Cultivated potato is an autotetraploid (2n=4x=48), i.e., it has four complete sets of chromosomes. Tetraploids can harbor considerable heterozygosity (Jacobs, 1985) since there are potentially four possible alleles per locus. Reducing the ploidy level of potato from the tetraploid to the dihaploid level (2n=2x=24) and then the monoploid (2n=1x-12), or reducing diploid potato spp. to the monoploid level is a way of developing pure homozygous lines by doubling the monoploid genome. Homozygous breeding lines are important since potato is a highly cross pollinated crop and inbreds are absent. The reduction of the ploidy level can be realised through anther and microspore culture. This method bears a great deal of significance in that it provides a selection against lethal recessive genes. Monoploids carry only a single set of chromosomes and every locus carries only one allele. So the surviving monoploids are devoid of lethal alleles due to the effect of the "monoploid sieve" Protoplasts are plant cells, the cell walls of which have been digested by a combination of pectinase and cellulase enzymes. If the protoplasts are cultured in a suitable medium, they can resynthesize the cell walls, divide and regenerate complete plantlets. But if a successful fusion of protoplasts from sexually incompatible parents is achieved, the resulting somatic hybrid carries the genome contributed by both parents. This study aims to apply the molecular tool of RAPD mapping as an efficient agent of plant (potato) genetic characterization of anther-derived monoploids and putative hybrids of a somatic fusion of two monoploids. / Master of Science

This study addresses the intimate relationships of college students whose parents are divorced. Twenty-one students completed in-depth interviews and written surveys regarding their relationships with their parents, their parents’ marriages, their own intimate relationships, and relationships in general. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of these students, and note if any connections can be made between the divorce of their parents and their own relationships, or their feelings about relationships in general. The experiences of the students were quite diverse, but with some common threads. The amount of conflict witnessed, and how the divorce was discussed, seemed to have greater impact on this study's participants than the divorce itself did. A number of students were actually in favor of the divorce due to the high level of conflict between their parents. In their relationships, most study participants avoided conflict. There seemed to be some lack of faith in love and marriage, although most students voiced a desire for both. The divorce seemed to have greater impact on the father-child relationship more so than the mother-child relationship. There needs to be further examination of the intimate relationships of adults with parents who are divorced through a comparison to a control group to determine if the experiences described here are specific to those persons with divorced parents. There also needs to be an examination of a more diverse sample, i.e. greater variance in age, economic status and race. / Master of Science

Like all organizations, the Civil Engineering Department needs self-evaluation so as to take measure of the past, present and future. In this effort the document, "Strategic Planning for the Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil Engineering", was made to ensure proper development and to guide the right direction of the development. It, however, should be continuously updated and reviewed to ensure that we are in the right position. The purpose of this research is to apply a systems approach to making strategic planning a continuing process. Strategic objectives in fulfilling this purpose are dictated by the systems approach which includes: (l) assessing the current situation by viewing it in the context of the development of higher education, (2) formalizing procedures by which the strategic plan can be used as a plan on which ideas can be floated and consensus can be developed, (3) checking the consistency of the goals and objectives of the Department’s strategic plan with goals and objectives throughout the university hierarchy, and (4) developing a modeling instrumentality that will complement the planning document so as to permit policy and strategy evaluation. Using these systems approaches this thesis presented a review of the existing Strategic plan, goals intent structures, a linear programming model, and computer simulation models for the Department. / Master of Science

The active magnetic bearing (AMB) is a relatively new technology in which the suspension forces are generated magnetically without any contact. Although there are many advantages of AMB technology over conventional bearing design, its major selling point is the claim of reduced maintenance and longer run times between mandatory shutdowns to replace worn or defective components. This claim is, however, somewhat diluted by the fact that the majority of industrial applications have relied upon anti-friction backup bearings. These backup bearings are, in the event of control system failure or limited operation during momentary overload conditions, essential for the protection of AMB rotor, stator and other stationery seals along the shaft. The increase in the number of critical path machinery using AMB technology has focused awareness and necessity for proper design of these auxiliary bearings to avoid additional unwanted down-time. In this research, the equations of equilibrium governing the dynamic response of a rotor-bearing system were formulated and then solved using an appropriate numerical algorithm capable of analyzing this non-linear system. An efficient transient response analysis program was developed for evaluation of shock loading, blade loss and rotor drop of active magnetic bearing machinery. This program can analytically predict the path of the rotor and the instantaneous loads acting on the backup bearings during rotor drop which would help in the design of more reliable backup bearings without evaluating them experimentally. Parameter variation study was conducted analytically to observe the influence of some important factors on the dynamics of rotor drop phenomenon. The results from this program have also been compared to the experimental data obtained from the Virginia Tech Rotor Dynamics Laboratory AMB Rotor Drop Test Rig. / Master of Science

Winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production in the mid-Atlantic region occupies a substantial amount of arable land. Variable levels of winter and spring precipitation can result in N loss. The objectives of this study were to determine the optimum rate and timing of N fertilization and develop predictors of optimum N rates. An uptake study was conducted to determine N uptake of winter barley with respect to growth stage. Various N rate combinations at growth stages (GS) 25 and GS 30 were evaluated over twenty locations and three cropping seasons, to determine the application regime required to optimize grain yields at each site. Predictor variables at GS 25 and GS 30 were evaluated to predict optimum N rates. The N uptake study indicated an increased N uptake at GS 25 and GS 30. Yields from plots receiving no spring N varied from 1400 to 7530 kg ha⁻¹, at various sites, indicating a yield response of barley to residual N. Optimum N rates over locations varied from 0 to 136 kg N ha⁻¹, suggesting a need to diagnose site-specific N requirements. Plant tissue tests at GS 30 were the best predictor of GS 30 optimum N rates with a critical level of 3.5% N in plant tissue above which no economic response to applied N would be expected. GS 25 tiller density was the best predictor of optimum GS 25 N rates in 1994-1995. This season was climatically atypical thus this method must be evaluated further. / Master of Science

The Satellite Communications Group (SatComm Group) at Virginia Tech conducted a propagation research experiment with the intent of analyzing the effects of signal propagation in the Ku- and Ka-bands. 12, 20, and 30 GHz beacons were transmitted from the Olympus satellite and received at earth stations located in Blacksburg, Virginia. Data were collected from August 1990 through August 1992. One year of useable data were extracted from the measurements for analysis. The useable data set included January through May 1991, September through December 1991, and June through August 1992. This thesis presents fade slope statistics that were generated from the one year data that were obtained during the Olympus experiment. A background on fade slope is presented and includes a theoretically derived expression for fade slope, a comparison of fade slope calculation techniques, and a discussion of previous propagation experiments that yielded fade slope results. The Olympus experiment measurement techniques are discussed and the fade slope calculation method used with the Olympus data is presented. Fade slope statistical results are discussed and the development of an empirical model derived from the Olympus fade slope statistics is detailed. The empirical model predicts fade slope occurrence as a function of fade slope for any frequency between 12 and 30 GHz. / Master of Science

In May 1863, the end of service came to one of the most notable regiments in the Army of the Potomac. The 5th New York Volunteer Infantry, Duryée's Zouaves, returned home to be mustered out of service. In the fall of 1863, after being reorganized in the Manhattan area, the 5th New York again took the field as a battalion with four companies of veteran men under the command of Lt. Col. Cleveland Winslow. For seven months the unit occupied the defenses of Washington. In Alexandria the outfit performed duty at the provost marshal's office and undertook various responsibilities. In the Spring of 1864, the Zouaves acted as guards along the vital Orange and Alexandria Railroad, which carried supplies to the Army of the Potomac. Although the 5th New York Battalion was a veteran volunteer organization, it lacked discipline, which Col. Winslow constantly sought to instill. He succeeded, just in time. The 5th New York returned to the front at the end of May. The Zouaves joined Gen. Gouverneur K. Warren's V Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The consolidation of the 12th New York and the 14th Brooklyn into the 5th New York increased the battalion to regimental strength. On June 2, upon reporting to brigade commander Romeyn Ayres, the regiment immediately found itself in one of its toughest battles at Bethesda Church. Just over two weeks later, the regiment engaged in the June 18 assault against Petersburg. The 5th New York saw action in all the engagements of the V Corps during the siege of Petersburg, including the Weldon Railroad, Poplar Spring Church, Hatcher's Run, White Oak Road. The Zouaves' crowning glory came at Five Forks. During this battle, the 5th New York, along with the rest of Winthrop's brigade, broke the Confederate line at the strongest point--the "angle." This resulted in the capture of several thousand Confederate prisoners, and more importantly, it severed the Southside Railroad which forced Lee to evacuate Petersburg. Throughout the regiment's field service, it suffered a heavy toll of 391 casualties including several commanding officers. The Zouaves participated in the Appomattox campaign and the Grand Review, and then they returned to New York. Yet, the regiment was not mustered out of service until August. On August 21, 1865, military life for the heirs of the original 5th New York ended. In two years of service, the 5th New York Veteran Infantry made its own history while attempting to live up to a proud heritage. / Master of Arts

