bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Whistling in the Dark: an Acoustic Study of Little Spotted Kiwi
Authors:   , Digby Andrew 
Published: November 2021

<p>Song function and evolution are two central topics of avian bioacoustic research. Discerning why birds sing and why they have such diversity of song can yield rich information on behaviour and speciation, and can provide important tools for conservation. Knowledge of vocal behaviour of a wide range of bird groups is necessary, yet avian bioacoustic studies have been hampered by a bias towards male song birds, with many species and even whole groups relatively unstudied. The New Zealand kiwi (Apterygidae) are vocal and threatened taxa, and calls play an important part in their conservation. Yet kiwi acoustic behaviour is poorly understood, and although the five species differ significantly in their ecology, only one has been subject to detailed acoustic study. This thesis addresses this gap in knowledge of kiwi ecology with the first acoustic study of the little spotted kiwi (LSK). The principal aims are to improve understanding of kiwi calling behaviour, and to provide further acoustic tools for kiwi conservation. On a broader scale, enhanced knowledge of the acoustic ecology of the taxonomically and ecologically distinct kiwi will provide insight into song function and signal evolution in all birds. Sexual call dimorphism in LSK is shown to be unrelated to size differences, and instead has likely functional significance, with male calls more suited for territorial defence. There is striking ‘acoustic cooperation’ between the sexes which constrains the function of duets in LSK. Analysis of complex vocal features, the first in any ratite, reveals that two-voicing is unexpectedly rare in this species, but that non-linear phenomena are common. Their association with territorial calls and high frequencies indicates that these features provide acoustic emphasis to enhance resource defence or convey aggression or fitness information. Non-linear phenomena are very common in nestling LSK calls, in accordance with the hypothesis that they add unpredictability to prevent habituation. LSK have surprisingly low inter-individual call variability, suggesting that this species may not use calls for individual identification. This lack of variability may be a result of the low genetic diversity in this species. A long-term dataset reveals significant fluctuations in calling rates with temporal and environmental factors. These trends indicate that calls serve an important function for reproduction and pair contact, and that calls may reflect foraging activity. They also provide evidence that kiwi are adversely affected by light pollution. A comparison of automated acoustic methods with manual call counts shows that while they have a different biases, autonomous techniques are highly effective for kiwi conservation monitoring. Microphone array methods have great potential for enhancing conservation and behavioural information through spatial monitoring of kiwi, but are demonstrated not to be suitable with currently available equipment.</p>
Evaluating the Success of Gender Mainstreaming in New Zealand Official Development Assistance Since 2000
Authors:   , Bennett Philippa 
Published: November 2021

<p>Gender mainstreaming is one of the most widespread methods employed by donor countries and their partners to address gender equality and women’s empowerment in development. New Zealand has had a varied history of engagement on gender issues within its aid programme. As reportedly one of the first countries within the OECD to have a specific gender policy, New Zealand’s commitment to women has waxed and waned. Case and point, in 2011, when asked where women came into New Zealand’s growing Pacific focus for aid, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated that he was not interested in prescribing a gender within the aid programme. This research evaluated how gender mainstreaming has been implemented into the policies of New Zealand’s Official Development Assistance (NZODA) since 2000. Research methods used included reviewing past and present NZODA policies, carried out alongside interviews with development specialists who had worked in the New Zealand aid and gender environment. Using a feminist lens, the research revealed that New Zealand’s ODA has had limited investment in gender equality and women’s empowerment, despite gender being mainstreamed or mandated as a cross-cutting issue since 2002. The previous structure which administered NZODA, NZAID, released an in-depth gender policy late in its existence and struggled to retain staff in the gender advisor role. The refocus of NZODA, with the subsequent reintegration of aid into foreign affairs in 2009 meant the expiration of this policy. Two years later, the new body established to administer NZODA, the NZ Aid Programme, released its only policy, where gender equality and women’s empowerment featured little and appeared tokenistic. As well as this lack of investment in women, this research revealed that gender mainstreaming appears to be misunderstood, which can only contribute to its widely perceived ineffectiveness. Recommendations argue for a committed focus on gender best practice within NZODA, alongside greater investment in programmes and activities that specifically focus on women and gender issues.</p>
Superconducting Proximity Effect in Magnetic Molecules
Authors:   , Jaurigue Lina 
Published: November 2021

