Intercomparison of Small Unmanned Aircraft System (sUAS) Measurements for Atmospheric Science During the LAPSE-RATE Campaign

Small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) are rapidly transforming atmospheric research. With the advancement of the development and application of these systems, improving knowledge of best practices for accurate measurement is critical for achieving scientific goals. We present results from an intercomparison of atmospheric measurement data from the Lower Atmospheric Process Studies at Elevation—a Remotely piloted Aircraft Team Experiment (LAPSE-RATE) field campaign. We evaluate a total of 38 individual sUAS with 23 unique sensor and platform configurations using a meteorological tower for reference measurements. We assess precision, bias, and time response of sUAS measurements of temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed, and wind direction. Most sUAS measurements show broad agreement with the reference, particularly temperature and wind speed, with mean value differences of 1.6 ± 2.6 °C and 0.22 ± 0.59 m/s for all sUAS, respectively. sUAS platform and sensor configurations were found to contribute significantly to measurement accuracy. Sensor configurations, which included proper aspiration and radiation shielding of sensors, were found to provide the most accurate thermodynamic measurements (temperature and relative humidity), whereas sonic anemometers on multirotor platforms provided the most accurate wind measurements (horizontal speed and direction). We contribute both a characterization and assessment of sUAS for measuring atmospheric parameters, and identify important challenges and opportunities for improving scientific measurements with sUAS

Performance-based vs socially supportive culture:a cross-national study of descriptive norms and entrepreneurship

This paper is a cross-national study testing a framework relating cultural descriptive norms to entrepreneurship in a sample of 40 nations. Based on data from the Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness project, we identify two higher-order dimensions of culture – socially supportive culture (SSC) and performance-based culture (PBC) – and relate them to entrepreneurship rates and associated supply-side and demand-side variables available from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. Findings provide strong support for a social capital/SSC and supply-side variable explanation of entrepreneurship rate. PBC predicts demand-side variables, such as opportunity existence and the quality of formal institutions to support entrepreneurship

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

On-Demand Microwave-Assisted Fabrication of Gelatin Foams

Ultraporous gelatin foams (porosity >94%, ρ ≈ 0.039–0.056 g/cm3) have been fabricated via microwave radiation. The resulting foam structures are unique with regard to pore morphology (i.e., closed-cell) and exhibit 100% macroporosity (pore size 332 to 1700 μm), presence of an external skin, and densities similar to aerogels. Results indicate that the primary foaming mechanism is governed by the vaporization of water that is tightly bound in secondary structures (i.e., helices, β-turns, β-sheets) that are present in dehydrated gelatin films but not present in the foams after microwave radiation (700 Watts)

Ice-Binding Protein from <i>Shewanella frigidimarinas</i> Inhibits Ice Crystal Growth in Highly Alkaline Solutions

The ability of a natural ice-binding protein from Shewanella frigidimarina (SfIBP) to inhibit ice crystal growth in highly alkaline solutions with increasing pH and ionic strength was investigated in this work. The purity of isolated SfIBP was first confirmed via sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and size-exclusion chromatography with an ultraviolet detector (SEC-UV). Protein stability was evaluated in the alkaline solutions using circular dichroism spectroscopy, SEC-UV, and SDS-PAGE. SfIBP ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) activity, a measure of ice crystal growth inhibition, was assessed using a modified splat assay. Statistical analysis of results substantiated that, despite partial denaturation and misfolding, SfIBP limited ice crystal growth in alkaline solutions (pH &#8804; 12.7) with ionic strength I &#8804; 0.05 mol/L, but did not exhibit IRI activity in alkaline solutions where pH &#8805; 13.2 and I &#8805; 0.16 mol/L. IRI activity of SfIBP in solutions with pH &#8804; 12.7 and I &#8804; 0.05 mol/L demonstrated up to &#8776; 66% reduction in ice crystal size compared to neat solutions

Softwarenutzung im Umbruch: Von der Software-Lizenz zum Cloudbasierten Business Process Outsourcing

Bislang war die Rollenverteilung eindeutig geregelt: Die Beschaffung von „Standardsoftware“ war eine Aufgabe für die IT-Leitung. Im Kern war es ein Bestellprozess für Softwarelizenzen. Die Unternehmensführung (CEO) konnte sich darauf konzentrieren, die Unternehmensstrategie zu entwickeln und in diesem Zusammenhang das Budget für die IT bereitzustellen. Strategisch in der Unternehmensführung diskutiert, wurden lediglich Softwarebeschaffungsprojekte mit Einfluss auf sämtliche Unternehmensabläufe – wie z. B. die Einführung eines ERP-Systems. Die rasch zunehmende Digitalisierung verändert aber nicht nur die Arbeitsweise in den Unternehmen, sondern auch das IT-Management selbst. Aufgrund der veränderten Produktpolitik großer Softwareanbieter wie z. B. Microsoft sind zukünftige Investitionsentscheidungen über den Einsatz von Standardsoftware keine reinen Beschaffungsvorgänge mehr, sondern strategische Entscheidungen über die Auslagerungen von Prozessen (Business Process Outsourcing) und damit verbunden auch mit den zusammenhängenden Daten. Der Softwareanbieter von morgen ist ein Prozessdienstleister, der neben der Hard- und Software auch noch Teilprozesse (z. B. Kommunikation, Dokumentenmanagement) für die Unternehmen bereitstellt