Five Planets Orbiting 55 Cancri

We report 18 years of Doppler shift measurements of a nearby star, 55 Cancri, that exhibit strong evidence for five orbiting planets. The four previously reported planets are strongly confirmed here. A fifth planet is presented, with an apparent orbital period of 260 days, placing it 0.78 AU from the star in the large empty zone between two other planets. The velocity wobble amplitude of 4.9 \ms implies a minimum planet mass \msini = 45.7 \mearthe. The orbital eccentricity is consistent with a circular orbit, but modest eccentricity solutions give similar \chisq fits. All five planets reside in low eccentricity orbits, four having eccentricities under 0.1. The outermost planet orbits 5.8 AU from the star and has a minimum mass, \msini = 3.8 \mjupe, making it more massive than the inner four planets combined. Its orbital distance is the largest for an exoplanet with a well defined orbit. The innermost planet has a semi-major axis of only 0.038 AU and has a minimum mass, \msinie, of only 10.8 \mearthe, one of the lowest mass exoplanets known. The five known planets within 6 AU define a {\em minimum mass protoplanetary nebula} to compare with the classical minimum mass solar nebula. Numerical N-body simulations show this system of five planets to be dynamically stable and show that the planets with periods of 14.65 and 44.3 d are not in a mean-motion resonance. Millimagnitude photometry during 11 years reveals no brightness variations at any of the radial velocity periods, providing support for their interpretation as planetary.Comment: accepted to Ap

Genome Sequence of \u3ci\u3eStreptomyces aureofaciens\u3c/i\u3e ATCC Strain 10762

Streptomyces aureofaciens is a Gram-positive actinomycete that produces the antibiotics tetracycline and chlortetracycline. Here, we report the assembly and initial annotation of the draft genome sequence of S. aureofaciens ATCC strain 10762

Genome Sequence of \u3ci\u3eStreptomyces aureofaciens\u3c/i\u3e ATCC Strain 10762

Streptomyces aureofaciens is a Gram-positive actinomycete that produces the antibiotics tetracycline and chlortetracycline. Here, we report the assembly and initial annotation of the draft genome sequence of S. aureofaciens ATCC strain 10762

Phase II Trial of Dasatinib for Patients with Acquired Resistance to Treatment with the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Erlotinib or Gefitinib

Introduction:Dual inhibition of SRC- and EGFR-dependent pathways may overcome acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) for patients with lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR mutations. The SRC inhibitor dasatinib demonstrates antitumor activity in gefitinib-resistant cells lines and xenografts. Dasatinib is tolerable for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer, and in combination with erlotinib.Methods:We conducted this phase II study of dasatinib 70 mg twice daily in patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma and acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs. After a protocol amendment based on evolving data about both drugs, patients received dasatinib at a dose of 100 mg daily with continued erlotinib after developing acquired resistance. Enrolled patients either harbored an activating mutation in EGFR or experienced clinical benefit with single-agent erlotinib or gefitinib, followed by RECIST documented progression while being treated with an EGFR-TKI.Results:Twenty-one patients were enrolled, 9 under the original trial design and 12 after the protocol amendments. We observed no complete or partial responses (0% observed rate, 95% confidence interval: 0–18%). The median time to progression was 0.5 months (range, 0.2–1.8 months) in patients treated with dasatinib and 0.9 months (range, 0.4–5 months) for patients treated with dasatinib and erlotinib in combination. Pleural effusions and dyspnea were frequent toxicities.Conclusions:Dasatinib has no activity in patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma with acquired resistance to erlotinib and gefitinib

