Dissertations / Theses on the topic '826'

In this thesis I argue that 'critical theorists', and the left in general, have paid insufficient attention to the psychological and pathological dimensions of the problems of modernity, including its environmental predicaments. To address this theoretical lacuna, I critically examine the conceptions of 'collective pathology' and 'higher sanity' as articulated in the relatively neglected work of Theodore Roszak and Ken Wilber, my position being that these two thinkers offer the most sophisticated readings of modernity and its 'ecological crises' in terms of pathology currently available. I also demonstrate a number of crucially significant implications of their work for contemporary critical theory. Consequently, the thesis is organized in two parts: in Part One I examine the work of Roszak and Wilber; in Part Two I explore major, critical implications of their work. The thesis begins with a critical examination of the concepts of 'pathology' and 'higher sanity' in Roszak and Wilber. I subsequently show how a critique in terms of these concepts alerts us to specific legimating tropes in ecocritical theory which have deligitimized competing discursive practices, and how such conceptions address and illuminate an ecological 'blind spot' in contemporary historical theorizing: no such study has been previously attempted. I then argue that conceptions of 'pathology' and 'higher sanity' indicate that debates between eco-centric notions of nature as 'real' and postmodernist notions of nature as a 'social construction' represent a double-bind; a false problem caused by specific unconscious and/or unacknowledged presuppositions. I go on to demonstrate how this double-bind can be overcome by, for example, exploring the psychology of Derridean deconstruction. In its examination of the critical implications of 'pathology' and 'higher sanity', this thesis can be read overall as a way of regrounding a radical ecological critique that is fully 'postmodem' - in the sense of aporetic - yet 'transcendent' at the same time. Consequently, this study is offered as an original resource for radical environmental activists who consider that the 'grounding' of their critique is undermined by postmodern and/or deconstructionist anti-foundationalism; I argue that such fears are 'groundless'.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Glasgow, 2009.
Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Division of Developmental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, 2009. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.

The end-products of silage fermentation have been implicated as factors limiting its intake by ruminant animals, although the contribution of individual chemical components is not clearly understood. A series of experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of short-term intra-ruminal infusions of silage fermentation end products on roughage intake by cattle. Infusions of lactic acid, the predominant organic acid found in well preserved silages were found to reduce the short-term intake of roughage by both steers and dairy cows. The short-term intake of hay- and silage- fed steers was reduced by infusions of 32 g lactic acid/kgDMI. The reduction in intake was greater when the acid was infused over two hours as opposed to one hour. The same amount of lactic acid (32 g/kgDMI) reduced the intake of silage fed dairy cows. These results were substantiated by a further experiment in which intra-ruminal infusions of 16, 32 or 48 g lactic acid/kgDMI over a two hour period reduced the short-term intake of silage-fed steers in a dose related manner. The mechanism by which lactic acid reduces intake was not clear from these trials. Infusions of acetic and propionic acids in the molar proportions to which lactic acid is metabolised in the rumen depressed silage intake by dairy cows, but this was attributed to a fall in rumen pH. Urea, used to mimic silage ammonia had no effect on voluntary intake of hayand silage- fed cattle. This supports the theory that rather than ammonia per se limiting intake it is other fermentation end-products, such as silage amines, produced in similar conditions to ammonia that are responsible for poor intakes. Amines were detected in noticeable amounts in silages made at Hurley. The predominant one being gamma amino-n-butyric acid (Gaba). Infusion of Gaba intraruminally, reduced the intake of silage-fed steers by up to 22%. Given in combination with putrescine the depressing effect of intake depression was doubled (44%), although these results were not significant. Physical gut fill was found to have little effect in the limitation of short-term silage intake. Rumen emptying studies showed that the maximum amount of digesta present within the rumen, in terms of DM, OM and NDF occurred after the cessation of the first meal.

L’objet de cette thèse est d’étudier les relations entre Louis le Germanique et les aristocrates laïques, aussi bien ceux qui appartenaient à son propre royaume (de Bavière puis de Francie orientale), que ceux qui appartenaient aux autres royaumes issus du traité de Verdun (843). L’intérêt de cette recherche, qui s’inscrit dans le cadre d’un très récent renouveau d’intérêt pour le règne de Louis, est d’apporter un nouvel éclairage sur l’évolution politique de l’Empire carolingien central à tardif, en étudiant sa facette « orientale », souvent négligée par rapport à sa contrepartie « occidentale ».

Dans un contexte caractérisé par les rivalités et les conflits, il est évidemment vital pour le roi de s’assurer l’appui des grands et de les intégrer à son entourage. La première partie de ce travail a donc été consacrée à l’entourage du roi et à son évolution. Cet entourage a plus précisément été défini sur base du De Ordine Palatii d’Hincmar de Reims :il inclut d’abord les membres du Palais au sens étroit du terme (famille et détenteurs d’offices palatins – laïques en l’occurence -) ;ensuite l’ensemble des « grands » laïques du royaume, qui, sans détenir d’office au Palais, entretiennent une relation privilégiée avec le roi, soit qu’ils détiennent de lui un honor (les comtes), soit qu’ils appartiennent à ses vassaux ou à ses fideles. Au sein de cet ensemble de personnes, tous ne bénéficient cependant pas de la même « Königsnähe » ;par conséquent, en tenant compte de la nature des sources issues de Francie orientale (essentiellement les actes privés des abbayes et évêchés du royaume), il s’est avéré nécessaire de nuancer ce tableau en recherchant les personnalités qui font réellement preuve de la plus grande proximité avec le roi, sans être nécessairement pour autant les mieux documentés au niveau des sources.

De tous les membres (laïques) de cet entourage, les comtes sont apparus comme les plus importants, en raison de leur fonction même ;pour cette raison (et afin de rendre la consultation plus aisée et plus pratique pour qui s’intéresse aux comtes), une prosopographie a été constituée, incluant les comtes actifs en Bavière (826-887), Alémannie, Francie, Saxe, Thuringe (833-887) et Lotharingie orientale (870-887).

Si cette approche, essentiellement prosopographique, est intéressante en soi, elle ne permet néanmoins pas, en tant que telle, d’apprécier la teneur des relations entre roi et grands, ni de replacer celle-ci dans le cadre plus global de l’Empire carolingien. Pour ce faire, il est nécessaire d’y ajouter l’étude de certains éléments significatifs, qui permettent de dégager plus aisément continuités, ruptures et spécificités. A l’étude de l’évolution du fisc (et des spécificités des donations royales), s’est jointe celle des éléments représentatifs du pouvoir des aristocrates :possession de monastères privés, disposition de fortifications, transmission des offices comtaux. L’articulation de ces éléments avec le pouvoir royal révèle des spécificités très intéressantes, notamment au niveau du contrôle du roi sur les donations et honores accordés aux grands, le maintien de la révocabilité de ceux-ci étant visiblement souhaité ;s’il n’est pas toujours possible d’évaluer le rôle de la volonté royale dans cette évolution, il n’en va pas de même quand on étudie les divers actes d’infidélité, réels ou supposés, portés contre le roi. Les réactions royales, en la matière, semblent bien le signe d’une politique distincte et cohérente.

En conclusion, cette analyse se joint à l’approche prosopographique pour présenter une manière spécifique de concevoir, et d’aborder sur le plan pratique, les relations entre roi et grands. Sous certains aspects, ce règne se distingue nettement de celui de ses contemporains, et éclaire donc une autre facette de l’évolution de l’Empire carolingien postérieure au traité de Verdun, globalement (et provisoirement) plus maîtrisée qu’ailleurs ;celle-ci ne peut être ignorée et doit contribuer à nuancer l’image de l’évolution du pouvoir royal au IXème s.

Doctorat en philosophie et lettres, Orientation histoire
info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Literary criticism has failed to do justice to the creative aspect of letters. The correspondence of Lamb and Keats are testament to this. Typically, these texts have been appropriated by critics as supplemental, biographical material. This thesis addresses this shortcoming. It analyses the familiar-letters of these writers and attempts to answer this question: how can we understand these letters as stand-alone literary texts? Absence defines the situation of the letter-writer; this thesis posits that the creativity ofletters is constituted by the distinctive ways in which letter-writers seek to overcome this situation. Chapters on Lamb and Keats demonstrate four permutations of the form's creativity. Imaginative sympathies and sensibility are found at the heart of their creative processes, as they attempt to imagine recipients and themselves from these perspectives. These uses of sensibility and sympathy suggest new ways in which both concepts can be read; they offer us a new insight into the relationship between moral concepts and literary creativity. David Hume, Joseph Priestley, David Hartley and, particularly, Adam Smith provide the conceptual basis for my investigation. In doing so, this thesis develops our understanding of the continuity between empiricist conceptions of sympathy and identity and Romantic- period creativity. It also contributes to the evolving picture of creativity in the wider period by showing how it can be fundamentally interpersonal, interactive, and inspired by isolation and embattlement. Through its focus on sympathy as a means of understanding the unique conditions, challenges and creativity of the form this study offers a suggestive point of origin for future investigations into the creative nature of letters.

