This thesis is concerned with intensity characteristics of conditioned stimuli in acquisition of a conditioned emotional response (CER) in rats. A comparison was made of CSs which differed (between groups) with respect to amount and direction of change in white noise from a constant background stimulation level. The measure of conditioning was the degree to which the CS disrupted ongoing, food-motivated, bar-pressing activity. The major findings were (1) that rate of conditioning was a monotonic increasing function of amount of intensity change in either direction; and (2) an increase in noise intensity from background X to CS Y produced more rapid acquisition of the CER than did a decrease from background Y to CS X. (3) During pretests, a noise increase produced a small, but reliable, Increase in rate of bar-pressing, while a noise decrease produced a slight suppression. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

No description available.

No description available.

Circular or Angular data occur in many fields of applied statistics. A common problem of interest in circular data is estimating a preferred direction and its corresponding distribution. This problem is complicated by the so-called wrap-around effect, which exists because there is no minimum or maximum on the circle. The usual statistics employed for linear data are inappropriate for directional data, as they do not account for the circular nature of directional data. Common choices for summarizing the preferred direction are the sample circular mean, and sample circular median. A newly proposed circular analog of the Hodges-Lehmann estimator is proposed, as an alternative estimate of preferred direction. The new measure of preferred direction is a robust compromise between circular mean and circular median. Theoretical results show that the new measure of preferred direction is asymptotically more efficient than the circular median and that its asymptotic efficiency relative to the circular mean is quite comparable. Descriptions of how to use the methods for constructing confidence intervals and testing hypotheses are provided. Simulation results demonstrate the relative strengths and weaknesses of the new approach for a variety of distributions. / Ph. D.

Since the beginning of civilization rivers are strongly linked to the identity and vitality of cities. they provide water, means of transportation, spaces for urban expansion, and a defined boundary which contributes to the identity of a city. Rivers are often the raison d'etre of cities, and their inhabitants have an intricate relationship with it. Such sites are often a target for impulsive and premature development. in the case of zahle, a city established on the banks of the berdawni river, the area has seen part of its precious asset disappear under an underground parking, forming an artificial barrier, between two urban parts, and a void in the identity of the city. This thesis proposes that urban stitching based on architectural elements can reconnect different parts of the city. how architectural measures can fabricate reminders of a former presence of elements and artifacts, while defining an iconic public architecture, and a modern riverfront with a new urban identity, thus raising the quality of the city. / Master of Architecture

A radio direction finding (DF) system uses a multiple-element antenna array coupled with one or more receivers to estimate the direction-of-arrival (DOA) of a targeted emitter using characteristics of the signal received at each of the antennas in the array. In general, DF systems can be classified both by the number of receivers employed as well as which characteristics of the received signal are used to produce the DOA estimate, such as the signal's amplitude, phase, or time of arrival. This work centers on the development and implementation of a novel single-channel direction finding system based on the differential phase of the target signal received by a uniform circular antenna array with a commutative switch. The algorithm is called the PLL DF Method and differs from older single-channel DF techniques in that it is a digital algorithm intended for implementation on a software-defined radio (SDR) platform with a custom-designed antenna array and RF switching network. It uses a bank of parallel software PLLs to estimate the phase of the signal received at each element of the multi-antenna array. Theses estimated phase values are then fed to a specialized signal processing block that estimates the DOA of the received signal. This thesis presents the details of the initial version of the PLL algorithm which was used to produce a proof-of-concept system with an eight-element circular array. It then discusses various technical challenges uncovered in the initial implementation and presents numerous enhancements to the algorithm to overcome these challenges, such as a modification to the PLL model to offer increased estimator robustness in the presence of a frequency offset between the transmitter and receiver, revisions of the software implementation to reduce the algorithm's processing requirements, and the adaptation of the DF algorithm for use with a 16-element circular array. The performance of the algorithm with these modifications under various conditions are simulated to investigate their impact on the DOA estimation process and the results of their implementation on an SDR are considered. / Master of Science

The following presents an investigation into questions of spatial direction and continuity. This includes the directing of people via a choreographed sequence of architectural spaces through a site and a building. It further investigates a concept of continuity at various scales. A proposal for an art gallery in downtown Washington DC becomes the vehicle of exploration. The urban scale of this proposal seeks a continuity of relevant existing conditions while also creating opportunities to experience the city as well as the gallery. A serpentine-like continuous band or ribbon becomes the physical element responsible for direction and continuity for the building itself. / Master of Architecture

Direction of Arrival (DOA) estimation with digital arrays under unknown Gaussian distributed element location perturbation has detrimental effects to the performance of traditional DOA estimation techniques. This work proposes an artificial intelligence (AI) approach as a solution to this problem. A Deep Convolutional Neural Network (DCNN) is proposed and experimentation into network parameters, classification networks, and how the DCNN is applied to the DOA problem are studied. It is shown that this AI based approach is successful in estimating the DOA with perturbed arrays where traditional approaches fail.

This study examines the process of theatrical direction as a communication system. Its components are described in terms of their function as elements of a communication process. The communication activities within the theatrical process are analyzed by means of four categories of theatrical communication networks: conceptual, aesthetic, observational, and social. Theories of communication have been surveyed and then applied to the theatrical process. Particular attention is paid to role functions of the director within the social and the aesthetic networks. The conclusion reached in the study is that the effectiveness of the communication networks used in theatrical directing is determined by the functional roles and the leadership styles adopted by the director as he participates in these networks.

Consumer direction, a model of long-term care service delivery where service recipients and their families/advocates have enhanced control and choice over the services that they receive, is a growing phenomenon in United States. As it becomes greater utilized, it is important to understand the model and study its impacts. This dissertation details the history of the consumer direction movement, describes the current landscape of consumer direction in the United States, and presents a comparison study of users of consumer-directed (CD) services in three of Virginia Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Medicaid Waivers. Self-determination theory is provided as a theoretical framework for understanding consumer direction. The influences of liberty, empowerment, and paternalism are discussed in the context of self-determination theory as well as multidisciplinary influences. Results from the study indicate that overall, CD services facilitate self-determined decision making by enhancing recipients choice and control over services. When comparing differences between waiver groups, the survey domain of “access” was the only domain where statistically significant differences (p<.01) were found. Implications for users, advocates, and administrators of CD services are discussed.