Introdução: A dependência de cocaína é doença crônica e afeta uma população bastante heterogênea. Fatores psicológicos, biológicos e sociais estão envolvidos com o quadro e sua evolução. A fissura, sintoma importante, pode ser influenciada por aspectos biológicos e psicológicos e altera o curso do quadro. Além disso, faltam sistemas classificatórios desta doença tão complexa. Os objetivos deste estudo são: investigar como a fissura pode ser influenciada por traços de personalidade e tentar agrupar pacientes com diferentes características pessoais em relação à resposta ao tratamento cognitivo comportamental. Métodos: Foram avaliados 100 pacientes que iniciaram o tratamento manualizado proposto. Classes de participantes que apresentavam características psicológicas relacionadas ao uso da droga e impulsividade semelhantes foram identificados em análise de classes latentes. A associação destas variáveis na adesão ao tratamento foi investigada. Dentre o grupo que terminou as quatro avaliações ao longo do acompanhamento, analisou-se como os traços de personalidade influenciam a intensidade, frequência e duração da fissura, usando o modelo de Equações de Estimativas Generalizadas com estrutura de correlação autorregressiva. Resultados: Dois grupos foram delineados. Participantes do Cluster 1 (n=60) foram caracterizados com maior nível de impulsividade, uso de maior quantidade de cocaína, maior nível educacional, mais história de tratamentos prévios e mais história familiar positiva de TUC que o Cluster 2 (n=40). Indivíduos do Cluster 1 aderiram mais ao tratamento. Em relação à fissura, observou-se que varia ao longo do tratamento. Traços de personalidade como busca por novidades, dependência de gratificação e esquiva ao dano interagem com a intensidade da fissura e persistência interage com a duração. Existe interação entre intensidade da fissura, uso de droga e via de administração. Conclusões: informações sobre características pessoais associadas à não adesão e ao abandono de tratamento, assim como à variação da fissura e sua correlação com fatores de personalidade devem ser investigados e avaliados para que tratamentos mais atrativos e eficazes possam ser propostos / Introduction: Cocaine dependence is a chronic condition affecting a very heterogeneous population. Biological, psychological and social factors are involved in addiction and how it evolves. Craving is an important symptom, it is influenced by both psychological and biological factors, and affects how the patient addiction evolves. Furthermore, there are no classifying systems for this very complex disease. The aims of this study are to investigate how craving is influenced by personality traits, and atempt to cluster patients with different personality traits in terms of their response to cognitive behavioral therapy. Methods: This study evaluate 100 patients who started the proposed manualized treatment. Latent class analysis was used to cluster subjects with similar psychological characteristics, cocaine use related aspects and impulsivity. This study looked at the association between these variables and adherence to treatment. We analyzed how personality traits influence craving intensity, frequency and duration in the group of subjects completing the four follow-up period evaluations, using the Generalized Estimating Equations model and an autoregression correlation structure. Results: Two clusters emerged: Cluster 1 (n=60) subjects were characterized as being more impulsive, using larger amounts of cocaine, having more years of schooling, a history of more prior treatments, and increased positive Family history of cocaine abuse than Cluster 2 (n=40) subjects. Individuals in Cluster 1 adhered more to treatment. Regarding craving, we found that it varied over the course of treatment. Personality traits such as novelty seeking, reward dependence and harm avoidance interact with intensity of craving, and persistence interacts with duration. There is an interaction between intensity of craving, drug use and route of administration. Conclusion: information about the personal characteristics associated with treatment non-adherence and abandonment, as well as the variation in craving and its correlation with personality traits must be investigated and analyzed so that more effective and attractive treatments may be developed

After decades of research, a host of analytical difficulties is still hindering our understanding of the influences of the built form on travel. The main challenges are (a) assembling good quality data that reflects the majority of the known influences and that supports continuous monitoring, and (b) making sense methodologically of the many variables which strongly intercorrelate. This study uses the UK national travel survey (NTS) data that is among the most comprehensive of its form in the world. The fact that it has rarely been used so far for this purpose may be attributable to the methodological difficulties. This dissertation aims to develop a new analytical framework based on extended structural equation models (SEMs) in order to overcome some of the key methodological difficulties in quantifying the influences of the built form on travel, and in addition to provide a means to continuously monitor any