The intensification of biofuel production causes negative impacts on soil quality, thus the soil requires adequate assessment to ascertain its quality status, however site-specific nature of results in literature requires independent soil property measurement and assessment depending on specific agroecosystem and management goals. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to investigate seasonal pattern of soil quality, soil water and thermal regimes and performance of sugarcane and tung crops at the experimental station of Soils Department, Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. The sugarcane experiment (three seasons) was established in 2010 under no-tillage; no-tillage + compaction; conventional tillage and chiseling treatments in a randomized complete block design with three replications. In years 2011 and 2012, there was no soil disturbance; however residue mulching was imposed, giving split-plot design. The tung-based cropping system (two seasons, 2012-2014) was a randomized complete block design experiment with four replications. The treatments were: tung-crambe-sunflower/soybean + inorganic fertilizer; tung-crambe-sunflower/soybean + organic manure; tung-oats-peanut; and sole tung (control). Crambe and oats were planted in winter while sunflower (1st year)/soybean (2nd year) and peanut were planted in summer. Disturbed and undisturbed (using cores of known volume) soil samples were collected from soil layers 0-10, 10-20, 20-40 and 40-60 cm in sugarcane, and 0-10, 10-20, 20-40, 40-60 and 60-80 cm in tung for the laboratory determination of soil quality indicators. There was field monitoring of soil water retention, matric potential and soil temperature and agronomic parameters measured include sugarcane yield and tung plant height. Minimum data set for soil quality assessment was made using principal component analysis and soil quality index was obtained using weighted additive method. The temporal patterns of soil water storage and temperature were evaluated using algorithms for time series data. Except for Ma in 0-10 cm layer of tillage plots, both tillage and residue mulching did not significantly affect (p<0.05) the soil quality indicators, overall soil quality, water retention and sugarcane yield. The degree of compaction was not enough to limit sugarcane growth. Residue retention significantly influenced temporal processes of soil temperature and state-time analysis was better than classical regression of time series analysis of soil water storage and temperature. Cropping system did not significantly influence (p<0.05) soil quality indicators, overall SQI and tung plant height, but significant influenced soil water retention. For the two experiments, there was no discernible trend in the seasonal values of soil hydro-physical variables and crop response. / A intensificação da produção de biocombustíveis pode prejudicar a qualidade do solo. Portanto, para evitar a degradação do solo é necessário monitorar periodicamente os atributos mais afetados pela atividade agrícola. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o padrão sazonal da qualidade, da água e regimes térmicos do solo, bem como o desempenho das culturas da cana-de-açúcar e do tungue na estação experimental do Departamento de Solos da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brasil. Para isso foram avaliados dois experimentos. O experimento de cana-de-açúcar (três anos de cultivo) foi implantado em 2010 e os tratamentos foram: plantio direto; plantio direto com compactação adicional; preparo convencional e; escarificado, distribuídos em um delineamento de blocos casualizados com três repetições. Nos anos de 2011 e 2012, não houve revolvimento do solo, mas foi adicionada cobertura vegetal morta, designando um esquema de parcelas subdivididas. Para o sistema de cultivo do tungue (dois anos de cultivo, 2012-2014) foi utilizado um experimento de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram: tungue-crambe-girassol / soja com fertilizantes inorgânicos; tungue-crambe-girassol / soja com adubação orgânica; tungue-aveia-amendoim; e tungue (controle). Crambe e aveia foram plantadas no inverno, enquanto girassol (1° ano) / soja (2º ano) e amendoim foram plantados no verão. Amostras de solo com estrutura alterada e preservada foram coletadas (usando cilindros com 57 mm de diâmetro e 40 mm de altura) nas camadas de 0-10, 10-20, 20-40 e 40-60 cm na cana-de-açúcar, e de 0-10, 10-20, 20-40, 40-60 e 60-80 cm no tungue para a determinação laboratorial dos indicadores de qualidade do solo. Houve o monitoramento á campo da temperatura, umidade potencial matricial da água no solo e parâmetros agronômicos incluindo a produtividade da cana-de-açúcar e altura da planta de tungue. Um conjunto mínimo de dados para a avaliação da qualidade do solo foi obtido através da análise de componentes principais e o índice de qualidade do solo foi obtido pelo método aditivo ponderado. Os padrões temporais de armazenamento de água do solo e a temperatura do solo foram avaliados utilizando algoritmos para dados de séries temporais. Exceto para a macroporosidade, na camada de 0-10 cm dos tratamentos com preparo do solo, o preparo e a cobertura de palha não afetaram significativamente (p <0,05) os indicadores de qualidade do solo, o índice de qualidade do solo, a retenção de água ou a produtividade de cana-de-açúcar. O grau de compactação não foi suficiente para limitar o crescimento da cana-de-açúcar. A permanência da palha na superfície influenciou significativamente os processos temporais de temperatura do solo e a análise temporal foi melhor do que a análise de regressão clássica para a análise das séries temporais de armazenamento de água e temperatura do solo. O sistema de cultivo não influenciou significativamente (p<0,05) os indicadores de qualidade do solo, o índice de qualidade do solo e a altura da planta, mas influenciou significativamente a retenção de água do solo. Nos dois experimentos, não houve nenhuma tendência clara nos valores sazonais de variáveis físico-hídricas do solo e na resposta da cultura.

