Berry ripening in lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) is influenced by developmental, physiological and climatic factors resulting in a heterogenous mix of maturities at harvest. This study characterizes the physico-chemical changes which occur during fruit ontogeny and links ripening patterns to micoclimate. Individual clones in five commercial fiels were followed in the 2006 and 2007 growing seasons. Phenolic acids, flavonols, and flavan-3-ols decreased and anthocyanins increased with maturity. Peak maturity consistently occurred at 1200 accumulated growing degree days (GDD). There was a sharp decline in fruit retention at the end of the growing season suggesting a date after which harvested yield declines but no consistent pattern was detected between years or fields.The consistency of GDD accumulation in relation to ripening pattern suggests GDDs can be used as a predictive ripening index. The physico-chemical nature of ripe berries indicates ripe berries could be harvested earlier than is currently the practice.

Many organisms, especially animals like insects, which depend on the environment for body heat, have growth stages and life cycles that are highly dependent on temperature. To better understand and model how insect life history events progress, for example in the emergence and initial growth of the biogeographical research subjects, we must first understand he relationship between temperature, heat accumulation, and subsequent development. The measure of the integration of heat over time, usually referred to as degree-days, is a widely used science-based method of forecasting, that quantifies heat accumulation based on measured ambient temperature. Some popular methods for calculation of degreedays are the traditional sinusoidal method and the average method. The average method uses only the average of the daily maximum and minimum temperature, and has the advantage that it is very easy to use. However, this simplest method can underestimate the amount of degree-day accumulation that is occurring in the environment of interest, and thus has a greater potential to reduce the accuracy of forecasting insect pest emergence. The sinusoidal method was popularized by Allen (1976, [1]), and gives a better approximation to the actual accumulation of degree-days. Both of these degree-day accumulators are independent of typical heating and cooling patterns during a typical day cycle. To address possible non-symmetrical effect, it was deemed prudent to construct degree-day accumulators to take into account phenomena like sunrise, sunset, and solar noon. Consideration of these temporal factors eliminated the assumption that heating and cooling in a typical day during the growth season is symmetric. In some tested cases, these newer degree-day integrators are more accurate than the traditional sinusoidal method, and in all tested cases, these integrators are more accurate than the average method. After developing the newer degree-day accumulators, we chose to investigate use of a logistic phenology model similar to one used by Onsager and Kemp (1986, [54]) when studying grasshopper development. One reason for studying this model is that it has parameters that are important when considering pest management tactics, such as the required degree-day accumulations needed for insects in immature stages (instars) to be completed, as well as a parameter related to the variability of the grasshopper population. Onsager and Kemp used a nonlinear regression algorithm to find parameters for the model. I constructed a simplex algorithm and studied the effectiveness when searching for parameters for a multi-stage insect population model. While investigating the simplex algorithm, it was found that initial values of parameters for constructing the simplex played a crucial role in obtaining realistic and biologically meaningful parameters from the nonlinear regression. Also, while analyzing this downhill simplex method for finding parameters, it was found there is the potential for the simplex to get trapped in many local minima, and thus produce extraneous or incorrectly fitted parameter estimates, although Onsager and Kemp did not mention this problem. In tests of my methods of fitting, I used an example of daily weather data from Onefour, AB, with a development threshold of 12 ±C and a biofix day of April 1st, as an example. The method could be applied to larger, more extensive datasets that include grasshopper population data on numbers per stage, by date, linked to degree accumulations based on the non-symmetrical method, to determine whether it would offer significant improvement in forecasting accuracy of spring insect pest events, over the long term. / xii, 106 leaves ; 29 cm

