Perceptions of the coach-athlete relationship predict the attainment of mastery achievement goals six months later : a two-wave longitudinal study among F.A. Premier League academy soccer players

All football teams that compete within the F. A. Premier League possess an academy, whose objective is to produce more and better home-grown players that are capable of playing professionally. These young players spend a large amount of time with their coach, but little is known about player’s perception of the coach-athlete relationship within F.A. Premier League Academies. The objectives of this study were to examine whether perceptions of the coach-athlete relationship changed over six months and if the coach-athlete relationship predicted self-reported goal achievement among F. A. Premier League academy players. This study included cross-sectional (n = 104) and longitudinal (n = 52) assessments, in which academy soccer players completed a measure of the coach-athlete relationship and goal achievement across either one or two time periods. The cross-sectional data were subjected to bivariate correlations, whereas the longitudinal data were analyzed using multiple regressions. Perceptions of the coach-athlete relationship remained stable over time. The coach-athlete relationship predicted the achievement of mastery goals six months later. Enhancing the quality of the coach-athlete relationship among elite adolescent athletes appears to be a suitable way of maximizing mastery achievement goals, particularly among developmental athletes who participate in team sports

Ecology and ecophysiology of subantarctic Campbell Island megaherbs : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Ecology at Massey University

The megaherb growth form is not common in the New Zealand flora; yet it is a distinctive feature of the flora of New Zealand's subantarctic islands, such as Campbell Island (52°33'S. 169°09'E). It occurs in four genera: Pleurophyllum, Stilbocarpa, Bulbinella and Anisotome. Their unusually large form and striking colourful flowers have long been commented as possible relics of a more widespread flora or possibly more recently dispersed and adapted to the present conditions. This research focussed on how well they are adapted to their environment and how adaptable they may be to novel conditions using ecophysiological methods. The breeding system of Pleurophyllum was also looked at as an example of the development of reproductive systems in an isolated island environment. Biomass allocation patterns were investigated in two species, A. latifolia and P. speciosum in order to determine whether this growth form was extraordinary compared with other herbaceous perennials. Six shoots of each species were harvested on the island, and sorted into components (leaf, stem, rhizome, reproductive) and dried back on the mainland. Leaf:stem ratios were found to be higher in both species than other perennials. This may be a response to ensure adequate resource harvesting i.e. light, water, nutrients, in an exposed, competitive environment. Gas exchange was studied in different light and temperature regimes using a growth cabinet in order to determine light and temperature tolerance and possible optima. Nine plants each of subantarctic Pleurophyllum criniferum, Anisotome latifolia, Stilbocarpa polaris (three plants only), New Zealand subalpine Ranunculus lyallii, and Chatham Island Myosotidium hortensia were exposed to three temperatures (7°C, 17°C, 25°C) and four light levels (0, 150, 380 and 950 μmol m-2 s-1). P. criniferum had the fastest photosynthetic rate (of 8.6 μmol m-2 s-1), followed by R. lyallii (7.8 μmol m-2 s-1) A. latifolia and M. hortensia (both with 4.6 μmol m-2 s-1) and S. polaris (2.1 μmol m-2 s-1) (averaged over all light and temperature levels). All species had higher photosynthetic rates at the highest light level. P. criniferum did not appear to be inhibited by the high temperatures while A. latifolia did. Respiration rates increased with temperature with A. latifolia having the highest rate followed by M. hortensia, P. criniferum, R. lyallii and S. polaris. These results suggest that although the subantarctic megaherbs appear to be well adapted to the low light and cool temperature regime of their environment, they may be more plastic to environmental change at low ranges, especially temperature, than expected. Experiments were carried out in situ on Campbell Island to ascertain the effect of environmental perturbations, using carbohydrate, chlorophyll, and growth analysis of leaves on P. speciosum, P. hookeri and P. criniferum, Bulbinella rossii, and A. latifolia. The microenvironment around each plant was altered by combinations of reducing light, increasing shelter, increasing nutrients, altering photoperiod and increasing temperature over the course of eight weeks. Most of the treatments had very little effect on the carbohydrate pools of the species suggesting that environments were not limiting growth on the island. However leaf growth in P. criniferum increased in reduced light as did leaf growth in B. rossii, suggesting etiolation (sensitivity to light). A. latifolia showed an increase in carbohydrate pools with increase in temperature, compared with P. speciosum. Contrary to expectations increased night length also had a small positive effect on growth. Chlorophyll content remained unaffected by treatment but differed significantly between species (ranging from 56 mg g-1 in A. latifolia to 149 mg g-1 in B. rossii). These results suggest that the megaherbs are quite plastic in their responses, relatively unaffected by environmental perturbations. Megaherbs may be pollen limited in an environment that might be considered unfavourable to insects. 15 plants each of P. criniferum (discoid capitulum), P. speciosum (rayed capitulum) and P. criniferum x speciosum (rayed capitulum) were randomly chosen and four treatments - control, bagged and hand-outcrossed, bagged and hand-selfed, and bagged (no assisted pollination) - individually applied to four scapes on each plant. Capitula were collected at the end of the season and proportion of seed set analysed in the laboratory. P. speciosum, the most colourful of the genus, is an obligate out-crosser (i.e. self-incompatible). The less colourful P. criniferum is autonomously self-compatible, and the hybrid, while being able to set seed autonomously, sets more seed when outcrossed. These results indicate that these plants are not pollen or pollinator limited. Observations showed that small midges were the most active on these plants, although their efficacy was not examined. Their activity was significantly affected by wind. A selection of breeding systems and the existence of a hybrid suggests a capacity for recombination of genetic material and potential for adaptive radiation of species. This study shows that the subantarctic megaherbs are well adapted to their environment. Their apparent plasticity in physiological responses to environmental, and their range of breeding systems, also indicates that they may be more adaptable to novel environments than previously considered. However, whether they are relicts of an ancient, more widespread flora, or whether they have evolved more recently in situ remains unresolved

