Agricultural producers face uncertain agricultural production and market conditions. Much of the uncertainty faced by agricultural producers cannot be controlled by the producer, but can be managed. Several risk management programs are available in the U.S. to help manage uncertainties in agricultural production, marketing, and finance. This study focuses on the farm level economic implications of the federal risk management programs. In particular, the effects of the federal risk management programs on investment, production, and contract design are investigated. The dissertation is comprised of three essays. The unifying theme of these essays is the economic analysis of crop insurance programs. The first essay examines the effects of revenue insurance on the entry and exit thresholds of table grape producers using a real option approach. The results show that revenue insurance decreases the entry and exit thresholds compared with no revenue insurance, thus increasing the investment and current farming operation. If the policy goal is to induce more farmers in grape farming, the insurance policy with a high coverage level and high subsidy rate is effective. In the second essay, a mathematical programming model is used to examine the effects of federal risk management programs on optimal nitrogen fertilizer use and land allocation simultaneously. Current insurance programs and the Marketing Loan Program increase the optimal fertilizer rate 2% and increase the optimal cotton acreage 119-130% in a Texas cotton-sorghum system. Assuming nitrogen is harmful to the environment and cotton requires higher nitrogen use, these risk management programs counteract federal environmental programs. The third essay uses a principal-agent model to examine the optimal contract design that induces the best effort from the farmer when crop insurance is purchased. With the introduction of crop insurance, the investor’s optimal equity financing contract requires that the farmer bear more risk in order to have the incentive to work hard, which is achieved by increasing variable compensation and decreasing fixed compensation.

This research study focuses on examining the views of patients, their families, and staff member providers of the Centre for Healthy Active Living a clinical obesity management program for children and youth at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, in Ottawa, Canada. Qualitative methodology was used and content analysis was conducted with data obtained from family questionnaires and a provider focus group. Analysis of obtained data was conducted to determine alignment of views between patient, family, and provider views, and the formal goals of the program. Emerging themes from the data indicated that patients and families place higher value on the formal goals of “improve quality of life; improve eating behaviours; improving fitness, increasing activity levels; and empower/strengthen families.” (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 2012). Specific recommendations with regards to each component of these goals were provided. Instrumental, procedural, systemic, and conceptual recommendations of program components were also provided.

This research study focuses on examining the views of patients, their families, and staff member providers of the Centre for Healthy Active Living a clinical obesity management program for children and youth at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, in Ottawa, Canada. Qualitative methodology was used and content analysis was conducted with data obtained from family questionnaires and a provider focus group. Analysis of obtained data was conducted to determine alignment of views between patient, family, and provider views, and the formal goals of the program. Emerging themes from the data indicated that patients and families place higher value on the formal goals of “improve quality of life; improve eating behaviours; improving fitness, increasing activity levels; and empower/strengthen families.” (Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, 2012). Specific recommendations with regards to each component of these goals were provided. Instrumental, procedural, systemic, and conceptual recommendations of program components were also provided.

Bakgrund: Diabetes typ 2 är en endokrin sjukdom och är en av de största folksjukdomarna i världen. Förhöjda blodsockervärden gör att både små och stora blodkärl tar skada och detta leder till olika komplikationer såsom hjärtinfarkt, stroke och njurskador. Med hjälp av viktnedgång, kostreglering, regelbundet fysisk aktivitet och övervakning av blodglukosnivåerna kan risken för komplikationer förebyggas. Genom att förebygga komplikationer kan livskvaliteten främja patientens dagliga liv. En del av diabetesvården består av egenvårdsprogram där patienten får stöd och rådgivning att hantera sin diabetes. Syfte: Denna litteraturstudie syftar till att studera vilka faktorer i egenvårdsprogram som främjar livskvaliteten hos patienter med diabetes typ 2. Metod: Litteraturstudie, artiklarna söktes i databaserna CINAHL, PubMed och Web of Science. 14 kvantitativa artiklar inkluderades. Resultat: Resultatet visade att information, individuell målsättning och uppföljning var viktiga faktorer i egenvårdsprogrammen för att främja livskvaliteten hos patienter med diabetes typ 2. Slutsats: Att leva med diabetes typ 2 kräver noggrannhet och planering i det dagliga livet. Egenvårdsprogram kan minska risken för komplikationer där följsamhet till egenvården främjas och livskvaliteten gynnas. / Background: Type 2 diabetes is an endocrine disorder and one of the major diseases in the world. Increase in blood sugar levels allows both small and large blood vessels are damaged and this leads to various complications such as heart attack, stroke and kidney damage. Using weight loss, diet control, regular physical activity, and monitoring of blood glucose levels, the risk of complications can be prevent. Preventing complications can promote the quality of life and improve the patient's daily life. In the diabetes care, self- management programs are a part where patients receives support and advice to manage their diabetes. Aim: Important factors in self-management programs that promote the quality of life for patients with diabetes type 2. Method: A literature review, the articles were searched in the databases CINAHL, PubMed and Web of Science. 14 quantitative articles were included. Results: The results showed that information, individual goal setting and follow-up where the key factors in self-care programs for promoting the quality of life in patients with diabetes type 2. Conclusion: Living with type 2 diabetes require precision and planning of daily life. Selfmanagement programs can reduce the risk of complications where adherence to self-care promotion and to promote quality of life.

