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A submunition is one of the small shaped charges and has a severe penetration capability when it is dispensed in large numbers from the sky. Neutralizing it is one of the major interests in military science. An inhibitor which can be formed inside of shaped charge liner when a submunition impacts soft material target plays an important role to the penetration performance. A silicone rubber material that shows suitable inhibitor character of being dug deep by submunition impact in penetration mechanism was selected. The penetration performance of a shaped charge adopted inhibitors was investigated through ballistic experiments and numerical simulations. A remarkable reduction of jet penetration capability was obtained from the experiment. Numerical simulation using LS-DYNA, which is a non-linear finite element analysis code, was also carried out to reconstruct the experimental results. The simulation results showed good agreement with the experimental results, providing insights into the noticeable reduction of jet penetration performance due to a silicone rubber inhibitor.

Baseline lung function is a standard diagnostic criterion used by clinicians to detect lung diseases. It is a complex trait significantly influenced by both genetics and environmental factors..., Baseline lung function, quantified as forced expiratory volume in the first second of exhalation (FEV1), is a standard diagnostic criterion used by clinicians to identify and classify lung diseases. Using whole-genome sequencing data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine project, we identified a novel genetic association with FEV1 on chromosome 12 in 867 African American children with asthma (P = 1.26 × 10−8, β = 0.302). Conditional analysis within 1 Mb of the tag signal (rs73429450) yielded one major and two other weaker independent signals within this peak. We explored statistical and functional evidence for all variants in linkage disequilibrium with the three independent signals and yielded nine variants as the most likely candidates responsible for the association with FEV1. Hi-C data and expression QTL analysis demonstrated that these variants physically interacted with KITLG (KIT ligand, also known as SCF), and their minor alleles were associated with increased expression of the KITLG gene in nasal epithelial cells. Gene-by-air-pollution interaction analysis found that the candidate variant rs58475486 interacted with past-year ambient sulfur dioxide exposure (P = 0.003, β = 0.32). This study identified a novel protective genetic association with FEV1, possibly mediated through KITLG, in African American children with asthma. This is the first study that has identified a genetic association between lung function and KITLG, which has established a role in orchestrating allergic inflammation in asthma.

Sex-specific differences have been noted among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but whether these differences are attributable to genetic variation is poorly understood. The availability of large biobanks with deeply phenotyped subjects such as the UK Biobank enables the investigation of sex-specific genetic associations that may provide new insights into COPD risk factors. We performed sex-stratified genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of COPD (male: 12,958 cases and 95,631 controls; female: 11,311 cases and 123,714 controls) and found that while most associations were shared between sexes, several regions had sex-specific contributions, including respiratory viral infection-related loci in/near C5orf56 and PELI1. Using the newly developed R package 'snpsettest', we performed gene-based association tests and identified gene-level sex-specific associations, including C5orf56 on 5q31.1, CFDP1/TMEM170A/CHST6 on 16q23.1 and ASTN2/TRIM32 on 9q33.1. Our results identified promising genes to pursue in functional studies to better understand sexual dimorphism in COPD.

BACKGROUND: Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) response among patients with asthma is influenced by genetics, but biologically actionable insights based on associations have not been found. Various glucocorticoid response omics datasets are available to interrogate their biological effects. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify functionally relevant ICS response genetic associations by integrating complementary multiomics datasets. METHODS: Variants with p-values

