The influence of nutrient concentration on algal biomass and invertebrate communities in agricultural streams : a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Ecology at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

High nutrient inputs have generally been identified as responsible for the degradation of lowland rivers and lakes in New Zealand and internationally. Nutrients have been shown to influence algal community growth rate and composition. In turn algae can have strong effects on invertebrate communities (density, richness, composition, distribution, structure and function). This study investigates the effect of nutrients on algal biomass and higher trophic levels to determine the importance of nutrient loading on stream ecosystems. Twenty six agricultural streams were surveyed in the Manawatu region in February, 2002. Algal biomass was greater in streams with high nitrate levels. Invertebrate communities differed in terms of the quantitative macroinvertebrate community index (QMCI), Ephcmeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT) individuals and taxa between sites with high and low algal biomass. Regression analysis was used to relate the "quality" of the invertebrate community to stream algal biomass. At 13.μg/cm2 of chlorophyll a there was a dramatic shift in invertebrate community composition to more pollution tolerant taxa. In the Hawke's Ray region nutrient concentration was experimentally increased in 3 low order streams in the summer of 2002/2003. Increased nutrient concentration did not affect stream algal biomass. There were however changes in the proportions of EPT in the enriched community. I propose that these changes in EPT were in response to increased algal growth rates and constrained any increase in algal biomass. Therefore changes in landuse intensity may affect invertebrate community structure

The physiotherapy experience in private practice: The patients' perspective

The aim of this study was to identify the qualities of a ‘good’ physiotherapist and to ascertain the characteristics of good and bad experiences in private practice physiotherapy from the patients' perspective. The nominal group technique was implemented with separate groups of patients (n = 26) and revealed that communication ability, professional behaviour and organisational ability, and characteristics of the service provided were the main qualities of a ‘good’ physiotherapist. In particular, communication ability of the physiotherapist was ranked first or second in importance by all groups of patients. Good experiences in physiotherapy were most often attributed to effective communication by the physiotherapist, while bad experiences most often related to dissatisfaction with the service followed by poor physiotherapist communication. Based on the findings from this study, we suggest physiotherapists should actively seek to involve patients in their management. To do this effectively, physiotherapists would benefit from further training in communication skills to ensure that they can successfully adopt a patient-centred approach and to optimise the physiotherapist-patient interaction in private practice physiotherapy

Computational techniques for optimization of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in the context of Parkinson's disease

Deep brain stimulation has been successfully used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease for more than two decades, with deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus significantly improving motor function. Symptoms of the disease (e.g., tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia) are measured by the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III, but uncertainty remains concerning the areas in and around the subthalamic nucleus that are associated with each particular symptoms included in UPDRS-III. Here, we retrospectively examine a cohort of Parkinson’s patients implanted at the Center for Neuromodulation in the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. By combining anatomically-detailed pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging with post-operative computed tomographic imaging, we accurately determine the actual location of implanted electrode leads, then model a volume of tissue activation around each electrode to estimate the neuronal cell bodies and fiber tracts that are most likely to be affected by the stimulation parameters (i.e., voltage, pulse width, and frequency) that are programmed by clinicians during follow-up. By correlating these volumes of tissue activation with each motor function subscore, we have built three-dimensional statistical and probabilistic maps in and around the subthalamic nucleus that will allow clinicians to target lead placement and stimulation to particular deep brain regions based on patient-specific symptoms.2015 College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Scholarship (Ohio State University Colleges of Arts & Sciences)2015 Social and Behavioral Sciences Undergraduate Research Grant (Ohio State Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences)2014 University Honors & Scholars Summer Research Fellowship (Ohio State University Honors & Scholars)No embargoAcademic Major: Neuroscienc

Eccentric loading increases peak torque angle of the ankle plantar flexors in healthy volunteers

