51 research outputs found
The government must stop the UK being used as a haven for illicit wealth if it wants to lead on tackling global corruption
Steve Goodrich assesses the significance of the Panama papers leak for the UK and writes that evidence so far raises serious questions over the role of British intermediaries and the UK property market in facilitating global corruption. He outlines several recommendations for steps the government can and should take if it is serious about preventing the country from being used as a safe haven for corrupt individuals
Lobbying reform: we need political will not gesture politics
Transparency International UK recently looked into the effectiveness of the new register of lobbyists, introduced following the 2014 Lobbying Act, and found it tells us almost nothing we didnât know. TI-UKâs Steve Goodrich outlines the background and findings, and offers suggestions about what can be done if the UK Government is committed to increasing transparency and combating corrupt lobbying practices
KATE: From the lab to the firing room
For the past 9 years, the AI group at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has been developing a real-time model-based reasoning (MBR) system that can diagnose faults and provide control advisories. The system resulting from this effort is called KATE (Knowledge-based Autonomous Test Engineer). This article describes the transition of KATE from the applied research lab to the firing room (the firing room is the main control and monitoring center for all Shuttle ground support and launch processing). Because the problems that were countered along the way are not unique, we decided to share some of our experiences. This article also includes a brief overview of the latest application of KATE
An Analysis of the Content of Perceptual Responses to Randomly Derived Stimuli
In order to understand the role of the stimulus in form perception, an analysis of perceptual responses and stimulus characteristics must be undertaken. Previous research was focused upon the characteristics of the stimulus. This study presents a first approach to categorization of response.
Objective, randomly-derived stimuli were presented tachistoscopically to Ss, who responded with their associations to the stimuli. The data suggest that the categories are meaningful ways of construing these responses. Some categories seem to be basic, while others require further differentiation. Hypotheses for future research have been obtained from these data
Optical mapping as a routine tool for bacterial genome sequence finishing
Background: In sequencing the genomes of two Xenorhabdus species, we encountered a large number of sequence repeats and assembly anomalies that stalled finishing efforts. This included a stretch of about 12 Kb that is over 99.9% identical between the plasmid and chromosome of X. nematophila.
Results: Whole genome restriction maps of the sequenced strains were produced through optical mapping technology. These maps allowed rapid resolution of sequence assembly problems, permitted closing of the genome, and allowed correction of a large inversion in a genome assembly that we had considered finished.
Conclusion: Our experience suggests that routine use of optical mapping in bacterial genome sequence finishing is warranted. When combined with data produced through 454 sequencing, an optical map can rapidly and inexpensively generate an ordered and oriented set of contigs to produce a nearly complete genome sequence assembly
The quasar fraction in low-frequency selected complete samples and implications for unified schemes
Low-frequency radio surveys are ideal for selecting orientation-independent
samples of extragalactic sources because the sample members are selected by
virtue of their isotropic steep-spectrum extended emission. We use the new 7C
Redshift Survey along with the brighter 3CRR and 6C samples to investigate the
fraction of objects with observed broad emission lines - the `quasar fraction'
- as a function of redshift and of radio and narrow emission line luminosity.
We find that the quasar fraction is more strongly dependent upon luminosity
(both narrow line and radio) than it is on redshift. Above a narrow [OII]
emission line luminosity of log L_[OII] > 35 W (or radio luminosity log L_151 >
26.5 W/Hz/sr), the quasar fraction is virtually independent of redshift and
luminosity; this is consistent with a simple unified scheme with an obscuring
torus with a half-opening angle theta_trans approx 53 degrees. For objects with
less luminous narrow lines, the quasar fraction is lower. We show that this is
not due to the difficulty of detecting lower-luminosity broad emission lines in
a less luminous, but otherwise similar, quasar population. We discuss evidence
which supports at least two probable physical causes for the drop in quasar
fraction at low luminosity: (i) a gradual decrease in theta_trans and/or a
gradual increase in the fraction of lightly-reddened (0 < A(V) < 5)
lines-of-sight with decreasing quasar luminosity; and (ii) the emergence of a
distinct second population of low luminosity radio sources which, like M87,
lack a well-fed quasar nucleus and may well lack a thick obscuring torus.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
The Role of Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Assessment and Surgical Treatment of Interval and Screen-Detected Breast Cancer in Older Women
We describe the relationship between preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and the utilization of additional imaging, biopsy, and primary surgical treatment for subgroups of women with interval versus screen-detected breast cancer. We determined the proportion of women receiving additional breast imaging or biopsy and type of primary surgical treatment, stratified by use of preoperative MRI, separately for both groups
Second Annual Transformative Vertical Flight Concepts Workshop: Enabling New Flight Concepts Through Novel Propulsion and Energy Architectures
