Monocular Passive Ranging by an Optical System with Band Pass Filtering

An instrument for monocular passive ranging based on atmospheric oxygen absorption near 762 nm has been designed, built and deployed to track emissive targets, including the plumes from jet engines or rockets. An intensified CCD array is coupled to variable band pass liquid crystal display filter and 3.5 – 8.8 degree field of view optics to observe the target. By recording sequential images at 7 Hz in three 6 nm width bands, the transmittance of the R-branch of the O2 (X-b) (0,0) band is determined. A metric curve for determining range from transmittance is developed using the HITRAN spectral database. A low cost system was designed and ground tested at ranges of 50 -380 m using halogen and incandescent light sources, establishing an average range error of 12%. The system was first deployed for a ground test viewing an F-16 in afterburner at ranges of 0.35 – 4.8 km, establishing a range error of 15% despite the presence of optical turbulence and a structured source spectrum. Finally, the instrument was flight tested in a C-12 imaging an F-16 in afterburner at ranges up to 11 km. The target was manually tracked, and pointing jitter limited image interpretation. A study of range error as a function of signal-to-noise ratio produced superior results to previous methods using Fourier Transform Spectroscopy. However, increased signal relative to background scatter will be required for accurate ranging for these tactical air-to-air scenarios. The promise for improved instrument performance is discussed

Identity Integration as a Protective Factor against Guilt and Shame for Religious Gay Men

Belonging to multiple identities that are incompatible has been linked to poor psychological wellbeing outcomes, including feelings of guilt and shame. Individuals who experience such conflict can use a range of strategies to reconcile seemingly incompatible identities. The current study aimed to explore the strategy of identity integration as a protective factor against guilt and shame for individuals who identify as both religious and gay. A sample of 183 religious gay men (M age = 29.31 years, SD = 10.42) completed an online survey comprising measures of religious identification, gay identification, guilt, shame, and identity integration. We found that religious identification predicted higher levels of religious-based guilt, and both gay identity-based guilt and shame. Conversely, gay identification was not associated with any feelings of guilt or shame. Identity integration predicted lower levels of all guilt and shame outcomes, and also moderated the relationship between religious identification and guilt and shame–that is, religious-gay identity integration attenuated the negative effects independently associated with religious identification. These findings suggest that identity integration may enable gay people to access the protective benefits of religious engagement and multiple group memberships while remaining connected to the gay community

Evolutionary associations between sand seatrout (Cynoscion arenarius) and silver seatrout (C. nothus) inferred from morphological characters, mitochondrial DNA, and microsatellite markers

The evolutionary associations between closely related fish species, both contemporary and historical, are frequently assessed by using molecular markers, such as microsatellites. Here, the presence and variability of microsatellite loci in two closely related species of marine fishes, sand seatrout (Cynoscion arenarius) and silver seatrout (C. nothus), are explored by using heterologous primers from red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). Data from these loci are used in conjunction with morphological characters and mitochondrial DNA haplotypes to explore the extent of genetic exchange between species offshore of Galveston Bay, TX. Despite seasonal overlap in distribution, low genetic divergence at microsatellite loci, and similar life history parameters of C. arenarius and C. nothus, all three data sets indicated that hybridization between these species does not occur or occurs only rarely and that historical admixture in Galveston Bay after divergence between these species was unlikely. These results shed light upon the evolutionary history of these fishes and highlight the genetic properties of each species that are influenced by their life history and ecology

The effectiveness of therapeutic interventions on psychological distress in refugee children : A systematic review

Objective To systematically review existing research exploring the effectiveness of psychological interventions in reducing symptoms of distress amongst refugee and asylum-seeker children. Method Six databases were searched to identify English studies presenting original empirical quantitative data (published before September 2022) testing the efficacy of psychological interventions for children from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds. Quality of studies were assessed through the Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies as well as the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Relevant data were extracted to facilitate a narrative synthesis. Results Seventy-one eligible articles were identified (n > 10,000). A number of cognitive-behavioral, psychosocial, and trauma-focused interventions that catered specifically to children and their families were identified. A synthesis of these results suggest that interventions may assist in the reduction of various psychopathologies, although the effects were mixed across intervention types. Conclusions While the review yielded promising findings, most findings were derived from small pilot and empirical studies, leading to difficulties with drawing conclusions. There remains a need for studies using more rigorous research methodologies to expand and ratify this valuable knowledge base. Clinical significance: Forced displacement is at an all-time high. Many children are being forced to seek asylum and refuge, and they become vulnerable to the development of poor mental health, with limited understanding surrounding how to appropriately intervene. This review aims to equip clinicians with increased knowledge and confidence in working therapeutically alongside clients from refugee or asylum-seeking background, with the goal of fostering positive mental health and wellbeing

Preface of Bioremediation through Rhizosphere Technology

The use of MICROORGANISMS to remediate environments contaminated by hazardous substances is an innovative technology and an area of intense interest. Although biological technology has been used for decades in wastewater treatment, recent examination of the cost-effectiveness of this technology has led to its application to hazardous chemicals at waste sites. Successes obtained by using the natural metabolic capabilities of bacteria and fungi to clean up soil, sediment, and water have encouraged continued interest and research in bioremediation

Not all negative: Macro justice principles predict positive attitudes towards asylum seekers in Australia

This is an electronic version of an article published in Anderson, J. R., Stuart, A. and Rossen, I. (2015), Not all negative: Macro justice principles predict positive attitudes towards asylum seekers in Australia. Australian Jnl of Psychology, 67: 207–213. doi: 10.1111/ajpy.12085Public opinion toward asylum seekers within Australia has become increasingly hostile over the past decade. In particular, such negative attitudes are associated with questioning the legitimacy of those who seek asylum, and the fairness of granting their refugee status. In a sample of 100 students (Mage=22.83 years, SDage=8.26 years) we tested the role of macro and micro principles of social justice in predicting attitudes toward asylum seekers, beyond the established role of social dominance orientation (SDO) and right-wing authoritarianism (RWA). Using multiple hierarchical regression analyses, we show that macro justice social principles (i.e., the belief in equal distribution of resources across a society) predict positive attitudes toward asylum seekers beyond the variation accounted for by SDO and RWA in predicting negative attitudes. These results underscore the importance of taking into account individual orientations toward justice; we argue that these findings have important implications for the development of communication designed to reduce prejudice toward asylum seekers

Predicting the size and probability of epidemics in a population with heterogeneous infectiousness and susceptibility

We analytically address disease outbreaks in large, random networks with heterogeneous infectivity and susceptibility. The transmissibility $T_{uv}$ (the probability that infection of $u$ causes infection of $v$) depends on the infectivity of $u$ and the susceptibility of $v$. Initially a single node is infected, following which a large-scale epidemic may or may not occur. We use a generating function approach to study how heterogeneity affects the probability that an epidemic occurs and, if one occurs, its attack rate (the fraction infected). For fixed average transmissibility, we find upper and lower bounds on these. An epidemic is most likely if infectivity is homogeneous and least likely if the variance of infectivity is maximized. Similarly, the attack rate is largest if susceptibility is homogeneous and smallest if the variance is maximized. We further show that heterogeneity in infectious period is important, contrary to assumptions of previous studies. We confirm our theoretical predictions by simulation. Our results have implications for control strategy design and identification of populations at higher risk from an epidemic.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Reconfigurable Auditory-Visual Display

System and method for visual and audible communication between a central operator and N mobile communicators (N greater than or equal to 2), including an operator transceiver and interface, configured to receive and display, for the operator, visually perceptible and audibly perceptible signals from each of the mobile communicators. The interface (1) presents an audible signal from each communicator as if the audible signal is received from a different location relative to the operator and (2) allows the operator to select, to assign priority to, and to display, the visual signals and the audible signals received from a specified communicator. Each communicator has an associated signal transmitter that is configured to transmit at least one of the visual signals and the audio signal associated with the communicator, where at least one of the signal transmitters includes at least one sensor that senses and transmits a sensor value representing a selected environmental or physiological parameter associated with the communicator