Kenyan Climate Variation Assessment through Rainfall Anomalies and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Correlations

The diverse and varied climate of Eastern Africa’s Kenya is home to an agriculturally dependent populace, in which farmers and other related economic sectors make up the majority of livelihoods and gross domestic product. Recurring droughts and severe flooding are major concerns for local farmers and governmental entities. The purpose of this study is to identify and categorize differences in rainfall trends over Kenya and to examine relationships between seasonal rainfall anomalies of sea surface temperature (SST), with an ultimate goal to improve predictions of wet season rainfall amounts. The analysis began with data from 27 national and cooperative weather stations. Several of these records were short and incomplete; therefore, a gridded and complete alternative data set was obtained with data dating back to 1901. Graphical comparisons of seasonal cycles within the country presented two distinct climate regions: Rift Valley and Eastern Kenya. The gridded data for each region was used to observe correlations with SST values in the Indian and Pacific Ocean. During March – May, there are weak positive correlations in the equatorial western Pacific that are unlikely to be of much value to forecasters, while a strong relationship exists during the short wet season. Interannual trends show a decrease in rainfall during the long rainy season (March-May) in both regions, while an increase in rainfall is observed during the short rainy season (October-November). These results ultimately confirm a large drying trend for the long wet season in both climate regions, a problematic result for an agriculturally dependent nation

Preservation of Biosignature Molecules in Potential Sample Return Container of the Mars 2020 Mission

Preservation of Biosignature Molecules in Potential Sample Return Container of the Mars 2020 Mission Kimberly Lykens1 and Fei Chen2 1Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio 45501 2Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, 91109 One requirement for sustainable life on terrestrial planets includes the presence of organic polymers, compounds that are essential for major biological functions such as replication and catalysis. An identified goal of the Mars mission in the year 2020 is to implement a sample-return to identify and validate signs of life on Mars through the discovery of biosignature molecules in Martian core samples. Martian core samples recovered during a sample-return mission will likely remain in contact with a metal container for anywhere up to ten years; therefore, understanding how molecular evidence of life will interact with the potential metals over time is important in ensuring true data upon sample return. Three types of organic molecules, Adenosine triphosphate, amino acids, and bacterial endotoxins, were used to represent biosignature molecules. These organic molecules were recovered from separate coupons composed of the potential metals for the sample return container: titanium, stainless steel, and the unique shape-memory metal alloy of nickel titanium. Known concentrations of the organic molecules were individually placed on the three different metal coupons and corrosion tests using electrolysis on Mars simulate soil samples were imposed on the prepared metal coupons to replicate metal decay overtime. These organic molecules were recovered from the coupon surfaces and the appropriate assay procedure for each molecule was conducted to evaluate the preservation of biosignatures after the electrochemical corrosion of metals. The effectiveness of each metal in preserving molecular indicators of life will be evaluated and used in determining the material composition of the sample container. Choosing the most suitable metal for the container will ultimately ensure sample integrity and biosignature preservation for sample testing upon return

Differences in risk factors for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) receiving needed specialty care by socioeconomic status

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study is to identify factors affecting CSHCN's receiving needed specialty care among different socioeconomic levels. Previous literature has shown that Socioeconomic Status (SES) is a significant factor in CHSHCN receiving access to healthcare. Other literature has shown that factors of insurance, family size, race/ethnicity and sex also have effects on these children's receipt of care. However, this literature does not address whether other factors such as maternal education, geographic location, age, insurance type, severity of condition, or race/ethnicity have different effects on receiving needed specialty care for children in each SES level.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Data were obtained from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs, 2000–2002. The study analyzed the survey which studies whether CHSCN who needed specialty care received it. The analysis included demographic characteristics, geographical location of household, severity of condition, and social factors. Multiple logistic regression models were constructed for SES levels defined by federal poverty level: < 199%; 200–299%; ≥ 300%.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For the poorest children (,199% FPL) being uninsured had a strong negative effect on receiving all needed specialty care. Being Hispanic was a protective factor. Having more than one adult in the household had a positive impact on receipt of needed specialty care but a larger number of children in the family had a negative impact. For the middle income group of children (200–299% of FPL severity of condition had a strong negative association with receipt of needed specialty care.</p> <p>Children in highest income group (> 300% FPL) were positively impacted by living in the Midwest and were negatively impacted by the mother having only some college compared to a four-year degree.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Factors affecting CSHCN receiving all needed specialty care differed among socioeconomic groups. These differences should be addressed in policy and practice. Future research should explore the CSHCN population by income groups to better serve this population</p

Engineering Design: Sample Return Mission

Instrumentation such as the Chemistry and Mineralogy instrument (CheMin) on the ongoing Mars Science Lab rover mission is able to gather information from a sample almost immediately upon collection on the Martian surface; however, detecting molecular signs of extinct and extant life, or 28 STAR Closing Conference biosignatures, at low concentrations may require equipment with an even greater level of sensitivity. The capability of detecting biomolecules with a confidence acceptable to the scientific community exists on Earth, and at the current state of these technologies, it would be extremely challenging to miniaturize all relevant instrumentation for flight. The gathering and return of samples from the surface of Mars is likely paramount in the identification and confirmation of biosignatures. Sample containers would be expected to not corrode on the Martian surface or interact with the samples, and a gap of knowledge exists in this area. There are two parts to this study. The first is potentiodynamic polarization testing of titanium, stainless steel 304, and nitonol (A titanium/nickel alloy used in a prototype container seal) used for corrosion characteristics in Halite, Magnesium Sulfate, Perchlorate, Potassium Chloride, Hematite, MRS (a sulfate mixture), and Sulfuric and Hydrochloric Acid. Potentiodynamic polarization testing accelerates the corrosion process by applying a potential to the material of interest. The second is analysis of organic interactions with metals and substrates listed above by subjecting known quantities of organics placed on coupons to potentiodynamic polarization tests, then recovering the organics and comparing the results. All metals tested are interpreted to have very low corrosion levels in all substrates. The organics results should be a significant determinant of which metal to use considering container construction for future Mars caching and sample return missions

Fatty Acid Recovery and Identification in Mars Analogue Soil Samples

A primary goal of NASA’s Mars 2020 mission is to gather and store samples of Mars soil that could possibly be returned to Earth in a future mission for investigations into past or present life. In years leading up to a potential sample return mission on Mars and potentially other worlds, samples taken from Chile’s Atacama Desert, the most arid, biologically limited desert in the world, are valuable in developing a capacity for biosignature detection, specifically when exploring fatty acid abundance. Eighteen samples were collected from two sites in the Atacama characterized by biological soil crusts (BSC). BSCs are areas of the desert where photosynthetic bacteria and simple plants live within the uppermost portion of the desert floor. Soil samples from each site were processed in a Total Fatty Acid (TFA) lab procedure as described by Graber and Tsechansky (2009) and analyzed by using gas chromatography (GC). The resulting GC chromatograms were analyzed for the presence and abundance of various types of fatty acids, a family of organic molecules necessary for metabolism and the formation of cell membranes. Further analysis of these fatty acids and possible identification of the host microorganisms will be investigated in an effort to reconstruct the composition and history of BSC. Ultimately, the results of this study further understanding of present fatty acids in the Atacama’s microbial life; thus, granting insight into biosignatures that might reveal the presence of living organisms capable of sustaining biological processes in extreme, Mars-like climatic conditions