Ionospheric Simulation System for Satellite Observations and Global Assimilative Model Experiments - ISOGAME

Modeling and imaging the Earth's ionosphere as well as understanding its structures, inhomogeneities, and disturbances is a key part of NASA's Heliophysics Directorate science roadmap. This invention provides a design tool for scientific missions focused on the ionosphere. It is a scientifically important and technologically challenging task to assess the impact of a new observation system quantitatively on our capability of imaging and modeling the ionosphere. This question is often raised whenever a new satellite system is proposed, a new type of data is emerging, or a new modeling technique is developed. The proposed constellation would be part of a new observation system with more low-Earth orbiters tracking more radio occultation signals broadcast by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) than those offered by the current GPS and COSMIC observation system. A simulation system was developed to fulfill this task. The system is composed of a suite of software that combines the Global Assimilative Ionospheric Model (GAIM) including first-principles and empirical ionospheric models, a multiple- dipole geomagnetic field model, data assimilation modules, observation simulator, visualization software, and orbit design, simulation, and optimization software

Ionospheric Specifications for SAR Interferometry (ISSI)

The ISSI software package is designed to image the ionosphere from space by calibrating and processing polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) data collected from low Earth orbit satellites. Signals transmitted and received by a PolSAR are subject to the Faraday rotation effect as they traverse the magnetized ionosphere. The ISSI algorithms combine the horizontally and vertically polarized (with respect to the radar system) SAR signals to estimate Faraday rotation and ionospheric total electron content (TEC) with spatial resolutions of sub-kilometers to kilometers, and to derive radar system calibration parameters. The ISSI software package has been designed and developed to integrate the algorithms, process PolSAR data, and image as well as visualize the ionospheric measurements. A number of tests have been conducted using ISSI with PolSAR data collected from various latitude regions using the phase array-type L-band synthetic aperture radar (PALSAR) onboard Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Advanced Land Observing Satellite mission, and also with Global Positioning System data. These tests have demonstrated and validated SAR-derived ionospheric images and data correction algorithms

Ionospheric Simulation System for Satellite Observations and Global Assimilative Modeling Experiments (ISOGAME)

ISOGAME is designed and developed to assess quantitatively the impact of new observation systems on the capability of imaging and modeling the ionosphere. With ISOGAME, one can perform observation system simulation experiments (OSSEs). A typical OSSE using ISOGAME would involve: (1) simulating various ionospheric conditions on global scales; (2) simulating ionospheric measurements made from a constellation of low-Earth-orbiters (LEOs), particularly Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation data, and from ground-based global GNSS networks; (3) conducting ionospheric data assimilation experiments with the Global Assimilative Ionospheric Model (GAIM); and (4) analyzing modeling results with visualization tools. ISOGAME can provide quantitative assessment of the accuracy of assimilative modeling with the interested observation system. Other observation systems besides those based on GNSS are also possible to analyze. The system is composed of a suite of software that combines the GAIM, including a 4D first-principles ionospheric model and data assimilation modules, an Internal Reference Ionosphere (IRI) model that has been developed by international ionospheric research communities, observation simulator, visualization software, and orbit design, simulation, and optimization software. The core GAIM model used in ISOGAME is based on the GAIM++ code (written in C++) that includes a new high-fidelity geomagnetic field representation (multi-dipole). New visualization tools and analysis algorithms for the OSSEs are now part of ISOGAME

IDC theory: habit and the habit loop

Interest-driven creator (IDC) theory is a design theory that intends to inform the design of future education in Asia. It consists of three anchored concepts, namely, interest, creation, and habit. This paper presents the third anchored concept habit as well as the habit loop. IDC theory assumes that learners, when driven by interest, can be engaged in knowledge creation. Furthermore, by repeating such process in their daily learning routines, learners will form interest-driven creation habits. The habit loop, the process of building such a habit, consists of three component concepts— cuing environment, routine, and harmony. The cuing environment is a habit trigger that tells the students’ brain to get prepared and go into an automatic mode, letting learning behavior unfold. Routine refers to the behavioral patterns the students repeat most often, literally etched into their neural pathways. Harmony refers to the affective outcome of the routine activity as well as the integration or stabilization of habits; that is, through the routine behavior and action, students may feel that their needs get fulfilled, feel satisfied, and experience inner peace. It is our hope that such habitual behavior of creating knowledge can be sustained so long that students ultimately become lifelong interest-driven creators. This paper focuses on the description of the three components of the habit loop and discusses how these components are related to the interest loop and the creation loop in supporting learners in developing their interest-driven creation capability

Evaluation of Candidate Stromal Epithelial Cross-Talk Genes Identifies Association between Risk of Serous Ovarian Cancer and TERT, a Cancer Susceptibility “Hot-Spot”

We hypothesized that variants in genes expressed as a consequence of interactions between ovarian cancer cells and the host micro-environment could contribute to cancer susceptibility. We therefore used a two-stage approach to evaluate common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 173 genes involved in stromal epithelial interactions in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). In the discovery stage, cases with epithelial ovarian cancer (n = 675) and controls (n = 1,162) were genotyped at 1,536 SNPs using an Illumina GoldenGate assay. Based on Positive Predictive Value estimates, three SNPs—PODXL rs1013368, ITGA6 rs13027811, and MMP3 rs522616—were selected for replication using TaqMan genotyping in up to 3,059 serous invasive cases and 8,905 controls from 16 OCAC case-control studies. An additional 18 SNPs with Pper-allele<0.05 in the discovery stage were selected for replication in a subset of five OCAC studies (n = 1,233 serous invasive cases; n = 3,364 controls). The discovery stage associations in PODXL, ITGA6, and MMP3 were attenuated in the larger replication set (adj. Pper-allele≥0.5). However genotypes at TERT rs7726159 were associated with ovarian cancer risk in the smaller, five-study replication study (Pper-allele = 0.03). Combined analysis of the discovery and replication sets for this TERT SNP showed an increased risk of serous ovarian cancer among non-Hispanic whites [adj. ORper-allele 1.14 (1.04–1.24) p = 0.003]. Our study adds to the growing evidence that, like the 8q24 locus, the telomerase reverse transcriptase locus at 5p15.33, is a general cancer susceptibility locus

Independent Inventors: An Uncertain Future

From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Edison, individual inventors have long been symbols of American ingenuity and innovation, creating products and launching businesses based on new technologies they developed. And for more than 200 years the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has been their protector.In recent years decades, independent inventors are facing new opportunities to cash in on their creations, thanks to the marketing and networking power of the Internet. But they also face new challenges from an increasingly complex and expensive patenting process.This year, a new federal law changed the method the patent office had used for 200 years to determine who should hold rights to a patent. Some say the change will help correct the problems small inventors face, while others say it will only hasten their decline

Modeling physical and engineering properties of landfilled municipal solid waste

Global population growth and booming economies have led to the increasing generation of municipal solid waste (MSW). In 2016, the global MSW generation was 2.01 billion megatons, and this number is anticipated to increase to 2.59 billion and 3.4 billion megatons by 2030 and 2050, respectively. Around 70% of all the generated MSW has been disposed of in landfills (refer to both sanitary landfills and uncontrolled dumpsites herein) globally, resulting in 300,000-500,000 sites worldwide. To ensure the stability and integrity of a landfill, it is necessary to have knowledge of the physical and engineering properties of MSW. Physical properties (such as unit weight and void ratio) and engineering properties (such as compressibility and hydraulic conductivity) are of great concern to engineers and researchers because they are essential for long-term settlement, leachate drainage, and stability assessment of landfills. It is commonly time- and labor-consuming to measure and monitor these properties of MSW in the field and laboratory. Hence, it is meaningful to combine and reanalyze the results of different studies to estimate these difficult-to-obtain properties by using some easily available properties of MSW, for instance, composition. However, there are significant variations in MSW composition in different countries, and even within a single country, changes in lifestyle or the introduction of pre-treatment (e.g., bio-treatment or recycling activities) will have a considerable impact on MSW composition. Therefore, it is beneficial to propose a unified classification system for MSW composition to encourage the comparisons of results from different studies and facilitate the correlations between MSW composition, and the physical and engineering properties of MSW from different countries, which can also deepen our understandings on the properties of MSW. Chapter 3 proposes a new ternary composition classification method for MSW based on the characteristics and similarities among waste constituents. MSW composition is divided into three fractions, namely, biodegradable (B, paper, food, and yard waste), reinforcing (R, plastics, textile, wood, rubber, and leather), and inert (I, ceramic, glass, metal, gravel, concrete, and soil-like particles) fractions. The ternary composition classification method is applied to estimate the dry unit weight (γd) and void ratio (e) of MSW, based on a comprehensive dataset of 150 reconstituted or synthetic specimens from 54 available studies and 52 in situ MSW specimens from 22 available studies. The quantitative correlations between γd and ternary composition are well established for low-, medium-compacted, and high-compacted MSW, respectively. The γd can be well estimated by ternary composition and compaction effort. The e can be well estimated from the estimated γd. Chapter 4 proposes a ternary composition-based calculation method for the initial global void ratio (e0*) of MSW for the first time. The calculated e0* values are in good agreement with those calculated using the traditional initial void ratio method. Based on a total of 124 sets of MSW compression data obtained from 44 studies conducted in the laboratory and field, the quantitative correlations between the e0* and the immediate compression index (Cc), secondary compression index induced by mechanical creep (CαM), and secondary compression index induced by bio-compression (CαB) of MSW are evidently established. The Cc can be well estimated by the e0*. The CαM can be well estimated by the e0* and vertical stress (σv). The CαB can be well estimated by the e0*, σv, and biodegradation conditions. Chapter 5 proposes calculation methods for estimating the total porosity (nt*) and drainable porosity (nd*) of MSW for the first time. The estimated nt* and nd* values match well with the measured total porosity (nt) and drainable porosity (nd). Based on an exhaustive dataset of 38 tests in this thesis plus 410 tests in 59 other studies, the correlations between kS and corresponding measured γd, nt, and nd are established. The kS-nd correlation is more accurate than the commonly used kS-γd and kS-nt correlations. The quantitative correlation between kS and estimated nd* is well established. The MSW kS can be well estimated by nd*. Overall, the new classification system of MSW composition is feasible to estimate the unit weight, void ratio, compressibility, and hydraulic conductivity of a variety of MSW samples with different compositions.Doctor of Philosoph

Independent Inventors: An Uncertain Future

From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Edison, individual inventors have long been symbols of American ingenuity and innovation, creating products and launching businesses based on new technologies they developed. And for more than 200 years the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has been their protector.In recent years decades, independent inventors are facing new opportunities to cash in on their creations, thanks to the marketing and networking power of the Internet. But they also face new challenges from an increasingly complex and expensive patenting process.This year, a new federal law changed the method the patent office had used for 200 years to determine who should hold rights to a patent. Some say the change will help correct the problems small inventors face, while others say it will only hasten their decline