No description available.

The aim of this thesis was to directly test the key underpinnings of recent propositions for systems of central control of exercise regulation. Fatigue and exercise tolerance have traditionally been explained through peripheral mechanisms, such as excitation-contraction coupling failure and the inability to supply sufficient metabolic substrate to contracting muscle in order to meet increasing energy demand. More recently, models of central control, which are proposed to regulate exercise intensity in an anticipatory/feedforward manner, with the ultimate aim of avoiding physiological ‘catastrophe’, have received a great deal of attention. This thesis investigated several of the key requirements and mechanisms stated in these models. The central governor model (CGM) and teleoanticipation are stated to use a combination of prior experience and distance knowledge of an exercise bout to work in a feedforward manner, so that a pacing strategy is set before exercise commences which ensures the bout is completed in an optimum time but in the absence of premature fatigue. Study one examined the influence of distance knowledge, prior experience and distance feedback on the setting and regulation of a pacing strategy in 4 km time trial (TT) cycling in trained cyclists (n = 18). When performing 4 × 4 km TT intervals, it was found that prior experience of the exercise (in the absence of distance feedback and distance knowledge) allowed the creation of a pacing strategy that produced a performance which was as competitive as cyclists who were provided with prior experience, distance knowledge and distance feedback. The difference in TT completion time between groups (CON = feedback group, EXP = no feedback group) was reduced with subsequent TT (CON TT1 367 ± 21 s; EXP TT1 409 ± 45 s; CON TT2 373 ± 19 s; EXP TT2 389 ± 30 s; CON TT3 375 ± 18 s; EXP TT3 383 ± 26 s; CON TT4 373 ± 20 s; EXP TT4 373 ± 14 s), so that by the final TT, completion time between groups was almost exactly the same. It was concluded that when sufficient prior experience is attained in the absence of distance knowledge and feedback, a successful pacing strategy can be set. In order for pacing to be set prior to an exercise bout and adjusted in a feedforward/anticipatory manner during exercise, an internal mechanism must exist which monitors the passage of time. Study two examined the accuracy and robustness of this ‘internal clock’ by assessing cyclist’s (n = 16) ability to gauge the distance they had cycled during repeated 4 km and 6 km TT. The internal clock was shown to be inaccurate to absolute measures of distance, but showed a calibration capacity following experience of a TT of unknown distance (24.6 ± 18.2 % error in distance judged completed vs. 8.2 ± 5.5 % error in distance judged completed). This process was fragile and occurred in the absence of any significant performance improvement. It was concluded that relative quantities appear more important in creating a pacing strategy, and that times are of greater importance than distances. Study three examined the influence of comparative performance feedback in a field setting in 4 km track TT cycling in trained cyclists (n = 5). Correct feedback produced a significantly faster TT time (t4 = -3.10, p < 0.05) than non-contingent feedback (341 ± 8 s vs. 350 ± 12 s), with differences in mean lap speed apparent between the conditions at the start of the TT (t4 = 4.71, p < 0.05) and at the end of the TT (t4= 3.45, p < 0.05; t4 = 3.30, p < 0.05). The study provided empirical support for the assumption that performance feedback is advantageous during exercise and provided insights into past and present exercise comparison and its role on the setting of a pacing strategy. A central component of the CGM and theories of central exercise regulation is the role of afferent feedback during exercise and the premature termination of exercise before a true maximum intensity has been reached. Study four used acetaminophen to blunt cyclists’ (n = 13) pain response during ten mile (16.1 km) TT in order to disrupt the afferent feedback processes. When using acetaminophen, cyclists produced significantly faster (t12 = 2.55, p < 0.05) TT completion times (1575 ± 96 s) than under a placebo condition (1605 ± 122 s). When using acetaminophen, cyclists had a higher power output during the middle section of the TT (F1, 12 = 4.79, p < 0.05), yet showed no significant difference in RPE (F1,12 = 0.72, p > 0.05) or pain scores (F1,12 = 0.30, p > 0.05). It was concluded that acetaminophen reduced levels of pain during the TT, thereby disrupting the comparative afferent feedback mechanism and allowing cyclists access to a ‘metabolic reserve’. The research presented has advanced our knowledge and supported propositions of models of central control and regulation during exercise. The research has provided further insight in the role of prior experience, distance knowledge, distance feedback, the internal clock, performance feedback and afferent feedback on the setting and maintenance of a pacing strategy in 4, 6 and 16.1 km TT cycling.

