Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Timothy D. Keane / Visual Resource Management practices are relatively new, dating back to the late 1960’s and early 1970’s (Litton, 1984; USDA Forest Service, 2010). At the conception of visual resource management practices, computers were not prominent in everyday life. As computing tools advanced along with easier access to technology, a perceived surge of research emerged within the VRM field in the 1990’s. Since that time, it appears that few landscape architects have continued to research how modern technological advancements, specifically the recent expansion of virtual reality, could be used in predicting the visual impacts of proposed development. This report aims to compare virtual environments to existing methods for assessing the visual impacts of development in the Texas prairie ecoregion. New reliable tools at the hands of experts could lead to more accurate and more understood consequences of development on the visual landscape. Following precedents set forth in similar research studies, participants will view photographic and rendered images of scenes before and after development projected through a digital display. Potential development will be analyzed through a comparison analysis in which multiple visualization methods (Google Earth and photo sphere images) are compared to industry standards of two-dimensional images and renderings. The comparison analysis will survey experts and ask them to rate certain views before and after development through multiple visualization methods. Results from the study show a high similarity in perceived impacts between 2D images and Google Earth assessments. However, photo sphere images were rated consistently lower than their counterparts. Image resolution and detail could have led to the lower ratings in photo sphere images. Overall, participants felt that immersive visualization media will soon replace the use of 2D images for conducting visual impact assessments.

The formal assessment of dyslexia within the UK higher education sector is a relatively recent practice. The extant literature that there is reflects this historical observation. Missing from this body of literature, though, is any insight gained via systematic studies into the professional practice of those individuals directly responsible for identifying dyslexia in higher education students. In an academic climate where the very concept of dyslexia is being increasingly questioned, the perspectives of dyslexia assessors, together with those of other groups most closely affected by assessors’ practice, constitute an important area of knowledge for all parties concerned with higher education pedagogical and disability issues. This thesis is based on results from the collection and careful analysis of such perspectives acquired through four surveys of large numbers of participants and a smaller number of interviews with practicing dyslexia assessors. The study’s findings reflect both the diversity encompassed by the dyslexia concept within the higher education sector, as well as the complex relationship that exists between dyslexia research and its operationalization into the practice of individual assessors. Whilst data from assessor participants displayed a detailed lack of consensus on one level, this analysis was overridden on another level by a general consensus amongst interviewees around the main purpose and foci of assessment. Lecturers’ and non-dyslexic students’ understanding of, and attitudes towards, dyslexia and dyslexic students were indirectly influenced by assessors’ practice, particularly by what they invariably observed as the heterogeneity of assessed dyslexic students. Dyslexic students, in identifying their self- perceived difficulties, exemplified this diversity within the category. The study’s findings, based on the informed perspectives of its relevant participants, suggest that much current higher education policy and practice around the recognition of dyslexia is based on erroneous unexamined assumptions. The thesis concludes with tentative suggestions as to how the assessment of dyslexia and subsequent provision for the learning difference could be more streamlined with both contemporary research positions and institutions’ commitment to move towards greater inclusivity.

Der vorliegende Artikel nähert sich der Frage, welche Bedingungen Hochschulen erfüllen müssen, um E-Assessments anbieten zu können. Er bietet Hinweise darauf, welche technischen und bauplanerischen Bedingungen erfüllt sein sollten, um diese nach dem gegenwärtigen Stand nachhaltig rechtssicher durchführen zu können. Dabei werden drei Typen für E-Assessment-Center gegenübergestellt: das genuine E-Assessment-Center, E-Assessment-Center in PC-Pools, temporäre E-Assessment-Center (als stationäre und mobile Center). Welches Raumszenario sich für die jeweilige Hochschule eignet, muss fallweise entschieden werden.

