Two significant pieces of legislation in California have mandated that cities and counties must reduce their waste streams. Assembly Bill 341 establishes that California must divert 75% of its waste from landfills by the year 2020. The first bill that included composting, Assembly Bill 1826, was passed in 2014 and requires that commercial users enact composting beginning in 2016. These initiatives have led cities and counties to seek ways of implementing composting programs. Using the City of Napa as a case study, this thesis argues that a composting program can be integrated into any existing waste hauling service. Although there are some challenges, including effectively reaching all residents eligible for the program and finding ways to encourage people to change waste disposal habits, other communities should be able to adopt Napa’s model. Napa’s program should act as an outline for other communities to develop similar outreach strategies, public education initiatives, and pilot programs. Once implemented, cities can continue creating a sustainable community through the use of new technologies. Not only will creating a composting program allow cities and counties to be in compliance with Assembly Bill 1826, it will also offer benefits that extend beyond the local scope, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

abstract: Overcrowding of Emergency Departments (EDs) put the safety of patients at risk. Decision makers implement Ambulance Diversion (AD) as a way to relieve congestion and ensure timely treatment delivery. However, ineffective design of AD policies reduces the accessibility to emergency care and adverse events may arise. The objective of this dissertation is to propose methods to design and analyze effective AD policies that consider performance measures that are related to patient safety. First, a simulation-based methodology is proposed to evaluate the mean performance and variability of single-factor AD policies in a single hospital environment considering the trade-off between average waiting time and percentage of time spent on diversion. Regression equations are proposed to obtain parameters of AD policies that yield desired performance level. The results suggest that policies based on the total number of patients waiting are more consistent and provide a high precision in predicting policy performance. Then, a Markov Decision Process model is proposed to obtain the optimal AD policy assuming that information to start treatment in a neighboring hospital is available. The model is designed to minimize the average tardiness per patient in the long run. Tardiness is defined as the time that patients have to wait beyond a safety time threshold to start receiving treatment. Theoretical and computational analyses show that there exists an optimal policy that is of threshold type, and diversion can be a good alternative to decrease tardiness when ambulance patients cause excessive congestion in the ED. Furthermore, implementation of AD policies in a simulation model that accounts for several relaxations of the assumptions suggests that the model provides consistent policies under multiple scenarios. Finally, a genetic algorithm is combined with simulation to design effective policies for multiple hospitals simultaneously. The model has the objective of minimizing the time that patients spend in non-value added activities, including transportation, waiting and boarding in the ED. Moreover, the AD policies are combined with simple ambulance destination policies to create ambulance flow control mechanisms. Results show that effective ambulance management can significantly reduce the time that patients have to wait to receive appropriate level of care. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Industrial Engineering 2011

Magister Commercii - MCom / Regional integration dates back to the work of Jacob Viner who distinguished between the terms ‘trade creation’ versus ‘trade diversion’ in the context of the gains from customs unions. Since then regional trade agreements have been entered into all over the world and almost all members of the World Trade organisation are members of at least one trade agreement. Moreover, individual countries have also signed free trade agreements with countries not involved in the same regional block. Also, in this era of globalisation, the demands of the WTO often work against progress to deeper integration in the specific regions.Despite their relatively weak performance, Africa is home to the largest number of regional trade agreements where member states of a particular regional trade block also belong to anther regional block or have signed preferential trade agreements with third countries. This phenomenon of multiple memberships is particularly true of trade blocks in Southern Africa. For example, the DRC, Malawi, Angola, Madagascar, Mauritius, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe are members of SADC, but also full members of COMESA.This report presents a study on regional integration in Southern Africa and specifically focuses on the presence of overlapping memberships in Southern and Eastern Africa. It provides a descriptive overview of COMESA, the EAC, SACU and SADC where member countries of the former blocks are also members of SADC, but focuses specifically on the problems and challenges due to multiple memberships, such as different approaches to regional integration, problems related to different rules of origin and non-tariff barriers, amongst others.Thereafter the focus is on SADC as regional trade block. The report discusses the establishment of SADC, its main aims and economic performance since its inception and also the special problems and challenges, such as the multiple memberships of its members. Finally South Africa’s preferential trade agreement with the European Union is discussed as example of how multiple membership impact on the development of trade relations between member countries of SADC.

