Effects of DUT mismatch on the noise figure characterization: A comparative analysis of two Y-factor techniques

Device mismatch seriously degrades accuracy in noise figure characterization. The suitability of corrections to the gain definitions for a more precise noise figure evaluation for mismatched devices is investigated and compared to classical techniques. The effects of device mismatch on the noise figure of the noise-meter receiver and its impact on the final accuracy are analyzed

Measurements of aerosol properties needed to infer backscatter characteristics in support of the NASA Doppler Lidar program

During the first year two areas of work were emphasized, analysis of aerosol data to provide improved estimates of backscatter over the Pacific ocean and development of a global model for backscatter at different wavelengths and preparation and planning for the aircraft flights of the GLOVE program. Significant progress was made in each of these areas. The analytical work is a continuation of the GAMETAG analysis, and was directed toward the development of a backscatter model for the Pacific Oceanic free troposphere. This has included a further evaluation of relationships between the optical effects at different wavelengths, a comparison of modeled optical effects at differing temporal resolutions, and an investigation of the effects of sampling on the modeled results. An initial investigation of the predictability of 9 to 10 micrometers Beta values from other data sets as well as some preliminary comparisons of the modeling results with experimental data. The comparison of the optical effects was extended to make the comparisons for different sets of time bases between 1 and 20 minutes

Estimating fugitive bioaerosol releases from static compost windrows: feasibility of portable wind tunnel approach

An assessment of the fugitive release of bioaerosols from static compost piles was conducted at a green waste composting facility in South East England; this representing the initial stage of a programme of research into the influence of process parameters on bioaerosol emission flux. Wind tunnel experiments conducted on the surface of static windrows generated specific bioaerosol emission rates (SBER2s) at ground level of between 13 - 22 x10 3 cfu/m 2 /s for mesophilic actinomycetes and between 8 - 11 x10 3 cfu/m 2 /s for Aspergillus fumigatus. Air dispersion modelling of these emissions using the SCREEN3 air dispersion model in area source term mode was used to generate source depletion curves downwind of the facility for comparative purposes

Brief Consultation to Families of Treatment Refusers with Symptoms of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Does It Impact Family Accommodation and Quality of Life?

Family members are often directly and significantly impacted by the restrictive demands of OCD, a frequently disabling disorder. Family accommodation behaviors (i.e., doing things for or because of the OCD sufferer that a person would not normally do) are associated with dysfunction, including poorer treatment responses in OCD sufferers and greater distress in family members. Although evidence suggests family-based intervention can reduce symptoms in OCD sufferers who participate in treatment, there is a lack of research documenting the impact of interventions designed for the families of OCD treatment refusers (TR). Brief Family Consultation (BFC) was developed by our clinical team to help families refocus their efforts on the things that they can realistically control and change (e.g., participation in compulsions). In this crossover study, twenty families related to an individual who exhibited OCD symptoms but had refused treatment were assigned to five phone sessions of either BFC or a psychoeducation condition. Compared to this credible, attention-placebo control group (Brief Educational Support; BES), BFC (but not BES) resulted in reductions in family accommodation behavior, yet neither BFC nor BES resulted in improved quality of life for family members of treatment refusers. BFC is one of the first interventions to be evaluated for its ability to help families when their loved ones with obsessive compulsive symptoms refuse treatment. This pilot study provides new insights for clinicians and researchers to better address the needs of these neglected families

Stochastic unraveling of Redfield master equations and its application to electron transfer problems

A method for stochastic unraveling of general time-local quantum master equations (QMEs) is proposed. The present kind of jump algorithm allows a numerically efficient treatment of QMEs which are not in Lindblad form, i.e. are not positive semidefinite by definition. The unraveling can be achieved by allowing for trajectories with negative weights. Such a property is necessary, e.g. to unravel the Redfield QME and to treat various related problems with high numerical efficiency. The method is successfully tested on the damped harmonic oscillator and on electron transfer models including one and two reaction coordinates. The obtained results are compared to those from a direct propagation of the reduced density matrix (RDM) as well as from the standard quantum jump method. Comparison of the numerical efficiency is performed considering both the population dynamics and the RDM in the Wigner phase space representation.Comment: accepted in J. Chem. Phys.; 26 pages, 6 figures; the order of authors' names on the title page correcte

Increasing self-determination skill through behavioral skills training for individuals with extensive support needs to examine reversible contraceptive choices.

