ABSTRACT Ursula K. Le Guin is an American author of novels, short stories, poems, children's books, and essays; she predominantly writes science fiction and fantasy. Le Guin first began publishing in the 1960s and continues her work today including speaking engagements in and around her home in Portland, Oregon. Her most recent publication is The Real and Unreal: Selected Stories (2 vol) from 2012. Le Guin is particularly known for her books set in the Hainish Universe. These short stories and novels comprise what is sometimes referred to as the Hainish Cycle and discuss various themes of gender, ecology, religion, and politics. The universe is believed to be seeded from and governed principally by the world known as Hain. The Hainish global government undergoes a transformation from its original iteration as the imperial League of All Worlds into the more cosmopolitan peace-keeping Ekumen and while the publication chronology of the works and the internal chronology of the universe differ there is a notable political evolution from the League to the Ekumen. By studying the characters of Raj Lyubov, Genly Ai, and Havzhiva from the novels The World for World is Forest (1972), The Left Hand of Darkness (1969), and Four Ways to Forgiveness (1995) this paper will examine assumed cultural understandings regarding themes of empire, imperialism, cosmopolitanism, and governance by building on the criticism of James W. Bittner and David M. Higgins. I will utilize the theoretical science fiction frameworks of Steve Shaviro and Istvan Csicsery-Ronay Jr. in conjunction with Michael Ignatieff's theory Empire Lite to demonstrate Le Guin's capacity to continually envision new parameters for alien contact and negotiation and explain how her work in world building and character development challenges readers to question existing concepts of empire through the evolution and exhaustion of two systems of global governance.

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A vibration isolator is designed to reduce the vibration and structure borne noise transmitted from a vibratory source, such as machinery and equipment, to the supporting structure. The vibration and structure borne noise transmitted depends upon the dynamic properties of the foundation, the source mounting point and the vibration isolator. Therefore knowledge of the frequency dependent dynamic properties of vibration isolators is a necessary part of the acoustic prediction and control/reduction process. Vibration isolators may be characterised by measuring their four-pole parameters. A measurement procedure is proposed that employs the floating mass method, measures the direct forces and corrects for the errors introduced by the direct force measurement. Compared to the basic method, it extends the frequency limits of measurement in both directions. The development of a novel vibration isolator test facility that implements the proposed measurement procedure is described, and its satisfactory operation is experimentally demonstrated. The vibration isolator test facility is capable of characterizing vibration isolators commonly used in industrial and maritime applications, under service conditions. A method is proposed for measuring the four-pole parameters of a uni-directional asymmetrical vibration isolator under static load. The method is called the two masses method, and is suitable for determining the four???pole parameters of active vibration isolators with feedback control. The method is also applicable to uni-directional symmetrical and bi-directional symmetrical and bi-directional asymmetrical vibration isolators. It may be regarded as a universal method for characterising vibration isolators. Experimental data is presented and the method is validated. Modelling of vibration isolators is complicated by the highly non-linear nature of their rubber elements. The notion of an effective rubber cylinder is proposed to account for the barrelling of rubber elements under static load. Consequently, a general static compression model is proposed that applies to vibration isolators having unfilled and filled rubber elements of regular prismatic shapes. The model predicts the dependence of the four-pole parameters on the compression ratio of the rubber element. The predictions derived from the effective rubber cylinder and general static compression model agree excellently with experimental work of this study and other researchers.

