Small-particle Inhaled Corticosteroid as First-line or Step-up Controller Therapy in Childhood Asthma

Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

An Investigation of ISR Coordination and Information Presentation Strategies to Support Expeditionary Strike Groups

12th ICCRTS, Adapting C2 to the 21st CenturyThis paper describes a planned experiment based on the combined research of the Adaptive Architectures for Command and Control (A2C2) and the Command-21 programs, both of which are sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. In line with the theme of this year’s symposium, “Adapting C2 to the 21st Century,” in this research we focus on the nexus of organizational design and information presentation strategies — both of which are undergoing dramatic changes in form and function within the US military. The formation of Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESGs) provides one example of the transformational vision provided in the Naval Operating Concept where Strike Groups offer the potential to revolutionize naval warfare in the littoral region. The ESG provides a flexible force package, capable of tailoring itself to accomplish a wide variety of mission sets. In this effort, we seek to explore how ESGs with alternative structures and processes, in this case specifically related to incorporation of an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) officer and different information presen-tation strategies, can affect performance and information flow in an information rich planning and execution environment

Identification of Neural Crest and Glial Enhancers at the Mouse Sox10 Locus through Transgenesis in Zebrafish

Sox10 is a dynamically regulated transcription factor gene that is essential for the development of neural crest–derived and oligodendroglial populations. Developmental genes often require multiple regulatory sequences that integrate discrete and overlapping functions to coordinate their expression. To identify Sox10 cis-regulatory elements, we integrated multiple model systems, including cell-based screens and transposon-mediated transgensis in zebrafish, to scrutinize mammalian conserved, noncoding genomic segments at the mouse Sox10 locus. We demonstrate that eight of 11 Sox10 genomic elements direct reporter gene expression in transgenic zebrafish similar to patterns observed in transgenic mice, despite an absence of observable sequence conservation between mice and zebrafish. Multiple segments direct expression in overlapping populations of neural crest derivatives and glial cells, ranging from pan-Sox10 and pan-neural crest regulatory control to the modulation of expression in subpopulations of Sox10-expressing cells, including developing melanocytes and Schwann cells. Several sequences demonstrate overlapping spatial control, yet direct expression in incompletely overlapping developmental intervals. We were able to partially explain neural crest expression patterns by the presence of head to head SoxE family binding sites within two of the elements. Moreover, we were able to use this transcription factor binding site signature to identify the corresponding zebrafish enhancers in the absence of overall sequence homology. We demonstrate the utility of zebrafish transgenesis as a high-fidelity surrogate in the dissection of mammalian gene regulation, especially those with dynamically controlled developmental expression

Cost-Effectiveness of Asthma Step-Up Therapy as an Increased Dose of Extrafine-Particle Inhaled Corticosteroid or Add-On Long-Acting Beta2-Agonist

The analyses were funded by an unrestricted grant from Teva Pharmaceuticals Limited of Petach Tikva, Israel. Access to data from the Optimum Patient Care Research Database was co-funded by Research in Real-Life Ltd (RiRL), Cambridge, UK. All named authors meet the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria for authorship for this manuscript, take responsibility for the integrity of the work as a whole, and have given final approval to the version to be published. The authors thank Julie von Ziegenweidt for assistance with data extraction.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Predisposition to Cancer Caused by Genetic and Functional Defects of Mammalian Atad5

ATAD5, the human ortholog of yeast Elg1, plays a role in PCNA deubiquitination. Since PCNA modification is important to regulate DNA damage bypass, ATAD5 may be important for suppression of genomic instability in mammals in vivo. To test this hypothesis, we generated heterozygous (Atad5+/m) mice that were haploinsuffficient for Atad5. Atad5+/m mice displayed high levels of genomic instability in vivo, and Atad5+/m mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) exhibited molecular defects in PCNA deubiquitination in response to DNA damage, as well as DNA damage hypersensitivity and high levels of genomic instability, apoptosis, and aneuploidy. Importantly, 90% of haploinsufficient Atad5+/m mice developed tumors, including sarcomas, carcinomas, and adenocarcinomas, between 11 and 20 months of age. High levels of genomic alterations were evident in tumors that arose in the Atad5+/m mice. Consistent with a role for Atad5 in suppressing tumorigenesis, we also identified somatic mutations of ATAD5 in 4.6% of sporadic human endometrial tumors, including two nonsense mutations that resulted in loss of proper ATAD5 function. Taken together, our findings indicate that loss-of-function mutations in mammalian Atad5 are sufficient to cause genomic instability and tumorigenesis

SPECKLE MEASUREMENTS WITH A CCD ARRAY: APPLICATIONS TO SPECKLE REDUCTION.

