Alternative fuels and technologies for truckload carriers can provide significant environmental and social benefits over traditional heavy duty diesel vehicles by reducing petroleum-based fuel consumption and vehicle tailpipe emissions. These alternative fuels and technologies, however, often carry a cost premium or require significant capital investment. Dedicating vehicles, equipment, and infrastructure to an alternative fuel or technology also represents a significant risk in the extremely volatile trucking business. A Triple-Bottom-Line analysis, which includes economic, social, and environmental impacts of an alternative fuel or technology will strengthen the business case by incorporating the benefits of emissions reduction. A stronger business case will promote the use of alternative fuels and technologies while mitigating the risk. This thesis proposes a method for identifying alternative fuels and technologies that provide the best Triple-Bottom-Line benefit and provides a structure for modeling the emissions of the target application, quantifies the value of emissions reduction, and constructs a Triple-Bottom-Line business case. The Triple-Bottom-Line business case proposed by this method is incremental. It presupposes an existing or planned truckload carrier business already exists and only investigates the changes which occur with implementation of an alternative fuel or technology. This method may be useful for any carrier business or any company with an extensive shipping and logistics network. A case study, which was created for large automotive manufacturer, details the Triple-Bottom-Line business case for an on-site compressed natural refueling system and vehicles.

Abstract HIV/AIDS is a global epidemic with the greatest burden in terms of prevalence, morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, parts of Asia and, more recently, the Caribbean. Immigrants from these regions of birth now make up a significant proportion of people living with HIV in many high-income countries, including Australia. The higher priority accorded to people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in Australian national and local HIV/AIDS strategies generates a broad question on ‘how’ to implement HIV prevention interventions with immigrants to address what are often atypical modes of HIV transmission and observed disparities in areas such as later presentation with HIV. HIV prevention in Australia has included whole-of-population approaches alongside targeted approaches, which address HIV prevention with specific groups – usually those disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS such as gay men or injecting drug users. Targeted health promotion interventions for immigrants have also formed part of the HIV response in Australia. Immigrants in Australia may have acquired HIV prior to their first arrival in Australia, on subsequent travel abroad, or within Australia. A key gap in our evidence base in Australia includes what we can learn from interventions implemented in other high-income countries to guide new, or strengthen existing, approaches to culturally appropriate primary and secondary HIV prevention with immigrants locally. Typically it is taken as a given that prevention interventions will be more effective if they are culturally appropriate to the population they serve, and a range of strategies and activities are used to achieve this. However, there is rarely an examination of what mechanisms – the ‘change elements’ or program theories of the intervention – contribute to culturally appropriate interventions. This research, in the form of a realist review of evidence, sought to ‘unpack’ the mechanisms for achieving cultural appropriateness in HIV prevention interventions with immigrants that have been implemented in contexts similar to Australia. Thus the broad question the research sought to answer was ‘How and why do interventions work (or not), for which groups of immigrants, and in what contexts?’ The review of evidence in HIV prevention included a span of interventions from community-level approaches using mass media through to interventions delivered at a group level to immigrants. Systematic searches were carried out on major public health databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Sociological Abstracts, PsychInfo) and Google Scholar to find peer-reviewed and grey literature relevant to HIV prevention among immigrants. Two types of studies contributed to the review of evidence – studies of interventions and qualitative studies of immigrants’ views on HIV/AIDS prevention – in order to bring together ‘expert’ and ‘lay’ understandings of HIV prevention among immigrants. Simultaneously, a scan of the literature mapped preliminary mechanisms contributing to cultural appropriateness in HIV prevention interventions with immigrants. This preliminary set of seven mechanisms – ‘authenticity’, ‘understanding’, ‘consonance’, ‘specificity’, ‘embeddedness’, ’endorsement’ and ‘framing’ – were theorised as the key, rather than the only, interrelated mechanisms contributing to cultural appropriateness in interventions with immigrants. These preliminary mechanisms were then tested, revised and refined against evidence – 74 ‘grey’ and peer-reviewed studies and reports relevant to HIV prevention with immigrants – found in systematic searches. The evidence indicates that the pivotal mechanisms contributing to cultural appropriateness in HIV prevention interventions with immigrants are ‘understanding’ and ‘consonance’ – ensuring that language (usually the ‘mother tongue’) and cultural values are included as key elements in the development and implementation of the intervention. ‘Authenticity’, ‘specificity’ and ‘embeddedness’were moderately important in contributing to cultural appropriateness – mechanisms that dealt with staffing, targeting through ethnicity and using settings for interventions – from the evidence included in the review. Finally, there was mixed evidence for the roles of ‘endorsement’ and ‘framing’, which suggests that gaining community endorsement or partnering initiatives with immigrants or immigrant community institutions were the least critical mechanisms in contributing to cultural appropriateness in terms of HIV prevention interventions. Further research is needed to examine the relationships between these seven mechanisms and any impacts they contribute to the effectiveness of interventions and HIV-related health outcomes among immigrants.

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Auburn University, 2009. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references (p.95-102).

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermarizburg, 2009. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Miami University, Dept. of Educational Leadership, 2004. / Title from second page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 202-231).

The purposes of this study were (a) to examine early elementary grade teachers' developmentally appropriate beliefs and their teaching practices in public schools in Bangkok, (b) to explore the functioning of developmentally appropriate practice in the two chosen early elementary schools, and (c) to determine the factors that influence the teachers' implementation of developmentally appropriate practice in the selected early elementary schools. This study was a mixed-methods investigation, integrating two main phases: Phase One (survey method) and Phase Two (case studies). In the first phase, 335 early elementary grade teachers from 35 public schools in Bangkok were examined for their developmentally appropriate beliefs and teaching practices. Three surveys modified from Buchanan, Burts, Bidner, White, and Charlesworth (1998)--Teacher Demographic Questionnaire, Teacher Belief Scale (TBS), and Instructional Activity Scale (IAS)--were administered to the participating teachers. As the scores of the completed surveys were computed, two schools demonstrating the highest mean on Teacher Belief Scale (TBS) were chosen for the further case studies. In Phase Two, ten early elementary grade teachers from two selected schools were investigated. A case study design was employed to research the participating teachers' implementation of developmentally appropriate practice. Data sources included teacher interviews, classroom observations, and related document analyses. All collected data were coded and categorized in order to analyze the emergent themes and findings. Among the 335 teachers from 35 schools, the findings revealed that there was a significant difference of the teachers' developmentally appropriate beliefs; however, the results of data analyses showed that no significant difference of the teachers' developmentally appropriate teaching practices was found. The findings also suggested that there was a low positive correlation between the teachers' self-reported developmentally appropriate beliefs and teaching practices. The scores of the teachers' developmentally appropriate beliefs and teaching practices are varied across the classroom characteristics (i.e., grade levels taught, class size, and number of children with special needs) and the teacher characteristics (i.e., educational levels, majors/areas of expertise, years of graduation, and years of teaching experience). In the case studies, the observed teaching practices of the teachers from the two selected schools were not consistent with their reported developmentally appropriate beliefs and teaching practices. The teachers reported their partial application of developmentally appropriate practice. The factors that both supported and delayed the implementation included: the class-size of the classroom (number of students), parental involvement, and administrative systems. Also, the supporting factors were teachers' professional attitudes and the fact that teachers taught in self-contained classrooms, whereas the teachers' workload, the children's lack of readiness, and the limited school physical environment were noted as delaying factors. Recommendations for further research and practices are detailed.

Hypertension is a chronic disease characterized by high and sustained levels of blood pressure, with a prevalence of 30% in the adult population. Failure to control hypertension increases the risk of death from stroke and coronary heart disease and this lack is related to the pseudo-hypertension and / or resistant hypertension. Before making a diagnosis of resistant hypertension is necessary to rule out the possibility of so-called pseudo-resistant hypertension that could be related to the lack of adherence, failure in measurement technique, pharmacotherapy inappropiate and white coat syndrome. Of all these causes of hypertension, only a few studies related to pharmacotherapy inappropiate. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of pseudo-hypertension caused pharmacotherapy innapropiate in hypertensive population of Basic Health Unit Ib Gatto Falcão, the city of Maceió - Al. This is a cross-sectional study in which 162 patients were interviewed of both genders, hypertensive, using anti-hiperternsiva pharmacotherapy, over 18 years and have shown no cognitive problems. Data were collected in the Basic Health Unit through forms that in addition to antihypertensive pharmacotherapy, informed data on sociodemographic factors and adherence. Were also carried out the measurement of blood pressure and anthropometric measurements. Hypertension presented with higher prevalence aged between 50 and 59 years, female gender, low education and income. The adherence was 38.5% and the prevalence of patients with pseudoresistant hypertension was 12.8%. It can be concluded that the inertial inapropriação therapeutic pharmacotherapy was more predictive than the adherence prevalence of hipertensãopseudo -resistant. / A hipertensão arterial sistêmica é uma doença crônica, caracterizada por níveis elevados e sustentados de pressão arterial, com uma prevalência de 30% na população adulta. O não controle da hipertensão arterial sistêmica aumenta o risco de morte por acidente vascular encefálico, e doenças coronarianas. Esse descontrole está relacionado com a pseudo-hipertensão e/ou hipertensão resistente. Antes de se realizar o diagnóstico da hipertensão resistente é preciso descartar a possibilidade da chamada hipertensão pseudo-resistente que pode está relacionada com a falta de adesão terapêutica, falha na técnica de aferição, farmacoterapia inapropriada e síndrome do jaleco branco. Dentre todas essas causas de hipertensão, ainda existem poucos estudos relacionados à farmacoterapia inapropriada. Este estudo teve como objetivo verificar a prevalência de pseudohipertensão causada por farmacoterapia inapropriada na população hipertensa da Unidade Básica de Saúde Ib Gatto Falcão, no município de Maceió - Al. Trata-se de um estudo transversal no qual foram entrevistados 162 pacientes de ambos os gêneros, hipertensos, fazendo uso de farmacoterapia anti-hiperternsiva, acima de 18 anos e que não apresentassem problemas cognitivos. Os dados foram coletados na Unidade Básica de Saúde por meio de formulários que, além da farmacoterapia antihipertensiva,informavam dados sobre fatores sociodemográficos e adesãoterapêutica. Foram realizadas também a aferição da pressão arterial e medidas antropométricas. A hipertensão arterial sistêmica apresentou com maior prevalência a faixa etária entre 50 e 59 anos, gênero feminino, baixa escolaridade e renda. A adesão terapêutica foi de 38,5% e a prevalência de pacientes com hipertensão pseudo-resistente foi de 12,8%. Pode-se concluir que a inapropriação farmacoterapêutica inércia terapêutica foi mais preditiva que a adesão terapêutica na prevalência da hipertensãopseudo-resistente.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:53:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:09:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Tese (Doutoramento) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP / FAPESP:03/08041-6

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:53:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:09:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Este trabalho apresenta resultados de estudos e caracterizações de Conjuntos Eletrodo/Membrana (MEAs) de Células a Combustível a Membrana Polimérica (PEMFC). Algumas condições de operação de células e diferentes processos de produção de MEA foram investigados. A técnica de Espectroscopia de Impedância Eletroquímica (EIE) (em situ - 0 a 16 A) foi usada \"on-line\" como uma ferramenta de diagnóstico, relativa ao desempenho de célula. As medidas de EIE foram feitas através do Sistema de EIE para células a combustível FC350 (GAMRY), junto a um PC4 Potentiostato/Galvanostato e conectado à carga dinâmica (TDI) para experimentos de EIE \"on-line\" (100 mHz - 10 kHz, dU = 5 mV). MEAs com 25 cm2 de área ativa, usando eletrocatalisadores PtM/C 20 % (M = Ru, Sn ou Ni) fabricados usando o Método de Redução por Álcool (MRA). A tinta catalítica foi diretamente aplicada no Tecido de Carbono (GDL) e este prensado na membrana de Nafion® (105). MEAs usando eletrocatalisadores Pt/C e PtRu/C 20 % da E-TEK foram fabricados para comparação. Todos os cátodos foram confeccionados com Pt/C 20% da E-TEK. Foram fixadas as concentrações de metal nobre em 0,4 mg Pt.cm-2 no anodo e 0,6 mg Pt.cm-2 no catodo (E-TEK). Diagramas de Nyquist dos MEAs com Pt/C e PtRu/C da E-TEK ou PtM/C MRA apresentaram as mesmas resistências de ôhmicas para os MEAs. Este fato pode ser explicado por supressão de aglomerados durante o processo de preparação do MEA ou pela homogeneidade do eletrocatalisador ancorado ao carbono. Também pôde ser observado, a baixas densidades atuais que há uma diferença de desempenho significante entre o eletrocatalisadores da ETEK e os preparados pelo MRA. Os resultados das curvas de polarização confirmaram que PtM/C MRA apresentara um aumento de atividade para as células alimentadas com metanol e etanol. A técnica de EIE se mostrou eficiente para a avaliação do método de preparação dos MEAs e do desempenho da célula, os resultados de EIE mostraram uma coerência na escolha do modelo do circuito elétrico para os MEAs utilizando hidrogênio, metanol e etanol. Esta coerência indica que outras resistências não consideradas no modelo não são relevantes na resistência total dos MEAs. / Tese (Doutoramento) / IPEN/T / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP / FAPESP:03/08041-6

It is well-known that meaningful differences in development exist among children, adolescents, and adults. However, to what extent do evaluators adapt their approach, designs, and methods to be responsive to a youth population? This study used an experimental simulation in which practicing evaluators designed an evaluation of a hypothetical tutoring program and were randomly assigned to the program serving children, adolescents, or young adults. Results indicate that evaluators were less likely to be participatory—both in the evaluation overall and in data collection—when the participants of the program were children than when they were adults. These findings suggest that evaluators, even those with experience conducting evaluations of youth programs, do not consider age as a meaningful cultural context and may need additional training in conducting developmentally appropriate evaluations.