Goddard Visiting Scientist Program for the Space and Earth Sciences Directorate

A visiting scientist program was conducted in the space and earth sciences at GSFC. Research was performed in the following areas: astronomical observations; broadband x-ray spectral variability; ground-based spectroscopic and photometric studies; Seyfert galaxies; active galactic nuclei (AGN); massive stellar black holes; the differential microwave radiometer (DMR) onboard the cosmic background explorer (COBE); atmospheric models; and airborne and ground based radar observations. The specific research efforts are detailed by tasks

Goddard Visiting Scientist Program for the Space and Earth Sciences Directorate

Progress reports of the Visiting Scientist Program covering the period from 1 Jul. - 30 Sep. 1992 are included. Topics covered include space science and earth science. Other topics covered include cosmic rays, magnetic clouds, solar wind, satellite data, high resolution radiometer, and microwave scattering

A visiting scientist program for the burst and transient source experiment

During this project, Universities Space Research Association provided program management and the administration for overseeing the performance of the total contractual effort. The program director and administrative staff provided the expertise and experience needed to efficiently manage the program.USRA provided a program coordinator and v visiting scientists to perform scientific research with Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) data. This research was associated with the primary scientific objectives of BATSE and with the various BATSE collaborations which were formed in response to the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Guest Investigator Program. USRA provided administration for workshops, colloquia, the preparation of scientific documentation, etc. and also provided flexible program support in order to meet the on-going needs of MSFC's BATSE program. USRA performed tasks associated with the recovery, archiving, and processing of scientific data from BATSE. A bibliography of research in the astrophysics discipline is attached as Appendix 1. Visiting Scientists and Research Associates performed activities on this project, and their technical reports are attached as Appendix 2

Letters between Frank R. Arnold and William Kerr

Letters concerning a position in the modern languages department at Utah Agricultural College

Letters between Frank M. Life and W. J. Kerr

Letters concerning a position in science or mathematics at Utah Agricultural College

Narrative identity reconstruction as adaptive growth during mental health recovery: A narrative coaching boardgame approach

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to construct a conceptual framework for investigating the reconstruction of narrative identity in mental health recovery from a complexity perspective. This conceptual framework provides the foundation for developing a health boardgame to facilitate narrative identity reconstruction. Methods: A selective integrative review of the theoretical and empirical literature relevant to narrative identity reconstruction in recovery was conducted. Sources included books, dissertations, internet resources, and professional journals. Findings: The reviewed material provides a conceptual framework that offers an enriched understanding of narrative identity reconstruction in recovery as a process of adaptive growth. It identifies the Hero\u27s Journey, the life story model of identity (LSMI), and intentional change theory (ITC) as particularly relevant in informing strategies for narrative identity reconstruction. The conceptual framework can be operationalized in a narrative coaching treatment approach using a boardgame. Conclusion and Implications for Practice: In practice, mental health professionals could use the narrative coaching boardgame to facilitate people\u27s adaptive change with a focus on building skills to reconstruct their preferred narrative identity and foster hope. Future research should explore what aspects of narrative identity and non-linear dynamic processes of change are most important in people\u27s recovery narratives and in particular these processes can be assessed in response to the use of the boardgame

Effects of Silvicultural Practices on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen in a Nitrogen Saturated Central Appalachian (USA) Hardwood Forest Ecosystem

Silvicultural treatments represent disturbances to forest ecosystems often resulting in transient increases in net nitrification and leaching of nitrate and base cations from the soil. Response of soil carbon (C) is more complex, decreasing from enhanced soil respiration and increasing from enhanced postharvest inputs of detritus. Because nitrogen (N) saturation can have similar effects on cation mobility, timber harvesting in N-saturated forests may contribute to a decline in both soil C and base cation fertility, decreasing tree growth. Although studies have addressed effects of either forest harvesting or N saturation separately, few data exist on their combined effects. Our study examined the responses of soil C and N to several commercially used silvicultural treatments within the Fernow Experimental Forest, West Virginia, USA, a site with N-saturated soils. Soil analyses included soil organic matter (SOM), C, N, C/N ratios, pH, and net nitrification. We hypothesized the following gradient of disturbance intensity among silvicultural practices (from most to least intense): even-age with intensive harvesting (EA-I), even-age with extensive harvesting, even-age with commercial harvesting, diameter limit, and single-tree harvesting (ST). We anticipated that effects on soil C and N would be greatest for EA-I and least with ST. Tree species exhibited a response to the gradient of disturbance intensity, with early successional species more predominant in high-intensity treatments and late successional species more predominant in low-intensity treatments. Results for soil variables, however, generally did not support our predictions, with few significant differences among treatments and between treatments and their paired controls for any of the measured soil variables. Multiple regression indicated that the best predictors for net nitrification among samples were SOM (positive relationship) and pH (negative relationship). This finding confirms the challenge of sustainable management of N-saturated forests

Elevator availability and its impact on stair use in a workplace

Consistent success in encouraging stair climbing on public access staircases contrasts with equivocal evidence for effectiveness in worksites. This paper tests whether contextual factors may affect stair/elevator choice. The study investigated the impact of elevator availability, pedestrian traffic (number using the elevator and stairs per minute), building occupancy (total individuals in the building) and time of day on stair ascent and descent in a workplace. Stair and elevator choices were monitored by automatic counters every weekday during two phases. In a natural experiment, days with four available elevators were compared with days when three elevators were available. Stair use increased for three elevators compared to four. Increasing building occupancy was associated with increased stair use, whilst increasing pedestrian traffic and time of day was associated with reduced stair use. A follow-up study revealed complimentary effects of building occupancy and time of day on elevator waiting times, indicating that increased stair use by contextual factors reflects increased elevator waiting times. In contrast, shorter waiting times are likely when momentary pedestrian traffic is high and later in the day. Crucially, the magnitude of the effects of these contextual factors was ten times larger than previously reported effects of stair climbing interventions

Visible light nitrogen dioxide spectrophotometer intercomparison: Mount Kobau, British Columbia, July 28 to August 10, 1991

Under the auspices of the World Meteorological Organization, Environment Canada hosted an international comparison of visible light spectrophotometers at Mt. Kobau, British Columbia in August of 1991. Instruments from four countries were involved. The intercomparison results have indicated that some significant differences exist in the responses of the various instruments, and have provided a basis for the comparison of the historical data sets which currently exist as a result of the independent researches carried out in the past in the former Soviet Union, New Zealand, and Canada

Diet-induced obesity leads to behavioral indicators of pain preceding structural joint damage in wild-type mice

Introduction: Obesity is one of the largest modifiable risk factors for the development of musculoskeletal diseases, including intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration and back pain. Despite the clinical association, no studies have directly assessed whether diet-induced obesity accelerates IVD degeneration, back pain, or investigated the biological mediators underlying this association. In this study, we examine the effects of chronic consumption of a high-fat or high-fat/high-sugar (western) diet on the IVD, knee joint, and pain-associated outcomes. Methods: Male C57BL/6N mice were randomized into one of three diet groups (chow control; high-fat; high-fat, high-sugar western diet) at 10 weeks of age and remained on the diet for 12, 24, or 40 weeks. At endpoint, animals were assessed for behavioral indicators of pain, joint tissues were collected for histological and molecular analysis, serum was collected to assess for markers of systemic inflammation, and IBA-1, GFAP, and CGRP were measured in spinal cords by immunohistochemistry. Results: Animals fed obesogenic (high-fat or western) diets showed behavioral indicators of pain beginning at 12 weeks and persisting up to 40 weeks of diet consumption. Histological indicators of moderate joint degeneration were detected in the IVD and knee following 40 weeks on the experimental diets. Mice fed the obesogenic diets showed synovitis, increased intradiscal expression of inflammatory cytokines and circulating levels of MCP-1 compared to control. Linear regression modeling demonstrated that age and diet were both significant predictors of most pain-related behavioral outcomes, but not histopathological joint degeneration. Synovitis was associated with alterations in spontaneous activity. Conclusion: Diet-induced obesity accelerates IVD degeneration and knee OA in mice; however, pain-related behaviors precede and are independent of histopathological structural damage. These findings contribute to understanding the source of obesity-related back pain and the contribution of structural IVD degeneration