Air quality indices from ERTS-1 MSS information

Comparison between ground based atmospheric turbidity network measurements and the average scene grayness from MSS Channel 4 data is in progress. Correlation between these two sources is promising. If continued correlation occurs for other ERTS-1 overflight dates and ground test sites, a new operational use of ERTS-1 useful to Federal, state, and international organizations will become available

A Longitudinal Analysis of the Effects of News Media Messages on Health Behaviors

Two primary research hypotheses were tested concerning aggregate effects of news media on aggregated health behaviors over time for four health behaviors: marijuana use, seatbelt use, beef consumption, fruit consumption. Several measures of seatbelt use and fruit consumption were used. The first primary hypothesis sought to establish any evidence of news media impact on behavior, and tested for effects using two different operationalizations of media coverage. The first operationalization distinguished between PRO and CON coverage. PRO coverage consisted of stories emphasizing positive aspects of performing the healthy behavior, while CON coverage consisted of stories emphasizing negative aspects of performing the healthy behavior. The second operationalization measured any media stories containing references to performing the behavior (the general behavioral media measure, or GBM). The second hypothesis proposed that media messages emphasizing the positive (PRO) and negative (CON) aspects of performing the healthy behavior would be more strongly associated with behavior change than would the more general behavioral media coverage measure (GBM) (Hypothesis 2A). It was further proposed that if there were very low levels of CON media, the PRO measure should still offer greater prediction than the general measure (Hypothesis 2B). Two methods, distributed lagged regression analysis and ideodynamic models, were used to test hypotheses. iii In sum, there was substantial support for Research Hypothesis 1, that trends in media coverage could explain a significant portion of the variation in trends in behavioral outcomes. Considering any measure of media coverage, any measure of behavior, and any method of analysis, there was at least one significant media/behavior association for each behavior. The conviction with which claims of causal inference could be made was varied. There was less convincing evidence supporting the second set of research hypotheses, that PRO/CON (or PRO only in the absence of CON) coverage would better predict behavior change than the GBM measure. These hypotheses could only be considered if there was any evidence of an association between media coverage and the behavioral measure. Of the five significant media/behavior relationships, four of them provided support (in varying degrees) for the superiority of the more refined media measure(s)

Investigation of environmental indices from the Earth Resources Technology Satellite

The author has identified the following significant results. Land use change, water quality, and air quality indices have been calculated from analysis of ERTS-1 multispectral scanning imagery and computer compatible tapes. Specifications have been developed and discussed for an ERTS-1 environmental monitoring system which help to serve the information needs of environmental managers at the Federal, state, regional, and local level. General conclusions of the investigation are that ERTS-1 data is very useful in land use mapping and updating to 10-15 categories, and can provide an overall measure of air and water turbidity; however, more and better ground truth and possibly additional spacecraft sensors will be required if specific air and water pollutants are to be quantified from satellite data

Altered Cell-surface Receptor Levels Result from Fructose Advanced Glycation End Product-Induced Inflammation

Objective: As a result of the heightened reactivity fructose demonstrates compared to glucose and our current knowledge of glucose advanced glycation end-products, the aim of this research was to further elucidate the proinflammatory pathways involved in the response to fru-AGE exposure, including the effects of fru-AGEs on cell-surface receptor expression. We hypothesized that once microglia were activated in response to fru-AGE exposure, there would be an increase in the expression of RAGE and TLR4 to facilitate the proinflammatory cascade

The differential effects of fructose and glucose on advanced glycation end-product formation and cellular damage in vitro

The protective mechanisms of microglia cells help to maintain central nervous system (CNS) homeostasis and function.1 Microglia are innate immune cells that constantly survey their surrounding CNS microenvironment for pathogens, damaged cells, and inflammatory molecules. Sugars from our diet, including glucose and fructose, combine with endogenous proteins non-enzymatically and form advanced glycation-end products (AGEs).2 AGEs are shown to produce reactive oxygen species, leading to inflammation and cellular damage that may be mediated by microglia.3 Fructose consumption has become increasingly prevalent within the American diet, as it is a lower cost sweetener.4 Microglia become activated and phagocytic in the presence of high levels of glucose, but the effects of fructose are not yet fully understood.3 The reactivity of fructose within the body and it’s long-term health implications remain unclear

Gender differences in identities and their socio-structural correlates: how gendered lives shape parental and work identities

This study draws on identity theory to explore parental and work identities. It examined gender differences in identities, as well as the moderating role of gender in the effects of individuals’ socio-structural characteristics. A sample of 148 couples with young children completed extensive questionnaires. As hypothesized, couples’ paid work strategy moderated gender differences in the salience and centrality of parental and work identities. Whereas significant differences in identities were found between stay-at-home mothers and their breadwinning husbands, no differences were found among dual-earner couples. Moreover, men’s work identity centrality increased when they had more and younger children, whereas women’s work identity centrality decreased. Finally, men’s parental identity centrality increased with their income, whereas women’s parental identity centrality decreased the more they earned. These findings attest to the importance of examining differences within as well as between genders, by taking into account the interactive effects of gender with other socio-structural characteristics

Ultraviolet observations of LMC nova 1988

The IUE obtained ultraviolet spectra of a nova in an external galaxy. The spectral features do not seem unusual for a nova at maximum but it is hoped to be able to follow it for a long enough time to be able to study the high ionization lines that appear when the density drops to lower values (the nebular stage). A high dispersion spectrum was also obtained to assist in the line identification and to study the line of sight to the LMC 1 deg of arc away from SN 1987A

Observations and simulations of nova Vul 1984 no. 2: A nova with ejecta rich in oxygen, neon, and magnesium

Nova Vul 1984 no. 2 was observed with IUE from Dec. 1984 through Nov. 1987. The spectra are characterized by strong lines from Mg, Ne, C, Si, O, N, and other elements. Data obtained in the ultraviolet, infrared, and optical show that this nova is ejecting material rich in oxygen, neon, and magnesium

Optical and ultraviolet observations of nova Vul 1987

The outburst for a nova discovered in Nov. 1987 and followed since then is summarized. Although it was possible to observe it with the IUE at maximum, its ultraviolet energy faded rapidly, and after the first 2 weeks it was impossible to observe it at IUE wavelengths. It is observed to form a thick dust shell and is in the nebular stage