Multiple strains of German cockroaches, Blattella germanica, were exposed to four different toxic baits. The baits used were Roach Ender, Whitmire gel bait (not commercially available), Stapleton’s Magnetic Roach Food and Baygon. For each bait, strains varied in respect to bait consumption, percent bait eaten and mortality. Selection experiments were carried out to determine the potential for the development of resistance. After three generations of selection, incipient development of behavioral resistance was found in the Jacksonville and Puerto Rico strains exposed to Roach Ender. All strains exposed to Stapleton’s Magnetic Roach Food developed strong behavioral resistance. Video recordings were carried out to study the behavior of the selected strain and the stock of some strains that had developed behavioral resistance. The results from these experiments were inconclusive. / Master of Science

Qualitative and quantitative levels of human pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes, Clostridium botulinum, Salmonella species, Vibrio cholerae, Yersinia enterocolitica and Y. pseudotuberculosis) and general microbial quality of whole aquacultured rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were in compare differing aquacultural systems and growing seasons. Listeria levels and general microbial quality were determined on fillets from three facilities and compared to whole fish. Secondly, in each facility and season, levels of select minerals and heavy metals in edible tissue were determined. Aerobic plate counts for whole fish and fillets ranged from 3-6 logs. Coliform counts were high in many cases, but fecal coliform, and E. coli were comparatively lower. Both whole fish and fillets showed similar Listeria incidence (25-90%) and respective levels of 1.12-21 and 0.36-4.83 MPN/g. Presumptive C. botulinum incidence was 45-95% with levels of 0.46-2.33 MPN/g. Coliform, fecal coliforms, and E. coli counts and Listeria and C. botulinum incidence and counts were significant in plant/year interaction (p<0.05). A significant increase from whole fish to fillets in mesophilic APC, coliforms, and Listeria counts (p<0.05) was observed. No Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae, or Yersinia were isolated from any sample. Levels of Na, Zn, S, Ca, Mg, Mn, and Fe were generally within normal ranges. The heavy metals- As, Hg, Ni, Co, Cr, Mo, Pb, and Cd when detected, were below 0.5 ppm, with the exception of Cd in one sample (60.49 ppm). The presence of both C. botulinum and Listeria would be of concern to processors, although no heavy metals were at levels to cause concern. / Master of Science

This study explores how the Citizenship School Program of the Highlander Folk School shaped the grassroots leadership of the Civil Rights Movement. The thesis examines the role of citizenship education in the modern Civil Rights Movement and explores how educational efforts within the Movement enfranchised and empowered a segment of Southern black society that would have been untouched by demonstrations and federal voting legislation. Civil Rights activists in the Deep South, attempting to register voters, recognized the severe inadequacies of public education for black students and built parallel educational institutions designed to introduce black students to their rights as American citizens, develop local leadership and grassroots organizational structures. The methods the activists used to accomplish these goals had been pioneered in the mid-1950’s by Septima Clark and Myles Horton of the Highlander Folk School. Horton and Clark developed a successful curriculum structure for adult literacy and citizenship education that they implemented on Johns Island off the coast of South Carolina. The popularity of the schools spread to neighboring islands and continued to grow. Ella Baker, acting executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, brought the program to the attention of Martin Luther King, Jr. and in 1960, when the state of Tennessee closed Highlander Folk School, the SCLC adopted the Citizenship Education Program as its own. Under the auspices of the SCLC, Clark’s program became the paradigm for citizenship education throughout the Civil Rights Movement, up to and including the Freedom Schools incorporated into the Mississippi Summer Project of 1964. / Master of Arts