Monday, August 31, 2015

Future Frontier of Technology Includes Drones, Space, and AR/VR

The Future Frontier Technologies by CB Insights covers
drones, space, augmented reality and virtual reality.
(Source: CB Insights)
'Future Frontier' Sees Drones, Space | EE Times

PORTLAND, Ore.-- The Future of Frontier Technologies report was just made public by CB Insights (New York, N.Y.) which got its start with a National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research SBIR) grant. CB Insights summarized its results into what analysts believe will be the most successful technologies in the next five years."We chose these areas because they are some of the fastest-growing emerging technology spaces. All four are in early-stages and tackling multiple big markets and big ideas," CB Insights CEO and Founder Anand Sanwal told EE Times, adding that the NSF didn't sponsor the report but funded CB Insights with an SBIR grant.


CB Insights business model is to sell the underlying database used to compile its free reports to competing companies in these areas (or trying to decide whether they should enter) but the 50-page report itself is free and available for public access. The report includes lists of the top companies, venture capitalists and special interest groups. CB plans to do this report and several other free reports annually.

The Future of Frontier Tech Report

RAND reports on Fission Reactor Technology Limitations and Alternatives

Light water reactor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Overcoming Obstacles to Advanced Reactor Technologies | RAND

This perspective examines the institutional and technical obstacles to the commercialization of advanced nuclear reactors for electrical power generation in the United States. The nuclear renaissance that seemed imminent ten years ago has failed to materialize, in considerable part
because of the failure of large light-water reactors (LWRs) to achieve the envisioned improvement in capital costs. If nuclear fission is to play a substantial role in the future of the U.S. energy supply, a more cost-effective type of nuclear power plant must be commercialized. This piece examines the underlying technical reasons LWRs require expensive engineered safety systems to protect the public. It then explores the institutional barriers that make it difficult for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to evaluate non-LWR nuclear plants and discourage the U.S. Department of Energy and industry from investing the time and resources needed to establish the operational and safety characteristics of these technologies. Finally, it provides an overview of several candidate reactor designs that might offer alternatives to the current technological paradigm and outlines steps policymakers can take to overcome the barriers to the commercialization of next-generation nuclear reactors.

Key Findings

U.S. Reactors, the Fuel They Use, and U.S. Attitudes Toward Nuclear Energy Drive the Need for Costly Safety Engineering and Inhibit Innovation of Alternative Reactor Technologies

  • The physics of large U.S. LWRs and the zirconium-clad uranium oxide fuel they employ
    requires the inclusion of costly engineered safety systems to protect the public from the consequences of severe accidents. The nuclear renaissance hinged on the assumption that standardized design and modular construction would reduce the expense of these systems to
    manageable levels, but experience has not borne out this hope.
  • Unfortunately, because of the historical predominance of LWRs in the United States, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is poorly equipped to evaluate the safety of alternative technologies.
  • Although the U.S. Department of Energy is supposed to collaborate with industry to develop and commercialize new nuclear reactor  technologies, several attempts to do so have consumed billions of dollars without producing a prototype plant.
  • In the face of institutional dysfunction, regulatory uncertainty, and unpredictable economic prospects for nuclear energy, industry is understandably reluctant to invest again in new technologies.

Some Possible Alternatives to Current Light-Water Reactors Have Not Been, and Might Never Be, Commercialized in the United States

Four types of reactors that address many of the concerns about the use of nuclear energy in the United States.
  • Small, modular LWRs; 
  • fast reactors that use molten metal for cooling;  
  • modular reactors that use gas for cooling; and 
  • reactors that use molten salt as fuel

Related/Background

  •  

GA-ASI Pays Almost $1 Million in Back Wages

Air Force Contractor Pays Almost $1 Million in Back Wages | NBC 7 San Diego
Investigators from the Department of Labor ordered a San Diego air force contractor to pay $945,000 in back wages to 901 employees across the country.

“Failing to pay the correct prevailing wages hurts workers, and it also negatively affects other contractors who pay proper wages,” said David Weil, administrator of the Wage and Hour Division in a statement. “We appreciate that General Atomics was cooperative throughout the investigation and immediately came into compliance. They also ensured that all employees working on their contracts were paid back wages once the issues were brought to their attention.”
According to the investigation, General Atomics paid employees who were required to work outside their home area wages for where they lived not where they were assigned to work as required by law. This often resulted in less pay.
General Atomics time clock system did not account for the location workers were assigned to work. They have since agreed to pay their workers the highest prevailing wage of all their job sites going back six years, and have updated their time clock to account for work location.

Related/Background:

U.S. Navy to complete Muos 4 Satellite Constellation but WCDMA ground terminals lag

MUOS-4 encapsulated in its protective launch vehicle fairing for
its Aug. 31, 2015 launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
United Launch Alliance Photo
U.S. Navy Set to Launch Satellite - YouTube

The fourth Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) satellite is set to launch on Aug 31. as part of the $7.8 billion, five satellite network from Cape Canaveral, Fla.
“Delivery of this fourth satellite for the U.S. Navy completes the initial MUOS constellation and provides near-global coverage for the network,” said Iris Bombelyn, vice president of Narrowband Communications at Lockheed Martin, in a press release.
“For our mobile forces, that means for the first time they will be able to have secure, high-fidelity voice conversations, networked team calls and data exchange, including video, with anyone around the world connected with a MUOS terminal.”
MUOS is the planned constellation 1990s era Ultra High Frequency Follow-On (UFO) constellation. The new satellites promise ten times the transfer rates of the UFO net with speeds of up to 384 kbs.

Trouble Integrating Waveform Leaves New MUOS Satellites With Little to Do
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy was forced to postpone the final certification test of its next-generation mobile satellite communications system to December 2015 because of problems integrating the system’s new radio frequency waveform with the ground segment and terminals, the service said in October report sent to lawmakers.
The Navy originally scheduled the so-called multiservice operational test and evaluation of its Mobile User Objective System, or MUOS, for April 2014. In March, Army officials overseeing part of the system told lawmakers that the test would take place in June.
- See more at: http://spacenews.com/42888technical-issues-prompt-us-navy-to-delay-certification-of-muos/#sthash.9BmOGkc4.dpuf
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Navy was forced to postpone the final certification test of its next-generation mobile satellite communications system to December 2015 because of problems integrating the system’s new radio frequency waveform with the ground segment and terminals, the service said in October report sent to lawmakers.
The Navy originally scheduled the so-called multiservice operational test and evaluation of its Mobile User Objective System, or MUOS, for April 2014. In March, Army officials overseeing part of the system told lawmakers that the test would take place in June.
- See more at: http://spacenews.com/42888technical-issues-prompt-us-navy-to-delay-certification-of-muos/#sthash.9BmOGkc4.dpuf

The U.S. military’s long-standing problem of aligning the deployment of spacecraft with the development of their Earth-bound terminals and ground stations is plaguing the Navy’s powerful new communications satellite system.  

The service is having difficulties delivering a waveform known as wideband code division multiple access, which is intended to work with the Mobile User Objective System. MUOS is a constellation of spacecraft intended to provide the military with narrowband tactical communications with secure voice, video and data transfer. They have been called “cell towers in space” for their ability to deliver the kinds of communications consumers expect on Earth.



