Temperature sensitivity of Eppley broadband radiometers

Broadband radiometers manufactured by Eppley Laboratories Inc. are commonly used to measure irradiance from both ground-based and aircraft platforms. Namely, the pyranometer (Model PSP) measures irradiance in the .3 to 3.0 micron spectral region while the pyrgeometer (Model PIR) senses energy in the 4 to 50 micron region. The two instruments have a similar thermopile construction but different filters to achieve the appropriate spectral selection. During the fall of 1986, the First ISCCP (International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project) Regional Experiment (FIRE) commenced with the first cirrus Intensive Field Observation (IFO) conducted in Central Wisconsin. Due to the nature of this field project, pyranometers and pyrgeometers manufactured by Eppley were flown on NCAR's high altitude research aircraft, the Sabreliner. Inherent in the construction of these radiometers is temperature compensation circuitry designed to make the instrument sensitivity nominally constant over a temperature range from -20 to +40 C. Because the Sabreliner flew at high altitudes where temperatures were as cold as -70 C, it was necessary to determine the radiometers relative sensitivity to temperatures below -20 C and apply appropriate corrections to the FIRE radiation data set. A procedure to perform this calibration is outlined. It is meant to serve as a supplement to calibration procedures

Radiative properties of cirrus clouds inferred from broadband measurements during FIRE

It is well known that clouds are significant modulators of weather and climate because of their effects on the radiation field and thus on the energy balance of the earth atmosphere system. As a result, the accurate prediction of weather and climate depends to a significant degree on the accuracy with which cloud radiation interactions can be described. The broadband radiative and microphysical properties of five cirrus cloud systems are reported, as observed from the NCAR Sabreliner during the FIRE first Cirrus IFO, in order to better understand cirrus cloud-radiation interactions. A broadband infrared (BBIR) radiative transfer model is used to deduce BBIR absorption coefficients in order to assess the impact of the cirrus clouds on infrared radiation. The relationships of these absorption coefficients to temperature and microphysical characteristics are explored

Radiative properties of Cirrus clouds: FIRE IFO case October 28, 1986

A description of the radiative properties of two cirrus clouds sampled on 10/28/88 in the FIRE cirrus IFO is presented. The clouds are characterized in terms of the broadband infrared effective emittance, cloud fractional absorptance, shortwave heating rate, cloud albedo and vertical velocity. The broadband fluxes used in these calculations were obtained from measurements made by pyranometers and pyrgeometers. The shortwave irradiances were corrected to a horizontal plane and normalized to the same time by taking into account Sabreliner flight information (i.e., pitch, roll, heading and angle of attack), as well as sun-earth geometry considerations. Since only one aircraft was used, broadband fluxes at different levels in the cloud were not measured simultaneously. As a result, sampling errors may occur due to the nonsteady state of the cloud field or due to the possibility that the flight legs were not flown directly above or below each other. To minimize these errors and to simplify the analysis, the necessary variables were averaged and the averages used in the calculations. The downwelling shortwave and longwave irradiances were used as selection criteria to remove cloud free data encountered along the data sampling leg

The Space Object Ontology

Achieving space domain awareness requires the identification, characterization, and tracking of space objects. Storing and leveraging associated space object data for purposes such as hostile threat assessment, object identification, and collision prediction and avoidance present further challenges. Space objects are characterized according to a variety of parameters including their identifiers, design specifications, components, subsystems, capabilities, vulnerabilities, origins, missions, orbital elements, patterns of life, processes, operational statuses, and associated persons, organizations, or nations. The Space Object Ontology provides a consensus-based realist framework for formulating such characterizations in a computable fashion. Space object data are aligned with classes and relations in the Space Object Ontology and stored in a dynamically updated Resource Description Framework triple store, which can be queried to support space domain awareness and the needs of spacecraft operators. This paper presents the core of the Space Object Ontology, discusses its advantages over other approaches to space object classification, and demonstrates its ability to combine diverse sets of data from multiple sources within an expandable framework. Finally, we show how the ontology provides benefits for enhancing and maintaining longterm space domain awareness

