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

How Do We Make Better Decision in Dairy Cattle Diets and Management with Forages and Nitrogen

This presentation was given at the 2016 Northeast Dairy Producers Conference, organized by the PRO-DAIRY Program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. Additional copies of the conference proceedings may be ordered at http://ansci.cals.cornell.edu/extension-outreach/adult-extension/dairy-management/order-proceedings-resources

Mountain Mojo: A Cuban Pig Roast in East Tennessee

Every fall, Eduardo Zayas-Bazán, a native of Cuba who was a veteran of the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion and who taught Spanish at East Tennessee State University for over 30 years, hosts a Cuban-style pig roast in Tennessee for family and friends. Among my fondest memories are the pig roasts we had in Cuba on special occasions, said Zayas-Bazán, who marinates his pigs in grapefruit juice mixed with garlic and oregano, and cooks them in a contraption that he says looks like a shoe box with a grill inside. With the annual pig roast as context, the film tells the story of Zayas-Bazán\u27s life, both in Cuba and the U.S.https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu_books/1098/thumbnail.jp

Balancing dairy cattle diets for rumen nitrogen and methionine or all essentail amino acids relative to metabolizable energy

Improving the ability of diet formulation models to more accurately predict AA supply while appropriately describing requirements for lactating dairy cattle pro- vides an opportunity to improve animal productivity, reduce feed costs, and reduce N intake. The goal of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of a new version of the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) to formulate diets for rumen N, Met, and all essential AA (EAA). Sixty-four high-producing dairy cattle were randomly assigned to 1 of the 4 following diets in a 14-wk longitudinal study: (1) limited metabo- lizable protein (MP), Met, and rumen N (Base), (2) adequate Met but limited MP and rumen N (Base + M), (3) adequate Met and rumen N, but limited MP (Base + MU), and (4) adequate MP, rumen N, and bal- anced for all EAA (Positive). All diets were balanced to exceed requirements for ME relative to maintenance and production, assuming a nonpregnant, 650-kg ani- mal producing 40 kg of milk at 3.05% true protein and 4.0% fat. Dietary MP was 97.2, 97.5, 102.3, and 114.1 g/kg of dry matter intake for the Base, Base + M, Base + MU, and Positive diets, respectively. Differences were observed for dry matter intake and milk yield (24.1 to 24.7 and 39.4 to 41.1 kg/d, among treatments). Energy corrected milk, fat, and true protein yield were greater (2.9, 0.13, and 0.08 kg/d, respectively) in cows fed the Positive compared with the Base diet. Using the updat- ed CNCPS, cattle fed the Base, Base + M, and Base + MU diets were predicted to have a negative MP balance (−231, −310, and −142 g/d, respectively), whereas cattle fed the Positive diet consumed 33 g of MP/d excess to ME supply. Bacterial growth was predicted to be depressed by 16 and 17% relative to adequate N supply for the Base and Base + M diets, respectively, which corresponded with the measured lower apparent total-tract NDF degradation. The study demonstrates that improvements in lactation performances can be achieved when rumen N and Met are properly supplied and further improved when EAA supply are balanced relative to requirements. Formulation using the revised CNCPS provided predictions for these diets, which were sensitive to changes in rumen N, Met, all EAA, and by extension MP supply

The Evolution of Medical Countermeasures for Ebola Virus Disease: Lessons Learned and Next Steps

The Ebola virus disease outbreak that occurred in Western Africa from 2013–2016, and subsequent smaller but increasingly frequent outbreaks of Ebola virus disease in recent years, spurred an unprecedented effort to develop and deploy effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. This effort led to the U.S. regulatory approval of a diagnostic test, two vaccines, and two therapeutics for Ebola virus disease indications. Moreover, the establishment of fieldable diagnostic tests improved the speed with which patients can be diagnosed and public health resources mobilized. The United States government has played and continues to play a key role in funding and coordinating these medical countermeasure efforts. Here, we describe the coordinated U.S. government response to develop medical countermeasures for Ebola virus disease and we identify lessons learned that may improve future efforts to develop and deploy effective countermeasures against other filoviruses, such as Sudan virus and Marburg virus