The Unique Social Isolation Homosexual Adolescents Experience

A pioneering group of teenagers are identifying themselves as Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender or Questioning (GLBTQ). GLBTQ adolescents experience a unique social isolation as compared with other minority and oppressed groups. However, current research and interventions is aimed at addressing their social isolation only once these adolescents have come out . It was hypothesized that before coming out the social isolation that GLBTQ feel may be lessoned by educating all children before they begin to explore their sexual identity. A booklet was developed using feelings, experiences and supports before and after the coming out process, as identified by GLBTQ adolescents. With the proposed use of this booklet in a middle school health class the possible perceived effectiveness was analyzed. The data revealed a strong argument for the possible effectiveness for this educational book for all adolescents. While the breakdown of data into sub-categories revealed some variations between professionals and gender, there were no significant differences and all revealed a considerably high average rating of effectiveness. The exploratory data revealed some very important feedback both positive and valid constructive criticism. This data should be considered and further research should include adjusting the educational tool with some of the proposed input, as well as further research with a larger sample size for increased external validity

The College Transition: What Changes, Who Changes, and Why?

To assess changes in student behavior between high school and college, and any factors contributing to behavioral changes, eight students from the University of New Hampshire were interviewed. To determine if changes in environment, or a greater distance from home, lead to greater changes in behavior, half of participants interviewed were in-state students and half were out-of-state students. Participants were interviewed on their opinions toward college and differences between high school and college in four areas: relationships, alcohol use, academics, and group participation. Interviews with participants were recorded and later transcribed. The transcriptions were then compared, looking for themes both within and among the interviews. The results showed that there were changes in these four areas but there were no differences in changes between in-state students and out-of-state students. On average, students’ grades stayed the same from high school to college and participation in group activities decreased from high school to college. The most common change was an increase in alcohol use from high school to college. Changes in behavior seemed unrelated to whether or not a student was in-state or out-ofstate. Changes in behavior seemed to be, in part, influenced by social relations, and also the freedom that comes with living away from home

How do integrative psychotherapists integrate? A qualitative exploration of tales from the trenches

This is a phenomenological study exploring the first-person lived experiences of 14 clinicians in their daily practices of integrative psychotherapy, in an Irish context. The data were gathered through semi-structured interviews lasting 50 minutes and investigated using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Three master themes emerged: (1) Being an Integrative Practitioner (2) The Therapeutic Relationship – A Dynamic Process and (3) Identity – Personal and Individual. The findings confirm that integrative psychotherapy is a complex and idiosyncratic process. The therapy practices as described by participants differ to those as outlined in the literature. Participants use their prior, tacit knowledge of what worked previously, built up through a cycle of praxis, as a reference point for their practice. Integration is seen as combining different interventions and techniques. All consider listening as the mainstay of building the therapeutic relationship and the driver towards integration. There is an appreciation of multiple aspects of client problems and multiple ways these can be understood in theory and worked through using a variety of interventions and techniques. Tailoring their approaches to the needs of each client was seen as a key responsibility of the therapist. A pluralistic perspective is proposed as a structure for containing the myriad of theories and therapies that practitioners are struggling to incorporate into their practices. This also aims to address the lack of clarity and agreed definition within the field in general. Since integrative/eclectic approaches are increasingly popular internationally, it is difficult to isolate issues relating to integration without reference to the wider field of psychotherapy. The study produced some novel and surprising discoveries: the lack of a cohesive identity shared by integrative psychotherapists, and a view of self as not being a researcher, despite the fact that descriptions of their practices often suggested the opposite. Developing a practitioner-researcher outlook is considered of great significance to the profession. A spirit of open, collaborative inquiry and a therapeutic pluralism have been advanced as an apposite stance for the profession to adopt in proactively meeting the challenges within what is a dynamic and ever-evolving field of endeavour

Linear Operation of Switch-Mode Outphasing Power Amplifiers

Radio transceivers are playing an increasingly important role in modern society. The ”connected” lifestyle has been enabled by modern wireless communications. The demand that has been placed on current wireless and cellular infrastructure requires increased spectral efficiency however this has come at the cost of power efficiency. This work investigates methods of improving wireless transceiver efficiency by enabling more efficient power amplifier architectures, specifically examining the role of switch-mode power amplifiers in macro cell scenarios. Our research focuses on the mechanisms within outphasing power amplifiers which prevent linear amplification. From the analysis it was clear that high power non-linear effects are correctable with currently available techniques however non-linear effects around the zero crossing point are not. As a result signal processing techniques for suppressing and avoiding non-linear operation in low power regions are explored. A novel method of digital pre-distortion is presented, and conventional techniques for linearisation are adapted for the particular needs of the outphasing power amplifier. More unconventional signal processing techniques are presented to aid linearisation of the outphasing power amplifier, both zero crossing and bandwidth expansion reduction methods are designed to avoid operation in nonlinear regions of the amplifiers. In combination with digital pre-distortion the techniques will improve linearisation efforts on outphasing systems with dynamic range and bandwidth constraints respectively. Our collaboration with NXP provided access to a digital outphasing power amplifier, enabling empirical analysis of non-linear behaviour and comparative analysis of behavioural modelling and linearisation efforts. The collaboration resulted in a bench mark for linear wideband operation of a digital outphasing power amplifier. The complimentary linearisation techniques, bandwidth expansion reduction and zero crossing reduction have been evaluated in both simulated and practical outphasing test benches. Initial results are promising and indicate that the benefits they provide are not limited to the outphasing amplifier architecture alone. Overall this thesis presents innovative analysis of the distortion mechanisms of the outphasing power amplifier, highlighting the sensitivity of the system to environmental effects. Practical and novel linearisation techniques are presented, with a focus on enabling wide band operation for modern communications standards

The Role of Hydrothermal Treatment in the Biorefining of Macroalgae

Bioenergy is a key part of the renewable energy sector which has yet to reach its full potential. Macroalgae as a biomass feedstock has many benefits over the first and second generation biofuels. The organic-rich aqueous phase resulting from the hydrothermal processing of macroalgae could additionally provide a means of supplying commodity chemicals or feedstock for anaerobic digestion (AD) as a by-product from the biofuel production. The work for this PhD has focussed on the hydrothermal carbonisation of some key species of seaweed: Saccharina latissima (SL) and Fucus serratus as well as Miscanthus giganteus. Hydrothermal Carbonisation (HTC) was performed on the samples along with some key model compounds and co-processed mixes of the terrestrial and algal biomass/model compounds in a 80:20 ratio, respectively. HTC was performed at 150◦C, 200◦C or 250◦C, for one hour. The hydrochars and aqueous phase products were characterised via ultimate and proximate analysis and XRF analysis along with mass balance calculations. The aqueous phase samples were also analysed via NMR, TOC, HPLC, pH, and GC-FID analysis. Anaerobic Digestion (AD) was also performed for the two 100% seaweed samples using a AMPTS(II) digester. A higher heating value of 24.2 MJ/kg was achieved for the co-processed mix at 250◦C, and the effect of co-processing was promotive in increasing the hydrochar yield up 4% at this temperature. The main findings indicate that the sugars in the pure biomass feedstock tend to decompose more at higher temperatures, as expected due to the hydrolysis of the polysaccharides, and produce more shorter chain acids at higher temperatures, eventually degrading into more gases at the 250◦C temperature. The abundance of VFAs increases with temperature, due to acidogenesis and degradation of the amino acids and fatty acids. The co-processed hydrochars shows significantly reduced heavy metals content compared to the 100% seaweed hydrochars, due to the lower proportion of seaweed feedstock. However, the hydrochar from the co-processed mix falls remains just short of the slagging and fouling limits. It is recommended that further research on co-processing uses a 85:15 Miscanthus:Saccharina latissima ratio to increase the likelihood that the hydrochar produced adheres to slagging and fouling limits. Anaerobic digestion tests of the seaweed aqueous phase feedstocks yielded successful BMP production levels, achieving 160 ml CH4/gCOD for the SL 250◦C sample. The proposed biorefinery concept involving AD post-HTC treatment is therefore possible with the qualities of the aqueous phase suitable for anaerobic digestion, in addition to other potential further uses. The relatively new technology of Hydrothermal Carbonisation, coupled with the use of seaweed as part of the feedstock mix, is hence shown to be an important consideration for further development, to help bridge the gap between our current renewable energy capacity and the UK’s future renewable energy targets, to enable a more sustainable future

