A drip type rainfall simulator and an existing watershed study were used to assess relationships between runoff, infiltration, erosion and associated risk thresholds on a range watershed in Brazos County, Texas. The focus of the research was determining erosion risk associated with seasonal variations in precipitation and vegetation. The objectives were to (1) develop a climatic profile for Brazos County, Texas, (2) evaluate relationships between vegetative cover, infiltration, runoff, and climatic events, (3) quantify erosion/ runoff risk associated with measured vegetation, soil moisture, and climatic events, and (4) identify potential managerial thresholds for erosion risk management on similar range watersheds. The current year climatic profile showed the wettest season was summer with thirty-two percent of the precipitation coming from one rainfall event. Also, October through December was higher than the long-term rainfall average. Pair wise correlations identified season, initial time to runoff, percent litter, annual as the dominant species, soil moisture, amount to runoff and amount to storage as significant (p<0.05) variables affecting runoff and infiltration. Percent saturation and annuals as the dominant species were significant variables affecting sediment yield. During the current study, seasonal variations in precipitation patterns influenced runoff, infiltration, and sediment yield. Spring and summer had the highest infiltration rates while the largest runoff events were in fall and winter. The highest percent of soil saturation coincided with the largest runoff and sediment losses. Minimums of two centimeters (winter and fall) and three centimeters (spring and summer) initiated runoff. This rainfall threshold would be exceeded 20 percent of the time based on the climatic profile developed for Brazos County. Peak biomass production for the watershed site was 170.61 g/m2. This was above the recommended biomass threshold of 134.5 to 168.1 grams/m2 to minimize sediment loss for tallgrass rangeland. Annual sediment loss was 10.8 grams/m2, which is negligible. Additional research across a wider array of site variation is needed to identify appropriate thresholds for the Post Oak Savanna ecosystem.

Interactions between corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), and soybean, Glycine max L. (Merrill), were investigated in the Mid-South to evaluate thresholds and damage levels. Field studies were conducted in both indeterminate and determinate modern cultivars to evaluate damage, critical injury levels, and soybean response to simulated corn earworm injury. Field studies were also conducted to evaluate the response of indeterminate cultivars to infestations of corn earworm. Field studies were also conducted to investigate the relationship between pyrethroid insecticide application and corn earworm oviposition in soybean. Results of field studies involving simulated corn earworm damage indicated the need for a dynamic threshold that becomes more conservative as soybean phenology progressed through the reproductive growth stages. This suggested that soybean was more tolerant to fruit loss during the earlier reproductive stages and was able to compensate for fruit loss better during this time than at later growth stages. Results of field studies involving infestations of corn earworm indicated that current thresholds are likely too liberal. This resulted in economic injury level tables being constructed based upon a range of crop values and control costs, however, a general action threshold was also recommended for indeterminate soybean in the Mid-South. Field study results investigating the relationship of pyrethroid application and corn earworm oviposition indicated that even in the presence of an insecticide, corn earworm prefers to oviposit in the upper portion of the canopy, as well as on the leaves as opposed to all other plant parts, consistent with all previous literature.

No description available.

No description available.

Our built environment is frequently in opposition with nature, therefore how man reacts with his surroundings can also shape them. The residential project began with the horizontal lines of the rock formations located throughout the site, and through utilization of the characteristics of the five elements of Feng Shui, innumerous decisions were made concerning orientation, material, and sense of place; allowing one to experience a sense of change yet maintaining a balance between the inside and out. The four primary walls become the vertical elements set in opposition to the horizontal lines of the site. / Master of Architecture

A lot of attention has been drawn recently to global log canonical thresholds of Fano varieties, which are algebraic counterparts of the α-invariant of Tian for smooth Fano varieties. In particular, global log canonical thresholds are related to the existence of Kahler-Einstein metrics on Fano varieties. The purpose of this thesis is to apply techniques from singularity theory in order to compute the global log canonical thresholds of all Del Pezzo surfaces of degree 1 with Du Val singularities, as well as the global log canonical thresholds of all Del Pezzo surfaces of Picard rank 1 with Du Val singularities. As a consequence, it is proven that Del Pezzo surfaces of degree 1 with Du Val singularities admit a Kahler-Einstein metric if the singular locus consists of only A1, or A3, or A4 type Du Val singular points.