changes in the effects over time. The analyses are focused on employed adults, because they are not only the biggest UK population segment with the highest per capita travel demand, but also the segment that are capable of adapting more rapidly to changing land use, built form and transport supply conditions. The research is pursued through three new models. Model 1 is a path diagram coupled with factor analyses, which estimates continuous, categorical and binary dependent variables. The model estimates the influences on travel distance, time and trip frequency by trip purpose while accounting for self-selection, spatial sorting, endogeneity of car ownership, and interactions among trip purposes. The results highlight stark differences among commuters, particularly the mobility disadvantages of women, part time and non-car owning workers even when they live in the most accessible urban areas. Model 2 incorporates latent categorisation analyses in order to identify a tangible typology of the built form and the associated variations in impacts on travel. Identifying NTS variables as descriptors for tangible built form categories provides an improved basis for investigating land use and transport planning interventions. The model reveals three distinct built form categories in the UK with striking variations in the patterns of influences. Model 3 further investigates the variations across the built form categories. The resulting random intercept SEM provides a more precise quantification of the influences of self-selection and spatial sorting across the built form categories for each socioeconomic group. Four research areas are highlighted for further studies: First, new preference, attitude and behavioural parameters may be introduced through incorporating non-NTS behavioural surveys; Second, the new SEMs provide a basis for incorporating choice modelling where the utility function is defined with direct, indirect and latent variables; Third, conceptual and methodological developments – such as non-parametric latent class analysis, allow expanding the current model to monitor changes in travel behaviour as and when new NTS or non NTS data become available. Fourth, the robustness of the inferences regarding causal or directional influences may require further quantification through designing new panel data sets, building on the findings above.

L'érosion interne est le résultat de l'arrachement des particules d'un sol sous l'action d'un écoulement hydraulique. Ce phénomène est à l'origine des ruptures hydrauliques des barrages et des digues. Sur le plan mondial, 46% des désordres observés, sur les ouvrages en terre, ont pour origine l'érosion interne. En France, 70 cas critiques ont déjà été détectés. Malheureusement, à cause du phénomène d'érosion lui-même, la prévision du risque reste délicate et les autorités ont du mal à mettre en place des plans d'urgence. Compte tenu du risque potentiel, la compréhension des phénomènes à l'origine de l'érosion interne apparaît comme un enjeu scientifique majeur. L'objectif du travail de thèse est de mettre au point une méthode de diagnostic de l'érosion interne dans les digues et autres ouvrages en terre. Nous cherchons à établir un protocole qui nous guidera sur les essais à faire et qui nous aidera à interpréter les résultats. Cette méthode permettra d'expertiser les risques d'érosion interne. (i) Dans un premier temps, les principaux résultats des reconnaissances géomécaniques permettent d'identifier des couches géotechniques de sol de caractéristiques homogènes dans lesquelles sont réalisés les essais pressiométriques. L'analyse cluster des résultats des essais pressiométriques permet de déterminer le type, la nature de sol, ainsi que les caractéristiques géotechniques moyennes. (ii) Les résultats obtenus servent ensuite à déterminer si le sol est instable et quel est son seuil de sensibilité à l'aide du logiciel expert. Ce logiciel permet de calculer les critères d'érosion interne et de qualifier la sensibilité du sol à l'érosion en déterminant son seuil érosif. (iii) Un nouveau dispositif expérimental appelé l'Essai d'Erosion Transverse (Cross Erosion Test - CET) permet de caractériser expérimentalement le sol par rapport au risque d'érosion interne. Cet essai consiste à injecter de l'eau dans un forage, puis à pomper cette eau dans un forage parallèle au premier. L'eau extraite est chargée en particules produites par l'érosion interne du sol. L'érosion est estimée en se basant sur la mesure de l'évolution de la masse des particules recueillies au cours du temps. Les résultats montrent que cette expérience permet de caractériser l'érosion interne dans un sol spécifique. L'avantage de cette technique c'est qu'elle est transposable in situ et qu'elle peut être utilisée pour prédire le risque de suffusion dans les barrages et les digues. (iv) La validation de l'expérience est faite par un modèle numérique 3D réalisé avec le logiciel Comsol Multiphysics 4.3b. Ce modèle permet de montrer que sous les conditions de perméabilité observées, le gradient hydraulique se concentre autour des points d'injection et de pompage. Une modélisation de base en 2D est développée. Cette première approche permet de décrire le phénomène d'érosion et le transport des