Farmers' decisions to adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) technologies depend on the profitability of IPM systems relative to the traditional production methods. Government policies may affect the profitability of the IPM technologies. A linear programming model was developed and used to evaluate the economic incentives for adoption of Integrated Pest Mangement (IPM) practices by Jamaican farmers in Ebony Park, Clarendon. Further analysis was completed to determine the affect of policy changes on the profitability of the IPM systems. The objective function of the model was to maximize net returns above variable costs for the farm and included: ten cropping systems, resource constraints, relative prices, and government policies facing the farm. Resource constraints included risk constraints limiting the maximum acreage planted for each crop. Potential crops grown by the farm included: IPM and conventional hot pepper, IPM and conventional sweet potato, IPM and conventional callaloo, corn, pumpkin, cassava, and sugar cane. The trade and domestic policies incorporated into the model were: preclearance (farm level inspections of exportable harvest), elimination of the concessionary water rates to farmers, lowering the duty concession rate to farmers, lowering the Common External Tariff, appreciation of the real exchange rate, elimination of the credit subsidy and a fall in the real interest rate. The results of the model showed four major conclusions. First, the IPM systems for hot pepper, sweet potato and callaloo were more profitable than the conventional systems. Second, within the framework of risk constraints and preclearance, the IPM systems continued to be more profitable than the conventional practices. Third, the elimination of either the water or credit subsidies currently available to the farmers did not greatly affect the profitability of the IPM systems compared with the profitability of conventional production. Fourth, with a lower real interest rate, the elimination of the duty concession, a lowering of the Common External Tariff (CET) or an appreciation of the real exchange rate, the IPM systems were more profitable than the conventional technologies. Four implications arose from the conclusions. First, extension efforts towards farmers should emphasize the increase in profits from the IPM technologies. Second, policy steps designed to liberalize the domestic economy will not require offsetting policies supporting the adoption of IPM by farmers in Clarendon. Further research is needed on the effects of water availability on IPM adoption and the potential barriers to IPM adoption by female-headed households. Finally, further research is on the economic returns of incorporating preclearance education with IPM. / Master of Science

Prieš priimant sprendimą ar verta medicininę naujovę taikyti klinikinėje praktikoje tiek medicinine, tiek ekonomine prasme, atliekama gydymo metodų efektyvumo ekonominė analizė. Kaštų efektyvumo analizė – sudėtinė sveikatos ekonomikos dalis. Ji nustato ryšį tarp taikomo gydymo metodo naudojamų išteklių (kaštų) ir teikiamo naudingumo sveikatai (poveikio sveikatai). Šio darbo tikslas: išnagrinėjus ekonominės analizės metodus, pateikti kaštų efektyvumo analizės modelį bei patikrinti jį „N“ sveikatos priežiūros įstaigoje taikomiems gydymo metodams. Suformuluotam tikslui pasiekti keliami uždaviniai: 1. Remiantis mokslinės literatūros analize, pateikti kaštų efektyvumo analizės kaip sudėtinės sveikatos ekonomikos dalies charakteristiką; 2. Išnagrinėti kaštų efektyvumo analizės taikymą šiandieninėse Lietuvos sveikatos priežiūros įstaigose; 3. Pasiūlyti kaštų efektyvumo analizės modelį; 4. Atlikti „N“ sveikatos priežiūros įstaigoje taikomų gydymo metodų kaštų efektyvumo analizę. Tyrimo objektas: sveikatos priežiūros įstaigos kaštai. Išanalizavus ekonominės analizės taikymo galimybes, atlikta kaštų efektyvumo analizė „N“ sveikatos priežiūros įstaigoje. Taikyti du ekonominės analizės metodai: kaštų naudingumo ir kaštų efektyvumo analizės metodai. Analizės metu įvertinti gydymo metodų kaštai ir klinikinis poveikis sveikatai. Tyrime analizuojami trys gydymo metodai: standartinis gydymo metodas – judesio terapija salėje bei du alternatyvūs gydymo metodai – judesio terapija vandenyje ir... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Before making a decision to employ an innovation in medicine on both medical and economical dimensions, performed economic analysis of effectiveness of health interventions. Cost effectiveness analysis is constituent of health economic. It estimates the relation between cost ant effectiveness of health interventions. The aim of this research: after study of methods of economic evaluation, to supply the model of cost effectiveness analysis and to test it for health interventions of “N” health care institution. The tasks to reach the established aim of this study are: 1. By analysis of literature, to supply the reference of cost effectiveness analysis as constituent of health economic; 2. To study the use of cost effectiveness analysis in nowadays Lithuanian’s health care institutions; 3. To offer the model of cost effectiveness analysis; 4. To perform the cost effectiveness analysis of health interventions of “N” health care institution. The object of research is: cost of health care institution. Having studied the opportunities of economic analysis, performed the cost effectiveness analysis in “N” health care institution. There were used two methods of economic analysis: cost-effectiveness and cost-utility methods. On the analysis estimated cost and effectiveness of health interventions. In the research analyzed three health interventions: standard health intervention – physiotherapy in exercises room and two alternatives health interventions – physiotherapy in the water and... [to full text]

Purpose-built off-road cycling infrastructure represents a relatively new form of tourism and recreation product. Over the last decade, widespread development of these facilities has taken place in the UK, primarily within forest and woodland areas. The justification for developing these sites has largely centred on their ability to generate positive economic benefits for the tourism and leisure economy. In contrast to the focus on growth and investment, relatively little attention has been paid to understanding the extent to which off-road cycling benefits the tourism and leisure economy. Furthermore, even less is known about the visitor dimension. Developing a better understanding of these interrelated aspects forms the basis of this research. This study presents a dedicated method for critically examining the nexus between off-road cycling and the tourism and leisure economy. This relationship was investigated through the lens of the 1 South West Project, which has the purpose of developing the South West into a premier off-road cycling region. The research focuses on Haldon Forest Park located on the outskirts of Exeter, in Devon. The findings from the large scale questionnaire survey (n = 486) reveal that the off-road cycling facilities are valued highly by users and are regarded as an important regional asset for tourism and recreation. Furthermore, the site was found to attract a broad range of off-road cycling visitors, and have a significant interaction with the regional economy. Interviews conducted with off-road cyclists also identified an emotional connection between off-road cycling and the forest environment. Respondents also emphasised the importance of the informal and social aspects of the activity. The approach taken by this study has enabled the intersection between visitor expenditure and consumer behaviour at purpose-built off-road cycling sites to be explored in detail. This aspect has been largely ignored within the off-road cycling literature, which has failed to look beyond basic economic transactions and acknowledge the presence of visitor sub-groups. Using Cluster Analysis to address these limitations, this study was able to identify behavioural and economic variations among visitors, and from this produce a detailed typology of users at Haldon Forest Park. This information provides important baseline data for the 1 South West Project, and has important practical implications for the future management of the off-road cycling infrastructure and onsite facilities. Furthermore, this study makes a methodological contribution to the literature through its innovative use of Cluster Analysis, as part of a dual approach to examining the economic contribution of off-road cycling.

