Single-Electron Traps: A Quantitative Comparison of Theory and Experiment

We have carried out a coordinated experimental and theoretical study of single-electron traps based on submicron aluminum islands and aluminum oxide tunnel junctions. The results of geometrical modeling using a modified version of MIT's FastCap were used as input data for the general-purpose single-electron circuit simulator MOSES. The analysis indicates reasonable quantitative agreement between theory and experiment for those trap characteristics which are not affected by random offset charges. The observed differences between theory and experiment (ranging from a few to fifty percent) can be readily explained by the uncertainty in the exact geometry of the experimental nanostructures.Comment: 17 pages, 21 figures, RevTex, eps

A Photovoice Project: Urban Elementary Girls’ Perspectives on Physical Activity

Photovoice is a community-based participatory research method where participants can showcase their life experiences through photography. The objective of this study was to have adolescent girls attending an after-school program use photovoice to represent their perceptions of physical activity practices. Photovoice was used to allow adolescent girls to express their perspectives, through photographs and narratives, of their personal and community strengths and concerns related to their involvement in physical activity. The phenomenological methodology was used as a framework for the study. Qualitative analyses were conducted throughout the research process. Constant comparison was used to analyze the focus group, scrapbook data, and notes recorded by the author to determine key themes and ideas. Participants for the study included 14 girls attending a school in an urban area. Benefits of physical activity as provided by the girls in their personal lives and the community included: understanding activity contributed to wellness, increased social opportunities, and the school as a hub of activities. Personal and community barriers to physical activity included: lack of neighbourhood safety, being involved in other sedentary activities, parental rules restricting outside play, outside conditions, personal choices to not exercise, and a lack of opportunity to exercise. Potential ways to increase physical activity among these participants are to create more group games and activities at the after-school program daily. Involving parents in activities with the girls at home may increase physical activity levels while at home

Extension Programs Increased Missouri Cotton Farmer Use of Survey-Based Pest Management

In 1982, only 5% of Missouri cotton farmers surveyed fields for pests and used this information when selecting pest management strategies, i.e., survey based pest management (SBPM). University of Missouri faculty initiated a program that year to instruct farmers about the benefits of SBPM. They provided instruction from 1982 to 1999. During 1999, 3% of Missouri cotton farmers were surveyed by phone for their use of SBPM. That year, farmers used SBPM to protect 82% of Missouri cotton acres. In addition to better yields, the use of SBPM ensured more efficient use of all pest management strategies

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Current Cannabis Use among U.S. Young Adults

Cannabis use is a significant public health issue among U.S. young adults. The objective of this study was to assess the associations between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and current cannabis use among U.S. young adults. We conducted a secondary analysis of the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data, which involved 498 U.S. young adults 18-24 years old who had data available for analysis on ACEs and current cannabis use. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models were fitted to examine the associations between ACEs and current cannabis use. Adjusted models included participants’ sex, race/ethnicity, education level, and household income level. One-fourth (25.5%) of participants reported current cannabis use, and 21.3% reported one ACE, 25.2% reported 2-3 ACEs, and 38.4% reported ≥4 ACEs. Unadjusted (odds ratio [OR]=4.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.91-9.33) and adjusted (adjusted OR=4.23, 95%CI=1.57-11.38) model results indicated that participants who experienced ≥1 ACE were at increased odds of reporting current cannabis use than participants with no ACEs. Unadjusted (OR=5.79, 95%CI=2.40-14.00) and adjusted (AOR=6.48, 95%CI=2.15-19.55) model results indicated that participants who experienced ≥4 ACEs were at increased odds of reporting current cannabis use than participants with no ACEs. Adjusted model results revealed that experiencing living with a household member who had a mental illness or sexual abuse increased the odds of reporting current cannabis use. Results demonstrated relations among ACEs and current cannabis use in young adulthood, especially among those who experienced ≥4 ACEs and experienced living with a household member who had a mental illness or sexual abuse

All-Optical Quantum Random Bit Generation from Intrinsically Binary Phase of Parametric Oscillators

True random number generators (RNGs) are desirable for applications ranging from cryptogra- phy to computer simulations. Quantum phenomena prove to be attractive for physical RNGs due to their fundamental randomness and immunity to attack [1]- [5]. Optical parametric down conversion is an essential element in most quantum optical experiments including optical squeezing [9], and generation of entangled photons [10]. In an optical parametric oscillator (OPO), photons generated through spontaneous down conversion of the pump initiate the oscillation in the absence of other inputs [11, 12]. This quantum process is the dominant effect during the oscillation build-up, leading to selection of one of the two possible phase states above threshold in a degenerate OPO [13]. Building on this, we demonstrate a novel all-optical quantum RNG in which the photodetection is not a part of the random process, and no post processing is required for the generated bit sequence. We implement a synchronously pumped twin degenerate OPO, which comprises two identical independent OPOs in a single cavity, and measure the relative phase states of the OPO outputs above threshold as a bit value. We show that the outcome is statistically random with 99% confidence. With the use of micro- and nanoscale OPO resonators, this technique offers a promise for simple, robust, and high-speed on-chip all-optical quantum random number generators