Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationMany of the health concerns of people with intellectual disabilities do not differ from the nondisabled population; however, it is important to develop interventions that target the unique needs of this population to achieve health equity. Health promotion efforts can meet the needs of this population through collaboration, intervention, and advocacy at multiple levels. This study initiated the process of addressing health inequities by using a qualitative, community-based participatory research method, photovoice, in conjunction with interviews and observations, to identify the health perceptions of 25 adults with intellectual disabilities. The first phase of analysis yielded four themes: defining health, feeling connected, having something to do, and being part of the community. A content analysis, the second analysis phase, explores the use of an occupational perspective of health (doing, being, belonging, and becoming) to address the health needs of this population. Incorporating adults with intellectual disabilities in the initial stages of health promotion planning provides information that can be used to design broad programs that move beyond fitness and nutrition knowledge, areas often well understood by many of this population. A community-based participatory study offers support for this collaboration and suggests additional areas to incorporate into health promotion programs. A more holistic approach to health is proposed, which includes life skills training, self-determination, client-centered interests, and an emphasis on strengths and potential. Experiences and observations are shared to highlight issues of social justice and emphasize the need for a multilevel approach to promoting health. An occupational perspective of health is offered as a method to address the social determinants of health and broaden the practice framework of health promotion

Hybrid Power System Options for Off-Grid Rural Electrification in Northern Kenya

For domestic consumers in the rural areas of northern Kenya, as in other developing countries, the typical source of electrical supply is diesel generators. However, diesel generators are associated with both CO2 emissions, which adversely affect the environment and increase diesel fuel prices, which inflate the prices of consumer goods. The Kenya government has taken steps towards addressing this issue by proposing The Hybrid Mini-Grid Project, which involves the installation of 3 MW of wind and solar energy systems in facilities with existing diesel generators. However, this project has not yet been implemented. As a contribution to this effort, this study proposes, simulates and analyzes five different configurations of hybrid energy systems incorporating wind energy, solar energy and battery storage to replace the stand-alone diesel power systems servicing six remote villages in northern Kenya. If implemented, the systems proposed here would reduce Kenya’s dependency on diesel fuel, leading to reductions in its carbon footprint. This analysis confirms the feasibility of these hybrid systems with many configurations being profitable. A Multi-Attribute Trade-Off Analysis is employed to determine the best hybrid system configuration option that would reduce diesel fuel consumption and jointly minimize CO2 emissions and net present cost. This analysis determined that a wind-diesel-battery configuration consisting of two 500 kW turbines, 1200 kW diesel capacity and 95,040 Ah battery capacity is the best option to replace a 3200 kW stand-alone diesel system providing electricity to a village with a peak demand of 839 kW. It has the potential to reduce diesel fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by up to 98.8%

Memphis Funders Racial Equity Audit 2020 Aggregate Report

Developed by the Mid-South Philanthropy Network as a self audit, the purpose of the Memphis Funders' Racial Equity Audit is to measure the extent of local equitable grantmaking, uncover shortfalls, and reflect on and put into action ways to create more racially equitable grantmaking. Twelve of the 21 Mid-South Philanthropy members participated, most by filling out a survey and completing a video conference interview with consultants. Three additional local intermediary funders also participated, resulting in a total of 15 participating funders. This report provides anonymized data that summarizes the findings of the surveys and interviews

Modelo Interno para el cálculo del capital de solvencia obligatorio para el riesgo de mortalidad en Solvencia II

Solvencia II ofrece a las compañías de seguros la posibilidad de utilizar distintos métodos para calcular el capital de solvencia obligatorio; éstos se basan en los denominados modelo estándar y modelo interno. En este trabajo se propone un modelo interno para el cálculo del capital de solvencia obligatorio que cuantifica el riesgo de mortalidad, para una cartera formada por seguros de vida, en el que la compañía de seguros garantiza un único pago al beneficiario en caso de fallecimiento del asegurado. Se asume la interpretación del capital de solvencia obligatorio como el valor en riesgo, al 99,5%, de la diferencia entre el valor actualizado de los activos menos los pasivos de dos años consecutivos. La metodología propuesta para su cálculo se basa en simular por el método de Monte Carlo la evolución de siniestralidad de la cartera. Por último se compara, para una misma cartera, el capital de solvencia obligatorio obtenido por modelo interno propuesto con el que resulta de utilizar el modelo estándar

