L'estudi té com a objectiu l'anàlisi de les transformacions del poblament i de l'organització territorial a la Catalunya Central entre els segles VI i XI, és a dir, des de l'extinció de l'imperi d'occident fins a la consolidació de l'ordre feudal imposat a partir de la conquesta de la zona per part dels comtes d'Osona, Cerdanya i Urgell. Amb aquesta finalitat, es planteja una recerca fonamentada principalment en dades arqueològiques, obtingudes de manera directa o en base a treballs aliens, sense renunciar en cap moment a l'estudi comparat de les fonts textuals i del registre toponímic. Així, i a través d'un recorregut cronològic, s'analitzen diversos jaciments de diferents èpoques, natura i característiques, intentant definir quines són les principals pautes diacròniques d'ocupació i organització del territori. En una primera part, que abraça el període entre els segles VI i IX, l'anàlisi es focalitza inicialment en la desaparició del sistema tradicional de poblament rural provinent del món romà, representat per les grans explotacions corresponents a villae amb un fundus associat, per caracteritzar tot seguit els assentaments dels segles següents, on s’observa el predomini d’establiments definits per diversos àmbits habitualment envoltats per un recinte i associats de forma recurrent a premses, seguint una orientació econòmica que ja mostraven aquelles villae baiximperials. En paral·lel, es comprova com la presència d’esglésies en aquesta època es redueix a casos comptats que habitualment cal associar als centres territorials del moment, a la vegada que s’aporten algunes dades incipients que denoten l’ocupació d’establiments en alçada, sovint sobre restes anteriors d’època protohistòrica o ibèrica. En tot cas, destaca la identificació d’un gran nombre de necròpolis que cal associar al període i que constitueixen el reflex material més evident del poblament altmedieval, delatant un procés de dispersió que es perllonga durant tot el període. Encara dins aquesta primera part, l’anàlisi de la toponímia i de les fonts escrites, àrabs i llatines, constitueix la base per identificar la implantació d’una xarxa d’establiments de caràcter públic i fiscal associats a la conquesta musulmana, tot seguint un plantejament desenvolupat en altres àrees geogràfiques per altres autors i per nosaltres mateixos. Finalment, les mateixes fonts escrites ens serveixen per plantejar una hipòtesi en relació al marc polític que es desenvolupa en aquesta àrea durant bona part del segle IX, quan aquesta es manté segons sembla relativament al marge dels comtats carolingis i dels districtes andalusins. En la segona part, centrada en els segles X-XI, s’analitza el procés de conquesta i expansió comtal sobre aquests territoris, tot destriant els diversos tipus d’establiments que es desenvolupen a partir d’aquest moment. Així, en un primer apartat s’estudien, tant des d’una vessant arqueològica com textual, els enclavaments vinculats al poder, principalment esglésies i fortificacions, i el seu paper en la construcció del nou ordre social que representa la gestació del feudalisme. Per altra banda, es dedica especial atenció a la caracterització arqueològica dels assentaments rurals del moment i a les instal·lacions productives que s’hi troben. / This study has its main goal in analyzing the transformations on the settlement pattern and the territorial organization in the area of central Catalonia between the 6th and the 11th centuries; this is, from the end of the Western Roman Empire to the arrival of the feudalism to the area after the conquest by the counts of Osona, Cerdanya and Urgell. Accordingly, an archaeological-based research has been completed through both own and alien data, although written sources and toponymic register have been utilized as well. Thus, throughout a chronological journey, several archaeological sites from different phases, nature and character are analyzed in order to define which are the principal diachronic guidelines of occupation and organization of the territory. In the opening section, which covers the period from the 6th to the 9th centuries, we first stress out the issue of the end of the traditional system of roman rural settlement, exemplified by the villae and fundus pair, and then we characterize the settlements from the next centuries, when it is observed the presence of several-room-establishments which are often surrounded by perimeter walls and are recurrently associated to presses, following the economic path of the late roman villae. At the same time, the existence of churches in this historic context is reduced to a few examples, surely related to the territorial centres, and some new data is given about the reoccupation of protohistoric settlements placed in altitude. Anyway, it is remarkable the high number of necropolis found in this region, one of the most reliable evidences of the early medieval settlement. Still in this first section, toponymic and written sources are used in order to identify public and fiscal establishments related to the islamic conquest, following some other authors’ lead as we have also done somewhere else. Finally, we utilize written sources to present an hypothesis on the political frame developed in this area during the 9th century, when the region maintains its independence from the Carolingian counties and the Andalusian districts. In the second section, focused on the 10th-11th centuries, we deal with the process of conquest and expansion by the counts in this area. On one hand, we try to identify the new type of settlements related to that time frame. In order to achieve so, establishments related to power, such as churches and fortifications, are studied both through archaeological and written evidences, as well as their new role in the construction of a new social order represented by the formation of feudalism. On the other hand, we pay special attention to the archaeological description of the rural settlements of this moment and their productive facilities.