본 연구는 개인의 소득재분배 선호를 결정하는 다양한 요인 중 문화변수를 중심으로 개인과 국가 수준의 변수를 포함한 분석모형을 제시하여, 복합적 측면에서의 문화 및 주요 변수들의 영향력을 관찰하였다. 집단-격자 문화이론을 적용해서 문화변수를 체계적ㆍ포괄적으로 측정하였으며, 이를 위해 EVS(European Value Survey) 자료를 사용하였다. 분석 대상과 시점은 12개 유럽 국가의 1990년 및 2008-2009년의 두 개 시점으로 하였고 위계선형모형을 사용하였다. 분석결과, 소득재분배에 영향을 미칠 것으로 판단된 집단변수는 개인의 소득재분배 선호에 독립적인 영향을 미치지 못하였으나, 소득 및 정치이념과의 상호작용을 통해서 소득재분배 선호에 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 즉 개인의 문화적 정향이 그 자체로는 소득재분배에 대한 영향력이 크지 않지만, 다른 개인적 수준의 특성과 상호작용하면서(수준 내 상호작용) 그 영향력이 유의미하게 발현되었음(예를 들면 개인의 집단적 성향이 자신의 소득과 연계되었을 때는 유의미한 영향력으로 나타남)을 발견하였다. 이러한 발견은 차후 집단-격자 문화이론을 계량적인 실증연구로 발전시켜감에 있어 시사하는 바가 크다.

Background COPD is a complex heterogeneous disease influenced by both environmental and genetic risk factors. Traditional genome wide association studies (GWAS) have been successful in identifying many reproducible risk variants of moderate to small effect. Polygenic risk scores (PRS) were developed as way to aggregate risk alleles weighted by their effect size to produce a score which could be used in clinical practice to identify individuals at high risk of disease. A limitation of both GWAS and PRS is that they make the important assumption that the effect of each allele is independent and not modified by other genetic or environmental factors. Machine learning methods such as deep learning (DL) neural networks complement the GWAS and PRS paradigm by making fewer assumptions about the nature of the genetic effects being modeled. For example, the hidden layers of a DL model have the potential to model gene-gene interactions with non-additive effects on disease risk. The goal of the present study was to develop a DL neural network approach to GWAS and PRS and to compare it to the prevailing paradigm based on modeling independent effects. We applied our DL-PRS method to genetic association data from several GWAS studies of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Results We developed a DL learning algorithm for modeling the relationship between genetic variation from GWAS and risk of COPD in several population-based studies. We then developed a DL-PRS based on nodes and associated weights from the first and second layer of the DL neural network. Our DL-PRS framework has overall satisfactory performance in the prediction of COPD and provides significant contribution to prediction in addition to the current PRS methods. Moreover, regarding the clinical relevance of COPD, our DL-PRS has a consistent and closer relationship regarding individual deciles and lung functions such as FEV1/FVC and predicted FEV1%. Conclusions Not only does DL-PRS show favorable predictive performance with current benchmark PRS methods, but it also extends the ranges of PRS deciles in predicting different stages of COPD. Moreover, our DL-PRS results were replicated in an independent cohort. This study opens the door to the use of machine learning for developing risk scores from models developed using fewer assumptions about the nature of the genetic effects.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Little is currently known about how exercise may influence dietary patterns and/or food preferences. The present study aimed to examine the effect of a 15-week exercise training program on overall dietary patterns among young adults. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study consisted of 2680 young adults drawn from the Training Intervention and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) study. Subjects underwent 15 weeks of aerobic exercise training, and exercise duration, intensity, and dose were recorded for each session using computerized heart rate monitors. In total, 4355 dietary observations with 102 food items were collected using a self-administered food frequency questionnaire before and after exercise training (n = 2476 at baseline; n = 1859 at 15 weeks). Dietary patterns were identified using a Bayesian sparse latent factor model. Changes in dietary pattern preferences were evaluated based on the pre/post-training differences in dietary pattern scores, accounting for the effects of gender, race/ethnicity, and BMI. RESULTS: Within each of the seven dietary patterns identified, most dietary pattern scores were decreased following exercise training, consistent with increased voluntary regulation of food intake. A longer duration of exercise was associated with decreased preferences for the Western (β: −0.0793; 95% credible interval: −0.1568, −0.0017) and Snacking (β: −0.1280; 95% credible interval: −0.1877, −0.0637) patterns, while a higher intensity of exercise was linked to an increased preference for the Prudent pattern (β: 0.0623; 95% credible interval: 0.0159, 0.1111). Consequently, a higher dose of exercise was related to a decreased preference for the Snacking pattern (β: −0.0023; 95% credible interval: −0.0042, −0.0004) and an increased preference for the Prudent pattern (β: 0.0029; 95% credible interval: 0.0009, 0.0048). CONCLUSION: The 15-week exercise training appeared to motivate young adults to pursue healthier dietary preferences and to regulate their food intake.

