<p>Three experiments are reported that examined the lnfluence of prior judgements on implicit and expliclt tests of memory in gymnastic judging. The rationale was that if gymnastlc Judging ls affected by the memory for prior eplsodes, then the accuracy of judgements should change as a result of the prior episode. The results of Experiment 1 revealed that perceptual judgements dlffered as a functlon of an item's relationship between the study phase and the perceptual test phase. Moves that had the same performance ln both phases resulted ln the hlghest level of accuracy (M = 79%). New moves were less accurate (M = 75%). The lowest level of accuracy was achieved for items where the performance was altered between study and the perceptual test (M = 72%) . Similarly, recognition judgements differed as a functlon of an item's relationship between the study phase and recognition test phase. Novlce and expert Judges revealed similar memory lnfluences for perceptual and recognition Judgements (Experiment 1). Memory influences were reduced, but still evident when subjects were given prior knowledge of these effects and procedural changes were adopted (Experiment 2). Spacing of repetitions dld not enhance prior processlng effects of perceptual Judgements, but superior retention was noted for spaced repetitions in the recognition test phase (Experiment 3). These findings are discussed in terms of memory influences on subjective experience and the practical implications of Judges' exposure to an athlete's performance prlor to competition.</p> / Master of Science (MS)

<p>It is known that human skeletal muscle has several fiber types, each with a different metabolic and physiological profile. It is not known whether there are different ultrastructural characteristics within each fiber type which may account for the different contractile properties. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fiber type and ultrastructural characteristics.</p> <p>Needle biopsies were obtained from the right vastus lateralis of five healthy males. According to the method described by Alway et al (1980), the tissue was prepared for electron microscopy and fiber types were identified based on their myoglobin content. Three non-overlapping electron micrographs were taken from the interior of each fiber under a Philips 300 electron microscope, and 50 type I and 50 type II fibers were examined from each subject. The constituents which were studied included: myofibrillar protein, mitochondria, cytoplasm, lipid and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Volume densities were calculated for each constituent by means of a l68-point counting technique from electron micrographs projected onto a screen.</p> <p>The results indicated that type I fibers were significantly greater with respect to mitochondrial volume density and lipid volume. However type II fibers had significantly greater myofibrillar volume densities and sarcoplasmic reticulum volume density (by approximately twofold). Fiber areas were also greater in type II than type I fibers while myosin packing density did not differ between fiber types.</p> <p>It was concluded that SR and myofibrillar protein ultrastructural differences between fiber types may be important factors in determining twitch contraction properties and tension production for type I and II fibers. Finally, differences in mitochondrial volume density may be important in determining fatiguability of fiber types.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

<p>The effects of a 12-week physical conditioning program on cardiorespiratory responses and the subjective assessment of work intensity (RPE) during exercise in healthy, middle-aged females and females with coronary heart disease (CHD) were studied. A physical conditioning program was developed for healthy, middle-aged females and females with CHD using an exercise prescription based on current practice in middle-aged males with and without CHD. The progress included cycle ergometer exercise prescribed at 65-75% of maximal VO₂ for 30-45 minutes 3 times per week.</p> <p>Six cardiac females (aged 40 to 57 years) and 9 healthy females (aged 44 to 52 years) started the program. The cardiac females had a significantly lower maximal work capacity, VO₂ and VCO₂ (p<0.05) than the healthy females. Measures of other variables were similar in the two groups. Following physical conditioning the healthy females demonstrated a significant increase in maximal PO(27.6%), VO₂ (15.9%), VE (23.9%) and VCO₂ (17.8%); a significant decrease in HR (10.5%), SBP (7.1%), RPP (17.5%), VCO₂ (12.0%) and RPE (33.1%) at a standard submaximal PO; and a significant decrease in steady state VO₂ (6.7%), Qc (13.4%) and HR (9.4%) (p<0.05). No changes were observed in other variables. Since only 3 cardiac females completed the 12-week program, they were treated as case studies. These 3 cardiac females showed considerable variation in their cardiorespiratory responses to physical conditioning but each exhibited a reduction in RPE at submaximal power outputs following physical conditioning. It was concluded that the physical conditioning program; (a) improved cardiorespiratory functioning, and reduced perceived exertion, during exercise in the healthy, middle-aged females; and (b) was effective as a mode of psychophysical rehabilitation, but not necessarily as a mode of physiological rehabilitation, for the females with CHD.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

