Bibliography: leaves 155-182. / xiv, 182, [10] leaves, [11] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Most agricultural crop seeds are 'orthodox' ie. desiccation is a necessary feature of their complete life cycle. Low moisture content lengthens the storage life of orthodox seeds. Recalcitrant seeds, which do not tolerate low moisture content, lose viability in dry storage. The thesis studies the role of sugars in desiccation tolerance in developing seeds and investigates other mechanisms which might be involved in desiccation tolerance and desiccation sensitivity. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Plant Science, 1996?

The current study developed a 40-item situational judgment test (SJT) to measure resilience in context. Undergraduate samples were used in the study and situational stems of the SJT consisted of both daily stressors and major life crises; each response alternative was designed to reflect one of five resilience-related factors. A crowd-sourcing method was utilized to create scoring keys for the SJT. The Resilience SJT demonstrated good psychometric properties, and showed evidence of construct and criterion-related validity. The SJT scores moderately correlated with scores from two resilience Likert scales, a hardiness scale as well as a negative affect scale. Compared to the two Likert-type resilience scales, the SJT demonstrated less overlap with hardiness, positive affect, and negative affect. Moreover, the SJT showed incremental validity in predicting global adjustment, but not academic achievement or college satisfaction, above and beyond the two other resilience measures. Lastly, the study examined different modes of resilient behavior and captured individuals’ mode choice tendencies for resilient responses to adverse situations. The Resilience SJT appears to be a viable alternative to capture resilience. Implications and limitations were discussed.

5 Abstract Resilience, stressing out the positive aspects of personality and ways of finding sources of support for the development of the internal forces of an individual despite challenging life circumstances has been receiving more and more attention recently from both professionals and the public. Results of the resilience research are affecting theoretical concepts, however, also the areas of intervention, psychotherapy, counseling and prevention programs as well. The subject of theoretical part of the thesis was the introduction to theoretical concepts of resilience and topics related to it. A special attention has been paid to the resilience to the trauma, as well as the results of research concerning resilience sources, risk and protective factors. The specifics of resilience relating to a given age group were discussed in the theoretical part. The subject of the empirical part was to develop a Czech version of the Resilience to Trauma Scale - Research Edition (RTS-RE) and its explorative analysis in order to create a pilot version, which could become a basis for subsequent wider use in research on resilience. For these purposes two other methods were used in addition to the Czech translation of RTS-RE, namely: Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) and the Personal Views Survey (PVS). The results of...

M.Sc. (Botany) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Master of Science / School of Family Studies and Human Services / Elaine M. Johannes / For the past decade, family poverty has been growing steadily by 24.3% within the state of Kansas. The increase in poverty has inspired community-based efforts and volunteer-driven initiatives to grow to support families and to increase social connection and access to resources. Prior research has found that families in chronic poverty experience higher stress, higher conflict, and lower means of social connection. In the present study, a Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach was used to explore the "lived experiences" of parents and adolescents in poverty and the role of social capital and hardiness as a way to cope with the stresses associated with living in poverty. Separate semi-structured interviews were conducted with adolescents and their adult parents from three communities across Kansas. The research team transcribed the interview data. Qualitative data analysis through grounded theory was used to code the transcripts into separate themes. The results from the study reveal that a) building social capital (ie., bonding and bridging) is different between adolescents and parents and b) hardiness is developed through learned positive coping and the social connections with others. This research has future implications on policy development and strengths-based approaches to address the stress of living in poverty for individuals and families.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych) / This study compared the fortigenic constructs of the Sense of Coherence, Fortitude, Potency, Hardiness, Problem-Solving, and Ego-Resilience in terms of three aspects: (i) Psychometric properties of instruments that are used to measure them (ii) Their effects on the relationship between stress and psychological health (iii) To determine the extent to which these constructs have some common underlying dimensions. The sample comprised one-hundred and twenty five male and female undergraduate Psychology students enrolled at the University of the Western Cape. Data were collected by using the following self-report questionnaires: the CBS-Depression Scale , the Short happiness Affect Research Protocol, the Problem-Solving Inventory, the Potency Scale, the Fortitude Questionnaire, the ER89 Questionnaire, the Personal Views Survey, the Orientation to Life Questionnaire, the VOEG, and the Life Experiences Survey.

The length of the 'Concord' grape rest period was evaluated during 1974-75 and 1975-76. Cuttings were placed in a 25 C growth chamber every two weeks from October through April. Number of days to reach 50 percent full bud swell was plotted to determine rest completion. Seven years of weather data and full bloom dates of 'Concord' grapes from Prosser, Washington were statistically analyzed to give another estimate of rest completion. Rest was terminated after about 830 chill units. During 1974-75 and 1975-76, T50 temperatures were determined every two weeks for both cambium and primary buds of 'Concord' grapes. The cambium ranged 2 to 10 C hardier than the primary buds. The T50 temperature pattern correlated with the minimum ambient air temperatures. Cuttings, collected and placed in growth chambers, were analyzed for both optimum and base temperatures. Optimum bud growth and development occurred at 25 C. The base temperature of first noticeable bud development was approximately 4.4 C. Bud phenological stages were followed both years and a standard set of pictures of representative stages was compiled. The growing degree hours (GDH) from end of rest to first bud swell through full bloom to maturity were determined. A regression line was plotted between the various GDH requirements for the percent soluble solids acquired during the 1975 and 1976 seasons. The GDH accumulation and soluble solids were well correlated with an r2 value of 0.95 percent.

The morphological development of Elberta peach fruit buds was studied in relation to their cold hardiness. Morphological development of peach fruit buds was observed beginning with bud differentiation in mid-summer. Flower initiation was essentially complete by September. Growth was slow in the winter months but increased rapidly as anthesis approached. Photomicrographs were taken to substantiate the discussion . Cold hardiness determinations were made from December until anthesis in April. The hardiness level was greatest during December and remained at a relatively high level until rest ended. Hardiness decreased thereafter. Major losses of hardiness occurred just prior to anthesis.

No description available.

Cold acclimation entails changes in membrane composition, osmotic adjustment, alterations in the cell wall-plasma membrane interface, sugar deposition, and changes in cell wall proteins. There is evidence that a rigid cell wall may be necessary for cold acclimation. Difficulties arise in studying plant material acclimated by exposure to low temperatures, because extraneous changes in the plant material occur that are unrelated to the development of cold tolerance. In order to determine whether cell wall changes are necessary for acclimation, peas were acclimated at warm temperature (26°C) by the application of exogenous ABA, desiccation, light exposure, and an experimental cryoprotectant (GLK 8908). Electrolyte leakage, elastic and plastic bend angles, and stem elongation were used to evaluate freezing injury, cell wall rigidity, and growth, respectively. The role of extensin, a structural hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein suspected of being involved in cell changes during acclimation, was examined using the hydroxylation inhibitor ⍺,⍺’-dipyridyl. Exogenous ABA application and drought stress decreased freezing injury by approximately a 10% -6°C compared to controls. In one experiment light was found to be more effective than ABA at acclimating peas at warm temperatures. Foliar application of GLK 8908 decreased freezing injury (30% at -6°C). Stem bendability was not correlated with freezing resistance. ABA treated peas grown in the dark had reduced growth rates and increased stem rigidity, but exhibited greater injury at -6°C than untreated dark grown peas. Extensin content was not related to cold hardiness. Although acclimation of ’Alaska’ peas did occur at warm temperatures with various treatments the reductions in freezing injury were minor when compared to plants acclimated by exposure to low temperatures. GLK 8908 was also evaluated for its effects on ’Alaska’ pea survivability and yield. Peas treated with GLK 8908 (1 and 10% aqueous) and subjected to a -6.7°C freeze were found to have increased survival without significant changes in days to first flower, leaf surface area/plant, and yield/plant. / Master of Science