This paper presents a novel power management analysis method to reduce the power consumption for the non-contact vital sign sensor. The sensor consisting of the class-E power amplifier (PA), low noise amplifier (LNA), single pole double through (SPDT) switch, and circularly polarized antenna (CPA) is integrated on the Flame Retardant Class 4 (FR-4) epoxy-glass laminate substrate. The appropriate pulse width and pulse period are determined to decrease the power consumption and accurately detect the human physiological signals (respiration and heartbeat). A simple direct down-conversion architecture with a tunable phase shifter is utilized to eliminate the null detection point and the direct current (DC) offset. The overall power consumption of the proposed sensor with the novel power management technique is only 40 % of the conventional system with the DC bias, which can be utilized for the green energy application.

The power management technique is employed in the direct down-conversion non-quadrature microwave Doppler radar transceiver for the non-contact vital sign detection based on 0.18 µm CMOS technology. The overshoot and undershoot types of the transient waveform distortion and the simultaneous switching noise (SSN) caused by the high speed pulse signal will severely influence the accuracy for the vital sign detection, so that this investigation clearly analyzes the pulse period, pulse width, rise/fall times and the voltage levels of the pulse bias. In the circuit design, the low power current-reused (CRU) power amplifier (PA) can maintain enough output power by using the crucial double primary transformer (DPTF) and balun. The presented LNA with a differential inductor can provide the noise matching needed and increase the transducer gain in order to achieve the optimal power consumption and the transducer gain in the Rx mode. The excellent isolation between the Tx and Rx mode is obtained with the new parallel directed switch. The overall power consumption of the presented transceiver with the optimal pulse bias is 60% lower than the conventional transceiver with the direct current (DC) bias, and the null detection point and DC offset can be eliminated by the tunable phase shifter.

Continuous-time sigma-delta modulators play an important role in the development of biomedical sensors. It is suitable for monitoring of basic human vital functions (i.e., heartbeat and respiration). However, the physiological signal is very weak and it belongs to low-frequency range, the observed signals are strongly inter¬fered by the intrinsic flicker noise form CMOS transistors, which will cause a certain degree of difficulty in the identification. This thesis describes the implementation of loop filter using a differential chopper-stabilized configuration to reduce the influence of flicker noise on sigma-delta modulator within the signal bandwidth. The noise analysis of this sigma-delta modulator is calculated by the time-domain noise simulation. This method can take the noise factors into account when analyzing the overall performance. The proposed sigma-delta modulator is fabricated using TSMC 0.35£gm 2P4M CMOS technology. The chip area is 1.403 x 1.4 mm2. With a sampling rate of 20.8 kHz, the modulator achieves 84.4 dB of the peak SNDR and ENOB is 13.7-bit within signal band¬width of 10Hz. It dissipates 3.46 mW under 3V supply voltage.

Differences between indoor non-contact vital sign sensor and general sensors are ¡§indoor¡¨ and ¡§vital sign¡¨. In indoor environment, receiving signals encounter multipath problem caused by the reflection of walls and furniture. Two main vital signs that we are concerned with are heartbeat and respiration; both of them are weaker than general signals used in communication. To overcome problems caused by multipath and weak signal strength, in this thesis, we design a narrow beamwidth antenna operating at 2.45 GHz for indoor non-contact vital sign sensor. We propose a ground surrounded antenna (GSA) which differs from traditional slot and patch antenna. The proposed GSA excites slot mode and patch mode at the same time, so that we can achieve dual-bands or wide band by adjusting its physical parameters. Meanwhile, the reflected wave bounced back from the surrounding ground plane can cause constructive interference so that the antenna possesses better gain and beamwidth. Using GSA as the unit antenna of antenna array to achieve narrow beamwidth design, and adding the concept of superstrate can enhance antenna gain and reduce backlobe radiation. The minimum beamwidth at two orthogonal planes are 26 and 52 degrees respectively, and the antenna gain achieves 12.2 dBi. To reduce the interference between receiving and transmitting signals in single antenna, we use two separate antennas. Finally, we discuss and improve isolation problem between two antennas.

Active integrated antennas (AIAs) are divided into oscillator type AIAs, amplifier type AIAs and frequency-conversion type AIAs. The AIAs designed in this master thesis are oscillator type. Instead of using lumped component like inductors and capacitors, I use a half-wavelength antenna as resonator. In this design, antenna is also treat as a radiated loading. According to reciprocity, antenna receives the reflection signal affected by human body movement and vital sign at the same time. This behavior is regarded as a self-injection locking oscillator. In this master thesis, active antenna is used in monitoring and contacting measurement. In monitoring measurement, active antenna and subject keep their distance. Subject random body movement affects the measured result. Contacting measurement means active antenna pastes on the subject, thus there is no relative displacement between active antenna and subject. Random body movement affect iscancelled in theory. In contacting measurement design some different body motions to test the tolerance of this measurement structure, and use correlation to cancel random body movement. The sensitivity of active antenna structure is enough to detect the vocal vibration in contacting measurement.

