Relationally-Autonomous Reasons as a Predictor of Collegiate Athletic Performance

The current proposed study examines a concept that has been looked at before but now using a new specific population. Previous research examined shows that reasons for motivation affect goal attainment and success. The current study is looking at how relational autonomous reasons for motivation play a role in goal attainment in athletes. Eastern Kentucky University athletes were administered a short questionnaire and their previous athletic performance was used as well. The two sets of data were then used to examine the relationship between the two variables. The results of the study showed a positive correlation between Relationally-Autonomous Reasons (RAR) and performance. Those in team sports were seen to be motivated more by RARs when compared to athletes in individual sports

Upper-Tropospheric Aerosol Sampled During Project Fire IFO II

Aerosols can play a role in the cloud formation process through the heterogeneous nucleation mechanism, and in turn, once formed, cirrus clouds can impact the ambient aerosol through scavenging and other collection mechanisms. University of Missouri aerosol sampling facilities were employed on aircraft for in situ collection and characterization of the particulates near cirrus cloud level. Tandem differential mobility analyzer and impactor techniques were used to measure aerosol size distribution, hydration capability, and particle composition information. Evidence of aerosol layering was observed near the tropospause, and there was a tendency toward depletion of the ambient aerosol at both ends of the condensation nuclei (CN) size distribution

Effects of shoot pruning and inflorescence thinning on plant growth, yield and fruit quality of greenhouse tomatoes in a tropical climate

The combined effects of shoot pruning (one or two stems) and inflorescence thinning (five or ten flowers per inflorescence) on greenhouse tomato yield and fruit quality were studied during the dry season (DS) and rainy season (RS) in Central Thailand. Poor fruit set, development of undersized (mostly parthenocarpic) fruits, as well as the physiological disorders blossom-end rot (BER) and fruit cracking (FC) turned out to be the prevailing causes deteriorating fruit yield and quality. The proportion of marketable fruits was less than 10% in the RS and around 65% in the DS. In both seasons, total yield was significantly increased when plants were cultivated with two stems, resulting in higher marketable yields only in the DS. While the fraction of undersized fruits was increased in both seasons when plants were grown with a secondary stem, the proportions of BER and FC were significantly reduced. Restricting the number of flowers per inflorescence invariably resulted in reduced total yield. However, in neither season did fruit load considerably affect quantity or proportion of the marketable yield fraction. Inflorescence thinning tended to promote BER and FC, an effect which was only significant for BER in the RS. In conclusion, for greenhouse tomato production under climate conditions as they are prevalent in Central Thailand, the cultivation with two stems appears to be highly recommendable whereas the measures to control fruit load tested in this study did not proof to be advisable

Бизнес-планирование инновационного проекта

Цель работы – выявление проблем и возникающих рисков, связанных с инновационной деятельностью и формирование предложения по их усовершенствованию. В процессе исследования был проведен анализ инновационной деятельности, сильных и слабых сторон и бизнес-планирования инновационных проектов. В результате исследования были выявлены риски и наиболее вероятные проблемы, возникающие при бизнес-планировании инновационных проектов. Также было разработано предложение по оптимизации бизнес-процессов и рассчитан экономический эффект по его внедрению. Степень внедрения: предложение по оптимизации рассмотрено и реализовано в компании "ИНТЭК". Область применения: управление инновационными проектами.The purpose of this work is to identify the emerging problems and risks associated with innovative activity and formation of proposals for their improvement. The study analysis of the innovation activity was conducted; as well as analysis of innovative projects’ strengths and weaknesses and their business planning. The study risks and the most likely problems encountered in the business planning of innovative projects were identified. A proposal for the optimization of business processes and calculated economic benefit for its implementation were also developed. The implementation degree: the optimization proposal is discussed and implemented in the "INTEK" company. Application area: management of innovative projects

High land-use intensity diminishes stability of forage provision of mountain pastures under future climate variability

Semi-natural, agriculturally used grasslands provide important ecologic and economic services, such as feed supply. In mountain regions, pastures are the dominant agricultural system and face more severe climate change impacts than lowlands. Climate change threatens ecosystem functions, such as aboveground net primary production [ANPP] and its nutrient content. It is necessary to understand the impacts of climate change and land-management on such ecosystems to develop management practices to sustainably maintain provision of ecosystem services under future climatic conditions. We studied the effect of climate change and different land-use intensities on plant-soil communities by the downslope translocation of plant-soil mesocosms along an elevation gradient in 2016, and the subsequent application of two management types (extensive vs. intensive). Communities’ response to ANPP and leaf carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) content was quantified over the subsequent two years after translocation. ANPP increased with warming in 2017 under both management intensities, but this effect was amplified by intensive land-use management. In 2018, ANPP of intensively managed communities decreased, in comparison to 2017, from 35% to 42%, while extensively managed communities maintained their production levels. The changes in ANPP are coupled with an exceptionally dry year in 2018, with up to 100 more days of drought conditions. The C:N of extensively managed communities was higher than those of intensively managed ones, and further increased in 2018, potentially indicating shifts in resource allocation strategies that may explain production stability. Our results revealed a low resistance of intensively managed communities’ ANPP under especially dry conditions. The ability to alter resource allocation likely enables a constant level of production under extensive management, but this ability is lost under intensive management. Thus, future drought events may leave intensive management as a non-sustainable farming practice, and ultimately threaten ecosystem services of montane pastures