This dissertation studies the prosodic structure of the variety of Jordanian Arabic that is spoken in the rural areas of the Governorate of Irbid (IA) by investigating the role of syntactic structure in the formation of prosodic domains. It empirically explores the word-level, phrase-level and clause-level prosody of IA and attempts to account for these empirical results in a framework based on the standard syntactic-prosodic interface principles developed in Match Theory (Selkirk 2011) and formulated as OT constraints (Prince & Smolensky 1993). The basic hypotheses in this dissertation are that the prosodic word (ω), phonological phrase (Φ) and intonational phrase (ι) are present in IA, and that they are anchored in syntactic constituents. Relying on hypotheses derived from the MATCH constraints (Selkirk 2011) that ensure the syntactic-prosodic correspondence, ω, Φ and ι should respectively match the grammatical word, syntactic phrase and clause and should recursively match embedded syntactic constituents. A series of experiments was designed to test the hypotheses. Twenty native speakers (ten males and ten females) of Jordanian Arabic living in Irbid participated in the tasks. Each pair of participants performed several tasks in one session. Two game-based tasks were designed to explore intonational and temporal cues to Φ and ι boundaries and examine their relation to XPs and clauses, respectively. Two additional reading tasks were designed to determine the application domain of post-lexical segmental processes in IA (the coarticulation of pharyngealization and vowel hiatus resolution). The collected tokens were submitted to acoustic and statistical analyses. Based on the results of these experiments, the existence of the ω, Φ and ι is confirmed and our understanding of their segmental and suprasegmental cues is refined. ω’s match grammatical words and are the domain of stress, realization of the feminine -t suffix and coarticulation of pharyngealization. Φ`s match syntactic phrases and are cued suprasegmentally: their right boundaries are marked by low phrase accents (L-) and pre-boundary syllable lengthening. As for ι`s, they match clauses and are cued by additional final lengthening, boundary tones (H% or L%) and resistance to vowel reduction. There is also ample evidence that syntactic nesting motivates prosodic recursion. At the ω level, the primary/secondary status of genitive constructs of stress mirrors syntactic nesting. At the Φ level, recursion is evidenced by gradient pre-boundary syllable lengthening, which is greater at the right boundaries of higher prosodic subcategories that match larger syntactic domains. As for recursion at the ι level, it is not only cued by gradient pre-boundary syllable lengthening, but also by boundary tones: continuative H% are used at sentence-internal ι boundaries, but L% tones are cues to boundaries of larger ι’s. However, prosodic recursion is not unconstrained in IA: prosodic domains can only consist of two subcategories, i.e. a minimal and maximal layers. In this way, prosodic recursion is neither prohibited as proposed in the early version of Strict Layer Hypothesis (Nespor &Vogel 1986, Selkirk 1986), nor free to perfectly mirror syntactic nesting. As in most previous case studies, it is proposed that the one-to-one correspondence constraints of Match Theory (Selkirk 2011) account for the prosodic patterns in IA, but have to be complemented with language-specific markedness constraints on phonological weight, exhaustivity and recursion. It is also shown that these explanatory principles can, with minor reorganization, account for the prosodic patterns described in other Arabic dialects.

Wildlife management requires understanding resources and involving stakeholders. The process Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) and Virginia Tech used to develop a black bear (Ursus americanus) management plan during 1999-2001 provided me with opportunities to understand diverse stakeholders and examine influences of participation on stakeholder knowledge, attitudes, and opinions concerning bear management. I used focus groups (with 5 key stakeholder groups), pre- and post-planning surveys, and interviews. I surveyed VDGIF biologists and managers (N = 21), members of a stakeholders advisory committee (N = 15), and members of 3 constituent groups representing bear hunters (N = 459), beekeepers (N = 442), and environmental interests (N = 500). I interviewed advisory committee members to validate survey results and evaluate the bear management plan. Participation apparently improved constituents' knowledge about bear management and their image of VDGIF bear management, and increased their support for controversial management options (e.g., lethal methods), but did not affect their opinions about bear hunting. Participation apparently had little effect on VDGIF staff opinions about bear management. Knowledge varied widely among constituent organizations. Bear hunting continues to be one of the most central, yet divisive, bear management issues in Virginia. Advisory committee members and VDGIF staff expressed satisfaction with the bear management plan and the planning process. Recommendations for wildlife decision-making processes include: balance science and public values in management, use multiple public involvement techniques, establish collaborative forums among stakeholders, reach out to all stakeholders, and nurture relationships with constituents during implementation. / Master of Science

No description available.

