Estima-se atualmente que mais de 5% da população mundial vem fazendo uso recreativo de algum tipo de substância psicoativa, sendo que o direito a esse uso é tema recorrente da sociedade contemporânea. Por apresentar riscos associados à saúde e a segurança das populações, o uso abusivo dessas substâncias tem instigado a toxicologia social na busca de respostas, com as quais se possa caracterizar, analisar e gerenciar esses riscos. Drogas de grande consumo no Brasil são a anfetamina, cocaína e Cannabis sativa. Esta tese desenvolveu uma nova metodologia para detectar e quantificar anfetamina, cocaína e tetrahidrocanabinol em sangue total, com uso de microextração em fase líquida via fibra de polipropileno (HF-LPME), seguida de cromatografia gasosa acoplada a espectrometria de massa (GC-MS). Trata-se de uma técnica que apresenta vantagens sobre as tradicionais, uma vez que demanda quantidades menores de solvente orgânico, diminuindo riscos e custos de processo. Também propôs um estudo com a aplicação dos métodos em 69 amostras de sangue de vivos e de post mortem, as quais foram obtidas por convênio com a superintendência da polícia técnica científica de São Paulo (SPTC/SP). Os métodos desenvolvidos foram validados de acordo com diretrizes internacionais de interesse forense. Como resultado da validação, os métodos desenvolvidos se mostraram precisos e exatos para anfetamina e cocaína. O limite de detecção da cocaína foi de 5 ng . mL-1 e o limite de quantificação de 10 ng . mL-1. Quanto a anfetamina, os limites de detecção e de quantificação foram de 5 ng . mL-1. A técnica de HF-LPME não foi aplicável ao tetraidrocanabinol (Δ9-THC). Como resultado da análise das amostras, 40% delas apresentaram resultados positivos para cocaína. Desses positivos, 35% foram oriundos das matrizes de sangue de vivos e 64% oriundos de sangue post mortem. Nenhuma delas apresentou resultado quantificável para anfetamina. / It is currently estimated that more than 5% of the world\'s population has been doing recreational use of some kind of psychoactive substances and the legal right to such use is a recurring theme debated by contemporary society. Due to the risks associated with populations health and safety, the abusive use of these substances has been instigating by social toxicology to search for answers to characterize, analyze and manage these risks. Drugs of great consumption in Brazil are, amphetamine cocaine and marijuana. This thesis proposes to develop a new methodology to detect and quantify psychoactive drugs in whole blood with the use of liquid phase microextraction by polypropylene fiber (HFLPME), followed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). It is a technique that presents advantages compared with traditional ones, because of the smaller amounts demands of organic solvent, reducing risks and process costs. It also proposes a study with 69 blood samples taken from living persons and post mortem blood samples, which were obtained by agreement with the Superintendency of São Paulo Scientific Technical Police (SPTC / SP). The methods developed were validated according to international guidelines of forensic interest. As a result of the validation, the methods developed were precise and accurate for amphetamine and cocaine. The limit of cocaine detection was 5 ng . mL-1 and the limit of quantification was 10 ng . mL-1. As for amphetamine, the limits of detection and quantification were 5 ng . mL-1. The HF-LPME technique was not applicable to tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC). As a result of the sample analysis, 40% of them presented positive results for cocaine. Of these, 35% were from blood samples taken from living persons and 64% from the post mortem blood samples. None of the samples presented quantifiable results for amphetamine.

