Most Recent Record List

Text categorization, or the assignment of natural language texts to predefined categories based on their content, is of growing importance as the volume of information available on the internet continues to overwhelm us. The use of predefined categories implies a “supervised learning” approach to categorization, where already-classified articles which effectively define the categories are... [Working or Discussion Paper]

Text mining is about looking for patterns in natural language text, and may be defined as the process of analyzing text to extract information from it for particular purposes. In previous work, we claimed that compression is a key technology for text mining, and backed this up with a study that showed how particular kinds of lexical tokens - names, dates, locations, etc. - can be identified and... [Working or Discussion Paper]

This report represents the results of a survey conducted by the University of Waikato Usability Laboratory of the research laboratories at the Department of Computer Science, The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. The study was conducted on behalf of the Department of Computer Science. The goal of the research was to: Inform the development of future laboratories; Inform the process... [Working or Discussion Paper]

This report is a follow on to an earlier report (titled: Usability Study Report (1/2002), dated 1 July 2002) that presented the University of Waikato Usability Laboratory’s (Usability Laboratory) analysis of the Large Interactive Display Screen (LIDS) technologies as developed by the LIDS Research Project. [Working or Discussion Paper]

This paper reports work done as part of the Large Interactive Display Surface (LIDS) project at the University of Waikato. One application of the LIDS equipment is distributed meeting support. In this context large display surfaces are used as shared workspaces by people at collaborating sites. A meeting with start with a shared presentation document, typically and agenda document with... [Working or Discussion Paper]

This report represents the University of Waikato Usability Laboratory’s (Usability Laboratory) analysis of the Large Interactive Display Screen (LIDS) technologies as developed by the LIDS Research Group. The Usability Laboratory conducted three exploratory-type studies of the LIDS technology over January and February 2002. The studies each focused on individual elements of the LIDS... [Working or Discussion Paper]

Data engineering is generally considered to be a central issue in the development of data mining applications. The success of many learning schemes, in their attempts to construct models of data, hinges on the reliable identification of a small set of highly predictive attributes. The inclusion of irrelevant, redundant and noisy attributes in the model building process phase can result in... [Working or Discussion Paper]

The alternating decision tree (ADTree) is a successful classification technique that combine decision trees with the predictive accuracy of boosting into a ser to interpretable classification rules. The original formulation of the tree induction algorithm restricted attention to binary classification problems. This paper empirically evaluates several methods for extending the algorithm to the... [Working or Discussion Paper]

SN 28049 is a novel DNA intercalating anti-cancer drug developed at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre as part of ongoing research into topoisomerase II poisons with high activity against solid tumours. SN 28049 was curative against murine Colon 38 tumours, a model of colorectal adenocarcinoma which is generally unresponsive to topoisomerase II poisons (1), while two clinically used... [Thesis or Dissertation]

It’s like the sun and the tide. The aim of this study was to understand the meaning of ‘being aged’ through the everyday experiences of those who are aged. Philosophically, this interpretive study was informed by hermeneutics and interpretive phenomenology. The writings of two twentieth-century philosophers, Hans-Georg Gadamer and Martin Heidegger, guided the study’s design and research... [Thesis or Dissertation]

The main aim of this study was to develop nanoparticulate drug delivery systems for chlorambucil (CHL) and asulacrine (ASL). CHL is a DNA alkylating agent. In an attempt to alter the pharmacokinetics (short half-life, rapid clearance and high volume of distribution) and improve the anticancer activity, CHL was incorporated into a lipid nanosphere (LN) formulation. The LN were composed of... [Thesis or Dissertation]

This paper addresses the problem of automatically assigning a Library of Congress Classification (LCC) to work given its set of Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH). LCC are organized in a tree: the root node of this hierarchy comprises all possible topics, and leaf nodes correspond to the most specialized topic areas defined. We describe a procedure that, given a resource identified by... [Working or Discussion Paper]