<p>The present study was undertaken to investigate the mechanism underlying the observation that the maximal voluntary strength of the two legs acting together or bilaterally in isometric leg extension was less than the summed unilateral (sum of the left and right legs tested separately) strength. Observations were made on this phenomenon under both isometric and concentric contraction conditions by testing young adult males performing unilateral and bilateral leg press contractions on a modified isokinetic dynamometer.</p> <p>Electromyographical evidence indicated that there was a lesser activation of motor units in bilateral contractions, as compared to unilateral, under isometric conditions and at a low and high concentric velocity. To determine whether a particular type of motor unit was being activated to a lesser extent in bilateral contractions, two physiological parameters of unilateral and bilateral contractions were compared: the strength-velocity relation and fatigability. This investigative method was based on the known physiological differences between the motor unit types; namely fast-twitch (FT), type two motor units have a faster twitch contraction time, greater force output at high velocities of shortening and lesser resistance to fatigue than the slow-twitch (ST), type on units.</p> <p>Results showed a greater relative decline in the strength of bilteral contractions as the velocity of contraction was increased through a range from 0°/s to 424°/s (0 to 7.40 radians/s). The bilateral to summed unilateral strength ratio (B/U ratio) decreased from 0.91 under isometric conditions to 0.51 at the highest test velocity. Lesser fatigability was found in the bilateral condition in a 100 consecutive concentric contraction fatigue test. These results provided complementary evidence for the conclusion that FT motor units were active to a lesser degree in bilateral contractions.</p> / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The aim of this dissertation is to analyse two notions which inform contemporary evolutionary psychology. In Part I Tooby and Cosmides' (1992) Standard Model thesis of the history of twentieth century social science is examined with regard to social psychology. In Part II the practical and theoretical fecundity of the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness is examined, again with regard to social psychology. The analysis of the Standard Model thesis yields the result that it is not reliable as an intellectual history of social psychology. A principal reason for this is the failure of the thesis to acknowledge the instinct debate of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Further consideration of the instinct debate leads to the conclusion that evolutionary psychology may be in the process of repeating the history of social psychology rather than making substantive advances. The analysis of the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness concept yields two results. Firstly, in use it fails to accommodate the findings of palaeontology. Secondly, it promotes a view of mental capacity and functioning that is at odds with that of modern humans. Further consideration of the natural history of the human lineage leads to the conclusion that the past was not, in some sense, ontogenetically prior to the present and that it will not furnish social psychology with an adaptation that functions in a predictable manner. In Part III it is recommended that an evolutionary approach to social psychology should dispense with the concept of adaptation as proposed by evolutionary psychology.

No description available.

The mechanism of high pressure-adapted growth in the deep-sea bacterium Photobacterium profundum SS9 is poorly understood. To gain further insights, two P. profundum SS9R mutants were investigated. FL23 (pbpra3229::m-Tn10) and FL28 (pbpra1039::m-Tn10) had been previously characterised as high pressuresensitive and pressure-enhanced, respectively. FL23 had a growth defect at atmospheric pressure but failed to show high pressure-adapted growth on solid agar. Pbpra3229 is 75 % identical to E. coli DiaA (stimulator of DNA replication and critical for the timely initiation of replication) and 45% identical to E. coli GmhA (essential for lipopolysaccharide core biosynthesis), which led to an investigation into whether either process was affected in FL23. However, the lipopolysaccharide of FL23 and its parent strain were identical, which suggests that Pbpra3229 is not a GmhA homologue. In contrast, the pbpra3229 and E. coli diaA genes were functionally interchangeable and both restored the timing of DNA replication in an E. coli diaA mutant. FL28 had growth and morphological defects at high pressure, but both phenotypes were exacerbated at atmospheric pressure. Pbpra1039 is 55% identical to E. coli SeqA, which is a negative regulator of DNA replication and also essential for timely initiation. Pbpra1039 was shown to be a functional homologue of E. coli SeqA, as pbpra1039 partially complemented the DNA replication defect of an E. coli seqA mutant. Combined, these findings provide evidence that Pbpra3229 is a DiaA homologue, whereas Pbpra1039 is a cold adapted SeqA homologue, and that both positive and negative regulation of initiation of DNA replication are essential for the ability of P. profundum SS9 to adapt to deep-sea conditions. A marine metagenomic library was also screened for clones that produced novel cell envelope polysaccharides and tools were developed to identify cell envelope polysaccharides in P. profundum SS9.