A dismenorreia primária ou menstruação dolorosa na ausência de patologia pélvica é uma condição comum e muitas vezes debilitante considerada uma das queixas mais frequentes no dia-a-dia da clínica ginecológica, afetando entre 45 e 95% das mulheres que menstruam. Não há consenso na literatura sobre os limiares experimentais dessas mulheres. Na dor pélvica crônica, a diminuição dos limiares sensitivo e doloroso estão associados aos quadros de sensibilização central e hiperalgesia, necessitando de tratamento focado nesse quadro sindrômico. Se os limiares dolorosos das mulheres com dismenorreia seguirem um padrão compatível como o encontrado em mulheres com dor pélvica crônica, poderemos melhorar o tratamento dessas pacientes, abordando também as alterações neuroplásticas e do humor. Objetivo primário: Avaliar os limiares experimentais de voluntárias portadoras de dismenorreia primária moderada ou grave. Métodos e Procedimentos: Na entrevista, as participantes foram submetidas a uma avaliação psicométrica com as escalas EVA (escala visual analógica de dor), Questionário de McGill (analisa várias dimensões da dor), Escala de Ansiedade e Depressão para Hospital Geral (HAD), avaliação sócio-demográfica, antropométrica e ainda um questionário relacionado ao ciclo menstrual em geral, abordando ainda questões relacionadas a história familiar, absenteísmo no trabalho ou escola, uso e eficiência medicamentosa, prática e frequência de atividade física, entre outras. Em seguida, foram analisados os limiares sensitivo e doloroso através do aparelho de eletroestimulação nervosa transcutânea TENS e o limiar doloroso por meio de pressão transcutânea, algômetro. Resultados: Participaram do estudo 48 voluntárias divididas em dois grupos: Grupo Estudo, composto por 24 mulheres (com dismenorreia primária moderada ou grave) e o Grupo Controle composto por 24 mulheres (sem dismenorreia ou com dismenorreia primária leve). A mediana do limiar doloroso obtido através da estimulação nervosa transcutânea foi de 10,11mA no grupo de estudo e 11,92mA no grupo controle e na algometria de 1,86kg/cm² e 2,28kg/cm² respectivamente. Entre as mulheres com dismenorreia primária moderada ou grave 70 % relataram que a mãe ou irmã já sofreram ou sofrem de cólicas menstruais, 70 % não praticam nenhum tipo de atividade física, 58,3%possui algum grau de ansiedade pelo HAD e 12,5% de depressão pelo HAD, 87,5% fazem uso de medicação para dor durante o período menstrual e 33,3% faltaram de suas atividades nos últimos três meses devido a dismenorreia. / Primary dysmenorrhea or painful menstruation in the absence of pelvic pathology is a common condition and often debilitating considered one of the most frequent complaints in day-to-day gynecologic practice, affecting between 45 and 95% of menstruating women. There is no consensus in the literature on the experimental thresholds of these women In chronic pelvic pain, decreased sensory and pain thresholds are associated with the frames of central sensitization and hyperalgesia, requiring treatment focused on this syndromic. If the painful threshold of women with dysmenorrhea follow a pattern consistent as found in women with chronic pelvic pain, we can improve the treatment of these patients also addressing the neuroplastic and mood changes. Specific Objective: Evaluate voluntary experimental thresholds with moderate or severe primary dysmenorrhea. Methods and Procedures: In the interview, participants were subjected to psychometric assessment to the VAS scales (visual analog pain scale), McGill Questionnaire (analyzes various dimensions of pain), Anxiety Scale and Depression for General Hospital (HAD), socio-demographic, antropometric assessment and also a questionnaire related to the menstrual cycle in general, adressing issues related to family history, absenteeism at work or school, use and drug efficiency, practice and frequency of physical activity, among others. Then the sensitive and painful thresholds were analyzed through transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS device and the pain threshold through transcutaneous pressure algometer. Results: The study included 48 volunteers divided into two groups: Study Group, composed of 24 women (with moderate or severe primary dysmenorrhea), the control group composed of 24 women (no or mild dysmenorrhea primary dysmenorrhea). The median pain threshold obtained by transcutaneous nerve stimulation was 10,11mA corresponding to the study group and the control group 11,92mA and algometry of 1,86kg / cm² and 2,28kg / cm² respectively. Among women with moderate or severe primary dysmenorrhea 70 % reported that the mother or sister have suffered or are suffering from menstrual cramps, 70 % do not practice any physical activity, 58.3 % have some degree of anxiety by the HAD and 12.5 % of depression by the HAD, 87.5 % make use of medication for pain during the menstrual period and 33.3 % missed their activities in the last three months because of dysmenorrheal.

