New Zealand women's preference for treatment decision-making when considering hormone replacement therapy : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University

The menopause phase has increasingly been defined as a deficiency disease amenable to treatment. The main medical treatment for menopause is Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). At present very little is known about how New Zealand women make their decisions regarding HRT. What is known is that the medical information concerning HRT is uncertain and doctors are an important factor in the decision-making process. Recent research has shown that there is much dissatisfaction with the service doctors are providing New Zealand women. Much of this dissatisfaction may result from the mismatch of decision-making styles between doctors and women. Accordingly it was necessary to investigate the style preferences of New Zealand women. The aim of the present study was to test the Charles, Gafni & Whelan (1999) theoretical framework for treatment decision-making on New Zealand women considering HRT. The present study seeks to identify three distinct styles of decision-making preference and investigate whether the style preferences are maintained throughout the entire process. One hundred and forty-eight mid-aged women were surveyed about their decisional style preferences. The measure used was designed specifically for the present study and was unique with regard to incorporating stages within the decision-making process. The Charles et al. (1999) framework was found to be an appropriate model for conceptualising the decision-making context of HRT. Support was also found for the dynamic nature of treatment decision-making proposed by Charles et al. (1999) as the three main styles were also found to be amenable to change. The Charles et al. (1999) framework could be a useful educational and assessment tool for doctors and women. Future research is needed to replicate the results of the present study

Abelian Analytic Torsion and Symplectic Volume

This article studies the abelian analytic torsion on a closed, oriented, Sasakian three-manifold and identifies this quantity as a specific multiple of the natural unit symplectic volume form on the moduli space of flat abelian connections. This identification computes the analytic torsion explicitly in terms of Seifert data.Comment: Journal edits include

Correspondence education for teachers : a survey of teachers studying with the Advanced studies for teachers unit : a thesis presented to fulfil the requirements for the degree in Master in Education at Massey University

This thesis examines reasons for student persistence in and withdrawal from correspondence courses offered by the Department of Education Advanced Studies for Teachers Unit. The 1979 course members who completed a mailed questionnaire provided demographic, educational and attitudinal data. Student reaction to the A.S.T. Unit programme and Continuing Teacher Education were investigated. Reported advantages and disadvantages of this form of teacher training were analysed and the relationships between demands of work and study commitments were examined. The findings tended to indicate four variables that contributed to the probability of persistence. They were: (i) prior educational experience; (ii) the amount of support given; (iii) the number of papers taken; and (iv) the present teaching position. Although factors related to job circumstances and characteristics of teachers caused students to withdraw, many course members withdrew because of reasons that the A.S.T. Unit might have been able to counter. Course members attributed reasons for withdrawal to insufficient communication, a restrictive teaching method and insufficient time to meet assignment dates. A general conclusion was that A.S.T. course members were seeking a more open form of learning able to provide a freedom of pace and an element of control by the learner over the learning process

An overt chemical protective garment reduces thermal strain compared with a covert garment in warm-wet but not hot-dry environments

© 2017 The Authors. Published by Frontiers Media. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2017.00913© 2017 Maley, Costello, Borg, Bach, Hunt and Stewart. Objectives: A commercial chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) protective covert garment has recently been developed with the aim of reducing thermal strain. A covert CBRN protective layer can be worn under other clothing, with equipment added for full chemical protection when needed. However, it is unknown whether the covert garment offers any alleviation to thermal strain during work compared with a traditional overt ensemble. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare thermal strain and work tolerance times during work in an overt and covert ensemble offering the same level of CBRN protection. Methods: Eleven male participants wore an overt (OVERT) or covert (COVERT) CBRN ensemble and walked (4 km·h-1, 1% grade) for a maximum of 120 min in either a wet bulb globe temperature [WBGT] of 21, 30, or 37°C (Neutral, WarmWet and HotDry, respectively). The trials were ceased if the participants' gastrointestinal temperature reached 39°C, heart rate reached 90% of maximum, walking time reached 120 min or due to self-termination. Results: All participants completed 120 min of walking in Neutral. Work tolerance time was greater in OVERT compared with COVERT in WarmWet (P 0.05). Conclusion: Those dressed in OVERT experienced lower thermal strain and longer work tolerance times compared with COVERT in a warm-wet environment. However, COVERT may be an optimal choice in a hot-dry environment. These findings have practical implications for those making decisions on the choice of CBRN ensemble to be used during work.This project is financially supported by the Australian Government, managed by the National Security Science and Technology Centre within the Defence Science and Technology Organization, and the US Government through the Technical Support Working Group within the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office.Published versio