particules fines dans le milieu poreux du sol. / Internal erosion is the displacement of the fine particles of a soil under the action of an internal flow. This mechanism could be the origin of the damage on embankments and earth dams. In the word, 46% of failure observed on earthwork, are caused by internal erosion. In France, 70 critical cases have been detected. Unfortunately, due to internal erosion, the prediction of risk remains difficult. The understanding of this phenomenon of internal erosion appears as a major scientific challenge. The aim of this thesis is to develop a diagnostic method of internal erosion in dams and other earthworks. We seek to establish a protocol that will guide us to the test and help us to interpret the results. This method allows concluding about the risk of internal erosion appearance. (i) Initially, the main results of geotechnical survey allow identifying the layers of homogeneous characteristics of soil which are measured by the pressuremeter test. The results of cluster analysis of pressuremeter tests allow determining the localisation, the nature and the mean geotechnical characteristics of the soil. (ii) The results are used to determine the threshold of sensibility to internal erosion with the help of expert software. This software allows to calculate the criteria of internal erosion and to describe the sensitivity of the soil to internal erosion. (iii) A new experimental device is developed in our laboratory. This experiment called “Cross Erosion Test" (CET) allows determining the experimental resistance of the soil to the risk of internal erosion. The test consists of the injection, in a first drilling, of clear water and of the recovery, in another drilling, of water charged with eroded particles. For different initial state of the soils, it is possible to measure and to characterize the internal erosion by visualisation of the water flow and the measurement of the weight of the extracted eroded particles. The results show that this experience allows characterizing the internal erosion in a specific soil. The advantage of this technique is that it can be used in situ to predict the risk of suffusion in dams and dikes. (iv) A validation of experiences, with a 3D finite element method is carried out with the help of the Comsol Multiphysics 4.3b software. This model shows that under experiment hydraulic conditions, the hydraulic gradient is concentrated around the injection and the pumping. A finite element 2D model is developed to simulate erosion process. This approach describes the phenomenon of internal erosion and transport of fines particles in the porous medium of soils tested.

Parmi les îles de l’Indianocéanie, La Réunion présente une topographie complexe soumise à un climat tropical fortement variable. Sa localisation dans le sud-ouest de l’océan Indien lui octroie un potentiel solaire important. Concomitamment, son isolement géographique dirige le territoire vers l’autonomie énergétique, par la meilleure intégration des énergies renouvelables dans son mix énergétique. Le verrou de l’exploitation du gisement solaire local réside dans la forte intermittence de cette ressource qui est grandement tributaire de la couverture nuageuse. Ainsi, il est de première nécessité d’approfondir les connaissances du potentiel solaire local, autant en ce qui concerne sa variabilité temporelle que sa répartition spatiale. Les travaux de recherches ici menés s’axent autour de cet approfondissement nécessaire du gisement solaire local. La mesure in situ du rayonnement solaire global n’est pas équitablement répartie sur le département et ne permet donc pas d’établir une cartographie aussi équilibrée que celle offerte par les résolutions de l’imagerie satellitaire. Dans le cadre des travaux de recherches, nous exploitons le produit satellitaire SARAH-E (Solar surfAce RAdiation Heliosat – East) prodigué par le SAF Climat (CM SAF) d’Eumetsat. Les résolutions spatiales et temporelles de SARAH-E permettent d’étudier l’irradiance à la surface de La Réunion sur un total de 89 pixels et de 16 ans de données horaires (0,05°×0.05°, 1999-2015, excluant 2006). Grâce à ces données, nous articulons l’approfondissement de la connaissance du gisement solaire autour de deux méthodologies complémentaires. Dans une première étude, une cartographie du potentiel solaire moyen est établie en combinant ses deux composantes orbitales, soit : les cycles diurne et saisonnier. La complémentarité de cette considération nous permet d’extraire des zones cohérentes tant au niveau spatial que temporel, à l’image de la dynamique atmosphérique locale. En seconde partie, il sera ensuite question de quantifier et qualifier les perturbations possibles pouvant moduler le potentiel solaire moyen dans la journée. Cinq journées-types sont retenues et caractérisées selon leurs structures spatiales et temporalité associée. Par la suite, nous proposons un premier lien entre les perturbations solaires locales et certains processus atmosphériques de plus large échelle. Ainsi, nous estimons des modulations relatives selon l’oscillation de Madden-Julian, les talwegs tropicaux-tempérés et les cyclones. Finalement, nous décomposons la ressource solaire réunionnaise en (1) un potentiel moyen cyclique, selon