Orientador: Jairo Morais Nunes / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Estudos da Linguagem / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T17:40:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Avelar_JuanitoOrnelasde_D.pdf: 1192036 bytes, checksum: 6252cfc9c58a128f0134f60e514a64a0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: À luz da versão minimalista da Teoria de Princípios e Parâmetros (Chomsky 1995, 2000, 2001), esta tese focaliza constituintes preposicionados adnominais no português brasileiro, estabelecendo um quadro formal para capturar propriedades sintáticas e semânticas observadas em adjuntos introduzidos por de, em, com e para. A análise explora a idéia de que os adjuntos adnominais introduzidos por de não devem ser tratados como constituintes preposicionados, mas DPs/NPs que ganham a preposição tardiamente, no componente morfo-fonológico. Para os sintagmas introduzidos por em, com, para e certas preposições complexas (do tipo dentro de, em cima de, atrás de etc.), defende-se a hipótese de que esses constituintes dispõem de uma arquitetura clausal, abarcando categorias paralelas às identificadas no domínio sentencial (Koopman (1997), Den Dikken (2003)). Dentro dessa arquitetura, DPs podem ser inicialmente inseridos na posição de especificador da categoria p (light preposition), no sentido proposto por Svenonius (2004a). O estudo também recorre à proposta de Hornstein, Nunes & Pietroski (2006) em torno da configuração de adjunção, mostrando que a noção de adjunção sem rótulo defendida por esses autores é capaz de capturar uma série de fatos que envolvem a extração tanto de constituintes preposicionados quanto de sintagmas nominais modificados por tais constituintes. O estudo conclui que as principais diferenças entre os adjuntos introduzidos por de, de um lado, e por em, com e para, de outro, se devem exatamente ao fato de aqueles não portarem uma estrutura clausal, mas se configurarem como verdadeiros DPs/NPs / Abstract: Adopting the Minimalist Program (Chomsky 1995, 2000, 2001), this thesis concentrates on adnominal prepositional phrases in Brazilian Portuguese, proposing a formal picture to account for syntatic and semantic properties of adjuncts introduced by de 'of¿, em 'in, on¿, com 'with¿ e para 'for¿. I explore the idea that adnominal adjuncts introduced by de are not prepositional phrases, but DPs/NPs that receive the preposition only in the PF branch. In respect of em, com, para and some complex prepositions, it is considered that phrases introduced by such items exhibit a clausal architecture, with categories similar to the ones identified in sentential domains (Koopman (1997), Den Dikken (2003)). It will be proposed that modified DPs can be inserted in the specifier position of p (light preposition), following Svenonius (2004a). The analysis also explore Hornstein, Nunes & Pietroski¿s (2006) proposal for adjunct configurations, showing that the notion of unlabeled adjunction is capable of explaining relevant properties involving the extraction of prepositional phrases and modified nominal constituents. The thesis concludes that the main semantic and syntatic differences between de and em/com/para adjuncts result from the fact that de adnominal phrases don¿t have a prepositional clausal structure, but correspond to true DPs/NPs in the syntax / Doutorado / Doutor em Linguística

As mamites ou mastites, processos inflamatórios da glândula mamária, foram consideradas responsáveis por grandes prejuízos na pecuária leiteira; para a instalação das mamites considerou-se ser necessária a interação de dois fatores etiológicos fundamentais. Os fatores etiológicos predisponentes a instalação de um processo inflamatório da glândula mamária podem ser divididos em: condições ligadas à fisiologia dessa glândula (descida do leite, aumento do volume de leite residual e velocidade de ordenha); condições relacionada à estrutura anatômica do úbere e favorecendo a ocorrência de traumatismos (alterações morfológicas da mama, incluindo os tetos, edema e congestão mamária) e associação a condições predisponentes ligados a enfermidades sistêmicas ou da própria mama (afecções, infestações e infecções). A perfeita descida do leite permite uma adequada ordenha da vaca, restando nestas circunstâncias apenas um pequeno volume de secreção láctea nas cisternas da glândula e no sistema de ductos galactóforos, favorecendo a higidez do órgão. A retenção de maior volume de leite nos ductos e ácinos glandulares foram consideradas por si só indutora de inflamação do tecido epitelial de revestimento interno da mama, sendo por isso considerado significativo fator predisponente à colonização e desenvolvimento de infecções bacterianas intramamárias. Objetivou-se avaliar a influência da retenção láctea nos constituintes físico-químicos, bioquímicos, celulares e microbiológicos da