Lessons from the Army’s Future Combat Systems Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

FCS, from the Aviation Center at Fort Rucker, Alabama, to the Chemical and Engineer Schools at Fort Leonard Wood , Mis- souri.75 The objective was to...Engineer) and Robert Woods (MGV LSI Chief Engineer), “MGV Platform Review,” circa February 2009. Not available to the general public. 22 Daniel Wasserbly...Acquisition Decision Memo- randum,” memorandum for Secretary of the Army, June 23, 2009. 59 Matt Donohue, Kris Gardner, and Major Scot Greig, “Future Combat

A Placebo-Controlled Augmentation Trial of Prazosin for Combat Trauma PTSD

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

sleep disturbance, and other hyperarousal symptoms typical of PTSD (11). Specific stimulation of CNS alpha-1 adreno- receptors disrupts REM sleep (36...result from excessive brain responsiveness to released norepinephrine disrupting rapid eye movement ( REM ) and other sleep stages (Mellman, Kumar, Kulick...in 2006, sought help for distressing combat trauma night- mares, sleep disruption, and daytime intrusive ruminations about previous combat events. He

Brain-derived neurotropic factor polymorphisms, traumatic stress, mild traumatic brain injury, and combat exposure contribute to postdeployment traumatic stress.

PubMed

Dretsch, Michael N; Williams, Kathy; Emmerich, Tanja; Crynen, Gogce; Ait-Ghezala, Ghania; Chaytow, Helena; Mathura, Venkat; Crawford, Fiona C; Iverson, Grant L

2016-01-01

In addition to experiencing traumatic events while deployed in a combat environment, there are other factors that contribute to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military service members. This study explored the contribution of genetics, childhood environment, prior trauma, psychological, cognitive, and deployment factors to the development of traumatic stress following deployment. Both pre- and postdeployment data on 231 of 458 soldiers were analyzed. Postdeployment assessments occurred within 30 days from returning stateside and included a battery of psychological health, medical history, and demographic questionnaires; neurocognitive tests; and blood serum for the D2 dopamine receptor (DRD2), apolipoprotein E (APOE), and brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) genes. Soldiers who screened positive for traumatic stress at postdeployment had significantly higher scores in depression (d = 1.91), anxiety (d = 1.61), poor sleep quality (d = 0.92), postconcussion symptoms (d = 2.21), alcohol use (d = 0.63), traumatic life events (d = 0.42), and combat exposure (d = 0.91). BDNF Val66 Met genotype was significantly associated with risk for sustaining a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and screening positive for traumatic stress. Predeployment traumatic stress, greater combat exposure and sustaining an mTBI while deployed, and the BDNF Met/Met genotype accounted for 22% of the variance of postdeployment PTSD scores (R (2)  = 0.22, P < 0.001). However, predeployment traumatic stress, alone, accounted for 17% of the postdeployment PTSD scores. These findings suggest predeployment traumatic stress, genetic, and environmental factors have unique contributions to the development of combat-related traumatic stress in military service members.

MEG Working Memory N-Back Task Reveals Functional Deficits in Combat-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Huang, Ming-Xiong; Nichols, Sharon; Robb-Swan, Ashley; Angeles-Quinto, Annemarie; Harrington, Deborah L; Drake, Angela; Huang, Charles W; Song, Tao; Diwakar, Mithun; Risbrough, Victoria B; Matthews, Scott; Clifford, Royce; Cheng, Chung-Kuan; Huang, Jeffrey W; Sinha, Anusha; Yurgil, Kate A; Ji, Zhengwei; Lerman, Imanuel; Lee, Roland R; Baker, Dewleen G

2018-04-13

Combat-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a leading cause of sustained cognitive impairment in military service members and Veterans. However, the mechanism of persistent cognitive deficits including working memory (WM) dysfunction is not fully understood in mTBI. Few studies of WM deficits in mTBI have taken advantage of the temporal and frequency resolution afforded by electromagnetic measurements. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG) and an N-back WM task, we investigated functional abnormalities in combat-related mTBI. Study participants included 25 symptomatic active-duty service members or Veterans with combat-related mTBI and 20 healthy controls with similar combat experiences. MEG source-magnitude images were obtained for alpha (8-12 Hz), beta (15-30 Hz), gamma (30-90 Hz), and low-frequency (1-7 Hz) bands. Compared with healthy combat controls, mTBI participants showed increased MEG signals across frequency bands in frontal pole (FP), ventromedial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and anterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), but decreased MEG signals in anterior cingulate cortex. Hyperactivations in FP, OFC, and anterior dlPFC were associated with slower reaction times. MEG activations in lateral FP also negatively correlated with performance on tests of letter sequencing, verbal fluency, and digit symbol coding. The profound hyperactivations from FP suggest that FP is particularly vulnerable to combat-related mTBI.

Association Between Combat Stress and Post-Concussive Symptom Reporting in OEF/OIF Service Members with Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

and treatment of traumatic brain injury ( TBI ) in service members returning from combat- deployment [1]. Several recent studies provide incidence...DVBlC) at Walter Reed Army between January 2003 and met criteria for mild TBI [3]. prevalence study of of the sample of over 22qCJltrjeSI)0...improvements in body armour, increased screening and diagnosis and greater knowledge and awareness of mild TBI arising from civilian sports-related

Second floor plan. (Also includes a roof plan and finish ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Second floor plan. (Also includes a roof plan and finish schedule.) March Air Force Base, Riverside, California, Combat Operations Center, Combat Operations Building. By Moffatt and Nichol, Engineers, 122 West Fifth Street, Long Beach, California; for the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Office of the District Engineer, Los Angeles, California. Drawing no. AW-60-02-03, sheet no. 13, approved March, 1962; specifications no. OCI-62-66; D.O. series AW 1596/13, Rev. "C"; file drawer 1290. Last revised 7 February 1984. Roof plan scale one-sixteenth inch to one foot; second floor plan scale one-eighth inch to one foot. 28.75x41 inches. pencil on paper - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

Executive Functioning of Combat Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Gaines, Katy D; Soper, Henry V; Berenji, Gholam R

2016-01-01

This study investigates neuropsychological deficits in recently deployed veterans with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Veterans discharged from 2007 to 2012 were recruited from Veterans Affairs clinics. Independent groups of participants with mTBI (n = 57) and those without TBI (n = 57) were administered the Beck Depression Inventory-II, Combat Exposure Scale, Word Memory Test, and the Self-Awareness of Deficits Interview. Neuropsychological instruments included the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test, Letter and Category Fluency, Trail-Making Test-Parts A and B, Christiansen H-abbreviated, Soper Neuropsychology Screen, Wechsler Memory Scale subtests Logical Memory I and II, and the Street Completion Test. The mTBI group performed significantly worse on all of the executive and nonexecutive measurements with the exception of Category Fluency, after controlling for age, depression effort, and combat exposure. Depression and combat exposure were greater for the mTBI group. The mTBI group scored poorer on effort, but only the Multiple Choice subtest was significant. The mTBI group had good awareness of their deficits.

Artificial Intelligence for Command and Control

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-15

complexity of information and are a very active current research area. Some of the important unresolved frame -related issues are control issues , such as...indepth analysis of the combat engineer’s decisio -mnaking activities. -Specificaly 3 combat engineers-stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina (307th...experience. The CETOOLS concept is potentially applicable in any decision- making environment, commercial or government, where plans for actions are

Combat veterans with comorbid PTSD and mild TBI exhibit a greater inhibitory processing ERP from the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex.

PubMed

Shu, I-Wei; Onton, Julie A; O'Connell, Ryan M; Simmons, Alan N; Matthews, Scott C

2014-10-30

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among combat personnel with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). While patients with either PTSD or mTBI share abnormal activation of multiple frontal brain areas, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) activity during inhibitory processing may be particularly affected by PTSD. To further test this hypothesis, we recorded electroencephalography from 32 combat veterans with mTBI-17 of whom were also comorbid for PTSD (mTBI+PTSD) and 15 without PTSD (mTBI-only). Subjects performed the Stop Task, a validated inhibitory control task requiring inhibition of initiated motor responses. We observed a larger inhibitory processing eventrelated potential (ERP) in veterans with mTBI+PTSD, including greater N200 negativity. Furthermore, greater N200 negativity correlated with greater PTSD severity. This correlation was most dependent on contributions from the dorsal ACC. Support vector machine analysis demonstrated that N200 and P300 amplitudes objectively classified veterans into mTBI-only or mTBI+PTSD groups with 79.4% accuracy. Our results support a model where, in combat veterans with mTBI, larger ERPs from cingulate areas are associated with greater PTSD severity and likely related to difficulty controlling ongoing brain processes, including trauma-related thoughts and feelings. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Altered resting-state amygdala functional connectivity in men with posttraumatic stress disorder

PubMed Central

Sripada, Rebecca K.; King, Anthony P.; Garfinkel, Sarah N.; Wang, Xin; Sripada, Chandra S.; Welsh, Robert C.; Liberzon, Israel

2012-01-01

Background Converging neuroimaging research suggests altered emotion neurocircuitry in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Emotion activation studies in these individuals have shown hyperactivation in emotion-related regions, including the amygdala and insula, and hypoactivation in emotion-regulation regions, including the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). However, few studies have examined patterns of connectivity at rest in individuals with PTSD, a potentially powerful method for illuminating brain network structure. Methods Using the amygdala as a seed region, we measured resting-state brain connectivity using 3 T functional magnetic resonance imaging in returning male veterans with PTSD and combat controls without PTSD. Results Fifteen veterans with PTSD and 14 combat controls enrolled in our study. Compared with controls, veterans with PTSD showed greater positive connectivity between the amygdala and insula, reduced positive connectivity between the amygdala and hippocampus, and reduced anticorrelation between the amygdala and dorsal ACC and rostral ACC. Limitations Only male veterans with combat exposure were tested, thus our findings cannot be generalized to women or to individuals with non–combat related PTSD. Conclusion These results demonstrate that studies of functional connectivity during resting state can discern aberrant patterns of coupling within emotion circuits and suggest a possible brain basis for emotion-processing and emotion-regulation deficits in individuals with PTSD. PMID:22313617

Alcohol Use after Combat-Acquired Traumatic Brain Injury: What We Know and Don’t Know

PubMed Central

ADAMS, RACHEL SAYKO; CORRIGAN, JOHN D.; LARSON, MARY JO

2012-01-01

Military personnel engage in unhealthy alcohol use at rates higher than their same age, civilian peers, resulting in negative consequences for the individual and jeopardized force readiness for the armed services. Among those returning from combat deployment, unhealthy drinking may be exacerbated by acute stress reactions and injury, including traumatic brain injury (TBI). Combat-acquired TBI is common among personnel in the current conflicts. Although research suggests that impairments due to TBI leads to an increased risk for unhealthy drinking and consequences among civilians, there has been little research to examine whether TBI influences drinking behaviors among military personnel. This article examines TBI and drinking in both civilian and military populations and discusses implications for clinical care and policy. PMID:22485074

Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-27

ordnance disposal (counter- IED), combat construction engineering , cargo handling, combat logistics, maritime security, detainee operations, customs...Rutherford, “Navy’s Maritime Domain Awareness System ‘Up And Running’,” Defense Daily, September 4, 2008; and Dan Taylor , “New Network Allows Navy To...with twin diesel engines and water jets. It has a range of 600 nautical miles. 34 Other Organizational Initiatives Other Navy initiatives in recent

Women in Combat: The Medical and Behavioral Health Effects on Women Who Have Served in Combat

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-13

student author and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency...but not limited to, muscle pain and stiffness, fatigue, severe headaches, reproductive health issues, traumatic brain injuries, and musculoskeletal...

Combat, Sexual Assault, and Post-Traumatic Stress in OIF/OEF Military Women

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

Traumatic Stress in OIF/OEF Military Women PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Anne G. Sadler, R.N., Ph.D. CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Iowa City VA...NUMBER Combat, Sexual Assault, and Post-Traumatic Stress in OIF/OEF Military Women 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-08-2-0080 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER...endpoints (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury) in four subgroups: 1) women deployed to combat related regions once; 2) women

SPARTAN II: An Instructional High Resolution Land Combat Model

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-01

93M-09 SPARTAN II: AN INSTRUCTIONAL HIGH RESOLUTION LAND COMBAT MODEL THESIS DWquALfl’ 4 Presented to the Faculty of the School of Engineering of the...ADVISOR NAJ Edward Negrelli/ENS REALDER MAJ Bruce Marl an/MA LD1 { The goal of this thesis was to improve SPARTAN, a high resolution land combat model...should serve as a useful tool for learning about the advantages and disadvantages of high resolution combat modeling. I wish to thank I4AJ Edward

Approval of System MANPRINT Management Plan (SMMP) for the Modernized Demolitions Initiators (MDI) Set

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-07-01

at the different skill levels are: C-1 a. MOSC 12B10. Assists combat engineers by performing combat construction, combat demolitions, and related...duties. b. MOSC 12B20. Performs as team leader and assistant squad leader in combat construction, demolition, and duties. c. MOSC 12B30. Serves as squad...instructor. d. MOSC 12B40. Serves as platoon sergeant; as operations sergeant; as construction inspector; as advisor to supported units, allied forces

Mild traumatic brain injury: lessons learned from clinical, sports, and combat concussions.

PubMed

Kelly, Judy C; Amerson, Efland H; Barth, Jeffrey T

2012-01-01

Over the past forty years, a tremendous amount of information has been gained on the mechanisms and consequences of mild traumatic brain injuries. Using sports as a laboratory to study this phenomenon, a natural recovery curve emerged, along with standards for managing concussions and returning athletes back to play. Although advances have been made in this area, investigation into recovery and return to play continues. With the increase in combat-related traumatic brain injuries in the military setting, lessons learned from sports concussion research are being applied by the Department of Defense to the assessment of blast concussions and return to duty decision making. Concussion management and treatment for military personnel can be complicated by additional combat related stressors not present in the civilian environment. Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the interventions that has been successful in treating symptoms of postconcussion syndrome. While we are beginning to have an understanding of the impact of multiple concussions and subconcussive blows in the sports world, much is still unknown about the impact of multiple blast injuries.

Frequent Binge Drinking After Combat-Acquired Traumatic Brain Injury Among Active Duty Military Personnel with a Past Year Combat Deployment

PubMed Central

Adams, Rachel Sayko; Larson, Mary Jo; Corrigan, John D.; Horgan, Constance M.; Williams, Thomas V.

2013-01-01

Objective To determine whether combat-acquired traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with post-deployment frequent binge drinking among a random sample of active duty military personnel (ADMP). Participants ADMP who returned home within the past year from deployment to a combat theater of operations and completed a survey health assessment (N = 7,155). Methods Cross-sectional observational study with multivariate analysis of responses to the 2008 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel, an anonymous, random population-based assessment of the Armed Forces. Main Measures Frequent binge drinking: five or more drinks on the same occasion, at least once per week, in the past 30 days. TBI-AC: self-reported altered consciousness only; loss of consciousness of less than 1 minute (TBI-LOC<1); and LOC of 1 minute or greater (TBI-LOC 1+) after combat injury event exposure. Results Of ADMP who had a past year combat deployment, 25.6% were frequent binge drinkers and 13.9% reported experiencing a TBI on the deployment, primarily TBI-AC (7.5%). In regression models adjusting for demographics and positive screen for posttraumatic stress disorder, ADMP with TBI had increased odds of frequent binge drinking compared to those with no injury exposure or without TBI: TBI-AC (AOR 1.48, 95% CI, 1.18–1.84); TBI-LOC 1+ (AOR 1.67, 95% CI, 1.00–2.79). Conclusions TBI was significantly associated with past month frequent binge drinking after controlling for posttraumatic stress disorder, combat exposure, and other covariates. PMID:22955100

Brain Response to Primary Blast Wave Using Validated Finite Element Models of Human Head and Advanced Combat Helmet

PubMed Central

Zhang, Liying; Makwana, Rahul; Sharma, Sumit

2013-01-01

Blast-induced traumatic brain injury has emerged as a “signature injury” in combat casualty care. Present combat helmets are designed primarily to protect against ballistic and blunt impacts, but the current issue with helmets is protection concerning blasts. In order to delineate the blast wave attenuating capability of the Advanced Combat Helmet (ACH), a finite element (FE) study was undertaken to evaluate the head response against blast loadings with and without helmet using a partially validated FE model of the human head and ACH. Four levels of overpressures (0.27–0.66 MPa) from the Bowen’s lung iso-damage threshold curves were used to simulate blast insults. Effectiveness of the helmet with respect to head orientation was also investigated. The resulting biomechanical responses of the brain to blast threats were compared for human head with and without the helmet. For all Bowen’s cases, the peak intracranial pressures (ICP) in the head ranged from 0.68 to 1.8 MPa in the coup cortical region. ACH was found to mitigate ICP in the head by 10–35%. Helmeted head resulted in 30% lower average peak brain strains and product of strain and strain rate. Among three blast loading directions with ACH, highest reduction in peak ICP (44%) was due to backward blasts whereas the lowest reduction in peak ICP and brain strains was due to forward blast (27%). The biomechanical responses of a human head to primary blast insult exhibited directional sensitivity owing to the different geometry contours and coverage of the helmet construction and asymmetric anatomy of the head. Thus, direction-specific tolerances are needed in helmet design in order to offer omni-directional protection for the human head. The blasts of varying peak overpressures and durations that are believed to produce the same level of lung injury produce different levels of mechanical responses in the brain, and hence “iso-damage” curves for brain injury are likely different than the Bowen curves for lung injury. PMID:23935591

A case–control study examining whether neurological deficits and PTSD in combat veterans are related to episodes of mild TBI

PubMed Central

Riechers, Ronald George; Wang, Xiao-Feng; Piero, Traci; Ruff, Suzanne Smith

2012-01-01

Background Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a common injury among military personnel serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. The impact of repeated episodes of combat mTBI is unknown. Objective To evaluate relationships among mTBI, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and neurological deficits (NDs) in US veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Methods This was a case–control study. From 2091 veterans screened for traumatic brain injury, the authors studied 126 who sustained mTBI with one or more episodes of loss of consciousness (LOC) in combat. Comparison groups: 21 combat veterans who had definite or possible episodes of mTBI without LOC and 21 veterans who sustained mTBI with LOC as civilians. Results Among combat veterans with mTBI, 52% had NDs, 66% had PTSD and 50% had PTSD and an ND. Impaired olfaction was the most common ND, found in 65 veterans. The prevalence of an ND or PTSD correlated with the number of mTBI exposures with LOC. The prevalence of an ND or PTSD was >90% for more than five episodes of LOC. Severity of PTSD and impairment of olfaction increased with number of LOC episodes. The prevalence of an ND for the 34 combat veterans with one episode of LOC (4/34=11.8%) was similar to that of the 21 veterans of similar age and educational background who sustained civilian mTBI with one episode of LOC (2/21=9.5%, p-NS). Conclusions Impaired olfaction was the most frequently recognised ND. Repeated episodes of combat mTBI were associated with increased likelihood of PTSD and an ND. Combat setting may not increase the likelihood of an ND. Two possible connections between mTBI and PTSD are (1) that circumstances leading to combat mTBI likely involve severe psychological trauma and (2) that altered cerebral functioning following mTBI may increase the likelihood that a traumatic event results in PTSD. PMID:22431700

Index to Benet Laboratories Technical Reports - 1988

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-05-01

EDITING SECTION MAY 1989 US ARMY ARMAMENT RESEARCH , ~ DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING CENTER CLOSE COMBAT ARMAMENTS CENTER BENET LABORATORIES WATERVLIET, N.Y...Watervliet, NY 12189-4050 I =ONTROLLING OFFICE NAME AND ADoRESS 12. REPORT DATE US Army Armament Research , Develop, & Engr Center April 1988 Close Combat...Watervliet, NY 12189-4050 11. CONTROLLING OFFICE NAME AND ADDRESS 12. REPORT DATE US Army ARDEC May 1989 Close Combat Armaments Center 13. NUMBER OF PAGES

Sleep quality affects cognitive functioning in returning combat veterans beyond combat exposure, PTSD, and mild TBI history.

PubMed

Martindale, Sarah L; Morissette, Sandra B; Rowland, Jared A; Dolan, Sara L

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine how sleep quality affects cognitive functioning in returning combat veterans after accounting for effects of combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) history. This was a cross-sectional assessment study evaluating combat exposure, PTSD, mTBI history, sleep quality, and neuropsychological functioning. One hundred and nine eligible male Iraq/Afghanistan combat veterans completed an assessment consisting of a structured clinical interview, neuropsychological battery, and self-report measures. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling, combat experiences and mTBI history were not directly associated with sleep quality. PTSD was directly associated with sleep quality, which contributed to deficits in neuropsychological functioning independently of and in addition to combat experiences, PTSD, and mTBI history. Combat experiences and PTSD were differentially associated with motor speed. Sleep affected cognitive function independently of combat experiences, PTSD, and mTBI history. Sleep quality also contributed to cognitive deficits beyond effects of PTSD. An evaluation of sleep quality may be a useful point of clinical intervention in combat veterans with cognitive complaints. Improving sleep quality could alleviate cognitive complaints, improving veterans' ability to engage in treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

An Investigation of the Combat Attitudes of Air Force Civil Engineers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-04-01

Leadership Management and Development Center (LMDC) at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, to develop the Potential for Combat Effectiveness Model (PCEM) and its...Barracks, PA: US Army War College. Leadership Management Development Center. (1986). Organizational Assessment Package Survey# Factors and Variables

Neurologic Health in Combat Sports.

PubMed

Seifert, Tad

2017-08-01

Neurologic injuries of both an acute and chronic nature have been reported in the literature for various combat sport styles; however, reports of the incidence and prevalence of these injury types vary greatly. Combat sports clinicians must continue to strive for the development, implementation, and enforcement of uniform minimum requirements for brain safety. These health care providers must also seize on the honor to provide this oft-underserved population with the health care advocacy they very much deserve, but often do not receive. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association Between Traumatic Brain Injury-Related Brain Lesions and Long-term Caregiver Burden.

PubMed

Guevara, Andrea Brioschi; Demonet, Jean-Francois; Polejaeva, Elena; Knutson, Kristine M; Wassermann, Eric M; Grafman, Jordan; Krueger, Frank

2016-01-01

To investigate the association between traumatic brain injury (TBI)-related brain lesions and long-term caregiver burden in relation to dysexecutive syndrome. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. A total of 256 participants: 105 combat veterans with TBI, 23 healthy control combat veterans (HCv), and 128 caregivers. Caregiver burden assessed by the Zarit Burden Interview at 40 years postinjury. Participants with penetrating TBI were compared with HCv on perceived caregiver burden and neuropsychological assessment measures. Data of computed tomographic scans (overlay lesion maps of participants with a penetrating TBI whose caregivers have a significantly high burden) and behavioral statistical analyses were combined to identify brain lesions associated with caregiver burden. Burden was greater in caregivers of veterans with TBI than in caregivers of HCv. Caregivers of participants with lesions affecting cognitive and behavioral indicators of dysexecutive syndrome (ie, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex) showed greater long-term burden than caregivers of participants with lesions elsewhere in the brain. The TBI-related brain lesions have a lasting effect on long-term caregiver burden due to cognitive and behavioral factors associated with dysexecutive syndrome.

The development of turbojet aircraft in Germany, Britain, and the United States: A multi-national comparison of aeronautical engineering, 1935--1946

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavelec, Sterling Michael

In the 1930s aeronautical engineering needed revision. A presumptive anomaly was envisaged as piston-engine aircraft flew higher and faster. Radical alternatives to piston engines were considered in the unending quest for speed. Concurrently, but unwittingly, two turbojet engine programs were undertaken in Europe. The air-breathing three-stage turbojet engine was based on previous turbine technology; the revolutionary idea was the gas turbine as a prime mover for aircraft. In Germany, Dr. Hans von Ohain was the first to complete a flight-worthy turbojet engine for aircraft. Installed in a Heinkel designed aircraft, the Germans began the jet age on 27 August 1939. The Germans led throughout the war and were the first to produce jet aircraft for combat operations. The principal limiting factor for the German jet program was a lack of reliable engines. The continuing myths that Hitler orders, too little fuel, or too few pilots hindered the program are false. In England, Frank Whittle, without substantial support, but with dogged determination, also developed a turbojet engine. The British came second in the jet race when the Whittle engine powered the Gloster Pioneer on 15 May 1941. The Whittle-Gloster relationship continued and produced the only Allied combat jet aircraft during the war, the Meteor, which was confined to Home Defense in Britain. The American turbojet program was built directly from the Whittle engine. General Electric copied the Whittle designs and Bell Aircraft was contracted to build the first American jet plane. The Americans began the jet age on 1 October 1942 with a lackluster performance from their first jet, the Airacomet. But the Americans forged ahead, and had numerous engine and airframe programs in development by the end of the war. But, the Germans did it right and did it first. Partly because of a predisposition towards excellent engineering and physics, partly out of necessity, the Germans were able to produce combat turbojet aircraft during the war. The Allies lagged from a lack of necessity, operational incompatibility, and stringent acceptance requirements. By the end of the war the Germans needed qualitative technological superiority to combat an overwhelming Allied quantitative advantage.

Lightweight Combat Vehicle S&T Initiatives

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

1 U.S. ARMY TANK AUTOMOTIVE RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING CENTER Lightweight Combat Vehicle S &T Initiatives Dr. Richard Gerth Ground Systems...00-00-2015 to 00-00-2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Lightweight Combat Vehicle S &T Initiatives Global Automotive Lightweight Materials 2015 - August...18-20 2015 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR( S ) Richard Gerth 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f

Marksmanship Requirements from the Perspective of Combat Veterans - Volume 2: Summary Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

M. McInroy who provided input to the questionnaire and insured that the Army’s Centers of Excellence were aware of the importance of their students ...combat gear Qualify with weapon in combat gear Hit targets at night using aiming lights & night vision goggles Hit targets at night with thermal ...conditions, the junior and some of the senior enlisted were not comfortable under these conditions making it unsatisfactory. 10 Engineer. Different

Combat veterans with PTSD after mild TBI exhibit greater ERPs from posterior-medial cortical areas while appraising facial features.

PubMed

Shu, I-Wei; Onton, Julie A; Prabhakar, Nitin; O'Connell, Ryan M; Simmons, Alan N; Matthews, Scott C

2014-02-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) worsens prognosis following mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Combat personnel with histories of mTBI exhibit abnormal activation of distributed brain networks-including emotion processing and default mode networks. How developing PTSD further affects these abnormalities has not been directly examined. We recorded electroencephalography in combat veterans with histories of mTBI, but without active PTSD (mTBI only, n=16) and combat veterans who developed PTSD after mTBI (mTBI+PTSD, n=16)-during the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET), a validated test of empathy requiring emotional appraisal of facial features. Task-related event related potentials (ERPs) were identified, decomposed using independent component analysis (ICA) and localized anatomically using dipole modeling. We observed larger emotional face processing ERPs in veterans with mTBI+PTSD, including greater N300 negativity. Furthermore, greater N300 negativity correlated with greater PTSD severity, especially avoidance/numbing and hyperarousal symptom clusters. This correlation was dependent on contributions from the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC). Our results support a model where, in combat veterans with histories of mTBI, larger ERPs from over-active posterior-medial cortical areas may be specific to PTSD, and is likely related to negative self-referential activity. © 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Interaction between different sports branches such as taekwondo, box, athletes and serum brain derived neurotrophic factor levels.

PubMed

Oztasyonar, Yunus

2017-04-01

This study aimed to compare serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels "which contributes in both neuron development/regeneration" between combat sport braches, which requires high attention and concentration and can lead micro and macro brain trauma, and athleticism, which requires durability in competition. The study design included 4 groups. Group 1 had sedentary participants, and group 2 athletes (middle and long runners) who exercised for two 2-hour daily training sessions 6 days a week. group 3 included boxers, and group 4 taekwondo fighters. We investigated changes in the blood BDNF levels of taekwondo fighters, boxers, and athletes before and after training and compared them among each other and with measurements of sedentary controls. All athletes had higher basal BDNF levels than sedentary participants. Boxers and taekwondo athletes had especially high basal BDNF levels. When we compared different sports branch each other Pre- and post- training BDNF values are ranked as follows: taekwondo > boxing > athletes > sedentary. In sport branches such as combat sports and athletes, serum BDNF levels have been demonstrated to be higher after training than before. In addition, serum BDNF levels were higher in taekwondo fighters and boxers than athletes. BDNF might have a role in the protection mechanism against brain damage or contributes in occurrence and maintenance of high attention and concentration especially among combat sports.

From an unlicensed philosopher: reflections on brain, mind, society, culture--each other's environments with equal "ontologic standing".

PubMed

Shay, Jonathan

2010-10-01

Philosophic conclusions drawn from work with psychologically and morally injured combat veterans include that brain, mind, society, and culture "co-evolved." The four encompass the complete human phenomenon, but not all are reducible to the physical brain. None of the four are "ontologically prior" to the others, when viewed over the entire lifecycle. All four are what I call "each other's environments," with obligatory cross-boundary flows--each with each in both directions. Rigorous, but nonreductionist interdisciplinary research, in the vein of "evo-devo" in embryology, is called for in the study of the human phenomena. On the basis of these conclusions, I offer a few practical comments on clinical work with psychologically and morally injured combat veterans. © 2010 Association for Research in Nervous and Mental Disease.

Formulations for Intranasal Delivery of Pharmacological Agents to Combat Brain Disease: A New Opportunity to Tackle GBM?

PubMed Central

van Woensel, Matthias; Wauthoz, Nathalie; Rosière, Rémi; Amighi, Karim; Mathieu, Véronique; Lefranc, Florence; van Gool, Stefaan W.; de Vleeschouwer, Steven

2013-01-01

Despite recent advances in tumor imaging and chemoradiotherapy, the median overall survival of patients diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme does not exceed 15 months. Infiltration of glioma cells into the brain parenchyma, and the blood-brain barrier are important hurdles to further increase the efficacy of classic therapeutic tools. Local administration methods of therapeutic agents, such as convection enhanced delivery and intracerebral injections, are often associated with adverse events. The intranasal pathway has been proposed as a non-invasive alternative route to deliver therapeutics to the brain. This route will bypass the blood-brain barrier and limit systemic side effects. Upon presentation at the nasal cavity, pharmacological agents reach the brain via the olfactory and trigeminal nerves. Recently, formulations have been developed to further enhance this nose-to-brain transport, mainly with the use of nanoparticles. In this review, the focus will be on formulations of pharmacological agents, which increase the nasal permeation of hydrophilic agents to the brain, improve delivery at a constant and slow release rate, protect therapeutics from degradation along the pathway, increase mucoadhesion, and facilitate overall nasal transport. A mounting body of evidence is accumulating that the underexplored intranasal delivery route might represent a major breakthrough to combat glioblastoma. PMID:24202332

E-Cheating: Combating a 21st Century Challenge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMurtry, Kim

2001-01-01

Discusses electronic cheating in higher education made possible by new technologies. Highlights include statistics on plagiarism; using Web search engines and paper mills; and ways to combat cheating, including academic honesty policies, designing writing assignments with specific goals and instructions, being aware of what is available on the…

Critical concerns in Iraq/Afghanistan war veteran-forensic interface: combat-related postdeployment criminal violence.

PubMed

Sreenivasan, Shoba; Garrick, Thomas; McGuire, James; Smee, Daniel E; Dow, Daniel; Woehl, Daniel

2013-01-01

Identifying whether there is a nexus between Iraq and Afghanistan combat injuries and civilian violence on return from deployment is complicated by differences in reactions of individuals to combat exposure, the overlapping effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the low base rate of civilian violence after combat exposure. Moreover, the overall prevalence of violence among returning Iraq and Afghanistan combat war veterans has not been well documented. Malingered symptoms and either exaggeration or outright fabrication of war zone exposure are challenges to rendering forensic opinions, with the risk reduced by accessing military documents that corroborate war zone duties and exposure. This article serves as a first step toward understanding what may potentiate violence among returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans. We offer a systematic approach toward the purpose of forensic case formulation that addresses whether combat duty/war zone exposure and associated clinical conditions are linked to criminal violence on return to civilian life.

IVTS-CEV (Interactive Video Tape System-Combat Engineer Vehicle) Gunnery Trainer.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

video game technology developed for and marketed in consumer video games. The IVTS/CEV is a conceptual/breadboard-level classroom interactive training system designed to train Combat Engineer Vehicle (CEV) gunners in target acquisition and engagement with the main gun. The concept demonstration consists of two units: a gunner station and a display module. The gunner station has optics and gun controls replicating those of the CEV gunner station. The display module contains a standard large-screen color video monitor and a video tape player. The gunner’s sight

Traumatic Brain Injury among US Active Duty Military Personnel and Negative Drinking-Related Consequences

PubMed Central

Adams, Rachel Sayko; Larson, Mary Jo; Corrigan, John D.; Ritter, Grant A.; Williams, Thomas V.

2013-01-01

This study used the 2008 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel to determine whether traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with past year drinking-related consequences. The study sample included currently-drinking personnel who had a combat deployment in the past year and were home for ≥6 months (N = 3,350). Negative binomial regression models were used to assess the incidence rate ratios of consequences, by TBI-level. Experiencing a TBI with a loss of consciousness >20 minutes was significantly associated with consequences independent of demographics, combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder, and binge drinking. The study’s limitations are noted. PMID:23869456

Compelling Evidence that Exposure Therapy for PTSD Normalizes Brain Function.

PubMed

Roy, Michael J; Costanzo, Michelle E; Blair, James R; Rizzo, Albert A

2014-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is helping us better understand the neurologic pathways involved in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We previously reported that military service members with PTSD after deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan demonstrated significant improvement, or normalization, in the fMRI-measured activation of the amygdala, prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate gyrus following exposure therapy for PTSD. However, our original study design did not include repeat scans of control participants, rendering it difficult to discern how much of the observed normalization in brain activity is attributable to treatment, rather than merely a practice effect. Using the same Affective Stroop task paradigm, we now report on a larger sample of PTSD-positive combat veterans that we treated with exposure therapy, as well as a combat-exposed control group of service members who completed repeat scans at 3-4 month intervals. Findings from the treatment group are similar to our prior report. Combat controls showed no significant change on repeat scanning, indicating that the observed differences in the intervention group were in fact due to treatment. We continue to scan additional study participants, in order to determine whether virtual reality exposure therapy has a different impact on regional brain activation than other therapies for PTSD.

Preliminary Evidence for the Impact of Combat Experiences on Gray Matter Volume of the Posterior Insula

PubMed Central

Clausen, Ashley N.; Billinger, Sandra A.; Sisante, Jason-Flor V.; Suzuki, Hideo; Aupperle, Robin L.

2017-01-01

Background: Combat-exposed veteran populations are at an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and insula have been implicated in both autonomic arousal to emotional stressors and homeostatic processes, which may contribute to cardiovascular dysfunction in combat veteran populations. The aim of the present study was to explore the intersecting relationships of combat experiences, rostral ACC and posterior insula volume, and cardiovascular health in a sample of combat veterans. Method: Twenty-four male combat veterans completed clinical assessment of combat experiences and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Subjects completed a magnetic resonance imaging scan and autosegmentation using FreeSurfer was used to estimate regional gray matter volume (controlling for total gray matter volume) of the rostral ACC and posterior insula. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was conducted to assess cardiovascular health. Theil-sen robust regressions and Welch's analysis of variance were used to examine relationships of combat experiences and PTSD symptomology with (1) FMD and (2) regional gray matter volume. Results: Increased combat experiences, deployment duration, and multiple deployments were related to smaller posterior insula volume. Combat experiences were marginally associated with poorer cardiovascular health. However, cardiovascular health was not related to rostral ACC or posterior insula volume. Conclusion: The present study provides initial evidence for the relationships of combat experiences, deployment duration, and multiple deployments with smaller posterior insula volume. Results may suggest that veterans with increased combat experiences may exhibit more dysfunction regulating the autonomic nervous system, a key function of the posterior insula. However, the relationship between combat and cardiovascular health was not mediated by regional brain volume. Future research is warranted to further clarify the cardiovascular or functional impact of smaller posterior insula volume in combat veterans. PMID:29312038

Improvements in the Hemodynamic Stability of Combat Casualties During En Route Care

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

IMPROVEMENTS IN THE HEMODYNAMIC STABILITY OF COMBAT CASUALTIES DURING EN ROUTE CARE Amy N. Apodaca,* Jonathan J. Morrison,†‡ Mary Ann Spott,* John J...greater clinical capability is associated with an improved hemodynamic status in critical casualties. The ideal prehospital triage should endeavor to...before out of theater medical evacuation (MEDEVAC). As SI is measure of hemodynamic stability, patients with isolated severe brain injury or

Applying Neuroscience to Enhance Tactical Leader Cognitive Performance in Combat

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-16

to respond emotionally, (2) stress degrades the form of conscious attention know as “working memory ,” and (3) certain brain areas can be...Combat, Prefrontal Cortex, Tactical, Army, Working Memory 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a...sacrifices cognitive resources to respond emotionally, (2) stress degrades the form of conscious attention know as “working memory ,” and (3) certain

Repeated head trauma is associated with smaller thalamic volumes and slower processing speed: the Professional Fighters’ Brain Health Study

PubMed Central

Bernick, Charles; Banks, Sarah J; Shin, Wanyong; Obuchowski, Nancy; Butler, Sam; Noback, Michael; Phillips, Michael; Lowe, Mark; Jones, Stephen; Modic, Michael

2015-01-01

Objectives Cumulative head trauma may alter brain structure and function. We explored the relationship between exposure variables, cognition and MRI brain structural measures in a cohort of professional combatants. Methods 224 fighters (131 mixed martial arts fighters and 93 boxers) participating in the Professional Fighters Brain Health Study, a longitudinal cohort study of licensed professional combatants, were recruited, as were 22 controls. Each participant underwent computerised cognitive testing and volumetric brain MRI. Fighting history including years of fighting and fights per year was obtained from self-report and published records. Statistical analyses of the baseline evaluations were applied cross-sectionally to determine the relationship between fight exposure variables and volumes of the hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, caudate, putamen. Moreover, the relationship between exposure and brain volumes with cognitive function was assessed. Results Increasing exposure to repetitive head trauma measured by number of professional fights, years of fighting, or a Fight Exposure Score (FES) was associated with lower brain volumes, particularly the thalamus and caudate. In addition, speed of processing decreased with decreased thalamic volumes and with increasing fight exposure. Higher scores on a FES used to reflect exposure to repetitive head trauma were associated with greater likelihood of having cognitive impairment. Conclusions Greater exposure to repetitive head trauma is associated with lower brain volumes and lower processing speed in active professional fighters. PMID:25633832

Can the Marine Corps Overcome the Obstacles of Effectively Supplying the Small Infantry Unit in the 21st Century Urban Conflict?

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-04-01

opposed to combat engineering, and services are items such as laundry and consumable personal-use items (e.g. soap, shampoo , exchange items, etc...like insults and verbal abuse from non- combatants. In Grozny, about seventy-eight percent of soldiers surveyed had some type

Association Between Traumatic Brain Injury and Risk of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Active-Duty Marines

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a risk factor for posttraumatic stress disorder ( PTSD ) has been difficult to determine because of the prevalence of...Qualification Test; CAPS, Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale; PTSD , posttraumatic stress disorder ; TBI, traumatic brain injury. a For the zeromodel, base...New onset and persistent symptoms of post - traumatic stress disorder self reported after deployment and combat exposures. BMJ.

Traumatic brain injury in modern war

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, Geoffrey S. F.; Hawley, Jason; Grimes, Jamie; Macedonia, Christian; Hancock, James; Jaffee, Michael; Dombroski, Todd; Ecklund, James M.

2013-05-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is common and especially with military service. In Iraq and Afghanistan, explosive blast related TBI has become prominent and is mainly from improvised explosive devices (IED). Civilian standard of care clinical practice guidelines (CPG) were appropriate has been applied to the combat setting. When such CPGs do not exist or are not applicable, new practice standards for the military are created, as for TBI. Thus, CPGs for prehospital care of combat TBI CPG [1] and mild TBI/concussion [2] were introduced as was a DoD system-wide clinical care program, the first large scale system wide effort to address all severities of TBI in a comprehensive organized way. As TBI remains incompletely understood, substantial research is underway. For the DoD, leading this effort are The Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, National Intrepid Center of Excellence and the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. This program is a beginning, a work in progress ready to leverage advances made scientifically and always with the intent of providing the best care to its military beneficiaries.

Defense Health Care: Research on Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy to Treat Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

injuries that are not combat related. Letter Page 2 GAO-16-154 Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy depression , and suicide. Experts believe...fatigue, visual disturbances, sensitivity to noise, judgment problems, depression , and anxiety. Although the majority of individuals with mild TBI have...suffer from other ailments, such as depression and substance abuse. PTSD is one of the most prevalent mental disorders arising from combat. HBO2

Physiological and psychological fatigue in extreme conditions: the military example.

PubMed

Weeks, Sharon R; McAuliffe, Caitlin L; Durussel, David; Pasquina, Paul F

2010-05-01

The extreme conditions causing fatigue in military service members in combat and combat training deserve special consideration. The collective effects of severe exertion, limited caloric intake, and sleep deprivation, combined with the inherent stressors of combat, lead to both physiological and psychological fatigue that may significantly impair performance. Studies of combat training have revealed a myriad of endocrine, cognitive, and neurological changes that occur as a result of exposure to extreme conditions. Further contributory effects of multiple military deployments, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injury may also influence both the susceptibility to and expression of fatigue states. Further research is needed to explore these effects to enhance military readiness and performance as well as prevent injuries. Copyright (c) 2010 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Demyelination as a Target for Cell-Based Therapy of Chronic Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0389 TITLE: Demyelination as a Target for Cell-Based Therapy of Chronic Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury...2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Demyelination as a Target for Cell-Based Therapy of Chronic Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b...disabling behavioral and cognitive abnormalities noted in significant number of combat veterans. These clinical phenotypes suggest impairment in

Biomarkers of Risk for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

transporter (DAT), catechol-o- methyltransferase ( COMT Val66Met), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and polymorphisms in the gene for neuropeptide Y...study which has a larger number of participants and explores these effects more systematically), only one gene, again the COMT Val/Met polymorphism...relatively high or low exposure to combat on the Hoge scale (median split), there was an effect of COMT (B=4.8, p<.01), an effect of combat exposure

Military and Veterans Rehabilitation and Recovery from Injury Network (MAVERICK): Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (CENC)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

veterans with combat- related mTBI and non-TBI combat-exposed controls on comprehensive neuropsychological, neuroimaging, genomics , biomarkers, and...existing VA healthcare data to study the chronic effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) on neurodegenerative disease and other comorbidities... mice at different time points pre- and post- single mTBI and repetitive mTBI, and g. Began analysis of tissues samples obtained via the protocol. IX

Telerehabilitation for OIF/OEF Returnees with Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

outcomes and quality of life. The Telerehabilitation intervention: Veterans who meet the inclusionary criteria of a clinical diagnosis of combat...incurred mild or moderate TBI in Iraq and Afghanistan and who utilize the James A. Haley (JAH) Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Fl as their primary source of...care and who in the opinion of care providers in the Polytrauma Clinic at JAH will possibly benefit from the program are eligible to be consented for

The Silent Enemy. Combat Stress Reaction.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-04-01

intense anxiety, thus the term "shell shock." Such men were thought to have brain damage resulting from the concussion of high explosive shell blasts...French casualties returning to combat. (23:989) Upon the entrance of United States forces into World War I, Thomas W. Salmon, who held the job as...that battle stress is directly related to battle intensity. This was clearly 9 Shown in the Battle of Metz from September to November, 1944. The 5th

Characterizing effects of mild traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder on balance impairments in blast-exposed servicemembers and Veterans using computerized posturography.

PubMed

Wares, Joanna R; Hoke, Kathy W; Walker, William; Franke, Laura Manning; Cifu, David X; Carne, William; Ford-Smith, Cheryl

2015-01-01

The high rate of blast exposures experienced by U.S. servicemembers (SMs) during the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan has resulted in frequent combat-related mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs). Dizziness and postural instability can persist after mTBI as a component of postconcussion syndrome, but also occur among the somatic complaints of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The goals of this study were to examine the use of computerized posturography (CPT) to objectively characterize chronic balance deficits after mTBI and to explore the utility of CPT in distinguishing between combat and blast-exposed participants with and without mTBI and PTSD. Data were analyzed from a subject pool of 166 combat-exposed SMs and Veterans who had a blast experience within the past 2 yr while deployed. Using nonparametric tests and measures of impairment, we found that balance was deficient in participants diagnosed with mTBI with posttraumatic amnesia (PTA) or PTSD versus those with neither and that deficits were amplified for participants with both diagnoses. In addition, unique deficiencies were found using CPT for individuals having isolated mTBI with PTA and isolated PTSD. Computerized balance assessment offers an objective technique to examine the physiologic effects and provide differentiation between participants with combat-associated mTBI and PTSD.

Needs and Concerns of Male Combat Veterans with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

is bothering me . . . . I bought an old house and I’ve been remodeling it. And I found some old dressers from an old house, I’ve been refin- ishing...EW, Tong EC, Yip SC, Lui WF, Lam CS. Health services needs and quality of life assessment of individuals with brain injuries: a pilot cross -sectional

Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. 2004-2008

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

5-37 5.7 Integrated Pest Management...5-44 5.7.3 Animal Pest Control...mph MSL 2005 INRMP Update 319th Civil Engineer Squadron/Environmental Management Automated Civil Engineer System Project Management Air Combat

Combat ocular trauma and systemic injury.

PubMed

Weichel, Eric D; Colyer, Marcus H

2008-11-01

To review the recent literature regarding combat ocular trauma during hostilities in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, describe the classification of combat ocular trauma, and offer strategies that may assist in the management of eye injuries. Several recent publications have highlighted features of combat ocular trauma from Operation Iraqi Freedom. The most common cause of today's combat ocular injuries is unconventional fragmentary munitions causing significant blast injuries. These explosive munitions cause high rates of concomitant nonocular injuries such as traumatic brain injury, amputation, and other organ injuries. The most frequent ocular injuries include open-globe and adnexal lacerations. The extreme severity of combat-related open-globe injuries leads to high rates of primary enucleation and retained intraocular foreign bodies. Visual outcomes of intraocular foreign body injuries are similar to other series despite delayed removal, and no cases of endophthalmitis have occurred. Despite these advances, however, significant vision loss persists in cases of perforating globe injuries as well as open and closed-globe trauma involving the posterior segment. This review summarizes the recent literature describing ocular and systemic injuries sustained during Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. An emphasis on classification of ocular injuries as well as a discussion of main outcome measures and complications is discussed.

Addressing the United States Navy Need for Software Engineering Education

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-09-01

taught in MA 1996 (5 - 0). Precalculus review, complex numbers and algebra, complex plane, DeMovire’s Theorem, matrix algebra, LU decomposition...This course was designed for the METOC and Combat Systems curricula. PREREQUISITE: Precalculus mathematics. MA1996 MATHEMATICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND...description for MAI995 (5 - 0). This course was designed for the METOC and Combat Systems curricula. PREREQUISITE: Precalculus mathematics. PHYSICS/SYSTEMS

Quantitative Procedure for Position Identity Definition.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

integrated into an effi- cient and cohesive team, are necessary for the sucessful performance of the mission of the 2-17 Department of the Army. Military...Headquarters (Ft Monroe) ROTC Group (TRADOC-Ft Knox) Large Post Headquarters (Ft Bragg) Recruiting Support Center (Cameron Service School (Engineer) Station...College (Ft Belvoir) (Ft Belvoir) Defense Mapping School (Ft Belvoir) The apparent distinction in Army directives between combat, combat support, and

Advances in neuroimaging of traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder

PubMed Central

Van Boven, Robert W.; Harrington, Greg S.; Hackney, David B.; Ebel, Andreas; Gauger, Grant; Bremner, J. Douglas; D’Esposito, Mark; Detre, John A.; Haacke, E. Mark; Jack, Clifford R.; Jagust, William J.; Le Bihan, Denis; Mathis, Chester A.; Mueller, Susanne; Mukherjee, Pratik; Schuff, Norbert; Chen, Anthony; Weiner, Michael W.

2011-01-01

Improved diagnosis and treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are needed for our military and veterans, their families, and society at large. Advances in brain imaging offer important biomarkers of structural, functional, and metabolic information concerning the brain. This article reviews the application of various imaging techniques to the clinical problems of TBI and PTSD. For TBI, we focus on findings and advances in neuroimaging that hold promise for better detection, characterization, and monitoring of objective brain changes in symptomatic patients with combat-related, closed-head brain injuries not readily apparent by standard computed tomography or conventional magnetic resonance imaging techniques. PMID:20104401

Development of a skull/brain model for military wound ballistics studies.

PubMed

Carr, Debra; Lindstrom, Anne-Christine; Jareborg, Andreas; Champion, Stephen; Waddell, Neil; Miller, David; Teagle, Michael; Horsfall, Ian; Kieser, Jules

2015-05-01

Reports on penetrating ballistic head injuries in the literature are dominated by case studies of suicides; the penetrating ammunition usually being .22 rimfire or shotgun. The dominating cause of injuries in modern warfare is fragmentation and hence, this is the primary threat that military helmets protect the brain from. When helmets are perforated, this is usually by bullets. In combat, 20% of penetrating injuries occur to the head and its wounding accounts for 50% of combat deaths. A number of head simulants are described in the academic literature, in ballistic test methods for helmets (including measurement of behind helmet blunt trauma, BHBT) and in the 'open' and 'closed' government literature of several nations. The majority of these models are not anatomically correct and are not assessed with high-velocity rifle ammunition. In this article, an anatomically correct 'skull' (manufactured from polyurethane) and 'brain' (manufactured from 10%, by mass, gelatine) model for use in military wound ballistic studies is described. Filling the cranium completely with gelatine resulted in a similar 'skull' fracture pattern as an anatomically correct 'brain' combined with a representation of cerebrospinal fluid. In particular, posterior cranial fossa and occipital fractures and brain ejection were observed. This pattern of injury compared favourably to reported case studies of actual incidents in the literature.

Demyelination as a Target for Cell-Based Therapy of Chronic Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-13-1-0388 TITLE: Demyelination as a Target for Cell-Based Therapy of Chronic Blast- Induced Traumatic Brain Injury...SUBTITLE Demyelination as a Target for Cell-Based Therapy of Chronic Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH...disabling behavioral and cognitive abnormalities noted in significant number of combat veterans. These clinical phenotypes suggest impairment in

Manpower Requirements Report for FY 1982

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-02-01

Specifically included are program elements for industrial preparedness, second destination transportation, property disposal, production engineering ...artillery, and combat - engineers . Army policy accepts the fact that women will serve in loca- .. tions throughout the battlefield, will be expected to... industrial engineering work measurement techniques and computerized models such as the Logistics Composite Model (LCOM). MEP policy emanates from the

Postconcussive Symptom Reporting Among US Combat Veterans With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury From Operation Iraqi Freedom

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

memory problems (OR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.20-2.88), tinnitus (OR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.10-2.41), and dizziness (OR = 2.13; 95% CI = 1.06-4.29) compared with...consequences among combat veterans even when accounting for co-occurring psychological morbidity. The identification of postconcussive symptoms related to...Research Center, San Diego, California. This work was supported by the US Navy Bureau of Medicine under the Wounded, Ill and Injured/ Psychological Health

Traumatic Brain Injury Screening: Preliminary Findings in a US Army Brigade Combat Team

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

Screening: Preliminary Findings in a US Army Brigade Combat Team Heidi Terrio, MD, MPH; Lisa A. Brenner, PhD; Brian J. Ivins, MS; John M. Cho, MD; Katherine...Sheila Saliman and Lisa Betthauser is greatly appreciated. Corresponding author: Heidi Terrio, MD, MPH, 1853 O’Connell Blvd, Bldg 1042, Room 107, Fort...more mild TBI symptoms among injured soldiers with and without TBI (n = 1208)∗,† Parameter Adjusted 95% CI adjusted Variable estimate (β) SE β Wald P

Anticipating the traumatic brain injury-related health care needs of women veterans after the Department of Defense change in combat assignment policy.

PubMed

Amara, Jomana; Iverson, Katherine M; Krengel, Maxine; Pogoda, Terri K; Hendricks, Ann

2014-01-01

Female service members' presence in combat zones during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom is unprecedented both in terms of the number of women deployed and the nature of their involvement. In light of changing Department of Defense policy governing the deployment of women in combat zones, this article intends to set the groundwork for estimating future combat-related injuries and subsequent Veterans Health Administration (VHA) utilization while focusing on traumatic brain injury (TBI). The article summarizes and presents the results of a study that examines veterans who present to VHA for TBI evaluation. For a national sample of veterans, a dataset including information on post-screening utilization, diagnoses, and location of care was constructed. The dataset included self-reported health symptoms and other information obtained from a standardized national VHA post-screening clinical evaluation, the comprehensive TBI evaluation (CTBIE). Both women and men utilize high levels of VHA health care after a CTBIE. However, there are gender differences in the volume and types of services used, with women utilizing different services than their male counterparts and incurring higher costs, including higher overall and outpatient costs. As women veterans seek more of their health care from the VHA, there will be a need for more coordinated care to identify and manage deployment-related TBI and common comorbidities such as posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and chronic pain. Deployment-connected injuries are likely to rise because of the rescinding of the ban on women in combat. This in turn has critical implications for VHA strategic planning and budgeting. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Bacoside A: Role in Cigarette Smoking Induced Changes in Brain

PubMed Central

Vani, G.; Anbarasi, K.; Shyamaladevi, C. S.

2015-01-01

Cigarette smoking (CS) is a major health hazard that exerts diverse physiologic and biochemical effects mediated by the components present and generated during smoking. Recent experimental studies have shown predisposition to several biological consequences from both active and passive cigarette smoke exposure. In particular, passive smoking is linked to a number of adverse health effects which are equally harmful as active smoking. A pragmatic approach should be considered for designing a pharmacological intervention to combat the adverse effects of passive smoking. This review describes the results from a controlled experimental condition, testing the effect of bacoside A (BA) on the causal role of passive/secondhand smoke exposure that caused pathological and neurological changes in rat brain. Chronic exposure to cigarette smoke induced significant changes in rat brain histologically and at the neurotransmitter level, lipid peroxidation states, mitochondrial functions, membrane alterations, and apoptotic damage in rat brain. Bacoside A is a neuroactive agent isolated from Bacopa monnieri. As a neuroactive agent, BA was effective in combating these changes. Future research should examine the effects of BA at molecular level and assess its functional effects on neurobiological and behavioral processes associated with passive smoke. PMID:26413118

Bacoside A: Role in Cigarette Smoking Induced Changes in Brain.