This thesis is a broadly chronological study of Samuel Richardson’s correspondence, from his early career as a novelist in the 1740s through to his death in 1761. It argues that Richardson’s sustained concern with the aesthetics and ethics of writing letters was central to his conception of authorship and its relation to publicity. It contends that the form and content of Richardson’s letters interact with his novels in ways that are more pervasive than has been previously acknowledged in Richardson studies; I read letters as an integral part of his literary oeuvre, not merely an adjunct to it. The thesis uses manuscripts of Richardson’s correspondence in archives in both Britain and America, many of which are unpublished. Chapter One examines the development of a familiar epistolary prose style in Richardson’s early works, particularly his first novel Pamela (1740) and its sequel (1741). It focuses on the relationship between aesthetics and ethics in the use of the familiar letter in fiction of this period. Chapter Two is, in part, a case study of Richardson’s letters with his most significant correspondent, Lady Bradshaigh, about Clarissa (1747-8), and links their letters to the development of a quasi-autobiographical mode of writing in his last surviving piece of fiction, ‘The History of Mrs Beaumont’. Chapter Three traces how Richardson used correspondence to encourage and promote women’s writing, both in manuscript and print. Chapter Four examines Richardson’s correspondence with men and his attempt to reformulate literary manliness as a moral virtue in Sir Charles Grandison (1753-4). Chapter Five extends these aesthetic and moral debates to Richardson’s own editing of his correspondence, using manuscript evidence and exchanges he had concerning the ethics of publishing his letters during his lifetime. The Conclusion discusses the implications of these examples for the future study of the author as correspondent.

This thesis is a selective and annotated edition of 168 of the 2127 extant letters by Caroline Elizabeth Norton currently known to be available in both the public and private domain, which have been collected and transcribed for the project. The selection includes both the first extant letter, dated 28 July [1828] and the last, written on 10 June 1877, five days before her death. Those of Caroline Norton’s letters already published in an annotated edition have not been included in the selection. The letters are grouped chronologically into five chapters, each representing approximately a decade of the author’s life. Each chapter is preceded by a lengthy commentary outlining the key historical and political events of each period and providing a thematic analysis of how the letters, including the residual 92% of correspondence not selected for the edition, comment on aspects of Caroline Norton’s life, beliefs, work, family, relationships and society. In particular the discussion will focus on how the letters challenge existing notions in these areas and reflect on comparably under-investigated or almost entirely non-researched biographical topics, such as the epistolary strategy Caroline Norton employed to secure the Infant Custody Act, her views on literature and other writers, her health, and the nature of her relationships with her family, particularly her son Brinsley, and other key individuals in her life, such as Mary Shelley, Edward Trelawny, Lord Melbourne and Sidney Herbert. The five chapters are prefaced by an introduction that initially summarises Caroline Norton’s significance and biography. This is followed by a literary review, discussions of how my research relates to her place in nineteenth-century literature and to the literature of epistolary studies and a summary of the principal findings of this thesis. The main body of the thesis is followed by a bibliographical appendix, the methodology adopted is set out a second appendix, while a third contains sample reproductions of the manuscripts of four letters with accompanying transcripts.

La presente tesi raggruppa tre contributi che analizzano la partecipazione dei minori ad attività lavorative e scolastiche in Marocco, le variabili correlate con il benessere individuale e le differenze nei livelli salariali in Albania. I tre saggi tentano di fornire analisi empiriche basate sulla letteratura più recente e di contribuire allo sviluppo della metodologia quantitativa più comunemente utilizzata.
The present thesis is a collection of three contributions which investigate children’s schooling and labour participation in Morocco, the correlates of subjective well being and the differences in wage levels in Albania. The papers try to carry out empirical analyses of these issues based on the most recent developments in the relevant literature and to contribute to the empirical methodology commonly used.

In over twenty years of operations the Canadian Innovation Centre has evaluated, through its Inventor's Assistance Program (IAP), the commercial potential of over 12,000 early stage inventions. Prior to 1989, the Canadian Innovation Centre (CIC) used a version of the Preliminary Innovation Evaluation System (PIES), developed by Gerald Udell at the Oregon Innovation Center in 1974, to evaluate the commercial potential of early stage inventions. Since 1989, the CIC has used a modified version of PIES in their evaluation process. I first estimate the ability of this program's analysts to forecast the probability that an invention will become commercialized. I also estimate a model to predict the probability that an invention will become commercialized based on the IAP's evaluation of several underlying early stage characteristics of the invention. I find that such a statistical model is based on a limited set of variables and predicts future commercial success almost as well as the IAP's forecast of success. I then use factor analysis to determine if the ratings provided by the CIC evaluation service are representative of the underlying theoretical variable structure of PIES or their modified version. Factor analysis is applied to two distinct periods that are separated by a distinct alteration of the theoretical variable structure in 1989. While I find that the factor analysis provides evidence that the post 1989 theoretical structure does provide interpretation of some of the dimensions in the ranking variables, when a combination of the post 1989 and the pre 1989 structure are examined interpretability of the extracted factors is significantly improved. Finally, I compare the model estimated on the underlying early stage characteristics with a model estimated on the extracted factors. When the predictive accuracy of the two models is compared, I find that both procedures produce models that predict almost equally well. The models and the IAP perform better than R&D managers' predictions of their own R&D projects' successes. The thesis provides recommendations for the assessment and maintenance of evaluation models for inventions, innovations and R&D projects.

An aerodynamic shape optimisation capability based on a discrete adjoint solver for Navier- Stokes flows is developed and applied to a Blended Wing-Body future transport aircraft. The optimisation is gradient-based and employs either directly a Sequential Quadratic Programming optimiser or a variable-fidelity optimisation method that combines low- and high-fidelity models. The shape deformations are parameterised using a B´ezier-Bernstein formulation and the structured grid is automatically deformed to represent the design changes. The flow solver at the heart of this optimisation chain is a Reynolds averaged Navier- Stokes code for multiblock structured grids. It uses Osher’s approximate Riemann solver for accurate shock and boundary layer capturing, an implicit temporal discretisation and the algebraic turbulence model of Baldwin-Lomax. The discrete Navier-Stokes adjoint solver based on this CFD code shares the same implicit formulation but has to calculate accurately the flow Jacobian. This implies a linearisation of the Baldwin-Lomax model. The accuracy of the resulting adjoint solver is verified through comparison with finitedifference. The aerodynamic shape optimisation chain is applied to an aerofoil drag minimisation problem. This serves as a test case to try and reduce computing time by simplifying the fidelity of the model. The simplifications investigated include changing the convergence level of the adjoint solver, reducing the grid size and modifying the physical model of the adjoint solver independently or in the entire optimisation process. A feasible optimiser and the use of a penalty function are also tested. The variable-fidelity method proves to be the most ef- ficient formulation so it is employed for the three-dimensional optimisations in addition to parallelisation of the flow and adjoint solvers with OpenMP. A three-dimensional Navier- Stokes optimisation of the ONERA M6 wing is presented. After describing the concept of Blended Wing-Body and the studies carried out on this aircraft, several aerodynamic optimisations are performed on this geometry with the capability developed in this thesis.

La presente tesis realiza un estudio en profundidad de la familia Miridae (Insecta, Heteroptera) de las zonas del Montseny, Montserrat y Garraf (Cataluña). Este estudio incluye aspectos morfológicos, biométricos, sistemáticos, faunísticos, biogeográficos y ecológicos. La tesis incluye el catálogo exhaustivo de los "Miridae" de Cataluña, describiendo un total de 120 especies, una de las cuales es nueva para la ciencia.

The Well Child/Tamariki Ora Health Book (the Plunket book) is a small booklet given to New Zealand mothers on the birth of a child. It has been used by nurses as a tool to record growth and development from birth to five years since the 1920s. Although use of the book decreases over time, it is frequently kept within the family and handed on from mother to child. Utilising an oral history approach, this study has traced the development of the Plunket book over time and explored the experiences of a group of 34 women and one man who have reflected on their ownership of, or involvement with, Plunket books. The study found that the Plunket book remains an effective clinical tool for mothers and nurses. Mothers have used the book as a tool to link past with present, to maintain kinship ties across generations, to deal with change intergenerationally, and in a manner that contributes to their self-identity as woman and mother. Although mothers were able to use the book to affirm their own knowledge and that of their mothers, a medically dominated discourse persists in the book. The book has also played a role in facilitating the interaction between mother and nurse, providing an opportunity to explore the relationship in detail. The study found that the most successful relationships at any time were those that bordered the division between a professional relationship and a personal one: it was not the information that nurses offered but the interaction and resulting care they provided that was important to the mothers in the study. The study recommends that nurses and other health professionals continue to use the Plunket book as a clinical tool mindful of the fact that the book remains in use beyond the health professional’s immediate involvement with the mother and child, playing an important role in the context of the New Zealand family across generations. Future versions of the book should contain written reference to the strengths and abilities the mother holds as she cares for her child, reaffirming her role and identity as mother not only when her children are younger but as they grow and become parents themselves.

From the advent of association rule mining, it has become one of the most researched areas of data exploration schemes. In recent years, implementing association rule mining methods in extracting rules from a continuous flow of voluminous data, known as Data Stream has generated immense interest due to its emerging applications such as network-traffic analysis, sensor-network data analysis. For such typical kinds of application domains, the facility to process such enormous amount of stream data in a single pass is critical.

