abstract: The dearth of young bassoonists in America can be felt at every level of expertise, whether it be at professional levels where there are fewer qualified bassoonists compared to other woodwinds, or in local communities where interested pupils cannot find a teacher to guide them. In order to alleviate this scarcity, we must solve the problem at its root: young bassoonists. There have been many attempts to provide better instructional material for beginner-level bassoonists and to produce better reeds to entice more students to study the bassoon and to sustain their playing beyond the first few years. These attempts, however, fail to address another critical issue: the cost and availability of the bassoon itself. Most bassoonists in America begin their journey in public school; however, many school music programs cannot afford to purchase bassoons due to their cost. To combat this obstacle, Fox Products produced their first bassoon made of polypropylene—a synthetic material—in 1961 at a relatively low price point. This is an innovation that no other bassoon manufacturer has accomplished. An analysis of sales numbers from major instrument suppliers indicate that these bassoons have been very successful. Their availability has allowed schools to purchase instruments to educate more young bassoonists and, as a result, participant numbers of students in Texas (where public music programs are known for their strength) competing at regional and state competitions have increased over the past fifty years. Fox, through their focus on affordable student bassoons, is revitalizing young students’ interest in playing the bassoon and thus is a major factor in the reversal of the decline of bassoonists in America. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music 2017

The distribution of the kit fox (Vulpes macrotis) in Utah was studied from 1974 to 1976 . A variety of methods were used, but a questionnaire sent annually to state and federal agencies, combined with interviews of fie ld personnel of these agencies, was found to be the most valuable. Kit foxes occur in western Utah and Washington County as previously reported. In addition, range extensions were noted in central Utah , and in Carbon, Emery, Grand, Wayne, and Garfield counties in east-central Utah. These range extensions total approximately 4,600- square miles (12,000 - square kilometers). The kit fox probably also inhabits San Juan County , but this was not confirmed. Stepwise discriminant analysis ~1as performed on groups of skull s representing the three nominal subspecies of y_. macrotis reported to occur in Utah (V. m nevadensis, arsipus , and neomex i cana). The skulls were judged to represent three distinct populations significantly different from each other in at least seven skull characteristics. Six specimens from eastern Utah and western Colorado were tentatively assigned to V m nevadensis.

M.S.

M.S.

Baiting with sodium monofluoroacetate (1080) to protect lambs (Ovis aries) from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes L.) has become more frequent in NSW and other parts of Australia during the last 10 years despite the lack of reported evidence evaluating the effects of fox baiting on lamb survival. NSW Agriculture has developed fox control recommendations aimed at minimising impact, but these guidelines have not been tested experimentally. Defining the extent of a pest problem and the effectiveness of pest control are key components of a strategic approach to vertebrate pest management as it is the damage of pests that justifies their control. This thesis describes an experimental evaluation of the recommended practice of fox control in NSW. The effects of three levels of fox control were tested in the experiment; no treatment, baiting once a year before lambing (the recommended practice) and baiting three times a year (thought to be the maximum farmers would instigate). Each treatment had two replicates. No previous manipulative experiment using synchronous controls and matched replicates has been undertaken to test the effects. The study quantifies the level of fox predation on healthy lambs and the level of predation on lambs that had other causes including illness and mismothering contributing to this fox predation. It also examines the response of the fox population, lamb predation and lambing outcomes to different levels of fox control. The cost effectiveness of fox control is examined in relation to lamb predation and an investigation of the optimum level of fox control is begun. The experiment also provides the first chance to consider the examination of multiple response variables and the scale of field ecology experiments required to recognise a significant response and avoid a Type II error due to between replicate variability even with tightly controlled site selection criteria to standardise experimental sites, and with the synchrony of experimental control and treatment surveys. The study occurred on five sheep properties near Boorowa (34°28'S, 148°32'E) and Murringo (34°18'S, 148°3 1'E) in south-eastern Australia. The terrain was undulating to hilly with a maximum elevation of 660 m above sea level. The main agricultural enterprises in the district are Merino wool, fat lamb and beef cattle production and winter cereal cropping. The native vegetation of Eucalyptus woodland has been mostly cleared, though remnant patches occur. Most of the area is now sown with pasture of Phalaris tuberosa, Lolium spp. and clover Trifolium spp.. The experimental properties grazed self-replacing Merino flocks, primarily for wool production, so lamb survival was vital to the economic operation of the farm. Over 50 selection criteria including lamb survival rates, ewe fertility and bloodline, sheep management practices, climate and habitat features that affect lamb survival, past fox control practices and prey species were used to select sites Sites were representative of most sheep farming properties in the region, but were also extremely similar in factors that affected fox abundance and ewe and lamb survival, thus minimising variation between replicate sites. The manufactured meat baits used to poison foxes contained 3 mg of sodium monofluoroacetate (compound 1080). A replacement baiting program was carried out in 1995 and 1996. Fox control programs were carried out over the experimental units and adjacent buffer zones covering approximately two fox territories, approximately 6km2, around the lambing paddock under study. The recommended fox control practices described by NSW Agriculture also included neighbouring farmers taking part in an extended group baiting program. In all the area baited at varying intensities totalled 3400 km2. Synchronised lambing with neighbours was a further recommended practice to reduce fox predation and was carried out on these sites. Lambing occurred during a six to eight week period in late winter on all sites, a practice known as 'spring lambing', and on many surrounding properties so a surplus of lambs was available to foxes over a relatively short time. The benefits of fox control were measured directly as enhanced lamb survival derived from differences in lamb marking rates between ultrasounded flocks of approximately 1000 ewes and the predation of lambs was measured from over 2000 lamb carcases post-mortemed in 1994, 1995 and 1996. A mean of 138 lambs were expected at ultrasounding from 100 ewes and 113 lambs per 100 ewes were alive at lamb marking. There was no significant (P>0.05) effect of fox control on lambing performance (the number of lambs per 100 ewes that lambed) Fox predation was inferred as the cause of lamb death in a minimum of 0.8% and a maximum of 5.3% of lamb carcases during 1995 and 1996. There was a significant (P<0 05) effect of fox control on the minimum possible percentage of lamb carcases classified as healthy lambs killed by foxes, with the percentage declining from 1.50% (no fox control), to 0.90% (fox control once per year) to 0.25% (fox control three times per year). There was also a significant (P<0.005) effect of fox control on the maximum possible percentage of lamb carcases classified as healthy lambs killed by foxes with the percentage declining from 10.25% (no fox control), to 6.50% (fox control once per year) to 3.75% (fox control three times per year). The observed results were used to estimate the number of treatment replicates needed to be confident of detecting an effect of predator control on lamb marking performance. The estimated numbers were very high if small effects were to be detected. No significant correlation between the fox density and the minimum and maximum possible number of lambs carcases classified as killed by foxes was found. Bait uptake was monitored as were the costs of fox control.

