In a critical analysis of several independantly produced South African comics of the 1980s and early 1990s, close analysis of the comics leads to an assessment of the artists'intentions and purposes. Discussion of the artists' sources focuses on definitions of different types of comics. What is defined as a comic is usually what has been produced under that definition, and these comics are positioned somewhere between the popular and fine art contexts. As the artists are amateurs, the mechanical structure of comics is exposed through their skill in manipulating, and their initial ignorance of, many comic conventions. By comparison to one another, and to the standard format of commercial comics, some explanation of how a comic works can be reached. The element of closure, bridging the gaps between frames, is unique to comics, and is the most important consideration. Comic artists work with the intangible, creating from static elements an illusion of motion. If the artist deals primarily with what is on the page rather than what is not, the comic remains static. Questions of quality are reliant on the skill with which closure is implemented. The art students who produced these comics are of a generation for whom popular culture is the dominant culture, and they create for an audience of peers. Their cultural milieu is more visual than verbal, and often more media oriented than that of their teachers. They must integrate a fine art training and understanding into the preset rules of a commercial medium. Confronted with the problem of a separation of languages, they evolve a new dialect. Through comparative and critical analyses I will show how this dialect differs from the language of conventional comics, attempting in particular to explain how the mechanics of the cornie medium can limit or expand its communicative potential.

Nitrogen (N) is critical to the quantity and quality of agricultural yields. Excess N fertilization is costly, both economically and environmentally (nitrate leaching, eutrophication, greenhouse gas release, soil degradation). This research identifies zones that could substitute the field-long N-rich strips by using spatial analysis of the nitrogen sufficiency index (NSI) and the relation with Apparent Electrical Conductivity (ECa), Elevation, Slope and Soil. NSI calculated from ECa grouped into three classes was capable of minimizing the effects on NDVI. Correlation coefficients (R) between three-class NSI and NSI calculated from the nearest ECA values were very high for all the fields with values between 0.82< R <0.94, with the highest coefficients associated with fields in 2005 and 2007. Meanwhile, three-class NSI coefficients were consistently significant in relation to the NSI reference, with an average of R=0.79 for all the fields. The highest coefficient was detected for 2007, with R=0.89, whereas the lowest values were associated with 2006 (R=0.67). In the case of elevation grouped into four classes, the correlation results were not statistically significant, with overall average values of R<0.70. The maps elaborated from the NSI for ECa grouped into three classes show a high level of accuracy compared to the NSI reference map. The new N-rich zones not only can contribute to mitigating the environmental impact of agricultural practices (reducing 77% of N inputs) but also be an accurate source of data for the analysis of NSI and within-field N variability.

Many pesticides are listed as possible or probable human carcinogens, leading to a public concern over their environmental impact. Vegetative filter strips (VFS) have been developed to intercept runoff water and prevent pesticides from contaminating surface and ground water. The first half of this project identified five plants (big blue stem, blue flag iris, eastern gama grass, prairie cord grass and wool grass) that best removed pesticides from contaminated soil. The current study evaluated four treatment groups: the five selected plant species arranged (1) randomly, (2) in a succession from short (upslope) to tall (downslope), (3) turfgrass cut to three heights from short (upslope) to tall (downslope) and (4) unvegetated (UVFS), in an effort to optimize vegetative filter strips to reduce the movement of pesticides contained in runoff from turfgrass environments. Simulated rainfall was applied to 12 VFS (0.91 m x 4.6 m x 1.83 m), each with a 5% slope. The VFS were used to evaluate the effect of three vegetated treatments on the effectiveness of VFS for mitigation of pesticide-contaminated runoff from treated turf. For the runon simulation, five pesticides (chlorothalonil, chlorpyrifos, imidacloprid, pendimethalin, and propiconazole) were added at 5% their maximum application rate for turfgrass to a nurse tank containing the amount of runoff expected to occur from an uphill turf plot (5.5 m2) during either a 1- (6.1 cm) or 5-yr (9.65 cm) rain event. Runoff samples were collected at the downhill base (bottom) of each VFS and analyzed for pesticides to determine the effectiveness of VFS at mitigating runoff water and the pesticides contained. Soil core and soil pore water samples were taken periodically post-application. All samples were analyzed for applied pesticides and quantified by GC/MS and LC/MS/MS. All vegetated treatments were more effective in decreasing the runoff volume and the associated pesticide concentration when compared with UVFS, with turfgrass being the most effective of the three treatments. This research validates the use of VFS in slowing the flow of runon water significantly enough for it to infiltrate into the soil, instead of leaving the VFS as runoff. VFS are already suggested as a best management practice to prevent pesticides from leaving many agricultural sites treated with pesticides, but this research suggests their widespread use on golf courses, parks, athletic fields and home lawns could greatly reduce the amount of pesticides in runoff waters from turf environments and help keep our waterways clean.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(人間健康科学) / 甲第24143号 / 人健博第106号 / 新制||人健||7(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科人間健康科学系専攻 / (主査)教授 十一 元三, 教授 澤本 伸克, 教授 村井 俊哉 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Human Health Sciences / Kyoto University / DFAM

