Process improvements for training and leave systems

This project's goal is to develop a process or method for training and leave systems that is accessible and user friendly for all employees by FY 98/99

A Microbiome-Based Index for Assessing Skin Health and Treatment Effects for Atopic Dermatitis in Children.

A quantitative and objective indicator for skin health via the microbiome is of great interest for personalized skin care, but differences among skin sites and across human populations can make this goal challenging. A three-city (two Chinese and one American) comparison of skin microbiota from atopic dermatitis (AD) and healthy pediatric cohorts revealed that, although city has the greatest effect size (the skin microbiome can predict the originated city with near 100% accuracy), a microbial index of skin health (MiSH) based on 25 bacterial genera can diagnose AD with 83 to ∼95% accuracy within each city and 86.4% accuracy across cities (area under the concentration-time curve [AUC], 0.90). Moreover, nonlesional skin sites across the bodies of AD-active children (which include shank, arm, popliteal fossa, elbow, antecubital fossa, knee, neck, and axilla) harbor a distinct but lesional state-like microbiome that features relative enrichment of Staphylococcus aureus over healthy individuals, confirming the extension of microbiome dysbiosis across body surface in AD patients. Intriguingly, pretreatment MiSH classifies children with identical AD clinical symptoms into two host types with distinct microbial diversity and treatment effects of corticosteroid therapy. These findings suggest that MiSH has the potential to diagnose AD, assess risk-prone state of skin, and predict treatment response in children across human populations.IMPORTANCE MiSH, which is based on the skin microbiome, can quantitatively assess pediatric skin health across cohorts from distinct countries over large geographic distances. Moreover, the index can identify a risk-prone skin state and compare treatment effect in children, suggesting applications in diagnosis and patient stratification

Landsat Data Continuity Mission Calibration and Validation

The primary payload for the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) is the Operational Land Imager (OLI), being built by Ball Aerospace and Technologies, under contract to NASA. The OLI has spectral bands similar to the Landsat-7 ETM+, minus the thermal band and with two new bands, a 443 nm band and 1375 nm cirrus detection band. On-board calibration systems include two solar diffusers (routine and pristine), a shutter and three sets of internal lamps (routine, backup and pristine). Being a pushbroom opposed to a whiskbroom design of ETM+, the system poses new challenges for characterization and calibration, chief among them being the large focal plane with 75000+ detectors. A comprehensive characterization and calibration plan is in place for the instrument and the data throughout the mission including Ball, NASA and the United States Geological Survey, which will take over operations of LDCM after on-orbit commissioning. Driving radiometric calibration requirements for OLI data include radiance calibration to 5% uncertainty (1 q); reflectance calibration to 3% uncertainty (1 q) and relative (detector-to-detector) calibration to 0.5% (J (r). Driving geometric calibration requirements for OLI include bandto- band registration of 4.5 meters (90% confidence), absolute geodetic accuracy of 65 meters (90% CE) and relative geodetic accuracy of 25 meters (90% CE). Key spectral, spatial and radiometric characterization of the OLI will occur in thermal vacuum at Ball Aerospace. During commissioning the OLI will be characterized and calibrated using celestial (sun, moon, stars) sources and terrestrial sources. The USGS EROS ground processing system will incorporate an image assessment system similar to Landsat-7 for characterization and calibration. This system will have the added benefit that characterization data will be extracted as part of the normal image data processing, so that the characterization data available will be significantly larger than for Landsat-7 ETM+

Potential predictability of rapid changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation

We explore the potential predictability of rapid changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) using a coupled global climate model (HadCM3). Rapid changes in the temperature and salinity of surface water in the Nordic Seas, and the flow of dense water through Denmark Strait, are found to be precursors to rapid changes in the model's MOC, with a lead time of around 10 years. The mechanism proposed to explain this potential predictability relies on the development of density anomalies in the Nordic Seas which propagate through Denmark Strait and along the deep western boundary current, affecting the overturning. These rapid changes in the MOC have significant, and widespread, climate impacts which are potentially predictable a few years ahead. Whilst the flow through Denmark Strait is too strong in HadCM3, the presence of such potential predictability motivates the monitoring of water properties in the Nordic Seas and Denmark Strait

Potential predictability of rapid changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation

We explore the potential predictability of rapid changes in the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) using a coupled global climate model (HadCM3). Rapid changes in the temperature and salinity of surface water in the Nordic Seas, and the flow of dense water through Denmark Strait, are found to be precursors to rapid changes in the model's MOC, with a lead time of around 10 years. The mechanism proposed to explain this potential predictability relies on the development of density anomalies in the Nordic Seas which propagate through Denmark Strait and along the deep western boundary current, affecting the overturning. These rapid changes in the MOC have significant, and widespread, climate impacts which are potentially predictable a few years ahead. Whilst the flow through Denmark Strait is too strong in HadCM3, the presence of such potential predictability motivates the monitoring of water properties in the Nordic Seas and Denmark Strait

Domains growth and packing properties in driven granular media subject to gravity

We study the dynamical properties of recently introduced frustrated lattice gas models (IFLG and Tetris) for granular media under gentle shaking. We consider both the case where grains have inter-grain surface interactions and the case where they have not, corresponding, for instance, to the presence or absence of moisture in the packs. To characterise the grains packing structure, we discuss the properties of density distribution. In particular, we consider the phenomenon of grains domains formation under compaction. New results amenable of experimental check are discussed along with some important differences between the dynamics of the present models.Comment: 7 pages, 6 postscript files for figure

Comet 322P/<i>SOHO</i>1: an asteroid with the smallest perihelion distance?

We observed comet 322P/SOHO 1 (P/1999 R1) from the ground and with the Spitzer Space Telescope when it was between 2.2 and 1.2 au from the Sun. These are the first observations of any Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)-discovered periodic comet by a non-solar observatory and allow us to investigate its behavior under typical cometary circumstances. 322P appeared inactive in all images. Its light curve suggests a rotation period of 2.8 ± 0.3 hr and has an amplitude ≳0.3 mag, implying a density of at least 1000 kg m−3, considerably higher than that of any known comet. It has average colors of g' - r'=0.52 ± 0.04 and r' - i' = 0.03 ± 0.06. We converted these to Johnson colors and found that the V − R color is consistent with average cometary colors, but R − I is somewhat bluer; these colors are most similar to V- and Q-type asteroids. Modeling of the optical and IR photometry suggests it has a diameter of 150–320 m and a geometric albedo of 0.09–0.42, with diameter and albedo inversely related. Our upper limits to any undetected coma are still consistent with a sublimation lifetime shorter than the typical dynamical lifetimes for Jupiter-family comets. These results suggest that 322P may be of asteroidal origin and only active in the SOHO fields of view via processes different from the volatile-driven activity of traditional comets. If so, it has the smallest perihelion distance of any known asteroid

The social value of housing in straitened times: The view from England

This paper provides a commentary on the contemporary housing crisis in England and links it to broader questions of role of housing in capitalist economies and societies. It starts with the assumptions that housing and community development issues are linked to the wider housing market and that the housing crisis is not new but has long-run antecedents. The paper begins by reviewing the contemporary terrain of housing markets and policies in the UK. It then discusses several aspects of ‘crisis’: market volatility, rates of new supply, affordability, state welfare subsidies and socio-spatial inequalities. Policy responses to these are examined through a discussion of efforts to expand the role of the private rented sector, sell-off ‘expensive’ public housing and curtail market renewal investments. The paper concludes that current conceptualisations of the value of housing are often partial and insufficiently integrative and that policies must explicitly recognise housing as a social and economic asset

MODIS. Volume 2: MODIS level 1 geolocation, characterization and calibration algorithm theoretical basis document, version 1

The EOS Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) is being developed by NASA for flight on the Earth Observing System (EOS) series of satellites, the first of which (EOS-AM-1) is scheduled for launch in 1998. This document describes the algorithms and their theoretical basis for the MODIS Level 1B characterization, calibration, and geolocation algorithms which must produce radiometrically, spectrally, and spatially calibrated data with sufficient accuracy so that Global change research programs can detect minute changes in biogeophysical parameters. The document first describes the geolocation algorithm which determines geodetic latitude, longitude, and elevation of each MODIS pixel and the determination of geometric parameters for each observation (satellite zenith angle, satellite azimuth, range to the satellite, solar zenith angle, and solar azimuth). Next, the utilization of the MODIS onboard calibration sources, which consist of the Spectroradiometric Calibration Assembly (SRCA), Solar Diffuser (SD), Solar Diffuser Stability Monitor (SDSM), and the Blackbody (BB), is treated. Characterization of these sources and integration of measurements into the calibration process is described. Finally, the use of external sources, including the Moon, instrumented sites on the Earth (called vicarious calibration), and unsupervised normalization sites having invariant reflectance and emissive properties is treated. Finally, algorithms for generating utility masks needed for scene-based calibration are discussed. Eight appendices are provided, covering instrument design and additional algorithm details