On August 3rd and 4th, 2015, a workshop was held at the NASA Ames Research Center, located at the Moffett Federal Airfield in California to explore the aviation communities interest in Transformative Vertical Flight (TVF) Concepts. The Workshop was sponsored by the AHS International (AHS), the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and hosted by the NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI). This second annual workshop built on the success and enthusiasm generated by the first TVF Workshop held in Washington, DC in August of 2014. The previous Workshop identified the existence of a multi-disciplinary community interested in this topic and established a consensus among the participants that opportunities to establish further collaborations in this area are warranted. The desire to conduct a series of annual workshops augmented by online virtual technical seminars to strengthen the TVF community and continue planning for advocacy and collaboration was a direct outcome of the first Workshop. The second Workshop organizers focused on four desired action-oriented outcomes. The first was to establish and document common stakeholder needs and areas of potential collaborations. This includes advocacy strategies to encourage the future success of unconventional vertiport capable flight concept solutions that are enabled by emerging technologies. The second was to assemble a community that can collaborate on new conceptual design and analysis tools to permit novel configuration paths with far greater multi-disciplinary coupling (i.e., aero-propulsive-control) to be investigated. The third was to establish a community to develop and deploy regulatory guidelines. This community would have the potential to initiate formation of an American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F44 Committee Subgroup for the development of consensus-based certification standards for General Aviation scale vertiport capable flight systems. These standards need to accommodate novel fixed wing concepts that do not fit within the existing Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rotorcraft certification framework (Code of Federal Regulations, Title 14, Chapter I, Subchapter C, Part 27). The fourth desired outcome was to launch an information campaign to ensure key U.S. Government agencies understand the potential benefits and industry interest in establishing new vertiport capable flight markets. This record of the Workshop proceedings documents Workshop activities and products including summaries of the video recorded technical presentations, overviews of three breakout sessions (Missions Operational Concepts, Prioritized Technical Challenges, Regulatory Roadmap), and a preliminary draft roadmap framework for TVF
Proceedings of the Food and Drug Administration public workshop on pathogen reduction technologies for blood safety 2018 (Commentary, p. 3026)
On November 29, 2018, experts in the field of infectious diseases, pathogen reduction technologies (PRTs) and other participants from blood centers, academia, and industry gathered at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) White Oak Campus in Silver Spring, Maryland, for a 2âday public workshop entitled âPathogen Reduction Technologies for Blood Safety.â The workshop opened with welcome remarks from Dr. Nicole Verdun, Director, Office of Blood Research and Review (OBRR), Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), FDA, followed by introductory remarks from Dr. Peter Marks, Director, CBER, FDA. The first day of the workshop focused on bloodâborne infectious agents and their impact on blood safety, experiences of the American Red Cross, and other blood establishments in implementing FDAâapproved pathogen inactivation (PI) technology for plasma and platelets (PLTs) in the United States and novel PRTs under consideration for whole blood (WB) and red blood cells (RBCs). The second day opened with welcome remarks from Dr. Chintamani Atreya, Associate Director for Research, OBRR, CBER, FDA. The focus was on emerging innovations relevant to PRTs and potential alternatives to PRTs. The workshop concluded with remarks on insights for future research and development in this area for blood and blood product safety from infectious agents. A brief introduction of each session by the session moderator followed by a summary of the speaker presentation as submitted by the moderator and speaker are reported here
Basic science232.âCertolizumab pegol prevents pro-inflammatory alterations in endothelial cell function
Background: Cardiovascular disease is a major comorbidity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a leading cause of death. Chronic systemic inflammation involving tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF) could contribute to endothelial activation and atherogenesis. A number of anti-TNF therapies are in current use for the treatment of RA, including certolizumab pegol (CZP), (Cimzia Âź; UCB, Belgium). Anti-TNF therapy has been associated with reduced clinical cardiovascular disease risk and ameliorated vascular function in RA patients. However, the specific effects of TNF inhibitors on endothelial cell function are largely unknown. Our aim was to investigate the mechanisms underpinning CZP effects on TNF-activated human endothelial cells. Methods: Human aortic endothelial cells (HAoECs) were cultured in vitro and exposed to a) TNF alone, b) TNF plus CZP, or c) neither agent. Microarray analysis was used to examine the transcriptional profile of cells treated for 6 hrs and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysed gene expression at 1, 3, 6 and 24 hrs. NF-ÎșB localization and IÎșB degradation were investigated using immunocytochemistry, high content analysis and western blotting. Flow cytometry was conducted to detect microparticle release from HAoECs. Results: Transcriptional profiling revealed that while TNF alone had strong effects on endothelial gene expression, TNF and CZP in combination produced a global gene expression pattern similar to untreated control. The two most highly up-regulated genes in response to TNF treatment were adhesion molecules E-selectin and VCAM-1 (q 0.2 compared to control; p > 0.05 compared to TNF alone). The NF-ÎșB pathway was confirmed as a downstream target of TNF-induced HAoEC activation, via nuclear translocation of NF-ÎșB and degradation of IÎșB, effects which were abolished by treatment with CZP. In addition, flow cytometry detected an increased production of endothelial microparticles in TNF-activated HAoECs, which was prevented by treatment with CZP. Conclusions: We have found at a cellular level that a clinically available TNF inhibitor, CZP reduces the expression of adhesion molecule expression, and prevents TNF-induced activation of the NF-ÎșB pathway. Furthermore, CZP prevents the production of microparticles by activated endothelial cells. This could be central to the prevention of inflammatory environments underlying these conditions and measurement of microparticles has potential as a novel prognostic marker for future cardiovascular events in this patient group. Disclosure statement: Y.A. received a research grant from UCB. I.B. received a research grant from UCB. S.H. received a research grant from UCB. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interes
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