Three experiments were conducted to assess the potential for using Spanish goats to manage Gambel oakbrush winter range, dominated by Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). Summer- time food selection of goats, effects on plant community composition, and consequent effects on mule deer nutrition and foraging behavior were examined. An apparent preference for juvenile oak browse, and low use of oak twigs was observed. Selection for juvenile browse may have been facilitated by the retarded phenology of oak as compared to that of associated flora. This differential was maintained by repeated browsing. Animal performance, reflected in mass-specific gain rates, varied markedly. However, poor performance when observed, was not correlated with high juvenile oak content in diets. Goat browsing did not affect density of any shrub species. Stem size distributions changed in browsed oak populations only; skewness of these increased over time because of sprouting. Sprout weights increased in browsed oak populations, but declined in comparably browsed serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) populations. The only other significant sprout response was a numerical increase in browsed snowberry (Symphoricarpos oreophilus) populations. Relationships between stem size and stem productivity in heavily browsed oak and serviceberry were characterized by lower slopes than those for adjacent control populations. Conversely, relationships in rabbitbrush (Chrvsothamnus viscidiflorus) populations, which were little used, were characterized by higher slopes than those for adjacent control populations. Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata wvominqensis) production also responded positively, but via increased intercept. Browsing reduced productivity of both serviceberry and oak, but enhanced that of sagebrush. A positive production response was suggested for herbaceous species. Forage-base changes induced by goats caused wintering deer to increase the proportion of sagebrush in their diets under snow-covered conditions but not under snow-free conditions. Under snow-covered conditions, deer using goat-browsed pastures consumed diets higher in dry matter digestibility, but not protein, than those consumed by deer in control pastures. Dietary quality was unaffected by prior goat browsing under snow- free conditions. Furthermore, quality of diets consumed under snow-free conditions was not better than that consumed under snow-covered conditions.

The purpose of this study was to determine which of two methods of teaching interpersonal relationship skills to student nurses was the most effective. The two methods compared were the traditional "established" method and a programmed group teaching method, the Basic Interpersonal Relations program. Subjects were 45 sophomore associated degree nursing students in their psychiatric rotation. Subjects were administered as pretests and posttests the Leory Interpersonal Checklist (ICL) and the Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B). Four groups were formed. Two groups (I and IV) were taught in the "established" way and in two groups (II and III), the basic Interpersonal Relations program was taught. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the amount of change in pre-post scores of any of the groups. This would indicate neither teaching method was superior to the other.

This thesis concentrates on RF/microwave characterization and modeling of planar spiral inductors and pad stack parasitics. The inductors varied in size from 1.9 to 15.3 nH. Several approaches were examined for modeling the planar spiral inductors. The approach developed herein is built around an existing composite model (available in commercial computer-aided design software), with added series and shunt impedances at both the input and output of the existing composite model. Artificial neural network (ANN) software was used to determine the correction impedance values. Another approach investigated was to model the S-parameters of the inductor using a space- mapping model of the input parameters for the existing model. The correction impedance modeling approach was theoretically sound but the level of accuracy need for the ANN model was not obtainable. The space mapping approach had merit but a substrate and parameter scalable model could not be achieved. A pad stack is a section of microstrip line that a surface mounted element is affixed to; these pad stacks are standardized for specific element sizes, so for example any 0805 (80 mils by 50 mils) element may have the same pad stack whether it is a capacitor, inductor or resistor. The pad stack models were necessary because a capacitor model originally developed at the University of South Florida did not include parasitic effects for different input connections. The pad stack parasitic models can be broken down into three types: dual-input, tri-input, and quad-input. Each of the dual- and tri- input models have input angles of either 0 degrees, 45 degrees, or 90 degrees. The models were developed using a combination of microstrip and lumped elements.