Obesity and physical inactivity are major risk factors for numerous chronic diseases, conditions, and early mortality. Healthy body weight and physical activity (PA) are also positively associated with health-related quality of life (HRQL). However, obesity and physical inactivity levels in Canadian youth and adults are high. This thesis comprises five studies exploring the burden of obesity and physical inactivity, focusing on HRQL. The first study assessed PA research productivity in Canada from 1990-2005. Canada produced approximately 5% of global PA research, 50% originating from Ontario, the biomedical and clinical areas accounting for 40% each; however, research in population health and health services was lacking. The second study used data from the Physical Activity Longitudinal Study (PALS), the 22-year follow-up of the 1981 Canada Fitness Survey, to assess PA and obesity tracking from youth to adulthood. Over 80% of overweight/obese youth became overweight/obese adults, while the majority of overweight/obese adults had not been overweight/obese youth; almost all healthy weight adults had been healthy weight youth. PA did not track over 22 years. The third study used the PALS data to examine the long-term effect of youth BMI and PA on adult HRQL (SF-36), using dichotomized outcomes based on Canadian norms. Contrary to expectations, overweight youth were more likely than healthy weight youth to score at/above the norm in adult HRQL, especially in the mental health domains. Youth PA was not associated with adult HRQL. The fourth study used the same data to explore the youth BMI-adult HRQL relationship using continuous outcomes, by sex. Youth BMI was positively associated with mental HRQL in adult females only; no negative impacts emerged. The fifth study used the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) Cycle 3.1 data to investigate the combined association of PA and BMI to HRQL among Canadian adults, including self-rated health, participation/activity limitation, and total disability days, by age and sex. Inactive individuals had increased odds of adverse HRQL, regardless of weight status; underweight, overweight, and obesity were of little consequence for active individuals. Collectively, these results help to better understand the health burdens created by the current epidemics of obesity and physical inactivity in Canadians throughout their lifespans. / Thesis (Ph.D, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-12-08 18:00:44.214

Thèse numérisée par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

This thesis gauges the contemporary landscape of political theatre at a time in which everything, and consequently nothing, is political. That is, almost all theatres today proclaim a politics, and yet there is widespread resignation regarding the inevitability of capitalism. This thesis proposes a theory of political action via the theatre: radical theatre today must employ a strategy of "moving targets". Theatrical actions must be adaptable and mobile to seek out the moving targets of capital and track down target audiences as they move through public space. In addition, political theatre must become a moving target to avoid amalgamation into the capitalist system of exchange. I approached this topic through four case studies. Two of the case studies, Reverend Billy's Church of Stop Shopping and the Critical Art Ensemble, are based in the United States. I studied their work via materials - books, essays, videos, websites, interviews, and more - but not in person. The other two case studies are lifted from my own experience with the Christchurch Free Theatre: an original production of Christmas Shopping and a devised production of Karl Kraus' play The Last Days of Mankind. These latter two case studies served as laboratory experiments through which I was able to test ideas and problematics of political theatre that arose through my research. These case studies led to the determination that creating aesthetic experiences and actions - as opposed to having explicitly political content - can be a strategy or foundation for a radical political theatre that resists, undermines, and at times transcends the seeming inevitability of consumer capitalism. In an age in which any political intervention is seen as senseless disruption, a form of pointless violence, this theatre has adopted the strategies of terrorist actions to have a disruptive effect without positing a specific alternative social structure.

