Evaluating Consistency of Snow Water Equivalent Retrievals from Passive Microwave Sensors over the North Central U. S.: SSM/I vs. SSMIS and AMSR-E vs. AMSR2

For four decades, satellite-based passive microwave sensors have provided valuable snow water equivalent (SWE) monitoring at a global scale. Before continuous long-term SWE records can be used for scientific or applied purposes, consistency of SWE measurements among different sensors is required. SWE retrievals from two passive sensors currently operating, the Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder (SSMIS) and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2), have not been fully evaluated in comparison to each other and previous instruments. Here, we evaluated consistency between the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) onboard the F13 Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and SSMIS onboard the F17 DMSP, from November 2002 to April 2011 using the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) for continuity. Likewise, we evaluated consistency between AMSR-E and AMSR2 SWE retrievals from November 2007 to April 2016, using SSMIS for continuity. The analysis is conducted for 1176 watersheds in the North Central U.S. with consideration of difference among three snow classifications (Warm forest, Prairie, and Maritime). There are notable SWE differences between the SSM/I and SSMIS sensors in the Warm forest class, likely due to the different interpolation methods for brightness temperature (Tb) between the F13 SSM/I and F17 SSMIS sensors. The SWE differences between AMSR2 and AMSR-E are generally smaller than the differences between SSM/I and SSMIS SWE, based on time series comparisons and yearly mean bias. Finally, the spatial bias patterns between AMSR-E and AMSR2 versus SSMIS indicate sufficient spatial consistency to treat the AMSR-E and AMSR2 datasets as one continuous record. Our results provide useful information on systematic differences between recent satellite-based SWE retrievals and suggest subsequent studies to ensure reconciliation between different sensors in long-term SWE records

The Effects of Brand Familiarity on Perceived Risk, Attitude, and Purchase Intentions toward an Intimate Apparel Brand

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of brand familiarity on perceived risk and attitudinal and behavioral responses toward the intimate apparel brand. Using a Web-based survey, data were collected from 368 female adults between the ages of 18-29 through an Alumni Association at a large Mid-Southern university in the US. Results from structural equation modeling indicated positive, statistically significant associations between the four variables (e.g., brand familiarity, perceived risk, attitude, and purchase intentions). The findings implied that young female consumers who are familiar with a particular intimate apparel brand are likely to perceive a low level of risk, leading to positive and strong attitude and purchase intentions toward the familiar intimate apparel brand. Results indicated that perceived risk had a much stronger impact than did brand familiarity on attitude and purchase intentions in intimate apparel shopping

Evaluation of SMAP Freeze/Thaw Retrieval Accuracy at Core Validation Sites in the Contiguous United States

Seasonal freeze-thaw (FT) impacts much of the northern hemisphere and is an important control on its water, energy, and carbon cycle. Although FT in natural environments extends south of 45°N, FT studies using the L-band have so far been restricted to boreal or greater latitudes. This study addresses this gap by applying a seasonal threshold algorithm to Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) data (L3_SM_P) to obtain a FT product south of 45°N (‘SMAP FT’), which is then evaluated at SMAP core validation sites (CVS) located in the contiguous United States (CONUS). SMAP landscape FT retrievals are usually in good agreement with 0–5 cm soil temperature at SMAP grids containing CVS stations (\u3e70%). The accuracy could be further improved by taking into account specific overpass time (PM), the grid-specific seasonal scaling factor, the data aggregation method, and the sampling error. Annual SMAP FT extent maps compared to modeled soil temperatures derived from the Goddard Earth Observing System Model Version 5 (GEOS-5) show that seasonal FT in CONUS extends to latitudes of about 35–40°N, and that FT varies substantially in space and by year. In general, spatial and temporal trends between SMAP and modeled FT were similar

Physicochemical Control of Adult Stem Cell Differentiation: Shedding Light on Potential Molecular Mechanisms

Realization of the exciting potential for stem-cell-based biomedical and therapeutic applications, including tissue engineering, requires an understanding of the cell-cell and cell-environment interactions. To this end, recent efforts have been focused on the manipulation of adult stem cell differentiation using inductive soluble factors, designing suitable mechanical environments, and applying noninvasive physical forces. Although each of these different approaches has been successfully applied to regulate stem cell differentiation, it would be of great interest and importance to integrate and optimally combine a few or all of the physicochemical differentiation cues to induce synergistic stem cell differentiation. Furthermore, elucidation of molecular mechanisms that mediate the effects of multiple differentiation cues will enable the researcher to better manipulate stem cell behavior and response

The Relationship between Physical Health and Psychological Well-Being among Oldest-Old Adults

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between physical health and psychological well-being among oldest-old adults. Structural equation modeling was performed to examine health influences on psychological well-being among 306 octogenarians and centenarians from the Georgia Centenarian Study. Latent variables were created to reflect subjective health, as measured by self-ratings of health and objective health, as measured by physical health impairment (i.e., health problems, past and present diseases, hospitalization) and biomarkers (i.e., hemoglobin and albumin). Psychological well-being was measured by positive and negative affect. There were significant direct effects of subjective health on affect and significant indirect effects of objective health through subjective health on positive affect and negative affect. Subjective health took the role of a mediator between objective health and psychological well-being. These results highlight the status and perceptions of health as a critical indicator for well-being in extreme old age

Production of the cylinder head and crankcase of a small internal combustion engine using metal laser powder bed fusion

This effort investigates the use of metal additive manufacturing, specifically laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) for the automotive and defense industries by demonstrating its feasibility to produce working internal combustion (IC) engine components. Through reverse engineering, model modifications, parameter selection, build layout optimization, and support structure design, the production of a titanium crankcase and aluminum cylinder head for a small IC engine was made possible. Computed tomography (CT) scans were subsequently used to quantify whether defects such as cracks, geometric deviations, and porosity were present or critical. Once viability of the parts was established, machining and other post-possessing were completed to create functional parts. Final X-ray CT and micro-CT results showed all critical features fell within ±0.127 mm of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts. This allowed reassembly of the engine without any issues hindering later successful operation. Furthermore, the LPBF parts had significantly reduced porosity percentages, potentially making them more robust than their cast counterparts

Toxins in Newtown Creek

Newtown Creek is a 3.5 mile river which empties into the East River in New York, United States. The river runs the boundary between the Queens and Brooklyn Burroughs. A thriving sight of industry, this river has been the location of much pollution for over a century. Battered by oil spills and oil seepage, raw sewage, trash carried by rain water, cement, animal fat, and a 15 meter sludge on the bottom of the riverbed, Newtown Creek is one of the most polluted waterways in the United States. In this article, data for nitrate, phosphate, lead, copper, dissolved iron, and chromate were collected over 6 months. Levels of lead were 10 times higher than the drinking water limit, and then diminished greatly over the 6 months