In this study the public-school buildings of Denton are examined for evidences of modern architectural design. Chapter I serves as an introduction. Chapter II presents a history of the Denton Public Schools. Chapter III presents standards for evaluating modern school architecture. Features of existing school buildings, built earlier than 1964, which, in character, exemplify modern architectural design are described in Chapter IV. The three school buildings built since 1946 and the one under construction are described in detail and evaluated according to the standards given. Representative photostatic reproduction and photographs illustrate the text. In Chapter V a summary of the study is given and conclusions are presented.

The greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) is a species of conservation concern that has undergone serious declines in the last century. The Strawberry Valley sage grouse population in Utah underwent such a decline from an estimated 3,500 sage grouse in the 1930s to 150 sage grouse in the early 2000s. This decline initiated a long-term conservation and monitoring project in Strawberry Valley with the goal of preserving the sage grouse population. As part of this ongoing conservation project, we investigated factors that impact the success of capturing sage grouse using the night-lighting method (Chapter 1). We found that capture success is influenced by precipitation, frost, vegetation, flock size, capture crew size, mode of transportation, and sex of the sage grouse. We provide information on these influential factors as well as recommendations on equipment and technique. We also compiled a dataset beginning in the 1930s of sage grouse clutch sizes from the Strawberry Valley population to determine the average number of eggs per clutch (Chapter 2). We investigated average clutch size over time, factors that influence average clutch size, and the accuracy and reliability of our clutch size counts. We found yearly variation in average clutch size that shows a weak, positive correlation with population size. Clutch sizes were smaller if laid as a re-nest or by sage grouse recently translocated from a different population. We found evidence that some of our clutch size counts are approximately two eggs fewer than the actual number laid by the sage grouse.

Detaillierte Informationen über die Verbreitungsareale von Arten sind essentiell für die Beantwortung zentraler Fragen der Ökologie, Evolutionsbiologie und Biogeographie. Solche Informationen sind auch notwendig, um Naturschutzressourcen kostenwirksam zwischen verschiedenen Regionen und Maßnahmen zu verteilen. Unser Wissen über Artverbreitungen beruht vor allem auf Punktdaten, die das Vorkommen einer bestimmten Art an einem bestimmten Ort zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt belegen (nachstehend „Records“). Riesige Mengen solcher Records wurden über internationale Data-Sharing-Netzwerke mobilisiert, allen voran durch die Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Auch wenn diese Netzwerke die Zugänglichkeit zu solchen Informationen enorm verbessert haben, ist unser Wissen über globale Artverbreitungen immer noch äußerst lückenhaft und von grober räumlicher Auflösung – der sogenannte Wallace’sche Wissensrückstand. Vorhandene Informationen enthalten zudem zahlreiche Unsicherheiten, Fehler und Daten-‘Biases’. Diese könnten durch Ort-spezifische Faktoren wie Zugänglichkeit oder durch artspezifische Faktoren, wie Entdeckungswahrscheinlichkeit, verursacht werden. Zukünftiges Sammeln und Mobilisieren von Informationen sollte so gestaltet werden, dass der erreichte Nutzen der Records für Forschung und Naturschutz maximiert wird. Hierfür ist ein tiefgehendes Verständnis der Lücken, Unsicherheiten und Biases in den Informationen sowie der sie verursachenden Faktoren notwendig. Bisher wurden diese Mängel in globalen Artverbreitungsinformationen niemals quantitativ untersucht. Mit meiner Dissertation liefere ich die ersten globalen Analysen zu Mängeln von digital verfügbaren Verbreitungsinformationen für terrestrische Wirbeltiere und Landpflanzen. Ich habe >300 Millionen Records für Landpflanzen und drei Gruppen terrestrischer Wirbeltiere (Amphibien, Säugetiere, Vögel) über GBIF abgerufen. Diese Informationen habe ich mit taxonomischen Datenbanken sowie unabhängigen Verbreitungskarten und Checklisten verbunden. Auf Grundlage der erstellten Datensätze habe ich unterschiedliche Formen von Informations-Mängeln für verschiedene taxonomische Gruppen und auf mehreren räumlichen Maßstäben untersucht. In Kapitel I habe Daten-Abdeckung sowie Daten-Unsicherheiten in Informationen zu Pflanzenvorkommen jeweils in Bezug auf Taxonomie, Raum und Zeit quantifiziert. Für diese insgesamt 6 Maße habe in anschließend Variation in den drei Dimensionen (Taxonomie, Raum, Zeit) gemessen. Zudem habe ich mithilfe von paarweisen Spearman-Rang-Korrelationen und Hauptkomponentenanalysen die Zusammenhänge zwischen diesen verschiedenen Formen von Informationsmängeln analysiert. In Kapitel II habe ich anhand von terrestrischen Wirbeltieren zwei spezielle Aspekte von Datenabdeckung zwischen geographischen Regionen verglichen: i) die Datendichte und ii) die Vollständigkeit der abgedeckten Arten. Durch Multi-Modell-Analysen habe ich die Effekte von zwölf potentiellen sozioökonomischen Einflussfaktoren auf Informationsmängel verglichen, und zwar einzeln für jede der drei Wirbeltiergruppen auf jeder von vier verschiedenen räumlichen Auflösungen. In Kapitel III habe ich anhand von Säugetieren drei Aspekte von Datenabdeckung zwischen einzelnen Arten verglichen: i) die Anzahl von Records pro Art, ii) die räumliche Abdeckung der Verbreitungsareale durch Records, und iii) den räumlichen Bias in der Abdeckung verschiedener Teile der Verbreitungsareale. Durch Multi-Modell-Analysen und Variations-Partitionierung habe ich die Effekte von verschiedenen Artmerkmalen, Größe und Form der Verbreitungsareale sowie von sozioökonomischen Faktoren untersucht. Diese Analysen habe ich auf globalem Maßstab sowie einzeln für sechs zoogeographische Gebiete durchgeführt. In meiner Dissertation habe ich in allen untersuchten Aspekten von Artverbreitungsinformationen starke Biases gefunden. Die Anzahl von Records variierte um mehrere Größenordnungen zwischen Arten und zwischen geographischen Gebieten. Verschiedene Maße von Datenabdeckung und Datenunsicherheiten zeigten klare taxonomische, geographische und zeitliche Muster. Ich fand beispielsweise Höchstwerte von taxonomischer Abdeckung in industrialisierten westlichen Ländern, aber auch in einigen tropischen Gebieten wie Mexiko. Im Gegensatz dazu gab es in weiten Teilen Afrikas und Asiens entweder gar keine oder nur sehr veraltete Informationen. Da taxonomische, räumliche und zeitliche Abdeckung jeweils durch die Anzahl der Records numerisch eingeschränkt sind, fand ich zwischen diesen Maßen gemäßigte bis starke positive Korrelationen. Maße von Datenunsicherheiten hingegen korrelierten kaum untereinander oder mit Datenabdeckungsmaßen. In Kapitel II habe ich den Einfluss von zwölf potentiellen sozioökonomischen Einflussfaktoren auf Datendichte und Datenvollständigkeit von geographischen Artgemeinschaften untersucht. Nur vier hatten einen durchweg für alle untersuchten Wirbeltiergruppen und räumlichen Auflösungen starken Einfluss. Dies waren der Endemitenreichtum, die räumliche Nähe zu Daten-beisteuernden Institutionen, politische Mitgliedschaft im GBIF-Netzwerk, sowie lokal verfügbare Forschungsgelder. Andere Faktoren, von denen man oft annimmt, dass sie eine große Rolle spielen würden, hatten einen erstaunlich geringen Einfluss, wie z.B. Verkehrsinfrastruktur oder Größe und Finanzausstattungen westlicher Daten-beisteuernder Institutionen. Meine Analysen in Kapitel III ergaben, dass die vier in Kapitel II identifizierten sozioökonomischen Schlüsselfaktoren ebenfalls einen starken Einfluss auf Artverbreitungsinformationen auf der Ebene von einzelnen Arten hatten. Jedoch unterschied sich ihre relative Wichtigkeit deutlich zwischen geographischen Gebieten. Zwischenartliche Unterschiede in Verbreitungsinformationen waren zudem sehr stark durch Größe und Form der Verbreitungsareale beeinflusst. Dies unterstützt meine Hypothese, dass diese geometrischen Faktoren die Wahrscheinlichkeit beeinflussen, dass sich Verbreitungsgebiete bestimmter Arten mit Untersuchungsgebieten von Feldforschern überschneiden, was wiederum Aufswirkungen auf die Wahrscheinlichkeiten hat, mit denen diese Arten besammelt werden. Entgegen unserer Annahmen hatten Artmerkmale wie etwa Nachtaktivität, die das Entdecken oder Sammeln bestimmter Arten wahrscheinlich machen sollten, kaum einen Einfluss auf zwischenartliche Unterschiede in Verbreitungsinformationen. Die Ergebnisse meiner Dissertation lassen wichtige Schlussfolgerungen darüber zu, wie mobilisierte Artverbreitungsinformationen effizient genutzt und verbessert werden können. Erstens belegen meine Ergebnisse schwerwiegende Mängel in digital verfügbaren Artverbreitungsinformationen, insbesondere für Gebiete und Arten von besonderer Wichtigkeit für den Naturschutz. Zweitens zeigen sie, dass für die allermeisten Arten feiner aufgelöste Informationen nur durch Artverbreitungsmodelle erreicht werden können, die mit geringen Datenmengen auskommen, die starke Datenunsicherheiten und Biases innehaben. Eine vielversprechende Methode, um in solchen Modellen mit Biases umzugeben, ist das explizite Einbeziehen der Bias-verursachenden Faktoren in die Modelle, und meine Ergebnisse bieten hilfreiche Anhaltspunkte für die Auswahl relevanter Faktoren. Drittens schaffen meine Ergebnisse eine empirische Grundlage zur Überwachung von Fortschritten in der Verbesserung weltweiter Artverbreitungsinformationen. Schließlich schafft mein Identifizieren der global wichtigsten Informations-limitierenden Faktoren sowie das Unterscheiden verschiedener Informationsaspekte eine Grundlage dafür, um Aktivitäten zu identifizieren, die Datenmängel effektiv beheben können. Als wichtigste Aktivitäten empfehle ich unter anderem i) das Unterstützen von Bemühungen zur Datenmobilisierung in Institutionen, die in geographischer Nähe zu datenarmen Gebieten liegen, ii) das Fördern von Kooperation zwischen großen Schwellenländern und Data-Sharing-Netzwerken, iii) die Durchführung von neuen Biodiversitäts-Surveys im zentralen Afrika und südlichen Asien, um weitgehend veraltete Informationen zu aktualisieren, und iv) das Verschieben des Fokus von Datensammel- und Datenmobilisierungsbemühungen auf Asien sowie Arten mit begrenzten Verbreitungsarealen.

"This thesis analyzes the impact of the Mexican-American voters in south Texas on the 1960 presidential election. During that election year, this ethnic minority was strong enough to merit direct appeals from the Democratic presidential candidate, and subsequently, allowed to conduct a unique campaign divorced from the direct control of the conservative state Democratic machinery...The study of the Mexican-American political behavior in 1960 proceeds in three stages. The first chapter examines the political factionalism within the state Democratic Party suggest the conservative solution to the problem of liberal splinter groups, and evaluates Lyndon Johnson's contribution to the Democratic ticket in south Texas. Chapter II probes into the importance of imagery and indentity in politics, challenges the possibility of a religiously-based bloc vote in south Texas, but postulates the probability of a sub-conscious religious identification with the Democratic candidate. The last chapter describes the Valley 'Viva Kennedy' clubs, their origin, organization, activities, and contributions. To substantiate the author's hypothesis, oral interviews, club reports, personal files, letters, and contemporary newspapers were extensively used."-- leaf 1.

"This study is being made to assess the actual importance of the platform in recent gubernatorial elections in Texas. Because an intensive analysis is undertaken, the scope of this thesis has been limited in two ways. First, it is confined to the years 1946-1963 spanning the Administrations of Governors Beauford Jester, Allan Shivers, and Price Daniel. Secondly, in an attempt to compare the executives with one another, platform promises related to education, health and welfare, highways, and taxation adopted at the Democratic State Convention have been included. The method utilized to determine fulfillment of a political promise has been to compare the Governor's recommendations to the Legislature with the resulting action. In particular, an attempt has been made to (1) describe the Democratic primary election, with special reference to the issues raised; (2) to discuss the Democratic State Convention with a listing of the planks mentioned above; and (3) to analyze proposals in the Governor's State of the State Messages and special messages and to compare them with the resulting legislative action." -- leaf 1.