L’estimation du délai post mortem est une étape fondamentale en anthropologie médico-légale. À ce jour, peu de méthodes précises et fiables existent. Les objectifs de notre travail étaient d’étudier le tissu osseux et son évolution dans les années et siècles suivant le décès en développant la Résonance Magnétique Nucléaire (RMN) des solides du carbone13C et du proton1H. Nous avons analysé une centaine d’os humains et animaux pour lesquels nous connaissions l’âge au décès, le sexe, la date de décès et les conditions de conservation. Nous avons caractérisé les os au niveau moléculaire en identifiant le collagène, les lipides et l’hydroxyapatite constitutifs du tissu osseux. Nous avons développé une méthode RMN permettant de distinguer des altérations de certains échantillons attestant de la présence d’adipocire au sein du tissu osseux, ou des dégradations sur des échantillons très anciens. L’étude de l’âge au décès et du sexe des sujets n’a pas mis en évidence une grande influence de ces facteurs sur les données RMN même si, pour des délais post mortem de 0 ou 1 an, les sujets féminins présentent quantitativement plus de lipides que les sujets masculins. L’analyse des conditions de conservation des individus montre un développement plus important d’adipocire pour les os laissés à l’air libre comparés aux os enterrés. Enfin, nous rapportons une décroissance quantitative du collagène et des lipides présents au sein du tissu osseux lorsque l’intervalle post mortem augmente. Cette décroissance est beaucoup plus rapide pour les lipides (quelques années) que pour le collagène (plusieurs millénaires) alors que l’hydroxyapatite présente une relative stabilité dans les premiers siècles suivant le décès. / The post mortem interval estimation is a fundamental step in forensic anthropology and up to now there are little accurate and reliable methods to do so. The objectives of our study were to investigate the bone composition and its evolution over years and centuries following the death by developing carbon 13C and proton 1H solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). We analyzed about one hundred human and animal bones for which the age at death, sex, date of death and the storage conditions were known. Bones were characterized at the molecular level by identification of collagen, lipids and hydroxyapatite embedded in the bone matrix. We have designed a NMR-based method that allows determining alterations on some samples, evidencing the presence of adipocere (bone wax) within the bone, or finding bone tissue deterioration on some very old samples. Subject age at death and sex did not reveal significant changes on NMR data, except for post mortem interval ranging between 0 to 1 year, where female subjects had quantitatively more lipids in their bones than males. Storage conditions may promote a greater development of adipocere especially for bones left in the open air compared to those buried. Finally, we report a quantitative decrease of collagen and lipids present in the bone tissue when the post mortem interval increases. This decrease is much faster for lipids than for collagen where as the hydroxyapatite has a relative stability in the first centuries after the death. Decreases occur with very different time constants, ranging from years to millennia.

In this thesis we have addressed three different although related topics. First, we studied the post-mortem mutation damage rate of contaminated DNA sequences in ancient human remains focusing on the development of strategies to avoid pre-laboratory derived contaminations. We proposed a guideline to control them consisting in typing every single person involved on the manipulation of the remains, especially when they have not been excavated and washed under controlled conditions. Second, we successfully develop a non-invasive technique to sequence ancient remains but preserving it from the destruction. And third, we sequenced ancient human remains from different evolutionary times (from Paleolithic to post-Neolithic) to make inferences about the peopling of Western Europe focusing mainly in the Iberia peninsula. We found that there is a long term genetic continuity at least since the Neolithic. The only clear genetic discontinuity found is that involving two different human species, H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis. / En la presente tesis hemos tratado tres temas diferentes aunque muy relacionados. Primero, hemos estudiado la tasa de mutación post-mortem de secuencias de ADN contaminante en restos humanos antiguos centrándonos en el desarrollo de estrategias para evitar que las muestras se contaminen antes de llegar al laboratorio. Proponemos una guía que consiste en el tipado genético de cada persona implicada en la manipulación de los restos, especialmente cuando estos han sido excavados y lavados bajo condiciones no controladas. Segundo, hemos desarrollado una técnica no invasiva para secuenciar DNA de restos humanos antiguos pero sin destruirlos. Y por ultimo, hemos secuenciado restos humanos antiguos pertenecientes a diferentes periodos evolutivos (desde el Paleolitico hasta el post-Neolitico) que nos han permitido hacer inferencias sobre el poblamiento Europeo centrándonos básicamente en la Península Ibérica. Hemos encontrado que ha habido una continuidad genética desde el Neolítico. La única clara discontinuidad genética encontrada es entre dos especies distintas: H. Sapiens y H.neanderthalensis.

