The objective of this thesis was to utilize the Amateur-Professional typology, as defined by James Q. Wilson, to examine party activism among delegates to the 1976 Republican National Convention. Specifically, correlations between socio-economic variables, political socialization experiences, and the incentives which motivated the delegates were to be studied. The first hypothesis was tested by crosstabulating the Amateur- Professional Index with the traditional socio-economic characteristics. Essentially, the data confirmed past research which indicated that socio-economic variables are not significantly related to activist style. The second hypothesis examined the relationships between activist style and family political activity, agents of initial political socialization, years of activity in the party, past convention experience, and perception of their role as a delegate. The results produced tended to indicate that those delegates with politically active families, more years active in the party, greater participation in past conventions and a more "person" rather than "issue" orientation, were likely to be more professionally oriented than the delegates who possessed an opposite political background. This finding was essentially in keeping with past research and therefore confirmed the hypothesis. The last hypothesis examined the delegates' preferences for incentives for maintaining their party activity. Although most delegates expressed a greater preference for purposive rather than material incentives, it was found that more amateurs preferred purposive incentives, while more professionals preferred the material incentives. This finding was consistent with previous research and the hypothesis was confirmed. / Master of Arts

1- As cities emerge in indeterminate directions, the mobility of structures prolongs their usability. 2- A portable church having an approximate life of 40-50 years will be capable of being re-erected several times and have expansion potential where greater activity requires. 3- Alternative uses include their semi-permanent construction in underdeveloped countries, or areas of natural disasters, to bring solidarity among people. 4- "Simplicity, standardization, openness, spaciousness and lightness...vitality." / Master of Architecture

Resolution of the main issues in largemouth bass management will require the ability to predict the effects of exploitation on population structure, optimally select size limits, relate bass population structure to prey population structure, and predict the effects of fluctuations in recruitment on production and yield. A general model of population structure was developed for use in studying these problems. The model was derived by examining the relationship between life history and population structure. Life history processes are described as mixed continuous and jump stochastic processes. The model was derived in two forms, an integro-differential equation and a stochastic integral equation, which include all of the classical continuous-time population models as special cases. Two general results concerning the model were proven. First, the stochastic integral equation was shown to predict the same expected population structure as a deterministic model using average birth and death rates whenever the processes are uncorrelated. However, it is very unlikely that birth rate, death rate, and density will be independent, so the stochastic and deterministic models will generally diverge. Second, it was shown that with density-independence the expected population structure in the stochastic model is asymptotically stable. Special cases of the model were used to illustrate the possible effects of exploitation on average catchability and population structure. Methods for calculation of optimal length limits and production and yield were illustrated for simple cases. Use of the full power of the model, however, must await more detailed description of factors influencing mortality and growth, especially the effect of the density and size structure of available prey. / Master of Science

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the policies behind Soviet intervention in the Spanish Civil War. The U.S.S.R. had two principal foreign policy goals in the late 193O's, goals which were applied to Spain from the outset of the Civil War. These were to stop the spread of Fascism and to develop close relations with Britain and France. Both goals had as their foundation a concern for the security of the Soviet Union. Faced with the disappointment of France's policy of Non-Intervention, and at the same time by a worsening Republican military situation, the U.S.S.R. sought to pursue both goals with regard to Spain by conducting a holding action in the Iberian peninsula and simultaneously attempting to establish an effective Non-Intervention Committee. An effective Committee would, hopefully, promote good ties with the democracies and at the same time prevent the victory of Fascism in Spain. Until the Spring of 1937, Soviet policy in regard to Spain was conducted skillfully. In the first part of 1937, however, Stalin ordered a purge of the Catalan Left, which undermined his previous policy in Spain. Stalin's concern for his own personal power thus jeopardized a policy which had as its foundation the defense of the Soviet Union. / Master of Arts

A prototype system with wash water recirculation was studied as a possible method of water conservation in the food processing industry. A conventional leafy-greens washer at the Exmore Foods Company, Incorporated, Exmore, Virginia, was compared with a prototype system. Spinach and turnip greens were processed with the two systems. The quality of the product and that of the wash water from both systems was compared by measuring grit content, bacteria contamination, and insect contamination of the product; TSS, VSS, COD, and grit concentrations in the wash water. The results indicated the better performance of prototype system which required only 23 percent of the water used by the conventional washers. The mathematical model developed to describe the grit content in the wash water of the prototype during washing succeeded in producing predicted values generally close to measured values. / Master of Science