Peanut allergy is a public health concern which affects a significant proportion of the population. Accidental exposure to peanut can cause severe and fatal reactions in peanut allergic individuals and currently their only safeguard is to practise careful avoidance. Identification and protection of at-risk members of the allergic population is critical in managing this life-threatening condition. This thesis produces key data to enable this. A prospective study was performed on 60 peanut allergic participants to determine thresholds of reactivity to peanut using oral challenges with incrementally increasing amounts of peanut protein. Following a double-blind placebo-controlled peanut challenge, participants received three further peanut challenges, two with co-factors: sleep deprivation and exercise, and one without. Severity was measured using a numerical scale derived from symptoms and serum tryptase was measured at each challenge. A total of 187 challenges were performed. Findings were that the median amount of peanut protein which induces a reaction in 10% of the population (ED10) was 12.3mg (95% CI 7.3,20.4) equivalently this suggests that 90% of the allergic population will not react to doses below this level. Both sleep deprivation and exercise have a significant effect on lowering reaction threshold (ED10), by 5 times and 2.5 times respectively. Separately there is a reduction in threshold with successive challenges. Co-factors also significantly increased symptom severity during challenge reactions. In particular sleep deprivation significantly increased the severity of gastrointestinal symptoms suggesting that a stressful stimulus may affect intestinal permeability. Evidence was provided for the importance of asthma as a risk factor which increased the severity of respiratory symptoms during reaction. Using a novel visual analogue scale for measuring the participant’s perception of severity, a poor correlation was observed between the participant’s perception of the reaction and the overall numerical severity score, suggesting that participants misperceive severe symptoms. This thesis provides the first data showing that symptom patterns in repeated challenges show a high degree of homogeneity within individuals, but importantly that this symptom homogeneity is also observed across individuals. Lastly the utility of serum tryptase in identifying food allergic reactions has been disputed previously. This thesis provides evidence of its value and identifies a rise cut-off of 30% as being diagnostic of a food allergic reaction, but cautions that acute levels must be compared with baseline as this rise may occur within the normal range.