The majority of research in this thesis uses X-ray crystallography to investigate the structural features of peri-substituted naphthalene compounds. X-ray crystallography is introduced in chapter one, followed by a discussion on modes of distortion peri-substituted naphthalene derivatives can undergo, in chapter two. In chapter three, compounds having non-bonded -SPh and -EPh (E = S, Se, or Te) peri-substituents are compared. These similar compounds react differently when oxidized with bromine. The oxidation products are used to discuss a recently proposed mechanism and a more specific mechanism is suggested. In chapter four, a one-pot synthesis for naphtho[1,8-c,d]-1,2-diselenole (Se₂naph) is reported. Substituents were added to Se₂naph to form two new naphthalene compounds. The substituents are found to distort the Se-Se bond and influence packing. In chapter five, several diselenium-containing compounds are used as ligands in platinum(II)-bisdiphosphine complexes. The preference for platinum(II) to stay square planar dictates the geometry around the metal center, not the rigidity of the naphthalene backbone. Chapter six introduces (8-phenylsulfanylnaphth-1-yl)diphenylphosphine, a peri-substituted naphthalene containing -SPh and -PPh₂ substituents, and several derivatives. This ligand is used in a variety of complexes containing platinum(II), ruthenium(II), and copper(I) metal halides, whose coordination geometries are discussed in chapter 7. The naphthalene-based ligands in Cu(I) and Ru(II) seem to determine the geometry around the metal, whereas the metal center d-orbitals dominate in the Pt(II) examples. Chapters eight and nine deviate from the naphthalene theme. In chapter eight, X-ray analysis of sulfoxide compounds is used to discuss the structural environment around the sulfur. Various intra- and inter-molecular interactions were discovered in crystal packing. Finally, chapter 9 uses STANDARD (St ANDrews Automated Robotic Diffractometer) to statistically analyze numerous E₂Ph₂ (E = S, Se, or Te) crystals to determine chirality. It is intriguing that Te₂Ph₂ shows a preference for one enantiomer over the other.

This PhD thesis looks at how UK Government policies to deliver more affordable housing in rural areas are being implemented – whether the policies are succeeding, and the social and micro-spatial effects of the policies. The thesis reviews literature which identifies that there is a particular problem with housing affordability in rural areas, and that since the introduction of national planning advice designed to increase affordable housing provision in 1991, delivery in rural England has been consistently and significantly less than the established need. Based on data from five case study local authorities in different regions of England, the thesis concludes that the shortfall in affordable housing provision is not just a technical problem with policy implementation, but in part due to the exercise of three dimensions of power by rural elites interested in the “containment of urban England”. Those rural elites exercise power as follows: 1) The first dimension of power: focusing on decision making, this strand of the thesis argues that decisions made with regard to planning for housing reflect the locus of power in the decision-making process, and that power lies with urban local authorities and anti-development rural elites. 2) The second dimension of power: focusing on non-decision making, this strand argues that the way that planning policy is made facilitates its domination by those urban and anti-development interests, at both the regional and local level. 3) The third dimension of power: focusing on how power is exercised by the shaping of needs/desires by the powerful, this strand of the thesis uses theories of social constructionism and discourse analysis to question whether the failures identified in strands 1) and 2) arise because society as a whole, and the planning system specifically, does not recognise at an ideological level that it is failing.

This thesis is in two parts. Volume 1 is a discourse on notation and the musical event; Volume 2 contains a body of original works (scores, recordings and performance documentations). The relationship between the two is symbiotic; the works might be seen as exemplification of the ideas propounded in the written discourse, or the written discourse may be seen as providing an analytical context for the works as a consistent body of creative research activity. All the works in volume two were either created, or realised to performance, during the research period in which the discourse was written (November 1999 - September 2006). However, not everything created or performed during that time has been included; the choice of works to be included has been a judicious one of those which seem most pertinent to the topic of the thesis overall. The research process which this thesis summarizes might be described as a series of excursions, both theoretical and practical, into the space opened up by the incommensurability between the score as prescribing artefact and the musical event as historical and sensual fact. The intention has been to gain, or present, an overview of this space as a whole in order to make it available to myself as a site of independent creative activity. The primary field of research for the written discourse has been the body of works created within the concert tradition of the late twentieth century known collectively as 'graphic scores'. Seen as a collective body, they provide variety of 'takes' on the discursive space which arises between score and musical event. I have taken my critical methodology from a number of sources within twentieth century phenomenological thought and critical enquiry: most notably Heidegger's observations about temporality, Derrida's grammatology, Gadamer's hermeneutics and some of Peirce's observations about the nature of a sign. Surprisingly, the thesis has a conclusion: that the works of the Viennese composer Anestis Logothetis can be seent o representa radical re-assessment of the practice of realising musical events from written scores, one which retains the faithful reading whilst encouraging both an expanded sonic vocabulary and a greater stress upon the autonomy and independent musical practice of the interpreting performer.

Previous research into children’s understanding of line of sight has led to differing conclusions as to when and how children become able to appreciate that their view of an object will be different from another persons’ view of the same object. This is probably due to the diversity of response methods required from the children as well as different types of tasks and settings being used between the experiments. The aim of the present thesis is to investigate systematically how children will fare across various settings and whether their comprehension of line of sight can be biased by the task’s setting. The first experiment assessed children’s understanding of line of sight through a tube that was bent to varying degrees of curvature and whether their response pattern would change when feedback was provided. Results showed that children have great difficulty performing correctly on this task, especially when the degree of curvature is small. The older children corrected their response pattern when feedback was provided but the younger children tended to persevere in their response pattern regardless of contradictory feedback. The second experiment looked at children’s performance when walls were used - half the walls were smooth gradual curves while the other half was walls made up of two segments that met to form an angle. Again the children were asked to predict if two dolls placed at opposite ends of each wall would be able to see each other. Results showed that though even young children have no trouble in performing correctly on the “angled” walls, performance on the curved walls was significantly poorer with the older children performing better than the younger children. The third experiment sought to quantify the point at which children deemed line of sight became possible. To do this we used a single “U” shaped trench with the children being asked if one doll could see another in various configurations. The results showed a strong bias towards over estimating visibility. The fourth experiment repeated the second experiment but used wooden trenches instead of walls but also sought to quantify the “switchover” point at which the children deem vision becomes possible between the two dolls. The difference between angles and curves was once again replicated as was the age difference. The fifth experiment compared children’s appreciation of line of sight through/along tubes, trenches and walls. This performance level varied strongly depending on the type of task the child was asked to perform upon with the tube proving to be the most difficult and the angled trench the easiest. The overall findings of the experiment pointed to a context-dependent performance, implying a piece-meal development of childrens’ comprehension of line of sight.

I use data from the National Football League (NFL) to analyze the impact of minimum salaries on an employee’s firm tenure, an employee’s career length, and an employer’s distribution of employee experience. The NFL has a salary structure in which the minimum salary a player can receive increases with the player’s years of experience. Salary schedules similar to the NFL’s exist in public education, Secret Service, Internal Revenue Service, other federal government agencies, the Episcopalian church, and unionized industries. Even though the magnitude of the salaries in the NFL differs from other industries, this study provides insight to the impact of this type of salary structure firm tenure, career length, and the experience distribution. In the first essay, I analyze the impact of minimum salaries on firm tenure and career length for six positional groups in the NFL, defensive backs, defensive linemen, linebackers, running backs, tight ends, and wide receivers. A major advantage of using NFL data is that I am able to control for a player’s productivity. I find statistically significant evidence that minimum salaries shorten firm tenure and career length when they require teams to increase a player’s base salary from year t to year t+1 or a player’s total compensation from year t to year t+1. In the second essay, I analyze the impact of minimum salaries on the experience distribution. I exploit the fact that the NFL’s minimum salary schedule causes the relative minimum price between two experience levels to change over time. This provides teams with an incentive to substitute away from the experience level whose relative minimum price becomes more expensive. I find evidence that when relative minimum prices change, the experience distribution changes.

This study had the dual purpose of determining the anthropometric and motor development status of street children as well as to establish the effect of an intervention programme on their motor development. The first aim of the study was to determine the anthropometric and motor development status of street children. The children were selected from a sample of street children living in a state-run shelter. Twenty eight children (20 boys and 8 girls) between the ages of 7 and 14 were measured to determine their anthropometric and motor development status. The anthropometric measures included stature, mass, body-mass index (BMI), and two skin folds (subscapular and triceps). The measurements were performed according to the protocol of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). The results of the anthropometric measurements showed that the street children are shorter, lighter and have a lower BMI and smaller skin folds than the norm for children of the same age. The sample exhibited a prevalence of malnutrition. The same subjects who were tested to determine the anthropometric composition (except for four children, who had since left the shelter) were used to determine the motor development status. The gross motor, fine motor and neuromotor functions were tested to determine the motor development status. This was determined by means of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test II of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP), the Sensory Input Screening Instrument and a section of the Quick Neurological Screening Test II. The results showed that the motor (gross motor, fine motor and neuromotor) development of the street children is below the standard norms. The second aim of the study was to determine the effect of an intervention programme on the motor development of street children. The same subjects who were tested to determine the motor development status (except for four children, who had since left the shelter) were used to determine the effect of a motor intervention programme. Seventeen boys and 7 girls between the ages of 7 and 14 years were randomly selected and divided into an experimental (n=13) and a control group (n= 11). A 10-week motor intervention programme that consisted of bi-weekly sessions of 45 minutes was implemented. The affectivity of this was evaluated by a post-test. The programme consisted of perceptual motor, sensory integration and task specific activities using the integrated method. The main components, which were addressed in the lessons, were bilateral integration, response speed, hand skills, muscle tone, motor planning, equilibrium, vestibular function and vision strengthening activities. The program was presented by a qualified kinderkineticist. The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP), the Sensory Input Screening Instrument and a section of the Quick Neurological Screening Test I1 were applied to determine the effect of the intervention programme. Covariance of analysis, correcting for pre-testing differences between the groups, indicated improvement of the Bruininks-Oseretsky-Test Total as well as in fine motor skills and upper limb speed in the experimental group. Vestibular and vision functions also increased significantly in this group, which might have contributed to the improvement in fine motor development. All these improvements showed a high practical significance (ES>0.8). Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that the physical growth and motor development deficits as well as the positive effects of the intervention program, as identified in this study be brought under the attention of relevant persons in state organizations and private institutions, which are involved with street children.
Thesis (M.A. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

