Pectobacterium carotovorum (Pbc), Dickeya spp., Pectobacterium atrosepticum (Pba), and a new, atypical strain, Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis (Pbcb) can cause potato blackleg, soft rot and aerial stem rot. To determine the impact and extent of these pathogens on the South African potato industry, samples were collected from 72 potato fields in 10 potato production regions during the 2006/7 production seasons. During these seasons, blackleg outbreaks occurred in commercial production fields causing severe economic losses. Bacteria isolated from diseased material that were Gram-negative, facultative anaerobic with pectolytic ability were identified using a Multiplex PCR targeting the 16S-23S region. Isolates were subjected to partial sequencing of the 16S-23S rDNA and a subsequent PCR-RFLP of the 16S-23S rDNA region. Comparison of RFLP patterns of isolates to reference cultures confirmed the identity of the South African blackleg strains as Pbcb. This is the first report of Pbcb in South Africa. A total of 128 isolates were obtained from 10 production regions. Of these 77% were shown to be Pbcb, 17% Pbc and 6% unkown. Dickeya spp. and Pba were not detected in South Africa. From imported tubers 14 isolates were obtained, 13 of which were identified as Pbcb and one isolate as Pbc. Thus Pbcb was shown to be the most important causal agent of blackleg and soft rot in South Africa and poses a threat to the South African potato industry. Through a questionnaire survey the farmers` knowledge of soft rot / blackleg disease complex and the need for research on these potato diseases in South Africa was determined. A total of 41 questionnaires were collected from potato growers and analysed. Estimates of economic losses experienced by growers due to soft rot / blackleg disease complex, ranged from 1 to 70%. It appears that in South Africa disease symptoms are mainly prevalent at temperate (10 – 20°C) to warm climates with prolonged wet or humid conditions. To reduce disease incidence, low generation seed tubers need to be planted and good crop rotation systems need to be followed. Blackleg is mainly a seed-borne disease and is therefore difficult to control. This prompted the search for a possible management strategy to increase plant / tuber resistance to blackleg and soft rot and to minimise losses. The study also focussed on the effect of a calcium silicate slag soil amendment on phenolic formation in cell walls of potato peels, and subsequent tuber resistance to Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis (Pbcb) . Pot trials were conducted with the following treatments: Control with and without the pathogen; slag (30% Si) with and without the pathogen; lime treatment (CaCO3) as pH control with and without the pathogen. Results from pot trials show that phenol production in potato stems and tubers increased in both lime and slag treatments, compared to the controls. This suggests that soil pH may play a role in phenol production. This could, however be due to increased silicon absorption by plants at higher pH values. Results also indicate that the best Si source to use is Calmasil, since Si and Ca combined have a synergistic effect in enhancing tuber resistance. This is, however, the first study on the effect of Si on defence responses of potatoes and further research is required to elucidate the modes-of-action of Si in the potato plant. This study has enhanced the understanding of the etiology of soft rot / blackleg diseases in South Africa and opened up new possibilities for the use of Si in commercial production to improve plant health status. However the need for future research on this disease complex has been highlighted in this thesis. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Microbiology and Plant Pathology / unrestricted

TITLE: DELAY DISCOUNTING AND CAMPUS SPEEDING BEHAVIORMAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Ryan Redner Speeding, as defined by exceeding the speed limit posted in a designated area, is a problem that has a direct negative effect on a majority of America, college campuses not being exempt. A minimal amount of research has been conducted on specifically dangerous driving such as speeding on university campuses; this paper looks to expand upon the existing research. In addition, this study serves the purpose of attempting to correlate speeding and impulsivity. This was achieved by utilizing a survey in conjunction with delay discounting scenarios embedded within. Participants (n = 89) took a survey that involved questions about demographic information and past driving. The survey also included two hypothetical scenarios that encouraged participants to answer whether they would speed in the presented scenarios and at what point. To complete the survey the MCQ (Monetary Choice Questionnaire) was placed at the end. To assess the results the 89 participants were split into two groups two different times to be analyzed. One group was split into an impulsive group and non-impulsive group while the other group was split into speeders and non-speeders. As expected, both the impulsive and speeders were more likely to discount speed at a faster rate; this shown at higher rates in the penalty hypothetical scenario. The implications of this study include that those with that display higher impulsivity, shown through k-values, may have a higher tendency to engage in dangerous driving such as speeding, as well as understanding that penalty conditions, such as point loss, show a correlation with speeding.

Current literature is plentiful on computer-based technology's influence on students. There are only a few studies which have looked at the influence that computer-based technology has on teachers. This is a study of factors which influence teachers' use of computer-based technology. It is based on inconsistencies in previous studies, areas not addressed in previous surveys and the dramatic changes in computer-based technology and Internet access using Web browsers since the previous surveys on computer-based technology were conducted. A survey was conducted of K-12 teachers in two rural county school systems. One was in southern West Virginia and the other was in southwestern Virginia. This survey found that computer access in the classroom influenced the frequency of use for some instructional activities. Lack of Internet access and obsolete computer equipment resulted in a negative influence to the teachers use of computer-based technology in the classroom. Teachers also expressed a desire for a continuous type of training program for the use of computers. / Ph. D.

This study develops and tests a model that depicts how cognitive and emotional evaluations relate to customer satisfaction in leisure services. The model is tested within the context of visitors to the Rostock Zoo in Germany. Results of the study show that consumer satisfaction with leisure services is a function of both cognitive and affective evaluations where the affective evaluations dominate. Implications of the results are discussed. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: getinfo@haworthpressinc.com Website: http://www.HaworthPress.com.

