Theoretically, the use of Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) holds promise of numerous benefits in healthcare provision, including improvement in continuity of care, quality of care and safety. However, in practice, there is evidence that the adoption of electronic medical records has been slow and where adopted, often lacks meaningful use. Thus there is a clear dichotomy between the ambitions for EMR use and the reality of EMR implementation. In the USA, a legislative approach was taken to turn around the situation. Other countries such as Canada and European countries have followed suit (in their own way) to address the adoption and meaningful use of electronic medical records. The South African e-Health strategy and the National Health Normative Standards Framework for Interoperability in eHealth in South Africa documents both recommend the adoption of EMRs. Much work has been done to establish a baseline for standards to ensure interoperability and data portability of healthcare applications and data. However, even with the increased focus on e-Health, South Africa remains excessively reliant on paper-based medical records. Where health information technologies have been adopted, there is lack of coordination between and within provinces, leading to a multitude of systems and vendors. Thus there is a lack of systematic adoption and meaningful use of EMRs in South Africa. The main objective of this research is to develop the components required to engender meaningful use of electronic medical records in the South African healthcare context. The main contributors are identified as EMR certification and consistent, proper use of certified EMRs. Literature review, a Delphi study and logical argumentation are used to develop the relevant components for the South African healthcare context. The benefits of EMRs can only be realized through systematic adoption and meaningful use of EMRs, thus this research contributes to providing a road map for engendering the meaningful use of EMRs with the ultimate aim of improving healthcare in the South African healthcare landscape.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:55:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JulianoRSA_DISSERT.pdf: 4399456 bytes, checksum: 8d53781b4f639461b07950fb560261a7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-07-04 / The evolution of automation in recent years made possible the continuous monitoring of the processes of industrial plants. With this advance, the amount of information that automation systems are subjected to increased significantly. The alarms generated by the monitoring equipment are a major contributor to this increase, and the equipments are usually deployed in industrial plants without a formal methodology, which entails an increase in the number of alarms generated, thus overloading the alarm system and therefore the operators of such plants. In this context, the works of alarm management comes up with the objective of defining a formal methodology for installation of new equipment and detect problems in existing settings. This thesis aims to propose a set of metrics for the evaluation of alarm systems already deployed, so that you can identify the health of this system by analyzing the proposed indices and comparing them with parameters defined in the technical norms of alarm management. In addition, the metrics will track the work of alarm management, verifying if it is improving the quality of the alarm system. To validate the proposed metrics, data from actual process plants of the petrochemical industry were used / A evolu??o da automa??o nos ?ltimos anos tornou poss?vel o monitoramento cont?nuo dos processos de plantas industriais. Com esse avan?o, a quantidade de informa??o que os sistemas de automa??o est?o submetidos aumentou significativamente. Os alarmes gerados pelos equipamentos de monitora??o s?o um dos principais respons?veis por esse aumento, sendo que eles geralmente s?o implantados nas plantas industriais sem uma metodologia formal, o que acarreta um aumento do n?mero de alarmes gerados, sobrecarregando, assim, os sistemas de alarmes e por consequ?ncia os operadores dessas plantas. Neste contexto, o trabalho de gerenciamento de alarmes surge com o objetivo de definir uma metodologia formal para a instala??o de novos equipamentos e detectar problemas nas configura??es existentes. Esta disserta??o visa propor um conjunto de m?tricas para a avalia??o dos sistemas de alarmes j? implantados, de forma que seja poss?vel identificar a sa?de deste sistema analisando-se os ?ndices propostos e comparando-os com os par?metros definidos em normas t?cnicas da ?rea de gest?o de alarmes. Al?m disso, as m?tricas permitir?o o acompanhamento do trabalho de gerenciamento de alarmes, verificando se o mesmo est? melhorando a qualidade do sistema de alarme. Para valida??o das m?tricas propostas, utilizou-se dados provenientes de plantas de processo reais da ind?stria petroqu?mica

This thesis examines the problem of providing high data-rate wireless connectivity to users in indoor environments. The goal is to be able to reach Gbps/user rates even when there are multiple users present. The technology that we study is to use the 60 GHz spectrum whose special propagation properties make it ideally suited to this task. The approaches developed include using multiple spatially distributed smart antennas in a room or multiple co-located antennas to provide coverage where needed and when needed. All the antennas are connected to a single access point which allows us to dynamically change spectrum and link allocation among the users (as they move or as their needs change). The innovations in this work include the exploitation of the special properties of 60 GHz and the corresponding design of algorithms for efficient spectrum allocation. We use detailed simulations to demonstrate that very high data rates are indeed achievable.

Thesis: M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, 1980 / Bibliography: leaf 85. / by Hong Kien Ong. / M.S. / M.S. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management

Thesis (Ph.D. (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / Various types of management practices/institutional arrangements of the irrigation schemes exist in the world. According to the principles delineated in literatures, these irrigation schemes are categorized in terms of their management practices. The study was designed to compare the level of technical efficiency of farmers at different management practices of the irrigation schemes (i.e. integrated, specialised and multipurpose water management practices of the irrigation schemes) in Limpopo Province. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire which was administered on 200 farmers at different irrigation schemes. Stochastic frontier production function of Cobb-Douglas type was employed to analyse the data and thereby ascertain the level of technical efficiency and its determinants. The results indicated the mean technical efficiency of 0.74, 0.72 and 0.76 for the integrated, specialised and multipurpose water management practices of the irrigation schemes respectively which implied that, there is a greater scope to increase maize, tomato, onion and spinach production with the current technology and resources available at the irrigation schemes. The most important contributors in maize, tomato, onion and spinach production efficiencies were seed, fertilizer, capital and land. Thus an appropriate amount of seed, fertilizer, capital and land could increase the productivity of maize, tomato, onion and spinach. The results further revealed that education level of farmers, age of the farmers and land size were negatively significant toward the technical inefficiency of farmers at different irrigation schemes, which imply that an increase in any of the three variables will reduce the inefficiency and enhance the efficiency. While the family size of the farmer was positively significant, which implies that the bigger the family size, the higher the inefficiency farmers would become for the production of maize, tomato, onion and spinach. Gender and income level of the farmers at different irrigation schemes were revealed to be insignificant toward the inefficiency. The institutional arrangements or the management practice of the irrigation schemes showed slight differences in affecting the efficiency of farmers at different irrigation schemes. Policies designed to educate famers at different irrigation schemes through proper agricultural extension services could have a great impact in increasing the level of efficiency and hence maize, tomato, onion and spinach productivities. The Department of Agriculture should allocate more funds to strengthening the extension directorate and expanding the delivery of extension services to farmers at different irrigation schemes. Irrigation schemes were established in order to insure food security, alleviate poverty, job creation, among others. Therefore, it is of paramount importance for the government of South Africa in collaboration with the private sector to revitalise the irrigation schemes in Limpopo Province irrespective of the institutional arrangements. It is of vital concern for the policy makers to focus on the benefits of economies of scale in agricultural farming system. Therefore, land size should be increased for the farmers in integrated water management practice of the irrigation schemes to an optimum level in order for them to improve the level of technical efficiency.

Thesis (MScEng (Civil Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this research a Real-Time hydrodynamic optimisation model of the Orange-Fish-Sundays River (OFS) system which uses real-time data in order to forecast release hydrographs, is evaluated. The OFS system stretches over three catchment areas in the Eastern Cape namely Great Fish, Little Fish and Sundays Rivers. The OFS supplies water from the Orange River through a 800 km system of canals, tunnels, dams and rivers to registered water users in this area. In order to cope with increasing pressures on water saving, water demand, water quality and dam safety, the Department of Water Affairs implemented this Orange Fish Sundays-Real Time (OFS-RT) system to calculate the optimal water flow, by running customised Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI) MIKE11 software. The system utilizes an optimisation module that evaluates the simulated outcome at seven water release structures (dams, weirs and tunnels). Then during the optimisation process performs more adjustments to reach the objectives of the system to obtain the forecast release hydrographs. This OFS-RT model aims at target based objectives, using: (i) Hydras real-time field data of dam water levels, river flows and water quality from the area sent to the control office main computer at four hourly intervals via SMS and (ii) abstractors weekly water requests. This system takes irrigation and domestic demand into account as well as water quality, evaporation, rainfall, dam levels, dam safety, instream flow requirements and tributary flow. In order to manage the water flows through the OFS system the OFS-RT model forecasts the release hydrographs and uploads the predictions to a website to smooth operational procedures. The target outcomes were tested and evaluated during this research and it was found that the OFS- RT model succeeded in delivering release forecasts for the seven control structures to manage the OFS system. This research proved that management of river systems by using a real-time hydrodynamic model with optimisation is a useful tool for the optimal utilisation of water resources. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie navoring is die evaluering van „n intydse hidrodinamiese optimiseringsmodel van die Oranje-Vis-Sondagsrivier (OVS) stelsel wat intydse data ontvang en loslatings hidrograwe verskaf. Die OVS stelsel strek oor drie opvangsgebiede in die Oos-Kaap: naamlik die Groot Vis-, Klein Vis- en Sondagsriviere en voorsien water vanuit die Oranjerivier deur „n 800 km stelsel van kanale, tonnels, damme en riviere, aan geregistreerde waterverbruikers in die gebied. Ten einde te voldoen aan die eise van waterbesparings, stygende vraag na water, die verskaffing van goeie water gehalte en damveiligheid, het die Departement van Waterwese „n intydse rekenaar model (OVS-IT) geïmplimenteer om die optimale watervloei deur middel van die aangepaste MIKE11 sagteware van die Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI) te bereken. Hierdie stelsel maak gebruik van „n optimisering module wat die gesimuleerde uitkomste van verstellings aan sewe waterloslatingstrukture evalueer. Met optimisering word die verlangde hidrograaf deur verder aanpassings verkry. Data wat nodig is om die OVS-IT model se doel te bereik is: (i) Hydras intydse velddata van damwatervlakke, riviervloeie en water gehalte van die gebied ontvang deur die beheerkantoor se hoofrekenaar via SMS elke vier ure, en (ii) water verbruikers se weeklikse wateraanvrae Die stelsel neem die besproeiing en huishoudelike aanvraag in ag, sowel as soutgehalte, verdamping, reënval, damvlakke, dam veiligheid, stroom vloei vereistes en sytak byvloei. Die OVS se watervloei word beheer deur voorspelde loslatings hidrograwe, opgesom op „n webwerf wat die uitvoer prosedures aandui. Die intydse hidrodinamiese model met optimisering het volgens hierdie navorsing daarin geslaag om vir die beheer van die OVS stelsel, die loslatings van sewe beheerstrukture akkuraat te voorspel en bevind dat die model „n waardevolle instrument is vir die optimale bestuur van waterhulpbronne.

Thesis (Dr.P.H.)--University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, School of Public Health, 1983. / Typescript. Dissertation Abstracts International order no. 84-08513. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 140-143).

The objective of the proposed research is to develop interference-aware resource management techniques for CR networks that opportunistically operate within the licensed primary networks spectrum and to investigate the application of such CR techniques to emerging wireless networks. In this thesis, we report on a set of laboratory experiments that we undertook to analyze the interference between the CR-based wireless regional-area network (WRAN) standard and the digital television (DTV) broadcasting system. We determined the tolerable levels of WRAN interference into DTV receivers and studied the effect of these interference levels on WRAN deployment. Based on the need for efficient utilization of the primary network spectrum, we propose efficient interference-aware radio resource allocation (RRA) techniques for orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) CR networks. These RRA techniques aim to maximize the CR network throughput and to keep the CR interference to the primary network at or below a predefined threshold, known as the "interference temperature" limit. Moreover, we propose a joint spectrum-sensing design and power control algorithm that lead to increased CR network throughput and efficient protection of the PUs from undue interference. Interference coordination (IC) is considered a key technique for capacity maximization in emerging heterogeneous wireless networks. We propose a CR-based IC and RRA algorithm for OFDMA femtocell deployments to achieve efficient spectrum utilization and maximum network throughput. CR is envisioned as a key enabling technology for future wireless networks; our novel CR techniques will provide other researchers useful tools to design such networks.

The complex co-evolutionary systems approach -CCeSA - provides a well-suited framework for analysing agricultural systems, serving as a bridge between physical and socioeconomic sciences, alowing for the explaination of phenomena, and for the use of metaphors for thinking and action. By studying agricultural systems as self-generated, hierarchical, complex co-evolutionary farming systems - CCeFSs -, one can investigate the interconnections between the elements that constitute CCeFSs, along with the relationships between CCeFSs and other sytems, as a fundamental step to understanding sustainability as an emergent property of the system. CCeFSs are defined as human activity systems emerging from the purposes, gestalt, mental models, history and weltanschauung of the farm manager, and from his dynamic co-evolution with the environment while managing the resources at his hand to achieve his own multiple, conflicting, dynamic, semi-structured, and often incommensurable and conflicting purposes while performing above thresholds for failure, and enough flexibility to dynamically co-evolve with its changing biophysical and socioeconomic environment for a given future period. Fitness and flexibility are essential features of sustainable CCeFSs because they describe the systems' dynamic capacity to explore and exploit their dynamic phase space while co-evolving with it. This implies that a sustainable CCeFS is conceived as a set of dynamic, co-evolutionary processes, contrasting with the standard view of sustainability as an equilibrium or steady-state. Achieving sustainable CCeFSs is a semi-structured, constrained, multi-objective and dynamic optimisation management problem, with an intractable search space, that can be solved within CCeSA with the help of a multi-objective co-evolutionary optimisation tool. Carnico-ICSPEA2, a co-evolutionary navigator - CoEvoNav -used as a CCeSA's tool for harnessing the complexity of the CCeFS of interest and its environment towards sustainability, is introduced. The software was designed by its end-user - the farm manager and author of this thesis - as an aid for the analysis and optimisation of the San Francisco ranch, a beef cattle enterprise running on temperate pastures and fodder crops in the Central Plateau of Mexico. By combining a non-linear simulator and a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm with a deterministic and stochastic framework, the CoEvoNav imitates the co-evolutionary pattern of the CCeFS of interest. As such, the software was used by the farm manager to navigate through his CCeFS's co-evolutionary phase space towards achieving sustainability at farm level. The ultimate goal was to enhance the farm manager's decision-making process and co-evolutionary skills, through an increased understanding of his system, the co-evolutionary process between his mental models, the CCeFS, and the CoEvoNav, and the continuous discovery of new, improved sets of heuristics. An overview of the methodological, theoretical and philosophical framework of the thesis is introduced. Also, a survey of the Mexican economy, its agricultural sector, and a statistical review of the Mexican beef industry is presented. Concepts such as modern agriculture, the reductionist approach to agricultural research, models, the system's environment, sustainability, conventional and sustainable agriculture, complexity, evolution, simulators, and multi-objective optimisation tools are extensively reviewed. Issues concerning the impossibility of predicting the long-term future behaviour of CCeFSs, along with the use of simulators as decision support tools in the quest for sustainable CCeFSs are discussed. The rationale behind the simulator used for this study, along with that of the multi-objective evolutionary tools used as a makeup of Carnico-ICSPEA2 are explained. A description of the San Francisco ranch, its key on-farm sustainability indicators in the form of objective functions, constraints, and decision variables, and the semi-structured, multi-objective, dynamic, constrained management problem posed by the farm manager's planned introduction of a herd of bulls for fattening as a way to increase the fitness of his CCeFS via a better management of the system's feed surpluses and the acquisition of a new pick-up truck are described as a case study. The tested scenario and the experimental design for the simulations are presented as well. Results from using the CoEvoNav as the farm manager's extended phenotype to solve his multi-objective optimisation problem are described, along with the implications for the management and sustainability of the CCeFS. Finally, the approach and tools developed are evaluated, and the progress made in relation to methodological, theoretical, philosophical and conceptual notions is reviewed along with some future topics for research.

This research found that Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) or spatial mapping provides the potential for significantly improving asset management flexibility. Space relates everything to everything else so spatial relationships can replace technically constructed relationships found in typical databases. This means that the effort associated with database re-design in the face of change is significantly reduced, or removed.