The effect of date and method of lifting on ethylene production by 1-0 loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) seedlings during cold storage, the dose-response relationship between ethylene and loblolly pine seedlings during cold storage, and the effect of water stress on ethylene and aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) production in two half-sib loblolly families were investigated. Seedlings stored in Kraft-Polvethvlene (K-P) bags showed a general trend of increasing ethylene concentrations from November through February, with an abrupt drop in March. Production rates may be related to the level of dormancy of the seedlings, with the peak in production corresponding to fulfillment of the chilling requirement. Ethylene concentrations within the K-P bags generally declined over the twelve weeks in cold storage. Roots produced significantly higher levels of ethylene while stored in the K-P bags; however, when incubated under light, the needles produced higher concentrations. Roots of machine-lifted seedlings produced significantly higher levels of ethylene than roots of hand-lifted seedlings. However, rates tended to moderate during storage and differences in production between HL and ML whole seedlings were not significant, which suggests that mechanical lifting is not a source of increased ethylene production. A dose-response study indicated that ethylene fumigation during cold storage tended to slightly enhance growth of outplanted seedlings. The effects of water stress on a Virginia Coastal Plain (CP) and an East Texas Drought Hardy (DH) loblolly family were also investigated. Ethylene production during severe stress (-2.8 MPa) appeared to be related to drought hardiness, with the CP seedlings producing much higher levels. Roots of both families produced greater levels of ethylene than the needles and may be due to an enhanced ability to convert 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) to ethylene. / Master of Science

Insignificant diurnal variations make the reliance on thermal inertia to ameliorate the thermal discomfort in the hot humid region impossible. Natural ventilation, therefore, is not only important, but the velocity of air that gets into the living area is crucial. Various ways of creating negative pressure (a process of increasing the interior air speed) are examined. The performance of roof types with different horizontal openings in enhancing interior air movement was investigated in an open throat wind tunnel. The results indicate a significant difference in the interior air velocity with roof type A opening type 1 (see fig. 27 and fig. 28). The thesis explores other ways of creating climate adapted architecture in providing acceptable comfort level in the hot humid climate. Warm humid climates are defined, and data for one example (Lagos, Nigeria) are analysed. Comfort zones are established relative to the region being investigated and the methods of limiting interior heat gain are described. The effects of orientation, cross ventilation and material choice are discussed. / Master of Architecture

M. S.

The Large Format Camera is a high resolution wide-angle mapping camera. It will be carried into orbit as a payload in the Shuttle Orbiter vehicle's cargo bay. A mapping camera must be calibrated to determine precise values for its elements of interior orientation. The Large Format Camera was calibrated by the stellar method of camera calibration. Descriptions of the procedure used by the National Ocean Service to calibrate the Large Format Camera are included. / Master of Engineering

Québec Université Laval, Bibliothèque 2015

Québec Université Laval, Bibliothèque 2013

This study investigated the impact of the ECIA Chapter 2 Block Grant program and the extent to which the legislative intent was realized in a sample of eight local education agencies (LEAs) in Virginia. Specifically, three research questions were investigated: Did the implementation of ECIA Chapter 2 affect formerly funded categorical programs in the LEAs?; Did the implementation of ECIA Chapter 2 result in the reduction of administrative costs and paperwork burden for the LEAs?; and, Did the implementation of ECIA Chapter 2 provide increased LEA responsibility for the design and implementation of local education programs? The study included data collection at eight Virginia LEAs, Amelia, Arlington, Charlottesville City, King George, Powhatan, Rappahannock, Richmond City and Suffolk City. Administrative, programmatic and fiscal effects associated with ECIA Chapter 2 implementation for the 1982-83 school year were examined with the aid of a semi-structured interview guide. Data were analyzed through the use of the constant comparative method developed by Glaser and Strauss. Data were analyzed across study sites and in case study format. Study findings indicated that the implementation of ECIA Chapter 2 had a detrimental effect on the local programs previously supported with federal categorical program funds. Seventy-six percent of the local programs in study sites were diminished in some way with the implementation of Chapter 2. New local programs supported with Chapter 2 funds in study sites differed from those supported with categorical funds in significant ways. Second, the study found that three study sites experienced reduced administrative costs and paperwork, one experienced no difference, and one-half of the study sites experienced increased administrative costs and paperwork under Chapter 2. Finally, across all study sites, it was found that the implementation of ECIA Chapter 2 did not result in an increase of LEA involvement in program planning and development activities. / Ed. D.