Measuring Productivity using the Index Number Approach: An Introduction

This paper provides an introduction to productivity measurement using index number techniques. Attention is given to the construction of productivity series using common index number formulae, the economic and axiomatic approaches to selecting an index number formula, and the use of chaining. Special attention is also given to measuring physical capital inputs and quality adjusted labour inputs. Numerical examples are used throughout the paper to illustrate the analysis.Productivity measurement; index numbers; capital, quality-adjusted labour inputs

Economic growth revisited : identifying a class of growth models for the New Zealand economy : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Economics at Massey University

Using data on twenty industries that comprise the market sector of the New Zealand economy, this thesis sets out to indirectly test three classes of economic growth models for the New Zealand economy. This is achieved by investigating the empirical relationships between TFP growth, output and input price growth, and factor intensities; and then comparing these empirical relationships against the predictions of five growth models. On the basis of this comparison some evidence is found to support the hypothesis that the rival human capital class of endogenous growth models is the most appropriate for the New Zealand economy

Towards the estimation of the economic value of the outputs of Scottish Higher Education Institutions

This report is the outcome of a preliminary scoping study undertaken for the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council and Universities Scotland Knowledge Transfer Taskforce during the three month period April - June 2005. The study focussed on the feasibility of developing an economically meaningful approach to measurement of Scottish higher education institutional outputs in monetary terms. The growing policy emphasis on higher education's role in the economy has led to an increasing need for quantitative analysis of the value to the economy of what a HEI does (that is, as a producer of specifically educational goods) - over and above the economic benefits that arise from the mere fact of the HEI doing something (that is, as a producer of general unspecified goods)

The impact of the University of Strathclyde on the economy of Scotland and the City of Glasgow

The interest in the economic impact of higher education has led to the early studies of both Scottish and UK Higher Education being updated and extended. However it is now 12 years since the very first study of Strathclyde University (which arguably set the core policy agenda for subsequent work)10 was undertaken. It is timely to take a fresh look at the University of Strathclyde's impact on Scotland. The current study was undertaken in Spring 2004 and focuses primarily on those aspects of the University of Strathclyde's contribution to the economy that can currently be quantified and measured in conventional economic terms such as output, employment and export earnings. Modelled estimates are made of the economic activity generated in other sectors of the economy, both throughout Scotland and also within the City of Glasgow, through the secondary or 'knock-on' effects of the expenditure of the University, its staff and its students. Overall the study presents an up-to-date and detailed examination of the University of Strathclyde's quantifiable economic contribution to both the City of Glasgow and to Scotland as a whole. The study was conducted by Ursula Kelly and Donald McLellan of the Information Resources Directorate of the University of Strathclyde working with Emeritus Professor Iain McNicoll, who served as Technical Adviser on the study

The Contributions from Firm Entry, Exit and Continuation to Labour Productivity Growth in New Zealand

This paper evaluates the contributions from firm entry, exit and continuation to labour productivity growth in New Zealand over the period 1995 to 2003. Decomposition techniques developed by Griliches and Regev (1995) and by Foster, Haltiwanger and Krizan (1998) are employed. Results suggest significant heterogeneity across both industries and firms. Most entering firms’ initial level of labour productivity is below the industry average but grows rapidly thereafter. Continuing firms generally add to industry labour productivity growth. On average exiting firms experience stagnant or declining labour productivity in the years leading up to their death, and when they eventually die most have below average labour productivity compared to their industry. This pattern persists even at a highly disaggregated industry level and indicates that firm turnover has positively contributed to labour productivity growth in New Zealand.Firm Performance; Entry; Exit; Turnover; Mobility; Labour Productivity; New Zealand