Ptilotus nobilis is a short-lived perennial wildflower, native to semi-arid and arid areas of Australia. Propagation by vegetative means is constrained by the early onset and a continuous flowering habit. Despite being defined as the main barrier for vegetative propagation no published research on floral induction and initiation was found. The aim of this study is to provide the first insights into floral evocation in P. nobilis, with the general objectives being to investigate floral induction and initiation, find the means to maintain plants in the vegetative phase, enhance leaf initiation and to gain knowledge of growth and development with an emphasis on light intensity, temperature and daylength. Early experiments aimed to increase the understanding of growth and development. The main cardinal events were identified including the onset of branching (axillary stem growth), visible bud stage, first floret opening and maturity of the inflorescence. To aid future cultivation schedules, four growing degree days (GDD) and one chronological model, using days after sowing (DAS), were established and validated. All GDD models were accurate in predicting first floret opening and maturity, but not in predicting visible bud stage. Best prediction was achieved by using an upper temperature threshold of 18.2 ºC and an own base temperature of 5.0 ºC. Days after sowing were an accurate means of prediction, indicating that temperature and other variables such as light intensity regulate development. A series of defoliation treatments investigated the maintenance of P. nobilis plants in the vegetative phase. Within all treatments, reproductive structures were observed and all plants with more than two true leaves entered the reproductive phase. Plants with less than two true leaves showed a delayed floral bud appearance by up to 20 days. Floral development was affected by most defoliation treatments resulting in vegetative growth within the inflorescences. It is hypothesized that plants have a very short juvenile phase and that a constant floral stimulus may be needed for floral evocation. Using scanning electron and light microscopy a template for the transition from vegetative to reproductive phase was developed. Bract initiation was accompanied by a significant increase in meristem area and diameter, and was defined as the onset of flowering. The established template was used in a subsequent glasshouse trial, which revealed that floral initiation occurred very early and at 25 DAS all plants had entered the reproductive phase. Branching and leaf area expansion were identified as post- initiation processes. Plants were exposed to different light intensities (229.3, 398.6 and 909.3 µmol m-2 s-1) in a glasshouse. Under low light, final leaf number increased by up to three leaves, indicating that the vegetative phase was prolonged. Cardinal events were delayed but all plants reached maturity. It was concluded that a light intensity of 229.3 µmol m-2 s-1 was not low enough to prevent floral initiation and that a further decrease of light intensity in combination with temperature could be more effective. Interactions of light intensity, temperature and daylength were investigated. Plants were grown under high light and low light (< 1.2 MJ m-2) intensities, 25/10 ºC and 35/20 ºC and daylengths of 11 h and 16 h. During the trial period (42 days), low light intensity suppressed floral initiation and high temperatures maintained more plants (70%) in the vegetative phase. However daylength treatments had no effect on the time of bract initiation or the percentage of vegetative plants. After 83 days floral buds and axillary stems were observed on some plants under low light intensity, indicating the onset of the reproductive phase and showing that P. nobilis could not be maintained in the vegetative phase indefinitely. Plants under high light were harvested at maturity and effects of temperature and daylength were analysed. Final leaf number increased under 35/20 ºC supporting the previously established results that floral initiation was delayed and leaf production enhanced by high temperature. Morphological data was collected to classify the photoperiodic response of P. nobilis. Plants under 25/10 ºC and 11 h had the longest inflorescences and greatest number of buds and flowers, which was also reflected in the buds and flowers dry weight, with an increase of up to 3.4 fold under these conditions. The difficulty of classifying some plants accordingly to their photoperiodic response and the proposal that P. nobilis may be a facultative short day plant under 25/10 ºC is discussed. In summary, this study presents the first evidence that P. nobilis has a very short juvenile phase and that growth and development are mainly driven by light intensity and temperature. It was possible to enhance vegetative growth by defoliation, low light intensity and high temperatures, however this did not fully prevent flowering, which indicates that P. nobilis has a very strong flowering response or signal.

