yes / The need to increase the capacity of developing countries to meet the mental health needs of their populations is widely acknowledged. This article examines some of the challenges associated with a British Council DelPHE project aimed at strengthening the capacity of mental health educators to prepare the mental health workforce in Zambia for a shift from an institutional to a community-based model of care. The analysis draws on data from two focus groups in which the participants were drawn from college educators who had taken part in workshops intended to enhance curriculum alignment to ensure that the education and training provided for clinical officers (psychiatry) and mental health nurses was "fit for purpose." In particular, the article highlights their perspectives on some of the tensions in focusing on mental health as opposed to broader health care and in ensuring appropriate opportunities for practice or field placements. The continuing impact of stigma and limited resources available for mental ill-health is acknowledged within the wider context of inequities in mental health care. Findings of this evaluation may be applicable to other sub-Saharan contexts, but should be understood only within the Zambian context.

The purpose of this study was to develop an explanation for the volatile behavior of the Local Composite Index, Virginia's measure of public school division fiscal capacity. This study documented and analyzed the behavior of the mathematical and structural components of the current formula over the period inclusive of Biennia 1984-86 through 1996-98. It was implemented in five phases: 1. Literature Review. Literature related to public school division fiscal capacity was reviewed: a) To identify normative and procedural concepts important to the philosophical development of fiscal capacity. b) To delineate the various models used across the United States in the determination of public school fiscal capacity. c) To examine components of indices, their application, and criteria for evaluating their behavior. 2. Local Composite Index Review. Information was collected from various sources regarding the Local Composite Index and its components for all school divisions in the Commonwealth. 3. Database Development. A relational database was developed to facilitate exploratory trend analyses of the LCI and its components. 4. Analysis. An identification and analysis of three trends was selected, defined, and undertaken: a) Biennial Change Rate of the Indicators, Local and State b) Biennial Change Rate of the Standardized Indicators, Local and State c) Net Biennial Change Rate of the Local to State Ratio for the Standardized Indicators 5. Case Studies. Five case studies of public school divisions and the Commonwealth of Virginia were performed to provide an in-depth and quantitative analysis of the interaction of the various component trends of the Local Composite Index and their resultant effects. The study identified specific phenomena and their percentage contribution to the volatility of the Local Composite Index. The study found three interactive effects of the LCI ratio structure that contribute to its volatility: * The Ratio structure can enhance the LCI value. * The Ratio structure can dampen the LCI value. * The ratio structure allows for Synthetic Change within the Local or State Standardized Indicators, which stimulates unpredictable patterns of volatility. / Ph. D.

The aim of this project was to investigate the impact of language proficiency (represented in first and second language) on working memory capacity. A sample of 100 college students from Virginia Tech University completed an on-line survey, performed 2 computer-based working memory capacity tasks (the OSPAN and the Letter Rotation) and had their first language (L1) as well as their second language (L2) proficiency tested. All participants were classified on a five-point likert scale from "poor" to "excellent". Verbal WMC (as measured by OSPAN) was associated with L2 proficiency. However, the L2 "excellent" group did not differ in their OSPAN from the remaining four groups of L2 proficiency classification. No correlation was found between the two WMC tasks. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this dissertation is to find the channel capacity in optical fiber communication systems when incoherent detection is used with single (polarization filtering) and two-polarizations (no polarization filtering). Optical fiber systems employ photodetectors that convert optical intensity to electrical current. Bandpass vector fields may be represented by four orthogonal baseband components corresponding to two quadrature phases and two orthogonal polarizations. Intensity is proportional to the sum of the squares of these four components. In the case of a coherent receiver, a strong optical local oscillator (in phase and with same polarization as the signal) is added to the signal prior to the photodetector. This results in the removal of the quadrature phase and polarization components, and reduces to the one degree of freedom (DOF) case of signal plus local oscillator shot noise for which the Shannon channel capacity formula applies. Electrical noise following the photodetector may also be neglected if there is an optical amplifier before the photodetector in the receiver. The amplifier introduces amplified spontaneous emission noise containing both quadrature phase components and both polarizations (4 DOFs), but the 2 DOF case would result if a polarization filter were used. Although the 1 and 2 DOF cases are of less practical interest than the 4 DOF case, they provide useful benchmarks for comparing performance limits. We evaluate both spectral efficiency limits (bps/Hz) in the limit of high and low SNR for the 1,2 and 4 DOF cases and also find the power efficiency (minimum number of photons per bit) for each of these cases. It is shown that for high SNR the spectral efficiency is the same independent of the number of DOFs and that the half-Gaussian distribution is the optimum distribution. We are able to thus obtain a compact equation for spectral efficiency which behaves in a similar way to the Shannon capacity formula but with the SNR scaled by a constant. We also show that for low SNR the half-Gaussian distribution is not the optimum distribution as the slope of the mutual information changes with the square of SNR which would lead to the number of photons per bit becoming infinite in the limit of SNR going to zero. We use a modified half-Gaussian distribution which has a discrete component (an impulse function at the origin) and provide a simple proof that this distribution results in a mutual information that goes to zero linearly with SNR resulting in a minimum number of photons per bit. Furthermore, by increasing the magnitude of the discrete component at the origin, it is shown that the minimum number of photons per bit for the incoherent channel approaches that of the coherent channel. / Ph. D.

All states and the District of Columbia have embraced academic standards as a primary means for improving public education (Manzo, 2001). Virginia implemented the Standards of Learning assessments in 1998. These assessments are based on a set of standards set forth by the Virginia Board of Education, and as of 2004, these assessments played a role in determining whether students received a high school diploma and whether a school received accreditation. The purpose of this study was to review the efforts of one Virginia school system to develop and sustain its capacity to improve student achievement in response to increased accountability. Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological system framework provided a lens through which to study building capacity and improving a school system, a school, and individual classrooms. This multi-level perspective provided a means to study various aspects of school improvement in response to federal, state, and local policies. This researcher utilized qualitative research methods to investigate a school division that has been successful in building and sustaining capacity to improve its schools. The findings are presented in six major themes that describe how this system built and sustained the capacity to achieve state accreditation. These themes are (a) aligning curriculum to the state standards, (b) providing professional development, (c) fostering relationships, (d) promoting the use of technology, (e) building on strengths, and (f) sharing leadership. The six themes were evident across every subsystem n this school division, from classroom, to schoolhouse, to central office in response to state and federal policies of accountability. / Ed. D.

The experimental study reported upon in this thesis focused on the development of physical data characterizing the behavior of single-shear, laterally-loaded connections when loaded up to and beyond capacity (i.e., maximum resistance). Specimens included a wide array of connection configurations common in wood construction. All connections were tested monotonically in tension under displacement-controlled loading, parallel to the grain. Results of these tests are presented and discussed. Test variables of nailed connections included nail diameter, side member material type, and side member thickness. Test variables of bolted connections included bolt diameter, commercial species grouping of the main and side members, and main member thickness. Conclusions drawn from this research include mechanics-based explanations of numerous connection response trends observed with respect to test variables. Additionally, observed factors of safety and over-strengths of current design values are quantified on a capacity-basis. / Master of Science

Because of perceived deficiencies in the state of the practice of designing escalators and moving walkways, a microsimulation-based model of pedestrian behavior in these moving belt systems was created. In addition to implementing walking and stair climbing capabilities from existing pedestrian flow literature, the model utilized following behavior and lane change decision logic taken form studies performed in the field of automotive traffic flow theory. By combining research from these two normally independent fields with moving belt operational characteristics, a solid framework for the simulation was created. The model was then validated by comparing its operation to real world behaviors and performance metrics found in the literature in order to verify that the simulation matched the choices made by actual pedestrians. Once this crucial function had been completed, the model could finally be used in its original purpose of determining the capacity of a belt under region-specific input parameters. This paper also discusses other applications for which the model is suitable, including performing sensitivity analysis of both existing and proposed belt systems, analyzing the impacts of operational rule sets on the performance of escalators and moving walkways, and analyzing the effect of queue growth on the storage area needed for pedestrians in an ambulatory facility. Through the use of this model and the logic contained within it, engineers and planners will be able to gain a more accurate understanding of pedestrian flow on moving belts. The result of this increased understanding will be more effective and more efficient transportation systems. / Master of Science

This thesis discusses the use of aerial photography to construct a workable model capable of predicting the maximum carrying capacity of cattle on a given farm to a reasonably high degree of accuracy. The thesis then discusses how this model can be expanded to reach the goal of predicting actual carrying capacity, the value of farm production, or other such specific indicators of land use intensity. / Thesis / Candidate in Philosophy

Alternative intersections and interchanges, such as the diverging diamond interchange (DDI), the restricted crossing u-turn (RCUT), and the displaced left-turn intersection (DLT), have the potential to both improve safety and reduce delay. However, partially due to lingering questions about analysis methods and service measures for these designs, their rate of implementation remains low. This research attempts to answer three key questions. Can alternative intersections and interchanges be incorporated into the existing level of service and service measure schema, or is a new service measure with an updated level of service model required? Is the behavior of drivers at alternative intersections fundamentally similar to those at conventional intersections, such that traffic microsimulation applications can accurately model the behaviors observed in the field? Finally, is the planning level tool made available through FHWA an accurate predictor of the relative performance of various alternatives, or is an updated tool necessary? Discussion and case study analysis are used to explore the existing level of service and service measure schema. The existing control delay measure is recommended to be replaced with a proposed junction delay measure that incorporates geometric delay, with the existing level of service schema based on control type recommended to be replaced by a proposed schema using demand volume. A case study validation of micro- and macroscopic analysis methods is conducted, finding the two microscopic methods investigated to match field observed vehicle delays within 3 to 7 seconds for all designs tested, and macroscopic HCM method matching within 3 seconds for the DDI, 35 seconds for the RCUT, and 130 seconds for the DLT design. Taking the critical lane analysis method to be a valid measure of operations, the demand-volume limitations of each alternative design is explored using eighteen geometric configurations and approximately three thousand volume scenarios, with the DLT design predicted to accommodate the highest demand volumes before failure is reached. Finally, six geometries are examined using both the planning-level tool and the validated microsimulation tool, finding that the curve of the capacity-to-delay relationship varies for each alternative design, invalidating the use of critical lane analysis as a comparative tool. / Ph. D.

Adversarial network coding studies the transmission of data over networks affected by adversarial noise. In this realm, the noise is modeled by an omniscient adversary who is restricted to corrupting a proper subset of the network edges. In 2018, Ravagnani and Kschischang established a combinatorial framework for adversarial networks. The study was recently furthered by Beemer, Kilic and Ravagnani, with particular focus on the one-shot capacity: a measure of the maximum number of symbols that can be transmitted in a single use of the network without errors. In this thesis, both bounds and capacity-achieving schemes are provided for families of adversarial networks in multiple transmission rounds. We also demonstrate scenarios where we transmit more information using a network multiple times for communication versus using the network once. Some results in this thesis are joint work with Giuseppe Cotardo (Virginia Tech), Gretchen Matthews (Virginia Tech) and Alberto Ravagnani (Eindhoven University of Technology). / Master of Science / We study how to best transfer data across a communication network even if there is adversarial interference using network coding. Network coding is used in video streaming, autonomous vehicles, 5G and NextG communications, satellite networks, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices among other applications. It is the process that encodes data before sending it and decodes it upon receipt. It brings advantages such as increased network efficiency, improved reliability, reduced redundancy, enhanced resilience, and energy savings. We seek to enhance this valuable technique by determining optimal ways in which to utilize network coding schemes. We explore scenarios in which an adversary has partial access to a network. To examine the maximum data that can be communicated over one use of a network, we require the intermediate parts of the network process the information before forwarding it in a process called network decoding. In this thesis, we focus on characterizing when using a network multiple times for communication increases the amount of information that is received regardless of the worst-case adversarial attack, building on prior work that shows how underlying structure influences capacity. We design efficient methods for specific networks, to communicate at capacity.