Pilot Visual Detection of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Equipped with Strobe Lighting

When operating under Visual Flight Rules, pilots primarily rely on visual scanning to avoid other aircraft and airborne collision threats. Records from the Federal Aviation Administration indicate that near encounters with unmanned aircraft are on the rise, reaching 1,761 reported unmanned aircraft system (UAS) sightings or near-misses in 2016. This study sought to assess the effectiveness of pilot visual detection of UAS platforms that were equipped with strobe lighting. A sample of 10 pilots flew a general aviation aircraft on a scripted series of five intercepts with a small UAS (sUAS) that was equipped with strobe lighting. Participants were asked to indicate when they visually detected the unmanned aircraft. Geolocation information for both the aircraft and sUAS platform was compared to assess visibility distance. Findings were used to evaluate the efficacy of daytime strobe lighting as a method to enhance pilot sUAS detection, visibility, and collision avoidance. Participants detected the unmanned aircraft during 7.7% of the intercepts. Due to a lack of data points, the authors were unable to conclusively determine if strobe lighting improved UAS visual detection. The authors recommend further research to explore the effectiveness of using sUAS-mounted strobe lights for nighttime visual detection

Detecting and Assessing Collision Potential of Aircraft and Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) by Visual Observers

Visual observers are used to assist the Remote Pilot with maintaining sight of the unmanned aircraft as well as scanning the surrounding airspace for potential collision hazards. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of visual observers in detecting an intruding general aviation aircraft approaching the small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) operations area. The study sought to determine the effectiveness of sUAS visual observers in detecting a general aviation aircraft collision hazard with a sUAS. Ten participants were asked to perform visual observer duties in support of a sUAS operation. Participants were asked to indicate when they were able to hear and see an aircraft that conducted a scripted series of close intercepts with a sUAS. Additionally, researchers assessed each visual observer’s ability to accurately judge the closure rate of the aircraft, by estimating the duration from initial sighting until the aircraft would intercept the airborne sUAS platform. Geolocation data from both the aircraft and sUAS were time correlated and compared to determine estimation accuracy. Findings were used to formulate operational recommendations to improve visual observer performance in detecting and assessing intruder aircraft collision potential

Differentiation of primate primordial germ cell-like cells following transplantation into the adult gonadal niche.

A major challenge in stem cell differentiation is the availability of bioassays to prove cell types generated in vitro are equivalent to cells in vivo. In the mouse, differentiation of primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs) from pluripotent cells was validated by transplantation, leading to the generation of spermatogenesis and to the birth of offspring. Here we report the use of xenotransplantation (monkey to mouse) and homologous transplantation (monkey to monkey) to validate our in vitro protocol for differentiating male rhesus (r) macaque PGCLCs (rPGCLCs) from induced pluripotent stem cells (riPSCs). Specifically, transplantation of aggregates containing rPGCLCs into mouse and nonhuman primate testicles overcomes a major bottleneck in rPGCLC differentiation. These findings suggest that immature rPGCLCs once transplanted into an adult gonadal niche commit to differentiate towards late rPGCs that initiate epigenetic reprogramming but do not complete the conversion into ENO2-positive spermatogonia

Cleared to Land: Pilot Visual Detection of Small Unmanned Aircraft During Final Approach

Sighting reports of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) by pilots, air traffic controllers, and other aviation stakeholders have continued to rise since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) began tracking in 2014. In 2018, the FAA received 2,307 such reports, with 22.8% (n = 526) occurring during the final approach phase of flight. The threat of a midair collision between a manned aircraft and UAS is heightened during the final approach phase of flight, as the aircraft transitions from higher-altitude airspace to the low-altitude arena, now shared with drones. Absent UAS sense and avoid systems, pilots are forced to rely on visual senses and scanning techniques to ensure the approach path remains clear of UAS incursions. This research evaluated the effectiveness of pilot visual detection of a multirotor UAS during five approach to landing scenarios in which an unmanned aircraft created an incursion into the approach path. During the scripted approach scenarios, the UAS either remained stationary or maneuvered laterally. Both aircraft and UAS were separated by established vertical safety margins and protocols to avoid an actual collision. Overall, participants detected the UAS during 30% of the approaches. The static UAS was only detected during 13.6% of the approaches, at a mean range of 647 ft. The detection rate improved to 50% when the drone was in motion, with a mean detection range of 1,593 ft. Vector data was calculated to determine the detection angle of UAS sightings, with the majority of successful detections occurring within 5˚ laterally and 10˚ vertically of center. Qualitative comments were solicited from the participants and evaluated for trends. Forty percent of the participants indicated that moving UAS are easier to spot. Other trends related to UAS contrast, object misidentification, and detection aspect angle were also identified by the participants. The authors emphasized that based on the recorded detection distance, pilots would only have a limited margin of error to successfully execute evasive maneuvers, based on the FAA’s Recommended Minimum Reaction Time Required for Evasion criteria. Full-text will be available October 30, 2019 at approximately 10:00 AM Eastern