El objetivo comprendido en esta tesis doctoral fue evaluar el efecto de la aplicación de la Alta Presión Hidrostática (APH) en la formación de Aminas Biogenas (AB) en quesos elaborados a partir de leche cruda. Para este propósito fue necesaria la participación de dos queserías artesanas como proveedoras de las dos variedades de queso elaboradas a partir de leche cruda utilizadas en este estudio, una de leche de oveja y otra de de leche de cabra. La visita a cada una de las queserías se realizó previamente con el fin de conocer las instalaciones, las condiciones de elaboración de los quesos y el grado de cumplimiento de la gestión del autocontrol. Los quesos fueron ajustados a las dimensiones de la canasta del equipo de APH, envasados al vacío y tratados por APH a 400 MPa de presión, durante 10 min, y 2 ºC de temperatura. Estas condiciones fueron aplicadas a los quesos entre los días 3 y 7 (APH1) y al día 15 (APH15) después de la elaboración. En cada caso se realizaron, durante la maduración, los análisis necesarios para conocer el efecto de cada tratamiento en la microbiología, los parámetros fisicoquímicos, el contenido de AB y las características sensoriales y de textura de los quesos. Así mismo, se estudió la capacidad formadora de AB en la microbiota presente en cada una de las variedades de queso. Para este propósito se realizó la validación de un método cualitativo para la detección de bacterias con actividad aminoácido decarboxilasa y se evaluó la frecuencia de las diferentes especies y cepas bacterianas encontradas con esta capacidad. El sistema de higiene y calidad basado en los principios del análisis de peligros y puntos críticos de control (APPCC) observado en cada quesería participante no está propiamente implantado. Sin embargo en ambas queserías se aplica, de diferentes maneras, el programa de pre-requisitos, aunque en algunos casos estos procedimientos y controles no estén por escrito y/o registrados. Los principales puntos débiles encontrados en ambas queserías fueron: El mantenimiento preventivo de instalaciones y equipos; los procedimientos de limpieza y desinfección; y la gestión y eliminación del lactosuero. Adicionalmente, en una de las queserías se observó que el control de la calidad del agua suministrada era inadecuado. En ambos tipos de queso se observó que la aplicación de APH influyó en el contenido de AB, mostrando una reducción, en comparación con la muestra control, alrededor del 75 y 35% en los quesos con tratamiento APH1 y APH15, respectivamente. La tiramina (TY) y la putrescina (PU) fueron las aminas más afectadas en los quesos elaborados de leche cruda de cabra, mientras que la TY y la cadaverina (CA) lo fueron en los quesos de leche cruda de oveja. La disminución en la concentración AB en los quesos presurizados al inicio de la maduración pudo deberse a la reducción observada en los recuentos microbianos un día después de la aplicación del tratamiento (principalmente lactococos, lactobacilos, enterococos y enterobacterias), junto con en el descenso del contenido de aminoácidos libres percibido, 34 y 48% menor que el obtenido en los quesos control de leche de cabra y oveja al final de la maduración, respectivamente. Por otro lado, la aplicación del tratamiento APH15 mostró también una reducción significativa en los recuentos microbianos. Sin embargo el contenido de aminoácidos libres observado fue similar a los quesos control. Los dos medios decarboxilantes, bajo en nitrógeno (LND) y bajo en glucosa (LGD), utilizados en el método cualitativo para la detección de bacterias con actividad aminoácido decarboxilasa mostraron parámetros de diagnostico satisfactorios para la identificación de bacterias con la capacidad de