25813 research outputs found
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Tree Canopy Cover in Hastings 2018
No full textThis report was prepared by Professor Justin Morgenroth and Dr. Ning Ye at the School of
Forestry, University of Canterbury. The aim of this report is to provide local authorities in New
Zealand with a basic understanding of the urban tree canopy cover within their cities and towns
Feasibility study for a simplified isocentric total body irradiation approach.
No full textThis thesis describes a feasibility investigation for a simplified isocentric total body irradiation
approach and contrasts it with the existing bilateral extended source-to-surface distance approach
employed at Christchurch Hospital. Characterisation measurements in homogeneous and anthropomorphic
phantoms were conducted for the existing approach and compared to a treatment planning
study for the new technique. Following consultation with the clinical total body irradiation team, a
new technique for simplified isocentric TBI delivery was proposed. A novel approach was developed
to reduce inhomogeneity in junctions between simple overlapping isocentric arced fields. Multiple
full-body treatment plans were created using the new technique for different patient dimensions on
simulated datasets. The results found that overall dosimetric variations for the existing approach
ranged from 90.8% to 133.3% of the prescription dose, with mean doses of at least 124.0 ± 5.0%
measured within transverse planes through the lungs. Case study treatment plans for the new
technique successfully met the D98% ≥ 85%, V95% > 90% and V120% < 1% consensus PTV
dosimetric criteria, however, no case studies successfully met the V110% < 3 − 5% constraint
[1]. All lung dosimetric criteria constraints were met by the new technique case studies, meaning
that the mean dose received by all lung structures was less than 8 Gy [1]. Therefore, the proposed
technique provided an improvement on the existing approach in terms of dosimetry, alignment
with international recommendations, and the clinical priorities of the multi-disciplinary clinical
total body irradiation team at Christchurch Hospital. The proposed technique may also provide a
useful lower-resource alternative to more modulated techniques for single-fraction TBI
CoastSnap: Working with the Hurunui District Council. Report prepared part of the GEOG309 Research for Resilient Communities and Environments course, University of Canterbury, 2025.
No full textThis report evaluates the effectiveness of the CoastSnap citizen science initiative formonitoring coastal change along the Hurunui District Coastline and provides insight on factorsthat are crucial for improving reliability of the project to increase both the frequency andaccuracy of photo submissions. CoastSnap enables the public to photograph coastlines fromfixed stations and submit them to aid in monitoring shoreline change over time. CoastSnapstands along the Hurunui District coastline have been analysed within this report including,Leithfield Beach, Amberley Beach, Motunau Beach and Gore Bay. Inconsistencies in imagefrequency, stand placement and unclear instructions limited data accuracy and scientific valueacross all sites.Redesigned signage incorporating clearer, visually engaging instructions and a QR-code uploadsystems across new proposed sites at increased elevations have been developed to simplifyparticipation and ensure essential metadata and visual aspects are included across all imagesubmissions to align with international CoastSnap best practice methods. Withimplementation of these enhancements the Hurunui District Council’s ability to monitorerosion, accretion and storm impacts while also fostering greater community involvement incoastal management. Overall, the CoastSnap project demonstrates that with theimplementation of the outlines factors important for improving the frequency of photossubmiRed and thus the effectiveness of the project, CoastSnap can provide a low-cost tool forcoastal monitoring and adaptive management across the Hurunui coastline
A cross-sectional study of online pregnancy related information seeking behaviour of first time expectant Indonesian fathers.
No full textBetter informed fathers provide better emotional and physical support, make better decisions, and encourage healthy prenatal behaviours. Hence, paternal involvement is increasingly recognised as pertinent for positive maternal and child health outcomes. This study examined online pregnancy-related information-seeking behaviour of first-time expectant Indonesian fathers. First-time expectant Indonesian fathers, due to a lack of prior knowledge, when compared with experienced fathers, may face greater information-seeking challenges. In addition, the lack of culturally tailored sources may reduce search efficacy. However, little is known about how first-time expectant fathers engage with online resources to seek pregnancy-related information, particularly in Indonesia.
This study explored five main aspects of pregnancy-related online information seeking, including online information-seeking patterns, post-search engagement, cognitive states, emotional states, and potential influence of pregnancy conditions, cultural norms, and linguistic factors. Fifty first-time Indonesian fathers were interviewed. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain data. Quantitative descriptive analysis and qualitative thematic analysis were used to analyse the results. A pilot test was conducted, followed by the main observational phase.