WCDMA is a 3rd generation wireless communication system developed for terrestrial cellular systems. The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) uses WCDMA as a basis for its waveform definition, thus exploiting the extensive development of this advanced commercial communications technology. MUOS is, however, a geosatellite system which in certain ways is a vastly different communications environment than the terrestrial cellular environment.

The U.S. Navy was forced to postpone the final certification test of its next-generation mobile satellite communications system to December 2015 because of problems integrating the system’s new radio frequency waveform with the ground segment and terminals, the service said in October report sent to lawmakers.

The Navy originally scheduled the so-called multiservice operational test and evaluation of its Mobile User Objective System, or MUOS, for April 2014. In March, Army officials overseeing part of the system told lawmakers that the test would take place in June.

Three of a planned five-satellite fleet are in orbit, but Cristina T. Chaplain, director of acquisition and sourcing management at the Government Accountability Office, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces subcommittee in April that 90 percent of the spacecrafts’ capacity is going unused as problems with the waveform are being worked out.

Related/Background:

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Iran unveils new radar systems

Iran unveils more details on its new radar systems

new strategic radar systems will become operational by September 1.


The Iran-made radar systems dubbed Bina and Nazir are installed in two mountainous and plain areas, Esmaeili said.


The radars are capable of detecting small flying targets as well as cruise and semi-ballistic missiles, the commander said, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported Aug. 29.


Bina and Nazir radar systems possess high accuracy for detecting long-range targets, Esmaeili said, claiming that the two radars are unique in the region due to their technical capabilities.


Esmaeili earlier said that a new radar system will be operational near Iran’s central Tabas city on September 1. He further said that the new radar system will cover areas around 1,000 kilometers in range.

Related/Background:


Army at Ft Sill seeks quadcopter UAS and training

Aeryon Scout micro VTOL UAV

Unmanned Aerial System - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities

Title:              Unmanned Aerial System
 Sol. #:             W9124L-15-T-0076
 Agency:             Department of the Army
 Office:             Army Contracting Command, MICC
 Location:           MICC - Fort Sill
 Posted On:          Aug 29, 2015 7:23 pm
 Base Type:          Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
 Link:               https://www.fbo.gov/notices/db7cec5101a8468c4d3f95d4397f5391

Related/Background: 

Saturday, August 29, 2015

Air Force wants UAS Curriculum Development

UAS Curriculum Development - FA9302-15-R-L037 - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities

Title:              UAS Curriculum Development
 Sol. #:             FA9302-15-R-L037
 Agency:             Department of the Air Force
 Office:             Air Force Material Command
 Location:           HQ Air Force Test Center (AFTC) - Edwards
 Posted On:          Aug 28, 2015 5:17 pm
 Base Type:          Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
 Link:               https://www.fbo.gov/spg/USAF/AFMC/AFFTC/FA9302-15-R-L037/listing.html
This is a non-personnel services contract to provide and create an
integrated curriculum to support Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), Unmanned
Aerial Vehicles (UAV), and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) education as
part of the United States Air Force (USAF) Test Pilot School long
course curriculum. The Government shall not exercise any supervision or
control over the contract service providers performing the services
herein. Such contract service providers shall be accountable solely to
the Contractor who, in turn is responsible to the Government.

Air Force Blames $25B Jump LRSB Bomber Costs on 'Human Error'- should be only $9B

Artists concepts of LRSB
Air Force Blames Mistaken Bomber Costs on 'Human Error' | DoD Buzz
No one knows what the Air Force’s top-secret new bomber will look like. But the service keeps saying it knows how much it’s going to cost. That’s what makes the Air Force’s $25 billion price tag error so disconcerting.
The problem began last year, when the service told Congress the yet-to-be-built Long-Range Strike Bomber would cost $33.1 billion between 2015 and 2025. It recently updated the estimate (from 2016 to 2026) to $58.4 billion—a hike of $25.3 billion, or 76%.

As Bloomberg News reporter Tony Capaccio noted in a question to officials this week during a “State of the Air Force” briefing at the Pentagon, the service this year estimated the so-called Long Range Strike Bomber, or LRSB, would cost $58 billion over a decade, up from a previous estimate of just $33 billion — though the correct figure is closer to $42 billion.

Tell Congress How Much LRSB Will Cost: Rep. Speier To SecAF James « Breaking Defense - Defense industry news, analysis and commentary

WASHINGTON: A top House defense Democrat wants answers from Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James about costs for the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRSB), which is supposed to be built at a fixed price of $500 million a copy.


“Given the importance of this issue and the magnitude of the discrepancy, the Air Force must explain the nature and cause of this error,” says the letter from Speier, who is the top Democrat on the
House Armed Services oversight and investigations subcommittee. Spear’s office shared the letter with us with an eye on this afternoon’s press conference (3:30 pm EST) with James and Air Force Chief of Staff Mark Welsh.


The Air Force recently estimated the 10-year costs of the aircraft at $41.7 billion, a considerable variance from last year’s $33.1 billion and from this year’s $58.4 billion contained in reports about the Defense Department’s nuclear capabilities.


These reports included inaccurate numbers, but the Air Force says this in reply:

“The 10-year cost estimate provided by the Air Force for LRS-B in Table 4 of the FY2015 and FY2016 Section 1043 Report was incorrect. The correct 10-YEAR cost entry for both the FY2015 and FY2016 reports is $41.7B. Again, the program costs have remained stable,” Air Force spokesman An Stefanek says in an email.

Related/Background

Ground Penetrating Radar used to find Nazi Treasure Train

Poland Is Pretty Convinced It Found A Buried Nazi Train, Maybe Full Of Gold
Gepard GPR - Ground Penetrating Radar with Android Tablet PC
- OKM Metal Detectors
Polish official 99% sure Nazi ghost train found - Business Insider

Poland's culture minister Piotr Zuchowski is "99% convinced" that a Nazi military ghost train is buried near the southwestern city of Walbrzych, the BBC reports. During a news conference, Zuchowski referred to ground-penetrating radar images which show an armored train equipped with gun turrets. Earlier this month, two men claimed they found a lost Second World War train carrying stolen loot, which prompted military-history buffs and rail enthusiasts to hunt for the train. Calling it an "exceptional find," Zuchowski said a deathbed confession from an unidentified man helped  officials confirm the site.



Friday, August 28, 2015

Russia’s T-50 radar almost ready for production

​MAKS: Russia’s T-50 radar almost ready for serial production - 8/26/2015 - Flight Global

The Tikhomirov NIIP radar system built for Russia’s first fifth-generation combat jet, the Sukhoi T-50, is “99% ready” to enter serial production but must first complete a series of development tests.

The active phased array radar consists of one forward-looking X-band radar in the nose section and two side-scanning arrays as well as L-band antennas along the wing flaps.

The system has been put on display for the first time at the MAKS air show in Moscow, and deputy chief designer of NIIP radar systems Andrey Sukhanov says he doesn’t have a time line for when the testing will conclude, but he is confident the overall design is stable barring minor tweaks.




