Modeling chemical environments is an important step to understanding the diversity of prebiotic systems that may have formed on the early earth or potentially can occur on other worlds. By using the modern Earth as a test case, these models predict scenarios with systems more conducive to the formation of the organic molecules that are important to life. Here we use the equilibrium thermodynamic modeling program HSC Chem to investigate prebiotic environments. This program uses the raw material that the user inputs into the system in order to calculate the change in amounts of chemical species forming as a function of temperature and pressure using equilibrium (batch reactor) chemistry. Our results show that that ferrous ion (Fe2+), which may be important in the early formation of organic molecules on Earth, is most abundant in the aqueous phase where the atmosphere contains carbon dioxide as a major constituent. A pure methane atmosphere exhibits the lowest concentrations of this ion, and mixtures tend to end up in between the two extremes. Additionally, we have determined the pH of early oceans, which has implications for biomineralization, chemical reactions, and mineral chemistry. We see that the CO2 atmosphere, and to some extent, the mixtures and CH4 atmospheres, exhibit near neutral pHs. These results allow prediction of processes that might have taken place and could have impacted the development of life on the early earth.

This study sought to understand why college students of Mexican origin underutilize mental health services (i.e., university counseling services). Previous research has identified several potential reasons for the underutilization of mental health services by Mexican Americans. These reasons can be grouped into one of three categories: (1) negative attitudes toward mental illness and mental health services, (2) greater use of alternative, informal resources, and (3) barriers. To examine these factors in the context of help-seeking behavior, Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used. The TPB assumes that the best predictor of a certain behavior is an individual’s intention to perform that specific behavior. This model includes three determinants of the intent to perform a certain behavior: (1) attitudes toward the behavior, (2) subjective normative beliefs about performing the behavior, and (3) perceived behavioral control of performing the behavior. The primary aim of this study was to examine the meditating effects of culture on the TPB and investigate the unique factors contributing to help-seeking behavior in college students of Mexican origin reporting anxious and/or depressive symptoms. Results showed that the TPB was effective in predicting help-seeking behavior, with attitudes and subjective normative beliefs as the strongest predictors. Acculturation and cultural values did not mediate the TPB model as originally predicted, however the TPB determinants differed in predictability between help-seekers and non help-seekers. Specifically, among help-seekers, attitudes predicted intent to seek psychological services; among non help-seekers, subjective normative beliefs predicted intent. Help-seekers also reported more ease than non help-seekers on a few of the steps toward help-seeking. Lastly, qualitative measures supported findings based on the TPB and provided additional support for the strong stigmatizing views among college students of Mexican origin. These findings suggest that non help-seekers are a complex group and other variables, such as acculturative stress, perceived social support, and screening participants on perceived symptom distress and impairment, need to be addressed. In addition, subjective normative beliefs need to be considered in the development of psychoeducational interventions which encourage seeking psychological services for individuals of Mexican origin experiencing significant anxious or depressive symptoms. / text

This dissertation is the sum of five studies of the structure and evolution of circumstellar disks, the birthplace of planets. These studies are all based on Infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope, and taken together trace the evolution of disks from the optically thick primordial stage to the optically thin debris disk stage. The five projects included in this dissertation are diverse but they are all interconnected and have a common underlying motivation: to impose observational constraints on different aspects of planet formation theories. In the first project, we study the near and mid-IR (1.2-24 [mu]m) emission of Classical T Tauri Star (CTTS), which are low-mass pre-main sequence (PMS) stars that show clear evidence for accretion. We discuss the implications of our results on the structure of their inner disks and their estimated ages. In the second project, we study the incidence as a function of age of disks around weak-line T Tauri stars (low-mass PMS stars that are mostly coeval with CTTS but that do not show clear evidence for accretion) and explore the structure of these disks. We estimate the dissipation timescale of the planet-forming region of primordial disks and discuss the implications for planet formation theories. The third and fourth projects deal with the evolution of angular momentum of PMS stars. We search for observational evidence for the connection between stellar rotation and the presence of a disk predicted by the current disk-braking paradigm, according to which the rotational evolution of PMS stars is regulated through magnetic interactions between the stellar magnetosphere and the inner disk. The last project deals with debris disks, which are second-generation disks where the dust is continuously replenished by collisions between planetesimals. We search for debris disks in the far-IR (24-160 [mu]m) around a sample of Hyades Cluster members. We discuss the implications of our results on the evolution of debris disks and on the Late Heavy Bombardment in the Solar System. / text

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Aim: Nation Branding has become an important phenomenon during the last couple of years. The concept talks about how to promote a product by using the features of a nation to gain profit. Among the years many countries has established a strong Nation Brand abroad. In the long run many companies have chosen to use these benefits in an efficient way by promoting their own country brand, especially in their internationalization process. The aim of this study is to see what factors that influence companies in the Swedish food industry while using the fact that they are Swedish when they enter foreign markets.   Method: Data was collected through interviews with export managers and sales managers at 6 Swedish companies exporting products within the food industry. The study was also based on secondary data with the purpose to give a complete image how Sweden is represented abroad. The chosen literature is based on a couple of the biggest researchers among the fields of Nation Branding and cultural dimensions.   Result & Conclusions: One result that was obtained after our study was that brands or products with characteristics consistent with the image that the consumers had about the country before, can gain its value by highlighting its origin. Further, it was being proved that a company’s use of Nation Branding in some way could be affected by the countries cultural distance, or in what stage of the internationalization process the company is.   Contribution of the thesis: The contribution of this thesis is to give more knowledge about which qualities a country like Sweden can generate with its products. A country being perceived with its values like reliability, trustworthiness, uniqueness and quality can create an image and a successful strategy to establish on new markets and to gain profit from that.

