Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Primary producer'

Thesis (Ph. D.) -- University of Maryland, College Park, 2008.
Thesis research directed by: Dept. of Entomology. Title from t.p. of PDF. Includes bibliographical references. Published by UMI Dissertation Services, Ann Arbor, Mich. Also available in paper.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2007.
Title from electronic title page (viewed Apr. 25, 2008). "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Environmental Science and Engineering." Discipline: Environmental Sciences and Engineering; Department/School: Public Health.

Globally, human populations are increasing and coastal ecosystems are becoming increasingly impacted by anthropogenic stressors. As eutrophication and exploitation of coastal resources increases, primary producer response to these drivers becomes a key indicator of ecosystem stability. Despite the importance of monitoring primary producers such as seagrasses and macroalgae, detailed studies on the response of these benthic habitat components to drivers remain relatively sparse. Utilizing a multi-faceted examination of turtle-seagrass and sea urchin-macroalgae consumer and nutrient dynamics, I elucidate the impact of these drivers in Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico. In Yal Ku Lagoon, macroalgae bioindicators signified high nutrient availability, which is important for further studies, but did not consistently follow published trends reflecting decreased δ15N content with distance from suspected source. In Akumal Bay, eutrophication and grazing by turtles and fishes combine to structure patches within the seagrass beds. Grazed seagrass patches had higher structural complexity and productivity than patches continually grazed by turtles and fishes. Results from this study indicate that patch abandonment may follow giving-up density theory, the first to be recorded in the marine environment. As Diadema antillarum populations recover after their massive mortality thirty years ago, the role these echinoids will have in reducing macroalgae cover and altering ecosystem state remains to be clear. Although Diadema antillarum densities within the coral reef ecosystem were comparable to other regions within the Caribbean, the echinoid population in Akumal Bay was an insufficient driver to prevent dominance of a turf-algal-sediment (TAS) state. After a four year study, declining coral cover coupled with increased algal cover suggests that the TAS-dominated state is likely to persist over time despite echinoid recovery. Studies on macroalgal diversity and nutrients within this same region of echinoids indicated diversity and nutrient content of macroalgae increased, which may further increase the persistence of the algal-dominated state. This study provides valuable insight into the variable effects of herbivores and nutrients on primary producers within a tropical coastal ecosystem. Results from this work challenge many of the currently accepted theories on primary producer response to nutrients and herbivory while providing a framework for further studies into these dynamics.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 127-135).
This research study focuses mainly on the internal environment of land reform in the South African Wine Industry. Therefore it deals specifically with empowerment projects in the South African Wine Industry on producer level. Given the concern as mentioned above the following research question was formulated: How does one increase the leadership and management capabilities of individuals within empowerment projects on the primary producer level in the South African Wine Industry?

In agricultural watersheds, streams are intimately connected with croplands and may be inadvertently exposed to agrochemicals such as fertilizers and herbicides. Riparian plants and aquatic primary producers (aquatic plants, phytoplankton and periphyton) may be particularly affected by agrochemicals due to their taxonomic similarity to the intended targets (crop and weed species). The overall objective of this thesis was to assess the effects of fertilizers and the herbicide atrazine on riparian plants and aquatic primary producers. Effects were assessed across varying scales of observation ranging from empirical field studies at the watershed scale to in-situ experimental manipulations in two temperate streams to a laboratory concentration-response experiment. Twenty-four stream/river sites located across the South Nation River watershed, Canada ranged in surrounding agricultural land use (6.7-97.4 % annual crops) and in-stream concentrations of reactive phosphate (4-102 μg/L) and nitrate (3-5404 μg/L). A gradient of atrazine contamination spanning two orders of magnitude (56 d time-weighted-average concentrations of 4-412 ng/L) was observed using polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS). A total of 285 riparian and aquatic plant species were identified with species richness ranging from 43-107 species per site. Atrazine and the percentage of surrounding annual crops had no statistically significant effects on community structure. In contrast, an increase in the percentage of non-native species, a decrease in submerged macrophytes and a decrease in overall floristic quality was observed along a gradient of increasing nitrate. Similarly, periphyton biomass increased with increasing nitrate across the watershed and was associated with the Chlorophyta. In contrast, no clear response was observed in periphyton exposed to nutrient enrichment and atrazine contamination in in-situ periphytometer experiments in two streams. Greenhouse concentration-response experiments provided evidence that the sensitivity of duckweed (Lemna minor) to atrazine was lower in populations previously exposed to the herbicide. However, the overall range in biomass 25% inhibition concentrations was small (19-40 μg/L atrazine). A clear gradient in agrochemical contamination was observed at the watershed scale and this research provided evidence of negative effects on riparian and aquatic primary producers. Effects of nutrients, specifically nitrate, superseded observable effects of the herbicide atrazine.