Esta dissertação apresenta os resultados do estudo de monitoramento da qualidade de água na região hidrográfica da Baixada de Jacarepaguá através de coletas e posterior análise laboratorial realizadas na bacia hidrográfica experimental e representativa do Rio Morto. A bacia possui características predominantes peri-urbanas. / This thesis presents the results of the monitoring study of water quality in the river basin district of Jacarepagua marshland through collections and further laboratory analysis conducted in experimental and representative basin of the Dead River. The basin has peri- urban predominant features .

Background: Sleep disorders have been considered risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including coronary artery disease (CAD). Therefore, poor sleep quality should be frequent complaint in patients with coronary disease. However, in patients with CAD, the prevalence of poor sleepers and factors associated were not properly investigated. Objectives: To evaluate the frequency and the factors associated with poor sleepers in patients with chronic CAD. Method: We used validated questionnaires to examine sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; PSQI), high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (Berlin Questionnaire; BQ), excessive sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Scale; ESS), angina-related health status (Seattle Angina Questionnaire; SAQ) and quality of life (Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form; SF-36) in 257 volunteers with stable CAD, mean age 62.5 ± 10.5 years. We categorized and compared good and poor sleepers, according to PSQI global score. Subsequently, adjusted analysis was performed to investigate the factors associated with poor sleepers and demographics, clinical characteristics, risk for obstructive sleep apnea, excessive sleepiness, angina-related health status and quality of life. Results: The majority of CAD patients (75.1%) were poor sleepers. The adjusted analysis indicated that older patients (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.09; p = 0.004), women gender (OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.48 to 6.45; p = 0.003), lower ejection fraction (OR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.06; p = 0.015), lower physical limitation (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.05; p = 0.020), lower angina stability (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00 to 1.04; p = 0.027), worse angina-related quality of life (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.05; p = 0.002) and lower vitality (OR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00 to 01.03; p = 0.042) were associated with poor sleepers. Conclusion: Poor sleepers were highly frequency in chronic CAD patients. Patients with chronic CAD and poor sleepers present higher age, women gender, lower ejection fraction, higher physical limitation, lower angina stability, lower angina-related quality of life and lower vitality. / Introdução: Distúrbios do sono têm sido considerados fatores de risco para doença cardiovascular, inclusive para doença arterial coronariana (DAC). Portanto, qualidade do sono ruim deve ser queixa frequente em portadores de doença coronariana. Entretanto, em portadores de DAC, a prevalência de qualidade do sono ruim e os fatores associados não foram devidamente investigados. Objetivos: Avaliar a prevalência e investigar os fatores associados à qualidade do sono ruim em pacientes portadores de DAC crônica. Métodos: Foram utilizados questionários validados para examinar a qualidade do sono (Índice de Qualidade de Sono de Pittsburgh; PSQI), o alto risco para apneia obstrutiva do sono (Questionário de Berlim; QB), a sonolência excessiva (Escala de Sonolência de Epworth; ESE), o status funcional relacionado à angina (Questionário de Seattle sobre Crise de Angina; QSA) e