Published on Mar 3, 2014
The Sukhoi PAK FA (Russian: Сухой ПАК ФА, Russian: Перспективный авиационный комплекс фронтовой авиации, Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii, literally Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation) is a twin-engine jet fighter being developed by Sukhoi for the Russian Air Force. The Sukhoi T-50 is the prototype for PAK FA.[10] The PAK FA is one of only a handful of stealth jet programs worldwide.[11]

The T-50s avionics consists of the Sh121 multifunctional integrated radio electronic system (MIRES) and the 101KS Atoll electro-optical system.[63] The Sh121 consists of the N036 Byelka radar complex and L402 Himaraya electronic countermeasures system. The N036 Byelka radar complex is developed by Tikhomirov NIIP Institute and consists of:
  • a main nose-mounted X-band AESA radar with 1526 T/R modules, designated the  N036-1-01,[61] and  
  • two smaller L-band AESA radars with 358 T/R modules mounted on the sides of the forward fuselage designated N036B-1-01.
  •  The suite also has two N036L-1-01 L-band arrays on the wings leading edge extensions that are not only used for friend-or-foe identification but also for ground and aerial target detection. 
  • Computer processing of the X- and L-band signals enable the system’s information to be
    significantly enhanced.[64]

The radar will reduce pilot load and make use of a new data link to share information between aircraft.[65] In 2012 ground tests began on the third aircraft of the Tikhomirov Scientific Research Institute of Instrument Designs AESA radar.[66] The L402 Himaraya electronic countermeasures (ECM) suite made by the KNIRTI institute uses both its own arrays and that of the N036 Byelka radar. One of its arrays is mounted in the dorsal sting between the two engines.[67]

The 101KS Atoll electro-optical system includes the 101KS-V infra-red search and track mounted on the starboard side in front of the cockpit. This sensor can detect, identify, and track multiple airborne targets simultaneously.[61] The 101KS-O is mounted on a turret in the dorsal spine and has a laser-based countermeasure against heat-seaking missiles.The Sukhoi PAK FA (Russian: Сух

Related/Background:

HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier's S1850M Long Range Radar Tracks Aircraft

HMS Queen Elizabeth crew switch on its radar for first time - Naval Technology
World Defence News: HMS Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier's S1850M Long Range Radar Tested by Tracking Aircraft

The crew of HMS Queen Elizabeth flashed up the new carrier's 'invisible eyes' as part of ongoing preparations to ready the leviathan for sea next year. The S1850M radar – the same as those fitted to Type 45 and Horizon destroyers – is a large black slab (over eight tonnes, 32 square metres) sitting on top of the carrier’s forward island.

Weapon engineers PO Ian 'Mac' McDonald said: "Having been a part of the long range radar programme since it was delivered to Rosyth back in October 2013, it's very satisfying to see it 'turning and burning' - a milestone nearly two years in the making.
"It shows both the progress of the ship's radar section in conjunction with mission systems, and that Queen Elizabeth is another step closer to becoming an operational warship."

During the restricted operation, the radar compiled an air picture, tracking aircraft on approach to Glasgow airport, which is 40 miles to the west of Rosyth, as well as transatlantic traffic to and from the rest of the UK. The radar has not been switched to full power yet due to the current power and safety limitations.

The S1850M is capable of automatic detection, track initiation and tracking of up to 1,000 air targets at a range of 400 km. The S1850M provides 3-dimensional track/plot data of the tactical threat and own forces within the operational environment.Its performance has already been tested on land, where the system has proven to be highly capable of detecting stealth targets in a land clutter environment. Furthermore, the system has proven to be able to detect and track outer atmosphere objects for future Theatre Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD) capabilities. Thales Naval Systems and Alenia Marconi Systems carried out the S1850M development.


S1850M is the long range radar (LRR) of the Principal Anti Air Missile System used on the Royal Navy’s Type 45 Destroyers and French/Italian Horizon Frigates. It has also been selected for the UK’s Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.

 

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Russian Firms ink Remote Sensing Satellite Development Deals with UK, German and Iran firms

mission control center in the Russian industrial city of Korolyov.
Russia to Cooperate With UK, Germany in Space
Russia, UK Sign Deals On Cooperation in Satellite Development

Moscow (Sputnik) Aug 27, 2015

Russia, UK Sign Space Cooperation Deal


British Surrey Satellite Technology company and Russia's VNIIEM Corporation signed a protocol on potential cooperation in the creation of a Russian small Earth remote-sensing (ERS) satellite, Russia's Federal Space Agency Roscosmos said Wednesday. "The document provides for the prospects of the development and supply of equipment for airborne guidance system, which will consist of the power supply system (without solar cells), of stability, orientation and navigation systems, of onboard computational module with software, of orbital propulsion unit and of S-band SAR [synthetic aperture radar] for ERS microsatellite," the statement reads.

Russia, Germany Sign Several Space Cooperation Deals

Russia's federal Roscosmos space agency said Wednesday it had signed a number of documents on cooperation in the space industry with the German Aerospace Center (DLR).

"Roscosmos and DLR have jointly developed and signed provisions on working groups, which will be created for general work on the development of space robotics and remote sensing. The composition of the working groups will be decided by the end of 2015," Roscosmos said in a statement.

The parties also signed an additional agreement, extending cooperation on the joint Kontur-2 International Space Station experiment throughout 2016. The unique experiment focuses on remotely controlling robots from space.

Russia, Iran Sign Space Cooperation Deal

On Tuesday, two Russian space companies and the Iranian Bonyan Danesh Shargh firm signed an agreement on joint development of an Earth remote-sensing satellite system for Iran.

PressTV-Iran to make satellite observation system
Russia says an Iranian company plans to build a satellite observation system with the help of two Russian corporations.
The Iranian company of Bonyan Danesh Shargh has signed an agreement on building the system with the Russian companies of NPK BARL and VNIIEM, the Russian state-funded television network, RT, reported on Wednesday.
Under the agreement, signed in the presence of Dmitry Rogozin, the Russian deputy prime minister and Igor Komarov, the general director of Russia’s Federal Space Agency, the Russian corporations will help the Iranian company create a remote-sensing system which can be employed for collecting information about the Earth's surface, atmosphere and oceans.

 Related/Background:

LIDAR equiped EOLOS buoy provides autonomous Marine Windfarm Data via Iridium

Maritime Journal - EOLOS buoy validated

The EOLOS Buoy is a fully autonomous and all-in-one system which can accurately measure wind, wave and current. It is based on a structural skeleton and mooring system to provide the necessary robustness to withstand the rough environment of the North Sea whilst at the same time reducing the weight of the system," commented Rajai Aghabi, CEO at EOLOS Floating Lidar Solutions.


Published on Sep 5, 2013
The Neptune Project is an initiative funded by KIC InnoEnergy within the renewable energy field. It consists of two products: the lidar buoy EOLOS, which is a wind measuring system that allows performing measurements at heights of more than 200 meters over the sea level, giving it a competitive advantage over masts; and the NEPTool, a highly accurate forecast software that can simulate wind, wave and current in a single tool, which represents an improvement over current commercial systems for measuring winds, sea waves and sea currents.

At the heart of the EOLOS system is UK firm ZephIR's LIDAR technology, based around a very stable and continuous-wave laser. It measures wind speeds remotely by using the Doppler effect, detecting the small frequency shifts of light that is back-scattered by tiny particles in the air around the test site.