This master's thesis focuses on the subject-matter of agreement on guilt and punishment. It became a part of Czech Criminal Procedure Code by the enactment of Act no. 193/2012 Coll. The plea bargaining, which is widely spread and used in common law countries, served as an inspiration. It should have primarily enhanced the efficiency and speed of the criminal proceedings. It is a type of diversion which is based on a negotiation between the prosecutor and the defendant. The defendant may plea guilty and require a milder punishment in reverse, comparing to a punishment which would have been imposed if a trial took place. The conducted agreement on guilt and punishment has to be subsequently approved by the judge in a form of the approval judgement. The thesis is divided into four chapters. The first one deals with other alternative ways, by which criminal cases may be solved. The influence and potential disruption of basic principles of the criminal procedure caused by the incorporation of agreement on guilt and punishment, is described as well. A short section is dedicated to previous legislative efforts of incorporation the agreement on guilt and punishment into the Czech legal system. The second chapter outlines the contemporary legal regulation of the agreement of guilt and punishment in the...

This master thesis concerns itself with the alternative procedural measure, the institute of conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution and some of its relating issues. Conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution is a type of diversion. It is employed by public prosecutors, or courts, to suspend the further criminal prosecution of those who are accused of committing less serious criminal offence. This is carried on the condition that the accused individual is presented with the opportunity to observe the behavioural rules of proper life throughout the probationary period. Should there be proof of the individual's observation of the rules, the decision regarding his/her case becomes final. However, should the accused fail to observe such rules during the probationary period, then the public prosecutor, or the court, for that matter, rule in favour of furthering his/her prosecution (albeit this rarely takes place in practice). Conditional discontinuance of criminal prosecution is a type of diversion designed to reduce the burden on law enforcement authorities. It is based on the idea of restorative justice with an emphasis on the victim and his/her interests. The primary objective is to bring the accused to the victim and compensate the damages. Before the ruling, it is not necessary...

OBJETIVO: Apresentar os resultados da técnica de derivação urinária continente descrita por Macedo, em relação à continência, achados operatórios e complicações cirúrgicas. MÉTODOS: De janeiro de 2006 a novembro de 2016, 29 pacientes foram submetidos à técnica de Macedo. Dados demográficos, tempo de hospitalização, tempo cirúrgico, tempo de seguimento, taxa de continência, capacidade do reservatório e complicações pós-operatórias foram avaliados. RESULTADOS: Sessenta e nove por cento eram masculinos e a mediana de idade foi de 16,9 anos. A etiologia principal foi meningomielocele (69,1%). A média do tempo cirúrgico foi 4,2 h (DP 0,9 2,9-6,3). A mediana do tempo de internação foi 10 dias (IIQ: 11,3; 5-51). A média de seguimento foi 3,3 anos (DP 2,2 0,3 – 9,8). Procedimento no colo vesical foi realizado em 12 pacientes (41,3%). A taxa de continência do conduto cateterizável foi de 82,8%. A capacidade do reservatório aumentou de 134,4 para 364,4 ml (p <0.0001). A taxa de continência melhorou significativamente (20 vs. 74%, p <0.0001). Não houve mudança na taxa de filtração glomerular a longo prazo (143.1 vs. 147 ml/min, p = 0.45). Taxa de morbidade foi 58% (25 complicações em 17 pacientes), 72% ocorreram nos primeiros 60 dias e 60% foram classificadas Clavien-Dindo I ou II. CONCLUSÃO: Nossos resultados em relação a taxas de continência, tempo cirúrgico e complicações demonstram que a enterocistoplastia de Macedo é viável, reprodutível e com bons resultados. / OBJECTIVE: To present the results of technique of continent urinary diversion, described by Macedo, in relation to continence, operative findings and postoperative complications. METHODS: From January 2006 to November 2016, 29 patients were underwent to urinary diversion by Macedo’s technique. Patients demographics, hospitalization time, surgical time, follow up, continence rate, reservoir capacity and postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Sixty nine percent were male and the median age was 16.9 years. The main etiology was meningomyelocele (69.1%). The mean surgical time was 4.2 hours (SD 0.9 range 2.9-6.3). The median length