Using aircraft location data to estimate current economic activity

Aviation is a key sector of the economy, contributing at least 3% to gross domestic product (GDP) in the UK and the US. Currently, airline performance statistics are published with a three month delay. However, aircraft now broadcast their location in real-time using the Automated Dependent Surveillance Broadcast system (ADS-B). In this paper, we analyse a global dataset of flights since July 2016. We first show that it is possible to accurately estimate airline flight volumes using ADS-B data, which is available immediately. Next, we demonstrate that real-time knowledge of flight volumes can be a leading indicator for aviation’s direct contribution to GDP in both the UK and the US. Using ADS-B data could therefore help move us towards real-time estimates of GDP, which would equip policymakers with the information to respond to shocks more quickly

A Constellation of CubeSats for the Measurement of Thermospheric Density

The ODU CubeSat is part of a multi-university collaborative project that aims to build a constellation of three small satellites that are shaped in the form of a cube with dimensions of 10 x 10 x 10 cm and will be deployed into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) to study phenomena that influence the varying thermosphere density. Variations in the density of the thermosphere fluctuate due to seasonal differences, changes in solar activity, solar radiation, and geomagnetic variations, along with temperature and altitude. These factors lead to uncertainties in current atmospheric drag models, which are a major source of error in orbit prediction for most LEO satellites and contribute to flaws in atmospheric density models of the thermosphere. Sponsored through the Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VCSG) the project brings together students from Old Dominion University (ODU), the University of Virginia (UVA), Virginia Tech (VT), and Hampton University (HU) to form the Virginia CubeSat Constellation (VCC), a first of its kind for undergraduate small satellite research projects in Virginia. The VCC mission has been manifested and given a delivery date of July 2018 for an anticipated deployment during the fourth quarter of 2018/first quarter of 2019. ODU, UVA, and VT are building three satellites that will be simultaneously deployed from the International Space Station (ISS). Each satellite will collect and transmit GPS coordinates, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and attitude data, which will be compiled and analyzed by HU. Among the constellation CubeSats, the one built by ODU has a unique design and will implement a deployable drag brake to accelerate its orbital decay. Currently, the ODU team is making progress with the design and fabrication of their CubeSat chassis, drag brake, and antenna deployment system, as well as with the onboard electronic microcontroller and radio systems

Enabling Space Access to K-12 Through The Virginia Space ThinSat Program

To enhance STEM programs by offering Low Earth Orbit launch opportunity at no expense to participant colleges and universities while simultaneously exposing K-12 institutions to hands on space science and systems engineering

Comparing a Year of Legal Inbound Travel: The United States and Canada- 2009

This study initially set out to compare the cross-border flow of people into the U.S. and Canada over the course of one year. The research team at the BPRI chose to look at cross border flow for 2009, finding it to be the most recent comparable year. To begin this research, we set out with several general questions such as “who is crossing?”, “how many?”, “from where?” and “why?” We intended to first collect the quantitative data and then look at how the flow of people reflects or perhaps complicates the border and immigration policies, as well as the values, of each nation

Utility of the Scientist-Practitioner Inventory in Counselor Education

This study examined the construct validity of the Scientist-Practitioner Inventory (SPI) modified for counseling profession to determine if S-P orientation could be assessed through mSPI. The mSPI was administered to masters’ students, practicing counselors, doctoral students, and faculty members in counselor education programs. The results showed that the mSPI has adequate construct and significant differences among groups. Implications for integrating S-P model in counselor education curriculum design, training, advising, and classroom teaching are discussed

Awareness of Social Presence on Virtual Fitness Platforms and Relationship with Exercise Motivation and Physical Activity Levels

The health benefits of physical activity are well-known, however, only 20% of the U.S. population meets the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. This study aimed to explore the association of awareness of social presence in a virtual fitness platform with motivation and physical activity levels (PAL). Virtual fitness users (n = 590, 42 ± 12.7 years old) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and Behavioral Regulation of Exercise Questionnaire. Relative autonomy was correlated with PAL (r = .21, p < .001, 95.00% CI = [.13, .29]) and predicted PAL (F(1,588) = 27.03, p < .001). Awareness of social presence was significantly related to motivation (U = 41864.5, z = –5.99, p < .001), and predictive of relative autonomy (F(1,588) = 27.03, p < .001). The results suggest that higher relative autonomy is associated with higher PAL in virtual fitness users. Awareness of social presence on virtual platform appears to correlate to higher levels of relative autonomy, which may influence exercise adherence

Principal component analysis identifies patterns of cytokine expression in non-small cell lung cancer patients undergoing definitive radiation therapy

Radiation treatment (RT) stimulates the release of many immunohumoral factors, complicating the identification of clinically significant cytokine expression patterns. This study used principal component analysis (PCA) to analyze cytokines in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing RT and explore differences in changes after hypofractionated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and conventionally fractionated RT (CFRT) without or with chemotherapy

Community structure and function of high-temperature chlorophototrophic microbial mats inhabiting diverse geothermal environments

Six phototrophic microbial mat communities from different geothermal springs (YNP) were studied using metagenome sequencing and geochemical analyses. The primary goals of this work were to determine differences in community composition of high-temperature phototrophic mats distributed across the Yellowstone geothermal ecosystem, and to identify metabolic attributes of predominant organisms present in these communities that may correlate with environmental attributes important in niche differentiation. Random shotgun metagenome sequences from six phototrophic communities (average~ 53 Mbp/site) were subjected to multiple taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional analyses. All methods, including G+C content distribution, MEGAN analyses and oligonucleotide frequency-based clustering, provided strong support for the dominant community members present in each site. Cyanobacteria were only observed in non-sulfidic sites; de novo assemblies were obtained for Synechococcus-like populations at Chocolate Pots (CP_7) and Fischerella-like populations at White Creek (WC_6). Chloroflexi-like sequences (esp. Roseiflexus and/or Chloroflexus spp.) were observed in all six samples and contained genes involved in bacteriochlorophyll biosynthesis and the 3-hydroxypropionate carbon fixation pathway. Other major sequence assemblies were obtained for a Chlorobiales population from CP_7 (proposed family Thermochlorobacteriaceae), and an anoxygenic, sulfur-oxidizing Thermochromatium-like (Gamma-proteobacteria) population from Bath Lake Vista Annex (BLVA_20). Additional sequence coverage is necessary to establish more complete assemblies of other novel bacteria in these sites (e.g., Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes); however, current assemblies suggested that several of these organisms play important roles in heterotrophic and fermentative metabolisms. Definitive linkages were established between several of the dominant phylotypes present in these habitats and important functional processes such a

The Virginia Space ThinSat Program: Maiden Voyage and Future Progressions

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) focus is rapidly being integrated into the modern-day classroom. This focus is essential for developing both the technical minds and creativity of the next generation. The education industry cannot push STEM activities to the next level without the help of outside partners who have industry insight and experience. This is why Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority (Virginia Space), Twiggs Space Laboratory, LLC (TSL), Northrop Grumman (NG), NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF), and Near Space Launch Corp (NSL) have all partnered together to develop the Virginia Space ThinSat Program. With our primary focus being on STEM outreach, the program has developed a new way to bridge the gap between satellite development and the education industry. By utilizing this platform, we have already seen development of beneficial research potential from numerous institutions that shows the promise of a bright future for the Virginia Space ThinSat Program and Extreme Low Earth Orbit (ELEO) research