Idag är människor i behov av Wi-Fi, eluttag samt belysning och samtidigt är kollektivtrafiken en stor del av människors vardag. Syftet med arbetet är att undersöka huruvida en implementering av solceller kan gynna samhället utifrån ekonomiska, ekologiska och sociala perspektiv. Studien beskriver även hur prisskillnaden mellan On-Grid och Off-Grid kan variera på grund av komponenter som används i implementeringen. I genomförandet undersöks energibehovet för Wi–Fi, LED-belysning och eluttag och detta har lett till att batteristorleken för systemet är 150 Ah. Däremot har Sverige få soldagar vilket leder till att antal mörka nätter approximeras till två och batteristorleken fördubblas därför till 300 Ah. Resultatet uppvisar att anslutande av elnät till busshållplatsen betingar ett pris av 100 000 kr men att implementera Off-Grid system på busshållplatsen kostar 23 653 kr för huvudkomponenter exklusive pris av montering, säkring och kablar. Genom att implementera solceller på On-Grid systemet kan elkostnader för bolaget minskas och återbetalningstiden förkortas. Studien kom fram till att två paneler av Midsummer BOLD med 195 Wp kommer täcka systemets behov. Dessa paneler är svensk tillverkad från 100% förnyelsebar el och har lågt koldioxidutsläpp med runt 90% lägre än traditionella solceller. / Today, people need Wi-Fi, electrical outlets, and lighting, and at the same time public transport is a large part of people's everyday lives. The purpose of the work is to investigate whether the implementation of solar cells can benefit society from an economic, ecological, and social perspective. The study also describes how the price difference between On-Grid and Off-Grid can vary due to components used in the implementation. The implementation examines the energy needs for Wi-Fi, LED lighting and electrical outlets and this has led to the battery size for the system being 150 Ah. On the other hand, Sweden has few sunny days, which leads to the number of dark nights being approximated to two and the battery size therefore doubling to 300 Ah. The results show that connection of the electricity network to the bus stop requires a price of SEK 100,000, but implementing Off-Grid systems at the bus stop costs SEK 23,653 for main components excluding the price of assembly, fuse, and cables. By implementing solar cells on the On-Grid system, electricity costs for the company can be reduced and the repayment period shortened. The study concluded that two panels of Midsummer BOLD with 195 Wp will cover the system's needs. These panels are Swedish made from 100% renewable electricity and have low carbon dioxide emissions with around 90% lower than traditional solar cells.

Background: Individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) experience a loss of control (i.e., poor inhibitory control) during binge eating, where stress is a common antecedent for binge episodes. However, few studies examine acute stress in BED and, to date, psychosocial stress relationships with inhibitory control are unexamined. Purpose: The current study investigated acute psychosocial stress effects on inhibitory control in BED. Additionally, inhibitory control relationships with BED treatment outcome were explored. Methods: Thirty-three individuals with BED were randomized to a stress (n = 17) or no stress condition (n = 16). All completed self-report measures including the Profile of Mood States and the Binge Urge Scale. Following the stressor, individuals completed the Stop-Signal Task (SST), a well-validated measure of inhibitory control. Relationships between post-stress anxiety with inhibitory control and eating pathology were explored. Furthermore, treatment outcome relationships with levels of inhibitory control, and negative urgency (an impulsive personality trait) were explored. Results: In the stress condition, individuals reported increased state anxiety immediately following stress, but experienced a decrease back to baseline levels of anxiety by the end of the SST. Stress resulted in impaired inhibitory control performance on the SST. Binge urges increased across both conditions over time. Measures of inhibitory control and negative urgency did not relate to treatment outcome. Conclusion: This study is novel in directly examining psychosocial stress effects on inhibitory control, which has not been studied in BED. These results show subjective stress effects in BED are short-lived; however, behaviourally, stress has a lingering effect on inhibitory control. Increasing binge urges across the experimental session in the no stress condition suggests a role for generalized anxiety on this impulse. These findings have clinical implications for binge urges as a therapeutic target, and for informing individuals with BED about the implications of stress on their binge eating. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

“Our Voices Matter” is my own reckoning as a music educator with homeplace in my music classroom using autoethnography as a method. My research is guided by the question “What is homeplace — for myself, my students, and for us together?” Data were collected through personal recollection, journal writing, vignettes, written interviews, public videos of student performances, blog posts, and news articles over a span of ten years of teaching at New Bridges Elementary in Brooklyn, NY. Data were analyzed through bell hooks’ definition of homeplace and Bettina Love’s usage of homeplace. I reckoned with the extent to which I experienced homeplace, perceived homeplace for my students, and actualized a homeplace that is welcoming of both my students and myself. Findings showed that my understanding of homeplace shifted over my ten years of teaching through the interactions with my students, and societal and cultural reckonings that inevitably affected the shared classroom space with my students. My use of language, content I taught, and personal voice were affected by pivotal experiences throughout my teaching career and personal life that started separately but ultimately intersected in my music classroom. The Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate movements collectively played active roles in the lived experiences of my students and me. The influences and intersections of these two movements in my elementary classroom led to multiple reckonings through unapologetic freedom dreaming where my students and I visioned futures that prioritize our racial identities, whole selves, and joy through music making, creating, and coexistence in shared space. In this study, I illuminate the complexities of my personal teaching practice and experience as a music educator that is inclusive of but also goes beyond music for music’s sake. The findings of my study may spark new understandings for educators about the ways that one’s positionalities and lived experiences affect the music classroom space. The findings may also be useful for those teachers grappling with the critical movements in our society which affect both our students and ourselves and require discussion and reckoning within the classroom. Although the findings are not meant to be extrapolated to any reader’s own classroom or students, this study reflects the emotional and mental shifts that have occurred in my teaching and being and as such may ignite personal reflection and shifts for the reader.

This study is being conducted in the interest of discovering changes that can be made in transportation and workforce policy to promote economic development. These changes will revolve around the amalgamation of place-based and people-based strategies with an emphasis on investment in people. The people-based strategies will relate to transportation policy, while place-based strategies will pertain to workforce policy. The following research questions will be answered: What people-based policy changes need to occur through collaborative efforts to foster environments in urban areas that synthesize upward mobility through workforce development? What are the advantages of place-based and people-based strategies? How can transportation policy like Job Access and Reverse Commute grant programs, a people-based strategy, be changed to produce greater outcomes? What lessons can be learned from products of workforce development policy such as one-stop centers, a place-based strategy, in terms of performance? To answer these questions, the investigation uses case studies of Job Access and Reverse Commute grant and one-stop center programs, with the intent of deriving a framework for interagency coordination strategies. The case studies include the Northern Jersey Transportation, the Baltimore Metropolitan Regional Transportation and the Portland, Oregon Tri-Met Plans. In addition, one-stop centers within the same three regions were examined for potential connections. A comparative analysis of all the case studies will be performed focusing on six major components in order to propose a policy framework that includes federal influence, governance structure, mechanism to connecting with the marker, feedback mechanisms, incremental career step provisions, and accountability systems. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning

The student retention behavior of stopping-out is widely misunderstood and yet very important in explaining community college student enrollment patterns. Stopping-out remains understudied in higher education literature as it is challenging to collect data from students who discontinued their enrollment. Since these students are not retained, they may be categorized as dropping-out within institutional data. The behavior of students who temporarily discontinue their enrollment and intend to re-enroll in the future is characterized as stopping-out. A clear distinction between stopping-out and dropping-out is vital to understanding the characteristics of students who stop-out and the student-level, institutional, and economic factors that influence their decision to discontinue their enrollment. By identifying the characteristics of these students and the factors that lead them to stopping-out, this study provides a foundation for shifting resources to programs that specifically target students who stop-out. Previous retention studies primarily utilized quantitative designs, lacking a student perspective. This mixed-method study, informed by rational choice and prospect theory, analyzed quantitative and qualitative data collected through a fall 2023 student survey administered in partnership with the community college research site. Quantitative analysis revealed that stop-out students at the community college are disproportionately Black, African-American, or Hispanic, of non-traditional age, and Pell Grant eligible. The students who stopped-out for economic reasons were most likely to be part-time enrolled and full-time employed and were more likely than students who stopped out due to institutional factors to discontinue enrollment due to COVID-19. The qualitative analysis of student responses to open-ended survey questions revealed the following themes, which described the factors influencing students' stop-out decisions. These were academic goal attainment, dual enrollment, institutional policies and academics, economic or life events, and ongoing student identity. The qualitative findings corroborated the quantitative findings that economic factors predominantly drive stopping-out decisions and stop-out students still identify as college students. The qualitative findings also confirmed that a number of students included in the stop-out survey did not stop-out. The students who reached their academic goals and dual enrollment students discontinued their enrollment because they met their academic goals. In order to analyze the students who stopped-out, these students were categorized as not-stopped-out for data analysis. The categorization allowed for the focus to be on students most closely aligned with the definition of stopped-out at the research site. My research contributes to the existing literature by including the experiences of stop-out students through their perspective. The research results provide a foundation for community college administrators and policymakers to advocate for reallocating resources toward programs supporting the retention of this unique group. Since the research revealed that many students who stop-out still self-identify as college students, there is an opportunity to provide a pathway to re-enrollment. College leaders can create an environment that lowers the economic barriers driving these students out of the classroom, thereby increasing the student success initiatives associated with community college missions. / Educational Administration

This study identifies factors that fosters and hinders coordination among key agencies operating in One-Stop Centers in Zambia such as the police, health and social welfare that provide coordinated medical, social and legal services to the victims of gender-based violence. This is a primary qualitative study in which data was collected using interviews from participants selected from the key agencies operating from five One-Stop Centers in Lusaka province of the Republic of Zambia. Thematic content analysis was used to generate categories of data with similar meaning based on frequently recurring themes. Findings showed that although there is positive coordination among One-Stop Center agency players, there are a host of coordination challenges among them. The study gathered that information sharing, communication, clearly defined goals and agreed outcome, increased knowledge of inter-disciplinary roles and inter-agency philosophy foster effective inter-agency coordination among key players in One Stop centers . On the other hand, hindering factors such as lack of adequate resources, high attrition of staff, loss of membership interest and commitment, and lack of motivation and heavy reliance on unmotivated volunteers were identified as major setbacks to effective operation of One-Stop Centers in Zambia. The study further found that adequate allocation of resources, joint capacity building trainings and permanent attachment of staff to One-Stop Centers as panacea to the various challenges that encumber effective operation in One-Stop centers in Zambia. Implications and future research direction are discussed.

[EN] Ray Harryhausen (1920-2103) was the creator of the animation special effects of The Seventh Voyage of Sinbad (1958), Jason and the Argonauts (1964) or Clash of the Titans (1981), but his share in the movies went further, suggesting arguments, designing scenes and animating creatures. For that reason he is considered not only an animator, but the soul of the films in which he participated. This research attempts to analyze the reasons why we believe that Ray Harryhasusen is one of the greatest fantasy film creators of the history, an universal and unique craftsman, as Méliès and Walt Disney. Through a tour of his life and work focus on people and circumstances that we have considered relevant to his sentimental education and training as an artist, whether through family or professional relationships, or through movies like King Kong or such the works of Gustave Doré or Charles R. Knight. The most important thing that has transpired in his films has been the creatures that starred in, real stars that relieved the human actors into the background. All those creations emerged from the author's own mind and reflect his personality and love for fantasy and the supernatural through the purely craftsmanship technic like Dynamation. This gallery is made up of dinosaurs, mythological animals, aliens, legendary monsters and all sorts of creatures, not monsters, arising from his imagination and encouraged by his own hand. In this work will treat each of them, analyzing their origins, design, movement, character and influence in later works of other authors or fields, meeting with style striking and revealing similarities of style and design. This rerearch, in sum, is a love letter to Harryhausen. / [ES] Ray Harryhausen (1920-2103) fue el creador de los efectos especiales de animación de Simbad y la princesa (1958), Jasón y los argonautas (1964) o Furia de titanes (1981), pero su participación en las películas fue más allá, sugiriendo argumentos, diseñando escenas y animando las criaturas. Por esa razón se le considera no solo un animador, sino el alma de las películas en las que participó. Este trabajo trata de analizar las razones por las que consideramos que Ray Harryhasusen es uno de los más grandes creadores de fantasía de la historia del cine, un artesano universal e irrepetible, como Méliès y Walt Disney. Mediante un recorrido por su vida y obra se hace especial atención en las personas y circunstancias que hemos considerado relevantes para su educación sentimental y formación como artista, ya sean a través de relaciones personales, familiares o profesionales, películas como King Kong u obras como las de Gustavo Doré o Charles R. Knight. Lo que más ha trascendido de sus películas ha sido las criaturas que las protagonizaron, auténticas estrellas que relevaron a los actores a un segundo plano. Todas aquellas creaciones surgieron de la propia mente del autor y reflejaron su personalidad y amor por la fantasía y lo sobrenatural a través de una técnica puramente artesanal como la Dynamation. Dicha galería está formada por dinosaurios, animales mitológicos, alienígenas, monstruos legendarios y toda clase de criaturas, que no monstruos, surgidas de su imaginación y animadas por su propia mano. En este trabajo daremos cuenta de cada uno de ellos, analizando su procedencia, diseño, movimiento, carácter e influencias en obras posteriores de otros autores y otros campos, encontrándonos con semejanzas de estilo y diseño sorprendentes y reveladoras. Este trabajo, en suma, es una carta de amor a Harryhausen. / [CA] Ray Harryhausen (1920-2103) va ser el creador dels efectes especials d'animació de Simbad y la pricesa (1958), Jasón y los argonautas (1964) o Furia de titanes (1981), però la seva participació en les pel·lícules va ser més enllà, suggerint arguments, dissenyant escenes i animant les criatures. Per eixa raó se li considera no sols un animador, sinó l'ànima de les pel·lícules en què va participar. Este treball tracta d'analitzar les raons per les quals considerem que Ray Harryhasusen és un dels més grans creadors de fantasia de la història del cine, un artesà universal i irrepetible, com Méliès i Walt Disney. Per mitjà d'un recorregut per la seva vida i obra es fa especial atenció en les persones i circumstàncies que hem considerat rellevants per a la seva educació sentimental i formació com a artista, ja siguen a través de relacions personals, familiars o professionals, pel·lícules com King Kong o obres com les de Gustavo Doré o Charles R. Knight. El que més hi ha sagaç de les seves pel·lícules ha sigut les criatures que les van protagonitzar, autèntiques estreles que van rellevar els actors a un segon pla. Totes aquelles creacions van sorgir de la pròpia ment de l'autor i van reflectir la seva personalitat i amor per la fantasia i el sobrenatural a través d'una tècnica purament artesanal com la Dynamation. La dita galeria està formada per dinosaures, animals mitològics, alienígenes, monstres llegendaris i quasevol classe de criatures, que no monstres, sorgides de la seva imaginació i animades per la seva pròpia mà. En este treball donarem compte de cada un d'ells, analitzant la seva procedència, disseny, moviment, caràcter i influències en obres posteriors d'altres autors i altres camps, trobant-nos amb semblances d'estil i disseny sorprenents i reveladores. Aquest treball, en suma, és una carta d'amor a Harryhausen. / Ferri Gandía, M. (2016). Arquetipos imaginarios. Las claves del cine fantástico de aventuras de Ray Harryhausen [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/61977

Cover crops are known to produce many conservation benefits. However, grower adoption remains low due to various issues and poor economic returns. This study was conducted to identify factors and management practices needed to integrate cover crops into Midsouth corn production systems. The effects of cover crop species, herbicide termination timing, and mechanical termination methods on the growth, grain yields, and economic returns of corn [Zea Mays (L.)] were investigated in Mississippi. The presence of living cover crops at planting stunted corn growth when they were not terminated by herbicides at least four weeks preplant. A legume cover crop reduced corn yield only when it was terminated at planting. The inclusion of a legume benefited the system compared to cereal rye. Cover crops produced neutral to negative crop yields, and all treatments reduced economic returns. Negative economic returns and production risks will likely limit cover crop adoption by corn growers.

Contemporary wireless systems have advanced toward smart and multifunctional radios such as software-defined or cognitive radios which access a wideband or multiband spectrum dynamically. It is desirable for the wireless systems to have high frequency selectivity early in the receiver chain at RF to relax the dynamic range requirements of subsequent stages. However, integration of high selectivity RF band-pass filters (BPF), or band-stop filters (BSF) is challenging because of limited quality factor (Q) of passive components in integrated circuit (IC) technology [1]. This proposed research achieves the followings: 1. Developing, and demonstrating innovative integrated band-pass filter that relaxes the performance tradeoffs in conventional LC filters to maximally increase filter reconfigurability in frequency tuning range (2-18 GHz), selectivity (Q=5~100) with superior dynamic range (DR>100 dB) at RF to microwave frequency range [2]. 2. Implementing active notch filter system comprised of a Q-enhancement band-pass filter (BPF) and an all-pass amplifier. The notch response is synthesized by subtracting the BPF output from the all-pass output. In the proposed synthetic notch filters, the BPF is responsible for defining selectivity while stop-band attenuation is primarily dependent on the gain matching between the BPF and all-pass amplifier. Therefore, notch attenuation is controllable independently from the bandwidth tuning, providing more operational flexibility. Further, the filter dynamic range is optimized in the all-pass amplifier independently from the selectivity control in the BPF, resolving entrenched tradeoff between selectivity and dynamic range in active filters [3]. 3. Demonstrating the mode reconfigurable LC filter that works in either BPF or BSF for a flexible blocker filtering adaptive to the dynamic blocker environments. 4. Implementing a novel feedback-based interference rejection system to improving the linearity of the BPF for high Q cases, in which the BPF Q is set to a specific value and further increase in Q is achieved using feedback gain. And finally, the second LC tank is added to increase the out of band rejection in band-pass characteristics. / Ph. D. / As many radios coexist and interference environment becomes more hostile and dynamic, it is critical to establish high frequency selectivity at the earliest possible stage in a receiver chain to avoid desensitization with a minimal power penalty. Historically, band-pass filters and band-stop filters have been used to avoid the receiver desensitization, however, the design of bandpass/band-stop filters are more challenging at radio frequencies (RF). There are different type of RF filters including Q-enhanced LC filters and N-path filters. Qenhanced LC filters have been widely investigated for filtering blockers, but only with limited system applications due to a narrow dynamic range (DR). While, recently N-path filters are gaining growing attention, a high selectivity comes at the cost of system complexity and power penalty thereof: due to the inherent array architecture driven by multiphase clocks, the dynamic power dissipation in the N-path filter will be proportional to the increase of the filter center frequency (fc), claiming > 100’s mW when the fc is projected over 10GHz for instance. Therefore, designing on-chip RF filters are still challenging due to the strong tradeoff among selectivity, dynamic range, and power consumption. The main goal of this research is to realize a high performance on-chip filter which is capable of mode switching between bandpass (BPF) and bandstop (BSF) for a flexible blocker filtering adaptive to the dynamic blocker environments.

Yes / A Novel design of a curved single-layered frequency selective surface with an 11 × 11 array of a 13 × 13 mm-sized unit cell has been merged with a miniaturized, CPW-fed ultra-wideband monopole of dimensions (20 × 25 mm2) for gain enhancement. The suggested prototype, crafted on an FR-4 dielectric substrate and demonstrates a very broad bandwidth starting from 2.66 to 17.98 GHz (148%), which covers the entire UWB frequency band. The combined antenna-curved FSS reflector shows a very important gain improvement from 0.2–5.4 dB to 8.8–14.9 dB, having a peak gain increase of 10 dB at 10.6 GHz. Basic design features were studied and discussed through simulations, yielding promising results The proposed structure can be used in UWB and GPR applications.