In this paper, I will cover the process of making my thesis film, Entrepreneurs. Specific facets of this process include writing, directing, production design, cinematography, editing, sound, and technology. I will detail the goals initially set for each facet, the approach taken during production, and the results that led to the finished product. I will then evaluate the overall success of the project.

Class of 2015 Abstract / Objectives: Quantify how many interventions were made during a pilot MTM program at a Costco pharmacy and assess patients’ attitudes towards MTM services offered at their local pharmacy. Methods: Contacted patients by phone and offered MTM services over 10 weeks. The patients are insured patients referred by Outcomes MTM and filled at least 50% of medications at Costco. Successful interventions were tallied and questionnaires administered to collect data on patients’ background knowledge of MTM, rating of how helpful and beneficial MTM services conducted by local pharmacy were, how frequent patients would like such services, how much they were willing to pay for such services, and demographic information. Results: Due to low response rate no meaningful statistical differences were able to be observed. However interesting trends started to emerge; more adherence related interventions, adequate compensation for a dedicated MTM pharmacist, and that MTM is unknown to most patients but do find it useful. Additionally we were able to observe challenges and difficulties with implementing MTM services at a store level. Conclusions: The original aim of the study was not able to be adequately achieved due to low response rate. However the trends that emerged let us make some subjective conclusions; adherence related interventions were fairly common, a dedicated MTM pharmacist may be a feasible in a community setting, most patients are unaware of what MTM is but do find it useful after the service, and challenges to implementing an MTM service from the store level.

Magister Artium - MA / The researcher has been working for CIAT, as a community development facilitator and research assistant for past five years (2001-2006). CIAT has been involved in testing tools and methods for promoting participation and tracking changes at community level under different pilot projects in Eastern and Central Africa in partnership with national research organizations of respective countries. One of CIAT’s areas of research is developing participatory monitoring and evaluation systems that are appropriate for rural communities. The researcher has been involved in designing and setting up community-driven participatory monitoring and evaluation systems on a pilot basis with communities in Eastern and Southern Africa. / South Africa

The aim of this study was to determine level of work stress in a group of air traffic controllers from the South African Air Force, and also a group of air traffic controllers from the civil sector. It is commonly known that air traffic control is considered a stressful job, and the researcher decided to examine the situation in South Africa. Stressors which may be applicable to the air traffic controller were discussed, to help the controller to identify his source of stress. The air traffic control job was also studied to identify its stressful elements. The research group consisted of 97 persons, 52 from the SAAF, and 45 from the civil sector. Most of them were in the age group of 19-25 years. Rice's Stress&Health questionnaire was used to determine the respondents' stress levels in three sub-categories. These sub-categories were interpersonal stress, physical stress, and job interest. The results show that civil sector controllers experience a higher level of work stress than their colleagues in the SAAF. This is because of the civil sector's higher workload. Results show that the factors influencing stress are complex and include amount of workload and personality type. Proposals were made with regard to stress management. / Thesis (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

Introduction: Thromboprophylaxis recommendations for hospitalized cancer are based on trials done for the general medically patients, as there are no randomized clinical trials(RCTs) looking at thromboprophylaxis in medically ill patients with cancer. Methods: To determine if thromboprophylaxis is safe and effective to prevent VTE these patients, a Systematic Review(SR) was done. A survey was performed to assess: clinical equipoise, trial design and minimally clinically important difference(MCID) for a potential trial. Lastly, a pilot study for an RCT was designed. Results: The pooled RR of VTE was 0.91 (95%CI:0.21 to 4.0;I2:68%) among hospitalized cancer patients receiving thromboprophylaxis compared to placebo. 63.9% believe there is clinical equipoise and 58.3% would consider participating in a RCT comparing different agents/dosing. The MCID for absolute reduction in symptomatic VTE between two arms was 2% and for “acceptable” increase in major bleeding events was 1%. Conclusion: The risk-benefit ratio of current doses of thromboprophylaxis administered to hospitalized cancer patients is unclear and additional RCTs are necessary.