Baseline lung function, quantified as forced expiratory volume in the first second of exhalation (FEV1), is a standard diagnostic criterion used by clinicians to identify and classify lung diseases. Using whole genome sequencing data from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute TOPMed project, we identified a novel genetic association with FEV1on chromosome 12 in 867 African American children with asthma (p = 1.26 × 10−8, β = 0.302). Conditional analysis within 1 Mb of the tag signal (rs73429450) yielded one major and two other weaker independent signals within this peak. We explored statistical and functional evidence for all variants in linkage disequilibrium with the three independent signals and yielded 9 variants as the most likely candidates responsible for the association with FEV1. Hi-C data and eQTL analysis demonstrated that these variants physically interacted withKITLG (aka SCF)and their minor alleles were associated with increased expression ofKITLGgene in nasal epithelial cells. Gene-by-air-pollution interaction analysis found that the candidate variant rs58475486 interacted with past-year SO2exposure (p = 0.003, β = 0.32). This study identified a novel protective genetic association with FEV1, possibly mediated throughKITLG, in African American children with asthma.

Background: Both circadian disruption and timing of feeding have important roles in the development of metabolic disease. Despite growing acceptance that the timing of food consumption has long-term impact on metabolic homeostasis, little is known regarding the immediate influence on whole body metabolism, or the mechanisms involved. We aimed to examine the acute effects of time-of-day-dependent high fat feeding on whole body substrate metabolism and metabolic plasticity, and to determine the potential contribution of the adipocyte circadian clock. Methods: Mice were fed a regimen of 4-h meal at the beginning and end of the dark (waking) cycle, separated by 4 h of fasting. Daily experimental conditions consisted of either an early very high fat or high fat (EVHF or EHF, 60 or 45% kcals from fat, respectively) or late (LVHF or LHF) meal, paired with a low fat (LF, 10% kcals from fat) meal. Metabolic parameters, glucose tolerance, body fat composition and weight were assessed. To determine the role of the adipocyte circadian clock, an aP2-CLOCK mutant (ACM) mouse model was used. Results: Mice in the EVHF or EHF groups showed a 13.2 or 8.84 higher percentage of caloric intake from fat and had a 0.013 or 0.026 lower daily average respiratory exchange ratio, respectively, compared with mice eating the opposite feeding regime. Changes in glucose tolerance, body fat composition and weight were not significant at the end of the 9-day restricted feeding period. ACM mice did not exhibit different metabolic responses to the feeding regimes compared with wild-type littermates. Circadian clock disruption did not influence the short-term response to timed feeding. Conclusions: Both the total fat composition of diet and the timing of fat intake may differentially mediate the effect of timed feeding on substrate metabolism, but may not induce acute changes in metabolic flexibility.

BACKGROUND: Principal components analysis (PCA) has been the most widely used method for deriving dietary patterns to date. However, PCA requires arbitrary ad hoc decisions for selecting food variables in interpreting dietary patterns and does not easily accommodate covariates. Sparse latent factor models can be utilized to address these issues. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare Bayesian sparse latent factor models with PCA for identifying dietary patterns among young adults. METHODS: Habitual food intake was estimated in 2730 sedentary young adults from the Training Interventions and Genetics of Exercise Response (TIGER) Study [aged 18–35 y; body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)): 26.5 ± 6.1] who exercised