<p>Ett ovårdat språkbruk bland de yngre eleverna är något som har uppmärksammats av studiens författare. Ett ovårdat språkbruk definieras i studien till svordomar och/eller könsord i relation till svordomar. Syften med studien är att undersöka vad erfarna lågstadielärare anser är ett ovårdat språkbruk. Vidare är syftet att ta reda på hur lågstadielärare enligt sina erfarenheter uppfattar orsaker till ett ovårdat språk och hur de bemöter de yngre elever som använder ett sådant språk. Undersökningen har skett genom kvalitativa ostrukturerade intervjuer. Resultatet visade att en lågstadielärare upplever att de yngre eleverna använder ett ovårdat språk medan resterande upplever att eleverna använder ett bra språkbruk. Lågstadielärarna ansåg också att ovårdat språk främst innebär svordomar men även könsord, slanguttryck och grammatiskt felanvända ord. Resultatet i studien har lett fram till slutsatsen att anledningarna till att elever använder ett ovårdat språk är flera. Lågstadielärarna menar att det beror på det språkbruk som föräldrarna använder, samhällsförändringar samt på media. Ett bemötande i lugn ton är att rekommendera samt att man som lärare föregår med gott exempel.</p> / <p>A bad language use among the younger pupils is something that has been paid attention to according to the authors of the study. A bad language use is in the study defined as swearword and/or a use of four-letter words together with swearword. The study aims to examine what experience primary teachers thinks is a bad language. Further more aims the study investigate what primary teachers according to their experience understand reasons of a bad language use and how they answer the younger pupils using such a language.The investigation has been carried out by qualitative unstructured interviews. The results showed that one primary teacher experienced that the younger pupils are using a bad language, the remaining experienced that pupils use a good language. Primary school teachers also found that bad language use mainly means swearword but also four-letter words, slang words and grammatical errors using the word. The result of the study give the conclusion that there are many reasons why pupils use bad language according to the primary teachers. They mean that it depends on which language their parents use, changes in the society and the media. The best way to answer these pupils is in a calm voice and to be a good ideal for them.</p>

Les solutions solides appartenant au système quasi-ternaire BaTiO3-CaTiO3-BaZrO3 (BCTZ) sont des candidates prometteuses pour les piézoélectriques sans plomb. Ce travail de thèse expérimental est consacré à la cristallogenèse et à la caractérisation de différents monocristaux dans le système BCTZ : BaZrO3, CaTiO3 ainsi que les solutions solides Ba1-xCaxTi1-yZryO3 présentant des teneurs en zirconium (Zr) et en calcium (Ca) proches de celles de la composition Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-50(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 (BZT-50BCT) où les performances piézoélectriques sont exacerbées.Les monocristaux de CaTiO3 et de BaZrO3 ont été obtenus à la fois depuis une solution à haute température par la méthode du flux et à partir de leur phase fondue par la technique de la zone flottante optique. Dans le cas de CaTiO3 obtenu dans un four à image à 1975°C, l'aluminium (Al), le magnésium (Mg) et le baryum (Ba) ont été détectés comme étant les principales impuretés. Les spectres Raman de CaTiO3 sont en bon accord avec les spectres référencés dans la littérature. La croissance cristalline de BaZrO3 est beaucoup plus difficile à cause de son point de fusion très élevé (2700°C). Le flux BaB2O4 a été utilisé avec succès pour faire croitre des cristaux d’environ 150-200μm à 1350°C, soit à la moitié de son point de fusion. Des boules de BaZrO3 de taille centimétrique ont également été obtenues à partir de la phase fondue en four à image. Les impuretés majoritaires telles le strontium (Sr), l’hafnium (Hf), le calcium (Ca) et le titane (Ti) ont été détectées par GDMS et SIMS dans une gamme de concertation atomique de 0.3-0.5%. L’énergie de gap optique est d'environ 