Over the last few years, policies have been introduced in the UK which aim to improve organ transplantation rates by changing the way that potential organ donors are treated before death. Patients incapacitated due to catastrophic brain injury may now undergo ante-mortem donor optimisation procedures to facilitate deceased organ donation. As I identify in this thesis, the most significant ethical and legal problem with these policies is that they are not based on what the patient would have chosen for themselves in the specific circumstances. The policies identify and treat patients meeting certain clinical criteria as a group rather than the individuals, with their own viewpoints, that the law on best interests requires. They equate registration on the Organ Donation Register with ante-mortem donor optimisation procedures being in their best interests, despite registrants having neither been informed about nor given consent to ante-mortem interventions. The overarching claim I make in this thesis is that a system of specific advance consent is needed to provide a clear and unequivocal legal justification for ante-mortem donor optimisation procedures. The ethical foundation for this claim is autonomy, and this is the central theme running through all six chapters. I argue that autonomy should be incorporated into donor optimisation policy to promote the dignity and integrity of potential organ donors and to safeguard trust in the organ donation programme. I argue that a system of specific advance consent is needed as part of the duty of care owed to registrants on the Organ Donor Register and to facilitate the determination of the best interests of the potential organ donor. I argue that the state has not established the necessity of the current policy of non-consensual donor optimisation procedures and that they are under an ethical and legal obligation to introduce an autonomy-based framework for ante-mortem interventions to facilitate organ donation.

Einleitung Der amtliche Tierarzt nimmt im europäischen Recht eine Schlüsselposition für den gesundheitlichen Verbraucherschutz und den Tierschutz von Schlachttieren ein. Zu Beginn der amtlichen fleisch-hygienischen Tätigkeit ist eine 200-stündige Pflichtassistenz vorgeschrieben. Gleichwohl wurde vor dem Hintergrund dieser verantwortungsvollen Tätigkeit die Wichtigkeit einer praktischen Ausbildung in der Schlachttier- und Fleischuntersuchung während des Veterinärmedizinstudiums sowohl rechtlich als auch durch verschiedene Organisationen hervorgehoben. In der Studienordnung nimmt das sogenannte „Schlachthofpraktikum“ mit 100 Stunden etwa ein Viertel der lebensmittelhygienischen Ausbildungszeit ein. Obligatorische Ziele dieses Lehrformats sind das Üben der amtlichen Ante- und Post-Mortem-Untersuchung bei den Tierarten Rind und Schwein, sowie das Informieren über die tierschutzgerechte Behandlung der Schlachttiere. In der Fachliteratur finden sich erste modellhafte, gleichwohl keine umfassenden Untersuchungen zum „Schlachthofpraktikum“ in Deutschland. Ziel der Untersuchung Daher widmet sich diese Dissertation einer tiefergehenden Untersuchung der praktischen Ausbildung in der Schlachttier- und Fleischuntersuchung. Hierbei sollten die studentischen Lernerfahrungen sowie die Meinungsbilder von Studierenden und amtlichen Tierärzten evaluiert und ausgewählte Situationen am Praktikumsschlachtbetrieb erhoben werden. Material und Methoden Im Rahmen einer Querschnittsstudie wurden zwei schriftliche, standardisierte Methoden (Evaluierung gemäß der Deutschen Veterinärmedizinischen Gesellschaft und eigene Erhebung) bei Leipziger Veterinärmedizinstudierenden der Abschlussjahrgänge 2008-2014 angewandt. Die Evaluierung umfasste eine Checkliste sowie je einen Bewertungsbogen für den Studierenden und den amtlichen Tierarzt. Die Erhebung kam aufgrund von Weiterentwicklungen in drei Versionen zur Anwendung. Ergebnisse Bei der Evaluierung gaben die 705 Studierenden an, zu 82,1 % (n=579) einen und zu 17,9 % (n=126) mehrere Praktikumsbetriebe besucht zu haben. Dabei wurden einige Betriebe mit zunehmender Häufigkeit benannt. Über 95,7 % (n=675) der Studierenden bestätigten die obligatorischen Praktikums-inhalte (Schlachttieruntersuchung: 95,7 %; n=674 / Fleischuntersuchung: 96,7 %; n=682 / Tierschutz-aspekte: 95,7 %; n=675). Die Fleischuntersuchung im Verdachtsfall markierten etwa drei Viertel der Teilnehmer (Rind: 69,4 %; n=489 / Schwein: 76,7 %; n=541). Viele Studierende gaben darüber hinaus weitere Themen an, wie bspw. Hygiene und Schlachttechnologie. Ein Abschlussgespräch notierten 79,4 % (n=559) der Praktikanten. Das Meinungsbild der Studierenden und amtlichen Tierärzte bzgl. des Praktikums fiel größtenteils positiv aus. 54,7 % (n=242) der amtlichen Tierärzte nahmen zudem an, die Studierenden für eine spätere fleischhygienische Tätigkeit motiviert zu haben; dem gegenüber gaben dies nur 31,1 % (n=138) der Studierenden an. Ausgewählte Situationen am Schlachtbetrieb wurden mithilfe der Erhebungen dokumentiert. Die Durchführung der Schlachttieruntersuchung beim Rind bzw. Schwein wurde in 97,6 % (n=249) resp. 96,1 % (n=269) Erhebungen notiert. Die rechtskonforme Fleischuntersuchung am bovinen bzw. porcinen Magen-Darm-Trakt wurde zu 7,5 % (n=18) resp. 6,7 % (n=17) beschrieben. Die Leberlymphknoten beim Schwein wurden laut 8,2 % (n=30) der Erhebungen vorschriftsgemäß untersucht. In 64,8 % (n=406) der Erhebungen wurden – zumeist mehrere – Tierschutzprobleme angegeben. Als Reaktion auf die Tierschutzprobleme wurden in 86,0 % (n=296) der Erhebungen Typ 2 und Typ 3 amtliche Maßnahmen dokumentiert. Schlussfolgerungen Die Konzentrierung der Praktikanten auf ausgewählte Schlachtbetriebe kann auf den bundesweiten Rückgang an geeigneten Praktikumsstätten infolge von Betriebsschließungen und Tierarten-spezialisierungen zurückgeführt werden. Für eine erleichterte Organisation des Praktikums ist daher (i) eine rechtlich fixierte Zutrittsberechtigung für veterinärmedizinische Praktikanten im Schlacht-betrieb und (ii) eine Reduktion der Praktikumsanforderungen von zwei auf eine Pflichttierart wichtig. Trotz dieser organisatorischen Schwierigkeiten hat sich das Praktikum aufgrund der vielfältigen Inhalte als wichtiges Ausbildungsformat bestätigt. Gleichwohl wurde die Vermittlung der obligatorischen Inhalte nicht von allen Teilnehmern angegeben, was eine Nichterfüllung der Studienvorgaben darstellt. Wie die Erhebung zeigte, kann dies durch eine mangelnde oder fehlerhafte Demonstration im Schlachtbetrieb begründet werden. Aus fachlicher und didaktischer Sicht ist der Anteil an Studierenden ohne Angabe der erweiterten Fleischuntersuchung im Verdachtsfall (23-30 %) besonders kritisch zu werten. Zum einen muss der amtliche Tierarzt nach europäischem Recht die erweiterte Fleischuntersuchung selbstständig durchführen, weswegen das praktische Erlernen essentiell wichtig ist. Zum anderen erfolgt diese Untersuchung am Ausschleusband, wodurch der ökonomische Druck auf die Tierärzte entfällt und ausreichend Übungszeit ohne Störung des Routinebetriebs gegeben ist. Die häufig dokumentierten Tierschutzprobleme können den Studierenden die Wichtigkeit der amtlichen Überwachung und der eigenen Tätigkeit während des Praktikums verdeutlichen. Abschließend zeigen die Untersuchungsergebnisse die Notwendigkeit einer verstärkten Kommunikation zwischen den Ausbildenden der Hochschulen und der zuständigen Behörden für eine optimale Nutzung des Lehrformates „Schlachthofpraktikum“. / Introduction Within the European law, the official veterinarian plays a key role in protecting public health and animal welfare. Before starting to work as a veterinarian in the area of meat hygiene, a 200-hour mandatory training has to be completed. Nevertheless, the importance of a practical training in ante- and post-mortem inspection during veterinary studies was highlighted both by law and by different organisations. The German Federal Licensure Act for Veterinarians requires a so-called "abattoir internship" of 100 hours which represents a quarter of the complete food hygienic time quota. Mandatory contents are training the ante- and post-mortem inspection of cattle and pigs, as well as informing about the treatment of slaughter animals. In the literature, there are exemplary, however, no comprehensive studies on the "abattoir internship" in Germany. Aim of the study This thesis investigates the extramural practical