PubMed

Vani, G; Anbarasi, K; Shyamaladevi, C S

2015-01-01

Cigarette smoking (CS) is a major health hazard that exerts diverse physiologic and biochemical effects mediated by the components present and generated during smoking. Recent experimental studies have shown predisposition to several biological consequences from both active and passive cigarette smoke exposure. In particular, passive smoking is linked to a number of adverse health effects which are equally harmful as active smoking. A pragmatic approach should be considered for designing a pharmacological intervention to combat the adverse effects of passive smoking. This review describes the results from a controlled experimental condition, testing the effect of bacoside A (BA) on the causal role of passive/secondhand smoke exposure that caused pathological and neurological changes in rat brain. Chronic exposure to cigarette smoke induced significant changes in rat brain histologically and at the neurotransmitter level, lipid peroxidation states, mitochondrial functions, membrane alterations, and apoptotic damage in rat brain. Bacoside A is a neuroactive agent isolated from Bacopa monnieri. As a neuroactive agent, BA was effective in combating these changes. Future research should examine the effects of BA at molecular level and assess its functional effects on neurobiological and behavioral processes associated with passive smoke.

Stress response in rat brain after different durations of noise exposure.

PubMed

Samson, James; Sheeladevi, Rathinasamy; Ravindran, Rajan; Senthilvelan, Manohar

2007-01-01

The alteration in the levels of plasma corticosterone, brain norepinephrine (NE), and expression of brain heat shock proteins (Hsp70) after different durations of noise exposure (acute, 1 day; sub-acute, 15 days; chronic, 30 days) has been studied to analyze their role in combating time-dependent stress effects of noise. Broadband white noise (100dB) exposure to male Wistar albino rats significantly increased the levels of plasma corticosterone and NE in all three durations of noise exposure. The sustained increase observed in their levels in the chronic group suggests that animals are not getting adapted to noise even after 30 days of exposure. The important role of Hsp70 in combating noise induced stress is evident from the significant increase in its expression after chronic exposure, while there was a reciprocal decrease in the NE and corticosterone when compared with their levels after acute and sub-acute noise exposure. This clearly indicates that the time-dependent stress response to noise exposure is a complex mechanism involving highly interconnected systems such as hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, heat shock proteins and may have serious implications in vital organs, particularly in the brain when there is a prolonged noise exposure.

Occupational differences in US Army suicide rates.

PubMed

Kessler, R C; Stein, M B; Bliese, P D; Bromet, E J; Chiu, W T; Cox, K L; Colpe, L J; Fullerton, C S; Gilman, S E; Gruber, M J; Heeringa, S G; Lewandowski-Romps, L; Millikan-Bell, A; Naifeh, J A; Nock, M K; Petukhova, M V; Rosellini, A J; Sampson, N A; Schoenbaum, M; Zaslavsky, A M; Ursano, R J

2015-11-01

Civilian suicide rates vary by occupation in ways related to occupational stress exposure. Comparable military research finds suicide rates elevated in combat arms occupations. However, no research has evaluated variation in this pattern by deployment history, the indicator of occupation stress widely considered responsible for the recent rise in the military suicide rate. The joint associations of Army occupation and deployment history in predicting suicides were analysed in an administrative dataset for the 729 337 male enlisted Regular Army soldiers in the US Army between 2004 and 2009. There were 496 suicides over the study period (22.4/100 000 person-years). Only two occupational categories, both in combat arms, had significantly elevated suicide rates: infantrymen (37.2/100 000 person-years) and combat engineers (38.2/100 000 person-years). However, the suicide rates in these two categories were significantly lower when currently deployed (30.6/100 000 person-years) than never deployed or previously deployed (41.2-39.1/100 000 person-years), whereas the suicide rate of other soldiers was significantly higher when currently deployed and previously deployed (20.2-22.4/100 000 person-years) than never deployed (14.5/100 000 person-years), resulting in the adjusted suicide rate of infantrymen and combat engineers being most elevated when never deployed [odds ratio (OR) 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1-4.1], less so when previously deployed (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.1), and not at all when currently deployed (OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.8-1.8). Adjustment for a differential 'healthy warrior effect' cannot explain this variation in the relative suicide rates of never-deployed infantrymen and combat engineers by deployment status. Efforts are needed to elucidate the causal mechanisms underlying this interaction to guide preventive interventions for soldiers at high suicide risk.

Occupational differences in US Army suicide rates

PubMed Central

Kessler, R. C.; Stein, M. B.; Bliese, P. D.; Bromet, E. J.; Chiu, W. T.; Cox, K. L.; Colpe, L. J.; Fullerton, C. S.; Gilman, S. E.; Gruber, M. J.; Heeringa, S. G.; Lewandowski-Romps, L.; Millikan-Bell, A.; Naifeh, J. A.; Nock, M. K.; Petukhova, M. V.; Rosellini, A. J.; Sampson, N. A.; Schoenbaum, M.; Zaslavsky, A. M.; Ursano, R. J.

2016-01-01

Background Civilian suicide rates vary by occupation in ways related to occupational stress exposure. Comparable military research finds suicide rates elevated in combat arms occupations. However, no research has evaluated variation in this pattern by deployment history, the indicator of occupation stress widely considered responsible for the recent rise in the military suicide rate. Method The joint associations of Army occupation and deployment history in predicting suicides were analysed in an administrative dataset for the 729 337 male enlisted Regular Army soldiers in the US Army between 2004 and 2009. Results There were 496 suicides over the study period (22.4/100 000 person-years). Only two occupational categories, both in combat arms, had significantly elevated suicide rates: infantrymen (37.2/100 000 person-years) and combat engineers (38.2/100 000 person-years). However, the suicide rates in these two categories were significantly lower when currently deployed (30.6/100 000 person-years) than never deployed or previously deployed (41.2–39.1/100 000 person-years), whereas the suicide rate of other soldiers was significantly higher when currently deployed and previously deployed (20.2–22.4/100 000 person-years) than never deployed (14.5/100 000 person-years), resulting in the adjusted suicide rate of infantrymen and combat engineers being most elevated when never deployed [odds ratio (OR) 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.1–4.1], less so when previously deployed (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–2.1), and not at all when currently deployed (OR 1.2, 95% CI 0.8–1.8). Adjustment for a differential ‘healthy warrior effect’ cannot explain this variation in the relative suicide rates of never-deployed infantrymen and combat engineers by deployment status. Conclusions Efforts are needed to elucidate the causal mechanisms underlying this interaction to guide preventive interventions for soldiers at high suicide risk. PMID:26190760

Annual Science and Engineering Technology Conference Presentations (8th)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-19

Technology 11:30 am Wrap Up & Adjourn 12:00 pm BUFFET LUNCHEON Session III: Army Future Combat System (Brigade Combat Team) (FCS(BCT)) Program The Future...acquisitions by firms from other nations. Non UK/Canada transactions accounted for 58% of all CFIUS filings. 19 Outline • Industrial Policy • Emerging...requirements are accounted for Document and model the component Minimize inter-component dependencies Support rapid, affordable technology

Amphibian Engineers in the Southwest Pacific

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-08

groups supporting Marine ground combat on small island chains. Such actions dominate the central Pacific. The ideal depiction of combat is Marine...to: first capture Tulagi and Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, second capture the remainder of the Solomon Islands plus Lae and Salamaua, and...air, sea, and ground operations from New Guinea through the Solomons and into the Marianas. Seizing Rabaul was critical to the allied forces in the

A Systems Engineering Approach in Providing Air Defense Support to Ground Combat Vehicle Maneuver Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

Defense DODAF Department of Defense Architecture Framework DOE design of experiment EMMI energy , mass, material wealth, information FNF fire and... energy or blast power (depending on the type of projectile). Tank munitions have significant penetrative ability and can cause serious damage to...survivability of ground combat vehicles during ground force maneuver operations. The simulation results indicated that the presence of air defense

Atypical Modulations of N170 Component during Emotional Processing and Their Links to Social Behaviors in Ex-combatants.

PubMed

Trujillo, Sandra P; Valencia, Stella; Trujillo, Natalia; Ugarriza, Juan E; Rodríguez, Mónica V; Rendón, Jorge; Pineda, David A; López, José D; Ibañez, Agustín; Parra, Mario A

2017-01-01

Emotional processing (EP) is crucial for the elaboration and implementation of adaptive social strategies. EP is also necessary for the expression of social cognition and behavior (SCB) patterns. It is well-known that war contexts induce socio-emotional atypical functioning, in particular for those who participate in combats. Thus, ex-combatants represent an ideal non-clinical population to explore EP modulation and to evaluate its relation with SCB. The aim of this study was to explore EP and its relation with SCB dimensions such as empathy, theory of mind and social skills in a sample of 50 subjects, of which 30 were ex-combatants from illegally armed groups in Colombia, and 20 controls without combat experience. We adapted an Emotional Recognition Task for faces and words and synchronized it with electroencephalographic recording. Ex-combatants presented with higher assertion skills and showed more pronounced brain responses to faces than Controls. They did not show the bias toward anger observed in control participants whereby the latter group was more likely to misclassify neutral faces as angry. However, ex-combatants showed an atypical word valence processing. That is, words with different emotions yielded no differences in N170 modulations. SCB variables were successfully predicted by neurocognitive variables. Our results suggest that in ex-combatants the links between EP and SCB functions are reorganized. This may reflect neurocognitive modulations associated to chronic exposure to war experiences.

Atypical Modulations of N170 Component during Emotional Processing and Their Links to Social Behaviors in Ex-combatants

PubMed Central

Trujillo, Sandra P.; Valencia, Stella; Trujillo, Natalia; Ugarriza, Juan E.; Rodríguez, Mónica V.; Rendón, Jorge; Pineda, David A.; López, José D.; Ibañez, Agustín; Parra, Mario A.

2017-01-01

Emotional processing (EP) is crucial for the elaboration and implementation of adaptive social strategies. EP is also necessary for the expression of social cognition and behavior (SCB) patterns. It is well-known that war contexts induce socio-emotional atypical functioning, in particular for those who participate in combats. Thus, ex-combatants represent an ideal non-clinical population to explore EP modulation and to evaluate its relation with SCB. The aim of this study was to explore EP and its relation with SCB dimensions such as empathy, theory of mind and social skills in a sample of 50 subjects, of which 30 were ex-combatants from illegally armed groups in Colombia, and 20 controls without combat experience. We adapted an Emotional Recognition Task for faces and words and synchronized it with electroencephalographic recording. Ex-combatants presented with higher assertion skills and showed more pronounced brain responses to faces than Controls. They did not show the bias toward anger observed in control participants whereby the latter group was more likely to misclassify neutral faces as angry. However, ex-combatants showed an atypical word valence processing. That is, words with different emotions yielded no differences in N170 modulations. SCB variables were successfully predicted by neurocognitive variables. Our results suggest that in ex-combatants the links between EP and SCB functions are reorganized. This may reflect neurocognitive modulations associated to chronic exposure to war experiences. PMID:28588462

MRI-Based Measurement of Hippocampal Volume in Patients With Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

PubMed Central

Bremner, J. Douglas; Randall, Penny; Scott, Tammy M.; Bronen, Richard A.; Seibyl, John P.; Southwick, Steven M.; Delaney, Richard C.; McCarthy, Gregory; Charney, Dennis S.; Innis, Robert B.

2011-01-01

Objective Studies in nonhuman primates suggest that high levels of cortisol associated with stress have neurotoxic effects on the hippocampus, a brain structure involved in memory. The authors previously showed that patients with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had deficits in short-term memory. The purpose of this study was to compare the hippocampal volume of patients with PTSD to that of subjects without psychiatric disorder. Method Magnetic resonance imaging was used to measure the volume of the hippocampus in 26 Vietnam combat veterans with PTSD and 22 comparison subjects selected to be similar to the patients in age, sex, race, years of education, socioeconomic status, body size, and years of alcohol abuse. Results The PTSD patients had a statistically significant 8% smaller right hippocampal volume relative to that of the comparison subjects, but there was no difference in the volume of other brain regions (caudate and temporal lobe). Deficits in short-term verbal memory as measured with the Wechsler Memory Scale were associated with smaller right hippocampal volume in the PTSD patients only. Conclusions These findings are consistent with a smaller right hippocampal volume in PTSD that is associated with functional deficits in verbal memory. PMID:7793467

Simulation of blast-induced, early-time intracranial wave physics leading to traumatic brain injury.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Taylor, Paul Allen; Ford, Corey C.

U.S. soldiers are surviving blast and impacts due to effective body armor, trauma evacuation and care. Blast injuries are the leading cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in military personnel returning from combat. Understanding of Primary Blast Injury may be needed to develop better means of blast mitigation strategies. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of blast direction and strength on the resulting mechanical stress and wave energy distributions generated in the brain.

Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Rather Than Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Best Account for Altered Emotional Responses in Military Veterans.

PubMed

Marquardt, Craig A; Goldman, Daniel J; Cuthbert, Bruce N; Lissek, Shmuel; Sponheim, Scott R

2018-02-01

Emotional dysfunction is evident in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet it is unclear what aspects of the disorder most directly relate to aberrant emotional responding. Also, the frequent co-occurrence of blast-related mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) among recently deployed U.S. military personnel complicates efforts to understand the basis for emotional disruption. We studied a cross-sectional sample (enriched for PTSD and mTBI) of 123 U.S. veterans of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. We measured subjective affective evaluations and peripheral psychophysiological responses to images with pleasant, neutral, unpleasant, and combat-related aversive content. When compared with other postdeployment participants, those who had combat-related PTSD rated pleasant image content as less positive (ηp2 = .04) and less arousing (ηp2 = .06), and exhibited heightened physiological responsivity to combat image content (ηp2 = .07). Symptoms of PTSD were associated with elevated skin conductance responses (β = .28), reduced heart rate deceleration (β = .44 to .47), and increased corrugator facial muscle electromyography (β = .47). No effects for blast-related mTBI were observed across any affective modulation measures. These findings point to a greater impact of PTSD symptomatology than blast-related mTBI on emotional functioning and highlight the utility of dimensional assessments of psychopathology for understanding the effects of combat-stress conditions on adjustment to civilian life. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Bacterial Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology: Combating Pathogens

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-04

engineering and SB methods such as recombineering, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats ( CRISPR ), and bacterial cell-cell...Cholera# Yersinia pseudotuberculosis# Staphylococcus aureus* Phage Engineering CRISPR /Cas9 Delivery of CRISPR genes and RNA guides for sequence...bear very close sequence alignment to the harmless strains via the use of the CRISPR /Cas9 system. The CRISPR system specifically targets a DNA sequence

Equipment Location Plan, partial basement plan. (Includes identification of each ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Equipment Location Plan, partial basement plan. (Includes identification of each separate CPU, tape drive, hard drive, printer, keyboard, etc., within the data processing center in the southeast part of the basement.) March Air Force Base, Riverside, California, Combat Operations Center, 465-L DPC. By International Electric Corporation, Paramus, New Jersey (3/5/62); for Moffatt and Nichol, Engineers, 122 West Fifth Street, Long Beach, California; for the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Office of the District Engineer, Los Angeles, California. Drawing no. AW-60-02-03, sheet no. 100, approved March, 1962; specifications no. OCI-62-66; D.O. series AW 1596/100, Rev. "A"; file drawer 1290. Last revised 3 October 1966. Scale one-quarter inch to one foot. 28.75x40.5 inches. ink on linen - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

Equipment Location Plan, partial first floor plan. (Includes identification of ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Equipment Location Plan, partial first floor plan. (Includes identification of each separate CPU, tape drive, hard drive, printer, keyboard, etc., within the data processing center in the southwest part of the first floor.) March Air Force Base, Riverside, California, Combat Operations Center, 465-L EDTCC/EDLCC. By International Electric Corporation, Paramus, New Jersey (3/5/62); for Moffatt and Nichol, Engineers, 122 West Fifth Street, Long Beach, California; for the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Office of the District Engineer, Los Angeles, California. Drawing no. AW-60-02-03, sheet no. 85, approved March, 1962; specifications no. OCI-62-66; D.O. series AW 1596/85, Rev. "A"; file drawer 1290. Last revised 3 October 1966. Scale one-quarter inch to one foot. 28.75x40.5 inches. ink on linen - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

The neurophysiological and evolutionary considerations of close combat: A modular approach.

PubMed

Dervenis, Kostas; Tsialogiannis, Evangelos

2017-01-01

Close Combat may be identified as a physical confrontation involving armed or unarmed fighting, lethal and/or non-lethal methods, or even simply escape from and/or de-escalation of the confrontation. Our model hypothesizes that distinct areas of the brain are utilized for specific levels of violence, based on evolutionary criteria, and that these levels of violence bring into effect distinct physiological criteria and kinesiology. This model is outlined similar to Paul D. MacLean's triune brain theory, but incorporates distinct processes inherent to the autonomic nervous system (i.e. a "quadrune brain"), and correlates the observed level of violence to a particular response to a specific neural complex associated with very specific reactive kinesiology in the body. Our hypothesis is that the reverse also holds true: specific movements, scenarios and breathing will "activate" corresponding neural centres that in turn correlate to a respective level of violence. Moreover, socio-historic records bear out the premise that specific behavioural violations of social protocols act as "triggers" for assaultive and lethal force involving weapons, and it is very likely that these triggers (and the concomitant decision to engage in assault or lethal force) are processed through neural centres in what McLean has described as his "limbic system." A modular system of close combat is being researched and developed in accord with the above, readily adaptable to the level of violence professional peacekeepers and law enforcement officers may encounter in the course of their duties, but also directly relevant to the self-protection needs of civilians and youth. Distinct modular training regimes have been identified and developed for situations involving escape from a threat, submission of an adversary, and assaultive/lethal force, with the hope of strengthening neural bridges between the four neural complexes postulated in our model, and therefore via these bridges limiting adverse reactions to the psyche from combat stress.

76 FR 14942 - Procurement List; Additions and Deletions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-18

... military management of the 2D Engineer Battalion when it relocates to White Sands Missile Range (WSMR... Engineer Battalion is a deployable, combat unit, it may be absent from WSMR as its mission dictates. When... Industrial Services Corporation, Colorado Springs, CO. Contracting Activity: Dept of the Air Force, FA4613 90...

A Critical Assessment of the Aluminum Cartridge Case Failure Mechanism

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-03-01

achievements of an exploratory development program at Frankford Arsenal. The program was initiated to determine the engineering parameters required for...third that of brass cases, are ideal for improving the combat load effectiveness of an infantryman, a combat vehicle or a gunship« To enable...damage sus- tained by aluminum cartridge cases during "burn-through". A more accurate method of determining the effect of "burn- through" in a

The Development of a Mobile Health Platform and Naturalistic Game Applications for Health Assessment, Intervention, and Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

in mild traumatic brain injuries (It is estimated that 20% of all combat troops will experience a concussion while deployed...combat   troops  will   experience  a   concussion  while   deployed)   increased  emphasis   has   rightly   been   placed   on   finding   ways...stemming  from  different  types   of   concussion .   Neither   testing   technique   is   as   readily   accessible   in   the   field   and

Combat veterans and the death penalty: a forensic neuropsychiatric perspective.

PubMed

Wortzel, Hal S; Arciniegas, David B

2010-01-01

With our nation's present conflicts, a new generation of veterans are returning home, many of whom have substantial psychopathology and are encountering significant barriers in accessing care. Headlines from around the nation reflect that some of these wounded warriors go on to commit offenses that are potentially punishable by death. Existing circumstances speak to the urgency with which the subject of combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), or both facing capital crimes ought to be addressed. This publicity has led to a recent call for a legislatively or judicially enacted, narrow, categorical exclusion for combat veterans who were affected by either PTSD or TBI at the time of their capital offenses. In the present article, we illustrate the reality that combat veterans who commit capital offenses may face execution, summarize legal arguments offered in favor of a categorical exclusion, and provide a neuropsychiatric perspective on PTSD, TBI, and aggression, to help inform further dialogue on this weighty subject.

Posttraumatic stress and alcohol use among veterans: Amygdala and anterior cingulate activation to emotional cues.

PubMed

Simons, Raluca M; Simons, Jeffrey S; Olson, Dawne; Baugh, Lee; Magnotta, Vincent; Forster, Gina

2016-11-01

This fMRI study tested a model of combat trauma, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), alcohol use, and behavioral and neural responses to emotional cues in 100 OIF/OEF/OND veterans. Multilevel structural equation models were tested for left and right dorsal ACC (dACC), rostral ACC (rACC), and amygdala blood-oxygen- level dependent responses during the emotional counting Stroop test and masked faces task. In the Stroop task, combat exposure moderated the effect of combat stimuli resulting in hyperactivation in the rACC and dACC. Activation in the left amygdala also increased in response to combat stimuli, but effects did not vary as a function of combat severity. In the masked faces task, activation patterns did not vary as a function of stimulus. However, at the between-person level, amygdala activation during the masked faces task was inversely associated with PTSS. In respect to behavioral outcomes, higher PTSS were associated with a stronger Stroop effect, suggesting greater interference associated with combat words. Results are consistent with the premise that combat trauma results in hyperactivation in the ACC in response to combat stimuli, and, via its effect on PTSS, is associated with deficits in cognitive performance in the presence of combat stimuli. Across tasks, predeployment drinking was inversely associated with activation in the dACC but not the rACC or amygdala. Drinking may be a buffering factor, or negatively reinforcing in part because of its effects on normalizing brain response following trauma exposure. Alternatively, drinking may undermine adaptive functioning of the dACC when responding to traumatic stress cues. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Acknowledging the Risk for Traumatic Brain Injury in Women Veterans.

PubMed

Amoroso, Timothy; Iverson, Katherine M

2017-04-01

Since the Iraq and Afghanistan wars began, an unprecedented number of women have been engaging in combat operations. Likewise, the number of women using Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services has doubled since 2001. Military service, and deployment to combat in particular, poses certain risks for traumatic brain injury (TBI)-for all service members. However, women may have additional military and nondeployment risk factors such as intimate partner violence (IPV). We briefly review the definition and classification issues related to TBI, as well as common acute and chronic health symptoms after TBI. Specific sex differences in prognosis after TBI, in particular the neurobehavioral symptoms, are also reviewed. We then focus on the emerging literature regarding TBI in women veterans including the etiologies, outcomes, and unique challenges this population faces. The article concludes with suggestions for enhanced screening by VA and non-VA providers alike, as well as directions for future research and clinical inquiry.

Cortical Thickness Reduction in Combat Exposed U.S. Veterans with and without PTSD

PubMed Central

Wrocklage, Kristen M.; Averill, Lynnette A.; Scott, J. Cobb; Averill, Christopher L.; Schweinsburg, Brian; Trejo, Marcia; Roy, Alicia; Weisser, Valerie; Kelly, Christopher; Martini, Brenda; Harpaz-Rotem, Ilan; Southwick, Steven M.; Krystal, John H.; Abdallah, Chadi G.

2017-01-01

We investigated the extent of cortical thinning in U.S. Veterans exposed to combat who varied in the severity of their posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. In addition, we explored the neural correlates of PTSD symptom dimensions and the interactive effects of combat exposure and PTSD upon cortical thickness. Sixty-nine combat exposed Veterans completed high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to estimate cortical thickness. The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Combat Exposure Scale (CES) assessments were completed to measure current PTSD and historical combat severity, respectively. PTSD symptom dimensions (numbing, avoidance, reexperiencing, anxious arousal, and dysphoric arousal) were studied. Vertex-wise whole cerebrum analyses were conducted. We found widespread negative correlations between CAPS severity and cortical thickness, particularly within the prefrontal cortex. This prefrontal correlation remained significant after controlling for depression severity, medication status, and other potential confounds. PTSD dimensions, except anxious arousal, negatively correlated with cortical thickness in various unique brain regions. CES negatively correlated with cortical thickness in the left lateral prefrontal, regardless of PTSD diagnosis. A significant interaction between CES and PTSD diagnosis was found, such that CES negatively correlated with cortical thickness in the non-PTSD, but not in the PTSD, participants. The results underscore the severity of cortical thinning in U.S. Veterans suffering from high level of PTSD symptoms, as well as in Veterans with no PTSD diagnosis but severe combat exposure. The latter finding raises considerable concerns about a concealed injury potentially related to combat exposure in the post-9/11 era. PMID:28279623

Cortical thickness reduction in combat exposed U.S. veterans with and without PTSD.

PubMed

Wrocklage, Kristen M; Averill, Lynnette A; Cobb Scott, J; Averill, Christopher L; Schweinsburg, Brian; Trejo, Marcia; Roy, Alicia; Weisser, Valerie; Kelly, Christopher; Martini, Brenda; Harpaz-Rotem, Ilan; Southwick, Steven M; Krystal, John H; Abdallah, Chadi G

2017-05-01

We investigated the extent of cortical thinning in U.S. Veterans exposed to combat who varied in the severity of their posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. In addition, we explored the neural correlates of PTSD symptom dimensions and the interactive effects of combat exposure and PTSD upon cortical thickness. Sixty-nine combat exposed Veterans completed high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to estimate cortical thickness. The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) and Combat Exposure Scale (CES) assessments were completed to measure current PTSD and historical combat severity, respectively. PTSD symptom dimensions (numbing, avoidance, reexperiencing, anxious arousal, and dysphoric arousal) were studied. Vertex-wise whole cerebrum analyses were conducted. We found widespread negative correlations between CAPS severity and cortical thickness, particularly within the prefrontal cortex. This prefrontal correlation remained significant after controlling for depression severity, medication status, and other potential confounds. PTSD dimensions, except anxious arousal, negatively correlated with cortical thickness in various unique brain regions. CES negatively correlated with cortical thickness in the left lateral prefrontal, regardless of PTSD diagnosis. A significant interaction between CES and PTSD diagnosis was found, such that CES negatively correlated with cortical thickness in the non-PTSD, but not in the PTSD, participants. The results underscore the severity of cortical thinning in U.S. Veterans suffering from high level of PTSD symptoms, as well as in Veterans with no PTSD diagnosis but severe combat exposure. The latter finding raises considerable concerns about a concealed injury potentially related to combat exposure in the post-9/11 era. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Study of Vehicle Structural Layouts in Post-WWII Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sensmeier, Mark D.; Samareh, Jamshid A.

2004-01-01

In this paper, results of a study of structural layouts of post-WWII aircraft are presented. This study was undertaken to provide the background information necessary to determine typical layouts, design practices, and industry trends in aircraft structural design. Design decisions are often predicated not on performance-related criteria, but rather on such factors as manufacturability, maintenance access, and of course cost. For this reason, a thorough understanding of current best practices in the industry is required as an input for the design optimization process. To determine these best practices and industry trends, a large number of aircraft structural cutaway illustrations were analyzed for five different aircraft categories (commercial transport jets, business jets, combat jet aircraft, single engine propeller aircraft, and twin-engine propeller aircraft). Several aspects of wing design and fuselage design characteristics are presented here for the commercial transport and combat aircraft categories. A great deal of commonality was observed for transport structure designs over a range of eras and manufacturers. A much higher degree of variability in structural designs was observed for the combat aircraft, though some discernable trends were observed as well.

Optical Embedded Dust Sensor for Engine Protection and Early Warning on M1 Abrams/Ground Combat Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-11

warning of seal leakage or deterioration of air filters, thereby reducing engine damage and improving vehicle operational readiness. To be effective , the...for a comprehensive early warning and health management solution. To address the need for an effective dust detector for the AGT1500 engine and M1...an optical dust sensor for real-time continuous monitoring, and its effectiveness in quantitatively measuring dust penetration in the AGT1500 engine

Environmental Assessment: Recapitalization of the 49th WG Combat Capabilities and Capacities, Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-07-01

of Liquid Oxygen (LOX). The new facilities would provide for the specific needs to maintain the F-16 engine, electronics , and maintenance... electronic countermeasures, and electronic counter countermeasures. 500 AGL to 40,000 MSL 0.5 to 1.0 hour Night Operations Aircraft intercepts (1...defensive maneuvering, chaff/flare, and electronic countermeasures. 2,000 AGL to 40,000 MSL 0.75 to 1.5 hour (Dissimilar) Air Combat Tactics

The Role of Combat Heavy Engineer Battalions in Nation Assistance.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-07

project can be built, it must first be designed and planned. Someone must assess what the user needs and provide a set of specifications, blueprints, and...the soldiers 65 of both Niger and the United States grew to respect and appreciate each other.1 9 Still much can be learned from the number of...the lessons learned from these projects to assess when combat heavy battalions can be most effectively used for nation assistance. 96 ENDNOTES

Engineering an Undergarment for Flash/Flame Protection

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

the event of a flash fire situation because the fabric could melt and stick to the Soldier’s skin causing more severe burn injury. Additionally, an...harm’s way which include fire fighters and police in their daily work. 1.1 Problem Statement The threat of burn injuries to Soldiers in combat due...to blasts, flash fires and secondary fires has resulted in the development of the Flame Resistant Army Combat Uniform, FR ACU. The FR ACUs provide

Integrating the Engineering Curriculum through the Synthesis and Design Studio

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellam, Nadia; Walther, Joachim; Costantino, Tracie; Cramond, Bonnie

2013-01-01

Traditional curricular approaches within engineering education tend to be fragmented, with opportunities for content- and meta-level synthesis being mostly limited to freshman and senior year design courses. In this paper, we are proposing a curricular model, the Synthesis and Design Studio, to combat the tendency towards fragmented curricula. The…

Combat-acquired traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, and their relative associations with postdeployment binge drinking

PubMed Central

Adams, Rachel Sayko; Larson, Mary Jo; Corrigan, John D.; Ritter, Grant A.; Horgan, Constance M.; Bray, Robert M.; Williams, Thomas V.

2014-01-01

Objective To examine whether experiencing a traumatic brain injury (TBI) on a recent combat deployment was associated with postdeployment binge drinking, independent of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods Using the 2008 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors among Active Duty Military Personnel, an anonymous survey completed by 28,546 personnel, the study sample included 6,824 personnel who had a combat deployment in the past year. Path analysis was used to examine whether PTSD accounted for the total association between TBI and binge drinking. Main Measures The dependent variable, binge drinking days, was an ordinal measure capturing the number of times personnel drank 5+ drinks on one occasion (4+ for women) in the past month. TBI-level captured the severity of TBI after a combat injury event exposure: TBI-AC (altered consciousness only), TBI-LOC≤20 (loss of consciousness up to 20 minutes), and TBI-LOC>20 (loss of consciousness greater than 20 minutes). APTSD positive screen relied on the standard diagnostic cutoff of 50+ on the PCL-C. Results The final path model found that while the direct effect of TBI (0.097) on binge drinking was smaller than that of PTSD (0.156), both were significant. Almost 70% of the total effect of TBI on binge drinking was from the direct effect; only 30% represented the indirect effect through PTSD. Conclusion Further research is needed to replicate these findings and to understand the underlying mechanisms that explain the relationship between TBI and increased postdeployment drinking. PMID:25310293

Growth hormone deficiency after mild combat-related traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Ioachimescu, Adriana G; Hampstead, Benjamin M; Moore, Anna; Burgess, Elizabeth; Phillips, Lawrence S

2015-08-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been recognized as a cause of growth hormone deficiency (GHD) in civilians. However, comparable data are sparse in veterans who incurred TBI during combat. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of GHD in veterans with a history of combat-related TBI, and its association with cognitive and psychosocial dysfunction. Single center prospective study. Twenty male veterans with mild TBI incurred during combat 8-72 months prior to enrollment. GHD was defined by a GH peak <3 μg/L during glucagon stimulation test. Differences in neuropsychological, emotional, and quality of life of the GHD Veterans were described using Cohen's d. Large effect sizes were considered meaningful. Mean age was 33.7 years (SD 7.8) and all subjects had normal thyroid hormone and cortisol levels. Five (25%) exhibited a subnormal response to glucagon. Sixteen participants (80%) provided sufficient effort for valid neuropsychological assessment (12 GH-sufficient, 4 GHD). There were large effect size differences in self-monitoring during memory testing (d = 1.46) and inhibitory control (d = 0.92), with worse performances in the GHD group. While fatigue and post-traumatic stress disorder were comparable, the GHD group reported more depression (d = 0.80) and lower quality of life (d = 0.64). Our study found a 25% prevalence of GHD in veterans with mild TBI as shown by glucagon stimulation. The neuropsychological findings raise the possibility that GHD has adverse effects on executive abilities and mood. Further studies are needed to determine whether GH replacement is an effective treatment in these patients.

The South Eastern Europe Brigade: An Option for NATO-Led Peace Support Operations?

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-10

Exercise CSSB Combat Service Support Battalion DOS Day of Supply DRO Disaster Relief Operations EOD Explosive Ordnance Disposal ETF Engineer Task...the adoption of the second Additional Protocol, the SEEBRIG member nations established an Engineer Task Force ( ETF ). The concept embeds purpose...capabilities, like the ETF structure, could be used as niche military capabilities by outside organizations that may need them. SEEBRIG engineer capabilities

Finding the New Normal: Accepting Changes After Combat-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Hyatt, Kyong S; Davis, Linda L; Barroso, Julie

2015-07-01

More than 300,000 soldiers have returned from Southwest Asia (i.e., Iraq and Afghanistan) with combat-related mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs). Despite less visible physical injuries, these soldiers demonstrate various physical and cognitive symptoms that impact their ability to reintegrate post-mTBI. This study explores family reintegration experiences, as described by married dyads, following a combat-related mTBI. Nine soldiers with mTBI and their spouses participated, and a total of 27 interviews, both joint and individual, were conducted. Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory methodology and semistructured interviews were used to collect participants' perceptions and analyze the data. The overarching theme of the reintegration experience is described as finding the "new normal." A new normal was defined by participants as the couple's new, post-mTBI expectation of the family unit or family routine. Some participants indicated that they had accepted the post-mTBI changes and were working toward this new normal, whereas others indicated these changes were unacceptable and continued their efforts to return to pre-injury functioning. Individuals with mTBI and their families may benefit from interventions that directly address mismatched expectations and promote the acceptance of a new normal. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Combat-related blast-induced neurotrauma: a public health problem?

PubMed

Jett, Shirley

2010-01-01

The purpose of this article is to raise nurses' awareness of the significance and potential public health impact of combat-related blast-induced neurotrauma (BINT) in U.S. troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. A comprehensive review of the current literature on BINT was completed by the author, based primarily on combat-related blast exposure in the military population. She found that it is necessary to theorize about potential etiologies for mild traumatic brain injury in the military population since the literature suggests that neurological and psychological trauma resulting from military duty may be linked to exposure to blasts. Identification of potential risk factors for BINT in the military population provides direction for scientific inquiry into this emerging phenomenon. Gaps in current knowledge and its health implications for future scientific study in nursing are presented. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Surface Warfare: A Total Force. Volume 19. Number 4, July/August 1994

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

USS Puget Sound (AD 38) (AOE 1) Support USS Grasp (ARS 51) Combat Logistics (med/small) USS Mauna Lea (AE 22) COMINEWARCOM: Repair USS Acadia (AD 42...structure is Operational Reserve Carrier ( ORC ). When USS John being shaped to expand this role. In the recently P. Eznnedy (CV 67) joins the NRF in...A typical Aegis engagement sequence begins as a engineer and test the fought in the waters of Port RoyalAegis Combat System. Sound and on the adjacent

Study of a very low cost air combat maneuvering trainer aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, G. C.; Bowles, J. V.

1976-01-01

A very low cost aircraft for performing Air Combat Maneuvering (ACM) training was studied using the BD-5J sport plane as a point of departure. The installation of a larger engine and increased fuel capacity were required to meet the performance and mission objectives. Reduced wing area increased the simulation of the ACM engagement, and a comparison with current tactical aircraft is presented. Other factors affecting the training transfer are considered analytically, but a flight evaluation is recommended to determine the concept utility.

Combat aircraft noise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sgarbozza, M.; Depitre, A.

1992-04-01

A discussion of the characteristics and the noise levels of combat aircraft and of a transport aircraft in taking off and landing are presented. Some methods of noise reduction are discussed, including the following: operational anti-noise procedures; and concepts of future engines (silent post-combustion and variable cycle). Some measurement results concerning the noise generated in flight at great speeds and low altitude will also be examined. Finally, the protection of the environment of French air bases against noise will be described and the possibilities of regulation examined.

Frequent Binge Drinking After Combat-Acquired Traumatic Brain Injury Among Active Duty Military Personnel With a Past Year Combat Deployment

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

sis were sex , and dummy variables for age cate- gory (17-20, 21-25, 26-34, and 35+), service branch (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast...Design-based F Test, P-value Sex ≤.0001 Male 5754 (89.0%) 1420 (94.1%) 4334 (87.2%) Age, y ≤.001 17-20 366 (7.5%) 100 (9.2%) 266 (6.9%) 21-25 2386 (36.9...Substance Abuse Research. Military personnel more likely to binge drink than household residents; largest dis- crepancy seen among underage youth and

Chapter 3 innovations in the en route care of combat casualties.

PubMed

Hatzfeld, Jennifer J; Dukes, Susan; Bridges, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

The en route care environment is dynamic and requires constant innovation to ensure appropriate nursing care for combat casualties. Building on experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, there have been tremendous innovations in the process of transporting patients, including the movement of patients with spinal injuries. Advances have also been made in pain management and noninvasive monitoring, particularly for trauma and surgical patients requiring close monitoring of their hemodynamic and perfusion status. In addition to institutionalizing these innovations, future efforts are needed to eliminate secondary insults to patients with traumatic brain injuries and technologies to provide closed-loop sedation and ventilation.

Wartime Requirements for Ammunition Materiel and Personnel (WARRAMP). Volume I. Materiel Postprocessor User’s Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

ZONE IV ZONE V FEBA DIVISION DIVISION CORPS COMZ COMBAT SUPPORT SUPPORT 0.1 Km i4lKm 6-30Km 30-50’(m 50 +Km Figure 1.4.3 WARF Matrix MDA .) Z. -3 Z 7...publication date, the Combat Support Units (i.e., AG Company, TMT Company, Combat Engineer Company, etc.) will not be arrayed in the COSAGE stylized units...TmE "Y)(" POWTIPTVd OF TmT 3:4n𔃿 ELE’Er4T %AmE MUST bF ChE~ifE 0 TO ’AfFLICT THE1 APPD,PFIAT.. 33:. PT POSTuRE I!L. AT. D_, [t JP ’LI. 34 :.ASC ,T p

Military deployment correlates with smaller prefrontal gray matter volume and psychological symptoms in a subclinical population.

PubMed

Butler, O; Adolf, J; Gleich, T; Willmund, G; Zimmermann, P; Lindenberger, U; Gallinat, J; Kühn, S

2017-02-14

Research investigating the effects of trauma exposure on brain structure and function in adults has mainly focused on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whereas trauma-exposed individuals without a clinical diagnoses often serve as controls. However, this assumes a dichotomy between clinical and subclinical populations that may not be supported at the neural level. In the current study we investigate whether the effects of repeated or long-term stress exposure on brain structure in a subclinical sample are similar to previous PTSD neuroimaging findings. We assessed 27 combat trauma-exposed individuals by means of whole-brain voxel-based morphometry on 3 T magnetic resonance imaging scans and identified a negative association between duration of military deployment and gray matter volumes in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). We also found a negative relationship between deployment-related gray matter volumes and psychological symptoms, but not between military deployment and psychological symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first whole-brain analysis showing that longer military deployment is associated with smaller regional brain volumes in combat-exposed individuals without PTSD. Notably, the observed gray matter associations resemble those previously identified in PTSD populations, and concern regions involved in emotional regulation and fear extinction. These findings question the current dichotomy between clinical and subclinical populations in PTSD neuroimaging research. Instead, neural correlates of both stress exposure and PTSD symptomatology may be more meaningfully investigated at a continuous level.

Military deployment correlates with smaller prefrontal gray matter volume and psychological symptoms in a subclinical population

PubMed Central

Butler, O; Adolf, J; Gleich, T; Willmund, G; Zimmermann, P; Lindenberger, U; Gallinat, J; Kühn, S

2017-01-01

Research investigating the effects of trauma exposure on brain structure and function in adults has mainly focused on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whereas trauma-exposed individuals without a clinical diagnoses often serve as controls. However, this assumes a dichotomy between clinical and subclinical populations that may not be supported at the neural level. In the current study we investigate whether the effects of repeated or long-term stress exposure on brain structure in a subclinical sample are similar to previous PTSD neuroimaging findings. We assessed 27 combat trauma-exposed individuals by means of whole-brain voxel-based morphometry on 3 T magnetic resonance imaging scans and identified a negative association between duration of military deployment and gray matter volumes in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). We also found a negative relationship between deployment-related gray matter volumes and psychological symptoms, but not between military deployment and psychological symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first whole-brain analysis showing that longer military deployment is associated with smaller regional brain volumes in combat-exposed individuals without PTSD. Notably, the observed gray matter associations resemble those previously identified in PTSD populations, and concern regions involved in emotional regulation and fear extinction. These findings question the current dichotomy between clinical and subclinical populations in PTSD neuroimaging research. Instead, neural correlates of both stress exposure and PTSD symptomatology may be more meaningfully investigated at a continuous level. PMID:28195568

Engineer Support to the Brigade Combat Team

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-20

Director, Robert F. Baumann, Ph.D. Graduate Degree Programs Disclaimer: Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied...companies, now totaling over seven thousand 12 Robert R. Ploger, MG, USA, Vietnam Studies: U.S...mission was complete they would be reallocated to other assets who needed them. The commander of the 18th Engineer Brigade, Major General Robert P

Roster of NSAP (Navy Science Assistance Program) Field Team Members, Fiscal Years 1971-1986

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-08-05

CAPTOR Evaluation Program, NSWC. Current Job/Position: Operational Requirements Analyst for a new generation of mines. Current Address: Officer in...to NSAP Field Assignment: General Engineer; combat systems engineering on new ship design concepts, NSWC. Current Job/Position: Electronic Engineer...ADDRESS 12. REPORT DATE Naval Surface Weapons Center (Code D23) 5 August 1985 10901 New Hampshire Avenue 13. NUMBER OF PAGES Silver Spring, MD 20910

Epigenetic alterations of the BDNF gene in combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Kim, T Y; Kim, S J; Chung, H G; Choi, J H; Kim, S H; Kang, J I

2017-02-01

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in modulating resilience and vulnerability to stress. The aim of this study was to investigate whether epigenetic regulation of the BDNF gene is a biomarker of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development among veterans exposed to combat in the Vietnam War. Using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale, combat veterans were grouped into those with (n = 126) and without (n = 122) PTSD. DNA methylation levels at four CpG sites within the BDNF promoter I region were quantified in the peripheral blood using pyrosequencing. The effects of BDNF DNA methylation levels and clinical variables on the diagnosis of PTSD were tested using binary logistic regression analysis. Subjects with PTSD showed a higher DNA methylation of four CpG sites at the BDNF promoter compared with those without PTSD. High methylation levels at the BDNF promoter CpG site, high combat exposure, and alcohol problems were significantly associated with PTSD diagnosis. This study demonstrated an association between higher DNA methylation of the BDNF promoter and PTSD diagnosis in combat-exposed individuals. Our findings suggest that altered BDNF methylation may be a valuable biomarker of PTSD after trauma exposure. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Clusters of Low (18)F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Uptake Voxels in Combat Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

PubMed

Buchsbaum, Monte S; Simmons, Alan N; DeCastro, Alex; Farid, Nikdokht; Matthews, Scott C

2015-11-15

Individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) show diminished metabolic activity when studied with positron emission tomography (PET) with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). Since blast injury may not be localized in the same specific anatomical areas in every patient or may be diffuse, significance probability mapping may be vulnerable to false-negative detection of abnormalities. To address this problem, we used an anatomically independent measure to assess PET scans: increased numbers of contiguous voxels that are 2 standard deviations below values found in an uninjured control group. We examined this in three age-matched groups of male patients: 16 veterans with a history of mild TBI, 17 veterans with both mild TBI and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and 15 veterans without either condition. After FDG administration, subjects performed a modified version of the California Verbal Learning Task. Clusters of low uptake voxels were identified by computing the mean and standard deviation for each voxel in the healthy combat veteran group and then determining the voxel-based z-score for the patient groups. Abnormal clusters were defined as those that contained contiguous voxels with a z-score <-2. Patients with mild TBI alone and patients with TBI+PTSD had larger clusters of low uptake voxels, and cluster size significantly differentiated the mild TBI groups from combat controls. Clusters were more irregular in shape in patients, and patients also had a larger number of low-activity voxels throughout the brain. In mild TBI and TBI+PTSD patients, but not healthy subjects, cluster volume was significantly correlated with verbal learning during FDG uptake.

Postconcussive symptoms (PCS) following combat-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) in Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Influence of TBI, PTSD, and depression on symptoms measured by the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI).

PubMed

Porter, Katherine E; Stein, Murray B; Martis, Brian; Avallone, Kimberly M; McSweeney, Lauren B; Smith, Erin R; Simon, Naomi M; Gargan, Sean; Liberzon, Israel; Hoge, Charles W; Rauch, Sheila A M

2018-07-01

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is commonly reported in recent combat Veterans. While the majority resolve, some Veterans develop postconcussive symptoms (PCS). Previous research suggests these symptoms are not specific to head injury and are often associated with psychiatric symptoms. The current study examines the relative contributions of posttraumatic stress, depressive symptoms, and TBI on postconcussive symptoms, and explores whether the relationship remains after controlling for symptom overlap. Two hundred eighteen combat Veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), and Operation New Dawn (OND) provided the data for this study as part of a baseline evaluation for inclusion into larger treatment study for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants completed the Brief Traumatic Brain Injury Screen (BTBIS), Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI), PTSD Checklist-Stressor Version (PCL-S), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Significant differences in NSI total score between individuals with and without history of TBI were not found. A series of regression analyses demonstrated that Depression and PTSD were significant predictors of NSI score even after removal of NSI symptoms that overlap with PTSD or depression. TBI status was also a significant predictor of PCS in most models, but its relative contribution was much smaller than that of depression and PTSD. Within PTSD symptoms, hyperarousal cluster was a significant predictor of NSI scores. Findings demonstrate that depression and PTSD are related to PCS beyond similarities in construct. Further, within a primarily PTSD treatment-seeking population, these psychiatric symptoms appear to be a stronger contributor than TBI. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Evaluation of Neurophysiologic and Systematic Changes during Aeromedical Evacuation and en Route Care of Combat Casualties in a Swine Polytrauma

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-02-01

ambient conditions such as cabin pressure and temperature could potentially have detrimental effects on the already vulnerable brain. There is evidence...long-range aero-medical evacuation has adverse effects on brain blood flow and tissue oxygenation , as well as lung function in swine models of...differences in partial pressure of arterial oxygen or oxygen delivery, extraction and consumption data. This suggests that in this particular model

Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder exhibit altered emotional processing and attentional control during an emotional Stroop task.

PubMed

Khanna, M M; Badura-Brack, A S; McDermott, T J; Embury, C M; Wiesman, A I; Shepherd, A; Ryan, T J; Heinrichs-Graham, E; Wilson, T W

2017-08-01

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often associated with attention allocation and emotional regulation difficulties, but the brain dynamics underlying these deficits are unknown. The emotional Stroop task (EST) is an ideal means to monitor these difficulties, because participants are asked to attend to non-emotional aspects of the stimuli. In this study, we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) and the EST to monitor attention allocation and emotional regulation during the processing of emotionally charged stimuli in combat veterans with and without PTSD. A total of 31 veterans with PTSD and 20 without PTSD performed the EST during MEG. Three categories of stimuli were used, including combat-related, generally threatening and neutral words. MEG data were imaged in the time-frequency domain and the network dynamics were probed for differences in processing threatening and non-threatening words. Behaviorally, veterans with PTSD were significantly slower in responding to combat-related relative to neutral and generally threatening words. Veterans without PTSD exhibited no significant differences in responding to the three different word types. Neurophysiologically, we found a significant three-way interaction between group, word type and time period across multiple brain regions. Follow-up testing indicated stronger theta-frequency (4-8 Hz) responses in the right ventral prefrontal (0.4-0.8 s) and superior temporal cortices (0.6-0.8 s) of veterans without PTSD compared with those with PTSD during the processing of combat-related words. Our data indicated that veterans with PTSD exhibited deficits in attention allocation and emotional regulation when processing trauma cues, while those without PTSD were able to regulate emotion by directing attention away from threat.

If You Don’t Know Where You Are Going, You Probably Will End Up Somewhere Else: Computer Network Operations Force Presentation

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

Engineering Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology Air University Air Education and Training Command In...control of cross-domain dependencies, and management of Title 10 relationships. This literature review of joint doctrine indicates USSTRATCOM...24 III: How Do Combatant Commands Manage

Telerehabilitation for OIF/OEF Returnees with Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

VA has no national program for providing individualized care coordination for veterans via telemedicine. It does have an e-health portal where...Heart Failure, diabetes, hypertension , COPD and mental illness. However, this technology does not allow for the posting of individualized questions

Post-traumatic stress symptoms correlate with smaller subgenual cingulate, caudate, and insula volumes in unmedicated combat veterans.

PubMed

Herringa, Ryan; Phillips, Mary; Almeida, Jorge; Insana, Salvatore; Germain, Anne

2012-01-01

Prior studies have examined differences in brain volume between patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and control subjects. Convergent findings include smaller hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex volumes in PTSD. However, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) exist on a spectrum, and neural changes may occur beyond the diagnostic threshold of PTSD. We examined the relationship between PTSS and gray matter among combat-exposed U.S. military veterans. Structural brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was obtained on 28 combat veterans from Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. PTSS were assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Thirteen subjects met criteria for PTSD. Subjects were unmedicated, and free of major comorbid psychiatric disorders. Images were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry, and regressed against the total CAPS score and trauma load. Images were subsequently analyzed by diagnosis of PTSD vs. non-PTSD. CAPS scores were inversely correlated with volumes of the subgenual cingulate (sgACC), caudate, hypothalamus, insula, and left middle temporal gyrus (MTG). Group contrast revealed smaller sgACC, caudate, hypothalamus, left insula, left MTG, and right MFG in the PTSD group. PTSS are associated with abnormalities in limbic structures that may underlie the pathophysiology of PTSD. These abnormalities exist on a continuum with PTSS, beyond a diagnosis of PTSD. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

COMBAT: Initial experience with a randomized clinical trial of plasma-based resuscitation in the field for traumatic hemorrhagic shock

PubMed Central

Chapman, Michael P.; Moore, Ernest E.; Chin, Theresa L; Ghasabyan, Arsen; Chandler, James; Stringham, John; Gonzalez, Eduardo; Moore, Hunter B.; Banerjee, Anirban; Silliman, Christopher C; Sauaia, Angela

2015-01-01

The existing evidence shows great promise for plasma as the first resuscitation fluid in both civilian and military trauma. We embarked on the Control of Major Bleeding After Trauma (COMBAT) trial with the support of the Department of Defense, in order to determine if plasma-first resuscitation yields hemostatic and survival benefits. The methodology of the COMBAT study represents not only three years of development work, but the integration of nearly two-decades of technical experience with the design and implementation of other clinical trials and studies. Herein, we describe the key features of the study design, critical personnel and infrastructural elements, and key innovations. We will also briefly outline the systems engineering challenges entailed by this study. COMBAT is a randomized, placebo controlled, semi-blinded prospective Phase IIB clinical trial, conducted in a ground ambulance fleet based at a Level I trauma center, and part of a multicenter collaboration. The primary objective of COMBAT is to determine the efficacy of field resuscitation with plasma first, compared to standard of care (normal saline). To date we have enrolled 30 subjects in the COMBAT study. The ability to achieve intervention with a hemostatic resuscitation agent in the closest possible temporal proximity to injury is critical and represents an opportunity to forestall the evolution of the “bloody vicious cycle”. Thus, the COMBAT model for deploying plasma in first response units should serve as a model for RCTs of other hemostatic resuscitative agents. PMID:25784527

Foundation Analysis East Coast Air Combat Maneuvering Range Offshore Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-09-01

1976 86 2 3 025 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION TITLE PAGE 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction 1.01 1.2 Methods of Analysis 1.01 1.3 Personnel Resumes 1.02...piling into the desired penetration. 1.2 METHODS OF ANALYSIS The method employed to perform the computation of pipe pile capacity curves, as presented...AD-A163 522 FOUNDATION ANALYSIS EAST COAST AIR COMBAT NANsUVERING 14S RANGE OFFSHORE KITT.. CU) CREST ENGINEERING INC TULSA OK SEP 76 27-M7-97 CNES

Evaluation of Neurophysiologic and Systematic Changes during Aeromedical Evacuation and en Route Care of Combat Casualties in a Swine Polytrauma

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

changes in ambient conditions such as cabin pressure and temperature could potentially have detrimental effects on the already vulnerable brain. There...during simulated long-range aero-medical evacuation has adverse effects on brain blood flow and tissue oxygenation , as well as lung function in swine...is a dearth of knowledge about the effects of long range aero-medical evacuation on injured organs, as well as an emerging published database

In Silico Investigation of Intracranial Blast Mitigation with Relevance to Military Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

how personal protective equipment affects the brain’s response to blasts. In this study we investigated the effect of the Advanced Combat...analyzing stress wave propagation, which is the main dynamic effect loading the brain tissue during a blast event. We consider two key metrics of stress ...Cauchy stress tensor, and sij ¼ σij − 13σkkδij are the compo- nents of the deviatoric stress tensor (24). Fig. 1 shows snapshots of the pressure

Common biochemical defects linkage between post-traumatic stress disorders, mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) and penetrating TBI.

PubMed

Prasad, Kedar N; Bondy, Stephen C

2015-03-02

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex mental disorder with psychological and emotional components, caused by exposure to single or repeated extreme traumatic events found in war, terrorist attacks, natural or man-caused disasters, and by violent personal assaults and accidents. Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when the brain is violently rocked back and forth within the skull following a blow to the head or neck as in contact sports, or when in close proximity to a blast pressure wave following detonation of explosives in the battlefield. Penetrating TBI occurs when an object penetrates the skull and damages the brain, and is caused by vehicle crashes, gunshot wound to the head, and exposure to solid fragments in the proximity of explosions, and other combat-related head injuries. Despite clinical studies and improved understanding of the mechanisms of cellular damage, prevention and treatment strategies for patients with PTSD and TBI remain unsatisfactory. To develop an improved plan for treating and impeding progression of PTSD and TBI, it is important to identify underlying biochemical changes that may play key role in the initiation and progression of these disorders. This review identifies three common biochemical events, namely oxidative stress, chronic inflammation and excitotoxicity that participate in the initiation and progression of these conditions. While these features are separately discussed, in many instances, they overlap. This review also addresses the goal of developing novel treatments and drug regimens, aimed at combating this triad of events common to, and underlying, injury to the brain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Engineer Company Force Structure Force Modularization in Support of Decisive Action. Does the Corps of Engineers Need to Re-Structure Engineer Construction Companies Again in order to Support Decisive Actions?

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-05-16

Regional Command RCP Route Clearance Platoon RSOI Reception, Staging, Onward Movement, Integration SBCT Stryker Brigade Combat Team TOE Table of...Point (ASPs), and field hospital platforms; prepare river crossing sites; and support port repair due to Hydraulic Excavator (HYEX), provides force...platforms, FARPS, supply routes, roads, control points, fire bases, tank ditches, ASPs, and field hospital platforms; prepare river crossing sites; and

Performance, Life, and Operability Trade-Offs in VCE Control Logic Design.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

primarily USAF Actuarial Reports), including all engine returns to the intermediate or depot shop - scheduled and unscheduled - engine and non-engine...Length (Min) Training * Air to Air (ATA) 30 576 87 e Air to Ground (ATG) 30 363 128 Combat e Air Superiority ( ASM ) 13 75 228 e Intercept 2 31 94... ASME , 16th Joint Propulsion Conference, Paper No. ALAA-80-1115, June 30 - July 2, 1980. 2. Akimov, V.M., Starik, D.E., et al., The Economic Efficiency

Hierarchical Task Network Prototyping In Unity3d

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

visually debug. Here we present a solution for prototyping HTNs by extending an existing commercial implementation of Behavior Trees within the Unity3D game ...HTN, dynamic behaviors, behavior prototyping, agent-based simulation, entity-level combat model, game engine, discrete event simulation, virtual...commercial implementation of Behavior Trees within the Unity3D game engine prior to building the HTN in COMBATXXI. Existing HTNs were emulated within

An Engineering Report in Civil Engineering and Management.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

programs as the Apollo program and the Canaveral program. Progress in the late 70s and the 80s has seen advancements in the application of sophisticated...other forces in military operations; subsequent combat service support ashore and defense against overt or clandestine enemy attacks directed toward...construction execution plans; assigns construction projects to NCF units; monitors progress and assures adherence to quality standards: directs

Effects of Repeated Traumatic Brain Injuries in a Combat Setting

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

Metabolism, 30(2), 255-266. Cernak, I., Savic , J., Malicevic, Z., Zunic, G., Radosevic, P., Ivanovic, I., et al. (1996). Involvement of the central...Bian, X., & Savic , J. (2001). Ultrastructural and functional characteristics of blast injury-induced neurotrauma. The Journal of trauma, 50(4), 695-706

Telerehabilitation for OIF/OEF Returnees with Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-01

coordination for veterans via telemedicine. It does have an e-health portal where veterans may submit and track vital signs such as BP readings and...of its program to support patients with chronic conditions such as Congestive Heart Failure, diabetes, hypertension , COPD and mental illness. However

Rehabilitation of Combat-Related Injuries in the Veterans Administration: A Web of Support.

PubMed

Howell, Paul; Capehart, Bruce P; Hoenig, Helen

2015-01-01

The Department of Veterans Affairs provides acute, subacute, and continuing rehabilitation for veterans using a hub-and-spoke system of hospitals and outpatient facilities. Using traumatic brain injury as an example, this commentary illustrates how this system provides interdisciplinary rehabilitative care to veterans throughout North Carolina.

Using CASE tools to write engineering specifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, James E.; Howard, Robert W.; Iveland, Scott T.

1993-08-01

There are always a wide variety of obstacles to writing and maintaining engineering documentation. To combat these problems, documentation generation can be linked to the process of engineering development. The same graphics and communication tools used for structured system analysis and design (SSA/SSD) also form the basis for the documentation. The goal is to build a living document, such that as an engineering design changes, the documentation will `automatically' revise. `Automatic' is qualified by the need to maintain textual descriptions associated with the SSA/SSD graphics, and the need to generate new documents. This paper describes a methodology and a computer aided system engineering toolset that enables a relatively seamless transition into document generation for the development engineering team.

Anterior hippocampal dysconnectivity in posttraumatic stress disorder: a dimensional and multimodal approach.

PubMed

Abdallah, C G; Wrocklage, K M; Averill, C L; Akiki, T; Schweinsburg, B; Roy, A; Martini, B; Southwick, S M; Krystal, J H; Scott, J C

2017-02-28

The anterior hippocampus (aHPC) has a central role in the regulation of anxiety-related behavior, stress response, emotional memory and fear. However, little is known about the presence and extent of aHPC abnormalities in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this study, we used a multimodal approach, along with graph-based measures of global brain connectivity (GBC) termed functional GBC with global signal regression (f-GBCr) and diffusion GBC (d-GBC), in combat-exposed US Veterans with and without PTSD. Seed-based aHPC anatomical connectivity analyses were also performed. A whole-brain voxel-wise data-driven investigation revealed a significant association between elevated PTSD symptoms and reduced medial temporal f-GBCr, particularly in the aHPC. Similarly, aHPC d-GBC negatively correlated with PTSD severity. Both functional and anatomical aHPC dysconnectivity measures remained significant after controlling for hippocampal volume, age, gender, intelligence, education, combat severity, depression, anxiety, medication status, traumatic brain injury and alcohol/substance comorbidities. Depression-like PTSD dimensions were associated with reduced connectivity in the ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In contrast, hyperarousal symptoms were positively correlated with ventromedial and dorsolateral prefrontal connectivity. We believe the findings provide first evidence of functional and anatomical dysconnectivity in the aHPC of veterans with high PTSD symptomatology. The data support the putative utility of aHPC connectivity as a measure of overall PTSD severity. Moreover, prefrontal global connectivity may be of clinical value as a brain biomarker to potentially distinguish between PTSD subgroups.

When Physics Meets Biology: Low and High-Velocity Penetration, Blunt Impact, and Blast Injuries to the Brain

PubMed Central

Young, Leanne; Rule, Gregory T.; Bocchieri, Robert T.; Walilko, Timothy J.; Burns, Jennie M.; Ling, Geoffrey

2015-01-01

The incidence of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in the US has reached epidemic proportions with well over 2 million new cases reported each year. TBI can occur in both civilians and warfighters, with head injuries occurring in both combat and non-combat situations from a variety of threats, including ballistic penetration, acceleration, blunt impact, and blast. Most generally, TBI is a condition in which physical loads exceed the capacity of brain tissues to absorb without injury. More specifically, TBI results when sufficient external force is applied to the head and is subsequently converted into stresses that must be absorbed or redirected by protective equipment. If the stresses are not sufficiently absorbed or redirected, they will lead to damage of extracranial soft tissue and the skull. Complex interactions and kinematics of the head, neck and jaw cause strains within the brain tissue, resulting in structural, anatomical damage that is characteristic of the inciting insult. This mechanical trauma then initiates a neuro-chemical cascade that leads to the functional consequences of TBI, such as cognitive impairment. To fully understand the mechanisms by which TBI occurs, it is critically important to understand the effects of the loading environments created by these threats. In the following, a review is made of the pertinent complex loading conditions and how these loads cause injury. Also discussed are injury thresholds and gaps in knowledge, both of which are needed to design improved protective systems. PMID:25999910

Blast Exposure Causes Early and Persistent Aberrant Phospho- and Cleaved-Tau Expression in a Murine Model of Mild Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Huber, Bertrand R.; Meabon, James S.; Martin, Tobin J.; Mourad, Pierre D.; Bennett, Raymond; Kraemer, Brian C.; Cernak, Ibolja; Petrie, Eric C.; Emery, Michael J.; Swenson, Erik R.; Mayer, Cynthia; Mehic, Edin; Peskind, Elaine R.; Cook, David G.

2014-01-01

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is considered the ‘signature injury’ of combat veterans that have served during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This prevalence of mTBI is due in part to the common exposure to high explosive blasts in combat zones. In addition to the threats of blunt impact trauma caused by flying objects and the head itself being propelled against objects, the primary blast overpressure (BOP) generated by high explosives is capable of injuring the brain. Compared to other means of causing TBI, the pathophysiology of mild-to-moderate BOP is less well understood. To study the consequences of BOP exposure in mice, we employed a well-established approach using a compressed gas-driven shock tube that recapitulates battlefield-relevant open-field BOP. We found that 24 hours post-blast a single mild BOP provoked elevation of multiple phosphor- and cleaved-tau species in neurons, as well as elevating manganese superoxide-dismutase (MnSOD or SOD2) levels, a cellular response to oxidative stress. In hippocampus, aberrant tau species persisted for at least 30 days post-exposure, while SOD2 levels returned to sham control levels. These findings suggest that elevated phospho- and cleaved-tau species may be among the initiating pathologic processes induced by mild blast exposure. These findings may have important implications for efforts to prevent blast-induced insults to the brain from progressing into long-term neurodegenerative disease processes. PMID:23948882

Interrogation of possible imaging conditions for radiation sensitive metal organic frameworks in transmission electron microscopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Harinkumar Rajendrabhai

One of the main area of research currently in air-breathing propulsion is increasing the fuel efficiency of engines. Increasing fuel efficiency of an air-breathing engine will be advantageous for civil transport as well as military aircraft. This objective can be achieved in several ways. Present design models are developed based on their uses: commercial transport, high range rescue aircraft, military aircraft. One of the main property of military aircraft is possessing high thrust but increasing fuel efficiency will also be advantageous resulting in more time in combat. Today's engine design operates best at their design point and has reduced thrust and high fuel consumption values in off-design. The adaptive cycle engine concept was introduced to overcome this problem. The adaptive cycle engine is a variable cycle engine concept equipped with an extra bypass (3rd bypass) stream. This engine varies the bypass ratio and the fan pressure ratio, the two main parameters affecting thrust and fuel consumption values of the engine. In cruise, more flow will flow through the third stream resulting in the high bypass engine giving lower fuel consumption. on the other hand, the engine will act as a low bypass engine producing more thrust by allowing more air to flow through core while in combat. The simulation of this engine was carried out using the Numerical Propulsion System Simulation (NPSS) software. The effect of the bypass ratio and the fan pressure ratio along with Mach number were studied. After the parametric variation study, the mixture configuration was also studied. Once the effect of the parameters were understood, the best design operating point configuration was selected and then the engine performance for off-design was calculated. Optimum values of bypass ratio and fan pressure ratio were also obtained for each altitude selected for off-design performance.

Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Acquisition: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-16

scientists and engineers that launched the satellite program.7 5 Ibid., p. 21. 6 Ibid., p. 22. It is...major role in supporting combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, although the E-8s are scheduled to have new engines to extend their service life...that the Army is even considering the development of intelligence- gathering airships .43 In comparison to the complex acquisition history of UAS, the

Automated Carrier Landing of an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle Using Dynamic Inversion

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

17 CN normal force coefficient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 CA axial force coefficient...slug·ft2 Ixzb 0 slug·ft2 The aircraft has a single engine inlet for a single, centerline mounted turbofan engine. For purposes of this research, the...assumed to remain constant for each simulation run and were based on an assumed 10% fuel load with full weapons [2]. The rest of these values were

Jet Engines - The New Masters of Advanced Flight Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gal-Or, Benjamin

2018-05-01

ANTICIPATED UNITED STATES CONGRESS ACT should lead to reversing a neglected duty to the people by supporting FAA induced bill to civilize classified military air combat technology to maximize flight safety of airliners and cargo jet transports, in addition to FAA certifying pilots to master Jet-Engine Steering ("JES") as automatic or pilot recovery when Traditional Aerodynamic-only Flight Control ("TAFC") fails to prevent a crash and other related damages

2007 Disruptive Technologies Conference - Disruptive Technologies: Turning Lists into Capabilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-05

Privilege management • Health care, benefits, finance , time and attendance, etc. • Military operations – “Combat Identification” • Friend, Foe, Neutral...Logistics Influence Force Support Corporate Mgt & Support N o im pl ie d pr io ri ti za ti on Movement & Maneuver Surface Warfare Joint Fires Undersea...Starter Generator MEMS Actuators / Valves Atomizer Nozzles Reclaimed Electrical Heat Engine UC Berkely Wankel Engine Exhaust Thermo Electric/Others

Inpatient Hospitalizations of U.S. Military Personnel Medically Evacuated From Iraq and Afghanistan With Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

accessed June 5, 2008. 16. Mayo Clinic. Dysphagia . Available at www. mayoclinic .com/health/dilli culty-swallowingIDS00523; accessed June 5, 2008...17. Morgan A, Ward E, Murdoch fl , Kennedy B. Murison R: Incidence, char- acteristics, and predictive factors for dysphagia after pediatrics

Postdeployment symptom changes and traumatic brain injury and/or posttraumatic stress disorder in men.

PubMed

Macera, Caroline A; Aralis, Hilary J; Macgregor, Andrew J; Rauh, Mitchell J; Galarneau, Michael R

2012-01-01

In Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, blast-related injuries associated with combat are frequent and can result in traumatic brain injury (TBI) symptoms that may be difficult to distinguish from psychological problems. Using data from the Post-Deployment Health Assessment and Reassessment, we identified 12,046 male U.S. Navy sailors and Marines with reported combat exposure from 2008 to 2009. Symptoms potentially associated with blast-related TBI and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that were reported immediately after deployment were compared with symptoms present several months later. Our study supports others that have found that subjects with blast-related injuries may experience the development or worsening of symptoms during the months following deployment. Additionally, our study found that those who screened positive for PTSD and TBI formed a unique group, with the presence of TBI exacerbating development of PTSD symptoms at reassessment. Providers should recognize the late development of symptoms, consider the possibility of comorbidity, and be prepared to treat multiple symptoms rather than a specific diagnostic category.

Analysis of tumor- and stroma-supplied proteolytic networks reveals a brain metastasis-promoting role for cathepsin S

PubMed Central

Sevenich, Lisa; Bowman, Robert L.; Mason, Steven D.; Quail, Daniela F.; Rapaport, Franck; Elie, Benelita T.; Brogi, Edi; Brastianos, Priscilla K.; Hahn, William C.; Holsinger, Leslie J.; Massagué, Joan; Leslie, Christina S.; Joyce, Johanna A.

2014-01-01

Metastasis remains the most common cause of death in most cancers, with limited therapies for combating disseminated disease. While the primary tumor microenvironment is an important regulator of cancer progression, it is less well understood how different tissue environments influence metastasis. We analyzed tumor-stroma interactions that modulate organ tropism of brain, bone and lung metastasis in xenograft models. We identified a number of potential modulators of site-specific metastasis, including cathepsin S as a regulator of breast-to-brain metastasis. High cathepsin S expression at the primary site correlated with decreased brain metastasis-free survival in breast cancer patients. Both macrophages and tumor cells produce cathepsin S, and only the combined depletion significantly reduced brain metastasis in vivo. Cathepsin S specifically mediates blood-brain barrier transmigration via proteolytic processing of the junctional adhesion molecule (JAM)-B. Pharmacological inhibition of cathepsin S significantly reduced experimental brain metastasis, supporting its consideration as a therapeutic target for this disease. PMID:25086747

The effects of combat-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI): Does blast mTBI history matter?

PubMed

Kontos, Anthony P; Elbin, R J; Kotwal, Russ S; Lutz, Robert H; Kane, Shawn; Benson, Peter J; Forsten, Robert D; Collins, Michael W

2015-10-01

The effects of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) have received significant attention since the beginning of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Surprisingly, little is known about the temporal nature of neurocognitive impairment, mTBI, and posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms following combat-related mTBI. It is also unclear as to the role that blast exposure history has on mTBI and PTS impairments and symptoms. The purposes of this study were to examine prospectively the effects of mTBI on neurocognitive performance as well as mTBI and PTS symptoms among US Army Special Operations Command personnel and to study the influence of history of blast mTBI on these effects. Eighty US Army Special Operations Command personnel with (n = 19) and without (n = 61) a history of blast-related mTBI completed the military version of the Immediate Post-concussion Assessment Cognitive Test (ImPACT), Post Concussion Symptom Scale (PCSS), and the PTSD Checklist (PCL) at baseline as well as 1 day to 7 days and 8 days to 20 days following a combat-related mTBI. Results indicated that verbal memory (p = 0.002) and processing speed (p = 0.003) scores were significantly lower and mTBI symptoms (p = 0.001) were significantly higher at 1 day to 7 days after injury compared with both baseline and 8 days to 20 days after injury. PTS remained stable across the three periods. Participants with a history of blast mTBI demonstrated lower verbal memory at 1 day to 7 days after mTBI compared with participants without a history of blast mTBI (p = 0.02). Decreases in neurocognitive performance and increased mTBI symptoms are evident in the first 1 day to 7 days following combat-related mTBI, and a history of blast-related mTBI may influence these effects. Epidemiologic/prognostic study, level II.

A Brain-Computer Interface Project Applied in Computer Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katona, Jozsef; Kovari, Attila

2016-01-01

Keeping up with novel methods and keeping abreast of new applications are crucial issues in engineering education. In brain research, one of the most significant research areas in recent decades, many developments have application in both modern engineering technology and education. New measurement methods in the observation of brain activity open…

A Cost Estimation Analysis of U.S. Navy Ship Fuel-Savings Techniques and Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

readings to the boiler operator. The PLC will provide constant automatic trimming of the excess oxygen based upon real time SGA readings. An SCD...the author): The Aegis Combat System is controlled by an advanced, automatic detect-and-track, multi-function three-dimensional passive...subsequently offloaded. An Online Wash System would reduce these maintenance costs and improve fuel efficiency of these engines by keeping the engines

Systems Engineering Approach To Ground Combat Vehicle Survivability In Urban Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

extinguishing system (AFES), which uses fire wires to detect the presence of fires. The detection of fire automatically triggers the activation of the fire...corresponding wires and connection points also means that it can be more difficult for engineers to integrate distributed architecture systems onto...command signals to the missile via wires trailing behind the missile or via RF signals. See Figure 29 for an illustration of CLOS guidance. Since CLOS

System Engineering and Evolution Decision Support

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-09-30

collection of Tuple Space model was first conceived in the mid- 1980 at objects that isolates the requestor of services from the Yale University by...Academic Press, NY, 1980 , pp. 325-347. [2] V. Berzins, M. Shing, Luqi, M. Saluto and J. Williams, Re-engineering the Janus(A) Combat Simulation System...Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA 93943-5100 3. Research Office, Code 09 Naval Postgraduate School Monterey, CA 93943-5000 4. Dr. David Hislop U.S

Application of the Simplified Dow Chemical Company Relative Ranking Hazard Assessment Method for Air Combat Command Bases

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-01

Chiras , Daniel D. Environmental Science . Redwood City, California: The Benjamin/Cummings Publishing Company, Inc., 1991. Cummings-Saxton, J., L...Engineering of the Air Force Institute of Technology Air University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in...Engineering and Environmental Management Raymond A. Sable, B. Architecture Captain, USAF, R.A. September 1993 Approved for public release; distribution

A Methodology for Multidisciplinary Decision Making for a Surface Combatant Main Engine Selection Problem

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

nautical miles per hour ONR Office of Naval Research OPC overall propulsive coefficient RS repairable at sea SFC specific fuel consumption SHP shaft...fmSFC SHP hp =  (2.3) Overall Propulsive Coefficient ( OPC ) The overall propulsive coefficient is equal to the ratio between the effective...horsepower (EHP), and the total installed shaft horsepower (SHP) delivered by the main engine [6]. OPC can be determined using the following relationship

KSC-04PD-1883

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Guest speaker Charles A. Gambaro, NASA KSC engineering lead and Combat Engineering Group commander, speaks to an appreciative audience during KSCs annual Hispanic American Heritage luncheon. The theme was Hispanic Americans Making a Difference. Gambaro recently returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Hosted by the Hispanic Employment Program Working Group, the luncheon also provided live cultural entertainment. The annual event helps employees reflect on the extensive contributions Hispanics have made to KSC, NASA and the nation.

Army Officer Duty Module Manual.

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-10-01

14l 3( RELATIVE CRITICALITY OF THIS Not Least (2) (3) The most PART (MOOULE) TO ENTIRE JOB aplicable critical Average Critical critical a. In actual...3 Directs and controls operations of mobile communications O- support unit -36- I. - O-G-5 Establishes and controls mobile area signal center 0-6-6...ENGINEERING O-EE-1 Directs .and controls combat engineer unit O-EE-2 Directs and controls portable bridging O-EE-3 Directs and controls mobile water

HIDEC F-15 adaptive engine control system flight test results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smolka, James W.

1987-01-01

NASA-Ames' Highly Integrated Digital Electronic Control (HIDEC) flight test program aims to develop fully integrated airframe, propulsion, and flight control systems. The HIDEC F-15 adaptive engine control system flight test program has demonstrated that significant performance improvements are obtainable through the retention of stall-free engine operation throughout the aircraft flight and maneuver envelopes. The greatest thrust increase was projected for the medium-to-high altitude flight regime at subsonic speed which is of such importance to air combat. Adaptive engine control systems such as the HIDEC F-15's can be used to upgrade the performance of existing aircraft without resort to expensive reengining programs.

New perspectives on central and peripheral immune responses to acute traumatic brain injury

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Traumatic injury to the brain (TBI) results in a complex set of responses involving various symptoms and long-term consequences. TBI of any form can cause cognitive, behavioral and immunologic changes in later life, which underscores the problem of underdiagnosis of mild TBI that can cause long-term neurological deficits. TBI disrupts the blood–brain barrier (BBB) leading to infiltration of immune cells into the brain and subsequent inflammation and neurodegeneration. TBI-induced peripheral immune responses can also result in multiorgan damage. Despite worldwide research efforts, the methods of diagnosis, monitoring and treatment for TBI are still relatively ineffective. In this review, we delve into the mechanism of how TBI-induced central and peripheral immune responses affect the disease outcome and discuss recent developments in the continuing effort to combat the consequences of TBI and new ways to enhance repair of the damaged brain. PMID:23061919

An Integrated Neuroscience and Engineering Approach to Classifying Human Brain-States

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-22

AFRL-AFOSR-VA-TR-2016-0037 An Integrated Neuroscience and Engineering Approach to Classifying Human Brain-States Adrian Lee UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON...to 14-09-2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE An Integrated Neuroscience and Engineering Approach to Classifying Human Brain- States 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b...specific cognitive states remains elusive, owing perhaps to limited crosstalk between the fields of neuroscience and engineering. Here, we report a

Risk factors for postconcussion symptom reporting after traumatic brain injury in U.S. military service members.

PubMed

Lange, Rael T; Brickell, Tracey; French, Louis M; Ivins, Brian; Bhagwat, Aditya; Pancholi, Sonal; Iverson, Grant L

2013-02-15

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that are predictive of, or associated with, postconcussion symptom reporting after traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the U.S. military. Participants were 125 U.S. military service members (age: M=29.6 years, standard deviation [SD]=8.9, range=18-56 years) who sustained a TBI, divided into two groups based on symptom criteria for postconcussional disorder (PCD): PCD-Present (n=65) and PCD-Absent (n=60). Participants completed a neuropsychological evaluation at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (M=9.4 months after injury, SD=9.9; range: 1.1 to 44.8). Factors examined included demographic characteristics, injury-related variables, psychological testing, and effort testing. There were no significant group differences for age, sex, education, race, estimated premorbid intelligence, number of deployments, combat versus non-combat related injury, or mechanism of injury (p>0.098 for all). There were significant main effects for severity of body injury, duration of loss of consciousness, duration of post-traumatic amnesia, intracranial abnormality, time tested post-injury, possible symptom exaggeration, poor effort, depression, and traumatic stress (p<0.044 for all). PCD symptom reporting was most strongly associated with possible symptom exaggeration, poor effort, depression, and traumatic stress. PCD rarely occurred in the absence of depression, traumatic stress, possible symptom exaggeration, or poor effort (n=7, 5.6%). Many factors unrelated to brain injury were influential in self-reported postconcussion symptoms in this sample. Clinicians cannot assume uncritically that endorsement of items on a postconcussion symptom checklist is indicative of residual effects from a brain injury.

Is balance performance reduced after mild traumatic brain injury?: Interim analysis from chronic effects of neurotrauma consortium (CENC) multi-centre study.

PubMed

Walker, William C; Nowak, Kayla J; Kenney, Kimbra; Franke, Laura Manning; Eapen, Blessen C; Skop, Karen; Levin, Harvey; Agyemang, Amma A; Tate, David F; Wilde, Elisabeth A; Hinds, Sidney; Nolen, Tracy L

2018-06-12

Determine if mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) history is associated with balance disturbances. Chronic Effects of Neurotrauma Consortium (CENC) centres. The CENC multi-centre study enrols post-9/11 era Service Members and Veterans with combat exposure. This sample (n = 322) consisted of enrolees completing initial evaluation by September 2016 at the three sites conducting computerized dynamic post-urography (CDP) testing. Observational study with cross-sectional analyses using structural equation modelling. Comprehensive structured interviews were used to diagnose all lifetime mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs). The outcome, Sensory Organization Test (SOT), was measured on CDP dual-plate force platform. Other studied variables were measured by structured interviews, record review and questionnaires. The overall positive/negative mTBI classification did not have a significant effect on the composite equilibrium score. However, the repetitive mTBI classification showed lower scores for participants with ≥ 3 mTBI versus 1-2 lifetime mTBIs. For repetitive mTBI, pain interference acted as a mediator for the indirect effect, and a direct effect was evident on some sensory condition equilibrium scores. These findings show that repeated mTBI, partially mediated by pain, may lead to later balance disturbances among military combatants. Further study of CDP outcomes within this accruing cohort is warranted.

The Effect of Combat Traumatic Brain Injury on Executive Function

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ) as these are similar to problems of executive functioning...affect working memory. Also the neurotransmitters active in attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ), which displays symptoms similar to those of... disorders such as autism and attention - deficit / hyperactivity disorder (Zelazo, P.D., 2005). As children grow they learn to chose and select,

MARSnet: Mission-aware Autonomous Radar Sensor Network for Future Combat Systems 12/8/06 to 12/31/09

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

8/06 to 12/31/09. Qilian Liang Department of Electrical Engineering 416 Yates Street, Room 518 University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, TX 76019...Modeling in Foliage Environment Jing Liang and Qilian Liang, Senior Member, IEEE Department of Electrical Engineering University of Texas at Arlington E...32 46 of 816 NEW: Network-enabled Electronic Warfare for Target Recognition Qilian Liang Xiuzhen Cheng Sherwood W. Samn Dept of Electrical

Numerical Investigation of Cavity-Vane Interactions within the Ultra Combat Combustor

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

nozzle guide vane and the turbine blades are highly dependent on the temperature distribution of the combustor exit. 20 PatternFactor = T4max − T4avg...Procedure for the Calculation of Gaseous Emissions from Aircraft Turbine Engines ”. Society of Automotive Engineers , June 1996. 5. Bernard, Peter S. and...Whipkey. “Locked Vortex Afterbodies”. Journal of Aircraft , Volume 16, No. 5, May 1979. 17. Liu, Feng and William Sirignano. “ Turbojet and Turbofan

Technology Assessment of Avanced propulsion Systems for Some Classes of Combat Vehicles. Volume 3. Appendices G-M.

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-01

generally recognized that the best possible configura- tion for engines operating at high speeds and at high-pressure levels is probably the single...engines is invariably accom- plished by the operation of computer simulation models that generate specific numerical data rather than the generalized re...lationships common to other forms of prime mover based on units of mass or volume. Thus, providing such generalized relation- ships for a Stirling

KSC-04pd1883

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-09-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Guest speaker Charles A. Gambaro, NASA KSC engineering lead and Combat Engineering Group commander, speaks to an appreciative audience during KSC’s annual Hispanic American Heritage luncheon. The theme was “Hispanic Americans Making a Difference.” Gambaro recently returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Hosted by the Hispanic Employment Program Working Group, the luncheon also provided live cultural entertainment. The annual event helps employees reflect on the extensive contributions Hispanics have made to KSC, NASA and the nation.

Tactical/Combat Engines Cetane Window Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-31

non-instrumented injector . The leaky instrumented injector was showing some of the combustion characteristics of the diesel fuel and it was...Instrumented HEUI-B Injector -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 J/ CA D CAD HRR Comparison of Different Injectors Diesel ...SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The European Stationary Cycle 13 Mode test was performed on a turbocharged inline 6-cylinder diesel engine and a

Individual differences in cognitive reappraisal use and emotion regulatory brain function in combat-exposed veterans with and without PTSD.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Jacklynn M; MacNamara, Annmarie; Kennedy, Amy E; Rabinak, Christine A; Rauch, Sheila A M; Liberzon, Israel; Phan, K Luan

2017-01-01

Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit marked deficits in emotion regulation. Past research has demonstrated underengagement of the prefrontal cortex during regulation of negative affect in those with PTSD, but has been unable to find evidence of impaired downregulation of the amygdala. One possibility is that there exists variability in amygdala reactivity that cuts across diagnostic status and which can be characterized using a continuous measure of individual differences. In healthy/nontraumatized volunteers, individual variability in amygdala engagement during emotion processing and regulation has been shown to relate to habitual use of regulation strategies. The current study examined whether self-reported use of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression regulation strategies correlated with brain activation during cognitive reappraisal in combat-exposed veterans with (n = 28) and without PTSD (combat-exposed controls, CEC; n = 20). Results showed that greater self-reported use of cognitive reappraisal was associated with less activation in the right amygdala during volitional attempts to attenuate negative affect using reappraisal, irrespective of PTSD diagnosis. This finding is in line with prior work and extends evidence of an association between habitual use of regulation strategies and amygdala engagement during emotion regulation to a trauma-exposed sample of individuals both with and without PTSD. Furthermore, by providing evidence of individual differences in regulation-related amygdala response in a traumatized sample, this result may increase understanding of the neural mechanisms that support variability in symptom manifestation observed across individuals with PTSD. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Biofidelic Three-Dimensional Brain Surrogate Models of mTBI-Induced Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

incurred during combat in Vietnam by US forces, Acta Chir. Scand. Suppl. 508 (1981) 351–356. [10] J. Grafman, B.S. Jonas, A. Martin , A.M. Salazar, H...29 (16) (2012) 2564–2575. [92] B.R. Huber, J.S. Meabon, T.J. Martin , P.D. Mourad, R. Bennett, B.C. Kraemer, I. Cernak, E.C. Petrie, M.J. Emery, E.R...cerebral vasculature to blast injury in a rat model of mild traumatic brain injury, Acta Neuropathol. Commun. 2 (1) (2014) 1. [122] J.M. Petras , R.A

Blast-related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury is Associated with a Decline in Self-Rated Health Amongst US Military Personnel

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of... Article history: Accepted 25 July 2011 Keywords: Mild traumatic brain injury Self-rated health Military Combat casualty A B S T R A C T Introduction: Mild...throat 9 (3.2) 14 (3.9) .662 Eye 5 (1.8) 13 (3.6) .170 Family problems 2 (0.7) 1 (0.3) Fatigue 13 (4.7) 24 (6.7) .286 Audiology 40 (14.4) 41 (11.4

A Review of the Soldier’s Equipment Burden

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

3 2.2 Participant Demographics ....................................................................................... 3 2.2.1...Australian Defence Force ALICE All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment APC Armoured Personnel Carrier ASLAV Australian Light... Armoured Vehicle ARA Australian Regular Army ARDEC Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center BDE Brigade CBA Combat Body Armour

Combat amputees' health-related quality of life and psychological outcomes: A brief report from the wounded warrior recovery project.

PubMed

Woodruff, Susan I; Galarneau, Michael R; Sack, Daniel I; McCabe, Cameron T; Dye, Judy L

2017-03-01

This study extends what is known about long-term health-related quality of life (HrQoL) and other psychosocial outcomes (i.e., depression, posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) among US military combat amputees serving in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn. A total of 63 combat amputees were identified from the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project, a study assessing long-term self-reported HrQoL and psychological outcomes among those wounded during military service. Another 477 service members from the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project were identified as a comparison group (i.e., nonamputees with moderate to severe extremity injuries). After adjusting for age, time since injury, overall injury severity, and traumatic brain injury, amputees had poorer functional HrQoL than those in the nonamputee comparison group overall and in the specific area related to performance of usual activities, and, to some degree, chronic and acute symptoms, and mobility/self-care. On the other hand, depression and PTSD symptoms were not different for the two groups. Results suggest that when assessed over 5 years postinjury, on average, amputees have unique physical and functional limitations, yet do not report greater depression or PTSD symptoms than others seriously injured in combat. It may be that state-of-the-art integrated amputee care that includes support networks and emphasis on adjustment and psychological health may increase successful coping and adjustment, at least to a level that is on par with other types of serious combat injury. Epidemiologic/prognostic study, level III.

Novel Neuroimaging Methods to Understand How HIV Affects the Brain

PubMed Central

Thompson, Paul

2015-01-01

In much of the developed world, the HIV epidemic has largely been controlled by anti-retroviral treatment. Even so, there is growing concern that HIV-infected individuals may be at risk for accelerated brain aging, and a range of cognitive impairments. What promotes or resists these changes is largely unknown. There is also interest in discovering factors that promote resilience to HIV, and combat its adverse effects in children. Here we review recent developments in brain imaging that reveal how the virus affects the brain. We relate these brain changes to changes in blood markers, cognitive function, and other patient outcomes or symptoms, such as apathy or neuropathic pain. We focus on new and emerging techniques, including new variants of brain MRI. Diffusion tensor imaging, for example, can map the brain’s structural connections while fMRI can uncover functional connections. Finally, we suggest how large-scale global research alliances, such as ENIGMA, may resolve controversies over effects where evidence is now lacking. These efforts pool scans from tens of thousands of individuals, and offer a source of power not previously imaginable for brain imaging studies. PMID:25902966

A-10 Thunderbolt II (Warthog) Systems Engineering Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

Visual Flight Rules (VFR) navigation aids. The “lean” package added Doppler Navigation for night and adverse weather, and a radar ranger and gun...and a big boost for the technology came in 1965 when the Air Force selected the TF39 engine to power the C-5 Galaxy heavy lift aircraft. Still, there...and Staff College, entitled to wear the Ranger Tab and has a real appreciation for the role of CAS in combat. Upon leaving active duty he served

Three Scoring Approaches to the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory for Measuring Clinical Change in Service Members Receiving Intensive Treatment for Combat-Related mTBI.

PubMed

Dretsch, Michael; Bleiberg, Joseph; Williams, Kathy; Caban, Jesus; Kelly, James; Grammer, Geoffrey; DeGraba, Thomas

2016-01-01

To examine the use of the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory to measure clinical changes over time in a population of US service members undergoing treatment of mild traumatic brain injury and comorbid psychological health conditions. A 4-week, 8-hour per day, intensive, outpatient, interdisciplinary, comprehensive treatment program at the National Intrepid Center of Excellence in Bethesda, Maryland. Three hundred fourteen active-duty service members being treated for combat-related comorbid mild traumatic brain injury and psychological health conditions. Repeated-measures, retrospective analysis of a single-group using a pretest-posttest treatment design. Three Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory scoring methods: (1) a total summated score, (2) the 3-factor method, and (3) the 4-factor method (with and without orphan items). All 3 scoring methods yielded statistically significant within-subject changes between admission and discharge. The evaluation of effect sizes indicated that the 3 different Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory scoring methods were comparable. Findings indicate that the different scoring methods all have potential for assessing clinical changes in symptoms for groups of patients undergoing treatment, with no clear advantage with any one method.

Posttraumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury in current military populations: a critical analysis.

PubMed

Wall, Pamela L Herbig

2012-01-01

The use of unconventional weaponry combined with decreased mortality rates and servicemembers being exposed to intense ground combat during multiple deployments has increased the risk of servicemembers living with the consequences of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and combat operational stress. The purpose of this article is to perform a critical analysis of the literature to identify current rates of comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and TBI in military and veteran populations who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan and their combined effects on persistent postconcussive symptoms. A search of the literature with military and veteran populations published after 2001 in Pubmed, OVID/Medline, Cochran Database, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsychInfo was conducted using keywords. Twenty studies met inclusion criteria. The literature search yielded mixed results for rates of PTSD, TBI, and comorbid conditions. There is some evidence that comorbid PTSD and TBI result in greater reports of postconcussive symptomology than either condition alone. Limitations include lack of consistency of measurements, sampling biases, and lack of experimental design, and these warrant further exploration. Future research is needed to decrease variability in study findings and elucidate relationships between these disorders and their effects on persistent postconcussive symptomology.

Security Enhancement of Littoral Combat Ship Class Utilizing an Autonomous Mustering and Pier Monitoring System

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

allows the programmer to use the English language in an expressive manor while still maintaining the logical structure of a programming language ( Pressman ...and Choudhury Tanzeem. 2000. Face Recognition for Smart Environments, IEEE Computer, pp. 50–55. Pressman , Roger. 2010. Software Engineering A

Maintaining the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command Prototype Integration Facilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

shelters, tents and fabric covers, mechanical aerial delivery parts and components, kitchens , and combat feeding items (see Figure 4). NSRDEC’s PIF is...generic terms and refrain from revealing confidential or classified information. Research hypotheses are as follows: H1: The PIF leadership predicts

Intracavitary moderator balloon combined with (252)Cf brachytherapy and boron neutron capture therapy, improving dosimetry in brain tumour and infiltrations.

PubMed

Brandão, S F; Campos, T P R

2015-07-01

This article proposes a combination of californium-252 ((252)Cf) brachytherapy, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and an intracavitary moderator balloon catheter applied to brain tumour and infiltrations. Dosimetric evaluations were performed on three protocol set-ups: (252)Cf brachytherapy combined with BNCT (Cf-BNCT); Cf-BNCT with a balloon catheter filled with light water (LWB) and the same set-up with heavy water (HWB). Cf-BNCT-HWB has presented dosimetric advantages to Cf-BNCT-LWB and Cf-BNCT in infiltrations at 2.0-5.0 cm from the balloon surface. However, Cf-BNCT-LWB has shown superior dosimetry up to 2.0 cm from the balloon surface. Cf-BNCT-HWB and Cf-BNCT-LWB protocols provide a selective dose distribution for brain tumour and infiltrations, mainly further from the (252)Cf source, sparing the normal brain tissue. Malignant brain tumours grow rapidly and often spread to adjacent brain tissues, leading to death. Improvements in brain radiation protocols have been continuously achieved; however, brain tumour recurrence is observed in most cases. Cf-BNCT-LWB and Cf-BNCT-HWB represent new modalities for selectively combating brain tumour infiltrations and metastasis.

Temporal and Spatial Effects of Blast Overpressure on Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Kuriakose, Matthew; Rama Rao, Kakulavarapu V; Younger, Daniel; Chandra, Namas

2018-06-06

Blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) is a "signature wound" in soldiers during training and in combat and has also become a major cause of morbidity in civilians due to increased insurgency. This work examines the role of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption as a result of both primary biomechanical and secondary biochemical injury mechanisms in bTBI. Extravasation of sodium fluorescein (NaF) and Evans blue (EB) tracers were used to demonstrate that compromise of the BBB occurs immediately following shock loading, increases in intensity up to 4 hours and returns back to normal in 24 hours. This BBB compromise occurs in multiple regions of the brain in the anterior-posterior direction of the shock wave, with maximum extravasation seen in the frontal cortex. Compromise of the BBB is confirmed by (a) extravasation of tracers into the brain, (b) quantification of tight-junction proteins (TJPs) in the brain and the blood, and (c) tracking specific blood-borne molecules into the brain and brain-specific proteins into the blood. Taken together, this work demonstrates that the BBB compromise occurs as a part of initial biomechanical loading and is a function of increasing blast overpressures.

Low pressure hyperbaric oxygen therapy and SPECT brain imaging in the treatment of blast-induced chronic traumatic brain injury (post-concussion syndrome) and post traumatic stress disorder: a case report

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

A 25-year-old male military veteran presented with diagnoses of post concussion syndrome and post traumatic stress disorder three years after loss of consciousness from an explosion in combat. The patient underwent single photon emission computed tomography brain blood flow imaging before and after a block of thirty-nine 1.5 atmospheres absolute hyperbaric oxygen treatments. The patient experienced a permanent marked improvement in his post-concussive symptoms, physical exam findings, and brain blood flow. In addition, he experienced a complete resolution of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. After treatment he became and has remained employed for eight consecutive months. This case suggests a novel treatment for the combined diagnoses of blast-induced post-concussion syndrome and post-traumatic stress disorder. PMID:19829822

Nanomaterials for Cardiac Myocyte Tissue Engineering.

PubMed

Amezcua, Rodolfo; Shirolkar, Ajay; Fraze, Carolyn; Stout, David A

2016-07-19

Since their synthesizing introduction to the research community, nanomaterials have infiltrated almost every corner of science and engineering. Over the last decade, one such field has begun to look at using nanomaterials for beneficial applications in tissue engineering, specifically, cardiac tissue engineering. During a myocardial infarction, part of the cardiac muscle, or myocardium, is deprived of blood. Therefore, the lack of oxygen destroys cardiomyocytes, leaving dead tissue and possibly resulting in the development of arrhythmia, ventricular remodeling, and eventual heart failure. Scarred cardiac muscle results in heart failure for millions of heart attack survivors worldwide. Modern cardiac tissue engineering research has developed nanomaterial applications to combat heart failure, preserve normal heart tissue, and grow healthy myocardium around the infarcted area. This review will discuss the recent progress of nanomaterials for cardiovascular tissue engineering applications through three main nanomaterial approaches: scaffold designs, patches, and injectable materials.

Attention training improves aberrant neural dynamics during working memory processing in veterans with PTSD.

PubMed

McDermott, Timothy J; Badura-Brack, Amy S; Becker, Katherine M; Ryan, Tara J; Bar-Haim, Yair; Pine, Daniel S; Khanna, Maya M; Heinrichs-Graham, Elizabeth; Wilson, Tony W

2016-12-01

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with executive functioning deficits, including disruptions in working memory (WM). Recent studies suggest that attention training reduces PTSD symptomatology, but the underlying neural mechanisms are unknown. We used high-density magnetoencephalography (MEG) to evaluate whether attention training modulates brain regions serving WM processing in PTSD. Fourteen veterans with PTSD completed a WM task during a 306-sensor MEG recording before and after 8 sessions of attention training treatment. A matched comparison sample of 12 combat-exposed veterans without PTSD completed the same WM task during a single MEG session. To identify the spatiotemporal dynamics, each group's data were transformed into the time-frequency domain, and significant oscillatory brain responses were imaged using a beamforming approach. All participants exhibited activity in left hemispheric language areas consistent with a verbal WM task. Additionally, veterans with PTSD and combat-exposed healthy controls each exhibited oscillatory responses in right hemispheric homologue regions (e.g., right Broca's area); however, these responses were in opposite directions. Group differences in oscillatory activity emerged in the theta band (4-8 Hz) during encoding and in the alpha band (9-12 Hz) during maintenance and were significant in right prefrontal and right supramarginal and inferior parietal regions. Importantly, following attention training, these significant group differences were reduced or eliminated. This study provides initial evidence that attention training improves aberrant neural activity in brain networks serving WM processing.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Powell, D.R.; Hutchinson, J.L.

Eagle 11 is a prototype analytic model derived from the integration of the low resolution Eagle model with the high resolution SIMNET model. This integration promises a new capability to allow for a more effective examination of proposed or existing combat systems that could not be easily evaluated using either Eagle or SIMNET alone. In essence, Eagle II becomes a multi-resolution combat model in which simulated combat units can exhibit both high and low fidelity behavior at different times during model execution. This capability allows a unit to behave in a highly manner only when required, thereby reducing the overallmore » computational and manpower requirements for a given study. In this framework, the SIMNET portion enables a highly credible assessment of the performance of individual combat systems under consideration, encompassing both engineering performance and crew capabilities. However, when the assessment being conducted goes beyond system performance and extends to questions of force structure balance and sustainment, then SISMNET results can be used to ``calibrate`` the Eagle attrition process appropriate to the study at hand. Advancing technologies, changes in the world-wide threat, requirements for flexible response, declining defense budgets, and down-sizing of military forces motivate the development of manpower-efficient, low-cost, responsive tools for combat development studies. Eagle and SIMNET both serve as credible and useful tools. The integration of these two models promises enhanced capabilities to examine the broader, deeper, more complex battlefield of the future with higher fidelity, greater responsiveness and low overall cost.« less

Utility Building Plan, elevations and sections. March Air Force Base, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Utility Building Plan, elevations and sections. March Air Force Base, Riverside, California, COmbat Operations Center, Utility Building. By Moffatt and Nichol, Engineers, 122 West Fifth Street, Long Beach, California; for the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, Office of the District Engineer, Los Angeles, California. Drawing no. AW-60-02-03, sheet no. 57, approved March, 1962; specifications no. ENG-04-353-62-66; D.O. series AW 1596/57, Rev. "B"; file drawer 1290. Last revised 3 October 1966 "drawings updated." Various scales. 29 x 41 inches. pencil on paper - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Utility Building, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

Why Can't a Computer Be More Like a Brain?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lerner, Eric J.

1984-01-01

Engineers seeking to develop intelligent computers have looked to studies of the human brain in hope of imitating its processes. A theory (known as cooperative action) that the brain processes information with electromagnetic waves may inspire engineers to develop entirely new types of computers. (JN)

Self-assembled cationic peptide nanoparticles as an efficient antimicrobial agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Lihong; Xu, Kaijin; Wang, Huaying; Jeremy Tan, P. K.; Fan, Weimin; Venkatraman, Subbu S.; Li, Lanjuan; Yang, Yi-Yan

2009-07-01

Antimicrobial cationic peptides are of interest because they can combat multi-drug-resistant microbes. Most peptides form α-helices or β-sheet-like structures that can insert into and subsequently disintegrate negatively charged bacterial cell surfaces. Here, we show that a novel class of core-shell nanoparticles formed by self-assembly of an amphiphilic peptide have strong antimicrobial properties against a range of bacteria, yeasts and fungi. The nanoparticles show a high therapeutic index against Staphylococcus aureus infection in mice and are more potent than their unassembled peptide counterparts. Using Staphylococcus aureus-infected meningitis rabbits, we show that the nanoparticles can cross the blood-brain barrier and suppress bacterial growth in infected brains. Taken together, these nanoparticles are promising antimicrobial agents that can be used to treat brain infections and other infectious diseases.

Female Service Members and Symptom Reporting after Combat and Non-Combat-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Brickell, Tracey A; Lippa, Sara M; French, Louis M; Kennedy, Jan E; Bailie, Jason M; Lange, Rael T

2017-01-15

Females are often excluded from military-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) research because of its relatively low prevalence in this population. The purpose of this study was to focus on outcome from mTBI in female service members, compared with males. Participants were 172 United States military service members selected from a larger sample that had sustained an mTBI, and were evaluated within 24 months of injury (Age: mean = 28.9, SD = 8.1) at one of six military medical centers. Eighty-six women were matched to 86 men on nine key variables: TBI severity, mechanism of injury, bodily injury severity, days post-injury, age, number of deployments, theater where wounded, branch of service, and rank. Participants completed the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-C). There were no meaningful gender differences across all demographic and injury-related variables (p > 0.05). There were significant group differences and medium effect sizes for the NSI total score and all four NSI cluster scores. Symptoms most affected related to nausea, sensitivity to light, change in taste/smell, change in appetite, fatigue, and poor sleep. There were significant group differences and small-medium effect sizes for the PCL-C total score and two of the three PCL-C cluster scores. Symptoms most affected related to poor concentration, trouble remembering a stressful event, and disturbing memories/thoughts/images. Females consistently experienced more symptoms than males. As females become more active in combat-related deployments, it is critical that future studies place more emphasis on this important military population.

Acute clinical care and care coordination for traumatic brain injury within Department of Defense.

PubMed

Jaffee, Michael S; Helmick, Kathy M; Girard, Philip D; Meyer, Kim S; Dinegar, Kathy; George, Karyn

2009-01-01

The nature of current combat situations that U.S. military forces encounter and the use of unconventional weaponry have dramatically increased service personnel's risks of sustaining a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although the true incidence and prevalence of combat-related TBI are unknown, service personnel returning from deployment have reported rates of concussion between 10% and 20%. The Department of Defense has recently released statistics on TBI dating back to before the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to better elucidate the impact and burden of TBI on America's warriors and veterans. Patients with severe TBI move through a well-established trauma system of care, beginning with triage of initial injury by first-responders in the war zone to acute care to rehabilitation and then returning home and to the community. Mild and moderate TBIs may pose different clinical challenges, especially when initially undetected or if treatment is delayed because more serious injuries are present. To ensure identification and prompt treatment of mild and moderate TBI, the U.S. Congress has mandated that military and Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals screen all service personnel returning from combat. Military health professionals must evaluate them for concussion and then treat the physical, emotional, and cognitive problems that may surface. A new approach to health management and care coordination is needed that will allow medical transitions between networks of care to become more centralized and allow for optimal recovery at all severity levels. This article summarizes the care systems available for the acute management of TBI from point of injury to stateside military treatment facilities. We describe TBI assessment, treatment, and overall coordination of care, including innovative clinical initiatives now used.

Improved representation of situational awareness within a dismounted small combat unit constructive simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, K. David; Colony, Mike

2011-06-01

Modeling and simulation has been established as a cost-effective means of supporting the development of requirements, exploring doctrinal alternatives, assessing system performance, and performing design trade-off analysis. The Army's constructive simulation for the evaluation of equipment effectiveness in small combat unit operations is currently limited to representation of situation awareness without inclusion of the many uncertainties associated with real world combat environments. The goal of this research is to provide an ability to model situation awareness and decision process uncertainties in order to improve evaluation of the impact of battlefield equipment on ground soldier and small combat unit decision processes. Our Army Probabilistic Inference and Decision Engine (Army-PRIDE) system provides this required uncertainty modeling through the application of two critical techniques that allow Bayesian network technology to be applied to real-time applications. (Object-Oriented Bayesian Network methodology and Object-Oriented Inference technique). In this research, we implement decision process and situation awareness models for a reference scenario using Army-PRIDE and demonstrate its ability to model a variety of uncertainty elements, including: confidence of source, information completeness, and information loss. We also demonstrate that Army-PRIDE improves the realism of the current constructive simulation's decision processes through Monte Carlo simulation.

Defense Health: Coordinating Authority Needed for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury Activities

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Dopamine Beta Hydroxylase (DBH) Inhibitor, Nepicastat, for the Treatment of PTSD in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF...Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Veterans 1 A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of the Dopamine -?-Hydroxylase (DBH) Inhibitor, Nepicastat for the...Reduction: Predeployment Stress Inoculation Training 1 Combat, Sexual Assault, and Post-Traumatic Stress in OIF/OEF Military Women 1 Comparing

Executive Clock Drawing Correlates with Performance-Based Functional Status in People with Combat-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Comorbid Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

333–44. [PMID: 12547981] 20. Niogi SN, Mukherjee P, Ghajar J, Johnson CE, Kolster R, Lee H, Suh M, Zimmerman RD, Manley GT, McCandliss BD...PMID: 10542825] 31. Lavery LL , Starenchak SM, Flynn WB, Stoeff MA, Schaffner R, Newman AB. The clock drawing test is an independent predictor of

Proceedings on Combating the Unrestricted Warfare Threat: Integrating Strategy, Analysis, and Technology, 20-21 March 2007

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

Prosthetics to enable return to units without loss of capability Quantum...and will give us a big advantage in terms of unrestricted warfare. Figure 17 high-Productivity Computing System PRoSThETICS We have an exciting...program in prosthetics (Figure 18). It started with a monkey at Duke University. We put microelectronic implants into her brain, taught her

Glasgow Coma Scale Scores, Early Opioids, and 4-year Psychological Outcomes among Combat Amputees

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

psychological outcomes, loss of consciousness, military and VA health data, morphine , posttraumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury. INTRODUCTION...appropriate for postinjury analgesia [15–17]. Unfortu- nately, little research has compared the psychological benefits of morphine or fentanyl...that morphine reduced PTSD compared with fentanyl because mor- phine produced more long-lasting pain relief and/or was more effective at blocking

Tuning Up the Old Brain with New Tricks: Attention Training via Neurofeedback

PubMed Central

Jiang, Yang; Abiri, Reza; Zhao, Xiaopeng

2017-01-01

Neurofeedback (NF) is a form of biofeedback that uses real-time (RT) modulation of brain activity to enhance brain function and behavioral performance. Recent advances in Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) and cognitive training (CT) have provided new tools and evidence that NF improves cognitive functions, such as attention and working memory (WM), beyond what is provided by traditional CT. More published studies have demonstrated the efficacy of NF, particularly for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. In contrast, there have been fewer studies done in older adults with or without cognitive impairment, with some notable exceptions. The focus of this review is to summarize current success in RT NF training of older brains aiming to match those of younger brains during attention/WM tasks. We also outline potential future advances in RT brainwave-based NF for improving attention training in older populations. The rapid growth in wireless recording of brain activity, machine learning classification and brain network analysis provides new tools for combating cognitive decline and brain aging in older adults. We optimistically conclude that NF, combined with new neuro-markers (event-related potentials and connectivity) and traditional features, promises to provide new hope for brain and CT in the growing older population. PMID:28348527

Histamine Induces Alzheimer's Disease-Like Blood Brain Barrier Breach and Local Cellular Responses in Mouse Brain Organotypic Cultures

PubMed Central

Sedeyn, Jonathan C.; Wu, Hao; Hobbs, Reilly D.; Levin, Eli C.; Nagele, Robert G.; Venkataraman, Venkat

2015-01-01

Among the top ten causes of death in the United States, Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the only one that cannot be cured, prevented, or even slowed down at present. Significant efforts have been exerted in generating model systems to delineate the mechanism as well as establishing platforms for drug screening. In this study, a promising candidate model utilizing primary mouse brain organotypic (MBO) cultures is reported. For the first time, we have demonstrated that the MBO cultures exhibit increased blood brain barrier (BBB) permeability as shown by IgG leakage into the brain parenchyma, astrocyte activation as evidenced by increased expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neuronal damage-response as suggested by increased vimentin-positive neurons occur upon histamine treatment. Identical responses—a breakdown of the BBB, astrocyte activation, and neuronal expression of vimentin—were then demonstrated in brains from AD patients compared to age-matched controls, consistent with other reports. Thus, the histamine-treated MBO culture system may provide a valuable tool in combating AD. PMID:26697497

Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Manpower Requirements Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 183 APPENDIX W. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AFFF Aqueous Film Forming Foam AIC Aircraft Intercept Control ASW...181 APPENDIX W. ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ..................... 183 LIST OF REFERENCES .........................................187 INITIAL...today. For example, the installed AFFF and CO2 systems inside critical spaces such as the main engineering and ordnance spaces. The Damage

Design Study for Project on Standard Operating Procedures for Technical Library Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Libbey, Miles A.; And Others

The overall objective of the Technical Information Support Activities (TISA) Project is the production of a "Post Commander's Handbook." The handbook will be instrumental in achieving greater utilization of available technical information resources to assist army scientists and engineers engaged in the support of army combat and other…

Golden rice: Development, Nutritional Assessment, and Potential for Alleviating Vitamin A Deficiency

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Golden Rice (GR) is a transgenic product engineered to produce beta-carotene in the rice endosperm. It has been developed as a means to combat vitamin A malnutrition, which exists throughout much of the developing world (especially in rice eating populations) and can lead to blindness, increased sus...

