Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 2002. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 172-188). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 198-214).

CD-ROM inside back cover contains 23 page summary of thesis, and a copy of the appendices Chapters 7-10 and references; Powerpoint file of the 160 landscape scenes; Powerpoint presentation of the methodology and findings of the survey of landscape quality of South Australia. Bibliography: p. 421-444. Provides an analysis of human perception and interaction with aesthetics and landscape quality as a basis to develop a credible methodology for the large-scale assessment of perceived landscape quality and a map of landscape quality of South Australia is derived.

The focus of this thesis is the regulatory aspects of environmental hazard and risk assessment of chemicals, with a particular emphasis on whether current regulatory requirements are sufficient for assessing the risks chemicals pose to the environment. Since the way that chemicals are currently regulated on a global, regional or national level is complex and challenging, it is not surprising that there are faults with the current system. Legislations and regulations, such as the European regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restrictions of Chemicals (REACH), specifically indicates that unnecessary testing should be avoided wherever possible. However, this has not been the case for all hazard evaluations and some substances may have been assessed unnecessarily, or incorrectly resulting in significant underestimation of the potential effects to the environment. The aim of this research was to identify the major pitfalls and flaws with how environmental risk assessments are being performed, and to find a more harmonious approach to properly ensure that chemicals are regulated more appropriately. Within this thesis, there are examples of ecotoxicity studies for substances that should have little or minimal environmental consequences but which have been required for regulatory reasons. Such an example highlighted in this thesis is the artificial sweetener sucralose or silica fume. Conversely, other substances which are likely to have severe adverse environmental impacts could have been authorised for use inappropriately without the additional research that was carried out. Examples of potentially harmful chemicals not being regulated sufficiently, detailed in this thesis, include benzoylurea pesticides, used in aquaculture, and novel antifoulant substances such as thiophenones used in industrial processes. The papers in this thesis indicate that there is a large disparity between how some substances are being regulated. In order to improve the current situation and to aid environmental risk assessors and regulatory authorities, integrated strategies have been proposed incorporating all available data to collectively inform on for example the bioaccumulative properties of a substance. In addition, recommendations for improving the risk assessment processes are discussed with the aim of better regulating chemicals and harmonizing future environmental risk assessments.

Due to changing age demographics in the United States, by 2050, an estimated 62.1 Americans will be over the age of 65 and the number of Americans with cognitive impairment, such as Alzheimer’s disease, will increase drastically as well (Alzheimer’s Association, 2014; Ortman, Velkoff, & Hogan, 2014). Once a diagnosis or behavioral indicators of cognitive impairment are present, it would be beneficial to apply a treatment package that promotes the maintenance or re-establishment of stimulus control in the environment. From a behavioral perspective, stimulus control aids in learning and memory through both respondent and operant conditioning. In the current study, stimulus equivalence training was completed and compared to cognitive and functional assessments scores with older adult participants with and without cognitive impairment as a systematic replication of Gallagher and Keenan (2009). Formation of equivalence relations after exposure to linear series (LS) training with 2 3-member stimulus classes across arbitrary, familiar, and stimuli from Gallagher and Keenan (2009) was compared via trials to criterion, accuracy per relation, and session length to scores on the Mini-Mental Status Exam (MMSE), Saint Louis University State Exam (SLUMS), and Barthel ADL Index. Several methodological changes were applied to a second study to examine the impact of increased programmed stimuli, training changes, and the use of one-to-many (OTM) and many-to-one (MTO) training structures with 3 3-member stimulus classes on equivalence formation. Composite performance scores were created for accuracy during LS, OTM, and MTO training. Non-parametric analyses were conducted between assessment and composite scores. The SLUMS and Barthel ADL Index were not correlated with any composite scores. However, MMSE scores and LS composite scores were correlated. The SLUMS was more sensitive to the detection of cognitive impairment as judged by classification and diagnoses. OTM and MTO composite scores also had a strong, positive correlation. Overall, more participants demonstrated higher levels of accurate responding during LS training than during OTM and MTO training. In contrast to previous research, only 25% of the sample demonstrated equivalence formation. Limitations and future research directions are discussed.

The purpose of this study is to examine the evidence underlying the claim that scores from CampusReady, a diagnostic measure of student college and career readiness, are valid indicators of student college and career readiness. Participants included 4,649 ninth through twelfth grade students from 19 schools who completed CampusReady in the 2012-13 school year. The first research question tested my hypothesis that grade level would have an effect on CampusReady scores. There were statistically significant effects of grade level on scores in two subscales, and I controlled for grade level in subsequent analyses on those subscales. The second, third and fourth research questions examined the differences in scores for subgroups of students to explore the evidence supporting the assumption that scores are free of sources of systematic error that would bias interpretation of student scores as indicators of college and career readiness. My hypothesis that students' background characteristics would have little to no effect on scores was confirmed for race/ethnicity and first language but not for mothers' education, which had medium effects on scores. The fifth and six research questions explored the assumption that students with higher CampusReady scores are more prepared for college and careers. My hypothesis that there would be small to moderate effects of students' aspirations for after high school on CampusReady scores was confirmed, with higher scores for students who aspired to attend college than for students with other plans. My hypothesis that there would be small to moderate relationships between CampusReady scores and grade point average was also confirmed. I conclude with a discussion of the implications and limitations of these results for the argument supporting the validity of CampusReady score interpretation as well as the implications of these results for future CampusReady validation research. This study concludes with the suggestion that measures of metacognitive learning skills, such as the CampusReady survey, show promise for measuring student preparation for college and careers when triangulated with other measures of college and career preparation.