"This thesis is a critical analysis of Tolkien's Elvish. This critical analysis is motivated in the same way as critiques of other aspects of literary art, such as plot, characterization, and structure. The latter are subject to critical evaluation precisely because they are a part of the writer's creative art. Elvish is also the product of the artist's creativity. The fact that Tolkien is a trained philologist and distinguished language scholar and has obviously lavished much time and effort on Elvish make this created language a valid area for analysis and criticism...in view of the extent of the available data, all that can be attempted here is a description of Elvish morphology and syntax in light of both the evidence and Tolkien's comments about it."--leaves 1-5

City planning in Dallas, Texas, gives insight into various aspects of the early planning movement in the United States. Dallas city planning offers an opportunity to study the initial work for a plan; citizens' involvement in the pre-planning campaign and later in the workings of the plan itself; the conception of the plan; its implementation; and the differences between the proposed and the implemented plan. Specifically, the 1911 plan for Dallas, Texas affords a chance to examine Kansas City landscape architect George E. Kessler's ideas on urban areas. He believed that planning for an adequate boulevard system would enhance the beauty of a city as well as improving the business climate.

This investigation into local government and politics surrounding the liquor question significantly unveils the turmoil within a community over an issue of intense interest, It illustrates how a gap in legislation enabled subversion of incorporation laws and violation of the majority will by a small but determined group. The pressures and tactics used by both opposing interests in this crisis reveal misuse of the law, possible pay-offs, secret meetings of public bodies, and other illicit occurrences. More importantly, it demonstrates the respect well-meaning citizens have for established law and order. Both sides fought hard for their interests and beliefs, but when appeals had been made to the highest authority, and the ultimate decision had been rendered, then all adherents accepted the reality of the situation, and co-exist on increasingly friendly terms.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:03:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Suelio da S Araujo.pdf: 1201670 bytes, checksum: d9dc94ec3063ff4a2fbf8af7ce722d6b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-15 / The knowledge of the compressive strength and static modulus of elasticity is fundamental to the study of deformations of concrete, since deformations can cause cracks that compromise both the structural behavior of the element and serve as an entry to deleterious agents. For purposes of correlating values of compressive strength and static modulus of elasticity of concrete, cylinders were cast with different strengths, different types of strain measurements were taken, different specimen sizes and the loading speed of the testing machine. The specimens were tested at the age of 28 days to determine the compressive strength and static module of elasticity according to ABNT NBR 8522:2008, using different types of strain measurement devices: two mechanical dial indicators, surface bonded strain gages, clip gauges and LVDT (Linear Variable Differential Transducer). Two hundred and fifty eight specimens were cast with dimensions 150 mm x 300 mm and 100 mm x 200 mm using conventional normal strength concrete (NC - Class C30) and high strength concrete (HSC - Class C60). The experimental program was divided into two stages. First the static modulus of elasticity of concrete was measured to evaluate the accuracy of the method using different measuring devices and the accuracy of the method to a loading speed of 0.6 MPa/s. Then, the modulus of elasticity using different deformation measuring devices at a loading speed of 0.3 MPa/s and 0.6 MPa/s was measured. As for concrete NC and HSC, it was found that the specimens 100 mm x 200 mm obtained higher dispersion in relation to 150 mm x 300 mm specimens. In the first stage of the research, 100 mm x 200 mm specimens showed a higher dispersion when using mechanical dial gages and LVDT. The 150 mm x 300 mm NC class C30 specimens showed greater dispersion when using in mechanical dial gages and external strain gages. However, the HSC showed higher dispersion when mechanical dial gages and LVDT were used. In both concretes tested, the mechanical dial gages showed greater dispersion. In the second stage of the research, 150 mm x 300 mm specimens tested at the loading speed of 0.3 MPa/s showed greater dispersion when electrical strain gages and clip gauges were used. The 150 mm x 300 mm specimens tested at loading speed of 0.6 MPa/s showed greater dispersion when electrical strain gages and mechanical dial gages were used. / O conhecimento da resistência à compressão e do módulo estático de elasticidade é fundamental para o estudo das deformações do concreto, uma vez que as deformações podem gerar fissuras capazes de comprometer tanto o comportamento estrutural do elemento de concreto, como servir de caminho de entrada aos agentes deletérios. Não só fissuras, mas também deformações excessivas. Para fins de correlação de valores de resistência à compressão e módulo estático de elasticidade do concreto, foram moldados corpos-de-prova variando-se a classe do concreto, o tipo de medidores de deformação, a dimensão do corpo-de-prova e a velocidade de carregamento da máquina de ensaio. Os corpos-de-prova foram ensaiados na idade de 28 dias para determinação da resistência à compressão e do módulo estático de elasticidade, normalizado pela ABNT NBR 8522:2008, utilizando-se diferentes tipos de medidores de deformação, a saber: compressômetro mecânico com dois relógios comparadores acoplados, extensômetro elétrico resistivo de colagem superficial ( strain gage ), extensômetro elétrico resistivo de fixação externa ( clip gage ) e LVDT (Transdutor Diferencial de Variação Linear). Foram moldados 258 corpos-de-prova com dimensões 150 mm x 300 mm e 100 mm x 200 mm utilizando concreto convencional de resistência normal (CC Classe C30) e concreto de alta resistência (CAR Classe C60). O programa experimental foi dividido em duas etapas: a primeira contemplou o estudo do módulo estático de elasticidade do concreto para avaliação da precisão do método utilizando diferentes medidores de deformação e da acurácia do método com velocidade de carregamento e descarregamento da máquina de ensaio em um nível: 0,6 MPa/s. A segunda etapa contemplou o estudo de determinação do módulo estático de elasticidade utilizando diferentes medidores de deformação com velocidade de carregamento e descarregamento da máquina de ensaio em dois níveis: 0,3 MPa/s e 0,6 MPa/s. Quanto ao concreto Classe C30 e CAR, verificou-se que os corpos-de-prova de dimensão 100 mm x 200 mm apresentaram maior dispersão em relação aos corpos-de-prova de dimensão 150 mm x 300 mm. Na primeira etapa da pesquisa, quanto à dimensão 100 mm x 200 mm, verificou-se que o concreto Classe C30 e o concreto de alta resistência (CAR) apresentou maior dispersão nos medidores de deformação compressômetro mecânico e LVDT. Quanto à dimensão 150 mm x 300 mm, verificou-se que o concreto Classe C30 apresentou maior dispersão nos medidores de deformação compressômetro mecânico e extensômetro elétrico de fixação externa. Já no concreto de alta resistência (CAR) apresentou maior dispersão nos medidores de deformação compressômetro mecânico e LVDT. Em ambas as classes de concreto ensaiadas, o medidor de deformação compressômetro mecânico apresentou maior dispersão. Na segunda etapa da pesquisa, quanto à dimensão 150 mm x 300 mm ensaiada com velocidade de carregamento e descarregamento da máquina de ensaio de 0,3 MPa/s, verificou-se que apresentou maior dispersão nos medidores de deformação extensômetro elétrico de colagem superficial e extensômetro elétrico de fixação externa. Quanto à dimensão 150 mm x 300 mm ensaiada com velocidade de carregamento e descarregamento da máquina de ensaio de 0,6 MPa/s, verificou-se que apresentou maior dispersão nos medidores de deformação extensômetro elétrico de colagem superficial e compressômetro mecânico.

Focussing on Archaeozoological faunal analysis, this dissertation aims to investigate the animal food utilization practices of the Ndzundza Ndebele by combining archaeozoologcial methods, archaeological data, ethnographic and historic information. The Ndzundza Ndebele inhabited three different sites in the Steelpoort River Valley during c. 1700 AD – 1900 AD. They were forced to relocate from KwaMaza and Esikhunjini to KoNomtjarhelo as a result of continual fighting between themselves and contemporary Iron Age/Historic communities, the British and the Boers during this period. I aim to identify the animal species utilized by the Ndzundza Ndebele in addition to whether or not the hostile and politically unstable period had any effect on Ndzundza animal food procurement, use and discard. Additionally I investigate whether the faunal remains recovered from the three sites can be used to identify ethnic affiliations, gender roles and ritual use with regards to animals and/or animal parts. Ultimately, I aim to demonstrate that faunal remains cannot be fully understood and interpreted without incorporating relevant ethnographic and/or historic information and as comprehensive an archaeological context as possible. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Anthropology and Archaeology / unrestricted