title: Where there's smoke there's fire? Women's experiences of smoking and cessation during pregnancy

authors: Drewer, Amanda

subjects: smoking

abstract: Women who smoke during pregnancy have been identified by the New Zealand Ministry of Health as a priority group for cessation services. In addition to adverse pregnancy outcomes, the effects of cigarette exposure in utero are believed to have health implications throughout life for the developing foetus. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that affect smoking and cessation during pregnancy.  Fifteen women who had quit, tried to quit, or continued to smoke through a recent pregnancy were interviewed using face-to-face semi-structured interviews. During analysis, several key findings became apparent. Smoking played a central role in the women’s lives both in and out of pregnancy. Women were fearful and concerned about the possible effects on their growing babies. Their concerns contributed to their feelings of guilt and other negative emotions, as did frustrations over not being able to quit, adverse pregnancy outcomes and their perceived failure to meet with social expectations. However, they also doubted their concerns as most had seen, or had had their own experiences of healthy babies being born to mothers who smoked. Nonetheless, their worries led to a range of behavioural changes including spontaneously quitting, adjusting their smoking, hiding their pregnancy to continue smoking, or hiding their smoking. Changing their smoking behaviours enabled women to avoid being judged which was raised in most interviews. In addition, the importance of the context in which women lived and socialised was highlighted, as were the women’s midwives. Healthcare professionals were often spoken about in relation to the mismatch between what women wanted regarding cessation and what they were supplied. A key finding was the range of smoking statuses women presented with. This contrasts with much of the other literature that usually defines women as smokers or quitters. The use of the label ‘smoker’ in society is a generalised term that obscures differences that are important for healthcare practitioners to recognise. As a result of this study, a tool that assesses a woman’s awareness of the risks from smoking in pregnancy and openness to talking about smoking cessation has been developed. The aim is to give maternity care providers a way to broach this sensitive subject in a way that is appropriate for their client.

text: Where there's smoke there's fire? Women's experiences of smoking and cessation during pregnancy Women who smoke during pregnancy have been identified by the New Zealand Ministry of Health as a priority group for cessation services. In addition to adverse pregnancy outcomes, the effects of cigarette exposure in utero are believed to have health implications throughout life for the developing foetus. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors that affect smoking and cessation during pregnancy.  Fifteen women who had quit, tried to quit, or continued to smoke through a recent pregnancy were interviewed using face-to-face semi-structured interviews. During analysis, several key findings became apparent. Smoking played a central role in the women’s lives both in and out of pregnancy. Women were fearful and concerned about the possible effects on their growing babies. Their concerns contributed to their feelings of guilt and other negative emotions, as did frustrations over not being able to quit, adverse pregnancy outcomes and their perceived failure to meet with social expectations. However, they also doubted their concerns as most had seen, or had had their own experiences of healthy babies being born to mothers who smoked. Nonetheless, their worries led to a range of behavioural changes including spontaneously quitting, adjusting their smoking, hiding their pregnancy to continue smoking, or hiding their smoking. Changing their smoking behaviours enabled women to avoid being judged which was raised in most interviews. In addition, the importance of the context in which women lived and socialised was highlighted, as were the women’s midwives. Healthcare professionals were often spoken about in relation to the mismatch between what women wanted regarding cessation and what they were supplied. A key finding was the range of smoking statuses women presented with. This contrasts with much of the other literature that usually defines women as smokers or quitters. The use of the label ‘smoker’ in society is a generalised term that obscures differences that are important for healthcare practitioners to recognise. As a result of this study, a tool that assesses a woman’s awareness of the risks from smoking in pregnancy and openness to talking about smoking cessation has been developed. The aim is to give maternity care providers a way to broach this sensitive subject in a way that is appropriate for their client.

year: 2014

title: Random Relational Rules

authors: Anderson, Grant

subjects: relational data mining

abstract: In the field of machine learning, methods for learning from single-table data have received much more attention than those for learning from multi-table, or relational data, which are generally more computationally complex. However, a significant amount of the world's data is relational. This indicates a need for algorithms that can operate efficiently on relational data and exploit the larger body of work produced in the area of single-table techniques.

This thesis presents algorithms for learning from relational data that mitigate, to some extent, the complexity normally associated with such learning. All algorithms in this thesis are based on the generation of random relational rules. The assumption is that random rules enable efficient and effective relational learning, and this thesis presents evidence that this is indeed the case. To this end, a system for generating random relational rules is described, and algorithms using these rules are evaluated. These algorithms include direct classification, classification by propositionalisation, clustering, semi-supervised learning and generating random forests.

The experimental results show that these algorithms perform competitively with previously published results for the datasets used, while often exhibiting lower runtime than other tested systems. This demonstrates that sufficient information for classification and clustering is retained in the rule generation process and that learning with random rules is efficient.