training of ante- and post-mortem meat inspection. Particular emphasis is put on the evaluation of students’ learning experiences as well as the opinions of students and official veterinarians. Furthermore, particular circumstances of the abattoir are examined. Materials and Methods In a cross-sectional study, two written, standardized methods (an evaluation according to the German Veterinary Medical Society and an in-house survey) were conducted amongst veterinary students of the University of Leipzig who graduated between 2008 and 2014. The evaluation included a checklist and each an opinion poll for students and official veterinarians. Due to improvements, three versions of the survey were used. Results The evaluation stated that 82.1 % (n=579) of the 705 participating students visited one and 17.9 % (n=126) several abattoirs for their practical training. Some abattoirs were named more frequently. About 95.7 % (n=675) of the students confirmed the mandatory internship contents (ante-mortem inspection: 95.7 %; n=674 / post-mortem inspection: 96.7 %; n=682 / animal welfare aspects: 95.7 %; n 675). About three quarters of the participants highlighted the extended meat inspection in suspected cases (cattle: 69.4 %; n=489 / pig: 76.7 %; n=541). Many students also mentioned additional topics, such as hygiene and slaughter technology. 79.4 % (n=559) of the trainees recorded a final interview. The opinions of both students and official veterinarians regarding the extramural practical training were largely positive. 54.7 % (n=242) of the official veterinarians claimed to have motivated students for postgraduate meat hygiene activities; only 31.1 % (n=138) of the students indicated this too. Particular situations at the abattoir were documented in the surveys. 97.6 % (n=249), respectively 96.1 % (n=269) of the surveys mentioned that the ante-mortem inspection of cattle or pigs was carried out. The legally compliant meat inspection of the bovine or porcine gastrointestinal tract was described in 7.5 % (n=18) respectively 6.7 % (n=17) of the cases. The liver lymph nodes in pigs were duly examined in 8.2 % (n=30) of the surveys. In 64.8 % (n=406) cases – usually several – animal welfare problems were indicated. In 86.0 % (n=296) of the type-2- and type-3-surveys, it was reported that official measures were taken against these problems. Conclusions The concentration of trainees on selected abattoirs can be explained by the nationwide decline in suitable placement sites due to abattoir closures and animal species specializations. To facilitate the organisation of the extramural practical training, it is important (i) to legally regulate an access authorization for veterinary trainees at the abattoirs and (ii) to reduce the placement requirements from two to one duty species. Despite these organisational difficulties, the many varied contents have confirmed that this internship plays an important role as a training format in the training of veterinary students. However, not all participants specified the treatment of each mandatory content, which means that in these cases, the study requirements were not fulfilled. As the survey showed, this can be justified by a lack of or incorrect demonstration at the abattoir. From a professional and didactic point of view, the proportion of students who did not specify the extended post-mortem inspection in suspected cases (23-30%) must be evaluated critically. On the one hand, the official veterinarian must autonomously perform the extended meat inspection in accordance with the European law. Therefore, the practical training is of essential importance. On the other hand, this inspection is carried out on a second slaughter line, which reduces the economic pressure on the veterinarians and offers sufficient practice time without disturbing the routine operation. The frequently documented animal welfare problems can show students the importance of official supervision and their own value as trainees. Finally, the results highlight the need for an enhanced communication between the trainers of the universities and of the competent authorities in order to achieve the optimal use of the teaching format "abattoir internship".

