Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Extension of the operating frequency range of a dielectric radio absorber with the help of frequency-selective surfaces

A detailed study of the efficiency of frequency-selective surfaces for extension of the operating frequency range of a dielectric radio absorber is presented. The radio absorber is fabricated from the layer of a homogeneous carbon black filled material and a frequency-selective surface made of thin metal rings placed inside or on the surface of the absorber. It is shown theoretically and experimentally that insertion of a frequency-selective surface into a dielectric radio absorber makes it possible to almost double the range of operating frequencies without increasing the thickness of the absorber. © 2011 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd

Electromagnetic shielding of polypyrrole-sawdust composites: polypyrrole globules and nanotubes

Economic and efficient materials for the shielding of electromagnetic interference are required by many applications. Electrically conducting composite materials based on wood sawdust modified by polypyrrole (PPy) with different morphology, globular and nanotubular, were prepared through in-situ polymerization of pyrrole with the use of iron (III) chloride as an oxidant. The effect of PPy morphology and content in composite with sawdust on the DC conductivity and shielding effectiveness (SE) were investigated. Composites of sawdust with globular PPy demonstrated higher DC conductivity as compared to those with PPy nanotubes as long as PPy content was less or equal to 18 vol.%. Above this concentration the opposite trend was observed. The SE of composites was evaluated theoretically in the radio-frequency range, and measured by waveguide method in the frequency range 5.85–8.2 GHz. The SE increased with increase in DC conductivity, and good agreement between the theoretically calculated SE and experimental results was achieved. The SE of the composites extended over 20 dB level above 18 vol.% PPy at the thickness of the order of 10 μm. Polypyrrole nanotubes perfomed better than globular PPy at high conducting polymer content. The composites are good candidates for the application as shielding materials in the microwave band. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media B.V.Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic (NPU I) [LO1504]; Czech Science Foundation [16-02787S