Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Com.(Financial Management))--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

The aim of this thesis is to perform comparative analysis of the state policies of the Czech Republic and Poland aimed at reducing dust emissions from industrial and power generation sources of air pollution in the Moravia-Silesia and in the Silesian Voivodeship. The analysis is meant to facilitate improving the regulation requirements of these sources in both districts. The extent of regulation of the sources of air pollution in the Silesia Voivodeship influences the amount of dust emissions produced by such sources and, due the influence of the existence of cross-border transfer of emissions, this influences the concentration of particulate matter in the atmosphere in the Moravian-Silesian Region. The thesis arrives at the conclusion that the industrial and power generation sources of air pollution in the Czech Republic in the Moravian-Silesian Region faces stricter regulation requirements in comparison with similar sources in Poland in the former Silesian Voivodeship. Stricter conditions of regulation for Czech sources are the reason for the lower level of emissions and the resulting higher control costs such sources. The thesis concerns comparative analysis of the control costs a sample group of metallurgic and power generation plants in the Moravian-Silesian Region and in the Silesian Voivodeship.

Alcohol measurement in health care settings is an effective intervention for reducing alcohol-related harm. However, in many countries, costs related to alcohol measurement have not yet been transparently assessed, which may hinder its adoption and implementation. Costs of an alcohol measurement programme in three upper-middle-income Latin American countries were assessed via questionnaires and compared, as part of the quasi-experimental SCALA study. Additional to the intervention costs, the costs of three implementation strategies: standard training and clinical package, intensive training and clinical package, and community support, were assessed and subsequently translated into costs per additional alcohol measurement session. Results demonstrated that costs for one alcohol measurement session ranged between Int$ 0.67 and Int$ 1.23 in Colombia, Int$ 1.19 and Int$ 2.57 in Mexico, and Int$ 1.11 and Int$ 2.14 in Peru. Costs were mainly driven by the salaries of the health professionals. Implementation strategies costs per additional alcohol measurement session ranged between Int$ 1.24 and Int$ 6.17. In all three countries, standard training and a clinical package may be a promising implementation strategy with a relatively low cost per additional alcohol measurement session.

An analytical method for predicting life-cycle maintainability labor costs is developed. The purpose of the analytical method is to allow the evaluation of products, based on life-cycle labor cost, early in the design process. The Boeing 737-300/400/500 Bleed Air Control System is used as a test model, and the results of the analysis are compared with historical data from this system. Four prospective design changes to the Bleed Air Control System are analyzed to demonstrate the ability of the analytical method to compare different designs or design changes. / Graduation date: 1997