Class of 2014 Abstract / Specific Aims: The purpose of this study is to compare frequency of pharmacy services available in ambulatory care practice between adult and pediatric populations and to identify factors that affect the availability of such practice settings between the two populations in the United States. Methods: This study was a descriptive survey study that was distributed nationally. Participants were recruited using two electronic listservs registered with the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP), the Pediatric PRN listserv and Ambulatory Care PRN listserv. A total of 126 participants completed and submitted the electronic questionnaire. This descriptive survey study collected data through an online questionnaire distributed to adult and pediatric ambulatory care pharmacists. Descriptive variables, demographic variables, categorical variables, and ordinal data were analyzed by calculating frequencies, percentages, and averages. Main Results: The majority of participants specialize in diabetes (n = 51, 40.5%), anticoagulation (n=42, 33.3%), hypertension (n=42, 33.3%), hyperlipidemia (n=40, 31.8%), and asthma (n=32, 25.4%). Adult care was greater than pediatric care in diabetes (Adult: n=54, 42.83%; Ped: n=14, 9.53%), anticoagulation (Adult: n=46, 43.66%; Ped: n=6, 4.76%), hypertension (Adult: n=44, 34.94%; Ped: n=8, 6.34%), hyperlipidemia (Adult: n=42, 33.34%; Ped: n=3, 2.39%), and asthma (Adult: n=35, 27.78%; Ped: n=28, 22.23%). Averages of 4.88 hours of hours per week and 5.21 years of experience were obtained for provision of pediatric care in the ambulatory care setting. Conclusion: In conclusion, availability of ambulatory care services for pediatric patients is dramatically less than those available for adults. Generalized structure for location of clinics, billing for services, and funding for positions may increase the opportunity for provision of adult and pediatric ambulatory care services.

M.Com. (Industrial Psychology) / The need for efficient managers is ever increasing. If any company wants to make use of its managers' full potential it is important that it should have an effective management development programme. Although many companies do have such programmes, their effectiveness is not always clear. Management development, as applied by the South African Transport Services is presented, followed by a survey of the literature on the evaluation of management development. On the basis of the foregoing. a questionnaire was designed to measure management's perception regarding management development within South African Transport Services. The questionnaire was administered to 444 managers within the organization and the findings suggested that more attention should be given to the selling of management development to all managerial levels and the refinement of current development techniques. Furthermore research should also be directed at the learning-, work behaviour- and output levels of evaluation. as well as at better methods of self-development.

Biotechnology as an industry has come to the fore in the last 2 decades. It is a fast developing industry that offers significant growth opportunities to financial investors with significant advances also being made in terms of the medical fields (blood disorders), agriculture (pest resistant plants), food (genetically modified food) and forensics (DNA fingerprinting). / Prof. A.L. Boessenkool

In British Columbia harvested forests are manually replanted by seasonal workers. Fertilizers contained in perforated paper sachets are often planted with seedlings. There have been anecdotal reports of skin and respiratory illness associated with fertilizer exposure and due to potential metal content in fertilizer source material they may contain metals as contaminants. Workers may also be exposed to pesticide residues on seedlings. This study aimed to characterize fertilizer, metal and pesticide exposure among a sample of B.C. tree planters, and to examine worker respiratory and dermal health. Between May 2006 and April 2007 223 tree planters were interviewed about their respiratory and dermal health, and the exposures of 54 tree planters at five geographically-disperse worksites were monitored. Four worksites were using fertilizer and one was not. The health questionnaire was a modification of the American Thoracic Society standardized questionnaire with questions on dermal health taken from a previous UBC study. Workers were grouped in exposure categories and symptoms analysed using logistic regression. Metals were measured by ICP/MS on post shift hand wipes, full shift air sample filters, in whole blood, bulk soil, seedling root balls, and fertilizer samples. Pesticides were measured on post shift hand wipes and on bulk seedling samples. Using nursery pesticide application records, analyses focused on known pesticides applied to the seedlings at the study sites. Carbamate pesticides were analyzed by HPLC/MS and other pesticides by GC/MS. No evidence was found that tree planters who work with fertilizer are at an elevated risk of exposure to arsenic, lead, cadmium, chromium and nickel relative to other tree planters. Pesticide residues were found on seedlings taken from coastal work sites in April 2007. At coastal worksites the fungicides chlorothalonil and iprodione were found on the skin of workers at low levels (range 0.37 – 106.3 ng.cm² and 0.48 – 15.9 ng/cm² respectively). Work with fertilizer was linked with an increased risk of cough, phlegm, nasal symptoms, nose bleed, and skin irritation. Hygiene conditions at tree planting work sites are very poor. Although measured exposures were low, hygiene conditions should improve to reduce the risk of health symptoms among tree planters. / Medicine, Faculty of / Population and Public Health (SPPH), School of / Graduate