This paper examines 878 mergers and acquisitions between 2003 and 2012 to investigate the impact of advisor choice on transaction performance. Differentiating between bulge bracket, boutique and mixed team advisors, this analysis uses cumulative abnormal announcement returns, purchase premiums, completion ratios, and deal durations as indicators of outcome. Using ordinary least squares and probit regressions an analysis of premium outcomes and target abnormal returns point to there being significant shareholder benefits to using boutique advisors. However, the use of boutiques significantly increases the length of the transaction, and appears to have no impact on the likelihood of a successful completion.

Critical mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) winter ranges in southeastern Utah dominated by Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis [Beetle and A. Young] Welsh) have developed dense cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) understories. These communities are currently characterized by predominately mature to decadent stands of sagebrush with few perennial grasses and forbs. Sagebrush seedlings and perennial grasses compete for limited resources with annual grasses and forbs. To determine the affects of cheatgrass control on sagebrush growth and reproductive characteristics, imazapic (PLATEAU®, AC 263,222) herbicide was sprayed at 438.5 ml/ha with water and methylated seed oil during active fall growth of cheatgrass in 2002. Sagebrush growth and reproductive variables were measured on browsed and unbrowsed (caged) plants on sprayed and non-sprayed paired plots on 6 sites. Cheatgrass and other annual forb pretreatment cover was reduced from 23% to less than 3% the first year after the herbicide treatement and only increased to 4% the second year. Soil moisture on the treated plots was available at 15, 30, and 60 cm for several days to several weeks longer than on the control plots depending on the depth in the soil and year. Annual leader growth and flowering seedstalk length were similar on unbrowsed and browsed shrubs, but the number of seedstalks per plant was decreased by browsing. The number of sagebrush flowering seedstalks was significantly reduced by the herbicide the first year after the treatment, but recovered by the second year. The decrease in flowering seedstalks per sagebrush reduced the number of sagebrush seedlings observed the second year after the treatment (control = 81,800 seedlings/ha and treated = 16,700 seedlings/ha). Both seedstalk length (treated = 13.4 cm and control = 11.2 cm) and annual leader growth (treated = 6.2 cm and control = 5.3 cm) were greater on treated plots than control plots. Overall, imazapic can provide a window of cheatgrass and annual forb control to allow big sagebrush seedlings and perennial grasses and forbs to establish.

Spring water bottled and sold for human consumption can only be subjected to certain treatment processes such as separation from unstable constituents by decantation, filtration and aeration, ultraviolet irradiation and ozonation. A spring water distribution system in the Western Cape, South Africa was experiencing microbiological problems. The aim of the study was to investigate bacterial contamination in the spring water distribution system and the application of bioremediation as treatment technology. Sampling at various points in the spring water distribution bottling system started in February 2004 and continued until November 2004. The acceptable microbiological limits for bottled spring water clearly states that the total viable colony count should be < 100 organisms per ml of water. Analysis of samples by the heterotrophic plate count (HPC) technique indicated significantly (p < 0.05) high counts which did not conform to the microbiological limit. The heterotrophic plate counts recorded for weeks one, four, eight & 46 in the final bottled water (Site J) were 3.66 x 107 cfu/ml, 9.0 x 106cfu/ml, 2.35 x 107 cfu/ml and 5.00 x 104 cfu/ml, respectively. The total cell counts [Flow cytometry analyses (FCM)] recorded for week one, four, eight & 46 in the final bottled water (Site J) were 5.44 x 107 microorganisms/ml, 8.36 x 107 microorganisms/ml, 9.09 x 107 microorganisms/ml and 5.70 x 107 microorganisms/ml, respectively. The higher viable total cell counts(FCM) indicate that flow cytometry was able to detect cells in the water sample that enter a viable but not culturable state and that the heterotrophic plate count technique only allowed for the growth of the viable and culturable cells present in the water samples. This indicated that the HPC is not a clear indication of the actual microbial population in the water samples. It could be concluded that FCM technique was a more reliable technique for the enumeration of microbial populations in bottled water samples. Various organisms were identified by means of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using 16S rRNA specific primers. Purified PCR amplicons were sequenced and Phylogenetic trees were constructed. Neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree analysis of the bacterial species present in the water samples was performed. The dominant bacterial isolates that were sequenced from the various water samples throughout weeks one, four, eight and 46 were Bacillus sp. and Enterobacteriaceae. The pathogenic species isolated throughout the sampling period included Escherichia sp., Pseudomonas sp., Shigella boydii, Bacillus and Staphylococcus sp. A laboratory-scale bioreactor was constructed and water samples were analysed over a period of two weeks. Water samples were analysed using FCM and Direct Acridine Orange Count (DAOC) in conjunction with epiflourescence microscopy (EM). The FCM counts ranged from 1.53 x 107 microorganisms/ml in the initial sample (Day 0) to 1.16 x 107 microorganisms/mℓ in the final sample (Day 13). The results indicated a 24% decrease in the microbial numbers however, it was still above the limit of < 100 organisms/ml as set out by the South African Standards of Bottled Water, (2003). The total cell counts obtained by the DAOC method ranged from 1.43 x 106 microorganisms/ml to 9.54 x 105 microorganism/ml on day 13 (final). The results indicated a 33% decrease in microbial numbers. The total cell counts analysed by flow cytometry fluctuated throughout the sampling period. The total cell counts obtained from the DAOC method were lower in all the water samples when compared to the total counts obtained by flow cytometric analyses. Even though the FCM counts fluctuated throughout the sampling period, results clearly show that the FCM method yielded more accurate data for total cell counts than the DAOC method. Due to external environmental conditions such as changes in the weather conditions the results fluctuated and the final results clearly indicated that further studies are required to optimise the bioreactor system for its application in the spring water industry.

This study explored the correlation between verbal aggression and physical aggression among post-adolescent students, and included demographic factors such as biological sex, socioeconomic status, and the highest education level achieved by parents. The study is predicated on a paucity of evidence regarding the relationship among these factors in young adults. Two-hundred thirty-eight community college students responded to a self-report questionnaire designed to measure individual differences and demographic characteristics. Results indicate that verbal aggression and physical aggression are significantly correlated and that males report higher verbal aggression than females. Gender differences for physical aggression were not significantly different. None of the other demographic variables demonstrated significant differences. Implications are discussed in terms of societal benefits of preventative treatment for verbal aggression and the role that communication scholarship and education might play in intervention.

A kind of poetry that tries to understand contemporary social and philosophical issues as much as behaviors by rewriting in a poetic language the video artwork of some of the main representatives of modernism and postmodernism. Such poetry is deprived of confessional hues, any personal reference has to be ascribed to a mirroring effect by which the single person empathically absorbs and projects what is conveyed, be it stemming directly from the historical time of the artwork's making and inherited, or alive at the time of its actual viewing. By following a restructuring process started at the beginning of the twentieth century, the writing analyzes possible ways to outline developments or to underline breaking points. Poetry is seen as an active medium within the formation of societies characterized as it is by its highly introspective power, not restricted to the individual but open to all beings perceived as members of one entity.

