University System of New Hampshire

We applied a version of the Regional Hydro‐Ecologic Simulation System (RHESSys) that implements snow redistribution, elevation partitioning, and wind‐driven sublimation to Loch Vale Watershed (LVWS), an alpine‐subalpine Rocky Mountain catchment where snow accumulation and ablation dominate the hydrologic cycle. We compared simulated discharge to measured discharge and the simulated snow distribution to photogrammetrically rectified aerial (remotely sensed) images. Snow redistribution was governed by a topographic similarity index. We subdivided each hillslope into elevation bands that had homogeneous climate extrapolated from observed climate. We created a distributed wind speed field that was used in conjunction with daily measured wind speeds to estimate sublimation. Modeling snow redistribution was critical to estimating the timing and magnitude of discharge. Incorporating elevation partitioning improved estimated timing of discharge but did not improve patterns of snow cover since wind was the dominant controller of areal snow patterns. Simulating wind‐driven sublimation was necessary to predict moisture losses.

The high prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) among adolescent and young adult women and the causal association between certain types of HPV and cervical cancer make regular gynecological screening and Pap smear testing essential health practices for young women. In this study, we used the constructs of the Health Belief Model (HBM) to examine the gynecological screening beliefs and behaviors of a sample of 400 college women. Although the constructs of the model were able to explain only 15% of the variance in screening behavior and 11% of screening intentions, the use of the HBM framework resulted in important information regarding the participants' beliefs.

Empirical studies of legislative demand for higher education, using cross-sectional date for all 50 states, have not found much evidence that economic and demographic factors influence state higher education appropriations. This study uses panel data on state appropriations from 1982 through 1996 to examine the sensitivity of the results from the legislative demand model to changes in statistical methodology employed. The results show that the signs and significance levels of variables used in the legislative demand model vary widely when ordinary least squares, fixed effects and two-stage least squares are used. In particular, after controlling for state effects in the panel data, a number of the expected relationships between state appropriations and both economic and demographic factors emerge. There is also some evedence that K-12 education is a significant competing interest group for higher education, and that the legislative demand functions for higher education vary by geographical region and whether funding formulae are used to help determine higher education appropriations.

Plant uptake of radionuclides is one of many vectors for introduction of contaminants into the human food chain. Thus, it is critical to understand soil-plant relationships that control nuclide bioavailability. Our objectives in this study were to (i) determine the extent of U and Th uptake and cycling by blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum Aiton) in native habitat and (ii) identify the soil properties and processes that contribute most to U and Th bioavailability in this system. We collected composite samples of plant leaves and stems, and samples from surface (AE) horizons and from the upper part of the Bs horizon at two sites. Concentration ratios (CRs) for U and Th were calculated for all plant tissues, using both the AE and Bs horizons as the base. Soil concentrations of U ranged from 16 to 25 microg g(-1), with a mean of 21.1 microg g(-1). Soil concentrations of Th ranged from 14 to 97 microg g(-1), with a mean of 41.8 microg g(-1). Mean U concentrations were 8.65 x 10(-3) microg g(-1) in leaf tissue, and 7.95 x 10(-3) microg g(-1) in stem tissue. Mean Th concentrations were 1.59 x 10(-1) microg g(-1) in leaf tissue, and 9.10 x 10(-2) microg g(-1) in stem tissue. Blueberry plants are cycling both U and Th in this system, with Th cycling occurring to a greater extent than U. In addition, Th was translocated preferentially to plant leaves while U concentrations showed little preferential translocation. Uranium uptake, however, seemed more sensitive than Th uptake to soil properties.

Recent empirical studies have shown that multi‐angle spectral data can be useful for predicting canopy height, but the physical reason for this correlation was not understood. We follow the concept of canopy spectral invariants, specifically escape probability, to gain insight into the observed correlation. Airborne Multi‐Angle Imaging Spectrometer (AirMISR) and airborne Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS) data acquired during a NASA Terrestrial Ecology Program aircraft campaign underlie our analysis. Two multivariate linear regression models were developed to estimate LVIS height measures from 28 AirMISR multi‐angle spectral reflectances and from the spectrally invariant escape probability at 7 AirMISR view angles. Both models achieved nearly the same accuracy, suggesting that canopy spectral invariant theory can explain the observed correlation. We hypothesize that the escape probability is sensitive to the aspect ratio (crown diameter to crown height). The multi‐angle spectral data alone therefore may not provide enough information to retrieve canopy height globally.

