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Almost one-half of the annual precipitation in the southwestern United States occurs during the North American monsoon (NAM). Given favorable synoptic-scale conditions, organized monsoon thunderstorms may affect relatively large geographic areas. Through an objective analysis of atmospheric reanalysis and observational data, the dominant synoptic patterns associated with NAM extreme events are determined for the period from 1993 to 2010. Thermodynamically favorable extreme-weather-event days are selected on the basis of atmospheric instability and precipitable water vapor from Tucson, Arizona, rawinsonde data. The atmospheric circulation patterns at 500 hPa associated with the extreme events are objectively characterized using principal component analysis. The first two dominant modes of 500-hPa geopotential-height anomalies of the severe-weather-event days correspond to type-I and type-II severe-weather-event patterns previously subjectively identified by Maddox et al. These patterns reflect a positioning of the monsoon ridge to the north and east or north and west, respectively, from its position in the "Four Corners" region during the period of the climatological maximum of monsoon precipitation from mid-July to mid-August. An hourly radar gauge precipitation product shows evidence of organized, westward-propagating convection in Arizona during the type-I and type-II severe weather events. This new methodological approach for objectively identifying severe weather events may be easily adapted to inform operational forecasting or analysis of gridded climate data.

Cette thèse a déterminé les rôles respectifs de la photopériode et de la température lors des différentes et successives étapes du cycle de reproduction (induction du cycle, vernalisation, ponte) chez la perche commune Perca fluviatilis femelle. La photopériode est le facteur environnemental principal qui synchronise l’induction du cycle de reproduction chez la perche commune, la température joue uniquement un rôle modulateur. Une baisse importante de la durée de la photophase de 4-8 heures est recommandée. Le maintien d'une photopériode constante basée sur une photophase longue et constante (17L : 7D) inhibe l’induction, alors que le maintien d’une température élevée et constante (22-23°C) ne le permet pas. Pour la phase de vernalisation, une photopériode de type jour court (8L : 16D) est nécessaire. Concernant les effets de la température, une forte et progressive baisse de la température (de 22 à 6°C sur 16 semaines) est recommandée pour assurer un développement gonadique complet (ovocytes aux stades de vitellogenèse avancée en fin de phase d’induction et de la maturation finale avant la période de ponte). Des baisses de température plus modérées (de 22 à 14-18°C) altèrent la reproduction, notamment pendant la phase de vernalisation. L’augmentation finale de la température après la vernalisation est le facteur principal de synchronisation de la ponte. Cette étude a permis la mise au point d’un protocole photo-thermopériodique fiable garantissant des taux d’induction et de ponte très élevés, proches de 100%, chez les femelles / This PhD thesis has determined the respective roles of photoperiod and temperature at the different and successive steps of the reproductive cycle (induction of the cycle, wintering period, spawning) in female Eurasian perch Perca fluviatilis. Photoperiod is the main environmental factor which synchronizes the onset of the reproduction cycle in Eurasian perch female, temperature plays only a modulating role. A high photoperiod decrease of 4 or 8 hours is recommended. The maintenance of constant photoperiod based on a long photophase (17L: 7D) delays the onset of the reproductive cycle, whereas the maintenance of a warm and constant temperature (22-23°C) does not delay it. For the wintering period, a photoperiod with a short daylight period (8L : 16D) is required. Concerning the effect of temperature variations, a high and progressive temperature decrease (from 22 to 6°C over 16 weeks) is recommended to ensure a complete ovarian development (all oocytes achieved the advanced vitellogenesis stage at the end of the induction phase and and final maturation stage just before spawning). Slight temperature decreases (from 22 to 14-18°C) alter the reproduction, especially during the chilling period (wintering period). The final increase of temperature (up to 14°C) after the wintering period is the main factor for spawning synchronization. This study allowed the development of a reliable photo-thermal protocol for out-of-season spawning with very high rates (close to 100%) of female response and spawning

Rotational grazing is being promoted by some land managers, government agencies, and conservation groups as superior to season-long grazing for improving pasture and cattle production, and for grassland bird conservation; however, the assumed benefits have not been comprehensively studied. In 2011 and 2012, I examined the effects of twice-over rotational grazing on the nesting success of grassland songbirds in southwestern Manitoba, Canada. I monitored nesting attempts and collected structural vegetation data for five species of obligate grassland bird (n=110) and one shrub-nesting species (n=41). Nesting analyses were conducted using logistic exposure models. Twice-over grazing had a significantly negative effect on the nesting success of the ground nesting species, including Savannah sparrows (Passerculus sandwichensis). Grazing system did not have an effect on vegetation structure. The results are consistent with other rotational grazing studies, and suggest that twice-over rotational grazing does not benefit grassland songbirds in mixed-grass prairie habitats. / October 2016

Packaging and package design is commonly thought of as a tool to attract the consumer to material goods. Packages, however, have other attributes. In Japan, packaging design is very charming because of the delicate selection of materials, images, and interaction. Different kinds of material provide different emotions and appeal to our sense of touch, which can be interpreted in many ways. Packaging lets us directly interact with an object and this experience becomes memorable and intimate. The combination of image and interaction creates another dimension of story telling. My creative project, Conceptual Packaging, is an experiment in using materials and forms to package immaterial concepts and messages such as memories.