The purpose of this study was to analyze and measure the short-term and long-term impacts of a chronic disease self-management program (CDSP) for individuals living with HIV/AIDS. This study was a follow-up study on an HIV/AIDS Organization in Southern California’s (HAOSC’s) CDSP programs in 2007 and 2008 called “Newly Empowered Women” (NEW), a six (6) week CDSP for women diagnosed with HIV/AIDS which sought to promote self-efficacy through education and self-management skills. A retrospective longitudinal study on the female clients who participated with this program in 2007 and 2008 determined whether clients retained the skills taught in the CDSP and if they attained self-efficacy through improved behavioral changes in better overall self-management that were influenced as a result of their participation. Behavioral changes were examined and measured in the areas of self-rated health, anxiety and stress, social activities, communication with physicians, and the client’s overall self-confidence in managing symptoms related to the disease. The measurement of change in these areas informed the study on the effectiveness and practicality of the skills being taught in the CDSP and their effectiveness in the promotion of self-efficacy. It also highlighted which skills seem to be most helpful and impactful to clients, and if the skills they learned were retained over time. The study measured the short-term impacts from completion of the CDSP to the 6-month follow-up period and also measured the long-term impacts the CDSP had on client health outcomes three (3) and four (4) years after the initial program was implemented to see if there was a correlation between increased self-efficacy and improved health outcomes. Participant CD4 and viral load counts were analyzed, as these are determinant biological markers in measuring the immunological impacts of the disease. Measuring these variables over time for individuals that were in a CDSP gave the study insight into the CDSP’s short-term and long-term effectiveness in the promotion and sustainment of self-efficacy for individuals living with HIV/AIDS and how the effective management of their chronic illness can lead to overall better health outcomes. Additionally, this study sought to better understand the experience of the women who participated in the CDSP through incorporating a mixed methods qualitative approach, by interviewing some of the women who had participated in the CDSP to identify common themes or lessons learned, best practices of the program, and areas for improvement. Although this study was not able to show that changes in behavior and increased self-efficacy impact health outcomes, more complex analysis should be done in this area, as this study highlighted the positive impacts a CDSP can have on increasing self-management skills and promoting self-efficacy over the short-term and long-term for individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Aiming to evaluate the response of ten soybean cultivars subjected to three arrangements of plants and eight fungicide programs in terms of expression and the development of Asian rust, penetration of light on the canopy, productivity and yield components of soybean experiment was conducted during the 2008/2009 season, in Itaara / RS. In the field, cultivars FCep 55, BMX Apollo, BMX Titan, BRS 243, A 8000, CD 214, NK 70, BRS Pampa, FCep 59 and Monasca were subjected to densities off 160, 300 and 440 thousand plants ha-1 and eight programs fungicide management: P1- treatment control, P2 - epoxiconazole + pyraclostrobin with application to closing the row space and 21 days after the first application; P3 - epoxiconazole + pyraclostrobin application to closing the row space and 28 days; P4 - epoxiconazole + pyraclostrobin with application in R1 and 21 days; P5 - epoxiconazole + pyraclostrobin with applications closing the row space, 21 days after the first application and the third application 14 days after the second; P6 - tebuconazole + carbendazin with application in closing the row space and 21 days after the first application; P7 - tebuconazole + carbendazin application to close row space and 28 days after and P8 - tebuconazole + carbendazin with application in R1 and 21 days. The variables were: percentage of light penetration within the canopy, Area under the progress disease curve (AUPDC), grain yield and yield components. The experimental design was a randomized block, with 4 replications and three-way design (10 cultivars x 3 planting densities x 8 fungicide management programs). For percentage of light penetration in the canopy, BMX Apollo cultivar performed better with values close to 1% when subjected to higher density. For the variables AUPDC and productivity cultivars might be grouped as responsive, not responsive and unresponsive to reduce the plant population. The responsive cultivars for AUPDC were FCep55, BMX Apollo, BRS 243, CD 214, has had this behavior to yield the cultivars FCep 55, A 8000, BMX Titan, BRS 243 and NK 70. Management programs had the same trend for these two variables where the program with three applications of epoxiconazole + pyraclostrobin showed lower AUPDC value and higher yield. The number of branches per plant showed that all cultivars reduce the production of branches when exposed to high density, which resulted in condensing the grain on the main stem, especially the cultivar BMX Apollo that concentrated 99.84% of the grain on the main stem and the higher density was only 0.02 branches for plant. For the yield components number of pods for m2 and number of grains for pod was significant difference only for the cultivars and plant density. For densities, the higher density of plants resulted in reducing the number of pods for area, grains per pod, among the cultivars NK 70 showed the highest number of pods for m2 and the cultivar BMX Apollo largest number of grains for pod. The mass of 1000 grains was the variable with little variation among worked. There interaction between programs and cultivars, where the maturity cultivars achieved the largest masses. For the participation of thirds in the number of pods, there was only difference among cultivars where the variability of response between the cultivars shows that this variable has genetic domain. / Com o objetivo de avaliar a resposta de dez cultivares de soja submetidas a três arranjos de plantas e à aplicação de oito programas de manejo fungicida no que tange à expressão e ao desenvolvimento da ferrugem asiática, penetração de luminosidade no dossel vegetativo, produtividade e componentes da produtividade da cultura da soja foi realizado experimento durante a safra agrícola 2008/2009, em Itaara/RS. Em campo, as cultivares FCep 55, BMX Apolo, BMX Titan, BRS 243, A 8000,CD 214,NK 70, BRS Pampa, FCep 59 e Monasca foram submetidas às densidades 160, 300 e 440 mil plantas ha-1 e a oito programas de manejo fungicida: P1- testemunha, P2 epoxiconazol +piraclostrobina com aplicação no fechamento da entre linha e 21 dias após a primeira aplicação; P3 epoxiconazol + piraclostrobina aplicado no fechamento da entre linha e 28 dias após; P4 epoxiconazol + piraclostrobina com aplicação em R1 e 21 dias após; P5 epoxiconazol + piraclostrobina com aplicações em fechamento das entre linhas, 21 dias após a primeira aplicação e com terceira aplicação 14 dias após a segunda; P6 tebuconazol + carbendazin com aplicação no fechamento da entre linha e 21 dias após a primeira aplicação; P7 tebuconazol + carbendazin aplicado no fechamento da entre linha e 28 dias após e P8 tebuconazol + carbendazin com aplicação em R1 e 21 dias após. As variáveis avaliadas foram: percentual de penetração de luz no dossel vegetativo, área abaixo da curva de progresso da doença (AACPD), rendimento de grãos e componentes do rendimento. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso, com 4 repetições, no esquema trifatorial (10 cultivares x 3 densidades de plantas x 8 programas de manejo fungicida). Para a variável percentual de penetração de luz no dossel vegetativo, a cultivar BMX Apolo obteve melhor desempenho com valores próximos a 1% quando submetida à maior densidade. Para as variáveis AACPD e produtividade, as cultivares puderam ser agrupadas como responsivas, não- responsivas e indiferentes à redução da população de plantas. As cultivares responsivas para AACPD foram FCep 55, BMX Apolo, BRS 243, CD 214, já para produtividade tiveram esse comportamento as cultivares FCep 55, A 8000, BMX Titan, BRS 243 e NK 70. Os programas de manejo tiveram a mesma tendência para essas duas variáveis, onde o programa com três aplicações de epoxiconazol + piraclostrobina apresentou menor valor de AACPD e maior rendimento. O número de ramos por planta mostrou que todas as cultivares reduzem a produção de ramos quando expostos a condições adensamento, o que refletiu em concentração da massa de grãos na haste principal, com destaque para a cultivar BMX Apolo que concentrou 99,84% da massa de grãos na haste principal e na maior densidade teve apenas 0,02 ramos por planta. Para os componentes do rendimento número de legumes por m2 e número de grãos por legume, houve diferença significativa somente para os fatores cultivares e densidade de plantas isoladamente. Para as densidades, o adensamento de plantas resultou na redução do número de legumes por unidade de área e de grãos por legume, já entre as cultivares, a cultivar NK 70 apresentou o maior número de legumes por m2 e a cultivar BMX Apolo, o maior número de grãos por legume. A massa de 1000 grãos foi a variável com menor variação dentre as trabalhadas, havendo interação entre os programas e as cultivares, onde as cultivares de ciclo precoce obtiveram as maiores massas. Para a participação dos terços no número de legumes, houve diferença somente entre as cultivares onde a variabilidade de resposta entre os materiais aponta para que essa variável tenha domínio genético.

This investigation is concerned with perceived detrimental aspects of land use and the desirability of extending government participation in land use goals. Interviews with 179 persons were conducted. The data reveal a possible direct relationship between social class and the acceptance of land use and economic controls. The project endorses the following proposals: Local regulations should require housing developers to provide the streets and utilities and to dedicate land for parks and schools. Taxation should be used as a regulatory tool for the attainment of public policy objectives. A federal commission is needed to encourage comprehensive land management programs. It is also suggested that future land management questionnaires should use random samples and ask questions about specific land use problems.

<p>During the last decade, there has been a renewed interest in physicians´ working conditions at a time when health care is undergoing major structural and financial changes. Physicians report decreasing work satisfaction and at the same time increasingly contemplate on leaving their profession. Despite an increasing proportion of female physicians, they are underrepresented in management positions. Very often, female physicians also report worse personal health and less organisational influence than their male colleagues. Management programs have been viewed as an important vehicle to improve working conditions and career development for female physicians.</p><p>The aim of the present thesis was to evaluate the effects on individual health, professional development, perception of organisational structure and career development. Fifty-two female physicians participated in structured 1-year management programs. The control group consisted of 52 physicians not participating in any formal management education during the study period. The female physicians were compared with 157 male physicians in order to evaluate possible gender and manager-reported differences on individual and organisational well-being. The study also assessed occupational predictors of individual well-being, health and professional development for managers.</p><p>Participants in management programs reported a clearer organisational structure and improved professional development and influence. However, there were no significant effects with regard to health, sickness absenteeism, nor career development. Male and female physicians differed in several areas when assessed as a group, but stratifying for management level, most of the gender-related differences disappeared. When managers rated clearer organisational structure, this was associated with higher ratings on individual well-being and professional development.</p><p>Management programs for female physicians might have some beneficial effects but these programs need to be better defined and targeted to the most important issues at hand to recruit future managers. Furthermore, these programs must be better integrated with other processes to create efficient and able managers.</p>

During the last decade, there has been a renewed interest in physicians´ working conditions at a time when health care is undergoing major structural and financial changes. Physicians report decreasing work satisfaction and at the same time increasingly contemplate on leaving their profession. Despite an increasing proportion of female physicians, they are underrepresented in management positions. Very often, female physicians also report worse personal health and less organisational influence than their male colleagues. Management programs have been viewed as an important vehicle to improve working conditions and career development for female physicians. The aim of the present thesis was to evaluate the effects on individual health, professional development, perception of organisational structure and career development. Fifty-two female physicians participated in structured 1-year management programs. The control group consisted of 52 physicians not participating in any formal management education during the study period. The female physicians were compared with 157 male physicians in order to evaluate possible gender and manager-reported differences on individual and organisational well-being. The study also assessed occupational predictors of individual well-being, health and professional development for managers. Participants in management programs reported a clearer organisational structure and improved professional development and influence. However, there were no significant effects with regard to health, sickness absenteeism, nor career development. Male and female physicians differed in several areas when assessed as a group, but stratifying for management level, most of the gender-related differences disappeared. When managers rated clearer organisational structure, this was associated with higher ratings on individual well-being and professional development. Management programs for female physicians might have some beneficial effects but these programs need to be better defined and targeted to the most important issues at hand to recruit future managers. Furthermore, these programs must be better integrated with other processes to create efficient and able managers.

Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Energy-related costs are increasing steadily. This is especially true in South Africa where we have been dealing with an energy crisis during the past couple of years. The increase in energy-related costs puts energy dependent industries under financial pressure. It is therefore imperative to find ways to improve the efficiency with which energy is being consumed in order to decrease the amount of money that has to be allocated to energy costs. The efficient consumption of energy at a facility is crucial and to increase that efficiency, Energy Management Programs (EMPs) should be implemented. An important component of EMPs is ascertaining the current energy consumption of a facility in order to identify areas where possible improvements can be made. This is done by completing an energy audit at the facility. After the energy audit has been completed and Energy Conservation Methods (ECMs) have been identified, the implementation of these methods should commence. The aim of this study is to determine how Industrial Engineering (IE) methods can play a more integral role in making South Africa more energy efficient. As part of this study, research was done to identify current EMCs being implemented in different areas and for different equipment in facilities. This information was compared to IE methods to identify the possible relationship between the ECMs and IE methods. Content analyses were completed on both IE and energy efficiency corpora using the Content Analysis Toolkit (CAT) program. These analyses identified important topics in these corpora and correlations between these topics in order to show correlations between the IE and energy efficiency fields. The most significant correlations identified, were between statistical methods and various energy efficiency topics. A case study was completed at a company in the Western Cape that manufactures electronic and integrated circuit products to implement the relevant ECMs. As part of the case study, an energy audit was completed at the facility. The implementation of a number of the ECMs has shown reductions in the daily kilowatt hours (kWh) consumptions. These reductions were obtained through the implementation of a Shut Down Management program, which highlights the importance of management in an energy conservation project. The application of optimisation algorithms for energy efficient design was examined through the optimisation of lighting design, using a Genetic Algorithm. It was found that a Genetic Algorithm is applicable to lighting design but requires further refinement in order to generate the most optimal design solutions. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kostes verbonde aan energieverbruik is voortdurend besig om toe te neem.Dit is veral relevant in Suid-Afrika waar ons tans ’n energiekrisis beleef. Hierdie toename in energieverwante kostes plaas energie-afhanklike industrieë onder groot finansiële druk. Dit is daarom belangrik om maniere te vind om energieverbruik meer effektief te maak sodat die bedrag geld wat aan energieverwante kostes toegestaan word, verminder kan word. Effektiewe energieverbruik by ’n fasiliteit is kritiek en om hierdie effektiwiteit te verbeter behoort ’n energiebestuursprogram by die fasiliteit geïmplimenteer te word. ’n Belangrike komponent van energiebestuursprogramme is die bepaling van die huidige energieverbruik en dit word gebruik om die areas te identifiseer waar moontlike verbeteringe aangebring kan word. Die energieverbruik word bepaal deur ’n energie-oudit. Nadat die energie-oudit voltooi en die energiebesparingsmetodes bepaal is, moet hierdie metodes by die fasiliteit geïmplementeer word. Hierdie studie probeer vasstel hoe bedryfsingenieurswesemetodes ‘n groter rol kan speel in die proses om Suid-Afrika meer energie-effektief te maak. Navorsing is gedoen oor energiebesparingsmetodes wat in verskillende areas en vir verskillende toerusting in fasiliteite geïmplementeer word. Hierdie inligting is daarna vergelyk met bedryfsingenieurswesemetodes om juis die moontlike verhouding tussen hierdie twee tipe metodes te identifiseer. Analises was gedoen in bedryfsingenieurswese en energie-effektiwiteitskorpusse met die gebruik van die ‘Content Analysis Toolkit’ program. Belangrike onderwerpe en verwantskappe tussen hierdie onderwerpe in die korpusse is identifiseer om sodoende korrelasies tussen die bedryfsingenieurswese- en energie-effektiwiteitsveld uit te lig. Die mees betekenisvolle korrelasies was tussen statistiese metodes en verskeie energieeffektiwiteitsonderwerpe identifiseer. ’n Gevallestudie is by ’n maatskappy in die Wes-Kaap wat geïntegreerde elektroniese stroombane vervaardig gedoen, om die relevante energiebesparingsmetodes te implementeer. ’n Energie-oudit is as deel van die gevallestudie by die fasiliteit gedoen. Die aantal energiebesparingsmetodes wat wel geïmplementeer is, het ’n verlaging in die kilowatture (kWh) teweeggebring. Hierdie verlagings is verkry deur die implementering van ’n afskakelingsbestuursprogram wat die belangrikheid van bestuur in ’n energiebesparingsprogram uitlig. Die toepaslikheid van optimiseringsalgoritmes vir energie-effektiewe ontwerp is getoets deur die optimisering van ’n liguitlegontwerp met behulp van ’n genetiese algoritme. Daar is gevind dat ’n genetiese algoritme wel toegepas kan word, maar dat dit verbeteringe benodig.