Birth weight (BW) (n =1277) and weaning weight (WW) (n = 1090) of calves, pregnancy rate (PR) (n = 1386), calf crop born (CCB) (n = 1386), calf crop weaned (CCW) (n = 1294), cow’s weight at palpation (CW) (n = 1474) and cow body condition score (BCS) (n = 1473) were evaluated from 1994 to 2006 in 143 F1 cows sired by Brahman (B), Boran (Bo) and Tuli (T) bulls and born to Angus and Hereford cows. Mouth scores (MS) (n = 139) were assigned to the remaining cows in 2004 and 2005. Fixed effects included sire breed of cow, dam breed of cow, and calf’s birth year/age of cow; random effects included cow and sire of cow. BW and WW were evaluated using the same model and adding gender for both and age for WW. All two-way interactions were tested for significance. Calf’s birth year/age of dam was significant for all traits (P < 0.05) except WW. BW for calves out of F1 B, Bo and T bulls were 35.08, 34.76 and 34.87 kg, respectively, and were not different. WW differed (P < 0.05) for calves out of F1 B, Bo and T cows (235.87, 221.10 and 208.35 kg, respectively). PR (0.922, 0.955 and 0.936, respectively), CCB (0.881, 0.931, 0.890, respectively), CCW (0.848, 0.898 and 0.869, respectively), did not differ among F1 B, Bo and T cows. CW when cows were 8- or 9-year old were 600.78, 514.63 and 513.14 kg, respectively, for F1 B, Bo and T cows, with those sired by B being heaviest (P < 0.05). BCS for B-, Bo- and T-sired cows were 5.23, 5.48 and 5.18, respectively, with F1 Bo cows having highest scores. Higher MS (P < 0.05) were assigned to Bo and B-sired cows (0.95 and 0.94, respectively) compared to T-sired cows (0.78), when both broken and solid incisors were scored 1, and smooth scored 0. When both smooth and broken were scored 0, and solid were scored 1, higher scores were assigned to B- (0.53) compared to T-sired cows (0.24), the Bo-sired cows being intermediate. Higher reproductive rates were found for Boran-sired cows, but Brahman-sired cows weaned heavier calves.

Birth weight (BW) (n =1277) and weaning weight (WW) (n = 1090) of calves, pregnancy rate (PR) (n = 1386), calf crop born (CCB) (n = 1386), calf crop weaned (CCW) (n = 1294), cow’s weight at palpation (CW) (n = 1474) and cow body condition score (BCS) (n = 1473) were evaluated from 1994 to 2006 in 143 F1 cows sired by Brahman (B), Boran (Bo) and Tuli (T) bulls and born to Angus and Hereford cows. Mouth scores (MS) (n = 139) were assigned to the remaining cows in 2004 and 2005. Fixed effects included sire breed of cow, dam breed of cow, and calf’s birth year/age of cow; random effects included cow and sire of cow. BW and WW were evaluated using the same model and adding gender for both and age for WW. All two-way interactions were tested for significance. Calf’s birth year/age of dam was significant for all traits (P < 0.05) except WW. BW for calves out of F1 B, Bo and T bulls were 35.08, 34.76 and 34.87 kg, respectively, and were not different. WW differed (P < 0.05) for calves out of F1 B, Bo and T cows (235.87, 221.10 and 208.35 kg, respectively). PR (0.922, 0.955 and 0.936, respectively), CCB (0.881, 0.931, 0.890, respectively), CCW (0.848, 0.898 and 0.869, respectively), did not differ among F1 B, Bo and T cows. CW when cows were 8- or 9-year old were 600.78, 514.63 and 513.14 kg, respectively, for F1 B, Bo and T cows, with those sired by B being heaviest (P < 0.05). BCS for B-, Bo- and T-sired cows were 5.23, 5.48 and 5.18, respectively, with F1 Bo cows having highest scores. Higher MS (P < 0.05) were assigned to Bo and B-sired cows (0.95 and 0.94, respectively) compared to T-sired cows (0.78), when both broken and solid incisors were scored 1, and smooth scored 0. When both smooth and broken were scored 0, and solid were scored 1, higher scores were assigned to B- (0.53) compared to T-sired cows (0.24), the Bo-sired cows being intermediate. Higher reproductive rates were found for Boran-sired cows, but Brahman-sired cows weaned heavier calves.

Several fungal endophytes (C. protuberata, F. culmorum, and C. magna) confer stress tolerance to plants in the presence of certain pressures. This relationship is known as habitat-adapted symbiosis; its mechanism is currently unknown. Here, sFTIR, FTIR coupled to an FPA detector, and Raman spectromicroscopy are used to examine whether any biochemical differences exist between different isolates of the same species: one that can confer stress tolerance to plants and the other that cannot. No major differences have been observed in spectra that can differentiate between those endophytes that confer stress tolerance and those that do not. However, some hy-phae from both isolates of C. protuberata have been found to contain mannitol; its pres-ence may be more common in geothermal rather than non-geothermal isolates. Mannitol is a compound involved in providing stress tolerance to fungi. Any role that it may have in the mechanism of habitat-adapted symbiosis will need further investigation.