Further applications of random rules are investigated. Propositionalisation allows single-table algorithms for classification and clustering to be applied to the resulting data, reducing the amount of relational processing required. Further results show that techniques for utilising additional unlabeled training data improve accuracy of classification in the semi-supervised setting. The thesis also develops a novel algorithm for building random forests by makingefficient use of random rules to generate trees and leaves in parallel.

text: Random Relational Rules In the field of machine learning, methods for learning from single-table data have received much more attention than those for learning from multi-table, or relational data, which are generally more computationally complex. However, a significant amount of the world's data is relational. This indicates a need for algorithms that can operate efficiently on relational data and exploit the larger body of work produced in the area of single-table techniques.

This thesis presents algorithms for learning from relational data that mitigate, to some extent, the complexity normally associated with such learning. All algorithms in this thesis are based on the generation of random relational rules. The assumption is that random rules enable efficient and effective relational learning, and this thesis presents evidence that this is indeed the case. To this end, a system for generating random relational rules is described, and algorithms using these rules are evaluated. These algorithms include direct classification, classification by propositionalisation, clustering, semi-supervised learning and generating random forests.

The experimental results show that these algorithms perform competitively with previously published results for the datasets used, while often exhibiting lower runtime than other tested systems. This demonstrates that sufficient information for classification and clustering is retained in the rule generation process and that learning with random rules is efficient.

Further applications of random rules are investigated. Propositionalisation allows single-table algorithms for classification and clustering to be applied to the resulting data, reducing the amount of relational processing required. Further results show that techniques for utilising additional unlabeled training data improve accuracy of classification in the semi-supervised setting. The thesis also develops a novel algorithm for building random forests by makingefficient use of random rules to generate trees and leaves in parallel.

year: 2008

title: Portfolio of Compositions: Systematic composition of cross-genre hybrid music

authors: Mayall, Jeremy Mark

subjects: cross-genre hybrid music

abstract: The research focus of this PhD thesis is the development of a new technique for composing original musical compositions in which elements from different musical genres are hybridised. The innovative aspect of achieving balanced hybridity is the development of a systematic approach to selecting and synthesising or hybridising key musical elements across a range of different genres. The major component of this submission is a portfolio of nine original works with attached CD/DVD recordings. 

1. Tracking Forward for viola, backing track and video 
2. The Long White Cloud for chamber band and electronics 
3. ‘Colorless green ideas sleep furiously’ for orchestra 
4. Push for Miles for electric bass and backing track 
5. Norse Suite for viola and cello 
6. The Foggy Field a studio construction 
7. Into the Nocturnal Sunshine for flute, viola, cello, drums and electronics 
8. One Night, New Breath for taonga puoro, viola, drums and electronics 
9. Sketches of an Intergalactic Earworm for piano trio and boombox

The accompanying documentation clarifies, and contextualises the creation and presentation of these works; and illuminates the aesthetic underpinnings and compositional techniques developed and utilised as a part of this hybrid-genre compositional approach. The structure of the supporting exegesis is in two parts: the methodology of practice-based research, and reflective investigation. Part One (Chapters 1 and 2) is an introductory overview; an observation of the existing literature and related work, relevant creative practice in the composer’s previous work; and the compositional methodology – including an explanation of the genre matrix. Part Two (Chapters 3 to 12) analyses the use of genre, the balance of hybridity, and relevant compositional techniques utilised in the development of each individual piece.

text: Portfolio of Compositions: Systematic composition of cross-genre hybrid music The research focus of this PhD thesis is the development of a new technique for composing original musical compositions in which elements from different musical genres are hybridised. The innovative aspect of achieving balanced hybridity is the development of a systematic approach to selecting and synthesising or hybridising key musical elements across a range of different genres. The major component of this submission is a portfolio of nine original works with attached CD/DVD recordings. 

1. Tracking Forward for viola, backing track and video 
2. The Long White Cloud for chamber band and electronics 
3. ‘Colorless green ideas sleep furiously’ for orchestra 
4. Push for Miles for electric bass and backing track 
5. Norse Suite for viola and cello 
6. The Foggy Field a studio construction 
7. Into the Nocturnal Sunshine for flute, viola, cello, drums and electronics 
8. One Night, New Breath for taonga puoro, viola, drums and electronics 
9. Sketches of an Intergalactic Earworm for piano trio and boombox

The accompanying documentation clarifies, and contextualises the creation and presentation of these works; and illuminates the aesthetic underpinnings and compositional techniques developed and utilised as a part of this hybrid-genre compositional approach. The structure of the supporting exegesis is in two parts: the methodology of practice-based research, and reflective investigation. Part One (Chapters 1 and 2) is an introductory overview; an observation of the existing literature and related work, relevant creative practice in the composer’s previous work; and the compositional methodology – including an explanation of the genre matrix. Part Two (Chapters 3 to 12) analyses the use of genre, the balance of hybridity, and relevant compositional techniques utilised in the development of each individual piece.

year: 2015