This study investigates provisions made within institutional and regulatory frameworks of water resources management to enhance multi-stakeholder relationships and the challenges of maintaining those relationships, and implications of water resources management for rural communities in the Densu River basin, Ghana. The primary objectives of this study were four fold, these are to: i) review the existing regulatory framework and how it promotes or hinders multi-stakeholder relationships within the catchment area; ii) examine multi-stakeholder relationships to identify challenges in promoting effective collaboration in water resources management; iii) explore the impacts of catchment management on the livelihoods of rural communities; and iv) generate a model that best or appropriately conceptualizes relationship mechanisms within the framework of water governance. The study employed a mixed methods approach which included data collected through reviewing regulatory and policy documents, key informant interviews, observation, and a household survey of 327 respondents. The results indicate that provisions are made within the existing institutional and regulatory framework to foster multi-stakeholder inter-relationships in the water resources management in the Densu River basin. The management of the Densu River basin is guided by a number of regulatory mechanisms that are scattered within different institutions. The regulatory mechanisms are seen as the instruments for building and maintaining multi-stakeholder relationships, but some have become a source of conflict among stakeholders, posing threats to water resources management in the Densu basin. The findings show that several issues hinder effective multi-stakeholder inter-relationships in water resources management in the Densu River basin. These issues include colonial legacies embedded within institutions, institutional challenges, and political processes. Despite the adoption of integrated water resources management (IWRM) some institutions still hold on to the old water resources management arrangements instituted during the colonial era, creating challenges for effective institutional collaboration. Additionally, institutional challenges such as limited financial and human resources, corruption, high attrition rate, and lack of integration of projects and programs are also threatening multi-stakeholder inter-relationships. The political processes at the district assemblies that determine representatives on the Densu Basin Board were also identified as posing significant threat to building effective multi-stakeholder inter-relationship for water resources management in the Densu River basin. The findings further indicate that a number of uncoordinated catchment management strategies such as restrictions on farming areas, bans on illegal mining and logging, and others strategies have been instituted in the upper Densu basin to prevent degradation of the river. However, these strategies are having significant socioeconomic impacts on the local communities. A majority of residents are aware and comply with the enforcement of the strategies, but some are quite reluctant to adhere to them because of increasing economic hardships. This situation threatens the successful implementation of the strategies and the overall protection of the river. Other residents, however, have adopted alternative strategies (expanding petty trading, farming improvement, multiple jobs and others) to cope with the increasing economic hardships as a result of the enforcement of the catchment management strategies by the government.

Supply chain literature has increasingly argued that supply chains are being used by a wide range of industries to generate innovations which deliver competitive advantage, and that social factors such as trust and collaboration play a key role in making effective supply chain management (SCM). Closer examination of the research suggests that much of this literature is based on studies of industries which deliver consumer products and these studies are predominantly conducted within a positivist research framework. This research bias has resulted in far less attention being paid to studies of mature industrial markets. This case study seeks to redress such bias by posing an overall question regarding the role of social factors in innovation within a well established supply chain which existed across three mature, capital intensive industries � steel manufacturing, transport and railroad track construction and working outside the positivist paradigm by using a m ultidisciplinary research approach within a �critical realist framework�. In responding to the overall research question, three subordinate questions were explored. Firstly, how well suited are present corporate governance structures of individual organisations to deal with the newly emerging interconnected organisational structures in order to support the generation of innovations within supply chains? Secondly, what has been the impact of the widespread adoption of information technology in generating innovation in supply chains? And thirdly, what is the role played by interorganisational social networks in generating innovations within supply chains? The overall findings were that the social factors played a far more important role than had hitherto been acknowledged in either supporting or inhibiting innovation within supply chains. Corporate governance was seen to generally inhibit innovation between organisations. The claims of much of the SCM literature which asserts a strong link between IT and innovation in supply chains was not supported. In fact, it was found that the majority of subjects preferred to get information through social systems. The role of interorganisational networks (IONs) was found to be most effective at generating incremental innovations aimed at maintaining operational efficiency. A critical realist research approach was able to uncover some difficulties associated with a purely positivist research paradigm which restricts investigation to the empirical level of ontology. The critical realist approach was able to explore social causal mechanisms and structures which were not as readily accessible at the empirical level of inves tigation. It was found that multiple realities existed across the supply chain, and that the positivist assumption of a mono reality which underpins much of the enterprise resource planning (ERP), process management and governance approaches was in fact inhibiting the ability of the social system to be innovative and ultimately driving up costs. In fact a process management approach supported by information technology and operating within present corporate governance structures created conflicting goals which increased complexity. A key finding of this study was how the open social system of the supply chain used dynamic relationships to overcome the rigidities and complexity of a closed systems logic embedded in the formal governance and information systems.

