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

A final-focus magnet for PEP-II

A compact quadrupole magnet has been designed for the final-focus of the 3GeV {times} 9GeV PEP II B-factory collider being built at SLAC. The magnet system must fit within the particle detector, has no iron, and consists of four nested separately controlled magnets: a two-layer 11.95 T/m quadrupole; a horizontal dipole; a vertical dipole; and a 1.5T solenoid. The 1.1 m long magnet must produce a highly uniform quadrupole field in the 120 mm ID beam pipe. The cryostat is 140 mm ID. (warm), 314 mm OD, and approximately 1.5 m long. The very compact cryogenic suspension system using Ti alloy plates is designed to withstand large forces due to interaction between the field of the detector solenoid and the four nested magnets. Cryogenic services and magnet leads are provided through a single flexible transfer line approximately 4m long

Environmental effects of ozone depletion and its interactions with climate change : progress report, 2011

The parties to the Montreal Protocol are informed by three panels of experts. One of these is the Environmental Effects Assessment Panel (EEAP), which deals with two focal issues. The first focus is the effects of increased UV radiation on human health, animals, plants, biogeochemistry, air quality, and materials. The second focus is on interactions between UV radiation and global climate change and how these may affect humans and the environment. When considering the effects of climate change, it has become clear that processes resulting in changes in stratospheric ozone are more complex than believed previously. As a result of this, human health and environmental problems will be longer-lasting and more regionally variable. Like the other panels, the EEAP produces a detailed report every four years; the most recent was published in 2010 (Photochem. Photobiol. Sci., 2011, 10, 173–300). In the years in between, the EEAP produces less detailed and shorter progress reports, which highlight and assess the significance of developments in key areas of importance to the parties. The next full quadrennial report will be published in 2014–2015