetic analysis. to the modern Homo sapiens sample. These differences in basicranial anatomy among the fossil hominid sample provide a useful tool to assess the taxonomic status of several

国立情報学研究所で電子化したコンテンツを使用している。

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-188). / Microfiche. / xvii, 188 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 1997

Background: The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is a pivotal clinical investigation for evaluations of disorders of myocardial electrophysiology and function. Myocardial ischemia is generally diagnosed on the basis of clinical history, combined with ST segment shifts and T wave changes on resting 12-lead ECG. The ECG is also used as a monitoring tool for assessment of resolution of transmural ischemia following emergency treatment. Because this technology is easy, noninvasive, and inexpensive, it represents a convenient central investigative modality. On the other hand, the 12-lead ECG exhibits very low predictive accuracy for the diagnosis of ischemia in the absence of concurrent symptoms. Even if ECG monitoring is combined with treadmill exercise, the sensitivity and positive predictive accuracy for detection of myocardial ischemia are only around 50% - 75%. Therefore, information from the ECG, combined with exercise test, does not usually have a large influence on clinical decision-making. A number of imaging techniques may be combined with pacing-induced tachycardia or pharmacological stress in order to improve the diagnostic accuracy of such provocative tests for ischemia beyond the level provided by continuous ECG monitoring alone. These include echocardiography, nuclear imaging with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging. All add to the diagnostic accuracy of the provocative tests performed, but involve considerably incremental costs. The question therefore arises: is it possible to refine continuous ECG analysis during provocative testing in such a way that the diagnostic accuracy of the procedure can be improved? The majority of clinical studies has examined the accuracy or otherwise of the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia utilizing fluctuation of the ST segments during either “spontaneous” ischemia or during provocative manoeuvres (e.g. exercise). As previously stated, the diagnostic accuracy of such analyses tends to be mediocre; when subjected to utility evaluation under Bayesian considerations, they often add little to history/physical examination. However, a number of potential refinements of 12-lead ECG analysis have been proposed, in order to improve both detection and as well as localization and quantitation of ischemia. These include evaluation of a variety of the component waveforms of both the QRS complex and the ST segment of the ECG. Current experiments The currently described series of investigations arose from preliminary findings that myocardial ischemia in a canine model was associated with transient fluctuations in QRS entropy. Both evaluations performed related to the hypothesis that reversible myocardial ischemia causes transient increases in entropy within QRS complexes and ST segments of the human 12-lead ECG. A series of preliminary experiments suggested that such changes did indeed occur, mainly within the ST segment. The first series of experiments performed compared conventional continuous ST segment analysis within the 12-lead ECG is vs. continuous evaluation of entropy-derived parameters for the localization of ischemia induced by balloon inflation during non-emergency coronary angioplasty. In a series of 103 patients, localization of ischemia was similarly accurate for the entropy-based method and the ST segment assessment method. Ischemic zones were correctly localized by these approaches in 88% and 80% of cases, respectively (p not significant). There was poor concordance between the extent of ST elevation and changes in ST segment entropy. In a small subset of patients with complete bundle branch block and/or ST depression on resting ECG (n=22), entropy-based localization of ischemia was possible in 55% of cases compared with 41% via ST segment assessment (difference not significant). Post hoc analysis revealed that entropy fluctuations arose throughout the ST segment rather than predominantly at the J-point. The second series of experiments was carried out on patients undergoing pacing-induced provocation of possible myocardial ischemia, with scanning via myocardial perfusion imaging (SPECT) examination. As with the first series, 12-lead ECG recording and ST trend monitoring were performed during the pacing procedure. The ST segment deviation and the entropy-based analyses were used for localization of possible ischemia. Data analyses were correlated with myocardial perfusion imaging results. A total 43 patients were studied. Categorization of ischemia via ST segment assessment had only 30% concordance with myocardial perfusion imaging results, while entropy-based analyses had 58% concordance. Therefore neither “conventional” (i.e. ECG-based ST segment analysis) nor novel entropy-based analyses are currently of clinical utility for detection of tachycardia-induced ischemia. / Thesis (M.Med.Sc.) - University of Adelaide, School of Medicine, 2008