Die Ökosysteme unserer Erde sind durch das rasante Artensterben infolge von Umweltveränderungen durch den Menschen und des globalen Klimawandels stark betroffen. Mit den Auswirkungen dieses Artenverlustes und der damit einhergehenden Veränderung der Diversität beschäftigt sich die heutige Biodiversitätsforschung. Spezieller wird der Effekt der Diversität auf Ökosystemprozesse wie beispielsweise den Biomasseaufbau von Primärproduzenten oder der Resistenz einer Gemeinschaft gegen die Einwanderung neuer Arten untersucht. Die Quantifizierung des Einflusses der Diversität auf die Primärproduktion und das Verständnis der zugrunde liegenden Mechanismen ist von besonderer Wichtigkeit. In terrestrischen Pflanzengemeinschaften wurde bereits ein positiver Diversitätseffekt auf die Gemeinschaftsbiomasse beobachtet. Dies wird hauptsächlich durch den Komplementaritäts- und/oder den Dominanzeffekt erklärt. Die Komplementarität zwischen Arten ist beispielsweise bei Unterschieden in der Ressourcenausnutzung gegeben (z.B. unterschiedliche Wurzeltiefen). Diese kann zu einer besseren Nährstoffausnutzung in diverseren Gemeinschaften führen, die letztlich deren höhere Biomassen erklärt. Der Dominanzeffekt hingegen beruht auf der in diverseren Gemeinschaften höheren Wahrscheinlichkeit, eine hochproduktive Art anzutreffen, was letztlich die höhere Biomasse der Gemeinschaft verursacht. Diversitätseffekte auf Ökosystemprozesse wurden bisher hauptsächlich auf der Gemeinschaftsebene untersucht. Analysen über die Reaktionen, die alle Arten einer Gemeinschaft einschließen, fehlen bisher. Daher wurde der Einfluss der Diversität auf die individuelle Performance von Pflanzenarten innerhalb des Biodiversitätsprojektes „Das Jena Experiment“ untersucht. Dieses Experiment umfasst 60 Arten, die charakteristisch für Mitteleuropäische Graslandschaften sind. Die Arten wurden in die 4 funktionellen Gruppen Gräser, kleine Kräuter, große Kräuter und Leguminosen eingeteilt. Im Freilandversuch zeigte sich, dass mit steigender Artenzahl die individuelle Pflanzenhöhe zunahm, während die individuelle oberirdische Biomasse sank. Der positive Diversitätseffekt auf die pflanzliche Gemeinschaftsbiomasse kann folglich nicht auf der individuellen oberirdischen Biomassezunahme beruhen. Überdies reagierten die einzelnen funktionellen Gruppen und sogar die einzelnen Arten innerhalb einer funktionellen Gruppe unterschiedlich auf Diversitätsveränderungen. Folglich ist zu vermuten, dass einige Ökosystemprozesse auf Gemeinschaftsebene durch die Reaktionen von bestimmten funktionellen Gruppen bzw. Arten hervorgerufen werden. Diversitätseffekte auf Gemeinschaftsbiomassen wurden bislang hauptsächlich mit terrestrischen Pflanzen und weniger mit frei-schwebenden Algenarten (Phytoplankton) erforscht. Demzufolge wurde der Einfluss der Diversität auf die Biomasse von Phytoplankton-Gemeinschaften experimentell untersucht, wobei es sowohl zu negativen als auch positiven Diversitätseffekten kam. Eine negative Beziehung zwischen Diversität und Gemeinschaftsbiomasse zeigte sich, wenn schnell-wüchsige Algenarten nur geringe Biomassen in Mono- und Mischkultur aufbauten. Die vorhandenen Nährstoffe in der Mischkultur wurden von den schnell-wüchsigen Arten monopolisiert und folglich standen sie den langsam-wüchsigen Algenarten, welche viel Biomasse in Monokultur aufbauten, nicht mehr zur Verfügung. Zu einem positiven Diversitätseffekt auf die Gemeinschaftsbiomasse kam es, wenn die Artengemeinschaft eine positive Beziehung zwischen Wachstumsrate und Biomasse in Monokultur zeigte, sodass die schnell-wüchsige Algenarten viel Biomasse aufbauten. Da diese schnell-wüchsigen Algen in der Mischkultur dominant wurden, bestand die Gemeinschaft letztlich aus hoch-produktiven Algenarten, was zu einer erhöhten Gesamtbiomasse führte. Diese beiden Versuchsansätze verdeutlichen Mechanismen für die unterschiedlichen Reaktionen der Gemeinschaften auf Diversitätsveränderungen, welche auch für terrestrische Pflanzengemeinschaften gefunden wurden. Ein anderer wichtiger Ökosystemprozess, der von der Diversität beeinflusst wird, ist die Anfälligkeit von Gemeinschaften gegenüber invasiven Arten (Invasibilität). Die Invasibilität wird von einer Vielzahl von Faktoren beeinflusst und demzufolge wurde der Effekt der Diversität und der Produktivität (Nährstoffgehalt) auf die Invasibilität von Phytoplankton-Gemeinschaften in An- und Abwesenheit eines Herbivoren untersucht. Die zwei funktionell unterschiedlichen invasiven Arten waren die Blaualge Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (schlecht fressbar) und der Phytoflagellat Cryptomonas sp. (gut fressbar). Es zeigte sich, dass der Fraßdruck, welcher selber durch die Produktivität beeinflusst wurde, einen bedeutenden Effekt auf die Invasibilität von Phytoplankton-Gemeinschaften hat. Die funktionellen Eigenschaften der invasiven und residenten Arten waren zudem bedeutender als die Artenzahl.
To date, positive relationships between diversity and community biomass have been mainly found, especially in terrestrial ecosystems due to the complementarity and/or dominance effect. In this thesis, the effect of diversity on the performance of terrestrial plant and phytoplankton communities was investigated to get a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms in the biodiversity-ecosystem functioning context. In a large grassland biodiversity experiment, the Jena Experiment, the effect of community diversity on the individual plant performance was investigated for all species. The species pool consisted of 60 plant species belonging to 4 functional groups (grasses, small herbs, tall herbs, legumes). The experiment included 82 large plots which differed in species richness (1-60), functional richness (1-4), and community composition. Individual plant height increased with increasing species richness suggesting stronger competition for light in more diverse communities. The aboveground biomass of the individual plants decreased with increasing species richness indicating stronger competition in more species-rich communities. Moreover, in more species-rich communities plant individuals were less likely to flower out and had fewer inflorescences which may be resulting from a trade-off between resource allocation to vegetative height growth and to reproduction. Responses to changing species richness differed strongly between functional groups and between species of similar functional groups. To conclude, individual plant performance can largely depend on the diversity of the surrounding community. Positive diversity effects on biomass have been mainly found for substrate-bound plant communities. Therefore, the effect of diversity on the community biomass of phytoplankton was studied using microcosms. The communities consisted of 8 algal species belonging to 4 functional groups (green algae, diatoms, cyanobacteria, phytoflagellates) and were grown at different functional richness levels (1-4). Functional richness and community biomass were negatively correlated and all community biomasses were lower than their average monoculture biomasses of the component species, revealing community underyielding. This was mainly caused by the dominance of a fast-growing species which built up low biomasses in monoculture and mixture. A trade-off between biomass and growth rate in monoculture was found for all species, and thus fast-growing species built up low biomasses and slow-growing species reached high biomasses in monoculture. As the fast-growing, low-productive species monopolised nutrients in the mixtures, they became the dominant species resulting in the observed community underyielding. These findings suggest community overyielding when biomasses of the component species are positively correlated with their growth rates in monocultures. Aquatic microcosm experiments with an extensive design were performed to get a broad range of community responses. The phytoplankton communities differed in species diversity (1, 2, 4, 8, and 12), functional diversity (1, 2, 3, and 4) and community composition. The species/functional diversity positively affected community biomass, revealing overyielding in most of the communities. This was mainly caused by a positive complementarity effect which can be attributed to resource use complementarity and/or facilitative interaction among the species. Overyielding of more diverse communities occurred when the biomass of the component species was correlated positively with their growth rates in monoculture and thus, fast-growing and high-productive species were dominant in mixtures. This and the study mentioned above generated an emergent pattern for community overyielding and underyielding from the relationship between biomass and growth rate in monoculture as long as the initial community structure prevailed. Invasive species can largely affect ecosystem processes, whereas invasion is also influenced by diversity. To date, studies revealed negative and positive diversity effects on the invasibility (susceptibility of a community to the invasion by new species). The effect of productivity (nutrient concentration ranging from 10 to 640 µg P L-1), herbivory (presence/absence of the generalist feeder) and diversity (3, 4, 6 species were randomly chosen from the resident species pool) on the invasibility of phytoplankton communities consisting of 10 resident species was investigated using semi-continuous microcosms. Two functionally diverse invaders were chosen: the filamentous and less-edible cynaobacterium C. raciborskii and the unicellular and well-edible phytoflagellate Cryptomonas sp. The phytoflagellate indirectly benefited from grazing pressure of herbivores whereas C. raciborskii suffered more from it. Diversity did not affect the invasibility of the phytoplankton communities. Rather, it was strongly influenced by the functional traits of the resident and invasive species.

Mestrado em Toxicologia e Ecotoxicologia
Nanomaterials (NMs) may occur in the environment through multiple natural sources such as volcanoes (as volcanic dust). However, they may as well occur in the environment originated from anthropogenic activities. Nanotechnology, studies the manipulation of nanomaterials (NMs), producing many different products exploiting some particularities, such as size and reactivity. This capacity to manipulate materials at the nanoscale attracted industry from different areas, namely associated with medicine and electronics. However, the exponential growth in the use of these materials and subsequent release to the environment has alerted the scientific community to the possible adverse effects that NMs may induce to biota. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the sublethal effects of gold nanoparticles (Au-NP) in three freshwater species representatives of low trophic levels. To achieve this major aim, two specific objectives were delineated: i) assess the sublethal toxicity of Au-NP to producers and a primary consumer and ii) evaluate the generational effects of Au-NP in microalgae. The microalgae were exposed for 72h and the primary consumer for 21d to a wide range of Au-NP concentrations. Alterations in the population and somatic growth, and reproduction were evaluated to microalgae (only the first endpoint) and D. magna (the three endpoints). A significant decrease in the population growth was found for all tested species. However, no significant alterations were found in D. magna reproduction. Generational exposure of C. vulgaris to Au-NP caused an acclimation response of this alga that became less sensitive to the nanoparticle after generational exposure. Contrarily, for R. subcapitata this acclimation was not observed and the microalga was more sensitive to the nanoparticle after being exposed for four generations to Au-NP. 16
Os nanomateriais (NMs) tanto podem surgir no ambiente através de fontes naturais (ex. poeira vulcânica, processos de queima), como também ocorrem devido a atividades antropogénicas. A nanotecnologia, que estuda a manipulação de NMs, tem a capacidade de produzir muitos produtos distintos explorando várias características particulares destes materiais, tais como o tamanho e reatividade. Esta capacidade de criar materiais com características específicas tem atraído a indústria de diversas áreas, associadas por exemplo à medicina e eletrónica. Apesar dos benefícios claros dos NMs em várias áreas da sociedade, o crescimento exponencial do seu uso e a sua consequente libertação para o ambiente tem alertado a comunidade científica para os possíveis efeitos adversos que os NMs podem provocar no biota. O presente estudo pretendeu avaliar os efeitos subletais de nanopartículas de ouro (Au-NP) em três organismos dulçaquícolas, representativos de níveis inferiores de cadeias tróficas. Para atingir este objetivo, foram delineados dois objetivos específicos: i) estudar os efeitos subletais de Au-NP em Raphidocelis subcapitata e Chlorella vulgaris (produtores) e em Daphnia magna (consumidor primário); ii) avaliar os efeitos geracionais das Au-NP nas duas espécies de microalgas. As microalgas foram expostas durante 72h e o consumidor primário durante 21d, a uma ampla gama de concentrações de Au-NP. Foram avaliados efeitos no crescimento populacional e somático e na reprodução, para as microalgas (o primeiro parâmetro) e para D. magna (os três parâmetros). Em todas as espécies foram encontradas diminuições significativas ao nível do crescimento populacional comparativamente ao respetivo controlo. No entanto, as Au-NP não induziram qualquer efeito ao nível da reprodução de D. magna. A exposição geracional de C. vulgaris a Au-NP provocou uma resposta de aclimatação por parte desta alga, sendo que a partir da terceira geração apresentou um aumento de tolerância à nanopartícula. No entanto, no caso de R. subcapitata esta aclimatação não foi observada, e a microalga apresentou maior sensibilidade após ter sido exposta durante quatro gerações a esta nanopartícula.