Ptilotus nobilis is a short-lived perennial wildflower, native to semi-arid and arid areas of Australia. Propagation by vegetative means is constrained by the early onset and a continuous flowering habit. Despite being defined as the main barrier for vegetative propagation no published research on floral induction and initiation was found. The aim of this study is to provide the first insights into floral evocation in P. nobilis, with the general objectives being to investigate floral induction and initiation, find the means to maintain plants in the vegetative phase, enhance leaf initiation and to gain knowledge of growth and development with an emphasis on light intensity, temperature and daylength. Early experiments aimed to increase the understanding of growth and development. The main cardinal events were identified including the onset of branching (axillary stem growth), visible bud stage, first floret opening and maturity of the inflorescence. To aid future cultivation schedules, four growing degree days (GDD) and one chronological model, using days after sowing (DAS), were established and validated. All GDD models were accurate in predicting first floret opening and maturity, but not in predicting visible bud stage. Best prediction was achieved by using an upper temperature threshold of 18.2 ºC and an own base temperature of 5.0 ºC. Days after sowing were an accurate means of prediction, indicating that temperature and other variables such as light intensity regulate development. A series of defoliation treatments investigated the maintenance of P. nobilis plants in the vegetative phase. Within all treatments, reproductive structures were observed and all plants with more than two true leaves entered the reproductive phase. Plants with less than two true leaves showed a delayed floral bud appearance by up to 20 days. Floral development was affected by most defoliation treatments resulting in vegetative growth within the inflorescences. It is hypothesized that plants have a very short juvenile phase and that a constant floral stimulus may be needed for floral evocation. Using scanning electron and light microscopy a template for the transition from vegetative to reproductive phase was developed. Bract initiation was accompanied by a significant increase in meristem area and diameter, and was defined as the onset of flowering. The established template was used in a subsequent glasshouse trial, which revealed that floral initiation occurred very early and at 25 DAS all plants had entered the reproductive phase. Branching and leaf area expansion were identified as post- initiation processes. Plants were exposed to different light intensities (229.3, 398.6 and 909.3 µmol m-2 s-1) in a glasshouse. Under low light, final leaf number increased by up to three leaves, indicating that the vegetative phase was prolonged. Cardinal events were delayed but all plants reached maturity. It was concluded that a light intensity of 229.3 µmol m-2 s-1 was not low enough to prevent floral initiation and that a further decrease of light intensity in combination with temperature could be more effective. Interactions of light intensity, temperature and daylength were investigated. Plants were grown under high light and low light (< 1.2 MJ m-2) intensities, 25/10 ºC and 35/20 ºC and daylengths of 11 h and 16 h. During the trial period (42 days), low light intensity suppressed floral initiation and high temperatures maintained more plants (70%) in the vegetative phase. However daylength treatments had no effect on the time of bract initiation or the percentage of vegetative plants. After 83 days floral buds and axillary stems were observed on some plants under low light intensity, indicating the onset of the reproductive phase and showing that P. nobilis could not be maintained in the vegetative phase indefinitely. Plants under high light were harvested at maturity and effects of temperature and daylength were analysed. Final leaf number increased under 35/20 ºC supporting the previously established results that floral initiation was delayed and leaf production enhanced by high temperature. Morphological data was collected to classify the photoperiodic response of P. nobilis. Plants under 25/10 ºC and 11 h had the longest inflorescences and greatest number of buds and flowers, which was also reflected in the buds and flowers dry weight, with an increase of up to 3.4 fold under these conditions. The difficulty of classifying some plants accordingly to their photoperiodic response and the proposal that P. nobilis may be a facultative short day plant under 25/10 ºC is discussed. In summary, this study presents the first evidence that P. nobilis has a very short juvenile phase and that growth and development are mainly driven by light intensity and temperature. It was possible to enhance vegetative growth by defoliation, low light intensity and high temperatures, however this did not fully prevent flowering, which indicates that P. nobilis has a very strong flowering response or signal.