There is a long history of individuals with extensive support needs (ESN) being sterilized without their knowledge and consent. Students with ESN are defined as individuals who need continuous and widespread supports necessary for academic, communication, and/or daily living skills. These individuals typically have more than one diagnosis including a developmental disability (DD), intellectual disability (ID), and/or traumatic brain injury (Kurth et al., 2019; Taub et al., 2017). Part of the reason this is able to occur is due to a lack of education about sexual development and a lack of interventions to build skills related to self-determination or informed decision-making. This dissertation aimed to increase these skills for participants with ESN related to their choices in reversible contraceptives. Three participants were first taught about their menstrual cycles and given preference assessments about reversible birth control options. Participants then created individualized graphic organizers to help guide them through the process of asking about choices and recording the information given from doctors. A single-case multiple probe design was used to examine the effectiveness of using behavioral skills training to increase the skills of asking a doctor about choices and recording the information. All three participants were able to reach mastery level within three to four probes. Two participants stayed at mastery level for their generalization and maintenance probes. One participant did not stay at mastery level for their generalization and maintenance probe but was only 3 points away from mastery level, and 29 points above their baseline level. Social validity results were positive and participants reported that they liked being able to talk to a doctor themselves. Future researchers should focus on increasing self-determination skills in other areas related to sex education and breaking down barriers to access education and care centered around dignity for the individual with ESN. This dissertation is divided into five chapters. Chapter One gives an overview of the history of sex education and health care services for individuals with ESN. Chapter Two is a review of literature related to sex education and self-determination skill building for individuals with ESN. This chapter also includes evidence that informed the decisions to include the different study components. Chapter Three details the methodology of the study and Chapter Four details the results for all three participants. Chapter Five explains the results related to previous literature and considerations for future research

The Right to Learn Across the Tracks: An Analysis of School Funding and Integration in Seattle, Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Through examining the levels of integration in public and private schools across the United States, it is clear that the spirit of Brown v. Board of Education was never fulfilled. Students are still learning in an overwhelmingly homogeneous environment. Even in diverse neighborhoods there is a difference: the poor and minority children attend the public schools and the wealthy children attend private school. Thus, the urban public schools remain overwhelmingly minority, while private schools are overwhelmingly white. There is a clear discrepancy between black and white students in terms of size of school and quality of education. To determine whether or not schools are truly integrated, both racially and economically, within the United States, public school districts and private schools in five metropolitan areas across the country were studied. The metropolitan areas studied were Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, D.C., Seattle, and Houston. The cities studied will show the impact of white flight on public schooling, as well as how integration levels in schools that historically have had problems with segregation compares to those cities which have not instituted discriminatory policies. Together the examples of these five cities combine to illustrate the reality of race relations in the United States and how these relationships affect schooling

Englewood: The Impact of an Underserved Community that is faced by Violence: Politicians vs. Residents vs. Advocates

This study examines the impact that violence has on an underserved community and its opportunity for revitalization. It attempts to reveal and analyze significant differences of opinion among residents, politicians, and other stakeholders in the Englewood community of Chicago, focusing primarily on what is needed to revitalize the community and reduce the level of violence in it. One key research finding is that there is a significant disconnect between residents of Englewood, the politicians who represent them, and activists and social-service providers who work with them in the community. Although there was no one clear reason for the disconnect, this study attempted to identify the importance of developing future assessments, programs, and resources to foster positive and effective strategies for rejuvenating Englewood. The study employs a quantitative research approach to collect and analyze data on the opinions of various stakeholders in the Englewood community. Data from survey questionnaires were administered to fifty-five participants who are residents, leaders and employees of not-for-profit organizations, politicians, and other community leaders, based on their age, income, and role within the community. The study demonstrates the ways that community development, economics, viability, leadership, and policing are needed in Englewood. These needs not only contribute to violence, but also can be a leading cause of the disconnect that exist. among the stakeholders in the community. Although this study hypothesizes a disconnect among the stakeholders of Englewood, evidence also suggests that because of the disconnect; violence continues to exist. The hypothesis offers insight on the types of revitalization strategies that may be successful, as these recommendations differ from standard approaches in the field. However, further qualitative study may be necessary to develop effective revitalization strategies in order to determine the root causes of the disconnect and to find ways to overcome it