[Truncated abstract] Estimating internal biogeochemical fluxes is essential to the understanding of the dynamic of aquatic ecosystems. Different ecological approaches have been used to gain insight into the internal cycling, but success has been limited. A critical point is the identification of the characteristic scales of patterns and the underlying processes affecting the behaviour of biological and chemical species. Failing to capture these scales leads to misinterpretation of field and numerical data. In this study, key aspects in the design of ecological surveys are identified to ensure that the internal biogeochemical processes are well represented. In the first part of this thesis, a 1D reaction-diffusion-advection equation is used to investigate the formation of patterns and relevant time and spatial scales. This is used to define an approach for the determination of a critical domain size that allows differentiation of the role of local and internal cycling from advective fluxes across the open boundaries in a shallow coastal ecosystem. By using a 3D numerical model, in conjunction with an extensive field data set, it is shown that domain sizes must be larger than this critical value in order to capture the patterns generated within the system. For smaller domains, transport processes control the evolution of the system across the boundaries misleading the interpretation of the internal ecological dynamics. The study of the influence of boundary fluxes on ecological patchiness was motivated by the need to define the size of the domain necessary for the assessment of the impact of a sewage outflow on a coastal regime. The quantification of biogeochemical processes has proven to be difficult to achieve especially under conditions of high spatial and temporal hydrodynamic and biogeochemical variability. In the second part of this thesis, a Lagrangian experimental design is employed to estimate biogeochemical rate coefficients in situ. A set of four drogues and a cross-transect sampling design is used to capture the patchy distribution of phytoplankton and nutrient species, and high transport and mixing rates. ... Total chlorophyll from both models shows similar behavior when the variability in the 3D model, expressed as Chlamax/Chlamin, is low. When Chlamax/Chlamin is high, the difference between the biomass predicted by the two models reaches 30% due to the generation of localised patches. Comparison of the 1D and 3D results highlights the need of using models that are able to resolve the spatial complexity to some extent, as the use of averaged properties may produce misleading results. This is especially important in the presence of patches with differential physiological and biogeochemical characteristics, and nonlinear processes, in which case biomass average is not necessarily linearly related to the averaged environment.

The Transport division is responsible for the internal transports on Sandvik Material

Technology AB. At the moment there is no clear picture of how the straddle carriers are

moving at the division Primary Products and if it is working in a satisfying way. It is

important to see the whole picture of the transportation flow so improvements can be made.

The purpose of this essay is to survey and analyse the truck flow in a Lean Production

perspective. The essay is delimited to only include straddle carriers transportation ways in the

Primary Products division. To survey the truck flow we have used a method called Walkthrough.

This means that we have walked thorough the whole production flow and

interviewed some of the employed on the way to get the necessary information. We have also

made an extensive literature study to gather all the necessary theories that is relevant for this

essay.

Since 2003 Sandvik Material Technology is running a project called “ledtidsprojektet”, the

purpose of this project is to create a more efficient production. This project is based on the

Japanese philosophy Lean Production but is audited to be suitable to Sandviks organisation.

Today most of the producing divisions within SMT are working according to

”ledtidsprogrammet”, unfortunately it is not introduced on the Transport division yet.

The result we got by studying the use of the straddle carriers showed that 40 % where with

cargo, 35 % without and 25 % where remaining times were breaks are included. The basis of

the study is from a GPS-transmitter which is placed on one of the straddle carrier. We have

also made our own study where we followed on the straddle carrier and measured the time for

the different activities. To get a more statistical secured investigation it is necessary to make a

more extensive study, when these study where made during a limited time.

On the basis of the truck flows survey some suggestions for improvements have been

identified. It has showed that today’s key measurements have to be overlooked to give a fair

picture of the situation. They also have to improve the way they are planning the transports.

This can be made by better communication with the producing divisions.

For the straddle carriers to be more Lean first the producing divisions have to work according

to the Lean philosophy. It is up to them to try to reduce the stock level and get a more evenly

production.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2003.
Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xii, 92 p.; also includes graphics Includes bibliographical references (p. 87-92). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Warming can influence the rate of plant-herbivore interactions through direct effects on individual metabolism, resource use, and growth rates, and via indirect effects on the properties of plant resources and behavior of consumers. Through these processes, temperature can affect the structure and function of food webs, though whether these overall responses reflect primarily direct or indirect effects of temperature is unclear. To begin to address this problem, I quantified the effects of temperature and grazing on primary producer traits and relative abundance to understand how temperature directly and indirectly affects an important aspect of food webs: resource availability to herbivores. I hypothesized that warming would decrease the availability of edible resources to consumers through decreased abundance, body size and shifts among dominant functional groups, and that these effects would be strengthened in the presence of consumers. I tested this hypothesis in freshwater algal-grazer communities maintained across an 11°C temperature gradient over 11 weeks. I observed direct, positive effects of temperature on whole-system oxygen fluxes (i.e. through net primary productivity and ecosystem respiration), and direct negative effects on phytoplankton abundance and body size, with higher relative abundance of small phytoplankton. Herbivores drove shifts in phytoplankton size distributions across the temperature gradient through size-selective consumption of large phytoplankton. Warming shifted species composition among algae from plankton-dominated to periphyton-dominated assemblages, consistent with indirect effects of warming on competitive interactions. Taken together, shifts in abundance, body size and functional group dominance over the temperature gradient decreased the availability of preferred plant resources to filter-feeding zooplankton at warmer temperatures, which may alter food web structure and function, especially under increased grazing pressure. I conclude that resource-availability shifts are predictable with warming, and that temperature-dependent community theory can be expanded to include these indirect effects of temperature on species interactions.
Science, Faculty of
Zoology, Department of
Graduate

Two studies were performed to obtain fundamental mechanistic information on the TiO2 catalyzed degradation of organic substrates irradiated at 350 nm in dilute aqueous solutions under oxygenated conditions: (a) The photodecomposition of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and its intermediate products from β - oxidation, 2-methoxy-2-methylpropanol and 2-methoxy-2-methylpropanal. (b) The photodecomposition of two haloethers, bis-(2-chloroethyl) ether, and bis-(2-chloroisopropyl) ether. Controls were carried out throughout the two studies in the absence of light, and without the semiconductor in order to evaluate the role of photolysis. The syntheses of proposed intermediate products, 2-methoxy-2-methylpropanol, 2-methoxy-2-methylpropanal, 2-methoxy-2-methylpropanoic acid, 2-chloroethyl formate, and 1-chloro-2-propyl acetate, were performed. The formation of these products in the titanium dioxide photocatalytic oxidation of the substrates of interest was also confirmed. TiO2 photocatalysis is a very effective method for the mineralization of aliphatic ethers and their primary oxidation products.

An intense trauma in the UK farming industry was caused by the foot-and-mouth disease. The Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food, chaired by Sir Donald Curry CBE, diagnosed that farming was detached from the other sectors of the economy and was “serving nobody well”. The final recommendations of this commission were focused on efficiency, adding value and diversification. Among the specific recommendations, there was an important emphasis on the need to increase collaboration and cooperation because it “is the best way for small farm business to get the benefits of being a large farm business” (Curry, 2002:34). UK experts in farmer collaboration such as, Parnell (1999a), and The Plunkett Foundation (1992) had previously made clear the need for bigger, better, more effective and efficient Farmer Controlled Businesses. English Farming and Food Partnerships (2004a), also, set the challenge to explore and evaluate new approaches to develop farmer controlled enterprises more imaginatively. Therefore, the main aim of this research was to identify new forms of collaboration between farmers, which might lead to gain greater scale and flexibility in farming operating in an increasingly global food chain. Using an inductive grounded theory approach comprising a series of Delphi iterative face to face interviews, three rounds of guided interviews were completed. These involved 55 experts in the field of business collaboration, selected using a purposive sampling approach. Interviewees included leading academics, government officials and advisors, senior managers and business proprietors of the most profitable and/or innovative UK-based collaborative ventures. The outcome of the research has been to develop three discreet but combinable models of collaboration. Each model requires different levels of commitment from its members and would suit different business situations. All the proposed models offer a business structure flexible enough to be easily adapted in response to changes in the market place, but they also offer the opportunity of combining into much bigger organisations with the potential to integrate small-scale businesses into networks of international companies. This research also reaffirms that the traditional cultural barriers and divisions between the different stages and participants of the food and farming industry were still present and hinder the development of a more competitive sector. Whilst there has been progress in the assimilation of the supply chain concept, most of the businesses involved did not see the other stages of the chain as their potential partners.