Ecology and ecophysiology of subantarctic Campbell Island megaherbs : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Science in Ecology at Massey University

The megaherb growth form is not common in the New Zealand flora; yet it is a distinctive feature of the flora of New Zealand's subantarctic islands, such as Campbell Island (52°33'S. 169°09'E). It occurs in four genera: Pleurophyllum, Stilbocarpa, Bulbinella and Anisotome. Their unusually large form and striking colourful flowers have long been commented as possible relics of a more widespread flora or possibly more recently dispersed and adapted to the present conditions. This research focussed on how well they are adapted to their environment and how adaptable they may be to novel conditions using ecophysiological methods. The breeding system of Pleurophyllum was also looked at as an example of the development of reproductive systems in an isolated island environment. Biomass allocation patterns were investigated in two species, A. latifolia and P. speciosum in order to determine whether this growth form was extraordinary compared with other herbaceous perennials. Six shoots of each species were harvested on the island, and sorted into components (leaf, stem, rhizome, reproductive) and dried back on the mainland. Leaf:stem ratios were found to be higher in both species than other perennials. This may be a response to ensure adequate resource harvesting i.e. light, water, nutrients, in an exposed, competitive environment. Gas exchange was studied in different light and temperature regimes using a growth cabinet in order to determine light and temperature tolerance and possible optima. Nine plants each of subantarctic Pleurophyllum criniferum, Anisotome latifolia, Stilbocarpa polaris (three plants only), New Zealand subalpine Ranunculus lyallii, and Chatham Island Myosotidium hortensia were exposed to three temperatures (7°C, 17°C, 25°C) and four light levels (0, 150, 380 and 950 μmol m-2 s-1). P. criniferum had the fastest photosynthetic rate (of 8.6 μmol m-2 s-1), followed by R. lyallii (7.8 μmol m-2 s-1) A. latifolia and M. hortensia (both with 4.6 μmol m-2 s-1) and S. polaris (2.1 μmol m-2 s-1) (averaged over all light and temperature levels). All species had higher photosynthetic rates at the highest light level. P. criniferum did not appear to be inhibited by the high temperatures while A. latifolia did. Respiration rates increased with temperature with A. latifolia having the highest rate followed by M. hortensia, P. criniferum, R. lyallii and S. polaris. These results suggest that although the subantarctic megaherbs appear to be well adapted to the low light and cool temperature regime of their environment, they may be more plastic to environmental change at low ranges, especially temperature, than expected. Experiments were carried out in situ on Campbell Island to ascertain the effect of environmental perturbations, using carbohydrate, chlorophyll, and growth analysis of leaves on P. speciosum, P. hookeri and P. criniferum, Bulbinella rossii, and A. latifolia. The microenvironment around each plant was altered by combinations of reducing light, increasing shelter, increasing nutrients, altering photoperiod and increasing temperature over the course of eight weeks. Most of the treatments had very little effect on the carbohydrate pools of the species suggesting that environments were not limiting growth on the island. However leaf growth in P. criniferum increased in reduced light as did leaf growth in B. rossii, suggesting etiolation (sensitivity to light). A. latifolia showed an increase in carbohydrate pools with increase in temperature, compared with P. speciosum. Contrary to expectations increased night length also had a small positive effect on growth. Chlorophyll content remained unaffected by treatment but differed significantly between species (ranging from 56 mg g-1 in A. latifolia to 149 mg g-1 in B. rossii). These results suggest that the megaherbs are quite plastic in their responses, relatively unaffected by environmental perturbations. Megaherbs may be pollen limited in an environment that might be considered unfavourable to insects. 15 plants each of P. criniferum (discoid capitulum), P. speciosum (rayed capitulum) and P. criniferum x speciosum (rayed capitulum) were randomly chosen and four treatments - control, bagged and hand-outcrossed, bagged and hand-selfed, and bagged (no assisted pollination) - individually applied to four scapes on each plant. Capitula were collected at the end of the season and proportion of seed set analysed in the laboratory. P. speciosum, the most colourful of the genus, is an obligate out-crosser (i.e. self-incompatible). The less colourful P. criniferum is autonomously self-compatible, and the hybrid, while being able to set seed autonomously, sets more seed when outcrossed. These results indicate that these plants are not pollen or pollinator limited. Observations showed that small midges were the most active on these plants, although their efficacy was not examined. Their activity was significantly affected by wind. A selection of breeding systems and the existence of a hybrid suggests a capacity for recombination of genetic material and potential for adaptive radiation of species. This study shows that the subantarctic megaherbs are well adapted to their environment. Their apparent plasticity in physiological responses to environmental, and their range of breeding systems, also indicates that they may be more adaptable to novel environments than previously considered. However, whether they are relicts of an ancient, more widespread flora, or whether they have evolved more recently in situ remains unresolved