No description available.

Thiamethoxam and clothianidin are two neonicotinoids used in seed coatings for crops such as corn and soybeans. Both neonicotinoids have high solubility in water, so they are prone to transport via leaching and runoff. This thesis is comprised of two studies that evaluated potential solutions to mitigate neonicotinoid transport from fields. The first study examined the relationship between soil organic carbon content and neonicotinoid transport in a field planted in soybeans. Soils with increased organic carbon leached less thiamethoxam and clothianidin during early growing season leaching peaks; however, at the end of the season, higher organic carbon content only decreased leached mass of clothianidin. The second study was to determine neonicotinoid uptake of different ground covers used as cover crops or edge-of-field buffer strips, as well as the partitioning of thiamethoxam and clothianidin throughout the plants. Ground covers, such as crimson clover, had the highest recovery of applied thiamethoxam, meaning that it may be a good candidate to retain this pesticide in fields. Thiamethoxam and clothianidin concentrations were higher in leaf tissues than in stems or roots, indicating that above-ground biomass removal may be an effective way to reduce neonicotinoid loading in the environment. From these studies, I concluded 1) practices that raise the amount of organic carbon in the soil may help decrease early-season neonicotinoid transport, resulting in lower concentrations in surrounding waterways, and 2) careful selection of plant species, such as crimson clover, may help reduce neonicotinoid transport in the environment, while potentially reducing exposure to beneficial insects. / Master of Science / Pesticides called neonicotinoids are commonly applied to seeds in row crops, such as corn and soybeans, before they are planted. These pesticides are highly soluble in water, which can lead to them exiting fields through runoff or leaching. This thesis is comprised of two studies that examined several potential solutions for decreasing the amount of neonicotinoids available for transport. The first study examined the relationship between organic carbon in the soil and neonicotinoids, and whether this relationship helps to retain neonicotinoids in a soybean field. Soils with high organic carbon content decreased the amount of neonicotinoids exiting the field during early growing season storms; however, at the end of the season, high organic carbon content only decreased losses for one of the pesticides studied. The second study was to determine which of six plant species and two mixes used as cover crops or buffers were the most effective at removing neonicotinoids from soil, as well as where in the plant these neonicotinoids go after uptake. Ground covers, such as crimson clover, had the highest recovery of applied neonicotinoids, meaning they would be good candidates for planting around fields. Ultimately, neonicotinoid accumulation was higher in leaves than in stems or roots, meaning that removing and disposing of leaves in an environmentally safe way could be an effective way to decrease neonicotinoid pollution. From these two studies, I found that 1) increasing organic matter in the soil can stop neonicotinoids from exiting the area it was applied in, and 2) careful consideration of plant species in or around the field may help intercept neonicotinoids before they exit the field.

This study is made to determine any educational values to be derived from the use of the comics. The problem shall be to show (1) what those values are, (2) how they shall be attained, and (3) which comics are best suited to aid in the attainment of those values, as shown by the data to be assembled.