Biogas production from organic materials can be used as a renewable vehicle fuel, provide heat and generate electricity and can thereby reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. This thesis focuses on the biogas production based on lignocelluloses. There is an abundant availability of lignocelluloses, constituting 50% of the total biomass worldwide. However, the biomass recalcitrance limits the microbial degradation as well as the biogas production from these types of materials. In the present work different pretreatment methods have been performed in order to decrease the biomass recalcitrance and improve the biogas production. Steam explosion pretreatment, together with the addition of sodium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide, has been performed on lignocellulosic-rich paper tube residuals. The pretreatment has resulted in methane yields of up to 493 NmL/gVS, which is an increase by 107% compared with untreated material. Furthermore, the use of an organic solvent, N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO), was evaluated as a pretreatment method for spruce (both chips and milled), rice straw, and triticale straw. The NMMO pretreatment resulted in 202, 395, 328, and 362 NmL CH4/g carbohydrates produced of these substrates, respectively, corresponding to an increase of between 400-1,200% compared with the untreated version of the same material. Moreover, the paper tube residuals have been co-digested with an unstable nitrogen-rich substrate mixture, mainly based on municipal solid waste. The addition of the lignocellulosic-rich paper tubes in a co-digestion process showed stabilizing effects and prevented the accumulation of volatile fatty acids with a subsequent reactor failure. Additionally, synergistic effects have been found leading to between 15-33% higher methane yields when paper tubes were added to the co-digestion process compared with the yields calculated from the methane potentials of the two substrates. Substrate characterization analysis can be used to study the changes on the lignocellulosic components after the pretreatment, relating the changes to the performance in the anaerobic digestion. Increased accessible surface area, measured by the Simons’ stain and the enzymatic adsorption methods, as well as decreased crystallinity, determined by using the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, can all be linked to improved biogas production after pretreatment. Finally, the NMMO pretreatment on forest residues has been financially evaluated for an industrial scale process design. The base case that was evaluated simulated a case where pretreated forest residues were co-digested with the organic fraction of municipal solid waste to obtain optimal nutritional balance for the anaerobic digestion. This process has been found to be economically feasible with an internal rate of return of 20.7%. / <p>Akademisk avhandling som för avläggande av teknologie doktorsexamen vid Chalmers tekniska högskola försvaras vid offentlig disputation den 24 maj 2013, klockan 10.00 i KA,Kemigården 4, Göteborg</p>

Background: Transferring cost-effectiveness information between geographic domains offers the potential for more efficient use of analytical resources. However, it is difficult for decision-makers to know when they can rely on costeffectiveness evidence produced for another context. Objectives: This thesis explores the transferability of economic evaluation results produced for one geographic area to another location of interest, and develops an approach to identify factors to predict when this is appropriate. Methods: Multilevel statistical models were developed for the integration of published international costeffectiveness data to assess the impact of contextual effects on country-level; whilst controlling for baseline characteristics within, and across, a set of economic evaluation studies. Explanatory variables were derived from a list of factors suggested in the literature as possible constraints on the transferability of costeffectiveness evidence. The approach was illustrated using published estimates of the cost-effectiveness of statins for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease from 67 studies and related to 23 geographic domains, together with covariates on data, study and country-level. Results: The proportion of variation at the country-level observed depends on the appropriate multilevel model structure and never exceeds 15% for incremental effects and 21% for incremental cost. Key sources of variability are patient and disease characteristics, intervention cost and a number of methodological characteristics defined on the data-level. There were fewer significant covariates on the study and country-levels. Conclusions: Analysis suggests that variability in cost-effectiveness data is primarily due to differences between studies, not countries. Further, comparing different models suggests that data from multinational studies severely underestimates country-level variability. Additional research is needed to test the robustness of these conclusions on other sets of cost-effectiveness data, to further explore the appropriate set of covariates, and to foster the development of multilevel statistical modelling for economic evaluation data in health.

