This thesis presents a methodology developed to aid in the determination of potential sources and the potential scale of energy savings in commercial buildings. As a pre-screening tool, the methodology is designed to serve as the first analysis of the building’s potential for energy savings using limited data prior to a site visit. A Microsoft® Excel-based tool was developed to perform this analysis semi-automatically with user operation. A fundamental concept used in this methodology is that of the energy balance load, defined as heating plus electricity minus cooling. The methodology is designed to require only historical weather data, historical whole-building energy consumption data, the total conditioned floor area, and the basic function of the building. Upon following a short procedure developed and outlined in this thesis, this limited data yields information that can lead to conclusions about the building’s energy consumption. The output information includes estimates of a major building thermal parameter—the building’s overall heat transfer coefficient including the total outside air flow rate into the building. In addition to providing this information, the Excel tool includes already-formatted plots of the energy consumption commonly used in energy analysis. These include cooling, heating, and electricity vs. both outside air temperature and time. Three case studies illustrate the utility of this methodology. The calculated energy balance load—calculated using parameters determined through this methodology—yielded values on average within 5.4% of measured values.

Purpose and methods: Effective parental education about newborn screening (NBS) may help to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of screening. We investigated experiences, knowledge and opinions regarding NBS education among Ontario mothers. Mothers whose infants recently received NBS were invited to complete a mailed survey (n=1712). Results: Of the 750 participants, 93% recalled their infant receiving NBS, while 69% recalled receiving information about NBS. Of this group, fewer than 50% reported receiving information prenatally, yet a majority of mothers (64%) viewed this as the most important time for education. Those who received information prenatally reported higher satisfaction (OR 2.4). The 40% of mothers who recalled being informed about the meaning of results had higher knowledge about NBS (OR 2.7) and reported higher satisfaction (OR 4.2). Conclusions: Parental education about NBS could place greater emphasis on the prenatal period and on fostering understanding about the meaning of results.

Purpose and methods: Effective parental education about newborn screening (NBS) may help to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of screening. We investigated experiences, knowledge and opinions regarding NBS education among Ontario mothers. Mothers whose infants recently received NBS were invited to complete a mailed survey (n=1712). Results: Of the 750 participants, 93% recalled their infant receiving NBS, while 69% recalled receiving information about NBS. Of this group, fewer than 50% reported receiving information prenatally, yet a majority of mothers (64%) viewed this as the most important time for education. Those who received information prenatally reported higher satisfaction (OR 2.4). The 40% of mothers who recalled being informed about the meaning of results had higher knowledge about NBS (OR 2.7) and reported higher satisfaction (OR 4.2). Conclusions: Parental education about NBS could place greater emphasis on the prenatal period and on fostering understanding about the meaning of results.

Typical energy audits are sufficiently expensive and time-consuming that many owners and managers of buildings are not willing to invest the time and money required for a full audit. This dissertation provides a methodology to identify buildings with large potential energy savings using limited information, specifically, utility bills, total area and weather data. The methodology is developed based on the hypothesis: if a commercial building is properly designed, constructed, operated, and maintained, the measured energy consumption should approximately match the simulated value for a typical building of the same size with the most efficient HVAC system; otherwise, there may be potential for energy savings. There are four steps in the methodology: 1) testing to determine whether the utility bills include both weather-dependent and weatherindependent loads; 2) separating weather-dependent and weather-independent loads when both are present in the same data; 3) determining the main type of HVAC system; 4) estimating potential energy savings and recommending an energy audit if appropriate. The Flatness Index is selected to test whether the utility bills include both weatherdependent and weather-independent loads. An approach to separate the utility bills based on thermal balance is developed to separate utility bills into weather-dependent and weather-independent loads for facilities in hot and humid climates. The average relative error in estimated cooling consumption is only 1.1% for 40 buildings in Texas, whereas it is -54.8% using the traditional 3P method. An application of fuzzy logic is used to identify the main type of HVAC system in buildings from their 12-month weatherdependent energy consumption. When 40 buildings were tested, 18 systems were identified correctly, seven were incorrect and the HVAC system type cannot be identified in 15 cases. The estimated potential savings by the screening methodology in eight large commercial buildings were compared with audit estimated savings for the same buildings. The audit estimated savings are between 25% - 150% of the potential energy savings estimated by the screening procedure in seven cases. The other two cases are less accurate, indicating that further refinement of the method would be valuable. The data required are easily obtained; the procedure can be carried out automatically, so no experience is required. If the actual type of HVAC system, measured weather-dependent, and weather-independent energy consumption are known, the methodology should work better.