<p>We studied the transport through magnetic molecules (MM) coupled to superconducting (S), ferromagnetic (F) and normal (N) leads, with the aim of investigating the interplay between the magnetism and the superconducting proximity effect. The magnetic molecules were modeled using the Anderson model with an exchange coupling between the electron spins and the spin of the molecule. We worked in the infinite superconducting gap limit and treated the coupling between the molecule and the superconducting lead exactly, via an effective Hamiltonian. For the F/N-MM-S systems we used a real-time diagrammatic perturbation theory to calculate the electronic transport properties of the systems to first order in the tunnel coupling to the normal or ferromagnetic lead and then analysed the properties with respect to the parameters of these models. For these systems we found that the current maps out the excitation energies of the eigenstates of the effective Hamiltonian and that various parameters in these systems can lead to a negative differential conductance. In the N-MM-S case the current had no overall spin dependence, but when the normal lead is instead ferromagnetic there was a spin dependence and both the electronic and molecular spin expectation values could take on non-zero values. We also found that the polarisation of the ferromagnetic lead suppresses the superconducting proximity effect. Furthermore in the N-MM-S case the Fano factor indicated a transition from Poissonian transport of single electrons to Poissonian transport of electron pairs as the superconducting proximity effect goes out of resonance, however in the F-MM-S case this did not occur. For the S-MM-S systems we calculated the equilibrium Josephson current and found that in the infinite superconducting gap limit no 0 − π transition was possible. Advantages of this study compared to related ones are that we allow for arbitrarily large Coulomb interactions and we take into account coupling to the superconducting lead non-perturbatively. This is however at the expense of working in the superconducting gap limit. Recently it has been possible to couple single molecules to superconducting leads. This study therefore aims to be indicative of the transport properties that will be observed in future experiments involving single magnetic molecules coupled to leads.</p>
Location of Active Faults using Geomorphic Indices in Eroded Landscapes, South Taranaki, New Zealand
Authors:   , Ries William Francis 
Published: November 2021

<p>South Taranaki region has a number of active faults that show surface expression in the younger and harder materials near the coast and central volcanoes of the North Island, but these traces finish abruptly inland when they cross into older, heavily eroded, mudstone and sandstone. Current methods to locate surface evidence of active faults (i.e. geomorphic interpretation of stereographic aerial photography) are not fully successful in this region. Erosion occurs here at a greater rate than surface rupture of faults which causes the removal of surface expression, and/or dense tree cover obscures surface expression. International studies of tectonic activity in eroded landscapes have identified geomorphic indices as useful reconnaissance tools to locate active faults. This research applies geomorphic indices to the Taranaki region for the first time. Four indices are tested; stream length-gradient index, stream channel sinuosity, hypsometry and drainage basin asymmetry. Results are obtained by applying the indices to four freely available national Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of differing resolutions. This allowed comparison between DEMs, providing the ability to test DEM quality and at what scale geomorphic indices could be applied to these freely available data. Results show that the geomorphic indices used can identify changes to the equilibrium state at a catchment and stream channel scales. However, the myriad of physical processes occurring at a range of temporal scales within this area make identification of a tectonic signature a challenging task. Conclusive examples of tectonic processes are evident and analysis suggests that these examples are likely to be due to recent or large fault ruptures. There are many areas where a tectonic influence to the equilibrium state of a stream or catchment can be inferred. These areas could then be targeted for detailed geophysical or ground based geological studies. Furthermore, the comparison of results from the four DEMs highlights a range of issues with DEM collection methods and resolution. This study concludes that geomorphic indices can provide an effective method to locate evidence of recent and large faulting events. However, this type of analysis is hindered by the resolution of available digital elevation data.</p>
Radiation Imaging with Caesium Bromide Storage Phosphors
Authors:   , Winch Nicola Maree 
Published: November 2021