4,8 eV et souligne la grande qualité des cristaux de BaZrO3 obtenus en four à image. Les propriétés diélectriques à basse température de BaZrO3 confirment l'absence de transition de phase structurelle. Les études de Raman révèlent que même si BaZrO3 n'a pas de transition de phase à basse température, il présente une transition de phase cubique-quadratique sous haute pression à 11GPa à température ambiante.Dans la deuxième partie de cette thèse, des monocristaux centimétriques de BCTZ ont été obtenus avec succès par la croissance en flux. Les profils de concentrations en Ca et Zr le long des boules indiquent que leurs coefficients effectifs de ségrégation dépendent fortement de leur concentration initiale dans la solution liquide. Ceux-ci évoluent considérablement au cours du processus de cristallogenèse, rendant ainsi la croissance de BCTZ très délicate en vue d’obtenir des compositions constantes et proches de celles de la région de convergence de phases. De plus, une décomposition spinodale a été mise en évidence, indiquant la coexistence de deux solutions solides de compositions proches au sein des cristaux de BCTZ. Les propriétés diélectriques et piézoélectriques des cristaux obtenus ont été déterminées et présentent des caractéristiques allant du ferroélectrique classique au relaxeur. Les mesures diélectriques montrent notamment une double boucle d'hystérésis (PE) anormale qui disparaît après polarisation. / Solid solutions belonging to BaZrO3–BaTiO3–CaTiO3 (BCTZ) pseudo-ternary system are promising candidates for lead-free piezoelectrics. This thesis aims at growing and characterizing various single crystals of the BCTZ system: the end members BaZrO3 and CaTiO3 as well as Ba1-xCaxTi1-yZryO3 solid solution compounds with zirconium (Zr) and calcium (Ca) contents close to Ba(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3-50(Ba0.7Ca0.3)TiO3 composition (BZT-50BCT) where high piezoelectric performances are expected.CaTiO3 and BaZrO3 single crystals were both grown from high temperature solution by the flux method and from the melt by the optical floating zone technique. In the case of CaTiO3 grown with a mirror furnace at 1975°C, aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg) and barium (Ba) as main impurities were detected. The Raman spectra of CaTiO3 are in good agreement with the spectra referenced in the literature. The growth of BaZrO3 was more challenging because of its very high melting point (2700°C). BaB2O4 flux was successfully used to produce 150-200 μm-sized BaZrO3 crystals at half its melting point (1350°C) and bulk centimeter-sized BaZrO3 boules were grown from the melt. Sr, Hf, Ca and Ti were detected by GDMS and SIMS as main impurities in the range of 0.3-0.5 at.%. The optical band gap is found to be ~4.8 eV and indicates the high quality of the BaZrO3 crystals grown with mirror furnace. Low temperature dielectric properties of BaZrO3 are displayed and confirmed the absence of structural phase transition. Raman investigations reveal that even though BaZrO3 does not have any phase transition at low temperatures, it exhibits a high-pressure phase transition from cubic to tetragonal at 11GPa at room temperature.In the second part, BCTZ centimeter-sized single crystals have been successfully grown by the top seeded solution growth technique. Ca and Zr content profiles throughout the as-grown boules indicate that their effective segregation coefficients are highly dependent on their initial concentration in the liquid solution. Concentrations evolve substantially during the crystal growth, making the BCTZ crystal growth a tricky issue when a narrow compositions range is targeted, as in the vicinity of the phase convergence region. Furthermore, spinodal decomposition was observed, indicating the coexistence of two solid solutions with close compositions in BCTZ crystals. Dielectric and piezoelectric properties were measured for some crystals, which were found to display a variety of behavior form relaxor to pure ferroelectric. In addition, an abnormal double-like PE hysteresis loop was observed, that was associated to an irreversible effect disappearing upon poling.