A dismenorreia primária ou menstruação dolorosa na ausência de patologia pélvica é uma condição comum e muitas vezes debilitante considerada uma das queixas mais frequentes no dia-a-dia da clínica ginecológica, afetando entre 45 e 95% das mulheres que menstruam. Não há consenso na literatura sobre os limiares experimentais dessas mulheres. Na dor pélvica crônica, a diminuição dos limiares sensitivo e doloroso estão associados aos quadros de sensibilização central e hiperalgesia, necessitando de tratamento focado nesse quadro sindrômico. Se os limiares dolorosos das mulheres com dismenorreia seguirem um padrão compatível como o encontrado em mulheres com dor pélvica crônica, poderemos melhorar o tratamento dessas pacientes, abordando também as alterações neuroplásticas e do humor. Objetivo primário: Avaliar os limiares experimentais de voluntárias portadoras de dismenorreia primária moderada ou grave. Métodos e Procedimentos: Na entrevista, as participantes foram submetidas a uma avaliação psicométrica com as escalas EVA (escala visual analógica de dor), Questionário de McGill (analisa várias dimensões da dor), Escala de Ansiedade e Depressão para Hospital Geral (HAD), avaliação sócio-demográfica, antropométrica e ainda um questionário relacionado ao ciclo menstrual em geral, abordando ainda questões relacionadas a história familiar, absenteísmo no trabalho ou escola, uso e eficiência medicamentosa, prática e frequência de atividade física, entre outras. Em seguida, foram analisados os limiares sensitivo e doloroso através do aparelho de eletroestimulação nervosa transcutânea TENS e o limiar doloroso por meio de pressão transcutânea, algômetro. Resultados: Participaram do estudo 48 voluntárias divididas em dois grupos: Grupo Estudo, composto por 24 mulheres (com dismenorreia primária moderada ou grave) e o Grupo Controle composto por 24 mulheres (sem dismenorreia ou com dismenorreia primária leve). A mediana do limiar doloroso obtido através da estimulação nervosa transcutânea foi de 10,11mA no grupo de estudo e 11,92mA no grupo controle e na algometria de 1,86kg/cm² e 2,28kg/cm² respectivamente. Entre as mulheres com dismenorreia primária moderada ou grave 70 % relataram que a mãe ou irmã já sofreram ou sofrem de cólicas menstruais, 70 % não praticam nenhum tipo de atividade física, 58,3%possui algum grau de ansiedade pelo HAD e 12,5% de depressão pelo HAD, 87,5% fazem uso de medicação para dor durante o período menstrual e 33,3% faltaram de suas atividades nos últimos três meses devido a dismenorreia. / Primary dysmenorrhea or painful menstruation in the absence of pelvic pathology is a common condition and often debilitating considered one of the most frequent complaints in day-to-day gynecologic practice, affecting between 45 and 95% of menstruating women. There is no consensus in the literature on the experimental thresholds of these women In chronic pelvic pain, decreased sensory and pain thresholds are associated with the frames of central sensitization and hyperalgesia, requiring treatment focused on this syndromic. If the painful threshold of women with dysmenorrhea follow a pattern consistent as found in women with chronic pelvic pain, we can improve the treatment of these patients also addressing the neuroplastic and mood changes. Specific Objective: Evaluate voluntary experimental thresholds with moderate or severe primary dysmenorrhea. Methods and Procedures: In the interview, participants were subjected to psychometric assessment to the VAS scales (visual analog pain scale), McGill Questionnaire (analyzes various dimensions of pain), Anxiety Scale and Depression for General Hospital (HAD), socio-demographic, antropometric assessment and also a questionnaire related to the menstrual cycle in general, adressing issues related to family history, absenteeism at work or school, use and drug efficiency, practice and frequency of physical activity, among others. Then the sensitive and painful thresholds were analyzed through transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation TENS device and the pain threshold through transcutaneous pressure algometer. Results: The study included 48 volunteers divided into two groups: Study Group, composed of 24 women (with moderate or severe primary dysmenorrhea), the control group composed of 24 women (no or mild dysmenorrhea primary dysmenorrhea). The median pain threshold obtained by transcutaneous nerve stimulation was 10,11mA corresponding to the study group and the control group 11,92mA and algometry of 1,86kg / cm² and 2,28kg / cm² respectively. Among women with moderate or severe primary dysmenorrhea 70 % reported that the mother or sister have suffered or are suffering from menstrual cramps, 70 % do not practice any physical activity, 58.3 % have some degree of anxiety by the HAD and 12.5 % of depression by the HAD, 87.5 % make use of medication for pain during the menstrual period and 33.3 % missed their activities in the last three months because of dysmenorrheal.

A novel model was developed to test the use of short data sets for testing various alarm thresholds as part of an energy management program. Several years of 15-minute interval data were utilized from five buildings in Jacksonville, Florida. The model aggregated the data by day type and occupancy so that there were four period types used. For all of the buildings’ meters, their daily usage by period type was tested against the threshold to determine if an alarm would be triggered, which would then be assigned a reward and cost based upon the type and duration of response. The risk management value was converted to dollars, in order to normalize the energy and time. It was determined that the 5-month short data set was the most appropriate choice for short data sets. In addition, it was concluded that the thresholds should be set between 0.8 and 1.0 standard deviation above the average of the short window. Several recommendations for further study are also enclosed.