Breaking the prejudice habit: Mechanisms, timecourse, and longevity

The prejudice habit-breaking intervention (Devine et al., 2012) and its offshoots (e.g., Carnes et al., 2012) have shown promise in effecting long-term change in key outcomes related to intergroup bias, including increases in awareness, concern about discrimination, and, in one study, long-term decreases in implicit bias. This intervention is based on the premise that unintentional bias is like a habit that can be broken with sufficient motivation, awareness, and effort. We conducted replication of the original habit-breaking intervention experiment in a sample more than three times the size of the original (N = 292). We also measured all outcomes every other day for 14 days and measured potential mechanisms for the intervention’s effects. Consistent with previous results, the habit-breaking intervention produced a change in concern that endured two weeks post-intervention. These effects were associated with increased sensitivity to the biases of others and an increased tendency to label biases as wrong. Contrasting with the original work, both control and intervention participants decreased in implicit bias, and the effects of the habit-breaking intervention on awareness declined in the second week of the study. In a subsample recruited two years later, intervention participants were more likely than control participants to object on a public online forum to an essay endorsing racial stereotyping. Our results suggest that the habit-breaking intervention produces enduring changes in peoples’ knowledge of and beliefs about race-related issues, and we argue that these changes are even more important for promoting long-term behavioral change than are changes in implicit bias

Investigation of the transfer of septum microbial contamination by hypodermic needles

The likelihood of the transfer of microbial contamination from the surface of a vial septum into the vial liquid, by penetration of a hypodermic syringe needle, has been investigated. Experimental work was carried out with vials containing sterile microbial growth media and the use of needles of three different diameters. Three different concentrations of microbes on the surface of the vial septum (10, 100, and 1000) were used. Microbial contamination that was transferred into the growth media was determined by incubation of the vials following penetration of the septum by the needles.Contamination was detected in 87% of all the vials tested, and was generally found to increase as the concentration of septum challenge organisms and needle diameter increased

Comparison of NOAA-9 ERBE measurements with Cirrus IFO satellite and aircraft measurements

Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) measurements onboard the NOAA-9 are compared for consistency with satellite and aircraft measurements made during the Cirrus Intensive Field Observation (IFO) of October 1986. ERBE scene identification is compared with NOAA-9 TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS) cloud retrievals; results from the ERBE spectral inversion algorithms are compared with High resolution Interferometer Sounder (HIS) measurements; and ERBE radiant existance measurements are compared with aircraft radiative flux measurements

Recovery Act: Advanced Direct Methanol Fuel Cell for Mobile Computing

ABSTRACT Project Title: Recovery Act: Advanced Direct Methanol Fuel Cell for Mobile Computing PROJECT OBJECTIVE The objective of the project was to advance portable fuel cell system technology towards the commercial targets of power density, energy density and lifetime. These targets were laid out in the DOE’s R&D roadmap to develop an advanced direct methanol fuel cell power supply that meets commercial entry requirements. Such a power supply will enable mobile computers to operate non-stop, unplugged from the wall power outlet, by using the high energy density of methanol fuel contained in a replaceable fuel cartridge. Specifically this project focused on balance-of-plant component integration and miniaturization, as well as extensive component, subassembly and integrated system durability and validation testing. This design has resulted in a pre-production power supply design and a prototype that meet the rigorous demands of consumer electronic applications. PROJECT TASKS The proposed work plan was designed to meet the project objectives, which corresponded directly with the objectives outlined in the Funding Opportunity Announcement: To engineer the fuel cell balance-of-plant and packaging to meet the needs of consumer electronic systems, specifically at power levels required for mobile computing. UNF used existing balance-of-plant component technologies developed under its current US Army CERDEC project, as well as a previous DOE project completed by PolyFuel, to further refine them to both miniaturize and integrate their functionality to increase the system power density and energy density. Benefits of UNF’s novel passive water recycling MEA (membrane electrode assembly) and the simplified system architecture it enabled formed the foundation of the design approach. The package design was hardened to address orientation independence, shock, vibration, and environmental requirements. Fuel cartridge and fuel subsystems were improved to ensure effective fuel containment. PROJECT OVERVIEW The University of North Florida (UNF), with project partner the University of Florida, recently completed the Department of Energy (DOE) project entitled “Advanced Direct Methanol Fuel Cell for Mobile Computing”. The primary objective of the project was to advance portable fuel cell system technology towards the commercial targets as laid out in the DOE R&D roadmap by developing a 20-watt, direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC), portable power supply based on the UNF innovative “passive water recovery” MEA. Extensive component, sub-system, and system development and testing was undertaken to meet the rigorous demands of the consumer electronic application. Numerous brassboard (nonpackaged) systems were developed to optimize the integration process and facilitating control algorithm development. The culmination of the development effort was a fully-integrated, DMFC, power supply (referred to as DP4). The project goals were 40 W/kg for specific power, 55 W/l for power density, and 575 Whr/l for energy density. It should be noted that the specific power and power density were for the power section only, and did not include the hybrid battery. The energy density is based on three, 200 ml, fuel cartridges, and also did not include the hybrid battery. The results show that the DP4 system configured without the methanol concentration sensor exceeded all performance goals, achieving 41.5 W/kg for specific power, 55.3 W/l for power density, and 623 Whr/l for energy density. During the project, the DOE revised its technical targets, and the definition of many of these targets, for the portable power application. With this revision, specific power, power density, specific energy (Whr/kg), and energy density are based on the total system, including fuel tank, fuel, and hybridization battery. Fuel capacity is not defined, but the same value is required for all calculations. Test data showed that the DP4 exceeded all 2011 Technical Status values; for example, the DP4 energy density was 373 Whr/l versus the DOE 2011 status of 200 Whr/l. For the DOE 2013 Technical Goals, the operation time was increased from 10 hours to 14.3 hours. Under these conditions, the DP4 closely approached or surpassed the technical targets; for example, the DP4 achieved 468 Whr/l versus the goal of 500 Whr/l. Thus, UNF has successfully met the project goals. A fully-operational, 20-watt DMFC power supply was developed based on the UNF passive water recovery MEA. The power supply meets the project performance goals and advances portable power technology towards the commercialization targets set by the DOE

