A marine research lab in Maine : building coastal identity

Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1995.Includes bibliographical references (p. 119-120).If the design of a building originates from the place in which it is built, from the social traditions of that place, and from building traditions which are specific to local materials and climate, then it will project an identity different from that of a building with the same program in a different culture. The question I pose is how far can an approach of regionalism get us toward an architecture which reinforces the particular qualities of life in a specific culture. What are its benefits, what are its limits? The program is a marine research laboratory located on a tidal river in mid-coast Maine. I have chosen the Maine coast as a case study for its strength of individuality and relative isolation from suburban influences. Civilization is marching steadily onward, and Maine will be one of the next places to deal with the cultural entropy which has enveloped the rest of the Nation. Rather than employ historical quotation or imitation to derive a basis for new design, I distill existing properties such as site orientation, inhabitation of topography, use of materials, building systems, and social organization to their most fundamental principles. From these principles, a design strategy can be developed in terms of a vocabulary of forms, materials, organizations, and orientation which will evoke a sense of place consistent with the regional identity, and can be reinterpreted for new programs and technologies which are necessitated by today's building requirements. Over time, new possibilities regarding construction materials, glass technology, insulation, heating, air conditioning and water systems have replaced traditional methods of construction common to the vernacular architecture of the region. While many things have changed, certain fundamental relationships between the building and local environment have not, such as wind strength and direction, vegetation, availability of sunlight, durability of local materials, and local geology and resources, which can still be valuable in the design of a building for this area. This project, therefore, focuses on understanding what is really important about a particular site or situation, and reinventing a formal expression for that idea which complements the existing experience, while proposing a new way of understanding its qualities.by F. Paul Marinace.M.Arch

Electrical behavior of MIS devices based on Si nanoclusters embedded in SiOxNy and SiO2 films

We examined and compared the electrical properties of silica (SiO2) and silicon oxynitride (SiOxNy) layers embedding silicon nanoclusters (Sinc) integrated in metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices. The technique used for the deposition of such layers is the reactive magnetron sputtering of a pure SiO2 target under a mixture of hydrogen/argon plasma in which nitrogen is incorporated in the case of SiOxNy layer. Al/SiOxNy-Sinc/p-Si and Al/SiO2-Sinc/p-Si devices were fabricated and electrically characterized. Results showed a high rectification ratio (>104) for the SiOxNy-based device and a resistive behavior when nitrogen was not incorporating (SiO2-based device). For rectifier devices, the ideality factor depends on the SiOxNy layer thickness. The conduction mechanisms of both MIS diode structures were studied by analyzing thermal and bias dependences of the carriers transport in relation with the nitrogen content

Drivers of Soil Organic Carbon in Rich Northern Hardwood Forests

Forests are increasingly being managed for their carbon sequestration potential. As such, an understanding of the factors controlling carbon dynamics across and within sites is becoming increasingly important for guiding carbon management strategies. Given that much of a forest’s carbon is stored in soils, identifying the factors that control how much carbon is stored in soils is critical. This study used detailed vegetation and soil measurements across a rich northern hardwood forest in Corinth, Vermont to identify factors that drive soil carbon storage in a northern hardwood forest, a common type in New England, and investigated how multiple non-native species might impact these factors. These forests have a large component of white ash (Fraxinus americana), a species threatened by the invasive emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis), creating an urgency to assess how ash trees influence soil organic carbon sequestration, as well as how their mortality may impact future carbon dynamics. Furthermore, non-native earthworms, which have a large impact of forest floor and soil carbon, are impacting these systems. This work quantified how these stressors are affecting carbon storage and tree regeneration. Analysis of organic litter material and mineral soil samples from these areas indicate both earthworms and overstory ash basal area significantly impact leaf litter nitrogen content and leaf litter carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N); however, there was no interaction between the two factors. Earthworms also significantly decreased soil pH, however it is difficult to disentangle if earthworms are drawn to higher pH areas or if they create these conditions. Conversely, basal area of white ash had a significant, increasing effect on leaf litter pH. Soil pH was the best predictor of soil carbon in the upper soil horizons, and carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N) in the forest floor was best explained by the interaction of litter pH and earthworm prevalence. Collectively, these results suggest both earthworm and emerald ash borer may alter soil carbon and nutrient dynamics in rich northern hardwood forests and the pathways by which carbon is stored

La loi n° 95.73 du 21 janvier 1995 d'orientation et de programmation relative à la sécurité : le blason nouveau de la Police nationale

Pasquet-Marinacce Laurent, Deurien Frédéric, Coppard Yvette. La loi n° 95.73 du 21 janvier 1995 d'orientation et de programmation relative à la sécurité : le blason nouveau de la Police nationale. In: Revue juridique de l'Ouest, 1996-3. pp. 327-334

Differences in the Perception of Leisure Satisfaction: Comparing Mothers and Fathers of Children with Disabilities

Objective. The purpose of this study is to identify the differences in leisure satisfaction between mothers and fathers of children with disabilities. Background. There is evidence that shows a decrease in leisure participation among parents of children with various disabilities. Findings from this pilot study can help identify what interventions are most effective when dealing with a mother or a 22 father who are caring for a child with a disability. Methods. This study’s design is a descriptive correlational of two groups, mothers of a child with a disability and fathers of a child with a disability. The target population includes caregivers of children with a diagnosed disability. The inclusion criteria consist of being a primary caregiver who has full or partial custody of a child with a disability. Snowball technique will be used to recruit approximately 50 subjects. Leisure satisfaction will be measured using the short form of the Leisure Satisfaction Scale (called the Leisure Satisfaction Measure). This tool measures six subscales of leisure using twenty-four items. Gender is the independent variable, and leisure satisfaction is the dependent variable measured with a Likert scale. Plan for analysis includes description of the sample using descriptive statistics, frequency data and Spearman Rank Order correlation