Biaxial stress fatigue data is carefully examined in order to determine how much foundation exists for a rational approach to classical stress-based fatigue limit analysis involving biaxial stress components. A review is given of the methods presently in vogue, and new methods are suggested for obtaining equivalent mean and equivalent alternating stresses. Some groundwork is laid for the consideration of stress gradient influence on fatigue behavior. There are also some observations concerning the Distortional Energy and Tresca criteria and how they are incorporated in fatigue design procedures. The work is restricted to cases in which the alternating principal stress axes have fixed orientation. / Ph. D.

Recently a variety of national reports have been completed which call for school reform. Additionally, there has been an abundance of research which attempts to identify the characteristics of effective schools. Throughout the literature on school reform and effectiveness, school climate is consistently identified as an important factor in effective schools. However, questions concerning how schools improve their climate and what the effects and obstacles of such efforts are remain unanswered. School climate improvement efforts tend to fall into two major categories which can be referred to as either formal systematic approaches or informal non-systematic approaches. Formal approaches exist where the developer of the approach states specific steps and procedures which are followed by a school to improve its climate. Informal approaches are also being used by schools where the principal and staff identify and implement various actions which are undertaken to improve the school's climate for learning. This study identified and described both a formal and an informal approach to school climate and determined the effects and obstacles encountered with each approach. Two secondary schools using each type of approach were studied and compared. The procedures and activities used by each of the four schools under study were described. The outcomes and obstacles encountered in each school's climate improvement process were identified. The findings of the study were that all four schools in the study had positive outcomes regardless of the approach used. Common obstacles occurred in all four schools. They included lack of staff time to address school concerns, some staff did not support the school's efforts and students and parents were slow to respond positively to the staff's efforts. / Doctor of Education

The purpose of this research is to examine the significance of a market factor, an industry factor, a company factor and a growth factor in explaining security returns. A secondary objective is to determine if interim financial statements--the balance sheet and the income statement--provide useful information in developing the return model. Market-related and industry-related systematic risks are constructed as surrogate measurements for the market and industry factors. The company factor is composed of one accounting return measure (profitability) and five accounting risk measures (accounting beta, operating leverage, financial leverage, dividend covariability, and cash flow beta). These variables are included as individual regressors in the return model. Also, a company index (the first principal component) is constructed and tested for its significance in the four-factor return model. The compound growth rate in total assets measures the growth of individual companies. Quarterly accounting information is used to measure these company and growth variables, and their significance provides evidence supporting the usefulness of interim financial statements. A multiple regression analysis is employed to develop the return model. In addition to the market factor, an industry factor, components of the company factor (dividend covariability and profitability), and a growth factor are found to contribute significantly to estimation of the return model. The use of a company index in lieu of individual company variables, however, is not recommended for· developing the return model. Additionally, results indicate that the market model provides the best surrogate measure of the market factor, and Line of Business information is recommended for classifying companies into industry groups. Major limitations of the study are (i) a self-selection bias of companies for the sample; (ii) measurement errors in interim financial statement data due to accounting allocations; (iii) seasonality of quarterly accounting information; (iv) use of average regression statistics in determining the best return model; (v) a limited number of regression models examined; and (vi) multicollinearity. These may limit the generalizability of the findings beyond the sample data and the interpretation of relationship between security return and its potential determinants. / Ph. D.