Results show most (88% of participants, N = 44) utilised health-themed websites to access pregnancy-related information. Most participants selected sources based on medical credibility and familiarity. Key topics searched for included maternal health, nutrition, prenatal care, and mom and child development. Most participants (90% of participants, N = 45) shared acquired information exclusively with their partners. Emotional responses evolved throughout the seeking process, with participants experiencing initial uncertainty and anxiety to growing confidence and happiness, followed by eventual satisfaction, relief, or confusion.
Results of this study highlight the need for tailored communication strategies to address the unique needs of first-time expectant Indonesian fathers. Theoretically, this study makes a recommendation to extend information-seeking behaviour models by incorporating sociocultural aspects, contextual timelines, and emotional and linguistic elements. This will allow for nuances of first-time Indonesian fathers' information-seeking behaviour to be reflected in the model. Practical implications include the development of targeted digital interventions, improved healthcare provider engagement strategies, and policy recommendations to engage and foster greater paternal involvement
Tree Canopy Cover in Oamaru 2021
No full textThis report was prepared by Professor Justin Morgenroth and Dr. Ning Ye at the School of
Forestry, University of Canterbury. The aim of this report is to provide local authorities in New
Zealand with a basic understanding of the urban tree canopy cover within their cities and towns
Grid loading effects of a hydrogen production plant - A PyPSA model.
No full textThe proposed green hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) plant at
Marsden Point in New Zealand is currently the subject of a feasibility
study. The plant is intended to be part of the effort to decarbonize the country's
aviation and heavy industries, thereby facilitating the transition from
fossil fuels. However, the mooted 300 MW, 60 million litre perannum eSAF
production facility would have significant impact on New Zealand’s existing
electrical generation and grid infrastructure.
To assess these impacts, a high resolution Power Systems Analysis model
of the New Zealand electrical grid is being developed. The model utilises the
PyPSA1 open source toolbox in conjunction with freely available grid data
published by the Electricity Authority New Zealand2 and Transpower3. The
effects of the proposed Marsden Point facility on the existing electrical system
are being modelled as the first test case.
The high spatial and and temporal resoultion model has been validated and
calibrated by performing power flow analyses and comparing the results with
historical data
Imagining nuclear war down under : the bomb in New Zealand Cold War culture and society (1945-1987).
No full textNuclear weapons played an integral part in the formation of Cold War cultures across the world as societies adjusted to emerging existential threats to everyday life and survival. This is no different in New Zealand. Although the country’s Cold War discourse is mostly recalled today through the successful anti-nuclear movement, the story is much more complex. What ensued from the dropping of the bomb in 1945 was four and a half decades of ideologically uneven discourse in New Zealand that reflects the broad nature of how ordinary people grappled with a new and increasingly existential reality. This discourse takes the forms of not just iconic Kiwi activism, but also in ideas around nuclear preparedness, security, and everyday expressions of anxiety. How the bomb was reflected in Cold war culture and society in New Zealand reveals much about this conversation and remains critically understudied. This is a problem that extends to the Pacific region generally, with most historiography conducted in and centered upon North America and Europe. This research thus questions how nuclear weapons were considered in New Zealand society and how they influenced a unique inflection of culture throughout the Cold War period. This investigation primarily utilizes socio-cultural historical techniques and sources, especially news media, in uncovering general trends in public perception and opinion on the bomb, as well as the heavily related discourses on nuclear civil defence and disarmament movements. There was no immediate anti-nuclear movement in the wake of Hiroshima, and the prospects of the new atomic age often initially inspired more opportunity and notions of security against the threat of communism than universal moral alarm. Over time however, as nuclear testing, globalization, and the escalating arms race dissolved insulating layers of apathy, New Zealanders increasingly internalized the threat. This took various forms however, from heightened advocacy for domestic nuclear civil defence preparations in public discourse, to the growing anti-nuclear and disarmament movement and its opponents. The often-ambivalent attitudes of New Zealanders to the bomb demonstrates the compounded nature of discourse and a story not of a monolithic culture, but of one uncertain and in constant flux throughout the Cold War
Tree Canopy Cover in Te Puke 2023
No full textThe aim of this report is to provide local authorities in New Zealand with a basic understanding of the urban tree canopy cover within their cities and towns