Maintenance Of Clearance Research Articles

Efficacy and Safety of Topical Cantharidin Treatment for Molluscum Contagiosum and Warts: A Systematic Review.

Topical cantharidin is routinely used for the treatment of molluscum contagiosum and warts. The objective of this systematic review is to assess the efficacy and safety of topical cantharidin treatment for molluscum contagiosum and warts. We performed a systematic review of studies assessing topical cantharidin treatment of molluscum contagiosum or warts. We searched the databases of Cochrane, EMBASE, GREAT, LILACS, MEDLINE, and Scopus. Two authors performed the study selection and data extraction. Twenty studies (1958-2018) met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Twelve studies assessed warts, and eight studies assessed molluscum contagiosum. Overall, 1752 patients were included (range 0.3-62years; specified in 15 studies). Clearance rates with topical cantharidin for molluscum contagiosum were variable (range 15.4-100%). Significant clearance of warts with maintenance of clearance was demonstrated with topical cantharidin alone. Topical cantharidin in combination with podophyllotoxin and salicylic acid demonstrated efficacy for plantar warts (pediatric and adult; clearance rate range 81-100%; four studies had 100% clearance), with the majority clearing after a single treatment. Satisfaction with cantharidin therapy was high, especially in molluscum contagiosum. Pain (7-85.7%), blistering (10-100%), and hyper-/hypopigmentation (1.8-53.3%) were the most commonly occurring adverse effects with cantharidin treatment. Topical cantharidin demonstrated clearance of warts, particularly in combination with podophyllotixin and salicylic acid, and modest benefit for pediatric molluscum contagiosum with good tolerability and safety.

Abstract 454: Role of Foxf1 During Protein Quality Control in Cardiomyocytes

Introduction: Impairment of protein quality control leads to the accumulation of intracellular misfolded protein aggregates, contributing to cardiac disease and heart failure. Essential protein quality control pathways, including proteasomal degradation and autophagy, are involved in maintaining cellular homeostasis and cardiac function during proteotoxic insult. In a prior study, we undertook an unbiased, total genomewide screen for RNA transcripts and their protein products that affect aggregate accumulations in the cardiomyocytes. Forkhead box F1 (Foxf1) gene was one of the hits from our high throughput screening. In this study, we have performed further validation of Foxf1, a transcription factor and previously unknown player in proteotoxic processes. Aims and Methods: The objective of this study was to validate Foxf1 as a contributor to protein quality control and understand its role in contributing to protein aggregate formation during proteotoxic-induced cardiac disease. We knocked down Foxf1 expression using siRNA mediated transfection in neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes that expressed the protein aggregate inducing mutation of the chaperone α B crystallin (CryABR120G). Proteasomal function and relative activity in cells was analyzed using a degron-destablized green fluorescent protein (GFPu) based reporter protein. Similarly, autophagy activity was determined by autophagic flux assay using bafilomycin treatment. Results: CryABR120G expression leads to aggregate formation and decreased proteasomal function in cardiomyocytes. Knockdown of Foxf1 gene expression in CryABR120G-transfected cardiomyocytes reduced the proteotoxic sequelae, decreasing aggregate concentration. Knockdown of Foxf1 significantly increased proteasomal function in the model without altering autophagy activity. Conclusion: Decreased Foxf1 expression reduced CryABR120G induced aggregate protein accumulation and decreased proteotoxic stress in cardiomyocytes, likely through the maintenance of clearance of the misfolded protein via the proteasomal pathway.

Active vision-based control schemes for autonomous navigation tasks

This paper deals with active-vision-based practical control schemes for collision avoidance as well as maintenance of clearance in a-priori unknown textured environments. These control schemes employ a visual motion cue, called the visual threat cue (VTC) as a sensory feedback signal to accomplish the desired tasks. The VTC provides some measure for a relative change in range as well as clearance between a 3D surface and a moving observer. It is a collective measure obtained directly from the raw data of gray level images, is independent of the type of 3D surface texture. It is measured in [time −1] units and needs no 3D reconstruction. The control schemes are based on a set of If–Then fuzzy rules with almost no knowledge about the vehicle dynamics, speed, heading direction, etc. They were implemented in real-time using a 486-based Personal Computer and a camera capable of undergoing 6-DOF motion.

Novel Active Vision-Based Visual Threat Cue for Autonomous Navigation Tasks

This paper deals with a novel vision-based motion cue called the Visual Threat Cue (VTC), suitable for autonomous navigation tasks such as collision avoidance and maintenance of clearance. The VTC is atime-basedscalar parameter that provides some measure for arelative change in rangeas well asclearancebetween a 3D surface and amovingobserver. It is independent of the 3D environment around the observer and needs almost noa prioriknowledge about it. A practical method to extract the VTC from a sequence of images of 3D textured surfaces is also presented. It is based on the extraction of a global image dissimilarity measure called the Image Quality Measure (IQM), which is extracted directly from the raw data of the gray level images. Based on the relative variations of the measured IQM, the VTC is extracted. Several experimental results are also presented.

Maximum-miss aircraft collision avoidance

Aircraft densities in terminal areas increase each year, and the risk of collision grows proportionally. The maintenance of clearance between aircraft in this environment sometimes calls for evasive maneuvers, which depend on the relative position and relative velocity of two aircraft. Small amplitude maneuvers are found for both aircraft in near-miss configurations with short time-to-go. Using low-order dynamics, individual maneuvers are found which maximize the miss-distance. These evasive maneuvers are optimal with respect to the low-order dynamics, and they combine longitudinal (speed) and normal (lift) accelerations. The signs of the accelerations of both aircraft depend on their magnitudes. An evasive climb maneuver, for example, becomes a dive maneuver if the acceleration amplitude exceeds a certain value. The maximum-miss maneuvers appear to have practical potential, because they can be determined on-line from estimated position data for both aircraft.