There is no doubt that the iPhone is one of the most popular mobile phones in today's market, while it also has become clear that the communication between mobile phones has gone from being over SMS, to being over communication services that use the internet to send messages. When Apple were to release their own communication service, iMessage, they chose to make the service exclusive to iPhone users, a decision that in later years has started a lot of discussions. In background to this, it has been reported in the USA that young people feel peer pressure about owning an iPhone, since Apple has chosen to differentiate between SMS and iMessage messages by making a SMS bubble green, and a iMessage bubble blue. Therefore, it becomes obvious if a person has an iPhone or not. Furthermore, other functions like group chats and the fact that a user needs to turn off iMessage manually when they switch to an android phone in order to keep receiving messages, shows that Apple is intentionally trying to make a switch from their products more difficult, something that often is called “lock-in” functions. This study has for that reason investigated if iMessage actually is a contributing factor to young adults desire to own an iPhone in Sweden. The study was conducted so that a group of iPhone-users turned off iMessage on all their Apple-products during a week, to later be interviewed about their experiences. The result showed that iMessage does not seem to be a contributing factor to wanting an iPhone. All the participants stated that they might as well use some other communication service, and no participant felt any pressure to be a blue bubble with anyone they wrote messages to. / Det finns inga tvivel om att iPhone är en av de absolut populäraste mobiltelefonerna på dagens marknad, samtidigt som det även blivit tydligt hur kommunikationen mellan mobiltelefoner har gått från att ske via SMS till att nu allt mer ske via kommunikationstjänster som skickar meddelanden via internet. När Apple skulle lansera sin egna kommunikationstjänst, iMessage, valde de att göra funktionen exklusiv för iPhone-användare, ett beslut som på senare år kommit att skapa debatter. En bakgrund till detta är att det har rapporterats om att unga i USA känner grupptryck över att ha en iPhone, då Apple valt att differentiera mellan SMS och iMessage-meddelanden genom att SMS blir en grön bubbla och iMessage en blå bubbla. Det blir då väldigt tydligt om personen har en iPhone. Även andra funktioner som gruppchatter och det faktum att användare måste stänga av iMessage manuellt när de byter till Android-telefon för att fortsätta på meddelanden, visar på att Apple medvetet försöker försvåra för användarna att byta från deras produkter, något som ofta benämns som “lock-in”-funktioner. Denna studie har därför undersökt om det är så att iMessage faktiskt är bidragande till att unga vuxna i Sverige vill äga en iPhone. Undersökningen gick till så att en studiegrupp fick stänga av iMessage på sina Apple-produkter i en veckas tid för att sedan intervjuas om erfarenheterna. Resultatet visade att det inte verkar vara så att iMessage har en effekt på att vilja ha iPhone. Alla som deltog i studien uppgav att de lika gärna kunde använda någon annan kommunikationstjänst, och det var ingen som någon gång skulle känt press över att vara en blå bubbla för någon de skickade meddelanden till.

El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar si existen divergencias entre las cotizaciones de acciones de empresas que se negocian en el mercado de capitales extranjero y local y viceversa, que deriven en el hecho de que no se respete estrictamente la relación técnica que interviene como equivalencia, dada por la Teoría de la Paridad del Poder Adquisitivo, sin tener en cuenta costos de transacción. Es decir, se pretende analizar el precio de las acciones extranjeras versus sus Certificados de Depósitos Argentinos (CDR en adelante), y el precio de acciones locales versus sus American Depositary Receipts (ADR en adelante). Se analizan dos casos, tomando como empresa extranjera a la compañía tecnológica APPLE y como empresa local a la compañía petrolera YPF, comparando sus cotizaciones desde enero de 2014 hasta diciembre de 2022. El principal modelo utilizado es la Teoría de la Paridad del Poder Adquisitivo (TPPA en adelante), también conocida como la Teoría de la Paridad del Poder de Compra mediante la cual, a través de su ecuación, se pueden relacionar dos variables de dos países: precio e inflación y obtener valores comparativos para analizar. La teoría descansa explícitamente sobre la Ley del Precio único (LPU) donde se establece que un mismo bien debería tener el mismo precio en distintos países siempre que se analice y valorice en una misma moneda. En este sentido, la TPPA teóricamente sostiene que el tipo de cambio entre las monedas de dos países es igual a la relación entre los niveles de precios de esos dos países. En palabras de Kenneth Rogoff: “purchasing power Parity (PPP) is the disarmingly simple empirical proposition that, once converted to a common currency, national price levels should be equal” (Kenneth, 1996, p. 647). Por supuesto que suceden variaciones o desfasajes entre los precios y los tipos de cambio repercutiendo en ambos y generando diferencias sustanciales, pero justamente lo que plantea la TPPA es que ese desfasaje es temporal hasta que se ajusta y se vuelve al punto de paridad cumpliéndose la predicción de la teoría. Precisamente se evalúa el grado de cumplimiento de la TPPA y se analiza si existen factores ajenos a los componentes planteados por la teoría que puedan influir en la relación técnica que interviene entre el precio de una acción extranjera en su mercado de origen y el precio de su correspondiente CDR en el mercado argentino, y viceversa. Como precio de referencia para el análisis se toma el tipo de cambio implícito o contado con liquidación (CCL en adelante), calculado según el promedio de cuatro tipos de cambio implícitos obtenidos de los siguientes títulos de renta variable: Tenaris (TS), Grupo Financiero Galicia (GGAL), Pampa Energía (PAM) y Transportadora de Gas del Sur (TGS). El CCL surge del cociente entre el precio local de una acción y el precio en el exterior (ADR) multiplicado por un factor de conversión. Cabe mencionar que el mercado es quien se encarga de regular el CCL para todas las cotizaciones. A través de la oferta y demanda, los movimientos en los precios de las distintas empresas no generan diferencias significativas entre los CCL de cada una. Justamente en este punto es donde el análisis toma relevancia. Se observa como resultado que en el período que se analiza, el cual contempla 2.124 días de ruedas bursátiles en ambos mercados, local y norteamericano, en un mayor número de días las variaciones de los precios en las dos plazas no respetan estrictamente la relación técnica aunque llega a cumplirse en el 11,49% de las ruedas casi en forma perfecta (igualando la unidad) en el caso de YPF y en un 19,73% en el caso de APPLE. / The objective of this research is to analyze whether there are divergences between the share prices of companies that are traded in the foreign and local capital markets and vice versa, which result in the fact that the technical relationship that intervenes as equivalence is not strictly respected. Given by the Purchasing Power Parity Theory, without taking into account transaction costs. In other words, the aim is to analyze the price of foreign shares versus their Argentine Depositary Certificates (CDR), and the price of local shares versus their American Depositary Receipts (ADR). The technology company APPLE is taken as a foreign company and the oil company YPF as a local company, comparing their prices from January 2014 to December 2022. The main model used is the Purchasing Power Parity Theory (TPPA from now on), also known as the Purchasing Power Parity Theory through which, through its equation, two variables from two countries can be related: price and inflation and obtain comparative values to analyze. The theory explicitly rests on the Single Price Law (LPU) where it is established that the same good should have the same price in different countries as long as it is analyzed and valued in the same currency. In this sense, the TPPA theoretically holds that the exchange rate between the currencies of two countries is equal to the ratio of the price levels of those two countries. In the words of Kenneth Rogoff: “purchasing power Parity (PPP) is the disarmingly simple empirical proposition that, once converted to a common currency, national price levels should be equal” (Kenneth, 1996, p. 647). Of course there are variations or gaps between prices and exchange rates, affecting both and generating substantial differences, but precisely what the TPPA proposes is that this gap is temporary until it is adjusted and returns to the parity point, fulfilling the theory prediction. Precisely, the degree of compliance with the TPPA is evaluated and it is analyzed whether there are factors other than the components proposed by the theory that may influence the technical relationship that intervenes between the price of a foreign share in its market of origin and the price of its corresponding Cedear in the Argentine market, and vice versa. As a reference price for the analysis, the implicit or counted exchange rate with settlement (CCL hereinafter) is taken, calculated according to the average of four implicit exchange rates obtained from the following equity securities: Tenaris (TS), Grupo Financiero Galicia (GGAL), Pampa Energía (PAM) and Transportadora de Gas del Sur (TGS). The CCL arises from the quotient between the local price of a share and the price abroad (ADR) multiplied by a conversion factor. It is worth mentioning that the market is in charge of regulating the CCL for all prices. Through supply and demand, the movements in the prices of the different companies do not generate significant differences between the CCL of each one. It is precisely at this point that the analysis becomes relevant. As a result, it is observed that in the period under analysis, which contemplates 2.124 trading days in both markets, local and North American, in a greater number of days the price variations in the two markets do not strictly respect the technical relationship although it is fulfilled in 11,49% of the wheels almost perfectly (equaling the unit) in the case of YPF and in 19,73% in the case of APPLE.

Phenolics are critical to the sensory attributes and health benefits of hard cider due to their contribution to the flavor, mouthfeel, and antioxidant activity. With the increase in demand for cider, the use of dessert apple varieties has become more common leaving ciders lacking in phenolics. However, a promising method to increase their phenolic content is through maceration with apple pomace. This study evaluated the effect maceration with apple pomace during cider fermentation on the extraction of phenolic compounds, as well as its effect on the sensory properties of the final product. For this study, ciders were fermented with 0% (control), 20%, 35%, and 50% of the average pomace created during production of the apple must. After fermentation, the ciders were analyzed for acid content, total phenolic content (TPC), alcohol by volume (ABV), color, volatile profile, and sensory properties. The ciders fermented with apple pomace went through malolactic fermentation. During the maceration phenolics were extracted which resulted in an increase in phenolic content in cider. Compared to the control, the treatment ciders were also seen to have higher ABV and TPC, lower acidity, and a different aromatic profile: decreased acetaldehyde and increased ethyl acetate, isoamyl alcohol, and phenylethyl alcohol. The color measurements suggests that treatment ciders were lighter, with a higher red and yellow color compared to the control cider. The sensory analysis revealed the treatment ciders were perceived as less acidic and astringent, but more bitter than the controls. This study shows the addition of apple pomace in its native state increases total phenolic content and could be favorable to produce well rounded ciders. This study shows maceration is a promising technique for increasing phenolic content in ciders.

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Biennial bearing has been investigated longer and more extensively in apple than in any other fruit tree; however, it remains a serious problem in commercial apple production all over the world. Trees that have become biennial flower profusely and carry a heavy crop in the "on" year, and flower sparsely or not at all and carry little or no crop the following year, the "off" year. Fruit in the "on" year tend to be small, poorly colored, and of low quality, while the few fruit in the "off" year are usually too large, become susceptible to physiological disorders, and also are of poor quality. Without intervention, the crops in both the "on" and "off" years are undesirable and uneconomical. The most common method used by commercial apple growers to try to prevent biennial bearing is chemical fruit thinning, which is an "on" year method of removing a part of the crop before it matures on the tree. In general, growers don't do anything in the "off" year to prevent biennial bearing with the exceptions of fertilizing and pruning lightly. In this study, several experiments were conducted with the cultivars "Braeburn", "Golden Delicious", "Ramey York", and "Fuji" in the "off" year to try and suppress FBI and thus prevent a biennial bearing situation in the following year. The first set of experiments studied the effect of whole-tree and partial-tree defoliation on suppressing spur and lateral flowering and fruit set. Flowering and fruit set were suppressed with defoliation in most cases. Defoliation in early July caused the least amount of flowering the following year and in some cases it was zero. As the defoliation timing and severity was delayed, there was less suppression of flowering and fruit set. Ammonium thiosulfate and Endothal increased flowering but decreased fruit set compared to a control. Gramoxone suppressed flowering and fruit set. In another set of experiments, gibberellic acid (GA) treatments were evaluated to suppress FBI in "off" or light crop years. The GA4+7 treatments suppressed return bloom of both spur and lateral flowers more than the GA3 treatments. The effectiveness of GA declined with delayed application. Both GA treatments reduced lateral flowering the most on the basal 1/3 of the shoot. In a four year study, apple trees were thinned to one fruit per flowering cluster every year from 1997 to 2000. Other trees were thinned to zero fruit or two fruit per flowering cluster in alternate years from 1997 to 2000. Trees thinned to one fruit per flowering cluster had moderate flowering and fruit set the following year. Trees thinned to two fruit per flowering cluster had very little to no flowering the following year. Trees thinned to zero fruit per flowering cluster had a "snowball" bloom the following year. Trees that were alternately thinned to two or zero fruit per flowering cluster were in a biennial bearing situation. / Ph. D.

Apple producers in Virginia are affected by adverse weather factors which cause poor or lower than normal yields. These weather factors such as freeze kill of bloom and lack of rainfall cause decreases in production and, therefore, decreases in revenues received by apple producers. These weather factors, although they can not be completely controlled, can be altered by wind machines and overhead sprinkler systems. Therefore, the major purpose of the study was to determine if these types of weather-altering technologies could be economically feasible for use in Virginia. The first step in determining the economic feasibility of the two systems was to determine which weather factors are effected by the adaptable technology stated above. This information was received from studies completed in Utah, Georgia, Florida, California, and Washington State. The second step was to gather production data and weather data in the same general geographical location in Virginia to be used to develop a yield response equation and determine the weather variables which affect production. This information was then transferred to. a simulation model, which determined the values of the economic criteria used when making investment decisions. The major findings of the study were: (1) that the overhead sprinkler system is the investment with the best economic criteria values and should be the investment used in situations where an orchard is of dwarf and semi-dwarf type rootstock and where there is an adequate supply of water, and (2) wind machines are also shown to be economically feasible to use in orchard situations and can be implemented in orchards with older seedling type trees and in orchards where there is an inadequate supply of water to operate an overhead sprinkler system. / Ph. D.

The overall goal of this research was to determine the effects of spirea aphid, Aphis spiraecola Patch, feeding and nitrogen fertilization on net photosynthesis (Pn), leaf chlorophyll content and greenneess, growth, dry matter accumulation, and carbohydrate concentrations of young apple trees, with comparisons to apple aphid, Aphis pomi DeGeer. Trees were artificially infested and grown in an unheated greenhouse with screened ends. The spirea aphid responded differently to various nitrogen treatments. Aphid density increased at a faster rate on trees receiving higher nitrogen application. The leaf nitrogen concentration increased significantly and linearly with increasing amount of urea application in both infested and control leaves. Also, a significant difference in leaf nitrogen concentration was found at each urea application rate between infested and control leaves. Spirea aphid feeding and sooty mold accumulations caused significant reductions in photosynthetic rates, leaf chlorophyll content, and greenness. Pn increased linearly with increasing chlorophyll content and greenness; nitrogen rates caused an increase in Pn and leaf greenness. Aphid-days accumulations were strongly correlated to Pn and greenness at each nitrogen rate applied. Accumulation of callose at the phloem sieve plates in response to spirea aphid feeding occurred but to a lesser degree than from other aphids reported on apple and pecan leaves. Accumulation of fresh and dry weights in all tree parts (leaves, lateral shoots, trunk, rootstock, and roots) during the growing season were affected by both spirea aphid and nitrogen fertilization. The spirea aphid reduced accumulation of fresh and dry weights in all tree partitions when trees were harvested at the end of the first growing season. These reductions were still lower than the control when trees were harvested at the ten-leaf stage the following spring. The spirea aphid caused a significant reduction in lateral shoot growth at the end of the growing season and at the ten-leaf stage. Fresh and dry weights of all tree partitions tended to increase with increasing rates of nitrogen. The percentage and the amount of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) in all tree partitions were reduced by spirea aphid feeding and were positively related to nitrogen rate. At the ten-leaf stage in the second season, similar results were obtained. Development of spirea aphid and apple aphid was similar on trees fertilized with a moderate rate of nitrogen. Pn and leaf greenness declined to a similar extent with accumulated aphid-days, for both aphid species. Aphid species did not affect any of tree growth or NSC accumulation. / Ph. D.