This project investigates how remanufacturing of robotic lawn mowers can be incorporated into an existent forward supply chain. The project is conducted as a single case study on Husqvarna where an interview study and a literature study provide the empirical data and theory, respectively. Alternatives are proposed for potential remanufacturing cases at various locations, where different parties ranging from original equipment manufacturers to independent manufacturers perform the remanufacturing process. SWOT analyses are conducted to identify the most promising alternatives for a further economic analysis. The economic evaluation is based on net present values and a sensitivity analysis which together determines the feasibility of the alternatives. The results of the project answer three research questions. The first concludes that out of seven defined production systems there are only two that are not suitable for remanufacturing in a general case mainly due to the low flexibility of these systems. The results of the second identifies labor, logistics, and operational prerequisite factors that must be considered when implementing remanufacturing for case specific alternatives. The conclusion of the third research question lists the feasibility of the alternatives from which the recommendations for Husqvarna are presented. This project recommends Husqvarna to implement a remanufacturing process for their robotic lawn mowers either by enlisting their current dealers or by themselves at a location nearby the spare parts warehouse in Torsvik. Which alternative is the most profitable depends mainly on the expected quantity of the acquired cores, i.e. Husqvarna as a centralized remanufacturer benefits more from higher quantities while the decentralized dealer alternative would comparably be more profitable if the quantities were lower. As it is perceived that initial collected quantities will be low, and possibly even somewhat higher for the dealers, a decentralized remanufacturing process could be the most profitable alternative to start with. Using a third-party remanufacturer is also feasible but considered risky and therefore not recommended as they could have the same core acquisition problem as Husqvarna while having lower profitability.

O lodo gerado em processos de galvanoplastia é classificado pela ABNT NBR 10.004/04 como perigoso (classe I). Na literatura encontram-se poucos estudos referentes à recuperação do cromo presente no lodo gerado em sistemas de tratamento de efluentes de indústrias de galvanoplastia. Neste sentido, o presente estudo avaliou a remoção do cromo presente no lodo de galvanoplastia por meio de dois processos, visando avaliar à eficiência técnica e a viabilidade econômica de ambos. O Processo 1 consistiu na remoção do cálcio utilizando o ácido cítrico, seguida de lixiviação ácida. Na etapa de oxidação, variou-se a temperatura em 40ºC, 60ºC e 80ºC e no tempo de 30, 60 e 90 minutos, tendo em vista que a eficiência do processo de oxidação depende da temperatura e tempo. Nesta etapa do processo as concentrações de peroxido de hidrogênio (H2O2) utilizadas foram de 1,50, 3,00 e 4,50 mol.L-1. O Processo 2 realizou a oxidação do cromo sem efetuar as etapas de extração do cálcio e a lixiviação ácida. A oxidação do cromo ocorreu pelo mesmo método apresentado no Processo 1. A caracterização elementar da amostra determinou que o principal elemento constituinte do lodo é o cálcio (20,05% em massa), e que dentre os metais pesados destacam-se o cromo e o níquel (6,52% e 4,33% em massa, respectivamente). A maior eficiência de remoção do cálcio foi obtida na razão mássica de 8,00 (ácido cítrico/hidróxido de cálcio), com 51,76% em massa, seguida pela razão mássica de 5,50 com 36,75% em massa e 2,50 com 24,83% em massa. O melhor resultado de oxidação do cromo no Processo 1 foi obtido com tempo de 30 minutos, temperatura de 60ºC e concentração de peroxido de hidrogênio de 3,00 mol.L-1, com eficiência de 41,09% em massa. No Processo 2, obteve-se a remoção de 37,96% em massa de cromo a temperatura de 80ºC, por uma hora e 3,00 mol.L-1 de peróxido de hidrogênio. Avaliando os custos para remoção do cromo dos dois processos, determinou-se que o Processo 1 foi mais oneroso que o 2, porém ambos não apresentaram viabilidade econômica para aplicação em escala industrial. Nos dois processos efetuou-se a oxidação do cromo presente no lodo de galvanoplastia, permitindo a sua remoção parcial neste resíduo. Com isso obtiveram-se ganhos ambientais, pela diminuição deste elemento no resíduo de galvanoplastia, que