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We have extended our detailed survey of the local white dwarf population from 20 to 25 pc, effectively doubling the sample volume, which now includes 232 stars. In the process, newstars within 20 pc have been added, a more uniform set of distance estimates as well as improved spectral and binary classifications are available. The present 25 pc sample is estimated to be about 68 per cent complete (the corresponding 20 pc sample is now 86 per cent complete). The space density of white dwarfs is unchanged at 4.8 +/- 0.5 x 10(-3) pc(-3). This new study includes a white dwarf mass distribution and luminosity function based on the 232 stars in the 25 pc sample. We find a significant excess of single stars over systems containing one or more companions (74 per cent versus 26 per cent). This suggests mechanisms that result in the loss of companions during binary system evolution. In addition, this updated sample exhibits a pronounced deficiency of nearby 'Sirius-like' systems. 11 such systems were found within the 20 pc volume versus only one additional system found in the volume between 20 and 25 pc. An estimate of white dwarf birth rates during the last similar to 8 Gyr is derived from individual remnant cooling ages. A discussion of likely ways new members of the local sample may be found is provided.

Three correlational studies and 2 experiments examined the influence of agreeable people’s trust on their close relationships. Studies 1-3 employed correlational methods to examine the association between agreeableness and interpersonal trust (felt security; Study 1) and the applicability of the dependence regulation model (Murray, Holmes, & Griffin, 2000) to the romantic relationships of agreeable people (Studies 2 & 3). Studies 4 and 5 employed experimental methods that manipulated felt security (trust) to examine how relationship threats differentially affect agreeable versus antagonistic people (those low in agreeableness). Results indicated that not only does felt security consistently mediate the association between agreeableness and important relationship quality variables, but that this is a causal association. That is, these studies provide evidence that agreeable people have better relationships than antagonistic people because they are chronically more trusting, and hence, less prone to seeing signs of rejection where none exists.

Three correlational studies and 2 experiments examined the influence of agreeable people’s trust on their close relationships. Studies 1-3 employed correlational methods to examine the association between agreeableness and interpersonal trust (felt security; Study 1) and the applicability of the dependence regulation model (Murray, Holmes, & Griffin, 2000) to the romantic relationships of agreeable people (Studies 2 & 3). Studies 4 and 5 employed experimental methods that manipulated felt security (trust) to examine how relationship threats differentially affect agreeable versus antagonistic people (those low in agreeableness). Results indicated that not only does felt security consistently mediate the association between agreeableness and important relationship quality variables, but that this is a causal association. That is, these studies provide evidence that agreeable people have better relationships than antagonistic people because they are chronically more trusting, and hence, less prone to seeing signs of rejection where none exists.

Upon entering a relationship, individuals merge their identities with their partner’s identities to form a relational self. This proposal draws from the self-expansion and identity fusion theories to suggest three ways in which the identity merger process can unfold, with individuals either: losing their personal identities (forfeited-self mode), disproportionately influencing the relational self (imperialistic-self mode), or integrating their identities with their partner’s identities in a balanced manner (fused-self mode). I describe seven studies that aim to 1) validate a measure of these identity merger modes and explore their unique effects on personal and relational outcomes; and 2) investigate the nature of these identity merger modes. Studies 1, 2, and 3 assess discriminant and criterion validity of these identity merger modes. Studies 2 and 3 also test the hypothesis that feelings of personal agency statistically mediate the association of identity merger modes with relationship quality and responses to relationship threats and difficulties. Study 4 measures the longitudinal effects of identity merger modes in a newlywed sample through tracking how identity merger modes are linked to responses to relationship conflicts over the course of two weeks. Study 5 tests the causal effects of the identity merger modes on experimentally manipulated threats to the relationship and the partner. Study 6 explores how people’s construals about their partners and themselves differ among the identity merger modes using a reaction time task. Finally, Study 7 investigates more ecologically valid evidence of direction of influence within identity merger modes through assessing language use and verbal communication patterns between spouses. I predict that only the fused-self mode will be associated with positive relationship quality and resilience to relationship difficulties due to high personal agency within the relationship. Those in the forfeited-self mode would experience low agency within relationships and consequently internalize relationship difficulties. Finally, I predict that those in the imperialistic-self mode would respond maladaptively to relationship difficulties. / text

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High-mass X-ray binaries (HMXRBs), such as Cygnus X-1, host some of the most rapidly spinning black holes (BHs) known to date, reaching spin parameters a greater than or similar to 0.84. However, there are several effects that can severely limit the maximum BH spin parameter that could be obtained from direct collapse, such as tidal synchronization, magnetic core-envelope coupling, and mass loss. Here, we propose an alternative scenario where the BH is produced by a failed supernova (SN) explosion that is unable to unbind the stellar progenitor. A large amount of fallback material ensues, whose interaction with the secondary naturally increases its overall angular momentum content, and therefore the spin of the BH when accreted. Through SPH hydrodynamic simulations, we studied the unsuccessful explosion of an 8 M-circle dot pre-SN star in a close binary with a 12 M-circle dot companion with an orbital period of approximate to 1.2 days, finding that it is possible to obtain a BH with a high spin parameter a greater than or similar to 0.8 even when the expected spin parameter from direct collapse is a less than or similar to 0.3. This scenario also naturally explains the atmospheric metal pollution observed in HMXRB stellar companions.