The initial photochemical and photophysical events of the Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) photocycle are investigated using resonance Raman spectroscopy. The salt water bacterium, Halobacterium halobium, converts light into chemical energy via this cycle. Light induced isomerization of the all-trans retinal chromophore causes proton translocation across the lipid membrane containing the protein. Absorption experiments reveal red shifts in BR absorption on a picosecond time scale. Picosecond time-resolved resonance Raman spectroscopy (PTR³) provides a vibrational probe of these changes. PTR³ utilizes two tunable dye lasers in a pump-probe configuration. One initiates photochemistry while a second probes the chromophore. The vibrational spectrum of the K-590 intermediate present 50 ps after the initiation of the photocycle is obtained by PTR³ spectroscopy. The ability to separate photolytic excitation from the Raman probe facilitates the application of a quantitative model of the optical excitation process to time resolved vibrational measurements of K-590. These spectra are analyzed to find the isomerization state of retinal in K-590 by comparison with the resonance Raman spectra of model compounds. These resonance Raman results are compared to earlier measurements of the K intermediate. PTR³ spectra of K-590 present later in the photocycle are also obtained. These spectra remain unchanged over the period investigated (40 ps-26 ns). These results confirm that isomerization of the chromophore is one of the primary events following initiation of the photocycle. Changes in relative Raman intensities observed earlier than 40 ps are discussed with reference to the photophysics of the optical excitation process. PTR³ techniques are applied to antistokes Raman measurements of BR. The existence of a significant vibrationally excited population is revealed. Differences in the Raman band positions in the stokes and antistokes spectra demonstrate that several quanta of the higher frequency modes in the BR Raman spectrum are excited. These modes decay with a time constant of ≈7 ps. These observations suggest the retinal chromophore does not experience rapid uniform internal vibrational redistribution following the internal conversion producing the vibrationally excited species.

Les Streptomyces sont des bactéries filamenteuses du sol à Gram +. Elles sont connues pour leur capacité à produire des métabolites secondaires utiles en médecine et en agriculture. S. coelicolor et S. lividans sont des souches modèles phylogénétiquement proches. Elles ont cependant des capacités contrastées à accumuler des lipides de réserve de la famille des triacylglycérol (TAG) et produire des métabolites secondaires alors qu’elles possèdent des voies de biosynthèse similaires pour ces deux types de molécules. En présence de glucose, S. coelicolor produit des niveaux élevés de métabolites secondaires spécifiques et son contenu en TAG est faible alors que c'est le contraire chez S. lividans. En revanche, en présence de glycérol, les deux souches accumulent une quantité de TAG similaire mais S. coelicolor produit aussi des métabolites secondaires. Le but de la présente thèse était de déterminer les caractéristiques métaboliques différentielles qui sous-tendent les différentes capacités biosynthétiques de ces deux souches modèles. Pour ce faire, une analyse protéomique comparative sans marquage des souches cultivées en milieu R2YE liquide ou solide en présence de glucose ou de glycérol comme principales sources de carbone a été réalisée en utilisant la technique de chromatographie liquide couplée à de la Spectrométrie de Masse en tandem (LC-MS / MS). Au total, 2024 et 4372 protéines ont été identifiées à partir des cultures liquides et solides, représentant 24% et 50% du protéome théorique. Les études en liquide ont révélé que le métabolisme de S. lividans était principalement glycolytique alors que le métabolisme de S. coelicolor était principalement oxydatif. Elles ont également indiqué que ces caractéristiques pourraient être liées au catabolisme préférentiel des acides aminés par rapport au glucose chez S. coelicolor par rapport à S. lividans. De plus, cette thèse constitue la première analyse protéomique du métabolisme de ces deux souches modèles en présence de glycérol
Streptomyces are filamentous Gram+ soil bacteria well known for their ability to produce secondary metabolites useful in medicine and agriculture. S. coelicolor and S. lividans are phylogenetically closely-related model strains but they have contrasted abilities to accumulate storage lipids of the TriAcylGlycerol (TAG) family and to produce secondary metabolites whereas they possess similar pathways for the biosynthesis of these molecules. In the presence of glucose, S. coelicolor produces high levels of specific secondary metabolites and its TAG content is low whereas it is the opposite for S. lividans. In contrast, in the presence of glycerol, the two strains accumulated similar amount of TAG but S. coelicolor still produces secondary metabolites. The aim of the present thesis was to determine the differential metabolic features supporting such different biosynthetic abilities. To do so, a comparative label-free shotgun proteomic analysis of the strains grown in liquid or solid R2YE media with glucose or glycerol as main carbon sources was carried out using Liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−MS/MS). A total of 2024 and 4372 proteins were identified in liquid and solid cultures, representing 24% and 50% of the theoretical proteome, respectively. These studies revealed that S. lividans metabolism was mainly glycolytic whereas S. coelicolor metabolism was mainly oxidative. They also suggested that these features might be related to the preferential catabolism of amino acids over glucose of S. coelicolor compared to S. lividans. Furthermore, this thesis constituted the first proteomic analysis of the metabolism of these two model strains in the presence of glycerol
Streptomyces es un género de bacterias filamentosas Gram+ provenientes del suelo que son conocidas por su capacidad para producir metabolitos secundarios útiles en la medicina y agricultura. S. coelicolor y S. lividans son cepas modelo filogenéticamente próximas que presentan capacidades opuestas para acumular lípidos de reserva de la familia de los triglicéridos (TAG) y para producir metabolitos secundarios en tanto que ambas cepas poseen rutas metabólicas idénticas para la biosíntesis de éstas moléculas. En presencia de glucosa, S. coelicolor produce altos niveles de metabolitos secundarios específicos y su contenido de TAG es bajo mientras que en S. lividans el comportamiento es opuesto. Sin embargo, en presencia de glicerol, ambas cepas acumulan cantidades similares de TAG y S. coelicolor produce metabolitos secundarios. El objetivo de ésta tesis fue de determinar las características metabólicas que distinguen las diferentes capacidades biosintéticas mencionadas previamente. Por esto, un análisis protéomico comparativo sin marcaje de tipo “shotgun” fue realizado con las dos cepas cultivadas en medio R2YE líquido y sólido usando glucosa o glicerol como fuentes principales de carbono mediante Cromatografía Líquida en “tándem” acoplada a Espectrometría de Masas (LC-MS/MS). Un total de 2024 y 4372 proteínas fueron identificadas en cultivos en medio líquido y sólido, representando 24% y 50% del proteoma teórico, respectivamente. El presente estudio demostró que el metabolismo de S. lividans fue principalmente glicolítico mientras que el metabolismo de S. coelicolor fue principalmente oxidativo. También se sugiere que éstas características pueden estar relacionadas con la preferencia catabólica de aminoácidos sobre el catabolismo de glucosa de S. coelicolor comparada con S. lividans. Además, la presente tesis constituye el primer análisis proteómico del metabolismo de éstas dos cepas modelo en presencia de glicerol

The systematic implementation of intermittent energy production sources has made the energy system more volatile and unpredictable than ever before. This development increases the importance of balancing services, in particular the primary control. However, the current research that has been conducted on the primary regulation products is limited. Specifically, the factors that drive the variation in availability and price of the primary control are unknown and the procurement is in some aspects based on perception rather than quantitative analysis. This study has investigated which these factors are and their relative significance on the availability and price of the primary control product called Frequency Containment Reserve for Normal Operation – FCR-N. The study was conducted according to methods with both qualitative and quantitative aspects to cover the complex nature of the problem from different views. The study was done in collaboration with Fortum POT at their office to gain insight and support from a market actor. Given the research questions, the result from this study is threefold. Firstly, the factors that affect the FCR-N availability have been identified and other factors have been categorised as insignificant. Secondly, the factors’ relative significances are stated to show their dependency with the FCR-N product. Lastly, an outlier case study showed how extreme situations changes the conditions for the FCR-N procurement. It has been concluded that the FCR-N price for normal operation on the Nordic electricity market can be generalised successfully through the identified parameters. It is also shown that deviations from normal operations have the possibility to create deviations in the FCR-N availability, indicating that these hours of extreme values need additional analysis in order to fully understand the available capacity. However, the significance of the researched parameters will be an indication in analysis of both the normal case and during deviations as these are the most important measures for the FCR-N availability and price.