The feasibility of baling forest residues has been ascertained by examining three segments of the baling concept. These are: the in-woods evaluation of baling; the transportation aspects of the baling concept; and the utilization of baled forest residues for energy production at pulp and paper mills. The in-woods evaluation was accomplished by simulating and comparing two conventional systems and a baler equipped system on two stand types with the Harvesting Systems Simulator. The comparison demonstrated that a baler equipped system is a viable alternative to whole tree chipping for the recovery of forest residues. The baler equipped system has the advantages of less capital investment, less stringent operating requirements and the potential to generate more profits on stands of at least moderate timber sizes and moderate volumes of residue per acre. In the evaluation of the transportation aspects of baling the superior materials handling and hauling characteristics of baled material were disclosed. The uniform dimensions and high bulk densities of bales contribute to excellent loading, reloading and hauling capacities. Bales are also highly compatible with existing modes of transportation. The utilization of baled residues for energy production offers a potentially cheap and relatively accessible source of fuel for pulp and paper companies. Substantial savings can be obtained by substituting baled residues for coal or oil. / Master of Science

The topic of this thesis is the rehabilitation of the McGuire Building in the Market Area of Roanoke, Virginia. The McGuire Building was chosen for rehabilitation to serve as a catalyst to positively influence growth within the Market Area. Presently the Market Area of Roanoke is a small decaying area housing a farmer's curb market and the City Market Building. It is felt that both the farmer's curb market and the City Market Building possess a unique character. Unfortunately, as the Market Area decays, the size and importance of the farmer's curb market and the City Market Building dwindles. The design proposed in this thesis is a response to the need for the conservation of the Market Area of Roanoke and its unique character. / Master of Architecture

Copper oxide thin films were prepared on glass substrates by radio frequency sputtering of a sintered CuO target in various argon-oxygen atmospheres. Films sputtered in pure argon consisted of both CuO and Cu₂O due to partial dissociation of CuO during deposition. Sputtering in 10% and 50% oxygen afforded films composed entirely of CuO₁₊ₓ. All the sputtered films exhibited extrinsic p-type semiconduction. Both resistivity and thermal activation energy decreased with increasing oxygen content of the sputtering atmosphere. The resistivity of the CuO/Cu₂O films decreased with increasing Cu₂O content. Annealing of the CuO₁₊ₓfilms at 300℃ in air increased their resistivity, activation energy, and visible transmittance, while decreasing the lattice parameters slightly. These changes were attributed to the loss of excess oxygen trapped within the film lattice during sputtering. Annealing of the CuO/Cu₂O films under the same conditions oxidized the Cu₂O to CuO and increased film resistivity to values greater than 10³Ω-cm. A high degree of preferred orientation was observed in the films sputtered in the presence of oxygen. These films were oriented with the (111) planes parallel to the substrate surface and remained so even after annealing in air at 300℃. The (111) planes in CuO are composed of equal concentrations of copper and oxygen atoms and were identified as the most densely packed planes in the lattice. Films consisting of Cu₂O only were prepared by reducing previously sputtered films in a mixture of CO and CO₂ at 300℃. The technique proved to be a convenient means for obtaining Cu₂O films with reproducible properties which were useful in explaining the behavior of the CuO/Cu₂O films. / Master of Science

A prevocational horticulture training program for the E.M.R. student enrolled in special education was developed, evaluated, and revised in this study. One E.M.R. special education class, comprised of four male E.M.R. students, participated in the study. The special education teacher, with the assistance of the researcher, executed and evaluated the instructional unit over a ten-week period. Results of the study, based on a number of assessment procedures, indicated that the horticulture training program was an effective vocational instructional tool. It promoted good social and work attitudes, improved mental and work skills, increased motivation, and promoted a general knowledge of horticulture. Limitations of the study made it difficult to validly determine whether the horticulture instructional unit was the treatment responsible for the significant increase in student job skills' and attitudes' acquisition. In addition, the absence of follow-up studies made it difficult to assess the program's impact on the entry and success of the E.M.R. students into a regular vocational program. After evaluations and recommendations were made, the instructional unit was revised to produce a usable product, step-by-step horticulture instructional material for the E.M.R. student. The study provides a preliminary framework for further experimental investigation into·the utilization of horticulture as a prevocational training tool for the E.M.R. student. / Master of Science

The effect of oxidation-reduction potential (Eh) on the outgrowth, toxin production, and chemical inhibition of Clostridium botulinum type A spores was investigated. Growth, toxin formation, and Eh7 changes were monitored in an airtight four necked flask containing electrodes for continuous measurement of Eh and pH and connections for the exchange and mixing of prepurified nitrogen and anaerobic carbon dioxide. Strict anaerobic procedures and prepurified media were utilized to facilitate controlled conditions. In the electrode vessel the media were poised at the different Eh levels by sparging the pre reduced media with oxygen free nitrogen or by sparging oxidized media (media autoclaved under air) with the nitrogen gas. Outgrowth, toxin production, and Eh7 changes were measured under various growth conditions. In both oxidized (Eh7 = -60mv) and reduced (Eh7 = -145mv) media, there were no significant differences observed in the growth and toxin formation under uninhibited growth conditions. However, growth and toxin production were further delayed and/or decreased in the oxidized media as compared to the reduced media during inhibition by sodium chloride (5.5% and 6.5%), hydrogen ions (pH 5.2 and 5.3), and sucrose (30%). / Master of Science