Purpose and methods: Effective parental education about newborn screening (NBS) may help to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of screening. We investigated experiences, knowledge and opinions regarding NBS education among Ontario mothers. Mothers whose infants recently received NBS were invited to complete a mailed survey (n=1712). Results: Of the 750 participants, 93% recalled their infant receiving NBS, while 69% recalled receiving information about NBS. Of this group, fewer than 50% reported receiving information prenatally, yet a majority of mothers (64%) viewed this as the most important time for education. Those who received information prenatally reported higher satisfaction (OR 2.4). The 40% of mothers who recalled being informed about the meaning of results had higher knowledge about NBS (OR 2.7) and reported higher satisfaction (OR 4.2). Conclusions: Parental education about NBS could place greater emphasis on the prenatal period and on fostering understanding about the meaning of results.

Purpose and methods: Effective parental education about newborn screening (NBS) may help to maximize the benefits and minimize the harms of screening. We investigated experiences, knowledge and opinions regarding NBS education among Ontario mothers. Mothers whose infants recently received NBS were invited to complete a mailed survey (n=1712). Results: Of the 750 participants, 93% recalled their infant receiving NBS, while 69% recalled receiving information about NBS. Of this group, fewer than 50% reported receiving information prenatally, yet a majority of mothers (64%) viewed this as the most important time for education. Those who received information prenatally reported higher satisfaction (OR 2.4). The 40% of mothers who recalled being informed about the meaning of results had higher knowledge about NBS (OR 2.7) and reported higher satisfaction (OR 4.2). Conclusions: Parental education about NBS could place greater emphasis on the prenatal period and on fostering understanding about the meaning of results.

Il presente lavoro di tesi affronta il tema della prevenzione del tumore alla mammella nell’ambito del contesto italiano. Con un primo studio ci si pone l’obiettivo di indagare le conoscenze, le rappresentazioni, le emozioni ed i comportamenti che donne del nord e del sud d’Italia hanno riguardo il concetto di prevenzione del tumore alla mammella. Nello specifico si vuole indagare se la cultura e il luogo di provenienza delle donne hanno un’influenza sulle loro rappresentazioni riguardo l’argomento di interesse. Questo obiettivo è stato perseguito con l’utilizzo di focus group condotti in Lombardia e in Campania. I risultati a questo studio hanno messo in luce notevoli differenze tra i due gruppi, in particolare rispetto alle conoscenze e alle pratiche preventive messe in atto. Con un secondo studio si vuole indagare un ampio campione (N= 2070) di donne lombarde che partecipano allo screening mammografico (programma preventivo offerto dal SSN). All’interno di tale campione si voglio individuare profili psicologici caratterizzanti le donne e i predittori dell’ansia pre-screening, una variabile frequente tra i soggetti che si sottopongono a mammografia preventiva. I risultati a questo studio evidenziano la presenza di tre profili psicologici (cluster) all’interno dei quali si suddivide il campione. Questi profili differenziano le donne e le motivazioni che le conducono a prendere parte al programma di screening. Sempre grazie alle analisi effettuate per soddisfare gli obiettivi del secondo studio è stato possibile determinare che bassa stabilità emotiva, bassa qualità di vita e basso ottimismo hanno influenza nell’incrementare i livelli di ansia in donne in attesa di sottoporsi a screening mammografico. / The present dissertation deals with the topic of breast cancer prevention in the Italian context. The first study of the research aimed to explore the knowledge, the representations, the emotions and the behaviors that northern and southern women have about breast cancer prevention. We want to investigate if cultural and contextual factors influence representations that women have about the topic of interest. We satisfied the objective of the first study conducting focus group in a northern and in a southern region of Italy. The outcome of this study highlighted differences between the two groups especially concerning women knowledge and their behaviors in regard to breast cancer prevention. The second study aimed to investigate a sample (N=2075) of Italian northern women that choose to take part in the national breast cancer screening. The specific objectives of this study were the identification of psychological profiles that characterize this sample and pre-screening anxiety predictors, a common variable among women waiting to have a mammogram. The results at this study highlighted three clusters that differentiated women and the reason why they decide to take part in the prevention program. Analysis performed for the second study identified low emotional stability, low quality of life and low optimism as pre-screening anxiety predictors.