Diagenetic histories of Proterozoic and Paleozoic carbonate strata on Victoria Island, in the Canadian arctic, are poorly understood, and their potential to be associated with base metals or petroleum is unknown. Using fluid inclusion and geochemical techniques, it was determined that the diagenetic fluid compositions of two major carbonate units, the Wynniatt Formation and the “Victoria Island formation”, were largely controlled by fluid-rock reactions in reservoirs and by mixing of multiple fluids. Diagenesis of the Wynniatt Formation resulted from the progression from a shale-dominant fluid mixture to a meteoric-dominant mixture. Fluid composition of “Victoria Island formation” was a shale-dominant mixture. A change in fluid:rock from low to high was recorded during diagenesis of both units. Metals and hydrocarbons transported to the study sites were ac-quired by the fluids during interaction with the respective source reservoirs. Mixing of diagenetic fluids follows the established ‘mixing model’ used to explain many other min-eralised locations. The diagenetic fluids that affected the strata in this study were compa-rable to those that produced the Polaris Zn-Pb deposit. This similarity suggests that there is potential for mineralisation on Victoria Island.

Tyrimo objektas 1260 raštvedybos vienažodžių ir sudėtinių terminai. Tiriama iš teisės aktų ir mokomųjų raštvedybos leidinių išrinktų terminų sandara ir kilmė. / The subject of reseach is 1260 terms of office-work field of modern Lithuanina. One-word and composite terms were picked out from standing legislations and reguliations and instructional editions of office-work. In this reseach work terms are discussed by their origin and structure.

Iki šiol nėra vieningos nuomonės, kaip turėtų būti apjungta prekės kilmės šalies efekto vertinimo koncepcijų ir principų įvairovė. Todėl metodologiniais ir praktinės vadybos tikslais būtina vieninga prekės kilmės šalies efekto įvertinimo metodika, sudaranti sąlygas atsižvelgti į šio efekto įvairiapusiškumą ir įtaką vartotojų elgsenoje. Atsižvelgiant į problemos aktualumą, numatomas darbo tikslas yra dvejopas ir susijęs su nurodyta prekės kilmės šalies efekto vertinimo krypčių ir metodų įvairove: 1) išskirti vieningą metodiką prekės kilmės šalies efekto ir nacionalinio įvaizdžio vertinimui vartotojų elgsenos procesuose; 2) apibrėžti galimas pasiūlyto modelio pritaikymo kryptis verslo praktikoje. Siekiant nurodytų darbo tikslų ir sutelkiant dėmesį į vieningos kilmės šalies efekto vertinimo metodikos nustatymą, apibrėžiami šie darbo uždaviniai: a) atlikti teorinių šaltinių (literatūros) ir empirinių tyrimų, nagrinėjančių prekės kilmės šalies efektą ir šalies įvaizdžio įtaką vartotojų elgsenoje, analizę, b) išskirti pagrindinius prekės kilmės šalies efekto vertinimo elementus ir principus, remiantis pagrindinėmis šalies įvaizdžio koncepcijos nuostatomis, c) apibrėžti vieningą teorinį prekės kilmės šalies efekto vertinimo modelį, d) pateikti galimus siūlomo prekės kilmės šalies efekto vertinimo modelio pritaikymo sprendimus Lietuvos verslo aplinkai. Siekiant apibrėžtų uždavinių įvykdymo, šiame tiriamajame teoriniame-metodologiniame darbe atliekant literatūros šaltinių bei... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / This graduation paper researches the phenomenon of country-of-origin effect with the two-fold aim to define a unified model for the COO effect evaluation and identify model application opportunities in the business reality. This identification of the aim of the paper has led to the following objectives of the study: · to present an in-depth analysis of theoretical concepts and models related to the COO effect and identify main trends in the scientific COO research, · to identify essential principals of the COO effect evaluation in regard to consumer behaviour; · to integrate main theoretical and empirical aspects of the phenomenon in a unified hypothetical model; · to propose opportunities for model application in Lithuanian business. In order to achieve the stated aim and given objectives, the object of research was defined as COO effect and the following methodology was selected: (1) content analysis of empirical research to be carried out, (2) theoretical analysis of theories related to COO to be conveyed, (3) synthesis of empirical and theoretical dimensions in a unified COO model, (4) a pilot study to be carried out to define the existence of the COO effect in regard to Lithuanian consumers. Part 1 of the paper discloses major theoretical and empirical concepts related to the COO effect. Analytical approach is used in Part 2 to view theoretical and empirical approaches to the evaluation of COO effect in consumer behaviour. Part 3 of the paper covers pilot research as an... [to full text]

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