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A ulceração aftosa recorrente (UAR) é uma das doenças mais prevalentes da mucosa bucal, mas o mecanismo que desencadeia seu desenvolvimento permanece desconhecido. Alterações psicológicas como ansiedade e estresse têm sido investigadas e parecem exibir, em alguns pacientes, associação com a doença. O estresse promove desregulação do sistema imune e está relacionado a elevação dos níveis de cortisol e diminuição dos de desidroepiandrosterona (DHEA). No presente estudo, foram investigados níveis de estresse e de ansiedade empacientes com UAR, bem como as concentrações salivares dos hormônios cortisol e DHEA. A amostra foi constituída por 60 indivíduos de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 18 e 50 anos, distribuídos em dois grupos: 30 pacientes com UAR e 30 pacientes sem histórico da doença, emparelhados por sexo e idade. Para a investigação dos sintomas de estresse foi utilizado o Inventário de Sintomas de Stress de Lipp (ISSL) e para a ansiedade, o Inventário de Ansiedade de Beck (BAI). As amostras de saliva foram coletadas pela manhã, à tarde e à noite, no mesmo dia. No grupo-caso, as coletas foram realizadas em dois momentos, em presença e após a remissão das lesões. As concentrações salivares de cortisol e DHEA foram analisadas em duplicata por radioimunoensaio com Kit analítico específico para cada hormônio. Os pacientes-caso exibiram escores de ansiedade (p=0,001) mais elevados, além de prevalência superior de estresse (p=0,004). No grupo-caso, os níveis de cortisol foram significativamente superiores em presença de lesão, nos turnos da manhã (p=0,008) e da tarde (p=0,001), quando comparados à fase de remissão da UAR. O ratio cortisol/DHEA também foi superior nos pacientes-caso em presença de lesão quando comparado à fase de remissão, no turno da tarde (p=0,007). Não houve diferença significativa quanto aos níveis de DHEA entre os grupos analisados. Com base nos resultados obtidos, pode-se concluir que, na amostra investigada, o estresse e a ansiedade são mais elevados em pacientes com UAR. Nestes indivíduos, os níveis de cortisol salivar aumentam em presença de lesão, mas não diferem quando comparados aos de pacientes sem a doença. Os níveis de DHEA não diferem em pacientes com UAR em presença ou em remissão de lesão, nem quando comparados aos de pacientes-controle. Outros estudos são necessários no sentido de elucidar se o estresse e a ansiedade, bem como se a 7 elevação dos níveis de cortisol exercem influência na etiopatogênese da ulceração aftosa recorrente.
Recurrent aphthous ulceration (RAU) is one of the most prevalent disease of the oral mucosa, but the mechanism that leads to the development of this lesion remains unknown. Psychological changes such anxiety and stress have been investigated and appear to exhibit, in some patients, an association with the disease. Stress causes dysregulation of the immune system and is related to elevated levels of cortisol and a decrease in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) levels. In the present study, patients with RAU were investigated with regard to stress and anxiety levels, as well as salivary concentrations of the hormones cortisol and DHEA. The sample consisted of 60 individuals of both sexes, aged between 18 and 50 years and distributed into two groups: 30 patients with RAU and 30 patients without history of the disorder, matched by sex and age. Stress symptoms were assessed using the Lipp’s Inventory of Stress Symptoms (LISS) and for anxiety the Beck Inventory of Anxiety (BAI). The saliva specimens were collected in the morning, in the afternoon and at night on the same day. In the RAU group, the specimens were collected on two occasions, in the presence and after remission of the lesions. The salivary concentrations of cortisol and DHEA were determined in duplicate by radioimmunoassay with a specific analytical kit for each hormone. The case patients exhibited higher anxiety scores (p=0.001), besides a greater prevalence of stress (p=0.004). Cortisol levels were significantly higher in the case group in the presence of the lesion in the morning (p=0.008) and afternoon (p=0.001) when compared to the same RAU patients in remission. The cortisol/DHEA ratio was also higher in the case patients in the presence of lesions when compared to the remission phase in the afternoon (p=0.007). There was no significant difference in DHEA levels between the groups. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that, in the sample investigated, stress and anxiety are more elevated in patients with RAU. In these individuals, salivary cortisol levels were increased in the presence of lesions, but did not differ when compared to the patients without the disorder. DHEA levels did not differ in patients with RAU in the presence or in remission of the lesion, or between RAU patients and control patients. There is a need for further studies to determine whether stress and anxiety, as well as elevated cortisol levels, have an influence on the etiopathogenesis of recurrent aphthous ulceration.

During the past decade, there has been a dramatic increase by postsecondary institutions in providing academic programs and course offerings in a multitude of formats and venues (Biemiller, 2009; Kucsera & Zimmaro, 2010; Lang, 2009; Mangan, 2008). Strategies pertaining to reapportionment of course-delivery seat time have been a major facet of these institutional initiatives; most notably, within many open-door 2-year colleges. Often, these enrollment-management decisions are driven by the desire to increase market-share, optimize the usage of finite facility capacity, and contain costs, especially during these economically turbulent times. So, while enrollments have surged to the point where nearly one in three 18-to-24 year-old U.S. undergraduates are community college students (Pew Research Center, 2009), graduation rates, on average, still remain distressingly low (Complete College America, 2011). Among the learning-theory constructs related to seat-time reapportionment efforts is the cognitive phenomenon commonly referred to as the spacing effect, the degree to which learning is enhanced by a series of shorter, separated sessions as opposed to fewer, more massed episodes. This ex post facto study explored whether seat time in a postsecondary developmental-level algebra course is significantly related to: course success; course-enrollment persistence; and, longitudinally, the time to successfully complete a general-education-level mathematics course. Hierarchical logistic regression and discrete-time survival analysis were used to perform a multi-level, multivariable analysis of a student cohort (N = 3,284) enrolled at a large, multi-campus, urban community college. The subjects were retrospectively tracked over a 2-year longitudinal period. The study found that students in long seat-time classes tended to withdraw earlier and more often than did their peers in short seat-time classes (p < .05). Additionally, a model comprised of nine statistically significant covariates (all with p-values less than .01) was constructed. However, no longitudinal seat-time group differences were detected nor was there sufficient statistical evidence to conclude that seat time was predictive of developmental-level course success. A principal aim of this study was to demonstrate—to educational leaders, researchers, and institutional-research/business-intelligence professionals—the advantages and computational practicability of survival analysis, an underused but more powerful way to investigate changes in students over time.

After a brief respite in the mid to late 20th century, macro physiology has come to the fore in elucidating large scale ecological patterns and processes as physiological assumptions often form the backbone of many predictive theories associated with species distributions. Critically, macro physiological patterns are valuable in explaining physiological variation across multiple scales and provide insights into the effects of climate change on populations spanning a wide range of latitudes. This can assist in predicting possible distribution expansions, contractions or shifts in light of current climate change scenarios. From this perspective, investigating intra- and inter-specific physiological responses to environmental stress may contribute to better understanding and predicting the effects of climate change on geographical ranges. Further, investigating the physiological effects to environmental stresses across ontogenetic stages allows for the identification of weak links within the lifecycle of a species. Additionally, determining settlement characteristics along a latitudinal cline provides integrated indications of the sustainability of populations, highlighting vulnerable regions in terms of repopulation of viable habitats. In this context, the present study aimed at establishing how temperature, in a physiological context, may affect reproductive biology of two species of mangrove crab, Perisesarma guttatum and Uca urvillei at the centre (Kenya) and edge (South Africa) of their distributional range along the east coast of Africa and highlight possible consequences for range distributions. A third species, Neosarmatium africanum, only in South Africa, was included to provide additional interspecies comparisons. Furthermore, settlement characteristics of brachyuran populations at the centre and edge of their distributional range were considered in order to determine how settlement may contribute to population persistence. Physiological investigations at the centre and edge of distributional range and across ontogenetic stages (larvae, stage 2 and 4 embryos, non-gravid and gravid females) under the concept of oxygen and capacity limitation of thermal tolerance (OCLTT), revealed that, for both species, populations at the centre of their distribution (Kenya) were generally more robust to increasing temperatures and generally displayed greater physiological stability with increasing temperatures compared to their conspecifics in South Africa. Variability in physiological robustness between regions, did however, differ among ontogenetic stages and species but, overall, were evident throughout. Within and between regions, adaptation to oxygen extraction in both milieus (air or water) was displayed for present temperature conditions but aerial respiration largely alleviated increased thermal stress due to overcoming the limitations of reduced oxygen availability and diffusiveness in water for all bimodal ontogenetic stages. Brooding eggs proved to be a physiologically critical process with either heighted oxygen consumption for gravid females or collapse of physiological processes demonstrated by supressed oxygen consumption. The physiological cost of brooding eggs, referred to as maternal costs, was reflected in in both Perisesarma guttatum and Uca urvillei where, in most cases, maternal costs were negative. Again, aerial respiration was able to alleviated increased thermal stress, as shown by positive maternal costs indicating sustained maternal care, but this mechanism was species and regionally specific. Settlement patterns differed between the edge and centre of distribution of the species studied. This difference was predominantly driven by zonal preference within the mangal and/or effects of new and full moon (lunar phase). Overall, settlement dynamics were more widely variable in South Africa, both spatially and temporally, than in Kenya. Finally, empirical physiological data from ontogenetic stages present during the reproductive process (early and late stage embryos) and from non-gravid and gravid females were used in conjunction with data mined from the existing literature to parameterise an individual based model designed to simulate reproductive output at the centre and edge of distribution of Perisesarma guttatum. Physiological data indicate that, in terms of reproductive output across increasing temperatures, populations based at the centre of their distribution presently outperform their counterparts at the edge of the species’ distribution, but reproductive output stagnated as temperature rose. Edge of distribution populations consistently increased reproductive output with increasing temperatures to eventually outperform centre of distribution populations at higher simulated temperatures. Overall, results of the physiological and settlement studies suggest that with increased climate change there may be a contraction of distributional range of the study species from high latitudes to low latitudes, contrary to general poleward shifts/migrations seen in most species, with possible contractions of the entire ecosystem mirroring the disappearance of keystone mangrove macrofauna.

