Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Proxy indicators'

Methane production by ruminants is a significant contributor to agricultural greenhouse gas emissions (Webb et al., 2013). However, current values used to estimate methane output by sheep are default values and do not take into account animal and dietary factors that may affect methane output (Bernstein et al., 2007). Strategies to reduce ruminant methane output are the focus of a large body of research (Iqbal et al., 2008) and, in order to implement these strategies fully, a greater understanding of factors that influence ruminant methane emissions is necessary. The "gold standard" method for measuring methane output by sheep is the use of respiratory chambers (Blaxter and Clapperton, 1965). However, this method is expensive, time-consuming and labour intensive, making it unsuitable for use in an on-farm situation. The work presented in this thesis explores the potential of three proxies to estimate methane output by sheep, which could be used or adapted to be used as a practical means of estimating methane emissions from sheep on a large scale. The proxies investigated here are a Laser Methane Detector (LMD), used to take measurements of methane concentration from air expired by sheep, in vitro gas production analysis of feeds offered to sheep, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis of feeds offered to sheep. Predictions of methane output obtained from each of the proxies are validated using respiratory chamber measurements taken from sheep offered a variety of feeds during different experiments. With further development and validation, all three proxies presented in this thesis demonstrate potential to be used to successfully estimate or predict methane output by sheep as measured in respiratory chambers.

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A modelagem microscÃpica do fluxo de veÃculos na infraestrutura viÃria urbana tem se constituÃdo uma potencial ferramenta para a anÃlise do desempenho da seguranÃa viÃria (DSV) frente aos tradicionais mÃtodos de anÃlise com base nos estudos observacionais. Para consolidar essa abordagem existem desafios prÃticos e metodolÃgicos que foram tratados como objetivos nesta pesquisa, dentre os quais se destacam: (i) a identificaÃÃo de indicadores proxy eficientes para as anÃlises de seguranÃa nesse ambiente; (ii) a anÃlise dos algoritmos de microssimulaÃÃo quanto a sua eficÃcia de representaÃÃo dos processos de conduÃÃo no meio urbano, (iii) a definiÃÃo de um procedimento sistemÃtico de estimaÃÃo do DSV com o uso de microssimuladores de trÃfego e (iv) a validaÃÃo dos indicadores sintÃticos usados para medir o DSV. Diante deste contexto, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo geral apresentar uma contribuiÃÃo metodolÃgica para a utilizaÃÃo da microssimulaÃÃo de trÃfego nas anÃlises do DSV no processo de planejamento tÃtico operacional dos sistemas de transporte com foco nas interseÃÃes urbanas. O procedimento metodolÃgico proposto considerou a realizaÃÃo de cinco etapas: 1) seleÃÃo e caracterizaÃÃo do local de estudo, 2) codificaÃÃo do local no microssimulador, 3) planejamento da simulaÃÃo, 4) calibraÃÃo e validaÃÃo do modelo e 5) estimaÃÃo dos indicadores. A aplicaÃÃo do procedimento considerou trÃs interseÃÃes semaforizadas da cidade de Fortaleza, utilizando a plataforma de microssimulaÃÃo de trÃfego VISSIM. Os resultados alcanÃados indicaram que foi possÃvel estimar o DSV com relativo nÃvel de confianÃa e um procedimento complementar de validaÃÃo dos indicadores revelou um nÃvel de consistÃncia entre o nÃmero estimado de conflitos de interaÃÃes longitudinais e o nÃmero observado de colisÃes traseiras observadas em campo.
The microscopic modeling of traffic flow in urban road infrastructure has proven to be a potential tool for analyzing the performance of road safety (DSV) compared to traditional methods of analysis based on observational studies. To consolidate this approach there are practical and methodological challenges that have been treated as objectives in this research, among which are: (i) the identification of efficient synthetic indicators for the analysis of safety in this environment, (ii) the analysis of the microscopic algorithms and their effectiveness in the representation of the driving processes in urban areas, (iii) the definition of a systematic procedure for estimating the DSV using a microscopic platform and (iv) concerning the validation of synthetic indicators used to measure the DSV. Given this context, this research intended to provide a general methodological contribution to the use of microscopic traffic simulators for the analysis of the DSV in tactical and operational transportation systems planning process with focus on urban intersections. The proposed methodological procedure considered the completion of five steps: 1) selection and site characterization study, 2) coding the site in microsimulator 3) planning of the simulation, 4) calibration and validation of the model and 5) estimation of the indicators. The procedure considered three signalized intersections in the city of Fortaleza, using VISSIM Â as simulation platform. The results indicated that it was possible to estimate the DSV with relative confidence level and a complementary procedure for validation of the indicators showed a consistent level of consistency between the estimated number of conflicts of longitudinal interactions and observed number of rear end collisions observed in the field.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Georgia State University, 2008.
Title from file title page. Eirik J. Krogstad, committee chair; Andrey Bekker, committee co-chair; W. Crawford Elliott, Timothy E. LaTour, committee members. Description based on contents viewed Aug. 27, 2009. Includes bibliographical references (p. 207-219).

A criação do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), em 1988, no Brasil, representou avanços do ponto de vista de garantias de atendimento, da organização sistêmica e da descentralização da gestão única, porém com frágil governação de desempenho. Por sua vez, a Nova Gestão Pública (NGP), ou Gerencialismo, tem exigido dos gestores públicos de saúde esforços de monitoramento de resultados, controladoria e responsabilização (accountability) dos gastos públicos, visto que muitos países da Europa e América Latina aplicam cerca de 9 a 10% do PIB-GDP em saúde. Este estudo analisou algumas metodologias de mensuração de resultados em saúde no cenário mundial como os projetos QIP e AHRQ (EUA), EFQM (Europa) e PATH (OMS), e projetos brasileiros como o PROADESS, PNASH, PNASS, PMAQ e as matrizes de indicadores como IDB-Ripsa e IDSUS, em busca de desenvolver um quadro teórico-conceptual (base teórico-metodológica) de avaliação de performance para organizações de saúde, aplicável às unidades do SUS. De seguida, envolveu gestores e profissionais para a captação e validação da perceção desses agentes chaves (stakeholders) quanto as dimensões e indicadores chaves para a mensuração de desempenho em organizações e serviços de saúde no contexto do SUSBrasil de hospitais, policlínicas e outras unidades do SUS. Utilizou metodologias científicas de apoio à decisão, como Design Research e o método misto (qualitativo e quantitativo) de avaliação para responder à questão: há diferentes proxies de painel de indicadores de avaliação multidimensional para previsão e monitoramento de performance e resultados em serviços de saúde, conforme os multicritérios dos decisores chaves da rede de serviços na saúde pública do Brasil? Através de estatística descritiva, correlação quantílica e análise factorial, foram analisadas as ponderações de itens de avaliação de performance, na perspetiva dos gestores e decisores e também de itens de análise de qualidade/ satisfação de usuários. Algumas hipóteses sobre variáveis latentes e observadas desses ítens de avaliação foram propostas e testadas por análise estatística, quanto às três possíveis variáveis moderadoras. Por fim, operacionalizou a validação multicêntrica, tendo construído modelos finais através de análise de cargas factoriais, validade e confiabilidade dos itens, de proxies de painéis de indicadores com 453 decisores chaves e uma adaptação transcultural da escala SERVQUAL que resultou em uma escala inovadora de avaliação da qualidade e satisfação, com subescalas de intervenção, tendo sido validada por 195 especialistas e gestores e, aplicada a 2.547 usuários de 74 unidades do SUS.
The creation of the Unified Health System (SUS) in 1988, in the Brazil, represented advances from the standpoint of service guarantees, systemic organization and decentralization of unified management but with weak governance performance. In turn, the New Public Management (NPM), or Managerialism, has required public health managers monitoring efforts results, controllership and accountability of the spending of public funds, as a lot of countries of Europe and Latin America apply about 9-10 % of health – PIB-GDP. This study analyzed some health outcomes measurement methodologies on the world stage as QIP and AHRQ projects (USA), EFQM (Europe) and PATH (WHO), and Brazilian projects as PROADESS, PNASH, PNASS, PMAQ and panel of indicators such as IDB-Ripsa and IDSUS, seeking develop a conceptual framework (theoretical and methodological basis) performance assessment for health organizations applicable to the SUS units. Then engaged managers and professionals (stakeholders) for the capture and validation of the perception of stakeholders as the dimensions and key indicators for performance measurement in organizations and health services in the context of SUS-Brazil hospitals, polyclinics and other SUS units. It used even scientific methods of decision support, as Design Research and mixed method (qualitative and quantitative) assessment to answer the question: there are different proxies’ multidimensional evaluation indicators dashboard for forecasting and monitoring performance and outcomes in hospitals and health services, according to the multiple criteria of the key stakeholders of the care network of the public health in Brazil? Descriptive statistics, quantum correlation and factorial analysis were used to analyze the weighting of performance evaluation items from the perspective of managers and decision makers, as well as user quality/satisfaction analysis items. Some hypotheses about latent and observed variables of these evaluation items were proposed and tested by statistical analysis, regarding the three possible moderating variables. Finally, it operates the multicentric validation, having built final models through analysis of factor loads, validity and reliability of items, of proxies of indicators panels with 453 key decision makers and a cross-cultural adaptation of the SERVQUAL scale that resulted in an innovative scale of evaluation of quality and satisfaction, with intervention subscales, having been validated by 195 specialists and managers, and applied to 2,547 users of 74 SUS units.

Un total de cinq séquences a été étudié sur le Mont Lozère afin de reconstruire la dynamique paysagère et les usages du sol sur la longue durée. L’approche multiproxy utilisé a permis de déterminer les principaux rythmes d’anthropisation et de déterminer son caractère régional et/ou local. Ce travail mené à haute résolution spatiale, chronologique et analytique a permis d’intégrer les résultats avec les données obtenus dans le cadre du PCR-Mont Lozère, afin de caractériser les modes d’occupation de la montagne qui ont modelé ce paysage culturel depuis le Néolithique jusqu’à nos jours. Une longue histoire des interactions socio-environnementales a été mise en évidence au Mont Lozère, avec une première phase à caractère agropastoral dès le Néolithique ancien, vers ca. 4550-4400 cal BC. Le Néolithique final est une période clé caractérisée par un important impact agropastoral fondé sur l’utilisation du feu pour l’ouverture de clairières. Pendant l’Âge du Fer, un déboisement marqué dans les espaces d’altitude et de piedmont coïncide avec un développement des activités agropastorales et métallurgiques. Le Haut Moyen Âge se caractérise par l’amplification des déforestations, contemporaines d’un essor des activités agropastorales. Durant le Moyen Âge Central, un système diversifié d’exploitation des ressources naturelles inclue de la métallurgie, l’agriculture, le pastoralisme, l’extraction minière et le charbonnage. Le développement agropastoral du Bas Moyen Âge aboutit à une déforestation marquée du massif qui s’étend jusqu’à la moitié du 19ème siècle, quand commencent la déprise agropastorale et les reboisements au Mont Lozère. L’histoire de la nardaie qui caractérise les espaces sommitaux suit ces phases majeures de l’anthropisation et dévoile le rôle clé qu’a joué l’agropastoralisme dans la genèse et l’évolution de ce paysage culturel de moyenne montagne
Five sedimentary sequences have been studied in the Mont Lozère with the aim to reconstruct the landscape dynamics and the land-use through the longue durée. The use of a multi-proxy analysis has allowed us both to identify distinct rhythms of human-induced landscape shift and to establish the local/regional extent of these changes. The use of high spatial, chronological and analytical resolution has enabled a correct integration of the results of this research with those supplied by the PCR-Mont Lozère project. As a result, a series of land-uses in a mountain environment from the Neolithic to present time has been proposed. A long history of socio-environmental interactions in Mont-Lozère is evidenced. A first shepherding phase in Early Neolithic (4550-4400 cal BC) has been evidenced. During Late Neolithic pastoral practices and related slash-and-burn strategies attain its highest activity. In the Iron Age Period a noticeable deforestation of both foothills and higher environments takes place as a consequence of the overall increase farming and metallurgical activities. Forest clearances increase even more during High-Medieval times, at the same time that farming activities reinforce. During the Middle Ages a more complex and diversified land-use system, including farming, metallurgy, mining and charcoal production, is recorded. The development of farming activities in the Late Medieval resulted in a more evident forest clearance of the Massif. This area remained unchanged until the 19th century, when the decay of agriculture and shepherding occurs and forest replanting in Mont Lozère is recorded. The history of highland herb communities of Nardus stricta correctly matches the main phases of land-use and underlines the key-role of farming in the genesis and evolution of this cultural landscape
Se han estudiado cinco secuencias sedimentarias en el Mont Lozère con el objetivo de reconstruir la dinámica paisajística y los usos del suelo en la longue durée. La utilización de un análisis multiproxy ha permitido determinar los principales ritmos de antropización y establecer su carácter regional y/o local. La alta resolución espacial, cronológica y analítica hapermitido la integración de resultados con aquellos obtenidos en el marco del PCR-Mont Lozère y proponer los usos de la montaña que han modelado el paisaje cultural desde el Neolítico hasta la actualidad. Se ha evidenciado una larga historia de las interacciones socioambientales en el Mont Lozère, con una primera fase de carácter agropastoral en el Neolítico Antiguo, en ca. 4550-4400 cal BC. El Neolítico Final es una fase de marcado impacto agropastoral en la que se generalizan las quemas para abrir claros en el bosque. En la Edad del Hierro se inicia una marcada deforestación en el piedemonte y los espacios de altitud, coincidiendo con un desarrollo agropastoral y metalúrgico. En el periodo altomedieval se amplifican las deforestaciones coincidiendo con un marcado incremento de las actividades agropastorales. En la Plena Edad Media se evidencia un sistema diversificado que implica metalurgia, agricultura, pastoreo, minería y carboneo. El desarrollo agropastoral de la Baja Edad Media supone una marcada deforestación en el macizo que se extiende hasta mitad del s. XIX, momento en que se inicia el declive del agropastoralismo y empiezan las reforestaciones en el Mont Lozère. La historia de las formaciones herbosas con Nardus stricta de los espacios somitales sigue estas principales fases de antropización y revela el papel clave del agropastoralismo en la génesis y evolución de este paisaje cultural

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the possibility of paleoentomology as a proxy in garden archaeology research. Garden contexts can prove difficult to identify and interpret due to the many changes the contexts go through during their activity period. Mixing of materials, harvesting and cultivation of many different plants will affect the environmental data that is retrieved from them and thus our interpretation of horticulture. This essay looks at the contexts and materials involved in the gardening process; irrigation sources, fertilizer, garden plant macrofossils and modern ecological insect and host plant relationships. The goal is to suggest a conceptual indicator group of insect and plant species that could aid in the identification of garden context and the in situ growth of relic plants. Paleoentomological information from the relating contexts (middens, composts, wells etc.) and other indicator groups have been included along with the ecological data in order to get a more complex picture over the garden contexts and their varying content. For instance, many of the plants found in garden soils are recorded as host plants to several insect species. This paper argues that investigation of these relationships can aid garden archaeology and further our understanding of herbivorous insects’ and associated species’ relationships to plant domestication in pre-history.

Se han estudiado cinco secuencias sedimentarias en el Mont Lozère con el objetivo de reconstruir la dinámica paisajística y los usos del suelo en la longue durée. La utilización de un análisis multiproxy ha permitido determinar los principales ritmos de antropización y establecer su carácter regional y/o local. La alta resolución espacial, cronológica y analítica ha permitido la integración de resultados con aquellos obtenidos en el marco del PCR-Mont Lozère y proponer los usos de la montaña que han modelado el paisaje cultural desde el Neolítico hasta la actualidad. Se ha evidenciado una larga historia de las interacciones socioambientales en el Mont Lozère, con una primera fase de carácter agropastoral en el Neolítico Antiguo, en ca. 4550-4400 cal BC. El Neolítico Final es una fase de marcado impacto agropastoral en la que se generalizan las quemas para abrir claros en el bosque. En la Edad del Hierro se inicia una marcada deforestación en el piedemonte y los espacios de altitud, coincidiendo con un desarrollo agropastoral y metalúrgico. En el periodo altomedieval se amplifican las deforestaciones coincidiendo con un marcado incremento de las actividades agropastorales. En la Plena Edad Media se evidencia un sistema diversificado que implica metalurgia, agricultura, pastoreo, minería y carboneo. El desarrollo agropastoral de la Baja Edad Media supone una marcada deforestación en el macizo que se extiende hasta mitad del s. XIX, momento en que se inicia el declive del agropastoralismo y empiezan las reforestaciones en el Mont Lozère. La historia de las formaciones herbosas con Nardus stricta de los espacios somitales sigue estas principales fases de antropización y revela el papel clave del agropastoralismo en la génesis y evolución de este paisaje cultural.
Five sedimentary sequences have been studied in the Mont Lozère with the aim to reconstruct the landscape dynamics and the land-use through the longue durée. The use of a multi-proxy analysis has allowed us both to identify distinct rhythms of human-induced landscape shift and to establish the local/regional extent of these changes. The use of high spatial, chronological and analytical resolution has enabled a correct integration of the results of this research with those supplied by the PCR-Mont Lozère project. As a result, a series of land-uses in a mountain environment from the Neolithic to present time has been proposed. A long history of socio-environmental interactions in Mont-Lozère is evidenced. A first shepherding phase in Early Neolithic (4550-4400 cal BC) has been evidenced. During Late Neolithic pastoral practices and related slash-and-burn strategies attain its highest activity. In the Iron Age Period a noticeable deforestation of both foothills and higher environments takes place as a consequence of the overall increase farming and metallurgical activities. Forest clearances increase even more during High-Medieval times, at the same time that farming activities reinforce. During the Middle Ages a more complex and diversified land-use system, including farming, metallurgy, mining and charcoal production, is recorded. The development of farming activities in the Late Medieval resulted in a more evident forest clearance of the Massif. This area remained unchanged until the 19th century, when the decay of agriculture and shepherding occurs and forest replanting in Mont Lozère is recorded. The history of highland herb communities of Nardus stricta correctly matches the main phases of land-use and underlines the key-role of farming in the genesis and evolution of this cultural landscape.

Améliorer le rendement du colza dans un contexte de bas intrants azotés (N) est un enjeu majeur de sélection. Ceci impose une connaissance approfondie de la variabilité génétique des processus sous-tendant l’efficacité d’utilisation de l’azote (NUE, rendement en graines par unité d’azote disponible). Cette thèse vise à mieux comprendre les processus écophysiologiques contribuant à la NUE et à ses composantes sous faible nutrition azotée, en identifiant et hiérarchisant les principaux traits sous-tendant leur variabilité génotypique. Six génotypes de colza d’hiver ont été étudiés en conditions semi-contrôlées sous des doses d’azote contrastées. Nous avons montré que la variable NUE_DM (biomasse totale produite par unité d’azote disponible) est un indicateur précoce de la NUE à la récolte valable dès la montaison, qui nous a permis de caractériser dynamiquement la NUE. L’efficience d'absorption d’azote (NUpE, N absorbé par unité d’azote disponible) s’est révélée être une composante majeure de la NUE sous contrainte azotée, expliquant 80 % des variations avant la floraison, et plus de 30 % après. De plus, sa variabilité génotypique dépend de la biomasse des racines fines et non de l’absorption spécifique d'azote. Grâce au développement d’un cadre conceptuel de modélisation du fonctionnement du colza décrivant les flux de carbone et d’azote dans la plante entière et valable jusqu’à floraison, nous avons fait ressortir l'assimilation spécifique de carbone, la part de carbone allouée aux tiges et la proportion de racines fines comme paramètres clés de la réponse génotypique à l’azote. Nos résultats suggèrent que la NUpE et la proportion de racines fines seraient des indicateurs de la NUE permettant de cribler précocement des variétés à haut débit
Improving rapeseed yields in a low-Nitrogen (N) agricultural context is a major issue for breeding. It requires a thorough knowledge of the genotypic variation of the processes related to Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE, seed yield per unit of N available). This PhD aims at better understanding the ecophysiological processes determining the NUE and its components under low-N availability by identifying and hierarchizing the main traits supporting observed genotypic variation. Six winter oilseed rape genotypes were investigated throughout the crop cycle under semi-controlled conditions and contrasting N-conditions. We proposed NUE_DM (plant dry matter per unit of N available), as a new proxy of NUE at harvest, valid as early as the beginning of stem elongation. This proxy allowed us to dynamically characterize NUE, highlighting NUpE (plant N-amount per unit of N available) as a main contributor of NUE under low-N conditions, which explained up to 80% of the NUE_DM variations before flowering, and more than 30% after. Moreover, NUpE genotypic variability resulted from fine root growth rather than specific N-uptake differences. We developed a whole-plant conceptual modeling framework of carbon and nitrogen absorption and partitioning for winter oilseed rape. This framework, validated up to flowering, highlighted specific carbon assimilation, carbon partitioning between leaves and stems, and fine root ratio as critical traits explaining contrasting genotypic behavior to N-conditions. Our results suggest NUpE and fine root ratio as promising traits for screening larger sets of varieties for NUE breeding purposes

More than half a century after the liberation of the majority of African countries, Africa is facing major socio-economic challenges including unemployment, slow economic growth and inequality. With waves of violent service delivery protests over the last few years throughout South Africa, it is now more than ever vital to identify the key challenges to development and the ways to overcome these trials. The importance of plans for development, and that reliable data plays an essential role in development have been wildly discussed, especially as the legitimacy and reliability of plans are highly dependent upon the quality of the data utilised. Even though data plays such a significant role in development, quality up to date data is expensive, difficult to obtain and in many instances not available. Furthermore, South Africa and many developing countries do not have the luxury of such data, nor the skills and resources to develop high quality statistics on a regular basis. In the light of the importance of accurate up-to-date data for planning and the lack of the aforementioned data in South Africa, the dissertation explores means of ‘accessing’ high quality up-to-date data by the use of ‘proxy indicators’. The dissertation seeks to explore whether it would be possible to use proxy indicators to measure local economic conditions and to identify a set of proxy indicators that accurately portray the economy. The study commences with an analysis on the relationship between a number of proxy indicators and the national economy in order to identify a set of proxy indicators that accurately portrays the economy where after the accurate indicators is empirically tested to that of the local economy in three study areas. The study established that six proxy indicators can be used to measure the local economy in South Africa. These are the (1) number of middle class residential properties sold, (2) growth in residential building activity, (3) retail sales of durable goods including business profit, (4) hardware sales including business profit, (5) volume of sales of spare parts for vehicles and (6) fuel consumption. Apart from the fact that the indicators mirror the economy to a high degree, a number of trends with regards to the dynamics of the relationship between the indicator and the economy were revealed. The study demonstrated that there is merit in further studies regarding the use of proxy indicators in planning
Dissertation (MTRP)--University of Pretoria, 2013.
gm2014
Town and Regional Planning
unrestricted

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) is the main contributing factor to anthropogenically derived global climate change. The impact of climate change upon terrestrial ecosystems is still uncertain. If information can be obtained on how past fluctuations in [CO2] and temperature has affected terrestrial communities this knowledge can increase our understanding as to how future climate change may impact upon modern-day ecosystems. Foliar stomatal frequency analysis is a proxy-CO2 measure that may provide estimates of atmospheric [CO2] from subfossil or fossil leaf material. Currently, the majority of the research in this field has been conducted on deciduous Northern Hemisphere species including extant and fossil material. Southern Hemisphere fossil species are currently under-represented in the fossil proxy-CO2 database. The rate of climate change in the Southern Hemisphere is less than that experienced in the Northern Hemisphere, so using Northern Hemisphere derived training sets to provide Southern Hemisphere CO2 estimates may introduce confounding errors. Therefore, the use of Southern Hemisphere training sets on Southern Hemisphere fossil material will provide more accurate atmospheric CO2 estimations. This thesis will contribute to the field of knowledge by determining the applicability of three Southern Hemisphere evergreen tree species to be used as potential proxy-CO2 indicator species.