In the current era of globalization in supply chain, business continuity planning should play an even more important role than previously. Business continuity planning provides company with an analysis of potential business threatening situations, everything from natural disasters to supply shortages, and ensures that actions are taken in order to mitigate the probability that those risks will become reality. Business continuity planning does not come without a cost, since companies will in some cases have to spend money in actions like redundancies (e.g. supplier). In the Semiconductor industry, supply chains might are extremely complex and globalized. These supply chains can go from having suppliers in the United States, to front-end manufacturing in Europe, to back-end manufacturing and packaging in Asia. Raw materials for semiconductor manufacturing, for example raw wafers, can be found for above $500 per wafer. It is due to not only the complexity of the supply chain in semiconductors, but also due to the high costs of raw materials and manufacturing, that it is crucial for companies in this particular industry to ensure business continuity planning is taken seriously, and adequate measures are taken to mitigate as many risks to their supply chain as possible. / text

The earth surface is monitored periodically by numerous satellite sensors which have different spectral response functions, image acquisition heights, atmosphere correction schemes, overpass times, and sun/view angle geometries. Temporal and spatial variations of land surface properties, such as vegetation index, Leaf Area Index (LAI), land surface temperature, and soil moisture, have been provided by long-term time series of various remote sensing datasets. Inter-sensor translation equations are required to build long-term time series by the combination of multiple sensors from historical to advanced and new satellite datasets. In the first chapter, inter-sensor translation equations of band reflectances and two vegetation indices (e.g. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)) were derived using linear regression equations relative to Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) values. The consistency and validation of inter-sensor transforms were investigated through statistical student's t-test and the root mean square error (RMSE).In the second chapter, cross-sensor extension of EVI and a 2-band EVI (without the blue band; EVI2) were investigated based on the continuity of both EVI's. Sensor specific red-blue coherencies were examined for the possibility of the EVI and EVI2 extension from MODIS sensor. The EVI continuity to MODIS was particularly problematic for the Visible Infrared Imager / Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) that have dissimilar blue bands from that of MODIS. The cross-sensor extension and compatibility of EVI2 were improved and provided the possibility to be lengthened to the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) using its translation equation.Finally, we evaluated the use of sensor-specific EVI and NDVI data sets, using a time sequence of Hyperion images over Amazon rainforest in Tapajos National Forest, Brazil for the 2001 and 2002 dry seasons. We computed NDVI, EVI, and EVI2 with the convolution data of different global monitoring and high temporal resolution sensor systems (AVHRR, MODIS, VIIRS, SPOT-VGT, and SeaWiFS) from Hyperion, and evaluated their spectral deviations and continuity in the characterization of tropical forest phenology. Our analyses show that EVI2 maintains the desirable properties of increased sensitivity in high biomass forests across all sensor systems evaluated.

Purpose: A majority of childhood and adolescent cancer survivors face life-long cancer- and treatment-related sequelae. Long-term follow-up is necessary to facilitate timely diagnosis and management of these health conditions. As part of strategic long-term follow-up, provider continuity of care (PCOC) may improve outcomes through appropriate use of surveillance, screening, and coordination of services. The purpose of this thesis was to assess physician services utilization and PCOC among survivors of childhood cancer compared with general population subjects, and to examine factors associated with survivors' use of physician services and PCOC scores. Methods: Physician services utilization and PCOC were assessed in a population-based cohort of 1322 five-year cancer survivors diagnosed between 1981 and 1995 under age 20 in British Columbia, and a group of 13,220 age- and gender-frequency matched, randomly selected population-based subjects, whose records were linked to individual-level administrative healthcare datasets. Effects of clinical and sociodemographic modifiers on utilization and PCOC were examined using generalized linear modeling. Changes in utilization and PCOC by age were estimated using a longitudinal, repeated measures modeling approach. Results: Survivors incurred an average of 8.94 medical visits per year: 4.82 to primary care physicians, 2.69 to specialists, and 1.43 to non-physician providers. Survivors had more visits than comparators in all visit categories (p<0.0001 for all). As they age, survivors' use of primary care services increases significantly, while their use of specialist services declines, trends that are not mirrored by the comparison population. The average PCOC score for survivors was 0.54 ± 0.22, indicating survivors saw the same primary care provider for only 50% of their primary care visits. Mean score did not differ between survivors and comparators; however, in the population sample scores improved with age (p=0.02), while among survivors, scores worsened (p=0.05). Conclusions: The dramatic age-related increase in primary care visits observed in the survivor group suggests that primary care physicians play a key role in ensuring quality long-term follow-up care. Survivors are at heightened risk for poor PCOC as they age and transition into adult-oriented community care, raising concerns about whether they are receiving the appropriate follow-up care encompassing screening, surveillance and psychosocial support.

The population of seniors in Canada is increasing, and the numbers of seniors who remain in or return to the workforce rather than retire are also on the rise. However, work experiences of older individuals have been understudied in research. This study explores the meaning of work to a group of individuals over age 65 in Thunder Bay, a city in Northwestern Ontario. The researcher conducted ten interviews following phenomenological methods of inquiry. Using identity theory, life course perspective, and continuity theory, the study also sought to understand the importance of continuity to older individuals’ experiences of work. Findings revealed eight themes that influenced older workers’ experiences: socio-historical trends, the work environment, health, financial circumstances, purpose, choice, life beyond work, and perceptions of age. Ultimately, continuity of behaviours, life stories, and self-understandings are important features of older workers’ experiences and may influence whether this important group will continue to work.

Purpose: A majority of childhood and adolescent cancer survivors face life-long cancer- and treatment-related sequelae. Long-term follow-up is necessary to facilitate timely diagnosis and management of these health conditions. As part of strategic long-term follow-up, provider continuity of care (PCOC) may improve outcomes through appropriate use of surveillance, screening, and coordination of services. The purpose of this thesis was to assess physician services utilization and PCOC among survivors of childhood cancer compared with general population subjects, and to examine factors associated with survivors' use of physician services and PCOC scores. Methods: Physician services utilization and PCOC were assessed in a population-based cohort of 1322 five-year cancer survivors diagnosed between 1981 and 1995 under age 20 in British Columbia, and a group of 13,220 age- and gender-frequency matched, randomly selected population-based subjects, whose records were linked to individual-level administrative healthcare datasets. Effects of clinical and sociodemographic modifiers on utilization and PCOC were examined using generalized linear modeling. Changes in utilization and PCOC by age were estimated using a longitudinal, repeated measures modeling approach. Results: Survivors incurred an average of 8.94 medical visits per year: 4.82 to primary care physicians, 2.69 to specialists, and 1.43 to non-physician providers. Survivors had more visits than comparators in all visit categories (p<0.0001 for all). As they age, survivors' use of primary care services increases significantly, while their use of specialist services declines, trends that are not mirrored by the comparison population. The average PCOC score for survivors was 0.54 ± 0.22, indicating survivors saw the same primary care provider for only 50% of their primary care visits. Mean score did not differ between survivors and comparators; however, in the population sample scores improved with age (p=0.02), while among survivors, scores worsened (p=0.05). Conclusions: The dramatic age-related increase in primary care visits observed in the survivor group suggests that primary care physicians play a key role in ensuring quality long-term follow-up care. Survivors are at heightened risk for poor PCOC as they age and transition into adult-oriented community care, raising concerns about whether they are receiving the appropriate follow-up care encompassing screening, surveillance and psychosocial support.

Licentiatavhandling (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karolinska institutet, 2006. / Härtill 2 uppsatser.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1965. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaf 2a).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-79). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-79). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1957. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 498-507).