Ngā Kupu Whakataki: Abstract The study focuses on identifying how the reconstruction of the whānau and its approach to childrearing through the colonisation of Māori society can be perceived within the experiences of the case study of four generations of one whānau. A kaupapa Māori approach to research provided a framework for members of our whānau to socially construct their realities regarding the dynamics of our four generation whānau collaboratively. Socio-cultural theoretical frameworks were used to analyse approaches to whānau and childrearing.

Individual businesses from a variety of sectors network and work together to create a successful tourist experience. The interdependencies of organisations producing this experience make cooperation a necessity in destination marketing. Despite the centrality of cooperation and networking in tourism marketing relatively little empirical research has been conducted in this area. This thesis uses the case of the development of the official NZ website www.purenz.com (purenz) to examine the role, form and process of inter-organisational cooperation in destination marketing. Drawing on in-depth interviews with thirty- five industry members involved in establishing and managing www.purenz.com between 1999 and 2006 this thesis makes a number of contributions to both the marketing and tourism literature. The thesis confirms that there are considerable difficulties in broadening the marketing role of the national tourism organisation (NTO) beyond destination promotion. The study also finds that destination marketing and destination management are still perceived as separate processes in the NZ tourism industry. In addition, the results of this study provide support for the view that the social networks in which firms are embedded have a considerable influence on inter-organisational alliance formation. This thesis contributes to the development of theoretical approaches to the study of cooperation in destination marketing by identifying five levels of cooperation in destination marketing: passive acceptance, support, alignment, contribution and pooling. The levels are based on the different types of input that may be required from stakeholders by the NTO. The level of cooperation desired in a particular context is a strategic choice to be made by the destination marketing management. This choice is affected by the existing characteristics of the tourism network; the NTO leaders’ perception of the need for and value of cooperation in destination marketing and also by the extent of shared understanding of the scope of destination marketing management among tourism stakeholders. The research points to the need to develop further the network characteristics affecting cooperation in destination marketing. Further work is also needed to develop a more complete profile of the five levels of cooperation identified by this study and the investment required to achieve each level of cooperation.

The use of the squat exercise (and its derivatives) in gym-based settings is widespread owing to perceived functional performance enhancing effects. In particular, there has been preponderance amongst practitioners with loads that maximise power outputs (Pmax) based on a perception that mechanical peak power is directly related to explosive functional performance such as sprinting ability. The optimal muscular quality associated with squats remains elusive though, mostly due to methodological limitations in the research. The four experimental studies in this thesis sought to quantify the kinetic and kinematic outputs of a machine squat-jump and their relationship to sprinting ability, both descriptively and across a training period. First, an analysis of the kinetic and kinematic outputs of a machine squat-jump across a spectrum of loads was performed, with an emphasis on power output. Then, the relationship of these outputs with sprint ability was investigated. Correlations do not imply cause and effect, thus a training intervention was undertaken to quantify the relationships of the change in performance measures over time, and allow a comparison of different training protocols. Specifically, one training group was prescribed training loads based on individually determined peak power outputs, and the other based on traditional maximal strength training loads. Because the intention of this thesis was to enhance our knowledge of best strength training practice for elite sporting performance, highly trained athletes were specifically chosen as subjects, cognizant of the population specific nature of training adaptation. In study one, it was determined that the point on the power-load spectrum where peak and mean power occurred in the machine squat-jump was 21.6 ± 7.1 %1RM (mean ± SD) and 39.0 ± 8.6 %1RM respectively although there was considerable individual variation in these points. A broad plateau in power outputs was evident for most subjects with at most a 9.9% (90% confidence limits ±2.4%) difference in peak or means power at loads up to 20 %1RM either side of the peak. Studies two and three established that, of the multiple kinetic and kinematic measures investigated, only 1RM strength, work and impulse (all relative to body mass) provided any indication of useful kinetic / kinematic outputs that were potentially worthwhile developing for enhancing sprint performance, albeit with only moderate correlations (r = ~ -0.3). Additionally, the intercorrelations between maximal strength and explosive kinetic and kinematic measures were only moderate (r = ~0.3), casting doubt on the common practice of pursuing high 1RM strength with the intention of improving explosive muscle performance. The training study provided evidence that training at the load that maximised individual peak power output was no more effective for improving sprint ability than training at heavy loads and the changes in kinetic and kinematic outputs were not usefully related to changes in sprint ability.