secreção da glândula mamária de bovinos. As vacas utilizadas nesta pesquisa foram selecionadas em um rebanho criado e mantido no Estado de São Paulo (Natividade da Serra), produtor de leite e cujo manejo leiteiro utiliza o sistema manual de ordenha, com duas ordenhas diárias. As vacas selecionadas permitiram a formação de três grupos experimentais seguir: Grupo Experimental - G1, vacas submetidas a 10% de retenção de leite; Grupo Experimental - G2, vacas submetidas a 15% de retenção de leite e Grupo Experimental - G3, vacas submetidas a 20% de retenção de leite. Os parâmetros lácteos estudados foram as determinações físico-químicas (pH, eletrocondutividade, concentração de cloretos e calculo do índice cloreto/lactose); dosagens bioquímicas do leite (teores de gordura, proteína, lactose e sólidos totais); caracterização das células somáticas (avaliação indireta do número de células e contagem eletrônica dessas células) e; avaliação microbiológica das amostras de leite. A análise dos resultados obtidos permitiu concluir que: a retenção láctea determinou variações significativas na constituição físico-químicas, bioquímicas e microbiológica do leite; os valores da eletrocondutividade, das concentrações lácteas de cloreto, do índice cloreto/lactose e a freqüência de isolamentos bacteriológicos positivos aumentaram significativamente com o aumento do período de retenção; em contraposição os teores lácteos de lactose diminuíram; os valores dos teores de cloreto e índice cloreto/lactose aumentaram de forma diretamente proporcional ao aumento do volume da retenção láctea, os demais parâmetros foram influenciados pela retenção, independentemente do volume de leite retido; o número de células somáticas do leite não sofreu variações que pudessem ser atribuídas à retenção láctea; porém a avaliação qualitativa da celularidade determinada pelo CMT demonstrou que a retenção láctea determinava o aparecimento de escores de maior magnitude, retornando aos escores iniciais negativos após a supressão da retenção; a retenção láctea, independentemente do seu volume, determinou aumento marcante da freqüência de isolamentos bacteriológicos positivos, e em muitos casos, o isolamento ocorria, também, após a supressão da retenção láctea; comprovou-se a existência de correlação positiva e significante entre as seguintes variáveis estudadas: teor de cloreto e eletrocondutividade; índice cloreto/lactose e teor de cloreto; índice cloreto/lactose e eletrocondutividade e; concentração de sólidos totais e de gordura. A correlação foi negativa e significante entre: teor de lactose e eletrocondutividade e concentração de lactose e cloreto; as manifestações clínicas da retenção láctea, detectadas pela determinação de alterações dos elementos constituintes do leite e a freqüência de isolamentos, caracterizou um processo inflamatório incipiente, representando um fator etiológico predisponente à ocorrência de mamites; pelo desempenho das provas utilizadas para a avaliação dos efeitos da retenção láctea na secreção da glândula mamária, recomendou-se para complementação do exame físico da mama a realização dos seguintes exames subsidiando o diagnóstico clínico: prova do CMT, determinações da eletrocondutividade, dos teores de cloreto e lactose, com cálculo do índice cloreto/lactose e isolamento microbiológico com identificação das cepas bacterianas isoladas. / Mastitis, the inflammatory process of the mammary gland is responsible for great losses in dairy production. Factors that predispose the mammary gland to mastitis may be divided into: conditions connected to the physiology of milk (milk release, increase in the volume of residual milk and speed of milking); conditions related to the anatomy of the udder, favoring the occurrence of injuries (morphological changes of the udder and teats, mammary edema and congestion); association with predisposing conditions of systemic or mammary diseases (illnesses, infestation and infections). The perfect release of milk enables adequate milking of the cow. In this kind of circumstance, little residual milk is present in the cistern of the gland and in galactophorous ducts, leading to a healthy udder. Retention of greater volume in ducts and glandular acini have been considered, per se, as capable of inducing inflammation of internal epithelial tissue of the mammary gland, and because of this, retention milk is considered as a significant predisposing factor to the colonization and development of intramammary bacterial infections. The objective of the present trial was to evaluate the influence of milk retention on physical-chemical, biochemical, cellular and microbiological characteristics of bovine milk. Animals used in the present study were selected from a herd bred and kept in the state of Sao Paulo, in the city of Natividade da Serra. Cows were milked manually twice a day. Three experimental