Risk reduction methodologies and technologies for the Earth Observing System (EOS) Operations Center (EOC)

This paper will discuss proposed Flight Operations methodologies and technologies for the Earth Observing System (EOS) Operations Center (EOC), to reduce risks associated with the operation of complex multi-instrument spacecraft in a multi-spacecraft environment. The EOC goals are to obtain 100 percent science data capture and maintain 100 percent spacecraft health, for each EOS spacecraft. Operations risks to the spacecraft and data loss due to operator command error, mission degradation due to mis-identification of an anomalous trend in component performance or mis-management of resources, and total mission loss due to improper subsystem configuration or mis-identification of an anomalous condition. This paper discusses automation of routine Flight Operations Team (FOT) responsibilities, Expert systems for real-time non-nominal condition decision support, and Telemetry analysis systems for in-depth playback data analysis and trending

Human endogenous retrovirus K106 (HERV-K106) was infectious after the emergence of anatomically modern humans.

HERV-K113 and HERV-K115 have been considered to be among the youngest HERVs because they are the only known full-length proviruses that are insertionally polymorphic and maintain the open reading frames of their coding genes. However, recent data suggest that HERV-K113 is at least 800,000 years old, and HERV-K115 even older. A systematic study of HERV-K HML2 members to identify HERVs that may have infected the human genome in the more recent evolutionary past is lacking. Therefore, we sought to determine how recently HERVs were exogenous and infectious by examining sequence variation in the long terminal repeat (LTR) regions of all full-length HERV-K loci. We used the traditional method of inter-LTR comparison to analyze all full length HERV-Ks and determined that two insertions, HERV-K106 and HERV-K116 have no differences between their 5' and 3' LTR sequences, suggesting that these insertions were endogenized in the recent evolutionary past. Among these insertions with no sequence differences between their LTR regions, HERV-K106 had the most intact viral sequence structure. Coalescent analysis of HERV-K106 3' LTR sequences representing 51 ethnically diverse individuals suggests that HERV-K106 integrated into the human germ line approximately 150,000 years ago, after the emergence of anatomically modern humans

Relationship between abuse and neglect in childhood and diabetes in adulthood: Differential effects by sex, national longitudinal study of adolescent health

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have investigated links between child abuse and neglect and diabetes mellitus in nationally representative samples, and none have explored the role of obesity in the relationship. We sought to determine whether child abuse and neglect were associated with diabetes and if so, whether obesity mediated this relationship in a population-representative sample of young adults. METHODS: We used data from 14,493 participants aged 24 to 34 years from Wave IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to study associations between self-reported child abuse (sexual, physical, or emotional abuse) and neglect as children and diabetes or prediabetes in young adulthood. We conducted sex-stratified logistic regression analyses to evaluate associations in models before and after the addition of body mass index (BMI) as a covariate. RESULTS: Although the prevalence of diabetes was similar for men and women (7.0% vs 6.7%), men were more likely than women to have prediabetes (36.3% vs 24.6%; omnibus P < .001). Among men, recurrent sexual abuse (≥3 lifetime incidents) was significantly associated with diabetes (OR, 3.66; 95% CI, 1.31–10.24), but not with prediabetes. There was no evidence of mediation by BMI. No forms of child abuse or neglect were associated with diabetes or prediabetes among women. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent sexual abuse is robustly associated with diabetes in young adult men, independently of other forms of child abuse or neglect and BMI. Future research should explore other potential mechanisms for this association to identify avenues for prevention of diabetes among men who have experienced sexual abuse

Measuring nonuse damages using contingent valuation

This second edition of Measuring Nonuse Damages Using Conjoint Valuation is essentially a reprint of a 1992 monograph that has been in steady demand since its original appearance. The RTI Press edition, which is intended to meet continued inquiries and requests for the monograph, contains a Foreword and a Preface to the second edition that put the original work into historical perspective. These studies of ways to value stated preferences, as applied then to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, continue to be a timely and still-rigorous examination of such methods; even with the passage of time and statistical advances from the past two decades, the conclusions and insights as to whether and how these techniques might still be employed in valuing use or nonuse losses from similar events remain valid.Publishe

Human Endogenous Retrovirus K106 (HERV-K106) Was Infectious after the Emergence of Anatomically Modern Humans

HERV-K113 and HERV-K115 have been considered to be among the youngest HERVs because they are the only known full-length proviruses that are insertionally polymorphic and maintain the open reading frames of their coding genes. However, recent data suggest that HERV-K113 is at least 800,000 years old, and HERV-K115 even older. A systematic study of HERV-K HML2 members to identify HERVs that may have infected the human genome in the more recent evolutionary past is lacking. Therefore, we sought to determine how recently HERVs were exogenous and infectious by examining sequence variation in the long terminal repeat (LTR) regions of all full-length HERV-K loci. We used the traditional method of inter-LTR comparison to analyze all full length HERV-Ks and determined that two insertions, HERV-K106 and HERV-K116 have no differences between their 5′ and 3′ LTR sequences, suggesting that these insertions were endogenized in the recent evolutionary past. Among these insertions with no sequence differences between their LTR regions, HERV-K106 had the most intact viral sequence structure. Coalescent analysis of HERV-K106 3′ LTR sequences representing 51 ethnically diverse individuals suggests that HERV-K106 integrated into the human germ line approximately 150,000 years ago, after the emergence of anatomically modern humans.</p