La reconstruction faciale permet d’approximer un visage sur la base d’un crâne, lorsque des restes humains sont retrouvés. En science forensique, elle est l’un des outils utilisés dans un but d’identification post-mortem. Les procédures actuelles d’approximation ne sont pas standardisées et constamment revisitées. Il est également possible d’obtenir des prédictions du phénotype d’un individu (caractères physiques apparents) à partir de son ADN, qui pourraient être ajoutées aux reconstructions pour maximiser les chances de reconnaissance. Cette recherche vise à étudier l’approximation faciale à des fins de reconnaissance et l’apport du phénotypage par l’ADN à cette pratique. Le crâne et le relevé biologique d’un donneur du laboratoire d’anatomie de l’UQTR ont été utilisés. Six praticiens ont approximé son visage à partir d’une copie de son crâne et de ses données phénotypiques et anthropologiques. Les résultats corroborent qu’il existe un manque de standardisation des méthodes et techniques, menant à différents résultats selon le praticien. Des tests de reconnaissance et de ressemblance ont été effectués à l’aide d’un échantillon de 46 participants. Malgré la variabilité des approximations, elles ont toutes été reconnues au moins une fois lors des tests de reconnaissance, soulevant la possibilité que la reconnaissance d’un visage est idiosyncratique. Les caractéristiques qui semblent influencer davantage la reconnaissance sont la forme, la taille et la position des yeux, de la bouche et du nez. Finalement, au regard des incertitudes propres à la méthode et du rôle investigatif de l’approximation faciale, il est recommandé que le phénotypage accompagne l’accompagne par écrit. / Facial reconstruction is a process by which a face is approximated from a skull when human remains are found. In forensic science, it is one of the many tools used for the purpose of post-mortem identification. The current approximation procedures are not standardized and are always revisited. Nowadays, it is possible to obtain phenotype (apparent physical traits) predictions from an individual’s DNA. These predictions could be added to facial approximations to maximize the chances of recognition. This research aims to study facial approximation for recognition purposes and the plus-value of DNA phenotyping to facial approximation. The skull and biological material from one donor of the UQTR’s anatomy laboratory were used. Six practitioners approximated the donor’s face using a copy of his skull, and phenotyping and anthropological data. The results corroborated the lack of standardization regarding the approximating methods and techniques, which leads to different resulting approximations depending on the practitioner. Recognition and resemblance tests were carried out with a sample of 46 participants. Despite the wide variability of the approximations, they were all recognized at least once during the recognition tests, raising the possibility that the recognition of a face is idiosyncratic. The characteristics that seemed the most important to recognition were the shape, size and position of the eyes, the mouth, and the nose. Finally, with regard to the uncertainties specific to the method and the final investigative role of facial approximation, phenotyping would benefit in feeding a spoken portrait.

Post mortem interval (PMI – the time elapsed since death and discovery) is important to medicolegal investigations. It helps to construct crucial time lines and assists with the identification of unknown persons by inclusion or exclusion of a suspect’s known movements. Accurate methodologies for establishing PMI are limited to about 48-hours. Such methods involve use of increasing levels of potassium in vitreous humour, and algor mortis. This study is two-fold. Firstly, it explores the biomolecular changes in degrading porcine cartilage buried in soil environments and its potential to determine PMI in the crucial two days to two months period. Trotters were interred in a number of graves at two distinct locations exhibiting dissimilar soil environments. Weekly disinterments (for 6 weeks) resulted in dissection for cartilage samples which were processed for protein immunoblot analyses and cell vitality assays. Results demonstrate that aggrecan, a major structural proteoglycan, produces high (230kDa) and low (38kDa) molecular weight cross-reactive polypeptides (CRPs) within cartilage extracellular matrix. The 230kDa CRP degrades in a reproducible manner irrespective of the different soil environments utilised. As PMI increases, aggrecan diminishes and degrades forming heterogeneous subpopulations with time. Immunodetection of aggrecan ceases when joint exposure to the soil environment occurs. At this time, aggrecan is metabolised by soil microbes. The molecular breakdown of cartilage proteoglycans has potential for use as a reliable indicator of PMI, irrespective of differing soil environments, beyond the 48-hours period. Likewise, vitality assays also demonstrated viable chondrocytes for as long as 35 PM days. The second component of this study examined the fungal activity associated with trotters buried below ground. Results indicate that fungal growth was considerably influenced by soil chemistry and changes in the environment. Fungal colonisation did not demonstrate temporal patterns of succession. The results of this study indicate that cartilage has the potential to prolong PMI determination well beyond the current 48- and 100-hour limitations posed by various other soft tissue methods. Moreover, the long-term post mortem viability of chondrocytes presents an opportunity to explore DNA extraction from these cells for the purpose of establishing a positive identification for unidentified remains. On the contrary, the growth and colonisation patterns of post putrefactive fungi in relation to decomposing porcine trotters proved to be futile for estimating PMI. Therefore, fungi may not be a suitable candidate for evaluating PMI during the early phase fungal activity.