Migratory and winter activity of bats in Yellowstone National Park

A substantial body of work exists describing timing of migration and hibernation among bats in eastern North America, but less is known about these events among bats inhabiting the Rocky Mountain region. Yellowstone National Park is a geothermally influenced landscape comprised of diverse habitats, creating the opportunity for unique behaviors to develop among local bat populations. We identified the timing of migration for the local bat community and determined if bats overwinter in Yellowstone. To accomplish this, we radiotracked 7 little brown myotis (Myotis lucifugus), 5 western long-eared myotis (M. evotis), 4 big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), 4 silver-haired bats (Lasionycteris noctivagans), and 1 western small-footed myotis (M. ciliolabrum) from August to September 2010 and September to October 2011. We also used acoustic detectors to record bat activity from November through April 2011–2014 and sampled abundance of nocturnal insects using black-light traps from 2011 to 2012. Although availability of insects declined rapidly during August and afterward, several bat species remained active throughout autumn and winter. Bat activity was recorded during all months, even during periods of extreme cold. Radiotagged big brown bats, little brown myotis, and western small-footed myotis remained active in the study area throughout October, after the 1st snowfall of the season. While data for activity patterns in late autumn and winter prevented an estimation of the onset of hibernation, spring emergence occurred in April despite persistence of winter conditions. These data provide insights into the migration and hibernation strategies of bat populations in the Rocky Mountains and highlight gaps in our understanding of seasonal changes in these species

A Demonstration of using Partnerships and Private Lands Conservation to Evaluate Livestock Grazing as a Management Tool for Greater Sage Grouse in Central Montana

Partnerships across agencies and land ownerships established to maintain wildlife-compatible “working landscapes” are critical for conserving and managing wildlife in the West.  Preliminary results from the first three years of a 10-yr study in central Montana demonstrate this management approach.  We are evaluating prescribed grazing systems implemented by NRCS’s Sage Grouse Initiative (SGI) that are designed to improve hiding cover and food availability for Greater sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus) during critical life stages via voluntary, incentive-based modifications of livestock grazing management.  Extensive vegetation sampling across 8 SGI-enrolled ranches and 20 non-enrolled ranches in 2013 revealed significant increases in residual grass height, live grass height, and herbaceous vegetation cover on SGI-enrolled lands. In 2011-2013, we monitored adult female sage-grouse and chicks with radiotelemetry to measure vital rates and habitat use. Annual hen survival ranged from 57-74 percent, nest success ranged from 12-61 percent, and chick survival ranged from 9-23 percent.  Using an information theoretic approach in program MARK, the top-ranked nest success model showed that grass height was positively correlated with nest success.   During late nesting to early brood rearing periods of 2012 and 2013 we used pitfall traps to collected ground-dwelling arthropods from cattle grazed and rest-rotation phase pastures enrolled in the SGI program. Collected arthropods were identified and appropriate specimens were classified as sage grouse chick food items. During both years of study, food item catches were greatest (P < 0.03) in rested versus grazed pastures indicating that strategic pasture rest may increase the availability of sage grouse chick food resources

Clues to the Metallicity Distribution in the Galactic Bulge: Abundances in MOA-2008-BLG310 and MOA-2008-BLG311

We present abundance analyses based on high dispersion and high signal-to-noise ratio Magellan spectra of two highly microlensed Galactic bulge stars in the region of the main sequence turnoff with Teff ~ 5650 K. We find that MOA-2008-BLG310 has [Fe/H]= +0.41 (+,- 0.09 dex) and MOA-2008-BLG311 has +0.26 (+, - 0.09 dex). The abundance ratios for the ~20 elements for which features could be detected in the spectra of each of the two stars follow the trends with [Fe/H] found among samples of bulge giants. Combining these two bulge dwarfs with the results from previous abundance analysis of four other Galactic bulge turnoff region stars, all highly magnified by microlensing, gives a mean [Fe/H] of +0.29dex. This implies that there there is an inconsistency between the Fe-metallicity distribution of the microlensed bulge dwarfs and that derived by the many previous estimates based on surveys of cool, luminous bulge giants, which have mean [Fe/H] ~ -0.1 dex. A number of possible mechanisms for producing this difference are discussed. If one ascribes this inconsistency to systematic errors in the abundance analyses, we provide statistical arguments suggesting that a substantial systematic error in the Fe-metallicity for one or both of the two cases, bulge dwarfs vs bulge giants, is required which is probably larger than can realistically be accommodated.Comment: Accepted to the ApJ, 36 pages with 7 figures. Updated to conform to the published version, two references added, other very minor change

The N2K Consortium. II. A Transiting Hot Saturn Around HD 149026 With a Large Dense Core