Esse trabalho propõe articular dois eixos principais de análise: investigar os padrões de atividades de 105 residentes de Paraisópolis, segunda maior favela de São Paulo, e avaliar o processo de coleta e processamento de dados de múltiplos dias obtidos a partir de um aplicativo instalado nos smartphones. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de uma entrevista domiciliar realizada em campo e pela coleta de dados de localização de GPS a cada cinco minutos, pelo período de uma semana. A partir dos dados de localização, foram identificadas atividades e locais de interesse para cada indivíduo. As atividades foram classificadas em seis categorias, usadas para descrever os padrões de atividades dos moradores. Uma segunda rodada de classificação agrupou os indivíduos que apresentavam padrões semanais de atividades semelhantes, em sete grupos distintos. A composição de cada grupo de indivíduos foi investigada segundo as características socioeconômicas das pessoas que os formavam, permitindo avaliar se os grupos com comportamento de atividades similar apresentavam também homogeneidade no que diz respeito ao gênero, idade, renda, ocupação, nível de escolaridade, entre outros atributos. Os resultados indicam que entre os sete grupos de indivíduos identificados, dois grupos realizam a maior parte de suas atividades na residência; outros dois grupos possuem uma atividade principal dentro de Paraisópolis, sendo que um deles apresenta padrão mais regular e o outro, padrão mais variado; e outros três grupos apresentam uma atividade principal fora de Paraisópolis, sendo o primeiro com padrão mais regular, o segundo com padrão mais variado e um terceiro grupo com padrão muito variado e ativo, com alto número de atividades realizadas no período. Destaca-se o fato de que entre todos os indivíduos, 56% foram classificados em grupos de comportamento variado, apontando para a necessidade de considerar outros tipos de padrões de atividades nos processos de modelagem de transportes, além dos padrões regulares tipicamente considerados, como casa-trabalho. / This dissertation explores two main lines of research: to investigate the activity patterns of 105 residents of the Paraisópolis, second largest slum of São Paulo, using data collected over multiple days using smartphones. Data was collected with a home interview and tracking GPS location every 5 minutes for one week. Based on location data, individual stays and points of interest we inferred. Based on their characteristics, stays were clustered into 6 classes, later used to describe individuals\' weekly activity patterns. Individuals were then clustered into 7 categories, based on similarity of their activity patterns. Each group of individuals was then investigated regarding its socioeconomic and demographic composition, to verify if similarity of behavior was associated with homogeneity concerning gender, age, income, occupation, level of education, among other attributes. Results suggest that among the seven clusters of individuals, two of them conduct most of their activities at home; individuals of other two groups seem to have a main frequent regular activity outside their home but within the area of Paraisópolis, one with greater diversity of activities than the other; finally, individuals of the three remaining groups participate in a frequent regular activity outside Paraisópolis, differing among themselves concerning variability and number of other activities conducted during one week. It should be highlighted that 56% of the people in the sample was classified in groups with diversified behavior, indicating the need to consider other activity patterns beyond the more usual simple commute considered in modelling efforts.

My science described and compared differences between pedagogical work and peda-gogical work before 20 ? 30 years ago. I asked myself some questions for example ? what differences are between pedagogical work in these days and pedagogical work before 20 ? 30 years ago? What was different? What about the relationship between teachers and pupils? What about methods, which methods teachers used in their class-room? And what about relationship between teachers and parents of pupils? Were par-ents interested in pupils´ marks? Was the period before 20 ? 30 years ago influenced by policy? In my theoretical part I described both ? the school events and the political events which took places before 20 ? 30 years ago. I made up two types of questionnaires. The first type of a questionnaire is for teach-ers who taught before 20 ? 30 years ago. The second type of a questionnaire is for teachers who teach in these days. I used tables and graphs to interpret my obtained re-sults from the two types of questionnaires. I think that my science and obtained results are beneficial. The results from my ques-tionnaires I find useful and important. All my unanswered questions were answered.