The Lantern Vol. 12, No. 2, March 1944

• Save in His Own Country • Philosopher and Soldier • Soap Bubbles • Who is my Brother? • A Real Sea-Captain • Quatrain on Solitude • Wind Ahead • Jewel Song • The Sail, a Translation • They Also Serve • Ever the Twain • After the Rain • The Low-Down on Electronics • Sing, My Heart • Interlude • Unconquerable Soul • The Covenant • The Lost Warriors • Fragment • Arrivalhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/lantern/1032/thumbnail.jp

Evaluating the Evidence for Transmission Distortion in Human Pedigrees

Children of a heterozygous parent are expected to carry either allele with equal probability. Exceptions can occur, however, due to meiotic drive, competition among gametes, or viability selection, which we collectively term “transmission distortion” (TD). Although there are several well-characterized examples of these phenomena, their existence in humans remains unknown. We therefore performed a genome-wide scan for TD by applying the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) genome-wide to three large sets of human pedigrees of European descent: the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), a founder population of European origin (HUTT), and a subset of the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE). Genotyping error is an important confounder in this type of analysis. In FHS and HUTT, despite extensive quality control, we did not find sufficient evidence to exclude genotyping error in the strongest signals. In AGRE, however, many signals extended across multiple SNPs, a pattern highly unlikely to arise from genotyping error. We identified several candidate regions in this data set, notably a locus in 10q26.13 displaying a genome-wide significant TDT in combined female and male transmissions and a signature of recent positive selection, as well as a paternal TD signal in 6p21.1, the same region in which a significant TD signal was previously observed in 30 European males. Neither region replicated in FHS, however, and the paternal signal was not visible in sperm competition assays or as allelic imbalance in sperm. In maternal transmissions, we detected no strong signals near centromeres or telomeres, the regions predicted to be most susceptible to female-specific meiotic drive, but we found a significant enrichment of top signals among genes involved in cell junctions. These results illustrate both the potential benefits and the challenges of using the TDT to study transmission distortion and provide candidates for investigation in future studies

Development of a human cardiac organoid injury model reveals innate regenerative potential

The adult human heart possesses a limited regenerative potential following an ischemic event, and undergoes a number of pathological changes in response to injury. Although cardiac regeneration has been documented in zebrafish and neonatal mouse hearts, it is currently unknown whether the immature human heart is capable of undergoing complete regeneration. Combined progress in pluripotent stem cell differentiation and tissue engineering has facilitated the development of human cardiac organoids (hCOs), which resemble fetal heart tissue and can be used to address this important knowledge gap. This study aimed to characterize the regenerative capacity of immature human heart tissue in response to injury. Following cryoinjury with a dry ice probe, hCOs exhibited an endogenous regenerative response with full functional recovery 2 weeks after acute injury. Cardiac functional recovery occurred in the absence of pathological fibrosis or cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Consistent with regenerative organisms and neonatal human hearts, there was a high basal level of cardiomyocyte proliferation, which may be responsible for the regenerative capacity of the hCOs. This study suggests that immature human heart tissue has an intrinsic capacity to regenerate

Inland Pacific Northwest pasture calendar

The Inland Pacific Northwest (PNW) region, historically referred to as the 'Inland Empire', extends from the Cascade Mountains in the west to former Glacial Lake Missoula in the Rockies in the east and from the Canadian border in the north past the Snake River Canyon in the south. The greatest agricultural enterprises are hay (from various forage species), irrigated and non-irrigated grassland pastures, rangelands, and livestock production. It is also home to numerous wildlife species and flyways for migrating birds. The Inland PNW Pasture Calendar is designed to be a comprehensive guide for improved grassland management in support of forage-livestock systems. Applying the principles described will lead to improved regional economic, ecological, and social sustainability. This publication describes the opportunities and challenges of sustainably raising harvested and grazed forages and developing forage-livestock systems in this incredibly diverse environment. Appendix Chapters provide key information on grass / legume / forb species, how pasture species grow and regrow, soil nutrient management and organic matter, grazing philosophies and systems, matching grazing needs for pasture production, and forage-related animal health issues. Learning these key principles and following best management practices described will lead to improved sustainability of forage-livestock systems

Do Dimensions of Ethnic Identity Mediate the Association Between Perceived Ethnic Group Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms?

Ethnic group discrimination represents a notable risk factor that may contribute to mental health problems among ethnic minority college students. However, cultural resources (e.g., ethnic identity) may promote psychological adjustment in the context of group-based discriminatory experiences. In the current study, we examined the associations between perceptions of ethnic group discrimination and depressive symptoms, and explored dimensions of ethnic identity (i.e., exploration, resolution, and affirmation) as mediators of this process among 2,315 ethnic minority college students (age 18 to 30 years; 37% Black, 63% Latino). Results indicated that perceived ethnic group discrimination was associated positively with depressive symptoms among students from both ethnic groups. The relationship between perceived ethnic group discrimination and depressive symptoms was mediated by ethnic identity affirmation for Latino students, but not for Black students. Ethnic identity resolution was negatively and indirectly associated with depressive symptoms through ethnic identity affirmation for both Black and Latino students. Implications for promoting ethnic minority college students’ mental health and directions for future research are discussed