The primary aim of this thesis is to apply chaos theory to consumer behaviour research. Chaos theory is essentially a theory of time series. The specific focus is product choice consumption behaviour. The conceptual basis for the work is taken from a theory thus far developed entirely outwith the topic focus of consumer research and marketing. The concepts and methods developed by chaos theorists in the natural sciences and some social and behavioural sciences are synthesised with concepts and methods from consumer research. The objective is to both shed light on the consumption process and explore the potential of chaos theory in this field. Ultimately the work attempts to address the question of whether consumer behaviour can be 'chaotic' as described by chaos theory.In order to facilitate these objectives a diary study was conducted using sixty respondents. They were required to record their consumption of branded products for a period of three months. Five product categories were used with informants recording consumption of only one product type (twelve informants in each group). The product groups were as follows: soft drinks; savoury snacks; beer; chocolate snacks and packaged yoghurts and desserts. The data was coded and analysed by methods selected prior to data capture: weighted time series, spectral analysis and phase space analysis. One of the principal findings of the research was that distinctive forms of behaviour were identifiable within the data set as a whole from which a five-fold typology is proposed. However the complexity and individuality of the forms was marked despite this apparent typology. The spectral analysis shows little evidence of regular or periodic patterned behaviour; the series are essentially aperiodic. The phase space analysis reinforces and enhances the analysis of the weighted time series and suggests the series tend more towards chaos than ordered behaviour. The series obey certain 'rules' (i.e. they are 'randomised' but not random) consistent with the existence of determnistic chaos. Moreover they appear globally stable and locally unstable. These findings have a number of implications for various areas of consumer research (e.g. varety seeking, loyalty and other aspects of consumption) and successfully extend the application of chaos theory to another area of human behaviour research.

M.Phil. (Psychology) / The aim of this study is to examine the influence that the parent-child relationship has over development of the adolescent. This isdone through the theoretical concept of individuation. The basic assumption of this study is that it is not only the adolescent that undergoes certain developmental changes during individuation, but that the relationship context wherein he finds himself, also changes. Furthermore, the adolescent and his context influence one another mutually. Individuation does not just pose certain demands on the adolescent, but also on the parent-adolescent relationship as well as the family system. It is also evident that family functioning has an important influence over the type and quality of the parent-adolescent relationship. Therefore the dynamic interaction between family functioning, the characteristics of the parent-adolescent relationship, and the personality development of the adolescent is being examined according to developmental theories as well as the family system approach. In order to examine the relation between the personality characteristics of the adolescent and the characteristics of the parent-adolescent relationship, a single conceptual model is used in which the common theoretical traits that occur in both the developmental and systems approach, is integrated. Various types of parent-adolescent interaction is therefore identified according to this integrated theoretical model, whereupon the relation between this types of parent-adolescent interactions and specified personality traits of the adolescent can be examined.