A model of a fishery with an uncertain fish stock is proposed to compare alternative management systems with individual transferable quotas (ITQs). Assumptions of the model include: (1) the fish stock fluctuates randomly year by year; (2) in-season stock depletion is small; (3) the total allowable catch (TAC) set by the quota authorities has a definite relation with the fish stock level; (4) the true value of the stock level is revealed only at the middle of each season, when the authorities revise the TAC; (5) fishers form rational expectations on future quota prices. The principal results are: (a) If fishers are risk-neutral, the share quota (SQ) system and the quantity quota (QQ) system generate the same amount of fishery rent, although the division of the rent between fishers and the authorities under one system is different from the other. If the TAC is proportional to the stock level, the more price-inelastic the demand for fish is, the more likely it is that fishers are better off under the QQ system at the expense of the authorities. (b) A quota tax and a harvest tax that collect the same amount of revenue for the authorities result in the same division of the fishery rent among heterogeneous fishers. The quota tax and the profit tax differ in this respect. Which fishers will prefer a quota tax over a profit tax will depend on fishers' shares of the initial quota endowment and in total inframarginal profits afterward. (c) If fishers are risk-averse, the SQ system and the QQ system are not equivalent in their allocative efficiency. An example shows that the SQ system is potentially better than the QQ system when fishers prefer the latter and the authorities prefer the former. This conclusion has to be modified if risk-neutral traders participate in the quota market / Arts, Faculty of / Vancouver School of Economics / Graduate

The Fitness and Health Promotion (FHP) program is a relatively new program in the faculty of Health and Life Sciences and Community Services at Conestoga College in Ontario. The FHP program is designed to train and prepare individuals as qualified fitness and health consultants working in the fitness and lifestyle industry. Graduating students have the skills to complete standardized exams for accreditation. Although assessment is an essential component in higher education, the educators who are required to do it may not always understand it well. This single case study investigated the development and use of assessment tools and strategies in this higher education context through interviews with thirteen participants from three different stakeholder groups. In addition, this case study describes the perceptions around assessment of these stakeholders: educators, administrator and students. Professional development and training should be implemented for all stakeholder groups to resolve misunderstandings around assessment tools and strategies and to optimize feedback activities.

The main objective of this research project was to develop a new methodology for the assessment of wrought iron structures using a more informed knowledge of the material.A database of tensile test data for wrought iron across the range of all types of structural elements was compiled and analysed to establish the characteristic yield strength for comparison with the value of 220N/mm2 quoted by the UK Highway Standard BD21. It was found that the characteristic yield strength of bar iron is 151N/mm2 and that of plate iron is 187N/mm2.Bending tests of wrought iron beams were conducted to investigate the potential for brittle fracture under static loads, which was observed, and further investigated by conducting Charpy impact tests, where it was found the that ductile to brittle transition temperature of the metal lies in the range 20 to 80oC, whereas that of mild steel, is typically in the range -30 to 10 oC.A new assessment method was proposed that incorporates a 'quality factor' and a 'component significance factor' into the definition of design yield strength. Comparative studies using the proposed method and the existing method were conducted on a trussed highway bridge, a long span iron roof to a railway station and the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The newly obtained lower values of characteristic yield strength tend to dominate the final design strength value of a component, but this may be improved by the expansion of the database. Furthermore, the inclusion of the quality and significance factors offset this effect and their inclusion was validated by proving that a safe yet not overly conservative design yield strength may be established by application of the proposed method.