The powerhouse for bullying: The relationship between defensive self-esteem, bullying and victimisation

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Studies which examine conflict have identified coping strategies as potent variables for the social competencies of children. To extend these ideas to more specific indicators of social adjustment this study examined emotional impairments and coping strategies of victims and bullies. Inventories measuring emotional impairment: depression, anger, anxiety and self-concept were completed by 103 primary school children aged 9-11. A questionnaire measured five coping strategies: problem solving, social support seeking, distancing, externalising and internalising. Bully and victim nominations identified almost 5 times as many male bullies compared to girls therefore findings which specifically relate to bullying refer to boys only. Emotional impairments were identified as predictory variables for bullying and victimisation particularly for boys where anger was identified as moderating the relationship between externalising and bullying behaviour while anxiety was identified as a mediating variable between problem solving and victimisation. Findings here also suggest that all children learn how to cope with negative emotions through their experiences with adults. For bullies internalisation as a result of poor experiences during problem solving with adults makes problem solving with peers less likely

Bankruptcy & Commercial Law

This Article analyzes and discusses cases—arising from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the Bankruptcy Courts in Texas, the Texas Supreme Court, and the Texas Courts of Appeals—that resolved some fascinating and important issues in the areas of bankruptcy and commercial law during this Survey period

Paying-To-Play in Chapter 11

Article published in the Michigan State Journal of Business and Securities Law

Silver Bullets, Grand Challenges and the New Philanthropy

Whether generic ‘silver bullet’ solutions can address complex development problems has been debated for many years. The ‘grand challenge’ extends the idea of the silver bullet in ways that speak to a goal-driven, global development agenda and a new generation of private philanthropists – or ‘philanthro-capitalists’ seeking to apply business methods to ‘strategic’ giving. These developments raise new Sustainability challenges, explored in this paper, drawing on examples from the health and agriculture sectors. Biofortification research funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation provides a detailed, illustrative case of how these ideas can reduce space to debate directionality and accountability. Imperatives towards rapid ‘scaling up’ infer homogenous populations and overlook patterns of diversity and distributional concerns; transforming complex and diverse needs into ’demand’ for pre-defined technical solutions. This paper asks if the potential exists for a reinvigorated philanthropic sector to play a different role, and turn its power and resources towards learning processes that recognise diversity and use this to reshape programme design.ESR

Fixação de nitrogênio e crescimento de Alnus Rubra fertilização com uréia ou biosólidos

Nitrogen fertilization of forests using biosolids offers a potentially environmentally friendly means to accelerate tree growth. This field study was designed to analyze the effects of nitrogen fertilization on the symbiotic, nitrogen (N)-fixing relationship between Alnus rubra Bong. (red alder) and Frankia. Anaerobically digested, class B biosolids and synthetic urea (46% N) were applied at rates of 140, 280 and 560 kg ha-1 available N to a well-drained, sandy, glacial outwash soil in the Indianola series (mixed, mesic Dystric Xeropsamments). Plots were planted with A. rubra seedlings. At the end of each of two growing seasons trees were harvested and analyzed for the rate of N fixation (as acetylene reduction activity), biomass and foliar N. At year 1, there was no N fixation for trees grown with urea amendments, but control (17 µmol C2H4 g-1 hr-1) and biosolids (26-45 µmol C2H4 g-1 hr-1) trees were fixing N. At the end of year 2, all trees in all treatments were fixing N (7 µmol C2H4 g-1 hr-1, 4-16 µmol C2H4 g-1 hr-1, and 20-29 µmol C2H4 g-1 hr-1 for control, urea and biosolids respectively). Trees grown with biosolids amendments were larger overall (year 1 shoot biomass 10 g, 5 g, and 23 g for control, urea, and biosolids respectively, year 2 shoot biomass 50 g, 51 g, and 190 g for control, urea, and biosolids respectively) with higher concentrations of foliar N for both years of the study (year 1 foliar N 26 g kg-1, 27 g kg-1, and 40 g kg-1 for control, urea, and biosolids respectively, year 2 foliar N 17 g kg-1, 19 g kg-1, and 23 g kg-1 for control, urea, and biosolids respectively). Trees grown with urea amendments appeared to use the urea N over Frankia supplied N, whereas the biosolids trees appeared to be able to use both N in biosolids and N from Frankia. The results from this study indicated that the greater growth of A. rubra may have been responsible for the observed higher N demand. Biosolids may have supplied other nutrients to the trees to support this accelerated growth.A fertilização nitrogenada de florestas com biosólidos constitui um meio de aceleração do crescimento das plantas potencialmente não impactante ao meio. Os efeitos de fertilização de nitrogênio atmosférico na relação simbiôntica e de fixação de nitrogênio Alnus rubra Bong. (amieiro vermelho) e Frankia foram avaliados em um estudo de campo. Biosólidos classe B digeridos anaerobicamente e uréia sintética (46% N) foram aplicados a taxas de 140, 280 e 560 kg ha-1 de N disponível em um solo tipo Areia Quartzosa. Ao contrário das plantas do grupo controle (17 µmol C2H4 g-1 hr-1) ou fertilizadas com biosólidos (26-45 µmol C2H4 g-1 hr-1), plantas fertilizadas com uréia não apresentavam fixação de nitrogênio após um ano de cultivo. Ao final do segundo ano, todas as árvores em todos os tratamentos fixavam N (7 µmol C2H4 g-1 hr-1; 4-16 µmol C2H4 g-1 hr-1; e 20-29 µmol C2H4 g-1 hr-1 para controle, uréia e biosólidos, respectivamente). Plantas cultivadas sob remediação com biosólidos apresentaram maior biomassa na parte aérea ao final do ano 2 (50 g; 51 g; e 190 g para controle, uréia, e biosólidos, respectivamente), e também maiores concentrações de nitrogênio foliar em ambos os períodos analisados (N foliar no ano 1 26 g kg-1, 27 g kg-1, e 40 g kg-1; N foliar no ano 2 17 g kg-1, 19 g kg-1, and 23 g kg-1, respectivamente para controle, uréia e biosólidos). A maior taxa de crescimento de A. rubra pode ter resultado em maior exigência em N e os biosólidos supriram quantidades adicionais de nutrientes capazes de sustentar o crescimento acelerado