of hospital stay was 10 days (IQR: 11.3 range 5-51). The mean follow up was 3.3 years (SD 2.2 range 0.3 - 9.8). Procedure in the bladder neck was performed in 12 patients (41.3%). The continence rate of the catheterizable conduit was 82.8%. The reservoir capacity increased from 134.4 to 364.4 ml (p <0.0001). The continence rate improved significantly (20 vs. 74%, p <0.0001). There was no change in glomerular filtration rates in the long term (143.1 vs. 147 ml/min, p = 0.45). Morbidity rate was 58% (25 complications in 17 patients), 72% occurred within the first 60 days and 60% were classified as Clavien-Dindo I or II. CONCLUSION: Our results regarding continence rates, surgical time and complications demonstrated that Macedo’s enterocystoplasty is feasible, reproducible and with good result.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:29:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3891.pdf: 2152109 bytes, checksum: 922635c7df589362a274568a783b386d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-06-29 / The aim of this study was to analyse the physical and chemical characteristics of Tropeiros Lake (Capitólio, MG), located in Piumhi river sub&#8208;basin, a river diverted from the Rio Grande basin to the são Francisco River basin, and to analize the taxonomic composition, abundance, diversity and the size structure of the planktonic microcrustaceans. Physical and chemical variables in the eater were measured in situ by the multiparameter Horiba U10 probe and qualitative and quantitative zooplankton sampling was carried out in both, pelagic and littoral regions of this lake using the plankton net of 69 &#956;m mesh size, on March, 2007. Twenty seven taxa were identified, being 18 Cladocera, 3 Copepoda Calanoida and 6 Copepoda Cyclopoida. Microcrustaceans species composition in Lagoa dos Tropeiros was much more similar to the microcrustaceans composition of the water bodies from Rio Grande basin than to those from São francisco basin. The species Sarsilatona serricauda Sars, 1901 and Microcyclops alius Kiefer, 1935 constitute new records for the state of Minas Gerais biota. The assemblages from of microcrustaceans from the littoral region had higher richness of species, higher alfa diversity, and wider size spectra than the assemblages from the pelagic region. The analysis of the normalized size spectra and linear regression analysis indicated that Lagoa dos Tropeiros has a community away from the stationary state. The accumulated curves of numerical abundance and biomass (ABC curves) were different for the lake regions characterizing the pelagic region as a non&#8208;disturbed compartment and the littoral region as a disturbed system. The gamma parameter derived from rank&#8208;abundance diagram slopes characterized the microcrustacean assemblage of Lagoa dos Tropeiros as typical of a low trophic state environment. / Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar as características físicas e químicas da Lagoa dos Tropeiros (Capitólio, MG), localizada na sub&#8208;bacia do rio Piumhi, rio transposto da bacia do Rio Grande para a Bacia do Rio São Francisco e analisar a composição taxonômica, abundância diversidade e estrutura em tamanho dos microcrustáceos planctônicos As variáveis físicas e químicas foram medidas in situ por sonda multiparâmetros e foram realizadas coletas de água para análises físicas e químicas da água e coletas qualitativas e quantitativas do zooplâncton. As amostragens foram feitas nas regiões litorânea e pelágica da lagoa utilizando uma rede de plâncton de 69 &#956;m de abertura de malha, em março de 2007. Foram identificados 27 táxons de microcrustáceos, sendo 18 de Cladocera, 3 de Copepoda Calanoida e 6 de Copepoda Cyclopoida. A composição de espécies dos microcrustáceos da Lagoa dos Tropeiros é muito mais similar à composição de microcrustáceos da bacia do Rio Grande do que à da bacia do rio São Francisco. As espécies Sarsilatona serricauda Sars,1901 e Microcyclops alius são novas ocorrências para o estado de Minas Gerais. As assembleias de microcrustáceos da região litorâna tiveram maior riqueza de espécies, maior diversidade alfa e espectro de tamanho mais amplo que as assembleias da região pelágica. A análise do espectro em tamanho normalizado dos microcrustáceos e análise da regressão linear indicaram que a Lagoa dos Tropeiros apresenta uma comunidade distante do estado estacionário. As curvas ABC e a estatítica&#8208;W mostram resultados diferentes entre a região limnética, que foi caracterizada como um sistema não perturbado e a região litorânea, que apresentou características de um sistema perturbado. O parâmetro gama derivado das inclinações das curvas de rank&#8208;abundância evidencia uma assembleia característica de ambiente de baixo grau de trofia.