This LIDAR buoy has four individual floats attached to the corners of the skeleton structure that provide the buoyancy and help to ensure good stability in rough seas. Enclosing the skeleton framework is a tapered compartment that provides a watertight environment to house all the electronic measuring equipment as well as the power supply equipment. The outside of this compartment has solar panel attached to provide some of the power whilst wind generators are attached to three of the corners with the fourth corner being dedicated to a communications mast. The mooring system on the buoy ensures that it lies in the same relative direction to wind in most conditions to ensure that the wind generators maximise their output.

Batteries provide a 48 hour back up in the event of calm and overcast conditions with sensors monitoring the power management. Data is sent to the shore via the Iridium satellite system and can also be accessed by Wi-fi from a nearby boat. The LIDAR system is mounted at the centre of the casing.

Related/Background:

South China Sea Lessons Learned from Hertog Games

The Navy's Grade 36 Bureaucrat: Hertog Parting Thought
  1. Nuclear weapons matter, and we need to reconsider our strategy. China may use 
  2. Engagement early matters a lot to small countries. continuous positive relations needed
  3. The Army will pay for a war in the Pacific. Navy and Air dominate  
  4. Taiwan needs engagement or it will become a province of China. key to area control
  5. The most dangerous thing China can do is be nice. catch more flies with honey than vinegar
spendergast: Hertog Summer - Potomac Simulation Hegemon   

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

SOC wants Falcon UAVs

Unmanned Aerial Systems and Training - H92222-15-T-0003-UAS-and-Camera - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities

Title:              Unmanned Aerial Systems and Training
 Sol. #:             H92222-15-T-0003-UAS-and-Camera
 Agency:             Other Defense Agencies
 Office:             U.S. Special Operations Command
 Location:           Headquarters Procurement Division
 Posted On:          Aug 25, 2015 10:30 am
 Current Type:       Combined Synopsis/Solicitation (Modified)
 Base Type:          Combined Synopsis/Solicitation
 Base Posting Date:  Aug 25, 2015 10:12 am
 Link:               https://www.fbo.gov/spg/ODA/USSOCOM/SOAL-KB/H92222-15-T-0003-UAS-and-Camera/listing.html

Related/Background;




Sunday, August 23, 2015

SPAWAR awards ViaSat $514M and DLS $366M IDIQ for MIDS-LVT terminals

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Contract View

ViaSat Inc., Carlsbad, California, is being awarded a maximum potential value $514,305,457
indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract (N00039-15-D-0043) for the production and maintenance of the Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Low Volume Terminal (LVT).  The MIDS-LVT provides secure, high-capacity, jam-resistant, digital data and voice communications capability for Navy, Air Force and Army platforms.  Work will be performed in Carlsbad, California, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 19, 2020.  No funds
are being obligated at the time of award.  Funds will be obligated as task and delivery orders are issued.  This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities and Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command  e-Commerce Central websites, with two offers received.  On behalf of the MIDS Program Office, the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-15-D-0043).  


Data Link Solutions LLC, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a maximum potential value $366,519,730 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contract (N00039-15-D-0042) for the production and maintenance of the Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS) Low Volume Terminal (LVT).  The MIDS-LVT provides secure, high-capacity, jam-resistant, digital data and voice communications capability for Navy, Air Force and Army platforms.  Work will be performed in Wayne, New Jersey (50 percent); and Cedar Rapids, Iowa (50 percent), and is expected to be completed by Aug. 19, 2020.  No funds are being obligated at the time of award.  Funds will be obligated as task and delivery orders are issued.  This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities and Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command e-Commerce Central websites, with two offers received.  On behalf of the MIDS Program Office, the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N00039-15-D-0042). 

Remote Geo provides DJI Inspire UAV video mapping

DJI Inspire 1




Remote Geo provides UAV video mapping - News - Shephard

Remote GeoSystems will provide direct support in all LineVision Desktop, Server and Cloud applications for the DJI Inspire 1 UAVs for HD and UltraHD video capture, the company announced on 20 August.
The newly launched capability enables operators of the DJI Inspire 1 and other commercial UAVs to create and deliver professional-grade, interactive video survey and inspection work products using GIS and CAD software such as Google Earth, Bing Maps, PLS-CADD and Esri ArcGIS Platform.

Related/Background

Friday, August 21, 2015

Russian Arctic air defense systems - Business Insider

Russia Deploys Specially Modified Air-defense
Systems To The Arctic - UGO News
Russian Arctic air defense systems - Business Insider

Russia is moving air defense systems modified for the harsh Arctic
environment to key areas near its borders with Norway and the US, the US
Army's Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) notes in its August 2015 report.


According to the FMSO, the Kremlin is looking to place short-to-medium
range antiaircraft SA-22 Pantsir-S1 battalions at Murmansk by the
Norwegian border and at unspecified locations in the east of Russia
facing both the US and Japan.

Cloudsat disects Typhoon Atsani

The Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR)

The Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) is a 94-GHz nadir-looking radar which measures the power backscattered by clouds as a function of distance from the radar. The CPR was developed jointly by NASA/JPL and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA). The overall design of the CPR is simple, well understood, and has strong heritage from many cloud radars already in operation in ground-based and airborne applications.
The design of the CPR is driven by the science objectives. The original requirements on CPR were:
  • sensitivity defined by a minimum detectable reflectivity factor of -30 dBZ, 
  • along-track sampling of 2 km, 
  • a dynamic range of 70 dB, 
  • 500 m vertical resolution and 
  • calibration accuracy of 1.5 dB. 
  • The minimum detectable reflectivity factor requirement was reduced to -26 dBZ when the mission was changed to put CloudSat into a higher orbit for formation flying.
CloudSat | NASA
In the CloudSat data, the darkest blues represent areas where clouds and raindrops reflected the strongest signal back to the satellite radar. These areas had the heaviest precipitation and the largest water droplets. The blue horizontal line across the data is the freezing line; ice particles formed above it, raindrops below it. CloudSat passed just west of the eye, offering a good view of the storm’s outward sloping eyewall, intense convection and rainfall, and cloud structure. Atsani’s clouds reached about 16 kilometers (10 miles) altitude at their highest point. When CloudSat imaged the storm, Atsani’s maximum sustained winds were about 150 miles (240 kilometers) per hour.


While the satellite has collected over 10 million radar profiles since launching in 2006, it is relatively unusual to capture data of a major storm’s eye. Over its lifespan, the satellite has imaged about 1,200 hurricane or typhoon strength tropical cyclones, according to a study published recently in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society. Among them, CloudSat has acquired about 30 direct eye overpasses. Scientists are compiling all of the storm overpasses into a database that they  are using to better understand the anatomy and behavior of tropical cyclones.