a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde (Questionário de Qualidade de Vida SF-36; SF-36), em 257 voluntários com DAC crônica, com idade média de 62,5 ± 10,5 anos. Os pacientes foram categorizados em dois grupos, boa qualidade do sono e qualidade do sono ruim, de acordo com a pontuação global do PSQI. Posteriormente, foi realizada a análise multivariada para investigar a associação entre qualidade do sono ruim e fatores demográficos, características clínicas gerais, risco para apneia obstrutiva do sono, sonolência excessiva, status funcional relacionado à angina e qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde. Resultados: A maioria dos pacientes com DAC crônica (75,1%) apresentaram qualidade do sono ruim. A Análise multivariada indicou que pacientes com idade avançada (OR 1.05, IC 95% 1.02 - 1.09; p = 0,004), gênero feminino (OR 3.09, IC 95% 1.48 - 6.45; p = 0,003), menor fração de ejeção (OR 1.04, IC 95% 1.01 - 1.06; p = 0,015), maior limitação física (OR 1.03, IC 95% 1.00 - 1.05; p = 0,020), menor estabilidade da angina (OR 1.02, IC 95% 1.00 - 1.04; p = 0,027), pior qualidade de vida relacionada à angina (OR 1.03, IC 95% 1.01 - 1.05; p = 0,002) e menor vitalidade (OR 1.02, IC 95% 1.00 - 1.03; p = 0,042), foram associados à qualidade do sono ruim. Conclusão: Qualidade do sono ruim foi altamente frequente em pacientes com DAC crônica. Pacientes portadores de DAC crônica e pior qualidade do sono apresentam maior probabilidade de serem mais idosos, do gênero feminino, apresentarem menor fração de ejeção, maior limitação funcional, menor estabilidade da angina, pior qualidade de vida relacionada à angina e menor vitalidade.

Esta pesquisa de doutorado faz uma avaliação correlacional entre a evolução espacial da rede de monitoramento de qualidade das águas interiores do Estado de São Paulo, através do número de pontos de amostragem e sua respectiva densidade espacial ao longo dos 30 anos de existência da mesma e o crescimento populacional, através da densidade populacional dos municípios inseridos nas 22 unidades de gerenciamento de recursos hídricos do Estado de São Paulo. Analisa também se estes pontos mantiveram a capacidade de representar o status da qualidade da água em função do crescimento populacional, e se é necessário expandir ou adensar a rede em determinadas regiões. Esta comparação ficou mais racional com o uso dos recursos das geotecnologias e da análise multicritério aplicada ao planejamento e gerenciamento de recursos hídricos, com a construção do SIG SP_WATERNET e através da criação de um índice de avaliação do monitoramento que relaciona as 22 unidades espacialmente e ao longo do período estudado. Este índice pode ressaltar o grau de abrangência e de vulnerabilidade da rede de monitoramento das águas interiores superficiais no Estado de São Paulo. / This Ph.D. research makes a correlational evaluation between the spatial evolution of the monitoring network of inland surface waters of State of São Paulo, through the number of sampling points and its density throughout the 30 years of existence of same and the population growth (urbanization) and the population density in the 22 units of water management units of the São Paulo State. It also analyzes if these points had kept the capacity to represent the status of the quality of the water in function of the population growth, and if it is necessary to expand or to rearrange the network in some regions. This comparison was more rational with the use of the resources of the geo-information applied for water resources planning and management, with the construction of SIG SP_WATERNET and with the proposal of an multi-criteria evaluation monitoring index concerning the 22 water management units throughout a studied period. This index can point out the coverage or the vulnerability of the monitoring efficiency of the superficial waters network of São Paulo State.