Fertility levels are investigated in the thesis because significant changes have occurred recently in the fertility levels in Turkey. It is necessary to understand the factors related to fertility level declines to determine how people behave with regard to their fertility in Turkey. It is only after understanding people&rsquo / s behavior then it is possible to develop appropriate social and governmental policies. It is possible to evaluate the fertility level declines from different points of view. There are two opposite approaches when evaluating fertility level declines. One of the approaches explaining fertility level declines is the demographic transition theory which uses &ldquo / modernization&rdquo / as the cause of fertility level declines. The &ldquo / other&rdquo / approach is the opposite approach to the modernization theory. Both of these approaches are acceptable approaches from different views. However / this thesis is not written to prove either one of these approaches. The demographic transition or the modernization perspective is used as a tool to determine the variables which cause fertility levels to decline in Turkey. The aim is to provide an understanding of the determinants of fertility levels in Turkey by constituting an econometric model of fertility across the provinces of Turkey by using the panel data estimation. Data for the variables can be found in years from 1980 to 2000. One of the purposes of this thesis in investigating the fertility level declines is to identify which changes occurred in Turkey related to fertility levels between the years 1980-1985, 1985-1990 and 1990-2000. It is found that urbanization gained importance in effecting fertility level declines in the 1985-1990 period as compared to the 1980-1985 period. The other purpose of this thesis is to investigate how different are the fertility levels in the Provinces Prioritized in Development from the &ldquo / other&rdquo / provinces. Although contraception usage is important in effecting fertility levels in the &ldquo / other&rdquo / provinces, this factor is not important in effecting fertility levels in the Provinces Prioritized in Development.

This paper seeks to forge a grounds for conversation between the affective turn in contemporary theory and a vital materialist ontology. This conversation focuses on materials and their affects through the experience of weirdness. I use weirdness to describe a register of enchantment which is disruptive and alienating, rather than enticing and delightful. The project is motivated by a desire for ways to think about our relationship to the natural world that afford for fuller experiences of perception. The paper works through four major sections; the first three form a conceptual framework while the fourth is an exercise in mobilizing the concepts through subjective readings of affect. It begins by establishing a concept of vitalism with which to think about interactions with a moving, active world and, in following vitalism across borders of embodied flora and fauna, agitates the notion of what constitutes life. To put vitalism into a dynamic of engagement between entities, I then chart processes of affect through various conditions and situations, such as haunting, hallucination, anticipation and psychotropics. I then address the concept of the event in order to trace the contours of affect as it manifests through situated, temporal passages of force. This conceptual netting culminates in episodic readings of affective experiences, taking a kaleidoscopic form oriented toward anxious fascination. / text

Birthweight is one of the most important health indicators for a newborn infant. Birthweight at either the lower or higher end is associated with adverse health outcomes in later life. In recent years, birthweight distribution in the United States has shifted to the lower end. This dissertation uses US vital statistics data from 1989 to 2007 to document recent birthweight trends in the US and examines the possible causes behind the trends. Results are reported for all births and by race/ethnicity/nativity. Descriptive analysis suggests that the lowering birthweight trend is the result of the rapid increase of lower-birthweight multiple births and decreasing birthweight among singleton births. The lowering birthweight is reflected in all birthweight measures. Low-birthweight rate is rising, mean birthweight is declining, and the proportion of macrosomic infants is decreasing. While this trend is most pronounced among US-born non-Hispanic whites and least among non-Hispanic blacks, it is prevalent among all race/ethnicity/nativity groups. Regression results suggest that much of the birthweight trend can be explained by shortened gestational age but common maternal socio-demographic, health and behavioral, and health care and medical intervention factors cannot fully explain the birthweight trend. Regression decomposition concludes that both the trends in maternal factors and the changes in the effects of these factors on birthweight contribute to the birthweight trend. Trend in gestational age is the biggest contributor, contributing more than 100% to the birthweight trend, while improvement in education, reduction of smoking during pregnancy and improvement in prenatal care have slowed down the birthweight decrease. Further research needs to be done to identify factors leading to the recent birthweight trend that are not available from the vital statistics. / text