Oilseed is the third most important export item in Ethiopian foreign trade. It has registered a high export growth rate over recent years both in terms of volume and value. Besides its growing share in export, it is widely used for the extraction of edible oil and oilcake that is supplied to the domestic market. Although farmers are the primary producers of oilseeds, they are not able to benefit from the growing market share of the product due to the fact that they find themselves at the end of an extended market chain. As a result they only receive a very small proportion of what the final buyers are paying for the oilseed products. In addition, there is not much experience on the part of the farmers to process oilseeds, change it to edible oil and oilcake and retain the value addition in the local economy. This thesis used the value chain approach to investigate the possibilities for the primary producers to increase their income share from the selling of their products either by directly selling to exporters or by processing oilseeds, producing edible oil and oilcake, and retaining the value addition in the local economy.

The global climate is predicted to go through great changes in the 21st century, which will have impacts on ecosystems all over the world. Aquatic ecosystems will be affected by higher annual temperatures and increased runoff from surrounding terrestrial areas. The increased runoff will cause more terrestrial organic matter (TOM) to reach the waters, which will elevate levels of dissolved organic carbon and nutrients. The higher temperature, changed water color and increased nutrient concentration are together bound to affect aquatic systems, but exactly how the systems will respond is yet unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate how periphyton and benthic grazers will react to higher temperatures and elevated amounts of TOM in the water. This was done by measuring production of periphyton and growth rates of the snail species Gyraulus acronicus when placed in treatments with higher temperature, more TOM or a combination of these two. Higher temperature was found to have a negative effect on periphyton production, while increased amounts of TOM alone had a positive effect, and the combination of these two lowered production. The results on snail performance were in most cases non-significant, but the results still suggest that possible future effects of more TOM and higher temperature on the snails will be negative.

La biodiversité est de plus en plus modifiée par les activités humaines, ce qui a conduit à des recherches considérables sur l'effet de la biodiversité sur le fonctionnement des écosystèmes. Ces recherches ont cependant rarement inclu le stress anthropogénique qui cause la perte de biodiversité. Cette thèse analyse l'impact du stress (pesticides et métaux lourds) sur la relation entre la biodiversité et le fonctionnement des écosystèmes à la base de la chaîne alimentaire marine, avec des producteurs marins primaires (diatomées) et leurs principaux consommateurs (copépodes). Le premier résultat est que la pollution chimique altère la régularité plutôt que la richesse des espèces, avec un effet disproportionné sur le fonctionnement si un stress sélectif provoque la domination par des espèces tolérantes avec une faible contribution fonctionnelle. L'effet du stress sur le fonctionnement est prévisible sur la base d'une corrélation des traits biologiques prédisant l'abondance des espèces et des traits prédisant leur effet sur le fonctionnement. L'effet de la biodiversité sur le fonctionnement augmente sous l'effet du stress dû à une augmentation d'interactions facilitatrices entre les espèces (effet de complémentarité). L'effet du stress sur la qualité alimentaire des producteurs primaires réduit le transfert d'énergie au niveau des consommateurs, soulignant la pertinence du changement de biodiversité dans un contexte trophique. La thèse se termine par un cadre synthétique présentant les trois principaux effets (stress sélectif, stress physiologique, complémentarité) déterminant l'effet du stress sur la relation entre la biodiversité et le fonctionnement des écosystèmes
Biodiversity is increasingly altered by human activities, which has led to considerable research on the consequences of biodiversity loss for ecosystem functioning. The anthropogenic stressors driving the ongoing biodiversity loss are however rarely included into biodiversity-ecosystem functioning experiments. The present thesis analyses the impact of anthropogenic stressors (pesticides, heavy metals) on the biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relation in marine primary producers (diatoms) and consumers (copepods). It was shown that chemical stress alters species evenness rather richness, with a disproportionate effect on functioning if stress causes dominance by tolerant species with a low functional contribution. Stress tolerance and the functional contribution were predictable based on the species’ biological traits, and the effects of stress on ecosystem functioning depended on the correlation of traits predicting species abundance and traits predicting the species’ effect on ecosystem functioning. The biodiversity effect on primary producer biomass production increased under stress due to facilitative interactions (complementarity effect). Stressor-induced biodiversity loss reduced the food quality of primary producers and impaired the energy transfer to the consumer level, highlighting the relevance of stressor-induced biodiversity changers in a trophic context. The thesis ends with a synthetic framework which puts forward the three main effects (selective stress, physiological stress, complementarity) through which anthropogenic stress affects biodiversity-ecosystem functioning relations at the basis of marine food webs

PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO
CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO
Sob a perspectiva do design social, esta tese desenvolveu um sistema de projetação e produção distribuída (SPPD) que congrega a indústria e os meios de produção local como solução para a produção e distribuição de produtos (basicamente de segurança, higiene, proteção da saúde, auxilio na vida diária. vestuário, educação e lazer) de média complexidade para atenção básica em territórios diversos. A pesquisa iniciou pela revisão teórica sobre a dimensão da inovação tecnológica social (ITS) e as estratégias do design social para a formação de rede de atores sob a lógica da THDS (Tríplice Hélice Dupla complementares para a sustentabilidade). Na sequência, foi realizada uma investigação sobre as experiências projetuais do design social, brasileiras e holandesas, e as do movimento de tecnologia social no Brasil. Por fim, foi desenvolvido o SPPD que visa a união de empresas e artesãos para produção territorializada de forma a atender suas demandas utilizando recursos locais e assim impulsionar o desenvolvimento local. O SPPD valoriza a atuação governamental ou de agentes sociais como impulsionador da demanda, e depende da constituição de um capital social e produtivo com agentes locais, que se mostrou o maior desafio do sistema. Quando aplicado ao calçado escolar, o SPPD evidenciou o papel crucial do designer para atender os parâmetros da projetação e produção distribuída em função das particularidades de cada local.
From the perspective of social design, this thesis developed a designing and distributed manufacturing system (DDMS) that gathers industry and local tasks (crafts) as a solution for the manufacturing and distribution of products (basically of safety, hygiene, health protection, assistance daily, clothing, education and leisure) of medium complexity for basic care in different territories. The research started by the theoretical review of the social dimension of technological innovation (STI) and strategies of social design for the network structure of players under the logic of THDs (Triple Helix Twin to sustainability). Following these, an investigation was carried out about Brazilian and Dutch social design experiences, as well as movement of social technology in Brazil. In the end, it was developed the DDMS aiming at the union of companies and craftsmen to implement a territorialized production in order to meeting their demands using local resources and thus achieve local development. The DDMS values governmental action or social actors as demand drivers, and depends on the creation of social capital and manufacturing group with local actors, which proved to be the biggest challenge system. When applied to the scholar shoes issue, DDMS highlighted the crucial role of the designer to meeting the designing requirements and distributed manufacturing According to circumstances of each local.

In order to investigate the role of faunal aggregations in concentrating nutrients in the oligotrophic landscape of Florida Bay, I manipulated faunal densities in Florida Bay sea grass beds by constructing artificial reefs. The effects of reefs and faunal aggregations on nutrient availability and benthic community structure were assessed. Over a year-long sampling period, artificial reefs had an average population of 50 fishes and crustaceans of various species. Faunal aggregation resulted in significant sediment organic matter decreases and sediment phosphorus increases. Plots with high fauna populations also had shorter seagrass blades presumably due to the effects of grazing. Chlorophyll-a concentrations in the sediment and periphyton samplers were mainly affected by reef presence or exclosure type and not due to the presence of aggregating fauna. Our results suggest that faunal aggregation may have more top-down effects on primary producers than bottom-up effects over smaller temporal scales.

The investment decision-making techniques, financing methods and equipment needs of 1,818 sawmills and pallet manufacturers in the Eastern United States were studied. Information was gathered using a mail survey and 581 usable responses were received. It was found that discounted cash flow techniques have not been extensively adopted by the firms under study as primary methods of investment analysis. Undiscounted payback period was the most extensively used quantitative method. The majority of firms compared the expected return on an investment to a minimum rate of return but this minimum was often determined non-quantitatively. Firms most often accounted for the risk of an investment by subjective means.
Master of Science

El proyecto de innovación educativa, se denomina “La mochila viajera como estrategia innovadora para producir textos narrativos”, surge a partir de los resultados desfavorables de la prueba ECE emitido por el MINEDU, en la cual se evaluó a nivel nacional a los estudiantes del III ciclo de las instituciones educativas. El objetivo central busca que los docentes conozcan estrategias metodológicas activas para la aplicación de textos narrativos. Los conceptos que sustentan la innovación son: Van Dick (1993), Cassany (2005) y Ferreiro (2006). Para la formulación del PIE se elaboró un análisis FODA, del cual se desprende el árbol de problemas y objetivos, en la ejecución del proyecto se realizan actividades y talleres para docentes y padres de familia con el fin de lograr un trabajo colaborativo para mejorar el desempeño de los estudiantes en la producción de textos narrativos, para ello se realiza el seguimiento del avance de la aplicación de las estrategias metodológicas adecuadas en el aula a los docentes involucrados para garantizar la sostenibilidad y viabilidad del proyecto de innovación con la participación activa de los padres de familia. Al finalizar se espera alcanzar el logro de docentes actualizados en el manejo adecuado de estrategias en el proceso de producción de textos narrativos y la aplicación de instrumentos para medir el desempeño eficiente de los estudiantes. En conclusión se espera que los docentes apliquen estrategias adecuadas en sus unidades y sesiones del aprendizaje significativo de sus estudiantes en la producción de textos narrativos.
Trabajo académico

The Ministry of Education (SICTE, 2002) states that the widespread introduction of computers in schools should support Curriculum 2005 and that computer technology is part and parcel of making schools the center of community life. The vision is to establish Smart Schools: schools that are reinvented in terms of teaching-learning practices to prepare learners for the information era (SICTE, 2002). Kafai (1996:71) has found that conventional school assignments rarely give learners the opportunity to spend a great deal of time on complex projects. As a result, many learners have little experience in design: planning, problem solving, researching, dealing with time constraints, modifying expectations and synthesizing everything in a project. Research by Carver, Lehrer, Connell and Erickson (1992); Lehrer, (1993); Lehrer, Erickson and Connell (1994); Kafai (1996); Liu and Hsiao (2002) and Liu (2002) indicates that the design of hypermedia artefacts can assist in providing experience in design. To date, no equivalent research has been conducted in South Africa to ascertain the perceptions of learners regarding the creation of a hypermedia artefact over an extended period of time and whether some of the critical outcomes specified in Curriculum 2005 can be addressed in such a learning-by-design hypermedia project. This study shows that design skills and aspects related to the critical outcomes of Curriculum 2005 can be achieved. Furthermore, it indicates that this kind of project encourages interest, motivation and collaboration. In addition, it suggests that learners experience the role of the teacher as different and prefer such a learning environment. In spite of the positive results, some aspects that need attention for future implementation are suggested.

Les programmes officiels de l'école primaire, l'analyse des programmes en diachronie le montre, associent l'enseignement-apprentissage des sciences à des pratiques d'écriture en classe, sur un support dédié. Mais quels sont les fonctions et le statut de cette écriture ? Pour le savoir, la thèse envisage les points de vue d'enseignants et d'élèves sur la place de l'écriture en sciences qui fait apparaître une distorsion en ce qui concerne la fonction épistémique de l'écriture. L'analyse comparative de cahiers d'expériences confirme l'existence d'un écrit très massivement voire exclusivement guidé par les enseignants et l'absence, de fait, d'un écrit « pour penser ». La thèse se clôt sur les implications didactiques d'un tel constat
In France, the diachronic analysis proves that the official primary school programs associate the science teaching-apprenticeship to the practice of a dedicated writing support. What are the functions and status of this writing ? This thesis considers the teachers and students points- of-view concerning the place of the writings in sciences which point to an imbalance concerning the epistemic function of writing. The compared analysis of the experience notebooks confirms the existence of a writing extensively and exclusively guided by the teachers. In turn, this has lead to the lack of a writing for students « to think ». The didactic implications are considered

In this thesis, the management of product information in concurrent design systems has been investigated with particular reference to product development in small and medium enterprise (SME) industry and design education at polytechnic level in Singapore. From a critical review of the relevant literature on product design and development processes, concurrent engineering, concurrent design systems, product data management and related methods, it is found that there is a clear need for a new design of a system for organizing and managing product information in a concurrent design environment in the above contexts. This finding has led to the development of a conceptual rationale, termed the Design Tensor Method, and the design and development of an innovative product information management system called PRIMAS. PRIMAS is a systematic methodology for the classification, organization, integration, communication, storage and management of product information in the product development process. A software prototype based on PRIMAS has been subsequently developed. PRIMAS along with its conceptual principles have been applied and tested in a product design project in a tertiary educational institution and in two significant industrial product development projects based respectively in two SMEs. Positive evaluation feedback on PRIMAS has been obtained in these studies. The product development projects investigated with PRIMAS have also produced outcomes that meet the original specified design requirements. The findings from this research have led to the conclusion that PRIMAS is a viable product information management system that can be used effectively for managing product information in concurrent design projects in SME industry and design education. Substantial PRIMAS databases of useful product information have been compiled for the product development projects investigated with PRIMAS. Finally, recommendations are made for future research.

The general fission process is well known and is applied in nuclear power plants all over the world. However many properties of fission fragments are still not well understood. The angular momentum distribution of fission fragments is an important property to gain a better understanding of the fission process, and that can be derived indirectly from isomeric yield ratios. The goal of this project has been to develop a script in Python that runs the nuclear reaction code TALYS with the Total Monte Carlo method to calculate the isomeric yield ratio. The script generates a matrix consisting of excitation energies and angular momenta that is provided to TALYS. One matrix corresponds to one calculation of the isomeric ratio. Thus, the dependency of the isomeric yield ratio on these matrices can be observed. After looking into the matrices, the dependencies of the isomeric yield ratios on the excitation energies and the angular momentum distribution are observed. In this project, the calculated isomeric yield ratios are compared with the experimental value obtained from an experiment conducted in August of 2019 at the IGISOL-JYFLTRAP facility in Jyväskylä, Finland. It is worth mentioning that, fission system is of Uranium-238 which was induced by a proton beam at an energy of 25 MeV. The dependency of the isomeric yield ratio (IYR) on the angular momentum and the excitation energy has been investigated. However, it has proved more difficult than expected, to deduce an estimation for the angular momentum distribution. Another finding of this project is that the two codes used, GEF and TALYS sometimes produce inconstant results.

Med  allt  strängare  yt-  och  rakhetstoleranser  på  stångprodukter  för försäljning samt vidare bearbetning inom Sandvik Materials Technology närmar sig vissa produkter gränsen för vad den existerande  riktningsutrustningen  har kraftkapacitet  för.  Detta påskyndas  i kombination  med introduktion av hårdare material i större dimensioner än tidigare. Riktning utförs primärt genom böjriktning med  korslagda  valsar.  De stångprodukter  som har  studerats  är  det  duplexa stålet 2RD99 i Ø 169 mm samt borrstålen 4HS64 i Ø 149 mm, 5HS23 i Ø 135 mm och 19HS20 i Ø 124,4 mm. För att utvärdera om produkterna kunde riktas på ett pålitligt  sätt beräknades och FEM- simulerades processen för att bestämma de för varje produkt specifika parametrar som krävdes för  att  uppfylla  ett uppskattat riktningsvillkor.  FEM-modellen  verifierades genom  att  använda föreslagna parametrar  i  bearbetningen  och  ta  provbitar  på vilka  Vickers hårdhetsprovning utfördes.  Hårdhetsprofiler  skapades  för  att  utvärdera om produktens deformationshårdnande följde  den  av  FEM-simuleringen  förutsedda plastiska deformationen.  Hårdhetsprofilerna  i kombination med rakhetsmätningar efter bearbetning tyder på att produktionsutrustningen har kapacitet att bearbeta samtliga produkter. En FEM-simulering av riktningsprocessen modellerad med slitna valsar visade att den erforderliga valskraften ökade kraftigt på grund av den förändrade geometrin hos de slitna komponenterna och att specifika produkter inte längre kunde bearbetasmed inställningar som faller inom riktningsmaskinens begränsningar.
With increasing demands on the surface quality and straightness of bar products for both sale and additional processing at Sandvik Materials Technology certain products are approaching the limits of the existing straightening equipment. This is accelerated when combined with the introduction of  harder  materials  in  larger  dimensions. Straightening is primarily  performed  with  cross-roll bend straightening. The studied bar products are the duplex steel 2RD99 in Ø 169 mm as well as the rock drill steel 4HS64 in Ø 149 mm, 5HS23 in Ø 135 mm and 19HS20 in Ø 124,4 mm.  In order to evaluate if the products could be reliably straightened the process was modelled with analytical calculations and FEM simulations to acquire the specific parameters for each product that fulfilled an  estimated straightening condition.  The  FEM  model  was verified  by  using  the  suggested parameters in the straightening of bars and taking samples from a series of products on which Vickers  hardness  tests  were  performed. Hardness  profiles were  created  to evaluate  if  the deformation hardening followed the plastic deformation anticipated by the FEM simulations. The hardness profiles combined with  post processing straightness measurements indicated that the straightening equipment has the capacity to process them. A FEM simulation of the straightening process modelled with worn rollers showed that the required roller force greatly increased because of  a change in geometry of the worn component  and that specific products could no longer bestraightened within the limits of the straightening machine.

Private sector knowledge producers, more commonly known as think tanks or research institutes, are used as authoritative sources in Western media either as interview guests or their research quoted by journalists.  Most studies have focused on their ability to influence government policy, but very little has focused on their role in the public sphere, particularly their visibility in media.  This study will explore how often think representatives appear as authoritative sources or experts in broadcast media during the 2015, 2017 and 2019 UK General Elections.  This will be done through a quantitative content analysis and thematic analysis investigating whether such representatives are accorded preferential access and ascribed primary authority to define narratives.  Additionally, a theoretical model has been designed to detect whether a marketplace of ideas can be detected or whether television news is a site of Habermassian rational-critical public sphere.  Inspired by the work of Anstead and Chadwick, and taking this vital work further, this study investigates whether authority signalling, and primary definition is still a relevant theory by analysing broadcast news coverage across three general elections.

The purpose of this study was to build upon recent research dealing with the ways children of primary school age operate when composing original music. Through examining the musical and structural content of the musical products, and linking these features to working procedures in the composition process, the aim was to explore the interaction between process and product, and to identify any effects attributable to gender, age, or computer use. Control of the circumstances in which the compositions were generated made possible the examination of the activity of the subjects during the working period, providing data which was linked to features of the compositional products for possible "cause and effect". Compositions were collected from 60 primary school children aged 7, 9 and 11 years. Half of the students in each age-group used the computer to help them work out their music. There was equal gender representation in each subgroup. The working session of ten minutes for each child was recorded, and later analysed, to discover the pattern of activities taking place during the composition process. A second procedure was then undertaken which involved analysis of the final versions of the compositions of each subject. The pieces were evaluated by a panel of six judges who identified levels of achievement on a range of musical and structural items. The process and product data were analysed to ascertain the influence of gender, age and computer use. Any significant interactions between process variables and product variables were also noted. The research design proved to be useful and functional in providing empirical data that allowed detailed statistical analysis. The major significant results related to the process were: 1. Age was a significant factor in subjects' use of the compositional activities (i.e. exploration, development and repetition [implying closure] of musical ideas). 2. Computer-users developed their musical ideas more quickly during the compositional process than non-computer users. 3. There were significant 2-way interactions between age and computer use. The judges' evaluations of the product generated data that supported previous research that found a developmental sequence of stages in musical composition. Age was shown to be a significant influence in all factors derived from the developmental model. The significant period was between seven and nine years in all cases. Although significant differences attributable to gender were not revealed overall, females were predominant in the high scoring groups on some product variables. The influence of the computer emerged most clearly in profiles of subjects who received high/low scores from all judges in each of the main product variables. In the high scoring groups, computer users outnumbered non-computer users in every case. Little is known of the effects of the use of the computer by young children for composition. Further research is indicated in order to understand the impact of the computer on the creative and cognitive processes in music. There is a need for greater understanding of its role in this area of music education.