L'impression, bien qu'étant une technique ancienne pour la coloration de surfaces, a connu un progrès considérable ces dernières années essentiellement grâce à la révolution du numérique. Les professionnels souhaitant remplir les exigences en termes de qualité du rendu visuel de leurs clients veulent donc savoir dans quelle mesure des observateurs humains sont sensibles à la dégradation d'une image. De telles questions concernant la qualité perçue d'une image reproduite peuvent être séparées en deux sujets différents: La qualité de l'impression, comme la capacité d'un système d'impression à reproduire fidèlement l'image d'origine, et la qualité d'une image imprimée, résultant à la fois de la qualité de reproduction, mais aussi de la qualité même de l'image numérique d'origine. Ce premier concept repose sur une analyse physique de la façon dont l'image d'origine est dégradée lors de son transfert sur un support, et nous proposons de la coupler avec une analyse sensorielle, visant à évaluer des attributs perceptuels et leur donner une valeur sur une certaine échelle, déterminée par des échantillons de référence classés par un ensemble d'observateurs. Le second concept inclut cette dégradation due à l’impression mais aussi la qualité perçu de l’image d’origine, qui ne fait pas parti de notre étude. Notre approche consiste d'abord à définir les différents indices de qualité, basés sur des critères mesurables en utilisant des outils d'évaluation basés sur des algorithmes "objectifs" de traitement d'image et des modèles optiques, sur une image imprimée-scannée. Thèse réalisée au Laboratoire Hubert Curien / Printing, though an old technique for surface coloration, considerably progressed these last decades especially thanks to the digital revolution. Professionals who want to meet the demands in terms of quality regarding the visual rendering of their clients thus want to know to which extent human observers are sensitive to the degradation of an image. Such questions regarding the perceived quality of a reproduced image can be split into two different topics: the printing quality as capacity of a printing system of accurately reproduce an original digital image, and the printed image quality which results from both the reproduction quality and the quality of the original image itself. The first concept relies on physical analysis of the way the original image is deteriorated when transferred onto the support, and we propose to couple it with a sensorial analysis, which aims at assessing perceptual attributes by giving them a value on a certain scale, determined with respect to reference samples classified by a set of observers. The second concept includes the degradation due to the printing plus the perceived quality of the original image, not in the scope of this work. In this report, we focus on the printing quality concept. Our approach first consists in the definition of several printing quality indices, based on measurable criteria using assessment tools based on “objective” image processing algorithms and optical models on a printed-then-scanned image. PhD work made in Hubert Curien Laboratory

For railways, risk analysis is carried out to identify hazardous situations and their consequences. Until recently, classical methods such as Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) and Event Tree Analysis (ETA) were applied in modelling the linear and logically deterministic aspects of railway risks, safety and reliability. However, it has been proven that modern railway systems are rather complex, involving multi-dependencies between system variables and uncertainties about these dependencies. For train derailment accidents, for instance, high train speed is a common cause of failure; slip and failure of brake applications are disjoint events; failure dependency exists between the train protection and warning system and driver errors; driver errors are time dependent and there is functional uncertainty in derailment conditions. Failing to incorporate these aspects of a complex system leads to wrong estimations of the risks and safety, and, consequently, to wrong management decisions. Furthermore, a complex railway system integrates various technologies and is operated in an environment where the behaviour and failure modes of the system are difficult to model using probabilistic techniques. Modelling and quantification of the railway risk and safety problems that involve dependencies and uncertainties such as mentioned above are complex tasks. Importance measures are useful in the ranking of components, which are significant with respect to the risk, safety and reliability of a railway system. The computation of importance measures using FTA has limitation for complex railways. ALARP (As Low as Reasonably Possible) risk acceptance criteria are widely accepted as ’\'best practice’’ in the railways. According to the ALARP approach, a tolerable region exists between the regions of intolerable and negligible risks. In