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The Salmi Concertati (1626) of Giovanni Rovetta : a complete transcription with a general commentary
No full textGiovanni Rovetta’s Salmi Concertati (1626) is a collection of twenty compositions: four instrumental canzoni, four motets and twelve psalms with independent and accompanying violin parts. This set and other sacred works by Rovetta seem to have been neglected in favour of the brilliant ‘stile concerto’ settings of Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643). Rovetta, a figure neither as forceful nor as celebrated as Monteverdi, has been overlooked or airily dismissed by musicologists. Yet during the period in which he lived Rovetta’s church music would have been well-known by the public because of its extraordinarily wide distribution. [Extract from Introduction
Archaeometric studies of cordyline (TI) based on ethnobotanical and archaeological research
Get PDFThe prehistoric utilization of Cordyline (ti) in southern New Zealand was studied using a multidisciplinary approach.
The ethnographic literature on the prehistoric use of Cordyline in the Pacific area and particularly in New Zealand was reviewed. Cordyline had several uses, the main ones being, food, cordage, medicine, and a material for plaiting.
Cordyline terminalis is the commonest species in Oceania. It was also introduced into New Zealand by Maori, but there were four endemic species which provided food for the early inhabitants.
Large earth ovens (umu ti) were used to cook Cordyline. Many earth ovens, from two to eight metres in diameter, still exist in southern New Zealand. A site surveying and excavation programme was carried out in South Canterbury to investigate these ovens.
Radiocarbon dates on excavated ovens indicate that they were used throughout the prehistoric period of Maori occupation in South Canterbury. The construction of these ovens revealed through archaeological investigations was found to be identical with ethnographic descriptions. Residue analyses on soil from large raised-rim ovens indicate they were used for cooking Cordyline australis (the commonest species of Cordyline in New Zealand). Insect remains excavated from ovens point to a late spring to autumn use for cooking.
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A thermoluminescence (TL) dating method using quartz inclusions from greywacke ovenstones was developed. A description of the equipment is given. Problems of dosimetry and measurement of TL is discussed and a recommended method of TL dating ovenstones is presented. TL dates and C-14 dates from the same ovens are compared.
A nutritional study of Cordyline was undertaken. Complete proximate analyses of C. australis plants collected over a one year period were done. Maximum carbohydrate levels in the stems of C. australis occurred in late spring. This time is coincident with the recorded times of harvesting by Maori. Ti was found to be a rich source of carbohydrates, mainly fructose with some glucose from a
glucofructofuranan type of polysaccharide. This polysaccharide required long cooking times (~24 hours) to convert it to edible sugars.
Research points to Cordyline being a useful and important plant throughout Polynesia and especially in southern New Zealand
Agents of movement: Intelligence in space-time from mapping to causality
No full textRepresenting dynamic spatial phenomena is a long-standing goal within Geospatial Information Science (GIScience). Geometric positions are fundamental elements of any spatiotemporal process, such that a significant body of related studies has been dedicated to modelling the autonomous changes of geometries over time (movement). There has been a ‘causal revolution’ in computer science, economics, epidemiology, and social sciences, powered by large and complex spatiotemporal data. There is accordingly a need to expand the objectives of movement studies from descriptive models, data mining and pattern recognition to explanations of the underlying causes of movement.
From both a practical and theoretical standpoint, progress in developing approaches for filling the gap of explanatory movement models should be founded on a conceptual model. A short review based on a movement analysis informed examination of advantages and critiques concluded on the need for an integration of two approaches in a causality-led conceptual model for agents: simulation-based (i.e. agent-based modelling) and data-driven (i.e. graphical causal modelling). To achieve this integration, three conceptual levels of abstraction were proposed to frame an agent-based representation of movement decision-making processes: ‘attribute’, (environmental) ‘actor’, and ‘autonomous agent’. These, in combination with three temporal, spatial, and spatiotemporal general forms of observations distinguish nine (3x3) representation typologies of movement data within the agent framework. In addition to these nine representation typologies, there are three levels of cognitive reasoning about spatiotemporal phenomena: ‘association’, ‘intervention’, and ‘counterfactual’. Together, these make for 27 possible types of operation embedded in a conceptual cube with the level of abstraction, type of observation, and degree of cognitive reasoning forming the three axes.
The first application of the conceptual framework was to build and test an agent-based model that was constrained in time and space with clearly articulated rules. The movement of football players was modelled as a design guideline for a vector-agent model. The simulation was submitted to an accreditation process to show how agent-based movement simulations can contribute to our understanding of movement and how they can potentially produce causally relevant evidence.
Informed by the previous approach, an empirically-based implementation was developed to accommodate graphical causal models and their concepts within movement studies (i.e. the ‘association’, ‘intervention’ and ‘counterfactual’ levels of cognitive reasoning in the conceptual cube). This involved a three-level process for inferring quantitative causal evidence from passive observations. A directed acyclic graph was designed and computed on a generated movement dataset of football players to represent the extent to which a correct causal structure of an act of movement can be inferred. The results showed that, given adequate evidence about the probability distribution of the variables involved, graphical causal models could handle the complexity within the causal structure underlying a movement decision-making process.