formar PU, CA y TY, siendo su optimo punto de corte fijado entre 10-25 mg L-1, con un área bajo la curva ROC superior al 0,90 y unos valores de sensibilidad y especificidad superiores al 84 y 92%, respectivamente. No obstante, este método mostró menor capacidad en la detección de bacterias con la habilidad de producir HI, siendo considerada, de acuerdo con los parámetros de diagnostico evaluados, como aceptable y deficiente, para los medios LND y LGD, respectivamente. La mayor actividad aminoácido decarboxilasa observada entre las bacterias aisladas de los quesos de leche de cabra y oveja fue la tirosina decarboxilasa, con una capacidad de producción de TY superior a 100 mg L-1, seguida por la lisina y la ornitina decarboxilasa, con una habilidad de formación de CA y PU en concentraciones de 100-1000 mg L-1 y superiores a 1000 mg L-1, respectivamente. Los principales microorganismos productores de TY mostraron ser aquellos pertenecientes a los grupos de Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus y Leuconostoc, mientras que las cepas bacterianas de Enterobactericeae y Staphylococcus fueron las principales formadoras de CA y PU, aunque algunas cepas de Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, y Pediococcus mostraron tener capacidad de producir diaminas a niveles superiores de 100 mg L-1. En lo referente a las características sensoriales y de textura, los quesos tratados con APH muestran una reducción de la fracturabilidad. Este hecho pudo ser debido a los cambios en la microestructura causados por la aplicación de APH y, en el caso de los quesos presurizados, al inicio de la maduración posiblemente también a la disminución en la velocidad de proteólisis producida. Por otro lado, en la evaluación sensorial de la textura, las diferencias significativas percibidas fueron únicamente encontradas en la firmeza de los quesos, siendo consideradas las muestras presurizadas como más firmes que los quesos control. La determinación de color mostró que la diferencia total (ΔE) de las muestras tratadas en comparación con los controles fue mayor después de la aplicación de APH (alrededor de 4.4), sin embargo esta diferencia fue disminuyendo a medida que la maduración avanzaba. Así mismo, la diferencia de color percibida por el panel de evaluación sensorial, fue significativa únicamente en las muestras de leche de oveja con tratamiento APH1. / The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of the High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) on the formation of Biogenic Amines (BA) in raw milk cheeses. For this purpose, two Spanish artisan cheese factories were selected to provide the cheeses to be used in the survey. These factories were previously visited to check the compliance with the hygienic standards required by European Regulations. One variety of cheese was chosen from each factory, both made from raw milk. One of them was made from ovine milk and the other from caprine milk. A HHP treatment of 400 MPa during 10 min at 2 ºC was chosen as the most suitable. These conditions were applied at the begging of the ripening between 3rd and 7th day (HHP1) or on the 15th day (HHP15), in each case the effect of the treatments on the microbial, physicochemical, textural, and sensory parameters, as well as on the formation of different BA were assessed during the maturity period. The BA forming capacity of the microbiota present in the cheeses was also evaluated. To this purpose a qualitative screening method to detect the amino acid decarboxylase activity of bacteria was validated and the frequency of the different species and strains with this capacity was determined in either the ovine and caprine raw milk cheeses studied. The hygienic quality system based on the HACCP principles of the two visited artisan cheese factories was not strictly established. However, the prerequisites program was applied according to their necessities, although in most cases the procedures and results of the controls were not appropriately written or registered. The preventive maintenance of the facilities and equipments, cleaning and sanitation procedures, and the whey waste disposal were the main weaknesses found in both cheese factories. Besides, the water supply control was also unsuitable in one of them. Biogenic amine content in both types of cheeses was greatly influenced by HHP. The treatments applied on the beginning and on the 15th day of ripening displayed 75 and 35% lower amounts of BA, respectively, than those obtained in the control untreated samples, being TY and PU the most affected amines in caprine milk cheeses, while TY and CA were so in ovine milk cheeses. The BA reduction in the caprine and ovine HHP1-samples can be explained as a result of a significant decrease of microbiological counts observed one day after the HHP-treatment (specially in the lactoccocci, lactobacilli, enteroccocci and enterobacteria groups) and the slower proteolysis detected in these samples, which showed 34 and 48% less free amino acids than the control caprine and ovine milk cheese samples at the 60th day of ripening, respectively. On the other hand, the HHP treatment applied on the 15th day also resulted in the decrease of microbiological counts, although in this case the liberation of amino acids was not different than the control samples. The amino acid decarboxylase microplate screening method using low nitrogen decaboxylase (LND) and low glucose decaboxylase (LGD) broths had satisfying diagnostic parameters to detect the PU, CA and TY- forming bacteria, being their optimal cut off between 10-25 mg L-1, with an area under ROC curve above 0.90 and a sensitivity and specificity values above 84 and 92%, respectively. Nevertheless, the test had less capacity to detect the HI-forming bacteria. According to the diagnosis parameters evaluated, this test was considered only as acceptable and poor, for LND snd LGD media, respectively. Among the isolates obtained from caprine and ovine milk cheeses with amino acid decarboxylase activity, the TY forming bacteria were the most frequent, showing a strong production (exceeding 100 mg L-1), followed by those with CA and PU-forming ability with strong and prolific production (100-1000 and over 1000 mg L-1, respectively). In the first case, strains belonging to the Lactococcus, Lactobacillus, Enterococcus and Leuconostoc groups were found as the main TY producers, whereas Enterobactericeae and Staphylococcus strains were the main PU and/or CA forming bacteria, although some Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, and Pediococcus strains showed an ability to produce diamines at levels above 100 mg L-1. The decelerated rate of proteolysis in HHP1 samples, combined with the structural changes caused by the pressure, could contribute to reduce the fracturability of cheeses. However, this decrease could be only due to the formation of a more homogeneous microstructure in the ovine milk cheeses with the HHP15 treatment. The sensory panel noticed that the firmness in the HHP1 and HHP15 samples was significantly different than in control samples. The total color differences (ΔE) in the HHP samples was higher during the first stages of the ripening (around 4.4 in HHP1 and HHP15 samples), decreasing as the sample aged. In addition, differences in color were also perceived by the sensory panel, being significant only in ovine milk cheeses with the HHP1-treatment.

European railways have been immersed since the nineties in a restructuring process aimed at improving the effectiveness, quality and economic efficiency of the provision of railway services, as well as stimulating the growth of railway markets. This reform has involved a separation between infrastructure management and operation and the introduction of rail infrastructure charges to regulate the use, by railway undertakings, of the infrastructure managed by infrastructure managers. Rail infrastructure charges aim, in essence, at recovering costs. Nevertheless, they can have an influence on the usage of the infrastructure, especially in corridors where competition between modes exists. Therefore, special attention should be paid to their definition and amount to ensure that they do not counteract the important effort that the European Union is making to help finance and build a European high speed network aimed at strengthening railways and redressing modal share imbalances. In Europe, legislation requires transparent and non discriminatory rail access charges, based on the principles of short run marginal social cost although mark ups are permitted where necessary to meet financial requirements. However, it does not specify how these principles should be implemented. This dissertation has three main tasks. Firstly, it calculates the amount of rail infrastructure charge for European high speed lines/services based on the marginal cost. Secondly, it characterises the rail infrastructure charging systems applied to European high speed lines/services, in order to detect if mark ups above the marginal cost of wear and tear are being applied to those services and if so, how they are applied. Finally, it quantifies the impacts on traffic volumes and mode split resulting from bringing the current levels of rail infrastructure charges (applied in the European high speed network) to the level of marginal cost of maintenance and renewals and to the optimal Ramsey mark up. According to the results obtained, current levels of rail infrastructure charges implemented in Europe have a negative impact on the competitiveness of the high speed passenger services that run on the European railway network, particularly in the cases where the rail market share is currently low (below 80-85%). Thus, mark ups would not have been imposed after careful consideration of their consequences on the market position of railway undertakings in the market segment in question.

El uso de antimicrobianos como tratamiento terapéutico o profiláctico en animales de consumo masivo, como aves de corral (pollos), actualmente es de vital importancia para la industria avícola ya que permite promover el crecimiento y crianza intensiva de dichos animales así como garantizar productos sanos y de “ calidad ”, pero cuando se utilizan de forma abusiva sin atender a los principios de la buena practica veterinaria, la presencia de residuos en los alimentos representa un grave riesgo para la salud pública ya que podrían generar en los consumidores resistencia bacteriana y alergias provocando problemas médicos y veterinarios. El presente estudio, siguiendo la recomendación de las medidas de control del Consejo de las Comunidades Europeas, realizó un muestreo de carne de pollo en cuatro zonas comerciales: Mercado Central, Supermercado Metro, Mercado Eco, Mercado La Aurora en Lima cercado, donde se tomaron cinco muestras de cada mercado, teniendo un total de veinte muestras. La metodología empleada para detectar la presencia o ausencia de residuos de antibióticos tuvo como referencia el método microbiológico de difusión de las cuatro placas, para luego cuantificarlos por cromatografía líquida de alta resolución (HPLC). Los resultados obtenidos por ensayo microbiológico fueron positivos ya que se obtuvo halos de inhibición en al menos una de las placas ensayadas de cada muestra de 2mm de ancho. Por el método cuantitativo por HPLC se obtuvieron resultados que sobrepasan el Límite Máximo de Residuos (LMR) para sulfametoxazol en 75% de las muestras (mayor a 100ug/Kg de músculo), para norfloxacino en 100% de las muestras (mayor a 100 ug/Kg de músculo) y para ciprofloxacino en 50% de las muestras (mayor a 100 ug/Kg de músculo). Palabras Claves: Antimicrobianos, método microbiológico, HPLC, músculo de pollo, residuos. / The use of antimicrobials as therapeutic or prophylactic treatment in animals of mass consumption, such as poultry (chicken), it is now vital to the poultry industry because it can promote growth and intensive farming of these animals and ensure healthy and "quality", but when used improperly without regard to principles of good veterinary practice, the presence of residues in food poses a serious risk to public health because consumers could develope bacterial resistance and cause allergies medical and veterinary problems. This study, following the recommendation of the control measures of the Council of the European Communities, it is carried out a sampling of chicken meat in four commercial areas: Central Market, Supermarket Metro, Eco Market, Aurora Market in Lima Cercado, where five samples were taken of each market, taking a total of twenty samples. The methodology used to detect the presence or absence of residues of antibiotics had the reference microbiological method of diffusion of the four plates, then quantified by liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results of microbiological tests were positive as halos of inhibition were obtained in at least one plate of each sample tested 2mm wide. For quantitative HPLC method, it was obtained results that exceeded the maximum residue limit (MRL) for sulfamethoxazole in 75% of samples (greater than 100ug/Kg of muscle), norfloxacin of 100% of the samples (greater than 100 ug / kg of muscle) and ciprofloxacin of 50% of the samples (greater than 100 ug / kg of muscle). Key Words: Antimicrobials, microbiological technique, HPLC, chicken’s muscle, residues.