Army seeking sources of SETA for Radar

Title:         Systems Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) Support, PdM Radars
Sol. #:        W56KGY-15-S-0003
Agency:        Department of the Army
Office:        Army Contracting Command
Location:      ACC-APG - Aberdeen Division C
Posted On:     Aug 20, 2015 2:52 pm
Current Type:  Sources Sought (Modified)
Base Type:     Sources Sought
Posting Date:  Aug 20, 2015 2:14 pm
Link:          https://www.fbo.gov/notices/d65c91f47740eb595b2597721d245331

AN/TPQ-53 (Q-53) Radar

Firefinder Components
LCMR
Systems Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) Support, PdM Radars - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities

U.S. Army PdM Radars' portfolio of systems consists of
  • AN/TPQ-53 (Q-53) Radar
  • Firefinder Family of Radar Systems (AN/TPQ-36/37) and 
  • Lightweight Counter-Mortar Radar (LCMR) Family of Radar Systems (AN/TPQ-48/49/50).
U.S. Army PdM Radars is seeking Prime Contractor sources to provide information that demonstrates their ability to provide SETA support to PdM Radars in the following functional areas below. The projected need is for three years (one base year and two option years) and is described in a draft Performance Work Statement (PWS)[Draft_PWS_SETA_11_Aug_15.pdf (151.81 Kb)].
  • • Program Management
    • Project Management Plans and Integration
    • Engineering
    • Logistics
    • Business Management and Operations Support
    • Fielding Operations Planning
    • New Equipment Training (NET) Planning
    • De-Fielding Operational Planning
    • Demilitarization Operational Planning
    • Acquisition Management
respond to this notice by providing the information specified herein, on or before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on September 2, 2015.

Related/Background



Thursday, August 20, 2015

USPTO - Proposed Changes to Rules Governing PTAB Trial Proceedings

BREAKING: USPTO Unveils 2nd Round of AIA Rule Changes
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday announced a new round of proposed changes to the rules for America Invents Act reviews that would let patent owners give more robust responses to petitions and impose new requirements to crack down on misconduct in filings.


PTAB Update: Proposed Changes to Rules Governing PTAB Trial Proceedings 


New Rules on PTAB Trials | Patently-O


Earlier this year, the USPTO released a set of ‘quick fixes‘ to AIA trial procedures before the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) and also promised second package of rule changes. That second package has now been detailed in the USPTO’s Proposed Rule Changes now found in the Federal Register. The proposed rules focus on a number of practical changes to PTAB Trial Procedures:
  • Testimonial Evidence (Such as Expert Declarations) in Patent Owner’s Preliminary Response (to be considered but viewed in the light most favorable to the petitioner when determining whether to institute an inter partes review proceeding)
  • Claim construction standards for patents about to expire (use actual construction for patents that “will expire” before final judgment rather than broadest-reasonable-interpretation)
  • Rule-11 Requirement associated with all papers filed with the PTAB – giving the
    USPTO “a more robust means with which to police misconduct.”


Future US UAV Flights focus on trouble hot spots

Pentagon to Increase Drone Flights Over South China Sea | The Diplomat
The U.S. Department of Defense is planning to step up the number of drone surveillance flights by 50 percent over the next four years the Wall Street Journal reports.
A senior defense official told the Wall Street Journal that the Pentagon in particular seeks to improve its intelligence collection capabilities in places such as Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, North Africa, and the South China Sea.
In detail, the new plan envisions an increase of the number of flights from 61 to 90 by 2019. The majority of missions are currently flown by the U.S. Air Force (USAF). However, in addition to around 60 USAF flights, the new plan foresees as many as 16 sorties flown by the U.S. Army, up to four by the Special Forces Command, and around ten by government contractors.  The USAF currently shares intelligence feeds from 22 out of its 60 daily sorties with the Central Intelligence Agency.

USAF plans to end MQ-1 Predator operations in 2018 - 8/14/2015 - Flight Global
The service has been planning to retire the MQ-1 ever since introducing the larger and more capable General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper in 2007, but the insatiable demand for intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance and target strikes in conflict zones around the world has kept the original Predator in service.
Now, the air force has set 2018 as the end date for the MQ-1 operations and says the aircraft will be moved to the boneyard, but the ground control stations and other items will be repurposed to support the MQ-9.

UPDATE 1-Pentagon eyes sharp increase in drone flights by 2019 -official | Reuters
Aug 17 (Reuters) - The Pentagon is planning a sharp increase in daily drone flights over conflict zones around the globe in the next four years as it tries to meet the reconnaissance and air strike needs of combatant commanders, a spokesman said on Monday.
Navy Captain Jeff Davis, a Defense Department spokesman, said the number of unmanned drone flights, known as combat air patrols, would be increased by about 50 percent by 2019 - from between 60 and 65 a day to about 90.
The Air Force will continue to conduct about 60 drone flights daily, while the Army would fly between 10 and 20, and Special Operations Command would provide up to 10 more. The department also would rely on contractors to fly up to 10 other combat air patrols daily, all of them unarmed.

Predator Drone Maker General Atomics Flying Spy Missions For the Pentagon Since April - Defense One
The U.S. military wants to boost its drone presence by 50 percent in four years, and it’s hiring help. General Atomics, maker of the ubiquitous Predator and Reaper drones, began flying intelligence missions for the Defense Department this month.
It’s not unprecedented for the military to hire drone builders to fly them. Boeing pilots its small, unarmed ScanEagle drone, which has a ceiling of 3,500 feet and a top speed under 250 mph, for the Pentagon. But the Predator is far more capable, typically flies at 10,000-feet and, of course, has an armed variant.
Officials with General Atomics told Defense One that the company began flying surveillance missions for the Pentagon, although they could not disclose the location or mission details.
Currently, Air Force crews fly 60 Predator and Reaper combat air patrols, where one CAP means keeping one aircraft in the air around the clock. The Pentagon wants to push that towards 90 by 2019, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. With Air Force drone crews worn out by wartime operations, military leaders are turning to the Army, U.S. Special Operations Command — and the defense industry.
 

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Prostate Cancer News - 2015-08-15


Prostate Cancer News - 2015-08-15

General Case Management

Prostate Cancer Advocacy: Making it Count - Cancer Answers
I thought of the man who spoke to me about fighting metastatic prostate cancer. He felt not enough was being done. I sensed urgency in his voice. But though I heard fight in his voice, I also heard desperation — the fear of not knowing about tomorrow.
Well, none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. So it’s the quality of our days that counts.
I started the Blue Cure Foundation, a prostate cancer nonprofit, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 35. My background was in marketing, and I felt my talents could be used to place a greater spotlight on the disease — in ways that haven’t been done. I wanted to change the conversation from ceaseless focus on fundraising solely for a cure that’s been sought for decades. I wanted us to consider cancer’s many causes and how we can reduce risk, improve outcomes, push for more accurate screenings and fight the complacency I find, as if prostate cancer is both the old and new normal.
Rallying the Prostate Cancer Community - Cancer Answers
“We don’t have it in our budget.”
That’s the excuse I hear too often from hospitals or cancer centers when I ask them to light a building blue one evening during September’s National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
They spend money lighting buildings pink in October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They support runs that benefit other cancers. They have lavish advertising budgets. But no, they can’t manage one night’s support for prostate cancer – the most commonly diagnosed male cancer in America.
GPs ‘more cost effective’ for prostate cancer aftercare | Irish Examiner
The NCRI’s new study, published in the journal Supportive Care in Cancer, revealed specialist aftercare for this type of cancer is no longer “sustainable” here due to the country’s rising number of prostate cancer survivors. It suggests survivors should switch to GP follow-up sessions instead as it is a more viable option and will not adversely affect the quality of aftercare received.