une combinaison de la variabilité saisonnière à l’évolution diurne, et (2) des perturbations journalières types, présentant des liens avec les dynamiques atmosphériques à plus large échelle. / In the South-West Indian Ocean, La Réunion Island is located in a strong solar potential. However, its complex topography and tropical climate are obstacles to the best exploitation of renewable energies. Thus, the knowledge of the local solar potential has to be deepen, both on its temporal and spatial variabilities. The research here focuses on this deepening of the local solar deposit. Thus, the use of SARAH-E satellite product (Solar surfAce RAdiation Heliosat - East) allows us to study the irradiance of Reunion Island on 89 pixels and 16 years of hourly data. In a first study, the mean solar potential is mapped by combining its two orbital components: the diurnal and seasonal cycles. Their complementarity permits the extraction of coherent zones with the local atmospheric dynamic. In the second part, the daily perturbations modulating the mean solar potential are detailed in five typical days with specific spatial structures and temporality. We then propose a first link between local solar perturbations and the larger-scale atmospheric processes, namely the Madden-Julian oscillation, the Tropical-Temperate Troughs and Tropical Cyclones. Finally, La Réunion island solar resource is decomposed into (1) an mean cyclic potential, combining seasonal and diurnal evolutions, and (2) typical daily perturbations, with links to larger-scale atmospheric dynamics.

Anthropogenic climate change is a global problem that affects every country and each individual. The UK introduced its own carbon budgets, aiming to reduce its GHGs by 80% by 2050 compared with 1990 levels. The United Nations Conference of the Parties in Paris in 2015 came to an agreement on limiting the global average temperature rise to "well below 2oC". It has been argued that the Paris Agreement requires deeper and more rapid emission reductions than current UK targets. The CO2 emissions from energy use by households account for almost a third of total CO2 emissions in the UK in recent years. The research aims to explore drivers of high energy consumption in order to identify where there may be intervention points that can achieve a greater level of emission reductions than conventional policy tools in the short to medium term. Previous studies have focused on either socioeconomic factors or practices to explore household energy consumption and CO2 emissions, but have not integrated both aspects to identify drivers behind high energy consumption. To address this gap in the literature, the research applies an interdisciplinary approach to analyse the interconnected factors impacting on household energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Socioeconomic characteristics and practice theory are combined in order to understand how and why energy is consumed at home, and specifically to explore high energy consumption and related CO2 emissions at the household level. Both quantitative cluster analyses based on household socioeconomic factors and qualitative data collection and thematic analyses on energy-related practices at home have been conducted in the research. Results indicate that various combinations of socioeconomic factors and dwelling-related characteristics can collectively lead to high CO2 emissions from energy use at home. Nonetheless, these characteristics cannot fully explain why some households are high emitters, as they still share a variety of similar characteristics with average households in the UK. Besides household socioeconomic factors and dwelling-related characteristics, the materials, procedure and meanings of practices; people's discursive and practical consciousness; and dominant meanings of the home, also collectively influence energy use at home. Policymakers should consider not only improving the energy efficiency of the dwelling and appliances, but also how people's hidden knowledge and routines allow or constrain the performance of energy-related practices, as well as how the existing meanings of practices and dominant meanings of the home can be supported with less energy input and associated CO2 emissions. Energy efficiency related policies could focus more on how to reduce the interruption to people's everyday lives and the level of space loss. Policymakers could also work with different stakeholders, such as local authorities and community groups to tackle the challenges of installation of double gazing, cavity wall and roof insulation in the private rented sector. Policies for promoting renewable electricity micro-generation in the UK can target more effectively the high emitters who are at home most weekdays, as they can be more flexible in rearranging their use of appliances in daily routines and potentially reduce energy consumption during the peak time. In addition to combining a novel range of approaches and perspectives to understanding energy use at home, the research makes a contribution to achieving deeper and more rapid emission reductions in the short to medium term in the UK by focusing on the drivers behind high energy consumption at home than average energy consumption in general.