El presente proyecto de innovación educativa denominado: “La redacción como estrategia metodológica para mejorar el nivel de desempeño en producir textos narrativos”, surge a raíz de percibir la deficiente capacidad para producir textos narrativos en los estudiantes del III ciclo de la I.E. “Santísima Cruz” de San Martín de Porres; además, esto se ha verificado en los exámenes ECE realizados por el Ministerio de Educación, donde los estudiantes de dicho grado han obtenido un bajo promedio. El objetivo central de este proyecto de innovación educativa es mejorar en los niños y niñas del nivel primario de la I.E. N° 3030 “Santísima Cruz”, su nivel de desempeño para producir textos narrativos. Los conceptos que sustentan este proyecto son: la producción de textos como capacidad a lograr y la producción de textos narrativos. Para elaborar del proyecto educativo se realizó una matriz de FODA, donde identifico los problemas, causas y efecto, siendo plasmado este proceso en el árbol de problemas y de objetivos, a partir del que se elaboró la matriz de consistencia, con el fin de darle sustento teórico, se investigó las principales concepciones, que le dan el carácter científico al proyecto. Por último se presentan alternativas de solución Al finalizar la implementación del proyecto se espera lograr que los niños y niñas participan con alto nivel comunicativo a través de la producción de sus textos narrativos. Finalmente con el presente proyecto de innovación educativa se pretende mejorar el nivel de desempeño para producir textos narrativos de su interés, en los niños y niñas del nivel primario de la I.E. N° 3030 “Santísima Cruz”.
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La recerca sobre l'expressió escrita ha evolucionat de forma espectacular al llarg d'aquest segle. Si fins als anys 60 l'objectiu dels estudis es centrava exclusivament en les produccions escrites i en l'anàlisi del sistema de la llengua des d'una òptica essencialment gramatical, actualment l'interès dels investigadors s'orienta a analitzar els diversos aspectes comunicatius, lingüístics i socioculturals de l'acte d'escriure i a comprendre els diferents processos i operacions cognitius implicats en els processos redaccionals. En aquest sentit, doncs, per un costat, gràcies a les aportacions de diverses ciències del llenguatge (la lingüística del text, l'anàlisi del discurs, la pragmàtica filosòfica, la sociolingüística, etc.) el text escrit ja no s'analitza com una suma de frases que compleixen amb les regles i convencions gramaticals, el text escrit és vist com una unitat lingüística amb entitat pròpia que té una finalitat comunicativa concreta, es produeix en un context determinat i que s'estructura internament a través de l'ús de regles de gramàtica, però també, de cohesió i coincidència textuals. I, per l'altre costat, des de la dècada dels 70, un nombre de recerques, sobretot des de la psicologia cognitiva es preocupen per aprofundir en el coneixement dels subprocessos i operacions inherents al fet d'escriure, amb la intenció fonamental de plantejar quins són els principals problemes que l'escriptura pressuposa per als escriptors aprenents, i així contribuir a reorientar els processos d'ensenyament i aprenentatge de l'expressió escrita a les escoles. A partir d'aquí, queda definida la intenció última d'aquest treball: obtenir informació sobre l'ús dels coneixements, habilitats i estratègies implicats en un procés psicològic complex com és l'expressió escrita en els nois i noies de Cicle Superior d'EGB de Girona. La pretensió, doncs, és contribuir al coneixement de les característiques de l'expressió escrita, tant les que fan referència a les produccions escrites com el procés de composició, que presenten els nois i noies de Cicle Superior d'EGB a la ciutat de Girona. Entenem que aquest és un primer pas, un punt de partida, perquè posteriorment es pugui continuar treballant en desenvolupament de propostes tècnico-pràctiques que serveixin per fonamentar el procés d'ensenyament i aprenentatge de l'expressió escrita. Amb aquest propòsit, doncs, l'estudi s'estructura en tres parts: En la primera o Marc Teòric, es defineixen els elements teòrics que regeixen i basen la recerca. Per a l'establiment d'aquest marc conceptual, es presenta primerament la concepció de llengua, funcional i comunicativa, que, a finals del segle XX fonamenta tant els models lingüístics com les perspectives didàctiques. Es revisen, en un segon moment, diverses aportacions tècniques sobre el concepte d'expressió escrita i es formula la definició pròpia, que permet articular coherentment la investigació realitzada: L'expressió escrita és un procés psicològic complex, en el qual hi intervenen operacions cognitives de naturalesa diversa, i que implica l'ús de coneixements i d'habilitats variats. Coneixements i habilitats que tenen com a finalitat la comunicació d'idees per mitjà de símbols gràfics i que, d'una banda fan referència a la gramàtica i a la llengua que s'utilitza en els textos escrits (codi escrit) i, de l'altra, a les estratègies comunicativo-lingüístiques que s'empren per a produir-los (procés de composició). S'aborda després l'aproximació conceptual al codi escrit, ressaltant la noció moderna de text i de les propietats textuals, tasca que esdevé decisiva per al plantejament de la primera fase de la recerca. En l'apartat següent, s'aprofundeix en la comprensió teòrica del procés de composició escrita, la qual es configura com a punt de partida clau per al desplegament de la segona fase de la recerca. I, per últim, s'analitza el procés d'ensenyament/aprenentatge de l'expressió escrita, amb la voluntat de pressentir les principals perspectives i propostes teòrico-didàctiques actuals, per acabar contrastar-les amb les pràctiques escolars que avui es donen de forma habitual en l'ensenyament de l'expressió escrita. La segona part o La Recerca inclou tres capítols. En el primer o Capítol II, s'ofereix el plantejament general de la recerca és a dir, s'estableixen els objectius generals plantejats i es presenten les dues fases amb què aquesta recerca s'estructura. En el Capítol III es desenvolupa la que s'anomena primera fase de la recerca, un estudi descriptiu que es proposa com a objectiu general conèixer quin és el domini general de les habilitats i els coneixements de l'expressió escrita en llengua catalana, concretament en relació al text produït, al codi escrit, que presenten els nois i noies del cicle superior d'EGB de Girona. Amb aquesta intenció, s'especifiquen aquests coneixements i habilitats agrupant-los d'acord amb les cinc propietats textuals a priori establertes: adequació, coherència, cohesió, correcció gramatical i variació. Sota una perspectiva metodològica i un mètode descriptiu. es desenvolupen les diferents passes que se segueixen per a la consecució dels objectius marcats: 1) es selecciona la mostra d'estudi (388 nois i noies de tres escoles de Girona), 2) s'efectua el procés d'obtenció de la informació necessària, prèviament realitzant una àmplia revisió bibliogràfica sobre el tema de l'avaluació del producte escrit, la qual porta a elaborar dos instruments propis: el bàsic o Prova d'Expressió Escrita i el complementari o Full de Valoració de l'Expressió Escrita per part del Professor. i a recollir també d'altres dades informatives, a ressaltar, les qualificacions acadèmiques de l'hora de llengua, 3) s'apliquen els instruments ideats i es recull l'altra informació prevista. 4) s'analitza la informació obtinguda per mitjà d'una anàlisi estadística descriptiva i diferencial, més exhaustivament i completa en el cas de la Prova d'Expressió Escrita, en tant que instrument bàsic i específicament dissenyat per a respondre als objectius de l'estudi. i 5) s'analitzen i s'interpreten amb rigurositat totes les aportacions informatives obtingudes, per acabar definint les principals conclusions extretes de la realització d'aquesta primera fase de la recerca. En el Capítol IV, s'exposa l'anomenat Estudi de Casos o segona fase de la recerca, el qual es planteja com a objectiu general constatar si es presenten diferències clares pel que fa al procés de composició seguit en l'elaboració i construcció del text escrit, entre els nois i noies de Cicle Superior d'EGB que mostren un nivell elevat en el domini dels coneixements i habilitats del codi escrit, i els que en mostren un nivell de domini baix. Objectiu general que pressuposa l'establiment de dos subobjectius generals: 1) Conèixer quines són i com són utilitzades les estratègies pròpies del procés de composició, que segueixen en l'elaboració i construcció del text escrit d'aquells nois i noies de Cicle Superior d'EGB de Girona que, seleccionats a partir de l'estudi realitzat en la primera fase de la recerca, presenten un major domini general dels coneixements i habilitats del codi escrit, i 2) el mateix que l'anterior però centrat en aquells nois i noies que presenten un menor domini general dels coneixements i habilitats del codi escrit. Amb aquests propòsits, es defineix primerament el marc teòric que regula eldesenvolupament d'aquesta segona fase de la recerca: es tracta de la proposta teòrica de referència que, en base al model cognitiu del procés de composició escrita proposat per Flower i Hayes, defineix els processos i subprocessos sota els quals s'estructura l'estudi: anàlisi de la situació comunicativa , planificació (generalització d'idees, organització i formulació d'objectius), textualització, revisió i control, alhora que també concreta les estratègies i habilitats específiques a través de les quals es vol obtenir la informació referida a cadascun d'aquests processos i subprocessos redaccionals. Seguidament, i en el marc d'una perspectiva metodològica qualitativa, definida i especificada a través d'un Estudi de Casos, es desplega el pla de treball marcat per a la consecució dels objectius preestablerts: 1) d'acord amb uns criteris rigurosament sistematitzats, i a partir de la informació principal obtinguda en la primera fase del a recerca, es seleccionen els 12 casos d'estudi agrupats en dos grups: el grup A o els 6 casos que presenten el nivell més baix en el domini dels coneixements i habilitats del producte escrit, i el grup B o els 6 casos que en mostren el nivell més alt; 2)es realitza el procés d'obtenció de la informació, a través de l'aplicació de dos instruments: l'observació i l'entrevista, per a l'elaboració a curada i rigurosa dels quals, prèviament s'efectua una revisió bibliogràfica sobre el tema de la complexitat de l'avaluació dels processos cognitius i sobre els requeriments metodològics derivats de la naturalesa essencialment qualitativa dels propis instruments; 3) s'apliquen els dos instruments en els 6 casos del grup B i els casos del grup A; 4) s'analitza la informació obtinguda a través de tècniques d'anàlisi de contingut, en primer lloc, establint unitats de registre que faciliten una primera aproximació a ala temàtica enregistrada a través de l'observació i de l'entrevista de cadascun dels 12 casos, i, en segon lloc, establint categories en el contingut de les unitats establertes, estructurant i classificant així la temàtica de les dades obtingudes; 5) s'elabora l'informe, és a dir, s'exposen quines són i com són utilitzades les estratègies pròpies del procés de composició escrita definides en la proposta teòrica de referència, especificant aquest informe per als casos del grup A, per als casos del grup B, i sobretot oferint un informe específic per a la comparació entre els casos del grup A i els del grup B; i 6) es revisa el desenvolupament dels diferents moments de l'Estudi de Casos i es reanalitza amb rigurositat la informació exposada en els tres informes, per finalitzar definint les principals conclusions que es deriven de la realització d'aquesta segona fase de la recerca.En la tercera i última part o capítol V, primer es sintetitzen les principals aportacions i conclusions de cadascun dels quatre capítols anteriors, per finalitzar exposant les implicacions més significatives que aquesta tesi permet establir de cares a la pràctica de l'ensenyament/aprenentatge i la recerca educatives en l'àmbit de l'expressió escrita.
Research about the written expression has been developing in a spectacular way all along the twentieth century. If up to the 60, the aim of the studies used to be focusing on written productions and analyzing the language system from essentially a grammatical point of view, at present, researchers interest directs towards analyzing varied communicative, linguistic and sociocultural aspects of he writing act and towards understanding the different processes and cognitive operations implied in the redactional processes.In this very line, then, the final intention of the work is to: obtain information about the use of knowledge, abilities and strategies implied in a complex psychological process as is the case with the written expression among the boys and girls of the Upper Cicie of Girona's EGB (Educación General Básica).According to this purpose, the study is then structured into three parts:In the first part or Theoretical Frame, the Theoretical elements that govern and base the research are defined.The second part or The Research includes three chapters:In the first part or Chapter II, a general expounding of the research is offered, that's to say, the general expounded aims are established and are presented the two phases with which the research is structured.In the Chapter III, what was denominated research's first phase is developed in descriptive study that, under a quantitative methodological perspective, intends to know the mastery of knowledge and abilities of the writing code of a big group of boys and girls of the Upper Cycle of Girona's EGB.In the Chapter IV, the so called examination of cases or second phase of the research has been expounded. A part in which it was intended, with a group of 12 boys and girls, to notice whether they present clear differences in the use of process of composition's own strategies in a group of cases which, in the first phase of the research, has proven having a low level of mastery of knowledge and abilities of the writing code and another group of cases which, on the other hand, has proven having a high level.In the third and final part or Chapter V, first of all are synthesized the principalcontributions and conclusions of each of four previous chapters to end by displaying the most relevant implications related with practice of the teaching-learning and the research on education in the field d written expression.

El proyecto de innovación educativa se denomina “Los estudiantes del Primer Grado A de la Institución Educativa 2005 del distrito de Comas producen textos narrativos utilizando técnicas de creación de cuentos” que se desarrolla para responder al problema identificado sobre los niños y niñas presentan bajo nivel de desempeño en la capacidad de producir textos escritos narrativos teniendo en cuenta los procesos. Al reflexionar sobre la práctica pedagógica se identificó como causa principal al desconocimiento de los docentes en las estrategias y los procesos adecuados para la producción de textos. En tal sentido el objetivo principal de este proyecto es que los docentes apliquen adecuadamente los procesos considerando las técnicas de creación de cuentos para la producción de textos narrativos. Los conceptos en los que se basan el proyecto son: la producción de textos, el enfoque del área de comunicación el cual trata de la orientación teórica y metodológica de las competencias comunicativas, los procesos de producción, como la planificación, textualización y revisión del texto, las técnicas de creación de cuentos para la producción de textos narrativos describiendo su procedimiento. Para la construcción del proyecto de innovación se elaboró la Matriz FODA, donde se identifica el problema base del Árbol de Problemas en seguida elaboré el árbol de objetivos, con dicha información se construyó la matriz de consistencia, seguidamente investigué sobre los fundamentos teóricos para revertir el problema. Al finalizar la implementación del proyecto se logra que los docentes estén capacitados en las técnicas de creación de cuentos para la producción de textos escritos narrativos, docentes que desarrollan la capacidad creadora y creativa en la producción de textos escritos narrativos y docentes que leen e investigan las diversas estrategias para los procesos de producción de textos narrativos.
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