This thesis focuses on the edible fungus Lepista (Pied Bleu or Wood Blewit). Factors affecting its potential commercial cultivation were explored and a contribution to knowledge of the morphology and cultivation of Australian species of Lepista has been made. Australian collections of Lepista were made within a 200 km zone of Sydney. A study of the morphology and taxonomic species of these collections was undertaken. Intra- and inter-fertility crosses were completed with French L. nuda and L. sordida to determine genetic relationships and biological species. Suitable substrates for agar medium, spawn production and cultivation were explored. The response to temperature of French and Australian Lepista in vitro, and Australian Lepista under cultivation, using cold shock, was observed. The effect of modified atmosphere exchanges per hour, CO2 levels, and cold shock during the cultivation cycle and sporophore production were investigated. A genebank of Australian Lepista was established. Three species of Lepista were found in Australia : L. nuda, L. sordida and L. saeva. Two other groups of Lepista were identified. The use of A. bisporus compost appeared to be optimal for experimental and commercial applications. Australian isolates of Lepista tolerate higher temperatures than French isolates, and grew at double the rate of the French at all temperatures except 5 degrees centigrade. The length of the spawn run was reduced from 43-58 days to 12-16 days with introduced CO2 of 9,000-11,000 ppm, but an erratic cyclic pattern of net CO2 production occurred which could only be stabilised by increasing ventilation. This initial cyclic pattern appeared to inhibit subsequent sporophore formation. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) is a serious sleep disordered affecting up to 24% of men and 9% of woman in the middle aged population. The current standard for the OSAHS diagnosis is Polysomnography (PSG), which refers to the continuous monitoring of multiple physiological variables over the course of a night. The main outcomes of the PSG test are the OSAHS severity measures, such as the Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI), Arousal Index, Latencies and other information to determine the macro sleep architecture (MSA), which is defined by Wake, Rapid-eye-movement (REM) and non-REM states of sleep. The MSA results are essential for computing the diagnostic measures reported in a PSG. The existing methods of the MSA analysis require the recording of 5-7 electrophysiological signals, including the Electroencephalogram (EEG), Electroculogram (EOG), and the Electromyogram (EMG). Sleep clinicians have to depend on the manual scoring of the overnight data records using the criteria given by Rechtschaffen and Kales (R&K, 1968). The manual analysis of MSA is tedious, subjective and suffers from inter- and intra-scorer variability. Additionally, the RDI and the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) parameters although used as the primary measures of the OSAHS severity, suffers from subjectivity, low reproducibility and a poor correlation with the symptoms of OSAHS. Sleep is essentially a neuropsychological phenomenon, and the EEG remains the best technique for the functional imaging of the brain during sleep. The EEG is the direct result of the neuronal activity of the brain. However, despite the potential, the wealth of information available in the EEG signal remains virtually untapped in current OSAHS diagnosis. Although the EEG is extensively used in traditional sleep analysis, its usage is mainly limited to staging sleep, based on the four-decade old R&K criteria. This thesis addresses these issues plaguing the PSG. We develop a novel, fully-automated algorithm (Higher-order Estimated Sleep States, HESS-algorithm) for the MSA analysis, which requires only one channel of the EEG data. We also develop an objective MSA analysis technique that uses a single, one-dimensional slice of the Bispectrum of the EEG, representing a nonlinear transformation of a system function that can be considered as the EEG generator. The agreement between the human and the proposed technology was found to be in the range of 70%-87%, which are similar to those, possible between expert human scorers. The ability of the HESS algorithm to compute the MSA parameters reliably and objectively will make a dramatic impact on the diagnosis and treatment of OSAHS and other sleep diseases, such as insomnia. The proposed technology uses low-computation-load Bispectrum techniques independent of R&K Criteria (1968) making real-time automated analysis a reality. In the thesis we also propose a new index (the IHSI) to characterise the severity of sleep apnea. The new index is based on the hemispherical asymmetry of the brain and is computed from the EEG coherence analysis. We achieved a significant (p=0.0001) accuracy of up to 91% in classifying patients into apneic and non-apneic group. Our statistical analysis results show that the IHSI carries potential for providing us with a reproducible measure to assist in diagnosing of OSAHS. With the proposed methods in this thesis it may be possible to develop the technology that will not only attempt to screen the OSAHS patients but will be able to provide OSAHS diagnosis with detailed sleep architecture via home based test. These technologies will simplify the instrumentation dramatically and will make possible to extend EEG/MSA analysis to portable systems as well.