Submitted by Secretaria Pós de Produção (tpp@vm.uff.br) on 2017-07-27T20:13:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 M2016 - Luciana Goncalves Machado.pdf: 2482659 bytes, checksum: 3ac159b63cc689c036151eb3fcedb4de (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-27T20:13:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 M2016 - Luciana Gonçalves Machado.pdf: 2482659 bytes, checksum: 3ac159b63cc689c036151eb3fcedb4de (MD5) / O objetivo do presente estudo é propor um modelo para a identificação de benchmarks combinando DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) Game com uma análise de cluster. O DEA Game busca, em um jogo não cooperativo, não apenas a eficiência ideal para uma unidade tomadora de decisão (DMU, do inglês Decision Making Unit), mas também para todos as demais. Uma vez que a abordagem tradicional de DEA Game só fornece o valor das eficiências, este estudo também faz uma análise de agrupamento através da utilização de uma técnica de agrupamento hierárquico, conhecida como método de Ward, a fim de obter referências mais realistas. Estes benchmarks são obtidos na análise de cluster, em que as unidades semelhantes são agrupadas, e é definida como referência a DMU mais eficiente em cada cluster. Permitindo, desta forma, que as unidades ineficientes definam metas e objetivos mais tangíveis para melhorar seu desempenho no futuro. Ao final do trabalho, o modelo proposto é aplicado ao setor de distribuição de energia elétrica e são apresentadas conclusões a partir deste estudo de caso. / This study aims to propose a model for the benchmarks identification combining DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) Game with a cluster analysis. The DEA Game seeks, in a non-cooperative game, not just the ideal efficiency for one Decision Making Unit (DMU), but also for all the others. Since the traditional approach of DEA Game only provides efficiency rates this study will also make a cluster analysis using hierarchical clustering technique, known Ward’s method, in order to obtain realistic benchmarks. These benchmarks will be obtained in the cluster analysis, where similar units will be grouped, by defining as benchmark the DMU more efficient in each cluster. Allowing in this way the inefficient units set tangible goals and objectives to improve their performance in the future. Finally, the proposed model is applied to electricity distribution industry and conclusions are presented from this case study

In this work we deal with cluster analysis for functional data. Functional data contain a set of subjects that are characterized by repeated measurements of a variable. Based on these measurements we want to split the subjects into groups (clusters). The subjects in a single cluster should be similar and differ from subjects in the other clusters. The first approach we use is the reduction of data dimension followed by the clustering method K-means. The second approach is to use a finite mixture of normal linear mixed models. We estimate parameters of the model by maximum likelihood using the EM algorithm. Throughout the work we apply all described procedures to real meteorological data.

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram estimar as associações genéticas entre características de crescimento e produção de leite, utilizando análises bicaracterísticas, e entre características de crescimento, perímetro escrotal e idade ao primeiro parto utilizando modelos de regressão aleatória, de animais da raça Guzerá. Para as análises bicaracterísticas foram utilizadas 252.257 informações de pesos de machos e fêmeas aos 120 dias (P120), ao desmame (PD), ao ano (P365), ao sobreano (PSOBRE) aos 24 meses de idade (P24) e 6.493 lactações encerradas (P305), pertencentes a 4.723 vacas, e os modelos incluíram como os efeitos aleatórios o genético aditivo direto, de ambiente permanente materno e residual, e como efeitos fixos os grupos de contemporâneos e a idade da vaca ao parto (efeito linear e quadrático). Para as análises com os modelos de regressão aleatória foram utilizadas 159.366 observações de pesos e 23.780 de perímetro escrotal, realizadas entre 335 e 724 dias de idade dos animais e agrupadas em classes com intervalo de 10 dias, e 63.596 observações de idade ao primeiro parto. Os efeitos aleatórios considerados foram o genético aditivo direto, de ambiente permanente e residual e como efeitos fixos os grupos de contemporâneos, a idade da vaca ao parto (efeito linear e quadrático) e a curva fixa para modelar a tendência média da população (quadrática) sobre as classes de idade. Foram testados quatro possíveis graus de polinômios de Legendre (zero, linear, quadrático e cúbico), sendo o quadrático mais adequado para descrever as variâncias das características analisadas. Para verificar a existência de diferentes padrões de crescimento e agrupar os touros com base nos seus valores genéticos para produção de carne, leite e duplo propósito, foram realizadas análises de componentes principais e de