The thesis examines one of the latest novelties in the work of the ECtHR - Pilot Judgement Procedure. The thesis covers all the aspects of the PJP such as an introduction of the procedure and its reasons, its main objectives, theoretical basis, practical application, and effectiveness.

Medical schools in the United States have begun the process of changing the teaching methodologies used in the classroom. The traditional, teacher-centered environment is shifting toward a more student-centered, active learning environment. Part of this shift is the integration of online learning to deliver a continuously expanding medical curriculum by moving content learning outside the classroom and creating active learning activities for the classroom. As more medical schools adopt online learning as a supplemental teaching tool, medical education faculty are taking on the role of instructional designers without having any theoretical knowledge on adult learning theory or online learning practices. Schools are developing online learning materials without relying on an instructional design framework to guide the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of the online curriculum. This can result in developing online materials that do not meet the intended objectives, are designed poorly, or do not incorporate learning principles specific to the way humans use computers to learn. At the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, the third year radiology clerkship is a requirement of the curriculum; however, the rotation only lasts two weeks, versus the four to seven weeks provided the other six rotations. Student group sessions led by the radiology clerkship director are limited to four hours in the afternoon, Monday through Friday. This limited time has driven the need to explore alternative solutions for the delivery of the learning material to students. This study seeks to apply an instructional design process, ADDIE, to the development of four e-learning modules for a third year, required, radiology clerkship course using the ADDIE process as a framework and incorporating a rapid prototyping approach. The purpose is to identify how to effectively implement an instructional design methodology, ADDIE, using rapid prototyping when developing supplemental online learning materials for a radiology clerkship course.