Marine turtle numbers are in a state of flux around the world. Six of the seven remaining species of these long-lived animals are threatened; with the seventh being listed data deficient. Reasons for these fluctuations are speculated to be due to human related impacts (direct) and increase in disease occurrence caused by changes in the natural environment (indirect). Most direct impacts have been identified and strategies implemented to mitigate their effects with varying degrees of success; however the indirect effects on marine animals remain an understudied area. This thesis outlined the development of ante- and post-mortem diagnostic techniques to identify prevalent diseases affecting two marine turtle species in southern Queensland over a four year (2006-2009) period. This data was used to determine the impact of disease on turtle survivorship. Two-hundred and ninety green turtles (Chelonia mydas) from Moreton and Shoalwater Bays were captured, clinically assessed and blood sampled. Clinically healthy animals (n = 211) were used to derive biochemical and haematological reference intervals using two methods. Comparisons with clinically unhealthy animals (n = 25) indicated all unhealthy animals had at least some plasma biochemical and haematological values outside the derived intervals (albumin, 48% of unhealthy animals; alkaline phosphatase (ALP), 35%; aspartate transaminase (AST), 13%; creatinine, 30%; globulin, 3%; glucose, 34%; lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), 26%; phosphorus, 22%; sodium, 13%; thrombocytes, 57%; and monocytes, 5%). Amongst small immature animals, those with Chelonibia testudinaria plastron barnacle counts of at least 20 were approximately three times more likely to be unhealthy than turtles with no barnacles. In addition, small immature and mature turtles were more likely to be unhealthy than large immature turtles (Chapter 2). By the same method, 101 loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in Moreton Bay were assessed and bled. Clinically healthy animals (n = 63) were used to derive intervals. Comparisons with clinically unhealthy animals (n = 23) indicated 82% and 45% had at least one biochemical and hematological result, respectively, outside of at least one of the calculated intervals. Neither sex nor maturity (mature versus large immature) influenced the risk of being clinically unhealthy (Chapter 3). A standardised approach to post-mortem examination of marine turtles for veterinary clinicians with a concurrent descriptive review of gross and microscopic pathological lesions commonly seen during examination in Australia (Chapter 4) was used to accurately determine diseases and causes of death in 100 green turtles submitted from various regions of southern Queensland for examination. Spirorchiid parasitism was found to be the most frequently occurring cause of mortality (41.8%), followed by gastrointestinal impaction (11.8%), microbiological infectious diseases (5.2%) and trauma (5.2%). Spirorchiid parasitism with associated inflammation (75%) was the most frequently occurring disease followed by gastrointestinal impaction (5.1%). Season and turtle age had limited influences on disease. Severity of spirorchiidiasis in the brain was independent of severity in other organs (Chapter 5). From these examinations, the most prevalent disease syndrome (spirorchiidiasis) and a previously unreported finding in Australian waters (corneal fibropapillomatosis) were selected to be examined in greater detail. Spirorchiid parasites from four organs in five green turtles were identified by established morphological and molecular techniques. Morphological study of adults identified Carettacola sp. in the serosal wall of the gastrointestinal tract, Hapalotrema mehrai in the heart and Learedius learedi in the spleen. Worms from the brain probably belonged to the genus Neospirorchis. DNA sequences from a portion of the 28S ribosomal RNA gene were obtained; but only matches for Hapalotrema mehrai and Learedius learedi were made. The prevalence and severity of this disease warrants further investigation into development of molecular techniques for use as a prognostic tool for turtles entering rehabilitation (Chapter 6). Chelonid corneal fibropapillomatosis, a previously unreported disease manifestation in Australia, was identified in 0.5% of 787 examined green turtles in 2008 (Chapter 7). This novel syndrome was shown to reduce visibility, potentially negatively affecting turtle survivorship and should be monitored for further spread. Findings from this thesis and the published literature were used to derive a mathematical model to determine the effects of identified diseases on Moreton Bay green turtle survivorship. This model demonstrated diseases at current prevalence will not negatively affect survivorship but an adverse environmental disruption or an increase in current disease frequency may threaten these animals (Chapter 8). Information presented in this thesis was used to test the general hypothesis ‘Differences in disease and health between stranded and functional populations of marine turtles will indicate major and currently unmeasured causes of population decline.’ This hypothesis was partially upheld. Differences in disease and health status between stranded and functional populations were demonstrated, but more work is required to comprehensively examine these statuses. Diagnostics and continued environmental assessment should become the focus of future investigations. These findings should be incorporated in future management strategies.

<p>Reports of software a development projects that miss schedule, exceeds budget and deliver products with poor quality are abundant in the literature. Both researchers and the industry are seeking methods to counter these trends and improve software quality.</p><p>Software Process Improvement is a systematic approach to improve the capabilities and performance of software organizations. One basic idea is to assess the organizations’ current practice and improve their software process on the basis of the competencies and experiences of the practitioners working in the organization. A major challenge is to create strategies and mechanisms for managing relevant and updated knowledge about software development and maintenance. Insights from the field of knowledge management are therefore potentially useful in software process improvement efforts to facilitate the creation, modification, and sharing of software processes in any organization.</p><p>In the work presented in this thesis, we have made an overview of empirical studies on the effect of knowledge management in software engineering. We have categorized these studies according to a framework and we report findings on the major concepts that have been investigated empirically, as well as the research methods applied within the field. We have also investigated two main strategies for knowledge management, codification and personalization, through the application of four concrete methods in a software process improvement setting: Mentoring, Rational Unified Process, Process Workshops and Post Mortem Analysis.</p><p>We have classified the work in this thesis within three main themes:</p><p>RT1: Previous research on knowledge management in software engineering.</p><p>RT2: Application of knowledge management to improve the software process through codification of knowledge.</p><p>RT3: Application of knowledge management to improve the software process through personalization of knowledge.</p><p>The main contributions are:</p><p>C1: An overview of the research literature on empirical studies of knowledge management in software engineering.</p><p>C2: A method for tailoring the Rational Unified Process to the development process of a software consulting company.</p><p>C3: Improvements of the Process Workshops method by contextualization.</p><p>C4: Improvement of the root-cause analysis phase of the lightweight Post Mortem Analysis for more effective project retrospectives.</p><p>C5: Proposed methods to increase the learning effect of mentor programs in software engineering.</p>

Experiments were conducted to determine the effects of nutrition, temperature during feed withdrawal, shackling duration, sex and age at processing on broiler quality. Low energy (94% of recommended) diets resulted in a lower percentage of carcass fat while increasing the percentage of carcass protein. Low protein (85% of recommended) resulted in a decreased percentage of carcass protein while carcass fat increased. Low protein diets also limited frame size as measured by length and width of P. major. Exposure to 9 C temperatures during feed withdrawal resulted in improved meat quality as measured by higher ultimate pH, lower drip loss and darker color. Long shackling time (120 s) did not affect ultimate pH, drip or cooking losses compared to short shackling (<10 s); however, short shackled broilers exhibited poorer tenderness values. Males had higher carcass protein and lower fat than females. Females exhibited higher ultimate pH, higher drip loss and lighter breast meat. Drip loss and ultimate pH decreased with age. Processing age and sex of broilers may have greater influences on meat quality than previously reported. / Animal Science