姚偉雄. / "2002年7月" / 論文 (哲學碩士)--香港中文大學, 2002. / 參考文獻 (leaves 419) / 附中英文摘要. / "2002 nian 7 yue" / Yao Weixiong. / Lun wen (zhe xue shuo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2002. / Can kao wen xian (leaves 419) / Fu Zhong Ying wen zhai yao. / Chapter 上卷 --- (正文) / 導論 --- p.1 / Chapter I. --- 批判漫畫批判 --- p.1 / Chapter II. --- 《龍虎門》是什麼？ --- p.5 / Chapter III --- .尋找香港文化一尋找香港文化結構 --- p.9 / Chapter IV --- .如何閱讀〈分析三部曲〉？ --- p.11 / 文獻回顧 --- p.14 / Chapter I. --- 漫畫在學術研究的窘困 --- p.14 / Chapter II. --- 重申文本分析：兩種主流文獻之間的空隙 --- p.17 / Chapter III. --- 漫畫研究在香港一忽視文本所產生的問題 --- p.22 / Chapter IV. --- 由「意識」到「無意識」的新路線 --- p.29 / 方法論 --- p.39 / Chapter 第一節 --- 必須研究流行文化的「無意識」層面 --- p.39 / Chapter 第三節 --- 李維史陀與巴特：神話學的「虎鶴雙形拳」 --- p.49 / Chapter 第三節 --- 文本符號研究詳述 --- p.66 / 分析部份 --- p.76 / （前傳） / 《龍虎門》的世界觀 --- p.76 / Chapter I. --- 結構層次上的世界觀 --- p.76 / Chapter II. --- 「穩定」的五六十時代世界 --- p.77 / Chapter III. --- 黑´ؤ白´ؤ灰：不穩定的六七十時代世界 --- p.78 / Chapter IV. --- 動蕩中的「社會觀」：由大染缸中向上流動到「小流氓」起源神話 --- p.80 / Chapter V. --- 「江湖觀」´Ø「全球觀」的奇妙邏輯：從獨行俠到群英會的功夫歷險延績 --- p.86 / Chapter VI. --- 小結 --- p.93 / 〈首部曲〉 / 龍虎群英與香港的文化想像：不在地組織的在地投射 --- p.94 / Chapter I. --- 不是小夾縫，而是大夾心：「黑一灰一白」三角形 --- p.96 / Chapter II. --- 《小流氓》時期的命名模式一正/邪人物的符號任意性 --- p.100 / Chapter III. --- 《龍虎門》時期：由外地建構在地 --- p.109 / Chapter IV. --- 小結：Big Mac雙層夾心結構與開放社會 --- p.122 / 〈二部曲〉 / 被社會壓抑的尚武思維：漫畫《龍虎門》的技擊符號結構 --- p.125 / Chapter I. --- 肉搏.赤膊一獷悍「公仔」的時代意義 --- p.127 / Chapter II. --- 武勇歷險的基本圖式 --- p.129 / Chapter III. --- 經過深思的拳來腳往：功夫語言系統初探 --- p.135 / Chapter IV. --- 象形拳術與理性的平民抗暴 --- p.138 / Chapter V. --- 鐵鑽、電鑽、毒龍鑽一科技的異化與拿捏 --- p.141 / Chapter VI. --- 小結：由功夫英雄到驟變社會的兩難式 --- p.151 / 〈二部曲〉附圖集 --- p.154 / 〈三部曲〉 / 群雄殉道錄：社會的定型與現代武勇理念式微 --- p.165 / Chapter I. --- 八十年代一群雄義勇模式之失落 --- p.167 / Chapter II. --- 孤星宿命論令世界觀逆動 --- p.173 / Chapter III. --- 小結：電視´Ø電影´Ø漫畫的連環透視 --- p.180 / 〈三部曲〉附圖集 --- p.189 / 結論 --- p.194 / Chapter I. --- 倒後的瀏覽 --- p.194 / Chapter II. --- 從文化「無意識」探出社會新浪潮的「內情」 --- p.196 / Chapter III. --- 一種對流行文化的態度 --- p.198 / Chapter IV. --- 王小虎，你為何不死？ --- p.201 / 參考書目 --- p.205 / Chapter 下卷 --- (附錄專輯：《龍虎門》故事簡介) / 龍虎門故事簡介 --- p.215 / 形式解說 --- p.216 / 《小流氓》時期 --- p.218 / 小流氓的起源 --- p.219 / 第1至37期：降龍十八腿的傳授 --- p.221 / 第38至66期：十字追魂棍的發明 --- p.228 / 第67至73期：李小龍之死 --- p.233 / 第74至78期：王家恩仇 --- p.236 / 第79至98期：羅刹教第一役(上） --- p.239 / 《龍虎門》時期 --- p.247 / 羅刹教系列(羅刹教第一役(下)） --- p.247 / 第99至148期：金銀銅鐵四大護法 --- p.248 / 羅刹教系列(羅刹教第二役） --- p.255 / 第149至174期：香港大毒梟 --- p.256 / 第175至203期：五毒門 --- p.261 / 第204至217期：自創雷電神腿 --- p.270 / 第218至233期：天下武功出少林 --- p.277 / 第234至245期：棍妖´Ø瘋妖 --- p.286 / 第245至261期：新四大護法 --- p.293 / 第262至279期：右密使黑鷹 --- p.303 / 第280至304期：左密使白鷲 --- p.314 / 第305至319期：逍遙派 --- p.329 / 第320至337期：宇內三痴 --- p.338 / 白蓮教系列 --- p.346 / 第475至478期：〈白蓮教終結篇> --- p.347 / 羅刹教系列(羅刹教第三役） --- p.356 / 第561至571期：〈羅刹教終結篇〉 --- p.357 / 通天教系列 --- p.365 / 第572至590期：〈捕虎擒龍篇〉 --- p.366 / 第591至600期：〈閻王索命篇〉 --- p.375 / 第601至615期：〈殲歿閻王篇〉 --- p.378 / 第616至635期：〈叛變〉 --- p.382 / 第635至645期：〈虎威〉 --- p.392 / 第646至655期：〈東山復出〉 --- p.395 / 第656至665期：〈冤家路窄〉 --- p.399 / 老祖宗系列 --- p.403 / 第702至711期：〈死神無敵篇〉 --- p.404 / 第900至905期：聚龍一擊.神話破滅 --- p.408 / 第1012至1015期：殺性回歸.身世之謎 --- p.414 / 參考資料 --- p.419

Major safety concerns are present at rural high speed intersections. When long uninterrupted tangents are located near rural intersections, the drivers can become inattentive to upcoming decision points. Traffic control devices could aid in mitigating these occurrences by warning drivers of upcoming decision points. One such device is transverse rumble strips, which act to provide motorists with an audible and tactile warning that their vehicle is approaching a decision point of critical importance to safety. The objective of this research was to determine if the presence of transverse rumble strips were an effective warning device for drivers approaching rural stop-controlled intersections. To evaluate the effectiveness of transverse rumble strips, vehicle speeds were measured at three locations along the approach to an intersection both before and after the installation of rumble strips. Vehicle speeds were measured at nine rural stop-controlled intersection sites in Texas. Overall, the installation of rumble strips generally produced small, but statistically significant (p ? 0.05), reductions in traffic speeds. There were some negative driver behavioral impacts (i.e., speed increases) that occurred after the installation of rumble strips. There were a few instances where speed change reductions of greater than 1 mph occurred, however, the overall trend was that speed change reductions were equal to or less than 1 mph. Although the rumble strips did not produce meaningful reductions in traffic speeds, they should still be considered based upon previous accident reductions and minimal installation costs.

Major safety concerns are present at rural high speed intersections. When long uninterrupted tangents are located near rural intersections, the drivers can become inattentive to upcoming decision points. Traffic control devices could aid in mitigating these occurrences by warning drivers of upcoming decision points. One such device is transverse rumble strips, which act to provide motorists with an audible and tactile warning that their vehicle is approaching a decision point of critical importance to safety. The objective of this research was to determine if the presence of transverse rumble strips were an effective warning device for drivers approaching rural stop-controlled intersections. To evaluate the effectiveness of transverse rumble strips, vehicle speeds were measured at three locations along the approach to an intersection both before and after the installation of rumble strips. Vehicle speeds were measured at nine rural stop-controlled intersection sites in Texas. Overall, the installation of rumble strips generally produced small, but statistically significant (p ? 0.05), reductions in traffic speeds. There were some negative driver behavioral impacts (i.e., speed increases) that occurred after the installation of rumble strips. There were a few instances where speed change reductions of greater than 1 mph occurred, however, the overall trend was that speed change reductions were equal to or less than 1 mph. Although the rumble strips did not produce meaningful reductions in traffic speeds, they should still be considered based upon previous accident reductions and minimal installation costs.