Crescimento e fixação de nitrogênio por Alnus rubra cultivado sob fertilização com biosólidos com altos e baixos teores de metais

Forest application of biosolids offers a potential environmentally friendly alternative to landfilling. This two-year investigation was designed to analyze the effects of elevated soil metal concentration resulting from the land application of biosolids on the symbiotic, nitrogen (N) fixing relationship between Alnus rubra Bong. (red alder) and Frankia. High metal biosolids and a modern-day composted biosolid applied at high loading rates of 250, 500, and 1000 Mg ha-1, were used to represent a worst-case scenario for metal contamination. The high metal biosolids were obtained before the current regulations were formulated and had been lagooned prior to use in this study. Total cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) in the high metal biosolids were 45, 958, and 2623 mg kg-1 respectively. These metal concentrations are above current regulatory limits in the US. The compost was made using biosolids that are currently produced and had Cd, Pb and Zn of 0.8, 20 and 160 mg kg-1 respectively. Trees were harvested and analyzed for rate of N fixation (as measured by acetylene reduction activity), biomass, and foliar metals. Soils were analyzed for available N, total carbon and N, pH and total Cd, Pb and Zn. Rates of N fixation were not affected by soil amendment. In year 2, shoot biomass of trees grown in both the compost and high metal amendments were higher than the control. Shoot biomass increased with increasing amount of compost amendments, but decreased with increasing amount of high metal amendments. There was no relationship between soil metal concentration and plant biomass. Foliar Cd and Pb were below detection for all trees and foliar Zn increased with increasing amount of both compost and high metal amendment, with concentrations of 249 mg kg-1 for trees grown in the compost amendment and 279 mg kg-1 for the high metal amendment. The results from this study indicate that the growth of A. rubra benefited from both types of biosolids used in the study and that the Alnus/Frankia relationship was not negatively impacted by metal concentrations resulting from the high metal biosolids amendments.A aplicação de biosólidos em florestas representa uma potencial alternativa ambientalmente correta para aterros sanitários. Os efeitos de fertilização de nitrogênio na relação simbiôntica e de fixação de nitrogênio Alnus rubra Bong. (amieiro vermelho) e Frankia foram avaliados em um estudo de campo conduzido por dois anos. Um biosólido com concentração de metais muito acima dos marcos regulatórios (45 mg kg-1 Cd; 958 mg kg-1 Pb; 2623 mg kg-1 Zn) produzido há mais de 25 anos e um biosólido composto recente foram aplicados nas doses de 250, 500 e 1000 Mg ha-1, representando um cenário pior possível de concentração de metais. Ao final do segundo ano, a biomassa da parte aérea das plantas cultivadas sob ambos os compostos era maior que a das plantas controle, mas não foi observada inter-relação entre a concentração de metais no solo e a biomassa das plantas. As concentrações de Cd e Pb foliares permaneceram abaixo do nível de detecção em todas as plantas, mas a concentração de Zn foliar aumentou proporcionalmente ao aumento da adição do bioremediador, atingindo concentrações de 249 mg kg-1 e 279 mg kg-1 para os tratamentos alto metal e composto, respectivamente. Embora não tenham sido registrados efeitos negativos do biosólido com altos teores de metais, outras rotas de exposição podem levar a possíveis impactos ecológicos