the tolerable region, risk is undertaken only if a benefit is desired. In this case, one needs to have additional criteria to identify the socio-economic benefits of adopting a safety measure for railway facilities. The Life Quality Index (LQI) is a rational way of establishing a relation between the financial resources utilized to improve the safety of an engineering system and the potential fatalities that can be avoided by safety improvement. This thesis shows the application of the LQI approach to quantifying the social benefits of a number of safety management plans for a railway facility. We apply Bayesian Networks and influence diagrams, which are extensions of Bayesian Networks, to model and assess the life safety risks associated with railways. Bayesian Networks are directed acyclic probabilistic graphical models that handle the joint distribution of random variables in a compact and flexible way. In influence diagrams, problems of probabilistic inference and decision making – based on utility functions – can be combined and optimized, especially, for systems with many dependencies and uncertainties. The optimal decision, which maximizes the total benefits to society, is obtained. In this thesis, the application of Bayesian Networks to the railway industry is investigated for the purpose of improving modelling and the analysis of risk, safety and reliability in railways. One example application and two real world applications are presented to show the usefulness and suitability of the Bayesian Networks for the quantitative risk assessment and risk-based decision support in reference to railways.:ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IV ABSTRACT VI ZUSAMMENFASSUNG VIII LIST OF FIGURES XIV LIST OF TABLES XVI CHAPTER 1: Introduction 1 1.1 Need to model and quantify the causes and consequences of hazards on railways 1 1.2 State-of-the art techniques in the railway 2 1.3 Goals and scope of work 4 1.4 Existing work 6 1.5 Outline of the thesis 7 CHAPTER 2: Methods for safety and risk analysis 10 2.1 Introduction 10 2.1.1 Simplified risk analysis 12 2.1.2 Standard risk analysis 12 2.1.3 Model-based risk analysis 12 2.2 Risk Matrix 14 2.2.1 Determine the possible consequences 14 2.2.2 Likelihood of occurrence 15 2.2.3 Risk scoring matrix 15 2.3 Failure Modes & Effect Analysis – FMEA 16 2.3.1 Example application of FMEA 17 2.4 Fault Tree Analysis – FTA 19 2.5 Reliability Block Diagram – RBD 22 2.6 Event Tree Analysis – ETA 24 2.7 Safety Risk Model – SRM 25 2.8 Markov Model – MM 27 2.9 Quantification of expected values 31 2.9.1 Bayesian Analysis – BA 35 2.9.2 Hazard Function – HF 39 2.9.3 Monte Carlo (MC) Simulation 42 2.10 Summary 46 CHAPTER 3: Introduction to Bayesian Networks 48 3.1 Terminology in Bayesian Networks 48 3.2 Construction of Bayesian Networks 49 3.3 Conditional independence in Bayesian Networks 51 3.4 Joint probability distribution in Bayesian Networks 52 3.5 Probabilistic Inference in Bayesian Networks 53 3.6 Probabilistic inference by enumeration 54 3.7 Probabilistic inference by variable elimination 55 3.8 Approximate inference for Bayesian Networks 57 3.9 Dynamic Bayesian Networks 58 3.10 Influence diagrams (IDs) 60 CHAPTER 4: Risk acceptance criteria and safety targets 62 4.1 Introduction 62 4.2 ALARP (As Low As Reasonably Possible) criteria 62 4.3 MEM (Minimum Endogenous Mortality) criterion 63 4.4 MGS (Mindestens Gleiche Sicherheit) criteria 64 4.5 Safety Integrity Levels (SILs) 65 4.6 Importance Measures (IMs) 66 4.7 Life Quality Index (LQI) 68 4.8 Summary 72 CHAPTER 5: Application of Bayesian Networks to complex railways: A study on derailment accidents 73 5.1 Introduction 73 5.2 Fault Tree Analysis for train derailment due to SPAD 74 5.2.1 Computation of importance measures using FTA 75 5.3 Event Tree Analysis (ETA) 78 5.4 Mapping Fault Tree and Event Tree based risk model to Bayesian Networks 79 5.4.1 Computation of importance measures using Bayesian Networks 81 5.5 Risk quantification 82 5.6 Advanced aspects of example application 83 5.6.1 Advanced aspect 1: Common cause failures 83 5.6.2 Advanced aspect 2: Disjoint events 84 5.6.3 Advanced aspect 3: Multistate system and components 84 5.6.4 Advanced aspect 4: Failure dependency 85 5.6.5 Advanced aspect 5: Time dependencies 85 5.6.6 Advanced aspect 6: Functional uncertainty and factual knowledge 85 5.6.7 Advanced aspect 7: Uncertainty in expert knowledge 86 5.6.8 Advanced aspect 8: Simplifications and dependencies in Event Tree Analysis 86 5.7 Implementation of the advanced aspects of the train derailment model using Bayesian Networks. 88 5.8 Results and discussions 92 5.9 Summary 93 CHAPTER 6: Bayesian Networks for risk-informed safety requirements for platform screen doors in railways 94 6.1 Introduction 94 6.2 Components of the risk-informed safety requirement process for Platform Screen Door system in a mega city 97 6.2.1 Define objective and methodology 97 6.2.2 Familiarization of system and information gathering 97 6.2.3 Hazard identification and hazard classification 97 6.2.4 Hazard scenario analysis 98 6.2.5 Probability of occurrence and failure data 99 6.2.6 Quantification of the risks 105 6.2.6.1. Tolerable risks 105 6.2.6.2. Risk exposure 105 6.2.6.3. Risk assessment 106 6.3 Summary 107 CHAPTER 7: Influence diagrams based decision support for railway level crossings 108 7.1 Introduction 108 7.2 Level crossing accidents in railways 109 7.3 A case study of railway level crossing 110 7.4 Characteristics of the railway level crossing under investigation 111 7.5 Life quality index applied to railway level crossing risk problem 115 7.6 Summary 119 CHAPTER 8: Conclusions and outlook 120 8.1 Summary and important contributions 120 8.2 Originality of the work 122 8.3 Outlook 122 BIBLIOGRAPHY 124 APPENDIX 1 131

Ongoing development of modern society, based on consumption of goods and services, leads to the increase of compulsoriness of economic agents to face market requirements by increasing the degree of local and regional industrialization. Establishment of new economic activities generates negative pressures on the environment and surface waters, generating increased pollution, manifested by vulnerability of aquatic ecosystems to stressors. Preliminary studies carried out within the doctoral thesis entitled 'Research on the evolution, magnitude and complexity of the impact of economic activities on the East Jiu' include information on characteristic elements of the East Jiu River basin, in accordance with the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/CE. The objectives of the field research aimed to identify economic activities in the eastern Jiu Valley generating an impact on the environment (especially the mining industry, but also timber exploitation and processing, local agriculture, animal husbandry and waste storage), establishing a quarterly monitoring program of the river basin, identification of flora and fauna species and identification of areas vulnerable to potential pollution. Based on observations made in situ and on information obtained from the evolution process of the monitoring program, the appropriate methodologies for assessing physical-chemical and ecological quality of the water were selected. Study of the evolution of the impact generated by economic activities on the East Jiu was carried out by mathematical modelling, with finite volumes, of the East Jiu River basin and plotting of pollutant dispersion maps. The magnitude and complexity of impact generated by economic activities was studied by using a complex system based on fuzzy logic, designed based on interactions between natural and artificial systems, between physical-chemical indicators of water and ecosystem. The research carried out substantiates in development of necessary technical measures to reduce the impact generated by economic activities located in eastern Jiu Valley, without significantly changing the hydrodynamics of the river basin. Following research, during different research stages, methods, techniques and tools were designed and accomplished with the help of which, water and aquatic ecosystems’ quality can be assessed, as well as the impact generated by human activity on the Jiu River, at a given moment and/or continuously.:CONTENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SUMMARY LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF TABLES ABBREVIATIONS INTRODUCTION PURPOSE OF THE THESIS AND RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CHAPTER 1 THE EAST JIUL RIVER HYDROGRAPHIC BASIN 1.1. Soil and subsoil of the Eastern part of Jiu Valley 1.2. Climate description of the Eastern part of Jiu Valley 1.3. Geology particularities of the Eastern part of Jiu Valley 1.4. Groundwater features of the Eastern part of Jiu Valley 1.5. Flora and fauna of the Eastern part of Jiu Valley CHAPTER 2 SOURCES OF IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF WATER, RIPARIAN, TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS 2.1. Mining industry 2.2. Wood processing industry in the Eastern part of Jiu Valley 2.3. Urban agriculture and local animal husbandry 2.4. Inappropriate urban household waste storage CHAPTER 3 MONITORING PROGRAM AND METHODS OF EVALUATION OF THE QUALITY OF THE EAST JIUL RIVER 3.1. Establishment of monitoring (control) sections 3.2. Monitoring program of the East Jiu River basin 3.3. Sampling, transport and analysis of water samples 3.4. Methodology used to establish the water quality CHAPTER 4 QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF WATER IN THE EASTERN JIU HYDROGRAPHIC BASIN 4.1. Section 1 - Jieț River - upstream of household settlements (blank assay) 4.2. Section 2 - East Jiu River - in the area of Tirici village 4.3. Section 3 - Răscoala brook - before the confluence with East Jiu River 4.4. Section 4 - East Jiu River - after the confluence with the Răscoala brook 4.5. Section 5 - Taia River - upstream of the confluence with East Jiu River 4.6. Section 6 - East Jiu River - before the