Breeding ecology and conservation of Brown booby in Gorgona Island, eastern tropical Pacific Ocean

Breeding ecology and reproductive traits of Brown Booby _Sula leucogaster_ etesiaca in Gorgona Natural National Park, Colombia, were studied. Adults morphometrics, eggs dimensions, chicks growth and nesting site characteristics, were examined at three different locations in the park. As with other subspecies, Brown Booby in Gorgona presents inverted sexual dimorphism, with adult females being lengthier, wider and heavier than adult males. Breeding of S. l. etesiaca results in eggs from the first deposition bigger in weight and dimensions than eggs from the second or third deposition. Growth of brown boobies chicks fit to a natural log equation: bodymass(g) = 0.8773 ln(days) + 3.3895. A variety of spawning aggregations was found, and their relationship with the other marine birds nesting in the area is discussed

Immigrants, Mental Health, and the Oregon State Hospital

This Senior thesis examines the treatment and care of immigrants who found themselves within the confines of the Oregon State Hospital in the early 20th century. During the Progressive Era (1890-1920) there was a rise in the use of mental health institutions and along with it came patients from various backgrounds. Many patients were admitted either voluntarily or by others in good faith for recovery from their mental ailments. Others however, fell victim to mental institutions being used to work against marginalized groups during this time. Two case files show individual examples of immigrants who were put in the State Hospital in the early 20th century and display how they were treated within and without the walls of the hospital. With the support of secondary sources from scholars like Joel Braslow, Susan Burch, and John D’Emilio and Estelle B. Freedman, practices within the Oregon State Hospital are analyzed. There is also an emphasized investigation on how mental health institutions operated against marginalized groups in the early 20th century

The Relationship Between Bilingualism And Non-Verbal Creative Behavior Among Limited-English Proficient And Spanish-English Proficient Hispanic Girls Of Primary School Age (Cognitive Flexibility, Mexican)

This study investigated and compared the non-verbal creative behavior of Spanish-English Proficient (SEP) and Limited-English Proficient (LEP) girls as measured by the figural form of the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT); and examined the relationships of non-verbal creative thinking and selected home environment variables, as measured by the Index of Home Educational Environment (IEE). A sample of 31 LEP and 30 SEP students was selected from a total population of 140 girls. The selection of the sample was done in two stages. Girls who did not score within one standard deviation of the mean for each age group on the Developmental Test of Visual Motor Integration, were eliminated. The student\u27s linguistic grouping was refined by using the Toronto Tests of Receptive Vocabulary (English/Spanish). Stage two, involved the individual administration of the Bicultural Test of Non-Verbal Reasoning, and the administration of the TTCT, Figural Form A. Students who did not score within the average in non-verbal reasoning ability were eliminated from the study. Causal-comparative design was used in this study. The level of significance for rejecting the null hypotheses was set at .05. Statistical techniques used in this study were the one-way ANOVA, two-way ANOVA, and the Pearson product-moment correlation. Statistical analysis indicated that neither the main effect of language group nor the interaction effect of home environment were generally significant. There was positive association between figural elaboration and two IEE variables for the SEP group, and figural fluency and five IEE variables for the LEP group. A clear pattern of higher SEP mean scores emerged from this study. This suggested (a) that bilingualism does not have a detrimental effect on non-verbal creativity, and (b) that the superior performance of the SEP group may begin to emerge at the elementary age level

Enhanced Dynamometer for Conducting Long-Term Brake Wear Testing

The purpose of this project is to develop an automated control system for two constant torque dynamometers Krauss Friction Tester Type RWS60A – Serial no. 080 built in Orangeburg, West Germany recently obtained by FDP Friction Science. This control system will be efficient, effective, safer, and meet the standards of modern day technologies. Currently, the machines are outdated, obsolete, and unable to operate. Therefore, to bring the dynamometers back into full operation and be competitive in today’s industry a new control system that meets industry expectations must be implemented. For this reason, a programmable logic controller from Automationdirect named ClickPLC is being utilized. This industrial computer control system will continuously monitor the state of input for the device while determining the desired outputs based on a ladder logic program written by the control system designers. To create interference between the operator and the machine a C-more touch panel human machine interference from Automationdirect will be use. The HMI will provide a graphical interface designed to interchange and display graphics, animation and data from the PLC by touching the screen. The HMI will be programed accordingly to replace pushbuttons, switches, meters and any other analog input devices. This will streamline the brake life testing process down to a one-man operation for cost effectiveness.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1196/thumbnail.jp

Analysis from hiring process formulation maintenance and construction from army prosecutors houses including environmental parameters

Este artículo se enfoca en analizar la formulación de procesos de contratación de mantenimiento y construcción de vivienda fiscal mediante la inclusión de parámetros ambientales. Presentando una revisión del marco normativo existente para la contratación en el sector público, logrando identificar códigos, leyes y normas que orientan sobre los aspectos que deben incluirse en los contratos entre el Estado y los contratistas. Considerando los aspectos relacionados con compras eficientes por parte del estado se efectúa una revisión del enfoque europeo en la Compra y Contratación Pública Verde y, para el caso colombiano la existencia de guías verdes de contratación. Teniendo en cuenta criterios ambientales asociados a la construcción se establece la posibilidad de incluir dichos aspectos en diferentes fases del proceso de contratación estatal promoviendo de manera efectiva una compra eficiente en lo relacionado con proyectos de construcción y mantenimiento de vivienda que desarrolla el Instituto de Casas Fiscales del Ejército.This article analyze the development of procurement processes maintenance and construction of housing tax by including environmental parameters. Presents a review of the existing regulatory framework for recruitment in the public sector, codes, laws and regulations that provide guidance on the issues to be included in contracts between the state and contractors are identified. Considering the aspects of efficient purchases by the state carries out a review of the European focus on Green Public Procurement, for the Colombian case the existence of green procurement guidelines. Given associated with building environmental criteria the possibility to include these aspects in different stages of government procurement to promote effectively an efficient purchase in relation to construction projects and maintenance of housing developed by the Institute of Army Prosecutors Houses

MITIGATING THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF INTERNAL LATERAL IMPACTS IN STRUCTURES EQUIPPED WITH FRICTIONAL ISOLATORS

L'abstract è presente nell'allegato / the abstract is in the attachmen

Effect of Shifting Frequency on Liveweight Gain of Grazing Steers

Two trials lasting approximately two months each were carried out with different groups of holstein steers each initially weighing ~150 kg. Three shifting frequency treatments with no replications were imposed: three day, once daily and twice daily. Pasture allowances (kg DM animal-1 day-1) varied throughout the trials but remained equal among treatments. No significant differences in liveweight gain were observed among treatments. Higher shifting frequency treatments showed a tendency to have higher liveweight gains when gains were ~650 gm animal-1 day-1 or lower. It is recommended that future studies monitor the effect of shifting frequencies on pasture growth. Under the conditions of this study satisfactory estimates of kikuyugrass (Pennisetum clandestinum) were not provided by use of a capacitance meter or plant height

Measuring Progress on the Control of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) at a Regional Level: The Minnesota N212 Regional Control Project (Rcp) as a Working Example.

Due to the highly transmissible nature of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), implementation of regional programs to control the disease may be critical. Because PRRS is not reported in the US, numerous voluntary regional control projects (RCPs) have been established. However, the effect of RCPs on PRRS control has not been assessed yet. This study aims to quantify the extent to which RCPs contribute to PRRS control by proposing a methodological framework to evaluate the progress of RCPs. Information collected between July 2012 and June 2015 from the Minnesota Voluntary Regional PRRS Elimination Project (RCP-N212) was used. Demography of premises (e.g. composition of farms with sows = SS and without sows = NSS) was assessed by a repeated analysis of variance. By using general linear mixed-effects models, active participation of farms enrolled in the RCP-N212, defined as the decision to share (or not to share) PRRS status, was evaluated and used as a predictor, along with other variables, to assess the PRRS trend over time. Additionally, spatial and temporal patterns of farmers' participation and the disease dynamics were investigated. The number of farms enrolled in RCP-N212 and its geographical coverage increased, but the proportion of SS and NSS did not vary significantly over time. A significant increasing (p<0.001) trend in farmers' decision to share PRRS status was observed, but with NSS producers less willing to report and a large variability between counties. The incidence of PRRS significantly (p<0.001) decreased, showing a negative correlation between degree of participation and occurrence of PRRS (p<0.001) and a positive correlation with farm density at the county level (p = 0.02). Despite a noted decrease in PRRS, significant spatio-temporal patterns of incidence of the disease over 3-weeks and 3-kms during the entire study period were identified. This study established a systematic approach to quantify the effect of RCPs on PRRS control. Despite an increase in number of farms enrolled in the RCP-N212, active participation is not ensured. By evaluating the effect of participation on the occurrence of PRRS, the value of sharing information among producers may be demonstrated, in turn justifying the existence of RCPs