With reliable models to forecast travel demand, traffic planners and decision-makers can be assisted in choosing the best solutions to obtain traffic performance goals. Practitioners have traditionally been relying on infrequent, costly and respondent pressurized travel surveys as their main source of data for these models. The drawbacks of the data collection method highlight a need to search for alternative sources of data used for the purpose. One such source is public transport “tap-in” data. This thesis executed a case study with the target of improving the travel demand model of Norrköping via public transport data. An algorithm that estimates the alighting station of travellers was applied to a data set provided by the public transport operator of the city. By allocating the OD-demand from stations to the traffic analysis zones used in the model a straightforward integration method using the tap-in estimate as a reference matrix could be used. The target with the method was to redistribute the demand in such a way that the public transport demand approached the tap-in estimate but that the total demand for all modes for the OD-pair remained unchanged. The results gave some indication that the integration of tap-in data improved the model performance from the perspective of public transports. In a regression analysis comparing the number of entries per station the integration of tap-in data increased the correlation coefficient from 0,845 to 0,864. Further was the performance for other transport modes seemingly not worsened by the integration of tap-in data. Finding an allocation procedure that was generic but still accurate proved complex. Further were drawbacks with the integration procedure highlighted where the method executed affected the results of the model, not its behaviour. The consequence of this is that, though the model might be an accurate representation of the current state of traffic, it is difficult to execute the same procedure when investigating future states. Still, the thesis stressed some of the potential for public transport data in modelling contexts, where the role of the data, given the procedure executed, still is of complementary character to travel surveys.

The aim of this thesis is to compare two distinct principles of making new linguistic style and their role in fictional society. The thesis will present both novels (Burgess' A Clockwork Orange and Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four) and then it will focus on function and principles of making neologisms used in these novels. In the end the thesis will focus on summarization of both principles and it will analyze the language role in both novels.

O objetivo desta dissertação é analisar diferentes representações de masculinidades nas 13 edições da revista Quatro Rodas veiculadas no ano de 2006, o que compreende os números de 548 até 560, e também em um encarte especial, referente ao Salão do Automóvel, que veio acompanhando a edição do mês de Outubro. Como referenciais teóricos, foram utilizadas contribuições dos Estudos Culturais e de Gênero, em aproximação com a perspectiva pósestruturalista. As imagens, propagandas e reportagens escolhidas para a pesquisa, em alguma medida, destacaram-se por associarem de maneira mais oportuna as possíveis masculinidades engendradas nos itens e assuntos evidenciados para análise. As identidades de gênero e sexualidades presentes na mídia posicionaram-se como um dos vieses que possibilitaram tais escolhas. Entende-se gênero como possíveis modos de ser homem e de ser mulher, isto é, diferentes possibilidades de se viverem as masculinidades e feminilidades, sendo estas contingentes e cambiantes e apresentando caráter social e cultural. A mídia é tida aqui como uma pedagogia cultural que ensina sobre práticas culturais e sociais – nesta análise, as práticas de gênero. Busquei tirar proveito de assuntos do cotidiano automobilístico para pensar na construção de masculinidades. As feminilidades também foram contempladas, por entender que as relações sociais entre homens e mulheres são relacionais. Os enfoques temáticos ficaram assim distribuídos: Carro: imagem e semelhança do dono, Carros musculosos: força e poder, Competição: coisa de carros e de homens, Contemplar paixões: uma performance de amor romântico; e De homem para homem: representações de masculinidades. Observou-se que o carro se produz como um objeto do mundo masculino, algo construído desde a infância. Foi possível perceber que a revista Quatro Rodas dispõe da heterossexualidade como uma prática naturalizada, aquela que é considerada “normal”. As questões evidenciadas nas revistas analisadas tiram proveito de assuntos cotidianos e enfatizam o regime da heteronormatividade. A posição social do homem está relacionada ao tipo de carro que possui, bem como ao conhecimento que demonstra ter sobre os carros e o mundo automobilístico de maneira geral. / This dissertation aims at analyzing different representations of masculinities in Quatro Rodas magazine, comprehending 13 issues published in 2006 (numbers 548-560), including a special issue about the National Auto Show accompanying the October issue. As theoretical references, I have used contributions from Cultural Studies and Gender Studies, in approximation to a post-structuralist perspective. The images, advertisements and reports that have been chosen for research are those that, in some way, have more opportunely associated possible masculinities in topics and subjects evidenced for analysis. Gender identities and sexualities present in media have been aspects that allowed for those choices. Gender has been taken as a set of possible ways of being a man and a woman, i.e. different possibilities of living masculinities and femininities, which are contingent and changeable, showing a cultural and social character. Media has been considered as a cultural pedagogy that teaches cultural and social practices – in this analysis, gender practices. I have taken advantage of themes belonging to the daily automobile universe in order to think about construction of masculinities. Femininities have also been approached, considering that social relations between men and women are relational. The theme focuses have been distributed as follows: Cars – image and resemblance of their owners; Muscle cars – potency and power; Competition – a matter of cars and men; Favoring passions – a performance of romantic love; and From man to man – representations of masculinities. I have found that cars have been produced as objects belonging to a male world, something that has been constructed since childhood. It has been possible to realize that Quatro Rodas magazine points out heterosexuality as a naturalized practice, which is taken as “normal”. The topics evidenced in the issues analyzed take advantage of daily subjects and emphasize the regime of heteronormativity. Men’s social position has been related to the type of car they own, as well as to the knowledge they have about cars and the automobile world as a whole.