This thesis has adapted causal thinking in computational movement analysis and put forward a conceptual data-driven agent architecture. A physical vector-agent architecture that shows how an autonomous moving agent, equipped with highly abstracted causal knowledge, compartmentalising its perceptions of the environment and its reasoning for movement, was demonstrated and tested. Issues regarding the implementation of this model in other application domains (e.g. animal movement) were recognised as the next challenge towards causal analysis across movement studies, addressing questions of generalisability and portability. The proposed conceptual model and approach to inferring causality shows one approach to achieving these goals
New Zealand Deprivation Index 2018 - TA70: Queenstown-Lakes District
No full textFor further information about data sources, interpretation of the graphs, and cautions, please see the separate Introduction Chapter
All data relating to the 2018 census is provided by Stats NZ, https://www.stats.govt.nz/
New Zealand Deprivation Index 2018 - TA44: Porirua City
No full textFor further information about data sources, interpretation of the graphs, and cautions, please see the separate Introduction Chapter
All data relating to the 2018 census is provided by Stats NZ, https://www.stats.govt.nz/
New Zealand Deprivation Index 2018 - TA47: Wellington City
No full textFor further information about data sources, interpretation of the graphs, and cautions, please see the separate Introduction Chapter
All data relating to the 2018 census is provided by Stats NZ, https://www.stats.govt.nz/
New Zealand Deprivation Index 2018 - TA49: Carterton District
No full textFor further information about data sources, interpretation of the graphs, and cautions, please see the separate Introduction Chapter
All data relating to the 2018 census is provided by Stats NZ, https://www.stats.govt.nz/
An investigation to optimise stimulation parameters of Remote Ischaemic Conditioning with digital stimulation
No full textBackground: Many ongoing clinical trials are investigating the ability of Remote Ischemic Conditioning (RIC) to limit ischemic injury in major organs such as the heart and brain, focussing on cardiac surgery, myocardial infarction, and acute ischemic stroke. Literature is fraught with neutral outcomes while some boast great success in reducing infarct size and improving functional outcomes and clinical endpoints. Fewer studies have attempted to identify an optimal application protocol for the therapy, indicating that clinical potential is being hindered by a lack of appropriate implementation.
Aims: Among the many variables of RIC use, the aims of this study were to firstly identify the most efficacious limb or limbs for application previously tested, and to test novel limbs (ankle and wrist) for more feasible approaches such as wearable technologies. Secondly, durations of application were tested.
Methods: One hundred and thirty-six experimental simulations were performed using the ADAN circulatory model in the program OpenCOR. Specific limb arteries were “occluded” for differing durations to observe the best improvement in Middle Cerebral Artery velocity (MCAv). Resulting velocities were compared between single limbs or limb combinations, within one duration setting for the first aim. Resulting velocities were compared within single limbs or limb combinations between all duration settings for the second aim.
Results: The combination of the radial and ulnar artery (representing the wrist) produced extremely similar results to occluding the brachial artery alone (representing the upper arm): an MCAv increase from baseline of 5.14% vs. 5.57%, respectively. Occluding multiple limbs had a larger effect than occluding one alone, occluding all four extremities at once produced the largest change (+43%) in MCAv. Larger arteries provided a higher MCAv than smaller arteries during occlusion.
Conclusion: To my knowledge, this is the first study to attempt to observe occlusion of wrist arteries on MCAv, if not the only to attempt wrist artery occlusion as a form of RIC at all. The results of this study have implications for the ease and accessibility of RIC as a future potential therapy for those at risk of or suffering affects from ischemic injury. Future research should investigate effects of wrist occlusion in in vivo and must focus on cycle number and duration protocol for RIC
Attitudes to wildlife rescue
Get PDFAustralia’s 20,000+ wildlife volunteers rescue and rehabilitate native animals. They respond to hundreds of phone calls and enquiries every day, mostly from members of the public seeking help and advice about injured, orphaned, nuisance or unusual wildlife sightings. In this thesis I surveyed and interviewed people who have called wildlife rescue hotlines. This cohort appear to be interested in wildlife, highly supportive of wildlife rescue services and willing to contribute to wildlife rescue with time and money. There are notable gaps in their knowledge about wildlife rescue services, such as how much government support occurs and whether wildlife carers are volunteers or employed. The Black Summer bushfires significantly increased the profile of wildlife rescue services and led to more financial support than the sector has ever received before. The findings of this thesis suggest that wildlife rescue volunteers are missing out on funding, new members and education opportunities by not tapping in to public interest and concern for wildlife. Wildlife rescue services could adjust public expectations and assumptions by explaining that they are not government funded or paid for their work. Many people in the community are interested in wildlife and willing to act in ways that support their rescue and care. Wildlife rescue groups can capitalise on this interest using simple market research, communications and public engagement techniques
A systemic approach to understanding prehistoric shell-bearing deposits in New Zealand: a case study from Shag Point, North Otago
Get PDFThis thesis describes a systemic approach to the study of shell' remains, using material from the site of Shag Point (J43/11), in North Otago. This approach analyses the relationship between sampling, identification, quantification, and site formation processes. An historical and methodological framework is used to assess the analysis of shell-bearing deposits in New Zealand, and provide innovative solutions to bias. Historical research outlines the common research methods in New Zealand, which are relevant to Shag Point. Methodological research outlines the range of potential research methods used in the study of shell-bearing deposits. Reviewing the data from Shag Point, sampling, identification, quantification, and site formation processes are used to assess the quality of data from the site. Data from coastal sites are commonly used to generate regional level syntheses. These syntheses do not deal with all of the possible sources of bias in shell-bearing deposits. Cumulative sampling is used to assess representativeness. The data from Shag Point are indicative of a representative sample. The site is compared to three other coastal southern South Island assemblages: the nearby Shag River Mouth, Pleasant River, and Pounawea. The data from Shag River Mouth may be representative; the same cannot be said for the Pleasant River and Pounawea archaeological assemblages, thus hampering regional-level syntheses