Eccentric loading of the ankle plantar Flexor’s (PF) has demonstrated clinical efficacy in the conservative treatment of Achilles tendinopathy, however, its mechanism of therapeutic benefit remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of PF eccentric loading on PF angle to peak torque (AtPT), peak torque (PT) and lower limb vertical stiffness. Thirty healthy volunteers were randomised to an eccentric (n=15) or concentric (n=13) exercise group. A 10-week loading programme of the ankle plantar flexors was completed. AtPT, PT and vertical stiffness were compared within and between groups before and after the interventions. AtPT increased in the eccentric group by 3.2° dorsiflexion (p=0.001) and decreased by 0.7° dorsiflexion (p=0.528) for the concentric group with significant post-intervention group differences (p\u3c0.001). PT levels were unchanged following the interventions for both groups (p\u3e0.2); however, post-intervention the eccentric group showed a greater PT than the concentric group (p\u3e0.05). Between group comparison showed no significant difference in vertical stiffness (p\u3e0.5). However, the concentric group demonstrated a vertical stiffness increase of 765kNm-¹ (p ≥ 0.05). This study demonstrates that a clinically derived eccentric loading programme can produce an adaptive shift in AtPT of the ankle plantar flexors in a healthy population. These results support the theory that in part, eccentric loading derives its therapeutic benefit from mechanisms that influence plantar flexor motor performance

Killing the cMSSM softly

We investigate the constrained Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (cMSSM) in the light of constraining experimental and observational data from precision measurements, astrophysics, direct supersymmetry searches at the LHC and measurements of the properties of the Higgs boson, by means of a global fit using the program Fittino. As in previous studies, we find rather poor agreement of the best fit point with the global data. We also investigate the stability of the electro-weak vacuum in the preferred region of parameter space around the best fit point. We find that the vacuum is metastable, with a lifetime significantly longer than the age of the Universe. For the first time in a global fit of supersymmetry, we employ a consistent methodology to evaluate the goodness-of-fit of the cMSSM in a frequentist approach by deriving p-values from large sets of toy experiments. We analyse analytically and quantitatively the impact of the choice of the observable set on the p-value, and in particular its dilution when confronting the model with a large number of barely constraining measurements. Finally, for the preferred sets of observables, we obtain p-values for the cMSSM below 10%, i.e. we exclude the cMSSM as a model at the 90% confidence level.Comment: 22 pages, 16 figures, to be submitted to EPJ

Asymptotic scattering and duality in the one-dimensional three-state quantum Potts model on a lattice

We determine numerically the single-particle and the two- particle spectrum of the three-state quantum Potts model on a lattice by using the density matrix renormalization group method, and extract information on the asymptotic (small momentum) S-matrix of the quasiparticles. The low energy part of the finite size spectrum can be understood in terms of a simple effective model introduced in a previous work, and is consistent with an asymptotic S-matrix of an exchange form below a momentum scale p*. This scale appears to vanish faster than the Compton scale, mc, as one approaches the critical point, suggesting that a dangerously irrelevant operator may be responsible for the behaviour observed on the lattice

From spin to anyon notation: The XXZ Heisenberg model as a D3D_{3} (or su(2)4su(2)_{4}) anyon chain

We discuss a relationship between certain one-dimensional quantum spin chains and anyon chains. In particular we show how the XXZ Heisenberg chain is realised as a $D_{3}$ (alternately $su(2)_{4}$) anyon model. We find the difference between the models lie primarily in choice of boundary condition.Comment: 13 page

Investigating the link between LeTID and hydrogen induced contact resistance in PERC devices

In recent years academia and industry have made significant efforts to mitigate the problem of LeTID in silicon solar cells, particularly in p-type multi crystalline PERC cells. Many of these approaches involve a post-firing thermal anneal between 300-500 °C after metal contact firing. This paper investigates observed increases in the front contact resistance of PERC cells in this temperature range. Changes in contact resistance have been primarily attributed to a hydrogen passivation effect, which might then be used to observe and study hydrogen kinetics. A new sample structure is developed to allow a more direct measurement of the current-voltage characteristics of the front contacts, without the contribution from resistance elsewhere in the cell. A careful analysis of such measurements leads to three key findings: (i) It is experimentally shown that there is no increase in resistance for any region of the device other than the front contact. (ii) It is shown that the contact resistance change is affected by the frequency of in-situ measurements and becomes highly unstable once resistance change reaches a high value, and (iii) Annealing prior I-V measurements can act to significantly increase the rate at which contact resistance changes, likely through an increase in the mobile hydrogen concentration throughout the cell. These findings are crucial to the understanding and future study of hydrogen in silicon and its relation to degradation in solar cells