The significance of agriculture to future generations is unparalleled. The United Nations projects the global population to swell to 9.75 billion people by 2050, and to proliferate to 11.2 billion by 2100. The non-agricultural population has little to no understanding or comprehension of the complexities of sustaining a viable agricultural system. Agricultural literacy is an area often unseen and rarely discussed outside specific agricultural disciplines. Society does not view agriculture as being important, yet it is important that society be properly educated on issues in order to reach well-informed decisions and render prudent choices that impact the world around them. Illinois ranks fourth in the nation for agricultural productivity, yet the agricultural literacy of its elementary students is unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the agricultural knowledge of selected Illinois classrooms of public elementary school students in kindergarten through fifth grades that employ Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) methods and materials. A quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design, using a pretest and a posttest, was utilized to study. A Solomon Four-Group design analysis was used to determine if pretest sensitization, or test reactivity effect, existed in this study. The study found that AITC treatment and control group students possessed some agricultural knowledge regarding the five thematic areas of the Food and Fiber Systems Literacy (FSSL) Framework. The kindergarten through first grade post mean scores by treatment and theme indicated the treatment group answered 77.89 percent of the questions correctly and the control group answered 72.55 percent correctly. The treatment and control groups were most knowledgeable about Theme 5 (Food, Nutrition and Health) followed by Theme 4 (Business and Economics), with the treatment group being more knowledgeable about Theme 1 (Understanding Food and Fiber Systems), while the control group was more knowledgeable about Theme 3 (Science, Technology and Environment). The treatment and control groups were least knowledgeable about Theme 2 (History, Geography and Culture). The second through third grade post mean scores by treatment and theme indicated the treatment group answered 75.05 percent of the questions correctly and the control group answered 74.07 percent correctly. The treatment group was most knowledgeable about Theme 3 (Science, Technology and Environment) followed by Theme 1 (Understanding Food and Fiber Systems) and Theme 5 (Food, Nutrition and Health). The control group was most knowledgeable about Theme 1 (Understanding Food and Fiber Systems) followed by Theme 3 (Science, Technology and Environment) and Theme 4 (Business and Economics). The treatment and control groups were least knowledgeable about Theme 2 (History, Geography and Culture). The fourth through fifth grade post mean scores by treatment and theme indicated the treatment group answered 66.73 percent of the questions correctly and the control group answered 52.91 percent correctly. The treatment group was most knowledgeable about Theme 2 (History, Geography and Culture) followed by Theme 3 (Science, Technology and Environment) and Theme 5 (Food, Nutrition and Health). The control groups were most knowledgeable about Theme 3 (Science, Technology and Environment) followed by Theme 1 (Understanding Food and Fiber Systems) and Theme 4 (Business and Economics). The treatment was least knowledgeable about Theme 4 (Business and Economics) and Theme 5 (Food, Nutrition and Health). The control group was least knowledgeable about Theme 2 (History, Geography and Culture) followed by Theme 5 (Food, Nutrition and Health).