Abstract Pan‐Arctic riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes represent a major transfer of carbon from land‐to‐ocean, and past scaling estimates have been predominantly derived from the six major Arctic rivers. However, smaller watersheds are constrained to northern high‐latitude regions and, particularly with respect to the Eurasian Arctic, have received little attention. In this study, we evaluated the concentration of DOC and composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) via optical parameters, biomarkers (lignin phenols), and ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry in the Northern Dvina River (a midsized high‐latitude constrained river). Elevated DOC, lignin concentrations, and aromatic DOM indicators were observed throughout the year in comparison to the major Arctic rivers with seasonality exhibiting a clear spring freshet and also some years a secondary pulse in the autumn concurrent with the onset of freezing. Chromophoric DOM absorbance at a 350 was strongly correlated to DOC and lignin across the hydrograph; however, the relationships did not fit previous models derived from the six major Arctic rivers. Updated DOC and lignin fluxes were derived for the pan‐Arctic watershed by scaling from the Northern Dvina resulting in increased DOC and lignin fluxes (50 Tg yr −1 and 216 Gg yr −1 , respectively) compared to past estimates. This leads to a reduction in the residence time for terrestrial carbon in the Arctic Ocean (0.5 to 1.8 years). These findings suggest that constrained northern high‐latitude rivers are underrepresented in models of fluxes based from the six largest Arctic rivers with important ramifications for the export and fate of terrestrial carbon in the Arctic Ocean.

Attempts to clarify the concept of affinity and to distinguish it from other marketing‐related terms. Gives guidelines for differentiating three general levels of affinity groups, suggesting respective strategic implications. Offers a taxonomy for classifying sources from which types of affinity may emerge and provides a method for relating the affinity levels with the taxonomy in order to develop a marketing plan. Elaborates on future opportunities in the field.

This note states necessary, and sufficient conditions for the existence of a linear state feedback controller such that a second-order bilinear system has a globally asymptotically stable closed loop. A suitable controller is constructed for each system which satisfies the conditions.

Abstract A sample selection statistical procedure is used to correct for the effects on salary of gender bias in promotion from associate to full professor.

Abstract Aim To determine if recurrent fire accounts for bamboo‐dominated forests that cover about 180,000 km 2 of western Amazonia. Location Western Amazonia, including Los Amigos and Cocha Cashu, Peru, and Acre, Brazil. Methods We identified bamboo (B+) and closed‐canopy forests (B−) using a combination of MODIS imagery, Landsat TM imagery and field surveys. Local‐scale and landscape‐scale patterns of historical bamboo dynamics were analysed by collecting soil cores from B+ and B− sites across three regions. Soil charcoal within cores was used to document previous fire, and phytoliths were employed to reconstruct vegetational patterns through time. Results Fire occurred in B+ and B− sites with approximately equal frequencies in each region sampled. Between regions, fire signals were most prevalent at Los Amigos, with Cocha Cashu and Acre sites typically containing only trace amounts of charcoal. Vegetational state remained constant through time in both B+ and B− forests of Cocha Cashu and Acre. The persistence of bamboo through time is less clear at Los Amigos, with bamboo presence changing both spatially and temporally. Main conclusions Fire does not appear to be the driving mechanism behind current bamboo distributions, although it may facilitate bamboo invasion. Once established in an area, bamboo persistently dominates the vegetation structure over historical time‐scales at some sites (Cocha Cashu and Acre), but not at others (Los Amigos), which is likely to be a function of patch origin. Increasing human activity, including fire and deforestation, combined with predicted Amazonian drought, may allow bamboo to expand from its current distribution and replace typical Amazonian closed‐canopy forests. These structural changes in the forests have important implications for carbon storage, as Amazonian forests are currently the largest terrestrial carbon sink in the world.

Abstract Ghrelin is a hormone, secreted from cells in the stomach, which is important in the regulation of appetite and food intake in mammals. It exerts its action by binding to a specific G‐protein‐coupled receptor, the growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a ( GHS ‐R1a) which is found in areas of the brain associated with the regulation of food intake. Ghrelin causes a release of growth hormone ( GH ) through binding to GHS ‐R1a in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. A class of compounds known as growth hormone secretagogues, or ghrelin receptor agonists, were developed for therapeutic use in humans for the stimulation of GH in the frail elderly, and have subsequently been studied for their effects on increasing appetite and food intake, increasing body weight, building lean muscle mass, and treating cachexia. Subsequent research has shown that ghrelin has anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. This article reviews the basic physiology of ghrelin and the ghrelin receptor agonists, including the available evidence of these effects in vitro and in vivo in rodent models, humans, dogs and cats. One of these compounds, capromorelin, has been FDA ‐approved for the stimulation of appetite in dogs ( ENTYCE ® ). The data available on the safety and effectiveness of capromorelin is reviewed, along with a discussion of the potential clinical applications for ghrelin receptor agonists in both human and veterinary medicine.