Radiant heat source, vacuum bag, provide portable bonding oven

Portable bonding oven is formed to any desired size or configuration to attach doublers and brackets to the surfaces of large structures. A radiant heat source is used in combination with a heat resistant transport vacuum bag and a black heat absorbing cloth

"Me and Mum" : New Zealand adolescent daughters' stories of their relationships with their mothers : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Education at Massey University

Adolescent daughters' perceptions of their relationship with their mothers were examined using a social constructionist approach, which identified two conflicting discourses regarding adolescence and the parent-adolescent relationship. The recent academic discourse emphasises the continuing importance of strong bonds between parents and adolescents, particularly between mothers and daughters. The popular culture discourse emphasises separation from and conflict with parents in adolescence, particularly between mothers and daughters. Ten adolescent girls aged between 15 and 17 were interviewed using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI: George, Kaplan & Main, 1996) to investigate which of these discourses they subscribed to. A narrative approach was used to identify individual relationship themes and cross-narrative themes of agency and communion. These themes were very similar to those found in other comparable research, both national and international. New findings included the influence of the following contexts upon daughters' perceptions: their childhood relationship with their mother, significant events in their lives, their childhood and current relationship with their father, and cognitive maturation. Two groups of five were identified within the ten participants, distinguished by their ability to reflect on their relationship, their perception of their mother, and the amount of reciprocity in their relationship. Overall, the emphasis on mothers' continuing support and availability in daughters' narratives challenged popular culture's emphasis on separation and conflict in parent-adolescent relationships, particularly between mothers and daughters

Spontaneous magnetisation in the plane

The Arak process is a solvable stochastic process which generates coloured patterns in the plane. Patterns are made up of a variable number of random non-intersecting polygons. We show that the distribution of Arak process states is the Gibbs distribution of its states in thermodynamic equilibrium in the grand canonical ensemble. The sequence of Gibbs distributions form a new model parameterised by temperature. We prove that there is a phase transition in this model, for some non-zero temperature. We illustrate this conclusion with simulation results. We measure the critical exponents of this off-lattice model and find they are consistent with those of the Ising model in two dimensions.Comment: 23 pages numbered -1,0...21, 8 figure

The Humanitarian Monarchy Legislates: The International Committee of the Red Cross and Its 161 of Customary International Humanitarian Law

As the final course in the education “University Diploma Programme for Process Operators” there is a thesis in cooperation with a company required.This thesis is about operator maintenance and 5S made at Metsä Board in Husum.In this report you can read my opinions and conclusions based on literature studies and the interviews that have been made with the staff at PM6 (the paper machine).I chose to focus on the theory of lean, 5S and operator maintenance because it covers the area of this thesis.The operators shall do their rounds to make sure that the equipment works fine. They shall also write down things that they notice in a checklist. This is not done as it should be and the question is: can this be solved by using 5S?My conclusion of this thesis are:Better review of the task so that everyone is involved. The equipment should be clearly marked, and to digitize - for example, with an NFC tag the checklist is automatically filled in by the operator standing nearby the machine. The motivation of the operators will be increased if they are given feedback and clear objectives