Selecting winter wheat lines from a composite cross population

The extremely diverse genetic variation in wheat Composite Cross Populations (CCP) represents a valuable source of breeding material. Such material could be selected as part of a participatory breeding programme with the potential advantage of selecting adaptation targeted for particular environments. For example, selections could be made aimed at producing lines that would thrive under the wide range of management practices conducted as part of organic and low input farming systems. Ears were selected from a CCP mixed stand under organic field conditions in the UK and Hungary. Selected lines were multiplied as single ear rows and 1m2 plots. The best performing five lines from the two selection sites were trialled in Suffolk, UK, in replicated plots including a commercial control variety (Alchemy) and the original population. Alchemy was chosen due to its good disease resistance and consistent performance at the trial site. Assessments included crop and weed cover, foliar and ear diseases, Leaf Area Index (LAI), crop height, as well as grain and straw yield. The first year of trials has been completed with five of the Hungarian selected lines and trials including locally selected lines are on-going. For the first trial year including only the Hungarian selected lines, there were significant differences among varieties (P<0.001) and Alchemy had the highest average yield. Across all trial entries grain yield was correlated negatively with yellow rust infection on the flag leaf at heading (P<0.001) and with reduced green leaf area during grain ripening (P<0.001). In current trials including locally selected lines, some of the selected lines had significantly lower yellow rust infection than the average of the original CCP and of the control variety Alchemy (P<0.001). There was also greater early ground cover (P<0.005) and (LAI) at tillering (P<0.05) in some lines compared to Alchemy and the original population. Crop cover was also correlated negatively with early weed cover (P<0.05). These observations suggest that it is possible to select lines with enhanced resistance to local disease and the ability to compete with weeds at an early stage. However, because average grain yields and percentage protein content are negatively correlated in this study (P<0.01), this trade-off should not be ignored when selecting lines for specific end uses. This can be avoided by developing mixtures of high performing lines with potentially greater stability than pure-line monocultures. Such mixtures may perform better than the original CCP but with the risk of reduced stability over multiple seasons because of their reduced diversity. Acknowledgements: The work reported here is supported by the EU Core Organic II project COBRA

Into Africa : Molecular phylogenetics and historical biogeography of sub-Saharan African woodferns (Dryopteris)

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Our goal was to infer the phylogenetic relationships and historical biogeography of the genus Dryopteris with a focus on taxa in sub-Saharan Africa and neighboring islands. In general, little is known about the relationships between African fern species and their congeners in other geographic regions, and our aim was to determine whether the sub-Saharan African species of Dryopteris are monophyletic and evolved within Africa or arrived there via repeated dispersals into Africa from other regions. METHODS: We obtained sequence data for five chloroplast markers from 214 species of Dryopteris and 18 outgroups. We performed phylogenetic and molecular dating analyses using a Bayesian relaxed clock method in BEAST with fossil and secondary calibration points and estimated ancestral ranges for the genus globally by comparing multiple models in BioGeoBEARS. KEY RESULTS: We found that 22 of 27 accessions of sub-Saharan African Dryopteris belong to a large clade of 31 accessions that also includes taxa from Indian and Atlantic Ocean islands. Additional accessions of taxa from our regions of interest have Asian, Hawaiian, European, or North American species as their closest relatives. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of sub-Saharan African Dryopteris species are descended from a shared common ancestor that dispersed to Africa from Asia approximately 10 Ma. There have been subsequent dispersal events from the African mainland to islands in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, including Madagascar. Several additional species are estimated to have descended from ancestors that reached Africa via separate events over the last roughly 20 million years.Peer reviewe

Applications of crop competitive ability in winter oats (Avena sativa L.)

Crop competition is a key component of an integrated approach to weed management. Variation in competitive ability and competitive traits have been identified in many other crop species, however little work has been done on oats. Trials were carried out over four years at one organic site with five husked and three naked oat varieties. Mid-season Leaf Area Index (LAI) and tillering ability were identified as weed suppressive traits using path analysis. Differences in weed tolerance were found among varieties. Trade-offs may exist between competitive traits and yield potential which could be optimised by limiting competitive traits later in the season. Selection of competitive traits with high heritability, whilst minimising yield penalties, could be applied in breeding programmes to develop varieties with greater weed competitive ability

Applications of crop competitive ability in winter oats (Avena sativa L.)

Crop competition is a key component of an integrated approach to weed management. Variation in competitive ability and competitive traits have been identified in many other crop species, however little work has been done on oats. Trials were carried out over four years at one organic site with five husked and three naked oat varieties. Mid-season Leaf Area Index (LAI) and tillering ability were identified as weed suppressive traits using path analysis. Differences in weed tolerance were found among varieties. Trade-offs may exist between competitive traits and yield potential which could be optimised by limiting competitive traits later in the season. Selection of competitive traits with high heritability, whilst minimising yield penalties, could be applied in breeding programmes to develop varieties with greater weed competitive ability