Host behavior, age, sex, diet, and condition, as well as variation in parasite specificity, drive variation in parasite infection, and ultimately determine the host parasite community. The objectives of this thesis were to 1) examine intraspecific variation in arctic fox parasites, 2) determine relationships between diet and parasites in sympatric arctic and red fox, and 3) compare wolf parasites and diet. Male arctic fox had more cestodes than females and juveniles had more nematodes than adults, likely due to diet and exposure. Red fox carried fewer parasites than arctic fox, likely due to diet, evolved resistance behaviors and higher immune investment, but diet affected cestode abundance in both species. Wolves that ate more white-tailed deer had more cestodes, suggesting increasing deer populations could enhance parasite transmission to moose. However, body condition was unaffected by parasites, suggesting northern canids may have not reached a threshold of infection.

Host behavior, age, sex, diet, and condition, as well as variation in parasite specificity, drive variation in parasite infection, and ultimately determine the host parasite community. The objectives of this thesis were to 1) examine intraspecific variation in arctic fox parasites, 2) determine relationships between diet and parasites in sympatric arctic and red fox, and 3) compare wolf parasites and diet. Male arctic fox had more cestodes than females and juveniles had more nematodes than adults, likely due to diet and exposure. Red fox carried fewer parasites than arctic fox, likely due to diet, evolved resistance behaviors and higher immune investment, but diet affected cestode abundance in both species. Wolves that ate more white-tailed deer had more cestodes, suggesting increasing deer populations could enhance parasite transmission to moose. However, body condition was unaffected by parasites, suggesting northern canids may have not reached a threshold of infection.

Thesis (M.S.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2005. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on June 12, 2006). Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Scott Creel. Includes bibliographical references (p. 71-80).

This thesis analyses the Scottish Whig party between 1801 and 1820 with particular focus on party structure, organisation, and ideology. It seeks to provide a picture of the Scottish Whig party between these dates and to demonstrate that the party developed and maintained a sophisticated structure, cultivated an active and diverse body of members, and contributed to the intellectual development of the national Whig party. Chapter One explores the multiple opinions that existed within the Scottish Whigs on the issue of reform and how these ideas were disseminated in the press. Chapter Two discusses the fissures that existed within the Edinburgh Whigs and notes the generational gap which saw the younger Whigs compete with the older ones for pre-eminence within the party. Chapter Three extends this study beyond the confines of Edinburgh and examines the importance of a culture of conviviality to the party through a study of the dinners held throughout Scotland in honour of Charles James Fox. Extending beyond the urban centres, Chapter Four delves into the complexities of county politics in Scotland and the methods that the Whigs developed in order to overcome local challenges. Chapter Five explores the practical means by which the opposition party maintained itself, specifically through the patronage of university chairs and livings in the Church of Scotland. Through a brief exploration of the career of John Allen, Chapter Six discusses the importance of London and Holland House to the Scottish Whigs and provides suggestions for further research. Finally, it is asserted that, by the 1820s, a diverse and dynamic Scottish Whig party had emerged and was actively contributing to the national Whig party intellectually, by developing a 'new' Scottish Whiggism, and in terms of personnel. Throughout, this thesis demonstrates the flexibility of terms such as 'Whig' and 'Foxite principles' and argues for a broader interpretation of political activity and involvement as being vital to the study of early nineteenth-century politics.

This essay aims to find out how Hillary Clinton is portrayed in news articles dated between October 8th to November 8th 2016 gathered from Fox News and CNN. With the help of qualitative framing analysis the study looks closer on 14 articles from the chosen time period to reveal which frames that are visible in the news material. The study also raises questions about how those frames portray masculinity or femininity and how the results of the study differs from studies done by other researchers. Results reveal that there are three prominent frames visible in the chosen material; a game frame, a scandal frame and a frame about competence and trustworthiness. Hillary Clinton is mostly portrayed as a masculine, competent yet criminal person, and the previous research matches with the findings in some areas that concern scandals and trust and differs in others that concern gender stereotypes.