This article reports the results and managerial implications of a Turkish study which investigated relationships between service quality, background characteristics and, customer satisfaction and selected behavioral outcomes.

Acute and chronic cardiovascular comorbidities are common among critically ill individuals. It is unclear if current critical care fellowship trainees feel adequately prepared to manage these conditions. Design: Prospective, cross-sectional survey. Patients or Subjects: Trainees enrolled in U.S. critical care training programs. Setting: Accredited pulmonary/critical care, surgery/critical care, anesthesiology/critical care, and stand-alone critical care training programs. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: A 19-item survey assessing trainee confidence in the management of cardiac critical illness and the performance of cardiac-specific critical care interventions was constructed using Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education recommendations as a reference. After validation, the survey was electronically sent to all training programs for dissemination to their trainees. Confidence scores were measured on a Likert scale from 1 to 5. A total of 134 completed surveys were analyzed. Overall, respondents reported lower confidence in managing cardiovascular compared with noncardiovascular diseases in the ICU (4.0 vs 4.6 out of 5). Likewise, they reported lower perceived competence in performing cardiovascular procedures specific to the ICU (2.9 vs 4.5 out of 5). The majority (88%) of those surveyed felt that they would benefit from increased didactic and clinical experience in the management of cardiovascular critical illness. Conclusions: Current critical care fellows may be unprepared to deal with the increasing prevalence of cardiovascular illness in the ICU. This potential educational gap warrants timely attention to ensure that future graduates have the requisite skills necessary to manage these critically ill patients and presents a unique opportunity to develop multidisciplinary partnerships for enhancing training.

The Seleucid Empire (312–63 BCE) of the Hellenistic period was one of the largest and most ethnically diverse imperial systems of the classical world. Owing to the limited coverage of archaeological surveys and inadequately dated archaeological remains, however, very little is known about the Hellenistic and, specifically, Seleucid countryside. In this dissertation, I draw on two landscape-based archaeological surveys conducted in Hatay Province of south-central Turkey, the Mopsos Survey and the Yumurtalık Survey, and focus on three contiguous and naturally bounded coastal plains (Rhosus, Alexandreia, and Issus). Additionally, I present a full analysis and chronological revision of ceramics stemming from these surveys. I bring these two primary classes of evidence together to explore settlement dynamics in the Hellenistic countryside across discrete chronological periods: Early Hellenistic (300–225 BCE); Middle Hellenistic (225–150 BCE); Late Hellenistic (150–25 BCE); Early Roman (25 BCE–40 CE); and Middle Roman 1 (40–130 CE). To assess ancient settlement dynamics — here defined as variations in the configuration of human occupation across a given space — I employ archaeological survey data capable of reflecting settlement size, location, distribution, and quantity as well as physical landscape considerations such as the availability of natural resources and proximity to overland and maritime trading routes. This dissertation demonstrates that it is possible to pursue topics of study within the Hellenistic era and outside the major urban spheres using survey data and a detailed reading of associated ceramics with updated typologies. The Hellenistic countryside of south-central Turkey had different demographic trajectories, which ultimately led to different configurations of settlement within the three plains studied. From a regional perspective, this work has explained and delineated a settlement change first identified by early-to-mid twentieth century travelers and archaeologists. It has also heeded the calls of recent scholars bemoaning the poor state of archaeological evidence reflecting the Seleucid countryside by devising methods that, for the first time, give the Seleucid realm a discrete periodization scheme for areas outside well-studied urban spheres, thereby fostering a new avenue of scholarly inquiry. / 2017-12-31T00:00:00Z

This Master's project explores the viability of portable XRF (pXRF) for the purposes of identifying the chemical signatures of ceramics collected as part of archaeological research. The work presented makes clear that this method is viable and opens the door for future opportunities with extensive research collections located in storage units and museums precisely because the analysis is portable. No longer will researchers face the hurdles of export permissions for samples. The project presents results from three separate research phases. The first data collection tested the method with a control group, corroborating results from what is traditionally seen as a far more rigorous method for chemical sourcing of archaeological ceramics, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The second and third phases handled much larger datasets, setting the stage for future research. Additionally, an investigation of data collection efficiency shows that existing protocols produce statistically consistent results, yet that protocol economy can reduce overall analysis cost (in terms of time) for certain classes of ceramics.

Hearing conservation specialists are aware of the need for early identification and diagnosis of impaired hearing. This awareness of need has led to the development of several identification methods in the United States. Public awareness programs designed to inform laymen and professionals of the danger signals of infant hearing impairment currently are coming into focus, both as a separate entity and as part of total identification procedures. Current public awareness programs regarding infant hearing loss were surveyed in the present study and recommendations on a model awareness program of this type were obtained. Fifty-one hearing conservation specialists participated in the survey. The data from questionnaire returns indicated existence of eighteen programs from among the total respondents. It also shoed strong support for dissemination of pertinent information of hearing loss to the professional and parent populations of the United States. The data further revealed that program direction and finance should primarily be through state health departments with federal governmental assistance.

The sweet cherry crop has always been the number one fruit crop in Utah until the last three or four years when it shifted to second place due to severe spring frosts. However, the outlook for its continued success is still very good. Even though there are drawbacks such as virus infestations, spring frosts, nutritional disorders, cracking, doubling, and bird injury, new plantings are being made each year in each of the important fruit producing counties. Utah is also important in the national production of sweet cherries and is presently sixth in the nation.