What IS an “N-of-1″ clinical trial? | THE "NEW" PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK
N-of-1 clinical trials are basically trials of specific therapies in a single patient with very highly defined characteristics — often including a complete genetic profile as well as a whole bunch of other data. It would be impossible here to get into all the details about how N-of-1 clinical trials should be used and when they provide data that may be helpful in the management of larger number of patients, so here are a series of resources for those who might be interested in learning more — because we are going to be hearing about N-of-1 clinical trials in prostate cancer soon:
Latest prostate cancer findings may help determine the most suitable treatment for the condition : MEDICINE & HEALTH : Science Times
Prostate cancer may actually be five different diseases masked in one, scientists conclude after conducting a study that might help in designing the best treatment for this condition. A team of experts from the Cancer Research U.K. said that they were finally able to categorize the prostate cancer tumors into five distinct groups depending on their composite genes.
Prostate Cancer - Pipeline Review Report H1 2015 | Medgadget
This report provides comprehensive information on the therapeutic development for Prostate Cancer, complete with comparative analysis at various stages, therapeutics assessment by drug target, mechanism of action (MoA), route of administration (RoA) and molecule type, along with latest updates, and featured news and press releases. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Prostate Cancer and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects.

Prostate Cancer on the Web-Expedient Tool for Patients' Decision-Making?
Many patients diagnosed with cancer search for health information on the Web. We aimed to assess the quality and reliability of online health information on prostate cancer.
Google, Yahoo, and Bing were searched for the term "prostate cancer." After selecting the most frequented websites, quality was measured by
  • Quality assessed using
  • Popularity assessed  using
  • LIDA tool.used to investigate 
    • accessibility, 
    • usability, and 
    • reliability
Quality, accessibility, and usability of websites on prostate cancer provided a high rating in the current analysis. These findings are encouraging in view of the growing frequency of patients' access of health information online.
Evaluation of medical information quality

Choices you Make

Are Vitamin E Supplements Healthy or Harmful?
Prostate Cancer: A 2011 study funded by the National Cancer Institute examined whether vitamin E might help prevent prostate cancer. Earlier research had found no benefit or harm from vitamin E. This large study of 35,533 men over a periodhttps://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjj6l737MK0YexSa5XXZkGlzKKW6EolcbMLmLqBurYRzdwSUA6VT-B2s7U3QlQwX-LoOBvccajk7EdDHY26Mmmr1Ufmc_-WDs3YbAthMrJrk7rxR1y-QUCpOhbZNJnqIUG_KVdhZ8cMkWkXODk_ZPT1VyY= of three years came up with a surprising result. Healthy men taking vitamin E actually had a higher incidence of prostate cancer than other men
Access : The effect of bicycling on PSA levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis : Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases
Our findings suggest that there is no effect of cycling on PSA; however, the limited number of trials and the absence of randomized controlled trials limit the interpretation of our results. Additionally, the median sample size only consisted of 42 subjects. Therefore, our study may have low statistical power to detect a difference in PSA.
Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases - Physical activity and its mechanistic effects on prostate cancer
Over the past decade, data have emerged demonstrating the association between physical activity and prostate cancer risk. Although the precise biological mechanisms are not yet understood, it is postulated that physical activity may reduce the risk of prostate cancer directly or indirectly via inter-related biological pathways. In addition, several studies have shown decreased or inhibited growth of prostate cancer cells, increased apoptosis of prostate cancer cells, delayed tumor formation and suppressed metastasis. Furthermore, these studies hypothesize a variety of biological pathways mediating the growth inhibitory and pro-apoptotic effects of physical activity on human prostate cancer cells.

Screening and Diagnosis

You Were Wondering: When to screen for prostate cancer?
When to start screening is based on individual risk, but age 40 is a reasonable time to start screening for those at highest risk with genetic predispositions or strong family histories of prostate cancer at a young age. Otherwise healthy men at high risk with a family history or African American men should get screened between ages 40 and 45.
Dr. Samadi: New Study Showing Prostate Cancer Screening Improved by Complete Family History | Long Island New York
A new study is showing the increasing importance of understand and having a complete family history of prostate cancer and the correlation to gauging personal risk with greater accuracy.
Much research over the past few decades, has shown having a first, second or third-degree relative with prostate cancer raises a Caucasian man’s risks of the disease. For Caucasian males, a complete family history of prostate cancer among close and distant relatives may gauge personal risk with greater accuracy.
If an extensive family history exists and men are aware, it provides awider range to estimate individual risks that are potentially more accurate than those based on typical family health histories. Both maternal and paternal history are equally important.
Is histological prostate inflammation in an initial prostate biopsy a predictor of prostate cancer on repeat biopsy?
A histological inflammatory finding at the initial prostate biopsy was negatively associated with prostate cancer detection in repeat biopsy. This result could be useful to determine the need for repeat prostate biopsy in patients with persistently elevated prostate-specific antigen.

Biopsies, Genomics and Pathology

UroNav Fusion Biopsy System Offered at Dr. Samadi's Prostate Cancer Center... -- NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
NEW YORK, Aug. 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Renowned Urologist and Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgeon, Dr. David Samadi, solely offers the revolutionary UroNav Fusion Biopsy System for MRI-Guided Fusion Biopsy in men with an elevated PSA. Innovated from the company, Invivo, the UroNav brings the power of MRI Guided Biopsy to diagnosing prostate cancer. This technique has tremendously improved the detection and differentiation of high and low-risk prostate cancers. Integrating the use of an MRI makes for a much more accurate diagnosis, especially when it comes to the staging of the prostate cancer. 
The biology and pathology of “young age” prostate cancer | THE "NEW" PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK
A recent article in the Journal of Clinical Pathology reviews available data about the epidemiology, biology, and clinical pathology of “young age” prostate cancer, which the authors define as clinically significant cancer in men under 55 years of age.
This review article by Hussein et al. is now available in full, on line, on the Medscape web site, and will probably be of significant interest to support group leaders, other prostate cancer educators, and men diagnosed with prostate cancer at such younger ages.
mpMRIs, targeted biopsies, and the accuracy of Gleason grading | THE "NEW" PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK
A new study that is in press on line in the Journal of Urology addresses, very reasonably, the question of whether using targeted biopsy methods based on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) data is improving our ability to accurately assess patient’s Gleason grades and scores prior to decisions about treatment.
According to the abstract of this new paper by the French clinical research team (Lanz et al., based in Paris), the answer appears to be a definitive “Maybe”.
A Contemporary Prostate Cancer Grading System: A Validated Alternative to the Gleason Score.
Despite revisions in 2005 and 2014, the Gleason prostate cancer (PCa) grading system still has major deficiencies. Combining of Gleason scores into a three-tiered grouping (6, 7, 8-10) is used most frequently for prognostic and therapeutic purposes. The lowest score, assigned 6, may be misunderstood as a cancer in the middle of the grading scale, and 3+4=7 and 4+3=7 are often considered the same prognostic group.
The new PCa grading system has these benefits: more accurate grade stratification than current systems, simplified grading system of five grades, and lowest grade is 1, as opposed to 6, with the potential to reduce overtreatment of PCa.
We looked at outcomes for prostate cancer (PCa) treated with radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy and validated a new grading system with more accurate grade stratification than current systems, including asimplified grading system of five grades and a lowest grade is 1, as opposed to 6, with the potential to reduce overtreatment of PCa.
Molecular Profiles Can be Used for Early Detection of Aggressive Prostate Cancer - Cancer Therapy Advisor
In a first-ever study, findings identified five gene sets that can predict clinical outcome in independent patient cohorts with prostate cancer, according to researchers in England.1  
Combining gene copy number and gene expression data has yielded a new 100-gene risk-stratification signature for prostate cancer that appears to outperform prostate specific antigen (PSA) and Gleason scores, and might allow early detection of the most aggressive cases.
The five faces of prostate cancer? - Cancer Research UK - Science blog
Dr Lamb’s team has shown, for the first time, that prostate cancer can be divided into five distinct groups, each of which has a unique molecular signature that appears to predict how well a patient will do after surgery.
They found that by using this group of 100 genes – or gene signature – prostate cancer patients who’d had surgery to remove their prostate could be divided into five distinct sub-groups.
  • One group had lots of DNA deletions and consequently low activity of certain genes
  • Another had high amounts of DNA repetition which resulted in increased activity of specific genes.
  • Two more groups had very few copy-number alterations, or changes in activity.
  • The fifth and final group had some – but not too many – copy-number alterations.
Multimodal image-guided prostate fusion biopsy based on automatic deformable registration.
The prostate TRUS images are automatically segmented with a Hough transform-based random forest approach. The registration is based on the Coherent Point Drift algorithm to align surfaces elastically and to propagate the deformation field calculated from thin-plate splines to the whole gland.
RESULTS - The method, which has minimal requirements and temporal overhead in the existing clinical workflow, is evaluated in terms of surface distance and landmark registration error with respect to the clinical ground truth. Evaluations on agar-gelatin phantoms and clinical data of 13 patients confirm the validity of this approach.
MAPPING MOLECULES TO FIGHT CANCER
The Cancer Genome Atlas project, or TCGA, is a collaborative effort between the NHGRI and the National Cancer Institute. Since 2006, Hutter and her team have worked to characterize the various cancers in more precise terms. In nine years, they have mapped thousands of gene sequences, constructing molecular models, or “maps,” of the numerous types of tumors. By examining patterns of molecular changes between the healthy tissue and the tumor, the TCGA team was able to construct maps that will help doctors understand cancer better.
With these molecular-level models, Hutter hopes to change the medical field’s way of thinking about cancer as a single entity. “Five to ten years from now, people are never going to just say, ‘I have liver cancer,’” she explained. With this new research, doctors will be able to classify cancer in an entirely new way, giving individuals the tools to understand and describe their illness in more specific terms.

Tests

Cancer-detecting dogs approved for NHS trial | Life and style | The Guardian
Dogs capable of sniffing out cancer have been approved for use in a trial by the NHS. The charity Medical Detection Dogs has gained approval from Milton Keynes University Hospital for further trials, after an initial study showed specially trained dogs can detect prostate tumours in urine in 93% of cases.
It is hoped canine testing could help show up inaccuracies in the traditional Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) test, used to determine if men need a biopsy. The test has a high “false positive” rate, and many men are unnecessarily referred for the invasive procedure.
Smart Technology Could Improve Prostate Cancer Diagnosis - Aug 10 2015 12:27 PM - University of Birmingham - Labmate Online
A smart sensor chip able to pick up on subtle differences in glycoprotein molecules and believed to have ability to improve the accuracy and efficiency of prostate cancer diagnosis has been developed by scientists at the University of Birmingham.
The team of chemical engineers and chemists created the chip with synthetic receptors along a 2D surface to identify specific, targeted glycoprotein molecules that are differentiated by their modified carbohydrate chains, unlike current tests which rely heavily on antibodies which are less robust and have been shown to have a high rate of false-positive readings.

Imaging

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases - Magnetic resonance imaging on disease reclassification among active surveillance candidates with low-risk prostate cancer: a diagnostic meta-analysis
MRI, especially multiparametric (MP)-MRI, has a moderate diagnostic accuracy as a significant predictor of disease reclassification among AS candidates. The high NPV and specificity for the prediction of biopsy reclassification upon clinical follow-up suggest that negative prostate MRI findings may support a patient remaining under AS. Although the PPV and sensitivity for the prediction were relatively low, the presence of a suspicious lesion >10 mm lesion may suggest an increased risk for disease progression.

Treatment

Active Surveillance

Prostate cancer: Avoiding excess confirmatory biopsies : Nature Reviews Urology : Nature Publishing Group
A new predictive model could help omit unnecessary confirmatory biopsy in men with prostate cancer at low risk of reclassification on active surveillance.
The retrospective study, performed by researchers from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY, USA, included 392 patients diagnosed with Gleason score 6 prostate cancer upon initial biopsy.
Designing Normative Messages About Active Surveillance for Men With Localized Prostate Cancer.
The authors examined the acceptability of normative messages about active surveillance as a management option for patients with low-risk prostate cancer. Men with a diagnosis of localized prostate cancer who were recruited through prostate cancer support organizations completed a web-based survey (N = 331). They rated messages about active surveillance for believability, accuracy, and importance for men to hear when making treatment decisions.
The message "You don't have to panic … you have time to think about your options" was perceived as believable, accurate, and important by more than 80% of the survivors. In contrast, messages about trust in the active surveillance protocol and "knowing in plenty of time" if treatment is needed were rated as accurate by only about 36% of respondents.
For active surveillance to be viewed as a reasonable alternative, men will need reassurance that following an active surveillance protocol is likely to allow time for curative treatment if the cancer progresses.

Surgery

Similar to horseshoes and hand grenades
Close Surgical Margins Raise Risk of Prostate Cancer Return - Renal and Urology News
Close surgical margins in radical prostatectomy specimens are associated with biochemical recurrence (BCR) rates similar to those of positive surgical margins, according to a new study.
In study of 609 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, patients who had close and positive surgical margins on final pathology had 3-year BCR-free survival rates of 70.4% and 74.5%, respectively, a non-significant difference between the groups, Michael J. Whalen, MD, of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, and colleagues reported. By comparison, patients with negative margins had a 3-year BCR-free survival rate of 90%, which was significantly higher than the rates for patients with close and positive margins. On multivariable analysis, patients with close margins had a 2.7-fold increased risk of BCR compared with those who had negative margins.