Production of α-Galactosylceramide by a Prominent Member of the Human Gut Microbiota

While the human gut microbiota are suspected to produce diffusible small molecules that modulate host signaling pathways, few of these molecules have been identified. Species of Bacteroides and their relatives, which often comprise >50% of the gut community, are unusual among bacteria in that their membrane is rich in sphingolipids, a class of signaling molecules that play a key role in inducing apoptosis and modulating the host immune response. Although known for more than three decades, the full repertoire of Bacteroides sphingolipids has not been defined. Here, we use a combination of genetics and chemistry to identify the sphingolipids produced by Bacteroides fragilis NCTC 9343. We constructed a deletion mutant of BF2461, a putative serine palmitoyltransferase whose yeast homolog catalyzes the committed step in sphingolipid biosynthesis. We show that the Δ2461 mutant is sphingolipid deficient, enabling us to purify and solve the structures of three alkaline-stable lipids present in the wild-type strain but absent from the mutant. The first compound was the known sphingolipid ceramide phosphorylethanolamine, and the second was its corresponding dihydroceramide base. Unexpectedly, the third compound was the glycosphingolipid α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCerBf), which is structurally related to a sponge-derived sphingolipid (α-GalCer, KRN7000) that is the prototypical agonist of CD1d-restricted natural killer T (iNKT) cells. We demonstrate that α-GalCerBf has similar immunological properties to KRN7000: it binds to CD1d and activates both mouse and human iNKT cells both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, our study reveals BF2461 as the first known member of the Bacteroides sphingolipid pathway, and it indicates that the committed steps of the Bacteroides and eukaryotic sphingolipid pathways are identical. Moreover, our data suggest that some Bacteroides sphingolipids might influence host immune homeostasis

Treading Water: Tools to Help US Coastal Communities Plan for Sea Level Rise Impacts

As communities grapple with rising seas and more frequent flooding events, they need improved projections of future rising and flooding over multiple time horizons, to assist in a multitude of planning efforts. There are currently a few different tools available that communities can use to plan, including the Sea Level Report Card and products generated by a United States. Federal interagency task force on sea level rise. These tools are a start, but it is recognized that they are not necessarily enough at present to provide communities with the type of information needed to support decisions that range from seasonal to decadal in nature, generally over relatively small geographic regions. The largest need seems to come from integrated models and tools. Agencies need to work with communities to develop tools that integrate several aspects (rainfall, tides, etc.) that affect their coastal flooding problems. They also need a formalized relationship with end users that allows agency products to be responsive to the various needs of managers and decision makers. Existing boundary organizations can be leveraged to meet this need. Focusing on addressing these needs will allow agencies to create robust solutions to flood risks, leading to truly resilient communities

Tenascin C interacts with Ecto-5′-nucleotidase (eN) and regulates adenosine generation in cancer cells

Tenascin C is expressed in invasive human solid tumors; however its specific role in cancer biology remains obscure. Previously, we have found that ecto-5'-nucleotidase (eN) is a marker of ER (-) breast carcinoma and elevated expression correlates with invasive mesenchymal cell phenotype. To investigate for the potential relationship between eN and protein components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) we measured adenosine generation from AMP in cells incubated with soluble ECM proteins. We found that tenascin C was the only ECM component that strongly inhibited ecto-5'-nucleotidase (eN) activity in situ and adenosine generation from AMP (75% inhibition, p < 0.01). The inhibition was comparable to that induced by concanavalin A, a well-defined and strong inhibitor of eN. Resin immobilized tenascin C, but not collagen, and only weakly fibronectin, specifically and quantitatively bound cell-extracted eN. We further developed breast cancer cell line with reduced eN expression and tested changes in cell adhesion on different ECM. Breast cancer cells expressing reduced eN attached 56% weaker (p < 0.05) to immobilized tenascin C. This difference was not detected with other ECM proteins. Finally, control breast cancer cells migrated slower on tenascin C when compared with clone with reduced eN expression. These data suggest that eN is a novel and specific receptor for tenascin C and that the interaction between these proteins may influence cell adhesion and migration and also lead to decreased generation of local adenosine

Electronic Health Record Functionality Needed to Better Support Primary Care

Electronic health records (EHRs) must support primary care clinicians and patients, yet many clinicians remain dissatisfied with their system. This manuscript presents a consensus statement about gaps in current EHR functionality and needed enhancements to support primary care. The Institute of Medicine primary care attributes were used to define needs and Meaningful Use (MU) objectives to define EHR functionality. Current objectives remain disease- rather than whole-person focused, ignoring factors like personal risks, behaviors, family structure, and occupational and environmental influences. Primary care needs EHRs to move beyond documentation to interpreting and tracking information over time as well as patient partnering activities, support for team based care, population management tools that deliver care, and reduced documentation burden. While Stage 3 MU’s focus on outcomes is laudable, enhanced functionality is still needed including EHR modifications, expanded use of patient portals, seamless integration with external applications, and advancement of national infrastructure and policies