Kinetics of DNA and RNA Hybridization in Serum and Serum-SDS

Cancer is recognized as a serious health challenge both in the United States and throughout the world. While early detection and diagnosis of cancer leads to decreased mortality rates, current screening methods require significant time and costly equipment. Recently, increased levels of certain micro-ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) in the blood have been linked to the presence of cancer. While blood-based biomarkers have been used for years in cancer detection, studies analyzing trace amounts of miRNAs in blood and serum samples are just the beginning. Recent developments in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) nanotechnology and DNA computing have shown that it is possible to construct nucleic-acid-based chemical networks that accept miRNAs as inputs, perform Boolean logic functions on those inputs, and generate as an output a large number of DNA strands that can be readily detected. Since miRNAs occur in blood in low abundance, these networks would allow for amplification without using polymerase chain reaction. In this study, we report initial progress in the development of a DNA-based cross-catalytic network engineered to amplify specific cancer-related miRNAs. Subcomponents of the DNA network were tested individually, and their operation in serum, as well as a mixture of serum with sodium dodecyl sulfate, is demonstrated. Preliminary simulations of the full cross-catalytic network indicate successful operation

Opossum carboxylesterases: sequences, phylogeny and evidence for CES gene duplication events predating the marsupial-eutherian common ancestor

Background Carboxylesterases (CES) perform diverse metabolic roles in mammalian organisms in the detoxification of a broad range of drugs and xenobiotics and may also serve in specific roles in lipid, cholesterol, pheromone and lung surfactant metabolism. Five CES families have been reported in mammals with human CES1 and CES2 the most extensively studied. Here we describe the genetics, expression and phylogeny of CES isozymes in the opossum and report on the sequences and locations of CES1, CES2 and CES6 'like' genes within two gene clusters on chromosome one. We also discuss the likely sequence of gene duplication events generating multiple CES genes during vertebrate evolution. Results We report a cDNA sequence for an opossum CES and present evidence for CES1 and CES2 like genes expressed in opossum liver and intestine and for distinct gene locations of five opossum CES genes,CES1, CES2.1, CES2.2, CES2.3 and CES6, on chromosome 1. Phylogenetic and sequence alignment studies compared the predicted amino acid sequences for opossum CES with those for human, mouse, chicken, frog, salmon and Drosophila CES gene products. Phylogenetic analyses produced congruent phylogenetic trees depicting a rapid early diversification into at least five distinct CES gene family clusters: CES2, CES1, CES7, CES3, and CES6. Molecular divergence estimates based on a Bayesian relaxed clock approach revealed an origin for the five mammalian CES gene families between 328-378 MYA. Conclusion The deduced amino acid sequence for an opossum cDNA was consistent with its identity as a mammalian CES2 gene product (designated CES2.1). Distinct gene locations for opossum CES1 (1: 446,222,550-446,274,850), three CES2 genes (1: 677,773,395-677,927,030) and a CES6 gene (1: 677,585,520-677,730,419) were observed on chromosome 1. Opossum CES1 and multiple CES2 genes were expressed in liver and intestine. Amino acid sequences for opossum CES1 and three CES2 gene products revealed conserved residues previously reported for human CES1 involved in catalysis, ligand binding, tertiary structure and organelle localization. Phylogenetic studies indicated the gene duplication events which generated ancestral mammalian CES genes predated the common ancestor for marsupial and eutherian mammals, and appear to coincide with the early diversification of tetrapods.Full Tex