Snapover is particularly relevant to Earth-orbiting spacecraft powered by high-voltage solar arrays. During snapover, the current collected by a positively biased conductor that is immersed in a plasma suddenly increases when two conditions are met: i) there is an immediately adjacent insulator; ii) the conductor exceeds a positive threshold voltage with respect to the plasma. The enhanced current develops as a consequence of the insulator, either through secondary electron (SE) emission or by material ionization. Experiments were performed to examine snapover onset potential and current collection dependence on conductor and insulator materials, conductor size and shape, sample history, biasing rate, and contamination and smoothness of the dielectric surface. Numerous current jumps were observed between applied voltages of 100 V and 1000 V. Both surface roughening and surface coatings were found to inhibit snapover. In general, the results did not support previous simple interpretations of the SE model.

Marginal values of water us ed in irrigation are needed if water is to be optimally allocated among alternative uses. Cobb- Douglas production function analysis and linear programming methods were studied in this investigation to find their fruitfulness in predicting these marginal values. The theoretical properties of both methods indicate that they are conceptually capable of yielding valid marginal value estimates for irrigation water. Further investigation of the two methods was carried out as an empirical test in the Milford area of Utah . Marginal values of water used for irrigation in that area were estimated by both procedures. Although inviolable criteria for testing the validity of the estimates are not available, imperfect standards or' measure imply that they are sound. Linear programming and Cobb -Douglas production function anal ysis are therefore concluded to be fruitful methods of es timating marginal values of water used for irrigation.

Concrete sandwich wall panels have been used for decades in the precast concrete construction industry because of their thermal efficiency. To achieve full or partial-composite action in concrete sandwich panel walls, the engineer must obtain a percent composite action from a connector manufacturer, making some engineers uncomfortable. Engineers are dependent upon the recommendations given by the connector manufacturers to establish their designs. This project tested six full scale sandwich panel walls to evaluate the percent composite action of various connectors and compare the results to those provided by the composite connector manufacturers. This project aimed to validate current procedures using these methods, and to develop simpler, more efficient methods for predicting overall strength of this innovative building system. This study concluded that the reported degrees of composite action from each manufacturer are considered conservative in all instances for the connectors tested. Additionally, the intensity and type of connectors are important factors in determining the degree of partial composite action in a panel.

Prior research has suggested age related changes in attitudes toward love. The present study was completed to extend this assumption to high school and college educated samples and across stage of life. Both samples included a proportionate number of males to females . A new instrument (measuring a Conjugal Love Factor, Romantic Power Factor and a Romantic Idealism Factor) was generated for use in this study. In addition the Knox Love Attitude Inventory (1970), the Rubin Love Scale (1970) and a short form of Rotter's I-E Scale (Vlecha and Ostrom, 1974) were also administered to each sample. Results indicated that the high school sample held more romantic attitudes and fluctuated in their attitudes toward love over the various stages of life more than the college sample. Fluctuation for the high school sample, on most instruments involved a significant digression in romantic attitudes when children were being reared in the home and a sharp rise in romantic conceptions when children were no longer in the home (curvilinear relationship). Conjugal attitudes for the high school group followed a linear progression. The high school educated sample began low in conjugal attitudes but progressed across the stages to a more conjugal conception of love . Locus of control was also found to affect the way in which one viewed love, particularly in adolescence. Internal adolescents were significantly less romantic than external adolescents. Surprisingly sex differences were not found to consistently affect love attitudes.

Behavioral contrast occurs when a change in reinforcement rate in one context causes behavior to change in the opposite direction in another context. Positive contrast occurs when a decrease in the rate of reinforcement in one context results in an increase in behavior in another context. Negative contrast occurs when an increase in the rate of reinforcement in one context results in a decrease in behavior in another context. Research with nonhumans has found that positive contrast is more reliably produced than negative contrast. Research with nonhumans has also found that positive contrast is influenced to a larger degree by changes in reinforcement rate in the following context (vs. in the preceding context); however, results regarding negative contrast and the influence of preceding versus following contexts have been mixed. Finally, within-session contrast effects have been demonstrated in nonhumans. Relative to the entire environmental context, the largest change in behavior occurs immediately prior to (anticipatory contrast) or immediately following (local contrast) the change in reinforcement rate. Behavioral contrast has applied implications, in that practitioners may only be able to implement interventions in one context, which may result in concomitant worsening of behavior in other contexts. Few studies with humans have compared positive and negative contrast, and none have separated preceding- and following schedule effects or have systematically investigated within-session contrast. The purpose of this study was to investigate these effects in humans in a translational arrangement. Positive contrast was found in five of six cases, while negative contrast was found in only three of six. The effect of the following schedule was larger with positive contrast, but the effect of the preceding schedule was larger with negative contrast. There were no systematic within-session effects characteristic of anticipatory or local effects.

Ogden Bay Waterfowl Management Area is one of many marshlands bordering the Great Salt Lake that are extremely important as breeding habitats for North American waterfowl. Salinity, both of surface and interstitial waters, is an important factor in maintaining a suitable habitat within the marsh. For this reason, a study was undertaken to determine the factors affecting the salinity of surface and interstitial waters. A small (approx. 100 acre) subunit was studied extensively to determine; 1) variations in surface water salinity with flowrate and water level; and 2) variation in interstitial water salinity with depth and location within the subunit. Field data indicated a substantial increase in salinity (as measured by electrical conductance) with depth in the interstitial waters. Wide variation in interstitial water conductivities was also observed within the study unit. Of major significance were large increases in interstitial water salinities in areas where the soil had dried, due to a low water level, and again re-wetted. This was in contrast to relatively constant soil water salinily observed in areas that were perenially flooded In addition to the field study, a laboratory study, using three 20 cm diameter undisturbed soil cores, was performed to determine the factors affecting the movement of salts through the marsh soils. The surface and bottom of the cores were fed with fresh water and brine, respectively, for a period of three months, while interstitial water samples were taken to monitor changes in soil water conductivities with depth of soil. A computer model was developed to simulate the experiment, as well as to help interpret the experimental results. The comparison between the observed data and data predicted by the model, as well as the results of the field data,' indicated that the major mechanisms affecting fluctuations in soil water salinity in the Ogden Bay marsh system is the movement of water through the soil.

Denna studie har ämnat att undersöka socialsekreterares och verksamhetsansvarigas upplevelse av socionomkonsulters roll och betydelse för den ordinarie verksamheten.  Studien genomfördes med två separata webbenkäter som riktats till socialsekreterare respektive verksamhetsansvariga inom området barn och unga i tre svenska kommuner. Resultatet visar att socionomkonsulters arbete riskerar att påverka utredningarnas kvalitet och klienters rättssäkerhet negativt. Socionomkonsulter kan ha en positiv inverkan på klienters rättssäkerhet, men det är i hög grad beroende av vilken socionomkonsult som verksamheten anlitat. Den främsta anledningen till att verksamheterna anlitar socionomkonsulter är för att underlätta vid tillfälligt hög arbetsbelastning. Socialsekreterare upplever dock att konsultanvändning riskerar att generera bristfälliga och oavslutade utredningar som snarare medför ett merjobb för den ordinarie personalen. Socialsekreterare och verksamhetsansvariga uppger att socionomkonsulter saknar kunskap om verksamheternas lokala rutiner och insatser, vilket kan resultera i att utredningarna avslutas med beslut om insatser kommunen inte har möjlighet att erbjuda. Både socialsekreterare och verksamhetsansvariga anser att anlitandet av socionomkonsulter i deras verksamheter över tid bör minska. Vi drar slutsatsen att utredningsarbetet av barn och unga bör präglas av en kontinuitet som verkar gå förlorad vid anlitandet av socionomkonsulter.

I begin by examining Moore's notion of common sense because it is my contention that his work is not neatly separated; rather, his ethical and non-ethical philosophy have common sense as an underlying theme. For Moore, common sense was not reducible to indubitable, cracker-barrel wisdom; it is popularized science, what would be a matter of common sense if we were to take the trouble to learn. Moore's allegiance to science is the cord that connects his ethical and non-ethical work. In Principia Ethica, he attempts to introduce the spirit of scientific investigation into ethics. The 'naturalistic fallacy', to which special attention is given, is shown to be a guide to avoiding the error of essentialism, that is, of presuming that there is a unique good-making property or quality, common to all good things. Essentialism is rejected because it leads away from the open investigation characteristic of science, toward dogmatism. From this perspective, several popular criticisms of Moore's ethics are shown to be misguided. In the last chapter, an interpretation of Moore's non-naturalism based on my understanding of the naturalistic fallacy is given, that is quite different from the one most commonly accepted. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

The subject of this diploma thesis is "The specificity of serial murders and their investigation". This diploma thesis focuses on the delimitation of serial murders, the typical way of committing serial murders, the criminalistic characterisation of serial killers as well as the methodology of such murders. The first chapter of the diploma thesis is dedicated to the definition of the term "serial murders" itself and simultaneously to the terms "mass and murderous wave". In the second chapter the aim is, primarily, to briefly analyse the legal classification of serial murders in the meaning of the Czech Criminal Code. This part of the diploma thesis also focuses on the differences between common murder, deliberate murder, murder with prior consideration and the typicalness of serial murders. The third chapter lays out different ways of committing serial murders from the view of preparatory action. Murder weapons and the mechanism of killing are also described in this part of the diploma thesis as well as the diplomant's own research on these topics based on the sample of 44 serial killers. The issue of the culprits of serial murders, especially the matter of their organisation and motive, is described in the fourth chapter. Furthermore, the culprits are divided into categories such as sexual serial...

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Road accident reconstruction and simulation investigates the accident causes, suggests improvements in vehicle design and investigates failures in vehicle control and safety systems such as the anti-lock brake system (ABS) and air-bag deployment. This thesis focuses on analysis of crash data from vehicles not equipped with collision warning systems. Vehicle parameters before and during an accident can be recorded using an Event Data Recorder (EDR) which helps in reconstructing an accident. This tool, installed in the vehicle, records different crash parameters like vehicle speed, lateral and longitudinal acceleration, seat-belt status, and air-bag deployment over a period that spens the accident. This thesis focuses on accident reconstruction with and without EDR data. A simulation software tool called HVE is used to visually recreate the reconstructed accidents. HVE is a platform to execute different accident simulation methods which are used for specific types of simulations. Two such simulation methods, EDSMAC4 and EDHIS, are discussed in this thesis. The former is an important method for vehicle-to-vehicle collisions and the latter is used for analysis of human behavior involved in the accident. Three real-life accidents were chosen for reconstruction and simulation. They were Bus and Car accident, Three Vehicle accident and Intersection accident. These particular accidents were chosen to represent a diverse selection of accidents based on the following parameters: the locations of the accidents, the vehicles involved in each accident, and the data available. A qualitative analysis of vehicle occupant's behavior is also presented for one of the three accidents. The thesis discusses in detail the reconstruction of these three accidents. Throughout these simulations, the thesis illustrates the advantages and limitations of the EDR and HVE simulation software for accident reconstruction and simulation.