Engineering and Design: Fire Protection for Helicopter Hangars

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-10-15

B-5 4.5 ESFR Sprinkler Systems Design Requirements...Early Suppression Fast Response ( ESFR ) sprinklers operating at a minimum discharge pressure of 345 kPa (50 psi). 3.13.2 Conventional automatic sprinkler...using ESFR sprinklers. 4.1.3 Although foam-water sprinkler systems using AFFF generally provide optimum effectiveness in combating a combustible or

Workload Estimates for Combat Engineers in the Desert.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-04-01

11111_!2 4 MICROCOP RES LU I N !ESICHR 111112 5 l *. ff APPENDIX B-8 BUILD A PROTECTIVE POSITION FOR A 155-MM TOWED HOWITZER 1. Terrain. Sandy Desert...the repeated cycles of dissolving calcium, silicon, and ferric compounds in the soil, followed by rapid evapora- tion. The result is a cemented top

Effects of an in-flight thrust reverser on the stability and control characteristics of a single-engine fighter airplane model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mercer, C. E.; Maiden, D. L.

1972-01-01

The changes in thrust minus drag performance as well as longitudinal and directional stability and control characteristics of a single-engine jet aircraft attributable to an in-flight thrust reverser of the blocker-deflector door type were investigated in a 16-foot transonic wind tunnel. The longitudinal and directional stability data are presented. Test conditions simulated landing approach conditions as well as high speed maneuvering such as may be required for combat or steep descent from high altitude.

Proceedings of Damping Volume 2 of 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-06-01

engineering, marine engineering, auto-industry, sporting goods, proved that the realms of application will definitely be expanding. The paper surveyed by...G13 = G13 + i Tic G13 (43a) D11 = D + i ibD (43b) (AI-All)* =(All-All) + i ql(AI1-AIl) (43c) B11 ’= Bjj + i 1d BIL (43d) (All+A11) =(Aj1 +Ajj) + i l.(A...F.: Tail Buffet Characteristics and Longitudinal Oscillation of Combat Airplanes. NAVY x Bureau of Aeronautics, Structures Project Report No. 27, Feb

KSC-04pd1881

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-09-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Felix A. Soto Toro (left) and Joseph Tellado (right) get into the spirit of KSC’s annual Hispanic American Heritage luncheon. The theme was “Hispanic Americans Making a Difference.” Soto Toro and Tellado are co-chairs of the event hosted by the Hispanic Employment Program Working Group. The annual event helps employees reflect on the extensive contributions Hispanics have made to KSC, NASA and the nation. The guest speaker was Charles A. Gambaro, NASA KSC engineering lead and Combat Engineering Group commander, who recently returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

KSC-04pd1882

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-09-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Debus Center at the KSC Visitor Complex, employees help themselves to a variety of Hispanic foods during the Center’s annual Hispanic American Heritage luncheon. The theme was “Hispanic Americans Making a Difference” and featured guest speaker Charles A. Gambaro, NASA KSC engineering lead and Combat Engineering Group commander, who recently returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Hosted by the Hispanic Employment Program Working Group, the luncheon also provided live cultural entertainment. The annual event helps employees reflect on the extensive contributions Hispanics have made to KSC, NASA and the nation.

KSC-04PD-1881

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Felix A. Soto Toro (left) and Joseph Tellado (right) get into the spirit of KSCs annual Hispanic American Heritage luncheon. The theme was Hispanic Americans Making a Difference. Soto Toro and Tellado are co-chairs of the event hosted by the Hispanic Employment Program Working Group. The annual event helps employees reflect on the extensive contributions Hispanics have made to KSC, NASA and the nation. The guest speaker was Charles A. Gambaro, NASA KSC engineering lead and Combat Engineering Group commander, who recently returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom.

KSC-04PD-1882

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. In the Debus Center at the KSC Visitor Complex, employees help themselves to a variety of Hispanic foods during the Centers annual Hispanic American Heritage luncheon. The theme was Hispanic Americans Making a Difference and featured guest speaker Charles A. Gambaro, NASA KSC engineering lead and Combat Engineering Group commander, who recently returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Hosted by the Hispanic Employment Program Working Group, the luncheon also provided live cultural entertainment. The annual event helps employees reflect on the extensive contributions Hispanics have made to KSC, NASA and the nation.

KSC-04PD-1879

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. Astronaut Fernando Caldeiro (left) and Joseph Tellado (right) present a memento of appreciation to Charles A. Gambaro (center), NASA KSC engineering lead and Combat Engineering Group commander, who recently returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Gambaro was the guest speaker at KSCs annual Hispanic American Heritage luncheon. The theme was Hispanic Americans Making a Difference. Caldeiro was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Tellado was co-chair of the event hosted by the Hispanic Employment Program Working Group. The annual event helps employees reflect on the extensive contributions Hispanics have made to KSC, NASA and the nation.

Intracavitary moderator balloon combined with 252Cf brachytherapy and boron neutron capture therapy, improving dosimetry in brain tumour and infiltrations

PubMed Central

Brandão, S F

2015-01-01

Objective: This article proposes a combination of californium-252 (252Cf) brachytherapy, boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and an intracavitary moderator balloon catheter applied to brain tumour and infiltrations. Methods: Dosimetric evaluations were performed on three protocol set-ups: 252Cf brachytherapy combined with BNCT (Cf-BNCT); Cf-BNCT with a balloon catheter filled with light water (LWB) and the same set-up with heavy water (HWB). Results: Cf-BNCT-HWB has presented dosimetric advantages to Cf-BNCT-LWB and Cf-BNCT in infiltrations at 2.0–5.0 cm from the balloon surface. However, Cf-BNCT-LWB has shown superior dosimetry up to 2.0 cm from the balloon surface. Conclusion: Cf-BNCT-HWB and Cf-BNCT-LWB protocols provide a selective dose distribution for brain tumour and infiltrations, mainly further from the 252Cf source, sparing the normal brain tissue. Advances in knowledge: Malignant brain tumours grow rapidly and often spread to adjacent brain tissues, leading to death. Improvements in brain radiation protocols have been continuously achieved; however, brain tumour recurrence is observed in most cases. Cf-BNCT-LWB and Cf-BNCT-HWB represent new modalities for selectively combating brain tumour infiltrations and metastasis. PMID:25927876

Treatment adherence in cognitive processing therapy for combat-related PTSD with history of mild TBI.

PubMed

Davis, Jeremy J; Walter, Kristen H; Chard, Kathleen M; Parkinson, R Bruce; Houston, Wes S

2013-02-01

This retrospective study examined treatment adherence in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) with and without history of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Medical record review of consecutive referrals to an outpatient PTSD clinic identified veterans diagnosed with combat-related PTSD who began treatment with CPT. The sample (N = 136) was grouped according to positive (n = 44) and negative (n = 92) mTBI history. Groups were compared in terms of presenting symptoms and treatment adherence. The groups were not different on a pretreatment measure of depression, but self-reported and clinician-rated PTSD symptoms were higher in veterans with history of mTBI. The treatment completion rate was greater than 61% in both groups. The number of sessions attended averaged 9.6 for the PTSD group and 7.9 for the mTBI/PTSD group (p = .05). Given the lack of marked group differences in treatment adherence, these initial findings suggest that standard CPT for PTSD may be a tolerable treatment for OEF/OIF veterans with a history of PTSD and mTBI as well as veterans with PTSD alone.

What boxing tells us about repetitive head trauma and the brain.

PubMed

Bernick, Charles; Banks, Sarah

2013-01-01

Boxing and other combat sports may serve as a human model to study the effects of repetitive head trauma on brain structure and function. The initial description of what is now known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was reported in boxers in 1928. In the ensuing years, studies examining boxers have described the clinical features of CTE, its relationship to degree of exposure to fighting, and an array of radiologic findings. The field has been hampered by issues related to study design, lack of longitudinal follow-up, and absence of agreed-upon clinical criteria for CTE. A recently launched prospective cohort study of professional fighters, the Professional Fighters Brain Health Study, attempts to overcome some of the problems in studying fighters. Here, we review the cross-sectional results from the first year of the project.

Jet Engine Control Using Ethernet with a BRAIN (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

current communications may be mitigated. 15. SUBJECT TERMS BRAIN, Braided Ring Availability Integrity Network, Gas turbine, FADEC , disturbed...urrent state of the art engine controls have converged on the notion of the Full Authority Digital Engine Control ( FADEC ), which consists of a centralized...is completely dependent on the proper operation of the controller. In current systems, the FADEC is often located on the relatively cool engine fan

Emotion Regulation Training for Treating Warfighters with Combat-Related PTSD Using Real-Time fMRI and EEG-Assisted Neurofeedback

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

Real-Time fMRI and EEG -Assisted Neurofeedback . PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Jerzy Bodurka RECIPIENT: Laureate Institute for Brain Research REPORT...imaging neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) training with concurrent electroencephalography ( EEG ) recordings to directly target and modulate the emotion...the project and are actively enrolling veterans to complete rtfMRI-nf neurofeedback training with simultaneous EEG recordings, and a pre-, post

Telerehabilitation for OIF/OEF Returnees with Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

problem do I have in controlling my laughter ? 66 3.8+-0.9 50 4.1+-1 45 3.8+-1.1 ~ 25 ~ Table 3b: Patient Competency Rating Scale Pre and Post...12 45 2.8 1 Satterthwaite Unequal -0.188 87.9 0.85137 How much of a problem do I have in controlling my laughter ? 0 66 3.8 0.9 Pooled Equal

Molecular aspects of monoamine oxidase B.

PubMed

Ramsay, Rona R

2016-08-01

Monoamine oxidases (MAO) influence the monoamine levels in brain by virtue of their role in neurotransmitter breakdown. MAO B is the predominant form in glial cells and in platelets. MAO B structure, function and kinetics are described as a background for the effect of alterations in its activity on behavior. The need to inhibit MAO B to combat decreased brain amines continues to drive the search for new drugs. Reversible and irreversible inhibitors are now designed using data-mining, computational screening, docking and molecular dynamics. Multi-target ligands designed to combat the elevated activity of MAO B in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases incorporate MAO inhibition (usually irreversible) as well as iron chelation, antioxidant or neuroprotective properties. The main focus of drug design is the catalytic activity of MAO, but the imidazoline I2 site in the entrance cavity of MAO B is also a pharmacological target. Endogenous regulation of MAO B expression is discussed briefly in light of new studies measuring mRNA, protein, or activity in healthy and degenerative samples, including the effect of DNA methylation on the expression. Overall, this review focuses on examples of recent research on the molecular aspects of the expression, activity, and inhibition of MAO B. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Noncontact techniques for diesel engine diagnostics using exhaust waveform analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gore, D.A.; Cooke, G.J.

1987-01-01

RCA Corporation's continuing efforts to develop noncontact test techniques for diesel engines have led to recent advancements in deep engine diagnostics. The U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Command (TACOM) has been working with RCA for the development of new noncontact sensors and test techniques which use these sensors in conjunction with their family of Simplified Test Equipment (STE) to perform vehicle diagnostics. The STE systems are microprocessor-based maintenance tools that assist the Army mechanic in diagnosing malfunctions in both tactical and combat vehicles. The test systems support the mechanic by providing the sophisticated signal processing capabilities necessary for a wide range ofmore » diagnostic testing including exhaust waveform analysis.« less

Providing the Psychosocial Benefits of Mentoring to Women in STEM: "Career"WISE as an Online Solution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawson, Amy E.; Bernstein, Bianca L.; Bekki, Jennifer M.

2015-01-01

This chapter outlines the psychosocial aspects of mentoring that help women combat the barriers they commonly face in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The authors describe the "Career"WISE online resilience training and how it can address the shortage of effective mentors and role models who have been shown to…

Brain Regions Influencing Implicit Violent Attitudes: A Lesion-Mapping Study.

PubMed

Cristofori, Irene; Zhong, Wanting; Mandoske, Valerie; Chau, Aileen; Krueger, Frank; Strenziok, Maren; Grafman, Jordan

2016-03-02

Increased aggression is common after traumatic brain injuries and may persist after cognitive recovery. Maladaptive aggression and violence are associated with dysfunction in the prefrontal and temporal cortex, but such dysfunctional behaviors are typically measured by explicit scales and history. However, it is well known that answers on explicit scales on sensitive topics--such as aggressive thoughts and behaviors--may not reveal true tendencies. Here, we investigated the neural basis of implicit attitudes toward aggression in humans using a modified version of the Implicit Association Task (IAT) with a unique sample of 112 Vietnam War veterans who suffered penetrating brain injury and 33 healthy controls who also served in combat in Vietnam but had no history of brain injury. We hypothesized that dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) lesions, due to the crucial role of the dlPFC in response inhibition, could influence performance on the IAT. In addition, we investigated the causal contribution of specific brain areas to implicit attitudes toward violence. We found a more positive implicit attitude toward aggression among individuals with lesions to the dlPFC and inferior posterior temporal cortex (ipTC). Furthermore, executive functions were critically involved in regulating implicit attitudes toward violence and aggression. Our findings complement existing evidence on the neural basis of explicit aggression centered on the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. These findings highlight that dlPFC and ipTC play a causal role in modulating implicit attitudes about violence and are crucially involved in the pathogenesis of aggressive behavior. Maladaptive aggression and violence can lead to interpersonal conflict and criminal behavior. Surprisingly little is known about implicit attitudes toward violence and aggression. Here, we used a range of techniques, including voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping, to examine the causal role of brain structures underpinning implicit attitudes toward aggression in a unique sample of combat veterans with traumatic brain injury. We found that damage to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) led to a more positive implicit attitude toward violence that under most normal situations would be considered inappropriate. These results suggest that treatments aimed at increasing cognitive control using cognitive behavioral therapies dependent on the intact dlPFC could treat aggressive and violent behavior. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/362757-12$15.00/0.

Composite structural armor for combat vehicle applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haskell, William E., III; Alesi, A. L.; Parsons, G. R.

1990-01-01

Several projects that have demonstrated the advantages of using thick composite armor technology for structural applications in armored combat vehicles are discussed. The first involved composite cargo doors for the Marine Corps LVTP-7 amphibious landing vehicle. Another was a demonstration composite turret that offered a weight reduction of 15.5 percent. The advantages of this composite armor compared to metallic armors used for combat vehicle hull and turret applications are reduced weight at equal ballistic protection; reduced back armor spall; excellent corrosion resistance; reduced production costs by parts consolidation; and inherent thermal and acoustic insulative properties. Based on the encouraging results of these past programs, the Demonstration Composite Hull Program was started in September 1986. To demonstrate this composite armor technology, the Army's newest infantry fighting vehicle, the Bradley Fighting Vehicle (BFV), was selected as a model. A composite infantry fighting vehicle, designated the CIFV for this program, has been designed and fabricated and is currently undergoing a 6000 mile field endurance test. The CIFV demonstration vehicle uses the BFV engine, transmission, suspension, track and other equipment.

Maximum thrust mode evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Orme, John S.; Nobbs, Steven G.

1995-01-01

Measured reductions in acceleration times which resulted from the application of the F-15 performance seeking control (PSC) maximum thrust mode during the dual-engine test phase is presented as a function of power setting and flight condition. Data were collected at altitudes of 30,000 and 45,000 feet at military and maximum afterburning power settings. The time savings for the supersonic acceleration is less than at subsonic Mach numbers because of the increased modeling and control complexity. In addition, the propulsion system was designed to be optimized at the mid supersonic Mach number range. Recall that even though the engine is at maximum afterburner, PSC does not trim the afterburner for the maximum thrust mode. Subsonically at military power, time to accelerate from Mach 0.6 to 0.95 was cut by between 6 and 8 percent with a single engine application of PSC, and over 14 percent when both engines were optimized. At maximum afterburner, the level of thrust increases were similar in magnitude to the military power results, but because of higher thrust levels at maximum afterburner and higher aircraft drag at supersonic Mach numbers the percentage thrust increase and time to accelerate was less than for the supersonic accelerations. Savings in time to accelerate supersonically at maximum afterburner ranged from 4 to 7 percent. In general, the maximum thrust mode has performed well, demonstrating significant thrust increases at military and maximum afterburner power. Increases of up to 15 percent at typical combat-type flight conditions were identified. Thrust increases of this magnitude could be useful in a combat situation.

Challenges and new strategies for therapeutic peptide delivery to the CNS.

PubMed

McGowan, Jeremy Wd; Bidwell, Gene L; Vig, Parminder Js

2015-07-01

Therapeutic peptides represent a largely untapped resource in medicine today, especially in the central nervous system. Despite their ease of design and remarkably high target specificity, it is difficult to deliver them beyond the blood-brain barrier or into the required intracellular compartments. In addition, the instability of these peptides in vivo precludes their use to combat the symptoms of numerous neurological disorders including Alzheimer's disease and spinocerebellar ataxia. In this review, we aim to characterize recent advances in the delivery of therapeutic peptides to the central nervous system past the blood-brain barrier and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the examined methods as well as explore new potential directions.

The use of clonidine in the treatment of nightmares among patients with co-morbid PTSD and traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Alao, Adekola; Selvarajah, Jennifer; Razi, Syed

2012-01-01

To describe the successful treatment of PTSD associated nightmares in two patients with PTSD. The report of the successful use of clonidine to treat PTSD associated nightmares among two Veterans following combat exposure. Clonidine, a centrally acting alpha-agonist agent used to treat hypertension, stimulates alpha-adrenoreceptors in the brain stem. This action results in reduced sympathetic outflow from the central nervous system. We hypothesize that this central mechanism of action is why clonidine may be more effective in treating nightmares among patients with PTSD when compared with other agents. Clonidine should be considered as an alternative in the treatment of nightmares among patients with PTSD.

Personalising exercise recommendations for brain health: considerations and future directions.

PubMed

Barha, Cindy K; Galea, Liisa A; Nagamatsu, Lindsay S; Erickson, Kirk I; Liu-Ambrose, Teresa

2017-04-01

The societal value of strategies that delay the onset and progression of dementia cannot be overstated. Physical activity-unstructured and structured-is a promising, cost-effective strategy for the promotion of brain health. However, a large degree of variation exists in its efficacy. Therefore, to increase its utility as 'medication' for healthy cognitive ageing, it is imperative to identify key moderators and mediators of the positive effects of targeted exercise training on brain health. In this commentary, we focus on the type of targeted exercise training, the determinants of individual variation, including biological sex and genotypic factors, and the mechanisms by which exercise exerts its influence on the brain. We argue that a better understanding of these factors will allow for evidence-based, personalised, tailored exercise recommendations that go beyond the one-size-fits-all approach to successfully combat dementia. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and potential synthetic treatments.

PubMed

Ali, Junaid; Rafiq, Qasim A; Ratcliffe, Elizabeth

2018-04-01

Since the discovery of antibiotics by Sir Alexander Fleming they have been used throughout medicine and play a vital role in combating microorganisms. However, with their vast use, development of resistance has become more prevalent and their use is currently under threat. Antibiotic resistance poses a global threat to human and animal health, with many bacterial species having developed some form of resistance and in some cases within a year of first exposure to antimicrobial agents. This review aims to examine some of the mechanisms behind resistance. Additionally, re-engineering organisms, re-sensitizing bacteria to antibiotics and gene-editing techniques such as the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas9 system are providing novel approaches to combat bacterial resistance. To that extent, we have reviewed some of these novel and innovative technologies.

Promoting brain health through exercise and diet in older adults: a physiological perspective

PubMed Central

Pialoux, Vincent; Corbett, Dale; Drogos, Lauren; Erickson, Kirk I.; Eskes, Gail A.

2016-01-01

Abstract The rise in incidence of age‐related cognitive impairment is a global health concern. Ageing is associated with a number of changes in the brain that, collectively, contribute to the declines in cognitive function observed in older adults. Structurally, the ageing brain atrophies as white and grey matter volumes decrease. Oxidative stress and inflammation promote endothelial dysfunction thereby hampering cerebral perfusion and thus delivery of energy substrates and nutrients. Further, the development of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles contributes to neuronal loss. Of interest, there are substantial inter‐individual differences in the degree to which these physical and functional changes impact upon cognitive function as we grow older. This review describes how engaging in physical activity and cognitive activities and adhering to a Mediterranean style diet promote ‘brain health’. From a physiological perspective, we discuss the effects of these modifiable lifestyle behaviours on the brain, and how some recent human trials are beginning to show some promise as to the effectiveness of lifestyle behaviours in combating cognitive impairment. Moreover, we propose that these lifestyle behaviours, through numerous mechanisms, serve to increase brain, cerebrovascular and cognitive reserve, thereby preserving and enhancing cognitive function for longer. PMID:27524792

Operator State Estimation for Adaptive Aiding in Uninhabited Combat Air Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-01

1992). Van Boxtel, A., W. Waterink, and I.J.T. Veldhuizen . “Tonic Facial EMG Activity As An Index of Mental Effort: Effects of Work Rate, Time-On...the ‘normal’ functioning of brain activity (Beaumont, Burov, Carter, Cheuvront, Sawka, Wilson, Van Orden, Hockey, Balkin and Gundel, 2004). For...by the sympathetic nervous system. Electromyographic activity has been shown to predict arousal accurately ( Veldhuizen , Gaillard, and de Vries, 2003

Multimodal Retrospective and Prospective Unit-Level Analysis of Military Workplace Violence

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

add_ever 5.3.3 Attention deficit disorder and Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 1936524 0.0160 0.1255 delirium_ever 5.4. Delirium, dementia...in this report are those of the author(s) and should not be construed as an official Department of the Army position, policy or decision unless so...Camp Pendleton). 2. KEYWORDS Military Workplace Violence Combat Deployment Traumatic Brain Injury Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Risk Taking

Dissecting the Roles of Brain Injury and Combat-Related Stress in Post-Traumatic Headache

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

were the major goals of the project? Post-traumatic headache (PTH) is an epidemic in our military personnel. It is a chronic, migraine -like...and affective processing that lead to PTH. Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is the physiological correlate of the migraine aura, but it also...paradigm. NTG infusion triggers migraine without aura in human migraineurs and reduced mechanical allodynia threshold in rodents. This enables 11

Mindfulness & Self-Compassion Meditation for Combat Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial and Mechanistic Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

VA Ann Arbor PTSD clinic; and c.) conducting a translational neuroimaging mechanistic study with pre- and post fMRI and neurocognitive testing . 15...might be helpful – both in terms of the psychological characteristics of change, and in terms of neural mechanisms in the brain. Mindfulness...neurocognitive testing . Our novel 16 week Mindfulness and Self-compassion group intervention, “Mindfulness-based Exposure therapy” (MBET), was developed

Aeromedical Factors in Aviator Fatigue, Crew Work/Rest Schedules and Extended Flight Operations: An Annotated Bibliography.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

complex is a common psychological reaction to stress, which causes a chronic overactivity of the higher brain centers and the vagal-parasympathetic...continuous military operations in which other complex man-machine systems were being used. In addition, we found great interest in multidisciplinary...2. Adams, J. T. 1967. Fatigue in helicopter aircrews in combat. In: Aeromedical aspects of helicopter operations in the tac- tical situation

Study of aerodynamic technology for single-cruise engine V/STOL fighter/attack aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Driggers, H. H.; Powers, S. A.; Roush, R. T.

1982-01-01

A conceptual design analysis is performed on a single engine V/STOL supersonic fighter/attack concept powered by a series flow tandem fan propulsion system. Forward and aft mounted fans have independent flow paths for V/STOL operation and series flow in high speed flight. Mission, combat and V/STOL performance is calculated. Detailed aerodynamic estimates are made and aerodynamic uncertainties associated with the configuration and estimation methods identified. A wind tunnel research program is developed to resolve principal uncertainties and establish a data base for the baseline configuration and parametric variations.

KSC-04pd1879

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-09-22

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Astronaut Fernando Caldeiro (left) and Joseph Tellado (right) present a memento of appreciation to Charles A. Gambaro (center), NASA KSC engineering lead and Combat Engineering Group commander, who recently returned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. Gambaro was the guest speaker at KSC’s annual Hispanic American Heritage luncheon. The theme was “Hispanic Americans Making a Difference.” Caldeiro was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Tellado was co-chair of the event hosted by the Hispanic Employment Program Working Group. The annual event helps employees reflect on the extensive contributions Hispanics have made to KSC, NASA and the nation.

The Case for a Joint Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-01

intelligence, and engineering. Finally, the comparative time ex - pended by the combatant commanders (CCDRs) on fulfilling four different evaluation...template for the joint-centric construct would align with the four de facto sections noted earlier: an identifica- tion section, a performance metric...intangible or have not been properly researched. For example, under one evaluation system, a Servicemember’s separation or retire- ment into a post

Virts on ergometer in U.S. Lab

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-12-27

ISS042E082884 (12/27/2014) --- Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry Virts of NASA straps into the station’s stationary exercise bicycle known as the Cycle Ergometer with Vibration Isolation System (CEVIS). Each crew member spends an average of 2.5 hours a day exercising to combat the negative effects of prolonged weightlessness by maintaining bone and muscle mass and cardiovascular health.

Interventions for Sustainable Weight Loss in Military Families

DTIC Science & Technology

through connections made at the 2017 IPR meeting, we participated in discussions with LTC McKnight (Principle Advisor and Military Attach Environmental...Science Engineering Officer Military Operational Medicine Research Program) and Joyce Wessel Raezer (Executive Director, National Military Family... Association ). To combat the recruitment challenges being faced, the idea of including family members of Military Reservists was discussed, but was later

Proteomics analysis reveals novel host molecular mechanisms that could be associated with heat-induced resistance to ‘Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus’ in lemon plants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sustainable long-term measures to combat HLB via breeding or genetic engineering methods are hampered by the fact that no true genetic resistance has been found in citrus germplasm. All cultivated citrus species or citrus relatives are susceptible to the disease. However, the degree of HLB susceptib...

Rise of the Functionals?: Mobility Air Force Developmental Teams and their Impact on Officer Education and Advancement

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

Specialists (43X/44X/45X) Chaplain (52R) Civil Engineer (32E) Combat Air Force Contracting (64P) Cyber Operations (17D) Dental (47X) Finance (65 F...assume the principal has a perfect decision making calculus . The MAF DT may actually have asymmetric information, and given the opportunity, they could

COMBATXXI: Usage and Analysis at TACOM

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-20

Prescribed by ANSI Std Z39-18 Operational Effectiveness UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Outline  Who We Are  Our Equipment  Our Customers  COMBATXXI Model ...Research, Development and Engineering Center Our Customers 5 Operational Effectiveness UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED Model Overview  Combined Arms...Analysis Tool for the 21st Century (COMBATXXI) - Developed jointly by TRAC- White Sands Missle Range (WSMR) and Marine Corps Combat Development Command

Power and Energy Strategy White Paper

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

and cooling. In recent years, several factors have emerged which further complicate the engineering and logistics challenges associated with power and...equation to maintain US military dominance in support of national security. II. INTRODUCTION Energy was a critical factor during many of the...non-combat platforms, especially for auxiliary power, and the compelling quest for compact, high capacity power sources for our overburdened Soldiers

Ground Vehicle Power and Mobility (GVPM) Powertrain Overview

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-11

efficient on-board electrical power generation • Improved Fuel Efficiency • Thermoelectric Waste Heat Recovery • Advanced Engine Cycle Demo...Thermal Management • Militarized Power train Control Module and strategies devices for military vehicle transmissions FY11 FY12 FY13...Transmission): - Medium Combat Application (20-40 tons) - Medium Tactical Application (15-30 tons) Thermoelectric Waste Heat Recovery Energy Analysis

Blast TBI Models, Neuropathology, and Implications for Seizure Risk

PubMed Central

Kovacs, S. Krisztian; Leonessa, Fabio; Ling, Geoffrey S. F.

2014-01-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to explosive blast exposure is a leading combat casualty. It is also implicated as a key contributor to war related mental health diseases. A clinically important consequence of all types of TBI is a high risk for development of seizures and epilepsy. Seizures have been reported in patients who have suffered blast injuries in the Global War on Terror but the exact prevalence is unknown. The occurrence of seizures supports the contention that explosive blast leads to both cellular and structural brain pathology. Unfortunately, the exact mechanism by which explosions cause brain injury is unclear, which complicates development of meaningful therapies and mitigation strategies. To help improve understanding, detailed neuropathological analysis is needed. For this, histopathological techniques are extremely valuable and indispensable. In the following we will review the pathological results, including those from immunohistochemical and special staining approaches, from recent preclinical explosive blast studies. PMID:24782820

TARDEC's Intelligent Ground Systems overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaster, Jeffrey F.

2009-05-01

The mission of the Intelligent Ground Systems (IGS) Area at the Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) is to conduct technology maturation and integration to increase Soldier robot control/interface intuitiveness and robotic ground system robustness, functionality and overall system effectiveness for the Future Combat System Brigade Combat Team, Robotics Systems Joint Project Office and game changing capabilities to be fielded beyond the current force. This is accomplished through technology component development focused on increasing unmanned ground vehicle autonomy, optimizing crew interfaces and mission planners that capture commanders' intent, integrating payloads that provide 360 degree local situational awareness and expanding current UGV tactical behavior, learning and adaptation capabilities. The integration of these technology components into ground vehicle demonstrators permits engineering evaluation, User assessment and performance characterization in increasingly complex, dynamic and relevant environments to include high speed on road or cross country operations, all weather/visibility conditions and military operations in urban terrain (MOUT). Focused testing and experimentation is directed at reducing PM risk areas (safe operations, autonomous maneuver, manned-unmanned collaboration) and transitioning technology in the form of hardware, software algorithms, test and performance data, as well as User feedback and lessons learned.

Designing a hands-on brain computer interface laboratory course.

PubMed

Khalighinejad, Bahar; Long, Laura Kathleen; Mesgarani, Nima

2016-08-01

Devices and systems that interact with the brain have become a growing field of research and development in recent years. Engineering students are well positioned to contribute to both hardware development and signal analysis techniques in this field. However, this area has been left out of most engineering curricula. We developed an electroencephalography (EEG) based brain computer interface (BCI) laboratory course to educate students through hands-on experiments. The course is offered jointly by the Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science Departments of Columbia University in the City of New York and is open to senior undergraduate and graduate students. The course provides an effective introduction to the experimental design, neuroscience concepts, data analysis techniques, and technical skills required in the field of BCI.

Epidemiology of moderate-to-severe penetrating versus closed traumatic brain injury in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

PubMed

Orman, Jean A; Geyer, Dennis; Jones, John; Schneider, Eric B; Grafman, Jordan; Pugh, Mary Jo; Dubose, Joseph

2012-12-01

US combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a greater proportion of service members with head and neck wounds caused by explosions compared with that of previous wars. Although penetrating traumatic brain injury (TBI) is frequently associated with these wounds, the epidemiology of penetrating TBI from these conflicts has not been well described. The Joint Theater Trauma Registry was queried for January 2003 through December 2010 to identify all patients with moderate-to-severe brain injury with a maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) score of the head of 3 or greater and a diagnosis of penetrating or closed TBI in accordance with the Department of Defense Traumatic Brain Injury Surveillance definition. The epidemiology of these injuries was examined, including demographics, TBI severity, overall injury severity, and surgical interventions provided. A total of 1,255 TBI patients (774 penetrating, 481 closed) meeting criteria were identified. Penetrating brain injuries were more severe, more likely to be battle related, and less likely to be isolated injuries than a group of moderate-to-severe closed TBIs within the same range of anatomic injury severity. During the 5-year period of the Iraq war with the largest numbers of TBIs (2004-2008), the numbers of penetrating TBIs exceeded closed TBIs by a ratio of 2:1. During the 3-year period of the Afghanistan war with the greatest numbers of TBIs (2008-2010), the ratio of penetrating to closed TBIs was substantially lower, approximately 1.3:1. This study represents the first comprehensive report on the epidemiology of moderate-to-severe penetrating and closed TBIs resulting from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan using Joint Theater Trauma Registry data. With the maturing theater of conflicts, penetrating TBIs were substantially less predominant compared with closed TBIs. While this finding may reflect changes in the use of protective measures and tactics or improvements in diagnosis of closed TBIs, additional research is needed to identify the reason for this shift and the subsequent effect on outcome after combat-related TBIs. Epidemiologic study, level III.

Direct hits to the head during amateur boxing is associated with a rise in serum biomarkers for brain injury.

PubMed

Graham, M R; Myers, T; Evans, P; Davies, B; Cooper, S M; Bhattacharya, K; Grace, F M; Baker, J S

2011-01-01

Boxing exposes participants to the physiological response to high intensity exercise and also to direct body and brain trauma. Amateur boxing is increasing and females have also been included in the Olympics. The aim of this study is to assess the stress response and possible brain injury incurred during a match by measuring serum biomarkers associated with stress and cellular brain injury before and after combat. Sixteen male amateur boxers were studied retrospectively. The study population was divided into two groups: (a) a group that received predominantly punches to the head (PTH) and (b) a group that received predominantly punches to the body (PTB). Blood samples were taken before and five minutes after each contest. They were analysed for S-100B, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), creatine kinase (CK) and cortisol. The PTH group received direct contacts to the head (not blocked, parried or avoided) and to the body (n=8, age: 17.6 ± 5.3, years; height: 1.68 ± 0.13, meters; mass: 65.4 ± 20.3, kg). The PTB group received punches to the body including blocked and parried punches, but received no direct punches to the head, (n=8, mean ± SD, age: 19.1 ± 3.2 years; height: 1.70 ± 0.75, meters; mass: 68.5 ± 15 kg). Significant increases (P<0.05) were observed between pre- and post-combat serum concentrations in serum concentrations in PTH of S-100B (0.35 ± 0.61 vs. 0.54 ± 0.73, μg.L-1) NSE (19.7 ± 14 vs.31.1 ± 26.6, ng.ml-1) and cortisol (373 ± 202 vs. 756 ± 93, nmol.L-1). Significant increases (P<0.05) of creatine kinase were recorded in both groups. This study demonstrates significant elevations in neurochemical biomarkers in boxers who received direct blows to the head. However, further work is required to quantify this volumetric brain damage and long term clinical sequelae.

Nutritional Factors Affecting Adult Neurogenesis and Cognitive Function.

PubMed

Poulose, Shibu M; Miller, Marshall G; Scott, Tammy; Shukitt-Hale, Barbara

2017-11-01

Adult neurogenesis, a complex process by which stem cells in the hippocampal brain region differentiate and proliferate into new neurons and other resident brain cells, is known to be affected by many intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including diet. Neurogenesis plays a critical role in neural plasticity, brain homeostasis, and maintenance in the central nervous system and is a crucial factor in preserving the cognitive function and repair of damaged brain cells affected by aging and brain disorders. Intrinsic factors such as aging, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and brain injury, as well as lifestyle factors such as high-fat and high-sugar diets and alcohol and opioid addiction, negatively affect adult neurogenesis. Conversely, many dietary components such as curcumin, resveratrol, blueberry polyphenols, sulforaphane, salvionic acid, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and diets enriched with polyphenols and PUFAs, as well as caloric restriction, physical exercise, and learning, have been shown to induce neurogenesis in adult brains. Although many of the underlying mechanisms by which nutrients and dietary factors affect adult neurogenesis have yet to be determined, nutritional approaches provide promising prospects to stimulate adult neurogenesis and combat neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive decline. In this review, we summarize the evidence supporting the role of nutritional factors in modifying adult neurogenesis and their potential to preserve cognitive function during aging. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Deep brain stimulation of the basolateral amygdala for treatment-refractory combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial with blinded, staggered onset of stimulation.

PubMed

Koek, Ralph J; Langevin, Jean-Philippe; Krahl, Scott E; Kosoyan, Hovsep J; Schwartz, Holly N; Chen, James W Y; Melrose, Rebecca; Mandelkern, Mark J; Sultzer, David

2014-09-10

Combat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves significant suffering, impairments in social and occupational functioning, substance use and medical comorbidity, and increased mortality from suicide and other causes. Many veterans continue to suffer despite current treatments. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has shown promise in refractory movement disorders, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, with deep brain targets chosen by integration of clinical and neuroimaging literature. The basolateral amygdala (BLn) is an optimal target for high-frequency DBS in PTSD based on neurocircuitry findings from a variety of perspectives. DBS of the BLn was validated in a rat model of PTSD by our group, and limited data from humans support the potential safety and effectiveness of BLn DBS. We describe the protocol design for a first-ever Phase I pilot study of bilateral BLn high-frequency DBS for six severely ill, functionally impaired combat veterans with PTSD refractory to conventional treatments. After implantation, patients are monitored for a month with stimulators off. An electroencephalographic (EEG) telemetry session will test safety of stimulation before randomization to staggered-onset, double-blind sham versus active stimulation for two months. Thereafter, patients will undergo an open-label stimulation for a total of 24 months. Primary efficacy outcome is a 30% decrease in the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) total score. Safety outcomes include extensive assessments of psychiatric and neurologic symptoms, psychosocial function, amygdala-specific and general neuropsychological functions, and EEG changes. The protocol requires the veteran to have a cohabiting significant other who is willing to assist in monitoring safety and effect on social functioning. At baseline and after approximately one year of stimulation, trauma script-provoked 18FDG PET metabolic changes in limbic circuitry will also be evaluated. While the rationale for studying DBS for PTSD is ethically and scientifically justified, the importance of the amygdaloid complex and its connections for a myriad of emotional, perceptual, behavioral, and vegetative functions requires a complex trial design in terms of outcome measures. Knowledge generated from this pilot trial can be used to design future studies to determine the potential of DBS to benefit both veterans and nonveterans suffering from treatment-refractory PTSD. PCC121657, 19 March 2014.

Correlates of pain symptoms among Iraq and Afghanistan military personnel following combat-related blast exposure.

PubMed

Stratton, Kelcey J; Hawn, Sage E; Amstadter, Ananda B; Cifu, David X; Walker, William C

2014-01-01

Pain complaints are highly prevalent among military servicemembers and Veterans of the recent combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The high comorbidity of pain with conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) underscores the importance of a greater understanding of factors associated with complex polytraumatic injuries among military personnel. The present study aimed to identify correlates of current pain among 201 U.S. military personnel who reported at least one blast experience during combat deployment (age [mean +/– standard deviation]: 27.20 +/– 7.58 yr). Theoretically derived subsets of variables were analyzed in successive hierarchical regression models to determine correlates of self-reported pain symptoms. Preliminary models evaluated demographic features, medical and injury characteristics (e.g., TBI classification), psychosocial history (e.g., trauma exposure), and psychiatric variables. A final model was then derived, in which older age, possible or probable mild TBI, depression symptoms, and PTSD re-experiencing symptoms emerged as significant correlates of pain. The findings further the understanding of polytrauma symptoms among military personnel by identifying specific patient characteristics and comorbidity patterns related to pain complaints. Increased awareness of demographic, psychiatric, or medical factors implicated in pain will enhance comprehensive clinical assessment and intervention efforts.

Post deployment care for returning combat veterans.

PubMed

Spelman, Juliette F; Hunt, Stephen C; Seal, Karen H; Burgo-Black, A Lucile

2012-09-01

Since September 11, 2001, 2.4 million military personnel have deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. To date, roughly 1.44 million have separated from the military and approximately 772,000 of these veterans have used VA health care. Combat deployments impact the physical, psychological, and social health of veterans. Given that many veterans are receiving care from non-VA providers, it is important that all community health care workers be familiar with the unique health care needs of this patient population, which include injuries associated with blast exposures (including mild traumatic brain injury), as well as a variety of mental health conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Other important health concerns are chronic musculoskeletal pain, medically unexplained symptoms, sequelae of environmental exposures, depression, suicide, substance abuse, sleep disturbances, and impairments in family, occupational and social functioning. Elevated rates of hypertension and tobacco use remind us that deployment may result not only in immediate impacts on health, but also increase risk for chronic disease, contributing to a growing public health burden. This paper provides a comprehensive review of these health concerns and offers practical management guidelines for primary care providers. In light of relationships between physical, psychological and psychosocial concerns in this population, we recommend an interdisciplinary approach to care directed toward mitigating the long-term health impacts of combat.

"To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan" (Abraham Lincoln): the Department of Veterans Affairs polytrauma system of care.

PubMed

Sigford, Barbara J

2008-01-01

The initiation of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan has resulted in a new cohort of active-duty service members and veterans seeking rehabilitation care through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Service members injured in combat most often sustain multiple injuries (polytrauma) and require a unique service delivery model to meet their needs. The VA recognized this need and responded with the development of the Polytrauma System of Care (PSC). This national system of care balances access and expertise to provide specialized life-long care to the combat injured. The PSC is comprised of: 4 specialized regional rehabilitation centers that are accredited in brain injury by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities; 21 specialized outpatient and subacute rehabilitation programs; designated polytrauma teams at smaller, more remote VA facilities; and a point of contact at all other VA facilities. In addition, the PSC has developed a proactive case-management model, a specialized telehealth network, guidelines for long-term follow-up, and services for those individuals who are unable to return home. The following commentary and articles provide additional detail on this new and unique system of care.

Traumatic Brain Injury in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans: New Results From a National Random Sample Study.

PubMed

Lindquist, Lisa K; Love, Holly C; Elbogen, Eric B

2017-01-01

This study randomly sampled post-9/11 military veterans and reports on causes, predictors, and frequency of traumatic brain injury (TBI) (N=1,388). A total of 17.3% met criteria for TBI during military service, with about one-half reporting multiple head injuries, which were related to higher rates of posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, back pain, and suicidal ideation. The most common mechanisms of TBI included blasts (33.1%), objects hitting head (31.7%), and fall (13.5%). TBI was associated with enlisted rank, male gender, high combat exposure, and sustaining TBI prior to military service. Clinical and research efforts in veterans should consider TBI mechanism, effects of cumulative TBI, and screening for premilitary TBI.

2017 Military Supplement: Dodecafluoropentane Emulsion (Ddfpe) as a Resuscitation Fluid for Treatment of Hemorrhagic Shock and Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review.

PubMed

Graham, Kaitlin; Moon-Massat, Paula F; Unger, Evan C

2017-11-15

Dodecafluoropentane emulsion (DDFPe) is a novel nanotechnology for oxygen delivery with therapeutic potential for hemorrhagic shock and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI). DDFPe demonstrates efficacy at smaller doses than previously tested perfluorocarbon oxygen therapeutics. This smaller dose potentially eliminates toxicities exhibited by previous oxygen therapeutics, while anti-inflammatory properties of DDFPe may alleviate damage from ischemia reperfusion injury. This mini-review summarizes our progress in developing a battle-field ready product to prevent combat death due to hemorrhagic shock and/or TBI. Preclinical studies, for both indications, show promising effects of DDFPe as a resuscitation fluid. DDFPe may become a part of the toolkit for tactical healthcare professionals in battlefield and domestic emergency medicine.

Postdeployment Symptom Changes and Traumatic Brain Injury and/or Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Men

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

combat experi- ence criterion was used to identify a background sample of servicemembers who were at risk for incurring PTSD. Because women made up...the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) currently describes three clusters of PTSD symptoms (re-experiencing...appear on both question- naires or held no relevance to the conditions being stud- ied (e.g., indigestion, skin diseases ). A subject’s “yes” or “no

The Veterans Health Administration’s Treatment of PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury Among Recent Combat Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-01

make it more difficult for veterans with PTSD to seek or maintain treatment. VHA provides treatment for PTSD at VHA hospitals , outpatient clinics ...measured in days of inpatient hospital care and outpatient clinic visits. A veteran may have had several outpatient visits on a sin- gle day, each...reproduce the same results precisely. The DSS system takes clinical and financial information from other VHA databases and uses algorithms that merge

Total Intravenous Anesthesia Including Ketamine versus Volatile Gas Anesthesia for Combat-related Operative Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

receiving VGA with regard to Injury Severity Score, Glasgow Coma Scale score, base deficit, Head Abbreviated Injury Score, and craniectomy or craniotomy ...1, 2, or 3. Craniectomy or craniotomy was performed at the discretion of the neurosurgeon based on type of skull injury, severity of injury, and...perfectly on GCS ( 8, 8), base deficit ( 6, 6), Head Abbreviated Injury Score ( 3, 3) and craniectomy versus craniotomy . From these, subsets

Early In-Theater Management of Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury: A Prospective, Observational Study to Identify Opportunities for Performance Improvement

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-18

Head computed tomographic scan most commonly found skull fracture (68.9%), subdural hematoma (54.1%), and cerebral contusion (51.4%). Hypertonic saline...were common on presentation. Head computed tomographic scan most commonly found skull fracture (68.9%), subdural hematoma (54.1%), and cerebral con...reported was skull fracture, occurring in 68.9% of patients. The most common type of intracranial hemorrhage was subdural hematoma (54.1%). Multiple

Effectiveness of Cognitive, Exposure, and Skills Group Manualized Treatments in OIF/OEF Female Veterans

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

compared to a normal sample showed significantly lower IQ , but still in the normal range, and poorer executive functioning, similar to male combat...68,750) was provided by the DOD to collect pre/post neuropsychological pilot data to assess for the effects of treatment on Traumatic Brain Injury...SOW). 7) Neuropsychological differences in baseline IQ and executive function were found with lower IQ and poorer functioning found in the PTSD

Interdisciplinary Studies on the Combat Readiness and Health Issues Faced by Military Personnel

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

University of Texas T and operational at the University of Texas at Dallas Center for BrainHealth located at 2200 W. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, Texas...cells), and the targeted cells have been efficiently killed with NIR. This work is now published (Chakravarty et al., 2008) (Appendix B...mononuclear cells bound only to the CNTs coupled to the anti-CD25 mAb. Most importantly, only the specifically targeted cells were killed after exposure to

Telephone Problem-Solving Treatment Improves Sleep Quality in Service Members With Combat-Related Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Results From a Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Vuletic, S; Bell, K R; Jain, S; Bush, N; Temkin, N; Fann, J R; Stanfill, K E; Dikmen, S; Brockway, J A; He, F; Ernstrom, K; Raman, R; Grant, G; Stein, M B; Gahm, G A

2016-01-01

Evaluate sleep quality, its correlates, and the effect of telephone-based problem-solving treatment (PST) in active duty postdeployment service members with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) SETTING:: Randomized clinical trial. Active duty service members with combat-related mTBI. Education-only (EO) and PST groups (N = 178 each) received printed study materials and 12 educational brochures. The PST group additionally received up to 12 PST telephone calls addressing participant-selected issues. Outcomes were evaluated postintervention (6 months) and at 12 months. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Sleep quality was manifestly poor in both groups at baseline (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index = 12.5 ± 4). Overall sleep quality was significantly different between the PST and EO groups at 6 months (P = .003) but not at 12 months. Longitudinally, PST significantly improved sleep quality at 6 months (P = .001) but not over the follow-up. Low sleep quality was associated with concussion symptoms, pain, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder at all time points (P < .0001). Sleep disorders, common in postdeployment service members with mTBI, are strongly associated with the presence of pain, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression. Telephone-based PST may be an effective therapeutic approach for reducing sleep disorders in this population. Research should focus on maintenance of treatment gains.

Examination of validity in spoken language evaluations: Adult onset stuttering following mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Roth, Carole R; Cornis-Pop, Micaela; Beach, Woodford A

2015-01-01

Reports of increased incidence of adult onset stuttering in veterans and service members with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) from combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan lead to a reexamination of the neurogenic vs. psychogenic etiology of stuttering. This article proposes to examine the merit of the dichotomy between neurogenic and psychogenic bases of stuttering, including symptom exaggeration, for the evaluation and treatment of the disorder. Two case studies of adult onset stuttering in service members with mTBI from improvised explosive device blasts are presented in detail. Speech fluency was disrupted by abnormal pauses and speech hesitations, brief blocks, rapid repetitions, and occasional prolongations. There was also wide variability in the frequency of stuttering across topics and conversational situations. Treatment focused on reducing the frequency and severity of dysfluencies and included educational, psychological, environmental, and behavioral interventions. Stuttering characteristics as well as the absence of objective neurological findings ruled out neurogenic basis of stuttering in these two cases and pointed to psychogenic causes. However, the differential diagnosis had only limited value for developing the plan of care. The successful outcomes of the treatment serve to illustrate the complex interaction of neurological, psychological, emotional, and environmental factors of post-concussive symptoms and to underscore the notion that there are many facets to symptom presentation in post-combat health.

From the laboratory to the soldier: providing tactical behaviors for Army robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knichel, David G.; Bruemmer, David J.

2008-04-01

The Army Future Combat System (FCS) Operational Requirement Document has identified a number of advanced robot tactical behavior requirements to enable the Future Brigade Combat Team (FBCT). The FBCT advanced tactical behaviors include Sentinel Behavior, Obstacle Avoidance Behavior, and Scaled Levels of Human-Machine control Behavior. The U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, (TRADOC) Maneuver Support Center (MANSCEN) has also documented a number of robotic behavior requirements for the Army non FCS forces such as the Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT), and Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT). The general categories of useful robot tactical behaviors include Ground/Air Mobility behaviors, Tactical Mission behaviors, Manned-Unmanned Teaming behaviors, and Soldier-Robot Interface behaviors. Many DoD research and development centers are achieving the necessary components necessary for artificial tactical behaviors for ground and air robots to include the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM), Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center, US Army Tank-Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) and non DoD labs such as Department of Energy (DOL). With the support of the Joint Ground Robotics Enterprise (JGRE) through DoD and non DoD labs the Army Maneuver Support Center has recently concluded successful field trails of ground and air robots with specialized tactical behaviors and sensors to enable semi autonomous detection, reporting, and marking of explosive hazards to include Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and landmines. A specific goal of this effort was to assess how collaborative behaviors for multiple unmanned air and ground vehicles can reduce risks to Soldiers and increase efficiency for on and off route explosive hazard detection, reporting, and marking. This paper discusses experimental results achieved with a robotic countermine system that utilizes autonomous behaviors and a mixed-initiative control scheme to address the challenges of detecting and marking buried landmines. Emerging requirements for robotic countermine operations are outlined as are the technologies developed under this effort to address them. A first experiment shows that the resulting system was able to find and mark landmines with a very low level of human involvement. In addition, the data indicates that the robotic system is able to decrease the time to find mines and increase the detection accuracy and reliability. Finally, the paper presents current efforts to incorporate new countermine sensors and port the resulting behaviors to two fielded military systems for rigorous assessing.

Designing a Hands-On Brain Computer Interface Laboratory Course

PubMed Central

Khalighinejad, Bahar; Long, Laura Kathleen; Mesgarani, Nima

2017-01-01

Devices and systems that interact with the brain have become a growing field of research and development in recent years. Engineering students are well positioned to contribute to both hardware development and signal analysis techniques in this field. However, this area has been left out of most engineering curricula. We developed an electroencephalography (EEG) based brain computer interface (BCI) laboratory course to educate students through hands-on experiments. The course is offered jointly by the Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Computer Science Departments of Columbia University in the City of New York and is open to senior undergraduate and graduate students. The course provides an effective introduction to the experimental design, neuroscience concepts, data analysis techniques, and technical skills required in the field of BCI. PMID:28268946

A Review of Engine Seal Performance and Requirements for Current and Future Army Engine Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delgado, Irebert R.; Proctor, Margaret P.

2008-01-01

Sand ingestion continues to impact combat ground and air vehicles in military operations in the Middle East. The T-700 engine used in Apache and Blackhawk helicopters has been subjected to increased overhauls due to sand and dust ingestion during desert operations. Engine component wear includes compressor and turbine blades/vanes resulting in decreased engine power and efficiency. Engine labyrinth seals have also been subjected to sand and dust erosion resulting in tooth tip wear, increased clearances, and loss in efficiency. For the current investigation, a brief overview is given of the history of the T-700 engine development with respect to sand and dust ingestion requirements. The operational condition of labyrinth seals taken out of service from 4 different locations of the T-700 engine during engine overhauls are examined. Collaborative efforts between the Army and NASA to improve turbine engine seal leakage and life capability are currently focused on noncontacting, low leakage, compliant designs. These new concepts should be evaluated for their tolerance to sand laden air. Future R&D efforts to improve seal erosion resistance and operation in desert environments are recommended

Situation assessment in the Paladin tactical decision generation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmanus, John W.; Chappell, Alan R.; Arbuckle, P. Douglas

1992-01-01

Paladin is a real-time tactical decision generator for air combat engagements. Paladin uses specialized knowledge-based systems and other Artificial Intelligence (AI) programming techniques to address the modern air combat environment and agile aircraft in a clear and concise manner. Paladin is designed to provide insight into both the tactical benefits and the costs of enhanced agility. The system was developed using the Lisp programming language on a specialized AI workstation. Paladin utilizes a set of air combat rules, an active throttle controller, and a situation assessment module that have been implemented as a set of highly specialized knowledge-based systems. The situation assessment module was developed to determine the tactical mode of operation (aggressive, defensive, neutral, evasive, or disengagement) used by Paladin at each decision point in the air combat engagement. Paladin uses the situation assessment module; the situationally dependent modes of operation to more accurately represent the complex decision-making process of human pilots. This allows Paladin to adapt its tactics to the current situation and improves system performance. Discussed here are the details of Paladin's situation assessment and modes of operation. The results of simulation testing showing the error introduced into the situation assessment module due to estimation errors in positional and geometric data for the opponent aircraft are presented. Implementation issues for real-time performance are discussed and several solutions are presented, including Paladin's use of an inference engine designed for real-time execution.

Decisionmaking in Military Command Teams: An Experimental Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

of the problems that remain to be solved by systems designers . The Fogarty report concluded that "The AEGIS combat system’s performance was excellent...1989). He maintains that the designers of the AEGIS system failed to incorporate enough human engineering in their design . Without addressing the fault...Naval Command Teams (RAINCOAT), Composite Warfare Commander - Destributed Dynamc Decisionmaking ICWC-[I)), resource coordination, resource effectiveness

Women in Combat: Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-03

report suggested that these changes might have the benefit of expanding career opportunities for women, while increasing flexibility for field...Squad Assessment Tasks Day 1:  Hike 1 kilometer uphill with 28-pound assault pack and personal weapon.  Scramble over 8-foot shipping container...Allow engineers to move forward and fire two breaching shots with Bangalore torpedoes. Day 2:  Hike 7 kilometers with weapons and 59-pound

Integrating Agile Combat Support within Title 10 Wargames

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-26

STAT C7 PCT TIME WAITING TO FLY D1 MANHOURS AVAILABLE D20 NMCM INDICATOR C8 ...Technology Graduate School of Engineering and Management (AFIT/ENS) 2950 Hobson Way, Building 640 WPAFB OH 45433-8865 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION...Branch Air Force Material Command Wright Patterson AFB, OH Email: omar.mendoza@us.af.mil 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S) AFMC/A4 11

Submarine Combat Systems Engineering Project Capstone Project

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-06

sonar , imaging, Electronic Surveillance (ES) and communications. These sensors passively detect contacts, which emit... passive sensors is included. A Search Detect Identify Track Decide Engage Assess 3 contact can be sensed by the system as either surface or... Detect Track Avoid Search Detect Identify Track Search Engage Assess Detect Track Avoid Search • SONAR •Imagery •TC • SONAR • SONAR •EW •Imagery •ESM

Role of engine age and lubricant chemistry on the characteristics of EGR soot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adeniran, Olusanmi Adeniji

Exhaust products of Diesel Engines serves as an environmental hazard, and to curtail this problem a Tier 3 emission standard was introduced which involves change in engine designs and introduction of EGR systems in Diesel engines. EGR systems, however has the challenge of generating soot which are abrasive and are major causes of wear in Diesel engines. This work has studied the characteristics of EGR soot formed in different range of engine age and in different lubricant chemistries of Mineral and Synthetic based diesel Oils. It is found that lubricant degradation is encouraged by less efficient combustion as engine age increases, and these are precursors to formation of crystalline and amorphous particles that are causes of wear in Diesel Engines. It is found that soot from new engine is dominated by calcium based crystals which are from calcium sulfonate detergent, which reduces formation of second phase particles that can be abrasive. Diversity and peak intensity is seen to increase in soot samples as engine age increases. This understanding of second phase particles formed in engines across age ranges can help in the durability development of engine, improvement of Oil formulation for EGR engines, and in development of chemistries for after-treatment Oil solutions that can combat formation of abrasive particles in Oils.

Blast-induced phenotypic switching in cerebral vasospasm

PubMed Central

Alford, Patrick W.; Dabiri, Borna E.; Goss, Josue A.; Hemphill, Matthew A.; Brigham, Mark D.; Parker, Kevin Kit

2011-01-01

Vasospasm of the cerebrovasculature is a common manifestation of blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) reported among combat casualties in the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Cerebral vasospasm occurs more frequently, and with earlier onset, in bTBI patients than in patients with other TBI injury modes, such as blunt force trauma. Though vasospasm is usually associated with the presence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), SAH is not required for vasospasm in bTBI, which suggests that the unique mechanics of blast injury could potentiate vasospasm onset, accounting for the increased incidence. Here, using theoretical and in vitro models, we show that a single rapid mechanical insult can induce vascular hypercontractility and remodeling, indicative of vasospasm initiation. We employed high-velocity stretching of engineered arterial lamellae to simulate the mechanical forces of a blast pulse on the vasculature. An hour after a simulated blast, injured tissues displayed altered intracellular calcium dynamics leading to hypersensitivity to contractile stimulus with endothelin-1. One day after simulated blast, tissues exhibited blast force dependent prolonged hypercontraction and vascular smooth muscle phenotype switching, indicative of remodeling. These results suggest that an acute, blast-like injury is sufficient to induce a hypercontraction-induced genetic switch that potentiates vascular remodeling, and cerebral vasospasm, in bTBI patients. PMID:21765001

Synthetic Immunology: Hacking Immune Cells to Expand Their Therapeutic Capabilities.

PubMed

Roybal, Kole T; Lim, Wendell A

2017-04-26

The ability of immune cells to survey tissues and sense pathologic insults and deviations makes them a unique platform for interfacing with the body and disease. With the rapid advancement of synthetic biology, we can now engineer and equip immune cells with new sensors and controllable therapeutic response programs to sense and treat diseases that our natural immune system cannot normally handle. Here we review the current state of engineered immune cell therapeutics and their unique capabilities compared to small molecules and biologics. We then discuss how engineered immune cells are being designed to combat cancer, focusing on how new synthetic biology tools are providing potential ways to overcome the major roadblocks for treatment. Finally, we give a long-term vision for the use of synthetic biology to engineer immune cells as a general sensor-response platform to precisely detect disease, to remodel disease microenvironments, and to treat a potentially wide range of challenging diseases.

Synthetic Immunology: Hacking Immune Cells to Expand Their Therapeutic Capabilities

PubMed Central

Roybal, Kole T.; Lim, Wendell A.

2017-01-01

The ability of immune cells to survey tissues and sense pathologic insults and deviations makes them a unique platform for interfacing with the body and disease. With the rapid advancement of synthetic biology, we can now engineer and equip immune cells with new sensors and controllable therapeutic response programs to sense and treat diseases that our natural immune system cannot normally handle. Here we review the current state of engineered immune cell therapeutics and their unique capabilities compared to small molecules and biologics. We then discuss how engineered immune cells are being designed to combat cancer, focusing on how new synthetic biology tools are providing potential ways to overcome the major roadblocks for treatment. Finally, we give a long-term vision for the use of synthetic biology to engineer immune cells as a general sensor-response platform to precisely detect disease, to remodel disease microenvironments, and to treat a potentially wide range of challenging diseases. PMID:28446063

Preservation of General Intelligence following Traumatic Brain Injury: Contributions of the Met66 Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor

PubMed Central

Barbey, Aron K.; Colom, Roberto; Paul, Erick; Forbes, Chad; Krueger, Frank; Goldman, David; Grafman, Jordan

2014-01-01

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes survival and synaptic plasticity in the human brain. The Val66Met polymorphism of the BDNF gene interferes with intracellular trafficking, packaging, and regulated secretion of this neurotrophin. The human prefrontal cortex (PFC) shows lifelong neuroplastic adaption implicating the Val66Met BDNF polymorphism in the recovery of higher-order executive functions after traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this study, we examined the effect of this BDNF polymorphism on the preservation of general intelligence following TBI. We genotyped a sample of male Vietnam combat veterans (n = 156) consisting of a frontal lobe lesion group with focal penetrating head injuries for the Val66Met BDNF polymorphism. Val/Met did not differ from Val/Val genotypes in general cognitive ability before TBI. However, we found substantial average differences between these groups in general intelligence (≈ half a standard deviation or 8 IQ points), verbal comprehension (6 IQ points), perceptual organization (6 IQ points), working memory (8 IQ points), and processing speed (8 IQ points) after TBI. These results support the conclusion that Val/Met genotypes preserve general cognitive functioning, whereas Val/Val genotypes are largely susceptible to TBI. PMID:24586380

Diffusion Tensor Imaging Reveals White Matter Injury in a Rat Model of Repetitive Blast-Induced Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Calabrese, Evan; Du, Fu; Garman, Robert H.; Johnson, G. Allan; Riccio, Cory; Tong, Lawrence C.

2014-01-01

Abstract Blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) is one of the most common combat-related injuries seen in U.S. military personnel, yet relatively little is known about the underlying mechanisms of injury. In particular, the effects of the primary blast pressure wave are poorly understood. Animal models have proven invaluable for the study of primary bTBI, because it rarely occurs in isolation in human subjects. Even less is known about the effects of repeated primary blast wave exposure, but existing data suggest cumulative increases in brain damage with a second blast. MRI and, in particular, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), have become important tools for assessing bTBI in both clinical and preclinical settings. Computational statistical methods such as voxelwise analysis have shown promise in localizing and quantifying bTBI throughout the brain. In this study, we use voxelwise analysis of DTI to quantify white matter injury in a rat model of repetitive primary blast exposure. Our results show a significant increase in microstructural damage with a second blast exposure, suggesting that primary bTBI may sensitize the brain to subsequent injury. PMID:24392843

Creating scientific and technical talent through educational outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diggs, Darnell E.; Grote, James G.; Fielding, Jennifer; Jones, Keith W.; Jenkins, Larry C.; Turner, I. Leon

2007-09-01

Using descriptive and explanatory research methodologies, researchers have qualitatively investigated factors influential in causing our nation's youth to decide whether to select science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as their academic majors. Furthermore, researchers have also examined what causes African American men and women to decide whether they desire to become engineers and scientists. Using preexisting studies numerous themes have emerged from these data, which supports educational outreach as a powerful tool for encouraging our youth to consider the STEM disciplines. This paper highlights Air Force Research Laboratory researchers' efforts in combating the forces that could jeopardize our nation's position as one of the leaders in technology and scientific innovations.

A STUDY ON THE APPLICATION OF VALUE ENGINEERING TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kemmochi, Sampei; Koizumi, Atsushi

Value Engineering (VE), one of the effective management techniques to provide products and services, is focused as a measure to reduce the cost on public works, but its effectiveness as a management technique doesn't seem to be fully understood in the construction industry. This paper demonstrates aspects and issues of VE in construction industry by comparing with manufacturing industry, and to combat these, VE which is implemented in construction industry must be succinct and proposes methods to conduct it from the viewpoint of construction industry. At last, the place to go to for construction industry down the road regarding the VE adaptation is clarified.

The pathobiology of collagens in glioma

PubMed Central

Payne, Leo S.; Huang, Paul H.

2013-01-01

Malignant gliomas are characterised by diffuse infiltration into the surrounding brain parenchyma. Infiltrating glioma cells exist in close proximity with components of the tumour microenvironment, including the extracellular matrix (ECM). While levels of collagens in the normal adult brain are low, in glioma, collagen levels are elevated and play an important role in driving the tumor progression. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the nature of collagens found in gliomas and offer insights into the mechanisms by which cancer cells interact with this ECM via receptors including the integrins, discoidin domain receptors and Endo180. We further describe the major remodelling pathways of brain tumour collagen mediated by the matrix metalloproteinases and highlight the reciprocal relationship between these enzymes and the collagen receptors. Finally, we conclude by offering a perspective on how the biophysical properties of the collagen ECM, in particular, mechanical stiffness and compliance may influence malignant outcome. Understanding the complex interactions between glioma cells and the collagen ECM may provide new avenues to combat the rampant tumor progression and chemoresistance in brain cancer patients. PMID:23861322

Coagulopathy and transfusion requirements in war related penetrating traumatic brain injury. A single centre study in a French role 3 medical treatment facility in Afghanistan.

PubMed

Bordes, J; Joubert, C; Esnault, P; Montcriol, A; Nguyen, C; Meaudre, E; Dulou, R; Dagain, A

2017-05-01

Traumatic brain injury associated coagulopathy is frequent, either in isolated traumatic brain injury in civilian practice and in combat traumatic brain injury. In war zone, it is a matter of concern because head and neck are the second most frequent site of wartime casualty burden. Data focusing on transfusion requirements in patients with war related TBI coagulopathy are limited. A descriptive analysis was conducted of 77 penetrating traumatic brain injuries referred to a French role 3 medical treatment facility in Kabul, Afghanistan, deployed on the Kabul International Airport (KaIA), over a 30 months period. On 77 patients, 23 died during the prehospital phase and were not included in the study. Severe traumatic brain injury represented 50% of patients. Explosions were the most common injury mechanism. Extracranial injuries were present in 72% of patients. Traumatic brain injury coagulopathy was diagnosed in 67% of patients at role 3 admission. Red blood cell units (RBCu) were transfused in 39 (72%) patients, French lyophilized plasma (FLYP) in 41 (76%), and fresh whole blood (FWB) in 17 (31%). The results of this study support previous observations of coagulopathy as a frequent complication of traumatic brain injury. The majority of patients with war related penetrating traumatic brain injury presented with extracranial lesions. Most of them required a high level of transfusion capacity. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Recent Efforts and Experiments in the Construction of Aviation Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

SCHWAGER

1920-01-01

It became evident during World War I that ever-increasing demands were being placed on the mean power of aircraft engines as a result of the increased on board equipment and the demands of aerial combat. The need was for increased climbing efficiency and climbing speed. The response to these demands has been in terms of lightweight construction and the adaptation of the aircraft engine to the requirements of its use. Discussed here are specific efforts to increase flying efficiency, such as reduction of the number of revolutions of the propeller from 1400 to about 900 r.p.m. through the use of a reduction gear, increasing piston velocity, locating two crankshafts in one gear box, and using the two-cycle stroke. Also discussed are improvements in the transformation of fuel energy into engine power, the raising of compression ratios, the use of super-compression with carburetors constructed for high altitudes, the use of turbo-compressors, rotary engines, and the use of variable pitch propellers.

Injured Brain Regions Associated with Anxiety in Vietnam Veterans

PubMed Central

Knutson, Kristine M.; Rakowsky, Shana T.; Solomon, Jeffrey; Krueger, Frank; Raymont, Vanessa; Tierney, Michael C.; Wassermann, Eric M.; Grafman, Jordan

2013-01-01

Anxiety negatively affects quality of life and psychosocial functioning. Previous research has shown that anxiety symptoms in healthy individuals are associated with variations in the volume of brain regions, such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Brain lesion data also suggests the hemisphere damaged may affect levels of anxiety. We studied a sample of 182 male Vietnam War veterans with penetrating brain injuries, using a semi-automated voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) approach. VLSM reveals significant associations between a symptom such as anxiety and the location of brain lesions, and does not require a broad, subjective assignment of patients into categories based on lesion location. We found that lesioned brain regions in cortical and limbic areas of the left hemisphere, including middle, inferior and superior temporal lobe, hippocampus, and fusiform regions, along with smaller areas in the inferior occipital lobe, parahippocampus, amygdala, and insula, were associated with increased anxiety symptoms as measured by the Neurobehavioral Rating Scale (NRS). These results were corroborated by similar findings using Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) anxiety scores, which supports these regions’ role in regulating anxiety. In summary, using a semi-automated analysis tool, we detected an effect of focal brain damage on the presentation of anxiety. We also separated the effects of brain injury and war experience by including a control group of combat veterans without brain injury. We compared this control group against veterans with brain lesions in areas associated with anxiety, and against veterans with lesions only in other brain areas. PMID:23328629

Examining the Effectiveness of Mindfulness Meditation for Chronic Pain Management in Combat Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

third had commented on issues related to his work schedule before losing contact with the researchers. Finally, one patient was excluded due to a...M., Keller, S., & Ware, J. E. (2001). Sleep problems, health- related quality of life, work functioning and health care utilization among the...et al., 2006). Military deployment to a war zone may significantly alter health status and quality of life, elevating the risk of long -term physical

Progressive Return to Activity Following Acute Concussion/Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Guidance for the Primary Care Manager in Deployed and Non-deployed Settings (BRIEFING SLIDES)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

climbing stairs, putting on boots, and bending tasks • NO video games , driving, resistance training, repetitive lifting, sit-ups, push-ups or...NO video games , driving, combatives or collision sports 25 Stage 4: Moderate Activity Objective • Increase in intensity and complexity of exercise...jogging to running as tolerated, light resistance training or non-contact sports • Cognitive activity with greater demand such as video games , land

An Investigation of Head Accelerometry, Cognitive Function, and Brain Blood Flow During Intercollegiate Boxing and its Impact Regarding Head Injury Assessment In Combat

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-06

5d. PROJECT NUMBER FAC2007010H Butler, Michelle A., Doan, Brandon K., Hanna, Michael, Adam, Gina A., Wile, Al, Self, Brian , Heaton, Kristin J...neuropsychological performance and cerebral blood flow in intercollegiate boxers to increase understanding about consequences of head impacts in this population...might be made. Method: Participants-31 intercollegiate male boxers mean age 20.74 yrs., height 70.14 in., weight 164.32 lbs., & experience 1.5 yrs

Isolated Severe Traumatic Brain Injuries Sustained During Combat Operations: Demographics, Mortality Outcomes, and Lessons to be Learned From Contrasts to Civilian Counterparts

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

population. I wanted to ask you, do you think that the availability, the immediate availability of the neurosurgeons in the military environment is...penetrating injury the vast majority (over 95%) need surgery. However, my civilian training taught me that no neurosurgeon operates on pene- trating injury...actually have been NATO partners, with very different training back- grounds. The British neurosurgeons may have done some of these, or German or Dutch

Combat Readiness Check (CRC): Development of a Dual Task Assessment Protocol to Assist with Return-to-Duty Decision-Making After Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-01

injury CO-PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS: Mary Vining Radomski, PhD, OTR/L and Maggie Weightman, PT, PhD (Sister Kenny Research Center [SKRC]) CO...INVESTIGATORS: Leslie Davidson PhD (Cand), MS, OTR/L (Riverbend); MAJ Sarah Goldman PhD, OTR/L, CHT (United States Army Research Institute of Environmental...of Minnesota) ASSISTED BY: Dr. Kristin Heaton and Amanda Antczak (USARIEM) and Marsha Finkelstein (health services researcher ), Michelle Pose, and

Electric and Magnetic Activity of the Central Nervous System: Research and Clinical Applications in Aerospace Medicine. Held in Trondheim, Norway on 25-29 May 1987

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-02-01

research dealing with the pharmacological control of states of vigilance, in the context of maximizing the operational value of combat arms personnel...brain activity of human subjects while they process cognitive information, with the research based on care- ful stimulus control , systematic task... control in man-machine interaction. Annual Technical Report 1975-1976, Report # UCLA-ENG-7J51 for Advanced Research Projecto Agency. University of

Comparison of Automated and Manual Recording of Brief Episodes of Intracranial Hypertension and Cerebral Hypoperfusion and Their Association with Outcome After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

neuro ICP care beyond trauma care. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Advanced machine learning techniques, intracranial pressure, vital signs, monitoring...death and disability in combat casualties [1,2]. Approximately 2 million head injuries occur annually in the United States, resulting in more than...editor. Machine learning and data mining in pattern recognition. Proceedings of the 8th International Workshop on Machine Learning and Data Mining in

Characterization and Application of a Large Animal Model of Penetrating Ballistic Brain Injury (PBBI)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

Jump, South American Track and Field Grand Prix. Cuenca, Ecuador , 2004. - Goodwill Ambassador, Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador . Quito, Ecuador , 2000...they only comprise 11.5% of all-cause injury deaths and have a case fatality rate (CFR) of less than 1% [33]. In contrast, penetrating TBIs due to...because many cases of mild closed TBI are not detected post-injury and because the bodily distribution of wounds for all combat casualties (e.g. Wounded In

Proceedings of the 2011 AFMS Medical Research Symposium. Volume 6. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) & Psychological Health Track

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-02

Representative > COL Leo Tucker, DCDD, User Representative > Dr. James Kirkpatrick. DCDD, Combat Developer > Mr. Willie Lindsay, AMEDD Test Board, Field...Scores 30l ll 25 :E ---- ~ 20 0 15 --~ f 10 =’ --- .t 0 --Controls - - concun1ons ---· lOC /AmnesiJ 151617181920 2122 2324 25 2627 282930 FIGURE...Psychological Health 99 ~;~haracteristics of concussion f’" . Concussion = mild lbi • Concussion may not always include loc • ’a trauma-induced

JPRS Report, Soviet Union: Military Affairs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-07-18

with the offense. It developed primarily as a result of improvement in weapons and military equipment. Their influence on the nature and methods...fight to improve the position occupied, as well as to combat sabotage and reconnaissance groups in our rear. Outside of contact with the enemy, the...deployment for counterattacks. When time is available they can be prepared in an engineer respect. The stability of the defense is significantly improved

Core Logistics Capability Policy Applied to USAF Combat Aircraft Avionics Software: A Systems Engineering Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

cannot make a distinction between software maintenance and development” (Sharma, 2004). ISO /IEC 12207 Software Lifecycle Processes offers a guide to...synopsis of ISO /IEC 12207 , Raghu Singh of the Federal Aviation Administration states “Whenever a software product needs modifications, the development...Corporation. Singh, R. (1998). International Standard ISO /IEC 12207 Software Life Cycle Processes. Washington: Federal Aviation Administration. The Joint

Improved airfield damage assessment System (IADAS) capstone

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

96  Figure C-1.  Russian RBK-500 BetAB Cluster Bomb . Sources: Jane’s Air Launched Weapons (2007) and Flankers Site (2017...127  Figure C-2.  Russian RBK-500RTM AO Cluster Bomb . Sources: International Campaign to Ban Landmines (2012) and The Fighter...AFCEC Air Force Civil Engineer Center AoA analysis of alternatives CBU cluster bomb unit CCDR combatant commanders COCOMO II Constructive Cost Model

Identification and Evaluation of Underground Obstacle Sensor Embodiments for Their Applicability to the Combat Engineers’ Rapid Excavation Mission(s),

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

November 1976. 11. Ohio State University, Electroscience Laboratory, Electromagnetic Pulse Sounding for Geological Surveying with Application in Rock...Peters, L. and Moffatt, D. L., Electromagnetic Pulse Sounding for Geological Surveying with Application in Rock Mechanics and Rapid Excavation... Electromagnetic Pulse Sounding for Geolog- ical Surveying with Application in Rock Mechanics and Rapid Excava- tion Program, Ohio State University, Report

Application of Model-based Systems Engineering Methods to Development of Combat System Architectures

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-22

Spt: Chacon , Hoang, Matela, Sarabia Supportability *Carpenter, Banner-Bacin, Chacon , Kinberg M&S Across Acq Manz Independent Kang, Chandler Advisor M...W entland SW / O A *W entland, Sysavath; Spt: Carpenter, Sung, Mend iola M&S/CORE *Pham , Kong, Va ldez, Vasquez; Spt: Chacon , Hoang, Matela...Sarabia Supportability *Carpenter, Banner-Bacin, Chacon , Kinberg M&S Across Acq Manz Independent Kang, Chandler Advisor M Green Capstone Architect

Common Intent: A Review of the Literature

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-03-01

les auteurs cement d’eventuelles zones d’application dans le contexte des preparatifs de missions a long, a moyen et a court terme. Ils relevent...Leadership, verbal fluency (written and spoken), expenence, gender, 1mt1ative, cultural background, mobvatlon, mdivlduahty, need for achievement...artillery, or mortars , combat engineer support for dealing with or creating obstacles, and logistic support for re-supply, evacuatiOn of casualties, etc. In

Handling Quality Requirements for Advanced Aircraft Design: Longitudinal Mode

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-08-01

phases of air -to- air combat, for example). This is far simpler than the general problem of control law definition. How- ever, the results of such...unlimited. Ali FORCE FUGHT DYNAMICS LABORATORYAIR FORCE WRIGHT AERONAUTICALLABORATORIES AIR FORCE SYSTEMS COMMANDI * WRIGHT-PATITERSON AIR FORCE BASE...not necessarily shared by the Air Force. Brian. W. VauVliet Project Engineer S Rorad0. Anderson, Chief Control Dynamics Branch Flight Control Division

Engineer Force Structure within the HBCT

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

report, All Glory is Fleeting: Insights from the Second Lebanon War are the two primary sources used to study the Israeli Defense Forces’ lessons...Israeli War (Fort Leavenworth: Combat Studies Institute Press, 2008), iii, 2; Russell W. Glenn, All Glory is Fleeting: Insights from the Second...objectives. This all points to the fact that the Army must adopt a new mindset that recognizes the requirement to successfully conduct operations across

Military Operations in Built-Up Areas (MOBA).

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-01-01

jhe interim report dated 18 April 1977) "the most fundamental problem with Army C is the lack of an enforced, Systems Architecture/ Systems Engineering...materiel developer and the combat developer, data has not been collected or evaluated to adequately address this spectrum of system performance. Testing...within the MOB.A environment should be institutionalized for all systems as a standard, routine requirement. , Training for MOBA has been cursory at best

Space Grant Research Launches Rehabilitation Chair

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2015-01-01

Working with funding from the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program-which was implemented by NASA Headquarters to fund research, education, and public service projects-a biomedical engineering student created a vibration-based system that could combat bone loss from prolonged trips to space. A rehabilitation chair incorporating the technology is now sold by Sheboygan, Wisconsin-based VibeTech Inc. and is helping people recover more quickly from injuries and surgery.

Heterotopic ossification resection after open periarticular combat-related elbow fractures.

PubMed

Wilson, Kevin W; Dickens, Jonathan F; Heckert, Reed; Tintle, Scott M; Keeling, John J; Andersen, Romney C; Potter, Benjamin K

2013-01-01

A retrospective review was performed to evaluate the outcomes and complications following heterotopic ossification (HO) resection and lysis of adhesion procedures for posttraumatic contracture, after combat-related open elbow fractures. From 2004 to 2011, HO resection was performed on 30 blast-injured elbows at a mean 10 months after injury. Injuries included 8 (27%) Gustilo-Anderson type II fractures, 8 (27%) type III-A, 10 (33%) III-B, and 4 (13%) III-C. Mean preoperative flexion-extension range of motion (ROM) was 36.4°, compared with mean postoperative ROM of 83.6°. Mean gain of motion was 47.2°. Traumatic brain injury, need for flap, and nerve injury did not appear to have a significant effect on preoperative or postoperative ROM. Complications included one fracture, six recurrent contractures, and one nerve injury. The results and complications of HO resection for elbow contracture following high-energy, open injuries from blast trauma are generally comparable to those reported for HO resection following lower energy, closed injuries.

Deployment-Related Insomnia in Military Personnel and Veterans

PubMed Central

Bramoweth, Adam D.

2013-01-01

Insomnia is a prevalent disorder that greatly impacts military personnel, especially those deployed in support of combat efforts. Deployment-related stressors like combat exposure, mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) irregular sleep-wake schedules, and adjustment to the return home all contribute to insomnia. However, insomnia can also exacerbate the deployment experience and is a risk factor for traumatic stress reactions such as PTSD, depression, and suicide. Military personnel with mTBI are significantly impacted by insomnia; the majority experience sleep disruption and this can impede recovery and rehabilitation. As more service members return home from deployment, treatment is vital to reduce the impact of insomnia. Preliminary outcome data, showing positive results for reduction of sleep disruption, has been found with treatments such as combined cognitive behavioral treatment of insomnia (CBTI) and imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT), preference-based interventions, as well as efforts to broadly disseminate CBTI. The recent literature on the impact and treatment of deployment-related insomnia is reviewed. PMID:24005883

Current Challenges in Female Veterans' Health

PubMed Central

Resnick, Eileen M.; Mallampalli, Monica

2012-01-01

Abstract Women in the U.S. military are technically barred from serving in combat specialties, positions, or units; however, since Operation Desert Storm, women have served in forward positions in greater numbers. This increased involvement in combat zones has resulted in exposures to trauma, injury, and a myriad of environmental hazards associated with modern war. Some of these hazards present new health risks specifically relevant to women who have been deployed to or recently returned from Iraq or Afghanistan or both. To address this evolving public health concern, the Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) convened a 1-day interdisciplinary scientific conference, with speakers and attendees from civilian, military, and veteran settings. The purpose of the conference was to reveal the state-of-the-science on the health of the female veteran and to focus attention on recent advances in biomedical research related to female veterans' health. The following topics were discussed: mental health (posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] and depression), urogenital health, musculoskeletal health, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). PMID:22876756

Knowledge-based reasoning in the Paladin tactical decision generation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chappell, Alan R.

1993-01-01

A real-time tactical decision generation system for air combat engagements, Paladin, has been developed. A pilot's job in air combat includes tasks that are largely symbolic. These symbolic tasks are generally performed through the application of experience and training (i.e. knowledge) gathered over years of flying a fighter aircraft. Two such tasks, situation assessment and throttle control, are identified and broken out in Paladin to be handled by specialized knowledge based systems. Knowledge pertaining to these tasks is encoded into rule-bases to provide the foundation for decisions. Paladin uses a custom built inference engine and a partitioned rule-base structure to give these symbolic results in real-time. This paper provides an overview of knowledge-based reasoning systems as a subset of rule-based systems. The knowledge used by Paladin in generating results as well as the system design for real-time execution is discussed.

Visible and thermal spectrum synthetic image generation with DIRSIG and MuSES for ground vehicle identification training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

May, Christopher M.; Maurer, Tana O.; Sanders, Jeffrey S.

2017-05-01

There is a ubiquitous and never ending need in the US armed forces for training materials that provide the warfighter with the skills needed to differentiate between friendly and enemy forces on the battlefield. The current state of the art in battlefield identification training is the Recognition of Combat Vehicles (ROCV) tool created and maintained by the Communications - Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (CERDEC NVESD). The ROC-V training package utilizes measured visual and thermal imagery to train soldiers about the critical visual and thermal cues needed to accurately identify modern military vehicles and combatants. This paper presents an approach that has been developed to augment the existing ROC-V imagery database with synthetically generated multi-spectral imagery that will allow NVESD to provide improved training imagery at significantly lower costs.

Stem cell based anti-HIV Gene therapy

PubMed Central

Kitchen, Scott G.; Shimizu, Saki; An, Dong Sung

2011-01-01

Human stem cell-based therapeutic intervention strategies for treating HIV infection have recently undergone a renaissance as a major focus of investigation. Unlike most conventional antiviral therapies, genetically engineered hematopoietic stem cells possess the capacity for prolonged self-renewal that would continuously produce protected immune cells to fight against HIV. A successful strategy therefore has the potential to stably control and ultimately eradicate HIV from patients by a single or minimal treatment. Recent progress in the development of new technologies and clinical trials sets the stage for the current generation of gene therapy approaches to combat HIV infection. In this review, we will discuss two major approaches that are currently underway in the development of stem cell-based gene therapy to target HIV: One that focuses on the protection of cells from productive infection with HIV, and the other that focuses on targeting immune cells to directly combat HIV infection. PMID:21247612

Neural Correlates of Exposure to Traumatic Pictures and Sound in Vietnam Combat Veterans with and without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Positron Emission Tomography Study

PubMed Central

Bremner, J. Douglas; Staib, Lawrence H.; Kaloupek, Danny; Southwick, Steven M.; Soufer, Robert; Charney, Dennis S.

2011-01-01

Background Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) show a reliable increase in PTSD symptoms and physiological reactivity following exposure to traumatic pictures and sounds. In this study neural correlates of exposure to traumatic pictures and sounds were measured in PTSD. Methods Positron emission tomography and H2[15O] were used to measure cerebral blood flow during exposure to combat-related and neutral pictures and sounds in Vietnam combat veterans with and without PTSD. Results Exposure to traumatic material in PTSD (but not non-PTSD) subjects resulted in a decrease in blood flow in medial prefrontal cortex (area 25), an area postulated to play a role in emotion through inhibition of amygdala responsiveness. Non-PTSD subjects activated anterior cingulate (area 24) to a greater degree than PTSD patients. There were also differences in cerebral blood flow response in areas involved in memory and visuospatial processing (and by extension response to threat), including posterior cingulate (area 23), precentral (motor) and inferior parietal cortex, and lingual gyrus. There was a pattern of increases in PTSD and decreases in non-PTSD subjects in these areas. Conclusions The findings suggest that functional alterations in specific cortical and subcortical brain areas involved in memory, visuospatial processing, and emotion underlie the symptoms of patients with PTSD. PMID:10202567

The effect of claustrum lesions on human consciousness and recovery of function.

PubMed

Chau, Aileen; Salazar, Andres M; Krueger, Frank; Cristofori, Irene; Grafman, Jordan

2015-11-01

Crick and Koch proposed that the claustrum plays a crucial role in consciousness. Their proposal was based on the structure and connectivity of the claustrum that suggested it had a role in coordinating a set of diverse brain functions. Given the few human studies investigating this claim, we decided to study the effects of claustrum lesions on consciousness in 171 combat veterans with penetrating traumatic brain injuries. Additionally, we studied the effects of claustrum lesions and loss of consciousness on long-term cognitive abilities. Claustrum damage was associated with the duration, but not frequency, of loss of consciousness, indicating that the claustrum may have an important role in regaining, but not maintaining, consciousness. Total brain volume loss, but not claustrum lesions, was associated with long-term recovery of neurobehavioral functions. Our findings constrain the current understanding of the neurobehavioral functions of the claustrum and its role in maintaining and regaining consciousness. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

NIH workshop report on the trans-agency blood-brain interface workshop 2016: exploring key challenges and opportunities associated with the blood, brain and their interface.

PubMed

Ochocinska, Margaret J; Zlokovic, Berislav V; Searson, Peter C; Crowder, A Tamara; Kraig, Richard P; Ljubimova, Julia Y; Mainprize, Todd G; Banks, William A; Warren, Ronald Q; Kindzelski, Andrei; Timmer, William; Liu, Christina H

2017-05-01

A trans-agency workshop on the blood-brain interface (BBI), sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, the National Cancer Institute and the Combat Casualty Care Research Program at the Department of Defense, was conducted in Bethesda MD on June 7-8, 2016. The workshop was structured into four sessions: (1) blood sciences; (2) exosome therapeutics; (3) next generation in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB) models; and (4) BBB delivery and targeting. The first day of the workshop focused on the physiology of the blood and neuro-vascular unit, blood or biofluid-based molecular markers, extracellular vesicles associated with brain injury, and how these entities can be employed to better evaluate injury states and/or deliver therapeutics. The second day of the workshop focused on technical advances in in vitro models, BBB manipulations and nanoparticle-based drug carrier designs, with the goal of improving drug delivery to the central nervous system. The presentations and discussions underscored the role of the BBI in brain injury, as well as the role of the BBB as both a limiting factor and a potential conduit for drug delivery to the brain. At the conclusion of the meeting, the participants discussed challenges and opportunities confronting BBI translational researchers. In particular, the participants recommended using BBI translational research to stimulate advances in diagnostics, as well as targeted delivery approaches for detection and therapy of both brain injury and disease.

Effect of administration method, animal weight and age on the intranasal delivery of drugs to the brain.

PubMed

Krishnan, Jishnu K S; Arun, Peethambaran; Chembukave, Bhadra; Appu, Abhilash P; Vijayakumar, Nivetha; Moffett, John R; Puthillathu, Narayanan; Namboodiri, Aryan M A

2017-07-15

The intranasal route of administration has proven to be an effective method for bypassing the blood brain barrier and avoiding first pass hepatic metabolism when targeting drugs to the brain. Most small molecules gain rapid access to CNS parenchyma when administered intranasally. However, bioavailability is affected by various factors ranging from the molecular weight of the drug to the mode of intranasal delivery. We examined the effects of animal posture, intranasal application method and animal weight and age on the delivery of radiolabeled pralidoxime ( 3 H-2-PAM) to the brain of rats. We found that using upright vs. supine posture did not significantly affect 3 H-2-PAM concentrations in different brain regions. Older animals with higher weights required increased doses to achieve the same drug concentration throughout the brain when compared to young animals with lower body weights. The use of an intranasal aerosol propelled delivery device mainly increased bioavailability in the olfactory bulbs, but did not reliably increase delivery of the drug to various other brain regions, and in some regions of the brain delivered less of the drug than simple pipette administration. In view of the emerging interest in the use of intranasal delivery of drugs to combat cognitive decline in old age, we tested effectiveness in very old rats and found the method to be as effective in the older rats. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fusion antibody for Alzheimer's disease with bidirectional transport across the blood-brain barrier and abeta fibril disaggregation.

PubMed

Boado, Ruben J; Zhang, Yufeng; Zhang, Yun; Xia, Chun-Fang; Pardridge, William M

2007-01-01

Delivery of monoclonal antibody therapeutics across the blood-brain barrier is an obstacle to the diagnosis or therapy of CNS disease with antibody drugs. The immune therapy of Alzheimer's disease attempts to disaggregate the amyloid plaque of Alzheimer's disease with an anti-Abeta monoclonal antibody. The present work is based on a three-step model of immune therapy of Alzheimer's disease: (1) influx of the anti-Abeta monoclonal antibody across the blood-brain barrier in the blood to brain direction, (2) binding and disaggregation of Abeta fibrils in brain, and (3) efflux of the anti-Abeta monoclonal antibody across the blood-brain barrier in the brain to blood direction. This is accomplished with the genetic engineering of a trifunctional fusion antibody that binds (1) the human insulin receptor, which mediates the influx from blood to brain across the blood-brain barrier, (2) the Abeta fibril to disaggregate amyloid plaque, and (3) the Fc receptor, which mediates the efflux from brain to blood across the blood-brain barrier. This fusion protein is a new antibody-based therapeutic for Alzheimer's disease that is specifically engineered to cross the human blood-brain barrier in both directions.

Predictors of Neurocognitive Syndromes in Combat Veterans

PubMed Central

Roy, Michael J; Gill, Jessica; Leaman, Suzanne; Law, Wendy; Ndiongue, Rochelle; Taylor, Patricia; Kim, Hyung-Suk; Bieler, Gayle S; Garge, Nikhil; Rapp, Paul E; Keyser, David; Nathan, Dominic; Xydakis, Michael; Pham, Dzung; Wassermann, Eric

2015-01-01

Traumatic brain injury, depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are neurocognitive syndromes often associated with impairment of physical and mental health, as well as functional status. These syndromes are also frequent in military service members (SMs) after combat, although their presentation is often delayed until months after their return. The objective of this prospective cohort study was the identification of independent predictors of neurocognitive syndromes upon return from deployment could facilitate early intervention to prevent disability. We completed a comprehensive baseline assessment, followed by serial evaluations at three, six, and 12 months, to assess for new-onset PTSD, depression, or postconcussive syndrome (PCS) in order to identify baseline factors most strongly associated with subsequent neurocognitive syndromes. On serial follow-up, seven participants developed at least one neurocognitive syndrome: five with PTSD, one with depression and PTSD, and one with PCS. On univariate analysis, 60 items were associated with syndrome development at p < 0.15. Decision trees and ensemble tree multivariate models yielded four common independent predictors of PTSD: right superior longitudinal fasciculus tract volume on MRI; resting state connectivity between the right amygdala and left superior temporal gyrus (BA41/42) on functional MRI; and single nucleotide polymorphisms in the genes coding for myelin basic protein as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Our findings require follow-up studies with greater sample size and suggest that neuroimaging and molecular biomarkers may help distinguish those at high risk for post-deployment neurocognitive syndromes. PMID:26251769

An efficient nonlinear Feshbach engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jing; Fogarty, Thomás; Campbell, Steve; Chen, Xi; Busch, Thomas

2018-01-01

We investigate a thermodynamic cycle using a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) with nonlinear interactions as the working medium. Exploiting Feshbach resonances to change the interaction strength of the BEC allows us to produce work by expanding and compressing the gas. To ensure a large power output from this engine these strokes must be performed on a short timescale, however such non-adiabatic strokes can create irreversible work which degrades the engine’s efficiency. To combat this, we design a shortcut to adiabaticity which can achieve an adiabatic-like evolution within a finite time, therefore significantly reducing the out-of-equilibrium excitations in the BEC. We investigate the effect of the shortcut to adiabaticity on the efficiency and power output of the engine and show that the tunable nonlinearity strength, modulated by Feshbach resonances, serves as a useful tool to enhance the system’s performance.

Repair Air Conditioning, COC Bldg 2605, First Floor Plan. By ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Repair Air Conditioning, COC Bldg 2605, First Floor Plan. By Strategic Air Command, Civil Engineering. Drawing no. R-156, sheet no. 2 of 4, 15 August 1968; project no. MAR-125-8;CE-572; file drawer 2605-6. Scale one-eighth inch to one foot. 29x41 inches. pencil on paper 405 - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

Analyzing the Effects of the Weapon Systems Acquisition Reform Act

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

otherwise, an ICD is developed. The ICD is the first key document that JCIDS contributes to the acquisition system. This document feeds into the MSA...WSARA is the initiator of bottom-line change, if not the catalyst for changes that occur. . The bottom line in the corporate world is profit. For a...combat engineering, force sustainment, petroleum and water, sets, kits, outfits and tools, test 22 measurement and diagnostic equipment, and

Aircraft Simulator: Multiple-Cockpit Combat Mission Trainer Network.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

Force Human Resources Laboratory (AFHRL), the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), and the Southeastern Center for Electrical Engineering...New York: IEEE Press. Rapumno, R. A. , A Shimsaki, N. (1974). Synchronization of earth stations to satellite-switched sequences. Comunications ...Satellite Technology, 33 (Progress in Astronautics and Aeronautics) , 411-429. Tobagi, F. A. (1980). Multiaccess protocols in packet comunication systems. IEEE TMS. C". , 4 (vol. CO-28), 468-488. 27 ORR .0--000

Development of a Comprehensive Base-Level Environmental Training Program for Total Environmental Compliance

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-09-01

Business Managers. Ed. Betty Seldner. San Francisco : McGraw Hill, Inc., 1994 11. Gunderson, John. "Federal Facilities Compliance Act," in Environmental...Decision Making for Engineering and Business Managers. Ed. Betty Seldner. San Francisco : McGraw Hill, Inc., 1994 105 12. Heyman, Glenn. "The Role and...San Francisco . McGraw Hill, Inc., 1994 13- Hill, Chuck. Environmental Oversight Branch, Headquarters Air Combat Command. Personal Correspondence

SOF Integration with Conventional Forces: A Doctrine Gap?

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

close tolerances, friction in an engine can be reduced considerably. However, there will always be energy lost in the system as heat. The goal is to...armed peshmerga. The combat power analysis favored the Iraqis on the ground. JSOTF planners only recourse was to rely on air power to close this gap . A...Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited SOF Integration with Conventional Forces: A Doctrine Gap ? A Monograph by MAJ Gregory M

Assessing the Treatment of Airborne Tactical High Energy Lasers in Combat Simulations

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-03-01

Raymond A . Physics for Scientists and Engineers (4th edition). Philadelphia: Saunders College Publishing, 1996. Sirak, Michael. “Industry Vies...supported, my efforts on a single page, several individuals are noteworthy. I’d like to thank Dr. Hill for getting me into this mess. The promise of a ...research topic with some application in an area of personal interest was a welcome departure from otherwise mundane, academic choices. I’d also

Live Site Demonstration Munitions Response Program Site UXO 01 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC) Twentynine Palms, California

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-11-01

ground surface (bgs) and is composed of crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks . The ranges are located on Cajon soils (Jacobs Engineering Group...Twentynine Palms, California ESTCP Project MR-201229 NOVEMBER 2015 Steve Stacy ARCADIS- US , Inc. Distribution Statement A REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE...geophysical classification (AGC) technologies for Munitions Response (MR). This demonstration was designed to evaluate the use of AGC methodology

A Fresh Look at Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) for Department of Defense (DoD) Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

since system administration practices (such as the use of security appliances) depend heavily on tools for network management, diagnosis and protection...are mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) and yet there is limited practical experience with MANETs and their performance. Further, the interaction between...Systems FCS Future Combat System IETF Internet Engineering Task Force ISAT Information Science and Technology BAST Board on Army Science and

High Reliability Organization and Applicability to the Battlefield to Reduce Errors Associated with Combat Casualty Care

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-10

I placed on the search engine: “English language,” “5 years.” Journal categories included core clinical journals , dental journals , MEDLINE, and...Army) AE Adverse event AHRQ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality AHS Army Health System AMEDD Army Medical Department CPQ Clinical Practice...harm to a patient (Joint Commission 2015). Clinical Quality Management: A systematic, organized , multidisciplinary approach to the ongoing

Extracorporeal Organ Support following Trauma: The Dawn of a New Era in Combat Casualty Critical Care

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

course may confer a survival benefit for trauma patients if started before fulminate renal failure.54 During the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, RRT...effects, such that any subsequent insult, particularly infectious, can lead to fulminant systemic inflam- matory response syndrome and death.68,69...detoxifi- cation and synthesis of proteins) and increased capacity. In addition, refinements in mechanisms and engineering of extra- corporeal organ support

Combat Airpower: Design Versus Use in a Limited War

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-13

Thesis Committee Chair David Holden, M.A. , Member Phillip Pattee, Ph.D. , Member John T. Kuehn, Ph.D. Accepted this 13th...Symington to push the B-36 agenda. Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Louis E. Denfield, and the Secretary of the Navy John L. Sullivan strongly...The first design utilized four engines, each producing a mere 1,500 pounds of thrust.59 In order to overcome the clutter of this design, John Karanik

B-29 Superfortress Engine in the Altitude Wind Tunnel

NASA Image and Video Library

1944-07-21

The resolution of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress’ engine cooling problems was one of the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory’s (AERL) key contributions to the World War II effort. The B-29 leapfrogged previous bombers in size, speed, and altitude capabilities. The B–29 was intended to soar above anti-aircraft fire and make pinpoint bomb drops onto strategic targets. Four Wright Aeronautical R-3350 engines powered the massive aircraft. The engines, however, frequently strained and overheated due to payload overloading. This resulted in a growing number of engine fires that often resulted in crashes. The military asked the NACA to tackle the overheating issue. Full-scale engine tests on a R–3350 engine in the Prop House demonstrated that a NACA-designed impeller increased the fuel injection system’s flow rate. Single-cylinder studies resolved a valve failure problem by a slight extension of the cylinder head, and researchers in the Engine Research Building combated uneven heating with a new fuel injection system. Investigations during the summer of 1944 in the Altitude Wind Tunnel, which could simulate flight conditions at high altitudes, led to reduction of drag and improved air flow by reshaping the cowling inlet and outlet. The NACA modifications were then flight tested on a B-29 bomber that was brought to the AERL.

Late postacute neurologic rehabilitation: neuroscience, engineering, and clinical programs.

PubMed

Bach-y-Rita, Paul

2003-08-01

This lecture highlights my career in rehabilitation research. My principal efforts in rehabilitation have been to study (1) mechanisms of brain plasticity related to reorganization of the brain and recovery of function; (2) late postacute rehabilitation; (3) sensory substitution; and (4) rehabilitation engineering. A principal goal has been to aid in the development of a strong scientific base in rehabilitation.

Sexual Healthcare for Wounded Warriors with Serious Combat-Related Injuries and Disabilities.

PubMed

Tepper, Mitchell S

2014-04-01

Short of the rich literature on sexuality in men following spinal cord injury, started largely by physicians and mental health professionals within the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) system following earlier wars, little attention has been paid to the sexual healthcare of wounded warriors with other serious combat-related injuries. The recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan-Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND)-resulted in physical injuries including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), amputations, and serious burns. There are wounded warriors who are left blind or deaf, and a significant percent of OEF/OIF/OND warriors acquire other "invisible" injuries. While the signature injury of the war in Iraq is said to be TBI, there are a substantial number of service members surviving with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Many with serious injury are struggling with co-occurring depression. Furthermore, many of our wounded warriors are surviving with polytrauma (multiple traumatic injuries, i.e., amputation plus burns). One specific constellation of injuries seen too frequently among our service members in Afghanistan is referred to as a Dismounted Complex Blast Injury (DCBI) sometimes resulting in orchiectomy and/or penile injury. As with other blast injuries, burns, shrapnel injuries, vision loss, hearing loss, TBI, and PTSD often accompany DCBIs. All of the above injuries have significant sexual, endocrine, psychological, and relationship issues that need to be addressed. This article presents an overview of the effects of serious, combat-related injuries on sexual health and provides medical and other health professionals a framework within which to address comprehensive sexual healthcare using a medical rehabilitation model. Sexual healthcare for persons with combat-related disabilities presents a complex array of biopsychosocial and relational issues that call for a coordinated interdisciplinary approach that connects physical health, psychological health, and sexual health. Tepper MS. Sexual healthcare for wounded warriors with serious combat-related injuries and disabilities. Sex Med Rev 2014;2:64-74. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anti-differentiation non-coding RNA, ANCR, is differentially expressed in different types of brain tumors.

PubMed

Malakootian, Mahshid; Mirzadeh Azad, Fatemeh; Fouani, Youssef; Taheri Bajgan, Elham; Saberi, Hooshang; Mowla, Seyed Javad

2018-06-01

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important modulators of various cellular and molecular events, including cancer-associated pathways. The Anti-differentiation ncRNA (ANCR) is a key regulator of keratinocyte differentiation, where its expression is necessary to maintain epidermal progenitor's cells. Herein, we investigated the expression pattern of ANCR in the course of neural differentiation. Moreover, we used published RNAseq data and clinical samples to evaluate the alteration of ANCR expression in different cell types and brain tumors. Furthermore, we manipulated ANCR expression in glioma cell lines to clarify a potential functional role for ANCR in tumorigenesis. Our qRT-PCR results revealed a significant upregulation of ANCR in more malignant and less differentiated types of brain tumors (P = 0.03). This data was in accordance with down regulation of ANCR during neural differentiation. ANCR suppression caused an elevation in apoptosis rate, as well as a G1 cell cycle arrest in glioblastoma cell line. Altogether, our data demonstrated that ANCR may play a role in glioma genesis and that it could be considered as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target to combat brain cancers.

The blood-brain barrier: an engineering perspective

PubMed Central

Wong, Andrew D.; Ye, Mao; Levy, Amanda F.; Rothstein, Jeffrey D.; Bergles, Dwight E.; Searson, Peter C.

2013-01-01

It has been more than 100 years since Paul Ehrlich reported that various water-soluble dyes injected into the circulation did not enter the brain. Since Ehrlich's first experiments, only a small number of molecules, such as alcohol and caffeine have been found to cross the blood-brain barrier, and this selective permeability remains the major roadblock to treatment of many central nervous system diseases. At the same time, many central nervous system diseases are associated with disruption of the blood-brain barrier that can lead to changes in permeability, modulation of immune cell transport, and trafficking of pathogens into the brain. Therefore, advances in our understanding of the structure and function of the blood-brain barrier are key to developing effective treatments for a wide range of central nervous system diseases. Over the past 10 years it has become recognized that the blood-brain barrier is a complex, dynamic system that involves biomechanical and biochemical signaling between the vascular system and the brain. Here we reconstruct the structure, function, and transport properties of the blood-brain barrier from an engineering perspective. New insight into the physics of the blood-brain barrier could ultimately lead to clinical advances in the treatment of central nervous system diseases. PMID:24009582

Deployment Surveillance Report: Traumatic Brain Injury Identified from Hospitalization and Air Evacuation Records - Army, 2004-2009

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-17

7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Army Institute of Public Health U.S. Army Public Health Command Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland...21010-5403 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 12-HF-0F7E-09 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) None 10. SPONSOR...Hospitalized Air Evacuated n % n % American football 17 28.8 9 25.7 Combatives/boxing/wrestling 10 16.9 8 22.9 Basketball 13 22.0 5 14.3 Baseball/ softball 8

Sustained attention in skilled and novice martial arts athletes: a study of event-related potentials and current sources.

PubMed

Sanchez-Lopez, Javier; Silva-Pereyra, Juan; Fernandez, Thalia

2016-01-01

Background. Research on sports has revealed that behavioral responses and event-related brain potentials (ERP) are better in expert than in novice athletes for sport-related tasks. Focused attention is essential for optimal athletic performance across different sports but mainly in combat disciplines. During combat, long periods of focused attention (i.e., sustained attention) are required for a good performance. Few investigations have reported effects of expertise on brain electrical activity and its neural generators during sport-unrelated attention tasks. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of expertise (i.e., skilled and novice martial arts athletes) analyzing the ERP during a sustained attention task (Continuous Performance Task; CPT) and the cortical three-dimensional distribution of current density, using the sLORETA technique. Methods. CPT consisted in an oddball-type paradigm presentation of five stimuli (different pointing arrows) where only one of them (an arrow pointing up right) required a motor response (i.e., target). CPT was administered to skilled and novice martial arts athletes while EEG were recorded. Amplitude ERP data from target and non-target stimuli were compared between groups. Subsequently, current source analysis for each ERP component was performed on each subject. sLORETA images were compared by condition and group using Statistical Non-Parametric Mapping analysis. Results. Skilled athletes showed significant amplitude differences between target and non-target conditions in early ERP components (P100 and P200) as opposed to the novice group; however, skilled athletes showed no significant effect of condition in N200 but novices did show a significant effect. Current source analysis showed greater differences in activations in skilled compared with novice athletes between conditions in the frontal (mainly in the Superior Frontal Gyrus and Medial Frontal Gyrus) and limbic (mainly in the Anterior Cingulate Gyrus) lobes. Discussion. These results are supported by previous findings regarding activation of neural structures that underlie sustained attention. Our findings may indicate a better-controlled attention in skilled athletes, which suggests that expertise can improve effectiveness in allocation of attentional resources during the first stages of cognitive processing during combat.

Experimental missile wound to the brain.

PubMed

Carey, M E; Sarna, G S; Farrell, J B; Happel, L T

1989-11-01

Among civilians in the United States, 33,000 gunshot wound deaths occur each year; probably half of these involve the head. In combat, head wounds account for approximately half of the immediate mortality when death can be attributed to a single wound. No significant reduction in the neurosurgical mortality associated with these wounds has occurred between World War II and the Vietnam conflict, and very little research into missile wounds of the brain has been undertaken. An experimental model has been developed in the anesthetized cat whereby a ballistic injury to the brain may be painlessly reproduced in order that the pathophysiological effects of brain wounding may be studied and better treatments may be designed to lower the mortality and morbidity rates associated with gunshot wounds. Prominent among physiological effects observed in this model was respiratory arrest even though the missile did not injure the brain stem directly. The incidence of prolonged respiratory arrest increased with increasing missile energy, but arrest was often reversible provided respiratory support was given. It is possible that humans who receive a brain wound die from missile-induced apnea instead of brain damage per se. The mortality rate in humans with brain wounding might be reduced by prompt respiratory support. Brain wounding was associated with persistently increased intracranial pressure and reduced cerebral perfusion pressure not entirely attributable to intracranial bleeding. The magnitude of these derangements appeared to be missile energy-dependent and approached dangerous levels in higher-energy wounds. All wounded cats exhibited postwounding increases in blood glucose concentrations consistent with a generalized stress reaction. A transient rise in hematocrit also occurred immediately after wounding. Both of these phenomena could prove deleterious to optimal brain function after injury.

Advanced biomaterial strategies to transplant preformed micro-tissue engineered neural networks into the brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, J. P.; Struzyna, L. A.; Murphy, P. L.; Adewole, D. O.; Kuo, E.; Cullen, D. K.

2016-02-01

Objective. Connectome disruption is a hallmark of many neurological diseases and trauma with no current strategies to restore lost long-distance axonal pathways in the brain. We are creating transplantable micro-tissue engineered neural networks (micro-TENNs), which are preformed constructs consisting of embedded neurons and long axonal tracts to integrate with the nervous system to physically reconstitute lost axonal pathways. Approach. We advanced micro-tissue engineering techniques to generate micro-TENNs consisting of discrete populations of mature primary cerebral cortical neurons spanned by long axonal fascicles encased in miniature hydrogel micro-columns. Further, we improved the biomaterial encasement scheme by adding a thin layer of low viscosity carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to enable needle-less insertion and rapid softening for mechanical similarity with brain tissue. Main results. The engineered architecture of cortical micro-TENNs facilitated robust neuronal viability and axonal cytoarchitecture to at least 22 days in vitro. Micro-TENNs displayed discrete neuronal populations spanned by long axonal fasciculation throughout the core, thus mimicking the general systems-level anatomy of gray matter—white matter in the brain. Additionally, micro-columns with thin CMC-coating upon mild dehydration were able to withstand a force of 893 ± 457 mN before buckling, whereas a solid agarose cylinder of similar dimensions was predicted to withstand less than 150 μN of force. This thin CMC coating increased the stiffness by three orders of magnitude, enabling needle-less insertion into brain while significantly reducing the footprint of previous needle-based delivery methods to minimize insertion trauma. Significance. Our novel micro-TENNs are the first strategy designed for minimally invasive implantation to facilitate nervous system repair by simultaneously providing neuronal replacement and physical reconstruction of long-distance axon pathways in the brain. The micro-TENN approach may offer the ability to treat several disorders that disrupt the connectome, including Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and brain tumor excision.

Advanced biomaterial strategies to transplant preformed micro-tissue engineered neural networks into the brain

PubMed Central

Harris, J P; Struzyna, L A; Murphy, P L; Adewole, D O; Kuo, E; Cullen, D K

2017-01-01

Objective Connectome disruption is a hallmark of many neurological diseases and trauma with no current strategies to restore lost long-distance axonal pathways in the brain. We are creating transplantable micro-tissue engineered neural networks (micro-TENNs), which are preformed constructs consisting of embedded neurons and long axonal tracts to integrate with the nervous system to physically reconstitute lost axonal pathways. Approach We advanced micro-tissue engineering techniques to generate micro-TENNs consisting of discrete populations of mature primary cerebral cortical neurons spanned by long axonal fascicles encased in miniature hydrogel micro-columns. Further, we improved the biomaterial encasement scheme by adding a thin layer of low viscosity carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to enable needle-less insertion and rapid softening for mechanical similarity with brain tissue. Main results The engineered architecture of cortical micro-TENNs facilitated robust neuronal viability and axonal cytoarchitecture to at least 22 days in vitro. Micro-TENNs displayed discrete neuronal populations spanned by long axonal fasciculation throughout the core, thus mimicking the general systems-level anatomy of gray matter—white matter in the brain. Additionally, micro columns with thin CMC-coating upon mild dehydration were able to withstand a force of 893 ± 457 mN before buckling, whereas a solid agarose cylinder of similar dimensions was predicted to withstand less than 150 μN of force. This thin CMC coating increased the stiffness by three orders of magnitude, enabling needle-less insertion into brain while significantly reducing the footprint of previous needle-based delivery methods to minimize insertion trauma. Significance Our novel micro-TENNs are the first strategy designed for minimally invasive implantation to facilitate nervous system repair by simultaneously providing neuronal replacement and physical reconstruction of long-distance axon pathways in the brain. The micro-TENN approach may offer the ability to treat several disorders that disrupt the connectome, including Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and brain tumor excision PMID:26760138

Neurobehavioral, neuropathological and biochemical profiles in a novel mouse model of co-morbid post-traumatic stress disorder and mild traumatic brain injury

PubMed Central

Ojo, Joseph O.; Greenberg, M. Banks; Leary, Paige; Mouzon, Benoit; Bachmeier, Corbin; Mullan, Michael; Diamond, David M.; Crawford, Fiona

2014-01-01

Co-morbid mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has become the signature disorder for returning combat veterans. The clinical heterogeneity and overlapping symptomatology of mTBI and PTSD underscore the need to develop a preclinical model that will enable the characterization of unique and overlapping features and allow discrimination between both disorders. This study details the development and implementation of a novel experimental paradigm for PTSD and combined PTSD-mTBI. The PTSD paradigm involved exposure to a danger-related predator odor under repeated restraint over a 21 day period and a physical trauma (inescapable footshock). We administered this paradigm alone, or in combination with a previously established mTBI model. We report outcomes of behavioral, pathological and biochemical profiles at an acute timepoint. PTSD animals demonstrated recall of traumatic memories, anxiety and an impaired social behavior. In both mTBI and combination groups there was a pattern of disinhibitory like behavior. mTBI abrogated both contextual fear and impairments in social behavior seen in PTSD animals. No major impairment in spatial memory was observed in any group. Examination of neuroendocrine and neuroimmune responses in plasma revealed a trend toward increase in corticosterone in PTSD and combination groups, and an apparent increase in Th1 and Th17 proinflammatory cytokine(s) in the PTSD only and mTBI only groups respectively. In the brain there were no gross neuropathological changes in any groups. We observed that mTBI on a background of repeated trauma exposure resulted in an augmentation of axonal injury and inflammatory markers, neurofilament L and ICAM-1 respectively. Our observations thus far suggest that this novel stress-trauma-related paradigm may be a useful model for investigating further the overlapping and distinct spatio-temporal and behavioral/biochemical relationship between mTBI and PTSD experienced by combat veterans. PMID:25002839

The Utility of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Inventory in Predicting Service Community Selection at the United States Naval Academy

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-06-01

These include intelligence , cryptology, oceanography, medicine, civil engineering, supply, and aviation maintenance. Despite the Combat Exclusion Law...Butcher, 1968) shows that personality predicts achievement even when intelligence is statistically controlled. The 16PF5 takes the 16 factors of...assesses the likelihood of job stability and helps to clarify situations the individual may perceive as career obstacles ( Gottfredson , 2002). 25 The

Development of a Physical Employment Testing Battery for 12B Combat Engineers

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-10

30 1.6 Summary of Physical Demands of Tasks 31 1.7 Tasks with Sex Differences 32 Study 2: Criterion Task Development and Reliability 2.1 Factors...adjustments for age and sex , not only biasing for/against certain groups, but making it potentially legally indefensible if used as a screening tool...male 128 Soldiers, female Soldiers from other MOSs also performed the tasks in order to include physiological responses from both sexes . These data

The DoD Manufacturing Technology Program Strategic Plan: Delivering Defense Affordability

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

58%) engineering time savings required for critical spares for the M2 Machine Gun , widely used by U.S. and NATO forces. 12 Report to Congress on...Machine Gun used by U.S. and NATO ground and sea forces. This 1930s-era legacy weapon system continues to experience critical spare parts shortages due...Missiles and the Mid-Range-Munition. Durable Gun Barrel Materials–Composite Overwrap Process. Future Combat Systems (FCS) could not meet weight and

Improved and Cost Effective Machining Techniques for Tracked Combat Vehicle Parts

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-01

steel is shown in Figure 7-7 and consists of tempered marten- site. Three of the alloys which are used in the gas turbine engine are cast 17 - 4PH ...stainless steel, Inconel 718 and Inconel 713. The 17 - 4PH stainless steel was machined in the solution treated and aged condition. The microstructure as shown...SECURITY CLASS. (of thia report) ISa. DECLASSIFICATION/DOWNGRADING SCHEDULE 16. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (of thie Report) 17 . DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (of

Managing Transitions: Examining the Institutional Army’s Transformation Following the Vietnam War and Operation Iraqi Freedom

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-23

combat vehicles to fight at night. Another relatable lesson was the need to increase the engine strength and propulsion from a diesel to a turbine ...technologies integrated by means of advanced wireless networks. The FCS was built on the premise of mobile, agile formations that could embark to a theater...Robert Gates cancelled the program, developmental cost reached $212 billion dollars, fielding unattended ground sensors (UGS) and the Warfighter

A System-of-Systems Engineering Approach for Australian Land Force Capability Integration

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

projects are those that, by their very scale and influence, shape many other projects and existing capabilities. Examples include Land 400 Land...challenges to the inherently single- project acquisition ethos predominant in both the defence and civil sectors. For example , see Henshaw (2012). This is...been applied are SoS- type glue projects , for example Land 19 Phase 7, Ground Based Air Missile Defence, and Land 400, the Land Combat Vehicle System

The CRISPR-Cas9 system in Neisseria spp.

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Abstract Bacteria and archaea possess numerous defense systems to combat viral infections and other mobile genetic elements. Uniquely among these, CRISPR-Cas (clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR associated) provides adaptive genetic interference against foreign nucleic acids. Here we review recent advances on the CRISPR-Cas9 system in Neisseria spp, with a focus on its biological functions in genetic transfer, its mechanistic features that establish new paradigms and its technological applications in eukaryotic genome engineering. PMID:28369433

Optimization Of Engine Heat Transfer Mechanisms For Ground Combat Vehicle Signature Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonda, T.; Rogers, P.; Gerhart, G.; Reynolds, W. R.

1988-08-01

A thermodynamic model for predicting the behavior of selected internal thermal sources of an M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle is described. The modeling methodology is expressed in terms of first principle heat transfer equations along with a brief history of TACOM's experience with thermal signature modeling techniques. The dynamic operation of the internal thermal sources is presented along with limited test data and an examination of their effect on the vehicle signature.

An Evaluation of the Education and Training of Marine Corps Combat Engineer Officers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-09-01

activities on campus during the school year. Longevity , for pay purposes, is accrued from the date an application is approved by Headquarters, U.S. Marine...Corps (HQMC). This makes it possible for a PLC candidate to be commissioned with three and one-half years of longevity . Additionally, each PLC...interpret plans and specifications 1.53 103 -770: Inspect maintenance of pioneer tool sets 2.25 Inventory platoon tools 2.29 Inspect maintenance of fiber

Engineering membrane and cell-wall programs for tolerance to toxic chemicals: Beyond solo genes.

PubMed

Sandoval, Nicholas R; Papoutsakis, Eleftherios T

2016-10-01

Metabolite toxicity in microbes, particularly at the membrane, remains a bottleneck in the production of fuels and chemicals. Under chemical stress, native adaptation mechanisms combat hyper-fluidization by modifying the phospholipids in the membrane. Recent work in fluxomics reveals the mechanism of how membrane damage negatively affects energy metabolism while lipidomic and transcriptomic analyses show that strains evolved to be tolerant maintain membrane fluidity under stress through a variety of mechanisms such as incorporation of cyclopropanated fatty acids, trans-unsaturated fatty acids, and upregulation of cell wall biosynthesis genes. Engineered strains with modifications made in the biosynthesis of fatty acids, peptidoglycan, and lipopolysaccharide have shown increased tolerance to exogenous stress as well as increased production of desired metabolites of industrial importance. We review recent advances in elucidation of mechanisms or toxicity and tolerance as well as efforts to engineer the bacterial membrane and cell wall. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biosynthesis of therapeutic natural products using synthetic biology.

PubMed

Awan, Ali R; Shaw, William M; Ellis, Tom

2016-10-01

Natural products are a group of bioactive structurally diverse chemicals produced by microorganisms and plants. These molecules and their derivatives have contributed to over a third of the therapeutic drugs produced in the last century. However, over the last few decades traditional drug discovery pipelines from natural products have become far less productive and far more expensive. One recent development with promise to combat this trend is the application of synthetic biology to therapeutic natural product biosynthesis. Synthetic biology is a young discipline with roots in systems biology, genetic engineering, and metabolic engineering. In this review, we discuss the use of synthetic biology to engineer improved yields of existing therapeutic natural products. We further describe the use of synthetic biology to combine and express natural product biosynthetic genes in unprecedented ways, and how this holds promise for opening up completely new avenues for drug discovery and production. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sustainable biorefining in wastewater by engineered extreme alkaliphile Bacillus marmarensis.

PubMed

Wernick, David G; Pontrelli, Sammy P; Pollock, Alexander W; Liao, James C

2016-02-01

Contamination susceptibility, water usage, and inability to utilize 5-carbon sugars and disaccharides are among the major obstacles in industrialization of sustainable biorefining. Extremophilic thermophiles and acidophiles are being researched to combat these problems, but organisms which answer all the above problems have yet to emerge. Here, we present engineering of the unexplored, extreme alkaliphile Bacillus marmarensis as a platform for new bioprocesses which meet all these challenges. With a newly developed transformation protocol and genetic tools, along with optimized RBSs and antisense RNA, we engineered B. marmarensis to produce ethanol at titers of 38 g/l and 65% yields from glucose in unsterilized media. Furthermore, ethanol titers and yields of 12 g/l and 50%, respectively, were produced from cellobiose and xylose in unsterilized seawater and algal-contaminated wastewater. As such, B. marmarensis presents a promising approach for the contamination-resistant biorefining of a wide range of carbohydrates in unsterilized, non-potable seawater.

Expanded R&D by Jet-engine-steering Revolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gal-Or, Benjamin

2017-11-01

Since 1987 [1,2,3,4,5] the global jet engine community is facing the historical fact that jet engine steering is gradually replacing canards and the common, often dangerous and obsolete, aerodynamic-only flight control - a fact that (i) has already affected the defense-industrial complex in the US, Russia, China, Japan, S-Korea and India, (ii) has integrated the traditional jet-engine components R&D with advanced aero-electro-physics, stealth technology, thrust vectoring aerodynamics and material science. Moreover, this military revolution is historically due to expand into the civil transport jets domain, [6,7,8,9]. The historical aim of the JES-Revolution remains the same: Replace the common, stall-spin sensitive canards [6] and Aerodynamic-Only-Obsolete-Flight Control ("AOOF Control"). Invented about 100 years ago for propeller-driven air vehicles, it has already been partially replaced for failure to function in WVR-combat post-stall domain, and for the following reasons: In comparison with complete Tail-Less, Canard-Less, Stealth-JES (Figure 5 and References [1,2,3,4,5,6]), the common AOOF Control increases drag, weight, fuel consumption, complexity, cost, and reduces flight safety, stealth, [Low Detectability] and provides zero post-stall, WVR air combat capability while its CANARDS KILL LD & REDUCE JES. Examples of stealth fighter aircraft that have already replaced canards and AOOF-Control where JES provides at least 64 to 0 KILL-RATIO advantage over AOOF-Controlled conventional fighter aircraft: The U.S. JES F-22 and, apparently, the Russian JES-Su-T-50 & 35S, China 2016-J-31, Indian HAL AMCA & FGFA, Japanese JES IHHI ATD-X, S-Korean JES KF-X. Cf. X-44 in Figure 5. Consequently, the jet engine is no longer defined as providing only brute force forward. Instead, it successfully competes with and wins over the wrong, dominating AOOF-Control, at least as a backup flight control whose sole factual domain is currently a well-established, primary flight controller RE any post-stall, super-agility, [2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9].

Engineering of a hybrid nanoparticle-based nicotine nanovaccine as a next-generation immunotherapeutic strategy against nicotine addiction: A focus on hapten density.

PubMed

Zhao, Zongmin; Powers, Kristen; Hu, Yun; Raleigh, Michael; Pentel, Paul; Zhang, Chenming

2017-04-01

Although vaccination is a promising way to combat nicotine addiction, most traditional hapten-protein conjugate nicotine vaccines only show limited efficacy due to their poor recognition and uptake by immune cells. This study aimed to develop a hybrid nanoparticle-based nicotine vaccine with improved efficacy. The focus was to study the impact of hapten density on the immunological efficacy of the proposed hybrid nanovaccine. It was shown that the nanovaccine nanoparticles were taken up by the dendritic cells more efficiently than the conjugate vaccine, regardless of the hapten density on the nanoparticles. At a similar hapten density, the nanovaccine induced a significantly stronger immune response against nicotine than the conjugate vaccine in mice. Moreover, the high- and medium-density nanovaccines resulted in significantly higher anti-nicotine antibody titers than their low-density counterpart. Specifically, the high-density nanovaccine exhibited better immunogenic efficacy, resulting in higher anti-nicotine antibody titers and lower anti-carrier protein antibody titers than the medium- and low-density versions. The high-density nanovaccine also had the best ability to retain nicotine in serum and to block nicotine from entering the brain. These results suggest that the hybrid nanoparticle-based nicotine vaccine can elicit strong immunogenicity by modulating the hapten density, thereby providing a promising next-generation immunotherapeutic strategy against nicotine addiction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Robotic follower experimentation results: ready for FCS increment I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaczkowski, Jeffrey J.

2003-09-01

Robotics is a fundamental enabling technology required to meet the U.S. Army's vision to be a strategically responsive force capable of domination across the entire spectrum of conflict. The U. S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Tank Automotive Research, Development & Engineering Center (TARDEC), in partnership with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, is developing a leader-follower capability for Future Combat Systems. The Robotic Follower Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) utilizes a manned leader to provide a highlevel proofing of the follower's path, which operates with minimal user intervention. This paper will give a programmatic overview and discuss both the technical approach and operational experimentation results obtained during testing conducted at Ft. Bliss, New Mexico in February-March 2003.

Noise emission of civil and military aero-engines. Sources of generation and measures for attenuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grieb, H.; Heinig, K.

1986-09-01

It is shown that noise reduction on high bypass ratio turbofans for civil airliners is well established. The noise levels achieved meet the internationally agreed regulations (FAR 36). The same holds true for large military transport aircraft. Helicopter noise is caused essentially by the main and tail rotors. Noise reduction on afterburner and dry engines for combat and strike aircraft, which represent the major noise annoyance to the public, is very difficult because: high specific thrust is mandatory for aircraft performance and effectiveness; jet noise with and without afterburning is predominant; and the design of the reheat section and final (variable) nozzle in practice precludes the application of known concepts for jet noise attenuation in dry and reheated operation.

A study protocol for tracking quality of life among U.S. service members wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan: the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project.

PubMed

Woodruff, Susan I; Galarneau, Michael R; Luu, Bethi N; Sack, Daniel; Han, Peggy

2014-03-01

There is a need for more work to understand the quality of life (QOL) outcomes of survivors of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom combat injury to improve care and treatment, and prevent poor physical, psychological, and social outcomes. We describe the study design and methods of the Wounded Warrior Recovery Project, a study supported by the Department of Defense that will track close to 10,000 military personnel wounded in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The overall objective of the 6-year longitudinal study is to track changes in QOL and describe variations in those changes as they relate to sociodemographic factors, injury characteristics, service-related factors, clinical/diagnostic measures including traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder, and medical procedures and services. The Wounded Warrior Recovery Project study will be among the first longitudinal population-based investigations of QOL outcomes after combat injury and will provide a basis upon which large-scale epidemiological studies can be conducted. Reprint & Copyright © 2014 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Rationalization of a nanoparticle-based nicotine nanovaccine as an effective next-generation nicotine vaccine: A focus on hapten localization.

PubMed

Zhao, Zongmin; Hu, Yun; Harmon, Theresa; Pentel, Paul; Ehrich, Marion; Zhang, Chenming

2017-09-01

A lipid-polymeric hybrid nanoparticle-based next-generation nicotine nanovaccine was rationalized in this study to combat nicotine addiction. A series of nanovaccines, which had nicotine-haptens localized on carrier protein (LPKN), nanoparticle surface (LPNK), or both (LPNKN), were designed to study the impact of hapten localization on their immunological efficacy. All three nanovaccines were efficiently taken up and processed by dendritic cells. LPNKN induced a significantly higher immunogenicity against nicotine and a significantly lower anti-carrier protein antibody level compared to LPKN and LPNK. Meanwhile, it was found that the anti-nicotine antibodies elicited by LPKN and LPNKN bind nicotine stronger than those elicited by LPKN, and LPNK and LPNKN resulted in a more balanced Th1-Th2 immunity than LPKN. Moreover, LPNKN exhibited the best ability to block nicotine from entering the brain of mice. Collectively, the results demonstrated that the immunological efficacy of the hybrid nanoparticle-based nicotine vaccine could be enhanced by modulating hapten localization, providing a promising strategy to combatting nicotine addiction. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of post traumatic stress disorders on rehabilitation among combat-wounded veterans.

PubMed

Siddharthan, Kris

2012-01-01

In June 2008 the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program provided a grant to the Research Foundation at the James A Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, Florida to provide care for wounded veterans from Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF). The telerehabilitation for OEF/OIF returnees with mild or moderate combat related Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) has as its objectives 1) care coordination for wounded veterans using distance technology via the internet and 2) monitoring of physical and mental health outcomes using a variety of instruments. A total of 75 veterans were enrolled in the study. Our initial findings indicate that 1) Functional capabilities measured by locomotion and mobility appear to have stabilized among our cohort of veterans while deficiencies in cognition (memory, problem solving), psychosocial adjustment (anger, emotional status) and problems in integrating into society pose challenges 2) Those with comorbid PTSD appear to linger in employability and ultimate integration into society as compared to those without the diagnosis 3) Individualized treatment pathways are needed for rehabilitation and ultimate integration into society.

Concussion treatment after combat trauma: development of a telephone based, problem solving intervention for service members.

PubMed

Bell, Kathleen R; Brockway, Jo Ann; Fann, Jesse R; Cole, Wesley R; St De Lore, Jef; Bush, Nigel; Lang, Ariel J; Hart, Tessa; Warren, Michael; Dikmen, Sureyya; Temkin, Nancy; Jain, Sonia; Raman, Rema; Stein, Murray B

2015-01-01

Military service members (SMs) and veterans who sustain mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) during combat deployments often have co-morbid conditions but are reluctant to seek out therapy in medical or mental health settings. Efficacious methods of intervention that are patient-centered and adaptable to a mobile and often difficult-to-reach population would be useful in improving quality of life. This article describes a new protocol developed as part of a randomized clinical trial of a telephone-mediated program for SMs with mTBI. The 12-session program combines problem solving training (PST) with embedded modules targeting depression, anxiety, insomnia, and headache. The rationale and development of this behavioral intervention for implementation with persons with multiple co-morbidities is described along with the proposed analysis of results. In particular, we provide details regarding the creation of a treatment that is manualized yet flexible enough to address a wide variety of problems and symptoms within a standard framework. The methods involved in enrolling and retaining an often hard-to-study population are also highlighted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Blood-brain barrier drug delivery of IgG fusion proteins with a transferrin receptor monoclonal antibody.

PubMed

Pardridge, William M

2015-02-01

Biologic drugs are large molecules that do not cross the blood- brain barrier (BBB). Brain penetration is possible following the re-engineering of the biologic drug as an IgG fusion protein. The IgG domain is a MAb against an endogenous BBB receptor such as the transferrin receptor (TfR). The TfRMAb acts as a molecular Trojan horse to ferry the fused biologic drug into the brain via receptor-mediated transport on the endogenous BBB TfR. This review discusses TfR isoforms, models of BBB transport of transferrin and TfRMAbs, and the genetic engineering of TfRMAb fusion proteins, including BBB penetrating IgG-neurotrophins, IgG-decoy receptors, IgG-lysosomal enzyme therapeutics and IgG-avidin fusion proteins, as well as BBB transport of bispecific antibodies formed by fusion of a therapeutic antibody to a TfRMAb targeting antibody. Also discussed are quantitative aspects of the plasma pharmacokinetics and brain uptake of TfRMAb fusion proteins, as compared to the brain uptake of small molecules, and therapeutic applications of TfRMAb fusion proteins in mouse models of neural disease, including Parkinson's disease, stroke, Alzheimer's disease and lysosomal storage disorders. The review covers the engineering of TfRMAb-avidin fusion proteins for BBB targeted delivery of biotinylated peptide radiopharmaceuticals, low-affinity TfRMAb Trojan horses and the safety pharmacology of chronic administration of TfRMAb fusion proteins. The BBB delivery of biologic drugs is possible following re-engineering as a fusion protein with a molecular Trojan horse such as a TfRMAb. The efficacy of this technology will be determined by the outcome of future clinical trials.

Neurobiological correlates of distinct post-traumatic stress disorder symptom profiles during threat anticipation in combat veterans.

PubMed

Grupe, D W; Wielgosz, J; Davidson, R J; Nitschke, J B

2016-07-01

Previous research in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has identified disrupted ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) function in those with v. without PTSD. It is unclear whether this brain region is uniformly affected in all individuals with PTSD, or whether vmPFC dysfunction is related to individual differences in discrete features of this heterogeneous disorder. In a sample of 51 male veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom, we collected functional magnetic resonance imaging data during a novel threat anticipation task with crossed factors of threat condition and temporal unpredictability. Voxelwise regression analyses related anticipatory brain activation to individual differences in overall PTSD symptom severity, as well as individual differences in discrete symptom subscales (re-experiencing, emotional numbing/avoidance, and hyperarousal). The vmPFC showed greater anticipatory responses for safety relative to threat, driven primarily by deactivation during threat anticipation. During unpredictable threat anticipation, increased PTSD symptoms were associated with relatively greater activation for threat v. However, simultaneous regression on individual symptom subscales demonstrated that this effect was driven specifically by individual differences in hyperarousal symptoms. Furthermore, this analysis revealed an additional, anatomically distinct region of the vmPFC in which re-experiencing symptoms were associated with greater activation during threat anticipation. Increased anticipatory responses to unpredictable threat in distinct vmPFC subregions were uniquely associated with elevated hyperarousal and re-experiencing symptoms in combat veterans. These results underscore the disruptive impact of uncertainty for veterans, and suggest that investigating individual differences in discrete aspects of PTSD may advance our understanding of underlying neurobiological mechanisms.

Neuroanatomical features in soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Sussman, D; Pang, E W; Jetly, R; Dunkley, B T; Taylor, M J

2016-03-31

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), an anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to psychological trauma, impacts up to 20 % of soldiers returning from combat-related deployment. Advanced neuroimaging holds diagnostic and prognostic potential for furthering our understanding of its etiology. Previous imaging studies on combat-related PTSD have focused on selected structures, such as the hippocampi and cortex, but none conducted a comprehensive examination of both the cerebrum and cerebellum. The present study provides a complete analysis of cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar anatomy in a single cohort. Forty-seven magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were collected from 24 soldiers with PTSD and 23 Control soldiers. Each image was segmented into 78 cortical brain regions and 81,924 vertices using the corticometric iterative vertex based estimation of thickness algorithm, allowing for both a region-based and a vertex-based cortical analysis, respectively. Subcortical volumetric analyses of the hippocampi, cerebellum, thalamus, globus pallidus, caudate, putamen, and many sub-regions were conducted following their segmentation using Multiple Automatically Generated Templates Brain algorithm. Participants with PTSD were found to have reduced cortical thickness, primarily in the frontal and temporal lobes, with no preference for laterality. The region-based analyses further revealed localized thinning as well as thickening in several sub-regions. These results were accompanied by decreased volumes of the caudate and right hippocampus, as computed relative to total cerebral volume. Enlargement in several cerebellar lobules (relative to total cerebellar volume) was also observed in the PTSD group. These data highlight the distributed structural differences between soldiers with and without PTSD, and emphasize the diagnostic potential of high-resolution MRI.

Affordable multisensor digital video architecture for 360° situational awareness displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scheiner, Steven P.; Khan, Dina A.; Marecki, Alexander L.; Berman, David A.; Carberry, Dana

2011-06-01

One of the major challenges facing today's military ground combat vehicle operations is the ability to achieve and maintain full-spectrum situational awareness while under armor (i.e. closed hatch). Thus, the ability to perform basic tasks such as driving, maintaining local situational awareness, surveillance, and targeting will require a high-density array of real time information be processed, distributed, and presented to the vehicle operators and crew in near real time (i.e. low latency). Advances in display and sensor technologies are providing never before seen opportunities to supply large amounts of high fidelity imagery and video to the vehicle operators and crew in real time. To fully realize the advantages of these emerging display and sensor technologies, an underlying digital architecture must be developed that is capable of processing these large amounts of video and data from separate sensor systems and distributing it simultaneously within the vehicle to multiple vehicle operators and crew. This paper will examine the systems and software engineering efforts required to overcome these challenges and will address development of an affordable, integrated digital video architecture. The approaches evaluated will enable both current and future ground combat vehicle systems the flexibility to readily adopt emerging display and sensor technologies, while optimizing the Warfighter Machine Interface (WMI), minimizing lifecycle costs, and improve the survivability of the vehicle crew working in closed-hatch systems during complex ground combat operations.

Advanced helicopter cockpit and control configurations for helicopter combat missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haworth, Loran A.; Atencio, Adolph, Jr.; Bivens, Courtland; Shively, Robert; Delgado, Daniel

1987-01-01

Two piloted simulations were conducted by the U.S. Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate to evaluate workload and helicopter-handling qualities requirements for single pilot operation in a combat Nap-of-the-Earth environment. The single-pilot advanced cockpit engineering simulation (SPACES) investigations were performed on the NASA Ames Vertical Motion Simulator, using the Advanced Digital Optical Control System control laws and an advanced concepts glass cockpit. The first simulation (SPACES I) compared single pilot to dual crewmember operation for the same flight tasks to determine differences between dual and single ratings, and to discover which control laws enabled adequate single-pilot helicopter operation. The SPACES II simulation concentrated on single-pilot operations and use of control laws thought to be viable candidates for single pilot operations workload. Measures detected significant differences between single-pilot task segments. Control system configurations were task dependent, demonstrating a need for inflight reconfigurable control system to match the optimal control system with the required task.

Combat vehicle crew helmet-mounted display: next generation high-resolution head-mounted display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, Scott A.

1994-06-01

The Combat Vehicle Crew Head-Mounted Display (CVC HMD) program is an ARPA-funded, US Army Natick Research, Development, and Engineering Center monitored effort to develop a high resolution, flat panel HMD for the M1 A2 Abrams main battle tank. CVC HMD is part of the ARPA High Definition Systems (HDS) thrust to develop and integrate small (24 micrometers square pels), high resolution (1280 X 1024 X 6-bit grey scale at 60 frame/sec) active matrix electroluminescent (AMEL) and active matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCD) for head mounted and projection applications. The Honeywell designed CVC HMD is a next generation head-mounted display system that includes advanced flat panel image sources, advanced digital display driver electronics, high speed (> 1 Gbps) digital interconnect electronics, and light weight, high performance optical and mechanical designs. The resulting dramatic improvements in size, weight, power, and cost have already led to program spin offs for both military and commercial applications.

New technologies to combat malignant tumours of the brain.

PubMed

Heppner, F

1982-01-01

1. The primary problem in an effective treatment of a glioblastoma is the prevention of a recurrence. 2. For that purpose were the following therapeutical procedures undertaken: (a) Temporary implantation of radio cobalt in the brain itself (1957): (b) Clostridium butyricum M 55 was used to render the centre of the tumour fluid (1967): (c) Podophyllin was used to destroy the border of the tumour (1980); (d) The CO2 Laser beam (1975); (e) The electromagnetic heat induction deep in the brain (1973-1978). 3. In order to make the operation and postoperative phase safer for the patient, the following precautions were drawn upon or employed: (a) Hyperbaric oxygenisation in the pressure chamber (1971); (b) The anti-G-suit (1974); (c) the computer controlled automatic infusion pump (1980), and (d) the telemetric measurement of intra-cranial pressure (1975). 4. Apart from the pressure chamber, the mentioned devices were all supervised and developed in the department of the author. 5. The first successful means in the prevention of the recurrence of a glioblastoma multiform seems to be the telethermic method mentioned in 2 (e) above.

Alterations in brain glutathione homeostasis induced by the nerve gas soman.

PubMed

Klaidman, Lori K; Adams, James D; Cross, Robert; Pazdernik, Thomas L; Samson, Fred

2003-01-01

Public awareness of the dangers of chemical and biological warfare has been heightened in recent times. In particular, chemical nerve agents such as soman and its analogs have been developed and used in war as well as recent incidents, such as in Iraq and Japan. Soman, a rapid acting acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, produces a status epilepticus that leads to extensive neuropathology in vulnerable brain regions (eg, piriform cortex and hippocampus). This study was undertaken to determine whether oxidative mechanisms are involved in brain pathology during soman toxicity. Intracellular thiols such as glutathione (GSH) and protein sulfhydryls (PrSH) are among the most critical antioxidants used to combat oxidative stress. Here we report that during the seizure phase (1 h post soman exposure), PrSH levels in piriform cortex and hippocampus were decreased without changes in glutathione (GSH) levels. However, by 24 h post soman exposure (pathology phase), GSH levels were decreased by nearly 50% in the piriform cortex with a corresponding decrease in PrSH groups. The shift to a more oxidized thiol status indicates that oxygen free radicals likely participate in the neuropathology associated with soman-induced seizures.

Engineering Concepts in Stem Cell Research.

PubMed

Narayanan, Karthikeyan; Mishra, Sachin; Singh, Satnam; Pei, Ming; Gulyas, Balazs; Padmanabhan, Parasuraman

2017-12-01

The field of regenerative medicine integrates advancements made in stem cells, molecular biology, engineering, and clinical methodologies. Stem cells serve as a fundamental ingredient for therapeutic application in regenerative medicine. Apart from stem cells, engineering concepts have equally contributed to the success of stem cell based applications in improving human health. The purpose of various engineering methodologies is to develop regenerative and preventive medicine to combat various diseases and deformities. Explosion of stem cell discoveries and their implementation in clinical setting warrants new engineering concepts and new biomaterials. Biomaterials, microfluidics, and nanotechnology are the major engineering concepts used for the implementation of stem cells in regenerative medicine. Many of these engineering technologies target the specific niche of the cell for better functional capability. Controlling the niche is the key for various developmental activities leading to organogenesis and tissue homeostasis. Biomimetic understanding not only helped to improve the design of the matrices or scaffolds by incorporating suitable biological and physical components, but also ultimately aided adoption of designs that helped these materials/devices have better function. Adoption of engineering concepts in stem cell research improved overall achievement, however, several important issues such as long-term effects with respect to systems biology needs to be addressed. Here, in this review the authors will highlight some interesting breakthroughs in stem cell biology that use engineering methodologies. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Repair Air Conditioning, COC Bldg 2605, Basement Plan. By Strategic ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Repair Air Conditioning, COC Bldg 2605, Basement Plan. By Strategic Air Command, Civil Engineering. Drawing no. R-156, sheet no. 1 of 4, 15 August 1968; project no. MAR-125-8;CE-572; file drawer 2605-5. Last revised 31 August 1968?. Scale one-eighth inch and one-quarter inch to one foot. 29x41 inches. pencil on paper - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

Independent Verification and Validation of the Global Deployment Analysis System (GDAS). Phase 2 Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-28

and examined various models as possible alternatives to TRANSMO. None of the candidate models met all CAA’s requirements, so a major TERP recommendation...will simulate the mobilization of U.S. forces, deployment of forces and supplies across an intertheater network, and deployment of forces and... supplies to the combat zone. 1.2 Phase !1 IV&V Summary Potomac Systems Engineering, Inc. (PSE), is providing IV&V support to CAA during the GDAS development

Defending the Human Weapons System Using ORM and the Bioenvironmental Engineer Capabilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-04-01

can be found in the combat theater.11 Statistics are difficult to obtain on these type injuries because many are never reported. “It should be noted...population of 750,000 U.S., British, and Canadian Gulf War veterans.7 These statistics were far better than the results of insect borne illness in U.S...DOD, 6 November 1997. Schaefer, Walt, Stress Management for Wellness, ACSC Coursebook Vol. 1, 1999. Skier, Major, “How the BEE can assist in an OSHA

Combat Engineers of World War II: Lessons on training and Mobilization

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-13

Arms Research Library Digital Library, 142- 143 . 18Blanche D. Coll, Jean E. Keith, and Herbert H. Rosenthal, eds., The United States Army in World...defense of Luzon and Corregidor. While discussing his plan with Major General Richard K . Sutherland, Chief of Staff, USAFFE, in Casey’s office, MacArthur...75Ibid., 208. 76Ibid., 208-209. 77Ibid., 143 . 78Ibid. 79Ibid. 80Casey, 221. 43 81Ibid. 82Ibid. 83Ibid., 221-222. 84Meidling, vol. 2

The Effects of 60 Days of Tray Ration Consumption in Marine Combat Engineers While Deployed on Great Inagua Island, Bahamas.

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

Turkey Eggs Fruit Sausage Vegetables Spaghetti and Meatballs Potatoes BBQ Ribs Chocolate Cake Strawberry Oatmeal Western Omlet Beef Stew Chow Mein...Stir Fry Juice 2 Potatoes Rice 2 Hamburgers Eggs With Sausage 2 Eggs in General Meatballs Table 10.10. T Ration items Marines tired of at breakfast...the three test periods. RESULTS Ratinas of T and B Breakfasts Significant main effect acceptability ratings were observed between eggs (T Ration

Aircraft Trajectories Computation-Prediction-Control (La Trajectoire de l’Avion Calcul-Prediction-Controle). Volume 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-01

et au suivi des trajcctoires d’a&onefs se subdivise en trois parties: (a) un recueil des r~sumis des contributions - le texte integral sera...Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation EUROCONTROL Engineering Directorate 72, rue de la Loi B- 1040 Bruxelles Belgium PANEL EXECUTIVE From Europe...AIRCRAFT MOTION IN MOVING AIR b R.Brockhaus DETERMINATION DES LOIS DE GUIDAGE QUASI-OPTIMALES EN TEMPS REEL POUR 4 A-3/4 DES TRAJECTOIRES DAVIONS DE COMBAT

Virtual Employment Test Bed Operational Research and Systems Analysis to Test Armaments Designs Early in the Life Cycle

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

motion capture data used to determine position and orientation of a Soldier’s head, turret and the M2 machine gun • Controlling and acquiring user/weapon...data from the M2 simulation machine gun • Controlling paintball guns used to fire at the GPK during an experimental run • Sending and receiving TCP...Mounted, Armor/Cavalry, Combat Engineers, Field Artillery Cannon Crewmember, or MP duty assignment – Currently M2 .50 Caliber Machine Gun qualified

Elimination of Airborne Lead Contamination from Caliber .22 Ammunition.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

R191 365 ELIMINATION OF AIRBORNE LEAD CONTAMINATION FROM CALIBER 1/1 Ri ’ 3 5 22 N INITION(U) ARMY ARMAMENT RESEARCH DE VELOPMENT AM D...E JUNE 1987 U. S. MMW ARKM SRcKH, IDVROPMEff n U COOE US" ARMY EARMLMA CLOSE COMBAT ARMAMENT CENTER - MUNITBONS Et CHEMICAL COMMANDR D RA - A9~laIENT...Command tasked the U.S. Army Armament, Research , Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) to determine if the sources of lead contamination could be

Strategic Depth: Civilian Skills in National Guard Brigade Combat Teams

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-18

composed of about 58 Army National Guard (ARNG) Soldiers with expertise in agribusiness to include forestry, wildlife and fisheries, and apiaries ( bees ...and SIDPERS, he was able to see the type of college degree (AS, BS/BA, MA/MS) and general major (agriculture, engineer, biology , etc.) of Soldiers...had been in Future Farmers of America in high school and had grown up on farms, to a USDA certified butcher, to a medic that turned out to be a bee

A Prospective Investigation of Injury Incidence and Risk Factors Among Army Recruits in Combat Engineer Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-05

neuropathy, radiculopathy, shin splints, synovitis, sprains , strains, and musculoskeletal pain (not otherwise specified). Recruits that attrited from...acceptability of the parachute ankle brace. Aviat Space Environ Med 2008, 79:689–694. 24. Craig SC, Lee T: Attention to detail: injuries at altitude among U.S...Army military static line parachutists. Mil Med 2000, 165:268–271. 25. Schmidt MD, Sulski SI, Amoroso PJ: Effectiveness of an external ankle brace in

Air Superiority and Airfield Attack - Lessons from History.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-15

escaped the port of Dunkirk and the Luftwaffe had failed miserably to fulfill Giring’s unwarranted boast, "My.Luftwaffe will do it alone.",25 In the forty...AMIENS + CHERBOURG LE HARV" le11 0+ + Figure 2. Combat environment. 35 a single-engine fighter with a flashing fuel-warning light or oil streaming...Brussels-Evere (c) Brussels-Grimbergen (d) Brussels-Melsbrock (e) Antwerp-Durne (f) St. Trond (g) Le Culot (h) Asch (2) Holland (a) Eindhoven, and

Final Environmental Assessment for the Closure of the Garland ANG Station 254th Combat Communications Group Garland, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-07-01

using GIS, ArcView, ArcGIS , and PGS. Mary Washington College, 2002, BA, Geography. AIR NATIONAL GUARD COORDINATORS Major Stephen R. Lippert...Environmental Impact Assessment Process Regulations at 32 CFR Part 989, and US Air Force Instruction 32-7061 (12 March 2003), the Air National Guard...license between the Texas National Guard and the Federal Government (specifically, the US Air Force, with the US Army Corps of Engineers as its agent

SAFETY/TOXICITY ASSESSMENT OF CERIA (A MODEL ENGINEERED NP) TO THE BRAIN

EPA Science Inventory

The results will indicate the influence of the size, shape and various surface chemistry properties of ENMs on their entrance into BBB cells and the brain, compared to selected peripheral organs, the effects they produce in the brain, their biopersistence and biotransformation...

The Gut Microbiome Feelings of the Brain: A Perspective for Non-Microbiologists

PubMed Central

Lerner, Aaron; Neidhöfer, Sandra; Matthias, Torsten

2017-01-01

Objectives: To comprehensively review the scientific knowledge on the gut–brain axis. Methods: Various publications on the gut–brain axis, until 31 July 2017, were screened using the Medline, Google, and Cochrane Library databases. The search was performed using the following keywords: “gut-brain axis”, “gut-microbiota-brain axis”, “nutrition microbiome/microbiota”, “enteric nervous system”, “enteric glial cells/network”, “gut-brain pathways”, “microbiome immune system”, “microbiome neuroendocrine system” and “intestinal/gut/enteric neuropeptides”. Relevant articles were selected and reviewed. Results: Tremendous progress has been made in exploring the interactions between nutrients, the microbiome, and the intestinal, epithelium–enteric nervous, endocrine and immune systems and the brain. The basis of the gut–brain axis comprises of an array of multichannel sensing and trafficking pathways that are suggested to convey the enteric signals to the brain. These are mediated by neuroanatomy (represented by the vagal and spinal afferent neurons), the neuroendocrine–hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis (represented by the gut hormones), immune routes (represented by multiple cytokines), microbially-derived neurotransmitters, and finally the gate keepers of the intestinal and brain barriers. Their mutual and harmonious but intricate interaction is essential for human life and brain performance. However, a failure in the interaction leads to a number of inflammatory-, autoimmune-, neurodegenerative-, metabolic-, mood-, behavioral-, cognitive-, autism-spectrum-, stress- and pain-related disorders. The limited availability of information on the mechanisms, pathways and cause-and-effect relationships hinders us from translating and implementing the knowledge from the bench to the clinic. Implications: Further understanding of this intricate field might potentially shed light on novel preventive and therapeutic strategies to combat these disorders. Nutritional approaches, microbiome manipulations, enteric and brain barrier reinforcement and sensing and trafficking modulation might improve physical and mental health outcomes. PMID:29023380

Potential roles of hyperbaric oxygenation in the treatments of brain tumors.

PubMed

Kohshi, Kiyotaka; Beppu, Takaaki; Tanaka, Katsuyuki; Ogawa, Kazuhiko; Inoue, Osamu; Kukita, Ichiro; Clarke, Richard E

2013-01-01

Over the past 50 years hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy has been used in a wide variety of medical conditions, and one of them is cancer. Many clinical studies have been conducted to evaluate potential therapeutic effects of HBO2 as a part of cancer treatment. This review briefly summaries the potential role of HBO2 therapy in the treatment of malignant tumors and radiation injury of the brain. HBO2 therapy is used for the enhancement of radiosensitivity in the treatment of some cancers, including malignant brain tumors. Radiotherapy within 15 minutes following HBO2 exposure, a relatively new treatment regimen, has been studied at several institutes and has demonstrated promising clinical results for malignant gliomas of the brain. HBO2 therapy also increases sensitivity to some antineoplastic agents; non-randomized clinical trials using carboplatin-based chemotherapy combined with HBO2 show a significant advantage in survival for recurrent malignant gliomas. The possibilities of combining HBO2 therapy with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy to overcome newly diagnosed and recurrent malignant gliomas deserve extensive clinical trials. HBO2 therapy also shows promising potential for the treatment and/or prevention of radiation injury of the brain after stereotactic radiosurgery for brain lesions. The possibilities with HBO2 to enhance the therapeutic effect of irradiation per se, and to even increase the radiation dose if there are ways to combat the side effects, should boost new scientific interest into the whole field of oncology looking for new armamentaria to fight cancer.

Traumatic Brain Injury Incidence, Clinical Overview, and Policies in the US Military Health System Since 2000.

PubMed

Swanson, Thomas M; Isaacson, Brad M; Cyborski, Cherina M; French, Louis M; Tsao, Jack W; Pasquina, Paul F

Exposure to explosive armaments during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom contributed to approximately 14% of the 352 612 traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnoses in the US military between 2000 and 2016. The US Department of Defense issued guidelines in 2009 to (1) standardize TBI diagnostic criteria; (2) classify TBI according to mechanism and severity; (3) categorize TBI symptoms as somatic, psychological, or cognitive; and (4) systematize types of care given during the acute and rehabilitation stages of TBI treatment. Polytrauma and associated psychological and neurologic conditions may create barriers to optimal rehabilitation from TBI. Given the completion of recent combat operations and the transition of TBI patients into long-term care within the US Department of Veterans Affairs system, a review of the literature concerning TBI is timely. Long-term follow-up care for patients who have sustained TBI will remain a critical issue for the US military.

Noninvasive Intracranial Volume and Pressure Measurements Using Ultrasound

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hargens, A. R.

1998-01-01

Prevention of secondary brain injuries following head can be accomplished most easily when intracranial pressure (ICP) is monitored. However, current measurement techniques are invasive and thus not practical in the combat environment. The Pulsed Phase Lock Loop (PPLL) devise, which was developed and patented, uses a unique, noninvasive ultrasonic phase comparison method to measure slight changes in cranial volume which occur with changes in ICP. Year one studies involved instrument improvements and measurement of altered intracranial distance with altered ICP in fresh cadavera. Our software was improved to facilitate future studies of normal subjects and trauma patients. Our bench studies proved that PPLL output correlated highly with changes in path length across a model cranium. Cadaveric studies demonstrated excellent compact, noninvasive devise for monitoring changes in intracranial distance may aid in the early detection of elevated ICP, decreasing risk of secondary brain injury and infection, and returning head-injured patients to duty.

Psychopathy: Developmental Perspectives and their Implications for Treatment

PubMed Central

Anderson, Nathaniel E.; Kiehl, Kent A.

2015-01-01

Psychopathy is a neuropsychiatric disorder marked by deficient emotional responses, lack of empathy, and poor behavioral controls, commonly resulting in persistent antisocial deviance and criminal behavior. Accumulating research suggests that psychopathy follows a developmental trajectory with strong genetic influences, and which precipitates deleterious effects on widespread functional networks, particularly within paralimbic regions of the brain. While traditional therapeutic interventions commonly administered in prisons and forensic institutions have been notoriously ineffective at combating these outcomes, alternative strategies informed by an understanding of these specific neuropsychological obstacles to healthy development, and which target younger individuals with nascent symptoms of psychopathy are more promising. Here we review recent neuropsychiatric and neuroimaging literature that informs our understanding of the brain systems compromised in psychopathy, and apply these data to a broader understanding of its developmental course, ultimately promoting more proactive intervention strategies profiting from adaptive neuroplasticity in youth. PMID:23542910

The Influence of Combat Experience on Psychologically Healthy Soldiers' Attentiveness to Environmental Threats.

PubMed

Ranes, Bethany; Long, Chris P; Traynham, Stephanie; Hayes, Amanda

2017-07-01

In contrast to previous research that has primarily examined how psychological disorders (e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], anxiety) are affected by and affect individuals' threat perceptions, this study examines the relationship between combat experience and threat-monitoring in psychologically healthy Soldiers. Existing research has established how prolonged or intense experiences with war-related stressors can lead individuals to undergo an unconscious fear-conditioning process that affects the circuitry of the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and anterior cingulate cortex regions of the brain. We predict that the intensity of one's combat experience positively influences Soldiers' attention to environmental threats. Participants included U. S. Army Soldiers with a score of 50 or below on the PTSD Checklist-Military Version. Participants completed the Combat Exposure Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The experimental prediction task we employed assesses the expectation of an intrusively loud white noise sound that occurred on three variable patterns in a pseudorandomized order. Each tone pattern was used 20 times over a total of 60 trials. The experimental prediction task included two neutral tones (700 and 1,300 Hz) that were presented in a repeated pattern along with a 100-dB burst of white noise (0.5-second duration). In each trial, one of three possible tone combinations was presented. To assess their attentiveness to threats, participants were asked to continuously rate their expectancy of the burst of white noise using a visual analogue scale (VAS) ranging from 0 to 100. VAS ratings were collected at controlled points throughout the task. None of the participants reported scores on any of the diagnostic surveys that met standards for clinical significance. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to assess the overall effect of the three prediction conditions on participants' VAS ratings. There was a significant main effect for Combat Exposure Scale scores on VAS ratings [F (1, 27) = 5.19, p = 0.031], with high scorers demonstrating a generally higher expectancy of the white noise burst throughout the entire experimental sequence. Results suggest that within subclinical populations of Soldiers, the intensity of one's combat experience is positively associated with their attention to threats. These findings suggest that Soldiers who experience combat should be observed for signs of increased threat-attention bias, as this may indicate that their capacities for information processing, decision-making, and emotion regulation could be compromised. The positive relationship we observe between a level of combat experience and attentional biases toward threatening stimuli may also help to explain why these veterans engage in "externalizing" behaviors that are risky, aggressive, or violent as well as relational problems and antisocial behaviors that are reported in higher-than-average rates among these populations of Soldiers. Acknowledging that increased threat attention may be a preclinical indication of developing PTSD or other related psychological conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety) should motivate clinicians to more actively diagnose and treat this condition. Reprint & Copyright © 2017 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

A Military-Centered Approach to Neuroprotection for Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Shear, Deborah A.; Tortella, Frank C.

2013-01-01

Studies in animals show that many compounds and therapeutics have the potential to greatly reduce the morbidity and post-injury clinical sequela for soldiers experiencing TBI. However, to date there are no FDA approved drugs for the treatment of TBI. In fact, expert opinion suggests that combination therapies will be necessary to treat any stage of TBI recovery. Our approach to this research effort is to conduct comprehensive pre-clinical neuroprotection studies in military-relevant animal models of TBI using the most promising neuroprotective agents. In addition, emerging efforts incorporating novel treatment strategies such as stem cell based therapies and alternative therapeutic approaches will be discussed. The development of a non-surgical, non-invasive brain injury therapeutic clearly addresses a major, unresolved medical problem for the Combat Casualty Care Research Program. Since drug discovery is too expensive to be pursued by DOD in the TBI arena, this effort capitalizes on partnerships with the Private Sector (Pharmaceutical Companies) and academic collaborations (Operation Brain Trauma Therapy Consortium) to study therapies already under advanced development. Candidate therapies selected for research include drugs that are aimed at reducing the acute and delayed effects of the traumatic incident, stem cell therapies aimed at brain repair, and selective brain cooling to stabilize cerebral metabolism. Each of these efforts can also focus on combination therapies targeting multiple mechanisms of neuronal injury. PMID:23781213

An introductory characterization of a combat-casualty-care relevant swine model of closed head injury resulting from exposure to explosive blast.

PubMed

Bauman, Richard A; Ling, Geoffrey; Tong, Lawrence; Januszkiewicz, Adolph; Agoston, Dennis; Delanerolle, Nihal; Kim, Young; Ritzel, Dave; Bell, Randy; Ecklund, James; Armonda, Rocco; Bandak, Faris; Parks, Steven

2009-06-01

Explosive blast has been extensively used as a tactical weapon in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and more recently in Operation Enduring Freedom(OEF). The polytraumatic nature of blast injuries is evidence of their effectiveness,and brain injury is a frequent and debilitating form of this trauma. In-theater clinical observations of brain-injured casualties have shown that edema, intracranial hemorrhage, and vasospasm are the most salient pathophysiological characteristics of blast injury to the brain. Unfortunately, little is known about exactly how an explosion produces these sequelae as well as others that are less well documented. Consequently, the principal objective of the current report is to present a swine model of explosive blast injury to the brain. This model was developed during Phase I of the DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) PREVENT (Preventing Violent Explosive Neurotrauma) blast research program. A second objective is to present data that illustrate the capabilities of this model to study the proximal biomechanical causes and the resulting pathophysiological, biochemical,neuropathological, and neurological consequences of explosive blast injury to the swine brain. In the concluding section of this article, the advantages and limitations of the model are considered, explosive and air-overpressure models are compared, and the physical properties of an explosion are identified that potentially contributed to the in-theater closed head injuries resulting from explosions of improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Comparison of combat and non-combat burns from ongoing U.S. military operations.

PubMed

Kauvar, David S; Cancio, Leopoldo C; Wolf, Steven E; Wade, Charles E; Holcomb, John B

2006-05-15

Military burns result from either combat or non-combat causes. We compared these etiologies from patients involved in ongoing conflicts to evaluate their impact and provide prevention recommendations. All military patients with significant burns treated at the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research from April 2003 to May 2005 were reviewed. Injuries were categorized as having resulted from combat or non-combat causes. Demographics, burn severity and pattern, mortality, and early outcomes were compared. There were 273 burn patients seen with 63% injured in combat. A high early rate of non-combat injuries was noted. Feedback on non-combat burn prevention was provided to the combat theater, and the incidence of non-combat burns decreased. Mean age and time from injury to admission did not differ. The majority of combat injuries resulted from explosive device detonation. Waste burning, ammunition handling, and gasoline caused most non-combat injuries. Combat casualties had more associated and inhalation injuries and greater full-thickness burn size; total body surface area burned was equivalent. The hands and the face were the most frequently burned body areas. Mortality was 5% in combat and 2% in non-combat patients. The majority of survivors in both groups returned to military duty. The disparity in full-thickness burn size and incidence of inhalation and associated injuries resulted from differing mechanisms of injury, with explosions and penetrating trauma more common in combat wounds. Despite the severity of combat burns, mortality was low and outcomes generally good. Non-combat burns are preventable and have decreased in incidence.

Targeting breast to brain metastatic tumours with death receptor ligand expressing therapeutic stem cells

PubMed Central

Bagci-Onder, Tugba; Du, Wanlu; Figueiredo, Jose-Luiz; Martinez-Quintanilla, Jordi

2015-01-01

Characterizing clinically relevant brain metastasis models and assessing the therapeutic efficacy in such models are fundamental for the development of novel therapies for metastatic brain cancers. In this study, we have developed an in vivo imageable breast-to-brain metastasis mouse model. Using real time in vivo imaging and subsequent composite fluorescence imaging, we show a widespread distribution of micro- and macro-metastasis in different stages of metastatic progression. We also show extravasation of tumour cells and the close association of tumour cells with blood vessels in the brain thus mimicking the multi-foci metastases observed in the clinics. Next, we explored the ability of engineered adult stem cells to track metastatic deposits in this model and show that engineered stem cells either implanted or injected via circulation efficiently home to metastatic tumour deposits in the brain. Based on the recent findings that metastatic tumour cells adopt unique mechanisms of evading apoptosis to successfully colonize in the brain, we reasoned that TNF receptor superfamily member 10A/10B apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) based pro-apoptotic therapies that induce death receptor signalling within the metastatic tumour cells might be a favourable therapeutic approach. We engineered stem cells to express a tumour selective, potent and secretable variant of a TRAIL, S-TRAIL, and show that these cells significantly suppressed metastatic tumour growth and prolonged the survival of mice bearing metastatic breast tumours. Furthermore, the incorporation of pro-drug converting enzyme, herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase, into therapeutic S-TRAIL secreting stem cells allowed their eradication post-tumour treatment. These studies are the first of their kind that provide insight into targeting brain metastasis with stem-cell mediated delivery of pro-apoptotic ligands and have important clinical implications. PMID:25910782

The hunt for brain Aβ oligomers by peripherally circulating multi-functional nanoparticles: Potential therapeutic approach for Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Mancini, Simona; Minniti, Stefania; Gregori, Maria; Sancini, Giulio; Cagnotto, Alfredo; Couraud, Pierre-Olivier; Ordóñez-Gutiérrez, Lara; Wandosell, Francisco; Salmona, Mario; Re, Francesca

2016-01-01

We previously showed the ability of liposomes bi-functionalized with phosphatidic acid and an ApoE-derived peptide (mApoE-PA-LIP) to reduce brain Aβ in transgenic Alzheimer mice. Herein we investigated the efficacy of mApoE-PA-LIP to withdraw Aβ peptide in different aggregation forms from the brain, using a transwell cellular model of the blood-brain barrier and APP/PS1 mice. The spontaneous efflux of Aβ oligomers (Aβo), but not of Aβ fibrils, from the 'brain' side of the transwell was strongly enhanced (5-fold) in presence of mApoE-PA-LIP in the 'blood' compartment. This effect is due to a withdrawal of Aβo exerted by peripheral mApoE-PA-LIP by sink effect, because, when present in the brain side, they did not act as Aβo carrier and limit the oligomer efflux. In vivo peripheral administration of mApoE-PA-LIP significantly increased the plasma Aβ level, suggesting that Aβ-binding particles exploiting the sink effect can be used as a therapeutic strategy for Alzheimer disease. From the Clinical Editor: Alzheimer disease (AD) at present is an incurable disease, which is thought to be caused by an accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain. Many strategies in combating this disease have been focused on either the prevention or dissolving these peptides. In this article, the authors showed the ability of liposomes bi-functionalized with phosphatidic acid and with an ApoE- derived peptide to withdraw amyloid peptides from the brain. The data would help the future design of more novel treatment for Alzheimer disease. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Helping to combat chronic wasting disease

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2003-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a disease of the nervous system that results in distinctive brain lesions. CWD affects elk, white-tailed deer, and mule deer, but has not been documented in livestock or humans. The origins of the disease, as well as the modes of transmission, remain unknown. Infected deer and elk appear robust and healthy in the early stages of CWD; clinical signs might not show for years. Mortality typically occurs within months after the appearance of clinical signs. The route of transmission is unknown; likely routes include direct transmission between infected and noninfected animals and infected animals contaminating local environments.

Telerehabilitation for OIF/OEF Returnees with Combat-Related Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

activities? YES 2.7+-0.9 2.4+-0.7 2.8+-1 2.7+-1.1 2.5+-1.1 2.9+-1.2 2.9+-1.4 How much of a problem do I have in controlling my laughter ? NO 3.6+-0.9 3.9...0.9 3.8+-1 4.1+-1.1 2.8+-1 4+-0.9 4.8+-0.5 How much of a problem do I have in controlling my laughter ? YES 3.8+-0.9 4.2+-1 3.9+-1.2 4.1+-0.9 4.1

Noninvasive Intracranial Volume and Pressure Measurements Using Ultrasound (Head and Spinal)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hargens, Alan R.

1999-01-01

Prevention of secondary brain injuries following head trauma can be accomplished most easily when intracranial pressure (ICP) is monitored. However, current measurement techniques are invasive and thus not practical in the combat environment. The Pulsed Phase Lock Loop device, which was developed and patented by consultants Drs. Yost and Cantrell, uses a unique, noninvasive ultrasonic phase comparison method to measure slight changes in cranial volume which occur with changes in ICP. Year two studies included whole body head-up and head-down tilting effects on intracranial compliance and pressure in six healthy volunteers.

Combat musculoskeletal wounds in a US Army Brigade Combat Team during operation Iraqi Freedom.

PubMed

Belmont, Philip J; Thomas, Dimitri; Goodman, Gens P; Schoenfeld, Andrew J; Zacchilli, Michael; Burks, Rob; Owens, Brett D

2011-07-01

A prospective, longitudinal analysis of musculoskeletal combat injuries sustained by a large combat-deployed maneuver unit has not previously been performed. A detailed description of the musculoskeletal combat casualty care statistics, distribution of wounds, and mechanisms of injury incurred by a US Army Brigade Combat Team during "The Surge" phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom was performed using a centralized casualty database and an electronic medical record system. Among the 4,122 soldiers deployed, there were 242 musculoskeletal combat wounds in 176 combat casualties. The musculoskeletal combat casualty rate for the Brigade Combat Team was 34.2 per 1,000 soldier combat-years. Spine, pelvis, and long bone fractures comprised 55.9% (33 of 59) of the total fractures sustained in combat. Explosions accounted for 80.7% (142 of 176) of all musculoskeletal combat casualties. Musculoskeletal combat casualty wound incidence rates per 1,000 combat-years were as follows: major amputation, 2.1; minor amputation, 0.6; open fracture, 5.0; closed fracture, 6.4; and soft-tissue/neurovascular injury, 32.8. Among musculoskeletal combat casualties, the likelihood of a gunshot wound causing an open fracture was significantly greater (45.8% [11 of 24]) when compared with explosions (10.6% [15 of 142]) (p = 0.0006). Long bone amputations were more often caused by explosive mechanisms than gunshot wounds. A large burden of complex orthopedic injuries has resulted from the combat experience in Operation Iraqi Freedom. This is because of increased enemy reliance on explosive devices, the use of individual and vehicular body armor, and improved survivability of combat-injured soldiers.

Viscoelastic Materials Study for the Mitigation of Blast-Related Brain Injury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartyczak, Susan; Mock, Willis, Jr.

2011-06-01

Recent preliminary research into the causes of blast-related brain injury indicates that exposure to blast pressures, such as from IED detonation or multiple firings of a weapon, causes damage to brain tissue resulting in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Current combat helmets are not sufficient to protect the warfighter from this danger and the effects are debilitating, costly, and long-lasting. Commercially available viscoelastic materials, designed to dampen vibration caused by shock waves, might be useful as helmet liners to dampen blast waves. The objective of this research is to develop an experimental technique to test these commercially available materials when subject to blast waves and evaluate their blast mitigating behavior. A 40-mm-bore gas gun is being used as a shock tube to generate blast waves (ranging from 1 to 500 psi) in a test fixture at the gun muzzle. A fast opening valve is used to release nitrogen gas from the breech to impact instrumented targets. The targets consist of aluminum/ viscoelastic polymer/ aluminum materials. Blast attenuation is determined through the measurement of pressure and accelerometer data in front of and behind the target. The experimental technique, calibration and checkout procedures, and results will be presented.

Inflammatory Cytokines in Depression: Neurobiological Mechanisms and Therapeutic Implications

PubMed Central

Felger, Jennifer C.; Lotrich, Francis E.

2013-01-01

Mounting evidence indicates that inflammatory cytokines contribute to the development of depression in both medically ill and medically healthy individuals. Cytokines are important for development and normal brain function, and have the ability to influence neurocircuitry and neurotransmitter systems to produce behavioral alterations. Acutely, inflammatory cytokine administration or activation of the innate immune system produces adaptive behavioral responses that promote conservation of energy to combat infection or recovery from injury. However, chronic exposure to elevated inflammatory cytokines and persistent alterations in neurotransmitter systems can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders and depression. Mechanisms of cytokine behavioral effects involve activation of inflammatory signaling pathways in the brain that results in changes in monoamine, glutamate, and neuropeptide systems, and decreases in growth factors, e.g. brain derived neurotrophic factor. Furthermore, inflammatory cytokines may serve as mediators of both environmental (e.g. childhood trauma, obesity, stress, and poor sleep) and genetic (functional gene polymorphisms) factors that contribute to depression’s development. This review explores the idea that specific gene polymorphisms and neurotransmitter systems can confer protection from or vulnerability to specific symptom dimensions of cytokine-related depression. Additionally, potential therapeutic strategies that target inflammatory cytokine signaling or the consequences of cytokines on neurotransmitter systems in the brain to prevent or reverse cytokine effects on behavior are discussed. PMID:23644052

Improved engine performance via use of nickel ceramic composite coatings (NCC coat)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Funatani, K.; Kurosawa, K.; Fabiyi, P.A.

1994-09-01

In seeking to produce lightweight aluminum block based engines, a variety of metallurgical and surface modification techniques for cylinder bores, pistons and piston rings are available. This paper discusses these various alternative methods while placing particular emphasis on electroplated nickel ceramic composite coatings (NCC). NCC Coating properties are characterized by high hardness, high corrosion resistance, high temperature wear and scuff resistance and low frictional coefficients. The application of NCC Coatings in 2-stroke motorcycle and diesel engines has resulted in benefits in the following areas: elimination of cast iron liners; reduced cylinder wall temperature, engine weight and increased power; lowering ofmore » oil consumption; improved fuel economy; reduction in emissions; improved scuff and wear resistance on cylinder bores, pistons and piston rings; friction reduction; combating of piston ring groove microwelding and pound out; thermal barrier protection on diesel piston domes; reduction in carbon deposition on piston domes; reduced noise from piston slap; and ability to operate in corrosive environments. The sum of the above stated benefits holds much potential for contributing towards greater flexibility in materials selection for the design of lightweight, fuel efficient vehicles based upon the use of aluminum engines. 13 refs., 13 figs.« less

Icing-Protection Requirements for Reciprocating-Engine Induction System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coles, Willard D; Rollin, Vern G; Mulholland, Donald R

1950-01-01

Despite the development of relatively ice-free fuel-metering systems, the widespread use of alternate and heated-air intakes, and the use of alcohol for emergency de-icing, icing of aircraft-engine induction systems is a serious problem. Investigations have been made to study and to combat all phases of this icing problem. From these investigations, criterions for safe operation and for design of new induction systems have been established. The results were obtained from laboratory investigations of carburetor-supercharger combinations, wind-tunnel investigations of air scoops, multicylinder-engine studies, and flight investigations. Characteristics of three forms of ice, impact, throttling, and fuel evaporation were studied. The effects of several factors on the icing characteristics were also studied and included: (1) atmospheric conditions, (2) engine and air-scoop configurations, including light-airplane system, (3) type fuel used, and (4) operating variables, such as power condition, use of a manifold pressure regulator, mixture setting, carburetor heat, and water-alcohol injection. In addition, ice-detection methods were investigated and methods of preventing and removing induction-system ice were studied. Recommendations are given for design and operation with regard to induction-system design.

Engineering the Brain: Ethical Issues and the Introduction of Neural Devices.

PubMed

Klein, Eran; Brown, Tim; Sample, Matthew; Truitt, Anjali R; Goering, Sara

2015-01-01

Neural devices now under development stand to interact with and alter the human brain in ways that may challenge standard notions of identity, normality, authority, responsibility, privacy and justice.

Hand-in-hand advances in biomedical engineering and sensorimotor restoration.

PubMed

Pisotta, Iolanda; Perruchoud, David; Ionta, Silvio

2015-05-15

Living in a multisensory world entails the continuous sensory processing of environmental information in order to enact appropriate motor routines. The interaction between our body and our brain is the crucial factor for achieving such sensorimotor integration ability. Several clinical conditions dramatically affect the constant body-brain exchange, but the latest developments in biomedical engineering provide promising solutions for overcoming this communication breakdown. The ultimate technological developments succeeded in transforming neuronal electrical activity into computational input for robotic devices, giving birth to the era of the so-called brain-machine interfaces. Combining rehabilitation robotics and experimental neuroscience the rise of brain-machine interfaces into clinical protocols provided the technological solution for bypassing the neural disconnection and restore sensorimotor function. Based on these advances, the recovery of sensorimotor functionality is progressively becoming a concrete reality. However, despite the success of several recent techniques, some open issues still need to be addressed. Typical interventions for sensorimotor deficits include pharmaceutical treatments and manual/robotic assistance in passive movements. These procedures achieve symptoms relief but their applicability to more severe disconnection pathologies is limited (e.g. spinal cord injury or amputation). Here we review how state-of-the-art solutions in biomedical engineering are continuously increasing expectances in sensorimotor rehabilitation, as well as the current challenges especially with regards to the translation of the signals from brain-machine interfaces into sensory feedback and the incorporation of brain-machine interfaces into daily activities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Understanding the Importance and Practice of Credible Leadership at Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems (PEO GCS) and Program Executive Office Combat Support and Combat Service Support (PEO CS and CSS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-30

and Program Executive Office Combat Support and Combat Service Support (PEO CS&CSS) Chad P. Stocker March 30, 2017 Submitted to...to Defense Acquisition University in partial fulfillment of the requirement of the Senior Service College Fellowship CREDIBLE LEADERSHIP AT PEO...of Credible Leadership at Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems (PEO GCS) and Program Executive Office Combat Support and Combat Service

The potential of the endolysin Lysdb from Lactobacillus delbrueckii phage for combating Staphylococcus aureus during cheese manufacture from raw milk.

PubMed

Guo, Tingting; Xin, YongPing; Zhang, Chenchen; Ouyang, Xudong; Kong, Jian

2016-04-01

Phage endolysins have received increased attention in recent times as potential antibacterial agents and the biopreservatives in food production processes. Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common pathogens in bacterial food poisoning outbreaks. In this study, the endolysin Lysdb, one of the two-component cell lysis cassette of Lactobacillus delbrueckii phage phiLdb, was shown to possess a muramidase domain and catalytic sites with homology to Chalaropsis-type lysozymes. Peptidoglycan hydrolytic bond specificity determination revealed that Lysdb was able to cleave the 6-O-acetylated peptidoglycans present in the cell walls of S. aureus. Turbidity reduction assays demonstrated that Lysdb could effectively lyse the S. aureus live cells under acidic and mesothermal conditions. To further evaluate the ability of Lysdb as a potential antibacterial agent against S. aureus in cheese manufacture, Lactobacillus casei BL23 was engineered to constitutively deliver active Lysdb to challenge S. aureus in lab-scale cheese making from raw milk. Compared with the raw milk, the viable counts of S. aureus were reduced by 10(5)-fold in the cheese inoculated with the engineered L. casei strain during the fermentation process, and the pathogenic bacterial numbers remained at a low level (10(4) CFU/g) after 6 weeks of ripening at 10 °C. Taken together, all results indicated that the Lysdb has the function as an effective tool for combating S. aureus during cheese manufacture from raw milk.

Cavitation Erosion in Hydraulic Turbine Components and Mitigation by Coatings: Current Status and Future Needs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Raghuvir; Tiwari, S. K.; Mishra, Suman K.

2012-07-01

Cavitation erosion is a frequently observed phenomenon in underwater engineering materials and is the primary reason for component failure. The damage due to cavitation erosion is not yet fully understood, as it is influenced by several parameters, such as hydrodynamics, component design, environment, and material chemistry. This article gives an overview of the current state of understanding of cavitation erosion of materials used in hydroturbines, coatings and coating methodologies for combating cavitation erosion, and methods to characterize cavitation erosion. No single material property fully characterizes the resistance to cavitation erosion. The combination of ultimate resilience, hardness, and toughness rather may be useful to estimate the cavitation erosion resistance of material. Improved hydrodynamic design and appropriate surface engineering practices reduce damage due to cavitation erosion. The coatings suggested for combating the cavitation erosion encompasses carbides (WC Cr2C3, Cr3C2, 20CrC-80WC), cermets of different compositions (e.g., 56W2C/Ni/Cr, 41WC/Ni/Cr/Co), intermetallic composites, intermetallic matrix composites with TiC reinforcement, composite nitrides such as TiAlN and elastomers. A few of them have also been used commercially. Thermal spraying, arc plasma spraying, and high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) processes have been used commercially to apply the coatings. Boronizing, laser surface hardening and cladding, chemical vapor deposition, physical vapor deposition, and plasma nitriding have been tried for surface treatments at laboratory levels and have shown promise to be used on actual components.

Mixed-Handedness in Identical Twins Discordant for Combat Exposure in Vietnam: Relationship to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

PubMed

Goetz, Jared M; Pitman, Seth R; Tanev, Kaloyan S; Pitman, Roger K; Chemtob, Claude M

2016-01-01

This study evaluated the degree of mixed-handedness in predominantly right-handed Vietnam combat veteran twins and their identical, combat-unexposed cotwins. The "high-risk" cotwins of combat veterans with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had more mixed-handedness (i.e., less right-handedness) than the "low-risk" cotwins of combat veterans without PTSD. Self-reported combat exposure in combat-exposed twins was a mediator of the association between handedness in their unexposed cotwins and PTSD in the twins themselves. We conclude that mixed-handedness is a familial risk factor for combat-related PTSD. This risk may be mediated in part by a proclivity for mixed-handed soldiers and Marines to experience heavier combat.

The Impact of Multiple Concussions on Emotional Distress, Post-Concussive Symptoms, and Neurocognitive Functioning in Active Duty United States Marines Independent of Combat Exposure or Emotional Distress

PubMed Central

Lathan, Corinna E.; Bleiberg, Joseph; Tsao, Jack W.

2014-01-01

Abstract Controversy exists as to whether the lingering effects of concussion on emotional, physical, and cognitive symptoms is because of the effects of brain trauma or purely to emotional factors such as post-traumatic stress disorder or depression. This study examines the independent effects of concussion on persistent symptoms. The Defense Automated Neurobehavioral Assessment, a clinical decision support tool, was used to assess neurobehavioral functioning in 646 United States Marines, all of whom were fit for duty. Marines were assessed for concussion history, post-concussive symptoms, emotional distress, neurocognitive functioning, and deployment history. Results showed that a recent concussion or ever having experienced a concussion was associated with an increase in emotional distress, but not with persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) or neurocognitive functioning. Having had multiple lifetime concussions, however, was associated with greater emotional distress, PPCS, and reduced neurocognitive functioning that needs attention and rapid discrimination, but not for memory-based tasks. These results are independent of deployment history, combat exposure, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Results supported earlier findings that a previous concussion is not generally associated with post-concussive symptoms independent of covariates. In contrast with other studies that failed to find a unique contribution for concussion to PPCS, however, evidence of recent and multiple concussion was seen across a range of emotional distress, post-concussive symptoms, and neurocognitive functioning in this study population. Results are discussed in terms of implications for assessing concussion on return from combat. PMID:25003552

United States Air Force Statistical Digest, Fiscal Year 1966, Twenty First Edition

DTIC Science & Technology

1966-09-30

Economic Repair "m.. Abnor- Normal Ene "", Flying Cause Ene "", Aban- MISSION, DESIGN,Tested Fair ""’ Storage AND SERIESum to De - Deter- Deter- Action... De - Wear Deter- Deter- on on on Non- mentor struc- and Iore- tors- Combat Combat Combat Combat Ene ""School tion Tear tion tion Mission Mission...AND SERIESFairum to De - .Deter- Deter- on on on Non- mentWearor strue- iora- tore- Combat Combat Combat Combat Ene "\\YandSchool tion tion tion Mission

EDITORIAL: Why we need a new journal in neural engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durand, Dominique M.

2004-03-01

The field of neural engineering crystallizes for many engineers and scientists an area of research at the interface between neuroscience and engineering. For the last 15 years or so, the discipline of neural engineering (neuroengineering) has slowly appeared at conferences as a theme or track. The first conference devoted entirely to this area was the 1st International IEEE EMBS Conference on Neural Engineering which took place in Capri, Italy in 2003. Understanding how the brain works is considered the ultimate frontier and challenge in science. The complexity of the brain is so great that understanding even the most basic functions will require that we fully exploit all the tools currently at our disposal in science and engineering and simultaneously develop new methods of analysis. While neuroscientists and engineers from varied fields such as brain anatomy, neural development and electrophysiology have made great strides in the analysis of this complex organ, there remains a great deal yet to be uncovered. The potential for applications and remedies deriving from scientific discoveries and breakthroughs is extremely high. As a result of the growing availability of micromachining technology, research into neurotechnology has grown relatively rapidly in recent years and appears to be approaching a critical mass. For example, by understanding how neuronal circuits process and store information, we could design computers with capabilities beyond current limits. By understanding how neurons develop and grow, we could develop new technologies for spinal cord repair or central nervous system repair following neurological disorders. Moreover, discoveries related to higher-level cognitive function and consciousness could have a profound influence on how humans make sense of their surroundings and interact with each other. The ability to successfully interface the brain with external electronics would have enormous implications for our society and facilitate a revolutionary change in the quality of life of persons with sensory and/or motor deficits. Microelectrode technology represents the initial step towards this goal and has already improved the quality of life of many patients, as is evident from the success of auditory prostheses. The cost to society of neurological disorders such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy is staggering. Stroke, which is the third leading cause of death in North America, runs up costs of 40 billion to society per year for its treatment. Costs associated with brain disorders are estimated at 285 billion. Breakthroughs in this field will have a significant impact on the market for enabling technologies. The market for neurological medical devices totaled 2 billion in 1999 and is projected to grow at a rate of 20 to 30% in the next ten years, far outpacing the market for cardiac devices. Although we have all recognized the importance of interdisciplinary research (see the NIH Road map at http://nihroadmap.nih.gov/), the fields of neuroscience and engineering have remained compartmentalized. Collaboration is still difficult since the language of these disciplines is different. Moreover, the scientific journals in these fields are also clearly separate. Researchers involved in neural engineering have a choice of publishing their research in either neuroscience-oriented journals such as Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Neurophysiology and Brain Research or in engineering journals such as IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation and Annals of Biomedical Engineering. There is no journal currently available focusing on the interdisciplinary field of neural engineering. In order to capitalize on the potential of neural engineering to investigate neural function and to solve problems related to neural disorders, it is necessary to break down the traditional barriers between neuroscientists and engineers not just in the laboratory but also in the publication of scientific papers. We do, therefore, need a new journal that provides a platform for this emerging interdisciplinary field of neural engineering where neuroscientists, neurobiologists and engineers can publish their work in one periodical that spans the disciplines. Journal of Neural Engineering will provide this platform. The new journal will publish full-length articles of the highest quality and importance in the field of neural engineering at the molecular, cellular and systems levels. The scope of Journal of Neural Engineering encompasses experimental, computational and theoretical aspects of neural interfacing, neuroelectronics, neuromechanical systems, neuroinformatics, neuroimaging, neural prostheses, artificial and biological neural circuits, neural control, neural tissue regeneration, neural signal processing, neural modeling and neuro-computation. The scope of the journal has both depth and breadth in areas relevant to the interface between neuroscience and engineering. There will be two Editors-in-Chief, with expertise covering both engineering and neuroscience. Experts in the areas encompassed by the journal's scope have been identified for the Editorial Board and the composition of the board will be continually updated to address the developments in this new and exciting field. The first issue of this new journal covers a variety of topics that combine neuroscience and engineering: mental state recognition from EEG signals, analysis of body motion in Parkinson's patients, non-linear dynamics of the respiratory system, automatic identification of saccade-related visual evoked potentials, multiple electrode stimulators, algorithms to estimate the causal relationship between brain sources, diffusion tensor imaging in the brain and phase synchronization of neural activity in vitro. This broad array of manuscripts focusing on neural imaging, neurophysiology, neural signal processing, neuroelectronics and neuro-dynamics can be found for the first time within the pages of a single journal: Journal of Neural Engineering. I am grateful to Institute of Physics Publishing and Jane Roscoe in particular for putting together this new journal to accommodate the fast-growing field of neural engineering. I am also grateful to Andrew Schwartz who has agreed to be the co-Editor-in-Chief for the journal.

Influence of the severity and location of bodily injuries on post-concussive and combat stress symptom reporting after military-related concurrent mild traumatic brain injuries and polytrauma.

PubMed

French, Louis M; Lange, Rael T; Marshall, Kathryn; Prokhorenko, Olga; Brickell, Tracey A; Bailie, Jason M; Asmussen, Sarah B; Ivins, Brian; Cooper, Douglas B; Kennedy, Jan E

2014-10-01

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) sustained in combat frequently co-occur with significant bodily injuries. Intuitively, more extensive bodily injuries might be associated with increased symptom reporting. In 2012, however, French et al. demonstrated an inverse relation between bodily injury severity and symptom reporting. This study expands on that work by examining the influence of location and severity of bodily injuries on symptom reporting after mild TBI. Participants were 579 US military service members who sustained an uncomplicated mild TBI with concurrent bodily injuries and who were evaluated at two military medical centers. Bodily injury severity was quantified using a modified Injury Severity Score (ISSmod). Participants completed the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-C), on average, 2.5 months post-injury. There was a significant negative association between ISSmod scores and NSI (r=-0.267, p<0.001) and PCL-C (r=-0.273, p<0.001) total scores. Using linear regression to examine the relation between symptom reporting and injury severity across the six ISS body regions, three body regions were significant predictors of the NSI total score (face; p<0.001; abdomen; p=0.003; extremities; p<0.001) and accounted for 9.3% of the variance (p<0.001). For the PCL-C, two body regions were significant predictors of the PCL-C total score (face; p<0.001; extremities; p<0.001) and accounted for 10.5% of the variance. There was an inverse relation between bodily injury severity and symptom reporting in this sample. Hypothesized explanations include underreporting of symptoms, increased peer support, disruption of fear conditioning because of acute morphine use, or delayed expression of symptoms.

Brains--Computers--Machines: Neural Engineering in Science Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chudler, Eric H.; Bergsman, Kristen Clapper

2016-01-01

Neural engineering is an emerging field of high relevance to students, teachers, and the general public. This feature presents online resources that educators and scientists can use to introduce students to neural engineering and to integrate core ideas from the life sciences, physical sciences, social sciences, computer science, and engineering…

RS-25 Rocket Engine Test

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-08-09

The 8.5-minute test conducted at NASA’s Stennis Space Center is part of a series of tests designed to put the upgraded former space shuttle engines through the rigorous temperature and pressure conditions they will experience during a launch. The tests also support the development of a new controller, or “brain,” for the engine, which monitors engine status and communicates between the rocket and the engine, relaying commands to the engine and transmitting data back to the rocket.

Rational Engineering and Characterization of an mAb that Neutralizes Zika Virus by Targeting a Mutationally Constrained Quaternary Epitope.

PubMed

Tharakaraman, Kannan; Watanabe, Satoru; Chan, Kuan Rong; Huan, Jia; Subramanian, Vidya; Chionh, Yok Hian; Raguram, Aditya; Quinlan, Devin; McBee, Megan; Ong, Eugenia Z; Gan, Esther S; Tan, Hwee Cheng; Tyagi, Anu; Bhushan, Shashi; Lescar, Julien; Vasudevan, Subhash G; Ooi, Eng Eong; Sasisekharan, Ram

2018-05-09

Following the recent emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV), many murine and human neutralizing anti-ZIKV antibodies have been reported. Given the risk of virus escape mutants, engineering antibodies that target mutationally constrained epitopes with therapeutically relevant potencies can be valuable for combating future outbreaks. Here, we applied computational methods to engineer an antibody, ZAb_FLEP, that targets a highly networked and therefore mutationally constrained surface formed by the envelope protein dimer. ZAb_FLEP neutralized a breadth of ZIKV strains and protected mice in distinct in vivo models, including resolving vertical transmission and fetal mortality in infected pregnant mice. Serial passaging of ZIKV in the presence of ZAb_FLEP failed to generate viral escape mutants, suggesting that its epitope is indeed mutationally constrained. A single-particle cryo-EM reconstruction of the Fab-ZIKV complex validated the structural model and revealed insights into ZAb_FLEP's neutralization mechanism. ZAb_FLEP has potential as a therapeutic in future outbreaks. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Sustainable biorefining in wastewater by engineered extreme alkaliphile Bacillus marmarensis

PubMed Central

Wernick, David G.; Pontrelli, Sammy P.; Pollock, Alexander W.; Liao, James C.

2016-01-01

Contamination susceptibility, water usage, and inability to utilize 5-carbon sugars and disaccharides are among the major obstacles in industrialization of sustainable biorefining. Extremophilic thermophiles and acidophiles are being researched to combat these problems, but organisms which answer all the above problems have yet to emerge. Here, we present engineering of the unexplored, extreme alkaliphile Bacillus marmarensis as a platform for new bioprocesses which meet all these challenges. With a newly developed transformation protocol and genetic tools, along with optimized RBSs and antisense RNA, we engineered B. marmarensis to produce ethanol at titers of 38 g/l and 65% yields from glucose in unsterilized media. Furthermore, ethanol titers and yields of 12 g/l and 50%, respectively, were produced from cellobiose and xylose in unsterilized seawater and algal-contaminated wastewater. As such, B. marmarensis presents a promising approach for the contamination-resistant biorefining of a wide range of carbohydrates in unsterilized, non-potable seawater. PMID:26831574

Therapeutic potential of systemic brain rejuvenation strategies for neurodegenerative disease

PubMed Central

Horowitz, Alana M.; Villeda, Saul A.

2017-01-01

Neurodegenerative diseases are a devastating group of conditions that cause progressive loss of neuronal integrity, affecting cognitive and motor functioning in an ever-increasing number of older individuals. Attempts to slow neurodegenerative disease advancement have met with little success in the clinic; however, a new therapeutic approach may stem from classic interventions, such as caloric restriction, exercise, and parabiosis. For decades, researchers have reported that these systemic-level manipulations can promote major functional changes that extend organismal lifespan and healthspan. Only recently, however, have the functional effects of these interventions on the brain begun to be appreciated at a molecular and cellular level. The potential to counteract the effects of aging in the brain, in effect rejuvenating the aged brain, could offer broad therapeutic potential to combat dementia-related neurodegenerative disease in the elderly. In particular, results from heterochronic parabiosis and young plasma administration studies indicate that pro-aging and rejuvenating factors exist in the circulation that can independently promote or reverse age-related phenotypes. The recent demonstration that human umbilical cord blood similarly functions to rejuvenate the aged brain further advances this work to clinical translation. In this review, we focus on these blood-based rejuvenation strategies and their capacity to delay age-related molecular and functional decline in the aging brain. We discuss new findings that extend the beneficial effects of young blood to neurodegenerative disease models. Lastly, we explore the translational potential of blood-based interventions, highlighting current clinical trials aimed at addressing therapeutic applications for the treatment of dementia-related neurodegenerative disease in humans. PMID:28815019

The Impact of Combat Status on Veterans' Attitudes Toward Help Seeking: The Hierarchy of Combat Elitism.

PubMed

Ashley, Wendy; Brown, Jodi Constantine

2015-01-01

Many veterans do not seek assistance for mental health concerns despite the staggering prevalence of trauma-related symptomatology. Barriers to service provision include personal and professional stigma and inter-veteran attitudes that dictate who is more or less deserving of services. Veteran attitudes are shaped by military culture, which promotes a hyper-masculine paradigm upholding combat experience as the defining feature of the "ideal soldier." The stratification of soldiers into combat or non-combat status creates a hierarchy of combat elitism that extends far beyond active duty. This pilot study surveyed veterans (n = 24) to explore how combat experience may affect attitudes toward help seeking. Findings indicate combat and non-combat veterans are less accepting of non-combat veterans' help-seeking behavior, supporting the notion that veterans' attitudes toward help seeking are influenced by combat status. Despite limitations, the results of this study reflect a need for increased attention to the attitudes veterans have about each other and themselves.

Physiological stress and performance analysis to karate combat.

PubMed

Chaabene, Helmi; Hellara, Ilhem; Ghali, Faten B; Franchini, Emerson; Neffati, Fedoua; Tabben, Montassar; Najjar, Mohamed F; Hachana, Younés

2016-10-01

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between physiological, and parameters of performance analysis during karate contest. Nine elite-level karate athletes participated in this study. Saliva sample was collected pre- and post-karate combat. Salivary cortisol (sC) post-combat 2 raised significantly compared to that recorded at pre-combat 1 (Δ%=105.3%; P=0.04; dz=0.78). The largest decrease of the salivary T/C ratio (sR) compared to pre-combat 1 was recorded post-combat 2 (Δ%=-43.5%; P=0.03). Moreover, blood lactate concentration post-combat 1 correlated positively to sCpost-combat 1 (r=0.66; P=0.05) and negatively to both salivary testosterone (sT) (r=-0.76; P=0.01) and sRpost-combat 1 (r=-0.76; P=0.01). There was no significant relationship between hormonal measures and parameters of match analysis. Although under simulated condition, karate combat poses large physiological stress to the karateka. Additionally, physiological strain to karate combat led to a catabolic hormonal response.

Brain Structure-function Couplings (FY11)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

influence time-evolving models of global brain function and dynamic changes in cognitive performance. Both structural and functional connections change on...Artifact Resistant Measure to Detect Cognitive EEG Activity During Locomotion. Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation, submitted. 10...Specifically, identifying the communication between brain regions that occurs during tasks may provide information regarding the cognitive processes involved in

Engineering brain-computer interfaces: past, present and future.

PubMed

Hughes, M A

2014-06-01

Electricity governs the function of both nervous systems and computers. Whilst ions move in polar fluids to depolarize neuronal membranes, electrons move in the solid-state lattices of microelectronic semiconductors. Joining these two systems together, to create an iono-electric brain-computer interface, is an immense challenge. However, such interfaces offer (and in select clinical contexts have already delivered) a method of overcoming disability caused by neurological or musculoskeletal pathology. To fulfill their theoretical promise, several specific challenges demand consideration. Rate-limiting steps cover a diverse range of disciplines including microelectronics, neuro-informatics, engineering, and materials science. As those who work at the tangible interface between brain and outside world, neurosurgeons are well placed to contribute to, and inform, this cutting edge area of translational research. This article explores the historical background, status quo, and future of brain-computer interfaces; and outlines the challenges to progress and opportunities available to the clinical neurosciences community.

The Changing Demographics of the Black American Male Population in 2010 and its Impact on the United States Army Officer Corps

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-07

over 20 million blacks gravitate to the northern industrial cities for better jobs and equality. 2 0 As a result 57 percent of blacks live in central...if there is a valid problem, to determine the inpact of the problem on the U.S. Army; and third, to discuss possible solutions . As the nation...officers in the ccmbat arms branches: infantry, armor, field artillery, air defense artillery, aviation, and combat engineers .41 Females are generally

Vulnerability Methodology and Protective Measures for Aircraft Fire and Explosion Hazards. Volume 2. Aircraft Engine Nacelle Fire Test Programs. Part 1. Fire Detection, Fire Extinguishment and Surface Ignition Studies

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

by sensors in the test cell and sampled, digitized, averaged, and calibrated by the facility computer system. The data included flowrates calculated ...before the next test could be started. This required about 2 minutes. 6.4 Combat Damage Testing Appendix C contains calculations and analysis...were comparable (Figure 7-5). Agent quantities required per MIL-E-22285 were again calculated using the equations noted in paragraph 7.1.1. The

Commentary on Some Recent Theses Relevant to Combating Aging: August 2017.

PubMed

Zealley, Benjamin; de Grey, Aubrey D N J

2017-08-01

Theses reviewed in this issue include "Engineering Cellular Input-Output for the Robust Control of Mammalian Cell-Based Therapies"; "Enzyme-Instructed Self-Assembly (EISA) Selectively Targets Cancer Cells"; "Exploration of helminth-derived immunoregulatory molecules as options for therapeutic intervention in allograft rejection and autoimmune disease"; "Expression of the Medial HOXA genes is indispensible for self-renewal in human hematopoietic stem cells"; "Gamma frequency entrainment attenuates amyloid load and modifies microglia"; and "Heterogeneous Distribution of Microvascular Blood Flow Contributes to Impaired Skeletal Muscle Oxygenation in Diabetes".

Overview of military technology at NASA Langley

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawyer, Wallace C.; Jackson, Charlie M., Jr.

1989-01-01

The Langley Research Center began addressing major research topics pertinent to the design of military aircraft under the egis of The National Advisory Council on Aeronautics in 1917, until 1958, when it passed under the control of the newly-instituted NASA research facilities system. A historical account is presented of NASA-Langley's involvement in the experimental investigation of twin-engined jet aircraft nozzle interfairings, thrust reversers, high-efficiency supersonic cruise configurations, high-alpha aerodynamics, air-to-air combat handling qualities, wing/stores flutter suppression, and store carriage and separation characteristics.

First on the Line: The 35th Engineer Battalion in World War Two and the Evolution of a High-Performance Combat Unit

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-11

adherence to established standards by his leaders while training their men that allowed this discipline to take root within the ranks. While he had...it seems they will topple over backwards, until all at once the tree and roots give way, and cat and tress come to earth together.‖ 35 Following...even after Ingalls‘ departure. But few could deny the impact that Ingalls‘ methods had on the organization. Many found that the roots of the

Proceedings of the Army Science Conference (14th) Held at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York on 19-21 June 1984. Volume 3. Principal Authors P through Z.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-22

relesel Distibution Unlimited .- -. POHLMANN, SHARP, AND WOOD systems is providing insight into the dynamics of molecular states in such fundamental ...ARR, Wash, DC 20310 Combat Support Systems Directorate, ATTN: DAMA-CSZ, Wash, DC 20310 Materiel Plans & Programs Directorate, ATTN: DAMA-PPF, Wash...DC 20310 Weapons Systems Directorate, ATTN: DAMA-WSZ, Wash, DC 20310 Office of the Chief of Engineers, ATTN: DAEN-RDZ-A, Wash, DC 20314 Office of the

The Effect of Chemical Protective Clothing and Equipment on Combat Efficiency

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-11-01

a’ ) 0 o -0 wu a c- ’C E- .0 4- -0 4-a ) 4 - 0 inu) 0 4 4-’ Q0 4- C’A C~s Q) uA 4124 ’ ’ a’a -’ a ’ _rw C ol > u’ .0 a’ - Q) ’P 4> 1)T 0 -a L. .- 4...36205 ATTN: HSA-IHE HSA- CDB (CPT Connock) 1 Commander Ft. Sam Houston, TX 78234 US Army Engineer School ATTN: ATZA-CD Commander Fort Belvoir, VA 22060

Towards a fourth spatial dimension of brain activity.

PubMed

Tozzi, Arturo; Peters, James F

2016-06-01

Current advances in neurosciences deal with the functional architecture of the central nervous system, paving the way for general theories that improve our understanding of brain activity. From topology, a strong concept comes into play in understanding brain functions, namely, the 4D space of a "hypersphere's torus", undetectable by observers living in a 3D world. The torus may be compared with a video game with biplanes in aerial combat: when a biplane flies off one edge of gaming display, it does not crash but rather it comes back from the opposite edge of the screen. Our thoughts exhibit similar behaviour, i.e. the unique ability to connect past, present and future events in a single, coherent picture as if we were allowed to watch the three screens of past-present-future "glued" together in a mental kaleidoscope. Here we hypothesize that brain functions are embedded in a imperceptible fourth spatial dimension and propose a method to empirically assess its presence. Neuroimaging fMRI series can be evaluated, looking for the topological hallmark of the presence of a fourth dimension. Indeed, there is a typical feature which reveal the existence of a functional hypersphere: the simultaneous activation of areas opposite each other on the 3D cortical surface. Our suggestion-substantiated by recent findings-that brain activity takes place on a closed, donut-like trajectory helps to solve long-standing mysteries concerning our psychological activities, such as mind-wandering, memory retrieval, consciousness and dreaming state.

Urban Combat Advanced Training Technology Architecture (Architecture de technologie avancee pour l’entrainement au combat urbain)

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-01

REPORT TR-MSG-098 Urban Combat Advanced Training Technology Architecture (Architecture de technologie avancée pour l’entraînement au combat urbain...REPORT TR-MSG-098 Urban Combat Advanced Training Technology Architecture (Architecture de technologie avancée pour l’entraînement au combat...3 1-2 1.3 Illustration of the Need for UCATT by Contemporary Example Situations 1-3 1.3.1 RNLA: Connection of NLD Mobile Combat Training Centre to

Program development and defining characteristics of returning military in a VA Polytrauma Network Site.

PubMed

Lew, Henry L; Poole, John H; Vanderploeg, Rodney D; Goodrich, Gregory L; Dekelboum, Sharon; Guillory, Sylvia B; Sigford, Barbara; Cifu, David X

2007-01-01

The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a new generation of combat survivors with complex physical injuries and emotional trauma. This article reports the initial implementation of the Polytrauma Network Site (PNS) clinic, which is a key component of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma System of Care and serves military personnel returning from combat. The PNS clinic in Palo Alto, California, is described to demonstrate the VA healthcare system's evolving effort to meet the clinical needs of this population. We summarize the following features of this interdisciplinary program: (1) sequential assessment, from initial traumatic brain injury screening throughout our catchment area to evaluation by the PNS clinic team, and (2) clinical evaluation results for the first 62 clinic patients. In summary, this population shows a high prevalence of postconcussion symptoms, posttraumatic stress, poor cognitive performance, head and back pain, auditory and visual symptoms, and problems with dizziness or balance. An anonymous patient feedback survey, which we used to fine-tune the clinic process, reflected high satisfaction with this new program. We hope that the lessons learned at one site will enhance the identification and treatment of veterans with polytrauma across the country.

Mechanical, physical, and physiological analysis of symmetrical and asymmetrical combat.

PubMed

Clemente-Suárez, Vicente J; Robles-Pérez, José J

2013-09-01

In current theaters of operation, soldiers had to face a different situation as symmetrical (defined battlefield) and asymmetrical combat (non-defined battlefield), especially in urban areas. The mechanical and organic responses of soldiers in these combats are poorly studied in specific literature. This research aimed to analyze physical, mechanical, and physiological parameters during symmetrical and asymmetrical combat simulations. We analyzed 20 soldiers from the Spanish Army and Spanish Forces and Security Corps (34.5 ± 4.2 years; 176.4 ± 8.4 cm; 74.6 ± 8.7 kg; 63.3 ± 8.0 kg muscular mass; 7.6 ± 3.2 kg fat mass) during a symmetric combat (traditional combat simulation) and during an asymmetrical combat (urban combat simulation). Heart rate (HR), speed, sprints, distances, impact, and body load parameters were measured by a GPS system and a HR belt. Results showed many differences between symmetrical and asymmetrical combat. Asymmetrical combat presented higher maximum velocity movement, number of sprints, sprint distance, and average HR. By contrary, symmetric combat presented higher number of impact and body load. This information could be used to improve specific training programs for each type of combat.

Therapeutic Potential of Thymoquinone in Glioblastoma Treatment: Targeting Major Gliomagenesis Signaling Pathways

PubMed Central

Chowdhury, Fabliha Ahmed; Hossain, Md Kamal; Mostofa, A. G. M.; Akbor, Maruf Mohammad

2018-01-01

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is one of the most devastating brain tumors with median survival of one year and presents unique challenges to therapy because of its aggressive behavior. Current treatment strategy involves surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and adjuvant chemotherapy even though optimal management requires a multidisciplinary approach and knowledge of potential complications from both the disease and its treatment. Thymoquinone (TQ), the main bioactive component of Nigella sativa L., has exhibited anticancer effects in numerous preclinical studies. Due to its multitargeting nature, TQ interferes in a wide range of tumorigenic processes and counteract carcinogenesis, malignant growth, invasion, migration, and angiogenesis. TQ can specifically sensitize tumor cells towards conventional cancer treatments and minimize therapy-associated toxic effects in normal cells. Its potential to enter brain via nasal pathway due to volatile nature of TQ adds another advantage in overcoming blood-brain barrier. In this review, we summarized the potential role of TQ in different signaling pathways in GBM that have undergone treatment with standard therapeutic modalities or with TQ. Altogether, we suggest further comprehensive evaluation of TQ in preclinical and clinical level to delineate its implied utility as novel therapeutics to combat the challenges for the treatment of GBM. PMID:29651429

Delineation of separate brain regions used for scientific versus engineering modes of thinking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patterson, Clair C.

1994-08-01

Powerful, latent abilities for extreme sophistication in abstract rationalization as potential biological adaptive behavioral responses were installed entirely through accident and inadvertence by biological evolution in the Homo sapiens sapiens species of brain. These potentials were never used, either in precursor species as factors in evolutionary increase in hominid brain mass, nor in less sophisticated forms within social environments characterized by Hss tribal brain population densities. Those latent abilities for unnatural biological adaptive behavior were forced to become manifest in various ways by growths in sophistication of communication interactions engendered by large growths in brain population densities brought on by developments in agriculture at the onset of the Holocene. It is proposed that differences probably exist between regions of the Hss brain involved in utilitarian, engineering types of problem conceptualization-solving versus regions of the brain involved in nonutilitarian, artistic-scientific types of problem conceptualization-solving. Populations isolated on separate continents from diffusive contact and influence on cultural developments, and selected for comparison of developments during equivalent stages of technological and social sophistication in matching 4000 year periods, show, at the ends of those periods, marked differences in aesthetic attributes expressed in cosmogonies, music, and writing (nonutilitarian thinking related to science and art). On the other hand the two cultures show virtually identical developments in three major stages of metallurgical technologies (utilitarian thinking related to engineering). Such archaeological data suggest that utilitarian modes of thought may utilize combinations of neuronal circuits in brain regions that are conserved among tribal populations territorially separated from each other for tens of thousands of years. Such conservation may not be true for neuronal circuits involved in nonutilitarian modes of thought. It is postulated that neuronal circuits involved in nonutilitarian modes of thought are located in specific regions of the brain that are divergent features between populations that have been territorially separated for tens of thousands of years. Anatomical PET and NMRI studies of brains of modern descendants of these cultures are proposed that would seek to define these inferred differences through proper protocols of stimulation devised by those investigators.

Potential mechanisms of development-dependent adverse effects of the herbicide paraquat in 3D rat brain cell cultures.

PubMed

Sandström, J; Broyer, A; Zoia, D; Schilt, C; Greggio, C; Fournier, M; Do, K Q; Monnet-Tschudi, F

2017-05-01

Exposure to environmental toxicants during vulnerable windows of brain development is suspected to raise the prevalence for neurological dysfunctions at later stages in life. Differentiation processes and changes in morphology, as well as a lack of physiological barriers, might be reasons that render a developing brain more susceptible to neurotoxicants than an adult. However, also the intrinsic capacity of cells to combat toxicant induced cellular stress might differ between the immature- and mature brain. In order to study whether this intrinsic protection capacity differs between immature and maturated brain cells we chose to study the maturation-dependent adverse effects of the known neurotoxicant Paraquat Dichloride (PQ) in 3D rat brain cell cultures. This in vitro system consists of the major brain cell types - neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia - and over the time in vitro cultured cells undergo differentiation and maturation into a tissue-like organization. PQ was applied repeatedly over ten days in the sub-micromolar range, and effects were evaluated on neurons and glial cells. We observed that despite a higher PQ-uptake in mature cultures, PQ-induced adverse effects on glutamatergic-, GABAergic- and dopaminergic neurons, as assessed by gene expression and enzymatic activity, were more pronounced in immature cultures. This was associated with a stronger astrogliosis in immature- as compared to mature cultures, as well as perturbations of the glutathione-mediated defense against oxidative stress. Furthermore we observed evidence of microglial activation only in mature cultures, whereas immature cultures appeared to down-regulate markers for neuroprotective M2-microglial phenotype upon PQ-exposure. Taken together our results indicate that immature brain cell cultures have less intrinsic capacity to cope with cellular stress elicited by PQ as compared to mature cells. This may render immature brain cells more susceptible to the adverse effects of PQ. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nanobiotechnology-based drug delivery in brain targeting.

PubMed

Dinda, Subas C; Pattnaik, Gurudutta

2013-01-01

Blood brain barrier (BBB) found to act as rate limiting factor in drug delivery to brain in combating the central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Such limiting physiological factors include the reticuloendothelial system and protein opsonization, which present across BBB, play major role in reducing the passage of drug. Several approaches employed to improve the drug delivery across the BBB. Nanoparticles (NP) are the solid colloidal particle ranges from 1 to 1000 nm in size utilized as career for drug delivery. At present NPs are found to play a significant advantage over the other methods of available drug delivery systems to deliver the drug across the BBB. Nanoparticles may be because of its size and functionalization characteristics able to penetrate and facilitate the drug delivery through the barrier. There are number of mechanisms and strategies found to be involved in this process, which are based on the type of nanomaterials used and its combination with therapeutic agents, such materials include liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles and non-viral vectors of nano-sizes for CNS gene therapy, etc. Nanotechnology is expected to reduce the need for invasive procedures for delivery of therapeutics to the CNS. Some devices such as implanted catheters and reservoirs however will still be needed to overcome the problems in effective drug delivery to the CNS. Nanomaterials are found to improve the safety and efficacy level of drug delivery devices in brain targeting. Nanoegineered devices are found to be delivering the drugs at cellular levels through nono-fluidic channels. Different drug delivery systems such as liposomes, microspheres, nanoparticles, nonogels and nonobiocapsules have been used to improve the bioavailability of the drug in the brain, but microchips and biodegradable polymeric nanoparticulate careers are found to be more effective therapeutically in treating brain tumor. The physiological approaches also utilized to improve the transcytosis capacity of specific receptors expressed across the BBB. It is found that the low density lipoproteins related protein (LPR) with engineered peptide compound (EpiC) formed the platform incorporating the Angiopep peptide as a new effective therapeutics. The current challenges are to design and develop the drug delivery careers, which must be able to deliver the drug across the BBB at a safe and effective manner. Nanoparticles are found to be effective careers in delivery of conventional drugs, recombinant proteins, vaccines as well as nucleotides. Nanoparticlulate drug delivery systems are found to be improving in the pharmacokinetic strategies of the drug molecules such as biodistribution, bioavailability and drug release characteristics in a controlled and effective manner with site specific drug delivery targeting to tissue or cell with reduction in toxic manifestation. Therefore, the use of nanotechnology in the field of pharmaceutical biotechnology helps in improving the drug delivery strategy including the kinetics and therapeutic index to solve the delivery problems of some biotech drugs including the recombinant proteins and oligonucleotides. This review is made to provide an insight to the role of nanobiotechnology in drug delivery and drug targeting to brain and its recent advances in the field of drug delivery systems.

The Need for Understanding and Engaging the Patient as Consumer of Products Developed by Neural Engineering.

PubMed

French, Jennifer; Lujan, J Luis; Bardot, Dawn; Graczyk, Emily Lauren; Hess-Dunning, Allison; Triolo, Ronald J; Moynahan, Megan; Tan, Winny; Zbrzeski, Adeline

2018-05-21

Neural Engineering is a discipline at the intersection of neuroscience, engineering, and clinical care. Recent major efforts by government and industry aimed at bringing forth personalized therapies, increasing the potential of the neural engineering industry for future growth, eg. the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative and Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions (SPARC) Common Fund Program, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Electrical Prescriptions (ElectRx) and Systems-Based Neurotechnology for Emerging Therapies (SUBNETS) Programs, and the GlaxoSmithKline Bioelectric Medicines Initiative. However, the incremental development of neural technologies can easily become a case of advancing technology for its own sake. This mindset can lead to a solution looking for a problem, without taking into consideration the patient/consumer point of view. Creative Commons Attribution license.

Ethics in published brain-computer interface research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Specker Sullivan, L.; Illes, J.

2018-02-01

Objective. Sophisticated signal processing has opened the doors to more research with human subjects than ever before. The increase in the use of human subjects in research comes with a need for increased human subjects protections. Approach. We quantified the presence or absence of ethics language in published reports of brain-computer interface (BCI) studies that involved human subjects and qualitatively characterized ethics statements. Main results. Reports of BCI studies with human subjects that are published in neural engineering and engineering journals are anchored in the rationale of technological improvement. Ethics language is markedly absent, omitted from 31% of studies published in neural engineering journals and 59% of studies in biomedical engineering journals. Significance. As the integration of technological tools with the capacities of the mind deepens, explicit attention to ethical issues will ensure that broad human benefit is embraced and not eclipsed by technological exclusiveness.

A Brain-Machine-Brain Interface for Rewiring of Cortical Circuitry after Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

2004. He served as Guest Coeditor of a special issue on applied neurodynamics for the Journal of Neural Engineering with Dr. Peter Thomas in December...for the millions of individuals who are left with permanent motor and cognitive impairments after acquired brain injury, as occurs in stroke and...Other investigators have proposed a closed-loop approach for a cognitive prosthesis that has shown promise in animal models (40). Other potential

RS 25 Hot Fire test

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-08-18

The 7.5-minute test conducted at NASA’s Stennis Space Center is part of a series of tests designed to put the upgraded former space shuttle engines through the rigorous temperature and pressure conditions they will experience during a launch. The tests also support the development of a new controller, or “brain,” for the engine, which monitors engine status and communicates between the rocket and the engine, relaying commands to the engine and transmitting data back to the rocket.

RS-25 Hot Fire test

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-08-18

The 7.5-minute test conducted at NASA’s Stennis Space Center is part of a series of tests designed to put the upgraded former space shuttle engines through the rigorous temperature and pressure conditions they will experience during a launch. The tests also support the development of a new controller, or “brain,” for the engine, which monitors engine status and communicates between the rocket and the engine, relaying commands to the engine and transmitting data back to the rocket.

An Evaluation of an Attitudinal Model to Measure the Potential for Combat Effectiveness of U.S. Air Force Organizations.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

Fight Combat Effectiveness Organizational Assessment Package Morale Combat Effectiveness Model Cohesion Leadership 20. AIISTRACT (COe/Mie do ,eae aide If...of combat readiness. The major psychosocial dimensions which contribute to combat effectiveness of a military unit (morale leadership , cohesion, and...psychosocial dimensions in the combat effectiveness model (morale, leadership , and cohesion) in addition to training, logistics, alienation, and work group

Acute Assessment of Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress After Exposure to a Deployment-Related Explosive Blast.

PubMed

Baker, Monty T; Moring, John C; Hale, Willie J; Mintz, Jim; Young-McCaughan, Stacey; Bryant, Richard A; Broshek, Donna K; Barth, Jeffrey T; Villarreal, Robert; Lancaster, Cynthia L; Malach, Steffany L; Lara-Ruiz, Jose M; Isler, William; Peterson, Alan L

2018-05-18

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are two of the signature injuries in military service members who have been exposed to explosive blasts during deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Acute stress disorder (ASD), which occurs within 2-30 d after trauma exposure, is a more immediate psychological reaction predictive of the later development of PTSD. Most previous studies have evaluated service members after their return from deployment, which is often months or years after the initial blast exposure. The current study is the first large study to collect psychological and neuropsychological data from active duty service members within a few days after blast exposure. Recruitment for blast-injured TBI patients occurred at the Air Force Theater Hospital, 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, Joint Base Balad, Iraq. Patients were referred from across the combat theater and evaluated as part of routine clinical assessment of psychiatric and neuropsychological symptoms after exposure to an explosive blast. Four measures of neuropsychological functioning were used: the Military Acute Concussion Evaluation (MACE); the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS); the Headminder Cognitive Stability Index (CSI); and the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics, Version 4.0 (ANAM4). Three measures of combat exposure and psychological functioning were used: the Combat Experiences Scale (CES); the PTSD Checklist-Military Version (PCL-M); and the Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS). Assessments were completed by a deployed clinical psychologist, clinical social worker, or mental health technician. A total of 894 patients were evaluated. Data from 93 patients were removed from the data set for analysis because they experienced a head injury due to an event that was not an explosive blast (n = 84) or they were only assessed for psychiatric symptoms (n = 9). This resulted in a total of 801 blast-exposed patients for data analysis. Because data were collected in-theater for the initial purpose of clinical evaluation, sample size varied widely between measures, from 565 patients who completed the MACE to 154 who completed the CES. Bivariate correlations revealed that the majority of psychological measures were significantly correlated with each other (ps ≤ 0.01), neuropsychological measures were correlated with each other (ps ≤ 0.05), and psychological and neuropsychological measures were also correlated with each other (ps ≤ 0.05). This paper provides one of the first descriptions of psychological and neuropsychological functioning (and their inter-correlation) within days after blast exposure in a large sample of military personnel. Furthermore, this report describes the methodology used to gather data for the acute assessment of TBI, PTSD, and ASD after exposure to an explosive blast in the combat theater. Future analyses will examine the common and unique symptoms of TBI and PTSD, which will be instrumental in developing new assessment approaches and intervention strategies.

Prospectively assessed clinical outcomes in concussive blast vs nonblast traumatic brain injury among evacuated US military personnel.

PubMed

Mac Donald, Christine L; Johnson, Ann M; Wierzechowski, Linda; Kassner, Elizabeth; Stewart, Theresa; Nelson, Elliot C; Werner, Nicole J; Zonies, David; Oh, John; Fang, Raymond; Brody, David L

2014-08-01

Blast injury has been identified as the signature injury in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. However it remains to be determined whether fundamental differences may exist between blast-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) and TBI due to other mechanisms. To determine similarities and differences between clinical outcomes in US military personnel with blast-related vs. non-blast-related concussive TBI and to identify the specific domains of impairment that best correlate with overall disability. Prospective cohort study involving active duty US Military personnel evacuated from Iraq or Afghanistan to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, in Landstuhl, Germany. Four groups of participants were enrolled from 2010 to 2013: (1) blast plus impact complex TBI (n=53), (2) non-blast related TBI with injury due to other mechanisms (n=29), (3) blast-exposed controls evacuated for other medical reasons (n=27) (4) non-blast-exposed controls evacuated for other medical reasons (n=69). All patients with TBI met Department of Defense criteria for concussive (mild) TBI. The study participants were evaluated 6-12 months after injury at Washington University in St Louis. In total, 255 subjects were enrolled in the study, and 183 participated in follow-up evaluations, 5 of whom were disqualified. In-person clinical examinations included evaluation for overall disability, a standardized neurological exam, headache questionnaires, neuropsychological test battery, combat exposure and alcohol use surveys, and structured interview evaluations for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Global outcomes, headache severity, neuropsychological performance, and surprisingly even PTSD severity and depression were indistinguishable between the two TBI groups, independent of mechanism of injury. Both TBI groups had higher rates of moderate to severe overall disability than the respective control groups: 41/53 (77%) of blast plus impact TBI and 23/29 (79%) of nonblast TBI vs. 16/27 (59%) of blast-exposed controls and 28/69 (41%) of non-blast-exposed controls. In addition, blast-exposed controls had worse headaches and more severe PTSD than non-blast-exposed controls. Self-reported combat exposure intensity was higher in the blast plus impact TBI group than in nonblast TBI group and was higher in blast-exposed controls than in non-blast-exposed controls. However, combat exposure intensity did not correlate with PTSD severity in the TBI groups, but a modest positive correlation was observed in the controls. Overall outcomes were most strongly correlated with depression, headache severity, and number of abnormalities on neuropsychological testing. However a substantial fraction of the variance in overall outcome was not explained by any of the assessed measures. One potential interpretation of these results is that TBI itself, independent of injury mechanism and combat exposure intensity, is a primary driver of adverse outcomes. Many other important factors may be as yet unmeasured, and adverse outcomes following war-time injuries are difficult to fully explain. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01313130.

Semi-Automated Trajectory Analysis of Deep Ballistic Penetrating Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Folio, Les; Solomon, Jeffrey; Biassou, Nadia; Fischer, Tatjana; Dworzak, Jenny; Raymont, Vanessa; Sinaii, Ninet; Wassermann, Eric M.; Grafman, Jordan

2016-01-01

Background Penetrating head injuries (PHIs) are common in combat operations and most have visible wound paths on computed tomography (CT). Objective We assess agreement between an automated trajectory analysis-based assessment of brain injury and manual tracings of encephalomalacia on CT. Methods We analyzed 80 head CTs with ballistic PHI from the Institutional Review Board approved Vietnam head injury registry. Anatomic reports were generated from spatial coordinates of projectile entrance and terminal fragment location. These were compared to manual tracings of the regions of encephalomalacia. Dice’s similarity coefficients, kappa, sensitivities, and specificities were calculated to assess agreement. Times required for case analysis were also compared. Results Results show high specificity of anatomic regions identified on CT with semiautomated anatomical estimates and manual tracings of tissue damage. Radiologist’s and medical students’ anatomic region reports were similar (Kappa 0.8, t-test p < 0.001). Region of probable injury modeling of involved brain structures was sensitive (0.7) and specific (0.9) compared with manually traced structures. Semiautomated analysis was 9-fold faster than manual tracings. Conclusion Our region of probable injury spatial model approximates anatomical regions of encephalomalacia from ballistic PHI with time-saving over manual methods. Results show potential for automated anatomical reporting as an adjunct to current practice of radiologist/neurosurgical review of brain injury by penetrating projectiles. PMID:23707123

Hunger and Satiety Mechanisms and Their Potential Exploitation in the Regulation of Food Intake.

PubMed

Amin, Tehmina; Mercer, Julian G

2016-03-01

Effective strategies to combat recent rises in obesity levels are limited. The accumulation of excess body fat results when energy intake exceeds that expended. Energy balance is controlled by hypothalamic responses, but these can be overridden by hedonic/reward brain systems. This override, combined with unprecedented availability of cheap, energy-dense, palatable foods, may partly explain the increase in overweight and obesity. The complexity of the processes that regulate feeding behaviour has driven the need for further fundamental research. Full4Health is an EU-funded project conceived to advance our understanding of hunger and satiety mechanisms. Food intake has an impact on and is also affected by the gut-brain signalling which controls hunger and appetite. This review describes selected recent research from Full4Health and how new mechanistic findings could be exploited to adapt and control our physiological responses to food, potentially providing an alternative solution to addressing the global problems related to positive energy balance.

Resilience and Traumatic Brain Injury Among Iraq/Afghanistan War Veterans: Differential Patterns of Adjustment and Quality of Life.

PubMed

Elliott, Timothy R; Hsiao, Yu-Yu; Kimbrel, Nathan A; Meyer, Eric; DeBeer, Bryann B; Gulliver, Suzy Bird; Kwok, Oi-Man; Morissette, Sandra B

2017-09-01

We examined the degree to which a resilient personality prototype predicted adjustment among war Veterans with and without a traumatic brain injury (TBI) while covarying the level of combat exposure. A total of 127 war Veterans (107 men, 20 women; average age = 37 years) participated. Personality prototypes were derived from the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (Patrick, Curtain, & Tellegen, 2002). Measures were administered at baseline, and a subset was administered at 4- and 8-month follow-ups. Veterans with resilient personalities reported less sleep disturbance, more health-promoting behaviors, psychological flexibility, and emotional distress tolerance than Veterans with undercontrolled or overcontrolled prototypes. Path models revealed that resilience significantly predicted posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, quality of life, and social support over time. TBI had unique and consistent effects only on PTSD. Personality characteristics influence distress and quality of life among war Veterans with and without TBI. Implications for assessment, interventions, and research are discussed. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Traumatic Brain Injury Incidence, Clinical Overview, and Policies in the US Military Health System Since 2000

PubMed Central

Isaacson, Brad M.; Cyborski, Cherina M.; French, Louis M.; Tsao, Jack W.; Pasquina, Paul F.

2017-01-01

Exposure to explosive armaments during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom contributed to approximately 14% of the 352 612 traumatic brain injury (TBI) diagnoses in the US military between 2000 and 2016. The US Department of Defense issued guidelines in 2009 to (1) standardize TBI diagnostic criteria; (2) classify TBI according to mechanism and severity; (3) categorize TBI symptoms as somatic, psychological, or cognitive; and (4) systematize types of care given during the acute and rehabilitation stages of TBI treatment. Polytrauma and associated psychological and neurologic conditions may create barriers to optimal rehabilitation from TBI. Given the completion of recent combat operations and the transition of TBI patients into long-term care within the US Department of Veterans Affairs system, a review of the literature concerning TBI is timely. Long-term follow-up care for patients who have sustained TBI will remain a critical issue for the US military. PMID:28135424

Mild traumatic brain injury literature review and proposed changes to classification.

PubMed

Krainin, Benjamin M; Forsten, Robert D; Kotwal, Russ S; Lutz, Robert H; Guskiewicz, Kevin M

2011-01-01

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) reportedly occurs in 8-22% of U.S. servicemembers who conduct combat operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. The current definition for mTBI found in the medical literature, to include the Department of Defense (DoD) and Veterans Administration (VA) clinical practice guidelines is limited by the parameters of loss of consciousness, altered consciousness, or post-traumatic amnesia, and does not account for other constellations of potential symptoms. Although mTBI symptoms typically resolve within seven days, some servicemembers experience symptoms that continue for weeks, months, or years following an injury. Mild TBI is one of few disorders in medicine where a benign and misleading diagnostic classification is bestowed on patients at the time of injury, yet still can be associated with lifelong complications. This article comprehensively reviews the clinical literature over the past 20 years and proposes a new classification for TBI that addresses acute, sub-acute, and chronic phases, and includes neurocognitive, somatic, and psychological symptom presentation. 2011.

Effect of N′-nitrosodimethylamine on red blood cell rheology and proteomic profiles of brain in male albino rats

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Areeba; Fatima, Ravish; Maheshwari, Veena; Ahmad, Riaz

2011-01-01

We investigated the effects of N'-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) induced toxicity on red blood cell rheology in male rats and identified bands in proteomic profiles of brain which can be used as novel markers. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) profiles exhibited constitutive as well as induced expression of the polypeptides. Remarkably, the molecular weight range of the polypeptides (8–150 kDa) corresponded to that of the family of heat shock proteins. Our results revealed significant changes in blood parameters and showed the presence of acanthocytes, tear drop cells, spicules and cobot rings in the treated categories. Lactate dehydrogenase and esterase zymograms displayed a shift to anaerobic metabolism generating hypoxia-like conditions. This study strongly suggests that NDMA treatment causes acute toxicity leading to cell membrane destruction and alters protein profiles in rats. It is therefore recommended that caution should be exercised in using NDMA to avoid risks, and if at all necessary strategies should be designed to combat such conditions. PMID:22058653

Military and VA telemedicine systems for patients with traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Girard, Philip

2007-01-01

Telemedicine plays a critical role within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Veterans Health Administration by allowing the surveillance and care of patients who are isolated by geography, poverty, and disability. In military settings, telemedicine is being widely used to identify injury and illness and aid in the treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery of combat-wounded soldiers in theater. Rapid advances in both domains are transforming the way clinicians provide care, education, and support to patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) and their families. This article discusses the military and VA telemedicine capabilities that are supporting the care of service members and veterans with TBI. These capabilities include new technologies that enhance the identification of TBI, management of symptoms in theater, and application of proven technologies (interactive video, Internet, and World Wide Web) to improve overall care coordination throughout military and VA systems. The impact of distance learning, teleconsultation, telerehabilitation, and home telehealth programs is also described within this context.

Effects of psychological and biomechanical trauma on brain and behavior

PubMed Central

McAllister, Thomas W.; Stein, Murray B.

2011-01-01

The current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a large cohort of military personnel exposed to combat-related psychological trauma as well as biomechanical trauma, including proximity to blast events. Historically, the long-term effects of both types of trauma have been viewed as having different neural substrates, with some controversy over the proper attribution of such symptoms evident after each of the major conflicts of the last century. Recently, great effort has been directed toward distinguishing which neuropsychiatric sequelae are due to which type of trauma. Of interest, however, is that the chronic effects of exposure to either process are associated with a significant overlap in clinical symptoms. Furthermore, similar brain regions are vulnerable to the effects of either psychological or biomechanical trauma, raising the possibility that shared mechanisms may underlie the clinically observed overlap in symptom profile. This paper reviews the literature on the neural substrate of biomechanical and psychological injury and discusses the implications for evaluation and treatment of the neuropsychiatric sequelae of these processes. PMID:20955325

Impact of Cumulative Combat Stress on Learning in an Academic Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shea, Kevin Peter; Fishback, Sarah Jane

2012-01-01

The stress of multiple combat tours has created a combat-tested but combat-weary Army. While most soldiers have coped successfully with combat stress, many return home with problems that include posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, aggressive behavior, insomnia, and reduced memory and concentration skills. Education is…

Why Does Military Combat Experience Adversely Affect Marital Relations?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gimbel, Cynthia; Booth, Alan

1994-01-01

Describes investigation of ways in which combat decreases marital quality and stability. Results support three models: (1) factors propelling men into combat also make them poor marriage material; (2) combat causes problems that increase marital adversity; and (3) combat intensifies premilitary stress and antisocial behavior which then negatively…

Analysis of a combat problem - The turret game

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ardema, M.; Heymann, M.; Rajan, N.

1987-01-01

The turret game is defined and solved to illustrate the nature of games of combat. This game represents a highly simplified version of air combat, yet it is sufficiently complex so as to exhibit a rich variety of combat phenomena. A review of the formulation of delta-combat games is included.

Male veterans with PTSD exhibit aberrant neural dynamics during working memory processing: an MEG study

PubMed Central

McDermott, Timothy J.; Badura-Brack, Amy S.; Becker, Katherine M.; Ryan, Tara J.; Khanna, Maya M.; Heinrichs-Graham, Elizabeth; Wilson, Tony W.

2016-01-01

Background Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with executive functioning deficits, including disruptions in working memory. In this study, we examined the neural dynamics of working memory processing in veterans with PTSD and a matched healthy control sample using magnetoencephalography (MEG). Methods Our sample of recent combat veterans with PTSD and demographically matched participants without PTSD completed a working memory task during a 306-sensor MEG recording. The MEG data were preprocessed and transformed into the time-frequency domain. Significant oscillatory brain responses were imaged using a beamforming approach to identify spatiotemporal dynamics. Results Fifty-one men were included in our analyses: 27 combat veterans with PTSD and 24 controls. Across all participants, a dynamic wave of neural activity spread from posterior visual cortices to left frontotemporal regions during encoding, consistent with a verbal working memory task, and was sustained throughout maintenance. Differences related to PTSD emerged during early encoding, with patients exhibiting stronger α oscillatory responses than controls in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG). Differences spread to the right supramarginal and temporal cortices during later encoding where, along with the right IFG, they persisted throughout the maintenance period. Limitations This study focused on men with combat-related PTSD using a verbal working memory task. Future studies should evaluate women and the impact of various traumatic experiences using diverse tasks. Conclusion Posttraumatic stress disorder is associated with neurophysiological abnormalities during working memory encoding and maintenance. Veterans with PTSD engaged a bilateral network, including the inferior prefrontal cortices and supramarginal gyri. Right hemispheric neural activity likely reflects compensatory processing, as veterans with PTSD work to maintain accurate performance despite known cognitive deficits associated with the disorder. PMID:26645740

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in U.S. Military Primary Care: Trajectories and Predictors of One-Year Prognosis.

PubMed

Bray, Robert M; Engel, Charles C; Williams, Jason; Jaycox, Lisa H; Lane, Marian E; Morgan, Jessica K; Unützer, Jürgen

2016-08-01

We examined the longitudinal course of primary care patients in the active duty Army with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and identified prognostic indicators of PTSD severity. Data were drawn from a 6-site randomized trial of collaborative primary care for PTSD and dpression in the military. Subjects were 474 soldiers with PTSD (scores ≥ 50 on the PTSD Checklist -Civilian Version). Four assessments were completed at U.S. Army installations: baseline, and follow-ups at 3 months (92.8% response rate [RR]), 6 months (90.1% RR), and 12 months (87.1% RR). Combat exposure and 7 validated indicators of baseline clinical status (alcohol misuse, depression, pain, somatic symptoms, low mental health functioning, low physical health functioning, mild traumatic brain injury) were used to predict PTSD symptom severity on the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale (Cronbach's α = .87, .92, .95, .95, at assessments 1-4, respectively). Growth mixture modeling identified 2 PTSD symptom trajectories: subjects reporting persistent symptoms (Persisters, 81.9%, n = 388), and subjects reporting improved symptoms (Improvers 18.1%, n = 86). Logistic regression modeling examined baseline predictors of symptom trajectories, adjusting for demographics, installation, and treatment condition. Subjects who reported moderate combat exposure, adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.44, 95% CI [0.20, 0.98], or who reported high exposure, OR = 0.39, 95% CI [0.17, 0.87], were less likely to be Improvers. Other baseline clinical problems were not related to symptom trajectories. Findings suggested that most military primary care patients with PTSD experience persistent symptoms, highlighting the importance of improving the effectiveness of their care. Most indicators of clinical status offered little prognostic information beyond the brief assessment of combat exposure. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Died of wounds on the battlefield: causation and implications for improving combat casualty care.

PubMed

Eastridge, Brian J; Hardin, Mark; Cantrell, Joyce; Oetjen-Gerdes, Lynne; Zubko, Tamara; Mallak, Craig; Wade, Charles E; Simmons, John; Mace, James; Mabry, Robert; Bolenbaucher, Rose; Blackbourne, Lorne H

2011-07-01

Understanding the epidemiology of death after battlefield injury is vital to combat casualty care performance improvement. The current analysis was undertaken to develop a comprehensive perspective of deaths that occurred after casualties reached a medical treatment facility. Battle injury died of wounds (DOW) deaths that occurred after casualties reached a medical treatment facility from October 2001 to June 2009 were evaluated by reviewing autopsy and other postmortem records at the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiners (OAFME). A panel of military trauma experts classified the injuries as nonsurvivable (NS) or potentially survivable (PS), in consultation with an OAFME forensic pathologist. Data including demographics, mechanism of injury, physiologic and laboratory variables, and cause of death were obtained from the Joint Theater Trauma Registry and the OAFME Mortality Trauma Registry. DOW casualties (n = 558) accounted for 4.56% of the nonreturn to duty battle injuries over the study period. DOW casualties were classified as NS in 271 (48.6%) cases and PS in 287 (51.4%) cases. Traumatic brain injury was the predominant injury leading to death in 225 of 271 (83%) NS cases, whereas hemorrhage from major trauma was the predominant mechanism of death in 230 of 287 (80%) PS cases. In the hemorrhage mechanism PS cases, the major body region bleeding focus accounting for mortality were torso (48%), extremity (31%), and junctional (neck, axilla, and groin) (21%). Fifty-one percent of DOW casualties presented in extremis with cardiopulmonary resuscitation upon presentation. Hemorrhage is a major mechanism of death in PS combat injuries, underscoring the necessity for initiatives to mitigate bleeding, particularly in the prehospital environment.

Changes in the Social Responsibility Attitudes of Engineering Students Over Time.

PubMed

Bielefeldt, Angela R; Canney, Nathan E

2016-10-01

This research explored how engineering student views of their responsibility toward helping individuals and society through their profession, so-called social responsibility, change over time. A survey instrument was administered to students initially primarily in their first year, senior year, or graduate studies majoring in mechanical, civil, or environmental engineering at five institutions in September 2012, April 2013, and March 2014. The majority of the students (57 %) did not change significantly in their social responsibility attitudes, but 23 % decreased and 20 % increased. The students who increased, decreased, or remained the same in their social responsibility attitudes over time did not differ significantly in terms of gender, academic rank, or major. Some differences were found between institutions. Students who decreased in social responsibility initially possessed more positive social responsibility attitudes, were less likely to indicate that college courses impacted their views of social responsibility, and were more likely to have decreased in the frequency that they participated in volunteer activities, compared to students who did not change or increased their social responsibility. Although the large percentage of engineering students who decreased their social responsibility during college was disappointing, it is encouraging that courses and participation in volunteer activities may combat this trend.

Abductive networks applied to electronic combat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montgomery, Gerard J.; Hess, Paul; Hwang, Jong S.

1990-08-01

A practical approach to dealing with combinatorial decision problems and uncertainties associated with electronic combat through the use of networks of high-level functional elements called abductive networks is presented. It describes the application of the Abductory Induction Mechanism (AIMTM) a supervised inductive learning tool for synthesizing polynomial abductive networks to the electronic combat problem domain. From databases of historical expert-generated or simulated combat engagements AIM can often induce compact and robust network models for making effective real-time electronic combat decisions despite significant uncertainties or a combinatorial explosion of possible situations. The feasibility of applying abductive networks to realize advanced combat decision aiding capabilities was demonstrated by applying AIM to a set of electronic combat simulations. The networks synthesized by AIM generated accurate assessments of the intent lethality and overall risk associated with a variety of simulated threats and produced reasonable estimates of the expected effectiveness of a group of electronic countermeasures for a large number of simulated combat scenarios. This paper presents the application of abductive networks to electronic combat summarizes the results of experiments performed using AIM discusses the benefits and limitations of applying abductive networks to electronic combat and indicates why abductive networks can often result in capabilities not attainable using alternative approaches. 1. ELECTRONIC COMBAT. UNCERTAINTY. AND MACHINE LEARNING Electronic combat has become an essential part of the ability to make war and has become increasingly complex since

A formulation and analysis of combat games

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heymann, M.; Ardema, M. D.; Rajan, N.

1985-01-01

Combat is formulated as a dynamical encounter between two opponents, each of whom has offensive capabilities and objectives. With each opponent is associated a target in the event space in which he endeavors to terminate the combat, thereby winning. If the combat terminates in both target sets simultaneously or in neither, a joint capture or a draw, respectively, is said to occur. Resolution of the encounter is formulated as a combat game; namely, as a pair of competing event-constrained differential games. If exactly one of the players can win, the optimal strategies are determined from a resulting constrained zero-sum differential game. Otherwise the optimal strategies are computed from a resulting non-zero-sum game. Since optimal combat strategies frequencies may not exist, approximate of delta-combat games are also formulated leading to approximate or delta-optimal strategies. To illustrate combat games, an example, called the turret game, is considered. This game may be thought of as a highly simplified model of air combat, yet it is sufficiently complex to exhibit a rich variety of combat behavior, much of which is not found in pursuit-evasion games.

Engineered LINE-1 retrotransposition in nondividing human neurons

PubMed Central

Macia, Angela; Widmann, Thomas J.; Heras, Sara R.; Ayllon, Veronica; Sanchez, Laura; Benkaddour-Boumzaouad, Meriem; Muñoz-Lopez, Martin; Rubio, Alejandro; Amador-Cubero, Suyapa; Blanco-Jimenez, Eva; Garcia-Castro, Javier; Menendez, Pablo; Ng, Philip; Muotri, Alysson R.; Goodier, John L.; Garcia-Perez, Jose L.

2017-01-01

Half the human genome is made of transposable elements (TEs), whose ongoing activity continues to impact our genome. LINE-1 (or L1) is an autonomous non-LTR retrotransposon in the human genome, comprising 17% of its genomic mass and containing an average of 80–100 active L1s per average genome that provide a source of inter-individual variation. New LINE-1 insertions are thought to accumulate mostly during human embryogenesis. Surprisingly, the activity of L1s can further impact the somatic human brain genome. However, it is currently unknown whether L1 can retrotranspose in other somatic healthy tissues or if L1 mobilization is restricted to neuronal precursor cells (NPCs) in the human brain. Here, we took advantage of an engineered L1 retrotransposition assay to analyze L1 mobilization rates in human mesenchymal (MSCs) and hematopoietic (HSCs) somatic stem cells. Notably, we have observed that L1 expression and engineered retrotransposition is much lower in both MSCs and HSCs when compared to NPCs. Remarkably, we have further demonstrated for the first time that engineered L1s can retrotranspose efficiently in mature nondividing neuronal cells. Thus, these findings suggest that the degree of somatic mosaicism and the impact of L1 retrotransposition in the human brain is likely much higher than previously thought. PMID:27965292

Reliability and validity of a combat exposure index for Vietnam era veterans.

PubMed

Janes, G R; Goldberg, J; Eisen, S A; True, W R

1991-01-01

The reliability and validity of a self-report measure of combat exposure are examined in a cohort of male-male twin pairs who served in the military during the Vietnam era. Test-retest reliability for a five-level ordinal index of combat exposure is assessed by use of 192 duplicate sets of responses. The chance-corrected proportion in agreement (as measured by the kappa coefficient) is .84. As a measure of criterion-related validity, the combat index is correlated with the award of combat-related military medals ascertained from the military records. The probability of receiving a Purple Heart, Bronze Star, Commendation Medal and Combat Infantry Badge is associated strongly with the combat exposure index. These results show that this simple index is a reliable and valid measure of combat exposure.

BDNF Polymorphism Predicts General Intelligence after Penetrating Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Rostami, Elham; Krueger, Frank; Zoubak, Serguei; Dal Monte, Olga; Raymont, Vanessa; Pardini, Matteo; Hodgkinson, Colin A.; Goldman, David; Risling, Mårten; Grafman, Jordan

2011-01-01

Neuronal plasticity is a fundamental factor in cognitive outcome following traumatic brain injury. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family, plays an important role in this process. While there are many ways to measure cognitive outcome, general cognitive intelligence is a strong predictor of everyday decision-making, occupational attainment, social mobility and job performance. Thus it is an excellent measure of cognitive outcome following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although the importance of the single-nucleotide polymorphisms polymorphism on cognitive function has been previously addressed, its role in recovery of general intelligence following TBI is unknown. We genotyped male Caucasian Vietnam combat veterans with focal penetrating TBI (pTBI) (n = 109) and non-head injured controls (n = 38) for 7 BDNF single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Subjects were administrated the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT) at three different time periods: pre-injury on induction into the military, Phase II (10–15 years post-injury, and Phase III (30–35 years post-injury). Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms, rs7124442 and rs1519480, were significantly associated with post-injury recovery of general cognitive intelligence with the most pronounced effect at the Phase II time point, indicating lesion-induced plasticity. The genotypes accounted for 5% of the variance of the AFQT scores, independently of other significant predictors such as pre-injury intelligence and percentage of brain volume loss. These data indicate that genetic variations in BDNF play a significant role in lesion-induced recovery following pTBI. Identifying the underlying mechanism of this brain-derived neurotrophic factor effect could provide insight into an important aspect of post-traumatic cognitive recovery. PMID:22087305

Modulation of Experimental Herpes Encephalitis-Associated Neurotoxicity through Sulforaphane Treatment

PubMed Central

Schachtele, Scott J.; Hu, Shuxian; Lokensgard, James R.

2012-01-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by brain-infiltrating macrophages and neutrophils, as well as resident microglia, are pivotal to pathogen clearance during viral brain infection. However, unchecked free radical generation is also responsible for damage to and cytotoxicity of critical host tissue bystander to primary infection. These unwanted effects of excessive ROS are combated by local cellular production of antioxidant enzymes, including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and glutathione peroxidase 1 (Gpx1). In this study, we showed that experimental murine herpes encephalitis triggered robust ROS production, as well as an opposing upregulation of the antioxidants HO-1 and Gpx1. This antioxidant response was insufficient to prevent tissue damage, neurotoxicity, and mortality associated with viral brain infection. Previous studies corroborate our data supporting astrocytes as the major antioxidant producer in brain cell cultures exposed to HSV-1 stimulated microglia. We hypothesized that stimulating opposing antioxidative responses in astrocytes, as well as neurons, would mitigate the effects of ROS-mediated neurotoxicity both in vitro and during viral brain infection in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that the addition of sulforaphane, a potent stimulator of antioxidant responses, enhanced HO-1 and Gpx1 expression in astrocytes through the activation of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Additionally, sulforaphane treatment was found to be effective in reducing neurotoxicity associated with HSV-stimulated microglial ROS production. Finally, intraperitoneal injections of sulforaphane into mice during active HSV infection reduced neuroinflammation via a decrease in brain-infiltrating leukocytes, macrophage- and neutrophil-produced ROS, and MHCII-positive, activated microglia. These data support a key role for astrocyte-produced antioxidants in modulating oxidative stress and neuronal damage in response to viral infection. PMID:22558388

Increased Small-World Network Topology Following Deployment-Acquired Traumatic Brain Injury Associated with the Development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

PubMed

Rowland, Jared A; Stapleton-Kotloski, Jennifer R; Dobbins, Dorothy L; Rogers, Emily; Godwin, Dwayne W; Taber, Katherine H

2018-05-01

Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies in active duty and veteran cohorts have both demonstrated that deployment-acquired traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an independent risk factor for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), beyond confounds such as combat exposure, physical injury, predeployment TBI, and pre-deployment psychiatric symptoms. This study investigated how resting-state brain networks differ between individuals who developed PTSD and those who did not following deployment-acquired TBI. Participants included postdeployment veterans with deployment-acquired TBI history both with and without current PTSD diagnosis. Graph metrics, including small-worldness, clustering coefficient, and modularity, were calculated from individually constructed whole-brain networks based on 5-min eyes-open resting-state magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings. Analyses were adjusted for age and premorbid IQ. Results demonstrated that participants with current PTSD displayed higher levels of small-worldness, F(1,12) = 5.364, p < 0.039, partial eta squared = 0.309, and Cohen's d = 0.972, and clustering coefficient, F(1, 12) = 12.204, p < 0.004, partial eta squared = 0.504, and Cohen's d = 0.905, than participants without current PTSD. There were no between-group differences in modularity or the number of modules present. These findings are consistent with a hyperconnectivity hypothesis of the effect of TBI history on functional networks rather than a disconnection hypothesis, demonstrating increased levels of clustering coefficient rather than a decrease as might be expected; however, these results do not account for potential changes in brain structure. These results demonstrate the potential pathological sequelae of changes in functional brain networks following deployment-acquired TBI and represent potential neurobiological changes associated with deployment-acquired TBI that may increase the risk of subsequently developing PTSD.

Aviator's night vision system (ANVIS) in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF): user acceptability survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiatt, Keith L.; Trollman, Christopher J.; Rash, Clarence E.

2010-04-01

In 1973, the U.S. Army adopted night vision devices for use in the aviation environment. These devices are based on the principle of image intensification (I2) and have become the mainstay for the aviator's capability to operate during periods of low illumination, i.e., at night. In the nearly four decades that have followed, a number of engineering advancements have significantly improved the performance of these devices. The current version, using 3rd generation I2 technology is known as the Aviator's Night Vision Imaging System (ANVIS). While considerable experience with performance has been gained during training and peacetime operations, no previous studies have looked at user acceptability and performance issues in a combat environment. This study was designed to compare Army Aircrew experiences in a combat environment to currently available information in the published literature (all peacetime laboratory and field training studies) and to determine if the latter is valid. The purpose of this study was to identify and assess aircrew satisfaction with the ANVIS and any visual performance issues or problems relating to its use in Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). The study consisted of an anonymous survey (based on previous validated surveys used in the laboratory and training environments) of 86 Aircrew members (64% Rated and 36% Non-rated) of an Aviation Task Force approximately 6 months into their OEF deployment. This group represents an aggregate of >94,000 flight hours of which ~22,000 are ANVIS and ~16,000 during this deployment. Overall user acceptability of ANVIS in a combat environment will be discussed.

The Contribution of Art Therapy to the Dissociative Disorders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Patricia S.

1994-01-01

Explored concepts of brain hemispheric lateralization and distinct right brain functioning in extensive dissociation by administering Dissociative Experiences Scale to 114 engineering students and 92 university drawing students. Chi-square calculation found differences in dissociative scoring levels between groups that approached significance at…

A formulation and analysis of combat games

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heymann, M.; Ardema, M. D.; Rajan, N.

1984-01-01

Combat which is formulated as a dynamical encounter between two opponents, each of whom has offensive capabilities and objectives is outlined. A target set is associated with each opponent in the event space in which he endeavors to terminate the combat, thereby winning. If the combat terminates in both target sets simultaneously, or in neither, a joint capture or a draw, respectively, occurs. Resolution of the encounter is formulated as a combat game; as a pair of competing event constrained differential games. If exactly one of the players can win, the optimal strategies are determined from a resulting constrained zero sum differential game. Otherwise the optimal strategies are computed from a resulting nonzero sum game. Since optimal combat strategies may frequently not exist, approximate or delta combat games are also formulated leading to approximate or delta optimal strategies. The turret game is used to illustrate combat games. This game is sufficiently complex to exhibit a rich variety of combat behavior, much of which is not found in pursuit evasion games.

Rapid Network Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

control GCE ground combat element LCE logistics combat element MAGTF Marine Air Ground Task Force MWCS Marine Wing Communications Squadron NPS Naval...elements: command element (CE), ground combat el- ement ( GCE ), aviation combat element (ACE), and logistics combat element (LCE). Each ele- ment...This layer provides unimpeded high-speed connectivity between remote sites and the Internet. Limited security policies are applied at this level to

Training users to counteract phishing.

PubMed

Mayhorn, Christopher B; Nyeste, Patrick G

2012-01-01

Phishing is an increasingly more prevalent form of online, social engineered scams that escalate costs and risks to society year to year. This study demonstrates an association between anti-phishing training techniques used in previous research and individual differences which could affect phishing susceptibility. Results indicated that anti-phishing training in both a simple comic and more complex video game form is helpful in decreasing phishing susceptibility as measured by Miss rates for all individuals including college aged and computer savvy participants. Based on the results of the present study, implications for future efforts to combat phishing are discussed.

Cancer cell motility: lessons from migration in confined spaces

PubMed Central

Paul, Colin D.; Mistriotis, Panagiotis; Konstantopoulos, Konstantinos

2017-01-01

Time-lapse, deep-tissue imaging made possible by advances in intravital microscopy has demonstrated the importance of tumour cell migration through confining tracks in vivo. These tracks may either be endogenous features of tissues or be created by tumour or tumour-associated cells. Importantly, migration mechanisms through confining microenvironments are not predicted by 2D migration assays. Engineered in vitro models have been used to delineate the mechanisms of cell motility through confining spaces encountered in vivo. Understanding cancer cell locomotion through physiologically relevant confining tracks could be useful in developing therapeutic strategies to combat metastasis. PMID:27909339

Performance estimates of a Boeing 747-100 transport mated with an outsize cargo pod

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jernell, L. S.

1980-01-01

The design mission performance of a Boeing 747-100 aircraft mated with an outsize cargo pod was studied. The basic design requirement was the rapid deployment of a combat loaded mobile bridge launcher from a United States east coast staging base to Europe. Weight was minimized by stripping the aircraft of unneeded, quick removal items and by utilizing graphite-epoxy composite materials for most pod components. The mission analysis was based on wind tunnel data and full scale carrier aircraft and engine data. The results are presented in tabular and graphic form.

Aeromechanics and man-machine integration technology opportunities for rotorcraft of the 1990s and beyond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerr, Andrew W.

1989-01-01

Programs related to rotorcraft aeromechanics and man-machine integration are discussed which will support advanced army rotorcraft design. In aeromechanics, recent advances in computational fluid dynamics will be used to characterize the complex unsteady flowfields of rotorcraft, and a second-generation comprehensive helicopter analysis system will be used along with models of aerodynamics, engines, and control systems to study the structural dynamics of rotor/body configurations. The man-machine integration program includes the development of advanced cockpit design technology and the evaluation of cockpit and mission equipment concepts in a real-time full-combat environment.

Racial Harmony, Leadership, and Unit Effectiveness in Combat Units: An Exploratory Assessment of Causal Relationships

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-15

located in the continental United States, with 30 units selected from each of the two divisions. The particular units to be sampled at each division were...Divada 3 2 Air Cavalry 1 - Cavalry - 2 Engineering 4 2 Total 30 30 Survey data were obtained from 3,196 enlisted soldiers, ranks EI-E4, 83 first...74 .68 .82 .73 U_POT .68 .40 .87 .67 .39 .08 U_REBV .73 .36 .61 .13 .59 .15 U LAWB .65 . 30 .82 .45 .67 .22 U.FIGHT .71 .23 .87 .38 .90 .52 UCLOSE

Finite element simulations of the head-brain responses to the top impacts of a construction helmet: Effects of the neck and body mass.

PubMed

Wu, John Z; Pan, Christopher S; Wimer, Bryan M; Rosen, Charles L

2017-01-01

Traumatic brain injuries are among the most common severely disabling injuries in the United States. Construction helmets are considered essential personal protective equipment for reducing traumatic brain injury risks at work sites. In this study, we proposed a practical finite element modeling approach that would be suitable for engineers to optimize construction helmet design. The finite element model includes all essential anatomical structures of a human head (i.e. skin, scalp, skull, cerebrospinal fluid, brain, medulla, spinal cord, cervical vertebrae, and discs) and all major engineering components of a construction helmet (i.e. shell and suspension system). The head finite element model has been calibrated using the experimental data in the literature. It is technically difficult to precisely account for the effects of the neck and body mass on the dynamic responses, because the finite element model does not include the entire human body. An approximation approach has been developed to account for the effects of the neck and body mass on the dynamic responses of the head-brain. Using the proposed model, we have calculated the responses of the head-brain during a top impact when wearing a construction helmet. The proposed modeling approach would provide a tool to improve the helmet design on a biomechanical basis.

A computational model of the human visual cortex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albus, James S.

2008-04-01

The brain is first and foremost a control system that is capable of building an internal representation of the external world, and using this representation to make decisions, set goals and priorities, formulate plans, and control behavior with intent to achieve its goals. The computational model proposed here assumes that this internal representation resides in arrays of cortical columns. More specifically, it models each cortical hypercolumn together with its underlying thalamic nuclei as a Fundamental Computational Unit (FCU) consisting of a frame-like data structure (containing attributes and pointers) plus the computational processes and mechanisms required to maintain it. In sensory-processing areas of the brain, FCUs enable segmentation, grouping, and classification. Pointers stored in FCU frames link pixels and signals to objects and events in situations and episodes that are overlaid with meaning and emotional values. In behavior-generating areas of the brain, FCUs make decisions, set goals and priorities, generate plans, and control behavior. Pointers are used to define rules, grammars, procedures, plans, and behaviors. It is suggested that it may be possible to reverse engineer the human brain at the FCU level of fidelity using nextgeneration massively parallel computer hardware and software. Key Words: computational modeling, human cortex, brain modeling, reverse engineering the brain, image processing, perception, segmentation, knowledge representation

Delivery of Biologics Across the Blood-Brain Barrier with Molecular Trojan Horse Technology.

PubMed

Pardridge, William M

2017-12-01

Biologics are potential new therapeutics for many diseases of the central nervous system. Biologics include recombinant lysosomal enzymes, neurotrophins, decoy receptors, and therapeutic antibodies. These are large molecule drugs that do not cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). All classes of biologics have been tested, without success, in clinical trials of brain disease over the last 25 years. In none of these past clinical trials was the biologic re-engineered to enable transport across the BBB. If the biologic does not cross the BBB, the drug cannot reach the target site in brain, and success in a clinical trial is not expected. Biologics can be re-engineered for BBB transport with the use of molecular Trojan horse technology. A BBB molecular Trojan horse is a monoclonal antibody (MAb) against an endogenous BBB receptor transporter, such as the insulin receptor or transferrin receptor. The receptor-specific MAb penetrates the brain via transport on the endogenous BBB receptor. The MAb acts as a molecular Trojan horse to deliver across the BBB the biologic pharmaceutical that is genetically fused to the MAb. The lead Trojan horse is a MAb against the human insulin receptor (HIR), and HIRMAb-derived fusion proteins have entered clinical trials for the treatment of brain disease.

Coping with brain damage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waring, W.

1974-01-01

Two neurological disorders, cerebral palsy, and traumatic brain damage as from an accident, are considered. The discussion covers the incidence of disabilities, their characteristics, and what is now being done to deal with them, particularly in reference to areas in which the capabilities of the engineer can be effectively applied.

Scaffold-based Anti-infection Strategies in Bone Repair

PubMed Central

Johnson, Christopher T.; García, Andrés J.

2014-01-01

Bone fractures and non-union defects often require surgical intervention where biomaterials are used to correct the defect, and approximately 10% of these procedures are compromised by bacterial infection. Currently, treatment options are limited to sustained, high doses of antibiotics and surgical debridement of affected tissue, leaving a significant, unmet need for the development of therapies to combat device-associated biofilm and infections. Engineering implants to prevent infection is a desirable material characteristic. Tissue engineered scaffolds for bone repair provide a means to both regenerate bone and serve as a base for adding antimicrobial agents. Incorporating anti-infection properties into regenerative medicine therapies could improve clinical outcomes and reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with biomaterial implant-associated infections. This review focuses on current animal models and technologies available to assess bone repair in the context of infection, antimicrobial agents to fight infection, the current state of antimicrobial scaffolds, and future directions in the field. PMID:25476163

JANNAF 25th Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee, 37th Combustion Subcommittee and 1st Modeling and Simulation Subcommittee Joint Meeting. Volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fry, Ronald S.; Becker, Dorothy L.

2000-01-01

Volume I, the first of three volumes, is a compilation of 24 unclassified/unlimited-distribution technical papers presented at the Joint Army-Navy-NASA-Air Force (JANNAF) 25th Airbreathing Propulsion Subcommittee, 37th Combustion Subcommittee and 1st Modeling and Simulation Subcommittee (MSS) meeting held jointly with the 19th Propulsion Systems Hazards Subcommittee. The meeting was held 13-17 November 2000 at the Naval Postgraduate School and Hyatt Regency Hotel, Monterey, California. Topics covered include: a Keynote Address on Future Combat Systems, a review of the new JANNAF Modeling and Simulation Subcommittee, and technical papers on Hyper-X propulsion development and verification; GTX airbreathing launch vehicles; Hypersonic technology development, including program overviews, fuels for advanced propulsion, ramjet and scramjet research, hypersonic test medium effects; and RBCC engine design and performance, and PDE and UCAV advanced and combined cycle engine technologies.

Fighting malaria with engineered symbiotic bacteria from vector mosquitoes.

PubMed

Wang, Sibao; Ghosh, Anil K; Bongio, Nicholas; Stebbings, Kevin A; Lampe, David J; Jacobs-Lorena, Marcelo

2012-07-31

The most vulnerable stages of Plasmodium development occur in the lumen of the mosquito midgut, a compartment shared with symbiotic bacteria. Here, we describe a strategy that uses symbiotic bacteria to deliver antimalaria effector molecules to the midgut lumen, thus rendering host mosquitoes refractory to malaria infection. The Escherichia coli hemolysin A secretion system was used to promote the secretion of a variety of anti-Plasmodium effector proteins by Pantoea agglomerans, a common mosquito symbiotic bacterium. These engineered P. agglomerans strains inhibited development of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei by up to 98%. Significantly, the proportion of mosquitoes carrying parasites (prevalence) decreased by up to 84% for two of the effector molecules, scorpine, a potent antiplasmodial peptide and (EPIP)(4), four copies of Plasmodium enolase-plasminogen interaction peptide that prevents plasminogen binding to the ookinete surface. We demonstrate the use of an engineered symbiotic bacterium to interfere with the development of P. falciparum in the mosquito. These findings provide the foundation for the use of genetically modified symbiotic bacteria as a powerful tool to combat malaria.

Bioengineering approaches to study multidrug resistance in tumor cells

PubMed Central

Fallica, Brian; Makin, Guy

2015-01-01

The ability of cancer cells to become resistant to chemotherapeutic agents is a major challenge for the treatment of malignant tumors. Several strategies have emerged to attempt to inhibit chemoresistance, but the fact remains that resistance is a problem for every effective anticancer drug. The first part of this review will focus on the mechanisms of chemoresistance. It is important to understand the environmental cues, transport limitations and the cellular signaling pathways associated with chemoresistance before we can hope to effectively combat it. The second part of this review focuses on the work that needs to be done moving forward. Specifically, this section focuses on the necessity of translational research and interdisciplinary directives. It is critical that the expertise of oncologists, biologists, and engineers be brought together to attempt to tackle the problem. This discussion is from an engineering perspective, as the dialogue between engineers and other cancer researchers is the most challenging due to non-overlapping background knowledge. Chemoresistance is a complex and devastating process, meaning that we urgently need sophisticated methods to study the process of how cells become resistant. PMID:21387035

Cell-free translational screening of an expression sequence tag library of Clonorchis sinensis for novel antigen discovery.

PubMed

Kasi, Devi; Catherine, Christy; Lee, Seung-Won; Lee, Kyung-Ho; Kim, Yu Jung; Ro Lee, Myeong; Ju, Jung Won; Kim, Dong-Myung

2017-05-01

The rapidly evolving cloning and sequencing technologies have enabled understanding of genomic structure of parasite genomes, opening up new ways of combatting parasite-related diseases. To make the most of the exponentially accumulating genomic data, however, it is crucial to analyze the proteins encoded by these genomic sequences. In this study, we adopted an engineered cell-free protein synthesis system for large-scale expression screening of an expression sequence tag (EST) library of Clonorchis sinensis to identify potential antigens that can be used for diagnosis and treatment of clonorchiasis. To allow high-throughput expression and identification of individual genes comprising the library, a cell-free synthesis reaction was designed such that both the template DNA and the expressed proteins were co-immobilized on the same microbeads, leading to microbead-based linkage of the genotype and phenotype. This reaction configuration allowed streamlined expression, recovery, and analysis of proteins. This approach enabled us to identify 21 antigenic proteins. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 33:832-837, 2017. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Fusion interfaces for tactical environments: An application of virtual reality technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haas, Michael W.

1994-01-01

The term Fusion Interface is defined as a class of interface which integrally incorporates both virtual and nonvirtual concepts and devices across the visual, auditory, and haptic sensory modalities. A fusion interface is a multisensory virtually-augmented synthetic environment. A new facility has been developed within the Human Engineering Division of the Armstrong Laboratory dedicated to exploratory development of fusion interface concepts. This new facility, the Fusion Interfaces for Tactical Environments (FITE) Facility is a specialized flight simulator enabling efficient concept development through rapid prototyping and direct experience of new fusion concepts. The FITE Facility also supports evaluation of fusion concepts by operation fighter pilots in an air combat environment. The facility is utilized by a multidisciplinary design team composed of human factors engineers, electronics engineers, computer scientists, experimental psychologists, and oeprational pilots. The FITE computational architecture is composed of twenty-five 80486-based microcomputers operating in real-time. The microcomputers generate out-the-window visuals, in-cockpit and head-mounted visuals, localized auditory presentations, haptic displays on the stick and rudder pedals, as well as executing weapons models, aerodynamic models, and threat models.

Critical assembly: A technical history of Los Alamos during the Oppenheimer years, 1943--1945

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hoddeson, L.; Henriksen, P.W.; Meade, R.A.

1993-11-01

This volume treats the technical research that led to the first atomic bombs. The authors explore how the ``critical assembly`` of scientists, engineers, and military Personnel at Los Alamos collaborated during World War II, blending their traditions to create a new approach to large-scale research. The research was characterized by strong mission orientation, multidisciplinary teamwork, expansion of the scientists` traditional methodology with engineering techniques, and a trail-and-error methodology responding to wartime deadlines. The book opens with an introduction laying out major themes. After a synopsis of the prehistory of the bomb project, from the discovery of nuclear fission to themore » start of the Manhattan Engineer District, and an overview of the early materials program, the book examines the establishment of the Los Alamos Laboratory, the implosion and gun assembly programs, nuclear physics research, chemistry and metallurgy, explosives, uranium and plutonium development, confirmation of spontaneous fission in pile-produced plutonium, the thermonuclear bomb, critical assemblies, the Trinity test, and delivery of the combat weapons.« less

Teaching ethics to engineers - a research-based perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowden, Peter

2010-10-01

This paper describes research underpinning a course, developed in Australia, on ethics for engineers. The methodology used, that of identifying the principal ethical issues facing the discipline and designing the course around these issues, would be applicable to other disciplines and in other countries. The course was based on the assumption that identifying the major ethical issues in the discipline, and subsequently presenting and analysing them in the classroom, would provide the future professional with knowledge of the ethical problems that they were likely to face on graduation. The student has then to be given the skills and knowledge to combat these concerns, should he/she wish to. These findings feed into several components of the course, such as the development of a code of ethics, the role of a professional society or industry association and the role of ethical theory The sources employed to identify the issues were surveys of the literature and about 30 case studies, in Australia and overseas. The issues thus identified were then put before a sample of engineering managers to assess the relevance to the profession.

Model development, testing and experimentation in a CyberWorkstation for Brain-Machine Interface research.

PubMed

Rattanatamrong, Prapaporn; Matsunaga, Andrea; Raiturkar, Pooja; Mesa, Diego; Zhao, Ming; Mahmoudi, Babak; Digiovanna, Jack; Principe, Jose; Figueiredo, Renato; Sanchez, Justin; Fortes, Jose

2010-01-01

The CyberWorkstation (CW) is an advanced cyber-infrastructure for Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) research. It allows the development, configuration and execution of BMI computational models using high-performance computing resources. The CW's concept is implemented using a software structure in which an "experiment engine" is used to coordinate all software modules needed to capture, communicate and process brain signals and motor-control commands. A generic BMI-model template, which specifies a common interface to the CW's experiment engine, and a common communication protocol enable easy addition, removal or replacement of models without disrupting system operation. This paper reviews the essential components of the CW and shows how templates can facilitate the processes of BMI model development, testing and incorporation into the CW. It also discusses the ongoing work towards making this process infrastructure independent.

Combat veterans: impressions of an analytic observer in a non-analytic setting.

PubMed

Stein, Herbert H

2007-01-01

The hallmark presentation of combat trauma-nightmares, waking hallucinations, intrusive traumatic memories, and extreme affective reactions to environmental triggers-may best be conceptualized as part of an adaptive mechanism intended to protect the individual against a repetition of trauma. Combat veterans continuously must cope with the extreme affects that combat induced. Fear, rage, guilt, and grief predominate. Their mental and emotional life is complicated by a conscience split between war zone and civilian morality and by the special group dynamics of combat. Optimal clinical understanding of combat-related trauma, whether in a psychoanalytic or general mental health setting, requires an awareness of the interaction of the personal dynamics of each individual with the specific characteristics of their combat situation.

Brain in situ hybridization maps as a source for reverse-engineering transcriptional regulatory networks: Alzheimer's disease insights

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Acquaah-Mensah, George K.; Taylor, Ronald C.

Microarray data have been a valuable resource for identifying transcriptional regulatory relationships among genes. As an example, brain region-specific transcriptional regulatory events have the potential of providing etiological insights into Alzheimer Disease (AD). However, there is often a paucity of suitable brain-region specific expression data obtained via microarrays or other high throughput means. The Allen Brain Atlas in situ hybridization (ISH) data sets (Jones et al., 2009) represent a potentially valuable alternative source of high-throughput brain region-specific gene expression data for such purposes. In this study, Allen BrainAtlasmouse ISH data in the hippocampal fields were extracted, focusing on 508 genesmore » relevant to neurodegeneration. Transcriptional regulatory networkswere learned using three high-performing network inference algorithms. Only 17% of regulatory edges from a network reverse-engineered based on brain region-specific ISH data were also found in a network constructed upon gene expression correlations inmousewhole brain microarrays, thus showing the specificity of gene expression within brain sub-regions. Furthermore, the ISH data-based networks were used to identify instructive transcriptional regulatory relationships. Ncor2, Sp3 and Usf2 form a unique three-party regulatory motif, potentially affecting memory formation pathways. Nfe2l1, Egr1 and Usf2 emerge among regulators of genes involved in AD (e.g. Dhcr24, Aplp2, Tia1, Pdrx1, Vdac1, andSyn2). Further, Nfe2l1, Egr1 and Usf2 are sensitive to dietary factors and could be among links between dietary influences and genes in the AD etiology. Thus, this approach of harnessing brain region-specific ISH data represents a rare opportunity for gleaning unique etiological insights for diseases such as AD.« less

Volumetric soft tissue brain imaging on xCAT, a mobile flat-panel x-ray CT system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zbijewski, Wojciech; Stayman, J. Webster

2009-02-01

We discuss the ongoing development of soft-tissue imaging capabilities on xCAT, a highly portable, flat-panel based cone-beam X-ray CT platform. By providing the ability to rapidly detect intra-cranial bleeds and other symptoms of stroke directly at the patient's bedside, our new system can potentially significantly improve the management of neurological emergency and intensive care patients. The paper reports on the design of our system, as well as on the methods used to combat artifacts due to scatter, non-linear detector response and scintillator glare. Images of cadaveric head samples are also presented and compared with conventional CT scans.

Dynamic response due to behind helmet blunt trauma measured with a human head surrogate.

PubMed

Freitas, Christopher J; Mathis, James T; Scott, Nikki; Bigger, Rory P; Mackiewicz, James

2014-01-01

A Human Head Surrogate has been developed for use in behind helmet blunt trauma experiments. This human head surrogate fills the void between Post-Mortem Human Subject testing (with biofidelity but handling restrictions) and commercial ballistic head forms (with no biofidelity but ease of use). This unique human head surrogate is based on refreshed human craniums and surrogate materials representing human head soft tissues such as the skin, dura, and brain. A methodology for refreshing the craniums is developed and verified through material testing. A test methodology utilizing these unique human head surrogates is also developed and then demonstrated in a series of experiments in which non-perforating ballistic impact of combat helmets is performed with and without supplemental ceramic appliques for protecting against larger caliber threats. Sensors embedded in the human head surrogates allow for direct measurement of intracranial pressure, cranial strain, and head and helmet acceleration. Over seventy (70) fully instrumented experiments have been executed using this unique surrogate. Examples of the data collected are presented. Based on these series of tests, the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) Human Head Surrogate has demonstrated great potential for providing insights in to injury mechanics resulting from non-perforating ballistic impact on combat helmets, and directly supports behind helmet blunt trauma studies.