na maioria das vezes é disposto em aterros classe I, gerando um passivo ambiental. / The sludge generated in electroplating processes is classified by NBR 10.004/04 as a hazardous material (class I). In the literature, few studies report the recovery of chromium present in the electroplating sludge generated in the industries. In this sense, the present study conducted the removal of chromium in the electroplating sludge through two different processes, aiming to evaluate their efficiency and economic viability. The first process removed calcium through the use of citric acid being performed by varying the ratio of citric acid/calcium hydroxide (2.5, 5.5 and 8.0). Then, were performed the leaching of the samples. According to the literature, the efficiency of the oxidation process varies depending on the reaction temperature, time and concentration of hydrogen peroxide. For this reason, samples were heated to a temperature ranging from 40°C, 60°C and 80°C. Also, were conducted variations in the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mol.L-1) and reaction time (30, 60 and 90 minutes). The second Process consisted in the chrome recovery by using the galvanic sludge without removal of the calcium and acid leaching. The chrome oxidation occurred by the same method shown in Process 1. Elemental characterization of the samples determined that the primary sludge constituent was calcium (20.05% by weight), and in terms of heavy metals, the chromium and the nickel (6.52% and 4.33% by mass, respectively). Most of calcium removal efficiency was obtained at a rate of 8 with 51.76% by mass, then the ratio of 5.50 to 36.75% by mass and 2.50 to 24.83% by mass. The best oxidation result of chromium in Process 1 was obtained using a time of 30 minutes, 60°C and hydrogen peroxide concentration of 3 mol.l-1, with 41.09 wt% efficiency. In Process 2 was obtained the removal of 37.96% by mass of chromium temperature of 80°C, for one hour and 3,00 mol.l-1 of hydrogen peroxide. Evaluating the costs for chrome removal of the two processes was determined that the Process 1 was more costly than 2, but both showed no economic feasibility for implementation on an industrial scale. However, in both cases occurred the oxidation of chromium present in the electroplating sludge, allowing its removal from the residue. Thus, environmental gains have been achieved by the reduction of this element in electroplating waste, which mostly is intended for landfill class I, generating an environmental liability.

As técnicas utilizadas pelas empresas atualmente para a avaliação econômica dos projetos de investimento em condições de risco, com destaque para a análise de cenários, apresentam três importantes limitações: não fornecem o capital no risco, utilizam uma taxa mínima da atratividade (TMA) única para a empresa em seu todo, desprezando as particularidades de cada caso, e tratam o risco isoladamente, fora do contexto amplo da diversificação eficiente. Diante desse contexto, o presente estudo propôs a aplicação de três modelos originários do mercado de capitais: o valor no risco (VAR), o modelo de precificação dos ativos de capital (CAPM) e a teoria de precificação por arbitragem (APT). Os resultados obtidos mostram que tais modelos são capazes de: fornecer o capital no risco dos projetos de investimento (VAR), utilizar uma TMA própria, segundo as particularidades de cada projeto de investimento (CAPM e APT), e tratar o risco em projetos de investimento no contexto amplo da diversificação eficiente (VAR, CAPM e APT). / The techniques used now by the companies for the economic evaluation of the investment projects in risk conditions, with prominence for the analysis of sceneries, present three important limitations: they don\'t supply the capital in the risk, they use an attractiveness of minimum rate (TMA) only for the company in its whole, despising the particularities of each case, and they treat the risk separately, out of the wide context of the efficient diversification. Before of that context, the present study proposed the application of three original models of the market of capitais: the value at risk (VAR), the capital asset pricing model (CAPM) and the arbitrage pricing theory (APT). The obtained results showed that such models are capable of: to supply the capital in the risk of the investment projects (VAR), to use an own TMA, according to the particularities of each investment project (CAPM and APT), and to treat the risk in investment projects in the wide context of the efficient diversification (VAR, CAPM and APT).