In this paper, the effect of high voltage current pulse against shaped charge jet was analyzed through the visualization of jet behavior using flash X-ray and comparison of depth of penetration(DOP) into RHA(Rolled Homogeneous Armor) witness plates. The behavior of jet particles has been acquired using a flash X-ray equipment when current pulse was applied into the metal jet of a shaped charge(SC) warhead. Typical results such as jet breakup and radial jet dispersion, which are due to electromagnetic pressure by current pulse, have been obtained. Dozens of penetration experiments using a shaped charge with 55 mm diameter were performed according to various combinations of major parametric variables such as electrode spacing, standoff distance from SC warhead to electrode, and charge voltage. Subsequently, interrelations between major parametric variables and DOPs into RHA were analyzed.

In this study, the collision effect against a long rod penetrator by a linear explosively formed penetrator (LEFP) was investigated through a series of numerical analyses. LS-DYNA, a nonlinear finite element analysis code, and the multi-material ALE technique were used to conduct the analysis containing a collision into a long rod penetrator with L/D=10.7 and an initial velocity of 1,600 m/s by an LEFP and subsequent residual penetration into RHA steel by the long rod penetrator. Some combinations of hit locations and hit angles by the LEFP against the long rod penetrator were composed to formulate possible collision conditions. Under such conditions, DOP reductions by the rod penetrator damaged by the LEFP were predicted as considerable, and the reasons why such DOP reductions were achieved were discussed on the basis of the behavior of the deformed rod penetrator after impact by an LEFP.

In this study, a series of ballistic experiments have been performed to investigate the protection mechanism of some inert reactive cassettes against shaped charge jet. Three kinds of material were tested as a core material of the inert cassettes, i.e. one of rubber materials, a high modulus and high strength composite material used for ballistic protection and a mixture of energetic materials. Parameters such as deformation of the cassettes, occurrence time of jet distortion, leading jet length and residual penetration depth were investigated from the experiments and they were compared to each other quantitatively according to the jet incidence angles. The results show that the increment of cassette deformation caused jet distortion to occur early and jet distortion brought decrease of the length of leading jet. Then the decrease of the length of leading jet accompanied the decrease of residual penetration depth.

The customer-centred approach has been in the mainstream of public administration research since the 1980s. However, there have been relatively fewer observations of the developments in East Asian public administration compared to those of Western countries. This study adds to our understanding of administrative reform by analysing the Korean policy measures developed from the customer perspective and by discussing the implications of the Korean experience. The main focus is placed on local governments’ policy schemes introduced to enhance the quality of public services for civil applications. This Korean case study shows the importance of a balanced approach to public administration reforms in the stages from input to feedback and evaluation. Also, the Korean experience reinforces the notion that it may take quite some time to transform old institutions into new ones, even when conditions for reform are provided. Despite the notable success of the Korean reform measures in empowering local residents to participate in administrative processes, the legacies of the authoritarian and elitist tradition still remain in Korean public administration, and influence even the formulation and implementation of reform measures.

L’approche axee sur la clientele se situe dans le courant dominant de la recherche sur l’administration publique depuis les annees 1980. Cependant, les etudes relatives a l’evolution de l’administration publique en Asie orientale sont relativement moins nombreuses que celles consacrees aux pays occidentaux. La presente etude nous permet de mieux comprendre la reforme administrative en analysant les mesures strategiques coreennes mises au point du point de vue du client et en examinant les consequences de l’experience coreenne. Nous nous concentrerons plus particulierement sur les mesures strategiques imposees aux administrations locales afin d’ameliorer la qualite des services publics en matiere de demandes civiles. Cette etude de cas de la Coree revele l’importance d’une approche equilibree des reformes de l’administration publique dans les differentes phases, des suggestions aux resultats et a l’evaluation. L’experience coreenne renforce par ailleurs l’idee selon laquelle la transformation d’anciennes institutions en de nouvelles peut prendre beaucoup de temps, meme lorsque les conditions necessaires a la reforme sont en place. Meme si les mesures de reforme coreennes ont effectivement permis aux residents locaux de participer aux processus administratifs, les vestiges de la tradition autoritaire et elitiste persistent dans l’administration publique coreenne et influencent meme la formulation et la mise en œuvre des mesures de reforme.

