The Sea of Simulation : Improving Naval Shiphandling Training and Readiness through Game-Based Learning

Currently, a gap exists between seminar-style shiphandling training and higher fidelity simulations available to the U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officer (SWO). There is currently no individually accessible, low cost, intermediate level, interactive modality shiphandling resource that would allow SWOs to practice shiphandling skills without requiring instructor oversight. A student research team from the Naval Postgraduate Schools MOVES Institute exposed newly commissioned SWO students at the Surface Warfare Officers School to basic task scenarios designed to be complementary to material covered in their introductory course of instruction utilizing VSTEPs Ship Simulator Extremes game. The students completed the treatment task trainer protocol utilizing a Coast Guard High Endurance Cutter model and continued with the standard introductory course curriculum where they utilized the fully immersive Conning Officer Virtual Environment (COVE) shiphandling trainer. Students were later evaluated in COVE on their ability to maneuver a Guided Missile Destroyer, a similarly configured but larger ship, underway from a San Diego pier. The students exposed to the game-based scenarios performed at a statistically significantly higher level in the categories of Standard Commands and Margins of Safety Maintainedtwo key indicators of shiphandling proficiencyfollowing their normal course of instruction, than the control group. Also of note, the novice level students encountered difficulty in unlearning the handling characteristics of one model and learning a new one through the course of their instruction. Our findings suggest that an individually accessible, game based, shiphandling task trainer with ship models matching those found in the COVE and Full Mission Bridge would benefit newly commissioned SWOs by reinforcing classroom instruction. This trainer could potentially be used by SWOs of all skill levels as a self-study tool prior to participation in high level, fully immersive, and manpower intensive, naval shiphandling simulators.http://archive.org/details/theseofsimulatio109456860Outstanding ThesisLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Baicalein, a component of Scutellaria baicalensis, induces apoptosis by Mcl-1 down-regulation in human pancreatic cancer cells

Scutellaria baicalensis (SB) and SB-derived polyphenols possess anti-proliferative activities in several cancers, including pancreatic cancer (PaCa). However, the precise molecular mechanisms have not been fully defined. SB extract and SB-derived polyphenols (wogonin, baicalin, and baicalein) were used to determine their anti-proliferative mechanisms. Baicalein significantly inhibited the proliferation of PaCa cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, whereas wogonin and baicalin exhibited a much less robust effect. Treatment with baicalein induced apoptosis with release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, and activation of caspase-3 and -7 and PARP. The general caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk reversed baicalein-induced apoptosis, indicating a caspase-dependent mechanism. Baicalein decreased expression of Mcl-1, an anti-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 protein family, presumably through a transcriptional mechanism. Genetic knockdown of Mcl-1 resulted in marked induction of apoptosis. The effect of baicalein on apoptosis was significantly attenuated by Mcl-1 over-expression, suggesting a critical role of Mcl-1 in this process. Our results provide evidence that baicalein induces apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells through down-regulation of the anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 protein