OBJETIVO: Apresentar os resultados da técnica de derivação urinária continente descrita por Macedo, em relação à continência, achados operatórios e complicações cirúrgicas. MÉTODOS: De janeiro de 2006 a novembro de 2016, 29 pacientes foram submetidos à técnica de Macedo. Dados demográficos, tempo de hospitalização, tempo cirúrgico, tempo de seguimento, taxa de continência, capacidade do reservatório e complicações pós-operatórias foram avaliados. RESULTADOS: Sessenta e nove por cento eram masculinos e a mediana de idade foi de 16,9 anos. A etiologia principal foi meningomielocele (69,1%). A média do tempo cirúrgico foi 4,2 h (DP 0,9 2,9-6,3). A mediana do tempo de internação foi 10 dias (IIQ: 11,3; 5-51). A média de seguimento foi 3,3 anos (DP 2,2 0,3 – 9,8). Procedimento no colo vesical foi realizado em 12 pacientes (41,3%). A taxa de continência do conduto cateterizável foi de 82,8%. A capacidade do reservatório aumentou de 134,4 para 364,4 ml (p <0.0001). A taxa de continência melhorou significativamente (20 vs. 74%, p <0.0001). Não houve mudança na taxa de filtração glomerular a longo prazo (143.1 vs. 147 ml/min, p = 0.45). Taxa de morbidade foi 58% (25 complicações em 17 pacientes), 72% ocorreram nos primeiros 60 dias e 60% foram classificadas Clavien-Dindo I ou II. CONCLUSÃO: Nossos resultados em relação a taxas de continência, tempo cirúrgico e complicações demonstram que a enterocistoplastia de Macedo é viável, reprodutível e com bons resultados. / OBJECTIVE: To present the results of technique of continent urinary diversion, described by Macedo, in relation to continence, operative findings and postoperative complications. METHODS: From January 2006 to November 2016, 29 patients were underwent to urinary diversion by Macedo’s technique. Patients demographics, hospitalization time, surgical time, follow up, continence rate, reservoir capacity and postoperative complications were evaluated. RESULTS: Sixty nine percent were male and the median age was 16.9 years. The main etiology was meningomyelocele (69.1%). The mean surgical time was 4.2 hours (SD 0.9 range 2.9-6.3). The median length of hospital stay was 10 days (IQR: 11.3 range 5-51). The mean follow up was 3.3 years (SD 2.2 range 0.3 - 9.8). Procedure in the bladder neck was performed in 12 patients (41.3%). The continence rate of the catheterizable conduit was 82.8%. The reservoir capacity increased from 134.4 to 364.4 ml (p <0.0001). The continence rate improved significantly (20 vs. 74%, p <0.0001). There was no change in glomerular filtration rates in the long term (143.1 vs. 147 ml/min, p = 0.45). Morbidity rate was 58% (25 complications in 17 patients), 72% occurred within the first 60 days and 60% were classified as Clavien-Dindo I or II. CONCLUSION: Our results regarding continence rates, surgical time and complications demonstrated that Macedo’s enterocystoplasty is feasible, reproducible and with good result.

Diverting urine from faeces or mixed wastewater and reusing it to fertilize crops, is a traditional method used in Asia. It is also a contemporary approach to sustainable nutrient and water management in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe. Urine diversion and reuse is a proven socio-technical system that has significant potential benefits on both a local and global scale, such as recirculating scarce plant nutrients like phosphorus back to agriculture, reducing eutrophication of waterways and improving water and sanitation systems. This thesis explores the nature of these benefits in Australia and the global context and what barriers would need to be overcome if a urine diversion and reuse system were implemented in Australia to achieve significant environmental benefits. These questions are investigated through stakeholder interviews in Sweden, to identify the ‘lessons learnt’ from the Swedish experience with urine diversion and reuse, and, through interviews with relevant stakeholders in Australia to identify possible barriers and opportunities, costs and benefits, and roles and responsibilities in the Australian context. Findings from both the stakeholder interviews are triangulated with other sources of knowledge, such as the literature, personal communications and a qualitative assessment of costs and benefits. This thesis found that while urine diversion is likely to benefit the Australia situation and warrants further research, these benefits are fragmented and spread across a range of discourses and separate institutions. Its acceptance and effective introduction into Australia might therefore be challenged by its lack of a single obvious organisational home. To overcome this and other identified challenges, several recommendations are made. For example, an Australian demonstration trial of urine diversion and reuse is recommended where clear drivers and opportunities exist, such as: in new developments adjacent to agricultural land; in regions where algal blooms are a critical problem and are predominantly caused by municipal sewage discharges; and where synergies with waterless urinals are being considered for water conservation value. This thesis does not promote urine diversion and reuse as the ‘silver bullet’ to Australia’s water and nutrient problems, however it does recommend that it be considered on an equal basis next to other possible options. For example, if reducing nutrient loads on receiving water bodies is a key objective, then a cost-effective analysis of urine diversion and reuse, compared to other options to reduce nutrient loads, could be undertaken, ensuring all relevant costs and benefits to the whole of society are included in the analysis.