Cette thèse s’inscrit dans le débat scientifique actuel autour de l’évaluation économique des services écosystémiques fournis par les aires marines protégées (AMP) dans les pays en voie de développement. Appliquant la méthode de l’évaluation contingente, elle s’est intéressée à l’analyse de la perception de la population mauritanienne des services écosystémiques fournis par l’aire marine protégée du parc national du banc d’arguin (PNBA) en Mauritanie et la valeur qu’elle consente à payer pour maintenir l’offre de ces services dans son état actuel. A travers l’analyse des résultats de trois enquêtes réalisées au PNBA (niveau local), à Nouakchott (zone adjacente) et à Tidjikja (arrière-pays), la thèse discute l’impact de la distance, dans le sens de l’éloignement et du temps nécessaire pour accéder à l’AMP, tant sur la perception des services écosystémiques fournis par le PNBA que sur le consentement à payer pour sa conservation. Par ailleurs, elle aborde l’applicabilité de la méthode de l’évaluation contingente dans les pays en voie de développement et propose quelques améliorations du protocole de l’enquête pour améliorer la fiabilité des résultats. / This thesis is part of the current scientific debate around the economic evaluation of ecosystem services provided by marine protected areas in developing countries. Using the contingent valuation method, it focused on the analysis of the Mauritanian population's perception of ecosystem services provided by the marine protected area of Banc d'Arguin National Park in Mauritania and the value that this population agrees to pay to maintain the supply of these services in its current state. Through the analysis of the results of three surveys conducted at the PNBA (local level), Nouakchott (adjacent zone) and Tidjikja (inland), the thesis discusses the impact of distance, in the sense of the remoteness and the time required to access the MPA, both on the perception of the ecosystem services provided by the PNBA and on the Willingness To Pay for its conservation.In addition, it discusses the applicability of the contingent valuation method in developing countries and proposes some improvements to the survey protocol to enhance the reliability of the results.

Orientador: Miguel Luiz Menezes Freitas / Resumo: Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) O. Kuntze ou pinheiro-do-paraná é uma espécie florestal fornecedora de madeira valiosa e sementes de alto valor nutritivo, mas considerada em risco de extinção. A manutenção de plantios com a finalidade de conservação da espécie é uma estratégia complementar para reduzir a possibilidade de erosão genética em seu habitat natural. Assim, este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a viabilidade técnica e econômica da conservação genética da Araucaria angustifolia a partir de um teste de procedências e progênies, que será transformado em uma área de produção de sementes, com a finalidade de manter uma representação da base genética da espécie e fornecer material genético de qualidade para fins de produção de madeira e sementes. Estabeleceu-se o experimento em abril de 1982, na Estação Experimental de Itapeva, do Instituto Florestal, no Estado de São Paulo. O delineamento experimental adotado foi em blocos de famílias compactas com três repetições, cinco procedências (parcelas), 14 a 26 progênies/procedência (subparcelas), 10 plantas por subparcela e espaçamento de 3,0 x 2,0 metros. Avaliou-se o experimento aos 33 anos de idade tendo sido considerado os seguintes caracteres: sobrevivência (%), altura total (m), diâmetro à altura do peito (DAP, cm) e volume (m³). A análise genético-estatística do experimento com o auxílio do software Selegen estimou os parâmetros genéticos, conforme a metodologia do modelo linear misto univariado aditivo REML/BLUP (Res... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol.) O. Kuntze is a kind forest species supplier wooden valuable and seeds of recognized nutritional value, however considered threatened on extinction. Plantations maintenance with species conservation purpose is a complementary strategy to reduce genetic erosion in natural areas. So, the aim of this work was to evaluate technical and economic viability of Araucaria angustifolia genetic conservation by the use. The analyzed provenance and progeny test was established in 1982 at Itapeva Experimental Station – São Paulo State, from Forestry Institute, following a compact family blocks design with 110 open-pollinated progenies, from five natural populations, three replicates, ten plants per subplot, spaced from 3,0 x 2,0 meters. At age 33 the trial was measured for following traits: total height, diameter at breast height (DBH), wood volume and survival. The variance components and genetic parameters estimates were performed by REML/BLUP methods (Restricted maximum likelihood/Best linear unbiased prediction) using Selegen software. The production and management scenarios were obtained by using SisAraucaria software. Sensitivity analysis and economic parameters estimates were obtained through several methods of economic evaluation using the Planin software. In general, genetic parameters indicated that the evaluated population has enough variability for both conservation and breeding, and it suggests a technical viability use in seedling seed orchard.... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor