The increase in foreign students in countries such as the US, the UK and Francesuggests that the international ‘education industry’ is growing in importance. Thepurpose of this paper is to investigate the empirical determinants of internationalstudent mobility. A secondary purpose is to give tentative policy suggestions to hostcountry, source country and also to provide some recommendations to students whowant to study abroad. Using pooled cross-sectional time series data for the US overthe time period 1993-2006, we estimate an econometric model of enrolment rates offoreign students in the US. Our results suggest that tuition fees, US federal support ofeducation, and the size of the ‘young’ generation of source countries have asignificant influence on international student mobility. We also consider other factorsthat may be relevant in this context.

We present a measurement of ppbar->Zγ + X -> e⁺e^-γ + X production using proton-antiproton collision data collected at the Collider Detector at Fermilab at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV. Zγ production provides a direct test of the triple neutral gauge couplings. A measurement of Zγ production cross section and search for anomalous ZZγ and Zγγ couplings are presented. The data presented are from 1.1 fb^-1 of ppbar integrated luminosity collected at the CDF Detector. Electrons from Z decays are selected with E_t > 20 GeV. Photons (E_t > 7 GeV) are required to be well-separated from the electrons. There are 390 eeγ candidate events found with 1.1 fb^-1 of data, compared to the SM prediction of 375.3 à ± 25.2 events. The Standard Model prediction for the cross section for ppbar-> e⁺e^-γ + X production at √s = 1.96 TeV is 4.5 à ± 0.4 pb. The measured cross section is 4.7 à ± 0.6 pb. The cross section and kinematic distributions of the eeγ events are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. Limits on the ZZγ and Zγγ couplings are extracted using the photon E_t distribution of eeγ events with M_eeγ > 100 GeV/c². These are the first limits measured using CDF Run II data. These limits provide important test of the interaction of the photon and the Z boson. / Dissertation

<p>Measurements of the three-body photodisintegration of <super>3</super>He were performed at the High Intensity &gamma-ray Source (HI&gammaS). Neutrons emitted in this reaction inside a <super>3</super>He gas target were detected with seven 12.7 cm diameter liquid scintillator detectors. Time-of-flight (TOF) and pulse-shape discrimination (PSD) techniques were used to identify neutron events. The absolute differential cross sections for the <super>3</super>He(&gamma, n)pp reaction as a function of outgoing neutron scattering angle and energy were determined from the measurements at the incident &gamma-ray energies of 11.4, 12.8, 13.5, and 14.7 MeV to within a precision better than +/- 6 %.</p><p>The absolute cross sections at each incident energy are compared to the results of Gorbunov [Gor74], phase space calculations, and state-of-the-art three-body calculations. The inclusion of the Coulomb interaction in the three-body problem has been a long-standing challenge in theoretical nuclear physics. The present experimental data were found to be in good agreement with the state-of-the-art theory, which includes a full treatment of the Coulomb interaction between</p><p>the protons in the final state [Del05].</p> / Dissertation

A numerical analysis scheme has been developed to extract dynamic information from experimental images by the three-dimensional sliced fluorescence imaging method. The present scheme is based on a generalized framework in analyzing fluorescence images from the photo-initiated dynamic process. Specifically, image quality optimization, noise reduction and numerical fitting codes have been implemented in the present scheme to determine differential cross sections of the state-to-state inelastic collisions between CN(A 2£S) and He. These codes are indispensable in extracting state-to-state dynamic information from experimental images in any photo-initiated collision experiment, no matter it is executed in the beam or bulb environment.

High efficient optical spot size converter (SSC) is one of the most important building blocks for dense optical interconnection network and high-speed optical fiber communications due to efficient optical power transfer between different optical modules. Using tapered optical direction coupler (TODC) as SSC can reduce the dimension with high efficiency because of resonant condition and tapered structure. However, the strong dependence of operation on wavelength leads to narrow band operation, reducing the usage of wavelength division multiplexer (WDM) technique for upgrading optical data capacity through optical spectrum. In this work, based on multi- resonant points of TODC, a broadband SSC integrated with optical electroabsorption modulator (EAM) is proposed, designed, and fabricated. By tapering quantum well of the top active waveguide (AW), the integration with bottom passive waveguide (PW) can form a TODC. With the tapered structure, the gradually varied effective index forms a resonant point along wave propagation, inducing strong coupling, collecting optical power after resonant point, and thus leading to high efficient coupling. With multi-section of resonant conditions and also tapered structure, broadband operation can be realized. Through 3 section of tapered AW of TODC, the calculated coupling efficiency from bottom PW with larger than 70% is found for the regime of 1530nm~1550nm wavelength. The EAM-integrated SSC is also fabricated. With counter direction of optical coupling, the measured photocurrent in EAM shows a broadband of flap coupling from 1570nm~1585nm is observed, suggesting the multi-section TODC can bring out broadband operation.

A predicted loss of agricultural rice-wetlands and increasing urbanization and development threatens the remaining freshwater wetlands along the upper Texas coast. To avoid, minimize, and mitigate wetland loss, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) is directed to enforce Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (1975 amendment) by administering permits for development. Furthermore, a 1990 Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Corps and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a national goal of no net wetland loss (NNL). My goals were to identify the frequency of occurrence of freshwater wetland loss due to dredge or fill, assess final plans to mitigate wetland loss, and verify the persistence of the created compensatory wetlands. I created a database of 96 individual, Section 404 permits issued from 1981 to 2001 in the counties of Chambers, Hardin, Jefferson, Liberty, Montgomery, Orange, and San Jacinto (Galveston District Office, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers). Descriptive statistics were calculated for permit characteristics in relation to issue date (pre- or post-NNL). Public comments received from national and state agencies were rank ordered against mitigation plan type to determine Spearman's Rank Order Correlation Coefficient. Visual identification (via site visits and 1996 aerial photos) was used to validate compensatory wetland persistence. Shoreline protection of private property and oil and gas drilling (64% of permit applicants and 59% of impacts) had the greatest effect on wetland loss in the region, particularly Chambers, Jefferson, and Montgomery counties. Overall, 79.3 ha of freshwater wetlands were gained; however, gain was overestimated due to large projects for habitat enhancement. Permits issued post-NNL were more likely to have formal mitigation plans (58% vs. 13% pre-NNL) and allowed no net wetland loss. Although agency comments recommending more formal mitigation plans increased after NNL, only a weak positive correlation was detected (Spearman's r less than or equal to 0.4). Six of seven created wetlands remained in existence through 2006 though they are freshwater ponds replacing more diverse aquatic systems. I recommend the development of a comprehensive method to track wetland loss, mitigation, and changes in watersheds over time.

Applicability of the Hartree-Fock (HF) based random phase approximation (RPA) with several Skyrme effective interactions to the description of the isoscalar giant monopole (ISGMR) and the isoscalar giant dipole resonance (ISGDR) in 90Zr, 116Sn, 144Sm and 208Pb nuclei has been investigated. The existing Skyrme interactions SL1, SkM*, SGII, Sly4 and Sk255 were used. Hartree-Fock description of the ground state properties of all nuclei of interest was obtained using these Skyrme interactions. Transition strength distributions for the ISGMR and the ISGDR in nuclei of interest were calculated using coordinate space representation for the RPA in the Green’s function formalism with discretized continuum. A method of projecting out the spurious state contribution from the transition strength distribution and the transition density of the ISGDR was employed to eliminate spurious state mixing, due to a not fully selfconsistent description of the particle-hole interaction within the RPA. Differential cross sections of 240 MeV alpha-particles inelastic scattering on all nuclei of interest were calculated using the folding model within the distorted wave Born approximation (DWBA). Optical potentials were obtained by folding HF ground state densities with a alpha-nucleon density dependent Gaussian interaction. Parameters of the interaction were obtained by fitting experimental angular distribution of alpha-nucleus elastic scattering. The inelastic differential cross sections were calculated using both collective and microscopic transition densities. Possible underestimations of the energy weighted sum rule for the case of the ISGDR are reported. An alternative description for the ISGDR in nuclei based on the Fermi liquid drop model (FLDM) with the collisional Fermi surface distortion was investigated. The FLDM dispersion relation was obtained from the linearized Landau-Vlasov equation. Centroid energies, E0 and E1, and widths, gamma-0 and gamma-1, of the ISGMR and ISGDR, respectively, were calculated as functions of the damping parameter using appropriate boundary conditions. Comparison of the theoretical ratios of the ISGDR and ISGMR centroid energies, E1/E0, to the experimental values resulted in a damping parameter equal to 0.5, however, systematic overestimation of energy of the ISGMR and ISGDR by 2.0-2.5 MeV was observed. The applicability of the HF-RPA to the description for the ISGDR in nuclei is confirmed.

This study adopted the traffic conflict technique, investigated and applied it for evaluation of freeway weaving section safety performance. Conflicts between vehicles were identified based on the state of interactions between vehicles in the traffic stream at microscopic level. The VISSIM microscopic simulation model was employed to simulate traffic operation. Surrogate safety measures were formulated based on deceleration rate required to avoid crash and these simulation-based measures were statistically compared and validated using crash data collected from the same study site. Three study sites located in Houston and Dallas areas were selected. Geometric and traffic data were collected using various technique including the use of traffic surveillance cameras and pneumatic tubes. The study revealed the existence of links between actually observed crashes and the surrogate safety measures. The study findings support the possible the use of microscopic simulation to evaluate safety performance of weaving areas and other transportation facilities.

Dietary effects of a nucleotide mixture that contained AMP¡BGMP¡BCMP¡BUMP and IMP in equivalent amount were evaluated in 4 supplemental levels of 0, 0.05, 0.2, and 0.4 g/100g diet. Weight gain (519-616%) of juvenile groupers fed for 14 weeks with the test diets was not significantly affected by the supplements. Serum concentrations of total protein, albumin, and cholesterol, A/G ratio and activities of AST were also not significantly affected. Serum total bilirubin concentration in the 0.4 g/100g group was significantly higher than the 0 or 0.05 g/100g group. Head-kidney macrophage phagocytosis and intracellular superoxide anion production as well as serum lysozyme activity were also not different among treatments. Histological sections of fish gut indicated that villous heights of intestinal fold were significantly greater in the 0.2g/100g group than the 0.4 g/100g group, muscle layer thickness, in contrast, was not affected. When challenged with Photobacterium damsela subsp. damselae after fed the test for 3 weeks, relative percent survivals of the groupers were 87.8, 91.1, 90.0 and 94.4% (0, 0.05, 0.2, and 0.4 g/100g diet, respectively). The survivals were 74.5, 82.4, 86.3, and 85.3%, respectively when the feeding trial was extended to 18 weeks. The results show that a diet containg 38% protein and asupplemented with nucleotides at the tested levels was not effective in promoting growth, but was moderately effective in enhancing immune responses and pathogen resistance of juvenile grouper.

With the rapid growth of load demand, the distribution system is becoming more and more complicated, and the operational efficiency and service quality deteriorated. Power system protection is important for service reliability and quality assurance. Various faults may occur due to natural and artificial calamity. To reduce the outage duration and promptly restore power services, fault section estimate has to be done effectively with appeared fault alarms. The distribution system containing numerous protective facilities and switch equipment ranges over wide boundary. It becomes very complicated for dispatchers to obtain restoration plan for out-of-service areas. To cope with the problem, an effective tool is helpful for the restoration. This thesis proposes the use of Bi-directional associative memory networks (BAMN) to develop alarm processing. And use of Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) to develop fault section detection, fault isolation, and restoration system. A distribution system is selected for computer simulation to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system. The thesis proposes to use Bi-directional Associative Memory Network¡]BAMN¡^ to pre-process the signal gained from SCADA Interface, and transmit correct signal to Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) for restoration plan . Computer simulation shows a simplified model to shorten the processing time in this study.