Reaseguro Finite Risk en ambiente financiero estocástico

Una de las características del reaseguro finite risk es la existencia de una cuenta de experiencia, que está formada por las primas que cobra el reasegurador, junto con su rendimiento financiero,y su finalidad es financiar los siniestros que éste ha de satisfacer a la cedente en el plazo establecido. El objetivo de este trabajo es diseñar un modelo que permita determinar el saldo estimado o reserva que debe de tener en cada periodo anual la cuenta de experiencia para garantizar su solvencia dinámica, teniendo en cuenta la experiencia de siniestralidad de la cartera del reasegurador y de cada cedente. Para el cálculo de la prima de reaseguro y del saldo de la cuenta de experiencia se asumirá ambiente financiero estocástico, de modo que la prima de reaseguro dependerá también de otros parámetros como la volatilidad del tipo de interés o de la aversión al riesgo

A reactive soil moisture sensor network: Design and field evaluation

Wireless sensor network technology has the potential to reveal finegrained, dynamic changes in monitored variables of an outdoor landscape. But there are significant problems to be overcome in order to realize this vision in working systems. This paper describes the design and implementation of a reactive, event driven network for environmental monitoring of soil moisture and evaluates its effectiveness. A novel feature of our solution is its reactivity to the environment: when rain falls and soil moisture is changing rapidly, measurements are collected frequently, whereas during dry periods, between rainfall, measurements are collected less often. Field trials demonstrating the reactivity, robustness, and longevity of the network are presented and evaluated, and future improvements proposed

A test generation framework for quiescent real-time systems

We present an extension of Tretmans theory and algorithm for test generation for input-output transition systems to real-time systems. Our treatment is based on an operational interpretation of the notion of quiescence in the context of real-time behaviour. This gives rise to a family of implementation relations parameterized by observation durations for quiescence. We define a nondeterministic (parameterized) test generation algorithm that generates test cases that are sound with respect to the corresponding implementation relation. Also, the test generation is exhaustive in the sense that for each non-conforming implementation a test case can be generated that detects the non-conformance

The extracellular matrix of the spleen as a potential organizer of immune cell compartments

Until recently little information was available on the molecular details of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of secondary lymphoid tissues. There is now growing evidence that these ECMs are unique structures, combining characteristics of basement membranes and interstitial or fibrillar matrices, resulting in scaffolds that are strong and highly flexible and, in certain secondary lymphoid compartments, also forming conduit networks for rapid fluid transport. This review will address the structural characteristics of the ECM of the murine spleen and its potential role as an organizer of immune cell compartments, with reference to the lymph node where relevant

Reflections on ten years of using economics games and experiments in teaching

In this paper, the author reflects on his 10 years’ experience of using games and experiments and in the process develops a type of practitioner’s guide. The existing quantitative and qualitative evidence on the impact of using games on student learning is reviewed. On balance, a positive effect, on measures of attainment, is found in the literature. Given these findings, it is surprising that there is also evidence in the UK and US that they are not widely used. Some factors are discussed that might deter tutors from employing them. Unsurprisingly, one of these is the additional cost, which might make the use of online games seem more attractive, given the way results can be automatically recorded. However, some relatively low-cost paper-based games were found to have significant advantages. In particular, they appear to facilitate social interaction which has a positive impact on student motivation and learning. One popular and effective paper-based game is discussed in some detail. A number of recommendations are provided on how to implement the game in order to maximise the learning benefits it can provide. Some ideas on how to maximise the learning benefits from using games more generally are also considered

El Móvil hace su aparición en las aulas universitarias

En este artículo se expone la experiencia de innovación docente que se ha llevado a cabo en el primer cuatrimestre del curso 15/16 en la asignatura de Matemáticas II, del grado de Administración y Dirección de Empresas, en la Facultad de Economía y Empresa, de la Universidad de Barcelona. Esta experiencia ha consistido en la utilización, a través del teléfono móvil, de la aplicación Socrative para realizar las pruebas de evaluación continuada de los estudiantes. La evaluación continuada de esta asignatura consiste en la realización de un mínimo de dos pruebas a lo largo del cuatrimestre. Gracias a Socrative, se ha aumentado el número de pruebas hasta ocho, ya que esta aplicación permite de forma inmediata la recogida de respuestas, corrección, calificación y facilita esta información en una hoja de cálculo. El profesor no participa en el proceso de corrección aunque sí supone una mayor dedicación para preparar las diferentes pruebas. Este mecanismo ha aumentado considerablemente la motivación de los estudiantes y este hecho se ha reflejado en el éxito académico