Maternal Dietary Patterns and Risk of Isolated Cleft Birth Defects in Utah - A Case-Control Study

Inadequate maternal nutrition during pregnancy has been suggested as a risk factor for oral cleft birth defects including the major groupings of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P), and cleft palate alone (CP). Few studies have analyzed overall dietary patterns in relation to development of oral clefts. The purpose of this study is to examine the statistical associations between maternal dietary pattern scores and risk of oral clefts in Utah. Data collected from the Utah Oral Cleft Study was used as a starting point. New variables were formed to define maternal dietary patterns using the SPSS statistical analysis program. Derived dietary pattern variables were compared among mothers of Utah children with oral clefts (445 cases) and mothers of unaffected children (410 controls); these included scores based on intake of the following groups of foods: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low‐fat dairy foods, and an overall diet score based on the DASH dietary intervention studies. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the risk of oral clefts by quintile of the food group and DASH scores while controlling for the potential confounding effects of maternal age, education, smoking and alcohol use during pregnancy, and multivitamin use during pregnancy. Logistic regression analysis indicated a 40% reduction in risk of oral clefts (CL/P and CP combined) (OR=0.60) in mothers in the highest vs. lowest quintile of whole grain intake. The iii DASH dietary score was not significantly associated with risk of oral clefts. Periconceptional exposure to tobacco smoke and education levels were also associated with risk of CL/P. Periconceptional dietary intake of whole grains may significantly reduce incidence of isolated CLP in the offspring

An Analysis of the Association between Food Insecurity and Violent Crime in Georgia in 2020

INTRODUCTION: Ten percent of Georgia households reported being food insecure between 2018 to 2020, and 3.8 percent of Georgia households with children reported being food insecure. These prevalence rates of food insecurity represent a 1.3% and 1% increase from data collection between 2008 and 2010 for Georgia households and children, respectively. A WalletHub study found that from the beginning of 2021 to the beginning of 2023, Atlanta saw the third-largest increase in homicide rates. AIM: This study examines the relationship between food insecurity and violent crime, including murder, robbery, and rape in Georgia, controlling for various socioeconomic factors. METHODS: The 2020 county-level violent crime data from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program, the 2020 county-level food insecurity data from Feeding America Map the Meal Gap data, the 2020 county-level data on Georgia population health outcomes and demographics from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, and the U.S. Census Bureau were used for this study. Pearson correlation and linear regression analyses were conducted to determine the degrees of linear associations between food insecurity and violent crimes. RESULTS: There were statistically significant positive correlations and associations between food insecurity and murder, rape, and robbery in Georgia, controlling for median household income, unemployment level, and lack of insurance. DISCUSSION: The strong association between food insecurity and violent crimes observed in this study suggests the need for public health action to address food insecurity. Policymakers should develop robust evidence-based policy solutions that target a community\u27s food needs

A Journalist\u27s Exploration of Moroccan Culture and Society

This publication is a collection of articles the author produced during her study abroad experience in Morocco. These articles cover several aspects of Moroccan culture and society, including religion, music, traditions and migration. By conducting her research and writing the articles in Morocco, the author not only learned about her host community during her year of study abroad, but she also gained insight on the challenges of international reporting