Spectral reflectances of natural targets for use in remote sensing studies

A collection of spectral reflectances of 156 natural targets is presented in a uniform format. For each target both a graphical plot and a digital tabulation of reflectance is given. The data were taken from the literature and include laboratory, field, and aircraft measurements. A discussion of the different measurements of reflectance is given, along with the changes in apparent reflectance when targets are viewed through the atmosphere. The salient features of the reflectance curves of common target types are presented and discussed

Delineation of Emitter-Collector Shorts in Bipolar Test Structures by Voltage Contrast Scanning Electron Microscopy

In examining emitter-collector shorts and their relationship to structural defects, we desire a nondestructive method for locating the short-circuited devices in large test arrays. Voltage contrast scanning electron microscopy (VC-SEM) and an established electrochemical anodization technique have been used to identify electrically faulty bipolar transistors. Direct comparison of these approaches was achieved by examining the same emitters with each method. The results indicate that VC-SEM may serve as a useful technique for delineating E-C shorts because of its nondestructive and purely electrical nature. In our qualitative investigation, the sensitivity and voltage resolution available by VC-SEM were not sufficient to differentiate device leakage levels as is often possible with anodization. Such information may, however, be obtainable by utilizing image subtraction and more sophisticated detector systems. Transmission electron microscopy of the transistor structures revealed dislocations in many short-circuited emitters and occasionally in unshorted devices. This confirmed prior observations that crystallographic defects in silicon devices may sometimes be, but are not always, electrically active. Deleterious effects may depend on factors such as junction penetration and dopant-defect interactions

ICASE/LaRC Symposium on Visualizing Time-Varying Data

Time-varying datasets present difficult problems for both analysis and visualization. For example, the data may be terabytes in size, distributed across mass storage systems at several sites, with time scales ranging from femtoseconds to eons. In response to these challenges, ICASE and NASA Langley Research Center, in cooperation with ACM SIGGRAPH, organized the first symposium on visualizing time-varying data. The purpose was to bring the producers of time-varying data together with visualization specialists to assess open issues in the field, present new solutions, and encourage collaborative problem-solving. These proceedings contain the peer-reviewed papers which were presented at the symposium. They cover a broad range of topics, from methods for modeling and compressing data to systems for visualizing CFD simulations and World Wide Web traffic. Because the subject matter is inherently dynamic, a paper proceedings cannot adequately convey all aspects of the work. The accompanying video proceedings provide additional context for several of the papers

Estimating Lunar Pyroclastic Deposit Depth from Imaging Radar Data: Applications to Lunar Resource Assessment

Lunar pyroclastic deposits represent one of the primary anticipated sources of raw materials for future human settlements. These deposits are fine-grained volcanic debris layers produced by explosive volcanism contemporaneous with the early stage of mare infilling. There are several large regional pyroclastic units on the Moon (for example, the Aristarchus Plateau, Rima Bode, and Sulpicius Gallus formations), and numerous localized examples, which often occur as dark-halo deposits around endogenic craters (such as in the floor of Alphonsus Crater). Several regional pyroclastic deposits were studied with spectral reflectance techniques: the Aristarchus Plateau materials were found to be a relatively homogeneous blanket of iron-rich glasses. One such deposit was sampled at the Apollo 17 landing site, and was found to have ferrous oxide and titanium dioxide contents of 12 percent and 5 percent, respectively. While the areal extent of these deposits is relatively well defined from orbital photographs, their depths have been constrained only by a few studies of partially filled impact craters and by imaging radar data. A model for radar backscatter from mantled units applicable to both 70-cm and 12.6-cm wavelength radar data is presented. Depth estimates from such radar observations may be useful in planning future utilization of lunar pyroclastic deposits

Flipping an Agricultural Teaching Methods Course at a Non-Land Grant University

The purpose of this study was to analyze undergraduate students’ perceptions of experiencing a flipped classroom in a teaching methods course at a Non-Land Grant Public Institution. The flipped classroom moves lectures and online videos outside of the classroom and uses class time for learning activities that promote problem-solving and discussion. Basic qualitative methods were used to provide flexibility, rich description, and the emergence of common patterns and themes. Participants reported the online lectures were beneficial and provided order and structure to the learning process. Personal responsibility emerged as a subtheme with mixed responses. Some participants felt it was the responsibility of the students to watch the videos and make sure they understood, while others felt it was too much responsibility on the students. All participants acknowledged that online lectures were a valuable tool for delivering content knowledge. All participants reported the online lectures, combined with the learning activities during class meetings, deepened their knowledge of teaching and learning application and skill development. Overall, participants felt the flipped classroom approach was a confidence booster due to the use of class time to practice their teaching skills. Participants recognized the flipped classroom as an effective teaching approach

Sociosexuality, testosterone, and life history status: Prospective associations and longitudinal changes among men in Cebu, Philippines