Doppler measurements from Subaru and Keck have revealed radial velocity variations in the V=8.15, G0IV star HD 149026 consistent with a Saturn-Mass planet in a 2.8766 day orbit. Photometric observations at Fairborn Observatory have detected three complete transit events with depths of 0.003 mag at the predicted times of conjunction. HD 149026 is now the second brightest star with a transiting extrasolar planet. The mass of the star, based on interpolation of stellar evolutionary models, is 1.3 +/- 0.1 solar masses; together with the Doppler amplitude, K=43.3 m s^-1, we derive a planet mass Msin(i)=0.36 Mjup, and orbital radius of 0.042 AU. HD 149026 is chromospherically inactive and metal-rich with spectroscopically derived [Fe/H]=+0.36, Teff=6147 K, log g=4.26 and vsin(i)=6.0 km s^-1. Based on Teff and the stellar luminosity of 2.72 Lsun, we derive a stellar radius of 1.45 Rsun. Modeling of the three photometric transits provides an orbital inclination of 85.3 +/- 1.0 degrees and (including the uncertainty in the stellar radius) a planet radius of 0.725 +/- 0.05 Rjup. Models for this planet mass and radius suggest the presence of a ~67 Mearth core composed of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium. This substantial planet core would be difficult to construct by gravitational instability.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figures, accepted by the Astrophysical Journa

Seedbank Persistence of Palmer Amaranth (\u3ci\u3eAmaranthus palmeri\u3c/i\u3e) and Waterhemp (\u3ci\u3eAmaranthus tuberculatus\u3c/i\u3e) across Diverse Geographical Regions in the United States

Knowledge of the effects of burial depth and burial duration on seed viability and, consequently, seedbank persistence of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson) and waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) J. D. Sauer] ecotypes can be used for the development of efficient weed management programs. This is of particular interest, given the great fecundity of both species and, consequently, their high seedbank replenishment potential. Seeds of both species collected from five different locations across the United States were investigated in seven states (sites) with different soil and climatic conditions. Seeds were placed at two depths (0 and 15cm) for 3 yr. Each year, seeds were retrieved, and seed damage (shrunken, malformed, or broken) plus losses (deteriorated and futile germination) and viability were evaluated. Greater seed damage plus loss averaged across seed origin, burial depth, and year was recorded for lots tested at Illinois (51.3% and 51.8%) followed by Tennessee (40.5% and 45.1%) and Missouri (39.2% and 42%) for A. palmeri and A. tuberculatus, respectively. The site differences for seed persistence were probably due to higher volumetric water content at these sites. Rates of seed demise were directly proportional to burial depth (α=0.001), whereas the percentage of viable seeds recovered after 36 mo on the soil surface ranged from 4.1% to 4.3% compared with 5% to 5.3% at the 15-cm depth for A. palmeri and A. tuberculatus, respectively. Seed viability loss was greater in the seeds placed on the soil surface compared with the buried seeds. The greatest influences on seed viability were burial conditions and time and site-specific soil conditions, more so than geographical location. Thus, management of these weed species should focus on reducing seed shattering, enhancing seed removal from the soil surface, or adjusting tillage systems

Stops making sense: translational trade-offs and stop codon reassignment

Background Efficient gene expression involves a trade-off between (i) premature termination of protein synthesis; and (ii) readthrough, where the ribosome fails to dissociate at the terminal stop. Sense codons that are similar in sequence to stop codons are more susceptible to nonsense mutation, and are also likely to be more susceptible to transcriptional or translational errors causing premature termination. We therefore expect this trade-off to be influenced by the number of stop codons in the genetic code. Although genetic codes are highly constrained, stop codon number appears to be their most volatile feature. Results In the human genome, codons readily mutable to stops are underrepresented in coding sequences. We construct a simple mathematical model based on the relative likelihoods of premature termination and readthrough. When readthrough occurs, the resultant protein has a tail of amino acid residues incorrectly added to the C-terminus. Our results depend strongly on the number of stop codons in the genetic code. When the code has more stop codons, premature termination is relatively more likely, particularly for longer genes. When the code has fewer stop codons, the length of the tail added by readthrough will, on average, be longer, and thus more deleterious. Comparative analysis of taxa with a range of stop codon numbers suggests that genomes whose code includes more stop codons have shorter coding sequences. Conclusions We suggest that the differing trade-offs presented by alternative genetic codes may result in differences in genome structure. More speculatively, multiple stop codons may mitigate readthrough, counteracting the disadvantage of a higher rate of nonsense mutation. This could help explain the puzzling overrepresentation of stop codons in the canonical genetic code and most variants