A superconducting Transition Edge Sensor (TES) can be used to make the most sensitive thermometer which operates in a very narrow temperature range. The thin film bi-layer fabrication details are discussed as well as application in condensed matter physics. These include: measurement of quasi-adiabatic latent heat of superconducting transition, cobalt thermometry and photon detection.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in electronic version. Access restricted to campus users.

It is common knowledge that employment is a large part of participation in society for all adults; and, one role of public education is to prepare students for these adult roles. Despite increasing school accountability measures for post-school outcomes of students with disabilities, a significant gap in employment between those with and those without disabilities remains. Work experience during high school has been established as the most consistent predictor of post-school employment. The problem is the lack of intervention research demonstrating ways of implementing programs that are associated with acquisition of work-readiness skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of structured work experience on the work-readiness skills of students with disabilities, and examine whether or not disability, or type of program, affected student outcomes while controlling for number of participant contact hours. To accomplish this purpose, a quasi- experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was selected and used. The target population for this study was high school students with disabilities in three high schools in Texas. The final sample included 37 students. The Becker Work Adjustment Profile: 2 was the instrument used to measure the participants’ work-readiness skills. The pretest was administered within two weeks of student entry into the program. The posttest was administered within two weeks of student exit from the program. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted to answer the primary and exploratory research questions. Inferential analyses included a dependent sample t test and an ANCOVA using number of participant contact hours as the covariate. Results indicated participation in a structured work experience program had a positive effect on the work-readiness skills of these participants. ANCOVA results indicated (a) disability type was not a significant factor affecting the work-readiness of the participants, (b) program type produced a statistically significant main effect, (c) there was no statistically significant interaction effect between disability type and program type, and (d) number of contact hours produced a statistically significant main effect. Future research studies should focus on replication of the current study results and examination of the long-term effects of participation in structured work experience programs on post-school outcomes.

A systematic approach of testing and validating transition models is developed and employed in testing of a recently developed transition model. The testing methodology uses efficient computational tools and a wide range of test cases. The computational tools include a boundary layer code, single zone Navier Stokes solver, and a multi-block Navier Stokes solver which uses MPI and is capable of handling complex geometries and moving grids. Test cases include simple flat plate experiments, cascade experiments, and unsteady wake/blade interaction experiments. The test cases are used to test the predicting capabilities of the transition model under various effects such as free stream turbulence intensity, Reynolds number variations, pressure gradient, flow separation, and unsteady wake/blade interaction. Using the above test cases and computational tools a method is developed to validate transition models. The transition model is first implemented in boundary layer code and tested for simple flat plate cases. Then the transition model is implemented in single zone Navier Stokes solver and tested for hysteresis effects for flat plate cases. Finally the transition model is implemented in multi zone Navier Stokes solver and tested for compressor and turbine cascade cases followed by unsteady wake/blade interaction experiments. Using the method developed a new correlation based transition model (Menter et al. 2004) which uses local variables is tested and validated. The new model predicted good results for high free stream turbulence and high Reynolds number cases. For low free stream turbulence and low Reynolds number cases, the results were satisfactory.

Klimakteriet är en naturlig process i kvinnanslivscykel där kroppen genomgår fysiologiska förändringar på grund av omställningari hormonnivån. Samtidigt är klimakteriet en utvecklingsrelaterad transition. Enligttransitionsteorin sker övergångsprocesserna inom en bestämd tidsram, följer enriktning och leder till förändringar i identitet, roll, relationer ellerbeteendemönster. Kunskap om dessa skeenden ochvad som påverkar kvinnors beteende under transitionen är en förut-sättning föratt sjuksköterskan skall kunna hjälpa dem att nå en hälsosam transition. Syftet med litteraturstudien var att belysa faktorer som påverkar val avkvinnors copingstrategier. Till resultatet användes 12 artiklar som granskadesoch analyserades utifrån syftet. Resultatet visade att det finns fem grupper avfaktorer som påverkar kvinnors val av copingstrategi: sociokulturella och socioekonomiska,typ och svårighetsgrad av klimakteriesymptom, tillgång till stödjande socialtnätverk, personlighetsrelaterade samt aktuell livssituation. Kvinnor som har etablerade nätverk kan söka hjälp och stöd i sin familjoch bland vänner. När nätverk saknas kan sjukvården bli den enda kontakten attdiskutera sina klimakteriebesvär med. Med beaktande av faktorerna som ligger till grund förolika copingstrategier bör sjukvården skapa utbildningsformer och modeller somkan hjälpa kvinnor medklimakteriesymtom att utveckla en effektiv copingstrategi. / Menopause is a natural process during a woman’slifecycle when her body goes through physiological changes due to hormonalalterations. Also, menopause is a development-related tran-sition.According to the theory of transition it will appear within a certain timeframe, follows a clear route and leads to alterations in identity, role,relations or behavioral patterns. Knowledge of these stages of change and whataffects women’s behavior during transition is a vital qualification requiredfor nurses to succeed in providing healthy transition. Thepurpose of this literature study was to high-light factors that affect thechoice of coping strategies. Twelve articles were studied and analyzed based onthe purpose of the study. The result showed that there are five groups offactors that can affect women’s choice of coping strategies; socio-cultural andsocio-economical, type and severity of menopause symptoms, availability ofsupportive social networks, personality related factors and the current lifesituation. Women with established networks can seek help and support withintheir family and amongst their friends. When there is a lack of these types ofnetworks, healthcare personnel can become the only resource for discussingmenopause-related issues. Keeping these factors in mind, which serve the basisfor different coping strategies, healthcare-institutions should createeducation and models to assist women with menopause symptoms and develop aneffective coping-strategy.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-147).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 119-130).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-166).

Thèse--Sciences--Orsay, 1972. / Bibliogr. p. 144-147.