Yes / Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology has the potential to provide a non-invasive, cost-effective method using a timely intervention for detecting early-stage language and cognitive decline in individuals concerned about their memory. The proposed pre-screening language and cognition assessment model (PST-LCAM) is based on the functional linguistic model Role and Reference Grammar (RRG) to analyse and represent the structure and meaning of utterances, via a set of language production and cognition parameters. The model is trained on a DementiaBank dataset with markers of cognitive decline aligned to the global deterioration scale (GDS). A hybrid approach of qualitative linguistic analysis and assessment is applied, which includes the mapping of participants´ tasks of speech utterances and words to RRG phenomena. It uses a metric-based scoring with resulting quantitative scores and qualitative indicators as pre-screening results. This model is to be deployed in a user-centred conversational assessment platform.

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / With compulsory education in the New South· Africa, an increase in the number of school beginners can be expected, together with the probability of large gaps in their readiness for school. In £his study, materials have been developed together with a structure for the organisation of teaching_~!?.r trainers/subject advisers, teachers and pupils, to ensure effective education for school beginners. The "Battery for the Assessment of Bridging period Yields" (BABY) has been developed as a valid, realiable and usable school readiness battery of tests for teachers as unregistered test users. The Pre-Test for division into homogeneous ability groups is applied shortly after entrance to school. The Battery of Diagnostic Tests ensures continuous evaluation of pupils during the school readiness programme. The Post-Test is applied at the end of the first term. In this dynamic interaction between tester and pupil in an instruction-test-instruction cycle, the pupils' readiness to progress with formal instruction is continuously evaluated. / Met verpligte onderwys in die Nuwe Suid-Afrika, kan 'n toename in die getal swart skoolbeginners ve:wag word, asook dat daar in hulle skoolvoorbereiding groot leemtes kan voorkom. In die onderhawige studie is hulpmiddels en 'n struktuur vir onderwysorganisasie vir opleiers/vakadviseurs, onderwyseresse en leerlinge ontwikkel om aan skoolbeginners effektiewe onderwys te verseker. Die "Battery for the Assessment of Bridging period Yields" (BABY), 'n geldige, betroubare en bruikbare skoolgereedheidstoetsbattery vir onderwyseresse as ongeregistreerde toetsgebruikers, is ontwikkel. Die Voortoets vtr indeling in homogene bevoegdheidsgroepe word kort na skooltoetrede toegepas. Die Diagnostiese Toetsbattery verseker deurlopende evaluering van leerlinge gedurende die skoolgereedmakingsprogram. Die Natoets word aan die einde van die eerste kwartaal toegepas. In hierdie dinamiese interaksie tussen toetser en leerling in 'n onderrig-toets-onderrig siklus, word leerlinge se gereedheid om met formele onderrig voort te gaan, deurlopend geevalueer. / Psychology og Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / With compulsory education in the New South· Africa, an increase in the number of school beginners can be expected, together with the probability of large gaps in their readiness for school. In £his study, materials have been developed together with a structure for the organisation of teaching_~!?.r trainers/subject advisers, teachers and pupils, to ensure effective education for school beginners. The "Battery for the Assessment of Bridging period Yields" (BABY) has been developed as a valid, realiable and usable school readiness battery of tests for teachers as unregistered test users. The Pre-Test for division into homogeneous ability groups is applied shortly after entrance to school. The Battery of Diagnostic Tests ensures continuous evaluation of pupils during the school readiness programme. The Post-Test is applied at the end of the first term. In this dynamic interaction between tester and pupil in an instruction-test-instruction cycle, the pupils' readiness to progress with formal instruction is continuously evaluated. / Met verpligte onderwys in die Nuwe Suid-Afrika, kan 'n toename in die getal swart skoolbeginners ve:wag word, asook dat daar in hulle skoolvoorbereiding groot leemtes kan voorkom. In die onderhawige studie is hulpmiddels en 'n struktuur vir onderwysorganisasie vir opleiers/vakadviseurs, onderwyseresse en leerlinge ontwikkel om aan skoolbeginners effektiewe onderwys te verseker. Die "Battery for the Assessment of Bridging period Yields" (BABY), 'n geldige, betroubare en bruikbare skoolgereedheidstoetsbattery vir onderwyseresse as ongeregistreerde toetsgebruikers, is ontwikkel. Die Voortoets vtr indeling in homogene bevoegdheidsgroepe word kort na skooltoetrede toegepas. Die Diagnostiese Toetsbattery verseker deurlopende evaluering van leerlinge gedurende die skoolgereedmakingsprogram. Die Natoets word aan die einde van die eerste kwartaal toegepas. In hierdie dinamiese interaksie tussen toetser en leerling in 'n onderrig-toets-onderrig siklus, word leerlinge se gereedheid om met formele onderrig voort te gaan, deurlopend geevalueer. / Psychology og Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)