groups were formed: G1, with 10% of milk retention; G2, with 15% of milk retention and G3, with 20% of milk retention. The following physical-chemical parameters were studied (pH, electroconductivity, chloride concentration and chloride / lactose rate); biochemical analyses were: fat, protein, lactose and total solid contents; somatic cell characterization (indirect evaluation of the number of cells and electronic cell count) and microbiological evaluation of the samples. The analysis of the results enabled the following conclusions: milk retention determined significant variations in the physical-chemical, biochemical and microbiological characteristics of the milk. Electroconductivity, chloride content, chloride / lactose rate and frequency of samples positive in bacterial isolation significantly increased with greater milk retention periods. On the other hand, increase in milk retention volume led to decreased lactose content and increased chloride content and chloride / lactose rate. The rest of the parameters were influenced by retention, no matter the volume of milk retained. The number of somatic cells in milk was not affected in a way that changes could be attributed to milk retention. However, the qualitative evaluation of cells as determined by CMT demonstrated that milk retention determined greater scores, and initial negative scores were obtained with the suppression of retention. Milk retention, no matter the volume, determined a marked increased in the frequency of positive bacterial isolation, and in many cases, isolation also occurred after retention was suppressed. There was a positive and significant correlation between the following variables: chloride content and electroconductivity; chloride / lactose rate and chloride content; chloride / lactose rate and electroconductivity; total solid and fat content. Negative significant correlations were observed between lactose content and electroconductivity; and lactose and chloride contents. Clinical signs of milk retention as detected by changes in milk constituents and frequency of isolation demonstrated an incipient inflammatory process, and milk retention was then considered to be a predisposing etiological factor to the occurrence of mastitis. Due to the performance of the tests used in the evaluation of the effects of milk retention in the mammary gland, it is recommended that in order to aid clinical diagnosis, physical examination of the udders should be performed together with CMT, electroconductivity, chloride and lactose contents, calculation of chloride / lactose rate and microbiological examination with identification of strains isolated.

Orientador: José Jurandir Fagliari / Banca: Francisco Guilherme Leite / Banca: Eduardo Harry Birgel Júnior / Resumo: O presente estudo foi constituído por três experimentos: Experimento 1: Foram analisadas as variáveis hematológicas de fêmeas bovinas da raça holandesas mensalmente durante toda a gestação e o periparto. As fêmeas foram distribuídas em 5 grupos: novilhas gestantes (G1), vacas de segunda gestação (G2), vacas de segunda gestação, repetidoras de estro(G3), vacas de terceira gestação (G4) e vacas de terceira gestação, repetidoras de estro(G5). As atividades das enzimas AST e ALP, foram maiores em G1. Houve diferença significativa entre vacas repetidoras e não repetidoras de estro somente nas concentrações séricas de colesterol no início da gestação. No segundo mês de gestação as concentrações de cálcio total e ionizado foram alteradas significativamente em relação ao primeiro mês, em todos os grupos. No terço final da gestação, dia do parto e no pós-parto houve alteração nas concentrações de cálcio, fósforo, ferro, cloretos, creatinina, bilirrubina direta e total, colesterol, triglicerídeos, proteína total, albumina e imunoglobulinas, no número de hemácias e leucócitos, volume globular, nos teores plasmáticos de glicose e hemoglobina e na atividade da enzima AST em todos grupos de animais. As atividades de LDH, ALP e GGT e as concentrações de sódio, potássio e uréia não foram significativamente alteradas durante o experimento. Experimento 2: Os constituintes sanguíneos das vacas do experimento 1 (G1) foram comparados aqueles de vacas acometidas por abortamento G (2) entre 25 (25 DPc) e 45 dias após inseminação artificial ou transferência de embrião (45 DPc). O teor de cálcio ionizado foi significativamente maior no grupo 1 45 dias após a inseminação artificial ou transferência de embrião. Possivelmente esses abortos tem origem metabólica/nutricional... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present study was constituted by 3 experiments: Experiment 1: Were analysed the blood constituents of Holstein bovine females monthly during the whole gestation and the peripartum. The females were sorted in five groups: pregnancy heifers (G1), second pregnancy cows (G2) repeat-breeders second pregnancy cows (G3), third pregnancy cows (G4) and repeat-breeders third pregnancy cows. The seric activity of AST and ALP enzymes was higher in G1. Only the cholesterol level. The diference was significative between repeat-breeders and non repeat-breeders cows only in the cholesterol seric concentration in the early gestation. In the second month of pregnancy the seric concentration of total calcium and ionized calcium was significant modified compared with the first month of gestation in all groups. In the late gestation, at the partum and in post-partum period the seric concentration of calcium, phosphorus, iron, chlorides, creatinine, direct and total bilirrubins, cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein, albumin, and imunoglobulins, number of eritrocytes and leukocytes, plasmatic concentration of glucose and hemoglobin and AST activity in all of the animal groups. The sodium, potassium and urea concentrations were not significantly modified during the experiment. Experiment 2: The blood constituents of the cows of experiment 1 (G1) was compared with cows that aborted between 25 and 45 days post-breed. Possibly this abortion has metabolic/nutricional cause, because was not found alterations in the acute-phase protein concentrations neither in the leukogram. Experiment 3: The passive immunity transfer to the heifers which were daughters of the females from the experiment 1 was evaluated by measuring seric GGT , total protein and IGg . The heifers got colostrum from their own mothers and there was no significant difference between the groups. The TIP found in all the groups was considered good. / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-12-17Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:41:32Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 moura_lm_dr_arafcf.pdf: 518537 bytes, checksum: 9cc3dbf80249e562d69ea91c87e25384 (MD5) / As frutas cítricas são muito consumidas e apreciadas, não só devido ao seu paladar agradável como também ao valor nutricional que possuem. O Brasil é o maior produtor e exportador mundial de laranjas, suco de laranja concentrado congelado e de suco de laranja pasteurizado (NFC - Not From Concentrated), sendo o estado de São Paulo o maior produtor. Já outras frutas cítricas como limão Siciliano, Grapefruit e Lima da Pérsia possuem uma produção nacional ainda pequena e parte do consumo interno é importada. Outro grupo de laranjas ainda pouco estudado é o das laranjas de polpa vermelha que apresentam o carotenóide licopeno na sua composição. Os compostos antioxidantes (carotenóides, compostos fenólicos, flavonóides) apresentam atividade anti-radical livre e alguns deles também são responsáveis pela cor das frutas. Considerando a importância das frutas cítricas com relação aos seus benefícios para a saúde, os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar a atividade anti-radical livre (DPPH• e ABTS•), compostos bioativos (carotenóides, flavanonas e ácido ascórbico) e parâmetros de cor de quatro variedades de frutas cítricas de polpa clara (Lima da Pérsia, Grapefruit, Limão Siciliano e Hamlin); comparar estes mesmos parâmetros entre duas variedades de polpa vermelha (Sanguíneas de Mombuca e baía Cara Cara) e uma de polpa clara (Pera Rio), colhidas no início, meio e fim de safra; e verificar o efeito da pasteurização nos compostos bioativos presentes no suco de laranja de polpa vermelha e de clara. As variedades Baía Cara Cara (CN486) e Pera Rio foram cultivadas na cidade Cordeirópolis/SP e a Sanguínea de Mombuca (CV 93) em três diferentes cidades do Estado de São Paulo, São Bento do Sapucaí, Cordeirópolis e Mogi Mirim. A variedade limão Siciliano apresentou o maior teor de ácido ascórbico (78,86mg), Grapefruit e Hamlin apresentaram o maior conteúdo... / Citrus fruits are widely consumed and enjoyed, not only because of its pleasant taste but also the nutritional value they have. Brazil is the largest producer and exporter of oranges, frozen concentrated orange juice (FCOJ) and orange juice NFC (Not from Concentrated), and the state of Sao Paulo largest producer. Yet other citrus fruits like lemon, grapefruit and Sweet Lime still have a small domestic production and share of domestic consumption is imported. Another group of oranges still less studied are the red pulp of oranges that have the carotenoid lycopene in its composition. The antioxidants (carotenoids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids) have anti-free radical activity and some of them are also responsible for the color of the fruit. Considering the importance of citrus fruits in relation to their health benefits, the objectives were to evaluate the anti-free radical (DPPH • and ABTS •), bioactive compounds (carotenoids, ascorbic acid, and flavanones) and parameters of color four varieties of citrus pulp clear (Sweet