Background: Schizophrenia is a chronic, debilitating mental disorder characterized by positive (e.g., hallucinations, delusions) and negative (e.g., catatonia, flat affect) signs and symptoms. Many studies suggest that individuals born in winter or spring months are at increased risk for schizophrenia. Study Objectives: 1) To determine whether season of birth affects risk for schizophrenia in the Irish Study of High Density Schizophrenia Families (ISHDSF). 2) To examine, by computer simulation, power to detect genetic associations with schizophrenia under a variety of conditions and using different analytic strategies. 3) To test whether specific genes are associated with schizophrenia in the Irish Case Control Schizophrenia Study (ICCSS), using different analytic strategies to account for season of birth. Methods: A case-control design was used to examine the relationship between schizophrenia and season of birth. Cases were individuals from the ISHDSF diagnosed with schizophrenia. Controls were the general population of Ireland, with data provided by Ireland’s Central Statistics Office (CSO). The birth frequencies for each month or quarter were compared in the two groups by a chi square test. Computer simulations were conducted to examine power to detect schizophrenia susceptibility loci using either all cases or only cases born in high-risk months, under different conditions and models for how genetic risk and season of birth interact to influence risk for schizophrenia. Data for six genetic markers from the ICCSS were analyzed for evidence of association, using all cases, and then using only cases born in high-risk months. Setting and Study Participants: ISHDSF families were ascertained through inpatient psychiatric care facilities serving >95% of the Irish population. Diagnoses were established using DSM-III-R criteria, and birthdates were recorded for all individuals. The Irish CSO provided aggregate, population-level data for number of births in Ireland by month for the years 1976-2000 and by quarter for the years 1900-2000. The ICCSS is a sample of schizophrenic and control individuals who have been genotyped at many loci across the genome. Schizophrenics were ascertained through in- and outpatient psychiatric facilities, had diagnoses verified by an expert, and their birthdates recorded. Controls were selected from several sources, e.g. blood donation centers, and denied any lifetime history of schizophrenia. For each subject in the ICCSS, all four grandparents were born in Ireland or the United Kingdom. Results: Number of births in each month was compared for schizophrenics in the ISHDSF and general population controls, resulting in a chi square of 19.44 (p value ~ 0.054, 11 df). Simulations revealed that, in some circumstances, power to detect genetic associations was increased by restricting cases to those born in high-risk months. Analysis of data from the ICCSS revealed that restricting cases to high-risk birth months increased the evidence for association for three of six markers tested, two of which were associated with the gene FBXL21. Conclusions: Birth in the months of March, April, or May appears to be associated with elevated risk for schizophrenia in the ISHDSF. In attempting to find susceptibility loci for schizophrenia, restricting genetic association analyses to schizophrenics born in high-risk months may result in increased power to detect genetic association in some circumstances.

Master of Science / Biology / Alice Boyle / Dispersal is a behavior common to virtually all taxa with important consequences for gene flow, demography, and conservation. Mobile animals such as birds frequently engage in breeding dispersal, but the factors shaping this behavior are not well understood. In mid-continental grasslands, preliminary evidence suggested that Grasshopper Sparrows (Ammodramus savannarum) engaged in breeding dispersal within a single breeding season. This intriguing pattern shaped my research questions: (1) what are the patterns of within-season breeding dispersal in Grasshopper Sparrows? (2) why do some individual sparrows disperse, and others do not? and (3) what shapes settlement decisions following dispersal? I tested hypotheses based on spatial and temporal variation in nest predation, nest parasitism, and food availability. I studied Grasshopper Sparrows at 18 experimentally-managed watersheds with different fire and grazing regimes at Konza Prairie Biological Station during 2013-2015. To describe patterns, I combined re-sighting of 779 marked individuals, territory mapping, and radio-telemetry to quantify territory densities, turnover, and dispersal distances. To determine if nest predation or nest parasitism affected dispersal, I monitored the fate of 223 nests. I estimated food intake rates using plasma metabolites, and prey availability using sweep sampling. Densities of territorial Grasshopper Sparrows varied seasonally in management-specific ways. Turnover was remarkably high, with over half of territorial males being replaced each month. Over a third of males changed territories within-season, dispersing 0.1-9 km between breeding attempts. Dispersal decisions were related to past nest predation, but not nest parasitism. Dispersal likely yields fitness benefits, as sparrows that dispersed increased their chances of nest survival by 23% relative to site-faithful individuals. However, food availability did not affect settlement decisions. My study provides the first evidence of within-season breeding dispersal in Grasshopper Sparrows, and represents one of few tests of alternative hypotheses explaining dispersal decisions of songbirds. My results are consistent with a growing literature on the role of predation shaping dispersal, but suggest, somewhat surprisingly, that food is not important in post-dispersal habitat selection. High dispersal capacity coupled with adaptability to temporal and spatial change may be typical of grassland songbirds, implying that demographic studies and management decisions must consider their mobility for conservation.