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Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία εκπονήθηκε στα πλαίσια της ενασχόλησης με Έργο ανάπτυξης Δικτύου Τηλεϊατρικής. Το Δίκτυο Τηλεϊατρικής συνίσταται από φορητές μονάδες ικανές να λαμβάνουν και να μεταδίδουν τα ζωτικά σήματα των ασθενών σε κάποιο Κέντρο Συντονισμού. Το κέντρο αυτό, στελεχωμένο από κατάλληλο ιατρικό προσωπικό, έχει τη δυνατότητα αφού αξιολογήσει τα λαμβανόμενα δεδομένα, να δώσει χρήσιμες συμβουλές παροχής πρωτοβάθμιας βοήθειας στον ασθενή, έως ότου μεταφερθεί σε κάποιο νοσοκομείο. Η διπλωματική εργασία επικεντρώνεται στο σχεδιασμό και στην ανάπτυξη της εφαρμογής Θέσεως Εργασίας, η οποία είναι βασικό τμήμα του Κέντρου Συντονισμού. Στελεχώνεται από εξειδικευμένους ιατρούς και έχει ως σκοπό, χρησιμοποιώντας όλα τα παρεχόμενα ιατρικά δεδομένα, να προσφέρει τη βέλτιστη προ-νοσοκομειακή φροντίδα στους ασθενείς, οι οποίοι βρίσκονται στον τόπο του φορητού τερματικού. Μέσω του ολοκληρωμένου Δικτύου Τηλεϊατρικής, η Θέση Εργασίας προσπελαύνει όλα τα στοιχεία ενός τρέχοντος περιστατικού τηλεϊατρικής, όπως ζωτικά σήματα, ιστορικό από το Ολοκληρωμένο Πληροφοριακό Σύστημα (Ο.Π.Σ.) των νοσοκομείων, φωτογραφίες καθώς και άλλα ιατρικά δεδομένα. Χρησιμοποιεί, επίσης, την υπηρεσία τηλεδιάσκεψης για να έχει οπτικοακουστική επαφή με το φορητό τερματικό και για να εκμεταλλευτεί το συμβουλευτικό ρόλο των Περιφερειακών Αιθουσών Τηλεδιάσκεψης. Η Θέση Εργασίας μετά το πέρας των περιστατικών ενημερώνει τους ιατρικούς φακέλους των ασθενών στο Ο.Π.Σ., ενώ έχει τη δυνατότητα να εκτελέσει σωρεία λειτουργιών εκτός σύνδεσης, ώστε να ανατρέξει σε χρήσιμα δεδομένα του Δικτύου, όπως παλιά περιστατικά, και να ολοκληρώσει την εξυπηρέτηση των περιστατικών. Η ανάπτυξη της εφαρμογής πραγματοποιήθηκε σε γλώσσα προγραμματισμού Visual Basic .NET με χρήση της πλατφόρμας Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition. Η υλοποίηση περιλαμβάνει τη δημιουργία Κεντρικής Βάσης Δεδομένων Τηλεϊατρικής, για την οποία επιλέχθηκε η Oracle 10g, ενώ για τη διαχείριση κι εποπτεία της βάσης χρησιμοποιήθηκαν οι εφαρμογές Oracle Client 10g και Oracle JDeveloper 10g / The present thesis was carried out through participation in a project concerning the development of a Telemedicine Network. The Telemedicine Network consists of mobile units capable of obtaining and transmitting patients’ vital signs to a Coordination Center. This centre is occupied by specialized medical personnel and has the capacity, after evaluating the received data, to provide useful healthcare advice prior to the patients’ transfer to a hospital. This thesis focuses on the design and development of the Treatment Workstation application, which is a basic part of the Coordination Center. It is operated by doctors and aims to provide, through the use of all the available information, an optimum pre-hospital care to the patients placed near the mobile unit. Utilizing the resources provided by the Telemedicine Network, the Treatment Workstation accesses all the data of a current telemedicine incident, e.g. vital signs, medical history by the hospitals’ Integrated Information System (I.I.M.), photos and other medical information. It also uses the teleconference service to establish an audiovisual communication with the mobile unit and to take advantage of the advisory contribution of the Peripheral Teleconference Room. After the incidents’ termination, the Treatment Workstation updates the patients’ medical files at the I.I.M. and is also able to perform a series of offline actions, in order to access Network’s useful data (e.g. old incidents) and to complete pending incidents. The application was developed in Visual Basic .NET through the platform Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition. The implementation includes the creation of a Central Telemedicine Database, using Oracle 10g, while the management and supervision of the database was performed with the use of Oracle Client 10g and Oracle JDeveloper 10g.