O bisfenol-A (BPA), um monômero usado na fabricação de resinas epóxi e de plásticos de policarbonato, é considerado um potente desregulador endócrino que provoca diversas doenças. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a remoção de BPA, de soluções aquosas através da técnica de adsorção em batelada e em processo contínuo. Também foi investigada a capacidade de regeneração do sorvente utilizado nos testes em batelada. Para isso, foram testados diferentes adsorventes (zeólita em pó e granular modificada com quitosana, zeólita sódica e carvão ativado granular), a fim de determinar qual apresentaria maiores índices de remoção de BPA. Posteriormente foram realizados ensaios de sorção com o sólido escolhido objetivando encontrar as condições mais adequadas de processo considerando os parâmetros de pH, tempo de residência, concentração de sólido sorvente. Ainda, isotermas de equilíbrio para este sistema foram construídas. A adsorção em leito fixo foi avaliada em experimentos via planta piloto de adsorção, segundo a influência de três variáveis: efeito da massa de adsorvente utilizada (5g e 10g), vazão de alimentação (15 mL.min-1 e 20 mL.min-1) e concentração inicial (50 mg.L-1 e 100 mg.L-1). Na regeneração do carvão ativado saturado com BPA, empregaram-se como solventes acetona, n-pentano e diclorometano e também foi utilizada a técnica de ultrassom. As condições de sorção utilizadas foram: pH 6, tempo 60 min, concentração de sorvente 10 g.L-1 e soluções de BPA 10 mg.L-1. A microestrutura externa e a composição elementar semi-quantitativa do carvão ativado antes e após o processo de sorção e regeneração foram analisadas pela técnica de MEV-EDS. No que se refere à sorção, melhores resultados foram encontrados com o carvão ativado granular, atingindo eficiência de remoção de 56,7% em pH 7. O modelo de isoterma de sorção que melhor se ajustou aos dados experimentais foi o modelo de Sips, que forneceu a constante de energia ou afinidade do processo e também a acumulação máxima de BPA no sorvente. Os testes de regeneração mostraram que os melhores agentes regenerativos foram a acetona (100%), com eficiência de remoção de 105,6% e a técnica de ultrassom, a qual apresentou uma eficiência de remoção de 106,4% após um tempo de contato de 30 min. Por ser uma técnica que não gera resíduo, optou-se utilizar o ultrassom para os testes de regeneração em ciclos. O ensaio de tempo de regeneração em banho de ultrassom mostrou que para os tempos de 30, 40, 50 e 60 min de contato a regeneração era muito semelhante. Assim, para os testes de ciclos de sorção-regeneração o tempo de contato utilizado foi de 30 min. Os ensaios de regeneração em ciclos mostraram que após seis (6) ciclos a eficiência de regeneração do sólido sorvente foi de 67,8% e a remoção de BPA obtida ao final desses ciclos foi de 60,9%. Quanto à caracterização do sorvente, as micrografias mostraram que o carvão ativado, antes e após os ciclos de sorção/regeneração (S/R), possui superfícies bastante irregulares, heterogêneas e desordenadas, com elevada porosidade. Ensaios realizados em planta piloto de adsorção mostraram a viabilidade técnica de aplicação do carvão ativado para remoção de bisfenol em processos contínuos, tendo sido possível obter as condições operacionais e a curva de ruptura do sistema. Os resultados indicaram que a adsorção em leito fixo apresentou melhores resultados nas seguintes condições: vazão de alimentação de 20 mL.min-1, concentração inicial de 100 mg.L-1 e 10g de sólido sorvente. / The bisphenol-A (BPA), a monomer used in the manufacture of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics is considered a powerful endocrine disrupter which causes various diseases. The objective of this work was to study the removal of BPA from aqueous solutions by adsorption technique in batch and continuous process. The regeneration capacity of sorbents used in batch tests was also investigated. For this purpose, different adsorbents were initially tested (zeolite powder and granular modified with chitosan, sodium zeolite and granular activated carbon) in order to determine which one presents higher removal rates of BPA. After that, sorption tests were carried out with the chosen solid aiming to find the best process conditions considering pH, residence time and sorbent concentration. Hence, equilibrium isotherms were constructed for this system. The fixed bed adsorption was evaluated through adsorption experiments using a pilot plant, according to the influence of three variables: the effect of the mass of the used adsorbent (10g and 5g), flow rate (15 mL.min-1 and 20 mL.min-1) and initial concentration (50 mg.L-1 and 100 mg.L-1). In activated carbon regeneration it was employed acetone, n-pentane and dichloromethane as solvents and the ultrasound technique was also used. The applied sorption conditions were the following: pH 6, time 60 min, sorbent concentration of 10 g.L-1 and BPA solution of 10 mg.L-1. The external microstructure and semi-quantitative elemental composition of the activated carbon before and after the sorption and regeneration were analyzed by SEM-EDS technique. Concerning sorption, the best results were found with granular activated carbon, reaching removal efficiency of 56.7% at pH 7. The sorption isotherm model that best fit the experimental data was the Sips model, which provided constant energy or affinity of the process and also the maximum accumulation of BPA in the sorbent. The regeneration tests showed that the best agents of regeneration were acetone (100%), with removal efficiency of 105.6% and the ultrasound technique, which presented a removal efficiency of 106.4% after a contact time of 30 min. Considering that the technique doesn’t generates waste, it was decided to use the ultrasound tests for regeneration cycles. The regeneration test time in ultrasound bath showed that for contact times of 30, 40, 50 and 60 min the regeneration was very similar. Thus, for testing cycles of sorption-regeneration, the used contact time was 30 minutes. The regeneration cycle tests showed that after six (6) cycles of regeneration efficiency of the solid sorbent was 67.8% and the removal of BPA obtained at the end of these cycles was 60.9%. Regarding characterization of the sorbent, the micrographs showed that the activated carbon before and after cycles of sorption/regeneration (S/R), has very irregular, heterogeneous and disordered surfaces with high porosity. Tests carried out in a pilot plant adsorption showed the technical viability of application of the activated carbon for removal of bisphenol in continuous processes, thus it is possible to obtain operating conditions and the breakthrough curve for this system. These results indicate that the fixed bed adsorption presents best results in the following conditions: feed flow rate of 20 mL.min-1, initial concentration of 100 mg.L-1 and 10 g of solid sorbent.