Inducing classifiers that make accurate predictions on future data is a driving force for research in inductive learning. However, also of importance to the users is how to gain information from the models produced. Unfortunately, some of the most powerful inductive learning algorithms generate "black boxes"—that is, the representation of the model makes it virtually impossible to... [Working or Discussion Paper]

Although online, handheld, mobile computers offer new possibilities in searching and retrieving information on the go, the fast-paced, "sit-forward" style of interaction may not be appropriate for all user search needs. In this paper, we explore how a handheld computer can be used to enable interactive search experiences that vary in pace from fast and immediate through to reflective... [Working or Discussion Paper]

A study is made of the equations of heat conduction with slow combustion. A mathematical model is established from an interpretation of the physical model, with a few simplifying assumptions. This gives rise to a coupled pair of partial differential equations which are the direct concern of this thesis, the dependent variables being the temperature and reactant concentration as functions of...

This is a study of the distribution of 2011 instances of simultaneous speech in a 91,802-word subcorpus from the London-Lund corpus of Spoken English. Five categories of simultaneous speech (successful and unsuccessful turn-bidding, successful and unsuccessful turn-competing, and backchannelling) were analysed in terms of: (a) characteristics of the prosodic, lexical and grammatical context in...

WA/GA-SUBJECTS IN JAPANESE AND SUBDIVISIONS OF TENSE Shizuka Torii This thesis takes a semantically based tense/aspect approach to the long-standing problem of wa- and ga-markings of 'subjects' in Japanese. It argues for a correlation between wa/ga-markings of 'subjects' and tense/aspect interpretations of clauses, as illustrated in (1) below, to shed light on a new...

This study has two goals - (1) to see what criteria are needed to define collocations and (2) to make a list of the high frequency collocations of spoken English that would be useful for guiding teaching, learning and course design. The existing criteria for defining collocations are generally not well defined and have not been applied consistently. Wray and Perkins (2000) identify more than...

A new retrieval algorithm has been developed based on the Optimal Estimation (OE) approach, which retrieves lognormal aerosol size distribution parameters from multiwavelength aerosol extinction data, as measured by the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) II in the lower stratosphere. Retrieving these aerosol properties becomes increasingly more difficult under aerosol background...

This thesis presents the findings of a combined geomorphological, sedimentological and geochronological investigation into the glacial history of the Clearwater Basin, Mid Canterbury, New Zealand. The study demonstrates that a thick wedge of glacial and paraglacial sediments are preserved in the valley. These are >100m thick and preserve evidence of at least 3 glacial phases (>180ka). The...

This paper investigates user interpretation of search result displays on small screen devices. Such devices present interesting design challenges given their limited display capabilities, particularly in relation to screen size. Our aim is to provide users with succinct yet useful representations of search results that allow rapid and accurate decisions to be made about the utility of result... [Working or Discussion Paper]

Multi-instance learning is commonly tackled using special-purpose algorithms. Development of these algorithms has started because early experiments with standard propositional learners have failed to produce satisfactory results on multi-instance data—more specifically, the Musk data. In this paper we present evidence that this is not necessarily the case. We introduce a simple wrapper for... [Working or Discussion Paper]

When is it reasonable, or possible, to refine a one place buffer into a two place buffer? In order to answer this question we characterise refinement based on substitution in restricted contexts. We see that data refinement (specifically in Z) and process refinement give differing answers to the original question, and we compare the precise circumstances which give rise to this difference by... [Working or Discussion Paper]

Despite its simplicity, the naive Bayes classifier has surprised machine learning researchers by exhibiting good performance on a variety of learning problems. Encouraged by these results, researchers have looked to overcome naive Bayes' primary weakness—attribute independence—and improve the performance of the algorithm. This paper presents a locally weighted version of naive Bayes... [Working or Discussion Paper]

The data stream model for data mining places harsh restrictions on a learning algorithm. A model must be induced following the briefest interrogation of the data, must use only available memory and must update itself over time within these constraints. Additionally, the model must be able to be used for data mining at any point in time. This paper describes a data stream classification... [Working or Discussion Paper]

Lab‐On‐a‐Chip (LOC) or Micro Total Analysis System (μTAS) technology requires precise control of minute amounts of liquid. Moving liquids in small capillaries requires bulky expensive external pumps that defy the purpose of microfabrication. By integrating a micropump into the device, it allows the system to be transportable, reliable, energy efficient and inexpensive. Such a microsystem...

A potentially parallel iterative algorithm for the solution of the unconstrained N-stage decision problem of Dynamic Programming is developed. This new solution method, known as Variable Metric Dynamic Programming, is based on the use of variable metric minimisation techniques to develop quadratic approximations to the optimal cost function for each stage. The algorithm is applied to various...

Vocabulary knowledge is a prerequisite to successful comprehension for native speakers and second language learners alike. Proper names, a peculiar and diverse group of lexical items, have long been the focus of discussion in general linguistics but have received practically no attention in second language vocabulary acquisition research. This study is the first attempt to assess whether proper...

This thesis focuses on the seismic performance of unreinforced masonry wall perforated with a door opening representing typical URM walls of many aged masonry buildings in Indonesia. To obtain a test result that will be able to represent the local conditions, the experiments have been conducted in the Research Institute for Human Settlements (RIHS) laboratory in Bandung-Indonesia. Two 75 %...

Although lay people confidently assert the existence of regional varieties of New Zealand English, linguists have produced very little evidence to support such claims. There are vocabulary items special to, or favoured by, the people of Southland and the West Coast of the South Island; there are traces of non-prevocalic /r/in Southland and Otago; and there are regional differences in the...

The aim of this study was to examine the issues surrounding Maori language use in secondary schools. This was to test the hypothesis that the learning experience for Maori students is influenced by a school's responsiveness to Maori needs. In particular the focus was on the use of te reo Maori e.g. pronunciation. It was found that when features of te ao Maori are reflected positively in...

Recent researchers have suggested that the combination of horizontal curves or “bendiness” of a length of road contributes to traffic crash occurrence. A previous study of New Zealand fatal crashes using an aggregated approach found no significant correlation between crash occurrence and road bendiness for rural roads but a minor correlation for urban roads. This thesis further explores...

Over the past decade there has been a marked shift towards human rights in the policy of multilateral development institutions, international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and government donor agencies. 'Rights-based' development - in which development and poverty alleviation is viewed through a human rights lens - has become the language of choice among the international...

The study's objective is to relate the development of Pat Metheny's stylistic characteristics from his interpretation of jazz standards to their incorporation into his own compositions. Stylistic elements are established and a sample of his compositions are analysed to compare his solo style in standards with his compositional style. Metheny is a recognised innovator in technique and...

Shiga Shigetaka (1863-1927) is generally known among scholars of Japanese intellectual history as the pioneering advocate of kokusui shugi (maintenance of Japan's cultural identity), a theory which called for spiritual solidarity in the late 1880s when Japan was facing increasing pressure from the West. He is also regarded as an intellectual opponent of his contemporary, journalist...

For generations, the harvest of native flora and fauna by Māori was guided by tikanga. In the art of weaving, the sustainability of the culture was greatly dependant on the careful practice of harvest to ensure the maintenance of resources for future generations – also known as kaitiakitanga. One of the most important weaving materials was the kiekie (Freycinetia banksii). Under tikanga, the...

One of the greater issues in Genetic Programming (GP) is the computational effort required to run the evolution and discover a good solution. Phenomena such as program bloating (where genetic programs rapidly grow in size) can quickly exhaust available memory resources and slow down the evolutionary process, while the heavy cost of performing fitness evaluation can make problems which have a...

In writing a history of the Chatham Islands the actual story of white settlement seems to pale into insignificance beside that of the occupation by the Morioris and their subsequent displacement by the Maoris. The origin of the Moriori race is still a debated question and possibly it will never be solved for this unfortunate race is now extinct with the exception of one pure-blooded Moriori,...

[Conference Paper]

Performance lapses in occupations where public safety is paramount can have disastrous consequences, resulting in accidents with multiple fatalities. Drowsy individuals performing an active task, like driving, often cycle rapidly between periods of wake and sleep, as exhibited by cyclical variation in both EEG power spectra and task performance measures. The aim of this project was to identify...

This thesis explores the creation and assessment of semi-active control algorithms for both squat shear buildings and tall flexible structures. If cost-effective, practicable, semi-active structural control systems can be developed, the potential reduction in loss of both property and lives due to seismic events is significant. Semi-active controllers offer many of the benefits of active...

Restricted Item. Print thesis available in the University of Auckland Library or available through Inter-Library Loan. [Thesis or Dissertation]

Ineffective biological control of the Eucalyptus pest Paropsis charybdis Stål (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Paropsini) in cold areas of New Zealand was believed to be caused a climatic mismatch of the egg parasitoid Enoggera nassaui Girault (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Two Tasmanian strains of the parasitoid were introduced to test climate-matching theory in 2000, with approximately 7000 wasps...

Traditional New Zealand attitudes with regard to all things nuclear are subjected to critical scrutiny. It is argued that these may frequently lead us to take policy positions that do not best serve our national interests. In the context of continuing anxiety about future energy supplies, an unreflective refusal to even consider civilian nuclear power is an outstanding example of this. The...This is an author’s final draft version of a chapter from the book, “Energy Security: The Foreign Policy Implications”, published by the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, 2008. Used with permission. [Book Item]

Thesis available online from NZETC http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WalRobl.html. Print thesis available in the University of Auckland Library or available through Inter-Library Loan.This Thesis sets out to present the work of Horatio Gordon Robley; to open his remarkably prolific and determined output as an artist to further investigation and consideration. This Thesis does not attempt to interpret his work, although - where called for - notes have been added to Robley's own; to correct, or explain, the information he gives. In thus ordering Robley's extensive,... [Thesis or Dissertation]

Available online from http://io.knowledge-basket.co.nz/taonga/contents/theses/text/contents.html Print thesis available in the University of Auckland Library or available through Inter-Library Loan.This thesis explores the interaction between Maori and Pakeha in the cross-cultural translation of the concept of land. It focuses on the title investigations of ownership of land by the Maori Land Court on one part of the country - the Matakaoa district of the East Coast (Te Tai Rawhiti). The Land Court investigation of Matakaoa land was however, a culmination of the negotiative process that...

Cape Bird is a narrow strip of stony coastline at the foot of Mt Bird in the north-west corner of Ross Island, Antarctica. Situated at latitude 77:22oS and longitude 166:43oE Antarctica New Zealand have built a comfortable eight person research hut used by scientists over the summer months. The hut, measuring approximately 85 square meters, consists of 2 bunk rooms, a kitchen/dining room,... [Conference Paper]

A partial core transformer has been designed such that its magnetising reactance has been matched to a generator stator insulation capacitance. The reactive current drawn by the stator insulation is provided by the transformer magnetisation. This means that the supply only has to provide the real power losses of the transformer and in practice any mismatch between the magnetisation current and... [Conference Paper]

Soil liquefaction has been a major cause of damage to pile foundations in many of the past earthquakes. Particularly damaging for piles have been excessive ground displacements caused by spreading of liquefied soils in sloping ground and in waterfront areas. The analysis of piles subjected to lateral spreading is burdened by the uncertainties associated with the spreading of liquefied soils.... [Conference Paper]

This thesis investigates how rural and remote communities in northeast Thailand harness information and communication technologies (ICTs) for community development and develops a new model of ICT-based lifelong learning center for local communities. The main research questions are: 1. How to adapt ICTs to fit rural communities? 2. How to integrate ICTs into their lifestyle? 3. How to use ICTs... [Thesis or Dissertation]