<p>This thesis is centred on the development of a new method to prepare semitransparent CsBr:Eu²⁺ imaging plates for high resolution X-ray radiography. Methods of characterising the performance of these plates, and their application to dual energy imaging and neutron imaging are discussed. The basic preparation method, based on high-pressure uniaxial compression of powder mixtures of CsBr and EuBr₂, produces imaging plates which show good transparency and resolution. These imaging plates have a conversion efficiency of 1.5 pJmR⁻¹mm⁻³ compared to 5.1 pJmR⁻¹mm⁻³ for a commercial needle imaging plate. Water is found to play a critical role in the photostimulated luminescence activation in CsBr:Eu²⁺ storage phosphors, and imaging plates subsequently hydrated at room temperature have an increased conversion efficiency of up to 11 pJmR⁻¹mm⁻³, better than the commercial material. A model has been suggested for the generation of the PSL active site in the imaging plates based on thermomechanical sintering and water-induced crystal regrowth. A precise method for determining the conversion efficiency and stimulation energy of X-ray storage phosphor materials using an integrating sphere has been developed and used to characterise the materials developed in this thesis. A novel read-out method for storage phosphor imaging plates based on flood illumination and a semi-professional digital camera has also been developed and tested. Good quality X-ray images are obtained and the method shows excellent promise as a low-cost, portable X-ray imaging system. A stratified detector using CsBr imaging plates has been developed for use in dual-energy imaging. Results suggest that it is possible to perform dual-energy imaging with this structure. CsBr:Eu²⁺ imaging plates have been produced with added neutron converters for use as thermal neutron imaging plates. An imaging plate with 5 % ¹ºB₂O₃ added as a neutron converter has a PSL output 50 % that of a commercial neutron imaging plate. Neutron imaging with these imaging plates has been successfully demonstrated.</p>
Smart Games: Emergent Game Design
Authors:   , Johnstone Keaton 
Published: November 2021

<p>Gaming is a rapidly growing recreational activity. Over the last two decades we have seen a proliferation of games across all genres and user demographics. The consumption of content in modern games has grown as a result of the advancing technology available to game designers, as well as the growing expectations of the audience. The need for increasing the value of the content and expanding potential audience grows every day. Using dynamic adjustments to the underlying game systems as the player experiences the game, this paper will demonstrate how using emergent principles combined with other foundational systems, such as evolutionary algorithms, can increase the value of the content created for any game. This added value is of benefit to both those who have made the game, and the users who experience the results.</p>
English Language Butchered: A Study of the Correlational Relationship Between Text Messaging Frequency and the Instance of Jargon in Formal Writing
Authors:   , Lewis-Mohabir Bridget Nicola 
Published: November 2021

<p>The rapidly evolving text messaging phenomenon among teenagers and young adults is noteworthy. This study was designed to investigate the relationship between text messaging frequency and use of text messaging jargon in formal writing. The sample consisted of 152 Year 11-13 secondary school students (68 males and 84 females) ranging from ages 14 to 18. The participants were taken from three Secondary Schools and Colleges in the greater Wellington area. This study used a non-experimental quantitative design; specifically, a correlational research design. A ten- item questionnaire was used to assess general text messaging behaviours and text messaging frequency. The participants‘ formal writing pieces were also assessed and text messaging jargon forms such as alternative phonetic spelling, vowel deletion and alphanumerisms were identified. The participants‘ language ability (represented by their NCEA scores for the previous year) was also assessed. The results revealed that the participants sent an average of 95 text messages per day with girls averaging about 126 messages per day while the boys averaged 64 messages per day. Overall, the research revealed that there was a weak negative correlational relationship (-0.01; p=.986) between frequency of text messaging and instance of text jargon in formal writing. Therefore, the principal conclusion of the study was that the two variables, frequency of text messaging and instance of jargon in formal writing were not statistically related.</p>
Optical Properties of Rare Earth Nitrides
Authors:   , Azeem Muhammad 
Published: November 2021

<p>This experimental thesis uncovers the fundamental optical features of rare earth nitride compounds and relates them to their electronic structure. Experimental observations for the optical energy gaps for thin films of GdN, DyN, SmN and EuN are made for the first time. Thin films are grown by thermal evaporation in ultra high vacuum environment and are passivated by MgF₂ layers. Initial characterizations indicate the polycrystalline thin films of RENs are strongly textured along [111] direction. Optical characterization techniques, Fourier transform infrared and conventional UV/Vis spectrometers are used in conjunction with SQUID magnetometer and DC electrical resistivity. Transmission and reflection spectra for rare earth nitride thin films were obtained in the photon energy range 0.5 – 5.5 eV in their paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases. Paramagnetic GdN has a direct energy gap of 1.30±0.05 eV which coincides well with theoretically predicted energy gap. A red-shift in the fundamental absorption edge of ferromagnetic GdN is observed along with onset of absorption at higher energy attributable to the exchange splitting of conduction and valence bands of GdN. The spin split joint density of states is in remarkable agreement with theoretically calculated spin polarized band structure of GdN. Similarly for DyN a consensus is found between theory and experiment on the energy gap of 1.20±0.05 eV at room temperature. However, in the case of SmN, an energy gap of 1.30±0.1 eV is underestimated by theory to 0.81 eV. For EuN, the experimentally determined value of energy gap is 0.97±0.05 eV. This value is used to tune the band structure calculation by QSGW theory which returns a ferromagnetic semiconducting solution for EuN.</p>
An annotated bibliography of multidisciplinary information security resources, for the purpose of maintaining privacy and confidentiality in New Zealand government records management
Authors:   , Feary Brendan 
Published: November 2021

<p>Research Problem Maintaining privacy and confidentiality of data in an age of e-government and electronic recordkeeping is one of the key challenges for records management staff today. In New Zealand this issue has attracted negative attention through several recent public sector privacy and security breaches, raising questions about systemic issues, accountability, and a disconnect between strategy and implementation. How government responds will depend in large measure on the advice received regarding solutions to information security. A bibliographic gap on the relationship between records management and information security has been identified in the academic literature. Methodology Using targeted search strategies this annotated bibliography draws together articles from a range of journals with the aim of developing a consolidated resource for practitioners to become acquainted with the multifaceted and multidisciplinary nature of information security. The outcome is a resource directly relevant to the New Zealand context, which identifies key perspectives, relationships, technical issues, and shortcomings in research. Results Key findings relate to publishing trends, divided disciplines, and shortcomings in research pertaining to records management relationships with IT groups and engagement in e-government. Implications Includes the development of more comprehensive e-government information and security strategies, the re-examination and utilisation of existing relationships, and the strengthening of records management's position as a contributor to research and leadership in the array of possible responses to information security.</p>
Perceptions of self-service technology in the small, rural public library of New Zealand: Self-issue @ Selwyn Library – a case study
Authors:   , Grant Christine 
Published: November 2021

<p>Self-service technologies are prevalent in our society, and libraries are no exception. The general consensus emerging from the literature outlines the main benefits of self-service implementation: namely resource saving and enhanced customer services. However a more negative view emphasises potential challenges such as cost, staff and customer resistance, as well technical difficulties, not to mention the “dehumanizing of the library”. Much of this current research has tended to focus on the experiences of larger urban libraries with correspondingly large budgets and economies of scale. To address an apparent gap in the literature, this paper aimed to find out how well self-service is accepted in the small, rural public library of New Zealand by conducting a case study on one technology at one library: self-issue at Selwyn Library. A threefold approach was taken: first the statistics were analysed to give a picture of what was happening in terms of self-issue usage; second, staff were interviewed to get their insights and viewpoints; third, customers, both users and non-users of self-issue, were surveyed for their perspectives. The study concluded that self-issue did have a place within the small rural New Zealand public library context. Though some barriers existed there was a section of library customers who embraced it and staff were positive about the potential benefits self-issue could effect. The context also meant that there was a degree of flexibility that may be unavailable to larger institutions. The dual characteristics of not having expensive security systems to integrate with coupled with close customer relationships, allowed smaller libraries to try their own self-issue systems without exorbitant expenditure. The study’s main limitation is that it is based on the experiences and data from one library which has only had self-issue for just over a year, and the particular situation that exists there may not be applicable to other libraries.</p>
Constructing the emotions of childhood: an analysis of Margaret Mahy’s use of emotion in her literary contribution to the School Journal
Authors:   , Helleur Hiscock Gemma Amy 
Published: November 2021

<p>This qualitative content analysis research study examines how Margaret Mahy used emotion in the School Journal to form insights into reader appeal, reader response and the social construction of childhood. This research study examines Mahy’s contribution to the School Journal. The study explores this body of work in terms of how its author uses emotion to captivate readers by evoking the feelings associated with childhood. The underlying objective of the study was to provide insights into why Mahy’s work is so treasured and memorable; to explain how she uses emotion to captivate readers, and how this contributes to the social construction of childhood. The prose and poetry Mahy contributed to the School Journal prove to be a significant, rich and uncharted resource for the purposes of this research investigation. Analysis of this body of work has allowed for greater insights and understanding into Mahy’s contribution to children’s literature. It has also allowed for a greater appreciation of how Mahy’s use of emotion contributes to the social construction of childhood. This type of content analysis research study proves to be invaluable in the development of reader’s advisory services to young people. The employment of a content analysis methodology, underpinned by a discourse analysis approach, enabled the emotional narratives of Mahy’s text to be explained and understood. The study’s findings, that lightness and aliveness are the most prevalent and persuasive emotions operating within Mahy’s text, was substantiated through analysis of actual reader responses. This investigation is most applicable to school librarians, children’s librarians and educators. The study has broader implications for the improvement of client interaction and collection development in youth library services</p>