Orientador: Luciana Patrícia Fernandes Abbade / Resumo: Introdução: Estudos pilotos e de viabilidade são realizados em diversas áreas clínicas e têm importante papel no planejamento e desenvolvimento de ensaios clínicos aleatorizados (ECAs). Entretanto, na literatura existe grande número de ECAs declarados como pilotos e de viabilidade, mas não relatam claramente em seus objetivos e métodos quais itens são testados quanto aos processos e viabilidade e se são uma preparação para estudos maiores. Objetivos: avaliar a adequação dos relatos de ECAs denominados como pilotos ou de viabilidade publicados na área de dermatologia, em relação aos cincos pontos-chaves necessários para relato destes estudos e determinar quais são os fatores associados com adequação completa aos cincos pontoschaves. Métodos: pesquisa sistemática metodológica de ECAs pilotos e de viabilidade em dermatologia publicados no PubMed, no período de janeiro de 2012 a julho de 2018. Critérios de exclusão: protocolos, carta aos editores e estudos pilotos não aleatorizados. A extração de dados de cada artigo selecionado foi realizada por meio de uma planilha padronizada. Dois revisores extraíram os dados e qualquer desacordo foi resolvido através de consenso. Os estudos incluídos foram avaliados quanto sua adequação aos cincos pontos-chaves, os quais foram escolhidos pelos autores a partir do CONSORT Statement para estudos pilotos e de viabilidade, por considerarem que são itens fundamentais para um bom relato de ECA piloto e de viabilidade. Os cincos pontos-chaves são: ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Background: Pilot and feasibility studies are carried out in several clinical areas and have an important role in the planning and development of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). However, in the literature there are a large number of RCTs declared as pilots and viability, but not clearly related in their objectives and methods. What are the items tested with regard to processes and feasibility and if it is a preparation for larger studies. Objectives: to assess RCT’s suitability reports referred to as tests or feasibility of publication in the field of dermatology, in relation to the values of key keys used for study reports and wich are the factors associated with complete adequacy to the key points. Methods: systematic survey of dermatology pilot’s RCT published in PubMed from January 2012 to July 2018. Exclusion criteria: protocols, letter to editorials and non-randomized pilot studies. Data extraction from each selected article was performed using a standardized spreadsheet. Two reviewers extracted the data and any disagreements were resolved by consensus. The included studies were assessed as to their suitability for the five key points, which were chosen by the authors from the CONSORT Statement for pilot and feasibility studies, as they consider that they are fundamental items for a good report of pilot and feasibility RCTs. The five key points are: i) title or abstract indicating that it is a pilot study; ii) objectives attesting to viability; iii) outcomes that ass... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

abstract: There are significantly higher rates of pilot error events during surface operations at night than during the day. Events include incidents, accidents, wrong surface takeoffs and landings, hitting objects, turning on the wrong taxiway, departing the runway surface, among others. There is evidence to suggest that these events are linked to situational awareness. Improvements to situational awareness can be accomplished through training to instruct pilots to increase attention outside of the cockpit while taxiing at night. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) night time requirements are relatively low to obtain a private pilot certification. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of flight training experience on conducting safe and incident-free surface operations at night, collect pilot opinions on night training requirements and resources, and analyze the need for night time on flight reviews. A survey was distributed to general aviation pilots and 239 responses were collected to be analyzed. The responses indicated a higher observed incident rate at night than during the day, however there were no significant effects of night training hours or type of training received (Part 61, Part 141/142, or both) on incident rate. Additionally, higher total night hours improved pilot confidence at night and decreased incident rate. The overall opinions indicated that FAA resources on night flying were effective in providing support, but overall pilots were not in support of or against adding night time requirements to flight reviews and found night training requirements to be somewhat effective. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Aerospace Engineering 2020