agrupamento. As herdabilidades estimadas foram 0,23; 0,14; 0,16; 0,17; 021 e 0,22 para P305, P120, PD, P365, PSOBRE e P24, respectivamente, sugerindo que para as características de pesos, as herdabilidades aumentam com o aumento da idade dos animais. Mesma tendência foi observada pelas análises de regressão aleatória, cujas herdabilidades variaram de 0,17 a 0,31. As correlações genéticas entre os pesos em diferentes idades e a produção de leite foram positivas e de magnitude moderada a baixa, variando de 0,27 a 0,38 sugerindo que a seleção para peso e P305 possa ser realizada de forma simultânea nos mesmos animais. As análises de componentes principais indicaram a mesma tendência observada pelas correlações genéticas. As análises de agrupamento mostraram que a raça Guzerá possui touros com diferentes perfis genéticos, sendo possível realizar a seleção para corte, leite ou duplo propósito. As correlações genéticas entre os pesos e perímetro escrotal foram positivas e favoráveis, variando de 0,31 a 0,47, indicando que a seleção para aumento do peso poderá resultar em animais com maior perímetro escrotal. As correlações entre peso e idade ao primeiro parto variaram de -0,56 a -0,38 e perímetro escrotal e idade ao primeiro parto variaram de -0,55 a 0,08, sugerindo que a redução da idade ao primeiro parto poderá ocorrer, a longo prazo, quando peso e perímetro escrotal forem objetivos de seleção. A eficiência relativa de seleção indicou maior resposta pela seleção indireta para idade ao primeiro parto, quando realizada a seleção para perímetro escrotal a partir dos 615 dias de idade, quando comparada com o ganho genético direto para idade ao primeiro parto. / The objectives of this study were to estimate the genetic associations between growth and milk production traits in Guzerat cattle using two-trait analysis and between growth traits, scrotal circumference and age at first calving using random regression models. For two-trait analysis, 252,257 weight records of males and females obtained at 120 days of age (W120), weaning (WW), yearling (YW), post-weaning (PWW) and 24 months of age (W24), as well as 6,493 complete lactation records (W305) of 4,723 cows, were used. The models included direct additive genetic, maternal permanent environmental and residual effects as random effects, and the contemporary groups and age of cow at calving (linear and quadratic effect) as fixed effects. For the random regression models, 159,366 observations of weight and 23,780 observations of scrotal circumference, obtained at 335 and 724 days of age of the animals and divided into classes at 10-day intervals, as well as 63,596 observations of age at first calving, were used. Random direct additive genetic, permanent environmental and residual effects and the fixed effects of contemporary group and age of cow at calving (linear and quadratic effect) were considered. A fixed curve was used to model the average trend of the population (quadratic) on the age classes. Four possible degrees of Legendre polynomials (zero, linear, quadratic and cubic) were tested and the quadratic polynomial was the most appropriate to describe the variances in the traits analyzed. Principal component and cluster analyses were performed to determine the existence of different growth patterns and to group bulls based on their breeding values for meat, milk and dual-purpose production. The estimated heritabilities were 0.23, 0.14, 0.16, 0.17, 0.21 and 0.22 for W305, W120, WW, YW, PWW and W24, respectively, suggesting that, for the growth traits, heritabilities increased with increasing age of the animals. The same trend was observed when random regression analysis was performed, with heritabilities ranging from 0.17 to 0.31. The genetic correlations between weights at different ages and milk yield were positive and of moderate to low magnitude, ranging from 0.27 to 0.38. These estimates suggest that selection for weight and W305 can be performed simultaneously in the same animals. Principal component analysis indicated the same trend as observed by the genetic correlations. Cluster analysis showed the presence of bulls with different genetic profiles in the Guzerat breed, thus permitting selection for meat, milk or dual purpose. The genetic correlations between weights and scrotal circumference were positive and favorable (0.31 to 0.47), indicating that selection for increased weight will result in animals with greater scrotal circumference. The correlations between weights and age at first calving ranged from -0.56 to -0.38 and between scrotal circumference and age at first calving from -0.55 to 0.08, suggesting that the use of weight and scrotal circumference as selection objectives will result in the long-term reduction of age at first calving. The relative efficiency of selection indicated a greater response to indirect selection for age at first calving when selecting for scrotal circumference after 615 days of age, compared to the genetic gain obtained by direct selection for age at first calving.

