Evaluation of atmospheric trace constituent sensors operating from remote space and airborne platforms

A laboratory gas analysis system was developed specifically to make trace level measurements of carbon monoxide. To assure that the data collected with this system are correctly aligned with other established methods for making these measurements, an intercalibration study was conducted. The calibration gas was analyzed by the various participating laboratories and found to contain 1.28 ppm CO. Samples were collected at 25 deg, 35 deg, and 45 deg N for profile data to study the variation in concentrations of CO and CH4 as a function of altitude and latitude in continental air over the eastern seaboard of the United States. The experiment was repeated several months later to determine if there were seasonally dependent variations in the CO and CH4 concentrations

A semiotic approach to the use of metaphor in human-computer interfaces

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University, 20/9/1999.Although metaphors are common in computing, particularly in human-computer interfaces, opinion is divided on their usefulness to users and little evidence is available to help the designer in choosing or implementing them. Effective use of metaphors depends on understanding their role in the computer interface, which in tum means building a model of the metaphor process. This thesis examines some of the approaches which might be taken in constructing such a model before choosing one and testing its applicability to interface design. Earlier research into interface metaphors used experimental psychology techniques which proved useful in showing the benefits or drawbacks of specific metaphors, but did not give a general model of the metaphor process. A cognitive approach based on mental models has proved more successful in offering an overall model of the process, although this thesis questions whether the researchers tested it adequately. Other approaches which have examined the metaphor process (though not in the context of human-computer interaction) have come from linguistic fields, most notably semiotics, which extends linguistics to non-verbal communication and thus could cover graphical user interfaces (GUls). The main work described in this thesis was the construction of a semiotic model of human-computer interaction. The basic principle of this is that even the simplest element of the user interface will signify many simultaneous meanings to the user. Before building the model, a set of assertions and questions was developed to check the validity of the principles on which the model was based. Each of these was then tested by a technique appropriate to the type of issue raised. Rhetorical analysis was used to establish that metaphor is commonplace in command-line languages, in addition to its more obvious use in GUIs. A simple semiotic analysis, or deconstruction, of the Macintosh user interface was then used to establish the validity of viewing user interfaces as semiotic systems. Finally, an experiment was carried out to test a mental model approach proposed by previous researchers. By extending their original experiment to more realistically complex interfaces and tasks and using a more typical user population, it was shown that users do not always develop mental models of the type proposed in the original research. The experiment also provided evidence to support the existence of multiple layers of signification. Based on the results of the preliminary studies, a simple means of testing the semiotic model's relevance to interface design was developed, using an interview technique. The proposed interview technique was then used to question two groups of users about a simple interface element. Two independent researchers then carried out a content analysis of the responses. The mean number of significations in each interview, as categorised by the researchers, was 15. The levels of signification were rapidly revealed, with the mean time for each interview being under two minutes, providing effective evidence that interfaces signify many meanings to users, a substantial number of which are easily retrievable. It is proposed that the interview technique could provide a practical and valuable tool for systems analysis and interface designers. Finally, areas for further research are proposed, in particular to ascertain how the model and the interview technique could be integrated with other design methods

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2012 AMERICAN COLLEGE OF RHEUMATOLOGY GUIDELINES FOR MANAGEMENT OF GOUT IN A SAMPLE OF MIDWESTERN NATIVE AMERICANS

Gout is a well understood, yet poorly treated condition that is associated with many co-morbidities including hypertension, renal and cardiac disease, metabolic syndrome, central obesity and type-2 diabetes. The American Indian population is at risk for gout due an increased incidence of type-2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and alcohol abuse. The purpose of this scholarly project was to implement the 2012 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines in a sample of Tribal members within mid-western portions of the United States. This scholarly project utilized a quasi-experimental research design with pretest – posttest methods to measure uric acid levels at baseline and at six months after implementation of the ACR guidelines. The Cox (2003) interaction model of client health behavior was used as a theoretical framework to guide the scholarly project. A paired t-test was used to compare mean uric acid levels (6.41 mg/dL) prior to the intervention with uric acid levels (6.36 mg/dL) after the intervention. Results from the statistical analysis did not yield statically significant results (p = 0.52). The findings of the study support the conclusion that gout is poorly managed by healthcare providers and additional support and resources are needed to improve patient care outcomes

Three field tests of a gas filter correlation radiometer

Test flights to remotely measure nonurban carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations by gas filter correlation radiometry are discussed. The inferred CO concentrations obtained through use of the Gas Filter Correlation Radiometer (GFCR) agreed with independent measurements obtained by gas chromatography air sample bottle analysis to within 20 percent. The equipment flown on board the aircraft, the flight test procedure, the gas chromatograph direct air sampling procedure, and the GFCR data analysis procedure are reported

Radio continuum and far-infrared emission from the galaxies in the Eridanus group

The Eridanus galaxies follow the well-known radio-FIR correlation. Majority (70%) of these galaxies have their star formation rates below that of the Milky Way. The galaxies having a significant excess of radio emission are identified as low luminosity AGNs based on their radio morphologies obtained from the GMRT observations. There are no powerful AGNs (L{20cm} > 10^{23} W Hz^{-1}) in the group. The two most far-infrared and radio luminous galaxies in the group have optical and HI morphologies suggestive of recent tidal interactions. The Eridanus group also has two far-infrared luminous but radio-deficient galaxies. It is believed that these galaxies are observed within a few Myr of the onset of an intense star formation episode after being quiescent for at least a 100 Myr. The upper end of the radio luminosity distribution of the Eridanus galaxies (L_{20cm} ~ 10^{22} W Hz^{-1}) is consistent with that of the field galaxies, other groups, and late-type galaxies in nearby clusters.Comment: 16 pages; Accepted for publication in Journal of Astroph. & Astron. March, 200

Uterine Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Its Unfolded Protein Response May Regulate Caspase 3 Activation in the Pregnant Mouse Uterus

We have previously proposed that uterine caspase-3 may modulate uterine contractility in a gestationally regulated fashion. The objective of this study was to determine the mechanism by which uterine caspase-3 is activated and consequently controlled in the pregnant uterus across gestation. Utilizing the mouse uterus as our gestational model we examined the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways and the endoplasmic reticulum stress response as potential activators of uterine caspase-3 at the transcriptional and translational level. Our study revealed robust activation of the uterine myocyte endoplasmic reticulum stress response and its adaptive unfolded protein response during pregnancy coinciding respectively with increased uterine caspase-3 activity and its withdrawal to term. In contrast the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways remained inactive across gestation. We speculate that physiological stimuli experienced by the pregnant uterus likely potentiates the uterine myocyte endoplasmic reticulum stress response resulting in elevated caspase-3 activation, which is isolated to the pregnant mouse myometrium. However as term approaches, activation of an elevated adaptive unfolded protein response acts to limit the endoplasmic reticulum stress response inhibiting caspase-3 resulting in its decline towards term. We speculate that these events have the capacity to regulate gestational length in a caspase-3 dependent manne

Cultural Resources Survey of a Proposed Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant, El Paso County, Texas

On July 31, 2015 Versar Inc. performed a linear pedestrian survey which followed the standards outlined under THC’s Archaeological Survey Standards for Texas and Rules of Practice and Procedure for the Antiquities Code of Texas on 8.8 acres of land in east El Paso, El Paso County, Texas. The proposed survey parcel is positioned between Global Reach Drive and the Kay Bailey Hutchison Desalination Plant, north of Montana Avenue (U.S. Highway 62/180). The area of potential effect is on property owned by El Paso International Airport, a sub-entity of the City of El Paso. The project goal was to identify all prehistoric and historic archaeological sites in the survey parcel and make National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility recommendations for any newly discovered sites. The survey documented no cultural resource sites and only seven isolated finds; the isolated finds were fully documented and are not eligible for a NRHP recommendation. Due to the lack of cultural resources and a general absence of geomorphic/cultural context, no further work is recommended for the APE proposed for the reverse osmosis water treatment plant

Cultural Resources Survey of the Proposed North 2 Elevated Storage Tank and Access Road, El Paso County, Texas

On 23 November 2016, Versar Inc. performed a pedestrian survey for the proposed No 2. Elevated Storage Tank and access Road. The inventory followed the standards outlined under THC’s Archaeological Survey Standards for Texas and Rules of Practice and Procedure for the Antiquities Code of Texas for 5.94 acres of land in northeast El Paso, El Paso County, Texas. The proposed survey parcel is positioned adjacent to U.S. Highway 54-along the east-northeast margin of the highway. The rectangular parcel terminates immediately south of the existing Kinder Morgan pipeline ROW corridor. The area of potential effect is on property owned by El Paso Water, a sub-entity of the City of El Paso. The project goal was to identify all prehistoric and historic archaeological sites in the survey parcel and make National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) eligibility recommendations for any newly discovered sites. The survey documented no cultural resource sites and no isolated finds. Due to the lack of cultural resources and a general absence of geomorphic/cultural context, no further work is recommended for the APE proposed for the No. 2 Elevated Storage Tank and access Road

Quasars in the MAMBO blank field survey

Our MAMBO 1.2 mm blank field imaging survey of ~0.75 sqd has uncovered four unusually bright sources, with flux densities between 10 and 90 mJy, all located in the Abell 2125 field. The three brightest are flat spectrum radio sources with bright optical and X-ray counterparts. Their mm and radio flux densities are variable on timescales of months. Their X-ray luminosities classify them as quasars. The faintest of the four mm bright sources appears to be a bright, radio-quiet starburst at z~3, similar to the sources seen at lower flux densities in the MAMBO and SCUBA surveys. It may also host a mildly obscured AGN of quasar-like X-ray luminosity. The three non-thermal mm sources imply an areal density of flat spectrum radio sources higher by at least 7 compared with that expected from an extrapolation of the lower frequency radio number counts.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures. Accepted for publication by A&