Chan Wai Yu. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-110). / Acknowledgements --- p.ii / Abstract --- p.iii / Table of Contents --- p.v / List of Tables --- p.viii / List of Figures --- p.ix / Chapter Chapter I --- INTRODUCTION / Chapter 1 --- Background to the study --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Purpose of the study --- p.3 / Chapter 3 --- Limitations of the study --- p.4 / Chapter 4 --- Significance of the study --- p.5 / Chapter Chapter II --- REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE / Chapter 1 --- Definitions of problem and major approaches in problem- solving research --- p.6 / Chapter 2 --- Information-processing theory of problem solving --- p.8 / Chapter 3 --- Cognitive theories and the acquisition of procedural knowledge in problem solving --- p.11 / Chapter (i) --- Anderson's ACT* theory --- p.12 / Chapter (ii) --- Schneider and Detweler's model --- p.16 / Chapter (iii) --- Research in skill acqusition --- p.23 / Chapter 4 --- Cognitive theories and transfer of problem-solving performance --- p.29 / Chapter (i) --- Transfer and Anderson's ACT* theory --- p.30 / Chapter (ii) --- Other studies and explanation about transfer --- p.32 / Chapter (iii) --- Research in transfer --- p.34 / Chapter 5 --- Research in genetic problem-solving --- p.38 / Chapter 6 --- Brief summary of literature review --- p.40 / Chapter Chapter III --- RESEARCH DESIGN / Chapter 1 --- Definition --- p.42 / Chapter 2 --- Hypotheses --- p.44 / Chapter 3 --- Sampling --- p.44 / Chapter 4 --- Subjects --- p.45 / Chapter 5 --- Materials --- p.45 / Chapter 6 --- Procedure / Chapter (i) --- Pilot studies --- p.47 / Chapter (ii) --- The main study --- p.48 / Chapter 7 --- Data analysis / Chapter (i) --- The practice schedule experiment --- p.55 / Chapter (ii) --- The protocol --- p.57 / Chapter Chapter IV --- ANALYSIS AND RESULT / Chapter 1 --- Statistically analysis of tests scores / Chapter (i) --- Reliability --- p.59 / Chapter (ii) --- Comparison of the problem solving test scores between the two groups --- p.61 / Chapter (iii) --- "Effects of treatment groups, test types and time conditions on the performance" --- p.65 / Chapter 2 --- Analysis of the protocols / Chapter (i) --- Problem-solving procedures --- p.72 / Chapter (ii) --- Problem-solving performance --- p.77 / Chapter 3 --- Discussion --- p.87 / Chapter (i) --- Acquisition --- p.87 / Chapter (ii) --- Retention --- p.89 / Chapter (iii) --- Transfer --- p.90 / Chapter (vi) --- General discussion --- p.93 / Chapter Chapter V --- CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS / Chapter 1 --- Conclusions --- p.95 / Chapter 2 --- Suggestion for further investigations --- p.97 / Bibliography --- p.99 / Appendix A The power law --- p.111 / Appendix B Figure8 --- p.112 / Appendix C Supplimentary note --- p.113 / Appendix D Pretest --- p.114 / Appendix E Practice schedule exercises --- p.115 / Appendix F Posttests --- p.125 / Appendix G Problems in the second protocol interview --- p.133 / Appendix H Transcripts of the protocols --- p.134

Reforms to the national research and research training system by the Commonwealth Government of Australia sought to effectively connect research conducted in universities to Australia's national innovation system. Research training has a key role in ensuring an adequate supply of highly skilled people for the national innovation system. During their studies, research students produce and disseminate a massive amount of new knowledge. Prior to this study, there was no research that examined the contribution of research training to Australia's national innovation system despite the existence of policy initiatives aiming to enhance this contribution. Given Australia's below average (but improving) innovation performance compared to other OECD countries, the inclusion of Finland and the United States provided further insights into the key research question. This study examined three obvious ways that research training contributes to the national innovation systems in the three countries: the international mobility and migration of research students and graduates, knowledge production and distribution by research students, and the impact of research training as advanced human capital formation on economic growth. Findings have informed the concept of a research training culture of innovation that aims to enhance the contribution of research training to Australia's national innovation system. Key features include internationally competitive research and research training environments; research training programs that equip students with economically-relevant knowledge and the capabilities required by employers operating in knowledge-based economies; attractive research careers in different sectors; a national commitment to R&D as indicated by high levels of gross and business R&D expenditure; high private and social rates of return from research training; and the horizontal coordination of key organisations that create policy for, and/or invest in research training.

Ribonuclease II (RNase II) is a bacterial enzyme responsible for 90% of the exonucleolytic degradation of mRNA in bacteria, and has bacterial homologues known to be involved in virulence. The goal of this project was to examine the structural dynamics of RNase II using fluorescence. Prior to the beginning of this project, little was known regarding the structural composition of RNase II – required information in the study of structural dynamics. Consequently, the structure of RNase II was studied by constructing a series of deletion mutants in order to map the domains. The publication of an atomic resolution structure of RNase II allowed the project to move directly into the study of RNase II structural dynamics as it degrades mRNA. As a step towards this, RNase II was fluorescently labeled, and preliminary binding studies of DNA – a competitive inhibitor – to RNase II using fluorescence were conducted. / xii, 90 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm

Pseudouridine is the most common RNA modification found in all forms of life. The exact role pseudouridines play in the cell is still relatively unknown. However, its extensive incorporation in functionally important areas of the ribosome and the fitness advantage provided to cells by pseudouridines implies that its presence is important for the cell. The enzymes responsible for this modification, pseudouridine synthases, vary greatly in substrate recognition mechanisms, but all enzymes supposedly share a universally conserved catalytic mechanism. Here, I analyze the kinetic mechanisms of pseudouridylation utilized by the exemplary pseudouridine synthase RluA in order to compare it with the previously determined rate of pseudouridylation of the pseudouridine synthase TruB. My results demonstrate that RluA has the same uniformly slow catalytic step as previously determined for TruB and TruA. This constitutes the first step towards identifying the catalytic mechanism of the pseudouridine synthase family. Additionally, it was my aim to identify the major determinants for RNA binding by pseudouridine synthases. By measuring the dissociation constants (KD) for substrate and product tRNA by nitrocellulose filtration assays, I showed that both tRNA species could bind with similar affinities. These binding studies also revealed that TruB’s interaction with the isolated T-arm is the major contact site contributing to the affinity of the enzyme to RNA. Finally, a new contact between tRNA and TruB’s PUA domain was identified which was not observed in the crystal structure. In summary, my results provide new insight into the common catalytic step of pseudouridine synthases and the specific interactions contributing to substrate binding by the enzyme TruB. These results will enable future studies on the kinetic mechanism of pseudouridine synthases, in particular the kinetics of substrate and product binding and release, as well as on the chemical mechanism of pseudouridine formation. / xi, 122 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 29 cm

The work presented here represents research done on mycotoxins and plant toxins by the author and his postgraduate students over a period from 1964 to date. The first phase, which ends at 1980, mainly addresses the biosynthesis of the aflatoxins. The involvement of anthraquinone derivatives in this process was investigated and the role of versicolorin A and its derivatives was partially elucidated. Novel active enzymes systems were derived from protoplasts and used in these studies. The period lasting from 1980 to 1992 concentrates on the occurrence of mycotoxins in agricultural commodities and effects on animals and their systems. Over 7000 samples were analysed using a multimycotoxin analytical method and a fungal screen. The most common mycotoxin found was aflatoxin B₁ and prevalent fungus was Fusarium moniliforme. Later work is indicating that fumonisin B₁ is the most commonly occurring mycotoxin. As this was only discovered in 1988, its presence was only looked from 1995 onwards. It was also found that rumen fluid could metabolise trichothecenes. During this period (1980-1992) further work on aflatoxin metabolism was done and a novel dehydrogenase involved in aflatoxin B₁ was isolated and characterised. An Elisa assay was developed for atractyloside, a toxin found in a plant (Callilepis laureola) used in tradition medicine. The site of atractyloside storage was found to be in the plant vacuole. The final period covers 1992 to the present, where the occurrence and effects of mycotoxins in human disease were studied. The major and most important finding is that fumonisin B₁ is present in the blood and tissues of many of the Black population examined in Kwazulu Natal. This includes, oesophageal cancer patients, eclamptic patients, school children and members of the rural population. A similar circumstance also appertains for the presence of aflatoxin B₁. It seems likely from these results that chronic mycotoxicoses are a common occurrence, particularly in the Black rural population and are not the sporadic rare event that is found in the first world countries. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1999.

This study investigated the underlying factor structure of second language (L2) cloze test performance as explained by a theoretical model including the following hypothetical constructs: cloze-taking ability, knowledge of language, knowledge of text content, and knowledge of contextual constraints. Eight cloze tests reflecting the posited factors were constructed and administered to 182 Francophone, university-level students. The factors were examined separately and in combination through a causal model building process. A model composed of three orthogonal factors was confirmed and accepted as the best explanation of the data. The results indicate that cloze performance is dependent upon knowledge of a specific language (second language or first language) and nonlinguistic-specific knowledge related to close-taking ability that crosses over linguistic boundaries. Cloze has been considered as an overall L2 proficiency measure. This study empirically demonstrates that factors other than language are significantly contributing to cloze performance. It also demonstrates the potential of a causal modeling approach.

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This thesis investigated the nature of the deficit in story recall associated with temporal-lobe damage in the left hemisphere dominant for speech. The first three experiments examined whether excision of this region (1) slows the rate at which verbal material is processed, (2) reduces working-memory capacity, or (3) interferes with the integration of information across sentences. Left temporal lobectomy does not impair these aspects of the initial processing of stories, since on none of the above variables was the performance of left temporal-lobe groups deficient relative to that of normal control subjects, or patients with unilateral frontal- or right temporal-lobe removals. The fourth experiment examined the effect of left temporal lobectomy on how quickly a passage was forgotten after it had been learned to criterion. Although patients with such an excision took more trials to learn a story than did normal control subjects, only those patients with extensive left hippocampal removal were impaired when recalling this story 20 minutes later. These results highlight the role of the left hippocampus in the long-term maintenance of story information.