Probing of RNA structures in a positive sense RNA virus reveals selection pressures for structural elements.

In single stranded (+)-sense RNA viruses, RNA structural elements (SEs) play essential roles in the infection process from replication to encapsidation. Using selective 2'-hydroxyl acylation analyzed by primer extension sequencing (SHAPE-Seq) and covariation analysis, we explore the structural features of the third genome segment of cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), RNA3 (2216 nt), both in vitro and in plant cell lysates. Comparing SHAPE-Seq and covariation analysis results revealed multiple SEs in the coat protein open reading frame and 3' untranslated region. Four of these SEs were mutated and serially passaged in Nicotiana tabacum plants to identify biologically selected changes to the original mutated sequences. After passaging, loop mutants showed partial reversion to their wild-type sequence and SEs that were structurally disrupted by mutations were restored to wild-type-like structures via synonymous mutations in planta. These results support the existence and selection of virus open reading frame SEs in the host organism and provide a framework for further studies on the role of RNA structure in viral infection. Additionally, this work demonstrates the applicability of high-throughput chemical probing in plant cell lysates and presents a new method for calculating SHAPE reactivities from overlapping reverse transcriptase priming sites

Managing Risk in Farming: Concepts, Research, and Analysis

The risks confronted by grain and cotton farmers are of particular interest, given the changing role of the Government after passage of the 1996 Farm Act. With the shift toward less government intervention in the post-1996 Farm Act environment, a more sophisticated understanding of risk and risk management is important to help producers make better decisions in risky situations and to assist policymakers in assessing the effectiveness of different types of risk protection tools. In response, this report provides a rigorous, yet accessible, description of risk and risk management tools and strategies at the farm level. It also provides never-before-published data on farmers' assessments of the risks they face, their use of alternative risk management strategies, and the changes they would make if faced with financial difficulty. It also compares price risk across crops and time periods, and provides detailed information on yield variability.crop insurance, diversification, futures contracts, leasing, leveraging, liquidity, livestock insurance, marketing contracts, options contracts, production contracts, revenue insurance, risk, vertical integration, Farm Management, Risk and Uncertainty,

Integrated Atmosphere Resource Recovery and Environmental Monitoring Technology Demonstration for Deep Space Exploration

Exploring the frontiers of deep space continues to be defined by the technological challenges presented by safely transporting a crew to and from destinations of scientific interest. Living and working on that frontier requires highly reliable and efficient life support systems that employ robust, proven process technologies. The International Space Station (ISS), including its environmental control and life support (ECLS) system, is the platform from which humanity's deep space exploration missions begin. The ISS ECLS system Atmosphere Revitalization (AR) subsystem and environmental monitoring (EM) technical architecture aboard the ISS is evaluated as the starting basis for a developmental effort being conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) via the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Atmosphere Resource Recovery and Environmental Monitoring (ARREM) Project.. An evolutionary approach is employed by the ARREM project to address the strengths and weaknesses of the ISS AR subsystem and EM equipment, core technologies, and operational approaches to reduce developmental risk, improve functional reliability, and lower lifecycle costs of an ISS-derived subsystem architecture suitable for use for crewed deep space exploration missions. The most promising technical approaches to an ISS-derived subsystem design architecture that incorporates promising core process technology upgrades will be matured through a series of integrated tests and architectural trade studies encompassing expected exploration mission requirements and constraints

Sodium-Bearing Waste Treatment, Applied Technology Plan

Settlement Agreement between the Department of Energy and the State of Idaho mandates treatment of sodium-bearing waste at the Idaho Nuclear Technology and Engineering Center within the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory. One of the requirements of the Settlement Agreement is to complete treatment of sodium-bearing waste by December 31, 2012. Applied technology activities are required to provide the data necessary to complete conceptual design of four identified alternative processes and to select the preferred alternative. To provide a technically defensible path forward for the selection of a treatment process and for the collection of needed data, an applied technology plan is required. This document presents that plan, identifying key elements of the decision process and the steps necessary to obtain the required data in support of both the decision and the conceptual design. The Sodium-Bearing Waste Treatment Applied Technology Plan has been prepared to provide a description/roadmap of the treatment alternative selection process. The plan details the results of risk analyzes and the resulting prioritized uncertainties. It presents a high-level flow diagram governing the technology decision process, as well as detailed roadmaps for each technology. The roadmaps describe the technical steps necessary in obtaining data to quantify and reduce the technical uncertainties associated with each alternative treatment process. This plan also describes the final products that will be delivered to the Department of Energy Idaho Operations Office in support of the office's selection of the final treatment technology

Field Demonstration of a Real-time Non-intrusive Monitoring System for Condition-based Maintenance

The performance of important electrical loads on mission critical systems like warships or off-shore platforms is often tracked by dedicated monitoring equipment. Individual monitoring of each load is expensive and risky. Expense occurs because of the need for individual sensors and sensor wiring for every load of interest. Reliability is compromised because detected failures or fault conditions might legitimately be due to load failure, but might also be due to errors or failure in the sensor network or recording instruments. The power distribution network on a warship could be pressed into “dual-use” service, providing not only power distribution but also a diagnostic monitoring capability based on observations of the way in which loads draw power from the distribution service. This paper describes field tests of a prototype system that monitors multiple loads using existing electrical wiring. Initial results are presented from a device that monitors a small collection of motors and two other devices that monitor an entire engine room.Grainger Foundation; National Science Foundation (U.S.); United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration; United States. Coast Guard; United States. Office of Naval Research. Electric Ship Research and Development Consortium; NAVSEA; University of North Carolin