Lime, Grapefruit, Lemon and Hamlin), to compare these same parameters between two varieties of red pulp (of Blood and Mombuca Baía Cara Cara) and a clear pulp (Pera Rio) taken at the beginning, middle and end of harvest, and check the effect of pasteurization on bioactive compounds in orange juice pulp and red light. Varieties Baía Cara Cara (CN486) and Pear River were grown in the city Cordeirópolis / SP and Blood of Mombuca (CV 93) in three different cities of São Paulo, São Bento do Sapucaí, Cordeirópolis and Mogi Mirim. The Sicilian lemon variety had the highest content of ascorbic acid (78.86 mg), Grapefruit and Hamlin had the highest content of total carotenoids of the four fruits (13.58 and 11.32 mg / mL) and the antioxidant capacity was higher in fruit that had best levels of carotenoids and phenolic compounds. The hesperidin was present in three... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

The effect of ultrafiltration, diafiltration, and preacidification of milk on the partition of specific milk components between retentate and permeate was studied. Percent retention (for any component Y) was determined as: [ l - (%Y in soln. permeate/%Y in soln. retentate)] X 100 where %Y in soln. = [%Y/(%Y + %H 20)] Simultaneous samples of retentate and permeate were taken at several points during each process. Percent retention of total solids, fat, total protein, rennet clottable nitrogen, lactose, total calcium, ionic calcium, sodium, phosphorous, and riboflavin was determined at each sampling point. Percent retention of β-carotene, vitamin B12, retinol, and zinc was determined at different stages of ultrafiltration only. As UF proceeded, percent retention of total solids, total protein, total calcium, ionic calcium, sodium, phosphorous, and riboflavin increased. Percent retention of lactose was not affected and was 0-4%. Percent retention of fat, rennet clottable nitrogen, zinc, retinal, β-carotene, and vitamin B12 was 99-100%. As diafiltration proceeded, percent retention of total solids, lactose, total calcium, ionic calcium, sodium, phosphorous, and riboflavin increased. Percent retention of these nutrients was increased when compared to ultrafiltration alone. Milks with lower pH values (resulting from preacidification) also had lower percent retention of total calcium and phosphorous than milks with normal pH values. Percent retention of sodium was lower during ultrafiltration and diafiltration of acidified milk when compared to ultrafiltration and diafiltration of normal milk. Percent retention of other nutrients was not affected by acidification. Loss of whey proteins into permeate resulted in a lower recovery of total protein after diafiltration than ultrafiltration alone and ultrafiltration of acidified milk. These proteins were determined to be α-lactogobulin and β-lactogobulin.

Chromatographic separation of methylene chloride extracts of Formosan soft coral Lemnalia cervicorni May (collected at Green Island off Taiwan) led to the isolation of four ylangene sesquiterpenoids, GN40-29 (1), GN40-79 (3), GN40-169 (4), and GN40-173 (5). Acetylation of GN40-29 (1) gave a derivative GN40-29a (2). Compounds 3-5 were new compounds. Compound 1 showed cytotoxicity against HT-29 cell, while compound 5 was cytotoxic to P-388 cells. The methylene chloride extracts of Formosan soft coral Dendronephthya spinifera Holm (collected at Green Island off Taiwan) were found to contain a new cadinene sesquiterpene, GN43-4 (6).

In order to meet the educational and economic demands of the United States in the future, institutions of higher education must increase the number of students who persist to the completion of a certificate or degree program, especially low-income students and students of color (Carnivale and Desrochers, 2004). To increase the persistence and completion rates of these students at community colleges, national initiatives, such as the Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count initiative, have emphasized the importance of creating institutional environments in which planning and improvement efforts are data-driven (Achieving the Dream, 2005). This study explored the perceptions of faculty members, administrators, and staff directly involved in establishing this data-driven environment, also known as a “culture of evidence,” and the extent to which those perceptions had disseminated through the larger college community. Through the use of a case study and focus groups using Interactive Qualitative Analysis (IQA) methods, the development of a “culture of evidence” at two Texas community colleges was examined as perceived by college constituents involved in its creation and by a group of college constituents indirectly influenced by their efforts. The emerging themes are discussed in their relation to promoting and maintaining a data- driven culture in the future. / text