The purpose of this study has been to research how the low season affects tourism and how destination development is taken care of on the island of Gotland in Sweden. Gotland is a very popular travel destination during the busy summer months June, July and August, but the authors of this study felt that it would be interesting to investigate what happens with the tourism business during the rest of the year on the island. With the help of qualitative methods such as interviews with the local people, stakeholders, and observations made in the capital of Gotland Visby, the authors have gathered data to be analyzed and presented in this paper. The authors had the privilege to interview two tourism managers from Destination Gotland and Region Gotland, who provided important information for the study. To be able to find out how different aspects of destination development of low season tourism are taken to account, the authors prepared an interview guide for every specific interview, to match the topics discussed with the informants. It was important to the authors to fully engage to this study, so travelling to Visby and observe the island was a natural choice. This excursion gave the authors the possibility to discover the island not only from an academic perspective but also from a touristic one. / Syftet med denna kandidatuppsats har varit att undersöka hur lågsäsongen påverkar turismen och destinationsutvecklingen på ön Gotland. Gotland är ett mycket populärt resmål under sommarmånaderna juni, juli och augusti, men skribenterna av denna uppsats upplevde att det var av intresse att undersöka vad som sker inom turismen på ön under resterande delar av året. Med hjälp av kvalitativa metoder som intervjuer med lokalbefolkning och aktörer, men även observationer gjorda i residensstaden Visby har skribenterna samlat data som kommer att analyseras och presenteras i denna uppsats. Skribenterna fick även äran att intervjua två turistchefer från Destination Gotland och Region Gotland som bidrog med viktig information till undersökningen. För att kunna ta reda på hur olika aspekter inom destinationsutveckling av lågsäsongturism behandlas, har skribenterna utvecklat en intervjuguide för varje specifik intervju i syfte att stämma överens med temat som diskuterats med informanterna. Det var av vikt för skribenterna att fullständigt engagera sig i studien, vilket innebar att en resa till Visby på Gotland var ett naturligt val. Denna resa bidrog till att skribenterna fick möjligheten att upptäcka ön, inte endast från ett akademiskt perspektiv, men även från ett turistperspektiv.

Orientador: Guilherme de Paula Nogueira / Resumo: Comumente o biotipo é o principal critério utilizado para predicão da puberdade precoce em novilhas Nelore. Este experimento comparou os possíveis efeitos do peso a desmama (PeD), peso ao sobreano (PeS), espessura de gordura subcutânea na garupa (EGSG), concentrações séricas de IGF-I (IGF-I) e insulina ao sobreano (Ins), ganho diário de peso: até a desmama (GD), entre a desmama ao sobreano (GS) e do nascimento até o sobreano (GT), além de escores visuais de conformação (C), precocidade (P) e musculatura (M) avaliados tanto na desmama como no sobreano, sobre a idade à primeira prenhez e desempenho na primeira estação de monta (EM) de novilhas Nelore. Para isso foram utilizados dados de 241 novilhas, produzidos pela P@RM agropecuária, estas nascidas entre maio e setembro de 2016. As mesmas permaneceram à pasto num único lote a partir da desmama. Avaliações de CPM e mensuração do peso corporal em jejum alimentar e hídrico após12h foram realizadas na desmama e repetidas após ganho mínimo de 50kg de peso. Foi iniciada a EM no dia seguinte à avaliação de sobreano, quando as novilhas foram submetidas ao protocolo de indução de puberdade e duas inseminações artificiais em tempo fixo, e posterior repasse com touro. Para a idade em dias à primeira prenhes houve efeito individual de C na desmama, PeD, GD, P e M no sobreano, GS, GT e IGF-I (p<0,05), no entanto, P e M na desmama não se mostraram importantes (p>0,05). Todas as avaliações de CPM mostraram correlações positivas com o GD, GS ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Lately frame has being used to predict the occurrence of precocious puberty in Nellore heifers. This experiment compared the possible effects of weaning weight (PeD), yearling weight (PeS), rump backfat thickness (EGSG), serum concentrations of IGF-I (IGF-I) and insulin to yearling (INS), daily weight gain until weaning (GD), between weaning to yearling (GS) and from birth to yearling (GT), further the visual scores of conformation (C), precocity (P) and musculature (M) on weaning and yearling, on age at first pregnancy and the performance in the first breeding season (EM) of Nellore heifers. For that, data from 241 animals, produced by P@RM farming, born between May to September 2016 was used. After weaning all heifers were kept on pasture in a single lot and CPM score and body weight gain, under restriction of food and water for 12 h, were evaluated at weaning and repeated after a minimum weight gain of 50 kg. Breeding season started a day after evaluation of yearling, where heifers were subjected to a puberty induction protocol and two fixed time artificial inseminations, followed by a clean-up bull. There was an individual effect of C at weaning, PeD, GD, P and M on the yearling, GS, GT and IGF-I on age at days at first pregnancy (p<0.05), however, the date of birth, P and M at weaning had no significant effect (p>0.05). All CPM evaluations showed positive correlations with GD, GS and GT both at weaning (r= 0.61, 0.38, 0.43, p<0.05) and yearling (0.46, 0.50, 0, 41, p<0.05... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor