Design, Implementation and Evaluation of a Manned-Unmanned Teaming Concept for Fighter Jet Missions

In the proposed presentation, we want to give an overview of our research in the domain of Manned-Unmanned-Teaming (MUM-T) for fighter jets. The Institute of Flight Systems (IFS) aims to develop a concept of MUM-T for airborne military operations by means of work system analysis and cockpit simulation of full missions. From that, we develop solutions to the main challenges of MUM-T. In future operating environment, mixed teams of manned and unmanned fighter jets might pursue mission goals which formerly were executed by exclusively manned platforms. This requires unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to perform tasks from operations such as Air Interdiction (AI), Suppression of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD) or Offensive Counter Air (OCA). Furthermore, emerging technologies such as swarming enable new operational uses and roles in Combined Air Operations Course (COMAO). However, the implementation of such a operational concept bears major challenges for human factor engineering, system design and cognitive automation

The GALEX Ultraviolet Atlas of Nearby Galaxies

We present images, integrated photometry, surface-brightness and color profiles for a total of 1034 nearby galaxies recently observed by the GALEX satellite in its far-ultraviolet (FUV; 1516A) and near-ultraviolet (NUV; 2267A) bands. (...) This data set has been complemented with archival optical, near-infrared, and far-infrared fluxes and colors. We find that the integrated (FUV-K) color provides robust discrimination between elliptical and spiral/irregular galaxies and also among spiral galaxies of different sub-types. Elliptical galaxies with brighter K-band luminosities (i.e. more massive) are redder in (NUV-K) color but bluer in (FUV-NUV) than less massive ellipticals. In the case of the spiral/irregular galaxies our analysis shows the presence of a relatively tight correlation between the (FUV-NUV) color and the total infrared-to-UV ratio. The correlation found between (FUV-NUV) color and K-band luminosity (with lower luminosity objects being bluer than more luminous ones) can be explained as due to an increase in the dust content with galaxy luminosity. The images in this Atlas along with the profiles and integrated properties are publicly available through a dedicated web page at http://nedwww.ipac.caltech.edu/level5/GALEX_Atlas/Comment: 181 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in ApJS (abstract abridged

A COL17A1 Splice-Altering Mutation Is Prevalent in Inherited Recurrent Corneal Erosions

PurposeCorneal dystrophies are a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders. We previously described a family with an autosomal dominant epithelial recurrent erosion dystrophy (ERED). We aimed to identify the underlying genetic cause of ERED in this family and 3 additional ERED families. We sought to characterize the potential function of the candidate genes using the human and zebrafish cornea.DesignCase series study of 4 white families with a similar ERED. An experimental study was performed on human and zebrafish tissue to examine the putative biological function of candidate genes.ParticipantsFour ERED families, including 28 affected and 17 unaffected individuals.MethodsHumanLinkage-12 arrays (Illumina, San Diego, CA) were used to genotype 17 family members. Next-generation exome sequencing was performed on an uncle–niece pair. Segregation of potential causative mutations was confirmed using Sanger sequencing. Protein expression was determined using immunohistochemistry in human and zebrafish cornea. Gene expression in zebrafish was assessed using whole-mount in situ hybridization. Morpholino-induced transient gene knockdown was performed in zebrafish embryos.Main Outcome MeasuresLinkage microarray, exome analysis, DNA sequence analysis, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and morpholino-induced genetic knockdown results.ResultsLinkage microarray analysis identified a candidate region on chromosome chr10:12,576,562–112,763,135, and exploration of exome sequencing data identified 8 putative pathogenic variants in this linkage region. Two variants segregated in 06NZ–TRB1 with ERED: COL17A1 c.3156C→T and DNAJC9 c.334G→A. The COL17A1 c.3156C→T variant segregated in all 4 ERED families. We showed biologically relevant expression of these proteins in human cornea. Both proteins are expressed in the cornea of zebrafish embryos and adults. Zebrafish lacking Col17a1a and Dnajc9 during development show no gross corneal phenotype.ConclusionsThe COL17A1 c.3156C→T variant is the likely causative mutation in our recurrent corneal erosion families, and its presence in 4 independent families suggests that it is prevalent in ERED. This same COL17A1 c.3156C→T variant recently was identified in a separate pedigree with ERED. Our study expands the phenotypic spectrum of COL17A1 disease from autosomal recessive epidermolysis bullosa to autosomal dominant ERED and identifies COL17A1 as a key protein in maintaining integrity of the corneal epithelium

Rapid evolution of microbe-mediated protection against pathogens in a worm host.

Microbes can defend their host against virulent infections, but direct evidence for the adaptive origin of microbe-mediated protection is lacking. Using experimental evolution of a novel, tripartite interaction, we demonstrate that mildly pathogenic bacteria (Enterococcus faecalis) living in worms (Caenorhabditis elegans) rapidly evolved to defend their animal hosts against infection by a more virulent pathogen (Staphylococcus aureus), crossing the parasitism-mutualism continuum. Host protection evolved in all six, independently selected populations in response to within-host bacterial interactions and without direct selection for host health. Microbe-mediated protection was also effective against a broad spectrum of pathogenic S. aureus isolates. Genomic analysis implied that the mechanistic basis for E. faecalis-mediated protection was through increased production of antimicrobial superoxide, which was confirmed by biochemical assays. Our results indicate that microbes living within a host may make the evolutionary transition to mutualism in response to pathogen attack, and that microbiome evolution warrants consideration as a driver of infection outcome