An energy modeling software was used to analyze the current building configuration and simulations were performed in an attempt to redesign the current HVAC system of an educational building to improve the energy efficiency of the building, exceed current building code requirements, and meet the building's cooling and heating load. The different HVAC systems simulated were: Dual Air Duct, Variable-Air Volume (VAV), and Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems (DOAS). Each system was modeled in four operation schedules including: current system operation, fan control, lighting control, and lighting and fan control. These operation schedules are to represent how efficient the building would be in different controlled settings. Results were obtained regarding the energy requirements of the different HVAC systems. For the educational building both VAV and DOAS systems offer 48.8% and 57.9%, respectively, in annual savings in energy use, achieved by adding controls to the lights and fans of both systems reducing energy consumed by ventilation fans. The time of a simple payback period for a new VAV and DOAS system is 10.2 and 9.35 years, respectively, and may remove any considerations to implement a new HVAC system. Based on these findings, educational buildings using Dual Duct should consider using DOAS systems.

This dissertation will use the philosophy of John Dewey to develop a conception of the individual using an ecological model as an alternative to the atomistic type more typical of Western philosophy. An ecological model presents the individual as part of a biological and cultural milieu, but, contrary to a number of critiques of the Deweyan individual, it does not subsume the individual beneath the larger processes of which it is a part or sacrifice the individual to the social institutions such as the state. The Introduction and Chapter One provide an overview of various critiques of Dewey's understanding of the individual before arguing that the Deweyan individual is best understood in ecological terms. This first section also argues in favor of Dewey's current relevance, as his philosophy provides a number of resources for addressing contemporary social problems. Chapter Two briefly examines the claim that there are possible absolutist tendencies in Dewey's thought before discussing the threat of absolutism, examining absolutist practices as types of monocultures, and arguing that far from supporting such tendencies, a Deweyan ecological individualism works against such practices. Chapter Three examines some of the implications of using an ecological model for the individual, shows that such an understanding of the individual drives home the precariousness of existence, and argues that this model thus provides the basis for a Deweyan existentialism. While Chapter Three emphasizes the ways in which our interdependence highlights the dangers that individuals face, Chapter Four responds to these worrisome implications by arguing in favor of a Deweyan art of living that builds upon our social and biological interrelatedness with a Deweyan care ethics that responds not only to our status as ecologically integrated entities with responsibilities to our social and biological communities, but that also emphasizes our need for self-care. The final chapter examines the ecological individual and moral community through the lens of a Deweyan radical democracy that emphasizes the need for ecological literacy, citizen engagement, a knowledgeable respect for our diverse heritage, and a willingness to work together continually to change our institutions and our practices toward democratic ideals.

Il est communément accepté que le stockage de mémoires à long terme repose sur des modifications des propriétés fonctionnelles et/ou de la connectivité synaptique du réseau neural. Toutefois, ces remaniements ne sont pas facilement identifiables, étant donné la complexité des procédures d'apprentissage et des circuits cérébraux étudiés. Une telle recherche peut être facilitée en étudiant la mémoire de stimuli spécifiques d'une modalité sensorielle, et se concentrant sur des réseaux d'organisation modulaire et relativement simple. Nous nous sommes donc attachés à l'étude de mémoires associatives d'odeurs uniques, et aux possibles changements neuraux associés, au niveau de deux neuropiles de la voie olfactive de l'abeille mellifère : les lobes antennaires et les corps pédonculés. Nous avons tiré profit de l'organisation modulaire de ces deux centres nerveux pour chercher d'éventuelles modifications structurales qui pourraient être corrélées avec la formation d'une mémoire à long terme (MLT) spécifique pour une odeur. Des abeilles en contention étaient entraînées à former une MLT spécifique avec un protocole de conditionnement appétitif pavlovien. La stabilité et la spécificité des performances mnésiques étaient testées comportementalement trois jours après le conditionnement. À ce moment, les cerveaux étaient préparés pour la visualisation des lobes antennaires et des corps pédonculés. Puisque les lobes antennaires sont organisés en unités morphofonctionnelles bien définies, les glomérules, nous avons cherché d'éventuels remaniements structuraux (par analyse volumétrique) et fonctionnels (par imagerie calcique) au sein de ces unités. Nous avons montré que la MLT est associée avec l'augmentation du volume d'un sous-ensemble spécifique des glomérules, déterminé par l'odeur apprise, sans modification de la densité des réponses glomérulaires aux odeurs. Puis, nous avons voulu tester la possibilité que la MLT olfactive soit associée avec un remaniement de l'architecture synaptique, de la même manière que chez les mammifères ou d'autres espèces, chez qui la consolidation d'une mémoire stable est accompagnée de variations du nombre et de la forme des synapses. Pour cela, nous avons profité de l'organisation modulaire des corps pédonculés, où les contacts synaptiques entre l'afférence olfactive et les cellules intrinsèques sont ségrégés en complexes synaptiques, les microglomérules (MG), qui peuvent être facilement visualisés et dénombrés. Nous avons ainsi montré que la MLT olfactive est associée avec une augmentation de la densité microglomérulaire, dépendante de la transcription. .
The storage of stable memories is generally considered to rely on changes in the functional properties and/or the synaptic connectivity of neural networks. However these changes are not easily tractable given the complexity of the learning procedures and brain circuits studied. Such a search can be narrowed down by studying memories of specific stimuli in a given sensory modality, and by working on networks with a modular and relatively simple organization. We have therefore focused on associative memories of individual odors and possibly related changes at two levels of the honeybee olfactory pathway: the antennal lobes (ALs) and the mushroom bodies (MBs). We took advantage of the modular organization of both brain centers to look for structural changes that could be correlated with the formation of an odor-specific, olfactory long-term memory (LTM). Restrained bees were trained to form an odor-specific long-term memory in an appetitive Pavlovian conditioning protocol. The stability and specificity of this memory was tested behaviorally three days after conditioning. At that time, we performed brain processing of ALs and MBs. As ALs are organized in well-identified morpho-functional units, the glomeruli, we looked for evidence of structural (with volumetric analysis) and functional (with calcium imaging) plasticity in these units. We show that olfactory LTM is associated with volume increases in a specific subset of glomeruli, determined by the odor learned, without any change in the density of odor-evoked activity. Then, we addressed the question of whether olfactory LTM could be associated with changes in the synaptic architecture, in a similar way as in mammals and other species, where the consolidation of stable memories is accompanied by structural plasticity involving variations in synapse number and/or size. .