Radiation

New Data on Prostate Cancer, Salvage Radiation, and Survival
Patients experiencing biochemical failure — defined as an increase in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level — after prostatectomy for prostate cancer often receive salvage radiation therapy (SRT) to control the disease and prevent metastases.
However, despite SRT, some patients still exhibit biochemical failure. Now, a long-term, single-center study, published online July 9 in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology, has demonstrated that outcomes for 61 men who experienced a biochemical recurrence after surgery, including a subset of 34 men who experienced failure twice (once after surgery and once after SRT), are robust.
The median overall survival was 13.6 years for the men in the study who had two biochemical recurrences and 14.7 years for the men who had just the one recurrence after surgery, report the authors, led by D. Nathan Kim, MD, PhD, from Texas Oncology in Waco.
Furthermore, the 10-year prostate-cancer-specific, metastasis-free, and castration-resistant-free survival (from the time of PSA failure after SRT) rates were all in excess of 70% for the men who had two biochemical recurrences.
Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases - The significance of circulating tumor cells in prostate cancer patients undergoing adjuvant or salvage radiation therapy
Following radical prostatectomy, success of adjuvant and salvage radiation therapy (RT) is dependent on the absence of micrometastatic disease. However, reliable prognostic/predictive factors for determining this are lacking. Therefore, novel biomarkers are needed to assist with clinical decision-making in this setting. Enumeration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) using the regulatory-approved Cell Search System (CSS) is prognostic in metastatic prostate cancer. We hypothesize that CTCs may also be prognostic in the post-prostatectomy setting. Our results suggest that CTCs may be indicative of disseminated disease and assessment of CTCs during RT may be helpful in clinical decision-making to determine, which patients may benefit from RT versus those who may benefit more from systemic treatments.
Men with intermediate- or high-risk prostate cancer experienced higher survival rates when given increased radiation doses than men with low-risk disease, according to researchers from Penn Medicine. In addition, men with low-risk disease but with already-high survival rates were unaffected by higher radiation doses.
Anusha Kalbasi, MD, and colleagues compared the survival rates of 42,481 men who were diagnosed between 2004 and 2006 and followed through 2012 and linked those rates with increased radiation doses in the National Cancer Database. The researchers investigated whether “radiation dose reduction for patients with low-risk prostate cancer could achieve similar cure rates while avoiding the increased risk of side effects associated with higher radiation doses,” said Kalbasi, a resident in the department of radiation oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. -
Judge Tells Aetna to Pay for Proton RT for Prostate Cancer
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, Aug. 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Robert C. Hilliard of Hilliard Munoz Gonzales LLP (HMG) obtained an Order from a Newton County judge granting a restraining order against Aetna Insurance, preventing the insurance company from denying life-saving cancer treatment for his client, Bobby Allen Bean
Mr. Bean, a 1973 graduate of Newton County High School who has lived in Newton with his wife for over forty years, is suffering from advanced prostate cancer and is currently being treated at Houston's MD Anderson. Based upon Mr. Bean's medical history, his doctors have recommended that he receive Proton Radiation Therapy; the only other options to treat the cancer are too risky for Mr. Bean because he also suffers from insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes. Despite his doctor's recommendations, his medical insurance carrier, Aetna, has refused to cover the treatment, claiming that it is "experimental."

Hormone

Androgen Deprivation for Localized Prostate Cancer Ups Cardiac Risks - Renal and Urology News
Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists is associated with an increased risk of cardiac events in elderly men with localized prostate cancer and a decent life expectancy, new findings suggest.
“Clinicians should carefully weigh the risks and benefits of ADT in patients with a prolonged life expectancy,” the authors concluded in a paper published online ahead of print in BJU International. “Routine screening and lifestyle interventions are warranted in at-risk subpopulations treated with ADT.”

Chemo

​How Tokai Pharmaceuticals is using precision medicine for prostate cancer - Boston Business Journal
Morrison says that study turned out to be key to Tokai’s pitch to investors. Her company already had Phase 2 data showing that its drug, called galeterone, worked in those same patients, who have a shortened version of something called the androgen receptor. In August of that year, the FDA had already approved Tokai’s reworked late-stage trial to focus on just those patients, which make up around a fifth of all patients with the disease. As long as galeterone’s demonstrated ability to stop the growth of prostate cancer in those patients held up, the trial had a high probability of success, since the NEJM study seemed to ensure that the drugs galeterone was being compared to — Zytiga, sold by Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), and Xtandi, sold by Astellas ­— would have no effect at all.
New approach to decades old treatment yields increased survival for some prostate cancer patients - Medical News Today
For more than 60 years, the standard of care for patients with prostate cancer fueled by androgen hormones that has spread to other parts of the body has been androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). While the response rate is high, resistance to ADT often occurs. Generally, when ADT is no longer working, chemotherapy is administered for these patients. Research coordinated by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, supported in part by the National Cancer Institute, and published in the current online version of The New England Journal of Medicine, examined the outcomes of giving the chemotherapy drug docetaxel at the start of ADT. Results showed an increased survival of 13.6 months for patients treated with ADT plus docetaxel than with ADT alone. 
Androgen pathway resistance in prostate cancer and therapeutic implications.
Metastatic prostate cancer is an incurable disease that is treated with a variety of hormonal therapies targeting various nodes of the androgen receptor (AR) pathway. Invariably patients develop resistance and become castration resistant. Common treatments for castration-resistant disease include novel hormonal therapies, such as abiraterone and enzalutamide, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiopharmaceuticals. As this disease generally remains incurable, understanding the molecular underpinnings of resistance pathways is critical in designing therapeutic strategies to delay or overcome such resistance.

New Techniques

Researchers develop "intelligent" training tool to treat prostate cancer
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a new approach to improve training for cryosurgery, a procedure used to treat prostate cancer by freezing and destroying the diseased tissues. The new approach will shorten the learning curve and improve the quality of the minimally invasive treatment by reducing complications, shortening recovery times and lowering health care costs.
Yoed Rabin, a professor of mechanical engineering and a board member of the American College of Cryosurgery, has led the development of this first computerized training tool. This intelligent training tool provides feedback to the trainee and offers advice on how to maximize the freezing of cancer tumors while preserving the healthy tissues surrounding the site.

Side Effects

Prostate Cancer May Impact Relationship Satisfaction Among Couples - Cancer Therapy Advisor
Results showed that both patients and spouses experienced reduced mental and physical health at 1 month after surgery, but health was mostly improved at 6 and 12 months.
Researchers found that patient's physical health correlated with patient's relationship satisfaction, and both patient's and spouse's mental health were associated with their own relationship satisfaction.
Another Side Effect of Cancer: Suicidal Thoughts
In a survey of prostate cancer survivors, Recklitis and his colleagues found that 12 percent of respondents experienced suicidal ideation in the previous year. Physical and emotional health, pain, work status, and incomewere found to be contributing factors. Depressed mood was linked with suicidal ideation. So was having a previous mental health condition[RC1] . There was no link between suicidal ideation and age. Type of treatment, recurrence, or time since diagnosis didn’t matter.

Advanced/Recurrence

Stretching survival from advanced prostate cancer | afr.com
A new study has confirmed that men with metastatic, hormone-sensitive prostate cancer can gain more than a year of survival when they simultaneously receive hormone-blocking medications and chemotherapy right after diagnosis.
Case Study: Newly Diagnosed Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Final CHAARTED data now published in NEJM | THE "NEW" PROSTATE CANCER INFOLINK
The final results of the CHAARTED trial, recommending early treatment with the combination of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and chemotherapy, at least in men with extensive metastasis at diagnosis, have just been published this week by Sweeney et al. in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). The combination of these data with the data reported from the STAMPEDE trial at ASCO in 2015 has now provided compelling evidence supporting combination therapy (with ADT and docetaxel-based chemotherapy) for men newly diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer — and most particularly for those men initially diagnosed with more extensive forms of metastatic disease.
Long-term Outcome of Prostate Cancer Patients Who Exhibit Biochemical Failure Despite Salvage Radiation Therapy After Radical Prostatectomy.
Salvage radiation therapy (SRT) is an effective treatment for recurrent prostate cancer (PCa) after radical prostatectomy. We report the long-term outcome of men who developed biochemical recurrence (BCR) after SRT and were treated >14 years ago. Extended  follow-up demonstrates that despite SRT failure, prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS) was 84% and remains high in select patients. Early failure (≤1 y after SRT) predicted for significantly worse outcome and may represent a subgroup with more aggressive disease that may be considered for further prospective clinical studies.