No description available.

Frequency control systems are used to keep the grid frequency at the nominal value of 50.00 Hz. Vattenfall employ hydropower plants for this purpose as they can easily adapt their production to counteract frequency deviations. This master thesis focuses on trying to improve Vattenfall’s mechanism to provide FCR-N (Frequency Containment Reserve in Normal operation) for primary frequency control, i.e. the turbine governor. The efforts are made to operate the plants more efficiently, decreasing distribution losses and thus increasing the profits. The current control system was modelled in MATLAB’s simulation tool Simulink to understand its complexity and to be used as base for comparison. Then a new model was developed based on the idea to introduce a global governor for the frequency control in each plant which controls the input signal to the individual turbine governors of each unit. OPT-data (tabulated data indicating how to operate a plant at the highest possible efficiency) was used to determine how to optimally distribute the FCR-N among the active units in a plant in real-time. The conclusions which can be drawn from this master thesis are that it is possible to make a more optimal distribution of FCR-N in real-time. However, it has not been possible to make a good comparison between the two models and the results regarding the profits which can be made by introducing this new type of governor are therefore inconclusive. It is of crucial importance to make a better match of the regulating strengths of the two models in order to perform the comparison. Improving the parameter values for the proportional and integral gains of the individual controllers and the precision of the OPT-table lookups may further improve the new model and also make it possible to perform a valid comparison between the two models.

Better understanding the relationship between the results for the U.S. House of Representatives and for state executive offices could potentially be useful in predicting outcomes if a significant relationship is present and if one has more information about either the election for the U.S. House of Representatives candidate or the state executive office candidate. To better understand this relationship, election results were analyzed using regression models for three upper Midwest states - Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota - to compare the outcomes of the state executive office elections and the U.S. House of Representative elections. Additionally, median income was included in the models to see if this affected the relationship. Each state had a statistically significant relationship between the results of the state executive offices and the U.S. House of Representatives. Median income either was not statistically significant or not practically significant in overall effect on the relationship.

No description available.

This thesis relates the rise of W. Lee O'Daniel from businessman to governor of Texas and eventually to United States senator.

This study focuses on the role of the Texas Governor's Office in the development of regional councils of governments in Texas. The study, divided into six chapters, emphasizes three important points: first, that Governor Connally conceived the idea of a "Division of Planning Coordination" due to his desire to be a strong chief executive; second, that the staff he hired largely to fulfill this desire in turn convinced the Governor that regional councils of governments should be an element of the statewide planning and development system and should receive strong financial and policy support from the Governor; and third, that from January 1969 to January 1973, the statewide regional council network was completed and Texas became a recognized national leader in the use of the regional council concept.

The Marble Springs homestead in south Knox County serves as a significant heritage site for the state of Tennessee because it was the final home of one of our nation’s most important founding statesmen and first governor of Tennessee (1796 to 1801, 1803 to 1809), John Sevier. Recent archaeological and historical research had called into question the authenticity of the original John Sevier log cabin located at the Marble Springs homestead. We used tree-ring dating to determine the year(s) of construction of the Governor John Sevier cabin and the adjacent Walker Springs log cabin (which had been relocated to the site later and has no ties to Gov. John Sevier) by first extracting cores from all accessible logs in the cabins and then evaluating the cutting dates of these logs. A nearby reference chronology at Norris Dam anchored the Gov. John Sevier cabin chronology from 1720 to 1834 and the Walker Springs cabin chronology from 1675 to 1826. The cutting dates obtained from six logs in the Gov. John Sevier cabin suggest construction of the cabin was completed sometime between late 1835 and early 1836. We were able to date cores from 29 logs from the Walker Springs cabin, which strongly support final construction between late 1827 to early 1828. Our dendrochronological analyses suggest that the cabin at Marble Springs long thought to be the original cabin occupied by Gov. John Sevier was instead likely built during the occupancy of the property by a later tenant, George Kirby, in the early to mid-1830s, well after the death of Sevier in 1815.