Se presentan los resultados obtenidos en la validación de un método analítico por cromatografía líquida de alta resolución, para la determinación de vitamina B1, en leche UHT Enriquecida y Endulzada, el cual se diseñó para separar la tiamina, con la utilización de una columna RP-18 de 150 x 4.6 mm y un detector UV-Visible. Dicho método se empleó para el control de la calidad de este producto. El método fue validado siguiendo una metodología de trabajo elaborado previamente en un protocolo de validación, donde se analizaron diferentes parámetros como son: selectividad, linealidad, presición, exactitud. Se procede a recopilar toda la información bibliográfica necesaria para luego realizar los primeros análisis exploratorios definiendo las condiciones cromatográficas finales. Definida las condiciones se inicia los análisis para la evaluación de los parámetros de validación y se demuestra mediante el diseño experimental y los procedimientos estadísticos empleados que la técnica analítica propuesta es lineal por que se obtiene un coeficiente de determinación de r2= 0.9998; es exacta por que se obtiene un porcentaje de recuperación de 100.07%; es precisa ya que para la repetibilidad se obtiene un RSD de 0.446% y para la precisión intermedia se demuestra que no existe diferencias entre las varianzas de los analistas; finalmente es selectiva por que no se evidencian picos interferentes cumpliendo así con los parámetros de validación establecidas en las obras oficiales, por lo cual, el método validado es confiable y puede ser empleado en el análisis de rutina. / The results obtained in the validation of an analytic method by chromatography liquid of high resolution are presented, for the decision of vitamin B1, in milk UHT enriched and sweetened, which was designed to separate the thiamine, with the utilization of a column RP-18 of 150 x 4.6 mm and a detector UV- Visible. Said method was employed for the control of the quality of this product. The validation of an analytic method includes the evaluation of a series of parameters. They are: selectivity, linearity, precision, accuracy. We compilated all the bibliographic information we need to do the first exploratory analyses which define the final chromatographic conditions. Then, when the conditions were defined, we started the analyses for the evaluation of validation’s parameters. It was shown by the experimental design and the statistic procedures, that the proposed analytical technique is linear because the correlation coefficient obtained was r2= 0.9998; it is accurate, it was obtained a recuperation percentage of 100.07%; is precise since for the repeatability obtained was RSD of 0.446% and for the intermediate precision it is shown that do not exist differences among the variances of the analysts, finally is selective because there is no evidence of interferential chromatographic peaks. The proposed technique accomplished all established validation’s parameters established in the official papers. Thus, the validate method is reliable and it can be used in the routine analyses.