Mestrado em Métodos Biomoleculares Avançados
Os sapais encontram-se entre os ecossistemas mais produtivos do mundo, suportando um número elevado de espécies vegetais e animais. O mercúrio é considerado um dos metais mais tóxicos, em que os seus efeitos adversos têm repercussões ao longo da cadeia alimentar de todo o ecossistema. A recuperação do mercúrio de lamas e esgotos industriais é obrigatória por lei, contudo, a descontaminação de zonas estuarinas e cursos de água que já se encontram poluídos tem sido negligenciada, dado que as técnicas correntes de remediação de mercúrio utilizam processos físico-químicos, dispendiosos, perturbadores do ambiente e frequentemente ineficazes. Um sistema de fitorremediação, em que as plantas extraem, sequestram ou desintoxicam o mercúrio dos sedimentos de sistemas aquáticos poderá ser uma solução mais atraente. No entanto, esta técnica encontra-se ainda numa fase inicial de desenvolvimento, sendo necessária uma maior investigação sobre os mecanismos moleculares subjacentes à acumulação de metais de modo a optimizar os processos inerentes a esta técnica de remediação. Neste contexto, o presente trabalho incidiu sobre o estudo do papel que as espécies vegetais A. patula, H. portulacoides, J. maritimus e P. australis possuem na descontaminação de uma área específica do sapal da Ria de Aveiro, o Esteiro de Estarreja, sujeito a uma elevada contaminação por mercúrio. Os principais objectivos deste trabalho incluíram, numa primeira fase, a análise dos níveis de contaminação dos rizosedimentos das várias espécies de plantas bem como da sua caracterização físico-química, o que permitiu avaliar os níveis de toxicidade experimentados pelas espécies. A análise da acumulação e distribuição de Hg nos diferentes órgãos das várias espécies vegetais, bem como a quantificação da biomassa aérea permitiram determinar o potencial de fitorremediação de cada uma das espécies da comunidade do Esteiro de Estarreja. O trabalho apresentado engloba também a análise de mecanismos moleculares responsáveis pela tolerância a Hg nestas espécies, com particular incidência nos seus efeitos a nível oxidativo através da quantificação de espécies reactivas de oxigénio e de danos oxidativos e na subsequente resposta antioxidante através da quantificação de defesas antioxidantes enzimáticas. A quantificação dos níveis de tióis (glutationa e fitoquelatinas), conhecidos mecanismos na sequestração intracelular de metais em plantas, foi igualmente determinada, tendo sido avaliado o seu contributo na tolerância a Hg nestas espécies. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que as diferentes espécies apresentaram diferenças importantes na acumulação e distribuição de Hg. As espécies dicotiledóneas A. patula e H. portulacoides apresentaram níveis semelhantes de Hg nos seus órgãos e as espécies monocotiledóneas J. maritimus e P. australis acumularam mais metal nos seus órgãos subterrâneos. Foi igualmente determinada a distribuição de Hg nas diferentes fracções celulares, uma vez que a partição metálica é fundamental para inferir o grau de toxicidade que as plantas experienciam e a mobilidade de Hg no sapal. Embora se tenham verificado diferenças importantes na acumulação e distribuição de Hg entre as várias espécies estudadas, a estratégia geral que adoptaram para lidar com exposições ambientais de Hg foi a imobilização do metal na fracção insolúvel, o que sugere que esta estratégia é o principal mecanismo de tolerância a Hg nestas espécies. A acumulação e distribuição de Hg, em conjunto com o trabalho subsequente, determinaram a capacidade de fitorremediação das espécies estudadas. Assim, J. maritimus e P. australis apresentaram-se como as melhores candidatas para processos de fitoestabilização e todas as espécies, com excepção de A. patula, apresentam capacidades semelhantes de fitoextracção. A avaliação de parâmetros relacionados com o stresse oxidativo permitiu inferir os níveis de stresse em que cada planta se encontrava. Observou-se que todas as espécies apresentaram sintomas de stresse oxidativo associados à acumulação de Hg. Contudo, A. patula foi a espécie que apresentou níveis mais elevados de stresse oxidativo, ao contrário de J. maritimus e P. australis que se apresentaram com menos danos oxidativos. Estas diferenças entre as espécies deveram-se, possivelmente, à acção das enzimas antioxidantes. As dicotiledóneas apresentaram níveis mais baixos de todas as enzimas nas folhas, enquanto que as monocotiledóneas apresentaram níveis mais elevados de SOD e GPx, particularmente nos órgãos subterrãneos. A determinação de tióis (glutationa e fitoquelatinas) permitiu estimar a sua importância na tolerância ao mercúrio. Os resultados obtidos trouxeram novos dados sobre o papel das fitoquelatinas em exposições ambientais a Hg. Observou-se que em todas as espécies houve síntese de fitoquelatinas, tendo-se observado diferenças entre elas. Nas dicotiledóneas e nos órgãos aéreos das monocotiledóneas a síntese de PCs foi, de facto, a principal resposta à presença de Hg. Contudo, e contrariamente ao que se observa na maioria dos trabalhos de laboratório, nas espécies monocotiledóneas, o órgão com maior acumulação de mercúrio foi aquele que apresentou menor conteúdo em fitoquelatinas, sugerindo que a síntese destes agentes quelantes não parece ser o principal mecanismo de tolerância a mercúrio, podendo entrar em acção outros mecanismos de tolerância complementares. Os resultados obtidos neste trabalho permitiram uma melhor compreensão sobre as estratégias que estas plantas de sapal utilizaram para lidar com uma elevada e crónica contaminação ambiental por Hg, mas também criaram novas perspectivas sobre os seus mecanismos e respostas moleculares à presença deste metal no ambiente. Assim, este trabalho poderá ser o ponto de partida para o desenvolvimento de competências com capacidade de intervenção na fitorremediação de áreas de sapal contaminadas, bem como para estudos de gestão ambiental e do impacto da contaminação por metais em ecossistemas estuarinos. ABSTRACT: Salt marshes rank among the most productive ecosystems on earth. Among heavy metals, mercury is considered one of the most toxic metals and its effects have repercussions throughout the food chain of the entire ecosystem. The recovery of mercury from industrial sludge and liquid wastes is now required by governments, but the cleanup of previously polluted estuarine areas and waterways has been neglected. This is due partly to the fact that the physical and chemical remediation techniques currently used to extract or immobilize mercury are extremely expensive, environmentally disruptive and sometimes ineffective. A phytoremediation system, in which plants extract, sequester and/or detoxify mercury pollutants, may be a more attractive solution. However, this technique is still in a developmental stage and requires further research on the molecular mechanisms underlying the accumulation of metals in order to optimize the processes inherent to this remediation technique. Under this context, the present work focused on the study of the role that the salt marsh species A. patula, H. portulacoides, J. maritimus and P. australis have on the decontamination of a specific salt marsh area of the Ria de Aveiro, the Estarreja Channel, subject to a high mercury contamination. Thus, the main objectives of this work included, first, the analysis of the contamination levels in the species rhizosediments and their physic-chemical characterization, which allowed inferring the toxicity levels experienced by organisms colonizing these sediments ad their role in metal availability. The accumulation and distribution of Hg in the several plants as well as the aerial biomass quantification determined the phytoremediation potential of each species colonizing the Estarreja channel. The work presented also includes the analysis of molecular mechanisms responsible for plant Hg tolerance, with particular focus on the oxidative stress effects, through the quantification of reactive oxygen species and oxidative damage and on the subsequent antioxidant response through the quantification of enzymatic antioxidant defences. The levels of thiols (glutathione and phytochelatins), known mechanisms in intracellular sequestration of metals in plants, was also determined and its contribution to the Hg tolerance in these species was assessed. The results showed that the several species presented significant differences in Hg accumulation and distribution. The dicotyledons A. patula and H. portulacoides revealed similar Hg levels in all their organs and monocotyledonous J. maritimus and P. australis accumulated more metal in their belowground organs. It was also determined the distribution of Hg in different cell fractions, since the metal partition is essential to infer the degree of toxicity that plants experience and to assess the Hg mobility in the salt marsh system. Although there were important differences in the accumulation and distribution of Hg between the studied species, the overall strategy they have adopted to deal with Hg environmental exposure was the metal immobilization in cell walls, suggesting that this strategy is the main Hg tolerance mechanism in these species. The Hg accumulation and distribution, together with the subsequent work, determined the phytoremediation capacity of these species. Thus, J. maritimus and P. australis presented itself as the best candidates for Hg phytostabilization and with A. patula exception, all species presented similar phytoextraction capabilities. The evaluation of parameters related to oxidative stress allowed to infer the levels of stress that each plant experienced. It was observed that all species showed oxidative stress symptoms associated with Hg accumulation. However, A. patula was the species with higher oxidative stress levels, unlike J. maritimus and P. australis that had less oxidative damage. These differences between species are due to the action of antioxidant enzymes. The dicotyledons showed lower levels of enzyme activities in the leaves, while the monocots had higher levels of SOD and GPx, particularly in the belowground organs. The thiol quantification (glutathione and phytochelatins) allowed to estimate its importance in the plants Hg tolerance. The results have brought new data on the role of phytochelatin in Hg environmental exposures. It was noticed that PC synthesis occurred in all species, however important differences were observed between them. In dicotyledons and in aerial organs of monocots the synthesis of PCs was, in fact, the main response to the Hg accumulation. However, in opposition to most laboratory works, in the monocots, the organs with higher Hg accumulation were the ones that showed a lower phytochelatin content, suggesting that the synthesis of these chelating agents is not the main mechanism behind Hg tolerance, and that other complementary tolerance mechanisms may come to action. The results obtained in this work provided a better understanding of the strategies used by salt marsh plants to cope with a strong and chronic environmental Hg contamination, but also created new perspectives on their molecular mechanisms and responses to the presence of metal in the environment. Thus, this work may be the starting point for the development of skills with intervention capacity in the phytoremediation of salt marsh contaminated areas as well as for environmental management studies and impact of metal disposal in estuarine ecosystems.

Bragg spaced quantum wells represent a unique class of resonant photonic materials, wherein a photonic bandgap is created by the periodic spacing of quantum wells and the associated variation in the complex susceptibility (index and absorption) of the material. Interest in BSQWs has grown in the past decade due to their large ultrafast nonlinearities and the corresponding large ultrafast reflectivity changes and transmissivity. These nonlinearities are of particular interest in areas of communication technology, where ultrafast all-optical logic components have become increasingly in demand. This research will further investigate BSQWs and the for the first time effects of spin-dependent nonlinear excitation on their photonic band structures. It will also investigate how these effects can be used in all-optical polarization switching and tunable optical buffer (slow light) applications.

Calculations of fluvial flows are strongly influenced by geometry complexity and large overall uncertainty on every single measurable property, such as velocity and shear. Moreover, a considerable portion of the data obtained from computational simulations arose from two-dimensional, steady-state models. The present work states a different approach to perform computer-based simulations and analyze fluvial flows. For the first part, the suitability of OpenFOAM to be used as the main CFD solver to analyze fluvial flows is studied. Initially, two well documented channel configurations are computationally studied using OpenFOAM. Finally, these results are compared to the output obtained from one of the widely used quasi-3D CFD solvers used to perform studies about environmental hydraulics.

Abstract Fundraising is a critical element for the success and survival of higher education institutions. These institutions are all dependent on financial contributions from alumni as well as philanthropic organizations and private benefactors to support the institution. The presidents of these institutions are instrumental in seeking and obtaining funds in order to maintain the stability of these colleges and universities. Presidents should be knowledgeable of the nuances that make an institution successful and must aim to create those environments. The purpose of this qualitative investigation was to examine college presidents’ approaches to fundraising at selected Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs) in the South Eastern region of the United States (US). This study examined the strategies employed by these institutions and particularly their presidents. It also examined the philosophies, experiences, and fundraising strategies currently being employed by the selected college and university presidents. In this study a blend of existing theories was used to construct the conceptual framework. Therefore, the conceptual framework addressed the cultural and social aspects of race and the role it plays in the participant’s environment through the use of Critical Race Theory and the relationship between presidents and benefactors through Social Exchange Theory. Stakeholder Theory defines those groups within an organization without whose support the organization would cease to exist (Freeman, Harrison, Wicks, Parmar, & DeColle, 2012). In this study, stakeholder theory was used to address and identify the parties that exist to support the organization such as the Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students and alumni, as well as how these stakeholders’ interests are met. Lastly, Transformational Leadership Theory was used to address the leadership elements of the participants and how they communicate their vision and strategies for their fundraising campaigns. The results of the study, which intended to explore the experiences of presidents as they seek funds on behalf of their college or university, revealed that while the president of the institution is responsible for leading the fundraising efforts, additional entities also play a major role in the institution’s ability to successfully raise funds. Analysis of the data using a thematic approach produced themes regarding the president’s role in fundraising, the importance of messaging, fundraising strategies and barriers to fundraising. Implications for leaders of HBCUs include investing in and providing resources for the advancement office as that is the foundation for successful fundraising, actively and aggressively embracing fundraising as the primary duty in their role as president and selecting members with proven track records of giving for the Board of Trustees as they play a critical role in fundraising for the institution. Understanding the participants’ experiences and the challenges they face can greatly assist others currently in the field as well as incoming presidents as they assume the role as leaders of an HBCU institution.

