Current Views Concerning the Liquid State

Investigation of ether in the region of the critical point by the x-ray diffraction methods leads to a new conception of the liquid state. A review is made of authoritative views on the subject and these views discussed in the light of new evidence obtained by x-ray methods. It appears that existing definitions of the liquid state are not adequate and should be supplanted by ones more in conformity with the facts

The Dependence of Cybotactic Groups on Specific Volume

Additional x-ray diffraction data have been taken on ethyl ether in the region of the critical point. (Spangler, Abstract 24, Phys. Rev. 42, p 907, 1932) Series of diffraction curves at pressures of 39.2, 44.1, 49, and 55 kg/cm with temperatures ranging up to 235°C show, as in previous work, that the cybotactic groupings depend more on specific volume than on temperature. At each of the above pressures, the indications of groups disappear at about the critical specific volume regardless of the higher temperatures at higher pressures. The ionization currents were measured with a direct deflection amplifier employing an FP-54 tube instead of the customary electrometer. With this arrangement data could be taken much more rapidly and the fidelity of the results is, in the limit of observation, the same

Promotional Tone in Reviews of Menopausal Hormone Therapy After the Women's Health Initiative: An Analysis of Published Articles

Adriane Fugh-Berman and colleagues analyzed a selection of published opinion pieces on hormone therapy and show that there may be a connection between receiving industry funding for speaking, consulting, or research and the tone of such opinion pieces

Estimates of genomic heritability and genome-wide association study for fatty acids profile in Santa Inês sheep

Background: Despite the health concerns and nutritional importance of fatty acids, there is a relative paucity of studies in the literature that report genetic or genomic parameters, especially in the case of sheep populations. To investigate the genetic architecture of fatty acid composition of sheep, we conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and estimated genomic heritabilities for fatty acid profile in Longissimus dorsi muscle of 216 male sheep. Results: Genomic heritability estimates for fatty acid content ranged from 0.25 to 0.46, indicating that substantial genetic variation exists for the evaluated traits. Therefore, it is possible to alter fatty acid profiles through selection. Twenty-seven genomic regions of 10 adjacent SNPs associated with fatty acids composition were identified on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18, each explaining ≥0.30% of the additive genetic variance. Twenty-three genes supporting the understanding of genetic mechanisms of fat composition in sheep were identified in these regions, such as DGAT2, TRHDE, TPH2, ME1, C6, C7, UBE3D, PARP14, and MRPS30. Conclusions: Estimates of genomic heritabilities and elucidating important genomic regions can contribute to a better understanding of the genetic control of fatty acid deposition and improve the selection strategies to enhance meat quality and health attributes

Comparative genomics of 274 Vibrio cholerae genomes reveals mobile functions structuring three niche dimensions

Contains fulltext : 136229.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Vibrio cholerae is a globally dispersed pathogen that has evolved with humans for centuries, but also includes non-pathogenic environmental strains. Here, we identify the genomic variability underlying this remarkable persistence across the three major niche dimensions space, time, and habitat. RESULTS: Taking an innovative approach of genome-wide association applicable to microbial genomes (GWAS-M), we classify 274 complete V. cholerae genomes by niche, including 39 newly sequenced for this study with the Ion Torrent DNA-sequencing platform. Niche metadata were collected for each strain and analyzed together with comprehensive annotations of genetic and genomic attributes, including point mutations (single-nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs), protein families, functions and prophages. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis revealed that genomic variations, in particular mobile functions including phages, prophages, transposable elements, and plasmids underlie the metadata structuring in each of the three niche dimensions. This underscores the role of phages and mobile elements as the most rapidly evolving elements in bacterial genomes, creating local endemicity (space), leading to temporal divergence (time), and allowing the invasion of new habitats. Together, we take a data-driven approach for comparative functional genomics that exploits high-volume genome sequencing and annotation, in conjunction with novel statistical and machine learning analyses to identify connections between genotype and phenotype on a genome-wide scale

Understanding Evidence-Based Public Health Policy

Public health policy has a profound impact on health status. Missing from the literature is a clear articulation of the definition of evidence-based policy and approaches to move the field forward. Policy-relevant evidence includes both quantitative (e.g., epidemiological) and qualitative information (e.g., narrative accounts)