Qatar-2: A K dwarf orbited by a transiting hot Jupiter and a more massive companion in an outer orbit

We report the discovery and initial characterization of Qatar-2b, a hot Jupiter transiting a V = 13.3 mag K dwarf in a circular orbit with a short period, P_ b = 1.34 days. The mass and radius of Qatar-2b are M_p = 2.49 M_j and R_p = 1.14 R_j, respectively. Radial-velocity monitoring of Qatar-2 over a span of 153 days revealed the presence of a second companion in an outer orbit. The Systemic Console yielded plausible orbits for the outer companion, with periods on the order of a year and a companion mass of at least several M_j. Thus Qatar-2 joins the short but growing list of systems with a transiting hot Jupiter and an outer companion with a much longer period. This system architecture is in sharp contrast to that found by Kepler for multi-transiting systems, which are dominated by objects smaller than Neptune, usually with tightly spaced orbits that must be nearly coplanar

Associations of vomiting and antiemetic use in pregnancy with levels of circulating GDF15 early in the second trimester: A nested case-control study.

Background: Although nausea and vomiting are very common in pregnancy, their pathogenesis is poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that circulating growth and differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) concentrations in early pregnancy, whose gene is implicated in hyperemesis gravidarum, are associated with nausea and vomiting. Methods: Blood samples for the measurement of GDF15 and human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) concentrations were obtained early in the second trimester (median 15.1 (interquartile range 14.4-15.7) weeks) of pregnancy from 791 women from the Cambridge Baby Growth Study, a prospective pregnancy and birth cohort. During each trimester participants completed a questionnaire which included questions about nausea, vomiting and antiemetic use. Associations with pre-pregnancy body mass indexes (BMI) were validated in 231 pregnant NIPTeR Study participants. Results: Circulating GDF15 concentrations were higher in women reporting vomiting in the second trimester than in women reporting no pregnancy nausea or vomiting: 11,581 (10,977-12,219) (n=175) vs. 10,593 (10,066-11,147) (n=193) pg/mL, p=0.02). In women who took antiemetic drugs during pregnancy (n=11) the GDF15 levels were also raised 13,157 (10,558-16,394) pg/mL (p =0.04). Serum GFD15 concentrations were strongly positively correlated with hCG levels but were inversely correlated with maternal BMIs, a finding replicated in the NIPTeR Study. Conclusions: Week 15 serum GDF15 concentrations are positively associated with second trimester vomiting and maternal antiemetic use in pregnancy. Given GDF15's site of action in the chemoreceptor trigger zone of the brainstem and its genetic associations with hyperemesis gravidarum, these data support the concept that GDF15 may be playing a pathogenic role in pregnancy-associated vomiting.This work was supported by the Wellcome Trust [100574; Strategic Award]; and an unrestricted award from the Novo Nordisk Foundation (International Prize for Excellence in diabetes research) (both SOR). The Cambridge Baby Growth Study has been funded by the Medical Research Council (7500001180) (CLA), European Union Framework 5 (QLK4-1999-01422) (IAH), the Mothercare Foundation (RG54608) (IAH), Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children (07/20) (IAH), and the World Cancer Research Fund International (2004/03) (DBD). It is also supported by the National Institute for Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. KKO and JRB are supported by the Medical Research Council (Unit Programme MC_UU_12015/2). The NIPTeR study was in part supported by an AMC-VUMC Alliance grant

Functional Performance of an Enabling Atmosphere Revitalization Subsystem Architecture for Deep Space Exploration Missions

A subsystem architecture derived from the International Space Station's (ISS) Atmosphere Revitalization Subsystem (ARS) has been functionally demonstrated. This ISS-derived architecture features re-arranged unit operations for trace contaminant control and carbon dioxide removal functions, a methane purification component as a precursor to enhance resource recovery over ISS capability, operational modifications to a water electrolysis-based oxygen generation assembly, and an alternative major atmospheric constituent monitoring concept. Results from this functional demonstration are summarized and compared to the performance observed during ground-based testing conducted on an ISS-like subsystem architecture. Considerations for further subsystem architecture and process technology development are discussed

Potato Breeding and Variety Development for Improved Quality and Pest Resistance in the Eastern United States

The eastern U.S. potato industry needs new potato varieties to overcome pest problems while reducing agricultural chemical use and to enhance marketing opportunities. This project will conduct potato breeding, germplasm enhancement, and selection studies to improve potato productivity and quality for important eastern U.S. markets. Novel and highly improved potato germplasm and varieties will be developed to reduce the impact of economically important potato pests, such as golden nematode, late blight, pink rot, and scab

Evaluation of an Atmosphere Revitalization Subsystem for Deep Space Exploration Missions

An Atmosphere Revitalization Subsystem (ARS) suitable for deployment aboard deep space exploration mission vehicles has been developed and functionally demonstrated. This modified ARS process design architecture was derived from the International Space Station's (ISS) basic ARS. Primary functions considered in the architecture include trace contaminant control, carbon dioxide removal, carbon dioxide reduction, and oxygen generation. Candidate environmental monitoring instruments were also evaluated. The process architecture rearranges unit operations and employs equipment operational changes to reduce mass, simplify, and improve the functional performance for trace contaminant control, carbon dioxide removal, and oxygen generation. Results from integrated functional demonstration are summarized and compared to the performance observed during previous testing conducted on an ISS-like subsystem architecture and a similarly evolved process architecture. Considerations for further subsystem architecture and process technology development are discussed