A Child and Family Team Meeting (CFTM) is an engagement tool utilized by child welfare agencies across the state of California to strengthen families and ensure the protection for a child in the foster care system by making decisions in a group setting. This research study examines social workers’ perspectives of CFTMs in a county child welfare agency in Southern California. The literature review supports the utilization of CFTMs as a practice to enhance engagement with families and achieve better outcomes for the organization. A constructivist research paradigm was used in conducting this study, which collected qualitative data through interviews from key stakeholders at the study site. Social workers who work closely with families and participate in CFTMs contributed to the shared construction. The data was analyzed using a thematic analysis technique, and member checking in meetings was used to reflect on the shared construction of the usefulness of CFTMs. The findings of study revealed that CFTMs are widely accepted by social workers and agency staff as an engagement tool to induce positive outcomes for the children and families involved. The perspectives of the participants revealed themes of increased engagement, communication, involved decision‑making, transparency in services and improved social work practice. The data gathered from this study provided a better understanding of CFTMs and may enhance social work practice by highlighting the need for agency support in workload reduction to allow for adequate time to prepare families for the CFTM and improve outcomes for safety, permanency and well‑being.

Personality neuroscience is a rapidly expanding field of study fueled by a growing interest in understanding the structural brain correlates of individual differences in personality. Data on the structural brain correlates of personality are especially lacking from large-scale studies, and are nearly nonexistent in the adolescent age group. Furthermore, the role of sex differences in structural brain changes associated with personality are rarely considered. To address this gap in knowledge, this thesis investigates the structural brain correlates of personality and sex differences in structure at age fourteen. A large sample of adolescents (N = 2000) were drawn from the IMAGEN project. Data on adolescents’ puberty status, IQ, and personality were collected through adolescent-reported questionnaires and interviews. The structural brain correlates of personality were examined utilizing personality variables from the NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) and Voxel-Based Morphometry (VBM). Our results showed few correlations between any dimension of the NEO-FFI and regional grey matter volume (GMV). In the total sample, a negative correlation was found for agreeableness and bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA), which was also present in the male subsample. The female sample showed a significant negative correlation between extraversion and the right SMA, and a positive correlation in the left cerebellum. A non-linear effect of extraversion positively correlated with the right precuneus in females. The present study suggests personality traits are not strongly reflected in GMV during adolescence. This thesis includes a discussion on future directions and suggestions for assessing the brain correlates of personality.

Teacher learning, whether in-service, continued education, or experience based, is a key component of school reform. Specific research on the use of teacher learning to improve student achievement and instructional practices in and across schools is limited. The research questions addressed in this study were: (a) the degree to which teacher learning is disseminated throughout a school organization to improve student learning and instructional practices, and (b) differences and similarities in the dissemination of teacher learning between schools. Watkins and Marsick's learning organization theory, Senge's system theory, and Dewey's constructivist learning theory were used as the theoretical framework. A variation of Watkins and Marsick's Dimensions of the Learning Organization Questionnaire was administered to a random sample of public school teachers. Descriptive statistics and general linear model analyses were used to assess the dissemination of teacher learning across individual, team and organizational levels, and between school levels and locations. Findings indicated the dissemination of teacher learning is inconsistent at the individual, team, and organizational levels of learning, with no significant differences across school levels and locations. The findings inform social change through the increased use of effective strategies to improve the dissemination of teacher learning, instruction practices, and student achievement across and between schools in the state in which this study was conducted.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Molecular and Life Sciences)) --University of Limpopo, 2007
Colophospermum mopane (sensu lato) is currently recognised on morphological and physiological characteristics. To add to the suite of taxonomic characters, the genetic variability of C. mopane (sensu lato) was investigated using the RAPD technique. DNA was extracted from young seedlings and mature leaves using the CTAB method. Initially, the DNA extraction was problematic due to the presence of polysaccharides, making PCR nearly impossible. An additional phenol precipitation step was introduced to purify the DNA used to perform RAPD analyses. Twenty random primers were tested for their suitability and reproducibility to reveal polymorphism in C. mopane (sensu lato). Nine of the primers tested amplified the genomic DNA. Subsequently, three primers (OPA 03, OPA 08 and OPA 09) were selected based on their reproducibility and demonstration of polymorphism. OPA 03 amplified most of the samples tested whereas OPA 08 and OPA 09 amplified 50% of the samples. RAPD bands ranged from 180 bp to 2000 bp. RAPD profiles of C. mopane (sensu lato) with three random primers showed few polymorphisms. Individual trees of different ecotypes show similar RAPD banding pattern, instances were found where trees of the same ecotype showed different bands. The total character difference based on presence and absence of bands revealed both variability and similarity of C. mopane (sensu lato). Phylogenetic trees from individual primers and combined primers were constructed using Neighbour Joining and Parsimony analysis. The phylogenetic tree from the combined primers of bootstrap parsimony generated three clades with low and high parsimony bootstrap values. The first clade receives weak support (61%) while the second and third clades receive support of 90% and 70%, respectively. The other remaining entities collapsed resulting in basal polytomy. The third clade shows some members of Alba (Alba 11 Phala, Alba 1 Phala and Alba 7 Musina) grouped together. The overall results of C. mopane (sensu lato) show high (84.1%) genetic similarity. No ecotypic marker was obtained. Most of the ecotypes have not diverged genetically far from one another or from the parental material (Mopane – sensu stricto). The genetic results partially support the perceived morphological differences. In this study the RAPD technique has established its value as an additional tool to express the genetic variability in C. mopane (sensu lato).
The National Research Foundation

Rivers and streams are adversely affected by an increase in sedimentation in their waters from eroding land. High sediment loads in streams can bury fish eggs and prevent hatching, increasing nutrients in the water causing algae blooms, or even contaminating the water with heavy metals carried in or on the aggregates. The erodibility of soil is valuable knowledge to all land users so that we may predict soil loss and its potential to pollute streams. This is done by using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE). By predicting soil loss from a given landscape, land managers can take mitigation measures. The precision of the current scale available for soil erodibility (K-factor) by the US Department of Agriculture is not useful to small landowners or on a site-by-site basis. In California’s Central Coast, a grassland hillslope toposequence was investigated in a Los Osos-Diablo soil series complex. Geographic information systems software was used for spatial analysis of variation in the K-factor as well as interpolating areas that were not sampled. Analysis of soils’ particle size, infiltration rate, organic matter content, and structure across the toposequence allowed calculation of the soils’ K-factor values. K-factor values for the footslope, backslope, and shoulder were found to be statistically different from one another. All slope position’s average K-factor values were statistically different than the published Los Osos and Diablo series’ K-factor with the exception of the backslope which was not significantly different than Diablo’s K-factor value. The average of all K-factors was found not to be statistically different than the Los Osos’ K-factor but it was statistically different from the Diablo’s soil series K-factor. The USDA K-factors overestimated the predicted soil loss for the study site.

The U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) was the first piece of legislation designed to combat human trafficking on all fronts, both domestically and internationally, and was upheld as a model worldwide. Although human trafficking as an issue seemed to appear out of nowhere onto the congressional agenda and a number of heated debates ensued during .the making of the TVPA, the legislation passed quickly by an unlikely coalition of players. The purpose of this dissertation research was to gain insight into the forces which led to the making of the TVPA through the lens of the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) model of the policy making process.The ACF's focus on belief systems in order to increase one's understanding of the policy making process makes it an interesting model to use to examine policy making in arenas dominated by issues that involve deeply held beliefs. The human trafficking policy subsystem is one such arena, in which beliefs and attitudes regarding sexual behavior, prostitution, morality, sexual deviancy, immigrants and immigration policy, feminist issues, and public health concerns come into play. In addition, human trafficking, widely acknowledged as a public evil, is a valence issue. This dissertation research also serves as a case to examine how the ACF "holds up" as a model used to examine valence issues.This study was a dual-method study in which in-depth interviews of twenty-one key policy players involved in the making of the legislation and a content analysis of congressional hearings related to human trafficking during the 1995-2000 time period were used as methodologies.Findings reveal that advocacy coalitions did exist within the human trafficking policysubsystem and that the primary coalition responsible for the focus on human trafficking as a legislative issue was a left/right coalition made up of radical feminists, conservativeChristians, and human rights organization representatives, which was built from a pre-existing coalition. With the support of my research findings, I pose the question: was the TVPA created to protect victims of human trafficking or was the issue of human trafficking used to push a greater moral agenda including abolishing prostitution worldwide?