Speckle noise is an integral part of any laser projection display because it is the nature of laser (coherent) illumination to form interference patterns with high visibility. The granularity of the image due to the speckle formed on the viewer's retina degrades the image quality, thus stimulating the need for speckle reduction techniques applied to laser displays. An instrument to measure image plane speckle contrast was built based on a linear CCD detector array interfaced to an LSI-11 microcomputer. Speckle reduction techniques were then evaluated by comparing the contrast obtained with each method. The effect of the spatial frequency response (MTF) on the measured contrast was studied, along with the statistical significance of the measurement which is limited by the finite sample space of 1024 detector pixels per CCD frame. The lowering of the contrast due to the array MTF can be minimized by working at extremely high F numbers (> 100). The sample space can be widened by taking more than one frame of data and treating all the frames as a single data set. Techniques to reduce speckle noise in laser displays fall into two broad categories: reducing the coherence of light forming the speckle, and incoherently adding multiple uncorrelated (or partially correlated) speckle patterns. The first technique (effective only for monochromatic displays) was implemented by coating a screen with various dyes, phosphors, or fluorescent paints. Using the 514 nm line from an Argon laser, the contrast can be reduced by almost 30% by spraying a thin layer of fluorescent paint on the screen. More speckle reduction can be achieved with an accompanying loss in image brightness. The second technique involved creating a multiplicity of partially correlated speckle patterns that appear from the same position on the screen over the integration period of the eye. The different speckle patterns are produced by changing the angle of illumination while keeping a portion of the laser spot focused on the same point on the screen. The scan angle method (applicable to multi-color displays), can be implemented by properly synchronizing an acousto-optic modulator with the scan optics, and imaging the modulator on the screen. Using a beaded screen and a reasonable laser dither of 10 millirads, the contrast can be reduced by half

A cell for measuring the influence of magnetic field strength on the thermal conductivity of gases

An apparatus is described for the determination of the influence of magnetic field strength on the thermal conductivity of gases. It was designed for use with an existing superconducting magnet system capable of field strengths from 0 to 100 Kg. Accordingly, a concentric cylinder type cell with axis parallel to the magnetic field was chosen as an optimum geometry. The design utilizes "cold finger type" cooling with a helium exchange gas reservoir and automatic temperature controller to maintain any selected temperature in the 77 to 300[degrees] Kelvin range. [...]Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department o

The influence of magnetic fields on the gaseous thermal conductivity of N2 and CO

In a dilute gas of molecules containing rotational states a temperature gradient produces a polarization of the molecular angular momenta. Its influence on the thermal conductivity of the gas can be observed by partially destroying this polarization with the application of an external magnetic field. An apparatus for measuring the influence of magnetic fields on the thermal conductivity of gases over the 77°K to 300°K temperature range is described. Senftleben-Beenakker thermal conductivity measurements on the average of the perpendicular and parallel effects for N[subscript 2] at 300°K is presented. Moreover, both, the average and perpendicular effect measurements on N[subscript 2] and CO at 79°K are presented. The results for N[subscript 2] at 300°K confirm earlier similar measurements and establish the reliability of the experimental apparatus. The low temperature results for N2 and CO, taken for the first time, show a 25-35% decrease in the saturation values. Experimental collision cross sections calculated from this data are approximately a factor of two larger than room temperature results. They exhibit approximately the same temperature dependence as those calculated from elastic collision theory. Orientation effects, determined from the low temperature results, agree with previous measurements taken at 300°K. This suggests that the relative contribution of various terms in the theoretical expansion for the nonequilibrium distribution function is temperature independent.Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Department o

Shielding calculations for a power reactor /

Facsimile copy processed by Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information of the U.S. Department of Commerce.Includes bibliographical references (page 2)Mode of access: Internet

Design of an Experiment to Investigate ISR Coordination and Information Presentation Strategies in an Expeditionary Strike Group

12th International Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium (ICCRTS), June 19-21, 2007 at the Naval War College, Newport, RI.This paper describes the design of an experiment that combines research of the Adaptive Architectures for Command and Control (A2C2) and the Command 21 programs, both sponsored by the Office of Naval Research. The experiment focuses on the nexus of organizational design and information presentation strategies – both of which are undergoing dramatic changes in form and function within the US military. The formation of Expeditionary Strike Groups (ESGs) is one example of the transformational vision provided in the Naval Operating Concept wherein an ESG provides a flexible force package, capable of tailoring itself to a wide variety of mission sets. In this effort, the objective is to examine experimentally how ESGs with alternative structures and processes – here specifically related to the incorporation of an ISR officer and different information presentation strategies – affects performance and information flow in an information rich planning and execution environment. We present the process used to develop the scenario environment in which the team-in-the-loop simulation experiment is conducted. This scenario reflects the new mission areas faced by ESGs that include Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief (HA/DR), Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) and Maritime Security Operations (MSO)