confluence with the Taia River 4.7. Section 7 - East Jiu River - after the confluence with the Taia River 4.8. Section 8 - Jiet River downstream of household settlements 4.9. Section 9 - East Jiu River - after the confluence with the Jieț River 4.10. Section 10 - East Jiu River - before the confluence with Banița River 4.11. Section 11 - Roşia River - upstream of household settlements 4.12. Section 12 - Bănița River - after the confluence with the Roșia River 4.13. Section 13 - East Jiu River - after the confluence with the Banița River 4.14. Section 14 - Maleia River - before the confluence with East Jiu River 4.15. Section 15 - Slătioara River - before the confluence with East Jiu River 4.16. Section 16 – East Jiu River - before the confluence with West Jiu River CHAPTER 5 INFLUENCES OF PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL FACTORS ON AQUATIC ICHTHYOFAUNA IN THE EAST JIU RIVER BASIN 5.1. Total suspended solids and aquatic ecosystems 5.2. Acidity or basicity reaction of surface watercourses 5.3. Aquatic ecosystem requirements for gas oversaturation 5.4. Nitrogenous compounds in watercourse 5.5. Phenols, aquatic ecosystems and water quality CHAPTER 6 ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT GENERATED BY ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN THE EASTERN PART OF JIU VALLEY 6.1. Impact analysis of mining industry in the Eastern Part of Jiu Valley 6.2. The general impact of Eastern Jiu Valley dumps to water quality 6.3. Research on effective infiltration in the Eastern part of Jiu Valley 6.4. Research on groundwater quality in the Eastern part of Jiu Valley 6.5. Analysis of the impact generated by local micro-agriculture 6.6. Analysis of the impact generated by deforestation and wood processing 6.7. Analysis of the impact generated by non-compliant landfilling of waste CHAPTER 7 EVOLUTION OF THE IMPACT GENERATED BY ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN THE EASTERN JIU VALLEY 7.1. Analysis of the dynamic elements of the watercourse - RMA2 mode 7.2. Analysis of pollutants concentration evolution in the water course - RMA4 module 7.3. Computational field and composition of the energy model of the East Jiu River 7.4. Extension and evolution of the impact generated by economic activities on the East Jiu River 7.5. Extension and evolution of the impact caused by organic pollution of the East Jiu River CHAPTER 8 MAGNITUDE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE IMPACT GENERATED BY ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN THE EASTERN JIU VALLEY 8.1. Definition of input linguistic variables 8.2. Linguistic outputs of the fuzzy interference system 8.3. Defining the Black Box set of rules 8.4. Proficiency testing of complex systems based on fuzzy logic 8.5. While it is all about the wheel do not forget about the cube CONCLUSIONS AND PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS REFERENCES

本文旨在探討透過權力分享式民主與審議式民主的取徑，來緩解當前台灣民主困境的可行性。 首先，本文討論了當前台灣民主困境的成因，以及藍綠雙方的根本差異。同時指出，台灣當前的民主困境可被視為一種極度分裂社會的狀態來理解，並將台灣民主困境的關鍵難題，定位在認同差異與政治不信任。 其次，本文從既有的權力分享式民主的文獻中，梳理出有助於解決當前台灣民主困境的「規範性概念」與「經驗性證據」；做為權力分享式民主對當前台灣民主困境的回應。經過分析後發現，利用協合式民主去處理當前台灣民主困境，應是個值得嘗試的方向。若將協合式民主中菁英間的決策模式，改由審議取代議價，則此種修正型的協合式民主可為長期解決族群衝突提供更多的可能性。 繼之，本文從既有的審議式民主的文獻中，梳理出有助於解決當前台灣民主困境的「規範性理念」與「經驗性證據」，作為審議式民主對於當前台灣民主困境的回應。經過分析後發現，理論上，審議式民主的理想審議是可以解決當前台灣民主困境，只不過理想言說情境在現實生活中很難達成。但是這並不排除理想言說情境是可以近似達成的。不過文獻中迄今仍無經驗證據顯示，單獨利用審議式民主可以解決在極度分裂社會中的國家認同問題。為了讓對立雙方願意自由參加對話、願意相互尊重，以及願意理性溝通，必須提供誘因，而權力分享就是一種誘因。此外，為了判斷對話或審議環境是否接近理想言說情境，必須要有量化的測量工具，而話語品質指數(DQI)就是一種工具。因此，權力分享與DQI，就是強化審議式民主的兩種有效工具。 面對當前台灣民主困境，本文最後提出了一個結合協合式民主與審議式民主(即修正型的協合式民主)的現階段策略的建議。 / This thesis explores the feasibility of mitigating ethnic conflict of current Taiwan employing the methods of power-sharing democracy and deliberative democracy. First of all, the causes and the key difficult problems of democratic predicament, and the dispute in national identity between the pan-blue and pan-green camps, as those currently exist in Taiwan, are discussed in greater detail. The key difficult problems appear to be conflict in identities and political distrust. Next, based on the existing literature of power-sharing democracy, this thesis identifies the normative ideas and empirical evidences that are relevant to the settlement of democratic predicament of current Taiwan. After an in depth analysis, it concludes that the use of consociational approach to manage democratic predicament of current Taiwan should be the direction worth trying. The so-called modified consociational democracy, which is formed to meet the deliberative requirements of publicity and reciprocity, by replacing consociational decision making with deliberation, may provide more possibility for longer-term goal of ethnic conflict resolution. Likewise, based on the existing literature of deliberative democracy, this thesis identifies the normative ideas and empirical evidences that are relevant to the settlement of democratic predicament of current Taiwan. After an in depth analysis, it