El presente estudio desarrolla una técnica analítica para determinar gamma hidroxibutirato (GHB) en líquidos biológicos. Esto es debido a que esta sustancia viene siendo utilizada como una droga de abuso, así como para cometer actos delincuenciales en nuestro país. De esta manera se logra un aporte significativo al análisis químico-toxicológico en el Perú, ya que no existen estudios previos en nuestro medio. Esta técnica permitirá determinar la presencia del GHB por CCF y HPLC; lo cual facilitará a los laboratorios de instituciones como la Policía y el Ministerio Público a mejorar su labor al tener la certeza de su identificación en líquidos biológicos y vísceras. Se buscó la determinación de GHB por CCF por ser esta una técnica analítica común, sencilla y de fácil aplicación en cualquier laboratorio de toxicología; se evaluaron los mejores solventes de separación, reactivos reveladores generales y también los específicos. Además, se determinó el GHB por HPLC empleándose la columna XTerra MS C18 y un MS ESI-UV como sistema de detección. Finalmente, se aplicó la metodología analítica en orinas de personas que fueron llevadas a la DIRCRI para un examen toxicológico. PALABRAS CLAVES : Gamma hidroxibutirato (GHB), Cromatografía en Capa Fina (CCF), Cromatografía Líquida de Alta Resolución (HPLC). / This study reports the development of an analytical technique for the determination of gamma hydroxibutyrate (GHB) in biological fluids. This fact as a result of this substance is being used like a drug abuse, beside is involve in delinquent acts in our country. According to this way is reached a significant contribution to the chemical – toxicological analysis to Peru; because of, there is not previous studies. This technique will allow the determination of the presence of this new drug by using TLC and HPLC, thus improving the labor of institutions such as National Police and Ministry of People by having the certainly of the presence of GHB in biological fluids or goats. We used TLC because of the simplicity of this common analytical technique, beside it is easy to implement in toxicology laboratories, the best separation solvents and general and specific reveal reactives were evaluated. We also utilized HPLC technique using an Xterra MS C18 column and MS ESI-UV detection system. Finally, we applied this analytical methodology in the urine of people who were taken to DIRCRI for a toxicological test. KEYWORDS : Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Alberta, 2009. / Title from PDF file main screen (viewed on Feb. 19, 2010). A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geotechnical Engineering, [Department of] Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta. Includes bibliographical references.

The project is a new city hall for the city of Lethbridge, Alberta, intended to replace the current building which was outgrown over twenty years ago, forcing several departments and city council to be housed in separate buildings. Past proposals for a new city hall have been confined to the current location in the Civic Centre, located on the periphery of the central business district. The primary objective of this project, however, was to create a city hall that was a successful public building, functioning not only as a setting for civic functions and ceremonies, but also as a place of everyday gatherings and activities that would contribute to the vitality of the city. For this reason a site was chosen downtown, on a block across from Gait Gardens, a park that at one time was the early coal mining settlement's town square. Once the commercial centre of the city, the blocks around Gait Gardens contain many heritage buildings, including the original city hall building. As retail activity moved to other locations the area and the park went into general decline. The block chosen as the site was cleared in 1965 and is currently occupied by a supermarket and a parking lot. In recent years the City of Lethbridge has made plans to reestablish Gait Gardens as the heart of the downtown area. Part of this strategy includes a radical redesign of the park itself which destroys much of its original formal plan. Locating an important public building, like City Hall, adjacent to the park would be a positive contribution to the revival of the area. City offices wrap around a wind-sheltered courtyard and large interior public space in order to fill up the block and to allow the building to come out to the street. The original twenty-five foot lot lines that ran east-west across the site govern the location and dimensions of major building elements. A tower, housing chimes and wind driven panels, marks the ceremonial entrance facing the park. A restaurant and small retail outlet are located along the west side of the building to support activity outside city hall hours. The southeast corner of Gait Gardens is redesigned to become a public plaza. Its main feature is a square reflecting pool and skating rink that corresponds exactly to the dimensions of the city hall courtyard. The park otherwise retains its original character and layout.

During the summer of 1950 a field party under the leadership of Dr. Bogdan Zaborski of McGill University carried out a geographical reconnaissance survey of selected areas in central Alberta for the Geographical Branch of the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys, Ottawa. [...]

This thesis presents an account of water policies in Alberta's South Saskatchewan River Basin in reference to the historical factors influencing past decisions, the claims supporting present reforms and implications for future policy directions. I begin by investigating the historical factors surrounding early water policies and consider their influence on water development in the 20th century. Next I critically examine the policy reforms from 1996-2006 and consider both how early policy decisions influence contemporary plans and the claims offered in support of current management decisions. I then look to the future of water policy in southern Alberta and the planned implementation of adaptive management systems. I analyze adaptive management theory in the policy context of Alberta and find the normative claims of adaptive management insufficient. I then suggest a more robust normative framework to supplement adaptive management theory.