Closely-held corporations differ from widely-held corporations in that there are only a few shareholders, most or all of whom participate actively in management. This implies that the objective function is the owners' utility rather than profits, and corporate behaviour is influenced by both the corporate and personal income taxes. This dissertation builds a theoretical model of a closely-held corporation based on these features and uses this model to study empirically farmers' decisions to incorporate. The theoretical model determines the financial policy of a closely-held corporation from the static utility maximization problem of its owner. The model differs from previous work in that the set of financial instruments is extended beyond taxable dividends to include owner's salary, in-kind benefits, and the change in loans from the owner. Also, the modelling of the tax system is unusually detailed and includes the special tax provisions applying to incorporated Canadian small businesses . The Kuhn-Tucker conditions for the model show that the quantities of in-kind benefits consumed by the owner will depend on prices which are adjusted for the tax consequences of the goods' purchase. For dividends, salary, and changes in the amount of shareholder's loans, a financial optimum requires that it is not possible to decrease total personal and corporate taxes paid by increasing one financial variable and decreasing another. More specific conclusions are derived from the model in two ways. First, tax rates applying in Ontario in 1980 are substituted in the Kuhn-Tucker conditions to produce graphs showing the optimal financial policy in the more common situations'. Second, linear programming is used to provide numerical examples of optimal financial policies. This information is used to illuminate a number of tax policy issues relating to closely-held corporations. Other chapters discuss the extension of the model to multiple owners, many time periods, and the decision to incorporate. The last issue is studied empirically using a sample of 3,000 Saskatchewan farmers. Probit analysis shows that the probability that a farm will be incorporated is positively related to the farmer's education and the tax savings from incorporation. / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

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There are many kinds of joint operations and combinations of combined arms. This thesis puts its focus on Close Air Support, CAS. Throughout history there have been several cases of success, regarding these kinds of operations, but also failure. Much can be taught from organizational behaviour studies, applied on these military organisations in their cooperation with each other. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the cooperation between the Swedish army and air force to determine the functionality of their process. This is done by text analysis and interviews. The study shows that the cooperation works at its bets at the unit level. The Swedish armed forces have a wide range of tasks it wishes to fulfil together with broad priorities. As of now, there is a balance between the two services´ needs and what they can deliver. Although there are indications that the army´s requirements might increase in the future. The air force focus on homeland defence might push this balance even further, though CAS is not a priority in that scenario. If there is a significant change in the balance of demand between the two services, at least one of the services might have to reconsider their whole line of business.    Key words: Collaboration, Organizational development, Close Air Support. / Det finns många former av samverkan mellan mark- och flygstridskrafterna, men den som belyses i denna uppsats är Close Air Support, CAS. Både framgångsrika och mindre farmgångsrika fall finns beskrivna i historia böckerna kring detta. Oavsett vilket av fallen som granskas, så finns det generella kopplingar man kan göra mellan den militära organisationen med dess processer och vad forskningen kring organisationsutveckling har påvisat. Syftet i uppsatsen var att med hjälp av organisationsutvecklingsteorier analysera samverkansprocessen mellan mark- och flygstridskrafterna som den ser ut nuläget. Detta med hjälp av textanalys av styrdokument och semistrukturerade intervjuer. Det som framkommit är att den samverkan som idag genomförs mellan mark- och flygstridskrafterna rörande CAS, fungerar bra på förbandsnivå, men suboptimeras på nivån ovan. Orsaker till detta går att finna i den förmåge bredd somförsvarsmaktenFörsvarsmaktenska innefatta, tillsammans med brett formulerade prioriteringar. Balans råder mellan mark- och flygstridskrafternas behov, men indikationer tyder på att denna balans kan komma att rubbas genom ett ökat behov från markstridskrafterna. Flygstridskrafternas fokus på luftförsvar av Sverige kan komma att förskjuta denna balans ytterligare, då detta lämnar CAS med låg prioritering. Om en förändring av balansen i behov sker, kan en av de två stridskrafterna tvingas till en omfattande förändring i sin verksamhetslogik. Nyckelord: Samverkan, Organisationsutveckling, Close Air Support.