title: Demonstrating and Investigating Resurgence with Human Participants in Laboratory Research

authors: Teo, Chin Yuen Adam

subjects: Resurgence

abstract: Resurgence is the recurrence of a previously extinguished behaviour. Resurgence, a behavioural phenomenon, is of increased interest in animal and clinical human research. Three recent accounts have explained the resurgence effect. Recent studies have also investigated factors successful in affecting the extent of resurgence. Yet limited work citing resurgence with human participants in laboratory research is concerning. These works investigating resurgence with humans presented challenges that questioned experimental control of behaviour. Furthermore, these procedures included lengthy sessions, complex responses, and rule-following behaviours. A methodology, using elements of a pursuit-tracking task and general descriptive instructions, was created. The methodology first addressed the challenges by achieving good experimental control of behaviour. It then continued to demonstrate resurgence in both four- and three-phase procedure. Three experiments conducted demonstrated resurgence in a manner like those of the animal literature. Replication of findings from previous research also proved the methodology robust in investigating resurgence. Consideration of potential implications, and further use and future development were discussed.

text: Demonstrating and Investigating Resurgence with Human Participants in Laboratory Research Resurgence is the recurrence of a previously extinguished behaviour. Resurgence, a behavioural phenomenon, is of increased interest in animal and clinical human research. Three recent accounts have explained the resurgence effect. Recent studies have also investigated factors successful in affecting the extent of resurgence. Yet limited work citing resurgence with human participants in laboratory research is concerning. These works investigating resurgence with humans presented challenges that questioned experimental control of behaviour. Furthermore, these procedures included lengthy sessions, complex responses, and rule-following behaviours. A methodology, using elements of a pursuit-tracking task and general descriptive instructions, was created. The methodology first addressed the challenges by achieving good experimental control of behaviour. It then continued to demonstrate resurgence in both four- and three-phase procedure. Three experiments conducted demonstrated resurgence in a manner like those of the animal literature. Replication of findings from previous research also proved the methodology robust in investigating resurgence. Consideration of potential implications, and further use and future development were discussed.

year: 2015

title: Water quality assessment, trophic classification and water resources management

authors: Parparov, Arkadi

subjects: water quality

abstract: Quantification of water quality (WQ) is an integral part of scientifically based water resources management. The main objective of this study was comparative analysis of two approaches applied for quantitative assessment of WQ: the trophic level index (TLI) and the Delphi method (DM). We analyzed the following features of these conceptually different approaches: A. similarity of estimates of lake WQ; B. sensitivity to indicating disturbances in the aquatic ecosystem structure and functioning; C. capacity to reflect the impact of major management measures on the quality of water resources. We compared the DM and TLI based on results from a series of lakes covering varying productivity levels, mixing regimes and climatic zones. We assumed that the conservation of aquatic ecosystem in some predefined, “reference”, state is a major objective of sustainable water resources management in the study lakes. The comparison between the two approaches was quantified as a relationship between the DM ranks and respective TLI values. We show that being a classification system, the TLI does not account for specific characteristics of aquatic ecosystems and the array of different potential uses of the water resource. It indirectly assumes that oligotrophication is identical to WQ improvement, and reduction of economic activity within the lake catchment area is the most effective way to improve WQ. WQ assessed with the TLI is more suitable for needs of natural water resources management if eutrophication is a major threat. The DM allows accounting for several water resource uses and therefore it may serve as a more robust and comprehensive tool for WQ quantification and thus for sustainable water resources management.

text: Water quality assessment, trophic classification and water resources management Quantification of water quality (WQ) is an integral part of scientifically based water resources management. The main objective of this study was comparative analysis of two approaches applied for quantitative assessment of WQ: the trophic level index (TLI) and the Delphi method (DM). We analyzed the following features of these conceptually different approaches: A. similarity of estimates of lake WQ; B. sensitivity to indicating disturbances in the aquatic ecosystem structure and functioning; C. capacity to reflect the impact of major management measures on the quality of water resources. We compared the DM and TLI based on results from a series of lakes covering varying productivity levels, mixing regimes and climatic zones. We assumed that the conservation of aquatic ecosystem in some predefined, “reference”, state is a major objective of sustainable water resources management in the study lakes. The comparison between the two approaches was quantified as a relationship between the DM ranks and respective TLI values. We show that being a classification system, the TLI does not account for specific characteristics of aquatic ecosystems and the array of different potential uses of the water resource. It indirectly assumes that oligotrophication is identical to WQ improvement, and reduction of economic activity within the lake catchment area is the most effective way to improve WQ. WQ assessed with the TLI is more suitable for needs of natural water resources management if eutrophication is a major threat. The DM allows accounting for several water resource uses and therefore it may serve as a more robust and comprehensive tool for WQ quantification and thus for sustainable water resources management.

year: 2010

title: “BODY-SNATCHING”: Changes to coroners legislation and possible Māori responses

authors: Mika, Carl Te Hira

subjects: body-snatcher

abstract: The term body-snatcher has enjoyed a renaissance in the media recently, as various Māori have moved to reclaim their deceased relations. From a Māori perspective, the claiming of bodies has nothing to do with body-snatching, a term that referred to episodes in the West. Indeed, Māori may see some laws themselves as instruments that snatch the body, in contravention of Māori customs. One of these laws, the Coroners Act 2006, may have made some progress by quietly acknowledging these customs in many ways, but that is merely the start of a greater dialogue between Māori and the Crown in relation to proper Māori respect of the dead body.

text: “BODY-SNATCHING”: Changes to coroners legislation and possible Māori responses The term body-snatcher has enjoyed a renaissance in the media recently, as various Māori have moved to reclaim their deceased relations. From a Māori perspective, the claiming of bodies has nothing to do with body-snatching, a term that referred to episodes in the West. Indeed, Māori may see some laws themselves as instruments that snatch the body, in contravention of Māori customs. One of these laws, the Coroners Act 2006, may have made some progress by quietly acknowledging these customs in many ways, but that is merely the start of a greater dialogue between Māori and the Crown in relation to proper Māori respect of the dead body.

year: 2009