The thesis focuses on the changes in teachers´ attitudes towards assessment and classification of primary school pupils as brought about by the requirements for pupils?assessment in accordance with the Framework Education Programme for Elementary Education (RVP ZV). In the theoretical part of the thesis, with the help of specialized literature, I described the types and forms of the assessment and classification used at primary schools as well as the criteria and rules for the assessment of pupils. In the inquiry part I compared approaches of teachers towards assessment and classification used at primary schools and attempted to compare the approaches of ungraded schools to those of fully organized schools. Moreover, I focused on teachers of foreign languages and their approaches to assessment.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T17:42:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo7684_1.pdf: 3197582 bytes, checksum: e9a5a1df323907fb05bb3c1b206c2fd5 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Recentes acidentes industriais, como vazamentos tóxicos, têm causado danos catastróficos ao meio ecológico (i.e. plantas e animais), de modo que um método efetivo para analisar riscos ecológicos tem sido demandado. Em primeiro lugar, este trabalho tem como objetivo propor uma metodologia capaz de quantificar riscos ecológicos inerentes a eventos raros como acidentes industriais. Utiliza-se a modelagem populacional para simular futuras mudanças na abundância populacional de espécies-chave em risco e, assim, estimar a probabilidade de extinção ou declínio, tempo para extinção e outras medidas, para cada cenário acidental. Assim, foi possível desenvolver uma abordagem que combina os danos ecológicos (previstos através da modelagem populacional) com a frequência de ocorrência do cenário acidental (estimada através de dados históricos e análise de confiabilidade). O resultado é uma curva de risco FN (similar ao resultado de uma análise de risco a humanos), onde N é o declínio populacional médio e F a frequência acumulada de acidentes com declínio maior ou igual a N. Em segundo lugar, o trabalho apresenta uma aplicação da metodologia para quantificar os riscos ecológicos provenientes de acidentes associados ao transporte e manuseio de petróleo que abastece uma refinaria no Complexo Industrial Portuário de Suape-PE, no Nordeste do Brasil. Esta instalação está localizada próxima a um rico ecossistema aquático de alta biodiversidade. A população de uma espécie nativa foi estrategicamente escolhida para representar o ecossistema, alguns cenários de derramamento de petróleo foram simulados e suas frequências de ocorrência estimadas. Para cada cenário acidental, a concentração de óleo que atinge a população foi prevista via modelagem de destino e transporte. Os riscos ecológicos foram quantificados e apresentados em uma curva FN. Uma análise de sensibilidade foi feita para explorar como mudanças em parâmetros específicos causam mudanças nas medidas de risco. Além disso, a incerteza foi medida como um intervalo (limite superior e inferior) para as medidas de riscos com base em cenários pessimistas e otimistas. Finalmente, a metodologia mostrou-se viável, eficiente, conveniente e flexível, apesar de que algumas melhorias ainda podem ser feitas e estas foram propostas para trabalhos futuros

M.Phil. / The use of information systems has increased dramatically after the emergence of internet. Individuals, companies and organizations are becoming increasingly dependent on IT systems. Before technology and computers became such an important part of society, it was difficult to manage and control large organizations. Today computers enable the effective and efficient management of large organizations, therefore allowing them to spread throughout the country and world. Businesses are following latest advances in this era to remain competitive in the changing global market place. They use computers, automated IT systems and networks to gather, store, retrieve, process, and analyze information as well as to trade and communicate. The rapid advances in computer technology are largely a result of the research, development and design efforts of computer engineers. There is a direct correlation between a nation's wealth and scientific and technological capacity. The most effective way of taking our country forward is to enthuse our youth for science and technology. As the world makes rapid, sometimes breathtaking strides in the diverse fields of science and technology, South Africa more than ever needs qualified individuals who will use their skills and entrepreneurial spirit to enable our country to complete internationally with the best. However, Information systems and networks and their worldwide increasing usage have been accompanied by new and increasing risks. Data and information stored on and transmitted over information technology systems and networks are subject to threats from various means of unauthorized access, such as misuse, misappropriation, alteration, malicious code transmissions, denial of service or destruction and require appropriate safeguards. This research report will aim to emphasize the importance of risk management and its three activities; risk assessment, risk mitigation and evaluation and assessment. It will focus on activities that deal with the solution of problems through logical thinking, information system management This report will also deal with a case study that gives us real life examples of risk management experiences of one local computer hardware and software supplier companies. Information has become valuable assets that need to be protected after moving to a digital era and E-commerce. Protecting information can also be as critical as protecting other resources like money and physical assets.

Malnutrition (MN) is prevalent worldwide in hemodialysis patients (HDP); however it has not been assessed in HDP living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of MN in HDP at the Jeddah Kidney Center as well as to determine if the 7-point subjective global assessment (SGA) correlates with anthropometric [Body Mass Index (BMI), Tricep Skinfold Thickness (TSF), Mid-Arm Muscle Circumference (MAMC)], or biochemical (albumin) measurements. In a cross sectional, descriptive study, 270 HDP were assessed for MN. Over half of the HDP were malnourished, with 47.8% moderately and 6.3% severely malnourished. Fifty-eight percent of HDP did not adhere to their diet prescription. As albumin, BMI, TSF, and MAMC decreased, malnutrition became more severe (p < .01). Patients who were female (OR=.43, p=.001), older (OR=.45, p=.001), with no education (OR=3.10, p=.001), underweight (OR=3.56, p<.001), small TSF (OR=1.12, p=.001), and small MAMC (OR=1.15, p=.001) were more likely to be malnourished. The prevalence of MN is high in these HDP. A consistent nutritional assessment protocol is warranted and should be implemented to decrease MN in Saudi HDP.