iGPS capability study

This report presents the results of testing of the Metris iGPS system performed by the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the University of Bath (UoB), with the assistance of Metris, and Airbus at Airbus, Broughton in March 2008. The aim of the test was to determine the performance capability of the iGPS coordinate metrology system by comparison with a reference measurement system based on multilateration implemented using laser trackers. A network of reference points was created using SMR nests fixed to the ground and above ground level on various stands. The reference points were spread out within the measurement volume of approximately 10 m ´ 10 m ´ 2 m. The coordinates of each reference point were determined by the laser tracker survey using multilateration. The expanded uncertainty (k=2) in the relative position of these reference coordinates was estimated to be of the order of 10 µm in x, y and z. A comparison between the iGPS system and the reference system showed that for the test setup, the iGPS system was able to determine lengths up to 12 m with an uncertainty of 170 µm (k=2) and coordinates with an uncertainty of 120 µm in x and y and 190 µm in z (k=2).

Herd management and livestock productivity in the Altai region of Western Mongolia

This thesis analyses the influence of qualitative and quantitative herbage production on seasonal rangelands, and of herd and pasture use strategies on feed intake, body mass development and reproductive performance of sheep and goats in the Altai mountain region of Bulgan county (soum) in Khovd province (aimag). This westernmost county of Mongolia is characterized by a very poor road network and thus very difficult access to regional and national markets. The thesis explores in this localized context the current rural development, the economic settings and political measures that affect the traditional extensive livestock husbandry system and its importance for rural livelihoods. Livestock management practices still follow the traditional transhumant mode, fully relying on natural pasture. This renders animal feeding very vulnerable to the highly variable climatic conditions which is one of many reasons for gradually declining quantity and quality of pasture vegetation. Small ruminants, and especially goats, are the main important species securing economic viability of their owners’ livelihood, and they are well adapted to the harsh continental climate and the present low input management practices. It is likely that small ruminants will keep their vital role for the rural community in the future, since the weak local infrastructure and slow market developments currently do not allow many income diversification options. Since the profitability of a single animal is low, animal numbers tend to increase, whereas herd management does not change. Possibilities to improve the current livestock management and thus herders’ livelihoods in an environmentally, economically and socially sustainable manner are simulated through bio-economic modelling and the implications are discussed at the regional and national scale. To increase the welfare of the local population, a substantial infrastructural and market development is needed, which needs to be accompanied by suitable pasture management schemes and policies

Evaluación del estado poblaciónal del Cangrejo violáceo Platyxanthus orbignyi (Milne Edwards y Lucas, 1843) del área de Lambayeque por medio de un modelo dinámico de Biomasa

Se hace un análisis del estado poblacional del cangrejo violáceo Platyxanthus orbignyi (Milne Edwards y Lucas, 1843) del litoral de Lambayeque – Perú para el periodo 2001-2010 por medio de: 1) El modelo dinámico de biomasa de Schaefer en su versión de error de observación; a este modelo se le introdujo la variable ambiental anomalía de la temperatura superficial del mar (ATSM) del área de San José (Lambayeque) y se obtuvo 2) el modelo dinámico con variable ambiental, ambos basados en datos de captura, esfuerzo y CPUE. Se utilizó el método de máxima verosimilitud en el proceso de ajuste y el bootstrap para determinar los intervalos de confianza de los parámetros. Los parámetros poblacionales y pesqueros estimados por el modelo dinámico de biomasa de Schaefer (MDB) fueron: K: 750 000 kg, r : 0,21 y q: 8,36 x 10-6 y por el modelo dinámico con variable ambiental (MDVA) los parámetros fueron K: 765 000 kg, r: 0,23 y q: 8,02 x 10-6. Con los valores de los parámetros estimados mediante el MDB y el MDVA se calcularon los principales puntos biológicos de referencia (PBR) los cuales fueron: MRS: 39 822 kg, BMRS: 375 000 kg, fMRS: 12 561 nasas, FMRS: 0,11, F0.1: 0,10 para el MDB; y MRS: 44 069 kg, BMRS: 382 500 kg, fMRS: 13 782 nasas, FMRS: 0,12, F0.1: 0,10 para el MDVA. Los resultados indican que el estado actual de la pesquería del cangrejo violáceo del Litoral de Lambayeque se encuentra muy cerca al nivel óptimo. En vista de que no se dispone de información de evaluaciones directas de este recurso que confirme o no los resultados del MDB y MDVA y en virtud de la calidad de datos, se sugiere que el manejo de la pesquería sea del tipo adaptativo alrededor del punto de referencia F0.1 y teniendo en cuenta las condiciones ambientales.

Remolding a company through a compliance program : the case of Siemens

Abstract : Since at least the 1980's, a growing number of companies have set up an ethics or a compliance program within their organization. However, in the field of study of business management, there is a paucity of research studies concerning these management systems. This observation warranted the present investigation of one company's compliance program. Compliance programs are set up so that individuals working within an organization observe the laws and regulations which pertain to their work. This study used a constructivist grounded theory methodology to examine the process by which a specific compliance program, that of Siemens Canada Limited, was implemented throughout its organization. In conformity with this methodology, instead of proceeding with the investigation in accordance to a particular theoretical framework, the study established a number of theoretical constructs used strictly as reference points. The study's research question was stated as: what are the characteristics of the process by which Siemens' compliance program integrated itself into the existing organizational structure and gained employee acceptance? Data consisted of documents produced by the company and of interviews done with twenty-four managers working for Siemens Canada Limited. The researcher used QSR-Nvivo computer assisted software to code transcripts and to help with analyzing interviews and documents. Triangulation was done by using a number of analysis techniques and by constantly comparing findings with extant theory. A descriptive model of the implementation process grounded in the experience of participants and in the contents of the documents emerged from the data. The process was called "Remolding"; remolding being the core category having emerged. This main process consisted of two sub-processes identified as "embedding" and "appraising." The investigation was able to provide a detailed account of the appraising process. It identified that employees appraised the compliance program according to three facets: the impact of the program on the employee's daily activities, the relationship employees have with the local compliance organization, and the relationship employees have with the corporate ethics identity. The study suggests that a company who is entertaining the idea of implementing a compliance program should consider all three facets. In particular, it suggests that any company interested in designing and implementing a compliance program should pay particular attention to its corporate ethics identity. This is because employee's acceptance of the program is influenced by their comparison of the company's ethics identity to their local ethics identity. Implications of the study suggest that personnel responsible for the development and organizational support of a compliance program should understand the appraisal process by which employees build their relationship with the program. The originality of this study is that it points emphatically that companies must pay special attention in developing a corporate ethics identify which is coherent, well documented and well explained.

Brincar na diversidade : uma experiência de cultura na educação pré-escolar

O presente relatório propõe-se compreender de que forma é que o brincar pode educar para a diversidade linguística e cultural, no pré-escolar. Para tal, concebeu-se e colocou-se em prática um Projeto de Intervenção Pedagógica, constituído por diversas atividades e jogos, que um grupo de treze crianças entre os três e os seis anos experienciou. Cada uma das atividades pretendeu representar um continente diferente: Europa, América, África e Ásia, com o intuito das crianças conhecerem alguns aspetos culturais e jogos tradicionais praticados nesses continentes. Analisa-se a qualidade das situações de contacto com diferentes atividades que fazem experienciar o jogo aliado à diversidade linguística e cultural por parte das crianças, observando as videogravações das sessões, tendo como pontos de referência de qualidade a implicação e o bem-estar emocional das crianças, enquanto jogam e realizam cada uma das atividades propostas. Os resultados apontam para níveis elevados de envolvimento nas atividades por parte das crianças, o que evidencia uma relação positiva com diferentes línguas e culturas.

Of sets of offsets: Cumulative impacts and strategies for compensatory restoration

Biodiversity offsets are increasingly advocated as a flexible approach to managing the ecological costs of economic development. Arguably, however, this remains an area where policy-making has run ahead of science. A growing number of studies identify limitations of offsets in achieving ecologically sustainable outcomes, pointing to ethical and implementation issues that may undermine their effectiveness. We develop a novel system dynamic modelling framework to analyze the no net loss objective of development and biodiversity offsets. The modelling framework considers a marine-based example, where resource abundance depends on a habitat that is affected by a sequence of development projects, and biodiversity offsets are understood as habitat restoration actions. The model is used to explore the implications of four alternative offset management strategies for a regulator, which differ in how net loss is measured, and whether and how the cumulative impacts of development are considered. Our results confirm that, when it comes to offsets as a conservation tool, the devil lies in the details. Approaches to determining the magnitude of offsets required, as well as their timing and allocation among multiple developers, can result in potentially complex and undesired sets of economic incentives, with direct impacts on the ability to meet the overall objective of ecologically sustainable development. The approach and insights are of direct interest to conservation policy design in a broad range of marine and coastal contexts.

Stout Whiting Fishery Summary : Commercial Quota Setting for 2017

This fishery assessment report describes the commercial stout whiting fishery operation along Australia’s east coast between Sandy Cape and the Queensland-New South Wales border. The fishery is identified by a T4 symbol. This study follows methods applied in (O'Neill & Leigh, 2016a) and extends the results of that study by using the latest data available up to end of March 2016. The fishery statistics reported herein are for fishing years 1991 to 2016. This study analysed stout whiting catch rates from both Queensland and New South Wales (NSW) for all vessels, areas and fishing gears. The 2016 catch rate index from Queensland and NSW waters was 0.86. This means that the 2016 catch rate index was 86% of the mean standardised catch rate. Results showed that there was a stable trend in catch rates from 2012 to 2016, as in the previous study (O'Neill & Leigh, 2016a), with the 2015 and 2014 catch rates 85% of the mean catch rate. The fish-length frequency and age-length-otolith data were translated using two models which showed: • Where patterns of fish age-abundance were estimated from the fish-length frequency and age-length data, there were slightly decreased estimated measures of fish survival at 38% for 2014, compared to fish survival estimates in 2013 at 40%. The 2014 and 2015 estimated age structure was dominated by 1+ and 2+ old fished, with a slightly higher frequency of age 2 - 3 fish for 2015. • Where only the age-length data were used, estimates showed that from 2011 to 2014 the survival index increased. The estimated survival index increased from 35% in 2013 to 64% in 2014, indicating stronger survival of fish as they recruited and aged. Together the stout whiting catch rate and survival indicators showed the recent fishery harvests were sustainable. Since 1997, T4 management (Stout Whiting Fishery) is centred on annual assessments of total allowable commercial catch (TACC). The TACC is assessed before the start of each fishing year using statistical assessment methodologies, namely evaluation of trends in fish catch rates and catch-at-age frequencies measured against management reference points. The TACC has been under-caught in many years. For setting the 2017 T4 stout whiting TACC, the calculations covered a range of settings to account for the variance in the data and provide options for quota change. The overall (averaged) results suggested: • The procedure where the quota was adjusted based on previous TACC setting in year 2016 gave a recommended TACC for 2017 of between 1100 and 1130 t. • The procedure that focussed directly on optimising the average harvest to match target reference points gave a recommended TACC for 2017 of between 860 and 890 t. Use of these estimates to set TACC will depend on management and industry aims for the fishery.

Stout Whiting Fishery Summary : Queensland Total Allowable Catch for 2016

In Queensland, stout whiting are fished by Danish seine and fish otter-trawl methods between Sandy Cape and the Queensland-New South Wales border. The fishery is currently identified by a T4 symbol and is operated by two primary quota holders. Since 1997, T4 management has been informed by annual stock assessments in order to determine a total allowable commercial catch (TACC) quota. The TACC is assessed before the start of each fishing year using statistical methodologies. This includes evaluation of trends in fish catch-rates and catch-at-age frequencies against management reference points. The T4 stout whiting TACC for 2014 was adjusted down to 1150 t as a result of elevated estimates of fishing mortality and remained unchanged in 2015 (2013 TACC = 1350 t quota). Two T4 vessels fished for stout whiting in the 2015 fishing year, harvesting 663 t from Queensland waters. Annual T4 landings of stout whiting averaged about 713 t for the fishing years 2013–2015, with a maximum harvest in the last 10 fishing years of 1140 t and a maximum historical harvest of 2400 t in the 1995. Stout whiting catch rates from both Queensland and New South Wales were analysed for all vessels, areas and fishing gears. The 2015 catch rate index was equal to 0.85, down 15% compared to the 2010–2015 fishing year average (reference point =1). The stout whiting fish length and otolith weight frequencies indicated larger and older fish in the calendar year 2014. This data was translated to show improved measures of fish survival at about 38% per year and near the reference point of about 41%. Together, the stout whiting catch rate and survival indicators show the fishery was sustainable. Earlier population modelling conducted for the year 2013 also suggested the stock was sustainable, but the estimate was only marginally above the biomass for maximum sustainable yield. Irrespective, reasons for reduced catch rates should be examined further and interpreted with precaution, particularly given the TACC has been under-caught in many years. For setting of the 2016 TACC, alternate analyses and reference points were compared to address data uncertainties and provide options for quota change. The results were dependent on the stock indicator and harvest procedure used. Uncertainty in all TACC estimates should be considered as they were sensitive to the data inputs and assumptions. For the 2016 T4 fishing year, upper levels of harvest should be limited to 1000–1100 t following procedure equation 1, with target levels of harvest at 750–850 t for procedure equation 2. Use of these estimates to set TACC will depend on management and industry intentions.

An examination of the usefulness of single-species biomass models for the management of Lake Victoria fisheries

Nile perch (Lates niloticus), tilapia (Oreochromis spp), dagaa (Rastrineobola argentea, silver cyprinid), and haplochromines (Tribe Haplochromini) form the backbone of the commercial fishery on Lake Victoria. These fish stocks account for about 70% of the total catch in the three riparian states Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania. The lake fisheries have been poorly managed, in part due to inadequate scientific analysis and management advice. The overall objective of this project was to model the stocks of the commercial fisheries of Lake Victoria with the view of determining reference points and current stock status. The Schaefer biomass model was fitted to available data for each stock (starting in the 1960s or later) in the form of landings, catch per unit effort, acoustic survey indices, and trawl survey indices. In most cases, the Schaefer model did not fit all data components very well, but attempts were made to find the best model for each stock. When the model was fitted to the Nile perch data starting from 1996, the estimated current biomass is 654 kt (95% CI 466–763); below the optimum of 692 kt and current harvest rate is 38% (33–73%), close to the optimum of 35%. At best, these can be used as tentative guidelines for the management of these fisheries. The results indicate that there have been strong multispecies interactions in the lake ecosystem. The findings from our study can be used as a baseline reference for future studies using more complex models, which could take these multispecies interactions into account.

The Cost of Co-viability in the Australian Northern Prawn Fishery

Fisheries management must address multiple, often conflicting objectives in a highly uncertain context. In particular, while the bio-economic performance of trawl fisheries is subject to high levels of biological and economic uncertainty, the impact of trawling on broader biodiversity is also a major concern for their management. The purpose of this study is to propose an analytical framework to formally assess the trade-offs associated with balancing biological, economic and non-target species conservation objectives. We use the Australian Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF), which is one of the most valuable federally managed commercial fisheries in Australia, as a case study. We develop a stochastic co-viability assessment of the fishery under multiple management objectives. Results show that, due to the variability in the interactions between the fishery and the ecosystem, current management strategies are characterized by biological and economic risks. Results highlight the trade-offs between respecting biological, economic and non-target species conservation constraints at each point in time with a high probability and maximizing the net present value of the fishery.

Universidade Metodista Unida de Moçambique [UMUM]

Partindo dos princípios que norteiam a UMUM, não esquecendo os pontos de referência da evolução transdisciplinar da educação – partir da/para a realidade – e tendo em mente que a estrutura student oriented sustenta a organização dos cursos, problematizamos a opção pela oferta, no 1º ano da licenciatura, de um conjunto de quatro disciplinas curriculares transversais a todos os cursos. Cientes de que a educação implica a vivência da interculturalidade e a inclusão social, o alvo é identificar o papel que a língua desempenha na descoberta do ‘eu’, na sua aceitação e consolidação, para que seja viável comunicar, agir e (con)viver em sociedade; na vivência pacífica do ‘eu’ com o ‘outro’; na construção colaborativa dos saberes e dos saberes fazeres. Daí decorre que as disciplinas curriculares transversais escolhidas, para induzir e potenciar uma educação de qualidade, tenham sido o Português, enquanto língua oficial, o Inglês, enquanto língua franca, as Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação, como mediadoras da comunicação, promotoras de redes e de comunidades de aprendizagem para a construção do conhecimento e, ainda, Diálogos, Paz e Desenvolvimento, propiciando uma emergência equilibrada do sujeito per se, na sua relação com o ‘outro’ e com o mundo – saber ser e saber conviver. Questionamos a metodologia a utilizar nestas disciplinas curriculares, respeitando as suas especificidades, sustentando as áreas científicas contempladas em cada curso, numa dinâmica inter/transdisciplinar, implicando os estudantes na realidade e na complexidade do conhecimento e, em complementaridade, desafiando os docentes para o trabalho colaborativo.

Evaluating consumer price perception: a mental accounting and frame dependent perspective

In this thesis, we evaluate consumer purchase behaviour from the perspective of heuristic decision making. Heuristic decision processes are quick and easy mental shortcuts, adopted by individuals to reduce the amount of time spent in decision making. In particular, we examine those heuristics which are caused by framing – prospect theory and mental accounting, and examine these within price related decision scenarios. The impact of price framing on consumer behaviour has been studied under the broad umbrella of reference price, which suggests that decision makers use reference points as standards of comparison when making a purchase decision. We investigate four reference points - a retailer's past prices, a competitor's current prices, a competitor's past prices, and consumers' expectation of immediate future price changes, to further our understanding of the impact of price framing on mental accounting, and in turn, contribute to the growing body of reference price literature in Marketing research. We carry out experiments in which levels of price frame and monetary outcomes are manipulated in repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Our results show that where these reference points are clearly specified in decision problems, price framing significantly affects consumers' perceptions of monetary gains derived through discounts, and leads to reversals in consumer preferences. We also found that monetary losses were not sensitive to price frame manipulations.

Tafonomia e paleoicnologia do neogénico superior do sector Cacela-Huelva (SE da Ibéria)

Tese de doutoramento em Paleontologia. Faculdade de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Univ. do Algarve, 2005

IMPLEMENTATION OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY TO IMPROVE PROACTIVE ASSESSMENT OF RETAINING WALLS ALONG TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS

Retaining walls are important assets in the transportation infrastructure and assessing their condition is important to prolong their performance and ultimately their design life. Retaining walls are often overlooked and only a few transportation asset management programs consider them in their inventory. Because these programs are few, the techniques used to assess their condition focus on a qualitative assessment as opposed to a quantitative approach. The work presented in this thesis focuses on using photogrammetry to quantitatively assess the condition of retaining walls. Multitemporal photogrammetry is used to develop 3D models of the retaining walls, from which offset displacements are measured to assess their condition. This study presents a case study from a site along M-10 highway in Detroit, MI were several sections of retaining walls have experienced horizontal displacement towards the highway. The results are validated by comparing with field observations and measurements. The limitations of photogrammetry were also studied by using a small scale model in the laboratory. The analysis found that the accuracy of the offset displacement measurements is dependent on the distance between the retaining wall and the sensor, location of the reference points in 3D space, and the focal length of the lenses used by the camera. These parameters were not ideal for the case study at the M-10 highway site, but the results provided consistent trends in the movement of the retaining wall that couldn’t be validated from offset measurements. The findings of this study confirm that photogrammetry shows promise in generating 3D models to provide a quantitative condition assessment for retaining walls within its limitations.

Spatial based approach to fisheries management. An application to bottom trawling in the strait of Sicily

At the beginning of my thesis project, considering that some stocks are in overfishing status due to both high fishing effort and high level of juveniles in the catch, my main purpose was to understand how to contribute to improving the state of the fishery resources of the Mediterranean Sea. To mitigate the overfishing, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) adopted several Fishery Restricted Areas, which are geographically defined areas where some specific fishing activities are temporarily or permanently banned or restricted in order to reduce the exploitation patterns and conservation of specific stocks as well as of habitats and deep-sea ecosystems, including the Essential Fish Habitats (EFH) and the Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VME). Considering that GFCM established 3 Fisheries Restricted Areas (FRAs) in the Strait of Sicily (SoS) in 2016 aimed at protecting the nursery areas of the deep-water rose shrimp (DPS, Parapenaeus longirostris – Lucas, 1846) and the European hake (HKE, Merluccius merluccius – Linnaeus, 1758) to reduce the exploitation pattern of undersized species, in my thesis project I devoted myself to evaluate the effect of the FRAs on the status stock and the fishery performance using a spatial bio-economic model.