A link between hope and physical well-being has long been suspected. To shed further light on this issue, an integrative theory of hope was used to design three health-related studies. In studies one and two, an integrative hope scale was used. In study one, greater hope was associated with depth of commitment to a healthier diet and regular exercise. In study two, the integrative hope scale was associated with a wider array of health behaviors as compared to a standard goal-oriented hope scale. In study three, a hope-centered content analysis of testimonies provided by long-term breast cancer survivors revealed a strong reliance on attachment and spirituality, dimensions typically neglected in psychological studies of this [hope] construct. An integrative approach to hope offers a framework for further research on hope and health as well as a blueprint for developing positive interventions to sustain and restore physical well-being.

ABSTRACT Russia's West Siberian Lowland (WSL) contains the most extensive peatlands on Earth with many underlain by permafrost. We present a new database of 12 705 measurements of vertical water content and bulk soil properties from 98 permafrost and non‐permafrost cores collected in raised bogs and peat plateaus across the region, together with in‐situ measurements of surface moisture and thaw depth, botanical descriptions of dominant surface vegetation species assemblage, and field notes. Data analyses reveal significant contrasts ( p < 0.01 to p < 0.0001) between permafrost and non‐permafrost sites. On average, permafrost WSL peatlands exhibit drier surfaces, shallower depth, lower organic matter content and higher bulk density than do non‐permafrost sites. Peat bulk density and ash‐free density increase with depth for non‐permafrost but not for permafrost sites. Gravimetric water content averages 92.0% near the surface and 89.3% at depth in non‐permafrost, but 81.6% and 85.4%, respectively, in permafrost, suggesting that the disappearance of permafrost could produce moister surfaces across the WSL. GIS extrapolation of these results suggests that WSL peatlands may contain ~1200 km 3 of water and ice, a large storage equivalent to ~2‐m average liquid water depth and approximately three times the total annual flow in the Ob' River. A global estimate of ~6900‐km 3 subsurface water storage for all northern peatlands suggests a volume comparable to or greater than the total water storage in northern lakes. The database is freely available as supplementary material for scientific use at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp.735/suppinfo . Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Several studies on indoor air quality (IAQ) and sick building syndromes have been completed over the last decade, especially in cold countries. Efforts to make homes airtight to improve energy efficiency have created buildings with low ventilation rates, resulting in the build-up of indoor pollutants to harmful levels that would be otherwise unacceptable outdoors. This paper analyzed the infiltration rates, indoor temperatures, and variations in CO2, 2.5 μm particulate matter (PM2.5), and total volatile organic compound (TVOC) concentrations over the fall of 2021 in several homes in New England, USA. A relationship between outdoor and indoor conditions and ventilation strategies has been set using the results from blower door tests and actual indoor air quality data. Although all case studies lacked mechanical ventilation devices, such as those required by ASHRAE Standard 62.2, natural ventilation and air leakage have been enough to keep VOCs and PM2.5 concentration levels at acceptable values most of the studied time. However, results revealed that 25% of a specific timeframe, the occupants have been exposed to concentration levels of CO2 above 1000 parts per million (ppm), which are considered potentially hazardous conditions.

Abstract In this chapter, I review psychology’s contributions to the study of hope. To close potential gaps in this interdisciplinary volume, I include work in psychiatry and nursing. The nearly 400-year history of psychological reflections on hope reveals extended stretches of neglect, alternating with brief flashes of interest. Shifting scientific paradigms are partly to blame. However, I suggest that the greatest challenge for investigators seeking scientific consensus on the topic may be cultural and sociopolitical. I begin with a review of the most significant writings and research on hope, dating back to the seventeenth century. I examine goal-related approaches in greater depth, due to their strong influence on the field of psychology. The latter half of this chapter is more critical and prescriptive. For a deeper commentary, I rely on Markus’s (Meas Interdisciplinary Res Perspect 6:54–77, 2008) distinction between constructs and concepts as well as Danziger’s (Naming the mind: How psychology found its language. Sage Publications, 1997) observation on how psychology found its lexicon. This middle, diagnostic section includes a review of philosophy of science criteria for evaluating theories. I transition to general prescriptions for achieving a better understanding of hope, organized around Bacon’s “four idols” of the mind, and add specific suggestions for future research. I conclude with a summary of recent work within our hope lab.

BACKGROUND: Mental health problems increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Knowledge that one is less at risk after being vaccinated may alleviate distress, but this hypothesis remains unexplored. Here we test whether psychological distress declined in those vaccinated against COVID-19 in the US and whether changes in perceived risk mediated any association. METHODS: A nationally-representative cohort of U.S. adults (N=5,792) in the Understanding America Study were interviewed every two weeks from March 2020 to June 2021 (28 waves). Difference-in-difference regression tested whether getting vaccinated reduced distress (PHQ-4 scores), with mediation analysis used to identify potential mechanisms, including perceived risks of infection, hospitalization, and death. RESULTS: Vaccination was associated with a 0.09 decline in distress scores (95% CI:-0.15 to -0.04) (0-12 scale), a 5.7% relative decrease compared to mean scores in the wave prior to vaccination. Vaccination was also associated with an 8.44 percentage point reduction in perceived risk of infection (95% CI:-9.15% to -7.73%), a 7.44-point reduction in perceived risk of hospitalization (95% CI:-8.07% to -6.82%), and a 5.03-point reduction in perceived risk of death (95% CI:-5.57% to -4.49%). Adjusting for risk perceptions decreased the vaccination-distress association by two-thirds. Event study models suggest vaccinated and never vaccinated respondents followed similar PHQ-4 trends pre-vaccination, diverging significantly post-vaccination. Analyses were robust to individual and wave fixed effects, time-varying controls, and several alternative modelling strategies. Results were similar across sociodemographic groups. CONCLUSION: Receiving a COVID-19 vaccination was associated with declines in distress and perceived risks of infection, hospitalization, and death. Vaccination campaigns could promote these additional benefits of being vaccinated.

In this study we examined the impact of trait hope on the health of 16 HIV+ individuals. In 2006, hopefulness was assessed with a comprehensive measure derived from an integrative theory of hope. At this time, we also collected self-reported health data as well as blood samples that provided an index of immunological status (CD4). Subsequently, at 8, 24, and 48 months we obtained follow-up CD4 levels. To rule out a potential confound, we computed and found, no significant correlations between self-reports of hope or heath, and blind ratings of illness denial provided by a case manager. Total hope scores as well as hope sub-scores were significantly correlated with various dimensions of self-reported health as well as CDC established CD4 classification levels, both concurrently and prospectively.

Abstract This chapter examines the different options that are available to analysts for measuring pay disparaties, how they relate to one another, and their advantages and disadvantages.

Interactions between RNA molecules and proteins are critical to many cellular processes and are implicated in various diseases. The RNA-peptide complexes are good model systems to probe the recognition mechanism of RNA by proteins. In this work, we report studies on the binding-unbinding process of a helical peptide from a viral RNA element using nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. We explored the existence of various dissociation pathways with distinct free-energy profiles that reveal metastable states and distinct barriers to peptide dissociation. We also report the free-energy differences for each of the four pathways to be 96.47 ± 12.63, 96.1 ± 10.95, 91.83 ± 9.81, and 92 ± 11.32 kcal/mol. Based on the free-energy analysis, we further propose the preferred pathway and the mechanism of peptide dissociation. The preferred pathway is characterized by the formation of sequential hydrogen-bonding and salt-bridging interactions between several key arginine amino acids and the viral RNA nucleotides. Specifically, we identified one arginine amino acid (R8) of the peptide to play a significant role in the recognition mechanism of the peptide by the viral RNA molecule.

Technological concentration and innovation have been identified as important forces behind growth, and entrepreneurship has been recognized as an important link between new knowledge and economic growth. This article examines the influence of entrepreneurship and technology concentration on employment growth in U.S. metropolitan areas (MSAs) over the course of the last full business cycle from 1991 to 2007. The findings are in support of the efficacy of entrepreneurship together with high technology expansion in job creation. The findings question the view that entrepreneurship in and of itself, or a high but not growing high technology concentration, can be strong contributors to employment growth. In contrast, this analysis indicates that MSAs with growing high-tech activities and above-average entrepreneurship can be expected to add jobs much faster than other MSAs. The findings suggest a need for a more targeted approach to economic development and job creation.