This study sought to determine and evaluate the effectiveness of the Leadership Advisory Board structure and its membership at meeting the needs of Visioning and Advocacy for Texas AgriLife Extension Service. The research was conducted with the members of the Leadership Advisory Boards in 48 counties in Texas, with a selection based upon distribution of counties across all Extension categories roughly equal to the percentage of each category currently present in the State. The primary purpose was to determine the self perception of members of their ability to serve as advocates and as a visionary organization to help Extension identify and validate the issues important to the residents of their county. A secondary purpose was to identify the benefits, concerns and solutions that can assist Texas AgriLife Extension in strengthening the organizational structure and methods associated with these Boards across the State. Five research questions were examined by the researcher. These questions were, 1. What is the competency level of the Leadership Advisory Board members on the pertinent issues in the county?, 2. Do members of the Leadership Advisory Boards understand the Land-Grant system and the Extension Service?, 3. Do members of the Leadership Advisory Board feel that their ideas lead to programs?, 4. Do members of the Leadership Advisory Board assist with interpreting program impacts to key stakeholders and decision makers?, 5. What benefits are Leadership Advisory Board members receiving from their involvement on the Board? The sample population included 490 Leadership Advisory Board members, with 236 of these participating in the survey. The instrument utilized was a seven page survey with 26 perception statements on a likert-type scale, six true or false questions to measure knowledge of the Land-Grant system, three open-ended questions for qualitative analysis, and 10 demographic questions to describe and categorize the respondents. The results included 10 significant findings, which led to 7 recommendations for Extension related to the Leadership Advisory Board, and 5 areas of further research.

A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted to determine the perceived levels of effectiveness and barriers for a successful mentoring relationship between mentors and mentees. Specifically, this study explored the formal mentoring relationships within Texas AgriLife Extension's Mentoring Program. Research was conducted on mentoring relationships from mentor and mentee perspectives to determine how they perceived the relationships' effectiveness, which may serve as a model for further research. The population for this longitudinal study was mentors and mentees in a formal mentoring relationship between the years of 2004 and 2008 within Texas AgriLife Extension Service. One hundred-six mentoring relationships were examined over a five year period. The data were gathered from an open-ended evaluation instrument administered at the end of the one-year mentoring relationship. Wells, (1997) served as the conceptual framework for this study. Wells's model is based on the nine roles of value-creating order, inspiring action, and improving performance-and was used to identify skills that could build professional capacity for a mentor and mentee. The findings of this study indicated that mentors and mentees perceived the formal mentoring program to be effective in sharing knowledge, resources, and experiences. Mentors and mentees indicated that the barriers of time, distance, differences, and work load existed and the relationship could have been improved if barriers were minimized. The perceived characteristics that emerged for an effective mentoring relationship were trusting, encouraging, and leadership. Recommendations were made that researchers should continue to look at training and processes for mentors and mentees preparing for a mentoring relationship.

In agrarian societies, HIV/AIDS extends far beyond the realm of healthcare into agricultural production and food security as well. Namibia is a developing country with a large portion of its population involved in agriculture; the average HIV/AIDS infection rate of 21.3% in the country leaves a large portion of agricultural workers living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. The purpose of this study was to further evaluate the impact of HIV/AIDS on national and community level food security in northern Namibia by ascertaining the perceptions and experiences of local farmers living with HIV/AIDS. In addition, this research aims to define the specific training needs for this population, and to identify possible barriers to access. Four focus groups and four key informant interviews were conducted in northern Namibia, and participants were asked a variety of questions relating to People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in agriculture. Qualitative analysis drew out prevailing themes and ideas from the data. This study found that there is a greater need for HIV/AIDS specific education and programs targeted to HIV/AIDS infected agrarian workers. Additionally this study found there were barriers to education present in the current system, and identified needs for joint programming initiatives between the ministries of health and agriculture.

Triaxial extension experiments on Carrara Marble demonstrate that there is a continuous transition from extension to shear fracture on the basis of mechanical behavior, macroscopic fracture orientation and fracture morphology where hybrid fractures with extension and shear fracture characteristics are formed at the intermediate stress conditions. Extension fracture surfaces display discrete, highly reflective cleavage planes and shear fracture surfaces are covered with calcite gouge and display grooves and striations that are aligned parallel to slip. This study uses the fractured samples that were formed under triaxial extension experiments to characterize 1) microscopic surface features using scanning electron microscopy, 2) fracture surface morphology using laser profilometry, and 3) off-fracture damage using optical microscopy. These data are used to test the step-crack model of fracture development for the formation of hybrid fractures. Spectral analysis of the profiles demonstrates that microscopic roughness decreases gradually across the extension-to-shear fracture transition in both the orientations parallel and perpendicular to slip. However, macroscopic roughness gradually increases then decreases across the transition in the direction parallel to slip. The greatest macroscopic roughness occurs at the transition from extension fractures to tensile-hybrid fractures and is attributed to the presence of macroscopic steps in hybrid fractures surfaces. The treads of the steps in the hybrid fracture surfaces have characteristics of extension fracture surfaces and the risers have characteristics of shear fracture surfaces. The treads have a right-stepping left lateral geometry that is consistent with the step-crack model. Thin sections of hybrid fractures display systematically spaced, pinnate, microfractures that emanate from both sides of the macroscopic fracture surface. The pinnate fractures on both sides correlate across the macroscopic fracture, suggesting that they are precursory to the formation of the macroscopic fracture surface. The spacing to length ratio of the pinnate fractures and the macroscopic orientation of the fracture surface are also consistent the relationship dictated by the step-crack model of fault formation.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2002. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 56 p. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 44-45).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Denver Conservative Baptist Seminary, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 215-224).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-99). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 94-99). Also available on the Internet.