FundaÃÃo Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnolÃgico / Esta tese foca os domÃnios da devoÃÃo e da diversÃo em romarias neste inÃcio de sÃculo, considerando o processo de hierarquizaÃÃo de sentidos. A partir de contextos de interaÃÃes proporcionadas durante as romarias a Juazeiro do Norte, no CearÃ, o estudo indaga as perspectivas de continuidade e mudanÃa no conteÃdo das prÃticas romeiras. Entre as possibilidades de anÃlise dos fluxos religiosos nas CiÃncias Sociais, sÃo tomadas como escopo as noÃÃes de peregrinaÃÃo, turismo e festa como matrizes interpretativas das romarias alinhavando-as a narraÃÃes de experiÃncias dos participantes. Hà uma preocupaÃÃo no trabalho em demonstrar como as relaÃÃes entre o lugar, os eventos e as pessoas nas romarias, se constituem elementos indissociÃveis na compreensÃo do fenÃmeno. O conjunto das representaÃÃes que circulam sobre a romaria entre os seus participantes à apresentado atravÃs de dados produzidos com entrevistas, inquÃritos e observaÃÃo. A anÃlise abrange a identificaÃÃo das prÃticas tidas como legÃtimas das romarias, considerando as relaÃÃes entre o mito fundador, a cidade e os romeiros; e os elementos que apontam para novas significaÃÃes. Os resultados demonstram que embora as romarias tenham agregado ao longo do tempo outros sentidos alÃm do religioso, seu principal aspecto remissivo continua relacionado a instituiÃÃo do sagrado que se diferencia de outros repertÃrios simbÃlicos formais aos quais os praticantes recorrem quando querem marcar fronteiras internas de pertencimento. No universo dos indivÃduos que se classificam como romeiros em Juazeiro do Norte, a pesquisa aponta aspectos que indicam mudanÃas e permanÃncias nas prÃticas romeiras tradicionais. AlÃm disso, hà a constituiÃÃo de espaÃos diferenciados para atender a demanda de sociabilidade e diversÃo entre os participantes e suas implicaÃÃes na ressignificaÃÃo das romarias. / This thesis brings into focus devotion and diversion as seen in pilgrimages in the current century, taking into consideration the process related to the hierarchy of meanings. Beginning with interacting contexts found at pilgrimage scenario in Juazeiro do Norte, CearÃ, this study questions perspective for continuity and change within pilgrimage practices. Among possibilities related to analysis of religious movements by the Social Sciences, notions about tourism and festivity are taken as models for interpretation of pilgrimages attaching them to narratives of experiences by participants. There is a concern in this work to demonstrate how relations among place, events and people involved in the pilgrimages are bound into indissociable elements for apprehension of the phenomenon. The bulk of representations that circulate among participants of the pilgrimage is presented by means of data collected from interviews, questionings and observations. Analysis encompasses identification of practices taken as legitimate values for pilgrimages, taking into consideration relations among the founding myth, the city and the pilgrims, and elements that point to new meanings. The upshot demonstrates that in spite of accumulating through the years other meanings besides the religious one, pilgrimages maintain their major remissive aspect, namely, relating themselves to the institution of the sacred which differentiate them from other formal symbolic repertoires to which participants turn when they desire to demarcate internal limits of belonging. Within the universe of individuals who qualify as pilgrims of Juazeiro do Norte the research points to aspects that indicate change and continuity encompassing traditional practices of pilgrimages. Besides, there is formation of different spaces in order to serve a demand of sociability and diversion among participants and their contribution to re-signify pilgrimages.