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:55:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 201389 bytes, checksum: b16c6cf09aae35c8ba2e6527547629ed (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-03-14 / Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais / Aiming to evaluate spray-dried animal plasma (PSP) by piglets weaning at 28 days of age was made a experiment with 128 piglets of a 7.635 ± 0.103 kg initial body weight allocated in a experimental block design, composed by four treatments, eight replicates and four animals a replicate. The treatments used were: 1) Diets without spray-dried plasma (PSP) and with dried milk (LDP), from 29 to 42 days of age; 2) Diets with LDP and 2.8% of PSP from 29 to 35 days of age in the phase one and 2.0% of PSP from 36 to 42 days of age in the phase two; 3) Diets with LDP and 4.2% of PSP from 29 to 35 days of age in the phase one and 3.0% of SPP from 36 to 42 days of age and 4) Diets without LDP and 5.6% of PSP from 29 to 35 days of age and 4.0% of PSP from 36 to 42 days of age in the phase two. From 42 to 56 days of age (phase three) all treatments animals received initial diets without PSP. It was not verified effect (P&#8805;0.10) of SPP inclusion on the average daily feed intake (ADFI), in the period one. On the period one it was verified linear effect (P&#8804;0.10, IBN = 6.8371GPMD 3.5732CRMD) of the treatments over the bio-nutritional index and over the inclusion of PSP (P&#8804;0.10; &#374; = 0.1364 + 0.0100X) over the daily weight gain and that the feed conversion ratio got better as the level of PSP in the diets was raised. There was no effect of treatments over the diarrhea index. It concluded that the inclusion level of PSP in the first week post-weaning diets for 28 days of age weaning piglets is 5.6%. / Objetivando-se avaliar níveis de plasma sanguíneo em pó (PSP) em dietas para leitões desmamados aos 28 dias de idade foi realizado um experimento utilizando 128 leitões com peso inicial médio de 7,64 ± 0,103 kg, distribuídos em delineamento em blocos, composto por quatro tratamentos, oito blocos e quatro animais por unidade experimental. Os tratamentos usados foram: 1) Ração sem plasma sanguíneo em pó (PSP) e com leite desnatado em pó (LDP), dos 29 aos 42 dias; 2) ração com LDP mais 2,8% de PSP dos 29 aos 35 dias na fase um e 2,0% de PSP dos 36 aos 42 dias na fase dois; 3) ração com LDP mais 4,2% de PSP dos 29 aos 35 dias na fase um e 3,0% de PSP dos 36 aos 42 dias e 4) ração com 5,6% dObjetivando-se avaliar níveis de plasma sanguíneo em pó (PSP) em dietas para leitões desmamados aos 28 dias de idade foi realizado um experimento utilizando 128 leitões com peso inicial médio de 7,64 ± 0,103 kg, distribuídos em delineamento em blocos, composto por quatro tratamentos, oito blocos e quatro animais por unidade experimental. Os tratamentos usados foram: 1) Ração sem plasma sanguíneo em pó (PSP) e com leite desnatado em pó (LDP), dos 29 aos 42 dias; 2) ração com LDP mais 2,8% de PSP dos 29 aos 35 dias na fase um e 2,0% de PSP dos 36 aos 42 dias na fase dois; 3) ração com LDP mais 4,2% de PSP dos 29 aos 35 dias na fase um e 3,0% de PSP dos 36 aos 42 dias e 4) ração com 5,6% de PSP e sem LDP dos 29 aos 35 dias na fase um e 4,0% de PSP dos 36 aos 42 dias na fase dois. Dos 42 aos 56 dias, na fase três, ração de creche sem PSP foi fornecida para os animais de todos os tratamentos. Não se verificou efeito (P&#8805;0,10) da inclusão de PSP nas dietas sobre o consumo de ração médio diário. No período um verificou-se efeito linear crescente (P&#8804;0,10, IBN = 6,8371GPMD 3,5732CRMD) dos tratamentos sobre o índice bionutricional e crescente da adição de PSP (P&#8804;0,10; &#374; = 0,1364 + 0,0100X ) sobre o ganho de peso médio diário e a Conversão Alimentar melhorou à medida que se aumentou o nível de PSP na dieta. Não houve efeito dos tratamentos sobre o índice de diarréia. Concluiu-se que o nível de inclusão de PSP é de 5,6% no período um.e PSP e sem LDP dos 29 aos 35 dias na fase um e 4,0% de PSP dos 36 aos 42 dias na fase dois. Dos 42 aos 56 dias, na fase três, ração de creche sem PSP foi fornecida para os animais de todos os tratamentos. Não se verificou efeito (P&#8805;0,10) da inclusão de PSP nas dietas sobre o consumo de ração médio diário . No período um verificou-se efeito linear crescente (P&#8804;0,10, IBN = 6,8371GPMD 3,5732CRMD) dos tratamentos sobre o índice bionutricional e crescente da adição de PSP (P&#8804;0,10; &#374; = 0,1364 + 0,0100X ) sobre o ganho de peso médio diário e a Conversão Alimentar melhorou à medida que se aumentou o nível de PSP na dieta. Não houve efeito dos tratamentos sobre o índice de diarréia. Concluiu-se que o nível de inclusão de PSP é de 5,6% no período um.