concludes that, theoretically, the use of ideal deliberation approach appears capable of dealing with the democratic predicament of current Taiwan. Although it is not possible to create Habermas’s ideal speech situation on a precise level, it is possible to achieve ISS approximately. However, there did not exist any empirical evidence in the literature to demonstrate that the application of deliberative democracy alone may provide conflict resolution of the national identity problem in deeply divided societies. In order to let both sides of the conflicting groups be willing to participate freely in the dialogue, be willing to respect one another, and be willing to communicate rationally, it is necessarily to provide both sides with power-sharing incentives tailored to make both sides feel absolutely secure. In addition, in order to evaluate how close the dialogue or deliberative approaches the conditions of ideal speech situation, it is necessarily to have a quantitative measuring instrument at our disposal and the discourse quality index (DQI) is such an instrument. Therefore, power-sharing and DQI tend to form two effective tools for strengthening the deliberative democracy. Finally, this thesis proposes the modified consociational democracy as the present stage strategy for the resolution of democratic predicament of current Taiwan.

While decision-making under uncertainty is a major universal problem, its implications in the field of transportation systems are especially enormous; where the benefits of right decisions are tremendous, the consequences of wrong ones are potentially disastrous. In the realm of highway systems, decisions related to the highway configuration (number of lanes, right of way, etc.) need to incorporate both the traffic demand and land price uncertainties. In the literature, these uncertainties have generally been modeled using the Geometric Brownian Motion (GBM) process, which has been used extensively in modeling many other real life phenomena. But few scholars, including those who used the GBM in highway configuration decisions, have offered any rigorous justification for the use of this model. This thesis attempts to offer a detailed analysis of various aspects of transportation systems in relation to decision-making. It reveals some general insights as well as a new concept that extends the notion of opportunity cost to situations where wrong decisions could be made. Claiming deficiency of the GBM model, it also introduces a new formulation that utilizes a large and flexible parametric family of jump models (i.e., Lévy processes). To validate this claim, data related to traffic demand and land prices were collected and analyzed to reveal that their distributions, heavy-tailed and asymmetric, do not match well with the GBM model. As a remedy, this research used the Merton, Kou, and negative inverse Gaussian Lévy processes as possible alternatives. Though the results show indifference in relation to final decisions among the models, mathematically, they improve the precision of uncertainty models and the decision-making process. This furthers the quest for optimality in highway projects and beyond.

While decision-making under uncertainty is a major universal problem, its implications in the field of transportation systems are especially enormous; where the benefits of right decisions are tremendous, the consequences of wrong ones are potentially disastrous. In the realm of highway systems, decisions related to the highway configuration (number of lanes, right of way, etc.) need to incorporate both the traffic demand and land price uncertainties. In the literature, these uncertainties have generally been modeled using the Geometric Brownian Motion (GBM) process, which has been used extensively in modeling many other real life phenomena. But few scholars, including those who used the GBM in highway configuration decisions, have offered any rigorous justification for the use of this model. This thesis attempts to offer a detailed analysis of various aspects of transportation systems in relation to decision-making. It reveals some general insights as well as a new concept that extends the notion of opportunity cost to situations where wrong decisions could be made. Claiming deficiency of the GBM model, it also introduces a new formulation that utilizes a large and flexible parametric family of jump models (i.e., Lévy processes). To validate this claim, data related to traffic demand and land prices were collected and analyzed to reveal that their distributions, heavy-tailed and asymmetric, do not match well with the GBM model. As a remedy, this research used the Merton, Kou, and negative inverse Gaussian Lévy processes as possible alternatives. Though the results show indifference in relation to final decisions among the models, mathematically, they improve the precision of uncertainty models and the decision-making process. This furthers the quest for optimality in highway projects and beyond.