This thesis explores the' civilizing' of the far north of Scotland - defined as the shires of Ross, Sutherland, and Caithness as well as the Outer Hebrides - between 1560 and 1640. 'Civilizing' was part of the broader concept of State formation and integration. The thesis begins with an examination of the context for the relationships between these outlying territories and communities and the institutional authorities in Edinburgh and London, which identifies the multipolarity of power in its location and sources and disentangles the dynamics of clan interaction. It unravels a 'civilizing' model which mixes top-down institutional pressures and discipline and bottom-up self-regulating forces by means of agency and intra- peripheral means and factors. The study then elaborates a typology of clan violence and qualifies the high level of violence traditionally ascribed to Gaeldom. The fourth section delineates legislative and executive measures to remove, control, or channel the excesses of clan violence and underlines the cooperation between the centre and the periphery. The next section analyses the relationships of the far-northern society with the Church. Through social discipline, the Church's 'civilizing' efforts complemented those of the State. A more complex and hybrid faith developed in the locality with an element of individual liberty and the hierarchization of priorities. The [mal chapter disentangles the cultural web of the far- northern image and identity of the so-called barbarians. Central institutions activated this template to justify their actions. The far northerners did so, mutatis mutandis, to adjust their business with the central authorities and to suit their local needs. Besides, cultural fragmentation shatters the view of the area as a monobloc. An active participation of the clan elite in cultural production and consumption uncovers their integration into the wider Scottish and British society and an engagement of a number of far northerners with 'civility'.

Asthma is the commonest chronic disorder of childhood. Although the subject of study for over 4,000 years, the aetiology remains elusive and understanding of the subject is beset with problems of definition and methodology. The prevalence throughout the world varies considerably but is generally higher in countries with a western lifestyle, and appears to be increasing. Of many factors postulated to explain this increase, atmospheric pollution has been one of the most widely cited. The aim of the research presented in this thesis was to describe the epidemiology of asthma in the adolescent population in the Highlands of Scotland, a remote, culturally distinct, mainly rural area that covers one third of Scotland. A cross sectional study was undertaken using a questionnaire, supported by objective data from baseline pulmonary function and exercise testing. The prevalence of parent reported asthma in 12 year old children in 1992 (n=1825) was 14%, current wheeze 19%, eczema 14%, and hay fever 19%. Exercise induced bronchospasm was evident in 9%. The highest prevalence of asthma (17%) and exercise induced bronchoconstriction (30%) was reported on the island of Skye. Having found the prevalence to be as high in the relatively unpolluted Highlands as in urban areas of the UK, possible explanations were sought. Studies were undertaken to explore risk factors including family history, associated atopy, place of birth, indoor environment including maternal smoking, diet (with emphasis on antioxidant and fish intake), and immunisation history (including tuberculin status). Although there were some interesting findings, no specific single environmental component was identified as a major factor in the aetiology of asthma. I hope this thesis will provide a baseline of information, which may be of value to others in the future for as Churchill stated "the longer you can look back, the further you can look forward".

Zugl.: Kiel, Univ., Diss., 2004

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Glasgow, 1996. / Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, Department of History, University of Glasgow, 1996. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Glasgow, 2004. / Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, University of Glasgow, 2004. Includes bibliographical references (p. 269.288). Print version also available.

University, Diss., 2004--Kiel. / Enth.: Bd. 1. Bd. 2. Bd. 3.

Detailed snow surveys were carried out in the Allt a Mharcaidh catchment on the western edge of the Cairngorm mountains during the winters of 1985/86,1986/87 and 1988/89. Snowpack data collected included depth, density, areal extent and water equivalent. From these data it was possible to determine seasonal patterns in snowpack behaviour and relate these to the initial snowpack water equivalent volume and timing of the snow accumulation and ablation. Using meteorological and flow data collected in the Mharcaidh by the Institute of Hydrology as part of the SWAP project simple linear regression relationships were determined. These indicated that the availability of detailed meteorological data did not improve the ability to simulate observed flow and that a successful regression could be established using simple and readily available data. Using this data temperature index models were developed and tested on the Mharcaidh. These showed that the mean daily temperature provided a better index of melt than more complex indices and that simple changes regarding the addition of a freezing level hindered the model performance despite being closer to reality than other assumptions made in the model. This suggested that the degree of complexity in the model has to be similar for all operations to obtain optimum results; having one particularly complex sub-model reduces the performance of the others. Two other types were tested on the Mharcaidh based on the layered structure developed by Martinec (1975) and Anderson's (1968) method using temperature and windspeed as an index to the energy changes at the snowpack boundary during rain-on--snow events. These again show that simple methods using readily available data can produce acceptable results and that increasing the complexity of the model does not produce a similar increase in performance. The three different models were then run on different datasets for different catchments and years. The dependence of Anderson's method on good quality data is highlighted suggesting that it is not as widely applicable as the other models. The level of performance for all models is related to the extent and depth of the snowpack indicating that further improvements may be necessary to the hydrological components of the model rather than the melt sub-model itself. The models were tested in simulated real time conditions on one dataset and, following this, guidelines for use in real time to predict snowmelt runoff are given.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Glasgow, 1995. / PH.D. thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts, Department of History, University of Glasgow, 1995. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.

Thesis (M.A.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 24, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

The Younger Dryas was the last period during which glaciers shaped large parts of the Scottish landscape. Reconstructing the palaeoclimate and glacial processes that operated during this time is crucial for the understanding of past atmosphere-cryosphere interactions and predicting future climate change. This thesis presents results from geomorphological and geological mapping in the NW Highlands of Scotland that have resulted in the reconstruction of a Younger Dryas ice cap. Reconstruction of equilibrium-line altitudes and palaeo-precipitation values suggest that the Scottish west coast was wetter than at present. Detailed sedimentological analyses of "hummocky moraines" allow the modes of moraine formation to be reconstructed in great detail and existing models to be tested. "Hummocky moraines" largely represent terrestrial ice-contact fans consisting of supraglacial debris flows and intercalated glaciofluvial units indicating an ice-marginal mode of formation. Different stages of deformation in these fans indicate highly dynamic glaciers that oscillated during retreat, partly or completely overriding previously formed landforms during readvances. Clast shape analyses reveal that debris was mostly subglacially derived and transported. The evidence is incompatible with a morphological model according to which the moraines could be formed by englacial thrusting. Comparison with modem glacial landsystems indicates the following similarities with Scottish Younger Dryas glaciers. Low winter temperatures are similar to those on Svalbard, the marginal response of Younger Dryas glaciers to temperate environments and the modes of deposition to less responsive debris-covered glaciers. High precipitation along the Scottish west coast probably suppressed continuous permafrost development and caused high mass turnover and very dynamic, dominantly temperate Younger Dryas glaciers. Only a narrow zone around the margins appears to have been frozen to the ground, aiding elevation of basal debris and rapid deposition near the snout. The specific climatic and glaciological conditions during the Younger Dryas appear not to have a single modem analogue.