The ability to accurately identify individuals is required for the detailed study of animals. Numerous artificial markers have been developed for this purpose. Negative effects on survival, reproductive success and behavior have been reported for most marking methods, significantly affecting the very parameters being studied. / Birds of prey have suffered the shortcomings of artificial marking methods. In light of the known and potential deleterious effects of marking, attention has been focused on developing new techniques to identify individual raptors without attaching artificial markers. / This study investigated the use of tarsal scale patterns as unique individual identifiers in birds of prey. The American kestrel (Falco sparverius) was chosen as a model. Both legs of seventy-five kestrels were photographed over a two-year period. / Photographic comparisons of 150 scale patterns demonstrated the uniqueness of each and therefore its ability to be used as an individual's natural identifier. Furthermore, patterns were found to remain unchanged from one year to the next. These findings support the hypotheses that tarsal scale patterns are unique to each bird and do not change over time. / A method of coding the tarsal scale patterns was developed. These codes can be used in a computerized data base to significantly enhance the speed of pattern searches.

It has been established that legged, off-road vehicles exhibit better mobility, obtain higher energy efficiency and provide more comfortable movement than those of tracked or wheeled vehicles while moving on rough terrain. Previous studies on legged mechanism design were performed by selecting the length of each link by trial and error or by certain optimization techniques where only a static force analysis was performed due to the complexity of the mechanisms. We found that these techniques can be inefficient and inaccurate. In this paper, we present the design and the optimization of a single degree-of-freedom 8-bar legged walking mechanism. We design the leg using the mechanism design theory because it offers a greater control on the output motion. Furthermore, a dynamic force analysis is performed to determine the torque applied on the input link. The optimization is set up to achieve two objectives: i) to minimize the energy needed by the system and ii) to maximize the stride length. The kinematics and dynamics of the optimized leg mechanism are compared to the one by trial-and-error. It shows that large improvements to the performance of the leg mechanism can be achieved. A prototype of the walking mechanism with 6 legs is built to demonstrate the performance.

There is no abstract available for this thesis.

It has been established that legged, off-road vehicles exhibit better mobility, obtain higher energy efficiency and provide more comfortable movement than those of tracked or wheeled vehicles while moving on rough terrain. Previous studies on legged mechanism design were performed by selecting the length of each link by trial and error or by certain optimization techniques where only a static force analysis was performed due to the complexity of the mechanisms. We found that these techniques can be inefficient and inaccurate. In this paper, we present the design and the optimization of a single degree-of-freedom 8-bar legged walking mechanism. We design the leg using the mechanism design theory because it offers a greater control on the output motion. Furthermore, a dynamic force analysis is performed to determine the torque applied on the input link. The optimization is set up to achieve two objectives: i) to minimize the energy needed by the system and ii) to maximize the stride length. The kinematics and dynamics of the optimized leg mechanism are compared to the one by trial-and-error. It shows that large improvements to the performance of the leg mechanism can be achieved. A prototype of the walking mechanism with 6 legs is built to demonstrate the performance.

No description available.

Venous leg ulceration (VLU) affects roughly 0.6 percent of the western population, with the management of this condition in Australia alone accounting for between AUD$554 and AUD$655 million in health care expenditure every year. Apart from these financial implications, VLU is also associated with a number of adverse psychosocial effects, including depression, anxiety, social isolation, impaired mobility and reduced working capacity. Whilst compression therapy remains the primary treatment of choice for VLU, discomfort, poor compliance and potentially serious complications demand that a more convenient, safer and efficacious treatment of venous ulceration be developed. A herbal extract proposed to advance venous ulcer healing through its venotonic, anti-inflammatory, anti-oedema, anti-enzymatic and anti-exudative properties is Horsechestnut Seed Extract (HCSE). / Thesis (PhDNursing)--University of South Australia, 2005.

Thesis (MAppSci in Physiotheraphy) -- University of South Australia, 1994

This project sought to develop a system that facilitated the visual inspection of venous leg ulcers by establishing a selection of reliable parameters. The project had three principal aims: to develop a reliable method for capturing the colours exhibited by a venous leg ulcer; to establish a colour range that experienced clinicians believed represented wet necrotic tissue and erythema; and to develop software that highlighted the two manifestations in digital photographs. The project method was divided into three phases. The first phase examined images taken from twenty-two patients over forty-seven episodes of care. During each episode three sequential images were captured using a frame to control for orientation, magnification and lighting resulting in a bank of 141 images. The reliability of the system to accurately capture colour was then determined by examining the amount of colour variation recorded across the set of three images taken at each episode. The second phase asked eight experienced clinicians to examine a set of twenty photographs taken from the bank established in phase one. On each photograph the clinicians were asked to identify areas of wet necrotic tissue or erythema and outline the areas with a colour pen supplied for each manifestation. A colour range was then constructed to represent each manifestation by measuring the range, mean and standard deviation of pixels that were located within the outlined areas. The third phase developed a computerised system that used the colour range established in phase two to highlight areas of a digital image that represented either erythema or wet necrotic tissue. The validity of the highlighted areas was then tested by asking experienced clinicians to identify their level of agreement with the areas selected by the computer system. Analysis of the results from phase one indicated that the system used to record images at each episode of care provided a reliable method for maintaining consistent orientation, magnification and replication of colour. Results from phase two yielded a two distinct colour representation of erythema and wet necrotic tissue. Erythema ranged from 3600 to 3780 of hue with a mean of 369.210, and wet necrotic tissue ranged from 3670 to 3900 of hue with a mean of 387.730. Results from phase three indicated that whilst clearly delineated areas of erythema and wet necrotic tissue were visible, the validity of the representations was varied. 50 per cent of experienced clinicians agreed with the areas selected as erythema and 60 per cent agreed with the areas selected by the computer system as wet necrotic tissue. The system developed during this study for recording images of venous leg ulcers provides a reliable method for further research into the visual progression of this disease. However, the colour range identified as being representative of erythema or wet necrotic tissue and the computer system developed to highlight such areas in a digital image, requires further investigation before it is applicable to the clinical setting. The findings do however provide further insights into the varied nature of expert opinion when judging the colour of venous leg ulceration.

Thesis (M.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Orthopaedics and Trauma, 1999? / Bibliography: leaves 216-231.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Thomas W. Kaminski, Dept. of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences. Includes bibliographical references.