Over the past 25 years, health care organization scholars have observed the dramatic emergence of hospital-based clusters in local markets throughout the U.S. These important organizational forms require same-system ownership of multiple general, acute care hospitals operating within a single local market, and as such they include multi-hospital systems that are entirely contained in a single urban market as well as clustered extensions or subsystems of larger regional and national systems. However, despite their noted growth as powerful forces in local markets, relatively few studies have examined these clusters, and as a result there remains a significant gap in our knowledge regarding their continued growth or the diverse components and configurations they may exhibit. This study endeavors to both describe and explain the diversity observed across hospital-based clusters. To fulfill this objective, a national inventory of clusters is updated to reflect cluster membership as of 2012, and a catalog of cluster components – including their hospital-based and non-hospital-based sites – is created, acknowledging that clusters today consist of more than just general, acute care hospitals. Cluster analysis methods are then employed to develop a taxonomy of cluster forms, using a sample of 114 clusters from local markets in Florida, Maryland, Nevada, Texas, Virginia, and Washington. Applying a conceptual framework informed by concepts from contingency theory and strategic management theory, cluster analysis methods yield a five-group solution, which is then externally validated using a multi-theoretical perspective synthesizing arguments from population ecology, institutional theory, industrial organization economics, transaction cost economics, and resource dependence theory. Results from descriptive and multinomial logistic regression analyses identify organizational and environmental factors that are significantly associated with various cluster forms. The study’s results suggest that today’s hospital-based clusters continue to grow and vary according to the dimensions of differentiation-configuration and integration-coordination. These findings provide a foundation for future examinations of hospital-based clusters, including their provision of services within and outside of hospital walls. These results also accentuate the importance of accounting for geographic considerations when examining health care organization forms, and they display the utility and value of employing a multi-theoretical perspective to examine and explain such complex forms.

Orientador: Sérgio Alberto Rupp de Paiva / Resumo: A Doença Inflamatória Intestinal (DII) apresenta curso variável. O tratamento adequado da fase aguda pode levar à remissão clínica da doença, cujo seguimento ocorre ambulatorialmente. Nesta condição, os pacientes mantêm hábito de vida normal e alguns ainda permanecem com inflamação. Esta situação de doença e estilo de vida pode interferir na composição corporal e no estado nutricional dos pacientes. Doença de Crohn (DC) e Retocolite Ulcerativa (RCU) são doenças heterogêneas em diversos aspectos, dentre eles na composição corporal e no estado nutricional. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar clusters relacionados à variação do estado nutricional na DIl. Foi realizado estudo transversal com pacientes com DII, submetidos a avaliação clínica (Crohn’s Disease Activity Index (CDAI), escore de Mayo e uso de medicações), nutricional (recordatório de 24 horas, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), peso, estatura, Índice de Massa Corporal (IMC), absorciometria por raios-X de dupla energia (DEXA), análise de bioimpedância elétrica (BIA), força de preensão manual, teste de caminhada de 6 minutos) e laboratorial (hemoglobina (Hb), hematócrito (Ht), Proteína C Reativa (PCR), velocidade de hemossedimentação (VHS), albumina). Com base nestes parâmetros, foram diagnosticados com Desnutrição (Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition, GLIM) e Sarcopenia (European Working Group on Sacopenia in Older People 2, EWGSOP2). Foram realizados testes estatísticos descritivos por meio do ... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) presents a variable course. Adequate treatment of the acute phase may lead to clinical remission of the disease, which is followed in the outpatient clinic. In this condition, patients maintain normal life habit and some still remain with inflammation. Both disease and lifestyle situation may interfere with the body composition and nutritional status of the patients. Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are heterogeneous diseases in several aspects, including body composition and nutritional status. The aim of the study was to evaluate clusters related to the variation of the nutritional status in IBD. A cross-sectional study was performed with IBD patients, by clinical (Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI), Mayo score and medications), nutritional (24-hour recall, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), weight, stature, Body Mass Index (BMI), dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), electrical bioimpedance (BIA), handgrip force, 6-minute walk test) and laboratorial evaluation (hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), albumin). Based on these parameters, were diagnosed Malnutrition (Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) and Sarcopenia (European Working Group on Sacopenia in Older People 2, EWGSOP2). Descriptive statistical tests were performed by mean ± standard deviation for numerical variables with normal or median distribution and quartiles (Q1... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor