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No description available.

The focus of this thesis is the bioremediation of oil impacted sites. Chapter 3 considered “Oil Lakes” in Kuwait, a consequence of the First Gulf War, which pose a considerable human and environmental hazard.  The data revealed that across even a small “Oil Lake”, the hydrocarbon concentration varied significantly and that hydrocarbon concentration was the most important descriptor for determining the rate of remediation.  Effective and sustainable bioremediation strategy must be led by the focused use of underpinning empirical data and its application in a predictive capacity. Chapter 4 considered a similar integrated approach to assess the bioremediation potential of historically contaminated soils from Kuwait.  The analyses reveal that an optimised combination of chemical and biological characterisation were necessary to monitor processes involved in remediation of heavily weathered oil contaminated soils.  A predictive equation derived from empirical chemical and biological data could enhance certainty in the adoption of remedial strategies. Chapter 5 focussed on the toxicity of fractionated crude oils undergoing remediation. Chapter 6 compared a full scale trial of two remediation strategies done on the same site contaminated with bunker-fuel.  This trial reveals the benefit of developing risk and hazard-based approaches in defining endpoint bioremediation of heavy hydrocarbons when engineered biopile or window are proposed as treatment option. Bioremediation, to be effectively applied requires a considerably intense monitoring regime.  For freshly contaminated soils, there is sound justification for applying a predictive capacity but as the samples age, this becomes less certain.  New technologies are evolving which when properly applied and interpreted in the correct context may enhance our ability to sustainably manage hydrocarbon bioremediation.

Zhou, Pengpeng. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 76-89). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

Kyle Marshall Moller

The Assessment of Risk and Manageability in Intellectually Disabled IndividuaLs who Offend (ARMIDILO) was developed to address the need for assessment tests specifically designed for intellectually disabled (ID) individuals who offend. This is the first study focusing on the application of the ARMIDILO by using comparative current risk assessment tests to evaluate the ARMIDILO as an effective risk assessment tool. In this research 16 ID people who have recorded sexual and or violent behaviour offences were evaluated using the Violent Offender Risk Assessment Scale (VORAS), Static-99 and ARMIDILO risk assessment tests. The ARMIDILO, VORAS and Static-99 assessments were completed using individual history files kept within the Regional Forensic Psychiatric Service. The VORAS and Static-99 were adapted to incorporate reported, but not charged or otherwise litigated offences and convictions. The adapted tests were then compared against the ARMIDILO as a risk assessment tool. Analysis of the ARMIDILO showed strong validity in assessing ID people who offend. The main strength of the ARMIDILO is in identifying the risk needs of the ID person who offends and may be an effective management test when used in assessing individual needs and program implementation. Risk assessment through the ARMIDILO showed similar results to Static-99 but compared only moderately with the VORAS in measuring the risk of re-offending. Future research with a larger population may further validate the reliability of the ARMIDILO as an assessment tool. Adaptation of the current score sheet for use by non-clinical and correctional staff may prove cost effective.

In the economic environment of the information age, the performance of the stock market is considered an important indicator of the health of a nation's economy. Typically, the performance of any stock market is reflected through stock market prices. It would not be over emphasizing to state that, now the stock market is shedding value, it is having a tremendous influence in shaping the overall economies of most developed nations around the globe. Two research questions from the perspective of the Australian stock market have been developed for empirical examination.The questions are: (i) what systematic risk factors are influential for the Australian stock market returns in both the long-and short-runs; and (ii) is the Australian stock market linked to developed stock markets under the influence of globalization? The methodological approaches suitable for empirical analyses have been closely investigated to reveal the precise characteristics of the long-run stock market pricing process.Empirical tests have been performed to ascertain whether the Australian stock market is responsive to the a priori variables, and if so, which ones and to what extent. Cointegration techniques have been applied to help answer both research questions. To answer the second research question, an analysis has been performed that examined six overseas developed stock markets and asked whether the Australian stock market is cointegrated with those markets in the long-run. The results of the first study show that only a few systematic risk factors are responsible for Australian stock market price movements in the long-run while short-run dynamics are in force. The results of the second study confirm that the Australian stock market is being influenced by a small number of overseas markets and it is integrated with those markets under the influence of globalization. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

In the economic environment of the information age, the performance of the stock market is considered an important indicator of the health of a nation's economy. Typically, the performance of any stock market is reflected through stock market prices. It would not be over emphasizing to state that, now the stock market is shedding value, it is having a tremendous influence in shaping the overall economies of most developed nations around the globe. Two research questions from the perspective of the Australian stock market have been developed for empirical examination.The questions are: (i) what systematic risk factors are influential for the Australian stock market returns in both the long-and short-runs; and (ii) is the Australian stock market linked to developed stock markets under the influence of globalization? The methodological approaches suitable for empirical analyses have been closely investigated to reveal the precise characteristics of the long-run stock market pricing process.Empirical tests have been performed to ascertain whether the Australian stock market is responsive to the a priori variables, and if so, which ones and to what extent. Cointegration techniques have been applied to help answer both research questions. To answer the second research question, an analysis has been performed that examined six overseas developed stock markets and asked whether the Australian stock market is cointegrated with those markets in the long-run. The results of the first study show that only a few systematic risk factors are responsible for Australian stock market price movements in the long-run while short-run dynamics are in force. The results of the second study confirm that the Australian stock market is being influenced by a small number of overseas markets and it is integrated with those markets under the influence of globalization. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Warfarin has well-proven benefit (stroke prevention) but an associated increase in harm (major bleeding) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Current clinical prediction rules (CPRs) are limited in that stroke CPRs predict only the probabilities of “stroke” and “no stroke” and bleeding CPRs predict only “bleed” and “no bleed” despite the fact that outcomes actually include combinations of these four groups. The study objective was to evaluate methods to create a CPR that calculates individual patient probabilities of warfarin’s four combined benefit/harm outcome groups: i) no stroke/no bleed; ii) no stroke/bleed; iii) stroke/no bleed; iv) stroke/bleed. Methods: Patient-level data were analyzed from a randomized controlled trial database (n=9,155) and an observational anticoagulant clinic database (n=5,475) from start of trial or time of AF diagnosis respectively (baseline), until end of follow-up. Patients were stratified into the four groups based on their outcomes during follow-up. Due to high mortality in both datasets, death was included as an outcome. Decision tree modeling and polytomous logistic regression (PLR) were conducted to identify baseline patient factors predicting each outcome group. Results: Based on a literature review of recent high quality RCTs, benefit and harm are reported separately and not at a more individualized level than subgroup analysis. In this individualized combined benefit/harm analysis, both PLR and decision tree modeling identified predictors of no stroke/no bleed, no stroke/bleed, stroke/no bleed and death without a prior stroke or bleed. PLR results predicted probabilities of combined benefit/harm outcomes for every patient but required detailed computation. However, results could potentially be converted into automated form for ease of use. Decision trees provided a visual algorithm approach to risk assessment but did not i) predict the probability of warfarin’s combined benefit/harm outcomes based on all predictors simultaneously, ii) predict the probability of these outcomes for every patient or iii) provide statistical parameters of predictive value (odds ratios). Conclusions: The PLR technique could be used to predict patient probabilities of combined benefit/harm outcomes with warfarin. The study results require validation, preferably prospectively, in other cohorts. If validated, this approach should be tested to determine if it aids patient decision-making.

Uncertainty can be either an opportunity or a risk. Every construction project begins with the expectation of project performance. To meet the expectation, construction projects need to be managed through sound risk assessment and management beginning with the front-end of the project life cycle to check the feasibility of a project. The Construction Industry Institute’s (CII) International Project Risk Assessment (IPRA) tool has been developed, successfully used for a variety of heavy industry sector projects, and recently elevated to Best Practice status. However, its current format is inadequate to address the unique challenges of constructing the next generation of nuclear power plants (NPP). To understand and determine the risks associated with NPP projects, the goal of this thesis is to develop tailored risk framework for NPP projects that leverages and modifies the existing IPRA process. The IPRA has 82 elements to assess the risks associated with international construction projects. The modified IPRA adds five major issues (elements) to consider the unique risk factors of typical NPP projects based upon a review of the literature and an evaluation of the performance of previous nuclear-related facilities. The modified IPRA considers the sequence of NPP design that ultimately impacts the risks associated with plant safety and operations. Historically, financial risks have been a major chronic problem with the construction of NPPs. This research suggests that unstable regulations and the lack of design controls and oversight are significant risk issues. This thesis includes a consistency test to initially validate whether the asserted risks exist in actual conditions. Also, an overall risk assessment is performed based on the proposed risk framework for NPP and the list of assessed risk is proposed through a possible scenario. After the assessment, possible mitigation strategies are also provided against the major risks as a part of this thesis. This study reports on the preliminary findings for developing a new risk framework for constructing nuclear power plants. Future research is needed for advanced verification of the proposed elements. Follow-on efforts should include verification and validation of the proposed framework by industry experts and methods to quantify and evaluate the performance and risks associated with the multitude of previous NPP projects.