Aim: Identifying differences in plasma metabolic profiling between Lp-PLA2 279VV and 279FF in individuals without metabolic syndrome (MetS) can be used to elucidate the roles of novel Lp-PLA2 activities in normal physiological processes.Methods: Non-MetS individuals with 279FF (n=36) and age-, sex- and BMI-matched VV subjects (n=36) were included in this analysis.Results: The FF subjects exhibited no appreciable enzyme activity. No significant differences were observed between the VV and FF subjects in the serum lipid profiles or hs-CRP, plasma ox-LDL, MDA or urinary 8-epi-PGF2α levels. The FF subjects also showed lower activities of lyso-phosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) (16:0) (p=0.003) and oleamide (p＜0.001) and a higher activity of L-tryptophan (p=0.016) than the VV subjects. In addition, the Lp-PLA2 activity positively correlated with the lysoPC (16:0) and lysoPC (18:0) activities and negatively correlated with the PC (16:0/22:6) and L-tryptophan activities in the VV subjects. Furthermore, in the VV subjects, the lysoPC (16:0) and lysoPC (18:0) activities negatively correlated with the presence of PCs containing 14:0/20:2, 14:0/22:4 and 16:0/22:6, while the oleamide activity exhibited a strong positive correlation with lysoPCs and a negative correlation with PCs, whereas the relationship between oleamide and lysoPCs and PCs was weaker in the FF subjects.Conclusions: The present results indicate that the natural absence of the plasma Lp-PLA2 activity due to carriage of the Lp-PLA2 279FF genotype may reduce the generation of lysoPC (16:0) and oleamide and thereby enhance the activity of plasma tryptophan in normal physiological processes.

Although policy priority has always been on economic management in East Asian countries, those countries also developed some notable social policies. However, explanations for the development of social policies in those countries have been relatively underdeveloped compared to those of their economic management policies. This study adds to our understanding of the social policy development in East Asia by examining two cases of social policy adoption in South Korea – the Medical Insurance Law and the Minimum Wage Law. This Korean case study shows a pattern of policy development primarily driven by particular ‘interests’ (state elites' perceived political survival needs and their reputation in international society), with ‘environmental’ factors and ‘policy legacies’ playing a supplementary role. In particular, these policies are interpreted as anticipatory concessions to moderate members of Korean society by the state elites who aimed to stabilise their regimes by separating radicals from moderates. In addition, the medical insurance scheme is understood as a by-product of the competition between the South and North Korean regimes. This study also draws our attention to such issues as the similarities and differences between the East Asian welfare regimes and the change and continuity in the development of social policies in East Asia.

Most of the existing literature on dynamics of social policy change was developed against the background of the Western liberal democratic political regimes. This study examines the application of these existing studies to the experience of the East Asian newly industrialized countries. Special attention is paid to two social policy problems of South Korea—the problems of low wage levels and compensation for pollution victims. Because of authoritarian government and a strongly autonomous state, the Korean cases show a pattern of policy changes primarily driven by a particular set of interests—the state elites' perceived political survival needs and their reputation in international society, with environmental factors and policy legacies playing a supplementary role. Also, in spite of state elites' reluctance to adopt social policy measures, the Korean cases show a pattern of policy developments away from the residual towards the institutional model. The results of this study suggest that, despite some differences between the social policy systems of the East Asian countries, the existing literature on social policy change has considerable potential for application to those countries. At the same time, however, the literature has a limited capacity for fully accommodating the East Asian experience, which stimulates political scientists to develop generalizations in a wider international context.