Passive margins along the eastern seaboard of North America formed during early Mesozoic continental rifting and seafloor spreading, tectonic processes that are not fully understood. Seismic refraction and reflection data at the northeastern and north-central Gulf of Mexico and the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, Canada, are used to interpret the deep seismic velocity structure of sediments, crust, and mantle. These interpretations allow for a better understanding of continental rifting, mantle upwelling, magmatism, and seafloor spreading. Magma-poor rifting of the Newfoundland-Iberian margin developed a wide continent-ocean transition zone (COT). I present an analysis of 2-D marine seismic refraction and reflection data from the SCREECH project, including a shear velocity model to constrain the composition of the Newfoundland COT. Comparing SCREECH Line 2 Vp/Vs ratios with depth to potential lithologies supports a COT comprised of hyperextended continental crust and serpentinized mantle. Reconstructions of the opening of the Gulf of Mexico basin are impeded by a lack of seafloor magnetic anomalies and an abundance of sediments that obscure acquisition of seismic refraction datasets. Accordingly, the roles of mantle upwelling, magmatism, and lithospheric extension in this small ocean basin are poorly known. I present new 2-D marine seismic refraction data from the U.S. Gulf of Mexico collected during the 2010 GUMBO project. Rifting in the eastern Gulf of Mexico developed above a zone of anomalously high mantle potential temperatures that led to abundant magmatism. Syn-rift basins in continental crust, high velocity lower crust, a narrow zone of crustal thinning, and seaward-dipping reflectors support this interpretation. Oceanic crust here is thick despite slow seafloor-spreading rates, implying continuation of a thermal anomaly after rifting. In the north-central Gulf of Mexico, transitional crust is consistently thin (~10 km) across a wide zone. Velocity-depth comparisons, asymmetry of the north-central Gulf with the Yucatán margin, and dating of onshore xenoliths support either stretched and magmatically intruded continental crust or a multi-stage episode of seafloor spreading with ridge jumps. I contend that although tectonic inheritance may ultimately influence the location of a passive margin, the rifting process is largely controlled by mantle potential temperature and upwelling rate. / text

Fast fashion retailers bring apparel products to market much more quickly than in traditional apparel retailing. Fast fashion retailers are able to respond quickly to both fashion trends and consumer demand. Yet the emphasis on speed has quickened the consumption of fast fashion apparel products, which are produced with low quality and thus have short product lifespans. Critics of fast fashion cite these negatives, combined with chemicals, water and energy used in production, among other issues, as detrimental to the environment. However, some fast fashion retailers have implemented sustainable options into their product offerings. This study analyzes consumers’ perceptions of a sustainable brand extension introduced by a fast fashion retailer. The research is divided into two studies. First, an exploratory study was conducted to assess consumer knowledge of sustainability and fast fashion and to uncover potential factors for the model of the second study. Findings show a low level of knowledge of the holistic principle of sustainability and specific adverse effects of the apparel industry and of the concept of fast fashion. Despite some skepticism, participants feel steps must be taken towards sustainability and that every effort helps. The second part of the research tested consumer perceptions of a potential sustainable line extension introduced by a specific fast fashion retailer. Following brand extension theory, study two tests the influence of brand knowledge and affect on both the perceptions of brand-cause fit and brand-extension fit and the influence of cause knowledge and involvement on the perceptions of fit between brand and cause. The influence of brand-extension fit and brand-cause fit on attitude toward the extension was also analyzed. An online self-administrated survey using the written scenario approach resulted in 598 responses. Findings show the influence of brand knowledge and affect on brand-extension fit and brand-cause fit and cause knowledge and involvement on cause-brand fit. Implications for retailers include leveraging consumers’ past knowledge and affect of the brand through marketing of the sustainable product. Overall the study shows that consumers do view sustainable products as fitting with fast fashion retailers, based on their previous knowledge and affect of the brand and cause. / text