Sociosexuality is defined as an individual\u27s interest in uncommitted sexual activity and can be measured in terms of both psychological orientations and behavioral expression. In socio-ecological contexts in which adults monogamously partner and cooperate to raise children, individuals with unrestricted sociosexuality are likely to prioritize mating/competition over committed partnering and parenting. Given the importance of mother-father cooperation in the evolutionary past, humans may have the capacity to facultatively and opportunistically downregulate sociosexuality to focus on priorities related to invested partnering and parenting. To date, no prior studies have used longitudinal data to track within-individuals changes in sociosexuality as it relates to such life history transitions. Given the lack of prior longitudinal research in this area, it is likewise unknown what physiological mechanisms might mediate within-individual changes in sociosexuality through time but testosterone is a plausible candidate. To explore these questions, we drew on a large, long-running study of Filipino men (n=288), who were single non-fathers at 25.9 years of age and were followed up 4–5 years later. We found that men with more unrestricted sociosexuality at baseline were more likely to experience relationship dissolution by follow-up, consistent with past work. Compared to men who remained single non-fathers at follow-up, men who became married residential fathers showed shifts towards more restricted global sociosexuality as well as sociosexual behavior. Relative to their own baseline values, married residential fathers also had more restricted sociosexuality in all domains at follow-up. They were the only group for whom this was found. We found theoretically-consistent but modest support for positive correlations between men\u27s testosterone and their sociosexuality, but no evidence that the two change in tandem together through time. Our results suggest that some amount of between-individual differences in sociosexuality are not stable and can facultatively shift alongside other aspects of male reproductive effort

A Comparison of Esomeprazole and Lansoprazole for Control of Intragastric pH in Patients With Symptoms of Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease

Background: Intragastric acid suppression is the most direct measure of the pharmacodynamic efficacy of proton pump inhibitors, which are the most effective drugs for acid-related diseases. Aim: To compare the effectiveness of once and twice daily dosing of lansoprazole and esomeprazole in controlling intragastric acidity ( target gastric pH \u3e 4.0) over a 24-hour period. Methods: In an open-label, two-way crossover study, 45 Helicobacter pylori-negative patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease were randomized to receive one of two regimens: 30 mg lansoprazole or esomeprazole 40 mg once daily. Intragastric pH was assessed by 24-hour pH monitoring on day 5 of each regimen. Dosing was increased to twice daily and pH was re-assessed on day 10. Following a 14-day washout, patients were crossed over to the other medication and the dosage regimens and pH assessments were repeated. Results: Data were analysed from 35 patients who completed all scheduled assessments and had 24-hour monitoring for each end-point. Mean time pH \u3e 4.0 and mean 24-hour pH were highest for esomeprazole 40 mg twice daily, followed by lansoprazole 30 mg twice daily, esomeprazole 40 mg once daily and lansoprazole 30 mg once daily. Esomeprazole 40 mg twice daily provided superior control of intragastric pH compared with either once or twice daily dosing of lansoprazole and once daily dosing of esomeprazole (P \u3c 0.01). Esomeprazole 40 mg once daily was comparable with lansoprazole 30 mg twice daily and both were superior to lansoprazole 30 mg once daily (P \u3c 0.01). Conclusions: Response to acid suppression treatment depends on the treatment selected. Esomeprazole 40 mg twice daily provided better control of intragastric pH than all other regimens evaluated. Esomeprazole 40 mg daily, however, was comparable with lansoprazole 30 mg twice daily and superior to lansoprazole 30 mg once daily

CASTER - a concept for a Black Hole Finder Probe based on the use of new scintillator technologies

The primary scientific mission of the Black Hole Finder Probe (BHFP), part of the NASA Beyond Einstein program, is to survey the local Universe for black holes over a wide range of mass and accretion rate. One approach to such a survey is a hard X-ray coded-aperture imaging mission operating in the 10--600 keV energy band, a spectral range that is considered to be especially useful in the detection of black hole sources. The development of new inorganic scintillator materials provides improved performance (for example, with regards to energy resolution and timing) that is well suited to the BHFP science requirements. Detection planes formed with these materials coupled with a new generation of readout devices represent a major advancement in the performance capabilities of scintillator-based gamma cameras. Here, we discuss the Coded Aperture Survey Telescope for Energetic Radiation (CASTER), a concept that represents a BHFP based on the use of the latest scintillator technology.Comment: 12 pages; conference paper presented at the SPIE conference "UV, X-Ray, and Gamma-Ray Space Instrumentation for Astronomy XIV." To be published in SPIE Conference Proceedings, vol. 589

CASTER: a scintillator-based black hole finder probe

The primary scientific mission of the Black Hole Finder Probe (BHFP), part of the NASA Beyond Einstein program, is to survey the local Universe for black holes over a wide range of mass and accretion rate. One approach to such a survey is a hard X-ray coded-aperture imaging mission operating in the 10-600 keV energy band, a spectral range that is considered to be especially useful in the detection of black hole sources. The development of new inorganic scintillator materials provides improved performance (for example, with regards to energy resolution and timing) that is well suited to the BHFP science requirements. Detection planes formed with these materials coupled with a new generation of readout devices represent a major advancement in the performance capabilities of scintillator-based gamma cameras. Here, we discuss the Coded Aperture Survey Telescope for Energetic Radiation (CASTER), a concept that represents a BHFP based on the use of the latest scintillator technology