Louis-François-Armand de Vignerot du Plessis, maréchal de France, est devenu duc de Richelieu en 1715. Peu connu de l’histoire de France, il est surtout célèbre pour ses nombreux scandales, son amour des femmes et des fêtes. Arrière-petit neveu du célèbre cardinal de Richelieu, il est avant tout un homme appartenant à la haute noblesse française de cette fin du XVIIème siècle et du XVIIIème siècle. Son existence est donc le reflet de la vie, des habitudes et des coutumes de cette élite. Homme de paradoxes, bien ancré dans son siècle, provocateur et libertin, né en 1696 il reste néanmoins profondément marqué par le règne précédent, celui de Louis XIV, dont il est le filleul. Grand mécène il ne possède guère d’œuvres des philosophes des Lumières, exception faite de son ami Voltaire. Enfin celui que l’on surnomme « l’Alcibiade français », proche et ami intime du roi Louis XV, est le courtisan modèle, le parfait gentilhomme de cour. Il est surtout et avant tout un grand homme de guerre, fin stratège, dont les qualités sont trop souvent éclipsées par ses nombreuses frasques. Il participe aux différents conflits qui s’égrènent tout au long du XVIIIème siècle. Il est présent lors de la guerre de succession de Pologne de 1733 à 1738. C’est en 1745 à la bataille de Fontenoy et davantage en 1756 que le duc de Richelieu révèle tous ses talents. Il est élevé à la dignité de maréchal de France en 1748. Enfin toutes ces qualités que nous venons sommairement de mentionner et qui composent la personnalité si particulière de cet homme se révèlent bien utiles dans sa dernière fonction de gouverneur de Guyenne qu’il occupe dès 1755. Pour cette nouvelle mission il faut au duc de Richelieu toute son intelligence, son charisme et son habileté, faisant tantôt preuve d’autorité et de fermeté, tantôt de diplomatie, il a été ambassadeur à Vienne et à Dresde entre 1725 et 1729 et en 1747. Là encore il est intéressant de voir de quelle manière il a su marquer de son empreinte la province de Guyenne. Il meurt en 1788 après avoir traversé tout le XVIIIème siècle après une vie bien remplie. / Louis-François-Armand of Vignerot du Plessis, marshal of France, duke of Richelieu in 1715. Almost forgotten by history of France, he is especially famous for his numerous scandals, his love of the women. It is not a question of accomplishing a simple biography of this man but much more of studying the several subjects procreated by this figure. The son of great-nephew of the famous cardinal Richelieu, he is first of all a member of the high French nobility of this end of the XVIIth century up to the end of XVIIIth century. His existence is therefore the image of life, habits and usages, of the nobility. Man of paradoxes, anchored well in his century, libertine, born in 1696 he remains however profoundly marked by the previous, Louis XIV’s reign, the godson of whom he is. Protector of the arts he hasn’t in his library the writings of the Enlighment philosophers, except these written by his friend Voltaire. Finally, the man called by his contemporaries “French Alcibiades", close and intimate friend of the king Louis XV, is a model sycophant, the perfect gentleman of courtyard. The military activities taking a big part of his life, he is also a great warrior, fine strategist, whose qualities are too often eclipsed by his numerous scandals. He participates in different conflicts which shell throughout the XVIIIth century. Serving honestly during the Polish succession war (1733 – 1738), the duke of Richelieu displays all his military talents in 1745 at the battle of Fontenoy and even more in 1756 (siege of Minorca). He rose to the rank of marshal of France in 1748 becoming, above all, a great figure of the French military history. Finally all his summarily mentioned qualities, shaping such a particular personality, turn out to be very useful in his last function of governor of Guyenne he was given in 1755. This new mission demands all his intelligence, charisma and skills, for showing in turn his authority and firmness but also a diplomacy, which has not been strange for him as former ambassador in Vienna (1725 - 1729) and in Dresden (1747). It’s very much interesting to observe how the duke’s personality influenced the governed province. He ends his well filled life in 1788 having lived almost all XVIII century.