Magellan stereo images and Venusian geology

Areas of Venus imaged by Magellan radar with multiple viewing conditions provide unique data that will contribute to the solution of venusian geologic problems and provide a basis for quantitative comparison of venusian landforms with those on other planetary bodies. Three sets of images with different viewing conditions have been acquired: (1) left-looking with variable incidence angles (cycle 1 profile), (2) right-looking with nearly constant incidence angles (cycle 2 profile), and (3) left-looking with variable incidence angles that are almost always smaller than those in (1) (cycle 3 profiles). The unique data provided by paired images of the same scene with different incidence angles arises from image displacements caused by the relief of individual landforms at scales comparable to the ground-range and azimuth resolutions of the images. There are two aspects of the data: (1) Stereopsis achieved by simultaneous viewing of paired left-looking images of the same scene permits three-dimensional perception and interpretation of the morphologies of landforms at resolutions much finer than the altimetry footprints. (2) Measurements of differences of image displacements (parallax) on paired images with known imaging geometries provide quantitative estimates of the relief and shapes of landforms. The potential scientific contributions of the data can be grouped into two interrelated classes: (A) geologic mapping, analysis, and interpretation and (B) topical studies that involve topographic measurements. Stereopsis, without quantitative measurements, enhances geologic mapping, analysis, and interpretation of the rock units of Venus to a degree that cannot be overestimated. In geologic mapping, assemblages of landforms, assessments of backscatter and variations in backscatter, and fine-scale topography are used to define and characterize geologic map units that represent laterally continuous deposits or rock units. Stereopsis adds the important dimension of local relief for characterization of geologic units at a scale that is not possible with Magellan altimetry or products derived from the altimetry. Relative ages of the geologic units are determined using the well-known principles of superposition and intersection. Here, the perception of relief is invaluable because superposition relations among the geological units are more readily and clearly established. The recognition of folds, faults, and fault systems, regardless of their orientations, is facilitated with stereopsis so that sequences of deformation of the geologic units can be determined and structural analyses vastly improved. Shapes of landforms are readily perceived so that they can be properly interpreted. The end result of the mapping, analyses, and interpretations is a geologic history of Venus that includes the sequences of formation and deformation of various geologic units. Measurements of relief at the finest scale possible are necessary for numerous topical studies. Standard altimetry will provide the necessary information on the relief of most large landforms, but it tends to underestimate the relief of small landforms and distorts their shapes. Although special processing of the altimeter echoes improves the estimates of the relief and shapes of some landforms, there are uncertainties in the interpretations of the echoes. Examples of topical studies requiring measurements of relief are given

An Analysis of State-Level Economic Impacts from the Development of Wind Power Plants in Box Elder County, Utah

This report provides an overview of the state of Utah’s development of its wind resources for the generation of electricity and an economic analysis of potential wind development in Box Elder County, Utah. This analysis draws on information from local wind developers and utilizes the Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) model (version W1.10.03) developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to estimate the total economic impacts (labor, supply chain, and induced) that could result from the development of a wind power plant in Box Elder County. Findings detail how a Box Elder County wind power plant could benefit the state in terms of job opportunities (during both construction and operations), lease payments to landowners, property tax revenues for local schools and communities, and overall economic output for the state

An Analysis of State-Level Economic Impacts from the Development of Wind Power Plants in Wayne County, Utah

This report provides an overview of the state of Utah’s development of its wind resources for the generation of electricity and an economic analysis of potential wind development in Wayne County, Utah. This analysis draws on information from local wind developers and utilizes the Jobs and Economic Development Impact (JEDI) model (version W1.10.03) developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to estimate the total economic impacts (labor, supply chain, and induced) that could result from the development of a wind power plant in Wayne County. Findings detail how a Wayne County wind power plant could benefit the state in terms of job opportunities (during both construction and operations), lease payments to landowners, property tax revenues for local schools and communities, and overall economic output for the state

When Shelf-based Scarcity Impacts Consumer Preferences

Scarcity has long been known to impact consumers' choices. Yet, the impact of shelf-based scarcity in retail environments, created by stocking level depletion, has received almost no attention in the literature. Indeed, little research to date has even examined if consumers will attend to shelf-based scarcity in retail environments, much less how this cue can impact choice. A priori, given the inherently noisy and cue-filled nature of retail environments, it is quite reasonable to expect that shelf-based scarcity would play little to no role in consumers' choices. However, across six chapters, this dissertation demonstrates that shelf-based scarcity can impact consumers' choices and identifies the mechanism underlying these effects. To begin, Chapter 1 introduces the research question, while Chapter 2 outlines the relevant extant literature and develops the hypotheses to be tested. Chapter 3 demonstrates not only that shelf-based scarcity can impact choices, but also that it does so through the inferences that it induces (i.e., the process through which shelf-based scarcity impacts choice is an inferential one). Chapter 4 examines moderators of the effect, demonstrating that shelf-based scarcity effects are reversed when popular products are considered undesirable. Further, Chapter 4 shows that (i) the shelf locations of the available alternatives and (ii) the consumer's concern about persuasion attempts can impact the inferences that consumers make regarding shelf-based scarcity, thereby attenuating its impact on choice. Next, Chapter 5 focuses its attention on the robustness of shelf-based scarcity effects, showing that shelf-based scarcity impacts choices when (i) the choice is made either for oneself or for others, (ii) sales ranking, objective quality, or brand name information is available, and (iii) the choices being made are real. Chapter 5 also demonstrates two boundary conditions under which shelf-based scarcity effects are attenuated or overwhelmed. Specifically, shelf-based scarcity does not impact choices either when the consumer has prior strong preferences or when a price promotion is available in the category of interest. Finally, Chapter 6 closes this dissertation with a summary of the findings as well as a discussion of the implications of this work, its limitations, and potentially fruitful directions for future research

An ex vivo gene therapy approach to treat muscular dystrophy using inducible pluripotent stem cells.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a progressive and incurable neuromuscular disease caused by genetic and biochemical defects of the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex. Here we show the regenerative potential of myogenic progenitors derived from corrected dystrophic induced pluripotent stem cells generated from fibroblasts of mice lacking both dystrophin and utrophin. We correct the phenotype of dystrophic induced pluripotent stem cells using a Sleeping Beauty transposon system carrying the micro-utrophin gene, differentiate these cells into skeletal muscle progenitors and transplant them back into dystrophic mice. Engrafted muscles displayed large numbers of micro-utrophin-positive myofibers, with biochemically restored dystrophin-glycoprotein complex and improved contractile strength. The transplanted cells seed the satellite cell compartment, responded properly to injury and exhibit neuromuscular synapses. We also detect muscle engraftment after systemic delivery of these corrected progenitors. These results represent an important advance towards the future treatment of muscular dystrophies using genetically corrected autologous induced pluripotent stem cells

Concurrent Validity of the Gambling Functional Assessment (GFA):Correlations with the South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS)and Indicators of Diagnostic Efficiency

Concurrent validity of the recently introduced Gambling Functional Assessment (GFA) was assessed by comparison with the long-used South Oaks Gambling Screen (SOGS) in two nonclinical adult samples (N = 201, 49% female; N=101, 74% female). Correlations between GFA total scores and its four content scores with SOGS scores were promising (r = .04 to .61), with the content score relating to Escape yielding the highest correlations (.45, .61) and the score relating to Attention yielding the lowest. Performance in the second sample, where the SOGS-defined base rate of pathological gambling (28.7%) was high, was best for Escape scores, which efficiently categorized SOGS-defined cases. The present data suggest that the GFA content area of Escape shows promise at classifying pathological versus nonpathological gambling, while the GFA as a whole may be a useful treatment tool, allowing clinicians to identify the mechanisms that may be maintaining gambling in their patients seeking treatment for pathological gambling

A conserved morphogenetic mechanism for epidermal ensheathment of nociceptive sensory neurites.

Interactions between epithelial cells and neurons influence a range of sensory modalities including taste, touch, and smell. Vertebrate and invertebrate epidermal cells ensheath peripheral arbors of somatosensory neurons, including nociceptors, yet the developmental origins and functional roles of this ensheathment are largely unknown. Here, we describe an evolutionarily conserved morphogenetic mechanism for epidermal ensheathment of somatosensory neurites. We found that somatosensory neurons in Drosophila and zebrafish induce formation of epidermal sheaths, which wrap neurites of different types of neurons to different extents. Neurites induce formation of plasma membrane phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate microdomains at nascent sheaths, followed by a filamentous actin network, and recruitment of junctional proteins that likely form autotypic junctions to seal sheaths. Finally, blocking epidermal sheath formation destabilized dendrite branches and reduced nociceptive sensitivity in Drosophila. Epidermal somatosensory neurite ensheathment is thus a deeply conserved cellular process that contributes to the morphogenesis and function of nociceptive sensory neurons

Thermography Inspection for Early Detection of Composite Damage in Structures During Fatigue Loading

Advanced composite structures are commonly tested under controlled loading. Understanding the initiation and progression of composite damage under load is critical for validating design concepts and structural analysis tools. Thermal nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is used to detect and characterize damage in composite structures during fatigue loading. A difference image processing algorithm is demonstrated to enhance damage detection and characterization by removing thermal variations not associated with defects. In addition, a one-dimensional multilayered thermal model is used to characterize damage. Lastly, the thermography results are compared to other inspections such as non-immersion ultrasonic inspections and computed tomography X-ray

An early MIS 3 pluvial phase in Southeast Arabia: climatic and archaeological implications

Climatic changes in Arabia are of critical importance to our understanding of both monsoon variability and the dispersal of anatomically modern humans (AMH) out of Africa. The timing of dispersal is associated with the occurrence of pluvial periods during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 5 (ca. 130–74 ka), after which arid conditions between ca. 74 and 10.5 ka are thought to have restricted further migration and range expansion within the Arabian interior. Whilst a number of records indicate that this phase of aridity was punctuated by an increase in monsoon strength during MIS 3, uncertainties regarding the precision of terrestrial records and suitability of marine archives as records of precipitation, mean that the occurrence of this pluvial remains debated. Here we present evidence from a series of relict lake deposits within southeastern Arabia, which formed at the onset of MIS 3 (ca. 61–58 ka). At this time, the incursion of monsoon rainfall into the Arabian interior activated a network of channels associated with an alluvial fan system along the western flanks of the Hajar Mountains, leading to lake formation. Multiproxy evidence indicates that precipitation increases intermittently recharged fluvial systems within the region, leading to lake expansion in distal fan zones. Conversely, decreased precipitation led to reduced channel flow, lake contraction and a shift to saline conditions. These findings are in contrast to the many other palaeoclimatic records from Arabia, which suggest that during MIS 3, the latitudinal position of the monsoon was substantially further south and did not penetrate the peninsula. Additionally, the occurrence of increased rainfall at this time challenges the notion that the climate of Arabia following MIS 5 was too harsh to permit the further range expansion of indigenous communities